Crazy Fool Man

Back in the day when Rick and I were just friends I used to have some good laughs about the women he dated.  This is the story of one of those “dates…err pick ups”

I had called Rick to tell him I was coming to town.
We lived about 100 miles from one another.
He in Erie PA and I in Cleveland Ohio.
He and I decided we’d meet at a favorite watering hole in Erie.
I was flying home from a work related trip on Friday and we were going to meet at a bar that night in his town.

I got delayed in Boston so I called him to let him know I wouldn’t be able to see him until Saturday.
I told him I would call him when I got to my parents house and we could make arrangements to see one another at some point over the weekend.

At a very early morning hour I was coming down a main street by my parents house and I see Rick’s car coming the opposite direction towards me. I wave. He sees me and he pulls into a plaza and I follow.

I go over to his car and say, “just getting home?” 
He laughs and says, “just bringing someone home.” 
“Oh it was one of those nights,” I say to him.

He begins to shake his head and tell me, “How do I find all the nut jobs?”
I just laugh because I know the women he dates or picks up.
They are all the same. Gorgeous but stupid or worse nuts.
I have met many of them and while all are beautiful or pretty most are damn crazy.
So I figure this story ought to be good.

He proceeds to tell me that he did go to the bar we were to meet at Friday night.
When I said I wasn’t coming to town he now had no plans for the evening so thought he would go to his favorite watering hole and see what was happening.
He bellied up to the bar when this very tall, very pretty blond thing asked him if she could buy him a drink. Of course he said yes.
They chatted and drank at the bar for a good portion of the night.
She suddenly stands up and says, “Take me home” 
He of course was thinking, “Ricky gonna git some!”

They walked to his car and once inside the car he asks her where she lived.
She responded that she wanted to go to his house. Okay then.
Happy Rick drives off to his house.

They get inside his home and she says she would like to change into something more comfortable and asks if he has anything she can wear.
He gives her a T-shirt and small pair of shorts he just happens to have because women leave their clothes at his place all the time. (insert my eye roll here)
She goes into the bathroom to change

He immediately begins his mad dash around his place to light candles, open a bottle of wine, put on some music….you know what I like to refer to as the ole “Ricky gonna git some” ambiance.

She comes out of the bathroom and they are on the sofa sharing a bottle of wine and chatting. Rick tells me they are having a nice time chatting when she blurts out that she needs to get ready for bed. Okay then. To him this sounds promising.
But instead she stands up and says to Rick “I have to do 100 sit ups first, will you hold my ankles?”
Rick is thinking, Okay what kind of kinky shit is this? Or is it code for something else?
This woman is nutso!

But no code here. This woman just wants to do 100 sit ups and he holds her ankles and is thinking, What the hell did I just bring home?

When she reached 100 she tells him, “Let’s go to bed”
Okay finally! Is what he was thinking. 
They get to the bedroom and she crawls into bed.
He makes a move and she said as she pushed him away, “Oh I don’t want to fool around I really just want to sleep”

While Rick is still processing this comment she immediately begins snoring.

Snoring he says like a big ass truck driver!!
He grabs her breast to see if she is faking. (yes, this was all kinds of wrong women. I have yelled at him for this!)
She just keeps snoring. She snored like that all night and he couldn’t sleep.
He even tried shaking her at one point in the wee hours to make her shut the hell up but she just kept snoring so loudly he felt the house was shaking.

In the morning she says to Rick, “You’ve got to take me home now”
Rick replied, “GLADLY”

After he dropped her off and was returning home is when I saw him.
As he is telling me this story I am busting a gut laughing.
“Rick, I ask, where do you find these women... seriously?
 
“God Margaret she was tall and gorgeous, model gorgeous. She said, ‘take me home’
If you say that to a guy what the hell are you implying then?”

I laugh and reply, “Well a normal person like myself  would only say that if I am implying that I want to bang your bones. But to be honest I don’t know many women who would say that after just meeting you.  But the women you find aren't normal that's for sure!”

Yea no shit ! he laughs. They look normal but then they turn out to be psycho.

Yea Rick, crazy can look normal to someone who’s blood has rushed away from his brain. 

 I just keep laughing and tell him what I always tell him “I seriously think you have to find a better class of woman Rick.”

“You know the worse part of this?” 

“No Rick I don’t.” I respond thinking this ought to be good. 

“She wore my favorite T-shirt home with her and I will never get it back now.”

Conversations in my Car

We were riding in the car listening to Sirius Radio.
It was a rock station, possibly classic vinyl or classic rewind.
They were discussing the upcoming holiday weekend of rock star interviews that would be airing.
I was only half listening really.
I was more invested in the vista's around the lake more than the talk on the radio.
(and damn it that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)
But I did hear them say something about some interviews with the likes of Robert Plant and Greg Allman and a few others and then I heard them say, "and we'll be interviewing 4 dead members."

I turned away from the window and said to Rick, "How the hell do they plan on interviewing dead members? Are they having a seance?"

He doesn't answer me he just begins howling with laughter.

"Why is that so funny Rick?"

"Oh Margaret you scare me."

"Me? I'm not interviewing dead people."

"The DJ said they were interviewing 4 dead members. He meant OF the Grateful Dead."

"Oh. Well then. Now I see why you're laughing, I say as I too giggle.
I know they're called Dead Heads and The Dead but seriously wouldn't it have been better to say it differently?
Perhaps like, "4 members of the Dead vs. 4 dead members?"
That's a big difference. 
I would doubt I am the only person who would have thought what I did."

"Oh yes trust me you are the only person.  No one else would have thought that."

"I see why you're laughing but you can't see why I thought that?"

He just keeps laughing
I know what he's thinking. I'm having another blonde moment as he calls them.
And as that thought goes through my head he says....
Margaret, You dye your hair brown don't you?

Ha Ha, Real funny old man.

"Ah woman you do crack me up and keep me entertained. "

"Isn't that part of my charm?"

" Yeah, okay we'll go with that."

Winery Fun

Saturday we were invited to a wine tasting at a new local winery.
Not one to say no to wine we said, YES.

This winery was mere minutes from our home.
How did we not know about this new place?
It has been open for 3 months now.
I could almost walk - well stagger as the case may be.

I didn't take enough photo's to really show you this place.
I have none of inside. The inside is so beautiful, open and warm.
Here is the entrance.

Rick and I got there early because we had errands to run and we figured there was no sense in going home and sitting for 20 minutes until it was time to leave. So we decided to just go to the winery and wait for everyone. We sat on the porch chairs and this was the view of the vines and the driveway leading up to the winery.  The place wasn't even open yet so we just sat in our rocking chairs on the porch and chatted and we walked the property. It was glorious.

This was the side porch with tables and chairs overlooking the rolling hills. There were tables out there with umbrellas and a few tasting tables as well. I didn't take enough photo's I wish I had. I was just enjoying this place in every sense.

We had the wine tasting with a great gal full of good information. I admit I have never ever been impressed with Virginia wine. But I was pleasantly surprised at a few of their offerings.

Everyone brought food and after the tasting we each got a bottle and sat outside listened to music (they had a guitar player and singer) and we shared food and drank with friends. Anything better?

It rained and we were all seated under the porch awning and it was perfect.

This location is backed up to the Manassas Battlefields. (civil war battlefield in case you don't know) There were battlefield plaques around the property which were interesting.

There was an area that had tables and chairs and sliding gliders all around a stone fireplace. I see a fall evening in my future. And it is only 5 minutes from my house!  Dangerous isn't it?

I so wish I had gotten more photo's but I spent my time laughing, drinking and talking to friends.  Great Day of relaxation to forget your world for a little while.
Just what the doctor ordered.

Random Housekeeping

**I don't get the television show America's Got Talent.
Oh I actually get that channel, I just don't get the word 'talent' and this show together.
My husband likes this insipid show so the other night I tried again to watch it with him.
I bit my tongue to the point of blood.
I wanted to scream, really you think this is entertainment?
This is talent? This show sucks!
But he watches shit I like and never says anything so I tried, I really tried.
(okay with the exception of Little Women with Wynona Ryder which I love and will watch over and over again  he will say, Oh good I'll get in a great nap!)

But watching this was pure torture, I just couldn't do it.
Instead I got up, kissed my big man and said, "I'm going upstairs and watch my Yankees get swept and then have a good cry."  He laughed and said he understood.
I enjoy each one of the judges as well as the host individually and away from this show.
I adore Sharon, Howard is a great interviewer when he's not being a pig and Howie used to be a funny comedian before Deal or No Deal.
And Nick Cannon - well I adore Nick Cannon.
He is good in his role here and he's a cutie patootie.

But the so called talent they pass through or fawn over I don't understand.
Where is the talent when it's an asshole who is having things thrown at his balls or falling on his balls or kicking his balls? He's a jackass, not talented.
The fact that this man is even on a television show with the word talent in the title is a disgrace.  Do any of you find this talented and if so tell me what I am missing here.
This is not a million dollar act of talent to me.

The little boy who sings Mexican style music is cute but great?
He was flat as much as he was good. Talented but not ready yet for his star to shine nor a million dollar act.
The dog ventriloquist? Tired old act.
The guy with an arrow.
Okay it was hunger games cool I guess but a million dollar talent for Vegas?
Is this all that America has to offer?
I just don't get it.
What am I missing America?

**I want it to be November 20th just so I don't have to endure any more political ads.
Rick suggested making the ads a drinking game. You would take a shot each time an ad comes on TV. Like my youthful Bob Newhart  game. Did you guys play that one? 
Each time Emily said, "Oh Bob" you chugged or took a shot.  And she said this a lot.
That was a fun one back in my day.

**Why do all the wing nuts seem to be in the south? What is in the water down there?
The horrible man who says if the president is reelected there will be a civil war.
He should be put in jail just for the irresponsible hateful talk. 
Makes a sweet gal like me misanthropic....tee hee

**After the horror of my blog going to the "upgraded" version without wanting it I can no longer get it completely back to how it was.
It started when I signed in and got the new so called "upgrade."
Not liking change or the new fussy look I changed it back with the help of my blogger friends.
When I hit the revert button it made my header like this.
I didn't touch anything else to have made this happen.
When you hit edit your header it gives me no options to center or enlarge.
Ms. A has been kind to show me all kinds of page captures.
My pages don't show the same thing.
I am so frustrated I could scream.
At this point I would pay someone to fix this shit. But I'm broke so my little boat with Rick and Izzy will remain small I guess until I can find a 12 year old to come by and help me.
Argh!! Any suggestions are welcome.

  **I applied for a part time home based job for supplemental income.
I had to take tests yesterday that reminded me of the SAT's.
OMG. I've been out of school a very long time but this made my stomach hurt.
What word from this list is most like the one at the top. Those I didn't mind.
Some of these tests were timed. My stomach ache grew. The typing test was timed and you couldn't go back and fix anything.....I tried.
Then they had these shapes and asked if these shapes were in space which ones are the same and which ones are different. They all looked different to me. 
So I did the best I could. I counted, I measured, I cried.
If they were in space I wouldn't be able to see them so who the hell cares! 
But that wasn't any of the options to choose from damn it.
I would rather have a sharp stick in the eye - over and over again than to answer these things.  At least they didn't make me take a spelling test.
We all know I could not pass a spelling test!

**My hairdresser's schedule just doesn't jive with mine at all.
She doesn't work on weekends or Fridays. Friday's are my easiest day to possibly leave the office but not every Friday.  It is difficult for me to get there during the day with work and very difficult to get there before 7p. She cuts and colors my hair better than anyone but unless I retire I can't see her. It breaks my heart and my hair misses her.
I had to make an appointment for Saturday with someone new.
Who knows what my hair will look like. Thankfully going to the lake for a full week and my hair will be wet or under a hat so if it's bad no one will see me.

**FIOS called yesterday and told me if I added FIOS TV to my phone and Internet plan I could get it for $19.99.  I politely said, "No thank you I am happy with what I have."
The young woman said in a snotty tone, "But is it $19.99?" 
"No it's not the temporary $19.99, I tell her, I just love my satellite provider and don't wish to switch but thank you for asking"
That comment will normally shut them up but not this tenacious gal.
She asks, "do you have so much money that you don't care how you spend it?"
Okay that pissed me off damn it!
I then told her that she went over the line.
"I do not want FIOS TV because I love Dish Network so please take me off your list."
She laughed in such a cocky way that I wanted to bitch slap her.
She began by saying that I have FIOS already in other areas so I will never be off their list.
I didn't listen to the rest of her spiel because I had already hung up.

It's Friday and I'm heading to the lake on Sunday.
I will be working from there for a week.
Then the holiday weekend with company and fun.
I can't wait!
Have a great weekend everybody!

Creepy Old Guy

Rick always bemoans that he is an old man now and women don't flirt like when he was younger.
Oh please.

Yes, when we were just friends and hung out together the women would hang all over him.
The women would push me aside to talk to him. It would crack me up.
Some were smart and realized that if they went through me they'd have more success.
Oh the stories I could tell and may some day.
Yes, this man had women all the time all over the place.
Now he thinks he's invisible....or just creepy old guy.

So a few weeks ago while at the lake he comes home from the hardware store and says to me, "Margaret you could lose me you know.  You've got some competition"

"What in the hell is going on at that hardware store?" I asked him laughing.

He said, "A woman pulled up to me at the traffic light.
She took one look at me and winked and blew me a kiss."

"And yet you didn't follow her home Rick?"

He is now laughing as he describes her to me. (I wrote it down no less so I could share w/you)
I quote here, "She was a snaggle tooth, cigarette smoking  granny green teeth.  I chose to come home!"

While he is telling me this I am laughing and I say, "Well didn't that make you feel better that someone was flirting with you?"

"No. it did not! It's official this is what I attract now. Being an old man sucks"

"Hey hey Bucko I'm still attracted to you. Does that mean nothing?"

I know, I know and it does babe. You also have all your teeth and for that I'm very thankful!

Oh yea that's the way to make me hot Rick. Keep those compliments coming.
Geez!

Hump Day.

Fun Update on Lyme Disease (with pictures)

After Izzy's Lyme Disease medicine was completed we called the Vet for follow up information.  She's done now what?
Is the Lyme gone? Does she have to come in again for this?

The answer was that we had to bring in a urine sample from her first morning pee to be checked. Apparently kidney disease is the biggest issue with Lyme Disease.
It is especially prevelant with Labs and Golden Retrievers.  Oh Great.
Lyme Disease never goes away. She is now what they referred to as a carrier.
She made it sound like she was contagious. She is not.
She is just carrying this around in her.
Hopefully dormant but it could raise it's ugly head again in a number of ways.

This medicine she's been on for 21 days has helped her and we see the change in her so we know it has made a difference. But she still has Lyme Disease.
The vet also told me that this disease does attack their organs so we will have to moniter this her whole life. Hopefully we caught this early enough to prevent all the dire things we've heard and read about regarding this disease.

Our next conversation was how the hell are we going to collect this pee?
I looked at Rick and said, "Hey she loves you more than me you can do this. Besides you have longer arms....tee hee"
He laughed and said, "I kind of knew you were going to say something like that."

We laughed about what we would use to collect this pee. Tupperware?
Can you see that at a party? Here is the special tupperware for you to collect urine and it's "burp" of the lid lets you be secure in knowing it won't spill on you and make you pee-pee girl. (or pee-pee boy) 

We knew that if we put something under Iz she would just stop mid stream so what were we going to do? She is such a finicky pee'er as it is.  We had some good laughs about this.
Then Rick says as he is going out the back door to the garage - "I can jimmy rig something!"

He comes back with paint stir sticks taped together.
There is a bottle cap in the middle holding them at the right amount of space to hold the dixie cup.  I couldn't stop laughing but at the same time Ole MacGyver did it again.

This is how one catches your dogs first pee without disturbing her or getting it on yourself.

This is the shot of the painted stained bottle cap to hold it at this proper width. Note dixie cup to hold the ever important first pee of the morning.

Rick was successful in retrieving what needed to be retrieved and I got it to the Vet this morning to be reviewed and of course I had to pay for this delightful event.

Hopefully living with Lyme won't be a horrific life for Ms. Izzy.

I couldn't bear it.

Izzy the Wonder Dog at Smith Mountain Lake August 2012



You Go Kaitlin Nootbaar!

This is what we worry about? Seriously with all the shit going on in the world?
A 4.0 student who was validectiorian used the word hell in her speech so the school is holding back her diploma.

So if she was a knocked up kid with a 4.0 she would get her diploma because she is a fine example and besides she's on TV so she should get her diploma.
If she were the meth user with a 2.0 she would graduate and receive her diploma because we just want her the "hell" out of school.
If her priorities were just getting by with the smallest of effort (like America in general) and she spent her evenings and weekends smoking pot and drinking alcohol (and don't we all) she would graduate.

But a person who spent her high school years working hard to get a 4.0 and get into a good school for higher education and to do something constructive with her life you deny for using the word "hell"
For all you nut right wingers who spew your religious rhetoric at us all isn't that a destination and not a bad word? Seriously this is so offensive that you would deny her a diploma?
She didn't say fuck for fuck's sake.

I get it we are trying to make our young people upstanding citizens and better than us.
But I would bet my life on the fact that those children graduating and the people in the audience have heard far worse. Especially in the text it was used.
Does that make it right?
No, it doesn't but it's just a word that really isn't harmful.
I could list another 7 that are if you'd like.

Of course you don't want your 4 year old walking around saying that but I imagine that principal has said far worse when talking about the kids, the parents and his administration.
Pot , meet kettle.

A public reprimand would have been enough for this crime.
But to hold back her diploma is just so ridiculous. 

Boy people are pissing me off this week. And I haven't even covered politics.
(I know you're saying, peg only this week ?....you know what I mean)

This Just Ticks Me Off !!!!

This is so damn sad it pisses me off.

I wear a size 10 jeans. I don't look near this good.
Then again I'm an old broad who is only 5'2" at best.

The fact that she says here that it took her years to feel confident and she looks like this is a sad state of affairs.
I imagine if you are always told you could be a success if you lost weight and were a stick with a lollipop head that could cause you some insecurities.

Okay to you men who may read me....is she a plus size model to you?
Or just a damn good looking model? period.
Do you find her fat?

She is considered fat in the fashion industry and she had to do all kinds of sick things to try to fit in societies little box. Thankfully she gave it up to eat and live.

Our society is going backwards in so many ways and especially in woman's rights and future.

My Next Vacation Spot

This dog is as laid back as Izzy the Wonder Dog.
Cocoa has the same demeanor and face and it's a bit scary. 
Rick and I kept watching it and couldn't believe she was as calm and mellow as our gal
We see a fall foliage destination in our future.


In other animal news.....
I am enthralled with gorillas. Always have been always will be.
Yesterday I saw this video of 2 long lost gorilla brothers.

  If this isn't touching to you, you are just cold inside! Remember awhile back, or perhaps you never heard this, but very young gorillas were seen through surveillance video taking apart traps set to kill them.   Not only does this show to me tremendous cognitive skills but also empathy.  I would so love to sit with the gorilla's like Dian Fossey used to do.  Here is the story of those little guys doing this.

Visine Poisoning

Talk about patience.
This woman was poisoning her boyfriend over 3 years with Visine.
She says she did this because she wanted more attention from him.
3 YEARS!
To me this is patience.
Much more patience than I have that's for sure.

She could have just said, "I need more attention from you!"
That would have been quick and easy, no?

But poisoning him over 3 years?
He was suppose to guess that she needed more attention from that little trick?
How in the hell would that work?

"Gee someones putting poison in my drinks, I may need to give them more love and  attention."

"I'm vomiting and always going to the ER, gee who isn't getting enough of my attention and love?"

I am not sure how one gets to that conclusion from being poisoned?

I prefer the direct approach.
I NEED MORE ATTENTION FROM YOU TO BE HAPPY IN THIS RELATIONSHIP.

See that's easy and over with in one minute.
It pays to be impatient if you ask me. I wouldn't wait 3 years!
I would probably even tell him how I would like to see that manifest itself too.
We'd talk, we'd end up laughing and who knows where that would lead to. (wink wink.)

But poison him instead of talking? Not my style.
Poison him if he was beating me and I couldn't get out alive?
I'd possibly don a jail house jumpsuit for that.
But for more attention? Nah!

This brings up an issue that I see over and over again and it makes me want to scream.
Women will expect a man to read their mind.
How many times have you heard a women say dumb things like, "He should know what I need ..or want.... or fill in the blank here"

Really? 
How would he know if you are playing that passive aggressive game with him?
Or poisoning him for that matter.

"Oh no I don't want you to do anything for my birthday honey."
He then does nothing and  you're pissed off. 
"he should know" you cry!
If you told him you didn't want anything then he is listening to you!
Give him credit for that. Be thankful....and be forth coming.
Tell him what you want, what you need.
You'd be surprised how easy that is and how well it works.

Listen gals, men are not mind readers. (and nor are we)
Men don't even always get it when you tell them out right for heaven's sake.
Some need pictures.
So save yourself the frustration.
Be clear, concise, short, to the point, no finger pointing, not emotional, just factual.
You can't expect them to read between the lines.
They aren't hard wired for that. It's like multi tasking - that is not their strong suit!
So do yourself a favor.  Speak up.  It's works like a charm.

Save yourself a lot of  headaches, stress, frustration and possible jail time.
I mean if he can't or won't give you what you want then for heaven's sake don't waste the pretty, move on, and get what you need and want elsewhere. 

Poison though just may not be the right direction to go here.
You'll be glad you did speak up instead of using poison because very few of us look good in jail house orange or horizontal stripes! 

It's all Pipes!

As you all know by now my husband works in peoples bathrooms and kitchens.
He was doing a bathroom in Arlington recently that was completely void of all furniture and fixtures.  No toilet, sink etc.
He was there to redo the bathtub and the full bathroom's tile that was 4 ft high in the room as well as the 3 walls surrounding the tub.

He told me that when he walked into the bathroom it really smelled of urine.
Being someone's home he thought it odd to smell like the bathroom at the baseball stadium.
But he powered on.

As he began to kneel in front of the tub to begin prepping it he said the smell was so strong he put his respirator on. He then realized that these people have been peeing in their tub since the toilet was out.  But how long has the toilet been out for heaven's sake was my first thought. Peeing in the shower is just not something I would ever think of or do.  
But apparently I am in the minority.  I also think it's more a "boy thing"

When he went out to his truck to mix chemicals he called to share this story with me..
He was laughing and said it was so gross but all he could think of was George Constanza on Seinfeld. "It's a drain. It's all pipes!"
That made me really laugh. Do you remember that episode?



Rick is at the same home today doing their second bathroom.
When he left this morning he said it should be pee free since the other bathroom should have it's toilet in place by now.   I sure hope so for his sake.

How was your weekend?

We went to the lake this weekend.
Hoping to have some fun.

The last group in our home left on Saturday August 4th.
We left the next week open for us to go down there.
The person who was cleaning got a job so this worked out fine.
I figured this way I would get there Thursday night to see the shape of the house and to clean it myself. (save me money too)
Friday I would work from there and Rick and Izzy have the day off.

We walked into a mess.
Some renters are so great, they leave the home as they found it.
Some renters are just pigs. This group certainly was.
I can only imagine what their homes are like.
I don't expect them to clean it or make the beds etc.
But if you spill things, clean it up for heaven's sake.
I won't bore you with details but if my husband notices and say some things you know it's bad.
He was so pissed off all weekend.
They did spill things all over the kitchen floor and just left it there.
Puddles hardened and sticky. Really? You live like that at home?

I walked into our home and saw a note from the renters.
(I told them we were coming after them.)
It stated that they brought down to the dock an adironack chair and footstool.
When they went out on the boat the wind picked up and the chair and matching footstool are now lying on the bottom of the lake.
They wrote, "we understand if you must take that out of our security deposit."

Okay that was nice of them to at least tell me before I went out back and saw a chair missing.
I appreciate when people are honest.
Truth be told we would never charge them for that. Shit happens and we get that.
We do however have a sign that says do not take furniture down to the lake or to move the furniture inside and out. We figure they will but hopefully put everything back to where it was for the next group.

Then I walked into the living room and was met with a big purple stain the size of the whole pillow on a throw pillow and stains on the back cushion of the sofa.
Hmmm.....what have we got here?
Then my eyes went down toward the sofa seat cushion and I realize that it is upside down.
You see the top is rounded and tufted. The bottom is straight and flat.
I immediately flip over the cushion and see this.

Ah, I see they like wine too. What you can't see is that this is on the back cushion, the bottom of the sofa (under said cushion) and on a throw pillow.

I took this off and immediatley washed it.....it's lighter but oh so not gone.
I brought it to a dry cleaner - can't be fixed.
So there ya have it.
$299.00 slip cover $36 pillow and a chair and footstool ($35) a glass bowl (target cheap) and they blew out a raft (only $20) all now gone.
Regarding the big glass bowl missing; I assume they broke that and just threw it away.
The raft - no big deal on that either.
(UPDATE:  forgot to mention when this was written they broke the toilet seat upstairs too! )

Like I said, shit happens. Hence why there is a security deposit.
But what really fried my ass is that they tell me about the chair and not the sofa.
Did they really think we wouldn't notice?
The cushions are turned over after each rental because of this type of thing.
There was also cigarette ashes or some smoking ashes all over the bedding.

So I did a lot of wash this weekend.
YIPEE.
I know if it had just been the chair/stool, bowl and pillow we would have let it go.
I'm not that mean.

I didn't write to the renters until I could do so without emotion.
(then I made Rick read it to be sure it was nice yet firm and factual)

I wanted to just let them know they would not be getting back their deposit and she wrote back angrily, "all of it?"
This was a woman in her early 60's with her husband and she told me 2 adult children.
No little ones.
She said they didn't do this.

I reminded her that we were there before she arrived and it was fine.
We arrived after she was there and it wasn't. Who did this then? 
Did you have a big party and not notice? 
I included some pictures in my 2nd email.
Her tone then changed.
Now she is saying she sent an email to her children and will get to the bottom of this.
I told her they owe her $300. 
We have never not fully refunded a guest. EVER.

We let a lot of shit slide because you're on vacation and shit happens.
I don't want people to feel that they can't have fun - this isn't a museum.
But this was big and it's ruined so there ya go.
For some reason I feel guilty.
Am I wrong?

We have one more family coming this Saturday through the 25th.
Then we have it for a weeks vacation for us....if we can pull it off.

The home was left in great shape (cleaned all weekend) and sadly the sofa is stained but no sense in changing anything with another family coming in.
The realtors are showing the house until a renter is there.
So at least it will look good this week before anyone arrives.
We told realtors that they can't show the home when the renters are there.
I feel that people that pay us should not have to be inconvenienced while on vacation.
The realtor has been good about this.
Sometimes they go right after renters leave and it can be a mess but they tell the looky loo's the situation. And since this is something that is done a lot down there everyone understands.

I hope we can spend a week there from the 26th to labor day.
It's been a few years since we've been able to.
Things are so tight right now what the hell is the difference is how we are thinking.
And I know that Rick could really use the stress relief.
Seriously it's getting to him and I really want him to have some time off physically.
I will still work and answer phones from there.
So I can be booking jobs Rick will just not be working.

Then we get our favorite company that visit every year.
That week they arrive on Thursday through labor day.
It will be laughter, water fun, booze, food and who knows what Rick will do to Joey but it will be fun!!
Joey says that Rick is going down this year!
It will be fun to see if he can pull it off.
People we like in our home. Finally.
That is priceless!

Here are some fun photo's from years gone by so we leave on a happy note today.
Izzy with her buddy Katie! 
She gets spoiled when they are there and the diva dog loves it!
Rick loves that it is mostly women all weekend.

This is Laura's daughter Karley. I love this photo because she looks so intent on getting her little brother. Wait until they see what we bought for them this year to use in battle.
The water guns are attached to the actual floatation devices. (no renters get to use those babies!)

Ah, the girls. This is Laura and Katie. They are sisters. We love 'em!! Labor Day wouldn't be the same without this motley crew coming for the long weekend!!

This is Rick's buddy and nemisis. They try to out do each other in pranks and jokes. I never know who is 12 and who is 57. They both make us laugh - a lot. This kid is hysterical.

I'm going to go off and try to have happy thoughts.
No, I'm not drinking.....yet.

What a Day Already!

My Development has a monthly magazine that is delivered to our homes.
This magazine keeps us up to date with issues, events etc.
Like the upcoming international food and beer weekend.
I like these because one can walk and stagger home.
I always read this magazine from cover to cover and yesterday I was looking at the club section.

When we first moved here we tried a couple of these clubs.
Remember this fiasco?...funny, but not our thing.

We did attend a DINKS outing. (double income no kids)
But no one was over 30, hell no one was even 30.
So let me recap, the first club everyone was so very old and the 2nd one too young.
We were an island.  No one to play with.

So last evening as I am perusing the club list in the magazine I saw this one listed -
'Straight Spouse network' 

Now that is a very fine club to have. I can see the need.
But what strikes me as odd is to think there are so many of these poor folks in my development that they need to have a club?
Are these people living in the closet in this day and age?
Is that the reason for the club? If so I am sad by that.
I understand the Harley club and the Democrat/Republican club, knitting club, book club etc. But a club needs to be started for straight spouses living with non straight spouses?
That was an eye opener and very interesting to me.
After I read this last night I couldn't stop thinking about it.

Another thing that caught my "ear" last night was a commercial that was repeated a few times last night.
After I heard the commercial I kept humming the tune.
It was The Temptations singing "Get Ready Here I Come" from 1966.
That was 46 years ago for heavens sake.
Do you really think we'll be listening to Bieber or Kanye West in 46 years?
No, you won't, trust me on this.
I don't know much but this tid bit I would bet the farm on.

This morning is a normal day for Izzy to go to doggie day care.
But we did not want her to go today. Thursday would serve us better.
This morning as I sat down to have my coffee she sat across from me and just stared a hole into me.
She does this if she has to go out so I walk to the door but she won't go.
She does this if it's time to be fed or if she needs water.
I did all the things I could think of and she won't stop staring at me.
I finally said in frustration, "Use your big words Izzy!!"

I ignored her or tried, and drank my coffee. She continued to stare.
I put my coffee cup in the dishwasher and she followed me and STARED.

I opened the front door and said COME as forcefully as I could while using my deep Rick voice. I figured if all else fails make her walk.
She stood there and stared. Stared a hole into me kind of stare. 
Then it hit me. She does this on doggie day care days and today I am not saying, "want to play with doggies today?" She's waiting for it.
When I say that she will run to the door.
But now she won't go out.  How the hell does she know it's Wednesday?
I drag her outside for a walk - to see some other dogs and take her mind off this.....so I thought.
She goes straight to the car and sits there. Staring at me.
I leave her there. I was fighting with this damn dog and pulling her.
I was so frustrated and tired of this fight for 30 minutes and it's only 8:15a.m.

I went in the house and took this photo from inside. She was now lying down.
She was going to sit in front of the car until I took her to doggie day care it appeared.
OMG she is so damn stubborn!
(She takes after Rick)

I left her there for 1/2 hour. No she won't run away.
This dog will never leave home she has it made and she knows it.
After putting on my being in public clothes and brushing my teeth I go back outside.
I cry UNCLE.  I grab her leash and say, "Want to go play with doggies?" 
NOW she will move her ass.
She turned around and jumped into the car.
Spoiled.rotten.diva!!
I about beat her this morning.
Seriously I have never ever been so frustrated with this dog in my 3 1/2 years of having her.
And I caved.

As I open the back car door at doggie day care she licks me and is all affectionate.
I grabbed her face and told her she was damn lucky she's loving me right now because I could hurt you Izzy.  Didn't faze her a damn bit.
She ran inside and was all excited.
They were so happy to see her.
I was actually happy to let her go.

I am now being manipulated by a dog.
What has happened to me?

Spell Check on your Advertising

Rick sent me this photo from his van while in traffic.
It appears the Italian's aren't the greatest of spellers.
So I guess I come by this problem naturally then right?

Oh my, this a hoot!
Funniest part? The van was loaded with Asian men.

Is it Just Me?

This doesn't count with men out there, they are going to see nothing wrong with this.
But really?
C'mon, you put on a blouse WITH buttons and then when you get to your breasts you decide to just not button it anymore?
Ridiculous!
Cute skirt, great belt, but now no one can see those things anyway.


Do you go to work dressed like this?
Do you go to dinner dressed like this?
I never thought myself a prude but this is just so crazy stupid to me.
Almost like she's so insecure she has to make everyone look at her.

Yes, I would do this at home....it's a joke.
My husband would love it and we'd have a good laugh.
In fact I've done dumb stuff like that once when I was imitating Pamela Anderson and how she buys her shirts 4 sizes too small. He about peed his pants laughing when I came out dressed like that. Yes in my home; but in public?  No, not for me. EVEN if I looked like this gorgeous woman. I know, you men out there never even saw her face right?

Should I give her the benefit of the doubt?
Maybe her arthritis kicked in and she just couldn't finish buttoning up her shirt.

Maybe a strong gust of wind just ripped off those damn buttons.

Maybe she saw a shiny object and she got distracted while dressing and forgot what she was doing.

Guess it could happen.

Lyme

This pretty gal has lyme disease.

We used frontline for ticks but it stopped working so we went to K9Advantix and then that stopped working so then we went to Vectra 3D.
And yet she still got Lyme.

When Iz was a puppy she got a 2 part vaccine for lyme disease.
She recieved part 1 and became so ill that she had to be hospitalized for 4 days.
We almost lost her.
 The reason for making it 2 part we were assured is because it was easier on the dog that way.
Not so much for Izzy. We did not get part 2.
We also changed vets after this because the vet who gave her part 1 of the vaccine told us that it was mandatory to do part 2 no matter what. We didn't agree after our research.

The new vet we went to immediately after that incident told us that sometimes the vaccine can cause more havoc on a dogs system than actual lyme disease so she suggested we not do part 2.  This was told to us before we gave our opinion so we felt we were on the right track.
We had read that as well and felt we couldn't go through another hospitalization and the chance of her dying again.

Everyone was adamant to always keep her tick medicine up to date.
No problem we never planned not too.
Here in Loudoun county we have an enormous problem with ticks.
We felt that was easy to follow through on.
We do it faithfully on the 20th of the month. 
But so much for that security that you think you are getting from putting it on every month thinking your dog is safe from lyme.
Izzy is tick checked every day. We get a lot off her but they are dead so we hoped that was the medicine doing it's trick. Somehow, someway, we missed something I guess.

Miss Izzy is taking medication 2 times a day 12 hours apart. They told us about horrendous side effects. But the only thing that has changed since taking this medicine is that she is sleeping alot. I called the vet and asked if that was a side effect because that was not mentioned only scary ones. She said it was not. To just watch her. Great.

Then yesterday she turned a corner. She was her old self jumping and being full of energy again. Oh no, be careful what you wish for.
She brought me a ball to my desk at least 5 times yesterday to go play with her.
She sees me take my headset off my head and she gets so very excited....ball, ball, ball, throw it lady, throw it. Makes me laugh, but it's an excuse to walk away from the desk which I don't mind really.

I have to tell you that this all makes me sad that she had been feeling badly and we didn't even know. She didn't seem any different to us. Her naps have been longer but she hates the heat so we blamed that. She is feeling great now but she still hates to be outside in the afternoon sun so that is just normal for her. God I am feeling so guilty about this like I let her down and wasn't taking good care of her.
She didn't appear to have symptoms to us or the Vet. One symptom is sore joints and she may have had them how would we know until she limps? 
She sure didn't stop swimming that's for sure or running up our stairs.

The medication thankfully hasn't appeared to have any side effects as we were scared into believing would happen. We have her on probiotics as well so she doesn't have additional issues. She seems fine in fact.

And as she does every morning she came to work with me this morning and got on her bed by my desk and will be having her morning nap.

I wish I could join her in a morning nap don't you?