Izzy Here.

It's Izzy, I'm writing the blog today. My mom said she was buried. 
I see her so I am not sure I understand the word buried.
I'm a bit depressed today. I am land locked. 
Thankfully I'm very very tired too so I'll let it go that I am on land all day.

On my first day of vacation, I jumped into the boat and tried to hurry these old folks along. They were moving at the speed of a snail.  C'mon I'm the one with arthritis and I was moving faster. 
We've been here for 3 minutes and you aren't on the boat yet? let's go, let's go, let's go.
I jumped in the boat with my FAVORITE toy and waited for them. I gave them the evil eye, but they didn't seem to mind. Damn them! Come on people, there is water out there, caves and fish to explore.

They don't seem to understand my fish focus. I am the fish ninja. I can see the blue gills  and I pounce on them and it's fun. My mom thinks it's "cute" that my front paws reach out at the same time to grab them like her hands while in the water. Cute, my ass, I am awesome!  
I was in this boat and  they wanted to take my picture. I wasn't looking away for a damn photo op. I was going to scare those fish with my menacing looks. I'm on my way fishy.

 Each day when we got back to the house they tried to take away my toy. I would have none of that. I was certainly not going to fall asleep and have them take that away. I slept with it every day and night. It's my swimming and diving toy and if they take it they may lose it. I know where it's at this way and I'll give it to them to throw so it's safe with me. Dad said this morning that his right arm was hurting. He wondered out loud why that could be. Silly old man, that's his throwing arm....tee hee

Once when they tried to take it from me I ran up to my "safe" spot. You see they can't get me from here. The chair next to me is home free. 

My Dad tried to do a lot of this below....I didn't make it easy.

I heard my mom making fun of my toy. I didn't like that. We were on the boat and she told Dad it looked like a sex toy. I growled at her to show my disapproval.

 Here are some more pix from my vacation.  This one made mom happy. It was an ice cream boat. I didn't get it until they bought something. They had doggy "ice cream" treats on board. I then realized I liked this boat too. The music is annoying but we've got that on a truck in the neighborhood so i'm used to it.

 My parents got mean after a full day of nonstop swimming, They made me come in for dinner or other silly reasons to go inside. I showed them. I wouldn't look at them. I would only stare out at the water.  I am a very focused dog, they just don't get me, people.

 This is my dad. Mom was on the boat trying to kill herself driving it. Dad was pretty relaxed considering she was the one driving.Could have been the tequila.

 Not sure if Dad was waving for help so mom would stop driving the boat away or if he was being silly, but knowing my dad, I'm sure both of those things were involved.

This is Captain Bill. He was very friendly towards me. I liked him. He smelled like a good dog. He was a jovial man like my dad.  He came to help tow our boat when the starter wire fried. I don't know what that means, but I heard my dad say it. To me, it means no swimming in awesome coves and no playing in woods or exploring new areas. I was stuck at the dock. I pretend that was a bummer, but who am I kidding, I had fish, water, and a man or woman to constantly throw my favorite toy all day. Life is good. I had a fun summer vacation!!

Quick update

Yes, I'm still on vacation.
It's the wee hours of the morning as I type this and I can't sleep.

The house we rented looks nice, is clean, but everything is uncomfortable.
All the beds are horrifically soft and uncomfortable. We have switched rooms.
Even tried the bunk beds. Seeing Rick try to fit in a bunk bed was pretty funny.

Normally I bring my own pillow but trying to pack light decided this year not to.
Got here and the pillows are as flat as a pancake. I have 4 on my bed and they aren't the size of my 1 pillow at home. We have had some laughs.

The sofa is as bad as the bed. Rick said he felt like goldilocks, trying everything to find comfort.
Not happening.  But, hey we're on vacation, its sunny and every afternoon after 12p I am done working and am outside. That's ain't a bad thing right?

It's been a weird week this week at Smith Mountain Lake.
The weather is cooler than normal. In fact Rick is perplexed as to the fish and critters.
The climate and conditions are behaving 3 weeks in advance to where we are on the calendar.
So he's had some lousy fishing. Leaves changing here already too. This is our week every year and there is a real difference in the weather this year. That makes us fear winter. Oh my goodness. I think a snow blower is going to be in my future this year.

The dock here isn't great either. Who has a floater without a ladder? And it's not a real floater either.
The main dock is okay but the home owner left their boat here so we are in open water, again not great but doable. The best part of the cove? The ice cream boat lives in this cove so at the end of each day as we are sitting in Adirondack chairs at the dock sipping a beverage, the ice cream man goes by. I have yet to get ice cream. Not so good with wine. Perhaps a wine float? :-) He waved to us yesterday and we tipped our glasses and he yelled, "I'll trade you."  We laughed. But today I think I will forgo the wine (gasp!) and get a popsicle or something. Even if we are inside for a moment we hear the ice cream boat coming towards the cove. It rings the song just like the ice cream truck in our neighborhood. We have pulled up to this boat on occasion while out for a treat. It's always fun. When isn't the ice cream truck fun?
If you can't find the joy in that, well you may have to do some inner soul searching.

Izzy is in heaven and swims non stop. Each day we find an island or a cove in the afternoon and anchor the boat. We sit in chairs in the water or floating chairs and just chill. We try to not talk shop but it never works. We have laughed our asses off to the point of not being able to breath. Who knows what makes us find the funny but one day it was one thing after another. This particular day a boat came close to us and we were like, "it's 500 miles of shore line - go away" But they stopped and we could hear them talking and then a rather larger man tried to maneuver on his boat and he fell into the water. Everyone on his boat laughed and didn't help the poor guy. Rick got up to swim out there to help him, but even he thought it was funny. (Izzy followed) When Rick got to him he was fine, embarrassed, but fine. He was not wearing his swim trunks, he was wearing shorts, shoes and a golf shirt. Poor guy was playing tour guide to new friends visiting the lake and he sure gave them a show. They thanked Rick, waved to me, and he and Izzy swam back.

We have lunch in these coves or islands and just enjoy the peace, quiet and watching our crazy dog swim for 3 or 4 hours non stop. Seriously we make her stop after 4 hours. I have video but I don't want to bore you to tears. Trust me it is a solid 3-4 hours of swimming back and forth looking for her fish. She keeps herself amused and we are just being lazy and chillin'.

The first 24 hrs after we arrive she is a total spaz. Water, water, water. We can't get her to calm down. We can only let her swim. When she comes in - she stares at the water until she can be back out there. She won't relax. Finally the 2nd day she swims more and she gets better. Each day after swimming for 4 hours straight (and this is not counting the 1st hour off the dock at the house between 6:30 - 7:30am) she comes back and swims around the house Most of that is just diving for her toy over and over again.

Last night she was finally wiped out. She slept with her toy on the porch. Then moved to the living room, then the bed. She slept from 7p - 5:30am . That is the earliest she has ever fallen asleep here. No naps at all during the day. Just swimming.  After we went out for a morning potty break, she went back to bed until 7:45a. THAT has NEVER happened in the 6 yrs we've had her. She's getting old I guess. Her limping has improved as well. I guess the healing water of the lake as well as the meds are working.

Yesterday morning as you all know unless you don't ever turn on your news sources, was a horrific live on the air shooting here at Smith Mountain Lake. I was working at 7am on my tablet so the TV was on but muted and I was not looking at it. I got a text asking me about it. So I turned on the TV sound and they were replaying the horrific scene. Thankfully they have stopped doing that!  I wish I had not seen it. A disgruntled employee who was fired for anger issues as well as other issues that were listed.  I found it odd that the station manager went on about the litany of issues for his firing. He even mentioned him getting counseling for his mental issues. Can he really tell that shit without his family suing him? I would think that would be against all kinds of HR laws. But he did. 

I am about to give my opinion. I know there will be people who disagree. That is fine. You can write that on your blog. This is my blog of my opinions. If you don't share my opinions, that is fine, that's why they are called my opinions. This blog isn't a democracy, it's my opinion. You can write your opinion on your blog.
It's still a somewhat free country -  You can go elsewhere if I offend you with my comments. Don't leave me your comments telling me how wrong I am. Please just go quietly elsewhere if I offend your sensibilities.

Yesterday if this mentally ill man had let's say a knife instead of a fire arm, how many people right now would be dead? If the answer is any less than are currently dead then it's a win. I am so sick of people telling me you must own a gun. Then that bombastic stupid limbaugh said all journalist should be carrying a gun. Yea that's the answer, if you saw this, then you know there is no way that would have helped them in time anyway. 2nd of all , this cowboy, redneck mentally that certain parts of America are choosing is sick and twisted. So let's just arm everyone. That is the most stupid, ignorant and uneducated reasoning. But then when you see the people spouting this stupidity, they show you how stupid and ignorant they are. Australia and Canada have it so right on this topic.

I get the fact that someone wants a hunting gun. (okay not really, but if you must hunt and not go to the grocery store so be it) No one is saying, get rid of your ability to kill bambi or elk. I am saying and most reasonable people are saying, that there is no need to own anything else unless you are a police officer or a job that warrants this. Semi-automatic?  Yea, thanks Wal-Mart, your sorry ass sells these to anyone and everyone. Thanks NRA for having metal detectors in your lobby so no one goes in and shoots the hell out of you numbnuts. Thanks NRA for being such a huge lobbyist that as usual the right and nut baggers support your wealthy lifestyle and you have no regard for your fellow man/woman.

This man was a mental health patient, fired for these reasons and yet he could get a gun. Makes no sense. Black Lives Matter. All Lives Matter.

My country is failing me on a plethora of issues. Illegal immigration isn't even on my radar or not on my top 10 of important issues. I do not hire them. Trump does, but I don't.
It's so unimportant in the big scheme of things compared to real issues hurting us. The number one issue is ourselves.  Let's start with these immigrants taking all our jobs. Really they are taking our jobs? They are taking that landscaping job you coveted? They took that cleaning job/janitor job you really wanted?  Try finding a person who will work for $30/hr or more in a labor type position?  Not a one applies except someone who can barely speak English or a hillbilly with no teeth who can't speak well enough to be presented in front of a customer. We have had this issue for 10 yrs.  And we pay more than $30 an hour!  Starting pay here is 50K -with no experience. Yet, only immigrants applied. Not good enough for you to make 50K? It's only starting pay. We had to find someone and ask him if this would be of interest after we saw his resume online. We were not even on his radar.

There are no so called Americans who will take on a trade anymore.  We hear this from all contractors big and small that their pool is so,so small it's frightening. We've taken all these subjects out of school so everyone thinks it's "beneath" them to know how to do electrical, plumbing, tile work, contracting skills etc. They have been raised by a generation of parents who don't own a screw driver and don't have a way to see if this is something they like or have a skill set for. It's not in any school program, not taught at home and they may not be real college material. But they go, come out with 100K in school debt and then can't find a job. That is the real topic of immigration to me.

How about something that hurts us all? Gun reform. That is a real issue.

How about a positive of how great it was that the dow is bouncing back? How about the fact that several years ago all the major car companies were about to fold and they were given a life preserver and are stronger than ever. How about we talk about how far we've come with the economy and the housing market? It's all so positive. Where I live home sales are average 2 weeks and sold! My house price is up a great deal thankfully.  How do we keep that going? How awesome is it that I have insurance and so do another 5 million of Americans who couldn't get it before the Affordable Care Act. How do we rid ourselves of all the negative on tv and on social media? I know there are people, hell, I have bloggers who leave these sort of comments, where everything is a negative. I mean everything. How about the positive to go with it? The ying and yang.

The shooting, the inability to buy an employee a t-shirt due to the shooting and all the negative bullshit has taken it's toll this week on the two of us.
Made for a heavy vacation feeling. The community is shaken as you can imagine. But it goes deeper in so many ways.

Rick said something last night. I was in NYC on Sept 10th and I had an appointment in Chinatown the morning of Sept 11th. I went home a day early at the last minute. Thankfully.
I was in NYC during their last major blackout but it could have been far worse than it was for me. We had just gotten to this area when there was a shooting near by at Virginia Tech. We were told to stay off the highway.
We just moved to where we currently live when the sniper was shooting at cars around our area. Rick said, "it's awful to be so close to all these things but I am thankful we've only been close and not in the middle of it all. We have that to be thankful for."

I agree. We do have that to be thankful for. We have a lot to be thankful for actually.

In the mean time, the sun is up, the dog is swimming and Rick is cooking me breakfast.
I am going to go enjoy my last few days here and try to let go of this heavy feeling of despair and enjoy how damn lucky I am.

Vacation.

It's finally Friday. It felt like it would never get here this week.

It has been one helluva week around these parts.
I think I will share all that transpired upon my return. Right now the wound is too raw.

I am leaving Sunday morning for a week at the lake.
While I will work most mornings, my afternoons will be filled with tequila, gin or wine with a side of sunshine and a boat, a dog, and a hubby.  Sounds wonderful to me, even with bum knees.

1 hour and 15 minutes to go. 

I wish you all a fabulous week!

Pills and Plagiarism

I was going to share some of my thoughts this morning on this new "woman libido pill" however, I then read Jayne's blog this morning and realized what I planned to write was so close to what she said that it would look like plagiarism. I deleted my post and suggest you just head over to her place.

Just do yourself a favor and go read Jayne today.  She's a hoot, as well as spot on here.
And some days I swear we are long lost sister. Can you say tequila?
Enjoy!

Why did I come in here?

Here is what I have learned about this old age crap.
I'm fighting an uphill battle alone.
But while there I thought I would share some of my new insight.

The positive I have found is one. Yep, only one. 
I can't remember shit so now so many things are new again.
That ain't all bad.

I don't sleep well. Often I am up in the middle of the night/morning roaming my home.
Do you know how much of the pantry you can clean at 2am? Amazing what I accomplish while the house sleeps.

This week I walked into a room and for the love of God I couldn't remember why. 
I stood there like a damn old fool looking around. Rick walks by me and says, "Looking for something Margaret?"
"Yes, my mind!"  
He yelled, "Good Luck with that!"  
Ah, funny boy.
I never remembered why I went in there for another 10-15 minutes or so later. 
Damn, I worry about dementia.  This shit scares me. Is this normal? 
Or am I on this fast slippery slope?

This week at 3:30 I was watching TV. 
I admit I am a sucker for the old shows. I was watching Cheers.
My favorite Cheers are with Coach and Diane. Not a fan of Kirstie Alley's whiney character so this show on this particular night was one of those "good" ones. 

Now I have seen all these shows before but being the old fart I am, I don't remember them all so it's like they are new again. I am thinking that this is that ONE positive about being old I have found. I am enjoying the hell out of Barney Miller and Cheers repeats. 
Sam: "I just blacked out there for a moment."
Coach:  It's kind of a nice break in the day, isn't it Sam? (big smile)

My goodness that made me laugh out loud. 

I think I need to "blackout" for the rest of my day.

All Over The Place

Apparently I lied on Friday.
Sunday I awoke to excruciating pain in my left knee.
For the last 5 yrs, it's been my right knee. Seriously what the hell is going on?

I think the warranty has expired on my parts. All of them. I need to rotate the tires, let air out in some areas, suck it in, in other area and put some spackle on it all !!! 

I see my orthopedic in a few weeks, early Septemeber.
Oh yes, ladies, he is tall, blonde, tan and fit as a fiddle. 
Rick has insisted since my shoulder surgery and sighing after a visit with said Dr. Blonde Tall Tan Buff piece of beef cake that I hurt myself on purpose.  Hell no. 
He's nice to look at, but I'll take my health and my pot bellied stallion any day over the pain and Dr. Beefcake. 

At the rate I am going and my inability to walk well, I will be carried  by Rick on my summer vacation.  Carried to the boat, carried to my floating chair, carried to the wine bottle...tee hee
(6 more days)

Now if only Izzy could understand how much pain it causes me to try to walk and lift my left leg. Dragging it behind feels so much better, but I fear, walking down the street with my left leg dragging behind me will only cause alarm unnecessarily. Next thing I know the cops will be stopping me for being drunk or some such thing. The neighbor calls for the smallest of things. It's crazy to live in Stepfordville. But back to dog walking, I'm not a lazy person so getting a dog walker has always seemed so damn lazy to me. Yes, I know lazy shits who are home all day and still have a dog walker. But that is sheer nonsense for me. If one won't walk a bit, don't get a dog is my logic. At least not a big dog who needs to be walked and get a lot of exercise. 
Seriously getting off one's fat arse is a good thing, not a bad thing for the majority of we fat Americans. But right about now I am thinking a dog walker would be great. Thankfully it's very hot again and Izzy hates hot and won't walk for long periods when it's this hot. That is my saving grace today. Thank you August heat and humidity.

Leaving Sunday for the lake. This year the rental is Sunday to Sunday. Normally it is a Saturday to Saturday. This will prove positive I think on the traffic flow down route 29 S on a Sunday morning.
We rented a small home and hopefully it will be well equipped and clean. 
That is always my concern - cleaniness.
I think it's easier to live in one's own filth versus another person's filth.  
At least that's my theory and I'm stickin' too it.

And speaking of filth. Our bedroom was finished being painted yesterday just in time for happy hour. Ceiling, walls, window sills, molding doors etc. I even finished putting on all the new door knobs and hinges. I hadn't purchased the correct ones for the linen closest when I did them all before. I needed "dummy" knobs. Now I know. But of course Rick had to have a good laugh at my expense first on that big boo-boo. 
We moved furniture to and fro and that too was a fun thing to do with this knee. 
At one point as we were moving the bed a very sharp pain hit me and  I fell onto the bed and grabbed my knee.
 Rick moved the bed with me on it, while I was just withering in pain all over it.
Then it made me laugh. I told him we could do this from now on. He can just carry me about like a queen deserves. He wasn't buying any of this damsel in distress bit. 

Everything in this room is getting a makeover.  It's been 15 years since anything was done in there. Rick's closet is a nightmare.  We had Rick's closet done professionally a very long time ago when he was a big shit in corporate America. There are 2 walk in closets in the master. I got the big one, of course. Rick got the small one. But the small one was professionally done by a closet company and it is so nice. You would think that would help with the organization wouldn't you?  Oh no, he just throws things in there willy nilly. So yesterday as he was hanging things in his closet he was bitching a fit about not finding this or that. I went in there and found it quickly. But seriously this closet is a scary place to be. He has stuff on the floor, hanging in the wrong area, drawers half opened. So he made a proclamation that when we were done with the master bath he was tackling his closest. I suggested since I was half on the bed with my left leg extended that perhaps we could do it now and I could help from a sitting position. (I had to try)
No go. He wasn't buying this stuff of my lying on the bed while I bellowed orders from the bed.
Gee I thought it was such a good idea too. Big Wuss.

Off to hobble with the dog now. Wish me luck.

TGIF

My knees are feeling almost normal. So what the hell was that about?

Izzy has been getting up each night and vomiting. Not good. So tomorrow morning she is seeing her favorite person in the world. Dr. Brown. She hates going to the vet.She gets excited to see Dr. Julie and then she hides under the chair and has to be drug out. Dr. Julie Brown, or as my husband refers to her Downtown Julie Brown. She is a cutie and young and she is so good with Iz.  I liked her right away. She has a bright, outgoing personality and she is so very funny, bubbly and warm. 

Last night Izzy and I were out at 12:30am. It was so very cold out too. It felt like fall.
This has been a very odd year regarding summer weather. I love it cooler like this so I am not complaining.
But I was surprised when I threw on a t-shirt and shorts and ran outside that I should have a sweatshirt and jeans on instead. I think it was 55 or something. Brrr....I must admit this makes me fear what is coming next though. If it's been a cool summer does that mean winter will be this long dreadful very cold stuff like last year? I can't take it so I hope that doesn't mean colder than normal winter too.

Our technician arrived at a home this morning and his tile was falling off his wall. Gary HATES to walk away from a job so the first thing he did was whip out his waiver. In other words, we'll do the job you want but we will not be responsible when this all falls off your wall and it has to be done again. They wouldn't sign it. (I wouldn't either, but you'd be surprised how many will so they don't have to fix anything or because they are selling and they want to screw the next guy) 

These folks had a leak, they had falling tile, LOTS of falling tiles. They knew they had a leak but didn't think it mattered? (HUH?) These tiles couldn't be refinished in this condition. Water was seeping through the tiles and most grout was visibly gone by the constant leaking. I was told this was all repaired so they lied to me - what a surprise. 

The homeowners need to get things fixed first and then we'll go back. So Gary had a full day at this house and now he has no work today.  Until the walls are repaired we can't do the sink or tub either. I called some folks who are booked at the end of the month to see if they would like an appointment sooner, but no one wanted to jump on that. He told me he was going to go home and enjoy a Friday off and paint the baby's room before he arrives. It's so funny to watch this man get into baby mode. I can truly say I have never experienced a man doing this before in the same way, with the same energy as a woman. It's been an eye-opener for sure. He's worried about everything. He is truly a typical first time mom. I can't even say Dad because I have never experienced a Dad behaving like this before. I'm sure there are those that have, I just have not met them.  It's rather cute.

Now if only the rest of my day could be a day off.

Head, Knees and Toes

I have a vanity sitting in my 2nd floor hall. 
I've bumped it more than I care to share in the week it has been sitting there.
The only person who doesn't mind is Izzy - she walks right through with no issue.
The 2 humans walk sideways.  

I can't get this 2nd floor done fast enough!
No time.
At the end of this hall where I am standing taking this photo is an open loft that is my office.
The door you see straight ahead is my laundry teeny tiny room
The double doors to the right, which you can only see part of is the master and the master suite.
The bathroom comes all the way to the office wall. Happily I can say the master and en suite are a good size. I mean it's the majority of the 2nd floor. So once this master and bath are done. The 2nd floor is completely update and then on to the 3rd floor.

The carpet you see will be coming out as well.
Since they don't make carpet the color of dog puke I am going with hardwoods there to match the first floor.
We awoke to Izzy having thrown up outside the bedroom door. Lovely to see in the a.m.
I asked Rick what he gave her to eat. He replied with, "Why do you always think it's me?"
I said, "why would she be throwing up?"

He then admitted while he was making the chicken salad for us to stuff our tomatoes he gave her chicken with skin on it. (rotisserie chicken I bought from store)
Oh geez. She doesn't get table scraps so sure greasy chicken skin tasted good but didn't agree with her. Silly Rick and poor Izzy.

We should be able to get some real progress done this weekend.
Then next week Rick will begin to fabricate my vanity top. But he also will be working and working out of town for 3 days so that does make time an issue again.

In other news....I have suddenly developed this thing with my knees. This thing, is pain. 
Why?  Walking too much? Possible. Old age? Oh certainly possible. 
My right knee has been bugging me off and on for a few years. But I can normally shake it off to quote Taylor Swift.
But of late, that is not shaking off, it is lingering. So last night as I am walking to the wine on the kitchen island to pour myself a glass, my knee gave out. I did a funky half fall, half funky move.
Rick saw this and said, "What the hell was that move?" and he was laughing. I replied, "My knee just gave out."  Rick said it was a funny little dance, did it hurt?  Yes, it did. 

Then this morning I normally run up my stairs. I have always preferred running up steps vs. walking up slowly. I couldn't do it this morning. The first thought that went through my head was, "Oh my God this is the beginning of the end!"
So I popped some Advil and prayed by afternoon I would be running up the steps again.
It's 12:38pm and I'm not running.

I think my knees just need a vacation like my mind. That's my delusion and I'm sticking to it.
I am sleeping but dreaming about work and my calendar. So basically nightmares.
We just got a big hotel in the district and for the love of God I don't know how we are going to do all this. Positive problems people, positive problems. 

11 more days until my summer vacation.

Update

So many have emailed me or left a comment telling me to call the woman who's records I received.

I called yesterday. She wasn't home. An old woman who's accent was so hard to understand told me, I believe, to call back at 4:30p. I did as I was told. The woman listened to what I said and said, "Oh it doesn't matter dear I'll call my Dr.  Thank you." and just hung up. 
At first I thought, really? did she say that?  That accent was a killer for me, but she hung up so I suppose I heard correctly.

Apparently no one seemed to give a shit and I bothered for no reason. 
I am glad I received this by accident over someone not trustworthy. A thief who could really screw with her with her identity, credit and all kinds of fraud. I mean I have her SS number for Pete's sake. Well, I have everything about her. Address, phone, SS, medication, what she was complaining about, her age and on and on, Bottom line, her dr.'s office didn't give two shits and it appears that she didn't either. I tried. My conscious is clear.

So you can stop emailing me about this now - other topics are most welcome.

12 days until my summer vacation. 

TGIF

Update on Izzy - she is following Rick like his shadow since his return.
Rick went into the powder room and didn't close the door tightly the first day.
Izzy stuck her snout into the crack and  the door flipped wide open. I looked over as she turned her head to me and I swear to God she was smiling and her tail was wagging 30 mph. As if to say, "Mommy look he's here, he's peeing, yippee!! He's still here!!"
Simultaneously I hear Rick say, "HEY!"  from the shock that the bathroom door just swung open.  I just laughed. 

He walks up the stairs and she will follow him. He goes to the bathroom she follows him. 
He goes to the kitchen, she follows him. Iz was sleeping and Rick got up out of "his" chair and she immediately jumped up and followed him. She was snoring for heaven's sake!! 
It's crazy. I imagine this will go on a few more days.
Then he leaves again on the 18th - 20th. How will I survive this?  

Today I received a fax from a medical group in Tennesse to our business fax. 
It was the records of a woman age 69. Her name and all of her information was on this 3-page fax. I know what illnesses she has and what she complained about to get her to the doctor. This is such a HIPPA violation that I can't believe it. I called the medical group to tell them they sent this to the wrong person and I even said, I think this is a HIPPA violation so you may want to be more careful"
In her slow drawl, she said, "well I don't know who did this, so whatever" and hung up.
What? Don't you want to correct this?  What kind of professional group is this?
If I wasn't honest I could take her SS number and all her info and hack this poor woman. 
What is wrong with people? (rhetorical question, I know what is wrong with people)

I want to call this poor woman and tell her she needs to find a better doctor because this group is so careless. Of course, I have no business getting involved so I won't.  But she could sue this silly group and make a killing!  That will certainly make her feel better. It would me. (wink wink)

And finally.....16 more days until my summer vacation, but who's counting? 

Dog Night.

As I have shared here many, many times, this dog of ours is really Rick's dog.
She loves me for food, affection, walks and this morning from saving her life from a scary flag that was flapping as we walked by at 5:05 AM.

But my goodness if Rick is anywhere nearby, I become invisible.  

Rick is out of town with an employee. We got a contract to remodel an apartment complex. That is 128 bathrooms. They are completely renovating every apartment. When they are done, we are called in to do the bathrooms. When we are done, the apartment is done.  They had 12 this month to do in the first building. apparently they started with the smallest building and that seems to be a good thing.

They had 1 apartment that was for all the sub-contractors to go in and do their thing over the past 30 days. They were now ready for us to come in and do our thing in this apartment. 
Then it was inspected. If things need to be changed they will know it from this one apartment. 
Smart idea to me. After we completed that, they felt we didn't need to change anything and on we go. So the subcontractors began their work and this week they were ready for us so the first building could be completed.

Rick and Gary went down to this city on Tuesday very early morning so they could start at 7:30a. It is a 2 hr commute one way. Knowing that they both were staying at a hotel nearby, I brought Izzy to doggy day care yesterday. She would be so tired when she got home I was hoping she wouldn't notice that Rick wasn't around.  Did my plan work? Well, sort of.

As is her normal behavior after daycare she goes to the bathroom and then runs in the house to eat.
She scarfs down her food and then collapses. But not yesterday, she went upstairs to the bedroom and master bath looking for Rick. She came back down to the landing and tilted her head and stared at me. I laughed. I mean really, that is funny stuff. I could see her confusion. Where is he? He's home at this time every day. At this point she was still making me laugh.

So I gave her some cooked carrot pieces to take her mind off her man.
She finally fell asleep an hour later. But she would wake up and stare at the back door. Why wasn't he coming through the back door? Then she wanted out the back door and sat out there staring at the garage door, all in hopes of it opening and her Big Man would come home.

She got too warm thankfully and came inside and fell asleep on the cool floor under the A/C vent.
Normally that means she is out for the night. But not tonight. She moved to another location but not without looking around first for Rick. This went on all night. At one point, it was raining like crazy, thunder, lightening and she walked to the door. I opened it and she walked backward and then turned around. Guess the rain foiled that walk. I wanted to settle in for the baseball game that was on so I was hoping she would settle down.  We played tug of war, we wrestled and then she went to the back door and just stared. I gave up. 

I finished a load of laundry and turned on the game. She climbed up on the corner of the sofa she lays on and fell asleep. (sorry all dark things and this is dark)

As you can see all was then right in my world. I had on the game, she was asleep and we had calm again.  Until the game was almost over. She awoke. She had to go outside.
We did our typical before bed walk.
We came inside and headed upstairs to the bedroom, but she then went to the 3rd floor. I followed to see what she was up to. She went into each and every room to be sure Rick wasn't hiding. She pushed her snout to move the shower curtain in the bathroom. Now that made me laugh. Yes, Izzy, Rick has been in hiding all night in the bathtub.
Then to make me really laugh, she sighed loudly after walking to the steps and went downstairs to the master bedroom where she would promptly fall asleep! Thank goodness.

This morning she awoke and did the same thing. All 3 floors and all rooms had to be searched for the missing man. We took a walk and she promptly went to our driveway in the back of the house to see if his vehicle was there. Oh my goodness, she was not happy. She wouldn't come inside. She just wanted to sit under the tree across from the driveway. I guess she thought she was going to sit and stare at the driveway until he showed up.

We came back inside but not without fighting me.  I went about my morning routine and she stared at the back door. My God it's going to be a long day for us both. Right now she is sleeping at my desk. Gee am I a bad dog owner that I would hope she is sleepy all day? Yea, that was rhetorical, I know I am.

Rick will be home around dinner time, well dinner time for old people - 5 ish. He won't have a moment to relax because this dog is going to be all over him bringing her boat bumper, meaning let's go to the swimming hole Dad, c'mon. 

Dogs miss you. If this were a child, she/he'd be like, whatever Dad will be home later, I've got video games to play.

Is it 5 yet?

Rediscover Nature Ad

When my sister was visiting we took her 12-year-old daughter out to where we all grew up in the 'burbs.
We showed her our favorite place to ride our bikes and we'd go down to the creek and play for hours.
She said, "what could you do there?"
We told her about the pollywogs, us running through the water, a rope swing. Sometimes we'd pack a lunch and stay down there all day.
She kept saying, What were you doing there all day?

Stephanie and I laughed because we don't remember everything we did, but we would spend so much time there with other neighborhood kids. We were just "playing" I remember picking up pretty stones, learning to skip rocks, cutting my foot so badly on something and tying my sock around my foot to use as a bandage.
So worried that when I got home I would be yelled at because I was told NOT to go in the water that day. Oops. 

We showed Sophie where we would ride our bikes and get popsicles and sit on this fence and watch the cows cross the road. She laughed and said, "Wasn't that boring?"  Not to us for some reason. We'd talk to the man who crossed the cows across the road. We always knew this one cow would give him a hard time and we named her Bessie. Weren't all cows called Bessie back then? Sophie just kept shaking her head.

We showed her our 2nd favorite place to eat our popsicles.  It was a church cemetery 2 blocks from our home and 2 blocks from the dairy farm. So after we'd get our popsicles at the dairy farm we'd ride over to the cemetery and sit there and eat our treats and sometimes just wander through the cemetery talking about the names of the people and we'd make up scary stories. Just silly stuff.

She just couldn't comprehend no technology in our lives.She felt sorry for us. 
But, honestly I felt sorry for her.
No imagination type play. We would round up kids in the neighborhood and explore. I sat in a tree with a friend and we ate these small green apples. We thought we had discovered them. They were so sour, but we liked them for some reason. Oh boy did I get a stomach ache and feel awful. Took me years to eat an apple again. That she thought was funny and the idea of climbing a tree she got a kick out of. Sad to think that she has never climbed a tree. Isn't that the fun of being a kid? We showed her the tree and the tree swing the neighbor still had up there and how we'd fly on that and then jump. No, nothing was broken on us and I suppose that is a miracle. Mark was the one who could jump the farthest, it was always our goal to beat him. We would try for hours.

Stephanie told her how my first job was picking strawberries at age 14. I was told I could eat as many as I wanted. I think Mr. Myles knew that after the 1st day I wouldn't want any  more strawberries and that is exactly what happened to me. I made 15 cents for every pint I picked for him. And the first day he lost money because I ate so many. After that, I made money because eating them wasn't as big a thrill.

So when I saw this ad it hit me. Kids spend all their time indoors and not with nature and it's sad in a way I hadn't really thought about. I loved that my whole childhood memories are double dutch, hopscotch, snow forts, riding my bike, playing in a creek, climbing trees, playing softball with make shift equipment, playing with kids outside.  Hell, Stephanie told her daughter that we'd go outside and never come home until we were hungry, had to use the bathroom or it was time to eat dinner. 

Our mom got so tired of us coming in to get something to drink she had our dad put a drinking fountain in the back yard. That stopped the door from slamming for a drink of water or whatever. The whole neighborhood used that fountain. Mom would go out in the morning sometimes to hang clothes on the line (remember that?) and she would see a kid getting a drink. They would just say Hi Mrs. Malizia and she would greet them back. It was just the way it was. 

Just think when this home bound generation grows up what will their kids be doing?
Scary thought to me. I'm old and I am thankful I got to play outside and use my imagination.

More Yoga Poses

Who knew I was a yogi?

Full Moon

Did you see this blue moon? I felt it for a couple of days.
This full moon was beautiful, but it messes with we humans and the canine at our house.

We were all messed up. Neither Rick or I could get it together yesterday. We were out of sorts and Izzy was off the charts nutso all weekend.  Hopefully, things will be back to normal today.
I swear I was a walking zombie yesterday. I couldn't get anything together. I was scattered and tired.  When I said something to Rick about us being out of sorts he reminded me that there was a full moon.
Ah! That does it every time.

We spent too much time in the car Saturday driving to places like Springfield and Woodbridge to places everyone said we must go for this trim and for tile. A bust. A big pain in the ass travel bust! The drivers were nuts Saturday, twice almost being hit. It was a full day of running around for nothing. Oh well. Somes days are just like that aren't they?

I did not get my master bedroom painted, but I think I found the paint. It's been a real hunt to find the color I want. I received an Ethan Allen catalog in the mail. At first I was just going to toss it into my recycle bin because I didn't even know why I was getting this and I don't need to see pretty furniture I don't need.
But as I was walking to the recycle bin I noticed the color of this dresser on the cover. 
That is the color I've been looking for. So needless to say that didn't get tossed just yet.

I happen to really like Sherwin Williams paint and I have their paint deck. It was not in there. So I drove over to SW on Saturday and showed the woman there what I was looking for from this catalog. 
She immediately grabbed a swatch and said this is the color only it's too dark. Let me try to lighten it 50% and you can have a sample. She only charged me $5 for the sample.  We put the color on the catalog and let it drive. You couldn't see where we put this. BINGO.  I got it home and painted a big square on all walls to see it in all various times of the day and the various light coming into the room.

Sunday morning after it was dried we stood there hemming and hawing. I think I want it a touch lighter.
So hopefully tonight after work I'll get a sample of it just a shade lighter.
Then I will choose from one of these two because I am tired of looking.
And honestly we have got to get this done.

You see the master bath is being done at the same time. We began tearing up the flooring. That should be completed this week or weekend. We have been looking for a new vanity for a year or more now. The vanity needs to fit in a space of 69 inches. Do you know how hard that is? Everything is either 72 inches for a 2 bowl vanity or it's 60 inches. Neither will work. Thankfully I am sleeping with the guy doing my vanity top so I can get that done pretty quickly and to my liking. :-)

I found a bedroom dresser that is perfect in every way to use as a vanity. It is 63 inches. We can do spacers on the end of that without an issue. But this dresser was just too expensive so I gave up. Then it went on sale and then on sale again. YIPEE. I purchased it and it will be delivered Thursday. We have nowhere to put this now except in the hall on the 2nd floor. So having to walk around this thing will certainly put a fire under our asses. This will be a major pain in the ass for Rick so I know he'll work faster. Gee, maybe I should have thought about this a while ago huh?  

We are doing the vanity ourselves. Lights, paint, and fixtures. We are taking down the mirror there so patching will be done and painting of that area. New mirrors will go up as well as the lights.  
Then the new vanity can go in. The flooring will be done by us as well. This can all be done in a weekend.
Mr.Big Guy will make the vanity top and all that goes with that. That should take only 2 days as well.
So the only thing left will be tile around the tub deck and the shower stall walls and floor, which we are not doing. The rest of the tile work is being done by someone we hire.. 
Rick's quote was, "I know my limitations"
If I were to live here forever I would rip out this huge jacuzzi tub in our bathroom. Wasted space to me.
I would make it a big ass shower with seat.  Rick wanted this stupid tub and he never uses this stupid tub. I hate baths. To me you are sitting in your own crud, I prefer showers. But for resale everyone (realtors) says we should keep it. So we are keeping it there. Cheaper too of course but I just hate this huge thing that just collects dust.

In the mean time, I'm counting down my days until vacation. Well, semi-vacation. Still answering phones but at least I'll be at the lake right? I have 20 more days. 
Did you have a summer vacation?  Mike, I know you didn't, your life is a vacation.