Blame It On The Rain

This morning, I set out with a new plan. Instead of exercising the dogs right before I go to work, I’m going to walk them first thing in the morning. Then I’ll get my shower out of the way so I’m not so rushed to get out the door later. Somehow, I know I'll still be late. During the afternoon walk, I keep running into people in the neighborhood which slows me down. It’s not that I don’t want to talk to them, but my goal is to keep a steady pace and actually get some benefit out of it. Plus they usually have dogs and we play the “let’s see if they’ll get along” game. They don’t.

Since moving to this neighborhood, I discovered the best way to walk the dogs is on the street because they aren't able to do their business. There’s no grass, no plants, nothing to sniff. Just concrete. It worked out pretty well for a few weeks but eventually they got to used to it and sometimes just couldn’t hold it. But it doesn’t happen often. Nevertheless, I started carrying a plastic bag just in case. But today, they both went in the yard and I thought, well, I won’t need it. Wrong.

Just as soon as I don’t bring it, Jack brings it. Right in the middle of the road. Not even close enough for me to kick it to the edge. I swear walking is like a laxative to that dog. On the Evansville riverfront, he used to leave a trail until he just couldn’t go anymore. So I should have known better. I usually drop off Bug before the last lap anyway, so I just picked up the bag and grabbed it on the next round. Someone else had left a present on the curb so I picked up that, too.

It was also raining during our little escapade. I glanced at the radar before I headed out and knew it was coming, but I thought we could beat it. But it wasn’t bad. It was actually kind of nice. As long as it’s not pouring or lightning, it’s refreshing. In fact, I saw a man walking with a cane in the rain. I don’t think he lives in the neighborhood. I saw him on the other side of the main road and I think he was just walking through them all.

It's almost Wednesday. Tomorrow is grocery day. I'm trying to gather my ads and coupons together for a smart shopping trip. Thursday is cleaning day. Not sure what to do with Friday yet. But I'm looking forward to it!

(816)

Monday, Monday

Pmo and I started the weekend off with breakfast Saturday morning and spent most of the day working around the house doing odd jobs here and there. I was extremely tired for some reason so I had to drag myself out of the recliner and get motivated to get anything done. By late afternoon, we had a severe weather threat so we were watching the skies and the TV. We received a little hail and a lot of rain but nothing major.

Around 7:30pm, we headed out for dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse. It’s not one of our regular restaurants so it was a real treat. I enjoyed Rocky Top Chicken while Pmo devoured a steak and a sweet baked potato. Afterwards, we headed to The Fox and Hound Pub for some drinks with some of Pmo’s college friends that were in town. After a few rounds, we decided to try our luck at our regular bar, Lamasco. The four of us headed from the east side to the west side and were lucky enough to get a table. Pmo and I each sang a song and we called it a night around 2:30pm which is really late for us.

On Sunday, we slept in and had more of a brunch than breakfast. There was nothing we really had to do that day but we like to get out on the weekends even if it’s just for a little while. So we ran some errands at Ace Hardware and Buehler’s. Then we hit the Goodwill again to check out some chairs because one of our kitchen chairs bit the dust last weekend. We didn’t find any chairs but I found another purse and grocery recycling bag with IU on it. I can’t quit buying handbags for some reason. We also visited some consignment shops in Washington Square Mall. But their stuff is way too pricey in there.

We were getting hungry again so we grabbed some Noble Roman breadsticks at the mall and headed home. We got interrogated by the woman behind the counter. I don’t know if she’s just talkative or she’s working by herself and bored, but she was asking us how many people were going to eat the breadsticks, and why didn’t we want any sauces, and are we going to have them with dinner. Craziness. Just give me the bags of bread.

I didn’t eat all of my Rocky Top Chicken from the night before, so we split that for lunch, added the breadsticks, and got pretty full. We did some more tasks around the house and decided not to fix dinner and just snack the rest of the night. We enjoyed the “Celebrity Apprentice” for a few hours and fresh brownies out of the oven with ice cream. I stayed up to watch “House” at 11pm and now it’s Monday.

My college friends are coming in this weekend so I’ve got to clean the house and go the grocery store. It’s also payday tomorrow so that means I'll be catching up on bills. Here's to a busy week!

(785)

Looking Forward To...

Bacon for breakfast
Dinner and drinks
Playing with dogs
Reading the newspaper
Reading a book
Being away from work
Open windows with rain

Green Go-Getter

Found it! The green purse like the lady's at Goodwill. I went to 2 CVS stores yesterday and both had a few left but only one had the mean green. I had to ask a worker to get it down for me because it was hanging on an arch above the carts. Not sure why they were made so difficult to get to. I don't know whether I'll take it to work today. I like my brown Goodwill purchase that I'm currently using very much. I just had to have this green purse for some reason. Bonus: it was only $12 and some change even though the tag said $14.99. I think the boy gave me a CVS discount even though I don't have a card.

Do you ever feel you don't fully utilize all the rooms in your home? Our house is not huge by any means, but it's got three bedrooms. One is ours, one is for guests, and one is the stuff room. Pmo is in the stuff room more than I am because he does his bills in there plus a lot of his personal stuff is in there including his stereo and CDs. I'd like to make it a game room, too, if we ever get another TV and a gaming system. But my point is, I don't spend much time in those rooms. I only go back to get a movie and come right back to the living room. But since we put the futon in the stuff room, I have lied down on it a time or two to talk on the phone. Bug likes the futon, too, because it's close to the ground and easy for him to jump up on. To nap, of course.

Interesting sight I found today while I was walking down the hallway. Jack lying on the bed, something he knows he's not supposed to do. But he likes to sneak off and do it anyway. He reluctantly agrees to "get down" when you tell him. Little Dog Bored should be his Indian name.

We have a few busy weekends ahead of us so I'm hoping we can relax this weekend. Next weekend, my college track and field friends are coming in for a luncheon. The next weekend is Easter which we're going to spend with some of Pmo's family. The next weekend is part of our vacation so we'll be out of town. And the next weekend is Dogwood Days in Perry County so we'll probably join my mom and grandma for yummy chicken dinners up at Rome. Tonight and tomorrow, there's a chance of severe weather so I'm not really looking forward to that. Maybe I should keep that green purse home after all. Don't want to ruin my newfound treasure!

Grandma Hates Drag

Sounds like a new band name. Maybe akin to Johnny Hates Jazz.

Let me preface this story by telling you it’s hearsay. I wasn’t there. I don’t know what exactly went down. I only know what I heard and my grandma’s personality. Therefore it’s got automatic credibility.

A new tenant moved into my grandma’s apartment complex. It’s an area for the elderly and disabled. This man is in his 40s or 50s and someone Grandma couldn’t stop talking about at first. How nice he was, etc. That was until she saw him walking from his apartment to the laundry area in a skirt and high heels. Wow. Really. Dude, in Small Town USA, you seriously think anyone is that open-minded. And in a retirement community, for goodness sake.

So it’s not enough for my grandma to talk about it to her friends behind this man’s back, which is probably what I would do and stop there. No, she goes up to him and tells him what she thinks about it. She explains to him, nicely she says, that people may do that where he comes from but they don’t do it around there. And apparently the next time she saw him, the skirt and heels were gone. Grandma: 1. Drag Queen: 0.

Now let’s play devil’s advocate. Is this any of Grandma’s business? No. Does it affect her life in any way, shape, or form? No. Should she keep her mouth shut and leave him alone? Yes. And that poor man. He moves in to a new town and some old lady starts telling him what he can and can’t wear. And that hateful soul is my grandma. I guess I really do get it honest.

Polish and Purses

It started a few weeks ago in Louisville. My cousins and I went shopping at T.J. Maxx. I really didn’t want to buy anything, but I was there so might as well look, right? I started scanning the purses and came across a cute white handbag. Then I just became obsessed with looking for white purses the rest of the day. I never bought one, but I’m still thinking about it. I have so many purses already. I don’t need one at all. But I think it would be fun for spring and summer. And I don’t think I’ve ever had a white purse. I’ve pretty much stuck to black and brown for most of my life. Except when I bought that leathery looking red one last year.

I also noticed my cousin’s green purse that day. It was scaly looking, kind of like snake or alligator skin. I complemented her on it and didn’t give it much thought until I saw a similar one at the Goodwill over the weekend. The handbag with a scarf on it wasn’t for sale. It belonged to the woman in front of me in the checkout line. So I told her I liked it and she said, “Would you believe I got it at CVS?” I don’t even talk to strangers so I’m not sure what made me ask. So now I’m thinking about checking out CVS for a green scaly purse!

Now to the nail polish blunder. Stupid Blonde Moment Number One was locking my keys in my car far away from home a few weekends ago. Stupid Blonde Moment Number Two was spilling red nail polish on the carpet Monday. I had left the cap a little loose because it was so tight when I opened it, and well, it was too loose. I went to move the bottle plus another clear one and there it went. It hit the carpet, the chair, and the end table. I bawled for about 15 minutes trying to get it off the carpet before it dried. But it was too late.

So since then I’ve been researching ways to remove nail polish from the carpet on the internet. I’ve read about Windex, shaving cream, non-acetone nail polish remover, WD-40, etc. I’ve tried most of these methods plus others and the stain looks better but it’s not gone. I’ll keep trying but I think I’ve come to terms with the fact that it may just have to be covered up by the chair or the table. And it’s not the end of the world. Just a idiotic thing to do.

Spring Weekend

The weekend began with a nice breakfast and aspirations for the new Goodwill store in Boonville. I bought a different kind of turkey bacon last week and it did not live up to its potential so it’s back to Butterball this week. Anyway, we headed out for Boonville and found the store with ease. It was nicely organized and we each found a few items to take home. Pmo got a shirt and a hat and I got a purse, 3 shirts, and some home décor which I still haven’t put up on the walls yet.
While we were in the area, Pmo suggested we check out Scales Lake Park. We also found it very easily. We paid the $2 entrance fee to check out the place for trails and what not. And almost as soon as we entered, we found a little petting zoo full of goats, sheep, ducks, turkeys, peacocks, all sorts of things. I fell in love with a little black baby goat. It was so tiny! And the peacock was just beautiful. It was on a perch letting its feathers cascade almost down to the ground. I told Pmo the feathers were as long as Crystal Gayle’s hair.

We continued on to check out the park and found the campground, cabins, and the lake. There’s a beach for waterfront activities along with swings and picnic tables. We also saw a dock with a few small boats attached to it. We drove around the lake to find a few trail entrances and then the road came to a dead end so we had to turn around to get out. We’d like to take the dogs next time and check out the
trails but some of them looked pretty steep!

We came back to our house and rested for awhile before we headed out to the west side for a cookout. It was a good time. Burgers, brats, and a fire pit which we all gathered around after dark. It reminded me of my visits to another couple’s house during my first years working in Evansville. I don’t talk to them much anymore and I miss them.

Sunday was a bit more sporadic. We decided to visit the Goodwill in Henderson because it’s been awhile since we’d been over there. Plus they have a whole separate room for furniture and trinkets. We didn’t find anything worth buying so we came back across the river and went to the Goodwill on Green River Road which also has furniture. I chose a grocery recycling bag to add to my collection and a black and pink tote bag from Deaconess Breast Center. I love those kind of bags because you know someone instantly tossed it just because it has a business logo on it. I don’t care what it says. Those bags are perfectly useful. Pmo also found an overnight bag to take home.

After we got back to the house, we grabbed the dogs and headed to the Newburgh Lock and Dam for a walk. We explored the big open field and ended up following a little trail down by the river. We saw some people fishing off the bank, too. It was a pretty good hike. After we got home, I opened the windows up in the living room and kitchen and proceeded to make the beef stroganoff I’d been thinking about all week. Pmo did some yard work and raked up some leaves for us to bag later. Supper was okay. I don’t think I’ll make it again. I kept smelling the mustard that the recipe called for while I was cooking and while I was eating, too. Finally we settled in to watch “Celebrity Apprentice” and once again, the weekend was over.

There was also a casualty over the weekend. One of our kitchen chairs bit the dust. Pmo said it wasn’t fixable and kicked it to the curb. Luckily, it didn’t break while one of us was in it. I just noticed it was leaning terribly. But it made me said when I saw it with the trash yesterday morning. We got the kitchen table and two chairs in the alley behind my old house for free. And Pmo recovered both chairs with new fabric soon after. I guess I’m more attached than I thought. It’s just a chair! A cold, metal folding chair is replacing it for now.

Whew! This was a long blog. I’ll save my red nail polish blunder and my newfound craving for a white purse and a green purse for later this week. Here are some more pictures from Scales Lake.

Musical Fusion

New music just hits the spot. It doesn't have to be a song that climbing up the charts, maybe an oldie I just learned the name of. Or a lost 80s tune. Today, I made a CD with Toby Keith, Jason Aldean, Nickelback, and others. It's been a few months since I made one and I was getting really tired of the CDs in my car. I had to mix in some of my old stuff that I hadn't heard in awhile because I didn't have enough new stuff to download and make a full CD. But lately I've been putting songs on Pmo's phone for him so I borrowed from his stash. Now I'm trying to learn the words to Toby Keith's "God Love Her." I also downloaded "Start a Band" by Brad Paisley and Keith Urban. It just makes me giggle.

Music fills our house, especially on the weekends. Pmo gets up and starts cooking breakfast to the Rockin' 80s and the radio is left on for most of the day unless we go somewhere. Some days we don't even turn the TV on until night time. During the week, you can tell who messed with the stereo last because I always leave it on CD and he always leaves it on the radio. It's definitely a shared passion, though we have different tastes. He's a rocker, and while I love rock 'n roll, I lean toward country, oldies, really about anything. I get into certain kicks. Or randomness where I'll mix it all together.

So I'm about to enjoy the ride home with my latest lyrical creation. Have a good weekend!

Unwinding

I'm feeling much better today because I did not allow Bug to be x-rayed. I got to the vet's office this morning at 8am (ugh) and talked to the ladies at the front desk about it. I asked some questions, got some prices, and wasn't thrilled with any of it. I've had a bad feeling about it ever since they said they would have to sedate him, especially since he has gotten better in the past few days. They said I could just have the doctor examine him (which is what I wanted in the first place but they told me he needed x-rays) so I made an appointment for an hour and a half later. While I was killing time eating a McGriddle and talking to Pmo on the phone, I decided to forget the whole thing, cancelled the appointment, and headed home. We're going to try a home remedy: spreading out his exercise routine into shorter but more frequent walks and keep giving him the joint health supplements. And love on him just a little bit more :)

So now I can get excited about the weekend. No huge plans or anything. The Goodwill Store in Boonville opened today so we plan on jetting over there on Saturday for newfound treasure. That evening, we're going to visit friends from work for a cookout at their new place. Other than that, I plan on making an attempt on beef stroganoff for Sunday supper and that's about it. I got that wedding task taken care of today, so unless I sleep in tomorrow, I'm open to many possiblities in the morning. I shall consult the to-do list.

Did you know a large Diet Coke from McDonald's will make you go to the bathroom 4 times by the time you're done drinking it? I learned that this morning. Looks tasty and refreshing, doesn't it?

Bug Stress

I'm taking Bug into the vet early tomorrow morning for X-rays. I talked with someone at the office about how he's been having trouble with his back legs and that's the route they want to take. This means I leave Bug there from 8am until whenever they're done with him. Problem is they may not be done before I go to work. So Pmo may have to pick Bug up on his way home. Which is fine, but I'll have to transfer the pet taxi and money to Pmo somewhere along the way. Plus I won't be there when they explain the results.

I'm just stressed about the whole thing. As I've said before, Bug makes a fool of himself at the vet. I can't imagine what he'll do all by himself. And really me being there doesn't make him act better or anything. I just feel responsible for his behavior. They say they'll have to sedate him and that hasn't happened since he was little. I'm thinking about having them clean his teeth and getting his glands expressed while they're at it.

Oh, I shudder to think of the bill but it all needs to be done. I want him to get better. Actually, he's doing fine today so I hope this isn't all for nothing. But it's been off and on for 2-3 weeks now so something's gotta be up. Seems like Mondays are bad days. I've been walking him and they said he shouldn't be over exerting himself. Oops.

I think another reason I'm upset is that I think it's my fault. I lose my temper and I get a little rough with him sometimes. I don't slam him up against the wall or anything. But I tend to jerk on the leash if he's not going fast enough. Or grab hold of him when he's being exta stubborn in the bathtub. Stuff like that. But I love him dearly and I don't know what I'd do without him. So it's hard for me to comprehend how I can get so angry at him.

Hopefully all will go well tomorrow and we'll find out what's ailing him. Cross your fingers he doesn't make a total ass out of himself and they tell me to never bring him back!

Odds and Ends

I did some nesting yesterday. I gave the dogs baths and their monthly pills. I brushed their teeth and clipped their nails. None of that was easy, by the way. Then I swept the bathroom and kitchen floors and vacuumed for as long as I could before the thing crapped out on me. But my point is, I felt better afterwards. Getting the house in order, my order anyway, is a great feeling. When I got home Sunday evening, I just did the bare minimum and of course Pmo and the dogs had messed up the place a bit. It just feels good to get things back in order. Except when I unpacked, I discovered I left my razors in Louisville.

I had to push back the vet visit because of company that came in today and took me to lunch. I think Bug and I are going to make the trek to the west side tomorrow. Which means grocery shopping, another favorite activity of mine, gets pushed back to Thursday. I'm hoping the vet bill won't be too bad and the doctor can figure out what's wrong with Bug and make him better. I took both dogs on a walk this morning and Bug hung in there. He didn't really want to go but I thought exercise might help him.

I'm really happy to know people are actually reading my blog. I checked the counter this afternoon and I think at least 30 people had logged on. Sweet! I feel loved.

Weekend at Bernie's (I mean, Sarah's)

I got to my cousin Audrey's house around 12pm on Saturday and a few minutes later we were on our way to Louisville to visit our cousin Sarah. It rained the entire way but we made it in one piece. We were unloading our stuff out of the car and getting ready to go up to Sarah's condo when I did the unthinkable. I locked my keys, my purse, my overnight bag, everything, in the car. The back door wasn't competely shut, but still locked. I, of course, started cursing and yelling.

We went up to Sarah's and tried to decide our next move. I'm mad as hell at myself at this point. So we start with the wire hangers. I have locked my keys in my car before at my mom's. With two dogs inside. In winter. And I managed to get it open then. So I'm bound and determined not to call a locksmith and waste $50. After an hour in the rain and many different methods, we finally got it. I went from steaming mad to extremely happy!

We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping and ended up at Saporro for dinner. It took forever to get waited on, but it was well worth it. I had teriyaki chicken grilled on the hibachi with fried rice, vegetables, soup, and salad. Delicious. I even tried sushi and it was pretty good. Afterwards, Audrey wanted ice cream so we went to a homemade ice cream and pie place. Audrey and I got slices of ice cream pie to go. Hers was Grasshopper. Mine was Oreo. Also delicious. On the way home, we made one last stop at the liquor store for some tasty beverages.

At Sarah's, we watched the Cards become Big East champs and enjoyed Tracy Morgan's antics on SNL. I drank a bottle of wine and a beer, Audrey had a glass of wine, and Sarah's drink of choice was bourbon and Sprite. We stayed up talking until about 2am and called it a night. The next morning, we started watching a Real World marathon and I got hooked. But not for long. After getting ready for the day, we headed to Olive Garden for lunch. Another delicious treat.

After lunch, Audrey and I started the trek back across southern Indiana. I visited with her kiddos for a bit after I dropped her off, then headed home. I made it back to house around 4pm. Pmo and I took the dogs for a walk, then he made dinner. After we ate, we settled in to watch the Apprentice and eat brownies and ice cream. And like that, the weekend was over.

This week I'm stressed. Bug's back legs are acting up again and I'm afraid a trip to the vet is inevitable. Tomorrow, my mom, grandma, and a couple of Grandma's friends are coming to Evansville for a birthday dinner at the Golden Corral. Even though Grandma was in the hospital all weekend! Her blood pressure was up and they did all kinds of tests on her and adjusted her medication. We'll see how she feels tomorrow.

Tomorrow's payday so this week I will hit the grocery store and take care of a wedding task. Probably squeeze in that vet visit and fork out some more money. Color my hair if Mom brings me some hair color. Visit the Goodwill store in Boonville because I just discovered I only live about 15 minutes away from it. Take care of some pets for my friend next weekend. Enjoy the weather while it lasts.

A Taste of Twitter

Okay. I did it. I finally broke down and got a Twitter account. There are two things I don’t do: texting and tweeting. But tweeting is free so that’s part of the reason I reluctantly jumped on board. I figured, how can I really knock it if I haven’t tried it? I just get so sick of hearing about it all the time at work.

So, we’ll see how it goes. In the words of David James, it does seem a little vain. I mean, who really cares what I’m doing all the time? But don’t I already play into that vanity with blogging and Facebook? It’s all about me, me, ME! But texting is a whole other beast. It costs money and I don’t want to be bothered with it. I don’t answer the phone half the time let alone reply to a text message.

I was planning on bathing the dogs today, but I put it off and played on the computer instead. I do eventually have to get up and start packing for my one nighter in Louisville with my cousins. I wish it would warm up for goodness sake. I already got my capris ready to go in the closet and my sandals back in the shoe rotation. And I can’t wear any of it yet!

I’m also hungry so there will be some cream cheese and crackers coming my way soon. Alas, I must get back to my exciting life.

Thoughts a Plenty

Time flies when you're having fun. Or just busy. I swear, I cross things off the to-do list just to think of more tasks to add on. Little, tedious things along with some big ones.

This weekend, I'm heading to Louisville for a get together with a couple of my cousins. It should be a fun time. We plan on doing a little shopping, having a nice dinner, then vegging out. It's been awhile since I've been out of town. Well, what I consider to be out of town. I don't count going to Mom and Dad's which probably happens a couple times a month.


Our storm debris was finally picked up this week. Strangely, it's very exciting for us. We had to pay for someone to haul it away last time. So it's a real treat for the mess to be gone and the grass to have a chance to grow again. Very brown.

Bug is doing better. I've been giving him the joint health supplements daily and he seems to be acting like his old self. Jack was almost able to attack a squirrel this morning because he got loose from me. But I guess I yelled at him enough that he knew better and stopped.

Taxes are done. Both Pmo and I are awaiting our refunds and trying to decide what to do with them. I'm still hoping to save all of mine but we'll see what happens when the checks are in my hands.

We've changed reception plans again. We're going to have a small cookout at our house with immediate family and close friends. We weren't finding a shelter we liked, plus the enormity of the whole thing was stressing us out so I came around to Pmo's original idea. The weight has been lifted.

I'm rethinking my wedding dress for some reason. It's a champagne color and I'm wondering if I should have went with a lighter color like cream or ivory. I may start looking again. I can always wear the one I bought to other occasions.

I finally got to watch "Mamma Mia" this week. It made me dig out my ABBA Gold CD.

I styled my hair differently day. I pulled it back with bobby pins on top of my head. I got a few compliments on it. I just wanted a change.

Saving Goals

I'm obsessed with saving money right now. I'm not going to great lengths or anything but I am trying to hold onto every penny I can. Each week, I slide 50 bucks into my savings account. I'm eating as many meals as I can from home. And if I'm hurting for money before payday, I force myself to live off what little I have until I can get replenished. Or I cheat and use my credit card, but only a few times!

My first goal was to scrimp for taxes. But both Pmo and I are getting refunds, so no worries there. My second goal was to pay for our wedding. But the more we talk about it and plan the event, the price tag of our nuptials celebration goes down. My third goal was to pay off credit cards. But I've been able to work on them out of my paycheck. My fourth goal was emergencies. This one is constantly on my mind now. With more and more people getting laid off or having to take days without pay, it's making me want to save even more.

So I'm not sure what my real goal is right now but I'm going to keep saving. I'm even thinking about putting my entire tax refund in savings to boost it up even more. I usually split it between savings, checking, and credit cards. Don't get me wrong, my credit card debt is not bad compared to most. I just want to get rid of it. But I figure the longer I keep my dirty, little hands out of savings, the more I can put into it and do with it later.

Sounds like common sense, I know, but it's hard to do. And I never really considered the importance of having an emergency fund. I took for granted that I would have always have a job and a paycheck coming in every two weeks. I can't afford to think like that anymore.

Decisions

I'm sitting at the kitchen table on a Sunday afternoon trying to decide my next move. I've accomplished several tedious tasks already but still have a lot more on my mind.

I need to:

do the dishes and sweep the kitchen floor. again.
organize my clothes and shoes and get out a spring wardrobe.
take the motorcycle for a spin and try out the new battery.
walk the dogs.
hang a few pictures in the bathroom.
look for more decor in the garage loft.
take the aluminum cans out to the garage.
bring in a new bag to fill up again.
watch the weather which may affect activities on this list.
make the bed with recently washed sheets.
take a shower.
make dinner. later of course.
watch the Apprentice.

But being on the internet doesn't get any of things checked off my to-do list. So I will log off now. However, I think writing out what I need to do will help me remember! In fact, I think I'll jot them down on a post it note while I'm at it.

Days Dilemma

I'm a fan of Days of our Lives. I'm not home at night to watch American Idol or Grey's Anatomy or any other shows that may be popular. I don't have a DVR and I gave up on VCR recording a long time ago. Besides, if I'm recording a show, how's Pmo supposed to watch a movie when he's home? So my show is a soap opera. It's on every day at noon and it's always new. I miss it occasionally if I have something important to do but most of the time I have a front row seat in the recliner with my lunch. I started watching it in college thanks to my junior year roommate. I grew up watching All My Children and One Life to Live so I'm no stranger to the midday drama.

But something bugs me about Days. I know Salem is a small town and all. But why does Max Brady only date his relatives? Okay, technically he's adopted, but still. I don't know of a family who would allow an uncle to date his niece even if they're not blood related. It's creepy! Both Stephanie and Chelsea are his nieces from my vantage point. And he goes back and forth between them. Can we not find another love interest for Max in Salem? Even when they brought in a new girl, it was Max's real sister. He didn't date her, thank goodness.

Does this bother anyone else? Probably not because no one is home during the day to watch soaps but me. I have peeked in on One Life to Live a time or two but I haven't got wrapped up in it yet. Plus it's on at 1pm and I have to leave for work by at least 1:40pm. Not really worth diving into.

"Max"

"Chelsea"

"Stephanie'

Out of Time

I held off on the vet today because Bug seemed to be doing better. But when I took him outside before work, he was holding his leg up again. I think I'm going to pay a visit to PetSmart and get him a supplement for joint health. It was recommended to me by a co-worker. I'm going to try to read up on it tonight and make the decision in the morning. I'm just so afraid I"ll waste money on a vet bill when I could have fixed it with an over the counter remedy. I'm been corresponding with an animal hospital in Newburgh but I'm still not sure about it. I just want a good vet who won't overcharge me. I must continue to shop around.

I'm not sure what's on tap for the weekend. It's supposed to be at least 70 on Saturday with a chance of rain on Sunday. I need to get the motorcycle out again to keep it in good condition. We have a few things in mind to do but really haven't settled on any plans. Hopefully we can get Bug back in action and take a walk through the woods or something. Though Pmo seems to be suffering through a cold so we'll have to see how he feels.

I'm out of time or I would write more!

On My Mind

Here's what's on my mind lately. Bug's having trouble. He's been slow to get up and trying to stay off his back legs for a few weeks now. The condition comes and goes. I thought it was because he sleeps all the time and doesn't get much exercise. But I've been walking both of them at least 3 times a week so he's getting off the couch more.

On Monday, though, he was shaking and had that sick look in his eyes. He also wouldn't eat his doggie treat so I thought maybe it was something to do with his mouth. Maybe he needed soft food. When Pmo came home that night, he watered down the food bowls and Jack ate both bowls before Bug could get in there! So I suggested Pmo put Jack in his cage, then give Bug the soft food. He ate it and seemed to be doing better.

Pmo told me tonight that Bug was holding one of his back legs up like it was hurting him. I guess I'll be making a trip to the vet soon. I hate going to the vet for a few reasons. I don't want to spend a bunch of money, and Bug embarrasses me by screaming his head off. He doesn't like to be touched on his legs or feet, and if he's hurting, it will only get worse. But I've got to suck it up and go. I've been meaning to get a new vet anyway since mine is still on the west side. Now I have an excuse to get going.




















We're also trying to find a place to have our reception. We decided to have a casual outdoor cookout. We've looked at Mesker and Wesselman so far and found pros and cons with both parks. I've asked my parents to cook their infamous chicken and "creek fries" which I know all of my friends and family from home will appreciate. We'd love to have it at our house but there's not a lot of parking room. And with my large family and all the people from work, we're expecting a crowd. If you have any suggestions for an outdoor semi-private setting with some sort of shelter in the Evansville/Newburgh area, lay them on me.

Roll On

Pmo and I are patting ourselves on the back after completing our bathroom project. We were able to start painting after breakfast Saturday morning. I took aim with the roller while worked with a brush along the edges and other places I couldn't get to with my equipment. He is an artist after all. After the first coat, we headed outside to cut and load firewood to take to a co-worker's house. It was about a 30-45 minute drive because the truck was weighed down and we couldn't go very fast. But it took no time to unload the wood and, of course, I had to make friends with their dogs which included 2 pugs.

Before we knew it, we were off and rolling again. We'd been playing phone tag all morning with some friends of ours who were moving, but when we finally connected, they didn't need our help anymore. So we checked out a few potential locations for our reception and ended up at Kohl's and Target to shop for bathroom accessories. We bought a shower curtain and some towels. The motif went from pink and blue to green and brown. I can't stand for things not to match, especially if I've put a lot of work into it.

We were getting very hungry by this point because we'd only had breakfast and a snack all day. So when we got home, we scarfed down another snack before we started painting the second coat. Once that was finished, I fixed supper: steaks, baked potatoes, cornbread, and corn on the cob. As Pmo says, you could butter just about everything. While waiting for the paint to dry, we watched a movie and ended up peeling off the tape in the bathroom sometime after 9pm. We started to put the necessities back in place and called it a night.

Sunday started, like usual, with breakfast and the newspaper. We had finished the bathroom ahead of schedule so there wasn't much to do besides tidy up and put the towel rack back. So Pmo worked in the garage while I did dishes and piddled around the house. We also got up early so the day seemed very long. By about 1pm, we had lunch and were looking for something to do. We didn't really want to venture out and spend any more money so he ended up taking a nap while I read a book. Late afternoon, we got into another "straighten up stuff" mood and after that had a nice spaghetti dinner with brownies. The weekend wrapped up with "Celebrity Apprentice" and the Dice man making his exit.

Here are the before and after pictures of the bathroom. The "before" is when we first looked at the house last July. You may not be able to tell too much from it, but there's wallpaper on the left wall, and behind the pink swag curtain above the shower is some sort of faux tile creation. The other walls were what Pmo called, "flesh colored." Now the walls are all green and we have beige towels that go with the shower curtain. There's also flecks of brown in the countertop so I think it all meshes well. I have nothing on the walls yet. That will change soon.