Tomorrow is my sister's birthday. She'll be 61, which is astonishing to me. As astonishing as it is that I'll be 60 in December. How did this happen? I suppose if you have an 85-year-old mother you're bound to be old yourself. Anyway, Happy Birthday Molly.
I haven't been doing much, had a nice three day weekend (we love our dead presidents). I got a fair amount of stuff done, sorted some clothes. I threw out a whole bunch of sweaters and tops--some of the sweaters were old, very old. And 2 sizes smaller than I currently like to wear. There was a time when some of us here at work would wear the same clothes in different colors. We ordered a bunch of clothes from Eddie Bauer & Lands End, and compared our outfits regularly. Those days are long gone, as should be the clothes.
My good friend, who was dying of leukemia, died on Monday. She was at home with Hospice and her 2 daughters, and was in a lot of pain the last 2 days of her life. That's pretty sad. Sadder still is that she really didn't want to die. The last time I talked to her--last week--I said "I'm so sorry," and she said "So am I." So now she's dead and I'm very sad. I cried a lot (which made our newbie clerk here at work freak out--what was he supposed to do? he wondered. In the end he just kept shelving books) but now am accepting the fact that she's dead. It was hard, very hard for me to imagine. She's a colleague and contemporary of mine, and I suppose I should get used to the idea that people in my life will be dying as we age. But still... I'll go to the calling hours Sunday night, and to the funeral Monday morning. And will cry, doubtless.
All else is OK. We had a ton of snow overnight, which surprised me. It was snowing big lazy flakes when I went to bed, and there was 6-8" of snow on the ground when I got up. Where was my plowman? Nowhere near my house, that's for sure. I got out OK, and the town had plowed my road nicely, so it was a non-issue. But still--Donny, I need to be able to get to work, you should plow me by 7 a.m.
Dogs are fine. Treasure certainly has settled into a routine in my house. She's very happy but would like more activity and attention. She's way too into having things in her mouth, and chews the way Tess no longer does. Shreds things. And throws up a lot. Are the two activities connected? I bet. I don't know what the puking is about, but it happens during the night in a very dramatic way. At least she doesn't throw up on the bed anymore, now has the sense to get off the bed. OK, enough about dog puke. How do you teach a dog to Drop It? I keep trying to get her to give me things she's not supposed to have, but she's got a rock-solid bite and won't let go. I have to pry her jaws apart & stick my hand in her mouth to get things away from her. She's as gentle as a dog can be but boy she hates to give up her prizes. Her treasures. Get it? Anyway, I think maybe I need to try swapping biscuits for the things she has in her mouth. Positive reinforcement, that's the ticket.
Speaking of positive reinforcement, something my father firmly endorsed, I got an email from the son of some friends of my parents' this week. His mother is 90 something and lives in North Carolina; they knew my father in the 40's when he was at Columbia getting his PhD. This guy was visiting his mother and she was talking about Spaulding, so he searched the Internet for Spaulding Rogers, and came up with my blog. And from there he found my email. And sent me a nice message about our respective parents. So I sent his mother's address to my mother. I vaguely remember these people, I think we visited them once in Michigan on our way home from the lake. Sometimes we'd go through Canada so my father could speak French.
Kim, who works with me is out this week so I'm a clerk. There are parts of her job I like, parts I can't stand, and parts that are just OK. So I do them all and suffer when it's appropriate. Keeps me busy, makes the time go by.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
004
There's that mountain again. The ice is thick, really it is--it was measured at 16" thick a couple of weeks ago. So I figured it would be safe to take the dogs for a walk on the lake. Well, sure, it's thick AWAY from shore, but near shore there are pockets of very thin ice. Like, ice that won't hold my weight (not that it's just THIN ice that won't hold my weight...). So I fell through the ice. Up to my hips. I'm notorious for scolding people for going out on thin ice. I have 2 friends who went through the ice in shallow water last year. I told them they were really stupid for going out on the ice. Wow do I ever sound like an idiot now. I had no trouble getting out, and sloshed on home after the experience, trying to figure out just how it happened.
The mountain from across my road
This is what it looked like over the weekend. It looks very different now.
6-8" of snow this morning
Pretty, isn't it? This is Silver Lake Mtn from the road, a view I get to see every morning on my way to work. It's a great mountain, not very high, but full of humps and bumps, so that it looks different from every angle. It's everyone's favorite mountain. In Hawkeye, anyway. But then, the only other mountain in Hawkeye is named after the family of the neighborhood bully...
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
From cold to warm
I didn't do much over the weekend--mostly stoked the stove and tried to keep the house warm. At which I was pretty successful. The high on Sunday was 8, and it was windy so it was even colder outside. Not bad inside. I went to the dump on Saturday; seems to be tradition that I go on one of the coldest, most miserable days of the season. Sunday I went to the Holts' to do laundry, and since the heat had been turned on in anticipation of their (cancelled) visit, it was warm enough to stay there while the wash was running. I read the book group book (Chocolat, by Joanne Harris), which is OK. I saw the movie a long time ago (let's hear it for Johnny Depp!) so it's a familiar story but I think the book is different from the movie because there are parts that I don't remember. Or else I was so gobsmacked by Johnny Depp's beauty that I paid no attention to the plot...
Things are going well for the most part. No dog crises, no cat situation. The dogs are all getting along well, and I'm training Tess and Treasure to come home when they hear the car horn honk. Two days in a row it's worked like a charm. They come running in from the woods (which is better than seeing them coming up the driveway, from the road), out of breath but excited. Nothing like a self-exercising pet.
I'm weeding the adult non-fiction books (forever, it seems) and finished up with the pet section. My favorite title was "Your first pocket pet," which is about small rodents like mice, rats, hamsters, etc. It reminded me of our childhood, when we perpetually had white rats for pets. What, they were cheaper and easier than dogs? No, my father for some reason got into the habit of bringing home the lab rats from the college Psychology Dept. at the end of the semesters. Sometimes the rats would be trained to do certain things (nothing useful, like reading a book or cooking dinner). I learned a lot about animal behavior by having them--like, if you have too many in a cage they'll eat their babies, and that rats have the most revolting long scaly tails, but are pretty much nice animals and make OK pets. They only got loose once that I remember, and my mother found the elusive rodent in the washing machine. Before she did the wash. My sister had the most famous rat of the bunch, one named Gretchen, who lived for years. Rats generally live for 1-2 years, but Gretchen was in our lives for a long time. My sister was really good at training animals--when we had parakeets she had hers (named Happy)(mine was white and was named Kitty--why Kitty? oh, who knows) trained to do things. Mine, she was trained not to bite me and that's about it. When she died we buried her in a shoe box, then, as children do, we dug her up later to see what she looked like. A dead bird. We raised canaries for a while, successfully breeding and having 3 babies hatched. My sister & I played with the 2 pretty to death, and the piebald, not-so-attractive one lasted for 11 years. He was a really nice pet, sang so beautifully. My sister had him for a while but (as I remember it) brought him into my bedroom one day, announcing that she didn't want him anymore so he was mine. I did enjoy having him, and would love to have birds now but my house is too drafty and cold, plus what would I do with the birds when I traveled?
I usually watch the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, it's often the highlight of my otherwise pretty much uneventful winter. This year I tried to watch it but dozed a lot and missed most of it. I saw the hounds, one of my favorites, and the sporting group, my real favorite, but pretty much missed the rest. Which was fine, since the winner was a gross little rodent-like thing. See below. The Lab came in 4th in Group, which is better than they usually do. It was a beautiful black Lab, from Roscoe, Ill., near Rockford. It sounds made up, but when the Lab appeared on the screen, Treasure perked up, got off the couch for a closer look at the TV, then walked around behind the set to (presumably) look for the dog. She's a clever one, that Treasure. She does watch TV, which my dogs have never really done. She barks at other dogs or strange noises. She's a cutie, and is working out well. Tess is very tolerant of the attention I pay to Treasure, which is important. I try not to favor one over the other but having 3 dogs sucks a lot of the time. Treasure likes to CHEW socks, which is a real drag. Tess has always taken great pride in her ability to carry socks around, it's been her trademark. Now she has to cut back on that because her sister will take the sock from her mouth & chew on it. Treasure is a bit more orally obsessed than Tess (which, for those who know Tess, seems impossible). She likes to chew cans, like a goat. I once heard that goats only chew cans because they like the glue that holds the labels on. Don't know what appeals to Treasure about cans, but she chews soda bottles and cans endlessly. Cheap toys, huh.
Today I'll work at the Plattsburgh
Things are going well for the most part. No dog crises, no cat situation. The dogs are all getting along well, and I'm training Tess and Treasure to come home when they hear the car horn honk. Two days in a row it's worked like a charm. They come running in from the woods (which is better than seeing them coming up the driveway, from the road), out of breath but excited. Nothing like a self-exercising pet.
I'm weeding the adult non-fiction books (forever, it seems) and finished up with the pet section. My favorite title was "Your first pocket pet," which is about small rodents like mice, rats, hamsters, etc. It reminded me of our childhood, when we perpetually had white rats for pets. What, they were cheaper and easier than dogs? No, my father for some reason got into the habit of bringing home the lab rats from the college Psychology Dept. at the end of the semesters. Sometimes the rats would be trained to do certain things (nothing useful, like reading a book or cooking dinner). I learned a lot about animal behavior by having them--like, if you have too many in a cage they'll eat their babies, and that rats have the most revolting long scaly tails, but are pretty much nice animals and make OK pets. They only got loose once that I remember, and my mother found the elusive rodent in the washing machine. Before she did the wash. My sister had the most famous rat of the bunch, one named Gretchen, who lived for years. Rats generally live for 1-2 years, but Gretchen was in our lives for a long time. My sister was really good at training animals--when we had parakeets she had hers (named Happy)(mine was white and was named Kitty--why Kitty? oh, who knows) trained to do things. Mine, she was trained not to bite me and that's about it. When she died we buried her in a shoe box, then, as children do, we dug her up later to see what she looked like. A dead bird. We raised canaries for a while, successfully breeding and having 3 babies hatched. My sister & I played with the 2 pretty to death, and the piebald, not-so-attractive one lasted for 11 years. He was a really nice pet, sang so beautifully. My sister had him for a while but (as I remember it) brought him into my bedroom one day, announcing that she didn't want him anymore so he was mine. I did enjoy having him, and would love to have birds now but my house is too drafty and cold, plus what would I do with the birds when I traveled?
I usually watch the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, it's often the highlight of my otherwise pretty much uneventful winter. This year I tried to watch it but dozed a lot and missed most of it. I saw the hounds, one of my favorites, and the sporting group, my real favorite, but pretty much missed the rest. Which was fine, since the winner was a gross little rodent-like thing. See below. The Lab came in 4th in Group, which is better than they usually do. It was a beautiful black Lab, from Roscoe, Ill., near Rockford. It sounds made up, but when the Lab appeared on the screen, Treasure perked up, got off the couch for a closer look at the TV, then walked around behind the set to (presumably) look for the dog. She's a clever one, that Treasure. She does watch TV, which my dogs have never really done. She barks at other dogs or strange noises. She's a cutie, and is working out well. Tess is very tolerant of the attention I pay to Treasure, which is important. I try not to favor one over the other but having 3 dogs sucks a lot of the time. Treasure likes to CHEW socks, which is a real drag. Tess has always taken great pride in her ability to carry socks around, it's been her trademark. Now she has to cut back on that because her sister will take the sock from her mouth & chew on it. Treasure is a bit more orally obsessed than Tess (which, for those who know Tess, seems impossible). She likes to chew cans, like a goat. I once heard that goats only chew cans because they like the glue that holds the labels on. Don't know what appeals to Treasure about cans, but she chews soda bottles and cans endlessly. Cheap toys, huh.
Today I'll work at the Plattsburgh
Best in Show 2012
YUCK!! There weren't any dogs that really got my attention this year, and I slept through most of the show. Guess I had the right idea--
Monday, February 06, 2012
New month
And now it's February. I hate wishing my life away, but I like having the end of winter closer. And today is Monday, which I don't feel like having. I like my job a lot, but I'm tired of driving to Plattsburgh so much, and tired of working. I look forward to weekends and vacations a lot. This must be what it's like to get near retirment.
I've been doing pretty well, nothing much going on. Went to the dump on Saturday, taking Tess and Treasure for the car ride. Tess is an old pro at riding in the car, but Treasure is a rookie. She has to be lifed into the car, sees no real advantage to getting in one. I've taken her places twice, and at least she didn't chew anything (the way Tess used to)(at least I hope USED TO is the right term there). She sat in the back seat, facing the back of the seat, for most of the trip. Tess stands on the arm rest between the front seats & watches the road. She can see things like squirrels, cats, dogs, etc. People don't interest her much but animals, even birds, perk her right up. At one point Treasure did nudge me, a good sign that she's aware that a car is not a cage and she can move around. or something.
Watched the Super Bowl, mostly. It was a pretty good game but I did want the Patriots to win. That last chance pass was painful to watch. I thought Madonna sucked and the half-time show was lame.
It's in the 20's today and feels reminiscent of spring. I was going to walk on the tradmill here at work but hope to go outside instead and take a long walk. Walking in the city is boring, I think, but it would be good to get some fresh air. I spent very little time outside during the weekend, had thought of walking the dogs but got sidetracked. So Tess walked herself with strangers.
I've been doing pretty well, nothing much going on. Went to the dump on Saturday, taking Tess and Treasure for the car ride. Tess is an old pro at riding in the car, but Treasure is a rookie. She has to be lifed into the car, sees no real advantage to getting in one. I've taken her places twice, and at least she didn't chew anything (the way Tess used to)(at least I hope USED TO is the right term there). She sat in the back seat, facing the back of the seat, for most of the trip. Tess stands on the arm rest between the front seats & watches the road. She can see things like squirrels, cats, dogs, etc. People don't interest her much but animals, even birds, perk her right up. At one point Treasure did nudge me, a good sign that she's aware that a car is not a cage and she can move around. or something.
Watched the Super Bowl, mostly. It was a pretty good game but I did want the Patriots to win. That last chance pass was painful to watch. I thought Madonna sucked and the half-time show was lame.
It's in the 20's today and feels reminiscent of spring. I was going to walk on the tradmill here at work but hope to go outside instead and take a long walk. Walking in the city is boring, I think, but it would be good to get some fresh air. I spent very little time outside during the weekend, had thought of walking the dogs but got sidetracked. So Tess walked herself with strangers.
008
Amaryllis. Showing the patch job in the ceiling. Fixing the hole I made when water started dripping from the ceiling. Stupid me, without thinking I made a big hole there. Where there is no plumbing. Water was running downhill. It was from the shower and my friend Chris fixed it for me. That was a while ago. The patch job is relatively new.
015
Treasure watches television sometimes, and this is what she looks like when she does. If sh'e interested in what's happening on TV she'll walk around behind the TV to see the people/dogs/cats, etc. that she saw. Clever girl.
016
Dogs like lying in the sun (at least mine do). Add a wood stove to that and you've got perfect conditions for sleeping.
028
We call this peaceful co-existence. Treasure has almost stopped chasing the cat. Sometimes she just can't help herself, though, and has a good run with Kittie. At Kittie's expense.
032
Why do I always have animals who hate having their picture taken? This is Dot the Cat. Snotty Dotty.
038
There is peace in Hawkeye. Tess is exhausted from climbing the bluffs with strangers, and Treasure is just happy to be with her sister.
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