What about those crazy thoughts of extremely changing your lifestyle?

I LOVE watching the tiny house shows and following all of the people who live in RVs online.  I almost named this entry "This Wild Idea," but there is already a blog out there by that name.

I just think about the FREEDOM to travel and see everything that is out there. Of course, this is our plan when we retire, but what about NOW?

It's A LOT of downsizing, but what a freedom from STUFF - less cleaning and maintenance of things.

Oh and let's not forget about following the minimalists out there online. I saw an interview with a girl who said, minimalism is your definition.  Still, it's hard to get rid of stuff that you have accumulated.  ESPECIALLY if there are two of you. 

You both bring that baggage of stuff and your mindset has to be the same.  I have a lot of stuff that wasn't mine, but was inherited.  THAT is hard to get rid of - because of the sentimental  reasons.  I even have a hard time of getting rid of worn out toys of Esa and Zed's because of the memories. 

I DO take pictures of the things before getting rid of them - because of the memories.  Which leads me to scrapbooking - so many projects to record those memories!

I digress - Back to living small - Let's not forget - I've NEVER lived in an RV.  Just played in one at our neighbors and I did sleep in one when I was 5 with our family when we visited my aunt and uncle in Florida.

In the meantime, I guess make a plan to downsize so when the time comes, it will be mostly done.  Now - how is that going to work?  How do I make a gameplan for that?

*note - our plan when we retire is to have an RV, but have a house too (at the beach).  

What if you did live your life like the gurus say?

So I think it was last year, I started reading Living like Oprah. I started it towards the end of vacation and never finished it.  Yesterday, I went to a seminar about picturing the life you want, have a dream book, meditate to reach those goals, have a dream book, etc.

I was thinking today, what if you did do all of those things that gurus say to do?  Is there enough time in the day?  Think about it
Sleep - 8 hours
Work - 8 hours (and let’s now forget lunch time and your commute)
Work out - 20 minutes
Meals - 1 hour 30 minutes ( you know, you are supposed to eat slow)
There’s almost 18 hours

And then you are supposed to work on yourself
Reading - 30 minutes
Journaling - 30 minutes
Mediating - 30 minutes
There’s 19.5 hours

Let’s not forget the dog
Walk dog - 40 minutes

Oh I forgot preparing dinner - that’s at least 30 minutes.

Then there’s preparing for the next day - 30 minutes

There”s about 22 hours and that’s just off the top of my head!

Long story short, definitely need to figure out what works for you. I like my 8(or even more) hours of sleep  (including a nap). I enjoy walking the dog for more than 40 minutes a day. I WISH I could read more and journal more. I have a hard enough time with doing it let alone 30 minutes!

So, what do I choose dto do? I just it just depends on how I feel. Right now, I feel like it’s time for bed.

No longer your house

So I try to check out the hometown paper online every so often.  Today must have been a slow day (as if that's different than any other day).  They posted the following "article" and video.

Remembering the Schwarzenbach house that was
By Christine Loman

The Evening Tribune

Posted Jan 20, 2012 @ 12:32 PM

Hornell, N.Y. —

Jean Travis doesn’t like to go down Hill Street anymore. It isn’t that the neighborhood reminds the Hornell resident of old times, it’s that more recent days haven’t been weathered so well.
Travis used to live at 85 Hill St. in the Schwarzenbach House. Her father bought the house in 1948 from the Schwarzenbach family when he got called up to the railroad from Owego. Travis lived there until 1984.
Travis says when she sees the house now it makes her feel sick.
The house has changed hands and fallen into neglect since the 1980s. It was damaged in a suspicous fire in 2003. The blaze started in the cellar and made its way up through the second floor.
For Travis, 85 Hill St. is a wasting remnant of happier days. A pillar on the front porch is slowly rotting away.
The home where Travis saw her parents celebrate their 50th anniversary and raised her son has fallen queit, hushed by vacancy and decay.
Remembering the inside
“It was just a beautiful home with this beautiful woodwork inside and the sliding panel doors. and diamond cut glass windows and colored glass windows. It was in perfect shape.”
The ‘castle on the hill’
“Daddy used to call it his castle on the hill and Mother had a great big flower garden out back with flowers in it and I tell you it makes me sick to look at it now.”

So - what's your point?  Over half the houses in Hornell are rundown.  Obviously, there was a reason why you moved out of the house lady.  Don't get me wrong.  It's sad that the old houses are becoming rundown, but it's a fact of life.  Especially when people don't have money to fix the house.

I was lucky.  The house I grew up in was sold to someone who took the time & money to fix it up (and sold it).  I think the people who it was sold to are still living in it and have done even more to the outside.  However, I can't drive by it.  I think I've driven by it once since I sold it in 1998.  No matter what the shape of the house, the memories are still there and it's hard.

I wonder why they posted this.  Is the historical society trying to get money to fix locations?

20 cents per bag

So yesterday, it was announced that Virginia is going to try to pass a 20 cent per bag tax at grocery stores. REALLY????  Come on, DC and Montgomery County have a 5 cent tax.  That's reasonable.  I SAVE 5 cents per bag when I bring in bags at Giant now.

Canada has the same tax.  Does it save/prevent on litter?  I don't know.  But what really has me in an uproar is that these two idiots realize that the bill will probably pass at 5 cents - then why are you wasting time and just ask for a 5 cent tax?

20 cents per bag

20-cent bag fee proposed in Virginia

Thursday - 1/19/2012, 9:10am  ET

The aim of the bag law would be reduce the amount of litter that ends up in area waterways. (AP)

Hank Silverberg, wtop.com
SPRINGFIELD, Va. - The latest bag fee proposal is sparking intense debate in Virginia after lawmakers proposed a 20-cent tax on plastic.
The bill, co-sponsored by Delegates Joe Morrissey, D-Va., and Scott Surovell, D-Mount Vernon, would impose a 20-cent fee on all plastic bags used by grocery shoppers to carry purchased goods. It doesn't affect durable, reusable bags, or bags used for ice cream, meat, fish or poultry.
Surovell says the bill is not meant to raise money, but to cut down on litter and pollution. He adds that it will likely be cut down to 5 cents once a review begins in committee.
"You could avoid the fee simply by bringing your own bag," Surovell says.
He also says that his constituents are more accepting of the 5-cent fee.
"Responses on my blog ran about 64 percent of the people were perfectly fine with a nickel," he says.
Surovell's district borders the Potomac River, a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. He says improperly discarded plastic bags are a major source of pollution and any fees collected would be used to clean up the litter.
The proposal is similar to laws already in effect in D.C. and Montgomery County, Md.
Republicans immediately lashed out regarding the proposal, saying many people already reuse plastic bags around the house.
Three similar bills died in House committees last year.
Follow Hank and WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

You Can't Tell Someone's Tone Over the Internet

“You can't control other people's behaviour, but you can control your responses to it.”
― Roberta Cava

I don't remember the first time I heard this quote (or a version of it), but every once in awhile, something happens, I think of it, and I am calm with whatever happened.  This quote came to my mind this morning because of something that happened over the internet in a "conversation" with me and a "friend".

Lorenzo is a former co-worker and we have kept in contact since he left Westfield quite a few years ago.  We have talked on the phone a couple of times, but mostly it's via the internet - either Facebook or Twitter.  The great thing with the internet is that you can keep in touch with former co-workers.  Depending on the person, I have the tweets go directly to my phone so I keep up with the person and can start a "conversation" (that is what Twitter is for).

Anyway....Lorenzo tweets alot - mostly retweets (RT) and comments about what is going on around him at that time (like during a commute on the metro, etc) or comments to other people he follows.  The tweets are usually for like an hour straight and sometimes I'll reply or check out the RT.  Hubby made a comment that my phone kept going off one day and I said, "oh, it's just Lorenzo" and explained.  Thanksgiving, we were at our neighbors and my phone was going off, and comments were made about how often it was going off.

So, to me, it's a joke - it makes me smile - when the phone starts "blowing up" I know Lorenzo is on.  Nothing bad about it.  Anyway,  I made the comment to Lo and obviously, he didn't like it.

 

                 rmcwentz Ronalyn

                When my phone is blowing up with twitter notifications, I know @AyeDisLo is on

                23 Nov

                AyeDisLo goLo Evans

               RT @rmcwentz When my phone is blowing up with twitter notifications, I know @AyeDisLo is on< #settings

               23 Nov

I didn't think anything of this - I meant it as a smartass remark.  I probably could have put a smiley face at the end so he knew I was laughing at it.

Here's what happened yesterday:

           rmcwentz Ronalyn

          phone is blowing up = @AyeDisLo is tweeting... :)

          17 hours ago

          AyeDisLo goLo Evans

         RT @rmcwentz phone is blowing up = @AyeDisLo is tweeting... :)» you should change your settings or unfollow me #annoyed

         17 hours ago

          rmcwentz Ronalyn

         @AyeDisLo #notannoyed sometimes you tweet some good stuff - puts a smile on my face.

         17 hours ago

Smiley face - it means you are happy.  Explaining that I didn't mean anything bad by it.  So, yesterday evening it bothered me and I mentioned it to Dan.  He just shook his head.  This morning I thought about it and it bothered me.  I think it was the "unfollow me" part that bothered me - basically, you don't want to interact with me anymore.  The other part, the RT - This went out to ALL of Lorenzo's followers - 390 people.  If you have an issue with me, you don't have to broadcast it to all of your followers.  Take off the RT and @me directly.  Then the quote came to me and my attitude changed.

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Why Do Worms Come Out on the Sidewalk When It Rains?

I know - crazy post heading, but that's what was on my mind this morning.

This morning, it is raining and while I was walking into work, I noticed all of the worms on the sidewalk.  Of course, this is not the first time I have ever seen them on the sidewalk on a rainy day, I just haven't really wondered about it before.  Hence the heading.  So why do they?  Don't they realize they are just going to get stepped on and killed (or split in half)?

From ehow.com

Why Do Earthworms Come Out When it Rains?

By Katelyn Kelley, eHow Contributor

 

Earthworms tend to surface in large numbers during heavy rains for several reasons, not simply because the oxygen levels in the soil changes. Earthworms need to remain moist to survive and consider rain a good thing.

1. Earthworm Lungs

   • Earthworms do not have lungs like humans. Instead, the surface of their skin, known as a cuticle, absorbs oxygen through a process called diffusion.

   More Oxygen in Air

   • The earthworm's cuticle must remain moist to absorb oxygen. When they are in soil, they receive oxygen from air trapped underground. Rain-soaked dirt, however, fills that air space with water, and although earthworms can absorb oxygen from the water, air contains more oxygen, so they will surface for more efficient breathing.

   Favorable Moist Conditions

   • Earthworms must remain moist to breathe and need moisture to move around. After a rain, the conditions above the ground are extremely favorable to them, so they surface to move around without fear of drying out.

   Rain Mimics Evening Conditions

   • Worms come out at night when the air is moist and there is no hot sun to dry their skin. When it rains during the day, the conditions above ground resemble the cool, damp conditions at night, so worms will surface without waiting for nightfall.

   Mating Habits

   • Earthworms have a higher chance of bumping into another worm when they are on the surface after a heavy rain and can travel greater distances. Some species of earthworms seem to prefer mating in moist conditions on the surface because they have more room to maneuver.

 I'm sure I learned all of this in 10th grade biology, but that was a long time ago.....

Cleaning out the office bag

Everyday, I tote my rolling bag back and forth to and from the office.  I began using it when I had to bring in my own soda and my lunchbag was a heavy bag to carry especially since we have to walk a ways from the parking lot to the office.  Since I have neck issues, using the rolling bag helps.

Today, I'm cleaning out my bag and looking at the articles I had printed out to read.  This article is too good not to keep, but will use the link to keep it instead of the paper copy.

How to simplify when you really love your stuff

The best quote from this article is:
"There is beauty and art in many things, but consider this: you don’t have to own them all to appreciate them. Eckhart Tolle once suggested to Oprah Winfrey that she not buy everything she likes or wants — just savor it for the moment in the store."

Our pup AKA the drama queen, 60 day countdown, and body images of celebrities

The Drama Queen
Esa had her doctor visit last night for 2 shots.  I figured, this should be easy, she's good at getting shots.  Boy was I wrong.  Back up to the last visit.  We "tried" to give Esa a pedicure.  We tried her on a leash, 2 (YES, TWO) muzzles and gauze and 3 adults.  She was an escape artist.  So much for the pedicure.

This time, I was asked if we wanted to try and I said no - not after last time.  Dr. Foster (AKA Chrissie to us since we are friends) give Esa her first shot.  Then Esa realized she had to get a 2nd shot and she was ready to get out of there.  It took a leash, peanut butter & gauze to get her to sit still.  Then it was over.  As soon as it was over, she shook, then went over to Chrissie to get her treat.  Silly, silly pup.

Zed was looked over to see how his skin is doing and we have decided to give him some antifungal meds to get him over the itching hump.  That with the baths and benedryl should help.  Zed got his nails cut and he was just a little whiner.  Even when Chrissie wasn't clipping him.  He bounced right back though.

60 day countdown
So, in 60 days I will be coming to the end of my Westfield career.  We are still fighting, but I have a feeling it's not going to help.  I have applied for the new company and have an interview tomorrow.  The emotion wave comes and goes.  It sucks being in limbo and I would prefer to be out of it.

Body Images of Celebrities
Monday, Portia De Rossi was on Oprah to talk about her book.  I am definitely going to read it.  I was very surprised to hear her story and the struggles she has gone through.  What she went through with anerexia and bulemia was just amazing for someone that was in the height of her career.  It just shows that the mind plays terrible games and someone who you think has it all together, may not.  I can remember that eating disorders were a big topic during middle school & high school.  Just because that is when most girls have the issues.  We actually had a classmate who was anerexic during our senior year and I can remember a co-worker who was taking dieting to the exteme with her roommates.  I never had those (anerexic) tendencies - although sometimes I wish I did.  My tendencies go towards eating and eating and eating - no way I would ever purge.  I hate throwing up.  It's just different mental thoughts - none of which are good. 

Portia's story touched me because it has been so long since I've thought about those eating disorders.  The media focus right now is on obesity.  It would be nice if the US could find a happy medium with their relationship with food.  I guess I need to just start with myself..... :)

How to keep the (phone) conversations going

With Dan and I working seperate schedules, it's sometimes hard to think of things to talk about on the phone in the evening.  A couple of times, I've made lists of things to discuss, but it was usually important things that we needed to discuss to make a decision or something.

This weekend in Parade Magazine, this article was in it.  This is a great idea that I think I'm going to start doing.

Scrapbooking and lifestyles

This weekend (Thursday-Sunday) I'm at a scrapbooking retreat in Nokesville, VA.  I enjoy weekends like this because I usually get A LOT of scrapbooking done.  Now, my scrapbooks are of our family, the two humans and (now) the two pups.  Not your typical scrapbooker - meaning, usually scrapbookers are moms (of young kids).  Which leads me to this post.

Luckily, my good friend, MW, is also a no kid scrapbooker so usually we do these weekends together.  This weekend (so far), I realize how happy I am with my/our lifestyle of no kids.  Since we are close to "home", all of the moms are coming and going throughout the day because of their husbands working.  I keep thinking - "so much for a girls weekend of scrapbooking".  On the other hand, yesterday (since I was the first "guest" to arrive around 4 pm), I have basically been here by myself.  JN "the host", due to her hubby's work schedule change, has to take care of her kids.  She finally was able to come back around 8 pm, then 3 other moms finally came.  Everyone, except one, left during the night.  Then I was left alone again as the one that stayed went home this morning.  It's great that it's close to their houses so that they can go home, but so much with them getting their scrapbooking done!

Of course, conversations are usually about the kids.  They all know each other from their mommy's club.  You kind of feel out of the loop when you don't have kids and wonder, "OK, what do I have in common with these people besides scrapbooking?" and "Do these people have anything else going on in their lives?".  But I guess that's what happens when you have kids - they are your life and it revolves around them.

My life, on the other hand, revolves around work, hubby, and the pups.  Plus some other stuff - volunteering, hockey, and the benefits of not having kids (eating out when we want, doing what we want when we want, etc.).

Anyway, MW is here so now I have a non-mom buddy to hang out with and talk non-kid stuff.

Single (doggie) parenthood

Our work schedules are great for having dogs (except for hubby having to get up early).  In the morning, hubby takes care of the pups with their walking and in the evening, I take care of them.

Dan has been out of town visiting his grandmother since Saturday.  The weekend isn't hard at all handling the dogs, but when I need to take care of the dogs and then go to work, boy is time tight!

Yesterday was pretty good because of the holiday and no traffic.  I was able to get up, walk the pups, get ready, take Esa to daycare and then get to work ON TIME!  I don't know what was wrong with my schedule this morning, but I got to work about 10 minutes late and I didn't take Esa to daycare.  I guess we walked a little longer than I did yesterday.

Anyway, cudos to all those single parents who get the kids and themselves ready in the morning.  I can't imagine it.

Where I am in the coupon scale

This article got my attention today!  I have grown from the 1st level to the 2nd level (and gotten my husband to at least these levels). I am inbetween level 3 and 4 - depending on the sale and where I'm shopping.  I think I have mastered the level 4 at CVS, but for regular grocery shopping, I seem to be at level 3 - sometimes 4, but mostly 3.  I am still working on mastering the grocery shopping and probably do better than most people, but I'm not at my goal all of the time.  Everytime I grocery shop, my goal is to save more than I spend.  Usually I come close.

Coupons from Casual to Extreme

Are warehouse memberships worth it?

Every once in awhile, I think I might want to get a warehouse membership.  When I saw this blog post, it got me thinking again - benefits-of-membership - Costco

There are benefits - and everything they listed is correct, BUT there are only 2 of us in our family AND I remember how I used to be when I did have a membership!  I am out of control.  Too many "bargins" and I can't resist buying.

All of the benefits that were listed can also be done without paying the $50 or $100 in membership.

• Shopping deals - if you look around and compare weekly ads, you can get some good deals - and don't forget the internet
• Car deals/towing/events - we have a AAA membership which also provides those services.
• Gasoline - right now, Giant Food is having a joint marketing program with Shell.  For every 100 points ($1 = 1 point) on your Giant Food bonus card, you get 10 cents off every gallon.  With the added "bonus point items", it adds up - last week I saved 60 cents per gallon!

Another I can relate to......

Shoestring Living: My love-hate relationship with coupons - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin

As part of the paper collecting, I am surrounded by coupons. I have a love-hate relationship with coupons also. HOWEVER, I think it is worth the time and money to cut and sort them. I use my time in front of the TV to cut and sort, killing two birds with one stone. It all is worth it when I save at the register.

I'm not much into games, but saving money at the register is my favorite game. My goal everytime - to save more than I spent.

I also understand the buying things that you don't use comment. I have a cure for that - donate the items. We donate food to the local food bank and pet items to the county animal shelter.

I can relate......

I Collect Paper

I can so relate to this blog entry - I JUST threw out about 3 kitchen trashbags full of articles and pictures from magazines from over the years. These were full of tips and ideas from anything that I thought I might use someday. Now more than 2 weeks later - I don't feel worried about what I lost out on from these "things" - I feel good and accomplished when I walk in the room and it is clean. Something that helped - what can you NOT find on the internet? Why do I need the paper if it's on the internet?

My disclaimer, yet maybe I don't follow it....

I go back and forth on if I want to make this blog public or not - mostly because of what I "think" I'm going to post - personal stuff that maybe people will judge or take wrong - hence the disclaimer at the bottom.

Something hit me today. I judge others myself because they do something I wouldn't do or differently than how I would do it. STUPID! It's my opinion and it's their choice! Doesn't mean it's right or wrong, we just see things differently.

I need to just start thinking "Whatever - that's their choice."

You never know what happens behind closed doors

Can a Level 3 sex offender start over in Hornell? - Hornell, NY - Hornell Evening Tribune

Almost daily I check out The Eveing Tribune, the paper of my hometown. Today, I was very shocked to see this as an article title and then REALLY shocked to see the name that was associated with it. Dion used to go to our church. I can remember us "cool kids" picking on him some, but him being very nice and kind of quiet. It's just amazing what happens to someone so close to you and you don't even know it. Who knows if the adults knew something. I do remember he lived with his grandmother - I guess know we know the reason why.

My heart goes out to him - he is trying to change his life, but can't because of something that someone he trusted did to him.

It's been how long?

Yikes!  It's been awhile since I've posted.  A lot of things (little things) have happened and I have meant to post about them, but just haven't had a chance.  I have notes all the way back from May 12 on things that have happened - and then trying to figure out how personal to get on here.  This is a place for my thoughts no matter how crazy.  I know that not many people are reading this - just because it's on invite only, but the reason I did this was for people (friends) to read and the majority are not (not even the hubby!).  Oh I guess deep down, I wish a was a famous blogger...It comes from wanting to be on The Real World - The Complete First Season - New York from way back.

The weekend wrapup

I forgot to mention that Zed’s personality is coming through. He has started to bark more. Either when he is out in the yard or when someone (usually Dan) comes in the back door. His favorite toy is a rope toy. He will either sit with it and start pulling strings or will shake it. He loves it when you play tug of war with him. If you throw it, he will retrieve it.
When I’m watching TV, he will jump up on the couch with me and lay down next to me. Yesterday, he actually got up on my lap and snuggled.
This weekend was full of house errands. Paperwork for Dan’s work, groceries, yard work, Home Depot, baths for both dogs and the usual stuff (laundry, dishes, etc). The fun things – catching up on recordings on the DVR (finally caught up on Lost) and finding geocache #200. Dan wanted to wait for me to get this one.
Dan was so wanting to have a bonfire and smores on Saturday. He started a fire and I’m standing there thinking and saying to him – maybe the wind to too strong. Next thing you know, sparks start flying out – just a couple. I went inside, came back out and the wind really whipped up and there were sparks EVERYWHERE! Dan said immediately, get me the spray bottle, and put the fire out.  Sunday morning, Dan said that he was standing at the kitchen island later on and he looked outside and the firepit was going strong! He said he felt embarrassed since he really thought it was out.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
One of the shows I was catching up on this weekend was Ruby. She is on such an amazing journey and I’m glad she is doing it the slow and steady way with no surgery. She is dealing with re-learning how to eat and the mental side of how she got to the size she is (and was) along with the new mentality she will need to keep the fight going. One of the biggest things that just amazes me is that she doesn’t remember her childhood. I mean, I don’t remember EVERYTHING in my childhood, but I have memories – good & bad. There are portions that I wish I could forget – basically because I am embarrassed that I lived that way/in that situation.
This last episode really made me think – these women/Ruby’s friends had things they kept inside too because they were embarrassed of them yet here they were, letting it be shown to the whole world. It reminded me that EVERYONE has something in their childhood that they wish would never had happen yet it did and it made us the adult we are today. We don’t know what the adults (around us when we were children) were thinking when we were going through that situation. Maybe they weren’t aware how much it was going to affect us or they didn’t know how to handle it themselves or maybe they were trying to protect us.

I never had a chance to really ask the questions of my parents - sometimes I wish I had or could. One question that I’m glad I did get to ask of my Uncle Victor – about the relationship with his parents (my grandparents, Dad’s parents). One of the things that stood out with me (my memories) was he didn’t bother coming to their funeral or even dealing with the estate. He left it all up to my mom. I knew he wasn’t close to them, but my impression (of a 16 year old) was he just wanted the money and that was it.
I asked Uncle Victor and he told me that when he moved away, he just kind of drifted apart from them. I asked about his grandmother (my great grandmother, who died when Grandma was 11)– if Grandma had ever spoken of her mom. He said Grandma (his mom) wasn’t a very social person and didn’t talk about it.
It obviously affected her (Grandma). Maybe that is why she was “jealous” of me – seriously – that’s what Mom & Aunt Helen would say. Grandma was NEVER loving towards me – Grandpa was.
Anyway, as an adult, now I understand how things that have happened in your past affect the person you are today and unless you want to change it, the cycle will continue. Thanks to Ruby, I am thinking about my childhood (and just memories in general) more – the good & the bad. Random Thoughts will include those memories – maybe in detail, maybe not.

The Capitals, Dogs named after Capitals, Books and Random Thoughts

Hockey

So the Capitals season didn’t ended like I wanted to, but I had a feeling by game 5 that it wasn’t going to end very well. Halak was on FIRE! There was no way of getting the puck passed him. MAYBE if we played all of the games like we did in the last 5 minutes of Game 7 we might have come. (Like how I say WE?). They are my boys and I am behind them no matter what (good or bad). They had a good season – We’ve never gotten the President’s Cup before. Ovie has been nominated for the Hart Trophy again – that makes 3 years in a row. Something that only the Great One (Wayne Gretzky) and Bobby Orr have done.

Esa Story

Esa has gotten so good on leash that we have been “testing” her off leash to finish up our walks. We usually let her off the leash about a house or 2 from ours and she’ll walk with us right to the house. Well – I did that the other day and the birds in the tree right by our house, come flying down towards Esa and then out (towards the road). Of course, Esa starts taking a few steps, but I made a LOUD aaah, aah, aah noise and she fell right back into line. WOOHOO! Now, if it was a bunny that would have been a different story.

Simple Abundance
On my birthday, I started the “Simple Abundance” Daily Devotional. I haven’t been consistent with it, but when I read the daily passage, I highlight the main thought of the day and try to write my 5 gratitude items in the book at the end of the day. I thought it might be kind of cool to add that my gratitude items or my feelings on the thought of the day to this blog.

Another dog in the future?

So since January, I’ve been volunteering regularly with Loudoun County Animal Shelter on Thursdays when they bring the mobile adoption truck to Petco in Sterling. Since March, there has been a Chihuahua mix named Frank coming. Hate to say it, but I’ve fallen for him. He’s really smart – I taught him to sit and lay down within an hour the first day I meet him. Supposedly he’s about 10 years old, but I have a feeling he’s younger. When he first came to the shelter, he was a little skinny and was missing some fur on his tail and on his ears (totally bald) and itchy. He still scratches a lot, but he does not have mange. He’s gained his weight back and looks good and his fur is back on his tail. Not sure about his ears.

He actually had two families fill out applications for him. The first family was out of county and had to go through a home inspection, but was never home even with a set appointment. The second family never returned the shelter’s call when they said he was available. Which comes to me – whenever I see him I say, let me know if he doesn’t get adopted and he needs to go. Which Loudoun is VERY good at keeping animals a LONG time. As long as there is room and the animal’s personality has not changed, they stay.

So what happens yesterday when I show up? “We’ve been waiting for you!” I’m up in the air. I’ve been thinking about Frank ALL OF THE TIME - wondering if he’s been adopted by the one of the two families.

Dan’s going to go with me tomorrow to meet him and then we’ll think about it. Two dogs are a lot of work and it also means we wouldn’t be able to get a cat (two pets are enough). I’m sure Esa would be ok with it, however, I think she likes being the only dog. I could kind of tell when Cash was visiting.

Random Thoughts
Anyone else getting a lot of spam? I think it might have had something to do with the McAfee issue last week – it seemed to all happen after that.