And Finally. . . . Friday!

[helia]

*phew* Boy, is that how I feel about this week. It is finally Friday.

[helia]

Oh, ((Harriet)). . .Thinking of you all and Sammie. . . .

I fell asleep at the computer twice last night, just playing games. (My latest addiction is 2048, kind of a math puzzle. I've won it once. Thanks to ds for introducing it to me. . . ) So, I went to bed around 10 pm, which is early for me. Dh and I did not medicate the dogs' ears, though. I hope he'll help me do that this morning.

I feel SO much better this morning after a decent night's sleep. I think 2 or 3 nights in a row of troubled sleep, resulting in about 5 hours sleep per night, finally hit me. since I'll be on the road for about 6 hours today, I'm glad. Yesterday, I was home for about 1.75 hours between 8:30 a.m and 5:30 p.m. Many of the hours out were spent talking - moms group and tutoring session made up for about almost 4.5 hours of my day yesterday. I think that added to my exhaustion. What a grace that nobody could make it to Th. dinner after all!

Ideally, I'd like to be on the road by 10:30; originally, I'd wanted to leave immediately after WW this morning, but I'm bringing a honey baked ham for my family to enjoy, and the store doesn't open until 10 a.m. Several things I need to get done before I leave. I'm currently washing my jeans (I seem to only have one pair that I like; another pair is OK but a bit short. A 3rd pair has a huge hole in the mid-thigh, which can make me look trendy - but is not always appropriate or warm, depending on what I'm doing) and my fleece jacket.

Before I leave:
- as much of a.m. routine as possible
- email from dh: He wants a copy of the check i/he wrote for his passport sent to his secretary.
- wash jeans and fleece jacket
- feed 3 dogs
- ear meds into 3 dogs (Tori shared her ear infection last time she was here)
- pack: clothes, toiletries, books, cooler, lunch for me - so I can stay on program
- pick up more ear meds for Pepper
- WW
- honey baked ham store

Interesting discussion re: rental property . We have never invested in rental property, nor will we ever likely do that. We'd make awful landlords. LOL! For one thing, dh can barely keep his head above water with his work now. He doesn't need something else, another responsibility, added to that. Even hiring a property manager would require some time now and then. And I'm not gifted in this sort of thing, definitely not a "hands on" sort of person in this area.

Apparently, dh bought a new used car yesterday for ds to take to Texas. He said an admin in his dept. sent out an email Wed. advertising it, and it sounded like such a good deal, he responded within 5 minutes. He looked at it yesterday a.m. and bought it. She will drive it still for a while. We don't actually need it until late May. Dd18 was impressed that we now own 4 cars - until dh and I pointed out that the total value of all 4 cars is much less than the value of one car that the average person drives. We are not car connoisseurs. We will likely sell the current kid car at the end of the summer.

I haven't heard anything so I assume dd15 and the band are safely in Paris. They're doing some tours today - I don't remember the schedule. She said they would be met at the airport with buses. One of the locations is about 2 hours away. That is a good idea, will give them the opportunity to sleep.

I still can't imagine traveling with 125 high school students overseas. They were on 2 different flights. The band director was able to get a small army of parents to accompany them, including several MDs and nurses. There also are a few adults from the travel company. Some parents aren't officially chaperones but are taking the opportunity for a nice holiday and are willing to accompany the group as needed. I want to say I heard the student to adult ratio was 4:1. ..That is one thing I've noticed about this community - getting parent chaperones for trips, all the way from K - high school, is not a problem. In fact, often there are too many parents that want to go. For the overnight trips, parents need to apply - probably need to do background checks, and medical personnel get preference, for obvious reasons.

OK - I've been here WAY too long. Off I go. . I need to throw lol in the dryer, feed the dogs, s2s, etc.

[Twins' Mom]

I need to finish straightening up for dcleaning lady. Big job left is putting the dresser back together and straightening up MBR, also kitchen table.

We had/have nasty weather in the forecast - last night it was due to get here around six or seven a.m., so I had set a clock to get up around 4 and give Macs some meds for the thunder. When I checked the forecast then, it indicated the weather wouldn't be here until around 9 a.m. so I slept until 7 and then medicated him. Unfortunately, it was moving fast by then and has already moved through so I had Moses under the desk hiding from him and Macs pacing and barking. Vet gave him script for Alprazolame/generic Zanax and I'm trying to get the hang of how much to give him to reduce his anxiety and also keep him on his feet.

I found a dog sitter - the gal I used to work with and who stayed with dogs when we went to Vegas will be here tonight.

My feet have been achy - the message therapist gave me a small hard ball to put on the floor and roll my feet on it. Feels really good!

Just had two egg breakfast, thanks to article I read recently and Harriet's recommendations.

Better get moving...

[Harriet]

It's almost a morning in which I shouldn't post, maybe, since there's no reason to bring the board down, guys, . But, of course, we are also remembering 15 happy years with Sammie, too, and that's a very good thought. I tell you, there is little in life that will transform a home into a silent place like the death of the family dog. Thanks much for all the thoughts. I really wanted to get here earlier yesterday to say this was happening, but we were super busy, of course, plus I probably just didn't want to admit it. As many times as we had said we knew we couldn't have her for much longer, we were just astonished to lose her.

Ultimately, a confab between dvetneighbor and the vet in attendance here assured us that the right thing to do was let her go. Ds29 said he was on his way, but not to wait on him if she was in pain. So the vet had administered the first med for sedation already, and we had waited a bit, when Sammie became alert and lifted her head from my lap. She heard ds29's truck long before the rest of us did - at least 10 seconds even though she was alerting us to be listening for it and we were trying. Vet was incredulous that she was reacting to ds' truck sounds, until we saw the headlights. After a few minutes of communing with ds, all was very calm and restful for Sammie - aren't housecall vets wonderful? Ds buried her at the edge of the woods.

I'll be calling the two offices - regular vet office and er - who mentioned this new housecall vet to us, and will be telling them he is a very good choice. Dvetneighbor was pleased when she heard we had gotten him.

[Lilac]

Oh Harriet, after reading of the situation with Sammie yesterday, I went into denial and couldn't even post. Today as I read of her becoming alert and hearing ds29 truck, that brought forth tears. I realize that anyone that doesn't belong to a supportive village like we have, can not possibly understand how much we care about other families and their pets, but we do.

(((Harriet, HRH, dd15 and ds29)))

I keep thinking of dd15 and that she has never known life without Sammie. Your family has suffered so many losses in less than a year. Love and caring thoughts are winging their way to you.

[Lynlee]

(((Harriet and family))) Prayers for you all. RIP dear Sammy. alert and caring for his family right til the end.


volunteer in an office with no interruptions for 3 hours. read my library book, and some newsletters there. Moved my car in the middle of it as no off street parking was available, and the council inspectors are known for their rounds.
LOL done and in - though it has joined the others awaiting 'away' status.
library to renew books. 4 are read =
lots of reading of current book, as lib would not renew it. There are 2 to take back tomorrow for folk waiting. & will take back the others I don't want as well.
last 40 pages of Sophies world. I think I'll be skimming some of the meatiness of it. Its been a fall asleep book.
phonecalls - still about mobile phone I canc, and odd charge name on statement. 2 to support others and check on them.
walked 3k.

[Nancy]

I have fed chicken and pullets & cleaned up their cage.
Laundry is going.
We had rain in the nite. 75* is in our forcast next week yea!
Sheets are ready to go in the wash in the next load. I wiped down the dryer.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

For those of you who never met Sammie:

http://shesorganized.net/phpbb/viewtopi ... =15&t=3679

She was an amazing dog. Harriet: My heart goes out to all of you and how empty you must feel right now.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I've had breakfast but am slow moving today. I don't have to go anywhere after all, but that doesn't mean I have a free day. I haven't started the service for Sunday yet, beyond reading the scripture and having my sermon spark.

Had a run-in with the person in charge of my re-licensing. She didn't like my website because she assumed I hadn't asked for permission to use the denomination's crest and I didn't fully define myself as only licensed to work within this Presbytery. The limitation of my license is on the business card but was missed on the website so I changed that. I wrote her back with the details of my permission to use the crest and pointed out that while I may only be licensed by my Presbytery, I thought I was free to work wherever and in fact the majority of my work is done outside the church denomination. She wrote back to confirm I was right and I could work wherever I was invited. Sheesh. Dh says it sounds like she's jealous of my website and success as a lay preacher. She was lay and then went back to become fully ordained, which means she caught up in the politics now. I love being free to walk away from the politics whenever I choose.

[Twins' Mom]

Harriet and dfamily, so sorry for the loss of Sammie. I can well imagine how quiet your house is today and how empty you would feel.

More drama today with temple newsletter volunteer/prima dona.

The phone has been ringing off the hook this morning and I've had a ton of interuptions. Still need to clear kitchen table for dcleaning lady and get off the computer to get out of her way.

DH has called twice about things. We are now leaving at 2 p.m. approximately.