Too Busy, Feast or Famine

It seems everyone I know is so busy. We all have so much going on lately. Everyone has so much going on you can hardly get together to do anything. The family will be getting together tonight to celebrate Jamie's birthday that was yesterday (also Max's 4 month birthday).

Life is certainly not boring lately. I am not complaining…? I have not even written thank you notes for my birthday last month!

Things have picked up with the massage gigs, in fact, I had a conference last week, plus two of my regular accounts. Next week I have one of my regular accounts and a 3-hour gig. But then I do not exactly have a lot going on after that. There are my regular accounts then one conference next month. It would be ideal to have one larger event a month.

Everything seems to happen at once, we are trying to rent one of our houses. It is not going as well as I thought it would. We have been cleaning, working on the yard, repainting, and doing repairs all weekend.

Joe and I did take time out yesterday morning to do something fun; Ozzy, Tyler and him went hunting then Heidi and I went to the downtown Farmer's Market. Then for the evening, we went to dinner to visit our out of town friend Holly. We had a late night out to dinner, it was fun catching up.

We do not even want to talk about what needs to be done at home! What a mess! Well, I must be off now to my landlord job. I guess my house will suffer one more day.

Jumping on the "Random Thought Of The Day" Bandwagon

There is a strange parallel in the fact that Ozzy did not like hunting and John does not like hunting. But JP loves it and Griz did too. Is that why you have 2+ kids/dogs, it increases your odds?

Thanks Stephani for the idea of "Random Thought Of The Day".

My Cookie Bakin’ Dog Is Now A Real Hunt Dog

Back when we first got Ozzy as a pup, we took him to this kennel where these lesbian-bull-dykes “trained” him. It cost a fortune and we really did not like their techniques. They seemed cruel. Ozzy came back from hunting school he seemed crazier and not at all interested in bird hunting. In fact Joe took Ozzy and Griz hunting and Ozzy ignored the birds.

Frustrated, Joe decided to leave Ozzy behind and take Griz who was a natural. He needed no training. He was Mr. Perfect the duck hunter. I did not care I had Ozzy to protect me and keep me company while Joe was gone.

In the fall I have this bizarre desire to cook and bake, nesting if you will. I would always bake cookies while Joe was gone for the weekend. Ozzy would sit in the kitchen and either beg or lay at my feet. Joe asked me what I did and I would reply, “Ozzy and I baked cookies. So we started to call him the cookie-baking dog.

Since Griz passed this last spring we have been debating on getting another hunting dog. We have not wanted to replace Griz. There is no replacing him. Joe has been bugging John to see how Fancy would do. He had this brilliant idea to try Ozzy at it again. Joe went to Idaho last weekend I told him no, you cannot take him and leave me alone.

However today, he was going up to Ambassador Duck Club that Tyler is a member of. Reluctantly after kissing Ozzy like he was going to kindergarten, I said goodbye to them both. Today was a drizzly and rainy day, ideal for duck hunting. Ozzy did really well; he brought back 14 birds and only missed 3. In fact Oz did so well that Tyler kept calling him Griz.

Joe and Ozzy enjoyed their hunting afternoon with Tyler. They are all planning on it again tomorrow. We will see how tired Ozzy acts tomorrow.

I can't believe Joe is stealing my dog after all of these years! He has been MY cookie-baker for 10 years now!

My Memory Loss Problem

I used to joke that I forget because of all the drugs I did in the 60s. I mean really, I was at a Jefferson Airplane (yes, before Starship) concert at the Terrace Ballroom in 1968….granted I was not born yet.

I had a conversation on the phone with Jen yesterday. This was part of it, something like it anyway, since I cannot remember details.
Jen – I think I am going to print that cute picture of Lily and Fancy I took with your camera.
Me – No, I thought I took that
Jen – No I did, but if you want credit for those, I took them with your camera, no big deal
Me – I swear I took them

Well for that matter, there are many pictures people took with my camera in the Family 9 2008 set. I know Jen and Jessie both grabbed the camera here and there. So I should not take credit for them either. I do admit that I have taken way too many pictures. I haven't even posted all of my pictures taken last month to FlickR.

Therefore, I am imposing a new rule, if you take a picture with my camera, you have to write me a sticky note and post it to my forehead. OH and part two of that, if you are taking pictures with my camera… take some freakin’ pictures of me….preferably with me and my husband or grandkids!

One of the reasons I take pictures is something to remember by, I would like to at least look back at a couple pictures of me. That is also the reason I started the blog too. I want to keep track like a journal.

I do have some sort of memory loss problem though. I forget so many things. I sometimes wonder if it is because I am so busy or there is a real problem. It is not age as I have been having this problem for quite a few years now. I wish I could remember more things. The good things, but some of the bad, it makes you appreciate the good.

Oh Babies!

My cousin Rebecca had her little boy on Monday. His name is James Michael. Her Mom Sue called our Aunt Ellen to tell her. Ellen had no idea she was pregnant. Hum, that is a funny story on both sides. I mean, they have talked at least once a month in the last 9 months.

Today, my girlfriend Danette had her little girl. Her name is Madeline “Maddie” Lucille. Danette had the long labor of 4 hours, I hear a collective green (with envy) gasp.

Everyone is healthy. The babies and their moms are doing great.

Our Baby Nate who is married to Jen had his birthday today, he is 27. Happy birthday Nate!

Now if I can get over to see them all in the next week that would be great!

Oh "MY" Weekend Fun?

Joe went with JP to Idaho for the opening of Duck Season-Wabbit Season-Duck Season-Wabbit Season-Duck Season-Wabbit Season-oooh sorry a Looney Tunes flashback...it was the duck opener in Idaho.
I thought I could get some overdo organizing done, some visiting with friends, etc...nope...I got to clean our duplex rental. It was just as fun on Sunday as it had been on Saturday for me.The joys of being a landlord. What happened it that my ultra-super-duper, extra nice guy husband let these 3 early 20s boys rent it and th last 3 or 4 months, they couldn't pay our rent so he worked...and worked with them until finally they couldn't pay so we ended up using the security and pet deposits up for rent. I adore my husband and his kind heart. He tried to help them out and I don't know if they learned or appreciated anything he did for them. Because I KNEW I didn't want to rent to the little creeps! Anyhew I am back in charge of who rents.

We celebrated Mike's birthday on Saturday. He is just like Joe (sorry Heidi)he is a total kid and enjoys life. Oh and Doobs birthday too.

In other weekend news Christian and Gina got engaged in San Diego! Congratulations!

Promises, promises, promises...I will have MORE pictures on FlickR late this week. I hope to catch up soon!

Fancy Missing You Here

We dog sat Fancy Face Bennett Dillier for John & Jamie when they went to California.

We drove John and Fancy back to their house after tailgating last night. Joe went on and on about how we could keep her during the whole ride. John told us that he more or less he would be in deep crap if he let us have her.

She is a darling dog. I am delighted they have her for so many reasons. I can imagine how much love she gave Diane. I tried to give her as much attention as I could, that is dually as Ozzy was demanding his share.

I got her a new id tag with Jamie and John’s numbers (her full name wouldn’t fit on the tag). I could not bring myself to take off the one with Diane’s number.
Ozzy and Fancy got along very well. Except we think maybe the first day we missed some sort of scuffle. She has an inch long scratch on her nose. I hope her new parents let me watch her again and don't think I didn't watch her good enough!

As a Dog-Grandma I do not have favorites and love them all…but Fancy is a real sweetheart. We will miss little miss Fancy Pants sleeping on our bed.

Again, I have a poop-load of pictures to post on FlickR so bare with me, it will be worth it!