Clothes that fit

I have been listening to podcasts (0n the computer) of a "Missus Smarty Pants" who advises mature women about clothes, style, just generally looking your best at any weight, and she keeps stressing that a well-fitting bra makes a huge difference in how you look and feel, and most women are now wearing a bra too small for them.

That did definitely apply to me.  I keep thinking that I will lose lots of weight and these big boobs will go away.  But guess what, it ain't happening.  Yes I am exercising, and yes, my weight is rearranging itself, but no, I have only lost 10 pounds and can't seem to budge another ounce.

I had some time in town last night so I went to Kohl's and tried on bras.  I actually chose Kohl's because the salespeople there will help you if you want, but they aren't insistent about it, like Penney's or the Bali outlet store.

I must have tried on 50 different bras.  The salesgirl did help me find sizes, and she was able to suggest different styles (cause the style makes a big difference too), and the one that fit perfectly is an underwire 38DD.  That's right, Double D!!.  I was surprised.

But guess what, these boobs are up in front of me again instead of  trying to head for my waistband and I actually look less fat and I FEEL like I look a lot better. 

So I bought 4 identical bras except for color and took my 10 38C bras out of the drawer and into the Goodwill bag first thing this morning.

I think my clothes will fit better too.

Duh.

 

AJ Wischmeyer, Quiltmaker
http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/
http://luvkukukitty.etsy.com/

 

"Wake Up & Smell The Rebate - Don't Buy It - www.SimpleLiving.net".

Outside my back gate

 
This little cactus still has 4 more blooms to open in the next few days. Each bloom lasts only one night/morning and this is probably the most I have even seen open at once.

Another rejection

I got another email from West Valley Hospital that the position has been filled. This for the day shift as a Financial Counselor. I would have been interviewed by the same people, so I guess they just didn't like me. Disappointing, especially since I am over-qualified for any other position that I can apply for there, and they will use THAT as a reason not to hire me. I wonder what I did wrong.

Podcasts

I have just been going crazy listening to podcasts since I discovered downloading them to my computer and listening whenever I am home alone. I listen to Flylady and all her friends; I listen to Jonathan Roche for moral support on exercising; I listen to several knitting podcasts, several environmental ones, and just today I discovered a couple of quilting podcasts. A whole new world.
It has definitely cut into my NPR listening time though. I only get to listen to the radio when I am home alone anyway, so with the podcasts taking up that time I only hear news when I am in the car-again, alone.

Multi-tasking, NOT

I never was that coordinated, although I didn't really know it until I married Bill and he of course had to tell me over and over until it had obviously penetrated. Lots of things I never knew until he told me, but that is the subject for another entry.
Since I had started doing my Interval Training walks I have realized that I can barely walk and even THINK at the same time anymore. If I get to thinking too much, I fall down. I can partially blame this on the condition of my walking routes(very up and down), and partially on the fibromyalgia (causes increased incoordination), and partially on advancing age. But hell, it doesn't matter WHAT I can blame it on; it is very annoying to have to keep your mind on your feet in order to stay upright.
I have always complained about Bill refusing to keep walking while he talks, since that makes walks with him very, very slow (he talks a lot), and said jokingly that it was because he isn't very good at multi-tasking. But gosh, I didn't REALLY think that walking and talking at the same time IS multi-tasking. I guess I do now, especially since I realize that, for me at least, walking and thinking are multi-tasking.
This makes it even more important that I continue to exercise and lose weight, as I would be much less likely to get hurt if I fall down at a lighter weight.

Poor Robin

 


Poor little Robin has become incontinent on her latest round of prednisone for her eye inflammation. I phoned the eye vet to see if there is anything else she can take instead, but the vet said to go ahead and take her off of the pred and bring her in on the 16th as planned. I read about a drug called Medrol in the Pet Allergies book but I didn't mention it to the vet, as I want to investigate it myself first.
It did take us a few days to determine what was causing the incontinence, as we sponged Robin off and then dried her butt several times a day. We never said she was bad or anything; it was obvious she was leaking, and she continued to go potty outside like normal, but she was still sad and embarrassed about her wet butt. I only made her wear the underpants for a short time because they only kept the wetness against her. The floor wetness is easily mopped; I bless these brick floors constantly. I can't imagine why anybody would ever have carpeting.

NOT

I didn't get the job. They sent me an email that the position has been filled. I went and looked at the website, and they still have 2 day positions open, but no swing or the one I wanted. Darn.

AJ in AZ March socks


Here are a pair I made from leftover sock yarns, carrying them around in my purse to work on at odd moments. 2 on 2 circs, and I just worked from both ends of each little ball of yarn until it was gone. Its a simple generic rib pattern, so I didn't have to carry an instruction sheet with me too.

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Full-time work

I applied for a position in the admitting department at a local hospital, and had an interview a couple of days ago. When I filled out the online application, I somehow had the idea that I was applying for a 32-hour position, but research since then shows that the 32 hours was at a different hospital, and that one didn't call me for an interview. Anyway, I didn't think I was prepared to work a 40 hour week yet, or even ever. After all, my COBRA insurance doesn't run out for nearly a year.
But guess what, I was really impressed with the people, the place, and the job I was interviewed for. And ONE position has the most ideal hours I can imagine to ease me back into the full-time world. The hours of 11 AM to 7:30 PM would be just about ideal. You have the mornings pretty free, especially in the summer when we get up extra early, and you get off early enough to go to bed at a reasonable hour. I want that job, but the director says one of the persons already there is considering it. SHe works swing now and may want to transfer. The director asked if I would work swing full-time, and I said no, I didn't think we would love each other on that shift. So it mostly hinges on that other person, because I think the interview went extremely well. They have peer interviewing, which is SUCH a good idea. It prevents the situation of immediate hatred by one or more co-workers when you get hired, and seems like it would really ramp up everyone's interest in peaceful co-existence.
I did just start another block clerk job on Thursday, at the auto auction where DH used to work, and it was fun. 2 days at one and 1 day at another is ideal working days, but neither of them are likely to ever evolve into something with benefits. With 10 more years before I qualify for Medicare, I want something that I can count on supporting me.
ANd the money at the hospital job will be very good. 15 years experience in health care jobs, even though it ended 8 years ago, would get me a nice wage. I hope I am chosen.

Long time no write

The same excuse applies as always, I've been busy.  So has everybody else, but it doesn't stop YOU from writing, does it.

 

The job is still lots of fun but it is beginning to look like I will have to go get a real job and make some real money soon.  Actually, people are leaving the auction in droves as it becomes increasingly clear that raises are not forthcoming, even to the people who have been there since Day 1, in December of 2006. 

  I've only been there 6 months, but am beginning to look around and fill out some applications elsewhere.  I can keep my COBRA insurance till the end of this year, so I COULD take another part-time job somewhere, but would do better to get a 32 hour job at one of the hospitals within driving distance so I can have benefits and make enough money to pay for those benefits and still pay my bills.  That is not happening at the auto auction.

  Sale day gets me $100 flat fee but the other days are a miserable, miserly $7.25 per hour.  I even put in an application at the auction where Bill used to work, as they at least get yearly raises.  I don't know how eager they will be to hire me, though.  Kellie says she has openings, but she is afraid to fill them.  With things slowing down so much, she doesn't want to have to lay off the people she last hired, but they do need people on their sale day.  I may end up working on sale day at 2 auctions, for a while anyway.

  Don't get me wrong, we are doing OK; I just want a bit more reward for my efforts.

  The weather is wonderful lately. We got enough rain early this year to green everything up, and we may even get wolfberries on the lyceum bushes this year, for the first time since 2003.  Its already getting hot, though still quite chilly at night. 

  My baby chicks are 3 weeks old today and we keep the heat lamp on at night for them.  They are healthy and happy, and the hens are all starting to increase the number of eggs they lay, so I have plenty of eggs to sell, even at $4 per dozen.  I tried to stop selling them to the gals in my dentist's office, but they wouldn't have it.  So I increased the price by $1 per dozen to make it worth my while to go up there, and we made some other arrangements for when I have to work late every time I come to town.

  Sam doesn't show any Valley Fever symptoms, and it is only one more month till we do a blood titer.  It would be wonderful if he could discontinue medication then, but we won't push it.  At least he gets treated by the local vet and the cost is reasonable.  Robin has had to go to the  canine ophthalmologist again, and sure enough, she has a staph infection in her eyes.  Poor baby also has corneal dystocia, which is calcium or cholesterol deposits on her eyes.  We have put them both on a grain-free diet, and they feel great with less poop, and Robin doesn't itch so much.  I am not giving her an antihistamine anymore, but that is because she is on prednisone for the eyes.  We'll see how it goes when she is off the pred.

  The darn assessor jacked up our Full Cash Value from $150k to over $400k for 2009.  This is in a period when 94% of people had their FCVs lowered.  I guess the assessor needed to make it up with us!!  Anyway, we have engaged a property tax professional to try and get it lowered.  We don't pay unless he succeeds, so all we can do now is wait and hope. We can't freeze the value for 3 more years, when Bill turns 65.

Love, AJ

http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/
http://luvkukukitty.etsy.com/

 

"Wake Up & Smell The Rebate - Don't Buy It - www.SimpleLiving.net".

 

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February Socks

Here are my boring boring February socks, but those are the only kind my DH likes. The pattern is from the Nancy Bush book, Knitting Vintage Socks, and it is called the Madder Rib. I forget what kind of yarn, but I did 2 on 2 circs, sz 1 US.

Amazing Aussie temperaments

I was reminded again this morning of what wonderful temperaments our Aussies have.  My toy girl, Robin, stepped on a branch of pencil cactus (the kind with needles for thorns) brought in by the wind last night, and she stopped, just like that.  She is used to stepping on cactus periodically and she usually just waits with her foot up until somebody comes to pull it out.    

Well, this one was bigger and deeper than ever before.  She began to cry when I pulled off the big piece, but didn't try to get away or bite me, just cried.  I thought that was it, so I walked away.  She stayed still, with her paw up, so I went back and found another long thorn deeply in her pad.  I pulled it out and it began to bleed.  Again I walked away but she didn't.  One more time, and there was a long white thorn hidden in her hairy cannon bone (I forget what its called on dogs) She wanted to get away but didn't, although she did cry while I got hold of it.  I wanted to cry too.  As soon as I got that one out, she began to bounce around and lick me like I was the one hurt.  Gosh, I do love that dog!

 

AJ in AZ
http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/
http://luvkukukitty.etsy.com/

 

"Wake Up & Smell The Rebate - Don't Buy It - www.SimpleLiving.net".

Broomhuggers » Phthalates do affect us, says the American Academy of Pediatrics

 

http://broomhuggers.com/?p=232#comment-940

Quilting in the Desert

I attended 2 classes at QID in the last week. It is held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and the classes are at Ottawa University, very handy to I-17 for commuters. Thursday I sewed at Sue Nickels class, Stitched Raw Edge Applique, and practiced her machine applique method. I think I will be using this method most of the time from now on, and Sue is a great teacher and a very nice person too. My block is less than 1/4 stitched, but I did finish the fusing on Friday and will stitch it as soon as I finish the hearts I have at the machine now.
Then on Saturday I attended Cristy Finchers class Suzie-Q, which is a large black-eyed susan using Sharon Schamber's(Cristy's mother)Piece-lique method. It is fiddly, for sure, but worth it if you are making something one-of-a-kind. I sure wouldn't want to do it if I was making 100 blocks! But look at what I made! DH asked what I am going to do with it, but I have no idea. Its enough right now to hang it up until I am ready to stitch it. It is just all glued together right now, as I somehow managed to lose my sewing machine power cord between Thursday and Saturday.
When I unpacked on Saturday, I just figured I had left it at home since I had to unpack and repack before the Sat class, but looked when I got home last night and its not here either. I must have left it Thursday at the first class. I will email Audrey to see if anybody turned it it, but I don't have much hope of getting it back. It shouldn't be too hard to find another (famous last words), but darn I hate losing stuff that way.

No surprise here. Try it yourself at home.

You are a Hippie

You are a total hippie. While you may not wear birks or smell of incense, you have the soul of a hippie. You don't trust authority, and you do as you please. You're willing to take a stand, even when what you believe isn't popular. You like to experiment with ideas, lifestyles, and different subcultures. You always gravitate toward what's radical and subversive. Normal, mainstream culture doesn't really resonate with you.

Are You a Hippie?

January socks


I really need to get a pair of sock blockers. These look very different on. I started with a published free pattern, then switched to a ribbing pattern because I wanted to work on these socks at work and can't be looking at a pattern all the time. The yarn is Tofutsies, from a Sock Club offering several months back, and I used HiyaHiya sx00 circs, 2 socks on 2 circs. I love the Tofutsies yarn and the yardage is incredible. I probably have enough left for 2/3 of another pair.


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Take this quiz

You Are 80% Creative

You are beyond creative. You are a true artist - even if it's not in the conventional sense of the word. You love creating for its own sake, and you find yourself quite inspired at times.

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Nasty cold

I am off from work today for my first ever sick day.  I could probably have gone, but just don't think I should be riding around in the bus coughing and sneezing to make everyone else sick.  After all, that is the way I got it and it pisses me off.  I haven't had a real bad cold for several years, and it has surely been because I have stayed out of crowds in cold season, actually pretty much anytime.  But those days are gone, as I have to earn money and good part-time jobs are hard to find.

Its raining off and on all day today also, and I can just imagine what the freeways are like, so I'm glad to be home. 

 

/

Thank you!

Why have people stopped saying "Thank you" to each other?  I'm not just talking about people who don't know any better.  I'm talking about people who WERE brought up to write thank you notes or at least make a phone call when they receive a gift.  Its gotten to where we are even grateful for the occasional email that casually refers to the gift, as that is the best we will ever get.

I rant about this periodically as I have found it to be the case even in my own family.  I can't pretend that it is only  strangers that completely ignore what we oldsters regard as the common courtesies.

Why do I bring this up now?  My MIL and I were talking just before Christmas, and she asked me what she could do about not receiving any thank yous or even acknowledgements of some very "nice" birthday checks she had sent to one of her grandchildren and his wife.  I (not flippantly at all, but wearily) said that she would probably just have to get used to it.  My solution has been to stop sending gifts rather than fret over whether the giftee even received the item.  If I have to know, I send a stamped self-addressed postcard in the package saying that it arrived safely.  Actually, that has gotten me some thank you emails for later gifts.  DH was horrified when I told him I had done that, but then he wasn't the one getting gut-aches from fretting about it.  My own niece has never even acknowledged her wedding gift, a quilt I designed and made myself in her wedding colors, although her mother said she liked it.

Excuse, everybody's busy.  Sure they are, but so is everybody else, and so has everybody always been busy.  People choose not to observe the courtesies or they choose to, no excuses.

I jumped all over one of my SILs because her kids graduated from high school before I even saw an example of their handwriting (as in a thank you note), but she was unapologetic.  She says she just does it for them, and that they will send a note if they REALLY like the gift.  And its true, they both did send notes for their graduation quilts.  But she doesn't seem to care that they have not developed any foundation for thanking.  Perhaps these values are obsolete; my DH says they are.

I don't even give handmade gifts to most people anymore, as they are not valued.  If they were valued, surely they would thank the maker.  I would love to knit socks for my grandchildren, but I have never ever heard from anyone that such gifts are wanted or appreciated.  I doubt if they even know such a thing as writing a thank you note exists.

I'd better quit.  Just getting myself all depressed.  I'll pet the dogs.  THEY are lovingly grateful for even a pat on the head, and feeding them calls for paroxysms of joy.  That'll do.

Desert Dog

Imagine if you will, my 13 pound Robin trying to keep all her feet off the wet ground and still go pee. DH came indoors laughing hysterically after taking her out. The only reason she consented to go out at ALL is that it was raining last night, so she hadn't gone since yesterday afternoon. When you make her go out when its wet, she stands on the stoop rug and waits and waits, picking up each foot in turn to try and keep it dry, until you and Sam come back and you can all go inside.

---

Lazy day, NOT

I seem to end up working at something nonstop whenever I am home alone now, instead of being able to take some time to just laze around and enjoy being alone. I know why; its because I get so far behind with Bill home so much. I don't know why he can't schedule his days to visit his girlfriend on days I am home instead of going there on the same days I work at the auction. It is irritating, although I suppose I should be touched that he wants to spend the time with me. The problem is that he feels my time is his to dispose of but his time is also his. So I never get to do anything I want to do, and especially on the computer or sewing machine. He thinks it is his duty to keep me from spending too much time in the studio, and he thinks more than an hour per day is too much time. So, I have many other things to do today and I'd better go do them.
Robin is doing pretty well. THe vet says she does have a nice deep groove on her patella, so the trick is to put it back whenever it does out, and give her RImadyl to control inflammation. It does seem to work, and hopefully she will outgrow the slipping patella. Anyway, its not near bad enough to require surgery, yet.

CIC Christmas vests

And here are the 3 vests. SO, correction, total is 17 pairs of socks and 3 vests instead of 18 socks and 2 vests. Pretty good, huh?

more Christmas CIC socks

Here are another 8 pairs.

Christmas CIC socks

I didn't knit all 11 pair of these in December, but I did most of them. I also knitted 9 other pair and 2 vests and sent the whole she-bang to Children in Common in the names of my loved ones. Some, like my MIL, do no charity work at all, and others, like my DM, do other charity things but cannot knit, and others like my sis and nieces are just so busy that they end up giving money instead of time. THat's what I used to do, but my circumstances have changed, and now I have more time than money. And I really love knitting socks for kids that really need them.

AJ in AZ
http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/
http://luvkukukitty.etsy.com/

Etsy sales

Today I sold 3 bags to the same person from my Etsy store, so I am mailing them Priority in the morning.  That really helps me; the deposit will help me pay my credit card payments. I was worried, as my work has begun to figure the way they pay for auction day differently, and I am making about $100 less per week than I was making before.  I may have to add another day to my workweek unless I get an end of year substantial raise.

 

We went to the Lakeside Farmers Market at Estrella Mountain Ranch yesterday, but there was really only a couple of farmers selling produce there.  Most of the booths were crafters and artisans.  DH and I actually discussed selling my quilts and felted bags there, but once I started talking to the people who run the place, pretty much decided it would be too much trouble.  You have to have an Az state tax license and a million-dollar liability insurance policy in place before they will even discuss letting you rent a space.

It would begin to be too much like a real business then, as I would have to sell  a lot, and spend most of my time making more salable stuff to justify the expense, never mind how cheap the actual booth rent is.  For now I will just stick with Etsy.  Its not steady at all, but should build as more and more people get disgusted with ebay's expense and plethora of sub-standard goods.  Etsy only lets you sell handmade stuff and has a reporting function if you think someone is trying to turn it into a little ebay and resell cheap goods from elsewhere.

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Ranting, again

I have thought of a long blog entry every day this week, but unfortunately they always turn into rants about DH, no matter what subject I started with. There are a lot of things I need to get off my chest, though, so I will have to just start writing. I can't really call up somebody and tell them all these things; who would be interested anyway? And I can't afford marriage counselling, and he refuses to go there with me anyway. He won't even agree to go visit a friend who is a psychologist because he doesn't want to hear that anything he chooses to do might be wrong. Like having his girlfriend (who he doesn't even have the sensitivity to keep a secret, but instead goes with openly and TELLS me where they go and what they do(no sex, thank goodness)), and like complaining that I don't talk to him anymore, but jumps all over me for absolutely any comment I make, or like telling me I can't give HIS dog any training because he doesn't want me ruining him, then deciding that I need to put MY dog to sleep because of her health issues. See, it all gets out of hand very quickly.
Don't forget, I am only allowed to use the computer when he isn't here, and actually I can't spend more than a half hour in my studio sewing either, when he's here, and I have to give him more than half of my paycheck to run this place, but somehow I have to come up with the money for extra groceries, and vet bills, and etc, etc, but heaven forbid I should work on anything that can make me some money when he's here. He went ballistic last week because I drove down to the mailbox to mail out a package containing a felted bag that I sold on Etsy. I drive too much according to him, while he drives to North Phoenix to visit his girlfriend 3 or 4 days a week.
I have to take RObin to the vet to have her hips x-rayed now, and I'll have to pay with my secret credit card, because I am forbidden to use his cards, and I have to give him the money from my paycheck that I could pay it with, and I have orders from him to take her to be x-rayed NOW. I doubt that he cares if she is in pain; he just wants a vet quote to surgery on her to use for ammunition when he rants about putting her down. There I go bawling again; I'd better close. I will write how the vet visit goes.

Dogs and exercise

I was thinking this morning while taking the 1st of the daily several long walks with Robin and Sammy that its no wonder so many Aussies end up in shelters and pounds.  Novices may THINK they know what it means to have a high-energy herding breed, but reality is always a surprise.  We knew what we were getting into with these 2, as we had regular Aussies back in the 1980's, before the show breeders made them so huge.  THe miniatures now are just a little smaller than the original Australian Shepherds I remember from the early 1960's in eastern Colorado.  THe toys are sheer indulgence.  THeoretically a toy should require less exercise, so a city dweller could manage one successfully.  I think that anybody contemplating getting ANY Aussie should realize though that they will NEVER get too much exercise, no matter the size, and will rarely think they have enough.  ANd that will only last a few hours.
We have 20 acres that is all up and down, so can just go for walks several times a day.  ANd it is still a pain sometimes, but worth it.  THey are still wonderful dogs and add so much to my/our quality of life.

ATVs in the desert

With the wonderful damp ground out there from Fridays all day rain, the ATVers were out in force yesterday, and they are again today.  I guess the opportunity to tear up the desert oven worse than usual has them all excited.  THey can make new marks everywhere they go, and then SEE where they have been.
I hate them.  There are marks on our land that look as if made yesterday that I know for a fact are at least 100 years old, since we are only the third owner since the original homesteader.  They didn't know any better then, but any fool ought to be able to understand that there won't be any NEW ground once all the old ground has its original covering destroyed.  Here in the desert, things never grow back; not in human lifetimes anyway.

Rain, finally

It rained nearly all day yesterday and late into the night.  We lost our power from around 4-6 and then again from 7-9, so lit the oil lamps and candles while we listened to it rain.  I love rain.
Miss RObin the Princess is nearly a year old, and has never really been rained on before, so she was determined not to go out until it stopped.  Even when I carried her out and halfway up the hill, she just hunched up and held up a paw and refused to move.  It got fairly irritating after a while, and she did finally pee, but managed to keep from number 2 until this morning after the rain stopped.  Sam has never been rained on before either, but like everything else, he took it as an opportunity for enjoyment and had a great time splashing around.  They are SO different.

More about Mystery Quilt

I believe that I will applique little chicken shapes on the light-colored center of the quilt top, just as soon as I find the book with chicken appliques in it. Then I will save the whole thing until I find the right person for it. It barely made a dent on my chicken fabrics, so there are plenty more where that came from.

One day Mystery QUilt

I made this quilt top last Sunday as a one day mystery with Planet Patchwork and about 3000 other quilters around the world. It was meant to be 5-fabric quilt but I only had enough of one fabric, the lime print, so just scrapped the others, using a fabric until it ran out and then adding another of a similar value. It was great fun, but I was unable to use the chat at the same time as the directions on my dial-up.

I set up my Qwest Broadband this morning and already am totally in love with it. Imagine not having to sit forever, over and over, waiting for pages to load. And now I can even download .pdf files instantly. THere were lots of web pages I couldn't get to load at all with dial-up, so I am drunk with surfing the internet. ANd the phone rang and I answered it while I am online. I love it.

Valley Fever

It was officially confirmed on October 26 that Sammy has Valley Fever.  Its a relief in some ways, as he was getting sicker on the antibiotics that the vet started him on, thinking he had a bad bacterial pneumonia.  FIrst he kept vomitting teribly with the generic Keflex, and then he just got worse with the Baytril and Centrine.  Bill drove to Youngtown to get the itraconazole last Saturday rather than wait for it to be sent out, and I have been giving it twice a day since.  He doesn't have much appetite, but is always happy to accept a treat from your hand, and that makes it soooo much easier.  Robin, on the other hand, has to have an antihistamine pill every day, and you just cannot fool her into taking it in a treat.  She spits everything out and thoroughly inspects it before eating it tiny piece by tiny piece, so I just have to put them down her throat and then follow with a treat for allowing me to do it without struggling.  Sammy struggles at anything of the sort , so we are doubly glad he takes the pills.

The disease seems to go something like tuberculosis, or lots of other chronic diseases, as he feels better and worse depending on many things.  Sometimes he acts almost normal, and other times the coughing just tears your heart out.  At least he isn't vomiting anymore.

The poor dog is only 7 months old, and before he got sick, was just a bundle of lovable joy with tons of energy.  He used to run Robin ragged, to where she would start trying to discipline him for real, to make him leave her alone.  Now she is just bouncing off the walls and wants him to play with HER so bad.  I end up taking many extra trips up the hill and around the property with her to burn off energy, and leave him in the house.  He does want to walk with us morning and night, but doesn't range very far out.

The vet and the websites say 6-9-12 months of meds to be cured, if that can be done.  Sometimes it can't be done, but we have high hopes for him, since we caught it so quickly.  THe medicine isn't near as expensive as I was led to think by other people who had dogs with Valley Fever, only $28.80 for a month's supply at this dosage.  We'll have to see if it is helping at his next appointment for blood work in a month.

 

 

AJ

Nobody can see me.

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a picture for you

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http://luvkukukitty.etsy.com

 

 

 

Thank you

We both thank you so much for the birthday coffee and tea.  We are happily drinking away, morning and evening.  I apologize for the delay in sending this thank you; I was supposed to get wireless service this week and have been holding off on lots of things for that reason.  It wasn't meant to be yet, though.

Larry the wireless guy came a day late, yesterday, and could only get an intermittent signal from one tower, west of Buckeye, and even though the one at Broadway and Jackrabbit got a strong steady signal, it was even slower than dial-up.  And I am NOT going to pay $41 a month for slower-than-dial up service.  I only pay $10 a month now for Earthlink.

Avantek will followup and let me know when they get the other tower going fast and Larry can come back and hook it up then.  Bill still talks mean about it, but I think he is resigned to the fact that this is YET ANOTHER thing I am going to do whether he likes it or not.

Love, AJ

 

 

AJ Wischmeyer, Quiltmaker

ajwisch@joimail.com

http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/

http://luvkukukitty.etsy.com

 

 

 

October Socks

These socks are from Knitting Vintage Socks, and are the Yarrow Rib pattern. I used 60 stitches and size 1 US , 2 circular needles and knitted them both at the same time. The yarn is a merino and tencel combination which I cannot remember where I bought (the tag is long gone), and is lusciously soft and yummy. I can't wait to wear them. I knitted them at work, all except the toes, and riding in the van or waiting to leave again. So several people from there want to see me wear them too. There has been quite a bit of curiosity about just "why" anybody would want to knit or wear handmade socks, but a lot of agreement that they sure are pretty.

Bill's birthday

The package of cookies came last Wednesday, and I picked them up at the post office in Buckeye on Thursday.  Yum, we are still eating them  and loving every bite.  Bill's favorite is always chocolate chip, but I really love the lemon ones.  I get all of those, as he doesn't like lemon.  Too bad, haha.  THanks so much on his behalf.  His own mother sends a card but doesn't even write anything, and she is the only family member he ever hears from. 

I am sure your surgery will go well and happy that you will feel so much better.  I know how much harder it is to try and take care of everything through pain, and so discouraging when you think there will be no end to it.  I am so happy that the doctor can help you that way.  Is Dad any good at all for doing anything? 

I am riding in a van every Monday without panic attacks, and even rode to Tempe in the front passenger seat once last week, so eventually I will be able to come visit.  Next summer for sure.

My auctioneer from Calhan will be my regular one, at his request.  He said after my second time last Tuesday that "You'll be the best there ever was in another week!", so I am doing very well.  Its not hard, just important to do it right the first time every time, and do it quickly, and never stop until there are no more cars.  We run around 150 through our lane each Tuesday, and will continue to grow.  THis auction has only been open since January, so there are no historical numbers yet.

Bill got fired on THursday, after 9.5 years at the Greater Auto Auction.  It was a put-up job, as there have been severe management changes since the general manager died, and the manager over Bill's department is getting rid of everybody that ever has an original thought, and you know that Bill doesn't hide his feelings well.  Anyway, they said that he refused to let a fat guy ride in his van and actually said that the guy was too fat. This is bullshit, as Bill is not stupid.  He says that the fat guy(who he didn't know) approached him to go on a run, but Bill already had a full van for the run, and he told the guy that he should wait for a big van (Bill drives a small one).  Nobody else was close enough to hear anything, but the fat guy went to the manager and wrote it up.  Bill was asked to write it up, then they fired him, as it was his word against the other guy, and the management chose to believe the fat guy.

I am still in total shock and worry, but I shouldn't be.  Bill is really quite relieved, as he hasn't been happy there since the management changes and was only staying for the health insurance for me.  If he had quit, we would now be uninsured, but since he was fired, we can COBRA the health insurance for a minimum of 18 months.  That will give us time to decide what to do, and now he can get his social security starting in January.  He has already made too much this year to get it right away, and if he continued to make what he was making at Greater, he wouldn't have been able to get any SS checks before April.    SO he is happy and relaxed and ready to stay home and chop wood for a while. 

I AM NOT looking forward to having him home all the time.  He won't ever leave me alone long enough for me to really get any creative work done, and bitches about anything that comes in the mail, or me being on the computer, or me quilting all the time, etc, etc. 

I have an appointment for the Avantek wireless guy to install high-speed internet on Wednesday, and I am still going to do it., in spite of Bill's opposition.  He won't be able to bitch about the line being busy because I'm on the computer anymore, and I will be so glad to get rid of the dial-up.  More and more web pages are so resource-heavy I can't even open them at present, no matter how long I wait.

Better close and go.  He went to help a friend paint a house, and will be upset if he calls and I'm on the line..  And he refuses to call my cell phone.  THe reason I got it in the first place was so he could still get hold of me when I was on the computer, but NOOOOOO!

 

AJ

 

 

http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/

http://luvkukukitty.etsy.com

 

 

 

Etsy shop!

I have been getting increasingly dissatisfied with ebay's charges and the fact that you have to pay them over again every week if the item doesn't sell right away. And they nickel-and-dime you to death with charges for this and that. So as things expire on ebay, I will be moving them over to my etsy shop, luvkukukitty.etsy.com. I am so excited; I just ordered a custom banner and avatar from a designer. I must say, this is the first time I have ever heard of an avatar. She will have to give me very good loading instructions; I can't wait.

From the Seventh Generation blog

In Vision

This interesting chart floated my way the other day from an equally intriguing website called Permatopia. Here’s what its creators have to say about it: Permatopia Patterns is a new way of thinking about permaculture. Historically, most permaculture guides and analyses have been focused on individual properties, often rural homesteads. Zones and sectors are key concepts in permaculture analysis, examining how to locate components of a permaculture system based on distance from the house and ecological factors. These are incredibly powerful tools for the personal level, but are far too limited in their scale for a society wide transformation to cope with Peak Oil and climate change. This page shows how the concept of zones can be extended to the goal of "permaculture for nine billion people." Learning skills at the more local levels can help with efforts to extend to bigger levels, since effective solutions at the biggest levels depend on understanding how the solutions work at smaller levels. The sectors concept reflects how there are many paths needed to move away from overshoot and collapse. Different people have different skills and interest, no individual or group could possibly address all of the various facets that are needed. The concept of interdependence between these issues (and levels) is one not normally promoted in our hyper-individualized society, but it is the type of path most likely to accomplish common goals. Whether you are expanding a local community garden, installing utility scale wind power, teaching environmental education to second graders, starting up a community currency barter system, operating a bicycle shop, creating manufacturing cooperatives, campaigning for accountable elections, or any of thousands of other positive things is irrelevant - the key point is that you are doing something that is a piece of the puzzle.

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Bag Style book not here yet

Bag Style book not here yet

I ordered my book thru Amazon, and it is supposed to ship on Oct 1. Saturday, sure it is. Anyway, I ordered it and Lace Style together to get free shipping and now my thrift means it will take even longer to get here. In the meantime I will just have to drool on the pix of everybody's projects.

AJ's September Socks

AJ's September Socks

I started out with Deby Lake's Aran Twist pattern, but quickly changed the cables to more twists, since I was working on them in fits and starts while riding in a van at work. I couldn't be looking at the pattern for every row. I also didn't carry the twisting down onto the foot, just left the knits and purls since the tops of my feet are sensitive and I didn't want them rubbing in my shoes.
The yarn I used was a bamboo mix from Regia, and I am unable to find the label. Sorry. I used 60 sts and size 1 needles, 2 on 2 circs.

AJ in AZ

http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/

Guarding the kitchen

Mr. Affable, aka Sammy is 5 months old now, and bigger than Robin, although that's not saying much. He was 14 pounds at his vet visit, for his last Parvo shot. I think Robin must be done growing, as she hasn't gained weight or height since before I took her to be spayed. She is definitely a TOY Aussie, but I am sure Sammy will be well within the Mini range.
Sammy just lives to love you, or me, or anybody around, and will attach himself to any visit as a fresh source of petting. He wants to be a lap dog, and is just incorrigible about pushing Robin out of the way. He acts like a typical adolescent, and is lazy about say, going up to the clothesline or the chicken house unless he thinks food or a walk will follow. He doesn't even want to go outside in the heat until he has to potty so bad that a delay could be disastrous. He loves the crate in the house, and will sleep in there voluntarily even when I'm home. He's a very silent dog. He never makes a sound except for a minute or so of howling when one of us takes him out to the ex-pen on the front porch at night and puts him to bed. Until he stops damaging stuff on the porch when he is left out there, he is definitely not going to sleep inside.
On the other hand, Robin takes her responsibilities as the senior dog and self-appointed guard dog very seriously. She will go up the hill with me even in the heat, just going from shade to shade, because after all, she might need to protect me. She's at my heels whenever I move. She barks more than I would strictly like, and I have yet to figure out how you stop it with a positive based training method. After all, if you are supposed to ignore behaviour you don't want, how do you ever get her to shut up? And when Sammy is really bugging her, barking and growling and attacking him is the only thing that works for her. But she is not a lover like Sammy. She does love us, but doesn't really like lap sitting except on rare occasions, and will stay just out of reach under stress. I have to make her stay and then go to her if I need to get my hands on her. Its probably from having to take meds and have her eyes washed so much in her life, as she was much more of a lap sitter as a baby.

I really love them both, even though sometimes I wonder what I did wrong, to have to wade through 2 dogs and a cat to get anywhere in the house.

More snakes

I haven't written anything about killing snakes for a while because the last 3 were so small it hardly seemed worth the trouble.  Bill killed 2 of them and I one, all right around the chicken yards.  I wish I was brave enough to let them live, because maybe they could make a dent on the darn ground squirrels.  Every day we have to refill and tamp several places under the fence or wall to EACH chicken pen.  THe chickens won't run them off, and I think the ground squirrels actually eat more chicken feed than the chickens do.  ANd then at night, the mice come out and finish off what the ground squirrels and/or chickens have left.

Back to the snakes.  We just can't leave them alive around this populated area because they might bite us, or the dogs(more likely)  I did get Robin vaccinated against rattlesnake venom, but it only lasts 6 months, and she got huge knots on her side at the injection site.  So we didn't have it done to Sammy.  And I have not yet taken them to a place in Cave Creek that snake-proofs, as Sammy is too young, and besides, I spend all my extra money on Robin's allergies.

So the 3 little ones we killed were no big deal.  They were so little they didn't even know how to coil up and rattle. 

HOWEVER,  last night we were feeding and replenishing waterers, etc. and there was a BIG rattler curled around the wading waterer in the Cornish pen.  Bill was lucky to see it when he reached over to up-end it to clean it out.  Big fat thing.  He dispatched it with a shovel, and we put the head in the barrel but left the body there to see if the chickens would eat it.  I still don't know; it was gone this AM when I let them out.

We also had a dust storm, a power outage, and a brief heavy rain last night.  We managed to drop and break the chimneys from 2 different oil lamps and need to do some serious clean and repair to the burner on one of them.  We had enough chimneys though, as we have wall sconces we don't use in the summer (the candles melt) and the chimneys are all interchangeable.  I like oil lamp light for knitting, even if it does put out quite a bit of heat.  THe power came back on in a couple of hours for a change, and we finished out the evening without further excitement.

 

 

AJ 

RE: Job

Yesterday I worked the second day, in training as a block clerk for the
sale. There are 6 auctioneers, one per lane, and each has one or two block
clerks. If there are 2, one just gets signatures on the bills of sale and
hands out receipts, the other does all the computer work and reminds the
auctioneer of things he should say about particular cars, etc. It is very
fast paced and some auctioneers are much nicer than others, of course. We
happened to have one who was not so nice, but was OK as long as you did
everything right and didn't get behind. All I did was observe the whole 4
hours, but I don't think it will be any problem. The amount of information
you have to change or add to the computer as you go along is limited, and
it looks pretty easy. And it is certainly no more stressful than the ER.
I just found out yesterday that they actually hired me to train as an
inside/outside float who can fill in for anybody in the place on sale day.
Flattering.
But I had already found out that it is pretty rare for them to hire
somebody directly like they did me. Usually they hire from the temp
agencies, for people that have already worked there several times and
showed their stuff and have experience.
The first day was fine; you just have to ride along in the van to the
various dealerships over and over again, get a vehicle, check the oil and
water, put on your dealer plate, check for gas, and start it. Hopefully by
that time the van driver has written it up and you can go. I had to put
water in my very first vehicle, I had to get gas once, and one wouldn't
start until the lot guy came and disabled the alarm. I drove away, and at
the first corner the shifter knob came off in my hand. So it was a little
tricky to drive but I did it. They gave me that one in the first place,
evidently, because most people either can't or won't drive a standard
transmission. I guess I'll get them all the time then. In all, I moved 7
vehicles in 10 hours, which Bill says is quite efficient. He's been the
van driver at another auction 10 years, after all.
It was fun, although the pay is just a pittance compared to what I have
been making at the museum. I will just have to wait until I have filled in
at several different skilled jobs and then talk to them about a raise. I
do believe I get a bonus for the block clerk above my hourly, but I don't
know yet how much it is.
Good part-time jobs are hard to find, and I think this one will be fine.

AJ

New job tomorrow

Theoretically I started last week, at Metro Auto Auction in Phoenix.  After all, I worked Tuesday, the day of the sale in the Briefcase Check-In, and I went for a couple of hours Thursday and Friday for orientation, but those don't count.  The day every week that is liable to be hard, is Monday. 

It will compare to Bill's Wednesdays, when you go in early and don't stop until the work is all done.  That means you have picked up every single car from every dealer that wants his car to go thru the sale the next day, even if it takes until after midnight.  And you start at 8 AM.

I doubt if Metro will expect an 18 hour day like Greater (Bill's work) does.  I doubt if I will be willing or even able to work 18 hours, no matter what they expect.  We'll see.

But the orientation and just the whole general feel of the place makes me think that perhaps Metro is a kinder, gentler place to work and I'm willing to try it.  After all, nobody else has been trying to hire me.  The Town of Buckeye just never bothered to answer my application, period.  From what I have been able to glean, they decided not to have a part-time museum aide after all, but a full-timer.  And I put on my application that I was available part time.  Heaven forbid anybody should send an email or give me a call to see if I wanted to try it full-time.

The auto auction business doesn't pay much, but it is just Monday and TUesday every week and then I'm free until the next week.  And Tuesdays I think my regular job will be on one of the blocks doing computer work and invoicing for the auctioneer.  I should be able to handle that all right.  Might even enjoy it.

I do still have an open application with the City of Tolleson for a parttime Library AIde, and I think I would take that job above all others if I had a chance, but I don't think I'll get it.  They already posted the position once and turned me down, then recently posted it again.  I emailed to ask to be considered again, but no answer.

I just wish I would win the lottery (but I never play) and then I could thumb my nose at them all.  Bill says I don't have to work if I don't want to, but he doesn't want to give me money for the things I want to spend it on. 

Organic dog food, sewing machines and fabric, quilt camp, high quality yarn, classes.  Whatever could be wrong with him?

Love, AJ

 

 

AJ Wischmeyer, Quiltmaker

ajwisch@joimail.com

http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/

 

 

Sammy is growing

ANd the little devil was just as hard to handle at the vet yesterday as he was the last 2 times. He is so smart and so much fun otherwise, but once he gets on the table he turns into a bundle of writhing muscles trying to get away. It took 3 of us holding him to get a temperature reading and then when Bruce gave him the parvo shot I nearly lost him. He doesn't try to bite and doesn't yike; just puts all his considerable energy into trying to get away. Of course getting shots hurts, because there isn't a relaxed place on his body to put the needle into.
Then of course as soon as he is on the floor again he is all smiles and pet me, pet me. And no, he's not afraid of heights. He pays no attention to stuff like that at all. At home he climbs up to the backs of chairs and jumps off when playing.
Gotta go. Doctor appt in an hours

New browser

I switched to the Opera browser because Firefox has just gotten so slow and full of detail that I can't stand it. I'm sure it is mainly to do with my incredibly slow and unreliable dial-up but STILL! Anyway, I was sure that Opera would be light and fast and I would really love it.

All true. BUT! Opera won't let me log in to Blogger, period. The lines where you enter your ID just won't come up. I have turned off the popup blocker and let it set cookies, etc. Nothing. I have even emailed Opera support but received no answer. Grrrrrr!
ANd it won't let me print a Paypal shipping label either. I have to open up FIrefox or IE to do that or this, and it pisses me off. It is a free browser after all, and you get what you pay for, but I was looking for something small enough that I could avoid viruses, etc. Firefox used to be great, but I have read that it has gotten so popular that hackers write viruses just for it now.
Firefox is also very annoying with its add-ons it wants you to download and update all the time. THere doesn't seem to be any way to get rid of them once you (in a weak moment) download the first time, and I never use any of them because they always want me to do a 30 minute or more update first.

AJ's August Socks

These anklets are my first pair for the limited edition Tofutsies Sock Club, Wild Kats. I didn't think the lace pattern would show up with this yarn, so used the cool ribbing all the way down. I started with sz000 HiyaHiya circs, 2 on 2, and switched to sz0 when I started the heel flap. This yarn is quite thin, and the fabric feels just fine with the tiny needles. But oh, it takes so long to knit anything with them. I have since ordered some sz00 HiyaHiya needles from the Knitting Zone, since that is the only place I have ever been able to find the size. That is the only place I have seen the sz000 also.

AJ in AZ
http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/

Posted by AJ in AZ at 2:04 PM 0 comments

I'm baaaack.

I can't believe it has been so long since I posted. I seem to post the most when nothing is happening and least when it is. Duh, wonder why that is.
Anyway, since I was last here I have had a major birthday, signed up to take BOTH dogs to obedience classes in Phoenix on Monday nights starting September 17, listed most of my yarn stash for sale on ebay, and come to to the realization that I am going to be unemployed at the end of this month.
Oh so very rude and uncaring Town of Buckeye has not acknowledged in any way, shape, or form that I was a longtime and valued member of the Buckeye Museum team and that I did as they asked and filled out an application to become the same when the Town took over the Museum. This is in spite of lobbying by both the curator and museum board members to have me hired. Oh well, if it wasn't for my credit card payments I could get by on teaching classes at Cotton Fields Quilt & Knit.
Good part-time jobs are hard to come by. This is going to take some thought. I suspect I will just have to set my jaw and go get a part-time job that I would never consider before having this great museum job for so long. It doesn't help that my fibromyalgia won't really allow being on my feet for 8 hours, so that leaves out any kind of retail sales.
I'll try to stay in touch.

Robin is spayed.

And a poor sad little thing she is too.  TO hear her tell it, she was tortured for hours and hours and barely survived it.  ANyway, she is taking full advantage of the whole sympathy thing and lording it over Sammy something awful.  Pretty quick I will stop preventing him from trying to play with her and she'll have to either play or discipline him herself.

She did have all her parts, unlike her litter sister.  She weighs 12 pounds  at 8 months and Sammy weighs 11.1 pounds at 4 monhs.  He also go his rabies shot and another parvo yesterday when I dropped her off.

Poor Sammy gets carsick every time he goes in the car, so he now has to ride in the crate.  I would much rather wash out the crate than have to launder the car quilt every time I take him anywhere.

 

 

 

 

AJ

ajwisch@joimail.com

http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/

 

 

Sammy the incorrigible

Dear Kathy,

 

I'm sorry I haven't updated you for so long.  Thanks so much for Sammy.  Bill is in love with him.  As much as he likes Robin, she IS a little lady and Sammy is much more rough and tough.  He is fearless, too, never cautious as Robin is about new situations.  They are night and day, and both so much fun I can't imagine how I lived without dogs for so long.

We haven't had any company yet to take pix of the 4 of us, so I may have to have Bill take ones of me with both dogs and I'll take them of him with both.

Sammy is growing so fast too.  He'll be 16 weeks next Wed, and will be getting his rabies shot and another parvo.  He's almost as tall as Robin, although that isn't saying much.  She is still only 13 inches, and weighed 12.2 lbs at the last vet visit.  SHe had been up to 13 lbs, but eats even less in the heat and runs it off in the morning and evening.

Robin is going to be spayed on August 1, but I don't think I'll have the new x-rays done.  SHe is completely sound now, and her eyes are all well too.  So hopefully the spay will be HER last vet bill for awhile.

 

 

AJ

 

 

 

 

July socks

Friday, July 27, 2007

July socks

Here are my socks for July. I have a Tofutsies pair on the needles, but it doesn't look like they will be finished in time. The socks here are all Cascade 220, and are for Children in Common. I try to keep a pair of these going all the time, and I work on them when watching a DVD and my other projects are at a point to require paying better attention.

AJW in AZ
http://luvkuku.blogspot.com/

Robin's vet bills

Dear Mom,

In answer to your question about Robin's vet bills: Not long after we got her, she started acting real lame, although she didn't favor any one corner and didn't yike.  SHe just limped. I talked to the vet about it everytime I took her for puppy shots, and we finally had to xray both shoulders and do blood work to rule out Valley Fever and West Nile Virus.  That cost a lot, and showed that her shoulder blades were roughened but not yet dysplastic.  Recommendation to limit activites and recheck when getting her spayed.  I turned down medication because I didn't want her to overdo and injure herself from not having it hurt. So we didn't go for any more walks, and I usually left her in the yard when I ran up and down to the chicken compound or the trash barrels or the recycle bins.  She didn't like that, but I told her not to jump the fence, so she didn't.  It was a small problem because she early on decided not to pee or poop in the yard unless urgency demanded it.

Then her eyes swelled up and developed pimples on both upper and lower eyelids that would finally pop and weep, then start over.  It didn't seem to itch or hurt, but she could hardly see for the swelling sometimes.  So off we had to go to a dog ophthalmologist, and boy is THAT pricey.  It is called meibomitis, and is a staph infection triggered by an allergy to something.  Her actual vision and eyeballs are perfect.  THis is actually a skin problem.  SO I've been giving her prednisone and antibiotic eyedrops for a  couple of months, along with 2 followup visits.  Yesterday she got a clean bill of eye health, but now I have to ease her off the prednisone for the next couple of months. That I KNOW how to do.

And we are trying to eliminate all the allergens we CAN control, like corn, wheat, soy, beef (most common dog allergens).  Airborne ones we are already fighting because Bill has allergies.  I wash all the scatter rugs once a week and mop constantly, and use only natural products.

 

Oh, and don't forget the seizures.  She's had 4 in her life, 2 when she was real little, and I pretty much decided she had gotten a whiff of ant killer and switched to dish soap and vinegar in water per the organic gardening book.  SHe also had 2 more when her eyes first swelling up, and we were at a total loss as to what caused them.  THe first one I thought she had been poisoned and put salt down the poor thing and made her vomit and vomit.  They didn't last long and she never lost consciousness.  We never did figure out what caused it for sure, but the 4th one I have since decided were caused by the wet Swiffer Sweeper cloths I was using on the floor.  I have since read about other small dogs having convulsions from smelling those.

 

Here's the best thing though.  SHe is no longer lame at all and hasn't been for months.  She runs and runs just like any other Aussie with no problems.  She doesn't really jump, and that is fine with me.  That way I can leave her in the yard or wherever, and be sure she'll be there when I come back, so far anyway.  I'm having her spayed the 1st of August.  I was going to wait until her growth plates closed, but the breeder called and said that Robin's only littermate had gone in for a spay and she turned out to have ON uterus or ovaries and only one kidney, although quite healthy otherwise.  Also the eye vet says that the meibomitis often never returns once the dog is spayed, although it doesn't work 100 % of the time. Keeping our fingers crossed. 

 

Sammy is a typical little boy, destructive and rowdy and loud, but a real lover.  He never gets tired of loving on you and will keep licking and snuggling until you send him away.  Bill really loves him, and wayy tolerant of his behaviour(obviously he doesn't have to witness most of it).  We have always thought that Robin's behaviour is just too perfect to be real, and Sammy makes you realize just HOW perfect Robin is.  He'll be fine; he's intelligent, healthy, and way more athletic than Robin, but SHE is my dog and will remain so.  I'll have to obedience train Sammy, but I have to wait until I generate some income.  Right now about all I can afford to do is stay home.

 

 

AJ

 

 

Wonderful dogs

And as long as I'm at it; here's Robin at 7 months and Sammy at 13 weeks.

Closeups of Quilt for sale

I promised to post pix of various blocks for an eBay possible-bidder, so here goes.

a 2-dog family

This is rather a surprise to me, as we, or anyway, I wasn't planning to get another dog until Robin was at least 2 years old.  I even said no in the first place, and DH had to talk me into it.  He did that by taking much more ownership responsibility for Sammy than he ever has for Robin.

Here's the story.

Robin's breeder called and left a call back message early last week, but I didn't get back to her until Thursday because my new cheaper cell phone doesn't work until I get closer to town, and I never left home until Thursday when I taught a class at Cotton Fields. whew!  Well, when we finally connected, she asked me if I wanted another puppy, since Robin has had so many vet bills and there is no end in sight.  I was very leery, because I thought that meant she wanted to take Robin back, and I'm NOT EVER giving her up.

That wasn't it. Kathy(breeder) had 2 3 month old black tri male pups for pet homes, with great temperaments and good conformation, although not conformation quality, but highly athletic and suitable for any kind of performance dog.  She told me all about them and offered me my pick of them, but I needed to come get the pup ASAP.

I waited until DH got home and told him about it, but said I didn't really think so.  I wasn't willing to take on another whirling dervish when the first one is only 7 months old and still a handful most of the time.

Like I said, he talked me into it.  I drove to Winkelman and picked out Sammy last Friday.  Lance was there, who takes care of the dogs when she is away, as Kathy was gone to Texas.  Actually, I've seen Lance more times than I have seen Kathy, as he was the only one there when Pat and I picked up her puppy.

Sammy was already named, and he comes to it, so we let him keep it.  He's a cutie, and VERY active, and not shy in the slightest.  Submissive to us, but stands right up to Robin.  That's good, because she is feeling great lately, and would harass him constantly if he didn't make it clear that "I AM TAKING A NAP NOW!" He's athletic too; goes right up on the chairs, although not quite up to the beds yet.  He has great fun going back and forth from one of us to the other and giving kisses and getting pets, then back to the other, etc. 

Just what I needed, another one peeing on the floor whenever you turn your back, but oh well.  Brick mops easily, and it does force me to keep on mopping.

 

 

AJ

 

 

the bees, the bees

There are bees everywhere here, covering all the lily pads and edges of the pond, the bird bath, all the chicken waterers, the wildlife water tank, buckets we keep for chicken waterer replenishment, and the 2 large waterers dedicated especially to the bees. In this heat, they are totally focused on taking water back to the hive to fan the queen and brood cells to keep them alive. We people and dogs walk thru clouds of bees anywhere near the waterers but are never stung. Actually, I've never BEEN stung by our bees except by accident, as when I pick up the hose with a bee on it, or put my hand down on one when I am grooming the pond plants. They really only sting when they are protecting the hive, and we don't even know where that is.

We originally got the small box-starter-hive (I can't remember what it is called) and put it down on the second bank of the wash under a tree. When their numbers were too many for it, some left and colonized elsewhere. I wanted to buy the hives and all and harvest honey, but DH didn't. He just wanted them for natural pollination. So, by this time there have been several generations of them, and they are, I guess you could say, feral bees.

I sure don't see any evidence of a big die-off, but their hives are obviously not full of chemicals put there by the beekeeper to control mites, and they are not forced to drink irrigation tailwater full of agricultural(boy is that a misnomer) chemicals. And I HAVE heard that the die-off is confined to commercial beekeepers that DO use chemicals, and beekeepers who manage their bees as organically as possible have had no problems. Wonder why the media doesn't report more of that!

AJ in AZ