Happy Halloween

I would have a real entry today except for that Rocket has a second job. His first job is  fuzzy, wuzzy baby doggy woggy, best friend, guard dog - and on his off time, he is a Pillow .

It's what he is really the best at.

The perfect pillow. His little back end is just the right combination of firm and cushy. He is so perfect in this guise that I ended up spending entirely too much time taking advantage of his good offices. It doesn't hurt that he really doesn't mind being a pillow at all.

Its really a nice thing. He's very warm and soft and its like being enveloped by the world's most loving burglar alarm.

Weekend

Saturday I did what I had been hoping for all week: I slept in.

I had been dreaming about sleeping in since I got off the plane Sunday afternoon. Monday hurt, Tuesday hurt, Wednesday- Friday just caused me pain. I had been planning on that sleep in all week and it did not disappoint.

God, it felt good.

Sometimes just not having to wake up is the best plan ever. I had kind of thought I might use the weekend to clean my house but then the weekend happened and I didn't clean the house at all. I did do some laundry and I ran the dishwasher. I needed to rest and I did. I also cleaned out my DVR.

Sunday however I had plans. I had to be somewhere. It was raining and had been raining and I had kind of hoped that maybe they might reschedule . No, they didn't. They didn't reschedule or rent big tents so that they could keep the whole thing out of the wet.

I arrived a little after it started and had to sit in my car until the rain went from deluge to just steady downfall. Rocket hates the rain and we were going to be out in the rain. In costumes.

I was the only adult in a costume.  Just me, in full head-to-toe costume.You can either go hide, because, for real, this is very uncomfortable, which I entertained, or you can just go with it and wander around getting your picture taken - which is kind of fun. But still, it's a little weird, the things we do for our dogs.

Finally, it was time for the 3:30 costume contest! And lo and behold, more  adult people in costumes came out of the woodwork - bastards! Where were they? Chicken shits.

We all lined up and walked the red carpet.

We did not win. We never win. There is a bias againts 1) pure bred dogs, 2) store bought costumes, 3) single people. Next year, we will not be entering. I did however, win two very nice things at the silent auction.

I can't say that I totally disagree with the winners, I took their pictures too.

Foreground, second place,  Flower dogs, background, honorable mention Flintstone Family

 I think he didn't place, but I liked him.

3rd place, Bambi

1st place, Bob the Builder.

Friday Cats Blogging

TGIF

Did my thing. Watched my TV.  Didn't run any errands, came right home after work, made my dinner, fed my dog, walked my dog.  Sat on my chair. Life is good.

Today someone called me to ask if we came to inspect pools. We do not. We do voluntary institutional residential settings - with kind of an asterisk-  If you want to complain about your no good boyfriend being mistreated in prison? I have a number for that, your low life son being bothered in  jail? I have a number for those too.  Those are about as far out of our lane as I go that I can immediately help with.

Someone else wanted to complain about something else that was way, way outside of our lane. And then they get annoyed, pretty uniformly they get annoyed because we don't have authority over everything in the entire world. I don't even remember what it was, it was too silly - oh, roofers! He wanted to complain about his roofer!. I want to know why if they can look us up on the computer, they now need me to look up their next stop. It doesn't make sense to me. SHort answer? Call the AG. Bother them.

Over. It.

You know what I really want to do? I want to come home. I want to walk the dog, change into my pajamas or equivalent, make dinner, eat dinner and then sit in front of the TV until I go to bed. Period. That would be my ideal evening.

I don't want to run errands, I don't want to go somewhere I don't want to do anything. I just want to sit on my chair and watch TV until it's time to go lie in my bed.

I would also like it if there was something on my TV to watch that I want to watch, preferably not visual pablum. But you know, that is why they invented Netflix.

Back To Life.

I'm back! I was back yesterday but I had to run right out and go see David Sedaris do a reading at the the concert hall downtown  and then I had to run to the store in a deluge to get food for a dopic birthday thing we do at work every quarter.

I also had a  dentist appointment in the morning that turned out as not an every six months appointment, it was a only-four-months-after-the-last-one-appointment so we decided to pretend it didn't happen and made a new one for March. I didn't get charged because it wasn't my fault. I don't make these appointments, they do. SO. Free cleaning for me! Wheee!!!

SO a really big day for me. I also picked up Rocket from boarding and he was oddly chill about the whole thing. I mean, like really chill. Like he could give a damn about seeing me again. He was like "whatever". He also  came home with diarrhea.

That was  all on  Monday.No rest for the wicked. I haven't unpacked yet or uploaded my too few pictures or anything! I have almost no pictures of my classmates but I took a hell of a lot of pictures of the damn marching band! WTF.

 Today was Tuesday and the dopic quarterly birthday thing. I got through the day, we also had  yet another staff meeting, the second in two weeks -  they are supposed to be scheduled for one meeting per month and we had two in two weeks! Not okay.

I came home after the stupid meeting, actually got it together and walked the dog in a timely manner and came back to the house. And watched TV. a lot of TV. I deserved it! And then I went and picked up some nice healing pumpkin for the dogs stomach and put gas in the car.

Wednesday at lunch I'll go to Wally and do my real shopping and then I'll get some lunch and then maybe after work I'll pick up some meds at Sams. Slowly get back into real life.

Friday Cats Blogging

Reunion Bound

I leave in a couple of hours and I think I've had my last crises of fashion. Its now just a matter of getting everything wear it belongs when it belongs! Harder than it sounds.

The dog is going to boarding - this is a huge leap of faith, he's never been by himself over night and its killing me just thinking about it. I think its going to be really, really tough on him but I have no other choices. The days will be fine because its at day care and he really likes day car but the two nights are going to be tough. I haven't talked to him about it.I hope it is not too scared by the the experience and comes out Monday not too setback. I hope this doesn't make him hate me,

The cats are going to be on their own. I'm leaving them with clean boxes and lots of food and water, I hope they are okay with it.

I hope the house is okay with it.

Packing

Again, not a "real" entry. I am in the middle of packing up my stuff and trying to remember all the things I want to bring with me - remember your camera! remember to charge that battery! remember to clear out that memory stick, or at the very least, put a new one in!, Do I need to bring the whole camera bag? Do I need to bring the bag? Its just another thing to carry around.

Also, so many fashion crisis. Times like this having a handy girl friend around would be so helpful! I need someone close by to bounce these things off. I have a friend but she is neither handy or close by, she is too far away and busy most of the time so she is of no help. I had to weather the crises by myself so I over packed. A lot. I am bringing two pairs of boots and two pairs of shoes and three pairs of pants and a skirt, just in case because you do not know! Its about the vibe! I was much better with tops, I did not over pack tops, much, but I'm pretty sure that I am going to add a sweater because I think it might be cooler at night.

I do not travel light. And I need a bigger suitcase.

Tuesday

Okay, now I would have a real entry today except... We had a very bogas staff meeting after work today so I put Rocket in daycare for the daycare - first time since he got  attacked and he did really, really well and played all day.

And because of the meeting we got home late and while it was still light it was clearly not going to stay that way and so we opted out of our walk. And Rocket was very tired and didn't really need a walk.

Which leads me to why there isn't a real entry, he was curled up on the couch and he looked so soft, and did I mention I worked all day and then had this meeting? I had a really long day and there he was so soft and sleepy and pillow like and on the couch...

I  ended up waking up way too late for a real entry and then there were the Barney Miller episodes I felt duty bound to watch, and then it was time for Brooklyn 99 and I really like it so  there just wasn't time to do all the things I should have gotten done.

NC State Fair 2017

Sunday I went to the State Fair with Brosky

I am jot really thrilled with how they turned out, normally if I go to the fair, I go during the week,by myself and I have more time and space to get the pictures I want. It wasn't possible Sunday night. It was a good exercise though in just getting the shot and not screwing around.

Friday Cats Blogging

Friday

I was a very bad, lazy girl. I looked outside, it looked kind of maybe, like it had become overcast, it was gray, maybe it wanted to rain... I went upstairs sat on the bed to change clothes, because I needed to go and go soon so I could walk the dog before it rained - and then the dog was on the bed and then the cats were on the bed and then there was a dog cuddled up and then it got way too late to walk that dog. And then it never rained.

 But I got the trash to the curb before dark! I feel so proud.

Thursday

Today was a election day for us. Thus far my main candidate is winning! I know it was my hour and a half on the phones that one time that put her over the line. It totally wasn't that the man running againts her used language that was insulting and in my mind in bad taste after the ugly general election and he should have thought about that. I can't be the only woman who is still seething and not at all excited about voting againts a woman and for a man .

He just used a tone I didn't like and I was like, yeah, No. Can't do it. Sorry not sorry.

After workIwent back to the polls and hung aroundwith my precinct chair and we spent a lot of time with a guy handing out literature for the guy running againts Our Mayor. This guy was a true believer,  a Berniebro, I think. You could tell, it was in the blind faith. He siad he had spent a lot of time at the bus station downtown button holing people waiting to get on the buss - right up until the bus people told him they were going to call the police if he didn't leave their passengers alone


That was not what I published Tuesday night - not that it actually published, it was listed as a "draft".  Stupid Blogger. I wrote something longer and more substantive and more grammatically correct. I don't know what happened to the rest of it or why it chose to save that portion or version of it. My candidate, the sitting mayor and the upstart are very likely going to have a runoff in November. Can't wait.

There was nothing on TV tonight so I decided to try on my halloween costume to see how it looked with Rockets Dragon costume. I also decided that we were both done with the cone. His ear looks luch better

And I think that is about as healed up as its going to get. I may start dosing him with vitamin E though to urge hair growth on that ear. I know scars don't grow hair, but maybe hair can grow around it? Disguise the scar a little? Anyway, the cone was making us both crazy and I am really tired of doing upholstery first aid on the futon.

So, back to the costume fitting. It does fit, it fits just fine, is just a leetle shorter than I remember it being? I wanted to go as Dragon and Mother of Dragon - I've never watched the show myself and I know she doesn't wear a sparkly blue minidress with silver leggings a silver boots. However, she does actually wear a light blue dress! Who knew!?

 She also doesn't have blue hair. So I'm kind of going as Trashy Mother of Dragon. If I really had to, I still have my long blue velvet bridesmaids dress from Brosky and Alphaglas wedding. I could get a long blond wig - they sell them in the character correct style even, and go in that direction. But I'm not going to. I am going to try to find some sort of light blue under skirt, the dress does have lounging pants but they were made for another woman, 50 years ago and she was a very small woman who was most likely also wearing a weaponized foundation garment. A 21 century woman is not getting into her pants.

Monday

Yesterday I was putting something in my outside trash and I felt this sudden pain in my finger and I tried to make the pain stop, and it wouldn't! I tried to shake the pain causer off my finger, and I couldn't! It just hung on! And all this time I couldn't actually see whatever it was that was pumping poison- I'm assuming this, into my hand. It was dark, the light wouldn't go on, it was awful! I know the bug had set it up to happen that way.

Finally, I was able to shake it off and that was when I saw that my finger was now bleeding! Whatever it was had the capability to draw blood! It was weaponized! I was attacked by some sort of fully weaponized insect! Gawd only knows what kind of bug grade poison I have coursing through my veins now!

OMG.

I've been poisoned! I've been poisoned and now I'm going turn into an X-Man or a Marvel character or whatever franchise Spider Man belongs to, I don't know I don't watch those kinds of crap movies. Oh no! Maybe I do now! Maybe that's what the bug venum will do to me! It will make me crave rotten, B-Grade schlock! Oh, Jeebus take me now!

It was time for a shower so I took one and then waited for the venom to take ahold . And waited. I waited for my hand to swell. I waited or shakes and nausea, I waited for dry mouth and hallucinations...

And nothing. The rotten little beast just wanted to eat my flesh. 

Weekend

This weekend I did not end up at the vets office at all!! Whee! And Rocket let me take my whole shower on Sunday without freaking out! Whee!

Friday I went to a friends art show at pricey  clothing boutique and felt poor/short/fat/old but they did have hipster water to drink so when I walked in and suddenly was so thirsty I started to choke, I  was able to get something to drink. So that was good.

Saturday I did my community duty and went around the hood and put notices about the upcoming election on doors. I got  my daily steps in and made my precinct chair proud. I went, for the first time to my neighbor across the fences house and thought I would introduce myself. They have a very fancy doorbell that has a camera attached - they also have a glass door, I could see them in their kitchen. They could see me, I could see them. I stood there, smiling, with my little hand out and I put it in front of the camera so they could see I wasn't trying to sell them anything or get them to vote for anyone. It was a totally non-partisan notice : The election is October 10, you can vote form 6:30A to 7:30P at Location. Early voting started at Date and runs through Date, early voting van be done at Location.

They could have opened the door and spoken to me. We could have met for the first time.  They did not and we did not and now I know they are basement flooding assholes. Before I only thought they were  basement flooding assholes. It's better to just rip off the bandaid, and I am so going to tell my other, nice neighbors all about this! 

Onto other things.

When I was going door to door to door door. So many doors, I realized my own door is looking not its best. The season has changed and a lot of the doors looked very  season-correct and bright and very welcoming and my door looks very blah and unwelcoming and, frankly, just not its best.

I decided it needed something. I would have vacuumed the neighbors leaves off the lawn, but it rained and darn it, I couldn't do that job this weekend, again, darnies! So the next best thing was scoring a nice fall wreath for the door! I thought about getting some pumpkins, and I still might, they always look so nice and autumnal-  but then they always die and rot and that it not a nice look. So maybe, I'll get them later in the season. Anyway, Nice new wreath! Nice new doorway

I like it. It looks nice the the bricks and its very autumnal.


I also wanted to give an update on my elephant ear, I had to give it an emergency re-pot at the very wrong time of year but there was no time to dither about it. It was bit initially very happy about the move, but it adjusted and is doing much better.

I am going to replant my other elephant ear at the end of the season out of its much too small planter into a deeper and better pot

Frday Cats Blogging

Friday

So I came home with ever intention of following through with my usual schedule  and going for a walk, trying to remember that we need to do this ever earlier -    and successfully took the dog out and made dinner and fed the dog and changed clothes and ate dinner and... fell asleep.

Not a good look and did not get us out "early" to walk the dog. The dog didn't get a walk, late or otherwise not that he minded, he was also sleeping. He is not a good role model! He is however, a very good pillow. I need a way to tell my fitbit that I had an off night and there is no way I am going get those steps in. I know it's disappointed in me because it didn't bust out with a "Just 2500 more steps needed!" message like it does when it thinks there is a chance in hell. There are little switches in the app for almost everything, there needs to be one for "I might be getting sick or whatever, chill out and leave me alone for X days, okay? You are the worst! Gawd."

I did wake up eventually and got the trash out and the dishwasher emptied and filled. I have TV to watch. Shit is about to get serious on Project Runway.

Cone

Dog is doing well. Unlike Tuesday, he did not eat his futon Wednesday, so progress is being made. He is getting better at getting his suddenly two foot wide head through doors and he seems less flustered by the cone in general. He clearly hates it though.

He has to wear it though. There is no two ways about it. His ear is very fragile and needs to be protected at all costs what he needs to be protected from are his need to violently shake his head and ears and scratch his stiched ear with his very sharp claws.

He very much wants to itch his ear. He is itching his cone a lot. So much cone itching, it makes me sad to listen to him itch his cone, its very sad see. As sad as it is and as hard as it is, and it is hard, for both of us, I really, really want to take the cone off but I can't, I just can't I want to  leave it on as long as I possibly can because I want his ear to be as beautiful as it was before. I want to be able to pet his ear without being reminded of this incident and I don't want him to be reminded of it either.

ON a different topic, his halloween costume arrived today and it is fabulous!

The dog in recovery

An update on Rockets condition. The cone is making him crazy . He is already crazy, but his meds keep his crazy under cover and under control for the most part. The cone is ruining a lot of hard work on both of our parts.

Last night I took a shower, I told Rocket what was happening, put him in his room and took my shower. He lost his shit. He hasn't lost his shit like that in a long time, I've been taking showers at my leisure for a long time, he doesn't like the sound of running water and would just a soon be in the safety of his room while I'm making the water run anyway.

Not Sunday night. He barked and cried and climbed his door and carried on! Not a pretty look for him. I knew Monday was not going to be easy, I also knew that on Monday he was going to go to work with me because he had his annual meeting with his doggy shrink and we could talk about it there.

He did good! He acted like a basket case the whole time we were at the office!

She ended up giving me the okay to up his pills until her loses the collar and then again when he boards at the end of the month.

When he's not a total basket case

Almost 48 hours ou

Our outing today, a bagpipe group fell out of the sky.

And what a weekend it was

And do the weekend started off really well. Friday was Friday, and that was awesome, and Saturday was fun, I went shopping and bought a $149 dress for $29 and even better, it even fits! I don't have an event for it yet, but I think it will be nice for Christmas Mass.

And then I decided that Rocket and I needed to go downtown and see the Bluegrass festival again. It was very busy Saturday night, the sidewalk was very full. much fuller than it had been Friday night. I should have taken the hint and walked in the street, where it was also crowded but not as shoulder to shoulder as the sidewalk.

There were dogs, lots of dogs. There was a dog on the sidewalk in front of the bars that as stunning, and the people knew it too, they had the dog arranged on the sidewalk like a peice of art. I really wanted to find out more about the dog but...

There was another less artistically significant dog just beyond that dog. As Rocket and I approached it it snarled at Rocket, Rocket growled at it because he is not a total pussy, thankyouverymuch. I pulled him back because I don't want him to growl at other dogs - because been there done that and I am not going back there -  and at the point the other dog lunged forward and bit Rocket!

I didn't realize this until we had dashed away - I should have gone back to get the other owner when I saw the blood, but I didn't know how bad the injury was. I thought it was a nick. He has had such injuries at doggy daycare,  little, minor scrapes and dings. No biggy, wash it out, dab a little hydrogen peroxide on it and you're golden.

This wasn't a little ding. I should have gone back and throttled the owner! or at the very least get him to pay for this, it was not cheap.

I left the building with this intact, tried to get him in the car and it fell apart, went back and had them put it back together. It fell back apart in the car going home. It is now duct taped together and has not fallen apart since.

When he first got home he refused to eat and then he couldn't figure out how to lay down! He just stood there and swayed. It was very sad, I had to show him how to get down to the floor. Since then he's slept a lot and kind of moped. He's on a painkiller and an antibiotic and I think those are making him feel a little icky. He had a breakthrough on Saturday before all of this happened, I left him in the backyard by himself for twenty minutes! with no barking or throwing himself at the gate! I am so proud.

By Sunday, he was back to eating, but he couldn't be in his room by himself for long enough for me to take a shower. I blame the cone for that. He's going to his behaviorist tomorrow so hopefully they can help us out with that, maybe with some short term meds or with some sort of suggestion. I can't really take him to work with me for the next seven days.