Outdoor Fun

Today I worked at a family friend's art gallery . . . it was pretty interesting. Not very busy, but I got to help people choose mats and frames for their artwork, which was a lot of fun. Apparently I have an eye for colour, which made me proud. One couple brought in an absolutely stunning 11x14 picture of a Monkshead flower (up close, with dew drops on it, in vibrant purples with green foliage). It was so interesting picking out matting and frames to enhance the beauty of the picture. I enjoyed my day, and I will be going back to help out again in a couple of weeks. Because it wasn't too busy, I got the chance to read some of my Risk Management textbook, and so far I seem to understand it. So that's good . . . hopefully once the assignment is posted, I still understand it all ;)

When I got home, I took the dogs outside to play fetch. This runs the wigglies out of them, and I get to enjoy the fresh air. Well, at first my niece Kenzie was helping me, by throwing a separate toy for Billy. Well then my mom brought my other niece out (Tashie), and we had a rousing game of soccer. Somehow it was 3 on 1, with my mom, Kenzie and Tashie all taking me on. I should be sore in places I never knew I had by the time tomorrow rolls around :) But it was good exercise, and I should sleep soundly tonight. The dogs enjoyed it too, so it was really a family affair.

Then we came in and enjoyed birthday treats, to celebrate Farley's 7th birthday. Mom bought birthday hats for everyone (at my request), and she had picked up some wonderful treats in Denver too. Asking for a sit stay from an eager 13 month old puppy and a 2 year old that sees "treats" on the table is inviting trouble . . . but I managed to snap one decent picture.

All in all it was a good day, although not without sad news. My good friend's husband got a job in Calgary, which means she'll be moving sometime before Christmas. I will miss her immensely . . . we have GOOD times together. But we'll just have to make more of an effort to get together on a regular basis. And it's definitely a good move for them.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend guys!

Risk Management

Hmmm, I think the title of the entry says it all. Who on earth can stand 8 continuous hours of Risk Management? Especially when that person discovers that it is just a fancy term for "Finance." UGH! I barely survived my first Finance course . . . and apparently this one is supposed to be harder. Fabulous. That being said, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I managed to stay awake for almost the entire class, and I think I even learned something. So it hasn't been a day completely wasted.

I have a busy few days coming up . . . tomorrow I am working in a store owned by a friend of the family. Her husband is ill, so they have travelled to get him some medical treatment. My mom and I offered to work in the store while she was gone. She has an art store, so it should be interesting.

Sunday I have a paper proposal to finish (thankfully it is almost done) and some reading to do for Finance. Billy needs a haircut, since he goes to his new home a week from today. I have to unpack from my trip to China (yes, the one in May) so that I can pack for my upcoming trip to Toronto. I leave Wednesday morning, so I have lots to do bewteen now and then.

Next weekend I will be with my bestest friend in Toronto. I can't wait! We are going to see the musical "Wicked" which should be . . . well . . . wicked ;) And we will do some shopping, and I even get to spend a day with her class at school (grade 2/3 split). It's going to be wonderful. And being so busy will keep my mind off Billy being gone.

Take care and enjoy your weekend!

Bad Drivers

Okay, I have fought my increasing desire to blog about bad drivers ever since I started this blog 9 months ago. But now the desire has overruled common sense, and you get to read my rant about driving in Fort McMurray.

I know that everybody thinks they're a good driver, but I really AM a good driver. I drive only slightly over the speed limit, I signal when changing lanes or making turns, I stop at red lights and stop signs and I share the road with other drivers. So how is it that in a city of 70,000 people, I am one of the only good drivers? I mean, I work with some pretty intelligent people - surely they drive well. Obviously they're just never on the road when I am.

It drives me absolutely nuts when people don't use their signal lights, especially to indicate a lane change (or to let me know that they're about to cut me off). I mean, last time I checked, I didn't have ESP. So how am I supposed to figure out that the jerk driving slightly ahead of me is going to swerve wildly into my lane? I happen to have it on good authority that signal lights are included in the base price of a vehicle, and they can not be removed. So why don't people use them? It's not even that difficult to do . . . sigh.

And when the person in front of you is in the intersection trying to turn left, it's important for them to clear the intersection when the light turns yellow. However, it is NOT important for you to race through the intersection behind them. What makes you so important that you must beat the light?

And don't get me started on parking . . . that's a whole other rant! I love all these people that park in the lane at Safeway or WalMart, and sit in the car waiting for a spouse or friend or family member. I mean, yeah, they look pretty important. But as far as I know, the parking lot rules apply to everyone, not just us un-important people. Yet I see it all the time.

I guess this is one of those things that will just make me crazy, because if anything, drivers are getting worse, not better. Time to stay home or just take the bus. At least that way I don't get road rage. Goodness knows where that could lead . . .

Surprisingly nice

Yes, today the weather has been surprisingly nice! I took the boys outside to play ball this morning, and it was still on the cool side. They enjoyed playing ball in the less opressive weather, and I enjoyed sitting with the sun shining on my face.

As the day progressed, I did various things around the house, including giving Farley his pre-birthday bath and haircut. Let's just say he was less than thrilled with the activity, but he looks fabulous now. Such a handsome guy! Well, after the bath and haircut (I groom in the basement of the house) I came upstairs to see the sunshine streaming in through the windows and warming up the living room. So I took the boys back outside for another play session, and to try and take some pictures.

As anybody who reads this blog knows, Farley is not overly fond of Billy. In fact, Farley's perfect world doesn't include Billy or anything remotely resembling Billy. But with the promise of some yummy treats (okay, and some veiled threats about not getting dinner without cooperation) I got a decent picture of the two of them together. Farley has no idea that his late birthday present is the permanent absence of Billy. He will be thrilled!

I hope you managed to take advantage of a beautiful Sunday too, regardless of where you live. And even if the weather wasn't great, I hope your day was!

Techno-Geek

Yes, I'll admit it. I am addicted to technology. Anything new and advanced is something I must own. My mother (typically the voice of reason in our family) can usually convince me to wait until something has been on the market a while before investing, but sometimes she can't reign me in. I decided to make a list of my techno-goodies that I have right now.

1. My laptop - trust companion. It is an HP Pavilion notebook that I bought a couple of months ago, and I love it. It has wireless capabilities, bluetooth ability and a most wonderful DVD reader/writer (which does CDs too).

2. My cell phone, which can play MP3s, can take pictures with a small flash and can also capture video.

3. My two MP3 players. One was a gift from my mom, and one was an appreciatien gift from a co-worker. The new one is an iPod Nano, and I am having lots of fun with it.

4. My portable DVD player. Normally I just use it when I travel (like in hotels), but this week I have been taking it on the bus to and from work (it's a 40 minute ride). I've been watching dog shows on it. Yes, I know I'm a geek!

5. My Palm Pilot, which I almost never use, but I just HAD to have.

6. My digital camera, which is used often and much-loved

I'm sure I'm the proud owner of more techno-goodies, but these are the ones that figure prominently in my life. Technology - where would I be without it???

Another transformation

This time it's not me though . . . on Sunday, I finally gave Billy his retirement haircut. Now that I've decided not to show him anymore, I felt it was time for the long hair to go. While it is most certainly beautiful, it is far from practical. Especially for a dog whose idea of a good time is running through the bushes at the back of the yard and collecting stickers in his coat. The first snip of the scissors was tough, I admit. But after that was done, it got easier and easier. Now he looks very cute, like a little teddy bear. And his coat feels so soft, just like chenille. After his haircut, he raced around the yard like a crazy-dog.

I sent the pictures to his new mom, and she liked the trim. I'm pretty pleased with it myself. All it will need is a bit of touch-up before he heads to his new home. And then he is all set for his new life!

The transformation

Well, that which I feared greatly is taking place. I am slowly but surely changing into . . . a girly-girl. Yikes! For many years I have taken great pride in NOT wearing makeup, NOT owning high heeled shoes and NOT doing my hair. Somehow, since buying the dress and some makeup, I am "into" makeup. On Friday night, I bought more! Gasp! I now have several colours, which means I can change up my look (as long as my matching skills are working).

I also find myself eyeing up shoes in stores, and skirts, and pretty tops. Dammit! Dressing nicely takes work, and I have enough to do. But apparently, my inner girl is dying to come out.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to go to, so I must put my face on . . .

Friends

You know, I am so lucky to have the friends I do. I spent the evening with a good friend of mine, and we had a great time! We went to the mall (with no particular aim) and just wandered around, chatting and shopping. And when we got bored of that (it's Fort McMurray, it took less than an hour to browse everything), we went for supper. We weren't in any kind of rush, we just sat and ate and visited. It was a really good time. And it reminded me, yet again, how fortunate I am to have these friends in my life.

I firmly believe that every friend fulfills a purpose of some sort in my life. Some friends are more casual, good for a laugh every now and then, but nothing too serious. Some friends are the listeners; the ones that you can talk to for ages without even realizing how much time has passed. Some friends are just an extension of you: they provide comfort, because they know you almost as well as you know yourself (or better!).

I want to thank my friends for being there, especially over the past couple of months, while my life has been like a roller coaster ride. Each one of you, in your own way, has helped me feel a bit better, stronger, and more prepared to tackle life.

I am woman!

Yes! I have a feeling of pride and accomplishment today! We have been having trouble with the taps in the main bathroom upstairs (main floor of the house). They were very expensive when we bought them 5 years ago, and yet they started leaking a few weeks ago for the second time. This time my mom couldn't fix them. When I was in Edmonton for the wedding, I went to Home Depot to find the little replacement cartridges, but they don't stock them. So my mom phoned several plumbing supply places until she was put in touch with the manufacturer of the taps. Since these are high-end taps, they have a lifetime warranty, and the company sent out 4 cartridges for us.

The cartrudges arrived in the mail today . . . the same day that my mother left for Denver for 2 weeks (for work and vacation). So I had a dilemma: either figure it out myself, or leave everything for my mom to fix when she gets back. I did it myself! I did have to call my mom for some guidance, but I am quite proud to say that we have normally-functioning taps in the bathroom that no longer leak. Way to go, myself!

This just goes to show that a good woman can do anything herself . . . well, except for get pregnant. That definitely takes two.

Eats Shoots and Leaves

Well, it took longer than I had anticipated, but I finally finished the punctuation book. I've been on the road a lot and am often too tired to read, hence the "delay." I have to say that this was a really worthwhile read! Entertaining enough to make me laugh out loud at times, I certainly feel like I learned something from reading this book. I never thought that the history of the comma could actually be interesting, but it is. And the proper grammatical usage of the various punctuation marks was interesting too . . . there were some things that I just didn't know.

So if you're looking for a good book that is educational and funnny, I highly recommend "Eats Shoots and Leaves" by Lynne Truss. Two thumbs up here.

Not meant to be

Well, after driving many hours and spending almost as much time grooming, Billy and I came home empty-handed. He was a bad, bad boy in the ring, and so the judges just couldn't award him the points. Personally, I don't blame them. The other puppy was quite nice, and VERY well behaved. I have to admit to feeling frustrated and disappointed yesterday. This was Billy's last hurrah before he goes to his pet home, and I really wanted him to earn that Champion title. But the drive home (5 loooooong hours) put it into perspective for me.

I'm sure that Billy (in his own quirky way) was telling me that he's just not interested in being a show dog anymore. Yeah, he was happy enough in the ring, but he was pulling all over, desperately trying to get to spectators and dogs outside the ring. He was far more interested in being a social butterfly than being a show dog.

I don't have it in me to send him to another show with a stranger, just to try and get those last 2 points. It's not worth risking his wonderful temperament and loving personality. So, he retires with 8 points.

As his new mom said to me, he was a "bold, brazen article" this weekend (she's Irish). And she thought that was great :) So at least I know she will appreciate his antics, and love him even when he's a bad, bad boy!

I'm finally home for a while . . . no travel for business OR pleasure. I love the thought of my own bed, and hanging out with my man Farley. He's been missing me a lot, so we are going to have some one on one time over the next little while. That will make us both happy!

Tuckered Out

Yup, I'm just plain tired. I travelled to the wedding on the weekend: 5 hours of driving each way. Got home and unpacked, just so that I could pack my bags again to fly to Calgary for work (just over an hour flight each way). And tonight I'm heading out again . . . this time for a dog show. My mom keeps asking me if I really have to finish Billy, or can I stay home and rest this weekend? Well, after investing time and money in earning the first 8 points, it would be a shame to quit before getting the last 2. So off we go . . .

Things are starting to get busy around here again. I don't actually start attending classes until the end of this month, but since one class is an independent study class with a paper due at the end of it, I really should get started on the research (ahhh, the familiar opening call of the procrastinator). I'll have been away two weekends in a row, with two trips through the week as well. And there's no shortage of things to do at work or at home either. I think my friends are starting to forget what I look like!

It's less than a month until Billy goes now, so I have to train some manners into him too, so his new mom doesn't think I'm a complete heathen when it comes to raising dogs. I don't really think she knows what she's getting into, despite my many warnings. She sure is excited - it makes me smile just thinking about what a wonderful pair they will be (until he eats her shoes/underwear/money/whatever). And Farley will enjoy the brief peace and quiet, until a new puppy enters our lives.

I'm almost done my book about punctuation - a book report will follow soon!

What a weekend!

Well I am one tired girl, but I had a great weekend! This was the whole reason for the big shopping expeditions over the past two weeks, and the makeup lessons. The dress, the purse, the makeup, the shoes . . . everything came together this weekend to make things fun and exciting.

I stayed with good friends for the weekend. They are such wonderful people - not only did they welcome me into their home, but they also welcomed Billy (yes, Satan) into their home as well. He considers their house the 24 Hour Off Leash Park, because he plays with their dogs all day long. He even got to try their daughter's trampoline . . . and he seemed to enjoy it! That tail sure never stops wagging.

Friday night was the Mendhi party for the groom. This was a gathering of his friends and family, similar to a bachelor party I guess (I've never been to either one, so I'm going out on a limb here). The women looked amazing - most of them are Indian, and they had such colourful saris and other traditional clothing on. I was just amazed at the beautiful colours. All of the women at the party got to get Henna put on their hands (on the palm). It is considered lucky to have this done during such a celebratory occasion. It should last about 2 weeks, and it looks pretty cool (I will share pictures when I get them downloaded, I promise).

Saturday was a free day for us (not for the wedding party - they were busy), so I spent the day with my friends. We ran errands, went for lunch, and just hung out. Spent time outside with the dogs and had a really good visit. We even went to a movie that night - Little Miss Sunshine. I recommend it as a VERY funny movie. Crude, but very funny.

Yesterday was the ceremony at noon, and the reception at night. The ceremony was held in a Mosque, and it was very interesting. We had to remove our shoes, and we sat on the floor for the ceremony. There was explanation in English, although the ceremony was in another language (not sure which one). The bride and groom wore traditional Indian clothing, and they looked amazing. The reception was a lot of fun . . . the bride and groom wore "western" wedding clothing (a suit and a wedding dress). Lots and lots of dancing took place! The Indian food was very flavourful but also VERY spicy. For a spice wimp like me, it was almost too much. But definitely very tasty.

Three late nights in a row is a lot for me. I'm pretty tired tonight (and really, they weren't late nights by "normal" standards), and looking forward to having a good sleep. But I just had to share how much fun it was!

One Month

Well, it's been a month since I said goodbye to my Quigley. It's been a month of ups and downs, but I find myself feeling okay most of the time. I am lucky to have great friends and family to support me and help me through the tough times. There are little things I miss though. Nobody barks at the door to go outside anymore . . . Quigley was the only one to do that. These guys just go outside whenever I remember to let them out. And I can actually leave things on the counter without worrying that they will go missing. The two remaining dogs can be left in a crate without me wondering how they will escape. There's nobody softly snoring on the back of the couch while I check my email, read a book, or watch TV.

Farley and Billy are truly doing their best to fill the hole in my heart. I am lucky to have these guys to keep me busy. I know this has been tough for Farley - he has been quieter and less active since Quigley left. Billy, however, acts like nothing has changed. He is the Energizer Bunny, that's for sure.

The big news around my place is that I have decided to find Billy a new home. Many people would read this and think that I'm a horrible person. Some people would even venture to tell me that (not in so many words, but . . . ). Yes, Billy is happy with me. Billy is happy with anyone. He loves me, but that doesn't mean he can't love somebody else. Billy is not a good fit with my family - he is so active and energetic, and with me working all day, he doesn't get the exercise and attention that he deserves. He is not neglected, but he needs to be kept busy. He absolutely adores children, and he should be somewhere that he can hang out with them whenever he wants to. Also, I have to think as a breeder too. I no longer have a female to work with as far as breeding goes. The female that I co-owned with friends came down with health iussues and had to be spayed. So that avenue is closed to me. My household has a strictly enforced limit of 2 dogs, and since I don't pay the mortgage, I have to follow that limit. Billy is a lovely dog, and I would hope that he would make some very nice puppies. But without a girl to breed him to, I am stopped in my tracks. Hence the dilemma I have faced in recent weeks.

So I talked to some friends, and as fate would have it, a good friend of mine had a friend looking for a well-bred black and tan male. We started emailing, and voila! Billy has a new mom. He won't be going until early October, so that I can try and finish his championship (just 2 more points!). This way I can spend some quality time with him before he goes.

The new home is Puppy Heaven. There are kids there, and another dog, too. And enough attention for at least 5 dogs, but all given to him (by his new mom). She is over the moon, and although I know it will be sad to let him go, I couldn't be happier with this home. It's exactly what I wanted for him.

People can think of me what they will, but in my heart and head, I know that this is the right thing to do for Billy and I.

Geeks of the world . . . Untie!

Okay, this post is just going to prove how much of a geek I am. But most of the people that read this blog on a regular basis already know that :)

The other day, my mom bought me a present. A new book. Now, I love to read, so any new book gets me excited. But I have been wanting this particular book for quite some time. I had been trying to hold off on buying it, so somebody could get it for me for Christmas. Luckily for me (I have NO patience), I didn't have to wait that long. The book in question? Lynne Truss' "Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach To Punctuation." So far I have only read the foreward and the introduction, but it is a great book! Since I consider myself a budding writer, proper punctuation is important to me. And the fact that it is presented in a humorous and straightforward manner just makes this book even better!

Believe it or not, this book was a #1 New York Times bestseller, so apparently I'm not the only closet punctuation geek out there.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts on this book when I'm done. It appears to be a light read, so I should be able to polish it off in a few days or a week. Watch here for the review!

Fun Times

Well, I have to say, I didn't know being feminine could be so much fun! I've been in a bit of a panic lately, because I have this beautiful dress to wear to my friend's wedding, but I am a total loser when it comes to makeup. I can do the absolute basics (powder application, mascara, lip gloss), but anymore than that is a real challenge for me. I don't want to wear this fabulous dress but look like drek, so I asked a good friend of mine for some help. Like a champ, she came through for me.

We had a blast today! We went to Shopper's Drug Mart and bought the essentials . . . I didn't even know brown eyeshadow came in so many shades! I had fun "learning" some of the basics, especially from somebody who really knows. Then we went to Moxie's for lunch (okay, not a necessary step, but I was starving), and just had fun chatting. We never run out of stuff to talk about, and we always have a great time. Then we came home and "made me up." It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be, and I actually think I looked pretty good.

Then I put the dress on, and we did a photo shoot. Granted, the sun was in my eyes (so I look like I'm making a face in all the pictures), but my shoes looked HOT! I am doubly proud, since not only did I apply my own makeup, but I walked through the house, onto the deck, and down onto the lower level in my new shoes. Without falling, tripping or breaking the heels. Not bad for this self-proclaimed slob.

I don't feel comfortable posting a picture of me in the dress on my blog, so feel free to email me if you'd like to see a picture. Or ask Vicky to share it with you - I did send it to her!

PS I haven't washed the makeup off, cause I am just feeling so glamorous!

MORE Shopping!

Okay, I have to say that my tolerance for clothes shopping is never very good. But today I tried to find a top to match the most insanely coloured skirt EVER. It was so cute when I bought it - bright pink with a sort of paisley print. But I'll be damned if I can find the right top for it. I think my mom and I went into every store in Fort McMurray today (granted, we have very limited shopping) and I tried on many, many tops. I discovered that Reitman's has the most whacked out sizing scheme ever . . . NOTHING fits! I was feeling sort of whale-ish by the end of it all. I did find a top, and I think it will be nice, but today was just exhausting.

So, at an East Indian wedding, apparently you're supposed to wear a different outfit for each part of the wedding. I found this out yesterday . . . but I guess I should be grateful that I found out at all. Friday night is the Mendhi party for the groom (my friend) and his friends and family. Luckily this won't be too formal, so I can wear the top and skirt outfit that got completed today. Then on Sunday, I need two outfits. One for the ceremony, and I'll be wearing my new dress to the reception that evening. This will be more dressing up than I've done ever. Hopefully there will be pictures to prove that I actually can look nice once in a while ;)

So Business Law is done . . . and my MBA is slowly drawing to a close. I actually only have 3 courses left to do now. One is an independent study course in the fall, which results in a 25-30 page paper. One is probably another kind of economics course (I'm not 100% sure) that will be delivered in the standard format (lectures, exams, etc). And then our "Capstone" course in the winter session is a paper, a presentation, and another paper after a trip to Houston. The trip is optional, but they highly recommend it.

It's hard to believe that I'm almost done. I can't wait to have FREE TIME!!!!!!

Really, it's interesting!

So, I re-read my last post, and I realized that nobody would ever believe me that Business Law is interesting. Heck, before the course started I was planning ways to keep my eyes open for 8 hours of law lectures. But I swear on a stack of bibles (which is legal, by the way) that the class is really interesting. The fact that the prof looks like Mister Bean definitely helps . . . and he kind of talks like a Valley girl, what that upward lilt at the end of every sentence. And he has one wicked sense of humour!

I got another very sweet gift in the mail today. I am totally awed by the kindness and generosity of people. My friend from Texas (the one that lives in San Antonio) sent me a beautiful memorial coin, in memory of Quigley. Very thoughtful, and something else to make me cry. But it will be something nice to have, for sure.

I went shopping with my mom after school today (wow, does that sound juvenile or what?). I am attending a wedding over the Labour Day weekend, and I have no nice clothes or shoes to wear. Living in Fort McMurray, the options are HUGELY limited, so I wasn't holding out a lot of hope for finding anything. The first shop we went to had a dress that looked awesome on the hanger, and like a garbage bag on me. I guess being overweight does not make clothes look better. So I was feeling sorry for myself and kind of depressed. But my mom convinced me to plow forward, and so we did. We went to a shoe store. Oh my goodness, apparently when you wear size 9 WIDE shoes, nothing pretty fits your feet. All I could find were big, clunky (comfortable) shoes that would not look nice with a dress. UGH.

At the third store we hit paydirt (well, considering the prices, THEY hit paydirt). I found a beautiful (and unique) brown dress that I am sure nobody else will have. I also found some wonderful new shoes (made in Italy, copper coloured and so sooooft) and a pretty Swarovski crystal necklace. Thank goodness my mom was treating! I will hopefully be wearing the same dress for my grad dinner in the spring . . . so some of you might actually see pictures of me wearing it.

It's nice to have a shopping story that actually turned out well. Doesn't happen often for me!

Business Law . . . Interesting!

Well, I have to admit that when I looked at the course outline, my first thought was "how am I going to stay awake all day talking about law?" But today we had our first two units (a whole day of classes) and it was actually really good! I feel like I learned a lot, and actually enjoyed the lecture too. Thank goodness I hadn't really gotten a head start on that paper - the topics that the prof handed out aren't even CLOSE to the outline I had. So sometimes procrastination pays. And just like with trying to eliminate a bad habit in my dogs, that rarely rewarded bad habit has just been HUGLEY rewarded, so trying to get rid of the bad habit is even tougher.

I have a really bad headache today . . . so I guess it's official that the IV treatment done last week wasn't as effective as we'd hoped it would be. As in, it wasn't effective at all. Sigh. All those pincushion treatments for naught. Oh well . . . I'm going to give it more time before I write it off completely, but it means suffering through headaches for a few days.

Mom and I went for a walk with Billy . . . she's looking at peoples' front yards, trying to get ideas for what to do with ours. I'm simply trying to tire Billy out so I can have a half hour to work on school stuff without having to jump up and take a kids' toy away from him, food wrappers, or something else. He enjoyed the walk, but isn't really that tired. Damn!

Guess I should go get some reading done. With a week long course, procrastination takes place in units of minutes, not days ;)

What a day! Whew!

Holy smokes, when your mother asks for help with a few chores around the house, run like hell! Or at least, if MY mother asks for help, definitely run as fast and as far as you can! The other day she mentioned that she needed some help with stuff around the house, so I agreed to lend a hand. What a huge mistake LOL

Mom rented a U-Haul cube van so we could do a couple of trips to the dump. I was thinking, oh some garbage around the yard or whatever. Yeah right! My brother and I hauled THREE couches (heavy, heavy, heavy) and an armchair, as well as debris around the yard and a rabbit hutch to the dump. Oh yeah, and a lawn mower and an old BBQ. It was a lot of work! My arms are still sore from the IV sites, so I was feeling just wiped right out. Sweating like a pig (I know, I know, I'm such a lady LOL) Anyhow, my brother and I had fun at the dump, tossing stuff all over the place. For some odd reason, we found it really hard to "toss" the couches very far, but we had plenty of fun anyhow.

Then we had to pick up my elliptical machine from my friend's house. This friend has been out of the country since early May, and I bought the machine a couple of weeks prior to that, and I still hadn't picked it up. Yeah, I'm embarassed. Anyhow, we picked it up today, and just MOVING it was a work out! It weighed a freaking ton! It was at least as much work as the three couches. We were both aching after that.

THEN . . . yes, not done yet . . . my brother and mother trimmed umpteen branches off the maple tree out front. I was personally a little disgusted with still being working at like 2:30pm, so I was inside, hiding with my niece. We were watching the most thrilling Disney movie called "Ice Princess." Ick, totally Disney. TOO Disney, in fact. So our last load to the dump was a cube van FULL of branches and leaves. They're not fun to toss either . . . with all the branches and stuff, they don't get any air at all.

So now I'm tired . . . soaked in the hot tub for a while, and am going to bed nice and early. Tomorrow I have a paper to work on, dogs to groom, and stuff to do. Let's see if I get even half of it done ;)