Old colleagues

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

A couple of you visited the old office today because your new condition SUCKS. No supplies, sucky internet connections, having to drive long distances on your time just to be in your work area....

Just one last visit before I close it Fri. to leave for my new office that will be even better than my old one.

I felt sorry for you because you were two of the sorta tolerable ones. You were complaining about your incompetent management. They are. And the guy who is now your boss is much worse than you know. He was mine for a bit. He was the worst manager I have ever had. (I just found out that HIS management won't let him make any important decisions--not that they do much better...) Call it karma because ya'll made the last few months I worked with you all pretty hellish.

I feel pretty smug knowing it is all downhill for you. Knowing how you would feel pretty terrible by how much I revel in your absence is fun, too. I don't even have to be petty or bitchy by telling you. It is enough for me to just KNOW.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Gosh darn Harry Potter

When the Teenager was 10ish I was DEVASTATED by his indifference to reading. He could pretty much leave it. Goosebumps books came along and helped, but I think of them as the kid's equivalent to an adult's cheesey romance novel. Same plot over and over and over. No character development. BUT AT LEAST HE WAS READING. Frequently.

THEN came Harry Potter. He was immersed. He loved it. And the next four, waiting anxiously for each to be released. So came number 6. He said nothing, being a teen ager...but yesterday was his birthday (15), so we had a conversation a few days before that went something like this:

Me "What do you want for your birthday?"
T "Don' know" with shrug
Me "Do you want a party?"
T "No"
Me "Anything fun that you want to do?"
T shrug
Me "Hey, the new Harry Potter book is coming out soon. Are you even interested, or are you too old and cool?"
T-this got a smile "No, I want to read it."
Me "Well, you aren't getting it for your birthday because then I couldn't read it first."
T-a LAUGH!

So I have read it. It sucks starting a series that isn't completely finished. It's against my policy, I usually don't start. My thought here was "It's a kid's book, how much am I REALLY going to be crazed about the next one?"
BUNCHES! I did nothing yesterday until I finished. I did nothing after I finished because I was hormonal, emotional, tired (up 1/2 the night reading) and was tearful. The Hubster laughed and put in Tank Girl--which ALWAYS cheers me up.
So here I am, crazed for the next book--which could be the next century.
I FRIGGIN HATE HARRY POTTER!

Tragedy Averted and Lesson Learned!

Yesterday we had to go out of town for a bit. Instead of keeping Barley in the crate for an ungodly period of time, we left him in the mudroom with a heaping pan of water, some food, and access to the outside (6 ft. fenced-in) yard. We only planned on being gone about 8 hrs. We've done this before, with no problems.
Well, Barley LOVES me. He will do anything to be with me. Since I was not letting him in the house, he decided I needed to be found some other way. He DUG UNDER the fence to get his massive 60 lb (at 4 months) body out and started the search.
Fortunately, our neighbors found him in their yard and figured out that this was not a situation we would probably desire. They tied him up, left him some water, and left us a note. The neighbor on the other side checked up on him regularly.
We returned to the dog in the driveway and the note. As I jumped out of the moving car, I had all the "could-have-happeneds" spurring me on. The sinking feeling in my tummy was reminiscent of the best roller-coaster ride I have ever been on, minus all the fun.
Barley's fine. Owner is not so fine and still shaky. Got up early on Sun. to go buy breakfast bread for the neighbors. Barley helped deliver it.

Puppy love

I love my new puppy. He's the best dog in the world. I’ve noticed that when we visit the doggy park that other dogs aren’t nearly as well trained. I’m certain it is because I know that MY dog may reach 250 lbs and I know that I could not control him otherwise, but it has turned me into an elitist. I may be smiling at you when you say you can’t control your 90 lb lab, but really I’m thinking, “Be a responsible dog owner! All it takes is about 20 min. a day, a clicker, and some good treats!” (And REALLY, if you don’t have 20 min a day for your dog, YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE A DOG!)
My 16 week old puppy knows “come” (even with other doggy distractions—I’m so PROUD!), “sit”, “leave it”, “down”, “off”, “go to your crate”, and “stay”. (Stay is a work in progress.) Most of these he’s had for several weeks. He’s been housebroken since about 10 weeks old. (I DO need to clicker him into going to a distant corner of the yard every time. Those mountains aren’t fun to step in!)
Things are going well. He’s really laid-back, sweet and eager to please. He fits right in to our family. Often the kids fall asleep near or on him. I find that I like having him around so much that I plan only trips where he can come. I’m pretty sold on this breed from this experience and recommend it highly (IF you have time to commit to being a responsible pet owner.) My only gripe is very minimal and fixable (once we have mastered the basics.) HE DROOLS! Giant rivers of drool, especially after he drinks. Currently, we just wipe his face after a drink and the problem is minimized. After he has all the basic commands, I am going to train him to wipe his own face after a drink. God bless the clicker!