LuLu is 8 yrs. old today. Yesterday my grandson Grant was also eight. Grant's parents don't talk to me, so I don't know him. So I'll talk about LuLu instead.
LuLu is my best friend. She came to live with us when she was six months old. I had recently lost my Rottweiler Cinder to cancer, and I felt badly that her brother Roquee (Rocky) would be alone (dog-wise). So, I took him to a friend's house who had pups and let him choose the one he wanted. He chose LuLu.
Rottweilers are very smart. We all say that about our kids, grandkids, dogs, cats, whatever - but she is. After so many years, our pets pick up on our signals even when we don't realize we've given any.
LuLu was spunkier than the two dogs before her. These were my first real dogs as pets. But we got through the puppy stage and LuLu settled in beautifully.
In June of this year, my dad died. Going to his Memorial service was difficult. Difficult that I was saying goodbye to my dad and difficult because LuLu had awakened that morning and could barely walk. I hated to leave her but I had to. I left the after luncheon a little early so I could get home to take LuLu to the vet to see what was wrong. I got her into the car and off to the vet's we went. The vet just looked at her and recommended a neurologist in L.A. I'm not a wealthy person and that was a bit out of my league. That in no way determines the love I have for my dog. I asked the vet if this were his dog, would he put her down. He sort of mumbled and looked at me as though treatment were not an option for her. I had already had a highly emotional day, and I felt that if I stood there one more second I was going to do that heavy sobbing thing that feels like you've been kicked in the chest and will never be able to stop. So I got out of there and brought LuLu home.
From what they did to her at the vet's, she could walk even less by the time we got home. I put a towel under her tummy and would pull her up and guide her outside so she could do her business. I made sure her bed was really comfortable and brought her - her food and water. If I had thought LuLu was suffering, I would have made other decisions, but the front of her was okay. She was happy, she'd lay on her bed and would play with her toys and roll back and forth. So, I thought we'd just hang in there and see what the next day would bring.
Each day it seemed that LuLu would try one more thing. And each time she did added something to her routine, I was surprised and pleased. You get used to your pets doing their regular things. All of a sudden for them to stop and have to a new way of living - it's tough. I have tile floors so I bought a bunch of runners and put them to make paths for her. It seemed to help that she had that stability rather than slipping on the floor. She's always slept with me, so I didn't want to leave her alone in the family room while I headed into the bedroom - so I bought one of those inflatable beds and slept beside her each night. I put it next to her bed and could pet her as we both dozed off to sleep. A non-dog person would read that and figure I was over the top - a dog love would immediately understand and would do the same thing.
LuLu is now about 85% back to normal. She had gotten up to 99% but she's slipping a little. She got too spunky and while bouncing around the room she slipped. She's back to just laying down all day and getting up only when she has to. And while petting her last night, I found a huge tumor on her chest. It's higher than when I rub her tummy and more fleshy than hard. I'll take her for a check up this week - to a new vet I've discovered - after Baby the Bullmastiff ate the junk out of the fly trap that the wind blew off the hook. She spent last weekend at a sleep over at the vets. The fly trap wasn't poisonous - the flies weren't a good thing to eat.
So, today we celebrate that LuLu is eight years old today. We celebrate her determination that allowed her to be here to celebrate. And we'll be thankful for each new day that has LuLu in it.
..Earth Day 2007 is April 22, 2007. I think it's special to have a special day for it, but also think that every day should be earth day. I've been watching the Discovery channel's "Planet Earth". It consists of eleven segments dedicated to our planet Earth. I have to admit, I'm more of a "Desperate Housewives" tv viewer than the Discovery channel. But I'm fascinated with this entire series and it made me want to learn more and more our planet (finally)... I've even sent emails to friends telling them to watch. The first run is on Sunday nights. I watch in HD - and it's so beautiful. You can get more information and the schedule at http://discovery.com. And, you can get a glimpse of what's been shown in a photo album. You can also buy all eleven segments on dvd. That information is also at the Discovery site. I sound like a Discovery channel salesperson. No. Just bowled over at the whole series. This Sunday, the 22nd (Earth Day), is the segment on "Caves". Really a good one. Also at the end of each segment, they show how they filmed some of the incredible things shown - animals, mountains, things that have never been filmed before. I did get inspired and thus the two new designs that I have in my cafepress shop bySandra. Items available on tees, totes, hats, calendars, tiles, LOTS of stuff.
Recently I picked up a great little book for my grandsons. I's called "101 Place You Gotta See Before You're 12!" by Joanne O'Sullivan. It's 144 pages and comes with stickers for the kids to use with the book. The stickers come with sayings such as - Wish List - - No Way! - Top 20 - Absolute Favorite, Loved it! - Yawn Fest! - This Rocks - Awesome Adventure! - Been There! and Way Strange. I looked through the book and found myself saying "I've done that", "I've been there", "I'd love to go there", etc.
I started making notes of places I'd been and things I'd done.And then I had a wonderful time going on the internet finding the web sites of these places. It was a wonderful, fulfilling afternoon. I saw photos of familiar sights, and it was very much like going down memory lane.I'm sharing my links, which I'm sure I'll be adding to often.I thought it'd be a wonderful way for the children to follow up after they'd been to visit some of the places where they go. They can take pictures and include them with their souvenirs and their thoughts. It'd be great for them to do a scrapbook or even a web site or a document that they keep for the rest of their lives.
When my middle son was seven, I decided we needed an adventure. My grandmother lived in Florida and had just been diagnosed with cancer. I didn't like flying so I decided to take my son and drive there from California. I made sure that we stopped at all the fun things there are to stop and look at since my dad had always just driven by the largest ball of string or a huge dinosaur.We visited with my aunt and grandmother for a few days and then decided we didn't want to go back the way we came.
We went to AAA for new maps and headed off to Washington D.C. - then on to Milwaukee, Las Vegas and then home. Recently I asked my now grown son something about his memories from the trip, and he said he didn't remember any of it. I thought that was sad and even though we'd collected brochures, souvenirs and maps on the way home - we didn't discuss it enough over the years so he could keep those memories close.
This book lists lots for kids to do that aren't really far from home. Little trips around your area will be a wonderful learning experience for your child. And check my list to see if you and I have been to the same places! Make your own list and when you go to find the link for different places, it'll be like revisiting a special place.These are some of the places I've visited. I'm sure I've missed some, but the internet is truly a wonderful way to revisit some of the places where you've been. Have you been to some of the same ones that I have? Where have you been that you think I may want to go?
I wrote a blog the other day about illegal aliens. How they expect to have things changed for them - to live the way they want with total disregard of everyone else - and those who don't want to accept the laws of the land. They want things adapted to them. And then Paris Hilton is released from jail after serving just a few days because it's feared she may have a nervous breakdown if she's made to stay in prison. WTF? I'm upset about the illegal alien problem and I totally ticked off at the Paris Hilton problem.
She became famous for showing up at parties and giving the cameras her Paris pose. That's it. The name Hilton helped. She's more famous because millions of people have seen her having sex because she wasn't careful about who she made out with and even let them tape her. Paris Hilton drove while under the influence. There is nothing as selfish and thoughtless. She should be thanking God every minute that she got a jail sentence and that she didn't kill other people. But, the jail time was that she still thought it was all fun and cute so she drove around while on probation and while her license was suspended. When she went to court to find out her fate on whether she'd go to jail or not, she was ten minutes late for her court time.
I would bet that every parent who has a child sitting in jail right now - those who did much less than Paris did are furious. I'm furious. What a message they're sending out. I even heard the excuse the other day that "she's young". No, fourteen is young. She is old enough to know better.
Since her parents feel so badly for her and avoided ever having to let her know about real life - perhaps they should take her jail time. I don't know what the answer is except - let her do her time. Sorry about only one blanket Paris. Does she think she's less of a criminal than those serving in jail right now?
Fish Oil Thank goodness I can amuse myself so easily. A friend of mine did a video of her cat and put it in her blog. I wished that I could do the same with my pups, but had no idea how. This was a big d'oh, because my digital camera does have the video feature. I tried it once, the movie was blurry - I never tried again . . . till this morning. So I'm now a "YouTuber". Let's hear a clap, clap please. So please share with me a couple of clips of my Baby the Bullmastiff!
Neighbors - not my favorite people.
Current mood: busy
Category: Blogging
Yeah - you're probably thinking I'm a little harsh because I call the neighbors 'stupid'. They're stupid because they're having a party and didn't invite me. I wouldn't have gone - but someone over there is cooking something that smells sooooo good. Well, they wouldn't have to invite me. They could just send someone over with a lovely plate of food. But did they? No. So what's happening now? Now I when the loud music starts - I'll be too hungry and too grumpy and I won't be in the mood for loud music and I'll have to call the police. No - I don't really do that but I'm tempted tonight.
We're not friends. They do their thing - I do mine. For a while the kids didn't like me. They called me the b***h. I tried to figure out why I would be thought of that way. Ummm, could it be that they released their five pet rabbits into my shrubbery because they didn't want them anymore? And five rabbits leads to 20 million rabbits. So why wouldn't I appreciate that? When I found drug paraphernalia that the teens had left in my yard ... should I have not been a little bit grumpy? The graffiti on the mailbox that one of the kids did - why did that make me mad? We cured that when I told him not to worry about it because I had a cam set up to watch the mailboxes for a while. Why did I get grumpy when the little kids threw a zillion rocks onto my driveway and on my lawn? I tried not to be grumpy when their music was so loud that my walls were vibrating. And their dog barking all night long every night - why would that make me grumpy?
Now when the kids are doing something like - beating up my trash bin and jumping on it, I ask them if they think doing something like that would make me a bit grumpy. They're sort of actually understanding a little. I wish they wanted to make me happy and would bring food.
This began as ten things that make me grumpy, but I kept adding to it. I thougt if I wrote them down, it'd make me feel better.
When I forget to put the coffee into the coffeemaker. This is my fault, totally. I make my coffee before I go to bed so I can just turn it on in the morning. Then I let my dogs out and the coffee is ready by the time they're all done with tinkle-time. Unless … I've forgotten to put the coffee into the filter. It doesn't happen often, but it's truly irritating and there is only one person I can be irritated with myself. I really prefer being irritated with someone else. :o)
People who honk their car horn early in the morning. Have a little consideration for your neighbors. I get up early so they're not going to wake me up but it's such a lack of consideration for others. Nowadays everyone has a cell phone so call the person you're going to pick up and let them know you're in front of their house. Or, get your lazy ass out of the car and go up and knock on the door.
And, for those who are expecting someone to pick them up, be ready on-time so you can run out the door and there's no honking needed.
People who do yard work with noisy equipment too early in the morning. I do understand that it gets very hot later in the mornings and in the afternoons. But, you can mow and edge your lawn later than 6 a.m.
Again, I'm up early, they don't wake me up but I do groan thinking about how thoughtless and inconsiderate they are.
Litterbugs. Is that expression still used? The other day I was driving along a beautiful stretch of desert road. Messing up the view and the beauty was someone's old sofa and love seat tossed out on the shoulder of the road.
What are they thinking?
It's required that everyone in my area have trash service. There isn't a way to cheat it. You can call them a day or so ahead of your regularly scheduled trash day to request a pick-up on your trash day. I wish there were a way to find these people and make them have to live with the trash they've thrown out forever. Harsh - yes. Impossible - yes.
People who drive too fast. Why does everyone have to drive 90 mph? It seems that way.
What's really pathetic is that these are the same people who scream that they have to pay too much for gas. Yes, gas prices are high - but take your lead foot off the gas and you'll save a bundle. Plus you'll be safer and so will others.
People who ride on the tail of the car in front of them. This probably doesn't make a Hummer or huge SUV driver grumpy. But it surely does when you drive a very small car. Seeing your bumper practically over my back window - does have a tendency to really rile me. Back off. Again … does the word "considerate" mean anything?
T.V. shows that have someone's "statement" written into the script. I watch TV. programs primarily for entertainment purposes.
If I want to know the news of the day or listen to "experts" discuss the world, then I turn on a news program. I do NOT want to watch a show like Boston Legal only to have someone's ideas and views thrown in as a speech given by one of the show's lawyers. James Spader has had several scripts that have done this. One program had him telling everyone in a jury summation that if the word "mart" is in a place where you shop, then you need to stop going there. Huh?
Kids screaming in stores and restaurants. Just walk outside with them until they've calmed down. That's a pretty easy solution.
Buying food that isn't good. Yes, this is my responsibility also. But it surely annoys me when I'm ready to prepare a meal and realize I've purchased something that has an expired date on it. With some items, it doesn't really matter, but with meat, milk - dairy products - it does. I think the markets should try a little harder to be sure they're not stocking the shelves with bad foods. I was going to fix something the other night and discovered that the potatoes I bought were rotten inside, the cheese was turning green and the onions and pineapple were also rotten. This all happened in one day. I had been in a hurry going through the market.
I decided to take the foods back - and was told Ineeded a receipt. I hadn't bothered saving receipts from the market before.
I did come to the conclusion that too many items being bad from one shopping trip was an inconvenience and also a way of telling me that I needed to change markets.
Playing music too loud and car stereos That word "inconsiderate" pops up again on this one. If your music is making my walls vibrate and it's almost hurting my chest with the 'thumping', then I'd say it's too loud. I live in a single, unattached dwelling - no connecting walls, and I don't hear anything but the bass.
One example - the neighbors are getting ready to take their boat out for the day - and have wrongly assumed that everyone else in the neighborhood has gotten up at 5am on a Sunday morning.
These people with humongous speaker systems in their cars must have an idea that perhaps they're annoying all around them with their loud music? It's as irritating at a traffic signal as it is when they're stopped in front of a residence. Can they hear emergency vehicle sirens over the loud music? I'm curious. And will this mean that many in this generation will be deaf later in life?
Anyone who lives in the United States but doesn't try to learn English I've lived in the U.S. most of my life. I speak English. I was always under the impression that English was the primary language here. I think that if someone wants to stay in the U.S., they learn English. If they think it's a real struggle to learn the language, I go through a similar struggle trying to communicate with someone who can't speak English. Why should I be the responsible one?
I really admire those who do try to learn to speak English. I was in the bank the other day and noticed that two guys behind me were speaking Spanish, the guy in front of me was speaking Spanish, the teller and a customer were speaking Spanish, and a little boy was speaking to his mother --- in Spanish. Here I was in a foreign land without leaving the country. I was 3 miles from home, and I couldn't understand one person around me. Scary.
Pant crotches down below the knees I know it's the style, but I like my men to walk like a man, not a penguin. I think this is a young person thing. I know when I was a teenager with ratted hair that took a can of hair spray to give it that "cotton candy" look, darkly-lined eyes and white lipstick, my parents and their friends would criticize me and tell me how ridiculous I looked. I knew I looked just like everyone else I knew so they were the ones with the problem, not I. At least I could walk without it looking like my pants were full of something.
Relax your tongue . . .
Current mood: uncomfortable
Category: Life
I had to go to the dentist today. I hate going to the dentist. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone on that one. I truly admire people who go on a regular basis. I have a tendency to go only when I'm in pain and then – and only then – getting everything I need at that time.
Today's visit was no different. Toothache – abscess – misery. Call the dentist. I was having a root canal done. I thought it would be a simple root canal, but it turned out that some of the tooth or whatever had calcified so there was a real struggle going on between dentist and tooth. I wasn't afraid. I was fine. – for about 5 minutes. I think my behavior today was the worst I've ever had. I was the dentist's nightmare.
I actually had tears streaming down my face during the work. I actually cried. The assistant was wiping my eyes – my chin was shaking – and I was making primal animal noises with every push, pull and noise. And, WHAT is with this "relax your tongue"? Who knows how to relax their tongue when half of their face is totally numb? I thought it was relaxed. Guess not. The assistant had to plop a tool on it to keep it out of the way. Later I asked if there were any exercises I could take that would help me understand what a relaxed tongue was. I even asked if they knew anything about tongue yoga? Evidently tongues are not a subject for amusement for a dentist who has to push them out of the way all day – everyday.
You know you must have been a real problem patient when your dentist comes back into the room when it's all over and asks you if you hate him. Me, who hates to ever make anyone unhappy said, "no, of course not". I may have been lying. I have to go again next week to have the job finished. I won't be seeing that dentist again. He's turned me over to someone else he calls "the specialist". Doesn't sound good to me.
I'm back to "Dancing with the Stars" again. I didn't watch it the first season. Didn't understand what the fuss was about. Did skip the first half of the second season – but really got into the second half.
I started watching the third season from the beginning and was totally hooked. I have a former high school friend in Colorado who also watches. It's good to have someone to share all of this with. I don't know her husband that well but when Sandy wasn't home one day when I called to discuss results of the night before – Dave and I discussed them. I now also consider Dave to be a friend.
I never thought I'd sit and watch TV. with my phone next to me. There was no way my vote wasn't going to be counted. HDTV and my DV R really add the joy.
It seemed a little strange last night with all new faces. The total commitment isn't there yet. The dancers are mostly unpolished still. I missed Emmitt and Joey last night.
Some of the eleven, I had never really heard of. Some who I thought would wow me – didn't so my favorites of the evening were basically a surprise.
Love this new Joey Fatone. Kym had a good season last year, but is in an entirely different competition this year. Laila is so charming, and I like the Maksim she's with. It's amazing how different people bring out different qualities in each other. He knows the importance of the "bond" that's needed to impress the viewers to get their vote. This is going to be a fun couple to watch.
Karina shined last season with Mario. This isn't a good season for her. Billy Ray surely won't cut that shaggy, dirty-looking hair for this competition. He didn't seem to care if he did a good job or not. He seemed to have sabotaged himself. And, the plug for his cd – not cool. Karina surely didn't like the low scores.
Paulina is charming and her being so graceful and beautiful won't hurt. She's really special. Since I didn't watch first season, I know nothing about Alec.
Bless John Ratzemberger. He definitely isn't Cliff. Edyta is so impressive and radiates on camera. I hope they stay on a while. They certainly weren't the worst.
Heather surprised me more than anyone. I was prepared to not like her, but I think she did quite well. No sympathy for her – she's slept with Paul. I used to love him when I was 18 – and when he was the cute Beatle.
Apolo – what a cute guy! He and Julianne are a great match. I had seen a little of him during the Olympics, but didn't realize how cute is he..
Clyde didn't' impress me. I'll have to see more of him. I judge on personality as well as dance ability.
Ian, sexy with a cute smile. He's got pressure this year. I hadn't thought of it but if you're with the two time champ, then you want to do really good. Cheryl really knows what she's doing though and will work with him. He has what it takes – drive.
Shandi and Brian. I wasn't impressed at all with either.
I used to think Leeza was the perfect woman – a true woman's woman. I wasn't crazy about her last night. I thought she was going to be one of my favorites, but that didn't happen. I know Tony is an excellent dancer – but he's never impressed me.
I did notice that most were a bit awkward and seemed afraid to touch their partner. That will change as they get to know each other. It's amazing how the celebs get better and better each week. And, I'm so envious of the weight they lose during the season.
Finally, Tom Bergeron is one of the funniest guys. Love his 'boy next door' appeal and his fantastic sense of humor. He's the best for MC.
I did phone my friend Sandy to chat about the first night of DWTS's. She wasn't home – Dave answered. He didn't seem to want to discuss it. It was okay when Emmit was on - more of a "man" thing!
pensive
busy
uncomfortable
tired