First of all, Happy Halloween! I'm really not into it this year and I still don't really have plans for the evening. I think we'll just play it by ear and see what comes up. I will admit, Halloween really snuck up on me this year. Suddenly, I realized last weekend that we had trick-or-treaters coming over and scrambled to get some candy. It was a huge letdown. Worse than last year, which I didn't really even think possible. But, seriously what is WRONG with kids these days? Jeans and a t-shirt is not a costume and you really should be awarded no candy for that laziness. Anyway.
A lot happened to our little family yesterday. It really was quite the day. I'm going to spread the news out over a few posts, just because I feel that's the best way to do it and it's my blog, so I get to do what I want. I'll focus on the Debbie Downer news in this post.
Indy has had some goop in her left eye and it's really been bothering her. She normally has runny eyes (if she truly is Boxer-something, this is fitting), but this was worse. It was green and just nasty. Yesterday, she couldn't even open her eye and she just looked miserable. We were able to get her in at our vet, which is another reason our vet rocks.
Once there, Indy was so squirmy and so uncooperative that it made it very difficult for the doctor to get a good look. Indy just wasn't having any of the poking and prodding and eye drops. We all tried holding her and we just couldn't really get a good look.
However, the doctor was able to look at her eyes with a light and noticed that Indy's right eye was not reacting to the light at all. The left pupil dilated as it should under the light. The right pupil didn't change at all. After a few more tests, it turns out that Indy cannot see out of her right eye. Now, we are unsure of whether or not she's always been blind in that eye. Though, there have been times when we've wondered and even joked that "maybe she's blind in one eye" because she has a tendency to run into things. We are officially the worst puppy parents ever. Our baby is blind and we had no idea.
We do know that she suffered some kind of trauma to her head before we got her. She has a large scar on her nose and the right side of her face is smaller than the left. Whether or not that is the reason behind her inability to see, we don't know.
We got some antibiotic ointment for her left eye and a referral to an ophthalmologist for dogs. While we are well aware that there is likely little that can be done to restore her sight, we feel that this could provide us with some answers as to why she can't see out of that eye. We also hope that they will be able to better look at her infected eye to give us a better idea of what is going on there. Now that we know she only has one eye, it's even more important to us that it gets better (not that it wasn't important before, but, well, you know).
I've been doing some reading online and I feel a little better knowing that animals do surprisingly well with things like this and, many times, it hardly phases them and you may never even know that they are impaired. Which, really does describe Indy. Aside from the occasionally running into things, we never would have had reason to guess that she couldn't see out of that eye.
Our appointment with the specialist is Tuesday afternoon. I certainly hope that it's more productive than our appointment yesterday. She was so stressed out yesterday that it seriously exhausted her. Poor baby! But, we're thinking of getting her a sweet eye patch and making her a pirate for Halloween. Thoughts?
Showing posts with label My Puppy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label My Puppy. Show all posts
Friday, October 31, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
How I've Been Spending My Time
This, my friends is my sweet new mountain bike*. Matt got a bike too, but his isn't a women's bike like mine. I always had a mountain bike growing up, but it was nothing like this bad boy. I have front suspension and disc brakes an it's pretty! I love it.We've been logging the miles just about every day and are averaging around 9 miles every time we go out. So far, my favorite ride is the ride around Oconomowoc Lake that we've been doing on the weekends. It's scenic, just the right mixture of ups and downs and fairly quick. During the week, we zip around the Oak Leaf Trail. Soon enough we will be ready to ride out and tackle Lapham Peak.
It's fun. We've yet to actually gone mountain biking, but I suspect that we'll be going soon. I'm excited to try out the Alpha Trail as well as some of the trails out in the Kettle Moraine. Equally as exciting is the prospect of taking our bikes out to Colorado and really getting to use them. But, for now, we're enjoying riding around here.
As for Indy, we tried taking her with us. She loved running alongside us, but she tires out easily. Which, is precisely why we're planning to buy this:
It's called the Tail Wagon. There is also a Rover and they are both made specifically for pets**. Go ahead and laugh all you want, as we've come to terms with it.It has been a while (about ten years) since I've seriously ridden a bike. I forgot how fun it was. The past few weeks on a bike have taught me a few things: Bike shorts (however unflattering they may be) really do help. But, that doesn't mean that my butt doesn't still hurt. I'm fairly certain I'm permanently bruised. Eye protection is crucial (learned after going without and having my husband dig two bugs out of my eye on two separate occasions). While breathing heavily uphill, swallowing a bug could cause it to get stuck in your sinus cavity, which leads to severe discomfort. My helmet has caused me to break out like a 15 year old. And, I've lost five pounds without trying. Success!
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*I have to give a shout out to Vince over at Ben's Cycle and Fitness. He gave me an incredible deal on this bike. If it hadn't been for him, I would have been riding the bike two steps down from this one, as I wasn't looking to spend a ton of money on it. Thanks Vince!
**We're actually looking on craigslist for any sort of trailer. It need not be pet-specific. The plus side of getting one for a child is that someday we can put it to a different use.
Monday, August 11, 2008
A Conversation with the Mister
At the park, playing fetch with Indy.
Me: It smells like licorice.
Mr: Yeah, I smell it.
Me: You do? Seriously? You smell licorice? So, I'm not crazy?
Mr: Wait, what? What do you smell?
Me: Licorice. Do you smell it?
Mr: Oh, I thought you said popcorn. No, I don't smell licorice. I smell popcorn.
Me: You smell popcorn?
Mr: Yes, Indy's feet smell like popcorn.
Me: Ummmm, what?
Guess we're both crazy.
Me: It smells like licorice.
Mr: Yeah, I smell it.
Me: You do? Seriously? You smell licorice? So, I'm not crazy?
Mr: Wait, what? What do you smell?
Me: Licorice. Do you smell it?
Mr: Oh, I thought you said popcorn. No, I don't smell licorice. I smell popcorn.
Me: You smell popcorn?
Mr: Yes, Indy's feet smell like popcorn.
Me: Ummmm, what?
Guess we're both crazy.
Monday, August 4, 2008
my dog, the escape artist
Friday, we spent the evening with two good friends, Charley and Mandy. We haven't seen much of them this summer, so it was fun catching up with them. We took Indy with us so that she could run around and play with their dog, Bilo. The four of us human-folk had plans for dinner down the street and left the pups at the house. As we left, I noticed that the kitchen windows were open. For a split second, I thought "oh no, what if one of the dogs gets out of the window?" and then immediately though "nah, that won't happen. After all, they'd first have to get up onto the counter and then up to the window and then it's an 8-foot drop down to the ground. There's no way they'll get out the window." Hang on to this bit of info, as we will come back to it later on in the evening.
We enjoyed a yummy dinner full of good food, good conversation and lots of laughs. We began winding down and our waitress brought our bill. At almost that same moment, Matt's phone rang for the umpteenth time that evening (seriously, everyone and their brother decided to call us that night) and he again got the look that says "answer that at the table and you're dead". It was an unrecognized number and for some reason, he picked up. He quickly jumped up and said "we have to go. We have to go RIGHT NOW. INDY JUMPED OUT THE WINDOW!!!" Whoa. Hold up. Seriously? Turns out, this was our friends' next-door neighbor calling to say that he heard a dog barking, went outside and found Indy.
I won't lie. I freaked out. We raced back to their house and got Indy. She was so happy to see us! Poor Bilo was freaking out too--he was still safe in the kitchen, but I suppose I'd be a little freaked out too if my friend had just jumped out the window. We surveyed the scene and she had jumped up into their kitchen sink, up to the window and out of it with a drop of about eight feet. So, remember my gut worrying about the open windows? I should have listened to it. Of course, I never ever thought that my tiny little puppy was capable of jumping up onto the counter, but now I realize that there's not much she can't do. We think that she may have heard our voices through the window as we were leaving and was trying to get to us and then when she didn't see us, started barking to get back in the house.
We both said later how lucky we were with the outcome. I definitely would have lost it if we had come back and she wasn't there. She could have gotten hit by a car, been stolen, wandered away and been lost... I'm so glad that she stayed close to the house and that someone found her and was nice enough to call. We are lucky that there was nothing she could have cut herself with or gotten hurt with when she jumped into the sink and that she didn't break her leg or land on something when she jumped out the window.
Luckily, it all turned out fine, but she definitely had me worried! And, now I will absolutely think twice before leaving her and just assuming that she will be fine and will stay put.
We enjoyed a yummy dinner full of good food, good conversation and lots of laughs. We began winding down and our waitress brought our bill. At almost that same moment, Matt's phone rang for the umpteenth time that evening (seriously, everyone and their brother decided to call us that night) and he again got the look that says "answer that at the table and you're dead". It was an unrecognized number and for some reason, he picked up. He quickly jumped up and said "we have to go. We have to go RIGHT NOW. INDY JUMPED OUT THE WINDOW!!!" Whoa. Hold up. Seriously? Turns out, this was our friends' next-door neighbor calling to say that he heard a dog barking, went outside and found Indy.
I won't lie. I freaked out. We raced back to their house and got Indy. She was so happy to see us! Poor Bilo was freaking out too--he was still safe in the kitchen, but I suppose I'd be a little freaked out too if my friend had just jumped out the window. We surveyed the scene and she had jumped up into their kitchen sink, up to the window and out of it with a drop of about eight feet. So, remember my gut worrying about the open windows? I should have listened to it. Of course, I never ever thought that my tiny little puppy was capable of jumping up onto the counter, but now I realize that there's not much she can't do. We think that she may have heard our voices through the window as we were leaving and was trying to get to us and then when she didn't see us, started barking to get back in the house.
We both said later how lucky we were with the outcome. I definitely would have lost it if we had come back and she wasn't there. She could have gotten hit by a car, been stolen, wandered away and been lost... I'm so glad that she stayed close to the house and that someone found her and was nice enough to call. We are lucky that there was nothing she could have cut herself with or gotten hurt with when she jumped into the sink and that she didn't break her leg or land on something when she jumped out the window.
Luckily, it all turned out fine, but she definitely had me worried! And, now I will absolutely think twice before leaving her and just assuming that she will be fine and will stay put.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Jamaican Jerk Off
Last weekend, we relived our trip to Jamaica by having a Jamaican Jerk Off (Jerk cook off) with our family and friends. Matt and Sarah's boyfriend Dan both made their own jerk sauce and seasoning to smother on some chicken and pork. We also had pina coladas, red stripe, red beans and rice, corn, pineapple and Dan amazed everyone with some absolutely TO DIE FOR Bananas Foster for dessert. With reggae music in the background, it was basically just like being back in Jamaica again (ignoring the fact that we were all in sweatshirts, of course). Everyone won--the food was all delicious and it was all around an excellent time.
Our friends Jayme and Meaghan came down from Minneapolis for the weekend for the event. They brought their new puggle, Roxy, and Indy absolutely loved playing with her. And, yes, we hang out in the driveway our relatives' house. Got a problem with it?
Our friends Jayme and Meaghan came down from Minneapolis for the weekend for the event. They brought their new puggle, Roxy, and Indy absolutely loved playing with her. And, yes, we hang out in the driveway our relatives' house. Got a problem with it?
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Vacation Part 1: Larry and Renee's Wedding Weekend in Kansas City
We started out our vacation by driving from Milwaukee to Kansas City on a Friday afternoon. The drive was fairly uneventful until we got to about Des Moines. From there on out, it sucked as we were caught in a typhoon sweeping across Missouri. But, we made it. I should also clarify: I know I kept saying that we were going to Kansas City, KS all of this time. We were actually staying in Overland Park, KS. The wedding ceremony was in Missouri and the reception was in Kansas. It's all so close together and we crossed the state line so many times that I confused myself more than once.
Saturday, we were feeling a little bad for Indy after making her ride in the car for 8+ hours the day before. So, we wanted to do something fun for her. Matt found a nearby dog park, so we loaded her up, programmed Lola to lead the way and headed over there. She LOVED it. She loves other dogs and being able to run around off leash, so this was perfect for her. We stayed for a few hours to tire her out.
Matt had already announced that he was on a "BBQ quest" this weekend. And, really, how can you come to Kansas City and not have barbecue, right? So, for lunch, we went to Oklahoma Joe's, which, according to Matt's research, was supposed to be the best. As you may well know, I am not a meat eater. However, I dare say, it was pretty good.
After lunch, we picked up our friend Brian. Matt really wanted to see the downtown area of Kansas City, so we headed that way. We parked and walked around a little bit. Aside from some really cool buildings, there really wasn't much going on, which was kind of a disappointment. We learned later that the Plaza area was the better place to go to stroll around.
We went back to the hotel to get spruced up for the pre-nuptial dinner that evening. It was at a hotel at the Plaza and we had...BBQ! This time it was from Jack Stack and there was plenty of variety. I just stuck with a little bit of chicken and some of the best corn ever (think mac and cheese, but with corn instead of mac). Larry's mom and sister also made tons and tons of baked goods for the event and all were delicious! I ate far too much. It was a very fun evening, complete with slideshows, songs and plenty of embarrassing stories about the groom. We migrated over to a nearby bar for a few drinks, but Matt and I were so tired that we ended up leaving early to get to bed.
Sunday, we offered to drive the groom, best man and a groomsman to the Synagogue. Aside from Matt trying to run two red lights in a row, we made it! Then we took Indy to the dog park again. She, again, loved it. We had a great time gawking at all of the other dogs. And the highlight of the day was watching a large Golden lift its leg on a woman...who didn't even notice! We died laughing at her. (And, no, we did not tell her. Yes, we're jerks like that. But, really, what were we supposed to do? By the time we noticed it, the damage was done.) Yikes!
We planned to spend the afternoon strolling around the Plaza, but didn't quite make it. We met up with our friend Brian for a drink outside and then Matt continued on his BBQ quest. This time, we went to Arthur Bryant's. When we got there, there was a line out the door and down the street just to get to the counter to order. On the walls were pictures of many, many famous faces who had graced the establishment with their presence. By this point, I was BBQ-ed out, so I mainly stuck to fries. But, the sauce was good.
After lunch, we went back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding. We picked up Brian and a groomsman's girlfriend, Noelle, and drove to the Synagogue. The entire ceremony was just beautiful. Both Larry and Renee had the biggest smiles on their faces. They looked like they could not have been happier. Again, everything was beautiful. The bride, the chuppah, the soloist, all of it.
The reception was at the Marriott and was a blast. We were seated with our other friends from Milwaukee, conveniently next to the bar. The appetizers and dinner (especially the salad!) were delicious! As was the strawberry cake! We ate, we drank, we laughed, we danced. They had a live band, which I LOVE (and still feel a little bit of regret over not having a band at our wedding). They were great. Matt helped to raise Larry's chair during the Horah. We just had an all around fabulous time celebrating.
We really had a fabulous time in Kansas City. It is a fun place and I wish we'd had more time to do and see more things.
It was so great to see our friends so happy and in love. I can't wait to see them after they come back from their honeymoon in Jamaica and get settled. I know that they will have a wonderful life together.
Saturday, we were feeling a little bad for Indy after making her ride in the car for 8+ hours the day before. So, we wanted to do something fun for her. Matt found a nearby dog park, so we loaded her up, programmed Lola to lead the way and headed over there. She LOVED it. She loves other dogs and being able to run around off leash, so this was perfect for her. We stayed for a few hours to tire her out.
Matt had already announced that he was on a "BBQ quest" this weekend. And, really, how can you come to Kansas City and not have barbecue, right? So, for lunch, we went to Oklahoma Joe's, which, according to Matt's research, was supposed to be the best. As you may well know, I am not a meat eater. However, I dare say, it was pretty good.
After lunch, we picked up our friend Brian. Matt really wanted to see the downtown area of Kansas City, so we headed that way. We parked and walked around a little bit. Aside from some really cool buildings, there really wasn't much going on, which was kind of a disappointment. We learned later that the Plaza area was the better place to go to stroll around.
We went back to the hotel to get spruced up for the pre-nuptial dinner that evening. It was at a hotel at the Plaza and we had...BBQ! This time it was from Jack Stack and there was plenty of variety. I just stuck with a little bit of chicken and some of the best corn ever (think mac and cheese, but with corn instead of mac). Larry's mom and sister also made tons and tons of baked goods for the event and all were delicious! I ate far too much. It was a very fun evening, complete with slideshows, songs and plenty of embarrassing stories about the groom. We migrated over to a nearby bar for a few drinks, but Matt and I were so tired that we ended up leaving early to get to bed.
Sunday, we offered to drive the groom, best man and a groomsman to the Synagogue. Aside from Matt trying to run two red lights in a row, we made it! Then we took Indy to the dog park again. She, again, loved it. We had a great time gawking at all of the other dogs. And the highlight of the day was watching a large Golden lift its leg on a woman...who didn't even notice! We died laughing at her. (And, no, we did not tell her. Yes, we're jerks like that. But, really, what were we supposed to do? By the time we noticed it, the damage was done.) Yikes!
We planned to spend the afternoon strolling around the Plaza, but didn't quite make it. We met up with our friend Brian for a drink outside and then Matt continued on his BBQ quest. This time, we went to Arthur Bryant's. When we got there, there was a line out the door and down the street just to get to the counter to order. On the walls were pictures of many, many famous faces who had graced the establishment with their presence. By this point, I was BBQ-ed out, so I mainly stuck to fries. But, the sauce was good.
After lunch, we went back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding. We picked up Brian and a groomsman's girlfriend, Noelle, and drove to the Synagogue. The entire ceremony was just beautiful. Both Larry and Renee had the biggest smiles on their faces. They looked like they could not have been happier. Again, everything was beautiful. The bride, the chuppah, the soloist, all of it.
The reception was at the Marriott and was a blast. We were seated with our other friends from Milwaukee, conveniently next to the bar. The appetizers and dinner (especially the salad!) were delicious! As was the strawberry cake! We ate, we drank, we laughed, we danced. They had a live band, which I LOVE (and still feel a little bit of regret over not having a band at our wedding). They were great. Matt helped to raise Larry's chair during the Horah. We just had an all around fabulous time celebrating.
We really had a fabulous time in Kansas City. It is a fun place and I wish we'd had more time to do and see more things.
It was so great to see our friends so happy and in love. I can't wait to see them after they come back from their honeymoon in Jamaica and get settled. I know that they will have a wonderful life together.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Vacation!
I am sure you're all sick of hearing about my upcoming trip. The good news is that it's finally here! For the next week plus, we'll be driving from Milwaukee to Kansas City (Kansas), seeing whatever there is to see in KC, eating BBQ, hanging out with our friends, attending a wedding for a pretty awesome couple, celebrating our anniversary, driving from KC to Telluride, hanging out with our friends and family, eating and drinking good stuff, celebrating my dad's birthday, celebrating the 4th, playing with our doggy, driving from Telluride back to Milwaukee. In no particular order.
Pictures and a recap of all of our fun when I get back!
Pictures and a recap of all of our fun when I get back!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Vacation?
I love vacations. I LIVE for vacations. However, the few days leading up to a vacation are some of the most difficult, most stressful days ever. There is always a million and three things to get done and all I can really think about is how much fun next week will be, but I have to focus and get those things done. Whew!
The good news is that I'm making headway.
I've figured out the perfect outfit for the wedding we'll be attending this weekend. After searching high and low for the right necklace to accompany said outfit. I thought I would find it, but I didn't. So instead, I went to the craft section at WalMart and bought up some beads to make my own. It's completed and I dare say it looks great. I'm a little worried that it will break and I'll lose millions of tiny beads all down the front of my dress mid-wedding, but I shall manage and carry on.
I've also gone to the library to get books to keep me entertained through Kansas, bought up the entire stock of Pets Supplies "Plus" to keep Indy entertained through Kansas and burned a few CDs to keep Matt entertained. I've worked on a few posts to be published next week*. I have done laundry. I have gotten things pretty much squared away at work. I have made arrangements for the care of my plants. I still need to pack.
Come tomorrow morning, I'll likely look like a chicken with my head cut off getting everything packed up in the car. The good news is that I've made a list of everything we need to bring. Yes, the list of Indy's stuff is longer than Matt's and my lists combined. So what?
Even though the few days leading up to a vacation are tough, they are absolutely worth it. A hundred times over. I love vacations that much.
*And accidentally got a little too eager at publishing one. The situation has been remedied, but y'all using GR already know what's up next week.
The good news is that I'm making headway.
I've figured out the perfect outfit for the wedding we'll be attending this weekend. After searching high and low for the right necklace to accompany said outfit. I thought I would find it, but I didn't. So instead, I went to the craft section at WalMart and bought up some beads to make my own. It's completed and I dare say it looks great. I'm a little worried that it will break and I'll lose millions of tiny beads all down the front of my dress mid-wedding, but I shall manage and carry on.
I've also gone to the library to get books to keep me entertained through Kansas, bought up the entire stock of Pets Supplies "Plus" to keep Indy entertained through Kansas and burned a few CDs to keep Matt entertained. I've worked on a few posts to be published next week*. I have done laundry. I have gotten things pretty much squared away at work. I have made arrangements for the care of my plants. I still need to pack.
Come tomorrow morning, I'll likely look like a chicken with my head cut off getting everything packed up in the car. The good news is that I've made a list of everything we need to bring. Yes, the list of Indy's stuff is longer than Matt's and my lists combined. So what?
Even though the few days leading up to a vacation are tough, they are absolutely worth it. A hundred times over. I love vacations that much.
*And accidentally got a little too eager at publishing one. The situation has been remedied, but y'all using GR already know what's up next week.
More of Indy
I've been a little slow on posting lately, getting ready for my upcoming trip. I had some pictures to share, but have, quite frankly, been too busy or too lazy to do so and now the moment has passed.
We've been spending every weekend out at the lake, enjoying the sun. The water level is so high that the pier was about a foot under water, so that leaves us with little to do out there (we can't take the boats out due to a no wake policy in effect). But, we like to take Indy out there to let her run around with Nellie. And, she LOVES the water. She's a great swimmer (she does have webbed feet, after all) and with the pier being under water, she has mastered jumping off the pier to fetch her toy.
Being the crazy dog lady that I am, I've been taking lots and lots of pictures and videos of her playing in the water. Here is a short video of her swimming. Please ignore the disgusting algae/seaweed/grossness that has grown over the water due to lack of activity.
We've been spending every weekend out at the lake, enjoying the sun. The water level is so high that the pier was about a foot under water, so that leaves us with little to do out there (we can't take the boats out due to a no wake policy in effect). But, we like to take Indy out there to let her run around with Nellie. And, she LOVES the water. She's a great swimmer (she does have webbed feet, after all) and with the pier being under water, she has mastered jumping off the pier to fetch her toy.
Being the crazy dog lady that I am, I've been taking lots and lots of pictures and videos of her playing in the water. Here is a short video of her swimming. Please ignore the disgusting algae/seaweed/grossness that has grown over the water due to lack of activity.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
tugging at my heartstrings
When Matt and I decided we wanted a puppy, we decided adopting from the Humane Society or a shelter was best. Little did I know how much that decision would affect me emotionally. I would browse the website for WHS and petfinder, looking for a dog that might be a good match. We eventually went one step further and actually visited the Humane Society to meet some of the dogs. Now, I don't consider myself to be an overly emotional person, but visiting WHS was HARD for me. Like, really hard. Every time we went, I left in tears. Not so much because we didn't find the right pet, but because I wanted to rescue all of the dogs. I learned that WHS is a no-kill shelter, which made me feel a little better. But having the dogs watch me with their big, sad eyes was heartbreaking. Even more so were the older dogs that had been brought in as a "surrender". Who in their right mind could just decide one day that they don't want their 12-year old dog? These animals had all been through enough. They deserved good, loving homes.
In addition to visiting, I continued to stalk WHS's website. I knew the status of every dog there. Equally as heartbreaking as visiting was seeing dogs come back up for adoption after they had been adopted out. This happened several times and I can think of at least three puppies that came back more than once. Who are these people who are adopting puppies and then not realizing how big of a responsibility it is only to bring them back?*
When I sat down and added up the costs of puppy shots, spaying, microchipping, etc. that are already completed on the animals adopted from WHS, I quickly realized that the adoption fee barely covers everything. And, taking into account the veterinary care that the animals receive prior to being put up for adoption, it's very apparent that donations are crucial in allowing them to continue operating. I make charitable contributions every year to a few organizations that I have taken interest in. After adopting Indy, I decided that I would add the WHS to this list. While I don't have much to give, every little bit helps.
And then, today, I got an email from WHS, asking for help. Two little puppies, Luke and Tucker, need help. I cried while I read their stories (I dare you to go read them and not feel a little sad for them) and contributed to their care. Not a lot, but some. In addition to caring for these two pups, WHS has taken in almost 40 dogs that were displaced from flooding in other areas of the midwest. Local shelters became overwhelmed with the large number of animals coming in and many were sent to other shelters across the country that would have a better chance at adopting them out (this was also how we got Indy--she came from a shelter in Indiana). Like all animals up for adoption at WHS, the animals will be vaccinated and sterilized prior to being available for adoption. While some may take some time, it really is impressive how quickly animals are adopted out from the Humane Society.
Now, after having adopted a pet, I have a greater admiration for rescue shelters and the WHS. Many of these folks are volunteers and they operate solely on donations. I'm not going to tell you to go donate, but I certainly won't stop you, should you feel so inclined. I tell just about everyone that is looking for a pet to check out a shelter. It is such a better option that buying from a pet store. Indy is the best thing ever and, while we don't know much about what happened to her (she suffered some seemingly significant trauma to the entire right side of her face) or where she came from, we are happy knowing that she will spend the rest of her life in a loving, caring home.
In addition to visiting, I continued to stalk WHS's website. I knew the status of every dog there. Equally as heartbreaking as visiting was seeing dogs come back up for adoption after they had been adopted out. This happened several times and I can think of at least three puppies that came back more than once. Who are these people who are adopting puppies and then not realizing how big of a responsibility it is only to bring them back?*
When I sat down and added up the costs of puppy shots, spaying, microchipping, etc. that are already completed on the animals adopted from WHS, I quickly realized that the adoption fee barely covers everything. And, taking into account the veterinary care that the animals receive prior to being put up for adoption, it's very apparent that donations are crucial in allowing them to continue operating. I make charitable contributions every year to a few organizations that I have taken interest in. After adopting Indy, I decided that I would add the WHS to this list. While I don't have much to give, every little bit helps.
And then, today, I got an email from WHS, asking for help. Two little puppies, Luke and Tucker, need help. I cried while I read their stories (I dare you to go read them and not feel a little sad for them) and contributed to their care. Not a lot, but some. In addition to caring for these two pups, WHS has taken in almost 40 dogs that were displaced from flooding in other areas of the midwest. Local shelters became overwhelmed with the large number of animals coming in and many were sent to other shelters across the country that would have a better chance at adopting them out (this was also how we got Indy--she came from a shelter in Indiana). Like all animals up for adoption at WHS, the animals will be vaccinated and sterilized prior to being available for adoption. While some may take some time, it really is impressive how quickly animals are adopted out from the Humane Society.
Now, after having adopted a pet, I have a greater admiration for rescue shelters and the WHS. Many of these folks are volunteers and they operate solely on donations. I'm not going to tell you to go donate, but I certainly won't stop you, should you feel so inclined. I tell just about everyone that is looking for a pet to check out a shelter. It is such a better option that buying from a pet store. Indy is the best thing ever and, while we don't know much about what happened to her (she suffered some seemingly significant trauma to the entire right side of her face) or where she came from, we are happy knowing that she will spend the rest of her life in a loving, caring home.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Getting Close
Geez, I've really been bad about blogging lately. Actually, that's not entirely true. I've been writing posts. They're just not getting posted. Not yet anyway. I have a few posts scheduled for the week of my upcoming vacation and I want to make sure that they're just right (since I won't be around to edit 54 times after officially posting them, I need to tweak them now).
Vacation? you say. Yes, vacation, I say. While I don't really think of our trips to Colorado as real, actual vacations, I suppose that's the technical term for our upcoming trip.
We have a wedding to go to in Kansas City (the one IN Kansas, not Missouri, in case you were wondering--and, yes, I'm the ass that always asks "the one in Kansas or Missouri?" when people tell me they're going to Kansas City) at the end of the month. It just happens to fall the day before our one-year anniversary. Or, actually, due to leap year, that's technically the day that is 365 days after we shared vows. But, whatever, I'm not keeping track or anything. So, we're going to a wedding to celebrate our love for each other. Really, I am so happy for Larry and Renee and am thrilled to see them get married. I couldn't imagine missing their wedding.
And then on the actual day, we're driving from Kansas City to Telluride. Romantic, right? I think so! But then, we'll spend several glorious days in one of the most beautiful places on earth with friends and family and it will basically be our wedding, version 2.0. I'm excited! And, yes, I do plan to go back to the exact spot where we were married to gaze into his eyes lovingly and reaffirm my undying love and affection for him.
And (and? there's more?) we'll be there for the 4th of July. And this just happens to be one of my favorite days of the year. It's my dad's birthday and we always have a fun party. The weather is usually spectacular that time of year, the fireworks display put on by the Fire Department are incredible and it's just FUN!
We are taking Indy and I really think she'll enjoy it. Sure, she might not enjoy the many, many hours in the car to get there (really, who does?). But, I promised her she'll love it when we finally arrive. I expect her to be ecstatic about meeting my parents' dog, Timber, and less than thrilled about the cats. She loves the water and my parents have a pond on their property, so I suspect she'll be doing some swimming. We'll also probably take her hiking, on the gondola, or whatever else strikes our fancy. I wouldn't be too surprised if she tried to stay when it's time for us to come home.
Truth be told, this trip has sort of snuck up on me. A year ago, I was so busy with wedding stuff that we got to the end of June and didn't even realize it. This year, I'm still pretty busy (though not with wedding stuff--thank goodness!) and I am suddenly noticing that we're leaving next week. I've been thinking a lot of Renee lately and how she's holding up. Having been there a year ago, I can only imagine (though, I handled the planning fairly well, I did have a meltdown or two). She is going to make one beautiful bride. And Larry won't look half bad either.
So, that's that. I'm really excited about my vacation and wouldn't want to spend that week (or our anniversary) any other way.
Vacation? you say. Yes, vacation, I say. While I don't really think of our trips to Colorado as real, actual vacations, I suppose that's the technical term for our upcoming trip.
We have a wedding to go to in Kansas City (the one IN Kansas, not Missouri, in case you were wondering--and, yes, I'm the ass that always asks "the one in Kansas or Missouri?" when people tell me they're going to Kansas City) at the end of the month. It just happens to fall the day before our one-year anniversary. Or, actually, due to leap year, that's technically the day that is 365 days after we shared vows. But, whatever, I'm not keeping track or anything. So, we're going to a wedding to celebrate our love for each other. Really, I am so happy for Larry and Renee and am thrilled to see them get married. I couldn't imagine missing their wedding.
And then on the actual day, we're driving from Kansas City to Telluride. Romantic, right? I think so! But then, we'll spend several glorious days in one of the most beautiful places on earth with friends and family and it will basically be our wedding, version 2.0. I'm excited! And, yes, I do plan to go back to the exact spot where we were married to gaze into his eyes lovingly and reaffirm my undying love and affection for him.
And (and? there's more?) we'll be there for the 4th of July. And this just happens to be one of my favorite days of the year. It's my dad's birthday and we always have a fun party. The weather is usually spectacular that time of year, the fireworks display put on by the Fire Department are incredible and it's just FUN!
We are taking Indy and I really think she'll enjoy it. Sure, she might not enjoy the many, many hours in the car to get there (really, who does?). But, I promised her she'll love it when we finally arrive. I expect her to be ecstatic about meeting my parents' dog, Timber, and less than thrilled about the cats. She loves the water and my parents have a pond on their property, so I suspect she'll be doing some swimming. We'll also probably take her hiking, on the gondola, or whatever else strikes our fancy. I wouldn't be too surprised if she tried to stay when it's time for us to come home.
Truth be told, this trip has sort of snuck up on me. A year ago, I was so busy with wedding stuff that we got to the end of June and didn't even realize it. This year, I'm still pretty busy (though not with wedding stuff--thank goodness!) and I am suddenly noticing that we're leaving next week. I've been thinking a lot of Renee lately and how she's holding up. Having been there a year ago, I can only imagine (though, I handled the planning fairly well, I did have a meltdown or two). She is going to make one beautiful bride. And Larry won't look half bad either.
So, that's that. I'm really excited about my vacation and wouldn't want to spend that week (or our anniversary) any other way.
Friday, June 6, 2008
100th Post!
Wow, I did it. I made it to 100 posts on my little blog. Granted, it took me a little longer than some to get here, but it is what it is.
I'm not sure if this is totally passé, but in honor of my 100th post, I have compiled a list of 100 things about me. Really, I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. One might argue that it was the reason I started a blog. Or not.
Since I've labeled my blog as "the story of me", I thought it would be fitting to give readers an actual story about me. So, as much as this is things about me, it's also a brief history of me and how I got here. I've also finished that face-lift that I was talking about in honor of the occasion.
And, so, without further ado, I present to you 100 of the most exciting, entertaining things about me. Enjoy!
1. I was born July 19, 1982 in Norwood, CO. At a little after 2:00 in the afternoon.
2. I tell everyone that I was born and raised in Telluride, CO. It’s easier and more people have heard of Telluride than Norwood. And, if you want to get technical, I actually resided in Ophir, CO.
3. I was born with a rare birth defect called Craniosynostosis.
4. I had head surgery when I was two months old to correct it. Doctors removed a 3"x5" piece of my skull.
5. As a result of the surgery, I have a scar that runs the length of my head.
6. It makes me really self-conscious and I try to cover it with my hair the best I can.
7. My blood type is O+.
8. My brother was born at home, in the middle of the night, in the middle of a blizzard, when I was two years old. I really wanted a sister.
9. He turned out to be okay and we were pretty good friends growing up. This might have had something to do with living in the middle of nowhere and having no one but each other. But, I still think he's pretty okay, so maybe not.
10. My mom kept journals for both me and my brother when we were kids.
11. Eleven is my favorite number.
12. It became my favorite my freshman year of high school when I had to pick a volleyball jersey.
13. I figured if #1 was the best, #11 must be double best.
14. In addition to volleyball, I played soccer and softball, danced ballet and skied.
15. Growing up in a ski town, our school had Ski PE Thursday and Friday afternoons. We got out of school early to go skiing those days.
16. In fourth grade, I decided skiing was lame and took up snowboarding instead.
17. In sixth grade, I went back to skiing and joined the freestyle team.
18. I started skiing competitively in moguls, acro (ballet skiing) and aerials.
19. I traveled many places to compete. The farthest being Sunday River, Maine.
20. I had so much fun competing and met some really incredible people. Many of those people went on to compete in the Olympics several times.
21. I first got my ears pierced when I was 3. The holes filled in and I got them pierced again when I was 7. I got a second hole in each ear when I was 14. I got the cartilage of my left ear pierced when I was 18.
22. In the past four years, I’ve only ever worn earrings in the first holes. But, the other holes never filled in and I could still wear studs in them, if I felt so inclined.
23. I met Billy Joel on a street corner in Telluride. I was fundraising for the ski team, he was standing there, I asked him to donate and he did!
24. Growing up, I traveled a lot with my family. I’ve been to 23 states (plus DC) and 16 countries.
25. My grandma took each of her grandkids on a trip of their choosing, in order of age. I got to go first and she took me to England, Scotland and Wales when I was eight.
26. Despite being all over the world and most of the Western United States, I have never been to Canada or New York City. Both are on my list of places I want to see before I die.
27. In elementary school, I took hula lessons. We did a dance for closing day of the ski area every year. One year, mid-dance, my skirt fell off in front of everyone. Even though I was wearing a bikini underneath it, I was SO embarrassed.
28. My dad is a builder and I was pretty much raised on a construction site. I know more about building things than most guys I know.
29. Before I was old enough to have a real job, I alternated between babysitting and working on construction sites with my dad.
30. One summer, I set up a hot dog and lemonade stand at the end of our driveway to earn enough money to go to a special rock climbing and whitewater rafting summer camp.
31. My first real job was when I was 14. I worked at the pool at the Peaks Resort for two summers. It was the second best job I’ve ever had.
32. I never worked the closing shift except for one time. It was a disaster. I had to cover the pool and the roller for the pool cover (thing was HUGE) ended up IN the pool. I cried and exclaimed that I was never going back! My mom made me call my boss to apologize. I went back. The roller magically made its way out of the pool and no one ever said anything to me.
33. The next two summers, I worked at the ski company in the group sales department.
34. When I was 10, I read an article about hormones in beef and decided to stop eating meat. I have since lost the taste for it and I think all meat is pretty gross.
35. I eat fish and sometimes I’ll crave meat, so I’ll eat it. But, for the most part, I’ve been meat-free for over 15 years.
36. I don’t use the word “vegetarian” to describe myself. Instead, I say “I don’t eat meat”.
37. I don’t think it’s that weird, but apparently others do.
38. Growing up in a small town was hard. I wanted nothing more than to get out.
39. When I was 16, I convinced my parents to let me live with my grandmother and go to a private high school in the northshore of Milwaukee, WI.
40. Almost ten years later, I still cannot fully explain this decision, but I don’t regret it.
41. My junior and senior years were spent living with my grandmother and going to the same high school my mom attended.
42. I met my future husband at that school. We weren’t friends though.
43. He did, however, take me to the senior prom. We were set up. He spent the night playing cards with his friends. I spent the night dancing with mine. It worked out much better than I had thought.
44. I was really, really homesick in high school. I knew I wanted to be back in Colorado for college.
45. I was accepted to all four schools in CO that I applied to.
46. I was rejected from three out of state schools that I applied to.
47. I was convinced I wanted to be an Engineer and was thisclose to going to Colorado School of Mines.
48. At the last minute, I decided to go to CU, Boulder instead. I am so happy with that decision.
49. My future husband decided to go to Boulder too. It was purely coincidental.
50. I found out quickly that I did not like Engineering. So, I switched to Architecture. (Good thing I wasn’t at Mines).
51. I didn’t like Architecture either. But I liked the public speaking course I took (I got a 100% on every exam in that class and, if CU had A+ as an option, I would have gotten one), so I switched to Communication.
52. I loved Comm so much that I ended up being a tutor, TA and intern in the department.
I still graduated in only three and a half years with a BA in Communication and a Certified Business Certificate (basically a Business minor).
53. Matt and I actually became friends in Boulder and spent a lot of time together.
54. And then we fell in love. We started dating January 23, 2001.
55. My first job in college was as a telemarketer. It was just as bad as you imagine.
56. Then I was a nanny for a little boy that didn’t speak. I learned sign language with him and tried to help him with his words.
57. After a year and a half of working with him, hearing him say my name was one of the best sounds in the world.
58. 2004 was the worst best year of my life.
59. We experienced great joy as well as horrible tragedy.
60. I was head over heels in love with Matt and was convinced that I would marry him.
61. Matt broke up with me in June of that year and moved back to Milwaukee.
62. I was convinced that my life, as I knew it, was over and moved back to Telluride.
63. It turned out, that was the best thing that could have happened to me. I grew up a little, learned about myself and enjoyed being on my own.
64. I am so glad I didn’t marry him when I thought I wanted to. Looking back, I know that breaking up was the best thing for both of us.
65. I started working in real estate and that was the best job I’ve ever had.
66. Matt and I worked things out and remained friends. And then started a long-distance relationship. After some time, I decided to move to Milwaukee to live with Matt.
67. On December 28, 2005, while he was in Telluride to help me move, Matt proposed.
68. I moved into a small apartment with Matt on the east side of Milwaukee.
69. A month later, we bought a duplex in Shorewood, remodeled the kitchen and moved in.
70. Matt and I were married on June 30, 2007 at Gorrono Ranch on the Telluride Ski Area.
71. It was the most perfect, happiest day of my life.
72. I am slightly sad at how quickly it was all over.
73. I still feel giddy looking at our wedding pictures and remembering small details of the day.
74. We spent a week in Telluride after the wedding on what we like to call our pre-moon.
75. And then took our real honeymoon to St. Lucia for a week.
76. I loved being a bride. But, I love being married even more.
77. Sometimes, when I’m really excited, I forget to breathe when I’m talking to someone.
78. I really prefer summer to winter. Strangely, the two places I ever see myself living (Wisconsin or Telluride) have a lot more winter than summer.
79. I don’t really have favorites. No favorite movie, color, band. It all changes with my mood.
80. But, The Wizard of Oz, black, The Beatles and Matchbox Twenty will always be my fallback favorites.
81. I have never broken a bone.
82. I also have no known allergies and rarely ever get sick.
83. But, I did sprain my ankle doing the dot drill on my third day of pre-season volleyball practice at my new high school. I was so embarrassed. Who does that?
84. I secretly judge people who put bumper stickers on their cars.
85. Especially if they’re for Presidential candidates from many years ago. And definitely if that candidate didn’t win.
86. On May 11, 2008, Matt and I adopted a puppy from the Wisconsin Humane Society.
87. She is a Boxer/Shepherd mix and we named her Indy (short for Indiana). We are both in love with her.
88. Matt also traveled a lot growing up and we can only hope that we can do the same with our kids.
89. I grew up without television.
90. We had a TV and VCR and watched tapes. But we were limited on how much we could watch per day.
91. I never missed TV, but do feel absolutely clueless when people talk about shows like Full House, Saved by the Bell, Doogie Howser, M.D. and the like.
92. Pasta is the one food that I think I could eat every day and never get sick of.
93. I have weird issues with drinking water from the tap. If I can see where it is coming from, I don’t like to drink it. But, fill up a glass and put it in front of me, I’ll drink it and ask for more.
94. I love wearing flip flops and wear them at any chance I get. This is one of the things I really miss about living in Boulder—I could wear flip flops almost every day of the year.
95. I have a really hard time committing to doing things. I have no idea what I’m holding out for in most cases. Nothing better has ever come along.
96. Every car I’ve ever owned/driven has been a manual.
97. I have no tattoos.
98. And, I’ve never had any overwhelming desire to get one.
99. I am an extremely sarcastic person and have a strange sense of humor. I don’t think most people get it. Instead, they just think I’m weird.
100. I tend to embarrass myself a lot. I have learned not to let it bother me, but to laugh and never take myself too seriously.
Whew! If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading!
I'm not sure if this is totally passé, but in honor of my 100th post, I have compiled a list of 100 things about me. Really, I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. One might argue that it was the reason I started a blog. Or not.
Since I've labeled my blog as "the story of me", I thought it would be fitting to give readers an actual story about me. So, as much as this is things about me, it's also a brief history of me and how I got here. I've also finished that face-lift that I was talking about in honor of the occasion.
And, so, without further ado, I present to you 100 of the most exciting, entertaining things about me. Enjoy!
1. I was born July 19, 1982 in Norwood, CO. At a little after 2:00 in the afternoon.
2. I tell everyone that I was born and raised in Telluride, CO. It’s easier and more people have heard of Telluride than Norwood. And, if you want to get technical, I actually resided in Ophir, CO.
3. I was born with a rare birth defect called Craniosynostosis.
4. I had head surgery when I was two months old to correct it. Doctors removed a 3"x5" piece of my skull.
5. As a result of the surgery, I have a scar that runs the length of my head.
6. It makes me really self-conscious and I try to cover it with my hair the best I can.
7. My blood type is O+.
8. My brother was born at home, in the middle of the night, in the middle of a blizzard, when I was two years old. I really wanted a sister.
9. He turned out to be okay and we were pretty good friends growing up. This might have had something to do with living in the middle of nowhere and having no one but each other. But, I still think he's pretty okay, so maybe not.
10. My mom kept journals for both me and my brother when we were kids.
11. Eleven is my favorite number.
12. It became my favorite my freshman year of high school when I had to pick a volleyball jersey.
13. I figured if #1 was the best, #11 must be double best.
14. In addition to volleyball, I played soccer and softball, danced ballet and skied.
15. Growing up in a ski town, our school had Ski PE Thursday and Friday afternoons. We got out of school early to go skiing those days.
16. In fourth grade, I decided skiing was lame and took up snowboarding instead.
17. In sixth grade, I went back to skiing and joined the freestyle team.
18. I started skiing competitively in moguls, acro (ballet skiing) and aerials.
19. I traveled many places to compete. The farthest being Sunday River, Maine.
20. I had so much fun competing and met some really incredible people. Many of those people went on to compete in the Olympics several times.
21. I first got my ears pierced when I was 3. The holes filled in and I got them pierced again when I was 7. I got a second hole in each ear when I was 14. I got the cartilage of my left ear pierced when I was 18.
22. In the past four years, I’ve only ever worn earrings in the first holes. But, the other holes never filled in and I could still wear studs in them, if I felt so inclined.
23. I met Billy Joel on a street corner in Telluride. I was fundraising for the ski team, he was standing there, I asked him to donate and he did!
24. Growing up, I traveled a lot with my family. I’ve been to 23 states (plus DC) and 16 countries.
25. My grandma took each of her grandkids on a trip of their choosing, in order of age. I got to go first and she took me to England, Scotland and Wales when I was eight.
26. Despite being all over the world and most of the Western United States, I have never been to Canada or New York City. Both are on my list of places I want to see before I die.
27. In elementary school, I took hula lessons. We did a dance for closing day of the ski area every year. One year, mid-dance, my skirt fell off in front of everyone. Even though I was wearing a bikini underneath it, I was SO embarrassed.
28. My dad is a builder and I was pretty much raised on a construction site. I know more about building things than most guys I know.
29. Before I was old enough to have a real job, I alternated between babysitting and working on construction sites with my dad.
30. One summer, I set up a hot dog and lemonade stand at the end of our driveway to earn enough money to go to a special rock climbing and whitewater rafting summer camp.
31. My first real job was when I was 14. I worked at the pool at the Peaks Resort for two summers. It was the second best job I’ve ever had.
32. I never worked the closing shift except for one time. It was a disaster. I had to cover the pool and the roller for the pool cover (thing was HUGE) ended up IN the pool. I cried and exclaimed that I was never going back! My mom made me call my boss to apologize. I went back. The roller magically made its way out of the pool and no one ever said anything to me.
33. The next two summers, I worked at the ski company in the group sales department.
34. When I was 10, I read an article about hormones in beef and decided to stop eating meat. I have since lost the taste for it and I think all meat is pretty gross.
35. I eat fish and sometimes I’ll crave meat, so I’ll eat it. But, for the most part, I’ve been meat-free for over 15 years.
36. I don’t use the word “vegetarian” to describe myself. Instead, I say “I don’t eat meat”.
37. I don’t think it’s that weird, but apparently others do.
38. Growing up in a small town was hard. I wanted nothing more than to get out.
39. When I was 16, I convinced my parents to let me live with my grandmother and go to a private high school in the northshore of Milwaukee, WI.
40. Almost ten years later, I still cannot fully explain this decision, but I don’t regret it.
41. My junior and senior years were spent living with my grandmother and going to the same high school my mom attended.
42. I met my future husband at that school. We weren’t friends though.
43. He did, however, take me to the senior prom. We were set up. He spent the night playing cards with his friends. I spent the night dancing with mine. It worked out much better than I had thought.
44. I was really, really homesick in high school. I knew I wanted to be back in Colorado for college.
45. I was accepted to all four schools in CO that I applied to.
46. I was rejected from three out of state schools that I applied to.
47. I was convinced I wanted to be an Engineer and was thisclose to going to Colorado School of Mines.
48. At the last minute, I decided to go to CU, Boulder instead. I am so happy with that decision.
49. My future husband decided to go to Boulder too. It was purely coincidental.
50. I found out quickly that I did not like Engineering. So, I switched to Architecture. (Good thing I wasn’t at Mines).
51. I didn’t like Architecture either. But I liked the public speaking course I took (I got a 100% on every exam in that class and, if CU had A+ as an option, I would have gotten one), so I switched to Communication.
52. I loved Comm so much that I ended up being a tutor, TA and intern in the department.
I still graduated in only three and a half years with a BA in Communication and a Certified Business Certificate (basically a Business minor).
53. Matt and I actually became friends in Boulder and spent a lot of time together.
54. And then we fell in love. We started dating January 23, 2001.
55. My first job in college was as a telemarketer. It was just as bad as you imagine.
56. Then I was a nanny for a little boy that didn’t speak. I learned sign language with him and tried to help him with his words.
57. After a year and a half of working with him, hearing him say my name was one of the best sounds in the world.
58. 2004 was the worst best year of my life.
59. We experienced great joy as well as horrible tragedy.
60. I was head over heels in love with Matt and was convinced that I would marry him.
61. Matt broke up with me in June of that year and moved back to Milwaukee.
62. I was convinced that my life, as I knew it, was over and moved back to Telluride.
63. It turned out, that was the best thing that could have happened to me. I grew up a little, learned about myself and enjoyed being on my own.
64. I am so glad I didn’t marry him when I thought I wanted to. Looking back, I know that breaking up was the best thing for both of us.
65. I started working in real estate and that was the best job I’ve ever had.
66. Matt and I worked things out and remained friends. And then started a long-distance relationship. After some time, I decided to move to Milwaukee to live with Matt.
67. On December 28, 2005, while he was in Telluride to help me move, Matt proposed.
68. I moved into a small apartment with Matt on the east side of Milwaukee.
69. A month later, we bought a duplex in Shorewood, remodeled the kitchen and moved in.
70. Matt and I were married on June 30, 2007 at Gorrono Ranch on the Telluride Ski Area.
71. It was the most perfect, happiest day of my life.
72. I am slightly sad at how quickly it was all over.
73. I still feel giddy looking at our wedding pictures and remembering small details of the day.
74. We spent a week in Telluride after the wedding on what we like to call our pre-moon.
75. And then took our real honeymoon to St. Lucia for a week.
76. I loved being a bride. But, I love being married even more.
77. Sometimes, when I’m really excited, I forget to breathe when I’m talking to someone.
78. I really prefer summer to winter. Strangely, the two places I ever see myself living (Wisconsin or Telluride) have a lot more winter than summer.
79. I don’t really have favorites. No favorite movie, color, band. It all changes with my mood.
80. But, The Wizard of Oz, black, The Beatles and Matchbox Twenty will always be my fallback favorites.
81. I have never broken a bone.
82. I also have no known allergies and rarely ever get sick.
83. But, I did sprain my ankle doing the dot drill on my third day of pre-season volleyball practice at my new high school. I was so embarrassed. Who does that?
84. I secretly judge people who put bumper stickers on their cars.
85. Especially if they’re for Presidential candidates from many years ago. And definitely if that candidate didn’t win.
86. On May 11, 2008, Matt and I adopted a puppy from the Wisconsin Humane Society.
87. She is a Boxer/Shepherd mix and we named her Indy (short for Indiana). We are both in love with her.
88. Matt also traveled a lot growing up and we can only hope that we can do the same with our kids.
89. I grew up without television.
90. We had a TV and VCR and watched tapes. But we were limited on how much we could watch per day.
91. I never missed TV, but do feel absolutely clueless when people talk about shows like Full House, Saved by the Bell, Doogie Howser, M.D. and the like.
92. Pasta is the one food that I think I could eat every day and never get sick of.
93. I have weird issues with drinking water from the tap. If I can see where it is coming from, I don’t like to drink it. But, fill up a glass and put it in front of me, I’ll drink it and ask for more.
94. I love wearing flip flops and wear them at any chance I get. This is one of the things I really miss about living in Boulder—I could wear flip flops almost every day of the year.
95. I have a really hard time committing to doing things. I have no idea what I’m holding out for in most cases. Nothing better has ever come along.
96. Every car I’ve ever owned/driven has been a manual.
97. I have no tattoos.
98. And, I’ve never had any overwhelming desire to get one.
99. I am an extremely sarcastic person and have a strange sense of humor. I don’t think most people get it. Instead, they just think I’m weird.
100. I tend to embarrass myself a lot. I have learned not to let it bother me, but to laugh and never take myself too seriously.
Whew! If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Crazy Dog Lady
Okay, I promise not to overwhelm everyone with pictures of my puppy. But, I really can't help it. I can only imagine it will be a million and ten times worse when I have kids. Don't worry, that isn't any time soon. So, you're stuck with Indy.
We've been taking Indy out to the lake with us on the weekends. She loves it! She loves the water and is a natural swimmer! She has no problem jumping right in the water and swimming around. Hopefully, we'll have her jumping off the end of the pier before the summer is over.
Here are a few pictures of my baby, including one with her and "Aunt Nellie" (Matt's parents' dog. A Boxer. One of the sweetest dogs EVER. Indy adores her.)
We've been taking Indy out to the lake with us on the weekends. She loves it! She loves the water and is a natural swimmer! She has no problem jumping right in the water and swimming around. Hopefully, we'll have her jumping off the end of the pier before the summer is over.
Here are a few pictures of my baby, including one with her and "Aunt Nellie" (Matt's parents' dog. A Boxer. One of the sweetest dogs EVER. Indy adores her.)
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Distraction
It's somewhat hard to get work done when I have this cutie trying to distract me all day.
Yes, we take our dog to the office. And, yes, I realize that I probably need to vacuum my carpets.
Yes, we take our dog to the office. And, yes, I realize that I probably need to vacuum my carpets.
A hint of summer
We had a great weekend. It was nice and long and had the perfect balance of chores with a sprinkling of play and relaxation.
As I may have mentioned earlier, my mom and brother are here visiting this week. They have been splitting their time here between our house and my grandma's place. They were originally going to be helping her move. Unfortunately, the buyer for her condo is not working out and so she is not moving this week. They have been helping her in other ways with some things that have come up, so not all is lost. Plus, I am glad they are here.
Saturday, we worked around the house. Played in the backyard with our pup. Just relaxed and tried to enjoy the weather. Tried being the operative word there--it was a bit chilly. The tile work in our tenants' bathroom got done and it looks really good. The four of us met Matt's parents for dinner that evening and had a great time with them, catching up and enjoying the company. Also on Saturday, I cracked open my first Summer Shandy of the season. Deliciousness in a bottle.
Sunday, we went out to Oconomowoc. Matt's family has a house on Oconomowoc Lake and this is where we spend most of the weekends during the summer. It is so close--about an hour from our house--that we can go for the day and come back home. I love it out there. Due to everyone's hectic schedules (and a trip to Jamaica at the beginning of the month), we didn't even have the piers in the water yet. This is usually done by the end of April and the boats go in a few weeks later. Saturday, we* spent the day putting the main pier and boat lifts in the water. Two wave runners and the pontoon boat are also in. All that is left is the ski boat and sail boat, both of which are much easier than the others. This was Indy's first trip out to the lake and she LOVED it. She ran up and down the hill about a million times and even jumped into the water twice and swam around. She's a natural! Matt made pulled pork sandwiches for dinner and even I had one. It was delicious! I mean, it's not something I would eat all of the time, but it was tasty.
Yesterday, Monday, my mom spent the day with her mom. She doesn't see her very often and wanted to be with her. Matt, my brother and I went out to the lake again. The weather was gorgeous and we just relaxed all day. The water is still a little too cold to go swimming, but soon enough. I hope to water ski a little more often than I have in summers past, so I am excited for the ski boat to finally go in the water. Again, Indy loved being out there. And, this time, Nellie (Matt's parent's dog) and Zoey (his sister's dog) were out there to play. She really loved running with the big dogs. I was relieved and happy that they all got along. It really did feel like summer. We even went to the Kiltie for dinner. It's an old drive-in with greasy burgers (veggie for me!) and frozen custard. Matt tells me stories of how he and his siblings used to walk from their house over to the Kiltie after dinner for custard. It just goes along with summer.
And, now, it's back to work. There is still quite a bit of work to be done on our house. We have to get the trailer to pick up our fencing and take stuff to the dump. Our new tenant is coming over tonight to pick up keys and then they start moving in tomorrow.
Also this week, we have plans to see Indiana Jones with my mom and brother and my mom and I are going to see Sex and the City on Friday afternoon. Downtown Dining Week starts Thursday, so I hope to drag my family to experience some of that before they go. And then they leave at 5am on Saturday. So, it will probably be another busy week, but probably worth it.
I am also well overdue on seeing some of my friends--my BFF and I have been trying to make plans to get together for weeks now. But, she's moving this weekend, so we might have to push it out until next week.
Ah well.
__________________________________
*Of course, by "we", I really mean Matt and the boys--my brother and our friend Ryan were there to help. I help out by staying out of the way and observing the work from a distance.
As I may have mentioned earlier, my mom and brother are here visiting this week. They have been splitting their time here between our house and my grandma's place. They were originally going to be helping her move. Unfortunately, the buyer for her condo is not working out and so she is not moving this week. They have been helping her in other ways with some things that have come up, so not all is lost. Plus, I am glad they are here.
Saturday, we worked around the house. Played in the backyard with our pup. Just relaxed and tried to enjoy the weather. Tried being the operative word there--it was a bit chilly. The tile work in our tenants' bathroom got done and it looks really good. The four of us met Matt's parents for dinner that evening and had a great time with them, catching up and enjoying the company. Also on Saturday, I cracked open my first Summer Shandy of the season. Deliciousness in a bottle.
Sunday, we went out to Oconomowoc. Matt's family has a house on Oconomowoc Lake and this is where we spend most of the weekends during the summer. It is so close--about an hour from our house--that we can go for the day and come back home. I love it out there. Due to everyone's hectic schedules (and a trip to Jamaica at the beginning of the month), we didn't even have the piers in the water yet. This is usually done by the end of April and the boats go in a few weeks later. Saturday, we* spent the day putting the main pier and boat lifts in the water. Two wave runners and the pontoon boat are also in. All that is left is the ski boat and sail boat, both of which are much easier than the others. This was Indy's first trip out to the lake and she LOVED it. She ran up and down the hill about a million times and even jumped into the water twice and swam around. She's a natural! Matt made pulled pork sandwiches for dinner and even I had one. It was delicious! I mean, it's not something I would eat all of the time, but it was tasty.
Yesterday, Monday, my mom spent the day with her mom. She doesn't see her very often and wanted to be with her. Matt, my brother and I went out to the lake again. The weather was gorgeous and we just relaxed all day. The water is still a little too cold to go swimming, but soon enough. I hope to water ski a little more often than I have in summers past, so I am excited for the ski boat to finally go in the water. Again, Indy loved being out there. And, this time, Nellie (Matt's parent's dog) and Zoey (his sister's dog) were out there to play. She really loved running with the big dogs. I was relieved and happy that they all got along. It really did feel like summer. We even went to the Kiltie for dinner. It's an old drive-in with greasy burgers (veggie for me!) and frozen custard. Matt tells me stories of how he and his siblings used to walk from their house over to the Kiltie after dinner for custard. It just goes along with summer.
And, now, it's back to work. There is still quite a bit of work to be done on our house. We have to get the trailer to pick up our fencing and take stuff to the dump. Our new tenant is coming over tonight to pick up keys and then they start moving in tomorrow.
Also this week, we have plans to see Indiana Jones with my mom and brother and my mom and I are going to see Sex and the City on Friday afternoon. Downtown Dining Week starts Thursday, so I hope to drag my family to experience some of that before they go. And then they leave at 5am on Saturday. So, it will probably be another busy week, but probably worth it.
I am also well overdue on seeing some of my friends--my BFF and I have been trying to make plans to get together for weeks now. But, she's moving this weekend, so we might have to push it out until next week.
Ah well.
__________________________________
*Of course, by "we", I really mean Matt and the boys--my brother and our friend Ryan were there to help. I help out by staying out of the way and observing the work from a distance.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Whirlwind Formerly Known as "May"
Hi blog! Nice to see you. What have I been up to? Oh, EVERYTHING!
I knew that May would be a difficult month. With our trip to Jamaica, my trip to Colorado and my mom coming for a week and a half at the end of the month, I knew I'd be busy. Add to that a new puppy, house issues, tenant issues, work and life and we're feeling a little overwhelmed. It's been a whirlwind so far and we don't really have an end in sight.
Our puppy (we have decided on Indy for those of you paying attention) has been wonderful. But, she is a lot of work. Obviously, we knew going into it that owning a puppy is a huge responsibility. We're not complaining about it, but it's taken a lot of our time. She is absolutely wonderful and we have completely fallen in love with her. Every day she learns something new and I am so proud of how quickly she is catching on with things. The house training has gone well and she seems to have grasped the concept of outside being where she should pee and poop. She is the source of constant amusement for me. I am also pretty certain that she grew while I was gone. I must be attached because I missed her terribly while I was in CO and called home about 1,209 times to check on her.
Our house is not so wonderful. Our tenants of two years have been moving out and we have new tenants set to move in. Move out finally took place today and they loaded up the last of their Uhaul and headed out to their new home. The new tenants move in next Wednesday. In the meantime, we are rebuilding the bathroom in that unit, which has proven to be a huge project. We've had workers here for the past two days and they should be working up until move in. In addition to that, our backyard fence needs to be rebuilt. Our dishwasher is broken. Our furnace is broken. Will it ever end?
Yesterday, we joked that our house was the "white trash" house of the neighborhood. Our tenants' stuff was ALL over the front yard while they loaded the moving van. We had a pile of trash about a mile high in the alley. Our fence was missing with only a few big holes in the ground to mark where it had been. And, our yard hasn't been mowed yet and is getting to be jungle-scary. This all really piqued our neighbors' curiosity as they all came over to see what was going on. I met more neighbors last night than I have in the last two and a half years that I've lived here. Go figure.
And now, my mom and brother are arriving today for the next week and a half. They originally came to help my grandmother pack and move. However, the sale of her condo fell out and she is not moving next week as was originally planned. So, they won't have much work to do while they are here. It will be great to see them again (even though I just saw them) and I really hope the weather is nice so that we can play outside and possibly even go to the lake house (nevermind the fact that the piers and boats aren't in the water yet (they're usually in by now)--THAT'S how busy we've been).
In between all of this, Matt and I are trying to fit work in as well. Fortunately, we are flexible with our business and careers that it can fall into place as needed.
Hopefully when May is over, we can get into some sort of a regular routine again. I really can't wait until these house projects are done. I like to enjoy my home, not see it as a money/time pit.
I knew that May would be a difficult month. With our trip to Jamaica, my trip to Colorado and my mom coming for a week and a half at the end of the month, I knew I'd be busy. Add to that a new puppy, house issues, tenant issues, work and life and we're feeling a little overwhelmed. It's been a whirlwind so far and we don't really have an end in sight.
Our puppy (we have decided on Indy for those of you paying attention) has been wonderful. But, she is a lot of work. Obviously, we knew going into it that owning a puppy is a huge responsibility. We're not complaining about it, but it's taken a lot of our time. She is absolutely wonderful and we have completely fallen in love with her. Every day she learns something new and I am so proud of how quickly she is catching on with things. The house training has gone well and she seems to have grasped the concept of outside being where she should pee and poop. She is the source of constant amusement for me. I am also pretty certain that she grew while I was gone. I must be attached because I missed her terribly while I was in CO and called home about 1,209 times to check on her.
Our house is not so wonderful. Our tenants of two years have been moving out and we have new tenants set to move in. Move out finally took place today and they loaded up the last of their Uhaul and headed out to their new home. The new tenants move in next Wednesday. In the meantime, we are rebuilding the bathroom in that unit, which has proven to be a huge project. We've had workers here for the past two days and they should be working up until move in. In addition to that, our backyard fence needs to be rebuilt. Our dishwasher is broken. Our furnace is broken. Will it ever end?
Yesterday, we joked that our house was the "white trash" house of the neighborhood. Our tenants' stuff was ALL over the front yard while they loaded the moving van. We had a pile of trash about a mile high in the alley. Our fence was missing with only a few big holes in the ground to mark where it had been. And, our yard hasn't been mowed yet and is getting to be jungle-scary. This all really piqued our neighbors' curiosity as they all came over to see what was going on. I met more neighbors last night than I have in the last two and a half years that I've lived here. Go figure.
And now, my mom and brother are arriving today for the next week and a half. They originally came to help my grandmother pack and move. However, the sale of her condo fell out and she is not moving next week as was originally planned. So, they won't have much work to do while they are here. It will be great to see them again (even though I just saw them) and I really hope the weather is nice so that we can play outside and possibly even go to the lake house (nevermind the fact that the piers and boats aren't in the water yet (they're usually in by now)--THAT'S how busy we've been).
In between all of this, Matt and I are trying to fit work in as well. Fortunately, we are flexible with our business and careers that it can fall into place as needed.
Hopefully when May is over, we can get into some sort of a regular routine again. I really can't wait until these house projects are done. I like to enjoy my home, not see it as a money/time pit.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Telluride in Milwaukee?
My wonderful husband just sent me this link.
Now, this is exciting to me for a few reasons. First, anything and everything "Telluride" automatically piques my curiosity. Actually, it's more than that. It's an automatic "OMG!OMG!" siren that goes off in my mind. Okay, I might emit a slight squeal as well. But, really, Telluride holds a special place in my heart. And, a lot of people don't know what/where it is. So it's a big deal. Okay?
Second, it looks like they're going to serve good Colorado beers. If they can get New Belgium in there, I may just have to move in.
Third, they allow pets! How cool is that?!?! So, let's back up here for a second. Dogs pretty much outnumber people in the town of Telluride. They're everywhere. People take their dogs to work, out to eat and to bars. Yes, it is not uncommon to walk through the door of a local establishment and have to step over a dog or two to get to the bar.
I don't want to get prematurely excited for this, but I can't help it. This could be my tiny slice of "home" here in Milwaukee. The cynic in me argues that it won't hold a flame, but maybe it could come close. Either way, I am excited for it and definitely plan on going once it opens. Probably without the dog, to start.
Now, this is exciting to me for a few reasons. First, anything and everything "Telluride" automatically piques my curiosity. Actually, it's more than that. It's an automatic "OMG!OMG!" siren that goes off in my mind. Okay, I might emit a slight squeal as well. But, really, Telluride holds a special place in my heart. And, a lot of people don't know what/where it is. So it's a big deal. Okay?
Second, it looks like they're going to serve good Colorado beers. If they can get New Belgium in there, I may just have to move in.
Third, they allow pets! How cool is that?!?! So, let's back up here for a second. Dogs pretty much outnumber people in the town of Telluride. They're everywhere. People take their dogs to work, out to eat and to bars. Yes, it is not uncommon to walk through the door of a local establishment and have to step over a dog or two to get to the bar.
I don't want to get prematurely excited for this, but I can't help it. This could be my tiny slice of "home" here in Milwaukee. The cynic in me argues that it won't hold a flame, but maybe it could come close. Either way, I am excited for it and definitely plan on going once it opens. Probably without the dog, to start.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Puppy!
Please meet the newest member of our family! She is a 3-month old Shepherd-Boxer mix. We are both absolutely and completely in love with her.Matt and I have been talking about getting a dog for a while now. Actually, since 2004, but who's counting? First, we weren't sure where we'd end up after college. Then we moved apart--him in WI and me in CO. Then I moved and we got engaged and we bought a house. We thought we might be ready for a dog, but with wedding planning and other things, we decided we weren't. Then we got married and started a business. We are finally (after four years) feeling settled enough to have a pet.
So, for the past month or so, we have actively been stalking websites for Humane Societies and local shelters through petfinder.com (the Wisconsin Humane Society updates their site every 30 minutes, so this is an all day kind of thing). We knew we wanted to adopt. We visited the Wisconsin Humane Society several times looking for the right pup. There were a few that were strong possibilities, but we also decided that, with our trip to Jamaica, it wouldn't be fair to get a puppy and then leave it so soon. However, during our trip, we talked a lot about it and said several times "I can't wait to get home and look on the Humane Society webpage for a pup. Just think, we could find our puppy as soon as we get home!" And we did.
This past Sunday, the first thing I did when I turned on my computer was visit the site to search the latest available dogs for adoption. And there she was. Matt was eyeing a different dog and practically dragged me out the door to get down there to meet them. The puppy that Matt was interested in was adopted by the time we got there. So that left our girl. She was there with her sister and they had come from another shelter in Indiana. Her sister had already been adopted, which made me feel a little better (but it didn't keep me from crying when they said their goodbyes to each other).
We met with our adoption counselor and went over the puppy's medical records, signed the adoption contract and then we were out the door with our dog. The past few days have been absolutely wonderful. She seems to really like us and is the sweetest thing ever. We are working on the house training and, so far, she's doing really great. She was just spayed on Saturday, so we are still taking it easy with her, but she still really likes to play. I love her! Prepare yourselves to see many more posts and pictures featuring our little girl (so far, the only decent pictures I can get of her are when she's lounging).
We have not officially named her yet, though we are tossing around the name "Indy"--short for Indiana, where she came from. If you have any ideas, comments, feedback or suggestions, please let me know.
(I think I got some water or something in my camera on my trip. All of my pictures are turning out looking like Glamour Shots. I promise, that's not on purpose and the new camera that I've been debating is officially on my birthday list.)
For anyone considering a pet, I highly recommend that you check out your local Humane Society and shelters (again, through petfinder.com). It is an incredible feeling to know that I was able to help and give this little dog a good home. Some of the stories behind the animals that are in shelters are absolutely heartbreaking and they all deserve to have a good and loving home. If you cannot have a pet, please consider a donation to your local Humane Society or shelter. The staff is almost entirely volunteer and they operate solely on donations. And do an amazing job.
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