Poor Little Neglected Blog

I didn't intend to neglect my blog, Froggy.  It's just been kind of crazy lately!

Otter's had a lot going on that she needed me to help with, Bill's been crazy busy (and he's just crazy!) with pachinko stuff which I have become conscripted labor for and work has been pretty busy.

Last Saturday, Bill and I spent most of the day looking at antique stores (I found cheap, vintage Fenton!) and then Sunday was when Otter, J and I went to the Tulsa State Fair.

The Fair was a lot of fun.  Yes, Froggy.  Quilt winner pictures are coming!

This is in the petting zoo at the fair.  Alpacas are about the softest things on earth.  It was like petting a cloud and the cloud liked it!  I commented to "him" that I could crochet him - and he responded by laying that soft head on my shoulder and batting those big eyes at me!  He (not sure of the gender) seemed to really enjoy the ear scratch as well.

The other thing that happened in the petting zoo is that I discovered that I am a sheep magnet!  I am really only allergic to one animal on the planet, as far as I know.  It's sheep.  I stepped inside the enclosure, and suddenly just about all the sheep were standing around me.  And grinning!  Sheep are evil, no doubt about that.  I wasn't able to stay inside the petting zoo very long, even without touching them (Otter petting them for me) I started having upper-respiratory issues pretty fast.

There were donkeys, ducks, assorted chicken, wallabies (one had a joey on board!), several alpacas, a few variety of deer, about a billion goats (of all ages) and probably a few other animals including a really sweet brahma calf!  Most of the other pictures have faces in them, so they are not going to be posted.

(Sorry this is sideways).  Froggy, look at the next picture.  It's a close-up of one of the deer at the bottom.

It's yo-yo's!

I think Mom and AJ would really have liked this one.

The butter cream sculpture!  This year, it was an angel and a lion.  Sorry it's sideways.  Also, there is a glare that I could not avoid.

This little critter is crocheted.  I'm not sure if it was a dinosaur or a dragon, but it is cute.

Look at the next picture.

The decorative edging is doilies!

The fair was fun and the weather was perfect.  We parked the car at one of the satellite locations and caught the shuttle bus to the fairgrounds.  We wound up with an extra ticket since Otter's friend had to cancel because of a family member's health issue but I was able to give it to someone at the entrance gate who hadn't bought a ticket yet.  We had ride tickets, which Otter and J used but we still had a few left so I gave those to a father with a young boy who were in line at a ride.  We didn't eat anything too outrageous, although there were some "interesting" food choices including bug pizza.  As in insects.  Not on my menu!

I did do one thing that is worth mentioning.  The prize-winning quilts, crochet, photography, etc., were in the same building as some of the kid exhibits - a giant sand box, blocks (which were being played with by adult emt officers), a few so-called odd animals and there was a small enclosure with an aldabra tortoise - on of the big babies.  I had noticed the tortoise when I was walking by, but then I saw a couple (boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife) who were looking at the tortoise.  The man was standing up, behind the woman.  She was squatting down and sticking her fingers through the fence, right in the tortoise's face.  Anybody who knows anything at all should know that was a very dangerous thing to do.  Tortoise was watching her fingers very intently and I could see that it's neck muscles were tensing up, which means that it was about to strike.  At that point, I went over to her and told her exactly why that was a very B.A.D. idea.  She had no idea that they bite!  All the tortoise was thinking was that it was time for a snack.  The woman pulled her hand back - to the very obvious disappointment of the man with her!  I honestly think he wanted her to get bit.  But it probably would not have been a gentle nip - it could have taken her finger off.  At the very least, she would have had a broken finger and it would have been very bloody.  I can't believe that an adult would have been so stupid!

Our New Favorite Book! (and other stuff, too)

This has now become our favorite book:

 

Way to Go, Ted!

Here's a few pictures of things that have been going on lately.  Captions are underneath the picture they describe.

A few weeks back, before Bill's surgery, he found something he knew we'd find interesting when he was mowing the lawn.  He brought it in for us.  It's obviously something left behind when the occupant outgrew it, most likely a grass or garter snake.

What looks like a leg is actually a piece of grass that was stuck to the skin.

The textures are really neat, the scales are in such a pretty pattern.  We tossed it back out in the yard when we got through looking at it, Maggie Moo & Frasier were very interested in it and I think they rolled on it a few times.

I don't think I got these posted before, but they may be a rerun.  These are the support for the trellises.

This is the one right outside of our bedroom window.

 

This was taken today, a certain little beagle was looking for Rose of Sharon blooms.  To eat.  Both dogs love them, but we try to keep them away from them.  I have heard that they are poisonous for dogs, but they don't seem to have suffered any ill effects.  They don't eat too many, but they would like to!

Sorry this is sideways!  This is the new rain barrel and also visible is one of the three completed trellises.

Bill made a stand for the barrel, it's upright.  The other one is horizontal and Bill had to install a spigot in it but this one came with one already.

Again, sorry it's sideways.  I can't get it rotated.  The top lid screws on and off.  It's a flat piece of plastic, Bill drilled a series of holes in it and then placed a piece of window-ish (metal) screen on top of it.  The outer ring isn't attached to the top piece, it sits on top of it and holds it down when it (the ring) screws on.  By doing it this way, it has a screen to keep leaves & crud out of it.  The rain gutter isn't actually attached, but it is just barely above the now holey lid.

This is the spigot.  The barrel sits on a stand that is tall enough to get my watering can underneath it and is far enough towards the front of the stand so that a hose can be attached easily.  It's not shown, but the stand is on bricks that are on sand and is level.  We are supposed to get a good rain this weekend, hopefully the forecaster got it right this time!

 

There was one other picture I wanted to post, but it's on my phone and even though I've downloaded the software I can't figure out how to upload it.  Last night, Otter saw something really cool on the front porch side wall up near the top.  It was a bat!  It was hanging out close to the porch light, which was on at the time.  It was a smart bat, it apparently figured out where all the bugs were collecting and then it had it's own all-a-bat-can-eat-buffet!  It was gone this morning, but there was a considerable amount of bat droppings on the front porch and I'm kind of thinking that it might have had a few friends join it for dinner.  We hope it comes back.

 

Tomorrow, I'm going to go buy more mosquito dunks.  If I'm feeling better, that is.  I gave in to my sore throat and called in today - Bill more or less told me I had to but I would have anyway.  I sound better this evening, but I'm still not feeling 100%.  I made very hot chili for dinner tonight, it did help a bit.

 

Also, we're pretty sure that the State Fair is going to happen without us this year.  Otter has to work both days this weekend, the store actually has it's soft opening this Sunday and then the Grand Opening is probably next weekend and she'll probably have to work both days.  We've gone the last two years, so I'm not too upset if we have to miss it.

Falling. Or Fallen?

Today's the first day of Fall.  Or Autumn, if you prefer.

First things first:

More about V'Ger

We've had a busy Sunday.  Otter had to work today, she had to be in at 8:00 so she didn't go to church with us this morning.  They're setting up the new store and they are working long hours, they are at the point of actually stocking all the shelves they installed last week.  She worked 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday, although the boss let them go at 5:00.  Then she had to be in at 1:00 yesterday afternoon and didn't get off until 10:00 p.m.  She was having major allergies and didn't want to drive herself, so I took her and picked her up - and handed her a night-time allergy pill as she was getting in the car when she got off.  Which she took immediately, by the way.  She gets off at 5:00 today.  She's probably going to be tired, but she'd have been tired if she was off today because we'd have put her to work!

 

Bill got the 2nd rain barrel set up today.  It was time-consuming, a little bit of hard work involved but not nearly as much as Otter's probably been doing today. Bill got to use power tools so he's a happy boy.  No bleeding or anything!  But the rain barrel is now in place and we just need some rain.  Bill was wondering if he ran around nekkid in the back yard, would that count as a rain dance?  I'm sure the neighbors wouldn't think so! :) 

 

Movie Review:  Epic.  It wasn't exactly epic, but it was not horrible either.  It was frankly very dull and very predictable, but the animation was beautiful.  The story line was somewhat reminiscent of Fern Gully, which is probably at least 25 years old.  It's not on our list to buy.

 

The State Fair starts this week.  We aren't sure if we are going or not.  We were originally planning to go this coming Saturday, it runs for two weeks and we usually go at the end but decided to go at the start this time.  But that was before Otter changed jobs.  Right now, they are trying to get everything ready for the store to open so she might not be off next weekend.  Then the weekend after, which is the end weekend of the Fair, is when the store will probably actually open so she doesn't think she'll be off then, either.  I'm out of personal days at work, I used the last of them when Bill was having his medical issues, so our original alternate plan of me taking a weekday off and going then is probably not practical.  Otter's only got her schedule through Thursday, her boss wasn't through getting the employee schedules finished up yesterday so she's not sure what her actual work days are yet.  But I will be really surprised if she does manage to get either weekend off.  So, the Fair might just happen without us this year.  We went the last two years.  It's fun, but I won't be upset if we don't get to go this time.  Although Otter might!

Stuff

I have too many passwords!  I can't remember half of them at any given time, and then I don't always remember the other half when I need them.  It only took me two tries to log in here tonight, usually I do remember this one but I didn't tonight!  :)

Here's a few more pictures from the Fair:

This took some time!  It's all paper - paper folded into triangles, and then assembled.  I can not even begin to imagine how long this took.  It was pretty big.

Otter fell in love with this dress.

This is not a "skull" or it wouldn't be on here.  It is actually a Dia De Los Muertos emblem.  The Spanish translation:  Day of the Dead.  The Day of the Dead is a traditional holiday, observed on Nov. 1 or 2 each year.  It's a way of remembering our family members who are no longer with us and one of the main symbols is a skull.  They are usually decorated.  This particular one was part of a patriotic disply and it was very well done.  There are also specific foods associated with the holiday, and frequently people will have picnics in the cemetary where their loved ones are buried - which is not morbid, although I can see how it might sound like it.

(While we are not Mexican or Spanish, I did grow up thinking that Mom's heritage was Mexican and not Cherokee.  She did that on purpose, I'm sure she had her reasons.  But whatever they were, it's a culture that I am very familiar with and like most things about.)

After a couple of cold days, we're back to normal Fall weather.  Warm but not hot days, cooler nights.  However, we might get SLS (SpringLikeStorms) towards the end of the week.  Probably not anything too bad, but it sometimes happens this time of year as the seasons are changing.  We could use the rain, but I'd prefer not to have to deal with anything else.

Today, the Teenager turned 96.  And he celebrated all day long!  When you get to his age, you are allowed and encouraged to enjoy yourself.  He certainly did.  He kept my jumping all day long. :)  We had chocolate cake for him this morning.

Froggy, I was going to send your scarf and hat this week.  Along with two other crocheted items, hot pads I've made for your collection.  But it might actually be next week, I thought of another one I wanted to make.  I'm about 3/4 through with it.  I'll let you know when I send them.  But since the weather is still warm, you probably don't need the scarf and hat yet.  Besides, I made you one of each already!  I don't think that they matched, the scarf was A & M colors (maroon and white) and I don't remember what the hat color was but it might have been purple?

I guess that's all the stuff I can think of today!

2012 Fair Report and Farmily Rambling

Yesterday was Fair day.  It was the last day of the Fair and we like to go that day.  There is limited free parking, so we usually go early so we can get a space.  We managed to get one, and it was early.  The fairgrounds opened at 10:00 officially, but we got there just after 9:00 and they were letting people in already.  We waited until about 9:30, since the car was warm and the outside was not!  It was at least warmer than Saturday was, and dry.  But it was still fairly cold.  The buildings didn't officially open until 10:00 but they started letting people in about 9:45, probably because it was pretty cold still.  We went into the children's zoo building first.

 These were just a couple of days old.

Little Piggies!  Not sure how many piggies there were, but they were adorable.

After that, we hit the building that has most of the prize winning items.  Lots of photographs, artwork, craft items.

Froggy, you might be able to click on this one and enlarge it.  You'll know why we took this particular picture for you!

Let's just say that there are a lot of  "US" up here in NE Oklahoma.  As evidenced by the numerous Burnt Orange t-shirts, caps and jackets we saw - most of them had a specific logo on them, too.

Otter really liked this one:

There were a lot of quilts and we took a lot of pictures, since I didn't have any from the last time we went and Froggy was miffed!

Of course, there was also this:

Isn't this frog hanger just the cutest thing?

And since no Fair visit is complete without this experience:

Otter is up there somewhere!  Look closely at the picture.  Those things on the top of the ride?  THEY ARE FEET!  She loved it, by the way.  This was actually taken after they'd been completely upside down and spinning around.

But there wasn't a butter sculpture this year.  Instead, it was a veggie dragon.  There's a little too much glare on the picture because of the glass enclosing it, but it's actually quite good and very detailed.

However, I heard more than a few people grumbling about the lack of butter, so this might be a one-time departure.

The Fair was a lot of fun, but we were exhausted when we got home.  With major soreness to the feet and legs!  It was cool most of the day, once the sun came out it was nice but the sun didn't stay out and it was very cold by the time we left.

Today was also busy.  Bill and I took the day off as vacation, Otter had one class in the morning.  We picked her up after class and headed north on one of our Rambles.  We went nearly to the Kansas border, but that's really not all that far.  Of course, when you grow up in TEXAS you have a different definition of "far" to drive. :)  But we actually only went about 45 miles north of Tulsa, to Bartlesville to one antique store and then to Dewey, which is about 5 minutes further north.  Dewey had a boatload of antique stores and we had a lot of fun.  I found some discontinued yarn at the place in Bartlesville, and then I found a piece of Fenton that I've been looking for at a store in Dewey.  I'll possibly eventually get around to a picture of the Fenton, but it is Vaseline glass in the hobnail pattern.  She wanted $25 and I got it for $20.00 which is going to sound like a lot for a fairly small piece, but I know my Fenton and trust me - it was a pretty good deal.

Now, since my feet hurt from all the running we did today I think I'm going to hit the "publish" button and get this posted.  Then I think I'm going to stay in a seated position for a very long time.

At least this will be a shorter work week.

Watch This Space For Something Tomorrow

Because I'm too darn tired to post tonight!

The Fair was fun.  We have achy feet and are tired.

Manana!  (As my mother used to say - it's Spanish for "tomorrow"!).

Blanket Weather!

It's Fall and it feels like it.  I'm not complaining!  I'm actually enjoying the cooler weather, although I'm sure I'll get my fill of it soon enough.  In the meantime, I got blankets out of the storage chest and they are ready to be deployed for some couch time tomorrow.

Today was in the low 50's, which is quite a change from the 70's - 80's we've had lately.  It's also misting off and on.  It's going to get colder tonight, and tomorrow's high is in the 40's.  It might actually be a little warmer, maybe low 50's but it's also supposed to be rainy tomorrow.  Since it will be Saturday, we wouldn't be going anywhere anyway.  Sunday is supposed to be in the low 60's and dry, although it might be overcast.  Sunday is Fair Day.

Otter's allergies are a lot better but they are still bothering her.  However, she's at the point where Sunday at the Fair should be ok.  We will have to take jackets with us.  She's still going to ride as many rides as is humanly possible, since we have already bought her ride pass and Sunday is the last day of the fair.  We don't anticipate a sunburn, unlike the last time we went.

Fraiser's all healed up!  But he's still a goof.  He is licking some, it's impossible to stop him, but the spot is healed.  It's rough looking skin and is thick, I'm watching to make sure he doesn't lick it to the point of rawness.  Is that a word?  Anyway, he has been out of the cone for a while now and he's happy about that.  So's Maggie Moo!

I had an interesting experience yesterday.  Well, it probably wasn't interesting for all the parties involved.  I was running an errand yesterday, it was shortly before 7:00 last night so it was getting dark but it was still plenty light.  As I got down my street a few houses, I noticed two girls in a driveway and they looked like they were about to run across the street judging by their crouched-about-to-spring-up posture.  So, I slowed down a little bit just in case.  They weren't about to run across the street.  They were waiting for something else.  For a car to go down the street so they could throw rocks at it.  Which they did, and as soon as I realized what they did and heard the rocks hit the car, I slammed on the brakes.  You know the expression "deer in the headlights?"  Well, that would be a good description of these two girls, who were probably about 9 or 10 - if that, they might have been closer to 8 or 9.  They obviously had not thought this through, because they were not expecting me to stop.  As soon as I did, they turned tail and ran as fast as they could to the front door of the house that they were in front of.  I rolled down the window and yelled at them that it was too late because I'd seen where they were going.  And then I followed them to the front door.  As I got to the door, Dad opened it and asked me what had happened because they had run in the door screaming in fear about a car and I told him exactly what had just happened.  One girl was obviously visiting and she immediately owned up to her mistake and apologized - repeatedly.  I told her that apologizing was the right thing to do and that she'd better not do it again - she said she won't and I hope she meant it.  The girl that was obviously his daugher looked extremely terrified of me (Otter says I can be scary in full RHTW and/or MadMom mode and I'm sure I was last night - I was trying to be) and she tried to deny it, then she must have realized that it wasn't going to work because her friend had just confessed and also her Dad was standing right there.  So, then she said that she was throwing rocks up in the air and it accidentally got away from her - Dad did not look like he believed her, by the way.  I pointed my finger at her and told her that she was telling me a lie and that she knew it.  Dad was turning colors at this point - he wasn't made at me, but he was furious.  He sent her to her room and told her that he'd been there in a minute to deal with her and he told the visiting friend that he'd deal with her next.  She squeaked "with me?" and he said yes, with her as well.  He started to ask me if the car was damaged (it isn't) and I told him no and that as long as he was going to take care of the situation with his daughter, then I was satisfied.

No, I didn't overreact.  What I did was deliberate and to hopefully put the Fear of Mom (or Dad in this case) into them (it would have been called a Come to Jesus moment in S. TEXAS and parts of the south.)  Because they were obviously starting down a very dark path.  It's kind of been an epidemic in this state, and it's usually teenagers, to drop things off overpasses and throw things at cars driving by.  People have literally died from having that happen to them.  There have also been some instances of people shooting at cars off of overpasses.  I wanted to get the point across to them that this is not acceptable behaviour, and that there are consequences to our actions.  I think I did.  I'm also pretty sure that the instigator was the visiting friend and not the girl that lives in the house because we've seen them before since they live down the street.  The parents seem like they are very involved with their children and believe in discipline.

I just wouldn't want to be in the girls' shoes at the moment.  My dad would have tanned my hide, to use a TEXAN expression.  And I'd have deserved it, too.

OK, I think I'm going to start my couch & blanket time in a very few minutes.  We aren't going to turn the heater on yet, since it's not really that cold and will be nicer next week.  But I still have cold feet!  My feet always get cold, generally from about September 1 but it was later this year.  They stay cold until around May 31.  It's not that they really are cold, they aren't.  It's just that my south TEXAN upbringing did not include very much in the way of cold weather.

When we say we had 90 degree Christmases, we aren't exaggerating!

Tooth Fairy Report and Whatever Else I Think Of

Otter saw the dentist today.  Her teeth are now shiny clean, and they look like they don't have any cavities.  The two top wisdom teeth are ready to come out, the dentist said that they can come out at any time but we don't have to be in a huge hurry.  So, the oral surgery/extraction is the Wednesday before Christmas.  That's over Otter's break between semesters.  It's an afternoon appointment, at 3:30.  Our thought is that she can have the procedure done, with the laughing gas, and then will probably be ready for bed (and a pain pill or allergy pill) early in the evening.  The thought is that she's still going to be uncomfortable and in pain, but maybe it will be easier on her if she can just come home and go to bed early.  I'll lay in a supply of yogurt and ice cream, as she's already requested.  One tooth is beginning to come through, which is an extraction.  But the 2nd tooth is not coming through as much, so it's an actual surgical extraction like both of the two lower ones were last year.

The rest of the story from the dentist is one that we were hoping never to hear.  Otter's teeth show some signs of possibly heading towards decalcification.  Like mine.  Like Froggy's.  Like Toadles'.  Like our Mom's.  It's not a given that it will happen, but it's a strong possibility.  The dentist wants her to try to head it off, she already takes good care of her teeth but she needs to increase her calcium intake.  She already gets a lot of calcium, but she's now going to start taking the same otc calcium supplement I take.  And probably even more calcium-rich dairy is in her future.  But she has the advantage of realizing it earlier that I did.  She has strong teeth (thanks Bill!), which is also in her favor.

We ran a couple of errands after the dentist, including going out to the fairgrounds to get Otter's ride pass.  The rides can be expensive, the passes are good for the entire run of the fair although we'll probably only go once.  She'll still get my money's worth out of it!  I'm going to try to remember to take pictures of the quilts and crochet, etc. at the fair this year.  I didn't get any pictures of the ribbon winning quilts last time (2 years ago) and Froggy was a little bit miffed.

So Froggy, this is for you:

Pucker up!

A word of explanation:  Froggy had a frog lick her foot one time, in the flower bed in front of her house.  She's not blognamed Froggy because she has any particular affection for them, either.  Which is Toadles' fault.  I'm responsible for the issues she has with turtles, fyi.  Froggy is a certified Master Naturalist and sometimes takes groups on tours for things.  Like an owl hunt one time, properly called an Owl Prowl.  Just to see and hear them, that type of hunting.  She signed up to take a group last Saturday evening, but didn't bother to read what she'd be hunting for.  You guessed it!  FROGS!!!!  Next time, you'll read the details first, I bet.

Otter, this next one is for you:

Smooch!

Sunday Changes

Yesterday was the first day of Fall.  But it's felt like Fall was already here for the past few days.  Mostly, morning and night.  It was actually chilly this morning, I went out on the back deck shortly after sunrise and it was cold.  It was a nice change.  It's still warm, today is supposed to be in the 80's but the air has that quality that says that Fall is here.

We went shopping today.  We hadn't been on one of our Rambles lately, so we did today.  We went to a nearby town that we've never been shopping at - even though we've lived here for nearly 20 years and it's a well-known antique area!  We just never quite got around to it, for some reason.  Somebody Bill works with told him about a pachinko machine at one of the antique stores, so Otter and I went one day last week.  We found the machine but didn't buy it, it was a little more than Bill wanted to pay.  Normally in that situation, the shop workers will call the seller and ask if he'll take less.  Or, if they can't get ahold of the seller they'll usually take one of our cards and call us when they are able to contact him.  Not this place!  Additionally, they were about the rudest people I've ever come across.  We're not the only customers that have been treated badly - turns out, they have a very well-earned reputation and are losing customers although they don't seem to understand why.  But there are several other stores in the area, so we decided to go back today.  While we were there, Bill wanted to go the first store again with the idea of sticking his card to the pachinko machine and a note to the seller.  The seller happened to be there at the time and he had absolutely no problem at all with coming down on the price.  He also said he might have a couple of other machines as well.

(I posted a negative review on one of the main online sites about the unpleasant experience I had when Otter and I were there the other day.  There were a few others besides mine.)

We hardly saw any spiders this summer, besides the occasional one in the house and one brown recluse.  But yesterday, there was a big one with a big web.  It was on the deck, in front of the windows from the living room.  I saw it early in the morning, it didn't have any bugs yet but it was a perfect web so it was probably newly built.  Later on when I went outside, it was gone.

Otter found several books at one of the other stores.  I didn't find anything, but I did see a lot of Fenton that I liked and the prices were actually good.  But I didn't particularly want to buy any of it.  Sometimes, it's just enough to see certain pieces.  It was still fun.  And everybody else in the other stores were nice!  And a lot more crowded than the first store.

Froggy, I started another potholder for your collection.  This one is several pieces that are assembled into one.  I was going to start on the 2nd part of it today, but Frasier had other plans for me.  Such as petting him with both hands at once and every time I took a hand off of him, the leg would come out and bop me and he'd whine.  Maggie decided that it looked like fun, so she plopped down in my lap (I was sitting on the floor since I'd just treated his leg) and got affectionated for a while as well.

Otter goes to the dentist tomorrow.  She just needs to get her teeth cleaned, but the dentist is also going to x-ray to check the status of the top two wisdom teeth.  Since Otter can feel at least one of them starting to come through her gums, we're hoping that a) they are coming in straight, b) she'll have enough room in her jaw for them to fit so that they won't have to be taken out, or c) if they do have to come out it will be easier since they are already on their way.  We'll see what she says tomorrow after she's had time to look at the x-rays.  After the dentist, I think we're going out to the fairgrounds and get Otter's ride pass since we are going to the fair this year.

Bill was going to mow the lawn today.  His plan was to mow when we got home from church, but we had just enough rain during the night to make the grass too wet.  He then thought that he would mow when we got home from our Ramble, but it started sprinkling and the grass is just wet enough that it's too wet.  He's aiming for tomorrow after work at this point.

Movie Review:  Snow White and the Huntsman.  It was better than I thought it would be.  It was also longer than we expected.  It's a fairly dark story, but then the original story is very dark - the Disney version is not the original story by a long shot.  It's an old, old story actually.

Guess that's it for now!  My laundry is calling me.

Tired!

Or, in my native language (TEXAN), Teeeiiiirred!

It's been a long day.  My days normally start between 5:00 and 5:15 a.m., but today started at 4:45.  When I was awakened by a beagle, with her face & feet on the side of the bed.  She was whining.  This is not normal behavour for her and she is blocked from getting back to our bedroom anyway.  So, I got up and checked - expecting that I had a sick dog or something, but what apparently happened is that the dog block fell over and Maggie wasn't sure what to do!  It sometimes falls, it gets bumped by feet when we go over it and it gets a little loose.  I think that one dog or the other probably leaned on it, and it fell.  Since it was nearly time for the alarm, I just stayed up.

Frasier had his adventure at the vet today.  He's a sad puppy.  Mostly, he's a sad puppy because he has to wear a Cone of Shame!  I'll post pictures on Sunday.  We took Maggie with us when we took him, it was not possible to get one dog in the leash and out the door without the other one so they both went.  Maggie was happy to get there, which is odd, and happy to go in the door.  Frasier was fine, he wasn't sure what was going on when they took him from me.  We waited until he was out of sight, then we left and Maggie was still happy.  We took her back home, then I dropped Otter off at college and went to work.  I got Otter at lunch and brought her home, then she texted me a picture later of a moping beagle.  Apparently, Maggie Moo missed her brother today.

When I picked Frasier up, he was in his cone already and had been wearing it since shortly after the procedure because he started trying to lick/chew at the spot almost immediately.  Which didn't surprise me one bit.  They gave him a pain shot and I have pain pills for him to take the next few days.  He goes back on the 10th of September for stitch removal.  It was a pretty big place, it was the size of a golf ball without exaggeration.  So, he's got a pretty long incision and shaved area.  He ran into a few walls and door frames, but he's calmed down now.  We have been letting him out through the door instead of the dog door, he can't quite get through it with the cone on.  He's been out to relieve himself and then he had a problem trying to get water so I took the cone off and stood in the kitchen with him while he drank and drank and drank...  Then the cone went back on and he is dealing better than I thought.  But we'll see how he does over the weekend, I think he's going to take some serious watching and I'm thinking that they might get a walk tomorrow.  That way, he can be without the cone for a while.  That depends on if he acts like he's in any pain.  He has flopped down in the floor a couple of times, I think he actually napped once.  Then, he's back up and giving me the sad puppy face!

I did manage to get a little Fenton thinning done.  Otter and I dusted the Fenton and the living room in general.  I decided to donate both Fenton shoes and a "bucket" piece.  I'm not sure if I'm going to get rid of any more of it or not, probably not at this point.

Otter and I are also talking about attending the State Fair this year.  We went two years ago and it wasn't very good, then we skipped last year.  But we might go this year.  To be determined later, it's at the end of September and early October.  If we do go, it will probably be on the last day which is a Sunday.  That's actually a better day to go, the rides are usually discounted and the vendors usually have a lot of discounts.  We'll decide a little closer.  Bill doesn't usually go, the walking is too much for him and his feet since he's usually on them all week long at work.  Also, he doesn't care for the crowds.  He doesn't care if we go and he knows he's always invited, but he usually doesn't go.

We got more rain than I thought we would, from Tropical Storm Isaac.  It was supposed to start raining last night, but it was dry this morning and the radar looked like maybe it was going to miss us.  But it started raining just as we were taking the dogs this morning and it continued for most of the morning.  Then the sun came out and it got warm & humid, then we had extremely dark clouds and a little shower.  I don't think we'll get any more rain from Isaac.

TGIF!

Tuesday's Thoughts

Mainly, Tuesday's thought is that it's at least not Monday anymore!  Monday wasn't bad.  It was just Monday.  Today being Tuesday means that it's one day closer to Friday.

The car's gone to get it's new shoes and repair work done.  I took it this morning and they said they'd try to get it all done today, but I didn't really think they would be able to.  I was right, they weren't.  It's having a night away from home, and should be ready tomorrow.  Good news is that the warranty will cover part of the work it needs, we didn't think that any of it would be warranty.  We're still having to pay a good chunk, but not as much as we thought.  But it does need the work and we really haven't had much in the way of trouble with this car.

Otter's been home today, since it's a non-class day.  Among other things, she washed the dog's blankets.  She reports that it took them quite a while to get over that, apparently it's pretty traumatic to the dogs to have clean blankets.  Sometimes, they will avoid their blankets for hours after they get washed.  I don't really feel sorry for them.  Spoiled rotten hounds!

It was in the high 80's today.  It was really nice.  It's going to be nice for a few days, which is surprising.  The Fair starts Thursday and that generally means that it will rain.  Lots.  But this year's Fair forecast looks decent.  We're probably not going this year.  We went last year, after an absence of a few years, and were not impressed.  We'll probably go again in the future, just not this year.  I had thought about entering a crochet project, but decided against it.

Bill's banging on something, he's working on a pachinko machine refurbish and I keep hearing hammering noises coming from the living room.  Not sure if I should be concerned or not!

Well, that's the extent of my thoughts today.  Or at least the ones I want to blog about.

Sunday Fair Food, Continued

More detail!

Here's the cheese sculpture!  I can't get it to orient right, so I guess you have to turn your head to the right to see it clearly.  :)  It was kept in a glass-enclosed area so it wouldn't get too warm.  There is a lot of detail although it might not show up so well in the picture.

Otter and BF rode a lot of rides.  The lines were long, averaged about 30 minutes for a 3 - 5 minute ride.  But they had a good time.  We bought ride passes, which actually save a lot of money because the rides are not cheap.  Ride passes can be used every day of the fair, BF went earlier with his family and then again with us so he definetely got his money's worth.  So did Otter, by the way.

There were not as many vendors and exhibits as have been there in years past.  But it was still fun.  We spent the entire day there.  We managed to remember everything we needed to take, with the exception of one very important item:  Sunscreen!  Otter's got pink shoulders, she had on a tank top.  She's been slathering on the aloe vera green goo that we use.

We enjoyed the prize winning displays.  The quilts were lovely, the artwork was very good although some of it was decidedly odd.  The photograph display has Otter seriously considering entering next year.  The crochet prizes have had the same effect on me - the crochet that earned ribbons was good, but not spectacular.  I'm considering a prayer shawl or another less common piece.  But I'll worry about that next year.

A big thing for Otter is the fact that she's now 18.  So she can legally sign petitions.  She couldn't get to the Right to Life booth fast enough, she wanted her first official petition to be the one that might help end legal murder.  (Legal doesn't mean morally right, by the way.)

The petting zoo was fun, it always is.  I took several pictures, but they all have faces in them so no pictures.  Otter was a typical girl, going crazy over all the animals - especially the babies, and she would have happily taken any and all of them home.  BF was a good sport about it, but I think he enjoyed the rides more than the animals.  We fed assorted animals including an emu, a couple of really sweet horses (mama and baby), goats by the boatload (lots of babies!), there was a camel but I'm not sure if Otter fed him or not, assorted cattle and we petted most of them.  There was also a tortoise, which caused me to immediately snap a picture on my cell phone and text it to somebody!  (Anybody care to guess who I sent it to?).

We avoided most of the food oddities.  The fried butter was the big thing that was talked up and publicized prior to the fair, but I never even saw a stand sellling it.  There were fried pickles, which sounds pretty gross, fried cheese, fried apples - which were in a cinnamon batter and served with warm caramel sauce & whipped cream and tasted pretty good and probably other fried things that I didn't see.  A couple of years ago, fried candy bars were the thing (but not my thing!).  There's always the standard food such as corn dogs.  My bad food was frito chili pie and it was very good.

By the time we left, it was just getting dark and there were still people arriving.  We managed to get a decent parking place, which doesn't always happen.  But we were all exhausted, but it was an enjoyable day for all of us.  My feet, back and knees were really hurting.  I took a couple of motrin last night, I think Otter also took one and she had the heating pad as well.

This is the first year that we can remember where it didn't rain once during the entire 10 day run of the fair.  That never happens!  Last year, it rained nearly every day but this year was clear.  However, we do have rain chances this week.

OK, that's my Fair report!  This was the first time we'd been in about 4 years and it was a lot of fun.  I'm glad we went this year.

Sunday Fair Food

We spent the day at the State Fair.  Talk about exhausted!  It was a lot of fun, though.

We picked up BF and had breakfast at IHOP.  Then we went to the Fair.  And walked around a lot.  We also stood in a lot of lines for rides.

There are always strange food combinations at the fair.  The most talked about one this year is fried butter.  No, I did not try it!  Basically, it's a butter pat wrapped in a piece of dough.  Then it's fried.  Sounds disgusting, actually.  We had cotton candy, popcorn and cokes.  I did have frio pie, so I wasn't totally good today.  It was pretty good.  Now, I'll probably eat oatmeal for the next week!

More details later, I'm tired!  My feet are killing me but my back isn't hurting as bad as it was earlier.  I'm going in search of a motrin now.

Thursday Thoughts

I'm probably re-using the title, but whatever!  It's been a long day and I'm tired.

It's been a busy week, not necessarily long but just busy.  Next week looks like it will be more of the same, busy!

We close on the refinance next week, happy happy!

Otter's finally found a pair of rain boots.  We have a store that we really like, Atwood's Farm & Ranch.  It's kind of a combination western/ranch, automotive, hardware, grocery, clothing & pet supply store.  Way "Back When", there weren't convenience stores on every corner and grocery stores were also not as many as there are today, if you lived out in the country or were a farmer then you generally would try to combine trips to town into one-stop shopping whenever possible.  Atwood's is still that type of store and it's a fun place.  They had a fairly big sale this week, and we (as usual) found things in their ad that we wanted and/or needed.  Most of it was need, but there were a few wants - we buy roasted peanuts in bulk there.  Bill likes the brand of blue jeans they carry and I generally always find something there as well.  This week, they had rain boots on sale and Otter found some that she liked.  We've seen them at Wallyworld, but they were frankly U.G.L.Y.  These are cute, blue with polka dots and they were actually a little cheaper than Wally.  I'm happy because they had coffee on sale so I bought 2 cans and am stocked on coffee for quite a while.  They also had baby chicks, but we decided that Frasier has enough to play with and/or eat at the moment.

The State Fair started this afternoon.  We're going this year, but not yet.  We're going on the last day because we'll be busy this weekend and also Otter's BF was able to get that specific day off from work because we invited him along.  I took the two of them out to the fairgrounds Tuesday after work and they got their ride passes.  I don't really do rides for the most part, I was very happy when Otter got big enough to go on most of them by herself.  I just don't particularly enjoy or care for rides, they don't scare me but I just don't like them.  However, there will still be plenty to keep me occupied!  The Fair is always a lot of fun.

I think Maggie's having a moment.  I heard her in the hallway just now, sounded like she was talking to herself.  Then she barked.  The next sound I heard was Otter yelling "MAGGIE!"  I think Maginator probably heard a dog barking outside or something, and she was just making sure that her opinion was heard.  Fraiser is out in the back yard, probably holding court on the deck.  Although I might hear him barking, I'm not sure.  It's kind of hard to hear him, out in the back of the yard and over the sound of the dryer because I'm also doing laundry.

Have I mentioned how much I hate doing laundry?

I have had a little crochet time this week, not as much as I'd have liked but at least some.  I finished the main part of the surprise item I've been working on and I have a few other projects I'm thinking about.  Well, I'm going to make them - I'm just not sure which one I'll start with is all.

I can't believe that it's almost October already!

October really only means one thing to us: 

HOOK 'EM HORNS! 

(the Game is this Saturday).