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Day 3 of Spring Break

Posted on April 1, 2009 by auburnchick

Day 3 of Spring Break began by a leisurely stretch in bed.  I don’t think my feet hit the floor until 9:30.

Ahhhh…the life…of unpaid school employees, that is.

In my defense (a weak one, at that), I had stayed up until past 2am catching up on old episodes of 24.  Every Monday finds me torn as to what to watch.  I had to begin with Episode #11 because your’s truly didn’t know that the network pulled older episodes off of the Internet.

Gee Whiz.

I armed myself with a new project…the Shetland Shorty…a skein of my South West Trading Company Bamboo, purchased in Las Vegas last year…and began work while enjoying Jack Bauer’s antics.

Here’s what it looks like right now (minus the one pattern repeat I’ve since completed):

I placed stitch markers every 25 stitches to keep from losing count.  The picture above also shows where I’ve used extra cables as stitch holders.  I’ll be working on the back from this point forward.

After dragging myself out of bed, I showered and headed out the door…on a mission to find Bernat Softee Chunky in a grayish color.  I had a 50% coupon for Michael’s and a 40% coupon for Hobby Lobby.

Of course, neither store had the yarn.

Ugh.

So, I called my friend, Rabbit, who has the largest stash of anyone I know (and probably anyone you know) and asked if I could buy a skein from her.  Being the good friend that she is, she quickly said yes.  I should receive it in the mail in a few days.

My shopping trip was not a total failure, though.  I couldn’t pass up Spring/Summer issue of Knit Simple.  It has a good picture tutorial on Hairpin Lace and some gorgeous beach blanket/coverlet patterns.

On the way home, Chicky called me.

“Mama, I decided to clean my room.  Can Guy Friend come over after you get home and help?”

Now, how could I turn her down.  She had gotten in the mood to really clean her room after helping Guy Friend’s mom clean his yesterday.

When I got home, she had two big bags of clothes and a few boxes of miscellaneous items…soccer trophies, CD’s…typical teenager stuff.  Guy Friend came over and helped her finish.

Wow!

I quickly got in the cleaning mood and began work on the light fixtures in my house.  I’ve known about, but chosen to ignore, the layer of dust that has steadily grown thicker over the years.  Yeah, I said years.  I’m not that into cleaning, but this icky stuff has gradually gotten on my nerves.

Armed with a ladder and screw driver, I took the fixtures apart and carried pieces to the kitchen sink.

Before:

After:

It might be a little hard to tell the difference because the glass is frosted, but the dirty water was evidence enough.  I even took time to clean the light bulbs!

One other thing that had been bothering me was the dust on the fan blades.  Every time I sat on the couch and looked up, I saw a layer of dust hovering just beyond the edge of each blade.

Ewwww…

So, I climbed on the ladder and cleaned those up as well.  Which led to my having to sweep the floor after.

Ugh…the cleaning domino effect.

One last thing I did was clean the light covering of my fluorescent light in the kitchen.  You know the kind…long and plastic.  A while back, I had noticed dead bugs in it.  Yucky…especially given the location in the kitchen.

In the process of cleaning it, I cut my finger on the stupid plastic edge.  I mean…sliced the top of my pointer finger.

Rats…I always knew that cleaning was bad for your health.

I still managed to finish cleaning…bandaged finger and all.

After that, I needed a rest and finally sat down.

Chicky and Guy Friend hung out, making Mexican Lasagna for dinner.  It was a yummy treat!

They also went fishing at the pond across from my house.

Guy Friend thought he was All That when he caught his fish:

Rooster walked out, and within 30 seconds, caught this:

Guy Friend was not amused, nor were the fishies.  They were mercifully thrown back into the water.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful.  The kids went to church and then the shopping plaza at the beach.  I worked on my current knitting project and watched American Idol (I totally agreed with the voters today).

It’s so nice to be able to relax and just enjoy “being.”

The dogs are enjoying the break as well…

Especially Pele…

Filed under: children, Knitting, Pets | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Lovely Spring Weather

Posted on March 24, 2009 by auburnchick

This is my favorite time of year.  I don’t know where you live, but in Florida, Spring is simply amazing.  It’s not too hot and not too cold.

Ahhhh…

I totally understand the term “Spring Cleaning.”

I think that the fresh breezes brings with them the desire to sweep away the clutter from Winter.

This afternoon, Rooster and I ran back to the grocery store and then headed home for an afternoon of chores.  I pulled my dry clothes off of the line so he could hang his newely washed ones.  While Rooster was busy, I decided to wash Pele and Aubie.  A guy drove past, his dog riding shotgun, and he offered to let me bathe the dog.

Um, no thank you.

Next, I washed my car.  I had made an interesting discovery yesterday.  On a whim, I threw baking soda on the windshield and sprayed it with the Method cleaner you can buy at Target.  Then, I sprinkled more baking soda on the wet windshield.  I took a wet cloth, climbed a ladder (I have an SUV, and I’m short), and simply wiped away the dried bug guts that covered the glass.

Easy, peasie.

However, what I failed to realize was that I left a lot of baking soda on the front of the car.  Hence, the need to wash the entire thing.

That done, I went inside, opened the windows, folded my clean clothes, and straightened up a bit, enjoying the fresh breezes blowing through.

Rooster swept the house.

Spring brings with it so much hope that you can’t help but be infected with a sense of joy.  Fresh starts…inside the house, inside the heart.

I don’t know…I’m melancholy, I guess.  Maybe it’s the affect of the crud I’ve been suffering with the last week and a half.

Regardless, my heart sings to God, who saw fit to make the seasons.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Catching Up

Posted on March 23, 2009 by auburnchick

Whew!  Mondays are crazy, but this one…well…wow!

Fortunately, work was easy…no teeny-boppers skipping leaving school to attend concerts on the beach.  I actually had quite a few parents give me honest reasons (albeit unexcused) for their children’s absences.  Kudos!

As soon as I left work, Rooster and I ran to the boarding facility to pick up Molly.  We chose to board her last weekend rather than have my friend deal with keeping the dogs separated.  Molly was very happy to see us, although she changed her mind when I pulled out the hose to give her a bath.

She’s has spent most of the evening sacked out on the couch…

After picking up Molly, I ran to the grocery store.  I must say that I have been spoiled.  Soccer Chick does most of our shopping.  She loves food, so the opportunity to actually pick out what she’s eating is a task she enjoys.  Because she babysits three afternoons a week, I decided to save time and do it myself.

Ugh.  I am so out of the habit.  I spent half of my trip on the phone with her, returning items from my cart to the shelf and putting the correct brands back in.  It seems that she and Rooster, who often accompanies her, have developed their own preferences.

When I got home, Rooster put the groceries away, unknowingly freezing the ground beef that I was going to use for spaghetti tonight, while I hung clothes on the line and vacuumed the car from the ride with Molly.

Then I cooked dinner, keeping one eye on Rooster who is, at the moment, still trying to finish an English project that was due today.

Soccer Chick walked in after spending an afternoon with cranky kids (and having to correct a underpayment on the part of the parents…good for her for speaking up!), and she was mature enough to begin washing the pile of dishes she didn’t have time to do last week.

As she was finishing up, Guy Friend stopped by with a little surprise…

Upon seeing me, he split the bunch into two sections…one for me and one for Chicky.  He saw the flowers growing beside the road and made a side-trip to personally deliver them to my house on the way to soccer practice.

Such a thoughtful gesture that led me to give him a hug.  A real sweetie.  No wonder Chicky likes him.

With the day almost over, I’m finally getting to sit down and put my feet up, Dancing With the Stars playing on the TV.

I have a small treat, though…

A glass of White Zinfandel.  The same color as the yarn I bought a couple of months ago.  Ahhh…so smooth.

A busy, productive day.

Sigh…

Contentment…

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

A Day to Lay Around

Posted on February 6, 2009 by auburnchick

I don’t know if I used appropriate tense in my subject, but who cares.

I thought I would give you an update on Molly after the horrendous post last night.

She had a semi-decent night of sleep after waking up around 12am.  She was sleeping with me, and I suddenly knew that she was awake.  We headed straight for the door, with her wobbling and limping.  She made it out and did her business, hustling as best she could to get back inside.

We went straight back to bed.

She has a place she hides when she wants to escape.  To get there, she has to jump on the bed and then off the other side.  It’s in a corner, only accessible via this route.

Despite her pain and bum leg, she went to her spot.  I understood.  It’s her place of safety.

That’s where she stayed the rest of the night/morning.  She woke up, went potty, and we crawled back into bed after seeing the kids off to school.  I called in to the school I was supposed to work at, explaining the situation with all of the sincerity I could muster.

Molly slept with her head on my leg until 12pm…a five-hour nap.  I didn’t dare move a muscle.  We both needed the rest.

After a quick jaunt to the bathroom, she resumed her position on the bed.  Pele joined her from the other room.  He loves both dogs and is very confused by the situation.

We all slept for another couple of hours.

I’m probably as messy looking as Molly.  I haven’t showered or changed out of my PJ’s yet.  I don’t anticipate doing so before the morning.  With my long, curly hair, you can only imagine what I must look like.  I won’t be winning the Mrs. America contest any time soon, that’s for sure.

I thank you for your prayers.  I’ve seen some of you on Plurk, and I can’t tell you how much your kind words mean to me.

Filed under: Pets | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

How Did I Allow This To Happen?

Posted on February 5, 2009 by auburnchick

I am an idiot.  Pure and simple.

As I sit here typing this, Molly is laying beside me, trying to sleep off the sedative she was given this evening.

Yeah, she and Aubie got into another fight.  And I was partially to blame.

We’ve kept them separated for the last week and a half.  Things have been going fairly well, except for the circus of putting dogs away before getting out the other ones to potty or visit in the living room.

The dogs have really been missing each other.  Or at least I thought they were.

They’ve spent many moments whining in front of the other’s doors or sadly watching each other play outside, the desire to play evident on their faces.

This afternoon, I watched Molly put her front paws on the kitchen window sill as she spied Aubie and Pele frolicking outside.

I decided to get her leash and take her out to play with them.

Well, as she went through the doggie door on the porch, I turned loose of the leash.

You should have seen the joyful reunion.  However, things quickly got tense, and soon they were at it again.

It took three of us to separate them.  By then, Molly was dripping blood and limping heavily again.

Rats.  This was to be her last day on antibiotics.

I put her in the tub to clean her up and get a better idea of where she was hurt.

It was bad this time.  Much worse than the last time.

She has several deep puncture wounds on her right cheek.  Her left leg is a mess.  The kids’ anxiety level rose as we realized that we couldn’t stop the blood flowing from her leg.  We dried her off quickly and hauled her to our vet.

I dreaded the drive, wondering what they were going to think of me.

I got there with ten minutes to spare before the office closed; however, I was informed that the vet had already left for the day, and I would be charged an after-hours’ fee for him to return.  The receptionist was kind enough to offer up the name of another vet who was still open.  I called them to let them know I was on my way.

The vet’s office is located in the back of PetSmart.  Molly and I had to pick our way around several jaw-dropped customers.

Embarrassing but necessary.

I found myself sheepishly trying to explain the presence of the staples on Molly’s ear and leg.

Ugh.

Please don’t call Doggie HRS, I wanted to shout.  I really do love my babies.  They were so sad, that I tried to make them happy.

Wrong move.  I would have never allowed my non-fur-babies to play with others who had beat them up several times before.

Bad choice on my part, and Molly had to pay the price.

I left her with the vet and returned two hours later to find her nearly completely asleep and in no hurry to wake up.

To get her to the car, we had to load her on one of those big carts that are used to tote large bags of dog food.  Her eyes were open, but she had no control of her tongue, so it hung down beside her.  We had covered her with a towel to keep her warm.

She looked pathetic.  I kept my eyes down as we walked back through the store to the exit.

Ugh.

We gingerly placed Molly in the back of my car (thank goodness for SUVs), and I drove home slowly.  I don’t think it mattered much.  She was barely conscious.

Mr. AuburnChick moved her from the car to the bed, her tongue still hanging out.  She resembled one of the coyotes in the movie The Lion King.  She kept trying to lift her head to wake herself up, but she just couldn’t.

It’s been about three hours, and she has regained mobility, but she is hurting…a lot.

She’s not exactly thrilled with me, and I can’t blame her.  Perhaps she thinks it was my fault she’s got a foggy brain.  After all, I was the last person she saw before being taken to the back of the vet’s office.

She has been wagging her tail for Rooster and Soccer Chick.

So, where does that leave us?

I don’t really know.

The first thing I’m focused on is nursing her back to health.  For good this time.

The kids and I have acknowledged that we need to give serious consideration to finding her a new home.  It’s not fair to make her live half of the day in a room.  It’s not fair to risk putting her through what’s happened today.

Soccer Chick and I were in tears as we discussed our options.  We are going to pray for God to show us what He would have us to do, regardless of what that might entail.  I have not discounted a miracle.  God loves all of his creatures.  However, true love is doing what’s best for the other party.

Off to find some kleenex…oy, what a week…

Filed under: Pets | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

Big Needles

Posted on February 1, 2009 by auburnchick

First off, thank you for the nice comments about my scarf and green hat.  Y’all have a way of making me feel so good!

Now, I’ve had a couple of you ask what size needles I used to make the Pom Pom hat.  The pattern suggested size 19’s.  I remember running out to the store to find some.

Here’s what I knit that hat with:

Yeah, I know.  Them’s some big needles, eh?

I was able to complete the hat in under two hours, and that’s only because I had to seam it up.

Make the hat, people.  Do whatever it takes to bring an embarrassed smile to your own family.

Changing the subject a bit…

I thought I would share these pictures I took of Molly today.

Notice her sewn-up ear?

She’s such a sweet girl, she really is.

Filed under: Knitting, Pets | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

A Night of Excitement

Posted on January 26, 2009 by auburnchick

No, it’s not what you think, so get your mind out of the gutter.

You know that my life is very rarely, if ever, calm.  Tonight was no exception.

First of all, let me start out by saying that Soccer Chick’s “new” coach generously released her from the obligation to his team.  The Mr. and I were shocked.  We had braced ourselves for a stronger response.  What a huge relief.

You’d think the rest of the day would be easy, but this is the AuburnChick household.  There is no easy button.

I was sitting around this evening, knitting on my newest project (to be posted soon, I hope) when I got up to let the dogs in.  Molly and Aubie were patiently waiting at the door for me.

All of a sudden, Molly turned on Aubie and attacked her.  Apparently, Aubie was too close to her.

And the evening went downhill from there.

Aubie had to defend herself and got hold of Molly.  Neither would let go.

The Mr. and I tried desperately to pull them apart without getting bitten in the process.  At one point, we each had the back legs of the dogs, trying to pull them apart.  Aubie had a fierce grip on what appeared to be one of Molly’s eyes.  I was standing behind Molly and was dreading what I would have to face later.  We have no idea how Aubie held on so strongly because all of her front teeth are gone.  She’s old.

Don’t ask me how we got them separated, but when we did, I dragged Molly backward into the house and straight to the bathroom.  She was limping again, this time on the other foot.  This was the third fight in a week and a half, and the second in one day.

Molly has a very deep gash in one leg.  We think it went to the muscle.  She has another puncture wound right below the gash.  Her ear was torn up.  Fortunately, her eye is okay.  Aubie got her ear instead.

Aubie has gashes across her back, but it appears she suffered the least physical of the two.  Emotionally, she’s a wreck…shaking like a leaf.  I guess you could compare her to an elderly person being mugged.  In shock.

We decided we better call a vet, but of course all of the offices were already closed.  After a bit of discussion, we decided to page one of the doctors.  Molly’s gash looked like it needed attention.  The vet seemed a bit hesitant but finally agreed to meet us.

Thank goodness.  One look at Molly was all he needed to understand that my concerns had not been for nothing.  This was much more serious than a scrape.  I tried to explain that I had seen children through many bumps, bruises, and cuts during their young lives, and rarely had I taken them to the emergency room.  This time was different.

He put Molly under and got her sewn up.  I cried when I saw Molly trying to sleep off the anesthesia.  She seemed so helpless.

I think I cried because of the love I feel so deeply for my furry babies (remember what I went through with the rat).  We rescued Molly from our local animal shelter.  We suspect that she was younger than eight weeks old…living on the streets when someone found her and turned her over to the  animal authorities.  We nursed her back to health through a severe case of worms and kennel cough.  The vet, at that time, couldn’t assure me that she would live.

I’m worried that I might have to give her up.  All to preserve two lives.

Aubie has been with our family for nine years…ever since Rooster was in kindergarten and wrote in his journal (yes, they were writing that early on), “I loved my dog, and my dog loved me.”  He was referring to a dog we had previously owned but given to a friend due to Soccer Chick’s allergies.  Aubie filled a need inside of Rooster.  She, too, was rescued from an animal shelter.

She’s old now…has gray hair around her face.

None of us can fathom the thought of losing her to a dog fight.  In fact, the thought of her passing, regardless of the “how” brings us all to tears as we know the time will come one day.

For now, we’re going to keep them separated.  Molly will stay in a crate during the day when I’m at work, and the other dogs will stay out.  We’ll work to ensure that they spend as little time together until things cool down.  The vet suggested obedience training to teach Molly to be submissive.  She clearly wants to be the alpha dog and tries to intimidate Aubie.  Poor Aubie gives off an air of fear, which feeds Molly’s sense of power.

The kids are very upset, as am I.  I know that God cares about every facet of our lives, so I’m asking that you pray for us.  Please pray that I would be receptive to whatever solution He deems best, and, if possible, that a way be found to keep our feisty sweetheart (Molly) with us.

Filed under: Pets | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Drama Llama

Posted on January 26, 2009 by auburnchick

The above term was used in a recent Ravelry thread I read.  I love it!  It totally fits me today.

First, picture Your’s Truly, poised dramatically with the back of her hand placed carefully across the top of her forehead in the “Whoa is me” look…

Ok…now that the scene has been set, please proceed in your reading (I told you that I am all about drama today)…

My Monday has started off in a very stressful way.

Aubie and Molly, my female dogs, had another fight this morning! Right off the bat too! I think that Molly is waking up in a bad mood because Aubie has been sleeping with Rooster. Aubie ran in and jumped on my bed to say good morning. Molly stood on the floor and wouldn’t let her get off.

Standoff.

I’m not sure who struck first, but they went at it…in a very small room.

Mr. AuburnChick threw water on them…to no avail. He finally used a clothes hamper to separate them. Aubie has a couple of puncture wounds…nothing major…and Molly…well, I can’t tell. Poor Aubie, though. She’s nine years old and is scared stiff…shaking like a leaf.

Aubie has an appointment with the vet tomorrow for yearly shots. I’m going to ask them what they suggest. I’ve also got, in the back of my mind, the idea that I might need to find Molly a new home. This totally breaks my heart as she is really a sweetheart. She just refuses to submit to Aubie’s place in the clan. I wish the Dog Whisperer could come to my house.

On another note…

The Mr. and Soccer Chick’s former coach have been sending emails back and forth since a Disney tournament. Daughter played with her new team (which is actually her team from two years ago). This is the team she went back to after quitting the really good team, which said coach led. I’m sure you remember my hysterical posting that weekend.

Anyhow, her “new” team had a TERRIBLE showing at Disney, which is a college showcase. It’s important because a lot of college coaches attend to recruit the best for their teams. Ugh. Chicky didn’t get a lot of attention…a disaster.

She and the Mr. (remember that Rooster was sick during Christmas, so we stayed home to allow him to recover) went to watch her old team play…they wound up winning the entire thing! They are one of the best teams in her age group in Florida.

She realized that she misses the competition and the girls. We really, really miss everyone too. The parents do everything together, and there’s a lot of team bonding stuff going on during the tournaments. Unlike the “new” team, where nobody did anything together. So sad.

So, Chick’s former coach wants her back. We discussed it with her and let her make the decision. We’re under the gun because the old team is going to a tournament in Vegas, and we have to make hotel and plane reservations TODAY.

Chicky walked in this morning and told dh that she had decided to play for the old team.

So now, we have a new dilemma…getting her “new” coach to release her from the team. He was quick to accept her after the switch before. We have no idea what he’s going to do now. He’s a nice guy, but I cannot imagine what this is going to do to him.

Ugh.

So, that’s my Monday, in a not-so-nutshell.

Oh, and I am not working today. Sigh.

In true drama fashion, AuburnChick faints from the sheer volume of emotions running through her today.

She’ll later check her calendar to see if PMS had anything to do with today’s emotional response.

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Caught in the Act

Posted on January 2, 2009 by auburnchick

An interesting thing happened today.  I don’t expect you to be surprised, though.  Interesting things seem to happen regularly around here.  But this time, I have proof.  Just you wait and see.

I was in the garage, hanging clothes to dry. I had the side door open to let the air circulate through the garage for faster drying.

All of a sudden, I heard a noise that sounded like someone pulling in their garbage can…except that trash day was the day before yesterday, and I knew my neighbors already pulled in their trash cans.

The noise stopped, and I resumed what I was doing.  Then I heard a different sound…a dog collar jingling.  Next, I saw Molly, my youngest dog, AKA Escape Artist Extraordinaire, running down the side yard.

I ran out, but I didn’t see the tile that I had placed under the fence (from previous escapes) disturbed.

As you know, if you have been reading my blog very long, Molly’s escapes often leave us scratching our heads.  I am constantly plugging holes with various items around my home.  For several months, I haven’t been able to locate her newest route to freedom.

This time, I was determined to figure it out.  For this, I enlisted Rooster’s help. We got a hold of Molly and put her in the back yard again, setting her up to escape again.  I know, I know.  If this was a court of law, the case would be thrown out for enticement.  However, this is called Life, so I don’t think those rules apply.

At that moment, Rooster’s Florida Virtual School teacher called.  It was his Welcome call…a requirement before beginning a new class.  We put her on speaker phone (I had to participate in the call) and ran back around the front, focusing our eyes on the fence…all the while trying to maintain a coherent conversation with the teacher.  I felt the need to share with the teacher what we were doing…just in case we busted out laughing at an inappropriate moment.  She didn’t seem amused.

We continued the conversation.  And we watched Molly escape.  We busted out laughing.  The teacher understood, kind of laughed (she could not fully appreciate the moment, I guess), and we quickly ended our conversation.

We grabbed Molly’s collar, put her back in the yard (yes, setting her up again), and ran to get our cameras set up so we could record the action.

Here’s Molly…caught in the act…

Can you believe it?  She is jumping from the ground straight to the top of the fence!  There’s nothing behind the fence for her to stand on!

Smart Bad dog!

Oh, and just so you know…Rooster and I will be cleaning that fence tomorrow.

Filed under: Pets | Tagged: , , , | 4 Comments »

Tag, I’m It

Posted on December 16, 2008 by auburnchick

What fun!  I was perusing the blogs I’m subscribed to in Bloglines, and I discovered that Kelly had tagged me on her blog.

What I’m supposed to do is find the 4th picture folder on my computer.  I’m to put the 4th picture from that folder on my blog and tell 4 facts about it.

Fittingly, my 4th folder is named “Pets.”  Here’s the picture:

Aubie and Pele

Aubie and Pele

  1. This was taken after picking up the dogs from the boarding facility.
  2. We had taken a trip to Virginia Beach for the U.S. Club Nationals (a soccer tournament).
  3. The dogs had been boarded for almost a week, hence the tired looks on their faces.
  4. The boarding place bathed my dogs (for a nice little fee, of course) and put those bandannas on my babies.

So now it’s my turn to tag 4 people.

Cuteknitter, Heather, Deb, and Paula … You’re It!

Filed under: Pets | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

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