Getting ready for survival

Sometimes you have to do the unthinkable, yup, taking the little bit I have set aside for retirement (ya! like I will get to retire). This will take away a huge credit card payment, pay for a new furnace, windows, sliding door, drain cleaning and some much need shower plumbing and a vanity top. I should be able to survive on unemployment but need a job soon to keep the Mare.

My big try at gardening to take money off my board caused havoc with my tendonitis and I ended up losing money by having to visit Sue the best deep tissue massager.

We had a big splurge and went to Norris' farm in Luverne, MN the last weekend in July. I set up my tent by the lights of Norris' cadillac, sweating and being eaten up by vampire bugs. I actually did a pretty good job. Smudgee decided to make a doggie door out of one of the vents located near the bottom. I should be able to repair with some more screen and am making a mental note to stack gear there in the future. I slept really well with a pad, a heavy sleeping bag and the new thin Coleman bag I purchased. The older pups are veterans at traveling and sleeping but Smudgee isn't good about settling down. She sat on the console pretty much the entire trip. Her eyes would just start to close and she'd keep struggling to stay awake. She has decided the grain mills are very scary.

We stayed from Friday to Monday. We added the extra day cuz, hey, I didn't need to be any where. We definitely couldn't fit everything we wanted to do into two days. The first full day started with checking out the surroundings. Pat and Norris were kind enough to let me set up the kennels in a back room so they could get some relaxing done and I could enjoy myself. Smudgee knows horses but cows are quite a different story.


Tuesday’s Performance Puppy class was more enjoyable with the cooler weather. Smudgee and I need to work a bit more on our connection. She was spectacular at the tire and tunnel. Practicing front crosses and rear crosses. Need to work the travel board some more.

Wednesday brought a long awaited vole kill. Pixie found the nest but Wyatt circled out and found the creature. He gave it his best but got bit and dropped it. Pix came in for the steal and she decided a trade for a treat was a good thing. Grasping it by the tail and holding the carcass up as high as someone of 5’ 1” can so Smudgee (able to leap four feet) was not able to grab it away, placed it in the poopy bag.

Old post notes - Nothing on the job front and the government shutdown is not helping anything at this point. I logged into the Robert Half website and can take quite a few classes on line that are VoIP related. I am getting a little nervous now. Mondays are the worse. I don’t want to settle but may need to do what I can.

I attended a Canterbury press conference on Wednesday. Quite the turn out. The Mayor, city council members, an owner (representing all the owners) and Paul Nolan (representing the Jockeys) spoke. Paul made me cry. I have been feeling bad for CR already and it keeps getting worse. She had started to have a good year with a win and then bam! No racing. She barely gets by anyways and this makes it so much worse.

I do not see the good in this shutdown. It is only hurting us. Why? Everytime I turn around it is something else. The latest was Miller beer - I can live without it but why should liquor store owners be put to risk also.

I bit the bullet and had CR cut my hair. One of the perks. Very slight angled bangs. One of the few times I haven’t cried afterwards. I might have her adjust it slightly, just slightly.

Thursday I took a lesson with Heather. She was pleased with our progress. I am able to get Josie round and keep her there (unless there is some big distraction).

Stormy all day today. Pixie has taken to being upset now. Leaping up and panting like crazy. Her daily dose of Benadryl seems to be working.

Watched P.S. I Love You again. One needs to be happy with the cards dealt and leave it at that.