Conflicting Emotions

Saturday -

Blue and I felt like this:

Just kinda Blah.

The Holiday is over,
Come on 2016! blue's.

Then on Sunday - I was watching the Sunday Morning Show

They ran the End of Year segment called 

Hail and Farewell.

A memorandum to all the famous and not so famous people who passed this year.

Some, I knew of their passing

but some left me surprised and little bit shocked.

And then I started feeling a bit depressed....

I moped around a bit and I drove out to the place where my booth is.
I need to have everything gone and outta there by Friday.
The NEW Year.
The woman at the counter is always very nice and bubbly.
She told me that SHE was the one moving into my booth space.
She was SO excited! It's in a nice spot and it's bigger than what she had.
So I got to thinking about the retro shelving unit I have that ran the wall.
I hadn't been sure how I'd get it out of there.
And once I did, I really have no place for it at home.
So I looked at her happy face and walked back and marked it WAY down.
Then I stopped at the counter and told her that I just marked it super low and she might want to run back there and check it out.
I ended up stopping again later, to take some more things and she thanked me over and over again for letting her know and then I asked her if she wanted the rug.
She looked at it and asked me how much.
I looked at it and knew I had no place for it.
It had been walked on and looked worn to me, so I told her.
You can have it, it's free.
Then I left.
I drove home and felt good.
I'm not usually able to help people out. Not much, at least not monetarily but
she was always so nice and what was I going to do with it anyway?
Besides, I've had so many thoughtful gifts lately, that I felt the need to pay it forward.
I went home and started reading one of my books that was a Christmas gift to me from a dear friend.
It started making me happy and motivated.

I started feeling lucky again.

Lucky to be alive.

Lucky to be healthy.

Lucky to have the ability to make changes in my life.

Lucky to have wonderful friends in my life.

I started looking at some photos that I've taken and got to messing around.
I altered them and made them more "Artsy".

I think I might include them in my "Shop" too.
I want to have several sections in my Etsy shop.
Prints,
Cards,
Calendars,
Maybe some wearable Art. A pin or a necklace of my Art.
Maybe I'll make small little cats like I used to, tiny primitive painted fabric ones.
I did those one year for Valentines Day and sold them ALL!
Yes! Maybe I'll make my broken-hearted cats again!
What a difference a day makes.

Today, Monday - I woke up to freezing rain.
Drove to work and beat everyone in!
I was the first one in and I live in another state! LOL!
But I did set my alarm for EARLY because I knew that
it would be crazy busy, a ton of dogs going home after a Christmas boarding stay.
I tried to get them outside to potty but I'd see them squinting their eyes in the icy rain pellets.

A few on them just won't go out by themselves,so I stood outside with them,
wondering why I had blown-dry my hair straight.
I could almost physically feel it curl up on my head.
The wind would catch the boarding door and wet cold ice would blow in.
I would watch the little dogs tetter and totter in the wind of this ice storm

and I'd run back out and scoop them up.
I'd laugh and hold them against my chest and looking down into their little faces and say
IT"S COLD OUT THERE!
and they'd look up and give me kisses.

I suppose I should feel irritated instead.
Mad that some people didn't make it in.
Mad that it's now a full fledged ice storm.
Mad that everyone else is warm inside and I'm running around being pelted by ice rain.
but
I'm not.

and then, one more thing-
I had posted on Facebook that I wished that Starbucks delivered coffee
and then one of the office girls decided to do a coffee run and brought me back a Starbuck's White Mocha.
Life is good and I am grateful.

Christmas Morning 2015

It's Christmas!

Wake up Jimmy!

Maybe Santa came?!

Are you getting up?

Maybe there's something in your stocking?

Like coal LOL!

Oh come on, get up!

Sleepy head dog

OK! He's UP!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

XOXOXOXOXO 

I PAINTED A WINDOW

I forgot to tell you that I painted a window.
A McDonald's window.

What? Why?
You are probably wondering.
Well, a very good friend of mine who lives way out in the country and I mean WAY out, the same one I drove to Minnesota with to get a baby goat, asked me to do it.
She lives in the next county over and they don't have no-kill shelters. They just have their County Animal Shelter. So she belongs to a group that helps the shelter by raising money for the animals and help them find homes.
So the McDonald's out her way, was having a contest with various businesses and groups, painting each window. It would be free advertising for everyone.
Customers would be encouraged to vote for their favorite one.
Well, I being the hermit that I am, only said that I would do it if my friend sat with me and kept me company.
Turned out to be a wise decision as it took me over 45+ minutes to drive out there in the dark.
If I hadn't been meeting someone I knew. I'd never had gone.
When I got there I found out that it had to be painted on the inside of the window, to protect the paint from the elements.
That meant everything had to be done backwards! Lol!
As I got into it, I quickly realized it was going to take a fair amount of time to do.

I had brought a dry eraser marker with me and we were able to draw the letters on the window first with that, to assure proper placement.
Then my friend volunteered to do the lettering and then she also ended up doing the "snow".
It took us about 3 1/2 hours but finally we were done.
My friend had liked the painting I had done of the dachshund playing in leaves so I decided to do a cat and dog playing in snowflakes.
It was an experience and actually kinda fun and my friend was happy with it so that was good.
We had a nice talk while sipping on McD's Mocha coffee too!
I must say though, as I drove home through the countryside in the pitch-black, that I felt relieved to finally see the twinkle of city lights as I got closer to the town.
There might be many things I don't like about living where I do but that night I found that I felt comfort as I finally turned onto my street.
I think it would take some time to feel at ease if I ever moved so far out away from everything.
But all and all. It was a nice evening and I hope it helps the shelter in some small way.

Belly-aching

I'm really sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Could there be anything more boring to read about?

I doubt it.

But this might surprise you -

I actually left work and went home sick!

Yep. I was trying to tap this post out on my phone (in between letting my boarding dogs outside to potty) and my head was swirling every time I stood up, it occurred to me that I have never been completely 100% well, in a long time.

I'll get to the edge, almost feeling really good and healthy and  then BAM!

Back to sick and tired.

SO, I finished up what HAD to be done.

I wrote out notes and instructions and then took my files up to the office and told them that I was sick and going home!

I know. How dull. This is such a fascinating blog post.

Blah, blah, blah. 

Truly, BORING!

I used to read a particular blog and while I liked the author, she moaned and belly-ached so much that I had to stop, it was too depressing.

I thought about her today and realized, I'm pretty much the same.

I mean, who wants to read that?

So, I'm focusing on the NEW YEAR and all the things I will accomplish!

I'm going to blog more about Art and no more whining.

But FIRST, just a tad bit more! Lol!

Currently it's packed at work.

One of the differences between our clinic kennel and a regular kennel is that we cater to the old, frail and sick.

That means boarding animals that other places might turn away because of all the "extra" medical issues.

Right now I'm caring for this guy -

To be honest, his face looks like I feel!

I make sure he's eating and that he gets his twice daily medications.

Luckily he's a sweetheart.

I also am taking care of a couple of diabetic dogs (different families) who must have insulin injections twice a day.

But only after they have eaten something.

If they don't eat, I need to get creative and find something they do like.

One of them is a regular boarder and he's easy to care for.

The other is elderly, blind and finicky.

He will be here for 3 weeks.

Yep, no pressure on me there! Lol!

Then we took in a rescue dog.

He actually jumped into a client's car as she was delivering meals to house-bound people.

She said she couldn't bring herself to make him get out.

He had a huge prong collar on and was filthy.

Big patches of hair were missing from his back

And his head tilted and he walked at an angle as though he had been hit by something or someone on that side.

One of the techs gave him a good bath and I've been taking care of him ever since.

The Rescue is going through the proper steps and fortunately his old owners haven't bothered to look for him.

One of the rescue people said that sadly those owners probably will just go get another dog.

He actually has been very easy to care for.

He's calm and quiet and gently takes treats from me.

He pays no mind to other dogs as they walk past his kennel.

No aggression at all.

But when he sees a cat! Omg! He does NOT like cats.

I find that odd, that he could care less about little yappy dogs but hates cats so much!

Who knows, maybe something bad happened between him and a cat?!

Here at the clinic, they did a skin scrape on him and it's not a staph infection or anything.

Hopefully with proper diet and care, it will grow back.

Rescue will be taking him on Monday.

(Which is good because I will need the kennel space for the Holidays.)

Finally, and I suppose I should just put this in a separate post but...

I fostered (?) a little dog for 3 weeks.

CeCe

She had boarded with me a few times.

Her owner had told me that he was getting allergy shots so that he could keep her.

He said so far nothing was working and I wished him luck with that.

Then one Friday night as I was about to leave work, they called me up front.

The owner was in tears. He just couldn't keep her, he said and he couldn't bear to take her to a shelter. He wanted to know if I'd take her or find her a good home.

So I took her.

I told everyone that she was much too young for me to keep and that I would find her a home.

No one believed me.

But there was no doubt in my own head and even if there had been, I quickly realized she would never work in my home.

My other dogs have clicked into place like puzzle pieces, like it was always meant to be, but not CeCe.

My Ping, who always has to be in my lap or close to me, quickly hated her.

CeCe wanted to be in my lap!

Ping would climb on top of her and push her away with her butt.

When I slept, CeCe would try to snuggle up to me but Ping would have a fit and they would battle and I would have sit up and stop it by throwing the comforter over them.

In the meantime I had contacted a very sweet woman I knew whose little dog had passed months back.

I told her I had THE dog for her and sent photos.

She was very excited!

She said she had to have her!

But....

She was getting her carpets replaced and then she would be out of town for a week over Thanksgiving.

So I told her no problem. I'd take care of CeCe until she got back.

So... CeCe was mostly good.

She LOVED playing with Ricochet.

But she was bossy and would get into the other dogs faces.

One day she decided to take Jimmy on, over a toy.

He quickly wrestled her and pulled it away but she was having none of it and tried to battle him!

She ended up with a good scratch on her head. 

You can see in the photo where the scratch (tooth mark?) was still healing above her right eye.

Then came the night that CeCe got into Blues face as he lumbered up on the end of the bed!

Luckily I was able to grab CeCe away before a major incident!

Finally the day came and CeCe met her new mommy!

She had bought CeCe a coat and jeweled collar and a matching leash and a new bed and lots of toys.

They were both overjoyed to meet each other and were instantly the very best of friends.

My friend then suffered a loss in the family the very next week and she said having CeCe to hold and love, helped her through such a difficult time.

Yes, it was meant to be.

So, yeah.

Just a few of the things going on that have left me tired.

So now I will stop complaining.

I'll try not to write about it any more.

I'm even pondering about possibly letting this blog fall silent....  for a while,

or maybe forever?

I'm thinking about just go full force on my Art blog after the New Year.

(once I get it up and running and connected to my dot.com)

I mean, I'd still write my stories...

I have a few more things to share.

But NEXT year maybe just short ones

and doing an illustration with them.

Or maybe some days-

just the illustration...

Oh, I don't know!

I'm starting to feel very achy and I'm getting the chills....maybe it's the flu!?

Oops! No more belly-aching!

Xo

SUNDAY MORNING SNORING

SOME DAYS....

I DROPPED THE BALL, AGAIN...

Yep.

And I had such big plans too.

I'm really mad at myself for not figuring out how to get it done....

The Christmas cards,

The prints, 

The paintings, 

The calendar.

Such big plans..........

sigh.

Well,

HERE'S TO 2016!
I think the secret is to start in July.
Not to wait.
Because in a couple of days, it will be crazy here at my day job
and stay like that until after the New Year.
Yep.

Seriously, I need to get my shit together.
:(

WINTER PLANTERS

Once again, I seem to have no time.

Aarrrgggh!

I have so many topics to blog about!

So much to tell but.....

I barely have time to read my fav blogs, much less do a post of my own.

So here's a quick one from my phone!

I take care of all the flowers, etc. at work.

I go buy them, plant them, deadhead and prune them and water them.

This year I planted Mexican Heather in the center of the planters.

( it has purple blooms) and then I added a bunch on yellow zinnias around that and then trailing purple petunias around the outer edge.

It was rather lovely, if I say so myself.

(sadly- no photos)

Then as Fall arrived and the zinnias became a bit brown, I yanked them out and trimmed back the petunias.

Then I put yellow and purple mums where the zinnias had been.

(Again, sadly no photos)

Now we have had snow.

But thankfully, it's all melted.

Most of the plants couldn't survive that.

Doc wanted some color up front in the planters so I again pulled out what was dead. (Mexican Heather and petunias) and trimmed down the mums and a few struggling green petunias.

Then I went to Hobby Lobby and got two artificial trees that were half price (so they were only $10 each) and then went to Target and got 4 bags of pine cones - $5.00 each. 

I split these between 2 planters.

For only $20 a planter, they ended up like this:

I'm happy with them.

The other two planters are tall but smaller on the top.
For those, I went to the Dollar Store and got a total of 8 poinsettias bunches.

(4 red and 4 white).

While at Hobby Lobby, I grabbed two "gift box" stakes. Half price again, so only $2.50.

So for a total of $6.50 each, this was the end result of that (because Doc wanted Color!)

I'm not a big fan of fake flowers.

But everyone else at work like them, so I guess they are ok.

OK! Gotta go now,

I hope to make it to everyone's blogs soon.
I've read several, just haven't had the time to comment, but I will!

XOXOXO

It's NORA'S Birthday today!

So! I got a birthday greeting from the vet clinic that I work at, wishing Nora a Happy Birthday today.
I text Kitty, who's working today 
(yes, that's her name! and she gets SO much grief for it, working at a vet clinic! LOL!)
to double check how old my Nora is. Kitty said she's 9!!!
I asked her to make Nora 3 again and while she's at it, make Blue 2. 
Kitty said she'd take care of that for us.
So, here's a big Happy Birthday to my Nora! 

She's absolutely wonderful and would protect me to the death. I'm so happy she's mine.

She certainly doesn't get the credit she deserves, living with such characters!

I'm so grateful that her previous owner was such a stupid selfish idiot, otherwise I wouldn't have this perfect dog in my life!
Xoxo to my Nora!

THANKFUL

Work, Poop, Feeling Tired and Jimmy

This week will be a crazy one.

Today was kinda horrible.

I came in to work to find many of the boarders had accidents and then jumped in and on it.

Yep. An old tiny Aussie was waddling around with poopy dreadlocks hanging off his butt. 

A crazy yellow lab who had jumped and spun in it and an elderly sick corgi mix that smeared it all over the walls of his run.

(I actually have a story about that old guy but I'll save it for another day.)

Yep, lots of fun.

So I had to give baths to them all.

That's my duty, not the groomers.

The groomer only "grooms" her own clients.

She will do my boarders but they must call her and book an appointment.

She has also decided that she's too old and tired to bathe large dogs, rowdy dogs or pitbulls. So if they need just a bath, they have to set it up with me.

I only get 25% so it's not a big money maker for me and I have it set up that the money is directly applied to my account.

I figure if I don't have it in my hand, I won't spend it.

Anyway, the funniest part of this whole thing is...

I'm 5 years older than the groomer!

Oh well!

So tomorrow should be an ok day but Wednesday, my half day at work, I have 22 more boarders coming in between 8 to 11 that morning.

Should be interesting.

So as always, Thanksgiving will be packed to the max as well as the weekend.

That's just the nature of the business.

I can feel my throat feeling sore and I'm kinda achy all over but I'll drink some Alka Seltzer cold medicine and get some sleep and I'll be fine.

I need to get to work on my Art.

I've been doing some sketches but to be honest, yesterday I just cleaned the house and then spent some time online and then sort of crashed.

I was on a roll for a while there, creating paintings, and then I got distracted.

I need to organize my time better and make sure  I squeeze creative time in there someplace or I'll be washing poopy butts forever!

I'll leave you with a couple of photos of Jimmy Chew that I took yesterday.

He actually got exhausted from being his rowdy self and he just crashed too.

Yep, Jimmy Chew and I were feeling the same.

 

I... 

Just...

Can't....

Stay.....

Awake.......