LG Washer/Dryer

Saturday we got going, but it just seemed to take forever to do anything. K drove her car back home, we were supposed to meet at Costco for gas, but hubby wanted to stop at Sears to get his tools that were on Black Friday sale. So we stopped at Mickey-D's across the street at we were both starved. At Costco, we got gas & I walked over to Starbucks to get drinks. Reminded me of walking everywhere in Europe with a hint of cold on the air.

Hubby picked me up and carried Bud from the back of the truck to the backseat so he could join Isabelle & Bravo while we drove over to Cheney to help the kid put in some things. A dog run in the backyard, hangers in the garage, & her new Christmas tree that she purchased on Black Friday at Home Depot. All the decor in her house looks very homey.

K added her small lighted trees to the front of her house. I took the dogs for walks around the neighborhood for potty time. After looking at the local newspaper ads, we went into Cheney to visit the Ben Franklin but they had nothing we wanted to purchase. Then over to the local Jarms True Value Hardware to pick up keys & bolts to repair K's dinner table chair. This was such a cute small town local store. Great employees & fabulous service. They also made house keys for us that we gave to the kid so she can come & go when she wants at our house. As we were hungry, I asked about the local Italian eatery - Lenny's. The guys both gave it a high recommendation & told us to get the Minestrone soup.

Lenny's was down the street a little with an odd parking lot perched on the side of the hill-our server seated us but we almost thought twice about eating there as an odd old musty smell emanated. However, what you smell is not what you get in this case! The food was wonderful. Bruschetta was mouth-watering. I had Baked Zitti. Yummy.

Dropped the kid off after dinner at her home then we went to the "Old Man's" house in Spokane to pick up the parts he had worked on. He wasn't quite done, so we walked thru the neighborhood looking at lights. Isabelle & Bud were just adorable. They hadn't walked in an older residential neighborhood with sidewalks b4!

Hubby fixed the lights & turned them all on. Need a shorter extension cord from the shop. Too long & the lights are dim at the end of the circuit!

Came home late, exhausted & aching. Took a hot bath & fell into bed by 9:30PM. Hubby decided that he wanted to re-heat his sausage from Lenny's on the stove just b4 bedtime. It stunk up the whole house! Gross. All I wanted to do was sleep.

On Sunday I slept until 7:30 even though hubby got up earlier to let the dogs out! He got our lattes & went to the dump with 3 weeks' worth of garbage (mostly light boxes)! While I picked up dog poo, put away dishes, put away laundry & put up more lights.

When he came back, he put together my lighted dog. I put up more lights around trees & the candy canes on the sidewalk while hubby talked to his dad.

We came inside to warm up; hubby watched his automotive shows while I blogged & tried to order our new LG W/D online. However, HomeDepot site was overloaded & hubby had to call up to the Sandpoint store to get them ordered. They are backordered until March 2010! Oh, well. At least we got the pair for $998.

Saw 3 deer walk thru our backyard as the dogs started barking. SO Very glad to see that nobody has murdered our deer during hunting season.

Fiddled with the lights again as we blew another breaker. Whoops. Clown Town is having problems!

Settled down to cherry pie & tv before bed.

Black Friday

So it's been a while since I blogged. The holiday season is upon us and we are all becoming busy!

Saturday night, Zeus developed a urinary tract infection - he was getting up to pee every two hours. We did not get any sleep at all.

Early Sunday morning we walked the dogs after getting lattes - then went over to KRL-N's house in WA to help her put up lights on her house. We had homemade chicken soup, then ventured out into the snow, slush, ice & sleeting rain. I shoveled the driveway & back deck while K & hubby backed up the truck to put the ladder in the truckbed to install the lights at the peak of the home. Took Bravo (Zeus & Bud) on many walks through the neighborhood to potty. Thank goodness I had taken my winter fur coat. At least I was warm throughout!

After the lighting had been installed, we got warm inside & then ran over to Wal-Mart to get more lights & some Christmas decorations. Dropped K off, then we went home via Spoky-Jo where we dropped off some car parts for the "old man" to fix.

Monday after putting up even more lights outside, I took Zeus into the vet at 4PM - their earliest opportunity to get him checked out. The vet prescribed some pretty potent antibiotics. Zeus already felt better that night. The vet had again checked his eyes & diagnosed entrophy which will require surgery next week. Dec 3.

KRL-N arrived Monday night. On Tuesday morning, while hubby worked in the shop, K and I went Christmas shopping to Shopko, Big Lots, Big 5, Costco (wherein we got the Thanksgiving shrimp ring) and Safeway for miscellaneous Thanksgiving food. I took K over to the Great Harvest Bread Company for lunch as she was starving. Purchased real good Coconut bread & Idaho Potato rolls for Turkey Day.

Met hubster in town so that we could go to Lowes to order carpet. However, we forgot the carpet sample to return for $25 credit and also forgot our 10% off coupon. Will have to come back again. . .

When hubby got home tonight, he discovered electrical overload on our lights at the outlets in the basement. Almost burnt down the house! No more lights :(

I cleaned, vacuumed, and dusted all Wednesday morning. Also ripped my left foot big toenail completely off when I attempted to open the lighted garland in the box that I had purchased at Costco. It really hurt!

Took Angus to town to the groomers at Petco. KRL-N followed me into town as we would take her car & drop off the truck for hubby to drive home. However, after Angus made it difficult going into the store by refusing to come out of the truck - I hurt my left hand. It had been hurting for a while now. . . so K got my purse & chocolates for the groomers while I handled the dog. I had accidentally LOCKED my keys in the truck without realizing it. We found out when we came out of the store. K called my hubby and ran over to get the keys while I waited with the truck for her to return. I didn't want anybody attempting to break into the vehicle & steal it. I sat down on the concrete to wait for her return - but was asked by two different people if I was OK. I must have looked like a homeless, derelict!

K & I shopped at Target (Caramel Brulée Latte at Starbucks - and peeing our pants off when K remarked "Butters" about dressing babies up as teddy bears).

We arrived home and K talked to M to relate our day. While KRL-N talked on the phone to MN, she told him about our looking at dog pictures on the computer - along with a pic of dog vomit. I was in the middle of swallowing a swig of eggnog and it was so funny to me that I spewed eggnog all over the kitchen, in addition to expelling it through my nose. As I giggled hysterically, I found the breathe to moan "I hate you" to KRL-N as she laughed uproariously at my predicament!

Hubby picked up the dog on the way home. She smelled delicious & was shaved again. No more hairing!

Went to bed early as I was exhausted & hurting. Hubby gave me a couple ibuprofen PM tablets & squirted water into my mouth and all over the pillow while laughing hysterically! NOT funny. I was too tired to get up to clean up & slept in wet all night.

Turkey Day Thursday dawned with grey, drizzly skies. KRL-N cooked while I picked up 6 bags of dog poo in the back yard. Hubby put together more yard deer. We ate a wonderful dinner, with turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, K's homemade cranberries sauce, green bean casserole, yams, stuffing, pumpkin pie & cherry pie. Too much. Belch. Naps later. Zeus tried to steal a turkey leg off the counter!

K talked us into going shopping on Black Friday. We got up B4 the butt-crack of dawn at 5AM to be there at 6:10AM (we were late because we had to have lattes to wake up!) Home Depot - got K's Xmas tree for $49! Also tools for hubby; Ace Hardware - got the vacuums we failed to get at Home Depot; Shopko - got games & DVDs for K; Target got 1TB data storage Hard Drives for $59!; crappy ass food at Rustler's Roost. Best Buy - got K's printer - the last one in the store - for a deal! Hubby & I dropped K off at her car and we went to Rathdrum to pay #3 while she went to our house.

After we got home hubby had to go purchase a "deal of a truck for $800" in Priest Lake. He took Chachi along with him for the ride; then K went to meet her high school chum Amber at Starbucks in town. I adorned the inside of the house with Christmas decorations & lights. Hubby arrived home around 2:30 and we raced to Farragut for a dog walk. K was home when we came back (after another stop at the Latte stand). Packed up the garbage for a dump run tomorrow. Sat around watching TV for the rest of the night.

Boo Boo

On Friday it was cold & windy. I put up quite a few more lights. My stick tree that hubby had brought home last night; and more snowflake lights around the deck. When we were falling asleep on Thursday night, hubby referred to the decorations as "Clown Town" i.e. - it looks like a fair midway - too many blinky, flashing lights! I was quite offended. All my hard work and he thinks it looks garish. I love Christmas & all the pretty decorated homes & lights, pretty presents, trees covered in decor.

Totally finished the kids' Amended Tax Return so that they can get their $8000 for First Home Purchase. This will aid them in getting a new truck for M!

Snapped a pic of the two antagonists - Harriet & Angus that got into a fight the other day - per the trainer, these two should be separated 4-Ever! LOL!

When hubby got home, he dragged me up to Sandpoint to pick up car parts, then we rushed over to get Starbucks (Caramel Brulée Latte for me/Eggnog Latte for hubby) as we were parched. Then up to Bonners Ferry to pick up tires for my new WHIP.

Hubster brought home a 2008 FMF Expedition. MSRP = $51,610.00. Our cost = Considerably LESS!

Besides having to change the red to black on the paint; and cover up the red dash with anything else. . .It will be a nice ride.

Once we returned to Sandpoint after picking up the tires from a wonderfully nice couple, we went to Fiesta Bonita for dinner (reminder-don't ever go there again-intensive diarrhea!) Then to Home Depot before they closed; FAST shopping in 10 minutes. And onto WalMart for Christmas lights (but we forgot windshield wipers & other things we needed - Never go shopping without a List) While reaching for some lights on a tall shelf (i.e.-higher than my 5'4"; I happened to accidentally knock a box down. It landed directly on my forehead, cutting it open. The gash proceeded to bleed. However, it was my own fault as there was a WarninG sign indicating that assistance should be received to obtain articles at that height! Hubby tried to pick up the box & subsequently dropped it. OBVIOUSLY this box did not want to go home with us! At the checkout, we had to wait 15 minutes behind a coupon clipper.

When we returned home, we unpacked stuff & fell into bed by about midnight.

We both arose early on Saturday morning as hubby had to go with Leo & Richie to work out a deal to pick up abandoned cars at a local ex-car dealership and I had to meet the carpet layer to measure our loft for new carpet!

Cold outside with dark cloudy skies. I put up even more lights. Only have 7 boxes of lights & am completely out of extension cords! Time for a trip to the store again.

In addition, I washed clothes, did dishes, fed fish, picked up poo (2 bags), shoveled the front deck where the snow had come off the roof, shoveled in front of the garage where the snow had come off the roof.

Busy Busy Busy

Kid from the shop came and vacuumed the truck. I cleaned out the KRL-N came over Friday Nov 13 night in the snow. Poor kid had to drive in a severe snowstorm the whole way from "the coast". She swore she would never do it again.

On Saturday, we went shopping. Rite Aid, Starbucks (for latte), Target, Michaels, Home Depot, Dead Lobster (detour for lunch) & Shopko. Got lots of lights - and a couple of Christmas presents. Some unfortunate things happened when we left the dogs at home :(

Dear Cutco -

You would not believe what happened to the pair of scissors that I purchased from one of your company representatives so many years ago.

The scissors have been cutting just great, but the other day my 6 dogs decided to get into everything in the house. They opened the oven; played with pizza pans; destroyed 2 bed pillows & 2 quilts; they even started chewing on the dog gate that kept them from getting upstairs; they moved furniture; they tore into my chair; there is stuffing everywhere; they chewed up a pill bottle & pills; they chewed up 2 water bottles!

But the worst thing they did was pull the scissors off the counter - chew them up - and take them out into the yard. I found them in the backyard after 5 days! They are still sharp as ever!

Walked the dogs on Sunday with K & Bravo. Bravo kept pulling at the leash so KRL-N had quite a handful with him! Almost had a dog break-out when we were getting lattes & I had to walk Harriet so that she could poop. She gets so excited that she can't hold it. Zeus & Bud broke out of the back of the truck & KRL-N had to hold Zeus' tail to keep him from running away!

Afterwards we all went shopping to Lowe's wherein KRL-N found the green/red/white lights she wanted for her home. Hubby and I paid down for the house carpet. The installers will come out to measure & we can order it. 5-7 days after we order they can install. We all ate at Applebee's because we wanted potato boats - but they don't have them there. Oh well. We had dropped K's car off at the VZ yard so that she could ride with us. She drove home after shopping.

I put up more lights on Monday, but was feeling sick again with more coughing, sore throat & extremely WEAK!

Hubby had Tuesday as a scheduled day off. We ran into CDA to fetch parts, then dropped off Zeus for shampoo & shave (he got a snowflake bling), then took parts home, paid for propane refill in A-town, then went into Spoky-Jo for more parts, stopped at WalMart, Costco, Harbor Freight, Rathdrum Grocery, got home late. Unpacked all the groceries & fell into bed.

Had Bud scheduled for a Cranberry/Orange Spa day at Petco on Wednesday. Our groomer - Nick had done such a great job on Zeus that I took Bud in at 12:00. Had put up more lights before going into town. I also got my nails done, went to look at Christmas lights at Walmart & Fred Meyer, then it was time to pick up Bud. Everybody raved about him. He is just a beautiful, well-behaved little boy! They loved him. Took a Caramel Brule Latte from Starbucks to Nick in addition to some Christmas chocolates that I had picked up at Fred Meyer. Everybody was excited to get the gifts. Stopped to get Wendy's cheeseburgers for the dogs at home.

#3 came to put up the star on the side of the house. He is a very intelligent, hard-working kid. The lights are just beautiful outside and I still have about 60 more trees to decorate. Took a picture with the cell phone - this is what the star looked like last night.

It is snowing this morning Thursday- big flakes. So maybe can't decorate more trees. I shoveled decks several times already. Gave the dogs bones we had bought from the grocery store the other day. They are happily chewing out in the snow.

*Had a brilliant idea for Saint Bernard Rescue. The ladies at the latte stand had a friend there and she was astonished about our lights. She thanked me profusely for having so many lights decorated on the trees. Maybe get businesses to donate next year for the decorations next year!

Sick, Sicker, Sickest

On Tuesday and Wednesday, I mostly napped all day. It is extremely depressing to feel better, just to succumb to flu symptoms yet again. Hubby wants to rush me to the doctor, but they really can't give you anything for the flu. Bed rest, fluids.

I fell asleep on my chair in front of the TV with the fire roaring and the dogs sleeping around me, only to wake up about 2 hours later with a totally different TV show broadcasting. How scary. It felt like I had "lost time".

Thursday morning I took Angus & Zeus - the Saints down to the Vet for surgery. Angus has a calcium knot the size of my fist on her right rear knuckle. Poor dog. Vet diagnosed it from repeatedly sitting down hard on concrete. Probably from the strenuous training that she was forced to endure this past month. I am such a horrible mommy-allowing this to happen to my baby. But I received so many glowing references regarding this trainer. Next time I will listen to K. K had a bad feeling about this trainer.

Harriet was growling at Quail this afternoon. Our little Quail are back! How exciting. Look forward to seeing them every year. I also spotted our pretty little deer. Opened up the back door yesterday and they took off through the woods.

When I picked up the dogs, the Vet advised that Zeus had a SEVERE ear infection and he had cleaned it all out, while applying BNT Ear Ointment. He inspected Zeus' eyes and found that the infection from his ears had traveled to his eyes. The Vet also put ointment in his eyes which we are to continue with administering and Prednisone tablets for the infection. The doctor said that for being in as much pain as he has been, this dog is a great little trooper. Due to the length of the infection & severity- at some time the infection burst his ear drums. Poor little dog can't hear. Damn people. Fucking damn people. I'd just like to shoot them! Forcing a dog to endure this for nothing. That's probably why they turned him over to Saint Rescue - because they didn't want to pay for the surgery to fix him.

Hubby is already wanting to adopt the dog. Kind hearted sweet guy. (the dog & the hubby).

Lights, Flat Tires & Vet Appts

On Sunday, we took the dogs - Zeus, Bud, 'Lil Bit, Isabelle, & Harriet down to the park for a long walk. The sun was partly shining but after we got lattes, it hid behind dark grey clouds. Both of us wished we had brought along our scarves to tie around our necks as the chill, pre-winter air swirled around us.

The dogs quite enjoyed the walk; Zeus was learning not to pull on the leash as hubby was walking with him & 'Lil Bit. Bit seems to "surge" - he pulls to the end of the leash, then lets us catch up!

Afterwards, we drove around to look at vacant houses around the area. The economy has really taken a toll on the empty & repossessed property around here.

We returned home to put up Christmas lights around the trees, and were astonished to find out that quite a few were still working. But I did point out to hubby that we can always "buy more"!

The kids came out around 12:30 and M helped hubby put up more lights. Zeus had barked (in a very DEEP voice as the kids pulled in; he was then introduced to everybody. Bravo raced around like he had never left. Such a little cheerleader!

The trainer brought Angus back around 2:00; but tried to run her through her training in the driveway before he returned her to us - by 3:00 they were still outside as he was using a choke-collar & stun collar on her (which I was quite distressed to find out that he had used) but he finally brought her inside. Whereupon Angus & Harriet got into a fight. Harriet was even frothing at the mouth by the time M pulled her off of Angus.

Hubby was off-put by the training and had serious hesitation about letting the trainer take 'Lil Bit. But by the time they were done talking, 'Lil Bit had left with the trainer & we had Angus in her kennel to calm down. The kids left as they had other errands to do. M is leaving in the morning for deployment to the east coast for training. He will be gone for over a month. K is sad he is leaving over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Monday morning Bud & Zeus played outside running & rambunctious for over an hour! I took Bud & Zeus into the Vet at 11:15 for shots, rabies, heartworm tests, & worming. Got out to the truck to find a flat tire! Had Tim at the shop air it up for me & it stayed up until I returned home.

Got warm lattes; then took dogs in to Vet. Zeus has severe ear infection which will require anesthesia & cleaning because he would not let ANYBODY touch his ears to exam them. The Vet diagnosed ear infection with large amount of black wax & discharge. I made a tentative appointment for Thursday to have him in for anesthesia to fix him up.

Returned home; got mail. Rested. All the dogs took a long nap.

Flu Part Deux

On Tuesday, 3 Nov I received the Andrea Bocelli "My Christmas" album that I had pre-ordered from Amazon. That was exciting. Except I can't listen to it because my stupid computer hard drive is fried again. I need to take it in to get it fixed.

The rest of the week Wednesday thru Thursday, I pretty much laid on the couch & was sick. Flu symptoms overwhelmed me again with a different strain. Started coughing and couldn't stop. No sleep at night even though I would dose myself with enough Ibuprofen, Benadryl, and Nyquil to put an elephant to sleep.

Poor Zeus has had to settle in without me taking him for walks. All the other dogs are missing their daily walks, too. I just wish I had any kind of strength to do anything. It is getting so depressing to not be able to clean the house or do any of the other million things I do daily. Just to take the dishes out of the dishwasher & put them away is an overwhelming herculean task.


I did manage to order a new metal bed for our bedroom. M&K will be trading their old king size bed to us for our queen size. Our old metal bed frame will go into Isabelle's room. She won't be able to jump up on the bed from the bottom as there will be a footboard there. But it will make her room look nicer.

By Friday, 6 Nov, Zeus starts to get off the couch and interact with the other dogs. He plays in the backyard with Harriet and Bud. 'Lil Bit tries to intimidate Zeus; and Zeus does not like a little dog barking in his face-He will back off to avoid a confrontation. I believe he is still very much depressed. But he is getting up to eat his food out of the dog bowls instead of making me bring it to him on the couch.

Finally, on Saturday 7 Nov, I got some of my health back. Even tho I still have the persistent cough, I do have a little strength. Got the Christmas lights out and put some up. Did two loads of dishes & put them away. Washed all the bedding & remade beds. Picked up all the dog poop from the last two days. Tidied up the livingroom, kitchen, and bathroom. Filed receipts in the office. Got a lot accomplished. Now, I am exhausted. Time for a nap.

Zeus

On Saturday hubby spent most of the day working at the shop while I remained sick. K&M's Halloween Party/Open House was scheduled for tonight, but I felt exhausted & after hubby came home, he couldn't move.

We slept in late on Sunday and then took the dogs for a leisurely walk in Farragut Park. It was a beautiful, sunshiny fall day. The air was perfect. Not too cold & not too hot.

After we arrived home and noticing that we were out of milk, we drove to Spirit Lake for a quick grocery run. Came back home, put groceries away, took down Halloween decorations, rolled up hoses for the winter, then without any energy left we both collapsed on the couch.

I received a phone call from Cheryl at Saint Bernard Rescue - she had a foster dog for me to pick up. The dog owner then contacted me by cell and we arranged for them to surrender the dog on Monday night. The owner wanted her kids to be able to have one last day with the dog before they released him.

At 2:30P on Monday, I took Bud into the Vet to get his stitches out. Then shopped at Target. Picked up lattes at Starbucks. Got hubby at 4:30 after he got off work. We then picked up dog food at Aslin Finch and did more shopping at Costco. Met the dog owner in the Costco parking lot. Zues (this is how the owner spelled the name) is a 3 year old male Saint. Very timid, uncertain. Scared. The owner was very vague about Vet, training, etc. There was no paperwork provided and the owner did not even bring any toys with the dog. Poor little boy. He really needs some love.

We got home about 6:30 and introduced the dogs to each other. Zues decided that he would take the couch & stayed there all night. Hopefully he will feel more settled in the days to come. *In future references, I will be spelling the name as Z-E-U-S; which is the Greek mythological king of the gods; the god of thunder & sky.