Temporary Princess?

I should have seen it coming, as I'd had a few spasms of pains while chewing gum in the past month or so... but Monday at suppertime, a bit of onion in my potato salad was the straw that broke the tooth.  Not the crispy apple I had for an afternoon snack, but that might have contributed to the final demise.

Pen tip on lined paper for scale

You can't see the gap, it's on the inside of that tooth.

Wasn't there a bridge or a crown there?  How much "other stuff" did I swallow?  The good news was that I was not in pain.  I brushed my teeth before bed, flossed, used the proxi-brushes and the toothpick gum line tracing all without any painful incidence.  

I decided the call to the dentist could wait until Tuesday morning during their normal hours, which start at 8 a.m.  I called very soon after they opened, and they had a spot open for me at 10:10 a.m.  Onward, continuing to fuel the fires of inflation.  Dental work is not cheap.

Temp crown in place

I was most gratified that they got me in so soon, and diagnosed the problem.  The crown was the tooth one back from the one that broke.  Diagnosis:  I lost an entire  cusp of that molar.  A crown was recommended, and she had time to put a temporary on today.  We made the appointment for installation of the permanent one in two weeks.  

Meanwhile, try to chew on the other side, and pull the floss out sideways to avoid popping the temporary crown off.

So... a temporary crown... does that make me a temporary princess?

Off-topic update:  this is the dentist whose husband was trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon last May.  The one I went out to cheer on, that Sunday morning of the Lincoln Marathon.  Good news:  he made a qualifying time.  On hold, for now.  They won't know until September whether he gets in.  That's how Boston operates.  Nevertheless, I was glad to get that update... it's good news.  

Anybody out there still reading that follows Big Brother (US, as I do)?  The past three or four years I have been so totally bored with the predictability of play.  THIS season?  Wow!  It's been amazing... the outsiders figured out that they are outsiders and have banned together, and blindsided the majority alliance!  Production even left the live feeds ON during most of this... it was awesome, and the podcasters are going nuts they are so excited.  This has not been as good since season 6... and this is season 24!  OK, I'll shut up now, I know I can get overwhelmingly enthusiastic when this show finally hits a good streak.

That's about it from here... the temp crown is doing its job.  I am being careful with it.  Welcome back to "the dental diet".  

Here's sending out positive vibes to my fellow Spark refugees... hoping you are remembering to put your own health as a priority.  Hydrate.  Get a little activity in.  Keep cool (or warm) as needed.  Find your own escape/diversion to avoid too much news, if needed.  And Spark on!

Life is good.

🔥✨💖

Freezing off spots

 

The fair skinned amongst us, especially, have to be careful of the sun.  

This morning was the follow-up visit with the doctor, to go over the results of the blood work.  He was happy with the direction of both the cholesterol and the TSH levels.  We talked about the "every third day" prescription for the generic of Crestor (rosuvastatin), and he upped it to every other day, for purposes of being able to do three times a week without running myself out.  It took me over two years to get to that point, since I had that pill bottle full from the initial prescription that I dragged my feet about starting to take.

Then he did the every so often (and especially if he sees me in the Summer) check of spots on the skin.  He looked closely at the one spot that I'd been picking at on my forehead.  It looked as though it might have potential to grow troublesome, in terms of skin cancer if we didn't zap it, so he called for the liquid nitrogen and froze it.

Frozen, it looks like a slightly bigger spot.  And I'm all clear until January's regular appointments.  

The plant puzzle for which many of you have been offering up input has me leaning toward honeysuckle.  It *does* have teensy little white blossoms.  

I don't know... it might be honeysuckle.  But not wisteria.  Fresh photo provided.  Does that confirm or contradict for any plant people out there?

Now I'm ready for a quiet "hermit" style week.  I'm playing catch-up with "Under The Dome" TV series.  I do this with TV in recent years... I don't watch it when it first comes out, maybe catching part or one or two episodes, but not into it enough to watch regularly.  Years later, after it's off the air, I binge watch the entire series.  I did this with LOST, I did this with Grey's Anatomy, more recently I'll sign up for a streaming service for a specific series, especially if they offer a free week, watch it, then drop the subscription if I don't see anything else I want to watch on it.  I did this with Jamestown on PBS Masterpiece.

Here's hoping good health to all.  We're having a break from the heat today here, but not from the humidity.  Kind of enjoying the cloudy skies and the few little sprinkles we got this morning.

Life is good.  Spark on!

 

Is this wisteria? And my toe back in the State Games.

 

It's not blooming, and I'm not much of a plant person, but my sister had posted a photo that she said her phone told her was wisteria, in bloom in her neighborhood across town.

Anyway, I don't know how to ask my phone to identify a plant photo, so... here it is, and my puzzle will remain for a while.  I looked up images of wisteria leaves on line, and came up with a "maybe"?

All I know is that it's a prolific vine and tends to take over the fence, and is very fragrant.

While I was pursuing this little puzzle, the cats decided to pose.

Tuesday and Wednesday mornings both offered up the start to Summer days, with the seeds of heat in the air.  

The Prisoner got in big trouble on Monday.  He knocked the laptop to the floor, which popped the "4" keycap off the number pad, separated the external hard drive from its power cord, and in general made his hu-mom very, very grumpy.  And that was before she found dust-bunnies she'd been studiously avoiding under the table.

Totally irrelevant to anything, those dust bunnies contained both Carl hair and Prisoner and Rubia fur, as well as dust.  They were huge.

I had to super-glue the keycap back on, as the little clips that hold the keys in place had broken in the fray.

Also on Monday, the mechanicals inspector gave the all-clear to the AC installation.  In fact, the focus of the inspection was more that when they installed the AC, the furnace was properly connected, so I won't have problems next Winter.  You know, these regulations are there for a reason, and I'm glad they are there, because I could not for the life of me tell if something wasn't right.

Wednesday morning brought the semi-annual blood work.  I was pleased that the phlebotomist got the draw in one stick.  Results will come when they come.  I see the doc next Monday.  It was a hot day and I napped part of the day away.

Thursday morning I had to drop Rubia off at the vet for her annual exam and her every three years rabies booster.  It went smoothly, catching her, crating her, transporting her and dropping her off.  I came home, later went for my trainer workout, and as I was getting out of the shower after that, I got a text from the vet's office... done, healthy, shots good for three years.  I brought her home & she's as cheeky as ever.

Friday... ugh!  Ordered groceries on line and fell off the wagon, ordering sugar free cherry coke.  I have not had a carbonated beverage since December 27, 2009.  Lately it's been calling to me.  I think it's the heat.

In any case, I made the choice:  I drank a can, breaking an over 13 year streak of bubble-free, and thought, "ugh!  How did I ever drink this stuff.  I'm all gassy now."

Saturday morning, up bright and early... the phone said it was 82℉ already (4:30 a.m.) but was expected to drop to 79 by 7 a.m.  The Cornhusker State Games walk, formerly the Volkswalk, was scheduled to begin check in at 6:45 a.m.  My friend Geri was going to pick me up at 6:45, and we were going to "get it done" before the temperature headed to the 90's!  The organizers were asking everyone to please plan so you'd be done before noon.

We decided to walk to the split between the 2 miles and the 6 mile routes, and decide at that point whether to do the whole six miles or bail with just two.  We set off, found some areas were shady, and there was a light breeze, so we weren't too hot.  Encountered a biker I knew... one of my old work team... chatted a bit.  

Shortly after that pause we found the turn off to do the short (2 mile) route.  I asked Geri how her ankle was doing (she was wearing a brace today), she asked how I was doing... and we decided to go for the six, as originally planned.  I knew there was a gas station we could use as a potty stop that was close to the midway point, so we left the mapped trail to stop there and put it to good use.  

We continued on, looking at the map, and again made a decision to not "cut off" a neighborhood loop that we might have considered doing, but turned our feet north and said, "we're committed now"... took this photo shortly after that.

Me on the left, Geri in the floppy hat.  Onward!  Once I took the photo, Runkeeper glitched on me and I had to start it over, so the maps on Runkeeper look like two separate walks.  Oh, well!

It started getting sunnier and hotter at this point.  We got to a "rest stop" and paused for water and an energy bar, chatting with the volunteer for a bit, continued on.

Speaking of the volunteer... we met several who were out doing sidewalk chalk messages, water stops, etc. and really appreciate everyone who does this.  I did a water stop for the CSG walk 8 years ago I think it was, according to my facebook memories!  

We must look approachable, as three times we were asked by others... "how do we get to the start?", "what's going on today", etc.  Twice from cars, once from walkers headed the other way on the trail.

As we got closer to the end of the walk, a gal was backing out of her garage, stopped, got out of her car and said, "Barb, is that you?"  Another former work-mate!  Oh, my gosh... so that puts TWO former work-mates encountered on the walk.  Stood in the shade for a bit and played catch-up.  

Finished the walk.  Picked up our medals, stretched, then returned to our respective homes.  Showered changed, and chilling out.  Seems kind of strange collecting another medal, but there we have it... we did it!

Now have to decide where to go from here.  The budget is flat, between the fence and the air conditioner.  I have an estimate for the main bathroom remodel which is $Yikes$, and I may just decide to put that one off for a year.  But I doubt there will be a lot of event entry fees put back into the budget until it recovers from the home projects!  And I have a whole list of other home projects yet to come...

Here's to everyone keeping cool in the heat wave, exercising with intelligence, and taking good care of yourselves.  Happy Weekend!

Life is good.  Spark on!

🔥✨💖

Popped on the ear

The kids brought me back a science experiment for the microwave... an ear of popping corn from the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S. Dakota.  It came with a brown paper bag and instructions for how to pop it in the microwave.  I tried it, and in fact, as advertised, it does pop on the ear!  Shades of old tales of Febold Feboldson!

It also tastes a little different from traditional microwave popping corn, more like air popped, since no seasoning is added when popping it this way.  The flavor puts me in mind of field corn that we used to pluck and eat fresh, too, back when I was a kid on the farm.

Sunday

It's my personal mother's day, i.e. my son's birthday.  My tradition is to message him at the minute of his birth, no matter where he is on the planet at the time.  That can get tricky when he's been in time zones halfway around the globe.

I made potato salad today, which should last me the week.  It's going to be another "busy" week.

Monday will be the "mechanical inspection" by the city of the A/C installation from Friday.  Tuesday and Thursday the usual trainer sessions.  Wednesday medical blood draw.  Thursday is Rubia's appointment for her physical and rabies booster.  And Saturday is the Cornhusker State Games Volkswalk with my kayaking buddy Geri.  No wonder I was laying low Saturday and today... saving up people energy for the week ahead.

Here's hoping everyone is taking care of themselves in the current environment:  hydrate, rest, gentle activity, and nourishing food.  

Life is good.  Spark on.  🔥✨💖💖

Out with the old, in with the new

 

Being kicked to the curb is the 20 year old unit, installed in 2002, they tell me.  OK, that's three years after I moved in, so sounds about right.

The dudes showed up as advertised, at 7:30 a.m.  Nice guys (always seem to be well up on their people skills with this outfit).  

After confirming how long they thought this would take, I decided to wait before heading over to pick up my T-Shirt for the State Games.  I haven't collected an event T-Shirt in 2 and a half years... pandemic side effects, eh?

So they took out the old AC, and replaced it with a honking new unit.  My son was over later in the day and he said he'd always felt my old one was "undersized" for the house.  Of course, my son thinks I keep my house as warm as a sauna (79℉ in Summer).  But that's just the warmest room in the house.  It's cooler in other rooms.

Install in progress

I was also set up with a new fancy thermostat, the same general class as the one I had when the furnace was put in 13 years ago.  That thermostat broke a few years back and had been replaced with a simpler one.  

They got done about an hour sooner than advertised, because they were able to fabricate the vent part without going back to the office... right in the back of their truck.

After the workmen left, I went to pick up the t-shirt, stopped to fill Dexter's gas tank... the price of gas has dropped, but I had less shopping discount points this time, and it cost me $29 to put 7 gallons of Super Unleaded fuel in his little tank.

Between gas, groceries, the fence, and now the AC, I feel like I'm stoking the fires of inflation single-handed... but then that's the kind of cycle spending happens in when you own a home.  Agreed, fellows in the same boat?  Oh, yes, and property taxes are due, too, so I put THAT check in the mail.  This is what emergency funds are saved for, but somehow I don't think they cover as many emergencies as they once did.

The fancy thermostat, before I "fixed" the time (they had it set to pm at 11:58 a.m.).

It was after all the errands that my son called to see if he could come collect the one piece of Carl gear I had managed not to get packed up on Friday.  Yep, the remote to Carl's training collar was sitting with the TV remote.

My son had been clothing shopping on my end of town, so it was convenient to stop by, see the new machine, and take his tool home.  He has his start-up paperwork for a paid practicum, the last piece of his MSW program, next Monday.  

That's it from here for today.  Hope everybody is staying cool in all the heat.  Hydrate.  Exercise carefully.

Life is good.  Spark on!

✨💖🔥

The Covid waves keep rolling

Back to orange risk level locally.  But no DHM's (directed health measures) implemented yet.  Just in time for the travelers to return, too.

Just to make things interesting

The A/C at my house seems to be working too hard.  I noticed the temperature in the thermostat room creeping up.  OK, I admit, I had cranked it down to 78℉ a few times this week, and when it started not getting there, it was remaining at 79, then I left the setting at 79, and it crept up to 80.

Just about when I'm saying, drag out the fans, and survive until the mythical son comes to collect his dog... I notice it ticking up to 81.  I called my HVAC folks and they can squeeze me in same day, but asked me to turn it off in the meantime.  I did so, and continued setting up the fans in strategic spots.

Son and his party made it back to town, and he came over to collect the dog after doing a rapid Covid test, still being careful with travels.  Carl was so excited to see him.  I had already put Carl in his vest and leash so it would be easier packing his "stuff" up to go home.  What a good boy he has been all week long.

I waved goodbye to them, brought the cat dish back into the house and announced to The Prisoner that this was the case.  Within minutes he came in demanding to be brushed.  

He looks thinner, and I took about four brushloads of loose fur and burrs off of him before he demanded to go right back outside.  Rubia appeared after the HVAC folks were done and gone.  I had not seen hide nor hair of her since Carl arrived a week ago.

I sat in the coolest room on the main floor (family room), with the fan blowing on my face, waiting for the HVAC visit.  They got a tech out to me in about two hours.  I was very pleased.

By the time he got here, the parlor was up to 83℉.  

My grandmother never did get Central Air in her house, nor did we have it at home when I was a child, and for that matter in our tall old house in New York state, either.  I remember how to Summer... open windows in the morning, about mid-morning close windows and turn on fans.  This is do-able, I thought.

Fortunately, I didn't have to do it that way for very long.

The Verdict

The unit is leaking freon.  He added two pounds, which he said "won't last long, maybe a week" and sent the sales rep over to discuss good-better-best estimates of replacement systems.  Furnace is 13 years old, too.

The sales dude comes, takes a look at the furnace and says it doesn't need to be replaced.  He's selling me a two-speed fan option for the A/C, and they will install it Friday!  Wow!  This is why I keep going back to this firm.  They come out whenever I need them... middle of the night in the Winter, etc.  Yes, it's going to be a budget killer, and may cause something else to be put off, but needs trump wants and nice to haves, right?

Thinking about the week ahead

By bedtime the house had cooled back to normal levels.  I awoke to thunder rumbles, earlier than I might have anticipated.  There was rain on the deck.  As the sunrise approached, some beautiful skies appeared, and of course that fresh rain scent was in the air!

This photo shows the reflected sunrise on the cloud bank rolling in.  

It will be a busy week, post-Carl visit.  Trainer workout today, the A/C install Friday, which is also packet pick up day for the Cornhusker State Games.  I had signed up for only the Volkswalk this year.  My kayaking buddy Geri and I will be doing that one together on the 23rd.  In between, it's blood work time again; I am supposed to drop taking any vitamins/supplements for a week leading up to that.  

It is also time to make appointments for my eye check, and for Rubia's vet needs (I'm thinking she needs rabies booster this year).  And pay taxes.  Sigh.  Life goes on.

But LIFE is good.  So let's all Spark on, and take care of those one-per-person for a lifetime bodies that have been serving us all these years!  ✨💖🔥

Some toys get bought just to be destroyed

 Particularly true of dog toys.  There are the "almost indestructible" kind and the "bought to be torn to shreds" kind.  Here are a couple that landed in the trash can this week, thanks to Carl's "tender" attention.

One of them is called a "chuck it" ball, intended for indoor fetch.  But at its core is styrofoam, and once he's started to strip the cover, out it goes.  The other is the purple and orange football that was practically indestructible, but Carl managed to get the plastic innards to shred and begin to leak out the holes.  It was a crinkly noise ball, and Carl loves the crinkle noises.  Oh, well, Grandma will just have to order some more for his visit.

Sunday evening, Carl was grumpy.  It was hot outside, the trip to the Grandma dog park was too long ago, and Grandma wasn't paying enough attention to him.  But we made it through to bedtime, and he settled down to a wonderful sleep, which meant Grandma got good sleep, too.

Monday morning, we opted for a leash walk, and Carl was "mostly" good, but there was one other dog being walked on the other side of the street that he wanted to "talk" to, with his big booming barks.  The other dog walker opted to go a different direction, I gave Carl his doggie-sound signal, and we continued to a successful end of the walk.

Meanwhile, "the kids" toured the Badlands National Park on Sunday.  

DIL to be said she was lucky to get this shot early.  Son is not a fan of being photographed.  She said that partway through a meal on Sunday he stated "We've reached our limit of photos of me for the day."  Good job, Son, vocalize your limits.

But look at the different poses, from Toadstool, and now from the Badlands... different weather backdrops, too.  I forget who described Toadstool Geologic Park as being the little brother to the South Dakota Badlands... but in my childhood, I saw the Toadstool park first, then on a separate trip the Badlands... I think I've been out that way five or six times, but certainly not recently.  Three trips in childhood, one with my brother, and my husband and I honeymooned in Wyoming and South Dakota, too.  Good memories!

Home from the leash walk, Carl did another thing Diamond always used to do:  headed out in the back yard and checked the perimeter!  

Grandma makes potato salad for her lunch, but looks up what Carl can have.  So he gets a small bite of hard boiled egg, to lick the non-fat Greek Yogurt tub, and a few small bites of cooked potato before it goes in the big bowl.

Monday was also laundry day... washing the bedding, even though I know I will wash it again after Carl goes home.  Sometimes you just have to accept that this is how it is, you can't smell like a dog for another night!

Tuesday morning, Prisoner came to the sound of me filling his food dish in its hiding spot, rubbed up against my legs and purred.  He's going to need some serious de-burring after Carl goes home.  Here's his audition for feral cat status:  

Thankfully, Prisoner is a very forgiving cat.  I have yet to spot Rubia "in the wild" this trip, and I have to wonder if she's adopted another neighborhood family.  I would not put it past her.

On Monday, the intrepid travelers headed East across South Dakota, reaching Chamberlain, to visit the Dignity sculpture, then later the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD.  Along the way, they had to find Sinclair Dino statues for Lacey to pose with.  You'd be amazed how many of them are scattered across South Dakota!

They made it to Sioux Falls by evening.  We shall see what today brings, but we're getting close to the number of sleeps his Daddy told Carl to expect.  One more sleep to go!

Carl's visit has been good for Grandma in so many ways, but she'll be glad to let the kitties have their house back.  Here's hoping all of you who might be following along are taking good care of yourselves, through this Summer (in the Northern hemisphere).  Today is a bit cooler here, and promises to be the most pleasant weather day of the week, so soak it up if that's true of your neck of the woods, too.  Hydrate, breathe, and nourish your body.  Then when the day is done, it will be enough for the day, so let it go, and rest.

Life is good.  Spark on!

🔥✨💖

In case you're wondering where the cats are...

 

The Prisoner is hiding in the tall grass / bushes, of course.  I could hear him before he made himself visible.  This is near the spot where I put out food for him.  He complained loudly to the management but would not accept an upgrade in his accommodations, as that would put him inside with the d-o-g!

Prisoner does not appear any the worse for wear.  I have yet to spot Rubia.  But the food does disappear.

Can you spot the food dish? 
It's blue; if you're blue/green color-blind you might miss it.

I won't go out and cut the brush down until after Carl goes home, as it's "cover" for the felines.

Back to Carl adventures

Sunday morning, Carl and his Grandma went to the same dog park as on Saturday.  We went even earlier, just at 7 a.m.  Grandma is carefully watching how Carl carries himself, especially the left rear quarter.  He was favoring it a bit yesterday morning, then seemed to "shake it off" and continued his zoomies.  This morning, it looked at one point in the romp (about half way around the first loop) as though he was favoring it, but then proceeded to chase around with the other visitors.  We (Carl and Grandma) checked the paws carefully on the return home.  Nothing amiss, no thorns or wounds.  And he's walking OK now.  Just a "keep an eye on it" situation, at this point.  Not to be a hypochondriac on behalf of the dog, but he is in my charge.

Carl just chilling at Grandma's house.

Carl has adopted a new habit this visit.  He has taken up a behavior that Diamond used to good effect... see Grandma at the computer?  Poke your nose under her mouse hand and gaze into her eyes with a pleading expression.  "Remember me?  I'm wholly dependent on you, and I'm bored with you sitting at that keyboard, or playing with your phone.  Let me outside.  Come play with me!"

It works just as well for him as it did for his predecessor.  😁

So Grandma takes boring photos and videos of her chill houseguest.  She throws the ball.  She works on the command to keep his paws on the deck, not the rail.  We have now survived four of seven sleeps.  Only two of them were interrupted by trips outside in the middle of the night.  Meanwhile, "the kids" have toured Sylvan Lake (hiking the whole loop) and Custer State Park.

On Sunday Carson (neighbor boy) came by to mow, and fortunately I noticed before letting Carl out.  Sunday's a pretty normal day for him to do so, and I had a sharp eye open, just in case.  Carl only barked a little, and I was proud of him, watching through the window.  I later had to put the bark/training collar on as he went nuts when the neighbor across the street put his weed whacker into action, and the other neighbor across the street was out rocking that little 2 month old son on his front porch.

The math nerd in my brain does this with dates:

I was born a scant number of days after my mother's 23rd birthday.  Three years ago Sunday I attained the exact age in days that she was the day she died.  That milestone was overshadowed by the huge event of my brother's passing, just a scant number of days later.  Yes, having a nerdy math brain does weird things to one's contemplations!

The day proceeded to get hot, and grandma took a nap between getting updates from the road trippers, who hit the badlands of S. Dakota today, triggering thoughts from my geology class in college.  The place they have been to so far that has changed the most in the past 60 years?  Has to be Wall Drug Store.  

May your Sunday blessings last the week long.  Remember to breathe, hydrate, stay in the shade and get your rest, if the weather where you are is anything like the heat we're getting here!

Life is good.  Spark on!  🔥✨💖

Westward, Ho! Then angle North a bit, too.

Did you know this was in Nebraska?  Toadstool Geologic Park, reached by our little touring group yesterday.  Take son out of the picture, in your mind and just appreciate the alien landscape with the weather sky... awesome.

Their target for Friday is Wind Cave, which is in South Dakota, hoping to get tickets on site for the cave tour.  Don't know how that's working these days, but I do hope they get them.  It's been nearly 60 years since I toured Wind Cave, but it's worth the trip!

Am I just a tad jealous of their road trip?  Um... yes, but... I'm comfy having canine time, too.  I need a traveling companion to go do the grand tour myself, as I'm not thinking I want to do it solo.  

Once upon a time, it was Kevin and I who did these things together as brother and sister.  I remember one trip when we were in our 20's, where we stopped and helped a fellow motorist cool off his radiator, a trick Kevin had recently learned, working as a parts runner at a local repair shop.  We were young and immortal, practicing what the kids these days call "adulting

I love this photo my son got of his fiancé. 
She is in her element, a working artist.

Friday evening I had a pick up grocery order, and I promised Carl a car ride to go get the goods.  

I wasn't sure how well he'd do, so I made him wear his vest, and kept some treats with me to keep his attention while they loaded the small order in the hatch.

When we got home and I told him what a good boy he was, I let him out in the yard in his "working vest".  It is needed for leash walks and car rides.  It's a rule at Grandma's house, Carl, where the Daddy who can bench press you easily isn't present.

Friday night Carl got grandma up at 1:30 again, and then he was having some trouble with his ears, shaking his head, and shaking his head.  I turned off the TV which I tend to leave on while I fall asleep, and he settled down fine.  Maybe Grandma will learn a thing or two from Carl this week.

The touring group did a LOT on Friday.  Besides getting to Wind Cave and hiking around, they made it to the Crazy Horse mountain monument, still under construction.  It's further along than when I saw it 60 and then 40 years back (approximately).

When I first saw the work on this mountain, I was a child, and all you could see was the hole under the arm, no definition of the sculpture at all.  You could see the statues at the viewing area and watch the films, and try to envision what it would eventually look like.  Now, you can see the definition of the face.

I understand that this carving up of a mountain is controversial, and am curious about it.  The Black Hills in general are considered sacred ground by some indigenous tribes, and I would like to know their positions on the memorializing of Chief Crazy Horse in this way.

On a more whimsical note, the dinosaur park in Rapid City was a huge draw for Lacey.  She's been a fan since she herself visited as a child.

Saturday morning I stole these photos from her facebook postings.  And Carl and I went on a trip to the smaller dog park not too far from here.  While there, Carl encountered some people who know his "mama", who were there exercising their own pups.  It was one of those funny encounters.  I was talking to Carl telling him to not go far while I picked up the poop he'd just dropped when these folks came along and read his collar, which is plainly labeled with his name.  

They mentioned that Lacey had posted his photos, but they'd never met him in real life.  I asked their names so I could tell her who I met.

The really amazing part of this story is that I remembered the names long enough to post them in a description of a photo I took there, which happened to capture one of their dogs.  Furthermore, Lacey's dad tagged the friend, who confirmed that was she, and the dog at Carl's feet was her Freddie.  Dogs bond people!  Connections to connections... that's FB.

Carl got his zoomies in, Grandma feels she did OK with him, and now we have only 4 sleeps to go to keep him safe and well for his regular humans!

Life is good.  Spark on!

🔥✨💖

Continued Carl adventures at Grandma's house

 

Carl can stack like the show dogs.  All by himself.

When all else fails, a Kong puzzle will keep him busy for ten minutes or so.

Carl and Grandma survived the first night, with an interruption at 1 a.m. to go outside to pee and check for cats.  No felines found.  Grandma has learned from past visits, she puts on her shoes and socks, and a leash on Carl when he wants out in the middle of the night.  Yes, there's a new fence and all that, but Grandma did NOT have fun with the night time hide and seek with a black dog a couple of years back.

It was sprinkling during that 1 a.m. brief outing.  Carl is not a fan of rain, as a general rule, but on the morning of Day 2 he came willingly on a leash walk, to smell all the smells in Grandma's neighborhood, and the nearby park.  We came home, and eventually he got out to "inspect the perimeter" of the yard, as most canines are wont to do.

Carl reported that all was secure, but it was still raining.  Rain notwithstanding, it was cooler outside than in, so Grandma cranked open some windows for a while.  Humid, but in the low 70's is an acceptable Summer morning.  And it smells nice!

The day warmed up, and somewhere in the mix, Grandma napped in a chair.  In the waning afternoon, Carl started getting a hopeful look in his eye when we would go out in the back yard.  Clearly he is listening for his dad's vehicle, but Facebook tells me his Dad is hundreds of miles away, looking at cars tipped into a classic configuration.  

I have never been to Carhenge myself, but clearly the traveling troupe is having a great time on the road trip.  

I remember one of my co-workers back East talking about driving across this section of Nebraska with his wife.  She was so city-bred... "How city bred was she?"  "She broke out in hives it was so isolated".

Seriously, the slogan "Nebraska, it's not for everyone" rings true for some!

While they continued their westward loop, Carl and Grandma survived a second night.  

Thursday night featured a bit of a gully washer.  We got an inch and a half of rain.  The doggie foot-bath filled a bit more overnight.  Carl slept like a rock.  I think between the fireworks, the acceptance of his current situation, etc., and his "calming" chew at bedtime, he was ready to chill.

I took my shower and came out drying off to find Carl had claimed not just 3/4, but the whole bed!  Anybody out there have a spoiled puppy?  I'll put Carl up against them any day!

We started Friday the same way we did Thursday, with a leash walk through the park and neighborhood.  Grandma did not want to challenge the mud that is likely to be fresh at the dog parks.  

I was very proud of Carl on the Friday walk.  I did not put on his bark/training collar, and we walked away from approaching other animals and humans, keeping our social distance, but he did not lunge, pull, or growl or bark at them.  He did try to pull to chase a few squirrels, mind you, but he was easily re-directed.  What a good boy!

Bottom line, life is good.  Spark on!

Seven sleeps, Carl, 'til Daddy comes back

Day 1 at Grandma's House

Carl hasn't been put in an overnight with Grandma situation for quite some time.  I looked back on my calendar and could not find it.  I'm thinking at least two years.  As scheduled, the son dropped him off at 9 a.m. gave me rudimentary instruction on the bark / training collar, the new puzzle food dish, how much to feed him, and most effective bribes (most of which was review, anyway).

Carl tested the new fence.  Grandma put up the wading pool, where Carl used it as a watering hole and both drank and rinsed off his feet.  Carl discovered the dog who is staying next door to the North, and of course barked at every dog and human passing by on the sidewalk.

Grandma pulled some weeds, and scooped poop.  Everything was calming down nicely as it's warm and humid and that saps Carl as well as Grandma.  He was hanging on the couch, being a good boy... when The Prisoner came to the back door to meow, confident of his ownership of the house.

It only took cracking the sliding glass door about an inch for Prisoner to detect the scent of Carl, even though he was not visible.  Whoosh... but Prisoner laid on the deck and was visible to Carl... who really wanted to go play with him.  So it begins.

Seven sleeps before Daddy comes to get you, Carl.

Mid-afternoon, Grandma discovered Carl pressing his nose against the board she had nailed back up on the deck.  Yikes!  Dog into house.  Hammer in hand.  Effect repairs.  Mental note:  don't let dog out unattended, just in case.

Grandma is discovering all sorts of things she blithely had erased from her memory.  Like muddy paws... it rained this morning.  Waiting for the mud on the floor to dry, meanwhile wiping off the paws.  Carl clearly knows this drill from his home routines, where the backyard also features mud.

Heat, however, does calm this pupper down and wear him out.  Black fur coats plus high humidity!

Here's crossing my fingers for the evening and night ahead, when it dawns on Carl that Daddy is not picking him up at suppertime.

Take care of yourselves, fellow Spark refugees... stay cool if it's hot where you are.  Hydrate!  And end of day, let go of it all... and rest peacefully.  Whatever effort you put in, no matter how small, was worth it, and it was enough for the day.  Tomorrow is a fresh new one, and we start all over again!

Life is good.  Spark on!

Random thoughts

 

The world keeps on spinning, doesn't it?  Sorrows in some spots, thrills in others, but going onward.  There are random things that trigger memories and musings... one morning it was a Facebook meme, asking in the next life, would we want our mother to still be our mother?

Of course one would expect there is a knee-jerk reaction to that one, right?  I wouldn't be who I am had I had a different mother.  Both my strengths and my weaknesses, what I learned and what I didn't, all came from how I was raised, when I was without the presence or attention of my mother, what other adults stepped in an offered lessons not provided by her, etc.

Where it took me was back to something my mother said about questions like "what would you do if you had a million dollars?"  She had no use for such fantastical questions.  "It doesn't matter what I think I might do with a million dollars.  I don't have a million dollars.  It's a waste of time!"

I feel about the same way about "if you could change something in your earlier life and do it differently, what would it be and why?"  You cannot change the past.  But you can resolve to do sommething different "next time".  

The beauty of "next time" is something that allows you to atone for past mistakes, by changing current habits.

Remember my neighbor across the street, the one with the new baby?  Would you believe that baby is now over 40 days old?  In the Uzbek tradition, the new mom is to pass treats around to her neighbors, having kept the baby safe and healthy for those 40 days.  Here's what she brought over.  It's bread.  And it's ART!

It was as yummy as it looks, by the way.

Friday morning I was scheduled to go paddle a kayak at 9 a.m.  I didn't feel great when I got up.  In the end, I decided to cancel that one.  It was the right decision.  I was able to get in a lovely paddle on the 3rd with the kids (see separate blog).

Had a little bit of a start yesterday as the news filled up with a manhunt.  When they finally announced they had a "person of interest" and gave his name, age, car make and model, did a "hide the cars" knee-jerk.  Dexter is a silver Honda Fit!

Fortunately, we don't live in Illinois, so were probably never in the search zone, but we have three silver Honda Fits in the family.  None of those of us driving them are skinny 21 year old males, though.  Any law enforcement trying to pull over any of the three of us would have had no trouble, but methinks they would have tossed us back after having given us heart attacks for being stopped at all.

These are not the droids you're looking for.  They can go about their business.  Later I heard something that made our innocent little cars feel better.  It was not the person of interest's car... the little Honda was his mother's vehicle.  

This morning the bathroom remodelers came over to sit through the process.  They promised to send me links for selections of stuff.  I'm still worried about the budgetary impact, but they are booking all the way out in December, so there's time to make those choices.

Tomorrow we start the week of canine adventures, as Carl is due to arrive.  I have cleared the calendar.

Prayers for our nation in all its turmoil, for the world in its various wars and famine, and for our families as we survive the storms of life.  Take care of yourselves, fellow Spark veterans / refugees, so as to be better equipped to deal with it all.  And at the end of each day, recognize the good in it, and let it go.  It is enough.  You have earned your rest.

Life is good.  Spark on!

4th of July weekend with a dog who isn't a fan of BOOM!

 When I had Diamond, the booms didn't bother her.  Apparently, this is not the case with Carl.  He paces the house and is nervous and whiny.  Unfortunately, my son and his lady live within walking distance of the lake where the big fireworks display is hosted.  Tonight.

So, besides having some calming treats for him (valerian root, ginseng and a little bit of some other stuff)... they opted to make sure he had some postivie time in nature this morning.  They "dropped a pin" (this is a GPS thing that the next generation is very comfortable with) for the kayak launch spot, and we took three cars:  mine, her folks, and son's "new truck" with the kayaks and Carl on board.

We set up camp amidst a grove of trees, on the shore.  If this is sounding familiar, yes, we did something very similar for Father's Day 2021.

It was cool and cloudy, so my co-MIL-to-be and I kind of huddled in beach towels in our bag chairs while the kids headed out in the boats.

But Carl wasn't happy being left behind, so I didn't stay in the chair.  Up and hike with him, check out all the smells available on a lakeshore!

After the kids got back, it was time for Carl to get a kayak lesson.  They have been wanting to get him acclimated to this activity, and it resulted in... well... shall we say some level of success?

First we got him into the kayak alone, and he felt the unbalance, and treated it a little like a surfboard.  Then he got into the kayak with his favorite person in the world, but refused to lay down in the boat.

The result was that "dad" got dunked.

So the next step, which was a big mistake, was Grandma (me) getting in the other kayak and the two boats with his dad figuring out how to paddle with Carl still standing, for a little while.

He was OK until he noticed Grandma was there, and he wanted to come see me.  He sprang out, ignoring his Dad's commands not to do so, and swam for grandma's boat.  Once Grandma bumped into him with the orange kayak, he decided to swim to Lacey on the shore, instead.

The end result was the same, his dad was swim-towing the blue kayak, white hull up, back to the boat ramp.

So, they sent Grandma off on her own, while they did a non-distracted Carl short loop where they got him to stay in the kayak without jumping off, out, around in a small circle, and back.

Then Lacey took over the blue kayak and came and joined me on the water, and we went around a long island, following a mama duck and her three adolescent juveniles.  After we got back, Lacey and her mom went out on another lobe of the lake.  I captured a video of them, paddling in synch, mom and daughter, and posted it as a FB story.

For the parting hugs before we split off in our three vehicles to return to our homes... well, somebody had to insert himself in between each pair of people... here's Lacey hugging her mom good-bye.  With Carl mooching extra pets.  I'd say he had a fine outing for his Holiday.

For the humans, too, it was a lovely way to spend a Sunday July 3rd morning.  

But BE CAREFUL out there on the road.  We passed by an accident with emergency vehicles on the way home.  It wasn't any of us, and I waved so long to the kids as they turned left and I went straight at a traffic light.  Quick prayer for those involved, and pay attention to driving... no rubber-necking!

I came home to find the neighbor kid had mowed my grass, including the back part where the fence was put in.  Baby clover is safe.  

Here's hoping all my fellow Spark refugees are having a safe and sane Holiday weekend, if you're in the US!  Take care to treat your body, mind, and spirit well, remember to breathe, hydrate, and rest!

Life is good.  Spark on!