Meanwhile, across town

The kids had a new respite foster visit over the weekend.  This was a different six-year-old boy from the last respite visit. It was a shorter weekend; in that two birth family visits had been scheduled for the boy. 

From the photos (that I cannot share), it looks like a fine time was had by all.  By Sunday, the youngster had started to call my son "Dad".

In the hours and couple of days after the visit, son and DIL were approached about their willingness to take this child for a longer time.  Since this would involve separating siblings into separate placements, there are some foster system hoops to be jumped through before the whole plan can be approved, but they have been approved to provide respite for the week of Sunday the 22nd to Friday morning the 27th.

On Sunday the 22nd, we have plans to do a "dog swap", from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  We'll meet at a dog-park, let them play together, then I'll bring grand-dog Carl home with me, and Ember will go home with my son and daughter in law.

Their foster respite child will be arriving around 3:30 p.m.  I will deliver Carl back to them at their house, meet the foster kiddo, and collect Ember.  That's the current plan, anyway.  Then they will have their week as parents to a school child during his school week.

At the end of that week, on Friday morning, I will take on Carl and have a two-dog household for three days while "the kids" and DIL's parents go to a family wedding a state away.  Wish me luck, everyone!

Wednesday's happenings

It was dental appointment day for me on Wednesday.  Pronounced as stable.  Heard about dentist's husband's upcoming run of the New York City Marathon.  I have been living vicariously on her reports of his running for five years now.  

I also learned that my periodontist will be retiring and closing up shop next March.  I have an appointment with her in February, so I'll have my last visit with her then.  The general plan is to transition to just the general dentist (the one with the marathon running hubby) but keep the 5-month cleaning rotation.

Ember has recovered from the runny poos and was full of herself today.  She attacked behind the A/C, stripping off some of the early repairs I paid for in her youngest puppy days.  I had been blocking the access with garbage cans for a while, then she seemed to be ignoring it as "white noise" for a while, and suddenly, the past couple of days... it's back on her radar.

The second thing she went after was a conduit that held cable

and telephone wires going up the side of the house!  Both photos show after repairs were attempted by the homeowner, with assistance from my sister.  Sometimes the blessing is in the timing.  I had Alicia here, managed to get Ember into her crate, and the two women went out and assessed the damage and did what we could.  I believe those cables (the box says "telco access only") are now unused.  I don't have cable, but the wire is still there.  I don't have a house phone, but the wires are still there.

The third "something always happening" looks like I have a leak, possibly related to the underground sprinklers that I just had "fixed" this year.  That puddle seems to be getting bigger, and not just at the times the sprinklers actually run.  It has grown since my sister's visit that ended before 5 p.m.  Photo taken in the 7:30 p.m. time frame.  

I'm not even sure who to call.  I have the appliance repair guy arriving Thursday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.  Perhaps their technician will identify whether I need to also call a plumber, as well as whether the dishwasher needs to be replaced.  Just when I was financially recovering from all the "upgrades".  Sigh.  I might also need to call the landscape guys who did the sprinkler system repairs.

Whatever the details, the saga of home ownership continues.  And the saga of pet ownership, too.

Ember got a nice little leash walk after I got home from the dentist.  She was so good for it!  Yes, we stopped and let her chew on a fallen branch for a while, long enough for her to get bored with it and be ready to move on.  I truly love the lazy walks, where I don't feel the need to rush her along.  I get to find out what interests her.

Here she is with her favorite tug toy, the hose.  She knows the hose has to stay outside while the puppy may come inside the house.  But every morning when we go out, she picks up that end of the hose and proudly pulls it to wherever she's going.

Life is good.  Keep on Sparking!