My first official day off

I accomplished a lot today.
I didn't watch a shit-load of TV
I was really social.
I ate a really healthy meal.
I taught the pup some new tricks.
I enjoyed the sun.
I cleaned up the house (a bit).
I could get used to this....

The Pup

Bodhi saying: "HEY YOU GUYS!!!"
(second from right)

Husband & I fell in love with a puppy. It's hard not to, when you stare into those cute puppy eyes and watch them as they trip over their giant puppy feet. The puppy kisses and nibbles tug at your heartstrings, begging "pleasetakemehomenow-causeIwillloveyouforever"

Bodhi melted my heart with her soft puppy ears and muzzle. Her wriggly, little body could not have been more excited to be out and about in the world outside of her pen. Until it was time to leave the only home she had known thus far.

Please don't leave me.... I am too cute to be left here.

She had never been around any other people, aside from her parents' handlers. She had never met any other dog, aside from her litter mates and parents. Social anxiety was kicking in before we even got her in the car for the (super long) drive home. For her first time in a vehicle, Bodhi did surprisingly well. The next test would be sleeping through the night, or at least part of it, without any indoor accidents. Success. 

Over the next few days, Bodhi learned that inside of the house was for eating and sleeping, and outside was for elimination. Playtime was still undefined. Her puppy instincts hadn't kicked in yet. She was scared of exploring, toys, noises, people, cars, and just being a dog.  Over the last three weeks, Husband & I have really brought her out of her shell by exposing her to as much stimuli as possible. We've taken her on so many car rides, visiting friends, going to the dog beach, driving up to the mountains, meeting as many other dogs as possible, while also making each experience as positive as possible. Bodhi still has a long way to go in the whole socialization aspect of life (she is just over 3 months old), but I think Husband & I are on the right track. 

Sleepy puppy = happy puppy.

Bodhi has been an amazing addition to our family, in such a unique way. I can truly feel a trust and bond developing between her and I, which I didn't expect so soon. Her loyalty towards me is already so strong. It's surreal for me to feel that so quickly, especially since I want to reciprocate the respect. 

Me. 

The one who shuts out everyone. 

The Month I Wasn't Expecting

July 2011 was a bit of a downer.
I lost my job.
My favorite cat ran away from home.
My husband's new-to-him truck stopped working.
And I have been feeling pretty sick lately.

I am sure a combo of the above has to do with my not feeling well. To top it off, in my own fucked up mind, every summer for the last 4(?) years my head convinces me that I am pregnant - even though I am not. Every little emotional nuance and odd cramp and slight bulge and nauseating episode and heightened sense of taste and smell and migraine and backache sends me to google to research pregnancy and other 'what-is-its'. Mostly pregnancy.
Pretty much always pregnancy.
I am not sure how I really feel about that.
I don't know if it's

• an emotional hormone-y side effect of my meds. 
• or because I am getting older. 
• or because my friends are having having babies.
• or of a need to feel like I am 'trying' to accomplish something by 'pretending' I want to get pregnant, so people get off my back about not wanting to have kids. Today, anyway. 

Babies = so cute. I don't deny that. All of my friends' kids are adorable and sweet and I treasure them forever. And I will probably want my own in a year or two. (Cause they are such a great accessory, amIright?)
I am not ready yet. <Insert excuse here, here & here.>
So why do I feel a tiny, tinge of disappointment every time I get my period?

StressAche

So much has been happening this last week and it's making me all hurty. Some in good ways, some in bad ways:

• Husband and I bought a dog (update on that coming soon). I love her so much. Almost to the point where I forget my cats names.
• Husband bought a new (to us) truck. We spent 11 hours yesterday 
• driving into and across town and then up to a ski-hill lodge to go look at it, 
• then driving into town to get insurance for it, only to find out we filled out the papers incorrectly, 
• meaning we had to drive back out of town to the seller's place in order to fill out new paperwork
• then come back into town to actually get insurance,
• then drive back to the seller's place to finalize the exchange
• then, about 15 minutes after leaving the seller's place, Husband had to turn around as the seller had left his garage door remote on the trucks visor
• then we FINALLY got to drive home.
• My work project is shutting down at the end of the month meaning I will be out of a job soon
• My flakey step-mother wants to plan a big get-away for my dad's 60th birthday, yet my brother and I are doing all of the research on hotels & activities, paying the deposits, & communicating the applicable details. Her excuse is "I don't know how to do this" and "you spent the last year planning a wedding, so this should be no problem for you".
• I haven't slept more than 4-5 hours per night in the last week (for non-dog related reasons) and now that it's catching up to me I feel like such a failure for not being able to maintain a clean home, or finish the section of work I am supposed to hand in tomorrow. Procrastination is my arch nemesis. 
• I will finish this later....

 

Wednesday Wrantings & Wraves

He loves to sleep in Husband's
dirty laundry. Should have named
him 'Smelly Cat'.

• Amos is broken again. He is limping, but I can't figure out why. After finding no cuts or stingers or cactus barbs or other major or minor visual injuries, I figured it was a pulled muscle. It's been a few days and he is still walking like Terry Fox. Amos is being super pouty but still playful, alert, and eating, so I know he's not in that much pain. I am just hesitant to take him to the vet for a $$$ check-up to find out all he needs is R&R.
• Our patio gets 1000% sun all-day. This I love. Especially because we have 35-40 degree weather for most of the summer. I bought me a little kiddie pool to set up for a daily splash. The heat and sun however, is not so awesome for my plants. My pansies...look like pressed flowers. But in the evening, when the sun is setting, and the sky is pink and red and gold, I water those pansies and they perk right up, like they have never felt the heat. They remind me that perseverance is not just for humans.
• There is a serious lack of doctors in BC. But I found a (walk-in clinic) doctor I actually like. He is the first doctor I have met that actually cared enough to send me to get tested to ensure the meds I am on are not hurting my organs. I am supposed to get tested yearly. I have never been tested. I have been on these meds for more than 2 years.
• I have been taking care of my friends' 3 jack russell terriers while they run their mobile fry-truck business through-out our community. All I do is go over to my friends' place and let the dogs out to pee, refill their water dish, and occasionally take them for a walk if the dogs are up for it. But I have been Caesar Milan'ing them while I am there. And, not to brag, but I am SO good at it. All 3 of the dogs listen to me and allow me to be the leader. Not just some of the time. ALL of the time. From the moment I walk in the door, to the moment I leave. It's awesome. I like love having that bond and that trust with an animal. It makes me want to work with shelter dogs, and possibly with horses, to help them trust again. Time to get my volunteer badge out.
• Finally watched the final Oprah episode. I know. I am a little behind. Only went through 5 tissues for my tears. And one for a snotty nose. TMI? sorry....

How is your first week of July going so far?

The Waiting Game

I am waiting for a very important email. Which means I am checking my email obsessively every 20 minutes. The suspense of it all is driving me bonkers! I guess patience will have to tide me over until then... 

Water Water Everywhere...

I am really picky about the water I drink. Not in a princessy way, more in a flavour way. My taste-buds can pick up the tiniest inkling of chlorine; the bitterness of improperly filtered contaminants; and the overload of too many chemicals in tap water. When I lived in the prairies of Canada, I can remember how rich the tap water was. It was soooo yummy. Moving to Vancouver was such a change. And although the city has some of the best & safest drinking water in Canada, I have to say that after 17 years, I still can't bear to drink the stuff. 

Then I discovered a particular brand of bottled water that quenches my thirst like no other. It's super cheap, is sourced & bottled in Canada, and is pretty much the only beverage I drink. Big Applause for Shopper's Drug Mart Bottled Spring Water. 

Husband and I buy quarts of these jugs of water like we're stocking up for Armageddon. It's crazy I tell ya. We get some weird looks at the till, but it's well worth it.

Living in our new little mountain town, I have yet to develop a taste for the tap water. It tastes like dirt and makes me want to throw up. Some times after having drunk it, I actually have thrown up. So we continue to buy our water. 

But today we are out of water. And there is a "Don't Drink the Water" advisory in town. And I am without a vehicle in which to go get more water. Milk is not going to help with my dehydration; pop = blech; alcohol will only bring on more dehydration... so I try grapefruit juice. Bad idea. 

Here's hoping that Husband gets home soon with the next delivery of H2O....

Please know that this is a not an advertisement for Shopper's Drug Mart or their bottled spring water. I just really really love it, and really really need some...