Where I've Been

Since it's been seventeen days since my last entry, one might very well ask where I've been.  I have an answer...nowhere, absolutely nowhere.  Every single day I open up this journal, stare at the blank white typing space in front of me on my computer screen and pray for inspiration.  It's very unlike me, but I've had nothing to say.  I think it's been a big case of "post Janet and Shirley visit letdown."  That lasted a while.  Then it was the pre-Christmas blahs.  Now, it's the "Oh My Goodness, Renters Will Be Here in Twelve Days and There's Still So Much To Do" panic.  Added to this is that our temperatures were breaking all records for December with many days hitting almost ninety, followed by day after day of rain and there you have it...Dana's list of woes.  My fervent hope is that by reflection and recognition of these issues coupled with writing them all here for the world (small as my reader world is) that I have achieved a breakthrough moment.  We will know that by tomorrow if words once again appear here, won't we?  Wish me luck...

Dana

PS:  I've been off my Permarin (estrogen) for just about as long as I haven't written. ...hmmmm...

Refrigerator Clean Out

What I Found:

1 large sweet potato

1 green bell pepper

1 large onion

6 whole baby bella mushrooms

1 package of 5 Johnsonville Bit O' Garlic Irish Sausages

1 small package of organic baby broccoli florets and carrots

What I Did:

Threw it all together, added 1/2 cup water, drizzled with a tige of good olive oil, added freshly ground pepper and some French sea salt, baked at 350 covered for 30 minutes, stirred and baked uncovered until sausages browned, 15 more minutes

What I Got:

The Cuban Poopalotta

I love my little Havanese, Rico.  I wish he could talk.  I'd like to know what his life was all about.  We bought him used.  Even then, he didn't come cheap.  We already have over 1200$ into him.  He was allegedly reclaimed by the breeder from a family that bought him for a disabled child.  The story continued that the child became ill, hospital bills crippled the family and they could no longer care for the dog.  The breeder is very reputable here in Florida.  I do know that Taffy's breeder told us that if we ever needed to rehome her to contact her and that she'd take the dog back and find it the proper home.  So maybe it's true about Rico.  It doesn't matter.  The breeder gave us all of Rico's medical history, copies of vet bills, his AKC registration and his Canine Good Citizen certificate.  We've repaid his medical bills...neutering, removal of undescended testical, extraction of a few baby teeth that never fell out (common among Havanese), shots etc.  We paid his plane fare from NY to the breeder in FL.  We picked him up at the breeder's home in Sarasota.  We had him bathed and groomed when we got him, took him for a vet check once we got him back to Palm Beach, got his heartworm and Frontline and his Florida rabies shot and tag and some ear infection medication.  Then right before Janet and Shirley arrived he went into our groomer here to have the hair inside his ears plucked and then a proper grooming as only Scott can do.  I'm keeping him in a puppy cut.  I don't like the fancy long coat.  So, that's where the money has gone. I wish Rico could talk because I think he's been abused.  If anyone speaks loudly or in a sharp tone, he immediately goes on his back belly up.  If a hand is raised up near him, he goes belly up.  He's very vigilant, always watching.  We've had him almost a month and a half and he's getting less timid all the time.  He's very sweet.  At first he shied away from beeing kissed (yes, I kiss the dogs on the top of their heads), but now he tries to kiss back.  At first he slept in his crate, but now he's a bed dog.  He sleeps curled against me, right where he can feel my heart beating.  I'm good with that even if others disapprove.  If we go out, all we have to do is say "BeddyBye" and he walks into his crate.  I've taught him to stand on his back legs and twirl in a circle "Dance" for a treat and he loves to do it.  He's very smart. The latest Rico trauma has been what has earned him the Cuban Poopalotta designation.  He was billed as fully housebroken.  He had issues.  I thought maybe stress related. He was so fidgety and could never settle down.   When the Brits arrived, he was pooping on every throw rug in the house about four times a day in spite of many walks and also a fenced yard.  It was frustrating and embarassing.  I began referring to him as the Cuban Poopalotta just to keep from taking it all too seriously.  I quickly realized when cleaning up that he was  full of worms!  Evidently he had not been on Heartworm Meds. (it kills all worms/intestinal parasites) before.  When we started the Heartguard, I guess he started getting rid of those worms.  What a challenge all of that was.  I tried to be really calm about it because I know he couldn't help it. he's finally stopped pooping inside on Wednesday (the day the Brits left).  Thank goodness for tile floors and washable throw rugs.  He hasn't gone in the house since Wednesday.  He's calm and can sleeps a lot more than he did.  I walk him a couple of times a day and he scratches the glass of the sliding door to go out to the side yard.  The worst seems to be over.  Poor little dog. Those who aren't dog people will find all of this ridiculous or gross or whatever.  Those who have dogs and love them will understand...

Happy Thanksgiving

Janet and Shirley left yesterday, the day before Thanksgiving.  We've spoken to Janet this morning and both are safely home in England.  We celebrated an almost traditional American Thanksgiving on Tuesday.  The Brits went along with all the traditional American foods...almost.  I had to strong-arm them on the American mashed potatoes versus the English idea of roast potatoes with turkey.  But, afterall. whose holiday is it anyway?  I did rollover and concede regarding the pumpkin pie when they all started rolling their eyes at each other at its mention.  We were totally non-traditional, gave a cursory nod to the French and made a Creme' Caramel.  We managed to throw together a scrumptiously moist turkey, corn and carrot pudding, candied sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, sausage and chestnut stuffing, cranberry sauce and giblet gravy.  All followed by the Creme' Caramel and coffee.

 

Today, we will again have Thanksgiving dinner with a group of neighbors.  I leave you with the following Thanksgiving wishes...

What Happens in Orlando Stays in Orlando

The English girls have been here for exactly one week. We've been having so much fun that I haven't had a second to blog. We've shopped, shopped, shopped. We've eaten, eaten, eaten. We've walked, walked, walked. And, we've laughed, laughed, laughed.

This afternoon we returned from a two day getaway to Orlando. The first day we shopped both the big outlet mall and the huge Florida Mall. The second day was spent at Disney Epcot. I have much to write and photos to share. I will leave you with the little teaser below. Just imagine three old ladies sans husbands turned loose in Orlando where no one knows them and no one will ever see them again. I'll borrow the slogan Las Vegas Tourism Boards uses (I'll just change it a little) and say only this...What happens in Orlando stays in Orlando....shhhhhh...

PS: Kudoes to Shirley for being such a good sport and letting us bully her through Epcot. And believe me, this is just a small sample of the Grandma mayhem that happened.

PPS: I promise more blogging and photos tomorrow