Monday, January 9, 2017

The Garbage Wars

In our house we have
ONE
UNWRITTEN
RULE.
The rule is that whomever tops off the garbage in the can
EMPTIES
it.
Each of us has done things to make sure it was the next person who needed to empty the garbage.
 
I admit,
this time,
it was a challenge,
but
my favorite daughter won.
(Remember, I only have one daughter.)
I couldn't take it any more.
I emptied the garbage!
She won the battle, but not the war!
 

Thursday, January 5, 2017

I think the Hospital Switched Babies!

This is the way I fold 
FITTED SHEETS.

I never have been able to do anything else.


















 This is the way 
my daughter folds
FITTED SHEETS.

The only conclusion is that
the
Hospital Switched Babies.

Yikes!

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Worth Repeating: Looking Forward to 2014

2014 Here I Come!
Since there are rarely any chances for “do-overs” I will try to use every skill I have to overcome the challenges of 2014.

I plan to treat myself kindly and gently.

I’ll never give up.

I’m going to take more naps and read more books

I’m going to reach out to more people, with Pixie, through our hospice work. 

I’m going to do my best not to fall and break bones.

I’m going to write more.

Once my ankle heals, I’m going to walk 10,000 steps every day.

As I merge my muse back into glass, I’m going to work more with sculpture than in the past.

When I work with polymer clay, I’m going to make pieces that are bigger and might require some assemblage.

I’m going to be really careful so that I don’t fall in 2014.  I hope!

I’m going to be more open in 2014.

If colors were words, I will be more red and orange with my ideas, but blue and green with people.

I will balance my heart with my head.  I will balance my work with my rest.  I will find harmony.

I will try to be a source joy to everyone I meet.

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Pixie's Gruel

Pixie is a fussy eater.
Most greyhounds are not, 
but
"The Girl" is a diva.
I have to buy her food from the vet because she has the doggy form of
IBS.
However, she gets tired of the food, and refuses to eat.
I have let food sit for two days, and she won't eat.
A little bit of reading, though, taught me that it's okay to give her people foods, too.
This has helped with her eating habits.
Daily, now, I give her a bowl of
gruel,
using people food and a little bit of dog food.
Surprisingly, she loves it!!!!
I usually use what I have on hand.
I make her oatmeal.
I heat up a bowl of water.
(I can't give you exact measurements because I don't measure.)
I add about 1/4c - 1/2c uncooked oatmeal.  Let the oatmeal sit until it gets a little thick, then add the rest of your ingredients.
(If you use instant oatmeal, be sure to read the labels.  Xylitol can kill a dog, even in small amounts.)
I make her an egg.  I cut that up and add to the cooked oatmeal.
I add some olive oil,  maybe about 1 Tablespoon.
I add about 1/2 cup of her regular food.
I've tried mushing up peas and carrots in her food, but she sure knows how to pick around those!
She's not fond of veggies.
If I have a little left over rice, I'll add that.
If I have yogurt, I add a little of that.
(Not all dogs can handle this, so use caution with your dog.)
I've been known to add applesauce and/or mushed up bananas.
I add peanut butter.
She loves peanut butter, but, again, 
READ THAT LABEL.
Many peanut butter manufacturers are starting to add Xylitol to the peanut butter.
That's not good for animals.
I can only assume it's not good for us, then.
I think you get the idea.
Pixie gets one bowl of this a day. 
Her coat glows, and she thinks she's eating people food.
Right now, Pixie is sound asleep.
She just finished her gruel for the day, and she gets very sleepy after eating her gruel.
Kitties want some gruel, too, but their tummies can't handle people food like dogs' tummies can.
Here's a site that will give you guidance on what people foods dogs are safe eating.
There are many more sites out there.   Just google "Foods that dogs can eat."
All right, now it's up to you.
Have fun with your pet and be careful.



 
 

Monday, January 2, 2017

Looks Like It Might Snow Tomorrow

January 1, 2017

The forecast is for light snow tomorrow afternoon.
Well. it's January.
It's Minnesota.
I'd be concerned if there were no snow.

Where I grew up in
New Mexico,
January was cold and "snowy."
Most of the time, if you wanted to play in the snow, you had to drive to the nearby mountains 
to find snow.
Sometimes, we'd wake up to what we Minnesotans would call a
"light dusting"
in the city.
That was great!

Roads were closed.
Even better,
SCHOOLS were closed and we had a free day!
Everyone was urged to stay home and NOT go out.
Our parents would make us put on our light weight boots.
We didn't own snow boots.,
and they would watch, anxiously, as we ever so slowly
crossed the street to join our friends on the playground.
They didn't want us to fall.

If anyone had a sled,
we'd try to make it slide across the mixture of sand, rocks, and snow.
This was early morning.
Most days, most of the snow would be melted by afternoon.
The next day, we'd be back at school remembering our day off school.

Many years later, I married and moved away to North Dakota.
That was a terrible experience.
If I insult any of you from that state,
I'm not sorry.
My experience there was awful!
I was so glad when we moved.
The winters were long.
The snow was terrible
The people were naive, closed minded, and unkind.
It was brutal.
Things were a bit better in the "cities," rather than the small towns.  
I have no illusions about the "romance" of small towns.zin
We lived in Grand Forks.
I've never been back to that state.
Nor, will I ever go back.
I don't understand how anyone can call that place home.

Now, by choice, I live in a relatively "small" town in Minnesota,
about 80,000 residents, I think.
At least, the residents here are more opened minded than the people I had to deal with back then.
 I've come to call this place
"Home."

I hadn't thought about this in years.
Isn't it amazing what can be buried in the sands of time?
I guess, in this case, we should say the 
snows of time.
Well, enough.
The new year has begun.
It IS going to snow tomorrow.
I'm glad I'm here.