Fakers!

Misty is a mutt, all right.

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:13:55 -0500

Finally received the results of Misty’s DNA test. She’s a mix of Australian Shepherd, Chow Chow, Jack Russell Terrier, Sheltie, Siberian Husky and Great Pyrenees. In other words, a mutt. A good one, though. We’ve had her for about 6 weeks and her personality is really coming out now. She’s great around the house, very smart and loving and obedient. Walking on the leash, however, is a different story. We had to buy her one of those head collars, that goes around the snout, kind of like a horse bridle. She’s very aggressive to other walkers, other dogs, squirrels, and whatever else comes along. So, we’ve got a bit of work to do, but mostly she’s been a great addition to our family. We love our girls!

KC Renaissance Festival

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:05:28 -0500

Yesterday we drove out to Bonner Springs, KS for the 2009 KC Renaissance Festival. It was fun, as expected. Lots of colorful characters, lots of games, shows, booths, food, etc. But it was a bit scaled back from years past. There were noticeably fewer costumed performers strolling in the crowd, and even fewer guests dressed in costume. We still had fun, though.

It’s been a long, interesting class...

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:23:17 -0500

I finished my Fiction Writing class through KU Independent Study on August 31. It only took me a year. Hahaha. Anyway, my grade showed up today- I got an ‘A’. Woo hoo! I don’t know what to take next. Either American Literature or Screenwriting...

Our new girl

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:05:56 -0500

Where does the time go? Well, we got ourselves another dog over Labor Day weekend. Her name is Lucy and she came from the Safe Harbor Prison Dog program. She’s a beautiful, medium sized German Shepherd mix, and we just love her. The Safe Harbor program is wonderful. They rescue good, adoptable dogs from animal shelters with high kill rates, and place them in prisons so the inmates can work with them, socializing them and training them. It’s great for the dogs, and its therapeutic for the inmates to have something to take care of and to love.

Misty is a great dog! She knows her basic obedience commands (sit, lay down, shake, etc), and she’s already house trained. We had a bit of an issue with her getting used to the cats, and she was a little aggressive with Mr. Kitty at first, but they seem to have worked it out. Lucy is just thrilled to have a little sister, and they never seem to stop playing and wrestling.

If you’re thinking about adopting a dog, I can’t say enough good things about Safe Harbor. Check ‘em out!

It’s all done!

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:40:22 -0500

The sun room is DONE. Officially, completely done. Tonight we hung some wall doo-dads including a mirror, a 5 light candle sconce, and Steph’s big Gaugin-ish painting. The room needs some plants, and maybe some different furniture, but all in all, it looks pretty nice. We plugged the new radio in and relaxed for a while with a slice of homemade key lime pie. Life is good!

A few updates...

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:42:12 -0500

Has it really been nearly a month since I wrote in here? Well, yeah. I’ve actually been focusing more on my fiction writing for my KU independent study course, since I have to be done in 2 weeks (YIKES). I have enjoyed the class greatly, but I’ll be glad when it I am done with it.

We spent nearly every night last week hanging wallpaper in our new sunroom. It’s coming together so well- Jim put up all the blinds and the cool ikea hanging lamp, and today we cleaned the concrete floor to get it ready for tile. I can’t wait til it is done!

The fair! The fair! We went to the Iowa State Fair on Friday Aug 14, with Mark Leonard, Aubrey, Scott & Terrence, Dan & Luke and Mason & Ken. It was so fun. We ate lots of fair food- much of it on sticks! Corndog, chicken on a stick, hot bologna on a stick, deep fried snickers on a stick, chocolate dipped pecan roll on a stick. It was delicious! The Iowa state fair is wonderful- there were probably 300,000 people there on Friday. We drove up from KC- it took 3 hours, and we stayed at the Des Moines downtown Holiday Inn, room 424. It was kind of a dank, older hotel, but okay. We probably wouldnt stay there again, though. The fair was lovely. The weather held out, and it was cool and overcast on Saturday. We rode that chairlift, gondola thing over the whole fairgrounds. It was cool but I was really scared, too. We rode the Ferris wheel, but it wasn’t scary at all. I love the ferris wheel. it’s gentle and laid back somehow. Everyone got along well, and we all had loads of fun.

Our electrical box is malfunctioning. The breaker box I mean. We have to have it replaced because the connector bars are made of tin and they are all corroded. We are going to have a new one put on in August 28 and its going to cost 600 bucks. Yeesh!

Summer Weather

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:44:46 -0500

Well let’s see, this past weekend was WONDERFUL! We had the perfect summer weather. Friday it was sunny and 78 with 0% chance of rain, and a nice long day. Saturday was equally beautiful. Friday I took off a little early and came home and mowed the yard. Saturday night we went to see the KC T-Bones play the Joliet Jackhammers. We left in the 7th inning, because we were in some really uncomfortable seats- real ass-killing seats! It was fun, though. Sunday we took Lucy on a LONG power walk. Then we drove out to the Overland Park Arboretum and took a few photos. I managed to get all the way to the arboretum without my memory card. DUH. Jim was such a sweetheart though- he let me share his card. Unfortunately I filled it up pretty quick because I was shooting in raw mode. Oh well.

Eureka!

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 21:03:06 -0500

Okay time is whizzing by these days. Really. Wow. Anyway, the Eureka Springs trip over Memorial Day weekend was just delightful. We stayed in a place called Pond Mountain Lodge Resort, in an A-frame cabin in the woods. Scott and Terrence had the cabin across the road from us, and Rick and Stephanie were down in a suite in the pool house. We took Lucy with us, and she was a perfect girl. She does so well in the car, and she’s such fun to have along. It was peaceful and relaxing. We took a boat ride on Beaver Lake on a boat called the “Belle of the Ozarks” and it was a little chilly and gray, but still really nice. We saw the Thorncrown Chapel in the woods and it was dramatic and inspiring. Life is good! :)

Now for the present- Jim is walking in the door with burgers from 5 Guys. Chow time! oh Yeah!

Bright and clean

Sat, 9 May 2009 21:09:22 -0500

Today I painted the walls and ceiling. I bet the whole project is done by Tuesday, Wednesday at the latest.

In the home stretch

Fri, 8 May 2009 19:21:25 -0500

When I got home from work this afternoon, David, our contractor, was just finishing up the sink. He’s got all the tile in and grouted, the sink and toilet are in, and the pocket door is up. The next major milestone will be the wall light fixture and mirror/medicine cabinet, followed by the new clear glass shower door to be installed on Tuesday. With any luck, the whole room will be complete by the time Jim gets home from Washington on Tuesday. Yay!