Sunday (Howzat fur Original Chat)

My father had healthnet (it was medicare and a supplement, i think).  It cost $100/mo and we had it deducted from his social security.  He broke his hip and was in a nursing home for a month - after medicare and the supplement he owed $800.00

Barb, that's awesome news about your mom. Showing interest in a dog is really exciting! Even if she doesn't end up getting one, I think the fact that she's looking to the future and dreaming about happy things is just huge.

Paige, I wonder if that dog in the storage unit was being hidden or something? Bitter divorce, or something? I don't know, maybe I've been watching too much crime TV. It just seems so insane.

My DH is too cute.  He took me hiking today, & he went to the trouble of having one of his friends set up a picnic lunch near the lake.  We went for a swim, ate lunch, & just hung out, which was really nice.  When we got home, & saw the score of the Giants/Texans game, he didn't even rub in the fact that the Texans lost.  He's such a sweetie.

In other news...as of today, Cher has a send out without having to use a target.  It needs a lot more work, but it's there, & she understands what she's supposed to be doing. 

Geeze!   What kind of bird brain nut job puts their dog in a storage unit??

Barb, I'm so glad that you Mom is excited about the facility.  My mom wasn't given a choice and it was difficult for her.  When we finally convinced her to look at the place she lives now, she loved it.  But, for many years this whole campus was a state mental hospital.  It's an enormous area, because they farmed, they had their own power plant, it was basically a self contained little city, and absolutely stunningly landscaped.....they believed that being surrounded by beauty in the environment and in the buildings would help the mentally ill to become healthy.  That, and of course, drugs, electroshock therapy and labobtomies.....The cluster of "cottages" that are assisted living are close to 200 years old, 3 stories with a terrace level on top (or rather underneath) that.....because they are historic, the rehab was painstaking and these buildings are STUNNING.  Overcoming her bias about going to the old "nut house" wasn't easy, but now she loves it there.

MIL had the medical supplement through AARP and that was fairly inexpensive.....I think less than $100 a month and pretty decent coverage. We didn't get any bills for any of her health care or skilled nursing, but I'm not sure what was paid and what they just wrote off.  I believe she also got some sort of help through a state health program, so that might be what paid a lot of stuff.  I never expected MY mother to have the horrible health issues that she did, so gosh, you just never know.   I would hate to see her have health problems that put her in debt, or worse, leave her unable to GET the help she needs.  Just food for thought.

We had a really NICE day.  The dogs were a hoot this morning.  DH was fussing about sore legs so I said, well, just poke along and I'll meander after the dogs and let them do most of the walking/running.  Nope.  45-50 feet away, they'd stop, turn around and stare at us.....you could hear them thinking HURRY UP you guys!  So I figured, ok, I'll walk with them and let DH be a slacker.  Nope.  Both of us were there, so both of us darned well better be WALKING.  They were so darned funny.  But, they were trained to be off lead on 50 foot lines, and they certainly haven't forgotten their distance limits!

DH and I did the wet cleaning in the RV, got the fresh water tank drained, and also brought in the handful of "stuff" that was left out there.  DS is going to help me with the vacuming tomorrow and I still need to add antifreeze to the drains and the black tank, but, by golly, she's looking good now!

THEN we went for a drive, and saw all sorts of lovely scenery and really cool old towns.  Made for a really nice afternoon.

Hope that everyone else had an enjoyable day as well!

 I'm in  a mood to beat people today. Earlier, I read something in the notes from someone I work with that may explain some of the problems I am having with the kid. Basically, her note said, he was giving me all sorts of problems, so I didn't make him do what I had told him to do. That is the absolutely most wrong thing to do ever. Needless to say I am pissed. There is other little stuff I need to bring up with this person, but I only ever see her at a team meeting. If I bring it up, she will know I mean her, and the other person will know I mean her. I need to think of a tactful way to say that this is a no-no. The thing is, she should already be well aware of this. The other stuff is paperwork stuff. Like erasing something, or putting back something if you take it out. I feel like, I shouldn't have to leave a note in back of the kid's binder that says if you took something out you need to put it back now.

The other annoyance of the day... so I went and looked at my sister's baby registries. Umm... why the hell is there a booster (car seat) on the registry. It's not even legal to use that until the kid is 4. The one she has is a piece of crap. It expires in 6 years also. Why have it now? She also put those head supports, which you are not supposed to put in the seat, onto the registry. If it goes between the kid and the straps, it doesn't belong there. My mom keeps buying the kid bulky snow suits too, so that annoys me. Technically this would void the company of any sort of liability should the seat malfunction in an accident because you went against the instructions by adding aftermarket crap to the seat. I bought the seat though, so I can take this stuff out, right?  What's the tactful way of saying this isn't safe?

Oh yeah, and my cousin, who failed to have her dog's spayed and neutered and ended up with puppies last year (one of which we have), is trying to get rid of one of the puppies. Umm... if you had gotten your other two spayed and neutered, you wouldn't have this problem now would you? I don't think all the puppies are spayed and neutered at this point either. I love her but someone needs to knock some sense into her. 

I could also use some "neiko stop fing around and do your damn job" vibes and some "julie get better already" vibes while you're at it. No, I don't ask for much lol

Cita

Paige, I wonder if that dog in the storage unit was being hidden or something? Bitter divorce, or something? I don't know, maybe I've been watching too much crime TV. It just seems so insane.

My guess was more like foreclosure or just forced to move and couldn't find a place to live that allows dogs in a timely manner- maybe staying at a friend's place, living out of their car, something where you can't have the dog living with you.  Clearly just a temporary situation.  Might have been more sinister, I just took it as desperate and stupid.

BEVOLASVEGAS

In other news...as of today, Cher has a send out without having to use a target.  It needs a lot more work, but it's there, & she understands what she's supposed to be doing. 

So cool to hear how her training is progressing.  I want to see someone train/proof the go-outs using the chalk lines.  I've only seen pictures and it seems like it would work (esp if she previously used a target)

Julie - you've got each of those vibes.  I say there is not too much "bugging" - if nothing else, it makes her accountable to one more person for her actions if she chose to do something dangerous.  But what do I know?  Better to have her know you are so invested that she can't hide things and that you're not believing the mask.

With a wave of the magic wand, I say, "SPAM-a-lama Ding Dongs, BE GONE!"  Dumb and annoying...

Selling MIchael Vick jerseys on a DOG board??  That's the ULTIMATE in brain-dead!

Julie, were sending you good thoughts all around.

miranadobe

BEVOLASVEGAS

In other news...as of today, Cher has a send out without having to use a target.  It needs a lot more work, but it's there, & she understands what she's supposed to be doing. 

So cool to hear how her training is progressing.  I want to see someone train/proof the go-outs using the chalk lines.  I've only seen pictures and it seems like it would work (esp if she previously used a target)

I am having a blast working with her.  She's so composed compared to what Bevo is/was, but she's also much lower key than him.  When she makes a mistake, she's like "ok, I'll try something different.  Whereas Bev is like "OMG, OMG, OMG I messed up.  Gotta try something else FAST!"  Working with her is so much easier than working with Bev.

I hadn't thought of using chalk lines to train a send out.  I started her out using a mat, & I have gradually reduced the size of the thing that she's targeting.  She's been targeting a quarter for the past week without issue, so I took it away this morning just to see if she could handle it, & she had no issue.  I have some ring time reserved on Tuesday, so we'll see if my backyard experiment has paid off or if I will be teaching her to do it differently.

 I feel good. Is it Saturday yet?