JUNE-it's here

Doug - enjoy your retirement.  My Dad absolutely ADORED retirement.  He retired so he could do his woodworking/carving and has enjoyed it immensely!!  

There is an activity chart on this site.  Shows the most recent activity on any given thread.  It's sad to read it.   Most have no activity that could be called "recent".

Ummmm Doug did you forget my address, I didn't get my  wine box for my birthday :)

Callie it is so good to see you.   I have to admit I am jealous of Doug's retirement motto.... "tomorrow is as good a day to do something as today."  Most of all the whole mortgage payoff thing  will be never for me, lol.  

Jr. you really must mind your Dad.   The whole puppy thing  has been a long time for us    Ron and Garth have really been working at it.   One day it will be..."he was so good today and he has the going out thing down"  then a few day later it   "well he had a few accidents and he is being a little stinker. "    He seems to think I am a chew toy cause he loves to go for my toes , he doesn't do that to Ron.  Ron says he knows I am a push over.

Here are a few pics from our first dry day in weeks on Sunday.

Hope your weather holds out, have a great rest of the week.

Ginger, I'm telling you Garth looks like a little fuzzy bear cub.  He is way too cute!  I am certain I'd be a pushover around him, too!  I don't envy you the whole puppy thing.  I just don't think I could handle that again.  But, when we struggle with Ruby's issues because she was unsocialized and had 2 homes before the age of 1, I realize how much better it can be to get a dog at 2 or 3 months old.

Doug, those wine boxes will make great gifts!  Wine in a box or wine in a gift basket (with our without other goodies) is always appreciated by the recipient.

Even though we save for retirement, I don't really have a plan for when it'll happen.  Part of me thinks I'd like to keep working in some capacity well beyond typical retirement age.  Many people I know who've done that seem physically and mentally healthier than others their age (my Mom is an example).  The ideal arrangement would be a part-time job doing something you enjoy -- not necessarily the type of work one does throughout a career.  Low stress, but still some income and feeling productive.  Of course, if I won the lottery and needed no income, then I'd volunteer wherever I wanted and forget the part-time job!

Love the pictures Ginger.

Tracy, I couldn't agree more on both retirement AND the big lotto win!

Doug, I think maybe part of the problem with the forum is the fact that you can't post from your phone.  My computer is on the second floor of our house, and when it's hot, I don't come up here much.  Actually, I really don't come up here a lot at any time so my posting is limited for that reason.  I tried to post again when you started this thread, but couldn't, and have been busy getting the garden in all week, so.........Next week I'll be in MI to visit my Mom and Sis, so I won't be able to post at all then either.

Finally have been able to turn the furnace off.  Had to have it on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to avoid freezing.  Really??  Tail end of May, first part of June??  Geeze!

@glenmar

Tail end of May, first part of June??  Geeze!

I know Glenda, last week in Arkansas it was in the 50's crazy. 

Well I will share with you guys now that I know everything is ok.  Ron and I knew Hot Shot was feeling a little off.  Thought it was the pup.  We found a knot on his leg Sunday and well you know we kinda got sick about it.  Ron took him to the vet, it appears it is an infection.  You may all remember he is my hurt feet dog he is constantly hurting his feet somehow.  Hard to believe since he is inside with Ron all day, lol.  Anyway  heavy duty anti biotics and he is already acting more like the Hot we all know and love.  Whew, for now.  

Sky picked up an ear infection somewhere.  Been treating it for a week now.  Irrigate the ears.  What a joy.  Fill the ear (two person job), pull the ear flap over quickly, rub,  watch the  ears flap, wipe the meds off my face.   Back to the vet Friday.  

He is in clicker training again.  Still wants to play every chance he gets.  I can put him at sit-stay, walk to the other side of the room, turn and call him.  He stays, then comes at a run through the crowd, unless another dog gets close.  Then, he wonders.  Heel is a real pain, as the room is not big  enough for all of us to walk.  But outside of the class, he walks with a loose leash really well, and will walk nicely without a leash.  Wife is actually driving him once in a while.  Told her several times that unless she steers the leash once in a while, , he just won't walk nicely for her.

Picked up about 50' of used wooden fence.  Made out of real wood and heavy.  That should take care of one side of the  run.  Now to get wify her own post hole digger.  She doesn't seem too impressed with mine.  She keeps saying we can just nail it to the trees on that side of the yard, but I have my doubts.  May just rent a power post hole digger. 11 holes through hard clay may be more than I care to dig.

Hot Shot looks like he is tolerating the pup.  Just a ball of fur.  Glad you found the problem.

 Jr is getting well socialized at the dog park.  Found some friends, some not so friendly.  None actually mean.  It is interesting watching the dogs interact off leash.  Jr was called an "instigator" which may be accurate.  He wants to play.  Several others must be middle kids, cause they try to moderate interactions.  The retrievers want to chase balls, Sky chases retrievers and has no interest in balls.

Ginger that looks like a puppy THRIVING!!  (ahh -- I LOVE being "Aunt Callie" LOL).  David and I got to be "Turtle 9`11" tonight.    

On our way home (it was a NASTY horrible stormy night in Central FL -- darned near hurricane force winds) after the storm calmed down, we were nearly home (and I swear my street is more "Wildlife CentraL" than any normal street 200 feet off a 6 lane commercial thoroughfare oughta be) -- and David pulls the PT over and says "There's a turtle in the road".  

David was gone a long time and he knocked wanting the back gate opened ... he couldn't see anything wrong but the turtle just wasn't moving at all.  

I got out  (me and the danged cane don't do really well in the dark -- the phrase "blind luck" sorta fits) -- and with my arrival Mr. Turtle decides it's time to walk (he's no 'kid' -- probably 8" across, 10" long? -- I'm betting he was 30 or more years older) -- except he's going to try to walk over MY foot and then he came up against the cane tip and  pulled all 4 in.  David got another piece our of the car (it was actually the foot pedal from my wheelchair??  Have Gimp Will Travel?? LOL)  and FINALLY Mr. Turtle decided  rather than going towards the houses, that yep, going back to the Lake was a far better idea (we were literally inches from the edge of one of Florida's zillion lakes).  (I've never herded a turtle before and I don't think either David nor I are preparing to give up our day jobs for turtle wrangling!)

He had been smack dab in the middle of the road and for all the world he looked like a rock or piece of debris that anyone would have just driven over.  It grieves me -- you see big mature turtles by the side of the road all the time where they've gotten hit by a car and no one took them to get help.  Just in the like 10 blocks long my street is it borders like various areas of 3 different lakes (yeah, really).  We've rescued baby tortoises, handicapped ones, and I even helped a snapping turtle once (and retained ALL of my fingers despite  that ones' best attempts.  

Charlie the spaniel had mega angst tonight because of the weather (thunder/lightning and torrential rain look way too much like the hurricaine/flood he'd been abandoned in  and I doubt he's ever going to *love* rain) -- but David's the patient one to make sure he gets out  and walked  (4 tries before he finally was at ease enough to create Lake Charlie in the front yard and set a world record for the longest a dog has ever stood on 3 legs to go (he can top what Muffin used to do and that is one huge bladder!)

David said when we rolled in our driveway "Ok -- I've had ENOUGH animal psychology for one night!!"

Minnesota Monsoon Season is up and running.  Picked up some big branches from the Locust trees this morning.  Lost power last night for about 2 seconds.  Enough to make the cable box reboot.  We are located on the edge of the prairie, so we can watch storms come in from a long way out.  One just rolled through, with waves of rain and more wind.  The drought is now over in S MN.  Rivers are coming up to normal levels.  My grass is growing and is super lush.  Mowed yesterday morning, and I may have to again tomorrow if we get some sun.   Uff da.

Had Sky at the dog park last night.  A different group of people and dogs.   Sky met a young Pit that really gave him what he wanted.  Rough tuff rolling and jumping and running that just kept going..  Little PB puppy was there interacting really well.  Three depressions in the dirt (dug up spots, refilled) has the pup really going.  He would run, jump down, climb out, and on to the next one.  Made several circuits of the holes.  I don't know what the pup thought he was doing, but he was having fun.

Went to have lunch at the Morgan Creek Winery.  They have added a nice menu and reset as a dining place.  Indoors and out.  We chose outside because it is just nice there.  Grey cat came for attention, then left..  And now it looks like the rain blew through.  The back of the front is approaching.

Ginger, I hope Hot Shot's foot is continuing to heal and that he's back to his good ol' normal self.  Garth will want his big brother at his best for playing and pestering!

Doug, I'm 100% sure that Ruby could give Sky everything he wanted in a rough-and-tumble playmate.  Sky sounds like the perfect mix of energy and confidence that she needs for a doggy friend!

Callie, I can just see you and David as the Turtle Wrangling Duo.  Sounds like a prospect for a new reality show!  Too bad you didn't have any video footage of that whole thing -- you could submit it for consideration to TLC or one of those cable networks!  I'm so glad you were able to herd him to safety -- and I'm extra glad he wasn't a snapping turtle, or worse -- a croc!

Just starting the process of moving my MIL into assisted living.  She is NOT happy about it, but DH keeps telling her that she needs to try to be positive about the change so she can make the transition as smooth as possible, because she's moving even if she goes kicking and screaming.  She is entirely dependent on him or other paid aides to bring her meals, give her meds, supervise bathing (which she usually refuses to do for WAY too many days).  Living in an independent retirement community doesn't mean lying in bed 24/7 with the curtains drawn, which is what she's been doing for the past 2-3 months.  Poor DH is about worn out from the stress, and now one of his sisters is adding some drama to the mix, so he's on his last nerve.  All should be better by early July, fingers crossed!

On our 4th day of very unusual heat for us -- reached 96 in town yesterday.  Just not my cup of tea!  I know, Callie -- I can't complain when you're in temps that high PLUS humidity!  

Tracy, I hope your MIL's transition goes well, it is so tough when the parents are needing help.  We all feel like we should do all we can but sometimes that can be detrimental to our own health.  Being a caregiver myself, you and your DH have gone above and beyond.  Those that I know that were in your position and did what you are doing not only got their quality of life back but their parent did as well and visits afterward were so much better for both.  ((Hugs)) to you both.

Whew, tough day at work...gotta get back to it.

Relearning time.  Looks straight forward.

Pics from the yard.

Our new pet-Vlad:

From our entry way:

The back yard is looking good:

And the wine box;

Got the back yard fenced for Sky.  Just the upper terraced area, off the back of the house.  My last fence ever.  The post hole digger is not computer controlled.  It has no on/off switch.  Now to train Sky to relieve himself in the farthest corner.  Because it is the farthest corner.  He went 12 hours without going outside.  Huge bladder.

VLAD you ole' bat  :)   Pics are great Doug.  My yard is sadly neglected this year.  Not quite all back on track yet.

Hello, all! Doug, I am putting in part 2 of the fence around the gardens. My new goal: 1 fence post a day if it's not too hot. So far, I have one done :-)

So, the big (75 lb.) news here is I adopted a third dog. Yup, I am officially nuts. Rock is his name, and Walker coon hound is the breed. The other big news--I will be retiring from my Undergraduate teaching on August 31, but I will still work with our graduate students.