Next month is beginning to look like it will be rather busy with non work things. We are having a "coffee" for Brad Roach, candidate for Pima County District Attorney on the 8th, our family is going to be here on the weekend of the 4th and the 20th we are hosting 6 international visitors for dinner. Sounds like a blast to me. That along with work and Rotary should pretty much keep us busy.
We have been working with our attorney's to get some issues with the site cleaned up. Former salespeople can be a problem but at this point in time should it persist there could easily be criminal charges brought, that is if there are any ads or funds taken in our name. No authrority to do so and no way to get them up and on the site so probably not a smart thing to keep pushing the issue. That's what attorney's are for, they know the law and how it applies so we aren't wasting our time with it any longer.
The birds have gone crazy for the feeders. It's really fun to watch them. The hummingbird feeder has also become a popular spot so we not only have songbirds but hummingbirds now too. Since we've not been here during the winter it will be interesting to see if the same birds stay or if there are different ones later in the season.
Driving through Fairfield, Iowa on the 5th of July, 2008, we were suprised to see a huge sign in the yard of a house on the main street of the town telling everyone not to hire a certain construction company. It was such a strange sight that we turned around and took some pictures to share. Now this is someone that is totally furious with a hired company and letting everyone know about it. 
Then we took a look at the house, seems like they have a right to be upset!
As we were driving toward the square we saw the sign of the company on the store front that houses the Elks Club.
It would probably be worth the companies time and effort to go finish the job to get the owners to remove the sign, can't be good for business!
Whew, the sale is over, the stuff is gone and we had a delightful dinner with friends after the sale. It's probably the last time we will ever go to "the Little Pink House" for dinner, but it was a delightful way to end a long and stressful day. Janet and Ernest are so fun to be with, she is, without a doubt, the most pleasant person I have ever met. She always make me chuckle, even when it doesn't seem possible and Ernest, with his white beard and shorts and suspenders just cracks me up! Janet kindly informed Martha that she has known me longer than anyone else in MP, which is true. I met her when I first went down to look for housing and stopped at the bank to ask if they knew of anyplace. She made me smile then and has never quit.
It was also nice to have her give me a hug and tell me that she will miss me. I'll miss her too. Strange that she would be the one that broke the control and reserve I had built up, but I didn't cry, just smiled and enjoyed the moment.
Russ, from the bank, came over on Friday while I was in the laundry room vacuuming. I didn't hear him knock (obviously since I was in the laundry room with the vacuum going) so he came in and knocked on the laundry room door, didn't really even scare me, after all, I was in our house and that house has always been a safe haven for us. Nothing can get us there, right Cyn? We had a good visit, it was nice to see him, it had been awhile.
I did get to see some people, at the sale, that I really enjoy. Janet Jennings was there and we visited for quite awhile, then there was Dave Cordes, he really is a sweet man. Both Greg and I enjoy him. Ingrid and Randy came, separately since Randy was just getting in off the road and Ingrid came after work. Martha was there, of course.
There were a number of people there from the auction days but to be honest, I wasn't in the frame of mind to visit with them, so I didn't. I wasn't trying to be nasty, just felt that I needed to stay on the porch or in the house most of the time, I didn't want to cause myself any more stress than I was already in and knowing that I wouldn't see them again would have done that I think. Some of them (like Allen and Michelle) have come to mean a great deal to me. Greg visited with Michelle for awhile. I just didn't choose to.
The sale went well, almost everything that we wanted gone is gone. There were a few things that got left that went into the dumpster on Friday but in reality, not much. Amazing how some of the stuff that we truly thought of as junk got snapped up.
Now, it's not inexpensive to have a sale, there are the costs for advertising, moving the stuff to the trailers and setting out the furniture and all that and then there is a 20% fee, but when I saw all the work involved I guess I wouldn't do it for less if I were the auctioneers. Menke-Hoyer did a good job, were pleasant to work with and had the accounting done immediately after the sale so we got the payment within 40 minutes (or less) of the end of the sale. The beauty of computerized auctions.
Sue Gray, the realtor, told me that she has a guy that desperately wants the house. He has a ranch in CO that is on the market and he wants to sell that and come here and buy our house and make it into a B&B. She said he just loved the house. That's what I hope
My brother called to see how it was going and if I was ok. Such a great guy. I adore him (as if I haven't said that a million times to my kids and husband!) They are in
We went to the Famer's Market on Court this morning. It is so much fun to go to, there are musicians playing, food vendors (although we ate outside at Spaghetti Works), HUGE tomatoes and peppers (of which I bought enough to feed the whole family so we will be eating healthy things for the next couple of days) and all sorts of other stuff. I sure hope there is a similar one where we are going, love them!
The Prof may be headed for
Mercy was a hoot when I got home last night (I came before Greg since I had meat for Terry and Susan and they were going to come and get it before Greg got home.) She wanted to act mad at me but was so glad to see me that she had to get petted first, then brushed before she bit me LOL. Of course, she then got smacked on the nose with the brush (no, not hard but darn her anyway..she bit me twice!) But then she had to jump up and get some lovin' and then we played with her pink mouse on a rope (she loves that stupid $3 thing!). When the Prof got home she acknowledged him but wouldn't snuggle. She always get angry with him when he leaves her, he isn't supposed to I guess but she really doesn't seem to care if I leave (as long as I come back).
Tonight we are going to the races. We won't get to see many more so may as well go and enjoy them.
Two of the girls and their kids and other friends are in
Now, because I can, I think I'll go take a nap. Sounds wonderful to me (as the Prof has already laid down on the sofa)
I went home for lunch because GW is working on school stuff. I went to see how Mercy was doing (hiding under the bedspread in the bedroom) and she got just a little miffed that I would expect her to come out. She was snug and sleeping and I had the audacity to bother her. She walks around the apartment just fine, doesn't seem to be upset at all by that so guess she'll be fine.
First thing Terry told me this morning is that it is supposed to snow today, the big flakes. GIVE ME A BREAK! It hasn't started yet but the day isn't over. It's cold and raining so sure is a possibility.
The guy is supposed to come and get the car this afternoon. That will make it so that we are down to just two for two people, that makes sense to me, three, well, that didn't!
The trip to DM wasn't nearly as noisy as we thought it would be, Mercy actually settled down on "her dads" lap after about 20 miles and then only let out a yelp once in a great while. She is now (and has been for quite some time) under GW's desk, under a blanket with just her nose sticking out. She doesn't want to come out. I picked her up a little while ago and showed her where her food and litter box are here and although, when I put her down she smelled them, she went right back to the blanket and has stayed there since. GW picked her up and carried her around for a little bit, put her on his lap and she jumped down, walked under his desk and went right to the blanket. It may take a couple of days. Not only does she have to get used to here but later we are taking her to the apartment which will cause her even more stress, poor baby.
I went over, put the dishes away and set the groceries on the counter (after picking them up when the bag ripped - - three times!! (different bags!) The guys at the hotel helped me pick them up and then Lee, one of the maintence men, helped me get that load to the apartment where one of the bags tipped off the cart for him too…what a drama! Anyway, they are on the counter now, dishes are put away, boxes are stacked on the table to be taken apart and kept for later, either eBay or packing and Mercy's litter box and food are set up in the apartment.
Mike, the manager, told me he doesn't care if we bring in our own furniture. We'll give that some thought. We will be bringing our chairs for both us and Mercy. We'll see what else we put in.
Going to keep searching for postings for GW, when I have time, and see what we come up with for the fall semester, hopefully something will open up in AZ. We'll see.
The guy that is going to buy the car is supposed to be here in about an hour and a half. Sure hope that he comes, that would be awesome.
Now, back to work!
"Get those darn kids away from me!" That's what Mercy, our 12 year old cat, has been thinking since our family arrived. Now, it's not that Mercy is a nasty cat, it's just that she is used to being with the two of us and having a rather peaceful, quiet life.
Enter the kids and their friends and her life becomes turned upside down. She can't get to her "dad" without going through, around or past someone who she thinks shouldn't be here (we totally disagree of course, but that's people thoughts, not cat thoughts.)
Last night she actually got to get up on her "dads" lap, in the blue chair, and get some one on one attention. She was blissfully happy. Such a riot, she's so spoiled that she actually gloated about getting there! When our grandson was going to go through the living room, he started in, backed up and came back into the family room to go a different direction because "Mercy hissed at me." Nothing like a 12 lb. cat intimidating a 7 year old boy!
This isn't new, she's been doing this since she was 2. When a friend of our daughters moved in with us we moved the girls upstairs into their own apartment. We used to have our bedroom up there so when the friend would go up to her room (which used to be our bedroom) Mercy would hiss at her, slap at her ankle with de-clawed paws and make a statement! So, some things never change!
Bless Mercy, she's a great friend, super "watch cat" and possessive spoiled cat, we love her!
I have had Angel fish, parrot fish, guppies and some other strange mixture of whatever caught my eye at the moment. What I finally decided is that the chchlids are the most fun for me. There are hundreds (well, a lot anyway) of different types of cichlids, African, South American and probably some others. What you learn in a hurry is not to mix the regions of fish; they will kill each other off before you realize they are even fighting!
You can spend hours futzing with your tanks, carefully change the water, make sure you follow all the recommended procedures for the care of your fish, OR you can do it like I do. I change the water regularly but instead of having the water sit our for a day to equalize the temperature and whatever else they recommend, I take out 1/3 of the old water and pour in 1/3 fresh from the tap water (from a bucket no less) and get along just fine. Some of my fish are 4 years old and doing well. I figure that in Africa their ancestors had to endure long dry seasons followed by torrential rains so these fish can acclimate to the type of water changes I do without a huge problem. It seems to work for me.
I feed flake food and occasionally throw in some frozen shrimp mixture that they like, but that’s expensive and I’m not willing to do that often. They love cucumber slices, I throw one of those in every now and then and watch them and the sucker fish go after it.
How sad it is when you have to have a pet put down because they are so sick! It has happened to me and it has happened to my kids and friends. Nothing prepares you for the saddness that overwhelms you when you first realize that the vet can't make the illness go away.
You take the pet to the vet, knowing that it probably will be the last trip they make. You cry, you feel empty and you wish there were more you could do, but there just isn't.
Telling the vet that it's ok, that they should put the pet out of it's misery is one of the hardest things that anyone ever has do do, at least anyone that loves their pet the way our family loves ours.
It seems that cats have a huge problem with their kidney's shutting down when they get older and the misery they suffer is just awful. It's not something that can be fixed, it's just part of the cycle of life for a cat. How sad to watch them suffer, how hard to say goodbye.
Just wanted to share this so that others that have gone through the same thing can remember the pet they loved, even if it's just with a little smile and a happy memory of when they were healthier!
