Friday Five

1. Health Kick Update!

I've lost 11 pounds and I feel SO MUCH BETTER. My gut feels better, I don't feel uncomfortable. It is great. I'd like to lose 12 more and that will put me at my goal. My goal is 7 pounds heavier than the itty-bitty weight I'd managed to stay at all throughout my 20s without any effort. (Why, oh why, did I not realize I was smokin' hot?!?! So many days not in shorts, skirts, or a bikini and FOR WHAT? Anyway.)

I do not think Itty-Bitty Weight is going to be possible without tears.So, in my late 30s a 7 pound compromise it is.

Weight Watchers is pretty easy, for the most part. Although I am so very sad at how points-expensive alcohol is. DAMN IT THAT IS NOT FAIR. I am also so much more active and it just feels so good! I am still a total weakling and totally out of shape, but am slowing starting to get better.

Of course, last night I went out of control and ate 5 slices of this AMAZING thin crust, wood-fired pizza at a new restaurant in town. So. Yummy. Also had two dirty martinis that were so damn good they went down smooth. I haven't had a martini in about three years. They should have been more difficult to drink.

Yay for a good restaurant with a great bartender!

Shit.

2. It is a damn good thing A. and I are going to get fire wood over the weekend. If that doesn't earn me about a gazillion points I will be seriously distraught. It is so much work to get fire wood! Carrying trees! Huge trees! All fucking day!

3. The original plan was to spend all weekend getting firewood. However, A. received some bad news this morning.

A. grew up with three families, basically. His family spent holidays, went on vacations, went camping, etc. with two other families. Well, the mother in one of the families, B,  was diagnosed with cancer throughout her body a couple of months ago.

She is not doing well. Her pain cannot be managed and so they've called in Hospice. All of the kids are heading back to be with her again. (They've been there every few weeks since the diagnosis.) The saddest part is her daughter is eight months pregnant with her second child and cannot travel to see her. It is really difficult on the daughter.

So, A. is losing what is like another mother to him, too. I am so heartbroken for all of them. I've met B and visit her frequently. (They are in a town about 45 minutes from here.) She is a really wonderful person.

I've watched this before with my own mother. I would be surprised if she has another month.

So. Long, shitty story short, we will be spending one of our weekend days visiting B and the family.

4.  I am so worried about A. He hates his job SO MUCH, has been applying to other jobs and not getting anything, feels like a failure with FIVE FUCKING DEGREES, has an employee he supervises that his boss HATES, the stability of his job is actually totally up in the air, and now this. I just wish I could love and hug all of this away for him.

5. We have not adopted a new pup yet. We are going to talk about it more this weekend. I am calling a couple of nearby shelters to see if it is possible for Belle to come with and meet potential siblings.

I'd like to foster, though the (HORRIBLE) shelter in town does not have a fostering program. They try to deny they are a kill shelter, but they are. If they do not have enough room, then someone gets put down. I can't think about it because I literally start to spiral into a super freakout. Then I want to adopt all the babies.

I honestly do not know how I will walk out of there with one pup and know I am leaving the others behind. Oh, God.

Bonus: I've often thought I should try to start a no-kill shelter in town. I haven't the foggiest idea how to start. I suppose the Humane Society or ASPCA would have some info?

Happy Friday to you! Hug those close to your for me.

To Increase Our Family or Not?

I was fly fishing in some of the most beautiful country over the weekend. It was great; we camped in a really isolated spot on Saturday and just relaxed and enjoyed ourselves. Belle even had a great time!

Belle was a total trooper. She swap through the large stream without hesitation. While I was holding her on her leash, she kept circling me. First, shed run into a faster current and run up it, biting at the water. Then she'd hit the less fast but still deep water and run through that, sprinting for land. Then she'd haul ass around me and do it all over again. You'd never guess she's 12.

We are considering adopting another dog. I've found about 28,397 on Petfinder.com that I'd like to adopt. Both mine and A.'s main concern is whether the new pup will be someone Belle will take to. We don't want her last few years with us made miserable by a dog she can't stand.

When we puppysat Smuckers, we had him for over a week. Belle didn't pay him the slightest attention, but rather hid in her favorite spots most of the time.

Smuckers was rambunctious and kind of crazy and she just didn't want to put up with it. The last thing I want is for her to hide. I want her happy and playing and smiling, like she was this weekend.  So, we are hoping we can take her with us to meet any potential new babies and hope that she sends us a clear signal if she likes someone.

I hate for her to be without a companion all day, I hate that there are sweethearts needing to be adopted. But I don't want to disrupt Belle's life more than I have to.