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.

Friday Five

1. I went to a driving range last night and tried to swing a golf club for the first time in my life. A. is a pretty good golfer and was quite patient trying to teach me the basics.

He laughed a lot.

I looked like an rusty robot trying to swing a club while having computer glitches. It was pretty awesome.

The weather was perfect, the grass was green, the company fantastic. It was a great night.

2. Boy, I miss the hell out of Buster. But I am spoiling the shit out of Belle, and boy, that is fun as all get-out.

3. I am trying to wrangle all my electronic clutter. (HOLY FUCK, THIS IS A BIG, ANNOYING PROJECT. Any tips?)

I'd like to consolidate my online photos. Which site do you prefer: Picassa, Flickr, or Photobucket? I kind of hate the Picassa desktop application and prefer GIMP for photo editing. Is it worth it to buy a Pro account at Flickr?

4. I am applying for two jobs. I loooove the first position, but might not be very good at it. The other I would totally kick ass but love it less.

5. A. and I will be attending our first Rockies game of the season tomorrow. I cannot believe how bad the team is this year. They make their past few seasons look stellar in comparison. The past few seasons have not been stellar.

I am looking forward to a stadium beer and hot dog, the sound of the crowd, the crack of the bat, the breeze in the air. Oh, I can't wait.

What are your weekend plans?

Happy Friday to you!

Thank You, But I Would Really Rather Sleep In

The past weekend was filled with family. A.'s mom retired so we all put together a small, sweet, SURPRISE retirement party for her. We totally got her; she had NO IDEA. So fun! She even asked A. and I to come up for the weekend a few days earlier and was totally perturbed when we told her we had plans. She was so happy to see us. So. Fun.

The four nieces and nephews on that side of our family where there, too. They have almost grown out of the stage where at least one is crying at nearly all times, and boy, it makes a huge difference in my ability to enjoy having all the little monkeys around.

I am quite thankful, however, that I do see these little people so frequently. We all just fall into step and march along, quite comfortable with each other. I am delighted to help them out with projects and am also not the least bit hesitant to remind them to tell someone "thank you." It is a nice, warm, encounter with these guys. I like it.

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Regardless of my ability to insist on manners from small people, it seems I am still incapable of becoming an actual adult. And it is starting to make me feel like shit.

I simply cannot get to work on time. I am always 15 to 20 minutes late. (Part of this is I am burnt out, but 99% of it is something else all together.)

It's almost as though I cannot, for the life of me, imagine what a relaxing, early morning looks like. And therefore, I have no ability to get up and create that morning, because I just don't even know what it looks like.

I have never been a morning person, even as a child. And it is especially horrible in the winter. I have distinct memories of feeling positively miserable in the morning and eating breakfast before elementary school, all the while it was still dark outside and gloomy inside. That has never left me. I hate winter mornings so very much.

I am so embarrassed by this, but maybe if I admit out the the Internet Universe I will finally find a way to deal with it.

It makes me feel so stupid.

Anyway.

What do you like to do with your time in the mornings? Watch the news or read the paper? Catch up on housework so your evenings are free? Talk on the phone with family? I need to come up with a small, easy activity that will motivate me to change. I just can't take it anymore.

Friday Five

1. My day started with A. delivering the news that the little Mountain Bluebird pair that had taken up residence in one of our birdhouses has been run off by the goddamn sparrows again. A tiny egg was on the lawn, smashed up, and the bird box was empty.

2. Does anyone know if it is possible to discourage sparrows from nesting/hanging out but still encourage other birds? Fucking sparrows.

3. I am pretty crabby today.

4. I am experiencing steady success with Weight Watchers. And yet, last night, I went off the rails. I just HAD to have a giant piece of cake, a beer, and of course, CHEESE. Now I have to be really good for five more days. Sometimes I am stupid.

5. I've been fly-fishing quite a bit already this season. We had virtually no snow in the area, so the rivers are not very high or fast. It is too bad, but it has extended the season!

My first catch of the season was a 16-inch cutthroat. Not bad!

Happy Friday to you!

My Heart's Chambers are Filled with Friends

Last week I was in Washington, DC* and New York City visiting and celebrating with friends. It was one of the best trips I've ever taken. I am still bouncing around, happy from it all.


Highlights::

• Staying at my friend, Doe's, house. This place will always, always, feel like home. I love it there (and Doe) so very much.
• All the green things and flowers that grow in the area this time of year. It is so diverse and rich and wonderful. 
• Hanging with JV and little V, who is almost one! 
• Brunch with JB and Bibliodiva. Funny story: JB used to annoy the HELL out of me. And now he is someone I love. Quite fiercely, in fact. And Bibliodiva is such a good friend. I mean that in all its possible depth. We've stayed in touch over the years and have grown closer. I do treasure her so. I think of her often in my day, but most especially when I wear a slip, knit, proofread, and shine my shoes.
• The National Gallery East Wing. I love visiting Rothko. 
• Who am I kidding? I love the West Wing as well.
• Traveling with V. There is nothing like a train ride with a sick one-year-old! (I thought she did very well, but her mama was pretty stressed.)
• Lunch at Union Station with the woman who has had the most profound impact on my professional self, as well as personal. She knows exactly when and how to call bullshit to facilitate the most growth. Love you, L!
• Meeting Alice.
• Dinner at a fantastic Lebanese restaurant in one of my favorite neighborhoods, Old Town, VA with my most favorite Republicans. They also happen to be my favorite everything. 
• Meeting my sister-in-law and her honey in Hell's Kitchen. I think I had the best burger I've ever had. It was so fun to see them on their own turf.
• Walking around NYC and not getting lost! Go, me!
• DPR getting hooded with his PhD from Columbia. I might have cried a bit. Frequently. We have known each other since our first semester of freshman year. For nearly eight years we were inseparable, and then I made a questionable decision and moved away. (Grad school.) I am insanely proud of him. 
• Partying with old and new friends alike!

I miss all of these people so much. I am so fortunate to call all these fine folks my friends, but I still reserve the right to complain that we are nearly 2,000 miles apart. Regardless of who moved first.


I even met a bloggy friend, Alice!!!!! I even got to hear this story - IN PERSON! I didn't experience any awkwardness, especially as she is the very same person in real life as she is online. She is genuine, and I just adore her. Thanks for meeting me in a sketchy Rosslyn bar, Alice!


Stupidly, I did not take any pictures with Alice. I took very few pictures the entire week. This did not surprise A. one bit. As he said, "You get distracted, you know, because you experience the moment, rather than photograph it."  Or, I am a simpleton who cannot remember to get my camera out of my purse.


It was truly a fantastic week. I saw so many people dear to me. I missed a few, too. (RB!!)


Friends are good. They are powerful, indeed.


The title of this post may seem a bit much, but I stand by that statement all the way.


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*I feel like a goober spelling out "Washington, DC" instead of just stating, "DC." A. says it is a stuck up Washington-insider type of thing. I don't think so. Do you think of "Washington, DC" or "DC" when you think of that bastion of corruption and super inflated egos?

Friday Five

1.
I am trying to remind myself that all people deserve respect in that they, too, are human beings with their own dreams, disasters, loves, and losses.

But it is so hard in the face of so much stupidity, selfishness, and just plain meanness.

I have a long way to go.

2.
Suddenly, I have become and "involved" sort of person. I am serving on a community committee to form and improvement district through the county and serve on a committee of our local Main Street Program.

Much to my surprise, I am loving it.

3.
My Thesis Advisor is also on this committee. I decided "fuck it," I am doing what I want and giving this man not one more ounce of control over my life, ever again.

4. A. and I watched We Bought a Zoo last night. A few things:

• I cried my eyes out. So many, many things in this movie resonated with me, quite deeply.
• I HHHHHAAAATTTEEEE crying at movies, books, etc. I try to avoid such experiences whenever possible.
• If I were guaranteed to have my child be that little girl, Rosie, I would get knocked up RIGHT NOW. She would be fun to raise. Oh, my lord, did I ever adore her. 
• I want to buy a zoo. 

5.

I leave tomorrow for DC, then I am taking a train to NYC for my best friend's graduation. Mr. Smartypants is getting his PhD. I am so stinking proud of him.  Holy cow, you guys.

I cannot wait! Friends! City noises and commotion! Food!

I am soooo looking forward to the food! I miss good restaurants. Which is a bit of a problem, what with all this Weight Watchers nonsense. I finally, actually, stuck to it for a week and lost 3 pounds! Now I shall gain that all back and more, I am sure! And I will be disheartened.

I'll do the "don't eat bread at dinner," " choose one: a drink or dessert?" kind of stuff, but it shall be no match for the yumminess I have in store. Besides, I am so far removed from such possibilities in my everyday life I am not really creating behaivors I could possibley carry out here.

In other words, this next week is a Special Occasion. And I shall take full advantage of it.

Yay to fabulous restaurants!  DCers - what are some of your favorite places? Also, want to try to meet up somehow?

Happy Friday to you!