Dog Training

This morning I dropped Mia off at Camp BowWow for her training session.  She always get super excited when I pull in at the Camp.  She sure loves it there.

After I dropped her off, I treated myself to some "retail therapy."  I always feel better when I'm shopping.  A few hours at Kohl's kind of makes the world go away.

I picked Mia up at 2:30 and, as usual, she was pooped.  That means she will sleep well tonight. Her training is coming along nicely.  But I don't think they'll ever be able to train her to keep from turning into the Tasmanian Devil whenever she so much as smells a rabbit, much less sees one.  I've been trying to find an escape-proof harness for her but so far without success.  I bet I've got about 20 of them now that just won't work for her.

I need to find a place where she can do some serious running.  Maybe an agility class.  I'll do some checking.

I've been hearing a song that I really liked and wanted to identify.  I hear it when I'm at Walmart playing on their speakers in their playlist.  Yesterday it was playing and I asked someone if they knew what it was and they told me it was called Ex's and Oh's by Elle King.  So then I wanted to get it loaded into my iTunes.  Now, I haven't added anything to my iTunes in several years, I've just been listening to the same 93 songs that I have on my iPod.

I thought this was going to be easy.  HA!  I played around with it yesterday for hours and went back to it today and I was getting so frustrated.  Finally I did what I should have done to begin with -- Googled it.  I'm sure I'm the only person in the world who lost track of the changes and advances in iTunes, but nowadays you don't purchase a song, you need to be an iTunes member ($9.99 a month) and you get unlimited access to songs.  Good grief.

So at least I got my song -- which I really like -- and it will only cost me $9.99 a month.  And -- oh yeah -- I learned something.  There's a lot to be said for that.

I also learned that there is something called Amazon Music so, before I figured out the iTunes thing, I downloaded the Amazon app and bought the song for $1.29.  That was cool, but I then couldn't get it into my iTunes Playlist.  So that's where Google came into play.  And that brought the cost for this one tune up to $11.28.  That reminded me of an old commercial:  "Ex's and Oh's -- $11.28; learning experience - Priceless!"

And here's another thing I learned yesterday: when I asked this person at Walmart if they happened to know the name of the song that was playing, she got her iPhone out, pressed a few buttons and almost instantly handed me her phone and on her screen there was all the information I could possibly want about Elle King and her song.  So I now have Shazam on my iPhone.

The Aging Process

Today started out with me making a very bad judgment call in a task for my boss which is something that never would have happened a few years ago.  It has thrown me for a loop.  So today I went through disbelief, denial, anger and then reluctant acceptance of the side effects of the aging process.  Not sure what to do going forward.  Something to really think about.

But the day got better.  My neighbor Janine invited me to be her guest at her church's annual High Tea.  It was absolutely delightful.  The church hall was transformed into a beautiful tea room, tables beautifully decorated and candle-lit.  And the male members of the church were dressed just short of black tie and they waited on all the women.  A lot of the women members of the church were wearing huge flowery hats.  The food was tea, scones, petit fours, cookies, finger sandwiches, biscuits, etc.  and there were handsome beautifully dressed men everywhere, glad to bring us whatever we wanted.  Janine and I had a wonderful time.  It sure ended the day better than it started.

Now I am home in my familiar townhouse watching mindless TV -- "mindless" being the key word.

Marshall's sister and I are starting to make the plans to scatter the rest of Marshall's ashes in West Virginia on his mom and dad's graves. We have tentatively set the date of July 22 (the 2-year anniversary of his death) to meet in Beckley, West Virginia, and go to the Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens.  I wonder how we will feel once that is done.  It will truly be the end of all activities relating to Marshall.  So sad.  I miss him now just as much as I missed him two years ago.

Massage

Today was my bimonthly massage.  Somehow I can't seem to get into a groove with this guy.  Every time I go, I tell him I don't want one of those deep massages, I want a light one.  And he always says he understands what I mean.  And then he tries to break up every knot he can find and it hurts.  Then I get home and I feel like I've been in a car accident.  So when I made my appointment for the next one, I asked for a different therapist.  I hope I can get a massage that just makes me want to take a nap!

The weather was great today.  Maybe spring is almost here.

Mia was doing really well in the potty training department but since I got back from Durango she has reverted a bit.  GRRRRR.  And the rabbits are out again so controlling Mia when we're outside is a challenge.  A few weeks ago she managed to back out of her harness and she ran right out into traffic.  I got pretty worked up trying to catch her.  Thank goodness the traffic all stopped (it is a very busy street) and a few people even got out and tried to help me get her but that just scared her.  But she eventually came back to me. I sure wish I had a yard.

Catching Up

Just a quick catch-up.

Things are still going along nicely.  My dental stuff is all done and I have a very pretty smile....

I still have not had an episode of atrial fibrillation for a very long time.  And that is great.  The pacemaker is doing nicely but I think it may need tweaking -- it seems to kind of over-work whenever I do anything that requires exertion.  We'll see.  I still have tremors but I believe they are related to coffee consumption.  I try to give it up but I am truly addicted.

I had the plantation shutters installed and they look awesome.  They cost a fortune but well worth it.  I feel like I'm in a whole new house. (I threw in a picture of my three babies being exceptionally well behaved.)

In April I met up with an old high school classmate in Durango for the Durango Meltdown Bluegrass Festival.  Spent about five days there and we had so much fun.  I'm still not very good at selfies but I'm practicing.  (I finally quit dying my hair and realize that I can live with my natural look...)

I think my sister is having a heck of a time with the unending rain they've been having in southern Missouri.  I'm planning to go visit her towards the end of May.  I hope it's dried up by then.

I have had an interesting last few weeks.  One of the girls at the grief group told me about a neighbor of hers who lost his wife and was looking for someone to talk to.  She asked if I would be willing to talk to him, so I said yes.  I didn't want to give out my actual name or address or phone number (just being careful) so we started emailing (I have a special email for things like this).  He's 80 years old and I'll call him Roy.

After a week of emailing he started asking if we could meet and have lunch or dinner and I felt like it might be getting to be more than I planned on, but I thought it couldn't hurt.  However, before doing that I decided that we should discuss -- by email -- the three big things that can break up a friendship: politics, religion and race issues.  So I sent him an email telling him how I felt about those three things and I guess my political views were more than he could handle.  He replied saying, "Well, you are right, political views can end a friendship, so let's end this one."  LOL!!  I think I dodged a bullet.

Mia has been going to training twice a week at Camp BowWow and they have done wonders with her.  We still have a way to go but she is certainly progressing.

I'm waiting for the weather to get nice so I can try taking the motorcycle out.

That's all I can think of.  More later.

A penny

Remember when I said any time I found a penny it meant Marshall was here?

Today I was going through more things -- every time I think I'm finished, I find another few items.  There was a stack of his keys in the dresser so I was trying to see if I knew what any of them were for.  I wasn't able to figure out any of them, but I don't dare throw them away, so I will just keep them in a box in a drawer.  However, laying with the keys was a penny with a heart cut out of the middle.  That was a nice surprise!

Catching up

Haven't made it to Tai Chi yet -- too many other things have interjected.  Maybe next week.

Yesterday was my quarterly visit to the cardiologist.  Everything is humming along nicely and the Pacemaker is functioning perfectly.  The remaining battery life is about six years.

Today was my last "fitting" at the dentist.  In early April I should be smiling with a lot of teeth again -- LOL!

My hot stone massage was wonderful.  I have another one scheduled for next week.

I've lived in this townhouse for a little bit over a year now and haven't gotten window coverings yet.  I've been using cheap Walmart curtains on tension rods.  They served the purpose but they aren't very pretty.  But it was a dilemma because no matter what I put in this house, the cats feel like it is their job to search and destroy.

But several weeks ago I had a company come in and measure for plantation shutters.  They should be ready to be installed in another week or so and I am excited.  I think they are so cool.  And I think maybe the cats will not be able to figure out how to do damage.  At least I hope not -- these things are EXPENSIVE!  Once these are installed, this place should be pretty much finished except for a few small things.  I'll attach pictures whenever they are installed.

Yesterday I took Mia to Camp BowWow and signed her up for twice weekly training sessions.  Every Tuesday and Thursday I'll drop her off for the day and they will give her some play time as usual but then the trainer will work with her on certain issues.  Yesterday she worked on leash training and also how to keep Mia from jumping up on me or other people.   The trainer's name is Cheyanne.

I just can't say enough good things about Camp BowWow.  Cheyanne filmed part of the training session and gave me the video so I would know how to keep up the training at home.  And Mia really paid attention and behaved a little better at home than she had before.  Also, as usual, when I pick her up and bring her home she is mentally and physically exhausted and she sleeps/naps for two days.

Camp BowWow has seven play areas for the animals.  Three are outdoors, three are indoor areas and then there is one small area for the tiny breed dogs.  They spread the animals out according to size and temperament.  So when I check the WebCam I am never sure where Mia will be.  Usually she is in Indoor No. 3 with what they call the "small big dogs."  But sometimes they will pair up two dogs that seem to get along well.

Yesterday a woman had brought in her Chihuahua for the day and the Chihuahua was scared and nervous but seemed to gravitate to Mia.  So they put Mia and the Chihuahua in the toy area and they played together.  When I read the reviews for Camp BowWow some people complain when their dog is not in the playroom they expect but I kind of like the way they try to do what seems right for the pet at the time.  And every now and then -- especially sometimes on a weekend -- they are short staffed and they will alternate putting some dogs in their "cabins" for a while and then switch them out. That isn't the ideal situation, but I think it is what it is and sometimes that's the way it goes.  But all in all, this is a wonderful place with caring people.

Nothing happening...

Things are going along nicely.  I feel great and hardly ever cry any more.

Last night was March's grief support group meeting and we have a really good group.  Next Saturday a bunch of us are meeting for lunch in Louisville, Colorado (wherever that is).

Pikes Peak Harley returned Marshall's motorcycle and even though they raised the pipes, the pipes still rub the concrete just a tiny bit coming into the garage.  Frustrating.

Today was yet another dental visit.  I think I only have three visits left and then I should have all my upper and lower partials to fill all the empty spots.  Should have a better smile and hopefully I can get used to them without stuttering.  I will be so glad to have this little chapter over with.  And I am also so glad that I didn't need to get all my teeth pulled, just 6 of them.  LOL.

Next week is my quarterly visit with the cardiologist to check out the pacemaker.

For the past several months I've been casually looking at houses -- ranch style with no stairs!

The real estate agent I used when I bought my townhouse has me on his list and he sends me a listing whenever he thinks I might be interested, which is maybe one every two to three weeks.  Ranch style houses are not a big deal in Denver so not too many come up for sale.  I'm really not considering moving (way too much work), but if something really good should show up, you never know.

Yesterday he sent me a new listing and it turned out to be the house that Marshall and I had built in 2000 when we moved here.  How crazy is that?  And the owner is asking about $100,000 more than we got when we sold it.  It went on the market yesterday and I think it is under contract already.  Unbelievable.  It was fun looking at the pictures to see what changes were done.  It's still a really good-looking house.

I think I'm going to go to the recreation center tomorrow and take a Tai Chi class.  Not sure yet.  And Thursday I'm getting one of those hot stone massages.  I've been wanting to try that.