Getting back to beautiful weather...

Monday was an awesome day. I got a nice long relaxing massage, got dressed and got up and the sun was already shining brightly. We had so many problems at puppy play date on Sunday so I decided to check out a couple of new dog parks. I started down Bay Street and pretty soon ran out of sidewalk and ended up in the bike lane. Then the sidewalk moved to the middle of the streets and it was black top, it went down by a river among some trees and it was very beautiful except the blacktop had cracks and big holes in it so I had to turn around and go back... that dog park was not going to work. I went down a couple of side streets open that I could find another way to get there but all I ran into was dead ends and steep hills. We cruised over to the boardwalk, down the Levy and to the world market and then back home through town. Robby decided to poop RIGHT in the middle of the sidewalk. Just as he finished a lady drove up on a bicycle and asked me if I needed help, I thanked her and she picked it up for me... she had the poop bags right in the basket of her bicycle, there are so many nice people around here. We cruised on a little further and I saw this big kid on a skateboard with a little pink backpack, I thought it was so cute that he was not afraid of what people thought seeing him carry it. He asked me if I had a square plastic thing and I knew he meant a credit card but there was no way I was going to give him my credit card. He needed it to opening a gate that led into an apartment complex, he said he left his key at home. I told him I didn’t carry anything with me so we decided to use the tag on Robby’s collar and it worked. He thanked me and we went on our way. It really was a great day.

Tuesday was the first Tuesday of the month so that means bath time for Robby. I got up and waited what seemed like forever on this beautiful day for them to call to let me know Robby was ready so I can go and pick him up and take him for a cruise. I got a letter from CCI that said they have not gotten a vet report on Robby since 2009, they ask that you give them one every year, so I asked them to fill out the paperwork so I can send it in. I ended up waiting most of the day for them to call and say Robby was ready to be picked up, they finally called me at 2 PM and asked me to be there at 2:30 PM so the doctor could talk to me, Robby saw a dermatologist and she prescribed either a shot every week or a spray for the dog’s mouth every morning. The doctor said we should hold off because right now, and for a while now, Robby does it have any problems with allergies or ear infections... knocking on wood. By the time the doctor came out it was already 3 PM, time for Robby to eat, so we took a cruise down to the boardwalk and came back and my mom fed Robby and I. I had a salad and while I was eating it Heather came over with some KILLER chili that she made the night before. She also made lamb sausage with cannelloni beans and some tilapia with lemon, capers and pepperchinis as well as a roasted portobello mushroom and spinach and mushrooms. I can’t wait to eat again. On Sunday Teresa made some greens with tons of garlic, lemon, chicken broth and boneless pork ribs in the crockpot... I love greens and they were awesome. Uncle Dick, aunt Kathy, Steve, Lee and Claudia came over to play cribbage and take all my money.

Wednesday was a really long morning and after the personal care I was exhausted so I just took a really long hot bath and went back to bed and watched a couple of scary movies and some TiVo. It was supposed to rain all day and I was really bummed that it didn’t since I had to stay in bed, it’s supposed to rain tomorrow but I hope it’s like it was today. By the time Karen left it was almost time for Cassy to get here so I didn’t get to take a nap so hopefully I will sleep really good tonight. Heather came by and took Robby for a walk and played with him for a little bit in the yard. I watched a movie called cold storage, very creepy movie. I also watched a movie called House of wax, I love scary movies. Just now I watched one called 127 hours, I’m not sure yet what I thought about that but I’m glad I finally saw it.

Thursday was a gorgeous day, it got up to 60°. Robby and I went for a really long cruise, the usual route. When we got back Teresa took us to Costco, I had $140 credit from them for being such a good customer all year... I LOVE Costco. We came back and Theresa put me to bed and my uncle, my aunt, Steve, my mom and I played cribbage and for the first time in my life I got double skunked. I want my money back after that but I still can’t believe it.

“The dogs in our lives, the dogs we come to love and who (we fervently believe) love us in return, offer more than fidelity, consolation, and companionship. They offer comedy, irony, wit, and a wealth of anecdotes, the "shaggy dog stories" and "stupid pet tricks" that are commonplace pleasures of life. They offer, if we are wise enough or simple enough to take it, a model for what it means to give your heart with little thought of return. Both powerfully imaginary and comfortingly real, dogs act as mirrors for our own beliefs about what would constitute a truly humane society. Perhaps it is not too late for them to teach us some new tricks.” -Marjorie Garber

Friday I didn’t make it over to the Santa Cruz skilled nursing facility again and Cassy preferred not to take Robby. I went to take Robby for a really long cruise and ran into my neighbor Andrew who works for the Parks and Recreation Department. The van that I’m going to be getting is going to be really big and my driveway is really narrow, it’s very long but narrow so I’m trying to find out how I can get a residential handicap parking place in front of my house and I knew Andrew would be able to tell me where I need to go. As it turns out right across the street there is a handicap parking place where the swimming pool used to be at the high school, they took out the swimming pool, and they’re going to get rid of the parking place and according to Andrew if they take one out they have to put one in the same area so that would be perfect. Robby and I took our regular cruise down to the wharf, through the boardwalk, along the Levy and over to Ross and back through town. One of these days I’m going to remember to use the odometer on my phone and see how many miles it is. I came back and Cassy put me to bed and Heather came over and made Porcini & Truffle Ravolis( well I bought those) with Spring garlic, Cipollini onions, Portabella mushroom, Arugula, Butter and Reggiano Parmesan Cheese, it was one of the best things I have ever had. What a great day, it was 65° outside.

Saturday was another beautiful day. I took a nice long hot bath, got dressed and got up in my chair. I took Robby on our normal cruise and again forgot to set the odometer to see how far it actually is to go to Ross and back, the long route. Usually when I get to Ross I laid back for about 15 minutes to do a weight shift, I have to do this 15 minutes for every hour, and I heard a voice saying “Tammie what are you doing here” it was my aunt. She was going to pet smart and then to Ross to do some shopping. I came back and decided to go back down to the wharf, when I went around the first time they were selling Girl Scout cookies and I didn’t get a chance to buy any when the girls came around here. I got a text from Cassy saying that she just got out of school and she was on her way so I just came home. Luckily the girls in the neighborhood had some extra Girl Scout cookies so I did end up getting some, I LOVE Girl Scout cookies but then who doesn’t? Cassy wasn’t feeling very good so we just put me to bed and she went home, I told her that on Sunday I was probably going to stay in bed because it was supposed to rain all day so not to come in on Sunday evening if she didn’t feel any better. I watched you again, very cute movie, and then my mom came down and we watched a couple of episodes of iron Chef. I have been sleeping pretty good the last couple of nights, it sure feels great. I’m not sure if it’s because we have company and I have to keep the volume down on the TV, or I feel like I have to, or if I’m just tired from not sleeping very much... anyway it feels great.

Sunday it rained all day long so I just stayed in bed and watched a bunch of movies, it felt good to just relax and have some time by myself. I did get to take a nice long hot bath.