Happy Thanksgiving

Today I am thankful for so many things.

For my entire, extended, far-flung family.  Even though I don't get to see them nearly as much as I'd like, I'm blessed to have them in my life and very lucky to count among them some of my best friends.

For each of the five dogs currently living in my house.  Petey and Kara, the permanent residents, who keep me on my toes and tolerate (Petey) and enjoy (Kara) the stream of visitors we've had over the last year.  Momma Dog, (aka Pearl) the funny, feisty little dog who has been with Pup Squad for over a year and is still looking for her forever home.  Abbey, who has to be the best dog ever.  Sweet, gentle and desperate to please, surely her family is almost here.  And, Tessie, the newest addition to our little menagerie and Kara's BFF. (Two peas in a pod, those two.)  You definitely keep me on my toes, but I'm never bored and no matter how crazy things get, your affection, your silliness and your genuine joy lift me up.

For losing my job in 2008.  While that was a traumatic start to a winding and not always easy journey, it was worth every step.  The life I've remade myself with help from some pretty amazing people is better than anything I could have imagined for myself. I love every crazy minute of it.  And for all those people, who played a role in that transformation, large and small, I am so incredibly grateful to you.

For my job, which I LOVE.  It was worth the wait and the detours.

For my health.  While my body occasionally reminds me that I'm not 25 anymore (yes, that's me collapsed in a heap at BarreFit on Monday nights), I am so blessed to not have any serious medical issues and I know it.

For my friends who each brings something unique and marvelous to my life.  I learn so much for each of you and count myself truly blessed to have you in my life.

For the staff at 24 Hour Fitness who came to work on Thanksgiving morning, so I could feel a little less guilty about today's food fest and ultimately inspired this post.

And last, but definitely not least, for the privilege of living in this fantastic, screwed up, messy country where  we all have the freedom to express ourselves and fight for what we each believe is right.   I'm forever grateful for all of those, past, present and future in our military and all of their sacrifices, big and small, that make it possible for the rest of us to live free and secure.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Where's Ashton?

It's a key in lock, big deal, right?

Not exactly. It's a key STUCK in a lock.

Let's back to the (sort of) beginning.

I locked myself out of the house at 5:30 a.m. Friday morning. (Big THANK YOU to Trix for bringing my spare key over). So, Sunday I set out to Home Depot to buy an idiot-proof door knob. Sadly, they do not carry idiot-proof door knobs at Home Depot. But, I decided to get a few more extra keys...one for the gym bag, one for a neighbor, etc, while I did a wider search for an idiot-proof door knob. Easy-breezy, right? (ha!) Not so fast; when I tested the key, it got stuck in the lock. STUCK.

So, after work today I took the key, in the door knob, back to Home Depot where the very nice man gave me a new door knob keyed to my existing house key and three new keys. So, I go home to install the new door knob. One (minor) problem. I couldn't open the door without the old door knob, which the nice man kept to return in the place of the new door knob they gave me. So, I had to go back to Home Depot to get my old door knob.

The nice man wasn't so nice at this point. First he looked at me like I was an idiot when I told him I couldn't get the door open without the old door knob and said "you have to change the switch plate." Um, dude, I can't change the switch plate if I CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR." (Side note, I managed to not loose my cool at all, even offered to bring the old door knob back this weekend.) He was very concerned that he wouldn't have anything to return to his vendor in place of the door knob he gave me. After I offered to bring it back, he just threw up his hands and walked away telling me to keep it. I'm impressed with myself for not loosing my cool since I think he may have forgotten that Home Depot CAUSED my problem.

Then when I get home to try to install the door knob, I discover that my foster, Buffy, has decided to redecorate the spare room with what was my Gone With The Wind Poster, glass and all. So, rearrange dogs, clean up glass, install new door knob...the fun never ends.

So, I ask again, WHERE IS ASHTON (Kutcher)? Surely, I'm being punk'd.

Four Legged Alarm Clocks

Unfortunately, I have yet to teach the dogs the difference between Sunday and say, Tuesday. So, sometime between 5:00 - 5:30 a.m., they're ready to get up. Despite all my efforts, bribes and various configurations, Kara and Buffy (current foster) outside, Petey inside, Petey outside, Kara and Buffy in the bedroom, everybody back in their respective beds, etc., the best I get is some fitful dozing, until I give up and just get up. Which means, I'm usually up and around no later than 6:30 a.m. (regardless of what time I go to bed.) It's rather aggravating and don't think I haven't thought about a Benadryl cocktail for the household, (thought about it...haven't done it.) but short of some Bose headphones, I'm out of luck....and sleepy.

On the upside, this beautiful Sunday morning, by 9:30 a.m. I had hit the car wash, gone to Home Depot, gassed up the car, gone to the gym and run into Whole Foods for a few things. Woo hoo! Now, if I just had time to take a nap.

Found Time

Yesterday I found some time. (Does it get anything better than that?) An evening meeting was cancelled leaving me with approximately an hour and a half of time I didn't have to spend in a meeting. Subtract the twenty or so minutes I spent emailing the information I planned to distribute at the meeting and I still had over an hour "free".

So, what did I do? Take a bubble bath, read a magazine, watch TV, mindlessly surf the web? Nope. I made coleslaw. Why? I didn't plan to use my magic free time to make coleslaw, but I had the stuff and I wanted some coleslaw for dinner tonight (Buffalo Chicken Sliders...yum!) So, I made coleslaw.

The real question is, if I had known that was the only extra time I would have, would I have still made coleslaw?

Yeah, probably not.

Bye Bye, Little Blue Car

It's the end of an era....

I got my second Integra in October of 1999 and that little blue car and I have been through a lot together. Y2K, 9/11, the move to Houston, the 22 hour drive to flee Rita, the townhouse, the lay-off, the "unplanned sabbatical", the list goes on. It also hauled more dogs and puppies around in the last couple of years, than I can count. I'm really going to miss it.

Leaving it for the last time this weekend was a little weird, but I know someone else is going to have a lot of fun with that little car. And I LOVE my new car. I have a 2008 Rav4. VERY Pup Squad friendly, not to mention, while I miss the pick up and handling of my little sports (okay, sporty) car, I'm don't miss that stick shift when there's an accident on I-45!

Serendipity

"the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for" (Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary)

I benefited from serendipity in a big way recently. It all started with an email about free puppy food that needed to be picked up. Fast forward to the warehouse parking lot, where I was standing at the back of my car discussing various puppy issues with another volunteer when I noticed a HUGE hole in the tread on my tire.















SCARY! I don't understand how I hadn't already had a blow out especially considering the way I drive .

Obviously, I have to get that tire replaced before I go home. But, I'm 23 freeway miles from my neighborhood in an area of town I know NOTHING about. Hmmm, well, I guess I'll head to the car dealership on the access road and ask them where the nearest tire place is. If it's too far maybe they will put my spare on for me. However, as I slowly turn on the access road what do I see?















And, yes, I did hear Handel's Hallelujah chorus in my head at that moment. I have NEVER been so happy to see NTB. Not only had I found a tire place, but I found my favorite tire place.

So, to recap, not only am I in a situation where I actually notice a hole in right rear tire BEFORE the tire goes out, but it happens less than 1/8 of a mile from a tire place. The very nice gentlemen at NTB at I-10 and Wilcrest got me fixed up quickly. So, thank you to all involved in the discovery and resolution of my faulty tire. Oh, and did I mentioned my tires were on sale???? Life is good!