Bye-Bye2010!

Here we go -- kicking off another New Year's Eve! I'm up in Chicago, getting ready to boot 2010 into history and greet a let's-be-spectacular 2011 wth one of my bestest friends, Brenda! A sushi dinner, some adult libations, girl talk, movies and a 2011 toast are part of our celebration.

Talk to you next year!

Venting

I may have spoken too soon about getting my nook replaced! It's going to be another week or so.... And I'm not really pleased with the Barnes & Noble/nook customer service right now.

I emailed them about my issue with my nook (almost typed "crack issue" and thought better of it) on December 16 and got an automated response that basically said I would receive a response from a Customer Service Representative within 24 to 48 hours. In my email, I specifically told them that I am hearing-impaired and it's complicated to navigate their 1-800 system via Relay.

I finally got a response today -- five days later. That's quite a few hours over their 24-48 hour window. Unfortunately, they aren't going to help me via email, and I need to either go to a brick-and-mortar store or call them. Here's what they said:

"Thank you for contacting us. Because of the many things that need to be verified and processed, unfortunately NOOK replacements can only be performed over the phone. If you know anyone who can assist you, or if you have a local Barnes andNoble store, they may be able to help. We ask that you call us at 1-800-THE-BOOK (1-800-843-2665) and select option 2 for Digital Support. We are available Monday through Friday from 8AM to 11PM EST, Saturdays and Sundays 9AM to 11PM EST. Customers outside of the United States may contact us at 201-559-3882. Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused and we look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Kenneth Customer Service Representative - Digital Support Barnes & Noble"

I detest making phone calls via the Missouri Relay Service. They're just slow, and my blood pressure goes up when people on the other line hang up on me because they think the Relay operator is a telemarketer. So I'm either going to have to ask someone to make the call for me or risk life and limb and go into B&N during the pre- and post-Christmas insanity.
It is a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things, but I'm just annoyed. Annoyed because I hate asking people to make phone calls for me. Annoyed because they waited five days to tell me that.

Cracking Up

I love my nook! I've had it for almost a year, and it's still working great. You can't beat the convenience of being able to download books with just a few clicks on the computer. Considering the closest Barnes & Noble is nearly 40 miles away and that I'm a bookworm, it's saved me a lot of trips to "the city."

The prices of the new-release books have gone up $3 since the nook was released, but it's still a good value. I just did a comparision-shop and got the new Patricia Cornwell for $12.99 at bn.com -- the hardcover was almost $20 at WalMart. And I'll let you in on a little secret: Watch for the new releases, because if you pre-order them, you can often get them for $9.99.

I don't have a case for my nook -- I repurposed an old datebook that the nook fits in perfectly! It works great for traveling. But recently, I was wondering if maybe I didn't take good enough care of my e-reader. Two books ago, I got it out and noticed that the plastic case had developed a crack right on one of the buttons you use to turn the page.

I couldn't figure out what had happened...I think I would remember if I'd dropped the thing! I just wrote it off to wear and tear -- until today! I ran into a sideloading issue with my newest purchase, and was searching on the bn.com nook users forum for a solution. (Sideloading just means transferring the book's ePub file from the computer to the e-reader via a USB cord.)

Skimming the posts, an entry titled "nook case develops a crack" popped out at me. Turns out the crack in the case is due to a design flaw in the early editions of the nook. And--the best part--Barnes & Noble will supposedly replace nooks with cracks! I'm waiting to get an email back from B&N, so keep your fingers crossed that this is true. That would be pretty good customer service, if you ask me.

Getting Carded

Am I the only one who feels guilty when I encounter Salvation Army bellringers? Especially if I don't have spare cash or change to put in the kettle. And especially if they hold the door open for me.

Let's face it: I'm not going to put money in the kettle every time I go to the store. And I already have other donation commitments -- donations that are year-round, not just during the holidays.


I added up the amount of money I've spent on postage and shipping so far this month for Solier's Angels packages and cards. It adds up fast! I'm sure December is going to be the month that costs the most, due to the increased number of cards I am sending for the holidays. But you know what? It's so worth it because of the smiles it puts on people's faces! I sent out some birthday cards today:

I have a surplus of cards, cardmaking supplies and patterned paper for cards, so it seemed like a logical thing to do to join the Soldiers Angels Cards Plus Team. It's fun -- birthday, thank-you and encouragement cards. Plus it's an excuse to buy more patterned paper! I found a bunch of patriotic paper at Hobby Lobby today:

I already have a pile of cards waiting to be stamped. Now all I need is a big, fat roll of stamps in my Christmast stocking!

Camera Shy

Yes, I'm fully aware that I'm now "one of those people" who tortures her pets with wacky headgear on the holidays. I can't help it. I found this elf hat while going through my boxes of Christmas decorations and thought I'd try to snap a photo or two of Baxter.


Didn't go so well. He's not a huge fan of having "stuff" on his head. Or having his photo taken with something on his head:
After some coaxing and then some bullying, this is the best I can do:
Yep, that's a stink-eye if I ever saw one. He's since forgotten and forgiven me. It's a good thing I make my own Christmas cards and don't rely on a cool Christmas photo for cards, because this one wouldn't be too festive!

Home Remedies

I'm not big on home remedies to cure what ails you. They often seem like too much work when you're not feeling well. (One of the worst things about living alone -- nobody to take care of you. Although I have to say that Baxter is a great cuddler.)

But when I get a cold/sore throat, I do tend to reach for the whiskey bottle. Not the whole bottle, mind you! Just a shot, mixed with some hot water, sugar or honey and lemon. Add a dash of clove, cinnamon or nutmeg and you should be good for a nap on the couch.

I've been nursing a cold since Saturday afternoon. "It" is going around and it's not much fun, and I don't think it's avoidable, no matter how sanitary you are or how much rest you get. It will get you right out of the blue. At least that's what i tell myself. It's almost as good as Nyquil.

I made the mistake of going to Rogers, Arkansas, to run a few errands and hit up the bookstore on a holiday weekend. I have no idea why I thought this was a good idea -- the traffic was nuts, lines were long. Now I remember why I prefer to do my shopping in the middle of the weekday. By the time i was on the way home with a caramel brulee latte, I started feeling kinda grungy. You know I'm sick when I miss watching the Vikings play!

On a brighter note: personalized Christmas gift No. 2 arrived today and I am beyond excited! I can't wait to give it to its new owner.

Lighten up!

I didn't decorate for Christmas last year. But I had a good reason not to -- I was in Arizona. So my Christmas decorations have been sitting in storage boxes since after Christmas 2008. I couldn't even remember *what* I had in the boxes. Or how little my white Norway pine is. Yes, that is a wrapped box under the tree to give it another foot in height. I need a tree skirt. Or some gifts under the tree! Now the tree is up, lights are on, warming up the house, a pine candle is going. Although I probably don't need the pine candle, due to a not-so-bright moment with a Wallflower from Bath & Body Works. (Those things are NOT idiot-proof or blonde-proof. Sigh. At least I like the pine scent.) Can you tell I like white lights?

Ahhh, Christmas. Hard to believe it's only a few weeks away. I got one of the two personalized Christmas gifts I ordered today. Ummm. It didn't quite turn out the way I planned. Dangit. Errors in judgment seem to be the prevailing theme this week. Hopefully gift no. 2 will turn out better.

Pay it Forward

I'm doing something new this year to pay it forward.

Combining my love of baking, crafting and shopping, I've adopted a soldier through http://www.soldiersangels.org. This organization pairs up deployed U.S. soldiers with people in the United States who want to help make a difference. Many soldiers overseas do not receive even a letter from home. When I signed up, there were more than 1,300 soldiers waiting for adoption. You can sign up for a variety of volunteer things, from sending cards, one-time care packages and other one-time deals.

As a Soldier's Angel, my commitment is one letter or card per week and one care package per month while the soldier is deployed. Although it felt a little odd sending a letter to a perfect stranger, I sent my letter out last week. I'm not sure if I will hear from "my" soldier or not -- we'll see! It would definitely help me fill up the care packages if I could learn what he needs or wants in the sandbox.

Letters to APO addresses (Army/Air Post Office) don't cost any more than a letter that is sent anywhere in the U.S. A large flat rate APO/FPO box, which is free from the Post Office and measures about 12x12x6, costs $12.50 to ship.

I sent out a my first package, a Christmas care package, today! I am a little nervous about it -- I hope the soldier likes it, that the cookies I included make it without turning stale or to complete crumbs, and that I filled out the Customs Declaration form correctly.

I sure didn't have much help with the form at the Post Office. The advantage of living in small-town Missouri means you rarely have to wait in line to mail packages. The disadvantage? Sometimes the worker behind the counter doesn't quite know what to do with you and your "foreign" package (nevermind my foreign-ish accent)!

I was vaguely familiar with what had to go on the customs form, and that it HAD to be included on the package. However, the postal lady, who I hope wasn't the postmaster, tried to tell me it wasn't necessary. I told her it was, because the packages were going out of the United States. She finally got on the phone with her supervisor, who confirmed that a form was needed and helped her find the forms, which were finally located in a cabinet at the back of the room. Apparently not very many people in this neck of the woods send packages overseas.

I filled it out the best I could. It is intimidating! Once I got home, I found out that I could have done the whole thing online with much less hassle.

I'm already thinking about January's care package. Ideas and tips -- and a stand mixer and vacuum sealer--are more than welcome!

Anniversary

We're pretty proud of Connection magazine around here. It's grown in leaps and bounds since its first issue in December 2009. I had my first article published in the magazine in February 2010. I love the variety of people I've gotten to meet and places I've been able to visit.


I'm (im)patiently waiting for the December anniversary issue to arrive at the Cassville newspaper office! The "Get Away for the Holidays in Style" and "Worth the Drive" teasers are for my articles.

In the meantime, I am also pushing my deadline to the limit. Tomorrow should be interesting as I try to get my articles done under the wire. I had a great restaurant visit/interview today and can't wait to share the restaurant with my readers.

Thankful

Crazy. That's been my life this month! I've had some false starts, what felt like a wild-goose chase, and several changes of Thanksgiving plans. While there are a few things I wish would have fallen into place, I would not trade this life for anything. My girl Brenda has made it a Thanksgiving tradition to sit down and list the things she is thankful for -- and encourages others to do the same.

Just like we shouldn't start anew only on New Year's, love only on Valentine's Day, thank a veteran only on Veteran's Day (you get the idea), we should be thankful for every day we're given, not just on Thanksgiving.

I'm thankful for (in no particular order):

• My great friends, some further away than others, and some I haven't seen in years.
• Facebook! I know it's perhaps silly to some, but it keeps me connected to friends near and far. (Plus it has a killer Scrabble app!)
• The work I get to do, often with a fresh cup of coffee and sometimes still in my pjs. While sometimes isolating, my freelance writing has developed into a rewarding career.
• A warm house to take shelter in, and the ability to pay the propane bill that is coming my way later this week.
• My family. Although it's scattered over three states these days, I somehow feel closer to them than ever before.
• My freedom. I've learned a lot over the past few months that's made me appreciate it even more -- so many people have sacrificed their own freedom to fight for ours.
• My new cochlear speech processor. Although all the sounds can be overwhelming at times, I'm truly enjoying its clarity, the help it is giving me with my lipreading & speech, and listening to music. (Stephanie, I hope you'll forgive me someday for buying that Kid Rock CD!)

All this and so much more. I'm grateful.

Country Living...

You know you live in the country when...is a recurring topic with me! I go through times when I am absolutely sick of living in the country, and other times I cherish it. It seems to be pretty middle-of-the-road lately, although the itch for a road trip is starting to arise. (No worries, I have one planned already!)

You know you've lived in the country too long when someone picks on you for using the term "y'all" on Facebook.

You know you live in the country when the voting precinct's parking lot is mostly grass.


You know you live in the country when you look out your bedroom window and see THIS:

Yeah. Nice. That thing was heavier than I thought it would be! Not quite sure how it got there (Baxter didn't seem to want to claim the body), and I'm not certain I really want to know, either.

Watching the election results roll in -- I'm really only interested in how the Proposition B vote went here in Missouri. I'm also obsessing over the contest results over on pioneerwoman.com -- she was having a drawing for people to come and spend a weekend at THE Lodge. Please, please, please, please pick me!!!

I'm planning on getting back in the saddle tomorrow for the first time since losing Johnny. Gonna be bittersweet.

The Witching Hour

Yeah, I know...my Halloween costume wasn't all that creative, but it was fun! It was fun to have several people walk right by me (some several times) and not recognize me under the wig and makeup!

Wonder if I should go super-dark with the hair. I'm kind of chicken, but also kind of thinking about it. It's just hair, after all.

We've been hit with the fall weather, finally. I'm spending the evening under the electric blanket and watching Hawaii Five-0. Love it! It keeps me warm. The show, that is; my electric blanket is busted. What can I say, the cop guy is a hottie. (Hint: it's not Dann-o.)

Official

Yep, it's officially fall! I winterized a few things around the house today. You know -- fun stuff. Blocked off the crawl space, cleaned the furnace filter, and thought about the fact that I really should try to weather-seal the windows in the laundry room. And dragged the heater into the bathroom, which is THE coldest room in the whole house.

That reminds me--I still need to move some plants off my patio before tonight's predicted frost! Nothing like procrastinating.

And I turned on the furnace this afternoon. 58 degrees was a little too chilly for me--my typing fingers got cold.

We're well on our way to winter. I'm disappointed by this every year. Time for some hot tea -- maybe with some peach schnapps in it for a little kick.

This morning on the way to town, there were some deer in the road. I tried to take a picture with the camera phone, but I wasn't fast enough. But I got this instead:

Autumn

Dusting off the blog. We have been having spectacular fall weather, and I spend so much time working on the computer (and, well, on Facebook) that when I do take a break, it has been to hike up the hill, throw the ball for Baxter or just relax on the patio and soak up the sunshine. The falls here are so gradual and gentle. It's the 24th of October, and we have not had any frost yet! My marigolds, zinnias, clematis and morning glories are still blooming furiously. I'm sure we will pay for the mild fall come winter. At least I will, if I spend the holiday months up north.


The November issue of Connection magazine is hot off the press. Although I've seen a sneak preview on the computer, I can't wait to get my hands on it. December articles are progressing nicely and making me dream of Christmastime--even if I'd prefer to spend it in powdery white sand instead of frigid snow.
The neighbors down the road have a herd of longhorns I've been dying to take photos of. They occasionally graze in a picturesque field adjacent to Thomas Hollow, but I have not had time or true motivation to take the camera out there. Until yesterday. Of course, it was a cloudy, gray day so the vivid colors of the trees in the background didn't show through. The longhorns were not very appreciative of me intruding their territory--they were ready to bolt, even though I tried to stay quiet and on my side of the fence. I did get a few neat shots with the zoom lens, though!

Livin for the weekend!

Yeah for Fridays! Especially when you've put in a full week of work and are done in the early afternoon hours! I'm planning on doing some reading in the sunshine on the patio. It's nearly 80 degrees today -- in October. The same is forecast for tomorrow.

It's going to be a football weekend! I'm heading to an elementary school game Saturday to watch a friend's kid play. Bringing the camera to see what kind of action shots I can capture. It should be fun. The Razorbacks will be playing at Texas A&M at the same time, so I might have to check the score on the Crackberry once in a while.

And then there's the Vikings! I have to wait impatiently until Monday Night Football for that, though. We got Randy Moss #84 back from the Patriots, and Vikingland is rejoicing! Can't wait to see what kind of magic Favre and Moss can make together.

I listed a few horseshoes on Etsy yesterday, with several more on their way. I am trying to stock up on inventory for Christmas, since I sold almost everything at the Art Celebration a few weeks ago.

Calm

Busy week! The November magazine articles are in the editor and art director's hands. I saw the photos for a story I did on a local hunting resort and all I can say is WOW. Can't wait to see what kind of magic the AD does with them. On to December. I've also been tied up with the new gardening website gig--it should be going live soon. It's really a fun one.

Believe it or not, I still have time to read. A girl's gotta have things to do that don't involve the computer. At least...my eyes do. My poor, tired, bloodshot eyes. These books are checked off on my "read" list.

Trust me, my "to-read" list is very long. I have "Little Bee" coming via GoodReads BookSwap and I'm looking forward to reading that one this weekend. Might pack it up with a picnic lunch and take a hike this weekend. I suppose I should wear blaze orange in honor of hunting season, though, even if I am going to hike on private property.

Baxter loves hiking. He is, however, a little weird. Witness this:

Yeah, seriously. He thought he was going to drag and carry this "stick" home -- or get me to throw it. Goober. We've been enjoying the fall weather and getting in a short hike here and there. Loving the fall weather!

Gypsy Girl

I can't believe the first of October is almost history. I suppose being crazy-busy has something to do with that. And taking a road trip to Texas! I had a great time in Texas, but it was way too short of a visit. Hopefully, the next trip will be longer and I can also make a side trip to Schulenburg to see Nikki and meet her angel, Avery! What can I say, other than I am part gypsy--I love to travel and can hit the road with just a few hours' notice.

Now that I'm home again (for now!), I have to buckle down and get to work. Magazine deadlines are staring me down. I got an unexpected new assignment from Demand Studios that will help my bottom line immensely. And my girl Brenda hooked me up with a sweet new gig writing for a soon-to-be-launched gardening website. That's not all--I have one more deal on deck that I am excited about, and it doesn't involve a computer or writing.

Now I better get to work on the writing that pays. Happy October!

Festivus

Saturday is the fifth annual Thomas Hollow Art Celebration. I've been a busy girl lately, working on my horseshoe projects. I still have to put on price tags and get everything else organized, but I think I'm ready! If you've ever been in "the hollow," you know we like to extend celebrations around here--start 'em early and go ALL weekend. In that spirit, people are gathering next door for chili, cornbread, campfire and music tomorrow evening. It will be nice to see friends I haven't seen in a while. And it will be a big change for me to be able to hear the guitar and banjo picking around the campfire.

The actual art festival is all day Saturday & we are hoping for a bigger turnout this year. Connection magazine ran an article and photos with a preview of the festival. Listen for the banjoes. And watch for photos.

Muzak

Believe it or not, I've really taken to listening to music with the new speech processor! Whether it's to the whopping two CDs I have for in the car, or CMT on the tv, I'm learning what I like and don't like.

My current favorite is the Zac Brown Band! I have their The Foundation CD and am wearing it out listening to it in the car. (I have no stereo or CD player at home or anything like that. hah.) Their lyrics are nice--I think the Sic 'em on a Chicken was written about Baxter. But I just like the music. I like Toes...but Chicken Fried and Where the Boat Leaves From are my faves.

The new ZBB CD, You Get What You Give, has been hyped up for weeks prior to today's release. Since I was in town, I stopped at my least-favorite store to treat myself to the CD.
(Isn't that font purty??)

No dice. You know you really live in the sticks when your local Walmart Supercenter doesn't even have the CD in stock! (No, it's not boycotted because they said "ass in the sand" in their freshman CD.) There was a clerk unhappily stocking the shelves nearby, and she said that it would "maybe be out later today." Huh. O-kay. Maybe better luck next time! I just wish I could go to Target or Starbucks and get it, but it's just too far. Yep, I live in the sticks.

Monday, Monday

It doesn't feel like fall is fast approaching. It's 90 degrees today! I am so ready for some real fall weather. And maybe some real Vikings football.


The Vikings lost yesterday. To the Dolphins. It was terrible to watch! The team reverted to the Vikings I remember, making the 2009 season feel like a total dream. You know the Vikings of old, the one that keeps getting your hopes up only to dash them by not following through, fumbling or just not getting into the zone. How much are these guys making again? They certainly are not earning their salaries, nor did they look like they cared too much about the outcome (until they lost).


Ah, next week is another game. Against the also-winless Lions. I don't know if I will wear my Favre jersey, though. And the purple toenail polish I was so proud of yesterday looks a bit garish today.


A rather bright spot today -- it's almost time for the October issue of Connection magazine to hit the streets! Rumor is it will be out sometime this week--hopefully in time for this weekend's Art Celebration next door. And you know what this means...a sneak peek at the cover. I'm excited that I have another cover story!

Bionic

It's been a crazy, up-and-down month. Migraines galore. Missing Johnny. Motorcycle races in Springfield with my Dad. Getting ready for the Art Festival. And lots of writing. The migraines have seemed to take center stage lately. Hopefully this latest cycle is over with & things will settle back into routine. I haven't worked out in about three weeks due to the pain and am itching for a workout.

The fall weather is fabulous! There was a birthday party in the Hollow Sunday afternoon (Grayson's 4th!) -- and we had perfect weather. We party in style out here -- there was fresh bread and pizza from the outdoor bread oven. Heaven.

I went hiking yesterday, much to Baxter's delight. As I type this, he is sitting at my feet (im)patiently waiting for us to go outside and enjoy the rest of the afternoon. I can't move an inch without him thinking we are going outside rightthisminutetoplayballandgoswimming. He's a goober.

I can't believe I've had the new implant speech processor for a month already today. I had to go back to the audiologist today for a "tune up." Since I went so long without using the speech processor, my brain/nerves are still getting used to all the sounds. The implant itself consists of 22 electrodes in the cochlea -- each one has a unique tone/pitch that can be individually programmed. Today's appointment involved going through each of the electrodes and adjusting them a little bit louder/higher (for lack of a better term).
I didn't go up very much, but the audiologist said that even just small changes make a big difference. And you know what? They did! I can tell a big difference in the sounds this afternoon -- things seem even more crisp. She also adjusted the program to filter out a little bit more of the background noise -- and now my kitchen fan isn't quite so clacking and irritating. I do still need to oil the hinge on my French door at the entryway, though. How come nobody bothered to tell me it SQUEAKS in protest every time the door is opened or closed??

I'm typing out this blog as I wait for the school bus to go by -- the Bax and I are heading out to mow the lawn once it finishes its daily trip past our house. And guess what?? I heard it coming down the road! Awesome.

Pigskin!

Oh, yes! It's finally football season! How could I have neglected to include that one in my list last week? The Vikings-Saints game just went into the 4th quarter as I type this. We are losing 9-14. We meaning the Vikings. I'm not feeling good today and am just watching it from the couch in yoga pants and being pretty quiet, considering. (I'm usually pretty loud.) I'm not a huge fan of weeknight games -- I would rather be at my cousin Deb's watching the game in her purple and gold-decorated tv room!

I hope we win tonight's game. If the offense can stick it out and pull off just one more Favre touchdown, and the defense can keep Brees from scoring, we'll be golden. If we lose, well, I'm still gonna bleed purple!

September

So far, September is trying to make up for the hot, dry month of August. It's pouring buckets of rain as I type this. I hope it turns out to be a better month all-around.
As much as I like summer, I'm looking forward to fall.
I'm still trying to pull myself out of the funk I've been in all week. Move forward. Focus on the positive. All that hoo-hah people try to tell you to help you "get over it," ya know?
So here's what I'm looking forward to for fall:
1. I head to Illinois for the Labor Day weekend flattrack races. (Planning to take some more cool shots with the (not-so-)new camera.
2. Pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks. Need I say more?
3. Honeycrisp apples are coming!
4. Hot tea starts becoming my evening drink of choice. Hot toddies are nice, too!
5. I have a yen to get back to the crafting, especially with my Etsy shop inventory being low and the Art Celebration next door being only 22 days away.
6. I can put the lawnmower away for the season soon. I think there's only one or two more mowings left in the year, if I'm lucky!
7. The documentary "See What I'm Saying" is playing in Springfield (MO) next month. I have a ticket!
8. Tickets for the interpreted Hammons Hall performance of "Fiddler on the Roof" go on sale in two weeks. I'm going. Springfield seems to be on my travel list a lot this year.
9. It's almost time to plant bulbs! I have about 100 white and yellow tulip bulbs to plant this fall.

Why I Hate Goodbyes

Rest in peace, Johnny (Hesa Dandy Investment). You were the best horse I ever had -- and probably will ever own. You had the biggest heart, the biggest personality. I hope we did you right in the 11 years you spent with us. My heart is hurting and I miss you.

Waiting Game

The hopefulness from Friday's post is long gone. This weekend is going to be one long waiting game.

Johnny crashed last evening. He was doing so well. We were talking about keeping Monday's vet appointment to follow up on blood work and make sure the levels were back up to where they should be.

Then he stopped eating, got very lethargic and was having a hard time moving around. Another very long drive to Pea Ridge for a Friday night vet visit. Everything seemed to go downhill from there. Johnny was staggering around. His blood panel came back much worse than Wednesday, with two items very high and two others very low. And then he started displaying a few neurological signs of liver failure.

I confess: I spent some time online last night scaring myself by researching a few things.
I confess: There were many tears shed. I had to say goodbye to Johnny at the vet's, not knowing if he would make it through the night.
I confess: I truly thought he would be gone this morning.

The vet is stumped as to what is causing his symptoms. We're keeping him comfortable, he's on a dose of steroids. But I really don't know how long those will help him.
And so the waiting game goes on. Only, it's not a game.

Yellow

Yellow is a nice color. Just not when it's the color of your horse's eye whites and gums.
We've finally had a break in the heat wave and Wednesday's forecast was for temperatures in the 80s, so I decided to tag along on a group ride out in Flag Springs. When I went to get my gelding from the pasture, he didn't seem at all excited or even happy to see me. Weird. This horse would crawl in your pocket if he was small enough (he's 16 hands but thinks he's a pup). Checking him out, he was lethargic and I thought his eyes looked funny. With a closer look, the whites were actually a deep yellow. His gums were yellow, too.
Jaundice. Not good. So instead of going on a relaxing trail ride on a beautiful day, we loaded Johnny up and headed to the vet's 45 minutes away. Of course, worst-case scenarios were going through my head.
The vet was great & very thorough. Other than the jaundice and depressed attitude, everything else checked out fine: heart, lungs, gut. The blood panel showed that two elements related to the liver were quite elevated. The vet settled on one of two scenarios: Johnny either ingested a toxin (ie, a weed in the pasture) or he had a stone blocking the bile duct. While both are serious, the latter would be more expensive and complicated to treat. We went ahead & treated Johnny as if he'd eaten something toxic: banamine for the inflammation, antibiotics, and a nasty batch of charcoal tubed into his stomach. The charcoal worked its way through his system and ((hopefully)) absorbed the toxins. Several hundred dollars and hours later, we were on our way home.

Today--almost 48 hours later--he seems to be doing better and perking up. He's happy to see me, is getting spoiled rotten with oats, treats and a hay buffet. I have everything crossed that he will recover.

Deadlines

Heading toward the end of August! Which means two things:




1. I have magazine deadlines coming up. No worries: interviews are mostly done and the writing is going well. I'm actually supposed to be writing right now, but you know how that goes; there's always "something else" that can get done! Like the workout I still have to do but am delaying by writing this blog. Procrastination, anyone?


2. It's almost Labor Day weekend -- which means the second of my two annual trips to Springfield, Illinois, is coming up for two AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship races. I can't wait!





I'll leave you with a sneak peek of the September issue of Connection magazine. I'm a lucky girl and have two articles in this one again -- including the cover story about Camp Barnabas.

Addiction

Let's face it. I'm hooked on my Blackberry. When I was visiting Brenda in Chicago, she expressed her worry about what I would do when I went home. (Note the sarcasm, people.)

See, when I am at my house, I do not have cell service. That's just one of the reasons I call it the "black hole." True story. Some people don't believe me -- until they come and visit me. The hollows around here are notorious for leaving civilization behind.

I can get cell service if I go to the top of one of the hills behind my house. If you stand in certain places and hold your breath (maybe say a little prayer), you can get a few bars on the cell phone.

Today marked almost a whole week without my Blackberry. And I was miserable without it. No Google Map. No mobile Facebook. No texts from certain people who bring a smile to my face.
My insurance covered a replacement Blackberry and advertised "2-3 day service." I could do that. Two days turned into three. Three turned to five, and suddenly it was Saturday, and the US Postal Service finally announced my replacement was in Philadelphia.
I checked the tracking Monday morning, thinking the package would be somewhere like St. Louis. Nope. Better! It was at my post office, scheduled to be delivered to my mailbox! Awesome.

I was so disappointed when I opened the mailbox and found...junk mail.
I checked with the post office on a planned trip to town, but no dice. The postmaster didn't have anything for me. WHERE the heck was my Blackberry, did the mailman inconveniently forget to put it in my box? I gave up...maybe better luck Tuesday.
Turns out the mailman delivered the package to the wrong mailbox. I finally retrieved the package and scooted to the high spot where I could get cell service. Not so simple! The phone still had to be activated. Which gets kind of complicated when a) you're deaf and can't just pick up the phone and call the 1-888 number and b) you don't HAVE cell service by a landline.
With my dad's patient help, I finally got it activated, so now I'm back in business! I owe a few people text messages, and I plan to get back to working the Crackberry full speed ahead tomorrow!

Tuning In

Still amazed at all the "new" sounds coming through these days.

The horse show sounds were a bit overwhelming. The loudspeaker was very uncomfortable for me and I did end up turning the processor off a few times to give myself a break. My friends "caught" me reacting to some sounds, and I think I impressed them with my skills. (Or maybe not!) The advantage of being exposed to the loud (at least for me) environment meant that I am now up to Program 2 of 4 on the processor already. I think my audiologist will be happy.

Baxter makes a lot more noise than I realized. Slurping the water. Shaking himself makes his dog tag jingle. Scratching himself. And I've discovered that he "talks" to me when he is bored and I am busy working on the computer or the horseshoe art or whatever. I've succeeded in confusing the poor dog by reacting when he yips at me. The first time I looked at him when he "talked," he looked a little taken aback. The second time, he was confused. Then he thought he was in trouble. So funny.

I've also started working harder on training him to do the "service dog" thing. Now that I can hear things like the microwave or oven timer beep, the phone ring, or someone knocking at the door, it's easier to reinforce the training and make him react to sounds. It's good for him to have a job, and it might come in handy someday when I want to travel with him.

Enough about that dog.

During yesterday's drive to & from Tulsa, I played with the car radio! Awesome. I love the stations that "scroll" the musician and song titles while they play a song. So far, I've tagged Lady Antebellum and the Zac Brown Band as favorites. While I liked the lyrics to Carrie Underwood's "Undo It," I did NOT like her music when I heard it. I didn't like Keith Urban, either. It's kind of fun to be able to listen and decide what I do and don't like!

Tulsa Time

I'm heading to Tulsa to tag along with some friends who are horse shopping & watch some of the NSBA World Show. Shopping is NOT on the agenda...at least the sort of shopping where money exchanges hands. I can look though, right?? It will be fun to see friends I haven't seen in a very long time.

I haven't been to a horse show since the AQHA World Show in 2008. For a person who used to go to almost all the big shows to work, that's a very, very long time. I'm still doing the equine massage on a limited basis -- and only doing farm calls.

Kind of an interesting shift. I quit the copywriting world in July 2000 to do the equine massage. Now, 10 years later, I seem to have quit the AQHA world to do freelance writing. Funny how things seem to come full circle.

Everyday Noise

Hard to believe we are halfway through August already! And this is only my second blog of the month.

Yesterday was a fabulous day. I got my new cochlear implant speech processor -- the Nucleus Freedom. I had the implant surgery in 1990; however, my last speech processor broke down more than a year ago. The processors are pricey little things.

Anyways. Yesterday was THE day. When the audiologist finished programming my processor (yes, I am part robot -- each of the 22 electrodes in the cochlea is individually programmed) and turned it on, it was awesome! Everything was a little bit "loud" at first -- something of a shock to my nerves and brain. But the longer I wore it, the "smoother" everything seemed.

(Want the in-depth scoop? Google "cochlear implant" or "Nucleus Freedom cochlear implant." That will give you more than you ever wanted to know.)

Right now, I am marveling at the sound of my computer keys clicking and trying to figure out if there's a bird singing outside or something.

Suddenly, I'm hearing little things you probably take for granted, like the ding of an arriving elevator, the heartbeat of your car's turn signal, the sound coffee makes when you're pouring it into a mug.
Baxter makes a lot of noise slurping his water.
It's easier to scan your items at the WalMart self checkout when you can hear the scanner beep!
I can hear vehicles approaching on the road.
I took Baxter swimming in the creek yesterday evening, and was amazed at how much noise we made with the splashing, and how much noise HE made when he shook the water off himself.

I can't understand speech, but it does help my lipreading skills and my speech is probably going to get clearer as time goes on.

It's going to be a continual learning process. I currently have four levels of "programs" on my speech processor, each one progresses a little bit wider in the levels of things I can hear. Not necessarily "louder," but more like a threshold. It's hard to explain without getting too scientific. The more I have it turned on, the better I will get at using it.

So far, I LOVE it. I've only turned it off twice: once to go to bed last night and once this morning when I could not stand the roar of the vacuum cleaner. I'm sure there will be other times where I will cherish the silence. It's kind of a nice perk to be able to do both.

Right now, I have the windows open at my house, and it was pretty cool to hear a truck coming up the road -- and knowing what it was before it came into view!

I'm sure there will be several conversations in my future that go like this:
Me: "What's that noise?"
Hearing Person: "What? What noise?"
Me: "That noise."
And since I don't know what it is (or how to really mimic sounds), I can't really explain what I am trying to get the hearing person to identify. And since it's probably an everyday noise they've tuned out, well, you get the idea.

Call me bionic woman or whatever. But I'm certainly smiling!

So Long, Chicago

Chicago is in the rear view mirror. I miss my Chicago girls already!

And this big guy, too. (Shh, don't tell Baxter!)

We went to the Morton Arboretum on Sunday--it was a gorgeous day and we let Sophia burn off some of that famous two-year-old energy in the children's area. I got this awesome shot of her by pure luck of coaxing my point-and-shoot camera to time it perfectly: Now that I'm back in Iowa, I finished up some magazine articles for the September issue of Connection magazine. Can't wait to see them paired up in layouts with the photos. Which reminds me: I seriously need to get a move on with that online portfolio I keep talking about.

Downtown!

Heading to downtown Chicago today! I can't wait! Brenda and I are going to meet up after she is done with work, and we will see what trouble we can get into. I have several places I want to check out.

I wonder if the Lisle Starbucks folks will miss me? I've spent hours (and dollars) working there this week. It's nice to get out for a change of scenery sometimes. The writing life can get lonely when it's just you and the computer. The dogs always tend to lay around napping and aren't much for entertainment.
Yes, those are two BIG dogs snuggling -- Hooch the French mastiff and Sugar the pit bull.

Today's coffee goal is to find one of my beloved CARIBOU coffee shops. A standby in the midwest, they are nowhere to be found in the south.

I have two big articles in progress for the September issue of Connection magazine. One is almost done and the other is getting there. Once again, these are light on quotes -- but I am learning to embrace that as my trademark. Instead of letting quotes do the work (aka write the story for me), I let my writing shine. At least, that's what I tell myself. My editor and readers don't seem to mind.

I'm looking into some software I ran across yesterday that is basically speech-recognition software. For $99, I am not sure how reliable it would be, but it may be worth a look-see. It would sure take some major stress off my shoulders when it comes to interviewing people!

Yoga + Pizza

Who says yoga and pizza don't go together?

I tagged along to a yoga class with Brenda last night. It was awesome. And hot. And challenging! I loved it. I am in better shape than I thought -- I am walking fine today. heh. A little sore, but in a really good way.


Ninety minutes of yoga in a 90-degree room equals how many calories burned? We may have negated the calorie burn by going to Lou Malnati's for some incredible pizza. I apparently have no shame, since I am posting this picture (Brenda doesn't either -- she put the pic on Facebook for all the world to see. Or at least our 600+ combined friends.)


Soooo good.

Violet Hour

This is the violet hour, the hour of hush and
wonder, when the affections glow again and valor is reborn, when the shadows
deepen magically along the edge of the forest and we believe that, if we watch
carefully, at any moment we may see the unicorn.
- Bernard DeVoto "The Hour"

Ahh, Chicago! Technically, I'm in the Chicago suburbs as I write this, but whatever.

It's been a whirlwind. I arrived at Union Station at 4 on Saturday and negotiated a drive-by pickup with Brenda via text message. Success! And I didn't get lost, either. Did you know the Caribou Coffee adjacent to Union Station is closed on the weekends? I didn't, either.

Brenda and I headed for Wicker Park, a neat neighborhood north (I think!) of downtown for the evening. After waking up with some caffeine and chatting in velvet chairs at Starbucks, we headed out in search of the Violet Hour. One of Brenda's former co-workers recommended the place--there's apparently a sister bar in Minneapolis. We knew the address and walked down Damen Avenue. And kept on walking. The bar was so well-disguised we walked past it once!

And then we went in. This place was Awesome. They said it did not open until 6 p.m., and thinking we were losers for being there early, we slunk in at 6:10, hoping we weren't the first people there. We weren't--the bar seating was half full, and the seating area had several people settled in already.

Not that we could see. Once you enter the bar, you go through sets of curtains and it feels like you're in a dark abyss because it is so dim. We could not see where we were going, so I was super-careful NOT to knock over a candlelit table as I tried to stumble after the hostess. Both B and I had to "feel around" for our seats--which turned out to be really comfortable high-back, padded chairs.

Once our eyes adjusted, we could see each other and the drink menus just fine. The Violet Hour is a Prohibition-style place, place and they handcraft their own bitters and several house items. I had a Moscow Mule with Tito's vodka, lime and ginger syrup. Heavenly. And strong!

After mellowing out with our pre-dinner drinks, we cabbed it over to our dinner party destination. OMG, was the food good. Cold avocado soup, jumbo grilled shrimp, pork shoulder, and some other Cuban delicacies. And some fantastic company.

I could get used to evenings like this!

Next time: Why I was running through Brenda's neighborhood yelling "HOOCH!!!!!"

Dog Days

They look so innocent, don't they?

Actually, these two brothers are growing up quite nicely. Sure, there was a time I was afraid it was never going to happen -- that maturation that comes "sometime" between age 2 and 4. Now, at about 2 1/2 years old, the boys are truly growing up.

But they have their moments:
Quite simply, they cannot leave each other alone!

Today I have both of them in the house and they are being pretty good guys. Of course, Baxter won't let Rowdy "bother" me. Or eat his food.

Going to take them swimming in a little bit so they can wear themselves out.

August

Here's a sneak peek at the August cover of Connection magazine:

One of my articles has a mention on the cover! Apologies for how teeny-tiny the image is; I stole it from Facebook.

Off to work on an article for the September issue.

mow, mow, mow your lawn...

Monday already. The summer is flying by--and I hope the cooler weather isn't too far behind. Today is yet another hot one, and the humidity is about 129%. I just finished wringing myself out after mowing part of the yard. It was a choice between dulling my mower blade with the wet grass or getting heat stroke by doing it later in the day.

Vacation Bible School was great! I got to work with a super-nice group of people, and the kids were awesome. This year, the church rented the Gizmo Event Center for VBS. Let's just say the building was HOT when the kids sat down at 6 p.m. They hardly complained or fidgeted (I would not have blamed them!).

I helped out with taking photos -- the kids are going to be working on a cute project with the pictures today. I'm kind of bummed out about my 18-55mm lens. You know how you're "supposed" to put on a protective filter over the lens? So if it gets scratched you can just unscrew the filter and put on a new one? Well. The filter is STUCK on the lens. No amount of coaxing or praying is getting that thing off. Sigh. I guess it's better it's stuck on the "cheap" one instead of the new 55-200mm zoom lens.

Better get busy. I have six online articles to write and two magazine interviews to do by Wednesday night. Better refill that coffee cup.

Quick Post

I know--I rarely post on weekends. Just wanted to do a little self-promotion!!
My writing got a mention in the Demand Studios blog:

http://bit.ly/dtpY6O

Not bad! That reminds me: I really need to create my online portfolio as the writing is adding up fast. That's what happens when you apply a little discipline to your life.

Friday, Friday

Happy Friday! I know my "real world" friends are celebrating the fact that it's Friday. For me, it's the start of a busy week.

McDonald's coffee with a magazine interview subject, a peek at the September issue of Connection magazine and photos at the Vacation Bible School kickoff in Wheaton are on today's agenda. I'm glad they have the VBS scheduled for the evenings, because it's going to be HOT. I have a feeling I will have to launder my fluorescent yellow staff t-shirt every night.

Bible school has come a long way since I was a kid. Not necessarily all in a good way. All the staff for Bible school had to have a background check, and we are required to wear our staff t-shirts and photo ID. Parents who want to be at the facility have to wear wristbands. There will be security at the gate checking everyone. While I understand the need for this, it is sad that it's necessary. I remember biking or walking to VBS in Litchfield and everyone was welcome, no questions asked. Things have changed so much since then, especially in this area of Missouri. Nobody is ever going to forget a case like Rowan Ford.

I got a lovely surprise in the mail yesterday. I love surprises. Especially when they make me laugh out loud like this one did. Thank you (you know who you are) -- it will be put to good use.

Happy Weekend!

Heat Wave

Yep, it's hot. Not to mention humid. I'm glad I have a ton of "inside work" to do, because that's about all I'm motivated to do.

Things are finally starting to fall into place for the magazine interviews + travel plans. Whew. I like the freedom the freelance writing offers me, but this month has been a bear with scheduling conflicts. I blew through two or three story options before landing on one where the timing worked. I love the enthusiasm that everyone has for the Connection magazine -- from the great editor I work with to my interview subjects.

Getting ready to go "up north" again. Baxter and I will do the long drive to Waterloo. And -- bonus -- I will hop on a bus to Chicago to see my girl Brenda.

Watching the Today show while I type this (you know I am a multitasker). Mel Gibson is a psycho. Maybe there was lead in the Braveheart makeup, I don't know, but wow. I am not impressed. Sure, his ex-girlfriend/baby mama just might be a gold-digger, but if even half of her allegations are true, nobody deserves that kind of treatment.
WHO really cares about Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston. Maybe it was his Playgirl pose that made her want to "keep" him? I think he is just using her to keep the spotlight on himself.

Enough procrastinating -- now I have to get back to writing for money. It's almost Friday!

Play Time

Anyone who has a blue heeler -- or who has had the privilege of a visit from Baxter -- knows these dogs can be pretty destructive. So far, I've been lucky -- Baxter's only destroyed toys.

Oh, and my bed. How could I have forgotten that one. That's a whole other blog.

Anyways. I've always tried to keep an eye out for good, virtually indestructable toys for the Bax. Stuffed animals are a no-no. They get dismembered and de-squeaked in 60 seconds flat -- regardless if they are Baxter's toys or not.

I've found a few good toys, but the one item I've struggled with has been one of Baxter's obsessions. Balls. He fixates on tennis balls. I think there's even one on the bed -- you know, just in case I decide to get up in the middle of the night and throw it for him.

I've tried to find Bax a good ball to roll around outside and play with. He really, really, really wants to play with my big Swiss exercise ball in the house, but I know he would destroy it, so that one's off limits. I've tried a cheap large ball from the kids' toys department, wasted $5 on an extra-large tennis ball. Nope, both destroyed.

And then I found an egg-shaped plastic sphere at Tractor Supply. The "Jolly Egg." I'm embarassed to say what I paid for it! But it seems like it is going to hold up, both indoors and outdoors. (Although visitors complain about how much noise it makes when being herded across the hardwood floors and banged into walls.)


(I still can't believe what a good dog he is -- pausing from play to pose for this photo.)

Electric

So happy to be typing this and have electricity! I was in the middle of chatting online with a friend in Texas when a wave of rolling thunder came through and the electricity went out. Thank goodness for candles + flashlights! After last' year's lightning episode that blew the telephone jack across the room, Baxter does not like the thunder very much. He tries not to act scared but doesn't quite pull it off.

The Tulsa birthday celebration was great! I'm so lucky to have friends like Stephanie & Amanda. We hit up Drysdales, Chick-fil-A, the Imax, Cheesecake Factory and Super Target. Of course there were giggle moments!

Eclipse was a good movie--probably the best of the three so far. Sure, it's cheesy with the fang-less vampires, over-the-top eye colors and teenage drama. But Jacob and his muscles make up for it! However, it's not a kid movie. And someone should really tell that to the thirtysomething lady who sat in our row. She had a little girl with her who could not have been more than six. During the intense scene toward the end of the movie (how's that for not giving it away?), this kid was terrified -- she was doing the zombie stare at the screen and even had her hand over her mouth. As Stephanie said, that kid is going to have nightmares.

I had candles and matches in my purse when we went into Cheesecake Factory. No, not to burn the place down, but to stick in Stephanie's cheesecake. That plan went a little awry when Amanda informed me that I would be in big doo-doo if the CF staff sang to Stephanie. Oh, dear. Lucky for me, we decided to get the cheesecake "to go" and the plot changed. We did get to surprise Stephanie with candles in her cheesecake in the hotel room -- without setting the room on fire or turning on the fire alarm and sprinklers. Success!

Of course, no trip with the Butlers can be completed without some drama and/or pee-in-your-pants giggles. When we went back to the hotel after dinner, we got the drama, squared. First off is an old guy hooked up to an oxygen tank sitting outside the hotel entrance. Lighting up a cigarette. Classy.

Then (and this might have been oxygen tank dude's grandson, perhaps) there are some rowdy pre-teen boys horsing around in the lobby, while their parents sat watching them and not really caring. They fooled around with the elevator doors, and one kid somehow got his hand stuck inside the elevator door mechanism. (Don't ask me how, I am not about to find out.) He got it out and is whining about how it hurts to his parents. Amanda kindly let me know that the father said loudly, "You moron! Do you have to do this every time we go to a hotel!??!"
Yeah, that about sums it up.

Can't wait for the next Butler installment!