What will be great about my new job

  
 

    I am so excited about my new job.   It will still be at my hospital so that is great.   I won't have to do near as much heavy lifting, so that is great.  I will be working 3 to 11 so no more trying to sleep in the daytime, so that is great.  No more cardboard on my windows to keep my room dark, so that is great.  No more getting pulled, so that is great.  Less bedpan patrol, so that is great.  I like everyone I will be working with, so that is great.  My body may actually not be completely destroyed by the time I retire, so that is great.

  I loved taking care of heart patients.  I loved my old job.  But staffing kept changing.  Many of the patients were very heavy, thus the bad hearts, so there was so much lifting.  It was getting so hard on my body.  I was living on motrin and actually damaged my kidneys taking so much, I know, I should have known better.  

   I got so I was only averaging 5 to 6 hours of sleep and it would take me a couple of days to recover working my long shift.  Plus we were being mandated to work extra.  16 hours of work on 5 hours of sleep is not good.   So I am excited.  I will only be working 8 hours instead of 12.  I will miss my long stretch off but it was really wearing me down.  I will miss my co-workers who made working so hard at least fun because they were great to work with.  But 2 of my co-workers are going with me.

  So I am so excited!

    The 2 buds.   They play together,  sleep together and Xena tries to eat Hoss's food but he is too fast for her.   Great pals.  Xena drives me nuts, she is always scratching on the furniture and knocking things off the shelves but Hoss would be lost without her.

    Spring is here, in name only though.  But I can tell it will only be a matter of time before the ground shows it.  My crocus and daffodils are peaking up through the ground and the Robins are back.  Even though it hasn't been a terrible winter it seems like it was soooooo long.  I want the warm weather back.

   I applied for different job and it sounds like I have a good chance of getting it.   It will be much easier on this old body as the lifting will be way less.  It is exciting but nerve wracking at the same time.  I love my cardiac patients.  But the lifting was a lot more then I expected.  My left wrist never fully recovered from breaking it and my neck is out right now so this move will be for the best.  No more 12 hours shifts.  The bad news is no more 6 days off in a row.  But I can live with that.

   My granddaughter is coming today.  I am so excited.  I haven't seen her since last summer.   Yesterday my youngest granddaughter spent the day.  Since I am messed up with my neck at the moment and have bronchitis we didn't do much except for go to the doctors but it was fun just hanging out.  She is a delightful child.  Sunday was her birthday and she turned 8.  Time just flies.

  Here she is with her older brother Connor who is also a wonderful kid.   Grandchildren are wonderful things.   

    We have decided to hold off getting another dog for now.   The economy is hitting us hard right now,  I need to make sure we will be able to afford the dog.  Hoss is bossy enough for us at this point.  I think he gets enough play in chasing the cat and we can always do doggy day care.

   I have a great recipe I got off All Recipes.  Serve warm with ice cream.

 

Country Apple Dumplings 

These are so easy to make and taste great.  You have to use the Granny Smith green apples.  I am going to make it using fresh peaches when they are in season also.  Yummy.   I didn't want to actually print the recipe here since is copy righted so click on the link to be taken to it.

  Well, I didn't sleep very well last night.  The medication the doc put me made me restless.  So I will probably just take it easy and try to do light house work.  What fun.  Hopefully my neck will get sorted out soon.  And hopefully next time I post it will be to tell you about my new job. 

I just found out I got my new job.  Yeah.  I will be working 3 to 11 again.  wow, to sleep at night again.  Joy Joy.

   
   It has been 5 months today since we adopted Hoss.  Can't imagine life without him now.   He has come a long way.

   As you can see he is now the picture of health.  He has filled out and is full of fun and vigor.   From being used to living outside Hoss now really loves the indoor life.

   His training has come a long way.   He has all the basic commands down and is getting recall down also.   He loves riding in the car,  going for long walks and stealing my bed when I get up.   And in the 5 months we have had him we have never found anyone he doesn't like.   He is a people person for sure.   At first he used to jump up and try licking their face but now, although he wiggles all over, he sits and lets you pet him.

  He loves going to the pet stores and everyone knows Hoss.  He just loves the attention.   He knows is he sits nice we will let people pet him and he lives for that.   His coat is so soft.

    Hoss and Xena get along really well.   They spend hours a day playing and napping together.   Course Hoss insists on hogging every picture.   It was going to take a very special dog to get after living with Zoey.   Although he can never replace her he has stolen both of our hearts and Hoss and Rick are walking all the trails he used to walk with Zoey.   They are both very close.

   Hoss wasn't used to anything when we first got him.  He didn't know how to play with toys, didn't beg table scraps,  didn't know about chasing a ball or all the wonderful area's to walk.  Riding in a car always meant he was going to a new temporary home.    Now he will start whining the minute he knows we are going for a walk, he has gone through a ton of toys and he has begging down pat.  And he knows a car ride means he gets a walk and then home, his home.  He is a happy dog.

    We also starting wondering about Hoss.  We were pretty sure now that he had a lot of boxer in him.   He acted like a boxer,  looked like he had a lot of boxer in him so we decided to find out.   We bought a Wisdom mixed breed DNA test kit and tested him.  And as suspected he is mostly a bulldog/ boxer with a few other dogs way back in his ancestory such as a Mastiff and a Chinese crested, LOL.

  As for Rick and I.   I am happy to be celebrating going over a year without breaking anything or needing surgery.   Wow, that is big for me.   Isn't it funny the things that take importance as you get older, good health, no broken bones, it is the simple things for me.   My wrist and hand are still pretty messed up from breaking it but nothing I can't handle.

  My granddaughter turned 12.  Wow. seems like yesterday she was born.   She now has a I phone so we get to text and talk to each other a lot more.   

  Well, not much to say.  I am off for a week and it is cold outside so we are staying in and taking a lazy day today.   Sometimes not having any place to be or anything to do is a good thing.

Hello to all

   It has been a long time since I blogged anything.   Obviously the outcome of the election really saddened me.   Watching my stocks crash to practically nothing saddened me.  Hearing about how they now want to dip into our 403's saddened me.  Remember when they wanted to borrow from our Social security?  Now we have none!  If they had left it alone everyone would have been able to retire and take care of yourself without having to depend on the government to help you.   Oh well.   On and on but I am not going to post about this anymore.  The people apparently have made their choice.  Not my choice but I will have to live with the consequences.  So, I will blog about my dog and cat instead.

  Hoss, what a big old goofy dog he has been.   Hoss is officially an obedience school drop out.   I didn't care for the methods they were using and it was making Hoss a cranky dog.  So we have been finishing out his training ourselves and it has gone well.   He still has him moments of not listening to a thing we say but usually when he has something going on more important then listening to us.  Like a big ole buck going through the yard.

   He has been fixated with the deer lately.  I think it has something to do with rutting season as he didn't pay much attention to them before.   Now he wants to pull us into the woods all the time and has taken to snacking on deer droppings.  Oh yick.  Sloppy dog kisses flavored with deer poo.  Not my favorite.  Plus the bucks are skittish this time of year.  I really don't want to take off trailing one and have it turn on us.  So we have been doing most of our walks by the river.

  The weather has turned cold.  I am so not ready for it.   Immediately I came down with bronchitis.  I have been coughing non stop for a week.   Yesterday I finally went to see the doc and got some meds to curb the cough and help with my breathing.  And I slept a couple of hours by sleeping on the couch.  

  The downside of the cold weather is much shorter walks with Hoss.   Hoss is a great dog, especially if he gets a lot of exercise.   We have been walking miles with him and hiking all the old trails that Zoey loved.  Hoss loves them also.  A couple of long walks a day and Hoss is a contented dog.  Cut the walks short though.  Hoss gets stir crazy and naughty.   Poor Xena,  there she was happily sleeping on her kitty bed.

  Hoss all of a sudden ran over, grabbed the bed by a foot and flung it across the room.   With the poor kitty sleeping inside.  Course she landed on her feet but she was not amused.


Xena has gotten big.  I think she is almost a year now.  She is a pretty cat and gets along with Hoss pretty good.  Hoss tends to get a little rougher with her then I like.  But the cat does egg Hoss on to a game of chase me.  Xena has her escape routes all planned out and will get under the dresser where Hoss can't get her.  Then she sits under there and bats at him with her paw.

  They seem to be pretty good friends.  We do stop Hoss if he seems to rough.  
  
   Chester our guinea pig died.   It was pretty sad and sudden but he was an old piggy and he had a pretty good life with us.  Xena walked around howling for days but now seems to be better.  She did start clawing all my furniture so we put her soft claws on her again.  Isn't she styling?  Blue is her color for sure.

   We are in the process of getting approved to adopt another Boxer.  Yup, everyone agrees Hoss is a boxer.

  We are going through Northern Plains Boxer Rescue.   We like the idea of rescuing and this place is great.  They check all your references and then they match the boxer with your lifestyle and Hoss's for the best fit.  Right now they care checking our references but I know that will be good.  We are responsible and loving pet owners.   So hopefully if everything works out we will be a 2 dog family, and one cat soon.  We are excited.

  

                                  Dear God: Here is a list of
                        just some of the things I must remember
                                        to be a good Dog:

 

1. I will not eat the cat's food before she eats it or after she throws it up.

2. I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish,
crabs, etc., just because I like the way they smell.

 

3. The Litter Box is not a cookie jar.

4. The sofa is not a 'face towel'.

5. The garbage collector is not stealing our stuff.

6. I will not play tug-of-war with Dad's
underwear when he's on the toilet.

7. Sticking my nose into someone's
crotch is an unacceptable way of saying 'hello'.

8. I don't need to suddenly stand
straight up when I'm under the coffee table.

9. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before
entering the house - not after.

10. I will not come in from outside,
and immediately drag my butt across the carpet.

11. I will not sit in the middle of the living
room, and lick my crotch.

12. The cat is not a 'squeaky toy',
so when I play with him and he makes that noise,
it's usually not a good thing.

P.S. Dear God:

When I get to Heaven,
May I have my testicles back?

A walk in the Fall

   We decided to go for a drive to one of our favorite parks and check out the fall colors.   Hoss spent so much of his life chained in a yard he loves these outings and Zoey used to love this park.  The colors are spectacular already.

 We started out on the top of the hill where the grass is high and varied.  Hoss loved it.  He dragged Rick into the thick of it and then found a hill and sat and took it in.

   While they explored the tall grass I took photos.

   Finally they had circled the hill and Hoss led him safely back to the van.   Ricks legs are all scratched up from the grass

  Hoss just thought this was the neatest place and didn't want to leave but we had more to see.

 

Moving down the hill the colors were really bursting.  I was afraid since it has been so dry here we wouldn't have much of a fall but it was so pretty.

 

    

   The dock where I used to fish a lot was still there and I wished I had my pole.  Of course as soon as we got down to the lake Hoss jumped in and had a splash.

In the yard Hoss has been walking so good, loose leash and healing, sitting when I stop and stay and free.   Here it was sensory overload and Rick got a real workout on his bicep's keeping Hoss from dragging him all over.

  Hoss kept looking back to see what was taking me so long but I was busing taking pictures.

 

 

  I just love walking on paths like this with the leaves crunching underfoot and the smells of fall are so spicy and rich.

 

Rick kept pointing out things of interest to Hoss who dutifully looked and seemed to appreciate it.

   This lake full of duckweed really interested Hoss and it was all we could do to keep him from jumping in.   He likes the water a lot more then Zoey did.

 

   We did sit by the lake and rest as Hoss was pulling us at a pretty good clip.  Even the leaves on the ground were turning color and the Poison Ivy looks so pretty.  Didn't touch it though.

 

    We walked through the electrical campsites and all the dogs in their crates were barking at Hoss.   I was pretty proud that he just calmly walked through them all but then right in front of all the campers he swung his butt off the trail and left a huge reminded that he had been here.  It happened so quick I couldn't stop him and I was not prepared to pick it up.  We we all slunk off with our tails between our legs, well not Hoss since he has no tails.  He looked pretty darn pleased with himself in fact.

 

   Back around to the front of the lake again and the light was getting yucky so we packed up a very happy Hoss and drove home.

 

   I love the country in the fall.  Hoss had his head partly out of window and you could hear his lips flapping.

 

   I thought this small building looked so cool with that massive tree in the background.

 

   And of course barns always thrill me

 

    It was a great trip.   Hoss got home and collapse but I know he had as good a time as we did.

   We had hesitated to adopt a grown dog, would he bond with us, could we fix any bad habits.   Well it has been a joy.  No potty training,  no chewed up shoes.   It has been pretty fun so far.  So if you're thinking about it but just aren't sure give it a try.  Save a life. We are glad we did.

Hoss can Obey

 

 It has been 2 weeks today since we adopted Hoss and it is going amazingly well.  We were so lucky to have found him.  He is really a good dog and is getting even better with training.  We have had no accidents in the house, yeah.

       I have always done my own training of our dogs in the past but with hard headed stubborn Hoss being 2 and a half and set in some of his ways we decided taking a obedience class would help us train  him.   Rick and Hoss are taking the class which is good.   Rick wasn't as ready to get another dog as I was and although he liked Hoss OK he was not ready to open his heart to another dog.   Years ago it was the same way with Zoey.   Zoey wasn't Kari and he had no intention of falling in love with another dog and then going through the heartbreak of losing it.

  Believe me when I say I understand completely.  But,  I love animals.  I love having a dog around the house.  And with Rick not working he needs a dog around to keep him active, well he is always active,  but to give him someone to tend to while I am working. It has started a bond between them that I can see will be strong.

     So anyway.  Hoss had had little to none leash walking training.   That is the first thing we started working on.   We have walked miles and hours and he is doing so good.  He will now loose leash walk almost all the time unless he is intent on finding the perfect potty spot.  Rick has been working on heel and he is getting that down also,  especially after we have walked for a mile or 2.  He is getting so almost every single time we stop walking he will sit at our side and stay until we say free.  So smart.  And slowly he is learning not to jump on strangers and give them big sloppy kisses in their face.  They never are sure with him being so large if they are going to get a kiss or their face ripped off.

    Hoss does have some bad habits.  He is as stubborn as a mule.   Rick was working on training outside and when done wanted to come in.  Hoss did not want to come in.  Rick commanded,  Hoss laid down.  Rick tugged and said come,  Hoss rolled over on his back.  Rick finally had to pick him up and carry him in the house.    He will do the same thing in the van.  If he isn't ready to stop riding he won't get out of the van.  You have to lift him out.  Or if he gets into your seat it is a battle of wills to get him in the back seat.   We bought him a harness seatbelt to keep him safely in the back so he wouldn't climb on Ricks lap while driving and would safe if we ever had an accident.  You use the seatbelt to hold it in place.  Well Hoss figured out pretty quick how to put his big ole paw on the release and now that was a waste of money.  Instead I keep another leash wrapped around on the bottom of the back seat and clip him to that.  So far he has not figured how to get out of it.

   And we have found him on our kitchen table 3 times.  Yikes.  If we go out to work in the yard he will hop on the table to see us.  I have tried cans to scare him when they fall off, I think he thought that was great fun, keeping all the chairs flush to the table, he moves them out, and of course naughty dog, Ha, yeah like that works.  And he chewed on the leg of my beautiful 140 year old rocker I inherited from Betty.  First thing we did when we got him was get him a couple of wonderful chews toys, does he chew on them, oh no.  Cat toys, yes, kids toys, yes, antique rockers yes,  his own toys, heck no.

    So as you can see stubborn.  But oh so lovable.  He does not have a mean bone in his body.  Like Zoey you can clean out his ears, wash his face, trim his nail, look in his mouth, he takes it all in, happy to be at your side getting petted and primped over.  He will see a stranger at the store and roll over on his back to beg for a tummy rub.  Rather embarrassing but it works, he almost always gets the person to say, Ohhhh so cute and rub his belly.  He loves that.

   At night he sleeps, not on his dog bed, heck no, he sleeps on our antique bed.  So much more comfortable don't ya know.    We are just happy he isn't sleeping with us as he has a snore louder then Ricks.   We can still hear it from our bedroom but it is much better then if he were in our room.  The cat doesn't seem to mind as she has taken to sleeping with Hoss since it has gotten cooler.  And he will go to bed at 9 pm and sleep until 8:30.  

  Hoss also has this cute thing he does.  He purrs when you pet him.  I swear!  You pet him and this low rumbling comes out of his mouth and he looks so content and happy.  Makes you smile to hear it.

   The trainer and everyone that sees him thinks he is a boxer.  I think they may be right.  The woman that originally had seemed sure he was what I thought but he does look like a fawn boxer with a english bulldog type head.   Doesn't matter, they are both goofy friendly lovable dogs with a calm demeanor.  As long as he is friendly and lovable I don't care what breed.  We love him.  I think Zoey would have loved him.  Heck even Chester seems to like him.

   So do you think he looks like he has a boxer body?  I think he looks a little thin yet also but we are working on that.   Poor baby, with the allergies so bad his eyes are running as much as my nose.