Two freight trains going opposite directions

Walking two pit bulls is a challenge. I anticipated this would take some training (me and them). Tonight I had to take them both to the v-e-t. It's a close walk, so we headed out on foot. It was exhausting. It's like having, I imagine, two 3-year olds---one weighing 70#s and the other weighing 40#s---trying to rip you in half. No wonder my back is jacked. This week I can move without excrutiating pain; last week, not so much. We found out that Lazlo is the "picture of health," and Mia may have allergies. That's it---we're returning her!! No, they gave us some shampoo and spray to help her quit itching. And by gave I mean charged $280.

waiting for the dr.

Hallelujah it's the weekend. I have tomorrow off so I get a 3-dayer. If you need a good weekend song, and who doesn't, here it is. I'm going to try to do this project where you take a photo of whatever you are doing every thirty minutes for 3 days (Fri, Sat, Sun). I don't think I will last the whole time; I can barely remember to take my meds every day. But I will give it my best effort.

So I'm going to also try an internet hiatus. I have checked out 8 books from the library, I need to start our end-of-the-year-update cards, and of course Dog Tending. So I'm going to unplug. I don't know how long it will last before I start going into convulsions and having hallucinations.

We've traded rain for cold lately and I'm none too pleased. I'd rather have rain. I don't live in Montana anymore for a reason and that reason is that I'm cold-blooded. Just ask Keith.

taking the bus home, in a fog

CLICK ON IT ^^^^ FOR A READABLE SIZE. © Joe Sayers

papillon

So...today wasn't the best day. If you know me then you'll know what I'm sayin'. I did however have a moment of clarity. I was rolling a 2-wheeler of PW5500's (don't ask), from the warehouse into shipping and a butterfly landed on me. Now remember, it's 32° and snowing outside. This caused me to stop and contemplate...for about 15 seconds, anyway. WTF. I disregarded this almost as fast as it happened. My work day ended and home I went. We took the dogs for a walk and then I went to the store. On the way home I ran into "Cowboy". One of the local homeless dudes. We had a short chat, I gave him my gloves and $5. He said "God Bless". I didn't. I went home and started a load of laundry and walked into the trash room. There was the usual junk and a couple of board games. One of them was Rummikub. If you haven't played before then you should because it kicks ass. I took it upstairs to show April my score. She laughed, like she always does when I scavenge something from the "heap". She opened it and along with the game pieces there was a notepad outlined with insects. It is one of those pads with a magnet on the back so you can hang it on your frig. Written on the top piece of paper was this message. "To whom it may concern: if today an insect lands on you, then you'll know that this note is for you. The end." I have been incredibley lucky lately. I got to see my best friends, I got a new dog and everyday I get closer to the person I want to be. Thanks for reading. kb

Happy Thanksgiving

Things I am thankful for this year (in random order)

• my dogs!
• Wellbutrin ®
• rain gear
• oh yeah, Keith
• weekends off
• friends
  
• strawberry lime Jones soda
• public transportation
• voodoo doughnut
• my very supportive family

We're off to visit my family in Idaho. It's going to be a fun weekend involving pet wrangling (4 dogs, 5 cats), board games, gorging on food, making paper, celebrating a birthday (Happy 24th Amanda!), and much relaxing.

Meet Mia.

We went to the shelter today specifically to see Nadine. We met her, introduced her Lazlo, took them for a walk.

And then decided we should keep her.

She's a lover and plays well with Lazlo. They wrestled for the first hour or so we got home. Now she's sleeping (on his bed). I think we made a good decision.

And Nadine wasn't working for us, so we're changing it to Mia (as in Mrs. Mia Wallace).

Welcome to the family, Mia!!!!

Nadine?

Breed: Pit Bull Terrier Mix (dalmation pit mix)
Sex: Female
Age: 1 1/2 years
Weight: 35 lbs
You wont believe how far I have traveled, just to find a place to call home. I used to live in New Orleans but there are some bad things that happened there and a lot of us were left without a home or family. So I came all the way to Oregon in hopes of finding my lucky new guardians. My name is Nadine and I bet you can’t wait to meet me, I know I can’t wait to meet you. I am a sweet, happy, active girl who is just the perfect size with beautiful super short white and black coat. I am already housebroken and crate trained too. I love to play with other dogs and will be fine around respectful children but I need a home without those pesky felines! Why is such a smart, cute, dainty, lovely little girl like me still looking for place to call home? I sure as heck don’t know! Come get me out a here and I’ll let you pamper and spoil me rotten! 1-2 years old-35lbs. My adoption fee is $160 and includes; current shots, microchip, spay , 5 week Training Class, free veterinary exam ,1 month pet health insurance, leash/collar, food sample, toy & Treat packet.

I turn my camera on

Keith's group shot @ Vegetarian House

There was a break in the rain today and the sun was out. It was very nice. Lazlo and I went to the dog park and he slid around like a linebacker on a muddy field chasing his Frisbee. He didn't get exercise beyond 2 short walks yesterday because of the weather. So he got 2 park visits today which is like winning the dog lottery. However, muddy park = muddy bed. Keith yells at me, "Get your (my??) dog off the bed." And I ripped my yoga pants on the table!

dog park mud hole, a favorite attraction/water dish

My friend since about 1st grade, Autumn (top photo), was in town so we walked (distance grossly miscalculated!) to Vegetarian House for some outstanding food. We had ham* fried rice, pork* fried rice, orange chicken*, and chicken* chow mein. And we each had 2 spring rolls and honestly, I could have eaten a dozen or more. Keep em comin. Also, their kung pao chicken* is fantastic, but also $10. (Worth it really.)

Correction: The cow will not being giving as much milk as possible. That is all.

And of course we walked by Voodoo Doughnut on the way home (breakfast...mmmm). Then Keith chastised me for giving money to a guy who handed me a note saying it was his 3rd day in town, from Memphis, and he would not "rob, rape, or kill" me and he couldn't talk because his mother tried to kill him when he was a baby. Keith thinks I am a sucker. I think that a) what you give out comes back plus b) if was conning me he deserves something for coming up with a very good plot line. The Street Kids downtown hold signs that say "Just want to get drunk," etc. I'd rather fund someone with real problems. Yeah, I just wanna get drunk, too. Learn to support your own habits. That's what the rest of us do.

Yesterday I got paid to show Andy how to make paper. He was ecstatic. Tomorrow afternoon we are going to a craft store to buy more deckles. Another paper-making weekend.

everydayisagoodday everydayisagoodday everydayisagoodday everydayisagoodday

What happiness to wake, alive again,

Into this same grey world of winter rain!

Especially if it's a payday Friday and you only work a half day.
That's a good day.

These are from a couple of days ago (when it wasn't raining!).

Paper-making class went awesome and we are going back this weekend. After that we plan to buy a deckle and start our own little recycled paper sweatshop. If you get a card from us this year it will be on handmade-blood-and-sweat-infused recycled paper. We're all about the recycling this year. Went to SCRAP and loaded up with stuff. Total= $3.50!

Movie theme has shifted. We didn't stay on roads/interstates/byways long. Now we are on States. So far we have watched:

• My Own Private Idaho--I had never seen it, but it's Van Sant and since we are in Portland.... (he lives in Portland). But it's distracting to watch a movie that's filmed in a city you are familiar with because you're always trying to figure out where they are. [Same thing with Drugstore Cowboy. Only Keith and I walked by the Drugstore Cowboy house the other day---it's in our neighborhood! It's on the National Historic Register. And it's for sale.] I really didn't care for Keanu Reeves's character's actions at the end. But overall, good movie. Also starring the late great (fellow vegan) River Phoenix.
  
• Mississippi Mermaid--Catherine Deneuve plays a mail-order bride. Drama ensues. Best thing about this film is the scenery: Reunion Island. Someone on Buzznet actually lives there!
  

Next up (this weekend): North to Alaska and Nevada Smith. Oh yeah. You can't go wrong with some John Wayne and Steve McQueen. Seriously, you can't.

And Keith saw that Season 6 of The Sopranos was out on DVD so we ended up watching 3 hours of that last night. Once you start, you can't stop.

It's a good weekend for indoor activities, says the Weather Channel:
In addition to rain rain rain rain, WINDS COULD ALSO GUST TO AT LEAST 60 MPH .

How to Hear God's Voice Guaranteed Seminar

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No, Keith and I did not choose the above class after (not) much dilberation.

Instead we are going to a paper making class on Sunday! Yes, that's right. We are adding Paper Making to the managerie of skills that will sustain us via non-tradition employment hopefully for the rest of our lives. Our latest ideascheme has been some kind of food vendor trailer that would be pulled by a VW biodiesel bus to county fairs/concerts/car shows/drag races/carnivals/. We were (are) thinking a) vegan corn dogs b) sweet potato fries c) savory waffles with various fillers (like a sandwich/taco...Keith suggests the name Wafflewich) d)....

toothpaste for dinner

How we came up with this outstanding and completely feasible idea is: 1. Bob's family used to do this with a french fry wagon and 2. We want to be able to travel with our dog and still make enough money to get by. Getting by in the living-in-the-parking-lot-of-of-the-carnival in the VW camperbus with our pit bull and reading lights sense? Perhaps. Maybe some chess or cribbage. But the point is: we would be happy. Our trip to the Ranch really reawakened our urge to be able to make enough money to live off the radar while being together as much as possible. (Plus, the dog.) And we want to travel. So what better idea than a food wagon? Of course Keith is the jefe and I will make an excellent cashier/public relations manager. Also, Lead Sign Maker.

So, taking one step closer to reaching our goals, tomorrow we are going to SCRAP to get supplies for our paper making class on Sunday. Our weekend is shaping up nicely.

Doggy Style

One of the blogs I have an unexplainable compulsion to read features a dog that appears with things balanced on his head, etc. (Do yourself a favor, watch this!)

Well, here he is dressed up for Halloween:

• as Yoda
• as Princess Leia
• as Darth Vader
  

I think that dog looks like a taxidermy'd dog. His eyes. Hilarious however.

Last Halloween he was a cow.

This inspires me to make Lazlo wear more things. Yesterday at the dog park a St. Bernard puppy had on a tutu. It was great. Of course, Lazlo was wearing his stylish new coat, but no costume because his parents are cheap and lazy. Luckily we had no trickertreaters as we had nothing to give and wouldn't have enjoyed being tricked. Who knows with kids these days?

It feels good to sleep in the new bedroom. It's a new room now that it's painted and we're moved back in. A grown-up bedroom. For reals.

Halloween consisted of watching Pet Semetary. It was SCARY!!! And eating popcorn, etc.

It's supposed to rain until Tueday. Wish me luck.