Sunday, July 24, 2005
Strange days
Yay, today is supposed to *only* 99 degrees. Nice drop from the heat of the beginning of the week.
Yesterday I guess several planets came together or something, and we were finally able to make some major strides in our Living Room Project. One of the obstacles had been a treadmill that weighed about eleventy hundred pounds, that we wanted the World's Best Son-in-law Nigel(1) to come help us shift from one side of the room to the other. But before we did that, we moved the desk/bunk combo (all by our ownselves!) halfway across so I could do another long-hanging project. (*tries and fails to think of a good "I'll be in my bunk" joke. Moves on.*)
Unfortunately when I bought these fixtures (back in the 20 minutes we felt flush after getting the tax refund), I didn't notice they came without "light kits", the little cluster of bulb holders that give you actual room light. So now I have to go try to find chrome ones. Still, this one is pretty, and it works, two very good things.
Today we are busy putting things back in new places, cleaning as we go. At this minute I am resting before starting the biggish job of rehanging the sailfish. Which has, of course, turned itself into a more complex job because it slipped off the box I had it sitting on to measure it, and the nose broke! So I have to go buy some epoxy glue and putty....
(1) In case anyone doubts Nigel's qualifications for this title, in addition to lifting heavy objects yesterday, he insisted on helping out with an unexpected emergency which was WAY above and beyond the call.
You may remember me mentioning Sheila, one of our dogs. She was actually crazy, and not in a cute, endearing way, I'm afraid. Sheila was a rescue we took in, but despite intense effort (from both sides), she just never got really...normal. She bit several family members over the years, appointed herself the Fun Police in the turn-out pen and barked like mad when the other dogs tried to play, and in the past few years refused to come in the house at all, in any weather conditions, unless dragged (or when she found a way to BREAK in). Her one saving grace was that if Mike went into the pen and caught her, she would reluctantly go on a walk with him.
So yesterday when Nigel and Damaris showed up, they noticed right away that Sheila was NOT barking at them in her usual hysterical volume 11 way. She was dead, laying on the ground beside the ramp where the dogs go in and out of the house, and in a strange position. Her head was sort of tucked under her chest with her face down, almost like she had fallen off the ramp. (Or was PUSHED?) She's been eating, they had water, all the others are fine. Kind of a mystery. Well, she WAS our oldest dog, so who knows?
As it has been so very hot lately, her remains were not in the best condition they could have been, and I'll just stop right there. But while Nigel did the furniture moving, Caro went to dig a hole. As soon as he was done inside, he hurried out to help finish the job, despite it being...well, really gross.
Once the sad task was done and the pen cleaned up a bit, we put the two who are more outside dogs (Appy and Climber would fight to the death if they ever got the chance) back in. What was sad and weird is that Buddy and Appy sniffed around a little bit...and then they started to frisk and play, as if they were celebrating being able to do it would being scolded.
Bye, Sheila. I hope you'll learn how to have fun in your next life.
Yesterday I guess several planets came together or something, and we were finally able to make some major strides in our Living Room Project. One of the obstacles had been a treadmill that weighed about eleventy hundred pounds, that we wanted the World's Best Son-in-law Nigel(1) to come help us shift from one side of the room to the other. But before we did that, we moved the desk/bunk combo (all by our ownselves!) halfway across so I could do another long-hanging project. (*tries and fails to think of a good "I'll be in my bunk" joke. Moves on.*)
Unfortunately when I bought these fixtures (back in the 20 minutes we felt flush after getting the tax refund), I didn't notice they came without "light kits", the little cluster of bulb holders that give you actual room light. So now I have to go try to find chrome ones. Still, this one is pretty, and it works, two very good things.
Today we are busy putting things back in new places, cleaning as we go. At this minute I am resting before starting the biggish job of rehanging the sailfish. Which has, of course, turned itself into a more complex job because it slipped off the box I had it sitting on to measure it, and the nose broke! So I have to go buy some epoxy glue and putty....
(1) In case anyone doubts Nigel's qualifications for this title, in addition to lifting heavy objects yesterday, he insisted on helping out with an unexpected emergency which was WAY above and beyond the call.
You may remember me mentioning Sheila, one of our dogs. She was actually crazy, and not in a cute, endearing way, I'm afraid. Sheila was a rescue we took in, but despite intense effort (from both sides), she just never got really...normal. She bit several family members over the years, appointed herself the Fun Police in the turn-out pen and barked like mad when the other dogs tried to play, and in the past few years refused to come in the house at all, in any weather conditions, unless dragged (or when she found a way to BREAK in). Her one saving grace was that if Mike went into the pen and caught her, she would reluctantly go on a walk with him.
So yesterday when Nigel and Damaris showed up, they noticed right away that Sheila was NOT barking at them in her usual hysterical volume 11 way. She was dead, laying on the ground beside the ramp where the dogs go in and out of the house, and in a strange position. Her head was sort of tucked under her chest with her face down, almost like she had fallen off the ramp. (Or was PUSHED?) She's been eating, they had water, all the others are fine. Kind of a mystery. Well, she WAS our oldest dog, so who knows?
As it has been so very hot lately, her remains were not in the best condition they could have been, and I'll just stop right there. But while Nigel did the furniture moving, Caro went to dig a hole. As soon as he was done inside, he hurried out to help finish the job, despite it being...well, really gross.
Once the sad task was done and the pen cleaned up a bit, we put the two who are more outside dogs (Appy and Climber would fight to the death if they ever got the chance) back in. What was sad and weird is that Buddy and Appy sniffed around a little bit...and then they started to frisk and play, as if they were celebrating being able to do it would being scolded.
Bye, Sheila. I hope you'll learn how to have fun in your next life.
Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
