If You Think THAT'S Bad...

Time to be humbled a bit.
Went out for drinks and appetizers with my good, artsy friend. My son describes her as a "Stepford Wife." I really like her, however. She's neurotic, just like me, and makes more messes while cleaning her house, which means it's actually better when she doesn't clean it!

Anyway, we went to Iovino's and sat at a window seat near the bar. I had my favorite Bavarian Hefeweizen and she had a "foo-foo" drink. We chatted, laughed, and told secrets. I had noticed an odd bruise on her neck, as well as a big, swollen-looking lumpy thing, but didn't say anything.

We'd been talking for about an hour when she said, "Yeah, well, I had to have a biopsy done on a tumor on my neck."

WHAT???!!!

For me, the laughter stopped. She said, "Don't worry, it's probably nothing."

NOTHING! There's a huge lump on her throat with 6-7 holes in it from being poked and jabbed!

She said, "The doctor told me it is an "active" cancerous tumor, but no details at this time. He's going to call me next week with results." She sipped from her foo-foo drink and batted her eyes.

I said, "Did the biopsy hurt?"

Her response: "Good God! They told me, 'Nothing to worry about. This won't hurt.' Those LIARS! When he poked the damn needle in me, my friend Jenny was with me. She was holding my hand. I just about broke hers as I screamed, 'F-n, s**t, you d*mn lying F***er!' at the technician with the needle." I mean, I really belted out some foul language, literally in his face!Jenny told me that everyone in the waiting room was staring at us as we exited the examining room."
My friend said she didn't notice, as she was flipping out from the pain. She said the needle was 4 inches long and she thinks it actually pierced her trachea!

I have nothing to complain about this evening.

Probably nothing tomorrow, as well.

Except that my Beautiful Daughter will be returning from Europe. Now MY vacation is over...

Dazed and Confused

Yeah, it's one of my favorites "blasts from the past."

I even played for many years on a co-ed softball team with the name.

It's a lifelong theme.

My son is actually sitting in the other room, watching the movie.

I cooked dinner (actually, heated up leftovers from last night) and he said, "Nah. I don't want any. I'm making my own dinner. He whipped up an amazing meal, using the pesto I "custom made" 3 days ago, after harvesting some basil in the garden. He used the leftover chicken. He used some shredded parmesan. He used a whole-grain SaraLee bagel. He used some sun-dried tomatoes. I even taught him how to use the broiler.

While I ate leftovers, he ate a masterpiece.

So, here's my quandry. I'm really, really depressed this evening. I am excited that the kids are independent, but I didn't prepare myself well enough for not-being-needed. Of course, I provide food, clothing, shelter, money, transportation, and more, but they act like they don't need me. I'm trying to be logical, and am remembering all that the therapist is teaching me, but it still hurts sometimes. For some reason, tonight is one of those times.

Man, I wish I could go see Robert Plant singing right now. That'd take my mind off this. Or, I wish Carnivorous Hippy was well and could go to a movie with me. Or, I wish we had furniture in our house, so I could go sit in the living room on a comfy couch. Or, I wish I had $500 to spend on something fun. A Led Zepplin concert. That'd be good...

More of My Hydrangea Collection...

See yesterday's post for the initial collection of hydrangeas from my garden.

Tonight, as we were sitting on the back deck, enjoying dinner, I realized I hadn't photographed any of the hydrangeas in my backyard area! So, here's more to see! Vibrant blue LaceCap
Purple-toned
Huge mophead Hydrangeas. These babies are fed nothing but garden compost, mint compost, and good, clean Oregon well water!
This shrub is creating multiple colors of flowers. It's in a partial shade garden that gets only 1 hour of direct sunlight each day. I believe the light affects the plant.
Giant Classic Mophead from my backyard! This borders a fence between us and our neighbors. The shrubs have now grown over the fence, in only 7 years!
Full view of the mopheads mentioned above
Pretty pastels here!
One last hydrangea. I remember buying this at Dancing Oaks Nursery, near Airlie, Oregon. It is one of the most expensive nurseries in the state, but produces the most sure-fire, beautiful, healthy plants I've ever owned...

Hydrangeas on a Sunday Morning...

While out sipping coffee and eating breakfast in the garden with my husband (we hvae no table/chairs in the house while the remodel is going on), I noticed that many of my hydrangeas have opened, now that it's late July. Grabbed the camera for some quick photos before heading in to begin priming the ceilings.Varigated Lacecap
Porcelain Hydrangea- rare and wonderful!
mixed mopheads
Little hiding mophead
Lacecap
Oakleaf Hydrangea
More of the oakleaf
Bluebird Lacecap Hydrangea
Little baby I planted 2 years ago. It peeks out from all of its older peers, but its color gives it strength amongst the giants!

Soft pastel pink/yellow mophead
Sisters from a foreign land- both were created in England back in the 1600s.
Along a backyard path
Nice little mix under the oak tree

Lacecaps!
Lacecap mixture
Another porcelain hydrangea
I believe this was called a "Hanging Bells" hydrangea, but I've lost track.

Ver rare Leatherleaf Hydrangea. I've nurtured this one for 7 years and it's now more than 8 feet tall in a "secret" shade garden!
I "created" this one. It's a long story. Someday, I'll explain...
Black-stem Hydrangea- one of my favorites!
Little bluebird lacecap I got at the Farmer's Market about 6 years ago.

Thanks for visiting!

Merit Pay? For Me?

Good grief! As a 22 year veteran of the public education system, doing just about any certified job there is, DON'T even think about giving me more money if my students do well on required assessments.
Better idea alert! To State Representative Andy Olsen: PAY THE STUDENTS to do better on standardized assessments. I'm not in this job for the money...obviously. It's the SERVICE that does it for me. But, good grief. I pretty much work as hard as anyone can work...reading, thinking, planning, engaging, sharing, inspiring, laughing, recording, dancing, pleasing, assessing, asking, begging, reasoning, crying, getting up each morning to do it all over again. Don't think that I'll work any harder for additional monies. I WORK MY ASS OFF for my students, district, parents, and employers! I would rather earn my current pay but have more support in recognizing my students for their work.
For just a second, consider this: With the extreme wide-range of needs and attitudes of my students, why not set up a system that directly benefits and molds their personal achievement an motivation. I sing, dance, buy trinkets, represent, extend my time for, give to, and deliver the most efficient lessons and units imagineable...but, if you think about it, it means absolutely NOTHING if students do not care to try.
Money to the kids! Yeah, that's right. Keep the pay system for educators in Oregon as-is, based on individual district agreements. Take that money and shove it into kids' pockets.

Tah-Dah!

Moving into Phase #4594 as we continue to quest to turn our 1969 ranch-style home into an Arts-and-Crafts-Style home. This week's adventure? Ceilings and Floors!

Snapped some quick photos, as I've done throughout the 7 years of work we've put into this place.

Hubby is continuing to remove all of the crap-errr-I mean- "texture" from the ceilings. Whoever invented that popcorn/cottage cheese s**t should be made to breathe in its nasty dust! Ah, we can see the light! This is the line of truth and knowledge.
Here's one corner of the formal living room area. It's tough to imagine how much furniture was in here just a short time ago. Everything is out and the work continues.
THIS is why we have to put in new carpeting! Uncle Theo, the Wonder Basset, had a very bad habit of stressing out when we first brought him home from the rescue place in Boise. For him, releasing stress came in the form of urine. Yes, folks, that dog pee-peed all over our carpet! I'll admit, however, that it's a blessing and a curse for me, as I HATED that carpet on the day we moved in. The previous owners had put in new carpet in order to sell the house. Now, imagine one of our older state representatives, in her 70's, having carpet put in. You got it, folks...peachy-pink, thickly soft, uuuggglllyyy carpet. Because of Theo the Wonder Basset, there is a clear and distinct reason for removal! Hooray! OK, so now I would guess that our dogs have cost us more than $20,000 over the years, not including food. Vet bills, surgeries, fencing, carpet, and chewed up furniture.

It Is Painful to Know Some Secrets

We're preparing for the big, final measurement of more than 2/3 of our home flooring. Wow. We have a LOT of s**t! I'm actually enjoying going through some of it, immediately filling bags of clothing for Vina Moses and boxes of "good stuff" for The Arc.

However, while Beautiful Daughter is away in Europe, it's tough to go into her room and clear it out, knowing she'll be SO MAD about the whole situation. We've left it as the last room to work on, thinking, at times, that maybe she'll be home first and do it herself. Alas, the measurement guy is coming today and wants clear floor space, since this is the final shot.

So, I blindly put most of her stuff into boxes, sort of just piling it in without looking. Bedding is currently in the washer and the bay window is all shined up, looking new again. However, there are those items which bring me anguish.

2+ years of treatment for eating disorders and obsessive-compulsive exercising, and the problem obviously remains. Found evidence of more purging and a box of laxatives. Granted, she's now more than 30 pounds heavier than 18 months ago and looks ABSOLUTELY gorgeous, but the problem obviously remains. I was reading more about eating disorders last night and every single professional says they are lifelong battles that CANNOT be won without very clearly designed plans and medical intervention. We've gone through all of that, but in the end, it now comes down to her being an adult, age 18.

My counselor says that I'm going to be working on not taking my children's actions personally. Ha! Yeah, right. I'm going to be in therapy for YEARS! :) The system works, though, and I'm going to place my faith in his advice and recommendations.

Like Carnivorous Hippy says, "Lighten up." Yeah, well, I could go completely bonkers, so, in some ways, I am lightened up right now. I'm not screaming or pulling my hair out. I'm not crying. I'm not walking around with my hair wild and dirty teeth, yet, but, man, I see how easy it happens to others.

I've been watching an HBO series given to me by the counselor on DVD called "Addiction." Shit, sometimes knowledge makes it more painful. I have a good friend whom was a student teacher in my classroom for 2 years and ended up getting hired in Corvallis then moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, to teach and be closer to her family. She once said, "It was great being a teacher for those first 2 years, as I didn't know as much as I know now and there was less to be worried about, as a result. Yeah, those words ring true.

I'm listening to Dave Matthews Band right now... Good music for mellowing out, packing boxes, and breathing. I once heard a radio DJ (female) say, "Dave Matthews just doesn't know that I'm his future wife...yet." I have to wonder, based on his music and lyrics, if he truly does have the ability to touch away fears...remember, he said, "Life is short, but sweet for certain," in the greatest song, "Crash."

We Placed the Order!

This is the carpet we've ordered. No, I'm NOT kidding. Handsome Husband and I have been looking at flooring for years. In the past month, we finally got serious and made the move. We've looked at hundreds of carpet samples and we kept coming back to this! I'm so proud of him, as it's HIS first choice and it's stylin'!

We're ending up going with Corvallis Floor Covering. The owner is an old friend of mine, not that that influenced our decision, but they have an excellent reputation. Originally, we'd gone to Home Depot and set everything up. Ugh. They suck. That's that. Cheaper prices but we don't trust the labor nor the final estimate. Besides, this way we're keeping our money local!

Hired 2 20-year-olds in the neighborhood to help move the last of the big furniture from the 2 biggest rooms. Between the 2 of them, there was an additional 750 pounds of young meat in our home. When one bent down to lift part of our hutch, I saw something that left me partially blind in my left eye. He REALLY needs a belt, I tell you!

Frumpy and Busy

Heard from Beautiful Daughter. She is in Barcelona, heading to London. Her wallet and camera were pick-pocketed while in a square in Barcelona, which is the pick-pocket capital of the world! She'd been warned. Her camera had more than 600 pictures from this European Dream-Come-True trip. Luckily, she'd listened to 1 thing I said and had her passport and license in an under-the-shirt holder. Man, if they'd gotten those, she'd be in BIG trouble. I am so disappointed in her right now...and feel guilty that I don't miss her. I'm a bad mom right now.

I saw a photo of myself from DaVinci Days. At first I didn't recognize that big woman, but I noticed that she had a shirt and capris exactly like mine! Ugh. I'm doing it...I'm going to fix what's broken in my life. I started seeing a counselor last week and I'm really, really happy that we hit it off right away. I hope to gain so much from this experience and learn to focus on the good and quit worrying so much. My weight is directly related to worry and loving food too much!

Handsome Husband and I spent the entire day working on the house upgrades. It's HORRID to have to move everything out, as we have a LOT of everything! However, we almost finished the living room and dining room. We also went to 2 local carpet folks and plan to skip going with Home Depot, as their estimate was more than $2500 off when the final bill came-due...so we dropped them and decided to keep our money local. We'll end up going with Corvallis Floor Covering, as the owner is an old friend and they are EXCELLENT at what they do! Wait until you see the carpet! Funky and colorful! Brightens our spirits!

Summer is settled.

Geocaching Fun at DaVinci Days in Corvallis!

For the 2nd year, I put in some time working at the Geocaching Arena at DaVinci Days! What fun! Set up on Friday was simple, as there were many helpers and the weather was cool. We set up tables, put on the table cloths, and proceeded to chat about our caching experiences. There are some SUPER funny people who are involved with this sport!

Today was also great, as it was competition day! Folks raced to find as many special event caches as possible within 2 hours. In the end, there were winners and no losers! Great prizes and great laughter.

Next year, I will organize the geocaching event, with the help of many fine cachers in the area! We are going to have a great time introducing others to the sport and swapping stories and adventures!

On my way home from DaVinci Days, decided to set out a new geocache for others to find. It's called "Dome View." Hot and sweaty on my return home.

Thanks to Leonardo daVinci for giving us all reason to celebrate the arts and technology!

Who remembers FREE WILLY?

I got a full-face memory zapped at me today while geocaching after getting off our boat in Hammond, Oregon. There is was- the man-made jetty that Ol' Silly himself jumped over in order to escape the evil humans and become, finally, a free whale! (Cue in Michael Jackson's song at this point) http://www.keiko.com/

The geocache was AWESOME! One of the toughest and most creative yet! Hubby and I took only about 4 minutes to make the find, while my mother paced back-and-forth, thinking this was really dumb. When I picked it up, however, and showed Hubby and Mom, her eyes actually did light up. "How odd," she said. I guess, from my perspective, since we've driven a total of 14 hours in 2 weekends to catch a damn sturgeon, and have come home empty-handed again, at least I caught a few caches!

It was odd! Very, very odd. Would've never thought of it, myself. However, I plan to make use of the idea soon for a Corvallis-area cache! TNLNSL

I Don't Like Zydeco

I'll admit it to you.

I actually get so sick while listening to the repetitive, continuous, boring music.

There are no lights to stimulate me.

There are no athletic dancers in front of the stage...just shaggy haired men and women wearing skirts and t-shirts, who are also shaggy-headed. They twirl each other around and say things like, "Yee-haw," forgetting that they're listening to a completely different genre.

I don't like the sound of the French language in this music, cause it's not really French. It's, well, kind of Canadian/Louisianan. Argue all you want, when I think of the romantic sound of a Frenchman wooing a woman, I ain't seein' no accordion in the picture.

DaVinci Days music has traditionally been really good. Tonight. Eh. Boring and repetitive.

Cat Invasion

I heard our kitty, Rocket the Cat, making a low, long, weird howling sound in the hallway. I went to take a look. She'd recently been ill and had stayed at the vet's office overnight, so I though maybe she was sick again. As I approached, I said, "What's the matter, Rocket?" I reached down and picked her up from behind. She HISSED really loudly and took a swat at me!

She's never, ever done that. I kind of freaked out and dropped her, but quickly picked her up again and walked to the couch. I was petting her and she began purring and settled down on her side, relaxed.

Then, I saw something out of the corner of my eye.

Movement in the hallway where we'd just been. It was Rocket the Cat! NO! It was some other cat! It came walking out of our bedroom! When it suddenly looked up and saw me, it ran back into the room! I put Rocket the Cat in the bathroom and closed the door. I went into our room and, ZOOM! 3 cats were in there, zooming around, freaked out that I'd surprised them! 2 ran under the bed and 1 ran out the door and down the hall!

I began picking up the piles of clothes I've let accumulate around our bed so I could look underneath, half-expecting a cat to claw my face. Instead, here were 2 little cats with HUGE eyes glaring at me, out of reach.

I decided to quit being so nice and took a slipper lying nearby and slapped it firmly, over and over, on the carpet and said, "Get!"

Zoom! Those 2 cats zipped out of the room and down the hall, through the living room, dining room, and out the French doors to the backyard!

Good grief! Now I'll have to stop leaving the doors open.

Geocaching Continues to Haunt Me...

Today, after dropping off Dood (see earlier post) for his surgery appointment at Alpine Animal Hospital, Jim Dandy and I went geocaching in the Adair Village area! Long ago, I lived in Adair. My son, who is now 16, was born while we lived there. I have haunted memories of that place. It was while living there that I first decided I wanted a divorce. Then, I was suddenly pregnant, so, being an idiot, thought, "Must be devine intervention." So, I dropped the file. 2 babies needed 2 parents, right?

Needless to say, a few years later, when my son was 2 and daughter was 4, the divorce was inevitable, so I proceeded with the action. It was horrible, to say the least. It was so bad that, had I not had children, I may have offed someone---possibly myself! However, those days are gone and the ex and I have managed to work quite well together for the past 14 years as "shared-parents." We're mature enough to know that conflict gets us nowhere...not to say there hasn't been conflict, but we never, ever let-on to the kids. They have done very well. However, there have been days that I honestly believe it would have been better for them to have just lived with ME full-time. I'm not on an ego-trip, I just know that I'm a really good mom. Dad has a tendency to not pay good attention to the details as a parent, which can easily be traced to many of the biggest troubles our kids have gotten into...

Back to the geocaching side of things...

I hunted and hiked for about 2.5 hours. It was a beautiful morning! Sunny. Cool breeze. Only about 75 degrees. Jim Dandy had a blast chasing rabbits and grasshoppers while I hunted. However, there was so much FPO (remember...poison oak...and what the "f" stands for? See earlier post) I couldn't get to 2 caches! I thought about it, really, really hard, knowing that I have 2 bottles of Tecnu in the car, so I can clean off FPO oils, but I just coudn't bring myself to do it! I haveFPO on my legs right now and I makes me absolutely INSANE! So, rather than be stupid enough to risk it, I decided these caches are better off being found in the Winter, when the FPO is dead.

I did manage to find some good caches, though. Fun, fun, fun...

Poi, Son! Oak!

Due to a recent personal outbreak, even after using Tecnu (my favorite skin cream, these days), I thought it might be nice to share with others the joy of a poison oak rash. One thing that really bothers me is the fact that so many people think: a) a rash is contagious and b) the rash spreads.

Poison Ivy,Oak,or Sumac - Topic Overview
From WebMD

What are poison ivy, oak, and sumac?
Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are plants that can cause a skin rash called allergic contact dermatitis when they touch your skin. The red, uncomfortable, and itchy rash often shows up in lines or streaks and is marked by fluid-filled bumps (blisters) or large raised areas (hives). It is the most common skin problem caused by contact with plants (plant dermatitis).
See a picture of poison ivy, oak, and sumac leaves.
What causes a poison ivy, oak, or sumac rash?
The rash is caused by contact with an oil (urushiol) found in poison ivy, oak, or sumac. The oil is present in all parts of the plants, including the leaves, stems, flowers, berries, and roots. Urushiol is an allergen, so the rash is actually an allergic reaction to the oil in these plants. Indirect contact with urushiol can also cause the rash. This may happen when you touch clothing, pet fur, sporting gear, gardening tools, or other objects that have come in contact with one of these plants. But urushiol does not cause a rash on everyone who gets it on his or her skin.
What are the symptoms of the rash?
The usual symptoms of the rash are:
Itchy skin where the plant touched your skin.
Red streaks or general redness where the plant brushed against the skin.
Small bumps or larger raised areas (hives).
Blisters filled with fluid that may leak out.
The rash usually appears 8 to 48 hours after your contact with the urushiol. But it can occur from 5 hours to 15 days after touching the plant.1 The rash usually takes more than a week to show up the first time you get urushiol on your skin. But the rash develops much more quickly (within 1 to 2 days) after later contacts. The rash will continue to develop in new areas over several days but only on the parts of your skin that had contact with the urushiol or those parts where the urushiol was spread by touching.
The rash is not contagious. You cannot catch or spread a rash after it appears, even if you touch it or the blister fluid, because the urushiol will already be absorbed or washed off the skin. The rash may seem to be spreading, but either it is still developing from earlier contact or you have touched something that still has urushiol on it.
The more urushiol you come in contact with, the more severe your skin reaction. Severe reactions to smaller amounts of urushiol also may develop in people who are highly sensitive to urushiol. Serious symptoms may include:
Swelling of the face, mouth, neck, genitals, or eyelids (which may prevent the eyes from opening).
Widespread, large blisters that ooze large amounts of fluid.Without treatment, the rash usually lasts about 10 days to 3 weeks. But in people who are very sensitive to urushiol, the rash may take up to 6 weeks to heal.
How is the rash diagnosed?
The rash usually is diagnosed during a physical examination. Your health professional will examine the rash and ask questions to find out when you were exposed to the plant and how long it took the rash to develop. If you are not sure whether you were exposed to a plant, he or she will ask about your outdoor activities, work, and hobbies.
How is the rash treated?
Most poison ivy, oak, or sumac rashes can be treated successfully at home. Initial treatment consists of washing the area with water immediately after contact with the plants. To relieve symptoms, use wet compresses and take cool baths. Nonprescription antihistamines and calamine lotion also may help relieve symptoms. Moderate or severe cases of the rash may require treatment by a doctor, who may prescribe corticosteroid pills, creams, ointments, or shots (injections).
How can I prevent the rash from poison ivy, oak, and sumac?
The best way to prevent the rash is to learn to identify and avoid the plants. When you cannot avoid contact with the plants, heavy clothing (long pants, long-sleeved shirt, and vinyl gloves) and barrier creams or lotions may help protect you.
Frequently Asked Questions

Ahhhh....I See the Light! (picture me on a mountaintop with my arms spread wide before the rising sun!)

Yes, folks, raising teenagers DOES kind of suck. I thought it was me, but it's not. It's THEM. Seriously, folks. They are experts at: *being sneaky *breaking rules *being lazy *did I mention breaking rules? *Being absolutely marvelous at the right times.

The daughter, you know the one in Europe right now? Yeah, well, she's in for a rude awakening when she returns. I'm cutting the amount of money I was going to "give" her for college in half. Yeah, that's right, HALF! I have my own debts and needs to fulfill. She's 18. She knows everything. Now, she'll really "know."

And, the son, you know, the one who I used to think was absolutely amazing in every way but who chose to violate the law on his very first day with a driver's license? Yeah, that one. Well, he's managed to make it halfway through summer without getting a real job. He told me he'd been applying and I saw him filling out applications. But, duh! I didn't see him return the applications. No, they're sitting on his bedroom floor. Filled in. But not submitted. Oh, and when we left for a mini-anniversary, I asked him to house-sit, thinking I knew he needed the money and would do a good job. Ha! Instead, the night of our first day away, he proceeded to have a party in our house, including time spent around the fire pit. See, he's dumb. He left all of the chairs out in a big circle. And, these boys are soooooooo stupid that they put their empty bottles IN OUR RECYCLING BIN! Good grief! I thought he was so much smarter!I'll have to stop giving him so much credit!

So, now that I've moved into the lazy days of summer, myself, I've got some time to refocus my thoughts and energies. No more allowance for the kids. Nope. I need that $100/month for myself. No more offers of letting them take the cars when they need to go into town. They have bikes. Oops! How stupid of me! I forgot that my daughter is dumb enough to leave her bike at the high school without locking it up, so she could go run around with friends. $600 gone, just like that! Good grief! What an idiot she is. Now, back to refocusing...

Here's what I intend to do with the rest of my vacation:

1. geocache every day

2. ride my bike or walk on the treadmill at least 45 minutes each day.

3. do my own laundry.

4. lock my doors everytime I leave the house.

5. hide all of the spare car keys

6. love my husband up and down

7. take a trip to the beach with just my dogs and my GPS

8. call Carnivorous Hippy daily...DAILY, I tell you!

9. eat right

10. Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night.

There, that's it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll also do housework and clean out the garage. Oh, and I'll help take ALL of the furniture out of the house, since we're getting new ceilings and carpet. Oh, and I'll box up all of daughter's stuff so that her bedroom now will become my sitting and reading and crafting space. Yes, I know, there's too much to do, but, now that I don't have to spend time taking care of my kids so much, I'll be able to do it!

So, This Dog Goes Into the Vet...

This is Dood. He's the twin brother of Jim Dandy. Dood and Jim Dandy turned 7 this year.

Jim Dandy is the alpha-male. He runs the show and has everything figured out.

Dood, on the other hand, is the submissive boy, who most folks think is a girl. He falls onto his back when we approach him, quite often, displaying his complete submission to our desires. Dood is very special in our hearts and home.

Today, I took Dood to the vet. I found a rather large lump on his neck and it had this horrid, fatty-looking gunk coming out of it! The trip was uneventful. The vet said, "Hmmm...Looks like a lump with fatty-looking gunk coming out of it. We'll schedule surgery for, oh, can you do this coming Thursday?" So, there you go. Dood usually gets the short end of the stick when it comes to good health. He's had 2 surgeries already in his sort life, has gotten salmon poisoning, ...the list goes on and on. He's cautious, won't swim, and would rather stay right by our sides than venture out to capture small mammals in the field by our house, unlike his brother and our BIG, FAT Basset Hound (Theo).

I guess there are "Doods" all over the world who live their lives, doing all they can to please others, who end up getting the short end of the stick. I love Dood to pieces, but can guiltally admit that if I could keep only 1 of our dogs, it would be alpha-male, Wild Dog of the Pacific Northwest, Jim Dandy. Theo smells and is fat, so he's out. Dood, well, he's sweet, but not much goin' on upstairs.

The vet visit ran me $59.00 so that I could hear the vet repeat my words precisely.

Funny Things...

Notice it's NOT "Bait and Tackle." Yeah, that would be interesting!This is, SERIOUSLY, what was required for putting bait on the line! No, really...hook the anchovie through the gill/eye/cheek, then create 3-4 cinch knots around his little body before pitching it into the drink!Mr. Smith wanted his catch to really look big. It was the ONLY catch that day. Way to go, MCS!
I truly love living in Oregon and I am so lucky to have such an amazing husband and good friends! MCS and CH...thanks for being our friends! :)

There are 2 Definitions---

Definition Number 1:
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
stur·geon
Audio Help /ˈstɜrdʒən/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[stur-juhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural (especially collectively) -geon, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) -geons.
any of various large fishes of the family Acipenseridae, inhabiting fresh and salt North Temperate waters, valued for their flesh and as a source of caviar and isinglass: A. brevirostrum, of the Atlantic coast, is endangered.
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME <>

Definition #2:

Something not found in the North River boat owned by Handsome Husband and BoggyWoggy