Gas

I started a new job today.

I was hoping to work as a receptionist at the local animal hospital, and all seemed well. However, they couldn't guarantee that I would be out by 3 pm on Saturday and Sunday, so I couldn't take the job. I have to be able to make my AA meetings.

Then the other day, while buying coffee at the gas station/convenience store down the road, the family who just bought it offered me a job. I hadn't mentioned that I was looking for a job; they just asked me if I'd like to come work for them. I'm in there all the time, and they know my husband. I was talking with one of them about how I was putting myself through college, and that's when the offer was made. I thought about it, and it makes sense. It isn't glamorous, but it's honest and they are willing to be completely flexible regarding my school and AA schedule. Besides, it isn't even a 1/4 mile down the road from my house. All in all, ideal. I went in tonight to start training, and I think it went pretty well for the most part. There are two separate registers: one for the pumps and credit cards, the other for all of the stuff from the convenience store. But the gas info also has to be entered into the normal register. I'm getting used to all of the buttons and which order they have to be pushed, and have no doubt I'll have it down cold soon. The lottery machine went down about halfway through my shift, though, so I still have next to no clue how that works; I'll have to learn that on Thursday, when I go in again. And no, I didn't do anything to screw it up. It did it to itself.

I thought the pay was going to be minimum wage, but in fact my starting pay here is almost as much as I made as an assistant supervisor at my old job! Even if I only work 20hrs/wk, I'll still be making more than I was receiving in comp payments. And while I'm talking about worker's comp...

Now, a month after my benefits have run out, three years after I was injured, the state of Massachusetts (where it happened) has sent me a pamphlet explaining the WC laws in that state, outlining my options and rights. In other words, they just sent the info I should have received 3 yrs. ago when I was injured. I'm sure I'll be able to laugh about that soon, but for now it's left me feeling a little grim.

So, to sum it up, I'm working at a gas station/convenience store while going to school, and it's going to be ok.

Of course, this gas station has been robbed 3 times in the past 12 yrs, but always after the place was closed for the night. Nothing to worry about, right? *G*

We bought these signs in TN to hang in the log cabin, in honor of its gas station roots in the 30's.

Spilling Over

In the Opryland Hotel

This place was beautiful... and huge! We were forever getting lost and turned around, and judging by overheard conversations, others were as well. Here are some of the things we saw inside of the immense hotel:


Standing on a skyway, looking at our balcony-

Continuing along that skyway, you enter a cave behind a waterfall. There were two holes through which people could view the atrium through the falling water-




Entering the Delta atrium from the "Magnolia" entrance-




This waterspout would rise up and fall down, gaining height each time, until it reached around 100', seen here-




Seen in the Delta river-




One of the many waterfalls to be found in the hotel-

On to Nashville

Last Friday, we said good-bye to Gatlinburg and drove four hours northwest to Nashville. We've been there before; it's a pretty nice city, at least downtown. I'm not so sure about some of its outskirts these days.

Anyway, we were staying at the posh Gaylord Opryland hotel just outside of Nashville. It's conveniently located next to the Opry Mills Mall, and the Grand Ole Opry itself. The hotel was so incredible that, other than going out for dinner, shopping and movie viewing (Harry Potter) at the mall on Friday, and the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday, we never left the building. There are over 9 acres of gardens inside 3 indoor atriums: Cascades, Conservatory, and the Delta. There's a Delta river running through that atrium, with a boat ride. The water of that river is comprised of water taken from rivers all over the world, and from all fifty states. Plaques next to it name the rivers and their origins. The river which runs through my town was listed! :0)

Our room was luxurious with a balcony which overlooked the Cascades atrium. All of these atrium gardens had waterfalls, koi ponds, statues, nooks and crannies and romantic hideaways, shops and restaurants carefully blending in with their environments. It was just incredible.

I have to run now, but I'll tell you more about it, and share more photos, tomorrow. This shot was taken from our balcony. Remember, all of the photos you'll see of this part of our trip were taken indoors!

It Only Stings for a Moment

Gatlinburg Attractions

For the first couple of days, it was the sort of heat which flattens a person. Instead of spending a lot of time outdoors, we went shopping, or to the aquarium, that sort of thing. One day we took the sky gondola- called Ober Gatlinburg- to the top of a mountain on which there was a small mall and amusement park. There's also a bear habitat which houses some bears which were born in captivity and can't be released in the wild.

The following days were rainy, and again we were constrained to indoor activities. Our favorite indoor afternoon was spent at a really cool place called Wonderworks. Billed as an amusement park for the mind, there's something there for the whole family and one could easily spend all afternoon there. As you'll see from the photo below, the building was made to look as though it was tipped upside down. This is carried through into the lobby. When you walk in, you look up and see the black-and-white marble foyer floor on the ceiling, the staircase leading from it is upside down, and the paintings which would have been hung on the walls had tumbled down and appear to be dangling from stairs and ledges, all as if the building had been turned on its head, so to speak. Here and there steel girders show through as if they had broken through the walls when the house was flipped. It was so cool! Once you move beyond the lobby and into the attractions, there's just so much to see and do. There's an earthquake cafe, made to look like a booth in a diner. You sit in it and experience an earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale. There's also a hurricane tunnel which blasts you with 65 mile/hr winds. There are computers stationed around that area with quizzes to test your knowledge of natural and man-made disasters. As you wander further in, there's a climbing wall, a swing which you try (and can!) to get to go over the top bar. There are virtual reality games which put you into a basketball game, an air fight, baseball, and many more. There's an entire section devoted to space travel, with an excellent 3-D movie which had the children swatting at planets which came swooping towards their little faces, or so they thought. *G* There's the green screen which captures your shadow, freezing it even after you've moved. You can lie down on a bed of nails or play Guess the Theme song from movies and television. There's a huge art gallery filled with Escher-style paintings, or "How many people do you see?" paintings, or sculptures which look like a mass of sticks but which, when light is shined on them, casts shadows on the wall which look like the Mona Lisa, a space ship or a bucking horse. There's a bathroom with glass walls which fog over when the door is shut and locked behind you. At the very end is an arcade, and lazer [sic] tag, for those who wanted it. I'm leaving lots of stuff out, but you get the idea.

If you're ever in Pigeon Forge (next town over from Gatlinburg) this is a place that you don't want to miss!

On the last day in Gatlinburg, the weather cleared and we were able to go hiking. But I'll save that for another time.

View from our balcony-

Sawfish and shark swimming overhead through their tank at the aquarium-




Bears at Ober Gatlingburg-




Wonderworks-

Gatlinburg- Hotel and Dining

Moist. Damp. Steamy.

That was our first hotel room in Gatlinburg, and not because of any clandestine activities on our part; it was like that when we walked in.

I had requested a room with a balcony overlooking the creek, which is what we got. But our hotel was built on the side of a hill, and our room was at basement level on one side, overlooking the creek on the other. Our balcony was only a couple of feet over the creek and the moisture from it had seeped into the carpet, the furniture, the bedding. It had a musty smell, and I knew immediately that I wouldn't book a room there again. The mattress was really soft and the left edge sloped up sharply; turning over on that side was like trying to roll up a hill instead of down it. But the balcony over the creek was incredibly peaceful; we spent most of our "at-home" time there and it made up for a multitude of sins, as the saying goes. Besides, we were only staying there for 4 days before moving on to Nashville, so we put up with the dampness, and the amusingly-thin walls. Did I mention that there were newlyweds in the next room one night? I thought at first that I was hearing the mewling cries of a baby, but then it dawned on me that it was the sound of a bride being debauched; the groom's loud exhortations to God a little while later made this quite clear. I knew that people there were really religious, but this man was quite fervent in his prayers, however briefly he prayed. ;0)

In addition to the free entertainment, the food was excellent as well! The hotel had a catering service which brought us salmon, steaks, burgers, cheesecake, etc. which was both delicious and cheap. Oh, we ate at restaurants while we were there too, but I really liked the catering service the best. For breakfast, though- and I cannot stress this strongly enough- nothing beat The Log Cabin Pancake House just down the road. We ate there every single morning, and it was amazing each time. The service was incredibly friendly, and fast! The food was out of this world. Randy and I tried several different dishes and loved every one. We tried apple, cherry or strawberry pancakes, wheat pancakes, eggs, bacon, omelets, toast, jam, fruit plates, sausages, hash browns... yum! It was a real log cabin, decorated with eclectic odds and ends. All I can say is that if you ever find yourself in Gatlinburg, it would be a crime not to have breakfast at this pancake house on the Historic Nature Trail.

The hotel was within easy walking distance of downtown, and was also on the trolley route when we wanted to go someplace across town. Mostly we walked, or drove if we were going on excursions farther afield. More on those another time, but to give you a taste, here's a shot of a shark swimming overhead as I stood in a tunnel which ran through its tank at the Ripley's Aquarium. This is not post-processed for an artistic look; this is how it turned out, and I like it.

I Was There

My foot dangled over the edge of a boulder, which had tumbled into a mountain stream...

Home Again

I'm home, safe and sound. We've unpacked and, once again, I'm doing laundry. Isn't that what I was doing when I left? I haven't uploaded my photos yet; perhaps later tonight if I'm still conscious.

I've missed you. More than once I was tempted to sneak into a cyber-cafe to say "hey!" But I resisted, because I really wanted to be unplugged and present during my vacation. Still, I thought of you, and of all the things I wanted to blog about. Maybe I'll even start to remember them!

More later.

Almost Ready

I'm down to finishing the last of the laundry, and then packing. Everything is together, it just needs to be put in the suitcases. The chicken has been cooked and is in the 'fridge; the prime rib is cooking.

Today we:

- picked up the rental car
- did last minute shopping
- bought bamboo shades for the bay windows
- hung bamboo shades in the bay windows
- turned in paperwork to arrange for postal delivery at my house instead of to a post office box
- put up the mailbox so the post office would have someplace to deliver to.
- cleaned the house
- dragged the new futon mattress across the house- and the thing is bigger than I am! I cursed the whole way, but I got it where it needs to be. I had to replace the old mattress courtesy of Patches, who used it as a toilet when I accidentally locked him out in the cabin one night. I no longer shut the door unless he is- without the trace of a doubt- in the main body of the house. The new mattress is as comfy as the old, but smells oddly of pumpkin, not the fake scent, but the real thing. Hopefully it will air out. It's made from recycled materials in Vermont, so perhaps I shouldn't be surprised by the farm-fresh smell.
- bought and hung a new bird feeder. The last one actually made it a year; it was squirrel-proof. Sadly, when the seed was too low for too long- I hadn't filled it for awhile- a bird got stuck half in, half out of one of the holes while trying to reach the seeds at the bottom. He died, wedged in tight.

This will not happen again.

So, the birds are fed. The cats will be taken care of. The gardens will be taken care of. My mother will have my car; Randy's mother will have his truck. We'll be tootling along the highway towards TN in about 11 hours from now, the wind in our hair and the stress behind us. Until we've been on the road, stuck in a car together for several hours, at which point stress will have caught up. But we'll leave it behind again after a good night's rest.

I'm looking forward to this trip. We haven't been to the Smokies since '03, and it will be nice to visit those places we always go to, and to discover new ones.

Lots of pictures when I come back.

Have a wonderful week!

Lots to Do

Thanks all; Tyler went home today. She has a UTI, and she needs to receive her antibiotics for that and her Ehrlichiosis via injections because her stomach won't tolerate the stuff orally. Thankfully, my mother is a nurse and is comfortable giving shots. Hopefully Ty will improve soon as a result.

My throat didn't hurt as badly today, so thanks for those well-wishes for me as well. :0)

The workers came back today and shored up the bay windows properly, so that's done. My brother was finally able to come over and scrape the trim; storms have kept him away. The painting should be done by the time Randy and I get home. Ashley and Mom will be taking care of the dogwood tree and my flowers. In fact, my mother bought me some beautiful flowering plants which she will put in the ground while I'm away. Then there's the electrician who will be coming to replace a rusty wire, and my mother-in-law will be having a tag sale on my lawn.

There will be more activity in my house while I'm gone than there usually is while I'm here!

I have to pick up the rental car tomorrow morning, and drop my car off at my mother's for her to use if she needs it. Then I have to clean my house, make a list of things which my MIL will need to know while she's cat-sitting/house-watching. Randy and I will be leaving prime rib and her favorite chicken recipe in the 'fridge as a thank-you, so we have to cook that tomorrow as well. Then there's all of the packing and organizing.

It's going to be a busy day, followed by a long one on Saturday. It's a 14 hr. drive to Gatlinburg, which we'll break down over two days. I'll be taking lots of photos, so you'll finally see some here again. I just haven't felt inspired by my surroundings lately. The Smoky Mountains and Nashville will take care of that, I'm sure.

I'll blog tomorrow, but then I'll be gone until the 23^rd.

Tired and Worried

Some days are good, some bad. Today was bad.

I woke up because it hurt to swallow, and I was running a low-grade fever. I feel totally drained. But I don't care if I have a fever of 104, pack me in an ice cooler because I'm going on vacation. Anyway, I'll feel better tomorrow in all likelihood. It seems to be how it works for me so far.

More frightening is Tyler. The tests showed that her blood platelets are still very low. Worse, she has become incontinent. When Mom found her sitting in her own urine without attempting to move, she brought her right back to the vet; she's staying there tonight while they run more tests.

I'm worried.

Keep your fingers and toes crossed for a sweet old dog who's going through a rough time...

Word Game

Let's play Camouflage...

I'll give you a clue, the answer to which can be found in the collection of letters following it. For example:

Clue: From ear to ear

HAGRIDDENSOUSE

Answer: GRIN

HAGRIDDENSOUSE

Understand? Note that the letters will be in order as needed, left to right. Okay, here we go:

Clue: This can be found with sea and wax.

GETSURLYSTYLE

Guess away.

The Dangers of Doxycycline

I had to take my mom's dog, Tyler, to the vet today; my mother's car is in the shop. Ty's right rear leg was still stiff this morning, and she wouldn't even eat the treats I gave her after getting her to take her pills.

By her appointment tonight, the Rimadyl (arthritis pain medication) I had given her around noon had kicked in, so her limp was slight. The vet is running some more blood tests, and gave her an antibiotic injection which should last for the next two days while they try to figure out what's going on. I won't have to try to get her to take the doxycycline again, at least until Thursday. They want to make sure she's not reacting to that, though she had no appetite before she went on it, so chances are slim that it's the underlying problem now.

Poor baby. :0(

As for me, I'm getting better slowly. I still tire easily, and can feel sick to my stomach, which still itches. Those things aside, the symptoms aren't as strong as they were. I bought some SPF 60 sunscreen today, and some after-sun aloe gel, for my trip. I could really use it now. My own doses of doxy have left me quickly frying in the sun. After two ten-minute car rides today, my arms are getting sunburned. Not good.

I should buy a broad-brimmed, floppy straw hat and diaphanous robe and large sunglasses to wear outside, complete with one of those long-stemmed cigarette holders; the fact that I don't smoke anymore is irrelevant. Then I would look like one of those glamorous ladies from the 20's as they lounged near the shore.

But I think I'll just try the sunscreen first, eh? *G*

Tippecanoe and Tyler Too*

I'm doing a little better as long as I take it easy. If I rest, I feel mostly normal, if itchy. It's when I move around too much that I start to feel really sick. So I'm trying not to do that.

About the same time I was diagnosed, my mother's dog Tyler was diagnosed with Ehrlichiosis, a more virulent form of Lyme. This means that she also has to take doxycycline, but she has to take it for 6 weeks instead of my 3. She has to take 4 pills in the morning, and again at night.

Therein lies the problem.

No matter what my mother has tried, she can't get Tyler to take her pills. The dog has an excellent nose, and turns it up at the first whiff of the medication. Mom has put them in Pill Pockets, ground them up and mixed them with her food or the cat's food (something which Tyler will usually scarf down if given half a chance) and combined them with every type of tempting treat she could think of- she's even given the dog steak! Mom has tried forcing her mouth open to pop the pills down her throat, but Ty is excellent at spitting them back up. My mother's hands are a little arthritic, and she can't keep Tyler's mouth open for long. I am the Dog Whisperer in my family, so I have to go over a couple of times a day to get the dog to take her med. I'm able to get her mouth open and keep it open long enough to shove the pills, one at a time, so far down her throat that she can't regurgitate them. This takes not a little skill and effort- Tyler is an Akita/German Shepherd mix- but I can get it done in about a minute.

Afterwards, I give Tyler a special treat and we both retire to our separate corners to regroup. It takes a lot out of both of us, but my mom fusses over us once it's done, so it's not without its rewards. I curl up on my mother's couch and she makes me a cup of tea and keeps me company until I feel well enough to go home. It's been a nice chance to spend a little more quiet time together; Ashley is in Paris now and Drew is never home. But one of those kids is going to have to take over soon, because Randy and I leave for the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee on Saturday.

Which also kind of sucks, because I'm supposed to rest and stay out of the sun, and that simply isn't going to happen. I'll do my best to take care of myself, but this is my vacation and I'm going to enjoy it!

*For those of you unfamiliar with this saying, it was a presidential campaign slogan in 1840. William Henry Harrison defeated Tecumseh and the Indian Confederation in the Battle of Tippecanoe, and John Tyler was his running mate. Harrison was only president for about a month before he contracted pneumonia and died, leaving Tyler as our next President.

This slogan often goes through my mind when I see Tyler, for no better reason than the shared name.

Three Books, Three Reactions

I'm feeling feverish and nauseous now. So rather than trying to think of something really original to write about, I'll just give you my thoughts on three books I've recently read-

Let's get the most unpleasant over with first. The Accidental (I won't even link to it) was such complete and total crap that I did something I've never even contemplated before. I threw it on the floor and then, spying them lying there, I rubbed the book into my husband's dirty socks before throwing it away. Why I had such a strong reaction to it, I'm not quite sure. It was total shit, yeah, but I've never behaved that way towards a book in my life. I'll admit to feeling guilty about it after, and it still bothers me a bit that I did it. In the end, I think the kindest thing I can say is:

I don't recommend it.

I wished bad things for every last character, and thought the author was self-important.

Enough of that. Avoid this book.

Next comes The Princess and the Hound, by Mette Ivie Harrison. It's a fantasy novel for young adults in which those who possess animal magic are burned when discovered. Unfortunately for the prince, he was born with animal magic. He manages to hide it until he travels to a neighboring kingdom to meet his future bride- a strange young woman who is never separated from her hound. She doesn't have animal magic, but there's something about the way she is able to communicate with her dog that intrigues him. In discovering each others' secrets, the prince and princess find the strength to confront those who would condemn them. I can't say anymore without giving things away.

This book was actually pretty good, but unraveled a bit for me towards the end. Nice light reading if that's what you're looking for.

Finally, I finished reading Cammie McGovern's Eye Contact last night, and loved it. When a local girl turns up in the woods, the only witness to her death is an autistic boy whom she had befriended. His mother must help the police reach Adam to learn what he knows, and confronts her own limitations as a mother, and as a person, in the process.

This was a well-written page-turner. Her depiction of Adam, and his mother's struggles, ring true because the author herself is the mother of an autistic child. Full of false leads, this was a good mystery, and also a quick read.

Recommended.

How Paint Made Me Itch

I've been sanding and painting the back of the house, and I'm proud of the results so far. I've only put the first coat on the back of the garage; it needs two because the wood was so dry. I also couldn't finish it because it started to thunder out. Sadly, sometime during all of this work over the past couple of days, I was bitten by ticks and have just been diagnosed with Lyme Disease. In the final pic, you'll see the insanely itchy rash which developed on my stomach, cluing me in to my condition. I've got the chills, a mild headache and I'm tired. But I've started the antibiotics and have a prescription-strength cream for the itch, which helps. Marginally. Without further ado...

Here you can see the difference between where I've sanded, and where I haven't. The gray paint was a color we tried before, but never finished in the back. The red is the color the house was when we moved in:

Here is where I left it this afternoon, when the storm moved in:



And here, my friends, is the resulting rash from the diseased ticks. It's about the size of my hand:

Now I'm off to feel sorry for myself, and to watch some t.v.

Independence, and When to Ask for Help

Happy 4th of July! Today we celebrate our independence, and England probably thinks "Good riddance." So it's a happy day all 'round, eh? *G*

I'm still working on my problem, but there is a possible solution. I won't know until Thursday at the earliest, though, so hang with me. I don't want to say too much just yet in case it doesn't work out.

In the meantime, I've been keeping busy in order to keep my mind off things. I've been sanding the back of the house, preparing to paint it. I find it satisfying, because it feeds my need for instant gratification. I immediately see the fruits of my labor, and can pat myself on the back and say "Look how much I've accomplished! I'm so good!"

Yeah, it's an ego thing. But many things are, aren't they?

I bought an extension ladder today; I need one not only for painting the exterior, but also for some work that has to get done in the cabin. My mother also needs to paint her house, so it will come in handy for her as well. I used Randy's pickup truck to get the stupid thing home. The man at the store carried it out to the truck, but I had to secure it myself. I had straps to tie it down with, but there wasn't much to tie it down to. In the old days, the bed of a truck was metal, with rings and holes for ropes. Randy's truck, however, has a plastic coating over it. There are two rings towards the back, but I couldn't find anything closer to the cab to secure that end of the ladder. I spent about 45 minutes trying to get that thing tied down safely. With all of the employees and other people wandering around, do you think anyone offered to help me?

Nope.

I've bitched about that a few times today, but the truth is I could have asked for help, and didn't. So really, who's to blame?

I finally figured out how to tie it down. Once I did that, I was good to go. It was at that point that I realized that I had totally shredded my hands while tugging on the straps for 45 minutes. The blisters weren't popped so much as sliced open around my knuckles. I was so frustrated by those straps that I didn't even feel the pain until after.

I'm nothing if not focused.

I'll have some photos to show you later today, or tomorrow, demonstrating the work I've been doing. It's all going to be worth it in the end.

Aren't I good? *G*

Setback

Hm, financial reversal today as my benefits apparently ran out without warning. I have to think about this. School is paid for until the Spring semester, so I have to find a job that I can physically do with my wrist, and which will work around my Fall schedule. Obviously I need to set up an appointment with Financial Aid. I was going to anyway; I think I'll be reimbursed for the tuition I've already paid for this coming semester, and it will offset future costs. My grades have been excellent, so I might be able to land a scholarship. It will work out.

I can't panic, and I won't. I've put a couple of things in motion, and now I'll get some sleep and look at this again tomorrow with fresh eyes and a clear mind.

Text and Subtext

"Yo, I'm in London."

This was the text message Dad received this morning, so one assumes that Ashley is either

a) safely arrived in London or,

b) stuffed in a closet somewhere while a very clever and astute Bad Guy figured out that he should send a message home to her family in order to avoid suspicion. He very intelligently began the text with "Yo," realizing that she is an American teenager, and thus would begin any text with this non-word.

I'm sure the answer is "a" but I think "b" is so much more interesting...

As for me, I've been taking care of my neighbor's three dogs (she also has 6 cats who are capable of looking after themselves, and 4 horses who are being looked after by someone else. But we're about to get to that, hold on) while she's out of town for the weekend. I miss having that sort of hairy, slobbering beast hanging around. The dogs I mean, not my neighbor, who is, in fact, a very lovely woman.

Anyway.

I wasn't sure when to expect her home and as the afternoon grew longer, I decided to pop next door and let the dogs out again. The weather's nice today for the most part, so I took a lawn chair out into the erstwhile sun and lounged with the dogs. They took turns coming over for attention, although sometimes all 3 wanted to be the center of my world entirely, which was a bit tricky. One is large, probably a wolfhound/Irish setter mix. That would be Clive. Then there's a little black dog rather like a miniature black lab, but not. This is Senna, who under most circumstances would be perceived to be a little dog. However the third dog is a dachshund named Boris, so Senna seems not quite so small. Poor Boris is forever being pushed aside, so he had the honor of lying down on my stomach as I dozed in the sun. Clive and Senna wandered off to explore, always coming back for a scratch behind the ear. It was so peaceful, and I occasionally dozed off.

Around 5 the dogs started barking and Boris hopped down off of my tummy, so I stood up to see what was going on. A woman and two children rounded the side of the building and were startled to see me. We introduced ourselves and I explained that Alisa had asked me to stop around and let the dogs out while she was gone. It seems Alisa had called this woman- Alicia, confusingly enough- to let her know that she was going to be gone another night and to ask her to feed the horses and check in on the other animals. So Alicia wasn't expecting to see me, and I wasn't expecting to see her. And I'm still wondering why I haven't heard from Alisa, letting me know that she was going to be gone longer than expected, even if it was just to let me know that her friend Alicia would take over. So Alicia and I were looking at each other, making those comments one makes when unexpectedly coming across someone whom you are not entirely certain should be there. Of the two of us, I would probably seem more suspect; I didn't have two children with me. But I do have a key to the house and a card with Alisa's name and numbers, in her own handwriting, should the police come knocking on my door. Because when Alicia tried to call Alisa (ostensibly to find out if I was going to need to feed the dogs in the morning, but you know it was really to see if I was who I said I was), Alisa didn't answer the phone. So I left, and Alicia told me she would have Alisa give me a call to let me know about the dogs in the morning, but that she thought Alisa would be home to feed them.

Which is a crock really, because the dogs get fed at 6:30 am, and Alisa is in VT., so if she's staying the night there she won't be home in the morning to feed them and let them out.

I hate being looked at suspiciously, though I'm glad Alisa has such good friends looking out for her. Still, there's that little hobgoblin inside of me that was pleased when Boris growled at the woman and her son, after being so content with me.

Good dog!