120/364

IT'S GONNA-GONNA-GONNA-GONNA-GONNA...

119/365

I FEEL LIKE I'VE DONE THIS BEFORE...
Back at the vet's office today. Video here.

Lily isn't feeling that great .

The poor thing is limping around... she can't get on the bed...she's whimpering and at times just refusing to walk.  She's reminding me of RoseBud after the hike. You know I googled lyme disease in dogs and lameness is one of the symptoms.   The Dr. checked her out and she has a pretty bad ear infection on top of all of this.  He cleaned her face and ears like only he does.  He thanked me for going through two tunnels during morning rush hour to get there and said he would understand if I started going somewhere closer. ;-)  That's a hard decision for me.  I don't know what I want to do about that. We've had a long relationship with this vet.   I don't think a new one will have an old Christmas Card of ours with RoseBud's picture in her file!  It may be time for a change.

Anyway, she's on meds for the infection and has a new ear cleaner... He did a tear test and she will possibly be on eye drops twice a day for the rest of her life now.  Watching him test her tear production was a sight for sore eyes. Yes - I said it... sore eyes. We finally got to the issue I was most worried about and he said it was too early to test after the tick bite and she didn't have a fever... he said he thinks it's just a sprain...  

Hmmm.  I'm not so sure about that.

I feel like I've been down this road before.

118/365

BIRDS ON A WIRE
 Here's a little song. Video here.

117/365

ONE POTATO... TWO POTATO
I've been obsessed with baked potatoes lately...

Just for the record - I took all the fries and half the burger back to The Dad. ;-)

116/365

IT'S HIP TO BE SQUARE
We went to a bridal shower today for Alexis and Auggie! If I had a shower today it would totally be like this one! Complete with sweet little banners and poofs...

... and mason jars...

... and chalkboards!

So looking forward to the wedding.

For fun - check out this infographic at Refinery29 to see if you are at a hipster wedding.  ;-)

115/365

WINNER... WINNER...
I had to make a basket for a volunteer lunch we were having...

114/365

THE SCARLET D
This divorce hasn't been easy for me.  I'm having a significant amount of stress changing my name and,  truth be told, I feel like I'm walking around with a Scarlet D on my chest.  Actually, I did.  About a month ago I walked into my therapist's office and took my coat off and there it was... I printed a big ass red D and taped it to my shirt.  I didn't even take a picture of it but it's in my file.  He takes it out from time to time to tease me about it. ;-)  I understand the humor behind it and I was being funny.  I'm totally serious, though. I don't care if all the cool kids are doing it - I still believe there is a bit of shame and embarrassment with divorce.  Maybe it would be different if it was my choice.  I don't know. I completely understand that my situation doesn't define me.  I get that. It's just a disappointment and a failure that I don't like.

113/365

I KISSED A DOG AND I LIKED IT
The state is in doing their inspection - it's pretty hectic... along with this there were several other things going on in my department - including a photo shoot with Glo and Lily Bud. A team of five came in... Lily was true to her kissing self.  Love this puppy dog.

112/365

WE'VE GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN OUR (MICKEY) HANDS

The Spaceship Earth with the Sorcerer Mickey hand and wand was one of my favorites even though it's quite magical and majestic on it's own.  I happened to come across these pictures and found this one of me and my father-in-law (what do I say - former father-in-law?)

I think I'll always remember him like this...  hat on, shirt tucked in, usually had a camera or two around his neck - he would ride the Tower of Terror over and over again. 20+ years of really good times and fun trips. When I look at that picture, though, one thing comes to mind... I think that's the last time I had shorts on! ;-)

Happy Earth Day.

There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew. ~ Marshall McLuhan

111/365

I THINK THAT I SHALL NEVER SEE A POEM LOVELY AS A TREE...
So there's The Giving Tree and The Wishing Tree and The Dreaming Tree, among others... I call this The DeLuca Tree. ;-)

110/365

HAPPY EASTER TO EWE!

I was scrambling (egg pun intended) to get things moved downstairs before Easter and I wanted to make deviled eggs for today but ran out of time so I never got to them... to my surprise - guess what Aunt Joyce came walking in with?  The cutest little chicks in helmets you've ever seen. ;-)

And Glo got a big kiss from the Easter Puggy.

109/365

STORAGE WARS
I was told not to do it but I did... I needed to get the chaos out of the game room... so what did I do... I put the majority of it in the garage.  I'm estimating that The Dad will be able to get back in by mid-November.

108/365

GUESS WHERE WE ARE?

ROLLIERS!  We had to make a trip out to the vet today... another tick catastrophe.  Yes, another. Then we went shopping at Rolliers.

107/365

A LITTLE LATE FOR THE GAME
What is going on?  Are people just discovering throw back thursday... I'm confused. This isn't new. While we are at it, though... look at this cute little pup! ;-)

 #tbt #lilybudthepugisthecutestpupintheland

I think I'm bringing back the TBT (truth be told) too... stay tuned.

106/365

CHICKEN DANCE
Today's aunt Gloria's birthday.  She's 86.  I worked 12-8 tonight so I didn't really have a chance to do anything.  I was the only one working a pretty big event... it was an Easter show with a girl they really like that gets in costume and sings and dances and brings all kinds of funny hats and props with her.  Thank god no one else was there to take footage of me in chicken feathers singing Happy! I rocked it though - or squawked it... what do chickens do? Anyway,  Glo did get serenaded on her birthday by the entertainer so I think she had a happy birthday even though she had no idea what that really meant.

105/365

PUG LOVE
I don't use twitter all that much but I changed the big picture and now, on my phone,  it looks like Koko, Lily and RoseBud are all together! ;-)

104/365

DOUBLE WHAMMY
You know - you only have to hope that karma catches up with people.  There's a very old black woman that has been through a hell of a lot that I talk to every day... she always tells me to remember that "right never does no wrong." I'm trying to follow that thought process.  It makes you mad when the liars and hypocrites cause all the chaos and come out of the ashes smelling like roses. Do they though? I mean it does smell like something.

103/365

HOW CUTE IS THIS?

102/365

HIPPITY HOPPITY EASTER'S ON IT'S WAY
We had a little Easter celebration and pictures with the Easter Bunny today... does anyone else have this much fun at work? ;-)  I had a pretty busy week and left later today and the receptionist was like go home and relax you've had one heck of a day... I couldn't help but laugh when I got in the car - it seems funny that having an Easter party and playing games and doing photos is considered a hard day at work but it is!  It's fun but exhausting.

102/365

WITH WINGS WIDE OPEN
It's no secret, next to Mr. Papagiorgio,  the seahorse, I dream of chickens... Carmella Chicken Bud, specifically.  Did you see this little boy and the hugging chicken?  Video here.

101/365

TICK TOCK
You're not going to believe this... The Lily Bud was looking all comfy - laying back on the couch and I'm petting her and what do I feel - a god damn tick. Seriously?!  Again?  It was late so I couldn't get my vet so I called my own personal font of veterinary knowledge, Carey, and ended up bringing Lily over to try to get rid of this thing!  We googled and you-tubed and tried but neither one of us could do it...  Carey and I were on the floor covered in dog hair... Sharon was holding a flash light - Lily was wiggling all around... I had called the emergency vet earlier and they said it would be $124.00 just to walk in the door... they said someone had just come in over the weekend and it was $141.00 to remove one tick!  By now it was close to midnight and our failed attempts left me no choice... so on our way we went... to the ER!

FYI - being a single dog mom sucks... especially when you are tired and worried and alone in the car.  With visions of RoseBud, I went walking through those doors - told them it was NOT an emergency as they all kind of came running and said I was the psycho that called at 11 pm to see if it was ok to bring my pug in to take a tick off because I couldn't wait until morning to call my own vet.  They brought me back and a tech came out and removed it in a couple minutes... all while The Bud was kissing and licking everyone and being all cute.  They said she was so good and it only took a few minutes and to just leave - no charge. :-)

100/365

CLOSE TO HOME
A few years back, Michael asked if I would be his emergency contact at school...  It just so happened Ted had an appointment this morning and Chrissy was with him and wasn't around - of all days - so I was on standby today to get him after the stabbings happened at his school. I've often said that maybe, in some weird way,  it was a good thing that I didn't have kids because I would be the mom in the car looking out for evil-doers from the time I dropped my kid off until the bell rang to go home. Goes to show bad things can happen anywhere and those that do it will find a way - with kitchen knives or whatever is around.

99/365

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING AND EVERYTHING IN IT'S PLACE
I do believe that statement can solve a lot of problems... I've been trying to live by that little by little - not doing that great with it but this has been good.  I bought a little ring holder at TJMaxx or Marshall's to use specifically for little ponytail holders.  I had a long run with being able to locate them until just last week when the only one left was in The Dad's car.  I'm sure there's some in a random tote bag somewhere and six or seven under the driver's seat of the Xterra... they may or may not turn up as I look in nooks and crannies.  I had to go get some more and will try again...

98/365

VALUE WHO YOU LOVE
Sometimes we draw up blueprints but fate has other plans... Did you hear about this story?

97/365

EVERY NIGHT IS PASTA NIGHT
It really isn't.  I just like saying that.  I actually don't like pasta all that much.  We made fettucini tonight. Mine was with chicken and broccoli and The Dad likes ham and peas in his.

96/365

AND THE WALLS CAME TUMBLING DOWN

Sorry, Dixon House, that you never got your bricks put back in the front yard... or that new kitchen... or that addition that we were talking about right before things started changing. You were given up on just like I was. At least you're in good company. I've kissed your walls many, many times and said my good-byes... at times even being made fun of for it.  I didn't sign up for this - for daily harassing phone calls and knocks at my father's door. What a shame. The last time I was there you felt cold and sad and empty.  I'm sorry things turned out the way they did.   I'll always remember you the way your were when the RoseBuds were in bloom...

95/365

LADIES WHO LUNCH
Lunch with the girls today at Eighty Acres... doesn't get much better than fried goat cheese on your roasted beet salad.  I was finalizing my car deal at the table during dessert which could have been better - the cake and the deal but still... Yum.

Later, shopping at HomeGoods actually made me a little depressed...

Lots to say about this... lots to say.

94/365

YOU REALLY CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU
After the whole car thing yesterday I met Chrissy at Grandma Murphy's to finish packing up her place.  Doesn't this guy look like a little chick? ;-)

It always gets to me - the things saved - even my own... what you think is precious - in a box or a bin for someone to find later. A whole life packed away in one last shopping cart trip to the car..

... and turning off the lights for the last time.

Bye Helen's Apartment - thanks for having us.

93/365

"I DIDN'T COME HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS"
Well, this whole car thing continues...  Ted was mad as hell over it so he met me at the car lot this morning.  Took the day off and everything. It was like I was walking in there with my lawyer.  We were cracking up.  The salesman was pouting like a little bitch and wouldn't even look at me - everyone just looked a little strange. Here's the thing... if I made a deal on the car like I did with the funnels or other junk I come across we wouldn't be in this situation... Vinnie was able to weld whatever it was on the old car - he said I had a little bit of time but it wasn't going to last... I didn't feel safe in it AT ALL so I just wanted to get something and be done... I know George and Ted felt bad for me going alone...I take responsibility for not being entirely informed but the car was priced differently on other sites and was just overpriced in general.  So, Ted worked the numbers and told them I was a distraught, divorced, cancer patient who doesn't even have a part time job status and they probably shouldn't have even given me a car in the first place...  actually not sure if he mentioned the cancer or not - but he told them what it should have been... we even went to their other car lot and found an identical car for 5000 less. Drove it back and they said they would let me switch it out... I'm back-posting this so I know the outcome.  I'll give you the reader's digest version...  Dealer says they will switch out with no problem... keep the one I have and they will call the next day and we could swap them out... I had to call them when I didn't hear anything and they say they haven't heard from the finance company... then, next day, they say the finance company won't do it... so Ted calls them directly to see what's up and they say it's not a problem with them - we can switch out... three days later the dealer says they can't (won't) do it.  They took the warranties off (I know - no one gets warranties, bitch) which I could have done on my own so no big deal there and ended up writing me a check to basically shut me up...Still not enough but I think they just didn't want me to give this one back and I was already over it so I just agreed. I may just take a loss and trade it in. Can you do that?  I don't even know.  I want my Xterra back. ;-(

92/365

WILL I EVER GET A SEAHORSE?