Was nice to get outside today, even if it was just to mow the lawn.
I’m posting a video of some typical interaction between Jasper & Izzie at the request of my dad.
Please to Enjoy: Izzie and Jasper . . . sisters!
I got up early today to have a dog fence guy come over. It isn’t going to fit into my $600 stimulus package budget, but it would fit into the budget if we used both our checks (Ryan’s hasn’t come yet). And I am sure it’s cheaper than a regular fence, which I don’t want. I’ve got another company for an estimate this afternoon and I have a feeling they are going to be more expensive. I’m adding a random picture of Izzie running on the ball field where we play catch – just because she’s cute.
We went to a great performance by a few of Ryan’s friends last night at a church in downtown Hartford. I’m not much of a church-goer, but I do love checking out the architecture. This specific is 375 years old (although I’d like to know how old the actual building is). Ok, I just looked on their website, it was build in 1807. The stained glass was put in around 1900. Anyhow, I think it’s really neat to go to churches in the evening. The light is so different than on a Sunday morning. I enjoy watching the stained glass scenes change and eventually disappear as the sun goes down.
Thanks to Colleen for encouraging me to find out how to take videos on my fancy camera. It was so simple! Please to enjoy: Izzie playing with the rope . . . (this is a short clip, she could do this for ten minutes straight) . . .
Much to my delight, I received $600 direct deposited into my checking account this past Friday, which I just noticed today. I plan to do my part to stimulate the economy by purchasing some sort of expensive electronic dog fence thingy dingy. Guess I better start researching my options. I wonder if $600 is enough to get someone else to install it for me? I already have enough yardwork to do and digging a trench around my entire yard doesn’t sound like any fun at all. I’d like to get it done by Ryan’s birthday fish fry, so we don’t have to worry about the dog sneaking away when people are going in and out of the house.
Ryan reminded me this morning that the Kentucky Derby is this weekend, which means it’s also Sunfest weekend in West Palm. Not sure when I started going to Sunfest. It might have been when we worked the food tents for Band in 10th grade. I’ve got a lot of great memories of Sunfest: Fritz & the seawall, watching fireworks on the grassy knoll, Alex & Julie making friends with P-Funk, Ani Difranco scared of the Florida storms & wind, finally being old enough to walk onto Captain Morgan’s floating oasis. Ryan and I spent a lot of fun days and nights at Sunfest, we spent a lot of time there with our great friends. We haven’t been in at least 6 years. We keep saying we’ll try to go back some year, but haven’t made it yet. I guess it’s like Gainesville, even if we did go back – it wouldn’t be the same as it was when we were there. I wouldn’t know everyone, although I am sure at Sunfest I’d run into a lot of people from High School. And it just wouldn’t be the same without Dave and his entire family there.
Thanks for the good times Sunfest, I promise I’ll come back to you someday.
I’m including a new picture of Izzie (with her big sis Jasper). I was trying for an action shot of Jasper hitting Izzie but couldn’t get the camera to snap fast enough. And there’s another one of Ryan trying to open her mouth so I could take a picture of her lack of teeth – didn’t quite work out the way we planned.
Oh sorry, and the big news that I forgot to write above is that I lost 4 lbs this week – my first week doing weight watchers! I know I could’ve just added that above, but wanted there to be some reward for reading until the end.
So, I went to the gym after work today, first time in a while, besides a yoga class the other night. Then, I went to a weight watchers meeting near the gym. Or at least I attempted to go. The women were so excited when they saw new blood, but when I told them I signed up for the online program, they became very cold. I think they must work on commission. They said you can’t do both the online and meeting versions of weight watchers, unless you sign up in person and do the meetings first then online to supplement that. Bullshit, I say. But I didn’t say. I just said the website & tv ad invited me to sit in on a free meeting, and that is what I would like to do. Fine they say, reluctantly. So I get a nametag, with GUEST written across it under my name. I ask, can I weigh in? NO, only members can be weighed. Bullsh*t again, but I don’t say it. I go to sit down at the meeting. I’m early, because I thought I’d be getting weighed in, so I read for a few mins (Flux). I am boiling inside. I got up and left. I wanted to give them a peice of my mind and tell them how rude they were and how bad they made me feel, I wanted to yell at all the women coming in the door, that they didn’t have to take it, but I didn’t, I held it in – because when I’m mad, it never comes out as eloquently as I’d like it to. Anyhow, I’ll stick with the online, and Janet, my personal weight watchers coach at work.
was really hungry most of the day, even with the morning meeting to keep me away from my desk (snacking area). It’s really hard. “OMG – did you know fudgsicles are 0 points?!” is apparently where my conversations are headed, which I guess is better than talking about how many times a day my new dog poops (it’s twice if you were curious!).
We went up to New Hampshire friday night to meet up with my aunt Beth (up from Florida) and my cousin Amy (who lives in Boston now). We got to spend some quality time with my Aunt Ginny, Uncle Rick, Cousin Dan and his wife Jess. Dan & Jess also just had a brand new baby named Evelyn Artemis Ellis-Haines! We were lucky enough to be able to spend 
almost the entire day Saturday with everyone. The baby is just perfect & beautiful and her parents are glowing with joy!
swam quickly to the shore and immediately stole his wallet in her mouth and tore off to the end of the yard, shaking her head and spreading the contents of his wallet all over the field in the process. We finally caught her and couldn’t scold her too much – she was just getting him back from throwing her into the lake!
family, catch up with many of Rick & Ginny’s friends who stopped by to visit the new baby. The food was plentiful and delicious, as it always is on our visits to New Hampshire. The weather was absolutely beautiful. The company was great. We even saw a beautiful moon on our drive home. These are the days that I wish could go on forever and ever. These are the days that I miss living closer to family and many of our close friends who are far away.
Book Club was at my house last night. I’m surprised that I was the only one who really liked the History of Love. It was great to catch up with everyone and have everyone meet Izzie, although Colleen saw her the day we got her, and we took her to Jenna’s last weekend for a play date with Max (He had to teach her how to properly play and that sticks are fun). It was also nice to have a new face in the group – hopefully she’ll return in the coming months – welcome Courtney!
Next up is the Gathering by Anne Enright (chosen by Cathy). I’m looking forward to it. I need to get back into the habit of reading. Flux is slow going, but now that I am done with the long introduction, it seems to be moving along and getting into more detail about individuals, instead of just overall thoughts from the author.
Back to Izzie. Things are working out really well. She’s a great dog. Jasper is doing pretty well too. She hisses and growls, but for the most part just stays away from the dog. The dog is interested in here, but doesn’t chase her. Jasper goes about her daily routine, and still hangs out in the living room or bedroom, wherever we are. It’s not like she’s hiding under the bed all day or anything!
Meet Izzie, the newest addition to the Ford household. She’s a 1-year old black lab with a very gentle and calm personality. We’re in the process of introducing Jasper & Izzie, but everything seems to be going very well! Izzie is house-trained & crate-trained. She sits, stays, shakes and goes in her kennel on command. She’s also a fabulous walker. She hardly pulls and pretty much walks right next to us.
The True Story of What Was 