'Nooga

We headed up Tuesday with Emma and Owen to meet Katy and Alex after his latest OIT appt.  Sarah and her 2 joined us.  We had talked about seeing the alleyways in downtown and the kids were game to climb at the gym, so it worked out kind of last-minute to head that way.

There was a celebratory feel to the day, Alex has been increasing his dosage for months now and is doing SO well with the treatment.  He was given the all-clear to eat at places that use peanut oil!  So before we all headed home, we stopped at Five Guys and had dinner together.  It was amazing to see him eating fries cooked in peanut oil.  I have spent the past 10 years not even having peanuts in the house for fear that when he visited, he'd somehow be exposed to a poorly washed  peanut butter spoon or come across a stash of nuts (because we routinely just put food on things I guess).  And he's not even my kid.  I can't imagine how Katy must be feeling.

OIT is, basically, the Dread Pirate Roberts cure.  Under a doctors supervision, patients are given TINY increments of foods that trigger allergic reactions and do so daily, increasing the amounts each visit and over the course of about a year, their lives are changed.  Alex will never sit down and eat a jar of nuts, but if he eats a piece of candy or is exposed other ways-like the Thai place getting a splash of peanut sauce on his noodles-he won't have to whip out the Epi pen and rush to the ER.  He's getting to have a life without that niggling fear.  That's amazing!!


We didn't meet up until 2, so Sarah and I grabbed lunch with our assorted kids and then headed downtown where we paid for parking (and may I say ACK) and found a semi-useful map for seeing the 5 alleys.

One of these things is not like the other

At this point, we headed back toward the cars, stopping at the Moon Pie store and a candy store!

Katy, Emma, Owen, Chan, Beck and Sophia all stopped in at the rock climbing place.  Ben has a poison oak rash from our camping trip (unrelated to the one I have from pulling up ivy in the yard last week).  My rash looks like I have acne of the wrist.  His looks like we held a hot clothes iron to his arm.  It started as a bumpy patch and quickly grew and evolved into an oozing crusty patch.
He opted to not climb because along with looking like a bad burn, it feels like one, too.
Alex decided to hang out with Ben so he wouldn't be lonesome.

So, the boys, Sarah, and I walked across the Walnut Street Bridge and hung out north of the river a while before walking back on the other bridge Chestnut?

I totally approve of painting trees because it's beautiful, but I am pretty sure it's horrible for the tree-isn't bark some type of skin, as in it needs to breathe?  I should look that up  If only there was a way...

Hunter Museum is looking a little precariously perched.  I mean more than usual.

The only thing keeping the whole building from tumbling into oncoming traffic!

We joined everyone back at the gym and watched the climbers for a bit.

They were exhausted at this point, so the city got some abuse.  It's all legs, so everyone could let their tired arms rest!
They would jump to the highest building, then dive off, it never stopped being terrifying!

We had dinner downtown and then Ben and Chan and I went back to see the bamboo and sparkle alleys lit for night.  

May!

Well, nearly a month since I blogged.  hahaha

We started the month in New Mexico via Oklahoma for a couple of days.  Then up to Santa Fe and down through ABQ, Truth or Consequences, White Sands, Carlsbad and back home via Abilene and a quick stop at the zoo there.  Chandler really likes zoos.  I would move to Albuquerque in a heartbeat.

Back home, we did the laundry-mow-clean up fest and then rested a bit.  Matt and I took off over the previous weekend to backpack while Ben and Chandler stayed with friends.

And now we are on the eve of the Panther Run, Jake is going to sign for a car loan today, Matt is awaiting the news of the salary bump following his new promotion.  It's been a busy several days, today being some kind of apex day in which many things happen at once.  Fingers crossed for $20k more a year!  It won't be nearly that much, but why not have high hopes.  hahaha!

Finished the Hannibal series yesterday. WOW.  That last line was so perfect, wow.

Watched The 5th Wave a couple of days ago.  AVOID AVOID.  It has seriously the worst chemistry between characters who should not even be thinking about love.  Spoiler alert:  A Boy Saves The Day.  After the female lead goes through all kinds of stuff but mainly just has really really good timing for walking in and out of places.  Also, Liev is in it which is why I did not turn it off halfway through.

Tonight, I am going to eat dinner and see a movie with my bestie from elementary school.  She has started dating after 7 years and I could do a blog just for her hairbrained adventures.  OMG, I am SO SO SO glad to just be a housewife and not have to wade those waters.  I have been on a couple dates with her as a third wheel and it's all I can do not to bolt for the exit.  Between worrying about what to say and what to wear and having to maintain hair and nails and makeup and then there's wondering if the guy is psycho.  Not many people are single at 45 without some baggage of some sort.

I just want to add that hot shells and cheese is the best thing ever, I don't even care that it has zero nutrients.

And, here are a couple pics from the backpacking trip!  (NM trip at eopapaver)

We are SO CUTE

I hate hills.  THIS hill made my knee start hurting!  

Ranger Falls, the last 'named' feature in South Cumberland that I had not seen!!

We all have matching packs, Karen and I have the girl pack and Matt and M have the boy pack
Karen packed 5 POUNDS of clothes, so her pack is stuffed.  hahaha

Matt and I are hanging side by side and it was COLD overnight.  eep

The ears.  *squee*

Suter Falls

I wanted to go to Horsepound so Matt could see that falls, too, but my knee was KILLING me.
That's a new ailment and one I intend to nip in the bud, I can't have that!

Next week is another busy busy one.  Major field trip Monday, camping until Thursday, 4 day weekend in which we will hike in the rain on purpose!  If it rains.

I have been fighting off something horrible that wants to live in my sinuses and behind my ears.  I can't get that ear pressure to let up with the OTC meds I have, I have been thinking about...going to the doctor.  UGH  Even typing it makes me want to just take to my bed. My latest efforts have included so much hydration that I can only make it 15 minutes between bathroom runs.  I will be loads of fun at the movie tonight.

AH well, all caught up-the highlights anyhow.

Celebrations

It has been a stretch of good days, low key and low stress, filled with lots of warmth and occasional laughter.

We went to see Into the Woods with some friends and I did not like it as much as the play!  Though Chris Pine as the Prince was wonderful-best scene in the whole thing.  It was still very enjoyable, we had a great time and the kids have not seen the play 50 times like I have, so they could care less it was NOTEXACTLYTHESAME.

Ben has 2 banjos.  At Jake's birthday, Chan made signs for all the food, warning of gluten or dairy and there was cornbread and in another pan, also cornbread.  That sign got put on the banjo afterward and it was dubbed 'Also Cornbread'.  So now we say things like, "Are you bringing Also Cornbread to Katy's?"

We have spent the last couple of weekends cutting wood, though this past weekend was a really lame effort all around, no one (other than Matt) was in the mood to do anything and there was lots of just standing there and it ended up taking all day for what should have been a few hours of work.

Luckily, the previous weekend everyone was either in high spirits or was tired of listening to me doom and gloom about the upcoming COLD and opted to shut me up with a stack of wood to the ceiling.  We burned nearly ALL of it.  It was COLD. Single degree temps for 3 days! It did not snow at all, so I imagine there's still that looming this winter...though I am pretty okay with that, it's a nice change and short lived.

none of these trees were harmed in the making of firewood

 We had lunch at Amanda's one afternoon and it was nice to just hang out for a while.  We kicked around camping ideas, but this time of year when it's cold, we tend to dream bigger than budgets will cover.  Ski trips and scuba diving, weeks on a houseboat and driving cross country.  One of those, sure, but not all.

On Matt's Friday off, we went to Shakalaka so he could jump.  Ben LOVES Shakalaka and rock climbing, they both use so much muscle and he's so strong and fast now, I know it must be pure joy to feel that capable and healthy.

Chan, upside down again!

The lighting in this place is HORRIFIC.  The fastest I can set my shutter is half a second, which SOUNDS fast, but not faster than a flipping girl!

Look how HIGH he can get!

Matt flipped on the trapeze and landed on the back of his neck, which hurt him pretty badly.  He spent the rest of Friday and overnight on the heating pad.  Then Saturday morning he got up and ran the chainsaw for 3 hours, then split wood with the maul for another hour.

I feel so inadequate!

On Sunday, Matt's band practice got cancelled so he came to Owen's birthday party with us!

We intended to leave around 5...we got home just after 1 a.m. and Matt's alarm goes off at 4:30.  And he did not even call in.

I was on the couch talking and hanging out and Inde came in and climbed me and put her cheek on mine and whispered, "I am sorry about Kaiju."  I nearly lost it and there was no 'nearly' for Matt.  It was SO sweet.  That meant so much.

It was SO COLD, we cut wood all day Saturday in 35 degree weather and ended up peeling off shirts and jackets to leave at the house, Sunday was nearly 50, but windy and damp and it cut through you.  I watched them play, quite happy to be in a toasty house!

After the party, Kurt got out the Red Stag and something else, Crown Royal Black Label?  Mainly, Red Stag.  We had a glass and decided to play Cards Against Humanity for a little while so no one was driving home after having a drink.  It was only 7, after all.  5 hours later, we were all aching from laughing and no one wanted to leave, but everyone had to work.  Next time-Friday night games with a sleepover planned!  

The last bit of good news is that the central unit will be replaced within the week!  HEAT!  But mainly AIR CONDITIONING!  The winter is not so bad, but last summer, most of our stuff was mildewed and that's gross.  Things that did not mold over were damp and the coats and blankets stored in the closets smelled awful this winter.  

I filled out an application online with the credit union this morning, they approved the amount and gave me a much better rate than I had hoped for since it was unsecured.  The payments are the same as what we have paid the past 6 years on braces every single month, so there's not even really an adjustment to the budget.  I just paid Ben's off in October.  It was surprisingly painless and 15% lower interest than a cash advance on the credit card!

Next up-redoing the shingles on that one side of the porch roof until we can manage a new metal roof.

Introducing...

Kaiju Cannibala!  The St. Bernard Chihuahua!

Kaiju is Jake's 19th birthday gift, he named her.

Kaiju is Japanese for 'strange creature'.  He wanted to call her Cannibal (her main talent thus far is stealing hearts and chewing knuckles).  We both wanted to poke fun at the whole 'every female dog in the past 4 years has been named Bella' trend.  Bella means beautiful.

The story:

We decided to start looking in earnest for another dog for Kuma.  He is Jessie's dog and she is in decline. She may have another 5 years in her, but they will be spent ruling the roost from her perch under the forsythia bush in the side yard during the summer and her sheepskin pile on the porch in the winter.  Unless it's cold or raining.  Then it will be near the warmest heater inside.  She's been a good dog, she's earned her rest.

But, she's not the running/playing companion Kuma still needs.   He has not dropped in strength at all and Nia is no filler for Jess.  She's small and pesky!  Her idea of a good run is 15 feet into the weeds and back to the porch where she wants to jump up in his face and yap about the adventure they just had in the scary woods. He needs another shepherd/hunting breed dog made for action and working.  He doesn't want to chat about feelings, he wants to watch the game and have a beer, then go rebuild an engine.

We have been to 4 different pounds and rescues in the last week, every dog I have had any 'feeling' about has been adopted out from under me.  Which is FINE, I would so much rather a dog find a home with not-me than be put down.  There are dogs galore needing homes.

Jake and I sat down and made a list.  We don't want a slick dog, we want a black or grey dog with as much fluff as possible, no speckles (the neighbors have a speckled dog that rushes the van and has been the source of MUCH stress for household drivers).  Nothing huge, nothing tiny.  No young puppies.  I joined rescue mail lists and called a pound in Georgia about a Belgian they had.  He was already adopted.

We got a message Thursday morning from a friend alerting us to an adoption drive in Huntsville to save some animals headed to the Back Room.  Their time was up, the pound is too crowded (well, was.  Petfinder shows only 26 animals now!).  We looked over the online listings and headed out to get Matt, who took a couple hours off to go with us.  I had a certain dog in mind-a Malinois mix they had tagged as a German Shepherd.  Never hesitate if you get a chance to get a Belgian Shepherd of any strain, they are phenomenal dogs.  If I ever get serious about thoughts to breed any animal for show, it will be Belgians.

As we walked in, he was up front, waiting for the paperwork to go home!  :(

We went on back-might as well, we were there already.  We cruised by the puppy kennels, I was enamored with a pair of Feist girls, they were SO adorable. (Feist are crazy diggers, avoid avoid!)  They had a pure Yorkie I nearly caved on (it got adopted while we were there, yay!), I got out a Cocker mix and made eyes at the guys to no avail.  No interest from them. (he also got adopted while we were there!)

Jake saw a Husky he really wanted, but I said no to that-he was grown and had signs of not being treated well. That could go all kinds of bad.  Plus he was very new, only been there 2 days.  They had no ideas of his temperament or anything.  I don't want a dog that can actually kill and partially eat me!

There were pit bulls in practically every kennel.  We looked at every dog in there and went back to a few more than once.  Matt was not interested in any of them.  He led us around to a pack of Chihuahuas! OMG, he lost his mind!  But...in the middle of this mass of mini Aztec war dogs was...Kaiju!  This gorgeous fat puppy.  We flipped through the paperwork and hang tags looking for any info. None. Well, none for HER.  There was a tag that described her markings and said she was a 10 month old Chihuahua!  ack!

I found the single worker (I swear, ONE employee for 80 kennels) and he said she just came back from foster and was in the wrong pen.  I immediately thought the foster family brought her back because she's a horrible dog.  Then I looked at her face and my brain reset into babylove mush.  He went off and came back with a sheaf of papers that were probably hers and they said she was a St. Bernard!

Well, we could hardly care by  then.  We had looked her over and she was perfect.  Puppy breath-check! Clear eyes-check! Good joints, pink ears, clear nose, walks well, comes when called, soft as a baby butt-check!  She's also a slick dog, brown and white with speckles and a young puppy.  Perfect!  Exactly what we had our our checklist!  hahahaha!

I did make them both go outside with me and go over every bad point to getting her.  Then we went in and got in line (one clerk!  During an adoption drive!) and waited for nearly an hour to fill out the paperwork.

She had to get spayed before she can leave the county, she's at the vet now and Matt will bring her home after work.

I am SO excited to get this dog, I think it's because it's Jake's dog and I know he's going to be a really good dog dad-he will take great care of her.  That takes a LOT of stress off me.  He is over the moon.

As soon as Chan saw her picture (she was home all day engaged in her new favorite hobby-hacking her head off) she said, "That's a German Shorthaired Pointer."  I looked up photos and I think she's right!  I was amazed at how she knew immediately a breed I had never heard of.  She said, "There's a Webkinz.." Oh!

She's certainly NOT a St.Bernard or a Chihuahua.  :)  She's a beautiful strange people-eating creature.

WELCOME HOME, BABY GIRL!