Happy Friday

When Life Gives You Lemons and Other News

You know the saying, when life gives you lemons make lemonade.  This witticism is usually directed toward someone that has been handed a load of unfortunates by life.  So how does the saying go when you choose to BUY the lemons instead?  In this moment that is where I sit: with a handful of lemons that I intentionally purchased.

While this blog is relatively new and I'm sure it is some sort of social suicide to take a hiatus while a project is in infancy, you will see me less frequently in this space through mid July.  There are a number of factors for this: Several events and decisions have culminated over the past few weeks and months that have put major constraints on my time.

1.  We have second business.  Have I told you that?   It only runs for about a month, which happens to be this time of year and it gets a little crazy managing two businesses at the same time. I have become a multitasking guru for all things other than writing this blog.  :(

2.  If you read my tweets you'll know that we had a major water leak in our house that has caused a lot of damage.  We are in the process of meeting with insurance adjusters, contractors, and the builder to comb over the details about why it happened in the first place and who is going to pay for it.  Let's just say it involves ripping out tile, carpet, drywall, baseboards and starting from scratch all before mid July.

3.  And the biggest announcement is we have decided to move.  Yes, while all of this craziness is going on, we are putting our house on the market.  However easy it is to say, there is a list a mile long full of details that need to be taken care of.

• In order to make our backyard more appealing (because it's so small) I have to take OUT my garden.  Meaning, remove all plants, pack up the dirt, and take out the boxes.
• Begin to pack and purge.  
• Fix small repairs around the house that have added up over time.  Replace the doorbell, touch up the paint, hang the fire alarm back up that I tore off the ceiling at 2:00 AM one morning because it started beeping.
• The new house needs work.  It would be so much easier to work on an empty house, but that means putting the house in storage, which means moving twice. 
• An entire list of new home projects that I'm not even going to think about listing here.

If we weren't crazy enough already, we also seriously considered taking on two puppies.  Verbal agreement given, collars and leashes purchased, and training books checked out from the library.  We came to our senses and put dog ownership on the back burner.  Thankfully we know the breeders and they were understanding.

In the end this will all really be lemonade.  It just means that for a short period of time things will be a little sour.  Sometimes you have a vision of the end result but you're unclear of the journey to get there.  I don't know how this is all going to unfold, I just know that it will and in the end we'll be happier for it.  I will share with you more details as the months unfold and occasionally I will pop in for either a respite or an update.  I'll tweet about a new post so be sure to follow me if want to stay up to date. 

See you soon.

Paws for A Moment

When Bears Attack

There is a running joke in my family about hiking and bears.  I used to hike quite a bit alone, especially in Colorado.  No one is ever happy about this and they always pass on information they have heard or read in regard to protecting oneself the best possible way from a bear or even a mountain lion.  Their concern is masked with humor.   

I always carry rocks in my pockets and I typically sing on the trail.  Songs like You Are My Sunshine and my own lyrics which usually have lines about not eating me because I'm not sweet.  In my mind singing these songs will ward off bears.  It's always worked before!   

I made the mistake of telling my family this long ago and actually sang the songs for them and now, it's all I hear about.  I could be walking around the block and they ask me if I have my rocks.  So it comes with no surprise that I have gotten a good share of goading from my recent bear encounter story.  I expected this, I did.  The one time I'm not carrying rocks, I see a bear. 

I received a package in the mail recently, and honestly it takes the cake.  My dad has one-uped me.  Good one dad!  And the joke lives on...