Made in Richmond

As the days drag on through this mid-summer’s heat wave, I find myself counting the days until I get to walk outside in long sleeves and real shoes, get in my car, and do something with the day. I spend most of my year in anticipation of summer. For me, summer means the end of the school year, time to clean the slate and wait for the next batch of kiddies to arrive. Honestly though, I get over summer really quickly. It’s not in my nature to just sit and not have anything to do. I’m thrilled with any task I’m given and become pitifully reliant on the television and my dogs for entertainment. For me, summer means being trapped in my own head, my brain clicking away with what I want to accomplish but can’t yet because it’s not time. For me, idle hands mean an overactive, hypersensitive mind that spends its time making up things to worry about.

The fall means back to work, time to use my brain, to occupy myself, to become exhausted and worn out, to not give my brain time to click-click-click away at night because it’s too tired to do anything but shut down and let me rest. Yes, I think I’m ready for that again.

His name is Jeremy and he’s at the Richmond SPCA. I met him yesterday when my mom was looking for a new dog. He’s very mellow and is more interested in cuddling than getting into trouble. And when you brush his hair forward he looks like a lion.

So I had to take Zapp into the vet again last week to get her ears checked again. Good news-her ears were clear of infection and it only cost $28 to meet with the vet this time. Anyway, while I was there I asked the vet about the “grapes being toxic to dogs” controversy. He said, in fact, that yes it has been found that grapes can cause liver and other organ damage in dogs, but it’s a finding that’s popped up only in the last 8-12 months. He said a grape every now and then is fine, but don’t let the dogs have access to a whole bunch because they’ll think they’re for them, eat them, and possibly die. So FYI.

Apparently Shooter loves flowers off all types, real or faux. A couple posts ago I mentioned that I sewed felt flowers on a tank top I have. Shooter first encountered this the other day and he kept smelling the flowers on my chest. The shirt is now draped across the arm of the rocking chair and he keeps coming up to it, gently pressing his nose to it to see if it smells. He exactly like Ferdinand the Bull, a character from a story that makes Ross feel emotion and he therefore cannot read.

So I’ve been working out almost everyday for 2 weeks, drinking more water, and eating better. But I’ve gained 4 pounds. W.T.F.

My body has become addicted to water as of late. I decided about 1 1/2 weeks ago that I was going to drink a ton of water everyday for 3 weeks until it became a habit (this worked for reading the Bible-Ross and I have been reaidng the Bible every night for almost 2 years because of someone telling us that theory). Well, now if it gets to be noon and I haven’t had approx. 2 liters of water, my body basically shuts down. My stomach hurts, my head hurts, and I become very crabby. I guess water is a good thing to be addicted to, though.

In other news, I now sweat an obscene amount when I exercise. We’re talking rolling off on me in buckets sweating. Like Gatorade-commercial sweat, except it’s not colored. I’ve been exercising a lot lately, too. This comes more from boredom and poverty, rather than the desire to be healthy. Exercising is the only thing that I can afford to do that keeps me busy. I’m guessing maybe the ridiculous amount of sweat I produce relates to the ridiculous amount of water I consume. But, while it’s disgusting, I’m kept very cool during my workouts. The human body. It’s an amazing thing.

My mother is either obsessed with me getting pregnant or terrified of me getting pregnant. Everytime I mention that I’m tired or not feeling well (usually a result of the water withdrawal), she immediately asks, “Are you pregnant?” I wonder if she does this with everyone or just me. I think it’d be pretty funny if she did it with everyone, though.

I crafted it up on Wednesday whilst watching Project Runway with some lady friends. I had seen some tank tops in Need with little felt flowers and such sewn on them. These tank tops cost about $40. I realized earlier this week that I a) had felt and b) had a tank top. I put them together and magic happened. Very cute magic if I do say so myself. I wore it yesterday, and I must say it was a hit. Well, it was a hit with Ross since he was the only person I saw yesterday, but it’s a start. I mean, he’s hip.

I have the best brother in the world. I knew this already, but he sealed the deal today. I went to Diversity Thrift and bought a credenza-something-or-other for the dining room. Upon realizing that it wouldn’t fit in my car, I called my brother and offered him lunch to come pick it up and help me load it into my house. Boy howdy, he earned that lunch. My arms are apparently useless, so I wasn’t much help to him. Fortunately Peggy, a lady who lives down the street and keeps all of her furniture on her front porch to make room for her plants inside, came to help. She helped Bryan load the monstrosity into the house, telling him that as he lifted it to pretend that he had to pee in his pants and had to hold it in. Apparently this helped and made the lifting easier. The more you know, kids. The more you know.

That’s all for now. Oh, btw, the monstrosity originally cost $75, but I got it for $40. I attribute it to my smile and charm, not that it had been sitting in the store for 2 months.

1. Break a sweat at least once a day.
2. There is never a reason to be rude, especially to people you don’t know.
3. Blondes should never leave the house without mascara. Brunettes should never leave the house without blush.
4. Boys (and men) just want you to be proud of them. Be sure to tell them that you are.
5. Park far away so you have to walk.
6. Smart boys will end up with the girls who are goofy. Pretty only gets you so far.
7. If someone constantly refers to things that make them sound smart, they probably aren’t that smart.
8. Getting a dog is always a good idea.
9. Along the same lines, dogs should always be allowed on the bed with you.
10. Siblings and cousins are some of the best thing on God’s green earth.

Ross and I were talking the other night and we decided that when it really comes down to it, Shooter is the most popular living thing in our house. Zapp is in love with him and Ross and I are constantly pleading with him to cuddle us and play. He’s got us all in the palm of his hand. Paw. Oh you know.

*Got up at 8:15
*Went to church (via bicycle)
*Vaccuumed the entire house
*Did a load of laundry
*Weeded and spiffed up the front flower bed
*Pulled vines in the backyard
*Bug-bombed the shed
*Sprayed the “red-shouldered” bugs who love our backyard and are slowing making their way to the house-many souls were lost
*Called Mexico (the restaurant, not the country) to arrange catering for my sister’s shower
*Called my mother to tell her how grown up I was by calling Mexico (still the restaurant, not the country)
*MOWED THE FRONT LAWN WHILE *SOMEONE* JUST WATCHED AND LAUGHED AT ME

I’m amazing.

that I love Will Ferrell?

When we give Zapp her ear medicine, we feed her grapes so she will stay still. She love love loves grapes and she will pretty much suffer through anything to get this tasty treat. However, apparently she now associates grapes with having stuff put in her ears. Consequently, whenever she sees a grape, she shakes her head furiously before gladly accepting her snack.

I picked some flowers from one of our bushes out front and put them in a bud vase in our hallway. Shooter likes to gently smell them each time he passes. He too loves grapes. Whenever the fridge is opened, he puts his face as close to them as possible without actually touching them, as not to overstep his boundaries.