My book recommendations for the Spring.

I love to read but I can't predict the flow of my reading. Sometimes I can read several books in one weekend and then I'll go a month and only read the back of my cereal box. I have no idea what causes this and can't predict when it will happen.

Which is why I'm on the public library's most wanted list. I can never get a book back on time. I finally realized it was cheaper for me to buy from Barnes and Noble or my neighborhood book store and then sell, give or donate it after I finish. I do keep some..mainly autographed copies of books.

Ok..so this month I have devoured books..(maybe it might be the hammock I have on the porch now) I read The Help (enjoyed it..local author), Dead Travel Fast (a quick read) and Saving CeeCee Honeycutt - a very good book..some tragic moments but it has the feel of the YaYa Sisterhood in that the interaction between the women was healing. I loved it and immediately imagined it made into a movie.

Another great book was The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. A YaYa recommended it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A mystery with an 11 year old sleuth as the heroine. Very cool.

Oh, and I read The Secret Life CeeCee Wilkes (two CeeCees). I liked it as well..but it was not a feel good book.

One last book which I have not read is Where Mercy is Shown, Mercy is Given by Dog the Bounty Hunter. Now, I have watched the show a few times but have not since his scandal. But he came to my hometown at the bequest of the best little bookstore in the world. Foxtale Books and 1000 people showed up for his autograph. He was very late..showed up in a bus with his face all over it and then instead of sitting for the signing..he came out and signed everyone's book..no pictures please. Anyway, he smelled like alcohol and looks like he's been rode hard but he did sign a 1000 books. Beth is smaller than she looks on t.v. and was very nice. So all in all it was not a bad night...

So those are my books I've read...I'm starting on the Reliable Wife...and it seems dark..

Oh..and those ladies with Dog are the owners of the Foxtale Books..if you are ever in Woodstock, GA..you must visit their store.

Follow up on Lucy

Last week at this time I was crying in the middle of Petsmart. The Vet wouldn't console me, the checkout girls kept telling me they were sorry.

Now, my Lucy is running around the house like a maniac playing with my daughter's dog. You wouldn't know how sick she was last week.

I took her to the vet on Tuesday..she was somewhat better after I dumped the Science/Hills prescription crap they made me buy. I started making boiled chicken and rice and Lucy finally started eating. Well, the vet (her normal vet) looked at the bloodwork and said it was consistent with an infection. Any time we get an infection our liver gets some damage but it regenerates quickly so it's not a big deal. And only one enzyme was elevated -if it was more serious more would be elevated.

Just to be careful I need to take her in for more another round of tests in a month but the vet was pretty sure she was fine.

Thank you all for thinking good thoughts. She is my buddy. -

The pic is Lucy taking on a dog twice her size...that's my tough dog.

Lucy

I've had many dogs in my life. There was Brownie- she was my birthday gift when I was nine. But no matter how much we played she was attached to my dad. I didn't realize dogs attach to the person who feeds them..and dad really did take care of her. My mom called me my freshman year to tell me she walked over to my dad, made a strange noise and just fell over. Probably a heart attack, dad spoiled her rotten. I was sad, but it broke my dad's heart.

Then I had Ginger. She was a cairn terrier that I got from a pet store. I was just out of college and had no idea how these dogs were treated. She was way over bred...she had an allergy to everything and was a little off. No matter how vigilant I was I could not get her completely house trained. And she was cranky. I finally had to have her put down and though it made me sad I was not heartbroken.

Maggie came next. By then I knew a pound puppy was the only way to go. She was a black lab/german shephard mix. She grew to over a 100 pounds at her heaviest. Maggie was a bull in a china shop if there ever was one. But once she got over her adolescence she was so smart. She took commands easily - she was housebroken till she was a very old lady and she was so embarrassed then. When the vet and I had exhausted our options I held her till she was gone. That broke my heart. I vowed..never to go through that again.

Then my daugher insisted I get another dog..she was at college and she didn't want me to be alone. Finally, I agreed to go look for dogs. But I knew it needed to a dog that chose me. And finally we went to the Paulding Animal shelter and this little brown dog wagged her tail when she saw me. I took her out of her cage- she gave me one kiss and put her head on my shoulder. That was Lucy. Since then she and I are as close as you can get. We go to the park, for walks, to Starbucks (they have dog bones)... she is always excited to see me.

Friday, she got sick- during the largest snow storm Atlanta has seen in years. She was sick all night and I was so worried she would get dehydrated. So yesterday, I called all the vets in the area to see if they were open. None were. I finally decided once the ice melted off the roads I would take her to the emergency clinic (terrible reputation) but luckily, I remember Petsmart had a clinic in the store- they had just opened and told me to bring her in. I thought what she had was respiratory since she was breathing heavily and her nose was running...but it was not. In fact, after many tests it turned out that her liver is not functioning properly. The Vet (who seemed better with animals than people) that it was very serious. She said she didn't think it was failing - yet- but we were heading in that direction. She sent us home with antibiotics, some serious de wormer treatment (just in case) and instructions to take her to my regular vet on Tuesday. I broke down right there..the nurse said not to worry that Lucy will be ok and then looked at the vet who said that she couldn't be so sure. (again, better with animals than people)

So I'm waiting. Lucy is no longer throwing up. And she has eaten a bit. But she is still lethargic.

She is only three. This just hurts.

My virtual vacation part deaux

Looking at my bank account I realize my dreams of going anywhere futher than Canton, Ga may not be realistic at this time. I also would not be spending the night in Canton which is five minutes away.

So please dream with me as I go to exotic locations that many of you have already been to...

First, lately I've been wanting to go to Rio as in de Janeiro ... however, the reviews from tourists don't give it glowing terms...for the money I should just go to Florida.

But isn't it pretty?


I love the ocean, the beach, fruity drinks and fun music. Nothing beats a hole in the wall bar on the beach with music and a rum drink on a full moon night.

On the other hand I love the mountains, cold air and the bigness of it all. My parents took me to the Colorado and Wyoming when I was 14 and I loved it. That's why I think I'd love Alaska..




Isn't that pretty? I used to live in Florida and I loved watching dolphins..I think it would be even cooler to see the whales. I don't think I could live there..even if you live in the city the cold is way too cold. But I would love to visit.

Ok..that is enough dreaming for me today...tomorrow maybe I'll go to Greece or Italy....

Where I have been and where I will be...

I apologize to those who read my blog. It's been a long time since I felt relaxed enough to write. I'm not sure how I got that way this morning...maybe because I'm so tired I can't get stressed.

Work. That's it. Nothing else. We have not only been busy admin wise but also sales have been through the roof. We really don't get it...the economy has not really recovered...but no one is complaining. Unfortunately, for me...this time of year usually affords me time to get all the admin stuff done..but not this year. I can't breathe. I get over a 100 emails a day, calls, voicemails and people who walk into my office and close the door because they need to vent. I try to protect myself some but so many people depend on me for answers that not much gets protected. To catch up with the emails I'm responding at night in my pajamas. I'm dreaming about our products..when I should be dreaming about anything else.

Oh...but I do have a dream...I want a vacation and I think I have found a spot. The Salish Lodge...I love the Pacific Northwest and dream of living in Portland someday. Anyway...it is quiet, beautiful and they welcome dogs ...hello, Lucy!

I really want to get all my debt paid off so I can start really saving and traveling. The only way I can truly get away from work is to get away...somewhere remote. I don't want a repeat of my NOLA trip where I was talking to a sales rep on the phone while trying to enjoy a a cafe au lait at Cafe de Monde.

Oh, and I finally I finished South of Broad..I promised JoJo I would let her know what I thought. Well, here is my impression. Conroy is a lyrical writer. He can weave a story like no one else...however, this was one was crammed with too much..too many tears, too many psychos, too much of everything. I adored Leo's father, I love Leo's relationship with the cranky antique dealer and I thought the friendship with Ike was a great story. However, the twins and the orphans were over the top and made the story seem crowded. The Hugo story with the porpoise was very nice. I love the group as kids..not so much as adults. I can't say I hated the book but I didn't love it either. Conroy is like our Anne Rivers Siddons from Atlanta...they are very talented but sometimes they try too hard.

Ok..I'm off for the day..tomorrow I need to work again..perhaps a quiet day at the office will allow me to catch up so I don't tear my hair out in frustration...I'll leave you with a pic of the falls by the lodge...

Sorry I have not posted lately

I'll be back this weekend with a Christmas update and pics of my black tree.

A beautiful fall, Cows and the Angel of Death

It is absolutely glorious this weekend...temps in the 70's and no clouds in the sky. I went to Trader Joe's yesterday and picked up the most amazing sunflower bouquet...I put it in a sunflower pitcher I got years ago at Target. I took a gajillion pics and the only one that caught the beauty of it was the one I took on the fly this morning. I need to edit out my hair holder but other than that it is really pretty.

So, I've been working hard..pre-inventory cleanup was this week and while it was successful, I'm beat. So I've been flaking out with books (I discovered Karen White who writes supernatural mysteries based in Charleston) and I went with some friends to see Men Who Stare at Goats. I should have loved it but I didn't. I didn't laugh once and Clooney was not all that hot. I probably should have stayed home.



Two weeks ago I went to see Amanda show a cow. However, the cow decided it was a race and not a show and galloped through the arena with Amanda in tow. This is Buffy and Amanda. Buffy is the cow. And she is certifiable. Then earlier this week, there was a shooter on the loose in Athens in the end of town that was near the Ag farms. Amanda assured me all was fine.









This week the neighbors finally took down their Halloween decorations. This is was a bangup year..we had cemetaries, inflatable pumpkins but the best was the Angel of Death across the street. They left him up long after they took down their other decorations. I took this the other morning..because it was so weird...

So that was my odd week. I'm sitting here with the bundled up with the windows open. Pretty soon, I'll go mow my leaves and mulch and then I'll put the hammock up and read another mystery.