Last time my husband left for any length of time, I slept with the shotgun loaded beside our bed (and worried that drunken bafoons would enter my home), albeit the shotgun wasn't exactly loaded properly...ahem...anyway, moving on. The point is that I know how to load it now (and shoot it if I might add)!
Now that Captain J is away again, I'm doing much better. I guess it gets a little easier each time as far as doing my own thing and being content with a routine or lack thereof. Yesterday I went on another hike out on Chena Hot Springs Road. The weather decided to cooperate despite the forecast looking shabby so I loaded up the truck with fishing gear and dog number one and hit the road. After a short 3 miler, I drove down the road and hit up our favorite fishing spot. I'll admit I felt really bad for leisurely fishing while my poor, better half is out training with the U.S. Army. I didn't feel too bad, though--I was having too much fun!
That night, Nicole, Sarah, and I settled in to watch one of our silly secret indulgences which I can't tell you about. It comes on the family channel and that's all I'm sayin'! We had fun talking about past experiences and making fun of ourselves for enjoying the show. The girls evening in made for a late night so I enjoyed sleeping in late and not having to wake up early to cook breakfast.
Today was lazy! Aside from nearly breaking my hand (and that may be dramatic) and missing my husband like crazy, I'm doing well. I miss him, but I'm okay!
P.S.- The dogs played together today! Progress. Yay!!
I had a pretty darn tootin' good weekend. Did I just say that? Anyway, Friday I almost strangled my husband but I ended up sparing him because I knew he had a rough day at the office. Here's what happened--
We were planning a fish fry for that evening so we could get rid of all that prepare some yummy halibut for the new cadets that are shadowing the officers for a while all while simultaneously making them feel welcome in the Last Frontier. J's plans to get off work early fell through and we had yet to go grocery shopping for the sides to go with the meal. I offered to help, but he had it "under control."
The other minor thing he had "under control"? He was supposed to pick up the newest member of our family after she had major surgery! He didn't do that. Oh well...it all worked out thanks to some awesome friends of mine that offered to drive me all over creation that day.
Anyway, did you catch that earlier? The new family member part? We've added another dog to our happy home! Meet Solstice-
We adopted another Alaskan Husky from the animal shelter here in Fairbanks. She's 2.5 years old and cute as a button. She looks a lot like Drifter, which was what orignially drew us to her. Her coloring is much more brown, though and she probably has about 15 pounds on Drifter. She's very sweet, but super skiddish. I think she might have been abused. Either that, or she is just way traumatized from being abandoned and forced to live with a bunch of barking dogs that weren't part of her pack. I felt so bad for her. Her baby blues got me and I knew we couldn't leave her there.
It's been a rough road these past few days trying to make these two dogs get along. They're polar opposites. He just wants to play and she just wants to be left alone. I hope that's just the fact that she was just spayed that is driving her opinions of sweet Drifter. He has already calmed down a bit. I think she has asserted her dominance over him quite well (You go, girl!), but she is still warming up to us. I hope things get better for her. I really do! Isn't she purdy?
[caption id="attachment_1251" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Drifter says, "Pay attention to me!""][/caption]
Saturday was nice, too. Captain J and I walked around town for awhile at the Golden Days Festival and then headed to the farmers market where we found an amazing reindeer sausage hot dog with "Georgia sweet tea"! Oh my gravy, was it good! We then rented movies and came home with rib eyes to throw on the grill. Nice little saturday.
Sunday was good, too. We went on a hike--but that is a post for another day because I want to go spend the time I have left with J because he's off "in the field" again for the next week. Boo!
(*Sooooo, does anyone have any advice on introducing a new pet to the family?)
First off, let me say a big thank you to all who suggested books for me to read. I was truly excited by the responses and I look forward to settling down on my couch and curling up with a good book!
I don't have a lot to say today but I do have a lot to get done today so I fear that this post will be quite random, but that's how I usually roll. I have some stuff to catch you up on-
For example:
Our bedroom needed an update (a cheap update) so I went to Walmart to piece together some items I liked and voila! It's a much better place to be now. I love those colors. It's kind of ridiculous how I keep going back to them. My bedroom in college had similar colors and my bed at my parents' house does, too. Well, I guess that's not my bed anymore...so weird. Moving on...
I also taught Drifter to shake:
He seems to be calming down a lot. I hope the puppy days are coming to a close, but I don't think I could be so lucky. He has really good days, but he can still be a slight terror at times, too. The good thing is, he's too cute not to love.
Oh, man...Now here's a funny Drifter story-
(Imagine a scooby doo ending here)
I rolled over early one morning because of the symphony of dog barks and the audible sound of tires crunching over gravel. Too sleepy to pay it much mind, I laid still, willing myself back to sleep. Then the barking ceases and there's the distinct sound of someone leaving our driveway. I was curious so I peeked outside to see a jeep, speeding away. It was then that I realized I couldn't hear my annoying sweet puppy's vocals any longer. I woke up J fully and said, "That's odd, Drifter is quiet now" to which he jokingly responded, "Maybe whoever that was stole him." Not funny.
I raced to the window to look out into the backyard at our dog, but he wasn't there. Frantic, I tried to make sense of the situation. All I could conclude was that someone in a white jeep took off with our furry child. I alerted J to the fact that Drifter was indeed missing and, call me crazy, but I expected him to jump into action. When he did nothing of the sort, I became infuriated. Did he not care that someone stole our dog? I was so worried that he was taken from us because he is so annoying and that he would soon meet an untimely demise. I knew there was no possible way that someone liked him so much that they wanted to take him. I'm a realist, people.
Anyway, long story short- Drifter broke his line trying to get at the neighbor's dog, Otie, who was taunting him on our lawn. After 30 minutes of near-tears, we see ole D-Nugget barreling at us full force. I was so happy that he was alive and well. I probably hugged him for five minutes, not letting him out of my sight. Sheepishly, I turned to Captain J and apologized for freaking out for no reason but then I scolded him for not jumping in immediately to save the day. His response?
"I track down people for a living. I was just remaining calm and piecing together the facts. There was no need to over-react. Did you want me to chase after the jeep?"
MEN!
It turns out that jeep that I desperately wanted to call the cops on belonged to two of our good friends. Now wouldn't that have been funny? I guess we can conclude that I love my dog more than I let on ;)
I got an award from Jenn over at Chances I'm Taking! Thanks, a lot Jenn. I love your blog, too but since I can't re-gift, I'll pass it along to some other of my favorite bloggers, but that is to come a little later. First off, we've got some business to get down to. With this award, I must list ten things I love (in no particular order)--
1. My military life I was so glad to have Captain J home for this Memorial Day. Even though the weekend didn't go quite as planned, I'm thankful beyond belief that he was stateside this year. As we close up the month of the military families today, I'd just like to say--thanks. Thanks to those who serve. Thanks to the families who stick by those service men and women. I'm proud to be an army wife and I feel incredibly lucky to be born in the best country in the world!
2. Wonderful Friends New and old-I'm so glad you're in my life! For those of you this week who listened to me complain and brought me Diet Dews- You're the bomb! For those of you who made me laugh from miles away...thank you! To my new "couple" friend- I'm so glad I met you. For my bloggy friends for checking in on me and reaching out, you rock!
3. The fact that I caught a fish this weekend Umm..yeah...Not only did I catch a fish, I outfished 3 guys! I caught 3 fish which was the record for the day. Beat that, boys! Ha!
4. Technology Skype and video capable cell phones make me happy every week. I get to see my family from many miles away and it helps me tremendously.
5. My sweet puppy Drifter was so happy this weekend. He got to play with his buddies quite a bit! He's a much more pleasant pet when he's fully exercised and socialized.
6. Spiced Chai Tea Cheers me up every time.
7. An empty hamper and laundry basket Unfortunately, our closet is what is actually empty. Zut alor!
8.We don't have to move This was the BEST news I heard all weekend. I was getting really frustrated with Captain J the situation. I was driving him nuts, I'm sure. He said it would all work out and I guess it has! The owners decided not to sell the house. Woo hoo!
9. Chocolate 'Nuff said.
10. Air conditioning Man, I miss that.
Alrighty, now that those are taken care of- Let's pass it along, shall we?
I was supposed to pass this along to ten people, but in normal Mrs. K fashion...I decided four was good. It' s more special that way, right? There are tons of blogs I love, but these are worth a look at it. These ladies are fabulous!
I promise to write more this week. I know I've been MIA lately. Blame it on the gorgeous weather!
Many bloggers enjoy keeping their site fresh and interesting by inviting a guest writer to share their thoughts on various subjects and/or experiences. I've never done so but I've found the idea to be attractive. I'm aware that as a personal blogger I easily become somewhat narcissistic in thinking that the rest of the world really wants to know what is going on in my little life so I believe that occasionally it will be nice to take the focus off of me for awhile so I can get grounded again. I mean, you surely don't want to hear about me all the time, right? With this in mind, I decided to invite a very regal, young gentleman to share with you today about an experience he encountered this weekend. I do hope you enjoy his thoughts! Introducing...
High Plains Drifter
Photo by Joshua Reed
aka "K-Fed", "Stop It", "D-Nugget" and just plain ole "Drifter"
Drifter is a dashing young dog with incredible humans watching after him. He enjoys long walks down Farmer's Loop Road, trips to the dog park, drinking from the toilet and chewing on contraband items (as determined by his owner). Drifter is youthful in age and spirit and has a lot of energy and passion to share with others. Without further ado, here are his latest thoughts:
Hello, Mrs. K and Captain J blog readers. I'm Drifter--their mostly happy but definitely whiney Alaskan Husky puppy. I'm 7 months old or so they tell me and I've been living with them since February. Dad (aka Captain J) rescued me from the animal shelter in Anchorage as a Valentine's gift for Momma (you will know her as Mrs. K). For this reason, I try to be extra good and not give her too much of a headache seein' as how I was a gift and all. When I am good they don't notice me misbehaving, I am rewarded with treats. Last Sunday, I was allowed my very first scoop of the tastiest vanilla ice cream a pup could ask for. We walked around on College Rd. and came to a delicious ice cream palace place called Hot Licks. They let me have my very own sugar cone and even held it up for me as I ate. I could scarcely contain myself as I licked as fast as my tongue would allow. I barely even stopped for a breather. It was one of the best days of my short life. I don't know what I did to deserve such royal treatment, but hopefully I'll keep it up! Here are some photos from my favorite day-
YUM!
Thanks for taking the time to read about my awesome day! If you want to learn more about me you can look me up on facebook. I'll let you do the searchin' , though. I do love games! Until next time--Ruff, Ruff!
(*In all seriousness, if anyone would like to do a guest post on a topic of your choice feel free to contact me at mrskandcaptainj@hotmail.com . I welcome bloggers and non-bloggers alike! Let me know if you'd like to participate or send me your work and a short bio (and pic if you'd like) and I'll be sure to give you all the credit. If you're not a blogger, it's a good opportunity to have your voice heard and get your foot in the wonderful world of blogging. If you are a part of the massive blogging community then you will have the benefit of exposing my readers to your link and possibly upping your follower numbers. Let me know!
Do you miss me? I have been enjoying my newly found freedom now that the weather has warmed up. Captain J has been driving the jeep much more frequently this week so I've been going out and enjoying the sunshine. As it goes, I've slacked in the blogging department. Slacking for me, though, is still several posts in one week so I'm hoping you'll let that slide.
The weather here in Fairbanks has been lovely. For the past week, we've had temps in the 50's and even 60's during the hottest parts of the day. I have really tried to take advantage of this by relaxing in the sun with a good book and taking Drifter running a lot. We've also fired up the grill quite a bit when Captain J is home and we're very much enjoying our new toy.
Notice Drifter being mischievous. If there's any food around, it better be way out of his reach or he'll look for a way to get it into his mouth. Wait, scratch that. He'll have it in his throat in no time. He knows he's in trouble when he does it so he'll try to consume the whole thing in one big swallow. He's been uber rebellious lately so that has taken some getting used to.
Another thing I haven't quite gotten used to is all this daylight we're experiencing! Captain J's alarm sounds at 0530 and it is as bright outside as it is at noon. When we head to bed at night, it's still fairly light out there. It finally gets dark around 2300. It's a cool experience, but a girl needs her sleep! I like it, though. The days don't feel as if they're already over when J gets home at night anymore.
I've been attempting to catch up on several things I need to get done. One of my favorites on my To Do list is working on my scrapbook. If you keep up with this blog, you know I just now got around to doing the Halloween page. I'm very behind! I just finished a couple pages on our trip to New Zealand, but I have several more to go. We took lots of pictures! Here's the latest page-
I have fun doing this. It makes me feel like a kid again, being crafty. Which brings me to my next point...Can one force someone to have fun? I think not. Yet, that is exactly what the Army is going to do to for Captain J tomorrow. They call it "mandatory fun days," I kid you not. Instead of giving them the day off to do whatever fun activity the soldier pleases, they require them to come into work for all day game playing. It's sort of like the adult version of Field Day. I think the idea of giving them all a break is a good idea, but mandatory fun? Odd! The Army does have some perks in this department, though. Alaska, in particular, has what is called "Arctic Family Time." This is cool because my husband actually comes home for this family time! :) It's usually just an excuse to get off work early, but I'm a fan. Speaking of fans...this totally cracked me up the other day when I saw it. Do you know how people are fans of everything on facebook? I mean, EVERYTHING. I rarely ever become a fan of anything because it gets out of control. Well, I'm officially a fan of this picture:
Anyway, where was I? Oh yes... He'll be off playing games and I'll be at the salon with a friend making myself as lovely as possible for the Army ball tomorrow night so I really can't complain. I do think it's fun to get all dressed up for the night and remind Captain J that I do own makeup and clothes besides tshirts, but I am not really looking forward to this one. I'm not sure why. I think it's because it's going to be the whole brigade, which means a lot of people. Crowds freak me out. Did you know that? I don't like to be in a room with tons of people. It makes me feel like the world is too crowded and it's closing in on me. Ha! I do like my space which is why I'd never make it in a big city. I'm a country girl at heart. Just flying into LAX makes me feel like I can't breathe well. Just thinking about walking around down there, surrounded by buildings, without a patch of grass or a big tree in sight gives me the heebie jeebies.
I like my simple life out here in the woods of Central Alaska with my husband and dog. I'm all about experiencing new places and seeing what else the Earth has to offer me, but I hope I can do all that with a little elbow room along the way.
More from this week:
Yum, yum! It's a good thing I've been running a lot. All this food is bound to catch up with me soon.
Lastly, I want to wish my mother-in-law, Laura, a very happy birthday. I hope your day is splendid! We miss you and love you very much!
In spirit of Earth Day, I think I'll go pick up trash along the highway if Drifter doesn't eat it all before I can. Have a great day all!
Thank you for being so kind as to leave the truck for me today. I felt like a whole new woman after I got done working out at the PFC. Also, thanks for sneaking home for dinner last night. I'm glad I got to see you!!
Dear In-Laws,
I love the picture frame you sent. I finally got the right photo in it. Now, every time I walk by it, I smile. Love it!
Dear Readers: Linn and Laura,
I'm so glad you suggested the book, The Help. I'm really enjoying it and it's a great excuse to not do anything around the house all day!
Dear silly dog,
You're wild and crazy, but I sure do like you a whole lot. Please don't run off again- it makes me worry. Besides, you'll get the punishment bib again if you're not careful-
I got the dress you sent me for the ball. I must say...I look pretty darn good in it! ha Thank you so much. I sent you a check for the shipping earlier today.
What comes to mind when I ask you--What are you thankful for today? Maybe it's your little old lady neighbor who baked you the yummiest sprinkled sugar cookies yesterday or perhaps you're just thankful you got through yesterday. Sarcastic or not, I want to hear about them and so does Captain over at Our Imperfect Life. She started this blog carnival called Thank You Thursday so if you want to join in the fun, go check out her page for more direction! (Note: I'm aware I have one more hour until it's technically Thursday for me, but most of you who are reading are coming from the future so will you just let this slide this once? THANK YOU!)
My Thank Yous-
1. Thank You, Lord, for some how willing Drifter to do the impossible. He passed puppy class--all glory to God! Seriously. Miracles do occur.
2. Thank You bloggy friends for seriously helping me to maintain my sanity. Honestly, I get so bored during the day without all of your witty, crazy hilarious, & entertaining posts.
3. Thank You, Shutterfly, for finally sending my wedding announcements. I mean, it's really no big deal that the cards say "We are happy to announce our RECENT wedding..." when recent was many moons ago.
4. Thank You to the current administration for this awesome healthcare plan. Oh, wait...scratch that altogether. I think it blows.
5. Thank You to my mom and mom-in-law for the recipes. I had fun trying something new in the kitchen!
6. Thank You to Myxer.com for the free ringtones. I especially love when my mom calls and I get to hear Renegade by Styx..."o mama I'm in fear for my life..." Makes me giggle.
7. And finally, I'll just throw a big Thank You out to the universe for all the little things in life. Seriously, I know I'm a nerd but hear me out... I arranged some apples in a little candle holder I had laying around and the beauty and simplicity of it made me smile today. Doesn't take much ;)
I'm sitting in front of the t.v watching a typical love scene on a bad soap opera and nothing stands in my way from the remote on the other half of the couch except a sweetly sleeping puppy with his head on my lap. How can I wake him? I've always had this problem. A couple days after I met Captain J, he invited me to go to the beach with him. During the ride to salty water and windy beaches, he fell asleep on my lap so I tried desperately not to breathe deeply so I wouldn't wake him. I also was somewhat excited that he felt comfortable enough with me to go to sleep on my lap until it hit me that he's just a guy and he was surely only concerned about sleeping and easily passing the time in the car! Oh well. Still, nothing has changed. If J is sleeping, I tip toe around the house. If he's sleeping on me, I'll endure thousands of those tingly things that attack my arm just before it falls "asleep" so as not to wake my dear husband. It's because of the look he gives me when he is just waking up. I imagine it's the look he would give me if I rolled his 1985 CJ8 (which can be seen here) off the nearest cliff.
So, here I am...stuck watching the "stories" which aren't mine! I'll take this opportunity to catch you up on what's been going on the past couple of days. Monday we took Drifter to puppy class yet again. I wish dogs could ignore nature in some way and not act on their sexual instincts because it grosses me out. Drifter was being quite the male harlot and I was slightly appalled. I can't wait to get him neutered! Other than that fiasco, he did pretty well. He didn't bark the entire time this class period.
After class, Captain J loaded Drifter in the jeep while I jumped in the truck to head off to a night out with my girls. I met Kim, Allison and her two children, and Kristel for dinner at Boston's. Sometimes I get into funks and feel as if I don't have any friends here, but after spending time with these ladies, they always seem to cheer me up. I find it hard to find balance between reaching out and making plans with friends when I feel like I rarely get to see J as it is. I'm sure they feel the same way because all of their husbands are Army guys, too and I'm sure they're working just as hard as J does. I was thankful we had that time to meet up because it truly lifted my spirits in knowing that I do have some girlfriends up here in Alaska.
Tonight we are headed back to obedience class, so wish us luck!
Monday brought with it a new era of doggy behavior (or so I'm hoping). Yesterday, we took Drifter to his first lesson at obedience class. I was so hoping to be a proud Mama that I even wore my Drifter socks in support of him. For those of you who do not know, I love weird socks. They are basically all I wear in the winter. Well, class number one just didn't work the miracles I was yearning for, but realistically I suppose he did alright.
He literally barked the entire class period (an hour and a half). I was like a parent who was embarrassed by their kid's behavior for the first time. I couldn't believe he wouldn't calm down and be good for five minutes! All the other furry friends barked for awhile and then settled down. Not my little terror! I'm so glad J was there to restrain him. After awhile, I noticed it wasn't an aggressive bark. Drifter just wanted to go around and meet all his new pals. Still, he was easily the worst kid in class.
There were lots of cute puppies there. There were a few sweet, older dogs, too. We are hoping these lessons pay off. If nothing else, he'll be more socialized. There was a moment that I was very proud of our little husky...
The task at hand was to take the dog into the center of the circle and give him the command to "watch." The others in the cirle would then vote, after all the dogs had accomplished this task, who did the best this week. I will say that Drifter at least deserved second place. He watched the longest by far, but I guess people just couldn't get past his annoying behavior during the rest of the class period!
Now, he's got some homework to do. It depends on how you look at it, though. I guess I'm the one with the homework! Here's Drifter on his big day before class:
I look pretty evil in this pic, but this is the best one I could get of Drifter and me because he was anxious about being in that parking lot again. I think he thought he was headed back to the vet, which will happen soon enough.
Hi. This is Drifter Weigle. I should know, my mom practically yells it at me every day. Yesterday, I noticed Mom and Dad getting their coats and gloves on ready to walk out the door so I quickly went into my crate and anxiously awaited a treat. They confused me though because they lured me out to the truck with them, which doesn't ususally happen. After a short car ride, we arrived at a fun play ground where all sorts of other dogs were playing and running. I wanted to play, too! I wasn't there to play, though. They took me inside and made me sit and do other bothersome things. I went into this room where there were tons of treats so I really thought I might like this place. Unfortunately, they poked and prodded me and I got really mad. Overall, it wasn't so bad, though. Here's Mom again...
Yes, Drifter had his first vet appointment yesterday. We found out that he's actually much younger than we thought. The pound in Anchorage told us he was about six months old. The vet in Fairbanks said he was closer to four months old! His birthday is officially on Halloween and J says that's appropriate because he can be quite the spook at times. :) Here are some more photos as requested by Jesse (my brother in law)...
I'm so frustrated. I feel like I have a two year old running around, getting into everything, and disobeying all orders. I'm babysitting a holy terror without any of the cuteness that comes along with even the most disobedient children. Sometimes I just want to let, "I told you so" slip out to J because I requested that we get an older dog, one that's already set in their ways. One that is a couch potato, is house trained, and already has good manners. Ugh! I've already had to use Drifter's full name three times today and it's barely 0900.
Last night I went to see Dear John with a friend. I really liked it, although the ending wasn't quite how Nicholas Sparks described it. One of my favorite quotes from the book is- "I fell in love with her when we were together, then fell deeper in love with her in the years we were apart." It just takes me back to when I met Captain J. Similar to the movie, J and I only had a few short weeks together before he left me for a whole year. The movie reminded of that time period in my life. I was scared to death, excited, and completely in love all at once. I couldn't believe that I had found such a great man, only to say goodbye to him and send him off to Iraq for twelve months. It was hard, but looking back now it was totally worth it. We learned so much about each other!
The friend I went to the movie with had the same situation going on with her then fiance. He was also deployed with J so when the credits started to roll, she said, "It's a good thing we didn't see this while they were deployed!" That was so true. It's always hard for me to watch a military couple say goodbye to each other because it takes me back to the end of R&R when I felt like all my happiness had been drained out of me. It didn't matter that I was watching a fictional couple. It still made me tear up. Seeing that made me remember that we'll have to do it all over again. I better cherish this time now.
Naps make me smarter. (Story found here.)I knew it, I just knew it. Now, I'll cat nap guilt free while the rest of the world goes on about their productive lives.
While in college, I had my study habits down to a T. I really didn't have to study all that much. I should have studied more throughout the week to cut down on cram sessions before tests, but I found a schedule that worked for me so I stuck with it. I truly miss going to school, learning new ideas, and having old ones challenged. If I could, I'd be a professional student. I secretly harbor thoughts of enrolling at UAF and taking some classes for the fun of it, but it's not really financially responsible at this point. I want to finish my degree desperately, but I'll have to wait until we get to our next duty station (after Benning) to work on my Master's again if I want to actually go to class. I suppose I could find an online program, but I know I'll learn more in a classroom setting. I'm missing out on so many job opportunities here, though without having the degree. It seems like getting my master's is simply a "checking the box" requirement so it probably wouldn't matter if I worked on it at a university or online. I have yet to make up my mind on what I'd like to do occupationally and I think experience is the only way to narrow it down. I'm going to search for some part time jobs at counseling agencies around Fairbanks in hopes of at least getting my foot in the door.
I am happy at home, though. I could see myself being a stay at home mother. I think I would enjoy it, but what do I know...I don't have any little ones running around. I do have a 6 month old who I've been watching quite closely today because he was a mess yesterday. Drifter didn't want to do anything we said. J had to have a come-to-Jesus meetin' with him more than once yesterday. He's sleeping sweetly on the couch for me now, though. He's such a good dog, or he tries to be...especially when there's only one person home. (Sound familiar, Mom?)
I'm looking outside to big, fluffy white snowflakes falling from the sky. The snow that was melting is now capped with sparkly, fresh fallen snow and the scenery is beautiful. You'd think I would have grown tired of it by now. I don't mind it; it's the dreadful lows that get me. Despite the snow, it's around 20 degrees right now so I'm not complaining.
Now, I think I'll curl up on the couch like Drifter. Maybe I'll grab a good book. I'll definitely be taking a nap, though. It's essential for brain development and obtaining new information. If you're at work, go tell your boss: "THIS JUST IN..."
"My advice to you is not to inquire why or whiter, but just to enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate." --Thornton Wilder
I really thought I had a bad day yesterday. I woke up early feeling like all my friends in the world were far, far away and poor pitiful me-I had no one to talk to. I was stuck in a house with a dog howling for attention and I longed for the same- only of the human persuasion. All I had to look forward to that night (since J was out at dinner with his company) was Grey's Anatomy- and if you've been following lately, you know what a disappointment that was.
Today I woke up with a much different attitude. I have everything I want and need, what's there to complain about? I like the quote above because of the reminder it brings: Enjoy each day! I have enjoyed my day. This is what it consisted of:
I woke up early, too early. It felt as if I had just drifted off to sleep when my alarm rang out, bidding me to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for my hungry soldier. I drug myself out of our warm bed, squirted some eye drops in each eye, and grabbed my cute lil VS robe for extra warmth. I decided we would have banana nut bread, yogurt, granola, and cranberries for breakfast (least amount of preparation time!). I left out coffee, didn't I? But that's a given in our household. After a nice breakfast together, he left in the jeep for work and I hopped in the truck to locate a package, which turned into quite the adventure.
The roads here are incredibly slick right now. The weather has warmed so drastically that the snow is melting pretty early for Alaska. No complaint here! Bring on Summer! There have been several times today that I've just barely missed an avalanch of snow falling from the roof as I walked outside. Anyway, I was slipping all over the place and I was even using four wheel drive. Sadly, I saw two bad wrecks in town so be sure to keep those people in your thoughts and prayers.
Road, upon road, upon road I drove down searching for yet another post office in Fairbanks. You wouldn't believe how many we have here. I finally pull onto a road with a big blue sign that says : Post Office ----->
I still couldn't believe that could be right because I was way out of town at that point. All that surrounded me were trees and residential type cabins. Sure enough, though I come to a little hole in the wall building that had the right address. I enter with hopes that it is in fact the United States Postal Service and not Jerry's Guns and Things. Luckily, a friendly young woman greeted me and gave me the package I sought. (Thanks, Mom...I love, love, love all of it.)
I ran some errands in town and then came home to spend the afternoon with the puppy. He had completely wrapped his zip line around a tree several times and was stuck and whining miserably when I arrived home. Drifter sure was happy to see me. I stayed outside with him for around two hours because he was being so good and the weather felt amazing.
Later, we drove to Muttessori, the place we're taking our little critter to obedience classes (Clever name, huh? :) ) We also started the crate training today and so far it is going quite well. He's doing much better than he did the first night we had him. I think that he was just too excited that night and with good reason! He's got two of the coolest parents around!
To make a long story short, nothing too special happened to me today. But all these semi-normal days with my husband up here in Alaska have meant so much more to me than I can describe. As Wilder might say, I'm enjoying this flavor of ice cream on my plate. Maybe tomorrow's won't taste as good, but there's always my faith that the next day will be double chocolate, my favorite!
I sure hope you are enjoying what's on your plate today, too.
Last night was one of those nights that I felt like all was right with the world. It was perfect and nothing special really happened. It was all special, every moment. It was one of those nights that I might want to rewind back to and push play all over again. What...you thought you were gonna get away without hearing mushy love stuff this February? Psh!
Yesterday evening was fairly warm so I let Drifter out to play and run around the yard a bit while we waited on Jordan to get in from work. We anxiously awaited greeting him as we heard the tires of his truck crunching on the snow packed driveway. Drifter, forgetting his manners as usual, runs up and jumps on him and barks and barks. He gets so excited to see him. I was pretty happy, too. I miss him when he's at work. Jordan addresses the puppy first (:( haha) because "we have to train him that's not okay." I get my kiss shortly after, though so I let this slide. (Gah, a dog is competing with my attention? Kidding.) Anyway, we played outside for awhile in the snow and then decided we'd take a dip in the hot tub. We donned our swim suits and grabbed some glasses for a new bottle of white wine. We talked about our day, he shared with me heart warming stories from Iraq, and we excitededly discussed our future. All the while, Drifter was trying his hardest to jump in with us! Of course, we weren't going to allow this so we just sat there in the hot water and massaging bubbles and scratched Drifter's head and belly. He had to be thinking, 'This is the life!' I know I was. It's so wonderful to know that I've met my counterpart in life, my best friend. He has completed my life and it's the best feeling in the world. Now we have our little dog that's going to have to serve as our child for a couple years...haha. I don't think Drifter will mind all the attention, though.
After letting two hours slip away, we finally move into the cabin for dinner. We had no idea how long we'd been cooking ourselves outside! I whipped up some potatoes and grilled chicken that were pretty tasty if I do say so myself. All in all, it was a lovely evening with my hubby. I think now, 'I wonder how he would describe it.' I have used 417 words thus far, but I think he would probably sum it up with just three, "Nice little Wednesday."
I painted myself into a corner with my mop on purpose so I had an excuse to update my blog. Clever. Anyway, since I'm up and cleaning, you may have gathered that I'm feeling much better. I really, really am. It's amazing how drastic the difference is. Thank you all for your prayers. God is so good! The rash is completely gone from most of my body. I have places left on my elbows and ankles that appear when I get really hot, but other than that I'm cured. Yay!
So back to Drifter....
The first night we had him we brought him inside and he went absolutely nuts. We couldn't even have dinner because he was all over the place. We locked him in the bathroom for literally five minutes and when we went to retrieve him he had messed all over the place. Yuck! Out he went.
Last night, we decided we didn't give him much of a chance on being an inside dog. Sunday night we had been driving for six hours and he was so good so naturally when we arrived home he was bound to be wound up. Plus Drifter is 6 months old; he's still a puppy. We're going to try to give him another chance inside this weekend. A friend of the family suggested crate training so I think we may try that in addition to obedience classes starting next month. He's a good dog who wants to do as we please he just gets so excited to have attention now. That's all he needs- attention (well, that and lots of exercise!). He's very social, which is typical of his breed so when he's stuck outside with no one to play with and no other dogs around he gets so much pent up energy that he's going to misbehave. Wish us luck with the new training plan. All the work makes it totally worth it when I look out the window to see Jordan working on his truck with Drifter right beside him, wagging his tail, and looking up at him giddily. (Jordan is equally as cute, treating this dog as a part of our family) Gotta love em!
This may be short due to my medication kicking in so I'll just go ahead and jump right in with what I want to share with you. Jordan had a long weekend- 4 days off! We packed our bags and headed south for some warmer weather and a romantic Valentine's Day weekend together. I can't tell you how great it feels to have my Valentine home this year!
One of the main things we hoped to accomplish was spending some quality time outside so on Saturday we did just that. We drove into Girdwood at Alyeska Ski Resort to do some snowshoeing. It turns out we didn't need our snowshoes really so we just did some winter hiking. The scenery along the trails was amazing. Moutain ranges, tons of snow, and a clear blue sky made our secluded hike absolutely perfect. The only thing that was missing, we decided, was a dog.
So...the next day we went to Adoption Day at the pound in Anchorage and found the cutest little puppy, who we're calling Drifter. He's an Alaskan Husky and quite a handful! Obedience classes are definitely in Drifter's future. He was very good on the six hour drive back to Fairbanks, though. We are so excited to have him!
We chose "Drifter" because I randomly saw a snow drift and then thought about how our new dog would likely follow us all around the country at different duty stations. He'll be a drifter like we're required to be in the military. He's an army dog now! I hope he enjoys his new home. He seems to like his new name. He's already recognizing it :)
Unfortunately, we haven't been able to play with him as much as we'd like. On the drive home on Sunday, I broke out into a rash that was all over my legs. Two days later, I'm much worse. It's even on my face :( I'm a sight. Anyway, I went to the hospital again early this morning because I was experiencing chills, naseua, and more breakouts. It turns out that I am allergic to the antibiotics they prescribed to me the first time around. More specifically, I'm allergic to all sulfa based drugs. I feel ok, but I feel bad that I can't give the puppy the play time he needs right now. I was able to take him for a walk earlier, though. I'm hoping tomorrow I will feel more like myself again.
