Saturday, January 12, 2008

Annoyance for 01/12/2008

While working on bills and listening to "The Sound" a defunct band from the 80s, Sparky managed to get into mischief. He pulled down both loaves of banana bread from the counter. No, they weren't like teetering on the edge; this took work on his part. One was in the bag, one was on a cutting board. He dined on the first partly eaten loaf first and when I caught him he abandoned that one and had gotten about 25% of the other loaf eaten.

Pets, I tells yah, I get no respect.

Things for 01/12/2008

Didn't feel like going to work yesterday. Like I have a reason. Sparky was rather lethargic, but really, I could have shoved him into the kennel like usual and gone. Its not like he pretends to enjoy it, but he doesn't seem worse for wear from it either.

So I tried out my new work from home connection. It does work reasonable well, some apps are slow to connect, save, or resolve issues. Yet it works and doesn't crash too often for mostly Micro$oft products. I did actually get work done. I left the TV off, the radio off, and didn't even play music. The only thing pestering me was sparky occasional desire to play tug of war with his new chew toy and dropping slobbered on tennis balls on my foot in hopes I'll throw it. I got lots done.

Later I showered and went to an appointment. Not one I was dreading and it went well.

Hit Target for some food and soda on the way home and found a toaster oven I liked. We make a lot of things like garlic bread and use the big oven to heat them. This will save energy costs hopefully.

Also hit Menards for some primer and sandpaper and masking materials.

I had set up the bread maker to make Hawaiian Sweet bread and it was ready when I got home. The house smelled great and even Thing 3 mentioned that. Nothing like fresh baked bread. It did sort of stick to the walls of the bread machine container. Dunno why. Tasted good enough that Thing 3 made a PBJ from it.

Today Sparky seems very chipper and has been pestering me to play. I worked another few hours this morning while Thing 3 slept. Got an important report done.

Now I can play a little. A nap sounds better!

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Early End to Work Day 01/08/2008

Thing 1 called to say he'd found an engine for a clunker he drug to the house, okay driveway, Monday night. He got it as far as the end of the block and blew the engine. Left most of the oil on the street along with who knows what else. We pushed it into the driveway.

Today he called to say he found an engine. Can he borrow the elephant and get that to the house? Sure, why not.

I figured the easiest way is to just drive his hot rod home. As in a Nissan 240 with v-6 and turbo. Hit 3K on the tach and she screams like a cat with its tail on fire. So I left work early and blasted home, my ears are still ringing.

Dumb move for the afternoon. Along with the elephant keys, I gave him my house keys. D'Oh! I was able to get in the garage, but luckily after about 20 minutes Thing 3 came home and could let me in. Sparky was his usual exuberant self once let from the kennel and the day is finally looking up.

Now I have to work on the work I promised to work on from home.

Good Things So Far 01/09/2008

Breakfast with the boys at Al's in Dinkytown. Five orders of short stack whole wheat wally blues. Man we know how to live.

Thing 3 suggested The Libertines while we did dishes last night. Man he is one chip off the old ear.

Not so hot: I woke up at 3 AM and couldn't fall back to sleep. Sparky (who sleeps with me most nights) wasn't much help. He was as restless as I was. And apparently he had one hell of a nightmare as he was always pressing against me. Usually he gets too warm and moves away. Not last night. So I got too warm. Pets, I tells yah, I get no respect.

On the other hand this was good, I was up and at 'em and not late for breakfast at Al's. Be there at 6 bells or be square. I won't say who overslept and was late, right Curt?

Traffic still stunk at 5:30. Driving a vehicle sucks. I so wish for the ability to ride a bus and read a book.

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Good Things for Today 01/08/2008

Sparky is doing really well. Spent his time in the kennel while I was at work and Thing 3 was in school.

Thing 3 worked on homework tonight without hassle, he helped with the dishes, he helped take down the Xmas tree, and helped wire in the internet so we both can be on-line together.

We had some chicken enchiladas tonight for supper and they were yummy. Thing 3 even mentioned that he liked them and he is not an easy to please chap.

Sparky dug up an old bone from the snow and has been looking all night for somewhere to bury it in the house so it is more handy. Usually that would be under Thing 3's dirty clothes in the bathroom. Now that he has a hamper in the bath, Sparky has no place to "bury" the bone and is wondering the house whining. This bone is soft enough I could chew it. Pets are just as funny as children. And endearing as heck. Its all about character.

Monday, January 07, 2008

Miraculous Recovery

Thing 3 called to say Sparky the WunderBeagle appears to be much better. Moving slowly, but moving again. He ate his supper (from yesterday), drank some water, and then wanted to go out and pee.

Heck, let the lovable guy bark himself horse for once. (He's gotten the previous tenant in trouble with John Law for barking too much.) Apparently some third shift neighbor called the coppers at the slightest "Arf!" Then again, beagles um, are supposed to bark in the less than humble author's opinion.

And I'll point out we were there first. The fuckers moved in long after we did. Just because their house costs (and looks) about triple what our shack is worth ain't got lick spittle to do with it, now does it. I like being the trailer trash equivalent in engineering suburban america.

Things for 01/07/2008

Good things:

Bread machine worked great! I figured out that I could set the alarm to make it finish just as I was getting up. The buzzer of it finishing its sequence woke me moments before my alarm was to go off. And boy did the house smell good.

Was able to shake the loaf out of the chamber and it smelled and tasted great. Fresh hot bread, yum.


Not so good:

Sparky didn't appear to have moved all night. He hasn't eaten since breakfast yesterday. He won't eat from my hand. I got him to drink a little water from my hand, but after about three handfuls of water, he stopped. Gave me this look like, "Um, thanks dude, but that's all I have the energy for."

The banana bread came out a lot darker than last time. Last time I used metal pans. This time I used glass pans. I also added a tablespoon of vanilla instead of a teaspoon. D'Oh! Read! Nitwit! Tastes okay. Not great.

Maybe tonight I'll make a loaf of Hawaiian Sweet Bread in the bread machine.

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Good Things For This Weekend 01/06/2008

Made banana bread from the three overly ripe bananas. It smells great, but its not done yet.

Got to the grocery store and bought some sourdough bread mix. I dug out the Breadman Plus TR-600, searched on-line for a manual, and the bread should be done by morning. Hot bread with breakfast!

Took Sparky the WunderBeagle to the vet. Told them about the seizure. They gave him his shots and thought they saw something. They asked to keep him a few hours and took a blood sample and tested it. They are concerned and I have to bring him back in three weeks.

Thing 3 and I went to the condo and got the big oak desk and moved it to the house. It was a really heavy mother and man do my hands and back know it.

Listened to a lot of music this weekend. Really like the latest Fiery Furnaces latest disc. Also Interpol (sorry Carl, its pretty good) and Arctic Monkeys. There are more things I've acquired, but that's enough for now.

Took Sparky for a walk to get the paper this afternoon and since then he's laid on the couch and hasn't moved. Well, he got off one spot and moved to another and once got up and drank some water, but that is it. He didn't eat his supper either. He's really not himself. Really worried about him. Hope he perks up in the next two days.

Tonight I'm recording Boogie Nights from IFC. I watched up the part at the donut shop and had to turn it off. Wow, I'd forgotten how many really great people were in the movie. Burt Reynolds got all the publicity, but there are a lot of people considered quality actors in the movie considering its about the 70s porn industry.