Scary Night Noises

Sometimes, lying in bed at night, watching the fireflies in the woods behind my house, I hear the most terrifying noise. (No, not the barking dog next door - that's the most annoying noise.) It's more high pitched and sharp. It's the fox.

We have a family of foxes that live behind our house, but there is one that I especially love. (Even if their barking at night scares me!)

When we first moved in to this house, just before Halloween, I came home from a friend's house late at night (maybe 11:00ish). When I went to pull into my parking space, there were 3 foxes (foxi?) standing in it. They looked defiantly up at me and refused to move for a minute. Finally, the big one (the one I love now), barked at the other two and they went up into my front yard. (I could hear Watson going INSANE in the house!)

Then, the staredown began...

I sat in my car for a long time while the foxes just sat in my yard looking at me. After another few minutes, the big one (let's call him Swift), barked again and the trio strolled off down the side walk. When I got out of my car, my neighbor (who was hanging Halloween decorations at 11:30 at night to surprise his children) yelled out to me, "Welcome to the neighborhood! You'll see all kinds of weird animals in this place!"

Swift and I have encountered each other several times in the past 8 1/2 months. Typically, it's very early in the morning when it's just getting light out and no one else is out except for me walking Watson. Swift likes to watch us walking from the woods, and sometimes walks parallel and just behind us. He never comes out, never comes close, and Watson never notices him. I think Swift likes me.

I hope Swift knows how much I love foxes. Once, I almost made Ayla wreck her car because I screamed "I LOVE FOXES!" in sheer excitement upon seeing one cross the road in front of us. I also used to have a fox that played with my old dog - she was in love with him. I sure wish I could have a fox for a pet!

Someone Else's Kids

As many of you know (or maybe don't know), Casey and I are licensed foster parents. After a 2 year process and waiting, we got our first placement last week.

It was emergency care, short-term, and extremely stressful but rewarding...

We knew it would be overwhelming and saddening going into it. Our bottom line reason for wanting to be foster parents is to help children in need and provide them with a stable and safe home for however long that they need. Yes, we know it will be difficult, yes, we know it will be hard to let go, but it's harder for them to not have a place where they feel safe and loved.

Going into it with all of the foster parent prep, and having worked with children for 10 years, I still was not prepared for the overwhelming flood of emotions...

I can deal with tough behaviors, I can make routines and games, I can be nurturing and loving... But the hardest part was being tossed together with a fragile child who is hurt, sad, and confused... times two. Taking two children for our first go-round was probably not the best idea for first time 'parents.'

There are so many things that, as a foster parent, you don't know and you don't know to expect to know until you're in it. Do these children have allergies? Do they love certain foods? Do they have a bath/bed/food routine? Do they have a stuffed animal/blanket/pacifier that was left behind by someone who didn't know to bring it? Do they sleep with music/lights on/covers on?

When you're preparing for a pregnancy and birth, you have 9 months (give or take) to physically and mentally prepare. You have the materials/furniture/toys you need. When you're called to your foster parent duties, you have sometimes less than an hour to rearrange your entire life to make these children feel as welcome and loved as possible.

Were Casey and I the most successful foster parents in the world? No, I'm sure we weren't and I'm sure there were a million things we could have done different/better. But... did we provide as safe/comfortable/loving of a home as possible for 48 hours to minimize transition and discomfort? Yes, I think we did.

Most importantly, we cared for two children when someone else could not and until they could go with another family member. And we learned A LOT - an overwhelming cram of information in a whirlwind of 48 hours. We will be so much better prepared for the next rewarding upheaval.

But next time, we will only take one child!

Poisonous Turtles and Polished Eyelashes

There is a set of five-year-old identical twins (D & G) at my school who just say the most interesting things in the world! This is why I love my job...

D: I can’t draw a picture of a fish eating a cat because cats are WONDERFUL and they would bite a fish on the tail.

D: My bird is sad. Someone stole his egg.
Me: Who did that?
D: An old scary lady climbed up the tree and took it from his nest while he was sitting on it.
G: But my bird came and killed the lady! My bird is the Mama of all birds.

G: Do you like Michael Jackson?
Me: Yes, I do.
G: (Pointing at a picture of Karen) She looks just like Michael Jackson. Ms. Karen looks like Michael Jackson!
D: We dance like Michael Jackson all the time.

D: When I been crying, I look like a wee-wee.
Me: What's a wee-wee?
D: You know, a cry baby!

Story by G:
Never find poisonous turtles on a rock beach. Never bother them when they eat lettuce pets. Put them on the beach carefully. Never touch them on the mouth. They might bite you. Never, ever touch it again on the rocky beach. This is the long poisonous neck - it can sting you. The head is white-green. If you try to find one, you can show your mom. Put it in a bag, but very carefully.

And my favorite; after staring at my for a minute or two and tilting her head back and forth, G said, "Your eyelashes are pretty. But you should polish them. Probably red or blue or purple." Then, she ran away...

Why Do Cookies Smell So Good?

Here I am... ten days into My 30 Day Healthy Eating Challenge, and so far, so good! I really intended on writing a lot more with my successes and challenges, but I picked an extraordinarily busy time of year to implement my change. Though I haven't had the time to tell on myself, I have been able to keep up with my goals.

Mostly, I've found that it's been easy to eat healthy (i.e. no fried, greasy, fatty foods), even when going out to different restaurants. I have experienced 3 challenges, with some solutions, but would love feedback or suggestions...

Challenge 1: Eating at a Friend's House
What to do when you go to a friend or family member's house who has cooked a delicious, albeit not on your diet, dinner? Going to restaurants is easy - all places have SOME kind of healthy option. But, when hanging out with friends, I don't want to dictate that their menu revolves around me. When this came up recently, I ate more of the healthy options (i.e. salad), and looked for a smaller portion of the main course.

Challenge 2: Healthy Eating Options
I am feeling a bit limited with my food choices. I have been keeping a food journal, and a majority of my entries are salads, turkey sandwiches, or soup. I'm getting a little bored, and am afraid my boredom will cause me to slip. I really need to spend more time in my kitchen so that I can create delicious, healthy meals with more variety.

Challenge 3: CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
I went to a meeting and they had a giant plate of a million of my FAVORITE cookies. They come from Columbia Deli and they are chocolate chip cookies with a fudge center. I would maybe injure someone to get one. At this meeting, the hosts passed the gargantuan plate piled high with fatty goodness around the table THREE times. Each time I had to pass it on, the wonderfully scrumptious aroma filtered into my brain and turned me into a raving lunatic who wanted to eat the entire pile of cookies and steal the other ones that had all ready been taken. Somehow, I found the willingness to pass up the cookies and did not even savor a single bite. (Typing about those cookies has rekindled my cookie psychosis...)

Anyway, so far the Healthy Eating Challenge has been successful. And I have all ready seen the positive outcomes. For the past few days, I haven't been waking up feeling like I swallowed a bon fire, and I can actually eat without feeling nauseous or embarrassingly curling up into a ball due to pain. So, we'll keep going...

My 30 Days of Healthy Eating

After 10 years of stomach issues, 6 doctors, 4 medications, 1 surgery, and several diagnoses, I finally heard something that sounds a little bit more solid, but the solution isn't any different...

My latest doctor noticed my unusually low cholesterol about a year ago, and when she retested it this year and it was even lower, she thought I should probably see someone about it. The gastroenterologist prescribed medication, but was just as puzzled about the cholesterol, so he referred me to an endocrinologist.

After 2 hours of relating family history, testing, and blood work, he has come to the conclusion that I have hypobetalipoproteinemia. Yeah, that's a mouthful! When I asked him to repeat it, he said "Just know you have a lipid disorder." But you know me, I had to find the real word - it's fun to say.

My cholesterol numbers:
Total = 97
HDL = 81
LDL = 13
Tri = 17

Anyway, it's some kind of rare genetic disorder, but I don't really fit all of the criteria. Bottom line, this lipid disorder can cause a lot of stomach issues. So for now, I guess this will work.

BUT...

Despite having a more clear-cut diagnosis, the treatment is no different than what I've been hearing for the past 10 years. I have to change my diet. Basically, I really shouldn't be eating fatty, greasy foods. I go up and down with my success with this, but I have no concept of moderation and I always end up feeling really sick.

SO, since I don't feel like the medication is working, but I really haven't followed the diet, I am challenging myself to follow the medically-relevant diet for the next 30 days, and consistently take the medication, and then see how I feel. I'm posting it in a blog so that it's public and I'm more likely to follow it then because I'll have support and reminders. (And thanks to Casey for encouraging me and to Ayla for helping me by making a low-fat dinner and dessert the other night!!) I'll post updates...

The Shadow Chaser

The Lunch Police struck again...

He came into school the other day, and greeted me with:

“Did you know shadows are very curious? Some shadows look scary. I was sent here to find the shadows. I haven’t found any yet, but I will keep looking. Don’t worry!”

Before I could ask who sent him (another child? the government? aliens?), his dad called for him and he ran away. Now I'll never know...

This same child couldn't remember my name and was talking to another director about me the other day. When she said, "Do you mean Ms. Jessica?" He replied, "Yeah, Ms. Jessica! She's my girl... my favorite office girl!"

The Woes of a Starbucks Girl

This afternoon, I got to Westminster 45 minutes before my class was due to start, so I decided to treat myself to a Starbucks beverage. There was a VERY long line (okay, 6 people ahead of me, but it felt like it deserved a VERY!) The woman who took my order and my money was super cheerful. As I moved down to the other end of the counter, I overhead the following...

The barista was busy multi-tasking: making several drinks, as well as talking to her friend (a non-Starbucks employee) who was all but laying on the counter.

"I really hate my job," she says with a groan, at an almost deafening volume, in case the people at PetSmart next door weren't clear on her affinity to her employment.

"How come?" says her friend languidly.

"There are just too many reasons to list. I would never get to leave if I started. Tall white mocha extra whip!" She slams someone's drink down on the counter, spilling some out of the little sippy hole.

"Well, what's the top reason you hate it?" inquires the friend.

"Grande non-fat iced chai!" (That's me.) I walk up to the counter as she shoves my drink to me, turns to her friend, and says, "I REALLY hate the summer. These people order the same drinks, and I make the same thing again and again, and it's SO boring." The barista pointedly glares at my unoriginal beverage to make her thoughts exceptionally clear.

Apparently, I am one of these people.

My First Rita's of the Season

Well, I didn't get my free Rita's on Saturday, March 20th as I had planned for weeks in advance. Apparently everyone else in Columbia had the same plan. (Damn Rita's for advertising so well!)

We ran out of time for an afternoon stop, so Ayla, my mom, and I headed to the King's Contrivance village when our movie let out at 7:30. We pulled in and there were NO parking spots on the Harris Teeter side. After a quick drive by showed the line snaking past Michael's and Subway, we bailed on our Rita's journey.

My mom and I checked out the Rita's on 175, which was a trick because they don't even open until April 2.

Anyway, it was my mission to go on Sunday and mission accomplished with Ayla and The Westies!!! And Rita's made up for the previous day by stocking my favorite flaver: Cotton Candy!

I had my first cotton candy, fat free vanilla gelatti of the season and it's creamy, icey goodness melted down my throat so lovely! Many more Rita's trips to come!

I Love Restaurants: Red, Hot, & Blue

This weekend, Ayla came over on Saturday and we were trying to brainstorm a place to eat lunch. She suggested Red, Hot, & Blue, and I agreed. Neither of us had ever been, and yes, I know it's blasphemous, but were were super excited to go!

I loved the atmosphere - very small, cozy, country, and laid back - does not seem like a chain. We both started out with the chicken corn chowder soup. MMM, it was delicious and it came with these slightly soft, slightly crunchy pita chips. (It wasn't AS good as Mimi's, and could've used some seasoning, but still worth it.)

Then, I got the pulled chicken BBQ sandwich with potato salad. I added some extra BBQ sauce, and I was in heaven! Not too juicy, not too dry... just perfect, and very flavorful. And the potato salad was yummy. Ayla and I also split a side of hush puppies... superb!

I will DEFINITELY be going back! Especially since it is less than 5 minutes from my house!

The Lunch Police

In my office, I have a sliding window directly behind my desk and computer. Yesterday, during nap (when the lights are out and the only light near me is the glow of my computer screen and my fancy stained glass lamp), I had an interesting conversation with a child...

I hear a little voice say, "Excuse me." My window slides open a tiny crack, and I see two ghostly eyes peeking through the now open window. A disembodied voice begins to speak.

Four Year Old Boy: I like bananas.

Me: I like bananas too.

FYOB: Why is that banana on your desk?

Me: I'm going to eat it.

FYOB: I see that you have popcorn on your desk.

Me: You're right, I do.

FYOB (a bit louder): Popcorn is NOT allowed in this school!

Me: I didn't realize that. Why can't we have popcorn?

FYOB: Because of the peanut butter and our school is peanut free.

Me: I'm not sure that I've ever had popcorn with peanut butter, but my popcorn is just made with corn, butter, and salt.

FYOB: Hello? That is called PLAIN popcorn.

Me: Oh, okay! That's what I have - plain popcorn.

The ghostly eyes narrow suspiciously and peer at the popcorn.

FYOB: Oh. That's okay then. I hope you like your lunch!

He slides the window closed and runs over to his teacher.

January / February Movie Review

I've decided that since I am a frequent movie-goer, that I will post a short review of the movies I've seen over 2 month periods. (Later, I can post a blog about my movie OCD and other movie incidents...) No spoilers.

Up in the Air - I truly don't know what all the fuss was about, nor why it has been nominated for an award. It wasn't a terrible movie, but there was nothing out of the ordinary about it. It was rather depressing, but I did like George Clooney's darker humor.

Daybreakers - I really liked this one! I thought the story was fun, albeit a bit predictable for a vampire movie. There wasn't too much gore, but when there was, it was excellent! I love Ethan Hawke, and thought it was a good role for him. Definitely recommend this one.

Dear John - Utterly gooshy and over the top romantic, as Nicholas Sparks always is, but still entertaining. Despite the unrealisticness of his books, I love Sparks and always have to see the movies based on this books. Amanda Seyfried was decent, and Channing Tatum was delicious (yes, I am a bad lesbian). I was not happy that they changed the ending.

Valentine's Day - Cute, "romantic" movie with a few funny parts, and very cookie-cutter story lines. My Mom and Ayla felt that they wasted money and it was a rental, but I wanted to go to the movies. A lot of 'starpower' and that's what drew me. I mean, come on, Julia Roberts, Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Bradley Cooper, Anne Hathaway... what's not to love?

Avatar - This was one I resisted seeing at first, until I heard about all of the 'controversy' surrounding it. I like controversy. I thought it was fantastic!! I liked the story, the acting, the special effects - everything was awe inspiring. (I want a glow in the dark forest...) I'm glad that I saw it on the big screen and in 3D (even if the glasses were really uncomfortable!) Definitely go see this one...

Shutter Island - This was a bit of a let down. I had heard good reviews, and was expecting a good psychological thriller with mind-boggling twists. However, it tried too hard to scare people (with the jumping out scenes and hallucinations), and the ending was predictable and disappointing. Also, Leonardo DiCaprio should not be allowed to have accents in movies - I love him, but his accents sound so fake. I liked it, but not my favorite, although now I want to read the book it was based on.

There you go... Let me know your two cents too!!

A Letter About Rain Boots

The following is an open letter to a rain-boots-wearing woman, who I affectionately named Stompy.

Dear Stompy,

I admired your rain boots with brightly colored flowers from afar. Not knowing me at all, you would not know that I have a fine appreciation (well, borderline obsession) for anything rain boots. I love my rain boots, I buy books just because they have rain boots on the cover, etc. So, as I walked up behind you, I liked you on the principle that you were wearing a fun pair of rain boots.

Then, we started walking up the stairs outside.

I’m not sure you that you have ever paid attention that the stairs leading up to campus are slightly sloped downward, which causes deep puddles to form on each individual step. I’m also not sure why you walked in a normal fashion until you reached the stairs, at which point you began stomping up the stairs. As if you were angry with the very existence of the stairs, causing you to inadvertently exercise when you didn’t want to be bothered. I am not sure you initially realized that your misplaced-angry stomping was causing dirty rain water to spray several feet behind you, soaking the front of my coat and pants.

When I yelled, “Excuse me” and you glanced backwards and continued stomping, and I had to wait at the bottom of the stairs because you have no social cognizance of people not wanting to be doused in freezing cold water… at that point, I’m sure you realized all of the previously mentioned factors.

Despite your rain boots, I no longer like you. While I enjoy stomping in puddles, I do not do so to the detriment of the people around me. You are not worthy of fun rain boots.

Sincerely,

The Girl Who Loves Rain Boots

The Deafening Silence

Every time my radio stops working in my car, I relive the pain of driving in silence. When it's working, I take it for granted. Sometimes I turn it down when I answer the phone. Sometimes I turn it off when I'm concentrating really hard on following directions. Sometimes I don't return it's calls. Basically, my radio doesn't know how much I appreciate it.

This is the fourth time now, in the 7 1/2 years that I've been married to my car, that the radio has stopped working. The first time, I bought a battery powered stereo to entertain myself because I was too cheap to fix the car radio. Apparently, batteries die really fast when you're consistently using a stereo.

My radio last died almost two months ago. It was repaired on January 8. "They" tell me that it was a blown stereo fuse, but the last two times this happened, it was the first sign that my battery was dying. "They" didn't believe me when I told them this last month. Yet, here we are, and once again, I'm driving in silence.

This is what I did tonight to entertain myself for the 40 minutes I've spent in the car today:
* Called my mom
* Called a friend
* Yelled at other people on the road
* Sang children's songs
* Made up my own song about my radio
* Whistled popular songs (such as "Grand Old Flag" and tunes by Kris Kross)

Luckily, my dear, dear wife has offered to let me drive her car tomorrow since I have a 2 hour round trip drive for school. I mean, there are only so many songs I know that I can whistle...

A Blog About Nothing

A friend of mine (let's call her A-I-Ella) remarked to me today that I don't write in my blog often enough, and when I do write, I'm "always writing about stuff." She preferred my MySpace blog where I wrote about nothing - very Seinfeld-esque. When I tried to think back to verify her statement, none of my blogs really stood out to me, so I guess they really were about nothing!

I think about a lot of different things during the day - sometimes serious things, sometimes weird or random things. Let's share a few of those thoughts...

How did they put the smell into candles? And who thought of that first? I'm sure there's an answer for this somewhere on the internet (probably Wikipedia), but it's still something to think about. Since I invent ideas, but don't have the genius to follow through with them, I will share my idea about candles, but if you steal it, I will hunt you down and demand my profit.

Candible - the edible candle. Don't you ever just smell a candle so tasty (especially the birthday cake ones) that you just want to eat it? I mean, sure, you'd have to be careful of the flame, but still... Mmmm...

What is it about me, after taking a shower, that makes my cat stalk me for 10 minutes after drying off? Is it the clean smell? The slightly damp skin? She looks at me with these big wide eyes, meowing, following me, and wanting to jump into my arms. If she were any larger than she is, she would eat me and bury me under the couch. I'm sure of it.

If people have the knowledge that the idea of race is socially constructed, why do we still have check boxes on forms for this? If people are so worried about the color of someone's skin, why don't we put that? Cream, chocolate, cafe au lait, cinnamon, rosebud. I don't know, those sound more fun. Or maybe just a write in box, where you can name your own. A little boy once told me, "Ms. Jessica, you're peach with brown spots."

Anyway, that's all for tonight. Expect an increase in blogs about nothing.

A Day Without Status Updates

I had so many plans for the snowstorm! I was going to play CSI, Rockband, and Mario on Wii. I was going to watch TV shows, movies, Saved by the Bell reruns, and Tin Man (which I DVRed in December and still haven't found a 6 hour chunk of time to watch it...) I was going to cook delicious things in the crock pot (namely my chicken pot pie soup which I make every time it snows, or so it seems!) Mostly, I was going to be warm and snuggly and drink hot chocolate!

Yesterday, that did not happen. I went to bed on Friday, and woke up around midnight to discover that the power had gone out. I went back to sleep but woke up again around 7:00 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep. I bundled up and went downstairs with Watson. There was no way we were going for a walk in the still falling blizzard, so he went out in the back yard - now a very tiny space thanks to the giant drifts of snow!

Anyway, Casey and I spent the day without power. The house held steady at 60 degrees all day, until 9:00 p.m. when it dropped to 59. We packed up our refrigerator contents and stowed it in the snow in the back yard. We wore layers and layers of clothes and huddled under blankets. We read most of the day, and played an intense game of Monopoly (where I totally kicked Casey's ass!) And then finally, we gave into napping because when you're cold and can't get outside there is just nothing else to do... The cats must have been cold too, they snuggled into me while I slept!

We woke up around 5:00, saw the storm was over, and we headed outside to shovel! Okay, so my shoveling part lasted about 10 minutes before I ran inside, but Casey stuck it out for almost 4 hours! She got our steps done, and the sides and backs of the cars out, but the seemingly 40 foot tall mounds covering our vehicles remain... We (or she...) will be tackling that today!

Fortunately, we have a gas hot water heater, so despite the cold temps, we still had scalding hot water!! After warm, toasty showers, we bundled up on the couches with cold turkey sandwiches and talked over candlelight. Just as we were contemplating making tea by running the hot water, the power came back on at 9:48 p.m.!!!

I have never been so excited to turn up the heat in our house!!! (I am the miserly one who keeps the thermostat set very low in the winter and remarks about the electricity bill as Casey is shivering away in corners...)

I heated up soup for Casey, she turned on the television, and I rushed downstairs as fast as I could to... you got it, check my Facebook! The funny thing is that a couple of friends mentioned that they were confused that I hadn't posted anything all day long. What does that say about me and my Facebook obsession!?

So, here we are today, Casey still sleeping away and me enjoying the 70 degree warmth of our house. (Even though, when Casey wakes up, she will say it is too cold!) I've all ready walked the dog (very funny to see him navigate the ice and drifts!), fed the animals, vacuumed the basement and done 2 loads of laundry. I have A LOT more chores to do today before I can enjoy my Wii, but they will get done soon enough.

Thanks to the people who went out in the blizzard to make sure our heat and electricity were restored!!!

You Called Me What?

Out of the mouth of babes: "Ms. Jessica, don't eat too many cookies or you'll have a fat butt!"

I am so disturbed that in my world, as a preschool director, I have to talk to little kids about weight issues. Body image should be one of the farthest things from their little minds. Yet, there are still children using "fat" as an insult and little girls having anxiety about "being fat." And where is it coming from? It's got to be the adults and media in their lives.

As a person who has had her own issues in the past with body image, and continues in the present with balancing "normal" versus "societal desired" images, I try to be SUPER careful with my out-loud thoughts if there are children around. I grew up in a family where all of the women were constantly on some crazy diet, where you could only eat a cracker with a side of air, and obsessing about their size 2 clothes. Not to dump blame on them, because I'm old enough to deal with my own issues now, but it certainly had an impact on what I thought women should look like as I was growing up.

It just makes me sad to have to have peace meetings with three and four year old girls because one was calling the other "fat." I want to cry when a preschooler doesn't want to eat all of her lunch because she doesn't want to be "fat." Learning good healthy habits is one thing, but obsessing over how you look in a dress before you turn five years old is insanity.

Hibernation in Howard County

Why can't people be like bears and other smart animals? Why can't we hibernate in winter?

Maybe, being an intelligent (okay, most of the time!) mammal, I could just move to a warmer climate, where I wouldn't shiver all day long when the temperatures don't climb above freezing. Despite the fact that I become a tiny little furnace while I am sleeping, I am a rather cold person while I'm awake. Just another reason why a long winter slumber would be beneficial!

However, I am rather attached to Howard County and the surrounding areas. I grew up here, the large majority of my family and friends are here, and the diversity and mostly liberal nature is comforting. (In other words, for that last part, Casey and I don't get nearly as many strange looks when we're holding hands in Target than if we were in a more southern state!)

So, for my love of Howard County (and Casey's ability to get government contractor jobs), we'll remain in a region where we suffer through a few months of cold weather. I'll continue to shiver (and probably complain about it), and go to bed very early every night. And, once in awhile, I'll rejoice in the beauty of snow, and perhaps a Snow Day off work!

Are You Smarter Than A Thermostat?

Sometimes I feel like I'm in one of those movies where the technology and machines have a mind of their own... My thermostat should have been named Hal.

In our new home, we have a "smart" thermostat. Now, don't get me wrong, I appreciate this new, high-tech thermostat. Especially when compared to our old apartment one, which was basically the first thermostat ever made with the invention of central heating. With that dinosaur, there were two settings: 60 degrees or 90 degrees, which made for enjoyable bills from BGE.

This new thermostat allows you to program four daily settings for different temperatures: wake, leave, return, sleep. Love it! No more forgetting to turn down the heat during the day!

An important thing to note is that Casey and I have VERY different ideas of comfortable temperatures. At night, she likes to be toasty warm and keep the same temperatures that we had during the day. I, on the other hand, like it to be cool (with the ceiling fan going!) so that I can snuggle deep into my cozy down comforter. My way has won out by my argument of "You can wear warmer clothes to bed, but I can't wear cooler clothes."

With that being said, Casey hates to wake up to a freezing cold house (re: 68 degrees). When I wake up, I am boiling hot and enjoy the cooler house. However, to be kind, I thought I would set the wake temp setting for 71 degrees at 5:30, when Casey has to get up. I didn't realize the thermostat was intelligent...It monitors how long it takes for your house to heat to the set temperature based on the outside temperature.

Therefore, on those freezing cold mornings (outside), I was being woken by scalding hot air that the ceiling fan was pummeling onto me from the ceiling vent directly above my side of the bed at 4:30 in the morning.

I tried to trick it by moving the wake setting to 6:00, 6:15, 6:30... but it's out to get me. It seems like however late I push it back, Hal keeps starting the heating process at 5:30, when I still have an hour to sleep. So, what's better, paying $250 per month to heat a tiny apartment or saving half of that to be roasted in the morning? I'll take the cheaper option, but I'm determined to be smarter than my thermostat!

My Dog is an Evil Genius

I feel like I'm stuck in a riddle, only I don't know the answer! "How do you keep a dog off the couch?" It seems like it shouldn't be that hard, but our Little Monster, Watson, keeps one-upping us every step of the way.

At our old apartment, Watson was locked in a room all day while we weren't home. Granted he wasn't in a crate, but he didn't get to play with the cats. (And for those who don't know our dog... he has a cross-species homosexual love with one of our cats and they hate to be separated!) When we moved to the new house, we decided that Watson should have more freedom during the day. My only stipulation... he is NOT allowed on couches or beds.

The beds were an easy fix - just shut the doors. The couch has proven more difficult...

Some ingenious methods that we have tried:

• Laying objects on the cushions (he just throws them to the floor)
• Pushing the coffee table against the couches (he climbed around them)
• Putting a stand-alone gate in the living room doorway (he pushed it through the door - despite the promise of NO SKID rubber feet...)
• Putting a stand-alone gate on the outside of the doorway (he pushed it sideways - again, rubber feet do skid)
• Surrounding the aforementioned skid-proof gate with chairs (he pushed the gate and climbed through the chairs)
• Reinforcing the gate and chairs with a 40 pound box of litter and 50 pound tub of dog food (and of course... he broke out his dog-hulk muscles, and pushed everything out of the way)

Originally, we bought a stand-alone (very pretty, brown-black wood) because I didn't want things screwed into our walls. Well, I abandoned my cares about defacing our walls after rolling and vaccuming the couch, and cleaning all of the dog slobber off of it.

Yesterday, Casey installed large, sturdy eye-hooks into the walls. This morning, I left for work after setting up the gate with bungee cords attaching it to the wall. I tested it by pushing on it and chuckled to myself with confidence - finally blocking Watson from the living room! I spent all day at work, flying high, knowing that my couches were safe from doggie drool!

Oh, but I underestimated the siren call of the couch to our dog... He pushed and pushed on the gate until he snapped the bungee cords, and took a victory nap on the couch, as well as on my brand new blanket to rub it in even further.

What next in this puzzle... Any ideas!?!

It's Been Awhile...

I haven't blogged in almost a year, since I've abandoned my MySpace blog. I miss it, and oddly enough, other people tell me that they miss it too. Reading my posts, I mean. Facebook doesn't necessarily set itself up to create blogs, so I thought I'd give Blogspot a try. I subscribe to several friends and strangers blogs, and it's always fun to get the RSS indicator that there is something new to read.

It's a new year, and I figure I'll give it another shot - putting my mindless babble out there for the world to read. I guess I don't really have a purpose in blogging, at least not to some specialized topic. For me, rambling and stream of consciousness always worked. I see a lot of movies and read a lot of books, so I suppose I can put my opinions out there on those topics. Mostly, I guess, I miss writing, and when I blog, as I sit in my basement, feet propped up on my desk, looking up at the pictures of my family and friends hung above my computer screen... well, it makes me feel good.

Here's to 2010, my new blog, and to the random friends and strangers who might take a peek into my thoughts!