Another Update

On Friday, Sugar stayed at the vets office and received another round of fluids. I picked her and her jiggly belly up that afternoon and proceeded home with another 10 days worth of antibiotics. After arriving home, I fixed her a large bowl of cooked chicken (out of the can) and then about 6-8 large cubes of beef. She scarfed them both right down.

I then proceeded to pack the car for our trip down to Newnan for the lure coursing trials in Moreland. I packed scads of chicken backs, chicken necks, more cubes of beef and raw hamburger as well. Oh, and some noodles and some strawberries. Lucy, Remi, and Sugar all enjoyed the fruits of my labor all weekend long. So much that I am seriously contemplating switching them completely to a raw diet. I've read so much about it in the past and know it is so healthy for them. After getting turkey necks, two weekends in a row, their teeth and their breath is 90% improved! That alone will make a believer out of you!

Heather helped "pill" Sugar over the weekend (thank you Heather!), but now that we're back home, it's up to me again. Last night, I stuck her pills in a scoop of vanilla ice cream. She ate it. This morning I did the same and she ate it again. Both times, however, I have omitted the turquoise Denamarin pill which is the one that I think has the worst taste to it. At this point though, I'd really prefer she have the antibiotic and her Soloxin. I'll ease the Denamarin back in soon enough (I think I'll scrape the outer layer of turquoise off first so she can't see it!).

Anyway, she is still doing one meal a day but it usually is quite a meal so I feel certain she is getting enough nutrition to sustain her for 24 hours. I offer food every morning still, but she continues to refuse it. As long as she is eating and getting her pills, I'm encouraged, yet again. She appears to feel well and probably would have lure coursed this weekend, had I let her. She sure did want to!

As I've told numerous folks, her "crown" is getting bigger and heavier every day! She truly is such a princess . . . I don't mind, I'll continue to cater to her every whim!

As The Sugar Turns . . . Part II

Well, not much has changed since the last post. She is still refusing to eat breakfast but eats a hearty dinner. Or it could be called a midnight snack as it's close to midnight when she will eat. I'm not complaining though, as long as she is eating, I'm a happy camper. Last night it was raw beef chunks, raw hamburger, and a couple of chicken necks. Mind you, I don't usually feed raw but when she refused her kibble, it was the only alternative I could think of. This afternoon, I'm making some pasta and rice for Lucy since she'll be coursing this weekend, but I'm hoping Sugar will eat some as well. And, yes, I've tried canned dog food and cat food and she refuses that as well. And, yes, I'm certain the royal princess has a beautiful crown somewhere! :)

The biggest challenge this week has been getting her pills in her, as I noted before. After turning her nose up at the pill pockets, she did finally consume four of them last night with her pills safely tucked in each one of them. Thank goodness. This morning I dropped her off at the vet for blood tests and possibly the Cushings test. I left four pill pockets with the vet tech and when the vet called around noon, he said she had eaten them all. Again, thank goodness. If I can get her medicine in her routinely, I think we stand a chance of beating this thing (whatever that is). Thank you Addie for suggesting that - I had totally forgotten they even made them. What a wonderful idea!

Generally, she seems to feel better even though she has dropped a few more pounds. I hope to get that weight back on her quickly. I'll probably offer her some fat balls again today to see if she'll eat them. Remember, she has been refusing peanut butter since I first hid pills in that so she refused fat balls as well because she could smell the peanut butter. At least, that is what I am thinking. Maybe now her taste buds are back and she'll remember how wonderful fat balls taste and she'll devour a whole bowl of them! Keep your fingers crossed.

Oh, her liver values came back about the same with this mornings blood test. That doesn't surprise me since I've had such a horrible time this week getting pills into her! I asked the vet if we could try another week of antibiotics and the Denamarin and re-evaluate her condition after that. He agreed that we could try this. Now that she is taking the pill pockets, I am hopeful that I can stay on the regime as prescribed. Another way to look at it is, she hasn't deteriorated further, which I am grateful for. BTW, we are holding off on the Cushings test for now. It's something we might do in the near future. But since she only has one prominent symptom (drinking alot of water), it was determined that we can wait on this test.

She'll get there, I'm certain - it is just going to take some time for her liver to recover.

As The Sugar Turns . . .

We have progress. As I said yesterday - baby steps, baby steps!

Last night after three scoops of vanilla ice cream in an attempt to get all her medicine into her, and two vanilla Ensures later, she finally did eat about 8 large cubes of beef, some hamburger meat (raw and cooked), and a few egg noodles. Whoppie! This is good news, for sure.

However, she didn’t eat breakfast again this morning and didn’t get her morning pills. I put them in ice cream again but she wouldn’t eat it. I think she has just given up on breakfast altogether and is going to be a one meal a day dog henceforth. She did drink one Ensure this morning and lots of water with the Greyhound Recharge in it, both last night and this morning so she is getting plenty of hydration in that manner.

I did leave her pills in some hamburger with a few more cubes of beef in a bucket that is hanging in her crate. Kim, my BFF, suggested I use a hanging bucket so that she doesn't sit in the bowl like she did yesterday. That was quite a mess to clean up! Good idea Kim, thanks for the suggestion.

BTW, she absolutely won't let me put pills down her throat. She bucks and thrashes around and cries as if I'm cutting her leg off. I'm afraid one of us will get hurt trying to do this. Two people can do it, but not just me. So, that is why I have to hide her pills in her food. Tomorrow, however, I may put her and me in the spare bathroom, close the door, and not leave until the pills are down her throat. She just has to get them regularly.

I hope she eats some during the day. If not, I feel certain she will eat tonight like she has the last few nights. The morning thing just isn't her cup of tea anymore, or so it seems. But she is eating! Can't ask for much more than that right now, right? And she went squirrel hunting with the girls yesterday afternoon, is running around the yard, and generally, appears to feel good.

I am still encouraged.

Liver for Liver

Well, I picked up Sugar from the vet yesterday. They didn't end up doing any fluids or IVs because she generally looked much better than on Saturday, much less icteric than she was which is exactly what I thought, as well. I could see pinkness to her skin, her belly in particular, and in her ears. So, they just watched her all day, let her drink as much as she wanted, took her out to pee (which she did often), and tried to get her to eat anything, which she did not.

On the way home, I stopped to get some calf liver for her and some smaller turkey necks. She didn't want the turkey neck but she did eat the liver and some raw beef tips. I was very encouraged. I gave her some water with some Greyhound Recharge in it. Greyhound Recharge is a product I have on hand for lure coursing. Specifically - "it rapidly replenishes electrolytes and fluids after travelling and racing. The product lives up to its name in providing a rapid restoration of fluid and vitality. The formulation is specifically matched to the needs of the hard working dog, containing: A. a high potassium to sodium ratio, important for nerve and muscle function. B. citrate salt as a buffering agent and C. Glucose to enhance rapid uptake of electrolytes. Recharge is the only sports drink designed specifically for greyhounds. Recharge has a palatable cheese flavour making it easy for dogs to drink. It comes in a handy, portable pack to administer at events. Combats fluid and electrolyte loss immediately."

She isn't dehydrated but I figure it couldn't hurt. She actually looked much better after her liver meal and after some of the recharge. I'll continue this regime for a few days, until she tires of it which I assure you, she will. She is very picky these days. In fact, she did not eat her liver this morning. I did put the bowl of food in her crate thinking she'll get to it sometime during the day. Baby steps, I say, baby steps!

The good doc doesn't believe this could be attributed to liver cancer because she does respond to the antibiotics and the Denamarin. He is almost ruling out liver failure as well because of the response we get from the medications. He does, however, want to do a test on Friday to rule out Cushings disease. I do not think this is the problem because she doesn't have 3 of the 4 major symptoms, that being - she hasn't had an increase in appetite (actually just the opposite), she doesn't have an abdominal enlargement, and she hasn't had hair loss and thin skin (remember she has grown an awesome coat of hair and well, Greyhounds all have thin skin).

Today I should have a bit more time to get some mackeral, sardines, and perhaps some salmon, as Zan suggested, on my way home from the bus stop. The challenge in all this is 1) getting Sugar to eat, obviously, and 2) keeping the goods away from Lucy and Remi. It's a battle every night but I'm not quite ready to give it up. Sugar is acting fine otherwise and is in good spirits which is all good. Now, to get her eating normally again and gaining a little weight back. She has lost a couple of pounds during this almost two month ordeal. Yes, the first lab results are dated September 6, 2008. Seems like ions ago, I know!

I've been checking the Doggie Cam since arriving at work and I cannot tell if she has eaten any or not. Right now she seems to be sitting in the bowl although I much prefer that she eat it instead! If any of you visit the cam and catch her in the act of eating, please email me! BTW, she's the one in the middle.

So, I'm not sure where we go from here. Oddly enough, her ALT and ALKP numbers are lower than from the initial test we did at the beginning of September and this was before the subcutaneous fluids he did on Saturday. Whoo hoo!

So, with that said, I am encouraged. We trudge on!

Yuck!!

Yep, that's a pretty disgusting sight, isn't it? But to my three girls yesterday, you would have thought I had invented raw turkey necks myself. They devoured them. Sugar was a little slower with hers but she did finish it and started on a second one but then decided she was full, I guess. I've saved it for her for tonight. By the way, she is at the hospital today getting fluids and such, per the docs orders from our visit on Saturday. She did not eat breakfast this morning and still hadn't eaten anything as of about 10:30 a.m. when I called to check on her.

I'm going to get some chicken backs and some sardines or mackeral or tripe and see if she'll eat any of those tonight.

Back to the turkey necks, I had no idea they could eat the whole thing but as I told my friend Heather, I looked one minute and they were steadfast eating away and the next minute the things were gone! That quick! They sure did enjoy them though.

It is said that turkey necks are nature's best toothbrush for dogs and I honestly have to agree. Remi's teeth looked 80% better than they had before the turkey neck. Sugar's too, and Lucy's as well. I will definitely add this to their diet on a weekly basis. Heck, it certainly beats a $300+ dental any ole day!!

Relapse

The Sugarhead has had a relapse. This week it has become increasingly difficult to get her to eat. And that is, eat ANYTHING substantial. She would continue eating her "cookies" and the like, but not her breakfast or dinner. Bits and pieces, but not the whole thing, you know? This morning she even refused to eat her ground rabbit that I had put down for her. If a Greyhound won't eat rabbit, you know something isn't right!

Anyway, as the morning light filtered into the living room, I noticed her belly is yellow again. So, a phone call to the vet and we were there in an hour for more blood tests. Her liver values are very high again, one even being "unregisterable" (not a word, I know) by their in-house machine.

The doc wanted me to hospitalize her for the weekend at the emergency vet for some fluids to flush her system of the toxins so her liver can work normally and not quite so hard. I just can't do a $2,000 vet bill right now so I begged him to let me take her home. He gave her some subcutaneous fluids before we left. We have antibiotics, too and another round of Denamarin.

We'll see how the weekend goes. I'm suppose to take her back Monday a.m. so they can give more fluids.

Again, hope and pray for "pink". She just has to get better!

Lasanon

The origin of Lasagna straight from Wikipedia - although the dish is generally believed to have originated in Italy, the word "lasagna" comes from the Greek λάσανα (lasana) or λάσανον (lasanon) meaning "trivet or stand for a pot", "chamber pot". The Romans borrowed the word as "lasanum", in Latin, meaning "cooking pot". The Italians used the word to refer to the dish in which lasagna is made. It wasn't long before the name of the food took on the name of the serving dish. Interesting, huh? Who knew?

So, on my holiday off last Monday as the country celebrated Columbus Day, I was determined to make my first pasta with my new pasta maker (how appropriate, huh?). And, of course, that pasta was going to be lasagna noodles because I was tasked with making lasagna for a luncheon we were having at work on Thursday. I figure it would be the best opportunity to see how the noodles would hold up, plus there would be tons of other dishes at the luncheon so in case my dish wasn't up to snuff, we all wouldn't starve to death!

I was terribly excited about my first adventure with the pasta maker. It's hard to believe it had been sitting on my kitchen table for the amount of time it had been there and I hadn't yet had the time to use it!

I proceeded to whip up a batch of dough using a recipe I found on the Internet. It had all-purpose flour, eggs, olive oil and water. I have since found a recipe by Mario Batali that I plan to use next time which is just all-purpose flour and eggs. I know, under Italian law, dry pasta (pasta secca) can only be made from durum wheat or semolina flour. I haven't found any yet but as soon as I do, that is what I'll use. Interesting enough, most of the pasta recipes I have seen in recipe books (including that of Maria Batali) just call for all-purpose flour. I guess since we aren't in Italy, it's okay to use it!

Anyway, rolling the dough through the rollers on the pasta maker was really fun. You push it through, all the while turning the handle to make the rollers roll. Then you move the rollers closer together, thus making the noodles flatter and flatter. Really fun! Obviously, it doesn't take alot to amuse me. :)

The end result is to the right. Umm, umm, right? And, yes, it was. We ate it yesterday, along with many other wonderful dishes, and I am happy to report that there were no left-overs. My first noodles were a success!

Actually, I'll be making another batch of lasagna for dinner guests Saturday night and will make the noodles fresh, cook them immediately, and assemble the lasagna at that time as well. I am also using a different recipe that touts itself as being the "world's best lasagna". I sure hope they're right! If nothing else, it will definitely be another fun adventure in the kitchen!

Hair

Wow, that takes some of you back, huh? I barely remember that tune but have actually been to the musical when it came through Atlanta many moons ago, I believe back in the early 90's. As I recall, it was well worth it, especially the much talked about nude scene at the end. :) I think it has reappeared on Broadway this season as well, so if you're up in NYC, you should check it out!

And you're probably wondering what that has to do with this post? Well, take a gander at Sugar's picture above and then that at the bottom. I'm not sure you can see "it" or not but since Sugar's liver episode, for lack of a better way to say it, she has grown this most beautiful coat of hair. Thick, soft - just beautiful. I don't know what to attribute it to. The vet doesn't have a clue either. I thought it might be from the Denamarin she was on which is really just milk thistle and Sam-e. I really think this is the answer. But I've also had her on some StemEnhance which might also be the attributing factor. I'm not complaining, mind you, as Sugar has always been quite "naked" on her belly and on her neck. Those who know her, know this. But now? Not so much. She has fur on her belly and a full coat of it on her neck and she is filling out elsewhere to the point that even scars are filling in. Awesome, huh?

I am hoping to determine what is making this happen so that I, too, can begin taking it as well. I've always wanted thick hair, down to the ground hair, long beautiful hair! Who knows? I may have found the cure to male pattern baldness!

The Nesting Experience

Everyone knows I have a doggie cam, right? Well, I bop in every now and then just to see what the girls are doing. It's usually the same answer - sleeping! I joked with folks after I got the camera working that it was a total waste of money and time (specifically, the 4 hours or so I spent with tech support in India) because all they ever do is sleep, sleep, and sleep some more! I don't know what I was expecting but now at least I am comfortable leaving them crated during the workday, knowing they are safe and sound, sleeping all day!

But, both yesterday and today I checked in on the girls and both days, I caught Remi doing the same thing - nesting. It's hysterical to watch her dig and turn, dig and turn, and dig and turn, I mean, for minutes on end! I don't know how many times she does this before she decides everything is just perfect enough that she will then lay down and sleep. All the while, Sugar and Lucy are sound asleep.

So after watching this two days in a row my curosity was peeked. What is it that makes these dogs do this little ritual every time they lay down? So, of course, I Googled it! Here is what the SCPA of Texas says:

Why Dogs Spin Before Lying Down

For a dog owner, watching your dog chose a spot to lie down is often at least as amusing as the morning comics. For some reason, your dog will circle an area two or three times before lying down and sighing with contentment. Why, dog owners wonder, does my dog do that? Does the carpet change so much in the second it takes to circle around?

This behavior appears to be related to the dog's ancestral tendency to dig its own shelter. Owners often describe the ritual of lying down on a carpet similar to that of a wild dog lying down on the grass of the prairie: first, the dog will sniff at his chosen spot, then perhaps dig with front paws, his toenails extended. After some digging the dog will turn several times, lowering his body into a semi-crouch, then "nest" into his imagined hole.

In some cases the dog will turn several times, dig again, turn some more, and repeat the process until asked to lie down by an exasperated owner. When outside, dogs often dig into cool soil to escape hot weather; by digging and then turning several times they can direct their bodies into the curled posture that will best take advantage of the depression's coolness.

Thus, the turning behavior seen in our homes is most likely derived from the denning behavior of our dogs' wilder relatives. So, like other members of your family, your dog is making himself at home.

This sounds logical to me so I'm going with it - at least until someone else comes up with a better explanation! :)

Obviously Remi is quite the nester. She will even nest in my bed. I'll go into the bedroom and she will have the blanket, comforter, and sheets all piled together with her on top! I guess, as the article suggests, she is just making herself at home! Now, if I could just teach her how to MAKE the bed!

Greyfest is Over!

Finally Greyfest has come and gone . . . just like that! After months of preparation, it's over. I know that sounds as if I miss it but truly, I am happy it's done because it can be all too consuming of one's time and efforts. I feel as if I can breathe now.

I'm not sure of the final tally of dollars raised for SEGA but it should be close to $5,000, I think, which is less than last year's tally which was closer to $8,000. We had about 30 fewer folks this year but you know, as bad as the economy is and with the gas shortage the week before and the week of Greyfest, I'm actually quite pleased with the turnout.

But seeing as how I get bored with things so quickly and was at that point with Greyfest, I am glad it's over. Now it's on to bigger and better things.

The next project on my agenda is the 3rd Annual ASFA National Greyhound Specialty, which is October 25th. I am trophy chairman, webmaster, banquet coordinator, etc. - you get the idea. I try to help John as much as I can as it does take quite a few hands to pull off an event of this magnitude. We're hoping for a big entry of 30-40 Greyhounds but here again, you never really know until the last minute just who is entered. But I do know we have folks coming from California, Texas, Washington, and Illinois.

With all that being said, it should be a fun weekend at Bear Creek Farm in Moreland. (I must remember to fill the Bubba Keg with margaritas!) Come join us, if only to watch the spectacular show of Greyhounds running at breakneck speeds as they maneuver the course. It truly will take your breath away.

My Lucy will be running in the Open stake. She has 93 points, only 7 short of obtaining her Field Championship title. I am hoping she will get those 7 points on Saturday so that we could move up to the Field Championship stake so she can "run with the big dogs".

Then after that event, it's the Callaway Gardens Steeplechase on November 1st. This is always fun and isn't anything that requires my involvement except to be there, eat wonderful appetizers, drink some good wine and chat with interested folks about Greyhound adoption. Oh yea, and watching the Steeplechase. :) Forgot about that! Yes, we bring the Greyhounds, too. Remi just adores horses and I think she wants to run with them everytime they fly past us! It's funny to watch.

After that, we have SEGC's Holiday Dinner on December 6th. This one I do coordinate but it's not that much work. Heck, after Greyfest, everything else I do is a breeze!!

Top Ten Things I've Learned During the Commuting Process . . .

10. Blend in. The old saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” very much applies during the commuting process. As Frank Lucas said in the movie American Gangster, “That's a clown suit. That's a costume, with a big sign on it that says "Arrest me". You understand? You're too loud, you're making too much noise. Listen to me, the loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room.” With that being said, I try not to “make too much noise”!

9. Enjoy the view (the best you can, sometimes it ain’t all that pretty). This is definitely people watching in its finest form. Besides an airport, this has to be the best in my opinion. You see all kinds of folks from every walk of life. From the high school student to the college student to the private school student to the construction worker to the office worker to the fast food worker to the restaurant worker to the executive to the homeless to the addict – you name it, we see it all, day in and day out.

8. Have some cash on hand. One morning our shuttle driver at the Brookhaven station was really, really late. I could have taken a cab from there but I absolutely didn’t even have a buck in my wallet. So I had to wait about 40 minutes for the shuttle. Lesson learned.

7. Wear comfortable shoes. Ladies, this goes without saying. You can still be stylish and be comfortable. I’m doing it and my feet don’t hurt when I get home!

6. Use the restroom before you leave. Another one that goes without saying. Public restrooms on the public transportation route can get pretty nasty. I’m just guessing on that one as I’ve avoided those like the plague.

5. Do enjoy the cat naps. It's amazing to me that I can sleep in a bus, full of strangers, that's traveling at high speeds along the Interstate. But alas, I've never had any difficulty sleeping in anything that's moving. I am convinced my mother must have driven me around as a baby in an effort to get me to sleep. I used to go hunting with my Dad when I was younger and I never ever saw one deer during that time because I was always asleep! I didn't see my first until I was well into my 20's. During boating trips on our 30-foot Trojan cabincruiser as a kid, I'd grab my towel and baby oil and would hit the front deck of the boat to sunbathe, and well, to sleep of course. Once I missed the biggest manta ray as it jumped over the bow of the boat. Figures, huh? My mom used to say that I was going to sleep my life away. She's probably right.

4. Don't attempt to sleep when sitting on an aisle seat. This I have learned lately. It appears I've almost fallen out of my seat a few times. I've felt it myself, that immediate pull back and jump when you feel out of sorts when sleeping. Thank God, I haven't ended up in the aisle. Wouldn't that be something?

3. Snoring. Don’t worry about snoring if you cat nap because everyone else is also cat napping and snoring or listening to music or talking on their cell phone or, well, you get it. Everyone is busy doing something else and they aren’t worried about your snoring.

2. Abandon all control. You have absolutely no control over the route, the speed, who sits with you, what time you depart and arrive, etc. You get the picture - NONE. You just gotta go with the flow, you know? This has to be the hardest for me, as many of you can imagine.

And the absolute top thing I’ve learned:

1. Women bus drivers rock! You'd think they were driving a Miata the way they weave in an out of those lanes but I tell you, I've never been concerned that we would wreck. I trust they will get me to my destination (and they've been very successful at this, thus far).

I'm sure if asked to come up with a Top Ten list in another six months, I will, no doubt, have ten very different things to write about. Every day is so different from the one before which, as Martha Stewart would say, is "a good thing".

Chivalry Is Still Alive and Well

From Wikipedia: "Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood. It is usually associated with ideals of knightly virtues, honour and courtly love. Today, the terms chivalry and chivalrous are used to describe courteous behavior, especially that of men towards women."

And to that last point, I must say I see this everyday on the bus and on the train - men giving their seats up to women. I see all races, all ages, doing this and it is honestly quite refreshing to see that we CAN be courteous to one another.

This morning there were six folks standing in the aisle because all the seats were taken. In the beginning, three of those folks were women. I closed my eyes for a moment and looked back up and the women had sat and were replaced by men. Nice, really nice!

The buses and trains are experiencing an increase in ridership, more than they've ever seen in the past. Obviously this can be directly attributed to the rise in gas prices (average in Atlanta area is $4.29 a gallon) and also to the fact that, well, some of us can't find gas at all!

And the governer had the audacity to say the other day that the gas panic was "self-induced". Yup, read it here, http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/stories/2008/09/24/atlanta_gas_governor.html. He says there is ample fuel in the Atlanta area. Well that was on September 24th. Folks are stalking gas stations waiting for deliveries. They're following tanker trucks to their next destination. They're stealing gas from parked vehicles. They're sitting in lines for hours on end just for a chance to put in $20-$25 worth, whatever limit that gas station might have implemented.

Now, on September 30th, news is that Governor Perdue is asking President Bush to release some crude oil from the nation's reserves. Go figure. Unfortunately that won't help the immediate problem because releasing any crude oil from the reserves will still take 4-5 days (or more) to reach the Atlanta area - after it hits the refinery, after it hits the pipeline, after it hits the gas tanker truck delivering it to the gas station, etc. It's not that there isn't any crude oil to refine, it's that the refineries were shut down due to the hurricane. They are now up to par and operating at full capacity. The pipeline is also flowing at full capacity. It will just take some time for everyone in the metro area to realize the next tanker of gas at their neighborhood gas station won't be the last. It will just take a bit of time and patience.

In the interim, I will continue to enjoy my daily commute via the GRTA bus system and the MARTA rail system, all the while using little to no gas on a daily basis. Oh, by using the word "enjoy", by no means am I implying that I really "enjoy" the commute (I could do without getting up before the roosters), but I do appreciate the fact that it truly is a safe mode of travel, the fact that I am lucky enough to be able to get from Point A to Point B via public transportation, and the fact that my fellow riders are usually courteous to one another. It certainly does help to restore your faith in the human race!

On The Commuting Front . . .

Well, yesterday I woke up before the roosters and met my cubemates on the early bus - I mean early, like it's the first bus of the morning at 5:15 a.m. Yes, that means I have to leave my house by 5 a.m. to make it to the bus stop in time. Errgh!! I did it, much to my dismay. We arrived at the Brookhaven Station by 6:25 a.m. or maybe a tad earlier. Our shuttle (again, the first one of the morning) doesn't arrive until 6:45 a.m. So, what did we do with that extra time - of course, we proceeded across Peachtree Road to visit the local Dunkin' Donuts. Well, I just couldn't resist getting a chocolate frosted raised donut - heck, why not? How many WW points could it possibly be? I also had the audacity to order a medium coffee with Equal (really, would it make any difference at this point if I used real sugar?). She asked if I'd like cream and as I was pondering the Equal/sugar thing, I unconsciously blurted out, "Yes, I would like cream". When I had focused again, I figured if I was going to treat myself to a donut, I wouldn't miss out on the cream, too. The deed was done! I sipped my coffee on the shuttle ride to the office and devoured the donut at my desk shortly after I arrived. It was heaven, I must say. And it definitely satisfied that "need" to have a sweet, fattening, treat! It also used six of my 22 points allotted for the day. "Blasted!", I thought but you know, this is what WWs does, it teaches you to eat right and not to waste calories on stuff like that. Lesson learned! No more donuts! (first one I've had in about a year!)

So with that being said, this morning I decided I would take my regular bus at 5:35 a.m. It would give me another 20 minutes prep time and NO TIME to walk over to Dunkin Donuts to be tempted, once again. It's all strategy, you know? Well, I must have missed the 5:35 a.m. bus by a minute or two so had to wait for the next bus at 5:50 a.m. No biggie, I thought, I'd still get to work around 7:15 a.m. or so.

As we were heading down I-20, the "in-training" bus driver took the Six Flags exit. I immediately woke from my nap, having noticed the shift of the bus and eventual stop at a red light. This was not the usual route - not at all. The regular bus driver took over at that point. He meandered around Six Flags, on past Charlie Brown Airport, to MLK Drive. I hadn't the foggiest idea where he was taking us. I honestly thought I may have gotten on the wrong bus but there are only two that come to my bus stop and they both take you downtown to the MARTA station. So, I patiently listened to my music on my Zune, all the while carefully watching where the driver was going. He eventually looped around and hopped on I-285 ending up at the I-285/I-20 interchange. I was so disoriented, I had no idea if we were heading North, South, East or West. He did get on I-20 from there and then we were definitely heading East. Good, I thought, it wouldn't be long and I would be on the train heading North to Brookhaven. Unfortunately, as I was running down the escalator, I soon saw the tail end of a train heading that direction so had to wait on the next one. Another near miss (story of my life).

I finally arrived at the Brookhaven Station only to see our shuttle bus leaving the Station. Again, a near miss, what, is there a full moon or what? So, we had to wait on the next shuttle. I say "we" because there were 12 other Department of Revenue employees waiting as well. There are usually two shuttles running and they show up every 15 minutes. As we were waiting, a very strange man was walking up to the Station. I had seen him a few mornings ago as well. He is carrying two white plastic bags that look like they are from a department store and I can see they are both packed full of something. The other morning when I saw him, he was carrying the two white overstuffed plastic department store bags, as well. This morning as he is nearing the turnstiles to enter the Station, he is glaring at our group, with his head cocked, peering over his glasses. I mean he has stopped dead in his tracks, and is flat out staring. He eventually enters the turnstiles and heads up the escalator. The other morning he actually approached where my cubemates and I were sitting and walked around us doing the same thing - head cocked, peering over his glasses, and flat out staring at us. I didn't think that much about this strange man the other morning, thinking it was a fluke and most likely I would never see him again. I must say that I have not felt uncomfortable or scared riding MARTA until this morning. I cannot imagine what he is looking at! Maybe he wants to ask one of us about his taxes? Who knows? In any event, it is quite unnerving, to say the least. I'm just thankful there are scads of people milling about so I'm not standing there all by myself!

To summarize the commute this morning with one word - weird. Just plain old weird. And this is the icing on the cake of weirdness encountered today - as we were waiting on our shuttle, a white stretch limo pulled up to the loading area as if he were about to drop someone off. My initial thought was, "why is a limo dropping someone off to get on MARTA?" Well, no one exited the vehicle so then I thought maybe he was picking someone up. Again, why would someone riding MARTA be getting into a limo to be driven on to their final destination? A taxi, yes, but a limo? No one came though and as we were boarding our shuttle I noticed the limo had pulled out of the station and was looping back around to the front loading area again. Really weird, I thought.

I joked with our shuttle driver that at first we all thought he had come to pick us up in that limo. He laughed and said "Nope, not today." Thirteeen of us then piled into the stinky, white cargo van to head to work. No limo for us! A girl can dream, can't she?

I finally arrived at work at 7:40 a.m. - almost 40 minutes later than normal. All because I missed my bus and had to wait 15 minutes on the next one. Go figure.

The Adventures of Neuton, the Half Breed

Well, my cubemate Barbie has spent most of the summer trying to teach Neuton to swim. He does fine with his life jacket on (see picture above), but much prefers to lounge on the float with his Daddy (see picture below).

Barbie is convinced he just doesn't like getting wet. Prissy dog, huh? At least she is somewhat confident, if he were to fall into the pool, he would be able to swim to the steps and get out himself. That's always good to know.

On another subject, Neuton's DNA test results came back. It was basically inconclusive because the company doesn't have the Whippet breed in their database. I can't imagine why they wouldn't but they didn't. Unfortunately, even Jack Russell isn't in their database. Anyway, the results show he does have some Parson's Jack Russell in him along with some Italian Greyhound, Pug, Chihuahua, and Irish Setter. So, it is felt that an accurate reading of his DNA wasn't possible because of the absence of the other two breeds. It doesn't really matter because Barbie and Russ love that little devil no matter what half-breed he is! As you can see from the pictures, he is spoiled rotten. Barbie has begun making his toys because it's so hard to find any that aren't made in China! So, she makes them in John's Creek. He loves them and tears them up, just the same. I'm sure he knows he has an endless supply.

Below is Neuton with his Doggles on. He didn't like them much so Barbie took them back. Too funny. I've got to get my girls a pair to get their picture taken for the 2009 Calendar! I'm scared to put a pair on Lucy for fear she'll eat them! We'll see.

Back to Neuton, I wonder what activities Barbie has planned for Neuton for the Fall? Pumpkin carving? Tree trimming? Who knows - what I do know is that Neuton has never had life so good! What a lucky boy indeed!

Sugar Update

Well, I took her back yesterday for another blood test. I just couldn't wait another week! Basically the ALT has stayed the same but the ALKP (Alkaline Phosphatase) actually went down. The doc said this was good improvement, even if the ALT was the same (it takes longer for that one to go down). The ALKP going down was good. I'm suppose to wait a month or so before taking her back for another blood test. I hope I'm able to be patient!

She is definitely feeling better, is pinker, and is eating without any "spiking" of her food. All of which, is definitely a positive improvement from a few weeks ago. I do believe we are on the road to a full recovery!

The Portraits

Last year about this time I discovered an artist who lives down in bayou country, actually in Youngsville, Louisiana, which is dead center of the State near the coastline. Her name is Mary Sewell Hillier. Her style is very colorful and quite unique, as you can see. So, I thought I'd start by having her do Remi's portrait. I sent a photo and told her a few things about my first girl. Here is the final painting. Pretty cool, huh? I think the size is about 18" x 24" or something like that.

About a month or so ago, I contacted Mary again to ask her about doing Sugar's portrait. As before, I provided her with a picture and gave her a good description of Sugar's personality. She emailed at some point and said she had to "batten down the hatches" in preparation of Hurricane Gustav, so she was delayed in starting Sugar's portrait. For Pete's sake, I told her to get the heck out of dodge and we'd worry about the portrait later. It was very considerate of her to let me know though. I just chuckled, having "been there, done that" on so many occasions I knew in the flurry of hurricane preparations and evacuations, oddly enough, you do try to "tie up loose ends". Once things simmered down a bit and things were back to normal, she commenced to working on the portrait again. Here is Sugar's final painting. I just love it!

Next, I have to get Lucy's done. Knowing her nickname is Lucy(fer), I can't imagine how she'll paint her but I think it'll be interesting to see the final results.

I'll be getting these framed and will mount on one wall in my dining room. I'm quite proud, as you can imagine!

Sugar Update

This morning we were at the Doctor at 8:30 a.m. for our appointment. They took some of Sugar's blood and intended to test it in-house for the most important liver values. Apparently their machine had not been turned on to "warm-up", so we had to wait on that. Then, her values were higher than the machine registered so they had to dilute the serum to get a reading that they assured me would still be accurate. End result after an hour and a half - the Alkaline Phosphatase is now 2,890 U/L and the ALT (SGPT) came down to 1,266 U/L. The original results done at a lab were:

(BUN) Urea Nitrogen - 22 normal
Albumin - 3.1 normal
Bilirubin - 13.1 mg/dL very high
Alkaline Phosphatase - 2,552 U/L very high
ALT (SGPT) - 1,966 U/L very high
Lymphocytes - 19% normal

So, the Alkaline Phosphatase is higher and the ALT (SGPT) is about 800 points lower, which the good Doc said was "great improvement". I also emailed all of this to Dr. Suzanne Stack (had already sent the first lab results but today sent the new results) and she also said she was "happy" with those results and that the ALT (SGPT) is the"only one they really care about" and the fact that it came down is good news. It has only been a week since the first testing and a week of antibiotics and other medicines. So, I am hopeful. We have a two week supply and are to go back at that time for another testing to see how things are then. Her Doctor suggested perhaps we get an ultrasound done at some point. There is no major hurry to do that, since she is improving.

By no means do I think we are out of the woods yet but the fact that she improved over a week's time is encouraging. To put this into perspective, a normal level of Alkaline Phosphatase would be between 10-150 U/L and the ALT (SGPT) would be between 5-107 U/L. So, you see, she is WAY, WAY over both of those. A normal Bilirubin would be between 0.0-0.4 mg/dL and she is WAY, WAY over that one as well. Most, if not all, of her other blood values are normal.

We will continue the medicines in hopes that she will continue to improve. She appears to feel better every day and is eating as well as can be expected. I have to coax her sometimes but she eats her whole bowl of kibble. She weighed 56 pounds when we first went in for the UTI, then 58 pounds last weekend, and 60 pounds today. I'm happy that she is gaining rather than loosing.

I am encouraged and am hopeful she will pull out of this completely with no ill effects. The Doctor and I discussed what could have caused this to start with and it could be a number of things. He did mention mushrooms in the backyard which is what I was thinking might have caused it. I did see her munching on something a few weeks back as Lucy munched on another pear from the neighbor's tree that "flew" into my backyard. I had assumed Sugar was also munching on the same pear but it could very well have been a mushroom. An ultrasound will show if there are any masses so I do plan to do that in a few weeks.

Again, I am hopeful. Keep praying and "think pink". (yes, she is still jaundiced but not nearly as much and is getting pinker every day)

My Dear Sugar

My dear Sugar is ill. She first had a UTI which we've cleared up and now her liver values are in the thousands. Well, not all but the critical liver values are. She is on some meds and appears to be doing better. She feels better (yes, I asked her this morning) and is eating better. We go back to the doctor Saturday morning for a blood test to see if her values have dropped any. She has been jaundiced but that is slowing easing up as well. I see more pink to her skin, gums, and ears. I've never seen anyone or any dog with jaundice and let me tell you, the skin is most certainly yellow. If you think your dog is ever in this state, check the gums and the ears as well.

Anyway, I just emailed my sister about Sugar and her story. I thought it worth repeating here.

Her story is extraordinary - first being plucked from the side of I-75 scrounging garbage for food, then being fostered by someone with the Henry County Humane Society, then getting attacked by said foster's black lab (which has had a profound affect on Sugar and her hatred for black dogs), then getting picked up by me for fostering, then getting adopted out to a farm family with 5 children (step ladder in ages) and the Mom was pregnant again, then not liking the children because they chased her, then getting into the Emu massacre at said farm, then being returned to SEGA because of dislike of children and said Emu massacre, then being fostered again by me, then being adopted by me, then becoming the #4 Greyhound in lure coursing in 2005 winning numerous trophies and ribbons (we are very proud of her), then getting her own wine label (proud again), then finally to retirement only to get sick! Quiet a story, huh? She is such a sweet one, too. She'll come out of this, I know it!

But if her values haven't improved on Saturday, the next step is an ultrasound and then depending on what that shows, a biopsy, if needed.

I'll keep you posted. Keep Sugar in your thoughts and prayers. She is only 7 and surely has more to do on this earth!

Gadget Girl Is At It Again!

Well, I couldn't stand it yesterday when I received an email from Williams Sonoma touting an Imperia Pasta Machine (made in Italy) they are exclusively offering at this time. It's so exclusive and so popular that it is now on backorder until September 11th.

I've been wanting a pasta machine for so long now - I just couldn't stand it. I had to order one. And the accompanying ravioli maker. Heck, if they offered more attachments, I probably would have ordered them as well! Yep, like I need another kitchen gadget (or two).

I honestly think I'm going to have to seek out a home loan to build an extension to my kitchen so I can house all these "extras" that I think I must have. Or I could bust out the wall between the kitchen and the guest bedroom and expand the kitchen that direction. Umm, now that's an idea!

In any event, isn't it a beauty (yes, I get excited about a new kitchen gadget)? I cannot wait to make some fresh, homemade, from scratch, spaghetti or linguine. I guess now I've got to get a pasta cookbook so I can figure out how to do this. (It's never ending, isn't it?) But it keeps me out of trouble and off the streets as my Mom might say. She used to say that about my Dad's hobby . . . deer hunting. And I'm sure she'd say it now about my hobby, cooking (and of course, Greyhounds).

I'll keep you posted on what delicious, low-fat, pasta dishes I come up with. Good thing the dogs like spaghetti, too!

A First

Here is a first - all three of my girls facing the same direction in their crates. Well, it's a first that I've been able to capture in a video photo! Aren't they just the best girls?

The Excitement Never Ends

Today on the way home (remember I said it's usually SOMETHING every day), we had finally arrived at the Five Points Station in downtown Atlanta. As I was crossing Peachtree Street, I heard numerous fire engines or ambulances heading in my direction, along with about four helicopters hovering overhead. Five Points Station is near Underground Atlanta and alot of government buildings like the State Capital. My immediate thought was that SOMETHING had happened in the area which is usually true if you see helicopters hovering. And with that location, anything could have happened.

And, of course, something had happened. We speculated on what that was and someone at the bus area told us there had been a police shooting. Another commuter offered that Brian Nichols had another court hearing today and the ruckus was most likely because of him. I seriously doubted this suggestion and hoped that the City of Atlanta had not wasted that much manpower on that man who didn't deserve to even HAVE another court hearing, in my opinion.

Much to my dismay, none of the local news stations dispatched any "Breaking News" emails as I kept a vigil watch on my Blackberry for some word from the outside world. It was not until much later after I had arrived home that I turned on the local news and found out what had happened. It was, indeed, a police shooting involving a 21 year old suspect.

I tell you, I was scared to death at the time we were standing at the bus area. We were a few blocks away from the capital and could see the commotion in that direction with police cars everywhere. You could already see they had cordoned an area with crime scene tape so we knew something HAD happened, we just didn't know what! Intersections and intersections had been blocked off with police cars and policemen. Even the one closest to us but thank God they were allowing the buses through or we probably would have been stuck downtown for hours.

I had visions that the perpetrator was still at large and a man hunt was underway and he was about to run through the bus area waving a gun, scaring the crowd half to death. Afterall, with the intense police presence and activity that seemed endless, this had to be the case, right? Not . . . they had already shot the perpetrator, apprehended him, and he was well on his way to Grady Hospital to be treated. Who knew? It was just so darn scary, especially being so close to where it all happened and not having a clue what HAD happened. The unknown is always the scary part, isn't it?

But, in her usual fashion, our bus driver took control of that bus and navigated her way out of downtown Atlanta in a matter of minutes. Before we knew it, we were well out of any danger and speeding Westbound on I-20 on our way home. What a relief!

You just never know what you may happen upon on any given day during this commuting experience. It's a crap shoot, that's for sure. Or as Forrest Gump would say, "Life is like a box of chocolates . . . you never know what you're going to get."

Addendum: the story gets better, read this article from the AJC. Too funny!

Sightings Along the Way

As you can imagine, I see many things on the way to and from work. It's almost a given if you think about the different modes of transportation that I use - a bus, a train, and a shuttle.

The train going home yesterday was no exception. We usually get on the last car on the train because it drops off right at the escalator at the train station so we can easily hop on and hopefully catch our bus on time. Anyway, yesterday's train was a short one, meaning it wasn't near as long as it usually is which, unfortunately, means everybody who thought they were going to get on the last car of the long train (which is usually further down the track at the train station) end up squished together in the last car of the shorter train. Did I loose you there? Don't worry, it isn't that important in the grand scheme of things.

Once onboard, I sat down next to a young African American boy who I thought to be around 12 years old or so. I started chatting with him, asking him all sorts of questions. He was very forthcoming which is something his parents should speak to him about. My Mom always told me not to speak to strangers. Anyway, I digress. I found out that this kid was actually in the 10th grade which would make him what, 15 years old maybe? He sure didn't look a day past 12! He assured me he was telling the truth and I assured him that 20 years from now he would think that looking younger would be a pretty nice trait. He then told me he was on his way home from school. I asked what school and he replied that he went to Dunwoody High School. I then asked where was home and he said he lived south of there. Come to find out he gets off at the Five Points Station and takes the Eastbound train where he finally gets off at the Kensington Station. So, he lives somewhere around there. All being said, he traveled quite a distance to get to school. Probably as far as I travel to get to work. I asked him why he did that and if Dunwoody High School was a better school than any around his neighborhood and he said it most certainly was. It'd have to be for me to make that trek everyday as a 15 year-old! He did admit that he got lost alot, even as recent as last week! I felt bad for him but assured him I get lost most everyday in Atlanta, which is basically true. If not for my Garmin, God knows where I would be right now!

We chatted some more and then he started working on some schoolwork, most notably, an essay he had to write for class. He asked me to proofread it for him which I gladly did. The students were instructed to write a fable and it had to be 200 words long. His fable involved a Leprechaun which he had mispelled (and which I had to Google to be sure I had it spelled right) and another character by the name of Wiggledodo. I laughed and asked him to pronunciate "Wiggledodo" and he did, and yes, it is pronounced just as it is spelled. The fable was about the difference between a human heart and the heart we normally see at Valentine's day. He hadn't finished the story so I don't really know how he connected the two characters to the differences in the hearts or what differences he planned to spell out. We chatted a bit more and I learned that he does have a computer at home but only has Internet access when he goes to his grandmother's house which I thought was a good thing except that the Internet is a wonderful resource tool for school kids. Maybe Grandma isn't that far away!

Oh, and they did a career quiz type exercise in class that day and it was determined that he should be a Professor. He was pretty psyched about that which is cool. A really nice young man.

Then we get to the train station and disembark and head to our bus while the young man headed to his Eastbound train. I'm sure I probably won't run into him again so I won't hear the end of his fable but I'm sure he probably received a good grade on it. That required quite an imagination to come up with that story to start with and I'm sure from the little bit that I read, he told the story well.

On our ride home we usually see alot of panhandlers, crazies wanting to convert us, others talking to invisible beings, others being rude, etc. It was very refreshing to see a nice young man like that working on his homework and being a nice person.

Various Varieties of Shrooms

Throughout the rainy weeks we've had lately in Georgia, I've noticed quite a variety of mushrooms proliferating throughout my yard. I honestly don't know if any might be poisonous or not or hallucinogenic or not. I always worry that the dogs might eat one and come into the house either "sick as a dog" or tripping, either of which would not be a good thing. Can you imagine Lucy in the latter state?

But thank goodness, neither has happened as of yet. The only thing they might eat in the backyard, if allowed to go out unmuzzled, might be a pear from the neighbor's pear tree (and I haven't yet figured out how the pears get over a 6 foot fence into my backyard) or their own poop which is really disgusting. I always try to muzzle them because of the latter.

Here are some pictures of some shrooms found in the yard lately. They are quite photogenic and I hope I've done them justice. I am most curious as to what might cause the variety.

Update: check out the site about poisonous mushrooms and your dogs.

Speaking of Worms . . .

The other day I walked across my patio on my way to the grill when I came across this little critter. Of course, I first thought it was a worm, but when I knelt down to get a better look, I soon realized that this was no worm. In fact, it was a snake . . . a real little, baby snake. It was black and had a triangle head that it held up while spitting it's little tongue at me as I peered down at it. I'm sure he was as scared as I was! He was an interesting little critter.

He soon withered off and was on his merry way. I, too, was soon on my merry way to the grill to start dinner.

What Does This Worm Have to Do With A Lasso?

You are probably asking yourself that very same question. Actually yesterday my cubemate, Barbie, confided in myself and another cubemate that she spent the day on Friday chasing worms. As you can imagine, that definitely did stir the pot so we had to inquire about this worm chasing experience. You see, Barbie and her husband Russ, have a pool which is constantly being encroached upon by various critters ie frogs, moles, snakes, and of course, worms. Hey, they all like water so who could blame them? And it's a saltwater system and we all know that saltwater is very good for you.

Anyway on Friday Barbie was attempting to prevent an innocent worm from going into the "concrete pond" using a garden hose (imagine the worm's thoughts on this). In any event, whilst trying to prevent this from happening, the unfortunate DID happen! The poor worm fell into the pool and immediately was sucked up by Rover (the Polaris). Such a sad ending to an otherwise perfect day - for the worm!

We have now dubbed Barbie our resident "worm wrangler". I, too, plan to start "worm wrangling" as I start to vermicompost which is "the process of using worms and micro-organisms to turn kitchen waste into a black, earthy-smelling, nutrient-rich humus.." If I could use Barbie's black worms to start my vermicompost, I'd just ask her to wrangle me up a few and bring them to work with her one day but alas, this requires red wigglers.

My goal in the next few weeks is to find some red wigglers, and get my composting project underway. Perhaps Barbie will have a few worm wrangling tips for me! I think she could also be President of our, yet to be established club, Worm Wranglers of the Southeast.

PS - Barbie, President of the now established club, Worm Wranglers of the Southeast, is currently feverishly designing a logo for the Club. Everyone will just HAVE to have a t-shirt and a coffee mug in support of their local worm wranglers (frequently check CafePress for our shop). Go worm wranglers!!

UWO - Unidentified White Object

Okay, I went to work today and left the three girls in their crates, happy and content. I tossed them each a peanut butter cookie, a Zuke's treat, and a marshmallow. May sound like alot but they are all small treats.

I returned home, let the girls out to potty and then proceeded with the usual routine of filling their water bowls and feeding them their dinner. I was putting Lucy's water bowl down when I caught a glimpse of Sugar's side. Here is what I saw! Imagine my surprise! I looked again and still saw this strange white lump protruding from Sugar's side. I knelt down to get a closer look and then it hit me and I started laughing almost hysterically! Yes, it appears that dear Sugar had laid on her marshmallow this morning and it stuck to her . . . ALL day! I can't imagine why she didn't pull it off and eat it. I imagine Lucy was eyeballing it all day just dying to get to it to munch on it - she loves her marshmallows! Anyway, it was definitely a first so I had to take photos and blog about it. Obviously these dogs keep me in stitches!

Postscript - I now cannot get Sugar to eat a marshmallow to save my life. I think she thinks it might attack her again!

I've Been Tagged . . .

by Heather of GreytBlackDog fame to a meme "Six Unknown Things About You". Like everyone else, I first had to understand what a meme is. This is definitely a new term for me. I googled it and here is what I found:

A meme is:
An idea that, like a gene, can replicate and evolve.
A unit of cultural information that represents a basic idea that can be transferred from one individual to another, and subjected to mutation, crossover and adaptation.
A cultural unit (an idea or value or pattern of behavior) that is passed from one generation to another by nongenetic means (as by imitation); "memes are the cultural counterpart of genes".

The term and concept of meme is from the 1976 book by Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene. Though Dawkins defined the meme as "a unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation," memeticists vary in their definitions of meme. The lack of a consistent, rigorous definition of what precisely a meme is remains one of the principal criticisms leveled at memetics, the study of memes.

Now that we are all further enlightened, I will get on with the task at hand, and that is to come up with six unknown things about myself. This is a rather difficult task as I honestly think most folks know EVERYTHING about me. So, without further adieu . . .

1. I once applied to join the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Yes, and this is probably the most disappointing unsuccessful thing I've ever tried to do. I wanted to work in an Embassy overseas and see the world! I first contacted my local congressman to gain his support, he then contacted the head of the CIA at the time, I was then invited to a group meeting in Pensacola, at which point they widdled down the applicants from a room of 100 or so people to about 10 and then on from there. They came to Panama City and interviewed me, my neighbors and references, teachers, and I think my parents.

I was then invited to visit the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) headquarters in McLean, Virginia for formal interviews, health screening, and the formidable lie detector test over a two day period. Naturally, I was a nervous wreck. At the ripe old age of 23 (I think) at the time, you can only imagine what was going through my head, however, I was excited about the opportunity and wanted to do my best.

The interview went fine, the health screening went ok, and the lie detector test, well, let me just say it was no cake walk. The morning of the test the electricity went out in my hotel. I thought it must be an omen. I put on my make-up and fluffed my towel-dried hair with my cigarette lighter (I was a smoker at the time). And, yes, I almost caught my hair on fire and the room, too!

I made it to headquarters and waited in the reception area for someone to call my name. As I waited, other applicants were filing out and all were in tears or at least were very upset. Again, I thought this must be an omen. My name was called so I gathered my wits and proceeded to the office where they would hook me up to all kinds of wires. Then, the questioning began. I think I was in that room for about 30-45 minutes and the guy asked me a gazillon questions again and again.

I was released and headed back to the hotel to gather my things and get to the airport. What a day. A few weeks later I received an envelope in the mail from the CIA which stated that although I was a fine applicant, they could not consider me for employment because I did not pass the lie detector test. I spoke with my friend from high school who was an Intelligence Officer in the Navy and she assured me that those things are nothing more than emotion detectors and are not accurate. This was many years ago so I hope the technology has improved since then. It was very stressful, to say the least and is something I hope to never have to do again!

The whole process from initiation to end took almost two years but I have to say I did learn quite a bit during that timeframe. I am now very happy that it didn't work out. With the world as it is today, I probably would have been blown up in an Embassy somewhere. C'est la vie, I say!

2. I am a avid genealogist. That, as Wikipedia says, "is the study and tracing of family lineages and history." I've been doing this for many years but since getting into Greyhound adoption, I've had little time to devote to it. I do know that I have some lines traced as far back as 1612. We definitely have some very colorful ancestors, that's for sure. Most on my mother's side who originated mostly in South Carolina and Georgia. Most had large plantations with 250+ slaves. They grew cotton, indigo, rice and who knows what else (hence my desire to grow cotton once in my garden). One ancestor owned Montpelier Plantation in Beaufort County, South Carolina and another Walnut Hill, in the same county. One line had three mayors of Savannah - a grandfather, a father, and a son. There were some Senators, Generals, Lieutenants, and one Prince, so far.

My great-great-grandfather on my Mom's side enlisted in the Civil War in Atlanta, in January of 1864 (at the age of 16), serving under Capt. Jake Robinson being discharged in 1865 in Augusta under Commander Gary (Cary) W. Stiles. He fought in the Siege of Atlanta and Savannah, Company "L" Artillery. Unfortunately, he lost his leg in that war and was unable to get disability from the government or any Veteran's benefits because he was underage when he enlisted so there is no official record of his enlistment.

Obviously, it's really interesting and is something that I love doing. I recently updated my Family Tree Maker software to the 2008 version so I hope to soon pick up where I've left off.

3. I'm a foodie. Yes, I admit it. I love trying new recipes, am right at home in a Williams-Sonoma, and would rather make my living as a caterer but alas, I doubt the money could support me in the manner in which I'm accustomed to. Pampered Chef is my friend! I have more cookbooks than any one person should have. And as my sister says, being a foodie makes me a detriment to myself as far as the waistline goes. It's a constant battle that I'm hoping to beat with WW.

My biggest thrill was meeting Tyler Florence at a Southern Living show in Birmingham and after that meeting Bobby Flay at his restaurant in New York, Mesa Grill. He actually kissed my hand! Whenever I'm in the Big City, I always go there in hopes of seeing him again. And I've been to the Mesa Grill in Vegas as well. It's a really good restaurant if you're ever near one, I highly recommend dining there.

4. I used to breed and raise and, yes, sell Himalyan kittens. For many years I did this and just loved having new kittens in the house. They are the cutest, fluffiest, blue-eyed things! My brood cat, Chelsea, had to be put to sleep last summer at the age of 16 1/2 due to kidney failure. She was such a good kitty and I miss her terribly. She was an integral part of my life for such a long time and was SEGA's offical cat test kitty for a few years. Her husband, Boca, was quite the stud muffin. He preceeded her in death by about 10 years. He had urethra problems which contributed to his death. This ailment appears to be common for male cats who have been altered. Chelsea missed his companionship so soon after I got Savannah, the Ragdoll, who is now our official cat test kitty for SEGA. She's the bomb and is such an interesting cat. I've always called her my "cat-dog" because she is a cat but she acts like a dog. She definitely fits right into the Greyhound pack I've gathered and is happy as a clam when there are scads of them in the house for dinners or parties.

5. I'm addicted to the Internet and email. I'm sure everyone knows this but I thought I'd throw it out there for those who didn't. My Blackberry is my best buddy! And I'm sure I would start having DTs if anyone were to take it away from me so be forewarned, it won't be pretty! Along with that addiction is the one I have for gadgets, mostly electronic gadgets but if you look through my kitchen you will also see loads of kitchen gadgets. Just call me "gadget girl".

6. I am terrified of folks in costumes covering their heads running at me. I don't know where this comes from except that I was told that once when I was a kid, my neighbor's Dad ran at me with a paper bag over his head screaming and screaming. It was at the kid's birthday party, I think, and one of his presents was a bike with the leopard banana seat - I remember that. Whoo hoo! Anyway, I think the ordeal traumatized me to this day. I don't enjoy the costumed characters at Disney World, I don't enjoy the costumed characters at Six Flags, I hate the costumed characters at haunted houses, and I deplore any costumed character anywhere for that matter, especially if they are chasing me!

So, that's it. Boring, huh? I now tag Maria, Jen, and Scott to do the same, "Six Unknown Things About You".

Priceless! (turn your speakers up!)

Is Woody Woodpecker in the room? Oh my . . . do you suppose those "Snore No More" strips would help her?

Friday's Train Entertainment

Friday on the commute home on the train, my car was entertained by a very, very feminine guy who, yes, was gay. The talk about the train was how his eyebrows, which were waxed and perfectly shaped, looked better than any of the females on the train (and they did). He was quite proud of them, you could tell. His pink eyeshadow seemed to emphasize the brow bone even more than usual. As he stood up to disembark at the Midtown station (how appropriate, huh?), he turned to the crowd and waved the typical "parade" wave, smiling the whole time. What a hoot! He played the crowd, that's for sure.

And then, to top that off, we were waiting on our bus at the Five Points Station and a black girl walked by with a t-shirt on that read on the front, "Yes, I know I'm a Bitch" and on the back "Just Not Your Bitch". Another classic sighting!

Progress in the Garden

The garden is flourishing as you can see. The corn sustained some damage in a recent storm but I think it'll survive. I staked some of the stalks up this morning so am hopeful the corn on those stalks will mature. I'm having some squash tonight with my grilled Talapia. Umm, umm. You can't beat that! The sweet potatoes are coming along and I should have some zucchini soon. The bell peppers are coming in and the Serrano peppers, too. I think I'll have enough Jalapeno peppers this week to make some stuffed Jalapeno's for my work mates. The green beans and cucumbers are never ending. I can't eat enough cucumbers and green beans to keep those from falling off the vines.

And speaking of vines, isn't that a most delightful watermelon you see there? There are two more on the vines and many more blossoms. I expect to have quite a few to eat shortly. They look scrumptious and I can't wait to split one open!