The Story of Lil Dude - Part Seven (The Rest of the Story)

Life got busier by the day at work. A had many projects going, and little time to do anything else. She was able to find a house she liked and made an offer, which was rejected. Then things stepped up even more, and she had virtually no time to house-hunt for awhile.

Lil Dude kept worming his way into our hearts - - gotta admit, the little guy is GOOD! His favorite thing seems to be coming up into our bed in the middle of the night and curl up on my stomach, purring. Then, he moves himself around until he is sleeping right in-between us, with my arm around him and his head on my shoulder....and he purrs himself (and me) to sleep.

How can I let go of THAT?? Well, the answer is - - I can't.

Mr. Dizzy and I were talking a couple of weeks ago, and he said, "You know, I think he is going to have to stay with us." I just about did cartwheels for joy! (That would NOT have been a pretty sight, believe me!) I had been worried that I actually would have to give up the little guy, and every time the thought crossed my mind, my heart would break a little. Yes, I know there was NO WAY we were keeping him, and NO WAY I would get attached to him.....but apparently Lil Dude had other ideas. It's amazing how such a little guy like that can take down two big ol' people like me and Mr. Dizzy. But he did.

I broke the news to A the following day, and she completely understood. She, too, had been wondering how Lil Dude would react being taken away from us and the other two cats, and being in a house alone with her and her brother, with no other cats around. I promised her that when she did get a house and moved in and settled, I would help her find her own little black kitty - - we may take a road trip to Springfield Animal Protective League (best place EVER to find a pet!) or, a classmate of mine has lots of cats on her farm, and she just informed me that she has two black kittens that need a home.

So someday A will have a "Lil Dude" of her own. But, THIS Lil Dude is happily settled in his "forever home" with me and Mr. Dizzy, along with big brother Carmichael and big sister Squeak. And it's all good.

NEXT - - a wrap-up of Lil Dude in pictures!

Grace In Small Things: 25/2010

What am I grateful for this week?

• A 2-1/2 day weekend
• Getting Squeak and Lil Dude's nails clipped - - no more "velcro kitties"!
• Fresh spinach and zucchini's from the Outdoor Produce Market
• A day all to myself with just the kitty-kids (just what the doctor ordered)
• Dinner with my Dad on Father's Day - - my treat, of course! Happy Father's Day, Daddio! Love you!

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

The Story of Lil Dude: Part Six (the following week)

The next week I decided that even though Dude was going to another home, hopefully soon, it was still my responsibility to look after his health and welfare (and the welfare of my home as well). So I decided to cal the Vet and set up a time to get Dude neutered and all his shots. Not only would this help out A with the expense of a new pet, which would be difficult for her on top of all the moving/house expenses, but it would keep my two furbabes safe and also my furniture - - once he was neutered, he would not be spraying the place!

Friday came, and it was time to go to the Vet. I loaded up Dude in the carrier and took him in. This visit would consist of an overnight stay so that he could be monitored after the surgery to make sure there were no complications.

The hardest thing for me was walking out of there and leaving that little guy behind....he was mewing pitifully, and looking out the carrier door at me so sadly....I had to get a grip on myself. There would be NO getting attached to this adorable little guy!

As I drove off, I felt so guilty! It was just a couple of weeks earlier that someone had put him in a car, dumped him out and deserted him; left him for dead. I felt like I had betrayed the little guy - - deserted him. Even though I knew better, I was really worried about how he was feeling, how scared he must be.

I'm just too damn soft-hearted where cats are concerned. *sigh*

The following day I went back to the Vet to pick him up. As they brought the carrier out, Dude didn't see me at first - - but when I walked up to the counter and peered inside and said, "Hey, little guy" - - his eyes opened up wide, and he got so excited his whole body just started quivering! He started meowing and rubbing my hand against the carrier door. He was just so happy!

Dude laid in the carrier and just watched me the whole trip back home. He just laid there, purring and looking very content. When we got back home, we let him out and he just started running through the place as if he couldn't contain himself!

Uh-ohhhh - - he's feeling at home, and I'm getting totally attached.....

A had better find a home for herself and Lil Dude, and it better be quick.....

To be continued.......

Grace In Small Things: 24/2010

What I am grateful for this week:

• Surviving first week of Summer classes, relatively unscathed.....
• Fresh cherries off my cherry tree - - almost 60 quarts this year!
• Golden Yellow Cherry Cake with Butter Cream Frosting.....
• My Dad's 6-month check-up went extremely well - - he passed with flying colors!
• Survived a vicious thunderstorm yesterday, with the only casualty being our phone line - - lightning apparently hit it, and we are waiting on repairs.

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

The Story of Lil Dude: Part Five (Friday-Sunday)

One of my co-workers, A, who works in the office next door to mine, has always wanted a black kitten, ever since she had read a book as a child about a little black kitten named Gink. So, I decided she was one person to start with in our efforts to find Lil Dude a new home. She agreed to come out over the weekend and meet the little guy and see what she (and him) thought of each other.

Over the next couple of days we noticed that Dude's balance problems had cleared up, validating our feelings that the ear mites problem was to blame. Also, he was really starting to come into his own special little personality - - play, play, play, as hard as he could, but the minute one of us would walk up to him, he would stop, roll over onto his back, and meow for his "belly rub". He also seemed to love it when I would sing "Belly Rub, Belly Rub" to him very off-key....it would just make him purr even harder! Weird cat.....

He also decided at night that he would sleep with Mom (which he had decided was ME). He would walk between us on the bed, and curl up next to me, with my arm around him, and purr himself (and me) to sleep.

This little guy was pulling out all the stops to try to win us over to keep him. But that was NOT going to happen. Absolutely NOT. For sure. Definitely. NOT.

Really. Seriously.

Sunday came and A came by to meet The Dude (aka Gink) and see what they thought of each other. Dude was a bit hesitant at first, but soom started in playing and being his usual adorable self. A fell totally in love (how could she help herself?) and said yes, she did want him. However, there was a catch - - but isn't there always? *sigh* She still lived with her parents since she had moved back to town and was in the process of looking for a place of her own. Until she found one, she couldn't take Dude to her parent's house. I told her he was fine right where he was at, and when she found a place, he was hers.

And we left it at that.

Now all A needed to do was find a place to call home for herself and Lil Dude/Gink. How hard could that be?

To be continued.....

Grace In Small Things: 23/2010

What am I grateful for this week?

• Had a wonderful three-day weekend; 2 days all to myself, Memorial Day with Dear Mr. Dizzy.
• A wonderful Anniversary dinner - - yes, it was a week late, but that's fine. It was still fun!
• Sixteen quarts of tart pie cherries off my little cherry tree, and many more to be picked.
• Strawberries starting to bear in my new raised bed.
• Getting the grill all cleaned and ready for grilling season. Steaks, chops, burgers...can't wait!

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

The Story of Lil Dude - Part Four (Tuesday-Thursday)

Tuesday morning I called the vet and made an appointment to bring in the kitten to get checked over, and they told me to bring it in Thursday morning. That gave us a couple more days to get it used to us and a little calmer.

Every day it seemed the little thing picked up more and more habits from our other two cats, with some comical results! For one thing, this little kitty's legs were so short, he had to take 2 or 3 steps for one of theirs, and it was laughable seeing it try to keep up with them! Also, every toy that we had was dragged out and played with, and with a very fierce intensity. It provided us with quite a few chuckles.

We did notice that it walked a little funny sometimes, like it had a bit of trouble keeping its balance, but didn't know if that was from it being so young and still growing into its legs, or something else. I added that to my list of things to ask the Vet.

Thursday morning, it was NOT easy getting the little thing into the carrier. It totally panicked on me! But I finally succeeded and we headed to the Vet's office. All the way there, the kitten was traumatized, and not reacting well. Mr. Dizzy and I both feel it was bringing back bad memories for it; probably the last time it had been in a carrier, it was dumped and left for dead! That was NOT a fun drive to the Vet, but we finally got there and I hauled the carrier inside, hoping being out of the car would calm the kitten down.

It didn't.

The whole time we were sitting in the waiting room, it was frantic. I was honestly afraid it was going to hurt itself trying to get out of the carrier. They finally got me into a room, and the first thing we did was open the carrier and let it out. I immediately picked the kitten up and cradled him up next to my chest, with his head right under my chin. It was shaking with fright, but I kept talking softly and petting it, and eventually the kitten calmed down.

By the time the Vet came in the room, things were going much better. But, when I tried to pry the kitten loose so the Vet could check it over, kitty decided to hang on for dear life, and it took both of us to pry him off me! But, we finally succeeded, and the Vet started his checkup.

First thing I found out is that the kitten was a Dude, not a Dudette. So, finally we knew for sure! The Vet took the kitten into another room to check him completely over - - ear mites, fleas, ringworm, worms, everything. I waited in the examining room while they did their work. Periodically the Vet or one of his assistants would come in and give me a report - - yes, he had fleas and worms, but no ringworm, and the balance problem was probably caused by the fact that both of his ears were totally filled with ear mites! They gave him a worm treatment, and treated him for fleas and the ear mites, and decided to leave it at that for that day.

At least I knew he was a "He", and was healthy, and we would see if the ear mites were the cause of his balance issues. Anything else would have to wait for another day; I was not going to traumatize him any further for the moment.

He didn't fight the carrier as much when we were ready to leave, and was a bit calmer on the way home. When we got back to the house, I let him out, and he seemed so happy to be back, his whole body started quivering! I petted him a bit longer and talked with him, and then he started playing with the toys. When I left to go to work, he was back to being his happy little self.

Now that we knew he was healthy, it was time to find the Lil Dude a home.....Heaven knows we don't need a third cat!

To be continued.....

The Story of Lil Dude - Part Three (Sunday/Monday)

The next morning, it was back to business as usual - - the kitten would come out long enough to eat, follow our two cats around, and play with toys when we were not in the same room, but if it caught sight of either of us, it was time to hide under something safe. I was just dying to get my hands on the little furball, just to let it know it was safe and we meant no harm, but it was not to be. Both Mr. Dizzy and I were avoided like we carried the plague.

Mr. Dizzy took the pet gate back to Menard's and got his money back, since it obviously was not doing the situation any good. We figured the more the little baby wandered around and got comfortable in our house, the sooner we could get close to it (hopefully). But the whole day Sunday and the whole evening was exactly the same, and we finally gave up and called it a day.

Monday I was sick. Sinuses, headache, feeling lousy. So, I stayed home. The kitten came closer to me as I was laying on the couch, almost within arm's reach, but the minute I would try, it would scamper off. I was dozing a lot and each time I would wake up, it would be close to me, but again, each time I reached out my hand, it would back off.

About mid-afternoon I headed back to the bedroom to take a nap in a more comfy spot, and saw the little baby on my bed. Before it could run out of the room, I shut the door so we were both in there. It took off and hid under the clothes hamper. I laid on the floor and just talked softly to it, and eventually was able to reach my hand under the hamper and stroke its head. It stiffened up for a moment, but then started relaxing, and the next thing I knew the little baby was purring. Loudly! I kept laying there stroking its head and back, and talking softly, and finally it started pushing into my hand. I took that as a good sign, and was finally able to get a good hold and get it out from under the hamper. I held the kitten in my arms, talking softly, and it kept purring. I put the kitten on the bed and laid down next to it, and we both fell asleep!

That was the definite turning point. From then on, it stopped being so scared of us, although still a bit skittish.

When Mr. Dizzy got home from work I told him about what happened, and he headed into the bedroom to see the little thing. Next thing I knew, they were on the bed together, Mr. Dizzy petting him, the little kitten purring loudly. We FINALLY won it over!

Now to get the little darling to the vet to get checked and find out if it was a Lil Dude or Dudette.....

To be continued.....

Grace In Small Things: 22/2010

With this being Memorial Day, I am grateful for:
All of our troops overseas, who are sacrificing to keep us free.

• The families of all the troops, for the sacrifices they are making, allowing their family members to be over there assuring our freedom.
• Veterans of all wars, for their honor and dedication to our country.
• My Dad, a WWII Veteran, who earned a Distinguished Flying Cross for his part in rescuing a downed plane during his Air Force service.
• Living in America; in spite of all our problems, I still believe this is the best place to be. Ever.

Please keep our military personnel in your thoughts and prayers today, as well as the families they have left behind.

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

The Story of Lil Dude - Part Two (Saturday)

Saturday morning, Mr. Dizzy was scheduled to work overtime. When he left, he didn't see the kitten in the garage but figured it was hiding behind something.

Later that morning, I left to go grocery shopping; I also didn't see the kitten. When I got back from shopping, still no kitten...what the...? Did it slip out somehow? I was pretty concerned. So, when Mr. Dizzy came home from work, we started searching through the garage. No kitten. We started tearing everything away from the walls; still no luck. We spent almost 2 hours tearing things apart, with no kitten in sight. We were pretty dejected, thinking it had slipped out and we would never find it.

Mr. Dizzy was on his hands and knees, pushing something back beside our big upright freezer, when suddenly he noticed something.....under the freezer, behind the grate, was a pair of green eyes. That's all he could see, just green eyes. (Well, it WAS dark under there, and the kitten was black.) He tried knocking on the grate to scare it out from under there, with no luck. Finally, he got something narrow that would fit between the grate and started carefully poking around in there, so as not to hurt it. The kitten finally crawled out the back of the freezer, into my waiting hands. And it's a good thing I had heavy leather gloves on! It was scared to death, biting the glove, clawing, but as I held it, it stopped and just laid there in my hands, its little heart just pounding.

We got the kitten inside the house and put it in the back bathroom, where it would be safe from the other cats, and shut it inside. Next, we moved the litter box, rugs, blanket, and food/water into the bathroom so it would have all the necessities. Mr. Dizzy went off to Menard's to get a pet gate for the doorway so we wouldn't have to keep the door shut and have the poor thing totally isolated; it had gone through enough trauma in its short life already. While he was gone, I shut myself in there with the kitten and sat there on the floor, talking softly to it. I could not get him to come near me, but it did sit there and listen to my voice, and seemed to calm down a bit.

Mr. Dizzy got home with the pet gate, and we put it in the doorway. It was a very high gate; the size for large dogs, so we figured that would keep it in the room and our two furbabies out. We kept going back checking on the kitten periodically, just to make sure it was okay, and just talking to it to try to get it used to us.

Finally, we headed off to bed, hoping that the little thing would be okay during the night, but knowing that with that big pet gate, it would be safe and secure.

Or so we thought! (Silly us!)

Around 2:00 AM, Mr. Dizzy woke up feeling something on his feet. He raised up his head and looked around the bed; our two cats were both asleep on my side of the bed . . . and the little kitten was on the bed, sitting on Mr. Dizzy's feet! He started sitting up, and the kitten got scared and jumped off the bed and ran out of the room. We got up and looked around, but we could not find it. So, we took down the pet gate (since it obviously didn't keep him in!) so that it could reach the food/water and litter box, and went back to bed.

We could tell this was going to be quite a ride.....

To be continued.....

The Story of Lil Dude - Part One (Thursday/Friday)

It was a very cold Thursday night last February. Mr. Dizzy and I were in the living room watching TV, when he thought he heard something outside. He went to the window and looked out - - there was a tiny little black kitten. We live in a rural setting, with no neighbors, so we knew he had to have been dumped out. He was worried about it, with it being so cold outside, so he headed out to look for it. He tried coaxing it to him with food, but no luck. He tried to get ahold of it to put it inside somewhere warmer, but it was scared and got away. Finally, Mr. Dizzy couldn't take the cold any more, so he came in, got some food, and put the food outside for the poor little thing.

Next morning, the food was gone. At least we knew it got something to eat. We put out more food, and got ready to go to work. When I came home from work, the food was gone, but no sign of the poor little thing. Well, at least we knew it wasn't starving.

That evening it got very cold; in fact, the wind chill was 11 degrees. We noticed that our two cats, Carmichael and Squeak, were sitting right at the window that runs alongside the front door; they were glued to that window, and no amount of coaxing could get them away. We turned on the porch light - - and there was the tiny little black kitten, standing at the window looking in at my two cats, meowing for all it was worth. Even from the front bay windows, we could tell it was shivering and miserable. My heart just broke.

Mr. Dizzy bundled up and went outside to try to coax it again, but the minute he stepped around the corner of the house, the poor frightened little creature took off to hide. Mr. Dizzy came back inside - - and the little thing came right back to the porch.

I couldn't take much more of this - - something had to be done. So I opened up the front door, got down on my knees, and held open the storm door just a bit (well, it was COLD!)(and WINDY!). I started talking to the little kitty and trying to coax it in. It kept stepping back and forth, scared to come in, but cold and miserable. Finally, its curiosity and desire to come in and see my two cats brought it inside, and I was able to get the door shut.

Now the fun began - - it was scared to death of us, but wanted to be around my two cats, who in turn wanted NOTHING to do with the little intruder! What fun.....it would follow them around, they would hiss and run away, and it would keep on following. At one point, when it was stalking Carmichael, it sat on my foot; I took the opportunity to reach down and give it a head scritch, and it started purring - - until it realized it was a BIG OL' HUMAN doing that, and ran off.

There was no way of getting close enough to see if it was male or female.....but we could definitely see its ribs, and little spine, and that there was some definite feeding that needed to be done. Lots of it. And soon.

Finally, we were able to herd the little thing out to the garage, which is heated; we put out a litter box, some food and water, and a couple of soft old rugs. We figured it would be safe out there, and warm, and fed. It was late, and Mr. Dizzy had to go into work the following Saturday morning pretty early; we decided we would figure out what was going on once he got back home.

To be continued.....

Grace In Small Things: 21/2010

This week's 5 things are very special, very near and dear to my heart - - Today is my Wedding Anniversary!

That being said, here are 5 things (out of too many to count!) that I am grateful for being married to the very special, totally amazing Mr. Dizzy:

• He loves me, and is not afraid to say it or show it, in many, many little ways.
• Even though he had never been married before or ever had any kids of his own - - when we married, he took in my 12-year-old son as his own, and did the best he could helping me raise that young man.
• He lets me take care of him when he's sick, and is actually a pretty good patient!
• Even though he's mildly allergic, he lets me have cats in the house, because he knows how much I love them; says his allergy shots will take care of it.
• He trusts me, 100%, and appreciates that I trust him as well; we have vowed we will never, ever do anything to betray that trust.

Happy 24 years, my Dear Mr. Dizzy! You are the love of my life, my soulmate, my life partner - - I am looking forward to the next 24 years with you, and more!

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Grace In Small Things: 20/2010

What a week this one has been as well! *whew*

Here is what I am grateful for this week:

• This week marked the END of Spring semester!
• This Friday was payday (finally!)
• Lunch with my best friend from Jr. High/High School who is back visiting our little home town from San Diego - - great being able to catch up with her!
• Had a GREAT month at the antique booth last month - - received a very nice check today.
• My favorite recipe (Crazy Aunt Purl's Pot Roast and Roasted Veggies) for Sunday dinner. So yum.

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Grace In Small Things: 19/2010

It's been a terribly rough week. It has made it extremely difficult to find 5 things to be grateful for, but here goes:

• Spending time with my grandsons, being able to help them with their homework.
• Smiling while watching the grandsons outside "helping" Grandpa with yard work - - more of a hindrance than a help, but they sure do try hard!
• Connie's World Famous Chocolate Brownies - - both iced and uniced - - yum!
• A daughter-in-law who has turned out to be the daughter I never had. Love you, Dawn.
• With one week of my online class left, I am carrying a 100% average for all the Modules so far.

P.S. Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful, beautiful mothers out there. Give your Mom a BIG hug and tell her how much you love her while you can; I wish mine were still here so I could. Love you, Mom, and miss you.



Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Grace In Small Things: 18/2010

Things I am grateful for this week:

• My Dad's continued good health! I have had 2 close friends lose their fathers in the past week, and attended visitations for both. Makes me appreciate my Dad even more!
• My grandson's knee NOT having a hairline fracture, and he is finally off his crutches! YAY!
• Adam, my former student worker and now Computer Tech Extraordinaire! He was able to fix my daughter-in-law's computer in less than an hour, for a very small amount of money - - Adam, you are the BEST!
• Kicking butt in Body Sculpt Class this week - - every week I can feel my muscles getting stronger and stronger; and, my clothes are fitting better also.
• Since rejoining the Gym, I'm am now down 10 pounds! YAY!

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Grace In Small Things: 17/2010

This week, my post is going to take a slight turn - - let me explain:

This past week, I have helped out, and participated in, the "Kris Rocks" Benefit for a very dear friend and coworker of mine. Kris has been battling Breast Cancer for the past 14 years. She is Stage IV, and it has spread to her bones and liver. BUT - - you will NEVER, EVER find a more positive, upbeat person than Kris. She is a fighter; she is determined to beat this nasty, vicious disease. And if anyone can do it, Kris is the one!

That all being said, here are the 5 things I am grateful for this week:

• Donating 10 batches of my "world-famous" brownies to the Benefit - - 8 for the Bake Sale, and 2 of my Chocolate Mint Brownies to the Silent Auction . . . and watching a "bidding war" going on over them!
• Mr. Dizzy and I spending an entire Saturday afternoon with the most amazing group of people. The entire hall was packed!
• Meeting Kris' Dad, and sharing a few tears with him while telling him what an amazing, strong person my friend, his daughter, is, and how she has inspired me over the years.
• Finally getting to hear the band "Mister Sister" play, and they are awesome! Kris' husband, David, is the keyboardist for the group. He is amazing. Actually, they all are!
• Getting to spend time with my nephew Travis, who adores Kris; she was one of his instructors in College, and they have kept in touch over the years. He made a special trip to Decatur just to be at the Benefit and spend time with her (and us, of course!)

This past Saturday afternoon made me realize once again how generous and giving people are, and willing to rally around a friend/coworker/family member in need. Yes, there is a lot of bad in the world - - A LOT - - but yesterday showed me that the good greatly outweighs the bad!

I'm glad you had such a good day, yesterday, Kris. And don't forget - - KRIS ROCKS!!

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Grace In Small Things: 16/2010

Things I am grateful for this week:

• The positive feedback we have received, via e-mail and phone calls, from people all over the country (!!) who attended our Conference Presentation in Chicago last weekend. Quite a (much needed) ego boost!
• Carmichael-kitty curled up in my lap, head-bumping my hand as I try to type this post. What a lovable little beast . . .
• Sunshine and warm temps outside, making my apple and cherry trees bloom, and my strawberry bed grow!
• Spending all day yesterday with my grandsons (SO worn out today!)
• Andes Chocolate Mint Brownies baking in the oven. The whole house smells so good!

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Grace In Small Things: 15/2010

Sorry this is so late - It was a very hectic weekend, and I'm still exhausted!

Things I am grateful for this week:

• The presentation my supervisor and I gave at the big Educational Conference in Chicago was a hit!
• The view from my room at the Hyatt Regency - - 30th floor, corner room, overlooking the lake with Navy Pier in the background . . . so beautiful!
• Walking Chicago's Navy Pier Saturday afternoon, with the sun shining and a beautiful breeze blowing off the water.
• A pretty smooth train trip to Chicago and back.
• Being back home, sleeping in my own bed, with my Dear Mr. Dizzy and my three warm-n-fuzzy fur-kids. There really IS no place like home!

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Grace In Small Things: 14/2010

What I am grateful for this week:

• A much-needed three-weekend!
  My new Strawberry Garden is all set up (now to get the plants in)
• Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting hot from the oven for breakfast
• Warmer weather and sunshine
• Getting my Spring/Summer wardrobe out of storage - - finally!

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Happy Easter!

May you and yours be blessed on this day!

Grace In Small Things: 13/2010

Things I am grateful for this week:

• Making it through an extremely difficult week at work - - especially Friday
• Installing a Webcam for my grandsons, so they can talk to us AND see us, even if we can't get together
• Warm purring kittycats snuggled up on me
• A fun afternoon spent card-making with my sister-in-law
• The sun, finally coming out, after a rainy, windy, chilly, totally nasty day

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Rainy Day Rant

*begin rant*

It is a VERY nasty day here today. Chilly, raining buckets, windy . . . not a nice day, not at all. And yours truly had to be out in it to finish up the grocery shopping.

So as you can probably tell, I wasn't very happy to begin with.

When I was finished at Walmart, I decided to go down the road to the Mall and check on a new raincoat.

*Side note: Yes, I know, should have thought about that BEFORE the rainy day, right? Well, I do have a long trench-style raincoat that I use for work, but it doesn't have a hood, which I am wanting. Okay?*

*One more side note: I do have a rain jacket, with a hood. I was wearing it today. Okay?*

ANYWAY - - I head to the Mall and duck inside one of the major Department anchor stores to see what I can find. I'm looking through the coat section, and I see LOTS of rain JACKETS, but no rain COATS. I find someone and ask about them, and am told that the rain JACKETS is all they have. Okay, I can live with that, but it's the next sentence that comes out of her mouth that really frosts me:

"You probably need to look online. You will find a lot more stuff online."

Um...???

Okay, here's my thoughts, which I did not say out loud to the poor girl, but was thinking it pretty loud . . . "Why am I out in this nasty-ass weather? I'm cold, wet, and cranky. But, I'm trying to support a LOCAL BUSINESS, when my happy ass could be at home, warm and dry, while I surf the Web."

Okay. I hear a lot of things in the news about businesses really hurting for customers; there are many, many stores, including the major chains, that are closing stores left and right. They whine and complain and carry on about how online shopping is ruining them. I see advertisements all the time encouragine consumers to support their local businesses first.

But then, when a customer does make the effort to shop there and support them, this is what happens?

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE???

As far as I'm concerned, it's their own damn fault.

*end rant*

Grace In Small Things: 12/2010

What I am grateful for this week:

• My new flooring is all installed and makes the whole place look so beautiful, and open and airy . . . it's made me fall in love with my home all over again
• Grilled corned beef and swiss on rye sandwiches for supper (it's pretty yummy)
• The smiles on my grandson's faces when I brought over new Wii games
• The hug from oldest grandson when I fixed his "broken" favorite computer game
• Hugs from Dear Hubby, making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside

This week I hope to be able to start posting more than just these once-a-week "Grace" posts - - the meds from the Doctor seem to be working, and I'm not as deep into my "funk" as I had been in the past. I'm actually looking forward to writing more again! :)

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Grace In Small Things: 11/2010

I have A LOT to be thankful for this week!

• My oldest grandson's fingers NOT broken after he shut his hand in the van door - - that was so lucky!
• Chicken Tetrazzini for dinner - - yum!
• Finding my grandson's favorite computer game on eBay, and being the winning bidder - - which means Grandma Rocks! :)
• My new flooring makes my hallway, entryway, dining room and sunroom look totally different and absolutely beautiful.
• SUNSHINE and warmer temperatures!

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Grace In Small Things: 10/2010

Things I am grateful for this week:

• My Dad's second cataract surgery went off without a hitch, and he is home and seeing great!
• Joining a group of friends to help another dear friend with a home remodeling project; and we ROCKED! :)
• My supervisor's Chicken Tetrazzini (yum!)(and I will share the recipe when she gives it to me this week)
• Extreme Arms and Abs class at the Gym - - TOTALLY awesome workout!
• Sunday dinner with the grandsons at Mr. Dizzy's brother's house. My sister-in-law is an incredible cook.

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Grace In Small Things: 9/2010

What I am grateful for this week:

• Spending the day with my grandsons (and even surviving McDonald's Playland! On a Saturday lunch hour, no less!)
• Picked out beautiful new flooring for our hallway/entryway, and new carpet for the dining room/sunroom
• Possibly finding a home for the kitten dumped on our doorstep a month ago (a very good home at that!)
• Getting to keep the Lil Dude for possibly another month while prospective new owner moves (yes, I've fallen in love with him . . . *sigh*)
• Monkey Bread for supper . . . (yum!!)

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Grace In Small Things: 8/2010

What I am grateful for this week:

• Celebrating Mr. Dizzy's birthday Friday (Happy Birthday, Babe!)
• The little kitten we rescued is healthy and growing like a weed
• Brownies baking in the oven (yum!)
• My best friend's knee surgery went without a hitch (Yay Judy!)
• Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes for dinner (our favorite comfort food)

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Happy Birthday, Dear Mr. Dizzy!

Today is Dear Mr. Dizzy's birthday!



So - - Happy Birthday to . . .

The "King of Air Guitars" - -


The best Grandpa in the world - -


And the love of my life - -


Happy Birthday, Babe. Love you!

Grace In Small Things: 7/2010

What I am grateful for this week - -

• The SUN finally peeking out after a nasty week of winter weather! (FINALLY!!)
• Breakfast with my Daddy
• Spending the day making cards with my Aunt and cousins
• Listening to my grandsons playing "Cat-opoly" with Dora the Explorer playing in the background
• Pizza for lunch! (Sausage and pepperoni!)

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Go kiss your sweetie and tell him/her you love them.

Grace In Small Things: 6/2010

What I am grateful for this week:Seeing my son for the first time in many months (he lives out of state)

• The little "foster kitty" we have at the moment has been declared healthy by the Vet, clearing the way for us to try to place him in a good, permanent home
• Indian Butter Curry Chicken and Rice for dinner - - SO yum!
• NCIS Marathon on the TV
• My "Snuggie" on a cold winter day

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Grace In Small Things: 5/2010

What I am thankful for this week:

• Only missing ONE day of work because of my sinus problems (feeling MUCh better now, thank you very much!)
• Rescuing the itty bitty kitty someone dumped out at our place last week:

• Spending the morning with my two Grand-boys (my little men!)
• Doing business with a Propane company that will come out at 9:30 PM - - yes, AT NIGHT - - to fill out our propane tank when we ran out of fuel, and the temps were getting down to 7 degrees
• Hot Creme Caramel Tea on a cold winter's night

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

BRRRR

***UPDATE***
Apparently the gauge marker had frozen stuck, and showed that we had propane, when we actually did not. Our propane company - - BLESS THEM - - actually came out and filled our propane tank last night, even though it was 9:00 PM. Thank you, Ames Propane, Decatur, Illinois!!

Ever wondered what would happen if your propane tank went down to ZERO before you realized it? On a night when the forecasted low is 8 degrees?

Let me tell ya - - it's NOT fun.

It is now 58 degrees in my house, and going down fast. Thank goodness for a propane company with a 24 hour emergency number . . . and the truck just arrived!

C'mon - - get that tank filled, and let's crank up some heat in here!

(Thank goodness we have cats to keep us warm!)

Grace In Small Things: 4/2010

What I am grateful for this week:

• Taking my grandsons out to supper (Mmmmm - - Culver's)
• Hearing my grandsons say, "I love you, Grandma" (*sigh* warms my heart)
• Surviving Hell Week Three at work!
• Spending time with my Dear Old Daddy Sunday afternoon
• Mr. Dizzy to curl up next to on the couch and watch a "Burn Notice" marathon

I really do have a good, blessed life.


Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Winter . . .

*sigh*

First it was the bitter cold.

Then we had the heavy snowfall. Followed by high winds, causing drifting and whiteout visibility conditions.

Then we had nearly a solid week of dense fog. (And I do mean DENSE. Like, not seeing a stop sign until you are RIGHTUPONITOHMYGODHOPEICANSTOP!! dense)

NOW - - freezing rain. And tonight and tomorrow? MORE freezing rain.

I think my latest Facebook status says it all - -

"I am SO OVER Winter. I refuse to participate any more!"

I quit - - wake me in April.

Grace In Small Things: 3/2010

What am I grateful for this week?

• A three-day weekend after two weeks of sheer HELL at work.
• SURVIVING two weeks of sheer HELL at work.
• Fun times with friends at a *non*-birthday party.
• Making it home safely in thick, pea-soup fog. (NOT a fun experience)
• Spending the Monday holiday with dear Mr. Dizzy!

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

Hell Week(s)

Haven't had the time, or the energy, to post much lately. It has been "Hell time" at work, with coming back from Winter Break, giving trainings and presentations to faculty, staff, and students, and then the semester starting.

Exhausting . . .

But I am at least posting my "Grace In Small Things" posts every Monday, and hopefully things will slow down soon so I can get back on the regular posting bandwagon!

Grace In Small Things: 2/2010

Five things I am thankful for this week:

• A tractor to dig through the PILES and PILES of drifted snow (thank you, Mr. Dizzy!)
• My four-wheel drive Jeep Liberty, pulling me through the large drifts and getting me home from work safe and sound.
• Carmichael-kitty crawling under the covers with me early in the morning and snuggling close.
• The smell of bread baking in my bread machine.
• Making cards on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Count your blessings - - join Grace In Small Things.

*sigh* Here We Go Again . . .

Mother Nature has done it to us again, dammit.

I left work today at Noon, because we have gotten around 6-7 inches of light, fluffy, powdery stuff, and now that the wind has kicked up and gusting, it's all IN THE AIR.

Visibility sucks.

See for yourself:









It's kind of hard to tell from the pictures, but if you are out in it? It's a total white-out. Driving home was definitely a "white-knuckle" experience!

I'm hoping for a snow day tomorrow . . .

Grace In Small Things: 1/2010

I have decided that 2010 IS going to be a better year than the past 2 years have been. One possible way to help that along will be to make sure I have reminders of the GOOD things in my life, and try to keep the negatives at bay.

So with this in mind, I have decided to participate in "Grace In Small Things". Every Monday in 2010 I will (try, at least) to list 5 positive things in my life. Hopefully, this will help me keep a more positive outlook about life in general, and maybe even help me over the "rough spots" that are bound to pop up now and then. (Well, that, and the med the Dr. has prescribed)

So - - with that in mind, here is my first-ever list:

• A nice, warm home on a brutally cold day (-14 degree wind chill today - BRRRR!)


• NCIS on the telly (Leroy Jethro Gibbs . . . *sigh*)


• Homemade Italian Wedding Soup, nice and warm in the tummy on a cold Winter day


• Kitty-girl Squeak trying to crawl under the laprobe with me so she can curl up on my lap and take a nap (but unfortunatel the laptop is always in in her way!)(But yes, I do move it for her!)(She's VERY demanding!)


• Deer-hunter Mr. Dizzy getting a deer, which will be processed and donated to the Food Pantry my Dad works with.

Hope everyone is staying warm and safe - - this is dangerously cold weather. Stay safe.

Dear Mother Nature . . .

Okay, I get it. It's Winter. It's supposed to be cold. I know.

But ENOUGH ALREADY with the below zero temps and wind chills!!

*sigh*

I. HATE. WINTER.

I can haz Spring now?

2009: A Year In Review

In a nutshell - -

2009 pretty much sucked. BIG TIME.

• In May, we had Mr. Dizzy's health scare with his blood pressure. He's doing fine - - actually, he's doing GREAT - - but the lasting effects that episode did to my fear and stress level has still not abated.
• In July we got the bad news that my son and his wife were divorcing, after 14 years of marriage. The grandboys are NOT handling this situation well, and Grandma and Grandpa Dizzy have been losing a LOT of sleep over this.
• In December my Dad's cataract surgery on his left eye had (of course!) a complication when he caught a virus in that eye. Fortunately, he is doing VERY well now, but it was pretty stressful for a week or so.
• Pressures at work (that shall remain unsaid).
• Other things that I am not willing to discuss here, due to the sensitive personal nature.

All this really brought me down over this past year; in fact, I blogged about it HERE and pretty much spelled out what had been happening.

BUT - - I do have one positive thing to report - - I had a routine Doctor appointment today, and while there, decided it was time. So, I talked with him about what had been going on, and what I had been feeling. We decided it was time I tried something to help my stress level, and he suggested one that does NOT have a side effect of "weight gain". My first stop after leaving his office was Walgreen's to get the prescription filled . . . so we will see what happens.

Now - - time to list what I am hoping for in 2010:

• Get the stress in my life under control. I refuse to let it control ME any longer.
• Get back in shape; in fact, with my Christmas money (and a few other pennies I've been able to save up), I am rejoining the Gym.
• Lose the extra 20 pounds I'm carrying on me at the present time. The above items will definitely help me with this one!
• BLOG MORE!

BUT - - this is the best one - - and I am shamelessly stealing it from one of my favorite bloggers, Crazy Aunt Purl (do you read her? Well, why not?? You should, you know!):

• Come from a place of yes

What does that mean? Well, she explains it WAY better than I can in THIS POST. She's an incredible inspiration to me! So go on, go read it. I'll wait right here until you get back . . . :-)

Here is hoping that you all have a happy and safe New Year, and that 2010 is good to you and yours!

Why I Hate Winter . . .

Our weather forecasters called for "snow showers" for yesterday and today.

WELLLLL - - 5-6 inches of "showers" later, here we are:







*sigh*

I hate Winter . . .

To You and Yours . . .

In the Spirit of the Holidays . . .

Winter Break

Today is my last day of work before Winter Break. Campus closes today at 5 PM, and will not reopen until January 4th.

Mr. Dizzy's place of employment is also closing for Winter Break today, and he also is off until January 4th.

We are both looking forward to having some time off together, and being able to just be home and get some projects done. Oh, and hopefully a LOT of relaxing, too!

Can't wait for this day to end, and my Break to officially begin!

** UPDATED ** Walmart Black Friday Incident (Finally! The Whole Story!)

**UPDATE**
I tried using the Walmart Gift Card. It didn't work! I talked with ANOTHER manager (no, not the one I refuse to talk to - - the one from the "incident") and he checked it out. Apparently the magnetic strip on the card was defective . . . they loaded the amount on another card that they claim is a good one. We will see . . .


Yes, I promised a LONG time ago to write about the Walmart Black Friday incident. A LONG time ago. But I have very good reasons for not getting back to it until now. REALLY I do.

Dad had cataract surgery on his left eye. Simple enough procedure, and he planned on being with us for 2-3 days until his vision returned to where he could drive home again.

BUT - - you know what they say about the "best-laid plans" . . . so of course it didn't go as expected . . . Dad caught a virus in that eye following surgery. So instead of 2-3 days, what followed was a week of doctor's rechecks, and numerous eye drops put in (some 3 times a day, some as many as 7 times a day). Add to that being called out of town one day for work (leaving town at 6 AM)(I am NOT a fan of getting up at 4 AM!!) and everything else happening (including Holiday preparations) . . .

Well, it set me back a bit, okay?

But I'm here NOW, so let's get on with the story of the Walmart Black Friday Incident:

Mr. Dizzy and I were looking through the ads in the Thanksgiving Day paper, seeing if there were any big special deals that would actually be able to entice us to get up at the ungodly hour of 4:00 AM, and trek through the stores fighting the Black Friday crowds. We didn't see anything, so decided not to go anywhere. However, that is the point where FATE steps in and decides to change things up for us . . . *sigh*

Our daughter-in-law called and said that since we got the grandboys a Wii for Christmas, she was wanting to get them some games to start them out with. However, she had to be at work at 6 AM and wouldn't get off until 2:30 PM (can you see where this is going?), would we be able to go to Walmart and try to get some of the games they had on sale for $7 each? And Menard's had the Wii controller bundles (6 controllers per bundle) for $5 each. Could we help her out?

*sigh*

Yeah, guess we're hitting the stores early.

We got to Walmart at 4:45 AM, and it was a madhouse. People pushing and shoving and vying to get in a good position to start tearing into the stacks of goods as soon as they announced it was 5 AM. Mr. Dizzy and I fought our way through to Electronics, me with store flyer in hand, and asked where the $7 sale Wii games were. Not in Electronics - - they had been set up in GROCERY, all the way at the other end of the store.

*sigh*

Fought our way through the crowds to Grocery. Halfway there, they announced it was 5 AM, and bedlam hit. People were pushing, shoving, grabbing things . . . the Walmart staff could do nothing but back away and try to keep out of harm's way.

We finally made it to Grocery, and asked where the sale games were, and were directed around the corner to where the displays were set up. Lots of DVD's; don't see any games. Ask a third person, who pointed to where the displays were. Okay - - no signs, but LOTS of games. We found 3 that we liked, and AGAIN asked (just to make sure) that these WERE the $7 games. We were told yes, they were.

So we headed up front to the checkouts, and stood in line for a l-l-l-o-o-o-n-n-n-g-g-g time . . . finally it was our turn. The cashier rang up the games - - they rang up at $25 each. Told her NO, they were $7 each. She tried again - - $25 each. Um, no. Just NO. She called for someone to take one and check (mind you, we are holding up a very HOSTILE line of people at this particular lane). The person came back and said the Manager she asked checked with Electronics and they were $25 each. Um, NO. They were NOT in Electronics; radio back to Grocery and ask THEM. No, they would not do that.

We cancelled the sale and left the lane. And THAT is when the REAL FUN began.

Before we left, we stopped a Manager by the Customer Service area and asked to speak to her. We explained the situation. She said she was the one who checked with Electronics and that the games were $25 each. We told her again they were NOT in Electronics; she needed to radio someone in Grocery and ask THEM. She said she would not do that; she also implied that we were lying, and that we were trying to get full-price games for the sale price. I was LIVID! Mr. Dizzy had to literally pull me away from this woman, or I think I would have hurt her.

How dare you accuse me of trying to do that?

We left the store, drove to Best Buy, and found very helpful people who directed us to the sale games, helped us find the ones we wanted - - and it was a completely different experience.

While Mr. Dizzy was in line at Best Buy, I trekked on down to Menard's in time for their 6 AM opening. At 6:03 AM, I grabbed the LAST TWO Wii Controller Bundles on the display. AND earned a very dirty look from the woman right next to the display for doing that - - but did I care? NO, I DID NOT. Why, you ask? Well, two reasons - - 1) They were for my grandsons; and 2) SHE ALREADY HAD 8 OF THEM IN HER CART. So yeah - - screw you, lady.

Headed back down to Best Buy, picked up Mr. Dizzy, and home we went. We were back and finished by 6:20 AM. And totally wiped out.

I was still pretty vexed about the Walmart situation, so I got onto walmart.com and wrote an e-mail describing the incident in great, vivid detail. Monday afternoon, a manager from our Walmart store called to talk to me. She fell all over herself apologizing for the situation. And she also gave me a $50 Walmart Gift Card that I could pick up at the Customer Service counter next time I was in the store!

So, all in all, it did have a decent ending.

BUT - - I will NEVER, EVER go to Walmart first thing on Black Friday. EVER AGAIN. (Nope, not even for my grandsons)

An Avoidable Tragedy

****UPDATE**** I just checked with Mr. Dizzy, who was a volunteer Firefighter for 20 years. He told me that CO detectors cost around $20 each, and you can get smoke detectors for around $10 each. Like I said, I know times are tight, but seriously? This is a small price to save your life! If you don't have them, please go get them.

I am almost finished with the post telling about the Walmart Black Friday Incident, but something happened over the weekend that takes precedence. It was very upsetting, and totally avoidable. And I am just sick over it.

Over the weekend, a long-time employee or our city's newspaper and his wife were found in the lower level of their home, apparently overcome by carbon monoxide. Emergency personnel were called, and they registered a very high level of carbon monoxide in the home. The couple was transported to the hospital. The wife was treated for carbon monoxide poisoning, but was able to come back home Sunday evening. But, unfortunately, the husband's exposure to the CO caused a heart attack, and he passed away early Sunday morning.

During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that they did not have carbon monoxide detectors, OR smoke alarms, in their home.

Senseless. SENSELESS.

Yes, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors cost a bit of money. I understand that times are hard right now. I GET IT.

BUT. It would have been a HELL OF A LOT LESS THAN THE PRICE THEY WOUND UP PAYING.

I'm sorry - - this was a totally unavoidable tragedy. I knew the husband, having worked at the paper part-time many years ago, and also seeing him in our local school district's Administration building when I worked there, and he covered the education beat. He was a very nice, knowledgeable, big-hearted man. This is really hitting me, and a LOT of people in our city, very, very deeply.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR - - go get one. NOW. Yes, they may cost a bit, but it could save your life.

Oh, and? While you are at it, check your smoke detectors. Make sure the batteries are good and that they WORK. If you do not have smoke detectors? Pick them up when you are getting your carbon monoxide detector.

Just do it. Please? I would really miss you if you were gone.

Black Friday Incident, and Other "Stuff"

****UPDATE****

Got a phone call from a manager at the Walmart store. Haven't gotten back with her yet, but will do so soon. Will post what happens.

We had an "incident" happen when we went to Walmart on Black Friday. No details yet - - I have contacted Walmart, and am waiting for a response. If I dont' hear from them by tomorrow (Monday), I am contacting the Corporate office. More on this later . . .

Other than that, the four-day weekend was pretty nice, but extremely busy. Thanksgiving Day with Dad, and eating at one of his favorite restaurants, The Round Table. They always have good Thanksgiving meals. (Yes, we go out for Thanksgiving. Yes, I would be willing to cook, but transporting the meal all the way down to Dad's house and haul everything back would be a nightmare!)

The rest of the weekend has been pretty hectic as well. For one thing, our hot water heater has been acting up the past couple of weeks. The pilot light kept going out, and Mr. Dizzy would have to go down and relight it. He cleaned the thermocouple and hoped that would help, and for the past week or so it has been fine.

Until today.

I was taking my shower this morning when I noticed the water was getting less warm as time went on. I kept turning on more hot water, an finally realized it was turned all the way on, and it was lukewarm at best. We had gotten a new one a few months ago (a bigger one), but had not had the chance to get it installed. So, today was the day. It only took us a couple of hours. The new one seems to be working really well. (Keeping my fingers crossed . . . )

Well, the long weekend is almost over, and it's back to work tomorrow. I will post more about the Walmart incident, but want to see what happens next before I do. Stay tuned . . .

What I Am Thankful For

Today is Thanksgiving. And, even though I have been fighting a big case of the "Sads" with everything goin on in my life at the moment, I felt today was a good day to step back and take a good look at my life, and find things that I am truly thankful for . . .

> I am thankful that I am married to Mr. Dizzy, the MOST. WONDERFUL. HUSBAND. IN. THE. WORLD. Seriously. None better. (Love you lots, Babe!)

> I am thankful for my Dad and his continued good health. He just turned 85 last week, and is still going full steam ahead.

> I am thankful to have a job that I absolutely LOVE, and good people working around me.

> I am thankful for this pie: (Peanut Butter Cup Pie. The recipe can be found here. And OH MY - - it was GOOD!)

> I am thankful for my grandsons, and that I can be a big part of their life.

So, in spite of all the negative things flowing around me at the moment (and believe me, there are a LOT), there are so many good things in my life, and for those, I am truly grateful.

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

Smile Dammit

This made me laugh . . .


I needed that.