Weekend Update

Walking with Allie:

Allie and I have started a ritual on Sunday afternoon. Because she wakes me up at the crack of dawn, I want her to be tired on Sunday night. So we've started walking around downtown Lawrenceville on Sunday afternoons. It's much more scenic than our subdivision. Plus, I'm getting ready for Paris in October!

I always park at the police department. I can leave my keys inside, so I don't have to worry about carrying them. Then I grab my cellphone, and my iPod (of course!), and we head out. I just spent about 30 minutes trying to figure out how far we walk. Because a lot of the streets are one-way, it's difficult to measure using the car. It's somewhere between 2 and 2 1/2 miles.

Click here for a map!

We walk up South Clayton Street to the square. And if I have any checks that need to be deposited, the bank is right there on the corner. Then we go across the square to Culver Street, make a right, up to Pike Street. Then down to Jackson Street, back up Crogan Street, around the square again, this time window shopping. Then down Perry Street to Nash Street. Cross there at City Hall and back up to the police department.

Her reward is getting to go inside and deliver doggie kisses to unsuspecting dispatchers. And if it is time for shift-change, to the squad room for more hugs and kisses. Everyone loves her! Today, someone brought me some doggie-treats that their dog didn't care for. I'm going to keep them in my desk for Allie-treats for after our walk.

She walks very well on any leash, and her new leash is wonderful! Her head is right near my hand. And when we get to the traffic lights, she sits and waits for me to tell her it's okay to cross. I always tell her what a good doggie she is. And she gets lots of smiles from passing motorists!

Next week, I'm thinking we might add some distance either by going on up to Oak Street, or by walking all the way down Jackson Street over to Scenic Highway and back up to the police department. The drawback to that is we would walk by a section of the Projects. Although, Allie's size seems to be scary to anyone that doesn't know her. I'm sure we'd be fine in daylight, as I do feel very safe here in town.

Leaking Basements:

On Friday, the bug guy came to spray. I wasn't home, but he told Cynthia that by digging out my basement to fix the leak, I had voided my termite bond. YIKES! So I called Steve and asked him to PLEASE come help me get it squared away. He said he'd come out on Saturday, but didn't show up. I was beginning to think he wasn't going to, when he came out on Sunday afternoon. He installed a sump pump to clear the "moat". And I helped him spray waterproof paint onto the cinder blocks. Okay, I held the paint can so the tube couldn't come out of the can, and the can couldn't spill. We still need to get a load of gravel, and get everything filled back in. But I talked to the termite guy today, and he said when we are done, he will come back out and treat it and it will be about $75. And not to worry about the bond. Whew!

I offered to feed Steve dinner for helping me out. Hey, it's the least I could do! But he was wet up to his knees, so he went on home and is supposed to come over this evening. We shall see if he shows....

Dreading Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving is usually my favorite holiday. Supposedly because it is low pressure. I called my mom yesterday just to chat. She began telling me everyone's ailments, and why they can't do this and that. Then she proceeded to inform me that I will decorate her Christmas tree and clean up the kitchen after dinner. And that I'm to come out early in the morning so I can help her with getting stuff ready. It's not that I mind doing any of these things, but it's the way she informed me. And telling me why my sister-in-law's sister is ailing. Whatever!

Stamping:

I had originally planned to stamp with Mary Jane on Saturday, but we both ended up with things we really needed to do. But we did go to Michael's! And we couldn't find anything we couldn't live without to use a 50% coupon on! I did buy an ink pad I didn't have. But how sad is that!?

Well, I finished the place cards for Thanksgiving dinner. And started on a flag-book my mother asked me to make for someone she knows. So I'm doing all this stamping - for my mom - and I told her all I had been doing just before the Thanksgiving downer. The flag book is like the one that was in the Somerset Holiday issue. There is ALOT of time and effort involved. My hands are killing me from coloring, punching, cutting, folding, etc. Wanna talk about ailments!?

Of course, I just said, "Sure, Mom. See you Thursday!"