Unintended post of the past...

A couple weeks ago, Dad taught M how to use the ride on mower. Ummm...Dad?? She's only 11!!! I don't really remember him being all THAT patient when I was a kid...but then again, I did start driving the plow truck when I was 12! lol

**flash back - 1986**

I'm 12...We've just had a HUGE snow storm, and somebody thought it was OK for me to plow the driveway!! Me - all of 12 years old, behind the wheel of an ENORMOUS 78 Dodge Ram, shoving a big arse yellow plow! Mom's car was an 80 (I think) Caprice Classic - it was a land yacht! So there I was - I'm bombing around the corner and think I'm Joe Cool! I'm shoving back snow banks, and cutting new trails and piling high ridges and WHAM!!! I cornered too close to Moms car and punched in the entire drivers side door of Dads plow truck!! OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!! I changed my pants! (cuz I had pooped myself) then I ran next door and VERY sheepishly stuck my head into my grandmothers kitchen. Dad (who is btw - 6'3" tall, and every bit of 300lbs) immediately sees my sneeky entrance and bellows in a rolling of eyes tone; "Whadja hit??!!" As my way too short life passed before my eyes, I remember saying; "Ummm..well...I may have cut too close to the caprice...and I may have kinda put the teeniest of dents in the truck??" Dad rolls his eyes, and gets up off the chair while I moved with the stealth of God himself to get as far away as I could...I'm trying to figure out how long I can survive on the $23.42 I have in my piggy bank, knowing I'll have to leave home for good!! I'm half way accross the drive way when I see him lumbering towards me with a big stick in his hand...that's it - this is how my life will end! I'm going to be pummeled into the after life by a...giant...yellow?? stick?? I was scratching my head at this point, trying to figure out exactly what my weapon of destruction would be...I paused in my tracks to let him walk by and he looked down at me (again with the rolling of eyes tone) and says "come on..."...I followed him up the snow covered driveway to the massacred truck and notice that on the end of that bright yellow stick is a black plunger!? The next thing caught me completely by suprise...My Dad - all 6'3" of him in his camofauge ball cap, Christmas Green quilted hunters jacket, untied work boots and paint covered work pants walks up to the truck, takes the plunger in both hands and slams the end of it into the dent...then, with a single swift tug on the bright yellow stick I hear a metalic "POP" and watch as the door is miraculously pulled back into its original form. Dad turns to me with the biggest grin on his face, winks at me and says "There ya go!" and walks back over to my grandparents house as he swings the plunger back over his shoulder! I noticed then that my chin was cold, as it had hit the ground...my life wasn't over, he wasn't going to beat me to death with a giant yellow stick and the truck was once again as it should be. I, however, never took that turn again, without first moving the cars!

You know...I had planned for this post to be about something entirely different...but I think I like this one better :)

Dogservation...

Lucy cracks me up!! I get the feeling - most days - that she was a person in a former life.

She Looooves to chase the ball. She's not really what you'd call a "retriever" though...outta sight - outta mind, yup - that's my girl!! lol Because of this Love, (and the fact that I totally throw like a girl) we bought a "whip-it" a couple years ago...it has been my salvation!!! I can send that ball flying for miles with just the flick of a wrist! Since we can't really walk her on the highway...it's been a gawd send for exercise purposes and she has yet to complain!

Now that the snow is gone, I've found all 17 tennis tennis balls that were lost in the fall...just as the snow arrived, tennis balls became invisible as they hit the ground. Did you know that a dog can totally give you a dirty look?? Cuz I got one every darn time that ball disappeared under a cm of snow!!! I tried to convince her to run after it, but all I got was a huff!! LOL crazy dog!

Most of the field is dry - and perfectly suited for ball chasing. I'm still recovoring and can't really manage a full out Whip of the ball...but she hasn't really had much exercise all winter so we both started slow...I threw it a decent distance, about a dozen times and she plodded slowly to go get it, then plodded back to drop it at my feet. Poor thing, that night she was soo sore!! lol I had to laugh, but the loaf of peanut butter toast I fed her seemed to make her feel better! lol

This morning, she waited with the girls for the bus. She's really very good - she knows where her limit is, and sits quietly beside me as they hop on (being sure to bark a single thundrous bark at the bus before it eats her children). While we were waiting Soapy said something about Lucy "whizzing" in the field, but Lucy was beside me...so I politely corrected my cherrub that we don't say "whizz"... As it does every morning, the bus arrived and ate the children. Lucy was pretty spunky so I decided to toss the ball for her for a bit before breakfast. This morning, though, she was jogging in a totally weird pattern?? I'd throw the ball straight...but she'd run in an arc allllllllll the way up and around then back down to get the ball. On her return, she jogged alllllll the way down then back up to drop it at my feet...it was totally weird! I made the mistake of distracting her when I threw it, so she didn't see it's path. This resulted in the inevitable look that I get from her that I'm positive sounds like "good girl Mommy!! You threw the ball!!!"...off I squish accross the field (in a straight line) to get the darn ball - I found tennis ball 18 this morning! lol Lucy, however, followed off to my side...watching me, and looking at the ground?? too weird! So halfway accross the field, she starts to spazz out??! Anyhoo - I look down and SHE TOOK A DUMP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD!!! LOL THAT is why she was avoiding the center!!! ROTFL So I pull the grocery bag out of my pocket - dealt with it - then collected number 18, the ball I threw and the light up rubber ducky that we lost in November!! LOL

I suppose there's no point in mentioning that the next time I threw the ball in a straing line...Lucy jogged in a straight line to get it! LOL She also made it a point to watch the ground alot on the way back!! She cracks me up!!

Recovery...still...

So...Yesterday, I took a trip in town. I saved up my energy all day and then went with hubby to take the girls to sparks/guides. Well...I'm dumby, cuz I totally forgot about the notice that last night was selling cookies night!! Yeah - we stood outside the doors for about 15 minutes...then figured it must have been cancelled, so we left. About 2 minutes ago - I found the e-mail reminding me that I'm a bad mom!

Anyhoo...I shuffled my way into the Superstore and i'm really still walking funny! It felt like everyone was staring at me!!! (I'm pretty sure they were!) With any luck, the nurse lady will remove my 2nd drain today and then I'll officially be "Unplugged!"

Now, I'm on my way to try and take a nap in my very own bed...for the first time in almost 2 weeks!!! The recliner has been a blessing...but I miss my bed. Sleeping in a chair every night is just weird!! It's funny cuz I know that the second I try to nap...the freaking phone will ring!! What is up with that?!

Oh well...Wish me luck!