The Sighting

YES, we do! Okay, read the previous post and you will see how we SMELLED we have a skunk running around the neighborhood (specifically MY backyard).

Well, I SAW the little pain in the butt when I was taking out the trash. It all started when I was walking back to the front door. I noticed our neighborhood cat Sammy walk from under MSC's car to the hedges by the front door. I then noticed two kittens run from under the car over to the fence. I wanted to see the kittens so I walked over to the fence and got a quickly glance before they squeezed under my neighbors fence. When I turned around I saw a black cat waddling out from under MSC's car. Okay, I saw waddling because that is exactly what this BLACK CAT was doing...it was only after the "cat" raised it big, furry tail that I realized it was NOT cat!!!! I had NEVER seen a skunk in my entire life (in real life...only in pictures and on TV). This skunk was NO Pepe le Pew. NOT cute at all! Just a little furry black thing that made my sweet dogs smell like last YEAR'S garbage. I chased it across the street and into my neighbors yard. FAR from my dogs.

Now, I have been calling every day in order to get a trap (that I have to go pick up and place in my yard) in order to capture this nasty critter. The city says they will come and pick it up when (and if) I catch it. They're darn tootin'. I'm not keepin' it for a pet! I don't want to catch it just so I can cuddle up to it at night. No way, I have had enough of little stinky kitties. So long Pepe!

Pretty kitty...uh, no!

Okay here is a GREAT story...and OH so true.

A few weeks ago, on a Wednesday, I let the dogs out (yes, it was me when they sing, "Who Let the Dogs Out?"). Now, you must understand they (the dogs) decided to sleep in this particular morning, so I was just about ready to walk out the door when they finally dragged themselves from MY comfortable bed...I have kept my spot warm all night, so they must enjoy that warm as soon as I get up (out of THEIR bed...not quite). I had no sooner let them out (less than a minute) and I smell this HORRIBLE stinch! It has alreay permeated my kitchen, so I'm thinking it is in my house, but NO, it is outside.

Okay, I run to the door and let the dogs in very quickly thinking surely they did not have enough time to be covered in smell. Boy was I wrong. Not only were they COVERED, they were rubbing everything they could in order to get the smell off.

Now remember, I was LEAVING for work. So, I left.

When I came back that afternoon, I searched and search and search for anything I could find on getting the smell of SKUNK (the pretty kitty) off of a dog! Okay let me tell you...tomato juice DOES NOT WORK!! What I finally found to use was a mixture baking soda (2/3 of a cup), shampoo, and hydrogen peroxide (about 3/4 of a bottle). Now, giving a shower to a 65 pound dog is NOT fun...but I did it TWICE.

Did the smell completely come off of Tex...NO. He was sprayed in his muzzle because he wanted to smell the pretty kitty...and BOY did he ever smell it...for days and days and days and days.

Angel, well she was not as curiuos, surprisingly. She is the one who always wants to smell the REAL kitties we have in the house. I guess Tex just beat her to it this time.

Okay, okay, okay

Here, I'm posting! Are you happy?!?

First Day of School

Well, I survived! I can't say it was an eventful day, but I can say that it is OVER!

I did my usual duty of helping with registration, not much fun, but you get to see a lot of people. MZ (my new clerk) and my mom sold school supplies out of the library so there was not much else going on in there. I will start having classes tomorrow so hopefully I can start some kind of routine going.

I think that is the thing I miss the most during the summer, routine. I guess you would say I am a creature of habit and I like to have a routine. I don't like when MY routine is messed up. Forget about everyone else, it is ALL about ME (yes, my only child is coming out!)!! I want things MY way, I want to do them MY way, on MY time, etc. etc. etc.! Maybe I am just really tired. Maybe the first day was much more eventful than I originally thought and now I should go take a short nap (or go take a time out) until I can be more sociable....just leave me alone and let me have my hissy fit!!

End of the Summer...Beginning of the School Year

I can't believe the summer is over. If you have been reading my blog, you know that for a while we were all go, go, go. For the past month we have slowed down...a little.

After the family reunion, I came home to a real mess! MSC had been cleaning...not a good sign. He decided that if we got the house all nice and clean we could get a maid. Well, I'm all over that! Two days after I returned, he left for L.A. (landing 30 minutes AFTER the earthquake). I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned! When he came home I think he thought he had returned to the wrong house! When I say I cleaned, I mean every cabinet, book shelf, closet, etc (downstairs) was gone through and if I didn't know what it was, when I used it last, who it belonged to, etc. it was gone! I made at least three trips to Half-Priced Books and at least that many trips up to the church to unload boxes for the October garage sale. Now, all I have to do is the upstairs. Maid, you say...probably not going to happen...I don't want anyone in my house! But you know it feels really great to come in and be able to find what I am looking for (unless I realize that it has already gone to HPB or the church).

Well, now that school is getting ready to start I wish I could say no more cleaning. Oh contrary now is the time to keep up with the cleaning so I don't get overwhelmed. My plan is to stay on top of things and keep them put away and cleaned...now you must remember I live with two boys, so as the old saying goes...best laid plans. We'll see.

The perils of shopping

We found that when you travel with two adults and four childen it is not the best of ideas to shop...a lot! We worked hard and we did successfully get this "bag" on top of the vehicle! You should see the video! AFV here we come!!
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Family Reunion

Our family reunion...we have one every year. I've been to most of them through the years, only missing because of circumstances beyond my control. I do love seeing everyone, and I get so excited I can hardly wait to get here (even though it typically marks the end of summer).



Now, I'm sitting here at the Clubhouse looking out at the playground seeing the five little kids (Charlotte, Cynthia, Kristi, Stoney@ & Scott) running around in my memory spraying water guns at each other and having the best of times. Now, we are all grown up with children of our own and who would have ever thought we would be down to four.



Our laughter won't fade, our memories will live on, our numbers will only decrease over time. The saving grace is that right now we have each other to lean on and get through today, building new memories along the way.



Hey and Cynthia made her presence known last night when we were having dinner at Clark's. We were talking about some of our fun times and all of a sudden my bracelet (the one with CG on it and the breast cancer ribbon) broke. Angie said, "Okay, we know you are here with us sit down and quit breaking stuff!"



It's comforting to think she is here with us. It is almost going to make today bearable.

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