Well I'm feeling a little virtuous. Have been taking Ruby for a walk every morning. We go for about 45 minutes and some evenings I take her again but I try to get Greg & Holly to help out too. And this weekend I made 2 cards: a birthday card for my brother-in-law whose party was last night and I altered a pop-up card for Lois at work whose retirement dinner is tomorrow night.

And on Friday night I finally finished reading the book that's been taking me a very long time. It was a great book but not a pleasant read: The Great Stink by Clare Clark, set in London in the mid-1850s when the sewage situation was so bad that people were dropping like flies from cholera, diphtheria etc. and they started to build a sewer system. So that was the background to this tale of "murder and corruption".

So now I have to start reading the book for the next book club, which is Margaret Laurence's Stone Angel. I've read it before, years ago, so I'm hoping I don't find it too tough-going. I don't know what's with me. I used to be able to read a book every day or two but lately that's impossible (although I did read Janet Evanovich's Plum Lovin' in one evening, but it was a novella so doesn't really count). My powers of concentration are kind of lacking. Blame it on hormones!

Had a really fun dinner with my scrapping buddies last week, then dinner out last night and again tomorrow night. Oink! Good thing about those daily walks!!

oops

This smiley picture was taken earlier this evening, before we went for a walk and before she peed on the living room carpet. OK dog owners, what's with that? She didn't go while we were out, but comes home and then goes. We've already had one incontinent doggie and didn't want another one this early on! Any advice would be most welcome...

Day 3

This was the picture the SPCA had on their website and in the paper. Pretty perky looking puppy eh? The vet was just here and she agreed with the 'kennel boy' at the SPCA that Ruby looks more like 7 than 11. Good teeth, good shape overall, never been spayed and never had puppies - like how did that happen??

Sunday morning she let me sleep till 9:00 which was awesome; I wasn't sure how much of an early riser she'd be. Last night though she had an 'accident' in the hallway (at least I'm assuming it wasn't one of the cats). I did not sleep well (that makes 3 nights in a row) and dragged myself out at 7:00 this morning to take her for a walk. Greg says she started crying as soon as I let for work this morning - not realizing that he was still here. I hope she doesn't have any serious separation anxiety.

Welcome Ruby!

Last weekend Greg and I had stopped at the SPCA to say hi to Smokey (the returned foster cat) but he'd already been adopted. So we wandered around a bit and when we went to see the dogs we (well I) were quite taken with an 11-year old border collie cross. Since Layla died in 2002 we've talked about getting another dog, but weren't 100% sure. Then at one point we thought we'd take in a senior dog. We didn't want a puppy (no time or patience for training) but preferred a mature dog. So when we saw Ruby I was tempted. But it was close to closing time so we just left. Talked about it a fair bit this week and today Holly and I went in to meet her and take her home. She's such a good-tempered dog, haven't heard her bark yet, she likes cats (mind you they're not impressed with her!), other dogs, all people, car rides. That's what I know so far!

We first went for a little walk, then to Petcetera for supplies and then down to Greg's shop and to the library. She was a hit everywhere she went.

So when we got home I had to call AM and tell her. And here I am on the phone. Ruby already knows who her mom is!

Happy Valentines Day

Well I've always thought it was kind of an over-rated holiday. My friend AM asked what we were going to do to celebrate... go to parents' night at the high school. Nothing to be envious of that's for sure. But Greg did make a lovely dinner for the 3 of us and we had candles and nice napkins and dishes instead of paper towels & paper plates (don't ask).

And now - it's time for Lost!!!

This week at the library

Well Thursday we had a rousing discussion of Jane Austen's Emma (who would have thought?) at Book Club, where we squeezed into the storytime room since the meeting room was double-booked. I was the only one who hadn't read the whole book, shame on me.

Friday morning the HR manager came down to listen to our complaints about having to deal with the criminal element in the library. In the last month we've had blow jobs in the women's room, a guy masturbating in a teen magazine in the men's room (don't worry the magazine was promptly thrown out), drug deals, incontinence etc. Previous management team member who came down pretty much told us that it wasn't that bad and just to deal with it.

Saturday someone left their drug paraphernalia in the public washroom after cooking up some crack (burnt twigs on top of the toilet paper dispenser, left behind their bag containing spoon, metal plate etc.). Downtown Patrol comes and are just furious that this is going on in the library (as if we aren't).

Sunday - haven't heard anything about it.

Monday - one of our long term regular homeless alcoholics, who has been on the wagon for quite awhile fell off with a vengeance and also fell off his chair in the library. Downtown Patrol arrived too late to escort him out. Immediately after his departure the library director comes in and states that things don't look too bad.

Today we had the Downtown Patrol and the RCMP for a death threat that was uttered to a young man by an older one. But apparently the officer didn't think there was anything to it, and no one was arrested.

This is my new workworld. If I were close to retirement, I'd be outta there, but I'm not. Don't get me wrong, we have hours at a stretch when it's nice and library-like in there. One day the place was packed; all seats taken by people who were awake and alert and most even - gasp - reading!

On a happier note, I spent yesterday afternoon at the dentist getting a crown. The only reason this is happy is that afterwards I went to the mall and bought myself a new leather jacket! And a guidebook for NYC...

The high price of health

Whew, went to the naturopath today. Initial visit, just talking and filling in a huge long medical history form, was $95.00! Next on the list: 3 tests which will cost nearly $300 in total. Follow-up appointments are apparently $45 a pop. Yikes! Our extended health plan only covers up to $200 maximum for the year. What to do, what to do... Makes you appreciate the good old Canadian health care system that's for sure. But sometimes the pill-pushing GP just isn't the place to go, so then it's time to go alternative.

Went to see Dreamgirls last night. It was good but I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't realize it was a musical. Like I knew there would be a lot of 'numbers' but not that people would be bursting into song at the drop of a hat. That one song that Jennifer Hudson sings that is really powerful and emotional but goes on and on forever... One of my friends had to go to the w.c. and make a phone call and couldn't believe the song was still being sung when she got back! We had a great dinner at Earl's first - I had the bento box which was delicious - and a margarita. Everyone in town seemed to be there before going to the Barenaked Ladies (would have loved to see them again too...)

Anyway then came home and Greg and I ended up watching a very quirky movie on TV till midnight so today I was wiped and am presently in bed (8:15 pm). I SHOULD be feverishly trying to get Emma read by Thursday but let's face it, it's not happening. I think this will only be the 2nd time in my book club history that I don't get the book read, kind of bad for the leader but there you go. It's a glorified Harlequin romance anyway... Who picks these books? oh yeah that would be me!

Friday night some of us are going for drinks after work but there's also a crop at the store so I'm trying to decide what to do. As my co-worker said oh yeah have a couple of drinks and then drive to Westbank, sounds sensible. Geez it doesn't have to be alcohol!

Enough blathering for tonight. A la prochaine!

tagged

Oh dear thanks a lot Kelli! 6 weird things about me eh? Well let me think...

1. I have some psychic ability. Yes I sometimes know things before they happen. Seriously.
2. When driving I often try to memorize details about the drivers & cars around me and plan escape routes in case there's an accident.
3. I remember phone numbers. From a long time ago. In fact I remember the numbers but don't necessarily remember who they belong to...
4. Nowadays, to remember numbers I use the Dewey Decimal System as a memory aid.
5. I used to choose birthday cards for my Mom by reading the ones in the store till I found one that made me cry. That was always the right card!
6. What's really weird? I just asked Holly and Greg for some weird things about me and they couldn't think of anything...

And darn there's nobody left for me to tag...

But another thing on my mind: A co-worker of mine has a sister who is a scrapper & blogger. He has now found her blog and as a result, can get to mine. So I'd better watch what I say!! Oh don't worry Mark, I only have NICE things to say about YOU...