Year End Post

Don't misunderstand the title.  I don't normally take stock at year end and don't plan on it now.  It's just the title I came up with due to the time frame.

Son#2 and family got back safe and sound from their trip out to Arizona for Christmas.  However, they are quarantining due to being exposed to COVID.  I won't go into details other than to say they are not at all happy with the situation that they believe should never have happened.  I have to agree with them from the things I have been told.  Unfortunate to say the least and people always disappoint.  Consequently our Christmas with them will be postponed another 10-14 days.  They will get tested on the 2nd.  The doctor told them not to worry about testing the baby.  I admit I don't understand that.  Even if they test negative we won't be able to see them due to not testing the baby.  

I see a threat of snow in our forecast for Friday or was it today?  Doesn't really matter, it rarely ever snows here.  If it does, that would be good.  We enjoy seeing it and we don't have to drive in it.  The cities around here go as nuts with snow as they do COVID shutting every thing down (roads).  Even having been in the highway business I never agreed with shutting down roads.  Roads should come with a warning, Use At Your Own Risk, or Not Responsible for Accidents.  I am NOT at all pointing fingers at anyone.  Please do not take it as such.

'Snickers' continues to sprout his personality and it seems we have gotten very lucky with this little guy.  

Happy New Year and a Year of Happy Trails

We Found Him

We finally found a new family member.  

Not at all what we had been looking for.  We were set on not having a Dachshund, and that is what he is predominantly.  Seems to be part terrier of some sort due to his wire hair.  But we pretty much fell in love with that face.  He has bonded to 'K' big time.  He has started warming up to me.  We got him Christmas Eve late in the afternoon.  In this short time he has decided we are his family.  It's been fun seeing his personality come out each day as he got more comfortable with us and his surroundings.  He is about one year old they tell us.  He is very mellow and is well mannered, not quite my experience with the afore mentioned breeds.  He doesn't respond to his name yet or know any commands, but that will come.  No accidents in the house either, yea.  His name at the shelter was Shaggy but it is now Snickers.  I am still keeping my eye out to rescue an Aussie.

We have once again become annoying dog people.  

We will run a bunch of errands today, inspection sticker, drop off a load of Amazon returns. drop off tax payment etc.  And Snickers will go with us.

Son #2 is headed home from Christmas with the in-laws in Phoenix.  His father-in-law came down with a fever this morning.  So that is distressing for him with a new baby.  It will also delay us having Christmas with them for about 10-14 days if he is positive for Covid.  SMH

Happy Trails

Quiet Times

It's been pretty quiet around here.  Nothing new to report on the search for a dog.  I have been using Petfinder.  It seems most shelters and rescues use it.  I have inquired about several dogs.  However, getting a response, at all, has been problematic.  We did actually call one of the shelters about a dog but again, he was already adopted.  Saturday I sent an inquiry about an Aussie Mix.  We actually heard back but they already had a possible adopter waiting to meet her.  Then Sunday I go an additional email requesting more info about us.  I don't know if the other adopter bailed or what.  I answered the email but have yet to hear back.  I am getting a little fed up after all the failures and told 'K' I may just stop looking for a while.  

'K' and I have been married for a long time.  45 years going on 46.  You would think I would know what she would like when it comes to a new dog.  Aussies are a given, but when it comes to anything else, I am totally off base.  One thing is that she thinks what is very cute is much different than I do.  I also consider breed traits if you can tell that a rescue may have an identifiable breed in their parentage.  So we have not been matching up when we look at dogs together.  She actually doesn't look and lets me show her what I have found.  On lark I showed her a couple dogs and she loved them.  I had passed them over multiple times due to breed issues.  All of this to say, I think giving this dog search a break for now is what will happen.  When she likes one a lot, I try to agree but have had reservations.  We have agreed we both have to be all in.  I know her well enough that she will agree to one I want even though she isn't all in.  That's not what I want.  I don't want my wants to steamroll hers.  You would think getting a new dog would be easier than this.  It's worse than deciding where we want to eat lol.  I think due to our age and lifestyle has made it more difficult trying to find that 'perfect' dog, and they just don't exist.

Son #2 and his family headed to Mesa, Az. to visit the in-laws for Christmas.  We offered to keep the baby while they went so they could enjoy the trip more.  The daughter-in-law didn't like that idea much.  Consequently we will have a very quiet Christmas.  No Christmas eve get together and meal.  We will head to Son#1's to watch the older grands open their gifts and maybe eat a bite.  I still don't have to like it but will muddle along anyway and try to be pleasant.  We will have our family get together once Son #2 gets back home.  No date set yet.

I'm off to get my walk in and if the wind dies down I may try to paint a little.  Nah.

Happy Trails

Packages

We are getting packages.  Every day a package arrives.  None are things I have ordered since over a week ago.  My shopping/ordering is done.  'K' evidently does it piecemeal.  There have been packages arriving from her ordering gifts almost every day since I quit.  Then if she doesn't have something coming in we have something arriving from the boys.  One is hiding his wife's gift at our house.  The other wasn't going to be home when his was scheduled.  (we have a lot of package theft from porches here.)  Since we are home most of the time we are able to get the package off the porch almost immediately.  You can't let those thing sit too long as some jack wagon follow the delivery trucks around and pick up what they left almost immediately in some cases.  

I tried to get the packages for 'K' wrapped while she went to pickup the baby.  I had to stay due to UPS coming to pick up a return for one of the boys.  They couldn't tell us when that would be.  Back to the wrapping, well attempt at wrapping.  Admittedly I do a disastrous job wrapping.  I mean it looks like a three year old did it.  For years I resorted to just using newspaper to wrap her gifts.  I hated to use her wrapping paper and waste so much of it.  My biggest issue is sizing the paper to fit the package.  I always, always, use too much or so little I leave gaps.  I don't understand how someone that is pretty meticulous about the way things are done can turn out something so ugly and visibly revolting.  This year, she walked in on the very last package I was wrapping and asked if I had enough paper.  She could tell from the other room.  I just put it in her hands to wrap that last package.  I knew I had messed it  up and she would have to cut more paper.  Nope, she made it fit perfectly and looked professional.  How?  No idea, I bow to the master.  I hate wrapping packages.  SMH

And we struck out on another dog rescue.  The owners reclaimed it.  That makes 8.

Happy Trails

Monday December 14

The significance of this day does not escape me.  The Electoral College meets (virtually) to cast ballots for President.  I don't expect any surprises.  All other efforts to prove the election was stolen have failed.  Unless there is something we are all missing Joe Biden will become our next President.  I pray for our country.  Personally I don't believe he will finish the term.  That is even more frightening.  Yes I pray for Biden too.  

On to more pleasant things.

We will head over to New Braunfels this morning.  We have some gifts to deliver to a family in need.  It is a single parent household (father) with two young sons.  The younger has diabetes, I am guessing it is type I, and the older has been diagnosed with a stage 4 cancer, I don't remember what type.  The Dad was struggling to come up with enough money just to start treatment that may extend his son's life.  We just want them to have a little better Christmas in the face of this.  Gifts the boys may want and a little help for Dad.  Our efforts are miniscule but I do know it is appreciated.  We try to do this as anonymously as possible.  We want no credit.  It hurts me deeply when I see kids struggle with life threatening diseases.  So I choose to do this willingly.  They have been on my mind and in my prayers a lot lately.  If you could take the time to say a prayer for this family....

Not sure about the rest of the day.  It all depends on how I feel.  Aches and pains and lack of 'want to' will determine what else I try to tackle.  

Happy Trails

Dog Search

The search for a new family member continued this past week.  I search the internet for a possible new pup several times a week.  There are numerous rescues and shelters in this area and most all post on a website available dogs.  That is how we found the ones we struck out on.  For various reasons we have been unsuccessful.  Either being too late or the dog being claimed by their owners.  The number is now 7.  We still search for Aussies but have included almost any that may grab our hearts.  Saturday we had an appointment to get in to see one we were interested in, just a mutt.  By the time we our appointment rolled around the pup had just started the adoption process.  We actually saw her being taken, she was even cuter than her pic.  We were allowed to browse the rest of the dogs.  We came across 3 that we were interested in but couldn't come to a mutual agreement for various reasons.  So we went home to discuss our wants/needs further.  We both want to be on board completely with one we pick.  You would think this is an easy process with all the dogs out there, but apparently not for us.  

Yesterday I decided to look on Craigslist for Aussies.  There have been none in the area at all via the route we had been taking.  I have never used Craigslist due to all the bad things I hear about it and my Brother had a bad experience.  I was wary.  I found someone wanting tp rehome Aussie puppies.  Contacted them via email if any were still available.  I also texted another person about Aussie puppies.  The text got no reply as I was about 2 weeks after the ad came out.  We did get a response from our email.  It sounded too good to be true.  They sent pictures of the one they had left and a video with questions to us trying to make sure this AKC registered pup would go to a good home.  They were asking about 1/3 of what we have seen Blue Merles with blue eyes going for.  The are also the first to go.  'K' was in love and wanted to do this.  She responded to their inquiry and they responded back.  That's when we felt like this was a scam.  They didn't live in the area at all, in fact they lived in North Dakota and their vet advised them to rehome a healthy pup to a better environment, not as cold.  That is why they advertised down in South Texas.  What?!?  Aussies are well suited for cold weather.  There were other things that had the alarm bells ringing.  We declined.

So our search resumes but maybe less aggressively or not as much.  Just let it happen.  I have an application in with an Aussie rescue and we will let that ride and keep an eye out with the ones they take in a rehab.  This seems like the better option as they are very diligent in determining what each dog needs and personality traits which is something you don't get at a rescue.  But we aren't ruling that out either.

Happy 'Tails'  (see what I did there?)