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Monday, April 23, 2018

Ay! Caramba!

I think we have reached the point in our relationship where we would be kidding ourselves to think that I thrive on harmony and order.  Besides, harmony and order do not provide the fodder for titillating blog posts.  Let's just say that I headed into the weekend under full throttle.


TGIF has officially been replaced by OMGIF.  While I didn't walk into the usual chaos of Lovey vs. the living room, I did get blindsided by Bunny on my way to the coop to get eggs.  The little idgit managed to spur me and draw blood.  His days are numbered to the realm of the single digit.


After an evening of homemade pizza (using Brandless' GF mix - which, no matter how much I like it, I cannot order again because it comes in a plastic pouch, dammit), a glass of wine for medicinal purposes and three episodes of Shetland, I fell into bed, running my list for the weekend on the endless loop.


Up and at 'em early, I made my list (in chronological order - I need all the help I can get), then headed out the door in plenty of time.  Everything went south from there.  In my town, if you don't employ an independent trash/recycling pick up service, you take your trash, et al. to the town transfer station.  This is extremely cost effective and they have added better recycling service over the 12 years I've lived here (OMG, 12 years?).  The system consists of purchasing yearly a numbered tag to be displayed in your car, and then tickets to be used, one per bag, for your trash and for anything that goes in the big containers - metal (free), construction and general trash.  These can only be purchased from the town clerk, who works two partial days a week - Wednesday night and Saturday morning.  I pulled into the lot five minutes after she opened and noticed four cars already there.  Never a good sign.  In small towns (at least mine), it is the thing to do of a Saturday, to stand around and talk about this and that with the town clerk, the transfer station team, anyone stationary who will listen.  Instead of the usual in/out service, I was treated to a 20 minute wait while various small indignities and problems were discussed.  It must have been the fact that there was actual sun and it brought everyone and their Uncle Bob out from under their winter rocks.


I then had to streamline my list.  I stopped at the transfer station, now officially tagged for the year, and was faced by two long lines of cars and pick-ups, building up behind two old codgers who were chewing the fat with the staff.   I sashayed up to the front and suggested that they move their trucks through and off to the side and THEN continue their conversations so that the rest of us could carry out our business.  They begrudgingly complied and, when I sashayed back to my car, the people in line tooted their horns and waved at me.  Why, I ask you, didn't someone further up in line do this?  They obviously don't live by to-do lists.  I live in a town of complainers, not doers.  Pfft.


I skipped getting gas (not a good idea, it turned out) and stopped in to see the parents and admire my sister's new-to-her car.  It was a short visit because
Layla
The foster for a dog that was being flown up from Puerto Rico fell through at the last minute.  Who you gonna call?  ME!  Whatever.  I had to drive the hour plus to the airport to pick up the little fluff ball and then drive her home.  She is 10 years old, was an owner-surrender and is a sweet, timid little dog.  She must have felt she landed on Mars.  After being left at a rescue, she was (through voodoo?  I don't know how these rescues are all interconnected) put in a crate, driven to San Juan, put on a plane, then unloaded and put on another plane, then she arrived in upstate NY.  Then she was loaded into my car and driven another hour plus to an alien landscape where, upon alighting from the car, she saw sheep.  She froze in place and I had to carry her in.  We have been observing the usual newcomer protocol - gates up everywhere - and she seems to be fitting in quite nicely.  She is small - just under 20 pounds, blindingly white with floofy bloomers and a short, much-plumed tail, with light tan spots on top of both ears and two round tan dots on her lower back.  She will be adopted in a nanosecond.  We are negotiating our Spanish/English commands and making a little headway.


Sunday morning, I was up early - very early, it turned out, as the power had briefly gone off and I hadn't noticed and my clock read 5:30A, causing me to rocket out of bed, thinking I was frittering my morning away!  It was actually 2:30A, but I was wide awake by the time I realized it, so....sigh.


I baked a cranberry cake for the barn crew, did some knitting, reassured Layla, did my chores and headed up to my friend, M's farm to put in my first installment of labor-for-vege.  It was the first beautiful morning in what felt like years, and the view from her farm is breath-taking.  We planted asparagus, currants (red and black), gooseberries, did some clean-up around her new fruit trees, and schlepped plants out to the sun to harden off.  All the while, I was yelling (nicely) at her while she clomped around in her ortho-boot with her still-mending broken ankle.  Honestly.  After the two and a half hours, I was back in my car and zipping towards home, where I met my friend and his wife who were due to fix my roof vents!  While Steve worked on the roof, Christina and I helped my neighbor (who had also pulled up - there was an actual work crew!) fix my laundry tree, clear the fence line, and sweep off the top of the barn after clearing the tree falls.  I then worked on my raised beds and front flower bed, until my farmer/neighbor arrived with a truckload of hay.  It was like going from 0-60 without a seatbelt!  I was sure to pop a few ibuprofens before bed.  It just felt too good to be out in the sun to stop.  I figured I would fall into bed and sleep, coma-like, until my usual 4A.  This was the case until midnight, when Layla started crying, pitifully, and didn't stop for an hour.  I gave up, put her on the bed, she rolled into a tight ball and fell asleep.  Thankfully, so did I.  We have moved up the group interaction and all three dogs go out together with no problem.  I don't think she has ever lived with a cat, as Slimmie scares the bejeebers out of her.  This is the first time she will be left for a long stretch - I don't foresee any problems, as she is still separated but not crated and it will provide Lovey with the sense that her back is covered, in case her yard is encroached by the dreaded brown-truck-driving-dog-body-snatchers.


Remember way back on Saturday, when I skipped gassing up the car?  Good thing I was coming down off the mountain this morning on my way to work when the empty sign flashed on.  I managed to coast into the gas station on fumes....

31 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I laid around all weekend, scratching my bum. You put me to shame.

Michelle said...

What did Melanie DO??? I never hear from my distant twin anymore. :-(

I think you are the only person I know that consistently gets less sleep than I do. Hurray for work crews!

Susan said...

I hardly think you were merely scratching your bum....you were researching fascinating memes for the enjoyment of your blog readers!

Susan said...

It was Marianne's farm, Michelle. She broke her ankle in March and we've been trying to rein her in for weeks! Yes, I know that you are the only person I can call at 4 in the morning and you will answer the phone, wide awake!

Elaine said...

How do you manage to pack so much into a short time? I must try harder to pick up my pace. Three episodes of Shetland in one sitting? ...well, it is rather good, perhaps I could manage that one. I am now heading off to my chaise while my brain processes just how much work you got through this weekend, I could be there some time.

ps Layla is a pretty little thing, definitely knows how to apply the eyeliner.

wisps of words said...

"...did get blindsided by Bunny..." Bunny?

GF mix...you like...buy no more...plastic pouch. Mmmmmm, I'm all for 'green,' but at times, one has to put self (Gluten Free-ness) above pure green-ness. Just me, of course.

Good for you! For having the "balls," to go up and suggest that that line could move!!!!!!!!!

With all this Goodness you do, with Dog Rescue, why can't you buy a plastic pouch, for your G/F pizza??????????

All this helping neighbors, with a form of bartering and etc., is wonnnderful. Only in the country, hu?

Well, at least, you were able to deal with the not-done-on-weekend, and coast into town, on fumes!!!! -grin-

And now, after reading all you did, I have to go have a nap! >,-)))))

Rain said...

Hi Susan :) I love catching up on your life! Layla is a cutie!! How sweet...she must feel so insecure though, all that movement and shaking up....poor thing. They learn fast though. When we got S&P, they were French dogs, within a week or so, they figured out the English commands!

Good for you for telling the "jawers" to move on...some people do have things to do.

I'm exhausted reading your Saturday...but I'm just like you, once the weather starts to get milder and sunny, I don't want to stop until I drop!

ElaineChicago said...

Wow...you surely get a lot done. Congrats on shooing the natives along so something could get done!! Layla is a pretty Doggie.....gonna keep her?

Susan said...

I think it was the result of having been trapped inside for months, itching to get outside and DO something. I always tend to overdo it on the get-go. Layla will make someone(s) a wonderful companion!

Susan said...

Bunny is my rooster. I imagine he's got the spring hormone thing going on, but I have a firm rule about not harming the food lady! There are plenty of other gluten free pizza crust mixes that are NOT bagged in plastic. I am making a concerted effort to limit my plastic intake as there is just too much of it out there in the world. Even limiting a bag a week is something.

Susan said...

That is good to know! I do think that a lot of her lack of response is due to system overload. I mean, I'd be a hot mess if I had been through all of that in a day. Isn't it the truth? We are confined inside too long! It feels good to have aching muscles! To a point, that is... :)

Susan said...

It is my spring mania. I'll settle down eventually. It's the one thing about small town living that drives me mad! I have waffled all weekend over whether to keep her, but I am trying to stick to my fostering guns. There is no doubt in my mind that she will find herself adopted by a wonderful family soon. She is a treasure. I know that, if I adopt her, I will render myself unable to foster another dog that needs me. So, there is that to consider. I want ALL the dogs!

Theresa said...

Oh what a sweetie although the name Layla means Dark Beauty or night. Your Saturday sounds like my Thursdays. By the time noon has rolled around I have done 4 supermarkets, a local grange (feed supply etc) a growers market, maybe a yarn store, certainly a post office of UPS place, oh and a gas station! :-) I'm betting Butters is beside himself over having a little beauty about his size around.

Susan said...

It's hard to tell, with the Butter Pat, as you so aptly dubbed him. Since she is very clingy to me, he is not quite so taken with her presence. However, there seems to be a little more starch in his swagger since she arrived. Plus, he barks his high, annoying, little dog bark at every opportunity - most likely showing off.

Mama Pea said...

I don't want to tell you what to do, but don't you think it would be a good idea to up your work ethic a little? Find some energy so you could get a lot done in a weekend's time? Stop being such a couch potato? Help everyone else do what needs to be done (including fostering needy pups) and weekly baking and taking goodies to the barn crew?

Good grief, lady, good thing you aren't jazzed up on drugs or you'd burn right through the soles of your rubber tennies!!

You're amazing.

Sandy Livesay said...

Susan,
Your an amazing friend helping Marianne out at her place. Layla is a cutie, someone will want to adopt her. The list of work/projects just keeps growing. After all the weekend work you need a day off during the week just to reboot.

Sending hugs, and love your way.
Sandy

Ed said...

The older I get, the less patience I have for people unaware of their surroundings and of their affect on them.

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

What a lovely pup, and thank the Heavens for people like you, willing to foster.

Hilary said...

Have you been over to crazyasaloom.blogspot.com lately??? Cause Naya, our new to us rescue from GA, looks just like your new one.....except that she is a bit bigger.

ellen abbott said...

I get it. I do the same thing on the first warm blue sky days, go out there and work til I drop. but seriously, you get up at 4 AM. on purpose? voluntarily?

Tewshooz said...

Standing in line at the grocery store is where we catch up with all the local news and gossip. Now, after reading about your weekend, I am going to take a nap.

tpals said...

I had to chuckle at your clock whoops although I would definitely be crawling back in for those missing hours. ;)

Susan said...

LOL!!! That reminded me - now that I am off on a tangent - of my infamous crepe soled shoes vs. the wonky heater in my VW bug. The heat only had one setting - HIGH - and on one long trip, my crepe soled shoe welded to the heating vent.

Susan said...

Sandy, I am so glad that I can actually help Marianne. Usually, it's weighted WAY on the other side. I am just so antsy to get outside and DO something, after the endless winter.

Susan said...

I'm with you on that, Ed. I'm starting to think the world is full of passive/aggressive folks.

Susan said...

Thank you, Karen Ann. She is a very sweet dog and it is not going to be easy to let her go...

Susan said...

I will have to pop over there - so many wonderful dogs come up from the South.

Susan said...

Sad to say, but I actually believe that I have lost half of my day if I get up any later. I am hard-wired to pop up like toast at 4A. Even on weekends. Even on holidays away from home - rare as those are.

Susan said...

I love eavesdropping at the grocery store. Or the feed store. You can hear such amazing things!

Susan said...

I had already had that fatal shot of adrenaline - there was not going back. :)

wisps of words said...

"Bad Bunny"!!!

No roosters in city limits, so no "bad boy" next door, with son/family's hens. :-)

Oh, there are other G/F mixes without plastic! I thought you were giving up a liked food, without a replacement. Gotcha!

I hear you, on plastic! When one really pays attention, our "world" is "in" plastic. I mean, the sheer number of things, made from plastic!!!!!! And there is no away! The old statement of; "I'm throwing this 'away'..."