Where has this year gone?

Wow I can not believe it is December 1 already! I am hoping December is going to be much better and less financially draining then Sept/Oct/Nov.

I love Athena, but she's gotta get a job to pay for her medical bills Ha! It all started in September when she got a foxtail UP her nose *sigh*. Never in all my years have any of my dogs had one up their nose. Toes and ears yes, but not the nose. Then in October she started acting not like her self. She didn't want to move and all she wanted to do is hide. I instantly thought it was her ears because 1. she had some gunk more then normal and 2. she kept trying to shake her head but would just hang it to the side. So off to the vet we go and of course my brain went into worse case scenario thinking she messed her back up or something horrible. The vet (new to us i might add) told me she might have pulled her neck and gave me a series of drugs. They looked in her ears, but told me they looked great. I honestly left the office thinking it was still her ear, but maybe the vet knows better? She seemed to get better until a week after she finished her drugs and then she was back to feeling like shit and imo even worse then before.

So back to the vet we go. By this point Athena has become more and more ear shy due to various encounters of her ears. While she will let me look inside and do whatever i want, she likes to scream in pain of the doc gets too far down into her canal. So the only way to get a great look was to sedate her....And what did the doctor find??????? A festering inner ear infection AND a small tear in her ear drum.....I refrained from saying SEE I TOLD YOU. After a long discussion with the vet about what caused this infection we both agreed that it could have been caused by the foxtail from September. The ear affected was the same side the foxtail came out. Two weeks of some strong anti biotics and shes back to normal. I never thought I would be so happy to get dog food kisses or hear her bark.

And although the new vet was very nice I just wish she took my concern about the issue being her ear more seriously. Athena is not one to show pain. My mind often goes through the "should haves", but you cant change that now. So long story short. Athena is back to her normal bouncing off the walls self and just in time for this cold snowy season.

I am proud to say that ALL of my holiday shopping is done! Yay! I have a few more items to crochet and then I'll be done and able to start wrapping. Speaking of crochet. I have been a crocheting fool. I guess it's in my blood. I have finished a TON of scarfs, a few hats and a few shawls. Most of the stuff i have made is for xmas, but i have some that i'm going to put up for sale. I took a big leap and put some stuff up on my artfire page only to take them down the next day. Why? Well you see...i like to prewash stuff before i sell it or give it away. Mostly so i know it wont fall apart if someone else needs to wash it. And the yarn i made the couple scarfs with washed up UGLY. And by ugly i mean ugly. The yarn it's self was this really soft fluffy acrylic yarn. And after the washing and hang dry process the fuzzy clumped together :( So not cool. And this scarf, which i totally fell in love making it

Had random loops come out of place after i washed it! It's not even like we have a top load washer. I put everything on super gentile then air dried. I guess they did not want to leave my neck? LOL. Oh well I guess I have new scarfs for the winter or maybe I'll clean them up and donate them. I'm sure there are people out there who need a warm neck more then I do, but i think ill keep the pink one haha.

Back to the grind. Work is calling my name.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Nothing like a little Inspiration

Ah spring time. Land of fresh fruits and veggies from the farmers market and most of all the start of many gem shows and craft fairs.

I headed out the International Gem Show last Saturday and it was so much fun seeing how other people put their jewelry together. I bought some stones and wire for a fraction of what I'd spend in the store. I was like a kid in a candy store and i have so much stock at home i really need to work more on making things.

My loot from the show. I'm partial to the ruby red beads. My mind is throwing around ideas and I'd much rather be at home working some of them out.


And a few things i put together this weekend. I experimented with crocheting wire and i have to say i really liked how it turned out. My friend even bought my prototype yay!



Gold colored wire with some fake pearls i had for practice.


And a quick four strand i put together one night. My mom promptly took over this one since it matched the earrings i got her in AZ.


I find my self whining "do i have to work i wanna go home and craft"

Puppy Brain is leaving

Sniffle Sniffle....Why?!!!! Oh why is my girl growing up? ....I guess I can't be that upset about Athena listening better. I was noticing last night how she has changed colors yet again and how adult she is looking. Even the way she goes about things seems less puppy impulsive and more adult rational. Example...instead of trying to shove her self under the couch to get her toy. She gets down and slowly puts her paw under and tries to sweep it out.

She even listened to commands when other people were around even her most favorite person in the whole wide world! On mothers day we had about 6 people over for dinner. I told the dogs "Out" as in out of the kitchen /dinning room area and she and my moms dog both went and laid on their beds. No lap begging. And this great obedience continued the whole 2 weeks my aunt visited. Making me look like the best dog trainer ever! My aunt even told me when the time comes for her to get a dog she will pay me to come out and train the dog LOL.

The light finally turned onto a higher setting and I'm really liking it even though it does make me teary eyed sometimes.

Heh yeah right I'm not growing up. I'm just letting you get your guard down....

Blisters are Evil

Out of all the years of hiking, walking, biking, running (in high school) i never ever had issues with blisters. Once or twice i got them on my heel when i was breaking in new boots but never with broken in shoes. Yesterday my aunt and I wandered around the city walking up and down the piers on the Sunny day SF had yesterday and for the first time in a long time I have not one but TWO blisters on the bottom of my feet. I have worn those shoes before many times and i have worn those same socks with those shoes many times. I wasn't any hotter then usual so i have no idea why i got blisters.

They hurt like a mother because they are right on the pads of my feet between my big toe and 2nd toe over. So I'm walking like a idiot on the sides of my feet, which I'm sure is not good. I keep popping them but they keep coming back :(. I guess i need to break down and get those blister bandaids. BUT on a nicer note i had a blast touring the city and down the coast with my aunt. I bought some candy at pier 39 and stuff at the herb room in Santa Cruz and hit up Valley Fair for some much needed bra shopping. It was so relaxing...and i'm sitting here at work not wanting to work LOL. I wish my auntie would finally find a job out here! Know anyone who is hiring a Labor Delivery nurse? LOL.

I want to go back....

To the land of no allergies aka Arizona. I was amazed how good I slept and felt there. No stuffy nose, no itchy eyes or mucous. Ahhh pure bliss!

I just got back from Az on Sunday and I had a blast. Bead shopping in Scottsdale, The heard museum in Phoenix, Jewelry shopping in Mesa, a tour of the Apache rez and great friends and pooches to escort me around, what more could a girl as for on a short 4 day vacation??? My trip reminded me just now much love it there. Maybe one day I will find a job in my favorite City down there (Flagstaff). I'm sure Athena and I would enjoy the mild heat in the summer and snow in the winter.

Molly I thought of you! There were cyclist everywhere on our way out of town. One even had a red bike like yours, but i knew you wouldn't miss a sharks game :)

BTW....GOOOOOOOO SHARKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lets go boys bring home the cup!!!!!!!!!!!!

She is lucky i love her

Athena was almost a dead dog last night......

So i spent about 3 hours planting zucchini, cucumbers and peas. I had turned one of Athenas old pools into my planter box. I planted them all nicely. So i let her out for her nightly romp. I go to bring her in and i'm thinking WTF were you in you are filthy and wet...i look up...and what do i see????

SHE DUG UP MY WHOLE FRIGGIN PLANTER BOX....*deep breaths* So i calmly dry her feet off shove her inside and go and correct what she Destroyed! My mom let her out and i looked up and told Athena "House" in a voice that even shocked my mom. oh i was so dog damn mad! Maybe she was looking for water? i dunno. But we did a little aversion training last night.i think she got that her old pool is now mine and to leave it cause this morning she didn't even travel with in 3 feet of it LOL. And she wont be in the yard unsupervised until i can get some chicken coup stuff to put around it. What gets me is she never did this before. But i never put a garden in her old pool before either.

In a way i guess it's good she did that because it reminded me we have cats that could do the same.

Old Pictures

My brother was holding out on me! He had a few CD's of old Family photos of my grandparents their youth. It's so fun to go through them all and remember stories told by family or learn new ones from my mom. I think one of my projects this summer is to get them all scanned. This way they won't fade anymore then they are and i can fix some that are faded (hopefully). I was also thinking that since my brother has a new house that i'll get some printed for him. We both miss my granma and what better way to help him feel at home then pictures of our family!

My granma before she married my granpa- What a fox she is!


One of my great uncles. who in his day was an actual hobo.


My granpa and his sister. It's so strange to see them so young lol.