Happy Anniversary!

Our goal was to go out for a nice dinner to celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary before the end of January, and we succeeded. With our anniversary falling on New Year's Eve, we usually wait until sometime in January to go out to dinner and celebrate since so many other shenanigans go on Dec. 31. We planned to go the week after, but we got busy, and then after that we got sick, and so on and so on.  So tonight we finally were able to go out for a delicious meal at Destihl with our bonus points credit, with the added bonus of being accompanied dear friends.

We started with tequila shots to celebrate Bob's decision not to to return to the golf course in March (faint) and instead focus on our dog training business.  

About the tequila shots.  We don't "shoot" the tequila back in one gulp. We sip and enjoy it.  Caroline and I had chilled patron silver in a little shot glass.  Bob and Elizabeth had some other kind of fancy tequila in snifters.  About the golf course.  Bob's dog business is starting the pick up a bit, and the thought of going back to the golf course in early March, added to his NCC job, added to trying to find time to spend on the dog biz, not to mention trying to sleep once in awhile, was overwhelming.  So we decided to try and make a go of it without the golf course job knowing that if we need to, he can always go back later.

We also had fried cheese and deep fried bacon and some sort of fried potato thing for appetizers.  Here's the deep fried bacon, AKA, heart-attack on a plate.  The snifter behind the bacon held some of the fancy tequila.

As much as I love bacon, and anything deep-fat-fried, 
I wasn't sure deep-fat-fried bacon was a good idea.

I was wrong.

After the tequila and bacon was gone, we enjoyed some wine, and some occasional sips of water just to be healthy, yo.  

A nice Pinot Noir.

Then we enjoyed some delicious entrées, but I forgot to take pictures of the food until we were almost done.  

This WAS meatloaf.

This WAS a pork chop, or two.

This WAS a full rack of ribs.

We had a wonderful time with wonderful friends.  And we skipped the dessert because we are old and were tired, had already gone way over our bonus points credit, and wanted to get home to watch Ricky Gervais on HBO (which we did not finish because Bob fell asleep).

Thanks, C and E, for a wonderful evening of great food, even better company, and lots of laughs and fun!  You MUST come to SoCal next year for our 25th Anniversary party in Laguna Beach.  Absolutely!  Mark your calendars.

I need a steadier hand

Made this video this morning of Bob saying goodbye to his star pupil, Ringo, who is going to his forever home today. I either need a steadier hand, or maybe a tripod? Hopefully I'll get better at this -- and I'm happy that in spite of my lack of camera skills, Bob and Ring are terrific!

Playing with our new Toy

We got a new FLIP video camera for Bob to use when he does training, so we are playing around with it, trying to figure out how to use it, upload videos, etc. It's pretty darn cool, easy to use, and surprisingly affordable! 





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http://www.youtube.com/user/PawsTrans

Global Climate Change

First ....... Happy 27th Birthday Gracie Lou!


I believe in Global Climate Change -- only instead of Global Warming I'm starting tho think the "chage" is Global Cooling.  At least in Illinois.  Yes, I know the sun came up two days early in Greenland this year, and that scientists are blaming it on Global Warming.  But it was -6 when I got up this morning, and though it's warmed up to a balmy 5 above now, I believe this winter has been the longest and coldest one I've experienced during my 21 year Midwest sojourn.  And even if that's not the case, it certainly FEELS like the longest and coldest (and possibly snowiest) winter I've ever lived through.  Assuming I live through it.  Which I may not.  


I am so tired of being cold, of bundling up in several layers of clothes just to go outside to get the mail, of getting into a freezing cold car that doesn't heat up even by the time I arrive at my destination.  I am so OVER it!  Lest you worry, dear reader, that these words indicate that I might end my life, worry not.  I shall not leave this earth prematurely by my own hand.  But I just might leave Illinois for somewhere warm and never come back.


So yeah, if you don't see me at church on Sunday morning, you can just imagine me on a beach somewhere, sipping a Mai Tai, reading a trashy novel.  More likely I'll be huddled in front of my space heater in the living room refusing to leave the house, but the beach scene is much more fun.

Blech

Bob got sick last week -- started feeling crummy on Thursday night and it hit him hard Friday and Saturday. I encouraged him to stay home on Sunday from NCC, which he did, and he started feeling better by Monday.  I washed my hands obsessively, tried not to breathe his air, and downed lots of Airborne to keep from getting it (a very bad cold virus) while taking good care of him.  Alas to no avail.  


I started coming down with it on Monday right about the time Bob turned the page.  Had to go to Presbytery yesterday to vote on the gay ordination thing.  So we both went together for the afternoon, voted YES to the gays (which helped it pass -- now we just need a majority of presbyteries to approve it as well), came home, and crashed.  Nothing on my calendar today so staying in and taking it easy, hoping to make my two appointments tomorrow.  Doing some computer work, finishing the bulletin for Sunday.


I don't appear to have it as badly as Bob had it -- I'm thinking the Airborne helped.  And hopefully it will continue to not be as bad.  I don't feel great, but I can remain vertical for long stretches of time, which is better than Bob was able to do.  I hope to kick it sooner than later and move on to good health.  That's the plan anyway.


In the meantime, instead of Bob staying home all day to take care of me and return the favor, he's been gone since 10am.  Has appointments until 2pm, then home briefly before heading out for two more appointments.  The good news is, with the exception of one coffee date, the appointments are paying dog clients -- YAY!  The bad news is, I've had to take care of myself doggonnit!  Ah well, when he is here he makes me tea and brings me food so that's a good thing.  And I'm not feeling like death, so I suspect I'll survive.


By the way .... I hate winter.


So endeth my rambling.

Bad blogger

That's me -- I'm a bad blogger.  Well, maybe I'm not a bad blogger -- but I'm certainly an irregular blogger.  Err, maybe not irregular, but I'm not regular.  Yeah, I'm just making things worse now.  Let's just say that I have not blogged very often and leave it at that.  


Unfortunately I didn't make a resolution in the new year to write more regularly, so I don't know if things will get better or not.  We'll see.  I doubt it though. Two of my blogger friends/blogs I follow write every day.  They are dedicated. And they are good writers.  I blame my lack of blogging from being too busy to blog because I've been reading their blogs.  Does that work?  Nah, didn't think so.


So anyway.  How's Kayla doing?  Thanks for asking.   Kayla continues to hold her own.  She still isn't back to her usual confident four-legged self, and probably never will be.  But she has improved to the point that, for instance, while still a bit hesitant, she can go up and down the stairs unassisted.  And she has an easier time getting up off the floor when she's lying down or sitting.  She still has trouble with non-carpeted areas, and occasionally slips when it's icy outside (but who doesn't?).  But overall she's doing much better and so we are working on reducing her prednisone dose a bit at a time to figure out the lowest amount that will still do her the most good.  She started on 40mg (20mg twice a day), she's down to 20mgs per day now (10 twice a day).  We will slowly try to get her down to 10mg a day and see if she doesn't go too far backwards.  


In the meantime she remains, as always, her happy self -- happier than a week ago because she's now allowed to take a short walk every day.  No overdoing it allowed, and she's always a bit disappointed when Bob turns for home much sooner than she's ready.  But she's happy for the 10 minutes around the block with her LabDaddy.  


On another note -- it's so freaking cold here.  It's only January 13 and I am already SO SICK of winter.  The snow.  The cold.  The gray skies.  Just blech.  This winter thing in Illinois blows. Perhaps I need to learn from Kayla how to make the best of things and be happy in any circumstance?  Yeah, probably.

Pawsitive Transformations

Pawsitive Transformations

The web site is up and running, and I am feeling very proud of myself! Bob is a great dog trainer, a natural, and he will handle all of those aspects of the business. As his partner I'll take care of much of the business side -- including getting the web site done. We worked with a wonderful designer, and chose a format that supposedly will enable me to do the updates, instead of paying someone. Tomorrow I get "trained" to do the updates and hopefully I will be able to figure it out without too much trouble.

We are very excited about this new endeavor, and will be counting on our friends to spread the word. If you know someone with a dog who would benefit from training, please pass Bob's info to them. Word of mouth is the best way to grow a new business.

The worst part of my job

Most of the time I love being a minister.  Tomorrow evening will be one of those times I do not.


In June 2007 I performed the wedding of a lovely young couple full of life and love and hope and promise.  It was a beautiful outdoor ceremony that included a horse-drawn carriage which took the bride and groom from the wedding site to the reception site.  It was magical, and was one of the reasons I love being a minister, sharing that kind of joy and love.


In October 2009 they gave birth to their first beautiful baby girl.  On December 21, 2010 they gave birth to their second beautiful baby girl, a winter solstice baby.  Tomorrow night I will try to help them say goodbye to their newest daughter in the NICU unit of a nearby hospital, after which they will be turning off life support.  Because I am unable to do the funeral for the baby on Saturday, they've asked me to do a prayer service/blessing for the baby with them and her aunts, uncles, and grandparents at the hospital.


Of course I said yes, but as the bride/mother sobbed on the phone with me tonight, I realized I have no idea what to say during the blessing of her daughter's very short life. One of the things she shared with me tonight was about their grief and sense of loss realizing that their two daughters, who they dreamed would grow up together as very close sisters, will not be realized.   How do I speak to that kind of grief?  Are there any words?


I hope something will come to me between now and then.  Right now, I'm just so sad for them all.

Ignore this post

Pawsitive Transformations

Bob Ryder, Trainer

All positive dog training in Bloomington IL, Normal IL, and McLean County IL

Positive reinforcement based dog training -- find out more at

http://www.pawstrans.com