Boing!

Just as I was rolling up on the dog daycare this morning and listening to my voicemail, I got to the message from the daycare operator that she can't take Hagen anymore because he's not neutered.

( the BALLS of some people, er, dogs )

Our vet is opening up a daycare soon, and there's at least one more near my office. I just hope someone will agree to take my boy, so he has a place to go and run off energy or not be crated if we're gone all day.

Life down here in Chestertucky remains happily busy. Dana's up in DC for a couple days on business, I'm eating ice cream, and Hagen is sleeping on the floor next to me.

Every week at work brings a new and different challenge -- building new apps, fixing old ones, adapting yet others -- and there seems to be no shortage of future projects. I haven't yet decided what I'm going to do with my old company when they ask me about the industry report; I'm really leaning towards telling them that I'm sorry but I can't do it. I *could* find the time, but it would mean giving up all my weekend/evening time for at least a couple of weeks, and frankly I prefer entering sweeps. :) Plus, since there's really no on-going business with them, there's no need for me to keep funneling money through my "consulting company," although having done so last year meant that we avoided nearly all taxes associated with the work I did for them after they let me go.

Dana's running for the weekend operations officer position at the squad. He would be great at it, and there are two other people running for it who will likely split the vote. We're both at the point where we'll do stuff to help the squad, but we're not going to kill ourselves to convince them why it's a good idea.

We're heading to Vegas over Easter weekend (bad planning on our part; was a convenient weekend work-wise, and we didn't think to look at the calendar to determine why) for the Canyon River sweepstakes trip. Two spa visits each, a room at the Venetian, and the excellent cigar store (and other shopping) right across the street. Today I booked tickets to see Penn & Teller at the Rio on Sunday night; Dana's never seen them, and I saw them at the National Theatre back in the early 90s.

Um. What else? I'm growing out my hair (again), which is now my natural color (again), which is (sadly) more grey than I recall. There are 18 "trees" in the garage awaiting a time when I can plant them, and then I have to trim back all the dead growth on the catmint and give everything a good fertilizing. I'm contemplating taking up quilting, under the gentle nudgitude of ladylyonesse. I have either a cold or allergies, which involves a lot of sniffling and the occasional tease of a sneeze that may or may not manifest. And I'm still plugging away at the 25 x 25 sudokus.

It's been a coon's age since I updated -- and while I haven't been running around like a lunatic the whole time, I'm generally tired when I get home. :(

The big news is that Hagen came home on Thursday! He seems to have weathered the flight in grand form, and is currently sacked out on the floor next to me. He is still stinky, still a gigantic goober, and still gets remarkably upset if we sing the "doggie butt" song to him.

Work continues to go well. I'm a little concerned that there's an ice storm tonight and I don't know if I'm supposed to go in or not, but I figure I'll show up anyway and in the worst case I'll just look dedicated.

We got one of the TempurPedic mattresses, which I've taken to quite well, and now I'm all achy when I sleep on anything else (like the horrid $99 specials we have at the squad).

And now...I enter sweeps. Because I haven't in a long while. :)

It occurs to me that I haven't updated in a coon's age, so here goes.

The new job is going well -- they like my work, I like having something to think about for a change, Dana and I can carpool most mornings and get together for lunch. Getting used to being out of the house for 10+ hours a day is taking some getting used to, though. I'm trying to start a load of laundry every morning so it just needs to be dried and put away when we get home at night.

We found a marvelous butcher AND a store that specializes in fresh pasta, so we're feeling a lot happier on the food front. The pasta place isn't the most convenient place in the world, but it's a damn sight better than buying up at Dean and Deluca in DC and schlepping it home.

Haven't heard anything about Hagen in a bit. I emailed Conny last week to see how he was doing, and whether she would be having a birthday party for him with a silly hat next month. :) I miss my big black nose.

I'm writing this from the rescue squad. Dana and I pulled duty Wednesday night and Thanksgiving day, plus our normal Friday night shift, and we're staying over until 5pm today. He's outside with his rescue team, going over what is on the truck and what should be on the truck and where, and putting things under the dumpster to make it lean, and fun things like that. *I* am entering sweepstakes and staying inside where it's warm. Tomorrow, I want to sleep in. :) But I must finish decorating for Christmas and cleaning -- yesterday I got most of the tree up and situated, so now it wants trimming and the house decorations scattered appropriately.

The Symphony Chorus is coming up on a big performance weekend next week. We'll do Handel's Messiah on Friday and Monday nights, and then a Christmas pops concert on the Saturday inbetween. The symphony conductor is sidelined with a detached retina until at least January, so we have no idea who will be conducting. It could be a different person for each concert -- should be exciting.

Sweeps-wise, I haven't won a thing all month. I got a coupon for a free Armor All product yesterday, but I won that back in September. I haven't had a lot of time to enter them, but I would have thought that the wins would trickle off over the next couple months, rather than precipitously. Perhaps it just means that I'm due for something nice. ;)

Tonight is my 20th HS reunion, which I will not be attending (as it's in Bethesda and I am here). I didn't mind missing it in the least, but last night I got an email from my tennis partner/gym buddy, who is going and pretty much only wanted to see me. It was lovely to hear from her, and I'm looking forward to catching up.

I think that's all I've got. I'm reading some of you on a regular basis, and the rest of you when I can, but if there's something you desperately want to talk about, drop me an email at my normal address. Love love love.

Got an email today from Hagen's trainer: "Dem kleinen geht es gut. Er ist fleißig am üben und lernt gut. Wir haben am Sonntag Fotos gemacht sobald ich diese habe schicke ich sie Dir."

(which translates roughly as “The little one is well. He loves to practice and learns well. We took photos on Sunday and as soon as I have them developed I will send them to you.”)

I MISS MAH PUPPAH!

As dfilove posted, Burgermeister Hagen vom Dogsylvania is in Germany. We got an email this morning saying he sends his best regards, and is lying at Conny's feet recuperating from his trip.

( many peectures! )

dfilove posted about his adventures this weekend here. It's an infinitesimal chance that he's been infected, but we're jumping through all the requisite testing hoops. We had to go to the hospital after our 24 hour shift and talk to the doctors and he had blood drawn...yaddayadda 4 hours later, we were allowed to leave. In that time, we had a pizza, chatted with many nurses, and picked up some cold or something.

The test results still aren't back, and he's still got to sign another release for our doctor to get the results in the first place, so we should know tomorrow.

Also up tomorrow -- Dog on a Plane. But I know that Samuel L. Jackson would be HAPPY to have this dog on his motherfuckin' plane, and the fine folks at Lufthansa have verified that all our paperwork is in order. It's raining out now, making a nice long walk a little uncomfortable, so I'm hoping we can get out later.

Tonight...Dana asks the squad membership to approve a big ol' budget for rescue operations, while I meet 80 singers and slog through some Beethoven. Good times, I tell you.

Our power has been sporadic this morning, which called into clarity that we have no battery-operated AM/FM radio at the house. ::adding to list:: It's on at the moment, but who knows what the next few minutes could bring?

Hagen has been very cute. He was adamant about not going out the backdoor to pee, because it was raining out there. He was bewildered to find the same situation at the front door. Poor puppy is going to have a rough couple of days!

Our regular duty shift is tonight from 6pm to 6am, but we're going to try to get there early, and we're pulling through until 6pm tomorrow night. I should probably pack some extra uniform pieces in case I get too sodden -- can throw the wet ones in the dryer while we're out on another call.

Everyone -- PLEASE be safe this weekend, whether you're facing weather, travel, or just the holiday.

Dana and I spent the morning with Hagen at the vet for the final check-up. The USDA requires an examination within 10 days of travel, so we've crossed all the Ts and dotted the Is. I think I'll write a letter to stick in with his paperwork that indicates that any reference to "Hagen Love" is the same dog as "Yoschi vom Dreisbachtal," just to be on the safe side. We should get the certificate back from the USDA by Friday, and then we drive up to Dulles next Wednesday and send him off.

It's unnerving, sending off our boy. And I will miss him terribly. But Conny (his original breeder) is delighted to be getting to train him, and she's great about answering emails, so hopefully we'll have frequent progress reports, and maybe some photos.

I had a friend who ate half a lemon every morning on the theory that nothing worse would happen to him for the rest of the day.

I shall try to accept Hagen's gift of his breakfast in the middle of the dining room and then while walking across the living room rug in the same spirit. At least I get to try out my new steam cleaner, right? Poor puky puppy.

Of course, today my client decided to want All The Analysis in the World, so it will have to wait a little longer. Meanwhile, I churn through laundry in an attempt to catch up from yesterday's DC jaunt and Monday's post-shift grogginess.