A Different Life II

[Lily&Me]

It does, doesn't it?


Maggie

[xrvr]

My wife brushes our dogs teeth every morning.

[Lily&Me]

The brass house numbers on the little house...put up by Doug and I many years ago ...have tarnished to the point that they are difficult to read from the street by delivery folks, so I ordered my numbers in this to replace them.

Kind of goes with my shell-and-beach-rock theme going on...creating a space at home that reminds me of another beloved place...Edisto, of course.

[Lily&Me]

And this to re-coat my mailbox affixed by the front door...

[Lily&Me]

I predict Lily will spend much of today just like this ...

[ColoradoLady]

A good morning, Maggie! Yesterday certainly was a good day .... Full of accomplishments. A well cared for Lily, new SUV in the driveway, roses on towels, new house numbers ordered....great! We need to see photos of your new SUV in your driveway! Have a wonderful day!

[Lily&Me]

Hi Evelyn, and thanks.

Lily seems back to her old self as of this morning, which is a relief. It really wasn't that bad.

Spring is always an energizing time for me....and much easier to knock off tasks on my to-do list with a vehicle again, tho being without anything but the Interstate for nine months was good for me.

Met my new accountant this morning, who reminds me very much of Jane , and got the taxes in motion, shipped a box of things off to darling daughter, and picked up floor mats for the new car...got to keep things clean, you know, and we have had lots of rain.

Tomorrow...I intend to go nowhere.

Going to take a little road trip to Iowa beginning Thursday, in the new car ..visit the cemetery, research up there a new graveside planting to replace the rose bush that died, and spend Thursday night in one of the local motels in Washington.

Some errands on Friday, granddaughter after school and then that night at their place.

Weather is good, and I'm up for something different.

Maggie

[Jim Flower]

Hello Maggie, this is Markham Park near Fort Lauderdale. I posted here because the park has a really social area where dogs are playing from sunrise to sunset. I thought Lily may be interested. There is great cycling available as well. Off behind my Airstream is a levee separating the park from the Everglades. Perfect weather now although we will have to head north soon in order to get to a climate that does not promote snoozing. Jim

[Lily&Me]

That looks beautiful, Jim!

Since I have been working with...scolding, actually ...Lily, for her other-dog aggression, she has stopped playing with other dogs. Dog parks mean nothing to her these days.

She seems not to know how to interact if she can't first snap, snarl and show them she's boss. Other dogs get her, not always their owners, so I stand over her and say NO when she meets other dogs and starts to show her teeth ....which she then applies to all interactions.

Hope you have had a nice winter, and that you have a safe trip home.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

While I appreciate the efforts that gainfully employed, English-as-a-second-language folks make to communicate with English-only-with-a-few-words-of-Spanish-and-German folks like me, it is extremely frustrating to try to resolve a technical issue when the accents are so thick you cannot understand the person you have reached in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, or wherever.

Not only are the accents thick, they often speak so quickly that it is doubly difficult to interpret what is being said.

One-and-one-half hours on the phone this morning, with several different people, easily 25% of that having things repeated to me, and more slowly. Yikes.

And while I am feeling a bit foul and negative, I have now watched 3 or 4 times the two minute TSA pat-down of the young boy, whose mother had said had a sensory input problem that could make touching very difficult.

Some areas patted down FOUR...TIMES, and the waistband of this boys shorts pulled open. What!!??

I don't care if it was "within established procedures", it was excessive, unnecessary, and abusive in my opinion, and to a child known to have special needs.

I mean, really.

"Wherever there is power, there will be abuse of it", as the man said. He so knew that of which he spoke.

Small rant over.


House is tidied and things readied to leave for Iowa tomorrow, in the new car ....will let it stretch its legs a bit, and I will enjoy driving something different.

I refuse to leave the house today, having run the past four consecutive.

It has seemed a bit of a breakneck pace, I who is more than a little spoiled in retirement by not having a breakneck pace.

I found this on the clearance rack at Tuesday Morning the other day....hand blown, "olive etched". Now, is that not lovely?

It makes me smile just to look at and hold it.

My evening-drink-of-whatever goblet.

Maggie

[DIR1]

It sure is lovely... you seem to manage finding great stuff in those places... and tomorrow!! another road trip!! I'm ready!! Hugs and loves and pats and keep having fun!!!

[Lily&Me]

Always lovely things, which is why I let myself go in these places only about once a month.

However, with nieces and nephews setting up their own apartments, there is a good place to recycle perfectly good and usable home goods when I find an inexpensive something I consider an "upgrade".

There was, of course, an extended period in my life when if I had spare change left in my wallet at payday it was a good day...so why not indulge myself a little now.

I've earned it...successfully raised two kids, almost entirely by myself, paid my bills. Ya know?

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Lily was up seemingly all night long....pacing, on and off the bed, up next to me, moving away, etc., due to storms passing thru of varying strengths.

I'm too old to be up all night.


This alligator visited a golf course on Kiawah Island, SC, yesterday...Kiawah being the home of beautiful Beachwalker Park, where the dogs are allowed to run off season. Yikes.

[mimiandrews]

This alligator visited a golf course on Kiawah Island, SC, yesterday...Kiawah being the home of beautiful Beachwalker Park, where the dogs are allowed to run off season. Yikes.

An ancient creature. His species was there first. Golfers and dog owners beware!

[Rocinante]

I wonder whether the 'gator got a Birdie or an Eagle on that hole.

[ColoradoLady]

Good day, Maggie! You hit the nail on target with your frustrating "rant"! When I try to call for customer service and get locked in to that...."off shore language problem," I say thank you, I'll call back... Until I get someone in the USA! I prefer to not put myself through that. I have found that when the language is such a problem, the resolve of whatever issue I am calling about....is rarely resolved. ( due to their translation ability)!

I was appalled that the child was put through such a personal space invasion. Nothing can excuse such behavior! TSA is sorely in need of a revision! IMO!

Your lovely glass is a nice find. Enjoy.

I called Comcast to ask for help in connection problems with my cable box, which I've had for some years...ended up scheduling a tech to come today and install the new Xfinity system throughout, including "all the latest features" as well as new upgrade Internet and all new cable boxes. Objective: an upgraded fully functional Xfinity 1 system. When they sent me an email of what they were bringing...it was all wrong, so I called into request a correction. Since they have no way to communicate with the tech, I'll need to ask for correct items when he gets here, and monitor each install, to be sure I get what I asked for! And this was all with English speaking customer service folks! Imagine what it would be like for an "off shore" agent! Crazy!

Enjoy your road trip in that pretty purple SUV!

[Lily&Me]

It rained all night last night, and on us all day today in varying degrees...tho had stopped to a fine mist by the time we got to Washington so that I could get into the cemetery.

The Grace Hill Moravian Church is sporting a fresh coat of white paint, and looks nicely spruced up..I wonder if there is going to be a Spring wedding, or maybe it was just time.

Just as well I didn't bring the Interstate, as the ground is so soaked that the weight of that would have likely been a problem.

The new car has now been baptized with the mud of Iowa country roads....covered.

A couple of new graves in the vicinity of Doug's, one of them I believe is a favorite Uncle a bit older than he....new headstone for he and his wife is the same rosy red granite of Doug's and his parents.

I like that, and know that Doug would like it, too...the Hayes family in the same area, and with similar headstones.

It's nice that this lovely, and very old, hilltop country cemetery is still in use.

We are tired, after a mostly sleepless night and 5 hours on the road.

I forgot to bring a wine or Prosecco, but do have my current prayer shawl to work on and unwind with...not quite as good.

Lily has eaten and is crashed on the bed.


Maggie

[skitique]

Hi Maggie
Hope you Lily have a good day today. I too still have not done my own taxes. [emoji15]. Hopefully this weekend though. Trying to find a close campground to home we can go to over Easter. Am afraid I have waited so late nothing may be available.

Jane

[Lily&Me]

Hi Jane, and happy campground hunting.

This is one of those older motels, all ground floor with the doors leading directly outside....very handy for pet owners, but Lily has found the noises from the outside a bit distracting.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

We got a rather slow start this morning, then I treated myself to a real breakfast at the family restaurant in Kalona...taking a scrambled egg out to Lily.

Doug and I used to take his Mother there for dinner when we visited, then I took her myself a few times.

Good food, reasonably priced.

Then of course, stopped at the Amish grocery on the way to Iowa City.

What a great place for all things baking...I am now stocked up on flours, yeast, dried fruits, oatmeal, etc.

If you've never been in one of these....

Picking up sweet granddaughter at school in a bit, and we're going to do a little summer clothes shopping til her parents are off of work.

Looking forward to seeing this crew.

Maggie