Today we had to put Missy (Mischief) down. She was a "used" dog when we acquired her in late September of 2001. She immediately bonded with Sampson as his protector against Princes rambuntiousness and became friendly rivals with Prince. she was a dog eager to please, alway happy (unless she thought you were displeased with her), and fearfull of so many things. Hoses were scary, new people, or even people she didn't see often created a submissive response. all of her neuroses were obtained from her former owner. It took years, but she blossomed.
She wasn't an overly confident dog, but eventually we didn't have to have her greet people on the deck so she didn't mess up the house. She was a great girl and I will miss her sunny disposition.
It has been a hard 4 weeks - an aunt and two pets have died. And husband is lost. My family is shrinking too fast. It was an honor to help Missy find some confidence and lots of joy. As tribute, here is my favorite photo of her.
Wish I could go back to June 15 - when all was right with my world, Shadow was still alive, aunt still alive, and family life happy (at least as far as I knew). Alas, there is no time machine, so I must deal with this the best I can.
Until I have something happy to post - or at least something that isn't unhappy, I dont think I will be on my blog. Don't want it to go all down in the dumps. I will still be on FB - probably not doing much, but liking things that friends and family are doing anyway.
Could I change my minds next week? Absolutely, but don't count on it.
Yesterday while WS was at work, I had a project to finish up that had been started last weekend. Our cook stove was looking quite used. The cook top very scratched up from scrubbing and had two big dents on the stovetop (1 that was put there during the install). The dents were so severe that the enamel had cracked and flaked off, showing the black primer underneath. The burners themselves, made from aluminum, were quite corroded from different cleaning products, so those needed replaced too. Also, what started the whole project, was the trim piece below the oven door had rusted badly.
The interwebz is a grand place to find replacement parts for fairly cheap. Instead of having to go back to where we bought the Kenmore stove (hint), and pay their prices, all I had to do was look upn the manufacturer's part number and order from discount a site. I haven't had any experience so far with such sites, but picke eAsyApplianceParts - and was very happy with my choice. I ordered parts on the 4th of July, they shipped the next day, and on Saturday everything was sitting on the porch - all for one low shipping rate.
Once the parts arrived, I started working (remember, this was last Saturday). I got the door trim off without any trouble - unless you count the fact that the trim, the side pieces, and ghe glass front all came flying off when I remeoved the last of the three scews holding on the trim piece. I was lucky that nothing broke, but it took probably an hour of fiddling around beofre I figured out the secret of getting everything back together again. I wish I had taken before pictures, but at least I got pics of the old, rusty trim piece.
The trim piece is from the split between the upper oven door and the warmer tray. Believe me when I say that it looks 1000% better!
The I couldn't figure out how to get the stove top off to replace it. I had unscrewed the sealed burners (mostly anyway - some screws were so bad that I decided to wait for WS to help with those), but was getting nowhere with the stove top. Besides, it was hot and sticky so I decided to go for a ride.
Sunday, WS worked magic and got the rest of the burner screws out. Then we got the stove top off and found that we needed to replace a few internal parts as well. So, I ordered those and they came in during the week.
So, that is why I was finishing the repairs yesterday. I got the internal parts replaced, put on the new cook top, repositioned the burners and screwd them on (that was the time-consuming part as everything below "floats" so getting them positioned to be screwed in was a pain). And Viola - it's a pristine cook top again.
Next project - cleaning out the den and getting rid of all the books that I will never read again. Don't worry, that should leave me with severaql hundred books that I will actually use/read again.
We have had a tame rabbit visiting us in the early mornings. We usually scare him off when someone has been leaving for work - as the sky is lightening. We don't know whos rabbit it is, but have informed the neighbors in case they knwo who it belongs to. It could be one of the country "drop offs", where someone who can no longer care for the animal drops it off hoping it makes its own way in the world (or someone takes care of it). Or it could be an excapee who, like others before it, somehow makes a beline for our house.
Friday when I rode into the yard to get the bike to the shed, I was starteled to see the rabbit on the rock in front of the steps to the porch. I was evidently interupting its sunning, and it took off to behind the steps. I figured it would be gone by the time I got the bike turned around and backed up to the shed, removed all my stuff from my saddlebags, and made my way to the front door. I figured wrong.
The rabbit had already recommenced his sunning, and rolling on the rock. Fuzzy had come running from the back yard, and followed me thru the gate only to get an eyefull.
As I got to the steps, I found Tory waiting - and he was just plain unconcerned, which was kind of strange because usually he doesn't react well to new situations or animals invading his yard.In the picture it looks like his back is arched - but he was just rubbing the post waiting for me to let him in.
The rabbit had hidden behind the rocker when I got too close. I opened the door and expected Fuzzy to run right in (it was, after all canned food time, and Fuzzy just doesn't miss that), but found he had decided to confront this interloper - or perhaps it was a large dinner just waiting to happen.
Instead of being scared and acting like prey, the rabbit came out and stared at Fuzzy. That was too much for the cat, so he decided he had to go sniff it.
Since it didn't smell like cat (so Fuzzy was unconcerned about his territory), and it didn't act like prey, Fuzzy was just plain dumfounded as to what his response should be. Then the rabbit decided it would be fun to run laps around Fuzzy.
This seemed to concern him and after about 30 seconds of that, Fuzzy decided the canned food was definitely calling his name.
Haven't seen the rabbit since then, but I'm sure he'll be back.
New England Dragway has held drag races in Epping, NH for many years (as long as we have been here). We went to them once long ago, but these were the up and comers racing - not the big names. Nothing wrong with that, but we have always wanted to see the big names that we see on TV. You know, John Force, Robert Hight, Cruz Pedregon, Antron Brown etc.
This year, the Dragway had been upgraded to accommodate NHRA top legue racing, and of course we had to go! This track upgraded from holding a couple of thousand people, to selling 20,000 tickets to this event (plus over 10,000 for the qualifying runs on Friday and Saturday).
We were impressed once we got in the gates. All tickets got you access to the pits - which were right behind the grandstands. A lot of tracks have the pits seperate and you have to have pit passes (much like Sprint Car racing). Since we got there an hour before the final qualifying started, we took advantage to see some of our favorite drivers' rides and crews.
Naturally John Force and his whole slew of drivers were highlighted at the front. We got to see John Force, Courtney Force and Robert Height funny cars on display (I assume these are former cars, or back up cars).
The insides of a funny car are very tight for the driver
There were dragsters - which are the fastest of the cars, doing 1/4 mile in under 4 seconds and their motor is at the back of the car instead of under the hood.
There were drivers like Antron Brown signing autographs and taking pictures with their fans
Then the races started and that is when the fun begins. The started with eliminations for dragsters. The stands shake as the cars flash from the start line (we were about 2/3 of the way down the track) and the deep rumble can be felt thru your body as the cars get closer. Then as they go by, there is a rush of air as the cars puch their way down to the finish line.
The pre race burn outs creat quite the show themselves with the roil of smoke that comes up from the tires.
Motorcycle racing is quite exciting too - I can't imagine going 180-200 MPH, much less doing it in a 1/4 mile!
And the culmination of the day was that for the first time, John Force and his daughter Courtney Force, faced each other in the finals for funny cars. It was about the best outcome that anyone there could think of and they gave us quite the show as neck and neck they came barreling down the speedway in about 4 seconds. You can hear Jimmy yelling at the end of the race:
A great day of racing in New Hampshire - can't wait to go again next year!
I have been waiting for almost 2 weeks for the 3rd shoe to drop. Bad things happen in 3's, or so we are told. With a death in the family and the passing of my beloved Shadow, I was waiting for #3. Yesterday, that shoe dropped.
No, you have no idea what I'm talking about. No, I won't explain now, if ever.
I hope you have a much better week than I will have.
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