Labradoris

You know, it's funny.  Just as sometimes my ovaries mysteriously and with no apparent warning sing out, "MUST HAVE KIDS.  SOON!" I experience the same thing with my brain when I see puppies, especially Lab puppies.  I don't think you can get any cuter than Lab puppies.  I know I'm so very biased, and I fully admit it.  There's a big temptation in me to want just.one.more, perhaps a yellow, to round out the furkids.  But!  And this is a big but!, not unlike my own, we don't know what the living situation will be in the next year.  Have no clue.  Both Joel and I are coming on to the job market, and we are looking internationally as well.  Some international appointments have restrictions on how many dogs you can have, so that is a current deterrent. 
Alas, I will have to deal with the mental anguish of not having another for a while, and love what I have.  And boy, do I love them.  =)

Oh my gosh, where did I go?  What happened?  What's my name?

Florida was a blast, lots of great food and I had the opportunity to roller coaster my brains out.  Quality hot tub time, too, at a near-empty resort.  Fantastic!

We arrived back Saturday night without much fanfare, and fell right back into our respective routines.

This week, I've added the final fifth member to my dissertation committee.  I'm also very busy writing up a grant proposal for my dissertation funding.  In fact, I'd say I'm writing at a break-neck pace, which means that every time I look at this blog address, I get little shivers because I know I'm sooooo neglecting this space!  I will try and provide lots of updates during the next week about all the stories I can share with you!

We decided to take advantage of the day and take the dogs out hiking this afternoon.  Unfortunately, everyone and their brother decided the same thing (sans dogs).  A secluded hiking area we normally frequent was packed!  We decided instead to pull off the side of the road and play fetch in a field.  It was very leisurely and we had a nice time stretching out onto the grass with nothing but sunshine and warm air around us. 

Later, some Frisbee enthusiasts joined us in the field, and although the dogs were especially interested in chasing their Frisbee, we managed to keep them by us.  They did a very good job at minding.

Tonight we are  headed to a middle eastern dance celebration that my friend is involved in.  Should be quite the show.  As a student even, I paid $8 for pre-tickets so I'm expecting a lot!  I love dance.

Off to Florida next week, so don't expect too much in the way of posting...

Trooper (left) 9 months / Cosette (right) 2.5 years

Guess what we did for our Halloween 2009 party? 

We built a haunted house!

You know what I did this morning?  I took some blogs off my blog roll because I was tired of reading the whining.  Some blogs dip into whining, and that's fine, I do it too.  But there are some blogs that are just. so. whiny.!  I have enough people in my life (work) who whine, why would I want to voluntarily read that crap?!  No thanks.  And now, I am no longer bothered.  Also, sidenote:  I'm not one of those fervent readers who bothers to send a nasty note to the blog owner.  I just stop reading.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, yesterday Trooper did something really cute.  I had a pile of laundry-esque stuff that was sitting in a corner of my office (a blanket, a discarded bed pillow, and a large sweater - some needed to be laundered, some needed to be thrown away), and Trooper wandered in with all his Troopiness, bone in his mouth, took a look around, and walked over to the pile.  Well, it was more of a couple of bounces, but you know.  So he plants himself right on top of everything that shouldn't have been on the floor anyway, and decides that, well, it's unattended, so therefore it must be his so he might as well just....slide....right....on....down.  He lays there nonchalantly, chewing on his bone, a look of distant satisfaction in his eyes.

And suddenly, I wanted to be him, but instead of being him, I am resolving today to ease up wherever I'm at.  In a rush?  Ease up.  Organizing papers?  Ease up.  Need to take a break from work?  Ease up and write a blog entry.  Make whatever I'm doing a more comfortable feeling. 

Now, off to write a statistical methods section...ahhhh.  :)

I attended a mandatory meeting this morning on campus, and then came home to rest some more.  I don't feel awful, but I certainly don't feel productive or awesome.  I was feeling better this morning but right now I think a nap sounds pretty good. 

Yesterday the dogs were SO SORE from doggy daycare.  I think they ran them hard out there, playing fetch with different toys for hours on end.  I'm glad they had a chance to really stretch their legs.  My schedule right now is not permitting a lot of one-on-one quality attention.  It was funny to watch them around the house yesterday; they took everything very slowly and played gently with each other.  It was like I had two different dogs in the house.  Today they are back to normal.  I am planning on taking them out there at least once a week (much more than that is too expensive - for a full day for both it is $28) just so they can get lots and lots of exercise.

Back to the regularly scheduled...nap.

Staying home today was a great decision.  I woke up with a massive headcold this morning.  I canceled my class this morning (11 a.m.) and am now at home, incubating in my own mental stuffiness and sinus drama.  I mainly did not want to infect anyone else.

Today I will work on a manuscript, finish grading a homework assignment, clean the house, walk the dogs, and rest rest rest in between all of those.  Here's to being healthy and well -- may all of you be in good health today; and if not, I wish you well.