Free At Last

I have spent the last sixteen months working my butt off. Manging two stores required six day work weeks most of the time The creative side of me shut down from worry and pure exhaustion. Now I'm taking back my life. I will once again have time to write and enjoy life.

Don't get me wrong? I enjoyed many thing about my job I met some wonderful people whom I will remember always. Had more clothes than I have ever in my life. When they only cost $1.50 a piece you feel you are not being wasteful.  Learned we throw out way too much stuff. Good stuff too, things still in package sometimes. Learned I could live on a lot less money and with a lot less things.

The time has come to move on. Where to go? What to do? That will be revealed in my future. For now I am semi retired.  I will travel for the summer and see what turns up.

Oh Where Oh Where Has my little Dog Gone

We are in the midst of moving. What a lot we have accumulated in two years. Many trips to the trash and Salvation Army have taken place. Last week I had a memorable trip that taught me a lesson. I piled stuff in the back of the truck and on the passenger seat. I decide to take Boss along so he hopped into his bed behing the drivers seat. We pulled up to the donation area and I jumped out the door as a man rolled a cart out to my truck. He pushed the cart up to  the passenger door and we unloaded the stuff. Leaving the door open we went around to the back to get items out of the camper shell. I shut both  doors thanked him and drove away. 

I decide to drive to a nearby town for lunch. They have the best steak fingers in this little local cafe there.
The drive was quite nice, snow is gone and things are greening up. The drive is about thirty miles and I took my time enjoying the scenery. Pulling up to the town park I decided, the responsible dog owner, to give Boss a walk before lunch. I jumped out of the truck and walked to the passenger door. "Boss let's go for a walk". No sound of jiggling chain. "Boss come on." I peered into the back No Boss. I quickly ran around to the drivers side threw open the door and folded back the seat. Frantically I lifted the sleeping bag and looked under it . No Boss!!

The only place I had stopped was the Salvation Arny so he must  have jumped out there. I drove "flew" back to town praying , hoping he would still be there and safe. It is downtown in a busy area. I pulled into the parking lot and rushed toward the employee who had helped me earlier. I barely got the words out "'have you seen" he added "a little grey dog. " Yes Yes" . "He was picked up by animal control about five minutes ago." 
I drove to the station a few blocks away and told them my story. The very nice dispatcher radioed the animal unit which had just arrived at the shelter. The officer had to come back to town anyway so she agreed  to bring Boss back to me. My baby arrived tugging on the lease, jumping on my lap and rubbing his nose on my feet. I explained what happened and she did not give me a ticket for animal at large, a $100 fine.  I was so glad my little darling was not lost.  I petted him all the way home. He now has a tag with his name, my name and phone number. Each time we stop I look behind the seat to make sure he is in his spot. If they made doggy car seats I would buckle him in;  the little escape artist.

Puppy Woes

Boss is not a happy camper right now. Monday he went to the groomer, he went from biker Dude to  Mr. Preppy. If you would like to see biker dude go here    When we got to the salon he sniffed at the door and then ran away. I had to tug and beg to get him to go through the door. He was very reluctant to enter the cage, so I had to shove him in. When I came back to pick him up he bolted out of there like a rabbit running from hound dogs. We got in the car and he put his head down on his paws. I told him he was a pretty boy and he looked at me with disdain and turned his head away. He was clearly pouting. All the way home he ignored my attempts to cajole him.   

The next day it snowed  several inches. My hairless baby was cold and unhappy. He shook his body trying to rid himself of the cold wet white stuff. Our trips outside were brief and he buried himself in the blankets when we came back in. The snow continued off and on all week. His looks seem to say why did you do this to me. He hasn't smiles in a week.  It is snowing again as I write. Don't see smiles in my near future.

If April showers bring May flowers, What does April snow bring?

We got hit again last night. Snow started falling around  5:00 by the time I went to bed we had about three  inches. Will this never end? I am so ready for spring!!

Snow Snow Snow

It started snowing about 2:00 a.m. this moring. Was still going srrong until about an hour ago. Boss wanted to go out. So I drug on my boots, coat, hat, and scarf. Geeze I thought spring started yesterday.  The snow was already beginning to melt. Sun shining brightly.

Boss couldn" t decide where to get off the sidewalk. The piles on either side of him were higher than he is. We went around the corner where the building blocks some ot the drifts. He finally found a place that looked promising. Boss plunged bravely through the white, wet, cold stuff that blocked his way. Poor guy he was up to his belly in this unwelcome mess. He couldn"t raise his leg enough to pee in a proper male doggy manner. He truged through the nasty stuff pulling on his lease to reach some bare ground  under the eves of the bulding. Ahh with solid ground under him he was able to do his business as a dignified canine should.

On the way back to our building he became intrested in some robins. A flock of these brave or hungry creatures were feasting on the fruit of a tree near our door. The fruit has been on since last summer and is shirvled with freezing and thawing, but I guess if you just flew in from Arizona expecting Spring and got hit with a 4" snow storm shirvled fruit would look pretty good. Such are the joys of spring in Montana.

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Where Will Paths Lead

My now former thrift store is going co-op. The staff will be running the store. That means I am out of a job. Sooo don't want to  leave Montana just when spring is arriving. I survived the cold only to go back to Arizona's hot summer. NOT !!
So I am going camping. Maybe it will lead to a new adventure. LOL.  History repeats itself.

White Buffalo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezNKgRbnVPY

Montana Winter Ain't Over Yet

Old Man Winter beat Jack Frost to the punch and dumped a ton of snow on September 29th. Instead of falls glory of colors we were treated to dull grey brown leaves. The tree branches broke from the heavy wet snow. Winter was here and we had to learn to cope. The snow continued and the ground remained covered with its white blanket.  We fell into the rhythm of  a Montana winter. Dressing for outdoors included hat, scarf, coat and boots, no running to the mail box in your house coat. Going anywhere was a whole new ritual. After bunndling up, the car  had to be started, the snow brushed off and then the windows and mirrors scraped.. Driving slowly became  necessary.  These extra chores had to be considred when timing you arrival at work.

Walking Boss took on a new routine, The paths we had enjoyed in the summer disappeared and the creek froze over.  Our walks were around the apartment building sidewalks which by law had to be shoveled. Here you can be fined if you do not shovel the snow from your home or business sidewalks. When we came in from outdoors my baby had to be toweled dry, his paws pressed into warm water to help melt the snow . He did not like the water dip so I just rubbed his paws with a towel to remove the snow.

As the days shortened and the temperatures dropped I was not anxious to go out at 6:30  for his morning walk. I bought doggy potty pads and put them in the corner. My little man was to well trained, he knew he did not go in the house so he would sit by the bed and yawn or shake his collar. If I did not respond he jumped on the bed and stuck his nose in my face.  I gave up and resigned myself to walks in the dark with temps in the teens or worse.

That started  eight months ago, I would like to say it's over for a few months. Not!!! We woke up to three inches of snow this morning.  Life in Montana will either kill you or make you stronger. Scene from my balcony.