Crash went to the vet yesterday and got some little pills, and now we don't have anymore puddles around the house. Seems like the poor thing has an overactive bladder or something. We need to have other tests done to make sure it isn't something else, but we're pretty positive. The vet mentioned one thing she wanted to test for, but Crash only has ONE of the other symptoms (drinking a lot of water), so I'm not so sure. It has been awfully hot, lately, and she was sorta... umm... leaking.
Anyway, she's just as cute as ever, and LOVES the kids. She's doing great.
The new dog, Ash, now has a new nick-name. We've taken to calling her "Crash" instead. When she gets excited, she wags her tail so hard that she runs into things. She is really quite adorable, and stealing the hearts of everyone in the house.
So far we've had two minor accidents. We are still learning her signals for wanting to go outside. Unfortunately, one of these accidents somehow managed to short out the phone line! (I have no idea, don't even ask.)
So I spent part of the afternoon tracing back phone lines and disconnecting them at the outside box until I found the one that wasn't working. It is disconnected for now until I can figure out how to fix it. But luckily, it is no longer shorting out all of the phones.
On July 30, S and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. Yesterday, August 1st, S and I celebrated 12 years together. We've had a lovely anniversary weekend, including some wonderful restaurants, a party at the CSPC, a bit of gambling at the casino, and of course, plenty of cuddling and smooching and sexiness. I have a bouquet of the most gorgeous flowers in my living room, pink roses and lilies in a spectacular arrangement. I got S a simple leather bracelet with a silver plate (yet to be engraved) and a nice linen shirt. Pretty simple gifts this year.
Our other Anniversary present, sort of a joint gift for both of us, really, is a new dog. We are now the proud parents of a 6 year old weimaraner shar pei (fondly referred to as the "wei-pei"). Her name is Ash, and her former owner was moving and could not take her along. She is VERY sweet, relatively obedient, generally well behaved, and is getting to know our other dogs pretty well. The other dogs, a Belgian Malinois and a short haired Border Collie, are getting used to having another dog in the house, but they seem to be getting along nicely. It's a bit interesting having three medium to large dogs in the house, but we are learning how to stay out of each other's way.
In addition to our anniversary , there is another holiday here in Seattle this weekend. It's Seafair weekend. The final performance of the Blue Angels just ended, the hydros are racing, and our end of town is buzzing with people.
Overall it's been a really great weekend, to celebrate another year of our relationship.
I know I don't post on here much, and I don't respond to friends' posts very often, but I want you all to know that I do think of you often. I get on LJ when I have the chance, and I look to see what's going on with all of you. When prayers/thoughts are requested, they are always sent. When good things come your way, you have all my good wishes. When life gives you lemons, I'm standing by with ice and sugar for some superior lemonade.
Please always know that I am thinking of you and hoping for the best in your lives. Many of you have meant a great deal to me over the years and hold a special place in my heart.
Special Recognition: Senior Torch Society (3.2 Cumulative Grade Point Average) Washington State Honors Awards (Top 10% in Washington State based on cumulative GPA and SAT scores) International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidate Award for Educational Excellence (Based on 3.5 Cumulatuve GPA) Robert Jackson Block Award for Drama
Right now, the girls' high school is doing a production of Thoroughly Modern Millie. My oldest daughter, Bre, is the assistant director for the production, and also has a speaking & dancing role (Ruth) and a tap-dancing role (one of the typists in the office pool). She is also the understudy for 2 other parts (Millie and Dorothy I think). My youngest daughter, Mel, has a small speaking role (Muzzy's maid).
I went to go see the play on opening night. While I was not entirely thrilled with it overall, I thought Bre and Mel both did well. I DID particularly love the tap-dancing scenes, and several of the actors and actresses actually impressed me with their singing. Basically, I thought the play was a bit over the heads of the students at this skill level. But, in terms of a high school performance, it was okay. Of course, I clapped and cheered for my kids, because I am always proud of my kids. They always do their best and give it their all. It was clear that all of the students had put great effort into this production, from creating the sets to learning how to tapdance while sitting down!
Yesterday, before the production, there was a flurry of emails, text messages and phone calls to alert everyone that one of the actresses was ill. She plays a relatively significant role, and has no understudy. She had a sore throat and a high fever and would not be able to perform last night. (the girl plays the part of Muzzy Van Hossmere)
As we were eating dinner before the girls left for the show, we all asked Bre if she thought she would be playing the part. She said she knew the songs, but she wasn't sure.
When the girls got to the school, the director/instructor, Mrs. O had all of the girl's costumes laid out and Bre knew for sure that the girl wasn't coming. Mrs. O told Bre that she had spoken to the other instructor and they had decided they were going to cut at least one of the songs and one of the chorus members could play the role, if anyone knew the lines.
So Bre says... "umm... I know the songs, and most of the lines."
Apparently there was some hesitation because Bre already had a role, and was the understudy for 2 other parts, but she knew the songs and the lines, so Mrs. O gave her a shot. Interestingly enough, the girls costumes all fit Bre perfectly, including the specially found bright gold high heeled shoes. So, Bre got into the costume and did one of the songs, and the teachers decided to let her play the part. They didn't have to cut either of the songs or any of the lines. Bre may not have known all of the lines, but she could get through it just fine.
Unfortunately, I got one phone call while all of this was happening, saying that Bre was auditioning for the role. I got another one 5 minutes after the show was supposed to start asking me if I was coming to see Bre as Muzzy. Obviously, it was too late for me to go to the show.
A few hours later I got a call from Bre, so excited that she was practically out of breath. She had done the performance, had done well enough for her to be proud of herself (which is saying something, because she's rather hard on herself), and had a wonderful time. She had apparently been so nervous she thought she would cry, but went out onto stage, improvised the lines she couldn't remember, and got help from every one of the other cast members along the way.
Today I sent out an email asking if anyone had videotaped the show and I got several responses telling me that she had done very well. One person said she doubted there would have been a show at all had it not been for Bre's quick thinking. And one person did indeed tape the show, so I will soon be able to see for myself how well she did.
I'm so proud of her. She really stepped up and took ownership in this situation. She did not just let it pass her by. She was so brave!
Bre has decided to attend Willamette University, in Salem, Oregon. We signed all of the paperwork and sent it in on time. She just got her housing forms. She got a very nice offer from Willamette, in terms of scholarships and financial aid. She will end up with some loans every year, but not a huge amount. We're still not sure where she/we are going to come up with the money needed to fill the gap between scholarships/financial aid and the total cost. It's about $7,000 per year. Her dad has said that he will come up with it, but I'm not sure how much stock to put in that just yet. He has a long history of making promises he can't keep. If all else fails, she will have to take out a private loan, or I will have to take out a parent loan or something. I don't see how that's really feasible with two other kids approaching college very soon, but, as usual, we will do what we have to do.
I've been meaning to post this photo since I got it at Christmas. In the back is Bre, age 17 at the time (now 18), and Jordan, age 20. Infront is Ren in red, age 16 (17 this month), and Mel, age 14. This photo was my Christmas gift. Mel organized the whole thing, made the appointment and arranged for everyone to be at the same place at the same time. Jordan paid for it. They presented it to me at Christmas. It was, truly, one of the best Christmas gifts EVER.
Despite the crappy quality of the scan, you can see that I have some pretty great looking kids, and they are indeed all grown up.
As most of you know, my partner and I run a small remodeling company in Seattle. It is our primary source of income.
We have not had a significant contract yet this year.
We need work.
We need people to start remodeling their homes again, and we need them to call us to do it.
Please say a prayer, light a candle, keep us in your thoughts. At this point, we are able to keep paying our mortgage and our utilities, but everything else is going on credit cards, and we're running out of credit.
To complicate matters, we've got one kid struggling through his junior year of college, another one leaving for college this summer and a third taking the SAT's next month and will soon be looking at schools. We've got Prom, High School Graduation, Summer Camp, and all of the other various expenses related to raising teenagers. Also, the third kid just got her driver's license. It doesn't look like she's going to get a car like her 2 older siblings did. This is an expensive time of year for us.
On the one hand, I am trying to be happy for my kids and all their achievements, and stay up beat. On the other hand, I'm kind of freaking out.
Just keep us in your thoughts. It would help to know that people are thinking good thoughts for us.
And if you happen to know anyone in Seattle with an unfinished basement and a little bit of money, send them to www.totalhomeinc.com
accomplished
contemplative
My baby on graduation day!