JD in AZ

Dillon's cousin, JD, came down on Thursday for the weekend to help Dillon out with some graphic design. JD is a really talented artist. He's almost done with is Bachelor of Fine Arts. Between his schooling, raw talent, and passion for what he does, he can really put out some amazing stuff, and he's just begun.

In fact, he just recently won a state contest in Utah for creating this bad boy. (He gave one to Dillon as a memento)


This qualified him for nationals in Kansas City where he also took first again.

He really helped Dillon out this weekend, and I think they accomplished a lot more than Dillon expected from the visit.

JD also grilled us food every night he was here on our BBQ. It was divine.


He even installed Dillon's ceiling fan in his office for us. That alone made bringing him down here worth it to me!


Max typically takes a while to warm up to people. And even when he stops being anxious or even growling at new people, he usually just avoids them for a good while after.


But he loved JD from the second he saw him. I have never seen him not bark or not be apprehensive when he first meets someone, but he was instantly in love with JD. I couldn't believe it! I told him I liked him and though he was a good guy before, but Max really affirmed that fact.



Max kept scratching at the door to his room at night to get in with him. The last night he was here JD let him in and they cuddled. About 6 this morning, Max came in and woke me up to "tell me something". I could tell he was excited and proud of himself, but I didn't know what it was about until JD told me they hung out that night. So cute!

I showed JD my black-light flashlight and asked him if he wanted to go "scorpion hunting" one night while he was there. We kept forgetting until the last night he was in town. Then I remembered. I should have known it wasn't going to go well based on his reaction to where the "hunt" was taking place - he seemed surprised that it was in our backyard. But I took him anyway. He had a couple of brewskies in him, so I think his anxiousness was compounded by that. He screamed a lot, hid behind me, and ran inside before we finished the whole backyard. There were quite a few that night thought - 10 total. A lot of them were little ones and I was smart enough to tell him that those were worse than the large ones. When I came inside after him, Dillon was like, "You broke my cousin!" Oops. Poor guy had nightmares that night. :-(

Dillon and I really appreciate JD's willingness to come down and help out.


I really enjoyed hanging out with JD and getting to know him better. I can't wait until he can come down again and bring his wife Lauri with him.

Here's What's New

Okay, so I know it's been like 74,382,947,389,234 years since I've blogged - maybe not quite, but I'm sure it's seemed like it to you. ;-) Just to be sure you don't miss anything in my life that you are so interest in, here's what's new:

Doug's at it Again

It's Business

Canada Geese

My Cat is Almost as Spoiled as I Am

Taking Back the Backyard

Am I Really a 'Runner'

You Can Take the Girl Out of the Ghetto...

Thar's Gold in dem der Hills!

Pool!

I would advise reading them in order, you know, for the full effect. And blogging marathon - over!

Pool!

Dillon and I had a deal that when I finished the back yard, I could buy a pool. As the time drug on and the weeding proved to take a lot longer than planned, I added an "or" clause to our deal. I said if the backyard was done OR it hits 100 degrees outside, whichever is first. Well, they both came the same day, so, on Saturday, Dillon and I went and got my pool.





Well, I think it was about 20 - 25 minutes until it was ready for water. Not nearly as unrealistic as I thought.


The instructions said to smooth out the bottom one more time before when there was about an inch in the bottom. Well it was more like 2" when I started, and I found the most effective way to really get the bottom smooth was to push one way with my hands while pushing the opposite with my feet. I swear, I wonder how I can't see these things coming. Well, my first belly-flop in my new pool was with only inches of water.


It took so much longer to fill than I expected. I really didn't know what to expect though.



It was 9 hours total to fill. By the next day, it was all ready for action! It was only in the high 70's and really windy most of the day Sunday, but I couldn't resist! I had to swim!



What pool day is complete without a floaty?


I wanted my phone and camera out there with me just in case a mood struck, but I know how clumsy I am, so I used some precautions.


Needless to say, I spilled my drink... Do'h! It was outside the pool thought. I guess that was better than in.

I loved playing in my new pool! I wasn't in there 5 minutes before max started trying to climb up the ladder to get to me.


How could I resist. I spent a little time trying to teach him to use the ladder. Then I figured that was enough of ladder-training for that day and it was time to swim. So I picked him up and carried him in. I put him in the water then finished down the inside of the ladder. Before I could grab him again, he had swum to the edge and was trying to get out. I grabbed him and pulled him back in. I tried to get him to settle down and enjoy the water but he wouldn't, so not long after I put him in, I took him back out. He was still pretty interested in what I was doing and would pop his cute little head up every once in a while after he got out.



About 1/2 hour or so later, I bumped into the side of the pool and noticed the inflatable ring was not nearly as inflated as it was before. So yeah, I managed to break my pool before it was 24 hours old. I think when I pulled Max off the side is what did it. Or sometime when he was scrambling to try to get out. Regardless, there was a slash about 3mm long and 1mm wide.

I patched it and hopefully it will hold. Otherwise, I just may cry. And a maybe even more sad reality is that I am not convinced that I shouldn't give Max another swimming lesson sometime.

Thar's Gold in dem der Hills!

I found turquoise in our back yard today!


I've been hoeing the land (I know, I know... grow up!) back there to make it more level for my pool and I came across one.


Then I started looking for it and found all eight of these, I'd say, within 15 minutes of finding the first.


How cool is that?!

You Can Take the Girl Out of the Ghetto...

So Cevin popped my office "chair" (exercise ball) probably 3 months ago - or more. Due to nothing other than me procrastinating going out and getting a new chair, this has been what I have been using since.


It's just as comfortable as it looks. If you can't tell, it's two paper boxes with one of those 80's fold-out-bed chairs. They aren't the same size, so I was forever drooping on one side or the other.

It's like rickety-ass-ghetto is in my DNA or something. Why did I sit on this stupid thing for so long? It was so cumbersome and inefficient. I would like to think that I just got busy with life and when I left "work" I forgot about it, but I am not sure.

Anyway, I got a chair.


Dang! I wish you town folk woulda tol me bout these hur chur thingies a long times ago. They's nifty with they wheelie thingies an all...