Our Trip West

I'm not yet up to writing much more about the trip. If you want to see photos, then take a look at my Facebook page or Chuck's blog http://chuckbloom.blogspot.com. I especially recommend his entries up to the last one http://chuckbloom.blogspot.com/2009/07/day-19-plano-home-is-where-la-z-boy-is.html Home is where the la-z-boy is! It sure is and now I have 1/2 of the pet population back home with us. We picked up BeeGee the cat from the vet a bit ago. She's starved for attention and rubbing my legs as I type. I'm giving her some solo time before I pickup her nemeisis, the dog Seamus, from 4 Paws Inn. The inn is a great dog B&B with A/C for the dogs in individual dog runs, walks 4 times per day, grooming and personal attention to the canine residents.

Are You My Mother?

Do you remember that beginning readers book? I loved it as a child.

A little bird hatches without it's mother nearby. He wonders off looking for his mother. I think I have a little bird of my own. His name is Seamus Shortcake Bloom. He's a big puppy who lost his mother and think's I'm now it. He follows me everywhere even to the bathroom. I'm pretty sure he's bonded to me and me alone. Chuck calls him and he looks at him like F U, I'm with the dame.

My poor poor cat. She's beside herself. First I bring a medium sized DOG home. Then he tries to catch her and eat her (or at least taste her). Then I lock her out of the bedroom, so that I can keep the dog and cat separated at night. She gets the rest of the house and he gets me & the bedroom. She's been unhappy for a week.

I'm not sure how to get them to kiss and makeup. Can the cat and dog ever be friends? Will the dog always follow me around like I'm his mom? How old is he? He's a rescue dog, the vet thinks he could be 1 year old, so his "birthday" will be his adoption day 3/8. We'll celebrate with some soft dog food next year. Hopefully the cat will be at least in detente with him by then. I miss having a bundle of purr on my shoulder. I guess I should have consulted Chuck and BG before getting the dog, but a cute dog named Goat was too much to pass up. A very stupid name on an adorable mutt with a terrier face and dalmation body.

I've got to read the book I bought about Dalmations. I'm a terrier person, so it's a new type of doggie for me. In the mean time, ARE YOU MY MOTHER? continues...

Rainy Days and Fridays

This week has been one flood of a week. Wet and cold, immediately following the best weather possible for the North Texas Irish Festival. It's difficult to imagine a bigger change in the weather from Fri/Sat/Sun to this week starting on Tuesday. The RAIN has come down by the bucket full. The backyard is a marsh zone. Good thing the lawn people came to cut it on Monday before the monsoon season began. However, we're still in a drought, as we're behind on annual rainfall for the last couple of years. Don't ask me though, we don't have sprinklers and our grass manages to live through it. We're frugal that way.

Friday was a good day today. My 3rd day at my new job. Following two long days of concentration during orientation. Today was a breeze. Meeting people, meeting more people, finding my way around the building between red, green and blue zone elevators. I am still a bit confused on how to get around, but it's getting better all the time. The Dr. Pepper machine and snack machine are on the 3rd floor. My department is on the 4th floor. Our offices are on the 5th floor near the blue elevators. I exit the building on sub-level 2 near the green elevators into the parking garage through a tunnel then another big parking garage and down a sidewalk to a tunnel to the train station! It's cryptic, but I have it down now. And today I learned how to get to the green elevator from the blue elevator on sub-level 2 (L2). BOY! That was interesting... one more parking garage to navigate.

The dog and cat have not made peace yet. I hope it will come eventually! More later. CIAO!

My 1st Day at Work 3/11 and THE DOG & CAT

Wednesday 5:30 a.m. - woke up 2 minutes before my alarm. Tried to take the new doggie out but it was raining and he said heck NO. Ate breakfast, had shower, dressed and did makeup. Put on my walking shoes and a coat (forgot my gloves, hat, scarf, but remembered the umbrella). Took a waterproof messenger bag with extra shoes, water, book to read and papers.

7:00 a.m. arrived at Parker Rd. (taken by a sleepy Chuck) and got on the train immediately. It took off pretty quickly, but I sat near a door. It was a bit chilly. At Forest Lane, a nice man named Phil sat down and we talked all the way to downtown. So the book went back in the briefcase.

7:50 a.m. arrived at Convention center train stop. No idea which way to get to the office except I knew which direction. Asked the 1st guy who was waiting to cross street. He works at my new place and was to be my HR instructor for the orientation . He showed me the cryptic path to get to the office without going outside after the first block or two. Mostly under cover of parking garages and not too cold or wet.

8:40 a.m. the orientation started a little late due to the weather. We got a 10 lb (kidding) packet full of forms and policies & procedures. (Must memorize... kidding!). Our group has about 20-25. Usually they have over 50, but there is a hiring "cooling" as they said. Their budget is tight so they are slowing hiring.

Noon - after having writers cramp from filling out forms and some lecture time about new employee stuff, he let us out for lunch. I walked with two new colleagues a couple blocks to a hamburger joint next to Subway. It was windy and cold outside. The cafeteria is out of commission as the contract was terminated recently... They hope to have a new cafeteria provider some time. All the soda machines were Dr. Pepper products.

1:15 p.m. More info to digest on rules and regs, sexual harrassment prevention, workplace violence prevention and avoiding breaking the rules and reg.s ... by playing a odd game of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. A chat about Fair Housing. And various other topics on Wed. afternoon. A few more papers to fill out.

Homework - bring a voided check for direct deposit setup. Decide which health plan that I want... one of their's or stick with a TI plan. I'm eligible for retiree medical but it's expensive. The medical plans are high deductible (3000) and expensive (3-4 times cost of my old plan) and provider isn't as good as BCBS. Chuck and I discuss over some fish at Red Lobster.

11 p.m. past my bedtime, drag dog into rain, he says F U and goes back inside. I decide to let him pee on the carpet! To bed.... perchance to NOT DREAM about the dog and cat trying to kill each other (it's possible).

Thursday 3:45 a.m. got up because I can't sleep any more... too excited about the new job and dog is hogging the bed.

Seamus (Shay-mus) is a puppy definitely. He thinks I'm his new mother.... and can't stand to be in my room without me. He follows me everywhere. Chuck even brought him to the train station to pick me up. He is afraid so far to jump up into the car backseat, but can be persuaded to jump down by pulling his leash. He's a doll except for the BARKING and Growling at the CAT. She's a bit ticked off at us, and is now living in a kitchen cabinet during the day when Seamus is at large in the house. Last night, I put him in my room with Chuck on the computer... and found her. I apologized profusely and told her it was all my fault. She didn't scratch me and is considering being nice to me again... in a year or two. But asked that the dog leave immediately. I told her that the family has one new member now... and she will have to adjust. She gave me the LOOK and turned her back to go to her liter box... More later.

Strange Cat Noises

My cat likes to sit near me when I'm on a computer, preferably next to the keyboard or on my shoulder. In my home office (spare bedroom) she has to jump up and walk across the printer. Which caused one to break! and so I had to buy a new and better one for less money than the broken laser printer - I got a multi-function printer/fax/copier/scanner from HP. Any way, there's a bed in the room too since it's one of our guest rooms. She likes to sit on the edge of the head of the bed and look out the window which goes almost to the floor. The front bushes cover most of the window but I have raised the blinds about one foot and there is a small area where she can see the world from the window. Tonight she was sitting there and started making a weird growling hissing sort of noise. I looked out of the window and a twin black cat with collar was looking in at her. I guess she wasn't pleased. The visitor cat went on his/her way when I went over to look at it. Cat make strange noises!