Cute Doggies

Not much going on around here this weekend. Keith is on call 4 days straight, and I am beginning to think he doesn't live here any longer. Me and the dogs have been chillin out by ourselves this weekend.

Here is Lucy enjoying her new summer wading pool/mosquito incubator.


It makes Thena oddly jealous. Here she is attacking Lucy while she bathes.


Lucy relaxing in front of the lilacs - which have already lost all their flowers btw. It seems like they just bloomed for crying out loud. Those bushes are a heck of a lot of work for 2 weeks of flowers, that's all I have to say.


The most exciting thing I did today was to go over to the neighbor's house and help them grout their new kitchen tile. Living the dream.

I Got Worms!

They came in the mail in a brown USPS box. Keith and I spent a couple of hours making a home for them. It may look like a simple garbage can, but it's actually a simple garbage can filled with cardboard and rocks. Here they are at home in their new compost haven. Don't they look happy?



Actually the worms and worm-bin making progress have been a little more difficult than I had bargained for. The little rascals keep trying to escape. Apparently I lack the necessary skills to make their bin homey enough that they never want to stray outside of it. They like it damp, but not too damp you see. After just one day in the bin there was a massive jail break attempt. The crafty worms had climbed up the sides of the pail and squeezed themselves out of every air hole and lid seam they could find. I found them stretched out across the porch attempting to make their way to the lawn (I guess that's where they were headed -- where else would they be trying to go?). I painstakingly picked up each slimy, grimy little guy and tenderly tossed him back into the scraps.

Since then I have experimented with varying levels of dampness, food, light and air mixtures until I thought I had finally achieved the perfect state of zen for my worms. And they seemed to be staying put, for a time. Then last night we had a huge storm. Somehow the elements managed to soak my bin once again, and when I came home from the ER at 2 am last night, what should I find, but wads of soggy worms scattered all over the porch, glistening in the moonlight. So, I once again performed the labor of love of returning them to their unnatural domicile.

This episode coupled with my recent gardening experiences has left me wondering if I am just not good at things. It seems there was a time in my life where all things came easy. What could have happened? Is it age? Mental slowing? More challenging projects? Did too much focus on medicine and a lack of regular exercise and healthy diet finally squeeze all the practical neurons from my brain?

I guess it doesn't really matter. I'm still quite enjoying the wiggly little bastards. Also, I have little green bean buds and zucchini leaves sprouting out of my tiny backyard garden plot. Who says you need talent or skill to enjoy life?

Keith fashioning boards for the worm-bin.


Oh, and it was Keith's birthday! Can you guess how hold he was?

Husker-Mania

Here is irrefutable evidence that I am a true Nebraskan -- a Cornhusker in fact. Nobody has to know that we left in the bottom of the ninth and were glad about it when we found out later that the game went to 16 innings and didn't end until past midnight. We enjoyed the game with other Gautreaux/Rinne types, and the weather was fine. Shirley was there, of course, and wouldn't you know that a good 15% of the crowd were old students of hers with a few of Keith's old classmates bespeckled in. Small world Nebraska is!

Being the special mom that Shirley is, we spoiled her by giving her the best: a Perkins Mother's day brunch. You can't beat it. No pictures of that, but here's another of us at the game. Hi Grandpa Rinne!

My Trees are Better Than Yours...

Damn right, they're better than yours.

So what if I am a terrible gardener and I will never make a strawberry grow. I have awesome trees. Lots of them. They're starting to bloom, and they are super cool. We also have loads of lilac bushes which are a favorite of mine. So who cares if I live almost 5 hours from an airport or an Anthropologie, my little neck of the world is quite nice in springtime.

World's Worst Gardener

I have a hunch that no one can kill plants faster than I can. Exactly one week ago I left my local garden center full of hope and excitement about my first gardening experience. I busily and lovingly potted fragrant herbs and cute little flowers. Knowing full well that gardening may be tricky for me I had the nice garden lady steer me towards only the hardiest of plants. "This is easy to grow right?" I kept asking. "Oh yes." She would reply. Now, I am not a total gardening moron. I know most plants can't live out in the freezing cold. In BB the last frost is usually around May 10th. So, I asked nice garden lady what I should do with my plants. She replied that they should be outside in a sunny place, and if it was expected to freeze overnight then I should bring them in. Okay! easy enough. I was on my way.

So, how come just a few days later my poor little herbs were so droopy and sad? I went back to the garden center again and asked them what could be wrong. Nice garden lady #2 looked horrified when I told her the herbs had been out overnight. "It was 35 degrees last night!" she exclaimed. Since when is 35 degrees freezing? I want to know. I was not deterred. Even more determined to nurture my plants, I developed a rotation system by which they would receive full sunlight at various windows and patios throughout the day, then spend the night inside. Then Keith and I drove to Kearny. When we left it was 70 and not a cloud in the sky. My plants would be so happy, I thought. And then it hailed. Not just little gravely kind of hail. I'm talking big marbles and gobstoppers falling from the sky. There are tiny decapitated flower buds scattered all around the veranda. The basil plant looks like a fallen soldier. I am left wondering if there is any hope for me.

On a cheerier note, Keith and I used our cute new dessert plates the other night. The shortcake was delicious.

Happy Birthday to Me

Happy Birthday Shaleah!!! You're 32 years old! And as Keith tells me, I don't look a day over 31. To celebrate my birthday, I am hanging out by myself and composing a birthday blog. That may seem sad to those of you who partied until 4:30am on your recent birthday (Valerie), but for me it's kind of par for the course. I cannot remember the last birthday I had where either Keith or I were not on call. Tonight is no exception with Keith still at the hospital at 9pm. Lucky for me, doggies and the Decemberists are excellent company.

Actually, I have had some good times today. Always friendly neighbor Amy had me over for birthday lattes, and nice clinic staff rushed out over lunch and bought me a last minute cake. The biggest highlight today, though, was when I went shopping in B.B. and I was actually successful in finding some stuff I need. I went to the library and found a not from the 1970s green home and garden makeover book (yippee!), and I found out that my beloved garden center sells all the supplies I will need to build a patio (Yay!). I also bought mattresses for our new trundle daybed. Those of you who can drive a few blocks to a Home Depot and Target and fill all your domestic desires may not appreciate that, but trust me, it was exciting!

Also, I've gotten lots of stellar gifts. I got a fancy dutch oven, and cute apron to wear while using said oven, and a cookbook. I'm sensing a theme here. The 17 year old Shaleah would be rolling her eyes in disgust if she could see 32 yo Shaleah raking in a bunch of cooking stuff, but 32 yo Shaleah seems to like it. I also got a lovely assortment of coffees and hot chocolate which I have been enjoying all week (thanks mom!).

"Spring has changeable weather."

So states my Nebraska: Guide to the Cornhusker State (nice book, thanks uncle Tim). They ain't kiddin'. Last week Keith and I spent a warm evening lounging in these chairs with our laptops. This week they're buried in snow! Nebraska spring, you tease me with promises of long weekend bike rides only to dump 8 inches of snow on my front lawn.

We had been expecting a visit from members of the Gautreaux family this weekend, but perhaps that will not happen after all.

In other sad ironies, Keith and I finally upgraded our television only to find we couldn't get the big game (or any channels for that matter). This is how we watched it instead.

Not much else new going on here. I am starting to deliver a few babies, which is always fun. And I continue to make small, slow improvements to our home decor. It looks as though flying will never be a part of my future since the one instructor in B.B. has left town. Instead I am seeking out more domestic hobbies like gardening, interior design, and shopping for a myriad of baby showers.