Finding My Energy Balance

I have to show you something cute. The other night I was in bed reading, and I noticed Ali was stretched out in the cutest pose. He had his chin rested on the bed and both paws stretched out on either side of his face. So I took a picture of him, and neither dog moved.






You can see China behind him.











Before I could get back into bed, China seemed to think she was being left out! She moved to the foot of the bed and assumed his pose!!

And look how grumpy Ali looks!! I could almost hear him saying, "Damn, I can't get any spotlight without her copying me!"






Wow, that trip was a doozy! I am still recuperating today. The aftereffects didn't hit me until yesterday.

BTW, I've thought about why I see so few Shih Tzus for adoption from shelters. They are not outrageously expensive (speaking of purebreds with papers) but enough so that I think people consider twice before investing in one. Most ST owners I've known have been around them and know what they are like, know it is what they want in a 4-legger companion. Another reason is that their personalities are superb. I know, I'm prejudiced. But it is true. They retain a lively personae through their lifetimes. Look at China .... she is carrying a tumor that weighs probably 1/4 of her weight now, but she is always prancing and perky, she still chases with Ali. Well, she chases as much as comfortable at their ages and physical conditions. Ali is becoming just a tad grumpy, but it is only in the morning when he is forced out of bed, and for goodness sake, I'm grumpy then, too!! They are some of the sweetest temperaments in the canine world. Unless people want a bigger dog or are the kind who should not own a dog of any breed, they are an ideal pet. Once you get one, few people let them go. That's my story and I'm stick' to it!

I took Ali and China for grooming early in the morning, and rather than drive the 25 miles home to wait, I took time to do some errands in town, ate lunch and then brought us all three home about 1:30.

I got some plants for my iron kettles in my front yard, some of them half-price because they were a little droopy. Good buy, because when I got them home, I dropped the pots in a pan of water, and about 2 hours later they looked perfect! Just needed water, for goodness sake! I put a few in some of my inside pots, and I will plant the outside ones today. It was blowing so badly yesterday that I didn't want to battle it.

Later in the afternoon, I organized and stored the buys from Hobby Lobby. It is now all neat and tidy, integrated with the rest of my craft and art supplies. Now I just have to make myself take time to use some of them!! I actually think I will be able to start working on some of those things rather soon.


I also transfered the finches into the new birdcage. Geez, those little buggers are hard to catch! I lined the two cages up with doors open and abutted, placed a perch stick in the doorway, and when I began "shooing" them, three actually transfered themselves via the perch. But that fourth one! What a stinker he was! I had to toss a light cloth over him and manually move him, and it was a 20 minute chase!! Once they were in the new cage, they all chirped and seemed to really like it. It is bigger than the old one so they have more room to fly, important for finches.

The white "cloud" you see around the cage is some tulle netting. The lady who gave me the birds uses that around the bottom of the cage to keep seed and other stuff .... yeah, OK, the bird poop .... from flying out of the cage and making a mess on the floor and surrounding furniture. I used to do that, but I used a light cotton cage cover. This is nice because you can see them through it, and it is more breathable, too.


What do you think of the design of the cage? Really unique, isn't it? They really seem to like it.






Then, at about 6:00 or 7:00, I sort of crashed! I think the previous 60 hours simply caught up with me. The adrenaline which began pumping on Monday when I saw the puppies on the website didn't stop pumping until then. It (the elevated energy) was never overwhelming, but I had been moving since Monday with one task or another, and didn't let myself slow down or feel the tension. And when I did, I pretty much bottomed out. I was watching Jeopardy with the laptop in my knees, and I began dropping off into a twilight zone. I forced myself to eat a little, and I was in bed at 7:30. I didn't sleep until later, around 9:30, but still early. I didn't wake until almost 8:00 this morning!

I was really, really tired. All the emotional rush, 100° temperatures, shopping, being in the care for the greater part of 12 hours all piled on each other to create a huge energy sponge that began sucking me dry by last night. And today, I feel like a zombie, I'm having trouble finding my alert-on button! I'm going to spend today low key, doing little things like planting those outside plants in the kettles, straightening a bit in the house and get started on some fun craft project which doesn't take much energy or deep thought!

Wow, they just flashed a weather advisory message that amazes me! It is supposed to reach about 70° here today, yet we are under a snow advisory for today! Not only that, but a high wind warning in and around this area, and there are winter storm warnings for the northwest corner of the state. AND .... we continue to be under a fire weather warning and fire weather watch. O....K.... What do you think is going to happen here today??? I have no clue, but I AM WARNED!!!!

I'm going to go take my winter clothes back out of storage!



I have some pretty sunset pix for later. Stay tuned!!