Perpetual Ruminations

Wednesday

Another day drawing to a close, but not quite yet. Today was a pretty good day, but I didn't get half of my work accomplished. Even so, it was a productive day and I may still get some of the stuff done. I have three days off this week, the last time for a while. We lose one of our guards tomorrow, and will be short handed until we get someone hired. So, I really wanted to make the most of the three days off this week, especially since the weather has been so nice. It's been mid 80's, sunny and mild winds, beautiful summer weather. We skipped spring, and now are right into summer, but that's alright.

Yesterday, I ended up working from home, then having to go in for a while to finish up the next schedule. Today I had to run in for a little bit to do an exit interview with the person who leaves after tomorrow. That didn't take long, and I didn't stick around to see the next guard, knowing if I did, I likely would have been detained even more. I got home and was going to help Rhonda work on the lawn, but my back was hurting pretty bad, so I put it off and grilled up some turkey instead. It was plenty hot, humid, and not much wind, so a good day to cook out and keep the house cooler.

Rhonda did make the potato salad, but I kept an eye on the potatoes, eggs, and cooked the turkey on the grill while she did some mowing. Once the cooking was done, I used the van to drag a big chunk of an old tree around to the drive. It had busted off last summer during a storm, and one chunk about six feet long was on the ground, another about the same size was hanging about a foot up from the ground. Last weekend I managed to get the hanging one busted loose and burned up, so today I thought I would drag the other piece around and cut it up so we can burn it tonight.

After, I did mow some with the rider, and all the lawn is now mowed, except a little trim work. So, even though I did have to run in, it was a productive day. I had also wanted to get my e-report sent off and fax a copy of the next schedule, but I just did not get time. I may do that from the patio while we sit out and enjoy the fire this evening, so it's done and we can enjoy the last day off together.

See, that's the other part of this. Right now, the way the schedule was, we get three days off together every other week, but now, being short, that is not possible. Instead Rhonda works so I can get a couple of days off, and I work so she can. We will still be able to get a couple days off each week, but not at the same time. That is just not going to go over very well, after spending most of last summer working, and when we did get a day off, it was either her or I, but not us together. But, for the next few weeks, it's looking like we will have to suffer through it. Hopefully we get someone hired soon, and once they are trained, we can start getting a couple of days off together again.

Right now, we just want to enjoy the evening and tomorrow, since we will not get another day off together for a while. We are planning on doing a picnic tomorrow, maybe at Oakwood Lake State Park. It's not too far, and it's a nice park to spend the day at. I don't know if the water is warm enough yet for the dogs to enjoy, but I want to see how Hannah does in the water. Hyko is a nut when it comes to water, he loves it. Klarissa did too, so we are hoping Hannah will like the water as much as Klarissa used to, and Hiko does. Of course, I don't know if any dog could love the water more than Klarissa did, she was more duck than dog it seemed. At least in the water she was.

She not only loved to be in the water, it was next to impossible to get her back out. She would mind well, but if you looked away even a minute she would be right back in. Not just in shallow, but out swimming and chasing anything she could find to chase. She loved bringing toys and sticks back in, and seemed to never get enough of going out to get them. If by chance the item sunk before she got to it, she would go right under the water after it. It was common to see her feel something under her feet and go under to get it, and most times she succeeded.

Now, it's Hannah's turn to see what the water is all about. She's half Black Lab so she should do fine in the water, and most Labs do love it. The other have is Springer Spaniel, another breed that does well in the water. I had a dog years ago who was half Springer Spaniel and she loved the water but didn't like to go out past where she could touch. She would, but reluctantly and then only a short ways before turning back. But if she could feel the bottom with her toes, she was fine and would go back and forth along the shore for hours chasing frogs and crayfish.

Well, enough for this for now, it's time to eat and enjoy the evening.