A Great Day for a Dog Park

Bill and I did something really fun yesterday. Bill took Misty and Lily to our local dog park, and I joined them on my lunch hour. We had not been to the park in years, but I signed the girls up for the park as soon as we got them. It was the right thing to do.

The dog park has grown and changed so much. Now, there are different areas for large dogs and small dogs. Since both our pups are over 35 pound, they can go in the large dog area. There are trees and grass in that area, as well as a gravelled area. The whole space must be at least the size of a football field. There is a water fountain, and an area with water bowls that I was able to fill for the girls. There are two benches for the parents, as well as a picnic table and a barbecue. The girls loved being off leash in such a big area. We were so proud to see them interact so well with the 5 other dogs that came through the area. There were no dog fights, just pure canine fun. Bill and I enjoyed our lunch on the picnic table while all the dogs wandered around. It was also a nice fall day, so you really couldn't ask for anything more.

It was a wonderful lunch - the perfect way to get out of the office for a bit. I know we will be back often.

Quick Update on Some Bad Times

Things have not been good recently for the Morrison Family.

1. Bill was laid off. He knew there was going to be layoffs, but was completely surprised that he was one of them. He did not see it coming, and it has been very hurtful.

2. I blogged about my nephew being born on June 18. Now, I must share the news of his passing. Michael passed away on June 29. His lungs just could not keep up. It is very sad for the whole family. I will be boarding a flight to Orlando tonight. The funeral is on Saturday.

3. I have this nagging cough that will not go away. It has twice woken me in the middle of the night this week. With all that is going on, sleep deprivation is something I don't need.

4. Work is still really busy. I have been working late most of the week. The company is doing well, so I guess I should be happy for that.

5. Sammy continues to gnaw on her legs. We went to the vet again this morning as she bit herself bloody last night. An hour wait for a walk-in appointment. I wish I knew why she did it.

Well, if you have any good luck to pass on, please send it our way. We need something positive to happen for a change.

Happy 4th of July.

Work - A Waste of a Beautiful Spring Day

Today is a gorgeous day in NC. The sun is shining, but it is not too hot. There is a slight breeze blowing in to keep you cool. It was so lovely this morning, I just had to run. It was a pleasure to run 4 miles on a day like today. But, then I had to come to work.

It is tough to be in accounting at month end. Either you are so busy you can hardly get anything done or you are waiting. I am in waiting mode now. I am waiting for reports to generate and waiting for invoices to enter. It is difficult to wait when I know it is so wonderful just outside. At least I know that I will be enjoying the weather soon. I will be out of here in less than three hours. In about three and a half hours, I will be sitting on my back deck with Bill and Sammy, enjoying the great weather with a beer in my hand and burgers on the grill. I will have two glorious days of freedom ahead of me as well. It makes me feel better about missing out right now.

What a Weekend!!

We had a packed two days this past weekend.

Bill and I went to the APS of Durham's annual gala event on Saturday night. The event was held at The Washington Duke Inn in one of their lovely ballrooms. There were tons of silent auction items (Bill bid on a pack of gift certificates for a local go kart racing place and won! I will have to practice my driving) and even a few live auction items. We saw a friend there and I ran into one of my old neighbors from the townhouse. It was so good to see her and to catch up on neighborhood events. We drank, ate a nice dinner, and did good for the animals. Who could ask for more?

On Sunday,we went to visit Bill's dad who is in rehab (he is recovering from a bout of pneumonia and fluids on his lungs - he is not a drug or alcohol addict). We visited with him for about two hours, then saw Bill's mom as well when she came to visit. We had to head home pretty quickly because we had tickets too see Spamalot.

Spamalot is a musical loosely based on the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It had all the best parts of the movie (the Black Knight, the migrating coconuts, the Knights who say "Ni", the killer rabbit, "fetche la vache") mixed with great songs and new characters. I really enjoyed myself and laughed quite a bit. I would highly recommend it.

We also managed to watch a movie (The Wedding Singer which I had not seen), drink a few beers at The Sauce before the show, and go to the grocery store. Bill rode 41 miles on his bike (yes, 41 MILES!) while I went shopping (got 2 great skirts, new jammies, earrings, and a top) and had my haircut. I also managed to work on the newsletter a little bit, and catch up with my dad and dear friends Devi.

WOW - I can't believe we got all that done in TWO DAYS!!

Bill is Drivin' Fast!

Bill had fun in Charlotte over the weekend driving race car at The Richard Petty Driving Experience. After instruction, he was able to drive a race car around Lowe's Motor Speedway for 8 laps following an instructor. The cars on this track top out at the low 140 mph - Bill got his #55 car to just over 139 mph. He was quite pleased. I think it was a great experience for us both. I had never been to the speedway - it is huge!! We were in the center of the track, and the cars left from pit road. It was a vantage that few people get to enjoy. Bill says that next time I need to do the ride along program where I can ride passenger with a professional driver. Those cars get to about 160 mph. We now have a list of all the different locations for the experience - we may have to road trip to another race track. I am so glad he enjoyed his birthday present!