A Home For Dee Dee - Our New Fur-Child

Dee Dee



Dee Dee
A face only a mother could love,
but a sweetie little thing!

Today was the day we set out to find us another fur-child.  We've been without a dog in the home for a couple years now, and although knowing we could leave the house for a couple days at a time without worry was great, I was beginning to feel the emptiness of not having that companion under my feet, a beggar under the table, and a cuddle bug in my lap. 
The rules were simple:  We wanted a small dog. Not very old, but not a puppy. Housebroken and friendly. Getting along with cats would be a plus, too.

The reaction at the shelters was quite different. We asked to see the big Goldens and Chows. We discovered they were almost 10 years old, and probably not housebroken after being in a kennel so long.  And big enough to eat cats!!!

Here are a couple that we considered for a few moments at least.


Dazzle



Daisy Mae



Number 59

Oh, there were so many more!  We spent the entire day traveling from shelter to shelter in our county and beyond!  We didn't even stop to eat!  Finally, we ended up at the Petsmart close to home where (after playing with every big dog in the store!),  Jim and I reminded ourselves of the 'rules' and decided on Dee Dee.

Well, I decided on Dee Dee and showed Jim how she fit all the expectations we had set.  (Pretty face wasn't on the list...)  There was another slightly bigger dog we had to make a choice between. We called him "Gray Hair" because he did look like he had long gray hair!  I thought he was the most ugly dog in the shelter, but we weren't counting looks. 

In the end, I think Dee Dee was shaking the hardest.

Petsmart gave us a lot of free things and COUPONS for more. Dee Dee, about 2-years-old,  has been spayed and has had lots and lots of medical care. She only cost $49.00 which is way less than what I expected.

Tonight, she's settled in the recliner snuggled close to Jim's knees as he reads a book. (He may stay in the recliner all night!) The cats are circling, but behaving. She's been under my feet in the kitchen hoping for a treat, and has let us know she wants the sliding patio door opened for a potty break in the (fenced) back yard.

Earlier, as we got into the car to leave Petsmart, very carefully holding onto Dee Dee like she was a china doll, she suddenly jumped into the back seat with a little leap and curled up on Jim's jacket as if to say, "I know how to do this. I'm home now!"

And so she is...

Welcome home, Dee Dee

Take Care on the Journey,
Your friend in life,
~Linda

The Doctor Is In - But He Won't See You Now

Life is...

Life is busy and wonderful.  Frustrating and Exciting. Depressing and Fulfilled. Happy and Thankful. Joyous and Tiring. Did I say busy and wonderful?

I love my job as RN Supervisor on the weekends, and have picked up a couple extra shifts in another area of my company in what is called the Wellness Clinic. I worked there two days last week and saw a handful of older residents who came down for a blood pressure check - or just to see the new nurse who was covering for their favorite nurse who took a week's vacation.

Online education (RN-BSN) is exciting and wonderful. I'm making top grades. It's been 6 of 8 weeks for the first class. My how times flies by!  We'll see what the next course holds.

Family news: Grandpa Cash was hospitalized for a few days but has returned to his assisted living apartment and seems to be much improved.

Oldest son announces marriage intentions!  We are so pleased because we think his 'intended' is just wonderful, and they make a great couple. No date or place yet.

Youngest son and wife made the move from S.Carolina to Kansas where he has a math teaching position at a middle school. Good luck to them on this new adventure!  It's been a real busy time for youngest son as he flew out for a job interview. Flew back and drove a U-Haul 1,200 miles in two days. Flew back to help his wife finish up the packing and drive the car to Kansas. Then, start his new job only a few hours after they arrived! Whew! I couldn't do that anymore.

Hubby has a serious job interview in two days. We're happy for the possible opportunity, but a little nervous and worried that it works out.

Oh, the depression. Well, maybe close. When I got up this morning, I heard geese honking over the house and even saw the shadow of a bunch of them in the sunlight on the living room floor.  It hit me that I hadn't heard geese since we left Ohio. The memories of our last place where geese and ducks ate corn at our front door, and deer fed in the back yard brought some sadness for a few minutes.  The friends and family we left behind... Of course, I  remembered our precious fur-children, Sheba and Ching-Ching. Even if we still lived in Ohio, we wouldn't have them at our sides anymore.  Sometimes it's too sad for words.

About that doctor who wouldn't see me.  It wasn't quite that way, but my doctor apparently moved to another office and no one told me. When I tried to get some of my meds reordered, seems no one could find my file, and the order was delayed so much that I actually ran out of my meds!!!  When we tried to get authorization, they said we had to pay cash to the tune of about $120.00 for one med. At the end of our rope, we said okay. Then we were told this particular diabetic med needed "pre-authorization" from a doctor who couldn't find my file and wouldn't order anything until she got it. Let's just say that hubby went to the pharmacy and returned with my medications.....

Here's a cat question. We've almost renamed Little Paws to "Mr. 3 a.m.".  He has a persistent habit of waking up at 3 a.m. every morning where's he's been peacefully sleeping on his pillow at the head of the bed - on my side!  He wakes up almost on the dot of 3 a.m. and decides it's time to sleep on my face and my pillow!  If I push him away, he returns persistently time after time. If we put him out, he scratches on the door making large scratch marks. If we put him in the basement, he sounds like a lion in distress!  I'm actually exhausted because of it.

Answer: Today I went to Wal-Mart and bought another pillow. When Mr. 3 a.m. takes over my pillow, I can move over to the new pillow and hope we can both get a little more sleep.

Happy birthday to Sandy's husband, Craig on August 17. We hope it's a great day and that you get the job you hope for today!

I've been tired all day and almost put off posting here until 'tomorrow', but I know at least one of you checks.  This one is for you.

I've posted on my other blogs HERE and HERE

Take Care on the Journey,
Your friend in life,
~Linda


Realizing a Dream



My first ~ RN Supervisor ~ name tag

Dreams become goals, and goals...

Become The Dream

I finally made it

Take Care on the Journey,

Your friend in life.

~Linda

Linda's E-mail: bestnurse@usa.com

Catch Me If You Can

Happy New Day to My Family and Friends,


I'm still not on a full-time work schedule, so it is nice not to be rushing off to work on a busy work day, but it leaves a 'stillness' inside that I can't explain. I love having the time off, but have never adjusted to an unset schedule. Everyone wishes they didn't have to "go to work", and I'm wishing I had work!! Imagine that.


I've posted some articles of interest on a couple of my other blogs, so I'm letting you hit the HERE key to see the postings at those sites.  On my Geocaching blog, see my amazing encounter with the King of Geocaching HERE


Then, come back to this site (Linda's Notebook) by hitting the link called "Linda's Home Page" (on the geocaching page) to click for an interesting article I posted (accidentally) on my coupon blog HERE


Hope this isn't confusing... I posted on two of my other blogs.   http://geocachingindenver.blogspot.com/ and another one at http://goldencoupons.blogspot.com/


Some of you have seen the link to Geocaching story on my Facebook page. 


I think I should go into writing full-time and not work so hard at finding a nursing job.  LOL LOL LOL


Take Care on the Journey,
Your friend in life,
~Linda




Linda's E-mail: bestnurse@usa.com

Work in Progress

Good News...

It looks like back to work for me!! I've accepted a part-time weekend supervisor job, and have a second interview for home health nursing on Monday.

We're hoping for a great week ahead with good news we've been waiting for!

Hubby also has a second job interview for a city position as a Grants Administrator.

Take Care on the Journey,

Your friend in life

~Linda

Help Find Amy Ahonen

Amy's abandoned car was found along my favorite Denver highway near Golden, CO along Clear Creek Canyon where my previous postings of the kayaks in the mountain stream at Clear Creek were taken. It's also, where I saw the the mountain goats (pictures posted). So, I feel pretty close to this tragedy and want to help find her in what ever way I can. 

I've signed up to help place flyers. Please add links to your Facebook or websites if you want to help find Amy.

The family wants this information to get passed on everywhere, so please feel free to go to the websites they have put up to help find her and post this information anywhere you have an Internet link. You may also copy the poster posted on the link and put them up in your town anywhere in the world!!!!

Please help find Amy.

Here are some links to follow:  Find Amy On Facebook it's Find Amy Ahonen

Take Care on the Journey

Your friend in life,

~Linda

Linda's E-mail: bestnurse@usa.com

Colorado Mountain Stream Becomes A Playful Roaring River



Clear Creek Canyon



The summer sun is still melting snow in the high mountains of Colorado, and that brings rising streams and flood warnings in some areas. One of them is along our favorite afternoon drive through the Clear Creek Canyon near Golden, CO.  I've been thrilled with some of the photos captured along the way.

On July 3, we took a 4-hour drive through the canyon, across Highway 119, and home via Highway 72. We didn't see any wild animals, but enjoyed the beautiful day and scenery.

We rounded the corner just in time to see these dripping wet guys bringing their rafts up from the powerful stream and across the highway to a waiting bus. 

The sign at the entrance to the canyon says, "No tubing or rafting", but this must be called something else.  lol

Zoom in for close-ups of these good-looking, jubilant, strong young men.  Oh yes, it was a beautiful day for cycling too.

Take Care on the Journey

Your friend in life,

~Linda

The Camera Bag Is Full of Film - and Plastic Bags!

I suppose this title won't draw many viewers, but that's okay.  It's not my purpose, although I've been pleasantly surprised at postings that have inadvertently drawn many hits. The biggest one was photos of the solace moon a few months ago, and the Prince William/Kate Middleton wedding pictures that I posted on this blog.

By the way, at least one person has asked. What is Prince William's last name? It is Mountbatten-Windsor. More information can be found HERE.

About that camera full of film, I've been having THAT dream again. The one where I'm expected to shoot a wedding, and I can't find film to fit the camera because I FORGOT to stock up my camera bag!  I used to think it really had to do with my worries before a wedding shoot, but I'm not photographing weddings anymore, so what DOES that disturbing, reoccuring dream really mean?

Could it be my deep-seated feelings of doubt about my ability to successfully accomplish something I haven't done before? In the past, when I would have a scheduled wedding shoot coming up, I would review every little aspect of the wedding day over and over again.  I'd pack and repack my camera equipment. I WOULD have way more film (and batteries) than I'd ever need - even though when film was in vogue, I'd take up to 30-40 rolls of film during the wedding day! (Sometimes I'd cover a 16-hour wedding day.)

Well, maybe it's the fact that I've decided to return to school for my RN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing).  My first online class starts Tuesday, the day after tomorrow. (I sent out some personal family emails, and posted it on my Facebook, so some of you already know.) 

Or, maybe what FEELS really heavy is the fact that I can't find the nursing job that I want, and this not having a job to feel good about is casting some long shadows!

Whatever, I'm sure that you can relate to recrudescent, unwanted, devilish, dream that wakes you up with a bad feeling, and discourages any thoughts of going back to sleep.

Like my friend, Linda, (the Linda we bought the house from), said,
"Put it in a plastic bag."

I was telling her that sometimes I'd rather not be around people that I know are going to be critical of me. Instead of standing up to them and making my feelings known, I try to bypass the exposure if I can.

"Oh, put it in a plastic bag and let it blow way," she admonished.

Good advice!

I'm putting that dream in a plastic bag and watching it blow up, up, and away!

Take Care on the Journey,
Your friend if in life (if you aren't critical of me) LOL
~Linda

Linda's E-mail: bestnurse@usa.com

JUNE Snow In The High Mountains

"That's some SNOW, Joe"

These are  a few of the SNOW photos from our trip to the Rocky Mountains HIGH MOUNTAINS from Estes Park across to Grand Lake on Tuesday, June 21, 2011.

My sister, Sandy, said it was 102 in Tampa and felt like 110 degrees according to McDill AFB near her.

It got down to 43 degrees on our trip. We put on our jackets and turned on the heat in the car. The wind was frigid!

The sound of rushing water was beautiful.

 Snow melt in the high mountains - flooding in the valley.

The photo below shows the flooding in the valley - and about 40 elk!!!



Click on the photo for a close up view.



One of the few times in his life when hubby enjoys the "cold".




Icy cold snow ball




There goes the snowball!!!!



People stop and write their name in the snow




Stakes for the snow plows so they don't fall off the edge!



Christmas in June...




No chance of falling off here





Someone put a rose in the snow




Hubby always wanted a photo of himself taken here.



What's a mountain trip without seeing a MOOSE!
(Jim Meikle photo)

More on the trip in another posting...

If you didn't see it, please enjoy the story and photos of my 100th Geocache find. It was spectacular!!!  I climbed a mountain to get it.  Posted at my geocaching blog HERE.


Take Care on the Journey
Your friend in life,
~Linda

Linda's E-mail: bestnurse@usa.com

No Fear!

When life seems perilous, remember the baby mountain goat,
and enjoy the view.

(Linda Meikle photo)

There's a story behind every picture...

In this case, I saw this baby mountain goat playing on the high rocks beside the road as I drove down the mountain highway. I quickly pulled over to a tiny open area beside a roaring mountain stream, ran to the trunk of the car, and loaded my camera with film so furiously that I broke the camera back. (How many years have I furiously loaded film???)  Most of the rest of the film was ruined. Later, I used another camera to got a few more shots. I'll post them soon, but thought this was so cute!!!

Click photo for a closer view.

Take Care on the Journey,

Your friend in life

~Linda

Linda's E-mail: bestnurse@usa.com