Projects to Keep Us Busy

AJ, AZ    High 86    Low 52

Holy Cow - now the drug cartels are trying to take advantage of the Covid-19 mess to cause even more havoc in our country. Staying home looks better all the time.

Jim and I are both doing just fine in our isolation. I have always been a real introvert so being allowed to stay home is definitely not a punishment. Jim is much more social then I am but he also enjoys the peace and quiet of being at home. Now ask me again in two months how we're doing. May be a whole different story.

We've been finding projects to keep us busy. I like to read so I'm making a pretty good dent in the books on my Kindle. I also check out books from the public library including audio books.  The one big project that I had to finish was our taxes. I am pleased to say they are now filed and done with for another year. Yippee.

The fan on our fireplace quit working so Jim took it apart. He needed to order a part but it took him a couple of days to find a phone number for the right company. Twinstar was a great company to work with and sent everything he needed to fix the fireplace including the wire connectors and ties.  Of course, it is now in the upper 80s and a fireplace is definitely not needed. But our mornings are still cool so I turn it on for Skitz when she drags me out of bed at 4:30 am. 

The other major project he had was wiring the new backup camera that we got for the pickup. It's amazing how much longer projects take than they would have 20 or even 10 years ago. And also how much harder they are on the body. The camera takes video of what's happening in front of us until the truck is put in reverse and then it becomes a back up camera. Really slick. 

I am having trouble keeping track of what day of the week it is. If it wasn't for Skitz's pill box or my phone - I really wouldn't have a clue. The other issue I have is my hair. I have yucky hair to begin with and not being able to get it cut is driving me crazy. Here in AZ hair salons and barbershops are considered essential but there is no way I am going to go sit in one. And cutting my own hair or letting Jim cut it is also totally out of the question. So who knows what I will look like in a couple of months. Really scary.  

We had an issue with Skittlez that gave us a scare. She started pooping bloody stools during the night and we had blood all over the place. She also didn't want to eat which means she really doesn't feel good because she is totally food motivated. I found an emergency vet and they told us to bring her right in. They were wonderful. We did all the paperwork in the truck and they took her in for her exam while we waited in the truck. After just losing Rocky, we were really worried about what was wrong. Seems she picked up a parasite somehow. They gave her meds and a special diet and we got to bring her home with us. We are so grateful for the wonderful care we got at VCA Animal Referral and Emergency Center of Arizona in Mesa.  

Some of the guys in our park practicing social distancing.  Took the picture from inside our rig. We are not socializing at all right now.

And that's enough excitement in our lives. Hope everyone is staying safe and staying far away from each other. 

Happy 16th Skittlez

AJ, AZ   High 85  Low 52

On March 30, our little girl turned 16 years old. She has been with us since she was 8 months old and is as goofy now as she was as a puppy.  We were pretty naive back then and did not realize we were buying from a backyard breeder. But I am glad we got her out of that situation. Jim picked her out and we took her home. Boy did she need a bath. We didn't take many pictures back then, so we have very few pictures of her as a puppy.

This one is of her and Scooter playing.

I've always said that Skitz is an agoraphobic. She hates to be outside. She wants to be in her house where she feels safe and secure and where the food is. She is not a good traveler so we have had to listen to her complain for a lot of the thousands of miles we have covered over the years. And it's gotten worse as she got older.

She has always been a Mommy's girl. I was the one she always wanted to cuddle with but as she has aged she no longer wants to sit on my lap, or cuddle, or sleep in our bed. She wants to be in her bed on the floor and in front of the fireplace if it is cold.

When we lost Scooter, she was inconsolable. She was not ready to be an only dog. She cried and cried if we left her alone.  We lasted six months and then realized that we had to do something for her and us. So along came Rocky. She was really patient when we got Rocky as he snapped and snarled at her. But eventually they became almost inseparable. He always wanted to climb in the same bed with her.

 Skitz is deaf and almost blind with a little bit of dementia thrown in but she is doing really great. She sleeps a lot and doesn't seem to mind being an only dog. I don't think she realizes that she is. 

Some days she bounces around here like a puppy and then the next day she can hardly move from the arthritis. Her back legs frequently don't work very good so we have to help her get up on them. 

Hopefully we have several more years with her. We love you little bit.