Dogs and muffins.
2007-08-19
11:15 a.m.
Friday afternoon I was talking with the court administrator about the dog issue. She's lived here in Smalltown a long time, and knows everyone -- and I do mean everyone -- in it, so of course she knew our neighbors with the dog.
According to her, I should just get myself a BB gun and start taking aim at the dogs every morning. Well, a little redneck justice, I guess. Don't think I'll be doing that.
The court administrator has daughters. Besides not wanting to really start a bunch of shit with my neighbors by BB'g their dogs, I'd have two sons breathless with anticipation every morning that this morning was "their turn with the BB gun." My windows and I say noooooo, we'll try something else.
Youngest Son and I stood together and petted the dog yesterday morning, let it lick our hands, and gave it a dog treat. I'm trying to teach YS that it is a puppy, albeit a huge one, and that it really wants to play with him like another puppy, hence the biting and jumping on him.
Like I mentioned, much to Oldest Son's HORROR, I will still be out there every morning as long as I feel like I need to be. I've told OS I will absolutely act like I don't know him the second the bus comes into view, but it's not good enough for him. Yep, OS's teenagehood is looking like a freight train coming down the tracks right now.
The neighbor that owns the yellow lab had some even bigger problems than the dog. His 5-year-old son had been in a four-wheeler accident last weekend, and had broken his leg. The little guy had to have surgery to put in two rods in his femur, and is now in a huge cast and a wheelchair for at least the next two weeks. And he had just started kindergarten the same day YS started first grade. Ouch.
The dad was suffering major guilt, because he had just bought the four-wheeler two days before the accident.
And the morning of the dog incident at my house, he was actually at the hospital with his wife, who'd had to have her gall bladder removed. She was still in the hospital the night I talked to him.
He told me he'd kept the dog penned for the eight months he's had him, but he's just getting so wild, and he needs the exercise. I did not point out to him how he could fence in an acre or so out of his 27 acres for the dog, but I did think it.
But mainly I thought this man has plenty of worries right now, and YS is okay, so I believe we'll step back and try not to add anymore today.
The next night we all four went down to meet them and bring the little boy some new coloring books and colors and some Old Maid cards, as well as a dog bone. The mom had just gotten home from the hospital that day, so we didn't stay long.
And other than occasionally bitching about them running in my flower beds, I hope the bigger part of the dog story is over.
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Tomorrow I go back to court for a three-week term. This time off has been good, but I'm ready to go back, too. I've gotten a lot of transcribing done, but I'm itching to do something different.
Remind me of this in a few days when I'm complaining about nosey bailiffs and pompous judges.
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Have any of you ever had the IRS lose your return? I got a letter last week that we had a $582 credit for our taxes, but that they never received our return.
Hello? Mailed the check for $582 with the 2005 return they were indicating was missing.
I called the 1-800 number on the letter, and the man I talked to said he could see it had arrived in check form with our return, but that I needed to mail another return.
I said, so basically you have lost our return? He said it appears that way. Hmmmm....
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I stayed up last night making some banana nut bread muffins. One, I was trying to use up the black bananas, and two, I was making them for Hubby to take to work.
I wasn't raised in a baking family, I was raised in a Weight Watching family. (And that worked out so well...my brothers and I were/are all obese, but we can tell you the nutritional value of nearly anything.)
Anyway, back to the muffins, I am so not a baker, but I actually got a cup out and MEASURED flour and sugar, etc.
I made a huge mess in the kitchen, and then figured out I realllly need to replace the baking powder that has 1999 stamped on the bottom of the can. I know. My baking powder is older than my youngest child and has actually moved a few times with us. I can't get rid of it, it's part of the family.
The muffins were tasty enough, but heavy. Hmmmmmmm.....wonder why? :)
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And now I must wash work clothes and figure out what to cook this week.
Over and out.
4 comments so far Joan - 2007-08-20 21:16:56
You are handling the dog issue in such a nice way. The family is going through so much - they need an understanding neighbor right now. We all need neighbors like you!
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wannagowest - 2007-08-19 15:48:06
That dude with the rambunctious dog sure has some bad karma or something. I transcribed an interview regarding a dog bite this weekend and thought about you and your son. The incident involved a very minor bite, but the victim was suing for almost $40,000. Can you believe that??
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nannycarols - 2007-08-20 14:29:29
Make the dog "sit" before getting the bone.(have the boys do this after the dog get's the idea) This will help put y'all in the alpha role. As for the banana muffins. I have a really good bisquick recipe if you want it. It is real easy.
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boom boom - 2007-08-19 12:28:15
theres something to be said for making copies of every tax return and original anything you have to send in.....
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