All over the place

So I'm really all over the place right now.
Work is busy, and homelife is busy.
Why is homelife so busy... Oh because we got a puppy.

After a few signs that Porter was telling us to get a particular dog, we did.

Doggie in the shelter

Well I did, D was in Jacksonville. Of course he called the shelter (not Humane Society) and asked questions of the dog, which the people didn't know. I drove 3 counties over, and saw the dog.
He was cute. They said he was 5. I couldn't get him last Friday even though I was there. They didn't take checks or CC's and I didn't have cash and they were closing.

So Saturday, I went back to the pound and got him. Because I lived out of county, he was $15. If I had lived in county he would have been $75.

Doggie needing help getting in the car and wanting that schmutz off his head

I got home and Guinness was not happy. We are watching another dog for awhile too, Panzer (yes he is a tank...100#s). Panzer and the new pup didn't get along, and new pup marked the entire house. I washed the pup because he had shit matted in his hair.

J came over and we watched Georgia Tech win the Coastal Division of the ACC. Then I took Guinness to see Santa Claus.

Doggie waiting for Uncle J to come over to watch Georgia Tech

Came home and played with everyone. D came home on Sunday.

Doggie showing the family jewels

Monday we named the dog Scuttlebutt (after the brewery not the nautical term). He had some other names during the interim (Smuttynose, Avery, Rogue, WakeNBake) but Scuttlebutt is the best.

Tuesday I had a complete meltdown. D called at 1 to tell me he had to go to Charlotte in 2 hours. I left work to say goodbye to him. When he got home, he had Porter's ashes. We said a few words, and then he was gone (D not Po). So my heart already broken, and I had to take care of 3 dogs for almost a week.

Panzer now can walk on a leash using the Heel comman and go to the bathroom on a leash. Guinness is being the perfect angel. And Scuttlebutt...he can lift his leg on a bush and fall over.

Wednesday I took my $15 dog to the vet (with Guinness who was due for a kennel cough vaccine). Guinness now is protected again (Panzer already was) and she got a flu shot. Who knew. Scuttlebutt got no vaccinations because he has roundworm, an ear infection and kennel cough. Luckily no heartworm. So no vaccinations or neutering. And Scuttlebutt MAY be 1, if that, not 5.

The rest of the week has just been a lot of walks, with Scuttlebutt still not understanding that he has to go outside.

Oh and before you think I gave up running, D, V and I are signed up for the Kentucky Derby Half Marathon.

Porter and Pearl Jam

For Porter (10/01/2001-11/06/2009)

D and I thought our baby was getting better and then she took a turn for the worse. On Thursday we took her to the vet, and Friday we had to make that awful decision.

I'm having a bit of a hard time. But each day I push forward.

So in my effort to regain some normalcy, D and I went lifting last night. He said he had a song to play me, of course Pearl Jam was playing. I told him I heard a song by them about a month ago. Then we got to the gym and did the exciting machines.

We talked about how people don't understand that Porter wasn't just a dog. I mean who else volunteers to be Santa at the Humane Society so his dog won't be afraid of him for Pictures with Santa (and yes, she was stupid, and was scared). She got to go to the beach twice, to Maryland, and South Carolina. She got tested for daycare and got in, and I used to watch her on the pet cam. She managed to get 2 dogs kicked out for their behavior. She spent many spring and summer days at Twain's (bar) on the patio sipping ice cubes and a little beer. Frosty Paws were her friend. So was every mud pit she could find or make.

Pumpkin Porter 10/04

Ballerina Porter 10/05

Porter's 6th Birthday Cake (Guinness ate part of it) 10/07

D, Porter and Guinness 12/07

Me, Porter and D sailing 7/08

Porter Sailing 7/08

Porter, November 08

What did Mom do to me, 4/09

Beach Porter 7/09

Ocean Porter, 7/09

Do, do, do looking out my front door! 9/09

Last picture of Porter 11/01/09

Back in the car Doug turned on the song. I of course cried because I had thought about this song on Thursday. I dared not mention it to him though because the one time I heard it, I thought about putting it on my death CD (CD of songs to play when I'm dead...yes, I'm morose).

So we listened to the song on the way home.

Yes I understand that every life must end, aw huh...
As we sit alone, I know someday we must go, aw huh...
I'm a lucky man to count on both hands
The ones I love...

Some folks just have one
Others they got none, aw huh...

Stay with me
Let's just breathe

Practiced are my sins
Never gonna let me win, aw huh...
Under everything, just another human being, aw huh...
Yea, I don't wanna hurt, there's so much in this world
To make me bleed

Stay with me
You're all I see

Did I say that I need you?
Did I say that I want you?
Oh, if I didn't I'm a fool you see
No one knows this more than me
As I come clean

I wonder everything
As I look upon your face, aw huh...
Everything you gave
And nothing you would take, aw huh...
Nothing you would take
Everything you gave

Did I say that I need you?
Did I say that I want you?
Oh, if I didn't I'm a fool you see
No one knows this more than me
As I come clean

Nothing you would take
Everything you gave
Hold me 'till I die
Meet you on the other side

Just Breathe by Pearl Jam

We miss you Porter Girl!

Well that didn't happen

So I think the last time I wrote (I could just go look), I had not run a 10K and instead drank some beers.

The following week was not for running. The ankle felt fine, but I had friends coming into town on Thursday which meant clean the house. That took from Sunday to Thursday, down to the wire. And then we had beer. We had Guinness to welcome them into town. We had Guinness the next day to see them off to a Fraternity Alumni Social. We had Guinness Saturday morning at the Ramblin' Wreck Parade. Then we had beer (not Guinness) at the Decatur Beer Fest. Yes, I sold my homecoming tickets to have beer. Then we had more beer at 2 bars, and then had more beers at home. So for Oct. 15-18, beer was consumed.

Tuesday (the 20th) I went for a 3 mile run. I ran a little differently...4 minutes run, 1 minute walk. My time was 42ish. It felt good. Except I got home and my hip hurt. #*@(~!
Thursday felt good. So I ran 2 miles 27ish. Saturday, D and I dropped the girls at daycare and off we went to Knoxville for beer... the Knoxville Brewer's Jam. It was a lot of fun and we had a good time. Sunday we drove home and picked up the girls and vegged.

This past week, we didn't run. We did go to 5 Seasons and have some beer, and then went to see the Capitals play the Thrashers. That was fun.

This past Saturday we got up to do Run Like Hell through the cemetery. We picked up A. We stood in line for our numbers and T-shirts. It was misting. We took our T's to the car. It was sprinkling. We walked to the start line. It was raining. We stood at the start line. It downpoured. We got wet. The wind kicked in. So now we were soaked to the bone, our shoes were heavy, and we were cold. D and I wanted to go home. A, being Mom, declared that this was "get sick" weather and yes we could go home. Hooray. So we ran to the car.

I didn't drink much beer this weekend. A migraine prevented that. Tonight we are going lifting.

Tomorrow, no run. We are going to the Left Hand/Terrapin Collaboration Beer Dinner.

Oh and if you have seen my HRM, let me know. I've misplaced it.