two years

Today marks the anniversary of this blog. My main reason for starting it back then was to journal my progress as I prepare for this new life. When I look back now I realize that it's been a long yet fast three years. Point of fact, the discovery and decision to do it took place the year before starting the blog. I'm really not big on sharing much of myself with total strangers so there has been a bit of a learning curve. It's not that I've got anything to hide since I'm pretty much an open book with my friends. It's just different. This is why my posts (especially all the early stuff) tend to make for some dry reading. I'm a lot more animated and fun to be with in person. No really, I promise you. I'm working on bringing that part of me into the writing so I appreciate your bearing with me.

Thanks to all who subscribed and stuck it out with me this far. I can't wait to see what the next few years bring me.

happy birthday, my little monster

My little one turns eight today. Oh and according to the vet I was wrong last year about her becoming a senior citizen, it's this year that it officially happens. Thanks internet for the accurate information (again).

Homecoming day Feb 5 2005

I remember the day I brought her home. My mother spearheaded the mission to get her which was a complete surprise to me. Growing up she's always been against dogs and only tolerated them since the rest of the family overruled her on having one. I think this might've been because we always had german shepherds and weren't fans of any of the smaller breeds. That morning I dropped by for breakfast which is where it all began. She said "I know you don't like small dogs, but which if you did which one would you get?". I answered "a beagle" since I'm partial to working dogs and that made the most sense to me. That was the moment when I learned that my mother was a closet beagle fan. By the time I realized what had just happened we had already been to five different places by that afternoon. I was thoroughly burnt out on even getting a dog by that time and have given up. My niece was the one who found her. I figured ok, I'll look at one last pup and then we can go home after this. She was trembling uncontrollably as they handed her to me but calmed down after a few minutes. We played together for about a half hour before I had to make a decision. I was still on the fence about getting her up until then but this is what changed my mind. When I looked down and asked her if she wanted to come home with me she looked up and started licking my nose. She had me already and I didn't even know it.

My little old lady

"What are you gonna name her?" was her question on the ride home. Since I hadn't met the right or wrong girl, or even one willing to hold still long enough for me to impregnate. I decided to invoke the practice of naming her after a grandparent. "Bridgette, after you mom" is what I told her half joking. Mom kind of laughed while saying "Noooo". My niece, who was in the backseat holding her, said "but grandma, she looks like your mom". When we pulled in my parent's driveway their neighbor happened to be out front and saw her. She asked what I planned to name her and before I had a chance to answer said "she looks like a Bridgette, you should name her Bridgette". And that was that!

It's been almost eight years and I don't know what I would do without her. It's her day so I'm letting her do just about anything she wants to. Right now she's chosen to snore thru her nap on top of my clean unfolded laundry. Happy Birthday sweet pea!

great-full

I won't go into the obligatory things that I'm thankful for in my life since I acknowledge those things on a daily basis. I did want to say that the meal I prepared for myself and the beagle was epic and that we quietly slipped into our turkey comas around 9pm last night. My apologies as I completely forgot to take a picture of the meal before devouring it, and of us in the aftermath. We both woke up in what we wore yesterday.

I hope each of you enjoyed your Thanksgiving as much as we did!

roku no more

After test driving it over these past two weeks I decided to return it. My praise for it still stands, however my frugality won out in the end. There really was no sense in spending the money on it when my roommate already has cable TV. When push comes to shove I have a half terabyte of movies and TV shows handy along with a large box full of DVD's that I hadn't gotten around to digitizing. I could always read a book, but I simply haven't felt like doing that yet. I'm saving them for the road.

can you roku?

One of the things I invested in recently was the Roku streaming player. My Xbox live membership lapsed last month and with it went my access to Netflix. I needed another way to watch it on my TV and the Roku was the solution. The cost was even the same as renewing my membership but in this case it won't expire. So what's a Roku? In short it's a hardware appliance that allows you to watch TV using a wifi internet connection. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Vudu are just a few of the available channels on it. In addition to the pay per view channels there are even more free channels to watch. They have four models starting at $49- $99. I got the entry level HD model which costs $59 and comes with a remote, composite cable connector, and power supply. It's simple to setup and even easier to use. Software/firmware updates are all handled via the wifi connection and done automatically so you don't have to worry about it. The thing I really like about this is how easily you can add/remove your favorite channels in a quick list menu so you don't have to cycle thru all of them just to get to the ones you want to watch. You do need to setup an account and credit card with them since some of the channels bill the pay per view stuff through them. This doesn't apply with Netflix or similar channels where you direct bill with them.

What about when I'm on the road? This thing is completely useless when boondocking due to the lack of internet access so I'd only be using it when at RV parks (or any other place) with free wifi. I read that there are a few boondocking sites where mobile wifi hotspots can pickup a signal. With a little luck I might be able to sneak in a flick or two out there. I'll have to wait and see how it does when the time comes. Worst case scenario I still get my moneys worth out of it while I'm still sticks and bricks, and can then make a gift of it to family or a friend if it doesn't prove out.

under the weather

Hi guys I'm a little overdue on this one. I've been sick over the past two weeks and there hasn't been much left of me due to the new work schedule. At first I thought it was something minor pushed myself through it like I always do. It knocked me on my ass that first weekend so I took it easy this last week and convalesced like I should have. I've still got a touch of it with me, but am feeling much better than before.

Unfortunately I've not done much, or been able to hold a coherent thought outside of recalling a few very strange fever dreams. I don't know how much traction the dream about Master Chief (from Halo) helping me defeat an attack by 10 foot tall zombie beagles. This has got to be why Nyquil was invented. 

Yesterday I went to check in on my trailer at the storage yard. Aside from everything being just as I'd left it, seeing it helped refocus my thoughts. I realized that this was the first in a long time that I had been as sick as I have. Were it not for the roommate to dispense soup and medicine I might have been in real trouble had I been alone. I'm going to make it a point of knowing what friends are nearby should something like this happen again. That and I'm going to keep some Nyquil and a few cans of chicken noodle soup handy.