hiking in Co. Mayo

Yesterday was one of the nicest days I've seen here in Ireland. And we celebrated by taking a hike on Nephin Ben.

It was an all around picture perfect day. And, for the first time, we got to see Bella really enjoying being a dog. Six weeks ago, she was near-to-defeated. Yesterday, she was jubilent!

It did my heart good to see her romping. 

Friday morning madness

I guess you could say that the Friday morning madness started at the stroke of midnight, when Bella decided she wanted to sleep under the bed. Bella suffers from some odd delusion that she is a small puppy. The only way she can get under the bed is by lying on her side and squirming, earthworm-fashion, until she reaches her destination. Getting back out is even worse. And the night continued: under-the-bed scrabbling, panting, strolling around the room, heavy breathing, gas attack, strolling, panting, heavy breathing, panting, asking to go out, howling while standing on top of the dog house, rampaging through the house, leaping into the middle of the bed, getting kicked out of bed, panting, gas attack...and so on.

Now, of course, she is a perfect angel, sitting in the back garden, gnawing on a bone, tail wagging and a love me, I'm perfect look on her face.

being a business owner

It's hard being a business owner. If I don't stay motivated and one step ahead of myself, there is no income. But there is a certain sense of relief to it as well.

I work my own hours. I can stop working and spend a few minutes on Facebook without worrying about the IT department reporting me to my manager. Because my mind is always working a full speed ahead, some of my best ideas come when it looks like I'm just goofing off. This has always been a hard thing to explain to co-workers.

But mixing the work and the fun works for me. This morning, between the hours of 10:30 and 1:00, I have:

1. Finished my summer camps brochure hours ahead of schedule.

2. IM'd with a friend in Seattle who is burning the midnight oil finishing her school projects.

3. Prepared my mailing list for a mail drop tomorrow.

4. Refereed some rough-housing between Bella and Nibbler.

5. Arranged one meeting for next week with a tourism office, looking for ways to add arts and crafts workshops to its offerings; and requested another meeting with a local social inclusion group.

6. Completely updated my website and calendars.

7. Wrote this blog entry.

8. Updated my income projections spreadsheet through the end of the summer.

9. Tried to chase down a refund due to me from my car purchase in early March.

10. Ate breakfast.

11. Confirmed that my first paid advertising will appear in the local paper tomorrow.

That's a lot of work in 2.5 hours. And a good dose of fun as well.

Sometimes, it's nice to be the boss!

starting the house

It took us nearly three years, but we finally have permission to build our house. When it is done, it will be a contemporary take on a traditional Irish Cottage, white with wood trim and a red door on the outside, and some nice modern features on the inside (a sunken stone entryway with lighted niches for our random objects and a compass tile in the floor with a point to Little Falls, exposed ceiling beams and a high porthole window in the open to the roof kitchen, a traditional office space for Vinny and a studio space for me).

My first house "job" is deciding on kitchen and bathroom design. And here is what I have my heart set on:

bathroom furnishing: http://www.tubstiles.ie/products.aspx?c=157

kitchen: http://www.cashandcarrykitchens.ie/index.php/kitchens-2/kitchen-range/classic-kitchen-range/pippy-oak

Thankfully, Vinny and I agree on decor (and price points!)

crows

The housing estate that I live in has more crows in it than people. I am sitting in the kitchen right now, looking out the patio door. A very large, very bold crow is eating Bella's food straight from the bowl.

There's karma for you. Last evening, Bella pulled the bird feeder down and ate all of the nuts and seeds meant for the birds.

Seems only fair....

nibbler

Nibbler is a one-year old cat that I rescued from the Mayo SPCA.

She came to stay on June 21st, 2008. She was eight weeks old and weighed less than one pound. But from day one, she was all personality.

Her first act of destruction was dragging Vinny's copy of Catcher in the Rye from the bookshelf and nibbling a hole in the cover. It has been non-stop since then.

She's a wonderful pet, but she needs to leave Bella's tail alone.

bella

Bella is a five-month old border collie mix that I rescued from the Mayo SPCA. She was turned into the SPCA with a three-inch wide open wound on her neck; the result of a rope being tied too tightly and for too long. The artery in her neck was exposed, the wound was so deep.

Bella came to live with me on Saturday, May 2nd. Since then, she has improved, but still has lingering "baggage." She hates going outside (but loves it once she does make it out the door). She is afraid of almost everything (cattle being the most offensive right now).

But everyday, she improves. Her neck is healing, and slowly her other abuse wounds will heal as well.

a sunday walk

Last Sunday, I took Bella for a long walk through the village where our house will 'someday' (sigh...) be built. While out walking, I ran into not one car, but a man in a horse drawn cart coming back from town and a second man taking his pony for a walk.

And this is why I moved here....