Farewell 2011

2011 is not a year I want to kick in the fanny.  It was a year that had it's ups and just little downs- a good year.  I am actually looking forward to 2012 primarily because Ned totally has his grump on today.  He is something of a gremlin and not a cute elf at all.  We are off to do something spur of the moment, I think involving donuts or ice cream to send the year off with a smile.  I could do frozen yogurt, maybe that is what it will be.

I am starting my 2012 reading challenge.  I have a Wyoming book and a West Virgina book picked, but am going to push them off until after Alabama.  I have decided not to keep in alphabetical order, but also Ellen is reading "To Kill A Mockingbird" in January.   I can't not re-read it, I am already breaking my plan of no re-reads.  I think Juno will be taking the reading challenge with me.

A Christmas Story

Thursday afternoon last week my neighbor called to tell me that an animal had trashed their front porch.  It had chewed up their umbrella and left prints all over the door trying to get in.   They are not pet people at all.  She asked if we had any trouble to which I replied nope.  Friday afternoon we went to the Carbon Leaf concert in Annapolis and when we got back around 6:30 there was a pit bull sleeping on the door mat.  I told the kids to stay in the car and tried to approach the dog, it lunged at me a little bit.  I couldn't chance it, so backed off.  I went to the back door and then rushed the kids through the front door.  I decided to deal with it the next day, hoping the dog might return to where it came from.  The next morning I found the dog still sleeping curled up on my door mat.  I really felt bad, because I knew it could not have eaten anything in ages.  I called my neighbor and told her the whole story.  I looked outside and the dog was gone.  My neighbor called and said it had moved to their mat.  She went out and fed her and was able to pet her.  Turns out she was the sweetest dog and came in the house to hang out.  The big problem was it is a holiday weekend and no agencies were open to take the dog.  The poor little girl was covered in scars.  She had also had puppies at some point.  There was probably a reason the dog had run away.  My neighbor's daughter found a home for the dog on Christmas Eve night.  The family sent a picture of the dog sleeping on the bed.  My neighbor had washed the dog for the new family.  It was a happy story.  I haven't heard the dog's name, but it was tentatively going to be Hartley. 

Knits and Fits

Ned has been bursting at the seams with excitement over meeting his pen pal.  He has been writing back and forth since September.  They do the writing at school, but one of the letters made it home in his backpack.  His pen pal is 22 years old?  I ask Ned's teacher why this is so.  The kids are penpalling with kids that go to Towson University, but don't know ANY english.  Their reading and writing comprehension is that of a 2nd grader.  Yesterday was finally the big day to meet.  Tuesday night Ned was planning his attire and telling me what he and his pen pal were going to do.  "We are going to play on the playground, just run around together.  We are going to knit.  We are going to sit, knit and talk."..........no way was I raining on this parade, but knit?  Unfortunately, yesterday was poring down rain.  So instead they played rugby in the gym and had a fabulous time.  Later in the year Ned's class is selling finger-knitted scarves to raise money for charity.  Ned has knitted quite a few of these, most of them are about 15 feet long.  Let me know if you would like one.

Riley died just after Christmas last year, but everyday for his entire life he had one meal a day.  My ex-husband had strong opinions on everything when dogs should eat.  I always found it slightly cruel, I can't imagine eating only one meal.  About eight months ago I decided to start feeding Hoover twice a day.  The first day, I know he thought he had died and gone to heaven.  The funny thing about it is he can't get the extra meal into his doggy brain.  Every time I pass by the door he thinks it is time for his second meal.  He bounds up and stands by his bowl having a fit of excitement.  It really is cute, such a small thing has brought such great pleasure. It is the least I can do for someone who brings our family so much joy.  I wish I had done the same for sweet Riley.  p.s you-know-who feeds his new dog twice a day.