Taking a Break

I took a non-blogging computer break yesterday and my cat Bob crawled up in my lap and went to sleep. The dogs were asleep at my feet, Bob was in my lap, and life was very cozy and quiet for while.

Friday I spent a lot of the day making popcorn at school for a cancer research fundraising carnival the 7th grade held. Later that night the whole family went to see Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (The Yarn Harlot) at a book talk/signing at Powell's Bookstore in Portland, actually, the whole family went, and everyone but James stayed to hear her speak (no accounting for taste in some people's children.) John regularly reads her blog, and Audrey just finished her first two books.

Sunday while walking the dogs up on a logging road, a COYOTE crossed our path and the dogs pulled their leashes right out of my hands and took off after it. Stupid, stupid #&*#@!!!! dogs. When the coyote couldn't outrun the dogs after about a quarter mile, he made straight for the most densely wooded area he could find and the dogs went right in after him. A few minutes later the coyote came loping leisurely out of the woods and went on his merry way. The dogs didn't come. I called. I whistled. I cajoled. I threatened. The dogs didn't come. Of course they didn't come, they had their leashed wrapped around trees and were stuck and needing to be rescued. Stupid #&*#@!!!! dogs! Forcing my way through blackberry brambles is not my idea of fun. They were relieved to see me, but as soon as I got them loose they both wanted to know which way the coyote had gone. Stupid dogs.

My dishwasher broke, going out in a floor-flooding blaze of glory. You know that saying about "I wouldn't wish fill in the blank on my worst enemy?"" I've decided that having their dishwasher quit is EXACTLY the sort of thing that is appropiate to wish on your worst enemy. It causes no karma-crippling lasting harm, but it's damn inconvenient.