caerphilly

Caerphilly, a town in South Wales, and also a word from the National Spelling Bee. I don't think that I spelled a single word right. Those kids are crazy.

Anywho, today we decided it was a nice day to go the the Zoo. As did every elementary school in the tri-state area. So many yellow school buses! We also bought a membership, so we can frequent as much as we like. Needless to say, Omri is so excited, she's practically jumping out of her pants, she was willing to have her hair brushed and put into piggy-tails once she heard of our destination. We rode the African safari train (mine and Olive's first time!), and got some good looks at a giraffe and some antelopes.

When we got home, Jedi was continuing his lethargy that had started last night when he also began vomiting, refusing to eat and not pooping as well. Frankie, the web MD, looks up his symptoms and says he might have Parvo, a parasite that kills 75 % of dogs that contract it. So he hightails him to an animal hospital in Pet Smart to get an experts opinion. All in all, he has no virus or parasites in his intestines, the vomiting and lack of appetite is most likely due to some play sand that he decided would be a good snack earlier that day. And he was diagnosed with a heart murmur that's an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. This has me worried. Some dogs(mostly bred ones) are born with it, and will eventually grow out of it, however it can also be a sign of congestive heart failure or valves that aren't doing their job. Either way, there's a lot of turbulence in his lub-dub. We have to take him to a veterinary cardiologist to find out exactly what's wrong. We have decided to hold off and see if he continues his lethargy after he has begun eating and pooping regularly. It stinks that his heart is broken. The vet says we could call the breeders to get a refund or exchange, but we love our little guy a whole bunch. Hopefully, he grows out of it.

Kerry is over tonight, she cut her hair and now has bangs. Frankie and I decided that she looks either 9 or 10, but still lovely. She thinks that Nicholas looks like Ashton Kutcher, now I'm questioning her judgement.

Olive turned 5 months old last week. I hadnt realized she was getting 'so' old until I was watching her wiggle around on her back a few days before. She is eating up a storm (I couldn't get enough green beans in fast enough the other day),trying to hold her own bottle, and rolling this way and that way, and also trying to sit up. She laughs and blows raspberrys and is an all around cool chicka. Omri likes to try and make her laugh, today she was doing 'I'm a little teapot'.

Omri is now a big fan of knock knock jokes.
Her favorites:
Knock, knock
whos there
car go
car go who
car go beep beeeeeep

knock knock
whos there
boo
boo who
dont cry, its just a joke

and the banana-orange one, although she tends to go straight for 'orange ya glad I didn't say banana?'

My favorite
Knock, knock
who's there?
Olive
Olive who?
I love you!
..... no, I'm Omri!! (she says it every time.)

Time to go make some Ghiradelli dark chocolate brownies, or cookies... hmmmm

I think I may be getting the sickness.

It's no surprise that I would be getting sick. Over the past week, Omri was sick twice. First with a vomiting/fever fit, then with a cough/runny nose over the weekend. I thought working at a pharmacy had made me immune, but I havent been sick in 2 or 3 years, so I can't complain too much.

I didn't feel like this at my interview this morning, I was surprisingly wide awake after getting up at 5:30. I get to Findlay, a little early, and I read some of my book (The Associate by John Grisham) to calm my nerves. I go in, write a decent essay, and wait to talk to the Dean. In the meantime, there's a little girl in the office, playing with ball with an older man and her parents. I get to talking, and I end up mentioning that I have two girls at home. A few minutes later, the older man announces that he is the Dean and he's ready for my interview. We go in, and the first subject he wants to talk about is how I'm going to handle two children and school. I reply that while it's dificult, I make it work, I have a good support system, and that my past two semesters I've gotten straight A's. He then says, No, I'm talking about the guilt that you are going to recieve when you aren't spending enough time at home with your children. I'm momentarily taken aback at this, but say that I feel the means justifies the ends, and while they may not understand at this young age, it is for the benefit of their future. He proceeds to pester me on the subject for a few more minutes, and finally begins the interview, which seems to proceed either downhill or a plateaued direction. First, he asks me, why Findlay? I say, they have pharmacy, small school, and that their recent accreditation may offer some unique and new perspectives on pharmacy practice, as well as other such comments. He then says, "Basically you didn't get into UT", and writes this down as my ONLY comment on this matter. Seriously? Thanks... A few mediocre Q&A's later, he presents me with an ethical question:
What would you do if you found a black envelope outside in the parking lot?
Me: Turn it into the office.
Him: What if it contained enough cash to pay for your tuition for the next 5 years?
Me: Well, If I found an envelope, I wouldn't look into it, but if it should be open, and I see this, I would still turn it in. I have lost money before, usually only a 5 or so, and I was upset about that. I would hope that if I lost money, someone would turn it in for me. I would choose to give someone else that respect.
Him: What would you do if we called in 6 months and state that no one picked it up?
Me: Tell the University to use it for whatever it needs.
Him: You wouldn't tell us what exactly to do with it?
Me: No, I don't really think that's my right if it's not my money to begin with.
Him: You don't have to answer just what I want to hear you know.
Me: (crickets).......................
The interview ends not much later, and I proceed to take a tour. It's a really neat campus, with lots of nice amenities. I am not at all confidant about gainng admission though. I find out the last week of May/first week of June. We'll see.

In other news, I bought a pickup for $250 from Patrick's work. It's WELL used, and the steering is slightly off, but I really enjoy it. I always wanted a pick up. Fun. Frankie tilled an area for a garden (where Mary used to be). In the process he found an ice cream scooper, a super long metal pole, and a cat skull. We are now making plans on what to plant. I just wish it would warm up and stop raining. Omri just got a bicycle, police car, and T- ball set, and I really would love for her to be outside more, but the weather has not been permitting. Soon enough I suppose. Time to go police the Jedi and Omri tag team.

Procrastination, exclamation!

I just finished a 4 page book review about 10 minutes ago, and it's due in about 3 minutes. I began at about 9:30, that's a new record. While I'm famous for procrastinating, I usually never cut it THIS close, but alas, my clothes are still wet from laundering earlier. I officially offed my mom's on the verge dryer. It was doomed, and it choose to crap out on my laundry day. I tried the whole clothesline thing, but it the sun was setting, so, now they're going to be hanging in my bathroom until Patrick can install the proper devices to activate my laundromat in the basement (another instance of procrastinating! I've only lived her for, SIX MONTHS!). Argh. Ugh. Blah.

So while I was not in anyway uber-productive, my lovely Frank the Tank was. In case you havent seen the visual representation in Facebook, our backyard began its long journey of it's facelift. Not much has been done to that space but cutting of grass in the past year or so, or maybe longer, I don't know. Therefore, it was overrun by plantage. I had no idea what was what, save for the grass, large tree(still dont know what KIND of tree it is) and the lilac bush/shrub/tree. Apparentely, after I headed off for mi madre's Frankie decided to do something about it. And he enlisted Neighbor Kyle's help. Kyle has lots of tools. And the renovation begun... Basically all unnecessary freestanding edifices about the yard were yanked out--save for big tree and lilac. It was interesting to see the backyard in a more open way, it seemed a lot bigger! The only haphazard part that remains is along the back fence, but since railroad tracks exist on the opposite side, I'm quite ok with that. I am not gardening inclined, so I'm not sure what is a weed-except for dandelions, which I leave because Omri likes them. I also lack any ounce of creative ability in that field, so I imagine that for now, keeping grass at a reasonable length and dog poop under control is my main focus for the yard. Well, I would love a picnic table, patio, and swing set, but that's another year/battle.

Frankie is also making the awesome list this week because of his homemade salsa. I was apprehensive, because while I enjoy salsa, I am quit the weakling when it comes to hot/spicy foods. I love 'em, but then my nose runs, and my eyes water, and I turn into that guy from Dumb and Dumber, lying on the floor of an off the highway diner. Anyways, he goes to Krogers to buy some produce and gets to work with a knife and the Magic Bullet(not that magic). End product is a slush that looks like it originated from some swamp that contains bacteria and fungi that have yet to be named. BUT IT WAS DELICIOUS! Perfect amount of jalepeno, cilantro, and all the other good stuff. He did a re-make on Saturday, but ended up chopping the tomatoes by hand, rather than adding it into the Bullet. Even more tasty. I keep telling him to open up a restaurant, featuring his famous taters and salsa.

This week also featured two food firsts for Omri: Barrys Bagels and Munster cheese. She thoroughly enjoyed a cinnamon vanilla bagel, topped with strawberry cream cheese. She apparently wanted to eat it for every meal that entire day. When Frankie bought the 'maters for salsa round 2, he went to Monnette's, and also got 2 pounds of Munster. I had to admit that I had never even tried, and I love it! Of course, Omri comes over "What you doin?" --Eatin' Munster cheese. "Monster cheese!" This was quite the novelty for her, and she loves it, as long as it's not an edge piece that has some of the coloring on it--I believe thats from a vegetable rub or something of that sort. Funness. I am always pleased when that child eats something new, let alone eats at all!

Off to eat Munster cheese and rest my neurons.