Five on Friday

1. Sisterly love? I came home on Monday at lunch to water the trees. You're supposed to do this even during the winter in Colorado, unless there is snow on the ground. Well, there hasn't been snow, but it's been too cold to consider yard work. As I'm leaving to return to work, I notice that Hallie has brough one of her bones in the house that was covered in dirt. She scurried away from me when I called her over. I walked after her, and took it from her mouth (she did not growl or fight me more than to turn her head away). Unfortunately, Pepper happened to be walking by just at that moment; Hallie unleashed her fury on Pepper. The two of them went at each other full force for a good 30-45 seconds. I hestitated to get my arms or hands in the middle of the fight, but managed to throw my hip between them a few times while screaming at the top of my lungs at them. Hallie walked away with a small tear in her collar; Pepper, however, hobbled away with a good 3 inch laceration in her front leg. I ran her to the vet - sedation, 6 stitches and antibiotics later, she's doing well. To add injury to insult, she was so doped up on the ride home that she peed in the back of the car (on the mat thankfully). I walked her through the house to the backyard, but she stared at me and did not go potty. I put her on the couch and by the time she had turned around, she had peed on the couch. Poor girl. There doesn't seem to be any tension between them now; but I'm especially nervous when they try to play now.

2. Monday night brough on crazy winds! The highest was clocked at 91mph in Lafayette (right down the road). Timing figures, Tuesday is trash day, the neighborhood looks like a landfill. There is trash and recycling everywhere! I picked up quite a bit of it, but I think it will continue to blow around for a few more weeks. I've also acquired someone's recycle bin, but no one has responded to my neighborhood email to claim it.

3. Happy New YEAR! I spent the evening with Sam. We went to dinner at BJ's (a place that we had gone several times in La Jolla, and even once in Boulder - but for some reason Sam has blocked this restaurant, he always thinks its the first time. hahaha). Dinner was great. They originally told us it would be a 75 minute wait, but when we noticed the bar had open tables, we were able to sneak in there and sit at a high top with full food service. We went to Randy's house after that for a small house party, consisting of Randy, Amy (his gf), Randy's two brothers and their respective wife and girlfriend. A few hours of Nerf gun wars and playing with Bowser (their rescued pitbull). Rang in the New Year with the ball drop on TV and a few sips of Barefoot Bubbly (a wine company that makes classic wine into champagne for the holiday) - who knew you could drink carbonated Pinot Grigio. We didn't get too far into the bottle which was a shame, because it was tasty!

4. Laura, Mike and Lilly were due home on the 30th, but Laura wound up sick and did not want to risk a repeat ear drum rupture from flying. They delayed their flight home until Jan 5th. I've enjoyed being able to clean at all hours with the music blaring, but I'm looking forward to having bodies and life in the house again. It gets a little lonely after a while - conversation with the dogs just isn't the same :)

5. Speaking of bodies in the house... an old friend from San Diego... specifically a dancing partner from In Cahoots (my country version of Cheers - where everyone knows your name). He's on his way back to Indiana for a few months, and is coming through Denver over the weekend. I sucessfully begged him to take me dancing and stay a few nights to visit.