Here Comes Arthur!!

Well, as you have probably heard, Hurricane Arthur is in our area.  It is just pouring down rain right now with very little wind, but boy is it raining.  I took pictures an hour or so ago  (see below) and it has been raining ever since.  I'm really glad I'm not working today.  I hate driving in the rain, especially at night.   I'm just hoping this is gone by tomorrow afternoon when I do have to go in.  Too bad it had to be on 4th of July weekend. 

So, here comes Arthur:

The view across the street....rain, rain, rain

This is our tree in the front yard, it started to sway a bit

Notice the palm trees on the right, the wind and rain and bending the palms over

Here is the other side of the yard, the roses are really getting watered!

More wind,  more rain

Check out the water in the road....it's a puddle! 

 

This is a picture of the rain pouring out of the drain on the house

 

Living By The Calendar

For a good part of my career, I called the shots on my comings and goings.  I typically arrived at work an hour before everyone else and stayed an hour after because I wanted to. 

 

I wanted to prepare for the day and at the end of the day, I wanted to evaluate successes and challenges so we could do better the next day.

It was my own special shift--one that no one else had.  And then, I started to work at the hospital.  My "shifts" can be anywhere from 5:30 in the morning to after midnight.  And, I can work a midnight shift only to be scheduled for a 6:30 a.m. shift the next day--what Tony calls a "quick turn" because there is very little time to sleep before I go back and start all over again. 

Tony did shift work for years and I don't know how he did it.  Very often, I don't know what day it is as they all run together.  The calendar on the fridge is crowded with work shifts, doctor's appointments,  Dixie's hair appointment and upcoming events.   But, I shouldn't complain--I spent a year and a half looking for work, now that I have it, I should be thankful.

 

One of the events coming up is 4th of July....and I am working. Tony, Marie, Coleton and David will be here and I'm going to miss a big part of their visit, but I will spend as much time with all of them as I can--especially Coleton...Mr. Almost 2.  I can't wait to see  him.        

 

David will be taking Bernie back to Florida with him and I'm really curious to see how Dixie is going to adjust to not having him around.  They have become friends in an odd way and I think Bernie will be a bit lonely without her around too.  He is a sweet dog and I wish my allergic reaction to him  wasn't as strong as it is.  With Tyson being here for the 4th, there should be a lot of canine interaction and I'm sure Dixie will prevail as always.  I guess working the 4th isn't a bad thing, as with all three of them here, I will probably positively impact the stock prices for Allerest!!!  But watching the three of them play is always fun.   

 

So, bye bye, Bernie, it's been fun--let us know when you'll be back...we'll leave the light on in  your room!

 

Check out their expressions!!  Bernie says, "Look, Mo Mo, I want to sleep here tonight!!"  Dixie screams, "Oh no you don't...this is my room!!" 

                

Sex On The Front Porch In Broad Daylight!

Tony and I have continued our new routine--coffee and fresh fruit on the front porch in the morning.   I find it extremely peaceful, especially after a rough night at work. 

 

Anyway, I escaped to the serenity of the front porch with Tony this morning and we saw two Geckos getting very friendly on one of our front posts.  It was really interesting to see, and if you look closely, you can see one of them changing colors from brown to green.  It was fun to witness them, but on the down side, Tony came in yesterday and told me he thought he saw a Copperhead snake right in front of where we were just sitting.  There are just some parts of North Carolina nature I can do without.

 

So, if you dare, take a peek at our shameless Geckos getting it on in broad daylight on our front porch!  Click on the pictures to make them bigger. 

 

"Ah, Mon Cheri, let me whisper in your ear....."

 

 

"Wait, where is your ear???"  Notice she is starting to turn green around her eye.

Notice the green color emerging

Notice now that the tail is brown, but she is mostly green

See him in the tree?

 

The Revenge of Bernie!

Having Bernie here has been an adventure for all of us.  Dixie is having a blast.  She waits until Bernie is sleeping (and snoring really loud!!) and then will go up and bark in his ear.  She chases him relentlessly and nips at him wherever and whenever she can.  He just wants peace, and so far, hasn't gotten it.  On the upside, however, he is sleeping really well at night!

 

Bernie is figuring out  ways to get back at her.  He has taken over her bed in the living room and found a way to get under the bed in the guest room. He's too big to get under there from the bottom, but he realized that the sides of the bed were up higher.  Before he did, Dixie would harass him and then run under the bed at the bottom  so Bernie couldn't retaliate. He could only try to push his way under to get her and would get stuck.  Yesterday, Bernie got under there from the side with one of Dixie's favorite squeak toys and was biting it so it would make noise.  Dixie ran into the bedroom and saw him under the bed and barked at him.  Every time she barked, he bit the toy again.  She didn't even try to go under the bed to get the toy.  She just watched him having fun and barked at him.

 

Yesterday, he was on his game.  Dixie has a cushioned bed under the table on the patio.  I have a table cloth on it that gives her shade, but she can see out into the yard and enjoy the cool breezes in total comfort. She loves to be out there with Tony and me.   Bernie discovered her haven and now calls it his own. The first time he was under there, it really freaked Tony and me out.  We were busy doing things and when we started looking for the dogs, we found Dixie, but we couldn't find Bernie.  We called him and looked all over.  It's kind of hard to lose a 62 pound English Bulldog, but it was starting to look like we did.  We were in a panic, until I noticed his little tail sticking out from the table on the patio.  There he was, enjoying the sunlight and comfortable cushion. 

 

Today, he took one step further.  He took over one of the chairs on the patio.  Dixie can't jump that high so all she can do is look at Bernie enjoying the chair.

 

Maybe she's learning a life lesson.....you can be a bitch, but there will be consequences!

 

 

Ahhhhh...it's nice under here, huh Dixie????

 

Hey, Dixie....too bad you can't jump this high...this chair is nice!!  Oh, and you can't reach me to bite me while I up here, either! Ha Ha

 

 

New View

Tony and I have started to have our morning coffee on the front porch instead of the patio.  We get the early morning breeze and aren't in direct sunlight.  It's really nice to sit out there and watch our neighbors come and go as we sit back and enjoy leisure.  It's a new view of our world and we enjoy it.

We went to Topsail Beach on Father's Day and had a blast.  The water was active and the waves were high.  It was a beautiful day weather wise and it was good to be not working.  Next week, I'm working the early shift--6:30 to 3:00 so we will be able to have more daylight time. 

 

My body is getting more used to Bernie and while I still sniffle and sneeze, I can at least breathe to a certain degree.   I think that Dixie and Bernie are also getting used to each other.  They still play but not like they used to--growling, barking and chasing each other around--at least now there isn't any blood.  Now it's stealing toys, laying on each other's bed or just laying on the patio floor together.   We will all miss him when he goes home.

 

Here's our new view of the world from the other side of the house:

The front flower bed and our statues

 

 

Construction will begin on a new house directly across from us very soon.  I wonder how it will further change our view?

 

Bernie is resting his head on Dixie's back and she is resting her paw on his leg.  They are finally "comfortable" together....

...But they still play hard and sleep well

Heeeerr----rrrrrrrs....Bernie!

 

 

 

I wish I could say that I took this, but Tony did.  It's the last full moon that will fall on a Friday the 13th until 2049.  Cool.

 

 

 

 

The Lion and The Lamb

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BURR-NARD

We are babysitting for David so he can go on his trip to Israel and Jordan.  Tony went to Tampa last week and brought Bernie home with him on Monday.  So far, it's been an adventure with he and Dixie running around.   Dixie just won't leave him alone.  She taunts him, chases him, nips at him, uses her feminine whiles against him and in general, gives him a run for his money--which isn't really fair, since he weighs 55 pounds and she is a mere 8 pounds.   She will chase him and all of a sudden, she passes him and is in front of him--coming at him at full speed.  Bernie doesn't seem to get how one second she is behind him and the next, she is in front of him.  It frustrates him no end and he tries to escape, but as always, Dixie rules the roost and makes sure her male cousins know whose house this is!!

 

For the most part, it is play, but there has been some growling and "enough-is-enough" interaction.  Poor Tony has to walk them separately in this heat, but he does so with good spirit and a smile on his face.  I, on the other hand, am staying in the air conditioned house.  I am allergic to Bernie and have been popping allergy pills since he arrived.  As the dogs run, you can see Bernie fur flying everywhere....and as always, it lands in my eyes and throat, but I am coping.   This trip is so important to David that I can suck up allergy pills for a few weeks. 

They are fun to watch and I know at the end of his visit, both Bernie and Dixie will miss each other.

 

Bernie says, "Seriously, I'm trying to get along....don't let that little face fool you, she's a real bitch."

 

Bernie says, "Oh, hell, I give up...she's worn me out."