Dakota Just a Day Away!

By Aynetal3 @aynetal3
Thursday, August 21, 2014 @ 12:36 pm

Shoot Shoot … it looks like we’ve gone by another month+ since really writing and for sure none of our writing is being very prophetic.  *sigh*  BUT, Here we are again for another round.
I’m thinking we are probably close enough in time that we should be taking our 1 pm medicine.  Why don’t we agree to agree and go do what’s necessary, hmm? 
Ok, good … and we started the dishwasher and got ourselves a tall glass of ice water.  We’ve just recently finished a turkey lunchmeat sandwich.  Eh, not the best, but it counts as lunch so we’re choosing to be moving on. 
There’s so much stuff on our mind that even though I know that sewing is an option and a GREAT option, we’re going to dedicate ourselves to writing for a while and not the kind of writing that has a whole lot on cleaning.  That’s what we did yesterday, but many of the recent writings have been going to Dr. Marvin because we’ve been working on some of our more private relationships with people and we are trying to be cautious of what goes up on the Internet about it.  There are some general notes of where people we love most are …
Rich is at work and will stop at the grocery store on the way homeLinda is still out on her anniversary vacation with Tony in MichiganMaury is working, dating and we’ve been enjoying every other weekend opportunities to be with his girls and their dogsJoe and Cari have about 7 weeks left of their pregnancy with their first son – WOOHOO date October 11!We just talked to Thom yesterday and had a very good conversation – he’s thriving!We saw Austin last week and have been figuring out the cartoon Happy Tree Friends ever since ;)CS is in the hospital following a fourth surgery in about a month and a half on her shoulderWe visited my Mother late in July and that turned out real wellDr. Marvin has been in and out of the office – but, remains one of our favorite forever peopleAND we pick up KATHERINE AND DAKOTA at the airport in JUST OVER 24 HOURS!!!!!!
Ok, there’s the rough draft J
We’re back to listening to Sarah Brightman and all is pretty gay!  We had to stay home from our session with Dr. Marvin today because we were pretty overwhelmed.  He pointed us in the direction of having to ground ourselves – hence the sewing, but we are really going into a new phases in our life and this should be commemorated with some words – whether wise or not.  The big transition of course is going to be having Dakota as our Service Dog.
We don’t know all of where we left off before, but it was decided on the way home from MN that the cost of traveling to SD on our own – two days there and two days back, plus hotel, food, etc. would be more expensive than just asking Katherine to fly down as she had with one of her other customers.  So, we checked on the average price and talked to her AND she was game, AND her plane is coming in tomorrow (Friday) at about 5:30 pm at O’Hare.  SOOOO excited!  At first she was going to come in two weeks from now, but she was worried over all the care she’d be going through at that time with the twelve puppies that were born to her two of her dogs last month and so the time was moved up and we couldn’t be more excited.  I think of the group of us Dakota will probably be the most calm!
We talked to Katherine this morning too and it was a great floaty conversation.  We talked a bit about her trip with the other client and her Great Dane.  That gave us a chance to think what it might be like for her and us in a few days.  We’re trying not to second guess and place the other customer in front of us as someone competitively better for whatever reason.  The fact of the matter is that Katherine is very non-judgmental and is coming to see us FOR uniting Dakota and us for a lifelong work engagement … Ok, and he’s going to be OUR DOG!!!!  This is a very big deal – and, WHOOSH!  There it goes again, but here’s Anns flying in the clouds again! 
We went over a few things like how it will be when we meet and what Katherine eats for breakfast and drinks – Iced tea!  And, yes, she will bring a few treats for Dakota the first night.  We know he likes some special chicken treats as he’s getting in the kennel at night.  I know he’s used to being in the same bedroom as Kathryn so that will be different for him, and he’ll be right outside our door.  We got a kennel for him a week or two ago … it looks like this.
(see above) 
It seems to be in just the right spot and we’re happy AND Rich is like tolerating so that’s good enough for us.  Missy liked the soft synthetic sheepskin bed in his kennel, that we got her her own bed too … just its smaller.  She is LIVING on that thing now!  Who woulda guessed!?
I’m thinking that Dakota is going to like it here, just he has to get used to a few things that Katherine didn’t think would be a problem.  For example, instead of getting to roam free in her yard, he is going to have leashes in the back and front.  I think they are each about 20 feet and should then at that length keep him from going in the yard.  I’m really sure we don’t want that.  Maury came out last week when he brought the girls and he fixed it so that we could have three leashes in the front and three in the back.  That’s so we’d be ready for when we had all three dogs staying overnight.  Not all the time, but periodically on the nights the girls might be over.  Just want everyone to be happy.  We’ll get another set of dishes for Dakota Saturday when we go out with Katherine too, but for Friday night he can share with the other dogs that won’t be here.
There was another problem this last week or two in that we were having more small bees in our patio area and Rich was saying it was because of the flowering bush in our corner, but yesterday we sat on our scooter about three feed from the patio border and were realizing that at that distance, we weren’t getting buzzed, but that they were hovering around my blue comfy chair.  We studied it a little while before realizing that they were going up in a section of the part of our house that stands out about a foot or so – the double windows.  We asked and Rich did his best with spraying – though he ran out of spray because he’d used the can earlier.  I will go out again today and study the situation to see if its gotten better.  ALL summer we’ve been dreaming of being out in our front yard with OUR dog!  To not have that space for Katherine and us and Dakota was driving us crazy.  BUT, we’re hoping the problem is now fixed.  Again we will see.
Hoping so!!!
So where were we otherwise? 
Hmm, definitely talking about Dakota and Katherine being here!  We had made previously a schedule for all concerned over the weekend.  Basically, we will leave here about 3:00 pm to pick them up at the airport.  Their plane comes in about 5:30 pm.  It will take some time to get through, but they will pick up their baggage and we’ll meet them outside the United area.  Yup they will be the ones with the dog!  I know we’re going to have to go around and around until they get there, and we don’t know if Katherine will need to or will find a corner of grass for Dakota.  We know he won’t eat or drink before getting there, so she said to bring a bowl of water with us.  AND, we said we’ll have a bone J  You know … Like getting Leah!  Hmm, did we spell that right?  ANYway…  If we don’t get a spot for him right away we said we could stop by at a gas station and give him a few minutes to take care of his business. 
Katherine said the arrangements should be the same in that they will be given a space by the bulkhead where there is more room for him to be laying down.  She talked about him again being an ambassador for people with service dogs.  Some people say they don’t want their service dog touched, but both Katherine and I have a more open perspective on that.  He will always take care of me first, but there is no reason people would not be invited to pet him.  I want them to know he’s a good safe dog.  I think it will be part of my being out in public.  In the past we have wanted so much to be invisible, that we were tripping over ourselves not to leave foot prints.  It’s going to be different and we’re going to have to depend on our general pride over our dog so that it is ok when people approach us. 
Katherine also says that he has a yellow/greenish vest that will suggest easily that he’s a service dog.  I’m going to be so proud of him.  I brought up the subject of not knowing what to say when people ask what he is needed for.  It’s one of the two questions businesses can ask – the other is “Is he a service dog?”  Dr. Marvin suggested that we tell them he is to help us with our anxiety levels and Katherine added that the dog senses chemical and heart rate changes so he will know we’re feeling anxious possibly before we will and he will use those times to make us feel better.  We aren’t exactly sure how it is going to feel, but we imagine him putting his head on our lap so we can rest and pet him and in that way more easily ground ourselves.  He would have been very useful today as we are floating around.  Helps to be concentrating now … just feel like we’re pretty highly jacked at the time – WITH no drinking!
Maybe we better be moving on … the next part is that Dakota and Katherine are going to be driven home to our place.  We’ll ask Dakota if he wants to use the bathroom out back, but our goal is to get him out for a walk or two around the block with our scooter.  I do know the part where he and she come into our house and get the tour, and by that time Rich will be tending to his crock pot dinner.  He’s going to make pot roast with potatoes, onions and corn on the cob.  Hmm, we should think about maybe going out for dessert?  NOOOO … too much.  Maybe we’ll have to talk to him about that.  Maybe something simple like ice cream OR Carrot cake!  That’s my favorite and it IS like a birthday!  HMM?  We’ll see … maybe Rich is already shopping?  Yesterday he was going to have me go with and hope we’d get me an electronic cart, but it didn’t happen.  Thinking maybe today?  I’m still in our pajamas.  Yup, pretty spacey today. 
Anyway beside talking which we plan to do ALL the way home from the airport, we’re pretty much going to try just settling everyone in with a routine or two.  Katherine said that she goes to bed early and then gets up I think around 5 am, but we might get some patio time too if the bees are gone.  I’m soooo hoping so.  I just keep going back to my image of him lying next to us or on the grass as we sit and stare at the corn field or our Kindle.  This is the happy family feeling we’ve wanted for so long.
The next morning, we are going to have a walk – hopefully out on the busier road so we can go farther, and then we would like to do some yard work with Dakota – in learning how he does things like sit and stay and such.  We need to know a little more about discipline and how to go about training him to do new things.  We want to see Katherine doing it.  And, THEN after he’s worked for it, then we will have breakfast and THEN we will go to a pet store – rich says Oswego – but it looks like PetSmart in Yorkville is closer.  It looks like about 12 miles or 20 minutes.  Not too bad all considering how small Sandwich is J
The idea of going to the Pet Store AND with Rich’s credit card is that we’ll get the things Dakota needs and Katherine approved.  We’re going to look to make sure we have the right leashes, dog and water bowls, big bag of dry food, treats, and bones.  I still think we need a few things for the bathroom part.  We’ll see what they have.  We also want a few toys.  We have some tennis balls and a Kong, but we want a tug a war toy, and some special treats for training him.  I think Katherine works with praise more than treats, but we’ll have to go over that too.  I know the optimal is to train the dog not to need the treats, but I’m not sure of the learning curve.  I think that’s pretty much it at the dog store.  I will go there with the walker.  And, that will be Dakota’s first introduction of it.  Then we will go to one of the local diner’s – probably 34. We will then be at home and do some home training, or if there is enough energy, we will take a walk on the nature trail.  Or at the State Park.  I will have to do that with the stroller though so it won’t be a very long trip … just enough to get Dakota and us used to getting in and out of spaces with the walker and me having to sit and rest and such.  I will also like to have a longer lead so he can play a bit while we’re there.  I want him to also work on coming to me when I call.  Later that night then we want to take him to the Mexican restaurant in Sandwich which is better class than the diner.  Hmm, Rich also suggested the train restaurant – Bull Moose.  I have to admit that be my favorite choice … it’s the restaurant I like the most.  We’re not sure of the space.  Katherine talked about having the dog beside the table or bench.  Just have to make sure we don’t distract anyone or the waitress.
I would like to go on another scooter walk with him in the evening.  I don’t know how he or Katherine are going to feel about the bigger street and traffic.  Rich did fix the flags on my scooter, but then he has to fix them again.  He didn’t tell me we couldn’t move the seat and the things snapped off.  The story there is that we called the local county sheriff and he said it was against the law to bring the scooter on the road, but then he said that it was ok and that no one would ticket us or anything, but to be the safest we could, we would need to get a couple reflectors and two 6’ flags.  That seemed like pretty good advice.  One of my worries such as spooking me or the dog was the worry about the side of the road and what Dakota would be walking on – mainly are we going to have pebbles.  Katherine will have to tell me about surfaces and dog feet.  I know that some dogs have booties, but we’d like to avoid that if we could.  We get the idea of walking our dog a lot because of Cesar Milan’s information about exercise, discipline and then the affection.  We want a dog in very good shape and we want him to be proud of us too.  Part of that is learning to work as a team.  I want to take care of him, and to have him take care of us.  We're going to be a team!
We took a few minutes to have a popcorn break and we were looking for service dog safety signs – like something to put up on 29thRoad in front of our house.  Pretty sure that kind of thing would have to go through city council and I don’t know what the precedent is.  Maybe we’ll stop to figure that out later.  We have to make sure that Dakota can handle the busier streets as well as us.  I think it’s going to be spooky with fast cars passing us, but he still needs to take the walks and as stated elsewhere, people and bikes move on the roads so this is in the same category.  Site lines are good around here long empty farm roads – with crops.  Just a little nervous here it’s going to depend on what Katherine says. 
Back to the schedule though … I think we got caught up until Saturday night.  I want each of the time periods to end where we are sitting outside on the patio.  We will change locations if we have to, like maybe sit out back on the back porch, but we’re hoping for the front yard where the chairs and table are. 
Oh yes – we forgot about one other thing – Maybe Saturday afternoon – we could go to Walmart.  Katherine had suggested the local grocery store and that is where Rich shops for groceries.  The trip will involve taking my walker and I think it is going to be hard unless we cut down on the amount of space covered.  It might be better to skip the State park and do that trip instead.  One of the big deals of having the service dog is being able to go to real stores again.  We might go there to pick up some medicine … that might be a good deal.  I think that the pharmacy is closer to the front of the store.  Good thinking you!
And, then on Sunday – we will do more of the same with walking with the scooter before breakfast and after dinner.  Our treadmill won’t be in on time to see that through.  But, we’ll figure that out later, there is a lot going on.  The middle of the day stuff is to go with Rich, the scooter and all to Chicago.  I want to walk on the lake paths up near where we used to live.  I’m ok that the dog park would be too much, but we also asked Rich to take Katherine through the city up north to Foster Park, and then come back on Lake Shore Drive.  I think it’s one of the most beautiful parts of Chicago.  I don’t think we’ll have enough time to go to observation point, but that would be a bonus.  I also asked if we could go to UIC where Dr. Marvin is.  We are going to have to use our walker there because we will have to stop and check if Dakota needs the bathroom before going into the appointment.  Obviously, there won’t be an appointment on Sunday, but we can do the walk and come in at the back door.  I am barely able to walk the distance in the walkway and we’ll have to use the walker because of the time where Dakota might be sniffing.  We’ll be going in earlier than normal from now on.  BUT, we want to show Dakota the path so he’s ready when we go by ourselves with him to Dr. Marvin’s on Tuesday.  We’ll have to learn things like going in and out of doors.  AND, we’ll probably feel self-conscious.
After that we are planning to go to Connies, but there might be somewhere else.  It seemed like a big open place – kinda fancy, but not excessive.  I’m really hoping that we are going to be able to go into places without too much problem, but we’re still thinking we should call ahead just to make sure there isn’t any issues.  Maybe a consideration would be to write a local something in the newspaper on service dogs so people in Sandwich have some warning.  I’ve never seen anyone else with them, but again I don’t get out much.
Monday morning will be the same start, but we will have to leave around 9 am to get Katherine to the airport.  Her plane leaves at 12:30 pm  She won’t have Dakota so it should be easier for her, but it is still going to be very emotional leaving her and I am thinking that both Dakota and Us are going to be a little depressed and maybe scared because it will be easier with Katherine than the striking out of our own, but I know it is time – because after all … here it is!
That’s as far into the day as we’ve come.  We should probably take a small break and take our shower so we can go out for the mail, or scooter ride around the block and to check on the bees.  That be the plan then right?  I will want to come back and talk about a little more, but lets get this out of the way … that be a good Ann.  J
OK, BACK!!!  Hmm, maybe not such a big deal for you, but we’re feeling better J
Should get those clothes steamed though sometime.  All our regular shirts are in the steaming pile.  I’m tempted to go outside before my hair dries, but maybe not … I don’t want to draw negative attention.  Just feel like being outside.  We’re real anxious about the bees.  We have to calm down all over again.  Hmm, maybe we should have a service dog?!!  Hehehe ok, you don’t be going silly on us!
There have been a few other things happening in our life, but most involve the people we’d just noted before.  There was a day out with the quilting girls – though my sister was out of it because of her operations.  We had brought Isa with us and that turned out to be really nice.  Sometimes she was attuned to me or the group members, and other times she was on her own.  It seemed she liked the attention of the women the best.  And, she seems like a real organizer.  For a while the twins played, good and bad twin and Isa was in the position of a teacher and she had to correct the situation while the twins gave her some extended trouble.  Isa brought her Barbie dolls and shared them with Ainsley who had come with her mother Emily and her new sister Adley.  She did pretty good, but you could tell that sharing was something she was working on as someone nearly three!  Isa remained patient with her and when the time came – was able to hold Adley like the others of us.  She did really well and was confident.  The room situation was perfect in that they’d gone up in class and gave us the suite with an extra living space for only $99.  That was a great deal and it was directly across the hall so the supervision of Isa being in one part or another was good.  We had her leave open the door when she was in the private room.
I think the thing that happened next was that Isa got very excited at being there and desperately wanted to come back.  I got the feel from the others – mainly the twins and Linda and it seemed they were ok with the idea, but there was more of my attention that went to keeping Isa engaged than in some of the looser gossip stuff we usually do.  I’m thinking this was ok, but there is a feeling of loss for it too and I’m thinking the others would agree.  It did work out though in that while I was taking extra time with Isa, Linda was getting more time to talk to the twins about the things going on in her life, we’d already shared with her through our day to day talks.  So this was nice too.  I could listen again, but I think by nature we as people are always looking for something new.  We and Isa talked to her father, and he talked to her mother, and it seems its been agreed that we can take Isa again … although it will be during her mother’s weekend.  I feel really good that both Maury and Lauren trust me to have Isa for the weekend out of state.  It’s a very big deal and an honor I will live to keep.
Isa and Ame were here this last weekend and Ame is still working on the Scalemates – the stuffed animal she’s learned how to make.  She’s made two and one other animal and has given them to friends.  She has an event coming up in about a month and she wants to have a stuffed scalemate for each of her friends, so she, Isa and us went back to JoAnn’s.  It turned out the fabric for each was only $1.75 per each 1/4 yard so that was a lucky break.  Ame stayed preoccupied with it the rest of the weekend and came out for meals, but otherwise was on the phone, listening to movies and cutting patterns.  She’s got a good sense of it.  Isa was out in the LR between my computer and the TV.  We also worked on her big heart button project.  She had to let it dry overnight and didn’t get back to it, but it was moving on its way.  Me on the other hand spent more of my time between cleaning up and preparing spaces to sewing.  It was a great sewing weekend because everyone was busy. 
A couple days before the girls got here, Austin was here too!  We used most of the time talking or being on the computer.  He’s got certain videos we watched with him and we also watched him playing video games.  It’s been suggested that I don’t have to be with him so closely, but its been something that we look forward to in getting to know him better.  He likes a constant conversation and it is very enriching even for us old folk.  His mind and enthusiasm for his interests are fascinating.  Just it’s high energy and sometimes we’ll ask for breaks to sit back and put our feet up.  Now we really realize why parenting is for younger folk!  Everyone seems to be enjoying Rich’s cooking and we’ve been helping with that, setting table and cleaning up afterward.  I think there is still a lot of eating between meals, but mostly because Rich has some good stuff sitting around.  One of the days with the girls – we cut apples for Rich so he could make one of his pies.  Everything has been like that all along – real nice.  AND, we feel good about the accommodations.  All the grandchildren seem to feel at ease with the house and the private spaces we give for them.  That would have never happened back in the day of the apartment - Just feeling pretty blessed with the space.
We did spend some of the girls’ time with Rich too.  He was outside working on the weed bed in-between the short shrubbery evergreens in the front yard between the yard and patio.  I helped break down weeds and dirt and then he got about half the covering and red mulch down (behind the brick he laid).  He was able to keep the stands for the leashes in their spaces, but popping through the bark and it looks and feels just right.  There is no doubt there will be lead mix-ups as the dogs are coming between the posts and each other’s leads, but we’ll do the best we can.  The main thing is that we can be out with the dogs even though we don’t have a fence.  Not perfect, but doable.  Now if we can get some GRANDCHILDREN outside we’ve got it made!
There were two trips – one each day with Ame and Isa and the Scooter around the circle.  Ame controlled the dogs and I think she was disgruntled to have Isa and us there and walked quickly in front of us, but we all tried to adjust.  She’s at that very independent age and I think is ashamed of older or younger people.  Maybe 20’s and 30’s people she can take, but the rest?  Eh, could take or leave Hehehe.
With Dr. Marvin, we’ve been coming in and out of things.  He had two sessions that he had to miss and some of our sessions we were at home.  Things that are affecting us now is all the social situations, especially with family and friends we find ourselves in.  Each time we go through a kind of debriefing to go over the fun stuff and the stuff we’d like to improve.  The diet has taken a second seat this last couple of weeks while he was gone and all the visiting was happening.  I have to get back on track, and after about 36 days of being conscientiously signing into MFP (My Fitness Plan), we went off track and we’re still at 1 day now.  The exercise equipment has been paid for although we are still going to be paying the lower 2/3rds credit on the card for a while.  The recumbent bike was supposed to come in Friday or Monday, but interfered with plans for Katherine, so we rescheduled for Wednesday.  We didn’t want to interfere with bringing Dakota in to meet Dr. Marvin on Tuesday.  The other equipment – the trucking place hasn't called with the treadmill yet.  I’m thinking pretty soon.  Little disappointed in Israel the guy from the Fitness place.  I don’t think he put in the order until the entire thing was paid – not the 70% deal he had stated.  Maybe he doesn’t have any pull with that kind of thing, but he’s avoided me both times we’ve called asking for him.  Didn’t expect much more, but it all has to pull together for us.
Rich has been on our case, because we’ve been off our calorie counting and weighing in and marking the foods we ate.  Maybe we should start again?  Let me check that out.  What do I remember today? 
There, that wasn’t too bad was it?  We recorded the food so far today and a little note about where we are psychologically … just have to continue where we can.  Speaking of … our hair should be dry enough to brush out and then go do the mail/scooter ride/check bees.  We can’t be afraid of not getting dressed.  Hopefully we work on this harder than Dakota to get us out.  But for now … it’s 3:17 pm and we’re going to knock it off the done list.  I think we had started to say before that Rich has been real upset that we’re off and feels that we’re going to waste the cost of the equipment.  We can’t buy into his doubts, but then we’ve got to excite us on our own goals.  We can be healthier, right?
BRB
Drat!  We still saw 2 bees, but didn’t stay out long because it was starting to rain.  One was by the water bottle and the other was by the chair we use to put our feet.  Didn’t see any around the blue chair directly, but after we got back to the garage we did call Rich and reminded him to pick up more bee spray.  I don’t think there was much he sprayed in if they are still out there.  I also reminded him since he didn’t pick up my earlier message of what we needed for Katherine.  He seems a little grouchy.  Said something about paying more for the dog than he had on himself for three weeks, so we just changed the subject.  He was only supposed to buy a SMALL bag and a bone THAT was it!  Katherine and I were to do the rest.  Maybe he got that confused?  *sigh* 
I don’t know that he’s going to be super excited that not much happened here, but it still looks good from yesterday – though neither the sewing or steaming happened.  It takes a long time to write a post!  The dishes did get cleaned and that’s the biggest deal for the day.  We’ll help him with groceries and then it should be ok.  Just can’t handle all the grumbles.  We’re doing our best just to balance our mind so that it processes without going in crazy circles.  You know?
I saw the neighbor Jerry outside, but he was consumed with his mowing and didn’t look over to wave hello.  The lady with the really nice yard though said hello so that was nice.  J  Nobody else was out and it was warm and muggy.  That’s all we can say for it, but glad we’re dressed and showered before Rich came home.  I guess he didn’t need me to do Walmart shopping since he was already there, and we’re frustrated, because if it is raining, he won’t do the front mulch like he promised.  I guess neither one of us saw into the rain – though it was coming down pretty good this morning.  That could have been a hint!
There wasn’t too much in the mail, but Rich got a $3,800 check which is always nice.  Money comes in and out for business, but coming in is always good!  He couldn’t tell me when he was coming home – he probably didn’t want to think that hard because he was frustrated.  He could have avoided that by listening to the message I left MUCH earlier!  HMFP!
Ok, let’s not go getting an attitude.  We are pretty much … what you see is what you get Katherine!  I feel bad, but then we’re too out of place to be doing much around the house so that even emptying the dishwasher right now feels too much.  It got quiet when we muted the Rhapsody to talk to Rich too so maybe in general we are just working hard to avoid things at this moment.  Feels like a lot of pressure all of a sudden.  Maybe that’s because we know Rich is going to be a lot to deal with.  *sigh*
Ahh she is singing Ava Maria.  That gives one a chance to rest peacefully. 
I probably will swipe the dust in Katherine’s room.  That would be a good deal too, right?
Right back.
Ok, done.
We shut the garage door too.  We didn’t think it was raining that much, but Rich said we should shut it and we’d been avoiding it.  *SIGH*  We don’t do well with these transitions.  It’s almost 4 pm.  Maybe before Rich comes home we should take our extra anxiety medicine.  That’s a good idea.  BRB
Hmm, done and we emptied the dishwasher.  It usually only takes a few moments.  Gotta get used to that I won’t actually die with labor.  Besides lifting the heavy plates, it’s not even hard labor, right?
Hmm, popcorn on the floor.  Think we won’t wash the kitchen floor, but we will sweep it again.  We always include the dining area and the Desk area.  Good Ann’s!  Tomorrow we’re going to make the bed with one of the quilts too.  That always is nicer for guests.  Think we’re going to do the fish quilt though – the first artistic one - not the one with deers.  Hmm, Rhapsody went off again … guess it is now raining more, we can hear it on the roofs.  Good thing we shut the garage door.  The windows in the sun room remained shut all day.  Have to stop worrying, have to stop worrying.  We did all the right things AND we didn’t go over with our eating today either.  That should make Rich happy.  I don’t think he cares very much if we felt accomplished in writing out our thoughts.  I think he’d think it was wasted time.  Maybe he wouldn’t be that harsh, but he WOULD think I could take less time with it, but then it wouldn’t be what it is!  AND, we haven’t written for over a month.
We ran into another Multiple today.  I hope I didn’t further confuse the situation.  I thought she was the one responsible for Mosaic Minds, but I’m not sure what led us to those thoughts.  She was a little crumpled in her statement of Astraea.  It sounded like she knew them, but she commented on herself as being just a garden level trauma-based Multiple.  It does then sound like she knows of that movement just isn’t identifying herself as a part of it.  It didn’t look like she necessarily regarded them highly.  It’s not enough to start or stop a relationship.  I do like meeting Multiples, just they usually tend to be very busy people with a lot on their agenda, and we are between agenda’s at the moment.  It will be so interesting to find how our life changes with the addition of Dakota.  I’m pretty sure we made the right decisions all along, but now the last day without him, we realize too we’ve taken on a lot of responsibility and as a system – it’s not one of our higher ranking abilities.  You know?
Hmm, just touched bases with FB for a minute and had seen something for Jim – then we wrote him because we’re feeling so many off-balance type emotions, and he had on his site a connection to someone named Nina Simone, so I listened and it was soooo nice and Jim mellow – it was like getting the hug from him that we were looking for.  Life is funny that way, you know?
Oh oh … I must be the part that says – you know?  A lot!  Hide girl hide!
We’ve kept up the Mind Map most of the day while we’ve been writing (on the other screen).  We haven’t really been looking at it, but we’ve been feeling its presence.  I don’t know what or who it is that is so much interested in it, but I think because of all the odd emotions, it is serving as another anchor.  It is something we want to go back to, but it was a lot of work.  We have to balance it with Dakota, Domestic Goddess, Dr. Marvin, sewing, reading/writing and anything else.
Lucky we took our medicine… 
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