Why the long face...

It's Monday

Smell Memory

The sense of smell amazes me. One little scent and it can bring up the oldest memory, best memory or worst.  This smell didn't bring back a distant memory but a more recent and recurring one.

I work in downtown Winston these days. Besides the interesting characters I see on the street, the never ending sirens and car honks, the overpowering noise in the city is the mass transit bus roaring up and down the streets.

The exhaust from the city bus is not a pleasant one nor a healthy one. But if I close my eyes I can transport myself to another world -- Walt Disney World.

I can close my eyes and see myself unloading from the bus, skipping into the Magic Kingdom and taking in the first sights of "The Castle" and Main Street USA.

Walking to my club level room and my "home" resort hotel that I will never be able to afford --  Wilderness Lodge.

Waiting in the hot and muggy morning with a handful of sleepy eyed parents with children dressed in their princess and pirate garb bubbly bouncing around the station asking if each bus that stops is "their bus."

I remember the humor of the bus driver that stopped to pick up a group from a resort and he was asked "Does this bus take you to Disney World?" And without missing a beat the driver said "Poof you are there"  and drove off. The would-be passenger had the strangest look of dumbfound -ment. It was priceless.

(For those of you not Disney-fied. If you are at one of the resorts you are technically at Walt Disney World. What the passenger was asking was if the bus would take him to Magic Kingdom.)

 All these memories along with many more flash before my closed eyes in a matter of seconds. Then I open my eyes and I am back in Winston walking in the office door. So much for the 10 second vacation.

doggie biscuits...

Must I eat dog food? I am the Codyman!

The treat pot is *gulp* empty

You don't believe me?

I am pretty sure it is empty.

How can you deny this face?

Are they ready yet?

*nom nom*

Full tummy --- Night Night

In Memory

Two of my friends this week lost part of their family. One lost a furry member named Samantha. She was 20 years old in people years but that doesn't make it any easier for the family to say goodbye.

The other friend also had to choose to put down their family member due to liver failure for an unknown cause that he may have never recovered from.

Brady Mo

Having to make the choice of putting an animal down is never easy no matter how much pain they are in. Pet owners are sometimes selfish that way. We want them to stay around forever. We never want to let go.

Thinking of Brady Mo and Samantha reminds me of my past family members that had to be put down to prevent more suffering.




In memory of my family members gone:

Oscar '87

Tucker '03

Moose

Moose, Ace, Toto, Spike
Brothers and Sisters

I will always love and miss you all!

So I had my TV service turned off. YIKES.
I kept the internet but I am hoping by dropping the TV, I can not only drop by bill but my butt as well. I am hoping that it prevents me from sitting on the couch at night after work and rainy weekends. I have a lot of other hobbies I want to do more of but holding the couch down is slowing that down. Hopefully this will become a more active blog than once or twice a year.

Stop & smell the paws

I love the way Cody's paws smell. I know you think it is gross and I don't even want to think about what he steps in on the way to the office in the morning.... but after a bath while laying in bed there is nothing better. I just love the way he smells all around. There is something so comforting in the smell of dogs--- well my dogs. I can remember growing up with Tucker, Moose, and Ace and hearing my mom complain they smell like dogs and thinking that is the best smell ever. It is home. I will give Pioneer Woman's credit for her blog about her Charlie's Frito-paws. Just made me think. I love it when Cody is sleeping on my pillow and we share the same square foot of space. Nothing better.

Anchorage-Eve

Well, I have started pack and realized that I am going to have to get out my sweaters to pack. The high is 55 and rain the whole time. Guess I will truly see what Anchorage is like.

As I pack I am torn between carry on and check baggage. I know on the way back I will check as much as I can because I don’t care if it makes it back with me right away or not. On the way there I should probably carry my interview clothes and accessories incase it doesn’t make it on one of the 4 planes. So if I have to carry that much on why should I check something? It is only 4 sets of clothes. I wish I had the automatic option of gate checking it. I don’t mind lugging it through the airports--- most of the time, but I do hate having to stuff it in the overhead bin while everyone behind me is impatient. I guess if this is the biggest decision I need something else to worry about.

Hopefully I will get my to-do-list completed tonight and get enough sleep to make the 5:50am flight.

I will try and keep this updated as I go!