etc. etc...

So this morning we went to see my orthopedic surgeon. But this time it wasn't for me, but for Carl. He's been having trouble with his knee and his shoulder for a few months now. Just a nagging thing but his shoulder seems to have been more of a problem over the last few weeks. The knee is something he probably did when we moved into the house. Anyway, he had an xray done and an MRI. The left knee has tendinitis. His right shoulder has a bone spur which has caused a tear in his rotary cup. He could do shots for three months or surgery. He picked the most logical and best way. Surgery. The shots are only a temporary band aide. We don't have a date for surgery yet. We will know by the end of the week and let everyone know. It was kinda funny to see the reaction of Dr. Lacognata and his assistant when we where in the room and it was Carl sitting on the table and not me!! But Dr. locognata said he had the same injury that Carl has and the surgery is the better way to go.

On sad news, as we were sitting there waiting for the Dr to come, I got a phone call from my brother Chris.He informed me that my grandpa Singley had passed. This is the side of the family that I mentioned a few months ago. The brother Craig that died before Christmas. Craig is the oldest then my dad (Ron as I call him) then Brent and Dave, Claudia and Charlotte. I haven't seen any of them since my sisters wedding in 2001. Almost 8yrs ago. I believe that was the last time I also saw Bryce Grandpa Singley. Divorce does bad things to families and this one of them. Lots of mixed emotions and lots of baggage and lots of strange feelings that I don't know what to do with. There were many good times with the family don't get me wrong. I knew them most of my life. I later got a phone call saying that he had not died yet, but was still on life support because he was waiting for his kids to all be there before they turned off the machines. he I knew that Bryce and Emma Jean had a house down here in the winter. (they live in Bountiful, Utah). At 1pm he officially died.
Appparently they are all here. He's in the hospital somewhere. So Ron, my dad is here somewhere. I almost hesitated and wanted to go see them. But it opens a whole can of worms, that I wasn't sure about. I don't know why I'm typing this all out. I'm still trying to wrap my brain and my heart around the whole thing. My brother Chris and Kait and Liz are probably still the closest to them. I feel for them and the family. One day I would like to resolve this feelings but how does one go about it- after so many years and sooo many bad feelings and memories. There was good there I am pretty sure.

Anyway - on another funny note, Maggie and Bilko. I know I need to put a Maggie update on here for everybody. She's adjusting quite well. She still follows Carl and I around like a shadow. She loves to play fetch. But she gets tired. Then sits on the grass or the patio. But the funniest thing is when Carl picks up Bilko. Bilko can be really needy. Well, Maggie does NOT like it when Carl picks up Bilko. She wants to play with Bilko. So she tries to get his tail or his paws. Then she paws at him or starts to bark at him. He doesn't growl he just stares at her. Although, tonight we were outside playing with her and she wanted to play with Bilko. So we set Bilko down on the patio and he backed into the bench for protection. Maggie REALLY wanted Bilko to play. She ran circles around him and barked at him trying to get him to play.He did snap at her once. That's the first time I've heard her really bark. She did a deep bark to try and get his attention. It was really funny. She'd walk up to him , then walk away and bark.

Oh and before I forgot. We got her one of those rolled up plastic newspaper toys to give her something to chew on. She eats it! She's also started to eat the plastic throw toy that she had in Salt Lake. So plastic is bad. What can we give her to chew on?! So far she hasn't chewed anything in the house. We did get her some bones the turkey basted and ham basted ones you get at Petsmart. The big ones and she will chew on that for a few days. Any sugesstions for more toys. We did buy her a double tennis ball toy that look like dumbells. She loves to chase that.

a good week!

So we are finally catching I breather! I hope. For now. Life seems to be slowing down a bit. Herb and Janet and Christy got into their apartment. There is some good and some bad with it but that's all I'll say about that.

We are making adjustments to our home. It's nice to start working on projects around the house. That's not to say we didn't love having Herb and Janet here and being able to help but it is nice to do something different. We love them and are very glad their health is getting better. Which by the way is greatly improving. Herb has his vaccum on for another couple of weeks. It's doing so well with it. Janet went into see the dr too to check on the swelling in her feet and her face. It's just her thyroid medication that needed to be adjusted and not her heart. Although she does have a cardiologist appointment with my cardiologist sometime this month. As do I at the end of the month.

Anyway - our first project is the backyard. We have a big family BBQ next weekend at our place so we want to make sure the yard is in good shape.

Maggie is adjusting quite well. She follows us EVERYWHERE! She has to know where one of is all the time. She spent so much time outside at the house she was staying at in Salt Lake, she's not used to being around people and she's very much a social dog. She LOVES to play though! She's very easy going and goes with what ever we're doing. She loves to sit on the couch with Carl, she thinks that's pretty cool. Bilko is even getting used to her. He only growls at her if he is sitting on one of our laps and Maggie tries to come over for attention. It's just a control thing for Bilko I think. Maggie wants to play with him but he's not sure how to play with a big dog. She paws at him and he just wags his tail. He doesn't growl or anything he just stares at her. It's quite funny actually.

The weather is FINALLy warming up. We can be out ALMOST all day and not have to have a sweater.

Oh, my new job in church is the Relief Society bulletin board. I don't know if I mentioned that or not. I just finished the rest of it this evening. I haven't been in Relief Society in a LONG time. In our other ward I was in Primary for a long time. So Relief Society is a little intimidating for me. Tomorrow we meet with the Bishop and hopefully get our records moved over!

This is the newest member of our family. She's a 6yr old yellow lab. She recently belonged to my sister Liz's father in law. He passed away a year ago. The brother in law was living in the house after the dad died, then moved out. Maggie stayed with the house. My sister Liz would go over to feed her and to play with her for a little bit. She couldn't take her because she had another big dog. She has a Newfoundland dog that is a little aggressive with other dogs including Maggie. Liz knew we were looking for a dog so while we were up in Salt Lake she asked if we wanted to see her. So Liz brought her down for us to see her. Liz lives up in Farmington, Utah which is about 30min north of Salt Lake. That's the longest Maggies ever been in a car. Liz said she has taken her down to my moms a few times but that's been the extent of being in the car for her. But she said she does fine in her kennel in the car.

I was really impressed with her.She is VERY sweet. She gets excited but she doesn't jump on you very often. But she is VERY much a people dog. She wants to be around people. Carl was moving his dad stuff into a storage shed (that's for another story!) and came back to see Maggie. He fell in love with her almost instantly. I knew he would as soon as he saw her. She is a beautiful color. Her markings are almost perfect. Liz doesn't know if she's ever had a bath but you couldn't tell from her coat. It's a very soft and clean coat.

She was a little nervous being in the car so long. The hardest part was at Hoover Dam when we had to slow down at the checkpoints. It was an hour just to get past the dam (which is common on holiday weekends because of security). She kept thinking we were stopping but then she slept the rest of the way.

She doesn't run if the door is open. She goes out and then comes right back in -mostly because she wants to be with people.Carls family has been in and out. Carls Aunt Dian and Uncle Lief drove Liefs truck down with some furniture in it. They will stay at our house till Thursday. They love Maggie too. Everyone says how sweet and loveable she is. She's hyper to see everyone then lays down on the floor.

Anyway here are some pictures of her!

a quick update...

We are headed up to Utah in the next few days, to help Herb and Janet move. It will be cold!!! AHH! But hopefully the drive and everything will be okay.

Valentines Day is my least favorite holiday. It was pretty funny though, we went to the mall last night to get herb something to fix his glasses at the eye place. The line at the See's candy was pretty funny! Carl and I thought it was pretty cute! So to those of you who enjoy the holiday, we hope its a lovely one!

Randoms

*Bilko had his first day all by himself. I think he did okay, but we noticed later in the evening he had a bit of an upset tummy. I think a little anxiety. Poor guy! He's NEVER been all alone all day.In 10yrs! Herb and Janet are with Christy who is house sitting for the weekend. So it will be a quiet weekend. We still struggle with the loss of Buster from time to time. Last night even us being here alone was quiet. Usually we hear Buster snoring loudly or licking water like he's drinking the ocean. We miss him a lot!

* Herbs vaccum will stay on his foot another week. Which is good. It's healing very well and they don't want to have to put a pig skin patch on it. So they want it to heal naturally which it looks like it is doing that.

* I really really want warm weather!

*work is the same for both of us. Carl is a little busy with his new desk They rotate desks everyyear. Someone gets the state bar, some one gets the death penalty desk, someone gets the agenda desk (where Carl was before, he sets the cases and the schedules for the judges, I think that's an easy way to sum it up!) now he's on the Rules desk. He likes it so far.It's the same office and people, just switch duties.

* I am really really heart sick that Romney dropped out of the Presidential race. Even though I understand where he is coming from. I appreciate that he sees the big picture in the war on terror and it means beating Hilary. But I still think he dropped WAY to early.

* I unfortunatley missed Pres. Hinckleys funeral. I had to work last week. I was really sad. I still remember him standing in the hallway at a church in our mission and shaking all the missionaries hands and then speaking to us that evening. Being in the same room with him and feeling that incredibly strong spirit is something I'll never forget! He will be dearly missed.

* We are still on the hunt for a new a puppy. We came really close to getting a Scottish Terrier. A breed we hadn't even considered. One of Carl's cousins had a co-worker that was looking to get rid of a puppy. But when they called back to tell her we wanted it, they had found a home for it. So the hunt continues. We are still keeping our options very open, but leaning more to the Lab or the 13" Beagle. I happen to be watching the Dog show on Animal Planet this week and OH MY GOSH! Just google the 13" Beagle! Cutest thing you've ever seen!!

Is It Spring Yet?I know it's not around the country. It's not even really feeling like it here. We've been at freezing tempts the last couple of nights. I guess I can't complain. It's not 4ft of new snow like they have in Salt Lake or the tornados that have ripped through the midwest and the east. We did get two or three days of good solid rain. It was good for my new flowers. I bought some tulips and daffodils a few weeks ago. I will plant them in front of the house this weekend. I don't have much of a green thumb, like my mom and my sisters but I am going to try really hard to keep some flowers and maybe even a garden! Who knows!
These are the flowers. I am so excited my tulips are ready to open! Just don't look at the dead grass. The previous owners failed to plant winter grass. So it's squishy grass. The dogs don't like it very much. It's very prickley but we can't do anything with it now till spring.

who knew...

I have actually followed this election process very closely this year. I have gotten better at it and payed more attention. Carl has been a big influence there in some sorts. He is very much politically minded. Part of that being what he does every day.
I just feel bad that I did not get out and vote. I had to work early today I had a class, which I almost forgot about. And I didn't get done till 6pm and Carl picked me up. Carl did the absenti (spelling) to vote. I was a bad girl and kept putting it off.
I strongly strongly dislike Mccain. I don't agree with him on just about any issue. Romney is my biggest hope, not just because he's LDS but I agree with him more on the issues. Mccain is cocky and the biggest problem I have with him is the Immigration issues. I'm disturbed that he took Arizona. Let's see where the results end. I will see what happens and will make sure to get in my vote when the election comes around. I feel terrible about not voting today.

Please make sure you get out and vote!

Congratulations to the NY Giants and Eli Manning. I must say it could've been,should been the Packers BUT, I do like the Giants and I am truly happy they beat the Patriots. I don't know that the Patriots could have won it fair and square. It was a good game. One of the better games in a long time. I am happy that Eli no longer has to be in the shadow of his brother. They are now equal. It was intersting to see the different shots of Eli watching his brother from the sky box.

I'm not ready for football to be over yet. It's my favorite sport and I live to watch the games! I wish it was a little longer. But come August, I'll be ready and excited all over again. I am hoping Favre will give it one more shot - I'm not ready for his era to come to and end either.

On a side note - I was trying to find out if the groundhog did see his shadow yesterday, and unfortunatly the report from Philly is that he did in fact see his shadow and the one thing that won't be coming to an end any time soon is WINTER?!

One of these days, I'll get a header. I don't know when that will be. Maybe this weekend. We're hopin to catch a breather this week! I hope!