Where to begin.

I realize my entries for the past year have been few and far between, I will not make any excuses about it. Work is different than school and updating people on things that are always the same hardly makes sense. I will however try now to fill in that gaps that I have left.

In August of this year, Juno and I moved into a real home, not that small studio we both started in. We have a nice kitchen and a fenced yard now, complete with washer and dryer. There is even a Christmas tree in here, purchased from Forestland, through boyscouts. We have daily walks at the local park, but not that tourists have come in for wintersport, we have go deeper before she can run free.

At the end of August Doug wanted to go on a real mountain hike. We went up Mt. Rose with the dog and did a 6 mile- round trip hike through the valley of the highway (approx. 9000 ft). At the end of our hike was a waterfall, where we ate the picnic we brought, and where Doug dropped to one knee. I suppose my answer shows when you see my left hand, as his grandmother's ring sits on it. Since then I have been elbow deep in planning and we took a road trip home to Ohio to tell the news in person, not that it wasn't expected. We will be married in Incline Village on June 5, 2010.

Doug moved to North Lake Tahoe in July. He started working at Safeway for the Fourth and worked hard to get extra hours whenever he could. With that and his well-rounded abilities in the social scene, he has jumped rungs and changed ladders. He often works as a manager now, and easily jokes with his bosses concerning their idiocy. It would seem far too sincere from me were I to do the same.

In November jobs at my office hit the ultimate low. I was let go, with the promise of being contacted should anything come up. It's slow going right now, but I do have a season pass for Squaw, so once these holiday tourists leave, I will hit the slopes.

Office Website

I am adding to the Website again at work. I am also adding a link here, because apparently google and yahoo will see our site better with it.

www.prdei.com

Juno ≠ Hot Sauce

I was feeling particularly productived today and decided to make a rope for Juno. No, not like spinning yarn, or macrome, but just a nice rope with clips on the end so Juno can be on her own outside without a fence. It took a little work, as the local Hardware did not have any no nylon rope. Doug and I went down to Carson today to do a little shopping (costco...not little) and we went to Home Depot. Again, they did not have non nylon rope. I caved and bought some climbing rope and a couple clips. After just now assembling it, using the time patented double half hitch knot(Friendship bracelet knot), I put the new rope on the Dog to test it out. What do you know? Juno being who she is promptly started to chew on it. To nip that in the bud I decided to wipe the ends with hot sauce. I walked to put the sauce away and came back to Juno, back chewing on the rop again...but not for long.

She stopped, looked at me, and gave a start. While twitching she started to hop in place. She then quickly threw her head to the floor, pushing her mouth along the carpet like a self propelled Hoover. After a small bout of laughter, I caved and poured her just a little milk in her bowl to curb the burn. Silly pup, hopefully she learned from that one.

A breather

Wow, its been 9 months since my last post. That could worry some people about the things I have been up to...

In fact there is someone new in my life. She was born on January 26, 2009 and she currently weighs 53 lbs. My Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy, Juno. I had puppy fever, for well, lets face it, a couple years, but had started to call breeders after christmas looking for my very own. Much to my chagrin, Bernies are hard to come by and most people either send out for one from afar, or they are on waiting lists with breeders. Lucky me, a breeder returned my call a week after she told me all pups were claimed. Apparrently a girl who was supposed to take one was in a car accident and if I wanted the pup, I would need to act fast.

On March 27, two years to the day after I left for Europe, and 1 year to the day after Doug and I started dating, I got my puppy.

For the past 3 months we have been getting to know each other and the potty training is done. i have been kept quite warm at night. Although she is pretty good up on the bed, she insists on being like me and putting her head on my pillow. that will end soon however she insists on facing me at all times. Right now her head is just inches from my keyboard and she had twice now tried to put her own two cents into this post.

My other reason for not being present and up to date on my posting is LEED. (usgbc.org) I have spent the past 3 months intensely studying for a 400 dollar test for Accreditation. The past 6 weeks, any free time was lent to its study and walking Juno. However i am glad to say, that is all over and I have passed with cool initials after my name. Best part is, since i passed first go around, my office paid for it.

I brought Juno to the fireworks at the beach, and she was stunned by all the people. Thousands of tourists inhaling and imbibing, swearing and littering. What happened the beach on which I could walk with her alone? She was a little frightened by the fireworks, but I thought she would do better seeing the source of the sound. Juno sat on my lap and watched the fireworks with me, as intent as I have ever seen her on something that wasn't living, or food (or both).

I have been living here Tahoe for 10 months and am currently dealing with the summer flow of tourists. Boy do I hate them

Because they are on vacation, they assume everyone here is on vacation and therefore can wait for 20 minutes while a herd of them cross the road on red. They walk down the center of the road and glare at the cars who are just trying to get the errands done. No wonder the "locals of Tahoe" are such grouchy people. according to the tourists.