Life in Lincoln

Mom has come and gone. We had a good time poking around various places on the "square" in Lincoln (shops, restaurants, etc.) Lincoln has some really great restaurants. My mom pronounced herself charmed by Lincoln and is looking forward to coming back, maybe in the spring.

We also got a lot of unpacking and organizing done. The kitchen is mostly done, including shelves I built for my perennial herbs (with a plastic cover so that Harlee won't get into them). I have mostly unburied the washer and dryer, so I can call to have them hooked up. I found a place that does tire recycling in Joliet, and am trying to e-mail them to see if they'd take my tires. (The tires are currently riding around in my car because I have nowhere else to put them.)

Harlee is the first priority though. She's been having intermittent diarrhea, and I need to take her to a local vet, although it appears that she has a food sensitivity (allergy??) to chicken. I meant to call earlier, but first I saw Mom off, and now I have a crashing headache, so I was lying down for a while. The guys replacing the gutters aren't helping, although they're nice guys. I also have a problem that there is no room in the car for Harlee, so I need to rearrange stuff.

I have a Meetup tomorrow in Bloomington (depending on how tomorrow plays out) to see the movie Wild, which I really want to see. I'll see if I can pick up some no-grain, fish-only dry food for Harlee while I'm up there. I also have some unopened bags for food for her, but don't have a receipt, so I don't know if they'll take it back or not. And I also need to drop off a rent check for the extra week I needed to get out of the old apartment.

I also really want to get a dog, but need to learn a lot more about dogs first, get Harlee nice and settled, get the place organized, etc. I did see a listing for a golden retriever/collie mix who's really cute, and she does live with cats, although she apparently tried to "herd" them, which they don't appreciate. She's special needs because of problems with her eyesight, so it might take a while before she'd get adopted (although I hope that she will for her sake). There also is a beagle/terrier mix in Springfield who "likes cats," and apparently is pretty mellow. We shall see how everything develops....

More Thoughts on Dogs

In my research, the best dog for me would be a Bichon Frise: small, lowish activity level, likes other pets, etc. The thing is that I don't particularly like their looks. (Is that shallow of me?) I tend to like large, shaggy dogs. I looked at Yorkies as a compromise, and found one in the area that likes cats, people, etc. The catch? She's 11.5 years old, so I wouldn't have her for long. I suppose that she could be a "starter dog", although that sounds rather cynical. Anyway, I need to keep plugging on unpacking and organizing. My mom left a bunch of plastic baskets with me, which are great for organizing small stuff. (We used a bunch of them in my linen closet.)

I was going to throw myself together and get picture hangers, but it's gotten late. I do need to throw on jeans (I'm still in my pajamas!) and unload the bookcases from the car. There's a Younique-related Webinar at 9 PM, although I might listen to the recording. I need to get up early so that I can drive to Joliet (two hours one way) to drop off the old tires and back before Harlee's vet appointment, which would solve the problem of how the heck I can fit Harlee in the car. I also need to run and use the printer at work for my "new patient" paperwork because my printer isn't working. (It prints in color, but not in black.) Yes, I'm paying for the copies. I need to call Epson somewhere along the line here. I hope that I don't have to replace the printer. I've only had it for three years, although I suppose that it's getting old as far as electronics are concerned. Added: the nearest Epson Service Center is in Peoria, and there also is one in Champaign. Maybe I could run the printer over on New Year's Eve or on Friday.

I feel a little like I'm trying to put together a giant puzzle.