Blogging Hiatus Broken

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile.  I heard through the grapevine that there was a writers' strike going on and it took me about a week to realize it wasn't ALL writers that were on strike...just the Hollywood variety. 

Please excuse my faux pas.  I'm just glad someone filled me in prior to final exams and the inevitable essay questions.  THAT would have been embarrassing!

If you haven't seen the results of this year's Project Valour-IT fundraiser, they are impressive.  As Blackfive reports, the Army surpassed all challengers (yet again) and pushed the overall fundraising total to new heights.  But, as in every year past, EVERYONE wins in this great cause.  B5 reports that this fundraising drive may very well break the $200,000 mark this year!  HOOAH!

If you gave during this special fundraising drive--thank you.  You are doing good work for the nation's best.  If not and you wished you had given, don't worry!  Project Valour-IT is an ongoing, year-round initiative on the part of Soldiers' Angels.  You can give anytime.  This fundraiser will mean hundreds of voice-assisted laptops in the laps of hundreds of wounded vets.  That's literally thousands of chances to motivate those brave men and women to reach out and communicate with loved ones all over the planet.

School has been wickedly crazy the past week or so and I haven't had anything interesting to report here.  At  last report, I'd interviewed with a firm for a part-time position and I can say now (after them rejecting me) that they were decidedly abnormal.  I had an interview Tuesday, however, with the named partner in a local firm who was incredibly normal.  I am so hoping I can snag a second interview as well as the job and be working there by the first of the new year.  Momma needs some money--you know, with the strike and all.

Henry, our dear, sweet boy has taken it upon himself to prove his lab-ness.  If you didn't know, labs are notorious for eating all kinds of non-edible things.  I've heard nightmares of sticks going down wrong, popsicle sticks almost making it down the hatch, and golf balls in bellies.  MADNESS, I tell you.  Well, not to be outdone and to be true to his breed, Henry decided to slowly test his chewing meddle.  Just random things here and there...and, only in ways that made us think it was Annie doing the chewing.

This week, though, Henry has really outdone himself.  I snapped this photo at the vet on Wednesday.  He's not feeling the best and someone had already had a finger in his posterior...he's not impressed.  But, that's what you get for eating things you shouldn't.  Again, we though it was Annie who had mauled and maimed M2's dollhouse family's baby.  But, a telltale Henry hair on the dismantled baby and bits and pieces of the baby in some ick in his kennel Wednesday morning and we had hard, physical evidence that Henry was the baby eater.

Now, our Loving Family is without their baby.  M2 was "not happy 'bout it", but has since realized that  Henry is getting the worst end of the deal and even went so far as to list him as what she is thankful for on the "Thankful Tree" at gymnastics.  Sure, the loving family parents are now childless, but plastic babies are replaceable...and cheap compared to the vet bills!  At any rate, the dollhouse is out of dog reach for certain now.  After all, it would just be negligent to put the loving family in any more danger.

I missed class to take Henry to the vet.  An x-ray series, injection, prescription food, medication and nearly $300 later, we still don't know if he's clogged up with baby pieces or what not.  M2 swears she saw him swallow a button as well and I haven't seen that in any of his various emissions since, but you never know.  He's still on the anti-throw up meds, but threw up twice this afternoon.  If he does that again, it's back to the vet.  We're looking at more x-rays (to look for irregular gas patterns in his innards) and possible 'foreign object' surgery.  Um.  EEKS. 

I'm hoping he will follow in Oscar's footsteps on this one.  Oscar had a similar incident as a puppy and it was horrendous.  No surgery necessary, however, and he NEVER found himself in a predicament even close to that for the rest of his long life.  I know this is just what labs do, but good GOD could he just eat smaller things that will slide through unimpeded?  Or, here's an idea, chew on his toys and eat his food?! 

Hubs has, of course, been unaffected and not so cooperative in helping me catalog every #1, #2, food intake and upchuck.  I finally told him tonight that if I can't substantiate exactly what's going on with this dog for his vets, we're looking at a surgical procedure with a heavy price tag so pay attention to this sh*t. Literally.  I think that might increase his participation in Project Henry.  After all, until I land a fabulous job, we're a one income clan without the rainy day money to dig baby parts out of our dog's gullet.

In other news, Vera Bradley has announced the patterns that will be retired soon.  Of course, the only pieces of current Vera Bradley things I own are done in the Petal Pink pattern, one of the upcoming retirees. This means the glut of available items on ebay will never be higher than they are right now and the prices will never be more attractive.  Did I mention I'm unemployed.  Oh, yes.  You knew that already.  Between that and the strike, well, I'm finding it hard to support my habits!  E-baying, keeping my dog alive, eating...you know all those habits I've grown accustomed to engaging in, well, habitually.  It will be okay.  I just need to fall in love with one of the newer patters that will be around for awhile...maybe I should apply for a job at the store that sells Vera Bradley so I can help other people add to their collections??

I should be thinking about Christmas gifts, but I'm stumped.  Between China's apparent need to infect our kids with everything from lead to GHB and the no-time-money-or-inclination to shop thing, I'm not in good shape for the holidays yet.  I'll get there!

Tomorrow, my 3rd draft of my law review article is due.  I'm planning to submit it over the weekend.  I'm supposed to have a completed argument section.  Unfortunately, I haven't decided what my argument is, so it may be difficult to write one.  Should be fun!

My motivation for finishing quickly?  This Saturday is the game.  I'll probably be stuck in a houseful of  rabid Ohio State nuts, but I'm willing to do it because they have a nicer TV than us.  Although, if I stayed home I can watch it in Hi-Def AND scream and cheer all I want when my team makes the little boys from Columbus cry into their helmets.  It's going to be a great game and I'm excitedto watch it from start to finish--no matter where that is!

It's approaching bedtime and I must partake of some Z's.  If I stay up much past 11:00, I'm done for the next day!

Comments

[TripleE]

It took me all day to read this...I kept getting pulled away by someone or something :)
I hope Henry is doing well, I know I sure have found some odd things in the little piles in my backyard.
I'm in a quandry regarding gifts this year too...but Lego's aren't made in China, at least all of the ones we have around here. So Legos it'll be.
Have a great weekend!

[Guard Wife]

Legos are GREAT...although, you'll probably find THOSE in the yard after awhile too. :)

Henry appears to be on the mend so we're hoping no more trips to the vet for awhile!

[deb]

GO BLUE!
I will be cheering with you! I am hoping for an amazing day in Ann Arbor (I will be watching from Colorado!)

[Guard Wife]

The game was disappointing! Not only didn't we win, but it wasn't very exciting to watch. The sheer number of passes Mario Manningham dropped was astounding.