Feel free to ignore the first 4 paragraphs as college-student angst.
: So it’s been a rather uneventful last few days of summer for me. The vacation is over and my school year is just around the corner. This week has been fairly slow and I suppose that’s ok, considering come Monday, I’ll be neck high in homework. Which, surprisingly enough, I’m not that concerned about.
My boyfriend began school last week and has been fairly overwhelmed with several class loads worth of homework, but he has been making a true effort to stay on top of his game and get things done. Seeing him do that has made me realize that I want to be a good student again. I used to be. When I was in high school my GPA average was a 3.8 and by some miracle I graduated with a 4.0. Nowadays, I’m barely scraping close to a 3.0. Some of that is due to a legitmate learning disability in mathematics and a poorly advised schedule around an emergency knee surgery but for the most part, it was just me being lazy.
I wasn’t happy at the college I was attending and really stopped putting effort into my academics. I blamed being at a school I didn’t like as my reason and although I believe it did have an affect on my work, I know better than to think that’s the only reason. Now I’m at a better college, with better teachers, better students and better classes. I’ve made progress since transferring, but not enough for me to be satisfied. They hold their students to a higher standard and I truly want to prove that I’m worthy of studying there.
Since getting things figured out, I know I can do it. I have to apply myself, but I know in the long-run I can do it. And I’m really not worried about it. Sure, I could slip up, but I don’t intend it to be from laziness. I’m closer to my goals and by the end of this year, I hope to have a 3.5 or higher– I’m really not aiming for a 4.0 since I have two years of being a less than admirable student under my belt and I’ve never been a consistent 4.0er as it were. I’d be happy with my usual average, but I know I’ll have to work for it. I’m OK with that.
Anyway, enough goal-setting, you’re only here for the dog anyway, right?
: It is cawwed de Doggy Bwoggy, mom.
: I know, I’m terrible. I should know better.
: I fowgive you mommy. Now, teww dem about Wednesday!
: Well, Wednesday was a pretty rainy day. We woke up to it raining and fell asleep to it raining for nearly two days straight, which was pretty scary, considering our city just survived a major flood last summer. A consistent rain is not something we really wanted to see. We had a lot of things to do, but the rain sort of sucks out your will to move. Unfortunately, lazing was not really acceptable, so I ended up having to get my butt going anyway.
First we received a check that needed depositing. Then I get a call from my Dad saying he and my mom need me to go pick up supplies for dinner and I needed to stop at Target to pick up a present for the boyfriend’s birthday (he turned 22 on Thursday, but we’re going out to dinner on Sunday with his and my families)– and I needed to buy some wrapping paper. So, as I was preparing to leave, two sets of doggy eyes followed me– wheeeerever I went.
: Just reminding you dat we wewe dere. And happy to come wif you.
: Uh-huh. So after guilt tripping me, I sent Faith to the car and latched onto Yuri, who as you’ve seen, is a Siberian Husky and thus, even in old age, will make a break for the hills if given the chance. I didn’t realize that sending Faith outside was such a bad idea. Until I saw the small, very frightened, wild rabbit sitting as still as it could in the grass. Faith pointed (which confuses me as to what she is), tail straight and all, alerting me to its presence. I think it probably died of a little bunny heart-attack right then.
: It was sitting wight dere! I could have had a snack!
: But I wouldn’t let her. I didn’t know how I was going to prevent “Bunny Maul 2009” seeing as my hands were already full of purse, keys and Husky, but I told her to leave it and shockingly enough, she did. Begrudgingly…
: It was WIGHT DERE!
: But she did it. I was very proud. I know it’s hard for Faith, very hard, to ignore her instincts, especially when those instincts are screaming “KILLCUTEFURRYTHINGINYARD!”, but she did it anyway. So to me, that proves she’s a really awesome dog. So, after that, we all bundled to the car, bunny unscathed and my nerves not yet on end. We had to stop by Mom’s work to pick up the debit card (what, you think I paid? Ha) and got to see her briefly.
: I nevew get to go inside.
: Because it’s a doctor’s office… I think they’d disapprove of the fur you’d bring in.
: *Huumph* Peopwe don’t know what dere missing!
: Or they do and you just haven’t gotten the memo yet. In any case, I got the card and headed to the bank– or, as the dogs like to call it “McDonalds”. As soon as I got to the drive-up and had the check pulled out, both of them were in my lap and sniffing at the window– as if there were fries in there or something.
: Dat pwace is magic, mom! Evweetime we go, cookies come out of de wittle siwver box!
: She means the tray people put their checks and other paperwork into while in the drive-up. The teller was just nice enough to send out some doggy treats. She almost forgot actually, until Faith pressed nose all pathetically up against the glass and then licked the window, as though she’d never seen food in her life and then she realized there were two dogs in the car (Heaven-forbid Yuri be left out). So she sent some out, laughing as I explained to her, they were under the impression that this fine banking establishment was a fast-food joint. And so concluded the second stop on our journey. At this point it was sprinkling, so I started hurrying, knowing with my luck, I could break records in mad dashes through stores and it would still pour, straight into my car. Luckily, the present I wanted to get was easily found, but I was drawn in by the sales they were having on DVDs and of course had to stop and see which ones.
I have a problem, ok?
So that ended up killing time and then I had a disagreement with myself over which paper to buy.
“Would Mom buy the three roll set for $5.99? Maybe, but would she pick those colors? Nah. This one’s on sale for $2.99– but this one for $3.95 says Happy Birthday– Nothing says Happy Birthday like Happy Birthday on wrapping paper…”
Seriously, these are the kinds of internal struggles I have. So after spending even more time arguing with my inner-self about wrapping paper, I finally settled and bought some. Hopefully he likes the bow, because I kind of almost forgot and then was so annoyed I ran back and grabbed one without really thinking, the whole time my head echoing with my mother’s sage advice about “Alwaysalwaysalwaysalways buy a bow or ribbon for presents. It makes it look classy, Jaina!”
I promise, my childhood was a happy one, I just have a very craft-oriented mother who understands what makes a sophisticated present. Shut up.
: It’s twue… Tell dem about how angwy you got when you saw de car next to us had pawked too cwose.
: Iiii don’t think we need to go into detail. Just needless to say, if you drive a white Prius and you have issues parking in a straight line– I’m on to you.
With that mission accomplished we headed back to the grocery store I work at (I bet they love seeing me come in on my day off “Heyyy, didn’t she say she wasn’t available Wednesdays?”) and I was hopeful the light sprinkle I was feeling was as far as the rain was going to go. As I was getting out of the car, I gave the dogs my usual spiel, be good, don’t bark etc. (to which Faith gave me a hearty doggy salute and Yuri said “meh– we’ll see”.)– Apparently this startled a gentleman who works at Hy-Vee as he was on his way to his car. He looked at me strangely until he saw Yuri’s ears over the seat and smiled. About .5 seconds later he realized there was another one in there.
“Oh, you’ve got two in there!”
“Yes, it’s quite the clown car.”
[Gesturing in Faith’s general direction] “What’s the one in the back?”
“I have no idea. She’s yellow. Probably mostly Lab.”
“Yeah. She looks Lab in the face.”
(I had to keep from laughing at this, because for whatever reason, I thought it was funny)
“Yep.”
“Nice looking dogs, have a nice day!”
Which just confirmed he worked there, outside of the standard uniform I see every time I work. Once you work there, you start telling people to have a nice day, even if you’re the customer and they’re the employee. After his departure I made a break for the store, list in hand and dashed around the store like mad-woman. I got my shopping done in less than 15 minutes and was proud of myself as I’m still learning where everything is at this store (I transferred from a different branch about a month ago). I kind of wish they would put black beans in a can next to the refried beans in a can so as to make my life easier when shopping for taco ingredients, but once I found them I was golden.
I realized how different I must look in street clothes when three out of four managers greeted me like I was a customer and not one of the employees they had been directing the night before, but that’s OK. I like a certain amount of anonymity when I shop. I was pretty proud of my speed shopping until I got back outside with the cart and realized it was really starting to pour. So I ran to the car worried my dogs would be cowering somewhere in the middle, away from the windows I had left partially down only to find both of them hanging their heads out the window with glee written on their faces
Que Sound of Music Soundtrack: The Hillllls are alive with the sound of musssssiiiicccc…
I was worried for nothing, so I immediately stopped worrying about them and worried for my car interior, which was slightly damp, but not soaked. Good. Once I got in the car, I figured I could roll the windows up… Oh no. Yuri glared me down as I tried to roll his up, thinking I was taking away his only freedom and Faith wants what Yuri wants so I compromised and closed it a little more, but not enough he couldn’t get his nose out and Faith could at least get a nice breeze. He kept his head out the window the whole way home, despite the rain. It wasn’t until we got home he pulled his head back into the car– Proceeding to shake his now wet head and effectively making ME wet in the process.
I was not pleased. He was. Faith was indifferent.
All in all, it was a productive day. The rain was kind of a bummer, since I promised them they could have some Frosty Paws ice cream, but couldn’t give it to them, since they have to eat it outside (trust me, the mess is not worth their two minutes of happiness and brain-freeze) and I’ve sort of forgotten to give it to them since then– To be fair it only stopped raining today, so they wouldn’t have gotten it anyway, but someone seems to think I’m trying to torture her.
: … Tink? I know. You pwomised and i stiww didn’t get one!
: Maybe tomorrow.
: I be watching.
Despite the weather, I’m glad I took them along. They don’t get to go that often anymore and I like to make them happy when I can. Especially since at the time they were being good. I did say at the time. Plus, how could you resist the joy it brings?
Taken while at a complete stop and no other cars were waiting. FYI.
Until next time (and we have more pictures, sorry my posts are so long!)
Jaina & Faith with guest star Yuri!
BarkityBarkBarkityBark!!!
: Actually, hate is not a strong enough word. I loathe packing.
: What’s so hawd abowt it? Twow in my favowite squeakies and a chew bone and you awe done.
: Who said you’re going?
Don’t judge me.
Or maybe Bat-dog anyone?
The Doggy Bloggy 