Why I Think I may have been poisoned.

So, I'm pretty certain that someone tried to poison me.  Aaaand, since it's only TheHubby and me...the list is PRETTY short.  Although Ava has been eyeballin' me as of late. 

But I Digress

Our other furry child.  Juno,

 

yipped to go outside at dawn's early light.  7:15 on my day off. To be precise  So I mumbled something along the lines of Juno HUSH!  and rolled over to try to reclaim my slumber.  But, she was not to be denied.  I imagine her sitting in her cage. Doing the potty dance, saying Mooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.  So at 7:25 she couldn't contain herself and yipped again. So I rolled out of bed and threw some appropriate clothes on and let her out. 

Well if she and Ava didn't have the crazies that day!?  So I brewed myself a cup of coffee (the poisoning could have occured at this point), put it into a to-go mug, and hooked them to the leash, and we set out on an early morning adventure.  It would be a lie, if I said I walked them to the park behind our house. 

The more accurate statement is: they walked me, at an extremely brisk clip toward green grass and freedom.

Once we got the the fenced in area, I let them off the leash, and they were off!  For almost an hour, they were romping and rolling in the dew soaked grass.  Finally they tired themselves out, so I corralled them, leashed them, and walked them (Yes indeedy I walked them!) back to the house.

By this time it is 8:30 and I am wide awake, an on my second cup of coffee (it could have happened here, tho, too).  I threw the first of what would come to be 6 loads of laundry into the washer, and set up to do some early morning yoga. 

During the course of 10 hours I did:

6 loads of laundry

Had a third cup of coffee (also a possibility for the timing of the poison)

2 loads of dishes (those that were dirty from the previous days, and those that I dirtied through the course of the day)

Went to the Grocery

Had a diet coke

Vacuumed the WHOLE house

Blogged

Quilted

Made dinner

Had a sweet tea

Prepped for dinner the next few nights

Cleaned the office

Cleaned the Kitchen

Cleaned the laundry room

Cleaned the coat closet

Cleaned our bedroom closet

Whew!

Based on this series of events, I'm nearly certain that I was poisoned.  Probably with meth.
It might have been the caffiene.  But it was probably meth.

Resolution

Hi,  I'm Kate, and I'm addicted to books.

My addiction has effected me negatively in the following ways:

1. I have too many books

2.  See #1.

In an effort to modify that situation, my new years resolution was: 

I have to read at least 3 books off of my: books to read pile to every 1 that I re-read.  

The bad part is: 

 I have easily 15 in my To-Read pile...and I have no time to read.  

The Worst Part:

I haven't even finished one book. <<Insert Sad face emoticon here.>> (I did :-(  But it didn't seem to capture the emotion)

The reason that this has become an issue is because The Hunger Games has been released, and I want SO badly to re-read it.  I mean it is almost KILLING me!  

Ok, not literally, but figuratively, emotionally, ecumenically.  Ok, not the last one either (can you name that movie?)   

I am currently reading:
Warrior Woman by James Alexander Thom (he also wrote Follow the River: Ach The Riffer! anyone?)

The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran

I'm almost through the first, and it is really good, just really wordy. It is about a Shawnee Indian Chief, who is trying to keep the peace between the American Settler, and the Native Americans in the Ohio River Valley.

The Second one I just started at work yesterday, and it is about the niece of Nefertiti, the ancient Egyptian queen.  It's good, and easy to read during my lunch break. 

But even once I finish that:

I STILL HAVE TO READ ONE MORE!

AND IF I WANT TO READ THE WHOLE HUNGER GAMES SERIES....

I HAVE TO READ 6 MORE AFTER THAT!!!!!!!!!!!

However, that would just about knock a medium sized chunk out of my To Read Pile.

That is my dilemma.

But I will persevere through the 80000000 books in order to read The Hunger Games again.

Above the Timberline

As I was driving into work today, this song came on my ipod, which is perpetually on *shuffle all* (I mean, I want an awesome variety of songs!  It gets me pumped up for work)

But I digress

This is one of the few songs that I want to play over and over.

Here are a few Lyrics

I get a little tiredLooking through the treesSitting on the 405Hoping for a breeze

Everybody's gunningYou got something to seeI gotta sell this ticketGet the shadow off of me

So what is your problemYou been moping aroundYou need to find a mountaintopAnd get out of this town

She says sometimesYou gotta get awayClear out that nogginOpen up the day

Above the timberlineThe higher I go, the harder I climbI'm closer to youIt's clear in my mindLove shines bright above the timberline

That is how I feel driving in Cincinnati traffic, Trying to get to work in the pre-dawn hours, and trying to get

 home after the sun goes down.

When I go back to my parents house (they live in the mountains), it really does clear out my noggin, it can

 relax and do the heart good.  The mountains are probably my favorite place in the whole world.

The sounds, or lack-there-of, the view, the people, everything about them!

How awesome is that?

And in fall?

Simply glorious

I just love it!  Even just these two pictures have made my day!

I could go on and on and on about the mountains.  About how they host so many amazing creatures, about how there are places in them that very few people have ever been, they are self-sustaining. Did I mention the creatures?

I have to admit: When I think about woodland creature, this is what typically pops into my head

But In reality, it is more like this

Especially if this is your yard, or garden (even if you have dogs)(They are probably just a bunch a babies and will only bark at them)

Especially if this is your quest

Especially if this is your porch

Especially if this is your dog (which if you can imagine this dog is a German shepherd and is saying: Hey! Doyouwanttobemyfriend? Pleasebemyfriend! Iwanttobeyourfriend! Doyouwanttoplaywithme? Pleaseplaywithme! Iwanttoplaywithyou! [I'm going to go out on a limb and say, that's what he's saying] that is pretty much how it went down)

Ok, maybe not like this, 

but probably more like this:

Especially if this is your driveway

And last...but MOST certainly not least

ESPECIALLY IF THIS IS YOUR PLAYGROUND! 

(that movie was scary!)(of course, my parents MADE me watch it when I was like 8) (thanks guys)

Ok, got a little off course, but no worries.

Mountains.

Umm.

So, yea,  I love them.

I definitely didn't plan for this post to be this long, merely an ode to the majestic mountains.

PS:  IDK why it decided to start providing a text highlight halfway through, and then stop.  

Horrible

Just horrible.  I haven't blogged, in what has seemed like an eternity!  I think the last time was mid October! Where has the time gone?!

So much has happened in the past 4 months! Our first Thanksgiving and Christmas as a married couple, The Hubby got a full time job! and I'm still working. 

We got another Puppy! Not a "puppy" per say, she a 2 year old sheltie mix, and a rescue.  She and Ava get along great, but we have had some growing pains from both of them, but they are getting much better.

I have decided to take up photography, so pics will be coming soon! 

The Hubby's car finally pooped out....at 235,000 miles. Yes, You read that, and I typed that right. Almost a quarter of a million miles on good ole Mable the Sable.  So we are now the proud new owners for a Brand New Venza!  I mean, Toyota still owns nearly all of it, but in 5 short years, it will be all ours!

But on a lighter note!  RHONDA THE HONDA is officially paid off!  It was a huge relief to finish that loan!  It felt so good!

Aaaand....I think that about covers it.

I promise to do better about this whole blogging thing!

The Amazing Songwriting Ability of My Husband

We were driving yesterday and we passed one of the trailers used to haul horses and other farm animals. As we passed it

Matt Goes: Is there a pony? 

I saw the hay moving around and I said: There's Something.

He LOL'd and said: It's probably a grizzly bear

And Promptly breaks out into song:

Neigh goes the pony as it's eaten by the bear
Neigh goes the pony as it's eaten by the bear
Neigh goes the pony as it's eaten by the bear
Neigh goes the pony as it's eaten by the bear


True Story

Our New Day Job

The Barrick Household has been very ambitious as of late. 

First we changed the oil in both of our cars,  And we thought we were hot stuff after that.

The second thing we did needs a little set up:

We are moving, and I was trying to vacuum our old place, but all of a sudden the vacuum started making a loud rattling noise, well we had places to go, so I took note of what kind of screws the vacuum had, and made a mental reminder to bring a screwdriver over the next time we came. 

We were finishing up some things, and I told Matt:  I am going to fix the vacuum. 
He LOLd and sat down to help me.
12 screws later, he said: You can tinker with that for another 20 minutes, then I'll buy you a new vacuum. I'm going to load the car.
Well I finally got all 24 screws out and man handled it apart. 

And then...

I found out why it was making a funny noise...

There was a clog of about 5 inches of carpet powder, animal hair, and my hair (gag)...and a piece of cardboard (wtf?).

Once I get it all cleaned off, I start to put it back together...or rather I turn into the hulk and manhandle it back together.

Then the moment of truth....IT WORKS!!!!!  And it's actually sucking up stuff, instead of spitting it back out.

Because of all of this new found ambition, Matt and I decided that we would open our own business:

Matt & Kate Fix Most Things Pretty Well.
So as not to set expectations too high

Grease Monkey

Is what we are.

Matt and I changed the oil in our cars today....all by our selves.  Well with the help of our friend and the user manual.

It's was super exciting.

Our garage is now: Matt & Kate's Pretty Good Service Station.