Maggie and her guardian hikers

Our dog, Maggie, loves to go hiking. She has climbed Bakers Mountain and South Mountain quite a few times. On Sunday, the weather was perfect for some outside time so we decided to take Maggie to the Blowing Rock and then to Linville Falls.

When we arrived at the Blowing Rock, the weather was breezy and cool. The sun was shining brightly and the skies were clear blue. Maggie enjoyed climbing on the rocks and walking along the paths. She also enjoyed a sausage biscuit and a cup of water.

After our warm up at the Blowing Rock, we headed up the mountain to Linville Falls. This was Maggie’s first trip. I thought something was a little strange when we arrived at the parking area at the Falls. Usually Maggie is the one pulling the leash holder where ever we go. I just thought she was a little tired from Blowing Rock.

What I did on my “Elimi-cation”

For those of you who have read my previous articles in the Hickory Daily Record, (thank you Sunday School ladies, mom and dad, and my daughters, Sallie Ann and Lauren), you have read “My life is “Stranger than Fiction.”

In this article, I explained how a chain of exasperating events led me to read a message on a tire cover – a message I needed to remind me of the important stuff. The message read “Life is good.”

To be sad or not to be sad, that is the question

Last week, on Wednesday, February 11 at approximately 9:10 am, someone from the corporate office of the company I worked for called me into the conference room. He informed me, without any emotion, that the division where I had been employed for over six years had been restructured and my position was eliminated as a cost cutting measure. I was then told to get my pocketbook and keys and leave. I could return at a later date to clean off my desk.

At first, I just shook my head, said ok, got my pocketbook and drove to my husband’s shop. I was pretty angry by the point I arrived in the parking lot. How could they eliminate my position as an award winning interactive media/creative design/marketing genius/revenue producer/content producer without even considering the consequences? I then found out they had eliminated the other half of my team as well, leaving my publication without anyone to help them.

My life is “Stranger than Fiction”

One of my favorite movies is “Stranger than Fiction.” It leaves the viewer staring at the screen and saying, “Hmmm.”

Harold Crick is an IRS agent who has a set routine he follows every day without fail. One day he wakes up to a female voice narrating his life, which sets off a train of events that eventually disrupts his routine and saves his life, figuratively and symbolically.

Have butter knife, will decorate

My husband is so ready to decorate for the holidays, he is about to burst. He just doesn’t know it yet.

I don’t ask for the Clark Griswold “Christmas Vacation” decoration extravaganza. I just want something simple. Every year we hang the icicle lights from the roof and tangle multi-colored lights on the bushes. Eight little snowmen watch for Santa to walk down the sidewalk and the teddy bear wreath hangs on the front door to welcome him.

Last year, the icicle lights had an electrical meltdown, so this year we got new lights – the old-fashioned multi-colored light bulbs. I can hear the sighs of amazement now.

Mom and Mel: one and the same

At home, I am known as “Mom.” At work, I am known as “Mel.” Both names have an endearing quality to them, but can be used to the point of exhaustion.

I can always expect when I am summoned by either name that someone needs something.

“Mom, I need clean pants and I can’t find my shoes.”

“Mel, I need a marketing concept and I can’t find my phone.”

“Mom, can you help me finish my homework?”

“Mel, can you help me post a story with a snippet and a video link?”

I am beginning to see a pattern. I have blurred the line between my home family and my work family.

Go to your room or is it the doghouse?

I have a question. Does anyone know when the exact moment a pet becomes one of the children?

Is it at the very beginning, when your eyes meet across the shelter floor and you both know you were meant to be together?

Or is it when you give up the blanket on your side of the bed because you don’t want to disturb her slumber?

I know, it is when she isn’t feeling well and you sleep on the floor next to her to make sure she is OK.

Time to get back to work

Finally, it’s over. My vacation. I have done my time off, and I am ready to come back to work. Don’t misunderstand me. I love to go on vacation as long as I have company.

Sure, I had a long list of things to do while I was vacationing. I managed to conquer and destroy half of my basement. I did get my craft area organized. My living room, bathroom and kitchen were cleaned up. I even discovered I have a kitchen table at which we have been sitting down to dinner for the past few nights.

Text this

f u cn read dis, go gt yr parNts. i nd 2 T2 em bout somit vry impt +U wl hav2 transl8 4 em. IL w8 1ly 4 a mo ’til Ive 2 fix dinA, do d laundry n Fnish ur hmwrk.

No, I didn’t lose some letter keys on my keyboard and it isn’t a lost Mayan language. It is a new kind of language that is just the “bee’s knees” with young folks. Whose grandmother said that?

Loco for Locovores

Alright class, we know what an omnivore, a herbivore and a carnivore is. Does anyone know what a locavore is? Does anyone know what it means? No, it doesn’t mean a person who eats crazy people. No, it isn’t a dinosaur built like a train. Anyone? Bueller?

A locavore is someone who only eats food that is grown locally. The locavore movement began during the World Environment Day in 2005 by four young women who offered a month-long dietary challenge to people in Northern California to eat locally grown foods.