No puppies, Job offer take-backs and firefighters....oh my!

Good Lord it's been a long time since I've written - kinda outta practice. Let's see if I can do a quick update....

I got a new puppy and his name is Yotee. He's a red merle Miniature Australian Shepard and a character. When I first brought him home he hid under the coffee table and nipped at Scott when he tried to pet Yotee. Yotee was pretty small and very timid when I brought him home. I am proud to say that with a lot of work, and even more needed, he is less timid and listens pretty well. He likes to carry his toys around with him and surprisingly doesn't like to chew on rawhide bones. Instead he prefers "babies"; soft toy animals with squeakers! Ruby recently turned 3 and got a new collar with a new ID tag, a denta-bone and yogurt drops as her present. She has taken to Yotee slowly but they play so I'm thinking it'll all work out.

I have had two job offers but had to turn them down because of weird and unacceptable circumstances. One offer was from Arkansas, which I was totally ready to accept after a trip down for a final visit. I left feeling like poo and I wouldn't get an offer and instead was surprised to receive an offer less than a week later. The terms, mainly salary, were acceptable and I began making preparations to visit on a house hunting trip when the University of Arkansas HR department called rescinding the offer. What!?! I guess protocol wasn't followed and I had been counted for too many years of experience. A week later, when the corrected offer came through it was significantly less, and seriously not worth up-rooting my life and moving cross-country. So I turned it down. The second job offer came from Grants, New Mexico. I left that interview feeling something just wasn't right and when I was offered the job I had a hard time deciding what to do. The job was almost what I wanted, the pay was good, free tuition and a salary jump once my master's was done. However, something with the situation just wasn't right and I chose to turn down the offer. A while later my cousin, who lived in NM, vindicated my decision saying it was a good choice because Grants is not somewhere I wanted to be. Good choice! :)

Scott has joined the Grandview and Yakima County Volunteer Fire Departments. I am currently listening to his radio chatter. He has since decided he wants to make a career out of it. I am resisting simply because of the history during my friendship with Tim, who thinks it's great, by the way. I know if it's what he wants to do I fully support him but....ugh! :)

Karen has created drama - as usual. She is dating/living with a 37-year-old, 4-time divorcee with several children. He is verbally and emotionally abusive to her...she wanted out for a short time so dad, Scott and I went over to extricate her. Her boyfriend almost came to blows with dad and the cops were called. After that things settled down in a hurry! Karen was home not 6 hours before she went back to him. Not a smart move, and Scott and I aren't necessarily on the best terms with her anymore. She also got pregnant and miscarried again. I know it sounds horrible but thank the Lord because He knows what He's doing.

Mom won her grievance case against her boss and is home from now on. She is having trouble dealing with it but she'll get used to it. She's already more happy and relaxed. Her and I, along with my Aunt and Cousin, are headed down to Walla Walla for some wine tasting this weekend to celebrate!

Dad is enjoying his job at the experiment station and I am hoping to join him out there soon. A job that would be perfect for me has opened up out there and I really hope to get it!

Scout was bred and we all thought she was doing extremely well but a week before she was due the puppies stopped moving. She never really went into labor and then one morning dad woke up to find two dead puppies on the living room floor. We found three more and decided to take her to the vet. to be spayed because obviously something didn't go right. The vet. said she had two more puppies inside here and that their abdomens weren't sealed. Again, thank goodness...the Lord was looking out for them. It is still sad because we were all looking forward to puppies in the house. Scout isn't suffering from any ill-effects so all is well, and the vet. gave her a highlighter green tattoo over her scar so at-a-glance it can be determined if she is spayed. I think it's great!

I am experiencing some trouble with my anti-depression medication. It's not working like it should. I am not wanting to talk to people, have no motivation, am sleeping way too much, am anxious and worrying too much. I am going to schedule an appointment for next week to get it worked out. It's not too much fun being this way. I am frustrated with myself and others way too easily. I was feeling much better and am hoping to get back there ASAP!

I have been gardening and created a shall we say "unique" strawberry planter from an old single hog feeder and old license plates. It is beginning to produce and I am excited for those berries! :) I also took an old BBQ and planted it with salad stuff; lettuce, pak choi, carrots and spinach. Peas, bush beans and broccoli have also been planted. Yay for fresh veggies and herbs! :)

I have accepted a phone interview with a small county in South Dakota and had accepted and in-person interview with Kansas. The Kansas interview wouldn't be reimbursed for travel expenses so I had to turn it down, which is frustrating because Kansas is where I'd like to be. But this job is not a 4H position so I don't feel too badly.

Well, I am thinking this is a good update so I shall endeavor to keep you up-to-date better. TTFN! :)