365: Don'tchawanna Fanta?

We're having our first official pre-departure meeting/party for the students going on the Gambia trip. We went out shopping today to get stuff for chicken yassa and when we were in the ethnic food aisle Ange spied these orange Fantas imported from Mexico! What would a Gambian dinner party be without orange Fanta?!?! We decided we'd roll them in the driveway and dirt tomorrow to make them look "more authentic." Can't wait to get these students PUMPED UP for this trip!!!

365: Freshly Manicured

And no that's not an innuendo. Unless by innuendo you mean "IT SNOWED IN INDIANA TODAY AND ALL WE GOT WAS OUR CAMPUS LAWN MOWED AND TRIMMED?" Then yeah, maybe.

365: So Cultured!

Ange and I had a big weekend. We went to a (lame) concert Saturday night for Ange's American Music class. Tonight we went to the Leader's for a Lifetime annual play which was SO cute! The leaders are local Hmong youth and the program is run by my Department Chair. The play used a collaboration of Hmong fables and cultural elements. The teens are mostly 14 & 15 year olds. They were so cute and we really enjoyed it!!!

365: Love This Crazbo

I've had a tummy ache all afternoon. We were in desperate need of groceries so we had to go even though I felt like shit on a shoe. My best girl loves to cheer me up when I'm feeling blue. It always works. I love her.

365: Map Maker, Map Maker, Make Me a Map!

We got our first installment of maps today. Yes I said installment. We decided that we are going to wallpaper our gypsy trailer with maps! Not only do we just love maps in general, but with Ange being a geography major we thought it was appropriate! All it took was googling "free maps" and filling out some info and we have piles of maps on their way! I'm sure this is not how they were intended to be used, but tough kitty puffs is all I have to say!

365: Gentle Giant

 

See the scary looking dog up there? Total ruse. Duke's really a weenie. Ever met a dog who was terrified of a fly? Yes, I mean the little annoying flying bug. Yep, big tough guy is petrified of flies. If one is in the house he runs and hides. He's also scared of vacuum cleaners, grills, fire in general, any loud noises...and the list goes on.

In an effort to bolster Duke's self-esteem from being such a wimp sometimes we like to play "Police Dog." Nevermind that he'd actually be a terrible police dog, he really likes this game.

Here's how you play:

1. Wait until he's feeling feisty. If he's feel little and lovey he doesn't like to play police dog.
2. Yell "POLICE DOG! RAWR!!!"
3. Push your forearm into his mouth and wiggle it like you are struggling with him. It's helpful if you wear long sleeves as his mouth is very slobbery and he doesn't really like to use his teeth.
4. Repeat 3-4 times. After that he gets tired of the game and just wants to get to the part where you pat his big head and tell him what a big scary dog he is.

Before anyone tells me that I'm teaching him bad skills, don't worry. First, we've been playing this game for about 7 years and he's never bitten me or anyone else in this period of time. Secondly, he barely even grazes me with his teeth. He mostly mouths me with his lips and tongue. Finally, only Ange and I are allowed to play this game with him, and she only recently started. So no worries, he isn't going to chomp you if you come visit. He'll just want pats on the head. And for you to protect him from flies.

365: Celebration

Decided to celebrate my first funded proposal at Chico State with my favorite adult beverage! I love Woodchuck so much. So many good memories associated with it, JC girls you know what I'm talking about!

365: Awful

This is how I feel tonight as expressed through crappy food I'm eating for dinner (tortilla roll-up). 

Why so x's over my eyes you ask? Well like a dick, when I was leaving class I decided I NEEDED to check my email. And also like a dick, I missed the third stair from the bottom of the staircase and tumbled down the stairs nearly breaking both of my legs...possibly breaking one of my legs. Of course broken pride hurts more than broken legs so I catapulted myself into an upright position to make it look like EVERYTHING WAS FINE. Luckily, there was no one around to see my tragic fall and I was able to hobble over to a bench to gulp back my tears of agony until I had enough energy to hobble back to my office. My leg has throbbed continuously since then. 

If I wake up tomorrow and can't walk I won't be surprised.

365: Amassing our Arsenal

Now that we have a gypsy camper, we need supplies and rations for her makeover. I've been stalking Craigslist since Sunday and was lucky to get this hideous futon mattress for FREE. Since it's not a full-time bed I was ok with used. Besides the fugly cover it's really nice actually! We are going to douse it with Lysol & Febreeze Anti-Microbal spray before recovering it ...with some cool new fabric just to be on the safe side. Score for free!!! 

And as with everything new to come in our house, but particularly things that have been in other people's houses, it needed to be inspected. An re-inspected. And probably inspected again 678654 times before it's taken on our smell and they forget about it.

365: The Mythical Dust Dog

So apparently I drive fast. Who knew? Anyway, the speed limit on our road is 15 MPH and apparently that is not the actual speed our neighbors would like us to go, but would instead prefer 5-10 MPH. About 2 weeks after we moved in they posted some signs along the road. Maybe it wasn't because of us (really, mostly me) but since there are only 4 houses past ours and we're the only newbies around, I'm thinking they were directed at us (and mostly me). The best part of this whole public shaming of my driving skills is that Ange recently revealed that for several weeks she was perplexed at what a "dust dog" might be and it wasn't until several weeks of pondering went by that she realized they were two separate reasons to slow down. I laughed so hard at her. She told me I couldn't tell anyone about her blonde moment (moment that lasted weeks, ahem), but she is the one who took this picture today using my phone so unless she was having another blonde moment she had to know it was going to be my pic o'the day. Love you dust dog!

365: Bicycles!

Chico is one of the most bike friendly towns I've ever been to. People ride bikes EVERYWHERE here. There are many of these bicycle parking lots around campus and they're almost always packed full. If Ange and I ever decide to leave the canyon we're totally moving somewhere we can ride our bikes.

365: It's a Funfetti Night

 

Ange loves me so much she decided to make me Funfetti cupcakes tonight. AND I got to lick the bowl. Heaven :)

365: One of my Favorite Things about Camp Awesome

As if having FIVE dogs wasn't enough work already, we have 4 perpetually needy dogs that take extra special care to thrive. One dog only eats wet food, one dog has epilepsy and has to take phenobarbital twice a day, one dog is a grouchy arthritic who takes 5 pain pills and Prozac daily, and one has a genetically terrible mouth and is on antibiotics ever other month. The one "well" one is just a jerk, but requires no particular medical care. This house came with an AWESOME basement-y type area that we've totally made into the Dog Dude Ranch. The very best part of it is the "wet bar" area where we can set up the arsenal. It's a one stop shop that I visit several times a day for various reasons. It saves me from having to make eleventy million trips up and down the stairs. I need all the energy I can get living in this zoo!

365: Library Books!

After many years of NOT having a library card I finally got a new card at the Butte County Library! I've been taking advantage of this privilege and have already finished 3 books. I have 3 more I picked up this week and several more on my request list. It's a small library system but have found it sufficient for my needs so far!

365: Officially Official

We went to our PO Box today and lookie what arrived! I'm officially an official Ph.D.! Wahoo! Of course I believe in balance in life so wouldn't you know that the same day I got my fancy diploma would be the same day I stood on the elevator for 30 seconds repeatedly pressing 6 and wondering why the doors kept popping open and I wasn't going anywhere. Turns out I was already on the 6th floor and I should have been hitting G (for Ground Floor). Just call me Dr. Ditzy.

365: Labor Day Geocaching

It was the last day of Labor Day weekend and my mom and Dale's last day in Chico. Unfortunately my mom fell (three times!) while hiking and twisted her ankle pretty bad and I woke up with a crappy cold. So while our bodies tried to put a damper on the day, we all pressed forward and did a little easy geocaching around Lower Park and then had lunch at the Brewery. I caught Ange off guard while she was poking around some leaves with a stick. She is pointing the stick at me and saying "You don't take secret squirrel pictures of me!" But WRONG. I totally take secret squirrel pictures.

365: Rescue supplies

Given today's events we were clearly in need of some rescue supplies. I stopped at Lowe's and got some heavy duty rope and a heavy duty hook. Next time a dog decides to fall down the canyon, we will be (better) prepared for search and rescue.

365: Handsome haircut boy

Sam got his hairs did today. The groomers said he was SO good and SO sweet. He likes haircuts! Takes after his Momma A!

365: Pepsi Campus

I noticed a startling trend my first few times on campus. I could only find Pepsi products. And not even good Pepsi products. The only diet options are Diet Pepsi (which might as well be dog pee) and Diet Crush. I confirmed this evening that Chico State maintains a contract with Pepsi only. Ugh. Pepsi products are always inferior to nearly all other products (see: Mug root beer) so Crush is not my favorite, but given that I have no other choices I will have to make do. Good thing I got a fridge for my office. That's where I'll stash the good drinks.

365: Freebie!

I walked into work today and one of our secretaries offered me a free mini-fridge for my office! Sweet! Way to score something good on my first official day!