Love

The MOST important thing that we will ever do is love.  

Notes to Self

Since moving home, I earned the distinct pleasure of earning the title "official dog sitter."  As of August 20, 2011 there are a total of three dogs and one cat in the house.  Let me introduce them to you...

This is Oreo, he is the man of the house.  You don't mess with him, and all the dogs know that.  He's been my companion for at least 17 years now. 

This is Bess.  She is the bionic dog so to say.  I believe she has had four surgeries in the course of her life?  She is a sweetheart. 

This is Milly.  She goes by Mills, Millicent, or Precious as well, she may not respond to them though.  This one here is naughty.  She will stick an entire sock into her mouth so that it looks like she doesn't have one.  But don't let me discredit her.  She is SMART.

 

And this big guy is Gus.  He is a lover.  I could not find a picture of him by himself.  He will ALWAYS be looking for a lap to sit or lay in.

So notes to self about dog sitting these guys

1. Milly and Gus are bad and most likely will not listen to you

2. Gus will jump on top of you before you have time to get under the covers

3. He will also cuddle with you really early in the morning and roll around constantly trying to get comfortable on your chest.

4. RUN THEM - this will wear them out

5. Do NOT let them off the leashes to swim in the pond.  This will turn into them swimming as quick as possible across the pond, hop out on the other side, and they will proceed to chase the house's cats and little dogs off the porch into the garage.  They will then continue their havoc by going to the fenced in backyard and growling at the german shepherd.  Meanwhile, you will be thinking "Oh crap" and trying to get to them as quickly as possible.  Remember, do not let them off, especially if it is 8 in the morning on a Saturday.  The entire neighborhood will be awake because of you.

6. When Gus lays on you make sure you are rubbing him or have a hand on him at all times.

7. Pet Oreo and Bess.  They deserve it.

That's all that I can come up with at the moment.  I will say that we will be adding a new edition to the household next Saturday.

Yay Mallard!  Welcome to the animal house.

When did I get so cool? (This one is for Kelly Turner)

So, Kelly and I during the 2nd term horse show starting talking about why cool people are cool.  Because some people are just naturally cool.  They have that air about them.  Naturally when we were getting deep into the conversation, the bench that we were sitting on toppled backwards.  It was quite possibly the slowest fall I have ever experienced in my entire life.  Neither Kelly nor I reacted to the slow motion.  Kelly jumped up and I laid on the ground for a while.  Of course, everyone saw it.  We gained some serious cool points there for sure.

So Kelly, I have learned another way to gain some serious cool points that does not make you end up falling on the ground.

1. Move back home after you graduate
2. Have your mom drop you off at work the first day of school
3. Make sure she drops you off in the minivan
4. Have her pick you up again when you finish work in the minivan
5. Make sure she is an hour late
6. Text/call everyone that you know because you don't know what else to do with your time
7. Have your friends call you because they feel bad that you are sitting by yourself on a bench
8. Hop in the minivan when your mom gets there
9. Go running with your father
10. Let him decide that you are going to train together
11. Start training every day for the triathlon that you will do together
12. Be your parents dog sitter on the weekend


This formula is guaranteed to get you some SERIOUS cool points.

Back

Well, we have returned to the US of A today.  And, I must say that saying goodbye to Costa Rica was extremely hard.  Boarding the plane, taking off, and seeing my second home fade into the distance was difficult today.  I might have shed a tear or two.  I was hoping that our car was going to run out of gas in the middle of the country, which it almost did.  I'm sure there are other places in the world that are as great and maybe even better but you've got to love that country.

Love its people.  (Costa Rican mother and father - Agnes y Ricardo)

Love its culture.

Love its nature.

Love its food.

When you can't find me in the Spring.  I will be somewhere down south, where the fruit tastes like Heaven and every night God paints you a different picture.  Where squirrels are multicolored and want to hang out with you.  Where people are always friendly, sometimes too friendly.  Where tropical paradise meets rainforest.  And where the saying is "Pura Vida."

A Sequence of Herbert the Variegated Squirrel

Meet out good friend Herbert.  He is a variegated squirrel.  He drank Mom's coffee this morning as he sat on her lap.

He's the man.  

Kelly and Herbert.  Love at first sight.

Me and Herbert!  He's a baller.

Curious Herbert.

Herbert and Scott giving each other eskimo kisses.

Herbert on Scott's head.

Herbert tired from eating all the food.  Trying to digest.

Herbert in his natural environment.

Empieza las aventuras de Costa Rica

Meet my family's new friend... the tarantula.  

We saw a grand total of 4 tonight.  We were driving back from dinner, and I was sitting in front because I was getting car sick because of my dad swerving to avoid all the pot holes, and I saw a huge black thing run across the road.  I processed it in my mind and yelled "Tarantula!"  My sister proceeded to yell a very inappropriate curse word because she thought the tarantula was in the car.  She also crouched behind my mother and bent down.  My brother proceeds to get out of the car with the camera to take a picture.  My dad is yelling for him to be careful because he heard that tarantulas can jump.  I just looked that up, and they cannot.  It is a myth.  A car then proceeds to drive down the road and run over him.  Not just once, but both tires squished him.  My dad was giving a play by play.  So we have a squished tarantula friend and squished tarantula pictures.

We continue driving down the pot holed road, and we see another one.  Which scurries off into the tall grass.  Scott sprints out of the car, with the camera, to capture the moment, in the wrong place.  He was about 2 yards away from where the hairy spider went.  So we failed at attempt #2.

Continue driving, and lo and behold, another one scurries across a little slower.  Scott is ready this time.  Runs out of the car.  Gets really close, the tarantula stops dead in his tracks.  My dad is yelling for Scott to get back in the car because the tarantula was getting ready to pounce on him.  He didn't get pounced, and he captured our new tarantula friend above on attempt #3.

Tarantula #4 was also squished.

Interesting fact:  A tarantula bite is similar to a bee sting.