Pound Puppy

My little brother recently moved out of my dad's house and took the co-owned miniature Daschund "Sprocket" with him. Dad has been fighting a 'custody battle' with Josh for several weeks now. The thing is; it's Josh's dog. Today I went to the pound and picked up a pooch they called Ironman. So far, his name is Buster. Josh went to the pound with me and that's what he called the mutt. We picked him up and Josh scattered, citing 'things he had to do.' I think he was just scared to show up and hand a dog to Dad.

Buster and I get in the car and he crawls into my lap, where he stays for the whole ride. We go to Petsmart where I get him flea medicine, a leash, collar, chew toys, and puppy chow.

I leave Buster in the car while I go and find Dad. I throw Dad the package of flea medicine and say "Happy Early Father's Day!" He gives me a "What the heck?" kind of look so I tell him "The rest is in the car." Then I Really get the look. We go outside and I introduce Dad to Buster.

He likes the dog! Thank Goodness because I had no back up plan for the pup. Buster sits when told, walks well on a leash, comes when called, and is the cutest little ball of fleas this side of the Mississippi.

Hooray for matchmaking!

One of the coolest things about Asheville is the fact that a 30 minute drive (or less really) will afford you some amazing hiking. Wednesday night after Wesley and his coworker Patrick got off work at 5:00 we went for a three mile in/three mile out hike at Looking Glass Rock. At the top of the hike there is a bald overlooking a spectacular terrain. The weather was perfectly mild and the trees are the greenest they will be all year.

We stayed on the bald until sunset thinking that the hike downhill would be a quick one. It were about halfway down the switchback trail when it got so dark we had to pull out the one headlamp we had. The trail looked like a whole different place at night. The lightning bugs made me feel like I was in a fairy tale; the crying cougar made me realize I was not. The silence was peaceful but there was so much life in the woods that I never felt isolated. It was quite an adventure and I can't wait to go camping up there.

Obsession

My deepest and sincerest apologies. I know that the world stopped when I let my blog lag. I promise, I promise the sun shall shine again. (Yes, that is sarcasm you detect).

Here is my list of excuses:

1. I was trying my darndest to not fail Complex Health Problems this trimester. You will all be delighted to know, I'm sure, that I did NOT fail that dad-blasted soul-injuring class.

2. I am homeless. Well, kinda homeless. I moved out of the house at Mimosa Lane. The majority of my possessions, and myself for the next two weeks, are in Asheville. I must take this time to say thank you to my dear fiancee for being so obliging as I took over, cluttered up, and girlified (to a small degree), his apartment.

3. I pressed felony charges. My landlord, whom shall remain slightly nameless but may be a dentist who is on the board of directors at a local college, is a creep. My former roommates and I have caught him in our backyard late at night several times. I personally caught him looking in my window late one night while I was naked and bent over to blow dry my hair. Sleeze. What happened after that? He got away with it.

4. I have been without internet at home for a month. Yeah for cutting the bills.

So. What is the obsession all about you ask?

Real estate. I want a home. I want a home so badly I would just about sell my soul to have one. I want a place I can garden, paint, decorate, live in, and have ownership of. I check zillow.com on a daily basis, even though we won't be able to get a house until early next year at best. I have been researching tips for first time homebuyers and this afternoon Wesley and I are going to the bank to have someone spell out the differences between renting vs. buying. I am obsessed. Every waking moment I am thinking about home ownership, what my budget will be, what kind of home I want, how we can make it work, and what locations I like best. It's like the baby clock but only louder. I know where all of the online listings are and I have the real estate guide in my car. It has even overtaken the wedding in my wandering thoughts. Like I said, obsession.

Now that I have confessed; do you have any advice on home ownership, mortgages, or renting vs. buying?

First Self Righteous Church

A Cat Story

Today I took Sasha to the vet. You remember Sasha, don't you?

The sweet baby has been puking up a storm for two weeks now. The first week and a half she produced enough hairballs to knit a sweater. The rest of the time she has been throwing up her food and dry heaving. Let me tell you something, cat-retching is not something you want to wake up to for too many mornings in a row. What a foul, awful, pitiful sound!

Sasha was such an angel today. She got into her carrier with no trouble, loved on the vet-techs and in general, won over hearts across the board. I was such a proud Momma. I won't even Begin to tell you what kind of terror Chloe is at the vet.

Sasha was given fluids subcutaneously, and intramuscular anti-nausea medication and antacids. She is to be started on a bland diet of Gerber Baby pureed chicken tomorrow, along with more antacids and hairball treatment. She got more attention from the vet, and more detailed instructions on care than any doctor has Ever given me regarding my health, including my surgery back in November. Lucky dog... er, cat!

When we got home from the vet after barely an hour away, Chloe was furious at us both! She could not contain her jealousy that I went somewhere with Sasha and not her. She growled and hissed at Sasha, sniffed at the carrier trying to gather clues as to where we had been, and glared at me like she might burn holes through my head. She can be such a spiteful cat. Luckily, she eventually calmed down and everything seems to be back to normal now.

All of this got me thinking. I wonder if cats think it is strange that humans take off their fur on a daily basis? What do you think?

Kids Rock

Oh man, you have got to check this out. I snickered. Then I snorted.

glumbert - Kids' Rock

One Step Closer

I packed today. Not everything, mind you. I packed my dishes, the few decent pots and pans I have, my nic-naks, and all of my wall art. Next week Wesley's apartment is going to have so much 'Eryn' in it he won't know what to do with himself (or his utter lack of closet space).

It was a beautiful day. I opened the windows and let the warm spring air push winter out of the house. I cranked up the classic rock and I took a major step towards the next chapter. You should have seen me dancing to 'Mustang Sally.' I was on a roll! Ha ha.

I look at the boxes lined against the kitchen wall and I grin from ear to ear. Once I get my things to Wesley's apartment, Asheville really will be home and Mississippi really will only be a temporary landing spot for me. In May I move my furniture to Asheville and I'll come back to stay with my grandparents in Jackson while I wrap up my summer semester.

I'm excited that I will get to spend a couple of months with family before I head off. My grandparents are like those active seniors you see in mutual fund commercials. They ride horses, travel, tile the house, email, and simply put, never slow down. It's great. Plus, when I need a quiet house to study, I know that they will understand. I can't let off until I pass my last class. No rest for the weary, eh?

The Incident

After driving 10 hours from Asheville because of nasty rain in Georgia I arrived home at 11:30 Sunday night. Both of the roommates were gone. I wasn't too happy to be home alone, especially since the night I returned from my last trip I caught a peeping tom at my window, which is incidentally about 7-8 ft off the ground. I had the willies but I also had my cat Chloe so I figured I would be okay.

I didn't even bother to unpack my car. I gave Chloe some food, fresh kitty litter, and water then went to my room and tucked myself into my covers. Chloe wasn't far behind me in jumping onto the bed. I was still feeling tense so didn't think much of it when Chloe wouldn't calm down either. She spent all day in the car as well, after all. After a few minutes she settles down and starts to purr. Then thinks got damn strange.

My bedroom door is shut and my light is off. All the doors are locked. I am laying in the quiet emptiness when I hear footsteps coming down the hall past my bedroom. I try to rationalize it away, tell myself I am just tired- maybe even a little paranoid. But the thing is, Chloe sat up, stared out towards the hallway and stopped purring. Ok, no problem, I'll just turn on the lamp. My room is now well-lit, no shadows. Chloe moves to the end of the bed and stares at the door. I refuse to get creeped out. Close my eyes, convince myself it's not a problem, I'm just nuts.

Then I hear the whispers. Oh shit. I start thinking about who I could call at one in the morning the night before the first day of class and realize that I need to just suck it up and force myself to go to sleep. I move my head in little motions so that the sound of the fabric in my ear drowns out any other noises. Problem solved. Until...

Until the room goes ice freaking cold despite having the heat on, previously having been warm enough, and me being under a down comforter. This was the final straw. I grab my phone, put on necessary garments and head for the door. Quickly. Chloe actually beats me out of the house. I put her in the car and go to the Walmart parking lot where I call Wesley (sweet Wesley) and ask him what in the hell I should do. We run through the possible solutions that I have already ruled out and decide that I should go to his mom's house, an hour away. Wesley has had his own experience in the house and luckily does not think I've lost my marbles (any more of them anyways).

The past two nights I stayed with Wesley's mom. I contemplated places I could move, thought about how I could avoid staying at the house, so forth and so on. I finally realized that with being so close to graduating, and being so busy with school, wedding, traveling, et al that now was Not the time to move.

So.

Tonight I stay at the house. I waited until sunset and spoke out loud to It, which was only slightly strange. I said 'This is my house. You are not allowed here. I have nothing for you and cannot help you. It's time to move on. Go away.' I feel better about it all after doing that. We shall see tonight. Oh, and for good measure I have my rosary on my bedpost and I plan on sprinkling some holy water I happen to have from a church event a couple of years ago on my door frame. Here's hopin' the booger is gone.

Achoo

I've been sick the past few days and it hasn't been much fun (for me or anyone around me). Here is the email I sent to CVS about a positive experience that came out of having the funk.

I went to the CVS on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville North Carolina today, Feb 15th. I had nine dollars in my bank account and needed some cold/flu medicine, as I wasn't sure which one I had. I asked the pharmacist for his recommendation and he recommended the CVS version of Cold-Eeze. I asked him 'If I can only afford one medicine to get me through this, is this really what you would recommend?' I was holding a box of generic Day/Night cold medicine in my hand. He said 'What you've got there is pretty good too. I'll tell you what, let me go grab a drink and I will get the lozenges for you.' I really wasn't in a position to decline his very kind-hearted and generous offer. The ease with which he did something so helpful, however small it might have been, was amazing. I want this pharmacist, and everyone at CVS, to know my appreciation. It is care like this that makes the world go round, especially when one is feeling sick. I hope that this pharmacist will get the commendations he deserves for being willing to go the extra mile. Did I mention he came out from behind the counter just to help me choose from the array of cold medicines? I've never met a pharmacist who would do that.
A very satisfied- and slightly less stuffy- customer,
Eryn

Update

Hey guys,
Life is busy and wonderful. School and wedding stuff is keeping me insanely busy. The only extraneous activity I allow myself these days is sleep; sorry I haven't been posting. I'll try to get back into it in February when this semester is over.
Eryn

Tape

Christmas: Spending so much money on gifts that you can't afford the tape to wrap them. Oops.

Merry Humbug to all!! :-D

Karma

Anoles are one of my favorites species. They are so cute and quick. I've often kept them as temporary pets throughout the years before putting them back outside again. One of my favorite things to do with these gentle little guys is scare the bejeezus out of skiddish friends, classmates, and the occasional boss. All I have to do is walk in a room with one on my shoulder and some people will just freak right out. It's hilarious to see how quickly someone will jump into a chair upon seeing a reptile. The funny thing is, the chair becomes Much more dangerous to the person standing in it than the anole is. Yes, I'm cruel. I've come to accept this fact.

After many, many years of my tricks, karma finally caught up with me. I was laying in bed reading Ahab's Wife (a fantastic book by the way) when every time I moved I felt something odd move with me. I really didn't think much of it until it moved and I didn't. I threw back the covers and saw this little brown-grey blur running around on my bed. In my haste, it looked just like a mouse. It Was a mouse in my mind. So I jumped out of bed and squealed like a stuck pig. You would think I had seen a ghost. I think I even did a little dance for good measure.

And then I looked in my bed to see this very large, but ever so docile anole looking at me like I was a madwoman. Karma. In my bed.

The anole was promptly taken outside to find his own bed.

Warmies

It's too damn hot outside. I'm wearing a sleeveless shirt right now. I have a sinus infection. The windows are open. And yet I have Christmas lights hanging in the windows and a Santa on the kitchen table. Where is my winter??

I'm not a big fan of the global warming theory, but today is one to test my beliefs. It's just too damn hot outside! 80 degrees? Are you kidding me?! Gah.

As for global warming; here's my take. Everything in this universe goes in cycles or circles. The moon around the earth, the earth around the sun, the menstrual cycle, life-death, seasons... I could go on and on. Why shouldn't the climate do the same? As much of a bleeding heart democrat as I can be, I just can't get on the bandwagon about this. It's a great cause but a lame battle cry. If we are going to change our polluting ways, we need to not only start at the bottom with grass roots efforts but start at the top with the big corporations (betcha thought I was going to say government). The change needs to happen, but it's not going to happen because the global warmies are pointing fingers. Everybody knows that scientific data can say anything you want it to say. In order for people to stop using such damaging products like petrol, plastics, et al and et cetera, you've got to give them alternatives. Give us more electric cars, cars that can run on air or water, better and cheaper solar power. Instead of whining Mr. and Mrs. Scientist of the world, give us an alternative. Rallies don't change the world. Inventions do.

On the mend

The worst thing about surgery? The waiting. I'm ready to be back 100% again. The drugs are good though. Hooray for Percocets keeping me out of pain and out of my mind. My roommates thought I was bad about telling stories twice Before! HA! I'm twice as bad now. I'm twice as bad now. Heh.

I've had this irksome ovarian cyst for about a year now. It was painful and annoying and pushed on my bladder, and elevated my cancer antigen markers slightly so we finally decided to take it out. It was supposed to be a simple operation and my doctor made me feel like I would be doing cartwheels the day after surgery. It was not to be so. A week later and I still can't stand up for too long and have to sleep on my back (which is a bummer).

Everything went well for the most part. Wesley took care of me all week, with some help from his mom, dad, and stepmom. He did a fantastic job and kept me comfortable, well-fed, and rested. He also showered me with sweet kisses- known to make any girl on the mend feel better.

Today was our first day back in class. My friend Jenni picked me up so I wouldn't have to drive. She also brought me homemade chicken noodle soup after my surgery. It's really great to have true friends who will take care of me. I have a lot to be thankful for this year.

Oh Happy Day!

Wesley proposed!!

We were in New Orleans this weekend for the Voodoo Music Festival. Friday night we saw Rage Against the Machine, which was phenomenal. The band was rocking out, the weather was perfect, and I didn't think I could be having any better of a time. Then Saturday morning we got up and went to the French Quarter. We walked along the river walk and made our way down to the St. Louis Basilica and Jackson Square. After sitting in the grass for a while Wesley asked if I was ready to go get some lunch. I stood up and he started fiddling in the backpack.


He got down on one knee and asked 'Mrs. McClintock, will you marry me?' and brought out this pretty blue jewelry box. I get a little light headed and the rest of the world disappeared. All of the sounds of the busy French Quarter faded away. He opened the box and at first all I could think about was how gorgeous the ring was. It sparkled as if there was a light coming from underneath it. I finally got my bearings again after many giggles and gave Wesley a big hug. At this point, I remembered that I had not said yes yet. Ha! I told him yes and he put the ring on my finger. Once we got moving, he practically had to steer me by both arms to keep me moving because I was so busy staring at this big, sparkling, elegant, significant ring on my finger. I Still can't stop staring at it!




I am such a lucky girl to have found such a wonderful, loving man. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him!

Amazing little creatures

Oh man! So! The end of another semester. I have finals on Monday and Tuesday. I feel like I have been walking on hot coals for ten weeks trying to keep these two professors happy with my progress. It worked in Pediatrics, but I never felt like I satisfied my OB professor. Oh well. As long as I pass the final on Tuesday, I pass the class. Which is actually a little scary. I've never had to pass a final to pass a class before, my grades have always been higher than that. I have been studying diligently the past two weeks and hopefully I'll be ok.

I can't say the semester has lacked excitement. The highlights would have to be seeing the vaginal birth and the c-section. They were both very cool to watch... once. I have no intention of being a labor and delivery nurse, but it has been an educational experience for sure.

Pediatrics on the other hand, I could really see myself spending a lifetime doing. I've always loved kids. I understand them better than I do most adults. I think it is their honesty and curiosity that makes me love them so much. I wish adults were better at holding onto that. It's almost as if there is this unsaid rule that adults are required to be dishonest and jaded. Kids are so much better at telling the truth and accepting the truth. Amazing little creatures, I think.

Dreams

I had not one, but TWO, wedding dreams last night. Ok, I confess, one was during my afternoon nap. Gimme a break, I was sick Monday.

In the first dream DJ from Full House was getting married. Her wedding was being televised as this 'dream wedding makeover' type deal. I remember that I wanted her dress, but the dress kept changing every time I saw it so it did not help me get any closer to choosing 'the one.' I also remember looking at her napkins like they were paint chips. She had plum, wine, copper, and deep teal. I looked at them for a long time in this dream and decided that I wanted those colors. Once awake I decided that the first three were pretty colors but I'm not so sure how they would look together.

The second dream was a little bit more traumatic. I dreamed that I went to the hairdresser for my final hairdo on the day of the wedding. The stylist chopped off all of my hair like they do in those overly dramatic makeover shows. It was cute but it wasn't my hair. I was SO upset! Anybody know what 'hair dreams' mean?

Bragging

Wesley has been updating his photography website. He has been working with both digital and film these days. I've gotta say... The man has an eye for beautiful things. Don't you agree??

Oy!

I had my second test in Obstetrics today. I made a 79.2. Bleh!! Anything below a 77.0 is failing. I haven't made a test score below a B (83) in nursing yet. I guess I should be happy to have done this well so far. But OB is kicking my butt and I'm ready to be done with it.

I know one thing, dealing with vah-jay-jays all day is not for me. The primary goal of Labor and Delivery nursing is to make sure the woman isn't bleeding to death through her vagina. Not my idea of a fun time. I think I would rather assist with an amputation. Don't you agree?

Cutesy Couple Shots