What does that mean, actually? I know it refers to the hottest days of the summer, but what does that have to do with dogs?
Well, National Geographic comes to my rescue again. Here's what they have to say:
"It turns out, the dog days refer to the dog star, Sirius, and its position in the heavens. To the Greeks and Romans, the “dog days” occurred around the day when Sirius appeared to rise just before the sun, in late July. They referred to these days as the hottest time of the year, a period that could bring fever, or even catastrophe."
So there you have it. We're in the dog days - keep those whines coming.
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72 comments:
I would never have guessed that meaning, Sue! And thanks for hosting! (Speaking of which, I'll make sure to sign up for next week.)
Old Skool Whine: I SHOULD be running around, preparing lunch for my goddaughters' visit, and probably should also be processing apples. But I am tired and want to sit in this chair.
Learn something new every day, Sue!
QWP, I'm a big fan of sitting around this summer, too. Nobody will starve. :)
The Gentlemen arrived in the mountains last night, sorted their gear, and set forth for a 3 day backpacking trip this morning. Happiness abounds, except in the canine sector of our household.
More than half of a somewhat ambitious to-do list is already checked off today! No idea where that much motivation came from... ;)
I'm all about sitting around or checking things off the to-do list, depending on one's mood on any given day. Good for both of you!
I'm going with sloth today. Hubby had some bloodwork samples taken this morning. They come to the house, which is great, but it was much earlier than I would have been awake on my day off. So I had coffee on the balcony with a good book, and now we're watching mysteries on Acorn.
So good they come to the house! Sorry about the early rising. Thanks for hosting this week!
AW: pathology report good
:)
Fingers crossed for good hiking for your hubby and friend, Kathya .
Also, Relaxing is a good thing, even if there are apples.... they will keep!!
Neighbor Lady
YAY, NL!!!!
I'm so glad, NL!!!
Hooray, NL! So happy for you.
Two hours of swimming, and Mini is STILL not tired. Both Baboos showed much bravery, with the deep end and jumping off the diving board.
OMG, the Baboos have become official fish! That's so great!!
Hooray for the Baboos!!!
AW: successfully sorted all the apples, and selected a crate full for cold room storage.
W: I managed to peel and chop a single ziploc bag's worth of apples, and then my arms said "Nope. This is not happening anymore," and I stopped. I'll attempt to make a little apple butter tonight, but other than that, I'm waiting until tomorrow. (Mr. Q is picking up a peeler/corer/slicer doohickey tomorrow, as well as more jars so that we can do some canning. And I'm putting him to work tomorrow.)
AW: I was working on the apples alone, because Mr. Q was cutting shelves to turn our front closet into a pantry! (We have two coat closets that are only feet from each other, and are both on either side of the kitchen. And so the big closet by the back door -- which is the door we mainly use, because our garage is in the back alley -- is acting as our only coat closet, and we've been shoving storage stuff into the front closet, ever since we moved here.)
Oooh, the usefulness of shelving right by the kitchen cannot be overstated! Plus, the apples will keep.
Yay shelves!
NL
Yay NL!!! That's such great news!
Hooray for swimming Baboos!!
QWP - your harvest has been amazing so far!! A pantry near the kitchen is so handy - you will love it.
W: This final week before vacation begins is tough. I have a bunch of loose ends to tie up before Sunday, and very little energy to do it all. I hit the snooze button twice this morning and only then opened one eye in the sincere hope that it was all a mistake and I could go back to sleep. Not so much.
AW: I have a massage booked for later this afternoon. I will get all this done...then after Sunday worship it's VACATION!
I am having a hard time today. A friend (well, friendly acquaintance) died today. Age 47. Posted a few days ago that he wasn't feeling well, and that was it.
Another friend died a few days ago, cancer.
((( Liz ))) Oh, I'm so sorry about losing two friends so close together -- and one completely unexpectedly. xoxoxox
(((((Liz))))) So many hugs to you. I am so sorry for your losses. xoxoxo
-Neighbor Lady
Sue, hope you have a wonderful vacation!
Pixies, Bern did a classy thing tonight, and HRC was nominated by acclamation.
((()Liz)))) I'm so sorry for your losses. xoxo
Yes, Bernie did a classy thing tonight. And Michelle last evening was just amazing.
Yes, she is.
((((Liz)))) I'm so sorry about your friends. So many hugs.
Sue, I hope that the last few days before vacation go by quickly and smoothly for you.
W: Little Miss E has had too much fun times and overstimulation, and she is weeping about irrational things now. But we must soldier on: family pictures, in a town 45 minutes away, this afternoon.
AW: pantry project will be nearly free! (Just the cost of screws.) Mr. Q found a board in the back of the garage, which was exactly (to the millimeter) the length of three pantry shelves, and then another one that was the right size for all the supports. And there was a full can of paint in the cold storage room, from whenever the previous owners painted all the walls. So: previous owners have provided everything we need for the pantry project (and there's plenty of leftover scrap wood for the boot shelf Mr. Q also wants to build).
Score, QWP, on the free project materials! Hope E gets a nap in during the trip to see family.
Our next Vice President gave a moving tribute to my friendly acquaintance this morning at a breakfast. The video is up at bluevirginia.us (I'm not linking to it so the blogger can't track it back here.)
Hooray on the free shelves, QWP! And my sympathies on soldiering on in the face of irrational meltdowns. We live in that town most of the time.
Liz, sorry about your friends' deaths. It's hard when they come close together, and when unexpected.
Baboos and grandma and I had a horrible shopping day yesterday morning (though we scored a "winter" coat for $7, used and in good condition). Today, the Baboos and I stopped on the way home from grandparents' house and had a lovely time shopping. Go figure.
W: news from Sweet's foot appointment was discouraging. She has club feet, and they are (always have) turned inward. Up until now, they have always been able to stretch to the neutral/correct position. But not now, which means the bones have grown in the incorrect position. So, surgery is in her future. She's not really having any trouble with them, except for the occasional fall and even more occasional pain. The choice was do surgery now, which would probably need to be repeated after she grows more, or just wait and see. We're waiting and seeing. I hate the thought of more surgery for her (last one was 4 years ago), especially a more extensive and painful one. :(
(((Sweet))) I'm so sorry that she has to go through this, Esperanza.
AW: It looks like I'm really close to having a job!
Esperanza -- how 'bout that, the dueling shopping trips? Oh, well.
I'm so sorry about the news of Sweet's feet. Waiting and seeing sounds good for now. xoxoxo
Liz -- oh, that is a good speech! And yay about the job prospect!
W, W, W: I have to get a colonoscopy. And apparently nobody is there to schedule one -- just get a message saying they'll call back as soon as humanly possible, and I left 2 messages already.
AW: A few more off my list. Netflix. Ravioli and good sauce for dinner, bonus broc.
Got a call from the supervisor, because the schedulers were out today. So, ok.
The Big Thing is the best TV. Never got to netflix today. :)
Oh, poor little Sweet. So many hugs for her, and for you, esperanza.
Hooray for the potential job, Liz!
Colonoscopy whines are always award-winning, Kathy.
AW: we survived pictures, and E fell asleep (at the VERY earliest time that she can fall asleep and it be a night time sleep) in the car on the highway home, and stayed asleep when we put her into bed. We thought we were both missing tonight's church prayer meeting, since we were going out of town, but with the early return (kiddo wanted to go home instead of going for ice cream, because she was too tired), and zero bedtime routine, I sent Mr. Q. (And now I have PBS on, and am watching the Big Thing, although I just missed the VP.)
In spite of early meltdowns, it's been basically an ideal day.
Hugs to you esperanza, and to Sweet. xoxoxo Yay on the good shopping trip!!
QWP - that's so great about your pantry shelves. I wonder if the previous owners left the board there just in case you wanted to make shelves...nice if they were thinking ahead - well, nice either way!
Sorry about the upcoming colonoscopy, kathy. It's not pleasant, but so necessary for good preventive health care. I had the obligatory one at age 50.
Yay Liz on the potential job! Appendages crossed....
The Big Thing was amazing. I was out early in the evening but saw the big name speakers of the night when I got home.
I went to a little league baseball game last evening. A friend's son is on the Ontario team - they are now going to Vancouver for the National Finals!! Very exciting!)
What a great feeling that I am proud of my President! DID YOU SEE THAT? HOLY GUACAMOLE!!!
Oy, that hug! And the zingers from every speaker. WHOA! And they all ALL ALL made not just a case for voting AGAINST the other guy (which, yeah), but for voting FOR our candidate. And it was a substantive case. Full of details and examples and her amazing website.
I am maybe a bit excited. I might just be a little fired up. I could possibly be ready to go.
That was a great evening!
(((sweet)))
Yay liz on the job possibility-- fingers crossed!
Ugh about the colonoscopy, kathya.
Yay for days that turn out better than expected, QWP!
--Neighbor Lady
Something I worked on since 1990 is over. And we achieved what needed to be done. It's kind of blowing my mind, in the good way. :) But also in the "wtf, it took this long?" way.
Passing cheerful beverages.
Whoa. Very good night at the Big Thing.
SQUEEE!!!! I can not WAIT for MADAME PRESIDENT!!!
Also, YAY Kathy!
Congratulations, kathy on a job well done. Yay!!
Last night's speeches were amazing!!!
AW: Hubby and I went to our service ont@rio location (right across the street!) to renew his health card. He had his picture taken, all the paper work updated, and a temporary card signed and good to go. Total time - 20 minutes door to door. I got my wallet out to pay for the renewal and the nice woman chuckled and said, "There's no cost for renewing. You're all set!" Score!
Oh, Canada. It sounds so nice, but for the snow.
Fingers crossed for your job possibility, Liz. And kathy, impressively long project!
Ohhh, easy-peasy, Sue! Yay!
LIZ, fingers and everything crossed!
I'm just going to say hooray for some recent big decisions striking down impediments to voting. Go, team. Everybody needs to vote!
Q for Ms. Demeanor: Someone who loves me sent a fancy expensive rain jacket for our upcoming (Sept.) visit to Europe. And, [a] this person is having financial worries, and [b] I have a perfectly good one with more pockets, even. Ideas on a graceful decline?
"Thank you so much for thinking of me! I already have one just like it, and I hate to see this one not get used as it should. Would you be terribly offended if I returned it and took you out to dinner with the refund?"
Liz has a very good suggestion for how to gracefully decline.
Kathy, congratulations on the completing the long project!
Sue: hooray for the fast renewal! (You guys have to go in and renew your health cards? We just get sent renewal stickers every few years. But our health cards don't have pictures: just our driver's licenses/provincial ID for those who don't drive.)
W: we got a questionnaire from E's preschool, so that the teacher knows how to be prepared, and my anxiety went through the roof, answering it.
AW: since then, the kid has finally started working on dressing herself and using the bathroom independently. I straight-up bribed her with ice cream today, to get her to try to dress herself.
Also AW: I feel plenty affirmed in my choice to keep E with the 3 year olds, instead of pushing her into the 4 year olds and getting her into kindergarten the next year. She's just barely ready to do the two mornings a week with the 3 year olds. (But is very eager to go to school! If she was hesitant, I'd just keep her home for another year.)
QWP, Mini is 6.5 and still calls me to wipe her butt when she poops. I think E will be fine.
Good choice about preschool placement, WQP! So glad she is liking it.
Our experience, ymmv, was that the kids took hold of self-care (and other) tasks with devotion when they learned that other kids at their place were doing them. Also, I'm not opposed to some minor bribery here and there.
You guys help make me feel better. We recently discovered that E thought we'd be going with her to preschool (or, at the very least, that she'd be WITH Mr. Q, since he teaches at the same school. Her response was to refuse to be independent, and to want to do even less independently in the bathroom.)
W: I never, ever do this -- except tonight: open the "pour" side of the pepper can instead of the "sift" side. AW" We have freshly rinsed and re-seasoned chicken in the oven now.
Kathy: !!! I'm glad that it was something that could be rescued, or else you would have had a (peppery) new taste sensation on your hands.
I have done that before with chili powder. Eek!
We've done it with garlic powder....
Congrats on finishing the big long project!
Yay for easy renewals of health cards. Sounds lovely.
I'll bet when E gets to preschool she'll love it.
--Neighbor Lady
QWP - our province switched to photo health cards in 2000, for added security, initially. The bonus effect, it turns out, is that it's another piece of photo id in addition to driver's license and passport. The original photo health card is (I think) $20 - after that, free. So, for those who need photo id to vote, it's a good option.
I'm also not opposed to some minor bribery. :)
kathy, I like Liz's suggestion about the rain jacket.
As for the mountain o spice, I don't recall having done that, but then I don't spend a lot of time in the kitchen. As you know, it's better (much better) if I steer clear of that room entirely.
Sue, that's really nice that you guys have another piece of photo ID, and that it only has one cost (unlike a driver's license or passport). Honestly, I wish we had something like that in our province.
I'm stunned that not one of my Trump-voting FB friends (yes, I have a few) will comment with their positive reasons why they are voting for Trump. It's been 22 hours.
The rain jacket talk worked out. Somehow, this person failed to remember that I've lived in a rainier climate zone for a few decades. Now, just have to figure out how to return it without driving to the dreaded mall.
Liz, they don't have much to go on. And you bring the thunder. :)
Swear this is true: my beloved was vacuuming a piece of the yard this morning (preparing to build more of his rock retaining wall). And now he's vacuuming the remains of cat bark, which is actually pretty useful, even if it's noisy.
Ew, the mall.
Yes, Liz, the material is a bit sparse.
I can return the item by shipping it back! But wow, lotta hoops -- including a phone call to the person who sent it, while I waited on hold. And etc. Whatevs, it got done, I have the pre-paid postage label.
Glad the return worked out, kathy.
AW: In a few short hours I will be on.....VACATION!!!!!! *crowd cheers*
I won't be around online much, as I have many books to read, many naps to take, and many walks along the lake to enjoy. Take care, pixies! xoxoxo
Vacation, all I ever wanted! Go, Sue!
YAY vacation!! Have a relaxing time, Sue!
One of my "Friends" finally answered the Trump question.
You plan lovely vacations, Sue.
Liz: I went and found the response. Speaking as a non-American historian: there are people out there who find a comparison to Jackson to be a favourable one?
Sue: have a lovely vacation!
W: was hit in the head with an umbrella (child was WILD today). Severe headache. It was the tender spot on my head, where I've had a couple of injuries before. I wouldn't say that I'm fully into concussion land, but I'm not a happy camper. At least the kid is asleep now. She was challenging today. (She was really good for my parents yesterday, while Mr. Q and I went to a wedding, but she's always a little extra needy and defiant the day after she's been away from us.)
Let it be known: Umbrella-wacking is not acceptable. She doesn't know it's dangerous, but it is, and this cannot happen. Time outs are not a bad thing. Just sayin.
Hope you are feeling better, QWP. And, not liking the "couple injuries before" part, or the not "fully into concussion land" part, either. If you are having any problems tomorrow, all the doc, OK?
Oh boy, does she know that it was unacceptable. (I THINK it was an accident. She was playing with it in the back seat of the car, after church, and I think it was an errant swing. But the umbrella was confiscated, and she had a time out, because she was warned about being careful and then got wild and dangerous.) My doctor keeps monitoring the concussion situation. I'm still in the window where mild impact (and this was only a little bit of a hit) throws me for a loop.
xoxo
((((QWP))))
--Neighbor Lady
p.s. W: you know politics is bad when you watch the scariest Harry P0tter before bed no problem, but can't stand to peek at the news for fear of nightmares
Sing it, NL!
(((QWP))) Feel free to tell your daughter this absolutely true, no fooling story:
Two classmates of mine in high school were play sword fighting with umbrellas junior year. One of them accidentally stabbed the other in the eye with the point of his umbrella, causing a stroke. The other guy was out of school in rehab for months. Came back to school in the middle of senior year in a wheelchair, was able to walk across the stage with us at graduation. As far as I know, he never did get full speech ability back, nor full use of one of his arms.
Whine: the job fell through. The board is anxious about how it will look to the rest of the world that they are PAYING me to raise money for them.
Anti-Whine: I came home, called a friend who is the Executive Director of a different organization and asked her if she'd like to have me raise money for her through the month of August. Split 50/50. She jumped at it. I'll meet with her Wednesday to get a messaging dump.
Oh, Liz! That really stinks about not getting the job you wanted.
That particular umbrella story is probably a little much for a preschooler, but yeah. That thing we all heard about poking somebody's eye out? Real. Oy.
Liz, so sorry about the job! Can't they just call you chairperson of finance or something, and then pay you a salary. There's a name for the fundraising job.... what is it? Chair of Development? I forget, but it exists...
-NL
I'm so sorry so hear about the job, Liz! I am confused as to why it would look bad to have them pay you to fundraise: there are plenty of people who have such a job (development is the title I've heard too, NL).
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