From Auntie and Uncle Tim

Hello Family:
This month Tim and I each did part of the blog.  Since Kate and Chris each do their own you are stuck with boring stuff about us.


Tim's contribution
Hi, I am Mandalay, Tim's favorite pet.  He says I am precious, but Kate does not like it when he calls me that.  She says it is just plain weird.  My first home was not very good. They yelled at me lots and lots.  I don't like strange people coming around.  I run and hide if someone comes to the door.  

My day always starts in bed. Laurie thought I was sad one night and invited me to sleep in bed. Now I sleep there every night. I love to stretch out between Tim and Laurie.  If Laurie is in the way, I just give her a good nudge with my nose.  She says I give her bruises on the leg, but how can my little ol' nose do that?

Laurie usually gets up first in the morning.  I like that since then I can move up and snuggle with Tim until he gets up.  Then he takes me outside. I won't do any of my business unless he stays and watches me. I feel safe when he is watching me!  Then comes breakfast.  I must be part horse since Kate says I eat like a horse with my lips.  Yum yum!  I eat my food as fast as I can.

Then comes a morning nap. If Kate is home I get to snuggle with her and Shona after Kate gets up.  When Tim comes home at lunch sometimes we go play in the yard.  Then back to my bed for an afternoon nap.  About 5:30 I start watching at the door for Tim. When he comes home I bark for joy when I see him walking up the steps. I am very excited to see him, but I am also scared. I hide behind the chair, or maybe on the couch.  I never meet him at the door, I wait for him to come pet me. He always does!  He likes me. I think.  I sure like him.

After supper sometimes we go for walks. I especially like the fairgrounds. I get to go off leash now.  I have been good and don't go too far. Tim trusts me. Yea!!!  Sometimes I see a rabbit.  Then I run after it. I am so excited I can't help but yip for joy.  It kind of embarrasses me since my yips sound like I am a puppy.  Not very adult like.  But I love to chase rabbits. I also look in  every culvert and hole I can find.  Tim says I will find a skunk someday.  I sure hope so. I like chasing black and white kitty's too!

In the evenings I like to wrestle with Shona outside. We play tag and dog pile. Shona likes to be on the bottom of the dog pile, which is fine with me since I am bigger than her.  Kate and Laurie think I am getting bigger.  Is that why I have less to eat now? The vet says I am "chiseled"?  Doesn't that mean I am good looking?

One of my favorite times of the day is bed time. Usually Tim goes to bed first. Sometimes he is not ready when I am. I try to tell him to hurry up by giving him long, sad looks. Sometimes it works.  Then we can get in bed and I can snuggle up next to him.  I feel safe and loved then.

I am sure glad Kate found me for Tim.  I love my new home.  I want to stay here forever.

Mandalay

Auntie's contribution

A day in life of Auntie (based on Monday)

6:15 a.m.             Arise

6:30-6:40 a.m.    Beauty routine begins and ends –sorry Mary no Mary Kay products

6:45 a.m.              Breakfast

6:55 a.m.             Arrive at work to see all three maintenance men staring at a large mound in the grass

                            I join them and learn that it is a mound of water underground and if you step on it it      

                            Feels like a waterbed.  (I didn’t try it first hand or foot though)

7 a.m.                  Arrive at desk and discuss how to transport the intergenerational group around town since two came with walkers.  Oh did I mention that one of the ones with a walker fell last night and is in the hospital?

8  a.m.                   Transportation problem solved.

10:30 -12 p.m.    Talk to parents, send out permission forms electronically that people have “lost” try and track down a parent to fax us a permission form, discuss how long the bathrooms should be closed on Sunday morning so that maintenance can clean them.

12 p.m.                Receive call from group in California that when they called the number given to us for the bus driver bus driver responds that he is not the driver and to call Charlie.  Charlie doesn’t answer.  I call our office contact; he is out of the office and gives another number; still no answer.  Call main number and talk to “Jimmy”.  Now the main number rings the corporate office in Maryland-my folks are in California.  Jimmy hangs up on my three times because “   they just got a new phone system and he doesn’t know how to work it.”  Finally, get name of driver and it is not Charlie.  Jimmy assures me that the new driver has just been there waiting for the group to call.  ARGH! 

12:30 p.m.           Group in California checks in and they are on the bus.

1-1:45 p.m.         Check in campers that will be going to Houston.  Nice group and they all have their paperwork completed.  Of course, it is the smallest group all year-6 campers.

2:15 p.m.            Boss calls from California to let me know that a tour has been shortened and now they have more time to kill.  Also wonders how things are going here- “If so and so is still mad at so and so?”

3 p.m.                  Daughter of lady that fell arrives at Cos.  She has learned that mom, did I mention she was 88, had fallen 3 times last week before she came to us. 

3:15-3:30 p.m.   Finally go through mail and make phone calls.  Several messages about papers and check in the mail!

3:30 p.m.             Depart for mother duties. 

I would like to say that this was an unusual day, but unfortunately that is a pretty typical day at my place during camp season.  It’s why I have a deer in the head light look sometimes by the time you see me in the evening.