Ventura

Yesterday evening I watched a double-feature with Tobiah, including the films "Word Play" and "The Secret of Roan Inish," and cooked a yummy veggie-n-brown-rice-spaghetti dinner. We we're totally fascinated with "Word Play" considering neither one of us has really ever even tried to solve the New York Times Crossword- Let alone compete to do it in under 5 minutes (this 20 yr old in the film can do it in aproximately 2 minutes). We couldn't even keep up with reading the clues let alone answering them.

Next we watched a film set in Ireland, Roan Inish was basically about a little girl whose family is falling apart around her, who is sort of saved by folk tales related to her family, past and present. It was rather strange, sort of beutiful too. I did enjoy it but some twists were pushing it :) You really have to use your imagination.

I was doing laundry all day and depositing it on my bed, unfortunately though the family and my roommate went to bed- and I still had to do a couple of things in my room. I've been making a lot of small "tweaks" to how I get ready for bed at night so I imact the family as little as possible - I get ready on the other side of the house, don't play any sounds, go to the bathroom or anything near my bedroom/bathroom. My room is directly next to my roommates, so it's difficult because she's a light sleeper & leaves the door open all the time. So... Here I am, clearing the bed of laundry, dropping off towels in the bathroom, and I finally go to plug in the heater on the wall we both share - and somethings sort of bump into the wall making LOUD ENOUGH of a noise that I know it probably woke her (since sighing too hard could probably rouse her from her deepest sleep). I didn't expect her to storm my room though, very very angry and not quite dressed, I am startled. Despite the changes I've made she claims I'm doing this all the time - that I'm not sorry (though I say I am), and that nothing has changed. I'm startled, a little overwhelmed for a few moments when she leaves- to grumble more about me in the other room.

Well, I write a little bit, pray a bit, straighten out my own head and go to bed. This morning I wake to my dog, C.O.D. aka. Sioti, or "Cutest Chihuahua on Earth" as I think of her, is coughing like she's got a mission to accomplish. I'm worried. Yesterday she coughed and threw up and seemed sort of sick all morning... I gave her antacids ground up in her food and fed her pasta, you know, like what you'd do when you feel nauseous, except for a dog. She cleared up- till this morning that is. So I do what we all would do - immediately google away.

Well, people are giving me do's and don'ts and "don't get ripped off at the vet" and saying it's curable at home- but how do I know if she's severe or not? I thought the childrens' cough-syrup idea made some sense, but as I was headed out to Tobiah's on the way I saw the TAGS vaccine clinic was open and the doctor there is really knowledgeable and kind. I went in, walked up and he saw me right away.

I found out Kennel Cough can be trasmitted super easy at the dog park. Now, I wish I had it on video what it took for two grown men to hold my Chihuahua's head still enough to shove a couple drops of KC vaccine into it, it was quite a production. One man had her head in two of his hands, the other poked a little plasic vial of vaccine up her nose and squirted- it only mattered if a little got in. She had her front paws in some sort of vise grip around the vets arm. Meanwhile he's telling me that I can do this myself at home 3 times a year, you know, no big deal. Bah!

Anyway, onward; I go to pick up Tobiah and his surfing gear. We head to Ventura beach... the tide was changing and he geared up and went out - the temperature dropped from 71 degrees in Santa Clarita to 55 in Ventura, so I was bundled and freezing, huddling under a blanket, hoodie, undershirt, long skirt & Tobiah's sweats borrowed as a bottom layer! I actually caught all of the 3 waves he rode, or sunk into, and napped for a good hour to boot. Sioti cuddled next to me, she had a blast, she had an extra spring in her step out on the beach, gallopping, leaping over rocks & driftwood and thoroughly enjoying herself.

There's more to the day but I'm ready to sleep. Overall it was really nice, Tobiah and I have been having really interesting, even prophetic dreams lately, which I intended to write about, but anyhow, it can wait till tomorrow! Blessings.