AppleTreePets: Day One Hundred Ninety Three

Why Can't Nature be Natural?

I was looking forward to a quiet day, after the weekend festivities. HA! Jokes on me. Because I live in a controlled environment, with an HOA, and totally anal neighbors, there is always something buzzing, whirring, whooshing, grinding, tapping, or banging. I can't even remember what a bird sounds like! Grass isn't allowed to grow higher than 2 inches; trees and bushes must be trimmed, not resembling actual trees or bushes; and mildew must be eradicated! I annoy them constantly by letting nature take its course.

I prefer a tree to look like a tree, and God help me, what is up with bushes shaped like Chia Pets?? For almost thirty years, the people down the street have been waiting for life size topiaries of Red Riding Hood with a Wolf chasing her to sprout greenery. I'm serious. They act like a little bit of mildew on the driveway is going to bring about the Apocalypse, but don't seem to mind that for three decades, the Wolf has been chasing Red - with nary a leaf on either of them. I'm all about giving things a chance - but come on. Let Red and the Wolf die already...

To get back at "them," I have inflatable decorations for every occasion. I have already posted Halloween pictures. As soon as the giant cat, witch and pumpkin came down, they were replaced by a huge seated turkey and a turkey windsock. Next comes a ten foot Santa Claus. Then the Easter Bunny and so on and so forth. If I wasn't mad at the Steelers, there would be a twenty foot air blown football player crouching there now as well. I'm sure they hate me. I do not care. I was here first....

The Noise Du Jour would be the two giant tree trimming trucks parked across the street turning perfectly nice trees into huge stalks of broccoli. I can't adequately describe the sound. Imagine a house-sized blender chopping up car sized ice cubes. Yea, that's about it.

I am wearing my hot pink headphones, listening to 70's rock, but the din is still getting through. (As an aside, no matter how cool I feel, there is something so wrong about an aging Hippie, with a bad back and lame arm gettin' down - playing air guitar and drumming the kitchen table. Where's my Ibuprofen...) The only good thing is it's providing entertainment for my four legged kids. Jack just got up and left cause my singing is bothering him I guess.

Speaking of the kids, they've been particularly funny since Halloween. Funny as in odd, not haha. Dash has been coming up to me in various places and tapping me on the arm or leg for attention. It's adorable. Last night, while I was sitting in my comfy chair watching TV, I felt somebody tap me on the shoulder. I looked up and there he was, staring at me. Eventually, he climbed down to my lap for a cuddle. He melts my heart.

No more pictures!

Okay, just one more.
Is this my good side?

I just saw three Rags in a pile on the dining room table.

Gives new meaning to the
expression, "a rag pile"

Fancy was curled on my lap this morning, joining me in one of our chats.

All worn out from talking

Rooney is avoiding me. She always does that on Mondays. I guess she blames me for her Dad leaving for work. She stood in the doorway this morning, with a toy in her mouth, watching him walk away. Her glance toward me said, "There he goes again - leaving us. It's all your fault, cause you're so mean." Oh well.

Jack's new bed just arrived. It's one of those therapeutic beds big dogs are supposed to love. I threw my back out just getting the thing out of the box and unwrapped! Well, Jack wasn't impressed, but Rooney likes it. I may have gotten back into her good graces. Fingers crossed.