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Friday, May 16, 2008

What I learned this week...

-When teaching a riding lesson involving two filthy little smart mouthed 11 year old boys, keep things moving.  Do not let them get bored.  Stop them if they get goofy.  Ignore all smart mouthed comments.  And praise the heck out of them when they get it right.  In fact, end the lesson with both having made an accomplishment.  



-The big ol grumpy gelding seems to like my boy Bucky.  Apparently Bo was a real nasty grump on his last ride, but Bucky brushed and scratched him into bliss.  They're pals.  This, after Bucky declared that he'll ONLY ride his own horse.  In fact, after Champ's death, he said that Champ was the only horse he'd ride other than his Little Lady.  Bo must be kinda special.  Bucky is the Bo Whisperer!  (He rolled his eyes in disgust when I said that out loud!)

-With my query and sample chapters sitting in a pile of paper at a literary agent's office, I'm free to get back into the next project.   No new writing yet; I've been doing other stuff.  I've read what I've got so far, and I'm relieved.  It's not bad!  It's not excellent, but it's a very good start.  It's right there for me when I'm ready to go, which I am sure will be soon.

-If you don't open the envelopes that the bills come in, you don't pay those bills.  Then you end up getting penalty fees.  Then you have a problem.  Part of my mental mess was an avoidance of the office downstairs.  I used to be the manager.  I was the collection agent, the bookkeeper, the secretary receptionist.  Then I got scrambled and cried a lot and shoved it all off on Jethro.  Then our accountant didn't hear from us much anymore.  Now I open bills.  I don't look at the numbers.  But I open them and have a special spot for what needs to be paid.  And file folders for Jethro to put the paid bills into.  It's a start.  

-the office looks better without piles of unopened envelopes everywhere.



-cleaning up the office is exhausting.  I mean, it's a good tired... but still.

-I think I need new glasses. 



-seriously, the Pug smells salty.  He's a salty dog.  He also steals things.  He's a pirate.  












To my fellow Canadians... Happy Victoria Day!

13 comments:

CindyDianne said...

I do that whole unopened envelope thing too. A lot.

What is Victoria Day?

dilling said...

woot woot...we got a three day weekend, we got a three day weekend...
except my running clinic still meets and we're using it to get the garden in...
still...we got a three day weekend, we got a three day weekend

Olly said...

This is the first Victoria Day long weekend in ten years that I'm not planting the veggie garden. Going to Victoria instead, how appropriate is that? Might come home early Sunday so the kids can be in the parade though.

I know what you mean about not wanting to open envelopes. I had to overcome that when I took on the office work for our company. Some of the equipment charges are shocking! I admit to resorting to a chill pill on a few occasions years ago just to help me do the books! Gahh!!!!

Have a great weekend!

Nicole said...

LOL. Great post. I totally get the office/bill avoidance thing. Totally.

Lynn Sinclair said...

The thing about envelopes is that once you open them, you gotta deal with them -- pay 'em, file 'em or whatever. It's a make work project.

Have a great long weekend.

Biddie said...

You know I love The pug, right? I mean, he is the reason that we got Ruby after we lost our Poodle. He made me want a puppy again.
BUT, he is one the stinkiest dogs going - next to Ruby when she needs a bath. She smells like corn chips then. The Pug mostly smells bad when he farts.
I know what you mean about the bill thing. I hate looking, I get stressed out and then guess what?
Disconnect notices. We had TWO this weekeend, but I talked the peoples into more time because it is a long weekend (and Shawn didn't get paid).
I can talk some people into anything. Also, I phoned the cable company three times until I got a person that was agreeable.
Can Bucky whisper to my dogs? Just asking.
I need new glasses, too. And contacts. BIG TIME. I am turing into Shawn, and you KNOW how bad his eyes are.
I started talking to Shawn and I now I forget what else I was gonna say...

Anonymous said...

he opens the envelopes good huh, but hey no wait a minute he then passes them to me bad huh!
why does the pug smell salty?
i love the smell of milo's feet first thing in the morning, i know i am strange!
got me some new glasses but then lost a lens so i can now only see out of one eye!

Anita said...

*sigh*
I tend to get stressed about things like bills, and my minds says "If you ignore them, they'll go away."

The bad part is that I do that with everything, including health problems, which is not a good thing.

Trailboss said...

In the states we have a holiday a week from Monday. Memorial Day. It was designed as a salute to our veterans but has turned into just another 3 day weekend and also the 'official' start of summer.

To all the veterans out there.............thank you!

The Preacherman said...

envelopes? bills? Maybe Caz knows....

heard back from an agent. Need to do some editing. Apparently I shouldn't use real names in my kind of book - even if it's in a good way.

Apart from that it seems ok but I'm having doubts. Do I actually want my life in a book?

Dunno. Really dunno.

Heidi the Hick said...

Well I'm kind of relieved that I'm not the only one who has Envelope Opening Problems!

But, this is it. I'm going to open them and set them in the TO BE PAID tray. And then when they're paid I'm going to file them in the FILING CABINET. It sounds so simple. Y'know? I gotta just do it and not let it turn into a big THING.

So for those who don't have Victoria day: It's in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday. It's also known as May Two-Four weekend, as in May 24th, and also as in a Two-Four case of beer. We really are a bunch of Hosers in this country. Eh?

It's the unofficial start of summer, and usually rainy. And not real warm.

It's the first long weekend of the year... Man we love our long weekends in this country! Summer's short - we have to live it up when we can!

According to old farmers, you can put your cattle and horses out to graze after May 24th. It's safe to plant your veggies too.

So there you go!

Other stuff: Agreed. The Pug stinks. I still love him.

I wonder if the agent's read my chapters yet. I know there will be editing if it's accepted, even after all the work I did!

JKB said...

The pug is a-dorable. SOOO cute.

You sent it in by snail mail, right? I totally have my fingers crossed for you. ;)

Beth from the Funny Farm said...

Seriously funny those Depp photos and the pug!