Antics

Sunshine is getting into mischief again! She stole my eyeglasses right out of my lap and zoomed out the doggie door with them! After galloping and dancing about with them, she shook them hard enough to pop one of the lenses out. I found the lens right away, but then I couldn't find the rest of the glasses. With delight in her eyes for having fooled me, Sunshine jumped in the puppy pool and dried off in the cooled ashes of our fire pit.

I put Sunshine in her crate and searched through grass, sand and pine needles in my backyard for my glasses - on and off for a couple of hours! Periodically took her on a leash, made her sniff the lens and told her to go "FIND!" the glasses. She followed around scent trails like crazy, but I seriously doubt she knew what I really wanted her to do! She's only six months old and I don't even know how to properly teach a dog to search. Nor did she know why I was so mad and why I made her sit on the back porch alone while I prepared and ate lunch.

Finally, I did another sweep of the yard on my own and spotted the glasses. Undamaged for the most part and the errant lens popped in easily. Learned that searching for golden-wire-rimmed glasses in a pile of pine needles is pretty much identical to finding a needle in a haystack. I'm really grateful that I didn't find them crunching under my foot or lawnmower.

Downtown New Port Richey

This morning I took a little trip to downtown New Port Richey on job-search related business and it was quite an adventure. To prepare, I looked up the directions on Google Maps, to get a good idea of the location and best way to go. Instead of taking the printout, I entered the address in my Tom-Tom GPS device. Pretty much a straight shot to downtown with few turns and an estimated twenty-two minute drive.

What Google, Tom-Tom and I didn't realize is that part of Main Street is closed today due to road repairs - local friends, take note! Ignored the first sign that mentioned something about it, missed the detour, and ended up at a roadblock. I am finally, after four years in this town, getting used to the layout, and at least where I was headed was right near the library. So, after going around a different block, I got there, using up the extra time I had given myself just for these kinds of unexpected delays.

Pulled my car into a parallel parking space; thank goodness there were two empty spaces together so it was an hassle-free task. Then, I was very fortunate to meet (drum roll) "the biggest talent to live in this city since Gloria Swanson!" At least that the man sitting on the bus bench told me as I passed him. He had a guitar and was drinking an unknown beverage from a shiny aluminum can. He was speaking (shouting) to all passersby and was clearly a bit delusional or daft. At least he wasn't angry or mean, and he did know his history, because Gloria Swanson really did make her home in New Port Richey years ago.

Went to Connections, a local non-profit which helps people find jobs. I am returning Monday for an informational meeting. As I returned to my car, less than a block away, I encountered another colorful local. A man was riding a bike with his very friendly, curious and powerful pit-bull terrier mix - on a bungee cord instead of a normal leash or bike leash attachment. Boing! In his exuberance to meet me (he truly was not acting aggressive), he pulled his bicycling owner down on the ground!

After that bit of excitement, I was treated to a laugh on the way home. Drove by a pet grooming business called "Doggy Styles," and their sign which states the slogan, "We do cats, too!" When I got home, wondering if the double-entendre was intended or simply unfortunate, I looked them up online. Yet another slogan, "Do it Doggy Styles or don't do it all!" And they are located on -- Congress Street.