Canine Separation Anxiety?

Toby had to go to the vet today to have his ears rechecked. While we were there I mentioned that he's started barking, constantly, every time we leave him home alone. And that if he's not in the same room as me, he whines or barks. And when he is in the same room as me, he wants to be on my lap. The vet said, "classic separation anxiety." I thought he was joking. He's not.

I, apparently, am Toby's Alpha Dog (Amy also fills this role), and when I am not around, Toby worries that he will never again have food, water, love, attention, walks, toys to rip apart, etc. So he barks. Or eats the kitchen floor. Or pees all over everything.

The vet's advice? Look online for solutions. If I can't find anything there or in a book that works, I can pay someone (the Dog Whisperer) to come tell me what to do and help convince Toby he's OK. Or we can put him on doggy prozac, but not until it's really bad. Because pee all over my chewed up kitchen floor isn't that bad...

not that bad...

So, it only took me 20 minutes to find a parking spot today. And it was only about a mile away from campus. It's a good thing I left the house 2 hours before my class.

I did go to the bookstore. I returned my books and they only gave me a little trouble because the books on the recipt weren't the books I was returning. They were the same books, but I accidentally grabbed the books that were on the OTHER recipt (I had some mailed to me, and some I got from the bookstore...2 of them I got both times...) so I convinced them to let me return them anyway. Then I planned on writing a post about how much I like UB because sometimes there are nice people (like the man who let me return the books). But then I wanted to buy a notebook, a combination lock, and pay my bio lab fees. I grabbed the notebook and the lock and got into the line that went all the way around the store...three times...I finally got to the checkout and told the woman I also needed to pay my lab fees and she said that I had to do that separately. I asked where, and she said I could do it at any of the registers, but I couldn't do it while I was paying for anything else. So I said, well, can't I pay for these, then pay the lab fees separately at this register? She was going to make me get back into line and go all the way through it again. I refused to. I had already waited in line. And I just wanted to buy my notebook and lock and lab fees. And then go to class. So, she finally let me get back at the FRONT of the line, and go to the next open register. OMG, sometimes people are so so stupid. JUST LET ME PAY SEPARATELY! So the rest of the people in line hated me, but I ran out of the bookstore and as far away as fast as I could so that no one could kill me.

While I was waiting to get into my lab I met some kids (much younger than I am, but not 18) from my class. They were nice and are also taking chem and I don't feel so scared now. At least now I have some people to study with and who are kinda in the same place I am.

I'm scared to go to school today.

The past week I've been analyzing maps of UB, deciding where I should park, where my classes were, how much time I'd need to get to them, etc. I've actually been very obsessed with it. I decided on the perfect lot. Hochstetter Lot B. And the closer to the loop I could get, the better. Because my first class was at NSC, and my last class was at Knox, so, that's the perfect spot.

Yesterday I left early because I knew I'd need to take extra time to find my classrooms. But, I remembered that there were always parking spots in the Spring Sememster when I went in for my morning class, so I wasn't too worried about that. When I pulled onto campus, though, I realized that my morning class then was at 8, not 9, and there were no parking spaces...anywhere. So I called Esther, panicking, and decided to just park in a metered spot. Yes, I was going to get a ticket. But, I didn't have any change, and I had to get to class. At this point, I'd pay an extra $20 (really at this point, what's another $20 to UB?) to get to class and not feel like I missed something all semester. So, I pulled in to the spot and called Mikey, hoping he'd have some change and could run it over and put it in the meter at some point during the day. No, he didn't. So as we were discussing whether or not UB would ticket me more than once a day (yes, probably, they would), someone pulled out of a non-metered spot behind me. I GOT THE PERFECT PARKING SPOT! So my day went OK. I had all 3 of my classes. They're filled with 18-year-old kids. I felt old. Each one of them is more work than I ever did for any class in Toronto. And I'm a little scared about that. Today I have my first bio lab (normally I have my chem lab from 7:30 to noon on Tuesdays, but it was cancelled for today) at 1. I read it over last night and it's a lot of big words that I'm pretty sure I never heard in 10th grade bio with Mrs. Warzel. But maybe I did...all I remember from that class is Gumbi and passing out or throwing up whenever we had to watch movies with blood in them.

So, yes, I'm scared to go to school today. First of all because I have to find a parking spot at, like, 12:30. Second because I have to go to the bookstore. I hate the bookstore. They sold me 2 of the same books twice, so I'm going to return 2 books. Thirdly, because my lab will be filled with 18-year-olds who had their 10th grade biology class 2 years ago, not 10 years ago, and they probably remember hearing all the big words in the lab. I think maybe I want to be a pastry chef...

Productive Day?

This week and next week are my summer vacation. I've taken full advantage of them so far (both days). Monday I slept until 11, showered, and went to the zoo with Mom, Julia, and Mary. Then I went back to Esther and John's to take a nap. It rained pretty hard monday night so the satalite TV was all messed up...stupid satalite. Amy and I watched Family Guy on DVD, though, then went to bed early.

Tuesday I got up early and was at Esther and John's by 9:30 (I had to sacrafice the shower, but I used a lot of perfume). We went to BJ's where I got enough food for the rest of the week (seriously...we eat a lot in this house, and can go through a case of sunflower seeds like it's nothing).















I was back at my house around noon and put away all the groceries, then took a nap. Then I started laundry, but only got so far as to get one load in the dryer and one in the washer. I am SO GOOD at this summer vacation thing.

Today, though, I have to be productive. My TO DO list is about 800 items long (ok, so, I put things like, "wash your hands" on it so I look really busy, but, still). I have to finish all that laundry (both loads) and fold it and put it away. And unpack the bags from this weekend. Charge my cell phone. Unpack the boxes that I hid in the office, hoping that I wouldn't have to really unpack them until I move into a bigger house in a few years. Take Toby to the vet (I think he might have an ear infection...the groomer said his ears were bleeding...) Do the dishes (if I don't, I'll be drinking coffee right out of the pot tomorrow morning.) And, of course, between all of these chores I have to write in my blog, and check all the other blogs, and check my email and play the state game or wash my hands. Or maybe even take a whole shower!

So, I'm going to finish my coffee, maybe have another cup, and then start on my list. I'll let you know how it's going...

I may be a hick...

Last weekend was NASCAR race weekend in Watkins Glen. Amy and I stayed at her dad's house on Keuka Lake. I got to meet Amy's nephew Carter for the first time...he loved me:























Saturday we celebrated her dad's birthday by all dressing the same.















Then Sunday we went to the race. Before it started I had to pick a driver and buy their koozie for my beer. I picked the Canadian named Boris something. He didn't have a vending truck, though, so I had to pick someone else so I could buy their koozie. I picked Home Depot. Their driver is Tony Stewart. I didn't know he was good, but, apparently he is. He came in 2nd. We had awesome seats on Pit Row so I got to see them all come in to pit.















It was more fun than the Big and Rich concert I went to on Thursday night, and there were fewer midgets...

Babysitting

A week or so ago Amy and I helped Mary babysit Sam, Aidian, Noah, and Julia. I love the kids. Really. They're all great. And they love each other. So much that they all wanted to sit where ever the other ones were sitting. Even if it was on Mary's lap.















After a little while it was getting crazy...so we decided to do what anyone we know would. Madagascar!
















It worked, and as soon as the movie was over, the boys went to bed without any problems (well, we had to figure out what "Mary Pop-pop" was [Maru Poppins, duh])...I'm ready for kids...

Community Pool

Yesterday was Esther's birthday. We celebrated today by going swimming at the community pool. Julia really did enjoy it, even though this is the only picture I have of her where she's even remotely smiley:
















Maybe I would have had more pictures of her smiling, laughing, and splashing in the water, but Amy's camera can take pictures under water and I spent a lot of time trying to get pictures of this:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ESTHER!

I was going to be mean and post a picture like this and suggest you wish for a toothbrush:

But decided to be nice. I'll post this one instead:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!