Today's Reality Check

 

Kunduz, Afghanistan.

Photo: Axel Schmidt / AFP/Getty Images

Today's (Dog Owner's) Laugh

After I teach Koko to read, I'm going to hang this on the lower part of the refrigerator.

Comfortable Much? or Letting Sleeping Dog Lie

When I moved into my house, I intended to get a sofa, but in the meantime put my futon in its place. Then I got Koko. The futon became hers. It started with her sleeping on it (see the sheet and little blanket? vain attempt to keep it somewhat clean.)
















Next it was her sitting on the top of it to stare out the window and wait for me when I leave the house. Now it's just devolved into her sleeping on the mooshed down part. I've given up trying to keep it "fixed" and suitable for human habitation. The only way to get it back into any sort of shape would be to lay it flat and pound on it. I've put the idea of buying a sofa on hold for now. I guess if this is the worst Koko does, I should be pretty grateful!

Today's Reality Check

 "A stray dog feeds puppies as she shares the space with street children who lie sleeping on the sidewalk in Katmandu, Nepal."

Photo: Gemunu Amarasinghe / AP

Yes, Yes, I Believe It IS Spring

How do I know? I had on a pair of shorts for the first time this year. Exciting I know! And I didn't even have to wait until the middle of the day. Nope, I put those suckers on at 8 o'clock this morning. Even went over to the dog park in them too! Sorry there is no picture, but the camera couldn't handle the glare coming off of my fish-belly-white legs.

Mother Nature Makes Art Using "Found" Object

'AT&T's 3G network covers more than 230 million people' - minus those serviced by this AT&T cell tower, the victim of a tornado in Little Axe, Okla.

Photo: Steve Gooch / The Oklahoman

Today's Laugh (?)

It's Spring Somewhere...

Photo: David Carson / St. Louis Post-Dispatch

And People In the US Can't Be Bothered...

"A long wait for nothing: A trail of rocks, bone, boots and boxes marks residents' place in line at a polling station in Juba, Sudan. The group waited in vain for hours for the station to open, but were unable to vote due to a missing electoral materials."

Photo: Roberto Schmidt / AFP / Getty Images

Today's Reality Check or How My Knee Doesn't Really Hurt THAT Bad

"As if a hole in the head weren't bad enough: A CAT scan shows a live 14.5-millimeter, high-explosive incendiary bullet lodged in the scalp of an Afghan National Army solder. In a harrowing procedure, doctors at Craig Joint Theater Hospital removed the round without exploding it at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The patient is reportedly improving."

Photo: Staff Sgt. Richard Williams / U.S. Air Force

Blew Out My Knee

Unhappy. Really unhappy.
After a long weekend at the market, I got home and took the dog to the dogpark. It was later and there were no other dogs there, so I was playing with Koko, chasing her - trying to get her to run around a bit. It had rained for about 3 minutes half an hour before and the grass was damp and slippery. I slipped. Found myself on the ground with a grass stain on my khakis, a bruise on my ass and my left leg sitting at an uncomfortable angle, in pain. After I got myself up and hobbled home (a few blocks), I elevated and iced. I probably tore my meniscus or maybe (hopefully) it's just a sprain. While sleeping was fitful and I woke up stiff and unable to straighten my leg, it's not swollen at all and I really don't think it's that bad. I've been icing all morning - frozen peas are great for this! - and gentle working my leg. My hobbling is much better right now! As I don't have insurance, I'm not rushing off to the doctor at this point, taking a bit of a wait-and-see attitude. I'm getting up and down the stairs ok (food, bed upstairs; computer, workbench downstairs), but I don't know if I'll be able to do the market and my bank account is beginning to scream in pain too...
Sorry Koko, dog walks are on hold for a while too.

Today's Laugh (?)

Dear Spring,

I'm ready for it to not be windy rainy and cold. Thank you.

Still wearing too many layers in Portland,
Judi