Is it really only the 9th day of the year? I am finally getting over about 2 weeks of respiratory h311. The coughing is done, full breathing capability has returned, and my energy is coming back. Finally. I got offered a new position last Wednesday. One that I had interviewed for back in September, gotten the "Thanks but no thanks" letter, and pretty much forgot about. Turns out that thereÂs another position open, I was their backup choice last time, and they called me first this time. ItÂs a great job, challenging, a promotion, more $$, permanent where my current job is not, and I start next week. Ordinarily I would be hugely excited. Last Thursday, my little dog started panting, pacing and shaking. For him this means that heÂs in pain. The last couple of times it has been his back, so we took him to the neurology vet ER where he got his back surgery last year. He got some pain pills, and we thought heÂd snap out of it in a couple days like last time. This time they didnÂt really help. We took him in again Sunday night so he could see the neurology vet first thing Monday morning. He got an MRI and then the vet called me. They think he has an inoperable brain tumor under his brain stem. They canÂt even biopsy it because of where it is. They can make him comfortable for a while. They canÂt fix it. We picked him up earlier this evening. He is currently home, pain free and will be greatly spoiled for a little while longer. They think weeks, but don't know. More test results to come. Selfishly I am glad he's sitting on my feet as I write this. But it also makes me cry. HeÂs only 9, not really that old for a corgi. Is it really only the 9th day of 2007?

70 degrees here today. I was checking out refrigerator and freezer last evening, doing inventory. Lots of soups, roasts and steaks, but no appetite...we're still in big salad mode, eating light. In fact I turned on a/c to keep me and the frozen stuff cool while I cleaned and reorganized. Noticed the whole northeast is running 20 degrees warmer than usual. Dug all my garden magazines out of unread stack today to see what "new" plants are touted. Best news is that Dan Hinkley will be writing regularly for Garden Design about his plant exploration trips and finds. I'll renew subscription just for that reason. On front porch my young Helleborus foetidus is budding...it's in a pot with Saxifrage sarmentosa as groundcover. Above it the Japanese Climbing Fern is still green and lacy climbing the porch support. Usually by now it's turned a creamy tan though still pretty. The little Chamaecyperus I used for Xmas tree is back on porch ...it's been almost as warm outside as its week spent inside so no big adjustment. Still trying to decide re a kitten or older cat. And what new seeds/plants I must have taking into account how much I hate watering all those containers in August...LOL And I always thought I was a decisive person...the fewer decisions the harder it seems nowadays. josh

Jan, I immediately thought about you since it was south of us, thinking How far south? Glad to know you weren't affected. We even had a broken window on our 12th floor office at work; scaffolding smacked it hard. Suz, as my ultrabright boss says, It is what is. Life is coming at me hard, but I am actually equipped this time around, lots of good vibes from good friends/cyberfriends. Sheila, you saying you're proud of me means the world to me as I value your opinion greatly. After class last night, I moved the food from the old fridge and freezer into the new one. I felt a universe amount better, as though they'd been annointed. ;)

Looks like the ducks are in a row. Happy hunting...