Gonna work today

I was sure I would sleep in this morning because I stayed up past 11 watching TV and reading. I seldom last that long and was surprised.  I usually drop off within 5 or 10 minutes but last night it took a little longer. I was just about "there" when the neighbor's dog started barking at 12:30 and again at 1:30. Grrrrrr! I pulled out my air cleaner machine to drown out the barking.  I have no tolerance for pet owners that let their dogs disturb the neighbors like that.  Sammy barks a lot during the day but I suspect it's just his breed as he seems to bark just to hear himself bark.

He's watched the neighbors next door for months as they come and go but he still insists on barking and growling at them in his gutteral low growl as they get in and out of their car or talk to neighbors in their driveway.  And heaven help us if he hears a doorbell on the TV set.  Good Lord!  He becomes unglued running to the door and ready to attack.  Yet he would never attack. He just barks.  He's even been outside with the two neighbor kids (they're real little) and been as gentle as could be with them. Yet.....the minute he hears them playing in the backyard (he can't see them) he begins that loud barking.  Drives me nuts!  No matter how much I shush him, he still has to have the last word and bark out one or two more yips.

There are several dogs on our block and they all bark--especially if one gets started for any reason.  Like somebody walking down the alley or a motor starting up or a car door slamming.
Sigh....  Sammy is actually a very sweet animal and pleasant to have around. He's funny and makes me laugh.  Jenni bought him a hot dog halloween costume this week but he's none too happy when it's on.

It was 39 degrees outside when I got up at 7:15. Turned on the heat to take the chill off the house. Neighbor's roofs are all frosty white so I think I'll take my cue from that and get my tulips planted today.  If not today, tomorrow for sure but I'm aiming for this afternoon. The sun is shining and it looks like  a good "working in nature" day.

The twins didn't have school yesterday so we spent the day together except for the two hours they swam at the pool.  It was difficult sharing my computer as I was trying to work on my Leader blog but I finished it up.  At least the first half.  I've got more to write about 'Officer and A Gentleman' coming to town but I'm waiting on a few more stories.

I had planned on starting my tulip garden quilt wall hanging yesterday and had my material all picked out and pressed.  The more I looked at my two pages of directions, though, the more I suspected I was missing page 1.  I searched everywhere and came up dry so I emailed Quiltmaker Magazine hoping against hope that they'd send me the page.  Much to my surprise, they had it.  And it was from 1995.  The woman told me they normally charge $2 to reproduce a pattern but she just sent it to me as I only needed the one page.  I thought that was nice.

Maddie gave me a couple of wallet size pictures of her soccer picture this year. She's so photogenic.

Well, I just looked over the TV lineup for today and saw two movies to tape tonight. 'Coming Home' with Jane Fonda and 'The Bicycle Thief'.  I'd never heard of The Bicycle movie (1948 from Italy) but it got high reviews so I'll try it out. Even though it appears I'll have to read subtitles.

Gotta make a library run at 10 and browse Serenity House for a bulb planting gadget I don't want to buy new.  And that's the start of my mid week October weekend.