Great Salt Adventure

Moose and I took a trip to walk along the Great Salt Lake near Farmington. Meanwhile, Michael went on a "man's weekend" where the only thing he took was a change of socks and three pounds of bacon. Most of my visits to the lake involved my third grade class and lots of free taffy, but this time, I mostly just watched Moose chase ducks through the reeds. Maybe he'll become a water dog after all.

Here are a bunch of pretty, pretty lake pictures and goofy, goofy dog pictures.

Deb and Diane's pup, Watson.  

 Belle, the beautiful.

Mmmm, tastes like brine shrimp.

Moose Hates Treadmills

Each day this week, I've set out to run. I leapt out of my bed (ok, I stumbled out) and rushed to the window. What did I see? No, not popcorn popping, but wind. Yesterday, I watched my neighbors trashcan blow by my window. Running is hard enough, I can't do it in a crazy windfest.


Because the place where I live feels an awful lot like the first few minutes of the Wizard of Oz lately, I called up my Grandparents-in-law to bum off of their treadmill. I found myself in their basement surrounded by medals that they have won in races and a slew of first place plaques and trophies. I'm not sure if it made me run any faster, but it was good inspiration.

Michael's Grandma even turned on a tv for me. I better get a subscription to this place. I suppose I did marry one of their most lovable grandsons--that's like a gym membership.



On how marriage is like a gym membership:

1. When you first begin, everyone is really supportive
2. You get a new accessory (rings / plastic keychain pass)
3. They tend to go together.

Pre-wedding: gotta fit in this dress. 

Post-wedding: gotta lose this weight that I gained from using all my new baking appliances. 

(PS, If you google "baking appliances love," you get the above photos. The second photo is called "Happy Asian Couple Baking Muffins" and the first one is called "Hot Dates in Your Very Own Kitchen" in case you were interested)

4. Finally, it takes a lot of paperwork to get out of it

Moose simply did not understand what I was doing. Mom, why are you running inside? Also, how can I run with you. 

He stared at me the whole time, with occasional bouts of whining, and a few dicey attempts to join me on the treadmill -- that probably would have looked a little like this. Poor guy, it will stop being so windy and start snowing buckets soon enough -- then we can frolick, Mooser.

Astronomy and a Movie

One day last week, Michael surprised me with a date. I know, I was shocked too. In the spirit of this spontaneity, I planned a date a few weeks in advance.

We went to Brevies to listen to an astronomer talk to us about how crazy asteroids are...tumbling into our atmosphere and the like. It was entertaining and the food was pretty good too. After the lecture, we watched 'When Worlds Collide.' If you have 80 minutes, you should really check it out. My favorite part is definitly the last scene. I should call some modern filmmakersnand and suggest that they reintroduce large scale matte paintings. 

The last scene of the movie, features the main characters walking out it to the new world. When we walked out of the theaters it was snowing like crazy--it was almost as if we'd walked out into a new world. Bam!

Round-Up

Let's see if I can blog during my ten minute break?

PS- loving my new job, although my few weeks off spoiled me. I forgot how hard 40 hours is + teaching. When am I supposed to shower? 

I've been scrolling through my iPhone and I've decided. That this fall has been pretty fun so far. <-- hated that alleteration, by the way. 

Lots of hiking in Millcreek.

Pipe line.

Dog Lake.

We took a trip to Memory Grove, where the Moose dog can run around. Such a pretty little spot. 

Moose on the loose.

One day, we went to the fair grounds at 5:50 am. Does that sound like the beginning of a horror story, or what? We volunteered at the Super Pet Adoption that Best Friends Animal Sanctuary puts on. By the end of the three day event, they adopted out 260 dogs! There were a lot of puppies that needed to be let out of cages early on the morning. It was pretty hilarious to see Michael walking chihuahuas, three at a time.

It was really rewarding to hear how many of these sweet dogs found families. 

As I look through this, I realize that I'm a big puppy-focused. Just when you thought I should change my blog's name to 'dog-face' though, I refinish a table. 

Bam. 

It looks a lot better. Suddenly al those scratches are 'character.'

Gotta love Pinterest. 

Happy fall. 

A Forgotten Post

I meant to post this entry about a month ago, but it never went through. Oops!

Labrador Retreivors love the water Wikipedia says, "The labrador Retriever's coal repels water to some extent, thus facilitating the extensive use of the dog in waterfowl hunting."

My dog does not hunt waterfowl very often, but you would think that he could step it up. I mean, COME ON, MOOSE. This dog, loves the water and is best friends with an elephant!

Bubbles and Bella the Dog

When we first got you, you were afraid of tennis balls and all other things that might be thrown, but we got past that. Now you're an excellent fetcher -- we still need to work on that whole "bring the ball back after fetching," but you know... You also liked to chew up board games, pillows, and occasionally relieved yourself on fresh laundry, but we've tackled those issues. Still a no go with the water though. Check out these pictures, from our yurting adventures. 

First, your dad threw you in. Tough love, you know?

Look at that posture? It reminds me of this -->

Out within 10 seconds.

Maybe we should get lessons since your best teacher is retired now.

Or, perhaps I should bid on this doggy life preserver on ebay? How embarrassing, Moose. Pull yourself together, pooch.

Punny

I find more pleasure in puns than any other single thing. What about your family? Or chocolate? Nah, I'll take puns. I even think the word "punny" is funny.

The best puns of all time:

Pinochle Pun:
We were talking about old western movies, for some reason one day while I was playing cards with my family, which reminded me of the worst class I took in college: "Art of the American West."

But, Sarah, that sounds interesting. 

Watching Shane and The Girl with the Yellow Ribbon  is not interesting.

I just hate that kid so much.

The only comparable class model would be to watch Moulin Rouge to study Modern Art and Hercules to study Ancient Greek. Or maybe Night at the Museum. 

Side Rant: Why did people tell me to go see Night at the Museum!? That movie was bad. Do you just assume that I'll like something with the word "museum" in it?

Anyway, the two movies that I did like where The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (and it's catchy theme song) and 3:10 to Yuma. So, I had these two films on my mind while I hunted for the Queen of Spades and the Jack of Diamonds. Then, the best thing in the world happened. We were playing Pinochle, going around in a circle bidding. 250, 280, 300...

My mom looked up from her cards and asked, "What's the bid?"
I said, "It's 310 to you, Ma."

Then I retired from the world, because nothing could ever be better than that. Nothing. In the world.

Lazy Pun:

Disclaimer: I am the only person that thought this was hilarious.

About four years ago (wow! four years), Amanda was making some sort of meal in our apartment. This meant that she was wearing onion goggles. I told her that she was an excellent cook, but that her goggles made her look like she had a lazy eye. This lead to a dialogue in which Amanda claimed that I, in fact, had lazier eyes.

(She has a point.)

A few minutes later she told me I had a lazy eye and a lazy ass, because I was laying on the couch while she was cooking. For me, imagining the wandering, drooping nature of a lazy eye and assigning those qualities to one's derriere, was perhaps the funniest thing that had ever happened (remember this happened before 3:10 to you, ma). Amanda watched me laugh myself off the couch through her onion goggles. 

Man, I knew I wouldn't be able to convey the hilarity of that situation.  

Perhaps my blog needs a "Sarah Puns" section, where I can update my vast readerbase about all the hilarious things that I say. That would be great for everyone. 

Flu and Funk

I'm feeling a bit energized today, because I finally was able to run (when did I become a person who needs to run?) and I got a brand new job. Thanks to some sweet connections and a good interview, I'll be up and running in a few weeks. Feeling energized is big news in Sarahworld, because I've been feeling funky and not in a good, Bee Gees kind of way. I really needed a break after the crazy that was my last job, but my biggest problem is being stuck at home. Stuck at home leads to funk. Do you know what else leads to funk? Flu.

I am about to tell a graphic story, so if you balk at bodily fluids or the word "wan," then get out now.

Michael went to Southern Idaho to sell some sweet textbooks. He gave them textbooks and they gave him a cold. Michael then gave his beautiful, underemployed, wife a cold. I looked the cold in the face and said, "Get out of here, you," because I'm brave and I talk to my ailments. And my cold, respectfully, started to fade.

Suddenly, Michael left to go to Reno, because his job sends him to the most magical places in the world (ok, it wasn't "sudden," but I never remember what his schedule is going to be). A gross stomach flu decided that I was lonely and set up camp. Rude? Quite. Offensive? Entirely.

Then, the flu and my cold decided to be a team, set upon making my cry (and blow my nose and throw up). Have you ever had a cold and a stomach bug? My neither. After waking up very sick in the middle of the night, I figured out how to fix all my problems. After four hours of laying on the bathroom floor/emptying my already empty stomach while Moose paced in the hallway, I called my mom. That is the solution to the flu. My mom came over and calmed my puppy down and patted me on the back while I woozily threw up some more. Stuffed nose and vomiting. Cool! My mother actually put socks on my feet for me. That. is. love. She did put Michael's hiking socks on my feet, but no one should blame her; our closet organization is not very good.

Moose, exhausted after a long night.

My worst moment came when I realized that I had to go from the upstairs bathroom to the kitchen to unlock the door (otherwise my mom wouldn't be able to come in and cure me). So, I threw up, walked down the stairs, unlocked the door, threw up in the downstairs bathroom, walked up the stairs, returning to my original position...where I threw up. You suck, flu. I'll stop talking about it now, and I promise to stop personifying viruses.

Although I only had one day of nausea, it took me a long time to start feeling better, which may have something to do with funkiness and general stress as well. Working on that. But, I'm feeling much better after running and good news. Walking out my front door seems to be all that I need. Maybe I should pack it up and live out of a motor home, or a tent, or an inflatable plastic ball so that I don't get gloomy in my house.

To sum it up, the best way to get a job is to make some great friends at 3 am in freshman dorms so that they will, later in life, tip you off about opportunities, and moms are cures for the flu.

You in the Uinta's

Sometimes, it feels so good to lie in a little plastic house while it rains. I may be having some Oregon withdrawals, because all I wanted to do was walk in the rain.

Mr. Moose was banished to this towel for most of the trip. Mmmmmm, wet dog. 

RAIN WALKS

Fall is in the air.

Mandy and Sean have mastered the cow grate crossing. Check out those clouds, eh?

This game was not notable on any level; I lost.

 On Sunday we hiked to Granddaddy Lake. 9 miles (it should have been 8, but we got a bit lost).

 Is there a lake monster in there, or was Rusty skipping rocks?

 Ah, the self-timer shot...Mandy doesn't think I'm ready. 

Yay for the yurt and the rainy Uinta Mountains!