Adventures in fraud

So. When I went to check my bank account now that the month is drawing to a close, I discovered to my chagrin that I was overdrawn and already had been charged 2 overdraft fees. How can that be? I started looking through my transactions and there is one on Monday from Strawberry C (sehong kong) for $255.55? I have no idea what that is! So I called my bank and they are looking onto it. Seems strange since it isn't that large of an amount of money for a thief, but it was more than enough to send me over the limit. But, of course my bank cancelled my card to prevent further problems, unfortunately that leaves me with only the cash I have on hand, $50 (luckily I actually have some, not guaranteed). A week on $50? This is California, and I am going to visit my grandmother this weekend - gas! Add onto this that my camera, the one I have been so obsessively posting pictures here for all of you, is having issues. Mainly, the memory card is flipping out. I had all sorts of plans to get a new one for this trip to the mountains, Arnold is a wonderful place to take pictures. But...

Big Bella

Look how big she's gotten! Check out Katherine's blog for more adorable pictures!

Logan

I have a new foster dog named Logan. He is the sweetest, most cuddly, lovable dog. But... man is he making my life difficult! Ive only had him 6 days, and already he has decided, without a doubt, that I am his human. Consequently, he refuses to leave my side. Now, I live in a small apartment where I am technically only allowed to have small dogs (who wants that though?). Having him bark there just might be a problem. I have to bring him to work every day and have him in my office. I have a new office now, which is great. I graduated out of the closet in the stairwell, but this means I am in the professors hallway. With a dog who barks if I run to the bathroom for 2 minutes? To complicate things, he has now come down with kennel cough, a nasty dog cold that is highly contagious to other pups. So, I can't let him socialize with anyone, and he can't make the run to school. Therefore, I have a dog that I can't leave at home because he will bark, but can't take to school because he can't make it there and would be a lovely vector. Oh, and I have a bark collar, but it works by zapping the dog when it senses loud noises (ie. barking). Unfortunately, he is also coughing really loud right now. How horrible would that be? What to do?!?

So, now I am driving to school with him, paying the stupid fee to park on campus, and losing my easy daily exercise of riding the bike. And I still can't make it to the bathroom! He is afraid of the linoleum too, like many of my fosters, but that means, when I want to run to the lab for something, I have to coax him across the stupid hall. It takes forever! And if you get impatient and pull, he freaks and wont move at all. But he's so damn cute! And he was going to be put down if I didn't take him. He really is a wonderful dog, and I think his separation anxiety could actually be dealt with if someone had a little more flexibility. But, arghhhhh!
It's a good thing hes adorable, or I couldn't take it. He is one of those dogs that you never make it very far walking with him because he is so cute and everyone stops you to coo.
Here we are, dancing on the beach.

By the way, I didn't take any of these pictures, my field assistant Eric did.

Mary Youngblood

I think I had dinner sitting across the way from Mary Youngblood the other day, how cool is that? For those of you who dont know (most of you, I suspect), she is an amazing native american flute player. Amazing!

New Flute

I finally finished one of the flutes I've been working on for 2 years! The picture isnt so great, but I am pretty darn proud of how it turned out. Now, if I can just finish its partner...

Chicken Tractor

This weekend my friend Jim invited me to see his band play at a party put on by a local moms group. Their name is indeed Chicken Tractor. They play fun bluegrass, though Jim is always trying to get them to branch out in odd ways. I work with 3 of the 4 band members, and Jim is my occasional lunch buddy.

Jim, playing mandolin The really fun thing about this concert was all the kidlets running around. A little awkward for me since I didnt have one and all the parents coming up and asking me which one was mine... hard to explain that my heart is devoted to a couple of little girls up in Oregon at the moment. I had fun taking pictures though.

I got a new foster dog this weekend too. At the party, they named him Logan. He was the most gentle boy, let all these little ones grab and pet him, though after a while he hid under the table...

...and this little girl kept trying to get him to come out and play. Logan is such a sweet and mellow boy, so cute and cuddly... but he has some seperation issues. I went "rafting" down the Sacramento river with the Chicken Tractor crew on Sunday and we left Logan in the fiddle players big shady back yard. While we were gone he managed to chew through the fence and warp a drain pipe to get out. I was terrified since he doesnt have any tags yet, and is already pretty sickly from his previous street time. But, we found him 4 houses away, after of course driving in the opposite direction for 20 minutes cirling the neighborhood. Stupid dog! So damn lovable though... we shall see how this goes.

Weekend with Katie

I went to Santa Cruz this weekend to visit Katie. It was a last minute thing, and a very loooong drive, but it was so good to catch up with her again. We spent the day on the beach and got thoroughly sunburned, I'm still paying for it. Then we ate sushi and went salsa dancing on the pier. That was FUN! I finally remembered how to salsa! It helped that every single guy I danced with was a glorious dancer. I really had a good time. Had to leave pretty early though, to make the 3 hour drive back to sizzling Davis.
Katie having fun

Me, pre sunburn








Oh, and I apologise for this, but a lady stopped by the dog booth at the market with this little creature. It was so disturbing it was almost cute... almost

garden update

Some pretty flowers that greet me when I crawl home from a long day

Monty's new home

Monty got adopted last weekend, Im almost jealous of his new family, they seem so great! I'm going to miss this little bugger, quite a bit. He was soooooooo wonderful. Loved to try to climb trees and chase the squirrels (give them some good exercise, lazy fat little buggers!)
I've gotten some updates, and it seems he is having a blast with all the people to love him. This boy was one of the hardest to let go, but I know he is going to be so very happy. sigh...