A low-key New Year's
I just got back from a long hike out the farm road with Ned. It's a grey, windy day that keeps looking like its going to rain. So far it hasn't. We had a really good walk. We've been training Ned to come to a whistle. We got what is supposed to be a really good 'dog' whistle from Cabela's. (the second time i've ever been in there. The guy working the hunting dog dept. - yes it has it's own department - came over and asked what kind of dog I was training. When I said 'beagle' you could see his interest drop by half, then when I said we don't hunt with him, he just walked away. Sorry I don't own a retriever - jeesh) It's a bright hunter orange whistle and supposedly you should use it with caution around human ears. We've done very little actual 'training' with it. We just started blowing it three quick blasts. He came running to see what the sound was, and we gave him a piece of salami. To him this is like caviar. It's stinky, salty and tastes wonderful. Ever since then, he just seemed to take to the whistle. It's pretty awesome to be out in the woods, let him wander off for awhile, then blow the whistle three times and see him come flying out of the woods or brush. The only time it seems not to work is if he is really seriously on the trail of something. If he has a fresh scent trail, nothing will get him off of it. Those are the times he comes home when he's good and ready. The whistle works about 80% of the time so far. I just think it's really cool. Sometimes you blow it and just have to wait awhile. He might be pretty far away and it takes him sometime to get back to you. But you can usually hear him coming.
This morning's walk was a good start to the New Year. I woke up feeling anxious, like I needed to be doing something. Getting out for a walk helped. Except now I'm not sure what I'm doing this last day of my vacation. I could: pick the turkey caracass apart and get it ready to make turkey noodle soup, work on painting my mural, vacuum, do yoga, cook something, iron, or watch a movie. What to do what to do....or I could continue to procrastinate and post this blog...
W
I could tell you what we ended up doing last night! I had dinner with my parents - pork loin, mashed potatos, suarkraut (spelled?) and gravy. Very yummy. Then met Dan back at home. He was watching the Eagles win (thank god) at the local dive wing bar. We had planned on watching movies, maybe playing some darts, and just sitting around drinking and staying in. But a friend called and said she was having some people over until 9 and that we should stop by. We had thought this group of friends was going to Michigan for New years, but that fell thru for them. I knew Dan wanted to get out, so we stopped by for awhile. I'm glad we went, it was fun. She served a Belgian, rasberry lambec that was really yummy! I usually don't like raspberry OR sweet drinks, but it was very ephervescent (sp?) and different.
The idea was that the crowd was going to leave around 9pm to go to a party at a cabin up at Oglebay park. I didn't want to go. Just wanted to finish the night at home with Dan. But we got talked into going for awhile. Apparently the party was being hosted by a guy we vaguely know, but others in the party knew well? When we got there it was POURING rain. They had lined the road leading to the cabin with luminaria. It wasn't a big cabin, and when we walked in it was packed. It was catered. White table linens, gourmet food set out buffet style. Cabin filled with family. The 'we have so much money we dont work and are borderline crunchy granola in really expensive outdoor clothing old school wheeling type of way' family. They own half of Wheeling. Don't get me wrong, they're really cool people, it's just I immediately got the impression that someone in our group had heard that a party was being thrown and assumed it was a kegger, band, everyone hang out party. Uh no. It was obviously a family/close-friends kind of thing. I looked at Dan and said we need to get out of here. Another girl in our party felt the same way I did and she made the move to leave as well. When we left I don't know if the rest of the group stayed or not. I was glad to get home though. We cooked up some snacks and went downstairs to play darts. By the time we finished it was almost midnight. We popped the champagne and had a toast to "us" this year. We then started calling all our friends to wish them well. We also stood out on the deck and watched as several homes up and down the river set off fireworks. I love champagne and had a few glasses more. Dan started to nod off, and we were probably asleep by 1am. It was a nice night. Just what I wanted for New Year's this year. Here's to hoping for a good 2007!
This morning's walk was a good start to the New Year. I woke up feeling anxious, like I needed to be doing something. Getting out for a walk helped. Except now I'm not sure what I'm doing this last day of my vacation. I could: pick the turkey caracass apart and get it ready to make turkey noodle soup, work on painting my mural, vacuum, do yoga, cook something, iron, or watch a movie. What to do what to do....or I could continue to procrastinate and post this blog...
W
I could tell you what we ended up doing last night! I had dinner with my parents - pork loin, mashed potatos, suarkraut (spelled?) and gravy. Very yummy. Then met Dan back at home. He was watching the Eagles win (thank god) at the local dive wing bar. We had planned on watching movies, maybe playing some darts, and just sitting around drinking and staying in. But a friend called and said she was having some people over until 9 and that we should stop by. We had thought this group of friends was going to Michigan for New years, but that fell thru for them. I knew Dan wanted to get out, so we stopped by for awhile. I'm glad we went, it was fun. She served a Belgian, rasberry lambec that was really yummy! I usually don't like raspberry OR sweet drinks, but it was very ephervescent (sp?) and different.
The idea was that the crowd was going to leave around 9pm to go to a party at a cabin up at Oglebay park. I didn't want to go. Just wanted to finish the night at home with Dan. But we got talked into going for awhile. Apparently the party was being hosted by a guy we vaguely know, but others in the party knew well? When we got there it was POURING rain. They had lined the road leading to the cabin with luminaria. It wasn't a big cabin, and when we walked in it was packed. It was catered. White table linens, gourmet food set out buffet style. Cabin filled with family. The 'we have so much money we dont work and are borderline crunchy granola in really expensive outdoor clothing old school wheeling type of way' family. They own half of Wheeling. Don't get me wrong, they're really cool people, it's just I immediately got the impression that someone in our group had heard that a party was being thrown and assumed it was a kegger, band, everyone hang out party. Uh no. It was obviously a family/close-friends kind of thing. I looked at Dan and said we need to get out of here. Another girl in our party felt the same way I did and she made the move to leave as well. When we left I don't know if the rest of the group stayed or not. I was glad to get home though. We cooked up some snacks and went downstairs to play darts. By the time we finished it was almost midnight. We popped the champagne and had a toast to "us" this year. We then started calling all our friends to wish them well. We also stood out on the deck and watched as several homes up and down the river set off fireworks. I love champagne and had a few glasses more. Dan started to nod off, and we were probably asleep by 1am. It was a nice night. Just what I wanted for New Year's this year. Here's to hoping for a good 2007!
posted by Ren at 9:21 AM
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