Imperfect Pet Parenting

For some reason, I've been letting Paddy sleep in bed a lot recently. 

Look how comfy she looks?

Because it's been chilly, I've been welcoming the extra warmth.  She's learned that when I turn off the lights, it's sleepy time, but that doesn't mean she's the perfect bed companion.  Sometimes she worms her way so that her paws/head are on my pillow with me.  Last night, she moved to the center of the bed so that I couldn't stretch my legs without bumping into her....talk about a bed hog!  And in my imperfect pet parenting ways, I gently kicked her until she moved so I could be comfortable again. 

Oh I'm sorry, am I disturbing your naptime?

The right answer is probably moving her back to her crate for bedtime.  But I have to admit, I'm such a sucker for that shaggy pup that I enjoy the extra snuggle time!

TGIF!

Oy, what a week it has been!  Yes, you guessed it, highly imperfect!  From car troubles to some exceedingly long nights at work, it's tried my patience to the hills and back.  I'm tired and not super enthused about life right now.  But it's Friday and I am slightly renewed knowing that I'm not going to be calling a colleague or a friend to get me someplace I need to be.


Available at Sephora



I've got a lot to look forward to this weekend - a Friday night at my favorite restaurant with a dear friend, watching the Pats kick some Broncos tail on Saturday and helping a friend with wedding planning on Sunday.  And next week, I'll be leaving on a jet plane for a little place called paradise.  It may be for work, but it will be a welcome respite from my gray, carpeted cubicle walls.  Hope is on the horizon!

I'll leave you with this little nugget for a Friday evening...Bobbi Brown gel eye liner in the pot is ah-ma-zing!  Get thee to a department store and buy some - totally fab!

Imperfection - 001

The first of one of my "columns"....on imperfection.  Today was imperfect in so many ways...I mean hello, it's Monday after all!  I came home from work to quickly drop off my things and decided to run some errands.  I've been long overdue to renew my passport and needed to get a new picture so I figured I would swing by CVS on my way to the grocery store (read: no breakfast food in the house and no coffee filters will very likely result in a VERY unhappy morning).  As I bee bopped out the house before 6pm (read: very early for me to be home and out and about), I thought what a productive Monday evening I would have.  I should have known better...as I got into my car, I got a weird error message about the steering lock and it wouldn't start.  I looked through the manual for a resolution and immediately called my Dad.  After trying a few things to no avail, I stomped my feet (literally), yelled some obscenities and started to cry.  Yes, I am 30 years old and still throw temper tantrums....mind you, there was no one to witness. 

I did some quick research online and realized my little ride likely required a ride to the dealership for a repair.  After calling AAA and hearing that my membership only covers a 5 mile tow (for real?!) and that I would have to pay $50-ish to have it towed to the dealer (enter more rage in my heart), I started frantically texting a friend to whine and complain.  Hey, misery does indeed love company!  Another moment that definitely highlighted my singlehood - no buddy to share in my misery.  After a quick pep talk from my darling friend, I was back in business, mentally and emotionally speaking.

Source

The tow guy came and successfully got my car out of the garage and over to the dealer.  After the ordeal, I sat at my kitchen bar eating some leftover Chinese food and sipping a beer and I realized that while that was a big imperfection in my day, it wasn't the worst that could have happened.  Luckily, I have the financial means to have my car repaired and have a few buddies who live close enough that I can get a ride to work.  It really wasn't the end of the world even if the inconvenience felt like it.  I can get by with some tea tomorrow morning and a granola bar for breakfast.  I called my Dad to apologize for being curt with him as he tried to come up with ideas to resolve the steering lock issue.  And then I promptly kicked back on the sofa with my sweet pup to unwind from this evening's excitement. 

Imperfect Christine, signing off for this time.

Adventures in Plumbing

My kitchen faucet has been leaking and my bathroom toilet has been running.  Alas, it was time for Pauline the Plumber to make her appearance at my home.  I took a few lessons from my days as a mechanical engineer and cracked open my home improvement book for a few pointers.  Oddly enough, plumbing is one of my favorite home improvement chores.

I started with the toilet and expected a quick tweak would solve the issue...I was wrong!  After failing to successfully get my toilet to completely stop running after adjusting the float height, I realized there was something wrong with the internals of the existing float assembly.  So I was off to Lowe's for some replacement parts.  I replaced the float assembly, overflow tube and flapper with new, plastic parts...judging from the black ickiness on my hands and in the tank water, I don't think the previous parts had been replaced since my home was built in 1968...blach!  About an hour and a half later and success!

The kitchen sink was another story.  I tried a few different ways to remove the existing stem valve and replace it, but I could never find the right part.  I called my Dad for advice (read: moral support).  He suggested replacing the entire faucet.  Aha!  Another good idea to get the endless dripping that was testing my patience and the depth of my pockets to pay my growing water bill.  I crawled under the sink to try to loosen the nuts holding the faucet in place.  Harrumph!  They were corroded and impossible to turn.  I think a muscle man must have tightened them last time.  After a few contorted attempts to loosen them, I threw a mini temper tantrum on the floor of my kitchen.  I decided it was time to call my neighborhood plumber who does great work at a reasonable price.  Sometimes you have to know when to call it a day...

In all, I was 2 for 3 of my plumbing projects today.  I also cleaned out the trap on my bathroom sink to help it drain better.  While I didn't solve all of the issues, I am feeling good about my successes!

Why now?

Why a new blog?  Well my friends, I love blogging, but I wanted a fresh start.  I was ready to move on from an old moniker and think out of the box a little bit.  I look forward to sharing my thoughts, my adventures at work, tales of success, travels and of course, my imperfections.