The Dukes

I did it. I made it to the fabric store. This is the fabric I picked. I hope it doesn't end up looking too much like lawn furniture... I found some really cute red plaid fabric that I'm going to use for the kitchen and front windows but I didn't buy it today - one project at a time. The clearance section at Home Fabrics is awesome!

Anyway, Russell is still gone. That website says that there are 573 people working on that fire now. He has tried to call me almost everyday but he never has good enough service - I can't hear him at all. I am dying to know how it is going.

Otis is crying right now. He doesn't have to go outside - he wants me to go in the other room so he can go to bed... Baby.

Can anyone else appreciate the pose he's got going on here?

I am making Whoopie Pies this very moment. Gramps sent me 6 tubs of Fluff and I got them just in time to make a batch for the birthday party at work. When I make them, I really have to try to resist the urge to express my deep heartfelt love and appreciation because I have found that some people flat out don't like them. So, I've tried to down play the delicious Whoopie Pie goodness for my reputation's sake.

Anyway, Russell called me but only let the phone ring once - when I tried to call him, I got the dreaded voicemail. Bummer. I don't know what is going on. They did an update on that website tonight and it looks like he may be gone for a while...

If you want to see what is going on with the Maxwell fire that Russell is on, you can check out this website:

http://www.nwccweb.us/information/fire_info.asp

I think they update every morning. Yesterday it said that they expected that it should be contained by the end of the day. Today it says unknown...

I talked to Russell for about two minutes tonight. He is still in Oregon but he isn't waiting anymore. He's on the Maxwell Fire. I've been online seeing how much I can find out about it. It says that the terrain is steep and rugged but it estimates it should be contained by the end of the night. We'll see what happens.

In the meantime, I'm just hanging out. I really want to go to the fabric store but I feel bad leaving Otis. I know. Pathetic. Anyway, I have to take him to the vet again tomorrow. Should be fun.

Tired of the dog pictures? I don't care. Too bad.

What is wrong with my dog that he sucks, yes sucks, on this stuffed animal every single night?

Anyway, if you are looking for some motivation for getting in shape I have an excellent suggestion. Take some pictures of yourself in your bathing suit. I tried on every single one of mine and not one looked good. Bad sign. It reminds me of those year long profiles they do in Allure. I love those.

Otis and I went down to the river again tonight. We parked on one side and walked over a bridge at 15th Street. Little did I know, the next bridge wasn't until 9th! Poor Otis - it was a bit of a walk for him. In Vegas, the high temperature hits at what? about noon, maybe one? Here, we get to the high at 5pm. It sucks. So there we are, in the park walking along the river (hello bugs) at 6pm. Good idea, Cait.

I haven't heard from Russ yet tonight but last night he said that the three other groups that were waiting with them all got called out. He doesn't think he'll be home before he goes out on a fire. I think he's starting to go a little crazy out there. He told me that before he goes out he is buying a carton of cigarettes. His boss told him that he's seen one cigarette go for $15 and 3/4 of the guys in Russell's group smoke. Does that sound like something he would do or what?

When you were little did you put juice in the freezer to make yourself a delicious popsicle in a cup? We still do...

I am making myself dinner. Russell and I planned on testing a new recipe this week - Feta Chicken with Zucchini. He told me I better not let the stuff go bad - he's not sure when he'll be home. He thinks he'll be in Redmond for a while. They have more guys there this time than they did last time.

It should be a fun weekend. I think I am going to start fabric shopping. I am taking on the decidedly formidable task of making window coverings for all of our windows. It should be interesting.

The weekend did start out good though, I heard Bobby Brown "Every Little Step I Take." Does anyone know when that song came out? What was I, three? Anyway, good song.

Just a quick update...

There is no fire in Redmond.

Yesterday after work we decided to take a drive up to Bogus Basin. Russell was starting to get a little stir crazy - he even mentioned the urge to buy some running shoes. Anyway, we took the dog and went for a little ride. Bogus Basin is a ski resort and people are always talking about it. It seems pretty small to us but it was about 15 degrees cooler up there than it was in the city. We all got out and walked down one of the trails. Otis was loving it.

Tonight I took Otis down to the river. He drank so much river water. He dragged me down the bank (I guess he needed another drink) and I fell. Hard. I'm pretty sure no one saw though so I'm good. It's legal to float down the Boise River right now. They only allow it certain times of the year and only if the current isn't too strong. I've been wanting to do it - Russell says the water is too cold.

Russell left this afternoon for Redmond, Oregon. He waited for a fire to start last time - no waiting this time. I think he is excited. They called him at 10:50am and he was out the door at 11:30am. I tried to look up a local news station to see what I could find out but I didn't find anything. Hopefully, he'll call tonight to tell us what's going on...

Does anyone else notice a striking resemblance here?

I had to put up another picture of Otis. He looks a bit happier in this one. It's either because he feels better after our trip to the vet or because Russell is home. You decide which.

The vet is hoping Otis has a food allergy rather than something else. We have special food for him and we have some medicine. Russell said he didn't scratch his ear all day. Keep your fingers crossed.

Yes, Russell is home from Redmond, Oregon. His trip sounded terribly uneventful. No fire. Just waiting. He said he doesn't think he will go wait again. He's only going if something is already on fire.

It wasn't a hard choice. We could either have high speed internet or cable. We chose the high speed. That means no cable. Russell and I were just saying - we don't even miss it (okay, maybe I miss Food Network a little, just a little). Anyway, I have been totally reminding myself of Dad. We love PBS! I even watch Mystery on Sunday nights - I'm hooked. Russell loves Antiques Roadshow...

I love talking to people about music. I don't know if it is like this for everyone but I have a specific time or conversation or a memory for almost every song I know. I am listening to Jack Johnson and I was talking to Zach and Bride about a certain song of his and now every time I hear it, I think about that. It was a midnight trip to Walmart. I don' t get people who aren't into music. How could you not get into something that can make you feel happy or sad or mad or
anything in just a few seconds?

Anyway, kind of funny. When I was little, my Mom used to put sponge rollers (for a while it was sponge roller, singular) in my hair at nighttime and when I would get up in the morning and take out the curler my Dad used to say "pretty girl." You know, can't you hear him? So, I have some sponge rollers and I have been wanting to try them out again but I have been too embarrassed for Russell to see me with my head all in rollers (I'm only 22). Since Russell isn't here, I tried it out. I looked like the mom on That 70's Show. Not cute...

So, Russell left early on Sunday morning for Oregon. They were expecting some lightning storms and they wanted guys up there just in case. He's in Oregon now but there are no fires. I talked to him today. He said that the storm has blown through but it is so dry that they are going to keep them there for a while.

Otis is a little sad. He follows me around everywhere. He sits in the bathtub when I get ready in the mornings. I think it's a bit cooler in there for him, too. Otis is going to the vet on Wednesday. He is still scratching. Over the phone they said that it sounds like he has allergies. We'll have to see what they can do for him...

Stace sent me an e-mail with some pictures of Isabel. I thought this one was so cute. Doesn't she look big all of a sudden?

It is quite literally as hot as an oven in here. We are seriously not going to have to worry about heating this place up in the winter! What are you going to do? When you gotta have a treat, you gotta have a treat. Tonight, it's chocolate chip cookies.

I don't think I ever got to show anyone these pictures. We were just driving down this dirt road in Utah and we came across this sign. We were headed down the old Mormon Wagon road. I thought about posting these because Russ & I were watching the news and there was a segment on Idaho colloquialisms. They called Mormons "carrot snappers." Can anyone tell me what that is all about?

This has been the extent of our 4th of July holiday. It is so hot, we don't even want to move! Poor Otis doesn't even get out of bed in the morning before he starts panting. We don't really have any AC. We have a cooler in our room but our apartment is so long that it is the only room that stays remotely cool. At least in Boise we have two hot summer months and not eight like in Vegas. That's me - always looking on the bright side...

Anyway, things here are good. Seven fires started all around Boise after a thunder and lightening storm a couple nights ago. We are just waiting for a call to find out when Russell is headed out. We don't really know how much notice they'll give him or anything so he is all packed and ready to go. I think he's really excited.

Work is going pretty well for me. Everytime I feel like I'm starting to get a good grasp on things, they show me something new but that's what a new job is all about, right? I was a little bummed the first couple days but now it's working out great and all the people are really nice.

I walk by this little garden everyday when I come home for lunch and take Otis around the block. I've been wanting to take a cool picture. If you look, you can see my back porch. I swear I think anything can grow here.

Does this cat look like Seamus to anyone else?

He lives in our little backyard and he is not scared of Otis. It is so funny! He is really scraggly but he looks like a foofey inside cat - just like Seamus.

Today was Russell's first day of Wildland firefighter training and my third day at work. That equals Otis' first 8 hours home alone. We went to Target last night and bought him that huge toy. He didn't do anything bad so that must have been just what he needed. Anyway, Russell still isn't home so I'm not sure how his class went but work has been pretty good for me. I work at the Dept of Transportation - I basically do DMV stuff. It's pretty boring but I think it will work out really well when school starts in the Fall...

This is my newest nephew, Jacob Rodrigues. I had to put a couple pictures (courtesy Dad) up here to show off. The thing that really makes me sad about leaving Las Vegas - I won't even get to hold him. Look at his round little face!

Not a whole lot going on this weekend. Our yard sale shopping was totally unsuccessful but I didn't really have my hopes up. We took Otis for a walk down to Hyde Park and we saw this crazy squirrel on the way. Does it look to anyone else like he is about to jump?