Where Have I Been... Part 98?

Life got crazy. My new job that I started in October was slow(ish) to start compared to what it is now. Thankfully I still REALLY enjoy it but with a shortage of coaches and my (sorry... kind of bragging here) ability to function independently and not require a lot of supervision, I have been assigned more than double the students than the other three coaches that I started with in the fall. Phew! It gets REALLY tricky to support 50+ students in 20 hours per week so I've really been working close to 30 hours per week pretty regularly. This is in addition to my environment corps 20 hour per week job. So... it's been very very very busy since January. And it's about to get even busier!

But, as I said, I'm enjoying it. I am loving working on my own schedule. I am loving working from home (or anywhere there is internet access). I am loving the interactions with the students - especially when they have an "Ah ha!" moment and suddenly whatever barrier they've been struggling with breaks free. It's pretty cool.

So... what else? Oh yeah. I'm training to run a 5K in June in Portland, ME. I've never run in my adult life and I enjoy the training aspect of it. I enjoy the fact that it's getting easier. I still DON'T enjoy what feels like a massive hurdle every time I need to go workout by myself... but I'm getting better at it. Not wanting to suck wind with 30 of my friends also running the race with me is tremendous motivation!

I've made friends with a neighbor (it turns out that we've lived near each other for 6+ years, our kids are friends, and we never knew just how MUCH we have in common!) and it's been great getting out with her and her dog and Brody and Glacier for 4+ mile walks/runs at least three times per week. Having a buddy makes it SO much easier. And A has also jumped in as he prepares to take his department physical training standards test in a few months so I've got multiple workout buddies. And of course Glacier and Brody are ALWAYS willing to go with me regardless of rain, snow, heat, ticks etc. A and I joke that we need to put a mileage tracker on the dogs as they spend the hour that I'm running/walking dashing here and there and they must cover at least twice the ground that I do!

So that's where I've been. Will I have time to write more now? I don't know. I'll try! It's hard to want to be at the computer when I'm done with my work as I spend so many hours in front of it... but I'll try to get some writing in as often as I can.........

More Four-legged Loves!

When it was time to leave, we'd had such a good
snuggle, he didn't want to leave me!

My friend is an Animal Control Officer in a nearby town and being with her is kind of like getting the inside tour of all of the cool animals on Cape Cod. She's always got something interesting going on!

Recently she got a new pet. A pig. He is tiny! He's probably only about 5 lbs right now at 9 weeks old. Full grown he will be about 30 lbs. He's working on house training and can sit, spin around in circles and come when he's called. He's so danged cute!

Today I got to snuggle and play with him for about an hour. I'd consider a pig that stayed this tiny size but I don't need one that is going to be size of a medium dog. (MUCH to A's relief, I came to this resolution on my own!)

His name is Crouton and I will visit him often!

Crouton snuggled in for a good nap in the crook of my arm. And farted. P-stinking-U!

And the other day, the same friend helped rescue a miniature horse foal whose mama died giving birth to him. The owner didn't think they could handle the 24 hour bottle feeding etc so he/she was going to put the foal down. In stepped a couple of good folks (including my friend) and the local animal community rallied around this little fella! 

He was born on the first anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings so they named him Boston. He moved in with a volunteer and is currently in a pen in her den. Apparently today he was running through the house while she cleaned the pen. He's doing just fine! They were able to find a lactating mare for him, thankfully! People are donating goods and supplies for him and when he's ready, he will move to my friend's farm so he can get socialized with other horses. I can't wait!

Here's Boston!

He's resting after a hard birth but he's doing well!