Recently in tiny choices Category

I have a pair of boots that I adore. They've been one of my winter footwear staples since Mike bought them for me four years ago. Much dressier than my taste in boots usually runs, they have a flat sole, come up to mid-calf, with a substantial enough heel that I a) look a few inches taller in them and b) don't wobble when I wear them. In January I noticed an odd clicking, rattling sound when I walked, and I soon found out that it was because the sole on the heel had a wee hole in it that had apparently let in a piece of gravel or something. By the time February rolled around, it had become painfully clear that either the boots needed to be fixed or I needed to get a new pair. I hate shopping for shoes almost as much as I hate shopping for jeans, and since the only thing wrong with the boots was the rapidly growing holes in the soles (heh), I wanted to bypass replacing them if at all possible. One of the two local shoe repair places happens to be located in the shopping center right in front of my neighborhood, so I took them there, explained what I wanted, and was overjoyed to hear they could indeed resole the heels of my boots. $21 and two weeks later, they look fantastic. Not only did the cobbler put new soles on the heels, he also polished the boots so they look like a brand new pair.

I'm glad I went that route for a couple of reasons: 1) I didn't have to go shoe shopping, (yay!), 2) I was able to repair something I had, which kept me from having to buy something new, and 3) I like being able to support local businesses. The fact that I can walk to drop off and pick up any future shoe repairs I might have is a plus, too.

This article on edible lawns caught my interest because that's something I've been thinking about off and on recently. I'd love to have a little garden, but the only real yard we have is in front of our house, so if I'm going to do anything other than container gardening, that's where it'll have to be. I'm going to try growing some herbs in containers this year, and if that's not too overwhelming, I may dig up a small part of our front yard for a garden next spring.

I've been taking the dogs for walks recently, instead of just taking them outside to potty, and my neighbors' reactions to three miniature wiener dogs is usually pretty entertaining. One fellow walked outside and greeted us with "It's the dachshund patrol!" while another asked me how I manage three at a time (my answer: "Barely."), and almost everyone either coos or waves at the pups.

The dogs also are a never-ending source of amusement on these walks. Maddy LOVES them; as soon as we get outside, she races down the sidewalk and looks back at me, just waiting to start moving forward. Max prefers to stop and smell the flowers, so to speak, and Jordan is pretty solidly in between - he likes scooting up ahead and checking things out, but he's also content to trot beside me at times. Some days he feels more of a need to mark than others, and Maddy seems to have a tendency for this as well. One of my favorite things from our walks was the day I watched her hike a leg to pee on a lamppost. Just because she's doesn't have boy parts doesn't mean that she can't and won't add her scent to that lamppost, by God!

Mike and I were talking about the dogs this morning, and he commented on the way Jordan interacts with me, observing that Jordan can almost always be found draped over me somehow or laying next to me. Mike thinks this is because I am a constant in the dogs' lives, that I've become Jordan's safe shelter since we got him. As soon as I put the pups on the bed and sit down with them, Jordan is right there, curling up on my hip, and when they get to sleep in the big bed, he stays close to my side all night long. He shifts from lying with his neck across mine, to being curled up against me, to lying by my side with his head pillowed on my shoulder, to turning so his butt is in my face, but no matter what his position is, he's right there next to me the whole time. Max tends to burrow under the covers at first, to lie like a dead dog near our feet. Eventually she moves up again so she can sleep like a person next to us, but there have been times where the only way I can tell she's still alive is because she's warm. Maddy is more of a fidget. She usually starts off burrowing under the covers to curl up with Max, but after a few minutes of that, she slithers back up along Mike's back and lays there for a while before migrating over to lie against me. There are times I wish we had a bigger bed (for three small dogs, they sure do take up a lot of space!), but I'm always happy to sleep in a puppy pile. It's one of the most relaxing things I can think of.

One of my favorite things in this world is a brand new book, but lately I've been making more of an effort to buy used ones instead. There are couple of reasons behind this choice. As much as I love the idea of a new book, I'm more comfortable purchasing a used one because I prefer reusing things, and some used books could very easily pass as brand new. It's also better financially, since used books are usually cheaper. Bonus? When I buy used books, more often than not I go through Abebooks which participates with iGive, so I'm saving money, reducing my use of brand new things, and helping DRNA a little at the same time. Win-win-win, if you ask me.

• I got an A in my Network Security class! This brings my GPA up to a 3.854, which pleases my nerdly little heart to no end.
• three books I'm interested in (cooking, knitting, and crocheting) are available through the library. I'm trying to save money and space on my bookshelves by only buying books I know are "keepers," so I'm thrilled that I'll be able to check these books out and decide whether or not I want/need to own them.
• leftovers for lunch (chili!)
• I figured out how to add a clock to the taskbar on my work computer. I accidentally removed it sometime last year, and ever since, I've had to look at my phone (or a watch, when I remember to put one on) to tell what time it was, but not anymore!