Digging

Today was a busy day for all of us. Since we came back from North Carolina, we have not done too many things.  The most exciting thing was going to see Avenue Q where I got to meet Nicky! 

Even though we haven’t gone places, The Lady and Mr. Guy seem to have been working on something though I was not too sure what it was. They have been talking to a lot of different people. Today I finally found out what is going on. Before I was adopted, they put a lot of time into remodeling the inside of our house. I did not realize how much they had done and how many changes they made. Apparently it was a completely different place.

Now they are ready to do work on the outside. When we had some serious plumbing work done earlier in the summer, the yard was all torn up. There is almost no grass left in the front yard. That is what got The Lady and Mr. Guy moving on remodeling the outside too. 

They talked to a man called a Landscape Architect. That is another thing I did not understand. But The Lady and Mr. Guy are teachers and they do not mind explaining things to this blue and orange furry monster. A Landscape Architect makes a plan for the whole yard. He figures out where all the plants and trees will go, what kind of grass to plant, and even builds sidewalks all to make the yard really pretty. The Landscape Architect that they called used to be a teacher. He and Mr. Guy worked at the same school a long time ago, but it took them awhile to recognize each other. 

Tomorrow someone is coming to clean up the yard. There are some trees that Mr. Guy says need to go away. Also we are getting a sprinkler system. I did not know what that is, but Mr. Guy told me it is a way to get water to the lawn without him having to run around with hoses and these little twirly things that spit water. That sounds like a good idea to me.

Even though there are people coming to work on the tress, there were things we needed to do before they come. We have some flowers called irises. They needed to be taken out of the ground because The Lady and Mr. Guy hope to save them to be replanted somewhere in the new yard. I saw them this year and they are very pretty. I am glad they are going to try to save them.

I got to help!.  Since I knew that I was going to be outside digging in the dirt, I put on my Dirt Shirt that Ms. Michele gave to me on one of our visits to Delaware.  That way I would not look dirty even if I was!

The first thing that we had to decide was which of the irises that we were going to dig up and save.  

There were lots of them and Mr. Guy said that there would not be room for all of them in the new yard.  We had to dig up only the irises that we wanted to keep,

Then they had to be trimmed, but I was not allowed to use the scissors so The Lady did most of that part. Finally they had to go in a box.

The box will go into a cool place until it is time to put them back into the ground. The last thing we had to do was throw away the parts that were cut off. 

While we were working the delivery man came! He had a Dirt Shirt on too!  At least it was brown like mine.  I don’t know why he needs a dirt shirt when he drives around in a truck all day. I was really excited because I like it when packages come to our house. Sometimes I even get surprises!   He gave us three boxes!  

One was for Mr. Guy. He got new shoes. One was for The Big Sister. She got shoes too. Boy these folks get lots of shoes!  I wonder why I never get new shoes. The last box was for The Lady. I thought she must have gotten new shoes too.  But nope; she didn’t.

The Lady let me open the box. 

Hmm…it was filled with funny plastic pillows.  

I tried to look grateful for the present, but these pillows seemed like they would be hot and sticky and make my fur all soggy.  

We usually have soft cloth pillows.  The Lady told me to keep looking in the box, that these were not pillows and they were not the surprise.  When I looked again, I saw our basket from Ms. Susan, the basket lady in North Carolina! I had forgotten that she was making us a basket! So this was a surprise for me. 

Ms. Susan was one of my 100 people project. I think today’s package surprised Mr. Guy and The Lady, too. They did not expect it to come so soon after we got home. 

So, we got all of our yard work done today and tomorrow I can stay inside where it is nice and cool and watch the professional tree guys cut down some of our trees and remove some bushes.  Maybe I will find a snack that I can put in our new basket!

I Met A Star!

Tonight I got to go to the theater.  This time yesterday I had no idea what that meant, but now I do!  The Lady explained to me that we were going to her school to watch a musical.  I thought that you are supposed to listen to music, not watch it.  Then I realized that The Lady said musical.  She explained that a musical is when there are people called actors that are on a big thing called a stage and they tell a story through words and songs.  People, and little blue and orange furry monsters, sit in chairs and listen and watch.

Mr. Guy and The Lady took me to this particular show because it has puppets and monsters just like me in it.  It was called Avenue Q and was performed by the Brookhaven College Theater Department. 

The Lady teaches at Brookhaven College, but she teaches music, not theater.

There were lots of things in Avenue Q that I did not understand - things like finding your purpose, and wanting someone to date, and schadenfreude, and porn, but that was OK.   I did understand the parts about the two boys who love each other, those about monsters being teased and having their fur pulled, and the part about a special school for monsters.  Well, I sort of understand that last part.  I know about monsters and since I have spent so much time lately with teachers, I am beginning to understand what schools are all about.  I think that I might like to go to a Monstersori school like the one that Kate Monster started in Avenue Q.

Like I said, I went to this musical especially to see the puppets.  They were just like me!  It made me think that some day when I am a bigger monster that maybe I could be in a musical too.  Of course, I will first have to learn how to sing.  I don't think that I want to be like Trekki Monster, though.  The characters in the show called him a pervert.  I asked Mr. Guy what that meant and he said that it was not a good thing.  I want to be a good monster.

While I was watching the show, I thought that it would be exciting to get to meet one of the puppets in person.  The Lady asked the director of Avenue Q if that might be possible.  She said "yes" and even said that I could have my picture taken with one of them!  I was one excited monster!

At the end of the show, I waited for the actor people to come out to the lobby where we were.  They have a special place called backstage where the audience people can't go so we had to wait for them in the place where we were allowed to be.

And then it happened!  Nicky said that I could have my picture taken with him!  And not only that, I could have it taken on the stage!  

In the story, Nicky loves Rob, but it takes almost the whole show for Rob to realize that he loves Nicky.  By the end of the story, Rod and Nicky are both happy!  I think it is neat that Nicky and I both have blue fur!  He doesn't have orange horns like me, but he does have an orange nose.  I think that those things make us a lot a like.

Nicky has a person to hold him and take care of him like Mr. Guy does me.  His name is Mr. Tony.

Mr. Tony is a friend of Mr. Guy and The Lady.

Even though there were lots of things in Avenue Q that I did not understand, I had a great time tonight.  It was fun to see monsters sing and dance on the stage.  I feel honored to have met my first star.  And, it is fascinating to think about the idea of one day being an actor just like Nicky.

Monster Travels!

 

This is Ms. Megan.  She took care of us while we were at the cabin in Asheville.  I especially like her because she gave The Lady and Mr. Guy laundry soap to wash my shirts (and some of theirs too) so that I would be a clean monster as we travelled home.  I really liked staying at the cabins; there were all kinds of things for little blue and orange furry monsters to do.  Mr. Guy and The Lady seemed very happy there too.

Getting home to Dallas was another story...

We had to check out of our cabin at noon and our airplane did not leave until evening.  We decided to play a few games before we left. 

 The Lady has always liked to play skee ball.  She thought that I might like it too so she showed me how to play.  I liked the orange balls and the game was fun too.  After I practiced a few times, I asked Mr. Guy to play a game with me.

He did pretty well.  Then it was my turn.

I had some beginner's luck.

I learned about being a good sport.  Even though my number was higher than Mr. Guy's, he still played well and we both had fun.  And fun is what it is all about!  Next time, Mr. Guy's number might be bigger than mine.  And that will be OK.  It is just a game.

We both played hard so we needed a little rest before our big travel day.

I sure like cuddling with Mr. Guy.  I'm glad that he did not get mad because my skee ball numbers were bigger than his.  Winning a game is not nearly as important as having someone to nap with in a hammock!  

After our rest, The Lady took one more picture of us before we left the cabins for good.

I hope we get to come back here again!

All of the game playing and picture taking made me hungry.  The Lady said that there was a place in North Carolina that she liked to go when she was in school here.  She told Mr. Guy that it was not the healthiest food, but it would bring back some silly memories for her so he said, "Let's go."  So, we went to Hardees for lunch.  The Lady said that she really liked their sausage biscuits, but it was lunchtime when we went so she could not get one.  she said that they also had pretty good hamburgers.

When we walked in the door, I saw this sign.

This was puzzling to a furry monster.  North Carolina is not the southwest. Texas is the southwest.  I like tacos, but I wasn't so sure about these tacos.  Mr. Guy said you have to be careful about Mexican food when you are not really in the southwest.  We ordered hamburgers.  I decided that I could wait until I get back to Texas to eat tacos.

Even though it was early, after lunch we decided to head to the airport.  That was OK.  I like to sit in airports and watch the people, especially when they stop and talk to me.  We got to the airport and then the real adventure began...

Our first flight from Asheville to Charlotte was delayed by three hours.  That meant we would miss our next flight from Charlotte to Dallas.  Uh oh!  After a lot of pushing buttons on the computer, the airlines lady said that they would just call a driver to take us by van to Charlotte so that we would be there in time to leave for Dallas.  We sat and waited to see if anyone else needed to ride in the van with us.

Then the airplane lady said that they were wrong.  The plane to Charlotte was leaving only one hour late so now we could fly on it rather than ride in the van so she gave us a new ticket.  I felt bad for the van man who came and was waiting there to help people and then we didn't need him.  Mr. Guy and I told him thank you for his willingness to help us.

After we got our new tickets, we went through the weird place where they make Mr. Guy put me in a bucket and go through the scary tunnel all by myself.  I don't like that!  They take pictures of me, but they are not like the one's that The Lady takes.  These pictures make me look black and white instead of blue and orange.  The Lady said that they are looking at my insides.  I don't know why they are doing that!  I am always so happy when Mr. Guy picks me up at the other end of the tunnel!  Ms. Linda told me that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  So far, she is right!  But the airplane lady was wrong...now our plane was leaving another hour late!  I don't know how to tell time, but that is not my job.  I think people who make airplane schedules should know how clocks and hours and schedules work!

They told us that we would still get to Charlotte in time to get to the plane home to Dallas.  Our plane left even later because it ran into some birds and they got tangled in the engines.  I did not want to hear anymore about that.  It sounded very yucky to me!  We finally got to Charlotte.  All of the people on the plane with us had to hurry to get to other planes.  We got to ride on one of the funny airport cars.  I didn't know that they would take us for a ride.  Usually they just honk and nearly run us over!  Even with riding through the airport, we didn't make it in time to catch our plane.  

Now we had to spend a night in a hotel.  I thought that would be fun, but The Lady said that it would not be because we did not have any PJ's or clean clothes for the next day.  Uh oh!  Fortunately I had been a neat monster and hadn't spilled anything on my shirt.  

We finally got to a hotel and went to sleep.  It was very late and I was very tired!  

Ms. Linda read on Facebook that we were going to be in Charlotte all day so she came and got us and we all went to lunch together.  That was fun and I was a happy monster that I got to see her again!  After lunch, she took us back to the airport.  We had a lot of time to sit and watch the people.

Mr. Guy helped me play games on his phone.

We played together so that we didn't have to worry about each other's numbers.

Then we watched more people.

And finally it was time to get on the plane and fly home.  I slept in Mr. Guy's lap the whole way home. 

 I liked Asheville a lot, but I am a little tired of airports.  I have had a great adventure and met lots of really nice people on this trip!  But, I have to say, it is nice to be home in my very own monster bed!

My 100 People Project - #16

Yesterday The Lady and Mr. Guy met one of The Lady's picture taking friends, Ms. Sherry.  She is part of Capture Your 365, just like Ms. Peggy and Ms. Michele.  There sure are a lot of these people with cameras all over the place!  Ms. Sherry had to drive three hours just to see us.  That was very nice of her.  We all walked around Biltmore Village for a little while and then we had lunch at a Mexican restaurant  I guess Mr. Guy and The Lady have been away from Texas for too long and had to have some "home cooking."

Ms. Sherry and The Lady talked about camera stuff and taking pictures.  They were saying things like aperture and zoom and f-stop and ISO and cropping and white balance.  I had no idea what they were talking about!  It is a good thing that I am a handsome little monster, more suited for in front of the camera than behind it!  Ms. Sherry was nice enough to be in front of the camera with me!  Thank you!

Oh, and by the way, she is another one of those teacher people.  Is everyone either a teacher person or a picture taker or both???

The Blue Ridge Parkway

I did not get anything written yesterday because we had a big day and I was tired when we got back to our cabin. Now that I am nice and rested,  I want to tell you about my adventure yesterday. The Lady's friend, Mr. Rusty came to visit. They went to college together at East Carolina University. Blue and orange furry monsters don't go to school, so I was not sure what college really meant. The Lady said when humans are growing they go to school to learn stuff. I know The Lady and Mr. Guy both still go to school but now they teach school instead of learn stuff. So do Ms. Linda and Ms. Linda's Guy! Mr. Rusty is a school librarian so he works in a school too!  He takes care of all the books and teaches the children to love those books! Wow, I guess I don't need to go to school. I have all these teacher people around me to help me learn about all kinds of new things! 

Mr. Rusty said he would take us for a ride to see part of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I didn't know what that was, but since it was called the "Blue" Ridge Parkway, I was sure that I would like it.. He told me that it is a very long road that goes through North Carolina and into another state called Virginia. We were only going to see a little of it. Mr. Rusty promised me that I  would see real mountains! They are the Blue Ridge Mountains. That seemed like a good name to me. I had already seen some mountains from far away, but Mr. Rusty said we would go up into the mountains and maybe I would get to stand on a mountain!

We left in the morning after breakfast. Mr. Rusty drove. He has lived in North Carolina his whole life, so that seemed like a good idea since he probably knew where he was going. We went a little way from our cabin and then got on the parkway. At first there were lots of trees. I have never seen so many trees in one place! Mr. Rusty said as we went further, there would be places along the way where we could look at the mountains as well as the trees.

We drove a little more and then stopped.  Then I saw them! Great big mountains.  

Wow!  I was confused about one thing though.  There were signs everywhere that talked about how many feet the mountains had.  

Mountains have feet??  The Lady explained that these were not feet to walk on, but were a way to tell how tall the mountains are.  She told me that we could figure out how many feet tall I am too, but we need something to measure me.  That will have to wait until we get home to Dallas.

Anyway, the further we went, the more feet the mountains grew.  It is a good thing that they don't need socks and shoes for all of their feet!  

The mountain with the most number of feet was Mt. Mitchell. It has 6684 feet and is the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi River.  We drove as far as we could...

...and then we walked the rest of the way to the very top.  Mr. Rusty and The Lady went all the way to the very top.  Mr. Guy stopped and said he could not make it that far. The Lady and Mr. Rusty took me to the top and took pictures.   Since Mr. Rusty is my new friend,  I figured the picture of us at the summit would be a good picture of him for my project.  

They were headed back down when Mr. Guy suddenly appeared.  

I also had my picture taken with Mr. Guy because, well, I always have my picture taken with Mr. Guy.  

He always carries me and holds me tight.  He makes me feel safe.

After all the walking, we were very hungry.  On the way down the mountain, we stopped at a place for lunch! The folks there were really nice. Greg took our order and brought us our food.  He had a great smile and seemed like such a happy person.  It makes me happy to see happy people.  He wanted to know all about me.  I then asked him if he would have his picture taken with me and become part of my 100 People Project.  He was excited about that!  

The Lady took my picture with him and then his friend Emily came over too.  She also wanted to be in the picture.  

She has a pretty smile too.  Greg and Emily look like they have fun working together and feeding all of the hungry people. So, I added two people to my project at lunch!

After we ate, Mr. Guy took me outside for a different look at the mountains, but all I saw was clouds.  We were sitting in the clouds!!

I also got another new shirt, one from Mt. Mitchell! YAY!!!  I was a very happy blue and orange furry monster.

After lunch we drove some more and saw some more mountains, but they didn't have as many feet.  

We were headed to Linville Falls.   This is a place where water falls out of the rocks.  We had to hike to the place to see this falling water.  Mr. Guy went part of the way and then he waited while Mr. Rusty and The Lady went to the top of the falls.  It was kind of scary being up so high.  I found out that Mr. Rusty and The Lady were kind of scared up there too!    The Lady carried me and tried to take a picture of me and the falls.  It didn't work so well.  I was smiling, but she was nervous.

We were all getting tired by the time we left the falls.  We took a different road, a faster one back to our cabin.  Mr. Rusty grilled some steaks for dinner and The Lady made some vegetables.  And then we all went to bed.  Well, I went to bed; I don't really know what all of the grown-ups did.  I did get to sleep in my new shirt!

That's all!