stephanie is: 
mostly mute…
look at me – all making an effort to post updates (and get stvlive.com caught up too). where’s my cookie?
so i had zero voice when i got up. i brought a big mug of tea in to work but it didn’t help. i had a quick bowl of oatmeal at 8am but that didn’t help either. i learned that whispering is contagious… when people were dropping off their dogs for daycare, i’d whisper hello to the dog as i took their leash from the owner, and 4 out of 5 times the owner would whisper “thank you”.
the manager was nice and didn’t schedule me in the playrooms since i couldn’t say anything to the dogs at all to manage them. so i helped out up front, gave some baths, helped get the dogs down for naptime… i did start trying to talk through the hoarseness towards lunchtime as i was up front alone (or the only one trained to take care of things). i managed to work my way up to a quiet yet mostly understandable rumble. i felt like a dork, though, when one of the washington redskins came to pick up his dog (we have 3 regular redskins dogs so far – all yellow labs) and i was creaking and croaking through his invoice. my throat, which did not hurt before (only my chest did) is now on fire thanks to all my talking (even customers were scolding me) so i have a feeling i’ll pay even more for it later. at least i get to hide back in the office for the next two days.
i just ate mashed potatoes for lunch (my leftover dinner). i grabbed myjuice glass from last night (that i had rinsed and set by the sink) and poured myself a glass. as i was drinking i saw a pile of ants floating on top. GAK! don’t think i got any, but if so, protein i guess…
oh! i need YOUR help. i am going to be representing my work (a doggy spa and daycare) in a halloween doggy parade. they are encouraging me to dress up, and to bring my dog dressed up as well. so i need ideas stat so i can start sewing and getting supplies. i will try to bring china1. here are my guidelines for costumes:
- it will be in the 40°s… I will need to be wearing thick warm clothes with layers.
- i’ll need to be able to carry a small backpack for my camera, dog supplies, etc…
- i don’t want to have lots of face paint or a mask on for hours.
- china will not wear anything on her head (hats, ears, etc) and i wouldn’t want to force her and have her be unhappy. so her costume has to be solely a coat. i can sew it so it can be anything…
last night i actually got a little sleep. i only had to wake up to blow my nose every hour or so, instead of every 15 minutes. it was nice, but 5am came to early. i can sleep in more tomorrow.
my throat is on fire… i wonder what i should do for dinner…
1. india is on walk probation. ever since i went back to working outside the home she has been skittish with strange places and protective of me. her “prey” instinct seems to have grown too (the instinct to chase small things like squirrels and birds). after she pulled away from me on leash to “protect” me from a dog that was barking at us (nearly causing the dog owner a heart attack because india sounds really mean even though she is a wuss). so i put her on “house arrest” for a few weeks. she got to play in the backyard, but no walks. i got her a ‘gentle leader” head harness and she is training how to walk in that. we started with late night walks and have progressed to daytime, though i still try my hardest to avoid other dogs. so she is on “walk probation”. she does pretty good at doggy daycare so i know she can be with other dogs, but she tends to get frightened/stressed in a crowd easily – especially on leash. so she is NOT ready for a parade.