Christmas Reindeer

Been doing those paint and wine classes for the past 18 months.  Last week it was a cartoony reindeer.  But I modified mine to include longer antlers and decorations.  Very happy with the result.

1999 Mazda Protege vs 2017 Mazda 6

Early in February, I was told the lurching and hesitation in my 1999 Mazda would require a new engine. 

That would make moot my attempt to get to 300,000 miles.  New motor would mean starting over.  So I accepted the fact that my baby would need to be replaced.  

But not then.  I had only 3,200 miles to go to make it to 300,000.  The mechanic said it "probably" wouldn't die on me.  So the quest was on. 

Complicating matters is the fact that I have a work from home job now.  So it took me until July to rack up those last few miles. 

And it was getting scary at the end.  Mid-July.  Arizona.  I could have the a/c on.  Or I could use the brakes.  

Not both.  

Applying the brakes when the a/c was on caused the car to stall.  I went without a/c for a couple very hot weeks.  

But I made it.  


I had previously test-driven and evaluated cars so I knew I wanted another Mazda.  I drove my Protege into the dealership with 300,012 miles on it.  

And drove out with a new Mazda 6. 

A whole lot has changed in cars since I bought my Protege 18 years and 8 months before.  

There's the whole push-button start for one thing.  That took some getting used to.  My Protege was a manual transmission.  Seemed more logical to get an automatic this time.  Supposedly the gas mileage is optimized for the automatic.  But I kept forgetting to put the transmission in Park.  There were a handful of times I couldn't figure out why the car wouldn't shut off.  

The key fob in your purse threw me off as well.  I kept reaching into my pocket for my keys.  Gotta say though, I like the keyless door and trunk opening. 

The automatic headlights and windshield wipers are a nice touch.  I was paranoid for a while, thinking the lights weren't going to shut off on their own.  

I love the backup camera and warning. The only thing I don't like?  I don't like that I can mute the radio, but not turn it off.  

I've adapted.  The dogs have adapted.  Back seat is still good sized.  I added seat extenders so they wouldn't fall off onto the floor.  The leatherette seats are more slippery than my old cloth seats.  The windows are a little smaller.  Bogie has to duck his head more to stick it out into the breeze.  

Overall, very pleased.  Haven't had a car payment in ages.  That's not fun.  But it's peppy and gets good gas mileage. 

And I can use the brakes when the a/c is on. 

 

Building Lego Assembly Square

This kit, at 4,002 pieces, is the largest I've ever tackled.  I wasn't sure if I would enjoy following the very explicit directions, but I found it relaxing and a way to get out of my head.

Some people color.  Some people do jigsaw puzzles.  It appears that I will be doing Lego buildings.

The first hint that this was not as simple as the Beach Hut was the instruction guide - a full 1/2" thick.

There were 6 phases of building.  It took me 13.5 hours to complete.  And I enjoyed almost every minute of it.  (I admit the scallops along the edges were kind of tedious.)

Because these kits are made to be played with like dollhouses, a lot of detail goes into the interiors.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience.  Pictures below.

One of my favorite features was the "leaded" glass bakery window. But it was a little tricky to install. 

The detailed interior included an amazingly detailed dentist chair with spit sink and lamp:


A piano in the dance studio that was made from over 25 pieces:


And a roof hatch for the stairway:


That's not to overlook the tripod camera in the photography studio, the bathroom and folding fouton in the apartment, the drum set in the music store.

The completed front:

Pie lady in the front is from Series 17.  She just fit here.

The attention to detail continues to the back which is just as complete as the front, with a rear staircase and a rooftop cafe.
 

Level One:


Level Two:


Level Three:

Canine Acupuncture

Angel is 9 years old now.  But in basically good health.  She has the potential to live a few more years.  And plenty of love and wags to share.

But her arthritis has been getting worse.

She had knee repair surgeries on both knees.  The left in May 2011, the right in May 2013.  The shriek she let out when each of her knees went out still haunts my nightmares.

In any case, knees repaired, but arthritis has ensued.  My vet clinic recently hired a pain specialist and Dr. Patt, supportive of alternative treatments, suggested I give acupuncture a try.

Holy cow!  Angel has had 6 sessions now with Dr. Paster, and she is much more active and energetic.  She still has trouble rising from the floor and that may never go away.  But she is doing so much better.

And what's not to like.  We sit in an exam room.  They talk sweetly to her and insert the needles, which she doesn't seem to feel, and feed her treats the whole time.  Bogie lays next to her to keep her company and he gets treats as well.

With lots of little blue-tipped needles stuck into her trigger points.

Bogie keeps her company

 Acupuncture isn't cheap, mostly because it takes multiple visits.  But if you have a dog that is suffering, and you have the disposable income, it's a treatment to consider.

This is only useful to readers in Arizona, but the clinic my dogs love to visit, and where we get the acupuncture, is Little Critters Vet.

Toy stuffing everywhere

My sister likes to give the dogs toys they can destroy. 

This lamb was about 12" long and survived mostly intact since Christmas. 

Last night Bogie put one paw on its head, grabbed the other end, and pulled in a long, slow rip. 

Then he picked up the carcass and shook the stuffing out. 

This does not show all the scattered stuffing which covered a bigger area than I could capture.