Dozers

Saturday, October 12, 2024

Today, I must be at work by 8:30. This early shift is mine, hopefully only temporarily, while a colleague who usually works early shifts is on vacation.

Besides, the shift is earlier than usual. The store has suddenly changed its opening and closing times, moving them back by one hour. So this eight-thirty shift start, before this week, was a nine-thirty start. The colleague on vacation won’t be a bit happier about it than me.

This is as much blogging as I can crank out quickly. My remaining free early hours will be spent feeding the animals and preparing to leave for my outside job.

I’ve considered taking a hiatus from my part-time gig, but with the holiday season beginning, the store’s business has picked up. Like other large stores, ours has too few dependable employees, and it wouldn’t be right to leave my job now, not even for a while.

Dear Friends: I’m Old School worker, appreciating employment and sticking with it. Diana

To-Do’s

Friday, October 11, 2024

I’m busy preparing my property’s outdoor elements for winter. My daunting to-do list must be completed before winter’s icy grip forces me indoors. Today, I will kill weeds, clean more in my woodworking shop, and reinforce several dog kennel wire welds broken by my puppy Chase in his determination to escape. Later today, I will work in my outdoor job.

Whew, that’s plenty! With more ahead on my list, maybe “daunting” is an understatement. Today, I will stay on track by focusing on the identified tasks. Tomorrow, I will challenge myself to select other to-do items and get them done.

Aside from the work I must do, I enjoy bundling up slightly against our cooling weather. I have missed wearing sweaters and light jackets. They keep me warm now before the sun rises and after it sets.

Here in Central Oregon, anticipating a coming winter or coming spring usually is a big deal because this area’s traditional weather can be harsh and lasting. These days, however, I’m adjusting my perspective because of the killer weather that’s hitting the East Coast. Our local weather is complex but less fearsome. I wonder if we might experience our weather ahead as hugely different from what we’ve known.

Dear Friends: Let’s cherish what’s good, available, and affordable–while still they’re so. Diana

Hunter!

Thursday, October 10, 2024

My “Little Mitzvah” is fifteen pounds that finally grasped a skill that increases her value to my property. Her cuteness is always a given, but in the barn earlier this week, she used innate skills and caught a tiny mouse.

My barn hasn’t had a resident mouse hunter since my kitty Maxwell began preferring to be an inside cat. I’ve not introduced a new cat to the barn. There are roosters and often dogs around, and I have lacked free time for hanging out with a new cat and ensuring its safety.

Mitzvah is a Jack Russell Terrier mix. She discovered her skill set on catching that mouse and loving every moment. To more of Mitzvah’s credit, she has recognized a distinctive trail that mice use for entering and leaving the chicken coop. She’s been watching that trail intently.

For me, seeing her terrier spirit in action was pleasing enough. Yesterday afternoon, more of her terrier instincts became apparent.

We were in the shop/barn. My part-time job keeps me too busy to be in the shop playing with woodworking. After discovering that pack rats were in the shop, I entered it yesterday to work on clearing rat debris. Mitzvah, sniffing around, suddenly became very excited at a cluttered spot. I removed some of the clutter and out ran a large rat.

Mitzvah was ready, she chased it to another cluttered spot. Her constant sniffing and circling there communicated the rat’s hiding area. I peeked and saw it squeezed between panel boards. I pulled on one panel and the rat ran with Mitzvah hot on its trail.

She caught it, the rat got loose and hid again. We repeated our process. Mitzvah identified the hiding spot and I pulled away protective items. Before long, I saw that my little dog was exiting the shop with a large rat hanging from her mouth. What followed was au natural.

Mitzvah made sure that the rat was dead.

She rolled repeatedly on the lifeless body.

Mitzvah just needed to be in the right spots. She’s now a working dog, knows her job, and it’s a welcome one. Now, she’s even more pleasing company while we’re out and about on the property.

Dear Friends: A once-ornamental pooch’s true, transforming nature. Diana

Morning

Wednesday, October 09, 2024

With a light blanket covering my shoulders, I ventured outside onto the deck (“my part” that the dogs can’t get into). I sat in today’s early light, contemplating the hours ahead and sipping from a mug of steaming coffee. I was relaxed, and something tapping deeply inside encouraged me to reimagine the drifting steam as new art.

Quiet moments like those remind me to keep a sketchpad or a camera handy. Routinely carrying a shoulder bag is one way to have one or both nearby, but bag-carrying is cumbersome.

This morning became more special after I realized I was not scheduled to work today in my part-time job. There’s no telling why I didn’t notice that today I’m off; maybe because much work to do at home is on my mind.

It’s not just work; I plan to build a lightweight and portable table. It’s primarily for my sewing room but will be easily moveable to other areas.

Dear Friends: I’m still visualizing that rising steam; have a wonderful day! Diana

Workplace Training

Tuesday, October 08, 2024

Today, I am off from my part-time job; however, I must go there anyway for an hour of special training related to my role in jewelry sales.

In my pre-retirement career, I was a learning and development professional in the corporate world. I specialized in group dynamics, line communications, and organizational goals support. In my couple of years working in retail here in Central Oregon, employee training has been a matter of brief rallies, quick instructions, and lots of pressure.

We get it: retail is highly competitive. Improvements in technology are changing the game. Retail has become a nonending competition of online vs. in-person sales. Worker availability and hiring processes are changing.

I have learned that, regardless of an organization’s goals and economic pressures, it needs to provide more effective employee training, which has been designed for specific roles and for group learning. In-person trainers can deliver and teach better than computers. People sitting and learning together, asking questions and discussing, will do better work and can help each other more while performing their jobs.

Yesterday, a young employee newly working in the Intimates Department rushed over, confused by having been asked for help to “find a brassiere.” That sales clerk’s job was to sell bras.

Dear Friends: These are stressful times, with mine a voice in the wilderness. Diana

Caballeros

Monday, October 07, 2024

I asked my coworker Adrain for a photo of himself minus his full-face beard. He said he’s been bearded nearly forever and would look for a picture. So, I got the capture that’s today’s header, young Adrain, adorable and irresistibly huggable.

The modern Adrain sports a beard covering much of his handsome face. The beard “speaks volumes.” For one thing, he’s a salesperson–easily spotted and remembered. For another, he’s reflective and decidedly an individual.

Here’s Adrain doing one of his favorite things, fly-fishing.

He’s still loveable. If you happen into whatever space Adrain might occupy, he’ll be instantly recognizable. (Tell him, “Diana says hello.”)

Adrain’s fun photos sidetracked me. I had planned an update about my puppy Chase; he might be captured for a while.

Early yesterday, I spent much time attempting to secure his kennel door, which constant pawing can rattle open. That kennel is built to house chickens, not a strong dog. My “fix” had to be quick and easy, for I’m usually hurrying to kennel the dog and leave for work.

The solution became four strategically placed bungy cords tight against the door, keeping it still. That’s successful, at least for now. Yesterday, after getting home from work, I found Chase still kenneled. Whew!

Dear Friends: My earlier working hours force me to quit writing now. Diana

Houdini Dog

Sunday, October 06, 2024

Soon after I left for work yesterday, my dog escaped his new escape-proof kennel. He immediately visited my neighbors, Frank and Annette, who brought him home. They got the now-resisting dog into his new kennel and re-secured its too-loose door.

When I returned home from work, Chase was in that kennel and perched atop his Igloo. Thanks again to great neighbors, Chase didn’t become lost or harmed in vehicle traffic.

We’re closer to confining Chase safely when I’m away from home. Today, I will secure his kennel door. He’s very smart, strong, and determined, and it’s a toss-up to him finding new ways of escaping.

I an concentrating on taking everything one day at a time.

My donkey Pimmy is on a diet. She’s losing weight and looking good. I’ve not yet moved my dwarf goat Breeze into the barn with Pimmy. One reason is that Breeze isn’t on a diet and needs separate feeding, which isn’t worked out. Another reason is that my two horses often enter the barn, and they must be pre-introduced to its newest resident.

Lots of thinking and too little action–simply, one day at a time.

Dear Friends: Now it’s a new day to solve old problems and face new ones. Diana

Changes & Challenges

Saturday, October 05, 2024

Yesterday, I worked the late shift. Before leaving home for work, I introduced my puppy Chase to his new kennel and left him in it. Later, returning from work, I saw him still inside; Chase didn’t escape. Oh, Happy Day!

He must wait longer for me today because my schedule has more hours. I will face a bummer: the store’s new hours are effective today; it will open and close one hour earlier. I won’t find it easy to clock in an hour earlier; there’s much to do at home first.

I’ll try to accommodate the change. On a bright note, I won’t have to worry about my puppy escaping and roaming. However, ahead for a couple of days, my schedule shows me arriving to work TWO hours earlier than usual. I’ve no idea why and am hoping the scheduler made a mistake.

The store has been quiet. Coworkers tell me to expect Black Friday to start a business boom that lasts until Christmas. Over my year at the store, I have learned to expect shopping spurts during popular partying and traveling times. The last Christmas season was busy and successful for our store which must repeat that this year.

Dear Friends: I’m already running late; “So much to do, so little time.” Diana

Worries To Rest

Friday, October 04, 2024

A considerable problem is solved: my puppy Chase won’t again escape a new “inescapable kennel” where he will stay when I must leave home. His driving instinct to follow me triggers escaping skills, which he specializes in.

Thanks to a bit of luck, and special thanks to my kind neighbors, Frank and Annette. They have sometimes rescued Chase, brought him home, and re-locked him into my big, sturdy kennel. (For many years, that structure was inescapable by dogs, but recently, Chase–super athletic and too-smart–managed to escape.)

The solution was a happenstance. Down by the barn near my chicken coop stood a wire structure where I occasionally isolated hens needing special attention. That structure has been unused for many months. It’s fully enclosed with wire, with a human-size walk-through wire door, and roofed completely by heavy wire. It looked perfect for safely and securely enclosing Chase but needed to be dismantled, relocated, and reset onto a concrete base.

That structure is large enough to accommodate a dog’s movement and would fit inside my larger standalone structure, which Chase escapes now.

My kind neighbors donated their time and turned the possibilities into a reality. Frank and Annette dismantled the structure, loaded its sections into their pickup, and moved everything uphill. They reassembled the new dog kennel inside the big standalone. We all viewed the result as inescapable.

The new kennel is set securely on a concrete base. Heavy stall mats laid over the concrete increase residents’ comfort. Finally, Chase will be secured; he’ll be in an inescapable smaller kennel within a safe and larger enclosure.

Dear Friends: I cannot begin to adequately describe my enormous relief. Diana

Still Chasing

Thursday, October 03, 2024

My puppy from hell, Chase, has figured out how to escape his escape-proof kennel, and he did that twice yesterday. I was at work when my neighbors let me know that Chase was running loose. They kindly captured the dog, returned him to his kennel, and repaired the spot where Chase had managed to exit.

Arriving home for lunch, I found my doggoned dog, again loose, bounding happily down the driveway and greeting me. A glance at his kennel revealed that he escaped by breaking through a “corner guard” opposite another corner guard he had broken through and my neighbors had repaired.

That escape-proof kennel is large—10′ x 20′. It is set on a concrete base surrounded by heavy wire fencing 6′ high, and its door is lockable. Over the years, I’ve kenneled many dogs there, and until now, none have managed to escape.

Chase is 2 1/2 years old and a mixed breed. When I adopted him, he was an adorable 8 weeks old. His rescuer promised he’d stay tiny because she’d seen his small parents.

Liar!

Chase has grown to 50+ lbs. and is visibly a Rottweiler/Shepherd mix (among other genes). His genes promote muscular strength and sheer-dogged determination. He specializes in leaping highly and digging unstoppable. Worst, he can climb up and over wire fencing.

As long as I’m at home, Chase may run loosely in the dogs’ sizeable common area but must go into the escape-proof kennel when I’m to drive away. My departures trigger his escape button. He has often managed to dig his way out of the common dog area, which is why he’s kenneled separately. For many months, the big kennel has kept him safely confined.

Finally, Chase managed to figure out a way of getting loose. I’m disappointed but not overly surprised because, clearly, he’s always thinking.

Today, I will try to out-clever this dog (again somehow) by escape-proofing the standalone kennel.

Dear Friends: I must keep Chase safe and never raise another puppy. Diana