Princess Kate is a Rascal!

I am an animal lover. I always have been. I really wanted to be a veterinarian when I was younger but I was terrible at science and knew I'd never get through vet school. So I set out to save animals the only way I knew how - by giving them a home. I love my pets. They are great company and for the most part pretty well behaved. That is until Princess Kate moved in.

Yes, I've adopted a new dog. She wandered into the station last week. Animal control picked her up and no one ever claimed her. I just couldn't bare the thought of this sweet and beautiful animal being put down. So here I am - the owner of a three year old, solid white, shephard-husky mix.

She's quite regal looking actually, thus her name. Her eyes are icy blue. But she's a rascal. The first day she moved in I left her in what I thought was my secure backyard. When I returned on my dinner break she was gone. I drove around for two hours before I had to head back to the station for the 10pm news. As I was driving down S.14th, there she was - prancing along like she had somewhere to be.

It turned out that she had found a rotten spot in the wood fence, knocked a few boards loose then dug her way to freedom. Yesterday I had the fence fixed and the hole she dug filled. Before I left for work today she'd already started digging a new one. It was hard to be angry when she looked up at me with those eyes, covered from head to toe in dirt. Her expression said something along the lines of, "What... what'd I do?".

Now, she's inside quite a bit, but I have a small house and she and my cats don't really get along yet, so I need to be able to leave her in the backyard from time to time without worrying she'll disappear again.

If you've got a "digger" I'd appreciate any ideas on how to keep her from destroying my yard and setting herself free again.

Meanwhile, I've chosen not to think about the fact that she's not happy with her new home and wants out of here!

Family and Fun Filled Weekend

What a great Presidents' Day weekend I had. My brother John, sister-in-law Ginger and nieces Madison and Caroline visited from Louisiana. Madison is 11 and Caroline is 3 and they had a ball in Abilene. They're ready to come back!

We started things off at the Abilene Zoo. Madison is an animal lover and couldn't wait to see every resident at the zoo. It was hard for her to choose a favorite, but both girls really enjoyed feeding the giraffes. Caroline loved the flamingos. I think their pink coloring is what caught her eye. That and the hot pink flamingo souvenir bottle she brought home. Me, I was mesmerized by the lion cubs, who aren't so small anymore.

After the zoo, Ginger wanted to check out some antique stores. We toured a few before she bought a beautiful old cabinet that barely fit in the back of their suburban. I found an old silver tea service that I'll be polishing up this weekend. While were cruising around downtown Madison insisted we stop at some of the outdoor art displays. She loved the giant cows head along S. 1st.

John is a farmer and wanted to visit some of the western stores in town. He ended up getting a new pair of boots.

I didn't do a very good job of planning ahead. I saved the Children's Museum at the Grace and the NCCIL for Sunday, but they are both closed on Sundays. Unfortunate, but now they have a reason to come back!

Instead on Sunday we ended up at Nelson Park. The girls absolutely loved the Camp Imagination playground. They didn't want to leave, but we finally pried them away for lunch and Caroline's nap.

Next up... Primetime! I had never been, but what a fun place. We played games in the arcade for a long time. I can't wait to go back to bowl and play laser tag!

We had a late reservation Sunday at Perini Ranch. Michelle Ashworth and her boyfriend Larry joined us and what a treat. Everything we ordered was delicious! And we didn't really save room for dessert, but we ordered it anyway!

It was a fabulous weekend. I was so sad when they had to leave Monday morning. But I know they had a ball in Abilene and will be back to visit again soon!

Mom's Recent Visit

It's been a busy few months for me. First the holidays, then covering the Hailey Dunn Case and then the February Freeze! But I finally got a small break last weekend and was thrilled to spend it with my mom!

She and her husband have an R.V. and they love to use it! In the fall they head to Baton Rouge seven weekends out of the year to cheer on the LSU Tigers. In the winter, spring and summer they take trips to different lakes and visit kids. This weekend was my turn!

Pedicures and some shopping were on the agenda and a great dinner out at Lytle Land and Cattle. On Saturday afternoon we drove to Buffalo Gap and toured the Abilene State Park, which looks like a great place for camping. (Picture above was not taken in Abilene!)

It's fun showing off the Big Country. My brother, sister-in-law and nieces are coming for a visit soon - a perfect excuse to experience the Big Country through the eyes of a child. I'm thinking the zoo, The Grace, The Center for Children's Illustrated literature and maybe Frontier Texas. There's so much to do here for kids! Let me know what you think we should do!