Life Under the Mountain

Okay, lately, I've neglected my blog. However, some notable events have taken place lately, so I've decided to update.

The most notable event as of late has been the traumatic 8-legged experience I had two days ago. So, it's around 10:40, and I have to leave for work around 11am. So, I get up and grab my work pants off the ground and throw them on. I go to the kitchen to grab a glass of water, and I notice that something is following me. So, I look down and notice a big, black spider a foot and a half behind me - I freak out a little and take a step - and the spider follows me! It's silk is attached to my pants! So, I stop to look at it, and it crawls onto Nero's water dish, and I catch a glimpse of its belly, and what do I see? A bright red hourglass!!! I freak out, take another step away..the spider (still attached) follows me, and I slam my water glass down on it. I immediately run to WebMD.com to look up black widow spiders. It is very vague and says that you may not know if you've been bitten. This throws me into hysterics. Bob is out of town for the week, so I'm home alone. I call Bob and leave an unintelligible, sobbing message. Then, I call my dad who tells me to call the area hospitals and ask for advise. All the while, I'm thinking in the back of my mind 'Nero has been really lethargic all day, he wouldn't even go on a walk with me - did he get bit? he's going to die! he's so small!'. So, I frantically talk to several poor nurses, and I get the good news that black widows are usually not aggressive, and I would know if I had been bitten, and that most adults just get a red welt when they are bitten and only a few people have a severe allergic reaction to the venom, and very few people actually die. So, I check myself and Nero over thoroughly - no red marks, we're fine. So, I compose myself, and go to work..and what do you know? Nero and I are still here to tell our tale. Because people didn't believe me that it was actually a black widow, I took pictures. (CRAP! Some error keeps coming up when I try to add a picture..so, it will be here sooner or later). Well, continuing on with the spider saga...So, now I'm very careful getting dressed. This morning, I went to put on my sweatpants (yes, they were laying on the ground...), so I pick them up to do a spidey check. I look down the pant legs, and right there - at the hem of the right leg is the silhouette of a gigantic spider!!!! I nearly had a heart attack! After some violent shaking, the spider(a big brown, stripey, creepy, but harmless spider) scurries across the floor, and meets the bottom of my shoe. I just can win!! *shudder* So, now it seems I'm living in a real life 'Arachnophobia'. Ugh - I hate spiders. If I start shooting webs out of my wrists and get 'spidey-sense', I wouldn't be surprised.

Okay, so speaking of Nero being lethargic...it comes and goes. And today his belly got all big. So, after some internet research, I think Nero may have canine cushings disease (look at me, I'm a cross-species hypochondriac!) Anyway, I think Buddy may have had it too because it makes dogs lose hair, pee inside, drink a lot of water, become overly excited about food, and have bad hair overall (there are lots of other symptoms too, but not all dogs experience the same symptoms) - but what's interesting is that in late stages, dogs can lose strength in hind limbs/have overall weakness. The articles said that most people just assume that their dog is showing signs of aging because it comes on gradually. So, Nero has a bloated belly, has lost a lot of hair, eats all of his food whenever I put it in his bowl, but he hasn't started peeing a lot or anything..so I could be wrong. Anyway, he needs to get some shots updated, so I'll ask the vet about it when I take him in.

In other news, I finally know what I want to be for Halloween! Esmeralda! I get to have big hair and a big skirt! Plus, it'll be cheap. Maybe I can get Bob to go as Quasimodo :o)

Oh yeah, I almost forgot! I went to the grocery store today to get some cereal and other supplies. I get everything I need, and I head to the registers, as I stand in line, I pick up a copy of 'Real Simple' to peruse, then I put that down as I move ahead in line. As I get closer to the register, I read the magazine covers for Woman's Day, Family Circle, Rocky Horror Picture Show?! Yes, right there in the middle of Safeway, where families shop for groceries and mothers pick up magazines about homemaking, is a movie about transvestites, pelvic thrusts, murder, and mad scientists! (yes, I say scientists because of the implications of Dr. Scott's associations with the Germans). Anyway, I just thought it was odd..However, it did make me realize, that I need to look up midnight showings on Halloween.

Bob comes back on Monday! Nero and I are looking forward to having our official spider-squisher, dog walker, dish washer, and food preparer back! We've been living like bachelors who love 'The Gilmore Girls' the last few days...