Friday, June 27, 2014

Happy Friday!

We all need a Leela to lay our head on.


Leela purrs so loud when Nim squishes her. It is pretty funny. I never hear her purr except with Nim.


Happy Friday folks. I am TIRED!

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Nim's First Holter

I am long overdue for a gardening post. I am so terrible this year with my gardening. I keep buying plants but not actually planting them.


I finally got many of my starts in the ground yesterday so that I would have more room on my table and ate my first edible item from plants I got in the ground a few weeks ago. 


That is about all the gardening for this post, the rest will be about Nim's first holter monitor experience.

In my mind, the single downside to Dobermans as a breed is their crappy health problems. After Odin died young from Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) I really thought long and hard about ever owning a doberman again it was such a rough experience.

And yet here I am, with my perfect little Nim. :)

Nim is completely healthy and symptom free. He is also 4 years old, extremely active, and has recently had two close relatives die: one definitely from cardio and one most likely. This means despite lack of symptoms I need to screen him. I request my holter from WSU. The vet helps me get it on, and then I will mail back all the equipment and their cardiologists will analyze the results.


As you can see, Nim was sort of grouchy about the holter monitor. He was way less easy going about it than Odin ever was. Fortunately I got it on him and immediately took him to obedience which he loves so it took his mind off the apparatus for awhile, but once we got home, he did some serious sulking.

Eventually he did go to sleep but he was in a snit the rest of the night.

Underneath that jacket there are 5 sticky attachments to shaved areas around his chest which is then hooked up to a digital monitor. I am sure it is not entirely comfortable.


In the morning we both begrudgingly hit the trail to get some excursion on the monitor. Neither of us slept well so we were both tired, but as you can see it was a beautiful morning. I think the jacket was warm for him. I will try and not do this again in the summer if I can avoid it.


I was going to take a picture of all the wiring and the attachments once I got the jacket off, but he was so grouchy with me we will try it next time. The monitor information will be downloaded and read for any arrhythmia.


At least the hair will grow back fast. :)

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Nim and Artoo Go Swimming

On Saturday Nim and his little friend Artoo went swimming at Aqua Dog Spa. This is one of my favorite photos. That is my friend Joan with Artoo in the water and Nim at her side. I think he is looking out in the water at Cindy. :)


Artoo went first which was big fun for Nim. Nim just ran laps around the pool, begged for attention from Joan, and caused some general mischief.


Like stealing Artoo's toy:





This is only Artoo's second time in the water but he was very zen about it.


Nim would have been fine staying poolside.


Then it was Nim's turn to swim and Artoo got to watch and harass. :)






Nim likes to make his own whitecaps. We also noticed Nim was basically silent! This never happens. Perhaps he didn't want to make a fool of himself with his little friend around.

Nim got an extra long water massage and I think it did his body good. He seemed exceptionally playful at training today.

Although perhaps that is also because he got a new, super long snake.


And he and Pixel got to play together. :)



Saturday, June 21, 2014

Sunshine Happiness

The sunshine finally came out on Thursday and all is right in my world. Even some of my REG + Enrolled Agent studying is even finally starting to make sense. And for the record, while related, studying for both exams at the same time is completely overwhelming.

Earlier in the week I got a 38% on one of the REG study simulation practices. I was so mad about it I almost gave up right there. But instead I choose to blame my youngest sister for getting me to watch Little Women: LA which actually sucks brain cells from you as you are watching it. That is the only reason I can account for forgetting to put a negative sign on all my expenses which resulted in the 38%. Good thing that was "practice."


Anyway, these photos are from the woods of the Cedar Butte trail. Lovely woods. Happy Nim.


I hope everyone has good plans this week. I feel some plant shopping coming on. Nim has swimming lessons today which is always fun times had by all. His little friend Artoo is going with him. Hopefully Artoo doesn't get scared by all the Nim yelling. :)

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Ready for a New Week!

It has been raining now since Friday. I am not pleased.

Last weekend I bought two new cat scratchers.

Cat Scratcher Number One:


Every day I separate at least one fight over this $14 hunk of cardboard. Every. Single. Day. I am shocked they haven't attempted to cram both of themselves in it.


Cat Scratcher Number Two is not photographed because no one uses it.

I think this might be the first year these irises have bloomed.


They were transplanted a few years ago and all survived, but either haven't been flowering or someone is eating them before I get out to see it.


I need my sun back! Nim and I both need it. This coming week I start a new job. I know, it is kind of amazing to be dealing with a job switch so soon, but I believe in the long run it will be a good thing.


This rainy Sunday will be spent studying for my exams and grading schoolwork for quarter end. I hope everyone has a relaxing Sunday.

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Enrolled Agent SEE Part 3 - Representation, Practicies, and Procedures - PASSED

I realize my posts about accounting related exams will be rather boring unless you are working on them yourself, but this is when the journalling nature of a blog takes over. I need to write this post probably more for me. I also personally read other blogs on individual testing experiences to learn more for myself. So to make this more bearable, I have added photos that have nothing to do with:

  1. Accounting
  2. Taxes
  3. Commuting to Puyallap on a Saturday



I will write about the entire Enrolled Agent exam experience when parts 1 and 2 or done, but all I have to say about part 3 is that it was hard. Surprisingly hard. Considering I was scoring very good on my Exam Matrix review course I expected this test to feel better than it did. I have a theory that I shouldn't have gone out of order (I think I should have started with part 1 instead of part 3), but I will know that better once the other two parts are completed.


And why did I start with Part 3 you might be asking yourself? Well Part 1 (Individual) and Part 2 (Corporate) didn't get updated review material until May 1. Since I bought the review course in February, it made sense at the time to start with the section that wasn't going to change when the tax year update happened.


Nim was so glad when I got home. The house was too hot and he needed to lay outside for some chewing. He just ignored me while I worked through my stress issues. I got so wound up at the test that my chest was still tight when I got home.


When you take these tests you have to drive to a testing facility. In my case the "closest" one was still an hour away and traffic was not my friend.


I may have to bring my own earplugs next time. There was a test taker next to me whispering all the questions to him or herself. I had to put on the provided noise-cancelling earphones. There were probably 12 - 14 bays all in one small room. Most of the desks were taken. That is a lot of people, under a lot of stress in one tiny area.

I also left a jacket which I will probably never see again. At least it was fairly inexpensive jacket from Target and it has got about 3 solid years of use. I also recently washed it which is nice for whoever had to deal with it given its general state of pet hair and smells.





Friday, June 6, 2014

Ready For The Weekend!

This weekend promises to be sunny and after my exam on Saturday I am planning not to do much for the rest of the weekend except enjoy the sun.

And now...some Thursday photos:

Sun Buddies
(Leela and Nim)


Work Buddy


(Emile)


Training Buddies
(Artoo and Nim)


Artoo is maybe a year old and a fun little guy. He was rescued with his two other siblings by a friend of mine. One sibling already found her home and the second one should be close. He will stay with my friend. :)

Have a great Friday! I will be finding my exam Zen.

Monday, June 2, 2014

First Monday in June

Good Monday morning! Look at how awake and lively this little bunny is this morning. He needs to fatten up quickly so the owl doesn't take him out.


This weekend was all about Nim (as usual) and studying (sadly sort of usual right now too). On Saturday Nim had his annual eye exam. Since half of my brain seems to be busy doing other things I am forgetting a lot of stuff...such as bringing a camera to the appointment.

So this photo is after the appointment in the yard:


Fortunately he doesn't need to see to chew.


My big purchase this weekend was an umbrella. I was losing patience with my tiny umbrella set-up for the laptop. This will be far better for my studying.


Next Saturday, June 7th will be my first test of 3 tests that make up the Enrolled Agent. Worrying about this test is one of about three things really keeping me up at night. I feel well studied and well prepared, but I nervous all the same. If nothing else, I feel like my success or failure on this test could be setting the tone on my future tests and I have a lot of them coming in roughly the next year.


When I wasn't studying I started planting a few starts in the garden. I have my peas lined up back by the fencing in hopes that my plan to vine them up will work.


Happy first week of June!