My Encounter with "The Grim"

Disclaimer: If you don't know what a grim is, then you need to read through the first 3 Harry Potter books and then come back to this post. Wait. You don't have the time for that? Well, darn. In the world of Harry Potter The Grim is a vision of a giant black dog. If you see one it means that you'll die in the next 24 hours.
Anyways.

I consider myself to be a fairly cautious person. That is to say, I don't just go walking around by myself after dark just waiting for trouble to tap me on the shoulder. But sometimes your husband has to study, your dog needs a walk, the weater is lovely, and suddenly you find yourself out and about at 9:30pm without a care in the world!

I mean, you do, don't you?

Well, last night I found myself in such a predicament. The weather just called me to go on a walk! Autumn has (briefly) hit Cowtown and Gershwin and I were rarin' and ready to go. I put on a sweatshirt, leashed up Gershwin and we were off!!

It was truly a beautiful night but I'm not stupid. Really. I promise. When I take G for walks after dark I'm very aware of my surroundings and constantly looking over my shoulder.
Come to think of it, I probably look insane. But that's beside the point.

So last night I'm walking along and I come to the point where I need to turn right at the end of the block and begin making our way back home via the next street. This part is particularly scary when alone because to my right is bright and shiny school housing...and to my left is...well, it's not. Let's just leave it at that. So I'm checking behind me and all around me for crack dealers and I make it safely around to the next street where school housing is on either side of me. Sigh. What a relief.

A moment later I heard several dogs barking and I briefly glanced over my shoulder to check that all was clear.

And.
I.
Saw.
A.
GRIM.

A huge black dog quite a ways behind us was causing the commotion. I realized that getting scared would only get me in trouble so I stayed calm and kept walking with the thought that the dog had no interest in me or Gershwin and he would go along his merry way. I turned around again several seconds later only to find that the dog was closer and was now jogging toward us. My heart rate was soaring but I'm not stupid...the last thing I would do is run from it and give it reasong to think that I was afraid. So I just picked up Gershwin, steadied my breathing, and looked ahead. I noticed a man and woman walking toward us that I see frequently on walks so that calmed me a bit. Ya know, if the dog tries to eat me and G then at least someone will see us and try to come to our rescue.

As these thoughts are crossing my mind I can hear The Grim dog getting ever closer. When I was still a decent distance away from the couple coming toward us the dog was on my heels.
Literally.
The dog was sniffing me and tripping over my flipflops.
Yes. Go ahead. Freak out.

I very calmly said to the married couple, "UMMMM...Could you puh-lease tell me what kind of dog is following me?"
Smooth one, Becca. Not "Could you make it go away?" or "SAVE ME!"
I'm just a little curious as to the identity of my future-murderer is all. Please, just indulge my curiosity. Pit Bull? Viscious T-Rex? Monty Python's Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog?

I stopped walking after asking my stupid question and then there he was. A MASSIVE greatdane/lab looking mix walks around in front of me with the most curious, innocent expression and begins to sniff Gershwin.
I would like to add that at this point I was holding Gershwin up around my chest with his feet hanging around my waist. Beast-dog Grim was tall enough that all he had to do to sniff Gershwin was lift his head. And I'm not exactly the shortest girl around, either.

The walking couple was fantastic! It just so happens that he works for security and knew that they have a dog pen where they keep stray dogs that are found in school housing areas. They take care of them there until they can find the owner. They slowly approached The Grim while I stood there trying to control my freak out. Gershwin just looked at him reverently. I think he dreams of being that ginormous. Dream on, baby.

It turns out that The Grim was ridiculously gentle and probably saw us from a distance, got curious, and decided that Gershwin was too cute to resist checking out. Don't worry, Grim, you're not alone. Curiously enough, he looked very well cared for, hada nice collar, and was probably a very well cared for guy that just jumped a fence. I stood there while the walking lady held The Grim's collar and petted him while her husband called security to have him picked up. They told me to keep on walking, they had the situation under control. By the time I was at the end of the block security was there. Talk about quick service!

I managed to make it home before I broke out in cold sweats.
Don't get me wrong. I LOVE big dogs. But when one runs at you, after dark, on a cold windy night and trips over your flipflops while sniffing where no one wants to be sniffed...well, that's pretty blasted scary.
So today I am thankful for lovely neighbors, a husband who listens to the whole story and says "awww" and "yikes" in all the right places, and a God who protects me from myself and Giant-Beast-Grim-Dogs.

Praise the Lord. Absolutely anything could have gone wrong but all The Grim wanted was to bust out of his backyard and be curious. The only concern I have now is how I'll spend my last evening on earth...ya know, since I saw The Grim I only have 24 hours to live.
Any suggestions???

Seasons

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven"
Ecclesiastes 3:1

Yes, Solomon, there sure is!

I enjoy taking part in many different activities and hobbies. I like to sew, read, knit, explore, go on walks, scrapbook, travel, learn about history, sing....etc.
However, the two hobbies* that are most consistent in my life are reading and knitting. I started reading...well...when every American public school kid did. In Kindergarten! But, unlike a lot of kids, just couldn't get enough of books. I liked playing outside with my siblings and friends, watching tv, playing with dolls and the like but a new book is what really tickled my fancy.
*(I'm not including the hobby of "singing" in this count because it is a more serious endeavor for me these days)

So the point is that I like to read, right? And I would rather read than do anything else?

Well, my senior year of high school I defied the 17 year-old girl norm and started knitting. I still read, of course, but this was an entirely new fascination for me. I just couldn't get enough! I knitted like crazy my whole senior year and enjoyed having handmade things to give to family and friends. When I started college, however, knitting sort of fell to the back burner. I just didn't have the time. I picked up reading again instead of knitting because it was easier to keep up with a book over long periods of time. I took an entire semester to read Pride and Prejudice. That's how serious this business thing was. After a short while I adjusted to the college life and started knitting again.

So ever since I picked up knitting I've had two fun hobbies that I bounce back and forth between. I'll knit like a fool for several months and then out of the blue (and often in the middle of a project) just can't stand the sight of it any more.
Enter reading!
Suddenly I'm entranced by some book or other and when it's finished I pick up another, and another, and another! Then, after several months or so (is this starting to sound like a pattern yet?) of reading voraciously I don't want to touch another book.
Enter knitting!

See the pattern?

This is my life. A series of systems and patterns. Seasons if you will. I'm aware that it's a little boring, yes, but I love it.

I've been in a reading season for a while now. While I was planning the wedding knitting was too much for my brain. (Just ask me about the dress I started despite the fact that my brain wanted to read. Ugh) So I am on the second of a 7 book series right now( No, Malissa, not Harry Potter) and I just lose it. I'm sick of reading! I need some sort of textile centered hobby!
Oh yeah! I can knit! How convenient!

So, now that 2 people in the universe have read my ramblings, let me introduce you to the new loves in my life. Are ya ready?

http://www.knitpicks.com/cfpatterns/pattern_display.cfm?ID=10563220

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/34630744

Could these two delightful patterns be more wonderful?? I certainly don't think so.
Christmas is just a few months away so please excuse me while I go and knit.

Not quite sure...

Well, I'm not quite sure how this happened.

Ya see, on July 6th, for our one month anniversary, K and I expanded our family.

Here he is on that fated day...

He was certainly the cutest ball of fluff that our amazing local shelter had. And believe me, I know. I had been stalking them for weeks. Seriously.

But I'm not quite sure what happened. Ya see, he started changing a little. Here's some proof.

See! The little bugger grew. And started making friends. (That particular friend is named "Sheep". Go figure.)

There he goes again! Growing! I just am not quite sure how it happens....

Here he is, eating carrots out of his Cone of Shame. Pitiful kid. That'll teach ya not to lick the glue off your hiney!

And final, definite proof that this baby is changing.

Look at that precious puppydog! He's getting bigger everyday. No kidding.He's 3 and a half months old. Eats like he's a starved Ethiopian dog. Loves carrots and apples. Lives for walks and belly rubs. Thinks it's funny to steal and eat our shoes. Is currently in an obedience class. Chews his paws and knees. Attempts to herd us like sheep in our little home...

And he keeps us smiling. :-)

I'm just not quite sure how he grew so fast!