survival, humor, and absolutely packed days

Naturally, now that I am using the scooter only when absolutely necessary does Josie make friends with it.

Margo on the other hand, continues to only have deep, deep loathing for it.  Look at that glare!  How dare this rolling demon monster be in my way!

There's not a lot to report here.  Just survival, humor, and absolutely packed days.  Two of my three classes have final projects, and as of today I have submitted my rough drafts of each.  Now I'm just waiting for feedback so that I can finish them.  My other class has only been discussion posts about the plethora of library services out there for older adults.  I imagine there will be some larger assignment at the end, but it hasn't been posted yet.

I have officially hired one person, and tomorrow I am hoping to hire the second person.  Both will be responsible for graphic design and production, and I think it will help to have two people sharing that load.  In the meantime, I have been learning the bare basics of graphic design, ensuring I know how to run all the machines enough to provide basic training, thinking through all the ins and outs of training, and learning how to onboard two employees with their own unique schedules, skills, preferences etc.  I'm nowhere near ready, but the person I have already hired has worked in personalization before and has loads of skills, humor, and enthusiasm.  He is also starting tomorrow!  And he'll have a week with our current graphic designer before she leaves.  

I haven't made any huge strides with my injury.  I think the next big moment will be taking out another lift in a week or two  I definitely feel more comfortable with the crutches though, and have started enjoying pointing at things for Robert to do with one crutch.  He absolutely loves this btw!  The biggest hurdle I have right now is just how unbelievably tired I am.  If I had the time right now I could easily sleep 10+ hours a day.  I couldn't sleep when I was on bed rest, but now that I'm up and about, I'm ready to sleep.  Isn't that how it always goes?

I can finally see some time to slow down on the horizon.  It's definitely a ways off, but the outline of it is there.

Margo's big feelings

It's been all about Josie lately, but Margo would like to say she's recently had some great moments too.

Margo dressed up for possibly the last time for work, and it was an adventure.  Since Margo started going to work at my shop, she has had a soft spot for J, who is leaving soon.  I've never tried to dress up either dog, but when J said she wanted to dress up Margo, I said why not.  Margo loves J, so I wasn't too surprised she let J dress her up a few times for our social media.  This last time was a riot, because Margo was just as patient as ever, but we couldn't keep her wig on.  Margo loved the attention, everyone had some great laughs, and Margo got a toy out of the deal.

Can you guess who Margo was for Halloween?  

If anyone guesses Wednesday Addams, you are correct!  Margo has a dark sense of humor, so the role was a good fit for her.  Her toy Thing is her new best friend and just like her toys at home, she uses the squeak sound to express when she's having big feelings.  Thing's squeaker is kinder to the ears than Hamburger, which lives at home and has long, squalling, shrieking squeaks.  I've tried to hide Hamburger numerous times with no luck.  When Margo is having a big feeling, her hamburger radar goes off, and she can find it anywhere.

We recently installed a gate for Margo at the shop's front counter.  Robert and I have been back and forth about whether to get a gate since the beginning.  She's so well-behaved and listens to commands.  But she is also a leaner who wants to be the first one to greet customers.  Some customers do not want a dog leaning into them or laying on their feet.  So Robert and I got her a gate, and it's been wonderful.  She can be the first one to greet customers, and the customers who want her in their business can open the gate.  I'm just waiting for the day Margo brings her Thing to the gate for a customer!  She has squeaked it from the back a few times when customers come in, but if anyone hears it, they are too polite to inquire.

Margo is the best leaner I've known.  The perfect dog to take on a long walk or sit with on the porch for hours.  She is not big on cuddles.  But yesterday, after making some successful strides with my two big final projects for school, Margo cozied up to me.  We were at Robert's office so he could get some work done while having his support team nearby.  Unlike my office, Robert's office has a couch, which is where Josie hangs out when she goes to work.  I knew if I sat on Josie's couch, she was going to cuddle with me.  But after a while she left, and Margo decided to jump up and do some cuddling herself.  She stayed up so long we thought we were going to miss dinner and have to stay the night.  It was such a rare moment we didn't want to ruin it.