Moses and the broken commandment

Moses, my dad's yellow lab and Jax's best friend is one lucky dog. He was involved in a hit and run last weekend when he was traveling back home from dumpster diving at Highland Springs. Of course, this is just a speculation as Moses does not talk.

After missing for two days, my parents found him in a ditch. When they took him to the vet, they learned that he had a dislocated hip that would need surgery to repair. The vet recommended taking Moses to MU for the surgery because they have a great veterinary school.

On Wednesday, my dad drove Moses to Columbia and left him in the care of Benjamin a student at MU. Benjamin referred to himself as Moses' student. When he would call my dad to give him updates, he would say, "This is Benjamin, Moses' student."

Moses had his surgery on Thursday and was able to come home today. I decided to take the day off and go with my dad to pick-up Moses. Once we arrived to MU, we found Moses' student Benjamin. Although I did not meet any other students, I was very impressed with Benjamin as he seemed to have a good bedside manner. I learned that Ben is graduating in the summer and plans to doctor "large breed animals" as in cows and horses. His wife will graduate this semester and will doctor "small breed animals" as in dogs and cats. I could tell you a lot more about Ben because my dad asked him a lot of questions such as:

Where will you move after graduation?

Will you be a partner at that hospital?

My dad also gave him advice like:

Stay away from the exotic animals.

My vet, Rick Smith could use some help in Springfield if you want to move down there.

Anyway, after Ben showed us x-rays, talked us through the surgery, and the after care, it was time to see Moses. He was very excited to see his dad but we had to get him to contain his excitement so he wouldn't put too much pressure on his back leg. Other than the shaved hair on his hip and front leg (from the IV) and the staples, he looked great.

Ben and my dad hoisted Moses into the car and we were ready for our ride home. If you haven't seen Moses, I have to tell you that he has a HUGE head. They put one of those cones around his neck and it was extra huge. So big that a few times on the ride home, Moses would get the cone stuck on the back of the seat and the ceiling of the truck and start to choke a little. I had to turn around and get him unstuck!

Moses is now home and receiving much deserved pampering. Moses will be able to stay inside for about eight weeks despite the massive amounts of hair that will be shed in my parents' house. I told my dad that he would just have to vacuum a few extra times each week.

Isn't it annoying when people have a big win or success and won't stop "bragging" on themselves? When they crash and burn, you never hear about it. You might even ask them how their event, meeting, game, etc. went and they say, "I don't even want to talk about it." That always annoys the crap out of me because I remember how he/she wouldn't shut up because he/she is "so AWESOME!"

I have to confess that I am guilty of this. A few weeks ago, we won our first co-ed softball game and I dedicated an entire post to brag about our team. Since then, we have lost three games and I haven't made a single post. Last week was BAD. Not only was the weather horrible, it was about 44 degrees and had been raining most of the day, but we had a double header.

We joked that with the gold sleeves on our shirts, we looked like the Bad News Bears!

We fumbled around when catching the ball and all in all we looked very uncoordinated. We almost made a come back on the first game. The score was 2 - 22 and it ended 19-22. The second team we played was semi-pro and we had no chance! Maybe they weren't semi-pro, but most of them were on competitive teams and played three times a week. The game was actually called early due to a run rule. This means they scored too many runs for us to be able to catch up and the umpire called the game.


Our plan of action is to have a practice this week and work on our fielding as this seems to be our major area of weakness. We hope this will ensure Team Domination a win when we go against the Bud Light Slammers on Friday at 9:30 p.m.

Citizens of Sweatsville: Dead Guy

Dead Guy is approximately 55 years old and balding. His workout consists of riding the "old school" stationary bicycle. This is the kind where the handlebars move back and forth and the "tire" spins around like a fan when you peddle.

There are two things that make Dead Guy noteworthy. Before Dead Guy travels upstairs to get on his stationary bicycle, he has to stretch. There are many places to stretch at the gym, most of which are tucked away and not out in the middle of the cardio area. Apparently, Dead Guy likes to stretch in front of others. His location of choice is in front of the StairMaster. For some reason, 75% of the time that I am on the StairMaster, I look up to find him standing with his legs stretched apart and his bicycle short-wearing butt up in the air, in all its glory. It's a little distracting, but I'm a mature adult, so I don't let it bother me. Who am I kidding? If you are reading this, you know me and know that statement is false. I try not to look, I really do. It's like a train wreck and I can't look away. He continues to do other stretches that are obscene to my immature mind.

What does this have to do with being called Dead Guy, you ask? Well, his name was actually coined by Katie. The first time we saw Dead Guy, he was on the bike and we were lifting weights. Katie looked over and said, "That guy on the bike looks like he is dead!" I looked over and saw a middle aged, flushed-looking man riding the "old school" bike with his eyes closed and his mouth gaping open. His head remained still while his legs peddled and his arms pushed and pulled the handlebars. And so, Dead Guy was named. The name stuck because anytime he is on that bike, his eyes stay closed and his mouth remains open.

If only I could figure out a way to take a picture of the Citizens.

Next Week in Citizens of Sweatsville: The Magazine Girls

Citizens of Sweatsville

Nick and I are members at a certain gym in town. Nick has been going on a daily basis for four years now. I joined him in his quest to "be fit" about four months ago. This is really the first time that I have been disciplined and regular. I finally talked a friend into joining "our" gym so I could have a workout partner. What a difference it has made to have Katie to workout with!!

This posting isn't to brag on my recent attachment to the gym. It is to introduce a new feature, if you will, to the Family Hillosophy blog. When you go to the gym on a regular basis, you begin to see the same people every day. It's like a weird community where nobody knows your name. BUT in a bizarre way, you feel like you know them because you see them every day and begin to notice all their unique characteristics or tendencies. Since you don't know their name, you make up a name for them.

Enter Crazy Stepper Lady. Not to be confused with The Other Crazy Stepper Lady, as Crazy Stepper Lady is the original. CSL is approximately 58 years old and has the legs of a 25 year old. Don't get excited, boys. Don't get jealous, girls. Read further. You do not want to be like CSL.

Until recently, she could only be found on the StairMaster (the big one with the rotating stairs). I believe she has had an injury because you can now find her in a habitat that is rare to the CSL species - upstairs in the weight area. That's another thing about going to the gym each day...not only do you come up with names for complete strangers, you being to make up stories about complete strangers.

CSL wears a gray sweatshirt every time she works out. If it's 28 degrees out and snowing, she wears a sweatshirt. If it's 95 degrees outside, she wears a sweatshirt.

CSL disregards the rule that you can only use the stepper for 30 minutes. She will get on the stepper and when her "allowed" 30 minutes is up, she will get off, quickly get a drink and get back on for another 30. I am pretty sure she knows that no one is willing to mess with her by jumping on the stepper before she is really finished.

I forgot to tell you that she is SCARY. Forget the fact that she has witch-like, long, gray hair that is worn in a pony-tail. Forget that her bony frame (from being over worked) resembles that of a witch. She is MEAN. You know the mean lady that lives down the street that all the kids are scared of? That's her. One day, Nick overheard a couple of girls politely ask her how long she does the stepper each day. Her response was, "ENOUGH." My friend, Madaline said CSL rarely speaks when spoken to but when she does, she cusses like a sailor.

She is also, in my opinion, a repeat offender in the locker room. As most of you know, I am not the most modest person. I do feel that walking around the locker room with only a towel around your waist or while you dry your long, witchy hair is not very polite. I really don't need to see her oddly-fit-for-her-age body and tiny, mature, lady lumps while I change clothes.

Next week in Citizens of Sweatsville:
Dead Guy

DOMINATE

Team Domination had its first co-ed softball game last night. On the way to the park, I began to feel completely unprepared and nervous. I had my little league softball glove in my lap, the same one I played with about 20 years ago (holy cow...20 years ago!). It still had my name and phone number written on it. Ashley Bradley 736-2310. Maybe that was part of the problem. Other than our practice a week ago, I hadn't played softball since my little league days.

Nick tried to calm my nerves by telling me to just keep my "eye on the ball." Sounds easy enough, right? I told him that I tried to do that at practice but didn't always connect with the ball. He said I had to watch it through, "watch the ball hit your bat and swing through." His pep talk took me back to my little league days too. It reminded me of the same pep talk my dad used to give me before my games. I always wanted to make my dad proud at the games and I found myself wanting to make Nick proud of me too.

We got to the park, found our team, warmed up, and took the field. I played left center with Nick at left field and our friend Trip at right center. This wasn't going to be as bad as I thought because I knew that Nick or Trip would be able to get the ball if I needed help. The ball did come to me once, I got it but got nervous and tossed it to Nick to throw in for me.

When it was time for me to bat, I tried to calm my nerves. It was pretty anti-climatic as the pitcher walked me. I guess he knew not to mess with the Queen (see yesterday's post)! The second time I was up to bat, I walked again. The third time, I hit the ball to third base and made it on first. I was so excited! That was really all I wanted to do - hit the ball and not strike out.

Our team did an awesome job, living up to our team name. We dominated the other team, winning 16 - 4! Our next game is Friday at 7:30. If you don't have plans, come to Summers at the River for a little domination!

Queen

My middle name is Rena, pronounced with a long "a", usually spelled Renee. Most people who see my middle name, pronounce it with a short "a."

Today, at my grandma's, I was zoning out while staring at a piece of her mail. Although she goes by Jane, her first name is Lorena and as I stared at her name, I saw that my middle name was part of her name. I asked my mom if she spelled my name r-e-n-a because of Lorena, l-o-R-E-N-A. My mom said no, but that if I wanted to go by Rena, with a short "a" sound, I could and say I was named after my grandma. My dad then said that Rena (with the short "a" sound) means "queen" in Spanish. That confirmed my decision. I will now be Ashley Rena (with a short "a" sound) Hill. For those close to me, Queen will do.

Jinx

I think I jinxed myself. My last post was about how bored I was at work. Since then, I have been SO busy! As most of you know, I am the communications director at the American Cancer Society. My job consists of writing press releases, pitching story ideas to the media, securing media sponsorships and a basketful of other things that I don't care to go into detail about.

When I get home at night and on the weekends, the last thing I want to do is sit in front of the computer and write something. My creative wheels have been spent. Not to say that events haven't happened over the past few months that have made me think, "I need to blog about this!" Several things have happened. Here is a quick, non-creative run-down:

• We spent a weekend in January with 12 close friends at a cabin near Branson. We were suppose to go to Arkansas but they had no power due to the ice storm. Not willing to cancel our highly anticipated weekend, we came up with a Plan B and secured a really neat spot in Blue Eye.
• I joined a bookclub.
• Our good friends, Jason & Katie are getting married in November. Katie and I have been dress shopping twice and found the perfect dress for her. She is going to look so pretty! Added bonus...I get to be in the wedding!
• Speaking of Jason & Katie - we went to their engagement party on Saturday.
• We painted our bathroom green and brown.
• We started the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University bible study. Since then we have paid off my car and will have Nick's paid off in May.
• Nick is crazy deep in March Madness. It's pretty bad. When I complained about the constant basketball on our tv he said, "Just let me have my March Madness." I am ready for baseball so I can see my lovely Pujols in his baseball pants.
• Eastan beat Halo 1. He is pretty excited about it.
• Almost forgot a big one! We are on a co-ed softball team. Much more about that later!
• Eastan made it to his last quarter of 4th grade alive!
• Jax is having surgery on Friday. Two lypomas (I don't think I spelled that right) are being removed.

Stay tuned for more blogging...I haven't given it up. Just took a little hiatus.