Stress, thy name is....

(insert name of my work place here)

No, really.

I mean it.

This week stress caused me to:
1.  Have a complete emotional break-down at work.
2.  Miss a day of work do to a stress-related illness.
and
3.  Wake up yesterday morning with a funky, mysterious rash on the inside of my elbows and arms, as well as my neck/chest-ish area.

Sigh.

I desperately needed to relieve some of my stress over the weekend.  So I planted some mums in containers:

Made a wreath to hang on my front door:

and progressed another step on my front flower bed:

I know it isn't much yet  but this is after six bags of drainage rocks (because, seriously, it was like a little pond out there after each rain) and two large bags of mulch.  I still haven't decided what I want to edge it with.  The people at Lowe's were very unhelpful (I know that isn't a word but let's pretend, ok?) so I am going to give Home Depot a try next week.

I also bought girlie a new food.  I seem to have appalled the helpful salesperson at Petsmart when I told him that I needed to buy some "healthy digestion/sensitive stomach" food for her.  He asked me why I was feeding her wet food.  He asked me in such a way, though, that it made me feel like a horrible parent.  He then proceded to tell me that wet food can lead to tooth and heart problems in dogs.  Especially Chihuahuas, who, apparently, are pre-disposed to heart problems anyway.  He seemed genuinely surprised when I told him that she was eleven.  He informed me that most Chi's don't live past six or seven.  WHAT?!?!  I have never heard that.

Anyway.

He took me to the high-quality (read:  expensive) food aisle.  Who knew that there is a food made especially for Chihuahuas?  Not me.  It is called.....are you ready for this because it is so appropriate...ROYAL CANINE.  Of course.  It couldn't be called anything else.  It comes with a royal price tag, too. 

Salesperson Chris told me that because of her age I probably wouldn't be able to get her to switch over to that food solely.  Ha!  girlie knows a good thing when she sees (and smells) it.  I put some in her bowl and had barely walked away when she was right over beside me again.  I looked in her bowl thinking that she was turning her nose up at it and, surprise! her bowl was EMPTY!  She loves it.  Yea!  It is supposed to be better for her teeth as well as her digestion so I am hoping for no more gurgly tummy.  He also suggested (read:  pegged me for a sucker who does anything for her dog) some healthier treats.  She has had them before and really likes them so I wasn't opposed to getting them for her.

Now I am sitting on my couch.  I have pumpkin soup in the crockpot, pumpkin and apple candles burning, a non-fat peppermint latte on the coffee table, and football on TV.  I am trying not to itch my rash and trying not to think about work.  I am waiting for my brother to send me measurements of the niece and nephew's heads so that I can make new hats for the younguns.  And I hope you are having a wonderful weekend, wherever you are. :)