I've been so busy with work, it's been impossible to update my blog. I did have some time this Sunday afternoon, and wanted to give a rundown of what has been happening with my new position as Lifestyle Editor.
Frankly, there's been a lot of confusion, a horrid workload and uncertainty since I went to work three weeks ago. There are not enough reporters, since the main news reporter quit the first week I was there. Our managing editor will have his first day tomorrow, and we're all hoping to breathe a sigh of relief. It's difficult to begin in a position and have no one to discuss ideas with or get feedback, which has been my situation. All the staff have been so overworked, only a couple have had time to instruct me and help me learn the computer system and Quark.
However, on the bright side, I have managed to have several interviews and write about four feature articles while I've been there. It's nice to see my byline in the newspaper again, and though I will eventually be designing pages, I still hope to write articles. We need a full-time feature reporter though, because I just will not have time to do new articles two or more times a week. Ah, so it goes!
I received my first paycheck Friday, and let's just say, it's more money than I ever earned at one time anywhere. Nearly what my husband was earning after 30 years in his career! If I can do the job adequately, hold up physically, then I do hope to stay there -- even if just till I turn 60 and start receiving SSI.
Early last Monday morning Oscar dug out, got loose for about ten minutes, then reappeared at the back gate. I was busy getting ready for work, had not even realized he was gone. Apparently, when I was mowing the backyard last Saturday, the riding mower knocked a piece of wood loose at the bottom of the fence -- and that is where Oscar dug out.
When I let him in, I saw he had puncture wounds on his front shoulder, but just thought it was due to the fence. However, that night when I got home (about 7 p.m.) he was lying down, looked very sick. I took him to the vet the next morning, and learned a big dog had bitten him! There's a big Lab with her pups running loose in the neighborhood, and I'm fairly sure she bit him. I've seen her watching us and following us on our walks, and the pups always want to play with Rambo and Oscar. I guess the female dog was being protective of the pups, but I called animal control anyway, because if she would bite a dog, she might bite a child or person.
At any rate, Oscar had to have a drain put in, kept it all week. I'm still giving him antibiotics, but he got the drain out Saturday. He had an abcess under the skin where the dog bit him. He's back to normal, but it sure taught me a lesson: big dogs will bite small ones.
I've often passed people walking big dogs, but didn't realize they would bite my smaller dogs. A lady at the vet told me her Doxie, like Oscar, got bit by a big dog when she was walking him on a leash! These are my first dogs, so I'm learning...and hate that Oscar got hurt. I guess eventually I'll buy either an electronic fence or have a wood fence built around the backyard.
Tomorrow will be an interesting day at work when we all meet the new managing editor. I hope we get along, otherwise, yours truly will be sooooo outta there!
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