Dog Watch: Day 1

Still no word on the demons masquerading as domesticated dogs who attacked Andy yesterday. I'm wondering if it's like any other crime: The clues you get in the first 48 hours are most key to solving it. We still remain hopeful, but my journalistic cynicism is really causing me to question whether the animals or their (ir)responsible owners will ever be found. 

On the upside, Jack and I spent two-and-a-half hours in a southern Springs community called Fountain today. My good friend Eve moved down there yesterday so I went after work to help her set up her new house. Jack went to play with his buddies Blue, Lucky and Ammo in a nice big yard! It wore both of us out, but in a good way. 

Whoa doggies!

We've had some canine marauders in the neighborhood over the last couple of days. Check out this blotter 

entry from the Colorado Spring P.D. (Please note I did not edit it):

An off-duty CSPD officer was on his way to work when two viciuos dogs attempted to attack him in a parking lot. One was a brindle colored pit-bull and the other was a black labrador retriever. Just prior to the attack, the dogs' aggressive behavior was diverted toward a woman and her child who walked into the area. The officer was able to direct the lady and her child away from the dogs and get the dogs to re-direct their attention back toward him. As the dogs then started to attack again, the officer drew and fired his pistol one time, striking the pit bull in the head. Both dogs ceased their attack and ran away. The Humane Society did respond. Neither animal had been located at the time of this entry, although the pit bull had been briefly spotted as the Humane Society initally rolled into the scene. Witness reports indicate that the two dogs had been observed acting aggressively since the prior evening. Owners of the dogs have not yet been identified or contacted. Andy met the bad-news duo around 7 a.m. while he was out walking Jack. He came in and woke me up with a warning to be very careful while out and about today because there were two mean dogs loose and upstairs in the neighboring hallway. On his way to work, he met up with the pair again - this time, fortunately, without the dog.  The mutts came up from behind him, snarling and lunging. The pit bull jumped at him and Andy countered by shoving his gigantic left forearm into the dog's mouth. He shouted at the dogs to "Get" and was swinging at the pit's head with his right hand when it let go and took off. Fortunately, his response was such that the dog didn't break the skin, but in this picture you can see the bite wounds.  Andy's arm and the four pink bumps from the pitt's mouth. Given the size of his forearm, the dog must have had the muzzle of a bear.  Following the biting incident, Andy came upon the same dogs squaring off against a pair of high school-aged kids walking their bicycles. He told the kids he'd just been bitten and to get on their bikes and peddle away, pronto. They wisely took his advice and no one else was injured.  Pretty scary stuff, but it could have been so much worse. We're thankful, in a grotesque sort of way, that the dog got his teeth on big, burly and alpha Andy. I shudder to think what it could have done to a small child or a less dominating personalty. Andy made an official report to animal control and agreed to press charges if and when the dogs are caught. The pit was last seen bleeding profusely and running in the field near our complex. The pair was still missing this afternoon, but  officials say they have an idea of some homes to check out. Our landlord also thinks she knows where they came from, and she's confident it's not our complex.  In the meantime, I'm still carrying a large titanium walking stick I can use as a club any time I walk my dog. I'll also keep you posted on what we find out.

Back in business

It's been an unnecessarily long period of time since I last posted to this blog, and I apologize for that. It's also been an unbelievably busy month. 

Andy and I flew back to Chicago last week for the Breast Cancer 3Day walk. It was an unbelievable event in which to participate: I walked 60 miles over the course of three days with three dear friends to raise money for the Susan G. Koman Foundation and National Philanthropic Trust. It's amazing how much your body can hurt, go numb, wring itself out and do it all over again. 

And I'm officially Franken-walker, now. 

But we're back now in the rainy state of Colorado.  We are enjoying our new friends, and had a great dinner party this weekend.  The grill Andy got for his birthday has been getting more and more use every week.  The made Spanish pork chops, grilled salmon, corn on the cob that was grilled too. ...  Very tasty corn that we brought back with us from Chicago.  Thanks Mom and Dad Peterson! :-)  The rain has not kept us inside this weekend, but it has brought snow to the caps of the mountains.  It is chilly, and we are wondering what has happened to the warm Colorado summer.

Nonetheless, it's good to be home and back to something of a normal schedule. As normal as it gets for us, anyway. (Case in point, I'm working a 3 to 11 a.m. shift tomorrow.)

So hang in there. We're getting guests in the form of Mom and Dad Foster this week, and have a full schedule planned out so there should be plenty to post. 

Hope everyone is well and know that the door is always open! (You just may make the blog if you stop by.) 

One awesome interview!

Hi, everyone!

Well, my interview at NIACo went incredibly well. I was the first candidate they spoke with, which I consider to be a good thing. I've always liked being either the first person or the last: If you're the last, you're the easiest remembered although the hiring managers will be fatigued. If you're first, you get to set the bar for all other applicants to meet - exactly what I did! 

I spoke with both the office manager and the senior editor for the corporation for about an hour, then took a 30-minute copy editing test. This is after showing up 15 minutes early and explaining to the women how I drove by the day before just to have an idea where I was going. They were quite impressed with that as well as with my initiative to research the corporation and their industry itself. I gave them updated copies of my resume and clips, as well as business cards from the Herald that, while dated, gives them a the Web sites for the NorthWest News Group properties.  That way if one or both of them wants to go review my other pieces (all 1,400-plus) on-line she may do so. 

I finished the whole shebang by getting my thank-you card to the hiring manager in the mail. I didn't have an address or business card for the senior editor, so alas, no thank you for her. This elicited a short debate between Andy and me last night. He thinks sending a note saying "thank you for interviewing me, I enjoyed meeting you and learning more about your company" is brown nosing. While that's probably true in a shop - where testosterone is king - I think it's good policy when applying in a more conservative, less crude environment. 

What do you all think? Please help settle this debate. 

Anyway, thank you again for all your prayers, lit candles and general wishes for good luck. Now I get to play the hurry up and wait game for the next few weeks while they make their decision.