Random Tuesday Thoughts 8/31/10

Hi Everyone.  Happy Tuesday!  Yes, it's still Tuesday.  Although, not for long.  So I've got to hurry up and do some random thoughts then go link up with Keely .  She's always got awesome randomness!

Speaking of "random", I had a "random act of kindness" bestowed upon me today.  I'd gone to the garden to pick up our share of veggies.  We own a share in a CSA (community-supported agriculture) garden.  Anyway, some stuff is already picked, but there is usually a "pick-your-own" group too.  So I picked.  And it was 90 degrees out there.  And I was hot and thirsty.  I stopped at the Jack in the Box on my way home to get a drink.  When I told the cashier all I wanted was a large drink, he said, "Is that all?  Well, then put your money away.  It's on me." and he handed me a cup.  Not just a large, but the super-jumbo thirst quencher cup.  At no charge.  I realize it costs them only pennies on each soft drink, so the profit margin is huge.  But still.  It was really nice.  And, yes, I got a diet.  Who needs a thousand ounces of sugar-filled soda!

Why do kids have to be so mean?  My 9-year-old is having issues on the bus.  Apparently, some kids are teasing him about the hair on his legs.  Hello!  Every kid has hair on his legs.  What's that all about.  And they joked about the fact that he was reading on the bus.  He likes to read.  And they told him that he was in "low" math so he's dumb.  Well, actually, we got a letter from the school district telling us they were putting him in "high" math based on his math scores in 3rd grade.  So, not only is the kid who's teasing him being mean, he's also misinformed.  Little shit.

I'm back to teaching after 6 years home with my kids.  OMG has the world changed since I was in college!  I have actually shown 2 youtube videos in my class.  How cool is that!  Someone suggested I give them extra credit for making a youtube video based on class stuff.  Hmm.  Maybe.

But technology isn't always the best thing.  I went to my classroom today with my powerpoint slides all ready to go and the computer would not talk to the projector.  So I ended up putting everything on the chalk board.  So 1980's!  Then I went into a local joint to check out the b-day party stuff they do (2 and a half weeks until my littlest baby turns 8 years old!) and one of my students was working there.  And I didn't recognize her as one of my students.  Well, there are over 100 of the them and this is only the second week.  

I'm ready for all my kids to outgrow birthday parties.  That's so "bad mom" of me, isn't it!?

Saw 3 deer in the hood this week.  And I happened to have my camera with me in the car.

K.  Thanks for stopping by today!

Furry Friends Friday 8/27/10

Hi visitors.  Thanks for stopping by today.  I'm doing a quick Furry Friends Friday post today.  However, the linky-thing isn't up yet.  I'm not sure if Marti over at Barefoot & Pony-tailed just hasn't had a chance to put it up, or if she's not doing it anymore.  Or just not this week.  But it's really worth a visit to her blog anyway.  She does some cool stuff.  And the best part, she tells us how to do it too!

Anyway, lets talk about Sassy.  Sassy is the star of my sometimes feature "Sassy Sunday".  She is the queen of the house but loves her subjects royally.  If you need some affirmation, Sassy is the one to give it to you.  She will sit next to you on the couch, lean into you as hard as she can, lay her head on your chest, look up at you with those big puppy-dog eyes, and tell you that you are the most wonderful person in the world.
We've had a new dog sitter come to our house a couple times this summer.  After her first week of taking care of our dogs, she told me that she'd never met a dog that made her feel as good as Sassy does.  Yup.  If you need some lovin, Sassy ready and willing.

Sassy came to our house when she was about nine months old.  She'd been passed around a couple of times because of allergies, other dogs and unrealistic expectations.  But, lucky for us, she wound up at our house about a month before we moved from Alabama to our present home.  She became a welcome member of the pack right away and she and Ginger get along really well.

Sassy is a really funny dog.  She greets us at the door and smiles.  The first time visitors see this display of teeth, it can be quite unnerving.  But it is just a toothy grin and she is not about to take a big bite!  I wish I could get her to smile on command.  It's been impossible to get a good picture of her doing it.

I do have some good pictures of her sitting back on her rear.  It's really funny to see her in the easy chair leaning back and taking it easy :)

Sassy Sunday 8/15/10

Happy Sunday, Everyone!  Thanks for stopping by for another episode of Sassy Sunday.  I'm feeling much better this week.  Thanks to two trips to the vet and some antibiotics.  Plus, last night my meds came wrapped in hamburger and for several days before that, they were wrapped in sausage.  These humans will do anything not to have to shove a pill down my throat!

So.  Everyone thinks Chili is so cute.  I have evidence that she is not always more beautiful than me.  Observe:

That is not a pretty picture!

There seems to be lots of hustle and bustle going on in the house this week.  Mom's starting a new job tomorrow and the boys start back to school on Tuesday.  My sleeping buddy, the oldest one, is starting something called High School.  All I know is that we'll be getting up an hour earlier than we did last year!
The buses have been going by the last few days.  I guess the drivers are practicing their routes.  I know Ginger is looking forward to chasing them as they drive past our house.  She doesn't chase cars, but loves to chase buses, trucks, vans, etc.  Especially the UPS vans.

Well, it's not much, but that's it for this week.  Hope everyone has a great Sunday and a great week!
Love,
Sassy

Furry Friends Friday 8/13/10 - I HATE PARVO!

Our home has been blessed with the presence of 11 foster dogs over the last year or so.  Our most recent fosters were a couple of puppies named Bonnie and Clyde.

I was getting my hair done on a Tuesday morning when I got a call from Jackie.  She said there were two puppies at Animal Control.  They were scheduled to be put down at 1:00 and she just couldn't rescue them herself (she'd been there to rescue two other dogs.  She and Kim already had something like 17 puppies at their house and another dozen or so at the "shelter").  She wondered if there was any way I could get them and foster them for a few weeks until they were old enough to be adopted.

I rushed over there and we began our 4 week foster with these adorable babies.  I named them Bonnie (the black and tan) and Clyde.

Boy were these little darlings a handful!  I had no idea.  Not that I'm that naive about how much work puppies can be.  But to have two 10-week-old puppies in the house with 3 other dogs and 3 kids was just about overwhelming.  And the wonderful ladies at Hope Rescues knew we were doing the best we could.  We got them their shots and worming medicine.

We picked up lots of pee and poop.  I bought pee pads, but Bonnie loved to shred them.

Well, after 4 weeks there was room for them at the shelter.  So we packed them up and kissed them goodbye.  I knew they'd be more visible to potential adopters there.  And, frankly, I needed a break from them.  As much as I loved them, it was soooo much work!

Well, sadly, I learned yesterday that both Bonnie and Clyde came down with parvo.  It's a deadly disease and so easy for little puppies to contract, even when everyone does everything right.  Bonnie bounced back and is about to be adopted.  Clyde didn't make it. 

I'll always wonder if I'd only kept them at my house a few more weeks.....

Maybe Clyde would still be with us.  I'm sorry Clyde.  I miss you.

Random Tuesday Thoughts 8/10/10

It's Tuesday, so head on over to the Un-Mom and hook-up!

I'm late, it's 5:15 pm here, but it's still Tuesday.  So don't yell at me!

Why is it that a 14-yr-old boy can still entertain himself with a whoopi cushion?  Well, I guess my 40-something boy can entertain himself with a whoopi cushion too.

I guess it's gonna be hot when the paper warns of "blistering heat."  Is it wrong for me to send the kids out to play?  Well, I didn't.

Why does my skin think I'm a teenager?  I'm 44.  I'm not supposed to get zits!

I am sooooo ready for school to start!  My kids are so sick of each other.

Ok, my husband and 14-yr-old son are now popping bubble wrap bubbles and giggling hysterically.  It may be the heat. 

Chili (the pug) keeps hanging onto Ginger's neck.  It's funny.  But I'm sure it hurts.

I saved over $200 today on clothes shopping.  Of course, I had to spend $300 to do it.

Well, I've got to get dinner on the table.  So I'd better shut up.

Go see Keely!  Happy Tuesday!

Furry Friends Friday 8/6/10

 

I know it's almost 6:00 CST on Friday night, but I just found this blog hop and have to join in!

So, here are my furry (and some of my not-so-furry) friends:

This is Ginger

Ginger is the "doggiest" of the dogs in the house.  She's about 6 years old and is likely some sort of border collie mix.  She came from the Humane Society in Birmingham, AL.

Ginger loves to hang out in the yard, barking at passersby.  She's a beautiful girl.

This is Sassy

Queen Sassy is 5 years old.  We were told that she is a chihuahua mix.  Right!  She weighs 40 lbs and is almost as tall as Ginger.  She may have eaten a chihuahua, though.  Sassy came to us about a month before we moved away from Alabama.  She'd been the dog of my hubby's boss.  Her husband was allergic, so Sassy went to live with his (boss's husband) secretary.  But she had a dog that didn't like her, so she went to live with a neighbor of the secretary.  The neighbor wanted a small, calm lap dog and not a 9 month-old puppy who obviously wasn't gonna be small.  So hubby's boss called us and pleaded with us to take Sassy as her daughter was really worried that Sassy would never find a good home.  

Well, she's got one here.

This handsome man is Spooky

Spooky is also an Alabaman.  We saw him hanging around the neighborhood when we first moved to Alabama but he wouldn't let us near him.  Then we got a puppy (Ginger).  Spooky obviously was interested in Ginger and kept hanging around the house.  So, of course, we started feeding him!  Then he was ours.  He laid around the deck with Ginger.  He shared his food with Ginger and the raccoons (he was too afraid to come in the house).  So when it was time for us to move, we grabbed him and introduced him to the life of an indoor cat.  Now he loves to sleep in his sock-monkey bed and beg for cat treats whenever anyone goes near the pantry.  And he keeps those dogs in line - shooting out from under the bed whenever they come near.

Chili, our newest furry friend

Our newest friend is our little Chili.  She was rescued by my favorite animal rescue group (Hope Rescues ) from a trailer home crammed with more than 40 dogs and puppies.  She was 4.5 months old.  Her dad is a pug but her mom is only half pug.  The other half is chihuahua!  So she will stay on the small side.  She is a wonderful addition to our house.

Our reptile friend is Mamba.  She's a leopard gecko.  Sorry, no pic of her right now.

Our scaley friends are 3 goldfish.  No pic of them either.

And our shrimpy friend is Jacques

Thanks for stopping by!

Barb

Sassy Sunday 8/1/10

Hi Everyone.  Sassy here.  Welcome to another addition of Sassy Sunday.

What have I got to bitch about today?   The puppies are gone.  They've been gone for several days.  No, not adopted yet.  But they've gone to a great foster place.  It's a doggie daycare / boarding place that fosters most of Hope's dogs.  That way if people want to see them, it will be easier.  

I guess I could complain about the fact that I get called "Sassy Fat-assy".  I know.  I need to lose a few pounds.  But I don't get enough exercise.  I'd much rather lay around the house and grumble.  But if someone wants to walk with me.  I'm always willing to go.  But to call me names?  And assume I don't realize what they are saying?

My mom is going back to work this fall.  She's gonna teach a biology course at one of the local universities.  She made a slide for the first day where she will talk about "why study biology".  And she used some of her own pictures.  She included both Ginger and Chili on her slide.  What about me?  What about Spooky?  Geez.  I guess I'm too fat.  She says she'll use me in another lecture.  Maybe an obesity lecture?

Well, I guess that's it for today.

Thanks for stopping by!  Happy Sunday!