Random Thoughts Tuesday

Happy Tuesday!  Thanks to the Un-Mom , on Tuesdays we can just jot down some random thoughts and call it a post!

Why do cute puppies and kittens end up at animal control?

Look at these adorable babies.  The first one, Mac, is only about 6 weeks old and weighs a whopping 3 pounds.  The second one, Sunshine, has all her little ribs sticking out.  She weighs 10 pounds but should be twice that.  The third one, Butler, is just cute as he can be!  All these guys were rescued from animal control facilities.  Thank God for rescuers! (and if you are in the mid-west and want one of these cuties, let me know).

I hate how I'm comfortable except for freezing cold feet.

I wish I had a sewing machine and that I knew how to use it.

I'm procrastinating about power-washing and restaining the deck.  I guess I could pay someone to do it, but I'd need to win the lottery first.

I bought a lottery ticket the other day when what I really wanted was a candy bar.  I won $2, so I bought another ticket.  It was a loser.

We are taking the kids to Canada this summer.  You have to have a passport now to go to Canada!  Mine will expire soon, so I need one and so do all three kids.  And they charge you for them.  See, I'd love to win the lottery to pay for all this.  Including the trip to Canada.

I'm going to try making bread.  I got a book from the Library that will tell me how to do it in just 5 minutes a day (not including rising time!)

OK.  That's it for this morning.  I need to go find some socks!  Go see the Un-Mom and link-up!

Thanks for stopping by.

Memoir Monday

Hi Everyone.  Happy Monday.  I'm playing along with Travis at I Like to Fish for Memoir Monday.  Check him out!  He's got a great first kiss story this week!

So, I'm going to tell you another Spain story.  We (Hubby and I) spent 6 months in the Basque region of Spain back in our mid-twenties.  Hubby had just finished a Mater's degree in Spanish Literature.  I was along for the ride.  Anyway, we were taking classes.  We had a break for the summer so we decided to take a trip around Spain by train.  One of our stops was in the magnificent city of Barcelona.

I loved Barcelona.  And I'm sure if I went back and looked through our pictures from that trip I come up with all kinds of great memories.  But the one memory that is clear in my mind is our trip to the zoo.

What's so memorable about Barcelona's zoo.  Well, not much, since I can't actually remember much about the zoo itself.  What I remember was feeling a huge, wet, splat on my head.  Yes, I'd been shit upon by a huge pigeon.  UCK!  

Hubby tried his best to stifle his giggles and got me a paper towel or something to help wipe it off.  I was so upset and grossed out I was almost in tears.  So we decided to head back to the hotel so I could wash my hair.  Then Hubby, in his ultimate (un)wisdom of a man that had not been married too long, thought it would be funny to call me "Shit-head".  

Did I mention I was close to tears?  Well, that sent me over the edge.  Can you believe the nerve?  Calling your sweet, 20-something, close-to-tears, shat-upon wife "Shit-head"!  

Well, I was able to make him feel guilty enough that I got a piggy-back ride most of the way back to the hotel.

And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is one of my most vivid memories of Barcelona.

Sassy Sunday

Hi Everyone.  Sassy here for another Sassy Sunday!

Well, it looks like we may be rid of that puppy.  Freeloader, I mean Freeway, went to a possible forever family yesterday.  Sounds like a great family as long as he doesn't screw it up and they decide to bring him back.  Let me tell ya about them.

They had a dog that went to the rainbow bridge some time back.  He was a black lab so thats what they were looking for.  Only they did want a puppy.  Jackie introduced them to Freeway.  They liked him right away.  Well, these people like to race cars.  They have a big trailer that they carry their cars in.  The front of the trailer has living quarters.  They say that whenever they'd go out of town, their dog would go with them.  He loved going to the race track, meeting all the people, riding around on golf carts, and being adored by all.  This is the life they'd like to offer to Freeway.  Sounds great!  And when in town, he'd get to see Jackie and Kim at Club Paws, the daycare/boarding/grooming facility they own.  I hope the loud engines don't scare him.  That was one thing they were concerned about.  They need a dog who can go anywhere with them.
Well, I hope it works out for the little booger.  But I think Chili may miss him.

That's all for today.  See you next week!  Thanks for stopping by.
Sassy

Happy Hour Friday and Follow Me Fridays

Hi All.  Happy Friday.  First of all, today is Follow-Me Friday over at the Trendy Treehouse.  It's easy.  Just link-up and follow someone!  (then they follow you back. how cool is that!)

And today is Happy Hour thanks to our favorite Rxbambi.

I'm really not feeling very happy today.  But I'll try.

The puppies are acting like a couple of, well, puppies this morning.  Running around and chewing on each other.  I've already had to chase Freeway up the steps and rescue a teddy (my kids call any of their stuffed animals "teddies") from his sharp puppy teeth twice this morning.

I've noticed that when I run up the stairs my ankle hurts.

Spring break starts today for the two youngest kids.  I'll have them home all freakin' week next week too.  Yeah.  Let's try to be happy 'bout that.  BTW, big brother's spring break doesn't start until next Thursday.  Think he's happy about that?

I'm happy about the spring flowers blooming.  I've got several lovelies in my yard. (the yellow daffs will be in my yard soon.  Just bought them to go behind the purple mini irises).

I hope you'll link up with Bambi and have a few drinks on her.  Happy Friday!  Thanks for stopping by.

Random Thoughts Tuesday

Hi all you Tuesday Randomers!  Thanks to the Un-Mom , we have Random Thoughts Tuesday.  Go check her out!

Freeway did not get adopted this weekend.  Well, Chili was happy to see him!  It actually was not a bad situation.  The family that came to see him actually ended up taking a different dog, one that had been adopted as a puppy then got brought back due to the economy.  She's a big dog, and not a puppy anymore.  So I'm glad she got chosen.  I know we'll find Freeway a good home soon.

My picture won the "Picture of the Week" on our Flickr thing we do.  I'm honored!  Now it will be my job to pick the next winner.  Here is the winning picture.  It's Sassy, waiting for her cup of tea.

Why is it that when I have so much to do, I don't want to do anything?  And now it's mid afternoon and nothing is done.  Hmm.  Maybe I need to stop blogging and start washing clothes, dishes, etc.  Nah.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Go see the Un-Mom.

Sassy Sunday

Hi Everyone.  Sassy here.  It's time for another Sassy Sunday.  Thanks for stopping by!

Well, I have to say that we've got to get rid of that puppy!  He seems to be sneaking into the hearts of everyone in the family.  What a little brown-noser!  He's always got his tail wagging.  He gives tons of kisses to everyone.  The people are always laughing at him and saying how sweet he is.  And he even gets away with peeing on the floor!  See him here with Chili looking all sweet and innocent.  Well, he's off to an adoption event today.  A family is coming to see him and his brother.  Keep your fingers crossed that they pick him.  Otherwise, he'll be back tomorrow!

The family is off to the Blues game again today.  It's to celebrate my boy's 9th birthday.  He's bringing a friend.  Here he is with me a few months ago.  Isn't he a cutie?  We should have more of him and fewer puppies!  (OK, I really do like the puppy.  But I prefer my human boys.  I've even been sleeping with this one lately.)

So have you heard I have a new cousin?  If not, check out Rxbambi's blog.  He's their newest arrival.  I haven't met him yet, but I hope he's as cool as Juneau and Jenny.  Here's his picture.  Isn't he purdy!

Well, thanks again for stopping by.  See ya soon!
Sassy

Happy Hour Friday

Once again it's time for Happy Hour with Rxbambi !  So if you'd like to play along, stop by her spot and link up.  It's way more than fun!

So, what are we happy about today?

Well, I'm happy that my foster puppy just rang the bell at the back door and peed when I took him out.  Why can't Chili get it?  She's still peeing on stuff in the house!  Just look at them, though.  Aren't they the cutest.  I'm afraid that Freeway won't be a part of our family too much longer, however.  There's an adoption day tomorrow and I can't imagine he won't get snapped up by the perfect forever family.

I'm happy that I'm eating a pear instead of one or both of the pieces of birthday cake sitting on the counter.  It was my 9-yr-old's birthday yesterday.  I ate a piece of cake last night and finished off what youngest boy left of his.  But that's it.  I DON'T want any more.  OK.  So don't make me!

I'm happy that it's nice and sunny and spring-like today.  Of course, the weekend is supposed to be wet and cold.  With even the chance for some snow (no accumulation).  But at least we have the sun today.

I'm happy my blood sugar was 117 before lunch.  Yeah for small victories.

I'm happy Bambi is back from vacation and that she got to see me yesterday.

I'm happy that my kids got to go out on the ice after the hockey game this week.  They are part of the kids' club.  They went out and shot a couple of pucks into the goal.  Now I've got to look into hockey lessons!

I'm sure there's lots more to be happy about.  What about you?

Thanks for stopping by!

Memoir Monday and a Spoonful of What?

Hi Everyone.  Thanks for stopping by.  I thought I'd play Memoir Monday with Travis at I Like to Fish  again this week.  Check him out, he has a hilarious easter egg story to tell this week!

As for me, I'll tell you a story about the time my husband and I were living in Spain.  We went to the Basque region of Spain for 6 months with a program with the University of Reno, NV.  We were given the choice to either stay in a dorm or rent a room from a local family.  We love to immerse ourselves in other cultures, so we chose to stay at someone's home.  Our hostess was named Milagros, which in Spanish means "miracles".  Milagros was an older adult, probably in her 60's (at 23 everyone older than 40 seems really old.  But she did have grown children).  She had an older home that did have a few bugs in it.  But Milagros wasn't going to have any part of insects invading her home.  So she would spray bug spray constantly in the house.  It's a miracle she didn't poison herself.  She kept saying how she loved the way the bug spray smelled so she'd spray more and breathe it in deeply (while we were holding our breath and heading for the door).  She also had lace doilies on almost every flat surface.  And Hubby and I had to bite our lips to keep from laughing when she asked a friend how she liked her decorating style and the other woman told her it looked gaudy.  Good times.

A Spoonful of What?
Ya know that Mary Poppins Song "Just a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down?"  Well, this week I've been experimenting with this concept.
First, the easy one, the puppy.  He needs an antibiotic.  The capsules are huge and the dose is twice what he should get at one time.  So I'm opening them up and mixing them with a spoon full of canned dog food, dividing it in two and giving it to him.  Despite the fact that it smells gross to me, he loves it.  Easy.

Then there's my kid.  He is supposed to chew two amoxicillin tablets three times a day.  He hates them!  So I'm grinding them up with mortar and pestle and mixing them in something yummy to try to get him to take them.
I've tried vanilla ice cream.  I've tried cookie dough ice cream.  I've tried yogurt.  I've tried butterscotch pudding (the best according to the pharmacist at masking bad flavors).  I've tried applesauce.  I've tried threatening him with loss of TV and video games.  I guess I'll need to try the dog food next!

Thanks for stopping by today.  Happy Monday!

Follow Me Fridays

Hey Everyone. Thanks for stopping by. I just found "Follow Me Fridays" at Trendy Treehouse. It's easy. Just link up and find new blogs to follow. Then some of those people will follow you. Great! Thanks to Eileen at Giving her All She's Got for commenting here today. Otherwise I'd wouldn't have found it! So go check her out too. She's got a cute dog!

Homeless

Hi.  My name is Freeway.  I was born last December.  That makes me about 3 months old.  My mom was rescued while she was still pregnant with me and my siblings.  We were born at Hope Rescues.  Mom now has a new forever home.  But I'm still looking for mine.  I was officially ready for adoption last month.  But no one has stopped by to see me yet.
But I'm lucky.  I'm going to hang out with Ginger, Sassy, Chili, and Spooky until someone who wants to adopt me comes along.
I'm not sure how big I'll get.  My mom is a beagle.  I don't know about my dad.  I never met him.  But when we were really young, we looked like we may have boxer in us.  My feet aren't too big, though.  They say that's an indication of how big I'll be.  So I'm guessing medium to large but not too large.
Thanks for stopping by to see me.  If you know of anyone looking for a puppy, let them know about me.  I'd be glad to meet them!
Freeway.

Random Thoughts Tuesday

Hello Everyone!  Time for Random Thoughts with the Un-Mom.  

Go check her out, link up, and play along!

What did I do to deserve two sick kids home today?  Usually, if I'm going to have two sick kids home during the week, I rather have them on different days.  At the moment they are playing well together.  But I'm sure it's only a matter of time until the whining, crying, screaming, hitting, etc., begin.

I'm without a foster dog for the moment.  I guess that means Miley's new family will be keeping her.

I laughed my butt off at Mean Owen's nun jokes this weekend.  If you're not easily offended by religious jokes, you should check him out!

Puppies are just like kids.  Buy them lots of toys.  What do they play with?  boxes, the mop, the cabinet doors, wrappers the kids thoughtfully left on the floor for them, etc.  I don't even want to think about the amount of money I've spent on dog toys that don't get played with.  Some of them do, of course.  But not all.

I miss hanging with Bams.  She's off somewhere sailing the high seas, drinking wine, and hanging out with her lucky husband.  I think we need to do a girls' cruise.  When my kids get a little older, I guess.

I'm having trouble concentrating on my random thoughts as two boys are playing with star wars vehicles and making all the accompanying noises.  "I can fly!!!  No I can't"  as the star fighter is launched out of his hands. "AHHHHHH!"
So I'm going to go link up at Un-Mom and go get dressed.  (yup.  It's almost 11:30 and I'm still in my jammies.)

Thanks for stopping by!

Memoir Monday

Hi Everyone.  I thought I'd try playing along with Travis, at I like to Fish, and do a Memoir Monday post. I stumbled across Travis' blog while visiting Erin at The Mother Load.

So, the idea is to tell a story about you.  And it has to be true.  Otherwise, there are no rules.
I have been thinking about the time I was in Chile lately.  The reason, I'm sure, is obvious.  Anyway, it was around 1990.  My husband was down there for a 6 week course and I flew down for the last week of it.  He was staying with a lovely Chilean family.  There was a mom, a teenage boy, and a dog.  They wanted us to do some cooking.  I wasn't the best cook back then, being in my early 20s and not having a lot of experience.  I did, however, manage to make a meatloaf.  Then we decided to make some chocolate chip cookies.  I had brought a dry mix with me.  I was in the kitchen stirring the dough with a wooden spoon I'd borrowed from the kitchen drawer.  The dough was really stiff, and I broke the spoon.  I was freaked.  I didn't know if I should tell the lady of the house or not.  I wasn't sure if things like that were expensive or not.  So, in my panicked state, I decided to hide the broken spoon in the trash and pretend like it never happened.  I finished the cookies, which got kind of burnt since I had no idea how to use a gas oven, and never spoke of the broken spoon again.  I don't even think I told my husband.

Later the lady of the house gave me the sweater she'd been knitting while we were there.  It's a beautiful gold sweater with the puffy sleeves that were all the rage back then.  Whenever I see the sweater, I think of the spoon.  I wonder how long it took her to notice it was gone.  I wonder if she ever suspected that the young American woman had something to do with its disappearance.  I wonder if my Catholic upbringing will ever let me let go of the guilt I still have over that stupid spoon.  I mean, it's only been 20 years.

Anyway, my heart goes out to the people of Chile during this difficult time.  We didn't keep in touch with the family we stayed with.  I don't even remember their last name.  I hope they are ok.
Thanks for stopping by today!

Sassy Sunday

Hi Everyone.  Sassy here.  Sorry I missed last week.  Barb wrote a post about motivation.  And I was busy with all my napping, watching for squirrels, and sitting pretty for treats.  Anyway, I'm back this week for another addition of "Sassy Sunday".

So.  We've had 2 (that's right, TWO) foster dogs since the last time I did a Sassy Sunday post.  The first was Raggs.  I didn't like him.  He is a 6 year old cocker spaniel.  I guess he was kind of cute.  Barb thought so anyway.  But he was deaf as a doorknob.  Couldn't hear a thing.  And because of that, he accidentally snapped at one of my human kids.  The kid touched him unexpectedly and he was startled.  But Barb thought it might be better if he went to a home with older kids who wouldn't get in his space and startle him.  That was fine with me. But I didn't like hearing his story.  The poor thing was rescued from animal control with chicken wire embedded into his coat.  It was just a mess of mats and chicken wire.  Jackie and Kim had to shave him completely down to get the chicken wire out.  I wonder how that happened.    Maybe his former owners had him in a pen made of chicken wire.  I don't know.  What I do know is that he'll find a good home now.  Just not at my home.

So I was just getting used to the idea that our foster dog was gone when Barb came home with Miley.  I didn't like her.  She is a one year old fluffy dog mix of some kind.  Barb says she's super sweet and super friendly.  I didn't like her.  Did I say that already?  Anyway, Miley was at our house for only 2 days.  Someone saw her on the Hope Rescues website and wanted to meet her.  So she went home with them yesterday for a "trial run".  I hope they keep her.  Otherwise, she'll be back here.  I don't like her.  I hope they keep her.  Her story is less sad than Raggs'.  She was picked up as a stray by animal control.  No one claimed her so Jackie rescued her and put her up for adoption.  Barb says she's smart.  She knows sit and shake.  Anyway, hopefully, she's got a home now.

I just noticed that this could be an addition of the black dog club.  For some reason, black dogs seem to have a harder time finding a home.  So if you're looking for a dog, why not consider a black beauty like us?

Anyway, thanks for stopping by Sassy Sunday.  I'll be back next week (Barb willing), same bat-time, same bat-channel.

Bye for now,

Sassy

Happy Hour Friday

Hello, Friday Fans!  It's another Happy Hour with Bambi.  Except that Bambi has decided to leave us all behind for a cruise to the Mexican Riviera with her hubby.  Oh, well.  We can't all have such a life of adventure. (yet)(when my kids are as old as hers, I'll be making my hubby take me all over too!)

So.  I'm happy that I took Miley to meet a prospective adoptive family.  They decided to sleep on it tonight and see her tomorrow at PetCo.  That's a good thing.  It's a big commitment and we want the family to think it through.  But Sassy hopes she goes home sooner rather than later.

I'm happy that it is warming up.  I'm soooo ready for spring.

I'm happy with how many of my pics have been coming out.  The picture-a-day thing can get a little tedious, but it's also a lot of fun.  If you are interested, my photostream is on my blog here.

What's everyone else happy about?

Miss Miley

Meet Miley.  She's our newest foster dog.  We picked her up yesterday.  Don't know much about her.  She was picked up by county animal control as a stray.  No one claimed her.  Hope Rescues saved her.  And now she's with us.  She was obviously someone's pet.  She knows "sit" and "shake".  She's spayed.  And she's just as friendly as she can be.
I think maybe she should be named "Bear", though.  Look at that face!