Daily Dose

Still No Beagle

4 Comments / Daily Dose, Family Funk, Pets /

Lola Belle was listed as a “Beagle Mix”. We thought she might have some sort of terrier lurking in there (TW was taunting me with Jack Russell because she knows I’m not a fan of the Jack. She also taunted me with the idea that there was chihuahua, too. Not a fan of those.)

Of course we sent in her DNA test and I’ve checked the website pretty much every day to see the progress of the test — except today. I hadn’t had time to check. Just as I was about to take a really important MUST CONCENTRATE phone call, the results email came in (eight days early!) and I was one minute late to my call because I could not manage to dial my passcode properly, lol. For my own dedicated conference call line. Yea. I was distracted.

I made it through my call (thanks, Logan) and yelled for TW to check her email because I was forwarding the results to her, too.

We don’t have another poodle!

We also don’t have much of a beagle (though she has more beagle in her than Skeeter Bess does.)

We have… insert drumroll…

A Bloodhound Miniature Schnauzer Weimaraner mix.

One parent was a Bloodhound, Weimaraner, something else mix and the other parent was a Miniature Schnauzer something else mix.

No pure bloodlines for Lola Belle, the showgirl circus dog.

When digging deeper into what the “something else” mixes might have been, here are the breeds (in order) that might have contributed:

Bouvier des Flandres
Beagle
Afghan Hound
Irish Terrier
Siberian Husky

I’m not seeing the Husky at all. Not even a little. And the Bouvier des Flandres? Huh. Interesting, though she doesn’t seem like much of a herding dog to me. Maybe we’ll have to get HER a dog and see if she tries to herd it?

Now I need the folks who adopted her puppies to contact us so we can tell them their mom is a Bloodhound Miniature Schnauzer Weimaraner mix. (that’s a mouthful… BMSW? That looks kind of kinky, doesn’t it?)

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My Month in Numbers July 2013

1 Comment / Daily Dose, My Month In Numbers /

For the last (insert time period) I’ve been sharing a monthly to do list over on BlogHer.com. It’s helped me get things done, it’s been fun seeing other people’s lists and learning new things from those. But, I think it’s time for me to try something new so I’m going to join My Month in Numbers. This will combine the art journaling that I’ve been enjoying + my compulsive need to create lists. It might even make my life look a little pretty… which would be nice for months that have been anything BUT pretty. Hell, at the very least it will make my life look interesting.

I haven’t figured out exactly how I’m going to do this so the first month is definitely going to be a work in progress. I will probably post updated or update my post as I go along, particularly if I learn something big or make some drastic change to my process.

This first month, I’m going to try using tags because I have a bunch of tags leftover from JMPs tag book and it seems like a good exercise for the first month — and a month that will be really hectic from day one til day 31. I’m also not sure how the photograph part will work for me — it will probably be all dogs, all food, all dogs, maybe a JMP or two and then BlogHer photos. Maybe this will help me do more with a camera than just take puppy/food photos? We shall see, eh?

Now I’m off to surf some My Month in Numbers posts to get some inspiration and some ideas for my posts (and journaling.)

You can join My Month in Numbers, too. If you like. Or you can just heckle me from the sidelines. Whichever… You can also throw in a Ten To Dos in July 2013, in the comments, if you like. I’m still totally interested in those lists! In fact…. take a peek at mine!

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Tired

Daily Dose, Day to Day /

Man I’m tired today and I don’t think it has much to do with the power being off for seven hours last night (or having Lola wake me up a little before midnight to tell me there were a lot of big loud trucks on our street.)

We’re heading into the city tonight to see Melissa — which will make me even more tired, but it will be fun. As long as it doesn’t storm. Please let it not storm. Please.

I’m thinking I need to sleep all weekend. If only that were possible.

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That Didn’t Go As Expected…

Animal Issues, Daily Dose, Family Funk, Pets /

Since Lola had been in her crate for a couple of hours while we did round one of our errands, I suggested we take her and Skeeter with us when we went to the Navy Base/Jewel. We could stop at the big dog park and let her run around in the training pen — and get an idea of how she might do off-leash in the big park.

Hah.

She got sick all of the back seat when we were about 100 yards from the park. Undigested and barely chewed dog treats from two hours earlier. I am thinking we won’t give her that kind of treat again.

Skeeter was very excited to be at the park and did not understand why it was taking us so long to get in there and take her leash off. She was wholly unamused that we were going to try to keep her on the leash for even a second longer than necessary. So, I released her and off she went.

Lola was… overwhelmed. Barking. Hair raised. Confused by what was going on. But we made our way, 50 yards or so, to the little pen and took her in. We called Skeeter to come in, too — and she did, but she brought some sort of little bulldog type of dog with her. We could not manage to keep skeeter in and the bulldog out, so I just closed him in with us. His people didn’t mind.

Once I closed the gate, TW unleashed Lola and… off she went, for the gate and slipped through the opening between the gate and the fence post.

Oops.

We thought we might round her up and try the second small training area because there wasn’t a gap between the fence and the gate but there was a huge gap under the gate. No way that was going to keep her in and by then, she was off sniffing the people and the dogs and following Skeeter around.

So, we shrugged and started walking.

Dangerous since she hasn’t been spayed and she’s not done any work with us on recall, really.

But, it went very well. She’s a little afraid of big dogs and black dogs and she wasn’t interested in going very far from us — not even to follow Skeeter down a path or into a mud bath. And, she doesn’t really love mud baths (yet). It wasn’t til we were pretty much done that she decided to follow Skeeter into this little mudhole.

It was a good, (too short for Skeeter’s liking), trip. Even though she got sick again on the ride home.

Gah. I really hope she’s not a car-sick kind of dog and it was just nerves and treats that didn’t set well…

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Better and Worse

Daily Dose, Day to Day /

The puppies are awesome. I just watched both dogs hop right into the backseat of the car and settle right down. Huge improvement over day one. A little while ago, Lola was outside with me and when she came in — she stopped in the middle of the room and waited for me to invite her to leave the room, without me saying a word or giving her any hand signal at all. Huge. HUGE. Amazing job of “Wait”.

I, however, am not awesome.

My house is trashed.

I’ve worked a whole lot of hours this week, after doing such an amazing job of taking time off everyday (for the last few months.)

We’re hemorrhaging money, after doing a great job of budget cutting and saving money.

I’m tired. Very, very tired — which is why the house is trashed, I’m working too many hours and we’re spending too much money.

It’s a vicious cycle. Must end the cycle this weekend.

Back. ON. Track. DAMN. IT.

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What a Difference a Day Makes

1 Comment / Animal Issues, Daily Dose, Pets /

Today was almost pleasant. Well, sort of. As pleasant as a day can be when you have days like mine.

What I mean is, the puppies were awesome today. Lola wasn’t crated all day — she and Skeeter were able to take breaks on their own, sometimes in the same room! Miracle of miracles. Turns out they do have off-switches and they seem to be able to turn those off all on their own. Yippee. I was kind of worried that we were always going to have to be enforcing time outs for over-tired puppies.

Heh.

Lola jumped the baby gate today when TW and the little kids came home. First time TW has actually seen her launch herself over one of those things. She’s one hell of a jumper.

Skeeter threw a lot of tantrums over Lola playing with her toys and chewing on her bones and antlers. Just like she used to do when Koto took her toys or bones or antlers.

Lola’s visit to the vet was fine. She’s 24lbs. She has a broken tail. Her eyes are red but we don’t really know why and are just going to watch them. Her microchip isn’t functioning or was expelled, so we have to take her in to get a new one. She took her heartworm treatment like champ (which is a big deal because she really doesn’t love treats the way Skeeter loves treats. Skeeter would eat a whole box of heartworm thingies and beg for more. )

TW took both dogs in the car together for the first time and nobody died. She says they were good. That must be because I taught Lola how to WAIT (for godsake) when the door is open. hah.

That’s something else Lola is doing well — she’s doing a great job of waiting at the door before she runs through it. This is important for her to learn, we really don’t want her dashing out of the house every time a kid or TW’s mom (or TW) goes in/out.

All in all — a good day. We’ll see what happens tomorrow when someone is going to be in the car pretty much all day long (and it won’t be me.)

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So Pretty

1 Comment / Daily Dose, Foodie /

I have a love/hate with the Kitchenaid Stand Mixer.

The biggest problem is that I don’t really understand why the average person needs a stand mixer at all, much less a Kitchenaid that weighs a gazillion pounds.

My mom did not have a stand mixer when I was a kid.
I did not have a stand mixer until I moved in with TW and discovered she had her mom’s old white Kitchenaid.

And then I cursed that thing like crazy for a good five years, at which point it tried to kill me. (Fine, that’s what I get for storing it on top of the refrigerator.)

Just a couple of years ago, we threw away that old Kitchenaid stand mixer because the thingy that holds the bowl in place was worn out and the goo being mixed kept flying all over the place. Sometimes the entire bowl flew across the room. Stupid machine.

I’m thrifty and don’t believe in stand mixers so when I bought the replacement, I picked a Mixmaster. TW didn’t seem thrilled with it but she didn’t really complain either. The Mixmaster mostly just did what it was supposed to do while I cursed the fact that we have a stand mixer at all because those things take up space that we do not have.

At least this one isn’t heavy.

And yet, we are both drawn to the Kitchenaid Stand Mixers when we go to the Navy Exchange. Or when we’re in any kitchen department. It’s the color. The color lures us in. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve fondled a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer in red. In green. In orange. In yellow. Even in pink.

So it makes sense that I fondled the watermelon Kitchenaid at BlogHer Food. I fondled it quite a bit. And then TW won it and I cursed because we have a Mixmaster, for goodness sakes. We don’t have room for a Kitchenaid! That thing will probably try to kill me just like the white one did.

Then again, this one is new. And fresh. And has all of the instructions. It has the splatter guard. And the meat grinder. And the grain grinder. And the pasta thingy. How cool is THAT?

Sure enough, when it arrived yesterday… I fondled it. I cannot walk past it without petting it.

It’s so damn pretty.

I really hope it doesn’t try to kill me like the old white one did.

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Avoiding Vicarious Living

Daily Dose, Day to Day /

Before BlogHer Food I was all about the art journaling and really loving the Index Card a Day challenge.

I took a couple of cards and a few pens with me on the trip but I knew I wouldn’t use them. I didn’t. Heck, I can’t even seem to find them in my suitcase or laptop bag, which is bad because one of my Pit Pens is wherever those cards are! gah.

I even stopped watching the ICAD Facebook group because I just felt overwhelmed by all of the creativity.

And then there’s KarenLynnn who’s enjoying her new Mandala book and her even newer Prismacolor 150s.

And my mom who is Zentangling and sending my photos via text message.

I’ve been home 48 hours. I haven’t looked at either of my journals or JMP’s tag journal and I’m five index cards behind in the ICAD.

I have three art journal, mixed media, collage books sitting on my bedside table, just waiting for me to get back to it.

I think tomorrow I’ll be ready.

Assuming I get just a little more sleep tonight than I did last night.

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Proper Planning

Daily Dose, Day to Day, Foodie /

It happens every time we return from a BlogHer conference, but it’s worse after a BlogHer Food conference.

We come home exhausted.

We come home to an almost empty refrigerator.

We come home to a house with no bread.

We come home with no plans for feeding ourselves (or anyone else).

That means we’re starving on the first day home. And nothing sounds good. Looks good. Or looks anything remotely interesting. So, we eat junk food or we eat nothing at all and we do a lot of complaining about the lack of food (Lack of food served to us directly at our seats, food handed to us on trays by nice people, food sitting on tables ready and waiting for us to decide to be hungry as we walk through the house.)

This also means that we come back and order pizza on day one. On day two, we’ll probably order Jimmy Johns. On day three, we might make it to the grocery store but we’ll end up not getting all of the things we might need — and even if we get everything we need, we won’t have the energy or desire to jump back into the normal routine. The BlogHer event letdown is strong and lasts for at least four days but usually closer to six.

By the time we’ve been home a week, we’re probably back to normal — but prior to that, eating (or not eating) is hell.

With BlogHer ’13 coming up quickly, I think I’m going to try a slightly different tact. I’m going to make a meal plan we can stick to. I’m going to shop BEFORE we head into the city for the event. I am going to make darn sure that there is food on hand that we will eat, as soon as we get home. Hell. I think we’ll stop at the Dominick’s on the way home and grab fresh bread, milk, and eggs just to be safe.

None of that will help with the exhaustion or the obvious lack of people bringing food or always having food sitting around just waiting for us to eat — but maybe it will speed up the recovery process by a couple of days? Maybe?

Yea. I ordered pizza. Enough for us to have it tomorrow for breakfast and lunch. It wasn’t satisfying at all. Not at all.

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Dog Travelers

3 Comments / Animal Issues, Daily Dose, Travel Log /

When we took Skeeter with us to Philadelphia and roamed around the Sheraton with her, we didn’t see a lot of people with dogs in the hotel. We heard one dog, a few doors down for us, but I don’t think we ever saw it.

People generally looked surprised to see her in the elevator or wandering around the halls. They would often comment about how unusual that was. One person wanted to pet her because she really missed her own dog while she was traveling for business. Another man had recently lost his dog and really enjoyed getting to pet her for a bit.

It was an interesting thing, to take her along to a pretty nice hotel in a big city. It felt crazy weird and we felt super crazy for doing it.

Flash forward nine months and we’re on our second trip without her and dang, we miss her. Worse yet, this hotel is full of dogs. I’m not kidding you. There must be a dozen different dogs checked in here, and those are just the ones we have seen.

We’re also right across the street from a little park (and O’Henry’s home, but that’s another post entirely) and it seems like everyone in Austin has at least one dog. Totally different from Philly where we rarely saw people walking their dogs.

We’ve had a lot of fun here but we’re ready to go home because WE MISS OUR DOG.

We are officially THOSE weird dog people. Gah.

Do you think I can bring her to BlogHer ’13 in Chicago????

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