Family Funk

How Many Dead Dogs?

3 Comments / Holidays, Pets, Questions and Answers /

There is not a day that goes by without at least one person arriving at my blog through a search for dogs eating chocolate (though the actual search phrase varies, and is often interesting like the one who said “how long do I have to wait until my dog dies from eating chocolate”). Tonight, in the last 2 hours, I’ve had five people visit in search of the answer to the dogs death by chocolate question.


While I did have folks assure me that chocolate is toxic to dogs, I stand by my belief that it’s a myth. None of my dogs has ever died from chocolate and believe me, they’ve eaten a LOT of chocolate. I wouldn’t stick the cute little orange pumpkin full of candy on the floor in place of the dog food or anything like that but I’m not going to lose any sleep over Jake grabbing a snoutful before I can stop him.


Now if anyone stumbles on some study that shows how many dogs day in the aftermath of Halloween chocolate madness, then I’d consider changing my mind.

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Daily Dose of Kids and Construction

1 Comment / Day to Day, Kid Talk, Pet Peeves /

The house next door is getting an addition.  I thought at first it was going to be a swimming pool.  Then I thought it was going to be a fence (they are one of the few houses without a fence).  But then construction got going and no, it’s an addition.  Which doesn’t make sense to us because the people are old, there don’t seem to be many people who live in the house, and the house is already very large.  (And no, we’ve never met them even though we have lived here for 5 years.  Oh except Chris who met the old dude when he fell on the sidewalk and could not get up.  Chris helped him up and since then the dude rides a motorized scooter around.)

So that construction.  It is bugging the big kids. 

Michelle ranted last week that there should be laws preventing construction noises at 7am when she is trying to get another half hour of sleep before school.  She ranted and ranted.  I reassured her that it wouldn’t take long because they got a TON done and it looked like it just needed a roof and some finishing on the outside and then surely the inside construction would not wake her.

This week, they are in fact working on the roof.  And now Chris is disgusted.  Not with the noise of the hammers and stuff but with the ridiculous chatter of the construction workers.  His room is right next to the construction site and apparently these men talk about the DUMBEST stuff.  And he simply cannot take listening to their idiocy any longer.  So he left to hang out with people who don’t talk about dumb stuff.

I’m finding the whole construction thing sort of amusing simply because of the angst it is causing the big kids.  Too loud when she’s trying to sleep – ha.  Dumb conversations – ha.  Payback in the form of construction workers.  Who knew?

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Daily Dose of Chris

6 Comments / Kid Talk /

OK this is for Lee, since she likes Chris stories so much.


My son came home from his girlfriend’s house. He walked in the front door. I yelled “hello” from the bedroom. He yelled “hello” back. He said “How’s it going?” I said “ok, how’s it going with you”. He said “I got stung by a scorpion.” I said “Huh? ummm have you been to the hospital?” He said “No, it’s fine.”


Ummm scorpions are bad. I know very little about them, having lived in areas where they weren’t really a problem. In fact I started to think “Does Florida even have them? Is my son delusional in the way that Michelle is in always thinking she’s been bit by a spider because the 1/2 child is constantly telling spider bite stories?”


So Chris is at the bedroom door and I am here on my laptop trying to remain calm as he tells me that it’s no big deal and his g/f has been stung a lot and I’m googling scorpions in Florida. Resisting the urge to call the hospital immediately and act like the freak out mom I’m NOT.


Thank goodness. He’s right. There are scorpions and Florida but it’s not that big of a deal. Except that they are as ugly as can be and I think he should avoid them and areas where they live in the future. Because the idea of one crawling on me is making me ill and Elvis Rat is beginning to look good compared to these things.


Sheesh.

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Daily Dose of Denise

7 Comments / Day to Day, Friends & Family, Holidays, Personality /

Today is my birthday. 

It’s started just like any other day and I like that.  Seriously.  I really don’t like a fuss, even the Ferrick-fest I didn’t like.  Sort of.  Too much fuss.

The only thing that will be different today (I hope) is that Jenn is coming! Yea!

Michelle and Chris both work today.  I have already worked this morning.  I have laundry and housework to do.  I might do some yardwork or might not.  I have some blogging to catch up on and a ton of books to read. 

I think I’ll be extravagant and hit the Starbucks when I take Michelle to work. 

The perfect birthday – no fuss, no mess, no cake (or cupcakes), no big gifts (except the big check from my mom, which was really nice actually).  Perfect. 

Hmmm, hashbrown casserole would not be considered fussy.

Happy birthday to ME!

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Daily Dose of Television – Gilmore Girls

2 Comments / Kid Talk, Sights & Sounds /

Emptychair
Last night was a big, big night at the Flamingo House. The Gilmore Girls (and the rest of the Stars Hollow folks) are back! Yea!  Life doesn’t get any bigger or better than that.  It’s been so longgggg!

Last night was also a sad night at the Flamingo House.  Michelle was not home to watch GGs with us.  That. Was. Sad.  Almost too sad to take. 

Tuesday night is moms and me night.  Before Michelle had two moms, it was mom and me night.  And before that, it was mom and sister and me night because Jenn always watched it with us in NJ.  It’s tradition.  Seven years of tradition we’re working on.  And she missed it last night.  HMPH.

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Let me do a mini review  to take my mind off of missing Michelle. (Michelle, stop reading if you haven’t watched the tape – anyone else who taped or Tivoed, stop reading)

First monologue of Lauren Graham with Suki.  I didn’t like it.  The whole Luke/Car analogy thing.  Lauren Graham was trying too hard with crap writing. Lorelai can do some great things to an analogy, but that wasn’t hers.   After that… smooth sailing.   

Loved every supporting cast moment – Paris, Suki and Michele, Taylor and Kirk, Miss Patty, Gypsy, even Kirk’s g/f.  I’m falling out of love with Sally Struthers and I’m not sure why.  Babette is boring me.  It’s probably just me.

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I loved the Twilight Zone rocket but am apalled that Rory took that long to figure it out.  I’m thrilled with her last scene with Logan on the phone.  Time for Rory to learn a lesson and be a big girl.  Running off to London – WRONG move.  And Lorelai, for suggesting it – bah.  There is such thing as "too much nice mom".

Now, about Luke/Lorelai/Christopher.  Christopher is slimey.  I have never liked him.  Ever. I do not like him now.  That little shudder Lorelai did after getting out of his house – that’s how I feel anytime Christopher is in a scene.  Now the previews indicate Lorelai is going to be 16 again and screw up her life once more, and do it with Christopher.  Tell me it will be Emily who does what she should have done 20 years ago… In the meantime, I am not sure how much Christopher and Lorelai I can take.  I’ll enjoy seeing Luke suffer though – he is going to suffer right?  He’s not gonna fall into bed with April’s mom, right?  He’s been a jerk but he’s smarter than that – smarter than Lorelai in this area.

Yea GGs is back.  Sniffffff I missed watching it with Michelle.

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