Its over

Yes my friends, for me the stress is pretty much over. WHEW!! Only one more family event to attend on Sat, and my Christmas Holiday is done.

Last Sunday was an afternoon with my in-laws (which total about 25 or so people). We ate, exchanged gifts, and ate some more. ugh, I think I gained 10lbs that day. The day before I went and got my son, so we were having fun with the family. Anyway, then Monday my husband drove to get his son, which ended up being a wild goose chase to different stores trying to find my son some snow boots. Why his dad doesn't buy him a pair, I'll never know....those and snow pants. How can you live in the Mid-West and not own snow clothes???? Anyway, hubby found some after searching every store from Dubuque to here. He arrived just in time for supper, and after the 4 of us gorged on lasagna, we opened gifts. The boys had fun, and I was suprised by the hubby with a gift. See, we had agreed not to get anything for each other this year (of course, we do that every year) but ended up at the Harley store where he got me some new boots for riding and I got him a plaque that he was wanting. (Framed shadowbox type thing with pewter motorcycles...very nice) Well, I thought we were done. Nooooo....he brings me a new fleece pull-over from Old Navy, in red which he knows is my favorite color, AND, the new Harry Potter movie, Order of the Phoenix. He is too good!!! So after all gifts were opened, and paper cleaned up, we all settled in and watched the movie. Then of course, had to go to bed so Santa would come!!!

After our morning of the boys opening gifts from Santa, we had a big breakfast, then it was back to the in-law's house for another feast. This time it was extended family. I think there were close to 40 people there at one time. People coming and going, etc. We were there at noon, and stayed til 8pm...I was pooped! But the kids had a great time, and again, another 10lbs was gained.

The following day (26th) my sister and her family arrived. But not til almost 3. So that gave me and the boys time to go out and scope some good sledding hills. We had a blast. Just running around, playing in the snow...I really enjoy sledding. Anyway, it got up to 42 that day, so by the time my sister arrived, there wasn't much snow left, but we did get a few runs in. We ate, exchanged gifts, and they went home....in and out in 3hrs. That's the way I like it!! LOL At about 630, the boys got in the hot tub, and had fun there. They were so tired from a hard day, then the hot tub being so relaxing, they were in bed by 830. They volunteered to go to bed, which made me laugh!! By 845, hubby and I were in the tub ourselves....and by then it was snowing. HARD. After an hour we were done and in the bed. I was wiped out as well.

Today, hubby took his son back, and should be home in the next couple of hours. My son helped me take the ornaments off of the tree in the front room, but that's as far as we got on that one. We then went sledding, with the new snow getting started was hard, but boy, once a track was made, we were a couple of speed demons going down the hill!! woohoo! We had a really good time. I think we will take ornaments off of the kitchen tree, and back room tree. Then the hubby can take apart the trees and put them away. Maybe then my house will be back to normal.

Sat is our final shindig.....a cousin is getting married. The wedding is at 3pm, with the reception at 6. We won't stay long, as we have to get up early on Sun. to take my son home. We'll get home in the evening, and then I will be finished completely with the holiday season. I am so tired now....lol.

I will never understand.....

Yeah, once again, I'm on a rant.....soapbox.....tantrum....whatever. But for the life of me I will never understand how people can be so stupid. Why do people insist that certain dog breeds are vicious baby killers, when in all reality they don't know? Why would someone give out information based on hearsay? "I have always heard that Pit Bulls are dangerous, don't get near them"....."Black dogs will bite you, no matter what"...."You have to swat the dog in the nose to make it stop biting you".....Gawd the list goes on and on and on and on. I get so sick of stupid people passing on this kind of information!! And the sad thing?? THE IDIOTS THAT BELIEVE THEM!!!!

WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!! DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH!!!! TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL!!!!

If you have questions or reservations, find a good site with professionals and ASK THEM!!!

DO NOT ASSUME YOUR NEIGHBOR KNOWS WHAT THE HELL HE/SHE IS TALKING ABOUT!!!!

http://k9korner.wetpaint.com

Another thing I will never understand....why do people assume that bikers are evil beings????

Don't you people realize that if it weren't for some motorcycle clubs that many charities would be sorely lacking in the funds department? MDA, Salvation Army, Humane Societies, and many more too numerous to list. Did anyone ever stop to think that these people are more than leather and pipes? NO.....you skirt around us like we have a disease.....but bet your ass we'll stop and help you should you need it.

Take a step back people and actually try THINKING for yourself for once...you'd be suprised what can happen.

Busy season....

Isn't it amazing how the worse the weather gets, the busier we seem to be? Maybe its just me, but people travel more, see family more, shop more, etc. Obviously because of Christmas, but why wait til the weather is absolutely horrid before you go somewhere? I don't get it, but then again, I'm a cynic who doesn't really care to see much of my "out of state family".

My point is, I've been busy. I've been sewing...yes, sewing...and have made my husband a nice pair of flannel pajama pants, and am working on a fleece onsie type outfit for the child-not-yet-born to my sister in law. That was hubby's idea. I think I'm regretting it. Although I can sew the basics...a blanket (not hard) or a pillow covering, I haven't worked with a pattern since the 8th grade. Giving away my age, that was.....(counting on my fingers)....24 years ago. So, you can imagine me standing at my kitchen table staring at pattern pieces, and instructions with the look of bewilderment on my face. I remembered a few things from Home-economics class....iron the pattern pieces before cutting them out; pin them on the fabric; make sure the fabric is folded right sides together; make sure the fabric is wrinkle-free; etc. Part of my problem is not that I lack the sewing machine or thread, but that I lack things like pinking shears, and the roller-thing to mark the pattern to the fabric. For those of you that sew, you know what I mean. I also lack the marking pen, or chalk, a proper pin cushion, cutting board thing, and I'm sure a host of other acuterments. But, to my credit, I do alright. Although I cannot for the life of me understand why I need to cut those edge triangles....oh well.

So, I've managed to put up 3 trees....computer room tree, kitchen tree, and living room tree. Last year we had 7 (or was it 6?) but that was mainly because we were having a Christmas Eve gathering at our house. We had about 25-30 people here, all wandering around looking at them all. Of course, each had a theme. The boys' room was "Planes, Trains, & Automobiles", our bedroom was the Lodge look, the upstairs bathroom had lavendar lights with elegant dragonflies on it, downstairs had the computer room tree with nothing but red and white ornaments, the kitchen tree (self explainatory) and the living room with its Americanna theme. SO I guess that makes 6 trees. On top of all that, I collect Santas. You've seen them, the kind that have all the different looks and stand anywherer from 12" tall to my tallest which is 36", unless you count my life-size one that is 6' tall. Last year he was sequestered to peeking out the basement window because we didn't want Carlo to attack him. This year, however, he might come into the house. Although where he will stand, I don't know yet. Which leads me to something else the boggles my mind....







Why do people put up their decorations/trees after Thanksgiving? Personally, and this is just me, but we are being bombarded with Christmas stuff earlier and earlier each year, and by the time Christmas rolls around, I'm so burnt out on it I could care less about decorating. To me, having a tree up for the entire month (and then some) takes away the novelty of it. I try to wait as long as possible. I would have waited until next weekend if I could have, but we are going to be so busy then that we wouldn't have had time. We have artificial trees, and they are so big and heavy that I do need the hubby's help to get them up.








In other news, but I guess along the same lines, we here in the midwest are in the middle of the ice-storm. Unless you live under a rock, or don't watch the news, you've seen it on TV. Lucky us. So far here in my immediate area, there haven't been any power outages. But south of us is where the major ones are. This is going to be a sucky week! In the meantime, those lucky people in the south east are having nice 70 and 80 degree days....aaahhh, the life. And I can hear all of you now "If you don't like the weather, why don't you move?" Because right now my kids are far enough away from me....I don't want them any further until they go off to college. Both of my boys (son and step-son) live 6 or more hours away. So until they get older, we aren't moving. You'll just have to suffer along with my griping about the weather.

I really don't like Winter

Nope, don't like it at all. The ice, the wind, the bitter cold....ugh. No, its not pretty, or cool, it means you go outside and your skin cracks, your nostrils freeze closed, and that is after your mouth is frozen closed my the condensation of your breath, and the snot coming out of your nose. No, sorry to all of you who think winter is beautiful. I personally don't. My mastiff went outside to pee, slipped and fell on the sidewalk from the ice. I almost cried...he looked at me like "What the....?" Frozen dog paws, frozen poop, frozen ME....NO I say!! I swear, as soon as we can, we are moving south!!

Up and Running....

Well, I think we've done it. We (myself and Novel) have succeeded in starting a website that is both informative and fun. K-9 Korner was thought up as a way to help people and their dogs get through everything from puppyhood to the Golden Years. Things like nutrition, training, events, health, and even an advice column for those dogs that are just having issues with their humans! I wanted it to be a fun place, where people can browse around and if they can't find the answer they are looking for, then they can ask. Promoting also shelters, rescue organizations, and only the most ethical breeders, we only want what is best for you and your dog!

So, if you know anyone with a dog that could benefit from the site, (even if its you!!) then send them on over. I think you'll not only find it puts a smile on your face, but also a new wrinkle in your brain....and it can help your pup, too!

http://k9korner.wetpaint.com

The "goings on" around here....

Well, since I always seem to wait several days between posts, you get the wonderful priviledge of reading a really long blog...lol...lucky you.

Our Thanksgiving went well. On the actual day, we went to my sister's house and pigged out, then the following Sunday all of my In-laws came over. I spent all day Saturday prepping, then my MIL and I danced around the kitchen getting it all put together by noon. Hubby helped a bit, which was ok. Everyone had a good time, even the kids, and were all gone by 5. My kitchen was cleaned up, dishes washed, and everything put away by 6...whew! Then, on Wednesday evening, was my Pampered Chef party. For those of you who don't know what that is, Pampered Chef is a line of cooking utensils/products designed to make life in the kitchen easier. I love their products!! http://www.pamperedchef.com is where you can see what they offer.

So I finally got that over with, everyone gone by 9pm...ugh, what a week! Elite is in heat, kinda, and Carlo is outside howling almost constantly. Its driving Ben nuts! I don't k now what is worse, the howling, or smelling Elite. She isn't letting any of the boys near her, which is fine by me. I keep VERY close tabs on this crew at ALL TIMES. Don't need any mutts!!

In other news, I am in the middle of designing a site for dogs.....that's right, for dogs. Oh, and their owners can check it out, too. Hopefully, my friend Novel will agree to co-design it with me, and I will also try to get Robin in on it when her life settles down a bit. The thing is, with the cold weather here (only 28 right now...bbbrrr) I'm not much on being outside. I needed a project, and then it hit me. Why not make a site where dogs can bring their owners, get tips on training, find out where different events are and when, share pictures and stories, and get advice on issues? That is the big part of it....an advice column for dogs!! ASK BEN is the original idea that spurred this site, but as it started coming together, I thought "Why not have a place where people can look up short articles on training, food, holistic care, events, etc?" And so it began. Again, I'm still working on it, but keep checking back, because once its up and going, I'll post a link!! I also thought it would be a good idea to post about puppymills (what they are, etc), petshops, and even have a "Adoptable Pet of the Week" page. This will feature a dog in a shelter that needs a home. So many people either don't know about PetFinder, or don't know how to look for pets in their area. This will give them that oppportunity. We will also advertise rescue organizations (so if you know one or are a member of one, let me know), and cool places to get stuff for your dog!

So that's whats going on around here. Took the dogs for a walk the other day, before it got bitterly cold.
Hard to see in this one, but Elite has her head in the gutter LOL



Then Max had to see what was going on, but he was too chicken to stick his head in:



Of course, Ben is just everywhere





I had to laugh at this one....big dog, little dog..."Whats going on down there?"



And finally, a tired dog, is a happy dog

What if......?

So, in my spare time (deep note of sarcasm) I got to thinking.....What if the world as we know it was suddenly plunged into a completely different way of life. What I mean is, what if for whatever reason, we lost everything. Cars, electricity, phone, etc. Thats right...no computers, no cell phones, no radio, no TV, no light bulbs, no washing machine/dryer, nothing. What if the world was made to suddenly live like the early settlers,...or Pioneers if you prefer that term. Could you do it?

Could you make your own clothes? No shopping, remember. Could you make your own bread, hunt for your own meat, or grow your own food? Could you stand the thought of going out to the outhouse? Or only taking a bath about once a week? Ladies, could you handle going through your menstrual cycle with only rags pinned to your underwear? Could you go through daily tasks wearing dresses? Men, could you handle going out everyday to chop firewood? Could you use only a horse and plow and have a good crop for you and your family? Could you stand sleeping next to your spouse who doesn't shave...EVER??? Could any of you go through life only having sex when you wanted to have a child? No birth control, remember. Keeping in mind that the more you have, the more you have to feed. Could you live in a 2 room cabin?

I think to an extent, this way of life has been romantisized through TV shows like Little House on the Prarie, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, etc. I personally think only about 25% of our population in the USA would survive. I think that 50% would probably kill each other. Bad thought, I know, but probably more true than we would like to admit. So that leaves 50% left....of that, 25% couldn't handle the lifestyle, and would either starve or freeze to death....so thats what is left. A small percentage of people who could possibly handle it. These people aren't scared to butcher a cow, pig, chicken, deer, etc. They aren't scared to be out in the garden, ankle deep in dirt, working the crop. They aren't worried about getting up early to build the fire, do the chores of feeding livestock, chopping wood, gathering water, etc. These people live off of meat and potatoes, they are familiar with animals, aren't scared to hunt, and know that it takes work to survive. It is also these people that could really care less about the computer, the cell phone, the TV. I think that these people carry more of the pioneer blood in them than others. That strong will, the need to be with the earth, the want to do for themselves.

I have been doing a lot of reading up on this lifestyle. And more people than you think are turning to a more simple way of life. Sefl reliance it is called...also voluntary reliance, simple living, etc. If you go to Ask.com, and just type in self reliance living, you'll get a whole host of sites chocked full of info. Some even call it Homesteading. Like I say, I've been doing a lot of reading, trying to educate myself on this way of life. No, I don't have an outhouse, and obviously I've still got my computer. But I often wonder how little stress I would have without these "conveniences". Just imagine, not having to drive to the grocery, checking ingredients, price comparing, battleing the crowd, and finally, going through that check out line that is a mile long. Then battleing traffic on the way home...ugh. Just imagine...going to your pantry/cellar and grabbing all you need for the evening meal. Working hard during the day and seeing the fruits of your labor. Going to bed TIRED....not just going to bed because its dark. Working with the land, actually GAINING something from your hard work, instead of worrying if your pay is worth the effort. No modern conveniences means no bills. No heat bill, no electric bill, no filling up on $3 or $4 gas, no phone bill, etc...NO BILLS. That alone could make me go pitch a tent somewhere.

SO, could you handle it? Could you really do it? I truely believe I could.

Musings....

Well, I can't say that anything exciting has been going on. Like everyone else in the USA, we are getting by. Its funny how you can have tons of life experience...heck, 20 years worth even, but when you are applying for a job, they want to see it on paper. So, since you can't put "Life" in the "experience" block of an application, they instead choose the irresponsible 22 year old with the bachelor's degree who is still living with mom and dad. Ok, so that was a rant.

Yesterday was yucky and rainy, so I layed in the chair all day....other than the wonderful phone conversation with Novel, nothing exciting happened (unless you count baking cookies exciting...lol)

Today however, something neat happened. I was out in the pasture with the dogs, burning off some energy, when my girl Elite flushed a buck out of the ravine. As for size, he was very large, but he was young. Only 4 points (2 on each side) and they were small, too. But it was the darndest thing.....he came up out of the ravine, and just stood there looking at me. We were about 30 yards apart and it was for about 5 seconds, but wow, he was gorgeous. Of course, me without the camera (I debated taking it, wish I would have listened to my gut on this one!) or a gun. Of course, I don't have a hunting license, but who would have known? There are so many hunters around here, nobody would have known. Oh well. But what happened next was equally as beautiful. Ben, my Mastiff (who will be a year old in about 3 weeks) looked at the buck, and when it took off, so did Ben. He was in full stride, nothing puppy about him. I have never seen him, or any other Mastiff run so fast, with such long strides....it was truely a sight to see. He ran hard for about 150 yards, obviously out-run by the buck, and came lumbering back with his tongue hanging to the ground and a big smile on his face. He was so proud! LOL Max, my JRT was too busy eating racoon poop to care, and I guess Elite decided it was below her to chase deer. No matter, I think Ben expended all of his energy for today and tomorrow in the brief sprint. Too cool.

Earlier today however, I looked out the back door to see this:



You guessed it...that is my Ben, lounging on TOP of the hot tub!! I'm glad the lid didn't cave in with his 125lb butt on it. But I guess he thought he was the king sitting up there.....what a goofball.

In other news, I found an interesting website in my neverending search for knowledge concerning gardening, raising chickens, canning veggies, fruit, and meat, and any other notion to do with "simple" living. All a part of getting back to my "roots" I guess....or going green if you prefer that term. www.backwoodshome.com

They have bloggers on there that answer questions and talk about daily "simple" life. Recipes, techniques, sewing, gardening, hunting, ect. I've only scratched the surface of this site, but as far as I can tell, its a good one and I recommend it to all of my "simple life" friends. I also like www.seedsavers.org . They deal mostly in heirloom and organic veggies and fruits. Nice site.

So there ya go....a few thoughts from my neck of the woods. I guess next time I'll take the camera....you just never know!!

Going Green....

Ok, so we've been seeing it on the news, hearing it on the radio, etc. I can't say I've been thinking about it, that would be a lie. In fact, it has been a seed in the back of my brain for a long time. Living out here in the country, I had the small vision of a grand garden full of veggies, fruit trees/bushes, and farm stock. Actually, it has been a vision since I was a kid to live "simple"....but I would be a total hypocrit if I didn't say that I would still at least want my computer, and my TV. Sorry, but I have to know what's going on in the world and keep in touch with friends. But, I always thought that I could handle doing the daily "up keep" of a domestic farm. Lets face it....Mother Earth has had enough of our crap, and she is retaliating for our abuse. We owe it to her to back off of the pollution and get back to the way it should be. Yeah, I'll still ride my Harley, but at least I'm not buying the hormone ridden crap at the store anymore.....that is the goal, anyway.

I think part of that vision is going to come to light. I was given a thought-boost by all of the media talking about it, and sat down with my husband to tell him of my vision. Of course, at first, he laughed. Then he was skeptical. Then he was half heartedly appeasing me. Well, now I think I've about got him all in. He has agreed to section off a garden for me....36ft wide x 50ft long! AND...hold on to your hats folks...he has agreed to let me get chickens to raise for eggs and meat!! WOOHOO!! So we spent several days plotting out where the garden fence would be, how it would impact our yard, and then also working on the chicken coop.

At first, we thought we would build one from scratch, but as we got to looking at our yard, and what we had, we decided that part of our shed that we really aren't using could be converted into a coop. All we would need to do would be to build the roost, nesting boxes, ramp, and sections for juveniles and chicks. So we jumped in with both feet. He helped me get the roost started, and built 2 nesting boxes. All of this with spare lumber we had from previous projects, or that was left behind from many years past.

Here is the outside view. We will cut 3 small "doors" in the tin, and those will lead to seperate sections as mentioned above. The outside will also be divided....


The fencing for the outside portions will come out 15ft. This picture shows the shed we are using in relation to the house/back deck. The coop being in the far right portion (tin) of the shed.


A different angle...


This door will be replace with either barn doors, or something similar, like a regular people door, and fill in the rest with plywood or other lumber. Depends on what we can scavenge..lol...


A different angle:


I am so excited! Here are some pictures of our progress so far...we need to get some chicken wire, and he needs to make a few more nesting boxes. But I think so far, for what it is and what we have, its not bad!







Me, making a "chick ramp"...lol



I am going to learn how to can fruits and veggies from my Mother-in-Law, which should be interesting. I would like to learn how to do it without a pressure cooker, because lets face it, the pioneers didn't carry those around in the wagons with them. I'm also going to have a large cast iron pot set up to hang over a fire pit. This is for when I butcher the chickens, I can dunk them in the boiling water to loosen feathers. Kinda like blanching fruit to peel. Not in long enough to cook, but just to make getting the feathers off easier. Then I can butcher them according to need (seperate breasts, legs, thighs, or leave them whole)and freeze them. No, that's not how it was done "back in the day", but my point is they will be organic, and not cost me as much as buying them at the store.

Have any of you heard of canning MEAT???? My MIL said her mother used to do it, but she can't quite remember how its done. So if anyone has any suggestions or links feel free to speak up!

I tried to get the hubby talked into rabbits and ducks as well, but he said "Lets see how you do with the chickens, first"....I had to laugh. I also told him I would like to eventually have a cow and hog to raise for butchering as well. He just looked at me and shook his head. Maybe next year? Hopefully the chickens will do well enough to prove I can handle other livestock. I can't wait for spring to get here!!

Realizations....

WARNING!! This could be a really long post....hope you have time to read it all!! :)



Ok, so for the past week or so, some things have come to my attention. I don't really want to say its "age", because that makes me sound old. I'm 36, but I think my life and my soul have come to some conclustions. I'm putting these realizations here, for all of you to read, in hopes that either you have already had them, or maybe one day you will. I'm not saying they are profound, they don't earn the Pulitzer Prize or anything, but I think they do warrant print. So, on with the show!

I have realized:

--that my husband truely loves me, regardless of anything that has happened in our past. He doesn't want me to have to work, and he really wants me to be happy, therefore indulging in some of my crazier ideas.

--that I want to spend time being goofy with my 8 year old son. It dawned on me the other day how far from my childhood I had become when he wanted to scoop out the center of a Whopper, only to fill the chocolate shell with metal shavings or bb's, then place it on a table with a magnet underneath and make it "magically" roll around. We decided that a ball-bearing would be better.

--that my 4 dogs have taught me TONS of patience. My mastiff, Ben, is always in "slow-mode" which requires me to wait patiently for him to exicute a command. And that being pinned to the kitchen sink by a 125lb dog leaning on my legs is his way of telling me "I'm right here mom, no worries".

--that I have come to a point in my life that I will accept my body for what it is, and stop trying to make it what it really can't be....regardless of the fact that I would kill to look like Jillian off of The Biggest Loser. I love that woman.

--that I don't have to look "pristene" when I go get groceries. I am not there to meet men, or other people, so I don't have to put on make-up, and change clothes before I go. The people at HyVee or County Market don't care if my jeans have dirt or dog hair on them, nor do they care that I'm not wearing my "best" Carhart coat.

--that I can sit with my husband in the car, or in the hot tub in silence, and be ok with it. We don't have to speak to enjoy each other's company.

--that we can make it through tough times. We have had our highs and lows, both emotionally and financially, but we have made it through them all. We are a better couple for it, and I am glad to have him.

--that no matter how hard you try, or how loud you yell, men will NOT take out the trash or do the dishes. They WILL however, pick up dog poop, cook a meal, put laundry in the dryer, and hold you at night.

--that you can try things just once to see if it works and you aren't out a thing...in fact, you actually gain a better understanding of things when you try them out!!

--that keeping a puppy on a schedule for house training is great, but needn't be continued through adulthood because it makes your dogs crazy. They will refuse to pee if they know they are coming right in to eat.

--that I don't have to shave my legs every single day. Especially in the winter.

So all in all, things are good, life is good, and having these "realizations" is good.

Living with a Mastiff....

First let me apologize for being so long to post. Its been a bit mundane here. However, thanx to The Handler, I have applied for a job that, IF I get it, would have us moving....more on that later.

So, living with a Mastiff. For those that have never lived with an extremely LARGE dog, it definitely has its...well....situations.

First, even though the dog is 30 inches at the shoulder, and well over 100lbs, he is still an 11 month old puppy and should be treated as such. Yes, sometimes its hard to look at him and "think" puppy, but then he does something that quickly reminds me, he is ALL puppy. We'll start with trying to climb into my lap:



Then, when he doesn't get his way, he tries to "suck up" by giving kisses:



How am I to resist this face?



But alas, we pout:



Then we are outside, trying to find something to play with. Evdidently I'm such a meany, that he must scavenge pieces of PVC pipe to entertain himself with. Secretly, I think he knew he was making me laugh. In fact, I literally almost peed my pants watching him. The only dog I've ever owned that could fit a 4 INCH piece of pipe in his mouth:



But as I said, he is still a puppy. You know how it goes, the "back talk" when you want them to do something (especially when he knows I can't reach him for a correction), the sneaking around to see what that one shoe smells like way down deep, or why that mousetrap smells like peanut butter, or even trying to climb into the dryer. You know it smells good in there, and when it stops, its so warm and snuggly!!

All in all, I wouldn't trade my "snuggy bear" for the world. He only drools after drinking water, and wants so badly for "mom" to be happy. He just wants to be close, even if it means leaning on my legs while I'm doing dishes, thus pinning me to the counter. He wants to be brave for me, and will sit very "proudly" when Greg is around. He tries to be "easy", but just hasn't gotten that down yet. Excitement gets the best of him, and the "body-wag" coupled with the need to touch sends him into overdrive and I get stepped on, pushed, and snorted on....not to mention a good whipping with that tail!

He knows to sit for a rub, and has learned "platz" (down), and for some reason I am using the command "wait" instead of "stay". I don't know why I have, but it is working so I'm not going to change. He does real well for being a puppy, and I can see lots of potential when he learns to settle down. He will never leave my side, but then at the same time can be so incredibly stubborn you would swear he was deaf. He sings to me each morning, and doesn't try to run me down getting to the door. And he still wants something to suck on:





I had to take this toy away because he was becoming obsessive about it. He would carry it around, and suck on it for hours, like a pacifier. He used to want to walk beside me with my hand in his mouth (a previous owner thing) but he has dropped that annoying habit. I never encouraged it, and for a long time walked around with my hands in my pockets. He eventually forgot all about it.

But as I said, I wouldn't trade him for the world. After all, who can resist such a sweet face?

eBay and other news

Ever wonder what made the person that came up with this wonderful thing think of it in the first place? I mean really, lets think about it. People in general love the thrill of competition. Lots of people go to auctions, and basically, like the guy says on the movie "Robots"....."see a need, fill a need". That pretty much sums it up. And eBay has been around for what, maybe 10 years more or less?

Anyway, the premis behind all of this is that I finally got Greg to auction some things off on eBay. Things like our old grips/pegs, pipes, and other things that we used to collect, but are no longer "in to". Like antiques....I used to collect enamelware. Now I have quite a bit of it, and decided it was just taking up too much space...Greg has some really old matchbooks, those are up for sale....just stuff like that. I figure, if all sells for just the asking price, we'll have about $400....take out the fees, and guessing HIGH, we'll still have over $350. Not bad if you ask me.

Beyond that, not much to report. We went on a ride today....about 100 miles. It was soooooo nice to get out, and the weather was near perfect.

Before I forget....for those of you that know about the "boy" (he is 19) who usually takes care of the dogs when we are gone....he purchased a Great Dane from the animal shelter in Macomb. Yes, I said PURCHASED. The reason I say that is because they charged him $75 for a 6 year old dog they confiscated from someone's house where she was abused and used as a brood bitch (so the story goes). Anyway, she is not spayed, nor was there a contract requiring him to get her spayed. No documentation proving she had been vaccinated, nothing. Just a receipt out of a book, bought at WalMart no doubt, stating he had paid the fee. That's it. I was in shock. I kept telling him I didn't believe him, that shelters don't operate that way, until he pulled out the receipt. Then later, after looking over the dog (she is a blue merle, nice, but petite)Greg reminded me that we had gone there once, and they tried to get us to PURCHASE a black GSD with no contract. No wonder I didn't get her. So tonight, the topic of this dog came up again, and how this boy and his girl won't be able to handle this dog, etc. (she is too much temperment-wise for them)and how we will probably have the dog here by Thanksgiving. It wouldn't suprise me. She needs a strong person. She tried to fence fight with Elite, tried to eat Max, and growled at Ben. I took the leash from him, and as soon as she went to Elite's pen and her hair started to go up, I stood between them and made her sit. I was firm, but not loud. After about 3 times, she was able to walk by the pen with no fuss. When she tried to eat Max, the boy didn't know what to do. I grabbed her collar and booted Max out of the way, then made her sit again. She was a quick study and didn't mess with him anymore. She then would come to me and immediately sit and wait to be rubbed....good girl. But the boy isn't that firm, and neither is his girlfriend. They already have 2 dogs at their house, and I tried to really explain to him the need for crates, and the full run down on how to introduce the new dog to avoid a fight. I even sent him home with a medium and an extra large crate. Sad thing is, we rode by their house today on our way home....they were at a flea market (which we knew they were going to) and going to be gone for at least 12 hours, and they had the Dane chained up in the yard to a tree. The chain was similar to what you put on your tires in the winter....big links. ugh, even Greg commented on it, saying he couldn't believe they had her chained up like that. As I said, she'll probably be here by Thanksgiving. Although, the boy said if she shows aggression to him or his girl, or even bites them, he is going to shoot her. :( I told him not to put her in a situation where she would, but he can't read dogs anymore than the man on the moon, so you can imagine what will happen in the next week or so.

Thats my "holy shit what an idiot" story for the week. I'm sure there will be more to come, as his time with this dog progresses. You can see me rolling my eyes, shaking my head, and muttering under my breath. So until next time...try to make a difference, hopefully someone will listen.

JND

After pounding out a semi-rushed blog last night, and further thought this morning, I wanted to put this out there.

For The Handler and myself, we know what JND stands for, and is....and as for the others who read this, I'm sure you know what it is, you just don't call it JND.

JND = Just Noticeable Differenc

This is when there is the slightest of change in your dog's body/body language. For example: Your dog is "on point", you say his name, and all you see is a slight ear twitch...JND....Your dog is asleep, you whisper his name, and get a tail twitch, or ear twitch...JND....in Detection work, a slight head turn during a search...JND....You get the point.

So yesterday, Greg was standing out by Carlo's kennel. Carlo was standing there, tail wagging, ears relaxed, body relaxed, and the slight avoidance of prolonged eye contact. I told Greg to watch his dog, and walked casually over to the kennel. It was slight, but the tail stopped wagging, the ears went slightly forward, and his body tensed. It looked as if he "puffed up". He looked directly at me, and his whole "aura" was that of being on guard, ready to spring, or posturing in that "I'm bigger than you" stance...JND. It was then that I think the light really came on for Greg....he understood how Carlo is towards me. I have talked for years about JND, but I think he really saw and knew what I was talking about at that moment.

I type this blog, not only to illustrate JND, but also in a response to Novel....I don't think its a thyroid issue, or low electrolites....I thougth initially that your idea really might be a possibility. But after seeing his attitude yesterday, and comparing that to his bad attitude for the last 2 weeks, I think its just me. I think that if he acted rude to Greg as well, then other ideas such as yours would be a definite consideration. But alas, it just comes down to the fact that the dog genuinly hates me...lol.

Anyway, I wanted to put that out there, for all you dog lovers, and as future reference or explaination of "what is my dog doing?", "I think my dog is ignoring me". Its said that everytime we learn something new, our brains get a new wrinkle....congratulations, I give you wrinkles!! LOLOL

Productive Day

Today, albeit a Sunday, was very productive at our house. The morning started out fixing Carlo's feeding station. We decided just to take the whole thing out, and I would lock him in his dog house when it was time to feed.

Cleaning up the yard (poop) and cleaning out Carlo's pen, then led to checking the chemical balance in the hot tub, which then led to putting more water in. Funny how one thing will lead to another. I had also been telling Greg for the last 2 weeks that I wanted to get the garage cleaned up/out for the winter. All of the "summer" stuff needed to be put up and away. So FINALLY we started on that....after, of course, I had a fun chat on the phone with Robin. :) We put the bikes in the trailer...after getting it put where we wanted it. Then moved the lawn mower out. Greg thinks I'll have to mow one more time, but with the lack of rain, I'm not so sure. We also got the old bike parts put up in the rafters (keeping the mice out of the boxes), and I swept a bucket full of dirt out. The workbench got straightened out, and things just generally put away. Its amazing how much room we had!! LOL

So, we can now fit the car and the truck in the garage...whew! It comes in really handy in the winter...no scraping ice, no frozen doors, or snow blowing in when you are getting in/out. I would like to get the garage insulated and a branch off of the heater vented out to it. Just to take the chill off. But that is a big project for another year. Funny how you can think of projects that you should really do, but have no problem waiting until the "best time" to do them....even if it means years away.

So, after getting that taken care of, we had a late lunch and then napped. I was so tired after being up since 5....Greg snores terribly sometimes, and so sleep eludes me on the bad nights. We then got up around 4pm, and I gave Greg a haircut. He wasn't real happy about it, and I kinda felt bad. He had a 9 inch ponytail, and I had to cut it off. Trimmed his hair to just above the collar, and neatened up the front. But, with his interview tomorrow, we just didn't want to risk having his long hair be the deciding factor. So, after all of that, I got a loaf of bread started, and laundry going. Supper was next, rotate laundry, eat, fold laundry, do dishes, bake bread, cool bread, then finally sit for a minute to type this blog! NOw, its time for some relaxation in that wonderful hot tub!!! :)

Fall is here

Wow, is it ever! I hate the cold anyway, and when it drops below 65, I am cold. So last night, when it was 39, I thought I was going to freeze to death! I have been holding off on turning on the furnace, but did for just a bit today to knock off the chill. I knew it was chilly in the house when the dogs were curled up on the couch in tight little balls. Even during my daily "rest", Ben usually gets hot on the couch with me....not today. He was quite content to stay curled up shareing body heat. Of course, I didn't mind. Tonight its supposed to be 36...but then get warmer at night progessively throughout the week. So I'll contiue to put off the furnace. :)

My father-in-law, and brother-in-law spent the day combining corn next to my house. I don't mind that, but what I do mind is what happens as a result....mice. I know its part of living in the country. Heck, I've lived with it for over 5 years. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. So, I spent my day digging out the mouse traps. I would use poison, but the last time I did that, they crawled into my walls to die. The smell was horendous. So, no more poison. I will set out traps each night, and empty them each morning. Its just what we bumpkins do!

In other news, Greg has his first interview with DOT Foods on Monday. If he gets through that, then he'll be scheduled for a second, where he will take the drug test and driving test. He'll obviously have no problems with either one of those! So, keep your fingers crossed...he says that if he gets the job, he will quit smoking....again, keep your fingers crossed!!!

This picture is of Ben, on the watch....makes ya wonder how a 100lb, 10 month old, clumsy puppy could sit so pretty, or even get up on that table! :) Smoochy boy..



And Ben last night...he thought he was cold then, too....

Canine Behavior

I have been watching dogs interact with people and each other for years. I have read my fair share of literature on the subject. But for the life of me, I cannot figure Carlo out.

I have come to understand why he bit me, but its his behavior following the bite, and every day for a week that has me baffled. Why did he bite? Because he was in a dominant position (in his mind) and I was challenging him by making him get off. Ok, that I can understand. Especially from a very confident, intact male who was trained to be dominant. But, it doesn't explain his digression. He cannot stand to even look at me. The day it happened, he was moved to his outdoor kennel. Ever since then, he doesn't even want me in the back yard. He will charge the fence, barking. He will nuesance bark the entire time, and even Greg can't get him to stop. Its almost as if he has decided that the fight isn't over, that even though I had him by his neck, his head/body pushed down to the floor, my entire body over him, and continuous eye contact, that it was just the beginning. He wants another round....to prove himself, or redeem himself. Yet that dowsn't make sense with "normal" behavior. Even taking into account his training, natural canine pack instinct is such that if you are "dominated", then you are "under" that member....period.

In talking to other GS owners, especially those who have owned SchH III males, they have all said, "its because you are a woman". Well, that makes no sense at all. I can understand him feeling that he is under Greg, but if I am the "Alpha Female", then what is the problem? Again, everyone I have consulted with has said "Its a woman thing..." and none of them have met a male that actually "respects" the human female of the house. I even know of a woman who owns a SchH III male, intact, and he has cornered her in her own house, for 3 hours. She keeps him, because he is 10 years old, and she has owned him for 5 years. However, he has acted over the years the same way Carlo is acting. She cannot trust him, and he is, for the most part, a kennel dog. Retired from Schutzhund, no longer able to breed, he is living his life out merely exhisting with her. However, nobody can give me an actual valid behavioral reason for this.

So, if any of you can find something in writing, or in your experiences, I would be happy to hear it. :) On to a more happy aspect of Canine Behavior.

Today I took Elite, Macaroni, and Ben out for a long romp. Here is where you can watch pack behavior. Although loose, they still act as a group...



Still displaying the need to roll in the smelliest thing possible to disguise their scent for hunting...



You can also see when dogs are happy...I don't care what anyone says, dogs smile....





They will exhibit the desire to hunt...







And of course, the instinct to go back to the "den" after a long day....







We had fun, and it was thanx to Novel that I decided to take the camera along and take oodles of pictures. :) I think this may be a regular event...

Many things

Where to start? Suddenly my life has gone from mundane, to actually having some activity :)

Let's start with Carlo...ugh. I was bitter about him biting me, but as each day goes by, it just turns in to hate. I know, that is bad to say, but its his current behavior that is just not helping. It seems that in his mind, he is "one up" on me. Even though when he bit me, I was over him, I had him in a "submissive" position, and made him do what I said (platz, foos, box {down, heel, kennel}). He has digressed immensly. I can no longer feed him, most times when I walk by his kennel he throws a fit, and in general has shown pure hatred for me. I made a sort of "prison slot" in order to feed him without going in his kennel, but he tried to eat my hand when putting the bowl in. So today I basically made a "food chute". Its a pipe system that when I poor food in, it dumps right into his bowl. He still has a fit, but at least he can't get to me. Greg doesn't want to get rid of him....although I think it will be an ongoing discussion. Logically I should, but I won't argue with Greg's heart. He does still love Carlo, and is extremely attached....and in his mind, if we can put a band-aid on the situation for the moment, then things will be OK....hhhmmm.

We finally got the hot tub going, and I'm still trying to get the pH up to where it needs to be. But maybe I'll get in it tonight....I think I need it.

I also want to say thank you to Novel and Robin for your comments on my last post. As I told Robin, I refuse to edit, or not publish the comments, because we are all entitled to our opinions, and our beliefs. Who am I to quel your comments? I am by no means offended by what they said, as the 3 of us all understand each other. We understand each other's past, our faith, and our general morals/beliefs. So it would be rude and hypocritical to either edit or not publish them. I asked the question, and will publish all answers. That is what makes us friends, and will keep us that way....the maturity to understand and accept each other.

Ok, enough mush....haha

Well, I think that's all....

Open Thinking....

Ok, so I've been slacking on the "daily entries" here. Thing is, there hasn't been much to talk about. My life is pretty boring on the whole, so to blog daily becomes very repetitive. However, I'm sure I can dig up something to write about today, if nothing else to keep everyone coming back to see what's up.

Greg will be home this evening (finally) with the hot tub, so my job today is to prep the deck. I need to cut part of the bench out, which means I get to use POWER TOOLS....YES!!!! I'll even use the kind you plug in....woohoo!! lol :)

In other news (Novel, we have discussed this in part) I have put the E-Collar on Ben. His morning barking, or should I say screaming, has gotten out of control. Telling him to stop is pointless. So this morning I put the collar on, and then proceeded as normal with my chores. As soon as he started in, I hit the remote. Boy, did that get his attention. He was not happy, and it only took about 4 times before he got the hint. Question is, will he remember at 0500 tomorrow morning? We'll see. Some say its cruel, but I disagree. As we all know, in the wrong hands, yes, it is abuse. But when used correctly, to cause only discomfort and not pain, to get attention and stop the unwanted behavior, it is a great tool.

Another thought....homosexuality. What would you do if a close relative "came out"? How would you feel? Would the feelings be different if it was a guy or girl? Some people base their thoughts on their faith, others based on the "unknown", or "homo-phobia". For me, it doesn't bother me. Let me clarify that. I believe its genetic, and I believe that its not a "choice", but that the person is born that way. So how can we blame them? In our parent's generation, and many generations before them, religion played a larger part in life than it does today. This dictated how people lived their lives, and their thoughts. To be gay was out of the question, and therefore hidden from everyone, including themselves. Feelings were supressed, and life went on in the "normal" way.

Times have changed dramatically, and continue to do so. Homosexuality is more widely accepted, and not supressed nearly as much. Personally, as long as you aren't grotesquely flaunting it out of spite, or resentful about it, or being pushy, I don't care. Your life is your life, not mine. It runs in my family. Both sides, as a matter of fact. So who am I to dispute it? Who am I to say its wrong? Who am I to say they can't have that lifestyle? I'm not saying anyone has to agree with it, or embrace it, no, my question is....who are we to judge?

Just something to think about......

Good friends

Today was another day in the country. Nothing really exciting happened, unless you count that I put together an old plastic type shed, and did the dishes.

However, I did chat with a long time awsome friend this evening. "The Handler", whom I've known since ....ooohhhh....what, 1994? (correct me if I'm wrong, man :) ) This talented individual is the only person from my USAF career that I have kept in touch with. This is mainly due to the fact that, well.....we are both possibly the best Explosive Detector Dog Handlers in the country. Not to mention the best looking.....ain't that right, man? LOL ;)

I love talking with The Handler. We don't talk often, maybe 3-5 times a year, sometimes less. But we don't need to. When we do talk on the phone, we always talk about dogs, and training. New methods, etc. Then, we spend a few minutes discussing life outside Detection Dogs. In our day, we were unbeatable, and at the moment, since I don't have a DD, The Handler still is "The Shit".

SO, it was a good conversation! Beyond that, life is moving on as usual. It was really windy today, so I opted not to mow the grass. I hate mowing the grass, and if you ask Greg, will find any excuse not to do it. Today, the excuse was high winds. Ah well...it will still be there tomorrow.

Evidently, Carlo thought it was too chilly to lay on the floor last night. So at 5 this morning, he decided to curl up in bed with me. He actually made it in without me knowing until I rolled over into him. He didn't move. But since we have a Temperpedic Mattress, I didn't feel him jump in. So we snuggled for an hour, then he decided the time had come to get up. I managed to put him off for another 30 minutes, but by then he wanted to go out.

So until tomorrow........

We got it!

Yep, the hot tub is on the rig, and will be here at its new home in about a week!! Woohoo!!

In other news, Carlo decided he wanted to wake me up this morning by getting up on the bed and rolling all over it and me. I would have preferred a gentle nudge, but unfortunately that's not his style. So, I think at some point every part of his body was on every part of mine....I tried hiding under the pillows, but alas, he found me. Talk about morning breath...bleck!

Had a guy email me about a pup, but since I don't have a litter on the ground, I couldn't do much for him. I did send him to a fellow breeder who just happened to let me know she had 4 pups left to place. Hopefully he'll get one off of her. It should be a good litter...the Sire is out of the same kennels as Elite. That one is good, and the owner of the Sire is awsome. I could have referred him to 2 other breeders, but I just don't think they would have been good for him. There are many other reasons behind my decission, but I'll keep those to myself! ;)

Anyway, since today was really good weather, I worked a bit in the yard. I wish the winter was as nice as it was today! I really just hate the cold. But, until the kids get older, we can't move south....so I suck it up! :)

Sending much love and luck to my friend Julie, who is showing her Weims this weekend....you go girl!!

Nothing Exciting

Not much happened today. Although I am beginning to wonder if Elite is starting her cycle again, or if Carlo is just so horny he thinks he must try to hump her all the time.

Speaking of Carlo, he does really well inside when its just him. Like I said before, he should have been an only child. But we are doing well with our relationship these days.

Greg is in NC, he will drop off his final piece tomorrow, then go to my Mother's and pick up a hot tub. Loads these days are really hard to come by. One guy wanted a piece hauled from NC to CA (2,700 miles) picking up on Friday and have it there on Monday morning...doing the math, that is 900 miles per day (illegal) and the idiot only wanted to pay $1.50 per mile. Now, once the expenses are taken out, that leaves about .25 per mile to Greg. Um....NO!! I told Greg to just sell the rig and trailer, and while he is waiting for them to sell, to get on with DOT Foods. They are willing to hire him driving their trucks, have awsome benefits, and he would be home about every 10 days. It would be so much better for us. At least right now it would be.

I'm also waiting to hear if I was accepted for a part time clerical at the High School. Not sure if I'll get it or not, but it would be good right now.

Thats all for today......like I said, nothing exciting. :)

Posting Time

Good morning!! As I was laying in bed last night, I was thinking of this blog. Why was I blogging about my day in the morning, when I didn't even know what the day would bring???? DUH So I will start blogging in the evenings, that way the next morning you all can read what happened the day before.

So now you have to wait til tomorrow to know what happened today!! :)

Testing this out

Ok, so through one of my best friends I found this site. I thought "what the heck" and decided to test it out. This being my first post here, I can't guarantee any continuity, or length. I've been told that blogs are a diary of sorts, which is great......however some things I believe are best kept to yourself. So I'll try to make this light, easy to read, and even with a bit of dry humor thrown in. I'm sure the posts will get better as time goes by and I get more proficient, but this first one is going to be a bit rough.



Today is the first day in almost a week that I have actually had this computer to myself.....I say that with a slight chuckle, because my husband, Greg, has been home since last Thursday. When he comes home, he sits here more than I do, mainly because he is a truck driver and he is looking for loads. I try not to complain, and it really lets me get things done around the house that I tend to neglect. With him being gone so much, I have gotten into a routine around here and used to doing things by myself. Coming and going as I please....so when he is home for more than 3 days, we tend to get in each other's way. Its not so bad during the nice weather, as we can be outside. But when the cold months roll around, when its 20 degrees out, being couped up inside is going to be tough.

We have 4 dogs..... Carlo and Elite are our Giant Schnauzers, Max our JRT, and our newest edition, Ben, our English Mastiff puppy. Carlo used to ride in the rig with the Greg, but for the last 2 months has been living here with us. It was a rough start, as Carlo has really bonded with him. He used to hate me feeding him, and would literally try to bite me when I had to food bowl in hand. However, being here with just me, he has realized that I'm not so bad. He has allowed me to slide his food bowl in his kennel without snarling and snapping. He actually wagged his tail at me when I arrived with the food! :) Yesterday and today he has been inside with me, and is doing fine. Carlo truethfully needs to be an "only child", but does ok with Elite.



Elite is our girl. We've had her for 4 years, and she has been great since day 1. Lately she has been acting a bit weird, really hyper, but over all she is great. We have been trying to get her pregnant from Carlo, but she hates him. If she even thinks he might mount her, she shuts down her ovulation. I know, it sounds impossible, but I've watched it happen twice. So, when she comes into heat this spring, we will try one more time to AI....if she doesn't take, I'm having her spayed. She will be 7 by then, and I don't want to push her past that with a litter.



Max is our JRT. He was originally purchased to ride with Greg in the rig, but after I spent the time house training him, he bonded with me and refused to behave for Greg. So here he is, with me. He was raised by Elite, so he thinks he is a GS. He isn't your typical JRT....yes, he is all terrier....stubborn, tenacious, rude, and full of himself. But he is also capable of sleeping all day. He is 3 years old, and thinks he is bigger than life.....but don't all terriers? ;)



Ben, our newest edition, sort of fell into our laps. Some people we know in our motorcycle club had him and another one that is 7 years old. They weren't happy with Ben because they said he kept peeing in the house. So they kept him crated in their basement (along with the older dog) and when he would pee outside in the yard, they would yell at him. They wanted him to pee somewhere else, so he was confused. He is fully registered, coming from champion parents, as well as the rest of his lineage. They paid an enormous amount of money for him, and just gave him to us. What they failed to understand is that he is a puppy. Just because he is 100lbs, and bigger than the average adult dog, doesn't mean he automatically knows what to do. He is no smarter than the 9 month old lab puppy.....just way bigger.



So there you have it. Nothing terribly exciting, but slightly interesting. Maybe tomorrow I'll have something more profound, or at least more interesting to read, but for today, all you get is the intro. :)