Meet the Blogger

Today, I’m participating in the “Meet the Bloggers” Blog Hop. It’s a chance for bloggers to come out from behind their cameras and their blogs and let everyone get to know them better.  So, here goes!

Here is what I look like.  I had to steal this picture from a friends Facebook page because I NEVER voluntarily get in front of a camera, and she caught me off guard before I could escape.  So you get a bonus here, too.  Since I'm never in a picture alone if I can help it....pictured here is one of my boys.  For those who read my blog, this is my Baseball Player, aka Football Player and Lightning's Boy.

So, the rules were to answer at least five of the questions.  Here are my answers.  I look forward to reading more about all of you, too.

What’s your favorite non-animal related book?   I recently read Pillars of the Earth and loved it. 

 

What’s your favorite non-animal related movie?   I was going to say Twilight, but then I remembered it has the wolves in it, so I guess technically it is an animal related movie and invalid.  Others I like....RV with Robin Williams is a favorite.  Makes me laugh every time I watch it.  Grosse Pointe Blank from years back is another one that still makes me laugh.  More recently, I enjoyed the Oz movie alot and the Hunger Games movies (although I must admit I find the premise of those books to be absolutely unsettling). 

 

What’s your favorite non-animal related food?  Chocolate.  Without a doubt.

 

Who’s your favorite actor?  I can't say that I have one who is absolutely my favorite, but there are several who will draw me to a movie.  The first that come to mine are Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, and Matt Damon.  Mark Wahlberg, too, unless it's a movie about a grown man with a talking foul mouthed teddy bear.

 

What’s one thing you have to do every day?  Pray.

 

What makes you feel fabulous?  A hot bath after an active, busy day.

 

What do you wish you were more skilled at?  Conversation and social interactions.  I think I'm pretty bad at it.  I'm an introvert and much happier behind the scenes than in the scenes. 

 

What’s your favorite holiday?  Thanksgiving.  Without the the fuss and hoopla of Christmas, I love it.  Just family and food and catching up.  No presents or pressure. 

 

Favorite meal?  Pizza.  I could eat it everyday.  I used to say Mexican, but I've eaten so much of that this past year I can't even stand the thought of smelling it.

 

 

If your pets could talk, what one word would THEY use to describe you?
Thumper would say SLOW.
Lightning would say FAST.

 

 

 

How is your pet most like you?  Lightning is a worrier and tad neurotic.  If you've read my blog any, you may have picked up I'm the anxious type myself.  Thumper is very independent.  I tend to be that way too, so I guess that's how he is most like me.  Otherwise I don't see much similarity.  He's very much the opposite of Lightning and goes with the flow very well. 

 

 

Other than blogging, what are three things you do that bring you joy?   First, spending time with and talking to my boys.  They have grown into amazing young men, and I always enjoy their company.  Second, going to training classes with the dogs.  Third, getting away from the craziness of urban/suburban life. 

 

What’s one thing you could do to be more kind to yourself?   I could cut myself some slack and tell my inner anxious person to just be quiet.   

What drives you nuts about your pets?   First they want in, then they want out.  Over and over and over. 
 

 

What melts your heart?  Seeing the outreach from the blogging community when someone loses a pet or has a need.  Service dogs.  Seeing people come alive through therapy and service dogs, and seeing the healing that pets can bring to people.  

 

If you didn’t have your current pets, what pets would you choose to have?  Probably a border collie for my dreams of one day having an agility dog, and most likely a golden retriever.  But I can't imagine not having the two dogs I currently have, and they both just happened into my life.



Thanks for reading.  I enjoy all the comments and getting to know you.  If you have a question or a comment, leave it below for me. 

Now on to the hop:






 

 

When they just get to be too much.....

I'm feeling like a horrible pet parent tonight.  Does anybody else ever reach the point of just wanting to board the dogs for a few days to get some peace?  Mine are driving me CRAZY.

Lightning wants in and out and in and out......all the time I'm home.  I can't just let him go wander around the yard because he keeps finding crap and eating it and getting sick.  Every time I look up, he's staring at me with the pleading, imploring, big brown eyes.  See the pics below - all the way the end - for proof.  Could you tell that face no?  I can't, but I really want to stay where I am in my warm cozy spot.    It's freezing ass cold outside, and I have no desire to be out in it.  I really admire all the folks who live where it's really cold.  I don't know how you do it.  I just want to stay inside with a few blankets and fuzzy socks and watch Thor (the movie....we didn't get another dog and name him after a Viking god....though that would be a great name for a dog).

Then there's Thumper.  Thumper thinks wherever I am, he needs to be.  Like in the very same space....the same spot on the couch....the same spot on the bed.....the same spot when I'm standing.  There is no getting away from him.  And he loves to watch TV so he's quite happy to steal my blanket while I'm watching Thor and Lightning begs.  

I don't understand what's going on with them.  Does anyone else experience this with their dogs?  How the heck do you handle it?  Maybe I should run away......hmmmmmm.

Anyway, I leave you with some pictures from my evening with my two codependent slightly neurotic dogs.  Love these stinkers....but I really would like to just stay warm and watch my movie uninterrupted.

Hi mom i want to play ball.  

I still want to play ball.  but i will steal your blanket and just hold on to my ball if you try to throw it.

what's that Lightning?  time to go out?  

MUST LET US OUT.  THE GLOWY EYES ARE HERE TO GUIDE YOU.  

Mom i want to go out.

Come on mom, I want to go out.

Mom did you hear me?  i know i'm not really talking but can't you read my mind?

Mom?  The door is to the left.....got it?

Wordless Wednesday: This is how he chews his bone

Lightning's Revenge

A while back, I wrote about how thieving Thumper steals Lightning's bones, along with the question "Do dogs think?".  I had planned to follow that up (promptly) with Lightning's revenge, but then he got sick, and I got distracted, and now it's December, and I'm writing a post I planned to write in October. 

With respect to the question of dogs thinking, my dog trainer friend sums her opinion up as, "Dogs are problem solvers".  Thumper has demonstrated that on MANY occasions, some of which result in Lightning losing a chew bone.  I think Lightning has been taking notes from his buddy....read on and compare to Thumper's scheme.  My take on Lightning's thoughts are represented by bold print.

The scene:  Family room, where Thumper is lounging on the fancy posturepedic dog bed while Lightning is on the rug.  All the people are present.

Problem:  Thumper is on the comfy dog bed.  I want the comfy dog bed.

Research:  Thumper always wants what I have, so I have to use that to my advantage. 

Solution:  Walk over to the people.  Sit and stare at them until they talk to me and pet me.  Then snuggle up against them and make Thumper jealous.

Result:  Thumper saw Lightning getting pets, and immediately he left the comfy dog bed to come bump him out of the way and take his place.  Lightning ran over and took over the comfy dog bed.  Problem solved!

As for the bones, Lightning discovered that he can hide his bones upstairs under a bed that Thumper can't quite crawl under.  Lol.  Thumper is not fond of the stairs, but Lightning loves them.  He always has.  He runs up and down them like it's an A frame on an agility course.  So, much to my surprise one day, I heard scrambling up the stairs and some noise from the bedroom, and then Lightning appeared with his bone.  I didn't know he had it in him to outsmart Thumper about the bones, but he did. 

So, my conclusion is that yes, dogs think.  I doubt that they sit around plotting how to outdo each other.  I think it's purely spontaneous.  I've seen them think on their feet and come up with a fix for a problem as it happens - which makes sense because I think we've all witnessed that dogs are "in the moment".  They leave the big thinking and worrying to us.  ;)

 
Now I feel better.....finally got this one done.  In other news - still going to obedience class with Thumper, and he's giving me some blog fodder for future posts.  Lightning is jealous of all the treats Thumper gets while training and does not hesitate to let me know it. 
 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!  It's COLD here, and we are not used to that, so we are doing our best to stay warm.  Lightning is curled up in his favorite way, using his tail to cover his eyes.  Thumper keeps sprawling across my lap.  He's warmer than any blanket, so I'm not complaining!  Have a good day!  

Monday Mischief - Obedience Class, Day 1

I am FINALLY starting obedience classes with Thumper.  I am excited to be doing something with the dogs again, and I can't wait for him to learn how to walk without hurting my shoulder!

He was very excited to go for a ride.  Of course, he didn't know where we were going, and he didn't care.  When he saw the lift gate open, he hopped in.  And then he walked right to the passenger seat and plopped himself in it, person-style.  See - he really doesn't know he's a dog.  He makes me smile, and I love that.   


ON THE WAY TO OBEDIENCE CLASS:

oh my gosh!  so excited!  I'm in the boy's seat woo hoo!

what do you mean sit in the back? 

ON THE WAY HOME AFTER OBEDIENCE CLASS:

Whew I'm tired.  I wonder if that pretty little Golden will be there next time?  I really want to play with her squeak ball.

Plans, Halloween, and Sparkly Things

This past week did not go according to my plan.

I wrote the last blog post and planned to do a follow up a few days later about Lightning's response to Thumper's craftiness in stealing his bones.  You may have noticed that didn't happen.

I planned to go and watch my son's football game afterschool on Tuesday, but that didn't happen.  I got stuck at work giving a presentation until 7 PM.  I got home late and was greeted by Thumper who was happy to see us and Lightning who wasn't acting quite right.

Wednesday morning did not go according to plan either.  Lightning would not eat, threw up frequently, and didn't want to move.  His weirdness on Tuesday night wasn't just being moody.  He was sick.  So I called my boss to let him know I'd be a bit late (wasn't it a good thing I was there til 7 the night before???).  I took him to the vet fearing the worst.  They called later on to say that he needed to stay overnight.  Great.

After an overnight stay at the vets, a couple hundred dollars in bloodwork (it all came back fine, thank goodness), and some prescription dog food, he came home with the diagnosis of "I think your doggy just got into something in yard while digging for moles".  By now it's Thursday, aka Halloween.  I picked Lightning up from the vet, and I was eager to get home and pass out candy to the trick or treaters.  Wouldn't you know, as soon as we started to leave the vets, it started to storm?  WTH.    

I managed to salvage some of our Halloween tradition.  It might have been storming and trick-or-treat might be iffy, but my pups were prepared for the evening in their Halloween bandannas.  I don't think Lightning much appreciated his.  As my son pointed out, "Mom....it's got glitter on it....and he's a boy."  I told him that I was sure Lightning wouldn't know.

WTH am I doing in this sparkly thing? Does she think I'm one of those sparkly vampires from the Twilight movies?  

I'm so embarassed.  Take me back to the vet.  Please.  I beg you.   And for dog's sake, don't take my picture!

I'm glad I've got this bandanna with the skulls on it.    I don't sparkle.  Lightning looks like a girl in that sparkly thing. 

Happy late Halloween, everybody.

Do Dogs Think?

I often wonder how dogs think.  Do they think "I took two naps now my people should be home"?  Do they watch what their people do and think "those crazy people....where are they always running to"?  A dear friend who is also a respected local dog trainer says that dogs think but not that deeply.  Her position is "dogs are problem solvers".  I can't argue with that - as demonstrated by Thumper in the following tale:

Sunday, as I was leaving to go work on the new house (will it EVER get finished?), I gave each dog a chew bone.  They ran in opposite directions and sat with their bones.  You would think they don't trust each other....lol.  When I got home later, Lightning had chewed on his, but it still looked new.  Thumper's was a nub. 

I went into the bathroom to run my bathwater, and my two shadows followed me. Thumper took his position on the foot of the bed (his bone was now gone).  Lightning sat on the floor and chewed contentedly on his bone.  Suddenly, Thumper barked. Very loudly. Lightning, who obviously believed he had missed something while chewing on his bone, dropped the bone and scampered out of the room.  Immediately Thumper hopped off the bed, grabbed the bone, and jumped back to his spot.  Thumper's problem-solving process would have been like this....

Problem:  I don't have a bone but there is a bone in this room.

Research:  Lightning has a bone.  Lightning always runs to the door when I bark.  

Solution:  Bark and take Lightnings bone when he drops it and leaves the room.    If it's in my mouth, it's mine, after all. 

Very similar to the scientific method, isn't it?  (Yes, I'm a science nerd....). Next post I'll share how Lightning has figured out to cope with his thieving buddy.  

So long post tonight.  If you stuck with it til the end - thanks!  Do you ever think about stuff like this - do you wonder if your dog is a philosopher like I do?

It's mine!

We are headed out of town this weekend, and I just dropped the dogs off for boarding.  It's a really neat place - vet office on one side, kennel on the other.  Halloween decorations, including a dancing broom, in the lobby.  That broom will never be the same again - after checking them in, I turned around and saw Thumper lifting his leg by that broom.  Now it's his broom.  Definitely the embarrassing pet moment of the day for me....Mr. Personality just trotted back over like nobody saw him.  ***sigh*** 

K-9 Kamp - Are you trying it?

I've been seriously unmotivated lately.  Blogging, housekeeping, gardening, exercising.  Pretty much in any way you can imagine.

A few years ago, exercising was a big part of my routine.  A few times a week I'd go to the gym and do a weight training circuit class and some cardio.  Plus, I was usually in constant motion at home and work, chasing kids and keeping up my flower beds at home and running up and down stairs in the plant at work.  Fast forward to now.  I go to work.  I sit.  I drive home (sitting of course, and usually yawning).  I get home.  I sit.  I just DON'T want to get up and do a thing.  It's depressing.  Where my legs used to have muscles, now, well, they don't.  Neither do my arms.  And let's not even go to the abs.  Let's just say it's gotten so bad that even the hubby (who is no fitness fiend himself) has suggested I get laser lipo. 

I heard about K-9 Kamp on a blog hop last week.  I'm trying to participate in it - the goal for this week was to exercise 30 minutes MORE with your dog 3 or 4 times a week.  I did it.  :)   The dogs and I went for a walk three times this week.  Tiny step, but a tiny step in the right direction. 

Have you heard about K-9 Kamp?  You can learn more at Kol's Notes.  Maybe next I'll even do some sit ups. 

We're Not Lost

Hi freinds.  Did you forget about us?  Mom did.  That's why she hasn't written about us in so long.  She forgets to take us on walks too.  We are lucky she remembers to feed us.  Anyhow, we are goign to fix that today and write about us.

This is THumper.  I've been getting lots of rest.  For some reason I don't know why, I still have to go in my little room when the people are gone.  It's boring.  I'm a good dog.  Don't knwo why I have to stay in there.  I nap there on my dog bed.  Sometimes I chew holes in it.  Mom did leave me out of the crate sometimes lately.  I broke into the pantry and stole the milkbones that time.  Another time I got in there and got all LIghtning's little chewy things.  Boy those were good.  I've been keepign the Mom company too.  She likes it when I crawl in her lap while she's on the computer so I make sure to do that every night.  I chase squireels and lizards too.  I found a new place where the lizards hide.  My favorite thing is to go there and look for them.  I make lots of noise too.

This si LIghtning.  Life is boring.  I watch thumper getting lots of rest.  I dont' want him to feel bad so I lay by his crate.  Then I wait until mom has left and I go sleep on the couoch.  But she doesn't knwo this so don't tell her!  I've had to start chewing on Thumper's big chew bones because some thief took my little ones.  Some body also left the box of milkbones open one day and I helped myself to one.  Mom caught me and taped the box shut.  No more milk bones now.  I run and hide inside alot too.  Sometimes garbage bags scare me.  Sometimes my boy's baseball glove scares me.  Sometimes I take a big bone and hide with it.  I've been practicing my sniffing skills and can tell my people now when they are sick.  They call me Dr Lightning when I do that.  Take that Thumepr!  I'm a doctor!!

 
And if you forgot what we look like, here is a picture.  Don't let the glowy eyes scare you.  we had to take our own pciture too and had trouble setting the red eye thing since we dont' have thumbs.

Your freinds,
Thumper and Lightning

The Couch Potato

Guess who has been the naughty dog this time?  Lightning!  I supposed Thumper is still plotting his next bit of mischief and keeping me in suspense.

Sunday evening we went to the movies.  My son stayed home and snapped this picture of Lightning:

I know I'm not supposed to be up here, but Mom will never find out. 
It is so much more comfy than the floor, and I can see the football game better.

He obviously doesn't know that his boy sends those pictures to me.  :)

Will We Ever Forget?

I always feel sad on this day. I do not know anyone who was in the towers or New York City when it happened. I live far far away from where it happened. But I feel sad nonetheless.

This morning I woke up to Facebook posts about it. One from a friend who serves in the military and is deployed right now.   He opened his post with the words "Being 8000 miles from home..."  It reminded me that though the years have past, nothing has really changed....except for everything.  And then I saw a post about the service  dogs of 9/11.   I never really thought about them, but they gave, too.

So in memory and honor of all who were lost and / or still serving, whether people or dog, let's take a moment to remember them.   

Funny Glimpses from Weekend

So it's already Wednesday already, and I never wrote the Monday Mischief post that I was planning. Thumper had a busy weekend, and I had lots of material. But Monday was a holiday (it felt like a Sunday), and I totally forgot to publish the darn post. I've been feeling old lately, but heck, I thought I still had my memory......Anyway, onto the purpose of this post: To share with you the humor of a long weekend at home. Usually, when we are out of the house for long, Thumper is crated. This has been the rule since soon after we adopted him and I learned what Thumper is capable of when he's left to roam. We were home alot this weekend, with short trips here or there. I feel bad for crating him so often, so I just left him out with Lightning while we ran occasional errands. This is how that went: 1. Saturday - I ran away to the mall all by myself on Saturday afternoon and left the Baseball Player (who is now the Football Player) home with the dogs. They made sure he did not get in any trouble. He made sure they did not get in any trouble. Nobody did any chores. 2. Saturday Night - It's college football night. My little Football Player turns the TV to watch LSU vs TCU. It doesn't take long before Thumper decides he needs to be a lap dog tonight. He seems to understand the rule about no dog claws on the leather sofa, because he very gently crawls in my lap making sure to touch nothing but me. He ignores my words (no, stay on the floor, Thumper no!, ouch!) and keeps his eyes averted and tail thumping as he uses my arms and legs as steps. **sigh** He sure is heavy. 2. Sunday - All the people are in and out of the house randomly. We hear rustling in the kitchen, then Thumper appears with his green ball. I assume he was playing. Silly me. Later on, we hear rustling in the kitchen again. Lightning comes running around the corner holding a milk bone in his mouth. Investigation reveals a Thumper-sized opening in the milk bone lid. Umm. The green ball was just a diversion. 3. Monday (or as I thought it was, Sunday #2)- While cleaning up the house, I find a shredded plastic bag. It looks vaguely familiar. Kind of like the heavy duty kind that Lightning's chewy treats come in. What's left of the label says "Chicken basted chips". Yep, he did it again. Raided the pantry and ate all the little rawhides. Also discovered nearby was the Football Player's lunch container. It WAS a blue insulated zippered bag. Now it's trash - minus a zipper and with doggie chew marks all over it. 4. After picking up the mess of plastic and lunch container, I find Thumper sprawled out on my bed, in front of a fan, with a nice little breeze blowing over him while he naps. I had changed the sheets earlier and made the bed without putting the doggy blanket on it. I thought I'd see what a room not overtaken by dogs looked like. He didn't care. He is so spoiled. I don't know what I'd do without him. Hubby's off work today, so when I left for work, I left Thumper out to roam. Can't wait to here what Hubby finds him doing. :-) Have a great Wednesday.

Wordless Wednesday - My Special Boy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bad Poetry Day - Oz and Ku

OK, I'm no poet, but I could not resist the opportunity to write a bad poem for  for Ku and Oz‘s Bad Poetry Day.  Really, I can write no other kind.  So here goes....


The Tiny White Dog and a Boy

There once was a young boy of six
who liked to play with balls and sticks.
He went to the pet store for food
for the poor dog at home was starting to brood.
Dad detoured him by the adopt-a-pets.
Mom knows Dad thought, "Let's get one, let's!"
Mom said, "Oh my dear boy, come look at this guppy...."
Little boy cried "....But I LOVE THAT PUPPY!"
And this is how Lightning came to be ours.
Early one year, before a spring full of flowers.
Sweet little boy, his puppy was super.
But to this day Mom still calls him "You little POOPER!"





Thank God the internet is anonymous.....sort of....lol.  Can't wait to read some of the other bad poems out there!



This is a Blog Hop! Vote for the link you LIKE!

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1. Cascadian Nomads Three Canines, Two Felines and a Psittacine Present: Bad Poetry | Visit blog 3	2. Insomnia | Visit blog 4	3. Evening Rain | Visit blog
4. Poem about Emma | Visit blog 3	5. Bad Poetry Day Contest Entry - Roses Arent Edible - By my dog Pierson | Visit blog 2	6. Sage really digs writing a BAD Tanka poem | Visit blog 4
7. Jimmy and Wilson at A Tail of Two Cardis. . . . . . taryn. tipton@ gmail. com | Visit blog 3	8. More Bad Poetry @ spottyspottypolkadotty@ blogspot. com | Visit blog 6	9. The Tiny White Dog and a Boy | Visit blog 2
10. Luna the Tuna Writes Bad Poetry - Beagles and Bargains | Visit blog 2	11. A Yogicats Limerick | Visit blog 1	12. Ode to Airedale. . . | Visit blog 5
13. Mister writes some poems | Visit blog 1

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1. Cascadian Nomads Three Canines, Two Felines and a Psittacine Present: Bad Poetry | Visit blog 3	2. Insomnia | Visit blog 4	3. Evening Rain | Visit blog
4. Poem about Emma | Visit blog 3	5. Bad Poetry Day Contest Entry - Roses Arent Edible - By my dog Pierson | Visit blog 2	6. Sage really digs writing a BAD Tanka poem | Visit blog 4
7. Jimmy and Wilson at A Tail of Two Cardis. . . . . . taryn. tipton@ gmail. com | Visit blog 3	8. More Bad Poetry @ spottyspottypolkadotty@ blogspot. com | Visit blog 6	9. The Tiny White Dog and a Boy | Visit blog 2
10. Luna the Tuna Writes Bad Poetry - Beagles and Bargains | Visit blog 2	11. A Yogicats Limerick | Visit blog 1	12. Ode to Airedale. . . | Visit blog 5
13. Mister writes some poems | Visit blog 1

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1. Cascadian Nomads Three Canines, Two Felines and a Psittacine Present: Bad Poetry | Visit blog 3	2. Insomnia | Visit blog 4	3. Evening Rain | Visit blog
4. Poem about Emma | Visit blog 3	5. Bad Poetry Day Contest Entry - Roses Arent Edible - By my dog Pierson | Visit blog 2	6. Sage really digs writing a BAD Tanka poem | Visit blog 4
7. Jimmy and Wilson at A Tail of Two Cardis. . . . . . taryn. tipton@ gmail. com | Visit blog 3	8. More Bad Poetry @ spottyspottypolkadotty@ blogspot. com | Visit blog 6	9. The Tiny White Dog and a Boy | Visit blog 2
10. Luna the Tuna Writes Bad Poetry - Beagles and Bargains | Visit blog 2	11. A Yogicats Limerick | Visit blog 1	12. Ode to Airedale. . . | Visit blog 5
13. Mister writes some poems | Visit blog 1

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