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.