It is so frikkin' cold.

It's cold. I lit some cinammon incense, but it's not 'warming to the soul' like it said on the package. Looks like it should be nice and warm today, around 70, then drop to the 30s at night. I think I'll start some slowcooker soup.

Mr. Legs went out and plotted my garden for me; 8' x 8' is a little small, so if everything dies it's not going to be a huge deal. This is what it looks like from the walkway:


From the porch:


We still have to dig it up, add the dividers and fill it full of dirt; We're going to try "Gardening by the Square Foot".
I already picked a few seeds from http://www.cooksgarden.com/, some colored carrots, some tiny little tomatos and some extra-strength dil; the rest I'll buy at Calloway's. I'm pretty excited about the prospect of fresh veggies this summer. Somebody brought a fruit & veggie tray to the Christmas party and my kids set up camp around it, eating everythimg on it in about twours. Nobody understood why they were eating the veggies when there were dishes of fudge & cookies and candies all around. heh heh heh. /superior, smug self righteousness.

An auspicious end to the NOO year

I finally found a home for that little white dog; After about a week of waiting for his owners to contact the pound, I put an add up on Craigslist for him. I listed everything that was wrong with him and said that instead of a 'rehoming fee', I would prefer to meet with the new owner at the vets, and make sure that he (the dog) got his first round of shots.
I was totally inundated with people offering to buy the dog, or take the dog to the vet next week, or people who were going to give the dog to their granny and SHE would take it to the vet. Oy.
So when a rescue group contacted me and offered to take him I jumped on it. I usually hate rescue-people because they're snotty and uptight and controlling. This lady, however, was very nice. She picked him up on Saturday, no fuss. I checked out the group's websight first, and it looks like he's in good hands.

So that was good, but I think Bender misses him, so we took him to the dog park today. What a cool place! Pure, doggie chaos. I'll take the camera next week and get pictures. There were probably about forty dogs there, of all sizes, running around and sniffing and pooping and just being dogs and everybody had a good time. The baby got her cookie stolen twice, which she was okay with, because she got to pull some ears.
Somebody brought their Irish Wolfhound, and that was just incredible. He looked like something out of the Henson Workshop. Mr. Legs went and talked to his owner and he's been giving me meaningful looks ever since.

Bender didn't choose to mingle much; he prefered to wander around and sniff the other dogs, which was fine with me. There was a bunch of Labs and Retrievers, and a German Shepherd/St. Bernard mix. Bender doesn't seem so big now. He did find a little Boston Trrier that followed him around, jumping up and down, trying to sniff his tail.

All in all, a good day. Bender is currently stretched out on the carpet snoozing, and I'm doing the dishes with my newly repaired, non-leaking faucet. Hurray, me.

The dog I found

Nooly finished

Ha ha, I have a gate now.



See my gate.
See my gate close.
Close, gate, close.

At last, the dog and the kids can run free.



We've been taking him for a 1-2 mile walk every morning and night, and I've seen his behavior change pretty drastically for the better. He's calmer inside, less mouthy withy the kids. Now with this yard for playing in I think he should get all the exercise he needs.

The New One

After the untimely death of my sweet poodle Tango a few weeks ago, we decided to get another dog. In this neighborhood, it's really important to have an early warning system. We went to the pound, looking for a 20-30 pound heeler or heeler mix. We came home with Bender.


Fifty five pounds and still growing, the sign on his kennel said Red Heeler-German Shepherd mix. Before they put our paperwork in, they sat us down with a pet counselor and warned us about him. He'd been in the shelter since May, and had been adopted out a few times. He'd been returned the day before for tearing the siding off the people's house, breaking apart a window sill and eating the fence.
"He's a little destructive." The counselor said.
We wanted a high-energy dog, though, one with an intimidating bark but a sweet personality, and Bender was perfect. Since he's come to live with us I've kept him within five feet of me at all times using his leash as an umbilical cord. It was a little rough at first; like living with a pony attatched to your hip. Also, he doesn't get any food unless it's from somebody's hand. I hope this will help him triangulate his place in the pack (Rock bottom, right above the roaches).



The first two days were rough; anything within reach was a chew toy, whether it was a stuffed animal, a shoe, or the carpet. I think alot of it was just nervousness. I bought him some "extra-durable" doggie tennis balls to keep him busy. Yeah, the first one lasted seven seconds, the second one just under three. He's got a serious bite on him.



We ended up getting him a Kong Ball, bigger than my fist and hard enough to withstand a nuclear explosion, and a giant 'knuckle' bone that looks like they took it off the Rancor. It's his favorite thing to chew on, apart from anything the baby's holding. This seems to have taken
care of his chewing needs.



He's a good dog, very imposing when he's not grinning like a dork. The Aunt said his eyes look evil. He doesn't bark much, he prefers to stare unnervingly at people who walk by.

I drank a pot of coffee last night after the kids went to bed and came up with this:



I also made one for the baby, but she's sleeping right now, so I can't have her model.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Well, it finally happened. I got a call from a bill collector this morning. I won't say I don't deserve it; my checking account is way overdrawn. But the officious, vindictive attitude of the pedantic cow who called really pushed my buttons. I mean, I've been overdrawn before...And paid for it, at $34 a pop. Considering that, generally, they assess charges on expenditures of 5 dollars or less, I would think they'd be grateful. But now I owe over $200 in bank fees alone, and they want to get all persnickety and anal retentive. Helloooo, you've always gotten your money in the past! Why would I stop paying now?

Anyway, she pretty much demanded immediate payment...I pointed out to her that if I was hoarding money in my mattress, I probably wouldn't be overdrawn in the first place. So we spent twenty minutes going back and forth. She says pay, I say I have nothing, rinse & repeat. Finally I told her that the tooth fairy was going to bring me the money, and I'd have it in the bank by her predetermined date.

It was about then that I realized that I am pretty much officially dead to myself. I kind of always knew I'd be a charity case, but it's gone too far now. Too many bad choices...If I start now, maybe I can die of cirrhosis and avoid living as a bagwoman when I'm fifty. I remember when I was a kid I was always borrowing money...I never saved, never tried to say no to myself. It's pretty much the same now, just bigger amounts. The more money you owe, the less of a person you are. Even if you owe it to people who love you so much they don't even keep track.