I am in agreement with Cabby, where are the pictures????
*slamming my fists on the table*

 

 

I really hate snow, it is nothing more then an inconvience to me, wake up earlier to shovel out, deal with bad drivers, and worse then all that I get very cold very quickly and I hate shivering. I don't warm up until Spring.
We have been talking about retiring to North Carolina in a few years!

Night Cabby, I'm going too!!!

 

I would rather have the Snow Storms than the Rain/Wind/Mix/Ice/Snow, we have up here in the PNW, those are not FUN at all!! Last Winter my 1st with Molly really opened my eyes to how well she will perform in our varied Winter Weather, and with her New Shoes she'll be true and steady!!

 

Morning Freebies!
Yup, I got skunked... or better, my dogs must have chased a skunk, who skunked the house (under my son's bedroom window), Mocha (front passenger tire, so it got INSIDE her), the dogs... or actually, the new dog. Did I mention that while I was driving cross country to bring back the big beautimous truck, Big Freddy, so we'd have a real truck for our needs, my dear sweet hubband (as she starts tapping fingers and steam comes out her ears) went to a dog rescue day with the KIDS and ADOPTED A DOG WITHOUT TALKING TO ME ABOUT IT!!! and he doesn't seem to understand why I'm not happy. Then add the skunk... Oh, it's not been a good week so far... When Mama ain't happy, ain't no one happy.
Oh yeah, Happy Anniversary to me (he can go live with the dog!).

(mumble, grumble, snit, snap...grrrr....)

<sigh>

The dogs have been bathed (mixture of hydrogen peroxide, blue dawn dish detergent and baking soda- works as well if not better than tomato juice and is a LOT less messy).
Mocha's interior has been scrubbed, leather has been conditioned, air neutralizer applied (and also to the tire) and there's a container of used coffee grinds in some water sitting on my floor boards (old truck driver's trick- the coffee grinds neutralize the odors and as they dry they leave the faint hint of coffee). So basically, Mocha is now smelling like Coffee leather with a faint hint of skunk (Starbucks eat your heart out). I think I'm going to have to send her in for a detailing as I can't seem to get the odor off her tire and wheel well...

On another news front, my son is running for student council. This is a big deal for him... and has been labor intensive for me. Still have to work on his speech. Tried to make him some buttons with a button maker I picked up at Michael's. It's going back. Piece of crap. So at 6 am this morning, I designed a flyer- which DH is getting printed and delivering to the school. Hopefully the flyer won't smell of skunk, or I'll have to change his slogan from:
T 4 U
to:
Vote for T or it'll be PU...

Gotta run, kid #2 just woke up and wants feeding!

Oh, and Gemmy, come stay in NC for a good long time in winter before moving there- at least here in TN, the winters are very damp, which I find harder to deal with than the PA cold with snow... Once you get snow, the air tends to dry out- the damp cold gets in your bones and you can't get it out... I want to move back up North in fact...

gotta run-
Ciao my friends- (I'm not really as grumpy as I sound, I'm just milking it for all it's worth!)

 

Morning TN, just have to note, I pull up a chair and grabbed my coffed to read your post! Wow where to start?
New rescue dog, what kind? I know you aren't happy about it yet, but that is a good thing you hubby did! Oh and Happy Anniversary to you both ( once he is out of the dog house!)

Glad to know the good mixture of de-skunking- thanks - hope i never need to reread for that information!

Way to go son-of -TN, we will be routing for you!!!

My sister in law lives in NC and loves it and says no snow, but I don't think she is telling me about the ice storms, as she really wants us to move there with her! we will see when the times comes! I think I would miss the leaves changing and fall is nice when it's not raining. Besides my family would miss me! I think??!!

 

Gemmy girl, you're a riot! The leaves still change in NC- in fact, people come from all over to see the change in the smokies (think DRAGON). But ice storms are brutal... and the south isn't prepared for cold/snow/ice weather... even the mention of snow clears the grocery shelves of beer, bread, water, milk & eggs (gotta have those essentials!). And schools close for 1/8 inch snow... a mere DUSTING!

OK, the dog... As you know, I'm heavily into animal rescue, with 12 pigs, 9 horses, 2 goats and dogs and cats. 2 summers ago, we had to put 2 dogs down, after spending thousands (no joke) on tests, treatment, etc. That left us 2 dogs, a young one (6 yrs old, a kelpie dog) and an ancient on (13 yr old BC). The 13 yr old cost me over $500 this fall in surgery for a tumor on her leg, she's otherwise healthy as an ox. This past summer, we lost 2 cats (one was put down, the other died a few hours later) after thousands of dollars of tests, medication, special feed, overnight hospital bills, etc. One of the cats was 9, the other was 14. Both were in really good shape until we had sudden kidney/liver failure (one had one, the other the other). That left us with 3 cats, 2 of which are elderly (a 14 yr old and a 12 yr old, the latter has had a stroke which has left him with lots of disabilities and some brain damage) and a 9 yr old (the sister of the one that died).

Last year, we found a young (9 month old) australian shehpherd wandering the streets. One of the dogs we'd lost the summer before, was my love- an australian shepherd, who did everything with me. We brought the youngster home and the whole family fell in love with him (In 2 hours, I had him sitting on command, lay down, stay, kennel up and asking to go out to potty). But we did the right thing and found his owner. He'd gone to doggie day care (an unusual thing, as he usually went to work with his owner) and had gotten out... Found out that he had NOT had any "training" and the owner was really surprised that Jackson would sit on command, etc.
David & I talked about dogs at that point and agreed that we should wait until our ancient BC died. Lightning, our BC, is actually a neighborhood feral dog, mistreated and unloved, who we took in a few years ago when things looked really bad for her. She's extremely loyal, and gets heartbroken easily (as evidenced by when Jackson showed up, she wouldn't come out of her dog house and wouldn't interact with us... as if we'd betrayed her). We felt it wasn't fair to her to bring another dog into our lives while she was around, plus she has Capri (my naughty, overly smart, massive attitude, Kelpie dog) to play with and they get along great.

And my pocket book needed a rest. It costs more to feed, vaccinate and deal with 2 dogs and 5 cats than it costs to deal with the large animals combined (remember, 12 pigs, 9 horses and 2 goats).

Before I left on my trip, I had to take Mere to Petsmart for a tank for 2 frogs she adopted from her classroom. A dog rescue was there with dogs looking for adopters... We went and spoke to all the dogs wished we could take them home, but she & I spoke about it, the responsibilities and why we couldn't adopt a new dog... and all was good. When we got home that day, I told David what had happened and he was really glad we HADN'T brought home a new dog for all the reasons I just mentioned.

OK, so he goes and adopts a dog. In the past, we've discussed the type of dog we need here, which basically is a farm dog- a border collie, rough collie, English or Australian Shepherd, Kelpie, etc.- or a Lab/Goldie type. We've discussed what we CAN'T have- Pit bulls, Rotties (altho I love them, the insurance doesn't), German Shepherds (don't like them), Chows, etc. In fact, 14 years ago, he brought home a chow mix that his children from his first marriage had, and that his ex wife was abandoning. Dog immediately killed a few of our cats and my peafowl. Dog was taken to the shelter, where it was probably put down. Sad, but significant.

So, what does David adopt? A CHOW MIX... granted, the mix is Aussie, but still, we have purple spotted tongue, heavy mane, "I am royalty, kiss the paw" attitude mixed in with the smarter than the average dog so I'll get in trouble but you'll love me for it aussie personality. Carter, his name, is 1.5 yrs old, only recently fixed (as in very recently, still has sacks... empty, but there), up to date on all shots (says here in fine print) and has spotty training (in his defense, he kennels up beautifully). He's obviously been an inside dog (hates being out in the rain, wants to lay on your feet- we have antique pine floors that scratch easily) and he doesn't listen. Lightning, the ancient, deaf, BC, has moved out (to our guest cabin where the farm manager is living) and won't have anything to do with David (she's glad to see me though). Carter is scared to death of the horses, who don't like him and have run him out of their pastures (they play with the other dogs) and I'm worried about my last 3 cats. David isn't taking him for training, but just says "oh he's such a good boy" etc... which ain't cutting it in my book.

I've given in before, and it's been disasterous. And in each case, the dog ends up being the one that ultimately suffers... and we lose other animals in the process (cats, birds, and the bigger animals are chased and harrassed). The ONLY way this dog stays is if David gets both of them into training classes and quickly. And David has to be financially, emotionally and physically responsible for the dog. I've drawn the line in the sand.

Sorry, don't mean to rant, but I was blindsided on this and am not happy at all... (if you can't tell). And all the altruism in the world won't help it if Carter isn't trained, and goes off, kills or maims something and has to be destroyed. Not fair to the dog, not fair to the kids, not fair to what ever animal has to suffer because of David not training a dog he wasn't supposed to get.
Must go deal with trailer issues...
ciao

 

POINT and CASE!

I have to full heartely agree with you on this one!

David and Carter stays in the dog house until they are trained!!
Hope I didn't upset you by asking!

 

I don't even think I took pics! That's what the professionals are there for. We can't be snapping while driving up there... too many twisties!!

 

Gemmy, no of course you didn't upset me... what you did was get me to compile the rush of emotions in my brain so I can organize my thoughts and let David know what he's gotta do instead of just blow up at him (which I did yesterday- he has no idea why)...
Thanks-

 

Thanks TN, *sending hugs your way*
in a odd way, glad I could help!!!

OLA - pictures from, say... dinner, or hanging out??? In other words, as you told TN, Cab, X and I - PROVE WE MET!!!

 

That's OK, I DID!!! This is a "chunky Sarah" pic. I have nicer ones, but my computer is acting up and I can't get it to work.

 

Gem- I would say that if you looked at the pics on the links that we posted you would see ALL of our cars in a beautiful twisty line! THAT's the proof right there. And plus... we were mostly driving.

Boy UHOH gotta love when TWO people are taking pics at the SAME TIME! I asked who was taking the pic first. I wish we all looked at the same camera. So I guess Mrs. Hal's pic may show Hal and I looking at the camera and you and MacLeod looking away?

 

NICE!!!!!!!!! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!

THERE YOU ALL ARE - WOOOOHHHHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

 

Hey Uhoh!! Great picture!! I think you look great in it!! Ola,, I recognize you!! but I still love the shots you took of us in Florida,,, haha
You look like you are protecting that bottle of coke with your life!!!
I know that is Hal in the pic but who is the pretty gal sitting beside Ola?
It sounds like it was a good trip.... glad you all had fun. and did a cop REALLY pull over at least 4 Mini's before figuring it out?? That sucks!

 

Sorry to be a pain, but 1500 hundred photos and I don't know your MINI's well enough to say who is who!

 

Rj I can just picture Miss Molly now,,, she probably is preening and looking at herself sideways to see her new shoes.... did you get a new set of wheels also? Of did you have the snow tires mounted on your existing wheels?

 

OH!! And Tnny,,, I agree with you 100 %%--- it is obvious that any animal that gets adopted into your home gets a lot of love and care. It was pretty irresponsible for him to just pick up a dog "***** nilly" like that. sigh..... but on his side I know how emotional it can be when an animal tugs at your heart like that... heavier sigh......
And I am sorry about the skunking,,,, that smell is so hard to get rid of,, sounds like you spent a full day revcovering.... ugh!

 

Cab no new wheels!! I know the ones I want, but since I had already spent $800+ on Tires and a trip to the Delaer for install I thought I should wait on the Wheels. Molly also got a British Flag/Checkered Flag Emblem to wear on her Boot!!

We did sign the closing papers on our house today!! And don't have a House Payment 'til Jan. 1!! But I will be making those payments up by adding to the 1st payment.

 

OOOhhh RJ I wanna see pics of Molly's checkered boot!! Congrats on the house closing! You are having a good year!! And, dare I ask?? How is the healthy eating and exercising going?
And if I get snow tires I don't think I would get a set of wheels for them either,, seems like a lot of heavy stuff to store,,,,eh?

 

Like TN said, this past weekend at the Dragon the colors were just amazing. Here's a few photos from this weekend.

 

Cab I always have issues with posting pics. on here, but I will try tomorrow night, I'll have to download them off of the camera and put them in my PhotoBucket Album.

The Healthy Eating is going well, Hubby did a very nice Roast on Sunday, made some Awesome Black Bean Soup yesterday, and tonight we at ate KFC (don't flame me), Hubby plays Fantasy Baseball and had won his Division, so tonight was his turn to play they Division Finals, and we had the closing, so not much time for cooking. I'm still doing my 45min. 5 Days a Week, I'm walking at 3.5mph. and I usually burn about 400 Calories while on the eliptical.

 

Hal SPECTACULAR photos!!

I'm gonna' say Goodnight!!

GoodNight Freebies!!

 

Nite RJ...
Morning Freebies-
Life's good... husband has started to dig himself out of the dog house. He made a fabulous anniversary dinner last night and then, he CALLED PETSMART AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR HIM AND CARTER!!! Woot! They're going to an evaluation first, then 4 private lessons, then he's enrolling in a group class. I think that's just incredible!
OK, so I'm a happy gal again...
Off to wake the other kiddo and get the day rolling-
Cheerios!
ps- great photos. Ola, you are so cute! just want to hug the stuffin outta you! and Sarah- that's not a chunky sarah pix. Wish Hal had been looking the same way, he's got such a great twinkle in his eyes! And who's next to him (between him and Ola)?
Ciao-

 

Thank Hal!!! beautiful photos!
And ok I'm 'fessing up, I had a brain freeze when I made comment about leaves changing and was still thinking about MCwill post about no snow in California! I don't think i personally would like Ca.
I confess, Yes i have been to NC a few times in the fall and have seen how beautiful it is.
I have been thinking alot about moving there in a few years and think it is a strong possibility!