Christmas Memories

Joe put our tree up last night. Just for me, so he said. I do like the sparkly lights. LOL When he was working on it he found a couple of ornaments that brought back a very clear warm memory.

They were picture ornaments of Louie & Sunshine with Santa. Taken 9 years ago. I had a head halter on Sunshine one of my many attempts to control her. I tried a couple of kinds and she slipped them all. Anyway, standing in a very long line she was trying to go explore only she couldn't. So she moved to the end of her leash and flopped over on her side with a great sigh. Everyone in line thought this was very amusing. ;0 When we finally reached Santa, Sunshine loved him he had a pocket full of treats. And she kept putting her nose in it. LOL He had a heck of a time holding onto her. Louie was so scared, especially after they put the reindeer antlers on him. ;) The poor thing he just wanted to get away.

Maybe next year, I'll take Lil Bit to her picture with Santa. That should be fun and interesting. LOl

Privacy

I have mentioned to some of you that the house next door is very close to ours. In fact their kitchen is 10 ft. from my bedroom window, their deck is closer than that.

Even if I keep my window closed, I can hear everything that goes on out there. Last night it was like, listening to a porn movie with no picture. I don't need to hear that, in fact I don't think anyone needs to hear that. My window was open, I know they could hear my tv I turned it up when they got loud. They just got louder.

I got woke up early this morning by laughing and loud talking. By loud talking I mean she was sitting on her deck yelling at her kids out front. This drives me nuts on Fri. & Sat. nights I have to shut my window because they are out there all night and it disturbs Miss Scarlett. She can hear them but she doesn't know where they are so it freaks her.

I understand she has every right to use her deck. But don't I have the right to not have to hear everything that goes on? They don't even try and be quiet out there. You can hear them pretty much all around the circle we live on. It's just that I get the clearest sound.

I don't know her, how do I say 'Hey, I can hear everything you do on your deck.'

Okay rant over for the day. ;)

Duke

I woke up this morning thinking about a dog I used to have. How he came to me and how he left. Duke was the first dog I ever got for myself. I was not in a good place and needed someone else to worry about I found an ad in the paper for lab puppies. I wanted black but all they had were yellow, so I got a yellow one. ;-) There were only 2 left when I got there, one flopped down at my feet and never moved and one was into everything he could find. Can you guess which one I took home? Yep, the trouble maker. ;-) I had a closeness with Duke, I've never had with any of the many other dogs in my life. He truly was my dog and merely tolerated the rest of the world. I took him to Puppy Kindergarten and Canine Good Citizen classes, he did very well as long as I stayed with him. For seven years, he was my buddy. Then I noticed a lump on his back leg. The vet took x-rays and told me it was bone cancer. It had never occurred to me that a dog could get cancer. Not until that moment. I was advised to put him down then and there, that the cancer had spread to his organs and he would only last a month or so. I didn't take that advice, because Duke was still acting like himself. Other than limping and having some problems with the back stairs. I took him home along meds to keep him comfortable. He started sleeping in my room after that. On the bed at first then at the foot when he couldn't jump up anymore. I would hear the jingle of his tags in the night and know that he was there. The vet was wrong, Duke stayed with me for 6 months after his diagnosis. He last for 2 weeks after my birthday. I've always believed he held on past my birthday on purpose. As if he wanted me to have that at least. Duke's ashes sit on a hidden shelf in my room. Because it freaked my brother out when I kept them my basement room that he used too. ;)

Birthday Blahs, Puppy Paws & Stuff

So as some of you know Tuesday was my birthday. Just after midnight I came to my computer and found a card, sitting on my keyboard. There was an ITunes gift card inside and it was signed "Love, People". I don't know who these people are but they are generous. ;) I woke up on what is supposed to be a happy, lovely day not feeling right. One of my 'good' (read with sarcasm) moods had picked that day to show up. It sat on my chest, like a huge weight all day long. Only lifting for a little while, I'll get to that in a minute. So I had some pressies to open, I got Lover Avenged, by J. R. Ward, Torchwood: Children of Earth DVD and some little odds and ends. Plus some cash to order myself something from one of my many catalogs. ;) Normal birthday procedure is at the very least dinner and a movie or vise versa. For my movie, I picked Law-Abiding Citizen, with Gerard Butler. This breaks a 6 year tradition of seeing the new Saw movie on my birthday. This was the only time I felt half-way good all day. My brother bought me a big pretzel and a giant soda. It was so nice to be able to sit in the theater and watch a movie, we don't get to go very often anymore. I loved the movie, it had a good story and the ending was not something I saw coming a mile away. ;) After that it was time for dinner, I always pick the OutBack on my birthday. But this year, I just couldn't deal with a restaurant. And I have been craving Chinese food for a couple of weeks. So we had takeout, much to the disappointment of my brother who wanted 'real' food. Meaning he wanted to eat in a restaurant even if it was the pizza buffet. After that, I had to take baby brother to a couple of stores he wanted to get something. While he was in one of them he got me a DVD 'My Bloody Valentine 3-D'. ;) When I got home, I was exhausted but my dinner tasted wonderful and it was just what I wanted. Instead of cake, I got brownies with chocolate icing. That's what I asked for and a neighbor baked for us, because our oven doesn't work right.........still. I had a nice quiet breakdown about 2 am, and the weight on my chest eased up a little. That's how the mood swings work with me, I can only hold them off for so long. So that was my birthday, exciting huh?LOL

On to the puppy paws. Yesterday morning I was awakened by Mom saying that Bit had duct tape stuck to her foot. Don't ask, I have no idea. LOL So I get up, Bit is on Mom's lap looking scared the big dogs are at Mom's feet looking at Bit and wondering what's wrong. The tape was stuck in between the pads on her foot. I had to use tiny little scissors to cut it out and had to get real close to the skin. She was not a happy girl. I worked slowly so I didn't hurt her, the bottom of her foot was red where she'd been picking at it. So I got it off and Bit took off like a tornado for 'maniac puppy' time. ;) All was well, until an hour or so later when we where playing. She likes to jump onto and off of the ottomans when chasing her toys or bringing them back. She was going to get the toy and misjudged the distance and slipped off of one and hit her foot on something next to the ottoman. She yelled and turned around holding her little foot up. She wouldn't try to walk to me so I picked her up and checked her toe nails, thinking maybe she caught one on something. I felt her teeny little bones and nothing felt different. So I hugged her a minute and then put her down so I could see her walk. She was fine, I think she just jammed a toe or landed wrong. Thankfully, she is running around like normal. You know like a maniac. ;)

Miss Scarlett has a new fave toy this week, it's a paper towel tube. LOL I put in her cage the other with some paper towels stuffed in the end. She didn't touch it for a couple of days. But now she's throwing it around and yelling at it all the time. LOL

Last week, my brother went to St. Louis to visit his girlfriend. He was gone 4 days and Mom and just rested most of the time he was gone. I didn't have to out except for once or twice. The dogs didn't know what to do, it's been so long since anyone took a trip. Dad used to leave for days at a time to go fishing and a few times for work. But that's been years ago, and Bit didn't know him anyway. It's strange how all the dogs knew something was up as soon as the duffel bag came out. ;) The night I was picking him up I had to put Bit in her crate. We still can't leave her loose, but that's another story. I couldn't catch her she knew I was going out and she knows she gets locked up. I told her,'I have to go get Joe,' and she went right her room (crate). ;)

One last thing, last evening one of my many cousins had a baby. Her first, a girl weighing in at just over 8lbs and 20 inches long. The newest member of the family is named Lola Giselle. So welcome to the world Lola!

More on Lil Bit

All this time Bit has been locked in my room at night sleeping with me. That didn't bother me but having to chase her to get her in there did. She's been really good lately though, we leave her alone in the living room in the afternoons for a couple of hours. And she hasn't been getting into anything. So the other night she got to sleep in the living room with the big dogs. She was very good, and didn't get into anything until Mom got up. LOL She's a big girl now and can sleep with the other dogs all the time. But she's still not big enough to be trusted in the basement. There's just too much stuff to chew on and too many places to hide. ;-0

Now I have told you all about Louie and his howling and the way he talks in the howly, growly way. The other day I was getting ready to go out and run some errands as I came through the living room, Lil Bit pointed her little black nose at the ceiling and howled at me. LOL It was so cute, of course she has a much higher voice than Louie, he's a bass. ;-0 She's starting to talk like he does too, when she wants something. She sees him get a response when he does it so now she's going to get in on his deal.

Lil Bit's Bath & stuff

So Lil Bit had her first bath since she got here. I know it was long time, but it's been easy to clean her up. Just brush the dirt out of her hair. Only today she came in with mud from just under eyes, down her chest and legs to her tiny little feet. My poofy little dog is a tomboy. LOL So Joe said if I'd brush her, he's wash her. He missed a couple of spots but I got them with the damp towel. Joe said she did pretty well in the tub. He said she didn't like it but she didn't fight him or try to get out until he went to reach for the towel. So he hands Bit to me all wrapped in a towel, just her little wet head sticking out. She did not look happy. I took in the bedroom where I can close the door if she gets away from me. I was rubbing her dry and she liked that part. Then I had to clip her nails, that part she didn't like so much. ;-0 But I got it done anyway. I put some doggie conditioner on her to help with any mats and she had a couple. It took an hour to get her totally dry. I don't have a blow dryer, because I never bother using one on my hair. I wish you could see her, she's all fluffy and fresh looking. I noticed while brushing her that her fur almost sparkles. It's really shiney on the ends. Right now she looks like a little fox, all curled up with her head under her tail asleep in Joe's chair.

I've noticed something in the last couple of months about Lil Bit. When she's standing still her back feet turn out away from her body. It doesn't seem to slow her down at all. LOL I'll just have to watch her knees and hips when she's older.

Miss Scarlett did not like it at all when I had Bit in the bedroom grooming her. I don't know what her problem was, she's seen me do it before. I guess she was just having a bad day, I put her to bed early. She was driving me nuts with the screeching. I had Joe put her in her carrier and set her in his room while I messing with Lil Bit. He turns on the radio and she can see his fish tank. It's all bright and the fish are moving so she likes it. She didn't make a sound from in there. But I couldn't leave her there all night. LOL

On a totally different topic. I have a lot of family stories well just stories in general. And quite a few people lately have been telling me I should put them in a book. So the other night, I started putting them down on paper. As soon as I started that it got harder to remember them. LOL But some of them have just flowed onto the paper. I sent a couple of people a sample, I'll let you know what they think when I hear back.

The Latest!

Every time I come home I get a rundown on what Lil Bit has destroyed while I was gone. And there's something new everyday. I got up this morning to my brother telling Bits off for eating his sock, after he left his door open when came out of his room for just a minute. Of all the things she's gotten to yesterday was the winner. When I got home from taking Joe to work, Mom showed me a thin strip of wallpaper that Lil Bit had pulled of the wall. Now it's not funny but it is at least to me. LOL Now that piece had to be loose because it came off perfectly it didn't tear or anything so we can put it back up.

This dog is so sweet, but she's a little maniac too. ;-0

She's learned to sit and wait her turn for treats, she's learning not to run out the front door when I leave. Otherwise she has to be locked in her crate, because after I'm gone if Mom goes out to smoke Bits tries to run out and find me. She hates being locked in her crate, she has a tantrum you can hear outside with all the windows shut. ;-0 But she likes to go in her crate and sleep sometimes. She likes Sunshines crate best though and we find her sleeping in there a lot.

Miss Scarlett comes to the bottom of her cage at least once a day and chats with Lil Bit. Bit barks and makes howly growly sounds and Scarlett talks to her. It's so cute. ;-0