I NEEDED A LAUGH !

So over the lunch hour everyone at work kept watching this over and over again.
It's so cute! and FUNNY.

WHAT the H?!?!

I keep trying to post comments on blogs and I keep getting this:

We're sorry, but we were unable to complete your request.The following errors were found:
Input error: Cookie value is null for FormRestoration

I've contacted Blogger but.....

sigh.

I was able to comment on Nita's blog http://modvintagelife.blogspot.com/2011/09/harvey.html
I LOVE that Harvey!
but I really wanted to comment on the cute puppy photos of Rowie over at
http://florafaunafolding.blogspot.com/2011/09/rowies-baby-pictures.html
Grrrr! I'm signing off and I'll try again tomorrow!

OK...PREPARE YOURSELF!

I thought I was prepared but I wasn't.....As many of you know, I've been "writing" and "working" on several book ideas.
Of course, ONE of them is ALL about BLUE.
Of course.
When I first brought Blue home I only had one of those disposable cameras. I would take a photo and have no idea what it would end up looking like. They seemed to all just be "puppy blurs". I was upset that I didn't have any good shots of the PUPPY YEARS and then I remembered how I took him over to my sister's house all the time when he was small.
The first time I took him over to introduce him I thought at the time that my brother-in-law would probably have some comment ready about me acquiring ANOTHER dog.
We walked into the kitchen and when I told everyone that he was DEAF my brother-in-law let out a exclamation of
"He can't HEAR????"
then he ran across the room and scooped him up.
It was Love at First Sight.
He carried him into their living room and got down on the floor and started playing with him.
My sister and I just stood there looking at each other in amazement.
We talked and she cooked dinner and when we walked out into the other room to set down the meal, we found Blue and his "buddy" laying on the floor watching the TV.
After dinner, the two of them got down on the floor again and played some more. Later they were both laying on the rug, SPOONING as they took a nap.
My nieces were asking "What is the matter with Dad?"
That night as I went to leave, he asked "Can he spend the night?"
I was so surprised. I looked at my sister and she was shaking her head, rolling her eyes and smiling.
"Sure" I said.

So I got to thinking. My brother-in-law probably had some puppy photos of Blue!
He has documented every stage of his daughters lives and he's a camera buff.
So I called my niece. I asked her if she would see if there were any photos of Blue on her Dad's computer and send them in attachments to me. She emailed me back that she would check and see.
The next night there was an email from her. She had found TWO.
So I knew they were of Blue but I guess I wasn't prepared for the puppy cuteness.
They made me CRY. I had forgotten how small he had been.
OK, he was never REALLY small. He was 20 pounds at 9 weeks but.....

Yep, I'm tearing up again..... he just grabs my heart.

PEACE.....

I just spent at least 2 1/2 hours trying to get on-line. I didn't have the energy to sign-on last night and this morning my computer kept telling me that I wasn't connected. I went to work and everyone said to unplug it all and it should come back.
But it didn't.
I tried signing on at work and was able to post two comments when THAT computer shutdown!
Maybe all my negative energy is electrical too. My tingling right hand (everyone says it's probably carpel-tunnel) must be shorting out the computer systems.
So I came home and shut it down and nothing. I called my Internet provider and the recording said to shut it all down and call back. Had I shut down the computer? Nope, so I hung up and shut it down and nothing....
I called back and got someone with a heavy Indian accent and she accidentally disconnected me.
I called again and got some young guy who I could actually understand. He said that I needed to switch on a switch that was either in the side of my laptop or the front.
I told him that I had already looked for it several times and there was nothing there.

He had me hold down FN and then hit F8......it just brought up something telling me that I wasn't connected.
He asked if I was SURE there wasn't a button? a switch? I said "NO! I'm looking and I don't see ANYTHING".
He said it was a switch that "slides". I said, Nope.
So I just start sliding my hands around the edges and suddenly I was online!
He asked if he could help me with anything else?
And I said, "Yeah, some new glasses".....................................

Now I've forgotten what I was going to write about!
Between have "blog withdrawals" and try to "PLAY NICE" with MEAN GIRLS...well, I'm stressed to the max. That and the fact that I had to pay for gas with quarters.....yeah, not a good time to stage a mutiny.

Sigh....found this:

I'm working towards PEACE.....but first I need my blog "fix"!
I'm off to do some reading.

and the SAGA continues..........

And I am just laying low.

More BOO...

Now that I've started I can't stop!

I'm a scanning fool.

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY....

I had never learned how to scan photos.
As I attempted to clean, sort and throw away things around my house, I came across several boxes of old photos.
Of course I sat down and just kept looking and looking....
Time just FLEW by! Where have the years gone?
Some made me sad and some wistful.
God, I wish I still looked like I used to! LOL!
So I turned on my printer and figured it out.
Here's a photo of my Boo.
The cat that started it all.
I've been using my Harry for all my black cat images.
Needless to say, the house is still a mess and full of stuff that needs to be thrown away.

IT"S BEEN AN UGLY WEEK

I've been coming home and going to bed early.

I'm exhausted.

Keeping in mind that this IS the Internet, I can't elaborate but...

Once upon a time, there was a frog sitting by a riverbank. A scorpion happens along and decides he wants to cross the river. But the scorpion cannot swim. So, he asks the frog for a ride on his back across the river.
"Are you crazy?" the frog replies. "You are a scorpion. You will sting me."
"Sting you?" the scorpion says. "If I were to sting you, we would both drown. There is no logic in that."
The frog thinks about it and tells the scorpion to hop on his back. They get halfway across the river when the scorpion stings him. They are both drowning now, and the frog asks the scorpion why he did such an irrational thing.
"It's my nature," the scorpion says.

I hope I won't have to shave my head....

I am trying to focus on the positives.

And coming home and letting it go.

Doing things I love.

Wish me LUCK!

I ♥ BLUE

I'M the ONLY ONE not HAPPY

But I know that I did the right thing.
As Jennifer said -  "All the other dogs deserve peace and safety. Sometimes the needs of the many outweigh the needs of one."
So I used a "card" that I have never played. I have a good friend who happens to be the Executive Director of one of the Humane Societies and she knows Ralphie. She has actually taken care of him many times for me in the past.
So I asked her if she would take him and find him a home.
I had never taken a dog IN, only OUT.
In fact most of my rescues have come from her shelter.
She said that she would be glad to. She knows his needs and if she isn't able to place him in the proper home, she has a few rescue groups that she works with that she was sure would help.
So I took him to her today. I thought I could do it without tears.
I thought wrong.
He was happy to see her but I still could feel my heart break.
I have complete and utter faith in her and know she will only place him in the right home.
Still, it hurts.
I come home tonight and everyone seems extra playful.
They probably are since there is no one to pounce on them.
They remind me of the munchkins in the Wizard of Oz.
DING DONG!
For some reason I'm slightly irritated with them.
Couldn't they hide their glee a little bit?

CHIPS and DIP

How was YOUR Labor Day Weekend?
Mine was pretty good. I got more of my fence done.
I ran out of wood and I need more exterior screws.
On Saturday I broke up a fight between Ralphie and Jimmy.
They almost knocked my TV over, but ended up just unplugging it. Later in the evening, I was watching a DVD. There was a moment where the plot thickened and I sat down on the edge of the sofa to watch. Suddenly right in front of me, they were at it again.
Of course it was Ralphie starting it. I raised my hand, not even putting it between them, but somehow one of my fingers got bite right next to the nail. That really hurt. I was furious but after breaking them apart and taking them outside, I decided not to think about it.
DENIAL.
That works for me.
Then on Sunday as I continued working outside. I was taking pickets off the old fence and re-using the screws.
The dogs were laying in the sun mostly, except Rosie.

She prefers to sit in the doorway of the house and watch.
Sometimes I will go get her and bring her down but while I'm working, I'd rather she just stay up there.
Louie was rolling a river rock the size of a big egg around the yard and sometimes stopping to chew on pieces of grass or little upshoots of wild trees that are always popping up in the yard. After he does this, he will stop and gag and spit out the grass. So I'm using my drill to unscrew the old screws and I notice him gagging again but with his mouth open wide. I set down the drill and pick him up.
He's got a piece of little tree stuck at the top of his throat. I was lucky and was able to put my finger down into the back of his mouth and flick it out. I hold him up to my face and say "Stop eating stuff!" and he looks at me, like "What?"

I put him back down and he dances off to his rock again..
I got quite a few screws salvaged and as I was wrapping up my extension cord, I could hear the neighbors behind me having a get-together.
I can't really see them because of the old fence and the overgrown trees and the distance between our yards but I could hear a dog barking and then another, louder and more high pitched. Almost a cry. This caused several of my dogs to start barking. Ralphie was really barking hard when I saw Vera walk up besides him and join in. Suddenly and for no reason, Ralphie turned and jumped on Vera and started to attack her.

Several of the little ones ran to her defense and I used my foot to push Ralphie away.
Luckily Vera was alright, just frightened.
If he had grabbed Rosie or Louie or Claude,they are my tiny ones......

Today I took Ralphie to work and he's staying in my boarding area.

I hope to find him a new home.
I'm never bringing him back here.
And I'm fine with it. He made the decision, not me.

Years ago, when I worked at the BANK, I had a roommate.
One evening I came home with some chips and dip and a magazine.
I sat down and read and ate and my roommate asked me what was wrong?
WRONG?
I was surprised. It had been an awful horrible day but I hadn't said anything about it. So I asked why she thought something was wrong?
She replied that she noticed whenever I had a bad day, I would stop and pick up a magazine and chips and dip.
Hmmm...so,
I sit here, trying to write a post as I eat my chips and dip.
Maybe I'm not fine with it.  But I will be.

MY FENCE and my hair.

OK, before I begin, I must say that all the photos, unless indicated otherwise, are from this fabulous website that I found. http://fenceidea.tk/
Now about my fence. Last weekend I succeeded in digging all the holes (by hand) and sinking and cementing them all into place. I am especially proud that I was able to achieve this without beaning anyone in the head. After the Rosie incident,

I was especially diligent in keeping the little ones at bay. I did this by screaming. I'm sure that my neighbors were thinking "What the Hell?" especially since I always put on a nice pleasant neighborly front. But last weekend I could be heard shrieking: "Get out of here" "Move!" "What IS your Problem" "Get away!" "NOW! OUT!" so that is how I spent most of last weekend, covered in dirt and sweat, screaming and trying not to breath in concrete fumes. I mixed the cement mixture in a big bucket and added water with a garden hose, which came in handy at squinting inquisitive little dogs. Blue laid up on the back stoop and the little ones mostly sunned themselves on the chaise lounge or picnic table.
And Ralphie? Well, I left Ralphie at the boarding kennel.

I just couldn't deal with his high drama and maintain my sanity. That and the fact that I was afraid I might "bean" him on purpose. (Just kidding).
So now I have the posts up. Standing like Sentinels around my crumbling patio and looking at me with the question - "What's next?"
Indeed.
If you know me at all, you know that I have a HUGE problem with making decisions. Well, maybe that's not entirely true.
I CAN decide but I just keep changing my mind about what I prefer. I like too many things and everyday I favor something else.

It's kinda like my hair. I remember several years ago when I was out with a friend and someone we both knew casually, came up to us and acted as though they had never met me. Afterwards I commented that I thought they were SO RUDE. But my friend had just laughed and said that they had probably not recognized me. He said "You are a chameleon".

A chameleon? What did he mean by THAT!?
And he answered that it wasn't a bad thing, it was just who I was.
I thought about it, he was right. My weight has "fluctuated" several times. (I like that word, "fluctuated" much better than FAT, kinda THIN, Good Curvy and Bad Curvy) and then there's my hair. I've had every color and length. That's why I think my Drivers License is such a joke. I mean really? What color and WHAT weight? Heck, I'd change the age too if I could! Anyway...
There was a time where I actually went by the nickname "RED".
The old neighbor man used to yell over to me.
"What ya doing over there Red?"
"You got glasses on while you're running that saw, Red?"
"Where ya get THAT dog Red?"
(Now, that's ANOTHER post but you get the idea.) and then I also went by the nickname "118" for a while. That was back in the day when I was working at a neighborhood bar part-time to make ends meet. Some customer had commented on my dark hair and how they wished they had dark hair like mine and I told them they could. "It's Nice & Easy 118" and one of the regulars started calling me "118" which looking back in retrospect, I am certainly glad I wasn't called "Nice & Easy"!
Then there's my summer hair. I'm a firm believer that, for myself, if I have short hair, it must be blond.

(ah, yeah - not me, actually Heather Mills. Hate HER but love her hair!)

If it's not blond it just doesn't look right on me. Last summer it was short and blond and then I let it grow. In the fall I made it brown and then this summer it's just been a wild curly mess  and blond and grey...............
GREY.
I've thought about going grey,  a nice silvery grey but to do that in a hurry I would have to cut it short and well, you know my rule on THAT.
So, how did I get here? Talking about hair when this post is about my fence.
Oh, yes. How I can't commit to any decision and stick with it.
MY dream fence would be sleek and modern.

To go with my RETRO but MODERN home.
But since my house isn't really RETRO but more VINTAGE, I need something more quaint.
Something to go with my COTTAGE (weed) garden and FOLK ART mailbox.

Maybe something funky and artsy.

I would adore a wrought iron fence

but little heads and mostly likely whole bodies would fit through those bars. And the house would need to be brick to carry it off. Preferably light brick in a French Architechture style.....

In my dream world, I would ADORE this.

Back to reality.

I'll keep you updated and SOMEDAY show some photos.
Probably going to be a bit of a wait though....