Poppy

I'm calling her that now.
At first it was Poptart and then Idgie as in Idgie Threadgoode (thanks for putting that in my head Steve!) I will probably some day rescue an old frail thing and that will be her name.
But I kept saying Poppy.
Don't really know why, but just seemed right.
So that's her name.
She is now running around the house without hesitation.
She doesn't like to use the "outside" to potty, she prefers the potty pad and it's really no big deal seeing how it's the size of a SMALL Tootsie roll.
She waits until everyone has run outside ahead of her, then she puts on the brakes and walks over to the pad.
So we have a routine in the morning.
I let everyone out, flip on the news as she's doing her business and go upstairs.
When I come back down, she's usually sitting up in the corner of the sofa.
I swear she looks like she's watching the news.
She still hasn't started playing with the others yet.
Once in a while they will play "pounce" at her and she will stop and look at them and then look at me.
It's like she's saying "Why are they doing that?"
She does like to play with me though. I will run my hand like a spider at her and she attacks it, bouncing around.
I think it's just a matter of time until she figures the others out.
Then the other day I caught her "entertaining" herself.
The next time she did it, I caught it on camera.
Here's a little video....keep in mind, that I'm still learning how to make them!
Here's Poppy playing!

I'm Happy

Good news: I got my tree estimates and they were high and low. But one was very low and my tree problem will be taken care of on Saturday.

Other good news. I've been commissioned to do a painting. (Although I secretly HATE doing commissions. I prefer someone just liking what I've done and buying it. Commissions are so stressful to me, I know what is in MY mind but I'm always worried that the client will have something else in THEIR mind).

A woman who brings her dog to the clinic for chiropractic adjustments liked this painting that I had done:

 and wants me to do the same thing of her dog.
But smaller.
And a different background color
And she's not sure if she wants it on wood or canvas and whether she would like a frame or not.
She is emailing me a photo of her dog.
I'm just to do whatever I think best.

I have paintings up around the clinic where I work at

and several have sold but for some unexplainable reason I have not painted anything to replace those and there are bare spots on the walls.
A client brought in some little framed mats with stickers on them and Doc let her display them for sale. The girls at work aren't big fans of these and are always pestering me to bring in some of my paintings. I honestly don't know why I can't get going on them???

But now that I have this commission and a tree limb to pay for, I have the motivation.
Which reminds me. The tree guy said that on Saturday they would have to unhook my phone (Internet) line but not to worry, they would hook it back up for me.
At first I felt paralyzed with fear.
What if they can't/don't hook it back up properly?
I might be without Internet for the whole long holiday weekend!
Hmmmm....just might be what I need to get rolling and churn out some art!

The Tree, Dinner and a Cocktail

I called my insurance guy.

YES, I'm covered.

YES, I have a $1000. deductible.

I called the bank.
NO, they would not lend me a $1000.

One of the women at work had said that her husband owned one of those ladders that you can bend in weird angles.
I asked if I could borrow it.
She said she'd bring it tomorrow.
I Googled Lowes.
They have a chainsaw that had 5 stars from 111 people.
It costs $100.
I stopped at the grocery store on my way home to pick up something for dinner.
Something NO FAT.
They had No Fat Yogurt.
and No Fat, No Sugar Hot Fudge.
Diet Sprite was on sale.
I picked up a bottle of UV Blue Vodka (no fat)
and came home.

 

I took some photos of the tree now that it's no longer raining.

I text the woman from work and told her never-mind.
My house is very tall, 2 stories.

Even I am not fool enough to try it.

The photos can be almost look pretty...

in sort of a blue way.

and after a few UV Blue's

they just get prettier.

and after a few more...

it almost tastes like a real Hot Fudge Sundae.

I've changed my mind.

Yeah, I'm just puttering around. Doing laundry.
Making videos of the dog and
BOOM!
The dogs started barking and at first I thought someone had hit the big electric box across the street but no, I still had power.
I walked around the house in a daze when all of a sudden a thought hit me.
I ran to the back door.
I just noticed last week that my Weeping Willow was partially dead.
I had decided that the job would be too big for me to do myself.
I would have to hire someone and that would take some dollars.
It towers over 2 stories.
I figured I better start saving now before winter came and the snow brought it down.

Yeah, that's the limb to the right of the photo.
(and yes, that is a hot tub on my neighbors driveway...
I'm biting my tongue here.)
and this is the BOOM.

The tree limb came down in the rain and the corner of my roof is holding it up.
Suddenly this day sucks.

Thank God it's Raining!

It was SO HOT yesterday that I just couldn't bear going outside
and start working on the yard again... and the "tree".
I told myself that I'd do it today, when it was supposed to be cooler.
Now it's raining.
I'm so happy!
It washes away my guilt of not doing it.

the OTHER blog

I have another blog.

http://bigwhitedogblue.blogspot.com/
Forlornly forgotten.
I was looking at it and shaking my head.
I haven't posted a thing over there for more than a year.
At first I was going to use if as a format to showcase my creations..............
.......................ok, what have I created lately?
Sigh.

ANYWAY.

Then I used it as a place for dog tips and thoughts and things.
But instead I just posted everything on http://oldblackcatboo.blogspot.com/.
so... NOW I've decided to delete all the posts and really mix it up by trying out a different design format.
and make it all about BLUE.
Which is what it should have been about all along, right!?
I plan on copying past posts about that I've written HERE and posting them THERE.
Sort of a blog "book" about Blue...
until I actually write a physical one,
that you can hold in you hands.
That's the kind of book that I love.
I will be re-posting the post about Bono that I have over there because I don't want to lose his story and photos.
So, if you want to take a peek at the old blog with the old posts - it will be there for a few.

STREAKS

So my hair has pretty much grown out.
All natural color now.
Brown with grey.
I like the light streak in front.
This what I was really hoping it would look like...

but it doesn't.
I feel like it's BLAH.
Maybe I should go back to blond.
Or maybe I just need a little color?
Just a few streaks.

OK, that's TOO much.
I'm liking it on Jimmy.

But all he really cares about is having his ball

And someone to play with.