Week's Adventures!

We've had a busy past few weeks of course. 

On the four legged front.. 
You'll remember Flower was with us last week, as well as The Tweedles were waiting for their forever home. We think we found them one, but pick up times haven't worked out so we will see. I don't think they mind, they seem pretty comfortable here. 

 

Our newest boarder, Oso is here with us while his mom is on vacation for a few weeks. Oso should be very proud as the funds we are receiving from his stay with us have been donated to sponsor a couple of dogs from Tipton County Animal Shelter where our rescue group Paws New England rescues from. Tipton was full and rescues were out of money. The sponsorship helped to get the money up front for vetting and to pay for boarding as there were no foster homes available. Paws is always looking for new fosters to open up homes down there, so if you have ever thought about it, Go Apply!


Bowser wasn't totally thrilled about him at first, but we went on a get along walk and Bowser has accepted him since. We walked 2 miles. He recovered for 2 days. I would hate to see what it would be like if we walked 3 miles! 

Last weekend Lucy went kayaking with Daddy all day Saturday. She needed Sunday to recover. 

Emma has been entertaining herself other ways... like being the queen of the fire pit. 

I went out yard sale-ing that morning and found a 1926 Singer sewing machine with table for $10. I bought it- and fast!

On Sunday, I took 2Pugglesathome to the Holistic Self Care Center's Summer Celebration/Open House event. We had a nice display:

This week we also celebrated my Dad's retirement. After 36 years at his job, he will be starting the next chapter of his life! His co-workers did a nice job. They even had photos from when he was younger- with a dark bushy mustache. Yes an  80s mustache.

Where've I been!?

Where have I been?! I'll tell you where I've been! Everywhere! 

Just kidding. I've had a few weekend of activities and have been sick (boo!). 

My mom and I went on our Mother's Day part 2 to the Boston Ballet (Mother's Day part 1 shown below- this week we went to see Coppelia).  We volunteered at the gift shop and got free tickets (aren't I a high spender!) We drove into Boston and parked at the Boston Common garage, then found that SIP Wine Bar validates your parking if you eat there. We went back for a second round this time too! 

We had a Memorial Day BBQ and fireworks with some friends. Lucy plays well with the friend's dog (and likes to follow around their C-A-T. She did come to the fireworks though, and was more interested with the other people than the fireworks. 

Flower, one of the Paws New England fosters, came to stay with us while her foster momma is on vacation for a week. She has stayed with us a week before. I think she was shocked when she remembered who I was- and that she was going to the house with all the low riders. 

Flo isn't a huge fan of ALL other dogs, so we've been taking her (oh, I- I have been taking her) on get along walks. Emma was pretty excited about her walk (as long as she was in front). 

 

We had storms last night and all my dogs and our 2 fosters the Tweedles were fine, but the big scary pit bull was shaking like a baby. Poor girl. She did get to sleep in the bed because of it. Eric and his ladies took the couch. No Lucy, that wedding ring does NOT mean that you are married to him. 

Planting the 2013 Garden

Its May- almost Memorial Day. You know what that means (in NH at least).. gardening time! I always get a little excited in usually February and start some seedlings. Usually I forget to water them, and they die. 

This year I did pretty good. I bought a shelf and a couple lights to avoid having "leggy" tomatoes. 

Then I planted green beans, tomatoes and radishes.. Since neither Eric or I actually eat radishes I am no sure why I did that. I also planted a squishy onion I found in my onion bowl. 

Pretty soon the green beans were taking over and needed to be transplanted. 

That's abut when my dining room started to look like a jungle..

But I live in NH and you can't trust the weather- can't plant outside until Memorial Day. I also had five additional concerns about planting outside. 

Here are one through three. Lucy enjoys the buffet and Emma tries to dig. Bowser is generally oblivious and once again getting thrown in with his sisters. 

The immediate threats are four and five: The Tweedles! Don't let those adorable faces fool you, Mario actually dug most of the hole for my blueberry bush! 

So on the first hot day of the year, I got home from work and created this masterpiece: 

Starting Grad School

In April I started my first class for graduate school. I decided to take my first class on line at SNHU through their International MBA program with a concentration in Quantitative Decision making.

For my class, every week we need to post a response to a discussion topic as well as "comment" on two other class mates, write a paper or presentation, and we have an ongoing group project.

The first few weeks I did well at making sure my papers were done before the weekend, but between Blackboard glitches and work loads I have become a Saturday morning paper writer.

That is okay, Mario (1/2 of the Tweedles) thinks he can help me out.

Making a headboard

When I finished the bed frame, I had our old queen sized headboard on the king mattress.

I have been working on making a headboard based on Ana White's farmhouse headboard.
http://ana-white.com/2010/01/plans-how-to-modify-farmhouse-bed-to_09.html

It is on 4x4s, so very heavy. Finally this weekend one of hubby's friends helped to move it upstairs and here is what I have:

I think it looks a bit tall, and we don't have a wall that fits 2 night stands and the king sized bed easily without hiding the window. Oh well. Notice the Bowser photo bomb. He was clearly quite ready for bed.

What Home-ownership means..

Home-ownership means a lot of work. 

And somethings I have outsourced to my husband.

Have to put together furniture.. 

And put up new window trim.. 

Clean out the gutters... 

Hang a bird feeder... 

And of course snow blow the driveway during a blizzard... 

What? These are all photos of my husband? Well sure, but who do you think makes him do this stuff! 

Nag, nag nag nag nag. :)

Foster Pups January - May

We are very involved with an amazing rescue Paws New England (www.pawsnewengland.com). We foster through them and I also coordinate events. 

Here are our 2013 fosters so far: 

Jingles: Jingles arrived on Christmas Eve 2012. She was adopted out to a new home, and then returned. She likes to play rough with big dogs and my pups weren't so thrilled, so she went to a new (and AMAZING) foster. She is still available at http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/24884284.

Mango: Little Mango was with us for about a week while his application was finalized. He now has a yellow lab brother. I am sure he is king of his house! 

Gale: Gale was named after the Hunger Games. He was found with his buddies locked in an outdoor kennel after his previous owners moved away. He was quite the scavenger and hoarder when he first came to us- made a little nest under the coffee table. As he got more comfortable, we assured him that there would be enough food and toys. By the time he was adopted he was doing very well with sharing. He now has 3 human siblings and a huge house and yard to run in. 

Pheobe: Pheobe came to us for a couple weeks. She is about 10 years old, diabetic and set in her ways. Pheobe was adopted out and returned because she is a lot to handle with her diabetes. She came to us to get her diabetes under control, then was forever adopted by her TN foster mom. Pheobe knew when it was dinner time, and here's what the royal princess did:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNJECbunrBU

The Tweedles came over next. They were named Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, but since they both answered when you called Tweedle, we changed their names to Mario and Luigi. Luigi has the pointy ears and knows his name. Mario either doesn't know his name or doesn't care to show it. He loves to lay in the dirt and doesn't like coming in when called. Luigi is desperate for love. They have an application in, so maybe they will be adopted soon! (Here's Mario trying to take over a stick- 

Boone came to us for 2 weeks as well. He is a happy little guy who is getting 2 human kids to play with in his next home: