Puppy Love | Peaches Prattlings

{April 13, 2024} Gotcha Day

It’s Bee and Ruby’s Gotcha Day! For those of you who might know be in the know, because if you’ve never adopted a human or animal, why would you! So… ‘the gotcha day is the anniversary of the day on which a person or a pet joins a family by adoption.’ Isn’t that great! I gotcha in my family now!

Miss A’s gotcha day, you may remember, is February 14th, how perfect is that! And Ruby and Bee’s gotcha day is April 13th, we officially adopted them in St Louis in 2020, shortly after we moved there. As you know, Mollie didn’t leave Hawai’i with us, we knew she probably wouldn’t be when we moved there, and sadly, we were correct. After we moved to St Louis, we were walking around Creve Coeur Lake thinking, and talking about it, “wouldn’t it be nice to have dogs again, to walk around the park with us”, I told PSM when he was ready, let me know. And shortly thereafter, he said…I’m ready.

So…I went online to see if I could find another American Foxhound, that’s what Mollie was, and let me tell you…not easy to find. As I was looking at different shelters, I found Five Acres Shelter and I saw Bee, who had similar features to Mollie. I only say this because everyone always asked me if she was a Beagle when they saw her, honestly, if you didn’t know the foxhound, she looked like a beagle that had exploded, meaning, much larger!

I said…ooh! And when I clicked on her link, she came up with a friend…Ruby. The site said they were so bonded they hoped the two would be adopted together. I showed PSM the pictures and although he was only thinking about one dog, he said go for it. I filled out the application, put down his brother SM as a reference and we got a call from someone at the shelter to interview us. About 30 minutes later, we got a call from his brother “So…you’re thinking about adopting a dog, huh?” Wow, they move fast.

Even faster, a few minutes later we were setting up a meet-n-greet with the foster mom. She wasn’t available on Saturday or Sunday, did I mention this was Friday? What about Monday, sounds good. Since we were both working from home, remember, this is when everyone was at home working because the Covid stuff just started happening about this time.

Monday, we went to the shelter and met both dogs, what doll babies they were! And all of a sudden, maybe 15/20 minutes later, PSM said yes and I was signing paperwork and we were dog parents again…. Um…with no provisions at home, oops. On the way home we stopped at Petco to get dog beds, the foster mom gave us one bed, we call it the burrito, it’s actually sitting under my desk right now! It’s a brown oval bed they both love sleeping in! She also gave us one blue bear, we bought a few toys, food, a crate for both of them, treats, and a bed that fit in the crate, yup, we’re good to go.

We got home and brought them into the house, they sniffed every corner, oh yeah, we closed the master bedroom door, there was a giant oriental rug in there, the foster mom told us Bee has a tendency to sometimes go inside…and normally only on rugs/carpets, so we’d have to keep an eye on that. They settled in pretty well, found the beds to snuggle on and we laid down with them at different times, and we took them out back to their new yard, lots of room to run around.

I’d say they got used to us and their new home pretty quickly…they spent most of their time laying out in the sun out back. They also decided they needed to protect the yard, which I was finally able to cure them of that, ‘you’re ok, no one is invading your backyard! If anyone walked by…oh brother! So…I decided no barking before 8am, some people like to sleep! We would get up and take them for walks between 6-7a, then back home and they’re free to roam the house and back yard. And Ruby has finally realized the fire brigade didn’t need her help alerting the neighborhood!

We didn’t know what breed Ruby was, we just called her an attention hound because she’s so very needy and clingy, it fit perfectly! Then someone walked into the house to do some work and said “That’s a Redbone Coon Hound!” And boy howdy, is she! And they are needy, clingy dogs, that’s all there is to it! It has nothing to do with separation anxiety, that’s just the breed!

We’ve been lucky, there have only been a few instances when they tried to run away, a few in St Louis, and only once here in PA, I’d say that’s pretty good. I think the time here was because Bee was following her nose…they eat everything! Oh brother, a new smell here, no wait, a new smell there, no wait, a new smell…oh boy howdy!

Overall, we have gotten so lucky with these two, they are pretty well behaved, that’s what people keep telling us! They do great at doggie daycare once a week, they love meeting new people, they are not barkers, except occasionally, and they’re pretty good about meeting other dogs, it’s hit or miss, as with anything, and they do listen, for the most part. And…great snugglers, as you know I let them stay with me on the bed on occasion, and they love it! They get on the bed, circle a few times and then they’re out for the night, they snuggle up next to me, and into me, little hot boxes, and they keep me company all night. It’s a nice feeling.

There are so many more stories I have, but we’d never get out of here!

{March 25, 2024} I did not stop writing again and I did not forget about you!

I promise! I have been under the weather, then sick as a dog since we last spoke and I am sorry! There was a big event to tell you about and I could not even bring myself close enough to the pc to tell you about it! But I will…in another post!

I started to feel woogie on Wednesay, I taught a class, did a few things and decided I needed some Dayquil, then to sit down and rest. Now, normally, when I start to feel woogie, and yes, that is a technical term, when I start to feel woogie, I take a Dayquill or two, meaning two doses, the directed 4 hours apart, I know, I know, you’re shocked I actually follow directions! Well, usually, that works. Nope, not this time.

Thursday came, I started feeling woogier and taught my last class, oh and the cough decided to join me for class, gee thanks. There were a few ‘please hold, I have to turn off my camera and mic and choke for a moment’ moments, fun! But we made it through class, but by the time it was over, I was not doing so hot. I did what I needed to do to wrap up the day, but it was time to lay down, I don’t think I was even able to walk the dogs.

Now, as I said, I usually can take the Dayquil in a day or two, I’m right as rain, PSM says I have a really strong immune system, well, Mother Nature‘s storm front, the hot/cold/hot/cold days, Spring, and allergies all rolled up into one, did nothing for me! So…I got in bed by 9p, yes, you heard me, 9pm and I was done for!

I only got up a few times in the middle of the night, oh joy! Friday came and I was a zombie…I do not know how I made it through work. I finished everything I needed to for the classes I taught for the week, took a nap, went back to work and prepped for the next week, which started today, prepped for some classes I have scheduled in the future and at 430p, I was 100000% done. I took a scalding hot shower, because that sometimes helps, put on my jammies, fed the dogs, and I was under the covers by 6pm.

PSM came home with some soup, it wasn’t the best soup, but it was hot and it hit the spot, he even tasted it and agreed, but I love that he brought me soup and he took charge of me! Thank you! He then said we are switching to Nyquil, because you need sleep! Yes sir! I am down with that!

I took the Nyquil and then there was a new type of woogie feeling, but that faded into the back of my eyelids! I woke up at some point, took more Nyquil, oh, and did I mention the hot cups of tea with honey that kept coming? I am one lucky broad! There were several scalding hot showers, because they open my chest up, the steam clears my nose up and I feel warm and wonderful…for about an hour, but I will take it!

I also woke up sweating several times, so those showers were wonderful and refreshing. Back to bed, more Nyquil. Saturday was a blur! The last does of Nyquil came about 11pm, I fell asleep about 12am, woke up at 1am and I did not fall asleep again until about midnight Sunday. Oh, about 4am Saturday night/Sunday morning, I decided I was laying there long enough, I’m going on a trip Friday, I’m going to do my hair.

I didn’t do the best job this time, in terms of…if you saw the back of my neck, you might notice the giant blue and purple blobs! o m g! ha ha ha. There has been a great deal of exfoliating going on as we speak! I may be wearing a scarf on my flight if I can’t get the color off my neck! I am sitting here laughing hysterically as I write this! I am also reading this out loud as I write it and I almost never do that! I might still be delirious!

Yesterday, PSM was very wise to not let me do anything, even getting up to brush my teeth took a lot out of me! He was great, he’s taken the pressure off me to do things, he’s walked the dogs, fed them, put them up, all the things we share duties on, but he’s done them all, and I so appreciate him for that.

Today, still taking it easy, glad I work from home, I sat at my pc, worked, took breaks when I needed to, but didn’t move much. I did a little laundry, so I have what I need for my trip, but taking it very easy. I’m still not 100% and I don’t have much of an appetite, but I’m getting there, as my grandma would say ‘yiddle by yiddle’. I still have this cough, but my throat isn’t as sore and I have about 10 minutes worth of talking time before I start choking or get tired, so…

That being said, I’ve talked to you now for about 30 minutes and I’m feeling it! So…g’night!

{March 14, 2024} Spring has sprung!

It was beautiful today, I think Spring has sprung!

Just like yesterday, I had to get on the bike, oh yeah! Well, first, I only needed a hoodie when I took the dogs for a walk around the block, a glorious morning. Then it was home to take a quick shower and get ready for work. Oh, did I mention that being that Spring has sprung, there is new life all around us. I haven’t seen any baby ducklings, wait, if they’re ducklings, which is a baby duck, do I really have to say baby ducklings? Am I alone in this one? I don’t think so, I think we all call them baby ducklings, because it sounds so much fun to hear and say, go on, say it, think it, baby ducklings. Ok, I am cracking myself up here, somebody stop me!

Anyway…so…there is new life in our yard, the crocuses are coming up and around the neighborhood, daffodils, robin red breasts are making an appearance, it’s a treat.

The VW dealership texted to let me know my car was ready, so before my class this afternoon, I hopped in the loaner Tiguan, headed to the dealership and traded it in for my beetle bug, Annie. I got in, dropped the top and the windows and headed home, life is good!

Then, today, for the first time in a few weeks, I took the dogs to the park. I asked ‘who wants to go to the park?’ I actually watched Ruby run and jump over something in the yard, oh boy! It’s been a while, not just because I didn’t have my car, but it’s been cold, rainy, and wet for the past few weeks, and I didn’t want to slip and slide through the park. We did it a few times, but just haven’t lately. Well, so glad we went today! People were out enjoying themselves, lots of cars in the different lots, but the park is big enough, you don’t run into many people.

We met a few dogs, got some lovies from kids and adults, saw some new flowers and growth and we saw some torguga, or turtles, on a log. Some ladies we passed told us about them, so we made sure to look and sure enough…tortuga! The girls were so happy to be back in the park, their old stomping grounds, sniffing everything like it was the first time! We made it around, back in the car and headed home.

Back home, they couldn’t wait to get out of the car and head inside…dinner’s about to be served. After dinner, PSM called and asked if I wanted to meet him somewhere, sure! I hopped on Charlene and went to meet him at Lebanon Valley Craft Breweing. I saddled up to the bar, ordered a tall glass of water and waited for my hubs. He got there, we just ordered an appetizer, they didn’t have the same grilled veggie wrap I had Friday, oh well.

We talked, laughed, planned, cajoled, and just enjoyed ourselves. Eventually it was time to head home, back on the bikes, he revved his engine, I revved mine and we were off! It was a little chillier for me on the way home, but it was still wonderful to be on the bike. Only 23% chance of rain tomorrow, 7% on Saturday, and 7% on Sunday…there’s more riding in my future! Only 3 months until our bike trip up north! Cannot wait!

And now, dear friends…g’night!

{March 3, 2024} A pahty, dinner with dad, drive home

I…am…beat…yeah, I’m done! I just got home from Bahston and dinner with dad, I’ll tell you about my day, then I’m crashing!

Got up, the pups had slept with me, they love that treat, I’ll admit, I love it too. It really is a treat because it doesn’t happen every day. I let them on the bed sometimes on a Saturday or Sunday morning, but spending the night on the bed, now that’s a treat. Ruby did her thing and turned around twice and laid down, Bee turned around twice and then dug herself into my side, it was soooo cute. She moved once or twice, but settled into the crook I made and it was warm and cuddly, sigh.

We got up, went for a walk, thank goodness the rain finally stopped! Oh my car window…we came back, they had breakfast, I took a shower, then we headed to J&A’s for Uncle A’s 80th birthday bash! I got there, asked if I could do anything and A said she completely forgot vegan stuff, and there was a gluten-free person coming, so I said I would go to the grocery store and get some, easy! GES is going dairy-free for a while, I wanted to share some of my favorite options with her too.

Ruby just came upstairs to tell me it was time for bed!

I went to Wegmans and picked up some vegan and gluten-free options. I forgot how much I really like Wegman’s and what a great vegan selection they have! And how expensive some of that stuff is! I know it’s expensive, but usually I’m only buying one or two things along with our other groceries for the week!

I headed back to the house and people were starting to show up, including my hubby, PSM! I hadn’t seen him since Friday morning when he headed towards Vermont, very nice to see him, the girls thought so too!

We were in town for Uncle A’s 80th birthday bash and what a bash it was! GES was able to come over for a little bit, try some of the vegan cream cheese and smoked gouda, oh my I was happy, I love this Violife brand! They have such good dairy-free options! She was able to have bagel-lox-and cream cheese, with onion, of course! Not for me, thanks!

We ate some good food, got to chat with friends and family, laugh, hug, tell stories, and have an all around good time! It was so good to see everyone, I don’t think we’ve seen them since the Chanuakah party the weekend of Thanksgiving!

We bade everyone goodbye, PSM loaded the girls in the Jeep and headed towards home, I got in my car, programmed the directions and headed to my dad’s house. Let’s just say, no one likes driving through Connecticut! Aren’t they done with construction yet? Maybe that’s the national pastime in Connecticut!

It was a 4.5 hour drive with no stops, I had to get gas once and use the facilities a few times, and with traffic, it only added about 30 minutes, not too shabby. And…it got up to 70, guess what I did…dropped Annie’s top and we wer rockin’ down the road, that helped! I got to dad’s about 5p, we hugged hello, then loaded up in his car, I needed a minute not to be driving! We enjoyed Zara’s so much on Friday we decided to go back and even got the same meal!

We had the appetizer platter with babaganoush, hummus, tabouleh, eggplant salad, and sauted eggplant, it was so good! And we had a shepherd’s salad, the bread they bring out is fabulous and enough for the appetizers, I had a cup of turkish tea and we ended the meal with an order of baklavah! Sooo good! I’m ready for the next time.

Back to dad’s house, I helped him with his new timer light and then it was time to drive home. It’s only 2.5 hours, but when it’s been a long day and you’re tired, and already drove 5 hours, 2.5 can be tough! Especially after driving to Boston yesterday! But…made it home safe and sound, hello to the hubs and the dogs, unloaded the car, I’m talking to you and as soon as I click publish…I’m going to introduce myself to the back of my eyelids. Now…you know me, I know this, and you know this is just me talking a big game! ha ha

I’m going to give it the old school try! Night!

{March 2, 2024} Breakfast with dad, drive to Bahston, dinner with my sis

All is a day, of course!

I got up way to early for a Saturday, why can’t I sleep past at least 6am!? I decided to linger, I didn’t feel like getting out of bed, going out into the rain, and the bed got softer and I kept sinking deeper and deeper into the warmth and comfort of my childhood bed. Don’t roll your eyes, it’s a very comfortable bed, the mattress is just right, and the blankets were piled on and just cozy! It’s a twin, yup, you know how much I love a king or california king bed, but I grew up sleeping on a twin bed. You should have seen the number of pillows and stuffed animals I had, used to give people ‘hives’!

I got up eventually, got dressed, got the dogs out of their travel crate, and took them out for a walk. It was still raining, not too hard, but enough, hoping it wasn’t going to get too bad on my way to Boston, but I was not so lucky! We walked around the block I grew up on, back to the house, say good morning to paw-paw, fed them, let them hang out for a few minutes, then back in the crate and dad and I went to Z-One for breakfast. First, we tried to go to Zara Forest Grill, we saw they had breakfast, but it turns out they don’t open until 11am on Saturdays, that’s brunch, not breakfast!

I love my one-on-one time with my dad, we talk about everything and nothing, we reminisce, we plan, we strategize, we joke, we tell stories, it’s just that good!

After breakfast, we made a pit stop at Michael’s, it was for him, not for me! But who am I to stand in the way of creativity! I had so much fun crafting with him last night! When we got back home, I packed up the pups crate, food, and bowls, and of course, the dogs, got in the car, made sure the window cover was secure, plugged in the address of the hotel and headed out into the rainy day for parts, I can’t say parts unknown, I know where I’m going! ha ha.

It was about a 4.5 hour drive with no stopping, well, we know me well enough to know that’s not possible! With the rain, stopping for gas, and one or two potty breaks, I made it in about 5-5.5 hours, that’s not bad at all! I got the dogs out, walked them in the rain, got them into the room, unloaded the car, got the crate and their bed set up and then I got to work feeding them.

After a bit, I got in touch with GES and we worked out that I would go over to their house so I could see MGS, and we would order take-out, but if they bring it to you, is that take-in? hmmm…it was good, we had pho, and it was pretty good. I definitely had leftovers to bring home! We hung out, talked, played with Bailey, their dog, and Piper, the labradoodle they were dog sitting for the weekend. We talkd, laughed, enjoyed just spending time together, then EJS came home, and then ACS, the gang’s all here!

It was nice, I hung out until about 10p and I was getting a little tired, only because I knew I had to drive back in the rain, then drive back to PA tomorrow, with a pit or dinner stop at dad’s. I got back to the hotel, they let me park my car at the entrance, so hopefully the plastic holds and no rain gets in, thank you Romeo!

I’m back in the room, the dogs have been walked in the rain, I think I’ll let them sleep with me tonight, I have this whole bed to myself, and I know they would love the cuddle. I’ll love the cuddle, except for the part where they push me out of the giant bed! grrr…

Tomorrow, it’s a birthday party for Uncle A, I get to see PSM, and his whole family, celebrate, then drive to dad’s and then back to PA. I need a nap!

G’night!

{February 28, 2024} It’s Wednedsay, back to doggie daycare!

It’s Wednesday and that means it’s doggie daycare time! And they…LOVE it!

We started taking them to Glamourous K9s a few months ago, some time after we moved into the house, and…conviently enough, it’s very close to the house, score! They were going every Wednesday and then they stayed at doggie daycamp or they were boarded when we went to the USVI over the holidays. They loved that too!

Lots of people paying attention to them, they get to sleep in a room together, interract with other dogs and all around have a great time! We sent them with their special food bowls, enough food for them to stay for three weeks, if needed, their treats, Bee’s meds, a bed for them to share, and some toys, what more could they want?!

When they go to doggie day care, they have a bag with a blanket, for nap time, of course, treats, and Bee’s emergency meds. As soon as I say “Who wants to go to doggie day care?” You have never seen two dogs run faster! Even little Bee the Beagle, her little legs get her there fast! They run to the car and wait for me, I can’t move that fast, sorry girls!

We load up in the car, drive down the road and they can’t get out of the car fast enough! Can you ask for anything more?! When it’s time for me to pick them up, they come running out and I get lots of licks, hugs, and tail wags, gotta love it!

Today was funny because getting them there, no issue, but when we got there and I was going over stuff with one of the staff, Ruby decided she’s going to head back to the door, and then when I started to leave, it seemed like she was going to go with me…huh? You couldn’t wait to get here, now you want to leave? Maybe it was since it was the first time since the beginning of January since they went, who knows. They stayed, it was all good.

All I know is that they love it, they are well cared for and it gets them out of the house and socializing with other dogs at least one day a week. And socializing where I don’t have to hold their leashes tight, not knowing how the meet-n-greet is going to go, where I don’t have to explain Ruby’s weird thing about ‘I’ll do the doggie greeting, don’t do it to me!” Very hypocritical!

As long as they enjoy it, we will keep sending them, and until they don’t…Who wants to go to Doggie Day Care?!

{February 25, 2024} Another park, breakfast, ice sculptures, two breweries, another park, kitchen stuff, and a movie.

Is that enough? Who wants to sit still on a Sunday, not us apparently! I slept until 730a, which was lovely, except for the fact that I fell asleep about 4a, so… normal then!

Got up and motivated, tried on my new shirt from the Whirling Dervish, love how it fits! Let the dogs out, boots on, harnesses…on the dogs, of course, loaded into the truck and off to a new park. Union Canal Tunnel Park, so pretty! More so when we went down the path and saw the water and tunnel, I can just imagine how it is in the spring and summer! I bet it was pretty covered in snow as well!

If you click on the link you’ll find it is: the oldest existing transportation tunnel in the United States. From 1827 to 1885 the Union Canal linked the commercial centers of Harrisburg, Reading, and by extension, the port of Philadelphia. The park serves the tunnel and the only remaining 5/8 mile section of the original canal through Lebanon with an open 110 acre recreational area. Isn’t that amazing!

The dogs loved it, of course! New sights and more importantly, new smells! It is a dog friendly park, but no poop bags or trash cans, but you have to clean up after your dog…I’m not saying parks have to provide poop bags, but…if you’re dog friendly and you want people to clean up after their dogs, it’s a nice to have. But…not to worry friends, we are always equipped with Mutt Mitts. Let me tell you…these things are amazing! They are amazing! They are double walled, so you are not going to feel anything and it really keeps the smell in, I almost said out, well, out of my nose, ha ha. And to the point that sometimes I have to put the bag in my pocket until I can find a trash can and my pockets never smell. I digress…

After the park, we took the dogs home, it was time for breakfast for them! While they were eating, we moved some stuff from one room into the kitchen, working on getting everything put away so we can have a functioning kitchen. Then it was time for us to get some breakfast! We went to Rising Sun Bar & Kitchen, you may remember me telling you about it last month, I met PSM there after I went skiing. I really want to go skiing again, today was not the day, I busted my ankle last weekend, I’m not quite ready to get on skis, may not happen again this season, here’s to next season!

We went to Rising Sun and sat at the bar, I kind of wish we had taken seats on the other side of the bar, we were at the door and even though they have an outer covered door with heat lamps, didn’t stop it from being cold on my back, so hat, scarf, and jacket for breakfast! We shared a Brizza, a breakfast pizza, y-u-m! It was the The Chicago: Sausage, tomato, hash browns, Monterey & cheddar jack, we opted for the sausage on the side…and one pancake. The brizza was great, I would definitely go back and try another one. The pancake…we should have poured the syrup on sooner, it was a little dense, tasty, but not great. PSM did enjoy his tequila sunrise, it really is a pretty drink!

After a while, we decided to was time to move on and by chance we drove to Lititz, we’ve been there a few times for some festivals and food. We wanted to buy a house in Lititz, but couldn’t find anything that fit our needs. It really is a pretty city. The cool thing today, we were at the last day, but it was the Fire & Ice Festival. PSM told me about it a while back and we both forgot about it, oh well, we still got to enjoy the festivities!

There were ice sculptures in Lititz Spring Park and along the streets, in front of different businesses. The ones that had been sitting in the sun were not faring as well, after 10 days, as the ones in the shade. There were a few really fun ones, all were beautiful, even if you couldn’t quite make out what they were. My two favorites were Santa diving down a chimney and a toilet, too cute!

We walked through the park, we found the food trucks, had some funnel cake, of course!, went into different shops, got some hot drinks, strolled, talked, and just enjoyed the afternoon. When we left, it was barely 2pm! How much we accomplish in such a short amount of time!

We debated going grocery shopping, I’m going to go tomorrow… we were actually on our way and stopped at two new places that people had recommended. One was Issacs Craft Kitchen & Brewery. We’re becoming quite proficient at craft kitchen and breweries, we like to try new places and this was one someone recommended. It was in the same parking lot as Ancester Coffehouse & Creperie that we went to last week. It was pretty empty, I’m sure there’s a different vibe when the place is packed, but honestly, the bar itself wasn’t very robust, they had a limited selection of beers, mostly IPAs, wines, and hard liquor, saving grace, the staff, very nice people. We weren’t hungry, so PSM had a beer and we watched The Purina Incredible Dog Challenge, those dogs were amazing! You just watch with your mouth open at what they can do!

Next, we weren’t going very far…Mick’s All American Pub, this was another place people recommended. The bar was nice, they had a good selection of beers and some of PSM’s favorite whiskeys. Their food selection was less for me than the last place. We ended up sharing what they said was like a stromboli, but it was more like a solid calzone or a giant mozzarella stick. We tried something new and both of us paid for it! On the plus side, the staff was great, we talked to the bartender about tattoos, the bar itself was plentiful, and the other patrons were nice. Would we go back to Issac’s or Mick’s? Not likely, there are too many other places to try! But we do appreciate the welcome!

Next, instead of heading straight home, we stopped at South Hills Park. We stopped there to have a walk and because they don’t allow dogs, so we never think about going there. It was a very nice park, but it seemed to get colder, brrrr…so we walked less than a mile, just to see what it looked like and headed back to the car. It’s funny, this morning, when we were at the park with the dogs, we both said “remember when we used to go to the park, just the two of us, to walk and enjoy the surroundings” and of course, while we were walking in the park before we got them…”wouldn’t it be great to have some dogs to take to the park?”

We got back to the house, love bombed by the dogs, fed them, and proceeded to move everything from the other rooms to the kitchen. The kitchen now looks like the cabinets exploded! But…we made the plan where things are going to go yesterday, so I will take care of getting the kitchen to where it needs to be. We agreed on the basics, like flatware, pots, pans, glasses, etc, and we got most of that away. Now comes the task of the pantry, food, spices, etc. I have options, just not sure where they should go, I’ll keep you posted.

Then it was time to take a break! We watched Dave, the 1993 movie staring Kevin Kline, who looks just like the president and gets called in as a stand-in for him, and Sigourney Weaver, the first lady, who hates her husband, with a great supporting cast, Frank Langella as his cheif of staff and Kevin Dunn as his press secretary. Ving Rhames is his secret service agent, Ben Kingsley is vice president, Charles Grodin is his friend, the accountant, Laura Linney is the naughty intern, Faith Prince works for Dave in his real job, and Bonnie Hunt is a white house tour guide. It’s clever and funny, a wining combo! This is one of my favorite movies, I did my best not to quote it out loud!

I ended up putting on Draft Day next, which I love, funilly enough, I don’t really care that much about sports, but I love movies about sports…go figure. The reason I mention this movie is that I had forgotten that Frank Langella and Kevin Dunn are both in the movie with Kevin Costner! Another great movie, I’ll tell you about it another time.

I got the dogs up to go night-night and guess what that beagle Bee did… curled up into a ball and I had to grab her by the collar after the third time of tell them it was time for bed! The little…

Well, if you’re not tired just from reading this, I’m tired from all the activity and fun! So… I will bid you a fair good night!

{February 13, 2024} A snow day! Another one?!

This one happened fast! They were predicting some winter weather, but I don’t think they quite expected this!

We woke up to the ground covered in a few inches of white and it was still coming down. I got out of bed, fed the pups, PSM advised me not to take them for a walk, the road outside our front door was not plowed and the roads were wet, slippery, and could be dangerous, and for the quarter mile I walk them, who knows. So…I fed them, put their collars on and tried to get them to go outside to do their business while I tackled the snow.

I grabbed the Ego Snow Thrower, had my music going and I was off! I did one pass down the driveway, enough to get any work trucks in and my car could get out, not asking for miracles. The funny/sad thing was as I was doing it, and the snow is still coming down, when I was done, almost looked like I didn’t do anything! Go figure!

The city snow plows finally came through about 715am, and there were at least four that I saw. I spoke with PSM around that time, and the roads were not great, people were sliding all over the place! They may have waited a little too late to plow! He said he was in 4-wheel drive the entire way to work!

It was coming down hard and it was still a wet snow, so that when I got back in the house, my hat was soaked, my down parka was soaked, and the hood was a bucket of snow! I hung everything up, including my clothes, and jumped in a nice hot shower! Wonderful!

About 1p, the snow had finally stopped and the sun was out, I got suited up, I had to put on my ski jacket and a new pair of gloves and hat because my stuff was still soaked! I went out and it wasn’t worth using the snow thrower, so I grabbed a shovel and went at it old school! By then, it was heavy and wet, not as much fun! Oh, earlier, the bottom layer under the fresh powder was mostly wet and some of it was slick, had to be careful. I shoveled what was left and really cleared out the driveway, it helped that the sun was out, which made it gorgeous out and helped the snow melt faster.

I saw my neighbor and her son across the street, we started chatting, then her husband came home and joined us for a few. I got the job done, went back into the house, and then…when I stopped moving, kind of like when I finished the 15k last week, my body said, ooh, I don;t know if I like you right now! ha ha. I wasn’t in a great deal of pain, it was a dull ache and I could feel what I had just accomplished. The bad part, it was hard to sit and work for a bit, but lunch did the trick!

The best part, PSM had a clear path to come home to! What’s next?! Bring it on!

{February 12, 2024} As promised…fur babies!

This past week, I got to snuggle and sleep with a few fabulous four legged furry friends! And you know I was loving life!

At SDL’s, she has four indoor cats, they all used to be strays, she took two in as kittens and then two others decided to come in after a few years and now they’re indoor/outdoor cats, but the first two, they’re indoor only. The two ‘original’ kittens are LuLu and Monte, you can see Monte below, sitting in a windowsill, I had the hardest time getting LuLu to pose for me. Goldie is the orange, technically red tabby and WarLord is the handsome fells sitting on the roof of my car, as if you could tell that’s where he is!

As with every time I visit, it takes a minute, but LuLu and Monte warm up to me pretty quickly, the other two, it takes a minute. Monte is a stricking tabby cat, a solid cat with very soft fur and after two days, started rubbing up against me and even sitting in my lap! LuLu, his sister, is another tabby with a white chest and piercing blue eyes! She is a doll baby, soft and solid, and like her brother, took about two days and she was sitting on my lap. They also both got on my bed and sat with me, LuLu even snuggled with me one of two nights and you know I was loving life!

WarLord is a handsome fella with a white chest and all grey body. Both he and Goldie seem to have a puffier bottom lip, it almost looked like they were sticking out their tongues at me, LuLu and Monte, not at all! WarLord came up to me here and ther, didn’t run away when I tried to pet him and was very thankful when I would let him in or out of the house.

Then…there’s Goldie. He is so very skitting, not just with me, but sometimes with SDL herself. He wants to be petted, he comes up to you, stretches his arm out, claws extended, not to hurt, just to get your attention, grabs on, ouch! and then when you turn or bend down to pet him, run away, run away! One night, he sat on the bed, what?! I missed the shot, but LuLu was just in front of me, Goldie was where you see him in this picture, and Monte was on a seat under the table in the background, I was so disappointed one of them moved when I moved to grab my phone!

Goldie, as it happens, and surprising to me…stayed on the bed in that spot two consecutive nights! I realized I couldn’t move my legs near him, or get out of bed, or he was gone, so just like I remember sleeping with cats, you work around them! ha ha. Who knows what my next visit will be like!

At JCTs, meet Oscar, he comes with many names and monikers, Oscar the Grouch, Oscar the Great, Oscar Mayer Weiner, just to name a few. He is a very sweet 8 month old pug, very sweet, rambunctious, barked at everything! barely sits still, loving, ball of energy.

He wasn’t there when I got there, but I got to meet him the next day. What a doll-baby! He played fetch, got in my lap, we chased each other, he gave little kisses, didn’t always listen, but he’s a puppy so…par for the course. We went on a few walks together, played a bunch, and Saturday night, he curled up on my lap, then stretched out and stayed there for a very long time! Let’s just say…I was loving life in that moment, but mother nature was calling and I so didn’t want to get up, I knew that moment would be gone! So I sat there and stroked his head and his tiny ears and smile.

One of the things I love about visiting my family of friends is borrowing their fur babies to snuggle with. Since I can’t have cats, you know I’m in heaven whenever I’m with someone who has them, and being with someone who has dogs, well, I get my puppy fix until I get home.

Thank you SDL and JCT, auntie is so very happy! I might have some fuzzy dreams now! G’night!

{February 11, 2024} It was a long long long day! Goodbye, hello, goodbye, hello.

It was a good day, but a long one! Mostly a long drive.

I got up, said goodbye to JCT, JT, mom, and Oscar, the pug. Oh, I haven’t told you about Oscar yet, have I?! I didn’t tell you about the other four legged fur babies I got to hang out with this week, I didn’t! Tomorrow it is!

Well, back to today! I got up, said my goodbyes, and was on my way, I had a long drive back to PA today! I let PSM and dad know I was on the road, and I let MM know as well, I was going to have a stop in North Carolina to see him on my way in about four hours! Score! Podcast on, butt warmer on, let’s go!

If I were to drive straight, from JCT’s house, it’s 10 hours 58 minutes. Was I going to go straight home? Nope, the drive time is the same, but the time I’m on the road, not so much! I left about 840a, I would have been home before 9p, that would be loverly. I’ve done 12 hour drives, no problem, especially if it’s light out. I drove from St Louis to Denver a few times, about 12 hours, leave at 8a, especially gaining 2 hours, get there about 7p, it was great. This was not that!

I started my drive with a stop at Starbucks, drove to meet MM at a place called the Famous Toastery, not far from MM in South Carolina. We had a great visit and a good meal. I met him about 12p, told you, just about 4 hours, I left him close to 2p, a little later than I wanted, but we were having such a good time!

Goodbye hugs, we could have talked all day, I love that about my friends! Stopped for gas before I got on the highway and I was off! I listened to a podcast, then another, and another, let’s just say I pod-casted until I got home! I stop about every half tank, that gets me a good ways, I get to get out of the car, stretch my legs, fill up, bio-break, maybe get a snack, it helps the time go. Sometimes, a stop at a rest stop, same except for the gas, of course!

Oh! One of the things that I love, when I’m driving and using Google Maps, each time I cross a state line, it pops up a Welcome To! I’ll grab a few pics for you next time! I crossed from GA to South Carolina to North Carolina to Virginia to West Virginia to Maryland to Pennsylvnia. I could be going out of order, I have no sense of direction, ask anyone! But I know I was in those states! HA HA

It was raining on and off all day, so no top down, boo. I talked to a few people, but mostly it was me, podcasts, the road, and Annie, my beetle bug. My one stop for food was at a Taco Bell, I love running for the border! The thing I love about Taco Bell is that I can eat there! The rice and beans are vegan! Wah to the hoo! I ordered a black bean crunch wrap, but I ordered it fresco, which means no meat. Not sure what happened between me placing the order, I saw it on the screen, and actually making it. I got a little way down the road and two bites in when I realized this was a beef crunch wrap, no bueno! I can tell you, I haven’t had beef in over 25 years, no matter what I’ve tried throughout the years, this was not one of them and I did not have a good reaction! I turned around and went back, they made me a new crunch wrap, but it took a long time for my body to get over that one, it wasn’t fun.

On the road again, got to get back on the road again. By now, it was definitely full dark, but I’m still doing alright, it was about 730pm. I was back on the highway and moving along, doing great until about 930p and the day was starting to catch up with me. I pulled into a Love’s Travel Stop, it’s a gas station, truck stop, travel stop, they have showers for truck drivers, well, anyone who wants to pay for one, food, beverages, car supplies, and there’s usually some fast food restaurant attached. The restrooms are clean, it’s bright, and I even signed up for a Love’s card finally, I’ll at least get a discount on gas from now on and points to boot!

I had about an hour to go! Back on the road, and I can do it! PSM called about 1015p and I was just getting off the road, almost home! Wahoo! I pulled into the barn about 1030p, unloaded my laptop bag and my duffle and headed into the house to be greeted by the pitter patter of a Ruby and a Bee! I dropped my stuff, immediate bio-break, I felt bad for the dogs, they were trying to get in there with me! Came out, got covered in kisses and nuzzles, then came up for air, said hello to PSM, grabbed the dogs and took them upstairs for a cuddle.

PSM came up about 30 minutes later, not sure if I was awake or not! Put the pups in the crate for the night, I managed to get in my jammies and I don’t know if I’m sleep writing to you now!

A great trip, but I’m beat! Good n…..zzzzzzz

Email Subscription

What was I thinking?