Showing posts with label Tell Me Thursday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tell Me Thursday. Show all posts

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Tell Me Thursday 2012 - #15

Crooks and Crazies


...and she's back! Life has gotten slightly less hectic, so I'm taking TMT back starting today. So today's TMT is hosted by yours truly, The Pruninator.

As many of you already know, I had to let Zippy go to on April 9th. I'm still trying to work all of that out inside of my heart. I know it was the right thing for him, and I know equally for sure that it would never be the right time for me. It's never, ever going to be long enough.

Anyway, this week's questions (and I hope you guys will play!) are:

1. Are you a morning person? A night owl? Do you pop up out of bed full of song and happiness? Do you just hit your stride after dark?
2. What is your favorite candy?
3. What is your biggest driving pet peeve?
4. How do you prepare yourself and your dogs for summer?
5. Lets talk about grass in your dog yard. Do you have any? How much maintenance do you do?

My answers:

1. Are you a morning person? A night owl? Do you pop up out of bed full of song and happiness? Do you just hit your stride after dark?

I really don't want to speak to anyone until about 10am. That's about when I get going, and then I don't want to eat until about 10:30. Nevermind the fact that I've been up since 6:00 am and start chugging coffee not long after that.

Mostly I just hate people chirping at me in the mornings. Our receptionist here at work chirps at me every day and I want to claw her eyes out. One day she found out that I'm not a morning person and so now she chirps at me and then makes asinine comments about how she knows I'm not a morning person and therefore she'll keep her greeting quiet... and goes on and on until I want to choke her. I usually have visions of my vaulting over the front desk.

No. Not a morning person. The ex-hubs and I had an agreement about such things and didn't speak except to say "have a good day". It was an excellent arrangement.

On the other hand, I start turning into a pumpkin at about 9:00 pm or so. Sometimes I'm even good until 9:30. The way I see it, is I only have a few really good hours a day.

2. What is your favorite candy?

My favorite candy is a king-sized Mr. Goodbar. It has to be king-sized because I like the mouth-feel of the chunks. When I buy it at the store it cannot be broken, and then I break it up into little chunks and eat them one by one. I just don't want someone else fondling my candy. This started for me in college and I've never quite gotten over it.

My runner-up candy is the reese's eggs/trees/pumpkins/hearts that they have around holidays. They are smack-yer-mamma good.

3. What is your biggest driving pet peeve?

Nothing makes me want to go all road rage on someone like when they don't give a thank-you wave. What has happened to the thank-you wave? It infuriates me to slow down and let someone in, and what, they can't have common courtesy to wave their appreciation? It makes me want to tailgate them to their destination and MAKE them wave.

More coffee, please.

4. How do you prepare yourself and your dogs for summer?

Summers here are hot and humid, and I start trying to acclimate us as soon as the weather starts getting warmer. I try to let the temps in the house increase gradually be as warm in the house as I can stand it, so that when we go outside to work the dogs and I aren't in total shock. I take all of the winter gear out of the van (tarps, thick dog bedding, etc.) and make it as airy in there as possible. I make sure I have all of the shade screens are loaded up, and for certain situations I have enough crate fans to go around.

For myself I mostly just hide my head under the pillow and lament about how I miss winter. Nevermind the fact that in winter I hide my head under the pillow and lament about how I hate summer.

5. Lets talk about grass in your dog yard. Do you have any? How much maintenance do you do?

It seems like my grass area is decreasing each year, and the bare spots are increasing. I'm trying to figure out what to do about it. In the summer the weeds usually fill in, but I'd like to get more real grass out there because when winter gets here about 50% of my (very small) yard is dirt. The houses in my neighborhood are built on what is basically sand rock, so it's a challenge. I've picked up some Scotts' Eazy Seed and I'm thinking I might put an expen around one bare spot and then after it grows move around seeding and such until I'm happy. That sounds like a lot of work though. I'm just not sure how much effort I want to put into it.

So far my method has been to just ignore it. That doesn't seem to be working out all that well.

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Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Tell Me Thur... Tuesday

First let me say... blogger just forced this new format on me. Hate.
 
Secondly, it's time for another TMT hosted by Rockin' Ewe Stockdogs. I'd like to give a big shout out to Jaenne' and say thank you for taking this on for a few weeks. Since Jaenne' is starting a new job and my life is settling back down some I'll be taking Tell Me Thursday back starting... uh... the day after tomorrow! It'll be fun, so put your thinking caps on.
 
Here are last week's questions:
 
1) Given the current "state of things", I have been very lucky to get a job so quickly after becoming unemployed and to have other, even more attractable job possibilities pop up. So, give me at least one good thing that has happened recently - dog wise, non-dog wise or both!
 
One good thing is that I got a sweet deal and was able to refinance my house and save a lot of money. With the housing market as it is it does not look like I'll be selling any time soon, so figured I'd go ahead and do it. The other good news to it was that I only borrowed what I owed, so I didn't increase my mortgage by much. WOOT! Big thanks to Beth Chuck who got me to consider it.
 
In other good news... I finally bought myself a set of pruning shears, and last night just pruned my hiney off. I was a pruning fool. The Prunemeister. The Pruninator. Prunilicous. Trees everywhere fear my wrath. Muaaahahahahaha! What that really means is I can now mow the back corner of my yard without putting an eye out.
 
For some reason Pia found the pruning thing to be exciting. Nick thought it was scary, and went inside to hide.
 
2) How did you end up working in the field/profession that you are currently in?
 
Well, it was sort of accidental. I started out working as "summer help" in the billing office for the Radiology dept. at our hospital (one of them). My first job there was just shredding papers. Then I got to do more things, and over four years of summers and winters I got to learn many different jobs. When it came time to find a job in college I just looked for a light secretarial position, and it went from there. I never really intended to go the Executive Assistant route. I'm good at it - and I used to love what I do. Some days I still do.
 
I'd still like, some day, to go back and get my Master's and get licensed to counsel. That's really where my passion lies. Unfortunately life has gotten in the way, and it's not in the cards at the moment.
 
3) I got the typical "What are your hobbies?" question at this interview yesterday. What kind of response do you get when you tell people that you "train and trial dogs for (fill in the blank)"?
 
Oh goodness. I usually just hope they don't ask about hobbies. If they do I sort of hem and haw a little and try my best to put it into terms that make the most sense to laymen so to speak. I usually just leave it at "I do sheep herding with my dogs". Yes, the "herding" word rankles me, but it makes the most sense to people. Most of the time they just nod and go on. I try to just sort of glaze right past it - they can figure out my real deal later.
 
One time at an interview I struggled and squirmed as the person continued to question me. She even asked me how many dogs I had. Squirm. She had more border collies than I do, and also works sheep with them. It turned out that she hadn't trialed in a few years, but we knew some of the same people. THAT turned out to be a great interview. Too bad the job didn't pan out.



Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Tell Me What Day This Is?

Yeah. Ok. Late to the party again. But in my defense... chaos abounds in my life lately. So this week's (last week's?) TMT is hosted by Rockin' Ewe Stockdogs.



1. One thing that you would totally redo (if you could) in regards to dog training?

Mmm. Listen to my instincts more for Linc. That's the best way I can explain it. There were some methods that I used earlier in his training that I wasn't comfortable with, and it's taken time to undo what was done. It's turned out OK, but I would do many things differently with him if I had it to do over with.

The main thing I'd do over is marry a nice farmer dude instead and have my own sheep. He could use them, of course. My sheep, I mean. I think a lot of things would be different for Linc if I had my own sheep. I plan to rectify this in the future. The sheep thing, not the farmer dude thing. Though I wouldn't turn down one of those either. Assuming it was the right person, obviously.

2. One thing that you enjoyed doing in the past that you no longer participate in (dog or non-dog related)?

Golf. I suxxors at it. Couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. But it was nice to ride around in the golf cart and wear the cute skirts. Go figure, since I don't like skirts in any other context.

3. Best dog and/or training books you’ve read (fiction or non)?

Maybe not the best, but my favorite and most useful book was the little pink book about training tiny dogs. Crud, I can't remember the name. Something about "Pint-Sized Companion". Hm. AWESOME resource. You know, cuz it SO helped me teach Zippy to not bite the ex-husband. NOT. Not not.

4. What is the best part of dog trialing for you?

I like getting to see the different dogs, and I love hanging and listening and chatting. I don't go for the bad stuff, but I like to hang with folks. I also like working. Work is good. Keeps me out of trouble.

The worst part for me is the part where I actually run my dog. Makes me want to barf. Every. Time.

Oh, and one more favorite part: HANDLER'S DINNER!! Woot!

I could do without the tent camping thing. I'm sort of over that now.

5. I totally have puppy fever (thanks to Robin and her adorable litter of Rhyme x Bill pups - I'm totally in love with Tib aka Mouse!) so please post an adorable puppy picture of one (or all!) of your dogs!

You asked for it. Puppy Linc photo by Julie Poudrier.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

TMT - Just In Time



For the next few weeks (months) Tell Me Thursday will be hosted by Jaenne' over at Rockin' Ewe Stockdogs. Go take a look and join in!

This weeks questions:

1. Where were you born? Did you grow up there?
North Carolina, baby! I actually live now just a mere mile from where I grew up. Both of my grandmothers live within about a mile of my childhood home, and my mother is still there. It was a good place to grow up. I fed my brother rabbit turds. Good times.

2. How did you come to end up living where you are now?

I went to school for a while in South Carolina - Southern Wesleyan University. When I realized I needed a break I moved back up here. I took about 9 months to get on my feet, and once I was able I moved into this little rental house with my dog, Ginger. About 3 years later I bought my house... and now I'm stuck until the housing market gets better. Sigh.

The other part of the story is that I love my family. I not only love them, but I like them a lot too. It makes me happy to be near them, even when I don't see them that often.

3. What is the most unusual trick you have taught your dog? Or the most unusual animal you have taught tricks?

Um... well... I taught Nicky to play dead. Except his version of playing dead involves thrashing around on his back. Oh, and it doesn't really have a command yet. So I just stand there and eventually he remembers what I want, and does it. Ok, so maybe this doesn't count. - certainly it's not unusual.

I once taught a horse to stick his tongue out. Ok, I didn't really so much teach him that... he liked to have his tongue scratched so it didn't take much effort to get him to start doing it when I asked him to.

4. What is the most unusual food you enjoy?

Unusual... hm. My new found love for sushi grosses my family out. But all things considered I'm pretty plain jane when it comes to food.

5. I know this has been asked before, but I'm always looking for a great book to read so what was the last book you read? Did you like it? Would you recommend it?

I'm pretty much a bandwagon sort of reader. I'm not terribly adventurous and I prefer to read either books by my favorite authors, or books that seem to be popular. I finished The Hunger Games books in about 3 days a couple of weeks ago. I can't WAIT to see the movie. Right now I'm reading A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. It took me several chapters to get into it, and honestly I had some trouble following in the beginning. However, I've been watching the TV episodes on Amazon.com, and once I got a bigger picture from them I really got interested in the book. It is certainly worth a read. I would definitely recommend The Hunger Games.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Looking for TMT?

If you're looking for Tell Me Thursday, please click HERE. Jaenne' has kindly agreed to host for a while so that I may take a wee break. Enjoy!

I do plan to play when I have time. Today, though, is not that day unfortunately.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

A Hiatus from TMT

Hi folks! I've concluded that with everything going on in my personal life I'm going to take a hiatus from hosting TMT. I may pick it back up again in a few months, but for now I need a break.

That being said, if someone else would like to take over hosting for a while just let me know. I can hook you up with how to do the link widget, and if you want a button I can help you navigate that as well.

So many things are going on in my personal life at the moment that I cannot seem to think straight, and time is so spare right now. Most of these things are Very. Good. Things. It just seems that I'm losing track of my days, and don't always have time to sit down and play hostess in the way that I'd like to.

Anyway, please leave me a comment or send me an email if you'd be interested in hosting while I take a LOA. In fact, if two or three would like to band together to host that works too. I'm open. Or we can pause until I get my act together again.

Either way I've really enjoyed getting to know everyone a little better!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Tell Me Thursday 2012 - #9

Crooks and Crazies


For a slight change of pace, this Thursday is a "Tell Me Thursday - Random Edition" sort of post. This is your permission to break out whatever random stuff you want to tell this week.

Also known as... I've been so crazy busy this week I almost forgot again.

So rather than Q&A this week I'd like to know whatever random tidbits you might have on your mind today.

Here are mine:

- The alarm clock woke me up this morning
- I haven't been asleep when the clock went off in so long I can't remember
- I didn't even wake up at all last night
- Yet again, that hasn't happened in a very long time
- I finally got the van all vacuumed out, and the crates are all in place
- 'Cuz I'll be up at Robin's trial this weekend working up top with Julie P
- and we need crates loaded to get there
- 'Cuz driving dogs places in a Camry is for the birds
- I'm really looking forward to it though
- 'Cuz working up top is my favorite thing to do - even moreso than running a dog
- If you're coming to the trial please come up and say hi!
- If you're not... you should. It's a fun trial.
- Nick managed to yank most of his tail hairs out the week before last
- He looks ridiculous
- I learned that when you put bitter stuff on tails sometimes it gets on your hands and somehow it ends up in your mouth. It is almost impossible to get that stuff off (or out of your mouth).
- it really is nasty... unless you're Nick, who happens to be certain it is a condiment
- If you're at the trial this weekend don't be hating on my dog's tail
- Even though he deserves it

SO. Random rattle away!

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Thursday, March 1, 2012

Tell Me Thursday 2012 - #8

Crooks and Crazies


I don't know what happened last week. I was cruising right along and then suddenly it was Friday and I realized I'd gone AWOL! Very Twilight Zone-ey. I'll confess that it almost happened again today. Somehow my days are all running together. Anyway, I'm trying to get it back on the straight and narrow for today. Maybe not too narrow, though.

By the way... the CrazyMobile lives!!! My brother got her all fixed up and I have her back now. Whew. Looks like the Crazies are back in business. With all of the work he did to her I'm hoping I'll get another 150K miles out of her. Ok, maybe not. We'll see!

This week's questions (and please forgive because I'm sort of making this up as I go along):

1. What blogging tip would you give other dog-bloggers?
2. If you were going to be stranded on a deserted island and could take five things with you (aside from the clothes on your back), what would they be?
3. How much pain are you willing to endure in the name of physical appearance? Do you have painful things done to enhance beauty?
4. Speed limits... how fast do you drive? Do you drive Miss Daisy? Do you do the Indy 500 to work?
5. What trial (that you go to) is your favorite, and why?

Again with the coming back to answer as I have time.

1. What blogging tip would you give other dog-bloggers?

I'm going to break out two. The first would be to enable your email in your profile. Yes, you'll get some occasional spam. But you'll also get emails from people wanting you to do things like the Mr. Chewy review. Then you can pick and choose. In addition to that you'll also get emails back from other bloggers when you comment on their blogs (some will, some won't). I like to do that - email folks back when they comment.

The second would be... ditch word verification. Ugh. Hate.

Yeah, I know it inivtes more spam. Set up your blog to filter after a week. It works.

2. If you were going to be stranded on a deserted island and could take five things with you (aside from the clothes on your back), what would they be?

I've been reading The Hunger Games, and that got me to thinking if I was dropped into a place with no escape what things would I want. Here is my list:

- a knife
- matches
- something to hold water in
- bow and arrows
- Papa John's

What? It's my game, and I can have a Papa John's on my island if I want.

No?

Ok, last item... an herbology book. You know... poisonous plants and edible plants sort of thing. Once I learn what I need I can then use it for toilet paper.

3. How much pain are you willing to endure in the name of physical appearance? Do you have painful things done to enhance beauty?

Not very much. I get the brow waxed and that's so excruciating I can hardly stand it. Like Julie I've gone a little native lately... living alone in the winter means lots of extra insulation. I used to sell Mary Kay... and was hard pressed to wear it every day. Good products... bad me. Now my method is... lip gloss it and go.

4. Speed limits... how fast do you drive? Do you drive Miss Daisy? Do you do the Indy 500 to work?

The people in the slow lane pass me. No, not really, but I usually won't go more than 4 over. Except sometimes on the way to work I get all road-ragey and find myself in the middle of the speeder pack. Then I start to feel guilty... about the time I get off the highway, so no big.

5. What trial (that you go to) is your favorite, and why?

Whew. That's pretty hard to say. I'd say probably my favorite trial is any trial at Shoofly Farm... because my favorite thing to do is to work up at the top. I'd rather work than run a dog any day.

For trials that I run dogs at, probably so far my favorite is (like Julie's) Donald McCaig's Highland Occasional SDT. It's so beautiful there.

I sure do hate that Seclusival ended before I started trialing. But it was my first ever trial to attend, and seemed so magical to me then.

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Thursday, February 16, 2012

Tell Me Thursday 2012 - #7

Crooks and Crazies


Happy Almost-Friday everyone! Van update - looks like there's every possibility that she may be up and running again by Monday. I sure do hope so! It would be nice. I have a lot of stuff to do to help that happen though.

So, on to this week's questions:

1. Jorgen would like to know what skill would you like to have that you don't currently have?
2. If someone were going to play you in a movie, who do you think it would be?
3. Kelsey wants to know what is a quality that you admire in a dog but would never fit with you?
4. If you had just enough money to pay someone to do one chore for you, what would it be?
5. Are you a procrastinator, a doitnower (I made that word up), or something in between?

I'll try to get to answering as time permits today. So far it does not look good.

1. Jorgen would like to know what skill would you like to have that you don't currently have?

I would like to have a "doing the hair on the back of my head" skill. As it is now, when I do my hair I look smokin hot until you get to the back of my head. That's where it all falls apart. The front is all smooth and sleek... and the back looks like a cat's been licking my noggin. I'd also like the fixing my car skill.

Though I bet he meant dog related skill. I would like the whistling with my fingers skill. I've tried and tried - and though I can finally make a whistle it's pretty much just one tone. And it's pathetic and not very loud. Hm.

I'd also like to be able to read sheep better. I'm always amazed when Julie or Robin will refer to certain ewes as friends, and I don't notice it until after they mention it. I'd like to be quicker on the uptake there.

2. If someone were going to play you in a movie, who do you think it would be?

Hah. I made this up and now that I have to answer it I hate it. I'm going to go with Alyson Hannigan - she's played characters that are funny, quirky, occasionally a hair ditzy, but with emotional depth. Plus I think she's flat out adorable. One time... at band camp...



photo from www.wikimedia.org

3. Kelsey wants to know what is a quality that you admire in a dog but would never fit with you?

I really admire dogs that are balls-to-the-wall tough with tons of grit... but I know that *I* am too soft for them. It would make for a head banging relationship that I don't relish. But I always look on in wonder at these types of dogs.

4. If you had just enough money to pay someone to do one chore for you, what would it be?

Car maintenance. Hate. My method of car care is I get in... and I drive. If I could have one thing done for me, it would be car care. Just the worry about the "what ifs" is enough to put a tiny bit of stress in the back of my mind on a daily basis (even when my car is fine).

5. Are you a procrastinator, a doitnower (I made that word up), or something in between?

Most of the time I'm a doitnower. But there are a few things that I procrastinate on (car inspections anyone? See #4). Unfortunately, when I'm finished procrastinating I become a doitnower on the aforementioned procrastinated item. It's not pretty.



Thursday, February 9, 2012

Tell Me Thursday 2012 - #6

Crooks and Crazies


Yet again I'm sort of dragging myself over to blog today. Life has been seriously crazy this week. First, for a report on the van situation... all we know so far is that the head gaskets are definitely blown. We don't know yet about the heads or the block. I have my brother's SO's Camry, and I will be taking all six dogs in it this weekend to farm-sit. Oh yes, the Crazies go to the Circus. I'm actually having the shakes just thinking about it, but I think I have it all worked out.

This week's questions:

1. Robin wants to know what your ideal number of dogs is?
2. Lora wants to know if you find that your dogs are better or worse after time off from training?
3. What is your favorite power tool? What power tool do you wish you had?
4. What did you want to be when you grew up?
5. How many of your friends are not "dog people"?

Additionally, if you have questions you'd like to see posted and you don't play, or you don't usually link up, feel free to email me (my email is enabled on my profile).

... and my answers:

1. Robin wants to know what your ideal number of dogs is?

My ideal number usually ranges from two to four. It depends on the day and how frustrated I might be. My personal dog limit is six. I have six. When I'm out walking dogs in a public place with other people my dog limit is two.

Some friends and family think I don't have a dog limit, but I promise I do. Ultimately I'd like to get down to four. I think when the two that pass first go I'll not replace them. But I don't want to think about that today.

2. Lora wants to know if you find that your dogs are better or worse after time off from training?

This depends on the dog, and what I'm wanting to get out of the time off. For Linc, if I've been working him a lot he tends to get better with time off. Actually, both Nick and Linc tend to be latent learners, so giving them some time to think between times that they're worked (if I'm trying to train something) usually results in them "getting it". I've found with Linc that if I'm having issues with him usually time off makes him better.

With Nick I've found that time off makes him full of himself. Unless I'm LOOKING for him to be full of himself (when he was younger I DID want some more of that) the time off for him is... meh. It's not that bad, because it doesn't take much for me to get him back, but it could go either way for him.

3. What is your favorite power tool? What power tool do you wish you had?

I'm ashamed to admit this, but I don't own a power tool. Yeah, whatever. Does a weedeater count? I don't think so. I wish I had a cordless drill. I'm all the time thinking about things I could do with one of those. I'd also like a chainsaw on a stick. You know, so I could get it stuck again like that one time.

4. What did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a gymnastics coach. Or a choreographer. It was what I wanted as early as I can remember. Now I just want to be something else. Anything else than what I am today.

5. How many of your friends are not "dog people"?

Um... somewhere between very few and none. I don't have many friends that aren't dog people (and those would fall into the inactive friend category). Even most of my friends from work are dog people. I guess it's just a testament to the culture that surrounds the dog world in general. I think maybe it's just like how people with kids tend to be drawn together... I don't really have any friends with kids (that aren't dog people). That's not to say that I'm a dog snob, but most of my family doesn't get me... and most of them aren't dog people, even though many of them have dogs. If that makes sense.

Happy Friday tomorrow everyone!





Thursday, February 2, 2012

Tell Me Thursday 2012 - #5

Crooks and Crazies


I'm a bit slow off the start line today... sorry for lack of in depth dog training questions. This is the best I've got today.

1. Julie would like to know one frugal tip this week.
2. What are you reading this week?
3. Barbara wants to know: do you hit the snooze button on the alarm clock, and if so how many times?
4. If you had to travel in a sedan (or if you already drive a sedan type car) and you had five or six dogs, how would you handle it?
5. How much do you filter what you put on your own blog?

1. Julie would like to know one frugal tip this week.

When your car breaks down try to arrange it so that it happens right BEFORE you fill it up, instead of after you pump $68 worth of gas into it. If it's going to die a horrible death then you need to find someone who can siphon the gas out and put it into your new piece of junk car.

What? Not what you meant? Well. Frugal tip of the day: Stretch your coffee creamer out. I like flavored coffee creamers, and the powders are cheaper than the liquids. I buy the largest size of creamer, and then keep one small flavored one, plus one smaller empty bottle on hand. I then put about 1/4 to 1/3 of the flavored creamer into the empty bottle and then use plain creamer to fill it up. Shake it, and serve.

Though not being a coffee drinker this doesn't help Julie out any.

2. What are you reading this week?

I'm working my way through Book 2 of Laurell Hamilton's Merry Gentry series. I'm finishing off the last few books in her Anita Blake series too. She's sort of pushing my raunch threshold in some of the late Anita Blake books, but I've found them all very interesting.

3. Barbara wants to know: do you hit the snooze button on the alarm clock, and if so how many times?

Somehow here lately I seem to be waking about 30 to 45 mins prior to my alarm sounding. Assuming I make it to the alarm going off...in the days prior to Nick I would hit it for about an hour. Now Nick and I have reached an agreement that I get one snooze, maybe two.

4. If you had to travel in a sedan (or if you already drive a sedan type car) and you had five or six dogs, how would you handle it?

Sadly this is my situation as I think the CrazyMobile may have just taken her last gasp. She'll be on her way to my brother's tonight for some diagnostics, but he thinks she may have cracked her block, or blown a head gasket. If it's a head gasket we can fix it... but if the block is cracked she's doomed.

It looks like my back up car is to be a sedan, and I'm farm-sitting next weekend. I have six dogs and the last time I hauled dogs in a sedan it was two dogs in a Mitsubishi Galant.

I hope she's fixable but I have a feeling she's just done. I'm mad at her, too, though it's not her fault. In some ways she deserves to be done as she already had 168K miles on her when I got her, and now she has 246K.

5. How much do you filter what you put on your own blog?

I'll admit to having a slightly... uh... faulty filter sometimes about certain things. I typically filter pretty well when it comes to saying things when I'm trying to be diplomatic or trying to NOT be hurtful. But when it comes to filtering stuff about myself... clearly that filter is broken. I do try to be pretty transparent when it comes to blogging about my dogs, and in all honesty I'm uncomfortable with the videos of Pia the other day. My trigger finger itches to pull them down.

I sorta wish my filter had caught those before I'd posted them because I don't like the way she tried to quit a few times (didn't like it at the time and don't like it any any more now) and I wish I hadn't shown the world that.

I don't filter at all when it comes to telling stories, but I tend to also have a running dialogue in my head and a lot of that gets missed when I write.





Thursday, January 26, 2012

Tell Me Thursday 2012 - #4

Crooks and Crazies


This week we're going with a theme week sort of deal. Most of these questions were posed by Kelly over at Timber View Farm (though I took some small editorial license, and added a question). I'll admit that these questions are making me dig - and I'll probably have to come back and add some later.

As always, please remember to come back here and add your name and a link sending us back to your specific post so that we can find it easily!

1. How do you search for and then choose a trainer?
2. The dog world is small and... uh... talkative. After choosing a trainer how do you handle those people in your life who don't believe in that trainer/trainers methods and criticize them to you?
3. Do you believe that a person's personal life should influence your choice of a trainer? (i.e do you believe a person's choice to be a party animal outside of work would affect your choice?)
4. When you have a break through moment with your dog, do you feel that moment makes your connection stronger with that dog and makes the next step in training easier?
5. Do you stick with just one trainer, or do you go to multiple sources for help?

For answering these questions I'm going to assume my world is better than it is at the moment and that I'm able to get my dogs out and train on them.

1. How do you search for and then choose a trainer?

I've always gone on word of mouth. I've always gone to check out trainers that friends have recommended. That being said, I make decisions based on several things, and one of those things is communication. I need to be able to understand what they're telling me. One of the things that I've always really liked about my main trainer squeeze is her ability to find different ways of communicating with me when I'm not "getting it". She also understands that sometimes I don't "get it" right away, but usually after I go work on it some it comes to me. I like that she tells me what she's doing, and shows ME how to do it too.

I also look for someone who can put their money where their mouth is. I think it's important that a trainer be successful (and I don't mean in the novice classes - I mean in the highest classes of whatever you're doing). They need to know what it is that they don't know, because as a novice person YOU don't really know.

I also have to like this person and feel like they treat me and my dog fairly. I have been in training situations that were Not. Good. At this point in my life I do these things because I like them, and I don't have the time or patience for me or my dog to be abused. I'll walk if that happens. Luckily for me in the dog world I've chosen well so far.

2. The dog world is small and... uh... talkative. After choosing a trainer how do you handle those people in your life who don't believe in that trainer/trainers methods and criticize them to you?

I smile, and nod, and then go on about whatever I was going to do anyway. I'm not big on confrontation. If they want to slam the methods I'm OK with that. But if they start slamming my trainer personally we're going to start having problems.

3. Do you believe that a person's personal life should influence your choice of a trainer? (i.e do you believe a person's choice to be a party animal outside of work would affect your choice?)

I guess for me it would depend on just how far I feel they're going morally compared to my comfort zone. I think sometimes it DOES, whether we want to admit it or not. I also think there's a real sliding scale on this. If I wasn't already friends with this person I might choose to steer clear if there were other comparable options. I'd say that what they do in their "other" life might lend some weight to my decision, but it would depend on what it is.

For example: if this trainer had a habit of bashing people behind their backs, and they weren't the only game in town I'd steer clear. I might would even choose to go to someone less skilled simply because I couldn't trust that person. But lets say this trainer was nice to me and nice to other people but liked to party sometimes... I'd overlook the partying thing.

Mostly I tend to weigh more heavily on the side of "What is their relationship with me and my dogs?"

4. When you have a break through moment with your dog, do you feel that moment makes your connection stronger with that dog and makes the next step in training easier?

It usually does. I find that a lot of times these breakthrough moments are followed by some sponge moments where the dog starts to just suck up everything you throw at it. I love lightbulb moments!

5. Do you stick with just one trainer, or do you go to multiple sources for help?

I like to have different takes on my dogs and what the trainers are seeing, so I try to go to more than just one person. I usually have a main trainer, and then might go to a clinician when I can, and then other times pump my friends. They love that.




Thursday, January 19, 2012

Tell Me Thursday 2012 - #3

Crooks and Crazies

Time for Tell Me Thursday, hosted by yours truly!

Questions for this week:

1. What is one lesson you've learned this week?
2. Who or what might you have been in another life? What might you be in a next life?
3. What unusual things do you like the smell of but don't usually admit?
4. What are your thoughts on continuing on vs. retiring when a trial run is going badly? How do you decide? Where do you draw the line?
5. This is a call for questions or subjects you'd like to talk about - I'd appreciate suggestions (and please come link up so that I'll be sure to see your post), so here's your chance!

As always, don't forget to post a link to my blog, and the button in your post... and then come back and link up!

Here are my answers. I know you've been waiting for it, right? All week? What I've told you lately about blind dates and dogs with pecker problems. Hah.

1. What is one lesson you've learned this week?

Here is my lesson for the day boys and girls. If you have an old boy dog that assumes the position to pee...

Wait for it...

DO NOT PICK HIM UP.

Picking up a peeing old boy dog in mind-stream results in a far bigger mess than if you'd just have let him make his little piddle puddle. Picking him up results in a shower of tiny dog pee pee that goes everywhere. Now instead of soaking up a puddle you must run around and blog up droplets of piddle all over the place.

Trust me... just let him make his puddle.

2. Who or what might you have been in another life? What might you be in a next life?

I mean for this to be a question to have fun and creative with (though I am a creationist). Anyway, I'm pretty sure I was Jerry Seinfeld in another life. He's one funny guy and I so totally identify with his brand of humor. I might have also been a lioness. Rawr. I loves me some big scary female cats. Sometimes I think I might have been born in the wrong era... or maybe I was a homesteader in another life.

For my next life, if this past week has been any indication, I'm in terrible danger of coming back as a Krispy Kreme donut. Or maybe an Oscar Mayer wiener truck. You know, cuz if I were an Oscar Mayer Wiener... everyone would be in love with me.



3. What unusual things do you like the smell of but don't usually admit?

I love to sniff peanut butter jars (inside, obviously). I like the smell of sharpies. Oh, and that paste they give you in kindergarten. I also love the smell of cigarettes the moment they're first lit (and no, I don't smoke and never have). I also love the smell of beer, even though I don't drink it. Yes, I'm strange sometimes.

4. What are your thoughts on continuing on vs. retiring when a trial run is going badly? How do you decide? Where do you draw the line?

This is a real tough one for me. I tend to retire too soon sometimes with my young dogs because I don't want them out there floundering for help and losing confidence (or worse making huge messes and damaging someone else's sheep or property). But sometimes I feel like I should have stuck it out longer. Then again sometimes I sit at a trial watching a run and I mutter, "leave the post leave the post OMG WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE THE POST AND HELP YOUR DOG."

I think this changes some with the Open runs - I've stayed at the post even when things weren't going the best (though certainly not total disasters), thinking that when most of the runs are sucking maybe mine will be of the lesser suckies.

It's a tough call to make. I'm not sure I'm very good at making the call yet. It is so hard to know the answer when you're the one running the dog. I hope that time and experience will help me to be better at this.

I tend to err on the side of retiring too soon, and going to help my dog.

I don't have to answer #5 cuz... uh... I'm asking all of YOU to give me some ideas. It can be any questions or any subjects you want or like to talk about.

So here's the code and linky widget:




Thursday, January 12, 2012

Tell Me Thursday 2012 - #2

Crooks and Crazies


For whatever reason every time I start a TMT post I hear "Everyone know what time it is? TOOOL TIIIIIIME!!!"

Here is how you play: Go to your blog, and start a new post. Make sure to link back to my blog. Copy the code at the bottom of my post for my button, and paste it in your post. After you publish, come back here and add yourself to the link widget at the bottom of my post. Done! If you need tech help just let me know. Don't forget to go see what everyone has to say!

Allrighty then. This week's questions:

1. Stopping your dog - what do you prefer? On their feet? On their belly? Some combination?
2. At what point do you start teaching this?
3. Do you have a favorite dog? I won't tell.
4. What is the #1 thing a dog can do to push your buttons?
5. Brrrrr... it's winter. What is your favorite soup recipe?

My answers:

1. Stopping your dog - what do you prefer? On their feet? On their belly? Some combination?

For me this depends on the situation. None of my dogs have an actual "stand" command (though it's on my list of things to do) but most of them will stop on their feet first when I give a "lie down" unless I'm pretty firm on it. They tend to sort of read my intent, and I'm ok with that. Nick prefers to stop on his feet on the drive, and unless he's unsettling the sheep I let him do it. Linc clearly prefers not to stop at all, and likes to stop on his feet. On the rare occasion that HE isn't spooking the sheep I'll let him do it. But more often than not Linc is spooking the sheep (just his presence unsettles sheep usually) so most of the time I put him on his belly. June prefers to stop on her feet but she's a naughty little creeper, so on her belly for her too.

That being said, on difficult and hard to move sheep I encourage them to stay on their feet, unless they or I think taking the pressure off is the right choice.

2. At what point do you start teaching this?

Usually at whatever point I think they can take the pressure. My dogs tend to not have a stop or flank commands for quite a while - though I'll use the commands conversationally. I'm more interested in letting them learn to feel their sheep than I am getting commands on them. But, like with a dog like Linc, sometimes I have to put a stop on them sooner than I'd like. He was one of those.

3. Do you have a favorite dog? I won't tell.

Sadly, I do. It's usually Nick, but sometimes it just plain depends on the day. I also have favorite dogs in different moments for different reasons. I also have least favorite dogs... like Pia when she excavated my phone line this morning. *sigh*

4. What is the #1 thing a dog can do to push your buttons?

On stock that is probably fight me. Nothing quite enrages me like a dog fighting me. I don't mean an occasional fight, I mean systematically.

At home the #1 thing is picking a fight with another dog. Or maybe trampling Zippy. This one is a toss up.

5. Brrrrr... it's winter. What is your favorite soup recipe?

My Chili recipe:

2 lbs LEAN meat - I use lamb, venison, beef, turkey, or some combo of each
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilis (mild or hot) about 12-15 oz
1 to 2 15 oz can of beans (I use canned kidney or black, or pinto) drained and rinsed
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 medium onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1/2 large green bell pepper (optional)
24-32 oz chicken stock (low fat), or water
3 Tbsp chili powder (more or less to taste)
1 Tbsp cumin
1-2 tsp Basil
salt to taste
crushed red pepper to taste

1/2 of a beer (optional)

Serves about 8-10, give or take, and a serving is about 1-1/3 cups. YMMV

In a large stock pot start browning the meat. Chop and drop the onion and bell pepper into the pot as you're browning the meat. As the meat is getting closer to brown, chop and drop the garlic and the jalapeno (you don't want the garlic overcooking and becoming bitter). Drain. Put in the spices (including salt) and stir to toast for about a minute. If you're using beer, pour 1/2 of a beer in, and use it to deglaze the pan (ie scrape up the bits of yummies on the bottom). If you're not using beer, use about a cup of the stock or water. Let that simmer and reduce for about 1 minute.

Next add all of the tomatoes & beans, followed by the stock until slightly thinner than your preferred consistency - as it will cook down some. Simmer for about an hour or three or four (or however long you have - sometimes I only have 30 mins).

Options - you can use a chipotle in adobo sauce for the jalapeno (very hot though), and you could use red wine (adjust points) to deglaze the pot (or just use the chicken stock if you don't like cooking with alcohol). If the meat is superlean (like 96% lean) I'd use some EVOO when browning the beef. This particular recipe is easily adjusted to taste. If you like it spicier add more jalapeno, or some of the seeds... or an extra can of green chilis, or some crushed red pepper, or all of the above. I

You can also try using only 1 Tbsp of chili powder and add a tsp or two of cinnamon and nutmeg. It gives it a totally different taste. This is especially awesome if you use venison and/or lamb, or sausage.

Enjoy!




Thursday, January 5, 2012

Tell Me Thursday - 2012 Edition, #1

Crooks and Crazies





Sorry for the delay folks! I really thought I would be all sorts of rowdy and gitterdone early, but no. Such is life sometimes!

Without further ado, here are this week's questions:

1. What is your favorite new toy? I know you have one, so you might as well go on and fess up.
2. If you're going to be caught under the mistletoe, who would you LEAST like it to be with?
3. New Year's Resolutions - for your dogs - share!
4. New Year's Resolutions - for yourself - share!
5. How did you handle the holiday food situation?

1. What is your favorite new toy? I know you have one, so you might as well go on and fess up.

My Mom got me a bunch of enameled cast iron cookware. I LOVE it. It's similar to the stuff that Pioneer Woman give away. OMG, fabulous. I now have a dutch oven, braising pan (squat little dutch oven, lol) grill pan, roasting pan, and a skillet. Really, really fun stuff. I have been eyeballing this stuff because none of my other cookware can go from cooktop to oven.

It look a little like dis:



Mom also gave me a really cool new DVD/Blueray player, but I can't figure out how to hook it up. Fail.

2. If you're going to be caught under the mistletoe, who would you LEAST like it to be with?

That little twerp from Deuce Bigelow. He creeps me out. Ew. He's a tiny little man, and he's a horny little weirdo. Maybe he's a nice person in real life, but usually he plays creepy little men on TV.

Oh, oh, and definite NO to the little orangutans they had on the news the other night. They will eat your face off.

3. New Year's Resolutions - for your dogs - share!

Get Pia going
Get Linc running Open (uh... yes, this would involve actually making some trials)
Work my dogs more

4. New Year's Resolutions - for yourself - share!

Finish losing weight
MORE COUGAR DANCING. This one's for you, Lora.
Get my own Zumba class going
See my friends more
Change my circumstances (I'll have more dog goals once this happens)

5. How did you handle the holiday food situation?

Handle? Does Free-For-All mean anything to you??? It was a massacre of every good eating habit I've collected this year. It was a bloodbath. A feeding Frenzy.

On the upside I was broke so couldn't really afford to go too overboard. Not that the scale knows that or anything. The scale agrees with me that it was a Food FAIL of epic proportions. But dang, it sure was yummy.

Ok, GO!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Tell Me Thursday Surprise!

Crooks and Crazies


Ok mah peeps, I'm hearing you guys out there. So here it is... a surprise TMT for you. I haven't been able to post or get around to blogs much, but I thought maybe this would be a way to check in. I know some of you have been cruising right along by yourselves - AWESOME!!

The new button was made for me by Nana at http://nananishigaki.com/ and you can see her dog blog at http://countersurfer.com/. She's an online bud of mine, but like many of you she's somehow become a real life friend. Nana rocks.

So. Tell Me Thursday. Questions. Hm, what to ask?

1. What are your plans for the holiday season?
2. Do you decorate? If so, what have you done so far?
3. a. Favorite recent dog photo? b. Photo that shows your mood today (or one word)?
4. There's been a discussion on the BC Boards about "don't train for the novice classes... just train for open and the rest will fall into place." What are your thoughts on this?
5. What are your top five cannot-do-without-them dog items?

1. What are your plans for the holiday season?

This year will be a little different for me. I plan to farm-sit. I've never been "away from home" over the holidays, and my Mom is worried that it'll be sad for me. Truly, though, the holidays have felt weird/sad/depressing since my divorce, and I'm not sure that where I am physically really matters. So I'm thinking to start some new traditions this year. Maybe it'll be chocolate chip cookies for breakfast.

2. Do you decorate? If so, what have you done so far?

Normally I do. This year, so far, I haven't. I have a 9' prelit slim tree that's absolutely GORGEOUS with my vaulted ceilings in the living room... but it's a bear to move even in pieces. Apparently slim does not equal lightweight. Two years ago Julie and Sandy came over, and we had a grand time decorating. This year I think I'm pretty much going to let it cruise on by. Maybe I'll get out the Santa stuffie that Spottie liked to make jingle with her nose. That surely will be decoration enough???

Not only that but Pia is such a good puppy until the second I turn my back. I have a sneaky suspicion that I'd be pulling her out of the tree somehow.

3. a. Favorite recent dog photo? b. Photo that shows your mood today (or one word)?

a. Pia on sheep over Thanksgiving. (Photos by Julie Poudrier using Robin French's camera)



It was close between that one and this one of me and Nick up at the setout between fun runs (and Julie's Ranger, too):



b. my mood today:




4. There's been a discussion on the BC Boards about "don't train for the novice classes... just train for open and the rest will fall into place." What are your thoughts on this?

Meh. I think you can't train for open specifically when you've never trained for open. I think it's the whole "you don't know what you don't know" thing. However, I think you should train your dogs with Open being the goal. The lower classes are meant to be stepping stones - learning opportunities, not end results. When I train my dogs I don't train thinking we're going to get around a Novice course - I train with an eye towards open level work. Then when it comes time to step on a trial field I think about how much I think the dog can handle and enter the dog in that class. BUT. This is a big but. When I'd only ever run in Novice Novice I had no earthly idea what I needed to do to get my dog to Open - even if I'd watched several trials.

Some days I'm still not sure I know much of anything. But, again, I'd say train your dog with Open being the ultimate goal (or Open level work). Excellent mentors, instructors, clinicians, and friends along the way are invaluable resources in this.

5. What are your top five cannot-do-without-them dog items?

5. Flat sided water pails
4. Double sided faux-wool crate bedding in the winter
3. Slippery Elm Bark powder
2. Crates
1. Tiny little beds for big dogs

Merry Christmas everyone!

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Thursday, November 3, 2011

Tell Me Thursday #15

Crooks and Crazies


It's time for Tell Me Thursday - Thankfulness Edition #1! For the four weeks of November I plan to ask you what you're thankful for every week. So there.

My apologies for flat out missing last week. All I can really say is that last week my work life got all wild and crazy on me, and I just didn't have the time/energy to post. One of these days I'll tell all of you about it. But not today. Suffice it to say that any prayers and good vibes would be appreciated. I can tell you that I've reevaluated and have taken everything as a kick in the pants reminder to take care of myself.

Anyway. On to more fun stuff! May the force be with you.

1. What are you thankful for this week?
2. How do you deal with a squeaker/shrieker/noisy dog?
3. Barbara wants to know: what would you say is ONE skill or attribute needed to be successful?
4. Pippin wants to know: what are your favorite games?
5. What are some of your strategies for dealing with winter?

And here are my answers. I may not have time to get to all of them right away but I will as the day goes on. If I was really organized I'd get all this together days in advance and be done with it. Oh but no.

1. What are you thankful for this week?

I am thankful that I have a job, and a roof over mine & the dogs' heads. I am thankful that I have great friends and a great family to love. I am thankful for Sara who brings me breakfast at work sometimes. I am also thankful that my fuse seems to be much longer today.

2. How do you deal with a squeaker/shrieker/noisy dog?

Clearly if I am asking this question it's cuz I suck at fixing this particular issue.

3. Barbara wants to know: what would you say is ONE skill or attribute needed to be successful?

Determination. I think if you are determined to do something, and then persevere to the end you'll do it. I guess maybe that's two things. Determination and perseverance. I can't imagine someone being determined and NOT persevering, but then I'm like a pesky little gnat. Or maybe a pesky big gnat.

It also doesn't hurt to be funny. Or hang out with me when *I* am funny. At the very least you'll enjoy being funny and determined with me. Ask Julio about the time we pounded fence posts on the rock hard ground to put up paddock fencing. In the 9000 degree heat. When there hadn't been rain in months and months and the area was sandrock. We were determined. And funny. Funny trumped determined and we got the fence up. I did the running man. They laughed. See? That's how things get done.

I digress.

4. Pippin wants to know: what are your favorite games?

I'm leaving this one open for interpretation. My fave online games are Ultima Online, and then the facebook free games. But I don't play UO anymore. I'm reformed. Board games? Um. Sorry. And Trouble. Card game? Shanghai Rummy. Or Spades. Unfortunately when I divorced my husband I also divorced his PS2. That was a sad day. I loves me some console games. Why yes, I am five years old.

My dogs' favorite game? "Bite Linc". Yes really. They love that game. Linc loves it too, which I find strange, though I think it's a pre-requisite if you're going to live in my household to BE strange, so all in all it's not terribly surprising. When I ask them to stop he gets up and asks them to keep going, so I've stopped worrying about it. I do wish that "Bite Linc" didn't also include a side game called "Bark Like June".

5. What are some of your strategies for dealing with winter?

First I break out the Cuddl Duds. I can't stand anything on my legs or feet at night, with the exception of these:



Image from www.cuddlduds.com. I like them because they're soft, stretchy, warm, and don't stick to the sheets. I sleep in them. Also, I usually also wear them under my outside gear too. Fabulous!!!

Also for winter I do like Julie and acclimate some, though not as much as she does. I let Ginger's coat grow out so she doesn't freeze, and the Small Dog has several coats from which to choose. I also bake a lot in the winter - it warms the front of the house up nicely.

I also do my best to take advantage of radiational heating. The front of the house gets full sun all day - so I open up the blinds and let the warmth in!

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Thursday, October 20, 2011

Tell Me Thursday #14

Crooks and Crazies


Hey, folks! I thought I would have time to at least pull up a full TMT lineup of questions this week, but I'm utterly swamped and there just isn't enough of me to go around. We'll be back in full force next week - so stay tuned!

So for this week I'm going to just put out an essay type question and let you all roll with it.

Here we go. I hate to say it but this one may not be a no-brainer exactly.

What obstacles have you overcome this week, and what did you learn from them? This can be training obstacles, life obstacles, whatever obstacles you want to talk about.

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Thursday, October 13, 2011

Tell Me Thursday #13

Crooks and Crazies


I'd tossed around the possibility of skipping this week since I have way too much on my plate, but then thought there might be some sort of revolt and someone might try to steal my two boxes of Little Debbie's that I bought last night. That would never do. In fact, I'm pretty sure that as I type Ginger is at home trying to hatch a plan to break into the oven and steal them.

In light of that, here are my questions this week. Those of you hoping for deep thoughts are probably going to be sadly disappointed this week. I'm fresh out of deep thoughts. I'm in a Little Debbie induced stupor. If we're friends on Facebook you probably already know this, but because of the sugar and fake chocolate overload I'm unable to control myself. Plus deep thoughts are scarce around here today.

1. What is your favorite Little Debbie snack? If you hate Little Debbie then I bow down to your greatness. (I suppose you can include some other favorite snack. Maybe it'll inspire me to get over LD for today.)
2. What do you use for laundry detergent?
3. Tighty Whities or Boxers? (this, obviously, is open for interpretation)
4. Dogs: On the bed? In the house? On the furniture? Never? What are your rules?
5. Favorite dog-related website (aside from my blog, obviously har har har)? Favorite NON-dog related website? Can be blogs, or whatever.

Have at thee foul Little Debbie.

Maybe I should entitle this one: Tell Me Thursday - Fluff edition. Or maybe "Tell Me Thursday - Laura wants to be entertained".

Here are my answers:

1. What is your favorite Little Debbie snack?

Swiss Rolls. Followed closely by the honey buns. Oh, and those little Christmas trees. Back in another life my ex-husband could throw down on some of those little trees. Of course I could too. As I said on FB... a pox on you Little Debbie. I managed to forget her for a looooooooooong time, but then my sister and mother had to bring up her name the other night. Then I got a hankering. Then they went on sale. Bah humbug.

2. What do you use for laundry detergent?

Back when I had enough money I used tide or gain. These days I mostly go for things like... "Xtra" or whatever store brand is cheapest. I want to get the most bang for my buck. HOWEVER. The other day I was looking around and ran across this blog (I got there from the Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op blog): Love Made the Radish Grow where she tells you how to make your own laundry soap. I collected the ingredients at my local "Ace Hardware" and whipped up a batch. AWESOME!!!! Good stuff indeed. I suspect it will probably take me 2-3 months to go through the batch that I made, and then I have enough ingredients for a second batch. I spent a total of about $9 for ingredients. So for about 6 months of laundry detergent I paid $9. Usually I buy about 2 bottles per month, at say $2.50 each. So $5.00 per month over six months is $30.00 - so I'm saving some. The small stuff adds up eventually.

Not only that but this formula is very green - and you can control what goes in it.

Next month I plan to make a batch of castille soap to use for my soap shavings. Yet again, I can control what goes in it.

3. Tighty Whities or Boxers?

Tighty Whities!!! I don't even know why. I just like the way they look. Plus in a pinch I can borrow them. That is, assuming that he's not way smaller than me. If he's way huger than me I can just tie a knot. See? Multipurpose. Plus I can put a pair on a dog if I have to. Boxers? Cute, but mostly useless.

For me personally I do a bit of everything. Granny Panties, high cut, string bikini, regular briefs... no thongs or boy shorts. I tried boy shorts for a while 'cuz I thought they were cute but then realized that boy shorts only look cute if you LOOK like a boy. Otherwise, if you're me, you just look like a fat girl squeezing into some kid's underoos. Not pretty.

4. Dogs: On the bed? In the house? On the furniture? Never? What are your rules?

Rules? We have no rules at my house. Dogs, dogs everywhere. Actually there are quite a few dog beds on the floor, and mostly when we're hanging out the dogs either get in the dog beds or lay on the floor. Ok, and sometimes Pia does zoomies and banks off of the backs of the couches. Rules schmules.

Though I do let dogs sleep on the bed the only ones who do are Nick and Ginger.

5. Favorite dog-related website? Favorite NON-dog related website?

Favorite dog-related website is usually the BC Boards. I really don't post there much any more, but I like to go lurk.

Favorite non-dog-related site is a toss up between the Pioneer Woman and the Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op. I'm also totally digging a soap making forum this week. I finally tried my hand at making home-made soap this past weekend. I'll have to do a blog on that soon!

Until next week...

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Thursday, October 6, 2011

Tell Me Thursday #12

Crooks and Crazies


Well, it looks like another week bites the dust. Glad we made it. Just so that you guys will know, I'm having trouble leaving comments on the blogs that have the little ID drop down boxes. For whatever reason blogger won't let me comment on them. The ones that pop up seem to be working. So I'm not neglecting you!

Secondly... I don't have my cell phone today, so the only way to get me today is email or here on my blog.

1. If you won the lottery (a big one... I'm talking stupid muchos cash) what would you do with the money?
2. After winning the lottery would you work a day job? If so, what would you do?
3. Do you have any auxiliary dogs? Auxiliary dogs are dogs that are not essential to your main purpose (usually tiny, but not always). If you don't have an auxiliary dog what might you choose?
4. Do you have a favorite crock pot recipe (or other recipe) you can share?

Stopping at four today since #4 might be tricksie. :)

Here are my answers:

1. If you won the lottery (a big one... I'm talking stupid muchos cash) what would you do with the money?

I would so buy a new mattress and box springs. This is #1 on my list. Some people would buy a new car. Me? A mattress that won't make my back hurt. Every. Morning. Beyond that I'd pay off my house and rent it out - and find myself a lovely decent sized farm to buy. I'd get an RV - one of the smaller ones that the truck and sleeping areas are all the same vehicles. The last thing we want me doing is trying to pull a trailer. I'd get myself a little beater car hatchback that gets good gas mileage for driving around. I'd have a ton ass of sheep.

And of course I'd donate some money. But I'm not going to act all righteous and say "all I'd do is give it away". Not. Happening. I'm not even going to pretend otherwise. One thing I'd like to do is give a hefty donation to Ovarian Cancer Research in honor of Joan Knight. I'd also like to fund a scholarship to the first college I went to (Southern Wesleyan University).

But yeah. A new mattress.

2. After winning the lottery would you work a day job? If so, what would you do?

This is a toss up for me. I might would just farm. The idea of living as sustainably as possible appeals to me. Or... I might go teach gymnastics again, but I have so many memories tied up in that (many of them quite negative) that I doubt I'd do it. I might would farm for my "living" and just teach a few Zumba classes a week. There's no way I could just NOT do something for work. I also think it would be fun to work at a dog food store. I'm a nerd like that.

3. Do you have any auxiliary dogs? Auxiliary dogs are dogs that are not essential to your main purpose (usually tiny, but not always). If you don't have an auxiliary dog what might you choose?

Why yes, indeed I do! Zippy, aka Small Dog, is my main Auxiliary dog. He's almost 18 years old (will be in January) and I adopted him when he was 11. He's been great fun, though I think his time with me is now limited. He's given so many of us such joy and amusement, and I'd like to think that I've given him a great life in his golden years.

His early years suxxored bad - he was in and out of rescue I think they said seven times by the age of 11. He was half starved at one point, and then given lunch meats to fatten him up. He was tied out. He was kennelled (who kennels a ten pound dog??). Who knows. I think he had some love in there too, and I'm glad we found each other.

He used to bite my ex-husband on occasion. I came eventually to agree with him on that one.



4. Do you have a favorite crock pot recipe (or other recipe) you can share?

This is one I just tried from www.weightwatchers.com. I did some adaptations and I'm including them here:

1 pound(s) lean leg of lamb, stew meat, cut into 1-inch chunks
15 oz canned beans or chickpeas drained and rinsed
14 1/2 oz canned diced tomatoes w/green chilis, undrained
1/2 cup(s) canned beef broth or water
1/2 large onion(s), chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
1 clove(s) (large) garlic, minced
2 tsp ginger root, freshly grated (I used 1/2 tsp dried)
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp dried cranberries
1 tsp sugar or splenda or to taste
2 tsp balsamic vinegar or 1 TBsp fresh lemon juice

Put everything but the vinegar in your crockpot. Cook it 6-8 hours on low. 7 was about enough. Last five to ten minutes stir in balsamic vinegar or lemon.

It did NOT call for searing the meat, and surprisingly it turned out GREAT. Very little fat on top, so little I didn't even bother. Very tasty - but you do need the sweetener to bring out the cinnamon and ginger.

Serving size 1 cup, and about 7 points plus WW values. I served over 1oz of pasta, but would be tasty over couscous or rice, or even alone!

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