Everything You Do...

affects others. Sometimes, we are able to observe the affect our actions/words have on others, sometimes we are not. Regardless, rest assured that the decisions we make, whether consciously or unconsciously, can be far-reaching. While it is impossible to live life without offending others or having a negative impact on an innocent bystander, we can certainly strive to perform due diligence: think before we act/speak. A little care can go a long way.

My Daughter's Love Affair...

with her #1 man..."Cameron" (the camera - clever, isn't she?)

Graci Makes Out...

with her man! lol! She just adores Bryan. It's clear, the feeling is mutual.

My Baby Is Gone...

onto a married life of his own. He's a husband now. Look at him! He's all grown up! Why do he do that? How could he do that? I know,...I know... but it still hits a mommy hard. How do I reconcile those protective feelings a mom has for her child and the pride she feels when she sees him all grown up and independent, making a life of his own? It's a dilemma, to be sure! Love you honey! Watch for updates on pictures as I acquire them.

Welcome to the family, Sarah. Love you lots!

Nearly Finished...

with my list of things to do. Computer on the fritz...can't print. Dress sash is completed (4.25 hrs - all by hand). Need to clean up tomorrow. Sharayah is putting the finishing touches on the slide show for Logan an Sarah's wedding reception. I'm doing exposure therapy: watching it a million times, hoping beyond hope that I will not cry like a crazy lady at the reception. Hard to believe my son is getting married.

Never Drink Tea...

if you're a dog! Olivia jumped up on the coffee table when no one was around (she's a real stinker) and drank Bryan's abandoned tea. He's in big trouble! She peed every 10 min for over 3 hours! It was brutal. She seems better today, as if it never happened.

HANG ON FOLKS! HERE WE GO!

We are on the final countdown to the wedding. Only 3 days to get all the last minute details finished up. Add to that, all the other stuff (called "Life") and it makes for a harried schedule!

Today....

Make dog care schedule for Kelsey ! You rock, dear, for coming to my rescue!

Prep Bryan's paperwork (that's my job :s)

Clean up house (Urgh!)

Regular Doggy stuff

Inspection at 1pm

Complete consult with Kelsey for doggy care fri and satPurchase dye for my hair (yes, dangit, again! Stupid roots. Oh, Sharayaaaaaaaah.)

Dye my hair (Oh, Sharayaaaaaaaaaaaah.)

Tomorrow...

Construct and affix yellow sash to Sharayah's bride's maid dress.

I don't dare think beyond this or my head might explode!

Wedding Prep!

Yesterday...

Shopping for something to wear to the wedding. BINGO! All done in 1 hr, thanks to my own personal shopper, Sharayah. Love you, sweet pea! Then, she prepares her killer baked chicken and veggies for dinner. Could this day get any better? A special day with my daughter.

Today...

Sharayah did my hair in loose curls to see if I would like it for the wedding and she tested out all the makeup we bought yesterday. It looked really natural (which is what I like). She did a great job. 1st time ever getting gel nails. Quite a process. Three whole hours? Holy Crap! I can barely clear enough time to get to the chiropractor and a one hour massage feels like an entire vacation. Three hours? I like them alright. Fell heavy and thick. Will take some time to get used to them.

I certainly have little to no intention of keeping them post-wedding. I will let them grow out or whatever it is you do with gel nails if you don't want them anymore. At $45 every 3-4 wks for a fill...WAY too expensive. Seriously, only reason I got them this time was cuz they were either long or broke off and looked super snaggy and I really needed a quick fix AND (this is the most important part) they were on SALE? Best word ever! Sharayah is at the salon getting her nails as I write. I wonder how Theo is holding up, lol. Sitting there for three hours.

Logan and Sarah popped over for a quick visit. I modeled my new clothes for Bryan and them. They all really liked the outfits - a lot! Told you Sharayah did a fantabulous job! I'm going to wear the print blouse with the charcoal skirt + black suede heels.

Heeeeeeer's Molly!

Molly spent a lot of time just sitting in one place during the first 24 hrs post op. Understandably so. She had a real time of it, getting her back legs to sync up.

Day two-post op. Venturing out with careful steps.

Her little t-shirt helped keep her warm and stop the shivers.

Day 4-post op. She loves burrowing inside this fluffy comforter.

Not the best pic - taken with phone - but captures that cute expression.

I'm Bound To Seek Justice...

for the animals we saw at a different viewing today. NOT to be mistaken for the property in the previous blog entry, this place was the dwelling wherein two hoarders lived. Over three thousand sq ft of house so packed with crap, there were only pathways available by which to navigate from room to room.

They have four dogs: a shepherd, a mini poodle and two jack russell terriers. The red mini poodle's hair was 3-4 inches long, filthy and severely matted.

The solid white jack russell appeared to have a bite on his back. They told our realtor on the phone that we had to wait till they were home cuz one of the jack russell terriers is vicious. When we arrived at the property, there was quite a commotion on the inside of the house and I suspect the little guy was bitten in the process. I have seen this occur many times. It is a common problem with unbalanced packs. (Below = a happy well-cared for "Jack" puppy.)

So, now, what else can I possibly do but report them to the SPCA? I made a call to them but they are closed. I left a msg (I really don't care if someone knows I called). I will call again on Monday. Those poor dogs! I also noticed that there was a fairly funky smell in the back part of the house where several bedrooms were locked with no access permitted. Can you imagine if they are running a puppy mill? I realize that my mind may "go there" more readily these days due to the recent revelation of our connection between our dogs and the West Edmonton puppy mill bust. Regardless, I will pursue this until I speak to a SPCA rep. I don't expect to sleep well, knowing that those dogs are living in that inhumane filth. I am not without compassion for hoarders as I recognize it is a mental illness but, wow! In my books, it's one thing to live in those conditions but to impose those conditions on an innocent animal...horrifying and unjust!

To see them go from conditions similar to this dwelling...

to a place that's safe and sound... That's all I care about.

Me Thinks I'm Smitten! sigh*

This is the nearly 1,700 sq ft house on the property. It could use quite a good cleaning and some cosmetics, but it is in really good condition and wouldn't be too much work to bring up to date. Lovely flower gardens on all sides of the house. Evident that it was a much-loved home for the majority of its existence.

This is the pond on the 40 acre property located very near the home. It is absolutely huge. A close estimate would be 10-12,000 sq ft surface. It is used for ice skating in the winter months and several weddings have been performed in the meadow at the far end where you can see a small "warming" cabin. It is very picturesque.

I've never thought of quonsets as 'nice' but I was rather impressed with this one. Far more sturdy than I originally thought it would be. It is nearly 1,800 sq ft and not more than a few years old. I think it would make a fabulous music studio for Bryan! It's comfortably close to the house (closer than barn/arena = less hair and other dog related products - lol). I understand you can finish the insides of quonsets to look like any other building except the roof lets in enormous amounts of light AND it can be heated in a more cost effective manner now-a-days.

This is the arena. I wish I had taken pictures of the inside. They spared no expense on this building's interior. Professional kick-boards line the perimeter of the building (no cheapo particle board used here) and only lacks the riding soil. The attached bit behind the arena is the stables: big enough to house 14 stalls. We learned that Goodon Enterprises put both buildings up in 14 days. A crew of 20 guys + 14 days resulted in a 10,440 sq ft facility! That is impressive! The homeowner prepared a Turkey dinner for the crew during the building days and generally fed them very well. If we used these buildings for the kennel/fitness centre, we would have to pour the concrete which would be a cost of nearly $100,000,00 :s Scary!

Fencing In Kingston...

is what Daylin will be doing this wknd. He gave us a quick call tonight to say "Hey" and do a bit of catching up. Always good to hear from your living-abroad children. He's busy studying and studying and studying. I'm glad to hear he is fitting some exercise into his schedule. He's still got the love of the sport and it's something he and Nicole can enjoy together. Good luck, Daylin and Nicole... Happy Stabbing? lol

Property # 742

...or so it seems. This is all getting very exhausting. I actually had an "is it worth it?" moment today. Faced with so many obstacles when striving to achieve your heart's goal, I suppose it is expected to question the validity of your hopes and whether or not you have a snowball's chance in hell of obtaining it. Gladly, the moment was short lived. Booted in the butt by shear perseverance.

Tomorrow, we go to look at yet another property. I consulted my friendly county worker (he's been honest and helpful throughout this process) and he said it shows the most promise regarding permits. We'll just have to wait and see. I will keep you posted.

Until then,... keep dreaming!

My Little Guys

Hi, I'm Tucker. Actually, my papers say my name is "Little Tommy Tucker" but everybody calls me Tucker. Besides, when I see papers I get an uncontrollable urge to pee on them. Mommy sometimes calls me Tuck-Tuck-Tuckeroo, Tommy Two Shoes or just "Tuck". I'm something called a chocolate toy poodle. I don't know why they would call me 'chocolate'. Don't they know that stuff is lethal to dogs? Humans! I was the very first boy to come live with my forever family. They originally wanted my sister, but Dad couldn't bear to leave me behind all by my lonesome and when he asked Mom what she thought about taking me home too, she could hardly believe her ears! I guess it took some convincing to get Dad to agree to go look at my sister. Well, to make a long story short, my mom jumped at the chance to bring me home. Daylin and Logan named me after the Red Vs Blue character, "Tucker". I like playing fetch, chewing bones and digging down to the bottom of anything fluffy - Oh, Joy!

Hello! William's the name and cuddling's my game. I don't have papers but if I did, I wouldn't pee on them. I only like peeing on wee-wee pads and grass. That's why I get to go lots of places with mommy. She can trust me not to go any ole place that makes itself available. I'm a toy poodle like Tucker and the rest of the poodie gang here at the house but I was born by accident and the breeder wasn't sure who my daddy was. I don't really care cuz I got my own mommy and daddy who take great care of me and love me more than any dog ever could. Sharayah gave me my name. It's very long and is for the Heath Ledger character in A Knight's Tale: Sir William Thatcher of Geldaland. Mostly, I answer to any of the following: William, Willy (not my favorite), Will, Wills, Wilby and the like. If you're calling me to come cuddle, I don't care what you call me. I'm your man! I like playing with soft squeakies and I'm pretty much the only one who is allowed cuz I don't tear them apart. What can I say? I'm a little gentleman.

Hi, there! My name is... are you ready?... Joey, El Pequito Kanguro. To you gringos, that means, Joey, The Little Kangaroo. It suits me cuz I really like to jump. And not the kind of jumping that would take a dog sailing over fences or pole jumps on an agility course but the kind of jumping that takes a dog straight up in the air. Height is what I'm all about. I only stand 8 inches off the ground but I can jump almost 3ft high! I should compete in the Doggy Olympics! I absolutely love pestering my sisters, Graci and Pixie Wiggles. They're tough girls (they ARE latino, in case you didn't know) and can run fast so they provide me with hours of fun. I get them to chase me too, just to be fair. I call upon my gentler side when I play with my 1/2 sister, Molly, cuz she is just toooooo tiny for rough play. She's smart, though, cuz she knows when to get out of my way when I'm on the run. This picture is of me in my younger days when I first came to live with my forever family. I think I must have gotten enormous cuz mommy says she can't believe how big I grew. I'm an entire 5lbs! She was very happy to see me grow to a good size and weight and always tells people I am 'heavy boned'. This is a good thing, she says, cuz I can jump off the sofa without risking a broken bone. I don't have the heart to break it to her but, even if I didn't have heavy bones, I would still rip around here like nobody's business cuz I got a name to live up to, don't cha know. Adios, amigos!

Rough Night

Molly was up and down throughout the evening until 2am. You can see from her expression that she is uncomfortable but she wasn't due for more pain meds until this morning. She has a cough that sounds like it's originating from her chest so I'm heading off to have a quick shower and take her in to the vet's for a quick look-see. Want to ensure it is not due to aspiration during surgery. It happens on occasion but, if not tended, it can quickly develop into pneumonia.

Our Home, Our Castle...sorta

I can't begin to count the hours Bryan has put into sprucing up our house. From landscaping to deck building/painting and shed construction, he's been busy transforming a neglected plain dead-grass lot into a cozy bright and earthy outdoor room. Now, he's focusing on finishing the bsmnt. It has been a long haul as he has devoted many hours between work, family and other household tasks to obtaining the end goal: a classy, professional quality bsmnt. Here are just a few pics of the process and end results.

Bryan planted his favorite tree, Mountain Ash, at the front and my favorite, Schubert Choke Cherry, near the veranda. It should bloom like crazy in the spring and fill the yard with that beautiful scent. You can't see it very well in this picture, but he also planted all the flowering shrubs, roses, Russian sage (another favorite of mine) and deco grasses along the walk way.

Bryan preps the bsmnt for the ceiling texture dudes...

and then Bryan cleans up after them.

I will look for more pictures of the transformation our little home has experienced at the hand of my talented hubby! Thanks loads and bunches, hun!

Doggy Didgeridoo

Olivia enjoys a tasty tendon (that's what we call them and we are NOT discussing it any further!) She's tucked into the comforter, all compfy-cozy and gnawing away. It reminded me of the Australian instrument that omits a low haunting buzzy sound.

A Didgeridoo.

My Future Daughter-In-Law

What a little sweetie! She's about 3 yrs old at the time of this pic. Doesn't she look precious?

Sarah's impersonation of that stretch-your-neck tribe......

and the long-tilty-hat clan. She's a lunatic!

She's a perfect fit!

Molly's Big Day At The Vet's

Today, Molly is exactly 8 mos old and goes in for her spay surgery. To say I am worried is an understatement. I would not normally get to worked up over such a routine procedure but when you take into consideration that she is only 2lbs, worry ensues.

Bryan and I got up to say a prayer over her and I put her little sweater on - she was shivering. Likely due to the fact she hasn't eaten since last night so her sugar levels have probably dropped and, because of her slight weight, she does not have an easy time regulating her body temperature.

These precious little runts are quite a concern because of these types of issues but I will say, emphatically, she is worth the effort.

Here's the money shot! B4... (I'm too sore for the after pic to be taken - check in tomorrow.)

She Ate What?

Boy, oh, boy. I just cannot seem to win with these dogs! I know the holidays are always bad for pets getting into food they should not. Things get messy and people get careless what with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Here is the latest on my pack.... This is Sadie (William in the background).

This is what was left after she (and maybe, Olivia) jumped up onto the table and helped herself to what we know was at least 4 raspberry tarts and possibly 1 butter tart (with its crap load of sugary syrup!).

Amazingly, she (nor Olivia) got ill. Hmmmmm - cheeky little pups! I had my eye on that last butter tart! Other than spending the remainder of the evening waddling around uncomfortably, she appeared no worse for wear. Please, DO NOT FEED PASTRIES TO YOUR DOG ON PURPOSE just because Sadie did well this time round. I consider us incredibly fortunate. Baked goods are chuck full of fat and can send a dog into a nasty, and possibly fatal, case of pancreatitis. Not worth it! And very expensive to treat! PS: No, these were not left on the floor. I put them there to get the pic. No need to encourage her to misbehave. lol

Shame On Nobel Committee!

Irena Sendler
passed away in 2008 at the age of 98. During WWII, Irena was responsible for controlling tuberculosis in the ghetto of Warsaw and she used the freedom of her appointment to help the Jewish people imprisoned there. Irena worked secretly to smuggle infants and toddlers out of harms way. Using trash cans, toolboxes, burlap sacks and coffins to contain the children, she placed them, nonchalantly, into the back of her truck.

She trained her dog to bark hysterically when the Nazi soldiers questioned her upon departing the ghetto. The soldiers, of course, wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking muffled the children's fearful cries. Irena managed to smuggle to safety, 2500 children, placing them in convents, with sympathizers and in her own home.

Eventually, she was caught by the Gestapo and badly beaten and detained until she was able to bribe a guard. She remained in exhile until the end of the war. Prior to her capture, Irena developed a record of the children's names and family information. Placing them in a glass jar, she buried it under an apple tree in her back yard. After the war, she dug up the jar and worked tirelessly to locate surviving parents with the intention of seeing the families reunited. Sadly, most had been killed. Many of the orphans were placed with relatives while some lived in convents and adoptive families. Throughout the years, Irena was given many thanks from the children who had been saved due to her efforts. Ironically, in her last years spent living in a full care facility, Irena was cared for by a woman who Irena had saved from certain death when she was only 6 months old. She had been smuggled out of the ghetto in the bottom of a toolbox. Irena's dog, barking madly at her knee to distort the baby's cries. In 2008, Irena was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was not selected. Al Gore received the honor for his promotion of a slide show on global warming. No doubt, Irena is currently receiving a reward of much higher note than the Nobel Peace Prize. Many thanks, Irena, for your courage, bravery and heart.