-
- Michelada
Stop by: www.OmahaMovesMe.com
August 8, 2009
Animal Rescue – HUA
I’m so glad we brought Grandpa Sandy home before this huge rescue for Hearts United for Animals. At least it was one more place for another needy dog.
July 30, 2009
Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?
What a busy week it’s been.
Sandy is still adjusting to his new home. First, he wouldn’t stop humping Marble, and sometimes Llana. That finally slowed down considerably and then Sandy thought he should be the pack leader. So he tried “policing” Marble when he was running around playing. I discouraged that and it improved despite, Sandy wanting to prove to the world that his place in the pack is higher than Marble.
Tonight he finally figured out his job is to around the house and yard and just have fun. He romped sound the back yard tonight- it was do cute I wished I’d had the video camera to share with you. He only decided to “herd” Marble only once he’d had his fun.
Mandy and Sandy also had a break thru moment last night when they took turns eating out of the same bowl.
July 22, 2009
Update: Grandpa Sandy
- Grandpa Sandy
Grandpa Sandy has been with us now almost a month and he fits in so well. First, I have to THANKFULLY say that the humping has decreased tremendously. I’m happy to report it appears it was just Sandy trying to find his place in the pack.
Marble
The one he tries to hump the most is Marble since he’s the lowest member of the pack. Sandy just wanted to be higher in the pecking order.
Llana Muffin Chubba Wubba Girl
Sometimes he would try to hump Llana, (pack leader) and while she tried to maintain some manners about it, she put him in his place.
Sheriff Mandy Boo Boo
The only one he wouldn’t try to hump was Mandy. She’s the disciplinarian of the group and she put him in his place immediately when he came home.
Sandy and Mandy are pretty inseparable. They do have turf wars but they are few, and over quickly, and then they go running around the house together.
Even though Sandy is 14 yrs old, he is a tough guy. He will stand his ground and REFUSES to share his chewies. He’ll let the other kids push him out of his food bowl, but don’t mess with his chewies.
Mandy stands her ground and will not let Sandy lay near her nor eat out of her food bowl. Anything else is fair game. Where ever one of them is, the other is on their heels. It’s funny that the two oldest ones are the most rambunctious.
I’m still stunned that Sandy’s person’s family wanted him put down. He is the sweetest little guy. He’s potty trained and walks perfectly on a leash. He likes to be right next to you – and that includes walking around. He loves his chewies and likes to sleep by himself at the end of the bed. Sometimes in the middle of the night he’ll come up and give us a few kisses on the face and then go right back to his spot.
Grandpa Sandy
He’s learning how to snuggle and sleep next to us. Since his person was older, I don’t think he’s used to that. he’s also not accustomed to being picked up so we’re teaching him. In the morning, he’s the first to come over and give kisses and the first to leap out of bed to go outside. I still can’t believe he’s fourteen. He’s also learning to play and is starting to mouth our fingers. We’re hoping to teach him how to play catch soon.
And speaking of teaching, when I go to work I tell the kids “Momma’s gotta go to work now, let’s go to your room”. Llana and Marble always go right in. And after a week, Sandy was racing to the be the first person in. What a smart little guy he is. We’ve had Mandy since December and while she’s also very intelligent, she’s more stubborn. So, on the principle that she’d rather be outside sunbathing, she will go sit by the door instead of go to her room with the other kids.
Sandy got a clean bill of health from the vet, including the blood work to see how his internal organs are working. They were pretty impressed for such an old guy. He’s started to cough a little in the past day so if it continues through tomorrow, we’ll be seeing Dr. Andrew very soon.
Enjoy the photos. I’ll try to take more pics and videos so you can enjoy him, too.
July 22, 2009
Meet the Family
Ok, I know, you’ve already met the family. But I have some new pics to share. Enjoy!
-
- Grandpa Sandy
-
- Marble
July 19, 2009
When it rains, it pours…
Tomato Plants
I’m attempting to grow some tomato plants this year and it’s not going well. First it got blossom end rot and now all the leaves are turning yellow. Its some kind of fungus and the only thing I can do is to pluck the yellow leaves before it spreads. But, I think it’s too late. I’m still getting some tomatoes off the plants but it is VERY FRUSTRATING.
Tomatoes - Sad
Yesterday, I watered the plants in the afternoon and then decided I’d get the exterior house paint ready to use once I finished working in the office. So I go downstairs to get the paint only to find that I have a water leak in the basement. Apparently the exterior faucet decided to water the basement. The carpets wet, the paint on the walls is bubbling and the ceiling…well, I suspect we’ll have to replace a good part of the ceiling. There’s a section about 8×8 that doesn’t look that good. Hopefully, I can get Guru to vacuum up the carpet today while I’m working on the windows.
Speaking of windows, the house is 12 years old and no work has ever been done on the windows. So I’m going to attempt to repaint them and repair the wood rot.
Sad windows
So far I’ve worked on the main level windows. I scraped, sanded, puttied, added wood filler to some spots and caulked. Now I just have to sand it down and repaint. Just call me “Al“. I’ve got all the lower level windows in process. I’ll probably have to replace some brick molding on one of the lower level windows in the back. So, I borrowed Dad’s miter saw. Power tools….. grunt, grunt, grunt……
I’m planning on taking a week off work probably the first week in August so I can do the upper level windows. I’m not sure my ladder will go that high up so I may have to figure something out for that. Did I mention I’m not thrilled with heights? Yeah. I have a friend who will come over and sit with me while I do the upper level work. He can help me line up the ladder and have the phone in hand to call 911 if I fall off.
July 11, 2009
Brookings Art Festival
Mom and I took a short vacation and went to Brookings, South Dakota for our annual pilgrimage to the Brookings Summer Arts Festival. We go up every year and stay with friends and have fun. This year was no different.
The Brooking’s Festival is much bigger and better than Omaha’s Summer Arts Festival. I rarely attend Omaha’s ever.
Here’s a few pics I took. I’ll post more details later.
.
June 27, 2009
Introducing: Grandpa Sandy
I went down to Hearts United for Animals Thursday with a friend of mine. She was picking up some dogs that she was going to be transporting. And I didn’t exactly come home empty handed, either. It was NOT supposed to be an adopt a dog day but it turned out to be.
There was a very sweet and friendly dog who had recently arrived. His person had gone into a home and couldn’t take him with. So, at the ripe old age of 14, after having a home all his life, he found himself homeless. It just broke my heart, especially because I knew at his age, he’d never have another home to call his own.
I couldn’t stop thinking about him all the way home and I knew his personality would fit in really well with our kids. The only question was, what would the husband say and would the kids get along. Guru agreed – after the shock wore off, and then I packed up my kids when I got home and drove back down to Auburn, Nebraska to make sure the kids would get along, and they did.
On the one hour drive home, Sandy sat on his back legs and waved his front paws in the air. He ADORES car rides and being outside. He walks beautifully on a leash and appears to be perfectly potty trained. He’ll go sit in front of the front door when he it’s time to go outside.
Sandy is a sweet little guy who fits in perfectly to our family. He is a 10 lb white poodle and has the cutest little brown nose. He’s pretty spry for his age and adores people. We are so very fortunate to call him family
June 13, 2009
Marble, My Playful Guy
I decided to try out Windows Movie Maker to see about doing a nice video up of my dogs. I didn’t realize (but hoped) I could splice multiple videos together… and I can! So, I’ll be working on a nice video of the kids and posting it. Let me know what you think.
Our three dogs are alums of Hearts United. Stop by and check out the wonderful animals available for adoption at Hearts United for Animals
May 25, 2009
I’m Back!
I know, another unexplained absence from my blog. It’s been a combination of really really busy (19 hr days / 7 days a week), which is a good thing combined with blog block. If you’ve noticed the changes in my blog you’ll see there’s been some changes and that means, I’m recharged and back!
I went to a ReBar Camp in Denver Thursday through Saturday, which is a technology training class for Realtors. Boy am I excited and recharged. It was just what I needed. Even my real estate blog has suffered a bit and I’m so excited and ready to get back.
While I was in Denver, I had the opportunity to meet up with my cousin, DJ. It had been WAY TOO LONG! Here’s a few pics.
-
- She’s Mine! Eat your heart out Clay & Susan
-
- Self Portrait
-
- What a gorgeous little girl! Dj’s daughter
-
- WOW! She lights up the room when she smiles!
-
- Mandy
I also included one on Mandy, our forever upside down dog. That’s her favorite position.
Anyway, back to Denver. I drove my Prius for the 8 hr trip there and back. Got great gas mileage and it only cost $60 to get there and back. How cool is that? It was an uneventful drive. I Twittered the entire way. Be sure to check me out on Twitter – @SellingOmaha . I added my Facebook badge to this blog but I’m rarely there. Twitter is definately the place to find me.
February 19, 2009
Lessons Learned
I received this email from a “FRIEND” and it was too damn funny NOT to share!
As part of a well rounded philosophy of life, I believe that it is important to never close out a day without learning a lesson. Today I was fortunate enough to have learned several, which I share with you now, in no particular order. For those who were unaware, Troy, April and I made some homemade Root Beer on Saturday.
1) Root Beer is sticky.
2) Before attempting to serve homemade Root Beer, it is important to have well constructed tapping gear.
3) 30 feet of hose connected to the tapper still produces pure foam at 40 PSI.
4) If you think the connection is tight enough, it isn’t.
5) 40 PSI is a lot.
6) The spectacle of a beer volcano (a good story in its own right) pales before the sheer awesome power of a Root Beer detonation.
7) My kitchen has many nooks and crannies where sticky stuff can drip.
My kitchen will forevermore smell of Root Beer.
9) The CSI shows are right. If a person’s body is in front of an explosion, you really can find a “blast shadow” where the body absorbed the impact, thus protecting things in the “shadow.”
10) Root Beer is cold.
11) 40 PSI, applied to a 5 gallon keg, is sufficient pressure to accelerate Root Beer to transonic speeds.
12) My butt will block a Root Beer detonation quite well.
13) Root Beer hurts.
14) Root Beer is sticky.
15) Root Beer is not recommended as a body wash.
16) Electronic items and Root Beer Bombs do not mix.
17) When cleaning Root Beer, do not stand in one place too long.
18) Root Beer dries FAST.
19) Root Beer, when dried, can be used as a virtually indestructible cement.
20) Aerospace firms should investigate the sticky power of Root Beer for purposes of bonding composite parts of high-performance aircraft.
21) Root Beer adheres to socks just as well as to shoes.
22) Do not plan on getting anything else done on a day when you have a Root Beer Bomb.
23) My refrigerator needed new art work anyway.
24) If you are going to have a Root Beer explosion you will be very lucky if, by pure chance, you are standing next to the keg when it happens.
25) If, by chance, you are not standing next to it, the Root Beer will KEEP exploding until the CO2 runs out.
26) The CO2 will NOT run out if the pressure canister is still attached to the keg.
27) 40 PSI is a lot.
28) Once you have done the dishes and they are dry, put them away immediately. That way you won’t have to wash them again should a Root Beer Bomb detonate in your kitchen.
29) Burning Root Beer does not smell as good as you might think or hope.
30) It is impossible to get ALL the Root Beer off of electric burners.
31) Burning Root Beer generates smoke.
32 I’m not even sure I like Root Beer.
February 6, 2009
What I Want to be When I Grow Up…
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit
the ground each morning the devil says,
“OH CRAP, SHE’S UP“! …
the ground each morning the devil says,
“OH CRAP, SHE’S UP“! …
January 23, 2009
Poochies
I’m pleased to report the dogs are all getting along well. Mandy is a very self confident kid that is at home wherever she is. It’s like she’s been with us for years. She has a minor agression issue where she growls at the other dogs when she’s working on a chewie and one of the other dogs walks by. That’s understandable considering she was attacked by a dozen chiwawas at the place she was at prior to Hearts United for Animals. She still has bare spots on her rump where her hair didn’t grow back.
Mandy has the cutest little bark and growl. I’m trying to capture her growl on tape but no luck yet.
Marble is coming out of his shell even more now that Mandy is here. It’s pretty cute. He runs and greets me at the door, jumps on me and tonight gave me a couple of kisses. That’s HUGE step for him. He’s coming more when he’s called and even gets close enough to be petted. And tonight, he took a treat from Daddy, his arch enemy.
I FINALLY convinced Guru to give Marble a treat when Guru comes into the bedroom. Marble still growls and barks at him. He’s the Paul Revere of the bedroom, you know. Since Guru has been doing it, the intensity of the growling and barking has really decreased. And the tail is beginning to wag. Hopefully, we can remove that behavior soon.
It’s really nice having a little one around the house again. Mandy is 9 lbs and seems so little. Yet, Anne was only 6 lbs. Mandy LOVES to play catch and has made herself comfortable with all of Anne’s stuffed animals. A few of the animals are half the size of Mandy and I find myself not playing catch with those animals because they are “too big”. Yet, Anne played with them and she was that size.
Mandy loves to play catch so much that one night we played for 2 hours! Three times, she stood there panting after we threw her toy. And we thought “she’s finally exhausted”. But nope, she was just taking a couple of breathers before running to bring them back.
January 12, 2009
My New Year’s Resolution
I only have one this year. I plant on petitioning the movie company who made Rain Man to change the line:
“K-Mart Sucks” to “Walmart SUCKS“.
Who’s with me?
January 12, 2009
AeroGrow Garden – Day 1
Do you know how hard it is to buy seeds in the middle of winter? If it wasn’t for the internet, it would have been impossible. So, I restarted our garden by planting rosemary, chives, cilantro, dill, basil, and thyme. If I had realized there were seven slots, I would have bought parsley, too. But, since I didn’t, we’ll have twice the amount of cilantro, our favorite.
Here’s an interesting tidbit for you. The labels that are on the seed pods (you can’t see them, they are under the dome. I’ll try to get a better pic later.) were ironed on. The labels serve to help prevent disease or something, so I had to actually iron them on to the plastic seed container.
Fun facts to know and tell that you don’t care about. But, that’s ok, I still don’t mind sharing. Really, it’s just noise…….
January 11, 2009
Christmas "Theme"
Before I get into the THEME, did anyone notice many people in PJ’s in our Christmas photo? Last year, I was three weeks post surgery and didn’t want to attempt street clothes. So I wore my milk bone dog biscuit PJ’s (pictures are posted here if you really have a burning desire to check it out) and everyone who arrived exclaimed “I didn’t know we could wear PJ’s”. This year, everyone was invited to wear PJ’s and most did.
Ok, on to the Chicken theme time. We christened this Christmas with the “Christmas Chicken” that you see in the pic. I thought I should tell you why this ugly, non-edible chicken will be blessing our Christmas table for years to come. Many of you are probably thinking “It’s Connie, nuff said“. But, imagine that, I’m still going to tell you. <Insert ear plugs now- remember, I warned you.>
It began at Guru’s Christmas party. (Translation: this means it’s all his fault) We took a gift for the gift exchange and imagine my surprise when the gifts were being opened that many were “white elephants”. I love white elephants, and we didn’t play properly!
I was number 57 of 70 people to pick. I could select a fresh gift or steal. Hmmm, what do you think I chose? STEAL!!! I stole a coffee mug/plaque set. Plaque said something about innovation and mug said something about laziness. Perfect!! But, it wasn’t meant to be. Since my gift was stolen, I had to pick again.
I selected a new gift and got a gift certificate to TGI Friday’s. And I was bummed -BORING! Fate saved me to steal again and this time I stole the dancing flashing stuffed reindeer that I knew would make Guru’s lips disappear….but wait, ……….don’t steal it! Damn!
Disgusted, I announced to the room that I wanted the TRUE white elephant gift and stole that gecko dinosaur spotted UGLY piggy bank. Everyone was laughing and then I had the whole room howling when I ran to Guru, cupped his face, and told him “Honey, look what I got for YOU, I can’t WAIT to put it on our Christmas dinner table”.
Yep, you guessed it – stolen. Why anyone would steal it is beyond me. They must have been smoking the same crack Guru was went he FED Mandy her EAR DROPS! My next selection, an autographed pic of Colonel Clink was stolen, too.
I ended up with a cranberry scented candle, my favorite scent, so I can’t complain. But I am and aren’t you disgusted you didn’t put the earplugs in?
I couldn’t forget about that ugly, stupid bank that I’d become attached to in such a short time and wanted to share with my Christmas guests. A week later, I was at Goodwill and stumbled upon this funny looking chicken and decided it was an appropriate consolation prize. Hence, the birth of the Christmas chicken.
Guru was NOT impressed with the “Christmas Chicken”. As a matter of fact, the words that came out of his mouth inspired me to decorate chicken and have our guests see if they could guess the Christmas theme (aka: what Guru said). I thought “Choke the Christmas Chicken” was SO OBVIOUS and was surprised no one guessed it. So I put everyone’s name in a pot and Gino won the prize – a electronic sign for the car window that can be programmed for 5 phrases. It even had a remote control to make it easier to flip off drivers on the road! Gino did you program a flip off phrase?
Ok people, I’m done ranting. You can take out the earplugs cuz you’ll need to know this next part.
The rules for next year’s Christmas dinner are:
PJ’s
Guess the Chicken theme
White Elephant Gift Exchange (rules will be email prior)
