Killing Us With Exercise!

Hey there, it’s me, Savannah again. Remember me? I am Kelly’s tri-colored Cavalier. I’m the, (chokes once) bigger one who sounds more like Scooby Doo. Now do you remember? Well, I just came back to tell you all that Kelly and the Charmed One tried to kill us. And NO, I am not making that up. At all.

  They told us we should feel lucky that we got to go with them on their last trip, but I’m not quite sure. Ya see Kelly and the Charmed One took us to Savannah last week. They say we will live there one day, and that it will be good for us because we will walk a lot. (I think they are referring to my weight. Do you think that?) Oh well, anyways, back to the story.

  So we walked soon after we got there. It sprinkled a little, but it felt good because it was hot. I have adopted the Charmed One as my human, so we walk together. Alexis likes Kelly best so they hang with each other. We stopped at a couple of places. People like to look at us, pet us, and talk to us. After we got back I was exhausted.

  The next day we got up and went for another walk. But believe me when I tell you that we walked, and walked, and walked. This is when they tried to kill us. First we walked to a little café and had breakfast. I hid under a chair while Alexis laid in the middle of the sidewalk so people could goo goo gaga over her. She’s something else, but I love her. Then we walked down by the river and rested. Next we shopped. And then we walked some more. I laughed at Alexis as she bravely checked to make sure nothing was in the hole that would come out and get us. Honestly that was the first time I saw her do anything that closely resembled a dog like trait. But I do love her. We stopped many times and had many drinks, but in the end Alexis had to be carried back to the hotel. I am bigger and a little sturdier. I did not need such services. After we got back I was exhausted and fell fast asleep.

  The next day we were all rested up so we went for a ride. We ended up at a beach. We walked a little and Alexis got something in her paw. After more ogling the Charmed One found a bur in her pad. We finished up there and went to some old fort. It was neat. There were a lot of cannons, and even a moat. Alexis started to limp again. Love her I do! By the time we made it around the fort and back out she needed to be carried again. Bless her heart. Ya know, just once I would like to be carried. They took us back to the hotel where we passed out. Exhaustion doesn’t even begin to cover the feelings that came upon us.

  Finally we came back home to our lives of leisure. Alexis still complains about her feet hurting. I wish she would toughen up a little, but she is a self proclaimed Queen. Apparently she feels she needs to act like one in some way or another. I love her. So that is the story. Our humans tried to kill us with exercise. We are not looking forward to moving here.

  Have you ever worked your pet too hard? What kind of pet do you have? Is it a ball of energy or a little lazy? Do you like these blogs from the dog’s point of view? Or should I give them up?

W.P.I. - When making a new planting bed consider your animals. Make sure the plants you are putting into the landscape are pet friendly. Some plants have toxins in them. If your pet eats the plant it could cause serious damage to them. Other plants have thorns that may stick in your pet if they step on them or brush up against them. Make sure your gardens are pet friendly!

It's National What Day?

  I bet you didn’t know that yesterday was National Dog Day, did you? Honestly I didn’t until a couple of authors I follow on Facebook posted pics of their dogs and mentioned it. “Now there’s a blog subject,” I said to no one in particular. Well, they were listening, and clamored to get in front of the camera!

  It seems to me that the Bosses or Grandparents Day’s of the world are about long gone. Now, in reality they are not, but you don’t hear too much of them anymore. Today you hear about these entire National What (?) Days. They are crazy days that tends to make you wonder who made them all up. So I decided to make myself useful and search out this calendar of crazy days. I have picked out some of the funnier ones for each month to share with you. Most need no explanation. Others I couldn't help myself!

·         January 12- National Feast Of Fabulous Wild Men Day. (Oh the thoughts!)

·         January 14- National Dress Up Your Pet Day.

·         January 24- National Beer Can Appreciation Day.

·         February 23- National Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day.

·         February 27- National No Brainer Day. (Hmmm.)

·         March 8- National Be Nasty Day. (Some people need to be told that this is not an everyday thing!)

·         March 12- National Plant A Flower Day. (May be hard to do if there’s still snow on the ground!)

  April 17- National Blah, Blah, Blah Day. J

·         May 8- National No Socks Day.

·    May 9- National Lost Sock Memorial Day. (Coincidence? I don’t think so!)

·         June 3- National Repeat Day. (I said…it’s National Repeat Day!)

·         July 1- National Flash A Trucker Day. (I would suggest you do this at your own risk!)

·         August  5- National International Beer Day. 

·         August 16- National Rum Day.

·         August 30- National Marshmallow Day.

·         August 31- National Trail Mix Day. (Please don’t confuse the two, it could get messy!)

·         September 19- National Talk Like A Pirate Day. (Aye matey!)

·         September 23- National Dog In Politics Day. (Er… No comment!)

·         October 12- National Moment Of Frustration Day. (Really? I have daily occurrences of frustration!)

·         November 6- National Marooned Without A Compass Day. (Eek, that’s not good!)

·         December 12- National Ding-A-Ling Day. (No comment on this one either!)

  So, those are some that made me laugh, and I hope you did as well. Kudos to whoever came up with them. They are a very good source of entertainment!

Did you like them? Have you ever come up with any National Something Day’s you would like to celebrate? Care to share?

On a personal note I think March 28 should be National Cherish Reba McEntire Day. (That day is our birthday J)

Rising From The Ashes

  The crackle of burning twigs and hot ashes can be mesmerizing. The scent of the fire hangs on your clothes long after the burning ambers have faded from orange red to gray. Whether you’re sitting around watching a campfire outdoors or reading a book in front of a beautiful fireplace inside, the wonderment of fire can stimulate the senses in every way. I can stare at the ever changing flames of a fire for quite some time. It fascinates me, but I respect it. I won’t lie either. Fire scares me.

  This past summer I read my first book by author Barbara O’Neal (aka Barbara Samuel also.) Barbara is a wonderful writer who has an exceptional way of telling a story. I don’t know if I have ever read a writer who is as descriptive as she is. I actually instantly felt a little bond with Miss Samuel because she has a deep love and compassion for gardening. As a matter of fact the first book I read by her was named The Garden of Happy Endings. (It had Kelly’s name written all over it!) I quickly fell in love with her and started to follow her a little more closely.

   What does one have to do with the other you ask? Miss Samuel lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She wrote a blog a while back about the wildfire burning in Waldo Canyon, not far from where she lives. Every day this fire burned both hurt my heart and opened my eyes. I have never had to live with devastation like that. I have been lucky in that I have not had to deal with tornadoes, hurricanes, or anything major. I do recall a blizzard though. Anyways, the wildfire hopefully reminded us all about how quickly fire can take over, and how little we can do but hope and pray the damage and loss will be minimal.

  Below is a link to Miss Samuel’s blog, A Writer Afoot. I ask you to go there, scroll down and read Colorado Springs on Fire, and then scroll back up to read her blog, Life Returns, Another Photo and Essay about the Waldo Canyon Fire. I hate to be the type of person to tell you what to do, but Miss Samuel’s writing is touching. It is hard for me, being hundreds of miles away, to realize what happens during a horrible event like that. Please go to Barbara’s blog! The Life Returns blog she wrote prompted me to write this. It touched me in a way I cannot explain.

http://www.barbarasamuel.com/blog/

  This summer Miss Samuel/O'Neal has wound her way into my heart. I just finished another book by her bringing the total to three in about a two month span. Miss Samuel just won a coveted RITA award (HUGE award in the writing world!) for the book How to Bake a Perfect Life. That one is next on my list. She was also inducted into the Romance Writers Hall of Fame. She writes Romance and Women’s Fiction. Give her a try sometime! Miss Barbara has a beautiful heart and soul that shines throughout her words.

  Have you ever had to live with the destruction of fire? What is the worst weather induced destruction you have lived through? Have you read Barbara’s work? Do you plan on it now?

W.P.I. - Many of our native trees, shrubs, forbs and grasses have some mechanism of coping with fire. Some will grow new leaves or needles; others will resprout from their roots while others have fire resistant seeds that will sprout following a fire. Much of the response will depend on the intensity (how hot) and duration (how long) of the fire. Certain species will take longer to show any life, but in due time life will emerge from the ashes.

That Time Of The Year

So yes, I have declared Reba McEntire to be my ultimate favorite of everything. I can’t help it. It is like we are secret sisters…or something! No, obviously and sadly we’re not, but it is a thought that crosses my mind and brings a smile to my face sometimes! Why am I talking about this? Because maybe I am talking about another favorite today too. What is it? I’ll get to it, hold your horses.

  The kids are heading back to school soon, if they haven’t yet already where you live. That means one thing…our favorite shows will be back on! Reba has a new one coming out on ABC. I am not very enthusiastic about it because every show I like on that station seems to get cut. *sigh* But, its Reba! If anyone can do it, she can. Football season is starting. I like football too. My favorite though is hockey. THAT is what I am ecstatic over. Hockey season soon follows new shows and football. I cannot wait. What is that? You don’t know hockey, or follow it? Say it isn't so! Maybe with a little persuasion from me you might change your mind. See, my second book is about a hockey player. So I had to do a little…er…research. 

  Sometimes a nice picture or two helps to describe certain attributes of a character. Hey, it's always nice to have a picture to reference back to, right? Well, let me show you instead of telling! If you don’t become a hockey fan by the end of this then there’s no help for you!

 Did it work? Did that interest you to at least watch a game? Do you follow any sports? What interests you? Can you see why I LOVE to write?

Stop,Thief!

  I have worn many hats in my life. No, I’m not talking about cowboy or baseball hats either. I am talking about jobs. To say I’ve had a few would be an understatement. Sometimes I had even considered myself a wanderer of the employment world. I truly wish I was one of those people who knew what they wanted to do since they were twelve. But I wasn’t. I wandered, and actually, I’m not really sad that I did. I took a piece of every job with me, which is cool in a way because I can relate back to those experiences if I needed to for say, a book, or a…blog.

  So one stepping stone on my way to writing (heh J) was a security officer stint. I wasn’t just any security officer though. I was an armed one! The company I worked for had a contract with a huge discount store. This store had everything from perfume to cigarettes, and we watched over it all. It always amazed me what people stole, or attempted to steal. Cigarettes were a high theft item. We would catch people stealing one, one pack, one carton, or more. I even caught an older lady attempting to steal a tube of lipstick. It always amazed me what people tried to get away with. Actually, when I sat back and thought about it I always got a little sad. It is sad to me that people have to resort to that sort of thing.

  If you follow me regularly then you know that a couple of months ago I got chosen to sit on a jury. The defendant had been accused of stealing forty seven boat batteries. You read that right, forty seven. *smh* Long story short he was found guilty. Yet once again I felt a slight bit of empathy toward the defendant. I don’t know why.

  Jump forward to this week. I got a nice email from my bank stating my debit card had been compromised. I scratched my head. Immediately I got online and went to my bank expecting to see nothing left in my account. To my surprise everything was kosher. All transactions I made were showing, and no questionable ones were to be found. Phew. Catastrophe avoided, right? Wrong. Within an hour my lovely bank called me stating the card was compromised and they would have to close the card out. Now my red headed roots started to make my blood boil a little. They went through all the recent transactions, which were not made by anyone but me. Still, they had to close the card out. I understand and should be thankful that they were being safe. But I’m not. I’m a little mad still. See, this is my luck. We are leaving for a little get away Saturday. The Charmed One has a big birthday on Monday, and well, you can see where this is going. Yes I have credit cards, but I don’t like to use them. I personally hate writing a check. Oh, and what is that four letter word...cash? I hate to use that too, rather I hate to carry a large amount with me. So now I have to make time to go to the bank and get a temporary card. Can you see my frustration? I can’t even feel empathy toward any person because I don’t know if my card was actually compromised or if it was because I used it more than normal. It possibly could be my own doing. :-| Either way it has me pulling my hair out.

  So you can see how my stepping stone with a security job has led me to at least this blog! I hope I don’t have to reach back and grab anymore from it again!

  Has someone ever stolen your credit or debit card information? Have you had any quirky things happen before you took a trip somewhere? Are you a career person, or have you had a few jobs?

W.P.I. -   Proper placement of shrubs is critical for your enjoyment and their long-term survival. Before planting your shrub, consider the shrub's mature size. When the shrub nears maturity, will it be too close to your house or other structures? Be considerate of your neighbors as well!

Catching My Eye

    I have been experiencing some good and bad lately. My bet is that most of you could probably say that. I’m hoping that your good outweighs the bad. If it hasn't then maybe this one will at least take you out of bad and into good for just a little bit. At least I hope it does. 

  I will start with some good. I have been able to get some half way decent pictures of some of my favorite summertime things. I put a hummingbird feeder outside of my living room window. Now, I should have been thinking and used a newer feeder, but I didn’t expect to find myself standing at the window trying to get a picture of one of my favorite feathered friends. So here are a couple…

  The other day I was walking in the yard and something in the grass caught my eye. It was white. Curiosity got the best of me so I bent down to pick it up. I quickly pulled my hand away from it. After another minute I decided to become a little braver. I thought what a good picture it would be for some of my friends. So up on Facebook it went. Then, for some crazy reason I thought you all might like to see it too. No your eyes aren’t deceiving you, it really is that big.

  Something else kept on distracting me. It seemed that every time I sat down to type I would see something out of the corner of my eye. Finally I let myself take the time to figure out what it was. It was this beauty! I love butterflies, and this one was friendly. It did not care at all that I sat on the ledge of the deck and snapped picture after picture. At one point it even almost landed on me. I felt its wings tickle my cheek. Isn’t it purdy?

  Do you see a pattern of a good story, and then a bad one right after? Well, here’s another bad (more like wacky) one. Just a couple of nights ago I sat in my recliner typing away when the strangest look appeared on the Charmed One’s face. It was a look between horror and wonder, if you can imagine that. When the Charmed One told me to look what was crawling up the screen I nearly let out a scream. What the??? I don’t know either, but all monstrous bugs have decided to descend upon us over the last week. Lucky us!

  Had enough bug stories? Me too. I am going to shake it up a little. I’ll tell you another bad, but end it with a good one. Always end with a good story! Come on, I am a happily ever after sort of girl! Okay, the bad. I bought a book on my ereader. I was going to start reading it, but saw it was almost 1500 pages long. Sheesh. I started reading it anyways. It was a pretty good book, and the reading went fast. Before I knew it I was on page eight hundred and something. It seemed like the end of the book was coming up, and I thought, “It can’t be.” Well, it was. It just stopped. The end. The rest of the pages were all previews to other books by that author. That has been the first book that I have read in ages that I would not recommend. On the upside I have read some other great books. I have read All Summer Long by Susan Mallery, Exposure by Susan Andersen, Secrets of the Lost Summer by Carla Neggers, Last Summer by Holly Chamberlin, True Colors by Kristin Hannah, Lucky in Love and At Last by Jill Shalvis, and The Garden of Happy Endings and The Secret of Everything by Barbara O’Neal. All of these were great reads that I would highly recommend. They were all great escapes! I could only hope that one day someone may like my books as much as I liked these.

Has anything caught your eye lately? Did it end up being a good or bad thing? When is the last time you read a book you didn’t like? What’s the last book(s) you read?   

eCard Mania

  Years and years ago the rock band Tesla remade a song. The songs name was ‘Signs.’ Do you remember it? It talked about wherever you go there are signs. Apparently these signs blocked the view, and told you what to do, etc. Come on, you remember, right? Today I think that song could be remade. Instead of the word signs we could use the word ecard.

  Yes I’m on Facebook, and I am on Pinterest as well. Every day I am overwhelmed with how many ecards there are out there. I just posted one on Facebook before I started to type this. Usually when there is so much of one thing out there I will tend to not like it, because it gets overused. I have not really got to that point yet with these…ecards. Let’s face it, that hasn’t happened yet because there are like a million of them out there. Some are in good taste, some…not so much. So today I am going to be a little short on words, but heavy on ecards that make me laugh, and hopefully they do you too! 

                                  

                                               With apologies to some friends and family...

                                                 Or how about...

There are also some non ecards that make me smile too...

Or...

  Okay, so I had a ton of fun with this one! I hope that you enjoyed it as well.

If you are on Pinterest or Facebook are you tired of seeing these signs? If you could make a sign what would it say? (Keep it clean, please!) How long do you think this trend will last? What is the funniest one that you have seen?

W.P.I.- Herbs are generally best used freshly gathered. Intensity varies considerably, so only use a little at a time to begin with. Leaves are not the only parts that can be eaten whole or added to dishes as a seasoning. Many flowers have a unique and subtle piquancy while roots and stems are prepared in many inventive ways. Try nasturtium petals in a salad or horseradish sauce, but always remember to only eat herbs that you can positively identify as an edible variety.

Downsizing The Past

  It is an ever so popular word used today. Most people cringe when they hear it, but I am going to use it in a fun way. The word is downsizing. Now I am not talking about it in a job sense. I am talking about it in an I-refuse-to-be-thought-of-as-a-hoarder sense!

  That’s right, I am downsizing. I have things that I have had for years and years. Will I ever use them again? Probably not. But they keep on being moved from place to place, collecting dust everywhere they go, and it’s time to say goodbye. Sadly, I just moved two years ago, and didn’t do it then. So one might ask, “Why now?” Well, I have a little more time now, and I’m preparing myself because our new digs in Savannah will most likely be smaller than what we have now. What kind of “things” am I talking about? Thanks for askin! Let me tell ya!

  Many, many moons ago I was a licensed massage therapist in New York state. So needless to say I purchased a massage table. Even though I haven’t practiced massage therapy in years I still lug that table with me every time I move. If you’ve never been fortunate enough to receive a massage let me say that massage tables are not small. They are rather large, and tend to take up some room. Last week I posted it on Craigslist. Last week I sold it! Yes, one item off the list.

  One time I went through a big country music phase. It was the line dancing every Friday and Saturday nights sort of stage. Of course I had to have the correct apparel. I had the jeans, and a few nice shirts. A lovely man I was dating bought me a beautiful cowboy hat. Sadly I thought it was too nice to wear to most places we went. It stayed in its box for years. I have long since moved on from that relationship, but that hat remained with me. I sold that this weekend too! One more “thing” taken off the list!

  The next one is tough. I feel like each and every one of these is a child of mine. It will be very hard to get rid of them. I am talking books. I have so many books that I have read throughout the years that I have held onto. Now I need to say goodbye. So this week I will go to the local library and see if they would like any of them. I feel happier just thinking it is one more step toward Savannah!

  So it wasn’t that bad was it? Downsizing my way has become prosperous, and fun!

Have you had to deal with downsizing lately? Was it a voluntary downsize or no? Have you thinned out your belongings recently? What is the best thing you’ve let go of?

The Tastes Of Home

  Morning came. Being only half awake I stumbled to the coffee maker. Sleepily I eyeballed the water and put in a filter. Then, sadly, I screamed when I went to measure out the coffee. We were almost out of it. Melodramatic much? Sometimes. But this was not one of those times. You see, some people like Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, which can be found pretty much anywhere these days. Not us, NO! We have to be absolutely addicted to Tim Horton’s coffee. Supersadly, Tim Horton’s is found in some northern states, and Canada. Not in North Carolina.

  I admit there are things I miss from where I used to live. Mostly I miss family and friends. Then I miss the food. Don’t get me wrong there are some good foods here in the south, but I was born and raised on these particular tastes from home. Sadly we are about out of all of our provisions. An emergency trip may be in the works.

  I would just have my mom ship us more coffee if that was all we needed. I know, you are probably thinking, how much good food does Buffalo, NY have to offer? Let me tell you. TONS. Obviously Buffalo is known for chicken wings. They also have some other great dishes like Beef on Weck, and Pizza. Restaurants also offer up some great fish fry’s.

  Of course we can’t get those things. The supplies we need are Chiavetta’s barbeque sauce, Bison Chip Dip, Weber’s Mustard, Miller’s Horseradish, and pure maple syrup. We need coffee, and we need real hot dogs, sausage and peirogi. *Sigh* I’m getting hungry all over again just typing this! (Hey, don’t judge!)

  There are a couple of other things that we need that aren’t on the market either. My mother makes some awesome pickles. We are down to our last jar. She also makes a killer chili sauce. We just so happen to be on the last jar of that too. L Think we’re in trouble or what?

  It’s funny how much food we actually bring home from…home. I have to see if anyone within our families is planning a trip. If not you’ll find us cruising up to the western portion of New York in the next couple of weeks. Supplies are needed. Heaven forbid that Kelly be without her coffee! Nobody will want to be around her then!

  Is there any product that you can’t do without? Are there any certain foods that your city/town is known for?

W.P.I. - If you plant the same vegetables in the same spot every year, disease can build up and be ready before your plants have much of a chance. Keep the element of surprise against your disease foes and try to plant your crops in different parts of the garden each year.

Because many closely related plants are affected by the same diseases, avoid planting them where their relatives were the year or two before. Two of the biggest families are the tomato family (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and eggplant) and the squash family (squash, pumpkin, cucumber, watermelon).