EGGS

Dyed

"Dyed"

I woke up this morning with parts of a song playing in my head, except I can't place it. I think it might be the Go-Go's and I think the song goes like "breeeeahhhhthing, breathing is free." and it just repeats that line over and over. But when I googled those lyrics, Google had no idea what I was talking about. I mean it had some idea because it brought up 80s songs like "Take my Breath Away" and "Breathe Free" by Ariana Grande. There were lots of links to a yoga breathing studio. So I have no idea what the song is. Those probably aren't even the real lyrics, but some misunderstood interpretation of what I think the lyrics are. I know the tune is for real though. I just do. I'm listening to the Go-Go's now, searching for that song, and I may have to make them my band of the year even though they've been around for some time. Old is new.

So, how was everyone's Easter weekend? Full of jelly beans and Cadberry eggs? Full of eggs? I think Randy and I tied for most deviled eggs eaten in one day. I'm also sure that I had my fill of Betty Crocker circa 1950 recipes. There's still some pistachio salad and strawberry fizz pie in the refrigerator. The Cabbage ate pretty much nothing but candy on Saturday with a few tomatoes and maybe some corn. We dyed eggs. We hid eggs. We found eggs. Then we came home and I made quiche for dinner. No lie. The only one of us who didn't eat eggs was Josephine. She ate a hamburger. The Cabbage got a happy meal when we stopped at the big overpass road stop near Vinita. She ate everything but the hamburger and three fries. Well, she ate four bites of the hamburger until she realized there was something green on it (a pickle) and then stopped eating it. We stopped for an early dinner some where on 71 and left Josephine in the car. When we came out Josephine was sitting right where I'd left her, but now full of hamburger and french fries. She even ate the pickle. 

Josephine probably had the most fun of all of us this weekend. She had a kitten to play with and cat toys. That ball on a string attached to a scratching post is the MOST fun. There were two little dogs that wanted nothing to do with her, but didn't stop her from trying. Cindy and Terry brought Bella over (Josephine's sister) on Saturday night and the two of them played and bickered and played. At one point Michael looked down at the two dogs and then at me and said "do we need to get another dog?" We are not getting another dog, but I was pretty pleased with Josephine's behavior. She scratched at the door when she needed to go out. She did not steal any socks or chew up something she wasn't supposed to be chewing on and she got along very well with the other animals. I feel that Josephine earned her McDonald's hamburger, pickle and all. 

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Today's puppy pic

"Today's puppy pic"

Our dog is a genius. Well...maybe genius isn't the right word. More like OCD. I started out with doing a terrible job at crate training during the night. The idea was that she'd go to bed when I go to bed. The first night, she sort of zonked out in my lap and so I was able to easily scoop her up and into the crate. She fell right back to sleep. No problem. Then she woke up around midnight whimpering. I took her out to go potty and when we came back in, I put her back in her crate. Where she cried. And cried. And cried. I know the rules of this game is to let her cry it out, but this was her first night without any litter mates or other dogs. She was alone in her crate and I just kept thinking about that scene in Big where Tom Hanks has to sleep in that scary motel all by himself. I broke. Josephine ended up in my bed that night and the next night. 

So there were two nights where I woke up with a dog sleeping across my neck or I was being chewed on. The third night of this routine was the same night that a cough had decided to add itself to this lingering flu funk. I got up and took her out around midnight and then brought her back to bed with me. Except Josephine was all "PLAY TIME!" and with me cough cough coughing, I said "No thank you." I put her back in her crate. She whined for a minute and then I didn't hear a peep out of her. Wednesday night, Josephine was running around the house while Michael and I got things like our lunches together for the next day. I went into the bedroom to find her and tell her that it was time for bed, but I didn't see her. Then I looked and she was already in her crate laying on her bed. She put herself to bed. That's not even the best part. She stayed in bed all night. No midnight potty run or nothing. 

We're still working on the whole potty training thing. The few times she's had an accident in the house have been times that we were not really paying attention. The other morning I was washing dishes when I heard her whining. I ignored it because she'd just been outside and had done all of the things not twenty minutes earlier. When I finally went to check on her, she'd pooped on the floor. My bad. I did not scold her, but I scolded myself for not listening. I am thankful that she is picking up the routine so quickly. I think she may be a smart little cookie. A smart bitey little cookie. I am thankful that she hasn't introduced as much chaos as I had thought a new puppy would. I am thankful for her warm soft cuddles and her puppy breath and I'm thankful for the playfulness she's brought to this house. She will attack a leaf like nobodies business.

I am thankful for the day this week that was 70 degrees even though I was still to yucky to ride my scooter. I am thankful that I am (slowly) recovering. I am thankful for chili cheese perogies. I am thankful for that night this week when I realized I needed cough drops and Michael had already put his pj pants on, but he volunteered to go get me some any way. And of course, as always, I am truly thankful for all of you. Here's to a super (bowl) weekend and a fantastic Thankful Friday!

MADAME JOSEPHINE BOISDECHENE CLOFULLA

Josephine. Get ready for the onslaught of puppy pics

"Josephine. Get ready for the onslaught of puppy pics"

I was going to tell you all about how the flu has hit this house hard. I've been down with it since Wednesday and I'm just now starting to feel like a normal human being again, one who has to blow their nose all the time. But that's boring. Plus everyone has had or has the flu right now. That's what the flu does. You make all these new year resolutions and BAM! the flu steps in to give you a nice big road block. Instead I'd like to tell you about the newest member of our household. 

I know it hasn't really been a secret if you have been paying attention on facebook. I've been leery to write about it though until we actually had her in our home. A few months back, our friend Amber posted pictures of a litter of new born pups and I impulsively said that I wanted one. Turned out they were registered mini schnauzer puppies and I couldn't justify spending that kind of money and then there was the guilt of not rescuing a pup from the pound. But then my sister-in-law pipped up and with my mom pitched in for my birthday. When I texted Michael about getting one, he never really said yes or no. Instead he asked "what are you going to name your bearded lady?" Then he came up with a list of famous bearded ladies. 

That's when I knew he was hooked. I've been looking and pining over dogs for some time now, but Michael seemed less than enthusiastic. He started to come around a little, but put some rules in place. The dog had to be small and not a shedder. I would have to be sure that the dog is well behaved and didn't get on the furniture. Blah blah blah. You and I know that I will make sure the dog is well behaved, but she's totally allowed on the couch. How else is she going to lay in my lap while I shower her with love? I knew he was buckling when he suggested the name. When I visited the puppies in December, I sent Michael a picture. His reply was "bring her home!" I figured I had him, but I still had my doubts. Then came the weekend we were finally supposed to bring her home. Michael had to travel to Oklahoma without me because of the whole flu thing. He acted like he was on a quest to bring me a puppy. Katrina sent me picture of Michael holding the puppy. I asked her if she thought he liked her. She replied that he hadn't put her down since he got there. He was hooked. 

So we've named her Madame Josephine Boisdechene Clofulla. Josephine for short. Phiney for even shorter. The original Josephine was a famous bearded lady of the 1800s. She gained a lot of fame for fashioning her beard in the style of Napoleon III. Annie Jones was another contender, but Dad had a loyal pup named Annie. I'll leave that name with her. I'm super excited and smitten with Josephine, but I'm also pretty nervous about having a puppy. The last puppy, I mean tiny never had a previous almost forever home puppy, was when I was nine. Odie was a Christmas present and our efforts to potty train him proved futile. He got relegated to outside dog after one too many accidents on Mom's hard wood floors. That and he chewed up the rungs of Mom's dinning room table. His adorable sad beagle eyes couldn't even save him then. 

I keep reminding myself that I did eventual do obedience training with Odie and we were grand champions three years in a row at the Tulsa State Fair dog show. I have the skills locked away in here somewhere to train a dog. I did teach Hooper to sit and lay down. He came to us pre-programmed, so I didn't do much more than that. Josephine is a clean slate and there's a need to get this right early on without turning into a crazy dog lady. One of the dog trainer's in our obedience class when I was a kid kept chopped up hotdogs in her cheeks to spit down to her dog as a reward. I will not be doing that and I will not be training our little Phiney to be a show dog. I will teach her to be a kind, loving and mindful little dog. We will teach her that she is now part of our family.

Welcome Josephine!