Dogs
If diamonds are a girl's best friend and dogs are man's best friend then I think I will be going to Target to buy Old Spice, tighty-whiteys, and some beef jerky to convert to the other side. I love my dog.
I grew up as a cat person. I still love cats but alas, my hubster, Tommy, is allergic to them. I tried to convince him to start getting allergy shots and it was a no-go. I miss having a cat terribly, but I live vicariously through another person's blog I read, and she has like ten cats.
When I was in high school my parents invited two dogs, Boxers, to live in our home. Being the self-absorbed socialite that I was, I did not have time for those slobbering fools. At the time, they were simply a nuisance. They were vile creatures who would chew my underwear and socks if I left them laying around. Of course, I was way too busy to pick up my dirty clothes.
So, I was never a dog person. I didn't hate dogs, nor was I afraid of them. I just always thought they were stinky and germ infested. If a dog got close enough and somehow licked my hand or my leg, it really grossed me out. Cats on the other hand, they never bother you much without being asked and they self-clean. Nevermind that some of that cleaning usually involves the nether-region, they don't stink.
Since Tommy is unwilling to live with red eyes, a swollen face, and a closed airway (Can you believe that? All the things I sacrifice for him!) we agreed to get a dog someday. I had one stipulation, that I be in on the dog selection process and he not show up out of the blue with a yap dog or a Great Dane. Two years ago, we decided it was time to look for a puppy.
I visited the Humane Society (heartbreaking) and I saw a little freckled puppy named Speck. Speck would not come to the front of the cage but sat in the back with a sad look on her face. I took Tommy back the next day and she was gone! I asked, and they had taken her to a Feeders Supply in Indiana. We traveled over the river and she had just arrived. My husband is pretty much a sucker for any dog, so he immediately fell in love.
She was such a cute puppy. Unfortunately, all my pics from that time are on my old phone and I haven't yet figured out how to retrieve them. We went through a few names and eventually settled on Bowie. First, because her little legs were bowed out (I think from the cages). Second, because T. is a huge David Bowie fan.
It has been two years since we brought her home. As far as basics go, she has been a great dog. She never really chewed much, she was essentially potty trained, and she minds us well. Her bad side is she only minds us inside the house. Outside, she becomes feral and goes bezerko! Also, she is a jumper. Jumping on people is my second biggest dog pet peeve after barking. I have tried and tried and still try and she can't get it through her thick skull.
Aside from that, she is such a joy. She's smart and playful and sweet. She loves to go for walks and on car rides. When it's time for bed, she runs up the stairs, jumps on the bed, lays down and is asleep in minutes. YES, we let the dog sleep in the bed. I may wake up covered in dog hair but she loves it so much and the sheets can be changed.
She keeps T. company while I'm at work. When I work three nights in a row, the first night I am off, she is attached to my hip. It's like she missed me and she's especially lovable. I take her on walks and I'm usually the one who gives her treats, so if I move a muscle, she is right there. One of my favorite things about Bowie is she loves to stretch out on her back more than any dog I've ever known. She's so cute when she does it. You have to rub her pink belly.
I know everything I've said could be applied to almost any dog. The difference is she's my dog. I never knew the love of a dog, and now I do. My eyes well up with tears when I think about the fact that she won't live forever. I can't bear to think of it. I can no longer watch the commercials where they show the dogs in cages. You know the one. The one with the Sarah McLachlin song. Gut wrenching! So here are a few pictures of the second love of my life:
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Bathrooms
My house is a great house with good bones but it's very outdated. When I tell people everything in it is from the sixties and seventies they say, "Oh, but retro is in!" To which I reply, "I know, but it's not retro cool. It's retro grandma." It is, but I love my house and I am thankful to have it. Lately though, everything is starting to go wrong. I think that's how life goes. Your dryer breaks, then your oven quits working, and you just pray that the air conditioner makes it one more summer.
So, the hall bath decided it was time to go on strike. The grout in the shower was cracked and had gaping holes and the hideous medicine cabinet went on the fritz. When I say hideous, I mean it. Here's a pic (this is the same one in another bathroom):
The lights for the bathroom were on the medicine cabinet and so was the only electrical outlet. It was time for a makeover. I spent four days removing wallpaper with orange and green flowers, removing the wallpaper backing that would not come off with it, washing off the glue, taping, priming, painting, shopping for lighting, wall plates, a cabinet, and a mirror. I am thrilled with the result! It's kinda plain and I need one more picture to hang by the light switch. I had to paint the frame of the mirror I bought and the paint peeled off the edges so I will have to replace it but it's great for a four day frugal re-do!
The pictures on the wall are music related pictures for Tommy. The big one is a picture of John and Yoko. The others are Hendrix, The Stones, Grateful Dead and The Allman Brothers. They were my little surprise for him. He loved it!
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Movies
I wrote a post about songs you can't get out of your head. This one is about movies you watch every time they're on TV. I have a few that are worthy of repetition, like Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Sophie's Choice, The Sound of Music. We all watch The Sound of Music. But I like the movies that kinda suck or are sort of stupid but you're driven to watch them anyway.
For instance, Point Break. The acting in this movie is hideous. Keanu Reeves has got to be one of the worst actors to ever clumsily grace the silver screen. Yet, it is oddly appealing. If I am channel surfing and it's on, I will watch it. Tommy agrees. I also have an unexplained, embarrassing affinity for She Devil. I know! It's horrid, right? Roseanne Barr? And what was Meryl Streep thinking? She is, in my opinion, the greatest actress of all time. How could she demean herself like that?
I know someone else who says they have to watch Tommy Boy and Problem Child. Problem Child? Even I have to turn my nose up at something.
So what is your movie? What are the ones that you just have to watch?
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