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In their own way, each of my boys chose to sleep in the laundry.
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My bed is better, but socks will do in a pinch.
Memories
Ick. Another Tick
It’s tough to take a picture of the back of your leg.
About 3 1/2 weeks ago I was bitten by a tick. Since then the bite has been itchy and red like a huge mosquito bite. I feel sure I’m fine because I got the tick off minutes after it attached, but still, it’s miserable.
It makes me wonder. Back when I was bitten by a tick and developed Lyme Disease, how on earth did I miss something this big and red and itchy? I never suspected I had the disease because I was unaware I’d been used as a dinner service by a gross insect.
Just keep that thing away from me, will ya? Dogs really don’t like the “T” word.
Even Fake Bunnies Are Naughty
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Look what that stupid “rabbit” did to my mulch. Harrumph. – Murphy
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I thought it was rain that brought out the Electric Mustard Mulch Puke (Dog Barf Fungus), but it turned out that it needs heat to really bloom. Like most of the country we’ve had more than our share of that this week. Fortunately Murphy doesn’t show much of an interest in the fungus. (I know a certain other pup who would have tempted fate by tasting it.)
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A good way to spend these miserably hot days of summer is to stay indoors reading Dream Our World! (Plus, proceeds help Murphy’s Biscuit Fund.)
Inside, Geordie and Toby view the world of art from a canine perspective while enjoying a day of unsupervised fun. There are a lot of hidden stories inside Dream Our World, and it is a joy for all ages. Treat yourself to a summer read that is both fun and educational!
Dream Our World, and other fine gifts, are available from my shop at L Bowman Studios.
One Thing Each Day / What Was I Thinking?!
A neighbor contributed a few of the donations in this collection.
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While going through my stored items, I found a few that really left me scratching my head.
One was a collection of plaster dental molds – the type the dentist does when you have a crown made. I must have had at least six sets. What on earth possessed me to put these old molds into a box – inside another box – in storage?
In a different container I found a plastic sandwich bag filled with periwinkle shells. They weren’t even in very good condition. Why on earth did I think I should save them?
I found an old letter from someone I don’t even remember. I also found one – only one – paper Chinese lantern cover. It looked as if it were made to be hung around a Christmas light-sized bulb. What? Was I planning to have a very small outdoor party someday?
While I’ve rid myself of these embarrassments, I wonder what I am hoarding now that will make me cringe years later.
As long as you are hoarding biscuits, I say it is time well spent.
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Another good way to spend your time is reading Dream Our World! (Plus, proceeds help Murphy’s Biscuit Fund.)
Inside, Geordie and Toby view the world of art from a canine perspective while enjoying a day of unsupervised fun. There are a lot of hidden gems inside Dream Our World, and it is a joy for all ages. Treat yourself to a summer read that is both fun and educational!
Dream Our World, and other fine gifts, are available from my shop at L Bowman Studios.
We Had To Take Murphy To A Farm
Don’t worry. He’s fine! (I think of Brian from Family Guy yelling at the family, “You never joke about that with a dog!!”)
My mom and I wanted to get some bedding plants, and the local greenhouse is on a farm. As far as I know this is the first time Murphy has ever been to one. He was particularly captivated by the lambs. The seemed equally happy to see him.
For the first time since I’ve known him, Murphy wasn’t eager to get back in the car.
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Well, it did smell pretty awesome there…kind of like pre-mutton.
The Grass
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Forecasters were predicting two weeks of rain with one, brief, dry afternoon in the middle. I got home from work on the middle day and ran outside to deal with the lawn before the next round of storms came. But what should occur – like a kick to the a** – but a mower that refused to cut any grass.
I spent hours on the phone with the mower company because it was under warranty. They agreed it was faulty battery and said they would send a new one. The only problem is that they send at their own speed – not the speed of well-watered weeds growing in springtime. All I had access to was a string trimmer, so I went out and cut a path for poor Murphy like the one I shoveled for him in the snow in winter.
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I don’t like the tall grass. Can I poop in the house?
(Murphy really did pull me over to the neighbor’s well-manicured lawn to do his business whenever anyone wasn’t looking.)
The sad thing is that we’ve had droughts the past two summers, so the mower barely got used. With 90% of the cost of a mower being the battery, this seems like a lousy deal.
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Come see what my other boys have been up to in Dream Our World. Inside Dream Our World, Bitey and Toby visit the museum of their dreams, view the world or art from a canine perspective and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.
Dream Our World and other fine gifts are available from my shop at L Bowman Studios.
Willis-Ekbom
Willis-Ekbom Disease: a neurological disorder that causes neurons to misfire in the brain. Sounds impressive. What else is it called? Restless Leg Syndrome. *rolls eyes*
Sometime in the past I’d been told that Restless Leg Syndrome was one of those made up things like “Chronic Fatigue” that lazy people use as an excuse for their lack of accomplishments. (Ha! They’re both real.) I was surprised when I found out it is an actual medical condition with a respectable-sounding name. Anywhere from 5-15% of people have it, but largely it is an old Caucasian lady problem. (Of course.)
I have closer to the whole body type. Yes, it can affect not only the legs but the arms, torso and head as well. For me this stupid condition likes to show up at the same time every night and hang around for about 90 minutes. My choice is to stay awake until after it passes or let it wake me up after about 2 hours sleep. While some articles say that it won’t shorten your lifespan, others say that consistent lack of sleep can cause a host of other problems and THEY can shorten your lifespan.
What causes it? No one is really sure, but they suspect low iron levels in the brain (even if the blood tests normal), low dopamine levels or inadequate blood flow. The good news is that it gets worse as you age!
Hey, wait a minute….
Kick all you want. I like sleeping in my own bed better.
The Blackout
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What a week it’s been. One evening a neighbor calls and tells me a bear was spotted at a bird feeder two streets away, the next we are hit by an SLW (tornado that doesn’t spin) that knocks the power out. We didn’t realize it at the time, but large parts of two counties were left without power too.
Thanks to one of the fun fits my body goes through, I hadn’t eaten for about three days before the storm. I was just starting to feel hungry again and was about to put dinner in the oven when the power went out. It was only off for a couple of days, but for Murphy and me, it felt like an eternity.
When the power goes out, you don’t open the fridge/freezer because you don’t know how long the outage will last. Poor Murphy had to do without the pumpkin and green beans he normally gets with is meals. And no “last bites” from mommy’s meals. In Doggy World, this was a terrible week that will go down in infamy.
I’m so sad…and so hungry…
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(Despite his claims of hunger, Murphy refused to eat – or even chase – the rabbit or the robin that were right outside the front door.)
How Childhood Games Prepare Us For Adulthood
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Would you rather we play Red Rover?
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Spring is right around the corner! Soon flowers and butterflies will be everywhere. Bring some of that springtime joy into your home with this handmade Butterfly Quilt.
A handmade Butterfly Quilt would brighten your guest bedroom with a patchwork look reminiscent of the quilts Grandma used to make. The soft, cozy quilt would welcome your guests and help them to feel at home.
Handmade Butterfly Quilt, and other fine gifts, are available from my shop at L Bowman Studios.
Fresh Hell, Revisited
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(The original “Fresh Hell” post, in case you’re interested.) What can I say? Life just keeps getting better and better!
Maybe if I don’t look at her no one will realize we’re together.
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I read recently that journaling is a great way to improve mental health. I’ve always considered Bitey Dog to be my journal, so I thought this would be a nice excuse to play online more. However….yesterday it took my PC an hour and a half to do computer-slowing scans, and by the time it was done I no longer had time to work. Today stupid Windows Updates stole over two hours from me before I could sit down to journal. I talked to a friend this week who had to make four phone calls to four different representatives to re-schedule a charitable donation pickup. If someone really wants to help us with mental health, make effing things work right the first time!!! Sheesh.
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Spring is right around the corner! Soon flowers and butterflies will be everywhere. Bring some of that springtime joy into your home with this handmade Butterfly Quilt.
A handmade Butterfly Quilt would brighten your guest bedroom with a patchwork look reminiscent of the quilts Grandma used to make. The soft, cozy quilt would welcome your guests and help them to feel at home.
Handmade Butterfly Quilt, and other fine gifts, are available from my shop at L Bowman Studios.
The Adventures of Bitey Dog 