If you’d rather skip the adrenaline rush of white water rafting and instead enjoy a calm sunset at the beach, then consider purchasing this peaceful Lighthousepainting.
Memorial Day is just around the corner. That makes it a perfect time to show someone you care about your patriotic side with this Armed Forces Themed Quilt. Each block depicts an aspect of military life while the corner blocks show the human side of our soldiers.
I drew each picture for this quilt, then hand appliqued and hand embroidered every one. Even the quilting is done by hand. Gift this labor of love to someone you love!
This is so upsetting to me that I can barely type. I find that I use this blog as a way to keep track of incidents, though, so I am making an entry today.
When Toby and I go out these days, I take a can of Halt spray with us because several neighbors have been irresponsible about leaving their dogs out without leashes. One is a pit bull that is aggressive toward other dogs, and I have been afraid of having a run in. Instead we had an encounter with a different little dog that I have written about in the past.
Even though I am very frustrated that this family has been so irresponsible with their dog – to the point of endangering my own – I have tried to be kind. I can see that they adore their little dog, and the dog loves her family deeply. I’ve never said a bad thing about the family, and I have even defended the little dog to others. She is not a bad dog, she is a fearful dog, and her family is doing her no favors by not protecting her with a leash or fence.
When Toby and I got to the corner of the street where the little dog lives, we could see her in her front yard. I looked at Toby and said, ‘Let’s let the little dog enjoy her day outside. We’ll walk a different way.” We turned and went and were already on a different street when the dog saw us and came charging. If you’ve ever been present for a dog attack, you know the circling/growling/biting the aggressor does to disorient her prey. The victim dog has to keep spinning to protect his flank, and when he is turned around and dizzy the aggressor will either head butt him in the ribs to flip him on his back exposing his belly or she will jump on his back and bite him.
Not wanting Toby to be flipped and bitten, I tried to spray between the dogs so the aggressive girl wouldn’t want to come near him. Unfortunately the little girl dog lunged at Toby and got hit in the forehead. I felt so awful. I still feel so awful. I never wanted to hurt anyone. ..not this dog, not her family, nor did I want my own pup hurt.
As I figured would happen in a small community like this one, I am now the town pariah. I am the mean lady that hurts elderly dogs. Somehow folks never noticed the more than dozen times the little girl dog attacked my Toby. Somehow they ignore the other dog walkers in the neighborhood referring to her as “The Bad Dog on X Street” because she chases and bites their dogs. I have watched a neighbor with back problems painfully bend over to scoop up her senior Yorkie to keep her from being attacked yet again by this little girl dog.
Now Toby and I are on everyone’s poopy list, and I have a feeling that if we need help no one will help us or if we accidentally step out of line, everyone is going to be all over us. I feel bad for Toby. I haven’t taken him for a walk since the incident. He misses his friends and his exercise and doesn’t understand what is going on.
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Come visit with Geordie and Toby during happier times. In Dream Our World, they view the world of art from a canine perspective and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.
When my nephew was little, I got him one of these Hot Wheels Potty Cars. Recently I found out that they have become quite valuable. I wonder if my nephew kept his?
On a semi-related note, I found out that there is such a thing as a car potty. It is a camping toilet that can fit between the front and back seats of a car. You line it with a human-sized poopy bag and add a handful of kitty pine before using. Later you can dispose of the waste wherever waste is disposed of.
I talked to my neighbor about these, and she declared me “bat-sh*t crazy”. In this day and age, though, how crazy is it? I’ve read of people being afraid of using public rest stops because they feel unsafe. Some truck drivers have these rather than using truck stop restrooms. If you live in a house/apartment with one bathroom, having a backup might be nice because plumbing nearly always decides to break in the middle of the night over a holiday weekend. Living in your car? This solves at least one of your immediate problems.
In my family, intestinal disease runs rampant. Several relatives have had to have sections of their intestines removed. Hospital won’t discharge you until you’ve had a bowel movement, but there is no guarantee that more might need to come before you can get where you’re going. (Full control doesn’t come back for several weeks.) Set one of these up in the back of the car with a privacy blanket, and you might have a more confident drive home.
Even if your initial reaction to collapsible toilets is that they are a bizarre idea, now that you know about them, I bet you find yourself thinking about occasions when they might be useful.
Just knowing that I’ve caused you to think about pooping in your car brings joy to my day.
I’ll poop in your car.
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If you are interested in commissioning a pet portrait for yourself or a loved one, please visit the Pet Portrait page at L Bowman Studios.
I recently got a new garden tool. After using it a few times, I am not sure it can compete with my old one.
First, I try to pull a weed. / Toby is off in his own world.
Then he he stops in order to see what I am doing.
First the left paw…
Then the right…
Then get out of the way, mom, it’s Toby’s turn to work!
What was so interesting about this experience was that Toby watched which weeds I was digging up, then he sought them out and removed them himself. I don’t know if he meant to be helpful or if he thought he was depriving me of the fun of clearing ground, but it sure was great having him around!
I’m a good digger. I know it.
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Would you like to immortalize your own little digger? Then consider having his or her portrait done! Information on sizes and pricing is available on the Pet Portrait page at L Bowman Studios.
Anyway, my latest job ended. On my last day, I was walking a pretty pup in temps that turned out to be 11 when you factored in windchill. I hadn’t grabbed my gloves because I thought our walk would be short due to the cold and the late hour. The pup had other ideas. She had been cooped up in the house too long and really needed to stretch her legs, so she insisted we take a much longer walk than I’d intended.
The whole time we were walking I kept telling her how cold my hands were and could we please hurry home to where it was warm. When we finally made it back to her house, this dear girl walked over to me and put my hands in her mouth to warm them up. I was so touched! I thanked her over and over because it really did feel good.
It’s amazing how much our animal companions understand us and how much they care.
I am sweeter than sugar!
Not me. I would have bitten that momsicle.
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If you would like to warm Toby’s heart, then pick up a copy of Dream Our World! Inside, he and his brother Geordie explore the Museum of the Imagination while enjoying a day of unsupervised fun.
Today is the day I change linens and gather dirty laundry. Toby decided to come in and “help” me. (How can something so evil be so cute?)
Who says the two are mutually exclusive?
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Want to have even more adventures with Bitey Dog and Toby? Then pick up a copy of DreamOurWorld. Inside the boys view the world of art from a canine perspective and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.
Has your pet had a bit too much to eat over the holidays? Then celebrate your food good fortune with a personalized painting commemorating the event! I welcome the opportunity to meet your furry or feathered family and get to know them through my work.
Toby and I were out for a walk the other day. As neared his nemesis’s house, (star of such posts as The Great Roundup, and The Day After ), I noticed he was completely silent. Not even his tags jingled as he tiptoed down the street. Realizing he was trying to sneak past the little dog’s house so she wouldn’t come after him, I did my best to imitate his soundless gait. It is hard to walk on stones in boots and not make noise, though. Every time my shoe crunched on a piece of gravel, I got serious stink eye from my boy. He doesn’t know how hard it was for me not to laugh every time he glared at me. Any neighbors looking out their windows must have thought us both crazy as we crept in silent slow motion past their homes.
Thanks to you, you big-footed elephant, I almost got bit!
Some time in the not-too-distant future a can of Halt! will be delivered. Paws crossed it will work to discourage other dogs from coming after Toby. Better still, hopefully we never have to use it.
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After my experience with my GP’s office, I decided to contact the neurologist directly to see if I could schedule an appointment. When I call, I am only able to reach an answering machine. So far I have called every day and left a total of 10 messages, but no one has called back. I guess in the new world, squeaky wheels are ignored and not greased.
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Come see what my stinky boys have been up to at the Museum of the Imagination in Dream Our World! Inside they view the world of art from a canine perspective and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.
The Adventures of Bitey Dog 