Thank you, Julia…

…I just made — and am presently eating — an omelet a la Julia Child. It is soooo very good!

The weather was gorgeous for the three day Labor Day weekend around here. Let’s see:

Saturday I went to see Julie & Julia in R-town with H and Southern Cousin. What a fun movie! Meryl Streep did an excellent job of portraying Julia Child. H and I agreed it would have been better just to have a biographical film of Julia, but this one was fine.

Soph and I then had a big adventure Sunday, when I decided that we should cross the highway downtown and head towards the park on the other side of town.

First we were nearly run over by a driver doing an illegal “turn on red”… I mean really! How could you consider plowing over a pretty little dog as Sophie?

Next once we were across the highway, I saw a woman walking a dog…um…two dogs and one was crossing the road towards us.

Ah yes.

You have seen the invisible dog on a leash? This was a dog on an invisible leash – a pug mix type dog – and it was headed our way.

Lucky! Lucky! The woman was also crossing the street and hollering for the pug. Looked to me that she was holding the business end of a retractable leash… an invisible leash.

Well — whatever she was doing — I was scooping up Sophie and wondering if the pug was serious or not…

“…Uh — are you going to be able to get your dog…do you need help?”  I ventured.

No…they got this dog from a shelter…it doesn’t know it’s name…Lucky! Lucky, come here!

What?! Dear Lord, this is wrong in so many ways…

But away the dog walker (?) went, away from us, because Lucky (might want to consider changing your name, doggie) changed directions and was going to the tanning salon, I guess.

Soph and I went on our way — past McDonalds — but we didn’t quite make it to the other park. Nice as the weather was, it was getting humid and Soph was a-panting pretty good. So we turned around and went home. Like usual Sophie gulped down some water and came into the living room to stretch out on the cool tile.

Monday H came by for lunch. DH grilled hamburgers and brat patties outside while I had the baked beans, coleslaw and peach cobbler ready inside. It was YUM. Afterwards Hil, Soph and I went to the state park and visited the Chief — a huge statue formally known as the Eternal Indian – or something like that. Soph is always just a bit intimidated by the Chief, but she is getting a bit better. However, her tail doesn’t make an appearance until we are going away from him…

Anyways — today is Tuesday, so back to work for me.

Need to exercise first if I ever can tear myself away from this blogging thing…

Thanks for voting for me — Vote AGAIN!

Sophie here — see me smiling?

Remember you can vote once every day for me!

Sunday doin’s

…recently back from a lovely afternoon with Southern Cousin, which included going to the theatre to see The Proposal, a walk, and a trip to Culvers for a turtle sundae.

During our conversation at Culvers, I found out she didn’t know who Victor Borge was. He is always good for a laugh and since she’s been needing one, I sent her the link to youtube.

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Before that trip to R-town, I was outside filming the flowers and while finishing that up, a lady came by walking a Pembroke corgi! How cute!

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NP: Late night news.

Soph?: Sacked out on the floor — she piddled her bedding so it took a trip to the washer/dryer.

Mood-o-meter: Somewhat melancholy. My knees hurt.

Have you ever…

The things I’ve done are in red.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars (well, in a tent under the stars)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyworld
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (it was a near-total)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa

Puppy goes to back to school

Saturday we went to Fundamentals II — Sopher’s first class since before Christmas. She rode all the way to B-town in her princess seat — a booster seat for dogs — that keeps her tethered yet able to watch the world go by her at sixty mph.

Our beloved Trixie would get car sick during rides any farther than the vet’s office, so we were wondering what this Cairn Terrier would do.

She took the drive really well. Oh there was a bit of whining going on back there — she is a pretty vocal pooch and doesn’t hesitate to let you know what she’s thinking.

Then she started to bark.

Well, what was this?

Sophie, whatsamatter, girl?

You will never guess what she didn’t like.

Never.

Don’t even try to guess.

We have lived in this area nearly twenty years and have become used to seeing this thing. Scarcely give it a second thought now.

But Sophie noticed it for the first time.

The dual plumes of the local nuclear plant.

She DID NOT like seeing them.

Arf Arf Arf!!!

The road we take goes along a river, so going around a bend put the stacks out of sight.

She was quiet…until we came around again.

ARF ARF ARF!!!

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Sophie is in a class of four dogs — which I hope is to her advantage.  She is the youngest and the smallest, and gets special mention because she is a terrier…sigh. But I really like the instructor — she is very knowlegeable, and if someone has a terrier and has no idea how to handle one, well, she’d be the one to tell them.

The goal for all the dogs is to be able to pass the Canine Good Citizen test.

Oh dear.

Well, if Sophie can accomplish a few of the requirements, she’ll be a much better doggie for it.

I don’ think personality alone will be enough.

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Garden news! Hollyhocks and lamium are greening up!!!

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NP: DH snoring.

Where’s Soph? Sacked out on the floor.

Tonight’s Telly viewing: Chuck, 24, Castle

So terribly spoiled rotten…

And why would that be?

Well, Southern Cousin, H and I are going to a Gordon Lightfoot concert in March.

Then this past Sunday, DH and I were surprised with tickets to RIVERDANCE in April.

Not exactly being my DH’s cup o’ tea, H gets to be the beneficiary of the second ticket. These tickets are down front and center — we are sure not to miss a thing!

H said we’d have to dress up for a change.

Hmmm.

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I am so hoping this particular Sunday surprise  is God’s way of saying things will be okay, considering how the other Sunday surprise went around here.

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NP: The local news.

What’s for supper? Bangers and mash…yum…

Where’s Sophie? She’s watching the cook, DH, veerrryy carefully.

Tonight’s TV view to include: 24

Sophie, the Snowphinator

Perspective is a bit off on this photo — Sophie really isn’t this big.

We played in the snow twice today! Really made a dent in the cabin fever she was going through.

Isn’t she a cutie?

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NP: Chicago Bulls vs…hmm…don’t know this team…Oklahoma Thunder?

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Where’s Sophie?:  She’s here in the living room, working over a Dingo bone. She’s trying to get to the meat in the middle…

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What’s left do to tonight? All my church stuff.  If it weren’t for the last minute, nothing would get done…gotta go!

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I really don’t know what to say about this:

…except, yes — those are Soph’s real teeth…

She does look a bit Sophinator-ish, doesn’t she?

Ain’t We Got Fun?

Today is our thirty-second wedding anniversary.

It was statement day at work — couldn’t miss that now, could I?

DH worked half a day, had lunch with H, and had the tires rotated on his work car.

I walked all noon hour with Southern Cousin: 3373 aerobic steps in 31 minutes, the rest being drive-time.

DH looked a tad disappointed as I came in the back door after work.

“No sweet corn?”

“I forgot.”

“Will you look at this zucchini? It doesn’t…”

“Nope. Throw it out. It’s squishy. Sorry about the corn…”

“I looked for the spinach in the pantry…”

“Um, since you said we’d be having it, I thought you had already found some … no creamed spinach then?…”

“Uh, no. Good thing you bought those baking potatoes along with the steaks the other day.

“Yep…sigh!”

“Oooh! I about forgot!”

DH opened the fridge.

“I picked two tomatoes!!! I put them in the fridge so they’d cool off…”

“MMmmmm — those will be good!”

I forgot to get them out, so we didn’t eat them.

Who would have thought on our wedding day thirty-two years later we’d be eating New York strip steak, nuked potatoes and baked beans? And forgetting about the tomatoes we had waited all season for?

It finally cooled off just enough to take a turn around the garden and flowers. The daisies and purple coneflowers really put on a show this year. The ninebark has a couple blossoms on it — real late bloomers!

Next we watched Burn Notice, then looked up on Netflix and watched the first episode where Bruce Campbell appeared as Autolycus, King of Thieves on Hercules.

…and now we are on Sophie-watch. Puppy pick up day is a week from tomorrow!

So many books…why can’t I find one of mine??

NP: the space heater. Still very cold…

So Sylvia tags me with a book meme — ooooh! What fun!

Rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

But then I am quite dismayed. The nearest book is the one my DH is reading…

1. Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead
2. …page 123
3. Fifth sentence…found.
4. Sigh — here go the next three sentences: It is said he killed his wife for burning his Sunday pork chop in the pan–strangled her with his own bare hands. Personally, I do not believe this. Not a word. (Note to self: have DH move his books…)
5. Okay — so a different spin on the tag thing: I’m tagging my anonymous readers…Aw come on… I know you are out there… all, um — well, I hope there are five of you. Maybe leave a comment…