Vote for Sophie!!

http://www.cutestdogcompetition.com/vote.cfm?h=1AE7F89D94C6EC1892E43D63B60F2A25

Please!

Aw Sophers…

Has it been a year already?

Instant delayed gratification

Went to R-town and H carted me and my Sears gift card around to the mall  in search of

• a new microwave (Sharp 1.0 cubic foot, 1100 watt, white 16 inches deep)
• a corded/cordless phone combo with answering machine. Must fit phone cubbyhole.

Our ten year old microwave has been acting old lately:

• the digital display is losing its digits
• it comes on with a shut of its door instead of waiting politely for instructions from the operator
• and even after such instructions it is not reliable to be actually shooting microwaves at the foodstuffs lodged within.

The old phone?

• I pulled it off the wall and broke the hanger on it.
• The extension cord has been duct taped to the receiver, otherwise we have found ourselves truly disconnected from our callers.  Not really an emergency replacement issue…but I want a new unit that will work in the hallway and in the family room (exciting news: a fellow is coming by in a couple weeks to give us an estimate for finishing the family room! If all goes well, maybe it will be DONE by Thanksgiving!)

However I went away sad from Sears.

They had my microwave in black, but said they thought they could order it in white. We’ll see.

Their phone selection consisted of two models. Not enough to make a good comparison.

Then I went away mad from the mall.

On our way to Penney’s, I heard a little dog bark, turned my head and we were walking by Furry Babies, which when translated means “puppies in baby beds.”

Puppies. in. baby. beds.

No, this is not cute.  It’s DISGUSTING!

I may have said a bad word as we went by. Well, maybe not so much a bad word as an accurate description.

<soapbox mode: on>Folks, these are canines, not humans…if you must buy from one of these outfits, find out where they got their dogs — don’t encourage puppy mills! — and take your little one right to your vet for a good going over. Some of these puppies have been separated from their mothers too soon. Ask the vet for some puppy raising techniques and go take some obedience classes as soon as the vet says the puppy is old enough.  <soapbox mode: off>

Next destination was the Goodwill store. Three blouses later I was about ready to leave when I spotted:

It’s a pewter tea set. Not likely to set Antiques Roadshow afire…but I had to have it. H had to rescue two coffee mugs she took a shine to…so guess we are a bit hopeless, huh?

*********

NP: the floor fan and Soph pushing her food cube around.

What’s for supper? Homemade pizza with pepperoni, green olives and a bit of onion.

Fer cryin’ out loud

Sophie and I went for a walkie in the late afternoon.

This time I thought we’d try the route that gives her the most trouble — going through downtown O-town.

You can read about the start of her troubles here.

So it had been a while since we went this way — and Sophie is showing signs of improvement. Something still bothers her in this area of town…but we made it fairly well. She still tries to do her “spin move” to take us back in the opposite  direction, but I make sure we forge ahead.

Down the street to the traffic lights we went, hanging a left to walk past the dollar store , then another left past the video store.

She was tugging a bit by then –since we were going in the direction she wamted to go — so I had to manage the “don’t pulls”, “slow down, Sophs”, and spinning around to disrupt her pulling…

We were just about to the bank, when I heard a belligerent yell.

Oh great.

As it happened, we were just about to the tavern…

Not again.

We slowed down at the bank entrance and here came two loud twenty-somethings walking toward us.

Hey, look at that! There’s your little puppy… Hey little puppy…

Sigh.

Can I pet your puppy?

Cringe.

Talk about the  nanoseconds it takes for prayer to be answered — sometimes.

Uh, no…she bites. Sorry…

(Odd this came to mind:  Melly, what a cool liar you are! – Scarlett O’Hara.  It was somewhat truthful — Soph’ll mouth you good when she’s in the mood.)

Had to be answered prayer.

Awwww… that little dog? Hey, it bites…

Soph and I didn’t miss a beat.

Walkwalkwalkwalk!

I don’t think Soph was traumatized as much I was dismayed for yet another incident of this sort.  We just hurried home, she gulped water to cool off and plopped herself on the cool tile of the fireplace.

——————————————–

NP: The Lawrence Welk show.  Stop laughing. I can hear you.

Next on the list: making potato salad

Where’s Sophie?: sacked out on the floor

A confession.

Once again this evening I was faced with a temptation that frankly, I failed to resist.

It  all started fairly recently. I had read about it happening to other people and was simply aghast that a person would do…this.

I mean — what could they be thinking?

I didn’t set out to do this.  In fact I was just fine NOT doing this — in the beginning.

But then, bit by bit — I caved.

Oh yes, I gave myself a good talking to the first time it happened. You really don’t want to be like those other people, do you?!

But as the routine set in, habit did too.

So every time I see that it needs done — I fall right for it.

I  tease the dog with the vacuum.

There. I said it.

If Sophie wasn’t such a willing victim, I might be able to control myself.

What strange delight I take at a pooch that first is all brave once the vacuum starts roaring, but then is so unsure of herself when she finds out that it can follow her into the kitchen…

So far she has adopted a challenge- challenge-RUN! HIDE!-challenge-challenge strategy.

What she is really waiting for is the grand finale where the cord automatically travels back into the vacuum cannister.

She thinks it’s a mouse.

So tell me — who’s having the most fun?

…and your little dog too!

It was such a nice early evening that Soph and I went outside.

I tethered Sophie out in the middle of the front yard, then went back to sit on the steps.

Soph likes putting her nose to the ground to “track” in the grass, eating the bugs, sniffing the air and watching the traffic go by.

After a while, I took a swing around the flowers — my sorbet peony is full of buds and the Japanese painted fern is as pretty as I ever have seen it!  The ninebark is all dark-leaved and starting to get buds on it. It looks like the clump of fireworks golden rod we moved likes where it is at. The transplanted Becky daisy and purple coneflower both are good too.

Then I though to call Mom.

Back on the steps I went to sit a spell because Mom can talk … quite a bit!

This time when she answered, I asked if it was the dog pound, that I had a stray in my front yard… She said no, it was the Doggie Daycare…

Anyway we visited for a while — then I saw Sophie look up into the sky.

She never really looks up like that, so I wondered to Mom what the dog could be looking at.

It was this.

And not just one, but six, seven, or eight!

And they started circling our yard.

Mom, I gotta get Sophie inside!!

I unhooked her tie-out, which is incredibly tangly — and she thought she’d start grabbing at it and getting under my feet and jumping and biting…

I could have sold tickets!

********

Yeahyeahyeah…they MOSTLY eat carrion. MOSTLY.

*******

NP: American Idol on mute while I wait for the season finale of Fringe.

Just out of the oven: Rhubarb crisp. Not so crisp though. I tried to cheat on the topping and it sorta didn’t work. Sigh. Still tastes good.

Coming up: The weather man says nasty storms tonight and tomorrow.

How much is that doggie…

…lookin’ through the window?

or: “How Sophie Spends Her Time”

I find that it is comparable to a human spending too much time watching TV.

Sophie is addicted to watching life go by — and we are working on her “no bark” lessons.

Lots.

Sigh!

Drumroll, please…

Canine Good Citizen Test Results:

1. Accepting a friendly stranger. Evaluator approaches, shakes hand with handler. Does not touch dog. PASSED
2. Sitting politely for petting. Evaluator pets dog, dog must show no shyness or resentment. PASSED
3. Appearance and grooming. Evaluator inspects dog, combs or brushes lightly, examines ears and front foot. PASSED
4. Out for a walk. Handler takes dog for a short walk including right turn, left turn, about turn, and stop. FAILED
5. Walking through a crowd. Dog and handler walk close to several people; dog may show casual interest, but not jump up. PASSED
6. Sit and down on command/staying in place. Handler shows dog can do sit and down, then chooses a position, leaves dog and goes to the end of a 20 ft line and returns immediately. PASSED
7. Coming when called. With dog still on 20 ft line from test 6, handler walks out 10 ft and calls the dog. PASSED
8. Reaction to another dog. Two handlers and dogs approach, shake hands, exchange pleasantries, move on. Dogs can show casual interest. PASSED
9. Reaction to distractions. Distractions are presented, dog may not panic or show aggression. PASSED
10. Supervised separation. Handler goes out of sight for 3-min. Dog is held on 6-ft lead. FAILED

To pass the CGC Test and receive a certificate, dogs must pass all 10 items on the test…

Oh well.

Sophie does need more practice walking on a lead. She is a tugger extraordinaire. So that she failed that item does not surprise me. Even during her lessons, she tugged and I corrected for at least half the class time, when she’d finally get worn out enough just to come along quietly.

HOWEVER, item 10 was never a problem until the test. She whined her bloomin’ head off while I was gone. Her favoritest trainer in the world was the one holding her leash, so she really should have been calm.

The evaluator kept reassuring me that we missed passing by an itty-bit, that Sophie was a fine dog, etc.

Anyway, congratulations to Toby and Moe, who both passed and did their owners proud.

For Sophie and Jo-Jo — back to class!!

She’s still my good little doggie…

Musings of a mind too tired to think straight, or…

…“Fasten your seat belts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.” Margo Channing (Bette Davis, All About Eve)

• I love my little R2D2-like single serve coffee/tea/hot water (really?) maker. Had to retire the nifty 12 cuppa unit that J bought me a long time back — the hard water did a number on it…wah! Right this very minute I am enjoying a Dunkin Donut medium roast w/creamer. It is very good.
  
• However, I still can taste a bit of the bergamot from the loose leaf “Earl Grey, hot!” tea I had yesterday…hmmm. Must clean the filter better…
• DH will be late coming home tonight. I have no food to feed him.
  
• So glad work is over for the week.
• I spent too much time being Counselor Troi (without the hair extensions) one day at work — an inordinate amount, actually…so guess my workload is not obvious to others.
• So the next day I tried the wild-eyed, wild-hair look (well, it was windy out)…and suddenly I became leprous. I need to try that more often.
  
• DH wants to try raised bed gardening. He has no time to plan. I would, but…
• Really need to get the kitchen floor replaced. Think ugly and hard to keep clean.
• Got the new Jars of Clay CD today via Amazon…listened to part of it on the way back to work after lunch. Jury is still out, but it seems likeable.
• Why do wild violets have to be so prolific and hard to kill?
• Southern Cousin had two interviews this week…not sure if either will pan out.
• Hard to believe, I know, but seems my workplace has become a tornado shelter. I would explain, but…
• While cutting some more asparagus, I jammed a bit of last year’s asparagus fibrous material underneath my fingernail.
• OUCH!
• I wonder about that little boy who joined me and Sophie on our walk at the park. Nice kid. I hope he stays that way.
• I wish I had the yet-to-be-family room cleared of all the cardboard boxes we throw in there with such wild abandon.
• And I will abandon that idea once the weather gets hot. Like tomorrow.
• What?! GM is going to get rid of its Pontiac line?!
• What!!?
• Tomorrow is Sophie’s last class. She’s such a good dog. Even when she’s rotten. Did I tell you she’s just about got “sit pretty” down?! Yep.
  
• Wish we could go to rally, but it’s at a bad time schedule-wise. Sigh.
• Need to go see Mom & Dad.
• Can I have a serving of simpler times, please?
• Sympathetic co-worked threw a dollar in the lotto ticket pool for me so when the group wins big this weekend, I won’t be left to do it all in the department.
• I tried to tell them me being in on it will dash any hope of winning.
  
• I’ll have to remind them of that on Monday. Or maybe not.
  

…and that sound you hear…

…is Sophie rolling her food cube in the kitchen/dining room.

What.A.Racket!

But she sure loves that thing. Her latest strategy for getting her kibble out of it is to roll it to and fro with her nose. It is really funny to watch. Talk about concentration and patience.

The cube has gone missing several times — then we get to play hide and seek.  It has been hung up countless times under the couch — we have one that has foot rests on each end — so I have to pop one end or the other up for Sophie to do her earth dog routine: going after the varmint in a dark, scary place.

Let me tell you, she is fearless.

…and very vocal when she needs help.

Sophie: Whine! Whine! Whine!

Mumsy: What is it Sophie? What’s happened?

Sophie: WHINE WHINE WHINE!

Mumsy: Get it Sophie! Get it!

Sophie: No, you get it.

Mumsy: Where is it, Sopher? Get it!

Sophie: I would have it if I could get it, Mumsy…

Mumsy: Show me Soph…

Sophie: I am half-way under the couch…where do you think it is?

Mumsy: Momma-do? Momma-do?

Sophie: (sighs!) Please. WHINE!

********

NP: I have no idea. (Rest assured it is NOT American Idol)

Waiting for: Fringe to come on. For Walter.

Now reading: From Eternity to Here. Not sure what I think of it just yet. So far’s so good…

Latest item from Amazon: Yolife yogurt maker.

Checked off my to-do list: Wrote two postcards urging NBS execs to renew Chuck