Dawn and the Remote

So.. we are watching TV last night and as usual there is NOTHING on. When this happens I get a little frustrated because we end up watching some sporting event, which most times doesn't bother me, but after all day of basketball, really how much can we really watch. So, I say (very nicely) is there what we have decided to watch? That usually gets me the remote. Well, last night was a revelation. Evidently, according to him, I am the worst controller of the remote. He said he sometimes wants to come over and strangle me. Now, according to him, this is what I do. We start to watch something, usually on Bravo (like the housewives or top chef) or reruns of law and order and than the commercial comes on. Than I begin to surf, ultimately stumbling on something else that I might find interesting, maybe a cooking show or a rerun of NCIS. So we stop there until that commercial comes on when I begin my surfing again. Never returning to the original show, which he says he was interested in in the first place. Well, EXCUSE ME!!! So.. that is when the remote goes back to him and we than watch the basketball game and I go to bed.. This is about 7:30 pm. And you wonder why I drink wine. When I drink wine, I really don't care what we watch. See, be careful what you wish for...

My morning routine

So each morning I am awakened around 5 am to the howls of Delia my 3 month old Berner. She needs to go out. I lay in bed thinking, "do I let her cry or do I go down and save myself the extra work of cleaning out her crate?" I usually get up. Well, once that happens, everyone has to go out. So out goes Fiona and Kendra ( who the last two nights has pooped in her crate) Roxie who barks at everyone, Willow, Frieda and Shiloh. (Shiloh is visiting for Tanner).. So Tanner has to wait to go outside until Shiloh comes back in. While they are out, I begin the puppy process. I make their bowl. Than I move 7 puppies into the clean xpen where they eat. While they are eating, I clean up their box and put down new papers and start the laundry. I let all the girls back in and Tanner goes out. I make up the big dog bowls and begin to feed them. TAnner in the kitchen, Roxie in the puppy room, Delia in her crate. Kendra, Fiona and Shiloh in their crates in the garage and Willow and FRieda outside on the porch. I gather up the bowls and wash them out. By that time the puppies have finished their meal and have (hopefully) pooped. I put them back into the clean box, where they will poop again. ( It is like their deal, they have to poop on the clean bedding) than I clean up their xpen to make it ready for them to go back in. 7 puppies out, 7 puppies in.. all day.. The washer never stops, the washing of the dishes never stops. Hopefully I can soon put them outside where some of the pooping will occur. This is why I don't go away and travel.. I could never explain this process to anyone..

700 poops and counting

So.. we have 7 puppies who poop 5 times a day.. That is 35 poops a day.. And they have three weeks to go that is 21 days. So you do the math.. We have at least 700 more poops to go before they leave. And that doesn't even count the big dogs. I am way over the poops.

So much easier

Well, I spent the better part of last week de-pooping my yard. With all of the snow and ice, it was just pretty much a mess. And than last night another 8 inches. Well, it is just plain easier to deal with a million dogs when there is not tons of snow outside. The little one was nearly lost in the drifts. But she plowed through and made it back. She of course was the only one that ran out and did her stuff to get back in. I like her. Kendra and Fiona just ran and plowed and had a ball. I went inside and said let me know when you are done. I am ready for spring.

Back in Business

So, I have been away for a week. Started off in NY with the Garden. We picked up our new puppy Delia and had a great visit with Tuuli.. The Garden was fairly disappointing in terms of the show, but both Mere and Andrew, Leslie and Tyler came up and we celebrated my birthday and that was wonderful. The week flew by and then the Regional Specialty on Saturday where FINALLY Tanner won the breed. It was very exiting and the best was that Tuuli was there to see it. We said goodbye to her on Sunday.. We hope to see her this summer in France. In the middle of all of this we had some really warm temperatures and the snow in the backyard melted leaving a backyard full of poop. I mean FULL OF POOP. It took me two full days and a big wheelbarrow to clean up the backyard. Wow.. it was overwhelming. Now the babies are almost 5 weeks, and hopefully we get back on a regular routine. Hopefully working out and losing weight.

Lost Again

So.. another week and I lost another 2 pounds. So maybe this no drinking wine thing really does work. This week will be a challenge though. Monday we leave for the Garden. We'll eat out Monday night, and Tuesday ( the big day) I mean my birthday, not the dog show, although it is the dog show day as well, than Tuuli comes in for the weekend. So, the challenge will be to try to stay on track and not eat myself into the weight gain department again. We'll see.

Chew Toys

So, if you come to my house and didn't know any better you would think that a two year old toddler lives here. We are covered in chew toys. Every toy known is strewn over my house. We even have a toy basket that the dogs go over to all night as they pull the toys out and distribute them around the house. Then why O why do they continue to chew on my things?? I have two bad dogs, I won't name names. ( Kendra and Fiona) Kendra more than Fiona.. I think Fiona just goes along for the ride, but Kendra.. OMG. In the last several weeks she has eaten the inside of my work shoes. This is where my 400.oo orthodics are, she has eaten my snow boots. she has eaten the rings off the pool cover and the worst is, she ate the wiring that connects the pump to the pool filter and nearly dislodged the pump. We were so upset with her, that we put her in the crate in the garage, where she proceeded to eat a hole in the dog food bag above her and pretty much free fed herself like a goldfish. Now, you might say all of this is my fault. I am clearly leaving my things around the house for her to chew on and am not keeping a close enough eye on her, and I accept that. But really, the pool pump wire? Why in the world would that even be appealing to her. Well, what can I say. She is a challenge, and I am sure that if she doesn't kill herself by eating something toxic she will turn out to be just a wonderful dog. Getting from here to there though may be the question.

Kicking my butt

So.. I have now been going to Gold's gym since Jan. Now I haven't really gotten myself into a real routine yet. With puppies, dog shows , weather, it has really been pretty hit and miss. But I can now say that I have tried all the classes and they ALL KICK MY BUTT.. There is not one easy class that I can say,, "Oh I really like this one". They all make me feel like I am going to die. And the worst part of it, the other people in the class, don't seem to be reacting like me. They cheer and clap like this is fun. Are you kidding me? What is fun about almost falling off your ball or step and nearly breaking your ankle. Or doing billions of squats, lunges, push ups, jumping jacks. This is not fun, this is torture. But there is one class that I haven't tried yet and I am tempted. It may be right up my alley.. I am reluctant though, because if I can't master this one and if I am the only one that struggles I may just have to throw in the towel. It is called "Silver and Fit" If this kicks my butt, than what?

The Circle of Life

So. Saturday night the family ( minus Newell) went to the Kennedy Center in DC to watch the National Symphony preform some of our favorite Disney tunes. The Little Mermain, the Lion King, Aladin, it was all there. We enjoyed ourselves. We had a nice dinner before, and then the show. After, we returned to the parking garage where it was a parking lot. Everyone trying to leave at one time and everyone going nowhere fast. The group of us were saying our goodbyes, since we had different cars. As I was hugging Mere, this guy honked his horn at me because I was standing in front of his car. Now, again we were sitting in traffic. So I looked at him and said "what are you doing? We are really not going anywhere, so chill out". Well, Mere lost it. She started to yell, don't honk the horn at my mom.. We were just in the Disney show listening to all these really nice songs about getting along and It's a small world, and you are beeping your horn. Well, the guy in the car starting yelling back.. It escalated pretty quickly. Tyler went over and began to yell at the guy, who then got out of the car. Tyler shoved Mere aside to get her out of harms way, I went into the middle pulling Tyler away and yelling that it was done. Well, finally we were able to difuse the situation and we all walked away. Pretty scary stuff. Grandma was shaking, Mere was still fuming, Tyler was no happy.. I think Andrew was having a cigarette.

I hate to admit it

So.. after a full week of no wine ( until the weekend, which we decided by committee does indeed begin on Thursday) I got on the scale and lost 3 pounds. Now. I did go to the gym 4 times and almost killed myself, and ate most of the week like a rabbit, I will have to admit, although I hate to, the wine might have something to do with the weight. We'll see how week two goes. Oh and by the way, if a Superbowl party happens to fall on Sunday, than Sunday is considered the weekend as well.

Balancing Act

So yesterday at the gym I took a new class. It was called Ball Fitness, or something like that. I figured it was laying around on the giant ball and doing sit ups. Boy was I wrong. There was a ball alright, but only half of one. The object was to stand on the ball and balance yourself while we did things like squats, leg lifts and push ups. Well, I spent the entire hour just focusing on trying not to fall off and kill myself. To make matter worse, the class was about 20 women and 1 guy. And you know the guy.. Older, really loud and over the top. He was positioned right behind me. Well, he couldn't stay on the ball to save his life. But when he fell off, he made a big dramatic move that I caught out of the corner of my eye which then would mess me up. I almost said something, but figured I just wouldn't go there. Anyway, I feel pretty achy today, because I concentrated so hard on not killing myself, I think I might have pulled a muscle.

Friday is here

So.. Friday is here the official start of the weekend. So, again when does it begin. Newell says not until after 5 o'clock.. But ya know... It's 5 o'clock somewhere, so happy weekend.

2 hour Delay

So. I get up yesterday and head out to the gym for my step class. Well, imagine my surprise when there was no one there. I waited, I checked the board and than finally went to the front desk to ask what happened to the class. Well, she said, when the schools have a 2 hour delay, the morning classes are canceled. What? I said incredulously. Are you kidding. Is this kindergarten or what? So, now I have to watch the weather to see if there is a snow delay.. And for the record, it was raining...

When does the weekend start

So.. you know I am not drinking wine. Well, that is not entirely true. Not drinking wine during the week. Only on the weekends. So the discussion at my house now is when does the weekend start and end. Some believe, ( like me) that the weekend begins on Thursday.. I remember in college that Thursday nights were often the beginning of the weekend.. Newell says that it doesn't begin until Friday at 5:00. Well, Ok than, so when does it end? Sunday night is still the weekend than, right? Well, he says Sunday at 5pm ends the weekend. Well, that just doesn't seem very fair. No Thursday night and no Sunday night. Not much of a weekend.. HMMMM...