ITS ABOUT TIME

It is my extreme pleasure to introduce you to our newest family member.
Roxy!

Last Friday we went to the store and bought a new bed for her and some toys. But we didn't actually meet her until the next afternoon when we had our appointment at www.LuvaBullRescue.org.


The kennels are up in a beautiful forest area.
There the dogs are divided according to their needs in clean enclosures of good size. They have a wonderful walk/running paths that wind through the woods around them for exercise needs. I was very impressed with how well the dogs were kept, and how dedicated the staff was to keeping their temporary homes happy. Though sadly enough, some of the dogs cannot be adopted out because of serious abuse issues that keep them from being able to blend back into normal life. There at least, they get affection, care and they live as happily as they can.


We did not know what to expect when we arrived. There were a lot of cars. People here and there. We were met by our contact, L, who led us to her office. Inside was Roxy who was so excited that she could not stop wiggling and sniffing us both. We went to her enclosure for a visit, then afterward we were allowed to take her for a walk on the forest trail.
This is one strong girl! I think if I was to strap on roller skates, that she could easily haul me behind at a good clip.

I first saw Roxy last summer when we began looking for a dog.
She had just been rescued with her puppies and there was a lot of excitement over watching the the puppies grow. At that time, Roxy had been living under an empty house in Los Angeles. Her owner had lost his home and could not find a place that would let him have a pregnant pit.
He left her behind with the intention of finding a place for her, but it did not work out that way. She went to the pound, then another shelter before being brought all the way up here to live!

That's when LuvaBull put her and the pups on their web page and I began to watch them. The tiny pups grew and one by one found nice homes. But Roxy was left behind.
I showed her to Randy a few weeks ago and told him her story.
We decided then to apply to adopt her.

We took our leash along on our visit just in case... not truly expecting to get to take her home yet. LuvaBull is very careful about who they allow to take a dog. You have to give references, vet records, etc.
So we were just being hopeful.
:-)


As it turned out, they were very happy with how well Roxy responded to us. They let us bring her home.
I felt very bad for L when she said good-bye to Roxy.
You could tell that it was hard to see her go.
But L is glad that they finally found a home for Roxy and she emails me daily to see how she is doing. We invited her to come and visit tomorrow.

As for Roxy...
She shivered on the ride to her new home. We have a truck with a king cab and she wormed her way up on top of the arm rest that divides our seats. The closer we got to home, the more of Roxy was in my lap.
First her nose, then her head, then a paw... until she was half in and half out of the back.

She did great that first day home. There was so much to sniff and things to explore. She darted back and forth between us.
She had some trouble with the dog doors. She must have been trained to sit at the door when she wanted out. So she would go to the dog doors and sit, but not try to go through them.
A nice BBQ rib bone eventually enticed her to try.
Now she is in and out like a pro.

When it was time for bed, she looked at the new bed and smelled it.
Naturally it smelled new, not like Roxy or anything familiar.
She did not want to sit in it let alone lay down. So we tossed in the tee shirt that Randy had been wearing and that did the trick.
Roxy circled it and lay down.

There were a couple of sad little whines from her area when we shut the door to our room. Roxy's bed is in the kitchen/dining room. A nice indoor, warm space with a night light. If needed, she could go out the dog door to the shop and from there to the yard. We have an automatic light out back that would come on for her if she did.
I did worry that she might have an accident being in a strange new place.

The next morning she greeted me with happy wuffs and wiggles.
No accidents. She visited with me while I had my morning coffee, then began to use her dog doors to run in, then out and back again.

She has been home 2 and a half days now and we have found our rhythm. I rise earliest, so she and I have our coffee time, walk and play.
When Randy comes out, the happy dance begins again and she follows him for awhile until he's as boring as I was and I become interesting again. That is how it goes.



Roxy was worth the wait.

Update

The last couple of days we have had some clouds, but almost NO RAIN!
I like rain. It keeps us green up here.
But its been such cold rain that it is hard to enjoy.
The past two days we had sunshine and clouds.
Boy did that feel good.

Meanwhile, as I grumble about the cold rains, I see so many other people on the news in terrible weather situations.
Up in Dumb Potter's Hell, my family has had a lot of snow.
Here we rain mostly.

So what's up with all of you?
As for me... well, my holiday job ended and I am once more back to looking for longer lasting work. Sigh.
I was listening to the radio. Some employment guru was spouting advice...

He determined that 80% of on line applications were worth nothing in terms of actually getting a job.

I wonder how long it has been since he last looked for work.
The choice is not in the hands of the job seeker.
I have applied all over the place here, and will continue to do so.
But finding a potential employer who is willing to give you a paper application is like looking for money on the sidewalk.
Any well known business or even a large local business has an online application... or worse yet, one of those little application computers sitting out in front of everyone walking past, where you sit and type in all your personal info, etc.
No one wants to see your face until they have reviewed your information... and then only if they have an immediate opening.
So I am back to that exercise in frustration.


Else wise, we have been busy doing what I can't even recall. There are always errands to run or things to fix.
We did go to Randy's son's engagement party and that was fun.
They had pulled meat sandwiches... chicken, ham and beef... and the best cold slaw that I have ever eaten. The cold slaw was not all mixed together. You were supposed to put the cabbage on the pulled meat sandwich and then have slaw on the side.
I skipped it on my sandwich. The dressing for it was on the side so that I could control how much went on it. I want the recipe for it!
Anyway, it was fun.


I was a bit tired though when we went. We'd kept little N for the night and she wore me out. :-) She got a bit fussy at the party and over excited the next day. I'm sure the sugar in the cakes and all the goodies did not help. She is not a good eater but is always ready for sweets.
You know how little people are. And you know how older relatives are with giving goodies to little people on special occasions.
I sort of pitied her mom when they left.
That was one cranky little girl.


The weather is supposed to clear up this week which will give me a much needed opportunity to return to my war with the weeds.
They have gained a lot of ground of late.
It will be a good time for it too. All the trees and shrubs have died back to leafless winter. I can see where to attack the berries, etc.
I really need to mow our back yard too.
So much to do!


I hope wherever you live that the snow or cold taper back.
I can't tell you how happy it made me to see the sunshine.
Randy was glad... he said I was more like Eore than myself.
He is right. When it gets dreary, my mood goes quiet.
I curl up on the sofa and stay there.
Not good.

One good note... we have located a puppy we would like to adopt.
She's actually 3 years old, pre-trained, spayed, chipped and well behaved.
Her last owner abandoned her when he moved. The rescue folk found her under his house, near starved with a litter of pups.
Her pups have all been fattened up, weaned and placed in homes.
Since then, she has lived at the rescue offices waiting for someone who is not looking for a fat pup.
We hope that is us!
Here is the funny thing... her name is Roxy, which happens to be the name of Randy's dog that died 5 or 6 years ago.
That Roxy was a brindle, this Roxy is all black.
What I like is her sweet face.
I'm crossing my fingers.


Meanwhile, I'll be out in my yard at war with the weeds... and hoping to see signs of spring. Is it too much to ask for a crocus sprout?
The other day I say what I thought might be bulbs sprouting and got all excited. Well, yeah, bulbs of a sort. Its the garlic coming up.
Ha!
Not exactly what I think of when I think of spring.


Have a great day everyone!

QUAP!

QUAP!

Up until the last 2 teeny tiny seconds, the Ducks were ahead.
We lost by one kick.
Sniffle.

However, they played a hell of a game!
Closely matched and could easily have gone either way.
I have never seen Cam Newton look so tired or concerned.
The Ducks made them work hard to get that crystal football.

Oh well, rumor has it that Cam Newton is going to bail on Auburn and try for a spot in the NFL draft.

Last night was some of our beloved Duck's last college game. I'm not sure who all were seniors, but I know that both Casey Matthews and Brandon Bair are. Best of luck to them and to the others. I don't see Casey having any troubles with his NFL connections via his dad, Clay and his brother also named Clay (Plays for Green Bay).
I have a feeling that they will all do well where they fly next.

But next year, we know who will be back... and I am grinning!
Can't wait for it!

Well its off to see the new True Grit.
I am a fan of Jeff Bridges and I liked the original movie.
But I have to tell you,
the big lure for me at the movie
is the popcorn.

All that oowie, gooey, oily on your fingers and too salty to be good for anyone popcorn.

I told Randy I want a bucket.

He says "You want a bucket????"

Randy is not a big eater. I try not to be, but when it comes to theater popcorn... I'm a down right pig...
corn fed !

Whatever you do today, may you win.
If by chance you should lose...
may your loss be something you can walk away from with pride.

TIME HAS COME TODAY

There it is!


Thanks to those of you who have stuck with me during my silent time... and your well wishes for my Ducks!


As for my silence on Funch, well... this was a difficult holiday season for me.
The first time away from my kids at Christmas since they were born.
I had a yo-yo work schedule. I'd stay until close, then be back to open in the morning. Did not leave a lot of time for much of anything.


Shoot, I didn't even bake anything!
The Bear tells me... "Well, the toys arrived but the UPS guy ate my cookies!"
Oops!

But the holidays are over... Hooray!
Now on to more important matters, like football.

Finally the day has come. What a long, long wait for a bowl game.
Sheesh!

We are almost so revved up that we can't stand ourselves. Yesterday the entire day of television was Duck dedicated. We topped it off with a video of a Beaver VS Duck game from 2008. The cheering was my lullaby.
I woke up to Ducks on ESPN. Now all I have to do is wait for 7 hours, 53 minutes and if Mickey would only hold his hand still I'd tell you the seconds.

Commentators have said wonderful things about the Ducks and Auburn.
But I have noticed something. When they talk about Auburn, its as if no other valuable Auburn team member exists but Cam Newton. Hey... the guy is a freaking monster! He earned his Heisman. But he has to have a team to support him.
Not even a freaking monster alone can carry a game.
I feel a bit bad for those other good players who have been reduced to shadows by the super nova Newton.

I find that I feel that way about the way the ESPN media hype also began to present this as a "Cam Newton VS LeMichael James" game.


EXCUSE ME???????

They must have bumped their quacking heads!


How can you be a sportscaster and not notice the obvious about the Ducks?
Ok, maybe not obvious to anyone who does not pay attention to them or who is busy rooting for their team. So let me tell you what makes the Ducks someone to contend with now.


The Ducks play as a real team. There is not a super star mentality here.
There is a team mentality that works like a marvelous Rube Goldberg Machine.
The action is fast, you never know which way what is going to happen...
but the Ducks do. Each one is focused, knows his job and the jobs of those around them so that on a split second notice, they can make alterations with confidence.


While I am glad that we have LeMichael James, I am equally glad that we have so many others as well... all who make a huge difference in game play. You have heard some of those names... Darren Thomas, Jeff Maehl, Josh Huff, D.J. Davis,
Brandon Bair, Terrell Turner, Kenny Rowe, Spenser Paysinger, John Boyette, Cliff Harris and Casey Matthews... to mention more than a few! And so many other that I have not mentioned. But you hear those names up there, all of them, not just DT or LeMichael. Because they are a diverse team, who had deep reserves and a whole lot of talent.

That is the point. The Ducks have more than a few good players... and they all play as a team for the team.

Cam Newton may be a freaking monster... my Ducks will be David to Auburn's Goliath.


I BELIEVE!


Now I'm off to don my Duck earrings, just purchased at the Duck Store at Autzen for this special occasion, my fighting Duck tye-dye tee and get ready for the Duck game party at T and K's house.
I have no doubt at all that it will be loud there today.
Very loud.

Let the battle begin!