the ties (or glues) that bind

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Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

There’s been no holiday baking in my kitchen this year. Counter tops and back splashes  are ripped out, the range is covered with a paint tarp, wires dangle where light fixtures used to hang… and in general it looks as though Home Depot exploded all over the kitchen.

I can’t seem to remember in which boxes I packed which things to store out of the way for the kitchen remodel, and I couldn’t find any tape to secure the wrapping paper on Christmas gifts. Not to worry, though. Wood glue and trigger clamps did the trick nicely.

My dog Chules got a nice treat from Santa Paws. Judging by his newly acquired black snout, I’m guessing the treat is now buried somewhere in the dirt of the back yard.

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My cat Sebastian got some goodies from Santa Claws as well, but judging from his glazed stare, it looks like maybe he dipped into the egg nog when I wasn’t looking.

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I’ve had a wonderful day spent with my beautiful family, eating great food (obviously not prepared in my kitchen), sharing good memories and creating lovely new ones.

I hope your holidays are as blessed as mine!

Under the Full Moon

We all know that seemingly ordinary folks turn into werewolves during full moons, right? Well, they’re not the only ones to transform.

Take my seemingly innocent dog Chules for example. He loves to go out and explore in the moonlight.

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But sometimes… he morphs into:

a charging bear

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or a lone wolf

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howling at the moon

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or maybe a rearing stallion

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or a zombie!

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Scariest of all is when he turns into

a hyena!

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Fortunately, once the full moon begins to wane, he turns back into his lovable self.

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What creatures do you see when you venture out on a full moon?


The Daily Press weekly photo challenge: Transmogrify
JNW’s Halloween Challenge: Full Moon

Weekend Coffee Share 10/16/16

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If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I’m not feeling very enthusiastic today. Which I guess is okay. It’s a dreary day in the Pacific Northwest. Yesterday had been forecast to see the “Storm of the Decade” roll in from the Pacific Ocean, remnants of Typhoon Songda. Heavy rainfall and high winds were expected to wreak extensive damage along the coastline and inland to the urban areas of Seattle, WA and Portland, OR.

There was indeed some damage: fallen trees, power outages and some flooding; but not nearly as severe as had been forecast. Which I’m sure is no consolation for those who did experience loss.

But maybe that’s what’s contributing to my sense of letdown. Anxiousness and uncertainty was draining on my energy and now there’s no major outcome to justify the concerns. The adrenaline of anticipated danger had nowhere to go since no immediate emergency presented itself for me to address. Not that I’m complaining, mind you. Although that’s what it sounds like. Hmmm…

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that my dog Chules couldn’t wait to go outside once the worst of the storm passed and I felt relatively confident that he wouldn’t get hit by falling branches. I think he enjoyed the feeling of the strong winds ruffling through his thick fur. As for me, I was content to stay indoors and watch the rain.

I suppose I should step away from the computer and try to do something constructive around the house. That would probably lift my mood. Even though we averted the Storm of the Decade, there will be many dark, cloudy, windy, rainy days ahead this fall and winter. And spring.

I think Pacific Northwesterners were meant to hibernate through the dark winter months, but then someone invented electricity to keep our days lighted and warm. And then someone invented mortgages and car payments and other responsibilities which the bears and rodents and other mammals that hole up for the winter have wisely not encumbered themselves with.

Thanks for stopping by for coffee. Hopefully the weather and I will be less dreary next weekend. Until then, let’s stay warm and dry, and remember to go out and let the wind ruffle our hair a bit. Chules highly recommends it.

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Thanks to Diana at ParttimeMonsterBlog.com for hosting the #weekendcoffeeshare.

The Literary Styles of Pets

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The Skimmer sifts through many books quickly, but can’t decide on which to read until they’ve slept on it.

 

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The Marathoner tries to read all the books in the library, but eventually must concede to exhaustion.

 

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The Ill-tempered peruses the books, and finding nothing of interest (i.e. food treats), sits and stares daggers at the librarian.


The Daily Post Discover Challenge: Animal

Nine Lives

cat

One day you ran away from me.
You dashed between two cars.
With three great leaps you crossed four lanes.
I thanked your lucky stars.

Five dogs behind a six foot fence
you noticed noticed you.
You didn’t see the seven inch gap
that let them slip right through.

Eight inches from your heels they chased;
you couldn’t take much more.
The dogs howled with dismay as you
slammed through your small cat door.

Twas just that morn nine lives you had;
lost eight while on the run.
You scared me nearly half to death.
Now we’re down to half plus one.


JNW’s Halloween Challenge Day 4: Cat

Weekend Coffee Share 9/17/16

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If we were having coffee, you might ask why I haven’t been posting a whole lot lately. I would tell you I hadn’t really noticed until today, but it’s probably for the best that I post when I have something to share, and not just to meet self-imposed quotas.

I have many interests that seem to ebb and flow: blogging, stained glass, gardening and landscaping (a newly formed interest), home improvement DIY projects, reading, poetry, walking my dog and taking photos, binge-watching entire seasons of my favorite programs on Netflix, playing with my grandkids, playing with my (adult) kids, playing with my food… and probably some other interests that are so far into the ebb stage I have forgotten them for now.

Blogging seems to be ebbing for a bit right now. With the rainy season coming up and more time spent indoors, my posts will likely pick back up. Be forewarned!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I took my dog Chules to a doggy daycare for the first time this week. It tuckered him out and he’s been napping a lot since. The daycare streams webcams of their play areas so you can see what your pet is up to at any given moment. I admit I spent a lot of time checking in on Chules.

There were a lot more white dogs in attendance than I expected, but I had no problem picking Chules out of the crowd. While other dogs walked or ran around, there was one dog that literally pranced in and out of the camera’s view. That would be my Chules. Perhaps I should have named him Prancer.

I’d better sign off for now. It’s time to attend to something that is definitely not one of my favorite pastimes: house cleaning. Thanks for stopping by and allowing me to put off my chores for a while. If you want to hang around, there’s a pile of clean laundry that needs folding.

No? Alright then. Have a good weekend. Hopefully you will find time to enjoy your favorite activities.


Thank you Diana at PartTimeMonsterBlog.com for hosting the #WeekendCoffeeShare.

Canine Culpability

It’s National Dog Day. Let’s celebrate man’s best friend (and world’s worst actors).

 

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“I’m really sorry I did it. Really, really sorry. Um… which ‘it’ did you discover?”

 

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“I don’t know why the cat dug up the water sprinkler, but I scared him away just before you got here.”

 

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“There’s something stuck between my teeth? How embarrassing. Do you have a mirror?”

 

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Cat: “If stealth were a diet, you dogs would starve. Some day I’ll teach you the fine art of aloofness.”

Dog: “You’re a real pal, cat.”

Cat: “Let’s just keep that between you and me. I’ve got a reputation to uphold.”