Jessica-- how totally exciting!! Are they identical? Have you all been working on names yet?
Steph-- good luck on the job interview! What kind of work do you do?
Bargoo-- I love, love, love my mini dachshund but some of them have terrible personalities-- others like mine are amazing. I made sure to meet the mom and dad and the other dogs. We also had a Boston Terrier-- he had a great personality too.
Weekend plans? My dh will be home for less than 24 hours before leaving again. We will get sushi, and do some work around the house-- believe it or not our fake Christmas tree is still up as he left before we could take it down and I can't do it myself.
My redline is 125 and this morning I was down to 124.8. Now, not to screw it up over the weekend! I looked at my weight on my birthday last year-- 119. I'd love to be closer to that by this birthday-- about 6 weeks away so that's what I'm plugging away for.... doubt I'll get there but I want to get as close as possible.
Jessica, I have never had twins but I can almost guarantee that by the beginning of June you will be so ready for them to arrive. I would mainly buy the bare essentials for now as you will get lots of gifts for them, They outgrow clothes very quickly so I would concentrate on the boring stuff, cribs ,diapers, gowns shirts , receiving blankets and of course, car seats are essential. Have fun shopping !
Megan, I made a broccoli salad at Christmas and it was delicious (and very pretty) - here's the recipe:
4 c. broccoli florets, chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 c. chopped unpeeled apple
toss with dressing:
1/4 c. plain Greek yogurt
2 T. mayonnaise (you could probably use all greek yogurt and omit the mayo and not be able to tell the difference)
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
3 tsp. sugar
sprinkle with
1/2 c. dried cranberries, chopped
1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
Bargoo, they are due June 28th but are expected to arrive around 36 weeks, so probably the beginning of June.
My birthday is June 3rd - you're going to have your hands full with a couple of Gemini's!!!!! Can't wait to hear about the names you are choosing!!!
Just got back from my friend's father's funeral. She is holding up much better then I expected so I was glad to see that.
Sun is out today but it is COLD here. Going to try to get a run in as the sunshine is always good for me. I can feel it elevating my mood in the last couple of hours.
I have had all purebred dogs since I moved out on my own, but as a kid we had a terrier mutt and I swear he was the smartest dog I've ever owned!
Arghhh after being 125.8 every day this week I was 126.0 today - that's what I get for deciding to not drink for one night and go to the gym in the morning, I guess.
Twin girls--how cool! We have a consignment store in town where we got a lot of nice kids' clothes inexpensively. They outgrow them so fast.
Dagmar, glad Dogmageddon is coming to an end soon, and you can relax. So are you buying a house where you live now, or are you still planning on moving west? Mutts are my favorite, too. We have tons of them at our shelter--lots of herding breed mixes because of the rural areas.
Steph, good luck with the interview. What kind of work do you do? My DH had a phone interview yesterday, which is supposed to be followed by an onsite interview. He has another phone interview today. We're hoping to be able to stay in the same area, but are willing to move for the right job. He already turned down one job--it's nice to have the luxury of doing that because so many don't.
Wardhog, that salad sounds yummy!
We have a cat who is the remaining pet of our "pack" of 3 cats and 4 dogs. It didn't take her long to become a diva, and she now hates all other animals. I tried fostering kittens, and she growled, hissed and just generally terrified them. I tried fostering a cat-friendly dog, and the cat was so intimidating that the dog went for her and bit my leg instead. In 20 years of shelter volunteering, that was my first and hopefully my last dog bite. Anyway, if I get another dog, I'd like an older (4-6 years) mutt about 25-30 lbs. who likes to walk and hang out, fetches, and is crate trained, housetrained and very friendly. Not asking too much, right?
I'd like an older (4-6 years) mutt about 25-30 lbs. who likes to walk and hang out, fetches, and is crate trained, housetrained and very friendly. Not asking too much, right?
Pretty much what I am looking for, maybe just slightly smaller, under 25 pounds.
Michele, yes, they believe they are identical (ultrasound shows only one placenta). We've definitely been looking at names. It's hard! There is one name I really like, but I'm hesitant to use it because it turns out it's super-popular right now. When I was a kid there was almost always at least one other Jessica in my classes because Jessica was the #2 name the year I was born, so I'm hesitant to give my kid a top-five name. OTOH, if I really like the name, does it matter? Also I think nowadays the frequency of names is more broadly spread, rather than in the past where like 70% of kids had a top five name.
Michele, yes, they believe they are identical (ultrasound shows only one placenta). We've definitely been looking at names. It's hard! There is one name I really like, but I'm hesitant to use it because it turns out it's super-popular right now. When I was a kid there was almost always at least one other Jessica in my classes because Jessica was the #2 name the year I was born, so I'm hesitant to give my kid a top-five name. OTOH, if I really like the name, does it matter? Also I think nowadays the frequency of names is more broadly spread, rather than in the past where like 70% of kids had a top five name.
Jessica , name your daughters what ever you like, just don't give them a wierd spelling or something they have to explain the rest of their lives.
Before my grandaughter was born her mother wanted to name her Princess, I kept my mouth shut but I was not in favor of it, evidently common sense took over and they named her Faith.
LOL Bargoo, I am definitely avoiding all "modern" names. I'm advised by my coworkers who've recently had kids to not tell anyone what the names will be in advance so that we don't feel pressured to change them to something we don't like as much, so we will probably be keeping our name choices secret.
LOL Bargoo, I am definitely avoiding all "modern" names. I'm advised by my coworkers who've recently had kids to not tell anyone what the names will be in advance so that we don't feel pressured to change them to something we don't like as much, so we will probably be keeping our name choices secret.
Jessica, I agree that you should keep the names to yourselves. It's amazing how many people feel that they can weigh in on such matters. My birthday is June 9, so another Gemini here. Twin Gemini girls - you're going to have your hands full!
Dagmar, I too am curious as to how a mutt from Turkey made it to Canada. Will he understand English commands? Maybe he'll just pretend not to anyway. (One of my favorite dog stories: my stepmother had an Australian Shepherd who was super smart and a bit of a jerk. Sometimes, she would tell him "down" - a command he knew perfectly well - and he would just duck his head. Ha!)
megan, I hope the winds have died down. It was blustery here today, too, and cold. Unlike Jen, I was not tempted to go for a run even though it was sunny.
bargoo, I'm not sure I could have kept quiet about "Princess." Egad. Speaking of crazy names, I was checking a patient's eligibility on a website today and saw the name Omnipotent Jones. Who does that to a kid?
I've got a good feeling about my job interview. Up until last November, I worked at a mid-sized accounting firm in the tax department doing bookkeeping and tax prep (I'm not a CPA, more of a paraprofessional). Then they fired me, after 14 years (downsizing, ostensibly) and I got a job with a client, a big oral surgery practice. It's just too hectic for me - noisy, crowded, my tiny desk is pretty much in the kitchen. So I contacted a small CPA firm I had spoken to briefly in November and asked if they were still interested and they said yes. I've spoken to one of the partners a couple of times and I think it would be a good fit.
Good luck on the job interview, Steph. I understand the environment change being unsettling - I left a smaller, family owned restaurant company for Home Depot and left to go back to a different family owned restaurant. I didn't like the hustle and bustle of the crowd.
Jessica - identical twin girls! How cute will that be.
Sheila - if I could find that dog I would adopt it! Sounds perfect.
Jen - I wish I had gone out in the sun today for a run, it always helps me too. I ended up on the elliptical at 9
I am almost back from the dogsit. My client is flying in from Philadelphia in the "late afternoon" which means 5 p.m. for him. I have accepted an invite to my niece's birthday party for 5 p.m. I sincerely hope my client is not delayed by the 60 KPH gusting winds currently buffeting Toronto not allowing his plane to land. I'm torn between telling him, "yes the darn dog will be OK for 4 hours on her own - she's been for 3 walks and is 10 years old FPS" and ducking out of the dinner early to go feed the darn dog and let her out for a pee.
These are great clients but the dog is so Not the spoiled princess they make her out to be. She can happily sleep for a couple of extra hours.
The Turkish dog is coming right from the airport to my client's apartment. I suggested the much more humane approach of letting the dog have a rest/recovery day first, before she gets thrust into the mainstream in Toronto. As far as I can tell, from the video for Turkey my client forwarded, this is a street dog who has had a bit of rehab. No idea how she will react to my "pack" (particularly Lucy loon). My client will also be away all day the day after the dog arrives. She has managed to get her sister to come down and spend the day with this dog. Disoriented, confused, poor dog!
This is such a mess. I know the intentions are good but I think this dog would have been much happier as a street dog in Turkey, rather than a "fur baby" here. I've found most dogs LIKE being dogs. They don't feel "deprived" if they don't get enough to eat or need to sleep on the street - that is what they have and they accept it.
End of rant. SIGH. I will make the best of this and try to get this dog a home with experienced dog handlers.
Time to go back out into the wind. I get next weekend off -
Can't wait to hear about the names you are choosing!!!
Also I think nowadays the frequency of names is more broadly spread, rather than in the past where like 70% of kids had a top five name.
I suggested the much more humane approach of letting the dog have a rest/recovery day first, before she gets thrust into the mainstream in Toronto. As far as I can tell, from the video for Turkey my client forwarded, this is a street dog who has had a bit of rehab. No idea how she will react to my "pack" (particularly Lucy loon). My client will also be away all day the day after the dog arrives. She has managed to get her sister to come down and spend the day with this dog. Disoriented, confused, poor dog!
