Visitor

We had a welcomed visitor yesterday morning. One of our friends, Derry, came to visit with his "new addition".

Derry was the proud owner of Domino and Checkers, two of our "babies" (from Ripley, Hunter's mom; and Hunter respectively). Sadly, they have passed to the Rainbow Bridge and after several months of an empty house, Derry and Patty brought Sammy home.

What a sweetie (Derry too, lol). Now, while my gang is not so used to puppies anymore, they tolerated Sammy pretty well with only a couple leaps outta the way and snaps when he got too silly with them. The "photo shoot" went off without a hitch and we actually got about 7 or 8 shots before Sammy had had enough, lol.

Derry, thanks so much for sharing and bringing a new furbaby to see us. So looking forward to watching Sammy grow up.

~Shelley

Recalculating...

Jeannie let me down.

Yup. Good thing I printed from "Google Maps" 'cause my new GPS didn't seem to have an "app for it", lol.

Armed with my print out and secure in the knowledge I had my "Jeannie", I headed off for a stamping technique day an hour and a half away last weekend. I knew about where I was to go, so felt pretty confident. But of course, I also had my new toy (GPS) to keep me company.

"We" argued the first half of the trip, lol. I was determined to head East and South and she was darn-well-determined to have me go East and North before heading a bit South. Oh well. It was nice thinking I wasn't just "talking to myself" but to something that would kibbitz back, lol.

So, finally having won the battle (I thought), Jeannie directed me to the correct off ramp and in the direction I "knew" was right. Until we got to Vankleek Hill, about 20 minutes from my destination, lol. It was rather funny. I "thought" I should go straight through the town; however, "she" felt I needed to start turning north. 'Kkkkkkk, I'll humour "her" but I think she's wrong. So, turn left she says. Turn left again. Turn left again. Turn left again. And of course "she's" actually indicating the streets by name and they ARE correct, but... yup, you've got it, "she" was in an endless loop, lol. Wanted to keep taking me "'round the block".

Okay... "she" had her chance so I ignore the chatter coming out of the GPS and head off in the direction I want to go. Then "she" tries to tell me to head back onto a ramp which indicates it's going to send me back the way I came? Nope, I am NOT gonna listen to "her" anymore . I head off where Google Maps has told me and reach my destination no problem (Jeannie also picked up about a couple kilometers from the destination and was fine with that, lol). Told my hostess what had happened and apparently my "Jeannie" is not the only GPS that has had this hiccup, lol. Many of her past visitors have cited the same issues.

Took the "other" way home and Jeannie was quiet most of the way. Happy with the fact I was following "her" way. Go figure.

I did have a good day. Created a whole album of 20 different stamping techniques and just enjoyed my creative get-away. Would I do it again? Absolutely. Jeannie or no Jeannie, lol. It was comic relief.

All this to say, don't necessarily trust yourself to the technology of a GPS.

~Shelley

Paper and Fun

Well this week I had a few friends over and we played with paper. It's such instant gratification. We made an evening out of it with a meal and dessert and chatting and just having a good time.

They were good so I've told them we can play with glitter this week, lol. I'm a little of a control freak 'bout the glitter. Do so love it but it can be messy and likes to travel so... I'll limit the cards and hopefully the mess [grin]. We didn't get the Pennant Parade Christmas Tree Card done so we'll snick that in before we play with the glitter.

I took some time in between creating "class projects" and played with some future ideas for a "girls' class". Think my friends are game for this one too :-).


~Shelley

She had ants in her pants!

Yes, she did.

Casey came for her "spa" treatment on Thursday. She's the last of my Hunter's pups and is now about 8ish.

She fits in well here, although she's more of an onlooker than a participant with the games the other dogs play. Always in for a game of tag tho' and today was no exception as I went out in the yard with my small group and they went zinging around the yard, Casey in "hot pursuit" (the registered name of her mom, by the way, lol). Close but not too close.

Then it was time for grooming. First the nails and the trimming of the feet. She has such stinkin' cute, perfect little paws. I always get silly delight in trimming them up and making them looking prettier. Then a trim of her ears, head, hocks and feathering. Then it was onto her petite little body.

Patience flew out the window (hers, not mine, lol). Normally I groom the dogs while they lie on their sides on the tool bench or grooming table. A nice soft towel or bath mat under them so they feel more secure and don't slip. I generally just gently take ahold of them, lay them on their sides and say "dead dog, do your dead dog routine", lol. And they do. Rarely protesting.

All was fine. For about 5 minutes. I was into the hind leg area of one side when her head popped up and she proceeded to get up. Dead dog, I said. Nope. So, she gets a pet and a chat and we start again. The next hour and a half plus (should've taken a steady hour this time as I'd already completed the trimming and thinning and manicuring) was like a comedy. Few brushstrokes, spray of watered down conditioner, and buck, buck, buck. Settle. Stroke, stroke, spray... buck, buck, buck. Twas funny really. Casey had ants in her pants. Or a bee in her bonnet or whatever cliche fits. The princess had something to say and the last word.

In hindsight, a maybe... about 1/2 way thru our session, I finally found the source of the "whistling" that had permeated the house all morning. The darn CO detector was obviously warning us that the batteries were dying. It broke into a shrill screech that had me lifting it literally off the wall and prying open the battery compartment to shut--it--up. Hmmmmm.... maybe, just maybe, that audible noise (and any of the inaudible to human ear components of it) had thrown Casey off her game/good grooming behaviour?

Okay... I'll give her that. This time, lol. We'll see when next she comes back.

What I did noticeably miss this time? Hunter. Not just because Casey is her pup. She ALWAYS came downstairs with me when a visitor came for grooming. Always. And she'd plant herself literally touching my feet the whole time that I'd be grooming. The others? Close, but not too close, lol. Just outside the doorway. Close enough they can run for treats that every dog gets after grooming; not so close that they can't runaway upstairs if they think their turn might be next .

Pics are of Casey "before" and "after". Cute either way.

~Shelley

Boring?

Facebook is a wondrous place. But it can be scary, lol. You reconnect with old friends and they ask after you and your life. How to describe it? Will you come up lesser in their eyes? Will you be judged if you're not a rocket scientist, a published author, a doctor, a nurse, a...?

I am proud to be a mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a friend. I live a quiet, secure and comfy life. I am with the love-of-my-life and we are rather "settled" in our ways. We go out for dinner and drinks, the odd movie, away for a few days (together [wink]), out for a drive, visit with friends (often at home), but we both enjoy our homelife.

Boring? Maybe for some as we don't "party" or reconnect a lot with old friends. We have each other and a full life. A good home, great kids and a largish family. Most of our family (brothers, sisters and parents) are in the immediate area.

My husband is the main breadwinner. I originally worked outside the home as a Health Record Administrator and then as a Property Manager. Then came our two boys, now aged 24 and 20. My husband supported me as a stay-at-home, full-time Mom. It was/is a good life. I was there, and still am, for my husband and kids. I run the home. For some years, I bred Shetland Sheepdogs (20 years) and showed them in conformation and obedience. I also joined a couple of women's groups and dabbled in decorative painting and now papercrafting. I get out to the painting conventions with friends and work closely with a good friend managing a large booth. Here I get to reconnect with old and make new friends. I teach decorative painting occasionally and also papercrafting techniques. These are my hobbies and give me a creative release, fun and socializing time.

Boring? No. Anything but. My life is full and fulfilled. My best friend is my husband of almost 30 years and I look forward to growing very old with him. There aren't enough hours in the day, lol. We will continue to pursue our own hobbies (the above for me and RC Cars, Slot Cars and photography for him) but at the end of the day... we will sit comfortably side-by-side, watching must-see t.v. and talking about our days and just basking in the glow of a continued romance.

No fairytale, just very real and very fulfilling, and no boring life here .

~Shelley

What is wrong with this picture?

We bought a new dog bed for the dogs. A little on the small side, but it was inexpensive ($6.00!!) and cute and we thought, "what the hey, one of 'em might use it - probably little 'Squeak".

So... Molson really doesn't use any of the pet beds. We originally bought a few for the older dogs, Hunter and then Whisper. Hunter mainly. But then Whisper decided she really wanted Hunter's so we bought one for Whisper who then staked the new one out as hers and wouldn't let anyone else near it, lol. So off we went to get another and she staked it out too and would almost have a hissy fit when either of the two newer ones were occupied, lol. She'd huff and puff and stomp and stare and then throw herself to the floor in front of the occupied one and block whoever was on it - even while the one a few feet away was empty! If she got to the prime one first (whichever one would change on a whim) she'd growl and snarl to warn the others away. I think ONCE we actually caught all of 'em on the same bed at once and that was only because Whisper pushed her way onto one occupied by 'Squeak and Shimmer and lay almost on top of them. Ya, really. But they all left Hunter and her bed alone. She had the prime spot right beside the kitchen table where I'd sit with my 'puter.

Fast forward to now. No bed beside the kitchen table. Two in the familyroom a few feet apart. We cycle them around and now have extras to replace those that are destined for the wash.

Molson does his own thing. 'Squeak loves company. Shimmer gets tired of sharing with her daughter any spot she has laid claim to first. She gets too warm and 'Squeak is just too chummy and cloying, lol. So Shimmer has decided that the little pet bed is quite perfect as there is no room for 'Squeak (Shimmer barely fits). 'Squeak has taken to her Grandmother's ways of stomping and huffing and puffing and staring if Shimmer won't share the small bed. Until now... hubby and I watched in shock and awe as the little weasel pushed her way onto the TINY pet bed with her mother. She just 'bout pushed Shimmer off, lol. I grabbed my camera in
disbelief as Shimmer put her head up as if to implore me to save her. What a sight. The big pet bed, usually shared, remains empty. Molson snores blissfully unawares in his own little world elsewhere.

~Shelley

Hmmmm... waz up?

Well, I did go to the Quebec painting convention. Salon des Arts Decoratifs. It was, indeed, spectacular. Apart from the communication and culture shock, the people are by far, the friendliest, neatest, chiquest (my new, made-up word, lol), youngest group of painters by far. It is just... well... energizing.

I was tired (and still oh-so-sore) from the show the previous week, but I tell you, you don't have time to let your feet grow roots, lol. My French language skills were a tad lacking this year (I claim the aforementioned tiredness ) but most people were so patient and appreciative of any attempt, however much you massacred the French language ;-).

The show was in St. Hyacinth this year. It's about a 1/2 hour east of Montreal. Beautiful area. I used my friend's GPS and dubbed it "Jeannie" (for genie in a bottle/box, lol). I tell you, if someone had heard me talking back to that little piece of modern technology, I would've been committed, lol. You should've heard me when "she" would tell me to make a "legal" U turn, lol. Not. I really enjoyed it, though, and "she" sure helped me. Since then, my sweet hubby has bought me my own GPS.

The show was so busy, the four days passed in a blur. It was sad to say goodbye to my friends (new and old) but good to get home.

New. Not much. My oldest has come to stay for a couple weeks. Something about needing a break? Whatever. It's new and different and... okay, I'll say it... strange, lol. 24 is so grown up and mature and adult and a mom is not s'posed to question every little thing. Right? As if. We'll give him that space and privacy. For now .

Am still playing with the papercrafts. So satisfying. Instant gratification. I'm just in the midst of controlling some of my chaos so that I can plan a little workshop for some friends and create some Stampin Up cards and gifts for Christmas.

Have also been doing some painting and just finished a set of 4 winter landscapes adapted from a Dorothy Dent design. Will post a pic when I touch up a couple. Tomorrow I'm going to start a Kelly Hoernig design of a little "Jingle Bear". Colour Pencils. Do you hear me singing "Jingle Bells", lol?

Any-who... can't think of what else to say right now, so I'm just gonna hit "publish", lol.

~Shelley