Derailed

I was going to spend some time quoting some of my favourite bits of Pratchett--my current favourite brilliant author--but I'm a bit distracted and disconcerted by the very real nearly full-on brawl just enacted by the furkids. Their roughhousing just escalated to a very scary and potentially dangerous point. I actually had to pull them apart and "roll" Delilah because she wouldn't chill out. I think that a) their collars got stuck together or b) one's mouth got stuck in the other's collar because they seemed to be physically stuck together for a few seconds. That and the fact that normally when we scream "That's ENOUGH" they stop rumbling and give us the "What? Who? It wasn't me!" look and this time they didn't even hear me.

They are fine now, playing like normal and being pretty mellow, so I think it was just a fear thing--I know it scared the hell out of me.

Anyway. No Pratchett for you right now. I need to do walkies with the pups and then I'm going to REI to buy myself some new trail/running shoes. Now that the dogs are showing promise as climbing/running/trail buddies, I need to invest. My old running shoes are almost 2 years old, and that's SO wrong.

And it's my day off! Woohoo. Who knows what else the day holds? Hopefully a lot of slackin!

Guess!

You'll never believe what happened yesterday! It rained. Again. Twice. On my way to work and on my way home (maybe it's a sign?). The back yard is now so wet and muddy that Bucket actually stepped in mud this morning and sunk up to his ankle. It was pretty freaking funny too, as he glared at the ground as though it had just done the most offensive act ever. Just as another testament to the wetness here--after he sunk in the mud, his paw was merely wet--not really muddy. The ground is THAT sodden.

*sigh*

okay, well, I am a bit behind in my schedule today--I was having freakish dreams and feeling soooo exhausted that I hit snooze about 5 too many times this morning (Russell will find that amusing, I'm sure, after our little "discussion" about the alarm clock yesterday). So. I'd better get going; the natives are restless!

Wettest Desert EVER

In addition to the nearly complete week of rain we got last week, we had an out-and-out cloudburst yesterday evening. I was at work and was fairly certain that a freight train was rumbling over the roof of the store. Our back yard is a mud pit and there is a tiny pond where the pups had dug a little hole.

When Russell and I were driving to the trainer's on Monday we talked about the need for us to get some photos of the very green desert, because no one will believe it. I'll work on that for you. It's a bit freakish, really.

And despite my years of training in removing rocks from every yard of every house I've ever lived in, I now find myself removing clumps of grass and errant weeds from the rocks that make up our front yard.

Desert, my ass!

Apparently it was hailing in this area yesterday afternoon! If you have some time, go to this site and click on "Weather". From there you can view a slideshow (link in the center of the page) and see some proof. :)

Anyway. Time to walk the dogs.

Actual Letter

I just sent this email to our newly acquired Dog Trainer. We met with him last week for our introduction/evaluation, and went yesterday to our first lesson. He is amazing. I have hope!

Holy Moly, J.R.!

I can't believe learning how to use those prong collars has made all the difference in the world. Russell took Bucket out last night for a short walk and was amazed at the change, but we chalked it up to the lesson being fresh in his head.

I just came in from working with both dogs (seperately) and I have to say how completely shocked I am at the progress. We worked in the street and sidewalk in front of our house, and there were a few people walking and a number of cars drove by--nothing major, but some nice "easy" distractions.

Bucket was a champ--I hardly had the chance to make any corrections whatsoever after the intial check when we left the house. He still needs to be reminded to sit when we stop, but that's a minor detail.

Delilah scared the hell out of me by her freakish resistance to the "check". She leaped up into the air, flinging saliva everywhere. She pawed at the leash, pulled away as hard as she could, and flipped around like a dog possessed. If we hadn't seen you work with Bucket yesterday, I'd have probably given up on her, but I made her come to me--resistance and all. After about three or four scenes like this, she is a completely different dog. She's better than Bucket! She is relentlessly at my side--again, hardly giving me the chance to make any corrections. I can stop on a dime and she is on her butt at my side.

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! I know we have a lot of work to do with getting them settled down and to be calm around new people and other dogs, but this is an amazing start to the process.

Thanks so much for spending the time with us that you have so far. We are really looking forward to learning more from you!

Sincerely,
Kerri, Russell, Bucket and Delilah




Smile! The world is around you. . .

Things I love about My Love

His gorgeous blue eyes.
He will do things like try Falafel, because I like it.
He always asks if I need anything when he goes downstairs for a drink or a snack.
He trusts me to drive his truck (sometimes with him in it!). :)
He looks like an angel when he sleeps.
I can burp or fart in his presence (and often get a hi-five!).
His hobbit toes.
He indulges me constantly with things that make him crazy.
When we fight, we still somehow laugh.
His amazing design talent.
His laugh.
Curling up on the couch in his arms.
His sexy tatoos.
He not only loves me despite my random bouts with melancholy and hysteria, but counsels me through them.
The way he looks at me when he says "I love you".
He is my best friend.

I'm sure there are others who think they could challenge me for the title, but I'm pretty sure I'm the luckiest girl in the world. Russell is just amazing...and...
HE's ALL MINE!!!

I love you, baby!

Pouring

Again. The rain KEEPS coming down. Here. In the DESERT. The back and side yards are flooded. There is a veritable river on our street. Cacti are drowning.

On an up note, we are going to the Arizona Renaissance Festival on Sunday (it's only supposed to rain through tomorrow, so while we will be traipsing through layers and layers of desert sand and mud, we won't actually get wet from the shins up)! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. I'm not sure why, really. It's been such a long time since we've been to a faire, and they *do* hold a special place for us you know. Besides, it's just going to be really nice to get out of the house and do something! We are going with Russell's boss and his wife (VERY cool people) and hopefully a couple of his co-workers. The dogs, alas, will have to stay home. No dogs allowed. (I almost spelled it "aloud", which is kinda funny when you think about it.)

Speaking of the dogs, next week is a big money week for them. I've made them appointments at the Vet's next Wednesday-something which was long overdue--and the dog trainer guy is coming over Thursday evening to meet them and us and to see if we all like each other and whatnot. If that goes well and all his references check out, we will likely hire him on to train us to train our dogs so we can all live together in harmony. I'm not sure if he can train me to get off my fat butt and spend quality time leash training the beasts, but perhaps the pain of writing the check will help in that process.

Anyway. It's my day off and I've worked most of it, cleaning the hell out of this house. So I'm going to go play!

cya!

Bitter Apple?

So Shanny says....but Shanny doesn't know that Delilah LIKES Bitter Apple. I bought a bottle to spray on the wood chips at our old how so the pups wouldn't chew them. I sprayed some on my hand to see what the reaction would be... Bucket fled to the other side of the room with his nose in a knot--if a dog could spit, he'd have done so. Delilah on the other hand wagged her tail and licked and licked and licked my hand as though it was spread with the most delightful tastiness EVER.

Good try, tho :)

More Exhaustion

It's 5:06am. I was planning on waking up around 5:30 today anyway because I have to be at work at 7... But I've essentially been awake since around 3am. Why? Because we have dogs.

For some reason, Delilah found it appropriate to begin barking about *something* around said ungodly hour. The blinds to the back yard were open and she was probably pissed about the lawnmower sitting in the yard (I tried to mow yesterday but couldn't get it to start). Then again, maybe she just likes to hear the sound of her own voice. Some of us do.

I tried to get back to sleep after she shut up, but worried thoughts of what they might shred next now that they have no beds kept me awake. Then Bucket started in on the whining at around 4:30.

Why, oh why, have I been blessed with the ability to wake up at the settling of dust when I am partnered with a man who, if he had an American Indian name, would be called "Sleeps Through Hurricanes"?

Does Kevlar Make Dog Beds?

Because they've chewed through another one. Yes, honey, the little green one was in the basket and they pulled it out again and it was an explosion of batting on the loft floor. I'm fairly certain that Delilah is the instigator in all of this. She has this bizarre habit of sucking on fabric. That of course evolves to tearing little bits off which evolves into "Hey, let's go for broke and tear it to shreds!"

Anyway. Dogs don't really need beds anyway, do they? I mean, hell, they're not even really supposed to live indoors. Let 'em sleep on the floor! As long as she doesn't start shredding the carpet we'll be okay, right?

I've gotten a couple emails out to some dog trainers/behaviourists here in Phoenix, so we might be putting one to employ. The first task for him/her will be to convince us to spend more time with the dogs, I'm sure. That will be the hardest step, as we are willing addicts of a game that sucks the hours from the day at lightning speed.

On another note, I've started doing the Pilates workout dvd that Russell picked up--oh, about a year ago. :) I did it on Tuesday for the first time and it kicked my ass. I'm so sore--but it's a deep down soreness in my bones, not just the superficial soreness of the muscles that you get from lifting weights. I just ache. I consider this a good thing. I gave myself yesterday off and did it again today. I won't be able to walk by the weekend.

That's all really.