WIDOW WITH DOGS

"MICKY" 1903

2007-07-21T13:10:00.001-04:00

Why I love ebay, you can get things like this.
And yes, of course I got it.

Favorite Guilty Pleasure

2007-07-18T19:09:00.000-04:00

I am actually at home on Wednesday evenings so I can enjoy the
best trashy TV ever,
FOOTBALLERS WIVE$.
The character Tanya Turner is the best TV bitch ever.
And oh my god "those nails". So watch and tell me, wouldn't you love to act like that for just one day?

New Addition

2007-05-10T14:35:00.000-04:00

It's Stanley Steamer Steampunk Boy, my new handicapped son. He's a Russian Tortoise that needed his leg amputated. I loveth my new son.

They Always Gave Me The Creeps

2007-04-15T00:45:00.000-04:00

Dick and Jane always gave me the creeps. I put them in the same class as clowns and dolls. I never quite got over that Twilight Zone episode with the killer doll and believe me she was way more terrifying than Chuckie. And I think it goes without saying, clowns are the worst of all. So here you go, what D & J are really like:

The RLF

2007-04-13T14:14:00.000-04:00

I ran afoul of the Rabbit Liberation Front.
First this note appeared on my mail bin at work.Then this picture of the RLF enforcer appeared.
And what was the offending image?
See below.
And here is an actual pic of "The Big Tuna" herself, the RLF Enforcer. She may look benign, but watch out, at a moments notice she can transform herself into "the Enforcer".
For serious rabbit info go here and here.

The Mail Bin

2007-03-29T00:24:00.000-04:00

My mail bin at work.The pics and images change on a regular basis.
And you never what your coworkers might put on or in your bin so O'Softie is standing guard.

O'Softie Helps Out

2007-03-18T20:55:00.000-04:00

O'Softie helps out with Nikki.

The Cover Issue Again

2007-03-11T19:17:00.000-04:00

Books are more than just the story inside, they are objects in and of themselves. I cannot read a novel on a computer screen, I want the whole experience, the feel and smell of the pages and the cover, yes, that deal breaker the cover. Bad cover art, no sale. So I will go out of my way to purchase say the UK edition of a book if the cover is better. Which leads to Un Lun Dun by China Miéville. The US edition has this appallingly awful cover: There is no way I could force myself to buy this with that ungodly sweetness and light cover, ugh, and I was interested in this book. I am a fan of Miéville's writing and was very curious as he also illustrated the book himself. I will admit that I usually run screaming when a book is tagged as Young Adult but was willing to cut Miéville some slack and give it a try. But the dreaded cover stopped me every time. So happily the UK edition looks like this:Now isn't that better? That book I want to read. This has one of Miéville's illustrations on the cover unlike the US edition. What possessed the US publishers to use that horrible horrible cover? So UK sale 1, US sale 0.

O'Softie Meets Squiggy

2007-03-10T17:01:00.000-05:00

Onion Softie helps out with Squiggy the Iguana.

Lame interviewer but.........

2007-03-04T20:22:00.000-05:00

Kind of a lame interviewer but worth it to gaze upon and listen to China Miéville. If you haven't read him you should. My favorite The Scar.

O'Softie likes a tipple now and then.

2007-03-04T17:39:00.000-05:00

And I have been informed by O'Softie that no cheap ass gin will do.

O'Softie Does Onegin

2007-02-25T17:17:00.000-05:00

Onion Softie goes to The Met HD broadcast of Eugene Onegin. Lovely to have a friend to go with for a change, besides Onion Softie that is, hello birthday girl. Lovely very effective spare sets and lighting. And to our ears great cast in great form. And the fact that Dmitri Hvorostovsky is also easy on the eyes is a bonus. And hey birthday girl, a huge thanks for the punch in the arm before the opera fans lynched me.

Have Credit, Will Travel

2007-02-25T12:56:00.000-05:00

With apologies to Paladin, follow B & B across country as they video blog, Rochester to San Diego.

O'Softie Gets The Treatment

2007-02-22T11:11:00.000-05:00

The Arrival Arrives

2007-02-17T17:26:00.000-05:00

This isn't available in the US yet but I couldn't wait so bought from Amazon UK. It was worth it. The Arrival by Shaun Tan. Graphic novel extraordinaire. Just click on the pic and go look. You all need this book. Buy it.

New Transport

2007-02-11T18:57:00.000-05:00

Onion Softie likes the new Minivan. Not ours, alas.
Have neglected to mention that The Onion Softie was designed by Kim Leigh Botha.

Königin der Nacht

2007-02-08T03:01:00.000-05:00

Best Queen of the Night for me.
Diana Damrau at Covent Garden.

Blackheart

2007-02-07T23:49:00.000-05:00

Watch and listen.

Even better if you go to The Blackheart Gang site.

Gogol Rapture

2007-02-07T23:13:00.000-05:00

I am totally gone on Gogol Bordello.

Stupid Sports TV

2007-02-07T22:29:00.000-05:00

The only reason to attend any of these Superbowl events is NOT to watch stupid sports on TV. It is so you can eat bad for you yummy food. And of course, chicken wings are a must. My Onion Softie poses with the grub. I took a book and read in the other room during the game. And what did I read? This:

FAB UK SWAG

2007-01-31T22:48:00.000-05:00

Here are the pics of my fabulous UK swag. The one and only Onion light and Onion softie. These were necessities, really they were.

The Continuing Saga

2007-01-31T12:47:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's the continuing saga of why the widow is always broke and her poor impulse control. But how could I resist?
The BTs and I love

Pictures of the swag to follow.

Previously Enjoyed

2007-01-27T19:00:00.000-05:00

I have never ever purchased a brand new couch. I have had a series of previously enjoyed couches through the years. Most of them have been freebies from friends and relatives; they were the ones who actually acquired new pristine couches. I am more interested in my dogs than decorating and dogs are rough on the furniture especially BTs. So there is absolutely no point in having a nice couch which will just get beat up, ripped and smelly from dog activity. That being said, my latest "new to me" couch is one of the nicest ones I have had in years. Thanks Jackie! Now this couch will probably never look this good again so here it is pre-dog.It will now be covered with assorted blankies and pillowcases to try and stave off the damage and dirt. Below you have Londo enjoying the new item and giving his full approval. And since I also run the WWDs BT dog sitting service here is Claire, one of my charges, checking it out also.And a BIG thank you to B and B for the couch delivery. They had to rent a van as all of our vehicles were too small for transport duty.

For the Cat people

2007-01-26T13:46:00.000-05:00

Ok, here is something for my cat loving friends. How about Vampire Cats? Or the Cat Tarot?
But don't get used to posts about cats. The BTs don't like it. Especially Londo the fearsome cat hunter.

Lagomorph mammary glands

2007-01-24T21:55:00.000-05:00

Excellent worker bee is rewarded with lagomorph mammary glands. Yes, it's another specimen for my Cabinet of Curiousities. Basically these are bunny bits.

No Impulse Control

2007-01-19T13:22:00.000-05:00

I have absolutely no impulse control. This is part of the reason why I am always broke. I went to buy dog food and came home with these. There is no way I can actually give these to my dogs. They would kill, rip and ingest them in seconds and then probably need foreign body surgery. But they look like Bull terriers to me and are so damn bloody cute. So I guess these are human toys not dog toys. A normal person might have bought one. I however had to have one in each size and color. I did manage to come home with dog food which is whole 'nother story. I am always changing what I feed trying to find that perfect food. It is a sickness, I know. And yes I have done the whole home cooking and raw diet thing. I found it impossible to keep up and had countless problems with high bacteria counts etc . causing nasty diarrhea. Please do not try to make me feel guilty for feeding kibble. I love my dogs, really.

Another The Cover Made Me

2007-01-05T14:01:00.000-05:00

Another edition of the cover made me buy it. How oh how did I miss this one until now. Best cover of 2006 if you ask me.The cover artist is Josh Cochran. And this book looks to be just the sort of thing I like. Icelander is published by McSweeney's and is Dustin Long's first novel. And you know, even if the book had sounded dreadful I might have bought it anyway just because I adore that cover.

Why Don't People Like Opera?

2006-12-31T16:34:00.000-05:00

I will never understand why people don't like opera. I absolutely adore it. So the highlight of my New Year's celebrations was going to see The Magic Flute at a local theater. The Met is broadcasting 6 operas live via satellite into theaters all over the world. I can only hope this will encourage a few more to at least give opera a try.
The first broadcast was an abbreviated 90 minute version of the Julie Taymor production of Mozart's The Magic Flute in English. I will admit to finding it very distracting to hear it sung in English rather than the German. And I would always rather hear the complete opera but I can understand the thinking behing this abbreviated version. It is visually stunning and you could take older children and opera newbies and not have them want to run screaming from the theater. And what with relatives still in town and kids off school it would make for a great outing. Once you've been hooked though it becomes very hard to listen to anyone who can't actually sing. And a pet peeve, please god if you are asking someone to sing the national anthem at an event for christ sake make sure they can actually hit the notes. My motto is if you don't have the chops, don't sing it.
The Taymor production really is fabulous looking, I enjoyed myself immensely. I am not in a position to go to The Met for any performances so I usually just listen to them on WNED. So these broadcasts are a great opportunity for me to actually see as well as hear the operas. I find I am not much of a fan of the hero and heroine in The Magic Flute, I find them rather bland. I prefer the Queen of the Night, Papageno and Monostatos. These pics are screen shots I nabbed at the cinema. The whole point in the end though is the music and the singing. The music is glorious and I enjoyed the singing no end. There were some technical glitches at first and the sound was lost temporarily. Really the look, sets and costumes are all just frosting, without the music and the wonder of the human voice the rest is nothing.

How we livened up xmas

2006-12-29T14:42:00.000-05:00

And more here, here, here and here.

Seasons Greetings in Green

2006-12-27T22:25:00.000-05:00

Shrine of the Shunned

2006-12-24T10:13:00.000-05:00

After a long dog show weekend the remains of the offerings left at the Shrine of the Shunned. I personally do not worship at the Shrine of the Shunned. The offerings increase exponentially with the importance of the show and the stress involved.

The Shopping

2006-12-10T18:55:00.000-05:00

The most important shopping of all.
And way better than just some old cuppa.

Curses!

2006-12-03T23:34:00.000-05:00

The best curses ever:

Thou brazen common-kissing whey-face!
Thou errant shard-borne ruffian!
Thou reeky weak-hinged maggot-pie!
Thou wanton elf-skinned bugbear!
Thou paunchy toad-spotted baggage!
Thou clouted half-faced harpy!
Thou beslubbering guts-griping moldwarp!
Thou paunchy lily-livered flax-wench!
Thou unmuzzled spur-galled rampallion!
Thou currish fat-kidneyed mammet!

Go to the Elizabethan Curse Generator and get your own.
You can be cursed repeatedly and there is even a Dashboard Widget for your Mac available. But best of all, you can use these to curse other people. Pick a favorite and curse away.

Thou artless weak-hinged waterfly!
Thou droning muddy-mettled bugbear!
Thou yeasty shag-eared giglet!
Thou puking raw-boned clack-dish!
Thou paunchy heavy-handed egg-shell!
Thou infectious motley-minded apple-john!
Thou grizzled pottle-deep whey-face!
Thou artless reeling-ripe mumble-news!
Thou sottish shrill-gorged manikin!
Thou droning lily-livered flap-dragon!

Eyeball

2006-11-29T14:58:00.000-05:00

Some days the little perks that come with a job truly make it worth being a good worker bee. If you are a very good worker bee you may be allowed to have, ta da, the Hedgehog eyeball! The eyelid is sewn shut. The Hedgehog is feeling much better now.

bad baby jesus

2006-11-22T18:27:00.000-05:00

Yes folks it's the holy family photo shoot.
The cast:
The widow as the madonna.
Alvin as baby jesus.
Londo as joseph.

Setting up with lame props:

Alvin was temperamental and uncooperative. He was bad baby jesus, to the point where joseph aka Londo, who had been a trooper through the whole thing, had enough and decided to go to his trailer.Finally bad baby jesus was removed from the scene and shooting went on with only joseph and the madonna.

Thanks to bikebizzle and bizzlepix, long suffering photogs. Look for the final results on xmas or in your mailboxes in Dec.

No Enabling Necessary

2006-11-16T14:09:00.000-05:00

UPDATE TO MORE SILVERWOOD SWAG.

NO ENABLING IS NECESSARY AS I FOUND A SOURCE.

DAY OF THE DEATH

2006-11-14T13:47:00.000-05:00

One year ago today my husband dropped dead in the kitchen. Which means he is free and the rest of us are stuck behind suffering. This is a lousy quality photo but it is just so C that I am using it anyway. So in honor of the sorely missed beloved husband please all enjoy what I refer to as "The C Song". And please be patient and listen to the whole thing. Oh and in case you were wondering being a widow sucks.

And if you want to sing along here are the lyrics:

Sings Like A Tenor

2006-11-10T13:29:00.000-05:00

Alvin received this terrific gift in the mail with congrats from his co-owners (who still need to update their site) on finishing his championship. Thanks a million A & B for the tag and mostly for Mr Alveen!

And believe me, he does indeed sing like a tenor, lots and loudly, and not like a particularly good tenor either. Below see "The Tenor" resting up while modeling his fabulous new tag.
Alvin's gift is from the terrific Fetching Tags. We love it! Go get your pet one.

More Silverwood Swag

2006-10-31T11:42:00.000-05:00

Terrific BT earrings. The Silent Auction is a very dangerous place for me. I have no willpower where BT items are concerned, which is part of the reason why I am broke. But there was no way I was coming home without these. The other problem is, I am sure I need more than one pair of these. So I am on a mission to find another pair or two or three............ So if you happen to know where I could snag another pair please be a good little enabler and let me know.

Silverwood Swag

2006-10-27T00:32:00.000-04:00

Are these the shrunken heads of Alvin & Londo's rivals?

I bid on this whole basket of items at the silent auction but what I really wanted were these wool heads. There were T-shirts, mugs and wine in the basket, all nice, but it was these heads that hooked me. And when it came time to pay up and collect, gasp, one of the heads was missing. I was so bummed. But what can you do, the other head was gone. So I said "if you find a head lying around it's mine" and off I went. And then later while I was watching the judging, great news, they found my other head! I imagine one of the woolly devils must have just rolled off somewhere.

And speaking of shrunken heads and what with it being that creepy time of year, how did we ever manage without this. I have a real soft spot for Vincent Price in horror mode.

Clio Wins The Big One!

2006-10-20T13:53:00.000-04:00

You will all get to see the official show shots everywhere else. Here are some candid shots of the 2006 Silverwood Trophy winner with her happy and proud parents. And guess what, Clio and her parents are from WNY! Congrats Jeanne & Scott. Basically Clio really couldn't care less but if her parents are happy, she's happy.

Have Fan Will Travel

2006-10-12T11:38:00.000-04:00

I always travel with a fan. I am always too warm even while everyone else is shivering. And when I get all nervous and jerky, I radiate heat like a 3 alarm blaze. So I have acquired this nifty slim profile fan with the folding base to facilitate packing. And hopefully there will be no airport issues. I don't want to be having the 'no sir this is not an incendiary device, it's my fan, I get hot, no that is just the extension cord for dragging said fan around the hotel room' conversation. So I am off to the Ferncroft for the BT invasion. And now that I am a good worker bee I am having trouble finding time to blog.

Pinup Boys

2006-10-03T13:42:00.000-04:00

There are several bulletin boards in the public areas at work. One is a memorial board for us to put up pictures of deceased pets provided by the owners. And another is for the staff to show off their own pets. So this is the boys official pinup photo for work. I got the impression that anything too out of the ordinary in the way of pix wouldn't be appreciated, you never know how "the public" may react.

Black Market Beagles

2006-09-30T20:36:00.000-04:00

I so want this. This cracks me up no end. Yeah, trafficking in those Black Market Beagles will make me a rich widow. I want the hoodie and the cap sleeve ringer T. And I'm going to wear them to Silverwood. The BTs will not be amused.

And no cracks about my guilty skiffy watching pleasures please.

Cabinet Of Curiosities

2006-09-28T11:21:00.000-04:00

I am working at a veterinary clinic and we had an open house with clinic tours recently. (I was in charge of the trivia game, not a bad gig at all.)There are displays up in each of the exam rooms. And for my money the best room is the one that has the specimens. Jars and jars of worms, parts, fetuses etc. Totally fascinating. So here for your entertainment is WWD's very own little cabinet of curiosities.

This is an OCD (osteochondritis dissecans) lesion that was removed from Tango's left hock. This specimen is dated 7-6-92. What you are seeing is a piece of a cartilage flap. This was major and pricey surgery which was done by a specialist. These days they generally do no operate on OCD but at the time that was the treatment of choice. How do you like those spiffy pimento specimen jars?

What we have here is the end of Barusa's tail. He was not a classic "spinner" exactly, he had some spinal pain issues and when he had a muscle spasm (you could see the muscles twitch) he would spin and grab for his tail. Well he would catch it occasionally and over the years the end of his tail got rather gnarly looking. Then one day on 9-15-93 at 1:30 pm he had an episode out in the back yard and bit off the end of his tail. I retrieved the bit o'tail and plopped it into this jar. So there was poor Boo with this bit of bare bone sticking out of the end of his tail. He had to have the bone cut back and the skin sutured over the new end of his tail. He still tried to catch it after this when he had a muscle spasm but never caught it again.

Next up we have the dead husband's hair. This was lovingly clipped from the dead body at the emergency room. And it now resides in the appropriately named Anubis jar. No old pimento jars for my honey. These jars are made by the Italian design firm Alessi and they are fabulous and you don't have to use them for bits of the dead,
candy would be good too.
And now on to actual pieces of the dead husband. When you have someone cremated you do not have to have the bits of bone crushed. You must stand your ground, you must insist, they will whine but there is no law saying they have to be crushed. I have picked out several different types of bone for your perusal.

Ron and Joe and Alvin

2006-09-22T12:03:00.000-04:00

Ron and Joe have terrific clip art and images such as the lovely Road Kill pictured here. They do some of my favorite dog and cat images. And best of all they actually have a sense of humour and their site is FUN. Their customers have produced some fun and functional products with dog images that I guarantee will bring a bit of fun and brightness into your otherwise dull and dreary lives. I have key chains, t-shirts, magnets and mats all with Ron and Joe's dog images. And you can get stuff free! Go to the freebie of the month page and download this months free images. And most important of all Alvin has made the Silly Pets page at Ron and Joe's, he is very excited and now wants to know if he needs an agent. And here's one for C-

The Guardian

2006-09-18T12:42:00.000-04:00

Tango is the Guardian of the WWDs' lair. You couldn't get past her when she was alive and you'll never make it through now that she is a ghostly guardian. Don't mess with the "Dragonclaw". Photos by AL.

The Amazing C Quilt

2006-09-15T14:56:00.000-04:00

This is the amazing C Memory Quilt. His sister Penny made it for me. The back is made up of pieces from C's favorite shirts, including pockets and buttons. All the buttons on the front are also from his shirts. And best of all the uniform makes it's appearance on the front. He spent more time in those blue uniforms than in anything else, at work and while working at home. So I especially love that Penny was able to salvage a pocket and the official name badge from one of the uniforms. In case I ever happened to forget exactly who I was married to; all I had to do was check the shirt.
Thanks Penny.

Employed

2006-09-14T15:45:00.000-04:00

I now have a job. So maybe I should think about fixing the place up a bit.

Dog Piss

2006-09-11T16:12:00.000-04:00

The only purpose the propane tank serves. I roll the grill out in the spring, never use it, then roll it back in the fall. So for months the tank is a pee post for the boy dogs. I didn't catch the actual leg lifting action with the camera, only the result. So this really makes you want to have BBQ at my house right?

Dog Sit

2006-09-10T21:01:00.000-04:00

Nell and her Mum came to stay, Nell and Alvin are buds.
Claire needed her nails clipped.
Claire checks the traffic.

Claire was shedding a bit. We also cleaned and medicated ears and expressed anal glands. (Aren't you glad I didn't include a photo of that procedure?)

Twinned

2006-09-07T14:43:00.000-04:00

Grace and Gertrude do cake and Confirmation.
My mother was a twin and today was their birthday. This is getting to be the "blog of the dead". Dead husband, deceased relatives, sorely missed dead BTs, defunct business, dilapidated buildings and so on.

My Mother decided one day in middle age to take up smoking just for the fun of it. I'm not entirely sure if she actually inhaled or just kind of puffed smoke around. Here she is with Domino and the damn Mickey Mouse phone. My Mom liked to change the style of the phones we had, a lot. I ended up with all that furniture (still using most of it) and the damn phone too. That phone is so going to the garage sale pile. I have a completely unreasonable but intense hatred for all things Mickey. Forgot to add, all photos by Annette. Well almost all.

Pain Free Birthday

2006-09-04T14:54:00.000-04:00

This was C on his birthday last year. He had ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis. He had both hips replaced, had shoulder surgery and could expect to have more surgery down the line. Both his knees had been shot since the 70's. So he never ever had a day without pain despite medication, it took the edge off a bit but that was all. He did not however have any condition that would have led us to believe he wasn't long for the world.

This is C having his first pain free birthday. Be careful what you wish for. Every day above ground is a good day, painful or not. Although C is above ground come to think of it. He hangs out in the dining room these days. I miss his 'not crunchy' incarnation.

Alvin Does Mud

2006-09-03T18:26:00.000-04:00

Yes, this is the kind of dog show weekend it was. Rain, wind and mud, lots of mud.
Alvin navigating. He had enough of the lousy weather and was so ready to go home.
Alvin all tuckered out from a hard weekend of showing. He wasn't too keen on the cold and wet conditions.

The Gwynn bookend.

2006-09-01T18:15:00.000-04:00

This is what I call my "Gwynn bookend". I think of it as Gwynn waiting at the gate to welcome the rest of us, humans and canines, when we die. Terrific antique cast iron in polychrome from around 1930, American. We'll all be there eventually Gwynn.

Weepy

2006-09-01T16:02:00.000-04:00

When your husband up and dies on you unexpectedly you get so your life is mostly lived in the past. It seems as if the best things have been done and the future looks very grey and flat. So you spend a lot of time scanning old photos and wishing you had more of them to scan. There are always these large chunks of time with no images to represent them. And I have also lived long enough to have lost my share of dogs. I am going to Silverwood even though I shouldn't spend the money. (As a good friend said "Sometimes you just have to do things to make your life less shitty".) And I intend to have pictures of my dead dogs on the Rainbow Bridge Table :

Dear Friends,
The Bull Terrier Club of New England has asked me to host a Rainbow
Bridge Table at Silverwood 2006. This will afford all those who
wish to honor the memory of their bullies who have crossed the
Rainbow Bridge an opportunity to place a framed picture (no larger
than 8 by 10) of their Bull Terrier on the table for the duration of
the show. Each picture will represent a donation to studies aimed
at improving the quality of the lives of our bullies.
Please pre-register by sending a check or money order to:

Janice Frostick
1 Maple Street
Farmingdale, NJ 07727
Write a check of $10, payable to The BTCNE.
On the menu line write "Rainbow Bridge Table."

Some of the money will be used to buy a flower arrangement to
decorate the table and to provide "Rainbow Cards," identifying each
photo. The rest of the money will be donated to the BTCA Health
Committee for its ongoing donor-advised Health Studies.

Please include the following information by following the form for
Victoria's Betsy.

My Bull Terrier's AKC name: Banbury Bon Chance of Bedrock. CGC
Pet Name: Betsy
Dates: April 1993-February 2006
Brief Sentences: Mother, Friend, Gentle Soul. Betsy's gift to our
family and to the Bull Terrier community will live on in her
children and their descendents. Sleep well, darling girl. Love,
Victoria.

I will be at the table beginning Wed. evening, Oct. 11th to set up
the display. Those who wish to share framed photographs of their
bullies at the bridge will be responsible for bringing the photos to
the tables by Thursday evening and then removing them by Sunday
noon. If you, yourself, cannot come to Silverwood, please ask a
friend to bring and remove your photo for you. You may keep your
"Rainbow Card" as well. The BTCNE and I cannot be responsible for
mailing photography back to people, so please don't forget to
retrieve your photo Sunday morning. If you wish to stand the photo,
please bring your own "mini easel" or plate stand.

We would like to give everyone the chance to honor their departed
pets and share them with the Bull Terrier community in a setting
that benefits the Bull Terrier of today and the future.

With love,
Janice Frostick in NJ and Remy at the Rainbow Bridge

So I spent today trying to write the blurb for each one of my BTs that have passed. It is extremely hard to capture the essence of a dog in a few sentences. And each attempt was accompanied by sobbing as I still miss each one of them terribly. So kisses for live pets while you have them and take the time to remember those that are gone. Off to search for more BT pics to scan. Any suggestions for which pic might be a good candidate for their official Rainbow Bridge shot?

FOR SHAME

2006-08-29T19:31:00.000-04:00

Harlan Ellison kerfuffle. Sometimes you just despair as it seems
nothing has changed and women still get treated like dirt.
I would have decked him.

And here is more. Actually have fun following the disgusting bread
crumbs as there is more everywhere.

Kidnapped

2006-08-27T23:11:00.000-04:00

The scene of the abduction, it was my birthday, but there was an incident.
The nursery around the time of the crime.
The victim on the left. The culprit holding on to perhaps a future abductee.

If I Were A Dog

2006-08-26T13:14:00.000-04:00

If I Were A Dog

If I were a dog I would be
Gracie. As the late husband
used to say "I sit a damn fine
couch". So the bit where it
says "Gracie is large and
lacking zest" is me all over.
And I tend to have this
unruly hair problem. So
Gracie's few strings of hair
in that bow crack me up.
And though I have lots of
unruly hair and Gracie has
little, it just sort of fits.
I have a collection of
children's books featuring
dogs. Most feature Bull
Terriers but I make
exceptions for other dogs
if the book really speaks
to me and the illustration
is a style I like. So I can
recommend My Sister
Gracie By Gillian Johnson,
a good story, told in
rhyme with top notch
illustration. Life is so dark
and miserable most of the
time, sometimes a children's
book that makes you smile
is just what you need. And
it doesn't hurt that the poodle
in the story is named "Fabio",
priceless that.

Champion Alvin

2006-08-23T12:09:00.000-04:00

Alvin is happy because he is now Canadian Champion Mayhem Intruder Alert.

Remembering Ellie

2006-08-22T17:31:00.000-04:00

Today was Ellie's birthday. She was born in 1988 and lived to the age of fourteen plus. We lost her in March 2003. She had better be taking good care of C and the other BTs that have passed.

At The Dog Show

2006-08-20T15:44:00.000-04:00

St Catherines and District Kennel and Obedience Club

Egg in a Poke

2006-08-18T18:07:00.000-04:00

I had never had "Egg in a Poke" before. Where you cut the center out of the bread and then crack the egg into the hole and then fry the whole bit together. Apparently I have led a very sheltered life. I know it's just eggs and toast but it is so much fun, especially if you fry the cutouts too and plunk them on top. Somehow it makes it all taste just that little bit better. Maybe I am just a lazy ass cook and that is why I have never had this. Anyway, thanks to the cook.

Home Again

2006-08-16T11:56:00.000-04:00

Back home again. This was the view from my bed at the cottage. I did not want to come home.

Parry Sound

2006-08-08T08:50:00.000-04:00

The boys and I are off to Parry Sound for 5 days or so. Check out the webcam to see what's going on up North. And the North Star for news. The historical photos, here, are very entertaining.

........Beautiful Baby.................

2006-08-07T17:12:00.000-04:00

Pepper, Mayhem Pipin' Hot, comes home from Ohio with more AKC points and ROMs.
So now we all must sing:

You must have been a beautiful baby,
you must have been a wonderful child . . .
When you were only startin'
to go to kindergarten
I bet you drove the little boys wild!

An' when it came to winning blue ribbons,
you must have shown the other kids how . . .
I can see the judge's eyes as they handed you the prize
I bet you made the cutest bow!

Oh!, You must have been a beautiful baby,
'cause baby look at you now . . .

Boodil

2006-08-05T22:49:00.000-04:00

One of the all time best Bull Terrier books ever is "Boodil, My Dog".

It is out of print but readily available used and if you have a Bully it's a must have. The author must have had first hand experience with BTs as the story is so spot on.

Andrea Gunderson is an artist that was inspired by Boodil to paint a series of Bull Terrier works. Go to animals and page through to see all her versions of Boodil. The one pictured above is called "Who's There?".

White Pine Collars

2006-08-04T18:49:00.000-04:00

My favorite dog collars for around the house are from White Pine. They are the limited slip ones.
They are made from nice soft webbing, are adjustable, just slip on and come in a decent selection of attractive colors.
They are also washable and last and last. The collars pictured here are at least 10 years old.
The best part is the limited slip action, the collars tighten enough so that dogs can't slip out of them but then hit the stop so they don't continue to tighten and choke the dog. You need to adjust the collar properly for this to work.
And if you need to grab a dog to move them around just use the tab part like a mini leash. Today's models Londo & Alvin would like to remind you that these collars are not to be used to tie a dog out. And they assume you know to always take your dog's collars off when they will be home alone.

Milo visits

2006-08-03T21:16:00.000-04:00

Milo came to visit while his parents were away. He went home today. He was an excellent guest. Milo is a rescue Bull Terrier that was one of the lucky ones as he now has a great home.

Missing C

2006-08-02T16:44:00.000-04:00

I really really miss the dead husband. I was one of the lucky few that was madly in love the day she got married and stayed in love right up to the day C dropped dead in the kitchen. Being a widow sucks. I have no idea what year this was taken. Photo by Annette.

The Cover Made Me ..........

2006-08-01T23:54:00.000-04:00

I have a thing about book covers. A good cover will make me pick up a book that I normally would never have considered otherwise. And an atrocious cover that makes me cringe is the kiss of death, no way is that book going home with me. It could be an excellent read and I might even have read the author before but irrational or not that nasty cover kills the sale. And I always look to see who the cover artist and book designer are. Below is an example of "the cover made me buy it":

This is an absolutely terrific cover by David Goldin. I had read about this book in passing on another blog but it was the shot of the cover that hooked me. So I looked for more info and then went on to something else. The cover stuck with me though and made me look at the book a few more times until I bit and bought it. Mind you, if I had not the least interest in the subject matter I would not have bought the book. But without that cover I would never even have considered it. And now, how to ruin a great cover:

I can't even begin to tell you how much I hate those seals. Yes it won this or that award. That damn seal on the cover just ruins it. I understand the publisher, author and awards committee wanting us to know and if it helps sales that is all to the good. I will go out of my way to purchase a copy without the blemish. And now a reworked cover for the paperback edition which is no where near as good:

This version pales beside the hardcover one and it has the dreaded blemish to boot. The most important thing is that first cover got me reading Markus Zusak and I have just started reading The Book Thief. The cover to The Book Thief is inoffensive and that is all. I am just a reader, go here and here for a great discussion of book covers by people in the business.

Dreadful Weather

2006-08-01T10:27:00.000-04:00

What dreadful hot weather we have!
It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.
                Jane Austen                     
        English novelist (1775 - 1817)

Small Dish, Big Happy

2006-08-01T00:15:00.000-04:00

The miserable weather makes me cranky. Every summer is a huge hunk of my life wasted, I just barely exist. It is just something to get through and if I could hibernate for a season now would be the time. So I was in an air conditioned space and I pick up the dish. It is all long and skinny and blue and fish like. The sign says 40% off and I pick it up and put it back a few more times. Then the mental wrangling begins, must not spend $$$$, you already have way too much crap (oh so very true), no more impulse buys, what would you do with it and on and on until I am sweating as bad in the AC as I was outside. So after picking through the stack of them to get just the right one I finally and firmly put it back and walk away. And then, a bit later, my friends give the dish to me. They bought one for themselves and one for me. And I am happy, big happy. So any suggestions of how I should use my dish? Olives, pencils, candy, bones, nail clippings, entrails, fur, dead bugs, blood, sweat and tears?

400 LB. Grill

2006-07-30T16:41:00.000-04:00

The 400 lb. grill heads North. I have quite a few friends in Canada and sometimes it is cheaper to buy things in the US than CA. Which is how I came to have the sleek, stainless 4oo lb. grill in my garage. It was delivered here and then just sort of squatted until transport North could be arranged. It's not like you could put it in the back of your minivan. So today was the day and thank goodness they came equipped as with the come-along, some ratchet tie-downs and a bit of leverage from crowbars it loaded pretty darn easy. I like the idea of grilling and will very happily eat food grilled by someone else but I never use the grill myself. I have a small pitiful propane grill that sits in the back yard and never gets used. Every day the dogs go out and lift and pee on the propane tank. "The grill is not my friend" was how C put it when pretending to be me and describing my summertime culinary skills. So it was pretty amusing that I had temporary custody of this top of line model.

Rats & Birds & Weeds

2006-07-30T01:22:00.000-04:00

Pen and ink work by Socar J Myles. Pictured here are details from larger works. I especially like the rats and birds. Be sure and visit the rathole. Two photographs and one of her drawings will be included in Picture The Cure.

Poor Lulu

2006-07-27T22:02:00.000-04:00

If like me you only read The New Yorker for the cartoons, The Cartoon Bank is a godsend. You can make your own albums of favorite cartoons and best of all you can order a quality image to hang on your wall. Most all cartoons and covers can also be printed on T-shirts or made into notecards. I have a Roz Chast in my upstairs hall. It is called "Dog Day Afternoon" and if you have ever been seriously involved in Bull Terriers you will recognize this scenario. Roz Chast really nailed it. Poor Lulu has no idea why she has been taken back to her breeders. But as we all know there are an awful lot of people who just aren't equipped to own Bull Terriers. And we have all heard the stories of new owners being overwhelmed by breeders exacting and complicated feeding instructions. And who hasn't had a pillow humper at one time or another? And OMG the "indestructible" toy, if only. Click on the bottom pic and then click again to zoom in and read Poor Lulu's story.

Yet Another Fan

2006-07-26T20:13:00.000-04:00

I am so miserable in the summer that basically all I do is sit by one of the myriad of fans I own. No more husband means no money which equals no AC. I was forced to shell out for yet another fan as I couldn't bear to sit and work on the Mac even with the ceiling fan on high. This is however an excellent fan as it is quiet, very adjustable and clips onto the shelf above the Mac. The air blows directly onto my face while I work making things just bearable. Why is it exactly that people like summer?

The Empty Spot

2006-07-26T16:31:00.000-04:00

The boys try to help me out by filling the empty spot on C's side of the bed.

The Favorite

2006-07-23T17:33:00.000-04:00

I have a rather large collection of artworks featuring Bull Terriers. You would think that my favorite would be the one with a large close up of a well rendered Bull terrier. I like something of that sort but the best pieces are the ones that tell a story. The pieces that immediately send my mind spinning off in all directions with a different story for N, S, E & W are the ones that just sing to me. And of those the Brad Holland I have in the upstairs hall is my favorite. It was the cover for the TOR/ORB edition of Jonathan Carroll's "Outside the Dog Museum". It won the Spectrum Gold Award for book illustration in 2005. I contacted Brad Holland's studio and was able to purchase a print. I smile every time I go up the stairs and it comes into view, while the stories that I spin change and change as the days and I pass by. And if you haven't read Jonathan Carroll I think you are missing out. Framing by Meibohm Fine Arts.

"Supermodel" Pecorino

2006-07-21T23:18:00.000-04:00

Dogs will always worm their way into your photos so you might as well just go with it. Photographer Toni Anzenberger has done just that. His dog Pecorino has probably been photographed in more places than most human supermodels and looks better too.

Artist & Poet Tony Fitzpatrick

2006-07-20T23:16:00.000-04:00

More terrific art to check out. Tony Fitzpatrick was featured in the lastest issue of the BARk. I love the colors, the subject matter and especially the style. Click on the photo to go to his site. And if any of my friends or family would like to buy me a gift or two (shameless I know) I have added The Wonder: Portraits of a Remembered City, Volume 1 and also Volume 2, The Dream City to my list of must haves.

the BARk

2006-07-19T19:28:00.000-04:00

Best dog magazine ever. A real cut above the usual and they have the best bumper stickers. So go to the BARk check them out and do yourself a favor and subscribe.

Nell visits

2006-07-18T16:09:00.000-04:00

Nell has come to visit while her Mom & Dad are off celebrating Dad's birthday. Another July birthday boy. I watched Nell for a few months when she was a pup while her Mom was recovering from surgery. So she is just one of the gang and blends seamlessly into the household whenever she comes to stay. She loves the squishy balls and will amuse herself endlessly by giving them a shove with her snoot or paw and then chasing them and doing it again. And for Dad's birthday I gave Nell a bath so she is squeaky clean. The boys enjoy having Nell to play with especially Alvin as he is much livelier than Londo. The funny thing is once Nell arrives she just sort of takes over and the boys fall in line and say "Yes Ma'm".

Make A Wish

2006-07-16T17:47:00.000-04:00

Good friend, nurse extraordinaire and Bull Terrier breeder (hey update your site) celebrates at his SURPRISE birthday party. What do you think he wished for, multiple ROM titles perhaps?

Bone, antique hardware, leather, glass..........

2006-07-16T16:13:00.000-04:00

Amazing work by Jessica Joslin .
She uses a wide assortment of materials to create creatures that have the look of museum specimens crossed with fine jewelry. If you are a feline fan go to new work and check out Lupe, Callisto and Carina. For us dog people see Happy.

The Scents of Summer

2006-07-14T14:03:00.000-04:00

I don't enjoy summer. Humidity is not my friend. I sweat, a lot. Some dogs that drool a lot have these bibs they wear to collect the drool. I need something to catch the sweat streaming off my face. So to get dressed I stand in front of a fan, on the highest speed, and slather on Gold Bond powder hoping to get dry enough to yank my underwear on. So all summer I wear Eau de Gold Bond. The other thing about the humidity is the house gets that lovely Eau de Dog odor. And if I do use actual perfume there is always this undertone of Gold Bond. Really not a good combination.
The late husband knowing full well how much of the stuff I go through did this routine - In his best 007 persona he would say "My name is Bond ......... Gold Bond".

Write Your Own Tag Line

2006-07-13T17:46:00.000-04:00

If you're looking for something better than a plain old boring dog tag there are lots of great choices out there. But I think the ones from Fetching Tags are some of the best. They have a great rugged look and the best part is you can write your own tag line.

Alvin and Londo are both demanding new tags. Hmmmm, what would their tag lines be? Alvin might have "thinks he's a tenor",
not sure about Londo. Suggestions?

Pillow death

2006-07-13T01:01:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I have visitors. I dogsit. Sometimes there are damages. The culprits shall remain nameless. The thing is you just can't get too worked up over this sort of thing. Dogs are more important than pillows.

It's Alvin

2006-07-10T18:09:00.000-04:00

Alvin as a baby.
One of the dogs living with me, the widow.
Photo by bikebizzle.