Wow!

 
It's been over a month since we adopted Marley, and it feels like we've known her forever.
 
Already she knows that I am her Mommy, and Chris is her Daddy. Apparently, like all the other strong, independant Alpha-type females in my family, I am The Boss.
 
She listens to me more than Chris, basically.
 
But she sleeps more with him, and if he stays up late, will sleep on the couch in the living room until he starts to turn off lights.
 
:) Many things to talk about, all about Marley!
 
We've kind of settled on feeding her the Purina Beneful Healthy Radiance dog food, as opposed to the Purina Pro Plan 18.1 KG bag that she's eaten maybe 2 lbs. of. She'll eat it if she's really hungry, but she actually likes the other stuff.
 
So, either we mix it in (and watch her eat around it), or donate it to friends or a local SPCA. Do they accept open bags of food? I sure hope so!
 
She actually has a pattern when eating the food she does like. (It's comprised of several different shapes, and I'm guessing they are different flavors, too.)
 
She eats the red ones first, then the clover shaped ones, and works her way through it, leaving the little brown ones, and the dark green ones until last.
 
I'm doing well, am getting trained in several different things at work, partially because they are impressed with me, partially because one of the more experienced girls just gave her notice, and the 'Head Cashier' (which I am pretty sure the job description reads: "know lots, able to authorize cashing checks and refunds, but basically do nothing else. At all. Distract other workers from their duties as often as possible, and stand around and gossip. Oh, and be High and Mighty about it, too.") is about 3 months pregnant and will be going on maternity leave soonish. (She might have to go earlier than usual, apparently she was told 7 years ago after she had her son and then went in for emergency surgery that she wouldn't be able to have any more children, also know as, don't get your hopes up to have any more. Something like that. So she's super happy to be preggers, and we all think it's cool - and she glows - but with the hours being cutback, and people leaving left right and centre... it's getting crazy!
 
So, that's my job. Well, the more gossipy side of it. (I HAD to tell someone. Chris listens, but I don't think he really cares about all of this gossipy stuff. I don't blame him. It's just that, or talk about Marley even more. (We talk about her a lot.)
 
Speaking of, (go figure), we've now determined that Marley needs to socialize. She seems to have a nervous stomach when it comes to company, and so we want to try to get her de-sensitized before May.
 
Our plan is to try to get 'strange' people (to her) to come over, so that she will start to feel less  overwhelmed when more strange people come over. And, we also want to get her to the point of knowing that's she's safe in her kennel, or in our bedroom if she decides to go into either while guests are here. That way, she can feel safe in May when we go to the cabins (with the kennel). She'll have a place to hide from Patches!
 
I just get the feeling that we might run out of strange people before she becomes de-sensitized. (I'd rather it be people WE trust, so we don't feel weird, too. She'd pick up on our nervousness, too. She really reacts to it if we're cranky or sad or frustrated, so we are trying to make sure to send positive energy to her.)
 
Anyway, my back is sore, it's late, and I want to go soak in the tub. I will try to upload pictures soon, I have a couple of cool ones from when Joy and Mat and Willy came to visit.
 
:)
 
Lots of luv, Blaine

 
 
 

Common Sense is dead

R.I.P.

 
 Today we mourn the passing of a beloved
>
>old friend, Common Sense,
>
>who has been with us for many years.
>
>No one knows for sure how old he was,
>
>since his birth records were lost long ago
>
>lost in bureaucratic red tape.
>
>He will be remembered as having cultivated
>
>such valuable lessons as knowing
>
>when to come in out of the rain,
>
>why the early bird gets the worm,
>
>life isn't always fair,
>
>and maybe it was my fault.
>
>Common Sense lived by simple,
>
>sound financial policies
>
>(don't spend more than you earn)
>
>and reliable parenting strategies
>
>(adults, not children, are in charge).
>
>His health began to deteriorate rapidly
>
>when well intentions but overbearing
>
>regulations were set in place.
>
>Reports of teens suspended from school
>
>for using mouthwash after lunch;
>
>and a teacher fired for reprimanding
>
>an unruly student,
>
>only worsened his condition.
>
>Common Sense lost ground
>
>when parents attacked teachers for doing
>
>the job they themselves failed to do,
>
>in disciplining their unruly children.
>
>It declined even further
>
>when schools were required
>
>to get parental consent to administer
>
>Panadol, sun lotion or a
>
>Band Aid to a student -
>
>but could not inform the parents
>
>when a student became pregnant and
>
>wanted to have an abortion.
>
>Common Sense lost the will to live
>
>as the Ten Commandments became
>
>contraband,
>
>churches became businesses,
>
>and criminals received better
>
>treatment than their victims.
>
>Common Sense took a beating
>
>when you couldn't defend yourself
>
>from a burglar in your own home
>
>and the burglar can sue you for assault.
>
>Common Sense finally gave up the will
>
>to live after a woman failed to realize that
>
>a steaming cup of coffee was hot.
>
>She spilled a little in her lap,
>
>and was promptly awarded
>
>a huge settlement.
>
>Common Sense was preceded in death by
>
>his parents, Truth and Trust;
>
>his wife, Discretion;
>
>his daughter, Responsibility;
>
>and his son, Reason.
>
>He is survived by three step-brothers;
>
>I Know My Rights,
>
>Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm A Victim.
>
>Not many attended his funeral because
>
>so few realized he was gone.
>
>If you still remember him,
>
>pass this on.
>
>If not, join the majority and do nothing.

 

Gah!

She pooped in the computer room.

While I was in the shower.

About an hour after I took her outside because she wanted to go outside (she didn't do anything).

About half an hour after she ate (I should have known.) Dogs that aren't free fed usually have to go within half an hour to forty five minutes of getting their meal. Dogs that are free fed (bowl is kept full) it is harder to know when they will need to go. (Thanks to google.ca for the search on animal behaviour and a bunch of other information related to the attempted training of an older dog to not go in the house.)

I think we'll have to buy a crate. I just feel so bad when I put them in it.

And then, if we use it for punishment, we can't use it for travelling or anything else, because she'll think she's been bad.

Oh well.

Yeah, so life is pretty good.

Joy, Mat and Willy are coming to visit us this weekend!

Pretty sweet, especially since it was just last weekend (8 days ago) that Mom and Dad came to visit!

YAY!!!

Now, I just need to get Jarrod out here. (HA! Wild horses might be needed, I hear! JK!)

Apparently, the best way to get everyone to visit is to add a family member. Four legged or two is up to you, I guess! We're sticking with the four legged kind.

We've been in a bit of a cold snap (people from Cold Lake, please don't attack me!) It's gotten to -15 Celcius during the day, and it gets to about - 25 at night. We've gotten more snow lately than in most other weeks of this winter. (Chinooks help to melt it all.)

But we, in this 'lucky' part of the country/province, are also paying for it in other ways. The roads in and out of town are extremely dangerous. HWY 16 has seen many accidents this winter (though I don't know if it's more or less than normal ? just moved here, don't know the stats so well). The road to Jasper was closed a lot before December, and now I keep hearing that HWY 16 is bad from Edmonton to Hinton, the absolute worst being between Edson and Hinton.

So, anyone who talks to Joy, Mat, or Willy who reads this, please tell them to be careful driving, especially at night! And have charged cell phones! I am sure that they won't listen to my warnings, just like other people, when it comes to the roads here!

Lots of hills, lots of traffic, lots of animals, lots of friggin idiots...

All that plus a speed limit of 110 km/hr = DANGEROUS!!!

So yeah, if you ever some out this way in less than perfect conditions, please!!! Please!!!! PLEASE!!!! use caution. Plenty of it. Do the speed limit, or less. Chris and I have driven to Edmonton from here going between 60 km/hr and 90/hr depending on what the roads are like. There is two lanes, so anyone who wants to go faster can go around, and unless the visibility is squat, there's no reason they shouldn't be able to see you in time to slow down or go around. (Unless they are complete idiots and like to drive really fast in basically the kind of conditions that make you feel blind!

Yeah. So my little lecture about driving to Hinton to visit me in bad weather conditions and the idiots you will face while driving is over. Maybe. For now.

I read a meme that I think might be interesting, but am trying to come up with 6 weird things about me. That I can describe in less than 3000 words.

:) Maybe next post.

Marley is doing great. Her eating schedule is weird. She'll eat lots one day, a little the next, practically none the next, then kinda go back up again. And of course she poos like crazy during the part where she isn't eating very much.

I think she's just a little weirdo.

But I love her anyway!

I am making her little booties (the snow gets in between her toes and then she wants to come in because it freezes her poor little paws) since we haven't found any that would be anywhere near her size.

Going to go straighten my hair... trying to leave it down more, to see if having my hair up was the reason for my more frequently occurring headaches.

:)

Blaine

I don't know what to do.

Marley seems to think that several rooms in the house are for peeing, and even pooing, which she did once. She has gone 3 times in my computer room, once (today) in Chris' computer room, twice on the bath mat in the bathroom, and twice in the spare bedroom. Basically every room except the small bathroom (door is kept closed) and the rooms she sleeps/eats/plays in.

Save for making her sleep in all the other rooms, and playing and eating in them one by one, I don't know what to do.

Plus, a messed up sleep schedule has my meds side effects working overtime.

I feel like crap, and am on the verge of crying/freaking out/crying every time any little thing happens. Plus, the depression kicks in soon after that stuff, and it's really hard to deal with it all.

It's exhausting.

Plus the fact that if I don't clean up her messes (when I am on lunch and have very limited time), it apparently won't get done.

I am also frustrated. Can you tell?

On the plus side, I got the raise I was supposed to get at 30 days, plus the retroactive pay...

Still barely breaking even with bills and C. O. L. up here.

Gotta go eat something so I don't feel sick later.

:) Blaine