I Get No Respect...

I tell you, I get no respect! I work all day at this new job (it is going well, thank you so much for all your well wishes), and after working hard to buy the doggy treats, I like to sit on my couch and read for a bit.

BUT! As soon as I get up, what happens? I get a couch thief stealing my quilt, the extra blanket put out just for her, and the WHOLE COUCH is taken up by a fuzzy, adorable dog! Honestly, I get no respect...

That being said, how can I possibly be cross with such a cute, fuzzy, adorable dog like her? She looks so comfy that I hate to disturb her, and that is where I lose the battle. She is cute and she knows it.

I'm enjoying some time with my mom right now, she is over for a few days and we are hanging out when I'm not working, so I'm sorry I haven't been blogging much. I hope you are all well and I am reading your blogs, even if I am not commenting :)

Fabulous Friday Finds: k9artgallery on Etsy

I love Etsy. I can find anything and everything I could ever possibly want to purchase - and then some! This artist, DJ Rogers, who sells on Etsy as k9artgallery, is absolutely incredible. The images really come alive, especially with the artist's point of view in many of the pieces. I love this piece, above. Arwen was lying on the floor this morning, with her head down, and lips flaring out just like this dog. It always makes me laugh when she does this, I love the way their mouth goes all floppy when they get tired!

Anyway, please do check out k9artgallery's Etsy shop, they have MANY different dog breeds, as well as cats and other wildlife in stunning realistic prints for just $12.50 each!

Thankful Thursday: A Dog With a Sense of Humor

She must have heard Brennan and I discussing how much we want to go and see the new Alice and Wonderland movie...she is doing her impersonation of the Cheshire Cat...er...dog. You have no idea how much I had to lighten this photo to get her to stand out from the background, she literally was blending in just like the Cheshire Cat would have.

Alice in Wonderland, eat your heart out :)

Incidentally, I had JUST cleaned the window when she decided to smush her nose all over it, trying to catch flies (one remnant of Gandalf's teaching). I am rather embarrassed that you can see the streaky nose marks on the window to be honest, it looks like I never clean my house, which I do, I swear!

Sorry for the short post today, but I have my CT scan for my tummy issues today, and we're rather pressed for time. See you soon!

I'm In a Treasury!

It has been so long since I've tried to get a treasury, it was such a nice surprise to get an email saying I'd been picked for this one! Please click on the link to go and see the great items - and one by yours truly!

The Great Spring Shed 2010, Day 2

Okay, it isn't Day 2 per se, she's been shedding for about a week already, but this was the second day of MAJOR fur loss - this was after only one side of her had been brushed, and I am having to Swiffer the house twice per day to keep it from having little tumble-furs every where (like tumble weed, but her fur). I'm getting about this much fur from my daily Swiffering as well. It is Nuts!

One thing I find interesting is that Arwen gets more sleepy and more hungry than usual during this time - perhaps the stress of shedding out one coat and growing a new one? I don't know, but I try to give her a little extra food without making her fat, and I always try to give her some fresh veggies or eggs or canned tuna juice to help her. Of course, it could also be that she is now spending a few hours per day outside in the warmer weather chasing squirrels and barking at the pheasants that come to our bird feeders (yes, we have 4 pheasants that come to our feeders, it is hilarious).

Until tomorrow, unless I've been covered in a sea of shiny black fur....
and Arwen

Monday's Methods: Making a Furry Dog (Slightly) Less Furry

It is me, Arwen the Wonder Dog blogging today as mommy is busy with her job. Today we will start to examine why the sun, plus warmer weather, plus a VERY fuzzy dog (me) equals fur going everywhere! In mommy's clothes, on the furniture, in her mouth, EVERYWHERE! I love getting brushed (I will relax until I start to drool, and have even started to fall asleep standing up, only to jerk myself awake when I start to fall over) and I love the treats at the end even more! Here we prepare with horse grooming brushes (dog grooming brushes are laughable with my fur), and I've taken off my collar. I am trying to give my coy look...
Here mommy is brushing my side. I decided to lie down for this photo as I was tired from running around chasing, I mean, looking at the squirrels in the back yard.
Here is some of the fur that mommy got out in about 3 minutes. The dots are water as I am very static-y right now. Mommy will have to continue brushing me every day for about 2 weeks (and sweeping the floors twice per day) until all of my winter coat is out. Believe it or not, by the time I am done shedding, I will have lost over 1 POUND of fur! Every year it is the same thing, mommy brushes me and swears that THIS will be the year that she makes a coat out of my winter furs, but she never does. It is good though, my furs are one of a kind and should NOT be replicated ;-)
Here I'm getting my treat as a well-earned reward for being so good while mommy brushed me. We wanted to also show you me getting my teeth brushed, but mommy says she needs both hands to hold onto the tooth brush and keep me from swallowing it (I LOVE beef flavored toothpaste for doggys). Sorry, but for now, this will have to do :)

Hugs and nose taps,

and Arwen

Soulful Sunday: Goodbye to a Very Dear Friend

On Tuesday, March 9, 2010, Renee of Circling My Head Blog passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was so brave and smart and caring. Though I am glad she is no longer suffering, the world is truly darker without her bright light shining. I didn't know her for very long, but we became fast friends and exchanged little gifts a few times. If has taken me almost a week to write a tribute to her, as really, nothing I can say, write or express will ever come close to describing the wonderful woman she was.

I loved her spirit. If people didn't understand her, or tried to say anything against her (which, really, wasn't very often as she was just so damn right in everything), she would say, "Fuck it!" sorry for the language, but there are times when it is right to say. On Wednesday when I read the announcement on her blog about her death, I was quite upset and didn't really know what to do. As an emotional eater (yes, guilty!) I immediately wanted something with carbs. Bread, or pasta or fat, or comforting, but it had to be good. The other side of this rather one-sided conversation was saying that I'm trying not to eat processed foods as they really don't agree with me, yadda, yadda, yadda. So yeah, I said...

"Fuck it!" I made cheesy tea biscuits in honor of Renee. I love you and miss you.

The tea biscuits were delicious, and Brennan and I ate all twelve by the end of the next day. It was worth it. Renee was worth it. Her spirit lives on in everyone who takes the attitude that we ARE worth it. We are God's children. We ARE.

Rest in peace Renee, we can't wait to see you in heaven when our turn comes.


P.S. I am very sorry for the language today. I seriously debated for a long time whether to put it in as I didn't want to offend or shock anyone, but the loss of Renee hit me pretty hard, and that is really what she said. I didn't want to bleep her. Anyone who reads this blog knows I try very hard not to swear, but sometimes you have to get it out. I got it out, and thank you for understanding.

Manic Monday: Laptop is MIA!

Image from http://www.icanhascheezburger.com

Okay, so it isn't MIA per se, but my neighbor has it while I get Simply Accounting and stuff set up on it, thus the no posting for almost a week (I'm sorry!!). That means, of course, that I am down to my work laptop, which I am trying to save as much as possible for WORK, so it doesn't have any photos or photo software, which means my blog posts are BARE and pointless. I WILL get back here as soon as I get my trusty-dusty old laptop again and can post photos of Arwen and my jewelry and stuff.

Thanks so much for your patience, I'll be back very soon :)

Arwednesdays with Arwen the Wonder Dog: Sleepy!

Arwen the Wonder Dog here, with some good news: my mommy got a part time job that lets her work from home! She is working for an IT company and I know that with the income she earns she'll buy me lots of treats! Okay, okay, she'll pay bills and adopt Polar Bears (see our Monday post), but I know treats will be in there too!

In the meantime I'm enjoying the warmer weather we are having now and staying outside as much as possible to chase squirrels...I mean, smell the air and enjoy the sunshine. When I'm inside, though, I pretty much nap all the time, preferably surrounded by my toys (the more the better). Mommy doesn't want to miss blogging to all of you, but we had to let you know just in case we are missing for a few days and you were wondering. Never fear, mommy is working to buy me treats and adopt polar bears...I just hope they don't sleep on my side of the bed!

That's all for now,

and Arwen

Monday's Methods: Helping Others

~Image from Polar Bears International Website~

This month of March, I'd like your help in adopting a polar bear (symbolically of course, I don't know if Arwen would like a polar bear sharing her couch). I would like to adopt a polar bear from Polar Bears International, and the adoptions start at $25 USD. 10% of all of the sales from my Etsy shop this month will go towards adopting a polar bear from this wonderful organization, dedicated to helping polar bears keep and reclaim their hunting, breeding and living territories. If I don't raise enough money to adopt a polar bear, of course the 10% will still go as a donation, but wouldn't it be great to know that you helped save one of these remarkable creatures? Please do visit the Polar Bear International Website to donate yourself, learn more about the charity and learn about the beautiful creatures living in our northern areas.

Please visit my Etsy shop to see if there is anything you would like for yourself and remember - I LOVE to create custom pieces or alter current pieces to make them all yours. Together we can help polar bears, Let's do it!