BEN AND WILLIS *** A DOG'S BLOG

'TIS THE SEASON TO BE COLLIE

2011-12-07T15:42:00.000-08:00

I TRIED TO PUT SANTA HATS ON BEN AND WILLIS BUT THEIR HEADS WERE WAY TOO BIG FOR THE STRAPS. SO I AM SETTLING FOR A COUPLE PICS IN FRONT OF THE TREE. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE AND MAY YOU HAVE A REALLY MERRY CHRISTMAS.

'Tis the season to be "collie" fa la la la la la la la laaaaaa!!!!

GOD & DOG

2011-10-05T16:45:00.000-07:00

MANS BEST FRIEND FAITHFUL FORGIVING

LOVING COMFORTING TRUSTWORTHY

STANDS BESIDE YOU THRU GOOD TIMES AND BAD TIMES

ALWAYS EXCITED TO HEAR FROM YOU

CHEERS YOU UP WHEN YOU'RE BLUE

MY GOD & MY DOG.

SILKY SOFT DOGS

2011-09-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

JUST PICKED THE BOYS UP

FROM A STAY AT THE DOGGY SPA, GORGEOUS AS ALWAYS!!!

NIGHT GLOW 2011

2011-08-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

These are a few pictures from Night Glow 2011 in Albany OR . It was pretty cool to see the balloons light up at Night, there was a lazer show that followed

BATH TIME

2011-08-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

WILLIS LOVES BATH TIME,

HE WAS FIRST, THEN ,BEN WAS GETTING IN THE TUB, AND WILLIS THOUGHT HE SHOULD GET IN ON THE FUN AGAIN,

DELICIOUS SNACKS AWAIT!!

YUMMY, YUMMY YUMMY , I GOT LOVE IN MY TUMMY

HAPPY THIRD BIRTHDAY TO BEN!

2011-07-14T18:47:00.000-07:00

TODAY IS BEN'S THIRD BIRTHDAY. BEN AND BABY BRO WILLIS WANT TO WISH EACH PUP FROM LITTER NUMBER ONE A VERY

HAPPY DAY

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR !!!

2011-06-30T17:33:00.000-07:00

My alarm doesn't wake me up at the preset time of 4:00 am. I am awake ten minutes before it goes off and I get up. I am working early today. Because I am up a little earlier than I need to be I decide to do a few chores around the house before getting ready for work. Our house does not have an inside doorway into the garage, so to do laundry I have to go out the front door and then into garage thru its door. I am folding a load of towels when suddenly there is a big bang on the garage door (the big roll up door). It has been slammed by something on the outside. I freeze. Do I go outside? Do I ignore it ? I listen and hear nothing or no one out there. My imagination. Of course not. No choice but to open the door and see whats up. So I slowly open the door, step out side and suddenly out of the shadows is WILLIS. Our black collie. He is happily dancing around as if to say ,"Look at me Mom, I am outside, yippee"! Shoo, that was scary, I give him a big hug and march him back into the house. As we are making our way to the door I ask him if he let Ben our other collie out as well, just as he turns to look down the driveway hear comes Ben prancing towards the house, all happy happy happy.

So, Willis loves Doors. Not The Doors as in Jim Morrison, but, wooden doors, glass doors, metal doors, plastic doors any kinda door that opens. Willis has figured out how to open and close doors. He recently began shutting himself into the bathroom. As a precaution so he wont have to spend the day trapped in one of the two bathrooms I have taught Ben how to open the doors when Willis is whining to get out. We made a game of me and Willis in the bathroom and Ben on the outside. We call to Ben and he has to push the door open and everyone gets rewarded. Problem solved.

This was working great. Now I wouldn't have to worry about Willis being stuck while I am away at work. One day I am reading in the living room and I hear Ben do his "inside" Bark. He does it again and again. I go to investigate only to find both my boys now shut in the bathroom. :( So much for my rescue plan.

Funny dog. He can now open the patio door, front door , and bathroom doors. Only a couple months ago when we first got him we had to bribe him to use his doggy door. My how they grow.

WILLIS'S FIRST BEACH TRIP

2011-06-15T19:05:00.000-07:00

THIS IS US

Willis

Ben

STAY ,STAY ...good boy

My Boys

Come on Mom , beach beach beach

scooch over guys

winner gets to ride shotgun on the way home!!

WOW , now thats a lot a water

wheres Ben?

This way Willis, come on

Taking a break

Can we go now

You go that way, and I'll go this way

Happy Happy Happy

THE END

OLD FRIENDS

2011-06-07T10:19:00.000-07:00

     This has been a very sad week. I have lost two friends. One was my best friend from high school. Kim Grant. She died of a heart attack on May 14th. We had lost touch with each other over the years but occasionally we would hear bits and pieces of news about each other and "our gang" from school. Face book has definitely played a part in keeping us updated. Kim was a great person, she was always faithful to her friends and warm and kind to everyone. I'm so sorry she is gone.
     Friday another wonderful person died. Olimpia Ortman. She was a co-worker and friend. Her faith was unbelievably strong and I am praying that her family will find the courage in knowing that.
     I will miss both of my friends and find comfort knowing that some day we will meet again in Heaven.

SPACED OUT AND AIRHEAD

2011-05-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

Today I left for work 10 minutes late. That's usual. It doesn't matter that I get up nearly 30 minutes earlier than I need too, I will find something to use up every drop of every minute so that I am rushing out the door , always late. My two gorgeous dogs will take up way more than their share of my time. There's brushing, feeding, playing fetch, and plain old petting that absolutely needs to be done every single morning.

So, with that said , this Morning I am about half way to work( about 10 miles total to get there), and I decide I need some chap stick. I reach for my purse , only to realize my purse isn't with me. Great, so all I have is my cell phone , a coke, and car keys. Can I survive with so little supplies for eight hours. Well , I am guessing so.
Now ,I go to lunch. No purse, only a cell phone and coke, which I am about to get out of the refrigerator in our employee lounge, when I get called away. I return and I am enjoying my coke and remember there is something I wanted to look up on my cell phone. Where in the world is my cell phone. Not in my purse , obviously.

GREAT, I have now lost my cell phone. So I start back tracking. One of my fellow associates joins me in the lounge where I am searching and asks if I want her to call my phone in hopes that we can hear it ring. Good Idea. I am putting my coke back in the frig so I can walk around trying to find it , when low and behold there is my cell phone sitting on a shelf in the frig. Smooth move.

Here's to another one of those moments !!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILLIS 2 YEARS OLD

2011-04-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

Today is my 2nd Birthday. It began with breakfast in bed for two. Ben and Willis.

   Next up, a luxurious spa treatment that included a bubble bath and a neck, back and leg massage. AAAHHHHH!!!

    A long walk to the park seems perfect. It's a little rainy, a little sunny, so this should be a lot of fun. Then settling down to be brushed by Debbie will be sooooo good, laying by the fire and chewing on one of my birthday treats will be next.
    Ben was telling me how much I would like birthdays around here and he is right. Royal treatment all around. Naps, did I mention Napping, cause there is going to be alot of that and pretty darn soon too.
    Happy Birthday to our other Brother , Emmett and everyone else from Litter #2. Hope you all enjoy this special day like me and our older brother Ben will.

TAILS OF LOVE

2011-04-12T16:39:00.000-07:00

Side by Side

Two Tails Of Love

***********************

Two Friends,Two Brothers

The Adventure Begins!!

BIG BROTHER BEN

2011-04-07T16:27:00.000-07:00

Getting a second dog was a huge decision.Could I  handle two very furry creatures. Would it be twice the work , twice the barking , twice the walking , well twice everything. We have never had two dogs at one time so the only way to know for sure was to do it. So , enter Willis. Now, how would Ben react. I was a little worried that Ben might be posessive of his toys, his space, his people, his food, his everything. Turns out, Ben is an amazing Big Brother. He shares all he has with Willlis, who by the way, gladly takes it. Ben quietly sits by as Willis eats all the good toppings off of every meal before he takes a single bite.
     One night when Willis was having a slight stomach problem and I was rubbing his tummy, Ben came over and licked his nose then left the room only to return with a treat in his mouth which dropped directly in front of Willis's nose, of course it was quickly snapped up by Willis.
    Ben is extremely watchful of Willis. The other night I woke up at 3:00 am to find both dogs missing from the bedroom. I got up and went to the patio door where I found Ben sitting majestically gazing out side. I walked to the door only to find Willis sound asleep on the deck. I called him in and both dogs went back to sleep in their beds.
      Instead of being twice as hard as I was oringinally thinking, It has been twice as wonderful. Two hugs to get and give, Two times the laughter and love . They are becoming best furends and awesome roomates.

A TRIP FOR ONE

2011-03-09T17:07:00.000-08:00

WILLIS' VET VISIT:

TODAY I WENT TO VISIT THE VET. I GOT A QUICK CHECK UP AND A COUPLE SHOTS. THE DOCTOR SAID MY EYES WERE THE BRRIGHTEST , BIGGEST EYES HE HAS SEEN ON A COLLIE. HE ALSO SAID THAT I HAVE A VERY HEALTHY COAT. YEAH!!! DEB SAID." GOOD BOY WILLIS". I WEIGHED 75.8 LBS. DEBBIE SAID SHE SHOULD HAVE PUT HER FOOT ON THE SCALE WHEN I WAS BEING WEIGHED BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I DO TO HER EVERY TIME SHE STEPS ON THE SCALE AT HOME. IT' PRETTY FUNNY , ONCE SHE THOUGHT SHE GAINED 6 EXTRA POUNDS BECAUSE I WAS STANDING BEHIND HER WITH MY PAW ON THE SCALE. WHILE WE WERE THERE I MET TWO NEW FRIENDS. BENJI AND ELLY. ELLY WAS HAVING A CHECK UP BEFORE SHE WAS OFF TO HER NEW FOR EVER HOME. GOOD LUCK TO ELLY. I HOPE HER NEW HOME WILL BE FUN LIKE MY NEW HOME IS.

I HAD A FUN TRIP TODAY. AFTER LEAVING THE VETS OFFICE WE WERE OFF TO KMART TO MEET SOME OF DEBBIE FRIENDS AND CO WORKERS. KMART IS COOL, I GOT A LOT OF PETTING AND EVERYONE TICKLED MY EARS. I SLEPT ALL THE HOME AFTER THAT, THE CAR WAS WARM AND I LIKED THE MUSIC THAT WAS PLAYING.

WHEN WE GOT HOME BEN WAS WAITING FOR ME . HE WAS GLAD TO SEE ME , WE PLAYED CHASE THE BALL FOR A WHILE ,THEN ATE LUNCH,(CHICKEN) YUMM, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS SO TIRED, I TOOK A REALLY LONG NAP LYING BY THE FIRE WITH BEN NEXT TO ME AND DEBBIE RUBBING OUR EARS. OHH THAT WAS SO NICE.

NEXT TRIP I HOPE BEN WILL GO TOO,

WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEONE.............TO RACHEL WITH lOVE

2011-02-20T16:01:00.000-08:00

My Dear Friend Rachel,
I want you to know that I made it to my new Home just fine. We stopped at a McDogles ( one of Bens favorites) and got some water and took a little break . When we got to my new house all I did was walk around and around checking eveything out. There was alot of rooms to see, and then I went to the yard and played with Ben some more. We ran so much. Then we had Dinner, Ben doesn't mind sharing anything with me, so I just took what ever I wanted. So far. Then it was time to sleep. I was a little lonely and missed my own bed but Kim and Debbie gave me a soft fuzzy bed to lay on and put it right beside their bed. I was pretty happy with that and quickly fell asleep. I did wake up a lot though. but Kim patted me on the head and soon I was sleeping some more. When it got light outside we all went out to the deck where there is this HUGE bathtub (Debbie said it is a hot tub???) but you know how I feel about baths so hot tub or not I was not going to get to close to that monster. But turns out no one wanted me to get in. So Happy Happy Happy.
How can I ever Thank You for giving me such a good start to my Happy Life. We shared some really wonderful times together and I will not forget them. I can tell that I will be OK here. I get lots of attention and hugs and I got brushed already and Ben is , well Ben ,is my Big Bro and he is so patient with me. I heard him ,he heards me , sometimes we get stuck in place until one of us gives up. LOL, Rachel you are my girl , you are such a great person for seeing what a pup like me really needs. Debbie and Kim said you can see me any time ,ever. So, Rachel, Until then, I will think of you often as I know you will think of me,
LOVE WILLIS

WILLIS

2011-02-20T15:19:00.000-08:00

This is Willis. He is our new Dog. Willis is the Black Collie and Ben is the Sable Collie.He Is Ben's baby Bro. He was born 4/27/2009. That makes him 9 months younger than Ben.He is 1 year and 10 months old. Willis and Ben have the same Mom (Bella) and Dad (Cowboy). Willis was in need of a new home and Kathe ( the breeder of both litters) thought of us. We are so glad that she did. Willis has only spent one night with us and he is such an angel. I know this is spoken prematurely, but he is so sweet, Rachel his former owner has given him so much love and taught him to be very respectful. I LOVE this dog. Looking forward to much laughter and love with him and Ben.

2011

2010-12-31T23:47:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

HOPE 2011 IS A VERY HAPPY HEALTHY
YEAR FOR EVERYONE.. :)

TWAS THE NITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS...........................

2010-12-22T22:15:00.000-08:00

Twas the nite before Christmas
when I decided to look
To see who was writing
on my FaceBook
The games were all buzzin'
and stories were told
What everyones doing
and "My, was it Cold"
Stay warm and real Cozy
and Kids don't be Nozy
Santa is coming and soon
you'll be dozing
Christmas is near, thanks to
eight famous Rein Deer
I turn to leave and
hear so much chatter
I look at my computer to
see whats the matter
It's Cathy & Wendy & Amy & Bandie
Theres Anny & Alice & Forrest & Randy
Marilyn & Karen & Rebecca & Chelsea
Andrew & Stacey & Rachel & Maddie
I hear Theresa & Greg & Niesee & Danny
Then Faith & Liz & Olimpia & Candy.
All my friends and Family are here
It can only mean its been a good year.
With everyone here, Now I will write
Merry Christmas to All and to All
A GOOD NIGHT.
Happy Holidays from Debbie , Kim, And Ben (the DOG)

BLOGGING IS SO PEACEFUL

2010-12-14T18:39:00.000-08:00

I have not posted anything for a long time. I hate to admit it but when I get the chance to sit at my computer I usually will visit Face Book. All my Friends and Family are there and it is a good way to catch up with everyone. Face Book is so busy. To me it feels like a very busy shopping mall on Black Friday. You have to push and shove your way to be heard or seen and hope that what you post will be noticed by everyone. But still it seems to be the place to be. The beautiful picture that I posted is one that my brother Randy,who lives in Hawaii took. I couldn't resist using it. It seems so quite and peaceful, kind of like Blogging. It is still my favorite social media and I have even made a few new friends here. I want to wish everyone a Happy Holiday season, hope you find Peace and Joy each day .

OH GOOD GRIEF----------CHEESE PLEASE!!!

2010-11-07T10:39:00.000-08:00

So last week I called Izzy's pizza parlour for an order to go and here's what happened:

them: Izzy's can I help you
me: Hi , I would like to call in an order
them: you'll have to speak up we are very busy
me : can I call in an order please
them: I'm sorry, we are a few people short and we are busy I cannot hear you
me: I want to place an order
them: OK , what would you like
me: I would like a 2 piece chicken and mojos , a small order of mojos and a small cheese pizza
them: what kind of pizza
me: cheese
them: what
me : cheese
them : I cant hear you , what kind of pizza
me: CHEESE
them : I am going into the office where I can hear you
me: OK
them: OK now what kinda of pizza
me: cheese please
them: what was that
me: OH GOOD GRIEF
them: well I am sorry  we are busy
me: oh you heard that but you can't hear cheese
me: cheese plain cheese   C H E E S E
them: pepperoni
me: no---- cheese
them :I am going to give you to some one else
me : great,
them: what would you like
me: 2 pc chicken & mojos extra mojo, small cheese pizza
them: got it , give us 20 minutes

OK, so I go to pick it up and I get 2pc chicken (no mojos) small order of mojos and a pepperoni pizza
I tell the guy (very elderly guy) who came to the drive up window :
me: my order is not right
them: are you sure you called here.
me: Yes I am sure
them: Give me your food back

He takes my food fills the box with what he said was all of the chicken, adds mojos and brings it back.
them: have you paid yet
me: no but here's my card
them: keep it , take it, my name is Larry and I am the night shift superviser, you may here something about this and I DON"T CARE, now,what about the pizza,
me: don't want it , we wont eat it
them : then have a good night

All we wanted was a small cheese pizza, I think Larry may need a break.

FISHERMANS WHARFS

2010-09-16T19:26:00.000-07:00

Kim and I went to San Fransisco for a few days and this is a few photos of Fishermans Wharf. This is one of our favorite places to visit when we go to the Gold Cup Races each Fall.

DAISIES AND CARMEL FRAPPES'

2010-08-31T11:20:00.000-07:00

Today is my Birthday. I feel like I should have really deep thoughts about the rest of my life. But it just seems like any other day. I am getting ready to go to work , the closing shift of course. I have cleaned the house, gave Ben a bath and walk to the park, finished the laundry and even washed some windows. Kim is in California working and its just another Tuesday. I guess it is what you make of it. It is not sunny, or raining, it is just quiet outside. So, what will I make of today? Its like plucking the petals off a daisy. Good day Bad day Good day Bad day. I know today will be a good, no great, no wait, SUPER day. Nothing will go wrong today,(my daisy is never wrong) My Day, my way. I need to go to McDonald's and have a Carmel Frappe'. Yep, that it how it begins, the rest of my life. With Daisy plucking and a Carmel Frappe'. And heres to many many more!

STEP BY STEP

2010-08-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

BARK BARKBARKBARKBARK!!! This is how my day off started,
Ben was barking at nothing. Absolutely nothing. He was pretty darn proud of himself too. So at 7:00 am I got up. Thank you very much Ben.

Next, me and Ben went to the park for an early walk (maybe this is what Ben wanted with all the barking).

Then we got ready for a trip to the Vets, time to update a few vaccinations. While we were there, Ben made two new friends . "Baby" the pug and "Sandy" the standard poodle. That was pretty fun. Ben is weighing in at 85.5 lbs. He is quite a bit smaller than our former Collies, all three weighed over 100 lbs.

Came home and worked in the yard pulling, spraying and killing tons of weeds. We kicked their asses. Don't think they will be back anytime soon.

Met my friend Suzanne in town for lunch and a little shopping. That was fun.

Sat outside enjoying the sun, my Dog and a good book.

Will be watching big Brother tonight. Love that show.

Day off. Gotta get more of these.

BENS BROTHER HARLAN

2010-07-22T20:01:00.000-07:00

THIS IS A PHOTO OF BEN'S BROTHER HARLAN WHEN HE
WAS 12 WEEKS OLD. WE JUST LEARNED THAT ON JULY 8TH,
(6 DAYS SHORT OF HIS SECOND BIRTHDAY) HARLANS LIFE WAS ENDED WHEN HE WAS HIT BY A MOTOR CYCLE. THIS IS TRULY HEARTBREAKING....... OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH HARLANS PEOPLE.

TWO YEARS OLD (A PUPPY CARD)

2010-07-16T20:48:00.000-07:00

Today Ben is a BIG boy. He turns 2 years old. He would like to send out Birthday wishes to his 3 brothers and 2 sisters.

Hi family,
I am hoping that this birthday wish finds each of you to be happy and loved, I have heard from Debbie and Kim( they are my peeps) that you all have changed your names too. Remember, I used to be called Phillipe, and I knew you all as , BJ, Gaston, Chip, Babette, and Fifi, so since I am not sure what your new names are I will use the ones that I knew you by. OK.
So you remember how much fun we used to have crawling around in that huge 'O pool when we were just puppies, Well guess what, I have another one, It is not as big but it always has water in it and I really really REALLY love to play in the water. Sometimes Kim will let me just play and play when he is using the water hose in the yard. It is so funny because when he is all done doing what he was trying to do ,he is so wet, I am too and I had so much fun spraying him and shaking water on him.
Hey Chip, remember when you always picked on me when we were like, two or three weeks old. Fun times Huh. Gaston,do you still like to be held ALL the time?

I was looking at some puppy pics today and you know what, I think that me and BJ looked so much alike and I bet we still do. Fifi and Babette are you two still real pretty. I bet you look like Mom. I saw some pictures of a whole new family that Mom had and her puppies were so cute. Debbie says that I look just like Mom. I love you Mom, I know you will be thinking about all of us today and please know that I have a very happy and healthy life. So, I will be going , I bet I will get something really great for my 2nd Birthday. Hope you all do too.

Happy Birthday Family. Miss you all

BEN

EL NATURAL

2010-07-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

BEAUTIES IN MY BACKYARD!

A WALK IN THE PARK

2010-07-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

Ben's favorite thing to do on a Sunny Afternoon is go for a walk to the Park. Today he got to chase a frog, of all things, into the brush. He also chased a baby snake in our own backyard. Yikes! I hate snakes. I think this was probably the first one Ben has seen and I am really hoping he doesn't decide to " fetch" me one. But it was a very nice walk in the Park.

TAKE THE TIME

2010-06-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

I was taking a few photos of Spring things in the backyard when I noticed Ben taking the time to enjoy some flowers. Actually there was a little bumble bee buzzing around and I think he may have been spying on it.

Ben is so funny about thingz. He will N O T let you hold his toys when you are playing fetch with him. He has to chase them , bring them to you , chew on them , tug with you while placing them in your lap. He wont let go . You have to wrestle them from him in order to continue playing fetch.

When You finally get it away from him and toss it ,it starts all over again. Or it may not. You may throw it and this time YOU have to go get it. This is Fun. This is the best ever. Life should be so simple. Get a toy, chase a toy, bite a toy, tug a toy. I really need to take the time to try this.

BARKING FOR FUN ?

2010-05-26T19:09:00.000-07:00

This is what I spent my entire day off doing. Barking. Me and Ben. While barking is nothing new for Ben. It sure made my back sore. Got caught in a terrible down pour before it was over and honestly I didn't really mind. I was so hot from laoding and pushing wheel barrow after wheel barrow that the rain was kinda of refreshing. Wish I could plant some Palm trees . I really like palms. This is a before and after shot of some of the area I worked on. Glad it is done.

IT ALL COMES OUT IN THE WASH, RIGHT?

2010-05-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

My dryer quit working. So This weekend we spent all Saturday looking for a new dryer. We went to alot of stores, two of them four times each. You have to compare quality, brands. features,and of course price. The last time we had to buy a washer and dryer it was easier. Now you nearly have to get a loan to pay for a set. Most are ranging in price from 1200.00 to 4000.00. You have to choose front load verses top load and do you want pedestals or would you rather squat. Some washers and dryers also have steam! Steam. My clothes have really been mistreated. They may go into shock. Dryers shut them selves off when clothes are dry, that's pretty smart. They each have at least 50 different settings ( I will probably use two of them, once I figure out where the start button is)Wow. It is so over whelming. So by the end of Saturday we were pretty sure we had made a chose. But then ,we get up Sunday Morning and confusion of which set we would get started all over again. So we went back to three of the stores we started with and tried again to pick a set. We were armed this time with information from consumer reports and instead of making it simpler, It felt like it was harder. But finally, we did choose,we are getting an LG set, front load, with only a few features that seemed reasonable that we would ever use. COLORS, did I mention colors. You can get a rainbow of colors. So we did the only thing we could, we chose a beautiful white. No pedestal. We are going to make a platform to stand them on.Oh yeah, You also have to be sure to use a special HE detergent in these computerized clothes cleaning gadgets. Welcome to 2010. I am excited to get these but a little nervous I may not be able to operate them. : !

2010-04-08T18:34:00.000-07:00

HOW DOGS CELEBRATE LIFE

1. RISE AT 5:30 AM. WET NOSE THE MASTER

2. GO OUT AND PEE ON THE WORLD

3. MAKE POOPY

4. SNIFF POOPY

5. SERIOUSLY THINK ABOUT
EATING POOPY

6. EAT FUNNY LOOKING BUG INSTEAD

7. THROW UP BUG PARTS ON LIVING ROOM FLOOR

8. DRINK OUT OF MAGIC WELL

9. SLEEP FOR 17 HOURS, START ALL OVER AGAIN.

C L E A R

2010-03-30T19:47:00.000-07:00

So, At work Friday I learned how to save a life. YIKES! Right, who in the world would possibly want me to be working on their heart. We were taught how to use a defibrillator. It turns out it is a lot easier to use than it is to say it or spell it. The trick, while crazily uncomplicated is to first , make sure the person you are about to use it on, really really really needs it.

We learned that just because a person appears to be unconscious, they may simply be taking it easy, or sleeping or tanning. So you must first shake them and tap them on their shoulders to see if they will arouse. If not, (NO it's not time to shock em just yet), You must listen and feel for their breath for at least 5 seconds or maybe even 10 seconds.

Then, you can give them one of your breaths. And if you happen to have a mouth guard on you or filter paper to protect you from their germs, well that's even better. Then, ( Still, NO, it is not time to zing-a-ling ), but it is time to begin compressions. Yep, thirty hard pushes on the old ticker and two quick breaths. Then thirty compressions, two breaths, thirty compressions, two breaths, thirty compressions, two breathes, and finally thirty compressions and two breaths. Five sets.

Now, if while you were doing all of these heart thumping rhythms you were wondering maybe just how fast you should be pumping blood thru your victims body, don't worry, Simply hum "Staying Alive " and keep that beat going. It has the perfect "beat" to get their juices flowing. An adult actually has enough air and blood coursing through their body from time of collapse to survive for 4 minutes. So while you are aerobic-sizing, if someone is near by, take a second to send them to call 911 and get the defibrillator (A E D).

Then continue compressions. I know , I know, its really hard, you just cannot believe how much this takes out of you. But there is so much adrenaline in you, you will hardly notice that your legs and back are numb and your chest aches like mad.

Once they arrive with the weapon of choice, you quickly open the case, get out all the parts, Turn the thing on (big green button) stick the pads to their body where indicated by cartoon drawings, and listen for further instructions. The Defib will actually monitor their system and tell you if it is detecting any heart rhythms and whether or not you get to shock them.

Sooo, if there is nothing going on in there, the defib tells you to "STAY CLEAR" while it is charging up and "STAY CLEAR", final warning!!(and long after panic is no longer the option and you are absolutely exhausted from compression after compression and the defib is charged and waiting), you finally get to Hit the BIG RED BUTTON and "ROCK THEIR WORLD".

Thank God if it works and hope you never ever have to do that again. This training is so great anyone and everyone should have it. You can save a life.

ROAD TRIP

2010-03-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of Mt Shasta that I took from Kim's truck driving past it last weekend. We were heading for Chico Ca for the Mini Gold Cup. That's a sprint car race. Unfortunately it rained both Thursday and Friday and because of the infield being so wet, they cancelled the races. So we hung out in the casino in Corning Ca for the weekend before heading home. We had fun. The weather actually was nice even though the Silver Dollar Speedway didn't think so. This is one of the prettiest spots in California. Lake Shasta and Mt Shasta in my opinion are awesome.

FINAL STROKE

2010-03-09T17:03:00.000-08:00

Today is my day off from work and finally I have found the "final Stroke". I have been painting the walls of our house for several weeks. I painted our bedroom, hallway, and living room. This includes nine doors (both sides), door jams and yards of base boards. I of course had plenty of assistance from Ben. He can be such a big help. There were times when he had more paint on him than I did. I was calling him "Carmel Dog" for a while because his coat was starting to match the walls. Luckily, the paint wipes off really easy from his fur. I love a new coat of paint. It feels so clean and shiny. I don't love the clean up. But all of that is now done and me and Ben are going to go to some serious zoning in front of the TV. And we won't forget the snacks either. Come on Ben, lets go.

PERFECT DAY

2010-02-23T10:37:00.000-08:00

This weekend the weather was sooo perfect. The sun was out and the sky was blue. It was a good day to take Ben back to the coast. He gets to socialize alot and run off leash on the beach not to mention have lunch at McDonalds or as we call it McDogalls. Here are some photos of our day.

Just Hi!

2010-02-09T17:54:00.000-08:00

Haven't been here for a little while and wanted to say HI. Ben is doing great. He had an appointment for a rabies shot and nail clipping today but I had to cancel because my truck is in the shop. I rescheduled Ben's appt and worked on my taxes, shampooed my carpets and caught up on some reading. I have to hitch rides to and from work until I get our Pick up back. We think it is the rear end. Saturday we hopped in it to go to town and it wouldn't move. One of the rear wheels was frozen. We had Toyota tow it to their shop Monday and as of 4:00pm today they had not even looked at it. COME ON!! I am stranded here without my truck. Kim took me to work in his semi truck all weekend. That was pretty cool, but now that he is away at work I am finding it very tough to have no car.Thank goodness for friends. Good Friends. Two of my co workers live around the corner from me so I rode home form work with them yesterday. Tomorrow Suzanne will pick me up and bring me home. Too bad I am not within walking distance. I would walk. But it is about 10 miles one way.
One good thing is that it is still under warranty. I hope anyway. So hope everyone is doing good out there. Be safe.

EASY STREET

2010-01-07T17:53:00.000-08:00

AHHHH!!!!! THE COMFORTS OF HOME. I wanted to catch up on the rapidly growing Ben in his adopted chair. I asked him to "Hop Up" in his chair so I could take an on going photo, and as soon as his big butt hit the chair he decided to nap. So here is Ben ( extremely relaxed) at One Year and six months old. He is so fabulous. We have a small situation. He hates to have his nails clipped so I am trying to convince him how much fun it is and so far I have talked him in to letting me clip five nails. I figure if I can clip one a day in about two weeks I should have them all clipped. Right? Four nails x Four paws = sixteen days - five already done + a couple days that he will absolutely NOT let me touch his toes........... well, you do the math. But sooner or later we should have them all clipped. For now sleeping beauty must get his rest. Soon we should be able to start taking walks again. My foot is almost back to normal after breaking it in July and twisting my ankle a few weeks ago on the ice, we are both ready to get out there and cruise the neighbor hood. FUN FUN FUN.

THINGS I WANT TO LEARN FROM MY DOG

2010-01-02T18:19:00.000-08:00

1.Never pass up the opportunity to go for a ride.

2. Allow the experience of the fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

3.When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

4. When it's in your best interest, always practice obedience.

5. Let others know when they've invaded your territory.

6. Take naps and always stretch before rising.

7. Run, romp, and play daily.

8. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.

9. Be loyal.

10. Never pretend to be something you're not.

11. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

12. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle gently.

13. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

14. Thrive on attenetion and let people touch you.

15. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

16. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

17. When you are happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

18. No matter how often you are criticized, never buy into the guilt thing and pout. Run right back and make friends.

>--joy nordquist ( chicken soup for the soul-Lovin'our dogs)

2010 MY WAY

2010-01-01T20:01:00.000-08:00

New Year. New goals. New outlook.

I have a small confession to make. This year I would like to change a few things in my world. I want to make a difference. I have to be better at living. Loving my life. I don't want to waste a second. I have decided to enjoy every thing. Even the bad times. Not that I am expecting bad times, but hey, bad happens. So, when it does I really want to have a new attitude.

HOPE:

I am hoping that 2010 will be a happy year, healthy year, successful year, and a new favorite year.

LOVE

I love my Husband, Family and Friends. And of course my Dog, Ben. And I need to make sure they all know it.

FUN:

There needs to be oodles and oodles of fun in my life this year.

SMILING:

I will smile more. Smiles are simple to give and can change the recipient's attitude instantly. They are free to give away and always guarantee a return.

GR ATTITUDE:

I have many many things to be grateful for. And for each thing in my life, I am. I want 2010 to be the year I never take anything, not one thing for granted.

MONEY:

.......................... I got nothin'.

FAITH:

Renew my faith and trust in everything that is good. Give to those that need help. Lend a hand whenever I can. Be a friend to someone who really needs it and treat everyone with respect. Live strongly and faithfully by the golden rule.

TO EVERYONE:
Happy New Year. Please enjoy your life's moments, be happy and be safe. :)

IT'S ALL ABOUT BEN

2009-12-12T12:32:00.000-08:00

This Morning it is way way way too COLD to go for a walk. So Me and Ben decided to stay in and play with his favorite new toy. The Hedgehog. He honks it constantly and loudly. He will shove it in your face until you struggle it away from him and toss it so he can chase it, bring it back to you, and shove it in your face, again and again and again. Of course while he is wildly honking it. So after a satisfying play time Ben decided it was time to warm up by the fire. This is one of his best places to sit. That way he will be right in front of the TV and you will be looking at him, which he demands that you do most of the time.

We recently got Ben his own doggy door. Kim was some what hesitant about getting him one because he did not want to cut a hole in the side of our house. We have only one exit out the back of our house and it is our sliding glass door. Ben really needed a way to get out on his own and a doggy door seemed like the only solution, so we hunted around and found one that you actually install beside your patio door. it has been working out really well and Ben loves it. We Love it too because now Ben stays in the house when we are gone and he can let himself out or in any time. Happy Dog, Happy people.

BLACK ICE, BRRRRRRR!!

2009-12-12T09:03:00.000-08:00

This week has been very cold. We have had temps as low as 7 degrees. While the cold is bad enough, Yesterday we had freezing rain. It started around 2:00pm and covered my world with ice. Living in Oregon you get used to the rain and cold and a little snow from time to time, but what are you supposed to do with ice!. This Morning everything is frozen. I have been battling frozen pipes all week. Each day I have come home to a frozen washer, faucet, and sink that is in the garage. I thaw them by using a hair dryer and try keeping them thawed with lots of cover.

We are getting warmer temps by this afternoon and lots of Rain. Boy do I love Rain. Well, not so much , but given the chose between rain and teeny weeny temperatures, I will take the Rain. I work from 2:30-11:30pm today and I am a little nervous about driving. I hope the weather man is right about it being warmer this afternoon. Our driveway and road are a solid sheet of ice right now so I am glad I don't work early. I wish me and Ben could ice skate. We would be out there for sure.

WINTER TIME

2009-11-17T09:56:00.001-08:00

BRRRR!!!! It is very cold and windy here this Morning. Me and Ben are trying to stay warm. We need to go outside and clean up the yard. After last nights winds it looks like we have a carpet of pine needles and leaves. Hopefully it will warm up and give us a little sunshine. Kim is on his way to sunny Phoenix AZ with a load. It will probably be around 80 there. They were predicting 95mph winds at the coast, we must be getin some of that. Oh well, time to bundle up and enjoy the great outdoors. :(

MY BLOG BLUES ????

2009-11-13T19:34:00.000-08:00

I have been trying for days to fix my blog. I have now set up two new blogs that I will probably delete. I tried to import my old blog to my new blog but it popped up "finished" as soon as I clicked on "import. So tonight I tried again to import and the same thing happened. Only this time when I checked my old blog all my icons were on my home page. So now I don't know if I actually imported my old blog to my new blog or my old blog is fixed or what? No matter. Lifr is good again. So Happy writing to me!!!. See ya all soon.

MY BROTHER THE IRONMAN

2009-10-16T17:07:00.000-07:00

My Brother

Randy, Just competed in the 140 mile Ford Iron man Triathlon that was held in Hawaii on Saturday. There were 1800 athletes from all the world and he was one of them. He has been training very hard for many months and all of his hard work has definitely paid off.

Randy has always loved running. In high school he was a star athlete in Cross Country. He was never a strong swimmer and has taught him self with help from his good friends in Hawaii. Randy is also an ace photographer and writer. He works for the daily newspaper in Hawaii . Most of his photos could win prizes. His stories could be published.

He has a great family. Five children and a life long best friend, his wife, Karen.

I am so proud of the strength he has found to pursue a life long dream and compete in a world wide famous Ironman. I am also really happy we have social medias like blogs , face book and my space to communicate with each other. Until they arrived on the scene we would occasionally speak on the phone. My life get so busy , I am ashamed to say I am out of touch with my family. But with the help of the Internet, I now get to be updated almost daily with my brother Randy's family in Hawaii, my sister Marilyn's family in Florida , my sister Denise's at the Oregon coast. Now if My youngest Brother Tim would get up to speed, we would almost be able to have Christmas together again, kind of a Virtual Christmas.

Here's to many many many more triathlons and the spirit and dedication it takes to get there.

Way to go Randy!!!

OUCH

2009-10-12T18:06:00.001-07:00

Last Thursday I had an MRI done on my left ankle. I stepped on an empty pallet on July 17th and hurt both ankles. I have been hobbling around since then waiting for my left ankle to finally heal.

A couple weeks ago I decided I have had enough limping and went back to the doctors. This time I went to my own doctor instead of emergency room. He re xrayed and thought he may have found a fractured bone. So he had the radiologist look at the film and he actually disagreed with my doctor. So in an effort to prove the other guy wrong, my doctor ordered up an MRI. He gave me a walking cast, or boot, and it has helped my foot so much, I may ask for the matching pair when this is all over and wear them when I dress up. :)

Today I went back to my doctor (the fourth trip) and He was telling me what the MRI had revealed. Apparently I am the proud owner of one fractured bone (nearly healed), one broken bone (in alignment with it self but hasn't yet touched where it is separated) and, his words, a bunch of bad stuff happening in there. He says the bones may heal correctly with the boot, It is probably too late to cast it at this point. However, the ligaments and tendons are going to be my biggest problem. They may also heal, but again they may require surgery. Only time will tell. I will wear my cute boot for three more weeks and see what happens then.

Just a foot note to the Emergency room doctors who first looked at my ankle nearly three months ago.
THANKS ALOT! GOOD JOB!! MAY WE NEVER EVER MEET AGAIN.

GOLD CUP WEEKEND FUN

2009-10-04T17:15:00.001-07:00

We went to Chico California a couple weekends ago. We have been going the the Gold Cup Races for along time . Probably around 12 years, maybe longer. We usually take Kims truck and make it a working week end, but not this year. We drove our pick up and we were able to drive places we can't when we take his truck. These photos are taken in San Francisco. The Day was alot of fun and the weather was great. The Sprint car Races were really good too.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

2009-08-31T20:25:00.000-07:00

Today is my 52nd Birthday. WOW. I am soooo old. I really do not feel any different than I did Yesterday or actually last year.
We celebrated this weekend by going to the State Fair. It was fun. We ate a lot of food that was bad for us and walked hundreds of miles. We have been to this fair so many times, like many Oregonians, we know exactly where every single attraction is and where all our favorite food booths are. And, we hit them all. The weather was perfect and being that it was only the second day of the fair, it was'nt to crowded.

Today when I got home from work, Me and Ben watered the yard, or should I say, I held the hose while Ben ran thru it and bit the water. We were both drenced by the time I shut the water off. Then we made chicken fajitas and ate ice cream. YUM! I watched two recoreded episodes of Big Brother and did a little work on the computer.

That was how I spent the first day of my 52nd year. I am hoping for more days and hope they too include water works with Ben, chicken fajitas and ice cream. And of course long lazy days with Kim at the fair or any place we can be together.

Looking back, I know I have been lucky and blessed.
I love my little world. My Husband, Family and Friends. And My Pets. Even my Jobs are good.
Thanks for all the Birthday Wishes. They make me feel all warm and fuzzy and I love them all.

Gotta go work on the rest of my 52nd year. Need to make plans to have this be the best one yet.

PAPER OR PLASTIC??

2009-08-16T19:36:00.000-07:00

Paper or Plastic? :)

paper

Would you like paper or Plastic today?:)

plastic

What would you like today, Paper or Plastic?:)

you decide

Which one you going choose today, Paper or Plastic?:)

I'm bag sexual(heeheehee):(

Oh good, you have your own bag !!

Plastic or Paper , Paper or Plastic . Plastic Plastic Plastic, Paper Paper Paper,

Yikes, I am going mad. I have to ask that question a hundred plus times a day when I work as a cashier at RAY'S. And you get all kinds of answers. Some people get mad if you don't' ask, some get mad if you do. One lady called headquarters on me because I did not give her credit for using her own bag. That's a whole nickle, you know. Whoops, my bad.

Most people who bring their own bags buy organic stuff. I am not kidding. They are very concerned about their environment and do not want to use paper or plastic. But they do put most of their organic produce in PLASTIC bags. And almost everything else they buy comes in cardboard boxes or paper bags of some type.. Eggs, milk, butter, cereal, candy bars, chips , detergent, dog food, well, you get the picture.

SO, America, Take a chill pill would you. We all care about our earth. Use your own bag when you remember it and for Heavens sake PLEASE wash it once in a while, would ya. Nothing like having to bag your groceries in a smelly, greasy, dog haired, bag.

Come on, that should be a violation of environmental proportions. Recycle, Reuse, Refuse to use paper or plastic, but please stop being so snooty about it. Thank you and have a nice day!! Now go out their and hug a tree or a dog or something :)

MY LEFT FOOT

2009-07-22T18:12:00.001-07:00

On Friday I had to be taken to the emergency for x-rays on my left foot. I did such a stupid thing. I am tossing a box of freight upon a pallet and when I step back, I stepped into the slat of an empty wood pallet. Then I started to stumble and tried to correct it by stepping with my right foot, yet into another slat.

Next thing I do is fall on my tush. Both feet are still stuck in the pallet and I have lost both shoes. It takes me about 30 seconds before I can be sure my ankles are not broken. When I realize they are not, I get up, dust my self off, put my shoes back on and try to walk off the burning cracky feeling my ankles have. Luckily there is no one else there to have wittnessed such a graceful move. It was about 6:00 AM.

When the door bell rings a few minutes later , I kinda hobble up front to let the person in and by the time I get there I can no longer put any pressure on My Left Foot. OUCH. The Janiter sees me hopping around and gets the wheel chair and I go back to my office to wait for some one else to come in so I can go get My Left Foot looked at.

When I do get to the emergency room, they take pictures and decide there are no breaks and most likely just twisted, pulled, bruised, and strained. HUH? I could have guessed that. Except for the X-Ray tech, I think the DR and Nurse I saw might be paid too much. Today is Wednesday and I am still limping. My ankle is swollen and purpleish.

Or yeah I hurt my Left thumb again, the same one I keep hurting. DORK DORK DORK.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEN!!!!!

2009-07-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

BEN AT 9 MONTHS OLD.

THIS IS OUR GORGEOUS COLLIE, BEN. HE JUST TURNED ONE YEAR OLD. I WANTED TO SHARE THESE TWO PHOTOS. ONE IS HIS FIRST NIGHT EVER WITH US AND THE OTHER WAS TAKEN ON HIS BIRTHDAY. I SHOWED SIMILAR PHOTOS WHEN HE TURNED SIX MONTHS OLD TOO. BUT HE IS BIGGER NOW. HE IS A GOOD DOG. WE STILL NEED SOME TRAINING, BUT BEN IS A SMART DOGGY.HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEN.

BEN AT I YEAR.

BEN AT 9 WEEKS OLD ,CUTIE PIE!!!!

WILL WORK FOR FOOD

2009-07-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

This is Ben. He loves to help. I was pulling weeds and when I turned around to pick up the rake Ben was already doing my job for me. He actually had a small pile of pine cones gathered, not sure if he really meant to but he did a great job.

This is Ben helping with the cleaning and filling of his pool. He ,loves the

water. He will chase it , run thru it, bite it, sit in it, jump in it, as long as he is getting wet, he is one happy puppy.

Then we moved onto cleaning up the summer furniture. He was a big help here too!!. As you can see , he thinks he can do a better job than me so he gets right in there and does all work.

I believe I missed a spot here. But thankfully Ben was ready to make sure everthing was perfect.

Finally, all the work was done and Ben could get a little rest

Or could he.....................

I think he found something else to pick up. Now where did He put that Rake.?

SMORES (revisited)

2009-07-03T17:50:00.000-07:00

SMORES, SMORES, SMORES, WHO WANTS SMORES?

I loved smores when I was a kid. Who didn't huh? I can remember the very first time I ever created one and ate it. The chocolate was melting all over and the marshmallow oozing everywhere. The grham crackers slightly chewy. It was the most delicious thing ever. EVER. I was sitting around the camp fire looking up at the stars when I noticed that some of my gooey treat had dripped in my long hair. Oh well, no matter. Still delicious.

So not to long ago I decided to try making Smores in the microwave. The marshmallow puffed, the chocolate melted and everything looked ready. It was perfect. But somehow my memory failed me. They didn't taste delicious anymore. It didn't melt in my mouth and taste like heaven.
Instead, I burnt my tongue and the whole thing was like eating sugar, only messy.

My walk down memory lane was a little disappointing . I realized what went wrong.
I was not 12 years old, my friends were not here , I had no camp fire or stars to look at.

Now I know that some memories are best left in your mind. In that secret little place where your imagination colors them, polishes them, and makes them a warm wonderful thought that you remember from time to time and when you do they put a smile on your face.

I still love Smores, or at least the thought of Smores.

THE RAINBOW BRIDGE

2009-06-23T09:06:00.000-07:00

THE RAINBOW BRIDGE

There is a Bridge connecting Heaven and Earth. It is called the Rainbow Bridge because of its many colors. Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge is a land of meadows, hills, and valleys with lush green grass. When a beloved pet leaves us, it goes to this place. There is always food and water and warm spring days. Those old and frail animals are young again. Those who have been maimed are made whole again. They play all day with each other.

But there is only one thing missing. They are not with their special person who loved them on Earth . So, each day they run and play until the day comes when one suddenly stops playing and looks into the distance. The nose twitches, the ears prick, the eyes are intent, the body eager and quivering. Suddenly it runs from the group , flying over the green grass, its legs carrying it faster and faster.

You have come, and your special friend leaps to greet you. Happy kisses rain upon your face and hands. You look once again into the trusting eyes, hands caressing the beloved head, stroking the silken ears so long gone from your life, but not from your heart.

Then you cross the Rainbow bridge together, never to be separated again.

It has been one year since Jake died. I wanted to remember him with a special story given to me by a friend.

OUR PATIO

2009-05-31T17:45:00.000-07:00

This is our patio. It was a project that we did this afternoon. A friend of mine, Lori, showed me pictures of her patio and I was very impressed with what she had done. I paint our patio every summer and I have always wanted to do something different. I would love to put in stone tile, but it would cost a lot. The way this is painted kinda looks like tile.

Kim taped off the squares for me and I painted. It took us a few hours and I think it looks pretty good. I also posted a couple pics of the before and during process.

Happy Memorial Day

2009-05-25T15:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day Weekend. I hope everyone has had a good one. I had Saturday and Sunday off from both of my Jobs and Monday off from one of them. I am getting ready for work now. It is only a three hour shift so it should go quick. Kim and I went to the races last night and a movie yesterday afternoon. The movie was kinda slow. It was a Jennifer Aniston movie called Management.The Races were also kinda slow and not that good. But, we had fun. The weather is great, Sunny Sunny Sunny. We always wish we had just one more day when we have the weekend off, and now that we do have one more day, guess what?, I want one more day still. Oh well, We had a good weekend and lots of good food, mostly popcorn I think. Hope everyone also had a fun and safe weekend.

DEADLIEST CATCH

2009-05-20T19:11:00.000-07:00

Captain Phil from the TV series "THE DEADLIEST CATCH" came to Rays Food Place last week. He was a surprisingly nice guy. He has his own brand of coffee " Phil Harris " and we sold tons of it. He signed autographs for everyone and on anything that you had. He also had coffee mugs and pictures. I think after anyone met him, if you weren't already a fan of crabbing you are now. Vickey , A friend of mine from Kmart took photos of him and his son, who was also signing autographs. She had brought her grand daughters in to meet Captain Phil. They had fun. And so did the 2000 other people who came in to meet him, by the way, they all came thru my register too. I did tell a lot of them "hope you have a Crabby day". Most got it , some I'm not so sure. Any way it was kinda fun to have a celebrity of sorts in our little town.

BIG BRO BEN

2009-05-14T19:32:00.001-07:00

HAPPY HAPPY MOTHERS DAY
MOM!! BELLA REALLY KNOWS
HOW TO CELEBRATE MOTHERS
DAY!!! THIS IS BEN'S MOM WITH
ALL TEN OF HIS NEW BROTHERS
AND SISTERS. AREN'T THEY
CUTE. BEN AND BELLA LOOK SO
MUCH ALIKE, THEIR FACE IS THE
SAME FACE. IT'S AMAZING. I
HOPE THEY ALL FIND
WONDERFUL HOMES

OREGON-- YOU GOTTA LOVE IT!!!!

2009-05-04T16:29:00.000-07:00

For those people who love Oregon,
today is a really good day. It is pouring down rain outside. The temp is around 54 degrees and you can hear the thunder in the distant. It is not terribly cold or hot, just kinda cool , luke warm. You can either sit by the fire or enjoy the rain outside ,on your covered patio of course,. Makes no difference.

Spring time in Oregon is something everyone should get to see at least once in their lifetime. Beautiful colors and greenery are everywhere and you can go from 80 degrees one day to 45 degrees the next. Splashing in mud puddles is definetly allowed. Shorts and coats can be seen in the same group of people , they may be drinking coffee or licking ice cream cones, and all Oregonians seem to really love it.

I complain about the weather sometimes , but I have never complained about the beauty that surrounds and makes up the Willamette Valley. Mountains, Oceans, blue skies and green trees. Plenty of wildlife and flowers and hiking, skiing (both snow and water) camping, swimming, biking, horse back riding, all with in a stones throw.

AHHH , SPRING TIME IN THE GREAT NORTHWEST..
YOU REALLY GOTTA LOVE IT !

BIG BEN !!!

2009-04-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

This is an updated photo of Ben at 9 months. He is in the same chair as the photo I took the first night we had him home in September 2008.. In an earlier post I also took a photo of him in the same chair at six months old. I think it is fun to see his growth in progress

HERES THE THING....THERES NO PLACE LIKE HOME !!!

2009-04-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

I like to visit Face book and My Space. They both have different attitudes than each other. Heres what I mean.

Facebook:
I feel like I am in a Big City. A Big Loud Noisy Nervous City. Excitement is everywhere and people are racing around from one place to another. Horns are honking, cars are zooming past you, Kids are laughing and yelling and playing, Dogs are barking and running. There is confusion everywhere and yet I am having fun. I look left, right, up , down, under, over, every where there is something new and different to try out. Fast, Fun and Silly. Snow balls are flying , listing five favorite anythings, comparing my self to everything, You can learn a lot about yourself . That's What I feel when I visit Face book.

My Space:
Night Club arama. Party Animals are everywhere. I have never had so many drinks, tattoos, music, and invitations in my LIFE. WOW, Crazy stuff. It is also a very fun place to visit and interact with friends and family. A little scary though for someone with not much experience.

My Blog:
Home Sweet Home. I feel relaxed, peaceful, safe, and quiet here. I come here when I just want to tell a story or share something that has happened. I love reading about my friends and families daily events. Blogging is comfortable for me and I love it. Hope to see you all soon in our crazy world of communication. Does anyone Twitter?

It's time to break out the squirt guns on Facebook , so look out , here I come.

HAPPY EASTER

2009-04-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

HELLO EVERYONE. HAPPY EASTER. I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A REALLY FUN DAY TODAY AND GETS TO ENJOY THE THINGS THEY LOVE THE BEST. HAVE A GREAT DAY

SOME HABITS......

2009-03-23T15:16:00.000-07:00

Just thought this is interesting. Ben still loves to lay the same way he did at just a few weeks old. He is just a little over 8 months in the second photo and I think he was just about three weeks old in the first.

SPRING IS SPRINGING (finally)

2009-03-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

These are some crocus that have just started to bloom at our house. I thought they looked very Springy. I love this season.Working in our yard is one thing that I love doing . It is so much fun.

SNOW !!! HAIL!!!! MARCH IS IN LIKE A LION FOR SURE

2009-03-10T15:45:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of Ben after our very long walk today. He is warming up by the fire. It's one of his favorite places to lay around.

In this picture I was talking to Ben about dinner. I think he likes the idea a lot.

This is a photo after Ben ate his dinner. May be time for a nap!!

I just woke him up. I think he will probably go right back to sleep. Also one of his favorite things to do.

Talk about a Lion.............

We woke up Sunday Morning to HUGE snowflakes. Then it hailed. Then we got a little sunshine. Weird stuff. It snowed again Monday morning and then turned out to be a very pretty day. Today Ben and I went on a long walk and it Hailed on us for most of our walk. We usually walk around our own neighbor hood , which is actually quite large and growing.

Today I let Ben decide where we went. Every time we came to a corner I would stop and let him choose which way to go. We only went around one block twice. The rest of the time we were going to new places. We were a long ways from home when it started hailing though and it was kinda cold. But we Had a good time. Got to see a dog that was having some training issues. ( sometimes that can be Ben) but he was good today.

I am still waiting to here from Rays for a second job. I went in on Friday for an interview and he was suppose to call me yesterday but I haven't heard from him yet. My fingers are crossed in hopes that he will call me soon. He seems like a good manager. Pretty young though, I think.

I tried getting some snow pictures Sunday but by the time I got my camera out and ready it had stopped. So no pics this time. I am posting some updated pictures of Ben. He seems to be really wiggly most of time so I am having quite the time getting good ones. Anyway hope everyone is enjoying daylight savings time.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

2009-02-14T17:01:00.000-08:00

HI EVERYBODY, HOPE EVERYONE IS HAVING A GREAT WEEKEND. IT'S MOSTLY SUNNY IN OREGON TODAY SO IF YOU HAD ANYTHING TO DO OUTSIDE TODAY WAS A REALLY GOOD DAY FOR THAT. SO FAR WE HAVE ATE LUNCH OUT AND WATCHED A LOT OF TV. TOMORROW WE ARE GOING TO GO TO THE COAST. IT SHOULD BE FUN. THE WEATHER WILL PROBABLY NOT BE THAT GOOD THERE, BUT BEN WILL HAVE A GOOD TIME RUNNING ON THE BEACH. HAVE A SWEET VALENTINES DAY !

AMAZING TALENT!!!

2009-02-10T19:05:00.000-08:00

This young lady is from Hawaii and is the winner of a Beauty Contest held in China. She was on the Ellen DeGeneres Show and this was her Talent in the Contest.

A DAY AT THE BEACH

2009-01-19T15:45:00.000-08:00

On Sunday We went to the Beach. It was the very first time Ben has been there. We had so much fun. The weather was super Beautiful. It was really warm, no wind , and lots of sunshine. There were Dogs, Kids and People everywhere. Ben had a blast. He was jumpy at the waves at first, but then when he got used to them he just played in the water. He ran and ran and ran. He got to meet a few dogs, one mean one that growled and bit at him, And he got a ton of pets.

While we were there we ate at Mcdogalls(Mcdonalds). Ben had a hamburger and chicken strips, frys and some ice cream. What a Day!! Happy Happy Happy.!!!!!

The ride to the coast was a little rough for Ben. He got car sick three times. Yuck!! But on the way home all he did was sleep. It was a great day. Hope we can do it again soon.

HAPPY "SIX MONTH" BIRTHDAY BEN

2009-01-15T18:40:00.000-08:00

THIS IS A PICTURE OF BEN THE FIRST NIGHT WE HAD HIM . IT WAS TAKEN IN THE SAME CHAIR AS THE NEXT PHOTO OF HIM AT SIX MONTHS.

THIS IS A PICTURE OF BEN LAST NIGHT ON HIS SIX MONTH BIRTHDAY. HE HAS REALLY CHANGED ALOT SINCE WE FIRST GOT HIM. HE IS SO BEAUTIFUL.

!
THIS IS BEN BEING , WELL, BEING BEN! MAY HE HAVE MANY MANY MORE BIRTHDAYS!

A NEW YEAR

2009-01-06T15:37:00.002-08:00

Hello everyone. Just checking in to see how the New year is going so far.
Some of My news Years Resolutions are:
: Win the Lottery!!! ( Any Lottery will do)
: Have fun every Day
: Be a Better Wife
: Be a Better HR Manager
: Walk Ben Every Day
: Love each day like it is a Saturday!!!
: Try to get my MY Space page set up
: Write something on my Blog, Face book and My Space more
: Do My Pilate's again. Lose weight
: Be a better friend
: have better New Years Resolutions

Anyway, I hope every ones New Year is off to a great start.

DOGS RULE!!!!!

2008-12-31T17:29:00.000-08:00

YouTube - HiDef - BGT - Kate & Gin Canine freestyle 16:9 widescreen

BEN THINKS HE CAN HAVE THESE MOVES AND MORE MASTERED IN NO TIME AT ALL!!

20092009200920092009200920092009

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lost and Found

2008-12-21T18:40:00.002-08:00

I feel like maybe I have been blessed with a tiny Christmas Miracle. Last Night when I climbed into bed I realized that I had Lost a diamond necklace that Kim gave me. I was so upset. This necklace was a replacement for one that I had lost two years ago. We put it on a chain that was suppose to be almost unbreakable. I had worn the first one since 1981. So I have been so careful to always be aware that my new one is still with me.

It must be something in the air, Kim lost his wedding ring last week. This is the third time that he lost it and so far it looks like it may be the last time. It has not been found yet.

So this Morning when I got up I began searching my clothes and bedding and closet and floors and car and garage and every where. I even told Ben that if he found my necklace that we would go for a very very very long walk.

While I was making the bed, Ben of course is helping, and by helping I mean chewing on my ankles, I bend down to pick up a sock that Ben had been carrying around earlier and there it was. My Necklace. Just underneath the bed.

So me and Ben went for a really nice walk. It was cold and wet but he had earned it . He had a good time and so did I.

Now I think Kim should promise Ben something. Maybe he will have a little miracle too!!! : )

TWELVE DAYS OF "BENMAS"

2008-12-17T16:13:00.000-08:00

ON THE TWELFTH DAY OF "BENMAS" MY TWO OWNERS GAVE TO ME............

TWELVE TREATS FOR SNACKING

ELEVEN TOYS FOR PLAYING

TEN THINGS FOR CHEWING

NINE HUGS AND KISSES

EIGHT PATS AND PETTING'S

SEVEN WALKS AROUND THE BLOCK

SIX NEW TRICKS FOR LEARNING

FIVE COLD "HOT" WINGS

COLLIE NUMBER FOUR

THREE DAILY BRUSHING'S

THEIR COMPLETE AND TOTAL LOVE

AND A SPACE ON THEIR FAMILY COLLIE TREE

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

LET IT SNOW. LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!!!

2008-12-14T18:54:00.000-08:00

It's kinda hard to tell, but it looks a a bit like a blizzard out side right now. this is a photo out my front door.

TIS THE SEASON

2008-12-10T16:29:00.000-08:00

I wanted to post a COOL picture of our house lights but this is all I could get to stay in focus.

Our lights are Red and White. Any way Happy Holidays Everyone!!!

DESPARATELY SEEKING REBECCA...

2008-12-08T18:23:00.000-08:00

I Just read Rebecca's Latest Post to her blog. She has moved on to bigger and better places. I have not tried "My Space" or "Face Book" yet. I never ever thought that I would have so much fun with blogging. It has been really good to keep in touch with friends and family. A great way to share "Whats UP" with everyone. SO, Rebecca I know you are out there. I will try to find you. I love reading about the things you do so I Have to find you. Keep watching for me OK. I will be seeing you soon too. I hope,.

Hello Mom

2008-12-05T17:47:00.000-08:00

We Received a Christmas Card from The family that we got Ben from Today. It was signed by their entire Family Including Bella, Ben's Mom. So Ben decided he wanted to write his Mom a little Holiday Note. So here is what Ben would like to say To his Mom.

Hi Mom, I miss you . I want to tell you about my new life. I am Part of a great Family. Debbie and Kim. Kim comes home in a very big truck and I can hear him way before Debbie ever does. I got to go for a long long ride in the big truck. It was so much fun. I could walk all around the inside and I didn't get sick at all. I even slept a little . We stopped once by a big field and I got to play there for a while.

During the days when Debbie works I stay home all by myself. Don't worry Mom, I am not scared at all. Debbie tells me That I am a Big Boy. I sleep when she first leaves because it is still really dark. But I have a really soft, warm bed to lay on so "No Problem". Then when it gets light out I go into my back yard and play with all my toys. I like toys alot. They squeak and rattle and I chew on them and chase them. I am a happy Puppy.

I can do a lot of good things. I can sit, stay, lay down, walk with a leash, and I am learning what STOP means. I usually only have to be told a couple times before I will do these things, Debbie says I will learn to do them better when I grow up. Not too sure what that means but I trust her.

Every afternoon, we go for a very long walk. I meet people and other dogs. Some of the other dogs are a little scary cause they growl at me. But Debbie keeps me safe from them. Kim and Debbie take me to Stores with them too. I get to go to Kmart and Pet Co. I get lots and lots of petting there. I Love petting. Do you like petting too, Mom?

Have you heard from my brothers and sisters Yet? I sure do hope they live with nice people too. Oh yeah ,I get my teeth brushed all the time. I like that, it tickles my gums and that feels good. Mom, I hope you are having fun too. Have a good Holiday season (I don't know what that means yet ,but Debbie and Kim said that I will really like it.) I guess I get some stuff in a stocking that is hanging up for me. I just want to chew on it though. So anyway, Thank you you for the card and remembering me . Love you Mom. Bye For now

BEN.

ONE WEEK OF GIVING THANKS--I AM THANKFUL FOR........MY HUSBAND

2008-11-24T17:45:00.000-08:00

This is where my life really Shines. Kim is my Gorgeous Moon Rise , My Beautiful Sunset, My peaceful Star filled sky. He is my protector, My buddy, My partner for ever , My friend and lover.

My Husband. Kim. We have been married for 29 years. It has been so much fun.

Kim is My every breath, I could not breathe without him.

He is My every smile, I would not smile without him.

He is My every hope, without him I would have no hope.

He is my universe, without him I would not exist.

He is my EVERYTHING.

He makes me laugh. He is warm and caring and kind. We only get the weekends together because he is a Truck driver. I am currently working M-F. For that I am Thankful. Very Thankful. Usually I only get every other weekend off so having the weekends off for now is very special. We talk on the phone a least twice a day. I Love hearing his voice, his laughter, He loves Me, I love Him. More importantly, We really really LIKE each other. I wait for every trip he makes home. We love to go to the Movies, eat out, and take trips. We are good together. He completes me, He had me at Hello, He is the wind beneath my wings, He is every Love song ever written. We are one. We have come to that part of lives where we can finish each others sentences, I know what he thinks, he knows what I think. I am in love with my Husband. I am so Thankful He is in Love with me. I am so Thankful.

Together, We love the Dogs We have had, Bear, Alex,Jake and Ben.

We are both Thankful to have them in our Family.

ONE WEEK OF GIVING THANKS--I AM THANKFUL FOR........MY FAMILY

2008-11-24T16:56:00.000-08:00

Family. People who have Families that they love are the luckiest People in the world. Next to Your Health It is the best thing in your life. I have two Sisters and Two Brothers.

My oldest Sister (2.4 yrs older) Marilyn lives in Florida with her new Husband Robert. They are very Happy. Marilyn's son Forrest , and his Wife Stacey and their two children Andrew and new baby Faith will be moving to Florida next month. I hope they will all be Happy and enjoy their new lives together. Marilyn is sooo excited to have her kids back with her.

My oldest brother (1.8 yrs younger), Randy lives in Hawaii with his Family. They are very Happy. His wife Karen has always fit right in with our Family. Everyone Loves her. They Have five super children. First is Beautiful Rebecca, She has long, long pretty blond hair, Then there is Arron, He is so sweet. He is working in Hawaii. Then Jonathan, Jonathan is attending college in Salem Or. I am very Proud of him. Next is Rachel, She is also Very Beautiful. The last time I saw Rachel she had the cutest personality and gorgeous curly hair. Finally , Daniel. He is A Marine. Our Family is so Proud of him. They are a very strong Family.

My next brother is Tim. He lives In Albany Or and has four children. Michael, Michelle, Misty and Greg. Tim Manages a Chevron Station and currently his son Greg lives with him. Misty has a beautiful baby girl named Carmen. Tim loves his Kids and likes to spend time with them. He likes to watch Nascar and is a big Dale Jr fan. Tim has had a rough time. He has been on his own since he was 16 years old. Considering all that he has had to struggle with , I am proud of him.+ He has made a few mistakes (who hasn't)and he is now at a more comfortable place in his life.

Denise is our baby Sister. She lives in Newport Or. She has four children. Chelsea, Chris, Tressa and Andrew. Chelsea was Married to Nathan this summer. They have the cutest little boy, Donavan. Chris and Tressa live with their Grandma and Grandpa in Sweet Home and are in School. Andrew is a little clown and very smart and lives with Denise. Denise works for Walmart in Newport and is the Night shift Manager. She has worked her way up thru the Walmart Ranks and I am also very proud of her.

I love my Family. I pray for them every Day that they will enjoy their lives and make the most of their time together. That they are protected and guided down the right path, open only the right doors and are Healthy and Happy. I am really Thankful that I am part of this Family.

ONE WEEK OF GIVING THANK--IAM THANKFUL FOR........MY HEALTH

2008-11-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

I am Thankful for My Health. Nothing else matters without your Health. I will never take for granted that I am blessed with good health. Take care of yourself first!! Be as healthy as you can.

ONE WEEK OF GIVING THANKS--I AM THANKFUL FOR........ MY FRIENDS

2008-11-20T17:09:00.000-08:00

I have some great Friends. Suzanne is one of My most treasured friends. I consider her family. She is so kind. She loves everyone and everyone loves her. She is beautiful. I would trust my life with her. Always dependable , always has a kind word ,definitely believes in the Golden Rule. She is my "BFF". I am Thankful that I have her in my life.

I have many friends from work. The each have a special place in my heart. My boss Chuck, is another person who I could never say enough about. He is so considerate and funny and great to be around. He is a great family man. Super good Dad. He is someone I look up to.

Steve is a Assistant Manager that I work with also. He has such a great sense of humor. He has a witty and funny and very warm personality. Steve is also a great family man.

Bobbi is so sweet and laughs easily. She also is a very great friend. We have known and worked with each other for 25 years. She is very honest and so fun to be around. She is the life of any party.

There so many people that I love . I am grateful for each and every one of them!!!

ONE WEEK OF GIVING THANKS--I AM THANKFUL FOR........MY AMERICA

2008-11-20T16:49:00.000-08:00

I am extremely Thankful I am an American!!!

ONE WEEK OF GIVING THANKS--I AM THANKFUL FOR........MY POSSESSION'S

2008-11-19T18:21:00.000-08:00

I have many,many things to be thankful for. TODAY I am thankful for all my Possessions. (Especially My TV.) I have a warm home filled with things that I need and Love. I drive a Toyota Pickup that I can depend on.

I am Very Thankful that I have enough things in life that occasionally I am able to share and help those who do not..

I am Thankful that I want to share. I desperately believe in the Golden Rule.

"To Do Unto Others As You Would Have Others Do Unto You". I am Thankful that I can forgive those who do not.

ONE WEEK OF GIVING THANKS--I AM THANKFUL FOR........MY JOB

2008-11-19T15:02:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving so close, I have started to consider some things that I am most thankful for. TODAY, I am Thankful, Grateful and Lucky to have a Job that I Love. I am the Human Resource Manager at Kmart.

I have worked for Kmart for nearly 30 years. I have been in just about every position they offer at store level. Currently, I am doing my most favorite one.

In my job I get to interview, help select and hire the associates that fill our store. I take them thru Orientation and when I can, training on the sales floor if and when needed. I get to council, correct, appraise, and compliment them daily.

Most importantly I get to know them personally. Nearly every single associate will come to me with their daily concerns and we always end up on a personal note about their lives. I like this part a lot. It makes them an individual, Human, an actual person and always a friend. I am lucky.

The management team at my store is Exceptional!! We have all worked together in a couple of different Kmart's over the last twenty five years. Take Five managers that all Love their Jobs, add 80-100 associates in a store that is successful in sales , stir and you have a delicious place to work. I am Very Thankful for My Job!!

HOLIDAY-EYETIS

2008-11-12T16:34:00.000-08:00

Christmas comes this time each year. It is so amazing how many shoppers are surprised by it's arrival. Working in retail you learn to see the seasons quite a bit differently than the normal "people". For example, In January, I begin thinking of summer furniture and swim suits . The "people" are still thinking Winter coats, sweaters and snow toys. In June , It's all about back to school , kids are just beginning to think about summer vacation. In August we put out Halloween, and Thanks Giving follows quickly in September . Then, Just like Clock work, we look like Santa's Work Shop. Usually Halloween,Thanksgiving and Christmas are all present at the same time.
" AGAIN, ALREADY, ARE YOU KIDDING ME, THIS IS CRAZY, we just bought school supplies" !!! People exclaim.

"I just don't understand why stores have to put this out earlier and earlier each year", People
complain.

"I simply refuse to look at any of your displays until after Thanksgiving" People promise.

" I can't believe anyone will actually buy this stuff so soon" People say.

" I remember when Christmas used to mean something special, and not just stores making money" People remark

" Right , I understand totally" You say.

Whats' That, You would like three 6' Pine Christmas Trees and two lighted Penguins if we have them. OK, I'll go check, be right back!

PEOPLE!!

FABULOUS FOUR

2008-11-09T17:09:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of our Four Collies . We had "Bear" from 1979 to 1991. He was every ones friend. Really funny personality and very smart.The first two photos are pictures of Bear. The second one is with Forest ,Marilyn's son. Bears registered name was Terrabella Cheyenne. We began calling him Terry, but he some how got us to call him Bear by the time he was about 6 months old. He weighed 105lbs at his full adult weight.

The next two photos are pictures of "Alex". We had him from 1991 to 1999. He was a rescued dog. He was about One and half when we got him and he weighed only 37 lbs. His top weight while we had him was 115lbs. His original name was Samson, but he flinched every time you used it so we called him Alex. His registered name was Alex Ray Vaughn. (after Stevie Ray Vaughn). Alex was a beautiful dog. He had the prettiest coat of all. He was King of our House. He demanded much and gave more. He loved to head butt. We wish we could of had him from his beginning.

Then there was Jake. My baby. My little "Pumpkin Butt" I miss him alot. We had him from 1999 to 2008. He weighed the most at 123lbs. He was so sweet. His registered name was King Jacob Vaughn Raider, a little of everything we love. He loved to give hugs and kisses. Jake was easy to train and was pretty smart. He slept upside down and barked non stop. He hated people food (except meat) and loved to play with stuffed toys. Jake has left really big paws to fill!! The next two photos are of Jake.

And now ,there is "Ben" He is turning 4 months old on the 14th of November. The first photo of him was taken a few days after we got him. 9/11/08. The second photo was taken a couple days ago. He is growing so fast. He learns more and more every single day. He got to go shopping at Kmart On Sunday. He absolutely loves people. I cannot say enough about the breeder ( Kathy Cupps ) She did an amazing job during her puppies first 9 weeks. They were socialized and loved alot. It has made a great impression on Ben and he is a great puppy because of it. I know this to be true because Jake was treated the exact opposite, he was kept in a crate and was being saved to "bond" with his new owners. Unfortunetly we were the only ones he really did bond with , ever. But Ben is such a Happy Puppy. He learns really fast and loves to play. He is curious about every single little thing that is touchable with his furry little nose. He has brought us Happiness. We love him.

Bens Registered name is "Benjamin Ukahli" and he weighs 41lbs. We are so pleased with him and very delighted to have him be part of our Family.

LEGENDS !!!

2008-10-31T20:00:00.000-07:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!! WE GOT A BREAK ON THE WEATHER TONIGHT FOR ALL THE LITTLE TREATERS OUT THERE. NO RAIN. YET. IN MY NEIGHBOR HOOD WE ALMOST ALWAYS HAVE 150-200 GHOULS, PRINCESSES, MONKEYS, GHOSTS AND WIGGED OUT TEENAGERS RINGING OUR DOOR BELL. TONIGHT WE HAVE ONLY HAD 12 SO FAR AND IT IS AFTER EIGHT PM. WE HAVE A BOWL FULL OF TREATS AND NO ONE TO GIVE IT TO. :(. WE HAVE LIVED HERE FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS AND HAVE ALWAYS GIVEN AWAY FULL SIZED CANDY OF SOME SORT. (TREATER ALERT, BE RIGHT BACK.) THAT WAS LUCKY NUMBER 13. SHE WAS A CUTE LITTLE CLOWN. ANYWAY , WE DECIDED ALONG TIME AGO THAT WE WANTED TO BE THE HOUSE THAT KIDS WOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER. WHEN WE WERE KIDS, THERE WAS THE "KYRESS'S" THEY ALWAYS GAVE OUT FULL SIZED 3 MUSKETEERS CANDY BARS. EVERYONE IN SWEET HOME MADE THEIR WAY THERE DURING THE NIGHT.

SO, WHILE I WAS WORKING AT RAYS MARKET, A VERY FRIENDLY GENTLEMEN SAID TO ME ONE NIGHT THAT HE KNEW WHO I WAS. SO I AM LIKE "OH REALLY", AND HE SAY'S , "YEP MY KIDS WILL NEVER EVER FORGET YOU, YOU ARE THE HOUSE THAT WE COULD NOT WAIT TO GO TO ON HALLOWEEN. YOU GAVE OUT FULL SIZE CANDY!!! SO THERE YOU HAVE IT "WE ARE LEGEND". BUT WHERE HAVE ALL THE TRICK OR TREATERS GONE ? ? ?

HERE'S TOO MANY MORE TRICKSTERS BEFORE THE NIGHTS OVER
HOPE EVERYONE HAS A SAFE A FUN EVENING.

BENJAMIN UKALI (OO-KAH-LEE)

2008-10-30T19:19:00.000-07:00

He really likes to play. He will make YOU go and get his toys if you throw them for him. He'll run after them but when he gets to them he will just start running like crazy, back and forth under and over up and down. But he forgets to bring you the toy.

Ben Finally has a new registered Name. It is Benjamin Ukali. Pronounced oo-kah-lee. It is a Hawaiian name that means "Jake", "to follow after". It seemed perfect for him since He is following Jake our last collie. Plus it sounds like "oooh collie". So that's what we will register his name as. He is growing so fast. I think you can actually watch him grow. He went to the vet last Wednesday and weighed in at 30lbs. He weighed 36.5lbs this morning. Kind of Chubby. He is doing really good. LOVES to chew on everything. He is funny.

WILD LIFE SAFARI

2008-10-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

I LEAVE FOR WORK MOST MORNINGS AT 3:30AM. IT IS A VERY STRANGE TIME OF THE DAY. VERY QUIET AND PEACEFUL . ON MANY MORNINGS DRIVING TO WORK I HAVE SEEN A BIG VARIETY OF WILD LIFE. ONE MORNING I WAS JUST PULLING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY AND HEADING UP THE ROAD WHEN SOMETHING CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. IT WAS THREE DEER AND ONE HUGE BUCK. THEY WERE ALL GRACEFULLY TROTTING ALONG THRU EVERYONES YARDS, KEEPING UP WITH ME . WHEN THEY CAME TO A THICK PATCH OF BRUSH IN ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS YARDS THEY STOPPED. I NOTICED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRUSH WAS MY NEIGHBOR JUST GETTING INTO HIS OWN CAR. BET THEY BOTH HAD A BIG SURPRISE.

WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN SCENIC WHICH IS A REALLY CURVY ROAD I ALMOST HIT A SMALL FAMILY OF FOX. THEY WERE SO CUTE. TWO LARGE ONES AND ONE BABY.

I ACTUALLY HIT A GIGANTIC BUCK ONE DAY . DRIVING TO WORK IN THE DARK AND THERE IS A CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND THEY HAVE THEIR HEADLIGHTS ON BRIGHT FACING ME. I DO NOT SEE WHY THEY ARE STOPPED , ALL I SEE IS VERY BRIGHT LIGHTS. WHEN I DRIVE PAST THEIR CAR OUT JUMPS THE BIGGEST BUCK I HAVE EVER SEEN. THE BOTTOM OF HIS BELLY IS AS TALL AS THE TOP OF MY HOOD. I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES AND HE JUMPED AS HIGH AS HE COULD BUT WE CONNECTED. MY LICENSE PLATE WAS THE ONLY THING THAT GOT INJURED ON MY TRUCK. HE WAS GONE IN ONE QUICK LEAP TO WHO KNOWS WHERE. I HAD DEER HAIR ON THOSE PLATES UNTIL THE DAY WE SOLD OUR TRUCK. PROBABLY FOR ABOUT A YEAR. KIND OF TROPHY I GUESS.

POSSUMS, RACCOONS, AND SQUIRRELS ARE EVERYWHERE. THEY ARE REALLY FAST AND GET OUT OF YOUR WAY MOST OF THE TIME. I NICK NAMED OUR RED TOYOTA THE "SQUIRREL-A -NATOR" AFTER I TOOK OUT THREE MAYBE FOUR SQUIRRELS . SORRY SQUIRRELS. : (

LATELY I HAVE SEEN RABBITS BEHIND KMART WHEN I GET TO WORK ALMOST EVERYDAY. THEY ARE VERY CUTE. REALLY TINY.

MY DRIVE TO WORK EACH DAY IS A NEW ADVENTURE OF DODGING ONE OR MORE BEAUTIFUL CREATURES. I REALLY ENJOY WATCHING THEM AND SOME TIMES ZIGZAGGING WITH THEM. A LOT LIKE DRIVING THRU A WILD LIFE SAFARI.

COLOR ME FALL

2008-10-15T16:27:00.001-07:00

THESE ARE SOME OF THE BEAUTIFUL FALL COLORS THAT ARE IN MY YARD.

I HOPE I CAN TAKE SOME REALLY VIBRANT PHOTOS THIS WEEKEND. HOPE EVERYONE IS OUT THERE ENJOYING THE GREAT WEATHER WE ARE STILL HAVING. HAVE A HAPPY FALL EVERYONE!!

"NO'S" NOSE, AND TOES

2008-10-08T15:15:00.001-07:00

Ben knows his No's

He knows your Toe's

He puts his Nose

every where he goes

He's growing fast

and He's having a blast

He eats alot

He sometimes gets caught

doing things that he should not.

He loves to run

It's a lot of fun

and when he's done

He plays with tons

and tons of toys

He's such a good Boy

My new Pride and Joy

He goes for walks in the neighbor hood

He's always told he's really good

He learns new tricks

He plays with sticks

He likes to lick

Your face,Your hands a plastic pail

anything thats near his face

And if nothing is near, He'll chase his tail

Darn thing keeps him going and going

He likes to get hugs

He messes up rugs

He stares at bugs

and loves to play tug

He is part of our family

Our house is his Home

He lets me brush him with his comb

He is so adorable , To me it occurs

Puppies are just Kids with fur

NO MORE (by Debbie Wrighthouse 12/21/1973)

2008-10-03T20:30:00.001-07:00

The tree's branches slowly moved as the wind began to blow

The sky was dark, the breeze was cool and the rain began to fall.

The dust was stirred, the ground got wet and the

Earth was dry No More

The sun came out from behind the clouds and the darkness went away

The breeze was gone and the sun shined down and the Earth was wet No More.

The days went by without any rain and the sun was shining bright.

The trees turned brown from the awful heat and a spark began to grow.

A flame was born and began a fire

And the Earth was here No More.

Lovin' Ben

2008-10-01T16:38:00.000-07:00

He is a Very Happy Puppy. I'm lovin' the way he snuggles up to you. He gives Hugs. I'm Lovin' the way he runs like crazy when he picks up one of his favorite toys. I'm lovin' the way he learns new tricks really fast. He can sit, stay (for approx. 7 seconds) lay down, and shake. He is so silky soft. I'm lovin' that. We walk to the park nearly everyday. He does pretty good on the leash. But some big dogs that live near the park scared him by barking and he got away from me and took off running. I didn't love that so much. Mostly because he showed me I am out of shape. He is a great dog already. He is only 10 weeks old and lovin' life so far. He digs a bit. Not really lovin' that. We still do not have a registered name picked for him, Hey, maybe Ben McLovin'. Just kidding. Thank goodness for digital cameras, I have a million photos so far, Can't imagine how much that would cost to have developed. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I'm lovin' that he loves water!! I have never had a collie that loves water, He plays in it every time I turn the hose on. He stands in his water dish and has attempted to jump in the hot tub alot of times. I am so glad we got him. He is a good boy.

WISDOM

2008-09-23T16:17:00.001-07:00

Tommorrow I am having a Wisdom tooth pulled. It is not bothering me at all, but I did break it. I do not really want to have this done but It seems Like a "Wise" thing to do. Why do I really want to keep this tooth.It just sits there in the back dark corners of my mouth. They say you shouldn't keep any of them. I will still have two left after tommorrow and I think I will enjoy them. No need to be yanking out teeth for no good reason. Wise or not!!. I have heard that those who have their wisdom teeth are really no wiser than those who have none, but seriously who is the wise one. Could it be the Yanker of these teeth ( The Dentist)? Maybe so .

"You're not the boss of me"

2008-09-18T17:43:00.000-07:00

That's my Ben. Already he Rules!! He can change my mind in a heartbeat. He has been so much fun. We are still working on potty training, but he's getting pretty good. He has escaped from pretty much everywhere I have put him. First, from the kitchen the first day I had to leave him alone,I put up baby gates too!. Then he got out of the garage, Twice, which is where I wanted him to stay until I made it home for lunch at 8:00 AM.

Then the BIG ONE. I leave for work at 3:30 AM and come back home at 8:00 AM for a quick visit. Every things Great. Then I rush home at 12:30 to take Ben to a Vet appointment. NO BEN!!!. He is no where to be found. YIKES. I notice there is a message on my phone so I listen and apparently someone has Ben. It happens to be my neighbor across the street. I go and collect Ben, Who seemed extremely happy to see me, (however not even close to how Happy I am to see him.)It is not very obvious how he escaped but I do a thorough search of our backyard and find two little tiny gaps in the fence(I can barely get my arm thru)where he may have gotten out. I board them up and have long talk with Ben. He is such a little Squirt.

He is going to eat a lot so he can no longer fit thru Little gaps. He is starting to really show some attitude with his personality. He will definetly be "The Boss" in this House. We think he is awesome already. Hopefully he won't have more adventures like the one he had this week. We still need to pick a name to register him with. Since he is biting everything within his reach and he loves to escape, the name "Benson Pirana Houdini" comes to mind!! LOL. And He can run really Fast and Furious so maybe "Ben Diesel".

M & R

2008-09-12T23:11:00.001-07:00

My sister Marilyn and her husband Robert have just opened their own Blog Spot. It will be fun to keep in touch with them.!!

AMAZING BEN

2008-09-11T18:37:00.000-07:00

LEARNING TO WALK WITH A LEASH

BEN AT HOME

BEN WITH A NEW TOY

BEN CHECKING HIMSELF OUT AFTER HE HAD A BATH

BEN TAKING A BREAK FROM LEASH WALKING

BEN ON HIS FIRST NIGHT AT HOME

BEN RESTING AFTER PLAY TIME

Well this is Ben!!! We have been having a terrific time. What a great puppy. He has been doing really great sleeping at night and is working on potty training. He can already "sit" "lay down", and almost has "heel"down. The leash is a little scary, but he is doing so well. Not bad for three days of training. He loves to be brushed (but wasn't to crazy about his bath). He definitely knows "no". That is a big help . He likes to chew on everything, of course, but quickly stops when you say NO. He is amazing!!!

Growing Pains

2008-08-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

This is Ben at 6 Weeks old. He had his very first Vet visit Yesterday. While he is still the biggest Pup, apparently he is also the biggest baby. He cried the loudest when he was having his chip inserted. Poor Baby!!!! I heard the needle was very large. Sorry Ben. Hopefully, if you are ever lost, the chip will have been worth it. Twelve Days to Ben !!!

Then I will have to Pet Him

Brush Him

Feed Him

Walk Him

Play with Him

Love Him!!!!!!!

FAMILY TIES

2008-08-25T13:31:00.001-07:00

We had a very small Family Reunion a week ago. I have Two Brothers and Two Sisters. Three of the four were able to make it. One Brother who lives in Hawaii could not come. Here are a few pics of our little get together. We had a lot of good food and a good time!!!

Denise, Tressa, Marilyn, Debbie, Julie(Tims Girlfriend)& Chelsea

Denise & Marilyn

David, Debbie, Marilyn, Denise and Tim

Andrew(Denises son) Donavon(Chelseas son) & Brice(Julies son) Marilyn & Robert

Tim, Denise, Marilyn, Debbie

.......and they call it Puppy Love !!

2008-08-22T13:37:00.001-07:00

This is Ben at 5 weeks. Finally, his head is not bigger than his body!!! He is so cute. We are very excited to go get him. Counting today, there are 18 days till Ben. Time to go buy puppy snacks. Lots and Lots of puppy snacks. He gets his first bath this Sunday, I really hope he enjoys it, All Three of our former collies would totally tolerate them , but didn't really look forward to them. I cannot wait to hug him. Here Ben, Here Boy , Come here Ben, Sit Ben ,Stay Ben, GOOD BOY BEN !!! Hurry up Ben!!!

YESTERDAY , TODAY & TOMORROW

2008-08-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

HAPPY 29TH ANNIVERSARY BABE!!!

I LOVE YOU " TWICE AS MUCH AS YESTERDAY AND HALF AS MUCH AS TOMORROW".

THANK YOU FOR BEING MY VERY BEST FRIEND AND LOVING ME EVEN THOUGH I AM
A BIG DORK!!!!

I LOVE YOU , FOREVER, D.