Time is a dressmaker specializing in alterations.
~Faith Baldwin

It’s time for the Thursday Thirteen again. If you have a Thursday Thirteen of your own, leave your website in the comments section and I’ll try my darndest to visit it

In honor of Lulu’s second birthday today and since she is no longer considered a puppy…

Thirteen Things I’ve Learned from Raising a Greyhound Puppy

1. Puppy teeth are very sharp. And they are used. A lot. Especially on feet.
2. Puppies can chew through most things… including a flat wall. Even with a muzzle on.
3. Puppies like to eat weird things like carpeting, which makes huge holes in your floor.
4. And even weirder poops… that like to cling.
5. Chasing a puppy around the yard with a paper towel to get the cling-on off is quite amusing for any neighbors that might be watching.
6. Just when you think your puppy understands that potty = outside, you’ll be reminded that you are indeed raising a puppy and all rules go out the window.
7. Anything left within reach is fair game. And anything that isn’t in reach but that can be knocked down, pulled down or bumped down… is still fair game. Everything else should still be fair game… at least in the puppy’s eyes.
8. No matter what mess you come home to, when you see those adorable eyes staring up at you in love, you can’t stay mad.
9. Hydrogen peroxide is a very handy thing to have around. It can save you hundreds of dollars in emergency vet bills if your puppy should happen to eat something they shouldn’t have… like a bag of butterscotch chips.
10. Puppy breath is one of the sweetest smells ever.
11. Cuddling with a puppy and getting puppy kisses in the morning is one of the best ways to start your day.
12. Puppies are regular comedians. You are constantly laughing (even if you are crying over that antique they just ruined) at their antics.
13. Raising a puppy is one of the most frustrating things you can ever put yourself through. But at the same time, it is also one of the sweetest.

Happy Birthday, Lulu! You can see Lulu’s story on my About My Animals page.

Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in.
~Henry David Thoreau

It’s Wordless Wednesday again!

Lulu turns a two years old tomorrow.

Lulu the day I got her at 4 1/2 months old (in the blue harness laying down):

Lulu last July when B broke his hand (she’s gained 15 pounds since then)

The total history of almost anyone would shock almost everyone.
~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic’s Notebook, 1960

It’s time for the Thursday Thirteen again. If you have a Thursday Thirteen of your own, leave your website in the comments section and I’ll try my darndest to visit it

Thirteen Things About Me Starting with the Letter S
(this is a theme from the Thursday Thirteen website)

1. I don’t like hot Salsa… but I love pico de gallo!
2. My favorite horse growing up was Sam… she was the sweetest thing and we complimented each other well.
3. I don’t like Scary movies… I freak out too much with them.
4. Saturdays and Sundays are my favorite days of the week… especially if B doesn’t have to work them!
5. My favorite Smells include lilac, lemon and B’s cologne.
6. I played Softball when I was younger until 6th grade when I horridly ripped my groin muscle.
7. I love to Sleep in.
8. My mom and I both make Satin pillow cases for friends/family… they are so nice to sleep on!
9. I love turkey, but I think it is best when it is Smoked.
10. Speaking of… I’ve never Smoked a cigarette in my life or tried any kind of drug.
11. Snuggling with my animals is second only to snuggling with B.
12. I am seriously considering letting B talk me into Skydiving… maybe!
13. And of course, I’m totally in love with my Sailor!

The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.
~Benjamin Franklin

It’s Wordless Wednesday again!

Me n’ my boys:

Indecision becomes decision with time.
~Author Unknown

I really don’t know what to do.  Gas prices are killing me and my car only gets 22 MPG on a GOOD day.  Right now, my Hyundai Tucson fits all the dogs.  I don’t think it will when Skah is adult size.  But that won’t be for another year or so.

So I’ve been thinking about getting a new car.  A hybrid.  Most likely, I’ll be commuting at least 40 miles one way when B and I move, so it’s a pretty good idea.  So B and I went to check out a two cars this weekend: the Honda Civic hybrid and the Toyota Prius.

My brother now works at a dealership that also has Hondas and can get at least what the dealer pays for the car. I was really hoping that I’d like the Civic more than the Prius or at least like it well enough that the $2,000-$3,000 price difference would convince me that it was a better buy.

But it didn’t.  The Civic drove like a cheap car.  I could feel every pothole that West Michigan has (and that’s a lot).  In fact, B’s truck and Jeep both have smoother rides than the Civic. It really was jerky and made a loud noise (sounded like a far away ambulance siren so much so that I kept looking for the emergency vehicles coming) when it shifted from the battery to the gas engine.

In the Civic, you also can’t fold the seats down in the back because the battery pack takes up 1/8 of the trunk space.  And the interior colors! *rolls eyes*  You don’t get any choices.  The inside color is dependent on the outside color.  And the silver that I wanted… comes with blue cloth seats.  And not just blue… 1980s ugly medium-dark blue.  That’s right… leather seats just isn’t a choice.  The other color is a tan… but not a light tan, one that’s medium dark and old-ish looking.

So we went to check out the Toyota Prius.  B hates the look of them, but I don’t mind. MUCH more room inside than the Civic and the back seats can fold down with a 60/40 split. Very quiet when it goes from battery to gas.  And it has a screen that shows you where the power is going underneath the car… B thought that was really cool (boys!).  It also has a back-up camera which is neat.  The saleswoman even got on her hands and knees to show us that if there was a small child in the back, you’d see that with the back up camera.  That was hilarious. Priceless!

The only problem with the Prius (other than the price!) is the annoying bar that goes across the back windshield.  That would bug the heck out of me, but I’m sure I’d get used to it.

But the Prius is expensive.  If I sell my car on my own, I’ll probably get $5,000-$6,000 out of it above what I owe.  Which is awesome.  But that would still put my monthly payment of the Prius at $100-$150 more per month than what I’m paying now ($50-$100 more than my original payment plan when I bought the car–I’ve since refinanced).  And with gas at $3.50 a gallon, I’d be saving about $100 a month in gas.  So it’d be a wash.  However, if gas goes to $4 a gallon, I’d be saving $120 a month.

B and I are doing a roadtrip down to Texas in June and by having a Prius, it’d save us $250 in that trip alone if we only went to our destinations and back (assuming gas is $4 a gallon, which it will be because that will be 4th of July time)… and we plan to do some touristy things along the way!

So my dilemma is: is buying the new car worth it?

And if the answer is yes, then I have something else to think about: rumors have it that the 2009 Prius that will be coming out this fall may get up to 85mpg and possibly be a plug-in where you can go at least 7 miles without using gas (up to 50mph)… I live about 2 miles from work, so that means I could possibly never have to use gas to get to and from work.  They are also saying it might have solar panels on the top of the car.

But it’s all guessing at this point.  Toyota isn’t going to be telling even the dealerships what the ‘09 model is going to be like because if it is anything like what people are saying… no one would buy and ‘08 model and would just hold out for the ‘09.

So, right now, I have two choices: buy a new car or not.  And if I buy a new car, I have two choices: buy one and start saving gas money now or wait to see what ‘09 brings… and possibly be disappointed if the new models aren’t anything worth mentioning.

Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.
~Sherry Anderson

It’s time for the Thursday Thirteen again. If you have a Thursday Thirteen of your own, leave your website in the comments section and I’ll try my darndest to visit it

I enjoy volunteering, I really do. It makes my day knowing that I make someone else’s day. I can have the worst day in the world, but when I go to do pet therapy at a local hospital, I come back home with all the worries gone. If you don’t volunteer, you should think about it… we all can make this world a better place by helping our fellow people.

Thirteen Ways to Volunteer

1. Go to your local hospital. They can always use people to transport patients, deliver flowers, sit at the information desk, and even do pet therapy… like Chase and I do!
2. Check out the nearest Big Brothers Big Sisters and volunteer to be a Big. B and I are doing this as a Big Couple… we just received our first potential match, too! With only a few hours each month, statistics in just our local community shows that, on average, 85% of Littles show greater self-confidence, 80% have a better attitude about school and 77% have improved grades.
3. Visit your local zoo, aquarium or museum… they always have a need for volunteers and generally rely on them to keep their doors open.
4. Help a family get back on their feet by helping them build a house with Habitat for Humanity.
5. Go to your local animal shelter. They need people to help walk dogs, feed animals, clean cages and even give adoption information. And if you have room in your home, many need foster families.
6. Volunteer with the Red Cross. Even if you don’t live in an area that has disasters like wildfires and hurricanes, each day someone’s house burns down… and the Red Cross is there to help them start getting back on their feet.
7. Contact any local 501(c)3 non-profit charity. Many of the smaller ones need people with specialties (web design, graphic design, etc) to keep them up and running.
8. Contact your local non-profit hospice organization. They may need patient sitters, grief advocates, pet therapy and many other things.
9. Contact your local Girl Scout or Boy Scout council.
10. Check out the nearest homeless shelter or food bank
11. Go to your nearest parks and recreation department… help beautify your city!
12. Visit your nearest library… they sometimes need help re-shelving books, etc.
13. Check out websites like Volunteer Match or look in your local newspaper… many times volunteer needs are published here.

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
~Gilda Radner

It’s Wordless Wednesday again!

Now 30 lbs and 11 1/2 weeks old (13 1/2 pound gain in 3 1/2 weeks!)

Each of us is something of a schizophrenic personality, tragically divided against ourselves.
~Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love, 1963

I was tagged for this a bit ago by Dance of Motherhood, but am just getting around to it.

TAGGING RULES:

1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
3. Pick your month of birth.
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving them a comment.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when yours is up!

I’m a Gemini, so it’s always said that I’m a good communicator (which is a good thing since that is what I do for a living!).

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

Hmm.  I think a lot of it is true… in fact, I have a cold right now!  But I’m not brand conscious, unless you are talking about my company’s brand standard.

I don’t have a lot of people to tag, it’ll be what it’ll be.

I tag:

1. Ivanhoe (Communique by Ivanhoe)
2. Jenny (Live! and In Color)
3. Alicia (Salingergurl)
4. GreytInspirations
5. The Savvy Hound
6. Jenny Spouse
7. Dig Your Toes In
8. YOU! (yes you, reading this!)

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.
~Robert Brault

Your Power Color Is Teal

At Your Highest: You feel accomplished and optimistic about the future. At Your Lowest: You feel in a slump and lack creativity. In Love: You tend to be many people’s ideal partner. How You’re Attractive: You make people feel confident and accepted. Your Eternal Question: “What Impression Am I Giving?”

What’s Your Power Color?

Funny… I actually this 100% true. Not sure about the ideal partner part, but let’s go with it!

What’s yours?

If you wouldn’t write it and sign it, don’t say it.
~Earl Wilson

It’s time for the Thursday Thirteen again. If you have a Thursday Thirteen of your own, leave your website in the comments section and I’ll try my darndest to visit it

Thirteen Things You Want to Say at Work But Can’t

1. I can see your point, but I still think you’re full of $hit.
2. I don’t know what your problem is, but I’ll bet it’s hard to pronounce.
3. How about never? Is never good for you?
4. Ahhh… I see the screw-up fairy has visited us again.
5. I’m already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth.
6. Thank you. We’re all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view.
7. And your crybaby whiny-assed opinion would be… ?
8. This isn’t an office. It’s Hell with fluorescent lighting.
9. If I throw a stick, will you leave?
10. How do I set the laser printer to stun?
11. Who lit the fuse on your tampon?
12. I’m trying to imagine you with a personality.
13. Oh I get it… like humor… but different.

(these are from a list of 40 circulating on the Internet… they were just my favorites )