Green Marks on the Floor

My family is on our third dog in as many years. We have had a truly bad run of luck where our canine house guests are concerned.

First came Buddy. He was a cute little min-pin and was brought to us as a rescued puppy. We soon learned that he has been abused so badly that he had some sort of personality altering brain damage and soon grew into a very aggressive, bite for no reason source of fear for my children. After the third time he bit one of my children with zero provocation, he was transported to the Humane Society where he reportedly bit two more people. I do not need to expand on his fate.

Second, my neighbor who fosters dogs and cats for the humane society brought us Shasta. Shasta was a chorky (chihuahua/yorkie mix) and was absolutely beautiful. She was slowly acclimated to my children by our neighbor while we saved up for the adoption fee. She house trained in three or four days. Every trick or behavior we encouraged she adopted. She loved my kids and they loved her in return. We lost Shasta to an attack by a large dog while my kids were walking her. It was so traumatic for them to see her killed right in front of them. Recovery and grieving took some time. (And before you ask, nothing was done to or about the other dog as it no history of aggressive behavior.)

That brings us to Gidget. Gidget is another fostered dog from my neighbor. She is a sweet little rat terrier and only about 5 months old. She was malnourished and sickly when we got her, but my wife put that to right in short order. No one is allowed to be underfed in her house!

We've had Gidget for about 3 months now and she is still a little unruly, as puppies are want to be. This brings me to the green marks on the floor.

I came down the hall this morning to find three crayon or marker marks on the laminate flooring in my living room. Each is about six inches long and they are about a foot apart in a straight line with one another. As I geared up to educate my children on why we can't have nice things and how it is not acceptable to write on the floor, my wife says, "Wait, they're green? Like a green crayon maybe?"

"Yes," says I. At which point she begins to laugh.

It seems that Gidget has developed a taste for crayons and had snacked on a green one yesterday morning. She was later seen doing another doggy thing (dragging her fanny across the floor to remove some irritation) and lo and behold three green marks!

Ain't life grand?

Tole

Dominoes

There are five of us in this house. We are all reasonably healthy people. Strep throat apparently doesn't care how healthy you are nor does it care how healthy a lifestyle you live. One of us came down with it and then we all fell to it like a well placed line of dominoes.

Still have to go to work though...maybe my doctor will give me a surgical mask to wear.

Happy Monday all.

Tole

Five Simple Rules

Been stuck for along while with nothing of note coming out of my brain. When all else fails, fall back on cheesy emails. Actually I may end up having the wifeling makea nice poster of these using her mad Microsoft Publisher skills. FOr now I am just going to let the wisdom of these soak in.

1. Money cannot buy happiness but its more comfortable to cry in a Mercedes than in a Yugo.
2. Forgive your enemy but remember the bastard's name.
3. Help someone when they are in trouble and they will most likely remember you when they're in trouble again.
4. Many people are alive only because its illegal to shoot them.
5. Alcohol does not solve any problems, but then again, neither does milk.

Tole

The Wisest Doctor Ever!

After my wrestling match with Mr. Black a few years back I find myself on a restricted diet. Not too much fat or I'll be sick for a day or more. I have a pill that was prescribed by my gastroenterologist that I can take to mitigate the effects. It's called pancrelipase and it augments the low output of my pancreas that came from that whole episode. Ok, enouigh backstory.

My wife found herself referred to a GI doctor and of course we are extreme raving fans of the one that saw me back from the brink. She thought she'd be cute and rat me out to him for my occasional lapse in self control where fatty foods are concerned. His repsonse?

"Well there are a lot of temptations out there. Every now and then you have to look at that cheesecake and say 'I'm just gonna have to hurt." and plow right in."

I love my doctor.

Tole

Hi My Name Is Tole...

and I'm an NCIS addict. I love all of the characters and actually respect most of the actors (that's hard to do nowadays.) Good show.

Then there's Pauly (Abby) Perrette. When I was a younger man, I went out of my way to associate with folks like her. The fringe appealed to me..still does truth be told. I like being considered a bit off. Makes me feel unique.

Oh well, enough prattle for now. Enjoy this little bit of happy I stumbled across tonight.



Oh and then there's this...




More to come...

Now That's Comedy...

Chuck Lorre, the creator of Two and a Half Men, regularly adds messages to his end-of-show vanity cards. The one for Monday's episode that said this:

"I exercise regularly. I eat moderate amounts of healthy food. I make sure to get plenty of rest. I see my doctor once a year and my dentist twice a year. I floss every night. I've had chest x-rays, cardio stress tests, EKG's and colonoscopies. I see a psychologist and have a variety of hobbies to reduce stress. I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't do drugs. I don't have crazy, reckless sex with strangers. If Charlie Sheen outlives me, I'm gonna be really pissed."

AMEN.

Tole

And Now For Something Completely Different

I was inspired. Well, it was late, I was wide awake and Phlegmmy had a nice discussion on what attracts her to certain music. You can read about it here in the post titled "the dividend of years of improper vocal technique: train wreck".

It got me to thinking back to when I was in college and the types of things I liked. I was (am) first and foremast a metal-head with an unexplainable taste in "hair bands" which I still haven't quite figured out. HOWEVER, I spent some time in a music department full of experimental composers and performers. It was awesome. My time there really caused my appreciation for darn-near anything remotely musical to really bloom. My collection is...eclectic to say the least.

Back to the point. Phlegmmy's comment in her post that she has always enjoyed music that was "slightly askew" got me to thinking about one of my favorites, Tom Waits. I don't know what it is about his music, but I can, and do, sit and listen to it for hours. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good, no thought required, 3 chord brain blaster as much as I always have, but this is good stuff.





And I love that fact that his voice has been introduced to a whole new generation by way of this little spot.



Tole