Good Dog

This is Willard. He refused to be still for our group picture at the musicians party we had at our house yesterday. When he ran off, our neighbor (who was taking the picture) snapped this one of him.

We are crazy about this dog. We got him in 2012, an election year. He was named after Willard Mitt Romney. :-)

Willard came from a rescue organization in Illinois. He was found on the side of the road with his brother, so we don't know what breed he is, but it is pretty obvious he has a large dose of Australian Shepherd.

(Willard with his brother at his foster home. The dog in the background is not Mom, in spite of the similar coloring.)

Cuddles with the boss his first night in a new home.

Here are a few of the many cool things Willard does.

1. He warns us about things, like mice and tornadoes.

2. When we shake our caipirinhas, he heads for the back door because he knows it's time to sit outside.

3. When we watch TV, he demands a chew stick (or three) by staring at me like the dog in Frasier until I get one for him. I guess he figures if we're going to kick back, he should get to also. However, when we have devotion, sitting in the same chairs as when we watch TV, he goes off to the side and lies down on the rug and waits quietly.

4. He is very respectful of dinnertime. He knows to stay out of the kitchen when we eat (he lies in the doorway to the dining room). After closing prayer, he knows he can then come in for his own supper.

5. He does lots of tricks! He can sit, stand, lie down, shake hands, beg, give you a high five, roll over, fetch, and even get the paper!

6. He talk to us. No, really. He talks.

7. He keeps sick people company.

In addition to the above, he loves everyone and is the gentlest, sweetest-tempered dog we have ever had. He has no territorial issues. You can stick your hand in his food bowl while he's eating--he doesn't care. He was incredibly easy to housebreak. He lets little kids get away with murder around him. He loves people and is not stressed out by them, even when we have 40 in the house as we did last night for our choir party. He comes when we call. We got him shortly after one of the most trying periods of our life, and he was a big part of helping us to heal

If only we could figure out how to turn dogs years into human ones. Or human years into dog ones. You know what I mean.

We love you, Willard!

January Update

My mother, who broke her hip on Christmas Day, continues in rehab. She had her first post-surgery appointment and x-ray last week, and healing is progressing on schedule. In two more weeks she will have another x-ray, and if things still look good, she will get the go-ahead to start bearing her full weight on the repaired hip. I am hoping that at that point her progress will accelerate and she will soon be back home.

We are going to Washington, D.C.! My husband is serving as musician for the LCMS Life Conference, which is taking place in conjunction with the 40th Annual March for Life later this week. We decided we couldn't miss this opportunity to see our nation's capital--my husband has been there, but the rest of us have not. We will leave on Wednesday so as to enjoy a full day of sight-seeing together on Thursday. On Friday Caitlin will be accompanying her dad on the March while Evan and I do some more sight-seeing. We realize two days in Washington, D.C. are hardly sufficient, but we will see what we can. At the top of the list is the Smithsonian, which Evan learned about from a Peanuts history video. We also hope to visit some of the monuments, at least see the outside of the White House, and if time allows, drop by Arlington National Cemetery. We come home on Saturday. Prayers for safe travel--and for calm for your aerophobic blogger--would be most appreciated.

As mentioned a few posts ago, Caitlin and I have started reading Paradise Lost. She has read some of it before, but this time we are going to work our way through the whole thing. I am looking forward to it. Milton holds a special place in my literary heart. 

Speaking of Caitlin, she is reading Evan his first Little House book (Little House in the Big Woods). Earlier this week, after reading about how the Ingalls made butter in a churn, Caitlin asked me to buy some cream so that she and Evan could make some, too. It is so nice having not only another teacher in the house, but one who enjoys the hands-on approach to learning that I tend to neglect. 

Phillip has recently started a program of study to receive his colloquy as a Director of Parish Music. Until very recently there was no such path for a musician in the LCMS. We are so pleased that now there is and that in a matter of months Phillip will be able to complete the requirements leading to his becoming a rostered worker in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. He began studying for his colloquy some years ago but put it on hold due to the unsuitability of the program. It was geared towards teachers and there were classes that were not a good investment of his time and money and that in fact duplicated courses he had already taken or ignored his extensive on-the-job experience. Now our church body is offering a program of study customized to the parish musician, and Phillip is very much enjoying his studies.

If you've been wondering about the ABP (Anything But Politics) Challenge, it is still mostly on, but it really isn't a challenge anymore. I am still not watching cable news or listening to talk radio. I gave some thought to downgrading our cable package but discovered that even going down one package would save us very little. We would have to go all the way down to basic and if we did that other people in the house would probably object. So I guess we will keep the news stations and I will keep on ignoring them. Every now and then I click on a link on Facebook or an article in my Google reader, but I'm wondering if I will ever again feel that it is worth my emotional investment to pay much attention to the outside world.

We got a light dusting of snow in Chicagoland this morning. There is the possibility of more later this week while we're out of town. Poor Evan. He has been waiting for a good snow all winter long.

It seems that so many people are sick! Way more this winter than I remember hearing about the last few years. We have somehow avoided all of it so far--both the flu and the intestinal virus that has been going around. We do not get the flu shot, and when I hear about people who did get it succumbing nonetheless, I feel vindicated.

Willard the puppy is about six months old now and is fully trained and settled in to the family routine. My kitchen floor is staying much cleaner between sweepings these days!

My First Book

Back in August our beagle died. Ever since then I have been meaning to write a remembrance post about the nine years she was with us. It never got done, but this month, with Christmas approaching, I decided one of the best gifts I could give my son was a repository of photographic memories of his dog. I am not a scrapbooker (I am SO not a scrapbooker) so instead settled on a photo book. Below is the result. What do you know? After all these years, I am finally a book author.




 

Click here to view this photo book larger

You'll love Shutterfly's award-winning photo books. Try it today.

Wordless Wednesday

Something Is Wrong With This Picture

I was trying to write a blog post (not this one) and Willard (the puppy) would not leave me alone (even though I have given him plenty of attention this morning). So I left the easy chair in the bedroom and switched to the bed, which is high enough that at this point in his development he is unable to scale it. I expected him to follow me to the bed and continue his entreaties. Because what he wants most of all is me, right?

My puppy is now sitting contentedly, alone in the easy chair.

Fish Fail

Back in July we purchased a 20-gallon aquarium for my mother. She lives with us, but although she is ambulatory and in generally good health, she does not get out of the house much and no longer reads or pursues any hobbies. My husband thought the fish tank might provide a pleasing alternative to television as well as turn into something that my youngest child would be able to share with his grandma. I remember our having an aquarium when I was growing up and don't recall its being that complicated. So when my husband suggested one for my mom's birthday I agreed. How hard could it be?

A lot harder, it turns out, than I ever imagined. I have lost track of the number of times I have carried water samples to the pet store. When we first set up the tank, we followed the instructions perfectly. We added all the recommended water treatments and let the filter work for a week before we took in the first water sample. That sample tested too high on the pH scale. We added "pH down," waited a few days, and tested again. Still too high. After several more trips on the pH merry-go-round, we finally achieved safe range and got the green light to buy our first fish. We took home three of the red wag platy specimen, a hardy, tropical fish marketed as an excellent choice for beginners like us. We were excited to finally have fish and thought we were on our way! The salesgirl cautioned us about overfeeding, a common newbie mistake. Instead of feeding the fish twice per day, as the fish food container suggested, we limited feedings to one pinch of fish food per day. Our platies (platys?) seemed to be happy.

Within a week, however, we could tell something was wrong. Our fish were not as active as they had been. We noticed what looked like tiny white specks on several of them. Back to the pet store we went. It turned out our fish had Ichthyopthirius multifiliis, a parasite more commonly known as "Ick." Not to worry--there is a treatment for that. We bought a bottle of "Super Ick Cure" and added as directed. But within a week all the fish were dead. We returned them to the pet store to collect on our two-week money-back guarantee and also took back another water sample. Upon dipping the test strip into our baggie of water, the salesgirl's mouth fell open: "That is the highest ammonia level I have ever seen." (For the record, a few years ago the city of Chicago became our water source, so if it's the tap water we are not alone in our toxicity.) We went back home armed with ammonia remover and did several rounds of treatment over the course of a week before retesting. The ammonia was still incredibly high. This time it was suggested that we replace most but not all the water. I purchased a tank vacuum and suctioned out about 2/3 of the water, cleaning the gravel at the same time. I replaced the water I had removed, starting from scratch with a new filter cartridge and the usual additives. I have been back to the pet store several more times, and while the pH level is fine, the ammonia level is still unacceptably high. The last time I went, the salesgirl (there are actually at least three, and they all recognize me now) looked at me with an expression of puzzled pity and suggested we totally empty the the tank and start from scratch.

We are three months into our fish odyssey and I am tired. I have run out of both money and motivation. I don't want to carry the plastic bag of shame to the pet store anymore only to have a pretty, young salesgirl sadly shake her head at me. I don't want to continue sneaking into my mother's room when she is not there in order to steal water samples from the tank without having to endure her knowing looks. "It will be easy," I told her all those months ago. "You don't have to do anything. I'll take care of it." Three months later her tank sits, pretty and gurgling, but devoid of life. Maybe I need to buy some of these. Do you think she would notice?

In other news, I am happy to report our puppy is still alive.

Wordless Wednesday

It's Time

For the last few weeks we have had a cat showing up in our back yard on a regular basis. (Sorry, cat people, but we don't consider this to be a positive thing.) Sunday my friend Melody was here with her husband and daughter and I mentioned this new development, expressing my puzzlement as to why it was suddenly occurring. Melody, wise farm woman that she is, quickly responded, "You don't have a dog anymore."

Duh. Of course. The absence of a dog equates not only to a lonely 8-year-old and dirtier floors but also to more strays and wild animals on the property. We decided this morning as a family that the waiting period is over. We are officially in the market for a puppy. In morning prayers we asked God to lead us to the right one. Let the search begin!

Back in Time

I think this may be why my husband married me, or at least why I initially caught his eye. I reminded him of his childhood pet, a cocker spaniel named Ginger. (Do you see the resemblance?)

Rest in peace, Ging. I wish I could have met you.

On the Road Again

Tomorrow morning we'll be saying goodbye to the Chicago tundra (which actually hasn't been so bad the last few days) and heading off to warmer, sunnier Houston. Yay! The 10-day forecast lists highs in the 60's & 70's and lows in the 40's and 50's. We're actually packing shorts! It's a l-o-n-g two days of driving to get there, but we are looking forward to sleeping in, seeing family, and generally "limin' about." Internet access will be less readily available, so blogging will likely slow down a bit. I pray that each of you reading this is still basking in the light of the Christ Child and that the year ahead holds much promise and hope for you and your family.

I'll leave you with these photos of Shiloh, our alleged beagle (we know that she's not just beagle, but we're not sure what the rest of her is). She is safely deposited with a few of her doggy friends and will probably have the time of her life while we're away.

Dusty, Shiloh, and Copper

Shiloh and Copper

Bye, Sweetie! See you next week!

New Favorite Spot

I have got to get some presents wrapped and put under the tree!

She is kind of cute, though, isn't she?

Welcome Home, Friend

Take a minute to watch this video of an American soldier being welcomed home from Iraq by his two dogs. It will make you smile.

HT: The Corner

Everybody Needs a Friend

O Spring, Where Art Thou?

Stormy

My previous post included mention of my daughter's pet hamster, Stormy, who died on Christmas Day. Click here to see a very special Christmas photo of Stormy taken just days before she died.

Doves

Ever since my mother's car accident almost two months ago, I have been taking care of her pet doves. I have never had birds before nor have I ever wanted to. Sure, they're pretty, and sometimes they make a nice cooing sound, but you can't hold or cuddle or walk them, and they don't greet you at the door or come when you call, nor do they fetch things or do tricks or lick you affectionately or give you a big goofy smile with their tongue hanging out the side of their mouth. And boy, can they make a mess. So all in all, birds have just always struck me as being a lot more trouble than they are worth, essentially decorations instead of pets, and not nearly as much fun.

So why, then, do I find myself baby-talking these doves when I take the sheet off their cage in the morning? And why did I buy them a little extra birdie treat on our last visit to the pet store? And why do I find it endearing when they come to the bars of the cage and look out expectantly at "dinner time"? And why did it put such a big smile on my face when one of them jumped on my arm the last time I put my hands in the cage to tend to them?

My mom has been talking about how she thinks she is simply not up to caring for birds anymore, even once she has returned home. I hope she changes her mind, because I think they have been and will continue to be good for her. But if she doesn't, I would like to state for the record that I am not keeping these birds.

I'll say it again: I am not keeping these birds. Please feel free to remind me of this post in the future.

To see a picture and learn more about diamond doves, click here.

Equal Time

It has come to my attention that when I posted photos a few days ago I neglected one esteemed member of the family: Stormy the hamster! To correct that oversight I have asked Stormy's owner to sit in as guest blogger. Here without further delay are her observations:

Stormy is a Siberian Dwarf hamster. Little does she know that soon she will be famous. She doesn't even know what famous is! She just eats, runs on her exercise wheel, sleeps, plays, and is cute. Just take a look:



I might add that Stormy is simply the coolest hamster in the world. When we got her at the pet store the salesman warned us that sometimes hamsters can be "nippy." Not so this hamster. She is truly sweet and cuddly (well, as cuddly as a hamster can be), and she has ingratiated herself to all of us. But it is clear to the whole family which one of us she prefers!

Summer Fun

Here are some recent pics of the loves of my life (the younger set, anyway) enjoying some backyard fun:


It's not much as pools go, but they don't seem to mind.


Boy, that water was cold!

Big brother prefers to relax in the swing with a good book.

Shiloh the beagle wonders why we don't do this more often!