scrappin like a mad woman

Over the Thanksgiving break I finally got to organize my scrapbook room which is almost done with stage 1 of its remodel. I had a bunch of pictures hanging around that I've been meaning to scrap, and once I got my table cleared off I did all of this in one night!!!

2008 Photo Cards (I love photo cards!):






From a broken photo frame (I only had to trim it and add journaling):


Last year's photo cards:




Next time I'll have to post my remodel pictures.

a very chihuahua birthday

I love it!

A Small Furry Prayer by Steven Kotler

A Small Furry Prayer is a misleading title. To me Prayer suggests that the only thing that can save little dogs is god, when people are doing all the leg work in this non-fiction story of dog rescue and the scientific wonder that is the domesticated dog we know today.

A Small Furry Prayer? How about A Small Furry Marvel? Each chapter begins with Steven Kotler's personal stories detailing the pain and joy of dog rescue, and moves into scientific research done that explains what motivates him or the dogs to behave the way they do. I was hoping for an emphasis on the personal stories, but the science behind dog behavior was fascinating to me.

Earlier this year I read Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin. Many of the ideas I read about in that book were discussed in A Small Furry Prayer, and in fact, Animals in Translation was referenced in A Small Furry Prayer. One chapter brought up neoteny, which is what biologically makes dogs cuter and more baby-like, which in turn makes people want to take care of them. The notion that dogs and people co-evolved was also introduced in Animals in Translation, but it was gone into with more detail in this book. Aldous Huxley and Aldo Leopold, two other authors I've read in the past few years, were also referenced. If Glee was a book, this was my Mash-Up.

Aside from reading research that tells us why dogs can be homosexual and why dogs might choose to do drugs, there are some funny quotes. My favorites are, "...despite all evidence to the contrary, this was in fact my life."

and (for obvious reasons),

"Sure, my posse was mostly crippled Chihuahuas, but you'd be surprised how much ass a crippled Chihuahua can kick."

He also swears a lot which I just thought was fun!

Mr. Kotler proposes that dogs are a part of people, have complicated brains capable of thinking, love and altruism, and deserve more than euthanasia in an overcrowded shelter. His ideas may seem idealistic, but it makes me feel good to know there are people like him in the world.

P.S. At the end of the book he included a playlist he listened to while he wrote the book. I wish he had put it at the beginning. I love making playlists that go with books. I made one anyway, inspired by his, and listened to it while I wrote my review.

P.P.S. Click on Rancho de Chihuahua if you want to check out his rescue.

And click on Friends for Life if you want to check out the shelter my friend volunteers at.

P.P.P.S. Gratuitous cute Chihuahua picture:

my blog is not only used for evil

Or trample someone to death at Wal-Mart. Your choice.


This message has been brought to you by A Beautiful Mess and Red Velvet.

my favorite holiday

Captain Skippyjon Jones and Caprica Six got to go to the dog park today. They chased a Jack Russell Terrier puppy named Farrah. My parents were startled by Caprica's intense playful side, and dazzled by her speed. And they laughed whenever Captain would do his burn out after peeing.

P.S. Happy Thanksgiving is by Carolyn Gavin.

We just watched Up.

It was cute. Corey loves Doug.

P.S. Follow Your Heart is by Robert David Bretz.

It's just a doorbell.

On the latest episode of Raising Hope Shelly sang a song that I might have made up myself if I knew how to play the ukulele.

Those 2 little dogs of our always bark when they hear a doorbell - even if it's just on tv. They barked when they heard this song. They barked when I found it on YouTube. When there's a tv doorbell I always say, "It's not real." Captain Skippyjon Jones is starting to learn what I mean when I say that, but Caprica Six is a killer.

There's a commercial that always plays on Animal Planet with a doorbell in it, and I know it's a conspiracy. I have a degree in advertising. You can't fool me.

By the way, I grew up with lots and lots of big dogs, but the little dogs are the best guard dogs I've ever had. Isn't that ridiculous?

Does anyone else watch Raising Hope?

quote of the month

Our HOA only allows yard sales on certain days of the year, and a few weekends ago it was time. I got the dogs all leashed up so we could scour the neighborhood for books and a treadmill (we found none to our liking).

As we were leaving Corey shouted, "If you get a translator make sure it speaks Bocce!" Even 2 weeks later it makes me laugh! Oh Corey.

P.S. Maori Trooper Helmet was made by Daniel Logan.

Autumn Colors Week: brown

Brown makes me think of all the horse racing I watched last Friday and Saturday during The Breeder's Cup. It was 2 of the most exciting days of horse racing I've had the pleasure of living vicariously.

The highlight of Friday's Breeder's Cup would be the fight between jockeys Calvin Borel and Javier Castellano. During the second race Javier found an opening he couldn't refuse and in the process made someone's horse trip (but it didn't fall). Borel's horse was next to it. Even though Javier was disqualified, moving Borel from 4th to 3rd place, it wasn't enough and they had a brawl which took all the cameras away from the winners circle. Who won that race? I can't even remember. The rest of the day the fight was practically all the sportscasters could talk about since you never get to see the jockeys fighting like that.

Corey hasn't liked Calvin Borel since he won the Kentucky Derby on Mine That Bird in 2009. Calvin gave up the opportunity to ride Mine That Bird in the Preakness and rode Rachel Alexandra instead. Corey thinks he should have stuck with Mine That Bird and tried to win the Triple Crown. After the fight he felt like he saw Calvin's true colors and felt vindicated in disliking him.

During Saturday's first Breeder's Cup race we saw Rough Sailing slip and fall, throwing his jockey. Then Rough Sailing had to be put to sleep because he fractured his leg. Too sad.

Hey horse breeders! If you name your horse Rough Sailing I think you're just asking for trouble.

Then came Goldikova's race. It was her chance to be the first horse to win the Breeder's Cup 3 times and she did it! My favorite part was after the race when we got to see video of her groom (outside the track rails) running on the ground alongside her as she was closing in on the finish line. When she won he celebrated like he'd just won 2 million dollars. It was priceless.

(See the groom? He's wearing purple.)

Finally, the race we had all been waiting for, Zenyatta's final race. Zenyatta's chance to retire undefeated and Zenyatta's chance to be the second horse to win 3 Breeder's Cups. We hoped and cheered and she came from behind like she always does and...she lost by half a head! (That's her on the left. The horse on the right is Blame. Ironic, right?)

I was so sad. Corey was sad. Of course things never get to end the way you want them to! Instead of our American Sweetheart being the star of the day, the French Goldikova gets all the glory. But after I thought about it I felt like Zenyatta coming in second only makes me like her more. Second place seems to be the metaphor of all of our life stories. Goldikova can have her noodle salad but Zenyatta is one of us!

P.S. Photo Credits:
Calvin Borel
Rough Sailing
Goldikova
Zenyatta

Autumn Colors Week: red

{wishing the war would end on Veteran's Day}

My friend Adam found this blog with videos of soldiers being greeted by their dogs after coming back from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait. It's a tear-jerker!

Thank you Veterans!

P.S. Can't Be Contained is by ~hockeychick.

Autumn Colors Week: orange

Today Corey has a day shift so we get to watch Survivor tonight!
Hooray for day shifts!!!

P.S. E for Embrace is by Paul Thurlby.

Autumn Colors Week: yellow

Yellow is my chance to share this advertisement which makes me think of my Jersey Cat. He loved shoes. He loved sleeping on them, attacking them, and rubbing his face on them. If he was feeling especially frisky he would even bite a shoe.

His favorite shoes were my American Flag Converse. When we lived in the trailer he would go into the closet and from all the Converse and other assorted shoes on the shelves would pull down one or both of those specific shoes to sleep on. What a silly cat!

I still miss him, especially when I wear those shoes.

Autumn Colors Week: green

Poppytalk had its Autumn Colour Week about a month ago, but I never got around to it. Since it's still fall and I still want an excuse to post random pictures every day I'm doing it now.

My green picture: I've been waiting to hear that the space shuttle Discovery is officially on its last mission, but its launch has been delayed until at least November 30th. Fuel leak, tank crack, blah, blah, blah.

P.S. X102 is by Jerry Smath.

Project Runway Finale

Ugh, I don't even know what to say about it.


I actually had a dream last night that I was a famous supermodel. Let's just say I wasn't wearing Gretchen's clothes.



P.S. I did not take that picture.

Am I the only one?

The city brought us a new garbage can because the lid fell off of our old one. I don't know why I took the time to read the lid (maybe because I read everything) but when I did I noticed something I thought was weird...

Items Not Allowed In Container:
Rocks/Dirt (o.k.)
then
Auto Parts/Dead Animals

Um, is there a connection between auto parts and dead animals I'm not familiar with? Is there a space issue? No! There is an entire line in the right column (next to Concrete) that was left empty! And if it had to be slashed with something, I think I would go with
Hazardous Material/Dead Animals.

I just thought it was funny. I'm not going to write an angry letter or anything.