Redecorating by Houdini, and Other Stuff

This morning, I was putting my makeup on and heard this awful noise. I wasn't like...worried...really. It sounded like Houdini was just into something. He'd only been out of my site for a few seconds. (I put on my makeup downstairs so he can trot around, eat breakfast, play with his toys and have company for a bit before going to the hall for most of the day.)

I got up and started for the kitchen, and here he comes! Happy, wagging his little tail, all shiny-eyed and ecstatic because...

he's carrying a giant plank of wood. Wood that looks suspiciously like our floor. Our floor that covers half of our main level. And he's toting it by one end, and bashing the other against the kitchen furniture, stove and cabinets...

What the ???

It's our threshhold divider from the bathroom door...you know, where wood transitions into tile? That thingy that goes over it? He has removed it and brought it to me!!! WHY????

This is a new thing with Houdini. He has been with us for 9 months now. Things he has never bothered before (like pinecones in baskets, decorative twig balls and...threshhold dividers, apparently) are now fascinating and delicious.

He has never paid a lick of attention to the divider, but this morning it was simply irresistable.

The twig balls have been a bit of a grudge match all week long. Monday, he discovered them, though they've been there all along. Steinvic had the basket on the table when I got home from work Monday night. I put them back and we chased him away from them all evening. Tuesday night, he was after them. I distracted him with toys. Wednesday, I doused them in soapy water - which I even first tasted myself to make sure it was horrifyingly nasty tasting (it was) - to deter him from stealing them. No. Still yummy.

Since the basket of twig balls is safely on the table, threshhold dividers are the new preferred snack.

What to do with a pooch who doesn't understand the word "no."

Decorating by Houdini...it's a good thing he's cute!

Days and Days...

I had good intentions...fact of the matter is, I flat out haven't had time to post here!

Let's see...Thanksgiving was lovely. This is the first year in eight that we've had Thanksgiving in Cincinnati with my folks. It was just Steinvic, my Mom, my Stepdad, me and (of course) Houdini. No way we were leaving our little guy at home for his first Thanksgiving on this planet! We missed being with our Columbus side of the family, but it was still a really good day.

By the way...Houdini really likes turkey. I mean, REALLY likes it. Sadly, we've finally experience dog gas and we'll be limiting his turkey intake from here on out...

I cooked the green bean casserole (I put baby bellas, onion, red peppers and celery in my version, which I feel makes it taste a hell of a lot better than just plain green beans), mashed potatoes, rolls and I brought along something I've been meaning to try for a while: Field Roast. For my vegetarian friends out there, go ahead and give it a try. The Celebration Roast is very good and does not contain soy. I made a vegetarian gravy and basted it while heating and it was pretty tasty.

We are constantly aware of all the things we have to be thankful for...especially this year. Even though work is crazy for me these days (I mean, can barely leave my desk to go to the ladies' room crazy) and Steinvic is in Columbus more than we'd like, we're both lucky to have our jobs, health, home, family and each other. It's all worth it...

Friday, Young Man came for a visit, having spent Thanksgiving with his Mom. He joined us at our local and we had drinks, then we all came here for pizza and more visiting. Did we do any shopping on Friday, you ask? Steinvic went to the grocery for me, but that is as close as we got to shopping. Remember, I worked in retail for more than a decade, so the thought of being in a mall or in mall traffic or around people shopping does not appeal even a little bit. I stayed in all day Friday until we went out for drinks...yay! (Thank you, Steinvic!) And thank you for picking out this wonderful bone meant to keep Houdini busy...

And then there's yesterday...Young Man, Steinvic, Houdini and I did a pretty good job of chilling most of the day (sewing frenzy for me - hooray!) when Steinvic said something about golfing. I quickly found a course online and sent them on their way. I took the dog for a big walk then decorated our main floor for Christmas. It was just too nice of a day to waste indoors and I really wanted the two of them to go do something together. They brought home a tuna steak for me and regular steak for themselves and I grilled them on the patio...maybe one of the last decent days we'll have for that.

Now Young Man is on his way home, Houdini is looking for things to get into, and I'm feeling like I need to go do things, but don't feel like leaving the house! I can't believe how quickly this four-day weekend went, but it was all good.

I guess the Holiday Season is in full force now...especially since I've spent yesterday making Houdini a stocking, and all morning making him a Santa-style harness...photos to come!

Houdini

Our puppy discovered television today.

Big butterflies on the screen caught his eye. He perked up, ran for the screen and put his paws on the television stand.

He watched the butterflies flying and beating their wings and started barking.

Total cuteness. These are barks you don't hush, even if it is 6:30 a.m.

Fall has introduced Houdini to "free treats." Free treats are wet leaves, little sticks and debris on the ground.

Houdini grabs them when we let him outside. He runs for the door, wanting inside so he can enjoy his catch in the comfort of his home.

Leaves can't be good for dogs, so we take them, of course.

Right now, he is rolling on the floor, working on a chewy. We watched him enjoying one last night, lying on his back, using the leg of the coffee table to steady his toy while he chomped away.

There is nothing more calming - or entertaining - than having a dog. And we adore him.

But he still can't sit or stay. He steals things and we have to trick him to get whatever goody he's got away from him.

So, we're researching obedience schools. We don't want to use the local pet shop chain because we've read that they hire just about anyone to lead their classes instead of formally trained specialists. For the same money, there are a few independent places that offer one-on-one training, even in your home, and we're thinking that might be the way to go. Though Steinvic makes a good point - it would be good to have him interact with other dogs.

(Houdini does not like other dogs.)

We hope to find the right trainer soon. You know...so Houdini can be even more awesome than he already is.

November Already...

What...did you think I'd disappeared? Eaten by a Halloween goblin? Of course not...Here I am!

Our anniversary was perfect. Steinvic and I both had to work, but we managed to have a nice date that night and a fantastic weekend.

There is a small, independent Italian restaurant not so far from us and we'd wanted to try it for some time. This was the right occasion...our first dinner together was at a great place in Las Vegas, and our wedding day celebration was at a fabulous restaurant in Columbus. So...keeping with tradition, we ventured out. We went to our local pub after and just enjoyed a night out together.

For our first anniversary, Steinvic gave me dishes. Don't cock your head at how practial that might seem. It's not...it's romantic. This means something to me. I've been on this planet for forty years and I've never had a full set of matching dishes. And not just a few dishes...eight place settings. Dinner plates, salad plates, bowls and mugs. All matching. Not chipped. Artsy and earthy at the same time. I love them and they were the exactly right thing...we'll enjoy tons of family dinners on them. And it was liberating to pack all our old, mix-and-match dishes up and take them to Goodwill.

I framed a favorite wedding photo for Steinvic. And bought him and his son tickets to an upcoming concert I knew they'd enjoy. Because there is nothing my husband loves more in this world than spending time with his boy...easy decision and I know they're going to have a great time!

The next day, we were off work! Young Man and Girlfriend came to stay with us for the weekend. Steinvic reserved hotel rooms for us downtown, so we went to Rockbottom for dinner, Mt. Adams to drink and take in the Cincinnati skyline and then stayed comfortably downtown. Totally fun night and such a treat to make the kids part of our marriage celebration.

Busy week after that, and then another day off...but not such a fun day for Houdini. He got neutered on Friday. Fully recovered, though. Miraculously. Like it never happened, except he isn't trying to mate with us 24/7. AND, we had some electrical work done...much needed to say the least. I'll post photos soon...computer is running out of juice, though.

And this Monday? Halloween. And Houdini wore this costume...fitting, don't you think?

So, that is the scoop! Highlights of the last few weeks. More soon, I promise...once I get this thing charged. (The charger died. I'm sharing chargers with Steinvic and he isn't here at the moment...)

Until then...

So Far, I'm Not Full of It...

Monday, eight miles on the recumbent stationary bike.

Tuesday, eight miles on the recumbent stationary bike.

Wednesday, five miles on the recumbent stationary bike. (I would have done more, but it was getting late and I wanted to make time to iron some shirts for Steinvic. Not that he wanted me to or that he'd have cared if I didn't, but when he's gone, I like to do things to help him out. Makes me feel closer somehow and miss him just a tiny bit less. By the way, Houdini is wonderful in many ways but he is NOT a good helper on ironing. Cute, though...very, very cute.)

I'd be walking and walking Houdini, too, but it's been raining. Houdini does not like wet paws. I know, right? We've already been shopping for boots for His Majesty for when the snow hits. THAT should be interesting.

I'm sticking to the morning smoothie, mixing it up a little with different fruits and yogurts that Steinvic picked up last weekend.

Light lunches. Light dinners. Stretching and moving a little more at work.

And you know something? I pulled on a pair of jeans last weekend, one size smaller. They were snug, but they fit and weren't so tight that I looked foolish or couldn't wear them.

It's progress. Slow, steady, progress, but enough to encourage me to not slack.

Here's to keeping promises, especially the ones that you make to yourself...

Not All Fruits & Veggies Are Safe for Dogs!!!

I am totally stupid.

When we got Houdini, I already knew we’d give baby carrots as treats. A friend did that with her dog in college and I was impressed by how white her dog’s chompers were. We have other friends and families who do this so we followed suit. Houdini loved them at first, then got bored with carrots and so I quit buying them.

But since I’m a pescetarian – and Steinvic thankfully eats anything I prepare – there are lots of vegetables in our house at all times. In fact, I probably really only eat fish once a week, then the rest of the time it’s Veggie City.

So, whenever I labor at the cutting board, if Houdini begged for a bite of whatever I was chopping, I’d toss it down to him. We don’t really give him lots of table food…he gets a plain piece of pasta or a few bits of cooked bacon here and there, but veggies and fruits we felt good about, because they’re natural and unprocessed and Houdini could encounter these items in nature and eat them.

Boy, was I wrong.

Two of the cute, compact foods that we give Houdini regularly are toxic to dogs: grapes and tomatoes.

Who knew? We sure didn’t! And if the chatty bagger at the grocery hadn’t informed me of this yesterday, oh so casually (because she and the cashier were marveling at the grapes I bought, and I mentioned that our dog would be thrilled,) I’d have never googled it and we’d still continue to give Houdini all the grapes and tomatoes he wanted.

And he would probably have died.

And then what would we have done? Life without Houdini? And life without Houdini because we fed him something that harmed him?

THANK GOODNESS for the bagger at the grocery store! I feel so dumb…