I was not even gonna put these up, but...

I was not even gonna put these up, but Shaun complimented them and told me I should.  (He never compliments my nails!  I usually just get a disinterested "That's cool." - not that I don't understand, since he's a dude.)  LOL  He liked the color, which is a bottom of bright green-y blue (which was wayyy to bright me for me), and a top of very sheer pink-lavender, with a vine thing stamped on top.  I think the color is neat - it reminds me of a mermaid tail.  😃

Ah, the sweet sounds...

Ah, the sweet sounds of someone playing a trumpet who has no idea how to play that trumpet.  Shadow is just too excited!  😃  Who am I kidding?  I am, too.  😃

You should see the faces the dogs are making, though!  😂😂😂

I still feel crappy, but...

I still feel crappy, but Shadow just made me some hot apple cider because he's sweet.  I didn't even ask him to!  ❤

Also, more Shadow awesomeness:  Because of his good grades he was chosen for a scholarship to use a trumpet from the school for free as long as his grades stay up.  So, that will keep me from having to rent or buy one right away, which is great.  😃

Anyone have any leads on Olive?

Anyone have any leads on Olive?  I haven't heard anything.  She's spending most of her time crated, and I'm having to crate / switch out two of my own to keep the peace.  I don't have a lot of space, so this isn't a great set up for anyone.  Please keep sharing her!

I feel straight up crummy! 🙁

I feel straight up crummy! 🙁

I am just totally exhausted.

I am just totally exhausted. I also feel like I'm getting a little sick. On a more upbeat note:

Happy Birthday to my ❤! You're getting old, Shaun.  😉

I was not going to post this girl on the internet, but...

TRIGGER WARNING:  Animal Abuse
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ADOPTED 10/07/11 - 

I was not going to post this girl on the internet, but I'm getting desperate.  Any bully lovers out there?  I have this amazing girl who has gone through so much and I would love to see her with a happy ending to her tale.  However, I have dominant females here and that isn't working out.  Here is a detailed bio:

Meet Olive. I've had this girl since July 10th. I picked her up from a guy who said she just wandered up as a stray and that since he didn't like dogs he punched her in the face. Her eye was, and still is, swollen. Sometimes it is gooey. She will go belly-up if a man approaches her so I have to feel like she has, indeed, been abused or mistreated by a man. Despite that she shows no aggression towards people. She is very sweet, always happy to see you, and will give you the gentlest kisses ever. I'm thinking she is an American Bull Dog mix, maybe a year or two old.

Olive is spayed, up-to-date on shots, de-wormed, heartworm negative, and on prevention. She is house-trained, crate-trained, and ok on a leash. I have cats and she never bothers them, though I have never left her alone with them. She likes other dogs and likes to play. Her best bud would get her by the back leg and just drag her outside to wrestle and she loved it. She is not generally dog-aggressive, but if someone growls at her first she will fight - and fight to finish it. She is not necessarily a dominant female - one of my personal dogs dominates her all the time. But if someone tries to run her away from food, water, or toys, it's on. She either needs to be the only dog or paired with a submissive dog in a home where the interactions can be supervised.

Olive cannot be left alone in a fence all day. She WILL find a way out even with an electric line along the top. If you tie her out she will bark non-stop and run to the end of the line over and over, climbing things, tearing up things - whatever she can do to get loose. You will not get a minute's peace. I can't blame her - I wouldn't want to be tied out alone, either. But, she does well in her crate, will just go in when I call her to it, and doesn't make a fuss. It would probably be best if she was crated when left home alone.

Olive is a funny, goofy girl. She loves to play in the water and ride in the car. She likes hugs and really wants a human to call her own. She is a great dog, but due to the personality clash between her and some of my permanent dogs I need to find her a home ASAP. I don't want to take her to the shelter because as a bully breed she will be put down almost immediately. She deserves more than that. Please share her and help me find it.

Olive really likes to play in water.

ADOPTED 10/07/11 - Olive really likes to play in water. There is a small pool outside for the dogs, but she decided that this large water bowl would suffice. She also likes car rides. She is a happy, friendly, goofy girl.

These are mine tonight...

These are mine tonight... and they actually look a lot better in person. It's feels weird to say it, but they are too shiny! At least, too shiny to be easily photographed. But I do like how the patchwork design came out. I probably should have used a plain black or white for the hearts, but I'll know better next time. I'm still learning!

Happy Birthday, Jeni!

Happy Birthday, Jeni!  Sorry all I could give you was a paint job, but I'm glad that you liked it!  ❤

My foster baby Calvin - now known as Neville.

My foster baby Calvin - now known as Neville.  His sister's name is Luna.  🙂  We've heard from the family already and they are playing and doing well!  😃

SOMETHING just bit me and it HURTS! 🙁

SOMETHING just bit me and it HURTS! 🙁

I think the deodorant I wore today...

I think the deodorant I wore today smells worse than armpit.  It gave me a headache!  🙁

Ok, I'll probably stop with the nail photos after this...

Ok, I'll probably stop with the nail photos after this unless I happen to do something straight AWESOME. This was my first serious attempt at getting my stamps on nice and neat... apparently, I have issues getting things centered.  Took me a lot longer than I'd like to admit to have these turn out like this. I'm really digging the way these look, though - much more my style than white and lavender. I don't know what I was thinking last time. LOL

Hands-down the BEST nail blog I've found.

Hands-down the BEST nail blog I've found.  For some reason she just abruptly quit in June, so that's sad.  🙁  I hope she's ok.  But she does some beautiful, interesting stuff!  Read back through her archives when you have time!

https://chloesnails.blogspot.com/

This is what made me so happy.

This is what made me so happy.  I have a Konad stamping kit that Shaun got me for my birthday. It is SUPER fun.  I can now stamp tiny images on to my nails.  I know that none of this matches each other or go with the colors I have on, but I don't care.  I HAD TO TRY IT OUT!  And sorry my hands look so grody - I was cutting metal before I left work today.

Shaun made me the happiest girl in the world today! 😃

Shaun made me the happiest girl in the world today! 😃

He gave me the birthday present I was dying to have 3 months early. 😃 It's a nail stamping kit! 😃😃😃

Pardon my scary midget hand.

Pardon my scary midget hand.  I found out last night that it is really hard to photograph your own hand with shiny, metallic nail polish on.  😳  While I'm not digging the frilly girly colors this time I do like how they turned out.  I just kind of wish now that I'd skipped the silver in the swirl - not only was it a pain to get off around the edges, but it doesn't go with the white.  I'll have to remember to match my swirl completely next time.  I think I would like it better.  This is the first time I've swirled my own - I tend to like the zig-zaggy look a little better for me.

Well... 7 dogs washed....

Well... 7 dogs washed. I think it's my turn next! 😃

Home early from the dentist...

Home early from the dentist - gonna wash some dogs and scoop the yard.  If I'm a good girl and do all of my chores I might change out this very cool shredded look on my nails to a swirly one!  😉

I was a girl tonight and did Janet's nails.

I was a girl tonight and did Janet's nails. I think they turned out pretty nice - this was my first try at water marbling!

I was having the most jacked-up dream...

I was having the most jacked-up dream when Shaun called and woke me up.

For some reason I kept forgetting articles of clothing... for no apparent reason I showed up at his house mostly naked with Shadow in the car. Nobody was panicking over this; he just took me home to get properly dressed, but it didn't work. I was carrying my bra and an extra shirt around with me when went to the mall... which now hosted song and dance competitions.

Shaun did a dance and then an R&B song on a tiny guitar. Then he did another dance, but naked... which, somehow was totally acceptable - even though there were kids around. I was kind of mad, though, despite the fact that I still had my bra slung over my shoulder like a purse. One of my grade school teachers served me a cupcake at the snack shop outside where she now worked. When she went home a shady teenager was threatening her outside of her house, but suddenly it was a TV show and it scared me so I made Shaun turn it off. I think we (by we, I mean me, Shaun, my mom, and step-dad) were going to investigate this, but somehow ended up robbing some lesbians.

OMG. I pretty much never remember my dreams unless they are something like this - where I would probably just rather not. I am pretty glad that I got woken up!

We had fun in the sun (and water!) today.

We had fun in the sun (and water!) today. I didn't even get sun sick (or drown!) Nice day trip - but now I'm pooped. Heading to bed to get ready for my Monday! ❤

Ohhh, Faith.

Ohhh, Faith.

She jumped the gate again, but this time got her back leg hung and was dangling from it. It freaked her out so bad that she peed and squeezed her own anal glands out everywhere. I had to go and grab a wet, stinking dog and un-hang her. I even wiped her butt so that she didn't get that mess everywhere. She is ok, but that was GROSS. Faith, Faith. Bad girl. But I love you anyway. ❤

I'm heading to work shortly.

I'm heading to work shortly. Lowrider is ready to go somewhere. She's running up to the car and wagging her tail, like, "Open the door already!" Poor girl; you can't go here with me. I should really take them to the park soon. Anyone up for walking with 8 dogs one afternoon? Shaun and I can each handle 2 so that's half! We usually end up making 2 trips. 😛

I have a wonderful pack of dogs here.

I have a wonderful pack of dogs here. I stayed the night with Shaun (I never sleep better than at his house - must be the dark, quiet, and cool of it) and I got home later than I needed to this morning - around 11. I find that my doggie door isn't plugged all the way in so no one can go out. Amazingly, there were no accidents in the floor - and these guys are used to going out at 6 am!

I am productive today!

I am productive today! At work, at home - I'm just amazing. 😃 I've cleaned the yard, cut the grass, picked up the litter, cleaned out a cage, moved some stuff to the garage, and now I'm done. I think I'm going to order a pizza, shower, and call it a night. ❤

Thank you for dinner, Shari. 😃

Thank you for dinner, Shari.  😃  You know I'm so bad that we ate those cookies with milk and called it a meal.  😂  Shadow says also thank you for the books!  ❤

Shadow now wants to play trumpet, but...

Shadow now wants to play trumpet, but take my old snare to school tomorrow.  I think he's having a hard time deciding!  If he gets to choose two instruments he is going with trumpet and snare, as of right now.  😃  I'm anxious to see how this turns out - I will keep you all posted!

Just woke up to the most awful smell ever.

Just woke up to the most awful smell ever.  After a few minutes of freaking out and looking for the source I finally googled what all it could be.  Turns out that I am not the only one to ever melt a plastic cup in the dishwasher.  Blegh - this is headache-inducing. I'm going to try to air the house out for the ani-pals.

So I was just minding my business...

So I was just minding my business, getting ready for bed, Shadow's asleep and all of a sudden his keyboard just starts playing. Not like with the keys - like a pre-recorded loop of something. I open my bedroom door to find a wide-eyed Snaga frozen on top of the keyboard - unsure of what was happening. She didn't move until I turned it off. I think she freaked herself out. 😂😂😂

I hear that the first day of school went well.

I hear that the first day of school went well.  Shadow is excited to go back!  All nice teachers and he got to eat m&m's.  Who could complain about that?  He's such a good kid.  I am so lucky.  🙂

And... he's off. First day of 6th grade!

First day of 6th grade. He's about a half inch shorter than me. He's outgrown almost all of his pants, even the ones his grandmother bought him for Christmas. It won't be long until I'm looking up at him!

So yeah... 6th grade tomorrow. 😃

So yeah... 6th grade tomorrow.  😃  That's nothing - he's ready for me to move out so a roomie can move in and they can go to college and take turns cutting the grass.  No shit - this kid has plans.  He is READY.  ❤

I have gone in search twice this weekend...

I have gone in search twice this weekend for dividers with pockets.  I know they exist because I had some in high school.  Shadow needs some for school tomorrow, but I guess we will improvise.  I can't find them anywhere!

I am eating bananas in dark chocolate for breakfast.

I am eating bananas in dark chocolate for breakfast.  Yes - breakfast at 2:30 pm.  Anyway, I think I will hook up the parakeet and g-pigs today.  Maybe cut my grass if I have some time left.  Shelby:  I haven't forgotten our meeting, but I don't have a working car right now.  😳  I'm going to have to find a ride to bum!

Ok, here is this:

Ok, here is this:  It was a pretty restaurant, and the tea was good, and the people were nice, and I like the cat statues outside. But long story short:  I'm a white girl from Alabama and I like white girl from Alabama food. At the risk of sounding really un-cultured (which I am) it's just not my thing unless it's pretty American-ized. That place, along with Ono Grill, are too traditional or authentic or whatever for my tastes.

I really like China Luck, House of Chen, and Fuji (who I really hope doesn't go out of business due to Yume). I grew up on butter beans and cornbread - not green water soup and shrimp hidden in my chicken. It was weird and gross to me. I'm sure that many people would like it, but I'm just not into it. I didn't mean to make it sound horrible. I mean it was pretty bad to me, but that's just me. I am by no means a connoisseur of this type of food.

I'm picky as hell as it is - even with plain foods I cook myself. I've taken everything apart to inspect it before I eat it since I was a child. I'm not fond of finding hidden treasures in my food or eating anything I can't readily identify. It was definitely my problem, not theirs. 😂 I just probably won't be going back.

Shaun took me to Yume.

Shaun took me to Yume.  I thought I would like it, but they put junk all over my salad, gave me water soup, and hid some shrimp in my chicken teriyaki.  I don't want to eat there again.  Blegh.

I have had a long day. A long week, really.

I have had a long day. A long week, really. It's been non-stop stress. First the air conditioner, then the car breaks again. I spent money I needed elsewhere on the A/C so was pretty strapped all week. Pixie isn't doing great so I'm worried about her. I have to work tomorrow... which while I feel like I could use an actual weekend I could use the money more. I'm kind of excited about work, though - I get to be downstairs. It'll be my first time having a hand in making any of the jewelry!

Took Shadow to orientation today...

Took Shadow to orientation today... he joined band! No idea what's he going to play yet, but I am DAMN EXCITED.  Band Nerd for LIFE!  😃😃😃

My car is jacked again.

My car is jacked again.  Thank goodness that Shaun lives so close to me and works where I work.  😳

The AC is fixed!

The AC is fixed! Me and Shaun were going to do it, but apparently we were looking at the wrong thing. 

Note to self: Capacitor is easy to reach and unhook. It is not the giant black thing at the bottom with no obvious way to remove it. Just as well - if I'd done it myself it would have been this evening before it was fixed.  It was getting wayyy too hot for my dogs; I was worried about them. Summer time in AL is no joke.