I wanted to ride....

But he wouldn't let me.

He cleaned your car today, your Dad did, inside and out. He had a hard time getting all the hair out of the carpet, he blamed it on me. You know what I think? Lame! You humans think for a minute that you don't shed? I've seen it. Believe me, you shed. He even took your golf clubs out of the trunk, and the clothes that you wore to work before you left for the Army. They still smelled like you, I remembered! But now it's all clean. He thinks it will stay that way, but first chance I get, when your Dad opens the door, I'm in there. In the drivers seat. let him try to stop me! Woof!

Dog fence struck.....

By lightning. When Patton wandered nonchalantly over the line the other day, I said to him as if he'd understand "yo, what's up with that"? Turns out that the underground wire took a lightening strike and burned out. I don't know how long it hasn't been working, probably a few days.

It even burned the surge suppressor and the outlet. Fortunately the house did not catch on fire. I guess there actually are risks involved with running metal wires around your house and then connecting them to it. Who would of thought? Maybe for an encore I'll leave a trail of garbage from the raccoon den to the trash cans.

Dog gone training!

Ever since we had the dog whisperer out to give us some much needed tips, things have been going a lot better with Reilly and Patton. They live for the evening "chucker time" and I'm not missing the opportunity to work on their obedience skills. To Reilly, the chucker has a value on par with prime rib, rare prime rib au jus.

We start with the sit command. Then stay.

Stay! Doing well! Such improved will power. Don't go 'til I give the command!

I yell "Go" and toss the prize over the house and she's off to the races!

Patton: "Whatever, knock yourself out."

Making them both sit together. This time it's for Beggin Strips!

Lay down. Good Pups!

Both of you stay! Wait 'til I throw it.

Such good dogs!

New Car, Awesome Dog!

Ok, I'm not one to make a big deal about cars. In fact, if I could ride a bike to work and just rent a car when needed I would. But Honda's are awesome. I just filled it up and 34.8 mpg for a comfortable highway ride!?! I just wish it was totally made in the USA, Bubba! And then there's the best dog ever! Patton, helping me pimp out the pic! I taught him a new trick. Roll-over. Except he does it on the driveway, he's like a huge swiffer mop, one roll around and he's cleaned a 100 sq ft area of oak flowers and pollen. maybe we could train him to do the scooch around the floor in the house. No more vacuuming!

What's been up lately?

For those of you that do actually check my blog on occasion, I'm sorry that I have not been posting lately. I hope to correct that this weekend when Tyler and Morgan come for a visit. T and I plan to take a road ride (bicycle for you non-biking types). I have no doubt that he will put me to shame, but I'm looking forward to it just the same. However, I plan to make him pay for out-riding me by wearing my bike shorts and Coleman cooler helmet. When you're 55, you get a free pass at dorkiness. But I draw the line at the aero helmet!

It's hard to keep in shape when you sit in a car and on a train for about 3 hours a day and then sit at your desk for another 8+ hours. I really have to exercise more than the usual weekend chores and occasion bike ride. Last weekend, my sister and I helped Mom move next door to a 1 BR apartment. Even after one has downsized, moving is still an ordeal. I think it's finally getting under control, but it takes a while. Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I hope you are feeling the energy soon.

I got a new (used) car, a 2005 Accord with 65K miles. I really like it and the nice thing is that it has a tach. I noticed that if I keep and eye on the tach and try not to let the rpm's get over 2500, the gas mileage is pretty good. I'll know for sure after my next fill up, but I'm hoping for 34 ave. It also has a CD player, first commuter car I've had with a CD player. What am I going to do with my 8-tracks now? Irma likes it too. She took it to get the Chinese take-out last night. Even moved the seat back for me so my knees didn't do the dashboard crush thing. Thanks, Honey!

Two weeks ago we hired a dog whisperer. Trying to get Reilly the Shepherd dialed down from lunatic canine to just adorably nuts. So far it has been going well. She's still a shepherd though and maintains her level of paranoia at anything that isn't ingrained into her dog brain as totally normal. This morning I was petting her and thought I felt a tick. I held her on her back, still petting her, as I did the pet/tick-check maneuver. When I let her up she shot back to the bedroom to her bed and curled up in a distressed ball of imagined guilt. Patton on the other hand enjoys the tick checks so much that he is severly disappointed when they stop.

I'm going to get lunch now. Yes, it's a slow day at work. Hope you all have a good weekend......

And Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's out there!

Echo Company Ruck March

One of the few recognizable pictures of Ben at Ft. Benning.

Several weeks into OCS and doing well. 70 lbs of gear and 95% humidity. Awesome!

Irma's Birthday

Yesterday was Irma's Birthday. I left work early and we had plans to hit the Fish Whistle for some seafood and an early spring chance to sit by the water. It was unusually warm yesterday, but when we got to the restaurant deck there was a pretty good blow going and it was cool. We watched three Washington College sailboats tacking downriver at a pretty good clip and then a small skiff with an outboard blasting past them making a rocking wake. I guess he either isn't aware of the no-wake zone or chooses to ignore it because it's still April. Or else he hates sail boaters.

Anyway, we had a great time, enjoying the food and drink and each others company.

We returned home for the usual required evening activities.

Exercising the dogs

(Yes, this is a new picture, it's just what they do all the time)

The pink magnolia is in full bloom. Despite the bark being all rubbed off on the back of the tree by the buck whitetails in the fall. It is surviving and blooming nicely.