random weekend pics & prattle...

this used to hang in my grandparent's wood panelled back room.  i spent so much time in that room, playing with toys, reading books, trying to learn how to shuffle cards.  i loved being back there at sunset when the rays of sun would filter through my grandma's lilacs. 

i wore these crocs with socks to take out the trash.  i should be ashamed. 

i also had some wicked bed head going on.  again, i should be ashamed. 

teeth!!!!!! 

pretty brindle girl... 

japanese plum wine in a tiny bottle.  weird.  a little too sweet.  but the bottle is pretty. 

these 2 are attached at the hip.  either playing or rolling around in our laundry.  it's so much fun watching them hang out. 

our new living room rug.  i love it so much.  it's a strange pattern, almost 1940's looking.  gilly blends right in!

DO NOT PANIC!!!

I'm testing out a new blog format.  It's called
"dynamic views".  You can pick what view you like from the upper navigation bar.  It's pretty fucking cool.  The stuff like my profile and list of blog friends is on the right.  Mouse over the little gray boxes and it slides out.  Neat!

dogs in the kitchen...

i snapped a photo of gilly & charlie in the kitchen, and it struck me that i've taken so many pics of dogs in the kitchen.

we started with our pack of 3 old mutts, then it was griffin and a puppy. now the puppy is grown and she's got a new friend.

i look at this pics and it strikes me that there will be more to come. our pack will keep changing. i'm reminded to enjoy our time in the moment. to be thankful every day.

ok, enough of my philosophical rambles. let's say thanks to the pack, then & now & to come!

little charlie pants thief...

a drawing and a photo...

insomnia octopus...

1947 chevy truck, which would look awesome out in front of the barn, if anyone wants to buy it for me....

needles, electrodes, etc...

so my hands have been hurting for years.  one doc thought it was arthritis in my thumbs and gave me splints that i never wore.  my current doc thinks it's fibromyalgia and carpal tunnel.  she sent me for tests to see if it was indeed carpal tunnel.

yesterday was the EMG test.  an hour and a half of having electrical surges sent into my arms and hands, making my hands twitch like a puppet.  then it was electrode needles in my hands, arms and neck.  indeed there is carpal tunnel.  so today was the shot into my wrist.

it hurt.  and now my hand is numb.  going to ice it.  so far it's not feeling better.

there ya have it!

levon...

today levon helm passed away.  he was the drummer for the band, and he sang, played mandolin, etc...  we saw levon play the ryman in 2010 and it was probably some of the best live music i've ever seen.  

he was battling cancer then.  he looked so frail and when he talked into the mic his voice was weak and raspy.  but then he got behind the drum kit and came alive.  he smiled big and hit the drums hard.  he became more alive with each song.  he got up and played mandolin, and even did something he called "the snake dance".  he was hilarious, and he never seemed to get tired.  and he was so thankful to each musician on stage.  he gave them props all night.  just full of so much grace. 

here's my favorite song:

(it's a cover version of a marvin gaye song, and not the most popular by the band.  but i just love his voice. he just belts it out.)  

i wouldn't have payed much attention to the band if groundcat hadn't introduced me to them.  and it was his idea to go to nashville to see him play the ryman.  i'm so glad we went.

Cleveland...

1st world problems...

i am the queen of first world problems. 

definition: First World Problems, also known as “White Whine,” are frustrations and complaints that are only experienced by privileged individuals in wealthy countries. It is typically used as a tongue-in-cheek comedic device to make light of trivial inconveniences.

today while i was working out, i thought to myself, "i have so many good ideas for blog posts while swimming, but then i get too busy to post them!"

random catching up...

we were out looking at area rugs this weekend, and apparently shag is making a comeback.  yuk.

does anyone blog these days?  seems so quiet in blogland.  of course i keep chugging along, blogging about recipes and posting pics of the dogs.

speaking of that...

i think that charlie is a corgi mixed with a long haired dachshund.  i found a really funny article about corgis that describes him well.  especially the "turbo FRAP".  he's also doing some classic "herding" and we need to put a stop to that.  

but it's been fun watching him and gilly become so close.  they play and FRAP and nap for hours at a time.  one day they had an epic 2 hour battle over a bottle cap.

on diet & health news...

i've managed to not eat fast food since december.  i got breakfast from mcdonald's once, and a filet of fish.  and they were gross.  i'm happy to never eat fast food again.  and it really was one of worst & most unhealthy addictions.

and this week i get to go for an EMG test to see what's wrong with my dumb hands.  the test includes having needle electrodes inserted into the muscles of my hands and electrical charges sent through.  good times!!!

dogs are fun...

Storm Clouds

fun with the tripod...

gilly does not like to be ignored...