February 24, 2011
Doggie Diary I
As you know, I have been looking for a little Bichon or Poodle mix puppy. I say puppy, but I am really wanting an older dog… maybe around 3 – 8 years old. I have just missed out on 3 dogs over the last month and so when I saw one online last Friday I made arrangements to go and see her on Sunday.
Saturday night I cleaned the house one last time, got the new dog bed ready, got the doggie dishes out and set up in their own special spot in the kitchen, laid my clothes out for the next day and went to bed early so I could get up and go to early church before I went for the meet and greet scheduled for noon. I cleared my Sunday afternoon schedule so I would have all afternoon getting acquainted with her.
Sunday morning, I got up early and checked my emails before church and there it was –the disappointing email. The person could not meet with me that day. Oh she gave what she thought was a good excuse, but it raised another red flag with me. Yes, I had a couple of red flags go up during my previous contacts (phone & email) with her; but I persevered because I wanted a little rescue doggie.
She told me in no uncertain terms that if I wanted to see the dog, that I could drive over 2 hours to see her to Longview, Washington. I took her up on this challenge and we made arrangements to meet the following day – last Monday.
Monday morning dawned bright and cold and beautiful and I was ready for the trek to another state! I had asked a good friend who lives in Longview to meet me for the doggie meet and greet and he agreed. I am so glad that he was there to give his input and just to listen to what I was trying to process. Well, this dog was a mess. She was covered in fleas, filthy dirty, had an infected breast, and growled at me! The rabies tag said that she was a tan and black yorkie terrier, not the white bichon that the person had stated online and to me personally. Needless to say I did not take the dog and I was glad that I had paid attention to those red flags.
My friend and I had a great visit over lunch and after lunch he insisted that we stop by the local Humane Society to look at the dogs there. After looking at the dogs, we stopped by the front desk to ask about the rescue person that I had been in contact with . As I said her name to the lady at the front desk, the Shelter Director stopped short in his conversation with someone else and turned toward us and came over to answer our inquiry about this private rescue person. He took us over to his private desk where he told us an earful about the deplorable conditions at that private rescue where the dogs were kept. Then he took us to the 2 private parts of the Humane Society where little dogs were kept! No match, but a much better feeling about the way those dogs were cared for and treated.
I bid my friend good-by and got in the car without a doggie, for the drive home. As I mentioned the ride was beautiful and the friendship fun, so the day was not wasted at all. But I was tired when I got home!
February 23, 2011
Portland Spring Home and Garden Show 2011
| Show Dates & Times Wednesday, February 23: 11am – 8pm Thursday February 24: 11am – 8pm Friday February 25: 11am – 8pm Saturday February 26: 10am – 8pm Sunday February 27: 10am – 6pm Location Price Discount tickets available online or at all Portland area |
For a discount coupon, go to : http://www.otshows.com/shows/phs/attendees/discount_coupon.htm
February 18, 2011
Portland’s Yard, Garden & Patio Show 2011
Join us for the 2011 Yard, Garden & Patio Show, February 18 – 20, presented by Dennis’ Seven Dees Landscaping & Garden Centers! Enjoy our Patio Party Beverage Gardens, Outdoor Cooking Classes, and Backyard Games for all ages. Experience our Showcase Gardens, Free Garden Seminars & Demonstrations, and the Remarkable Green Market. Come for the fun, and prepare to be inspired!
Oregon Convention Center
SHOW DATES / HOURS:
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February 17, 2011
President Obama in Portland
Air Force 1 will be ariving at the airbase near Portland International Airport about 10:00 am on Friday, Feb 18th, 2011. President Obama will then helicopter across our fair city to the Intel plant in Hillsboro, Oregon. Hillsboro has been called the Silicon Forest due to the large number of computer processing industries in the area.
February 15, 2011
Dog Names?
February 13 was the six-year anniversary of the passing of my little doggie.. she was a little Bichon Frise/Poodle mix shelter rescue dog and the best pet ever. We were well suited.
I have been thinking a long time about getting a little doggie and I have decided to start looking for one. She will be about 10 pounds, and a Poodle or Poodle/ Bichon mix. Preferable white, but I’m not ruling out another color if the right personality comes along. I have contacted all of the local shelters and rescue organizations and will continue to look for just the right one!
Readers, this is where I am asking for your help. I have started a list of possible names and I am open to other suggestions. Any suggestions on naming this cute little ball of fluff when she comes along?
February 8, 2011
See’s Candies
Have you ever heard of See’s Candies? If you live in California, I know that you have! Ever since I was a child, these were the chocolates of choice in our house. When I moved to the Midwest, my Father always sent me a custom packed box for Christmas. It was a present that I shared carefully and when those Midwesterners would turn their noses up at my white box with the classic black lettering because it wasn’t Fanny Farmer candy, I didn’t insist at all! More for me!!!
Pre-packaged boxes of See’s Candy are now readily available at airports and I have even seen them in a furniture store! But for the true Mary See’s Candy experience one must personally visit a See’s Candy Shop and view all of the confections set out beautifully before you. Oh they make it so difficult to decide, but then a few samples are also given to help you make your decisions.
Recently I was invited to stay with a friend who lives on the Big Island of Hawaii. She is a California girl who has adapted beautifully to island living. The entire island lifestyle suits her so perfectly and she has blossomed into a beautiful vibrant woman and I feel that this would have never happened in the confines of the concrete living of Southern California. Well, I pondered what could I possibly take to her that she would enjoy that is not available in the islands? You guessed it! A box of delicious, famous See’s Candy! She was thrilled when I presented it to her and only one who has been denied these delicious chocolates can understand the thoughtfulness of this gift.
By the way, the likeness of Mary See on the Box and in the shops reminds me of my beautiful Grandmother…..
February 6, 2011
Bedtime Stories
Sometimes at night, just before I fall asleep, a story will come into my mind. I “write” the entire story there in my sleepy head and wonder if I should get out of bed, turn on the computer and get it down in solid form before I forget it. Then I say, “No, it’s too good of a story. I’ll remember it.”
But when morning comes…. I don’t remember even what the subject matter was!
February 4, 2011
The Red Key
In our neighborhood, the mail is delivered to a central mailbox where the residents retrieve their mail from their individual locked box with a tiny metal key. On the side of this group of mailboxes are two large boxes that remain unlocked.
These two larger boxes are where the mailperson deposits oversized mail or packages for any one of the residents in the neighborhood. The larger box is then locked by the mailperson with a large red key. The red key is then put into the mailbox of the person to whom the mail belongs. So when you open your little mailbox and you see the red key, you know that you have something special in one of the bigger mailboxes!
As I approach the bank of mailboxes, I always look to see if one of the red keys is missing, because that means that it is inside someone’s mailbox. My heart starts to race a little. Will it be in my mailbox? Did I order a product from somewhere? Will I have a ‘present’ from someone? What will it be?
And I have noticed that lately the red key is more often than not in my mailbox!!!
Oh, the simple things of life that thrill us!
February 2, 2011
Digger Cake
My delightful Grandson turned three over the weekend and I had the honor of making his birthday cake. He loves diggers and construction vehicles of all kinds so when my neighbor showed me a picture of a “Digger Cake”, I was ready to bake!
It took me most of one afternoon going around to various stores to find all the different candies that were required for the cute construction of this cake. I didn’t want to have enormous amounts of candy left over, so my Daughter-in-law suggested that I buy what I needed from the bulk bins at a local store. That worked out great because I could purchase the exact colors of gumdrops and M&M’s that were needed for the cake.
The tires are made of chocolate covered mini-doughnuts and some of the digger parts are made of twinkies, but I substituted chocolate mini cakes instead.
Since there were going to be over 20 people at the party, I decided to make a sheet cake (chocolate of course) for the base. After I covered the cake in chocolate icing, I added ‘dirt’ (crushed up oreos) making a realistic base for the digger. The cute little yellow digger then sat proudly on top of the dirt with the candles sticking out of the gumdrop lights on the top!
It was pretty cute!
