I’ve had enough people do searches on my site for what kind of breeds George and Gracie are, that I suppose I need to make up a page for them and add them to the “permanent residents” sidebar, ya think?
They’re Great Pyrenees, in case anyone searched and couldn’t find that information.
They’re also going tomorrow for spaying, neutering, and id-chipping. I actually bought them both id tags for their collars, but collars can come off and get lost, but id chips are FOREVAH.
The spud and I went out to hang out with the dogs and chickens on Friday, and I swear to god, George and Gracie adore the hell out of her. They think she is totally the bee’s knees, they were rubbing up against her and flopping onto their backs for belly rubs and giving her the puppydog eyes.
Speaking of Friday, it was my birthday, and the spud took me out for a birthday lunch. (All together now: Awwww!) We went to Logan’s Roadhouse and I had a really good cheeseburger and side salad and it was really quite nice!
By the way, thank you for all your sweet birthday wishes! I appreciated them.
I really kind of (not-so-secretly) hoped that Fred would surprise me with a G1, but I didn’t really expect it, so I wasn’t TOO heartbroken that I didn’t get one. Like he told me last night, it’s not the cost of the G1 that stopped him, it’s the two-year contract for $65 a month for the bare minimum.
A few weeks ago, Fred said “What do you want for your birthday?” and I said “Let me think about it”, and to him, that translated into “GET ME NOTHING.”
(He insists that I said “Let me think about it. Probably nothing.” WHICH IS WRONG.)
And then a few days after that, we started talking about going to Nashville overnight, since we have the dogs to watch the chickens and so we don’t have to be home at dark to close them up into the coop. “That can be my birthday present!” I said. I wasn’t able to talk him into taking in a show at the Opry, but there are other things to see in Nashville, so I was happy.
Last week, on a particularly rainy night (Monday, maybe?) Gracie escaped the chicken yard. We’re pretty sure that the water was freaking the dogs out because there was a LOT of standing water, and once we let them into the coop, they were calm and happy.
So a few nights later I said “Are we still going to go to Nashville, or would you be too worried?” about the dogs escaping when we weren’t around, and he allowed that he would likely be too worried, and I said that I would too, and we decided to put off the overnight trip (if any) until the summer. We’re planning on getting pigs in the next month or so, and we can’t really be away overnight, because the pigs have to be fed at night.
“You didn’t get me anything for my birthday, DID you?” I asked, the night before my birthday.
“You said you didn’t want anything!”
So, no. No birthday presents from Fred, no G1, nada. NOT EVEN A CAKE.
“You didn’t even get me a cake!” I said, on the evening of my birthday.
“I figured if you wanted one, you would have said something!” he said.
“NOTE FOR THE FUTURE: I ALWAYS WANT A BIRTHDAY CAKE!”
Before I yelled at him about the birthday cake, though, he suddenly asked if I wanted to go get some ice cream in honor of my birthday, and ice cream is about equivalent to cake in my world, so I didn’t kill him and bury him in the back forty.
THIS TIME.
(Besides, the dogs would just dig him up. Damnit.)
I did get a box of birthday goodness from Nance and Rick that included a buttload of Fiestaware, a lot of stinky stuff, and the coasters she sewed for me (when she posted the picture of fabric in this entry, I just KNEW it was gonna be for me. That adorable fabric is VERY “me”). My mother sent me a gift certificate so I can buy more Fiestaware next time I visit Nance and Rick.
My mother and Nance are all about feeding the addiction, obviously.
So, all in all, a very quiet, low-key birthday. And it ended with ice cream, so it’s all good!
Hey, did I mention that I almost bought myself a GPS for Christmas? Only, when I went back to buy it, the model I wanted was all sold out.
Hey!
Guess what comes with a built-in GPS?
A G1.
It’s almost like the universe is trying to send a message…
(Okay, I’m shutting up about the G1 now.)
Hmm. Fred DID make me a couple of bird houses last weekend, I guess I could consider that my birthday present. They came out really nice, and we have enough wood for a couple more. I’m going to get him to show me how to slap them together; that seems like a handy skill to have.
I painted them on Thursday, but they’re slow in drying (I just put some outdoor paint on them; the wood he used wasn’t treated, and we don’t want them to rot). Once they’re dry and mounted, I’ll take another pic.
(Tufted Titmice. Titmouses? Whichever, I love these little birds.)
Hey, how about some chicken pics?!
This is Sassy. Every day, Sassy flies to the top of the chicken yard fence, jumps down to the ground, then struts over to the OLD chicken yard where her childhood home – the first coop Fred ever made – is located. She lays an egg in the old coop, then spends the rest of the day wandering around the property before finally flying back into the chicken yard just in time for a snack before bedtime.
If she ever started wandering too far, we’d clip one of her wings to stop her from getting out of the yard. But she stays right on the property, so we’re letting her be free. She truly is a free-range chicken!
Speckled rooster. Purty, no?
Rhode Island Red.
A few weeks ago, we realized that Michelle and the Buff rooster had gotten frostbite on their combs. Stupid us, we didn’t know that would happen – we thought that putting a heat lamp in the coop would be enough to protect them. We put stuff on their combs to prevent infection, and in the future if it’s going to get really cold (which it’s supposed to do in a few days), we’ll put vaseline on their combs to protect them. (The pics are post-medication – the purplish-black parts you see on their combs are post-medication.)
So far, they seem to be recovering nicely.
These little chickens are starting to get really pretty.
SOMEONE has a crush on Michelle.
“Hey! You! I SAID NO PICTURES!”
Previously
2008: No entry.
2007: I don’t know what it is about Lowe’s that makes me so gassy.
2006: Right now, Fred’s thanking his lucky stars that I don’t have this much Christmas stuff, because it would drive him NUTS.
2005: (YES, GODDAMNIT! I HAVE CONFIRMED THAT YOU CAN, IN FACT, BEGIN WRITING THE FUCKING CHECK BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY HEAR WHAT THE TOTAL IS, YOU IN-MY-WAY MOTHERFUCKER!)
2004: I need to go crack open a beer, watch the game, scratch my balls, and think about what this means.
2003: No entry.
2002: No entry.
2001: “Yeah, so you‘ll be the one with the big head blocking everyone else’s view.”
2000: No, I’m not on any drugs, why do you ask?
everytime I read your entries, I always think of random comments to leave here, but by the time I get to the bottom, I’ve been so distracted by everything else in the entry that I forget them.
What kind of teeny birds are those on the feeder? their color looks so… milky or something. but not like, white. just… smooth and blended. even though I don’t really blend my milk.
i’ve been up since 3pm yesterday. can you tell? haha.
Those are Tufted Titmice (Titmouses?). I absolutely love those little birds, they’re so pretty!
Go to bed! 🙂
Love the chicken pics. So pretty.
Saw a new show last night, new to me anyway. It was called Lost in Austen. Modern day London young woman walks through a door in her shower and ends up in the middle of Pride and Prejudice. We enjoyed it. It is on the Ovation network. Never even knew that network was out there. The show just started yesterday in the US. I think this was on British TV previously.
Do you and Fred watch The Soup? Joel McHale will be here in Indy on Saturday night and I got Dave tickets for Christmas. Can’t wait. Of course it will be in single digits outside next weekend. Hope someone tells Joel!
I *have* to say…we were in the TM0bil3 store some time ago scoping out fonez, and the woman who worked there told us not to bother with the G1 yet. She said the service charge was too high for what you got. Maybe Fred’s reticence will pay off in the long run.
If I were a chicken, I would have a crush on Michelle, too. Such a pretty rooster! You have the prettiest birds, really. But that won’t stop me from have chicken pot pie for dinner tonight 🙂
I have been taken aback at this season’s Real Housewives. I got interested in it last year (The Orange County is my favorite, the others are just wannabes). But the CATTINESS!! I don’t remember it being so blatant last year, do you? Last year, it seemed more like it just highlighted each of their lives. This year, they are so catty, they are meowing. Or did I miss it last year??
I’m sorry to hear Fred was such a MAN about your birthday. I buy 98% of my own gifts for that reason. Hubby is not a smart shopper will wait till the last minute and overpay or buy something I don’t like. If you don’t pretend to like it the feelings get hurt. I think taking the pressure off is a great gift I give him. Now if only he will return the favor to me. At 51 he still likes me to surprise him. After 28 years that well is running dry. Valentine’s day is comming maybe he can make it up to you then. That is MY favorite holiday less people to remember more focus on just each other.
I don’t have the Ovation Channel that sounds like a great show!
The Real Housewives is my favorite guilty pleasure. They are beyond catty this season. Is it just me or is Vicki the most obnoxious person to ever draw breath? Poor Don and her poor kids! Love to hate her.
Hello my name is Debbie and I’m a Fiestaware-a-holic…
I like “Tit-moose-ies” since I always call mice moosies. Ok, I’m weird.
I love Fiesta ware freak too. I’m collecting/using the Peacock color and I may start with the chocolate brown color next. I love blue and brown together.
Happy belated birthday!
Remember, this is your birthday MONTH, so a cake can still be had. Also a G1.
(the previous comment was from me, a.k.a. Kathy W. One of the many & sundry Kathys.)
Readers of Bitchypoo! Unite!
Hi Robyn! I have a question that I hope you or your readers could answer. My new roommate is a Chinese exchange student studying here in Ohio with some friends who are also from China. She asked me today if I knew where her friends could get US SIM cards for their cellphones. My best guest would be there cellphone provider, but if the company is China-based they may not be able to go to a local store. I wonder if anyplace like Verizon or T-Mobile has a program for such things where they wouldn’t get you locked in a 2 year plan or anything since these girls will be just be here for a semester!
As they say in Chinese, Xie Xie! (Thank You!)
Lurves the chickens and I love that Miss Sassy knows exactly where she wants to be! Any update on Lem, oh my Lemuel (Hi Fred!), at the pet store? He’s my favorite and I hope he gets adopted by “good people”!
Thanks to Elaine for the heads up on Lost in Austen; I’m iso right now as I love, love, love P&P (versions 1, 2 & 3) and Persuasion (versions 2 and 3)….hey it’s a cheaper addiction than Fiesta Ware collecting….I WILL NOT look at the chocolate FW, lol!
Ashleas, when we were in Austria in 2007 visiting DH’s family, we went to a B3st Buy type store and bought a SIM card with how many ever minutes (I don’t recall now how many, but you could choose, like you would a phone card) and when those minutes were used up, you could refill the minutes. Maybe one of our B3st Buy type stores has something like that or maybe check on 3bay? If not, check out cell phones from ATT at WMart as they’re less than $30.00 and you can add minutes fairly reasonably (this is what we use for my daughter) + bonus, souvenir of your stay in America!!
Robyn, I totally relate to the gift thing and I even have to bake and/or get my own cake, so know I always say something, like for this Christmas, “Rome Seasons 1 and 2 Boxed Set” or “Go see my buddy, Tim, at Jar3d (so Tim will choose what he knows I like and send dh home with it)” or “Did you know Publix has cheesecake with strawberries…” and then am all “How did you know?” when I open it up…I mean it’s not like I have an Amaz0n Wish List or anything…..I know if I say “I don’t know right now” I’m on the nothing list :)!
I swearz….I was just looking at some lolcats….and look what I found!
http://roflrazzi.com/
My mom informed my dad on her 33rd birthday – No cake = she doesn’t have a birthday and doesn’t get a year older. Dad’s gotten her a cake every year since – even made her a birthday pie a year or two ago. Dad don’t cook or bake. I think one of my mom’s friends helped him, but he made it.
I know how you love hearing about random dreams, and I had one about you last night. Nothing too exciting, but here goes. I was visiting you, and helping you take care of your indoor pets. All of your cats lived in one giant dog kennel metal crate cage thing (like 8 foot by 4 foot and tall enough for us to stand up inside of it, like 7 feet tall). And your two dogs were inside an identical crate. Except in the dream, your dogs were MY real life dogs (Pete and Daisy, two beagles). There was a rocking chair inside the dog crate and Pete was sleeping in it. The cat crate had a GIANT litter box, like as big as a horse trough. Both crates had giant purple Rubbermaid storage containers full of food, and we were filling those up and cleaning the litter box trough. WEIRD. But not as bizarre as my dreams usually are!
Love the names you picked out for the Dogs, I am assuming George Burns and Gracie Allen?