Five Yorkie Puppies 9 Weeks Old

Why I Am Wearing Red on Wednesday, January 26, 2011

This isn't about the bombing in Moscow, but it easily could be, and another 911 in America. Today I learned that the school systems here in North Carolina are in jeopardy.  This is not the all of it, because in most states, your legislature is in the throes of voting. Budget cuts - everywhere and the biggest target is in statewide school systems.

I was privy to my own school systems pending cuts, a locality where there is just slightly under 10% unemployment and God (as well as Social Services) knows, the growing illegal aliens who drain the available funds.

So I sent a message to my states representatives,--- Please, please do not cut our school systems' budget. Yes, the unemployment rate rises, you've taxed us to the breaking point, gas prices are rising, as are food prices and necessities of life - heat- water- medicine. So, do we have less students now then a year ago - I think not. TODAY MY DISABLED DAUGHTER'S  Vice Principal called because my daughter saw her name cut from a list of students who would be eligible for work/study. Only students who were graduating could be on his program. Because my daughter has the right to attend school until she is 21, she has been canceled, the why - the budget and other "normal" students who need this requirement. I didn't mention that this school gets additional funding, which should include each child who attends the school, to have the funding available.


NOT.

Just because parents lose jobs due to job cuts, does not mean, NC kids are disappearing. Nor are kids falling out of other school systems. The population is growing - NOT deteriorating. So - why are school systems on the edge that is being cut?     

Where did the kids go and where are the teachers and why don't you take a pay cut --- instead of throwing away our future - our children.

Not to mention ignorant legislature morons and the epidemic unemployment - if you ignore the rising gas prices - how can people who lost jobs, get anywhere to find a job?

Oh, never mind - I already heard your answer - cut school jobs.

Who cares? After all - it's not your child is it? And of course you are a paid public servant. 

Please - stop the madness.

Sorry for this rant - but it was coming.

This morning I received the following email:

 Thank you for emailing Senator Brunstetter with your thoughts about this year’s budget. 

This year, the General Assembly faces an estimated budget shortfall of about $3.7 billion, meaning that the challenge before the Legislature is to write a budget that is about 18% lower than past budgets.  Senator Brunstetter recognizes and appreciates your concerns about budget cuts to education, and he also recognizes that education as a whole accounts for about 60% of the current budget.  Unfortunately, for this reason, it does not seem likely that spending can be reduced without impacting education.  I will be sure to bring your thoughts to his attention as the budget process begins, because no final decisions have been made yet.

Thank you again for your note.

Best,

Sarah Hardin

Research Assistant

Office of Senator Peter S. Brunstetter

2020 Legislative Building

16 W. Jones St.

Raleigh, NC 27601

919.733.7850

Five Yorkie Puppies Playing Eight Weeks Old

Five Times Three Equals Fifteen Pounds of Puppy Love

Yesterday, Bud the Plumber and I slyly shut Zack and Zoie in their room then packed Mackie, Mizzie, Lizzie, Chewie, and Aggie in two carriers and took them to the Vet for their second de-worming. The Vet was prepared for us and a parade of attendants came to get the puppies in the pouches.

The puppies caused quite a stir, everyone had to look. "Who's Who?" they asked.

Because Bud the Plumber and I had only four hands between us when we packed the puppies, I had to randomly get a furry moving target, so I peeked in the blue bag first.

"Chewie and Aggie. I think you'll be able to tell who's who - Chewie is a boy, Aggie is a girl. That means Mackie, Mizzie and Lizzie are in the black bag. Mackie is a boy, and Mizzie has a little white on her chest and is the biggest girl, which means the last pup is Lizzie."

Off they went and left me to pace the waiting room floor. Less then fifteen minutes later the parade returned.

"What are you feeding the puppies?" asked the Vet.

"IAMS puppy canned food and dry mixed four times a day. Plus all the dry food they can play in."(I thought I saw dollar signs fluctuating while simultaneously a half of a dozen people, picked up their cell phones and distinctly said, "Buy IAMS."


In the mean time the Vet asked, "Where do you purchase IAMS?

"Pet Smart."

The Vet turned to me with eyes (that once again strangely resembled $'signs).--- "You should cut down to three mixed bowls of food a day,"  then I was handed  papers which included the processes for this day's visit at our Vet.

Back home the puppies were once again settled in their puppy palace, Zack and Zoie let out of their room, and all was well once again, sort of, after the barking, kissing, and potty pad frenzy. 

Puppies, Potty Pads, Pet Smart, Play Pen, and Waiting for Personally Paws

Not to mention the poop, I am in deep "P's" figuratively and literally. With five puppies in training, the wet spots on the potty pads grew faster then the speeding bullets who made them. Eating four times a day, leaves another matter behind (also figuratively and literally). The puppies have begun teething and it seems the potty pads are an ideal pull toy. We change the potty pads at about the rate of two per hour. I was hoping that the washable potty pads I ordered from Personally Paws two weeks ago would arrive today. It turns out my online Yorkie buddies said you should have ordered from Piddle Pads.com.

Bud the Plumber was putting his coat on just as I was heading to refill my coffee mug. " I need to make a Pet Smart run. How many should I get? Fifty?"

"Nope, that's how many we went through yesterday." As if he didn't know - he takes at least two or three bags outside to the big garbage can a day. "They need more chew toys," I added. "Oh, and more IAMS."

"I just bought a case."

"That was Saturday."

The puppies continue to get bold and daring. Today marks the end of weaning as the puppies are eight weeks old and Zoie is now just content to sit and watch from her custom made perch above the puppy palace. The two littlest, Chewie and Aggie are climbers and daredevils - they both climb up  and on to post then hang on the ledge. It may be that Bud the Plumber will need to raise the bar again on the puppy palace's border. One would think that 19" would hold a much larger puppy in - not so with Yorkies, they fly over the smaller board as if they were birds.

We also need a bigger play area because the puppies have definitely out grown the laundry basket which is where I put them when everyone leaves when I ask for help cleaning out their digs.
Bud the Plumber returned with the truck. An hour later the Pet Smart haul was finally unloaded. I took the keys from his hand. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"To Toys R Us. We need a play pen - one that easily folds, is made of mesh, is washable, can be wheeled anywhere, and is big enough for five puppies."

Cleaning the Puppy Palace and Why Pet Smart and IAMS Love Us

Those of you who have not yet invested in either Lowes Hardware or Pet Smart are definitely missing out on cashing in on Bud the Plumber. At least until he finishes making a king size bed or the washable puppy pads I ordered online, come in.

First, I was lied to from an expert on raising puppies and who wrote a book. He said, a puppy at the age of seven weeks only needs to eat four times a day and will eliminate ten times a day. This is not true - neither part. Today I have gone through one box of tissue, one roll of paper towels, one roll of toilet paper, twenty potty pads, four cans of puppy food, and a bottle of hand sanitizer. The puppies on the other hand have gone through four bowls of dry food (okay so most of the food  is scattered throughout the puppy palace), three giant plates of soft canned food mixed with other recommended goodies, several bowls of water, and two dozen puppy wipes. It is only late afternoon.

I turn to Bud the Plumber who is watching the last moments of the Bears romping Seattle, "We're almost out of puppy potty pads."  

"I'll go get my car keys."

My husband, Bud the Plumber, frequents Pet Smart as much as Lowes. We have on at least one occasion met at Pet Smart, unknowingly.

"What are you doing here?" I ask just as he slinks down the aisle of puppy toys.

"Oh, nothing. Just checking out the sales and besides I had to go to Lowes" (which is right around the corner from Pet Smart).

"You could have checked the newspaper. What's that in your cart?

Oh, nothing."

Yeah right - cases of IAMS canned puppy food and giant bags of  kibble. Not to mention the assorted toys, rawhide chew bones, and stacks of puppy potty pads.

Not to be out done, "What are you doing here?" says Bud the Plumber and looks around and down the aisle.

"Nothing," and quickly take off my coat. "It's hot in here don't you think?" Thankfully, I left my cart around the
corner.

Just as I was about to say -"I'll see you at home, two Pet Smart employees come around the corner.

"Oh - Hi Mr and Mrs Bud the Plumber. Mrs Bud the Plumber, you left your cart - would you like me to take it to the check-out counter for you?" (His eyes strangely look like dollar signs).

"Thank You.,"  with a sigh. "The puppies will just love their new toys.

Bud the Plumber begins to unload his cart as the young man turns to the woman behind me and says to her - "He'll take you at the next register, we're going to be a while here."

Tales from a North Carolina Yankee In Shakespeare's Land

The first semester my older brother Ken came home from college, he would make me memorize Shakespeare. The second semester, he threw in Chaucer, but this time, I had to recite the words in old English.

What’s in it for me,” I innocently asked.

“You get to read my books, you don’t have to iron my shirts, clean my room, and I’ll buy the beer.”

Ken was 18 and legal to participate in buying massive quantities of alcohol. But only if he drove to New York or Maryland.  Not a problem because either border was less then two hours away.

Hmm, I was reluctant to respond. This concerned me. Although Ken did not drink and drive and was often the designated driver, I had been in a car before when Ken drove and was extremely un-nerved. Ken had a lead foot and liked to exceed the speed of sound. I always sat in back seat next to my mother or other passengers. It was amazing how many people that you could fit in the backseat of a Volkswagen Beetle.

“Promise you’ll follow the speed limit. Who speaks old English?”

“No one.” 

I mulled over the possibilities.

- I would become popular overnight.

- I could become Prom Queen.

- There was possibility that Ken could actually teach me something – (Nah).

I am both foolishly brave and stupidly clever. This happens to be J. R. R. Tolkien’s definition for his last name and because this story includes him, my real maiden name (which I will not reveal in order to protect the innocent) means besides being foolishly brave and stupidly clever, is – she stretches the truth – a lot.

Phew. . . now that we’ve gotten this out of the way --- on to my adventures in England.

Not too many women my age, decide to become a scholar, go back to school, and rethink their whole life after living almost half of a century. There are parts of my stories about Oxford that are quite true. I also have a vivid imagination. “Aye there’s the rub” as Shakespeare would say.

I reserve the right to embellish. This lends interest to the true story. Therefore it is up to you – the reader --- to decide what is true (or not).

A truth is that I easily get lost although I sometimes do a good job of finding my way home – sooner or later (mostly later). St Peter's College in Oxford is where I first met Bill the Duck. Bill was an English Duck, which is similar to Canadian Geese (some are of English heritage). Ducks and I seem to be attracted to each other, most likely a form of animal/human magnetism.

Bill claimed he was an Inkling (note the similarity to duckling), often sat in with C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien at the “Bird” no less, which, is short for – ‘The Eagle and Child,’ a.k.a as the ‘Bird and Child.’ Whether or not Bill’s story is true may be questionable but I had been to the Pub often during my stay at Oxford and enjoyed a Brakespear Bitter (pronounced the same as Shakespeare only with a B sound) along with their roast duck specialty.

Then there is the tale of the pub’s beginnings, handed down over the centuries. A sign hung over the doorway shows an eagle though it’s beak and feet are oddly duck like. A mythical bird in flight swooped down over a watering hole and wooshed up into its talon-webbed feet, a baby born out of wedlock. The babe was a male-child and would one day become a once and future king. Now it seems to me I heard a similar story --- about King Arthur.

The event happened long before Bill’s time, even longer before Shakespeare’s time if one were to believe that Bill the Duck was William re-incarnate. Of course Art was the once and future King – I know – he told me himself.  

Back to the “Bird.’ Soon after my fiasco of being lost in Shakespeare, I returned to Oxford. The following night I was walking along the River Thames by Christ’s Church, which happens to be a popular place for ghosts of writers past, not to mention present or future writers such as myself. Dusk had settled in and it was time to weave my way back to St Peter’s. I closed the book that I was reading, “In Search of Lost Time” by Marcel Proust. Ironically this book was also known as “Remembrance of Things Past,” a phrase taken from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 30. I felt a sudden chill and goose bumps up and down my arms.

I heard a commotion coming from the bend where the River Thames meets the River Cherwell. A duck glided up to me, took a bite of bread from my hand, then nodded his head. A regal bow, reminded me of long ago kings, and if the duck could stand tall, I am certain he would have kissed the hand I extended. This duck’s shading, is the same color as --- wait it can’t be – Yes – It is.

“Would you care to drop in at the ‘Bird’ for a pint?” Bill charmingly quacked. “C.S. and J. R. R. are anxious to meet you.

“But,” I said, “aren’t they both dead?”   

“So I thought too, once.”  Bill replied.

“Wait a moment --- didn’t Froto say those lines in the Fellowship of the King?”

Bill flailed his wings. His quack this time sounded more like a hurrumph. “I told Tolkein he could quote me. They were more interested in you. I mentioned to them that you would be a great addition to our weekly discussions. They balked at first saying that adding a woman would turn us into a hen party. Then I explained who you were. They were impressed when I said you were THE North Carolina Yankee in King Arthur’s court. By the way” his voice went real high and pitchy, “they wondered if you would be wearing thongs?” 

Bill had heard about me being lost in Wales. I ignored his last remark on the thongs. While playing one day with a sling shot, I had a sudden inspiration and took my idea to my former employer whose name happened to be deeply imbedded into underwear. The idea did not come to fruition until our rivals saw the validity in a new style.

I was hooked though, on Bill’s invitation. Meeting two of my favorite authors would be like being lost in nirvana. I happen to be a Lord of the Rings fan as well as the Chronicles of Narnia, and to me, being in England was like living in a never ending dream of fantasy and make-believe. I was also quite hungry and thirsty. I did not hesitate. “Tis a consummation devoutly to be wish'd.”  I would confront the dead part later. On the other hand, Bill could possibly be taking me on a wild goose chase.

“Ahh, yes – you quoteth from my play, Hamlet.” Bill offered me one of his wings and we took off.

Bill is Shakespeare, nah – he couldn’t be, could he?

We walked (Bill of course waddled) down cobbled streets, though streets might be carrying it a tad to far. More alleyways and barely wide enough for Bill and I to walk and waddle side-by-side. Ancient lighting cast an eerie greenish glow that reminded me of the color of peas (I was glad that I was walking by Bill’s side). A thick fog settled to the ground and I began to feel like I was in a scene reminiscent of the Exorcist.

We passed by many ancient Universities, even St Peter’s though it wasn’t quite as old as some schools. Oxford at night can be weird particularly for someone like me who has an over-active imagination. Both dark and white shadows danced up and down the walls in front of us.

Just as I was about to mention this to Bill - - - Oh – oh – there was no sound of motor cars and the street lamps suddenly began to fade.

“Have no fear Bev. I will protect you.”

I looked backwards over my shoulder and in the last blink of lamp light, saw the trail of green peas. Bill was protecting me in a way --- no one was walking behind us. Bill’s leavings had once again saved the day. Hmm, I thought, I might be able to find my way back to St. Peter’s after all. But that’s another story, along with how I became an Inkling. On the other hand, the roast duck that night was exceedingly delicious and went quite well with a few pints of Shakespeare - - oops I mean Brakespear Bitters.  

Yorkie Puppies' Palace Changes Again and Why Lowes Loves Bud the Plumber

Zoie stood on her perch by the ledge of the puppy palace and looked at me with wide eyes.I was sitting in the chair next to where the puppies were sitting and playing. Something wasn't quite right with the picture. The puppies were on the potty pads rolling around gleefully while through the archway, their clean play and dining area was without a blue and tan furry Yorkie.

I turned to Bud the plumber, "Something isn't right."

"What do you mean - something isn't right."

"The puppies are sitting on the potty pads playing. They should be on the other side of the archway playing."

Zoie barked and jumped in the palace just as Bud the plumber said, "I'll get my drill."

So we loaded puppies into the basket (after calling for reinforcements) and reversed the setting. The wall came down and was moved to the new play area while the opening gave free reign for the pups to jump out of bed and hit the pad so to speak.

Zoie jumped back up onto her perch while the puppies ran in out of their rooms. Two stood on one side of the small wall and facing a mirror pair of pups and barked at each other.

Bud the plumber stood up to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"To Lowes. I need more wood."

   

Yorkie Puppies Playing at 6 Weeks

The Ever Evolving Yorkie Puppy Palace and Why Lowes Loves Us

Last night I had another brilliant idea about the puppy digs - what if they really did have more rooms? The plan was to give the puppies a separate potty area and a separate play and dining area. I sketched my design, argued with my husband, who finally gave in. So first thing this morning even though schools were closed due to snow, Bud the plumber braved the wintery cold and went to Lowes for more wood.

A few hours after hubs returned, I called for reinforcements and we piled the group into a laundry basket. After securing the long section with an arched doorway wide enough to let two puppies through at a time, I said, "It won't work."

"Why?" said Bud the Plumber.

"Because it's too wobbly by the bed and the pups are getting heavy. They may push it and get pinched."

As usual hubs wanted to make it more complicated. "No, No, No, It won't work," I told him, and then I had another brilliant idea. The smaller board he had just removed would fit by the puppy bed perfectly and give the room support. Reluctantly, he agreed.

Mommy Zoie eyed what we were  doing, was anxious at first, but then looked at me as if to say, "Hmmm, not bad."

One by one the puppies were placed into their newly renovated digs, and one by one, each puppy left his/her mark on the newly laid potty pads. It was dinner time and the sweet aroma of a freshly prepared platter of gruel enticed them into their play area and dining room.  It was a mass attack and the group dove into the dish.

One minute later I removed the giant plate and mat, replaced smaller dry food and water bowl with plenty of room for the group to play with toys and each other.

Zoie had other ideas, jumped over the wall. The enticing scent of mommy's milk led puppies to leave the play and food area, quickly leave another trail of wet spots, then attack mommy in mass.

One minute later, Zoie abruptly left and the group settled down for a short winter's nap.  

Bud the plumber said, "I think I'll go down and clean up my mess," (which is a first - weeks later I'm still cleaning up after his projects).

I stood and eyed the new facilty. Hmmmmm . . . . "Bud . . . wait. What if there was an archway to allow the puppies to enter the play and dining room from their bed? This way we can really potty train them"

He thought for a minute, "Ill be back."

In no time he fashioned an archway from left over board with the idea of taking the wall by the bed down and opening it up. "It has potential," I told him, "but i needs more work.

"Okay, I'll be back."

Hmmmmm I thought as I mulled over the idea. "Wait." I screeched. "What if you just get another board and make the section just like you did only make two archways so the puppies can have another entrance and exit?  

Lowes just loves us!
.

Strange Things Happening in the Yorkie Puppy Digs . . .Is there a Santa Yorkie?

Since we began to feed the puppies a gruel mixture based on our Vet's recommendation and weaning the pups from their mom, Zoie; there are strange things happening in the puppy digs, and in my bed. First their tiny puppy toys mysteriously found their way to my bedroom and on to my pillow. 

Then there were remnants of Zoie and Zack's food bowls in the puppies bed. There were often times during the night when one of my hands held small pieces of what looked like puppy food. Not to mention the regurgitation, which I saw tonight with my own eyes.  Zoie leaped into the puppy pen and without a sound, eased out of her mouth, undigested food. Not your normal dog vomit, but exactly the same consistency as the food we prepared for the puppies during the course of the past week. This has happened several times and Zoie was preparing to pick some up and place it in a puppies mouth.

Yuck.

But no, mother nature was only doing her job.

I kissed Zoie (irregardless of vomit breath, she is no longer cleaning bottoms of puppies for their elimination needs), then I thanked her, and told her she does not need to do this function anymore because the puppies were eating and eliminating fine. Very fine . . . no make that extremely fine (well, very formed and so cute). So Zoie left the pen with great agility I might add, even though  the puppies were attached to her;  they were randomly dropped off.

The new problem is that it seems that the puppies have inherited quite a few of their parent’s genes. The first noticeable trait is the tendency to stick out the tongue and cock ones head. The next is agility, and I am afraid, being a jumper. My bed is a four poster Victorian, and the height is well, just like Scrooge’s who needed a step ladder or stairs to climb into his bed.

We have an ottoman at the foot of the bed so that Zoie and Zack can climb up and down at their will to use potty or drink water and eat. Why should I be surprised when miniature genetic reproductions of the parents, began to exhibit like characteristics.

Such as a tongue hanging out and their head cocked. Or, lying on their back and exposing all for the world to see – this is very prominent in the male puppies – Mackie and Chewie for instance prefer to eat from mom, upside down. The girls have dignity – (sometimes), and prefer to just attack directly at the target, moving or otherwise.  

Less then two weeks ago, we had to raise the walls of the puppy digs because of curious and literally, head over heals puppies. A 14 inch “wall” should do it for a while, I was informed. NOT - It's one thing when one puppy is a climber, which, is why the bar, so to speak had to be raised, but today, there were two out of the pen. As I was counting, I spied Chewie, who at first sat and stared at me, then he cocked his head, stuck his tongue out, and proceeded to nimbly hoist his body on to a ledge, then gather strength and heave. I tried to catch him in the act but missed. 

I know that he grinned a me.

I looked down on the floor to see dark fuzzy forms scurry then hide beneath table and chair legs. 

Three puppies were loose.

There was nothing else I could do but lay spread eagle on the floor and open myself to being molested. . . . with puppy love.  . . . It worked and I called their names and they landed right on my face.  Many minutes later, I  placed them back into their digs, called my designer of the pen along with me husband (who is actually a plumber) and said, HELP.

“We need to redesign the puppy palace  and raise the walls, NOW.

Less then an hour later, my husband returned and raised the bar once again - to 19 inches high. 

Hmm . . . I think we may have a problem when I saw the puppies mother, Zoie, who is a jumper - fly over the newly constructed wall and inside the digs. She gave a high five leg - let the puppies connect - and then was gone in a flash.

Is Zoie a Santa Claus Yorkie?

And if not, then why did I find puppy toys in my bed, not to mention little puppy poo, chewed up tissue, and what looked, smelled, and tasted like dog food kernels? Wait a minute – puppy poo,  puppy food kernels . . . I did what? 

"Honey - We're not done yet," I screamed. "We need to change the rooms a little. I'm thinking of one long divider that stops at their bed, with an archway right in the middle of the two rooms so that the puppies can have a separate dining and play room that is separate and cordoned off  from their potty area. They also need a separate play area"


"Why?"


"What's the first thing that you do when you get out of bed?" - (followed by the 2nd and 3rd, which is potty, make coffee (drink) and eat.


Hmmm . . . my husband is a plumber . . . I wonder if he can design a puppy toilet?

Why Aging and Insurance Companies Suck

We don't want to think about aging or death, but sometimes it becomes necessary to do so.


Yesterday, I learned a lot about aging and all because I became concerned and then involved with the state of my father's health.

My brother text'ed me on live chat while I was on Facebook.  "Dad isn't doing to well," he wrote. "Mary called and said dad couldn't get out of bed this morning."

My dad is in his 80's, but he was active up until a few years ago, and since Christmas, his aches and pains building. As a family member who lives in a long distant state, I let time pass by because my family is always in my heart and my daily thoughts, I think they are always with me. In my mind's eye, my dad is still robust and strong.

When texting, you have to get to the nitty gritty fast. I learned some detail that sent me into action and spent the day via Internet and phone contacting agencies and people in my dad and stepmother's locality. The situation with my dad was draining my stepmom and my immediate family.

They needed respite, and they needed direction. Mary still works full time at the age of 74 because of insurance coverage for my father. Neither chose Medicare and this shocked me. My youngest brother lives close by dad, and his family is the rock for Dad and Mary but they didn't know what could be done either. There were other things I learned that didn't sit right with me, so I got all my older brothers involved because we needed to move fast, each of us from our long distance residences.

I set everyone on a course of action and last night, they were able to print out many of the forms they needed and gather the supporting documents. My father is a WWII veteran and is entitled to VA benefits, this will help tremendously. I contacted another agency who simply needs to have a doctor's prescription and then can set-up in-home care for my dad. They are also on their way to Social Security with all the forms they need even though this could be completed on-line but time is of the essence.   

I know that life is vulnerable, and as you grow older, there are many things to look forward to besides death and taxes. Then there is medical insurance and all the other insurances we have, which supposedly give us piece of mind.

It came down to this for me, the Insurance Company told my step-mother, they would only cover the cost of in-home care if death was imminent for my dad.


My Pennsylvania Dutch grandmother was right, "Too soon we grow old and too late we grow smart."                                                                                                       

Social Networking and Other Migraines

Me Blowing Up My Computer

I almost blew up my computer today, but I couldn't survive without the Internet. Then again my connection and home network suck although my cell phone downloads content from the Internet faster then a speeding bullet. I can give you stock quotes, twitter updates, the latest news second by nano second, and even make mysterious phone calls when not in use. Text messaging is out of the question because I can't type worth a darn and my laptop I use upstairs refuses to let me insert the letter "t". I am electronics ignorant.

Over the past week I have been making major changes to my Antiques in Bethania web site and have been using a new design program from Serif called WebPlusX4 as well as a new web host. So far both have uncomplicated the entire process for me and finally my web site is being indexed while providing me with some very detailed statistics.

At the same time Facebook decided to revamp its pages so did Twitter and God knows who else. Not to mention search engines and everyone screaming - add my button to your website and see your page ranking explode. Excuse me - I am a non-techie - techie but the sight of flashing drafts saved is driving me insane as are all the emails to the search engine submission pages. It's no wonder my page views suddenly jumped!  Just maybe though, my 2011 horoscope will come true and I will have my 15 minutes of fame. Instead of "Where in the Hell is Bethania, anyway?

The Day After New Years and Why Mom is Always Right!

The weaning process began a week ago based on our Vet's recommendation and Zoie's. I had just finished reading my trusty puppy guide book which offered, "Don't be alarmed if your Dam regurgitates her food and offers it to her puppies."

Hmm - yuck I thought but then again I saw some pretty incredible happenings beginning with the puppies birth. Mommy Zoie took care of everything textbook style, even up until a week ago - the puppies elimination needs. In the true meaning of dog breath, well, Zoie did not get any kisses until after her teeth were brushed and face cleaned.

I walked out to the puppy den which is where my husband hangs out now, to tell him, about the regurgitation but he was busy. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"Zoie puked in the puppy pen."

"Regurgitated you mean."

"I don't know about that - it was puke - this is the second time. Should we be concerned?"

"No, we just need to feed the puppies more often." Then explained about in animal life, the mother always knows best. Wait --- it's true in human life too --- I have only had two rules for my children and my husband -
Rule #1: Mom is always Right
Rule #2: When in doubt, please refer to Rule #1.