Cocker Spaniel Palace

Maybe life is returning to normal

2012-01-29T19:39:00.000-05:00

Whatever normal is. Phil started a new job on 1/23/2012, my job has been busier than it's ever been. Now if I can just snap out of this depression.

Things are better

2011-09-30T20:46:00.000-04:00

The trial is over....Phil has a job after 27 months of being unemployed.

Punkin is doing good. finally found a shampoo that is clearing up her skin. She is still itchy but her coat is coming in nice, thick and soft. Now to find a way to get rid of all her warts.

Dusty is being a loverboy tonight. He just wants to do nothing but hug. He plants his butt as close to mine as he can then leans back and rubs his head hard into my shoulder and showers me with kisses. What a boy!

Sadie is all curled up on the loveseat with me. She's not too happy with her food selection right now cause she has to lose 5-7lbs. Dieting isn't even fun for pups.....

Really bad news

2011-08-12T20:46:00.000-04:00

Don't know who much more I can take and I certainly don't want to find out.
I'm so tired of this life and what it has or doesn't have to offer.
I honestly don't know what we are going to do about this new situation.

4 Weeks have Gone

2011-07-03T21:10:00.002-04:00

No results! We are both soooo discouraged!

Cocker Spaniel Palace: The Test is Over

2011-06-09T20:09:00.001-04:00

Cocker Spaniel Palace: The Test is Over

The Test is Over

2011-06-09T20:09:00.000-04:00

Now the waiting begins. They told him it could be 2-4 weeks. Of course, we're hoping for two.
Punkin is having a good day again. and the little ones are behaving quite nicely, almost like we've trained them :)

This weather has my flowers so confused, the tulips are gone, the roses need to be cut back and it's so hot outside I can hardly breath! The photo above is from 4-5 weeks ago. Now they're gone, only the leaves remain and my hostas have come up.

Testing

2011-06-08T20:53:00.000-04:00

Phil has testing tomorrow for a possible job. It's an activity physical for the interview he had last week, sounds promising so if anyone is reading this, please send up some prayers cause unemployment has officially run out.
We'll be ok but that little bit of extra money helped a lot.

Punkin is doing good, she has good days and bad just like a little old person. She's my ole girlie and I'm already missing her puppy days!

Another Stormy Evening

2011-05-25T19:42:00.001-04:00

Gray Squirrel above
and Chipmunk below

We had some visitors on our front porch and fountain. I know they are rodents but they are so cute!
Punkin had another good day! I can sure relate to her aches and pains. My back has been giving me fits! I can't stand for very long anymore and it's just so aggravating!
I am watching a storm come up from the west, Dusty on my lap, Sadie laying beside me and Punkin in front of the air conditioner vent, guess the poor baby is having a hot flash! She is such a great dog! Can you tell I love my furbabies!?
Phil has a chance for a job tomorrow, he was called in for a test and initial interview with a local company. I hope he gets something soon, cause unemployment is running out very soon!
It has become very quiet outside, not a good sign, there are tornado warnings all around us and there are supposed to be more storms after midnight. I think I'm gonna go nap.
and for anyone interested, God and mother nature has nothing to do with all the storms. Does the prince of the power of the air mean anything to anyone? He knows his time is drawing near and he's putting up a fight!

Punkin

2011-05-24T20:19:00.002-04:00

She's a sassy girl tonight. Dusty has her spot on the sofa and she's bummed. I keep telling her not to get down, but since she can't hear, oh well, I think you see where I'm going with this....Another good day at the palace. God is good and everything takes care of itself. Sending up prayers of protection tonight for my loved ones in the path of this new storm... and more prayers for all the loss suffered these past few weeks in Alabama and Missouri and now Kansas. I really question why these horrible things keep happening, especially to innocents, like that little baby missing in MO. Then I remember, life isn't fair but there is the grace of God that can help you through, if only you reach out to Him.

Today is a Good Day

2011-05-23T18:34:00.003-04:00

Punkin seems to be a bit better today. Maybe a weekend of Tramadol and Robaxin helped. She even jumped up onto the sofa! I know it's just a matter of time before the day comes when she crosses that rainbow bridge and I don't see how you can ever prepare yourself to lose someone that you love so much. It makes me cry just to think about it. My boss is great, she completely understands that when the time comes I will need some time off to grieve. Thing is, I don't see how that grief will ever end, at least not right now. I just know, I'm not ready and I'm going to do everything I can to prolong her life, whatever it takes. I've spent the weekend reading and searching for cures and pain relievers. It turns out, I happened to have what she needed on hand.
So, today is good and I'm very thankful!!

More depressing news

2011-05-22T21:23:00.004-04:00

My old girlie Punkin is failing. She turned 11 back in January and now is becoming lame. She also has a heart murmur which makes any kind of surgery risky and has gone deaf. This is the first dog I have ever had that entirely belonged to me, depended on me and I don't know what I'm going to do when the end finally comes. Yes, I still have Dusty and Sadie and I adore both of them but like I said, Punkin is my girl. Where ever I am in the house that's where you will find her, my little shadow!
Phil is still unemployed (two whole years!), unemployment is about to run out. Will this depression ever end!

How to get free digi scrapbook kits

2010-01-20T19:55:00.002-05:00

Over at Digi Scrap Drive In one of our fearless leaders is offering a daily download of freebies for a beautiful kit she has created. Here is a page with some of the papers and elements I've downloaded and we are only on day 6!!! Come on by to www.digiscrapsdrivein.com and join in!

November 12, 1929 - January 2, 2010

2010-01-03T18:35:00.002-05:00

The life of my mom. The battle is over, cancer won another victim. The whole situation made for a very depressing holiday season. I'm relieved that she is no longer suffering, it was a battle that lasted too long.

Come and Gone

2009-12-27T17:34:00.003-05:00

Well, Christmas 2009 is over. It was a very depressing season this year. My mother is dying, she only has days left. She's been talking to Jesus at night when she is alone, my brother has a monitor in her room and listens in, just in case she needs help. She has asked Jesus to come and take her home. She's ready. It's sad, so sad and I didn't think it would hurt this bad because of our lack of a mother/daughter relationship, but it does hurt. Bran, you were right.
Anyway, other reasons for depression...Phil not working, our finances or lack of them, my children living so far from me or me from them, which ever way you want to look at it. Just too much to deal with!.....

Thanksgiving

2009-12-01T11:34:00.004-05:00

It was different. It was a time to be thankful, yes, but it was also the beginning of saying goodbye to mom. She is dying with lung cancer and this was probably her last time to eat turkey and dressing. So, I packed up everything and hauled it to her house and spent the day with her. She was able to enjoy this meal, which I'm thankful for. She's so frail, can't even bathe herself. The hard part for her is giving up her independence. She has been alone for so long so I'm sure she is finding it hard to have my brother and his wife living with her. I'm very thankful they are willing to do this because I know I could not.
My son was able to visit for a couple of days. Phil drove down to MO to pick him up. Bless his heart, he drove all day and all night just to get our boy home, then turned around and drove him back to MO, then home and even worked in some repairs that Brandon needed at his home. We had a good time. Brandon got his Christmas present early since he will most likely be unavailable due to work constraints on the 25th. He took a picture of us eating at a restaurant with his new "toy". All he wanted was a new phone so we got him a Droid from Verizon. He loves it. The pic he took is above.
The only thing that could have made the time sweeter would have been to have my daughter and her hubby with us.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T12:48:00.002-05:00

There are so many things I'm thankful for but for the record, here's the LIST.

My personal Savior, Jesus Christ
My wonderful husband and the love we have for each other
My delightful daughter
My fantastic son
My funny son-in-love
My 3 furry little Cocker Spaniels
My friends included are all my "cyber" friends
My job, even though at times it's a source of stress in my life (I guess some stress is ok)
My house, even if it isn't the Taj Mahal
The tangible "things" in my life like computers, appliances, furniture & clothing otherwise known as "creature comforts"
There are so many other things to be thankful for but before I forget, I need to take the My away from each item. The reason, they aren't really mine, they are on loan to me from my heavenly Father and I never, ever take that fact for granted. One MAJOR reason to be Thankful

A Dreary Friday

2009-10-16T11:39:00.003-04:00

And I'm fighting to stay awake! I think winter has arrived in Ohio early. It's cold, wet and very disagreeable outside. What makes matters worse I have to get groceries tonight. Ugh! That is one shopping expedition I do not like, not that I like shopping period. I would love to just take care of all my needs on-line. No traffic, no rude people, just waiting for the delivery truck.

IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-10-02T16:42:00.001-04:00

I didn't think I was gonna make it thru the whole week, but I did and now to head for home. I'm so glad this week is over!

Disappointment

2009-09-14T11:47:00.005-04:00

I just don't understand how it can happen. How can a person be one way most of the years of their life then suddenly do a 90 degree change. Their beliefs in what is right and wrong, their faith, the people they associate with...all changed...and not for the better! I realize that I tend to go through life with blinders on, refusing to see the bad in people, but when it is blatantly shoved in my face how am I supposed to react!? The only word that I can associate with any of it is disappointment. There are other words like, disillusionment, displeasure, distress, frustration, regret, failure, defeat and on it goes. I'm not saying the person is a failure but that I must have failed them in some way. Does it mean I don't care, absolutely not! Maybe I care too much!
I just can't let my life be driven or defined by what this one person is doing with their life. I can't turn my back on them but I can distance myself and in doing so it is quite literally breaking my heart.
If this person reads this post and understands who I'm speaking of, take heart, you're still loved but the chasm that separates us is getting wider and deeper and I'm at a loss as to what to do about it.

Sign of the Times

2009-08-10T11:54:00.002-04:00

Many of you who know me probably already know about this but I just wanted to vent here on my blog.

Friday afternoon between 1:30PM and 2:00PM my daughter and son-in-law's house was burglarized! The thieves took their big screen TV and a camera. They even went so far as to take the paperwork for the TV. They also did quite a bit of damage to the entry door that they used and traumatized my grand-doggie!

Despite all of that my son-in-law posted in facebook that they may have been able to steal their material things but they could not steal the Joy they have in the Lord! What faith! When I read that I wanted to shout! The Joy of the Lord is their strength!

Nothing New

2009-08-05T12:26:00.002-04:00

No new job for Phil but at least I'm still employed. For how long, no one knows...we take one day at a time.
On a good note (I guess) our legal battles are just about to start so we should be through with all of that in a few weeks. I spoke with our attorney and the wheels will be set in motion next week. I'm so ready for it to be all over and get on with my life.
I haven't been in much of a mood to create anything. I've got so many projects started but just can't seem to find the energy or thought process to complete any one of them. I have a new blog design started, a new camera strap, several layouts but everytime I go to work on them I wind up shutting everything down. I just sit and stare at each item like it's foreign to me. Guess I need some "Happy" pills!
I haven't been doing so great with my diet either and that has me bummed in a big way. In fact, in a step in the right direction, I'm going to check on on-line calorie counters as soon as I finish this.
So, if anyone reads this, say a prayer for Phil and me (and of course our 3 fur babies)

Interesting Times?

2009-07-21T16:30:00.002-04:00

If I hear one more person say we are living in exciting or interesting times I'm gonna scream!
The economy is on a downward spiral, the jobless rate is climbing, families are losing their homes and worse each other! I don't know about the rest of you but I'm ready for it ALL to end! Am I suicidal? No, I'm just looking for a better place and I know in my heart of hearts that it exists!
Phil has not found a job and things are looking very bleak at work. We have layed off over 12 people and are getting ready to cut production hours! Everyone is snapping at each other. I just hate it! We have less employees working here now than we did when I first started working here over 7 years ago.
Everyone is looking to our politcians for an answer, which is not the answer, they are the greediest of the greedy and yes, I count our current president right there with all of them. Politics and politicians can't save anything or anyone!

Digi Scraps Drive In

2009-06-20T05:52:00.001-04:00

I've been looking for a new group since the closing of Digital Design Den and thanks to Kim I think I've found it. Most of my good friends of the Den are there plus there are new people to get to know! I love the look and feel of this place. Stop by and check it out!

To All My Online Friends

2009-06-04T17:42:00.002-04:00

I just want to thank you for all of your words of encouragement! Sandy, I know this doesn't define who I am. I just worry about the age factor and the lack of jobs. We aren't spring chickens so it will be hard for Phil to find something. I am trying to be hopeful that maybe this is a way to open up the possibility of moving closer to one of my kids. We do have an appointment with an attorney next week to discuss our finances. Please continue to keep us in your prayers, I don't want to make any decisions without God being involved.

It's Over for Phil

2009-06-01T18:09:00.002-04:00

All these weeks of ups and downs and now it's finally over. Phil has joined the ranks of all the other unemployed in this country and the world for that matter. I'm sure he will find something and in the mean time I at least still have a job, it's just going to be hard to go to that place knowing what I know and feeling the way I do. I know the Lord will provide but Dusty has been sick again. We had to make a run to the vet again this past weekend. He just can't seem to get rid of this bacteria in his tummy!
We will be making some major life changes in the next few weeks including filing bankruptcy, we just have no other choice. I don't make enough to pay all the bills. If we lose everything but each other and the dogs we'll be fine. In fact, I'm looking at it as a possible opportunity to move closer to my kids!
If you read this, please keep us in your prayers.

They're Baaacccckkkkk

2009-05-20T18:20:00.003-04:00

And I'm so happy! The Digital Design Den opened the store back up. I had to do some shopping last night! Sandy, Robyn and the rest of the gang have done a beautiful job on some new kits! I can hardly wait to do some new pages!

Sadie the Princess

2009-05-08T20:41:00.002-04:00

The last couple of weeks Sadie has been sneaking upstairs after we leave for work, going into our room and sacking out on our king size bed. We live in a "gated" house. There is a gate in the doorway between the kitchen and living room, between the front and back of the house and on the stairway. The gate on the stairway doesn't fit quite right and Sadie can make it lean towards the landing. Then she proceeds to climb the gate. The problem is, once she gets up there she can't come back down. I wish you could see her when we get home and she is caught on the landing! I'm going to figure out a way to set up the video cam to record her doing this. I can just see her all curled up on my pillow, it's obvious that is where she curls up cause she makes sure the covers are arranged just right. Hopefully I can get the video!

Punkin and obedience

2009-05-06T18:51:00.002-04:00

Punkin has always been a sassy little girl but since Sadie came to live with us she has gotten worse so with that said, she has begun intensive reprogramming obedience training. While we are at home she is always on a leash so she can be instantly corrected and/or praised. Right now she is laying on the love seat clear at the other end from me with a leash on. Every once in awhile she will cast me this dirty look and sigh. She just hates it when I give Sadie and Dusty attention. I'm not into reward training for this type of behavior. I'm using my vet's suggestion of the leash so that I can always have her under control. You would have thought I was trying to kill her when I put her leash on her but boy oh boy did she ever straighten up!

Dusty

2009-05-05T16:24:00.003-04:00

Nita had asked for an update on Dusty. I'm glad to say, he is doing very well! We made a trip to the vet last weekend for Sadie's annual checkup and we took Punkin and Dusty along. The vet was very pleased with the health of all of them. I just hope we don't have too many more of those visits. Just for little Sadie it was almost $200! They're worth every cent!

May Day

2009-05-01T21:11:00.004-04:00

Please tell me where has the last 4 months gone?!!! I can hardly believe it's May 1st! I just read the best news in the world to me right now over at my friend, Robyn's blog. Digital Design Den is reopening! Yipeeeee! I was pretty bummed out when Sandy had to close down in March and I just haven't found another site I like as well as I did the Den. Whatever capacity Sandy and the other designers come back with they can count me in as a loyal follower!

Emotions

2009-04-27T14:56:00.003-04:00

I feel like I have been on a long roller coaster ride and NOT enjoying it. If you knew me you would know I love roller coasters but not emotional ones. It started Friday evening, we received some devastating news from our son and I had a disagreement with my mother (using the term "mother" here loosely. Saturday was a good day, even though I had little sleep. All three fur-babies were bathed and groomed and I finished in record time, starting at 7am and finishing up by 2PM and that included a trip to the store to get a new clipper blade. Got a bunch of other stuff done too. Sunday was pleasant, did some spring cleaning and hung all my bed-clothes out on the laundry line, my room smelled so good last night but again I didn't sleep well. Today at work (yes, we are both still employed, knock on wood and thank the Lord) it was just plain stressful. There are too many people making too many errors and it is costing the company money and I worry for the bosses because whatever effect this has on the company it will eventually affect us.
Thanks for reading (listening), getting all this stuff off my chest helps.

5 days of work

2009-04-26T14:59:00.002-04:00

Bedroom 95% Finished

2009-04-18T19:50:00.002-04:00

and my bender is completely out of commission! I still have the trim to do in the master bedroom. I'm so pleased with the new color. It's called Awesome Violet.
The trim is/will be a very pale gray. My accessories are navy blue, hunter green and of all things a touch of turquoise. It all works really well together. I'll take pictures in a day or two. That is if I can ever climb the stairs again!

A Painting I Will Go

2009-04-17T12:26:00.002-04:00

Won't be around much this weekend. We are painting the master bedroom and family room/Phil's junk room. He will be cleaning that mess up and we will be arguing I'm sure, cause my idea of clean and his idea of clean are two different animals! Boy am I dreading this.

Sketch 1

2009-04-14T20:08:00.005-04:00

I'm going to try my hand at doing sketches. Each one will only be available for 7 days as I can't afford any thing for downloads except yousendit. If you don't get a chance to download let me know.

Download link here

Dusty

2009-04-04T18:21:00.002-04:00

This has been a bad week for Dusty. Tuesday, he started having problems going potty. There was blood everywhere when we got home Tuesday. I immediately called our vet and she met us after hours at her office which is an hour drive for us. It appears Dusty is picking up on our distress over our possible job loss because he was suffering with colitis! Poor little guy! He has been on a special diet and lot's of meds. The scary part, what happens when I can no longer afford to take him to the doctor, or for that matter, Punkin and Sadie too. I just pray they stay healthy, us too!

Phil and I have been plastering today and am I ever exhausted. Next weekend we will be painting, that is if I can figure out what color I want in my bedroom. I'm thinking lavender but I'm not sure. Got to get this indoor stuff done so that when the weather gets better we can hit the yard!

New header

2009-03-29T18:21:00.002-04:00

I wasn't really in the right frame of mind to do this but ....
above is the outcome. It has the same puppy pics but I used some different papers and elements from Robyn Littlejohn's Cottage Garden kit. I think this works well with the background items I chose from her kit.

Photos from Above

2009-03-21T12:09:00.000-04:00

Where to Start

2009-03-19T12:12:00.003-04:00

Well, I bit the bullet and ordered business cards for my new venture. I'm going to start, or more to the point, try to start earning some extra money with my camera doing pet photography. I really have no idea where to begin, other than the business cards so if anyone has any pointers please drop me a comment. I have most of the camera equipment; ie: lenses, lighting a simple back drop. Maybe as time goes on I will invest in some more stuff but right now my focus is just on taking pictures and earning a little bit of money.

Statistics

2009-03-16T18:01:00.002-04:00

Isn't life so unfair. You work your whole life to own a home and have a few nice things only to have everything ripped from you by the loss of income due to a stale economy. Why do we do this to ourselves? I'm sure greed has much to do with it, and yes, I'm guilty and now I'll be reaping my just rewards by losing my home and possessions and now I learn that friends are going through much the same thing. Yeah, we can find jobs (maybe, our age is against us) but what kind of a pay cut will we experience. In my case it will be huge because I am very well compensated for which I'm very thankful but I have been priced right out of the job market. My poor hubby is experiencing so much self doubt and depression and his faith is faltering and that worries me more than anything. He never has been strong in the faith dept anyway and now he's facing all this loss for the second time in his life and wonders where God is in all of this. I wish I had answers for him but all I can do is lift him up to the Lord and try to be strong for him. I just don't know how long I can hold up being the strong one, I'm almost at the breaking point the way it is.
My friends, you know who you are, I hope all goes better for you and yours and I will be remembering your cares and worries in prayer.

The End

2009-03-15T15:28:00.003-04:00

This has been a horrible week. Phil and I both learned that unless the economy improves within the next 45 days we will both be jobless. Like so many Americans, we are up to our eyeballs in debt and the prospect of job loss is quite overwhelming. As I sit here and write this, I have to admit, I'm scared to death...what the future holds, loss of jobs, loss of insurance, loss of a roof over our heads....I can't eat or sleep. I wish I could just shut my mind off for a few hours....and poor Phil, he is so depressed and worried. Oh well, need to get back to cleaning and getting this house ready to put on the market. Hopefully, we can get out from under it.

Turquoise Frame

2009-03-11T20:41:00.006-04:00

Here is a frame for anyone who is interested. It will be available for 7 days. Just hover over the "Here is a frame" to get to the link.

Just Another Day In Paradise

2009-03-10T11:13:00.002-04:00

The title is from an Eagle's song. It pretty much sums up how I feel most of the time about life in general. It speaks of trying to find something satisfying in your life and never finding it and learning to be still while waiting. Sometimes that's really hard to do, but I have learned the hard way that being still is best. God can work wonders in your life when you do. It's the waiting that's hard. Our timing is not God's timing.

Anyway, enough of that. Punkin went to the groomer today, I'm waiting on the call to come and pick her up. Dusty will be next. Maybe sometime yet this week hopefully. He seems to be feeling better and his temp is normal, so that's good. Sadie is doing great!

I'm missing my kids so much right now.

I'm going to be trying my hand at designing in the near future. I will probably start out by giving what I design away, so be watching for the links for downloads.

New Design

2009-03-06T07:58:00.002-05:00

Well, after several days of head banging and aggravation I finally did it! I used Robyn Littlejohn's Cottage Garden kit. I think for a first try it turned out pretty good. And yes.....it's still the Cocker Spaniel Palace, they hold the headline at the top in my header and all through the blog.

On another note, Dusty is sick again. Poor little guy has a pancreas inflamation! He's not as sick as last time because I caught it a little sooner but his temp is really higher than it should be. Seems like there is always someone or something to worry about.

Sadie goes to the groomer for her spring doo, today. I've been off since Wed (on vacation) and the three of them are getting so used to me being here. Oh, how I wish sometimes it could always be like this but I know, be careful what you wish for!

Let me know your thoughts on this new design!

Cocker Spaniel Script

2009-03-04T19:17:00.001-05:00

Bumble Bee

2009-02-28T17:20:00.004-05:00

I was playing around again today and came up with a bumble bee. This is something I came up with on my own trying to think out of the box.

If you would like to have the png file it will be available at this link https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&send_id=658598298&email=4c301d2b2c34046564894f3feb9fbc09

My header

2009-02-27T12:19:00.003-05:00

Well, I've changed it again. I used an element out of one of Robyn Littlejohn's beautiful kits, it is in the corner, the butterfly is from one of her kits, too and I made the pooches smaller. I think I'm getting there. Now to figure out how to change the background to something less bland.

The weekend is upon us and it is supposed to be cold and blustery where I live. I'm so ready for spring even if it does mean sore muscles from outside work. I have so much to do this year. The house needs painting inside and out, I need to have the carpeting cleaned and hubby needs to get my office redone but he can't work on it until warmer weather. He has custom designed my office for me. I can hardly wait and he is looking forward to inheriting my furniture that I have now.

Sadie is going to the groomer next Friday to have her coat stripped of it's winter hair! I hope it warms up or she will have to wear a sweater! Punkin will go the following week with Dusty bringing up the week after that. I can usually keep them touched up but it's just getting to hard for me to give them a full groom. My back doesn't like it at all and they hate being brushed! The only thing they like brushed is their teeth...weird! Especially Dusty! He waits for his brushing every morning! What a great little guy!

The Closing

2009-02-20T12:20:00.004-05:00

We are soon to be in the month of March and with that month's arrival a part of our lives that has been such a great source of friendship will cease to exist. I have learned so much while I have been a member of the Digital Design Den and with that said, I wanted to make a little gift for anyone who is interested to download. I have been working on this for about a week. I sat a stuffed bear in front of me and started putting shapes together. I used a fur action that I purchased from AtomiCupcake for the furry little thing.

Just PM me at the Den or send me an email if you have my address and I will send you the file download link. I think this little bear will go great with the kit all of the members have been working on these past few weeks.

Here is a preview. I put a pink bow on the preview but I will only be sending the plain bear to anyone interested.

Digital Scrapbook Place

2009-02-15T16:06:00.003-05:00

I just added my blog to a place that is owned by a local gal. I attend her monthly scrapbook get together. Since DDD is closing I was really looking for a place that was close by where I could get to know local folks. This place has world wide members but lot's of members are close by so I think I'll hang out here. I'm going to miss all my friends at DDD but I look forward to making new friends.
I'm not sure what listing my blog at DSP is supposed to do, so I guess I'll get back over to the site and check out this particular challenge! Looking forward to this!

Nap Time

2009-02-10T11:25:00.002-05:00

Phil and I usually get up around 5AM each and every day. We let the fur babies outside for potty time, feed them, eat our breakfast and give them their daily meds to keep them healthy. Then we sit and watch the morning news for about 15 mins. We then turn out all the lights, Punkin climbs up on Phil's lap, Sadie on mine and Dusty cuddles next to one of us and we hit the snooze button on the recliners and nap with out babies until 7AM. That usually gives us about an hour of cuddle/nap time. We then get ready for work and head in knowing that our sweet little ones will be waiting for us when we return home. It's great having somebody to come home to!

My New Header

2009-02-07T20:21:00.002-05:00

Let me know what you think. I've been working on this for a few days. I had a computer problem with the original file but was able to pull up the jpg file that had been saved, no layers. I guess better than nothing. Anyway, I plan on changing it each month, according to the holidays, occasions or seasons. I would really value any opinions and/or critiques.

Sadie and the laptop

2009-01-22T15:26:00.002-05:00

Our little Sadie-Bug is so funny. In the evenings, after work, I usually sit on the sofa with the laptop sitting to my side. I kinda lean over to get my email, check my bank balances and so on. The whole time Sadie is on the back of the sofa, right behind me. Once in awhile she will place a paw on top of my head, then slide down my side and sit and give the computer dirty looks. It's comical, because the computer isn't displacing her from my lap at all but with it there she doesn't have my undivided attention! I wish I could capture the look she gets on her face when she is climbing all over me, guess I'll have to crank up the ole web cam and let it run sometime. She went so far last night as to growl at the computer, then she started barking at it which caused the other two to start barking. It's a hoot!

Start of the New Year

2009-01-04T20:54:00.002-05:00

Well, we finally made it home after what seemed like the longest trip I have ever made. The end of 2008 was horrible. Phil smashed his hand in the car door on our way home, which required a trip to a local emergency room (can't wait to get that bill), we stayed in a motel because Phil had a bad reaction to the pain meds only to be ousted by construction crews slamming and banging doors at midnight as they were coming in for the night causing our pups to bark trying to protect us. We finally gave up and left.
2009 got off to a bad start too! I had scheduled a repairman to come to the house on Jan 2nd to repair my washer. I made this appt on Dec 20. Well, he never showed up! I will never call or recommend this company to anyone ever again. I had to take off from work in order to wait for this guy who never showed up. I was just livid. Fortunately, Phil, my hubby was able to fix the washer with the parts that were ordered.
I sure hope things start going a little better this week. It will be our first week of direct deposit where I work and I'm in charge of it. I certainly hope it goes off without a hitch!
I want to get to the pictures I took while on vacation. Hopefully, in the next day or two.
I want to officially state my feelings on the Israel disturbance. The Jews are God's chosen people, anyone, nation or individual that stands against them, stands against God. While I'm saddened to see the death and destruction going on in that country, I have to pray for the Peace of Israel, but I'm reminded of scripture where it says "they will cry for peace, but there will be no peace". I know that is taken out of context and put into my own words. Anyway, that's how I feel. I just hope this country will continue to be an ally to Israel, God help us if we don't!

Heart

2008-12-29T18:48:00.003-05:00

My best friend in this world, my Grandmother said something to me when my daughter was just a tiny little baby. I just gave her one of those smiles and thought, no not my kids, but as I've grown older and I hope somewhat wiser, I find her words ringing in my ears. and I quote "When your children are little they step on your toes but when they are grown they tromp on your heart". She was so right. I hate living so far from my children and this year has probably been the worst year since moving away, yet. Neither got to come home for Thanksgiving, so it was pretty lonely that day. We drove to my daughter's for Christmas and will be leaving tomorrow. As we go, I find myself wondering when we will get to see each other again. I can't go a whole year anymore. We will only get to spend a couple of hours with my son and it has been over a year since seeing him, longer for my husband, so with that said, my goal for the upcoming year is to pay off all of my debt, sell my house and move south. I may not make it in one year but I will make it. I'm making a big sign to post at my computer, where I do most of my shopping, don't buy it unless it is absolutely needed, get rid of non essentials and lighten the load. I will have to do a little remodeling to get my house in saleable condition, like painting and so on but it will be done. Me being close to my family is more important than anything else in this world!

16 More Days

2008-12-07T09:36:00.003-05:00

Then we head south. I'm so ready. It's so coldddd!!!!!! here where I live. I hate cold weather. Sure wish it could snow at 60 degrees.

We are making different items at the Den. Here is a candy bar wrapper I did. There is also a template for microwave popcorn wrappers which I will be using for gifts for the girls I work with. who doesn't like popcorn!

Come join us at the Den.

My New Lapton

2008-11-27T18:22:00.003-05:00

Santa Claus came to my house early this year. My Honey bought me a new HP Laptop. Here's a picture of it. I really like it. It's a Vista 64 bit machine which is causing a few problems, especially being able to connect to my desktop at work through the Cisco VPN client that I use. Cisco doesn't support 64 bit, so if anyone out there knows of any thing I can use, please let me know.

I have been making Christmas pages for use as cards this year. Here is one I did. Hope you enjoy!

Dusty is better and Sadie is a little stinker

2008-10-22T07:45:00.003-04:00

Dusty is doing so much better! He hasn't had a sick tummy in over 3 weeks! I'm so relieved!

On another note. I was doing some filing Sunday afternoon and also tossing paper in the trash. I was wadding stuff up into a ball and happened to notice after the 3rd or 4th toss that my trash can wasn't filling up (it is very small). Dusty and Sadie were stealing the wads of paper and shredding them! There was paper from one end of the house to the other! I really didn't mind because they seemed to be having such a good time, plus I needed to run the vacuum later anyway. Well, Punkin decided to have one of her puppy moments and joined in with the shredding. After a few minutes she and Sadie decided to go after the same piece of paper and that turned in to one big "FIGHT"! Sadie has a problem with Cocker Rage Syndrome and it seems that competition triggers her. She went after Punkin but instead of Punkin backing down and screaming for help she went back at Sadie. Then Dusty came into the room to break up the fight. He cracks me up! He will get right in the middle and just stand there growling until the girls settle down. Well, in the meantime, I got involved. I have found if I remove Sadie from the situation things calm down much quicker and no one gets hurt. So, I grabbed her by the nap of the neck and lifted her up, scolding her all the way. She immediately calmed down but Punkin was still wound up which is totally out of character for her. Anyway, sometime later I realized I had been biten! Not bad, just a small puncture wound and I'm not sure which one did it. I was so involved in breaking up the fight I didn't even notice! This is the first fight they have had in quite some time but when there is one it's always Sadie as the instigator. She's such a little stinker but we adore her!

Dusty has been sick

2008-10-03T14:41:00.002-04:00

I noticed last Friday that he seemed to be hesitant to eat. I didn't think too much of it at the time but by the time Monday rolled around he was one sick little guy.
I took him to the vet Monday afternoon and 2 x-rays, blood tests, urine analysis and health check the Dr determined that he was dehydrated, with low blood sugar. He also noticed that Dusty's looked like he had an imflamed pancrease. This can be deadly and I'm so glad we caught this when we did. He also had that blasted anal gland infection, ear infection (very rare for him), tummy infection and gingivitus. Seems the gingivitus is probably causing most of the problems. So, he now has his teeth brushed twice a day and his gums look much better. Instead of blood red they are going to a nice pink. He seems to be much better already and he should. The Dr. gave him 3 injections (one was an antiobiotic, one was pepcid for his tummy and the last was a steroid for the inflammation around his pancreas), he also received sub-cutaneous hydration. We won't know for sure until he goes back for a check up on Oct 11th which will be another huge vet bill. He's worth every dime for the joy he gives. He's such a great little guy. He's also on two different antiobiotics.

I spent most of Monday night up with him. He had to potty around 1AM and I just stayed up with him and of course, the other two. He takes his meds so well. No forcing, just toss them and he gobbles them up.

Sunday, Sept 14th, 2008

2008-09-17T11:33:00.003-04:00

This past Sunday, started out like every other Sunday. I talked on the phone with my son for awhile, then went to take care of some things for my mother. While we were at her house her electric went off. This was about 1PM, it wasn't too long after that we decided to head for home which is about 15 miles away. As we walked out the door, there were dark clouds swirling around the sky and it was quite breezy. We hadn't gone two miles when all of a sudden it felt like the car had been pushed backwards about 10 feet and branches and other debris started sailing past the car. Ike had made his presence known!
I was so smug about the fact that I didn't live on the TX Gulf Coast anymore and here I am going through the remnants of a monster storm that was able to reek havoc as far as the Midwest! We had decided to take the back roads to get home instead of the expressway. BIG MISTAKE! We had to literally drive through and around tunnels of trees! Phil laughed when I asked if there was a treeless way home. He did manage to find a road with a little less trees about two miles from the house. When we arrived back at the house it didn't take too long to realize we didn't have any power, which meant we also didn't have any running water. Since we live out in the country we depend on a well and a pump. Fortunately, we had bottles of water that we keep on hand for just such situations. Well, anyway, we went the rest of the evening with no power. I had my cell phone which I laughingly had to take to the car to charge, cause I only had one bar of power on it and it was our only means of communication. So, while charging the phone in the dark in my little blue Nissan on Sunday evening, I listened to the radio and was shocked to learn that it could be days if not over a week before power would be restored. Our utility company alone had over 225 thousand customers without power. Kinda made me feel small in the whole scheme of things. We went to bed early that evening thinking that surely we would be back in business by Monday. Boy, were we wrong!
We got up at our usual time on Monday morning thanks to the alarm on my cell phone and of course, Dusty, who was letting us know it was time for breakfast. That boy is always hungry! We ate a breakfast bar and sat and cuddled the puppies for an hour, then my cell phone rang. I was told that Phil and I didn't need to report for work. The plant and front offices were closed due to no power. I smiled and was thankful we had another day off making for a three day weekend! At daybreak, we assessed the damage around us. We didn't even lose a shingle (thankfully, it a brand new roof)! Our neighbors lost trees but fortunately, no homes were damaged there was just a lot of debris to pick up. So, Phil started on that and I started to check and see how much food needed to be taken out of the freezer. We lost about $800 worth of groceries, which I don't think is at all bad, considering. I grilled fish and frozen french fries for lunch, along with a salad from the garden (what was left of it). I cleaned out my office of things I want to get rid of by either donating or selling. All in all it was a very productive day. We again, went to bed around 8:30 because it was dark and still no power. I had a book that I was reading by itty-bitty book lite and finally had dozed off around 9:45. At 9:58 I heard a click and thought we must have a mouse then all of a sudden the air conditioner started running! WE HAD POWER! I was so excited about having electricity again it took me hours to go back to sleep.
Many of my co-workers are still withouth power (Wednesday). I do know for certain, I will not go through this again, as soon as we can find one, there will be a generator living at our house just waiting for lights out again! I at least want running WATER!
I am thankful, we lost nothing but a little food and power was restored for us. It was just a minor inconvenience. I just feel so sorry for the loss of life and homes along the gulf region. My heart goes out to those people.

My Children

2008-09-16T11:26:00.002-04:00

No, not my four legged ones, my actual offspring! I was talking with my son the other day and he was giving me a hard time about just a passing mention on my blog about him or his sister. So, to make sure the whole internet world knows that I did, in fact, give birth to two children.

My first child, Shannon was a special gift from God. Her name means one like an angel and if a name ever suited anyone, her name suits her perfectly. She is the sweetest dispositioned person I have ever met. There is nothing phony about her, she lives like she believes with an abiding faith in God that is inspiring. She and her wonderful hubby, live 13 hours south of Phil and me. I would love it if they or we could move closer to one another. It's hard to cram lost time into short visits we have with one another.

My second child, my number one son (well, my only son) is the light of my life. His name is Brandon and his name means a beacon of light and yes, he too, is one of my special gifts from God. He lives 9 hours south of Phil and me and our visits together are way too far and few between. He is a graduate of Central Bible College and when I have theological questions, I usually turn to him to get me started on the path to answers. He and I became very close after his sister got married in 88. Phil was working lot's of evenings at the college and Brandon and I would go do silly stuff together in the evenings. He was always so much fun to be around. When we moved back to Ohio from AR in 1995, he came with us. We weren't back too long before his childhood wish finally came true for him. He always wanted a Doberman and he finally talked me into letting him get one. Many of you will know her by name, Teri McKay. I was so scared of her when she first came to live with us but she seemed to know that and it was like she took extra pains to make sure I loved her, which I did. We kept Teri while Bran finished college then she went to live with him. Brandon works for a major computer company, so when I have computer issues, I usually get his help.

So, now the world knows that my universe doesn't just revolve around my three dogs and hubby.

Another Day At the Park

2008-09-14T08:05:00.004-04:00

This is Dusty (white and tan) and Sadie (black) at the dog park. I received my Elements Techniques magazine on Friday and it had a lesson on doing a Triptych layout. I probably didn't use quite the right photo for this technique but you can still see the effect. I also had to improvise a little with the instructions, like making copies of the rectangle shapes. It's an interesting technique.

The fur babies had another day of grooming yesterday. It's a never ending task, actually. I bathed them outside in between thunderstorms, then later in the morning set the grooming table up, finished drying them and touched up their coats. Sadie, as usual, needed a full groom. Her coat grows so fast! Punkin and Dusty just needed a touch up. Punkin just hates being groomed. She can be so uncooperative and stubborn! It's funny in a way but also quite aggravating, especially when all you want to do is get finished. I'm looking forward to seeing my and Phil's salary increases in the next few weeks, this money is going to be used to send the babies to the groomer once every six weeks!

I'm doing laundry right now and Sadie is soooo funny. As I hang the warm clothes on hangers, she walks back and forth slowly, letting the warm material stroke her back. She does that with all sorts of soft things but especially likes the clothes just out of the dryer. When she sees me head for the dryer she comes running and just waits. Every once in awhile I give her a warm towel to snuggle with and yes, I do wash it again.

If you're watching your calorie intake, come on over to the Den for some heart-healthy, lite and fit recipes. While you're there, if you aren't already a member, sign up, it's free. And if you post 5 of your own recipes, you will get all the others that are posted in the month of Sept. There is also going to be a posting bonus. It's a win-win deal!

2008-08-29T10:22:00.003-04:00

August 29th, I can hardly believe the month is almost over. Where does time go!?
I took the day off from work today, to have an extra long weekend. I needed a break from the routine, I was starting to get snappy with everyone, even the bosses.

My fur babies are enjoying the time with me. They are curled at my feet. I love being at home with them. Oops, Sadie thought she heard a chipmunk at the front door, I have it open so they can look outside and watch the world go by. Chipmunks just drive Sadie nuts, mice too. Who needs a cat with her around!

I've had two calls from work, just silly stuff. I don't mind, at least I know I'm needed. Yesterday was a very trying day. I was working on updating our security system on our exchange server. I started at 6AM and didn't quit until way after 5PM. Never did get all the licenses to load correctly. Oh well, I have 30 days to rectify that little problem. After I get payroll done on Tuesday I see a long afternoon on the phone with Computer Assocs. I hope they can speak clearly (LOL)

I've included a new page that I just put together of Dusty. Robyn, over at the Den, is having a challenge for the month of August. We were allowed to scraplift layouts of other members. I chose one that she did of her pretty little grand daughter. The title was called Precious and she certainly is. This was such an easy challenge, I don't know why I didn't do it before now, except maybe that Robyn's new kit wasn't available until yesterday. It's called Cottage Garden and everything in the kit reminds me of just that. I know this is a little prissy for a male pup but he looks so good with these colors!

The Dog Park

2008-08-11T06:46:00.002-04:00

Well, we took the trio to the park yesterday! I was so proud of each of them. They behaved like perfect little ladies and gentleman.

The day began as a normal Sunday. We had breakfast, went through our morning routines then decided since it was such a pretty day we would take the gang for a ride. They love to go bye-bye!

Punkin sits in the back seat right behind me, Dusty sits behind Phil and occasionally pretends to be a console ornament and little Sadie sits on my lap (at least most of the time).

When we arrived at the park, Punkin, my 8 1/2 year old began whining with excitement. We had never been here before but the place was loaded with other four legged babies, so I guess she was sensing their excitement. We were a bit apprehensive about how the little ones would react while socializing with other doggies since this was their first big outing.

We made it acrossed the parking lot into the double gated walkway and realeased each of them in turn from their leashes. Punkin was the first to be released and when I looked up from unhooking the other two, she was long gone up the path. She acted like a little puppy. When she reached the top of the hill I called to her, she stopped, turned around and came bounding back to me. She acted like she had been to this place a million times. She wandered around with so much confidence and pride! Dusty and Sadie were a little more reserved. They stuck close by Phil and I as we walked up the path. They did play with a very frisky pit bull and a couple of black labs! I took lots of pictures and as soon as I get the time I'll post them here.

I was just so proud of the way they each behaved. I guess all that obedience training is paying off.

We gave them each a big drink of water and Dusty went and played in the agility ring for a bit while the girls and I rested. Then it was back home for them and an afternoon of puppy naps and dreams while Phil and I ran errands. All in all, it was quite an enjoyable afternoon!

Sadie

2008-07-25T18:51:00.003-04:00

This is going to be almost all about Sadie.

See her story below for how she came to live with us. Now let me tell you how she fills our lives with joy and love.

First of all, her coat is silky soft! I love petting her. She has a bit of a grumpy disposition but as time goes by, we are loving that out of her. She cracks me up when I leave or enter a room. She has to announce it to the neighborhood! This naturally sets off the other two.

She would rather be cuddled than anything, including eating. While the other two are wolfing down their breakfast or supper, she is usually begging for cuddles, which we happily are willing to oblidge! She is smaller than the other two, weighing in at 20 lbs. 2 of those pounds need to go away because of her very small frame. She is about an inch shorter in height than Punkin and about 4 inches shorter in body length.

We were watching her last night as she tried to get her blankets situated in the community dog bed. She would dig, then push with her nose, then dig some more to get them each just right. It took her about 20 minutes to finally lay down.

When the TV goes off for the evening, she trots to her crate and waits on her animal cookie in the doorway of it, then she climbs in with her 10 or so stuffed toys, pushes them around for awhile and curls up to sleep.

She is a great little mouser. We had one get in back two winters ago and she went nuts looking for that thing. She will check the traps each day to make sure there isn't one. She also likes to chase the resident chipmunks.

She does have one very bad habit we are trying to break, if you don't give her what she thinks is her quota of attention she will piddle on the floor. If anyone has a solution for that, please let me know.

Sadie loves to have her tummy rubbed, behind scratched, and tail and ears stroked. The whole time you do these things for her she starts this low growl which I think is her way of saying "OH! This feels so good". She never snaps when this is happening, so I think she is just verbalising her pleasure.

Well, that's a little about my Sadie Lady-Bug.

2008-07-18T07:06:00.007-04:00

Well, we are learning new techniques at the Den. This week, it's magazine covers. This has been so much fun. Once again, the gals at the Den have put forth a challenge and you should just see all the cool magazine covers everyone has come up with and there's sure to be more to come!

Tomorrow is bath time for the babies! Then on to clipping. I think I'll take pictures of the progress this time around and maybe post them here. I'm usually exhausted when I'm through with all three. I just don't know how groomers do this day in and day out. ALL THAT HAIR!!!!!
Stayed tuned for updates.

The Den

2008-07-13T18:34:00.003-04:00

I frequent a place called Digital Design Den. We are all avid digital scrapbookers. We have professional designers, photographers and teachers that are a vital part of the group. I have learned so much since joining and have even helped design a few elements for collaborative kits.

The Den recently celebrated their 1st Birthday. During that time frame there were so many freebies to be had that I actually had trouble keeping up.

We all pitch in and help each other with different projects. Andrea and I work on the Recipe layouts (although we did take the month of July off). Michelle handles the templates that are in the weekly newsletter. There are so many fantastic people on this site. They've encouraged us to write tutorial. I wrote one on how to make a bow. The tutorial we are working on now is how to make a cube...

I did the two images above for my homework which wasn't like homework at all. I would have been a high marks person in school if homework had been this much fun!

Of course, one of my images just had to have one of my dogs in it!

If you are looking for a site full of fun, fantastic kits, the nicest people from all over the world and just plain ole good times, come on over to visit or better yet, sign up. You have nothing to lose and much to gain. Come to www.digitaldesignden.com......

Heartbeats at my feet

2008-07-07T18:48:00.002-04:00

Literally. All three are laying either at my feet or nearby. Now the girls are barking at Dusty. Ok, that's under control! Poor little guy can't walk across the floor to suit them sometimes.

They have been upset the last few days. We've had construction crews at the house making repairs from the storms we have had. The roofers will be here next week and the drywall/painters will be here the following. It is just upsetting their little doggie routine to the max! They are such little creatures of habit. We rarely get company at home so naturally they bark when a bird lands in the yard let alone people. If they see a car go down the road too slowly, they bark about that and last night a passenger jet was flying way too low over our house, (not something that usually happens) and they had a fit about that. I wonder if they think planes are just big loud birds with their tails on fire? Just a thought. Anyway, they watched that plane until it dissappeared. It was funny.

Hmmmm, Sadie just disappeard, she must have gone upstairs with Phil. She is a big daddy's girl!

There are times I would love to know what they are thinking but then again, maybe I wouldn't really want to know.

They do give me something to look forward to everyday. When it's time to leave work for home I have but 3 warm little bodies on my mind. And they repay my affection with loyalty as they sleep at my feet! What a life!

Bath Time

2008-06-29T15:38:00.002-04:00

Well, today was bath day for the fur babies. My hubby ran a hot water line to the outside (where I would love to build a mud room by the way) and I have this handy bathtub that is on legs along with this washing gizmo that dispenses soap in a jet of water. It takes about an hour to bathe all three and they seem to like the massage they get. Now if they would only behave when it is time to brush them out. Cocker spaniels take a lot of work which is why mine usually have short cuts. Right now, Punkin and Sadie's coats are almost too long. Dusty was shave down two weeks ago. I do all the grooming myself since my regular mobile groomer retired. I wasn't able to find anybody to suit me. Some groomers cut the skirts too high others didn't thin out their coats which is a must or you get lot's of matting. So, I just do it myself, then if they don't look right, I have nobody to blame but me.

An Expensive Busy Day

2008-06-28T20:31:00.003-04:00

Today was such a busy day! Phil and I both had to go into work. We left the house at 6:00AM and worked until 8:30AM, came home, picked up all three dogs for a trip to the vet for their semi-annual checkup, got home at 12:45PM, grabbed a snack and went back to work until 3:00PM. Fed the dogs at 4:15PM, left the house again to take back some shoes that fell apart after Phil only wore them less than a week, went to the local pet store to pick up puppy treats and Sadie's special dog food. I'm exhausted and really don't feel like I've accomplished anything today except my wallet being emptier than it usually is. The vet bill was almost $500!!!!!!!!! Thank goodness we have pet insurance, so a portion of that will come back to us. Punkin had to have her rabies vacine, all three had those pesky bottom glands emptied and poor little Dusty had a fever and one of his glands was infected, so he is on $90 antibiotics! They all got 6 months worth of heartworm and flea prevention. These babies get better medical care than Phil and I do but they are so worth it!

Crazy Girls

2008-06-26T11:26:00.003-04:00

I don't know what has gotten into my girls lately, but when I get up from sitting anywhere they think they have to announce it to the world. I've tried everything to break them of it, squirt of water, turning my back on them, telling them "no!", nothing seems to work. I don't know if they are just telling me to sit back down so they can cuddle at my feet or what! It's funny most of the time but there are times, like when I have a headache, I could do without all the noise. Sadie has this squeaky little bark that just cuts right through your brain and Punkin, well she has a big girl bark so the two of them together can be a bit trying. I do get tickled at Dusty when all of this is going on, he will come running if he isn't right there with me to see what the ruckus is about then the look he get's on his face is priceless. It's like, Jeesh! Girls! Do they have to make so much noise! He's not as vocal as the girls but when he does speak up, you know you've been barked at.

Back to the girls, they are very jealous of each other. They know that as far as a pack goes, that Phil and I are the leaders but Sadie tries to put the bluff on Punkin. I do believe most of the barking contests between them is to see who can get the most attention. If I pick up Sadie to cuddle, Punkin will start barking, if I start to cuddle with Punkin, Sadie tries to break it up. Punkin also doesn't like me to cuddle with Dusty.

It's hard living up to the pack's expectations!

2008-06-25T19:50:00.001-04:00

Well, here I go! This blog spot is going to be about (mostly) my adorable fur babies. I will have other tidbits of information from time to time, like my favorite websites (digitaldesignden), current issues and so forth, but on to the reason I'm starting this.

On a snowy March Saturday in 2000 my mother wanted to drive 45 miles to look at Cocker Spaniel puppies. When we arrived at this place I had no idea how in a two week period my life would change. I helped mom pick out an adorable little black and tan girlie. She was all wiggles and kisses and it was love at first sight. Mom took her home and proceeded to spoil her rotten and every evening after work I would go by her apartment and spoil her even more. Her name is Punkin (hence the name Punkinsmom). Well, after two weeks had gone by my mother called me at work and told me that every time I left to go home, Punkin would sit at the door and howl for me, so she decided Punkin should come home to live with Phil (my hubby) and I. That was over 8 years ago and since then we have increased the size of our little puppy family.

Dusty came to live with us in 2005 after, once again, mom purchased him from a breeder that was 60 miles away. He is a gorgeous white and tan parti color who is still nothing but wiggles. My hubby adores him. He had to be taken from his mother when he was just 4 weeks old, mom had him for a little over a week then he came home with us because mom couldn't handle his roudiness. He's a rough and tough little guy. So since he was 5 weeks old he has been with us.
One stormy evening he was sitting on my lap and a clap of thunder startled him. He jumped straight up in the air and landed on Punkin. He injured her back and broke her knee. I was brokenhearted because I was afraid my little beauty was going to have to be put down but $5000 and over 12 months of recuperation and you would never know she ever had any injuries.

So, mom is to blame so far for two of our babies but you will learn that we also blame her for our third.

We were taking my mother house hunting. She was looking for a new property to buy and as we turned onto a busy 5 lane road we saw all sorts of brake lights and backed up traffic! All of a sudden, this little black streak came running down the center lane. My husband and I took one look at each other, he pulled over jumped out of the SUV and literally crawled on his hands and knees in the middle of all that traffic to catch this little girl. She was in such deplorable condition you couldn't tell what she was other than a dog. We took her to our home and kept her separated from the other two for 24 hours. The next day I gave her a bath, actually about 3 baths to get rid of the filth and fleas she was carrying. I trimmed her hair and brushed her till she was shiny and got rid of all the mats in her coat that was keeping her from moving freely. We advertised to try to find her owners. We would have been very reluctant to return her to them if they appeared due to her poor condition, but we felt we had to try. After a week we took her to our vet and discovered she was a miniature Cocker Spaniel, approximately six months old, pregnant and suffered from malnutrition, we also found the breeder through DNA testing. She was named Sadie and she has been with us since 9/10/2005, she's also known as Sadie-bug. If we had not been house hunting we would never have found this sweet little girl. She is black with white on her chest and her feet look like she stepped in white paint.

So, my mother is to blame for this love affair with Cocker Spaniels but in all fairness, we have always had Cocker Spaniels, Candy, Honey and Lady preceded Punkin (SweetPea), Dusty(Doodle and Georgie) and Sadie (Sadie-bug) since our marriage in 1969. As a child I remember having several Cocker Spaniels and my husband's family used to breed them.

The only other dogs I've ever lived with was Teri McKay (my son's doberman) and a Pekinese named Crumby given to us by my sister in law. We couldn't keep Crumby at the time due to where we lived so my grandparents took her and gave her a good home. She was a great little dog for them.

So, now you know where the name Punkinsmom comes from and how we came to share our home with 3 adorable fur babies.