Cleaning House

I think it was Parsley that recently mentioned something about going through your blog list and deleting blogs that are inactive or that have been removed. Oh my, it's been so long since I've done that ~ I mean the ones you see here on my blog. Maybe since I first set up those lists? It took me an entire week but I think I have them cleaned up! I removed the links that no longer worked and those that went to blogs that haven't been updated in months. Isn't it annoying to click a link and be directed to a blog that was last updated two years ago?

Another thing I did was update my reader. About a year and a half ago I was doing something on Google Reader and somehow managed to delete most of the blogs I was reading. Being in a severe blogging funk, I didn't do too much about it, relying on what was left, who appeared on my following page and on those that commented on my sparse blog posts for any needed blogging fixes. Then Google Reader went away and I had to move so I chose Feedly. However, I was still missing most of my blogs! This past week, as I went through my blog list, I added them all back into my reader. Happy days are here again!

A little note from Molly:

 Mom & Dad went to the pet store to buy me a big bag of dog food. 

They came home with some toys because I keep eating all the old ones.

I got a big peanut butter chew bone.

A stuffed soccer ball and a flat weasel.

 This is a really good bone!

Mom says the whole house smells like peanut butter.

Did I hear dad just open the back door?

Maybe he's gone back to the pet store!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Fetch The Brain

Border Collies are funny dogs. Most collies I know love to play fetch. I remember teaching Sheba to fetch. She took a long time to learn! She would run to get the tennis ball quick enough ~ it was the bringing it back part that took awhile. Once she got it though, she was hooked. She would fetch a tennis ball until your arm fell off. But only a tennis ball. Sometimes, to gauge your interest in playing, she would bring you some other toy but if you threw it she would bring you back a tennis ball! Sneaky huh?

Molly picked up fetch right off. She doesn't care one whit what she fetches either. Any toy is fair game! Here are only a few of the toys she has brought me over the weekend to throw:

From top left,  a sea monster, a giant bone (I can't throw this!), a rubber boot, a tennis ball, a chicken, an orange rope, a sad alligator, a starfish, a hamburger, a ginormous tire (I AM NOT THROWING THAT - GO GET SOMETHING ELSE), a stuffed happy ball and we don't know what that thing at the bottom is so we call it a brain. The sea monster and brain seem to be her favorite. Mine too because they have sticky-outy things I can pinch on to pick up and I don't get too very slobbery.

Hi Mom! I brought you an elephant! Wanna play fetch?

What are you doing with your phone? I said I brought you an elephant!

Aren't you going to throw it? I could go get the brain...

What are your pet's favorite things to do?

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

August ORT Report

Woo! Two posts in two days. I'm on a roll! And did you notice I actually posted something last month that wasn't an ORT report? Maybe my blogging mojo is back along with my stitching mojo? I have hopes...

It's the New Moon...time for your Totally Useless Stitch A Long updates. Here is mine:

A nice collection of ORTs! I have started yet another patriotic piece, 4th of July by Lizzie*Kate. I might be tired of red, white & blue before I'm through. On second thought, nahhh ~ never!

Since people complain if I post ORT reports without puppy photos here is Miss Molly stretched out loooong on my bed yesterday morning. She's a little pouty in this picture since I'm getting ready to leave for work. She likes the coming home part of the day much better.

Now let's see your ORTs! TUSALers leave a comment on this post with the address to your August update. If I decide to host a giveaway at the end of the year you will receive an extra entry! Are you wondering what the heck a TUSAL is? Click here for info!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Better Late Than Never

Waaaay back in January I participated in a blog-hop to help grow my friend's blogs. There was supposed to be a giveaway drawing announcement on February first. Yeah, that SO didn't happen! The past year for me has been a whirlwind blur...I am only now getting to it. Here was the prize in case you don't remember and are too lazy to click the linky above:

I've finally chosen the winner ~ Melissa of Boyett-Brinkley. Please, go visit Melissa's blog and click her followers gadget. She'd love to welcome you! Congratulations, Melissa!

I've been busy stitching. I'd say it was too hot to do much else but this summer has been so much better than the past three summers, who can complain? Me. I'm a wimp when it comes to heat. If it's 90 degrees or higher, I'm staying inside in the air-conditioning! So I've been stitching a lot.

I finished Wave by Bent Creek.

Then Celebrate Freedom, again by Bent Creek. Both of these were done in DMC and need buttons and finishing. I am really looking forward to doing all the finishing on my patriotic basket pieces! Just a few more to stitch.

Miss Molly doesn't care if it's hot outside. She loves to go out and run. Then she comes inside panting and slobbering and collapses in a hot mess. I try to keep her inside when it gets too hot. Giant chew bones help keep her busy!

Be sure to post tomorrow for the TUSAL! 

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

I'm Moving...My House is Possessed

Yup. 

It's haunted.

I am so outta here.

What? Proof?

You want proof?

How is this for proof...there is a stuffed monkey, which is obviously possessed, moving around my house.

The Possessed Monkey

See? I came upon him, just sitting like this, on the kitchen floor. He hadn't time to arrange himself in an innocuous position before I stepped into the kitchen so he just sat down and tried to look harmless.

I am too wise for that.

I know this innocent looking monkey is actually an evil demon in need of exorcism. 

Sam? Dean? Where are you when I need you?

No, no way!

Molly could NOT have left said monkey on the floor.

It

SAT

DOWN

I tell you!

Molly knew the evil nature of this creature before I ever caught it sitting-down-all-innocent-looking and chewed off it's devil-spawned tail in an effort to hobble it's fiendish presence. We NEVER found that tail ~ so either Molly swallowed it or it evaporated into a puff of smoke once disconnected from it's malevolent host.

Molly is the darnedest toy-eating dog I've ever seen! She doesn't just chew them UP - she EATS them. Poor Dash awoke to find Molly vomiting up squeaky toy pieces ON HIM. Ewww! Only a couple days after the above photo was taken, the cute yellow sheepie was rescued into the trash can before it made it's way to Molly's tummy. The darn dog has eaten her way through BASKETS full of toys. We've taken to only buying those toys labeled for serious chewers!

I must go.

After I pick up some packing boxes, I need to run by the pet shop.

For some reason all of Molly's toys have disappeared.

Except one very creepy monkey.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

July ORT Report

I do apologize for the boring blog this year. When I post the TUSAL each month, I promise myself I'm going to make a new post in a couple of days...and it never happens. I have even done some really cool things, taken neat trips, accomplished incredible feats and even had cross stitch finishes ~ and not shared a single one of them! I shall endeavor to catch you up when my blogging mojo returns. I also know I have winners of various giveaways still to be announced ~ how sad is that? *blush*

For now, you are here to see ORTs, correct? I'm STILL on that patriotic kick so my threads are still mostly red, white and blue. There is a tiny bit of tan and golden brown mixed in this time:

I'm working on Bent Creek's Wave. I adore these alphabet word samplers! Much fun. This one is going quickly when I get time to stitch. I hope no one gets tired of my "kick" this year. I have several patriotic themed projects kitted up ~ fair warning!

Now let's see your ORTs! TUSALers leave a comment on this post with the address to your July update. If I decide to host a giveaway at the end of the year you will receive an extra entry! Are you wondering what the heck a TUSAL is? Click here for info!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

June ORT Report

This will have to be a QUICK post ~ we have been away all day! It's the New Moon so it's time for the Totally Useless Stitch A Long...let's see those ORTs! I am still on a patriotic kick so all I have are red, white and blue threads in my jar. I finished Pop! by Bent Creek, shown here, and started another patriotic themed stitch. I will save that for another post...

I showed you mine now let me see yours! TUSALers leave a comment on this post with the address to your June update. If I decide to host a giveaway at the end of the year you will receive an extra entry! Are you wondering what the heck a TUSAL is? Click here for info!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

May ORT Report

Woo...it's the New Moon and I didn't miss posting this update for the Totally Useless Stitch A Long! And I actually have a few ORTs in the jar this month ~ how long has it been, anyway? Also shown here is a little peek at my new WIP. I can't tell you how tickled I am at creating ORTs!

In the last month, little Miss Molly got old enough to be spayed. While at the vet she was also micro-chipped and had her rear dewclaws removed. She wasn't a happy camper but she got cute purple leopard print socks to wear...until she ate one the next morning. We never did find it! Maybe they were biodegradable?  I will spare you gruesome images of the incisions on her ankles but will say they were much more than we expected. I think they were worse than her tummy by far. However, this is better than catching a floppy claw on a couch cushion and ripping it off. 

Molly decided she HAD to lick her incisions, no matter what. The vet gave her this pretty blue bib to wear. If she worked at it she could still reach her feet but it mostly kept her from serious licking. This fabric E collar was very nice compared to the rigid plastic one we threatened her with. And if I flipped this one up Molly looked like a Big Blue Border Collie Daisy. She enjoyed all the giggles...and the dog-party brown rice, ground beef and yoghurt she got to eat after anesthesia. That was the best part.

Molly turned 6 months old today!

Happy half-birthday Mollywog!

TUSALers leave a comment on this post so we know to visit your blog! Also in case I decide to hold a giveaway, this will give you an extra entry. Are you wondering what the heck a TUSAL is? Click here for info!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

March-April ORT Report

I know. I know. I know. I know!

I completely blew off the TUSAL in March.

I have not stitched since those 12 stitches in January. 

Some TUSAL leader I am. Blah! 

Training a puppy, working full time and keeping up with daily life is getting the best of me. I promise to try better. Or at least keep my blog updated for you! 

Since I have no lovely stitching to show off, I shall give you a peek at wee Molly:

Here was Molly on Christmas Day. Was she really that chubby and stubby? So snuggle-able but for all the Raptor teeth! 

She is now becoming a most lovely girl. Still full of vinegar. She jumps up to look at what I'm doing at the kitchen counter and when I tell her to *get off!* she barks at me! She lost the last of those Raptor teeth over last weekend. I'm thankful for a mouth full of dull big dog teeth because:

I must be careful when I'm cleaning as she gets very excited at rapid hand motions and is liable to bite before you realize just how excited she is! This was the case with this purple box. She got excited as I was wiping it off and jumped on top. To EAT me, I am sure. 

 Then, she thought she was so clever being high up. Look how fast her tail is wagging! Silly Mollywog! Do you see how her ears stick out to the side? I guess she likes them that way. She can put them up if she really wants to. They stand with floppy tips. CUTE! But she likes airplane ears the best.

For such an ornery puppy Molly really a good girl. We have been leaving her loose in the house lately while we work or run errands and she has been an angel so far. I think every toy in every toy box gets played with! On Monday while I was at work she accidentally closed the bedroom door, shutting herself in the dark for who knows how long? I've put one of her toy boxes in front of the door so she can't lock herself in again. 

Ready for bed! 

For those faithful TUSALers who actually have ORTs to report (unlike me) leave a comment with a link to your post so we can go see!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

February's Missing In Action ORT Report

I totally missed February, didn't I? Not only by not posting on time for the New Moon on the 10th but by having no ORTs to show:

Yup. That is one empty ORT jar. No stitches in weeks. Stress level = HIGH. Must settle and stitch soon or things will begin to implode!

Why did I miss the New Moon and posting your TUSAL photo? It really isn't Molly's fault. She's doing really well the past few weeks. Mostly. More about that later in this post. Her ears go up and they go down. Half up ~ isn't that silly? House training is okay...she isn't as "easy-peasy" as Sheba was as a puppy. More headstrong, more aggressive and much more independent!

We buy Molly lots of fun, expensive dog toys...but I think her favorite toy is this empty plastic coffee can. She will scoot it all over the house, growling and terrorizing it to no end. I try not to laugh when she gets it stuck on her head (on purpose) and runs into furniture (not on purpose.)

I was NOT PLEASED to come into the kitchen one day (after leaving her unattended for a few minutes) to find Molly stripping wallpaper off the wall. And us in the middle of refinancing the home loan for a much lower rate! Sigh. One more thing we had to fix! Dash worked miracles and you can hardly see the repair. 

In fact, THAT is really the reason for missing TUSAL this month. We have been cleaning, fixing, de-cluttering, painting and generally working our tails off on the house. Nearly every room has been freshly painted and things we have been ignoring/putting up with are being dealt with. It's been a lot of hard work and I've still got quite a to-do list but boy-oh-boy - it's like we have a brand new house! I think we have thrown out two truck-loads of junk. I'm really enjoying the progress we have made but not the falling-into-bed-exhausted-every-night part! Last weekend, Dash carted everything out of the basement, painted it and installed new flooring. I'm supposed to be sorting through all the stuff to decide what goes and what stays. But I took a break to catch up with my blog buddies ~ I miss you guys!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox