It's YAPPY Hour

Garcon' - It is time for my evening libation.

The service here is SO slow. 

What is this you say? A 2023 "Tinsel Time Treat".  It's been in a freezer - no telling what that will do to the bouquet.

I detect a slight undertone of pretension with top notes of soggy paper towels.

Bottoms up!

What is this?  Naste Spomonte?

I'll pass.  The finish was unworn sock and empty candy wrapper. 

That did NOT agree with my palette.  Do you have something in a Peanut Noir?

Mom - ANYTHING can be a ball. . .

You think Sunny had never seen a homemade Cream Puff before.

 I can almost picture her saying: "It's a pastry ball full of whipped cream! - Thow it throw it throw it!"

 

Squirrel Wars

What's that Sunny, something in that tree?

It's a member of the Squirrel Cartel, Dad!

He's armed with a peanut Dad - must get him!

 

But I don't WANT to go home - I almost had him!

Hey, it's Mom.  I gotta tell her about the squirrel I treed!
 

Do Not Eat the Flowers

 

Sunny loves branches.  The photo above is from her Foster Mom, J., taken when she was first rescued by Chicagoland Lab Rescue (where we adopted Lorelei).

She was about 9-10 months old here.

She's 15 months now and still loves branches. But she was destroying the lower new growth in our big, beautiful Lilac bush, so a fence was installed to keep her from killing it.

Hey, what's this sign, Mom?

Sunny's "YELP" review of Chez Mom Restaurant

YELP! Review Chez Mom Restaurant 

 Sunny D. - Chicago, IL  

I had such expectations for this place. The smells drifting from it made my mouth water every time I walked past. I saw the smiles on the faces of others as they left. Then I walked in, tail wagging. The hostess was surly, looking at me and saying, “It’s too EARLY for snacks.” I have heard that word TOO EARLY before, which never bodes well. 

She showed no change in demeanor, shooing me out of the dining area while she bustled around putting down plates and silverware for the HOOMAN customers. I was appalled. So, I will simply review what I could dine on instead of a snack.

A slice of cheese on the counter. Cheese is always a treat. When Dad makes a sammich, one always finds its way to me; he’s SO careless with cheese.  I took this one from the serving platform without paying. It landed on my head. If the manager says something, I’ll tell her it’s a hat. 

A paper towel. The ones that sopped up bacon grease are the best, but as far as an early bird special, it wasn’t bad. If fresh, that paper will rip into a gazillion pieces, which you can leave like drool-infused confetti all over the clean restaurant floor. Even better if you can order seconds; that look on our server’s face as you get it all soggy in your mouth and then spit it on her clean pants before you can choke on it – elevates the dining experience like no other.

An unsliced loaf of warm bread. Oh, I so wanted to try this, but it was just TOO big for me to get my mouth around. Let’s see, a knife? No, Mom won’t let me play with knives. Shoot it with Great-Grandpa’s WWII Army rifle? I’m a Dog. HELLOO? BACKGROUND CHECK?! The plastic Ginsu banana slicer was too small and it looked like the sketchy banana (which usually contains a disguised pill). On to the secret menu. 

A slipper – My favorite from the SECRET MENU. You won’t see it on everyone's menu. You will have to request it. By request I mean find it lying under the kitchen caddy by the back door or even better, dangling from the Maître D's foot while he waits for Chef Mom in the next room. 

A spatula. These are rarely seen on the menu. They’re sort of like those Japanese puffer fish—eaten wrong, they can hurt you, but if you get them just right, that chewy rubber goodness almost makes up for the vaguely medicinal aftertaste of the plastic handle. So, diners, beware, but if you’re flexible on your eating times (eating at 5:00 instead of 4:58), you might enjoy this place.

Wednesday Smiles

 

Hits and Misses

With a young rescue dog in the house, quiet time to write is at a premium - so sometimes it's best to just admit defeat and let your afternoon "go to the dogs".

Today's training with my Partner in Grime (my husband EJ) and Sunny was catching a ball from a prone position.  Though she's 14 months old she lived in a crate for 10 months so she's a bit behind in social skills and training but is quite smart and eager to please.  

Not sure how much "we" learned, but it was fun.

Wait!  I wasn't ready!

Did I tell you I wasn't ready?

Score!

It went THAT way!

Sunny grabs the ball - Take # 37.

Poetry in motion!

Branching Out

You all remember the dog elevator?  It was built with a winch motor and some lumber when Lorelei Lab couldn't do the stairs any longer. 

That thing behind it is the Juniper Bush from hell.

Despite whacking at it regularly, it just kept growing and taking over much of the yard. Juniper is also toxic to dogs and although Barkley, Abby, and Lorelei ignored it, Sunny wants to eat it like it's a bag of Doritos.  So out it comes.

So my husband decided to slay it, once and for all.  So after I got done with a week of work in DC (the meeting that would not die) it started. It took a couple of evenings after work , most of one weekend, and numerous sandwiches, but it's done.  

We didn't find a job of prohibition-era moonshine like we did when the front porch was rebuilt, but there was a maple tree trying its best to grow in there and a bunch of catnip (which explains the stoned long-hair car we'd find lounging on the dog elevator ramp, totally obvious to the fact dogs live here),.

The brush pile is as tall as my truck. 

Now to get rid of the remains.  Maybe it just needs the right sign.

Out of fireworks? - This will light up like the 4th with extra pops and crackling (Firemen not included)

Must rehome - Emotional Support Brush Pile

Free Free-Range Kindling

DIY Viking Funeral - just add boat and dead Viking

$50 - Natural Gin Flavoring. 

Failing that - we'll call the arborists who took out our 2 dead spruce trees and see if they want some mulch material when they're in the neighborhood.   

Hey Napoleon - my Mom and Dad left this GIANT pile of sticks unattended.

WE RIDE AT DAWN!

I wish everyone were this easy to please. . .

Madam:  My Treat Cube appears to be empty.

Everyone should have a mom with opposable thumbs!