Again I have no title for this post but does it really need one? Does everything in the world need a title? I think not.

I finally got over what was the worst sinus infection I ever had. There's nothing worse than being sick when it's over 90 degrees outside. Normally I grin and bear it through something like that but this was really a nasty one. One day during the peak of the worst, I was in the middle of merely making a sandwich and got exhausted just from that. I won't go anywhere near anyone who even has barely a sniffle right now. MrPea's and my trip is coming up in a few days and it's been so long since we went away together, I don't want anything to ruin it.

I thought about posting a few more pix from my trip but I'm sure ya'll aren't interested as you can pretty much guess from my last post what my trip consisted of:two silly sisters and three little boys under their sometimes questionable influence. I'm hoping to try to get back up there around Halloween.

In the mean time, my birthday present(!) arrived early(Thank you MrPea, I couldn't be happier!) so I've been trying to learn all the bells and whistles. Eventually I'll get a strong zoom lens when I begin to figure out how it all works. The basic auto stuff was pretty self explanatory but I didn't know what the hell an aperture was or what a macro lens was for and what ISO stood for but I'm having fun with it. Peanut has been my study subject matter and I'm sure he'll be happy when I start pointing that camera towards something else.

Speaking of Peanut, he has an appointment tomorrow morning at a Pet Day Care since I have no one to take care of him while we're gone. We need to take a look at the place he'll be staying and I want to make sure that he'll be comfortable and well taken care of there. It will also be a good time for them to observe his behavior around other dogs so they'll know what to expect and what kind of dogs he's compatible with during playtime. He's not a fighter but sometimes a humper so hopefully they won't hold that against him. Our ex roommates had a Yorkie who easily put him in his place when he tried to put the moves on her so I'm sure he'll behave once he figures out that the ladies don't like to be treated the way he treats his 'bear'. My standard reply to people who get surprised over the fact that he is actually neutered is usually,"Well he is a man."

I never get a Thanks

When someone does something really stupid and then gets hurt as a result of that stupid something, I usually have a hard time feeling sorry. Don't get me wrong, I feel sorry but my pity comes more from the fact that that person is so stupid than the fact that he/she got hurt. Call me a bitch, I guess.

I save the softest part of my heart for children and pets of stupid people. Those are the ones I feel the sorriest for. I could never sit back and let something bad happen to a child or helpless animal because of her parent's/owner's stupidity. I actually saved a child's life once and instead of thanking me his STUPID mother was mean to me. A long time ago I was in a laundromat waiting for my clothes to dry. A woman came in with a little boy who was about 2 or 3. There was a front and back door and the front door was facing a tiny parking lot and very busy street. I was sitting next to the front door reading a book and mentally babysitting this child because he was playing with some mini METAL cars next to some ELECTRICAL OUTLETS. I also want to add that she was dressed fairly nice but for whatever reason decided not to put any clothes except a diaper on her kid, and he had no shoes or socks on, even though it was 60 degrees outside. I also want to add that she had perfect makeup on, but didn't think wiping the ketchup from her son's face was a good idea. After about 5 minutes, the mother decided to go to the back door to smoke and flirt with a man who was repairing the screen who made a nasty comment about my legs just ten minutes before. No she did not bring her little boy with her. She just left him there with me, a PERFECT STRANGER. I assumed she was watching him from where she was-a big assumption. He kept calling,"Momma! Momma!" After a minute he just ran out the front door into the parking lot towards the street. Without even looking to see if his mother was coming I ran out after him just in time to grab him before he reached the street. When I brought him to his mother, she hadn't even noticed what the hell had just happened and was still there puffing away. When I told her what happened and handed her her little boy she said nothing for a few seconds a gave me the dirtiest, bitchiest look and said,"I thought he was with you!" I wanted to slap her, there I was freaking out, my heart beating a thousand times a minute and she's pissed off at me like it's my fault. Ok this was almost ten years ago and I still can't come up with a response to that. Why the hell I was non-verbally assigned to babysit for someone I'd never met in my life for free, I don't know. I didn't even say anything, I just went back to my book. Because of this I have bad feelings towards laundromats and we've never again lived in a place that didn't have a washer and dryer. OK and before any parents go and tell me about kids and how fast they are even under the strictest surveillance, I have 6 nephews ok. 6. I can garan-damn-tee that neither of my sisters, one of whom still smokes, have never been interested in hanging out at the back door of a laundromat flirting with a trashy guy thinking everything was fine because a PERFECT STRANGER was watching her kid.

Well this happened to me AGAIN. TODAY! Mr.Pea and I were eating lunch at a restaurant on their outdoor patio. A couple brought their dog and tied him to a chair. They both went inside to order. Why they tied him to a chair under the HOTDAMN 90 degree Florida sun with no shade and both needed to go inside, I don't know. Especially since they both looked like intelligent people. The poor lab was obviously trying to be a good boy since they told him to stay but was so hot and wanted to lay down about 2 more feet away under a tree. I went over to move the chair for him after a couple minutes because I couldn't take it anymore. Suddenly the guy comes out and says,"What's going on?" Like I'm trying to steal or something. I said, "He was trying to pull the chair to lay down in the shade so I was moving it." He looked at me like I was trying to murder someone. I said,"I'm not trying to steal him or anything." I was trying to make him laugh since apparently I must look like a criminal up to no good. I thought he would get it and say, oh ok thanks. He just said in a mean voice," Yeah well, we're all hot. Come here boy, it's ok."

F- YOU! Ok I didn't say that but I wanted to. I did however, smirk, when the dog walked to the shade on his own and laid down wagging his tail and looking at me. poor dog. At that point, I would have stole him, if I could have, just so he wouldn't have to have such a jerk for an owner.

Mittens. The cat I sometimes babysit

I'm sure I've posted a pic of him before but I took care of him last week and took some more pictures since he was in a cooperating mood. I saw him jump from a stool to body slam Peanut once or twice. He likes a ratty old pink bunny, crumpled paper, laser lights, staring contests, hidden fingers under the pillow, and-oh- I almost forgot, kneading.

I love him more than he loves me, as it is with all cats. I beg for his love but he prefers stalking and attacking me instead. Once in a while, he'll sit behind me on the couch with his tail around my neck and look at me with his eyes half closed which, I've been told, is cat language for,"I like you, let's be friends." So I'll just have to be happy with that.


Captions welcome in the comments.

I do't understand a word of German

But this video makes me giggle. I'm predicting there will be a pet-cam trend hitting the US sometime soon. You heard it first here. I would never put one on Peanut. His images would be too violent and disturbing, what with his lizard hunting skills and all.

Saturday Random

-I saw that documentary everyone (on both sides) was freaking out about a few months ago, Jesus Camp last night. It didn't creep me out as much as I was told it would but I have to admit, I was pretty disturbed. And I was raised in a strict, religious home. I'd like to see the makers of this film catch up with these kids in 10 or 15 years and see if they still feel the way they do.

-Mr.Pea and I sometimes fight over who loves Peanut more, me or him. He lets Peanut walk all over him, gives him food from his plate, warms up his blanket in the dryer, and pretty much gives Peanut whatever he wants so he thinks he loves Peanut more. I'm the one who (badly)trained him, takes him to the doctor, makes sure he takes his meds and gets plenty of exercise, plus I'm the one who gives him his bath so it has to be me. But the real argument is, who does Peanut love more?

-Speaking of Peanut, sometimes if he asks for a treat, the one I give him isn't good enough for him. Like he wanted the chicken treat and I gave him a milkbone. He'll turn his face away as if disgusted and shocked I would even think of giving him such an inferior snack. So I'll just say," Oh you don't want it? OK I'll give it to [Mr.Pea] then. Here [Mr.Pea], Peanut hates this so you can have it." Suddenly Peanut wants it.

-I used to think I would do really well on Survivor. I figure because of my size and the fact that I smile all the time, people always think I'm harmless. So no one would find me a threat and vote me off and I would run away with the million dollars. But since I've never even been camping before nor have I ever felt the desire to do so, made me think, hmm maybe not. I'm also a picky eater who thinks everything is gross so I would probably end up passing out from malnutrition after the first day. Plus besides cheerleading, I was never that good of an athlete. Since I've never seen them have any cheer challenges, I don't think any of my skills would come in handy. I noticed on the scenes for next week's show, they had some kind of 'wrestling each other' challenge. Nope, don't wrestle either. So it's just not going to happen. I'll have to make my million dollars another way.


-I'm starting to get my balcony "coffee ready." I'm still off the crack, I mean coffee, since it's still too hot for warm drinks but it's good to be prepared. There was a big, ugly satellite dish out there that drove me completely insane every time I looked at it, which was everyday since it was right in front of the sliding glass door. The guy that installed it did the most redneck job I've ever seen but that's another story. The point is, I moved it and put a hibiscus plant there instead. And since I've been bitching about the fact that winter is coming to doom us all, at least I have something to look forward to: coffee on the balcony in my favorite chair wrapped in a blanket....Hopefully the jerk downstairs won't be revving his loud obnoxious motorcycle for hours like he did last year always at the very time I'm out there.

-I ran into Humongous Toad again yesterday. This time he was hiding behind a wooden post. I feel bad, I probably scared him, taking all these pictures of, but I can't help it. I wonder what he's been eating or if he comes from a nuclear facility.

Don't you wish your pet could talk?

This bird is awesome and you can tell he much he is loved. There were some more cute videos of him if you want more. :o)click here

Cat Who Begs for Everything

I'm pretty sure this cat might be Peanut's cousin.

I don't understand a word of Japanese

But I have a weakness for chub, lazy, dogs who don't listen.

Tuesday Confession

If you haven't read my last post, go ahead and skip it. I was looking at this morning and it's just too damn long. Anyway,it's that time again.

I once stole a puppy. I mean I snuck into some one's back yard and stole their puppy. In my defense, he was living in some really bad conditions. I was about 15 and my friend and I drove by that house everyday on our way to and from school.(she was one of those lucky ones whose parents gave her an old car the day she turned 16) Sometimes I would ask her to drive by that house even if we weren't headed in that direction just so I could see that puppy and make sure he was ok. It was the month of May and really hot and he never had any clean water or a decent shelter to keep out of the sun. I never saw anyone playing with him or making kissy-faces at him like I would have dammit. In fact no one was ever home and I once made my friend drive by there 5 different times just to see if anyone was going to take care of this poor puppy-nothing. He was always laying in the dirt. He was skinny too-have you ever heard of a skinny puppy? It shouldn't be possible. So after about 3 weeks I couldn't take it anymore. That puppy was mine. I had my friend drive really close and pretend to check out her front tires-this was an unnecessary diversion but I've seen those thief movies and they always have to create a diversion. I opened the back gate and whispered,"Puppy, comeer," because I didn't know his name. He ran to me, I scooped him up, ran into the car and we drove away. I named him Cookie, then later changed it to Sunny Boo Bear. He answered to any variation of those names.

Sometimes I feel bad that I might have misjudged the situation and stole some poor kid's beloved puppy. But I'll think about how thirsty he was when I got him home and how fast all the booboos on his feet healed and I don't feel that bad.


So there it is. I got my confess-on and now I feel free.

Virtuoso Feline

This video makes Peanut a little jealous. He knows how to do stuff too dammit! Enjoy this kitty's composition.

YAY!!!

This week I could have started my work outs since I've gotten the official ok from my doctor to exercise again. Sooooo, my choices for the past couple days have been: go work out OR go lay by the pool, with a magazine and some reggae. Can you guess what I chose?
Look at that beautiful sky and tell me you wouldn't have done the same? I didn't run into CreepyManWhoScaresEveryoneAtThePoolEspeciallyMe, fortunately. I DID run into this guy again.

He's so beautiful and I regret not getting a stronger camera. There's two of them that hang around so I guess they're mates but I'm not sure.


I also had to drive someone to the doctor.
It's the least I could do since he A)doesn't know how to drive and B)was anxious to hear his biopsy results. And I was too. It was negative for cancer which was the BEST NEWS EVER! He's just an old man and having a hard time fighting a nasty bacterial infection. We were really worried. He's getting better everyday and is back to waging war against his archenemy.
It's a little hard to see him but he's there.

I don't look forward to the day this poor lizard ends up in my dog's mouth like the rest of his helpless victims. I wish they could just be friends but Peanut has already made his decision and there's just no reasoning with a Jack Russel on the hunt.

Juvenile Delinquent

Last Thursday I walked to the library since it only takes 5 minutes and it was so nice outside. I have to pass a grocery store, fire station and several gift shops. There's usually a cop or two parked at a barbecue restaurant because they give 10% off to anyone wearing a uniform. I was wearing jeans,a backpack, had my hair in a pony tail, and was rockin' my ipod, and since I'm only 4'11" in flip flops, a policeman asked me if I shouldn't be at school, sternly I should add. He threw in a "young lady" at the end of his question, I guess, to let me know he meant business. I hate being called young lady, but I started giggling because I saw him before on my walks with Peanut so I thought he was only joking. Turns out, he wasn't. The giggling didn't help. He didn't believe me and even asked for proof that I wasn't skipping school or else he was going to call my parents. I showed him my driver's license and told him that when I was in high school on a sunny day like that, I would never have skipped school to go to the library. He felt bad for being such an ass to me but I didn't really care, I still get carded for lottery tickets so it's nothing new.

Actually it kind of made me feel like a badass to be questioned by the 5-0. Yes, I'm dangerous to society. Watch out. It's thug life for me, all the way. That's the way I roll-gangsta style.

Why can't I pass for some kind of sexy movie star or a model instead of a nerdy 13 year old playing hooky to hang out at the damn library?


*BTW-Peanut seems to be feeling better. His doctor left his surgery wounds open to drain so I feel the need to explain to anyone who walks by,"Please don't think I abuse my dog. He's just had surgery, that's why he has cuts on his little bum. I didn't do that I swear." I'm not sure why I do that since everyone in this neighborhood already knows that he's the most spoiledest(is that a word? it is now) pet on the block. His follow up is on Thursday so I'm keeping my fingers crossed and trying not to think about it.

One Sick Puppy

Peanut was allowed to come home today. We won't find out the lab results until Thursday so I'll try not to get all doom and gloom. He's taking three different kinds of medication. He's not feeling so great, can you tell? But he seems to be doing ok. I'm so happy to have him home. I was so upset yesterday.....

Thanks everyone for Peanut's recovery wishes.








The weather continues to be BEEE-YOO-TEE-FUL. I've been encountering this strange looking bird every afternoon.

I'm a little bit afraid of her. Look at that beak! Long and sharp enough to poke out both of my eyeballs!

My Poor Peanut

The house is too empty without him. Think good thoughts, bang some drums, dance, meditate, chant, 'ask the Universe'(he,he,he), cross your fingers for my Peanut. He's having surgery on one of his 'unmentionables'. He's been having problems healing from a gland infection in his, er,um, bowels for a few months now and has already had three surgeries in the past 6 months and has been on/off antibiotics and steroids. I blame myself because he's been eating the same food all his life and this started happening when I switched it. I thought since he was 9, he should be eating adult dog food, not puppy food. The vet says that's not the cause but I feel like if I blame myself then I won't have to accept the fact that he's getting old(yes, I play mind games with myself like that-I'm not sure if it's healthy but so far it works). He's back to eating the puppy food since it's easier for him to digest. I can't believe I'm writing and worrying over a dog's digestion. Well, ok I can. I love my dog. And he's turning into an old man with old man problems like that. He was our Valentine's gift 9 years ago and he's still our Valentine.


I wanted to post an old man picture of him too but blogger was acting up and started to piss me off so I gave up....
Check out his puppy muscles though. He has a good doctor. He'll be ok.






*Update: I just got off the phone with the vet tech. The surgery went well and they are not going to charge me for the surgery but they are charging me for a biopsy. I could care less about the cost but as a cancer patient myself, the word 'biopsy' concerns me. I'll find out more when I call them back at 2 because he's still under observation. He's already awake and even ate a little bit. He's never too sick to eat. My poor little pup.

House Rules

House members who enjoy rolling and rubbing themselves on the dead bodies of squirrels are required to bathe.

With soap.


And are subjected to drying off with girlish, daisy beach towel for further embarrassment as punishment.

EEEeek! Ratzz & Lizzardzz

My skin is still crawling from the trauma of it all! Earlier today Peanut and I were walking around, enjoying the sunshine and birds singing everywhere. I looked at the curb and saw something dead and furry. I assumed it was a squirrel since they are all over the place where I live. Upon inspection, I realised it was a mouse. Peanut decided it belonged in his mouth--- I disagreed. My Peanut is still taking steroids so he has incredible Hulk strength and because of my health that I already bitched about, I'm not very strong right now. He won the tug of war and pulled us closer to the dead body and then... what happened....IT WAS ALIVE!! It started squirming and wiggling-it was obviously dying and my inner animal lover/activist felt sorry enough for it to reach deep within for just the muscle power to keep my salivating and yelping with excitement Jack Russel away from finishing the job one of the thousand vultures that live around here would have been happy to do. I was able to get him away from the poor thing but it was already too late. Peanut was in hunt-frenzy mode. Every living thing was vulnerable. Every leaf that moved in the breeze was a potential victim. After a few minutes he started walking in the direction towards home.
We got home and I noticed he didn't drink water but went straight to my bedroom. I already knew what was going on in there. I walked in slowly. My dog caught a lizard while I wasn't looking and for reasons known only to him, he enjoys bringing all his victims in MY ROOM. Not to his five hiding places or 4 of his own beds-my room. He likes to let it go-catch it again-let it go-catch it again then cry while poking it with his nose after it dies. I picked him up-lizard in mouth-and put him on the patio because the general rule in the house is: any house member who likes to torture lizards, please do so NOT IN MY ROOM, thankyou. Please PETA don't come to my house-it's not my fault-I knew JackRussel's enjoyed hunting fox in England but since I don't live in England or own foxes I thought all others would be safe. I even had a small
but respectful funeral:






I've said it before and I'll say it again:does this look like the face of a killer?


I didn't have my camera on hand to take any pictures of the mouse but I wouldn't have been able to anyway. Peanut is stronger than me right now and it would have been that mouse's doom.

Someone please kidnap this cat for me

He probably makes biscuits, irons, cuts the grass, and washes windows too. Not to mention his karaoke skills- probably kick ass

IMonster Cat

I'm probably the last person to have heard about this kitty. I guess it was on the news a while back. I wonder how he got that big....

Furry Chests

Peanut was supposed to have surgery last week. He's an old man now and has problems with his, er, bowels. He's already had 3 surgeries back there in the past few months and endless invasive exams that leave him feeling, well frankly, used and violated. Luckily, after we dropped him off, his doctor called us back in and told us he didn't need another surgery. He decided the best thing to do is to switch him to softer food and give him a strong antibiotic(remember when everyone was trying to buy stockpiles of Cipro because of all the Anthrax scares? That's what he's taking!) AND to help his immune system he's also taking steroids again. Yes my poor little dog is on the juice....I never believed that stuff really worked for animals but all sorts of interesting things have been happening here at Chez Peanut. It's as if he drank from the fountain of youth. He's jumping from couch to couch without taking a bouncing start, he's in constant 'hunting' mode, and he's also in serious 'thief' mode. But the strangest and best part is that the fur on his chest is noticeably thicker and his neck is sprouting curly patches. This isn't the first time he has taken steroids just the first time it made him grow chest hair. I was thinking about buying him a gold medallion or perhaps borrowing one from Mr.Ienjoysendingnakedpicturesofmyself. You remember him, right? More on him another day.

I won't mention names-and you know who you are- but a really insensitive person said to me,"Why are you wasting so much money on him when he's already old, I mean, why don't you just let him be. He's probably going to die in the next couple years anyway." Yeah.

Anyway I know I mentioned I was sick. I can't seem to get away from that damn topic. I'm pretty sure I'm anemic, which is a familiar subject for me so it's not a huge deal. I bought a regular multi-vitamin a few days ago and Mr.Pea's been bothering me and bothering me to eat steak and take some additional iron supplements(left over from the last time I was anemic) but I can't without letting my doc know and it was Martin Luther King Holiday weekend. I feel better today, though, so I'm just going to wait until my next appointment to mention it. I'm sick of all that stuff. At least I have an excuse to eat steak, not that I needed one. Sorry vegans, I tried the whole 'meat is murder' deal a few times and it didn't work.

A pet for our pet

Mr.Pea and I had a conversation the other day that illustrates how much we love our dog. We were actually thinking about getting another dog because Peanut(and I'm quoting verbatim)"wants a friend". As if we asked him or something! This is not a new conversation, we've been having it for years now. OK, I'm not going to get into a debate with the,'he's just a dog' people(don't even start that kind of filthy talk with me!). We don't dress him in funny little outfits or have those creepy wedding ceremonies or birthday parties. But he is a valuable member of our little family and we want him to be healthy and happy. The amount of money we've spent on his health and happiness may seem shocking and the fact that we include his name on our Christmas card may seem ridiculous,but not to us. We love him and we're not the least bit ashamed about it!! Why, just two days ago we took him to the vet for a follow up treatment to his surgery two months ago(around the same time as mine). It was pure torture for me to hear his squealing-he's usually a good boy at the doctor but he's an old man now with old man problems(I'll spare ya'll the details but use your imagination). Feeling guilty about his being 'violated', we went to the store and bought him a new fluffy bed and toy. I even took pictures of him 'being happy' about his new bed(one of many he has about 5 different sleeping/hiding areas throughout our home). This was when the comments were made. By myself or by Mr.Pea, I don't remember but it was a mutual thought. One of us said,"Look at poor Peanut, he's turning into an old man, I bet he'd love a little friend to play with." One of us said,"It would make him feel young again!" One of us said,"Oh another dog in the house, wouldn't he be so happy!" I definitely said,"I can't possibly even think about potty training a pup right now. We should get an older dog-I think rescue pets make the best ones!" Then one of us said, "Wait a minute, we are actually discussing getting a pet for our dog!"
Only a dog-lover could understand....This doesn't mean we came to a conclusion, it's still an option just not right now.