Meet Panda The Puppy!

This is Panda--my new grand-puppy!  This is Belle's baby, he's only twelve weeks old.   Mr. B. and I met Panda for the first time on Christmas day.  He's fluffy and adorable!  A little shy, but full of love and friskiness once he gets comfortable with his surroundings.

Lola holding baby Panda wrapped in his puppy blanket.

Everyone but Rosco loved meeting Panda.  He didn't want anything to do with this new puppy in his house!

   

A New Year Is Coming...Hurry Up Already!

On the couch Cosmo sleeps, and Rosco watches as Mr. B. shovels the driveway to clear the snow...again!

The snow, the rain, the cold...hurry up already-it's time for a change.  A New Year equals a new start.  It won't change the weather, and it won't change my clothes, house, body fat, temperature, or job situation, but there is that optimism that things (events) will be better.  So... goodbye to the old and hello to the new.  WOW!  2013--We made it!!

Lola--kick that year (2012) out of here!

Snow...be gone!

Our hot tub covered with cold snow and icicles.

...and Rosco, I promise, this is the last Christmas outfit you'll have to wear.  This year that is!

I Survived The Holidays...But Boy Am I Tired!

Tired Rosco--can't keep his eyes open

Too much excitement, too many visitors, too much food, too many photos and all the changing in and out of too many Christmas outfits!

Hoping everyone had an exceptionally happy Christmas.

A smile brought to you by...The Happy Reindeer Rosco

Rosco looking out the window checking on the guests as they arrive in the driveway.

The Snowman That Arrived Before The Snow!

Still busy painting my bathroom yesterday, when suddenly, the doorbell rang.  A package arrived, and out of that package came a snowman!!  An adorable, smiling snowman carrying white flowers. 

 An unexpected, and much needed surprise from my baby sister in sunny California.  It's funny that my snowman arrived before the huge snowstorm sweeping throughout the Midwest.  This is what it looked like outside when the happy snowman arrived.

See---no snow---not yet, that is.

 Today, it's another story.  The snow is moving into the region.  Soon, we'll have a snowman in the front yard, but it won't have flowers!

The view out of the front window today as the snow is making its way across the state.

What Time Is The End Of The World?

 December 12, 2012...This surely must be an indication of something??  Excitement in the Midwest!

I was talking on the phone with my sister from California and she told me about an "End Of The World Party" she was invited to on December 21st.  I told her it sounded like fun, and suggested they should play Prince's song, "I'm gonna party like it's 1999."  She thought the song by REM, "it's the end of the world as we know it"  would be a good choice too.  She wondered out loud; living on the West coast, what time is the end supposed to happen?    Hm-m-m is it eastern, or standard, or pacific or mountain time?  Does anyone know?  I'm thinking maybe Pacific time.  But would that give me enough time to finish painting my bathroom?   

I took into consideration the most recent exciting date 12-12-12, when hundreds of people ran out to get married and/or do other odd things to celebrate the date.  The highlight for me on December 12, 2012, was when highway workers came to my house to remove the huge construction sign that was planted in my front yard for over a year.  Cheers erupted in my house as they yanked the large orange sign out of the lawn.  Do you know what a nightmare it was trying to cut and trim the grass around that damn sign?  So based on this excitement, it doesn't take much for us to get happy.  I think I'll just go paint my bathroom so when they discover my body somewhere in the future, I will be a glimpse into the past as they wonder why mankind was so concerned about the paint color on bathroom walls when an apocalypse was foretold!

Forget The Fireplace--Start The Backsplash!

Minus the kitchen backsplash...

Our fireplace project was put on hold...temporarily.  Mr. B. decided it was time to get started on a long, overdue project--the kitchen backsplash.  We purchased the glass tiles in the summer, but kept putting the project off until a rainy day.  So no rain, and no snow, but what better time to do it than now?  Mr. B. started the backsplash project this past weekend.  I'm hoping he'll finish before December 21st, that way we'll have a few days to enjoy the new look before the end of the world!

without the backsplash...

the beginning of the backsplash

...with much more to go...

Bans, Laws, Rules, Regulations Needed

As I clicked on a news video to view on my computer today, I had to sit through an advertisement that didn't give me an option to delete.  The ad came with a warning of explicit violence, the ad was from X-Box 360 advertising their new video.  Thanks X-Box-- you idiots.  I really needed to see that--a video game depicting guns and violence.  There will never be an appropriate time for this stupid advertisement for me, but today, with all the heartache and grief in Newtown, Connecticut...today is not the day I need to see an ad for a violent video game.
 

Do I Wear It This Way...

                                  ..or this way?

Belle, our baby fashionista, always likes to switch things up a bit.  Best part of Christmas is Baby Belle's Brand of Fashion. But, as Rod Stewart sings..."you wear it well..."    Looking forward to it!

Belle teaching Lola some of her styling tricks!

Surround Yourself With What You Love...

 ...even in the kitchen.  We do.

I know.  I know.  No dogs allowed in the kitchen, but Lola's waiting for a pot to boil, and Rosco needed a hug.  Besides, those rules don't apply at my house.  Only when company is present!

Rosco's attention turns to...

Cosmo...as he enters the kitchen with one thing on his mind.  That would be FOOD.  He has to maintain his 110 lb. poodle weight after all!

I'll Take 65!

Mongo--(Cosmo, Sadie, and Rosco's West Coast dog cousin)--enjoying her run on the beach.

Here in the lovely, cold, chilly Midwest-we are all bundled up but still shivering.  Today it's just 34 degrees Fahrenheit outside.   That's daytime, we haven't reached the nighttime temperature yet.  Br-r-r-r even the dogs refuse to go outside today.  But meanwhile, in the sunny West--my sister and her furry baby Mongo are on the beach enjoying 65 degree weather.  She says that's cold for California--I say I'll take it any day.  How dare she send pictures of the fun they're having on the beach!  My latest beach picture involved polar bears and frozen toes!

My sister and Mongo enjoying the beach, the weather, the ocean, the warm, the sun, the....(sigh)

Polar Bear Training!

Mr. B. and I posing with the polar bear before running into the lake.

Mr. B. and I did something on the weekend most people would consider crazy. We participated in the Polar Bear Plunge on Dec. 1st, raising funds for the local Kiwanis Club for youth groups.  Mr. B. nor I did an actual plunge, but we ran (really fast) into the cold, make that very cold waters of Lake Huron.  Our feet were numb three seconds into the water.  We couldn't feel our feet walking back out of the lake.  Not sure how we made it to the car, but we quickly changed into dry clothing and dry shoes with heavy socks on, turned the car heater on full blast and laughed all the way to the restaurant for a bowl of hot chili.  We did it, maybe our last time...but we did it!

Mr. B. stops at the first sandbar to check to see if his feet are still attached!

                                         

Me--already cold with the 43 degree wind blowing.

Mr. B. getting ready for the countdown to plunge!

That's me waving(leaving the sandbar)heading towards the shore(behind me)

One word....Brave!

Into the lake...all the crazy people ran.  Mr. B. stops (front left) to grab his flip flops that fell off his frozen feet.

Who's That Sitting In My Chair??

During commercial break the other night, I got up and went into my kitchen to get an apple and some peanuts to snack on.  When I returned, someone or something was in my chair.  At first glance, I could only see two ears poking up over the arm...

Two ears sticking up.....and he's even watching my show, "Nashville" on the T.V.

Well there he is...the guilty party that stole my T.V. seat!!!

And the very next night....this is what I found upon returning from the kitchen to sit back down in my chair and watch T.V., (notice I wrote 'my chair')...

Yes, Cosmo moved in and made himself quite comfortable sending Rosco over to the armrest!

My dogs...comfort is their top priority...well, after food..that is.  So if you come to visit me at my house, and begin to wonder what all the brown blankets are for on my furniture.  Now, you know!

I caught him...this is how it all starts.  Cosmo checks out a spot, seconds before jumping up to nap!

Romeo's Roost

Romeo's roost--his cat climber.  He's keeping an eye on all of us!

I visited my friend Terri at her beautiful lakefront home the other day and was entertained by her two cats, Romeo and Viv (short for Vivien).  They were both playful and full of personality.  I think they know who I am now, they no longer hide under the bed!  Their entertainment skills were for all to see that particular day!

Viv--The purse guard.

Romeo: "Enough talking already--I want my lunch!"

Fireplace Finished

Before...

After.

The second coat went on the yellow brick fireplace.  Mr. B. with his paintbrush in hand, painted over my one yellow brick I was keeping for a memory of the original (of course he did it when I wasn't looking). To finish--we'll add a black painted wood mantel then  outline the front of the  brick fireplace with a few black glass tiles, plus hang a few pictures on or around the white brick.   So not completely finished with the entire look, but getting there.  The shopping begins!

without a picture....

with a picture... needs a different colored frame.

The fireplace is blending with the wall--needs to be framed.

Mr. B. painted my one yellow brick I had left for a memory.