Monday, June 22, 2009

Impromptu Summer Evening

The tomatoes were planted late. So while I've been waiting and waiting for a blossom and hope of fruit, I made an impromptu veggie scrambled.

Sautee garlic, asparagus, and bell pepper. Pour scrambled eggs over the mixture and sprinkle with shredded pepper jack cheese.

It isn't quite the same as warm tomatoes from the garden that are sliced over cold cottage cheese, but it was a very nice substitute.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Typical Summer

The weather has gotten scorching hot and very humid. The plants don't seem to mind at all thanks to copious amounts of rain last week. The animals and I have hunkered down in the basement where the coldest air settles and where the tv is located.

This is a good time for knitting. Right now I'm working on a baby cocoon for a friend who is expecting. The yarn is Berroco Love It, and it just flies off the needles.

I expect to crawl out of the basement again in September when it gets cooler. Until then, keep the iced tea coming.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Dog Grooming

The other night, I kept smelling something horrible. First I thought it was the neighbor kid's weed was wafting into the house. If someone smokes a bunch, I've been able to smell it across the street. Then I thought that maybe some laundry had mildewed before it made it to the dryer. Then I thought Murphy the dog had unbelievably bad farts. That was the closest guess.

Murphy likes to find stinky things in the yard and roll in them. Apparently yesterday, he rolled in some aged poop which appears to have a more sophisticate scent than the fresh stuff. It was on his collar and stuck to the fur underneath. Cleaning the collar and a giving Murphy a sponge bath didn't help. He did like the sponge bath.

I put Murphy in the kitchen sink and lathered him up and hosed him down. He was very wiggling and uncooperative. Oscar the cat, who is never allowed on the counter, hopped up and sat just as close as he possibly could without getting wet -- in Murphy's direct sight. I couldn't let go of Murphy or a soapy dog would be dashing through the house, so Mr. Kitty got away with it. Murphy was even more agitated. Oscar just kept watching as if it were a great show. I'm sure if he had any popcorn he would have been eating it too. 

After the bath, Murphy smelled almost normal. The collar, even after being scrubbed and soaped vigorously, still smelled horrible. I was so tired and completely out of patience. To review: stinky, poop, dog bath, kitty insubordination, ruined dog collar. I debated whether the dog should be allowed to go outside to go to the bathroom. I decided that even a repeat of the bath was worth risking when compared to an accident in the house.

The next morning I went to PetSmart for a new collar and took the dog to try it on. His toenails were long, so I thought, "I could trim those but it would another doggy wrestling match." The salon said they'd trim it for him. It rang up at the cash register as a "Pawdicure." The light bulb flashed above my head: I got the dog a fucking pedicure. While he was getting his pedicure, I found a lovely collar for him and a matching leash. I got a good look at him in the collar after we got home. Although the color is good, it is pretty flowery even for a neutered male beagle. He is very metro-sexual now after having his pedicure and his "sensitive man" collar. 

So yeah, I'm questioning my sanity.