Meet Moe!

Moe will be flying in from Kansas on Friday.  It is a bit of a long story as to how we decided to add him to our family and it starts with the local "Welcome Wagon" here in Florida.

Last Wednesday, we were here at the house catching up on work from the bus company, and our doorbell rang.  At the door was our next door neighbor and the neighbor a few doors down.  They told us they were the neighborhood "Welcome Wagon".  I think they were just being nosey in a real friendly way.  We've had the place here in Florida for 2 years now.  Louise is our next door neighbor and we had met her before.  Polli is another story!  Quite the spunky lady and would have no problem making a truck driver blush! About 90 pounds of spunk and attitude!

Anyway, along with Louise and Polli came Nyx - a 1 year old Silky Terrier.  Polli asked if she could let her run around the house and we said of course.  We love dogs.  Well, while we were talking Nyx ( I know, strange name) ran around the house checking everything out.  After a bit I couldn't help but get down on the floor and play with her.  She was so fun.  She might be small but didn't act it.  She wrestled and played with me in between tearing around the house jumping from the couch to the love seat, behind the table and round and round.

We started to ask Polli more questions about Nyx and she told us most people think she is a Yorkie since Silky Terriers are not real common.  That they have been breed for their personality first and looks second.  They rarely bark and don't shed and even though they are small, they are not fragile.  About 9 to 10 inches at the shoulder and top out at 10 to 12 pounds.

Then we asked about flying with her and she said she does it all the time.  Has an airline approved carrier for her and she just goes to sleep during the flights.  After our visit Polli and Louise left and it was only minutes before Polli and Nyx were back with her carrier to show us.  The one she has looks sort of like a large purse (we will probably look for a more masculine looking one).  She set it on the floor, opened the top and Nyx jumped in, turned around and laid down, with a look on her face like, "Where are we going?"

Well, this really got me and Brian thinking.  We both miss Max so much and had been thinking of getting another dog but didn't know how to handle flying back and forth to Florida.  The driving back and forth is something we just don't want to do anymore.

A little research on the net told us a lot more about the breed and then Brian did a breeder search on the AKC site.  Silky Terriers are a bit rare and there were not a lot of breeders listed.  But we found one in Kansas who had some puppies available.  His name is Joe and he has been breeding Silky Terriers for over 20 years.  He only breeds his females once and so has a litter only every few years.  Moe was born, along with three sisters, on July 19th of this year.

Brian wrote to him and we got a very nice email back from him with these pictures attached.  You know what they say about a pic being worth a thousand words.....

So again, Brian and I spent some time talking about this, getting more and more excited about having another dog and so we called Joe on Thursday.  Brian had a nice conversation with him and got some details and then we said we would think about it and get back to him.  Off to Denny's we go!  Over eggs and a Philly steak we decided we would love to have Moe come and live with us.  I talked to Joe twice today - he is quite the gabber - and we worked out the details and Moe will be leaving on a jet plane on Friday!  We can't wait!

Now, you might be wondering about the name Moe.....  I'm sure everyone knows that when people register dogs with the AKC - especially show dogs - they choose some rather long and goofy names.  Since Moe's parents are both champion show dogs they have the silly names and so does Moe.

His mother's registered name is:  Champion Tagalong Tessier In-House Design (Izzie for short).  His father's registered name is:  Grand Champion Anjo Blu's Go-Getter (GoGo for short).  Moe's registered name is:  Anjo Blu's Lucky Mojo and wait for it........   Moe for short!  He is four months old and Joe and his family have been calling him Moe.  We think it's cute and since everyone who knows me knows that making a decision can be a painful process for me, we are going to stick with Moe!

Also, anyone who knows us knows that we were absolutely crazy about Max.  He will always have a special spot in our hearts but we think there will be room for Moe too.

As I have said before, we are really excited to get our hands on Moe.  If you follow this blog I'm sure you will seeing a lot more of him!


Where's Brian?

Brian asked me to read over his last few posts and check for errors and while I was doing that, I noticed that Brian was conspicuously missing from the old blog.  What has not been missing are a lot of pictures of me and I gotta hand it to Brian - he can really catch me at my best!  Love the one of my big ole ass sticking out from under the new vanity or that lovely one of me in the Halloween costume.  What sort of sad cry for help is that!  Lord, I need to loose 30 pounds, burn all my clothes and find a plastic surgeon who enjoys a challenge!


I also know that I have not been contributing to it much either, but I digress, as Sophia always said.


So, here's to Brian!  

Here is as "The Candy Man"!  The costume I made for him for the CPA's Halloween Auction.  Sadly, we didn't get to attend, but  I'm sure he would have been the hit of the evening!  Interesting side note: you can't imagine how much candy we ate in the process of making this getup.  :-)

Even though we were not able to attend the big shindig due to my brother's funeral, Brian did manage to snag a prize.  He put Kathy (from work) on bidding detail and she was able to win this during the auction.  A poster signed by all of the Lettermen when they were here last year to perform for the CPA, along with a nice basket of wine - from Tony Butala's own vineyard - and other wine goodies.  


And I am going to make an effort to not only contribute to this little old blog more often, but be sure that we get more pictures of Brian too!  After all, fair is fair!!


Steve

My Brother, Chip

I'm not sure what to say about this.  Or how to say it.  I'm sure that everyone who reads this blog (all three or four of you) have heard by now that my brother Chip passed away on the 25th of October.  I didn't see how I could continue with this blog without mentioning him.  Hard to go on talking about the silly things in our lives and not acknowledge his passing.


Ever since he left us, memories of him have been on my mind.  Along with a little guilt for not making more of those memories when I had the chance.  We should all take a lesson from that one.  But what really has been on my mind is that I wish I would have told him how much I admire(d) the way he handled everything life threw at him.  Rarely a complaint, always asking about me and Brian, not talking about himself.  It has made me take a harder look at myself and how I handle things - too quick to bitch and complain.  I will miss him, but I will never forget him.

HAND IN THE BOX

Each year as people enter the auction we have boxes, bags, or some container that holds a gift.  The gifts are donated and are always worth the $20 they paid for them and they get the box or container that were often very nice.  This year we have put the Halloween twist on the same thing.  When the person comes in and wants to buy a trick-or-trick bag they have to reach into the box "Steve made" and select a ball with the bag number on it.  They have there holes to select from and they will get a huge surprise no matter what hole they select.  It is going to be a hoot.  I can hear people screaming already.  This is such a popular part of our auction that the bags usually sell out withing an hour. 

This year we have taken everything to extremes.  People will be greeted by a hearse parked in front of the door and one as they enter the parking lot of the hotel.  There will be fog machines and tons of spooky stuff after they check in. 

Our new director has outdone herself.  We have Trek bikes, motor scotters, a painting that usually sells for $1600, all sorts of wonderful stuff.  The entire office is filled with stuff and boy there is a lot of stuff. 

You will notice that Steve got assigned to building the box that will house the trick in order to get their prize.   We have so much stuff planned that we had to actually stay on a schedule this year.  I suspect our auctioneer will be carried into the room in a casket.  I'm not sure but I have a feeling.  Everyone wants to dance and then we will have a costume contest.  Everyone gets a bag and has to go around the room trying to collect money for the best costume.  At the end the person who raises the most money gets to keep half of it. 

CAN'T TAKE THE RELIGION OUT OF THE BOY

I am not as easily embarrassed by things as Steve is.  I am more than willing to go out onto the floor at our auction and do whatever it takes to make a buck, and that's what I plan to do.  Thank God one of us is a little more dignified and knows where to draw the line, kind of.  Here is the costume Steve selected.  Knowing that Steve attended a Catholic school for many years everyone who knows him will find this more than amusing.  He will wear all black under it and there was make up that came with it but I think it may take a bit of work to get him to go that far but we'll see.   Everyone is so excited about this as it is so very different from the elegant formal affairs the CPA has done in the past.  Tonight Steve and I attended a dinner at the local high school and I heard again how excited people are for the event.  Two tables are doing Togas, however the Toga must coincide with their occupation.   I guess I'd need red flashing lights on my toga so who knows how much money I'd pull in doing that.   Below you will see Steve "pre auction".

SEWING WIHT STEVIE

When I lived in Milwaukee, for whatever reason I used to watch "Sewing with Nancy" and often wondered why anyone would go through all of that work to make a dress or coat when they could go to Sears and get a Craftsman or Gur-animals.  It just made no sense to me but, there you have it

I've always admired Steve's ability to get behind the machine and whip up a table cloth or curtains for a room.  I'd sew my
---- fingers together if in fact I could make the strings go the right direction.  He has tried so many times to tell me how it works but I insist that if the needle goes thrugh a hole on the top and out the same hole you've accomplished nothing. 

Well, Jefferson's version of "Sewing with Nancy" is "Sewing With Stevie".  A very highly rated show I might add.  One week he sews two table clothes together to make one and the next he's running electrical wires to a bathroom or plunging a toilet.  Go figure. 

All teasing aside, Steve has been commissioned by Brian Wang to create a Candy Man costume for the CPA costume party and auction on October 29th.  I'll tell you, there is nothing more manly than picking out yard goods. 

We went to Joann's and got our yard goods and then he came home to create the Brian Wang costume.  As I sat in my recliner he would come to me and measure across my chest and from my neck to my hips. I found it amazing how many feet of tape is on a sewing tape.  Then he'd come back and measure over my shouders.  Keep in mind, I never had to get out of my chair.  Then the cutting began and the machine kicked into gear.  Five hours later I went for my first fitting and he did well. 

Here's the concept.  I will glue candy bars onto this Brian Wang costume and sell them for $5 each to people who want to win a chance to win an iPad that Steve and I purchased for the auction.   It is well known that I can work an audience and sell ice to Eskimos so we shall see how close to $1500 I can get. 

Keep in mind, I planned on sitting in my chair the other night and stitching candy to my outfit (my costume) but the string would pull right through the wrapper so that didn't work.  Then I tried to go through a Snicker bar and again, the string just went right through it.  So I will resort to Velcro.  I will have a hat on with candy bars attached to it.  I am hoping to enter the room with the Candy man music going.  No doubt I will make the front page of the paper.  Last time I made the front page at our auction I was kissing a horse and feeding him chips and salsa off a plate.  He wouldn't take it out of my hand.  I had to improvise.  See below.  It is far from done.

STUCK UP

We are not good with a hammer, and you may quote me.  After hanging doors and some touch up, we decided we would not nail through our new wood trim but rather we'd glue it on so we didn't have hammer marks or nail holes to fill.  As you can see, Steve is putting glue on the first piece of door trim.  As I stood in the hallway hanging onto the trim so it didn't move a bit, I could hear the clicking of the caulking gun and a person saying, "I don't know what I'm doing wrong, the glue won't come out".  Being the eternal smart ass I suggested he read the directions.  After a cramped hand I heard him say "Oh, there we go, you can't keep pumping the thing".  DUH.   He got his glue on the trim and would ever so carefully bring it to it's final resting place for attachment.  And if you ever need to glue something that will never move again, we have the glue for you.  We are considering it as mandatory equipment in the buses.   We stuck on our trim, stood back and praised ourselves for a job well done.  So the doors won't open (kidding) but the trim looks nice.   Take a look.  Now we have about 400 feet of wood trim to paint as it didn't match the doors as we thought it would.  Take a look at the handy work below.  Move over Bob Vila, you're being replace by Starsky and NUT.