Friday, July 30, 2010

Couch Gone to the Dogs!


I think Xena has
gotten acclimated
to her new
home!


In the dark of night, I didn't know
where Xena was. I got my camera
and went to look for her. I should
have known she would be on her
"pallet!"
*
The couch has gone to the dogs.
Enjoy now, for this 24 year
old furniture is about to
be replaced and out of
the love of my heart
only the "love"
seat will be
left for them!



Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Countdown To Going Back to School


The calm of vacation is about to...



...return to business as usual! Ha!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Hodge Podge Saturday on Sunday

I tried to download this from my video file, but it wouldn't. I tried to download it from the Internet, but it wouldn't :-( So I guess I'll give you the address and let you go there to see it :-)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=H17edn_RZoY

Susie

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Xena's New Family!



Who could not love this baby face!
About "face!" No, I think it's better
if it's "turn tail!"


What follows the fiesta?
Why of course, the siesta!


Nothing like stretching out
to snooze!



Goodnight to all!



Sunday, July 18, 2010

Hodge Podge Saturday


Well, ah, yes, ISN'T SHE BEAUTIFUL?!




Heidi, who has groomed Gracie for
ten years told me
about Xena (it's a TRUE story.)



Just last week an older lady friend of one
of her clients had to go in for an operation
to remove her legs due to diabetes. She
was to go into rehabilitation, then a group
home for assisted living; not being able
to keep Xena. Heidi tried to find a rescue
for Bull Mastiffs in Florida, Georgia, and
a northern state (I don't remember which
one she said.) However, they are all full
due to overload of many people turning
them in because of the economy and can't
care for them anymore. The Humane
Society would just "put them down"
for the same reason of expense. Heidi
couldn't take her in due to the fact
she already has birds, a cat, and dogs
(besides the many she grooms)
*
It's "funny" how this evolved. She was
going to e-mail me with Xena's pictures.
I don't have her e-mail in my address
book, so it would come in as junk mail. It
didn't. For two days we tried. I found out
through Juno support, that her address
was blocked! I haven't ever received any
from her before in order to block it!
So, I took it as a message from the LORD
that I wasn't to take Xena (before hand
I had been praying about it.) Mean-
while, Heidi had not heard from the
lady, thinking frantically that Xena had
been taken to the pound. Heidi was to
have gotten back to me right away.
Well, a week went by and I thought,
"Okay, LORD, you answered my prayer."
*
It's a whole other story, but the short of
it is, during surgery, the lady died and
that's why Heidi couldn't find out
anything.
*
So, Heidi was frantic as to what was
going to happen to Xena. She thought
they had already taken her to the Humane
Society. When she did get to talk to
them they said they would have to take
her to the pound. Heidi said, "No." So, they
gave her pedigree paper to Heidi (the lady
had never signed the pedigree paper because
she didn't want to pay the $20 to AKC.)
It then was given to Heidi who gave
it to me. We happen to have the same vet
and they were let known of the transfer.
*
She is 2 years old (July 24th.) She has
had full obedience training and responds
to verbal and hand signals. She had
already been around Heidi's birds
and cat. So, the test comes...
*
I drove into the garage, left the engine
going with the air on, and let my dogs
out. They were curious, looking at me; I
guess in wonder why the truck was still
going. As they went out into the yard, I
took Xena out of the truck on her leash.
Of course, they did their dog thing of
smelling. Xena right away wanted to play
with Dolly. Dolly did too, but got frightened
when Xena's weight "bumped" into her.
Sam (the "old man") just stood there
staring. Gracie ignored her while running
down to the gate barking at the wind as she
usually does.
*
Then came the real test. I took Xena off
leash and she began to run all over the
yard enjoying the spacious fenced in area.
The others joined in (except "old man.")
He stood smelling which grass blade he
wanted to eat. You know, dogs eat grass
when their stomachs gets upset. I could
just see his thought pattern, "Oh, no,
not another female!"
*
Final and most important test; Sarah, my
cat; Max, my Macaw; Jerry, my African
Gray; and Cuddles, my Cockatiel.
*
Usually Dolly goes barreling in the door
with Sam and Gracie right behind her.
Now, the Dog Whisperer says you are
to make them wait, then invite them in
after you have gone in. Guess what?
Xena was at the door first. The others
didn't want to pass by her. Xena waited
until I went in and stood looking at me
to invite her!! Wow! She did learn the
obedience training well! Now, this
is how they have been going out and
coming in with Xena's good example!
*
Xena's first encounter with Sarah
was one of casual ignoring. Sarah
did the same in return. They have been
walking all around one another with
no problem.
*
The birds...their noise (especially Max)
caught her attention, but she just
looked, then walked away. When she
did become interested was when I went
in to feed them. Xena wanted to come in
too! But, I gave her the SIT, STAY com-
mand and she did just that!
*
When I went to bed, she lay loudly
chewing on one of the nylabones I
have for them. Then, it went quiet,
followed by the clicking of her nails
on the flooring heading down to the
birds' room. I thought, "I better not
trust her right now to be out by herself."
Dolly's large open wired kennel was still
assembled in the living room. So, I
enticed Xena in with some dog chews.
She went in, I put her bone in with her,
and shut the door, locking it. She
spent the night with no trouble at all,
other than the occasional chewing of her
bone and it rattling on the tin flooring.
When I went to church the next morning,
she went right in with no problem (of
course I gave a little help with a Dorito!)
*
Today, they have all been laying together
on the cool floor, snoozing (Sarah too.)
When I take them out, you ought to see
Xena run! I didn't know big dogs
could run so fast. She looks like a
gazelle at times. She's running at top
speed and does this leap and keeps
on going!
*
The LORD has surely given me another
reason to keep on going too, lol!
*
A side edition, I have completed all of
my most important lesson plans for the
school year. I'm ready to go!



Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Wrong City, Right Museum!


How could I ever mistake
the City? I guess after 12
years and my getting on
up there, it is an easy thing
to do!
*
Well, you know who my
favorite star is! That's
right, John Wayne. It
was my trip to New York
not, London where I had
my encounter with the
Duke (even though he
was made out of wax!)
Maybe they could have
done something to have
made me look better, lol!

Friday, July 9, 2010

Hodge-Podge Saturday



Just after the 9/11 tragedy, a group
of the teachers from my school went
to support New York over the Martin
Luther King Holiday weekend.
Looking at Lady Liberty reminds me
of the many immigrants that came
to Ellis Island to get legal status
for being in America.



A once in a lifetime trip came to me
through my church. A trip to Israel.
In 1998 right at our Spring break
I went to Israel. What a moving
experience to walk where Christ
walked! Above is the wailing wall,
which one day will be the Glory
of our Lord's Return and all
made New for His 1,000 year
reign!



How unique to see these streets of bricks.
Even more so, how men would roll carts
of 100's of pounds up and down this
bumpy street to get their
goods to the market place to sell.



This is just one area where the Jordan
River passed by. Christians groups
have baptisms here, but at this time
of the year the water is very cold.


The Sea of Galilee is where we are. We
went out on one of their "Jesus Boats."
It was such an honor when the Jewish
men played our National anthem
while raising our flag next to their
Jewish flag.


This is the Beit She'an Ruins. The top of
the summit doesn't look to be far, but all
you need do is compare the height to the
people in the forefront! I made it to
the top after stopping to let the muscles
in my legs rest. When I got to the top,
the muscles in my legs were quivering!



Back behind me, you can see the Dead Sea.
Believe me, it looks anything but dead.
The blue color is bluer than the
Atlantic Ocean. The salt content is
so great, when some of our brave
team went in swimming, they floated
like a cork!!



The Garden of Gethsemane has a very
familiar "rooster" that comes right up
to you and poses. After taking his picture
he "cock-a-doodle-do" and went his
way!


After we observed the LORD's Supper,
we went to visit a tomb that was as the
one Christ arose from.
*
I couldn't believe 10 days had passed
so fast! After seeing a model of Jerusalem
as it was in the day of Christ, we left and
flew to London.


London Bridge was one of the sights we
saw. The weather was so cold, we mainly
had our tour from the bus. We did go to the
famous wax museum. I have a picture
of me with my "hero" John Wayne, but
I didn't like myself bundled up
looking like a balloon, ha!


What is going to England without getting

a picture of their famous red buses.

I have other places I have gone, but

I'll have to let that be for another

time. I can't find where I've put

the pictures!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

God Bless America


May your 4th be as joyous as
the beautiful displays you see.
Happy Birthday, America!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Hodge-Podge Saturday


I have been busy this week cataloging my
movies for donation to my public library.
*
There were 195 VHS tapes in excellent
condition.
*
Above you see 324 DVD's! Of course I kept
my 2 John Wayne movies, Space Cowboys,
Forrest Gump, March of the Penguins, The
Bear (a mom and her two cubs), Lion
King, and Lord of the Rings series.
*
The sad thing I see is the money I spent on
these movies over the years. Of course most
were bought on sale. The Good thing is
I will have a good tax deduction since
everyone's taxes will be going up
beginning the 1st of 2011!
*
Later this month I will be gathering my
Christian fiction books and donate them
to my church. I also have many duplicated
CD's of Christian music. When mom and
I went to Gospel concerts, we didn't realize
we were buying the same CD'S!!
*
So, it will now be easier to dust a flat
surface than a bumpy one, lol!