My little girl is growing up…

I wish I could tell you this “little” puppy was a snuggly bundle of pillow-y white goodness, but over the past few months, she has grown into a stinky old dog that licks herself, eats poop and doesn’t really have an off switch.  So long little girl, hello ghost dog.

This past month I have began calling her Ghost Dog, simply because of her coat and her streaky appearance the majority of the time when you want to take her picture.  All you see is this blur of white run past your viewfinder and then again, then again… then you eventually put the camera down in disbelief and give up.  She will sleep eventually, then we will get a nice picture of her.

Seldom is the case though.

She also has the nickname of “the lion”, because you can catch her laying (similar to a lion) in the middle of the backyard regal, loyal… broad shouldered… basking in the sun - head up and full of pride.  Dare anyone to step foot in her domain.

Recently when a friend of ours came over, he walked out the backdoor to Izzy barking and at a full sprint straight at him.  He took one step out and one step back in and shut the door. 

“GET YOUR DOG DUDE!”

It is a good feeling really, since after a few moments and her realizing that all was ok - she went back to normal.  But for that split second her domain was breached and someone was going to lose an eye.  Or at least scream and run off.  I know it makes Shala happy to know that two dogs could keep some folks away that could mean us harm.  At least when I am out of town.  Just don’t tell anyone that one of them is shaped like a hot dog and about as friendly as one as well.

As for the big dawg (that is what we call Mikey, he has a complex) - he is showing his age more and more.  Even though he is only 5 or so… this past year and with Izzy showing up seems to have mellowed him out considerably.  We worried about him at first, because she was so 100MPH and he couldn’t help but try and keep up… but he damn sure did.

The sad part was the fact that Izzy spent most of her time trying to feel things out so she had no clue of how hard she was biting him and when she was closer to his size she did a number on Mikey’s neck & ears.  I mean he would have scabs galore (I know that is gross to hear) - but still… he couldn’t turn down a fight. 

That eventually went away, and now they will play and neither gets hurt or even yelps for that matter.  An hour and a half of teeth showing and high pitched growls eventually ends with Mikey jumping up on the couch to snuggle with Shala under the blanket.  Izzy then finally gives in to the sleep monster and all is well in our world.

Mikey is funny though.  Something we both have noticed lately is his lack of urgency for everything.  You can say…

“You want to go outside?!?”

Used to he would hit the ground running and BAM! he was out the door running.  Now after about a minute of calling him specifically, he will ease off the couch then walk to the backdoor.  He just isn’t all that into it.  I’m sure deep down he is thinking…

“Is ghost dog going to be out there?”

Yup.  You bet your Oscar Myer ass she is.

Same with everything else.  Eating isn’t all that great.  Coming inside also has lost its cool.  Everything is just ho hum at best.  I laughed last night when we were waiting for him to trot his happy butt into the house and I told Shala.

“I’m sure Mikey is thinking, in the last 5 years they have yet to leave me behind… I doubt they are going to start now.”

He is right too.  We always spend a little extra time & effort with him.  Izzy would have long been left.  It is a bit harder to be patient with that big ox of a dog.  She is such a goofball at times and so you never know if she really doesn’t want to go outside/eat/play/pee/inside or if she just isn’t understanding/listening/paying attention or whatever.

It is hard to think that she was once this…

and is now this…

but it is true.  Lord is it true.  I guess Mikey did the same thing though.  Just the transition from this…

to this…

wasn’t as drastic.

The one thing that rings true though, is the fact that even though they have grown up - they are great friends.  We worried about them for a while - didn’t know if they were going to be friendly or not.  Then one day it just clicked for them.  I think we caught that very day on camera, and it seems a long time ago now.  We were glad that they both came around though.

Tags: Double Danger Dogs Diary, Personal, Pictures by James
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We are on day two of nonstop rain.  I hope our plants do not decide to drown or better yet I hope they do not get used to this rain we have had - because if this year is like any other year, this will be the majority of our rainfall.  Only crammed into 3 days.

Saturday about 6 or 7 PM it started to rain.  It was nice and unexpected, in fact it cooled off rather quickly - which screamed hail to me… but that wasn’t the case.  Apparently a “cold front” had dipped down and we were experience real rain!  RAIN!  No crazy winds and thunderstorms that were capable of producing softball size hail… no sudden downbursts… just rain.

A pleasant surprise.

Well Shala was out of town, and so when I got up on Sunday morning it was still raining - again kind of surreal for us… but happily I accepted the fact and tried to persuade the dogs that they would not melt if a drop hit them.  Shala flew in after noon and so I picked her up and it was still raining.  Well, sprinkling.

This continued pretty much the rest of the day and when I hopped up to take the dogs out this morning… RAINING.  What is going on… really… we are worried that we have stepped into Seattle by accident or something.  Very strange deal.

Our dogs are sitting under the porch wondering what the hell has gotten into us, creating all this rain and stuff.  Shala said Mikey ventured out into the yard this morning tippy-toeing around.  He is such a girl.  Izzy on the other hand thinks God is trying to spray her with the waterhose or something and just runs like crazy if she makes it out, then slides back under the porch.  She will never make it as a water dog/retriever… sad.

I did get a crapload done on the tree - but haven’t taken pics just yet.  Will try and get some taken today and posted as soon as possible.  Hoping to finish it up this week - will be a big chore off the ever-growing list.  Yay. 

Happy Monday everyone… wish we could share some of these temps and rain with everyone else.

Perfect chance for some “rain” inspired music right?  Why not…

Rain - Beatles

Like The Rain - Clint Black

Songs About Rain - Gary Allan

No Rain - Blind Melon

November Rain - Guns N Roses

Have You Ever Seen The Rain - CCR

Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain - Willie Nelson

I’m No Stranger To The Rain - Keith Whitley

The Rain - Missy Elliot

**UPDATED**

Let It Rain - Eric Clapton (suggested by Kate - the manic gardener)

Tags: Gardening, Personal by James
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I am going to get real today, realer than most of you folks that visit our site have ever seen me get.  I am a writer by nature, however things like this seem to flow out without effort - I don’t think it has anything to do with my writing skills.  I think it has to do with my heart and what needs to come out at times.  Like it or not.

Shala is at a funeral today.  Our Sister-in-law’s Mother passed away on Sunday, finally giving in to this demon we call cancer.  This kind of hits home more than most as some of you know my Brother passed away a few years back at the age of 32 of cancer as well.  I have spent a lot of time lately thinking about him and just everything we missed out on with him being gone.  The things I wish I could show him, the things I wish he could show me.

Last night, since I was home alone I was spending some time outside trying to pass the time since my bride was gone.  I know for some people it is a party when their better half leaves town - but for me it is BooooOOORING.  So I try to pass the time doing something productive at least, but most of the time it is spent thinking and waiting.

Back on task though…  last night I was out back hand-watering our backyard hoping to get it to green up a bit.   With everything going on, I couldn’t help but think about the family involved and all the emotions and things they must have been dealing with at the moment.  I remembered the feelings, the phone calls, the looks of desperation and the tears when my Brother passed and we were going through the same thing.  You can’t really explain to someone the feelings and emotions unless they have been through it themselves, and if that is the case… you don’t really have to explain a thing.  There is a silent understanding.

We have this nozzle that we use, just like everyone else to hand water and I had that on and it is one of those that you can choose what type of spray it makes.  Sorta like those showerheads that you can choose “massage” or “pulsate” or whatever.  So as I watered I was trying to find the most efficient way to cover every inch with the same amount.  The way our dry yards are - you can see the color of the soil change almost as you are painting the yard.

You see, my Brother was an auto body man - painting cars for a living.  So a few summers I got the pleasure of working side by side with him painting cars of unfortunate folks (don’t worry, he always went back and sanded out my mistakes and fixed them).  As most of us probably do, when painting with spray pain we kinda shake the can at the object we are painting.  It is a weird erratic thing to do, but when painting seems ok to do.  That was the first thing my Brother made sure to break me of - he couldn’t stand to see his own blood looking like a n00b at the one talent he excelled at more than anything.  It just wouldn’t be right.

So as I “painted” my grass last night I caught my self doing the same erratic shake that I was criticized for years ago.  I smiled as I slowed my shake to a constant drag and coverage hawg that it should have been from the get go.  As I hit my stride I couldn’t help but think about more and more of the stuff me and my Brother shared.  Or didn’t share. 

I am a firm believer that when something happens or a memory flashes through regarding someone who has passed that for an instant God is looking right at you and giving you that nod or wink that you needed.  Or better yet, the person you are thinking of just for a minute of our hectic lives says…

“Hey… remember me.  Good.  Have a great day.”

As I sat in the backyard watering I looked up and just wondered if the afterlife was really as we envision.  If heaven was everything we plan it to be… and more.  And for a split second I thought… God… give me a sign that everything is the way it seems and that my Brother is indeed enjoying the glories we read and speak of.

I sat and waited only to shake myself and say… what more do you need.  You are doing something as trivial as watering some grass and you spent 30 minutes doing it in a way that reminded you of your Brother.  You drug it out in a way so you could spend some extra time remembering, feeling and living the way you think your Brother might want.

What more of a sign do you need?

Sometimes we get so caught up in needed things to inspire and reassure us… only to miss those very things.

I miss my Brother.  I miss my Dad.  Grandmother… hell, I miss a lot of people that have come and gone.  I probably think about my Brother the most though… and in these times like this week when tragedy has hit another family and shook their world the way my family’s shook a few years back, you can’t help to hope that watering the grass is your sign.

My heart goes out to the Meador Family.  My heart goes out to all of you that have lost a loved one due to this demon we call cancer.  I only hope that some of you are spared the intensity of the disease and the effects it can have on a family.  Also anyone else that has lost a loved one for whatever reason, my heart hurts for you.  Grab onto what you can and milk it for what it is worth.  Positivity is just as contagious as negativity.

Tags: Personal, Self Help by James
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We have been having issues with our old camera (lens errors) and it was taking some of the crappiest pictures ever lately.  Not good for some folks that need their camera to keep posting great content for the masses… right?

We didn’t really shop for long for one, as it seems like the unless you want to spend $800 on a camera - most in our range of 200 bucks are about the same.  If you are some kind of camera freak… don’t start preaching to us about how they aren’t all the same… because I don’t care to listen.  ;)  At least not today, try back next week.

We opted for the FujiFilm FinePix Z.  Sounds fancy huh.  Not really, seems kinda cheap compared to our last one (it was a Canon) as far as weight and feel… this one seems light and cheaply constructed.  Oh well… you get what you pay for eh?

It was about 170 bucks with tax and all.  So we can’t complain that much.  10 Megapixels, which after a certain point… does it really matter?  I mean who needs more than 7 or 8?  Unless your some pro getting money for your shots.  And please believe it that no one has sent us a check yet.  ;)  Not yet anyhow.

So we were excited to try our new toy out yesterday and ran around like lil kiddos snapping pics and going oooooh and ahhhhh.  Pretty easy to use and overall great picture quality.  We shall see over the next week if we are still hi-5′n each other over our latest purchase.  So stay tuned for that.

Let’s get on with some pics taken by our newest member of the family… PIX-Z 

I have to put a vote in for Izzy being the most beautiful dog on the planet.  Nice quality with the camera as well, was surprised, it trumps our old one in that respect.

She has that permanent look on her face.  You know the look - “Do you have a ball, stick, sock, rock, peach, camera that I can play with?”  Again, great quality - seemed to get both her and the grass with pretty nice detail.

A nice closeup and once again it trumps our old camera - because it actually focuses on what you want to focus on.  Our old camera always seemed to focus on the background or some odd something in the picture.  Not cool.  PIX-Z wins this one.

Not sure how many times we tried to take this picture only to find it white washed or with NO DETAIL at all with our old camera.  You can really see the hardiness in the leaves and the detail that our old camera lacked.  PIX-Z wins again.

Our Vinca are doing their best impression of healthy plants for ya?  Suprising what a little water can do eh?  Who would have thought.  I think they have doubled in size the last week - maybe I’m crazy though.

Not completely happy with this pic, this was done in lower light than they others - which has me worried that our old camera did a better job in those cases.  Oh well - PIX-Z 3, Canon 1.  Pix still winning overall - big time.

Tags: Gardening, Personal, Pictures, Reviews by James
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We had a string of storms roll through our area a few days back and it caused quit a stir.  A pretty busy portion of town had poles snapped and with no power for a day or so… it caused chaos for our growing city.  To say the least.

Well as part of the power outage, we lost internet in other parts of town with a certain provider.  We just happened to be one of those that lost internet… here at my workplace.  Now for some of you, this wouldn’t be that big of a deal.  You can flip burgers without internet, you can run your retail store without internet, you can do hair without internet… but for a company like ours, it was bad news.  BAD NEWS.  SUPER BAD.

So it has been one big disaster after another, but looks like we are back up and running. 

That is how I am able to transmit to the masses my frustrations via this weblog you frequently read for gardening & barbeque goodness.  So rejoice, both parts of Double Danger are back in action… like it or not. 

If something good comes out of all of this…

We got some rain.  Two days in a row.  REAL RAIN.  FROM THE HEAVENS!  Our plants spent yesterday high-5′n each other and doing their best impressions of healthy plants.  We didn’t know how to react really… we just ran with it… high-5′n each other and doing our best impressions of parents of healthy plants.  It was all odd to say the least.

One last tidbit of info before I retire into my mess of work…

The storm that caused all the chaos, breaking telephone poles and such… it was started off by a “heat burst”.  So at about 11:45 Monday night, it was 98 degrees all of a sudden.  Was wickedly scary.  Wind blowing 60-70 MPH.  Can you imagine 98 degrees at midnight?  Our air conditioner was not high-5′n at all.  Por favor believe it.

Tags: Personal by James
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