Monday, June 17, 2013

Quashing the Cold-blooded Uprising

I think it's the baby boa constrictor that tipped him off.

Yes all, Choreboy finally noticed the cold-blooded uprising taking place in our house after the number of snakes hit five (and after he saw my list of "Snakes Amanda Also Wants" which would add, uhm, 3 more? *ducking*).  So everyone, without further ado, may I please introduce Charlie.

Here he is! The strategically placed heart is necessary because my husband apparently loves seeing my cleavage over-exposed and figures the rest of the world feels the same way. I disagree. You're welcome.

Charlie is a 10 week  old "chug", i.e., chihuahua/ pug mix.  He's a blast, and is doing his best to ingratiate himself with Teddy, aka Hound, our 5 year old chorkie (chihuahua/ yorkie mix).

Yes, we have thematic animals.  No, it wasn't deliberate.  But we were getting some accoutrements for the baby boa constrictor's habitat and I let Brent out of my sight to go get a shopping basket.  The man is usually perfectly safe to let loose in a pet store; he's a rational adult and is more than well aware of the cost, maintenance, and responsibility generated by additional animals, especially those of the canine persuasion.

So imagine my surprise when he came bounding up, cart in hand, and said "Come on, baby!  You have got to see this cute little dog!!"

Blink.  Okayyyyyyyy...

We walked over (Choreboy was actually still kind of "bounding" -- very Tigger-like) and there in one of the puppy pens was Charlie.  One of the opportunistically observant employees came over and asked if we'd like the pen opened so we could hold him.  Rather than just say "No, no, he's just so cute," or words to that effect, my besotted husband answered "Yes!!"

I swear to you I heard both exclamation points.

Brent picked him up, and Charlie (ingratiating little bugger that he is) licked him on the face.  From that moment on, the formerly sane man I married thought it would be an excellent idea for animal #14 to be a dog.

Not a snake.  Oh no, not a lovely "set-it-and-forget-it" pet.  A dog.  A full-bore, yapping, piddling, pooping, toe-chewing house-training-required little dog.

With an underbite.

In case I haven't mentioned it recently, my husband is a freaking saint.  He handles my menopausal moodiness with barely a twitch.  He has stepped into the void in my children's lives.  He puts up with -- and even on some level likes -- our cats even though he's horrifically allergic to them.  He has already taken over most of Hound's care, and even steps in with the snakes when they're being difficult on feeding day (they eat frozen/thawed rodents and there are days when they don't totally approve of our offerings -- they'd prefer something with a bit more... erm... "wiggle").  And for him to want to bring another pet into our house?  It had to be something special.

We left the pet store, and Brent couldn't stop talking about the puppy.  We talked about it some more.  We agreed we are both clearly insane (in spite of my hesitation, you can tell by the picture that I'm pretty gone on the little guy as well).  We called my parents whose input was necessary because they provide "Doggie Daycare" for Teddy on the days Brent and I are both working, and this would place an additional burden on them.  They agreed.  Mom was even sounding pretty excited :)

Then we called the pet store to put a hold on Charlie, got in the truck, and rode over.

It's a good thing we put that hold on him, because the guys at the pet store said not five minutes after we'd called that not one but two other folks came in wanting to buy our pup!  One of them was even playing with him when we walked in.

In the end, we walked out with our baby dog and another couple who'd first been scoping out Charlie walked out with his bigger sister.  He did well enough his first night in our home, although Brent ended up having to put Charlie's crate up on his bed so he'd would stop crying.

[The puppy was crying, not Brent.  Although if he has many more 2:00 AM wakeup calls... well, let's just say that I've seen my husband in a sleep-deprived state and it isn't pretty.]

Teddy is still working out how he feels about his unexpected little brother.  He wants to play with him, but he'd also like for him to leave.  Now, please.  We're watching closely.


Somehow I don't think Charlie's going anywhere.  Sorry Teddy :)

Sunday, June 09, 2013

Purple Rai... erm, Hair?

Well, would you look at that! Blogger once again is permitting me to upload pictures:


Not my favorite pic, but it'll do.  I got my roots done yesterday and this is the first time I've actually had my hair blown out straight since January.  It's getting long on me!  And yes, if you think you see a little bit of purple at the very bottom of the right-hand side of the picture, your eyes are working just fine.  I'd planned on more of an orchid streak, but lightening my hair with this purple streak (it's a nifty dual-process product) is the first step.  In six weeks when I get my roots touched up, I'll get it done with a bit more intensity.

It's slightly subversive in my oh-so-white-bread world, and I can pincurl it up when I'm at work if it's an issue so no one there has to know.  I like :)

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Whole30 continues to truck along.  I'm at Day 19 (take 2) and still in 100% compliance.  I signed on for it, so what the heck, you know?  Might as well go all in.

Some of the rules are completely arbitrary, though.  I think the one that irks me most is the fact that the "no alcohol" rule extends to vanilla extract.  I understand alcohol-as-beverage being on the list, and I can at least go along with the no alcohol for cooking because it's only one month.  But the vanilla extract ban just seems silly and nit-picky to me.  I honestly don't think it would bother me as much if I hadn't read this:  The Whole9 Great Cocoa Debate.  Now the upshot of the debate gives unsweetened cocoa powder a thumbs up for Whole30 compliance, but the arguments against its inclusion smacked a bit too much of "Because some folks might use it as a chocolate substitute, NONE OF YOU CAN USE IT, no, not even in a savory application.  Bad Whole30ers... BAD!!!"

And that tone I perceived carries over into my feelings regarding the disallowing of vanilla extract.  I know there are alcohol-free variants out there, and personally I have my own stash of vanilla beans too so it's not as if I'm hurting for the pod or anything.  But... vanilla extract?  Banned due to the alcohol?  Seriously?

I don't know, it may be just me, but it bugs.  I haven't used it because I've decided to take this all the way to the finish line without any tweaking for personal caveats, but that's something that will definitely come back afterward.  Good grief.

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Parkour is going well for the Gum Zombie.  It seems joining the group has focused his energies and he's no longer attempting to scale the outside of my house.  The instructors have been on Choreboy and me to "play" and next week, providing they're able to help us see how to scale the activities for our aging bodies (especially mine :P ) we're in.

The big reason for "we" is it's more fun with at least one peer to hang with, and believe me when I say not one person out on the floor is over 30, much less over 40 or 50.  You've got the little guys hanging together, the teenagers are in a giant clump, and the twenty-somethings are also in an ever-evolving herd.  I just need one compatriot who can hang at my level, but with the exception of a couple of the guys on Team Zoic (the pros) who have young sons, all the parents have without exception piled into the Old Fogies' Corral.

 So Choreboy and I are breaking out.  I'm blaming the purple hair.

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We're heading to Repticon today, and this time I'm dragging Choreboy with us.  Hooray!  Darned good thing too, since having him there should keep me from rationalizing that we really do need one more snake... which we don't.  We really don't.

[But I want!!!]

Anyway, I'm out.  Have a good one, y'all!

Edited to add:  TOTAL fail on the "let's not bring another snake home" front.  Those not squeamish can click here to see his picture.  Do note that he's a very tiny baby at the moment :)