That Guy! tells all

Today, I have a very special treat for you. In honor of our fifth Tavishversary, my husband (or, as I assume Tavish calls him, “That Guy!!”) has authored today’s Tavish-tastic tribute.  I’ll let him take it away…

Five years ago today, a very goofy furry little dude, who had just endured a derecho blowing through the shelter the week before, immediately jumped into my lap, licked me in the face, perked up his ears and said “Mine?” – so of course he had to go home with us.  (Have you seen his face?  It’s very tough to argue with those eyes and pointy ears of his, even if he can’t actually talk to us.  Although sometimes we joke about what he would say if he could hold up signs like a Looney Tunes cartoon character.)

Five years later, he’s still an absolute goofball who remains afraid of water, including his very own water bowl, and has yet to really truly grasp walking up flights of stairs – it’s more of a controlled upward fall than anything resembling walking, especially the outside deck stairs.  Maybe this is why we have to have a water bowl on every floor of our house for him?  At least we’ve come up with a solution to his being scared of fireworks problem – we leave whatever 4th of July party we are at around sundown, bring him down into the media room, and turn the music up to 11.  He usually then sleeps through the whole thing, none the wiser that it sometimes sounds like WWIII outside.  (Note to people who started their fireworks on Friday this year and decided to make it a four-day long weekend event – please, let’s do less.)

Nonetheless, he still has the boundless energy of a puppy, still revs himself up to run anywhere he goes in the house, and still only turns left (he’s apparently a big fan of NASCAR) when he runs in from outside and does his lap around the house because he is moving so quickly he can’t stop or change direction.  He also has an uncanny sense of time – he knows exactly when he’s supposed to have breakfast, and dinner, and “payment” (aka a treat) for allowing us the privilege of taking him for a walk, or when we leave for work in the morning.  And, of course, he can hear the bag of treats crinkling from two floors away.  Even if his 5:30AM wakeup calls aren’t always the most welcome (oh, are you trying to sleep in on a Saturday?  Let me remind you it’s now time for my breakfast!), we wouldn’t have it any other way.  He’s our little dude, and we look forward to the next five years of his adorable cartoon character antics.

Fun fact: My husband is also the creator of the Inspector Tavish Twitter account. (We were obviously meant to be.)

Let's go Tavish! via wantmorepuppies.com

He’s ready for adventure!

What more is there to say?  Happy Gotcha Day, little dude!

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Lists and the women who love them

Last year was a busy blogging year for me… just not on this blog. I launched my webcomic, which – like a shiny, new toy – has gotten the lion’s share of my attention. I’ll admit that I’ve found myself missing this space and hope to give some more attention to my first blog-child in the coming year. (We’ll talk more about that later this month – stay tuned.)

With that in mind, I wanted to start off the new year with a new post. When a friend told me about 50 Happy Things, I just knew that this was the perfect way to kick off 2016 (and to help me find some positivity in a year that seemed to be full of sad news from the world at large). Plus, I love lists. I have a list of the lists that I keep. It’s like list-ception.

You can visit Tales from the Motherland for the full lowdown, but here are the basics:

  • Set a timer for ten minutes.
  • During those ten minutes, write a list of 50(ish) things that made you happy (or that you were grateful for) in 2015. (After time was up, I went back and added some links, comments, and photos – you know I can’t resist a good link roundup.)
  • Add your post to the list of bloggers participating in this flood of gratitude. (Don’t have a blog? That’s okay! You can do this on your own – either just for yourself, or to share with your friends in another format. Also, if you want to tell me some of the things that made you happy in the comments, I’d love to hear them!)

I armed Tavish with a stopwatch, which he promptly ignored in favor of going back to sleep. (Hosting people for New Year’s Eve is exhausting, apparently.) So, looks like I’m on my own. Here we go… Continue reading

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‘Tis the season (for another canine Christmas carol)

Did you really think I would let a holiday season pass by without sending some new caroldies your way?  Perish the thought.

Tavish Claus via wantmorepuppies.com

Hey, lady… let’s get this show on the road.

A Game Upon the Midnight Clear

It came upon a midnight clear,
That canine urge to go.
Whining and wiggling for all they’re worth,
To lead you into the cold.
Canine mirth, you’re out and then,
That puppy won’t do a thing.
You head back in to get some sleep,
Before that alarm does ring.

You’re back to sleep and then they come,
Cold noses end dream world.
And then on sleepy feet you float,
From bed you are uncurled.
Out again, they make no gains,
Back in the house you bring,
Your stubborn and insistent hounds,
Who still won’t do a thing.

To sleep again, you’re on the road,
When they say no, no, no.
You leash again, get on the way,
Your painful steps are slow.
You know it is beyond your powers,
To untangle from this string.
You trudge along a helpless toad,
As daylight begins to sing.

Want more caroldies?  You’re obviously a glutton for punishment (or, more accurately, PUN-ishment).  However, you’re obviously in charge of your own destiny, so… click at your own risk.

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You can’t go wrong with The Poodle (and Dog) Blog

Pet Blogger's Gift ExchangeIt’s that time again, my friends.  Trees have been knocked over by intrepid feline Magellans and claimed by dogs confused by the sudden appearance of decorative indoor toilets.  Stockings have been knocked off the chimney with care by cantankerous cats and then been mistaken for dog toys. Traditions abound.

One of those traditions? The Pet Blogger’s Gift Exchange (or, as I like to call it, the PBGE) hosted by the brilliant Pamela from Something Wagging This Way Comes.  Instead of gifts wrapped in paper and bows, we exchange compliments, encouragement, and love.

I’ve been paired up with some pretty fantastic bloggers in the past, and this year is no exception.  You may be familiar with Jan from The Poodle (and Dog) Blog.  If not, you’re in for a real treat today – prepare to find a new blog to add to your must-read list!  Jan’s been blogging since 2005, showing us all how it’s done.  She’s smart, funny, and generally just the greatest.

So… today, I’m dedicating a link roundup to The Poodle (and Dog) Blog and all of its awesomeness.  Join me as we explore some of the many reasons to love this blog (and, at the end of this post, find out how you can help me make this gift really special).  I’ve picked some links from 2014 to highlight, but trust me when I tell you that all of the archives are worth checking out. (Chuck Norris agrees.)

via giphy.com

Ready? Continue reading

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