The Chronicles of Cardigan

It Is Lame

2012-03-08T17:23:00.002-08:00

Unless you read the very last line of yesterday's post, you probably won't get this.

Want to know what else is lame? I took 39 pictures of them with that sign and this was the best I could do. [sigh]

I'm on the mend, but to be on the safe side (because one lame post is all any of us can handle in one week), I'm gonna take tomorrow off (unless I don't). ;-)

Enjoy the day!

See you soon!

The Good News Is That Mashed Pumpkin Is Still Good for Your Dog's 'Hershey'

2012-03-07T14:59:00.000-08:00

The bad news is that it doesn't work for bronchitis (yes, seems my head crud is now a head and chest crud).

But, thankfully today, my doctor fixed me up with something that should knock it out in a few days (lest I lose my sense of humor - oh, the horror!).

***

Meanwhile, since I'm here talking about crud remedies anyway, I thought I'd use this opportunity to remind everyone about the benefits of feeding plain (cooked) mashed pumpkin to a dog for optimal digestive health (aka the state of the Hershey, aka Code Brown, aka poo).

You'll find all the sweet details here, in my original article from Nov. 15, 2011:

Eat Some Mashed Pumpkin and Have a Nice 'Hershey'

But wait! As a parting gift to you, Jon Farleigh with a visual:

Have a sweet evening.

P.S. I will probably not die overnight, so therefore, will post something tomorrow. However, it might be lame.

:-)

Classic Cardigan: Jon Farleigh and Dewi Jockey for the Window Seat

2012-03-06T15:36:00.000-08:00

While I'm still recovering from the head crud, I thought it'd be fun to share a classic funny from one year ago (today, actually).

Some of you might remember, from Tues., March 8, 2011:

A Dog on the Floor - A Pictorial Narrative

A dog on the floor

Before...

A dog on the floor

*****

Does a Dog's Name Shape Your Perception of the Dog?

2012-03-05T16:41:00.001-08:00

I saw the below tweet* in my Twitter feed this morning and had to stop and think.

What's in a name? Would Bruno the mastiff be less imposing if called Tinker? Changes in naming pets> huff.to/zNjr8k
— NCState Vet Medicine (@NCStateVetMed) March 5, 2012

I'm not sure a Mastiff named Tinker would be less imposing than a Mastiff named Bruno - to me. It would wholly depend on the dog's behavior (and this goes for any breed/mix of dog, not just those with a more imposing physique). In fact, I know a very sweet Mastiff named Romulus, whose name I find kind of endearing despite its gladiator-esque ring. :)

On the other hand, however, I most definitely think that hard-to-adopt breeds in shelters (i.e. pit bulls, boxers, big black dogs) should never be named something that could potentially turn an adopter off...even if the dog is a complete marshmallow.

Remember Batman, Buckwheat and Yukon Cornelius, three (among other) "less-adoptable" dogs who were featured on the blog several weeks ago? (They are all in forever homes, by the way.) Do you think adopters would have shied away from them had they been named, for example, Spike, Bruiser and Big Boy?

It's hard to say (but let's hope there are no shelters out there taking that chance).

Okay, so now that you know where I stand on that issue (and I'm sure have opinions of your own), what do you think about the reverse scenario?

Let's say, for example, that my two unimposing clowns were named something completely different...like decidedly more ~~ridiculous~~ tough-sounding?

Well, like this?

Holy villain, Batman!

Or this?

????????? (Words escape me.)

Would you avoid them at the dog park?

(I think I would avoid *me* - the doofus who picked out these names - at the dog park. :)

P.S. My husband just passed by and told me that I should change "The Terminator" to "The Turd-inator." I think I'll just stick with Dewi.

P.P.S. I still have the head crud, and therefore, should not be held responsible for the absurd (and intended to be funny) portions of this post. ;)

*The link in the quoted tweet goes to an interesting article about popular trends in dog and cat names.

Bye.

Wherein Dewi and I Interpret the Sick-in-Bed Moaning Scene from When Harry Met Sally

2012-03-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

If I had to describe the state in which my immune system has rendered me today, I'd say imagine that I am a pair of 10-year-old boy's jeans, the virus I have is a bad grass/mud stain, my immune system is a washing machine (an old one with an agitator) and my brain is the hand that just turned the machine setting to Heavy Duty and then pressed Start.

Thank heaven for fabric softener (aka ibuprofen). ;)

But enough whining; this post is about moaning.

So who remembers the scene in When Harry Met Sally when Harry is sick and calls Sally on the phone to moan? (Hint: They were watching Casablanca simultaneously from each other's own bed.)

Image Source

This could be my favorite scene in the whole movie (I know, weird), but until this morning, a few minutes after I took some pain medicine and moaned a little, I never really understood (or cared) why.

Now I do.

It's because in my romantic comedy fantasy, *I* want someone to listen to *me* moan when I've got a cold (or minor body ache, mosquito bite, etc.).

And by listen I mean really listen, with genuine, selfless, devoted concern (like I am the most important thing in the room).

Yes, that is why I love this scene so much. Because it just DOESN'T HAPPEN in real life.

Unless one of the characters in the scene happens to be one's dog.

Allow Dewi and me to demonstrate:

Me (to Dewi on the floor beside my chair): I'm definitely coming down with something. Probably a twenty-four hour tumor; they're going around.

In my movie, we watch Gunsmoke. :)

Dewi: You don't have a tumor.

Me: How do you know?

Dewi: If you're so worried, go see a doctor.

Me: No, he'll just tell me it's nothing.

Dewi: Will you be able to sleep?

Me: If not, I'll be OK.

Dewi: What will you do?

Me: I'll stay up and moan. Maybe I should practice now.[moans....]

Dewi: (Unlike in the movie when Sally cuts Harry off and says goodnight...) Okay, moan all you need to. I'll just be lying down here listening, not judging.

Me: Okay. [moans...and eventually, lights out]

[thinks about eating bacon]

Movie Script Credit

*****

And, wouldn't you know? I don't feel like moaning (or whining) anymore. (hehe)

Have a great weekend, everybody!
*****

UPDATE! (because Red Dog Mom noticed Jon Farleigh was missing from the scene)

Please note that he was actually "directing" the action from the right side of my lap.
('Twas a real blitch to crop him out of the photos.)

You might also note that I decorate my house with piles of folded laundry. You should try it when you need an added pop of color. :)

P.S. Thanks for the well wishes, everyone.

Perturbed - A Pictorial Essay

2012-02-29T17:37:00.001-08:00

Perturbed

Perplexed

(Disclosure: The camera strap did NOT touch his eye.)

Peeved

P.O.'d

*****

I think I might have irritated Jon Farleigh with the camera today.

When I told him it was Leap Day, he curtly replied, "Then why don't you take a flying leap."

In light of this ~~insubordination~~ recent development, the blog will be "closed" tomorrow for a "personnel" meeting.

See you back here on Friday.

:-)

Don't Fret Pet Hair

2012-02-28T18:36:00.000-08:00

Words to live by?

This past weekend, Middle Child invited three of her friends over to work on a school project. And because none of these kids could possibly know what it's like to live in a house with lots of other kids and five pets (and who probably clean their rooms and pick up after themselves without being told), my house got cleaned.

And by cleaned I mean:

Two hours before the first visitor arrived, the whole family divided and conquered the "living areas." (The bedrooms were sealed shut and declared off limits.)
Piles of "kid" debris got relocated. (To behind closed doors/drawers.)
The floor got a quick once-over with the vacuum. (Leaving plenty of pet hair still drifting around.)
The largest flat surfaces were dusted. (What kid notices dust anyway?)
The guest bathroom was disinfected. (Not exactly sparkling, but at least no one would catch a disease.)
The Febreeze vanilla-scented oil warmer was plugged in. (Because the rug smelled like dog.)
The Jelly Donut-scented Yankee Candle was lit. (As a distraction.)

And it was good enough.

Except that it wasn't, because I was compelled to make a sign, saying:

"Don't Fret Pet Hair"

Ironic, considering I'm the one who's doing the fretting. :)

Why would someone fret our hair, dude?

Good question, boys. :)

The #1 Believable Reason My Dogs Loved 5 Percent of the Oscars

2012-02-27T13:06:00.000-08:00

(They were asleep during the other 95 percent.)

Not because of a right leg or anatomical baby-feeding equipment, askew.

Not because of show hosts doing dog impressions.

I so DO NOT sound like Billy Crystal when I talk like a person.

Or dogs behaving scandalously.

Reuters
I'm so happy our movie won, I'd like to dance with this leg!

But because they got these excellent views of the:

Warm pajama-clad leg, attached to the hand that scratches the furry belly, attached to the dog lying upside down on the couch

Cat up to no good

Opening in the basement door (where cats who are up to no good frequently emerge)

Back porch (where shadows of dangerous things - like blowing leaves disguised as cats - are known to appear)

And not:

A view - from behind bars - of one's BFF bedded down for the night

What is most disturbing about this view, though, is that it is not Dewi's.

(The things I do for you people. :)

Happy day-after-the-Oscars!

We've Been Blog Tagged and Pretty Soon, Will Have No Secrets Left to Tell

2012-02-24T15:58:00.000-08:00

I like the kind of tag that doesn't require one to get up out of one's chair...or count backwards from behind a tree...or run face-first into a spider web in the dark.

I think I'm in luck. :)

So there's a game of blog tag making its way around, and we must be slow because we got tagged twice: first by Ellen at Pupperoos and next by Hawk at BrownDog CBR.

That means we're "It."

"It" blogs are required to answer the following nine (highly personal) questions (about themselves and/or pets - blogger's choice).

Here goes:

1. Describe yourself in 7(-ish) words.

Jon Farleigh - fluffy, serious, devoted, heart-throb, fast, tightly wound, people-lover
Dewi - happy, beautifully marked, vocal, energetic, snuggler, comedian, demanding
Me - introspective, animal nut, creative, soft-spoken, driven, family-oriented, vocabulary-challenged (all rolled up into just-plain-old not right)

2. What keeps you up at night?

Me - not much this week
Dewi - nothing, ever
Jon Farleigh - nothing (if crated)
If not crated, this:
Lulabelle: I can't help that I'm irresistible.

3. Who would you most like to be?

Me - I gotta be me
Jon Farleigh - Jon Farleigh with thumbs
Dewi - Jon Farleigh's best friend

4. What are you wearing right now?

Me - jeans, striped shirt over a tank and flip-flops
Jon Farleigh - his fur and a disgruntled face
Dewi - his fur and a chill face

5. What scares you?

Me - (see below)
sand crabs (via Panoramio)
Jon Farleigh - (see below)
Eva
Dewi - (see below)
Eva
balloons
Youngest Child's massager

6. The best and worst of blogging?

Me - Best is meeting friends. Worst is too much sitting (but yet I complain about tag).
Jon Farleigh & Dewi - Best is meeting friends. Worst is too much sitting.

7. Last website visited? Pupparoos

8. One thing you would change about yourself?

Me - I'd like to cook like Pioneer Woman.
Jon Farleigh - nothing
Dewi - nothing

9. Slankets (aka Snuggies, Snuzzles)? Hmmm, you mean these?

Okay, then the answer is YES!

P.S. Blankets with sleeves are soooo NOT the same as plain blankets. Not even close.
(I might have a problem.)

* * * * *

And now, it's our turn to tag a few other blogs (who might not have been tagged yet - we can't really be sure, though). You can play if you feel like it.

If I didn't tag you and you want to play, just say I tagged you and DO IT! :)

Have a snuggly weekend!

Caption Winner, What Dewi REALLY Said, and a Public Service Announcement

2012-02-23T19:04:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Red Dog Mom, whose entry was randomly selected to win the Caption Dewi Giveaway!

THANK YOU to everyone who entered (and who left a comment just for fun)!

Speaking of fun, I thought I'd share the caption entry that I think most accurately depicts Dewi's expression in the photo.

Submitted by CardiLover:

hehe

And then, for even MORE fun, I went ahead and added my own caption (which really and truly depicts Dewi's expression):

Okay, NOT!!!!!!! That's how *I* look when the prunes kick in.

NOT!!!!!!!! I don't eat prunes. :)

Want to know something else?

Remember how on Monday my butt got frozen out in the snow?

Well, it got better.

Know what happens when the public water person comes out to your house unannounced and (for reasons unknown to considerate man) swaps out your water meter?

Well, I'll tell you:

You only get to take the first half of your shower.
You get shampoo and soap in your eyes.
You run around yelling "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" because rinsing your face with toilet bowl water is NOT an option.
You remember the jug of distilled water that you put under the kitchen counter when Herman the Aquasaur was still alive.
You freeze your a** off again.

On the bright side, however, my hair was super shiny from the cold water rinse.

Oh, and if I were you, I'd keep a jug of this good stuff handy in your bathroom.

Always a pleasure to be of assistance.

God, maybe you should've left a little bit of dogs lacking...

2012-02-22T13:08:00.001-08:00

...then it wouldn't have to hurt so bad when they've gone. -- Me

* * * * *

This morning when I opened my blog, I learned from an ominous title in my blogroll that Lucy B, my friend Sue at Talking Dogs for the Love of a Dog's beloved heart dog of 13 years, had died yesterday. And I was sad.

As the morning progressed, I found my thoughts drifting to two things: my (newly discovered) favorite quote about dogs and Molly, my late heart dog of 15 years. And I smiled a little inside.

So, Sue, although I am dreadfully bad at knowing what to say, I want you to know how sorry I am for your loss, and that one day soon, as the pain relinquishes its grip, I hope you will smile a little bit, too.

* * * * *

Many thanks to another blog friend, Melissa, at Darby & Pumpkin Daily, for sharing this quote last week. I heart it. :)

“God...sat down for a moment when the dog was finished in order to watch it... and to know that it was good, that nothing was lacking, that it could not have been made better.”

-- Ranier Maria Rilke

Lucy B

June 13, 1997 - February 21, 2012

~~~~~~~

I know Sue appreciates our messages of condolence. If you have time, please consider leaving one on her blog or Facebook page.

Why I Would Order Flea and Tick Preventative from Mr. Chewy Again

2012-02-21T17:52:00.000-08:00

I order Jon Farleigh and Dewi's flea and tick preventative online, and have been for over a year. I simply haven't been able to find it locally for the same low prices, and since we're applying it to the dogs 10 months out of the year, it's important for me to get it inexpensively.

All Online Pet Supply Stores Are NOT Created Equal

The time before last, when ordering my usual product - Frontline Plus - online, I went with a lesser known company than I had been used to - because the price was better (by at least three dollars). When I received the product, however, to my surprise (and momentary alarm), it had been shipped from the UK (in UK-version product packaging and dosing measurements) along with a letter claiming (and I paraphrase) that the US prices on this product are not competitive; therefore, in order to provide customers with the lowest price, we are providing this British version. But, rest assured it's the same product that's sold in the US - made in the same plant, by the same manufacturer - just not in the same packaging. There was also a dosage equivalency chart included, assuring me that I had indeed been shipped the correct size tubes for each dog.

After getting online and checking these claims, I did use the product on the dogs, but I was disappointed that the company didn't disclose this "substitution" up front (when I placed the order), and resolved not to order from them again. A couple bucks saved was not worth risking another "concealed" product switch.

Then Mr. Chewy Exploded on to the Online Pet Food and Supply Store Scene

(Seriously, how can one go anywhere online these days and not see Mr. Chewy's happy cartoon face? :)

And in a stroke of really great timing, in addition to a $50 coupon to offset product cost, I was offered the chance to write an honest review of Mr. Chewy's services.

So I Ordered a Six-pack of Frontline Plus

This is why I'd do it again:

The price was great.
At $69.99*, this was the best price online out of all major retailers of flea and tick preventative.
*I paid $19.99 out of pocket, after my $50 coupon was applied.
1-2-day express shipping is FREE for all orders $49 and up.
My order arrived on my front porch 24 hours after I received online order confirmation.
Does not smell like chicken
I received the US-packaged product*, and it arrived in good shape (not squashed or tattered).
*Mr. Chewy actually discloses on their site that they "only sell USA Frontline."
Ordering was pretty* easy.
*I did have one little snafu on the payment information screen. Because I am a dolt and forgot to enter my card expiration date, I received an error message. Unfortunately, the error caused the promotion code ($50 coupon) I had entered to disappear, but I didn't know it until the full retail price had been applied. Since, at this point, there was no way for me to edit my order, I had to call the customer service number provided.

The good news is that I was connected directly to a friendly representative who (after a brief inquiry about the alleged "promo" code I was using) was able to quickly apply the discount (which appeared in real time on my account) and send me on my way.

Mr. Chewy Isn't Just About Flea and Tick Prevention

In fact, as stated on their home page, Mr. Chewy has:

"70+ brands of dog and cat food, treats and supplies...

and prices cheaper than the store!"

They actually carry my brands of dog and cat foods (which are not available in the grocery store) at very good prices, and that, coupled with free express delivery to my door (about 65 lbs. of food, combined), IS VERY TEMPTING!

However, as tempting as it is, I live in a fairly large city and am a loyal customer of an equally competitive "mom and pop" pet food store (that gives back to animal causes in my local area), so I won't make the switch for food just yet.

If you live in a rural area or smaller city, though, and can't get your pet food locally, or only have access to expensive national chains, Mr. Chewy sounds like a fantastic resource!

Bloggers and Mr. Chewy Give Back

Use my referral code EVTK3667 when placing your first order and you'll get 10% off!

In addition, every time a first-time customer uses my code, Mr. Chewy will donate $10 (split evenly) to three animal charities:

Best Friends Animal Society
Bideawee
North Shore Animal League America

Pretty cool, Mr. Chewy!

How My Itchy Ear Canals Prove that I Really Like You

2012-02-20T19:00:00.002-08:00

It snowed at my house last night. That is a BIG deal for a few reasons:

It's late winter in my part of Virginia and this is our first measurable snowfall. (Measurable = it at least skims the end of a ruler that's resting flush with the earth.)
Youngest Child's faith in Old Man Winter is restored.
I need closure on winter before I am emotionally ready for spring, and in my mind, winter is not complete without at least one snowfall. (I'm strange.)
I can now participate in the upcoming spring season, without regret.
There was tremendous photo opportunity during Jon Farleigh and Dewi's snow romp this morning.

The beginnings of a snow romp. Picture quality: Meh.

So now that I've cleared that up for you, allow me to drill that last bullet point down a little deeper.

About a split second after I snapped that picture up there (despite the blinding glare from the snow), I saw the "light" (shining on my bad camera angle) and decided that (in order to get the best shots of the dogs - with which to impart cheer on my awesome readers) I'd have to get down on their level (in the snow) to take them.

Same shot as above, different angle. Picture quality: Relatively, not bad.

Unfortunately, I was still wearing my paper-thin flannel pajama pants.

But being the ~~lazy~~ determined person I am, I decided (not to risk losing the shots in order to go inside and put on some jeans, but) to just squat down as low as possible (without toppling over on my practically exposed a**).

I'm pretty sure I made the right call.

And I didn't even topple over.

In fact, it wan't until about 129 shots later, when Jon Farleigh decided to lie down in a muddy puddle of slush and eat (most likely deer poop), that I noticed my butt was numb and I was decidedly light-headed (which is what happens when one squats down in snow with one's butt on a lower plane than one's knees, until the blood flow is completely cut off from one's brain).

Jon Farleigh (left): Having a deer popsicle
Me (behind the camera): Realizing my rear is a popsicle

So I decided it was time to take the dogs back inside the house.

And I wished (nearly as hard as one might wish for a gas station when one is driving on fumes) that my knees were 10 years younger and actually capable of hoisting my ice-chest-of-a-butt back into the upright position - so I could walk (and not crawl - with my not-waterproof camera - in my pajama pants - through the frozen slush - to my patio - where I could grab hold of a concrete wall and drag myself upright) back into my house.

The next few seconds (or minutes, I don't really know) are a blur, but somehow I managed to remember from my one physics class (or the hazardous weather section of online defensive driving school that I might have just completed) that the best way to dislodge a car (analogous to my butt, of course) from a snow bank is to "rock" it back and forth. So I planted one gloved hand in the snow for balance and proceeded to swing my frozen butt like a pendulum until its sheer momentum caused my rubbery legs to unfurl behind it. I was so elated to be standing again that I didn't even care that I'd half-mooned the driver of a passing service van.

And then I fetched the dogs and we went inside to get warm.

A little while later, as I sat down at the computer to upload all the photos I'd just taken, I became overly aware of the blood circulating in my previously frozen extremities. You know...like when a limb gets all tingly after it's fallen asleep?

And the insides of my ears were oddly itchy.

But aren't these pictures lovely?

You know I like you, right?

'Til tomorrow, friends!

Caption Dewi's Face (and get a shot at a 20-dollar buying spree)

2012-02-17T20:50:00.000-08:00

Update (2/23/12): The winner is: Red Dog Mom

Congratulations!

*****

Yes, that's right.

We're celebrating the opening of our blog store by giving something away: any one item worth up to US $20!
(I use the term spree loosely. ;)

All you have to do to enter is leave your best caption for this photo!
(The winner will be selected by random drawing.)

But wait! Want two entries into the drawing? Follow us! Whether by RSS subscription, Google Friend Connect, Facebook or Twitter, just one follow will do.

This contest ends at 12:01 a.m. EST next Thursday, Feb. 23.
(I'll announce the winner later the same day.)

Good luck!

What is Dewi trying to say?

Please use the following form to record your contest entry(ies).

(Note: Rafflecopter helps me keep track of all the entries and will generate the random winning number.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have a great weekend!

CafePress has not sponsored this giveaway. It is entirely sponsored by Jon Farleigh and Dewi. :)

How to Add a Row of Social Media Icons in Blogger (and possibly other platforms)

2012-02-16T15:46:00.000-08:00

Last week I promised I'd share how I added those coffee (or hot beverage for the non-coffee drinkers) cup social icons to my sidebar. No one should have to spend the amount of time I did (searching for directions and subsequently screwing them up a hundred times) to do this on her own blog. It sucked.

So anyway, before I get started, I need to let you know some basic things I'm assuming:

You aren't terrified of HTML. You don't have to know how to write code, but if you need a muscle relaxer and a brown paper bag to breathe into just looking at code, you should probably ~~avoid this like the plague~~ take a pass.
You've found and downloaded to your computer the social icons that you'll be using. If you haven't, I'd start by googling "social media icons". There are hundreds of free ones out there, in every shape, size and design. They're simply image files that you'll later be adding links to. I got my coffee cups here.
You know the URLs of the social media accounts you'll be linking to. (Hover over my coffee cups and you'll see example URLs.) If you don't have an RSS URL for your blog feed, you'll need to go to feedburner.com and create (burn) one.
You know how to add a gadget to your blog.
You have room on your blog to add a row of social icons. Hint: My coffee cups would be too large in a more narrow sidebar.

Before you start, open (in two separate windows):

Note: This procedure is written for Blogger; however, the basic mechanics might be adaptable to other blogging platforms.

A new post in Blogger (the screen where you type your post). Open the Compose (not HTML) editor.
The Layout editor in Blogger (the screen where you can add gadgets and move things around). (Design > Layout)

In a nutshell: You will be creating a "dummy" post in Blogger, in which you'll insert your icon images and then link them to their corresponding URLs. Once that's done, you'll copy and paste all the HTML into a blog gadget, and then you'll have social icons on your blog. Yay!

Unfortunately, it took me several hours to get my images to line up correctly. Don't be like me.

From the New Post editor:

Insert your first icon image (original size, left justified*, make sure the "open link in new window" box is checked).
Note: Use left if you're adding icons to a right sidebar (like mine). Use right if your sidebar is on the left.
Highlight the image and add a link. (You might need to click the Link button twice to trigger the add link pop-up box.)
Add the URL that matches the icon. (Ex: If the icon is for Facebook, add your Facebook URL.)
Without spacing, insert your next icon image.
Repeat Steps 2-3.
Repeat Steps 4-5 for each additional icon you are adding in the same row.
Result: You should see all your icons (however, they will most likely not be lined up correctly - don't worry about this yet!).
Switch to the HTML editor. (You will need to move/delete some code to get the icons to line up in a flush horizontal line.)

You need to get your code to look like this (click to enlarge):

There should only be one set of justification tags (the code circled in blue) around all three images. Your top and bottom tags should look exactly like my example here. (To make the code easier to see, I inserted white space around the three different image examples.)
Reminder: In the top tag, "left" can be changed to "right" or "center," depending on how you want the row justified.

DELETE ALL THE EXTRA JUSTIFICATION TAGS (in between individual image code). Hint: Use Ctrl + F keys to search for the extra code. (Copy the code below when searching, if needed.)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">

YOUR IMAGE CODE GOES HERE

</div>

The only code (hyperlink tags) that should enclose each of your images is highlighted in yellow in the screen shot above.
Switch out of the HTML editor (back to Compose) to check your image spacing.
Result: Your icons should be flush horizontally, like this.

If they are not, go back to Step 7 and recheck your code against my example.
Switch back to the HTML editor and copy all of the code.
Paste the code into a new HTML/JavaScript gadget window (click Add a Gadget from the Layout screen).
Note: You can add a title if you like.

Click SAVE.
Click Preview, and hopefully, your new icons will show up beautifully on your blog!
Drag your gadget to where you want it (hopefully, at the top of the sidebar).
Click Save arrangement and you're all done!

~~~~~

This process really isn't complicated, but until you've had practice getting images to line up in a row using an HTML editor, the trial and error can make you want to pull your hair out!

For those who've stuck around to the end, I hope this helps! And if you wind up adding icons to your own blog once you leave here, please come back and say so in the comments so I can go look!

~~~~~

Coming soon (because this post is quite long enough): How to add a Pin it button to individual posts in Blogger and why I decided to join Pinterest!

Is Stanton the Cardigan Welsh Corgi Your Next Heart Dog?

2012-02-15T15:32:00.000-08:00

Hi, I'm Stanton. They told me to look for the one who needs a
heart-warmer and a smile-maker. Is it you?

I don't know why I was supposed to see Stanton's face on Petfinder today. But in case he was born to steal YOUR heart, who am I to deny my duty as matchmaker? ;)

Because many of you are not Cardigan Welsh Corgi owners and have never actively searched for one to call your own, let me preface:

PUREBRED CARDIGANS ARE RARELY EVER AVAILABLE THROUGH RESCUE!

That is why I don't have one (a rescue). So if you live within 200 miles of the Atlanta, GA area, and think Stanton might be the next love of your life, DON'T HESITATE TO INQUIRE (THROUGH PETFINDER) ABOUT HIM!

Okay. Want to know a little more about this incredibly handsome gentleman?

One Genuine Cardigan Welsh Corgi Hunk

Stanton is a distinguished 11-year-old boy, who, through circumstances beyond his control, and with the help of the wonderful people of Corgis & friends of Walmarsh, including his doting foster family, is patiently waiting to meet his next forever family.

Note: Stanton can only be placed within 200 miles of Atlanta, GA.

I contacted the rescue about him today (to make sure he hadn't already been placed) and this is the glowing report I got:

"He is a sweetheart and had adapted beautifully to [his foster] home. He absolutely adores her 16 yr old son and helps him do his homework at night. He is showing his age a bit but does have several sudden energy bursts at least once a day to play with [his teenage friend]. He is fully vetted, we had Senior Blood Panel done this week (results to follow) and also appears to be losing his vision at nite. Everyone can love a puppy- my favorites are the Seniors.

Stanton does well with other dogs, [his foster family's] resident cat and loves spending time outside in her backyard. I would be most appreciative if you might steer qualified families our way. We are in no hurry to place and want what is best for this boy."

<Sigh>

If you think this sweet boy might be your next dog, please contact the rescue at the email address provided on Petfinder.

Know people in the Atlanta area? Will you help Stanton's new family find him (and share his story)?

P.S. To my friends who have already shared Stanton's information on Facebook and Twitter, THANK YOU!

Bad Valentine's Day Poetry and Dogs Sporting Tasteless Captions

2012-02-14T15:44:00.000-08:00

How else did you think I was going to get your attention today?

Ahem.

Love Bites

Orchids grow in stones.

Roses grow in dirt.

I like my cat,

but her love bites hurt.

Dear Lulabelle,
Love means never having to say you're sorry FOR GIVING YOUR PERSON TETANUS.
Love,
Me

~~~~~

Flirtatious dogs and men have much in common.

Refer to the above caption.

THIS POST IS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T SMILED ENOUGH TODAY! :)

One more...

Happy Valentine's Day from the whole crew!

We are CRAZY 4U!

XOXO

Dewi Starts a New Trend on His 2nd Birthday

2012-02-13T17:05:00.000-08:00

Birthday hats worn as spikes:

Dewi working the runway

C'mon! It's all the rage in Paris!

OK, is this right?

NO, silly, you look like a moron. Move it down under your chin.

Oh! You mean like this?

Yeah, man, that's it! Hey, those ribbons are sweet!
Mind if I chew 'em off?

*****

Happy 2nd birthday (2/12) to my little trendsetter! :)

The Princess and the Piece of Kibble

2012-02-10T18:56:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, in a land not far enough away...

There lived a fair princess, more delicate than a petunia petal.

Behold; I am delicate.

But there were members of the royal staff who were skeptical of the princess' royal heritage, and plotted to put her to the test.

Lord of the Bedchamber: That's no lady.
Deputy Clerk of the Closet: Yeah, she's about as royal as Burger King.

And that night, secretly, before the princess finished brushing her teeth with a fish flavored kitty Greenie, the two dubious staffers conned a commoner into sticking a piece of kibble under the princess' mattress (a huge pile of towels).

Not a rodent turd.

If the princess was truly royalty, her delicate skin would detect the bump under her towel-mattress and she would not be able to sleep.

What are dogs doing in my bedchamber?

Who are you calling a dog, cat face? You'll address me as Lord. And he's the Deputy.

But the Deputy had become fixed on something...

It's calling my name.

It's coming from in here!

Found it!

Mmmm, tasted like chicken!

Unfortunately for the staff, the princess later got wind of their hair-brained scheme and had them demoted to Court jesters.

Tequila!

The End

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The inspiration for this hair-brained blog post?

Right here. Pure Sesame Street brilliance from my youth. ;)

Click here if video doesn't load.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Happiness is...getting asked to dance!

2012-02-09T19:39:00.000-08:00

Especially when treats are involved.

Except when cats walking by are involved.

(at about the 25 second mark)

By the way, Dewi "dances" whenever he hears the video. Poor little dude. :)

~~~~~

In other news:

This week, I've been busy adding snazzy new (coffee cup) social networking icons and Pinterest "Pin it" buttons to the blog. And when I say busy, I mean (because I am less than technically inclined AND I use sometimes-challenging Blogger) it took me hours to get it straight (piecing together information from several different websites and blogs). (The processes are not exactly intuitive.) Anyway, other than because I'd love for you to use my new blog buttons, I'm telling you this because soon (next week), I'm going to share how I did both - or at least point you to the step-by-step instructions - so you can put snazzy social icons and Pin it buttons on your own Blogger blog (if you have one). :)

So look forward to that. And me telling you about how I joined Pinterest on a whim (and can totally see how people get addicted). But not me; I will not get addicted.

Bye bye!

Unaware, Unassuming, Unabashed

2012-02-08T17:18:00.000-08:00

HAPPY DOG!

Take a lesson from Jon Farleigh and celebrate bad ~~ear~~ hair days!

(hehe)

Happiness is...hearing those three little words...

2012-02-07T19:24:00.000-08:00

Want a snack?!

Watch the proof, here.

Click here to watch on YouTube.

(That's Middle Child's voice, by the way.)

It's been a long time since my last "Happiness" post, huh?

I think it might be time for a revival. Stay tuned.

P.S. It's a work in progress yet, but in case you haven't noticed, I have a new shop at CafePress.com. There's a widget in my sidebar. Stay tuned for more on this development, too!

What a Thief Would See

2012-02-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

While casing the front of my house at night...

Demon mongrel?

Except, silly me! I forgot to turn on my flash for that first photo, so this is really what the thief would see...

Dewi and Jon Farleigh: Hey, thief, why are you out there when you could be in here, with us?

And that is why I pay for a home security monitoring service.

Why I Didn't Squash the Creepy Bug in My Kitchen

2012-02-03T11:46:00.000-08:00

Because I thought Poncho, Jorge and Lulu could handle it.*
*I made up the names for effect.

It more or less went down like this:

Me: What the...? Why are you under my feet?!
[...thinking, there must be a bug down there.]

Jorge (Dewi): I think there is a bug down there. Let me check for you.

Jorge: Is that a bug?
Poncho: It moves. What is a bug?

[Poncho is in deep, deep thought over his next move.]

Meanwhile...

[Lulu is poised for the attack.]

[...while Poncho still hasn't budged]
Lulu: HIYA! Take that, you evil spawn of all that isn't worth eating!

OH. NO. YOU. DI'INT!
I WILL SO CUT YOU!

[growl] Do I look like I'm playin', you son of a biscuit eater??!

10 seconds later...

Helloooo, down there!

Poncho: Dude, wanna play cops and cat burglars?

*****

Next time, I'll squash it. :)

How do your pets react to bugs in the house?

(No judging. Everyone gets a bug in the house at some point.)

Have a fantastic weekend, friends!

Jon Farleigh and Nick Get a Trim with Benefits

2012-02-02T11:38:00.000-08:00

By benefits I mean getting felt up by two women while enjoying an unobstructed view of hundreds of canine supermodels at the dog show.

This is big Nick, Jon Farleigh's nephew, and a fellow fluff. He came
with his mom, Liz, and human boy, "Monkey Man."
Isn't he a DOLL?

Ladies, could you please form a line to the right?

Now, get-a-load of this face.

I do get a weensy bit nervous when they start messing around back there.

But, I'm willing to let it slide.

Nick and Jon Farleigh got their ears, ruffs, feet, pants, tails and foreleg fringe cleaned up and they look marvelous!

Thanks, Dina, for lending your time, know-how and plethora of dog grooming equipment!

See everyone tomorrow!

Things You Don't Want to See on the Menu at the Dog Show Concession Stand

2012-02-01T11:33:00.000-08:00

Creative credit for this post duly belongs to Dina at Life with the Horde, because she thought it first.
(And I mentally slapped myself for my slow wit.)

How about some ketchup with your sack?

I'll take my steak on a plate, thank you. ;-)

P.S. In fairness to the venue, the shrimp I ordered was yummy.

So, What the Hay Does the Face Behind a Leonberger's Furry Butt Look Like?

2012-01-31T13:27:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm about to show you..and the faces that belong to a few other butts you might have ID'd in yesterday's quiz.But first! A few random editorial notes:

This is my 299th published post. I'm noting this here because I'll probably forget to mention the 300th post tomorrow, just like I forgot my 200th post, as if it matters.
I am honored to be counted among some of the most dog-butt-savvy people around the blog-o-sphere.
I love Polldaddy.com almost as much as I love my Belgian waffle maker (and I, sadly, rarely use either).

And now, the most adorable Leonberger face I ever did see...

I really am as big as a lion.

Here's the Pembroke Welsh Corgi...

My butt drives people nuts.

Any questions? ;)

And the Doberman Pinscher...

Friends, this is my serious show face; when I get out of here, I
will roll in something stinky, goose my person and let my tongue hang out.

And the Afghan Hound...

Okay, so it's not really the face, but it's close.

Next up, the ~~Holstein cow~~ Great Dane...

Clearly NOT a cow OR a black and white (Harlequin) Great Dane
(that one wouldn't look at my camera), BUT definitely a Great Dane.

And the Australian Shepherd? Well, I don't have a picture of her face, but here's the face of a most adorable Bernese Mountain Dog puppy that was lying next to the Aussie...

A pillow would be nice.

This is the English Springer Spaniel...

I look nothing like an English Setter, actually. :)

And the French Bulldog...

For more Frenchie eye-candy, go look at Benny and Lily.

And not a donkey, but an Irish Wolfhound...

Oh wait! That's not a face!

I just wanted you to get a feel for how enormous he is. :)

Here you go...

A gentle-dog's dog

And last, but not least, the ~~mop rasta~~ Komondor, er, actually, I don't have a face for that dog either, so please accept these photos of Jon Farleigh and some new friends, instead.

The Pembroke: Oh, yeah? That's nothing; I just saw Pepe wearing pink curlers.

The Pit bull: The first one to blink has to do a 30-second down stay.

The Borzoi: Wait! I didn't quite get your name!

*****

Coming tomorrow: Some fun dog show words for not-really-wordless Wednesday!

Can You Identify a Dog Breed by Its Butt? Take the Quiz and Find Out!

2012-01-30T12:15:00.000-08:00

So Jon Farleigh and I went to an AKC all-breed conformation show on Saturday to cheer on his sister, Georgia, who was entered in Cardigan Welsh Corgis (and who, by the way, wound up getting Best of Breed - yay!) and to see all the other lovely dog breeds entered that day.

What kind of dog am I?

I got lots of great photos of Georgia in the ring (links to Facebook photo album), a few of Jon Farleigh and his nephew, Nick, getting a trim on the grooming table (which I'll save for another day), and, due to bad one-handed camera aim (as Jon Farleigh's leash was in the other), lots of pictures of random DOG BUTTS. (oops)

But do I despair and hide those lovely pooch booties away, never to be seen?

NO WAY, JOSE!

I make a fun game out of it! And here it is!

A 10-dog, multiple choice quiz to test your dog butt identification skills. How will you do?

If quiz doesn't load, click here.

More dog show photos coming soon!

I Asked My Child to Take Some Cute Photos of the Dogs so I Could Use Them for the Blog

2012-01-27T20:55:00.000-08:00

Because, as of 5 p.m. today, I had zilch, and I had to go out for several hours, and I couldn't go without posting something, because I didn't announce on yesterday's post that I would be taking the day off (and I am ~~OCD~~ really dedicated to my blogging schedule).

Yeah, so I was in a hurry and tried to explain to Middle Child (who wasn't really listening) to take some "cute" photos of JF "smiling" or some video of someone "chasing Dewi in circles around the downstairs" (he loves it and it's funny), and to have it all ready for me when I got home around 10 p.m.

And, well, I can't show you the video of Jon Farleigh's cheek (that Middle Child got while blindly aiming the camera toward the floor - where JF was lying - as she was lying on the couch watching TV) because she also managed to get some pretty good footage of several piles of laundry that needs to be folded, as well as some close-ups of her newly painted pink fingernails...bla bla bla.

But the good news is that I have these pictures of Dewi (who was lying asleep in a Snuggie on the couch on top of Middle Child who was watching TV) to post for you.

Is it better than nothing?
I honestly can't say.

;-)

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Richmond Adoptables Comedy Improv Theatre - The Pilot

2012-01-26T16:55:00.000-08:00

Our Motto: Comedy improv is lame; please, can we go home with you?

(Click the actors' names for bios, and please, be courteous and remain seated until the end credits are finished.)

And now...

Please welcome your host, veteran puppy star, the one and only...

HAM SKILLET

Is this the right camera, Hank? Is the sound on?
Is that a squirrel over there? Hank!!! Hey, come back!! Hank?

DUE TO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY, WE BRING YOU THE SHOW...ALREADY IN PROGRESS...

[Voice of Robin, off camera, loudly]

"Holy ears, BATMAN, is that cat over there in distress?!"

It sure looks that way, Robin! There's no time to lose!
To the Bat Cave!

[cue cheesy trumpet music]

Batman: "Yes, it looks like it might be a lodged CHICKEN BONE! Good thing I'm certified in CPR!"

Ack ack. Help. Chicken Bone (me) is lodged in this here cage. Ack.

Batman: "I sense the urgency in your voice, young tabby, but I fear I am not the superhero to handle this job after all! But have no fear; I know just the one! This is a job for...

YO MOMMA cat"

For the last time, I TOLD you I am not YO MOMMA! And furthermore, I do not
play the cello!

Chicken Bone: "Am I in The Twilight Zone?"

GESUNDHEIT!

That's my name. Don't wear it out.

The End

*****

Starring, in order of appearance:

Ham Skillet

Batman

Chicken Bone

Yo Momma Cat

Gesundheit!

of the Richmond Animal Care and Control Improv Troupe

The cast and crew thank you for your patronage, and ask that in lieu of candy or flowers,

PLEASE BUST US OUT!

Editor's note: This was fun; therefore, I'm making it a regular program. Frequency TBD.

The Ratatouille at the Richmond Animal Shelter Will Blow Your Mind

2012-01-25T13:01:00.000-08:00

Because it has blown mine.

So I was on Petfinder today - getting to know all the current pets up for adoption at Richmond Animal Care and Control (the home of Ham Skillet) - when something peculiar caught my eye: Ratatouille.

Not because of the name (French veggie dish? Whatever. Cute animated film? If you must. Certainly not as unlikely a name as Ham Skillet.) but because of the dog breed listed underneath the name: Rat. Could it be a typo? I wondered. A nickname? A Rat Terrier? (Note for the smarty pants in the bunch: I know what you're thinking; just let me finish.) Anyway, as I was saying, I was more than curious about this dog named Ratatouille (and the blurry thumbnail image was no help, thanks to my semi-retired, insubordinate eyes). So I clicked the link, and saw this face...

Hi, there. I'm not a chef, but I sure do like to cuddle with my peeps.

Oh! It's a rat (as in rodent)! I thought, feeling a little silly. It's not like I'd never heard of shelters taking in caged small animals (like rats, rabbits and even snakes) before. It's just that I wasn't expecting to see one today.

So then, naturally, I had to know why the little guy's owner surrendered, or worse, abandoned him: Did they move? Did their new significant other hate rats? Were they hospitalized? Or dead?

Never, in my wildest dreams, though, did I expect to learn this from his Petfinder description:

"Super friendly fancy rat found loose in the city. "

Found loose in the city (as in Richmond CITY, not the burbs, teeming with fast cars and over 200,000 people)?!

What the peanut butter fudge?!

OMG! What are the odds?! What animal-loving, no-rat-fearing, decent human being scooped him up and had the know-how to get him to a shelter? And what about the fantastic, amazing, caring and unprejudiced people who run Richmond Animal Care and Control?

I say Ratatouille is one LUCKY RAT!

If I say "cheese," are you gonna give me some this time?

And as of yesterday, because no one has come forward to claim him, one lucky rat who's gonna make some lucky person a great little pet.

Whether you like rats for pets or not, you've got to admit this is one uplifting example of all the good that can be served by our local animal shelters. It gives me hope.

*****

More shelter pets on the blog tomorrow (on account of me getting all distracted by the rat today). :)

P.S. Although I've never owned a pet rat, one of my husband's college roommates had one, Edwina, who spent most of her waking hours out of her cage, playing and interacting with humans. She was one smart, funny and surprisingly affectionate dude-ette.

Random, Immature (Dog) Joke with Raspberries

2012-01-24T12:17:00.000-08:00

Me: Jon Farleigh, how many dogs does it take to screw in a light bulb? [hee hee]

pffffffffffffttttttttttttt!

*****

While I'm being immature...Want to know a sure fire way to make someone laugh (including yourself - unless you have no sense of humor to speak of)? Try to talk with your tongue sticking out. Like go back and read this post OUT LOUD with your tongue out. I'm telling you, it works like a charm on my grouchy-butt kids. (Makes my face a little sore, though.)

I will try to do better on the blog tomorrow. ;-)

My Favorite Parts: Jon Farleigh (this one's for the ladies)

2012-01-23T12:13:00.000-08:00

So here we are: The post in which I tell you about Jon Farleigh's best part (not that he only has one good part, he has many, but this one is so big, so undeniably HIM, that it has to stand alone). And that, my friends, is his glorious (if unconventional), silky soft, sometimes unruly, undeniably sexy:

Fluffy Red (and white) Coat

Still a puppy - at his fullest - ne'er a blade had ever touched his locks.

Its squish-ability calls to my wanton fingers (and face - yes, I bury it in there sometimes) like a siren song.

You know you want to lay hands on it.

And that white patch on his hip? [sigh]

White swirly on his thigh? Artistic brilliance.

Want to know something else?
I'm pretty sure that Jon Farleigh is to Cardigan Welsh Corgis as this guy is to people:

(via) Shaun White aka The Flying Tomato

With maybe a dash of this guy's bad boy screen persona:

(via) Josh Holloway as "Sawyer"

I've become too distracted to type anything else.

The Dogs Must Be Crazy (no, really)

2012-01-20T19:11:00.000-08:00

Ever see the original (not sequel) movie The Gods Must Be Crazy? You should. Especially the scene with the elephants. hee hee

That really has nothing to do with this post, though. I only mentioned it because it inspired my title. Because I really do think my dogs are crazy - at least when they do what they do with their leashes - in the video that I've got for you today.

But first, let me explain a couple things: I don't have a fenced yard, and although I live in a sparsely populated area, I never allow the dogs to run free out back unless they're supervised and their leashes are still attached. This will make perfect sense in the video.

I also disclaim the following:

Jon Farleigh appears (in the video) to be eating something that he got from the grass. It ~~most certainly~~ might have dropped from a deer. He would have eaten it even if I had made a scene.
The dogs run across the street and I don't run after them. There was nothing coming...for miles.
Jon Farleigh is not hurting Dewi. They bite each other's butts for fun. :)
If you are prone to motion sickness, use caution. My hand is not the steadiest. (Dramamine? Ginger ale, anyone?)
It's 10 minutes long. I had too much fun watching the action to cut off the camera. Oopsie! (really, it's fun)

Click here to watch on YouTube.

Anyone else think I should hitch the boys up to a little red wagon?

Have a wonderful weekend!

P.S. Jon Farleigh "parts" next week!

Honk if you're a dog person...

2012-01-19T19:32:00.000-08:00

...but can still appreciate the beauty of a cat!

If you're a cat person, just lay on the horn!

If you think cats are ugly, slowly turn around...AND DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU ON THE WAY OUT!

So yeah, I've got another post full of cat "part" pictures today. I might have gotten carried away - taking 487 photos and all. (No, not hyperbole.)

But enough talk, here are my favorite Tigger and Lulabelle (heavy on Tigger - the supermodel cat) parts.

ENORMOUS WHITE WHISKERS

BELLY PUDGE THAT HANGS OVER REAR FEET (like a penguin's)

BLACK SHAWL DRAPED AROUND SHOULDERS

TIGGER'S GLORIOUS, LUXURIANT CHEEKS

CHEETAH-LIKE BLACK FACIAL MARKINGS

THICK, SILKY, DREAMY COAT

AND A BUNCH OF OTHER COOL PICTURES THAT I JUST FEEL LIKE POSTING

THAT IS ALL.

My Bear Cub Went Meow

2012-01-18T19:14:00.000-08:00

When I put my hand on her belly.

You'd have thought she was a cat.

Bears don't have feet like that.

Or that.

Or even that.

I think I smell a rat.

Poor fella.

*****

So I sneaked in an all-cat "part" post! How liberating!

Eva is my fuzzy bear cub, by the way. Did you see that belly fur?

How about the orange eyebrows? Or the orange perma-smile on her left cheek?

LOVE <3

*****

In other news...

You might have noticed that several websites (and blogs) today, including Google, Wikipedia, WordPress and Mozilla, went black (or wore black) in protest of two Internet bills before the US Senate: Protect IP Act (PIPA) and Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). Although I did not participate in the blackout, I do believe that if passed, these bills will essentially open the door to Internet censorship and detriment of free expression.

So what can we do as concerned citizens?

Educate ourselves on SOPA and PIPA and then tell our local representatives that we oppose this legislation.

How Can I Help You Get More Eyes on Your Blog? Let Me Count the Ways

2012-01-17T19:28:00.000-08:00

Don't worry, I haven't written a sonnet for you today.

I am, however, going to use my blog experience to try and help you get some more eyes on your blog - if you have one. If not, well, maybe one day when you start one?

But first, here's a token picture of Dewi that I took earlier today:

He was in this position for exactly 14.2 seconds. :)

And now: the part where I spill my guts

For the last month or so, beginning with the impending one-year anniversary of this blog coupled with the start of a new calendar year and culminating, last week, with the Pet Blogger Challenge, I've been more introspective than usual, prompting a whole slew of personal questions about the future of the blog: Can I (and why should I) keep up the grueling five-day-a-week pace (of posting and keeping up with way too many other blogs)? If it's too much, how do I cut back? How do I keep it fun without becoming redundant? Who the heck really cares - other than me - anyway?

Can you say "too much introspection can make 'Jane' a very anxious girl"?

Wanna know what I say?

FOR THE LOVE OF PETE, IF YOU'RE PRONE TO BOUTS OF OVER-THINKING, DON'T START YOUR BLOG RIGHT BEFORE THE NEW YEAR!

Okay, joking aside, I've been struggling with "my purpose" so much lately that I'm having trouble mustering the will to write anything, and that's bad. So I'm resorting to the one tried and true way I know to divert my eyes off of myself, and that's to help someone else. In this case, "someone else" would be all the new or inexperienced (relative to me) bloggers who are reading this post.

Some Statistics

(because although I'm far from an industry "expert," I do have a little street cred)

I have 163 Google feed (RSS) subscribers* (to my blog posts).
16 people subscribe to posts by e-mail.
I've had over 52,000 page views as of this writing.
My daily page view count doubled from September to October, about the same time I started using Twitter.
My Google Page Rank is 3.
Alexa says this (as of today - updated daily) about The Chronicles of Cardigan:
"Chroniclesofcardigan.blogspot.com is ranked #535,721 in the world according to the three-month Alexa traffic rankings. Its visitors view 2.7 unique pages each day on average, and almost all visitors to this site come from the US, where it has attained a traffic rank of 76,023. The time spent in a typical visit to Chroniclesofcardigan.blogspot.com is about sixteen minutes, with two minutes spent on each pageview. It is relatively popular among users in the cities of Richmond-Petersburg (where it is ranked #543) and Seattle-Tacoma (#12,504)."
My #1 referring site and URL is Google.com.
My #2 referring site is Facebook.com.
My #2 referring URL is a virtual tie between thedailycorgi.blogspot.com and elyancardigans.blogspot.com.
I have 2,699 published comments.

*RSS subscribers include, but are not limited to, Google Friend Connect "followers." I obtained my subscriber information from Google Reader and Google Webmaster.

Okay, now that you know where the blog stands statistically, I'd like to share the ways in which I intentionally tried to increase traffic (I hate that word, by the way, it's so impersonal) to this blog, starting with the very first day. (I'm going to write in the present tense, though, since I'm writing this for you, not me.)

Make sure your blog feed is public (not private), which means search engines can crawl it.
Post something.
Add "searchable" labels to all your posts. This will not only help people search your archives, but can help search engines find your content, too.
Send someone you know your blog address and ~~beg~~ ask them to read it.
Find, read and comment on other similar blogs (in my case, it was other Cardigan Corgi blogs, namely one, Life with The Horde, in which case, upon the author stumbling upon this site, I had the supreme fortune of having my blog name and address broadcast to her entire readership and added to her blogroll).
Post quality content often (in my case, back then, it was every day).
Encourage commenting on your posts. By encourage I mean: ask open-ended questions, write about something thought-provoking, incredibly ~~shocking~~ ridiculous (okay maybe not that) and reply to commenters when possible.
Leave thoughtful comments on other blogs and add these blogs to your blogroll.
Make blog friends. (If you're leaving thoughtful comments on blogs you enjoy reading, this should be easy. Note, however, that some of your comments on other blogs might not be reciprocated, and when this happens, it does not mean that you are a blogging loser. You have no idea what's going on with that other blogger. Just suck it up and move on.)
Join a blog hop(s). I linked up to the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop for the first time in mid-February. I met LOTS of new people on my first few "hops." This is also when my readership grew from a mainly Cardigan Corgi niche to a more encompassing dog blog niche.
In spite of how much you might hate it, create a Facebook fan page and install a widget on your blog. Mine was born on March 3. I wanted to make it easy for people - who might prefer Facebook to blog comments - to interact with me. I have been rewarded with 146 "people" and 20 "page" fans. I love my Facebook friends.
Post quality content often. (In late March, after several Saturday blog hops, I decided to quit posting on weekends because my family time was suffering. I still post every weekday, unless I announce a break in advance.)
If someone asks you to, write a guest post for her (or his) blog. I've done it four times, on three blogs.
Share the link love and link up to some of your favorite blogs from within your blog posts, particularly if you've been inspired by another's work.
The summer is a natural time to hit a posting rut. Push though it anyway.
Leave thoughtful comments on other blogs and add blogs to your blogroll.
Go to the pet blogging conference, BlogPaws, if you can. There is nothing more rewarding than to meet your blog friends (and make new blog friends) in person.
In spite of how much you hate the thought of it (even more than Facebook), get a Twitter handle (related to your blog), install a widget on your blog and start tweeting - even if it's only to tweet your blog posts. And if you've been posting quality content all along, you might even get invited to join Triberr, where your tribemates will even tweet your blog posts, and before you know it, you've doubled your blog's monthly page views. (I have 157 Twitter followers, belong to two Triberr tribes and since October, when I started tweeting, have seen my monthly blog page views double.)
Post quality content often.
Leave thoughtful comments on other blogs and add blogs to your blogroll.

Which brings me to the current state of affairs. ;)

So this - at a high level - is how I've helped people find this blog. However, aside from posting quality content often (which is far and away the most important thing of all), making people want to read more than half a post, subscribe and/or keep coming back for more is another story altogether. And lucky for us, one that I'm saving for another day.

Hope this helped...someone...even just a little bit.

I know I feel better. :)

P.S. I will gladly answer any questions!

P.P.S. I've got more parts to show you!

Dewi's Most Embarrassing Moment - Revisited

2012-01-12T18:38:00.000-08:00

One year ago Sunday, we thought we'd misplaced Dewi...in the house...for about two minutes. Turns out he was practically under our noses the whole time.

Since most of you had never heard of me or this blog a year ago, why don't I just let you read what I wrote about losing and finding Dewi on that chilly January day...

~~~~~

Originally published on Jan. 16, 2011 as Uh, Dewi?
(Note: on Jan. 15, I published a teaser about how we'd lost him for a couple minutes. This is where we found him...)

Okay so obviously, he was stuck on the stairs and not swimming in the toilet bowl - or worse. Big whoop. A little anticlimactic, wouldn't you say? Well, sure - if not for one other thing, which begs the question: How many steps does Dewi have to go up before he gets stuck - for 10 straight minutes?

Yep, ONE.

Poor guy couldn't go up or down.

He's clearly not a risk taker.

Hey! Over here!

Dude, could you quit laughing and give me a hand?

My kids decided to turn the moment into a teaching session. Well, sort of.

He never made it to the top.

(But did you notice Jon Farleigh hopping around up there?)

~~~~~

By the way, he eventually got over his fear...about four months later. Then about one week after that, we had to barricade the staircase. :-/

Friends, I've got a busy weekend ahead and a school holiday on Monday, so I'm giving myself a four-day weekend. woo hoo! :) I'll see you back here next Tuesday.

'Til then, happy trails!
Don't do anything I wouldn't do (which actually leaves a larger window of opportunity than you might think)!

A Few of My Favorite Parts - Part 1.33

2012-01-11T20:58:00.000-08:00

...Continued from Monday

Dewi's wound up little body starts to peter out around nine each evening, frequently in the chair behind me in the office...

ZZzzzzzzzz

He was so tired tonight that I got a few close-ups of some of his parts, like...

His perfectly symmetrical white blaze, and the
little "fairy kiss" spot on the top of his head

Also notice how the chair arm accentuates...

All the squeezable extra skin on his red cheeks

And from below, there's a view of those...

Three little spotted sections of skin that form a
precious little cloverleaf under his exquisite nose

But in the end, during these quiet moments of peaceful wonder, I think I was most moved by...

His stink eye

And now a few words from Dewi:

Please don't shove a camera and its blinding, hateful flash in your sleeping dog's face.

Thank you.

Even more parts coming soon. :)

Wherein I Reveal My Blogging Secrets

2012-01-10T16:43:00.000-08:00

Today, I am participating in the second annual Pet Blogger Challenge, an exercise (in answering a list of questions) designed to build camaraderie within the pet blogging community, as well as - as I see it - to provide honest (and if necessary, blunt) insight to others, who might just be starting out or for whom sharing similar success and/or frustration with maintaining a pet-related blog would be ~~therapeutic~~ beneficial. (In lay terms: You might feel better about yourself after reading this.) Thank you to Edie at Will My Dog Hate Me and Amy at GoPetFriendly.com for arranging this special event.

The Chronicles of Cardigan was only two weeks old during the 2011 challenge, so this is my first time participating.

Here goes.

When did you begin your blog?

December 29, 2010

What was your original purpose for starting a blog?

To share my pets - especially the dogs, Jon Farleigh and Dewi - with the world. I'd also hoped to slide in a few humorous no-pet-content (kids, life, etc.) posts as well. That is why I didn't name the blog something blatantly pet-related, and why my tag line includes the words "a smattering of everything."

Is your current purpose the same?

I haven't written a post without pet content since last Mother's Day and can count on one hand the number of cat-only posts since then. Other than that, yes.

The reason why I don't write about life and cats more often? Hardly anyone reads those posts, and I feel like I'm talking to myself. Well, that and the dogs' lives are more interesting to write about.

One of my early captions:
[In the vet's parking lot.]
Dewi to Jon: "Hey, dude, how's my drivin?"
Jon to Dewi: "I think we're parked, man."

Do you blog on a schedule or as the spirit moves you?

On a schedule.

If the former, how often — and what techniques do you use to stick to it?

Unless otherwise announced in advance, I post every weekday. I posted seven-days-a-week until last March.

I gave up weekends because my family time was suffering. I continue to post each weekday for a few reasons:

I can. I'm a stay-at-home parent of school-aged kids.
It's fun (unless I've suddenly got a busy day, like today, in which case, I might stress out and want to drop kick the blog out the window, because I can't bring myself to miss a day unannounced). For the record, however, I have NO problem scheduling time off, when needed.
No one has complained.
I get consistent blog traffic each day. Read: Somebody must think it's worth a click and glance.
I have a few dear, dear readers who've shared that they visit every day (and miss me when I'm on a break).
It has done wonders for my confidence and writing skills, in that order.

Other than the tinge of guilt I might feel for missing a day or two, I think treating the blog as less of a personal memoir, and more like an entertainment venue (or vocation - I'm totally serious), helps me to stick to a schedule.

Are you generating income from your blog?

Yes, I'm a member of the BlogHer|BlogPaws Publishing Network. (I've written about this before, here.) I earn a small (emphasis on small) commission for each page load (when there is a paid ad available). When there is no paid ad available, a pet-related public service ad appears in its place.

And here's the part where I'm going to be brutally honest: I don't earn nearly enough. The fact is, when/if I need to re-enter the workforce, I will have to cut (way) back the blogging, and that makes me sad.

We would like a new, LARGER chair included in our 2012 contract.

What do you like most about blogging in general and your blog in particular (bragging is good!)?

Yes, it's cliche, but it's the instant connection with other, like-minded people. I don't know too many other pet-crazed, poop joke-loving people in real life. [big smile] Well, that and I like to create things with words. And I'm a wise-cracking ham. Who's quiet as a church mouse in person.

Why do I like my blog? Because I can be a pet-crazed, poop joke-telling, wise-cracking ham, while hiding behind my computer screen. Have I mentioned how much I love my blog friends/readers?

What do you like least?

The fact that I gained 10 pounds from sitting too much, followed closely by feeling chained to the computer at times - especially during summer.

How do you see your blog changing/growing in 2012?

I blog by the seat of my pants some days, so I'm having a hard time with this question. Although, I have been toying around with making some Jon Farleigh and Dewi t-shirts - for the die hard fans (all five of us).

THANKS FOR READING, Y'ALL!

A Few of My Favorite Parts - Part 1

2012-01-09T13:23:00.000-08:00

[Thanks, Pup Fan, I have been inspired by your recent Eyes and Ears post.]

Okay, I give up. I've been sitting here trying to think of a way to say this without sounding like a crazy pet lady, but I can't, so here goes:

I'm coo coo for some of my pets' (yes, cats too) parts.
And lucky for you, I've decided to share.

For starters...

Dewi's partially pink nostril and fuzzy lips

and, moving up the face...

his different colored whiskers

That adorn his...

red brindle cheeks,
which set off his captivating bronze eyes.
(Yes, that's an eye booger. I'm too lazy to edit it out.)

And then there are those...

forelegs

With their...

swirly, whirly elbows

And...

bubblegum paw pads.

To be continued...on Wednesday... :)

Be sure to check back tomorrow to see my answers to the Pet Blogger Challenge, sponsored by GoPetFriendly.com and Will My Dog Hate Me!

Crazy, Unfocused, Butt-Centric Cardigans - You'll Find All That and More Here!

2012-01-06T15:38:00.000-08:00

According to Google Analytics. :)

Random butt shot? Hardly.

I've written before about some of the unusual ways people have found this blog through search queries. And now that the blog's a year old, based on a hunch that there might be more "unusual" where that came from, I thought it might be fun to share the top, sure-fire, tried-and-true ways to find The Chronicles of Cardigan on the Net (aside from typing in the exact address in your browser).

Ready?

(Note: Click links to see where the "unusual" queries landed.)

chronicles of cardigan (and all manner of variations, including misspellings)
ann margret (and all manner of variations)
aquasaurs (and all manner of queries with this word and/or the scientific name, triops, and sea monkey)
Dewi and Jon Farleigh cardigan welsh corgi (and all manner of variations)
spooky buddies (and all manner of queries with these words)
busch gardens dog kennel (and all manner of variations on busch gardens + dog kennel)
does my butt look good? and all these verbatim* variations:
- does my butt look good
- why does as* look good in slacks
- my as* doesn't look good in pants
- look at these pictures of my as*
- i look good in these pants
- i feel bad about my butt
- good look buttocks
- does my butt look okay
- does my as* look good
- does my arse look good
- butt look perfect in pants
*There were no asterisks in as* on the analytics report. This is a family-friendly blog, people.

Gratuitous booty? No way.

Now, based on this list, IF (and that's a BIG if) I was concerned about ~~capitalizing on~~ optimizing my blog topics/key words to draw more of certain search queries, I could probably do a few things, like:

Start an Ann-Margret fan page and keep it regularly updated. NOT!
Keep aquasaurs year-round so I can report on them and give them funny voices like Marcel the Shell. NOPE!
I can't even go there for #5. [shudder]
Take the dogs to Busch Gardens more often. Could happen, but I'm not writing about it.
Do more dog butt stories (but conveniently not mention the word "dog" anywhere in the post)!

Friends, I think I'm on to something. (And if you believe that, I've got some swamp land I can sell you for cheap.)

Do Corgi butts drive me nuts? Absolutely.
(Roxi's butt)

Oh yeah, did you notice how "poop" isn't in any of those popular queries, despite the fact that I love talking about it so much? Know what that means? There's already a corner on the "poop" blog market. Darn it.

*****

So the title of this post indicates that there might be some crazy and unfocused stuff in this blog, too.
YEAH RIGHT! Google IS WRONG! I wish. (You know, I can hear those thoughts you're thinking.)

But come on, how in Sam Hill did these (down below) queries spit out my blog?! Synonyms or no. And why would someone page forward that far?!

crazy blog (This actually converted into four page views. Figures.)
people says i'm unfocused (And they're correct.)
coconut cake bahamas (Huh???)
my tongue pokes out when i laugh (I dare you to try this.)
ten reasons my dog is better than my ex (Which one of you searched for this? ;)
how to clean house (Bwahahahaha!)
discreet happy hump day (Discreet?)
toilet keeps overflowing when son poops (It's called a courtesy flush, my friends. Divide and conquer.)

And my FAVORITE!...
the cutest dog in the world guinness record (Hey, I'm just reporting the facts, y'all!)

*****

May you find everything you're looking for this weekend!

Ta ta!

Nothing but Jon Farleigh and Dewi Pics

2012-01-05T14:51:00.000-08:00

I'm still recovering from typing so many words on Tuesday, so all I'm posting today are pictures. Just a few interesting ones that I pulled from the archives.

I know you're there; I can smell you.

And kid, I'll take a cheeseburger; hold the onions.

I'd like to know when I'm gonna get paid for appearing in this blog.

SQUIRREL!
(Nice try, lady.)

I don't understand the fascination with dogs.

Dude. Why are your ears so small?

I don't understand the fascination with humans.

You make me feel...you make me feel...I say, you make me feel like a natural wom...oops

Ahem.

See you tomorrow. :)

'Tis Time for Me to Acknowledge the Awesomeness of People

2012-01-03T16:22:00.000-08:00

For starters, these award-winning bloggers:

2 Brown Dawgs' mom at 2 Brown Dawgs - owner of two beautiful and talented Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, and awaiting the addition of her third, a puppy
Ellen at Pupparoos - super blogger (she has three) and parent to Stewie, a mighty little rescue dog, and Tucker, a fuzzy baby Sheltie who will make you gasp (he's that cute)
Irene at Harlequin - mother, animal lover and talented digital scrapbooker in the Czech Republic
Janet at Basset Momma - servant of Basset Hounds, Fred and Gloria - what more can I say?
Lauren at Life with Desmond - doting parent of crazy (her word) rescue dog, Desmond, and dog trainer-to-be
Leslie at Bringing up Bella - passionate dog rescue volunteer and patient parent of Bella, a recovering former street dog transplanted from far-away Puerto Rico
Mary at Bermtopia - brilliant writer and dog mom to Ben, an adorable Aussie blend with a piercing dry wit
Scrappy's mom at Yorkie Tails - typist for the born-Irish and now Minnesotan terrier, Scrappy, who just brims with inspirational anecdotes
Sue at Greyhounds CAN Sit - lover of life and dogs, namely her grand Greyhound, Beryl, and handsome pigdog (her word), Frankie, in the stunningly beautiful coastal town of Feilding, New Zealand

So as I was saying, they're all award-winning, each snagging at least one of these three noteworthy blogging awards:

Norwegian origin

Passed to me from the Czech Republic

German origin, translated "dearest" or "beloved," designed
to recognize "up-and-coming" (less than 200 subscribers) blogs

And, each of these people has generously passed one of these awards to me, along with the privilege of paying it forward.

(For the record: I suck for not doing this in early December - before duplicates happened. But, on the other hand, if I had, then I wouldn't have been able to introduce you to all these great blogs.)

A few things you should know:

Most blog "awards" come with at least one rule.
I have already followed one rule.
I believe some rules are meant to be broken.
That's all I'm saying about the rules. :)
(but if you must know them, try Google-ing the award names)

~~~~~

But, before I call attention to a few more awesome people with blogs, for fun (smile), here are a few random, previously unpublished things about me and my dogs:

I once wrote and edited in HTML, hundreds of online reference documents for a large company. And to this day, I enjoy hand-coding lists (especially multi-level ones), including many of the ones you see on my blog.
I also enjoy diagramming sentences.
I am strange.
Jon Farleigh had a twin puppy brother named Luke.
Luke lives in North Carolina.
Jon Farleigh is on the left (he has less white on his muzzle).
This is what you'd see while seated on the toilet in my guest 1/2 bathroom.
The toilet humor doesn't end with the blog. :)
Dewi, although higher energy than Jon Farleigh, is the snuggliest of my two dogs. He will climb in your lap in a chair and spoon you in the prone position. Jon Farleigh, in contrast, snuggles in bursts (but will lick your face off). :)

~~~~~

And now a confession: The reason I have waited to accept these generous honors until now is because it is painfully difficult for me to select new recipients. I subscribe to over 100 outstanding blogs, and I consider all bloggers I subscribe to awesome people. So tell me, what's a girl to do?

Get over herself and advertise some (lesser-known-to-my-readers) great blogs, that's what. :)

Starting with "kreativity"

Two French Bulldogs - Benny and Lily. They. Are. Crazy. Funny. Their mama could take this act far, if she set her mind to it. Make haste over there to check these cheeky Frenchies out, especially on Ba-da-bing Tuesday!
Happy Bark Days - The Adventures of Miss Little Red Maple Leaf - The author of this blog is a Canadian transplant in Singapore who writes about her life with Miss Maple, an adorable red toy poodle. She also writes intriguing travelogues and her photography is stunning.

Then on to the "lovelies"

Peaceful Dog (Which could just as easily be called Peaceful Blog) - Kirsten, the author of this blog, is a professional dog trainer, dog owner of Lamar (a handsome Anatolian Shepherd) and foster parent to two adoptable pitties-in-training, Fozzie and Sandy. Here, you will find everything from dog training tips to photo journals of outdoor adventures with dogs in the Mid-Atlantic (US)-area wilderness. And, she has a soothing writing style that will make you want to curl up in front of a fire with a cup of hot cocoa.
Ruffly Speaking - A previously well-kept secret of Cardigan Corgi people, this blog is a pleasure fest for the eyes and mind. From the remarkable photography, to the hilarious storytelling, and ending with the vault of expert dog-rearing information, this blog simply should not be missed. I promise, you will not be sorry you went there.
Daley's Dog Years - Chandra, the author, created this blog as a eulogy to her beloved dog, Daley, who at age 13, developed Degenerative Myelopathy (DM), a spinal cord disease that targets older dogs and for which there is no standard treatment or cure. A champion for the precious senior dogs of the world, especially those who find themselves homeless, Chandra uses this space to spotlight local dog causes and to provide valuable information to people who care for senior dogs.

And finally, the liebster "up-and-coming"

The Daily Dog Blog - Julie, a self-employed graphic and web designer, created this space for sharing her beautiful pets: Cali, the 12-year-old Aussie x Golden Retriever, and three rescue cats, Monkey, Ashley and Zuni. Julie is in love with animals and it shows. Hint: I lifted this quote off her "About" page: "How is it possible that there are people in this world that are not “pet people”?"
This just in: A new Labrador dog girl, Saydee, has moved in while her human (Julie's brother) is on assignment.
Ozzy's World - Ozzy Oswald is a Min-Pin who was abandoned by his first owner, and through a twist of fate, came to find his forever home with the author of this blog - a DUDE. :) There are no pictures to speak of, other than the little photo of Ozzy in the sidebar, but the descriptive writing makes up for it. I love that this blog is from a man's perspective, but it's the funny stories that hold my attention. And hey, if you go there (please do!), do me a big favor and leave a comment. This guy's been writing his hands off with no comments to speak of (not even mine - that is, until I tell him about this award.).

~~~~~

Thank you again to all the bloggers who tapped me for this honor. You rock!

To the new recipients: Feel free to copy your award image and post it on your blog! If you choose to pay it forward, great! If not, that's okay, too.

Now, go find yourself a new blog to follow!

(Note: Since I'm posting so late today, and because this is way long, and I want people to have time to read it, there will be no post tomorrow. See you back here on Thursday!)

Jon Farleigh Is a Furry Two-Year-Old

2012-01-02T15:25:00.000-08:00

As of yesterday.

Why do you tease me?

Yes, he (and his five littermates) were birthed on New Year's Day...in 2010.

Jon Farleigh shared his little carob doggie cake with Dewi (because I said he had to).

Three Dog Bakery

Those are carrots. The cake is not sweet. I tasted it.

It's not fair that we can't keep them two years old forever.

I'm starving.

I've gone deaf in my left ear.

What? Do I have food in my teeth?

Happy Birthday, Jon Farleigh
(and Georgia and Lily and Bee and Luke and Flip Flop)!

Top 5 Reasons Why I Love Writing a 'Mostly' Dog Blog

2011-12-30T15:29:00.000-08:00

A lot can happen in a blog year. 280 posts worth of stuff, to be exact. 280 days of sharing thoughts and images on a virtual page. 280 chances to make an impression - share something helpful - hone writing skills - spread joy. In a nutshell, regardless of who or what I choose to write about, those are the most important reasons why I have a blog at all.

But for today, with this final, 279th post of the calendar year, I'd like to share the top 5 reasons why I specifically love writing a mostly dog blog (beginning with the most important).

#1 - The community! Dog people (including people who don't have a dog, but enjoy reading about them) are some of the kindest, warmest, most supportive, talented and compassionate people I know. In other words, YOU are the reason I enjoy this blog so much. (Note: Please remember this when you get to #2.)

#3* - I love dogs and I've lived with them much of my life. I'm most comfortable writing about familiar things - and I am passionate about their (and cats', too) causes.

#4 - Jon Farleigh and Dewi were born to be written about and in pictures. They are hilarious. They provide endless fodder.

#5 - Dogs can't read and don't care whether they took a bad picture.

#2** - I GET TO TALK ABOUT POOP!

Yes, it's the truth. Best of all, though, YOU LIKE IT (when I talk about it - not the actual poop)!

Starting with the time I wrote about Jon Farleigh NOT pooping in the rain (at MyCorgi.com), you shared how my (and JF's) unfortunate predicament made you crack many horizontal smiles. (You had not yet, as you barely knew me, shared about cracking vertical smiles.) And that made me happy!

Not pooping in the rain. Not no way. Not no how.

Then there was the time that Jon Farleigh ate some hair and used the carpet to dislodge a dingleberry. Who knew such a sorry story would attract so much attention?!

Please look away from me and my humiliation.

[Don't stop me now, I'm on a roll ~~of toilet paper~~...]

And then there was that one time when Dewi ate something disagreeable, and I wanted to tout the digestive health benefits of feeding mashed pumpkin to dogs. Except because of the serious nature of the subject, I decided to use the code ~~brown~~ word "Hershey" for each instance of the word "poop." Remember that one?

Eat some canned pumpkin and have a nice Hershey!

And other than some of you developing a sudden aversion to chocolate syrup, I think this article was one of my most helpful. Pumpkin really is one of those miracle foods - whether the Hershey is flowing or hung up in the chute. :)

~~~~~

Well, I don't know about you, but I feel a whole lot better now that I've gotten that out of my system!

THANK YOU for the best first blog year I could have ever imagined!

And with that, since I've got the weekend off...

May 2011 go out with a ~~boom-boom~~ BANG!

and

May you have a swimming (like jolly kids who've just been dropped off at the pool) New Year!

(More regular blog programming will return on Monday.)

P.S. Anyone else think it's about time that the Browns get to the Super Bowl? Maybe they should play on real grass more often.

*#3 is out of order, so...

**#2 got stuck on the bottom.

2011 Doggie Holiday Card Outtake and Confessions

2011-12-28T08:42:00.000-08:00

A few things:

Both the dogs' holiday card headbands came from the Dollar Spot at Target. They were marketed for children. I get ALL the dogs' headbands/holiday accessories at Target.
During the dogs' card shoots, they were confined in our spare bedroom with me and all three children. If it had just been me and the dogs, they'd have been placed on a tall table.
Peanut butter treats (received from Cardi Claus) flew through the room (literally, through the air) freely and often.
For Jon Farleigh's kissing card, I bribed Eldest Child with $5 to hold a peanut butter dog treat between her lips. (That's not bad, is it?)
She took the bribe, but interestingly, I didn't use any of those photos. Oops.
In the photo I did use, Jon Farleigh planted the sloppy kiss with no treat coaxing whatsoever.
This is how they looked after that un-coaxed sloppy kiss.

I'z THE MAN!

It's possible that at least one of us needs counseling. :)

~~~~~

Okay, so you may or may not know that tomorrow is December 29, and that tomorrow will mark the one-year anniversary of this blog.

I can't even put into words how blown away I am that I've made it this long.

So instead of fretting about it, I've decided to take tomorrow off.

Okay, that's not entirely true. I do have a thing or two (divided into more than one post) to say to commemorate The Chronicles of Cardigan's first anniversary, but I can't tomorrow, because the Christmas cash in Middle Child's pocket is in flames and I have to take her to the mall to extinguish it.

I'll be back Friday. See you then!

Doggie Holiday Card - Gone with the Wind Edition

2011-12-23T14:49:00.000-08:00

As originally spoken by Rhett Butler to Scarlett O'Hara in the 1939 film, Gone with the Wind...

~~~~~

And on that high note,

Merry Christmas!

and

Happy Winter Holidays!

Stay warm, be safe, find comfort and joy, and please, watch out for dogs wearing mistletoe!

See you back here on Wednesday, December 28.

P.S. In case you haven't seen it, Jon Farleigh, Dewi and I are featured at the literate blog Coffee with a Canine today. All new photos! All new info (well maybe not all new). Go see! :)

Doggie Holiday Card - Ironic Last Words in Children's Literature Edition

2011-12-22T17:59:00.000-08:00

Adapted from The Gingerbread Man

...Only in the real story, 'twas the fox who had the last laugh.

Coming tomorrow: Jon Farleigh's card!

Of Buckwheat Pancakes, Ham Skillets, Sugar Plums and Rudolph

2011-12-21T11:57:00.000-08:00

At my house we have a tradition on Christmas morning of eating pancakes with some sort of terribly bad for you salty pork product - usually bacon - as long as I'm not the one doing the cooking. You might also be interested to know that although it's evidently more nutritious than the Hungry Jack(TM) buttermilk pancake mix that I usually buy, I've never been adventurous enough to pick up a buckwheat variety. I'm terribly wimpy when it comes to trying new foods.

There is a first time for everything though, right?
Anyone out there like buckwheat pancakes? Bacon? Ham?

So who else (other than me - thanks to me) has warm fluffy stacks of sweet and savory comfort on the brain?

Yes? Oh good! Now feast your eyes on these warm fluffy stacks of comfort!

First up: Buckwheat!

Oh, yeah, I'm good for you, alright. Move over Hungry Jack!

Buckwheat (and all the other warm stacks of comfort I'm about to show you) is available for immediate adoption through Richmond Animal Care and Control in Richmond, VA. He is a lab-blend baby just dying to "fill you up" over the upcoming holidays.

And what pancake breakfast would be complete without the savory goodness of a...

Ham Skillet?!
(yes, people, that's his name, and I think it's brilliant)

How can you possibly resist me and a side of biscuits?

Could you not just eat up this little hound-blend baby?

So, are you dreaming of food yet? Maybe visions of...

Sugar Plum(s)?

Take me home and I'll not only dance on your head,
but I'll dance right into your heart!

Sugar Plum is a light orange tabby, twinkle-toed baby girl, who'd love to make your dreams come true!

Alright, let's see...I mentioned Rudolph in the title of this post, so I have to ask:
What human being doesn't like some of that "misfit" reindeer's story at this time of year?

Remember the classic stop-motion animated TV special? Got a favorite character? Can you relate to anyone in particular?

How about Hermie the Dentist?

Come get me off this island and I'll be your forever bestie!

This ambitious young lab-man might not be able to fill your teeth (thank goodness), but he sure will fill your home and heart with his beautiful smiles!

Okay, so if you know the Rudolph TV special, you know that during that particular year, due to a pesky abominable snowman (and some heavy snow), it was nearly the year without a Santa Claus. [shudder]

And of course circumstances like those called for heroic actions. Yes, friends, the one man in all the North Pole who could (and did) wrangle a Bumble:

Yukon Cornelius!

Bumbles bounce and so might I. But I want nothing more than to be your hero.
Will you let me?

Yukon is a brave young pit bull with a soft coat and a soft heart (behind that tough exterior). He sure could use a warm home and ~~bed~~ lap to take a load off upon. ;)

~~~~~

So I know it's nearly Christmas already, and we're all busy, and that to these furry babies, our human holiday is really and truly just another Sunday in the shelter. And although it would be wonderful if somebody somewhere sees this post and is moved to go spring one (or all) of these furry guys out of their temporary lodging before December 25, I'm not counting on it. And that's okay. I know they are all going to find their true forever homes soon (hellooooo?? have you seen them?? and did you see those names???).

I really just wanted to give you and your friends and family the gift of having the opportunity. I'm thoughtful like that. :)

P.S. I like my pancakes with mounds of butter and (light) maple syrup.