I just have to say...

YES!!!
We have made it to Friday.
Wednesday was the worst day of all.
Dexter decided that since Shelby had given in to his playful antics once, then she must want to play all day long.
Shelby decided she once again wanted to rip his throat out.

Thursday Dexter got fussed at all day, and walked around with his head hanging because no one would let him play with his friend. Borders were once again established and by the end of the day they were more respectful of each other.

It was actually fun to watch them this morning from the safety of the landing on the stairs as they romped about the downstairs which is basically still free of furniture. Shelby finally figured out what I have been earnestly telling her all week.
Our room is a safe zone, it is where her crate is.
Dexter is not allowed in our room for this, and so many other reasons!!!
She has somehow let this little fact escape her all week, but worked it to her best interest this morning. Dexter is quite disciplined on his boundaries (except when he's not) and chooses most often to stop his full out run at the entrance to our room. Shelby loved getting him completely riled up and frothing only to dart into her safe zone and bark a little triumphant escape cheer.
She then does a fun little one/two move and darts full speed from the room in a direct line to the dining room table, where he can't go because of all the legs!
Repeat, repeat, repeat. She tires of this long before he ever will and turns the grouchy girl back on quickly.
That is bearable!

My sister in law and I have decided to make the 12 hour journey to their new home together. We leave in the morning.
Just she and I....and Dexter the dog.


Can I just tell you I almost burst into tears when we arrived to pick up the moving truck.
I had imagined 12 long hours of drool and muscle in my lap on a bench seat.
It made me think back to the days of being crammed with my two brothers into the back seat of our station wagon and wanting to melt into the door rather than be touched by either of them for any amount of time.

"He's touching me!!"

"He's still touching me!!"

I mean, where were they supposed to go, it was a back seat!
Anyway, I digress.
In this moving truck there are 2 bucket seats and a large deep space between them. That means dealing with Dexter at lap level instead of eye level.
Trust me, it is cry worthy!!
I think maybe I will stuff myself inside our largest sleeping bag, and only come out for potty breaks.
I did tell you about the jowls on this dog right.
Mind you I am still taking photos with my phone and emailing them to myself...so this is the best I can do for you at this time, but I want you to really get a decent grasp of what I am facing.



It is kind of like baby slobber...you don't mind your own baby doing it, but other baby slobber...even ones you love, is icky!
I am opposed to slobber and drool, it is a personality trait.
One I am not proud of mind you, but one I am not willing to give in to either.

I think this is an appropriate time to change the subject.
We got a new hamster.


Hamsters don't drool.
Either do fish, or snails for that matter.
I notice these things.

Okay fine, I haven't yet successfully changed the subject, but we must continue on this train of thought so you can possibly understand my lack of love.
I like a clean tile floor. Swept daily of debris and kept clean with frequent spot cleaning and eventual mopping.

A large dog is detrimental to a clean floor.
In fact I have given up. Don't come to my house until I get back from my trip and can give my full attention to the barrage of destruction brought about by the jowls on my much loved Nephew Dog ,which hold lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of water.
Just imagine him greedily slurping from a water dish then joyfully turning to the nearest human ready to greet them with wild abandon!
Now imagine all of the water gathered in those amazing jowls and all the places it gets slung as he turns his massive head to move on with playfulness.

Or the lesser of disgusting, the simple slurp and walk away maneuver where the next 12 feet or so of floor is now littered with drops of slobbery water.
More often than not, he will choose to shake his head halfway in the process of moving to his next destination.
I will love Dexter so much more when he is in his new home and I can Skype with him!!

I think now I have said my piece on this issue.

Here is a good subject change...


Here is our first red bell pepper from our backdoor garden. (I bet Dexter has drooled on it)
We picked it the other day and let it fully redden in the kitchen window.
Last night I cut it into beautiful little squares and sauteed it with some garlic pepper. It was a wonderful addition to my scrambled eggs! Oh, was it gooooood!

Well, I have much to do today to prepare for my unexpected journey.
I have cookies to prepare as bribery for those willing to come and help load the truck and a number of other things.... except obsessing about my floor. Nope you won't find me doing that. No way, not me! Not today!

I promise when I come back I will share a drool-less blueberry crumble recipe that I started to type out on Wednesday...aka the bad day.

Now where did we put those sleeping bags in this new house????