Keeping Calm and Carrying On

If you know me well, then you know this has been my motto for about two years now. This was truly a week for me to KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON. James got into a minor fender bender on Monday. Fortunately he wasn't hurt. Unfortunately it wasn't minor enough, because the insurance company has decided to total it out. :/

I hate dealing with car issues. It's just SUCH A PAIN. It causes me a lot of anxiety and stress, simply because we depend on our vehicles so much. But short of moving somewhere where I can rely strictly on public transportation, there's really nothing I can do about it.

So I'm keeping calm and carrying on. Yay, me!

In other news, Lulu finally got all her lady bits removed this week. This makes me very happy. I may not do a lot of things right, but I spay and neuter my pets, by golly! Bob Barker would be so proud. She's recovering nicely from the surgery. She's been a bit mellow (but wouldn't you if you just had your belly cut open?).

After I picked her up from the vet I dropped her off at the groomer's for her first haircut. She looks so naked now! I had to laugh when the groomer brought her out, though, because she had bows on her ears and a bandana around her neck. Her BFF Lexi was waiting for her when she got home. (Lexi's mom is at Girls Camp with Madeline, and her dad was out of town for work.) These two pups play so good together! Lexi had to immediatly investigate Lulu's scar, and they even tried to share Lexi's crate last night. Awww....

Madeline comes home from camp tomorrow. I hope she had a great experience. I personally didn't "do" Girls Camp except as an adult, and only then because I had to. ;) Bella can hardly wait to go next year. I'm glad she's excited!

Lulu says "Happy Thursday"

Y'all. Y'ALL. LOOK AT THAT FACE!!!!

Lora is on a roll these days, posting all the time! I feel bad for my poor, neglected blog.

In other news, we got a dog the week after Christmas. An 11 week old mini schnauzer/beagle mix who we promptly named "Tulip" (in keeping with our tradition of naming our pets after flowers). But we call her Lulu. (But in my mind, I always call her Lulubelle Roman. I don't know why. I guess you have to be of a certain age and from a certain part of the country to get the Lulu Roman reference.)

I am the first to admit that while I like dogs, I am not a "dog person". Give me a cat anyday. But the other three people in the house seem to believe that *they* are "dog people" and since my vote is only one out of four (although I do have super veto override priviledges). We started talking about getting a dog about six months ago. We knew we wanted something small-ish and something that wasn't overly hairy. (Don't want to add to the cat hair, after all.) We kept an ear out, and our patience was rewarded when I heard someone was giving away free puppies.

I'm still not really a "dog person". However, what I am finding out is that I'm a "Lulu person". She has such a cute personality. And her face, OH THE FACE!! And the way she cocks her head to the side when she lisening intently?? OH FOR CUTE!!! I find myself using the most ridiculous voice with her sometimes. But I can't resist the face.



I mean, COME ON!!

The cats were not happy. Tigerlily showed her disapproval by leaving a dead bird on the floor in my bedroom. She then killed another bird and hid it BEHIND THE COUCH, which we had no idea about until we went hunting for a "weird small". But for now, Lulu and the cats have kinda-sorta reached a truce (Tigerlily and Lulu occasionally will share the bed in the evenings, with the cat on one side of me and the dog on the other). Poppy just takes refuge on the top bunk in the girls' bedroom, and occasionally I will find her leaning over the rail, looking down at Lulu as if to mock. It's kind of a passive-aggressive relationship, really.

So if you happen to be in the neighborhood, stop by and meet the world's cutest doggy-woggy pumpkin face.