Hound Dog Jack burrowing. Eleven days until Jack's "incarceration" is over! We've been a wee bit lenient though. He's been allowed to roam my office with the gates on the doorways. No stairs yet...but guess what I did?
I went all "Hollywood Starlet" on myself and bought Jack a carrier bag! Now he's a pocket dog lol...well, not quite, he can't really fit in the biggest of bags they make...as long as his head sticks out he can sit comfortably and I can carry him up to the bedroom. :)
Now he can sleep quietly while Alex and I watch movies in bed again! Life seems to be returning to normal. :)
PS: The Stella and Pavlov saga might be coming to an end in as little as three weeks. We had to send an "enough is enough" email to their owner and he is coming to bring them back to Morocco where he is staying with his mother. FINALLY...seven months of babysitting these dogs with what was supposed to have been only one week...so much drama...so much stalling and lip service...we will miss them - they are sweeties, but I felt so close to burning out lately with all the dog stress. I just want my routine and my life back! Why do people burn bridges? <-- Rhetorical question I guess. I have to say, I really lament my life before 5 dogs. Three is enough. I can't wait to walk my three again...I feel slightly guilty because S&P are such sweet little furballs...I hope this guy provides them with a PERMANENTLY stable home from now on. One can only hope. We did our best though. :)
We are currently in the middle of an ice storm, if we lose power, it's Blueberry Muffins and ice cream for dinner!
I usually do a post on Sundays with a new recipe I tried the week before. Life has been too stressful lately and I haven't found the energy to blog too much. But I think my energy is coming back! :) I tried three new recipes last week. The first was for Pulled Pork and it was REALLY good! Just my kind of meal, into the slow cooker for the day and dinner is ready! :)
The second new recipe was for Chocolate Pudding...I can't tell you how heavenly this is...and SO easy and quick to make!
The third new recipe I tried was kind of my own concoction...it was based on a Quizno's sub that Alex kind of remembered having ages ago. We had some submarine rolls left and I wanted to use them while they were still kind of fresh. I put together a grilled chicken, bacon and Alfredo Sauce sub. It was pretty darn good! A little side salad of my own homegrown lettuce with some tomatoes made it really nice!
Between the snow, rain and ice...I've not ventured outside despite the need to do the monthly shopping! We are existing on freezer food for the next week until the weather cooperates. But...I did manage to make my first ever pair of knitted slippers!! How exciting. I've wanted to try this for ages, and I did it. Knock that one off the list! They are a simple Garter Stitch Slipper (free pattern on Ravelry) and were very easy to make...They are warm too! I'm pretty pleased! Next time I may venture into something more complicated, but I learned an SSK stitch and a three needle bind-off. The pattern called for a crochet seam binding...but I didn't have the right sized crochet needle, so I improvised! I'm so happy to have learned a few new things though.
So...how's by you? ;)
Well, bless your hearts, taking S&P in and giving them love and stability. I hope he does the right thing and takes them back and takes care of them. I think it's one thing to have a nice, big house with a big fenced in yard and five dogs. It's a whole nuther thing to have to walk five dogs on a leash and live in such close quarters. Good golly. I am so smitten with Jack and his big, moo-moo eyes. Nice job on your slippers! It is so much fun to learn new things - and get to create something fun and useful at the same time.
ReplyDeleteS & P's owner was definitely taking advantage of your good natures and big hearts, but you're right to insist that he shoulder his own responsibilities.
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine how stressful if one of your fosters had ended up with Jack's problems and medical bills? Yikes.
ReplyDeleteI love how your posts are a fully illustrated narrative and mine are basically 'bah humbug weather' lol.
What a great post to get us all caught up on the Rain and Alex household!
ReplyDeleteThose pics of Jack are just too cute for words. Keeping my fingers crossed for you that Stella and Pavlov's owner does the right thing and reclaims his dogs.
Oh, blueberry muffins and ice cream for dinner! How wonderful would that be? (Anybody see the nutrition police giving me the evil eye?)
Your chocolate pudding made me think of the butterscotch pudding I made for the first time a week or so ago. Papa Pea went nuts over it, but good ol' vanilla is still my favorite.
That green, gorgeous, healthy, home grown lettuce on your plate looks soooo good!
Your knitted slippers came out so nice and cozy looking. Did you put any kind of a gripper sole on the bottom so you don't accidentally go boom on your bum?? ;o)
I hope your ex-friend will do right by S&P. Poor dogs. How confused they must be. Glad Jack is doing well. I like how he looked up at you from inside the carrier. He tells us, yes, I endure this, LOL. All of your nom looks good. I haven't made pulled pork for a very long time. You may inspire me to pick up pork shoulder/butt next time I go to Cos' de co.
ReplyDeleteNice to see Jack on the mend and he sure does rock his Hollywood bag! :) Its good to get back to routine.
ReplyDeleteMmmmmm your cooking and dessert looks delicious! I am not yet back in the kitchen so tonight we ordered chinese food. I am hoping by tomorrow I will have my energy back.
Time for S&P's owner to man up. Plain and simple.
Cozy looking slippers!!! Nice job! I miss knitting....
A good pulled pork sandwich is Heaven.
ReplyDeleteit seems when we try to do a good thing it can sometimes become a chore, we have found ourselves in quite a few pet predicaments in our lives, we were always the ones our friends and neighbors came to when pet problems arose and in most cases we helped out, but taking on friends pets is such a big responsibility, and hearts are torn when it ends, I always feel bad for the animals. You have big hearts you both,, you did way beyond what many would have done and deserve to have your life back, I just hope the poor dogs are well cared for when they go back to their owner!
ReplyDeleteI love your slippers and they are such a fun fast project, great to have for visitors too, your food photos make me hungry!!
meals look amazing as always. I made sure to stop by AFTER I’ve eaten.
ReplyDeleteAw…Jack! He is adorable. I want to scratch him behind his ears. Look at those big bug eyes. The way he looks at you is so cute. He is definitely in love and wanting to be a ‘real boy’ LOL -- I’m really happy to hear that he is doing very well and that the S&P drama will be over soon. Fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly. And I’m always an email away if you need to vent. Stella and Pavlov are the sweetest dogs and I hope that they do get the loving home they deserve. Fingers crossed for that, too.
Don’t you just hate this weather lately? I need spring! I want to get outside and enjoy some nice weather as I’m sure you do, too. It’s been a horrible month up until now. The weekend was all snow and ice. Tonight it’s pouring rain. I’m losing my mind! HAHA
Anyhow, I pinned that pulled pork recipe but since I don’t do pork, I will try it with chicken instead. It’ll probably be really good, too. And homemade chocolate pudding! Holy moly…that looks good. I’ve never made pudding from scratch and it looks so darn easy
Your slippers are adorable and I bet they’re super comfy. Glad to see you’re having fun and taking time to enjoy the things you love. Happy Monday! Here's to a wonderful week ahead.
It is so stressful being responsible for other peoples animals and even more stressful when your being taken advantage of. Your chocolate pudding looks divine.
ReplyDeleteI know you had a love for these dogs, but that is so wrong that your friend abandoned them to you, along with their care and cost.
ReplyDeleteHoping that your weather will improve soon and you will be able to get out and about.
poor jack but he certainly looks comfortable! whoever s&p's owner is and whatever his excuses are, i don't think he s a friend. friend's wouldn't do this to you or to the dogs. you guys went above and beyond to help this jerk out. i hope he takes cre of those 2 dogs. some people really should never have pets.
ReplyDeleteJack in the carrier is to freaking cute! Nice improv!
ReplyDeleteWe've puppy sat for family dogs on occasion, but I can't imagine doing so for months. Admittedly part of that is because Arty is not tolerant of new dogs in the home. But still. Glad their owner is coming for them finally!
Word of WARNING....if you and Alex decided to run around the house, take the slippers off! Unless of course you want to run and slide! haha...I made a pair for my niece when she was about 1.5 yrs old (22 now) and she ran from her room to the kitchen with them on and took a slide! Poor girl! Loving the meals you make, they look so good every time. Thinking that keeping my weight off living with you would be so hard! haha....So glad that Jack is doing better and that your life will get back to normal. I know you have loved and taken care of the new comers best you could but that was not your choice to have them live with you and it is very unfair that the so called friend did what he did. I don't blame you for sending that email....should have done it sooner. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI am back again...haha...took at look at the pattern for the slippers. I really like that. I used to make them where the heel part was knit only then the toe became knit, pearl, knit, pearl.....I like this better. Not a fan of pearling...haha thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou can tell us-- you're hoping the power goes out, aren't you? ;-) My guys still remember the time ours went out and they had cookies for dinner. Haha!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see Jack is doing better and that he has you so well-trained you bought him his own luggage! (That is adorable!)
Snow? Ugh. I remember spring snows from growing up in the North. Not fun, but summer will come. I think.
Glad to see Jack is doing better. I should be knitting new things, but I've found myself busy in the kitchen lately. Muffins and ice cream for dinner sounds good too!
ReplyDeleteGreat about the carrier!!!!
ReplyDeleteIT"S ABOUT TIME!!!! That you called a halt to this so-called-friend's taking advantage of you, with his dogs!!!!!!
But now, I do not trust him, to keep his word. He has proven so unreliable. How can you trust him now??? Have you contacted his mother again? To make sure, he will do, as he "says"???
I am concerned that Stella and Pavlov will come to a bad end. It is expensive to ship animals to a foreign country and keep them in quarantine. Plus being shipped to a Islamic country where dogs are looked on as unclean. Poor babies. I fear they will be abandoned, or worse. It is clear to me that their owner does not really want them and has no feelings for them....sorry, that is how I feel. Personally, I would try to re-home them or take them to a no-kill shelter. How very sad for them.
ReplyDeleteLove the knitted socks. Totally understand about the dogs, walking three will feel like a breeze after having five. We have two, love them to bits.
ReplyDeleteSnow and freezing rain here too. Burrrrr.
So glad you are getting things resolved with the dogs and that Jack continues to improve. Haha his expression while he is in the dog carrier is hilarious! Lisa
ReplyDeleteGlad the rightful owner will get the dogs after 7 months! Your food always looks amazing. We were snowed in for 3 days, I know what you mean about freezer food.
ReplyDeleteHi Rain. Thank you about my blog header. I can see why you'd have to uninstall and reinstall the software, especially if your computer is elderly. We change out our laptop almost every few years. The girls have their own mini ones which helps this one I use.
ReplyDeleteFotoJet is free and you can download the collage you make as a JPEG if that helps any.
Your blog is a lot of fun. Jack is in love with you :) I'm glad to hear he's doing very well and I love the way you carry him around. At Christmas, my mom and stepdad bought me a carrier for my cat that I can hang on my shoulder. I used it to take my cat along to my boyfriend's house when I'd stay over. It was really neat. Now Ian and I are living together but Obi (my cat) still uses it to sleep in. The things we do for our pets...haha
ReplyDeleteI think you went more than half way for your friend's dogs. I do hope they find loving homes together. Your food looks so good. And I like your socks. I want to knit me some when I get the chance. I am not accomplishing a whole lot nowadays due to health. That is quite the carrier you have for Jack. Poor thing. I hope he is all better soon! Have a great rest of week. Nancy
ReplyDeletei feel for your loving heart dear Rain which is blessed with ability to LOVE everything around ,such a blessing my friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletewise decision to buy that bag for the Jack though he looks little funny in it :) yet adorable
your exhaustion is understandable my sweet friend as you also need time for yourself and normal routine of life
glad you will get it and hope the lovely couple will get proper care from the man
your food is COMPELLING!!!
you are extraordinarily talented lady !!!
wonderful looking slippers ,great job indeed!
Hugs!
Jack looks so cute in his little bag!! I hope the owner of Stella and Pavlov make a good home for them! You've been good parents for those beautiful dogs! All this food! Wow, so good! Hope you made it through the ice storm well! Love your slippers! Big Hugs!
ReplyDeleteThe meals look great. Even though I don’t eat eat anymore I love being able to see whati i’m missing. You still have snow? We have a heatwave going on here. I’m not bragging though. I really hope the weather gets better where you are. The dogs are looking great but I can understand the stress you are feeling. It’s not right. I wish you the best.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan :) If we had a big yard, fenced in, it would be a lot easier...and 8 pets in the house is just too much. Besides Charlie, our husky, I don't think any of the other dogs could live in a dog house outside...we should be getting news this weekend. The slippers were fun! I realize I need MANY more now! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Debra :) Yes, I agree...he was and IS taking advantage of our generosity. I hope he does the right thing.
ReplyDeleteHi Tpals :) One of the fosters did have a problem back in February-ish...he developed a mystery allergy and had to wear the cone for 2 weeks...then our Charlie got sick, then Jack...it got to be too much. Oh and thanks, I'm glad you like my little stories! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Mama Pea :) I feel like I'm treading water...we should be hearing from that guy on Sunday..."should be". Alex had to lay down the law again last night...it's getting ridiculous and just way too stressful. But I'm trying to be positive. Jack is so much better...he's still throwing up now and then...I'm keeping and eye on that. It could be the food transitioning...I just want them all to be healthy and happy.
ReplyDeleteBoom on my bum lol...no grippers so far! But with my luck, I"ll tumble...I have to put something on the bottom. I used to take old dishwashing gloves and cut those out and put them on the bottom of old slippers, they work pretty well in a pinch! :)
Oh I'd love to try butterscotch pudding! I love any kind of pudding, Alex likes a bite now and then, so all the more for me! :)
Hi Stefanie :) Ex-friend is right. He better do the right thing, but then if he doesn't? We can't do much but just find good homes for those two, which isn't what we want at all. We just can't afford to keep them, sadly...they're such good dogs. Lol...yes, Jack endures my little ideas ha ha ha...actually he's never been a dog who likes to be picked up...but recently he's been liking the pampering!!! :) Thanks for the tip on FotoJet. I'm going to check into that. The one I have is Photo Explosion, the old version. It's so easy and straightforward. The newer one is more like PhotoShop which I find way too complicated, so that's why I'm stubborn about "evolving" technically! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Dianna :) Ha! Yes, he rocks that Hollywood bag alright...he's so funny how he's gotten used to being carried around. I don't think that S&P's owner is really a grown up man at all...but he does need to get his crap together that's for sure. We'll find out Sunday. Oh Chinese Food!!! How I miss it! :)
ReplyDeleteHi TB :) Yes...it was heaven in a sub roll! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Laurie :) Thanks for the support! You know first hand how tough this is...I'm perplexed by people you know? All this guy had to do was be 100% honest with us from the get go...take responsibility...stop stalling...now basically the friendship is over, but we have to put on an act until he actually shows up here so we don't "rock the boat" and he doesn't come...it's so manipulative, I hate the whole situation. We'll find out Sunday though. The slippers were fun to make, I want to make a bunch of them! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Martha :) Ha! Good thing you visited after you ate, lol...that makes me feel good knowing my photos make people hungry! :) My fingers are crossed over and over that the S&P situation ends well. Sunday is the day, you may get a weepy email from me Monday morning...hope that won't be the case though! :)
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, the weather just freaking sucks. Do we go through this every year, I mean really??? I don't remember last year being so snowy and cold this far into April! I'm losing my mind too!!!
I think the recipe would work well for a whole chicken too though I've never tried it. I hope it works out well for you!
Hi Dawn :) Yes, the stress has gotten to us, and there is also resentment building up...we don't want to feel that way, but as soon as we know what's happening, I'm sure we'll be able to release it easier. Sad situation.
ReplyDeleteHi Starting Over :) Thanks for the support. It is very wrong, everything that guy did...and trust me, it's EX-friend now.
ReplyDeleteHi Joyce :) I totally agree. Some people don't DESERVE to have pets in their lives. But it's so weird because when Alex first met him in 2011, then I met him in 2013...he was our upstairs neighbour and very responsible for his dogs. Whatever happened to him in 2014...he completely stopped caring about their welfare, shifting them from home to home...he actually contacted us in 2014 and asked us to take care of them "for a few weeks"...now we know it wouldn't have been just a few weeks...I feel sick about this situation. I can't wait for it to be over!
ReplyDeleteHi Ruth :) Oh thanks, I love the carrier bag! I got an amazing deal too. I have loyalty cards for all the stores and there was a 50% off one day sale on accessories for loyatly card members...that with my accumulated points, I got a $70 carrier bag for $16. Otherwise it would have been such a rip off! If we had an "Arty"...it probably would have been better for us in the first place! Our dogs get along with everyone. Sunday is the day we find out the final plans...(I hope)...
ReplyDeleteHi Pam :) I don't mind ribbing a little bit (K2P2)...but I am a scatter brain and I can't keep that up for an entire project! The garter stitch is so easy for me, and I can let my mind wander lol...Ha ha ha...so far I haven't run around the house yet in the slippers lol...but I will be finding a way to put grips on the bottoms! :)
ReplyDeleteThe only way we keep our weight semi-normal with all the eating is that we only eat one meal a day and graze a little now and then! It is very unfair what the guy did to us and to his dogs...he better do the right thing. It's one thing to know that Karma will sort things out...but another to see how insecure these two little furballs are on a daily basis...it breaks my heart. We'll find out on Sunday, I hope at least...it's hard to believe a word this guy says.
Hi Sandi :) Ha ha ha...the power did go out and we DID eat muffins and ice cream lol...not such a bad thing! :) That's funny, yes, all of our pets have us well-trained hee hee. I'm hoping to see spring...but it's still hiding away under feet of snow!
ReplyDeleteHi Kristina :) That's what he had for dinner, muffins and ice cream lol...at least the blueberries gave us some nutrients! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Wisps of Words :) YES...about time is right. But we're still feeling like he's going to stall again. Ugh. I'm so sick of his games. You know this guy is in his late 30's...it's not like he's a teenager...his mom is out of the picture at this point. Everything they told us in January has all changed. No, I can't trust him. All I can do is hope he does the right thing now. Sunday is D-Day...
ReplyDeleteHi Tewshooz :) You don't have to be sorry, I feel the same way as you. He's up and down, saying he misses them terribly and shedding tears...then suddenly he's not coming until August. It makes no sense to me. By the way, I looked up the quarantine rules for Morocco and they won't need to be quarantined because their vaccinations are up to date, they have a clean bill of health (we will get them examined and get a vet letter) and bozo has to fill out the paperwork when he gets here. So at least there is that. His mother (where he lives currently) is a little more "well to do" and she loves the dogs, so I think that she will be the one who really takes care of them. We are actually relieved to know that. We'll find out for sure on Sunday...for sure, well, we hope so.
ReplyDeleteHi Ivy :) We love our dogs to bits too...all five of them! :) But yes, from 5 to 3 will feel like a gift. I hope we all see spring soon! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa :) Yeah...Jack is looking at me like "okay, now what" lol...he's a good boy, so much better too, I'm so relieved! Now we just have to get the S&P saga dealt with and we can have our lives back.
ReplyDeleteHi Christine :) Yeah, SEVEN months...which was just a week to begin with. Oh I hope your snow melted! It's not fair to be snowed in, in April!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Alex :) I'm so in love with Jack too lol :) I think that's nice that you brought Obi around with you. Our cats LOVE Jack's carrier too! They sleep in it.
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy :) Jack is really improving, though he's still having digestive issues...I'm keeping an eye on that. I hope it passes...poor thing has been through enough. The slippers are so nice, I wish I'd knitted some sooner, they really keep me warm! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Baili :) You're so sweet thank you :) Jack loves his bag lol...it's so funny how he just sits in front of it now, he's knows he's being pampered...hope he doesn't get too used to it lol! That guy who owns Stella and Pavlov...he is no longer a friend, but we have to be civil with him so that he will come when we ask him. It's very tough, very stressful...but hopefully on Sunday we will have a solid plan now. I hope he does the right thing.
ReplyDeleteHi Magic Love Crow :) I think that we did the best we could with all these pets! I don't regret them being in our lives at all, but yes, it's time that guy came back for his dogs. Thanks for your supportive comment :)
ReplyDeleteHi Terry :) I hope that you are okay...I understand what you're doing, you have very strong beliefs...very courageous too. Oh a heatwave...I long for one!! :) Sunday is the day we find out...unless he starts the stalling act again, I certainly hope not!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad the saga is ending for you and Alex. What trial. Some people! It's not the animals fault either but the owners. My neighbor has nothing to do with me except when she wants someone to watch her cat. I do it for the cat's sake not hers. She's a sweet cat and I hate to see her in a cage for 3 weeks while her owner is jet setting. She got the cat after her husband died for selfish reasons but she is gone a lot.
ReplyDeleteOh well, there are many people who so not deserve the animals they have...I'll shut up now! LOL!
Your dinners look great and I want to try your pulled pork. I've never made it before.
Look at you knitting away! I swear I am the slowest person on the planet! I just finished my slippers but still need to sew them together and felt them. Yours are darling and do look comfy and cozy!
TTYL!
Hi Sam :) I know...I feel so bad for the poor dogs, because they've been through so much and I'm sure their "nomadic" life isn't over yet sadly. But we had to put our foot down...it was just too much. Despite how much we care about them, he had to take them back. That's nice of you to take care of your neighbour's cat, shame that people don't realize how much our pets need us...breaks my heart.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I love my slippers!! I'm working on a second pair now. The main floor is always so cold so we used to blast the heat in the basement, but ever since I've been wearing these we can keep the heat lower down there, saves us money too! :)