Monthly Archives: October 2012

Puppy Update

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I don’t have anything much to say, mostly because the kids are currently in the tub, and I’m only mostly sure they’re not drowning (kidding, kidding…. I can see them.)

First off:  I forgot how NOT-FUN potty training is.  Does anyone remember how long it takes to potty train a puppy?  I’ve had her a week and we’re about halfway there, but seriously – it’d be nice to turn my back once in awhile.

Anyways, I’d give you TONS AND TONS of really cute photos, because seriously – Artemis is one of the cutest puppies I’ve ever seen, but the truth is that black dogs are kind of impossible to photograph.  I go to take a picture of her, and it just looks like some kind of dark, amorphous blob holding a ball in its mouth.

Also, I only have a cell phone to take a picture, and by the time I get it out and take a shot, it’s usually a picture of a dark, amorphous blob’s tail exiting stage left.

I did, however, manage to get a couple today, so here you go:

 
(About three minutes after I left the breeder’s.)

(She’s an old pro at car rides now.)
 
We are pretty lucky to have a dog like her – we definitely got pick of the litter – and I’m not just saying that – that’s what the breeder told me.  
The only downside I’ve found thus far with her is that she’s smart.  Like, really smart.  I know that sounds like a good thing, but I was secretly hoping for a middle-of-the-pack intelligence.  Dumb dogs are easier, and you can be a little lazier about training them.   We’re looking into clubs near us so we can start training her to hunt – I like dog training, The Bean likes hunting (I want to hunt elk, but ducks don’t interest me at all), and Artemis wants a job, so it seems like it will be a good fit for everyone. 

She’s 15 pounds at just shy of 8 weeks – that’s a three pound weight gain in one week.  Yeesh.  Provided I keep her slim and limit her food, she should mature around 75 pounds or so.

Anyways, I know this is the world’s most boring post, but I did give you puppy pics, so hopefully it wasn’t a complete waste of your time. 
Hey, as a reminder – NaNoWriMo’s almost here!  Is anyone else doing it with me?

Owning Chickens is Awkward

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The chickens are awesome.

I’m getting 2-3 eggs a day right now.

My pets make me food….. and when they cease to make me food, they will become food.  They are the most perfect pets ever.  Also, they eat slugs, so I no longer have to worry about stepping on any of those creepy unbelievably gigantic slugs that the Pacific Northwest seems to breed. The chickens are pretty tame now.  They’ve gone from being completely unhandled to following me around the yard, begging for food.

On a side note – did you know that I’m an extremely popular person?  No matter how hard I try I can’t manage to sneak outside without two little boys, two cats, and now three chickens revolving around me like some kind of really loud, awkward solar system.   On Friday I’m going to add a puppy to the mix.  I miss my solitude some days, but at least my self esteem is doing well. 

So, back to the chickens…. Yeah.  The chickens are getting tame.  They seem to like it here, and they like me.

They really like me.

And by like me, I mean they REALLY like me.

They trail me around whenever I’m in the yard, clucking and complaining, and if I turn around to pay attention to them, they, uh…

Well, I’ll just be blunt:  They assume the position.

Yes, that’s right.  Every time I turn around to pay attention to one of my new chickens, she crouches, flares her wings, and looks over her shoulder at me, waggling her little chicken eyebrows suggestively.  I know chickens can’t speak, but I can hear it clear as day:  

Hop on, Sailor.

Do you have any idea how incredibly awkward it is to try to carry on a conversation with your neighbor while three chickens flutter around you, desperately begging for sex?

I mean, don’t get me wrong— I’m flattered.  It’s always nice to be admired, and I do love my chickens. 

I just don’t LOVE my chickens, you know?