Really, We Are Busy!

Gus likes the couch in my office.

Sometimes he'll even share!

Restitution and Community Service

So we've been thinking of ways to stay in the good graces of our neighbors despite the fact that our dog continues to steal their stuff (and occassionally have a barking fit at them, the jackass...)

We considered $20 bills, which would probably work, but we do have a number of neighbors.

Instead, we've hit upon this: A Gus Restitution and Community Service party and BBQ at our place for some later weekend this summer. The fliers should be amusing!

Random Photos of Gus

Gus and the Real Dog

OK, it really should be "Gus is a Real Dog," but there's no movie reference to that. But in the last couple of weeks, he's shot up and really does look like a real dog now.

He's always grown in spurts, and what's funny is that they have always been non-symmetrical spurts. We were walking him about two weeks ago and noticed his butt was taller than the rest - back legs got their spurt first. Kind of a goofy look, really. (Front legs caught up about three days later.)

Took the dogs to White Pines Lake yesterday, which Gus loved. Threw a ball into the water and after minor hesitation he was swimming after it. Inhaled some until he figured out to attack the ball from above when retrieving it, but had a great time. (Didn't take a camera because we didn't know how full our hands would be with beasts.) His fur had that curly look labs and other water dogs get when wet, so he's got some of that in his mongrel background.

Happy weekend everyone!

Forget the MIni - I want THIS!

This is a Fiat 500 Abarth Asetto Corse.

This is also the problem with reading Top Gear - this car will never come to America and I'll never own one and if it wasn't for Top Gear, I'd never know that I want to own one.

But that's what dreams - and screensavers - are for...

That Oughta Keep the Little Critters Out!

As you may remember, last summer we had a raccoon invasion in This Land. I left the garage door cracked open to get some cool night air in the office, and a raccoon family sneaked in and ate our dog food. (And tried to beat up Idgie!)

No more.

The other day I bought this guy at the Home Depot and installed him and can now leave the side door wide open at night, protected by a locked security screen. So unless those little masked buggers can pick a deadbolt, our dog food and dog beasts should be safe.

Gina's Still Gina, Where Ever She Is

First photos from Gina in Bolivia.

It's tuna, apparantly. No caption information about anything else.

Shed Those Inhibitions! (And Garden Tools....)

Here's the shed. Total cost for materials was around $300, plus or minus. (Kinda hard to get a fixed cost. I bought some extra lumber, used paint I already had, have leftover screws, etc.) But $300 to $330 is probably accurate.

Tools used included:

Saws: Table, mitre, jig and circular.

Drills: Corded and cordless, could have used one or the other.

Levels: Four foot, two foot and one foot.

Hammer, pry bars, paint stuff, etc.

Eight feet wide, two deep and six to eight high. The shallow shelf on top runs the length, and there are three additional shelves on Diane's side for garden stuff, and my compressor and a shelf on the left.

Here's our new grill, too...

The Manuscript is IN!

I just sent the manuscript in for The Portable Dad.

It's scary. I didn't expect it to be scary, but I was very nervous and a little hesitant to hit the send button. Thanks to all - especially Sonnjea for all her proofreading! - and I'll let you know what happens next.

And if you have kids, friends or relatives soon to graduate and go off on their own, I have a great gift idea for you!

Shedding Season

We've decided it's shedding season in This Land, so the past two afternoons I've been out framing a new storage shed attached to the side of our garage.

It's eight feet wide and two feet deep and six high at the front edge. Diane points out that it's not very water-tight at the moment, but that will change when I get a chance to get to Jackson and buy the rest of what I need.

It's not a new 48 x 60 shop - but it's a start!