Strategic Packing

Is there such term as "strategic packing"? Probably... although I might have given it a totally new meaning just about now.

I am packing for our trip to Lima coming up shortly. Due to previous foul experiences with airlines we are not going to mention, I have come up with a new way of packing. In the past, when we've traveled, Norm has "his" bag and I have "mine". Fortunately we are taking a total of 2 suitcases again this time.

It all started with my bathing suits. I am taking two. So, "just in case one bag doesn't make it" I packed one suit in each bag! Everything snowballed from there. I started packing dresses in one and shirts and skirts (that match) in the other one. Some underwears (sorry, but it's part of reality and packing) in one suitcase and some in the other one.

So there you have it: Strategic Packing. How exciting!! Now I know that even if one bag doesn't make it, I won't be stranded for a week waiting my clothes to arrive (part of foul experience with airline we are not going to mention).

Safe No Longer

In case the pictures of Pellet don't do him justice, I have to clarify that Pellet is huge. He is a large dog. There are many daily life activities that we have become accustomed to, not realizing that this behavior is not normal.

Example of such activity: every time anyone is done doing dishes, Pellet jumps up on the sink and inspects it to make sure that no food remnants have been left behind (we don't have a disposal). He jumps up on the kitchen sink as casual as ever (my computer is still in the shop, otherwise, I'd upload a picture of this right about now).

Because of his size and ability to reach the counter without necessarily jumping, we have developed the habit to put all edible materials away from the edge. Usually we put things on the back burner of the stove, or on top of the toaster, inside the microwave, etc.

This afternoon I caught Pellet up on the stove, licking the pan that was on the back burner... grant it, the pan should've been washed and put away after frying breakfast sausage (homemade breakfast sausage) but it wasn't.

I guess items are no longer safe on the back burner...

For all you germ freaks - the pan will go in the dishwasher and will come out clean as ever. No need to worry about our hygene habits.

Computerless

Our computer is not well. I took it to get checked out this morning and they told me that it will be a couple of days before they can get to looking at it. I'm blogging from the library... no, I'm not desperate to the point that I have to drive to the library the moment I'm not hooked to the internet. I'm at the library because I am going to apply to work part time for the 2010 Census.

Apparently I have to take a test... I'll get to blog all about that later on... hopefully on my own computer.

Everybody is Doing It

The world of Blogging surely is amazing. I remember when I started blogging - well, it was more like when Norm started blogging. The force behind it was Cali, she had recently joined our family and we decided to create the blog to share pictures of life with the two pups. At the beginning I remember wondering what on earth I was going to share in this public forum - our lives weren't really all that exciting (both dogs included). Slowly I developed a blogging awareness, things that would happen in the day would stick with me and then I'd blog about them.

Next thing I knew I was writing about significant happenings in our lives, anniversaries, trips, milestones, funny things, sad things, long posts, short posts, posts with lots and lots of pictures.

A "blogger" cannot be profiled. Some people blog for work. Others write with a purpose. Others write about daily life in a way that you can almost hear them speak as you read. Others write long posts on faith and religion. Others are professional writers that write for a living. Others are not professional writers just yet, but hopefully through blogging they will be one day.

It's amazing to me how through the world of blogging people can connect. You may start reading a friend's blog and before you know it, you end up looking at pictures of a stranger's kid playing in the snow. Not quite sure how you got there or even yet, why you can't stop reading about a stranger.

New Hobby?

About since the time Norm and I got married and lived in Peru, Norm has been wanting to learn to knit or crochet - totally serious. Randomly throughout the years he'd mention it, I'd brush it off. Last week, while my mom was here, she was crocheting a sweater for Cali which triggered Norm's interest.

So yesterday he went to the Wal-Mart and bought a crochet needle kit along with a book on self-teaching crochet and black yarn.




Here he's showing off the completed Chain Stitch (I have no idea what he's doing with his mouth, maybe he was in the middle of the word "stitch").

Now he's talking about wanting to learn the Afghan Stitch because it's much easier than the Slip Stitch. I love him!

It's a Cold Night in Georgia

More accurately speaking - it's a bunch of cold nights in Georgia (grant it, that cold in Georgia is anything lower than 60 degrees, but this week the temperatures have been dropping to the mid 20's, and will continue to drop to the mid 20's as forecasted...)

The last few mornings, the dog's outside water bowl has been looking like this:


We'd noticed that Cali would bundle up in a tiny little ball, so we ventured out and got her something to keep warm with:


She's been acting weird tonight. Maybe it's the $3 Christmas Vest that doesn't close on her because she's too fat? Your guess is as good as mine.

2010

It is the new year - happy new year fellow bloggers!

We are eager to see what 2010 will bring! Stay tuned...