Trey and I have a dog named Winston. He is a Border Collie, and if you know anything about the breed, they are great at herding sheep and known for being the "smartest" dogs around. We were in college when Trey decided to get him. The conversation went something like this:
"Meade, I think I want to get a dog."
"Awwww...look at this dog for sale in Albertville Alabama. You could get him Friday when we go visit my parents. He's a Border Collie **quick google search** aww, look Trey, Border Collies are the smartest dogs in the whole world. You should name him Winston."
So I must admit, although I'll only do it once, I am partly at fault.
I was instantly drawn to the cutest dog there and scooped him up in my arms. The owner said, "That one has the personality to make a great working dog. I can tell he's smart. I don't know if he'd make a very good pet."
BUT I'm a woman. And if you missed it, he was the cutest one there. Enough said. "We are going to go with this one, thanks, pay the man Trey." And that's how we got the "smartest" dog in the whole world. Man's best friend. Right? I'll let you decide. Here is an account of memorable moments in our frienemy's life.
1) At 5 months old- Winston swallows a beer bottle cap. We call the vet who tells us to look through his poop and if it doesn't pass in 2 weeks, bring him in. We look through poop. We are PEOPLE looking through a DOG's poop. And I don't want to get stuck on the poop because this isn't that kind of blog, but do you know how much puppies poop? Evidently every time you go outside, if you're Winston. So about 4 times a day I would go over to Trey's house (Trey is an engineer and had class pretty much all day and night) and I would examine the poop. 2 weeks of this. Nothing. When Winston started throwing up, we took him to the vet, and they stuck an endoscope down his throat and pulled it out. $550. FOE.
2) At 7 months old- Winston can already: sit, lie down, jump, roll over, play dead, shake, high five, turn around, AND turn around the "other way". Good boy Winston! FRIEND.
3) At 8 months old- we took Winston to the dog park for the first time. We got lots of comments about how well behaved our dog was. People petted Winston and he loved it. He even played with the other dogs. It exhausted him, and he slept for 2 full days afterward. Thanks for making us proud Winston. FRIEND.
4) When he was a year old- we took him to Bear Paw (my parent's cottage in North Carolina). We trusted him because he had been so great with people! "He doesn't need a leash," I remember saying. Soon after, Winston was chasing a man down the hill, biting his ankles. Trey chased after Winston, as the man shouted obscenities at Trey. Something about "getting our dog under control." Thanks Winston. FOE.
5) When he was a year and a half old- my grandmother passed away. As I sat by the fire and cried, I remember Winston coming over, curling up in my lap, and licking away my tears. We sat and cuddled. With every tear that fell from my eye, Winston answered with a dry tongue. He wouldn't even let a tear get to my cheek. This eventually made me laugh, and I genuinely felt better. FRIEND.
6) 4 months ago- I had an awful stomach virus and felt like I was going to die. Winston took every step that I did. He would lie at my feet, run to the bathroom with me, follow me back to bed, and lie at my feet again. He was like my little nurse. It was so sweet. FRIEND.
7) 3 months ago- Trey and I decided to go shopping. Normally, we would leave Winston outside, but it was very cold, and we felt sorry for him. So, we thought we'd leave him in our bedroom. After "doggy-proofing" the room, we left. We were gone all day. When we returned, we opened the door to find our sweet dog asleep at the foot of our bed. WOW! We can do this more often. FRIEND.
8) 2 months ago- It was supposed to be one of the coldest days of the year, and since Winston proved himself a month ago, Trey decided to leave Winston inside for the day. I was the first to get home, and opened the door to find...no dog. Oh no, Winston is hiding under the bed. And then I see it, a pile of poop so large that my first thought was, "Ok, who let the horse in?" Not only was there poop all over the floor. Winston stepped in it, ran around the room, jumped up on our comforter, pushed the comforter away, and walked across our white sheets. Oh, crap. Literally. FOE.
9) 2 weeks ago- It had been 2 months since his screw up, and I was sure that Winston had learned his lesson. The grass was wet, and I was just running to Chick-fil-a for a biscuit...he will be fine. I was gone exactly 8 minutes. When I returned, Winston had chewed my glasses in half and licked clean, a whole tub of Vicks Vapor Rub. Is that even safe? Evidently it's fine because the dog lived. FOE.
10) Today- I came home from the grocery store, threw the groceries onto the stove, let Winston in, and went to the mailbox to get the mail. When I walked back inside, the whole kitchen was filled with smoke. "Where is all this smoke coming from? Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. What's on fire? Trey's going to kill me. Oh my gosh." Turns out Winston had curiously put his paws up on the stove to get a closer look at the groceries, and turned on one of the eyes. The plastic bag had completely melted to the stove and the potato at the bottom of the bag was completely black. In one minute, the dog almost burned down the house. Thank goodness it was the bag with the potatoes and not the lighter fluid. FOE.
Winston definitely keeps us on our toes, but I can't imagine life without our little man.
Meade.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
No Technology Thursday
Opening Scene: Woman enters. Pours a glass of wine, plops down on the sofa, puts her feet on the coffee table, turns on the television and finds Bravo. Man enters. Woman acknowledges him briefly. Man responds, opens a beer, plops down on the love seat, opens the computer, and reads sports blogs. No one moves or talks for three hours. End scene.
So you're thinking, pretty boring movie, right? Really, pretty boring life, because this is exactly the situation Trey and I found ourselves in last Wednesday. After three hours of mindlessly letting technology control our evening, we looked at each other and said, "This is ridiculous. Something has to change."
So Trey shut his computer, I paused the t.v.(what? it was a good show!) and we talked. We decided that our dependence of technology had gotten out of hand. But how do we break this addiction? Ban sports blogs? That's a great idea! That could make everything better. I wouldn't have to compete with the computer. Yes, Meade, novel idea. Bravo. Bravo! The second Bravo was too much. Trey and I looked at each other and I followed his eyes straight to the The Real Housewives of America (it doesn't really matter what city they are in anymore, I still watch it). It only reminded Trey that he is not the only one with a problem. I knew where this was going...Cancel Direct t.v.? Whoa, whoa, whoa, let's really think about this before we do anything drastic!
Solution: Trey and I have decided to implement No Technology Thursday every week.
Rules:
1) No television
2) No computer
3) You cannot initiate a phone conversation. (ie-someone texts you first, you can write back)
4) No electric wine bottle opener (ok, this one is silly, but Trey loves making rules).
We started last week and all was well. It was so nice to have an adult conversation and really not be distracted. It's also easy to commit to on Thursday because none of our favorite shows are on! We forget how much technology rules our lives until we really isolate ourselves from it.
So here is my challenge to you readers. Every Thursday night, put down the phone, turn off the t.v., close the computer, and talk. I promise that you won't be thinking about how much you miss it all. You might even find yourself saying, "Wow, this is nice."
Meade.
So you're thinking, pretty boring movie, right? Really, pretty boring life, because this is exactly the situation Trey and I found ourselves in last Wednesday. After three hours of mindlessly letting technology control our evening, we looked at each other and said, "This is ridiculous. Something has to change."
So Trey shut his computer, I paused the t.v.(what? it was a good show!) and we talked. We decided that our dependence of technology had gotten out of hand. But how do we break this addiction? Ban sports blogs? That's a great idea! That could make everything better. I wouldn't have to compete with the computer. Yes, Meade, novel idea. Bravo. Bravo! The second Bravo was too much. Trey and I looked at each other and I followed his eyes straight to the The Real Housewives of America (it doesn't really matter what city they are in anymore, I still watch it). It only reminded Trey that he is not the only one with a problem. I knew where this was going...Cancel Direct t.v.? Whoa, whoa, whoa, let's really think about this before we do anything drastic!
Solution: Trey and I have decided to implement No Technology Thursday every week.
Rules:
1) No television
2) No computer
3) You cannot initiate a phone conversation. (ie-someone texts you first, you can write back)
4) No electric wine bottle opener (ok, this one is silly, but Trey loves making rules).
We started last week and all was well. It was so nice to have an adult conversation and really not be distracted. It's also easy to commit to on Thursday because none of our favorite shows are on! We forget how much technology rules our lives until we really isolate ourselves from it.
So here is my challenge to you readers. Every Thursday night, put down the phone, turn off the t.v., close the computer, and talk. I promise that you won't be thinking about how much you miss it all. You might even find yourself saying, "Wow, this is nice."
Meade.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
It's time..
There comes a time in every Blogger's life where they must promote their most recent endeavors. So for those of you who have missed it on Facebook, check out my recent project, and email us your orders.
www.artisticmishaps.com
And for those of you disappointed in this blog, be on the lookout for a New Year's blog in the next couple of days. It will definitely meet all your expectations. *spoiler alert* It may even include a few pictures.
Meade.
www.artisticmishaps.com
And for those of you disappointed in this blog, be on the lookout for a New Year's blog in the next couple of days. It will definitely meet all your expectations. *spoiler alert* It may even include a few pictures.
Meade.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Fly By Christmas, Bye Bye Christmas
Where did December go? Christmas comes and goes every year, but this year Christmas seemed to be on Obama's fast-track plan to take over the white house. You remember that plan...The time when we had no idea who Barack Obama was, and then *POOF* Hello Mr. President. Has it only been two years? I guess the difference is that Christmas left me happy and wanting more...ooops, I'm off track.
The point is, I am just not ready to take down my beautiful pink, purple, red, and gold Christmas tree!
Trey and I have enjoyed sitting in the den, and enjoying the beautiful Christmas lights coming from the tree in the dining room. So how long can we leave it up? You know, before the Homeowners Association comes knockin'...
Our Christmas started off at Trey's parents house in the Delta. It was lovely. We really enjoyed getting to see our 2 and a half year old nephew get so excited about all his presents. He is at a very fun age, and it was special to see the magic of Christmas through his innocent eyes. After laughter and lots of catching up, we headed to Huntsville to do Christmas with my family.
It was again, a lovely time. There, we enjoyed seeing our 9 month old nephew eat all his presents. Not quite as exciting when it came time to open, but still magical and lots of fun. In Huntsville, we shared two wonderful nights with the whole family. We laughed so hard that we were crying most of the time, and Christmas ended with my Grandmother playing beer pong in her mink stole, but that's another blog. It's times like those, when the whole family is together, that I really wish Trey and I lived in Huntsville, but I know God has a plan for us, and right now, we are where we need to be.
Christmas was fun, and definitely all about family (as Christmas should be) but I did get some wonderful gifts...
Elizabeth gave me this, and although I don't like to pick favorites, this is probably it. It is a painting from a local artist in Huntsville and it is of the church that Trey and I got married in. I will forever cherish this painting. The first thing I did when I got back to Clinton, was get this framed. I took it to Hobby Lobby, picked out a frame, and had them put it together. Just as the guy got it perfectly fit into the frame, he took his finger and ran it all the way down, from the steeple, to the rod iron fence. He lifted his finger and announced to all of Hobby Lobby, "Oh, it's just a print." Then he threw a piece of glass in it, and handed me my ticket.
Um..excuse me sir, what would you have done if it hadn't been a print? You don't think that prints can get fingerprints on them too? I demand that you give me this frame for free!
All of these thoughts ran through my head, and I couldn't decide which to say, but I knew I had to say it fast or ugly words might be added, and being banned from Hobby Lobby might be the worst thing I could imagine (Trey wouldn't mind). "I love my print, thanks for framing it." That's what I said? That's how it came out? Meade, you are mad! That man just ran his finger down YOUR CHURCH! "Have a great day." Damn it. I was snubbed by the Hobby Lobby frame guy.
Not very exciting to those of you who aren't married, but Trey and I desperately needed this utensil spinning thing. Don't judge me. Thanks mom!
My mother-in-law gave me a gift card to Belk, and I bought this maroon dress for New Years Eve. Trey's dad gave us Gator Bowl tickets for Christmas, so we will be in Jacksonville at the Dawg Pound Party on New Years Eve. The maroon is perfect. Of course I needed new shoes as well...
Ahhh...that's better.
Oh yea, I got one other gift...it came a little before Christmas. Just a little something Trey picked up for me in Alabama...
A new Nissan Murano. Love.
Black leather interior, just like my old Pathfinder (Patty, for those of you who knew her.) Maggie, errr...my new car, even has a nifty little backup camera. Would have come in handy when I lived on South Nash. It also has not one, but TWO sunroofs (actually, I think one is a "moon roof" but same thing)! Heaven.
Of course, it wasn't really even my car, until I completed it with this...
Hail State! Thanks Trey!
Meade.
The point is, I am just not ready to take down my beautiful pink, purple, red, and gold Christmas tree!
Trey and I have enjoyed sitting in the den, and enjoying the beautiful Christmas lights coming from the tree in the dining room. So how long can we leave it up? You know, before the Homeowners Association comes knockin'...
Our Christmas started off at Trey's parents house in the Delta. It was lovely. We really enjoyed getting to see our 2 and a half year old nephew get so excited about all his presents. He is at a very fun age, and it was special to see the magic of Christmas through his innocent eyes. After laughter and lots of catching up, we headed to Huntsville to do Christmas with my family.
It was again, a lovely time. There, we enjoyed seeing our 9 month old nephew eat all his presents. Not quite as exciting when it came time to open, but still magical and lots of fun. In Huntsville, we shared two wonderful nights with the whole family. We laughed so hard that we were crying most of the time, and Christmas ended with my Grandmother playing beer pong in her mink stole, but that's another blog. It's times like those, when the whole family is together, that I really wish Trey and I lived in Huntsville, but I know God has a plan for us, and right now, we are where we need to be.
Christmas was fun, and definitely all about family (as Christmas should be) but I did get some wonderful gifts...
Elizabeth gave me this, and although I don't like to pick favorites, this is probably it. It is a painting from a local artist in Huntsville and it is of the church that Trey and I got married in. I will forever cherish this painting. The first thing I did when I got back to Clinton, was get this framed. I took it to Hobby Lobby, picked out a frame, and had them put it together. Just as the guy got it perfectly fit into the frame, he took his finger and ran it all the way down, from the steeple, to the rod iron fence. He lifted his finger and announced to all of Hobby Lobby, "Oh, it's just a print." Then he threw a piece of glass in it, and handed me my ticket.
Um..excuse me sir, what would you have done if it hadn't been a print? You don't think that prints can get fingerprints on them too? I demand that you give me this frame for free!
All of these thoughts ran through my head, and I couldn't decide which to say, but I knew I had to say it fast or ugly words might be added, and being banned from Hobby Lobby might be the worst thing I could imagine (Trey wouldn't mind). "I love my print, thanks for framing it." That's what I said? That's how it came out? Meade, you are mad! That man just ran his finger down YOUR CHURCH! "Have a great day." Damn it. I was snubbed by the Hobby Lobby frame guy.
Not very exciting to those of you who aren't married, but Trey and I desperately needed this utensil spinning thing. Don't judge me. Thanks mom!
My mother-in-law gave me a gift card to Belk, and I bought this maroon dress for New Years Eve. Trey's dad gave us Gator Bowl tickets for Christmas, so we will be in Jacksonville at the Dawg Pound Party on New Years Eve. The maroon is perfect. Of course I needed new shoes as well...
Ahhh...that's better.
Oh yea, I got one other gift...it came a little before Christmas. Just a little something Trey picked up for me in Alabama...
A new Nissan Murano. Love.
Black leather interior, just like my old Pathfinder (Patty, for those of you who knew her.) Maggie, errr...my new car, even has a nifty little backup camera. Would have come in handy when I lived on South Nash. It also has not one, but TWO sunroofs (actually, I think one is a "moon roof" but same thing)! Heaven.
Of course, it wasn't really even my car, until I completed it with this...
Hail State! Thanks Trey!
Meade.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Top ten things I will never understand about myself...
#10- If it costs $4.99 and comes from TJ Maxx, I'm buying it. No matter what it is, or what it looks like.
#9- I'm nosy. Not in the normal, "Oh, I wish I could have been a fly on the wall.." kind of way. No, no. This is much worse. I get anxious about surprises. I was the kid who snuck downstairs three weeks before Christmas and unwrapped all my gifts, held letters to my parents up to the sun, stopped walking in public places to finish listening to the conversations of strangers, actually, I'm still guilty of this, but you get it. I'm nosy.
#8- The touch or smell of a Popsicle stick, literally makes me gag. If you are now giving your computer screen a puzzled stare, see blog title. I can't answer your questions about this one. It's just fact.
#7- I still think that I can sleep until 5:45am and have plenty of time to make it to work.
#6- If I don't like an outfit, instead of jazzing it up and rocking it, I'll stand, shoulders hunched, knees bent, arms, practically dragging the ground, and announce, "I look dumpy," before going in my closet and changing back into the first outfit I tried on.
which brings me to number 5...
#5- No matter how many times I change outfits for an occasion, I always end up picking the first one I tried on. Admitting this now makes it painfully obvious that Trey might not deserve a slap on the arm when he says, "No, really, that one looks fine."
#4- I'm one of those weird people, who actually enjoys change.
#3- I currently can't remember where I put my purse, but I could tell you every song that came on the radio on my way to work.
#2- I cry at the wrong time. Take my most recent Undercover Boss example...let's just say the show ended with Trey giving me a hug while I wept, "They are just so lucky to work at Subway."
and the number one thing I will never understand about myself...
#1- I hate eggs. I've never liked eggs, but I continue to try them once a year, hoping I can finally say without a guilty conscience, "I'm not picky, I'll eat anything."
Meade.
#9- I'm nosy. Not in the normal, "Oh, I wish I could have been a fly on the wall.." kind of way. No, no. This is much worse. I get anxious about surprises. I was the kid who snuck downstairs three weeks before Christmas and unwrapped all my gifts, held letters to my parents up to the sun, stopped walking in public places to finish listening to the conversations of strangers, actually, I'm still guilty of this, but you get it. I'm nosy.
#8- The touch or smell of a Popsicle stick, literally makes me gag. If you are now giving your computer screen a puzzled stare, see blog title. I can't answer your questions about this one. It's just fact.
#7- I still think that I can sleep until 5:45am and have plenty of time to make it to work.
#6- If I don't like an outfit, instead of jazzing it up and rocking it, I'll stand, shoulders hunched, knees bent, arms, practically dragging the ground, and announce, "I look dumpy," before going in my closet and changing back into the first outfit I tried on.
which brings me to number 5...
#5- No matter how many times I change outfits for an occasion, I always end up picking the first one I tried on. Admitting this now makes it painfully obvious that Trey might not deserve a slap on the arm when he says, "No, really, that one looks fine."
#4- I'm one of those weird people, who actually enjoys change.
#3- I currently can't remember where I put my purse, but I could tell you every song that came on the radio on my way to work.
#2- I cry at the wrong time. Take my most recent Undercover Boss example...let's just say the show ended with Trey giving me a hug while I wept, "They are just so lucky to work at Subway."
and the number one thing I will never understand about myself...
#1- I hate eggs. I've never liked eggs, but I continue to try them once a year, hoping I can finally say without a guilty conscience, "I'm not picky, I'll eat anything."
Meade.
Monday, December 6, 2010
I did it...
I always get off work before Trey. It's great. Come home, kick off my boots for about five minutes--only five minutes Meade, and then you need to go to the gym. I turn on Bravo, Millionaire Matchmaker, yes!--ok Meade, only ten minutes and then the gym!
Millionaire Matchmaker or any show on Bravo, is my time to unwind. I watch, I snack, I forget about school, and I catch up on all the Internet activity I missed that day. This could take hours, but remember, I only have ten minutes. Focus. Ten minutes goes fast and I start dreaming of reasons not to go to the gym:
1) I have been on my feet all day, maybe I should take today off, and I will start back tomorrow.
2) The floors need vacuuming. If I vacuum then that counts as a workout...right?
3) Before I vacuum, better check my email once more.
4) That reminds me, I wonder if those pictures are up on Facebook...what pictures? Oh, I'm sure there are pictures...
AND this is where all hopes of going to the gym are lost on me. Facebook. Ten minutes in Facebook time turns into 5:45pm when Trey is walking in the door. Which reminds me..
5) I have to cook dinner
6) I haven't started my lesson plans
7) Oh no, the floors are still not vacuumed.
No, there is no possible way I can go to the gym today. Since I have decided not to go to the gym, this will give me plenty of time to clean the house, cook dinner, plan for school, and start a blog. And I did it...
I started my blog, my bare feet on our messy floor, while eating Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, and wondering what my class will do tomorrow. Enjoy.
Meade.
Millionaire Matchmaker or any show on Bravo, is my time to unwind. I watch, I snack, I forget about school, and I catch up on all the Internet activity I missed that day. This could take hours, but remember, I only have ten minutes. Focus. Ten minutes goes fast and I start dreaming of reasons not to go to the gym:
1) I have been on my feet all day, maybe I should take today off, and I will start back tomorrow.
2) The floors need vacuuming. If I vacuum then that counts as a workout...right?
3) Before I vacuum, better check my email once more.
4) That reminds me, I wonder if those pictures are up on Facebook...what pictures? Oh, I'm sure there are pictures...
AND this is where all hopes of going to the gym are lost on me. Facebook. Ten minutes in Facebook time turns into 5:45pm when Trey is walking in the door. Which reminds me..
5) I have to cook dinner
6) I haven't started my lesson plans
7) Oh no, the floors are still not vacuumed.
No, there is no possible way I can go to the gym today. Since I have decided not to go to the gym, this will give me plenty of time to clean the house, cook dinner, plan for school, and start a blog. And I did it...
I started my blog, my bare feet on our messy floor, while eating Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, and wondering what my class will do tomorrow. Enjoy.
Meade.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
