Huge!

So I go away to a conference for 4 days, and the dog is bigger when I return. Oh dear. We're in for it - and the shelter said 40-50 lbs. Yah right.

Anyway, here are the latest shots. We are pretty dorky taking pictures of our dog all the time, but he is pretty damn cute. What are we going to be like when we have kids? I think we'll have to get a special memory card just to save all the photos.

Luckily, the weather is cooler today so I feel like getting things done. We were melting this weekend - 95 degrees and 7% humidity on the back patio and then by the evening, 95 in the house. I know, I know, it's not like east coast humidity, but when that hits, all ya'll have A/C and we just have a box fan.

Mid-drink on a hike

Do I look like a German Shepherd mix now?

I don't play catch with the frisbee, I hoard it.

All 22 lbs of energy

It's not a bird bath, it's a doggie fountain.

Our Economic Stimulus Package at Work

So here are the two things that Steve and I have spent our "economic stimulus package" on (well, not all of it, and to be honest, we still haven't received the checks in the mail).

One of them you know already: Scupper the Wonderpup ( a recent pic of how big he's getting and his lovely but wacky spots and colors)


And - TADA! We bought a vintage stove:
Now I hear you saying, why do Steve and Aimee need a vintage stove. Well, we don't. But it was on craigslist for a steal of a deal and it's just so damn cool. (and the one that came with this house was not a full size stove and you KNOW how much cooking we do....)

This is an O'Keefe and Merritt 1955 rare model. It has the 4 burners, which have this AMAZING function where you can turn them on the big ring for full blast gas heat and then turn the knob down really low and there are smaller rings called "simmer cups" that just turn on - and yes... simmer. Perfect for spaghetti sauce and soups. Kick ass. You'll notice the oh so cool griddle in the center that should cook up some tasty pancakes and grilled cheese sandwiches this weekend. The four different doors are up left) a "Grillavator" - which is this neat broiler pan that raises and lowers with a spring loaded lever so you can get closer or farther from the flame. upright) oven; bottom left) utility drawer; and bottom right) oven heating unit.

The best part?? (Besides the simmer cups) Behind the tea kettle on the back right burner you'll see a little window. that is a PERISCOPE down to the oven. Yes sirs. I can turn the oven light on and peek in the window and see what's down in the oven without opening the oven door. !!!

Now why don't they make stoves like this anymore? Viking eat your heart out.

I'll keep you posted on its progress with cooking. So far, the quiche I made in the oven today turned out beautifully. And it looked pretty good through the periscope as well. ;)

Here are some more pics if you are so inclined:

Brilliant!

My aunt just sent me this link this morning - run, not walk, to see these - and vote for the worst album cover ever.

Here's one of my favorites:

The Power of Ice

Ah Ice. People were fascinated by its wondrous appeal when the idea of making ice became not magic but possibly, and now dogs too find the power of ice irresistible. Okay, well, at least OUR dog thinks it's great.

We're just happy because 1) ice is cheap and 2) it soothes Scupper's teething gums. and that means 1) he won't chew on the furniture and 2) chew on us.

Woohoo ice.

Week Two

So it was two weeks ago yesterday that this newest chapter of our lives began unexpectedly. At least with children you have 9 months of mental prep (not that, of course, children are any easier), but nonetheless, we are fairing well. Less sleep, but that's ok. We went to puppy training class yesterday (more for us than for him) and learned a good deal - the most important thing is that the trainer declared - wow! he's a smart one. You're going to have to work with him a lot because he's going to figure out all your games, so you'll have to keep coming up with new things so he doesn't get bored. Hmmm... Great. Not that having a smart dog is a bother, but we definitely have to work with him a bunch. We also learned that we can "train" him about the length of a "car commercial" (according to the trainer) so his little puppy attention span is about nil. However, we can do it lots of times a day, so we're going through puppy treats like nobody's business. He's good with "Sit" and getting better with "leave it" (which we really want him to learn since he tends to pick anything and everything up) and working on "down." He is also pretty good about responding to his name. Steve and I are still trying to take him on walks, but he's a fraidy-cat and barely gets around the block sometimes. Oh well. He'll get better. This afternoon we're taking him to play with a 3 yr old boy. Eek. We'll see how that one goes.

But for all of you who continue to check this - here are new pics:

I don't fit in my mom's lap as well as I used to...

A pic of the paws that are getting bigger...

Scupper helps Dad win at spades...

And a sneaky slideshow from Picasa that i just discovered which will make posting much easier!!

Scupper's First Bath

Oh dear. How traumatic. It's like 3 year olds who don't want to take baths anymore. But he'll be like this ALL THE TIME. ;) With all the digging and the dirt and the rolling, his white fur looked more gray and brown - but now he's shiny white and black again. He just wasn't too happy with us. Here he is before entrapment, trying desparately to run away.

So sad. Little skinny puppy had to get wet.
At least he doesn't smell like a dirty dog anymore. Just a dog.

Fascinated by stationary objects

This dog is cracking us up. He has now started to notice more of the world around him, and that includes barking at stationary objects. Yesterday, he finally realized there is a bird feeder on a limb in the tree in the yard. Bereft of birds at that particular moment, he still proceeded to bark at it, wondering what the hell it was.

last night, after a good night of track racing (steve moved up to the A's - a faster group that includes national and world champion riders - and he did very respectable - no major ass-whupping) - we were crashed on the couch zoning out to a bit of TV, checking the returns to make sure that Obama did some ass-whupping of his own on Hillary, and Scupper began barking at Steve's water bottle on the coffee table. Um. Okay. We were rather confused what he was all worked up about.

and this morning (b/c hey, things come in three's) he was startled and fascinated (and barked) at the unmoving ceiling fan. Hmmm.

I mean, he's a smart cookie, but the fact that he is scared? amazed? interested? annoyed? who knows? at stationary objects that he all of a sudden recognizes is just too ridiculous. We try not to laugh to make him embarrassed.

But it is a little funny, don't you think?