A Shiny Birthday Surprise - Great Auto Detailers!

My birthday (Rob) is coming up at the end of the week, and Tom gave me a wonderful surprise- he hired auto detailers to come to the house and detail my pick-up truck. Anyone that knows me, knows the entire back part of the truck's inside cab has a lot of cushions and comforter for the dogs to ride on - so there's dog hair and dog treat crumbs (even though I wash the comforter out often. Of course, up front is coffee-central, and although I try and keep it clean, coffee spills happen, and doggy treat crumbs drop - so it's a lot to keep up with. Plus we haul a lot of stuff in the truck. If you need auto detailing in central Maryland- call EMPIRE AUTO DETAILERS at :http://www.shinemyride.com/. The two guys they sent out did an amazingly, fantastic job. It looks like a new truck. (PHOTO: The truck's inside is now spotless!)

The outside of the truck hasn't been this clean since I bought it (and despite car washes!)
(PHOTO: These 2 hard-working guys were here for almost 2 hours covering every inch of the truck! I took this from our 2nd floor, so the window screen interfered).

Sunday Part1: DC March/Rent

Sunday was a busy day for Tom and I (Rob). There were so many things happening between Baltimore and Washington, DC that we wanted to go to- so, we opted to do different things with friends. Tom and our friend Jeff went to Washington, DC for the National Equality rally. Here are some pictures from Jeff.

The National Park Service doesn't provide headcounts of attendees, but estimated 150,000 people attended the march. The Equality March is seeking wider civil rights, and dammit, I think our marriage needs to be recognized. Medical decisions, social security, pensions and more are the reasons why this matters. If someone took them away from straight couples, they'd be furious, too. Everyone deserves equal rights.
United Press International said that demonstrators were energized Saturday night by a speech by U.S. President Barack Obama, who vowed to target the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, as well as the federal Defense of Marriage Act. (They both need to go). Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, a gay man and Army veteran said at the Capitol rally, 36 states allow housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and 29 states permit firings on those grounds. Same-sex marriages are legal in only a handful of states -- including Massachusetts, Vermont, Iowa and Connecticut. Depriving gays of the right to wed, Rosendahl said, deprives them of 1,100 rights.
Some of the signs read "We're trying to lower your divorce rate," and "Jesus had two fathers" (clever!!).

This is an amazing time in our history, and Tom and Jeff noted that there were an unbelievable number of young people there- who all believe in equal rights. They said that this new generation is going to wipe out all inequalities. I hope so. I think that too many people even our age (40s) hold hatred and prejudice in their hearts. The younger generation seems to accept all people a lot more than our generation does.
**After the rally, Tom and Jeff went to see a high school production of RENT in DC. I bought 2 tickets a month ago, but Baltimore's Comic Book Convention was happening that same day, so that's where I went. More to come on that!

Our Saturday Dog Adventures!

After all the errands on Saturday we made sure we spent time with the "kids"- Dolly the Weimaraner and Franklin the Dachshund. In the late afternoon, we decided to drive to a nice big industrial park nearby, that has a lake and an old mansion (back in a wooded area). The sun had come out, and it was about 65F, so it was great walking weather. We enjoyed walking the dogs for about an hour around the entire complex, and they enjoyed sniffing all of the new scents. We even found the old mansion that has been restored- we don't know what the owners are going to do with it, though. Here are photos of us from the walk today:



After the long walk, we took the kids to Petsmart to get more bags of dog food, and they love walking through the store - they love the attention and scents. At the checkout, Dolly stood up and put her paws on the counter (as she always does in Petsmart) to say hello to the check out person. Meanwhile, Tom had put Franklin in the shopping cart!
Afterward, I took the kids in the truck with me while Tom ran a short errand. Here's Dolly looking out the window waiting for Daddy Tom, while Franklin finds napping more to his liking.

Assault (on the Wallet) and Battery / and a Productive Saturday

It seems like every weekend is productive - we never seem to just relax the whole weekend, and today, Saturday, wasn't any different. We had a contractor out fixing the edges of the roof (that the roofers 2 years ago left sticking up).
DOG SPA TREATMENT - We also bathed Dolly and Franklin, trimmed their nails and cleaned the inside of their ears, then washed the cover of their bed, so it was also nice and clean. That, plus several loads of laundry, sweeping the whole house, walking the dogs, and then getting Car batteries for two cars.
"ASSAULT AND BATTERY" - We bought a used Ford Focus so Tom can drive it 3 days a week to a job site (when he's not working in Washington, DC at the office) and that needed a new car battery. Tom's 2002 Miata that sits in the garage has head a dead battery for quite some time now, so that needed one, too. We jump started that car and drove BOTH vehicles to a great battery shop in Annapolis that installs the batteries for free. Unfortunately, the Miata's battery wouldn't come out, because a mechanic at the dealership Tom last took it to (in So. Carolina), stripped the bolt that held the "arm" over the battery. After getting the Ford Focus a battery ($84 installed in 10 minutes), we had to take the Miata to a Mazda dealer. NOW, here comes the "assault part." Not only did we have to get a new Miata battery at the dealer, and they had to figure how to remove the jammed "battery arm," but it took 2 1/2 hours AND it cost $270.00!! OUCH. I would've taken an axe to it myself if I had known! (At least we had some great Dunkin' Donuts egg sandwiches for lunch with Tom's folks, who live near the battery shop).

Weekend! /Eyes/Foster Dog/ The Little Things

The weekend is finally here, and it's a relief. It's been a busy week at work, with the boss being out, and me (Rob) running the newsroom.
POINT AND CLICK SYNDROME - Tom and I have noticed a pattern at work with responsibilities, the "point and click" forwarding syndrome. Both of us experienced stuff that was forwarded around our offices this week from person to person (we were copied on the emails); until finally people sent the respective things to us to do- and we wind up doing them. SO, where did "Passing the buck" originate? I found out it comes from playing Poker! If a player didn't want to deal he could pass the responsibility to the next person by passing the "buck" (short for a Buckhorn knife that was placed on a table to show who deals next). (Image: Buck Passing, Credit: Dilbert)
TOM'S VISION - Tom's eyes continue to improve daily since his cataract surgery- although a lot slower than hoped. He still sees "rings of light" around lights. He needs lasik surgery to remove scar tissue that formed around both new lenses the surgeon implanted. They said scar tissue only happens in younger people (so there's a positive!).
FRIDAY NIGHT - Our friends Todd and Erica drove to our town with their infant son Cole and we had a nice dinner at the Outback steakhouse. Nice way to end a week, and Cole is adorable. We ended the night watching "Ghost Whisperer" and "Medium" as usual.
(PHOTO OF "Betty" at a shelter currently - we'll get her later this week).
FOSTER DOG UPDATE - We haven't met and picked up our foster dog yet, because of logistics. Details are still being worked out, but we'll likely get "Betty" the short-haired, red dachshund this coming Thursday.
IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS - I was talking with Tom the other night about sending flowers to our folks and some friends- so we did that yesterday. The reactions were funny. My mom saw them and cried out of happiness. Tom's folks said "What are these for?" and our friends H&R said "Why did you send these?" I think that's funny, and I really think that they need to be spoiled a lot more. :) **Speaking of, Tom went and got a haircut this morning at 7:30am while I walked the dogs, and he came back with a cup of Dunkin' Donuts coffee for me! That's my kind of love.
CLICK FOR CHARITIES - Before I forget- you can click on a website daily to give 1)free bowls of dog/cat food 2) free mammograms 3) kids books: I go daily to: http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_home_from_bcs_thankyou_sitenav

Baltimore Comic-Con: Comics fans prepare to suit up for Baltimore Comic-Con -- baltimoresun.com

I'm going to the Baltimore Comic Book Convention - and yes, there's a costume contest! It's Saturday and Sunday in the Baltimore Convention Center, and it's going to be a lot of fun!
Baltimore Comic-Con: Comics fans prepare to suit up for Baltimore Comic-Con -- baltimoresun.com
 

(Image: One of my favorite Superman comic book covers with Krypto to the rescue! Credit: DC Comics) 

Haunted sites around Maryland - baltimoresun.com

Here's an article from the Baltimore Sun about locally haunted places. These are on our list to visit this Halloween Season. Then I'll tell you what ghosts I encounter.

Haunted sites around Maryland - baltimoresun.com

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Simple Pleasures - It's important to think of yours

On Thursday mornings, the country music radio station I listen to asks for listeners' simple pleasures. Well, I thought I'd cite a few, even though I had a VERY long and busy day (I had zero lunchtime today). My simple pleasures: 1) Reconnecting with an old and good friend (Mark); 2) Emails from friends in NY, GA, MA, MD; 3) Learning about a New local Ghost Walk from a friend 4)New Comic Book Day (Wednesdays); 5) The dogs getting excited going to Doggy Day Care (they went today)6) Sunshine this afternoon after a cloudy start 7) Talking with my mom 8) Playing BINGO last night with Tom and his parents (we lost, but it was fun). 9) The smell of fresh brewed coffee in our coffee pot at 5 a.m. 10) Blogging!
SO... What are YOUR simple pleasures?
I think it's important to count little blessings every day. It will make you appreciate the little things that you have, and will bring a smile to you. :)

"Eye for an Eye, Tooth for a Tooth" - Our Interpretation

I think I really figured out what that old Testament saying means -it's really about getting old- well, at least nowadays. Drawing from experiences that Tom and I have had recently - here's how it works. EYE FOR AN EYE - When you have a cataract, as Tom has had in each eye, they remove your lens and replace it with a plastic one. By the way, Tom's eye is getting better each day. He still deals with the "Halo Effect" around lights" but that may be because of the scar tissue that formed around each new lens. That scar tissue ALSO needs to be removed, and will be by laser surgery at a later date. So, Tom's eye adventures aren't over. TOOTH FOR A TOOTH - I survived the dentist yesterday, and it turns out it wasn't a chipped tooth. It was a filling that fell out (when I brushed), because of a cavity that formed on the edge of it. I swear that cavities can form anywhere on my teeth (I brush, floss and gargle several times a day, but it doesn't matter). So, it was a 3-surface composite filling. The good news: No root canal. Yay! My dentist, Dr. Cheryl Hunn of Greenbelt, Md. is the most pain-free, wonderful dentist in the world, too. So, I replaced a broken tooth with a "new revised tooth."

Dental, Dogs, and another Day

"There's always something." That's something my dad used to say all the time, and I find myself saying it, too. Every day brings little challenges we've all got to deal with, and I've found the anxiety leading up to the challenge is never worth it, and the event comes and goes, and then we usually forget it.
1) DENTAL -Last night, while brushing my teeth with a new "medium" tooth brush (I know, use a soft brush!), one of my tooth's crowns broke off in the front of a tooth. The good news is that the tooth was a root canal (at least I think it is!) so there's no pain and the tooth is dead. Of course, I could just be numb from the neck up. :) Anyway, this morning I have anxiety about going to the dentist and getting it fixed, although 1) the tooth is dead 2) my dentist is the best 3) She never makes me feel pain. So, the anxiety is more than the event, I'm sure.
2) DOG FOSTER - One of the two rescues that Tom and I work with is Coast-to-Coast Dachshund Rescue. Recently, they rescued 32 dachshunds from ONE home. None were spayed, bathed, or had teeth taken care of. They were a mess. BUT, some were housebroken by the one older woman that housed them. After a desperate call to us, we agreed to foster a 10 year old, female, short-haired Dachshund starting next Tuesday. That's all we know for now.
What we do know is with our last foster dachshund, Cooper, who was really sweet and also 10 years old (and adopted by a great couple), Dolly and Franklin didn't pay him any attention. We'll see how this one goes. Wish us luck!

NY Times Article and my letter: Exploring the Benefit of Pets

Below is my short letter to the NY Times about an article called "Exploring the Benefit of Pets." - What's interesting is there's an autistic boy in the family who adopted a dog, and I read a GREAT book about how animals communicate...which is just like autistic people. Here's the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/health/06pets.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

Here's my letter:
Dear Carla- I really enjoyed your article on "Exploring the Benefit of Pets." I found it interesting that your article featured a dog with an autistic boy, because author Temple Gradin wrote two great books(one called "Animals in Translation") about how dogs communicate with people similar to the way autistic children do. In fact, I learned so much from that book that I am able to figure out why our dogs behave the way they do in certain situations. I would recommend it for dog owners and for parents of autistic children. It's no surprise to me that the autistic boy in the article connects well to the dog they adopted- they communicate in similar manner. Here's a link to the author's website for the book: http://www.grandin.com/inc/animals.in.translation.html

Great Tips on Searching for Lost Dogs

(PHOTO: Snoozing photo of our late dog Buzz- 2005)
I received these great tips from an anonymous blog reader - to help people looking for their lost dogs.
1. FIRST put up signs around your neighborhood.
2. Talk to your neighbors.
3. Tell your USPS Mail Carrier and show a photo to him/her.
4. Go to GOOGLE MAPS, enter your address followed by a comma and “veterinary” it will pull up ALL the Pet Clinics closest to your home. Call them ALL. You’ll be surprised at how helpful they all are and they will give you other ideas too.
5. GO TO the local dog pound, SPCA and other animal shelters. Go in person and check every two days! Do not take someone’s word on the phone that your dog is not there.
6. Fill out a missing pet notice online at SPCA.org.
7. CONSIDER contacting “Dogs Finding Dogs” they are NOT a scam but have tracking dogs to help locate you pet. You have to do this sooner than later. www.dogsfindingdogs.com
8. Another Dog Tracker service http://www.puregoldpettrackers.com/
9. Talk to the “Regular” people you see out and about in your neighborhood----the dog walkers, the walkers, runners, bicyclists, the newspaper carrier.
10. Put a notice on FaceBook that you’re looking for your lost dog.
11. Check out the website www.findtoto.com it’s a site that robo-calls all the residents in a square mile around your home. Let’s say just 3 out 10 people even listen to the call…..well that’s a lot more people who will be notified who wouldn’t otherwise know.
12. Even if you are not a member let your local Community Association know your dog is missing.
13. Check ALL of the DOG RESCUE groups. Not just one specific to your dogs breed.
14. Check out the website www.amberpetalert.com it is like “Find Toto”
15. If you live close to the border of another jurisdiction check the Animal Control Agency and Dog Pound in BOTH areas.
Also keep in mind that a good Samaritan, someone like me, would not just take your dog to the closest vets office. I would take a found dog to MY Vet’s office which might be further away from your home. Also another thing to keep in mind for example, I live in Glen Burnie, but if I found a dog I would not think twice of taking it to a shelter in Annapolis. So your pet could be 20 miles away from where it was lost.