Puppies!

Wow I wish these pictures were better. Somehow taking low light pictures of a roiling puppy heap does not get the best results. The girls Grandad has asked for a puppy, and he's expressed a preference for daschunds, and so the hunt is on.


Initially I pushed for rescue dogs, but Grandad has a fever for which PUPPY is the only cure, so now I'm trying to sift through breeder (hur) websites and eliminate the obvious puppy mills. Oh what's that? Your 'Mom and Pop' breeding operation involves a warehouse and 14 different AKC breeds? And there are no dogs post-breeding age on the site, or in your home? You don't actually have pets? Um... no thanks. Also, you're probably going to hell. I mean I don't know for sure, but... maybe?


These folks had an adorable website, with no music (immediate +5000 in their favor) and very firm rules about how old puppies have to be before they go home. Their adult dogs were all obviously loved pets, with a big yard and run of the house. And they asked serious questions about what life would be like for a puppy who came home with us.


Jane is at the age (15 months to 30 months) where setting her down in someone else's house is an invitation to all kinds of disaster. If that house is also full of puppies... well it's a miracle we got out of there whole, forget about good pictures. And now the decision is up to Grandad. Jane and I are headed over there to show him the terrible pictures and I imagine that although I will push for Sammy, my favorite, he will pick a "red" puppy, just like Flash- the dog they had when Chase was little.

I am aware that this situation is more or less my family getting a dog on layaway, but that's okay. Grandad should have a puppy if he wants a puppy, and Ramona can always use a friend.

Making Valentines

The only way to make Valentines is in a tutu, obviously.


It also helps if your sister can inspect the completed product. Although it's even better if the Valentines are firmly sealed up first.


And it's even better to get all the glitter and glue washed off in the tub. There's no picture of Wren post-bath because she is inevitably screaming her head off about the indignities of hair washing.

Baby Shoes

These are Japanese Alligators Baby Booties by Jennifer Ladd on Sew Mama Sew. Seeing those this morning sent me on a baby shoe hunt. There are lots of adorable handmade shoes out there:

Patterns like this one (so tiny!) and this one I have to try, as soon as I amass some secret stash of wool felt because I know it's not a LOT of felt, but still, have you seen how expensive wool felt is? AH!


And then there is this woman. I want to be a tiny baby so I can wear those shoes. Or maybe a tiny tiny little person so I can live in them. Picking my favorite pair was impossible, so I just went with the blue. Her etsy shop is currently empty, but maybe she's just taking a break?

Anyway, that's what I've been doing today. Looking at baby shoes on the internet and making negative progress on homework, housework, and crafting. The girls both have colds, and so I do too. Wren and I have been working on some valentines for school that I'll be able to show soon, but we're not done yet. There's a grocery store trip in my future for glitter and glue, among other things. But oh well, it's pretty outside and maybe eventually I'll change out of my pajamas and we'll go for a walk.

ZIMMERMAN!

So this isn't my usual blog fare, and I don't normally have a temper, and I certainly don't usually take stupid marketing decisions personally, but after I saw this ad, I accidentally broke a glass with my hands.

I mean. I don't even know what to say. I was holding it and then it was broken and my hand was bleeding. I don't know what happened. I'm like the Hulk. Or Buffy.

This ad gives me the same feeling I've had after a weird confrontation with someone I really don't like. Or talking to a drunk family member. Or being involved in a minor car accident. Just that racing pulse kind of confused anger. Probably not what Pepsi was going for.

I was trying to explain to Chase, who was sort of shocked by my reaction, but everything I was saying sounded so naive and lame. I just watched the ad again, to try to pinpoint and describe all the problems, but now I am dealing with more residual shivers of disgust.

I don't have a problem with will.i.am, or skateboarding or Alias or whatever. Ladies can kill people too now! Go 2009! You know, when you think about it, "Blowin' in the Wind" doesn't specifically say anything about the US military, and maybe we should have taken "God on Our Side" literally. Thanks for clearing that up, Pepsi.

Chase suggested an alternate ad, what the late 60s were like through a less nostalgic lens (hint: less groovy). Perhaps someone with some skills could make one? Possible themes- being a minority in the 60s really sucked, and your chance of being shot with a fire hose was a lot higher! Truman Capote- what's with that guy?! The Cuban Missile Crisis was fun! Remember when everyone cool got assassinated? And also, war is always fucking awful. No matter what Bob Dylan says.

I didn't love the Victoria's Secret ad, but I also didn't really care, because he just looked like a scaggy old lecher bankrupting his cultural legacy. This is a lot worse to me. Anyway. That's all.

weekend breakfast

The sticky rolls, from the Artisan Bread book I love so much. The didn't rise as much as I thought they should have, but they went over pretty well anyway...


as you can tell from the visible drool on Jane's face. Except that Jane is pretty much always drooling, so that might not actually be that great a gauge for deliciousness. Honestly though they were good.


Rhody continues to be loved by everyone, visiting cousins included. He is so bizarre, and seems kind of vaguely menacing to me and Chase, but nobody else seems to have a problem. This would be the point in a horror movie where the water moves in the cup, or the leaves rustle or the floor creaks or whatever, and the audience goes "WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM? WHY DON'T THEY REALIZE THAT TERRIFYING TOY IS A TOOL OF THE DEVIL AND WILL COME ALIVE AND KILL THEM ALL??!!111"

Just kidding! Ha...ha.