Happy Howl-oween!

Here are the pumpkins that Tommy and I carved. Mine's the one on the right. I wasn't feeling very inspired, so I just embraced it.

Here's a picture from Saturday night. It's the funniest Halloween costume I have ever seen. The person, who shall remain nameless, went by the name Randy Spits throughout the evening.
When asked what he was, I think he described himself as a past-his-prime Olympic swimming champion, I laughed until I cried. Multiple times. Note the USA shaved into the chest---now that's a true American hero.

Bob was a pink poodle for Halloween. He won the most original costume contest at his day care on Sunday afternoon. I didn't have time to make frilly boots for him, or a tail puff, but i'm hoping to get around to it next year. I was just happy to have figured out the body of the suit--which remained on for a surprising length of time. He wasn't too nuts about the little poodle puff on his head, though.


I was an ostrich. I didn't have the sense to take a picture of myself throughout the entire evening.

Bob's Big Day

Bob Barker was born a year ago today.

We celebrated with peanut butter, dog biscuits, and cheese.

Additionally, we played with three new friends, the Really Mad Cow, Harry Tarantula, and Sylvester Snake.

He was a little anti-social at his party. After snarfing up his cheese plate, he scratched off his birthday hat, grabbed his birthday bone, and ate it secretively in the corner.

When asked how his birthday ranked on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being crummy and 10 being out-of-this-world), Bob deliberated for a minute, then gave his bash a 7, due to the absence of live birds and squirrels and dead rotting things to roll around in. He could tell that his Mommy and Daddy really wanted to make his day special. When asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, Bob said that he really wants to be an ornithologist, but he can't stop eating his subjects.

Product Endorsement

Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser.

Do you know about it?

I picked one up at the grocery store the other day because I remember my friend Marilyn talking about it being the best product she's discovered since returning from work overseas for the past 8 years. What the heck, it's just a couple of dollars, I think to myself.

So, I started with the bathtub, an old ceramic dinosaur sporting water stains that even standing bleach + ferocious scrubbing couldn't remove. And.......THE ERASER WORKED! I don't know where the magic eraser gets its powers, but I'd recommend that you go get one today and give it a try. If you like a clean space as much as I do, you won't regret it.

AMAZING!

What Mr. Clean Magic Erasers Can Do:
remove dried paint from door hinges
remove tarnish from silver
remove mold & mildew from anything plastic
clean & polish gold jewelry
remove soap scum in the tub and shower--TRUE!
remove marks on walls
clean splatters inside the microwave
remove marks on vinyl siding
clean mirrors in the bathroom (keeps shower mirrors from fogging)
remove adhesive residue after removing stickers
remove waterline mark around the pool
remove hair dye from countertops & floors
clean light-colored suede
remove black scuff marks from baseboards (where the vacuum cleaner hits)
clean the outdoor side of window sills stained from leaves, dust and dirt
clean plastic coolers inside and out (...even dirty grimey ones used by men with greasy hands!)
remove rust spots & stains on countertop
remove cooked-on stains in pots and pans
remove soot off the walls near the fireplace
clean within the grooves of lawn ornaments
clean sticky/dusty range hood over the stove
remove nail polish spills or stains
clean airbake cookie sheets & bakeware (the kind with all those tiny grooves)
clean oven shelves & the grates on the grill
remove wet nose marks from pets on the windows (even car windows)
remove toothpaste splashes from bathroom mirrors
remove melted plastic on the side of the toaster oven
remove grimey green algae from cement (bird baths, steps, ponds, etc)
clean stained elbows from dirty work
remove green mildew from siding and gutters
remove paint spills & oversprays
remove toilet bowl rings (just cut a piece off & let it set in your toilet overnight)
remove built-up algae, water deposits, etc from ceramic flower pots
clean dish drainers that are gunked with lime and build-up
remove bird poop from concrete bird bath
remove coffee & tea stains that remain inside a mug, caraffe, thermos even after washing
clean the plastic agitator inside your washing machine
clean window screens (even when they are still in the window)
remove built-up baked on grease inside the deep fryer
clean inside the crock pot
remove melted plastic on a glass top stove
clean swimming pool steps
remove baked on brown spots on cookware
clean antiques & collectibles
polish collectible coins
clean & shine things up before you sell them in a yard sale
clean boat & outdoor furniture upholstery
clean vinyl striping on motorhomes, vans, boats
clean car tires, including white walls
clean pebbled surfaces like the outside of plastic coolers
remove pet & child vomit from carpet or clothing
remove scuff marks on motorcycle & ATV helmets
remove grass stains from shoes after mowing the lawn
remove scuff marks from hangers/shoes in the walk-in closet
clean oven door
remove pollen from patio furniture, cars, etc.
remove soap scum and gunk from around the bathroom faucets
remove hairspray build-up on countertops and vanities
remove soap scum inside porcelain & utility sinks
clean stained caulking along the kitchen sink & countertop
clean your bicycle, even the tires & rims
clean tile & grout
remove mildew from tents, vinyl canopies, awnings, fiberglass items
remove paint overspray that has dried
remove shoe marks from the kickplate of house doors & car doors
clean inside your car (along the handles, window ledge, arm rests, dashboard)
remove scuff marks and dirt from linoleum floors
remove stains on leather seats, purses, chairs, etc.
remove food stains inside plastic food containers
remove brake dust from tire rims
remove dirt and grime on a vinyl convertible top
remove nail polish from walls, carpets, wooden objects, plastic
remove soil or scuff marks from ceramic tile flooring
clean non-skid surfaces with tiny grooves (bathtub floors, refrigerator handles, pool steps, cooler lids)
clean & shine bathroom faucets & fixtures
remove magic marker, permanent marker, and ballpoint ink from virtually any surface
clean doll faces
clean textured handles on major appliances (dishwasher, refrigerator, stove)
remove fingerprints and dirt on light-colored kitchen cupboards
clean inside of the refrigerator
remove crayon marks from walls
remove dirt from plastic trash cans
remove dark paint on light-colored carpet
clean soap scum and oils from hot tub
clean a car's vinyl interior (gets into the tiny crinkles in the vinyl armrest, etc.)
clean white porch railings, columns & pillars
remove bugs from car windshield, grille, and bumper
remove paint scratches on your car from minor fender benders
remove rust and corrosion that's built-up on the outside of pipes (kitchen/bathroom)
clean & shine hubcaps
remove built-up grime on the car steering wheel
remove finger prints & build-up on the keyboard and mouse
remove oxidized paint from an old car
remove built-up gunk from vinyl seats
remove tar from your car's paint
remove set-in stains inside glass and plastic pitchers
remove scuff marks from the back of car seats (from kids' shoes)
clean kids' plastic toys
remove dirt and grime from athletic shoes and shoes with leather uppers
remove stains on the underside of the toilet seat
remove fingerprint & handprints from light-colored doors & walls
remove scuff marks from your patio furniture

The Right Reverend

Tommy and I went to San Francisco over my birthday weekend. His good friends, Shannon and Dave, asked him to officiate their wedding ceremony. We arrived on a Thursday morning (my birthday) and went almost immediately to City Hall with Shannon and Dave to get Tommy's marrying rights. Then, we split for Sonoma County for the remainder of the day. On Friday, we did some sightseeing and ended the day back in San Francisco for a wedding rehearsal + picnic. On Saturday, we visited Alcatraz and explored the city, followed by dinner with Tommy's good friend Triv at his place in Oakland. Sunday was the big day.

I've attached two pictures. The first is my favorite, Millie the Flower Girl. And yes, she's wearing jewelry. There were actually seven flower girls, including Millie. Apparently Shannon and Dave couldn't decide which niece was best suited for the role of flower girl, so they just made them all flower girls.

The second is Tommy the Reverend, Shannon and Dave, and a photographer, capturing the moment.




I was taking the pictures from my aisle seat, about 5 rows from the front. Can you tell?

The wedding was so much fun, laid-back, and CHILLY.

I love San Francisco. If I wasn't so terrified of earthquakes, I'd move out there in a heartbeat.

Drag out your winter clothes

The workers at Kelli's K-9 Kingdom put a jogging suit on Bob today because of the cold snap. When Tommy picked him up from day care he couldn't believe his eyes! The lady at the desk said Bob needs a little help in the warmth department because he is so thin-skinned. While the jogging suit was nice and sporty, Tommy felt that Bob could use something a little more sophisticated. So now Bob is ready to brave the winter. He is so interested in his sweater and thinks of it at his second skin:

SNOW!

Already some snowflakes are falling.
Granted, they only fell for about 10 minutes, but we've had our first snow of the season.
Unbelievable.

Water Babies

Most of the city pools in the area throw an end-of-the-summer bash for those of the canine variety. Since the pools have to be cleaned after they're drained anyway, someone had the brilliant idea to let the dogs have a go at the water. Bob had an opportunity to visit two pool parties this August. He was a little nervous at his first party. But he was a pro at the second one. He's a little water baby.

The dogs were just simply beserk. They LOVED splashing around in the water. The humans that were there had almost as good of a time watching. VERY entertaining.

I told one of my co-workers about the pool parties a couple of weeks ago. She said, "Bob's a frat boy!!... It's not a party until there are turds in the pool."

Send Back the Moving Truck...

....I didn't get the job. As you can imagine, I am devastated.
I really wanted to come home and do this job.

Apparently, I am "exceptional," but my international expertise isn't "broad enough" for what they're looking for.

Terribly confused I am.

So, I'm regrouping.

It's a grey day in Cleveland.
Fitting.