Ina in Alaska

Tag! A few goodies...

2012-01-31T05:47:00.014-09:00

Uh, yes we do see you, supersized truck...

Tami your car is in Alaska!
Great year to be a Navy Seal!!
I Luv My Truck (my friend Julie)
If the glove don't fit.....
No comment...
I agree 100%

ewww...
Would not mind heading to Maui

Wrapping Up the Santa Monica Visit

2012-01-29T07:31:00.003-09:00

A few more pictures and we are done with my report on the Santa Monica visit......

Hollywood Sights

2012-01-27T20:21:00.009-09:00

Did not spend a lot of time on Hollywood Boulevard. Lots of weird energy and freaky behavior.

And then there was this guy:

Lemonade

2012-01-27T04:44:00.011-09:00

On Friday morning we jump in the car and head for the Hills...Beverly Hills. Where we (or I should say one of us)... leave some money behind.

Our wanderings suddenly interrupted by California State Troopers paving the way for a motorcade containing Vice President Joe Biden. He had just concluded an appearance at the Beverly Wilshire. This motorcade consisted of SUV support vehicles, including serious looking men with loaded weapons pointed out of open windows, motorcycles, disaster trucks. Pretty intense!
In the afternoon we wandered over to the Santa Monica pier and took a ride on the solar power ferris wheel

and the antique merry go round
followed by an old fashioned ice cream sundae served up by this intensely coiffed server
And back at the hotel for dinner, we meet Joan, my old neighbor
Joan and her son, Daniel
Joan is doing very well. She is frail but her wit is still as sharp as a tack. It was so good to see Joan. I totally miss her. But Joan is in the best place possible now, the icy Alaska winters would be too much for our old friend. She is enjoying life in Pasadena, still plays bridge, following politics with a passion and reading voraciously.... but guess what..... no more champagne or wine, no more of her famous martinis! The drink of choice for our old friend.... Lemonade!

Slow and Steady - and a Brussels Sprout Salad Recipe!

2012-01-26T05:48:00.006-09:00

I am still as relaxed as I appear to be in my header picture. And I am also moving s l o w l y while getting back into the swing of things back home in ANC.

As I left the beach and headed back to the hotel I spotted these 3 regal dogs. They are fabulous and they know it!
In the afternoon, Elizabeth and I wandered over to the shops at Santa Monica Place and did some damage. We stopped at Pizza Antica for a glass of wine (or 2) and a bite to eat. I had a lovely California chardonnay and watched people pass by in the sunshine.
At Pizza Antica I had THE BEST warm Brussels Sprout salad I have ever tasted. It contained crisp bacon, homemade croutons and hard cooked eggs. It could be a light meal all by itself.

HERE is the recipe from the Pizza Antica web site (you have to scroll down the page). Bon Appetit!

Girls Getaway Part 1: Nice Change of Scenery

2012-01-25T05:48:00.007-09:00

Elizabeth and I arrived to gentle California breezes after a long night flight. In the header picture I am settled on our deck enjoying the view of the Santa Monica pier with a much needed cup of coffee.

And below: the evening view. The Santa Monica Pacific Park ferris wheel is solar powered and very jazzy all lit up at night
We were at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. Very nice place to escape from Alaska!
I eventually got up, took off my shoes and headed to the beach to join this little group of birds. The water felt so good!

I took lots of pictures! More in the next post.......

Yeah We're Out There Having Fun in that Warm California Sun...

2012-01-18T06:03:00.006-09:00

Looking forward to a nice break from Winter! I will be taking lots of pictures and will tell you all about it next week!

All images except header photo from Google search

Sweet Potato Dog Treats

2012-01-16T06:10:00.002-09:00

My dogs enjoy dried sweet potato slice treats so much that I did a Google search to see if I could find a recipe to make them myself. I enjoy making treats for my dogs.

On Dog Treat Kitchen.com I found a recipe. Click HERE for the link to the recipe which I made for the gang on Sunday. They were very well received! The slices must be refrigerated and can even be frozen. The slices did not turn out super chewy as stated in the recipe but maybe that is because I did 2 pans at once. I may increase the heat to 300 degrees the next time I make them. In any event, the dogs really enjoyed them and I felt good about giving them a natural treat.

Winter Escape Ahead

2012-01-15T06:34:00.004-09:00

On Wednesday night my friend Elizabeth and I are headed to Santa Monica for a long weekend Girls Getaway from Winter!

We will be staying at the Loew's Santa Monica Beach Hotel. HERE are some views - I am really looking forward to a change of scenery!
Although the hotel is pet friendly we are leaving the husbands, pups, moose and shovels behind (the time will fly by I am sure)!

Among our many planned adventures we have a dinner date on the schedule with my old neighbor Joan!! I am looking forward to seeing her again. Longtime readers will recall she is my lovely former neighbor who moved to Pasadena in June, 2010. I foresee a glass of Champagne in our future!

Images via Google Search "Santa Monica"

Moose Siblings

2012-01-14T09:55:00.002-09:00

When I left the house on Friday to do a few errands I spotted two young moose siblings as I left our neighborhood. I always keep my camera handy next to me. I do not recommend that one films while driving but I was moving very slowly and the road is not a busy one.

Halle was in the back seat having a fit!

The snow is so deep all over town. So far we have received over 90 inches of snow. It is not snowing at present but it is very cold. The moose are forced onto the roads as it is too deep for them to browse easily. We drivers must be very alert to their presence.

Just Do It!

2012-01-13T08:11:00.002-09:00

Wishing everyone a great weekend! Someone hit the "STOP" button on the snowfall so I can part company with my shovel, bundle everyone up and enjoy a nice walk with friends.

You can spot Toby, Jeter and Ginger in the middle of the photo.

.... Next Storm Approaches ... Headline from Anchorage Daily News

2012-01-12T06:57:00.003-09:00

Thursday. Snow falling. Again.

Another 8" to 12" predicted.
This is the view from my kitchen window. I have had enough. Next week I look forward to a nice change of scenery and a long weekend getaway HERE. Looking forward to it very much!

"Snow-pocolypse"

2012-01-11T06:37:00.003-09:00

This is near my house so you can have an idea of what was going on in my area on Tuesday.

Photo from January 11, 2012 Anchorage Daily News. Many of you are wondering where your winter snow is. Don't worry! It's here!

HERE is how yesterday went in our little town. We are ok but it was like a hurricane with snow. On the plus side, my shovel did not blow away.

Termination Dust Overload

2012-01-09T21:36:00.011-09:00

To date over 81 inches of snow has fallen in Anchorage. According to the forecast, another storm system is about to deliver more snow for both Anchorage and hard-hit Cordova Alaska.

HERE is the link for Alaskan news coverage about the tremendous amount of snowfall in Cordova (149 miles away from ANC) and efforts to help the people there dig out. I heard the City of Cordova was MELTING the snow in order to prepare for more snow!

On a lighter note, here are the pathways for my next-door neighbors' dog, Gypsy. Very neat paths! Gypsy was not out when I took the picture. She is a cute little Lhasa Apso type dog.

Mr. O suggested I post some pictures from the front of our house to show the ever increasing snow piles.
Here are wonderful icicles hanging from our garage. It was 6 degrees when I took the picture.
And now the front! Our snowplower is very busy! He pushes all the snow up onto the front lawn. That snowpile is getting really tall.

Our dogs enjoy lighted pathways.
I have spent a lot of quality time with this shovel
Halle peeking between the snow mountains
No racing through that door Toby!!!!
Been super busy lately! Still catching up from my trip to NJ in December. Then when I got back to AK our office was in the midst of being repainted and new carpeting installed. The new carpet is very cozy! During the freshening up our space was a complete mess and although the work crew was very professional and pleasant, it was hard to work amidst the chaos. Things have settled down thankfully!

Halle The Snow Bunny

2012-01-08T20:36:00.002-09:00

It snowed all weekend in Anchorage. Temperatures in the teens. Slippery. Lots of accumulation. I think I shoveled the dog paths at least 3 times. I lost count. We could not take a walk even if we wanted to. The snow was so deep and just kept falling heavily.

We hung around the house most of the weekend, well except for Sunday when I braved the roads to play tennis with my Sunday group. I am not a risk taker on icy roads. Thought I would show you how my snow piles are coming along. The dogs are able to access half of the yard. Makes it easier for me to clean up after them and also in case a moose visits, they are confined to a part of the yard I can get to easily to round them up quickly.

The snow piles alongside the dog paths are practically eye level! I sent the big girl, Halle, into the unshoveled portion of the yard to give you an idea of how deep the snow is in that area. She was very displeased. Oh well, that is our Diva!

It's a Marvelous Night for a Moondance - Van Morrison

2012-01-07T21:08:00.006-09:00

Saturday night and the moon is showing off. So pretty! It snowed all day on Saturday and is still snowing as I type this post. The above is the view behind my house.

The snow is getting pretty deep. I had to shovel my dog paths twice today and will have to shovel again in the morning. The snow surrounding the dog paths in my yard is now too deep even for Halle's long and fashionable legs. Maybe tomorrow I will get a video of her trying to plow through some snow. If she will cooperate!
The Moon and the Star...... (over the garage) Lots of snow on the roof!

If you are eating or especially drinking soda from a can put it down before reading this post

2012-01-07T05:28:00.006-09:00

I don't know if any of you also saw this story on Good Morning America this week but it is yet another reason to just drink water and brought back a memory of my teenage soda-drinking years.

When I was a pre-teen it was a major treat to be allowed to enjoy a can of icy cold soda. Yes, back in the day one could just not grab a snack, one needed permission to raid the fridge for a treat. So one afternoon after school I was drinking (with a straw) from a can of RC Cola. It was the last RC Cola I ever drank. As I got down to the bottom of the can I began to swish it around and thought there was something lumpy in the can. There was. Upon opening the can a large hairy mass of what looked to have been a spider had managed to crawl into the can of cola before it was sealed. My mother and I were aghast, I cannot even begin to tell you how upsetting it was and it was many years before I could drink a can of soda again!! So the possibility of a mouse in a can of Mountain Dew was pretty amazing and not only that but Pepsi's claim that the MOUSE WOULD HAVE DISSOLVED IN THE CAN!!!!!!!! No further comment....

We Spy Some BIG things.... and Toby Update

2012-01-05T06:37:00.003-09:00

Jeter and Ginger sounded the alert! The Municipal street graders arrived to clear the cul de sac and perform their hypnotic mechanical ballet. This equipment is HUGE and quite frankly they scare me. I am always amazed how these huge vehicles manage to navigate tight spaces. They put the snow into a big pile in which the neighborhood kids create forts. In a few weeks more equipment will arrive and dismantle the forts and we begin again.

Our boy Toby is doing just fine. Mr. O and I believe he just gave himself a big jolt when he ran through the doggie door. He is acting like his usual enthusiastic self but he is going to our regular vet on January 16 to have a recheck just to be sure.

Now Hear This! aka the Morning Announcements

2012-01-04T05:14:00.001-09:00

Wonder what they are telling us? To be continued.....

Ice Skaters at Westchester Lagoon

2012-01-01T21:43:00.004-09:00

A cold New Year's Sunday in Anchorage. Much too cold to bundle the dogs in layers and booties for a walk. But the sun was shining and we needed a diversion so we packed everyone into the car and took a short drive to Westchester Lagoon to watch the ice skaters, dog walkers, cross country skiiers and maybe see some moose (which we did!)

On the way home from Westchester Lagoon we spotted an abandoned treadmill (header picture). I guess someone's exercise resolution did not last very long!

If I come up with a title for this post I will add it! Meanwhile Happy New Year and Farewell 2011

2011-12-31T06:09:00.005-09:00

Thank you everyone for sticking with me for another year. 2011 was a good year in many ways. The above video clip shares some of the highlights (for us) of 2011. There were so many more pictures I could have included but then the video would have been too long.

2011 was a big year for my mother, who turned 80. It will be a big year for me too in July. My mom was 20 years old when I was born. You do the math.

I just realized I forgot to include a few pictures of our adventures with little Corbie! Please stop by Tami's blog (the link is on the side bar of my blog) and follow Corbie's adventures. My sister Susan and I had never before had an adventure quite like Corbie and it was one of the most rewarding highlights of my year. AND we got to meet Tami and her friend Heather (yes I was in tears)! It is so nice to meet another blogger in person after years of just reading their blog.

Many of you know Sandra of the Houston Pittie Pack. We wish Sandra an especially calm 2012 as she and her family put their lives back together after a fire destroyed their home and took the lives of the Fearless Five.

We wish all of you a very comfortable, healthy and peaceful 2012 and are thankful for your friendship.

Toby is healing very well

2011-12-29T07:05:00.002-09:00

Here's a short update!

Thank you for all your kind comments and encouragement. Toby thanks everyone for their concern and friendship. He is more improved every day. I am pretty sure (and relieved) that he did not injure a disc in his neck. I note he is not careening towards and through the doggie door since he hurt himself! He will see his vet on the 16th of January for a recheck. Till then we will keep a good eye on him!

Toby visits Pet Emergency

2011-12-26T21:44:00.009-09:00

Roma and Chelsey. Our lab neighbors and buddies.

We have had a doggie door for years with no trouble. Except on Christmas Day.

Roma and Chelsey often call for our dogs to come out and join them for racing along the fence and general lab/poodle mayhem.

On Christmas afternoon the labs sounded the call and our troops rallied into action! In his haste to join the labs Toby sped through the doggie door but immediately began loudly shrieking in pain just outside the door. At the time I thought he had injured a paw since he was limping. Nothing was broken so I thought he might have a sprain. Toby stayed quiet for the rest of Christmas afternoon. I thought a good night's rest would find Toby up to his usual enthusiastic self the next morning but he was still in pain and lethargic.
Our regular vet clinic was closed so we went to Pet Emergency.
We were greeted very cheerfully and escorted to an exam room
I knew everything would be all right when I saw this picture hanging on the wall! Looks like Corbie!
Dr. Heron checked our boy very thoroughly. She diagnosed Toby with a soft tissue injury to his neck, gave further instructions and symptoms to watch for in case Toby had injured a disc (fingers crossed he did not) and sent us home with anti-inflammatory and pain medication.
I was very pleased with the care he received at Pet Emergency. He will not be racing with the labs for a while and he is resting very comfortably.
Because it is easier on his neck I have raised up the water and food bowl. Great use for a phone book!

A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water. Carl Reiner

2011-12-25T20:43:00.008-09:00

No Halle, you're not in New Jersey any longer

Just look at the snow piles in the back yard! You can see why I need to keep a path clear for the dogs

Yes it was a white Christmas. also: a record setting white November. We have had so much snow this winter.

Here we are after our Christmas Day walk.
Here is our frozen friend Scamp
And our equally frozen friend Hannah

All the dogs had special Christmas cookies after the walk. Here is Ginger looking forward to her treat! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

... while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads...

2011-12-22T06:46:00.003-09:00

We wish all a peaceful and Merry Christmas

Who knew the trunk of a Thunderbird is so roomy?

2011-12-20T06:52:00.011-09:00

While I was in NJ for mom's 80th party I stayed at the lovely home of my sister Susan and her husband/my brother-in-law Gabe

Meet Lady Bird, my sister Susan's 1965 classic Thunderbird

This car is in pristine condition but there was a little problem. Let's see..
The brake lights needed repair. Here is Susan, Mrs. Do-it-Herself
I am not only impressed with her ability to do this repair but I am equally impressed with the trunk space of this vehicle!!!
Susan is now joined by her son Gabriele. Gabriele lives in Los Angeles and was also in town for the 80th birthday party. It is always fun to see Gabriele... he works in the LA music biz and has been touring the world with Meatloaf! Too bad Gabriele cannot install Paradise By the Dashboard Light... (could not help myself)
During this procedure a police officer stopped by to make sure Susan and Gabriele were ok. He also happened to be knowledgeable about these Birds and they had a friendly visit.

All fixed! Susan is back on the road in style! and safety!

On Saturday we lighten up and meet Piglet

2011-12-17T21:05:00.007-09:00

We were in need of some cheer after the sad events of this week so we bundled up and went to the dog park. It was not terribly cold. That was a plus!

And we met this pretty 4 year old young lady. Her name is Piglet. She was playing with her pretty pink ball in the fluffy white snow
Halle tried to impose some rules for ball play but we explained it was not her ball or her game!
So fun resumed!
Jeter is about to make an end run!
But the ball went out of bounds!
We hope you have a very nice day. I want to thank everyone for sending kind comments and encouragement to Sandra over at Kissa-Bull. Every bit of kindness helps in the healing process. Thank you, one and all.

Here is the Link to Kissa-Bull Blog. Sandra's Update

2011-12-17T08:11:00.004-09:00

Click HERE to go directly to the Kissa-Bull Blog for Sandra's report where you could leave her an encouraging comment.... and..... click HERE to contribute. Any amount will help. This loss is overwhelming. Thank you all.

Devastating day for one of our own. Please help if you can

2011-12-16T10:49:00.007-09:00

Guero. Angel Dog.

Dear Friends, I am just sick about this news and so devastated that I received permission from Mayzie's mom, Amber to "cut and paste" her post in by blog. But I will preface Amber's remarks by telling you that I do not know anyone kinder or more loyal to her Pack than Sandra. Her efforts and kindness with Lucky and with Shelby alone have earned her a place in Heaven. And don't get me started about the loss of Halle's great love, Guero. I am hearsick about this. And now, here is Amber's post. Please help if you can. Thank you so much.

If ever this community needed to pray and show their support for one of its own, it’s now.

We heard from Sandra – the mom of the Houston Pittie Pack – that her house was destroyed by fire last night. She tried desperately to get all the dogs out of the house but they were hiding under beds and in closets. She was only able to save Brinks and Bella. The rest – Guero, Coco Chanel, Tiger, Lucky and Shelby – are all now at the Bridge. Thankfully, all the humans were able to get out of the house safely.

She is obviously in deep, deep pain.

Please – even if you don’t know them – stop by her blog and leave some words of comfort. (The blog post currently up is from a couple of days ago, but please go ahead and leave your support there so she’ll know we’re thinking of her.) I simply cannot imagine what she must be going through right now. My heart is broken for her and for those sweet lost souls that we loved so much.

A Chip In account has been set up to help Sandra and her family with any immediate needs they may have during this devastating time. If you would like to donate, please click on the link to be taken to the Chip In page.

Here is another link for donating to Sandra's Fire Recovery account

I will update information as it becomes available.

Joan's 2011 Christmas Letter

2011-12-16T05:54:00.007-09:00

Mr. O & Joan in June, 2010, the day she left her home in Anchorage for the last time. I miss Joan every day and especially on Thursdays at 4 PM when we could gather together to drink a glass or two of Champagne and solve all the world's problems. We had our Champagne Thursdays for easily 10 years, maybe more. There will never again be another neighbor as special as Joan. Got Joan's famous Christmas letter the other day and decided to share her letter with you. I include pictures from previous posts...Excerpts of Joan's letter follow under each picture:

Season's greetings and best wishes to you. Yes, another move and another address. As if I liked the moving process but necessity beckoned when I fell again and fractured my hip. Now I'm on the 5th floor of the building with a negative sized kitchen which means I go to the first floor dining room for two meals a day. The food is good, but bland, but so is my lifestyle.
Yes, son Dan took on the task of packing all my stuff and oversaw the move very efficiently. He is both my right and left hand and extremely helpful with always an optimistic outlook. Yes, he loaded me on an airplane to Seattle in August where daughter Mary unloaded me, then reloaded me for a trip to Juneau where we attended the wedding of my granddaughter who married a nice guy....
...It was a jolly good wedding, a time to meet scads of nice people and eat scads of good food including great amounts of King Crab. For Thanksgiving Mary came to Pasadena and Dan prepared the finest feast and of course we ate too much. The next day we did a little shopping, changed addresses at the banks and post office and enjoyed the holiday scene.
Well, all right then, please do have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Now it's time for a nap.

Cheers, Joan

Snow Shuts Schools - Anchorage Daily News 12/13/11 headline

2011-12-13T06:25:00.009-09:00

After the howling winds and blizzard of Sunday we awoke to this scene (looking down my driveway) I just love my neighbor's sweet little tree. This picture does not do the tree justice

The intrepid Mr. O went to the office and I stayed home with the pups. It snowed so much on Sunday that I chose not to tackle the icy roads.

Unpacked, did laundry, shoveled paths in the yard for the dogs (twice)-it snowed again on Monday morning. Heavy wet snow. Snow day for kids! School was cancelled.

Since I stayed home you will only see pictures I took from my windows. It is pretty. My neighbor (who moved into Joan's old house) dropped by with her two children AND homemade jams and banana bread. It was delicious! Gabriel the snowplower came along and plowed the driveway.
All in all a nice snow day which ended with a beautiful sunset!

Today I will brave the roads and head to work.

Windy & Turbulent!

2011-12-12T05:50:00.006-09:00

My house this morning

I arrived home in Anchorage late Saturday afternoon. It was a bit turbulent on the flight from Seattle into Anchorage but nothing like what happened on Sunday.

Sunday started out just fine but later in the day we experienced hurricane force winds up to 100 MPH, rain, snow, and our power kept going out. Alaska Airlines flights to Anchorage were diverted to Fairbanks. Earlier in the day I had started a beef barley soup in the Crock Pot and it was almost done by the time Mr. O and I decided to give up on the Giants/Cowboys game, pull out candles and flashlights and have almost-done soup for our Sunday night supper. We never lost power for the entire night but it kept flickering on and off for most of the evening. And I realized I need more candles!

Finally the winds died down, the power went back on and this morning (Monday) we awoke to a winter wonderland where 2 feet of snow fell overnight with treacherous driving conditions. Yippee! NOT! The Anchorage School District cancelled school today.

I am about to have a second cup of coffee and plan my strategy for the day. The dogs are all home and had a great time on their vacation. I need some time to catch up so I'll be back as soon as I do.

Winding Down

2011-12-09T05:55:00.002-09:00

Heading back to Anchorage on Saturday morning. Till then, winding down making sure I do not miss a little shop - I love browsing in the little shops here

Last night we went to see Scrooge, performed by a community theatre group in an old historical theatre located right on the boardwalk in Asbury Park NJ. Delightful show and we briefly attended the cast party at the after-show party. In the morning I have a super early flight out of Newark heading home to the pups and Mr. O.

Wet Gloomy Wednesday

2011-12-07T06:30:00.002-09:00

This morning's view. It has been raining all morning. A good morning to curl up and read a few chapters of the book I am currently reading (The Turtle Catcher by Nicole Helget) and a nice cup of coffee.

This afternoon: more browsing among the shops in the beach towns along the Jersey Shore and Susan and I will check out some bedroom furniture a friend of hers is selling.

Yesterday Susan and I had a lunch date with our mom, her friend Bettyanne, Marilyn, Christina and Gabriele at the Blue Peach, then we headed to the shops in Point Pleasant. I just love the small shops here. On Saturday I will be headed back to Alaska. Till then I continue to enjoy my time here.

Party On!

2011-12-05T18:06:00.010-09:00

Our mom thought she was coming to Susan's house for a regular Sunday dinner. Little did she know that there were many friends and family gathered waiting for her to walk through the door to surprise her for her 80th birthday..... Let's get ready.....

She was truly surprised! Everyone kept the party a secret! I took so many pictures but will include a few highlights

After the hugs and greetings it was time to eat! Lasagna, salad, sausage & peppers, chicken, potatos, string beans, breads and rolls. Delicious!
And football!
Santa came! Some were happy to see Santa.....
And some were not!
Above with Santa is my nephew, mom's grandson Gabriele (came from Los Angeles for the party)
Little Clair having a fit!
Susan and Gabe
Me and mom. I felt so happy to see family and and friends gather together to honor our mother. All her life she has done so much for us that it was so much fun to plan this party with my siblings and pull off the surprise. I will head back to Anchorage on Saturday. Till then it is great to be here with the family! This has been such a memorable trip. And little Corbie is settling in very nicely with Tami and her family. My heart is full. What a great December.

Surprise!!!

2011-12-05T04:57:00.003-09:00

Oh yes everyone, mom was indeed surprised and the party was so much fun!! Details in the next post, we are a little tired today! Need a day to recover!

Introducing Corbie's New Mom and I do not want to keep the suspense going

2011-12-03T11:48:00.015-09:00

Bright and early Saturday morning. Corbie had a good night's rest in her cat bed. After breakfast and some sprucing up it was time to get on the road

Along the way we passed many New Jersey farms and pretty countryside in the Garden State. We each drove half way to our designated meeting location
We met here in the parking lot. The sign along the road reads "Paws and Claws"
Here we are waiting for Corbie's new mom. Notice the building behind the truck.
Business looked slow at this hour except for an old junky trailer being dumped in the parking lot of the Illusions Go Go Bar which I chose not to include in the picture
Soon, along came Corbie's new mom and her friend Heather!
Here she is! I am sure a few of you will recognize Tami from Not Just a Hockey Mom
Tami and I have read each others' blogs for a long time so although this would be our first in-person meeting, I felt like I knew Tami well. When Tami saw Corbie's story she said Corbie melted her heart. I knew Tami was a good person with a lovely family, a cat named Libby, two dogs, Ellie and Teddy and very nice friends. Corbie would be completely safe and happy with her.

Here is my sister Susan with Corbie meeting Tami for the first time. Yes people I was in tears, not only for this happy ending but also so happy to finally meet Tami.
Tami is as nice in person as she is on her blog. Sadly we did not have much time to visit because Tami needed to get Corbie home (she and Heather had a bit of a drive back to her house) and Susan and I had to get back to the Jersey Shore to prepare for a party on Saturday night in addition to the party for our mom on Sunday! WHEW!

All's well that ends well. This is not really goodbye to Corbie, we can all follow her story now on Tami's blog HERE

I posted Tami's blog along the right hand side of mine. Thank you Tami and Heather, it was so nice to finally meet both of you. We'll stay in touch. I especially love that Corbie is Scottish for Raven. Ravens are plentiful in Alaska and I enjoy their antics very much, as I am sure you will enjoy the antics of sweet little Corbie!

Homecoming and Surprise Ahead

2011-12-03T03:40:00.002-09:00

Our little friend Corbie had a wonderful evening with me and Susan and she is preparing to join her new family. I told her all about her new family and how she will be loved and have no more worries about being tossed out into the street. I told Corbie that it will be possible for us to stay in touch too. She was happy to know that! Pictures will be taken and shared very soon

Meanwhile we are in the countdown stages for the surprise party for mom. I will be back soon as I can with pictures of Corbie with her new mom and party pictures. Meanwhile, please enjoy a stroll around the Brick Reservoir with Susan and Roxy!

Dale - may soon be known as Corbie!

2011-12-02T09:41:00.007-09:00

Turns out Dale is a girl! Here she is resting comfortably today after her spa day yesterday. She had the works, spay, tests, rabies shots. She has no worms and is negative for feline leukemia/aids. A very healthy little girl!

We also had one of her ears "tipped" which signifies universally the cat is spayed/neutered. I did not know that until yesterday!
She is a major cuddler. If my dogs saw this they would be jealous!

Her new family is thinking of naming her Corbie, Scottish for Crow or Raven. I like it! Especially the Raven connection. Very Alaskan!! Susan, Corbie and I will get together with her new mom on Saturday morning. We know Corbie is going to the nicest home ever! Some of you know the new mommy! Stay tuned!

We thank all of you for all of your good wishes and kind words. We are just overwhelmed at the outpouring of kindness towards this very deserving little one. The rescue groups in this area are just overwhelmed with animals needing homes. We were told that taking a little black kitten to the pound would be a certain death sentence. Corbie got very very lucky. But she participated very actively in her own rescue. She has quite a personality!

While all this is going on, we are getting ready for the big birthday party at my sister's house on Sunday. It is a super busy but very rewarding time. I am glad I was here to help both the kitten and Susan.

I have not been able to get around to visiting many of you but will do so as soon as the dust settles!

Dale Update

2011-12-01T06:37:00.009-09:00

As I type this post Dale is being spayed or neutered, tested for feline leukemia, worms and getting all shots and boosters. The works! We believe Dale is a female but will know for sure later today. We call the kitten Dale because she turned up in Farmingdale NJ at my sister's office building and settled in. Dale has a charming personality and is very sweet. Definitely lived in a home before being cast out. If only they could tell their stories.

Yesterday Dale spent the day indoors with me in a cat bed that she absolutely LOVED. Every time I checked on her she was ensconced in the cozy bed. This bed is going with her on Saturday to her new forever home..... details soon! The new family may be familiar to some of you!
On our way to the clinic in Toms River NJ!

Checking in. The office staff makes sure they look attractive for visitors.

Welcoming committee. This cat was very welcoming to Dale and made him/her feel very comfortable upon arrival
Filling out paperwork then whisked off to the surgery center. Good luck today Dale!

4 days until the party!

2011-11-30T05:05:00.008-09:00

I have gone from this:

to this!
Pictures taken on this morning's walk with Roxy!
Roxy is 6 years old and she is my sister's Chow. Very sweet girl!
I am enjoying the walk as much as Roxy!
Plans continue for the big birthday party on Sunday.

Meanwhile.... here is a sweet little orphan who showed up at my sister's office building in Farmingdale. I call him or her Dale. We are trying to find a home for Dale. We think somebody dumped Dale off. Dale is very friendly!
We are arranging for Dale to have shots and to be spayed/neutered. We have arranged a foster home and are actively looking for a good family for this sweet soul.

SSSHHH!!! It's a Surprise.....

2011-11-29T07:21:00.002-09:00

I am in NJ but don't tell anyone..... On Dec. 4 there is going to be a surprise birthday party for mom's 80th. She does not know I am in NJ, does not read the blog and has no idea of these plans so "mum's" the word!

More soon!

“Exit, pursued by a bear.” ― William Shakespeare, The Winter's Tale

2011-11-25T07:16:00.004-09:00

I need to recharge/sort of hibernate for a bit so am taking a short pre-holiday break from Ina in Alaska. Don't worry, all is well, I just need to get organized for the holidays and try to figure out how to embrace our overly cold temps! Back soon!

Whoopie! A Chilly "Day in the Life"...

2011-11-23T06:31:00.005-09:00

You all know I have been whining lately about how cold it is in Anchorage. Feels like we have gone from Fall to January! We are about 10-15 degrees colder than usual for this time of year and it just saps the life out of me! As I type this post it is a whopping 5 degrees. The dogs have not had a walk in quite a while.

But life goes on and I needed to go to the store to pick up a few ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner. I am making Pumpkin Whoopie Pies for dessert! The Whoopies pictured above are from the batch I made in October to test the recipe. Very yummy! The filling is a delicious cream cheese mixture. Not fat free by any means... I posted the recipe in October or early November in case you wish to find it.
Meanwhile in the parking lot at the grocery store: when I returned to my car I noticed the car to the right of mine is a LONG WAY from home!
Made me homesick. Sigh. The NJ car's owner never appeared by the time I loaded my groceries so I did not get a chance to say "hi!"
Speaking of cold, the pictures above and below were taken by John Wagner of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. It has been even colder in Fairbanks! Temperatures there (Interior Alaska) have ranged in November from -35 to -41. Now THAT IS COLD! Notice how the cars are plugged in and covered in blankets.
And look at the frost on this man's face. He is a college student and takes a daily 2 mile walk from his home to the campus.... HERE is the full FDNM article from which I posted the above two photos. HERE is the link to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner's full website. I marvel at how they deal with the extreme cold. Anchorage never ever gets as cold as Fairbanks but on occasion we can dip into the minus teens.

I wish everyone a happy and WARM Thanksgiving!

The Feathered Foragers

2011-11-20T18:23:00.007-09:00

On Sunday afternoon after playing tennis, running errands, doing laundry and planning the Thanksgiving menu

Notice my three little pups all together on one cushion! They are always close to me and it was again too cold to go out for a walk, even well bundled up.
I happened to look out the window and saw a flock of Cedar Waxwings flying in and out of our trees. The distinctive yellow on their tail feathers is so striking. I grabbed my camera and did my best. They were so fascinating to watch. Enjoy!

The gloomy months of November, when the people of England hang and drown themselves." Quote by Joseph Addison

2011-11-17T13:10:00.002-09:00

It is not even the end of November and already I am tired of the cold weather. We enjoyed a very lengthy and enjoyable Fall season here in Anchorage. But the arrival of Winter came with a fury! Cold winds, bitter cold.

I do have great plans to resume cross country skiing. I was just in the garage looking for my ski boots but I think I need new ones since I can't find them. But no xc skiing for me until the temperatures are headed toward 20 degrees (even temps in the teens would be ok). It is just too cold at the moment. For now I will plan the Thanksgiving menu. Hard to believe we are "there"!

And how annoying are those pre-Christmas ads, especially the Target lady. Those commercials are not enjoyable or make me want to go to Target! Bah Humbug! I am enjoying the Shop Small Business Saturday. I believe in doing that all year long.

Royalty

2011-11-16T06:23:00.010-09:00

More snow. I have been busy shovelling. You have seen the front of our house, now let's visit part of the back yard for the exclusive use of the dogs

We exit via the French doors leading onto the new deck, then down the stairs where paths have been created to ease the dogs visits to their facilities. Shovelling is necessary, the little ones would sink into the chilly snow and it is easy to clean up after them too.
I keep a leash, boots and coat handy at the door so I may escort the 13 year old Diva Halle down the stairs into the yard. Sometimes the stairs are slippery for her long legs and she needs assistance. But she absolutely LOVES the cold and snow. She would stay out there way too long if I did not carefully monitor her playtime in the yard.
Looking down from the deck. That is Ginger in the above scene.
On Halloween Jeter attended a party at his school Dog Tired Doggie Day Care - he was Prince Charming. Here he is relaxing on his throne before the party
A costume contest was held. Click HERE to see some of the competition categories and worthy competition. To our great delight our little man Jeter won Best Little Dog Costume!! He won a few free days at his school!!!

When I arrived to pick him up and saw he had won my eyes got a bit teary as I recalled how he has survived abuse to have a Happily Ever After ending.

If you like snow you've come to the right place

2011-11-13T18:50:00.013-09:00

Termination dust no more. We have snow, snow and more snow. Here are some scenes for you to contemplate.. I have been shovelling paths in the back yard so the dogs can get around easily. I have been shovelling for days, it seems.

This is our house all lit up. So pretty. These lights are very cheery.
Time to get out and just enjoy it

Snow flew sideways onto the covered deck!
Aren't the mountains pretty? This view taken in downtown Anchorage

These views from our dog walk (more like a slog) on Sunday afternoon

No outdoor tennis anytime soon

Snow on your nose, cold on your toes, and farewell Rusty

2011-11-09T05:28:00.010-09:00

After a lovely Fall, Winter made a dramatic appearance over the weekend. We got over a foot of snow all at once. My snowplow man is making a lot of money!

The white lights are up on the house! so pretty.
Here is a view of part of our back yard from the new deck. I moved all the summer furniture that was on the deck to our downstairs family room. It looks very nice there. I will post a picture soon of all the deck furniture which will Winter downstairs. For now the old deck furniture is on the deck. We really don't need anything out there now, it is way too cold to contemplate sitting out there!!
Here is a look at my neighborhood. Snowy!

Our Glamour Diva LOVES the snow and cold. The following video was taken on Saturday November 5 at the Little Dog Meetup at a local park. She and Toby were on hand all bundled up to mix and mingle with their little friends. In the video you will notice Rusty, the other big dog. Rusty was 14 years old and sadly, he passed away yesterday in his dad's arms. Like Halle, Rusty was also a retiree from NJ, living a happy retirement with tiny Jillie (in header photo) and Jillie's brother Eddie. RIP Rusty, we will miss you!

1st Official Snowy Walk, Die Bug and Moose Memories

2011-11-04T20:12:00.009-08:00

Snow has fallen and it will be here until April or May. Sigh. The following pictures were taken after we returned home from our first snow hike. I forgot to bring my camera but everyone was a sight in their booties and snow gear. Everyone is tired!

Jeter and Toby
Ginger
and Diva Halle. She is very cozy. And sleepy...zzzz... good night Halle!
I happened to be behind this vehicle in traffic today
Clever plate! Die Bug!!

And here is an oldie but goodie for new readers to enjoy. Last June we had a young moose appear in the back of our house. The moose probably jumped over the fence from the neighbors. The dogs alerted me to his/her presence, I blocked them from escaping into the yard with the moose and grabbed my camera. Watch this little moose figure out how to get out of the yard.

Enjoy! And Happy Weekend!

Do you believe in spirits?

2011-11-03T06:48:00.005-08:00

I don't know how well the faint white globe-like photo orbs will show up in this blog post but as I was scanning through some pictures I came upon this interesting phenomenon in this picture of Toby and Jeter. Notice them especially on the carpet area between my boys. I can also see orbs surrounding and covering Toby (black poodle). My camera lens is clean. You can see lots of orbs in the picture. I heard recently that these orbs can possibly represent lingering spirit activity. As far as I know, the former owner of Toby is still on this Earth and I believe the losers who had Jeter are still out there walking on two legs (too bad).

Recently within the past year I have heard noises coming from the downstairs family room in my house. No one is there at the time the noises happen. Surprisingly, I do not feel fearful when I hear these noises. The noises sound like small footsteps coming upstairs or a rustling sound near my front entry door. And not long ago when I was downstairs doing laundry I caught a glimpse of a small white dog (possibly my late poodle Suzie) jumping up on a chair. My dogs are baby-gated from being in this area so it was not little Jeter. The glimpse of the small white dog was fleeting but I can only say I saw what I saw.

What do you think?

Also, I wish to welcome (and thank you for stopping by!) to a few new readers. I will be visiting you soon!

Termination Dust Season Ends, the Snow Plow Man Commeth and Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

2011-11-02T05:39:00.006-08:00

When I open my front door in the early morning hours to futilely check for the delivery of the Anchorage Daily News here is my view! Also, no newspaper! Mr. O and I enjoy reading the actual newspaper. I do not enjoy the online version. Hard to navigate and too many ads. Annoying!

Anchorage received about 3 inches of snow, mostly on October 31, Halloween. Gabriel, our snow plower, has made his appearance known! It had been a glorious Fall but now I am cautiously driving around town until I get used to driving on snow and ice. Not my favorite way to drive but life must go on and I need to get around!
And here are the Pumpkin Whoopie Pies I made this past weekend to enjoy and also to pass along to a few lucky neighbors for Halloween. They are soft and moist and the cream cheese/buttercream filling is SO GOOD!! I found the recipe on a very sweet blog I have begun following, Amish Stories.

HERE is the recipe for Lissa Holder's Pumpkin Whoopie Pies from the Amish Stories blog. Very easy to make. In my opinion the cookies would even be good "as is" if you like a soft pumpkin cookie. This recipe is definitely an instant family classic.
Speaking of Halloween, we only had about 5 groups of Trick or Treaters. I had a big bag of candy leftover so took it to a local dentist who was collecting leftover Halloween candy to send to our troops overseas. Great idea!

and our Diva, Miss Halle, had a great birthday! Thanks to all for the well wishes! She got a special cookie treat from our friends at Paw Prince. This is a special birthday dog cookie but it does look good enough to eat, doesn't it?

Howl-O-Ween Parties and Snow Has Arrived in Anchorage

2011-10-31T06:14:00.005-08:00

Jeter as Prince Charming

Today is Halle's 13th Birthday! If you missed her birthday video, please check out the post below this one. We are going to get her a nice warm snow suit for this winter's hikes. Also, she is going to start going to school at Dog Tired Doggie Day Care two times a week with little Jeter. This will add fun, more friends and enrichment to her life. Thank you for all the sweet comments and birthday greetings!!! Halle really enjoyed reading them all!

Whew! This past weekend we were very busy! Mr. O and I attended a performance of the Rocky Horror Picture Show at Mad Myrna's, what a fun evening that was! The performers did not permit a lot of audience participation but were very, shall we say, "interactive" with the audience... I did not get any pictures cause I did not bring my camera. That is probably for the best anyway...

Jeter my little party animal attended not one but TWO Howl-O-Ween parties. One with his friends at Dog Tired and the other one at Paw Prince, a wonderful dog boutique near our house. The following video is from the party at Paw Prince. Enjoy!

Last week.....
Sunday October 30. Winter is here now. It is really cold too... 17 degrees outside as I type this post.

Halle's 13th Birthday Party!

2011-10-28T04:17:00.006-08:00

Halle was born on October 31, 1998. I met her when she was about 1 year old. Halle (her original name) was given to my mother for free when her owners realized they were not the best "fit" for each other. They wanted Halle to live in a great home. My mom had a little white poodle, Pepe (similar in size to Jeter and my late Suzie), when I was growing up and she & Pepe inspired my love of poodles (and all dogs really). She always wanted to have another poodle. These people knew Halle would have a great life. My mom said the former owner had tears in his eyes when he said goodbye to Halle. It was very tough for him to let go but he did the right thing.

All these years later my mom says he checks with her from time to time. I am aware they know Halle is doing great and are very happy about it but I have never directly met them, I only have met one of their relatives who is very nice.
I frequently come and go to NJ to visit my family. After my mother first got Halle and I saw her for the first time she took my breath away. Very regal, fabulous and glamorous. Extremely smart. You would never know Halle was a large standard poodle, her manners are very graceful to this day.
She is aging very well and very healthy. Still a show stopper when we walk around. I am so thankful my mother allowed me to step in and bring Halle to Alaska to live out the rest of her life. I hope you enjoy this little video I put together for our special girl and I wish everyone a Happy Halle-Ween!! See you all next week.

Snow progress & Upcoming Birthday Celebration!

2011-10-26T17:51:00.010-08:00

Fall continues in Anchorage but it will not be long before we have snow on the streets. I photographed the snowy slopes pictured in this post on our October 26 walk. It was quite chilly during our late afternoon walk, and there was a bit of a breeze. Jeter and Ginger were all bundled up but Halle and Toby don't need their sweaters quite yet.

We heard on the news that Denver has snow already! Wow that is amazing! During our walk we ran into Lois (see Lois' picture on the right side of the blog) Lois is Toby's greatest love and best girlfriend. Unfortunately I did not capture their greetings with the camera but it is pretty incredible how much Toby loves Lois.
I just want everyone to see that we don't have snow on the ground yet. It is coming soon though, I can feel it!
Meanwhile, I made a special You Tube video to celebrate Halle's 13th birthday, which is on October 31, Halloween! I will post her birthday You Tube tribute on Friday.
The above picture is shown by permission of David Jensen Photography.

Please feel welcome to leave a special comment for Halle during the weekend or just take a walk in her honor. She is a very special and wonderful member of our family. Her health is great and you would never know she is going to be 13! We just love our Diva and are very thankful that Ina's mom made the hard decision to let Halle come to Alaska and live the rest of her life with us. It was not easy for Anne (Ina's mom) to let Halle go but it was all for the best. I must admit I was a bit worried about Halle making the journey in the bowels of the Alaska Airlines jet that transported her from Newark NJ to Anchorage but it was a great flight and they took super good care of Halle all along the route. I was onboard during her journey and Alaska Airlines let me know she was doing well all along the way.

Please come back on Friday for our special birthday post for Halle on Friday which will run all weekend.

An Upcoming Event, A Surprise Find & An Old Beechcraft

2011-10-25T06:56:00.005-08:00

sshhh.... someone is going to be one year older........
While on our walk we came upon a view we had walked by many times before but never noticed. When the leaves fall, surprises are revealed...
We wondered if someone's beloved friend rests here...... we walk by this area a lot but never noticed this little angel statue before
Back to the Beechcraft house from Monday's post... This property and its next door neighbor are very unusual and artsy. I wonder if the airplane belonged to the owner of the purple house. Duh. Probably yes, otherwise they would have junked it. Anyway, I will try to get a few sneaky pictures the next time we are at the dog park.

The house next door to the Beechcraft house has been made to look like a castle. It is very unique. Both properties are gated but an alley runs alongside both so I can stroll thru the alleyway with camera. If it does not snow before I get over there. Snow on the ground can happen any time now. I can just feel it!

Leaves reveal airplane

2011-10-24T07:15:00.004-08:00

On Saturdays I take the Pack to a local fully fenced park for some playtime with the Little Dog Group. Across the street from the park I never noticed the scene below

Interesting yard art! Large purple house
Interesting! This airplane cannot be seen when the leaves are on the trees
Anyway, there is a nice playground section in this park, called Valley of the Moon Park. The Little Dog Group meets in an old unused Little League baseball field. Here is a short video from our October 1st play... you will notice a large dog present.....

Wordless Wednesday - Featuring Toby

2011-10-19T06:33:00.004-08:00

Snowflakes are kisses from Heaven - Author Unknown

2011-10-17T17:41:00.009-08:00

We got a bit of rain in Anchorage this past weekend. The temperatures were not low enough to translate into snow at our house BUT you can see the upper elevations got more snow. The Termination Dust continues down the sides of the mountains. It could be that we have snow on the ground by Halloween. It is indeed the termination of our Fall.

I took all of the pictures in this post as I drove home from the office on the afternoon of October 17, including the header picture. The area roads are still dry as you can see, but it won't last much longer. I wanted everyone to see the progress of the snow down the slopes. Isn't it pretty? Kisses from Heaven on their way.....

The Dinner Party

2011-10-16T08:04:00.002-08:00

Friends were in town this weekend from Homer, Alaska. Decided to serve a Fall supper of Country Beef Stew, Spinach Salad, and Ina Garten's Lemon Glazed Pound Cake. Perfect for a chilly night!

And HERE is the recipe for Ina Garten's Lemon Glazed Pound Cake

Moose on the Loose!

2011-10-12T14:14:00.002-08:00

Mama Moose and her two youngsters.... this was the scene which greeted my friend Elizabeth when she opened her front door as she was about to leave. She had to wait a bit until the moose moved on. They do take their time and it is best to avoid them, especially a mama and her calves. This is a very common scene around Anchorage especially at this time of year as the increasing snow (termination dust) forces moose to descend down from the mountains. Thank you Elizabeth for sharing this with us!

Cranberry Beet Muffins!

2011-10-11T05:32:00.004-08:00

Without further ado, HERE is the recipe for the Cranberry Beet Muffins (from Ken Haedrich's wonderful cookbook "Soup Makes the Meal". I use this cookbook quite frequently, there are many wonderful soup menus. He includes not only the soup recipe but also a recipe for a salad and bread to accompany the soup. I sometimes make just a salad or a bread. Delicious!

Here is a little video I did while making the muffins. I made the muffins on Saturday and took them to a brunch on Sunday. They were a hit! Many thought they were Red Velvet muffins. You really cannot taste the beets at all, and the color is very striking. Watch the muffins come together without the fuss of clean up.. too bad you cannot taste them...

Sunday Drive Around Anchorage - Views

2011-10-10T06:22:00.014-08:00

On Sunday I took some Cranberry Beet (!!) muffins to a brunch (recipe tomorrow)

The brunch was held at our friend Sassy's house. Sassy is an excellent hostess and cook!
After brunch I decided to take a few pictures along the drive home to show some of Anchorage. Enjoy!

The above view is part of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. HERE is a detailed description of the trail, just one of many around town.

How is it possible we are at Mid-October?

2011-10-09T08:06:00.015-08:00

Miscellaneous topics today:

Halle, our glam queen was groomed on Friday. Isn't she gorgeous?? October 31 is not only Halloween but her 13th birthday.

I feel a party coming on people!
Look out Mr. O!!!!!!!
Toby and his best girlfriend, Lois! They are still going strong! He is crazy mad for Lois! When we see her approach he goes wild!!!!!
The new neighbor lab pups, Roma (left) and Chelsey (right). The dogs all enjoy meeting at the fence for loud conferences and running. The lab pups are growing very fast!
The seasonal white lights were installed on our house this past week by Gage Tree Service. Gage has a holiday lighting service and have set up our lights for the past few years. The house is so pretty all lit up. I had them add lighting to one of the trees too. Many Anchorage homes light up for the winter. As more homes get their white lights affixed I will post pictures. It is harder to set up the white lights after the snow falls. The lights stay up until the last musher crosses the Iditarod finish line in Nome, Alaska (sometime in March).

This view is looking out at that tree from the living room. It is getting chillier now but still no snow on the ground!

Post-Anniversary Report & BBQ Grill Finale

2011-10-06T17:55:00.003-08:00

1. The Wine Tasting at Bells Nursery: Sad to report, when I went to Bells to pick up tickets to the wine tasting I learned it was SOLD OUT!! Mr. O & I decided to stay right at home and celebrated our 24th anniversary & Jeter's 4th "Gotcha" Day in our cozy house with the entire Pack. We had our own wine tasting from our own collection in our old wine glasses and had just as much fun.

2. We had leftover burritos with fresh fillings and toppings for dinner and it was just as fun as eating out! Maybe more fun!

And now, without further ado, here is the exciting conclusion of the acquisition of the new grill, which we will be able to use all year long on our new covered deck

Hope you all have a great weekend!

24 Years with Mr. O and 4 Years with Jeter

2011-10-06T04:38:00.014-08:00

Today Mr. O & I celebrate 24 years of wedded bliss!

To celebrate, we plan to attend a wine tasting event at Bell's Nursery tonight. A new wine shop opened near our home The Anchorage Wine House. They are holding a special wine tasting event at Bells and the price of attending includes 5 wine glasses per person. That is a great way to sample new wines AND beef up the wine glass inventory AND we can walk to and from Bells. WIN!

I have not forgotten that grill from yesterday's post. More on that tomorrow.....
The other celebration today is Jeter! On October 6, 2007, Jeter joined our Pack! Happy Gotcha Day little buddy!! Mr. O and I decided in 2007 that we did not need any gifts for our wedding anniversary, but we could open our hearts and home to another dog in need of a good home
and VOILA! Jeter came along! He needed a home and we wanted to help another dog! We consider this day to be Jeter's re-Birth Day!! Maybe he is 5 or 6. He is not saying!
He's a little Yankee, we renamed him after Derek Jeter, the very handsome Yankee Captain and Short Stop.
Don't let this vision of innocence fool you, he is quite capable of mischief!

But all in all, he is a darling little guy and we love him dearly
He is a loved member of the family and we are so glad he is with us.

Wordless Wednesday with Mr. O

2011-10-05T06:36:00.003-08:00

To be continued....

Termination Dust Continues Down the Slopes

2011-10-03T18:10:00.015-08:00

We are still enjoying driving on dry pavement
Temperatures are still in the mid-50's, high 40's

And walking on snow-free trails

But... soon... you will notice the snow (termination dust) is creeping down the mountain slopes

On Sunday it rained in town most of the day. In the higher elevations it snowed....

It will not be long until I will need my winter coat and boots and the dogs will need the same. For the new readers, all of my dogs wear booties and are layered in sweaters when we walk in the snow. The picture above taken on Oct. 3

The dogs have a great winter wardrobe of sweaters and jackets. They love to walk and we walk mostly every day unless it is super icy or snowing heavily

View last week (above)

Same view, Oct 3

Last week

Oct 3 (above). The flat topped mountain is appropriately named... Flat Top! The purpose of this blog post is to demonstrate how the snow creeps down the slopes during Fall. Many Alaskans have homes Outside of Alaska (California, Arizona, Washington, etc.). They are called Snowbirds. This is when the Snowbirds take flight....

Chica, the Overweight Office Manager at the Tire Shop

2011-09-30T12:06:00.016-08:00

Today was the perfect day to get the snow tires on the cars.
Mr. O and I store our tires here.

Here is Chica, the Office Manager at Tiremobile. Hello Chica, Happy Fall! How are you doing?

Very well thank you! We are very busy helping everyone change from their Summer tires to their Winter tires! Your cars are ready. That will be $45,000, tee hee, just kidding!!

My vet said I need to lose some weight. What should I do?

Well Chica, Toby and Ginger have a solution for you: Good luck! See you in the Spring !

Snow on the Horizon

2011-09-29T10:10:00.002-08:00

Our weather forecast is calling for snow in "higher elevations". I thought new readers of this blog would enjoy seeing what typically occurs in Anchorage during the first snowfall of the year....

A reminder... the video below shows the first snowfall of 2010. I believe I will be putting my snow tires on very soon since snow is in the forecast..... I typically do not drive on the first snow day, our son Craig was my driver during the scenes that follow.....

Farewell Old Friend

2011-09-27T13:50:00.001-08:00

Termination Dust and Other News

2011-09-23T16:33:00.013-08:00

Halle is strong, sturdy and back on the walks. You may recall she missed a deck step and took a slight stumble down at the bottom of the deck stairs. After sitting on the sidelines for a while she is back as the Leader of the Pack Walks
Halle will be 13 years old on Halloween!

We are enjoying a lovely Fall season. It will be a short one.

You will notice snow along the mountain tops....

This scenery is affectionately called Termination Dust, the first dusting of snow on the mountains. Summer is "terminated" and winter is on the way. Termination dust tells Anchorage residents to prepare for winter, think about those warm coats, snow tires, Ice Bugs (studded shoes)....and soups! Generally, there is no snow on the ground until Halloween, but once the Termination Dust appears, it is the beginning of the end of dry pavement.... sigh.

This is one of my favorite houses to look at as we walk by. Isn't it cool?

And pirates live next door to the huge log cabin home!!!

Ahoy Pirates!!! We would like a ride in that boat please!

Meanwhile I found a washing machine and it will be delivered on Monday after scouring the following establishments:

Allen & Petersen is a wonderful local store, been around Anchorage for many years. High end inventory. I got all my kitchen appliances from Allen & Petersen when I redid the kitchen in '96. Great store but their sale was not starting until October 6.

Costco had few choices. Terrible prices too. Fail.

Here is where I was told that "no one soaks laundry these days". I like to soak my white/hot water loads such as underwear, towels, etc. Some of the comments about soaking clothes surprise me. I thought many people soaked their white/hot water loads. Anyway, all the washers at Sears were expensive AND hoses, install and removal of the old washer was an extra fee ($69!). No thank you, Sears.

Best Buy. BEST prices, no fee to install or remove the old machine for equipment priced at $425 and higher. Had my eye on a top loader Maytag there. Sale good till Saturday.

And then....... after tennis on Friday morning I decided to swing by Home Depot to see what they had in stock. I already had my mind set to get that Maytag washer over at Best Buy. I walked in, wandered over to the washers. My Maytag was there. Very nice sales person greeted me and we talked. I told him about the washer at Best Buy and showed him the price on my iPhone. He gave me 10% OFF the Best Buy price and the same terms: free installation, delivery and removal of the old washer. DEAL!!!! On Monday the machine will arrive!!

It's been a big week around here: termination dust, Halle back on the walks, new washing machine....

Hope all of you have a super fun weekend!

Drum Roll Please...

2011-09-22T09:27:00.003-08:00

I promise, this is the last of this series....

Next up: New washing machine. The old one still works. Long story short, the repair person told me the machine will work until it stops... this could happen tomorrow or in a year........ I am still doing laundry but have begun the search for a new washer. I have decided on a top loader. On Wednesday I visited the washers at Sears.

While discussing the pros and cons of a washing machine with the salesperson (a man), I told him I like to soak my white laundry during the day. To which I received the reply; "No one soaks laundry these days". What??

Flushed with Excitement

2011-09-20T05:36:00.002-08:00

After the exciting date night, supplies were purchased in breathless anticipation ...

and thankfully, we have 2 other bathrooms in the house

Meet Our Newest Family Member (Warning: Extreme Cuteness!)

2011-09-19T05:54:00.005-08:00

Amy and Craig welcomed their first child, daughter Ayla Rosemary this weekend in Maui. Isn't she beautiful?!
Rosemary, on the left, is Amy's Mom. I am in awe of this picture of Craig looking at his little girl.

Rosemary, Ayla and Amy.

I cannot think of a better reason to visit Maui... So adorable!!! Congratulations Amy, Craig and Ayla!

Date Night with the Offrets

2011-09-17T23:20:00.003-08:00

Date nights are not always Champagne and candlelit dinners... join Mr. O and I on our Friday Night adventure... the evening seen in this episode was not on the agenda, but there was a leak that could no longer be ignored

Quick - 5 Minute! - Tomato Sauce

2011-09-15T06:27:00.005-08:00

I am going to leave you for the weekend with this quick and delicious tomato sauce recipe
A couple of weeks ago I was craving a nice plate of spaghetti for dinner. I had no frozen sauce on hand and also no jarred sauce (yes, sometimes I use the jars). But I did have a 28 oz can of crushed tomatos. I had never used simple crushed tomatos but I was desparate for spaghetti so I Googled recipes for sauce using the crushed tomatos.

Oh my! Lo and Behold! It was meant to be.... In your mind hear the angels singing..... this was as exciting to me as discovering the recipe for the Microwaved Poached Egg

The 5 Minute Sauce. Recipe HERE

I had all the ingredients on hand (pictured above) except for the lemon. I made the sauce without the lemon zest and it was just fine. You can adjust your hot pepper flakes to suit your taste and also in my opinion the lemon zest is optional but it does add to the flavor. And the house smells like you have been cooking all day even though you have only spent a few minutes.

The sauce was so good I made it again the next day! It is now my favorite sauce recipe. I agree with the recipe writer that it is important to have good quality canned tomatos and olive oil. Bon appetit and Happy Weekend!

PS Halle is doing better. I am still keeping an eye on her but she went on the walk on Wednesday and did just fine.

3 miles and 300 calories

2011-09-15T05:33:00.008-08:00

I'll get to the calories in a second. Meanwhile, here is our dog park buddy Lucy giving a demonstration of the Fall winds we are currently enjoying. The seasons change rapidly here in Alaska. Little Lucy is all bundled up and being held by her mama. She is 14 years old. Darling little dog (also a rescue)
In other exciting news, now that the lawn crew has exited Stage Left back to grad school (they are hard working students), Mr. O has taken on the task of lawn mowing/leaf mulching

The lawn mower, on the other hand, has decided to break down. Why is nothing easy?? There are probably 2-3 more times to mow before snow or the lawn goes dormant.

Now for the miles and calories! On my iPhone I got the Free Pedometer app. You plug in all your data and just take it along whereever you go. It calculates steps, miles travelled, time, and best of all, calories burned! Love it! I always wondered how far the dogs and I go when we walk. On the walk below the Pedometer said we went 3 miles and I burned 300 calories! I took my camera along to give you and idea of our walks and also to show you how quickly the leaves are falling to the ground. Seriously, we can expect snow on the ground by Halloween! But I hope not!

You will notice our Diva Queen is not along for the walk. She took a tumble down the deck stairs this past weekend! Thankfully I saw her fall, she stumbled towards the bottom of the stairs. Nothing is broken but she has a slight limp that I am keeping an eye on. She is not going on the walks until she quits limping.
Click HERE to see a short clip of how she is walking, post-fall. I am keeping a close watch on her. She will be 13 years old on Halloween!

Hello Again!

2011-09-13T06:46:00.008-08:00

Leaves are falling off the trees at an alarming rate - Fall has arrived in Alaska and I can feel the chill in the air. We will be dipping into temperatures down into the 50s this week. On Monday I moved all the deck furniture downstairs into our family room and it looks pretty nice down there. My friend Elizabeth arrived in time to remove the mirror from the deck wall. Then I put all the old all-weather deck furniture on the deck and need to get a few accessories for the Fall/Winter deck "look"
Had my mammogram
I had the first appointment of the day. My screening went well. No problem! Mr. O is very busy as usual. His golfing days are numbered! The Pack is doing well. They have been very busy this summer..... Investigating vandalism at a tennis court at a local high school (Service High)

And making new friends! Above: our friend July. This summer we joined the Little Dog Meetup group. The group meets every weekend for playful fun. Halle did not get the memo that it is for little dogs... there are a few tiny dogs so most of the time Halle is on leash but sometimes she gets to run free.....

She loves it
Tired happy pups after play with their friends. Happy Fall everyone. I will begin to get around to see what you are all up to. It will take me a little time but I will get there!

Taking a Break from Blogging

2011-08-29T06:57:00.006-08:00

Summer is way too short! And this one went by too fast!
Pretty soon it will get cooler in Anchorage

I am going to enjoy the sun and what is left of our remaining warm days

Fall is around the corner. A definite chill can be felt in the early mornings. Soon I will have to pull out the dogs' sweaters and booties (mine too). They are already not getting full haircuts during grooming so they can keep warm during our walks as the temperatures dip lower

The fireweed is going up in "smoke" - a sure sign of cooler days ahead. I am taking an indefinite time off from blogging. We are all well here, just taking time to enjoy the waning summer sun.

Irene good-night!

2011-08-28T07:39:00.002-08:00

He is demonstrating how he would ride out Irene if she visited Alaska Seriously, we hope you are all ok!

Float Trip Down the Arolik River

2011-08-24T12:54:00.004-08:00

My friend Rob aka The Commander just returned from a fabulous 8-day fly-in fishing/raft float trip along the Arolik River located in remote Southwest Alaska. He allowed me to post the video of his and his friend Kermit's wonderful adventure ... included are scenes of the fish caught (and released) and also a cinnamon bear which tried to join them for breakfast one morning! Without further ado, get comfortable, sit back, enjoy, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Not many people get to experience this type of fishing adventure in remote off-the road-system Alaska. The scenery is simply breathtaking. And you will also enjoy views of a remote Alaskan village and their "International Airport Terminal"....

NOTE: For best picture click directly on the video below and you will get to the YOU TUBE page

Thanks Commander for sharing your experience with us!

The New Neighbors.....

2011-08-22T22:04:00.002-08:00

Saturday was very productive and I got many of my errands done. Ran into some neighbors at Costco - we all had the same idea for a rainy Saturday, get the shopping list done! I noted winter stuff appearing at Costco..... I can hardly believe it will soon be time to think about putting the snow tires on the car.... You can put them on the car on Sept. 1, although typically we won't have snow on the ground until Halloween.....Also, thank you everyone who gave great advice on how to keep my dogs' teeth clean. I will be putting your techniques to work along with an occasional bone (with supervision).

On Saturday evening by the time Mr. O and I arrived at the BBQ the sky cleared up and we had an enjoyable evening with great food and friends.

And now meet the new neighbors! Long time readers will recall that our neighbor Luna the elderly Lab crossed the Bridge in March. Well.... she was such a great dog and left a wonderful Lab Legacy so, without further ado.....

Saturday

2011-08-20T08:49:00.003-08:00

Chillin' with the Pack on a rainy day. Have to do errands: Need basic supplies at Costco (bleach, mustard, parm cheese, etc.), gas up the car, Mr. O and I headed to a BBQ later ( I feel bad for the hosts if this rain persists).

The first thing I do in the morning is brush my teeth and sharpen my tongue. Dorothy Parker quote

2011-08-18T06:16:00.006-08:00

On Wednesday Ginger had her teeth professionally cleaned
Talk about a sharp tongue! Or "sharp-ish" tongue.... I was not happy about the $296 price for the cleaning but have since learned that is not too expensive for the area and others in Anchorage have paid more than that so I will settle down

and be diligent about cleaning their teeth on a regular basis

If you clean your dog's teeth please comment on what you do that works well. thanks!

Miscellaneous Monday Topics

2011-08-15T05:44:00.012-08:00

Topic #1
I am about to "retire" the gorgeous header photo taken by David Jensen but before I do, I wanted to show you an old Polaroid of my mom's T-Bird which she owned for many years. She won her Bird in a hospital raffle in 1960 on one 50 cent raffle ticket she purchased! Her car was a lustrous black color, gorgeous and I loved that car. I knew I wanted to have David photograph my sister and me in front of his classic Bird which reminds me of my mom's old car. A great memory.

Next, it was so fun reading all your comments about making a poached egg in the microwave. I was so surprised at how easy it is to make a poached egg this way. I think I have had a poached egg most every morning since I discovered this technique. Someone commented the dish flew off in the microwave. Use a nice firm microwaveable dish and that will not happen. Bon Appetit!

We seem to have arrived at the Dog Days of Summer. So here are a few dogs for you to enjoy!

Sweet Ginger

Toby. Local weather forecaster Robert Forgit said on last night's news; "we are seeing the effects of the waning days of summer" SOB!!!!!!!!!!

Glam Queen Halle

Jeter. Before grooming

And after

Neither Mr. O or I are known for gardening skills. One night about 2 weeks ago Mr. O came home proudly toting a container of tomato and bell pepper plants he picked up at Bells Nursery for about $3. He was so proud of himself. It is August. Robert Forgit said we are in the waning days of summer Mr. O!

He proudly planted his forlorn looking little plants in a small garden area which the dogs like to use to bury their treats and dig them up later. He planted his crops near the snooty Pink Flamingos. And the huge bag of potting soil. That bag is heavy. Soon I will have to drag it around the back of the house.

In between rain storms we see appearing among the greenery.....

a tomato (there are actually 2!)

& little green bell peppers. They are adorable! sorry for the blurry picture, could not get the old Canon to focus.

Happy Monday!

Did you know you can poach an egg in the microwave?

2011-08-12T05:56:00.007-08:00

It's been a busy and delightful summer! The other morning Jeter and I were getting caught up in some back issues of Bon Appetit and happened upon an easy method of poaching eggs in the microwave that intrigued us.

We gathered up the required implements and one egg

Gently break the egg into a microwaveable cup into 1/2 cup of cold water

Cover with a saucer. Get your toast going now. Microwave the egg for 1 minute

After one minute! Done perfectly! The white is set and yolk is perfectly runny. If you like your yolk firmer, microwave a bit more (but not much more)

I used the slotted spoon to release the egg from the custard cup. Delicious! Let me know if you try it! Enjoy!!

Road Trip to Homer Alaska

2011-08-10T07:44:00.003-08:00

Halle the Diva, my friend Elizabeth and I left our husbands behind and took a delightful and scenic 4-hour road trip from Anchorage to beautiful Homer Alaska this past weekend. We were invited to stay with friends at their lovely home overlooking Kachemak Bay. While there, we toured some of Homer's lovely gardens on display at private homes, followed by a wine reception at Bear Creek Winery and Lodge. Click HERE for details about Bear Creek Winery.

All in all, a great time! Homer is a beautiful place. On the way home, Elizabeth spotted a brown bear fishing on the Kenai River. Sadly we were on a narrow road and could not stop to try to capture the bear on camera....My video shows some of the fun we had.

It is beginning (sadly) to feel a bit like Fall is on the horizon. We have had a rainy spell and someone said the termination dust is beginning to appear in the mountain tops. Lately I have had the urge to make soup so Fall indeed may be nearby. Summer is way too short here. Sigh.

Homer Alaska

2011-08-07T14:30:00.000-08:00

View of Kachemak Bay where The Diva & I are spending the weekend- posting from my iPhone-taking the Homer Garden Club tour of notable gardens- pictures next week- left laptop in Anchorage.

Afterlife in Anchorage...

2011-08-03T06:02:00.007-08:00

Susan is very uncomfortable in this picture.... we were walking past the Pioneer Bar and there were extremely - but harmless - drunk fellows leering and making positive comments to us as we passed by... we also had the glamorous Elizabeth with us so of course they had great eye candy on parade!!
We had just taken the Ghost Tour of Anchorage. Click HERE for details of the tour. You can also Facebook Ghost Tours of Anchorage. They have a nice page.

The tour is fun and I would recommend going on the tour even if you do not have guests. Mr. Goodfellow is quite engaging and gets seriously into character. He outlines famous dark incidents in Anchorage and takes the tour to various locations.... my favorite is a ladies room downstairs at the Hotel Captain Cook, a seriously creepy location with not one but TWO ghosts.....

Seriously, Susan was not the only tourist in this group....

Reception area in the charming and very old Anchorage Hotel
This place hosts many of the departed.

Boo!

And I will wrap up the visit with my wonderful family here. We did other things of course, including a professional photo shoot with DAVID JENSEN PHOTOGRAPHY, in which we got many great pictures, among them the header photo*....but all good things came to an end and all are safely home. My mom reports that it took her and Aunt Corinne quite a while to re-adjust back to the East Coast time zone.

* About the header picture of me and Susan. David Jensen drove his T-Bird to a nearby equestrian park. During the shoot, Susan, David and I had to dodge many trucks hauling horses... apparently there was a horse show about to take place and all the horses were arriving. It was crazy but fun and the photos turned out great!

Talkeetna! A Day Trip From ANC in Pictures

2011-07-31T07:40:00.025-08:00

Talkeetna was bustling the day we were there. A trainload of passengers descended upon the little town

WHAT??

The above picture is my favorite. Local dogs roam everywhere but all of them seem to know what they are doing and where their humans are

We had lunch here and it was pretty good. I did not realize the man (seen in the middle) was waving when I took the picture!

We wandered around in and out of shops

After a day of wandering around Talkeetna it was time to make the 2 hour drive back to Anchorage. On our way we stopped for coffee HERE

Grand lobby

Mountain views would be spectacular if the clouds were not present

In our next post we will find out what this is all about!

Boardwalk Scenery at Halibut Cove

2011-07-28T20:16:00.003-08:00

I hope you enjoy the sights along our walk as much as we did

This post concludes our trip to Homer and Halibut Cove.

On Monday our travel adventures continue. The next post will show the last excursion on the family visit when Aunt Corinne, Susan and I drive from Anchorage to the quaint little town of Talkeetna, Alaska.

Mom and Mr. O held down the fort with the Pack while we were out seeing the beautiful sights of Alaska (along the road system).

Until then, enjoy your weekend.

Cruise to Halibut Cove on the Danny J and Lunch at the Saltry

2011-07-27T20:28:00.002-08:00

Oh! This was a glorious trip! After Aunt Corinne, Susan and I wandered around the Homer boardwalk for a bit, at noon we boarded the Danny J and headed over to Halibut Cove. In all the years I have lived in Alaska I have never been to Halibut Cove. I'd always heard positive comments about it so decided this visit would be the perfect opportunity to check it out with my family.

The cruise to Halibut Cove was spectacular: sparkling water, fresh ocean breezes, gorgeous scenery, fun fellow passengers, even dogs are allowed to go! Enjoy the views.

HERE is where I found out about this excursion. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone planning a trip to Alaska. I would go again. Lunch was delicious, homemade soup, fresh catch of the day (I had fresh cod), salads, burgers, very good wine choices. I was enjoying myself so much I forgot to take a picture of the lunch. Indeed, this trip has spurred me to visit other Alaskan destinations - Seldovia and Sadie Cove are in the area - I plan to visit these spots in the future.

After lunch we strolled around Halibut Cove. The next post will feature my pictures from our walk. I am enjoying sharing the trip and family visit with you.

We go to the end of the road

2011-07-27T07:12:00.001-08:00

Jeter's Cameo in a Music Video

2011-07-26T06:27:00.003-08:00

We interrupt the vacation report to show you an adorable video in which Jeter has a cameo appearance.... Jeter and Halle attend Dog Tired Doggie Day Care.....

Video shown with permission by Kari Campbell, owner of Dog Tired Doggie Day Care. HERE is the link to Dog Tired's blog featuring the activities of many happy Dog Tired students.

and then....

2011-07-24T17:44:00.009-08:00

Corinne, Susan and I drove up nearby Flat Top Mountain to take in the views. There were many people there enjoying the views and hiking to the top of the mountain. The following You Tube shows some of the sights of our Flat Top visit and later in the day, when Corinne and I went to the Alaska Zoo.

That night we went to see Mr. Whitekeys Whale Fat Follies. He is presenting a limited Summer run of 24 shows of multi-media and live musical comedy heavy on political satire at the Tap Root (formerly his property) all of which is set "to a toe tapping beat" We laughed our heads off and had a great evening.

The next day, July 6, is my birthday! We spent the day together doing a little shopping around town, after which we stopped at Bell's Nursery for more shopping and some iced coffee.

Later we headed to Girdwood to the Double Musky for my birthday dinner. Delicious as usual!

We got there around 7 and waited over an hour for a table. The Double Musky does not take reservations! Finally we were seated and served appetizers, salads and that wonderful spicy jalapeno bread, after which, because it was late and I had too much bread I was pretty full when my entree arrived. So we had lots of leftovers.

Waiting for our table....

The vacation report will continue soon when we head to Homer and Halibut Cove (Heaven on Earth).

Recaps here:

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Next on the agenda.....

2011-07-23T06:12:00.006-08:00

If you have joined us for the visit, tomorrow we will visit the Alaska Zoo!
Meanwhile, it was July 4. The Jersey Girls were more acclimated to the 4 hour time difference. After coffee and breakfast on the deck we headed downtown to the Park Strip to watch the parade. The parade used to be along 5th Avenue. This was the first year they moved the parade to the Park Strip. Very pretty there but parking was hard to find, especially with a passenger who was having a hard time walking (and who forgot to bring her handicap sticker for the car.... but I won't say who!)..... We preservered and found a great spot though. Here are scenes from the parade. Enjoy!

HERE is recap of Day 1
HERE is recap of Day 2

Next on the agenda.....

2011-07-21T20:40:00.003-08:00

There is no audio to this video.

In case you missed the first post, click HERE.

Recapping the Visit to Alaska by my Jersey Girls - Part 1

2011-07-20T22:19:00.006-08:00

Here we go...... I will not overwhelm you with too many pictures, only the highlights of fun things we did during the lovely visit with Mom, my sister Susan and Aunt Corinne.

My voice sounds annoying, awful and shrill on the video. I seriously do not sound like that!

Mom was a trooper. She is still in quite a bit of pain and does not yet have full and good use of both legs so she enjoyed short car jaunts and visiting with Halle and the rest of the Pack. She has been to Alaska many times in past years and has travelled more of this state than I have!

The next few posts will briefly highlight what we were doing while I was absent from blog news. It seems amazing that two weeks went by so quickly in the blink of an eye.... I had a great time and miss everyone already.

A visit with Havanese Puppies

2011-07-20T06:21:00.003-08:00

Sadly, all good things came to an end. Mom, Susan and Aunt Corinne have returned to the Jersey Shore after a lovely visit. Upcoming posts will show some of our adventures as well as the moment the Diva saw Mom when she arrived, but until then, please enjoy my recent visit with some adorable Havanese puppies. The puppies all have homes or are going to well-screened homes. Our local pet supply store, Paw Prince, invited customers to come visit these adorable babies. It was nap time when we arrived........Enjoy!