Phredo Dog-leone: 25 Things about Our Dog Phred

1. Phred's breath stinks like the dickens. If not his breath, then just Phred. Like corn chips or dirty socks.

2. Phred is a much better behaved dog than Otis. Always has been, always will be. (Always has been an area of contention for Mark and me, always will be.)

3. If Phred could eat one thing from the wild, it would be goslings (or maybe a half rotted muskrat, but we try to prevent him from eating them. Yuck.).

4. Phred can perform an incredible variety of parlor tricks. We get a big hoot out of "Bang" where he drops to the ground and plays dead. He even twitches. The runner up would be when he balances a treat on his nose, then catches it in his mouth on command.

5. Phred is a dick. Always has been, always will be.

6. Phred hates riding in the car. His stomach gets woozy. Always has, always will.

7. Phred is not a dynamic character.

8. Phred loves his Phred Bed. In fact, he will prance up and down the stairs until we release the baby gate so he can hide away in his bed.

9. Phred can play fetch for hours and not get bored (so long as he has a willing human to toss the ball/stick/rock).

10. Phred is still a dick.

11. Deep down, Phred would love to bite a human. And then shake it like a kitty.

12. Phred loves to carry stuffed animals around in his mouth. Or any other object that is near by. He doesn't chew it, like his brother Otis, he just carries it around while wagging his tail.

13. Phred is motivated by food. As if.

14. Phred has a black patch of fur (like a beauty mark) on his left shoulder. We tried to claim him as defective with the breeder, but because he is a dick, she wouldn't take him back.

15. Still a dick. We just checked.

16. Phred's alter ego is a goat.

17. Phred makes disgusting slurping noises when he sleeps.

18. We love to snuggle with Phred (when he doesn't stink). He's soft and mushy and warm and fuzzy.

19. Phred has the softest ears in the world. I especially like them when they are cold.

20. Once, when Phred was about two years old, I entered him in an agility contest. During the second run of the course, Phred jumped ON TOP of the tunnel, not THROUGH the tunnel. The entire audience laughed. It was embarassing.

21. 20 should have been, "Phred is a dick," but the agility story is a case in point.

22. Phred looks all nice and friendly on the outside, but he has a super vicious mean streak. I am glad he is part of my pack.

23. Phred's theme song is Low Rider.

24. Phred wanted to name Luca, the cat, "Lunch."

25. Phred was named after Fredo Corleone from the Godfather. Both dicks.

Ode to My Camera

My camera is on the fritz. It has been since, oh, Thanksgiving, maybe earlier. But it took me a while to admit that something was wrong because admitting this would mean a) I wouldn't be able to take pictures or B) I would have to get it fixed or by a new one--oy. Basically, when I would take a bunch of pictures and then flip through them, I noticed that one, three, or all 578 of them were out of focus. I thought it was my eyes at first. I mean, I thought my eyes were going bad, focusing issues, astigmatism, or some other weird vision thing. But turns out my eyes are just fine (for now), but my camera, not so much. It also does this funny thing when I shoot in manual mode--I'll get a series of shots that are completely black. Which, from old fashioned photography, I know this means that there is something wrong with the reflective device inside the lens. But in the digi world, I was not privy to this information until I talked to victims of this common digital disease. Holy dollar signs Batman, the processor is going bad! After a smidge of research, it will cost me just as much to have the processor replaced as it would to buy a new camera. Duh. Isn't it obvious?

Anyway, as I wait for some sort of financial shift at Chateau Kasubick, I'll take my chances with the ol' Canon Rebel of yore. The one, that seven years ago, was the Rock Star of digital cameras. The one that brought me to the Dark Side. The one that I take more places than my kids (okay, not really, but wouldn't that be funny?). The one that needs to be replaced very soon or else I'll miss a critical moment in my photohistory of my kids (imagine Phin, the second child, looking back and saying, "Mommy, why are all the pictures of me out of focus?" Tragedy.). So here's to you, my camera, my camrea. Until you really kick the bucket.

I'll Race You for the Steak (said Otis)

Was there food near by? What else would grab Phin's and Otis' attention so acutely?

Soon it will be summer

and I will be hanging my laundry on the line out in the backyard to dry.

I'll Save Your Heart

Self portrait taken June 2008, Penns Creek Backpacking Trip

...Lizzie exclaimed while we were getting ready for bed tonight. I was lamenting over her scaly skin, which has been plagued by a serious case of eczema, and said to DH, "This is just breaking my heart, Mark, to see her skin like this and to see her all itchy." During the summer, Lizzie has the most beautiful skin. It's usually nut-brown from the sun and no trace of eczema anywhere. But as we head into the winter months, Lizzie loses her sun kissed glow and out comes the viciously itchy rash all over her young waterproof and breathable shell. Mark and I go back and forth about what we think causes it--soy, dairy, wheat--but most notably, we always come back to the fact that there is little sun in these parts of the world from November to March, and so she lacks a sufficient amount of vitamin D to ward off skin irritation and inflammation in the winter. Thinking of tossing her in a tanning booth during these dark days.... (I digress)

So then Lizzie wrapped her little hands around my face and said, "I'll save your heart, Mommy." I nearly died right there. All the sudden the eczema was gone and the lotion in my hands evaporated. I grabbed my little girl as tight as I could and snuggled her close while I breathed in the fresh wetness of her hair. I laughed to clear my throat and to ward off any potential tears from escaping my eyes.

Mark tussled her hair, " You already did, honey,you already did."

(At this point, I am sending out an official APB for information on getting rid of eczema. We welcome any suggestions of the natural persuasion (no steroid creams, please, we're trying to get rid, not suppress)).

Bad Guys

Lizzie: Mommy, what will you do to get the bad guys?
Mommy: I'll kick 'em.
Lizzie: And Daddy will shoot 'em.
Mommy: What will you do?
Lizzie: I'll spit on them.
Mommy: And what will Phin do?
Lizzie: I'll squeeze him so he'll barf on them.
Mommy: So, just to be safe, Phin will barf on them, you will spit on them, I'll kick them, and Daddy will shoot them.

I feel sorry for the bad guys.

Growing Up

It was just one of those moments. She looked so big and grown up, yet such a kid with her pigtails. This may sound like I don't pay much attention to my kids, but I didn't know that she could button her own pants. I just assumed she relied on the elastic waste band. I guess this is what happens when you blink or look away even for just a small moment. Or, what happens when you pay attention to the moment.

Just a Quicky

... so suggestive....

Anyway, back home in Cleveland. Loved visiting Columbus more than I thought I would. Still need to share transformative yoga experience from V Power Yoga, but perhaps another night (it was rockin'!). Right now, I am looking forward to snuggling into my husband's arms and falling sound asleep. For later: A comparative analysis of Cleveland Yoga and V Power Yoga.

Have mat, will Yoga

I am currently in Columbus for a technology conference--both as a presenter and as an attendee. In the last few days, I've enjoyed getting to know this gem of a city (humbly admitting that I wasn't all that excited to travel to Columbus, OH. I guess I am becoming a travel snob as I see more of the world). Surprisingly, it has treasures all over the place. Tonight, however, I will be stretching, sweating, and detoxing at V Power Yoga. All I know is what I read on the web site, and if the workout is athletically pleasing as it is aesthetically pleasing, I will be a happy yogi. I have one expectation (I know, I know, I shouldn't with yoga)--that the studio is actually open. Will post more later....