The Test Drive Just Crashed.

So, he growled at people. And I kept making excuses. And I kept researching. I can solve this. He's nervous. He's just adjusting. Cesar says don't look. Don't talk. He was awesome for one full week. The previous owners called to check and I said he was great. We're keeping him. He doesn't bark. He doesn't chew or climb on furniture. He's getting along with the cats. Then he growled at our friend, Ettienne. The next two weeks were a downward spiral of more and more. He met Amy a handful of times and then the next time would growl.

Last night he growled at Atlee. She was going to bed and reached down to pet him since he was sleeping in front of the stairs. And he growled at my child. It tipped the scale. I can't. I'm truly sorry I can't. I'm crying because I can't. Amy keeps telling me it's like dating and there are other more compatible fellows out there. Ettienne has him this evening and is trying to place him in the shelter. He growled at the lady at the shelter. I've called the original owners to see if they want him back, but no response thus far.

So, tomorrow we leave for our scheduled vacation in Maine. It's a good thing it's my happy place. I feel like I need it. Perhaps staring at this view will start to relax the nervous ball of knots my stomach has slowly become over the last two weeks.

You know what else will act as a temporary balm on my heart?

This face right here.


There's no computer at the camp. So, if you're intending on leaving me a nasty message about how I've abandoned this dog and just didn't try hard enough and it would have been fine if I'd worked harder, please don't. Or go ahead I guess, since I won't read it for a week. No, please don't. It will still hurt in a week.

Non-Dog Stuff, Just for Tracey!

Maybe some tigers, though. Rawwr.

And the birthday girl on her 3rd birthday opening her present from Mommy and Daddy. It was- ready for it?- a My Little Pony with Strawberry Shortcake stenciled on her butt. (Cue that Hanna Montana song "Best of Both Worlds".)

I have birthday party pictures to share soon too. And Tracey will be happy to hear the dog was kenneled for the party, so they are dog free!

Dogs. Talking about dogs. And Father's Day, of course.

This? This is not my new dog. This is Ali. He came to visit one day last week while Amy was dog sitting him. He looked so much like Cady-dog to me. He also made me realize I desperately, desperately wanted a dog. The need had evolved. It was no longer something that I could put off with a time share dog. It was the dawning realization that, like every other member of my family, I wanted to share my house with a dog.

Perhaps it was the way Ali took care of all the crumbs under Greeley's chair? So, I went browsing for black labs. To get myself my own Ali or Cady. (This was only after Amy refused to go along with the dognap Ali plan. She argued Gia would notice if she didn't get a dog back. I think she was just being a wee bit pessimistic.)

Oh life, you crazy thing, you. You instead brought me to this brown dog. The lab who doesn't chew, or bark or chase balls. The lab that my brother, John, has suggested just might be a big brown beagle instead of a lab.

Rich is a little concerned that I've stopped caring about the rest of the family now that I have a dog. Clearly not true. Look! It's Emerson and my dog.

Happy Father's Day to Grandpa Nason and Grandpa Magee and Rich!

Booth.

Booth, the chocolate
lab is broken. He doesn't
want to chase a ball.

Look out chocolate lab haiku market. Although chocolate lab hogs a lot of syllables.

Test Drive

We're test driving the one on the right. It's only the first night, but so far- so good. I gave him a bath when we got home, so now my house smells like coconut wet dog. And I like it.

My husband loves me. He loves me a lot. Know how I know? Because the kids and I got a dog- that's how. Woof.

Before they get lost in the computer...

So, last weekend Amy invited us over to her house. She was planning a BBQ for the kids. Then she added activities. Then she added activities with water. Even though she had warned me, I still failed to bring dry clothes for Shea. So our friend, Ettienne (it's French for Stephen...), agreed to hang out with Emerson while I ran the few blocks home for Shea clothes and the camera.

Which is a long explanation of why I have no pictures of the awesome water balloon fight or the sling-shot painting of place mats, but I do have a picture of me alone in the van with no kids!

Look at all those empty car seats. Weird.


Et and Emerson were just fine when I got back.


All of that frolicking knocked Greeley out cold. In the midst of the chaos on the floor, out cold.


The rest of the herd moved on without her.

We've quite successfully kicked off the summer season.

(Uncle Michael sent me an email with blog posts all written, I just have to plug in the photos. I'll try to get them up this weekend.)

Updated Gettysburg Fireman's Carnival, 2010

Breaking updated awesome news!!!

The Gettysburg Fireman's Carnival is going down this year. The dates are June 29-July 3, 2010. The Fireworks (!!!) are happening on Friday, July 2, 2010 at 11:00 PM. Thank you to the Adams County National Bank and my friend Amy, borough resident, for the update!

Actual Link

And Visit Gettysburg? Might want to update that information.

Quick! Before I'm hijacked!

Uncle Michael (aka Michael in DC) called me out in an email about the lack of part two or three of Uncle Michael's camera. He's threatening to hack and hijack. So, I guess I need to get cracking on that post.

While you wait, I offer a belly hanging Emerson. He's stopped squawking with outrage anytime you put him on his belly. Sometimes, he even rolls over on his own to get onto the belly. Sure it's just to reach the library book I left (I thought!) out of his reach that he wants to reach to rip and eat. Sorry Adams County Library.


And how many princess dresses do you own? We apparently have four- which worked out just right when Trinity and Kaya were over for a visit last night.


Since I've got nothing witty to wrap it up with here, why don't you all volunteer a caption for me? Michael will do my next post and you will do my next header. So, let's hear them.

Gettysburg Family: what.

And I probably should go look for those release papers Amy signed now.

It's hot. Alternate Title: Whine, whine, whine.

It's terribly hot. And I'm too, er, thrifty to put the AC's in the windows. Well, I'm too thrifty for Rich to put the AC's in the windows. Let's not kid anyone. I'm not hoisting an air conditioner any time soon. We've had lots and lots of company over the weekend, but not any pictures. Sorry. And it's too hot to even plug the little cord in the camera tonight, so I give you an oldie but goodie. Atlee and her big brother at the Mountain House. Their smiles? Genuine. I'm still not sure how we've been so fortunate as to have kids that get along. Wait. Did I just jinx it?


That blanket looks hot.