Breaking Up is Hard to Do

Dear Snow,
Thank you so much for coming just in time to give me a lovely picture-postcard Christmas. So festive! So thoughtful! The after Christmas visit was fun--perfect for sledding and hey! who's going to complain about a few extra days of Christmas break? You are the life of the party!

So, here's the thing. To be honest--you have overstayed your welcome. Now you are just getting on my nerves. I have places to go, things to do and there you are--blocking the driveway, causing hazardous road conditions. Piling up in mountainous heaps. 

Oh, there was a time when you were so picturesque. 

So breath-taking.

 Full of wonder and beauty.

But you know, the dog would like to get a potty break without freezing his paws. 

He's a California pup and is a little baffled by the never ending white stuff. 

You've just about reached the top of our fountain now. 

Aren't you satisfied yet?

There is no place left for the snow plows to pile you! 

And you know, it pains me to have to tell you, but you are starting to look grubby and dirty.

The wood pile! Come on! 

We need that wood to stay warm.

 Your Arctic embrace is chilling us all to the bone. 

Seriously, pack your bags and go. Give me some space. 

It really isn't attractive to be so clingy and desperate. 

Maybe by next Christmas I will be ready to welcome you back with open arms.

For now, let me soften the blow with 'It's not you it's me'.

No, it's you.

Sincerely,

Connecticut

How to De-Skunk a Dog: A Tutorial

Here is an old post that I never got around to posting. But as of last night it became relevant again.

Gunner:0

Skunks:2

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Today I thought I would share some wisdom gained through experience. Very smelly experience.

I awoke as usual way before the crack of dawn to get two boys out of bed and ready for seminary. Gunner sleeps in Shane's room so he followed me down to the kitchen after I had prodded Shane out of his warm bed. I let the dog out as usual and opened the back gate to let him run and answer nature's call. It was pitch dark but this didn't stop Gunner from charging into the woods. I went in to get breakfast ready. I was standing at the stove when Gunner came charging into the kitchen and came to a halt right next to me. It took about three seconds for the choking smell of skunk to hit me and I realized Gunner had been sprayed. Luckily he didn't sit down or rub up against anything. I got him right back outside but the damage had been done. The smell was overpowering. When Sam and Shane came down for breakfast, they were gagging and choking and couldn't eat. It was my turn to drive the car pool so after a quick Google search for de-skunking a dog,  I had a list of things to get at the store on the way home.

The smell of skunk managed to infiltrate our clothes and then the car. Shane moaned from the back seat: "I'm already the new kid and a freshman loser, now I have to be the smelly kid too!"

We apologized to everyone as we picked them up and tried to keep fresh air circulating. I had to wait for seminary to get over and then take a group of kids to the school as well. This gave Gunner more time to stew in skunk juice. So my first bit of advice is this:

1. If you have a dog and there are skunks in your area,  keep some skunk remedy on hand. The sooner you get to the task of cleaning up the dog, the better.


By the time I finished taxi duty and stopped by the store, he had been soaking in the smell for about an hour and a half. I did check before I left to make sure it hadn't gotten in his eyes--luckily Gunner had closed his eyes or turned his head just in time to avoid that extra pain. If it gets in their eyes, they need to see a vet just FYI.

The combined wisdom of the internet pointed to hydrogen peroxide and baking soda mixed with a bit of hand soap as the best remedy. This combination is supposed to break up the chemical bond of the skunk oil and wash it away. It is best to use fresh hydrogen peroxide (an unopened bottle) so that it's cleaning properties are at their peak. There was disagreement about whether to use Dawn dish washing or regular hand soap. Dawn is good for oil stripping but the hand soap supposedly works better with the other two ingredients. By the time we were finished, we had tried all of the above and then some many times over, so I can't say for sure which would be best.

Here's the recipe we used for round one: Hydrogen peroxide (24 oz bottle) 1/4 cup baking soda and 2 tsp hand soap (Softsoap Kitchen Hands odor neutralizing--it's what I had on hand but hey! "odor neutralizing" sounded promising!) 

2. I mixed the solution in a plastic bowl and poured it over him while rubbing it in. I let it soak in for 10 minutes. You should use rubber gloves while applying. 

I rinsed him off after the 10 minutes and then dried him as well. Luckily it was a warm, sunny day. 

I sniffed his fur and decided "lather, rinse and repeat" was a good idea.

I mixed up another batch of skunk remedy and reapplied. 

After the second round, he actually smelled like his old "wet dog" self. 

Funny how that smell seems so nice now....

 That is everywhere except right on his head and face. 

The scent of Essence Fleur de Skunk seems to be concentrated there.

So, when Shane got home, he mixed up a nice facial treatment of 

baking soda and Dawn dish soap.

Poor Smelly Dog

Still smelled. 

So, these are the other solutions we tried-- courtesy of the all-knowing internet:

Mint Mouthwash

Douche (yes that) (No, it didn't work)

Skunk Shampoo from PetCo

Nature's Miracle (I used this to wash the towels and our clothes and it did work for that)

I also mixed up some coconut oil and peppermint essential oil and rubbed that on his head.

It works for awhile, but the skunk scent eventually works it's way through. 

It got to the point where it was hard to rinse all the gunk from the various concoctions out of Gunner's fur. I told Shane to just toss him in the pool to give him a big rinsing and maybe the chlorine would help with the smell in the process. 

Although Gunner hates the pool, he didn't even fuss. I think he had been washed and scrubbed and rinsed so many times he didn't care anymore. He swam to the stairs, climbed out and shook off without a whimper.

Gunner had to be banished to the garage the first night after the incident. But after continuous attempts at fumigating him, either it got better or we have adjusted to the smell.  

Hello Snow!

The new view from my kitchen window...

snow.

Dad's beloved BYU Cougar sporting a snow coat.

Gunner plunged right in and enjoyed the sudden change of scenery

in his territory.

Eight and a half inches of snowfall overnight made

a beautiful Winter Wonderland.

Sisters

We enjoyed several weeks here with the always adorable Gale Sisters: the next generation.

Nicole and Bailey and Norah hung out with us here while their house in Texas was packed up and the new place closed. It is always a joy to have the energy and enthusiasm of those two little girls. And their Mama is pretty awesome too--we enjoyed a lot of girl time which was nice for me.

 What with me being all outnumbered around here nowadays. 

Even the dog is a boy.

 There is a fine line between sweet, happy togetherness and "she's all up in my space" togetherness. These two cross that line from time to time--but the sweet happy stuff is SOOO adorable.

On this morning, Bailey decided it was Norah's Birthday and she wanted to make her a cake.

So she made it out of Norah's breakfast of blueberries and yogurt.

This is a pictorial of Bailey mopping the floor...

she is a hard worker.

She was really serious about getting the floor clean...

even though the mop is taller than she is.

She was also a happy helper putting the silverware away:

Norah was a natural alpha with Gunner (I don't have any pictures of her with him--I was usually hanging out with Bailey while Norah was sleeping in in the morning or napping)

She would follow him around and say:

"Hey Gunna! Hey boy!"

and then hold her arms out and say

"Gimme a hug."

We still say "Hey Gunna! Hey Boy!" at least a dozen times a day to him.

Bailey was a little more wary of the dog. She did warm up to him eventually and he basked in the glory of the many chocolate Cheerios she tossed his way. She was always very careful to stay up higher than the dog with her arms and legs out of reach.

She is a wisely cautious little girl.

Bailey loved to help with the cooking. We had a lot of fun together in the kitchen.

Bailey's imagination is another source of entertainment. She came with her Cinderella doll and I found her a pioneer Barbie in a box of Aunt Siara and Shanna's old Barbies.Yes, there were pioneer Barbies. They were in a sale bin at Fred Meyer years ago. 

Clearly I was the only mom who was excited to find a modestly dressed Barbie. 

They were not a big seller.

 Bailey called her Apple Girl and she and Cinderella had many adventures along with the other odd Barbie we dug out of the box of toy relics. 

This is Cinderella getting a check-up. Bailey put the stethoscope around her waist instead of in her ears.

All tuckered out after a walk. Norah was asleep on the other side 

but she was up running around by the time I got the camera.

I got to do Bailey's bedtime routine with her each night. We would agree on the number of books that would be read on the couch and then up in bed. She reminds me of her Dad--a shrewd negotiator. One night I told her we had read the allotted number of books and she should go to sleep.

She asked if she could just look at a book. That seemed reasonable. Pretty soon she was saying, "What is this word Nana?" and I would tell her. And then another word and another until I realized we had read the whole book.

 But when she snuggled up and said

 "Nana I feel so comfortable because I love you so much!"

I was willing to read her a hundred books.

We enjoyed our time with those precious granddaughters. And now they live close enough that we will get more of those good times. 

And there is another sweet girl on the way. 

She will be joining her sisters around Christmastime.

Wait! Is August Over Already?

Gentle Reader,
So, here we are on the other side of the continent. We moved from sea to shining sea. A few weeks ago I went to a tag sale--that's what they call garage sales here--not far from where we live. I thought it would be  a good way to get to know some people in the neighborhood. It's lovely that every home is surrounded by a few acres of yard, but it makes it difficult to chat with your neighbors when you are all separated by rolling lawns and forests. The couple at the tag sale were very friendly--they told me they had grown up in Connecticut. Everyone I talk to is amazed that we would trade sunny California for what will soon be frigid Connecticut. I told her we had lived in the Pacific Northwest for many years and we were used to a cooler climate--though snow would be a new experience. I told her I was looking forward to Fall and the change of seasons.  "You have lived in some of the most beautiful places on earth! How lucky you are! I am sure you will just continue to live a very blessed life!" my new neighbor gushed. I had heard that New Englanders are a bit reserved--she certainly shattered that stereotype.

I am not going to argue with her conclusion...

Some of the local flora in our back yard

This flowering Butterfly Bush in our front yard certainly lives up to its name!

Every day when I walk past it to get the mail, dozens of pretty butterflies are flitting around it.

Gunner has adapted to his new environment--he traded in crushed granite for grass.

Here's a favorite spot down the road from us

A place to get amazing ice cream and enjoy it whilst gazing out at the cows

We stopped by for a Back to School treat

Shane doesn't like his picture taken so this will have to suffice

We are preparing for the chilly winters here with a woodstove to keep us cozy.

 I finally got my dream come true library in this house.

And I finally got all of the books on the shelves.

Another preparation for a cozy winter.

P.S. I got the wicker-bottom chairs at my friendly neighbor's garage--I mean TAG--sale:

They are the perfect addition to round out the seating at our craigslist table.

Fun Facts

We got to enjoy the company of Shanna and that darling little grandson, Mason for the past ten days. It just went too fast because, as they say, "Time flies when you're having fun!".
But, here are some FUN FACTS about that Mr. Mason:

1. He had already been on vacation for two weeks with his other grandparents--basking in the adoration and love of all his paternal relations, yet he was still humbly accepting of any and all affection from the Gale Clown Show side of his family.

2. Mason never stops moving. As long as he is awake, he is on a constant quest to see the next big thing. Nothing gets in his way. If there is an obstacle, he starts climbing.

3. Mason is pleasant and cheerful 99.99% of the time and can be easily swayed to laugh and giggle even during the .01% of  the time when he starts to fuss. He cut THREE MOLARS while he was here and though his Mama will tell you he didn't sleep his best some nights because of that--we sure couldn't tell during the day!

4. Mason finds joy in the simple things--he played happily in a box for quite some time. His happiness was multiplied when his Mama handed him a Fudgesicle.

5. Mason and Gunner became best buddies. Mason was a natural alpha.With confidence and affection, he had Gunner following him around and putting up with tail-pulling in exchange for extra snacks that fell from the high chair or Mason's hands. Mason enjoyed splashing in Gunner's water dish and Gunner enjoyed cleaning up after Mason's meal time. When Mason heard Gunner's collar tags jingle he would say: "Woof woof!"

6. Mason is quite the cheery tourist. We took him to the big city and he took the place by storm with his charm. He had everyone on the train from New Haven to Grand Central smiling and talking to him. He waved "Bye bye" as each person got off on their stop. After a VERY HOT tour of New York, and a short, sweaty nap, he was recharged and ready to do the same thing all the way home.

Union Station: Fun with Uncle Sam

Mason riding the subway like a boss

7. Mason has command of  the full repertoire of fun baby songs with actions. He entertained us with his renditions of "Wheels on the Bus" and "Patty Cake". If he needs to quiet down, we just say "The mamas on the bus say...." and he puts his finger up and replies "Sh, sh, sh.". 

8.He is also proficient in animal sounds and his monkey and sheep are hilarious. 

9. He learned to sip from a straw while he was here--a handy skill to have if you get to go to Shake Shak in New York City!

10. Mason is active in the church. Very active. We took turns letting him get his energy out by running marathons in the halls and the gym. 

Mason going incognito between the pews.

11. Mason is fearless. He went in the pool, played with the dog, chased the cat, stepped out into the abyss of our sunken family room with hardly a hesitation and climbed stairs without looking back. If a door is open, he must go through it, if there is an opening, he must climb into it. He is our own Christopher Columbus, Admiral Peary and Neil Armstrong rolled into one intrepid toddler. 

12. Mason is a "people person". He assumes that everyone he meets is worth getting to know. He will go to anyone and has no reason to doubt that everyone is his friend.

Here he is with Uncle Scott who came to visit too.

13. Mason was born to two awesome parents--he is growing up in a loving and secure home and that is why he is a happy, secure little boy. The joy we feel as grandparents is wrapped up in that beautiful blessing of loving eternal families.

14. It was hard to say good-bye. We drove to the very busy JFK airport and I got out to help Shanna get checked in and up to the security line. Everyone there was very helpful and kind and Shanna got shifted to the front of the security line so I only had a second to say good-bye. But I was so choked up I was afraid I would burst into tears and cause a scene. So I fought back the tears and hugged Shanna and kissed Mason's sweet little chubby cheek and squeezed his little leg as he sat in his stroller. He gave me the little Mason wave and off they went.  It's only hard to say good-bye when you had a wonderful time so I will be happy for that.

Mason with his Mama in Grand Central Station

I Know You've All Been Dying to Know...

...how the GARDEN's doing!

I finally got the camera battery I ordered from Amazon...the same day I gave up on it and bought one at Best Buy. So I am back in business.

And look how the garden has been growing:

The pear tree blossomed--looks like there might be pears in the fall

Cheerful sunflowers...

I kind of love to overdo it when it comes to sunflowers

Luscious tomatoes...

It is very soothing to water the garden while munching on ripe, sun-warmed tomatoes. 

The corn is ready to pick.

If you plant pumpkin seeds in February in SoCal,

you get ripening pumpkins in June.

These are strawberry plants. You don't see any strawberries because Gunner thinks the strawberry patch is his personal snack bar. It took me awhile to figure out what was happening. We don't have any varmints like rabbits or moles raiding the garden because we have Gunner and Ninja on duty keeping them away. So I guess I am paying Gunner in strawberries.