@#$% Ike.

Living in northern WV, I should never receive weather warnings in my inbox that contain the word "hurricane". *snarl*
I should never have to think about cleanup from said "hurricane weather". *snort*

The remnants of Ike that tore through the Ohio Valley did make for some gorgeous skies.



















The damage..not so gorgeous.
The tip of the iceberg:

Chili dogs and bantha skulls..

Hot Dog Shoppe? Let's Roll!

Friday evening, I had the brilliant idea to get a local favorite for dinner..Hot Dog Shoppe.
Fake cheese and mediocre chili combine on a hot dog or french fries to create a culinary masterpiece.
Bliss on a steamed bun...or hand-cut fries.
Yes, I know it's fat and sodium galore..preservatives..yadda yadda.
Do you get the feeling I don't care? :)



Because...we're nerdy like that.


"Ridin' Dirty" for LabRat. *teehee*


Mmmmm..that *hack* Ohio *cough* smell! Waste Technology Industries providing brown, chewy air for us all!


A rare OH moose, surveying his domain from atop the ..Moose Lodge.




Masochist hot dog man...he LIKES getting devoured!




Truly, a sight to behold. Hot Dog Man on Weathervane. You can't tell in the pic, but he's spiked through his middle. And he's grinning. And holding condiments.



Lacey, just for you:

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Revolting, 'make you throw up' cuteness

Things my dogs say

Well, their eyes say..
or maybe I need meds...anyhoo

Doing some obedience-for-fun stuff with the The Crew today. It started out just working with Irie, but everyone had to come along (like JLo..I have an entourage).
I realized...yet again...my dogs think I'm an ass.




Henry was sleeping peacefully on the chair. I called him to me and asked him to sit, then down. As his *reward* I scratched his chest and shoulders (his "hoooyeah" spots). My cheerful "All done, Henry!" was met with a blank look.
"What the hell was that about?"
"It's basic obedience. It's good for our relationship. Trust me, Henry."
"Trust you? Didn't you once glue your ass to the floor with tile cement? Wake me when you've prepared dinner."

~~
Voodoo is..ah..enthusiastic. About everything. He's almost 2 1/2, and is just now starting to mature.
"Voo, sit!"
"YAY SIT! I LOVE SIT! This one time? Outside? I SAT! It was awesome!"

It's hard to get frustrated in the face of so much joy..yet, somehow, I manage.
~~
Strider is Michael's dog..his canine BFF.
He's wonderful and loving with me, but he's Michael's boy. They eat chips and watch football and MMA.
No.. really.
"Strider, sit!"
"Sure!" *sits* "What time is He coming back?" *wagging*
"Same time as always..Strider, down!"
"Sure!" *downs* "He's been gone a LONG time. I hate weekdays. He is just.....*sigh*. I mean I love YOU, but..He's just amaaaazing."

It figures the easy dog isn't Mine!
~~
Irie is a little over 12 weeks..a total doll.
Right now, she's a bimbo. A complete party-girl. BUT, she did bark fiercely at Intruders last night. Granted, the intruder was a yearling doe in the yard..but still.
She's a bad ass bimbo.
"Irie, down!"
"I totally know Down! Down is superfun! I ..like..heart training! Let's find someone to PLAY! Playing is sooo funnn! If they won't play, I will like..totally..kick their butts! Seriously!"
Oh dear God. My dog is Pamela Anderson as Barb Wire.


When someone lovingly croons to their dog, "Oh Sparkie, I wish you could tell me what you were thinking"..it gives me chills.
The stuff of nightmares, I say.

Feeling Irie

At some point, I'll grow weary of singing every song I can think of with the word irie..until then, Michael and the dogs suffer.
Our new beloved, Irie:




















The whole story is quite odd and *meant to be*.
Michael and I were doing some breed research, thinking ahead to our Next Girl. We lost our German Shepherd to cancer in August.
Talking to LabRat about her wonderful Akita duo, and the breed in general..she said she would ask her breeder about a good kennel in my area.
She had a recommendation, and the dogs looked really good, but not K&K good. C, the breeder, then mentions she has a pup.

Exactly. What. We. Hoped. For.

Things flew along from there and Irie landed at Pittsburgh airport on Friday night. :D
We are elated.

Granted, she's making noises like a monkey in a blender right now (crate training is FUN)..other than that? She's been AMAZING.
I can't thank LabRat enough for setting things in motion.