Tangled Thoughts

The Pink Pig

Christina

July 13, 2015

For the past bit of time, I have been trying to narrow down some issues I have been having with Yoshi. Aside from her allergies, and being terrified of people / new places / new things, she started to get aggressive with other dogs. After many hours of research I narrowed her problem down to be something related to ‘resource guarding’ which is fun -because her ‘resources’ that she ‘guards’ can be anything from a leaf on the floor that she saw, to her people. Fun times around here!

After a bit of work, I narrowed her main triggers down to food and her people. She gets upset if another dog/cat/animal is eating something that she wants, she doesn’t like to share her bones, steals food, and HATES it when you pay attention to another dog beside her. I have found it mostly best to limit her ‘triggers’ by feeding her on a schedule (so there isn’t food down for her to constantly guard) as well as limit the amount of treats / bones that hang out when there are other dogs around.

While this hasn’t completely limited her lashing out, it has put an end to a majority of it. As long as another dog doesn’t get to close to her bed / food / water / people / leaf on the floor etc. then we are ok.

Insert: The Pink Pig.

Last week we had a hot spell. We were dancing around high 80’s all week -and so I splurged and bought a $5 swimming pool and some plastic dollar toys to help keep the dogs cool (and keep the other dog from running off in seek of water -another story for another time.) Yoshi spotted the toys and was making herself comfortable with them, even doing her best to share when all of a sudden she started growling and snarling at the other dog.

I took the toys away -problem solved. I assumed she was just upset because it was a smaller space, and she was trying to take possession of the toys. The next day I filled the pool, and dropped the toys in.

Looking for pig

The pink pig disappeared a short time later.

I later found it buried in her bed.

Insert today: Dad was playing with the dogs for a few minutes when all of a sudden Yoshi jumped from her bed, went flying across the room growling and snapping.

No one had any idea what was going on…until I realized: Dad had given the PINK PIG to the other dog.

Once she got the pig back, she was happy as could be.

So now to add to her list of prized possessions: Food, Her People, Bones, and a stupid $1 Pink Pig.

Ah, yes. Such is our life with Yoshi…and forever and always, the pink pig.

Sitting in Waterfalls

Christina

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July 1, 2015

We walked through the water, and UP the middle of the waterfall.

So yesterday a couple friends asked me if I wanted to go hiking up a waterfall. I said yes, because: Hiking, waterfall, friends…it sounded like a win-win to me. When we got there and I realized that they literally meant –UP the waterfall. Not beside it, but straight up through the waterfall. With the running water and all.

A few months ago I was writing a list of things I really want to improve in myself / do. I wrote two simple words: Be Spontaneous. Now I, kind already consider myself spontaneous (with traveling to and fro and what not) but I don’t feel like I say “yes” enough. I don’t feel that I do random things, things I know I will enjoy –because of fear. I hold myself back because I am scared of something stupid.

So I went for it. I pushed whatever fears I had that were trying to flood my mind (cold water, getting wet, falling, drowning, etc.)

I climbed the waterfall with them. Straight up the falls. Slippery rocks, rushing water, sitting in the water fall (both on accident and purpose).

…and you know what? It was amazing. It was more than amazing. It was awesome.

The view from the top

As I sat down in the waterfall (because it’s some sort of unspoken rule that after you climb up a waterfall –you have to sit in it) I laughed and said to myself “Sitting in a waterfall wasn’t ever on my ‘to do list’ but it sure is on my ‘done’ list.” It’s not something I would have even considered a possibility (hiking up a waterfall? Seriously?) but I did it. It was awesome. I would do it again tomorrow if I could.

Climbed that!

I only ran into issues when I realized that my legs were a few inches shorter than theirs and couldn’t make the same steps they could -meaning I had to improvise quite a lot. By the time it was over I was soaked from the waist down -but it was totally worth it!

This whole spontaneous thing is turning out to be one of the best things ever.

View from the bottom

Here is to sitting in more waterfalls.

Some Randomness

Christina

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June 24, 2015

See that little yellow dot? They are flowers. In the middle of a gravel lot. Nothing else. Just four small yellow flowers -a type that I have never seen before.

I put myself on a coffee detox last week. I love coffee, but my heart was doing some weird beating and I thought it might be contributed to my caffeine intake. The detox itself wasn’t horrible –I only had a slight headache and was tired, but I do miss coffee. So badly.

I’m dreaming about Italy. And warm, sandy beaches. I’m also dreaming about meeting up with some of my favorite people and traveling more of the world.

I really want to dye my hair purple. Well, not purple –more of a plum. And not dye it –highlight it. Like I did with red. I really loved the red. I might do it again. Maybe after plum. Or together! I asked Amanda to talk me out of the idea –she told me to do it. Because she is curious how it will look. Now I kind of really want to.

I am kind of in love with shoes lately. For whatever reason. I have never been a big shoe fan –well, other than the fact that I like shoes since it huts to walk on gravel without them! But lately I am kind of all into shoes. Especially canvas shoes, and converse shoes. *drools*

Yoshi was outside today when she spotted me. She was in a playful mood so I called her name excitedly. She got too excited and smacked her head on a car, then tripped and fell over. I felt bad, but couldn’t stop laughing. Especially because it only seemed to make her MORE excited.

I really wish there were a website that had all the answers to stupid, yet important (on a lesser level) questions. Things such as “Can you blend a jalapeno in a blender without cooking it?” and “Are there good beaches in Meta Italy?” for instance. Maybe an answer key to my mind would be my best bet.

…and they are off!

Christina

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June 8, 2015

So about two weeks ago I bought a few cheap planters and some seeds.

I don’t have a green thumb. In fact, it is more of a brown thumb. The only seeds that I have had a part in growing were some seeds I planted with my sister –we planted them, left the containers upstairs for a few weeks –forgot about them, and they bloomed. Those flowers lasted for a long, long time. They came back year after year. We even froze them, threw them, replanted them and those plants never died.

Everything else? Has been unsuccessful in growing. I have killed many plants, yet my favorite plant still is the fake plant. Regardless. I bought some planters, put in some rocks, some soil –and finally, some seeds. We had a stretch of really sunny weather –which I thought was just perfect. I watered them. Doted on them. Watched them. Looked at them. Every day I went outside hoping to see some green sprouts –and nothing.

After a week and ½ I decided I had killed the seeds.

See? No sprouts.

We had some rain, some more sun, and some more rain. I ignored the seeds.

Until today…

I decided to brush the top of the soil to see if maybe it was too hard. And when I did…out popped a green sprout. Then another. Then another. And another.

Sprouts! Baby sprouts!

By the time I went inside I had discovered four sprouts in each pot.

…and then I decided to water them, and hope that I don’t over water them and have enough patience for them to grow fully. Because seeds! Sprouts! Flowers!

Sprouts!

Sun, Run and Fun!

Christina

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May 15, 2015

This is almost unheard of around these parts. Six days of clear weather. 70’s -in May. Normally we wait until the middle of June / July to get our sunny weather, but I’m not complaining. The past week has been sun, sun and more sun!

These two have been enjoying it:

The doors to the office have been open, and the dogs have enjoyed wandering in and out. Yoshi sticks around but Siren and her long legs take off and she disappears in seconds flat. She usually runs off to find water to play in.

Tonight I was doing some burning and didn’t want the fire to get out of control so had the hose running. Since it has been dry for so long there aren’t any puddles around. Miss Siren loves her some puddles. She spotted to hose and went wild. I picked it up and this happened…

Wait for it…

I love Yoshi in the background -she really doesn’t understand why Siren likes to stick her head in the water. Just for the record I wasn’t spraying her, I was holding the hose -she was sticking her head in the water.

She enjoys the weather in different ways.

Such as when I looked out the window to see two blonde flashes go by on the back hill. Siren (who is skilled in running, climbing and dancing dangerously close to cliff edges) had somehow convinced Yoshi (who is not skilled in these areas) to go with her! It took her a bit longer to get down but I was happy to see she had went out and was playing.

Regardless…Here is to summer!