You may recall that my vet advised me to collect fecal samples from the 3 cats and Doodles. I don’t know if anyone has tried to collect fecal samples from cats, but it’s not easy. In fact, it’s a downright pain in the ass. To begin with, my cats are housetrained. Not litterbox trained. They refuse to use a litterbox. They do their business outside. And absolutely not if anyone is watching. They all use the same area of the yard. It’s IMPOSSIBLE to tell who’s poop is whose. And that’s making the quantum leap that it is possible for me to get to the poop before the poop-eating dogs.

To make a long, shitty story short(er), I never did get adequate fecal samples for the cats. So, $185 later, all animals are on meds for Giardia.

Back to the internet addiction — it was rather a rude awakening to realize that I’m totally addicted to the internet. I was unable to check my email for over a week and I seriously panicked — what was I missing? how does one keep up without internet? I can’t tell you how many times I said “oh, I’ll just check that online” and then felt that kick in the stomach feeling when I remembered I couldn’t. Addiction sucks.

So I did what any other red-blooded girl would do — I used sex to convince the Big D to get another dog. See I figure: we had 3 kids, 3 cats and only 2 dogs. It’s only right that I get another. My current issue is that there are 3 of everything except parents (so DH and I are on the lookout for another wife . . . preferably one that likes to cook and clean and doesn’t take much room. Let me know if you know anyone.)

The new dog is a Maltese. Cute as a button and has a sparkling personality. We named her Muff (a reminder of the tactics used to bring her into our home? ya think?) — her name was Angel (but seriously, me with a dog named Angel?? I don’t think so.) Mose loves her. Really loves her. Poor Muff doesn’t get a moments peace and the kids are getting an at-home doggie sex ed demonstration.

Makes for interesting conversations over dinner.

We haven’t actually gotten all that much real rain . . . just threatening dark clouds. The torrential downpour on Friday cinched it for me though . . . until those ominous dark clouds are gone, I’m keeping my happy butt inside where it’s warm and dry. We had a few minutes of blue sky above the house yesterday, so the kids and pets ventured outside. The kids were jumping on the trampoline and I heard it.  Hail. Kids screaming “OUCH!”  Mr. E, boy genius, said — “Mom, it’s snailing!” Rain + Snow + Hail = Snail.

Out to the patio I went to herd in the kids and the animals. For the record, Doodles was fine in her sweater (see the picture below),  Mose was oblivious and covered in hailstones and the cats were pissed!

Doodles in her sweater

Isn’t she cute? DH made fun of her (and me) when I first got the sweater. Then it snowed and she could play in the snow for more than 2 minutes without shivering. And who put the sweater on her yesterday when it was raining? Hmmm? Not I — but the Big D.  Ha! Not such a frivilous thing after all, eh?

Speaking of dogs — can you believe this is the same animal?!?!?!?!?!!

Mose when he was cute

Mose now