Siena is already becoming eccentric.

Although Siena is a mere five months old, she's already developed quite the list of bizarre, eccentric habits, typically seen only in dogs 10+ years.

Here are a few of them:

1) She loves rocks. Has anyone seen that one Dog Whisperer where the dog is obsessed with rocks and chooses rocks over balls and toys to chew on? I hope to God that isn't my dog. As of late, she's grown accustomed to finding rocks in the yard and bringing them into the screened in porch to chew on. She's also assembled a pile of rocks in the middle of the yard. I have no idea how chewing on rocks can feel good, so I'm hoping she just likes the taste of dirt. Or is a hoarder. Either way, Ryan and I have tried to halt this development by attempting to pick up all the rocks in the backyard. Talk about fun.

2) She humps me. She'll actually run up to me, wrap her paws around my leg and go at it a few times. Girl dogs don't usually hump, so we may have a lesbian dog. That really doesn't bother me too much though; she rarely does it. What does really bother me though is that when she does it, she stares deeply into my eyes. (Note: She has tried to hump Ryan once or twice, but she never looks at him the same loving way.)

3) She is afraid of the vacuum cleaner. And when I saw afraid, I mean deathly afraid. And it doesn't have to be running to incite fear. The mere knowledge that it's in another room can set her ears down and back. We've been trying to desensitize her to the vacuum cleaner by making her sniff it every day, but each time she'll still scurry out of the room barking.

I should have known...Siena is a Walters, and no one who is named Walters--including myself--can be normal. No one.

Sheepish Grin

Tish found the below video today (caveat: you have to endure a short lame commercial to get to the good stuff, but wait it out because it's worth it, I promise), and I had to share because I absolutely adore sheep. They're cute. They're cuddly. They're not very smart. And, they can be really freaking funny. I mean, come on. They baaaa as a form of communication. What's not to love and giggle at?

Sure, they're scared and that one dude is lassoing them, which isn't very nice, but it's better than being left on the highway unprotected. The news anchors are pretty good, too. It's hard to report on sheep without making at least one "black sheep" joke, I imagine.

Belated Easter Post; Securing Good Karma

First off, happy belated Easter to all. Here's a cartoon that cracks me up every freaking year:


I had an awesomely productive and heathen weekend. Ryan and I spent Friday night with friends, watching basketball and eating pizza. Saturday we spent the entire afternoon in the yard, puppy-proofing it and cleaning up leaves and such (oh the joys of owning of a home and a dog), and that evening we had dinner in the Power and Light District and stayed out late drinking with friends. Sunday morning, I convinced Ryan that we shouldn't go to church (honestly, we'd be one of those people who only go twice a year, and I hate being such a hypocrite), and instead I painted the office (more on that later this week when I finish up the "Mizzou Room") and Ryan played video games. (Holy, I know.) Sunday afternoon, Ryan and I did make an appearance at his parent's house to gorge ourselves on a ridiculous amount of food that his mom had prepared. It was one big tasty feast.

Siena had quite the weekend as well. She discovered a love for the water hose (I must get video of it and share; it's hilarious) and that paint really isn't very tasty.

This weekend, I also secured my good karma for at least a few weeks. While in Chicago two weeks ago, I lost a $20 bill, and Tish helped me feel better about it (it was the last cash I had left for the trip, and while I was away, Ryan had forgotten our ATM pin number and locked us out of our account for the remaining 24 hours of my trip, so I literally had no cash to get) by rationalizing that someone who needed it more than me would find it and be happy. Then, before we went over to Ryan's parent's house yesterday, we stopped for a very old dog that was obviously someone's pet and obviously very lost. Nimmer, as we came to learn after calling and then meeting her owner, was 13 years old, deaf and mostly blind. Thankfully, we found her before she went out into any of the busier streets in our neighborhood, and she had tags, and her owner was at home.

Now, according to good ole Wiki:

Through the law of karma, the effects of all deeds actively create past, present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life, and the pain and joy it brings to them and others.

Soooo...I figure my "giving" of the $20 bill and the saving of the dog is enough to make up for my flippant nature regarding church and weekend sinning...right???

Coming clean

I know the blog has been Siena heavy lately, and I don't want to become one of those annoying dog people, but I think it's too late. In fact, I read this and found it not only cute but also tempting to do. So, to hell with it, I'm coming clean. Here's my official statement:

"When it comes to dogs, Jennipher is no longer an objective member of society. She has stepped down to better serve the needs of herself. Let it be known that, in her mind, Siena is a dog unmatched in intelligence, agility and cuteness. Instead of pretending to be objective and not obsessed with her dog for the rest of her life, she's decided to come clean. She is, in fact, hopeless. She hopes you understand."

Phew. I feel better. Now I can stop apologizing for posting things like this:

Here's a shot of us making dinner. Siena patiently waits for me to drop something. She's figured out pretty quickly that I'm the clumsy one in the house and that I drop things on a somewhat regular basis.




Like most puppies, Siena is rough on her toys. Lately though it's become a bit worrisome. Earlier this week, I found this:


Which I reassembled to be Truman.


Just for reference, here's what Truman looked like earlier this month. The signs were all there; I blame myself for what happened.

First day of spring celebration

Today was gorgeous, and Mother Nature definitely blessed us with a beautiful first day of spring, living up to everything I said spring should be in the dorky poem below. In honor of this glorious day, Ryan, Siena and I spent quite a bit of time outside playing in the backyard. Because I had a horrendous time trying to write today at work, I don't think I'm up to describing it solely with words. Therefore, my friends, I've compiled the following photo essay with minimal verbiage:

This (what I assume to be) curious flower popped up the other day. I'm not sure exactly what it is or what it will do, so if you know, please leave a comment:

I'm probably most curious to know if it comes up yearly or if it's a one-shot flower. I hope it comes up yearly because if not, that means that the poor late Earl isn't here to see it. Either way, I'll appreciate the flowers Tolle-style and try to make sure that Siena doesn't devour them too violently.

I'm not exactly sure where this piece of landscaping trim came from, but Siena found it and now cherishes it. This afternoon she dragged her prized possession to the middle of the yard for a serious chew-down.

Here's a close-up of her frolicking with it:


After a few rounds of energetic fetch...


And even sitting on command between throws...


Siena needed a drink; She isn't used to the non-freezing conditions. Note that screens used to be in that door frame. Siena busted through one and chewed through the other. It's a self-made doggie door.

Next stop? The planter. It's seriously her favorite spot. When we first got her there were mums planted in them; now there are nubs where living things used to be. (This is not a good sign for the aforementioned flowers.)

Finally, Siena came inside for some snuggle time. Happy first day of spring, everyone!

Time for a Poem

Today is the first day of spring!
Flowers and bunnies it brings!

Say goodbye to the snow for its nobody’s beau.
Especially not mine, I boycotted it long ago.

Say hello to robins and green, green grass
A good kind of weather that doesn’t knock you on your ass.

Tulips and daisies and daffodils galore
It’s certainly enough to make the soul soar.

However, be sure to frolic and dance and enjoy the warm sunshine.
Because it may only be here for a very short time.

When you live in the Midwest, weather changes so fast
Soon it will be 100 degrees, and spring-like weather will be a thing of the past!

A special thanks to this awesome Web site. I'm seriously addicted, and you'll probably see me write many more ridiculous poems because of it.

Whimsical, windy Chicago

As promised, here are a few photos from my trip to Chicago with Tishy to celebrate her 27th year of life. We had a blast...from seeing Wicked (I highly recommend you see it if you can) to the perusing the Art Institute to catching Horton Hears a Who to getting some good grub to even doing jello shots and drinking beer (no pics of that there. I'd hate to tarnish my reputation with photographic evidence of such acts of foolery.) Here's some of the most memorable shots from the trip, with commentary:

I had a crush on this captain at Navy Pier and couldn't resist the urge to salute him properly:


Gino's East had some dang good pizza. The kind we noshed on had asparagus, tomatoes, spinach and squash. Yay for veggies!

I love me some punctuation marks! Ellipses and commas -- a girl's best friend!

Outside of the Art Institute were these lovely beasts of art:

Back to grubbing. Tish enjoys her birthday cake and makeshift candle. (Look closely...it's a plastic knife. We class it up, ya'll.)

An art exhibit Tish and I were not on the same page with...

Some of their Asian art was beautiful...

This was the Van Gogh wall at the Art Institute. One of the best rooms in the place!

Tish and I were amazed by the strength and beauty in this sculpture. It looked so contemporary yet was done before 1940.

The Navigator Jelly Bean thingie was awesome, especially on such a warm and sunny day. Check out that sky.

Chicago 2008! The year of new beginnings! Happy birthday, Tishy!!!

Happy Green Day!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Pictures and stories from Chicago to come in the next day or two, but suffice it to say that it was awesome!!!!

Also, here's a bit of disturbing news about "my people." 2100? Say it ain't so!

Look how she has grown...

Friends and family keep asking me how Siena is doing and how big she's getting. I think Liz put it best when she called her a horse. Here are two videos displaying Siena's personality, energy level (even after I took her on a loooong walk/run) and size.

I'm baaaaaack...

I'm happy to report that I have survived the eye pink ordeal and am back to living and working with the normal people of the world. (For a few days there I was having to go into work from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm to not infect anyone, and seriously, the people who are at the office that late and aren't cleaning the building are a tad odd. Some of them seemed to enjoy being there at that time. Weird.) Although I had to push back my work trip to San Diego a day due to my Quasimodo-like appearance and insanely low energy levels, I was a trooper and survived the show. I even managed to get in a few workouts while away. (However, that's really not that impressive of a feat because I'm technically required to cover early morning workouts for the mag, but I did get in a good 30 minutes each day I was there.)

While away in beautiful Cali, I took some time out to capture more than just the fitness equipment on the trade show floor. Pictured below is some of the beauty my hotel was surrounded by. My photos only do it partial justice, though. It was really like heaven in San Diego; not to mention that on the day these photos were taken it snowed in KC.

When I got back to KC, I was very excited to see the hubby and puppy. (That kind of rhymes.) According to Ryan, Siena frequently wandered around the house looking for me and whining while I was away. That simultaneously breaks my heart and makes me feel loved. Interesting combination.

Here's Siena waiting by the front door/chewing on her rope:

The last few days have been great for me. I'm feeling healthy and normal again. I'm back to working out. I'm cooking and eating nutritious foods. I'm back with the family (and Ryan can look at me without wincing). And, perhaps best of all, I'm working a regular work week with my usual hours. I'm not sure if its that darn Tolle book or what, but I feel like things are looking up for me professionally and personally. I'm taking more accountability for my happiness, and it's totally working.

Not to mention that on Thursday morning, I'll be heading to Chicago (AKA Chee town, Tish) to spend time with my kiwi pal for her 27th birthday. This trip is going to be so great, it's almost like I'm having a second birthday this year. Good times abound!!!

Embracing the Pink

It's day four of the pink eye from hell, and I'm happy to report that the pink eye monsta's grip on me is slowly releasing. This morning, after 11 hours of sleep, I awoke to an eye that was almost entirely open, with minimal swelling and a slighter less dramatic shade of pink. My energy is still a little low, but I am definitely looking and feeling less like Quasimodo and more like myself. Which is awesome because I'm flying to San Diego tomorrow morning and will spend Thursday through Saturday doing some major schmoozing. (And really, who wants to schmooze with a cyclops?)

Because of my trip, I won't be around to blog for a few days, but I'll hopefully have lots of good stories to share from the sunny state of California. And, a clean bill of health to report!

I like the color pink but not this much.

If you had asked me a few days ago if I liked the color pink, I would have said an enthusastic, "yes." If you would ask me the same question today, the answer would be much, much different. Sunday morning, I awoke to a swollen, crusty PINK right eyeball. It was also itchy, scratchy and I looked like freaking quasimodo. Even the husband didn't want to get too close to me!

Because it was a Sunday, I went to a Walgreens' quick clinic, where they gave me the standard eyedrops for pink eye. I followed the treatment and then expected to get up this morning with an only slightly pink eye. But, no, my eye was even worse than the previous day. So....this morning I went into my eye doctor who calmly explained that I have some weird really strong form of viral pink eye that's going around and, if not treated properly, can turn into meningitis. Awesome! I like to overachieve even when I'm sick.

So, today and tomorrow I'm working from home and trying to nurse my eye back to a healthy shade of white. Thankfully, Siena is a sleepy bugger during the day, so she's lounged while I've worked away.

Because I don't want all of you to be haunted with visuals of me being a pink-eyed monster (side story: While I was filling my prescription at Target, I actually had a guy come up to talk to me/hit on me. After saying hello, he took one look at my eye and seriously bolted. The eye has that effect on people.), I've gone ahead and posted some pictures from last week...a time when both of my eyes were as nature intended.

Ryan and I celebrated our 8-year dating anniversary a few days ago, and he brought me home some daisies, my favorite flower:






During the warm weather this weekend, Siena discovered the frisbee and it's awesome play and chew opportunities:



Siena also has just about finished off her toy tiger, who I fondly named Truman. It's only a matter of time for this little guy, who now oddly reminds me of something that would be in Pan's Labyrinth.

On Saturday, we took the pup over to see my parents and do our taxes. Here's a couple of good ones from our visit:

Week Over; Crisis Averted

Last week was seriously the week from hell. I worked late every night, got way stressed out and didn't spend nearly enough time with my friends, family and, honestly, myself. I also almost lost the dog. Here's the story, about five days later:

I was out doing a good run/walk with the dog after work. (Siena has problems just jogging, so we always do intervals of sprinting and walking.) After a good sprint, we slowed to a walk and then turned off from a fairly major street onto a quiet side-street. Siena was walking ahead of me by a few feet and happened to pull the leash a bit. Apparently, the tug was enough to completely break her collar, thereby leaving her completely free...no leash, no collar, no tags, no nothing. Without the leash's resistance to pull her back, little Siena lunged forward and then (thankfully) looked back at me to see what was up. Apparently my look of panic and call for her to come was enough to convince her that she better behave. She came right over, I scooped her up, and I carried her the 3/4 of a mile home. At 23 pounds, it was quite the arm workout. And, unlike most times when I pick her up, she didn't squirm at all. I was proud, albeit still a little freaked, but very proud of our pup.

Then, when I got home, Ryan was on the phone talking to my dad about taxes. He passed the phone off to me, and I attempted to simultaneously get a new collar on Siena (when we first got her, we accidentally got a collar that was too big -- but, no surprise, it fits now) and discuss with my dad what documents I'd need to do my taxes. Somehow I ended up underneath the table with the dog. When I came up from under it, I whacked my head on the edge of the table, leaving a nasty red mark on my forehead, a father puzzled as to why I was cussing so much, a worried husband and a dog that looked disturbed by my second sudden freak out.

It was a fun night. And thankfully, one that turned out with only a mild red mark the next day on my forehead and a dog that was fitted with a stronger and more safe collar. Thank goodness for patient friends, family and a mostly behaved pup. And thank goodness that week is over!