Happy 4th Birthday Pete!

First week home - a little thinner then- 2009

Happy 4th Birthday to my baby Pete.  I adopted him from a rescue organization in Indy called "From the Heart Rescue" in January of 2009, around his first birthday.  He's been my little partner in crime ever since and I don't know what I'd do without him.  He's came a long way with his fear issues (after coming from an abusive situation) but we still have a ways to go on confidence.  He's a super sweetie to those he feels comfortable around and trusts, and a great little guard dog to those he doesn't.  Happy Birthday to my little "Tiny Dancer" Petey!!!  I love you buddy!

After a fun game of fetch - 2009

"The Most Interesting Dog in the World" - 2010

Pete with his toy on a Fall afternoon 2011

Winter Wardrobe - 2010

Pete doing what he does best, cuddling! - 2012

3 Simple Steps to Improving Energy Efficiency Within Your Home.

Perfect specimen:  both lazy and fat

Step 1 - Acquire cat from local shelter, preferably overweight for maximum vent coverage.   This cat is both fat and lazy, two major pluses when lowering your heating costs.

Step 2 - Place cat over vent in a room that you use infrequently.  For example, the cat shown to the right, is covering a vent in a guest bathroom. 








 Step 3 - Repeat Step 2, then save on energy costs all winter long!

So, now what?

Ferg had too much Champagne on New Years

Another holiday season is now under our belt.  With lots of gift giving, receiving, visitors, errands, shopping, and general frenzy, life is back to a steady routine.  We had a wonderful Christmas and Christmas dinner at Mom and Mike's.  Next stop was Dad and Sharon's for more gift exchanging and some board game fun.  Michael's parents and his sister and fiancee made it up for New Years weekend for a belated Christmas weekend...all in all it was a fabulous couple of weekends.  Michael and I did small gifts this year, mainly because we don't need anything but more importantly because our major gift to each other was a new surround sound system!  This baby has completely revolutionized the basement and our movie viewing!  Pete and Rigby are NOT fans, but I think they're slowly getting used to it.  I think it confuses them to hear noises and voices coming from behind us.  It's amazing how much detail we were missing before!  So glad we decided to do that.  Next stop on the home improvement tour:  new counter tops and flooring in the kitchen and sun room.

HEATED Competition

In a friendly New Years wager, the Colts vs. Patriots rivalry came alive in our very own home.  You see,  Michael's sisters fiancee, Pat has the unfortunate reality of being a Patriots fan.  I know, I know...how did you even allow him into your home you're asking.  Well, it wasn't easy.   After some adult beverages a wager was proposed.  The loser had to wear the opposing teams apparel for the remainder of the evening, while allowing pictures to be taken, making said picture their Facebook profile picture.  Clearly opening the door for harassment, embarrassment and shame from our friends.  Being the clutch foosball player that I am (the wager was over a game of foosball) I pretty much wiped the floor with poor Pat.  My only regret is not specifying that it had to be a Manning jersey and not just Colts.  Oh well, live and learn.  There is always next year, right Pat?

Winner.

So far 2012 has a handful of trips planned, so that's the "now what" part.  January 31st I'll be going to Bristol, TN to visit a client. (Exciting!)  But St. Patrick's Day is what we're really looking forward to.  We're going to Boston/New York for St. Patty's to visit my friend Jennifer and have an awesome time with some Southie's and green beer.   We'll extend the St. Patty's Day to a long weekend in NYC for our birthdays.  After that I'm off to a conference in Pittsburgh, PA...and I'm hoping to get some sand and beach in there soon afterwards.  Here's to a great 2012 to all!

Christmas 2012

Hodge Podge

Since winter is a time of hibernation for some of us, it's a great time to catch up on some TV!  What's everybody watching?  We watch way too many TV shows, admittedly.  Our favorites are Dexter, Sons of Anarchy, Boardwalk Empire, The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, and the one I can't wait to return... Game of Thrones! Season two trailer seen here.  Sons of Anarchy completed it's fourth season last week and although I've been hearing disappointment from many Facebook friends, I was pretty satisfied.  It was a "set up" ending which pretty much laid the groundwork for how season five is going to go.  If you haven't seen this show I would highly recommend it.  It's not all about biker gangs...well, ok it is but more about their subculture including terrific characters, intense plots, and complicated story lines.  I was hesitant at first but I was hooked after one episode.  Note though, you must watch from season one - not something you can jump into.

Hanks and Olmos

Dexter... Oh how I love you.  This season is much better than the last, in my opinion.  Season 6 of Dexter is thematically about a couple of religious extremists trying to bring about the "end of days" by performing acts in Revelations.  It guest stars Colin Hanks (son of Tom) and Edward James Olmos.  Both of these actors are playing the parts tremendously and are very convincing as a pair of nutjobs.  Colin Hanks is incredibly creepy and as always Edward James Olmos brings depth to any role he portrays.  Dexter is something if you haven't seen previous seasons you'd be just fine jumping into any of them, as most plots are self contained. 

American Movie Poster

Whatcha reading?   I just finished (finally) the Stieg Larsson trilogy, The Millennium Series.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, etc.  The first two of these had me burning through the pages.  The third...not so much.  Overall this series is great with Larsson's portrayal of  social outcast/hacker Lisbeth Salander and in fact I can't wait for the American version of the movie to come out this month!

I'm now onto The Hunger Games.  It's been on my  list for months and I started the first book last week.  So far it's totally worth the hype!  The synopsis is a post apocalyptic North America, now called "Panem" has now transformed into districts after a series of fires, storms, you know, apocalypse stuff.  The "Capitol" as it's referred to, controls these districts and every year as a "tribute" for the districts waging war on the Capitol and being defeated, are a series of gladiator style games where one boy and one girl from each district fight to the death.   I'm about halfway through the book already and can't put it down.

O hai.  Tanks fur dis new bed.

In other news... it's December 12th and I'm officially finished with Christmas shopping!  Everything is wrapped up and under the tree ready to open by their recipient!  I really went all out with the mint theme...not easy as mint stuff isn't always easy to find!  The cats seem to think the Christmas tree is exclusively for them and won't come out from underneath it.  The Duchess Ferguson has made a permanent kitty bed out of one of the gifts... awesome.  Ever try to discipline a cat?  No?  Me neither.  Pretty much an effort in futility. 

13 days til Christmas!

Bargains Bargains Bargains!

I thought my Mom and Stepdad were insane when they started hitting up the auction scene, and hitting it hard.  I think I got my first taste of extreme bargain hunting yesterday when a few uncovered gems made their way into the house.  I wanted something for the library (by library I mean spare bedroom that contains bookshelves) that had character.  I wanted something old, possibly even distressed looking, ideally from the 20s or 30s era.  What I got isn't that old but fit the bill perfectly!  I eyed this old console record player/radio and it was still in amazing condition.  With the exception of needing a new cord this should actually be operational...if I had any vinyl to play on it.  Michael and I dragged this sucker inside in the pouring rain, and it made a great addition to the room!

New console record player

A great auction find!

Vanity seat - pre-reupholstering!

Other super cheap finds from yesterday were a couple of benches.  The foyer has looked pretty barren since we moved in and I couldn't find anything that would be the correct size for it.  I picked up a $19 bench that could stand to be recovered but will do for now. Same goes for the vanity area in the master bedroom.  Around $20 and voila, new seating!  It desperately needs to fabric as the current is a very 1980s looking pastel motif.  It honestly reminds me of the color scheme on The Golden Girls...maybe it was Blanche's.  I threw a nice cream colored throw over it for now...it has nice bones and some ornate wood on the frame. 

Bench

Bench in use

The Holidays are Approaching!

The tree is UP.  The mantel is adorned with stockings! Thanks to Kohls and their lovely 60% off Veteran's Day sale I scored lots of holiday loot for less!   I'm notorious for jumping the proverbial gun on putting up the Christmas cheer.  This year I was only 6 days earlier than what is typically socially acceptable.  That day being the day after Thanksgiving.  Saturday I was on a cleaning frenzy to prepare for our dinner guests that evening and why not go ahead and decorate.  Rigby's stocking came in the mail on Friday along with my new favorite thing - candy cane stocking hangers!  I've been on my mint themed Christmas kick for several years now, I haven't tired of it so far.  I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and bring on the Black Friday shopping!

Mint tree is up!

Everyone gets a stocking

Couldn't pass up the mini tree and matching skirt

Got these gems from Bronners.com - LOVE THEM!

Happy 1st Birthday Rigby!

Happy 1st Birthday to a very special Australian Shepherd!  Rigby turns 1 year old tomorrow.  11-12-10 is her official DOB!  We'll be out of internet commission spending a weekend with my cousin and I wanted to give a special shout out to miss Eleanor Rigby Rue!  We brought her home 1-12-11 at approximately 8 weeks old.  A whopping 6 pounds up to a current 45.  We celebrated early with 2 new toys and lots of birthday attention.