Friend or Foe?

These animals of ours could put us on the map for some circus act, I am certain. Do they hate each other? Or do they love each other? Or do they love to hate each other?

Zack continues to chase Lola every chance he gets. However- girlfriend has begun to get feisty & she ain't takin' no junk off him- regardless of the fact that he could really hurt her if he wanted to. He just doesn't know it because she is the one in charge. It is quite funny at times. I think he knows he is annoying her because he just jumps at her & gets just close enough to disturb her. She has begun throwing herself at him, paws out (never intending to actually hit him) and he jumps back right quick. Sometimes this works to get him to leave her alone. Other times, it just fuels the flame!

Recently, she has found a new perch where she knows Zack won't come near her... He knows better than to get on our bed without an invitation. But cats don't bother with formalities. They just roam wherever they please so she has taken to....

The top of our headboard! The other place she loves is underneath our bed where there is a little holed up area that she can get to that Zack can't because of the way the bed is built. It drives him nuts! He scoots underneath there & tries to lunge at her but that is hard to do when you have to be spread eagle just to fit underneath the bed! However, if you happen to be downstairs, it sounds like the roof is caving in. I fully expect to see a 70lb dog crashing through the ceiling at some point in my life. One evening, he actually jumped up on the bed (& took a chance at getting yelled at for doing so) because he wanted to play so bad. She was not amused in the slightest. You see she is looking right at me with the camera in my hand. She is thinking, "Get ahold of this beast!"

He would just inch his way closer to her under the rouse of "getting comfy", all the while keeping his eye on her.... and she was keeping her eye on him too!Please? Can't we just play?ummm, no!In fact, I am going to turn my back on you & you will leave me alone if you know what's good for ya!I tell ya, it's tough being so popular... such a tough life...It's okay, Zack... the rest of us love you!

Zack is 10 Months Old!

My dog is 10 months old. I seriously can't believe it has been that long already! I can't believe i have survived his puppyhood that long!
I am constantly having to remind myself that Zack is still a puppy. And for a Boxer, that means I will be saying that for YEARS. Some days it's a lot of fun and if i am honest, some days it is more work than it is worth. But i have to say, the love that he gives us is totally unconditional & he is the most devoted dog i have ever owned. He guards this house better than any alarm ever could! He even raises all kinds of cain when there is an unfamiliar car in a neighbors driveway (even 4 houses down!) So he definitely makes me feel safe & secure. He LOVES the kids (because he is one, no doubt!) and is perceptive enough to "tone down" his strength when playing with them. He stays right near me anytime i am cooking, just in case any crumbs might hit the floor & if you mention the word "oops" or "biscuit", you have his undivided attention! He is a big boy though & i am starting to worry over just how big he is going to be. He is already over 60lbs & is solid muscle. But he is such a pretty boy!He loves a rawhide!He is persistent too. He wants to be friends with Lola soooo bad. She has become extremely tolerant of him given the circumstances. When he sits still, she will actually come over & rub against him & meow. But when she is lounging & he wants to play, well... that's another story all together. This is a nightly ritual at our house when Randy & I get into bed (with both our computers- we are dorks, we know).... (& excuse the mound of laundry that I needed to fold....)

Snow Day 3

Ugh... the snow took FOREVER to go away, & by the end of it, we were pretty sick of it! But the neighborhood kids weren't! They were all using OUR hill to sled down. We told a few kids that they could use our hill (the kids next door) but then all these teenagers showed up & it was like a party in our yard! So, we headed back out to let our own kids enjoy the hill some & the older teenagers finally left. Zack was very interested in all the commotion out front....
Let me at 'em.... please!!
Once we finally did head out again, Zack was ready for a good time!
Although, he didn't appreciate being sent down the hill alone....
All the sticks he was able to find made up for it though! He LOVES sticks!
Two younger boys hung around for awhile with us & let us use their sled....See how steep our hill is? I was near the bottom taking this shot up the hill...A birthday present arrived for Jackson in the mail while we were out playing (from Aunt Debbie)... he was thrilled...And then it was time to head back inside... But i think Zack would have gone home with the other young boys... he had a blast by day 3!Lola, on the other hand, was not so much a fan of the snow. She did handle it better than i had anticipated but she would go out, do her business & promptly be waiting back for us at the front door...
Sweet little Lola prints...
Much bigger Zack prints in the snow...

She's trying!!

Here's the proof that Lola is trying to make peace with this new addition....
She doesn't look thrilled does she? I was laying on the bed & she hopped up there... not realizing that Zack was on the other side of me snoozing.... But she was committed & stuck it out. However, she will only do this when he is fast asleep.... because when he is awake he is all about the stalking....He just wants a playmate for heaven's sake!! But so far, she has only stood her ground once (he nipped her tail... she drew the line!!) I have a feeling that in the next few weeks, once he masters the stairs efficiently, her days of peace are over. Either make peace or stand your ground... it's gonna have to happen soon, Lola girl. Very soon.....

Lola Girl....

Our sweet Lola girl.... have i mentioned how much we love her??
How can anyone resist such a sweet face? I love her white whiskers & the fact that on one eye, she has black eyelashes. That gives her character!

She waits right here for us anytime she wants to come in the house & happens to be outside....
Or if she happens to want to sharpen her claws.... ;)
Behind her there is our bay window in the kitchen... so she perches herself up on the deck rail & watches us... as soon as we make eye contact... the incessant meowing begins!! She's a chatterbug. And i have to admit... i talk back to her.... (I think we understand one another! ha!)

I'll tell you though... i'm not the only one who understands her......Jackson runs a close second in her book of favorite people!!

Poor Kitty...

Tuesday morning Jackson let Lola in to feed her. She was fine, i promise. But when i came in after work, she came to me limping. She was hopping actually... she didn't want to put any weight on her hind leg. She didn't really want me to look at it or touch it either, & kept jerking away & meowing. From the first glimpses i was able to get at her foot, i thought she was having another allergic reaction to a bee sting or something (this happened earlier last month) & figured that the swelling would go away in 48 hours like it did before.

Nope... try again. By Wednesday evening, she was laying around, & i had to carry her up & down the stairs. She was pitiful, so i called the vet first thing Thursday morning & they fit her in. Thankfully, she was eating & drinking as normal, so they weren't too concerned. But they had to shave her paw, & "drain" it because she had punctured it on something. What? I have no idea! But she was sent home with 3 days of pain meds (2 times a day in liquid form).... and 10 days of antibiotics (2 times a day in pill form). And she is on "house arrest" for at least 5 days because "feet are tricky" & are hard to get well. So thankfully she has done this alot for the first 3 days thanks to the pain meds.....She would just lay around, looking miserable for the next couple of days.

Her foot looks great here.... It was cleaned up & drained... & this was a couple days later. Those antibiotics worked fast!

But now that she is done with those pain meds & the antibiotics are working, she feels better & is VERY ready to go back outside. She is frisky & chasing things, chewing on things, meowing incessantly (at the door), & stalking. One thing i don't like about cats (& i like most everything about cats) is the stalking. I don't like that anticipation of being pounced at! There is a reason that she is an indoor/outdoor cat... she NEEDS to get her energy out - outdoors! But in the meantime, she is having a blast...

Mellowing out.....

Have i ever mentioned how much i love my kitty? She is one sweet & funny cat! After we moved in, we kept her inside for a couple of weeks but we couldn't take her misery much longer, so we put her out. And she is a new woman, let me tell you! She has been hanging outside, chasing birds, stalking anything she can see budge. She even sat on the deck & intently watched a deer graze across the back of the yard. She just loves the outdoors.

BUT there's a catch. A few days after she was outside, i was loving all over her (in the dark) in the bed, when i felt some tiny little bumps on her ears. So i got up, cut the light on, & discovered about 4o teeny tiny ticks on her 2 ears alone. I love her, but she immediately got put outside! I called the vet in the morning & apparently they are called "seed ticks" & i had a choice.... put some topical on her ears & wait for them to die/fall off OR take her in for a bath & they could do it all for me. Let me tell you, that was one trip to the vet that was WELL WORTH the $160! She is now on flea/tick guard & we have had no more problems, thankfully! The technician that delivered her to me when i came to pick her up told me that i had the "best kitty in the world!" She said that she was the sweetest little thing & that even though she didn't care for the bath, she took it & didn't give them a moments trouble. (That's my girl! She is so sweet, even when she isn't having a great time!)

Onto other things though.... a few days later, she discovered a new kitty in the house....
SO FUNNY! It actually took her a minute to realize that her reflection in the dishwasher door wasn't a threat!She seems to be a whole lot more content at this house then our old house. I am not sure why that is, but she isn't nearly as skittish as she was there. I wonder if she could still smell our old cat there (even though it had been years) & this house is a fresh start for her. Either way, she is becoming more comfortable with new people & even hops into Jackson's lap & sometimes Randy's - but only if there is NO ONE else to get attention from!
She LOVES attention from me though! Sometimes i tell her she thinks she is a dog. If i am upstairs & i leave to go down, she follows. If i am down & leave to go up, she follows. She lays at my feet when i am working at the computer......usually in the "recycle basket" i keep next to me...

Or she sits on the actual desk.....

Lays on the desk, next to the computer....

She even lays on the keyboard pull out tray that is unused (except from a calendar), when i am typing. She rests her head on my arm, while i type! One way or another, she is going to be with me. And i LOVE it!

Let "MEOW"!

These days, Lola really wants to go exploring.... the great outdoors! She stalks the doors & we have to be very careful not to leave doors open. I am apprehensive to let her out because this has only been her new home for a week and a half. But she is ready! I have let her roam on the back deck a bit when i was "guarding" the steps so she couldn't run off but that only made things worse i think! When she isn't longingly looking out the front window or hanging out on the windowsills, she is very playful! She hides behind the landing at the foot of the steps & jumps out from time to time..... she lounges in the stair basket..... she hangs out on top of, inside of or under any box she can find....

And sometimes she goes from lounging to attacking the box without a moments notice!
I guess if you can't get your energy out in the great outdoors, then you have to find ways to entertain yourself indoors, right?

Final Week at 148......

{Leaving for church for the final time from this house! Aren't they sweet?}

Well, this is our final week at this house & it shows! We have boxed & packed until we just can't take it anymore! The house is a total wreck but that is what it has to look like before we can move it all out, i guess. My brother & sister in law (uncle jeff & aunt malissa) came up today & we "traded" our TV armoire for the matching couch that he had (that matched our love seat/chair combo). All of which (both the living room set & armoire) used to belong to Grandaddy & Grandma Tee. We won't be able to use the armoire in the new house, so we didn't want to move it. So luckily, Uncle Jeff wanted it. (He hated moving it though- it was the one peice of furniture that Randy dreaded moving from the get-go. It is massive & heavy!) So at least one big piece of furniture is already gone!
We have had to do a lot this weekend because Randy is working all week & I am working wed/thurs myself. Sooo, that makes for an interesting week since closing is Friday morning. So basically, we have to be ready to be moved out by the time we leave for work on Wednesday morning. After work, we will pick up the Uhaul & start loading Wednesday evening with the big stuff from Randy's shop & the larger furniture & appliances. Then the plan is to move the boxes into the Uhaul on Thursday evening & clean the house. Whew, i am tired just thinking about what lays in store for us this week. I am sure we will be worthless before the actual move-in! The move out just might do us in since we are having to drag it out all week! But hey, you gotta do what you gotta do, right? Here are some pictures from the last few days....

{the living room looks like a tornado went through it! Broken down furniture & boxes everywhere!}

{while Randy worked in the yard & i worked in the house, we wasted some water & let the kids play in the sprinkler to keep them a) entertained & happy and b) out of the way!}

{I am sure you can see the total stress this is causing Lola. I mean, this is about to send her over the edge- can you tell!? (sense the sarcasm!) No but seriously, she is so relaxed & stretched out that she almost fell off the edge of the bed! She just cracks me up when she lounges like this.....}

{and this leg, all propped up on the pillow.... she totally thinks she owns the place!}