Birds' Eye View

Billy and I had some excitement tonight. As I was making dinner and he was eating his, a bird flew in the open door and promptly scared the crap right out of me.

There is a small ledge above the door that leads to the backyard that the birds seem to love. I guess it missed it's ledge and just came straight in. After my initial shock I began running through solutions as to how to get it out of my house. A pillow case? A bucket? A fishing net would have been the best, but needless to say, I don't have one of those. It flew back and forth from the living room to the kitchen several times before it perched itself on top of the cupboard. Great. It was now comfortable.

I know it isn't a bat (THANK GOD) so I felt like it might be attracted to the light. I turned off all the lights in the living room and kitchen and just left the light on in the back yard. It worked. Within seconds he found the door and flew out. Phew...In the interim I managed to text Hitch with my dilemma asking for his advice.

His advice--'open the window and play music'...WTF???

Stick to coaching hockey players and leave critter control to me, okay ;)

Our first night together

Billy and I had a very good first night. My plan is to crate train him so putting him in a little box without his brothers and sister's to cuddle up to was a big change for him.

He started whining initially, but it literally only lasted 5 minutes or less. I had put a warm pack in there for him to cuddle up with and before I knew it, he was out like a light. I am not sure what surprised e more, the fact that he was so quiet so quickly or that his crying didn't make me want to immediately take him out and cuddle him up. Instead, I stood strong and was willing to endure any amount of whining he could dish out. Maybe I have more dog whisperer in me than I thought.

I woke up around 4 am and he was still quiet. I half expected him to wake up and want to go for a pee in the night, but he didn't. It was me who was more anxious to have him wake up. I dozed until about 5 am when I heard him stirring. He was ready to get up so I took him out and cuddled him up. He was very happy to see me and feeling extra cuddly so I spent some time with him giving him some love. I was very aware that his little (or so I am learning, not so little) bladder was probably full so I took him outside for a pee. He was still pretty wired, but he eventually struck the pose and let it go. He pee'd on the cement slab which then ran into his back foot...I have to train him to pee on the rocky area surrounding the slab so it soaks in and doesn't get on him...I bet he hates that. After he pee'd I praised him like crazy again--I love it when his little ears go back and he gets all schnoogly.

We played with his ball and his little cow toy for awhile (so cute) and then spent some more time outside where he then went #2 (I know, right?). Shortly after he was pooped out and just wanted up. He curled up on my lap and started shivering as we were outside. We moved into the living room where he fell fast asleep. So far, he is everything I could have wanted.

Introducing...

"Billy"

Well, today I had had enough. I was starting to drive myself crazy with thinking about getting a little buddy, and I believe I was starting to drive others crazy with talking about it so I finally decided to do it. I drove to Ontario and picked out a little cute p'tootie to call my own. It was a hard decision between the two puppies, but essentially I went with the recommendation of 'Pamela' and chose the guy who was her favorite. Billy was also the biggest of the remaining puppies, so he is a little chubby thing but so lovable. He and his brother were both very playful and friendly, but in the end, I am happy with my choice.

Billy was a bit stressed out on the car ride home, but settled down for a sleep for about a half an hour. Once he woke up, he seemed to get nervous again and began to pant. Before I knew it, he was barfing all over my arm. Fortunately I had a towel down and most of the remaining ended up on the towel. I pulled over at a truck stop where the noise of the freeway completely freaked him out and he quickly huddled under the car. Poor guy. I got him back in the car and settled down for another nice long nap. We drove for about another hour before woke up and spewed the remaining of his days intake of food onto the new towel. Poor little guy.

I had to make a quick stop at Petmart before we got home so he would have a bed to sleep in tonight. He was completely freaked out in there as well and basically clung to me the whole time. Finally we got home and I put him in the garage. He whined just a little bit, before he decided to walk into the house. This is all very new to him so he was walking very cautiously. Before long he was following me anxiously from room to room and sniffing everything he could along the way.

It only took about a half an hour before he seemed to calm down and loosen up. While I was showing him to my sister on 'Skype' he even started to show me love for the first time. I was delighted and it was heartwarming. We put his bed together and got things more situated and as I am typing this, he took his first #2 outside. I praised him like there was no tomorrow for that one (he did already have one accident in the house, but cut the guy some slack, I don't think he ever felt carpet before).

It feels really natural to have him around. He has been snooping around in the back yard, eating every leave that he can find. I bought him a couple of balls and a chew toy to play with for now. I have a feeling this one is going to be pretty spoiled.

He is sitting next to me on the outdoor couch digging around like there is food in there so I think I will cuddle him up some before he goes to bed.

Day 1:

barfed on twice
I think he might have pee'd on me
Pee'd on the carpet
Pooped outside

All in all, a good start to our friendship!

On the verge

I have been thinking about getting a puppy for several months, but the thoughts became more vivid over the past few days and I am right on the cusp of driving over and looking at some little cutie p'tooties.

First I contemplated breeds. It was going to be either a Pug or a Shi-tzu.











They are both so adorable.

I initially thought a Shi-tzu because they don't shed and I like that idea, but then I thought about the grooming. I spend the bare minimum amount of time grooming myself day in and day out, and I hate blow drying my hair so the thought of blowdrying someone else's is repulsive. So I conclued that it will be a pug. Sure they shed, but there is virtually no grooming and I am much better with a lint brush than a set of clippers.

In the past I have always travelled far too much to even think about having a puppy, but now I am travelling less, but still alone a lot of the time. I started to think that having a little buddy around would be great company and very manageable when it comes to going on the road. I can either bring him with me or put him in a boarding house for a week or so when I am gone.

My friend (whose name will remain anonymous--lets call her 'Mik' brought up a good point regarding how many things I have delayed in my life because of my career and just how much longer am I willing to delay things that are more than manageable? I think she is right and I am in a position now that I could certainly manage a puppy.

I have never had to think about anyone about myself before so suddenly bringing a dependent into my life is a bit stressful. For so many years all I had to do was get myself ready and head out the door. With a little guy in tow, I would have to consider other factors for the first time. As my friend 'Mik' said, it isn't like I am overtaxed mentally though so I should have the mental capacity to manage this element as well. She made, yet another, valid point that if I was the lady with octuplets, she would advise against me getting the dog. That 'Mik' is a smart cookie.

Talking with Hitch about it, he is on board but thinks I should wait until after his season is finished. I have a little spurt of travel coming up and it might just be easier to wait until that is all finished with before I go ahead and get the little guy. My heart is saying 'get him', but my head is saying 'wait'.

I am torn for sure, but I can't stop thinking about it. It is very tempting, but I think I will wait...well, that is what I am thinking at this very moment...2 hours from now I could be in the car heading to pick up a little friend.

The boys pulled it off.

500!!

With a 4-3 shootout victory in Toronto, Hitch reached the fantastic milestone.

I am so proud of him. Apparently Michael Peca presented him with the puck with a had a little speech for him. The team cheered loudly for the big man which makes me feel a little goosebumpy.

Congratulations my friend...and here is to many, many more.

Here is another good article on Hitch.

Just one more

My best buddy in the whole world is one win away from joining a list that only 12 people in all of the hockey world is a part of. With a win tomorrow versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, he would reach 500 career wins. This is impressive for many reasons, but the fact that he has only been coaching in the NHL since late 1996, makes it all the more impressive.

I never think that Hitch gets enough credit for the work that he does as a coach. I met him towards the end of his tenure in Dallas after they won the cup, but I never paid much attention to his team other than watching the standings. After he went to Philly, I became an avid follower and have since turned into the self appointed assistant TO the head coach, GM, assistant coaches, and scouting staff. You could say I am a wee bit obsessed. In the time I have watched his teams develop, he has turned average players into good ones and good players into great ones. He has taken a pure goal scorers in Mike Modano, Simon Gagne and Rick Nash and turned them into world class two way players.

He is known to be very demanding and relentless but I don't see that demanding side of him. I do, however, see the relentless side. I see a guy who is willing to do whatever it takes to help his team be as prepared as they can be and willing to spend as many hours as necessary to do it. No stone goes unturned and no player gets off the hook.

I often get angry when other coaches are mentioned in the media over and above Hitch when I know he is a superior coach to them. I rant and rave and write letters and vent and Hitch's response is always: 'It's okay Cor, that stuff doesn't matter to me'. Well it matters to ME! I want him to get the props he deserves because there is nobody more keen and determined to raise the level of his teams' play than him. Not only do they improve, but they improve dramatically. Hitch has an ability to get a level of play out of players that they had never seen before, and often do not see again once they go separate ways. One or two players, that would be a coincidence, but the list of players to do this under Hitch is as long as the final minute of play when trying to protect a one goal lead--you know how long THAT minute can feel!

There were two excellent articles written on him today and I wanted to post them here:

The Hockey News article and the one from the Columbus Dispatch.

I am so proud of Hitch and the Jackets this year. I want nothing more than for the Jackets to make the playoffs and turn a few heads, but if it doesn't work out that way, I love how people are starting to take notice of the work he is doing. He is quietly going about his business, and for the first time ever, the Blue Jackets are relevant and will be for a long time.

Don't take no guff

I am down to 8 toenails.

For the last couple of days the toenail on the right foot was ready for the taking, and as much as I could pry it up and nearly off, it was just hanging on by the corners. See here:



Tonight I had enough and worked my magic. Again, I was afraid that if I pulled too hard that it would pull it off prematurely and leave me in some kind of weird nail-bed kind of pain and blood that I didn't need to deal with.

Here is the old nail:


Pretty nice eh? If you look closely at the lower left corner you will see that there is a shred of skin that it was using to hang on.

There was a lot more 'guff' under this toenail than the other one--have a look at this:

I know, right? Gross. That 2nd toe really is tall, eh? Amazing that it isn't the one that got jammed.

Once I cleaned it all off, however, somehow it doesn't look as strange as the other one did. Perhaps it is because I am used to it now, but regardless it isn't as weird: See for yourself (there is still a bit of 'guff' on the nailbed that I couldn't get off. It will probably come off in the shower):


...and the pair of them:

...and all 10 of them:


Oh and sis, this one's for you...I almost forgot...


The underside...:)