HighFiber

Monday, June 5, 2023

Books, Grass, Water

Well, I'm no Gutenberg, and it isn't The Bible, but I'm back at it again. It won't be too long before there's a fourth book. The new one is in the works. Soon the inside pages should be ready to go to my little team of proofreaders/editors. Then I can start on the cover.

There will be some new material in this book that was not included in the online story blog version, and of course, Pauly had to be added to the "cast of characters." There will be more pages, too.

I wasn't sure I could put out a book this year, with a new puppy, but Sandy's getting where he needs less time and supervision. He still puts us through our paces, though. For instance, he thoughtfully made up a puzzle for Daddy to put together, because puzzles are so much fun, right?

The real game, though, is to get Daddy to try to get the puzzle pieces away from him. That's so much fun! If we don't want to play this game, though, we need to keep important papers (and Fearless Flyers from Trader Joe's) out of reach, which is getting higher almost daily. He always brings something back that he's taken out to the backyard, but things like papers may not be in the same condition they were when they went out.

Sandy is settling in nicely, though. Dusty has clarified any misconception Sandy might have had about who is the boss among the canines in the family and who gets the end of the couch with the view out the front window. Sandy doesn't seem to mind, although he tests the limits with Dusty the way he does with us. It's part of the learning process. As of Friday, he's up to 13.2 lbs.

Dusty is helping Sandy learn new things. When I teach Sandy a new trick, Dusty demonstrates. (Not every dog gets a demonstration for sit, shake hands, lie down and stay.) Dusty also demonstrates not jumping up and not biting, but that's a little more difficult for Sandy to understand.

Thursday we went to the big dog park at Hollinshead Park in Northeast Bend. It's a very large, open area where dogs can interact off-leash. Probably because it was a weekday, there were only a few dogs of various sizes, which was perfect for the first time.

Sandy did get a chance to meet a few dogs besides just passing them on the trail. He was a little intimidated by the big dogs, but everyone was well-behaved, so he warmed up to them, and he got a chance to run on real grass. (Our "lawn" at home is pretty pathetic.)

Sandy is growing up to be a very nice dog. We've signed him up for a puppy training class beginning in early July. We know how to train a puppy, but we think he will learn more easily with a little competition.

We zipped out to PetSmart after that and picked up some more dog food. Sandy enjoyed looking at the parakeets. Both dogs rode in the cart, because Dusty doesn't like the floor, and we didn't want to overdo exposing Sandy to other dogs inside too much. He hasn't had his canine influenza vaccine yet because there's a shortage in our state, but we're hoping to be able to get him immunized before his class next month. Right now, we don't have any reported cases here, but that doesn't mean that a traveling dog might not bring it in. Dusty got to meet his teacher, too. Of course, they took to each other right away. I don't think we've met a person Sandy didn't like right away.

After that we stopped at Trader Joe's. The pups and I waited in the car, so I could knit and the pups could nap. It wasn't too hot, and we were in the shade, but I kept my door open a bit, and we stayed comfortable.

On Saturday, we took the dogs to our usual dog park, where there is a separate area for little dogs. Our miniature poodles are over the height permitted, but we were invited when we first moved here, because they were tall for their weight and obviously not vicious (old photo).

This time there were only two other small dogs there, and Sandy seemed quite comfortable with them. We've noticed, though, that he seems very much more interested in people than dogs, very much like our Rocky. He had very nice interactions with these people, too.. The young man said Sandy was a therapy dog, not the first time anyone has told us that about Sandy. I'm not sure I'm up to taking on being a therapy dog partner again, but maybe there will be an opportunity for Sandy to help others in the same way on a case-by-case basis. He needs a little polish first, though.

Yesterday we picked up a wading pool. Dusty isn't fond of swimming; not the way Rocky was. Guess who's a water dog, though. He seemed to know right away what it was for, even before we added the water.

We found some toys that sink to the bottom, and Sandy showed Dusty how to pick them up. Dusty's very competitive, so soon he was putting his face under the water to get the toy out. You can see bubbles coming out through their noses when they get the toy. Sandy is so excited! It's supposed to get warm over the next few days. This should be fun to watch.

I haven't made a lot of progress on the Kultainen käki sweater, but did get a few rows done. I'm still on the bottom ribbing. (This one starts at the bottom.)

I'm looking forward to the colorwork section. Any bets on whether I'll get to wear this in the fall?

I have a lot of difficulty responding to comments to my blog posts because of technical issues beyond my control (my lack of understanding of how things work). Message me on Facebook, Ravelry or Spoutible if you need information.

If you have a few minutes and are willing, please go to Amazon and B&N and search for "Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook by Peggy Stuart" in Children's. Every click on the page for the book makes it more likely they will keep a good supply in their warehouse and stores. If you are outside the US, you may have a separate website for these retailers. If you have a copy of any of our books, including Emil and Mariah, please leave an honest review on the websites, especially if you bought from them.

Where's my blog: If you want to follow my blog, go here and sign up to follow.

What's on my needles: Still the Kultainen käki cardigan and the EmPower People Kerchief (hibernating).

What's on my loom: I have the yarn for my warp. Just need the time to start on it..

What's on my sewing machine: Still ready for quilts.

What's in The Doll's Storybook: Sandy makes a starring appearance in this week's story as The Writer's puppy, coincidentally named "Sandy." We look at what growing up is all about in "Growing Up." It's also a good (though partly fictional) look at Sandy's development so far, from a doll's point of view, of course.

What's on my iPad/iPhone: I've been listening to the music for Sunday's service.

What's in my wine glass: Arriccio Merlot 2019. I have a good wine steward!

What's my tip of the week: Dogs should have a spoonful of full-fat plain yoghurt every day by itself, not mixed with food, to stay healthy. Probiotics as part of kibble are of no use.

Where are my books: The stories in each book first appeared in the blog and they are reproduced with a few changes.

Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook is available from BookBabyBookshop and other booksellers worldwide. The stories are Little Green Greatcoat, The Boy Doll Who Cried Wolf and Lost in the Woods.

Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook and Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are also still available from booksellers. The link for Book Baby is here. The three stories in Emil are Best Buds, Getting What You Want, and The Boys Cook Dinner.

The three stories in Mariah are Being Little, Besties, and Distraction.

If you don't get free shipping from Amazon or B&N, buy from the BookBabyBookshop, because 50% of the price goes to St. Jude. Other booksellers pay much less.

Note: This blog post was produced on the iPad and the MacBook, using the iPhone for some photos and some photo processing. No other computer was used in any stage of composition or posting, and no Windows were opened, waited for, cleaned or broken. No animals or dolls were harmed during the production of this blog post.

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Monday, May 29, 2023

Adventures in Puppy Parenting

Obviously, Sandy has grown.

He's also getting better at staying put for photos, but not as good as Dusty.

It only took seven or eight tries to get this photo of Sandy.

I took them for walks a couple of times by myself this week. It's a little like trying to drive a buckboard standing up, but it's getting easier. I've been working with both of them on "heel," which I expect will help eventually. Dusty has the "heel" part down, but not the "sit" when you stop. Sandy doesn't get the point of "heel" but is great at "sit."

We have managed to walk every day this week, taking varying routes. Usually we put harnesses on the pups. Sandy has already grown out of the puppy harness. The one he's using now needed a lot of adjustment for him, but fits better than the one we use for riding in the car. When he grows out of this one, I should be able to adjust the other harness like Dusty's so it's small enough for him.

I keep finding Snowball in different places around the house. I thought this was Snowball doing cat yoga.

Sandy has grown so much, we keep moving things, and he still manages to get something he shouldn't have, either because he can destroy it or it might be harmful for him if he swallows some of it. The other day, I caught him like this. (It's too bad the light wasn't on in the room, because it would have been a great photo.) We don't know who put that stool there, but neither of us remembers doing it. He couldn't have done it himself, could he? What was he after, the coasters or the fly swatter?

This morning, I heard what sounded like rummaging in my purse, which was in the middle of the dining room table. Could it be? Yes! When I checked, Sandy was standing ON THE TABLE! I wanted to laugh. I wanted to grab my phone and get a photo. I didn't want to give him the idea that it was OK, though, so I told him no and took him down. Then I made sure all the chairs were placed right up against the table, so he couldn't use one to climb. What a monkey!

I've written a new story, the first one since April 7th. When each story is written, I copy it into a word-processing program, edit it to fit to use less paper, if I can, and print it off. I make notes about what kind of photo I want. Then I take photos or sometimes find things online and check them off on the script. Well, Sandy got my script. He took it outside, but brought it back when I didn't chase after him. However, it wasn't much good when it came back. Fortunately, I only had two photos left to take, and I remembered what I wanted them to be. (I wonder if he's a literary critic in a fur coat?)

Dusty has had his paws full, dealing with the growing little brother. They get along great, unless Dusty has to correct Sandy, who doesn't always take correction from Dusty well. They often look sweet together.

We are well into spring here, with wildflowers blooming. Plant.id says this is probably flixweed. If so, it's edible. We need some of it in our yard. This photo was taken on one of our walks.

This was growing on a slope next to the Larkspur Trail, on someone's property, and probably planted, but also a wildflower, most likely Basket-of-gold, a type of Alyssum, and related to the flixweed.

I managed to get some progress on the new book. Now it's time to walk the dogs.

Where's my blog: If you want to follow my blog, go here and sign up to follow.

What's on my needles: Still the Kultaimnen käki, but not much progress, just a few rows of ribbing, and the EmPower People Kerchief (hibernating).

What's on my loom: I really hope to warp for placemats soon!

What's on my sewing machine: Also plan to start working on some quilts.

What's in The Doll's Storybook: Dipping into Art...Again, a rerun from 2018. Jolena and Veronika do some finger painting and have a look at what art is.

What's on my iPad/iPhone: Didn't get a chance to listen to White Silence this week.

What's in my wine glass: Bordeaux Supérieur 2019 from Kirkland, Grand Vin de Bordeaux. Not bad.

What's my tip of the week: If a recipe calls for lemon juice, you can substitute lime juice. If you don't have lime juice, you can substitute orange juice, but it isn't as acidic. I used half orange and half white vinegar in a recipe that called for 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and it worked fine. However, if the lemon is a major ingredient, this won't work.

Where are my books: The stories in each book first appeared in the blog and they are reproduced with a few changes.

The three stories in Mariah are Being Little, Besties, and Distraction.

If you don't get free shipping from Amazon or B&N, buy from the BookBabyBookshop, because 50% of the price goes to St. Jude. Other booksellers pay much less.

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Monday, May 22, 2023

Bigger Puppy, Same Old Lady

The Talvinen cardigan is finished.

The buttons arrived Monday, as anticipated. I was delighted with how they look with the colors in the yarn.

I was happy with the fit, too. Putting in the steek adds the width of one of the bands to the overall bust measurement. It will be loose enough to wear over a couple of layers, if I need to do that, but isn't too big. (I had to stand on the bottom rung of the utility ladder to take the photo in the bathroom mirror.)

The pups went to the groomer on Monday, too. Dusty doesn't look much different, but Sandy sure does! They both needed a nap after they got home, but I got this photo first.

After the nap, they had to go out into the dirty backyard and try to undo some of the groomer's hard work.

Sometimes we can get a glimpse of what our adult Sandy will look like, although we know he will lighten up a lot from this.

In anticipation of the next rain, Charlie had covered the lawnmower (already waiting in the backyard) with a tarp. The pups thought they had a better use for the tarp...or maybe they thought they could mow the lawn for us and were just distracted from their task by the removal of the tarp.

Sandy is still trying to get his friend Snowball to come outside to play. Eventually, he should make it.

Sandy really enjoys the sidelight. He can look out and see some of what's going on, although his view is partly obstructed by the front porch rail and a big bush. We have since removed the metal dog play yard, because Sandy doesn't go upstairs to potty anymore, only to look for something interesting to investigate, so we just keep the doors closed now.

Wednesday was a nice day, so I took some photos outside.

Friday marked a week since Sandy's final Parvo vaccine that should give him immunity to this dangerous disease. Our vet thought a week was all we needed to wait before taking him out on the trails, which are used by lots of dogs. We still cleaned paws and took off shoes at the door one last time, but have since stopped. We had to take a photo to commemorate the event, so we paused at the fence with the Bigfoot signs (also mentioning that they had a baby dragon). Sandy has outgrown his harness, and the second harness like Dusty's is still so big one of the front legs comes out.

We're minimizing contact with other dogs for now, because Sandy hasn't had the canine flu vaccine yet. At the groomers, they were treating him as an unvaccinated puppy, by cleaning surfaces and keeping him in his kennel except when he was being worked on. It has been a week, so if he caught anything, he doesn't have any symptoms. That's good. Here's what our Walk for a Dog app showed for the walk.

Saturday we just took our usual walk around the block, to fit it in between rain showers, thunder and lightning. Sunday, though, was pleasantly warm and sunny, so we walked through the neighborhood to the park by the Recreation Center and came back on the Larkspur Trail, taking a side trip through the Juniper forest adjacent to the trail. It was a little longer than Friday's walk.

My computer glasses were missing most of yesterday. Charlie found them in the grass in the backyard. They're dirty, but probably not any more so than they were. I can't believe they don't have scratches from Sandy's little piranha teeth, though.

Speaking of piranha teeth, Sandy (like all puppies) likes to bite our feet, shoes, socks and pants. The breeder recommends Grannick's Bitter Apple, which we have used with success in the past, but it didn't seem to deter Sandy. I don't know if it loses its effect over time. The bottle we have is one we've had for years. I decided to look for something I could concoct at home. I found a recipe online that called for apple cider vinegar and white vinegar with a little chili pepper. I didn't have any cider vinegar, so I made it with only white vinegar. It didn't work. I'm trying with cayenne now, but the spray bottle has broken.

Sandy also moved up to larger-sized kibble this week, as recommended at four months. We switched him over several days, because we're using a different brand with a different formula. It's the puppy version of something Dusty is getting, so eventually they will be able to free feed from the same bowl. Right now, I either supervise their mealtimes with an open bowl of Sandy's food in the playpen (where Dusty won't go) or I fill their Kong toys with the kibble and make sure they don't swap.

I have a start on a new book. I'm working on the layout now. Stay tuned.

Where's my blog: If you want to follow my blog, go here and sign up to follow.

What's on my needles: Just cast on the Kultainen käki sweater, again as a cardigan and the EmPower People Kerchief (hibernating).

What's on my loom: Dust, but I still plan to make some placemats.

What's on my sewing machine: Still ready for back of T-shirt quilt and quilts for Soren and Johan. I washed the backing fabric for the T-shirt quilt this week. Progress.

What's in The Doll's Storybook: Still doing reruns, while I cope with puppy. This week's reedited story is Insomnia. Jolena tries everything to help her go to sleep but the one thing all Happy Kids need. Mandy helps her out.

What's on my iPad/iPhone: Still listening to White Silence by Jodi Taylor. Still haven't gotten very far.

What's in my wine glass: Monte Plants Breedekloof Pilotage 2020 from South Africa. Not bad.

What's my tip of the week: I discovered that I can use the air fryer to make cottage fries without mixing everything in a bowl first, since I spray the cooker pan with cooking spray first anyway. When the pan has heated up, I just put the cut-up potatoes in, sprinkle in the seasonings and give it a stir. No added oil. Worked fine.

Where are my books: The stories in each book first appeared in the blog and they are reproduced with a few changes.

The three stories in Mariah are Being Little, Besties, and Distraction.

If you don't get free shipping from Amazon or B&N, buy from the BookBabyBookshop, because 50% of the price goes to St. Jude. Other booksellers pay much less.

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