Ahhhh, the first of March..I mean the 29th of February

Leap year...hmmmm, never really thought of what it was about. Our poor ancestors. Their calendar changed by 11 days one year! Crazy!!! I'm thinking we really shouldn't have to go to work today. Besides it is only ONE DEGREE (Farenheit) and a good day to stay under the covers.

But because I KNOW you all are really wondering about Leap year, I give you the following exciting information as to why we need February 29th.....

Our solar year (the time required for Earth to travel once around the Sun) is 365.24219 days.

Our calendar year is either 365 days in non leap years or 366 days in leap years (Feb 29th inserted).

A leap year every 4 years gives us 365.25 days, sending our seasons off course and eventually in the wrong months.

To change .25 days to .24219, we need to skip a few leap days (Feb 29ths) .... century marks not divisible by 400. So with a few calculations tweek the calendar by skipping 3 of 4 century leap years to average out our calendar year to 365.2425, which is pretty darn close to the solar year 365.24219.

Here’s the history: The Romans originally had a 355-day calendar. To keep up with the seasons, an extra 22 or 23-day month was inserted every second year. For reasons unknown, this extra month was only observed now and then. By Julius Caesar’s time, the seasons no longer occurred at the same calendar periods as history had shown. To correct this, Caesar eliminated the extra month and added one or two extra days to the end of various months (his month included, which was Quintilis, later renamed Julius we know it as July). This extended the calendar to 365 days. Also intended was an extra calendar day every fourth year (following the 28th day of Februarius). However, after Caesar’s death in 44 B.C., the calendars were written with an extra day every 3 years instead of every 4 until corrected in 8 A.D. So again, the calendar drifted away from the seasons. By 1582, Pope Gregory XIII recognized that Easter would eventually become closer and closer to Christmas. The calendar was reformed so that a leap day would occur in any year that is divisible by 4 but not divisible by 100 except when the year is divisible by 400. Thus 1600 and 2000, although century marks, have a Leap Day. The calendar we use today, known as the Gregorian calendar, makes our year 365.2425 days only off from our solar year by .00031, which amounts to only one day’s error after 4,000 years.

Class dismissed.

Afterthought..when we read the history books are we looking at accurate ages of people we learned about, did they really "die young"? Does it matter? Have I worked in law too long? Should I get another Pug? Are you still reading??????

Banners and Snow

I received the banners I purchased from GIRLVILLE this week! Everyone should have at least one of these...I special ordered this "celebrate" one! I just love it. I will use it for all birthdays and any other reasons I find to celebrate. I also purchased an Easter themed one. Easter is not quite out at our house yet, due to St. Patrick's Day. Wow, I really should have gotten a St. Patrick's Day one too! What was I thinking?
And because RPM asked and I love her, I put my coat on and went outside this morning to take outdoor pictures. Seems she may have a little obsession with snow.....Lisa, I think we should bring her on up here for a week and see if she gets over it?????? I couldn't venture too far around the yard, first because I was still in my pajama pants and our road is busy (not that I really care), but secondly...the snow was too darn deep to walk through.


Of course the gang had to join me outside to see what I was up too.


Not too bad here in the front under the umbrella of the pines.

Looking from road on north driveway. Can you see the pool back there? Anyone for a swim????

It all makes me want to go back to bed.

Number One Fur-daughter

Somtimes a girl gets the bed all to her self.....

Darn Groundhog.....

It has been snowing here all day and night...snow, snow, snow. Now this evening the wind has picked up and it sounds very scary out there!

Sunday Sunshine

This weekend the sun shone! P opened the blinds on the picture window in the kitchen and the puggies basked in the warmth and light......

I on the other had did not bask in the sun, but worked on my winter clean sweep project. I packed 3 boxes & 1 bag for Goodwill, sorted toys, papers, photos, and the like. It's amazing what my kids put in the attic as they were "cleaning" their rooms when they were younger. Wow, guess I wasn't paying attention to what got put up there. I can finally see an end to boxed clutter hanging around in the house. Only problem is I keep finding more photos and memories for the scrapbooks....yikes!

Happy Birthday to our son!

25 years ago today our son was born. We took his fiance and him out to lunch to celebrate at Beale Street Cafe. (notice the beads?) We had a nice time and lots of laughs. Honestly, where did the time go? and then there's the moments when I KNOW he takes after his mama....kooky!

Busy Friday

Long day today. Work, dinner with friends, scrapbook workshop. I'm currently working on putting all photos not in scrapbooks in picfolios. I started at 1976 when I met my husband....I'm in 1983. I seem to have a lot of scrapbook projects all going at the same time. I hope this means they all get finished at the same time! SOON!!!!

The Furry Gang is not happy about today....they want some attention...NOW!!!!!

Huh?

I took a trip to fabric store at lunch today to look for a special piece of fabric. It appears I forgot to go in the fabric area of the store. It also appears that is was a good thing I ran into an old friend and talked instead of more shopping!

The trip yielded: 2 bags of plastic Easter Eggs, 1 tablecloth, 1 Easter Door Decoration, 1 stack of scrapbook paper, 1 scrapbook, 1 package scrapbook page covers, and 2 Falmingo garden stacks....and NO fabric.

Uncooked noodles

I haven't made lasagna in ages. I HATE cooking the noodles, etc. I tried baking them uncooked once and hated the way it turned out. Anyhow, I saw these noodles, specific for not baking. I had thrown out my baking dish, so P picked me up a beauty at the store. I put the whole thing together and I have to say it was the most beautiful and delicious lasagna I ever made. Sorry the family was too hungry to wait for me to take photos. Trust me it was great. Anyone else ever try these?

Up to my eyeballs in red paint

Because Ihave been bad about pictures of the gang.....

The red paint project is done. Thank goodness. It all started out with a paint chip and pulling at wallpaper..... Then off to Home D*pot for supplies. Pink primer, paint, spackle, sanding block, rollers....
Of course the taking down took a bit. I had forgotten at one point the walls were painted cream. I almost talked myself into being satisfied with it, but afterall I had already bought the paint. So I pulled down the trim and set to the job....

I didn't take any during photos since I was very unhappy with the process. Two coats of mauve primer gave me one strange looking kitchen. Then on to the red....first coat....dismal, just awful. Streaks, see through, horrible. Second coat, not any better. I emailed with Girlville and she told me not to loose faith as her bathroom had taken SEVEN COATS....OMG! At coat three P came into the room and was like "what is wrong with this paint?" We discussed giving in, re-papering, having new paint mixed...but I kept going. All in all the room took five coats. Luckily there were no huge areas since the room is so cut up with doors and cupboards.

Dogs to the left...cats to the right. Notice the cat door to the laundry room. The cat doesn't use it, he pushes the door open. Let's talk about how P feels about the hole in the door!
I tidied up the entry hall too. Moved stuff around.
I took everything off this wall and ended up removing the paper, filling holes and repapering. I took the artwork from here and put it in the kitchen where the hutch was. Now I have to decide what is going here, if anything.

Here's where the small hutch was and now the picture is...

Red paint and dog fights

Today went better at feeding time. I think it helped that my husband used his "STERN" voice. We went to the Syracuse Boat Show. Had a fun time.

The kitchen painting continued tonight. Fourth coat on the wall sections under the chair rail...just finished 3rd coat on the soffits. Did I mention 2 primer coats of pink toned primer? Did I mention I nearly cried when I put on the first 3 coats? Girlville told me her bathroom took SEVEN coats. P laughed and said to have fun! I'm nervous to see how it looks in daylight! Please have all Pugs cross their paws 4coats will be it!

Food fights and getting it right....

First, we are having food issues here in Pugland. Normally I just put down the 4 bowls of food and the gang picks a bowl and eats...normally. For the past few days Marty has been doing a LOT of grumbling when he picks his bowl. He doesn't mean anything by it and I reprimand him and honestly sometimes I just pick the bowl up. Rosie irritates things by running from bowl to bowl. Zoey sometimes pushes Marty or Rosie off their bowl and Chloe, well she just goes under the table and won't eat at all. This has led to all out "war" a few times. Fighting, barking, growling, all out WAR!!! I have placed Rosie in her crate, put Marty in the corner behind the x-pen...all different things. This morning I had it...Marty grumbled, Zoey sat by a dish, Chloe actually ate, and Rosie started WWIII. I ended up breaking it up by the tails! I picked up all the bowls and told them I hoped they were satisfied. Now they can all be hungry...end of it. Unless Buster gets the bowls off the counter it will be one hungry day at home. Suggestions?????

P has finally figured out Valentine's Day for me. It was our 31st together! I can't even believe he started sending me Valentine's when I was 2....lol...just kidding, but it has been 31 years. He is big into gifting and flowers and all that stuff....I love the little stuff. A single flower, a donut, a candy bar.....it means just as much to me. So none of you will be surprised that yesterday I ran around at lunchtime getting P cash and dropping it off at home, and he drove to pick up 2 MORE motorcycles. He got home around 6pm and we had to admire and discuss his plans for them. We left the house around 6:30 for dinner at a local Chinese Restaurant. They were short-staffed and dinner took forever to arrive, but was delicious. It was so sweet because P was worried about how long dinner was taking. When I questioned him, his reply "I know you want to watch your show"....how sweet! oh yeah, I did get a card too!!! LOL

Love is being kind everyday, not just the Hallmark Day!

Happy Valentine's Day

Pugs and kisses to all, from Chloe, Zoey, Rosie and Marty!
Wow, we must have done something right...a gift from our daughter

No sorry girls...you can look pretty with it, but Pugs can't have chocolates
Chloe goes a little crazy from the excitement!

It helps to have fur around here

The new place for hanging out is under the kitchen table, right by the radiator (under the bench). Buster gets the top bunk.....Chloe gets the bottom......

Cold, just COLD

It is CRAZY cold around here. Last night on it was 10 degrees on teh car temp guage...and that doesn't factor in wind chill. The news said it was minus 20! It feels like every crack in our house is pouring in cold air. Brrrrrr Every single school in the county is closed today. I'm surprised the gang would even go out to the bathroom this morning! I'm pretty sure the only ones loving this weather are the utility stockholders.

There was also a horrible accident here on the expressway yesterday afternoon, 36 cars, 3 lanes littered with cars the length of a football field. 25 were injured and one young lady died. It even made CNN. White out conditions..which for you non snow people means...it can not even be snowing, but the wind and gusts cause snow to blow so hard across the roadways that can't see. Really CAN NOT see. If you have never driven in something like this it is extremely scarey. Your driving along and then whiteness..pure whiteness. They say to slow down and try to proceed with caution, but it only takes one car stopping and and horror like yesterday. I'm sure the people that were involved will never forget this day....never.

I was in an accident much like this when I was 21. Christmas Day returning home from skiing and suddenly cars ahead can't see and STOP...chain reaction hitting, which I was the third in line. I spun around and was facing the oncoming traffic and couldn't believe no one hit me! Within the next few minutes there were 11 accidents in a one mile stretch. Not sure how many cars were involved, but my accident was somewhere in the middle of it all. No one was killed or injured, but it took a long time to clear the way to remove the cars. While the police were talking with us a woman and her husband traveling in the other direction, ran out of gas. They walked across the x-way median to speak with the police. The officer told them to hold on for just a minute as they were trying to get us out of the area. The woman got mad and stormed off to go back to her car and got RUN OVER! We were standing not 20 feet from her and she got killed. It was horrible. After that a car driving by us tore off the police car's passenger door that was open...that was it...they put me in a police car and said they were dropping me off somewhere safe. It was unbelievable. I can't believe I ever drove again, or even got in a car. I still "white-knuckle" drive and every time I go on that part of the x-way, think about that lady who just couldn't wait...

I think I'm going to like this......

I'm sitting here blogging from my new laptop!!!! P completely took over the upstairs office. I mean honestly I gave him the office, the desktop was for both of us, but he is in there 24/7 working on parts, taking pictures of parts, researching...blah, blah, blah....so he says "you know you should really get your "own" computer. Wow, that was incredibly crazy of him to say. So heck I don't have to be told twice. Off I went and picked out the laptop I have been coveting for weeks. I could be in love with this thing!

So stay tuned I may actually take some photos tomarrow...that is if P let's me use my camera....hmmmmm.......

Please Vote for Maggie Magoo

Please stop by and vote for Maggie Magoo http://www.bissell.com/redirect.asp?page_id=47073&pet=1531. You may remember Maggie as the Pug I blogged about here and here who has Protosystemic Liver Shunt. Maggie turned two last month and is doing great!!!! She did not have the surgery, but remains on meds and a special diet. Her mom has entered her in the contest, she is number 1531. Voting is for this week only! Please vote for this very special little girl!

So...what about those eyes?

These are paintings of my great-grandparents.....my dad's maternal grandparents. The paintings always hung in the living room. When we moved in P said...."the paintings have to go, they watch me". He completely freaked my kids out. So the paintings moved to the upstairs front staircase....the kids still say they watch them. I tell them they're watching to make sure they don't fall down the stairs.
I'm still thankful that I wasn't named after my great-grandmother on this side....Wallburga?????? GAH....... Sorry grama Wally.....so sorry....

Fat Tuesday - Super Tuesday

I should have realized today was "Fat Tuesday" when I was trying to button my pants this morning.....

I have been VERY busy....just ask the Pugs. They are having a hard time napping when they keep trying to follow me around. The did corner me for most of the Super Bowl, which I amazingly did watch with P. I never really got into football, being a hockey fan and all, but I did enjoy the closeness of the game and I even yelled a couple of times. Rosie enjoyed the dog commercial, I liked the dancing lizards and the screaming animals (tire commercial)....I'm just weird like that, but the screamed and the Pugs barked and we laughed.

In other news I found a strange thing in our dog food this weekend....I am writing the company and taking the bag back to Petsmart....we'll see what happens.

I have done a lot of sorting, cleaning, throwing out....I no longer have 7 junk drawers in the kitchen WOO HOO to that.

I need to vote on the way home. I doubt any candidates will be in my neighborhood, so I don't have to worry about looking good for CNN cameras.

I have to step up the laptop search as P has claimed the desktop in "his" office as HIS.

THE END