April 2, 2010

  • My Unknown Plant And Removing The Doggie Odor


    TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

    The mystery is solved.  My Lincoln hybrid is actually a miniature rose ... a fragrant miniature rose.  (Thank you Bratfink!  You ARE the Google champ).  The article Bratfink forwarded to me was how to make the roses grow larger than normal.  I don't want to do that (mainly because I am too lazy to go through all that BS) and I have a couple other miniature roses that I will probably put all together in one of the earth boxes.

    Today the Beast decided it was time for Baron to be bathed.  I had to agree.  One of the things I don't miss since he has been banned from the bed is the *doggie* smell he left on my pillow.  I have a house full of different Febreze sprays because of him.  Oh, and the Beast whom the Princess says has an *old person* smell to him.  I spray his recliner at least once a week and his side of our bed about every other day.    I actually spray our whole bed once a week anyway and especially when I change our linens.  I always hated the smell at some of our older relatives homes when I was a kid. 

    I am very scent/smell oriented anyway.  I can tell more about food from the smell than most people can.  I remember the look on this one woman's face when I took a fork full of food (I don't remember what it was right now) and smelled it before I put it in my mouth.  She had this horrified look on her face and said to me, *Did you just smell that?*  I looked at her and said very matter-of-fact, *Of course.  Don't you?* and kept on eating. 

    Why would that bother anyone?  What if the food smelled BAD?  If bread is not fresh and is getting ready to mold, I can smell the difference in the yeast even before the bread turns green.  What is bad about that is I can't eat something that doesn't smell good to me.  If it has a spice in it that I don't like, I can't even put it in my mouth.  That doesn't happen often but I don't even think about it any more.  It's the same when I am cooking.  I can tell by the smell if something needs more seasoning.  It might be a weird thing to admit to but it's something I do that I can't help. 

    Back to the dog.  The Beast walked out of the house onto the deck carrying a bucket of warm water and one of our big towels over his shoulder.  Baron looked at him and took off like a shot.  He found a spot on the lawn that he felt was far enough away and laid down facing the deck.  The Beast ended up having to grab his collar and bring him up onto the deck where we put the leash on him to keep him in place. 

    He's actually good once we drench him with the warm water and start shampooing him with a good flea and tick shampoo.  It smells wonderful and has some neat stuff in it to help the skin.  We rinse him off with the hose and then use a good creme rinse on him that we leave on for 5 minutes then hose him off.  After that, we let him shake first and then dry him off as best we can with the towel.  As soon as we take off the leash, he shakes good a few times then is off and running to roll in the grass.  To watch him is funny.  You would think he was playing a game with the way he is on his side and sliding over the grass by pushing himself with his legs. 

    The Beast decided we needed to make some hot dogs or hamburgers on the BBQ.  You remember, the new one that he bought in the middle of winter.  I thought, *Hey, not a bad idea.  HE is the cook when we bbq.  Why not?* So I told him it sounded good to me.  I DID open a can of baked beans and I cut up onion and tomato.  I gathered up most of the condiments we use plus some pepperoncini that I like to add on my hot dog.  I also steamed the buns for us.  The Princess got off work early so she walked in just as the food was ready and she invited herself.  It was okay with me.  She's our kid after all. 

    Chewlee said she didn't want to eat (yet) but I told the Princess that she had a hot dog at school for lunch so it probably didn't appeal to her.  She waited patiently for me to finish eating.  She kept saying, *Are you done yet?*  I thought she wanted to watch something special on TV but she was waiting for me to help her find the dogs ball so she could use the special ball thrower(see note below on this) and get Baron to chase it.  As soon as I finished eating, she grabbed my hand and said, *C'mon Gramma...lets go!* as she headed towards the door, barely waiting for me to move my chair so I could follow.

    She's actually not strong enough to use it so she handed it to Papa for him to throw the ball.  Then she ran to the railing to watch him chase and catch up with it.  The problem is trying to get the ball back from him to throw it again.  He hasn't learned to do that.  We were watching our neighbor playing frisbee with the young dog there.  HE brings the Frisbee back and gives it to him.  Sheesh.  I wondered if Baron could learn something by watching through the fence.  He can't be outside while they do it because there would be a fight for that poor Frisbee then. 

    Okay, I think this has gone on long enough.  Love you all.  Hope you have a great day.  It's almost the weekend...yay!!!!!!  I also hope you didn't fall for any April Fools Day joke.  If so, you aren't the only one I'm sure.   * * A GOOD PUN IS IT'S OWN REWORD * * 

    *I mentioned this last summer when the Beast bought it.  It's got a curved handle and a cup on the end that the ball fits into.  You kind of hold it over your shoulder and then throw it forward.  It allows you to throw it further than you could without it.  The Beast bought it so exercise Baron but....Baron wouldn't return the ball.  So much for that thought.  He still won't return the ball ... or a Frisbee.  *Sigh*