JoyfulC

Regardless of the emotional impact of being with someone else, it is important that people understand the physical aspect, the ethics of exposing your partner without her knowledge or consent. If you're in a sexually active relationship, and carrying on clandestine sexual relations, please PLEASE be aware of your responsibilities. You can choose to take whatever level of risk you feel comfortable with for yourself, but you have an obligation to protect anyone you've given reason to think is in a monogamous relationship with you.

Hey! That's how I roll. But now it needs a new power jack. Ugh!

(Another) new power adaptor for my netbook. This makes four in four years.

Oh no! I forgot to phone the vet and ask if they'd have time to give her a check up when we bring the little boy dog in Tuesday. It's The Big Snip for him!

Brussels sprouts, with lots of butter! And maybe some broiled chicken and a salad.

Well, I guess she's staying. After much discussion, we've renamed her "SweetPea." I never really thought of our home as being one that would include a pug, but that's because I was a pug bigot. This little girl is all dog. And she can hold her own!

I never had any urge to get a tattoo, but I've seen enough of them. I've always wondered, what motivates you to get one? And how do you decide what you want? I'm always a little taken aback when I see a number of totally disparate designs on someone, I have to wonder. (If I were going to get more than one tattoo, I'd probably try to at least coordinate them somehow.) Tell me about it.

Yeah, and she really knows how to work it with daddy. She's pretty much skipped to the head of the queue around here. I just think she could do better than us! Around here, she'll just be one of the pack. I see her being the joy of someone's life. Someone who will buy her toys (which we won't do), and send her to the dog groomer (which we won't do) and run her into the vet over every little figment of their imagination, only to have to listen to a lecture about how she could stand to manage her weight a little better. We have several eager applicants, but I'm not sure. The best of them is a couple who recently lost a pug to old age, and would love to have another. That's a mark in the good column. But they also recently had their first baby. New first time parents usually have no clue as to just how uncivilized their lives are going to be for the next several years. It's not a great time to take on a new pet. The pet usually gets the worst of that deal. (After the day we had around here, I'm thinking of keeping her and trying to re-home the damned puppy!)

OMGoodness! Our puppy was in rare form today. He went rummaging through my purse, and I still haven't found everything he stole. He excavated the cat litterbox, leaving most of the litter outside it. He jumped up on the stove to get a glass of pop I left sitting there, and got pop all over. And then I found his secret stash of shredded Christmas cactuses and dirt behind the sofa. Let's keep the puppy, he said. It will keep us young, he said. He's a dweeb.

I'll probably grab something more later, but I just ate a peanut butter and salad sandwich, and it was pretty damned good! We've been doing that thing of keeping salad in mason jars in the fridge to greatly enhance how long it will stay good. It works! I'd go for another sandwich, but I'm outta bread.

Thanks, but the reason I chose to post this on CERB is because I know there are a lot of big-hearted people here. People on CERB love their pets!

We finally did Poor Man's Prime Rib: eye of round roast. Preheat oven to 500°. Put roast in and reduce temp to 475° for 7 minutes per pound. Shut oven off and leave roast inside for another 2-1/2 hours. Result is a perfectly cooked and tender beef roast.

Cleo and Peachy: you misunderstand. She has a forever home here with us if we can't help her connect with a special someone. I am a great believer that dogs (and even cats) need jobs. This little girl is ideally suited to be a special companion to someone. She seems very happy here in our home, but she's one of three dogs and there are two cats, as well. She gets along fine with all of them, and she seems enthusiastic about finding her niche here. But I know dogs very well. I've lived with dogs my whole life. I've rescued and fostered many dogs. Our house is the place where everyone else's dogs go for "vacay" while their families travel. And that's why I know in my heart that this little girl was born to be a special companion to someone. I am thinking someone older, settled in life. Perhaps someone retired or a couple where at least one partner is at home through the day. I honestly believe that there's a situation out there where she could make a difference in someone's life. Sometimes souls were meant to find one another. And I'm just putting it out there to see if we can find that person for her. Meanwhile, believe me, she's got us all charmed around here, and is fitting right in. She doesn't have to go anywhere, and we'd only let her go if we believed she was going to a better situation.

Shrimp bisque, salad & crusty French bread fresh from the oven. And later maybe maple baked custard for dessert.

I dunno, mistert. Looking back on when I had cable, it seems to me a lot of it was just like this.

Ever have one of those weeks where the tech fubar gremlin is sitting on your shoulder, blowing in your ear and whispering sweet nothings? When this fellow gets horny, I always end up getting fucked.

Someone gave us a 9-week-old boxer/lab mix puppy for Christmas, but before that, we always had rescues. We took in some of the toughest of the tough cases (and that's why I can't have nice things). I usually find that dogs become particularly sweet and lovable in their last years. We currently also have a beagle that is probably at least twelve. (Being a former hunting dog, no one is even really sure who he is, let alone how old he is.) He's the greatest guy ever, and I love the stink out of him. I will consider it a privilege to share his golden years. I had actually been hoping that when the last of our dogs went, we might be dogless for at least a few years. I always wanted to travel (and not just from one drop zone to another). Maybe get one of those little pop-up trailer things, and see the maritime provinces. (Not sure I'm still rough and ready enough to tent it. I know Fred isn't!) But no! Taking on a puppy pretty much ensures that for the next 10-15 years, I'll be cleaning up messes, and reupholstering the furniture with dog-friendly fabrics, and eating every meal with eyeballs riveted to me, watching that I leave a few bites. I tried to re-home him. I have a friend who's active in flyball and agility training. He knows a lot of people. I could have found him a great home. But I watched my husband watching that puppy, and I knew it was game over. No way could I take that puppy away from him. So! The little shit jumped on me yesterday, sent my ipod touch flying and shattered the screen. But he's a puppy, and puppies destroy a lot of stuff in their first couple years of life. That said, he's adorbs! And worth it. Even though he munched on my best black heels. I think he's going to be the best dog ever. Fred calls him Buddy, and that's pretty much his job description too. (Anybody know where I can get my touchscreen replaced while I wait? I'd prefer not to have to drive into town twice over this.)

Steaming plates of spaghetti with sauce made from our garden tomatoes and fried liver. (We're out of meatballs for the moment.) We had fresh baked bread and lots of grated Parmesan with it. ( Although the puppy got hold of the Parmesan and got it all over the place. Good for the mice... Until the cats get them!) But overall a very satisfying dinner!

I had cereal, shredded wheat, for dinner. I don't know what it is, but when the snow starts to melt, I get some sort of allergic reaction that gives me the worst indigestion. I'll be keeping it simple for the time being.

I'm not sure which is worse: being unfriended or being refriended.

Ugh! Getting unfriended by possibly my best high school friend on facebook for daring to point out to him that all Saudis aren't now permitted to bypass airport security, as he claims. Rather, the Saudi government has satisfied criteria for exchanging information (or whatever!) with US authorities to allow Saudi citizens to apply for "trusted traveller" status in the US. (As can Canadians.) What is it with some of these people? It's like they're allergic to the truth. They'd rather be angry and afraid and continue whipping up hysteria over complete non-issues. Oh well. I guess our paths have diverged widely over the years, and while we were once the closest friends, I can't honestly say I understand him anymore! It's like someone sucked his brains out and replaced it with FOX News.

The thing is, while we get requests for lots of make-up from time to time, most of the time, we simply can't get away with wearing that much make-up on the job. Make-up like that doesn't look as good from a couple inches away as it does from ten feet or more away. And there's no amount of translucent powder that could fix it in place through some festivities. It's just not practical!

Whatever you decide to do, please bear in mind that your obligation to engage in the safest sex possible has now increased many fold, due to the possibility of exposing your wife without her knowledge or consent. Educate yourself! There are diseases which defy barriers, such as HPV, HSV. I am married myself, but the difference is that my spouse is fully knowledgeable and is therefore able to consent. It's a tricky thing to try to carry on a marital sex life alongside a clandestine one. There are good reasons to give it serious consideration. But I think you're right in that, if you're inevitably going to do it anyway, sticking with professionals is your most responsible option. Good luck!

It may be cold and snowy here, but YOU my dear, have a cold, COLD heart! ;)

You sure know how to tempt a girl!!