The State of Being Resolute

We are once again on the cusp of a new year, a fresh start, the beginning of endless possibilities.  It is a tradition to make a list of resolutions, things we want to change in ourselves, our lives, our world at large.  Lose weight, stop smoking, read more, swear less, it is different with every one of us.  It is also tradition to abandon most of these resolutions before February.  I think this is because people are looking to change the wrong things, thinking it will lead them to immediate happiness.  The thing people need to be changing is their mindset; they need to realize that we each create our own happiness.  It has little to do with external appearance, and more with internal reflection.  So, in my attempt change my own mindset, I will now admit my list of New Year's Resolutions for 2014.

1.  Laugh every single day.  I try to do this already, and am fairly successful.  Hubby makes me laugh a lot, it is one of my most favorite of his many great qualities.  The dogs make me laugh too.  So between the three of them, I can usually find a reason to laugh, even for just a moment.  And when all else fails, laughs abound on the internet.

2.  Love the people I love in better, kinder, and more abundant ways.  We all have days where we say things we do not mean.  Tempers flare, frustrations arise, sadness falls.  These things are inevitable.  However, the moments that follow these things are the best opportunities to show love when it would be way easier not to.  This means I need to check my envy, swallow my pride, say I am sorry, admit I am wrong, and try to show a little more grace.

3.  Be unashamedly enthusiastic about the things I adore.  Dachshunds and John Roderick, Doctor Who and books of all kinds, creative reuse and gluten free cooking, good music and even better movies, live performances by musicians and comedians, and all things nerdtastic.  These are just some of the things I love.  It is ok if you do not love them, we all have our preferences.  But I do love these things, and will continue to fill my life (and probably my conversations) with them.  I respect the things you enjoy, even if they are different from mine.  I hope you can do the same, because I am never going to stop loving them.

4.  Work harder.  This one applies to all aspects of my life.  Work harder to love myself.  Work harder to make my home the way I want it.  Work harder to establish myself at my new job.  Work harder to be healthy in mind, body, and spirit.  Work harder to care less about other people's expectations and opinions of me.  Work harder to have high expectations and opinions of myself.  Work toward establishing some balance in my life.

5.  Write more, yet blog less.  This might seem antithetical but really it is not.  I have been sort of slacking on my blogs lately, and I think it is, in part, because I need to move on to a new form of writing.  So, in the year to come, I will be backing off from blogging (though not leaving altogether), and reducing the number of reviews I do.  Instead, I will be trying to work on my own personal writing.  I have too many people encouraging me at this point to not at least try.

6.  Stop fearing failure.  My whole life, my biggest fear has been failure.  This fear of failure has caused me to walk away from opportunities, to flee trying new things, and to avoid risks at all costs.  I cannot fail at something if I never attempt it you see.  But by adopting that strategy, I have missed out on some amazing opportunities.  So, I hereby give myself permission to fail.  In fact, I command myself to fail at something this year.  That way, even if I succeed at everything, I will fail at that commandment.  Because I must stop allowing a fear of failure to prevent me from living life to the fullest.  How can I fully appreciate my successes if I never have any failures?

So there you have it.  My New Year's Resolutions for 2014.  

It's going to be a happy new year.

It's All About Perspective

Think about something that drives you crazy. Now, think about something that makes you happy. Does it change your perspective on the former?

We absolutely adore our two mini-dachshunds, Dexter and Chloe.  While I obviously know that pet ownership is not the same thing as parenthood, we do consider our pets a part of our family.  We recognize that they have very distinct personalities, habits, and instincts.  Sometimes, those do not mesh all that well with my own personality, habits, and instincts.

I am very bothered by loud, repetitive noises.  Like dog barks.  Our dogs are not all that barky; barks are usually limited to when someone opens our front door (mailman, or one of us returning to the house), a signal that one of the dogs needs to go outside to potty, or in response to a loud disturbance outside.  Occasionally, something we do will spark an odd barking fit (Dexter often barks when he sees Hubby kiss me), but really, barking is really isolated, and intended to be an alert.

Except, sometimes, it is not.  Sometimes, Dexter will sit downstairs and bark for no apparent reason.  And it drives me absolutely bonkers.  I will get very tense, and end up yelling at him.  Not something I am proud to admit.  It just gets me so frazzled, I cannot help it.

I think, really, what bothers me most about the barks is that he is trying to convey a message to me, and I am just not understanding.  It concerns me that he might have a need that I have not considered.  What if he is sick?  What if he is frightened?

The dogs bring us so much joy.  It is nearly impossible to have an awful day with the dogs around.  I have been under the weather for a few days now, and all the dogs want is to snuggle in bed with me, and give me get will licks.  I cannot imagine our life without them.  When we went to New York last month, we left the dogs with my sister for a few days.  It was the first time we had ever left the dogs with anyone.  Our house felt too empty, and way too quiet.  I would have given anything to hear barking.

So, the next time Dexter is driving me nuts with the barkbarkbarkbarkbarkbark I just need to remember to be thankful we have the dogs here to drive us a little crazy.

Tiffany's Tuesday Tunes: The Cat's Meow

Long before we ever had dogs, or even had each other, I had my kitty cat.  I got my cat back in my single days, and she has slowly adjusted to life in a house, life with Hubby, and life with the dogs.  After all these years with her, I kind of forget the excitement of having a little kitten running around.

Luckily, I got a reminder over the weekend.  My sister's family got a new kitten named Shadow. My niece was so excited, she sent me all kinds of photos.  He does seem pretty darn adorable!  Everyone in their family adores him, even their dog, but I think he will probably be most attached to my niece.  I cannot wait for my next visit with the family so I can see him.

All this kitty talk the past few days got me to thinking.  I gush a lot about our dogs, because they are exuberant, and bursting with love and affection.  But our cat shows us just as much affection, in her own quiet, moody way.  She snuggles up to us, and even on occasion give us kisses.  And even though she pretends not to, she secretly loves the dogs too.  Whenever anything is wrong with one of them, she is greatly concerned.  It is pretty cute.

So, in honor of Shadow, and Nora, and cats everywhere, I present, this week, a playlist that totally is The Cat's Meow.

 

Tiffany's Tuesday Tunes: Dog Days of Summer

I make no secret of the fact that we absolutely adore our dogs.  I cannot remember what life was like before these two wiggly lick filled balls of love entered our lives, and I cannot imagine life without them.  Our dogs really are a part of our family.  Heck, our vacation plans are made around places that are pet friendly.  I fully understand that not all people are animal lovers, and not all pet owners adore their pets the way we do.  And that is fine.  But we do chose to treat our pets as family.

Dexter and Chloe know exactly how to make a crappy day turn into an awesome day.  Whether it is covering my face with dog kisses, or waiting at the door for Hubby when he gets home from work, they seem to know exactly what we need.  There are days when we simply hang around the house, snuggling with the dogs.

Since getting the dogs, we seem to be paying more attention to dogs in public.  Whenever we pass a dog, one of us always says "look at the dog!".  And often when we see people walking their dogs in public, we talk to the dog rather than the owner.  Because, let's face it, sometimes, we like dogs better than we like people.

My happy place is wherever my dogs are.  In honor of our two awesome dogs, I present to you a puppyfied playlist.

 

35 Day Project: Orphans of the Storm

I am an animal lover, as one can tell by the excessive number of pet photos I post on Instagram.  I am one of those people who would, if possible, adopt every animal at the local shelter.  So, when I first had the idea of doing 35 acts of kindness for my birthday, I knew at least one would benefit our local animal shelter.

We live just a few minutes from our local shelter, Orphans of the Storm.  This is a no-kill shelter, and as a result, they often have long term animal residents, or animals in need of some pretty serious medical care.  As a non-profit organization, they can always use help.  So, yesterday, I gathered a donation of some dog food, cat litter, cleaning supplies, treats and even a few toys, and carted them off to the shelter.

The shelter was closed, but I had checked with them a few days prior and they told me I could leave a donation at the door.  I was happy to see that I was not the only one who had done so.

Thankful for... animal lovers

Not everyone is a pet person.  Some people are cat people, some are dog people, some are animal people, and some are none of the above.  Hubby and I are clearly animal people.  In our lifetimes, between the two of us, we have had cats, dogs, ducks, rabbits, fish, and a newt.  At current count, we have two mini dachshunds  Dexter and Chloe, and one cat, Nora.  Town ordinances prohibit us from owning livestock, otherwise, we would have ducks and a goat too.  Hubby is currently pushing for a hedgehog (I know right?) and I am rallying for another dog, or a turtle.  So, yes, we are clearly animal people.

Many of our pets, past and present, have been obtained through breeders, or purchased through other retail means.  But some of our pets have been rescue or shelter animals.  While many retailers are in it for money and money alone, reputable breeders, rescues, and shelters are often in it for the animals.  

Our local animal shelter is called Orphans of the Storm.  It is a no kill shelter, and like many no kill shelters, it is always in need.  Each year, the shelter has various fundraisers for money and collections of supplies so that  it can continue to function.  During the holidays, you can sponsor an animal, and donate food, toys, litter, and other necessary supplies to the shelter.  Several of our friends have adopted wonderful animals through this organization, and we have donated to them several times in the past.  

I am so thankful that organizations such as this, as well as the ASPCA, not only exist, but are filled with lots of animal lovers.  I am thankful that there are people who will rescue animals from dangerous and abusive living situations.  I am thankful for generous hearts who help support these animals, giving them love, homes, and new leases on life.

I am thankful that I am an animal person, that I married an animal person, and that we have such amazing pets as a part of our little family.

Thankful for... having my heart humbled

Today, I had an experience that has humbled my heart beyond belief, and reminded me of the bountiful blessings in my life.

I decided to strike out today to visit my old coworkers, and then go buy food to take to a tailgate at a baseball game this weekend, where I will be hanging out with my social media friends.  After visiting with my old coworkers, I headed out of town.  As I passed a local intersection, I noticed 3 young people, 2 boys and a girl, with a sign, and 3 large leashed dogs.  This intersection is at a shopping plaza, and often people will panhandle there.  I was struck immediately by how young these kids were, late teens to early twenties, and the fact that they had dogs with them.  I knew that there was no way I could just drive past.

I turned my car around at the next parking lot, and headed back to find them.  They were hurrying toward a car that, while probably as dependable as they could afford, was not in the best condition.  I pulled into the parking space next to them, and asked them what their sign said.

The one boy quietly responded that they were just passing through, and down on their luck, needing a little help.  He quickly followed up with the statement "but we are leaving now, because some woman just yelled at us and threatened to call the police".  My heart was breaking.  I told them that I did not have any cash, but would it be ok if I took them to a store in the shopping plaza to buy them some food, and food for the dogs.  They seemed so amazed that I was willing to do this.  One boy stayed at the car, with the dogs, while the other boy and the girl came with me.

As we walked to and around the store, I got a little bit of their story.  They were homeless.  They travel from place to place, trying to find work to make enough money to take care of themselves, and the dogs.  The dogs all had tags on, and they told me that they made sure to keep up with their shots, that the dogs were microchipped, and when things were really tough, the dogs always ate first, even if the kids did not.  I was amazed.  They had just returned from New Orleans, where they had been working on houses damaged by Hurricane Katrina.  They said the devastation down there is still quite bad.

In the store, I asked them what they wanted, and they basically told me they were happy with anything.  I wanted something that would provide them with some nutrients and calories, so we opted for bananas, wheat bread, and peanut butter.  I asked if there was anything else they wanted, but they were so happy with just that.  I also got a 15 pound bag of dog food for the dogs.  They were so grateful and appreciative of this small token; I wished I could do more.  $23 dollars was what I spent.  Such a small amount, but to them it seemed to make all the difference in the world.

We walked back to the car, they loaded the groceries into the car and dog food into the trunk which contained only a gas can, sleeping bags, and a couple of backpacks.  I wished them well, and safe travels, they thanked me, and waved goodbye with huge smiles on their faces.  The whole thing lasted less than 30 minutes.

Living in a small town, homelessness is not visible to me.  I know it exists, but I do not see it first hand very often.  Before people become homeless, they have lives just like you and me.  They have families, and friends, and pets.  People forget that.  I imagine that when faced with homelessness, people try to hold on to what little they can.  I bet plenty of homeless people have pets that become homeless with them, yet we really never hear or see that.  These kids were doing the best they could to keep their little family (that is what the 6 of them were, you know, a family) afloat.

It saddens me that they had encountered someone who was cruel to them, just before I stopped to talk to them.  They told me it happens all the time, and that breaks my heart.  People have the misconception that the homeless are lazy or crazy, or that panhandlers are just trying to make an easy buck.  These kids were thrilled with the fact that I offered to buy them food, and that I treated them with respect.  They struck me as hard working, and kind.  I hope I showed them some kindness in return, because there, but for the grace of God, go I.

I live a comfortable life.  What seems so common to me would be a luxury to these kids.  Me, with my iPhone, my full cupboards, my soft bed. You can bet, when I came home, I gave my dogs lots of extra snuggles.  Please note that I do not write about this situation for praise or accolades.  I just want people to think a little about how they view those who are homeless or in need.

So many things had to fall into place perfectly for me to encounter these kids today, I know it was God, speaking to me, and humbling my heart.

Movies in the Park

We are so fortunately to live within a short distance of Riverfront Park in Kittanning.  I love this park, it was the original location for our wedding before we got rained out.  I have gone to the park several times, but I know we should take more advantage of the park itself, as well as the many wonderful events held there.  Last night, we did just that.

We had toyed with the idea of going to one of the movies in the park last summer and never got around to it.  Last night, we were coming home from dinner, and I saw the screen set up as we crossed the bridge.  There were still plenty of seats left, even though the movie would be starting in 20 minutes.  We made a decision to run home, grab the doggies, and head on down.  We decided to drive, because that walk is a little too far for dogs with short stubby dachshund legs.

We got there just as the movie was starting.  It was the perfect night for an outdoor movie.  Not to warm, not too cool, and not even the tiniest chance of rain.

The movie was Despicable Me.  I knew nothing about the movie, but I have to say, Hubby and I both loved it.  We laughed a lot, and there were sweet sappy moments as well.  It was a wonderful family friendly movie.

I was terribly impressed with how well my dogs behaved.  They never fussed, and were more than happy to hand out free kisses to anyone who wanted them.  We even shared a box of popcorn with them.

It was such a lovely night, and there was a great turnout. It was beautiful to watch dusk envelop our small town, and to see the community enjoying the beautiful night together. It is moments like these for which I am eternally grateful.

It Made My Day: Doxies

For those of you who do not know, we have 2 dachshund puppies.  Dexter is about 16 months old, and Chloe is about 5 months old.  They are my precious babies.  And I absolutely love when Hubby draws pictures of them.  They are about the cutest things ever.

Late last night/early this morning, I was still awake.  I sometimes have trouble unwinding from the day, and often trouble falling asleep.  So, I decided to go downstairs to throw a load of laundry in.  Might as well be productive if I am still awake at 1 am right?  As I came down the stairs, I saw something on the sidewalk in front of our house.  I knew the neighbor boys had been out, so I figured that their sidewalk chalk season had started.  Well, I was in for a little surprise.

Hubby had actually drawn a picture of the doggies.  And it was adorable.

It says " Dexter

+Chloe

= love"

Truer words were never spoken. Even when they are naughty, I still love them to pieces. And I love my Hubby most of all.

 What a perfect life I have.

Thanks for the drawing Hubby, it totally made my day. Well, 2 days actually!

It Made My Day: I must have done something good

I must have done something pretty amazing to deserve my Hubby.

Just when I think I cannot possibly love him any more than I do....


I was so tired this morning, because Sunday night I slept hardly at all due to excitement about getting Chloe.  And last night I slept with her on the couch, to take her out to potty and slowly get adjusted.  So 7 am, I put both dogs in their crates, and tottered upstairs to snuggle with Hubby.  Once I was alseep, he crept downstairs and took care of the "kids" all morning, and I slept until 11.  It was glorious.


Then, I went upstairs to get a bath, while lunch was in the oven, and I heard him talking to the "kids".  


"Chloe, it's ok baby girl.  Dexter, the living room is a Stonehenge of treats, clean some of this up, and stop playing with your older sister's toys".  So adorable, my heart hurt from all the love.  I can't wait to see what he is like if we ever have a baby.  World's Best Dad in the making, right there.


And then, after my bath was over, I came down to discover he had washed dishes while I was upstairs.  This man is a total ANGEL.  And I fall more and more in love with him each and every day.

As Maria and Captain von Trapp once sang "For here you are, standing there, loving me

Whether or not you should So somewhere in my youth or childhood I must have done something good."

Thank you Hubby, for being so good to me.  It made my day, as it does every day.

New Addition

Big news folks, we have a new addition.  That is right, our little family has a new puppy!

She is a long haired mini dachshund puppy that we have named Chloe Rand Harkleroad.  The Rand is after Ayn Rand, Hubby's favorite author.  Dexter's full name is Dexter Hayek Harkleroad, and the Hayek is after Hubby's favorite economist.  Are we nerds or what?

Dexter is thrilled to be a big brother, he just adores Chloe, and she loves him right back, as you can see in this video.

Life will be busy, and sleep deprived for a few weeks, but I am happy as a clam.

The biggest problem is my pet blog, The Tales of Dexter and Nora.  I am not sure whether to just change the name and keep the old URL, or to attempt setting up a new blog and importing the old.  I have no clue how to do that, and how to redirect my old followers to the new blog.

In either case, I need to think of a new name, and am considering hosting a contest to have someone name the blog.  What are your thoughts?  I really want the blog to reflect all 3 of our "kids".

Anyway, that is the big news, but I will be posting more about our other holiday celebrations soon!

Hugs to all!

Explorations: Armstrong Folk Festival

Last year, we did not get to attend the Fort Armstrong Folk Festival, because we spent that weekend, as well as the next weekend, moving in to our house.  So I was bound and determined to go this year.  The Festival stretches through Riverfront Park, and part of Water Street is shut down, so that people can mill about.  Given the size of our town, and the limited parking opportunities, we decided to just walk down, and of course, we took the dog.  As you can see, it was a beautiful evening.

The Festival is an interesting blend of craft/artisan booths, food booths, and some entertainment.  One of the first vendors we stopped at was a man who made amazing wood sculptures and furniture.

As a woman, I am always looking for cute crafty items to make our home pretty.  There were plenty of vendors who specialized in door hangings, yard accessories, and other crafty items.  Prices seemed pretty reasonable.

We actually saw about 3 booths specifically devoted to pet items or items for pet lovers.

Dexter loved that of course.  He also loved the fact that there were quite a few other doggies there, and he made fast friends with a cute little black doxie named Lucy.

Several of the artisans were there working on projects for the crowd to see.  I saw a glass artisan working on handmade glass beads.  It was pretty fascinating.

A lot of the local organizations, such as churches, the Elks, and the firemen, had set up various food booths, usually selling standard festival food like funnel cake, fries, and burgers, or local favorites, like fish sandwiches, ham barbecue, and haluski.  There were outside vendors selling more "exotic" foods like falafel, gyros, and paella of all things.  But the booth that tempted me the most (though not enough to give up any Weight Watchers points) was the booth selling roasted, candied nuts.  The smell was so amazingly tantalizing, it wafted throughout the festival.  And I just love that a Burgh based nut company named themselves Yinz R Nuts

While this is not the kind of festival that has rides, there were a few little games for the kids.  But honestly, we saw tons of children there, and they all seemed pretty entertained with the festival itself (not to mention obsessed with petting our dog).

Another big part of the Festival is History.  There are usually historical speakers or reenactments during the Festival weekend.  Because Kittanning was a site of battle in the French and Indian War, there are usually actors who will portray some part of that battle.  Also, there are Civil War reenactors that attend each year, and we got to see some.

There were also so botanical displays, and it looked as if there had been some botanical additions to the park's flowerbeds.

 

As we walked, we got to hear two very different forms of ethnic entertainment.  First, we heard a Polka band played, which made me feel right at home.  Then as we walked on we heard a man performing Celtic music, by which Hubby was more impresse

So, as you can see, the Fort Armstrong Folk Festival really does have quite a lot to offer.  Walking through the Festival grounds, I was a bit amazed at how transformed this little section of town looked. 

So, if you are in the Kittanning area, take some time to visit our humble little Festival.  It is one of the many things that makes this small town shine.

Out of Town: Swallow Falls and Deep Creek Lake Parks

When I told several of my friends we were going to be visiting the Deep Creek area, everyone told me that I had to visit Swallow Falls. Because I value my friends' advice, I decided to take them up on this, especially because Swallow Falls is a pet friendly park. We set off early in the morning, driving throughout the Deep Creek area, until we stumbled upon the Swallow Falls Park. I was a little disappointed to see there was an entrance fee, but we went ahead and paid it, because I knew it was going for a good cause.

When we got out of the car, and began venturing into the woods, I immediately wished I had paid better attention to which path my friend Roseanna had told me to take, because I knew she told me a specific one. On a leap of faith, we took the one that stated it led to Swallow Falls. It was a very easy trail, even Dexter was able to handle most of it, until we got to steps, and then we had to carry him. But it was well worth it. When we reached the steps we were at the upper falls. it was breathtaking, and because it was so dry, we were about to go right out onto the falls.




This trail was a piece of cake, so rather than turn around and go back the way we came, we continued on. And man on man, the things we saw. There were trees growing on rocks, boulders perched precariously on top of stacks of rocks, and of course the lower falls. It was breathtakingly beautiful and scary all at once.






The trail was really rough, we had to carry Dex the whole time, and stopped to give him water. Finally, after a couple of rests, we made it to the Muddy Falls, at the end of the trail, which is the highest free falling waterfall in the state of Maryland. Hubby even ventured out on the falls to get a downward shot, he is braver than me!




After we left, we took Dex back to the room to relax (he had a big morning!) because he unfortunately could not come with us to the Deep Creek Lake State Park due to a no pet policy for park lands (boooo). Once again we had to pay to get into the park (double boo) even though we were only going to be there for less than an hour.

Still, it was money well spent. It was simply gorgeous, although a bit chilly. I did however persuade Hubby to doff his socks and shoes with me, and wade into the icy lake water. I then surprised us both by climbing the rock pile triumphantly. We played a little more, and relaxed in the beauty that surrounded us.








One of the books I read recently talks about the Celtic concept of "thin places", areas where the physical space between heaven and earth is literally thinner, where we feel the presence of God a bit more fully. For me, these places often occur in nature. I feel certain that on this day, I walked through several thin places.