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Penny Pincher or Cheapskate?
Charlie Bear here. Mom Peep does some weird things.
She tips an almost-empty lotion bottle upside down on top of the newly opened bottle and lets the remaining little bit drip down so it doesn’t go to waste. Same with dish soap.
She buys birthday cards in bulk like from Current or one of those places that sell packs of 25 or 50 of them in all varieties and styles. There will be kid cards, grandma cards, boy cards, girl cards, over the hill cards, and even generic cards. All for a very low price of just 50 cents or so (instead of the $2.95 or $3.95 — or more — the stores charge for just one birthday card).
Mom Peep also washes my toys in the washing machine. Sometimes I’ll be looking for my green turtle…
and I won’t be able to find it until voila! It appears back in my basket all nice and smelling clean, washed and fluffy and ready for a good romp around the house with me. You know what else she washes? This is a weird one.
She washes her tennis shoes. Throws them directly into the wash machine. They come out just like my turtle: clean and nice smelling!
Oh, and she re-gifts, too!
Sometimes Mom Peep feels like a cheapskate. Sometimes she feels thrifty. Either way, she is who she is.
What do YOU do to save money? Please share.
Woofs and wiggles,
Charlie Bear
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Do You Do The Green Thing?
Charlie Bear here with a question for you. Lately, Mom Peep has to put her memory skills into overtime. No more rushing into the grocery store with just her purse, car keys, and list in hand. No, she has to stop and think and act.
You see, something happened at the grocery stores here in Southern California, or at least at the stores where she shops all the time. They now require you to BYOB!
That’s right. You have to bring your own bags!
The first time she had a clue about this was in the checkout line when the clerk asked if she wanted a bag for 15 cents. She said, “What?”
“You have to pay for bags now,” the clerk said, “unless you bring your own.”
So Mom Peep bought a bag. The next time she went into the store, she forgot the bag and they asked her the same thing again. “Drat,” Mom Peep said, “I have a bag but left it in my car!” So they packed the groceries right into the cart and not even into a plastic or paper bag. Geesh.
You know what happened the next time?
She forgot again!
Guess what happened the time after that? She remembered! Hooray for Mom Peep.
This BYOB is driving Mom Peep’s memory into overdrive. But she’ll get with the program soon enough.
Is there anything like this where YOU live?
Wiggles and woofs,
Charlie Bear
http://www.bjtayloronline.com
http://www.bjtaylorblog.wordpress.com
Can Magic Happen Twice?
Charlie Bear here, and guess what? Magic can happen twice, in fact even three, four, five, six, and seven times!
I’m talking about family reunion magic, the kind that makes Mom Peep grin this silly, wide, happy-eyed smile.
Mom Peep has been going to Wisconsin to be with her family for years now. It started out as a gift to her own Mom, but now my Mom Peep is the oldest one of the bunch (is that called a Family Matriarch or something?), anyway, she LOVES what they do. They rent a cabin at one of the Wisconsin Dells water parks for a long weekend and splash and tube and slide at the myriad of places to enjoy there.
They make family style meals together, and they did their traditional cookies.
Everyone sleeps under the same roof. They wake up together, well, one at a time or so, and tromp sleepy-eyed with mugs of java to the outside plastic tables to share a morning coffee clutch of sorts. Well, that’s what I call it. I could be wrong.
Anyway, here’s a family pic from the reunion last month:
Did I give Mom extra licks and kisses when she returned? Yup. And she snuggled me tight. Did I miss her? Yup, but she needed to go there to be with those she loved.
What do you do for yourself when it comes to family time and togetherness and is it worth it?
Wiggles and Woofs,
Charlie Bear
Which Piece is Your Favorite?
Charlie Bear here. Anyone remember this game? (Check the end of this post for additional news that will rock your dog-loving socks off.)
Did you know Hasbro added a new game piece?
They conducted a vote. (They forgot to ask my opinion, but that’s okay. I would have voted with the 29% of others to keep the most popular of the classic tokens: the Scottie Dog. Woof!). Anyway, the shoe, wheelbarrow and iron were up for elimination and the iron received the fewest votes.
Poor iron! It’s ousted. And in slinked the cat. There are more than 86 million cats living in the U.S. Do you think they all voted? At least it didn’t take this long to get the Scottie Dog. He came along in the early 1950s. Did you know the original version had a lantern, purse, cannon and rocking horse? I bet the horse was cool.
Oh…you won’t believe it…but there’s a DOGOPOLY version too.
Mom’s favorite is the little shoe. Which Monopoly game token is your favorite?
Wiggles and woofs to you,
Charlie Bear
How Did I Do in 2012?
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 10,000 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 17 years to get that many views
Crunchy numbers
In 2012, there were 84 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 266 posts. There were 241 pictures uploaded. That’s about 5 pictures per week.
The busiest day of the year was August 11th. The most popular post that day was What’s precious to you?. https://bjtaylorblog.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/whats-precious-to-you/Sometimes Charlie Bear and I wonder if we’re doing things right. He does most of the “talking” here on the blog and I love giving him a voice. He can often talk about things that are difficult for me and he sometimes gives topics a funny spin.
So, dear blog reader, tell me: What am I doing right? What needs to be changed? What constructive criticism do you have for both me and Charlie Bear? We’d like to hear it. It’s a new year and we’re willing to learn.
Hugs to all from me, B.J.
Wiggles & Woofs from Charlie Bear (he just had to get that in there) lol
Love — Whiskers and Feathers Style
Charlie Bear here…this was sent to my Mom Peep from a good friend. Even though I think I’m the most important species on the planet, it might be appropriate to recognize that love comes in all shapes, sizes, and forms–including whiskers and feathers. Happy Love Month, Everyone!
Wiggles & woofs to you,
Charlie Bear
A New Dog Blog by a Really Cool Chick (and her dog)
I met Kimi Yokota at a Canine Companions for Independence graduation ceremony. Her smiling face belied the sadness she felt at having to turn in her latest puppy for more advanced training.
Kimi has been raising CCI dogs for what seems like forever. It started as a project for school and has become much, much more.
Bowen is an assistance puppy in program for Canine Companions for Independence (CCI). “CCI is a non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships” (www.cci.org).
Bowen is in the puppy raising phase of his journey to become an assistance dog. He will live with Kimi (his puppy raiser) for the next year and a half. She will teach him basic obedience, house manners, and socialize him. He is Kimi’s 8th puppy to raise for CCI.
This is a picture of Bowen and his housemates. Titian (on the left) is Kimi’s change of career dog, and queen of their house. She’s the first puppy Kimi raised for CCI. They now do therapy work together. The dog on the right in the other orange bandana is Kimi’s other puppy in training, Hadara. She’s Kimi’s 7th puppy, and she just turned a year old.
Kimi posts about Bowen’s experiences and life as a puppy in program for CCI. Check it out! http://bowensdogblog.wordpress.com/
3 Common Dog Questions
I must be a poster dog for Common Dog Questions. I’ve been through every one of these! Dr. Jon from PetPlace sends out this great newsletter and today, Mom Peep and I want to share with you the great articles he highlights.
First – Why do dogs chase their tails?
I’d like to know why in the heck I do that. My Mom calls it spin cycles and in the beginning when I came here they were incredibly nasty. I ferociously snapped and bit and growled at my tail. This article might help you understand it a bit. It helped Mom a lot.
Read Dr. Jon’s answer here: http://www.petplace.com/dogs/tail-chasing-in-dogs/page1.aspx
Second – How do I crate-train my dog (and why should I)?
I like my crate. It’s my den, my retreat, my safe place to curl up and be by myself, so I totally agree with crate training. It’s a good thing. Dogs love it. Humans have to get over it.
Learn more at: http://www.petplace.com/dogs/crate-training-your-puppy-2/page1.aspx
Third – How should I introduce a new dog into my household?
When I was introduced to big dog Rex we had a squabble. It freaked Mom out. It’s normal though, for dogs to posture for position in the household. That’s all I was doing, and we eventually got along.
There’s a really good article at: http://www.petplace.com/dogs/introducing-a-new-dog-into-your-household/page1.aspx
Thanks, Dr. Jon for these great articles to help keep pets safe and healthy. A safe dog is a happy dog!
Woofs & wiggles to you all,
Charlie Bear
Thanksgiving – Personified!
Charlie Bear here — when my Mom Peep came across this she knew she had to share. I wish I could be a big dog like that. They have the LONGEST legs! And look at how one helps the other. Incredible.
To me, this is truly Thanksgiving. I send woofs & wiggles to both of them.
Lily is a Great Dane that has been blind since a bizarre medical
condition required she have both eyes removed. For the last 5 years, Maddison, another Great Dane, has been her sight.
Dog People vs. Cat People – Interesting!
Dog People vs. Cat People
from Reader’s Digest December 2011 / January 2012
(l): © Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Thinkstock (r): © Pixland/ThinkstockDog people: 15% more likely to be extroverts
Cat people: 11% more likely to be introverts
(l): © Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Thinkstock (r): © Dynamic Graphics/Creatas/ThinkstockCat people: 14% more likely to cling to friends at a party
© iStockphoto/ThinkstockCat people: 21% more likely to try to rescue stray kittens
Cat people: 17% more likely to have completed a graduate degree
Cat people: 25% more likely to consider George Harrison their favorite Beatle
(l): © iStockphoto/Thinkstock (r): © Goodshoot/ThinkstockCat people: 10% more likely to send messages on Twitter
(l): © iStockphoto/Thinkstock (r): © Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/ThinkstockCat people: 21% more likely to enjoy ironic humor and puns
© iStockphoto/Thinkstock– Talk to animals of all kinds
– Are equally likely to have a four-year degree
– Dislike animal-print clothing
Taylor's Tips 