Co-Hosted Follow-Up Friday (11-9-12)

November 9, 2012 By Jodi

Welcome to Co-Hosted Follow-Up Friday, the blog hop that let’s you wrap up your week and leads you right into the weekend.

Follow-Up Friday Blog Hop

Joining me as co-hosts this week is the crew, Teddy, Ash and Scout (and their mom Lisa) from Dogs N Pawz, you’ll find all kinds of tips and links on this blog and if you’re looking for some humor watch out when the dogs take over. Welcome Dogs N Pawz and thank you for joining me this week!

A Brut Moment Challenge Starring Delilah – Author’s Note

Yes it was a very proud moment and probably the first time in five years of having Delilah as my companion (how do you like that word, Pamela? I like it!) where I actually felt bonded to her, which isn’t to say we are always in sync like that. 🙂

Ode To Fall – Author’s Note

Misty Shores wrote “You have done such a great job with Delilah but I still miss all the mischief stories I read about her when I first started following your blog.” Never fear Misty, Delilah is still Delilah, I have a little Monday Mischief to share this week. 🙂

The Dogs of Blogville Calendar Contest – Update

As of last night I currently have eight photos entered in the calendar contest (I have yet to pick mine.) They are all so adorable, I just don’t know how anyone will be able to choose!

Don’t forget the submittal portion ends next Tuesday at midnight, so get those photos in to stone.jodi@ymail.com and don’t forget to include Calendar Photo Contest in the subject line.

WTF/Whoo Hoo Wednesday – Author’s Note

In the comment section Sue said, “I am beginning to edit what I see/read because I just can’t take any more cruelty stories. I don’t know if the world has become a more cruel place (I think it has) or if more is reported these days, but there’s too much violently bad news for me.”

I have to say, I really agree with her, which is one of the reasons WTF/Whoo Hoo Wednesday needs to take a sabbatical. The very first WTF post was sort of inspired, but since then I’ve seen some really horrible stories and it’s not easy sometimes to poke fun at the heinous stuff that goes on.

I want this blog to be about inspiration and hope and the incredible, loving bond between human and animal companions.

That doesn’t mean there won’t be an occasional WTF out of me, it just probably isn’t going to be a weekly event.

This ‘N That Thursday – Author’s Note,

We were lucky, we only got about three inches of snow where I live. It wasn’t horrific, we didn’t lose power.

I feel bad for those areas in CT, NY and NJ who are still trying to pull their lives back together from Hurricane Sandy. We did no power for a week last year after the late October storm, it wasn’t so long ago and I can certainly remember the displaced feelings I had.

Our hearts are with all affected by the hurricane.

Since I gave you one of my favorite pictures of Sampson yesterday, it’s only right that you should see Delilah today.

Sweet baby girl.

My book word count is 12,123

This is the Co-Hosted Follow-Up Friday blog hop, if you’re interested in co-hosting please let me know in the comments.

You can grab the code for your blog here

This ‘N That Thursday (11-8-12)

November 8, 2012 By Jodi

Today we join our friends at the 2 Brown Dawgs blog for This ‘N That Thursday.

“This ‘N That Thursday is for those times when you want to post about unrelated topics or each topic isn’t quite long enough to make up a whole post. It can be anything you want, so feel free to grab the button and join us!”

Courtesy of 2 Brown Dawgs Blog

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, but the dogs really have to go, we’re in the snow, in the snow, in the snow.

Yes, last week we had Hurricane Sandy, this week, well initially they called it a Nor’easter, but it seems to me like it’s just a snow storm. It started just before noon yesterday and by the time I got home, it was just starting to stick to the roads.

The dogs don’t care though, they’ve been stuck inside all day and are itching to get out. It was still snowing, but we bundled up and out the door we went.

I don’t normally bring my camera for night walks because it’s too dark and my little point and shoot doesn’t work that great in the dark, but once we got outside last night I thought, it’s not so dark, maybe I could take a few pictures.

Turns out falling snow and uncooperative dogs don’t really mix. Throw in the coordination needed to activate the camera with a dog on a fifteen foot least attached to your arm and well, let’s just say…epic fail.

Out of the 20 or so pictures I took, these are the best.

I even tried to get them to pose when we got back to the house but that didn’t work out either. 🙂

Why is it my Hubby keeps telling me my cell phone camera is a better camera than my point and shoot? I think it takes craptastic pictures. It can’t be operator error, can it?

And for the record, we got about 3 inches of snow, which is nothing. AND it’s going to be 60 degrees this weekend. Bye-bye snow!

NaNoWriMo

The story is developing, just not in the way I expected. Imagine my embarrassment when I realized my mystery/detective story is also going to be a love story.

Phhhht.

It is also not easy (at least for me) to get 1,667 words in each day. Some days I struggle worse than others.

Here’s the problem I’m having and I would love if those of you who write or are taking this challenge have any thoughts.

It seems like I need to write in sequence, at least that’s how it’s working for me. The question is, how do you keep track of things. Do you ever write out out sequence?

Don’t forget to get your pictures in for the Dogs of Blogville Calendar.

My book stands at 11,160 words.

WTF/Whoo Hoo Wednesday (11-7-12)

November 7, 2012 By Jodi

Welcome to WTF/Whoo Hoo Wednesday.

Some blog post or news article cross your path that left you shaking your head thinking WTF? Or did you hear about something that raised your spirits and you screamed, Whoo Hoo?

That’s WTF/Whoo Hoo Wednesday.

My friend Julie from the Daily Dog Blog made me a nice spiffy badge. Please feel free to use the badge whenever you’d like.

Graphic Designed by Julie Melfi, Creative Leg Up.

WTF?

Donations pour in for upstate NY dog set afire, Buffalo, NY

The best part of this story is the community is rallying around this puppy and donations are being made to help with his care.

The police are making strides with their investigation.

Oh and this just in, there’s a special place in hell for people who light puppies on fire.

What kind of monster sets a puppy on fire? I’m the first one to tell you that I hate the fact that so many animals are surrendered to shelters, but really if you don’t want a dog, at least have the humanity to bring it to a shelter.

Speaking of bringing animals to a shelter. I was on the phone today making my hotel reservations for Blogpaws 2013, the person assisting me on the phone was telling me her daughter is one of those folks that constantly find abandoned animals. The last time her daughter brought a lost animal to the Humane Society, she was given the third degree.

I get it, shelters are over-whelmed, but if you make it difficult for people to surrender animals then they tend to do stupid things, like abandon animals in a remote location, tie them to sign posts on the side of the highway or light them on fire.

Think about it for a minute.

Whoo Hoo

Dog’s dying wish, COEUR D’ALENE, ID

I saw this video on the No Dog About It Blog, while not my typical Whoo Hoo post, it still made me feel good.

A woman desires to give her older dog a last experience doing something he loves.

It shows that some people do have hearts like a dog.

And finally, I think this may be my last WTF/Whoo Hoo Wednesday post for the month of November. If you’re my friend on facebook you know I’ve asked people to shame me when they catch me on it, because I’m supposed to be writing the rough draft of a book, which means no time for facebook! Facebook is where most of my WTF’s and Whoo Hoos come from.

I will still post every Wednesday, but unless I inadvertently stumble upon a story, it won’t be a WTF/Whoo Hoo post.

And if you catch me on facebook (as a few of you have) please reprimand me (thank you for those who did) this book ain’t gonna write itself. 🙂

And because I can, I’m showing a photo of Sampson that I really love.

My handsome boy.

And don’t forget to send in your pictures for the calendar contest! So far I have three entries. Woot! Woot!

Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!