Dogs (even at 20 months) are fairly good at adjusting. They just need time for that adjustment to happen. Our current dog we got as a puppy but the 2 prior to that were from the humane society. This one was also but the other 2 were older - 4 years and 18 months. Both had had issues in the past but with lots of love and patience they became great family pets. The first one we had prior to S coming along and the 2nd one we got when D was 6 weeks old. Both were great family dogs in the long run. Both lived long doggy lives. Our current one is a doll but she is getting old and on arthritis meds. We’ll see how long we can keep her going with out her being in pain. I can’t stand to see a dog in pain! Most areas have training classes or trainers who will do private lessons. If they aren’t “dog” people that may be a good place to start.
Good morning. Glad to hear the snowbound ones are digging out, new jobs going well, and that the wee pup has a new home 
Missy, a good trainer will help them get sorted, but said pup will need a lot of reassurance, I suspect.
For someone allergic to dogs, I’ve come to know quite a bit about them, thanks to a friend whose a hospice vet, a client who owns several successful grooming and training facilities, and another friend who owns goldens and trained her second newest pup to dock dive in my pool
Friday night we had a girls night, that due to a new golden puppy, turned into a dogs night as we were outnumbered. I’d brought a gourmet meal from our fav bistro but that’s where the traditional girls night ended as the rest was consumed “socializing” to dogs to play nice with one another. One was a rescue who’d had a tough go early on, and she intensely disliked my other friend’s purebred mini golden who’s clearly lived a charmed life and spent much of the time hiding out with tante KMC while “mom” cuddled the pup. Hapless Henrie, the poodle-yorkiepoo mix, was his affable, curious self and his attentions to blondie seemed to further distress his street-wizened housemate. It was all very high school if you speak dog
Shaw, it sounds like houseboat life suits you!
So, in other news, after another weekend devoted to crawling around on my knees on a stone floor for 18 hours, my floors are as finished as they’re getting. The grout-painting turned out surprisingly well considering how tough the over- paint was to clean and the sealer/enhance made everything sing. So two weeks and 38 hours of DBS-grease later I have the floors I’d intended to return hone to No wine before its time!
I can’t wait to have a weekend that does not involve body pain!
The floor sounds beautiful KMC. Lots of hard work but I’m sure that you will appreciate it for a long time!
We are finally getting the kids to “get their stuff out!” 
Have started S’s room. The wallpaper has been stripped, the rug has been pulled out, the walls have been painted and now H is starting to put down a prefinished hardwood floor. It will look great I think when it is done. I will be making a quilt for the queen size bed in the room. Started the class last week for said quilt. It’s a 10 month class with homework and the like. We meet once a month. I’ve picked all 7 of my fabrics and have started the washing process. This will challenge me. I’ve never done a queen size quilt before and the quilt itself is challenging. It can be found at http://www.hoopsisters.com/elegant-elements/ if you want to check it out. I will say that I don’t think the colors that they use does it justice but that is just my .02 cents. I’m looking forward to the challenge - of course that is what I say now!
Thanks, everyone. BIL and SIL have had dogs for at least 25 years. Their big issue is that they have an older female that the unruly pup is bullying. But they seem committed to make it work.
I so wish we could require the older two kids to “get their stuff out.” Son and Fiance have a tiny apartment and have agreed to renew their lease for another year. By then, Son should be gainfully employed, but they truly have no room for more anything at present.
Then there’s older D who lives in the big city, with a big city-sized (small) apartment. I’m think that what is left in her room can be packed and put in the attic.
Mp I would check and see if your kids are willing to part with any of the stuff and get rid of it. IME stuff that gets stored ends up never leaving.
RM the room sounds lovely. i bet the quilt will be beautiful. What colors are you using?
Kmc- The floor also sounds lovely.
Changed my flight to Florida and am now going Thurs AM till late Sun night. We have still not seen a plow and can’t get out of the driveway. Still working from home.
FG - doesn’t sound like fun! We are used to snow here. I don’t think in the 30+ years I’ve lived in the area I’ve ever been snowed in and I can only count 1 day where work has let us go home early - even with the variety of places here that I’ve worked.
Floor is oak in the room. Walls are 3 very light blue - almost white and one a very dark blue - that is the wall that the headboard for the bed will be on. Quilt is basically shades of blue, mostly light blue with my “pop” color a very dark blue. One of the fabrics has a bit of green and purple and another has some beige in it as well to pull in just a few other colors. All in all I think it will turn out lovely if I’m up to the challenge!
The quilt sounds lovely!
The problem with the kids’ stuff isn’t necessarily the kids, but H. He can’t stand to get rid of anything. Son’s room still has the banners for all of the Hogwarts houses on the walls. We still have 8 drawers of videos.
Maybe someone here can help with something I’m trying to find. Looking for a “stylish” pair of walking shoes to use when we go to Napa. Want something that looks “nice”, no or small heel, something that is comfortable for all day walking and I can get in a c or d width and orthotic friendly. I bought some keds which I love. Even wore them to dance in last night at class and loved them. H and I are taking an east coast swing class. They were comfortable for the evening but not sure that I could put my orthotics in and I do need them for an all day type walking. H thinks that the keds are “ugly”
the quilt is lovely! I have a wedding ring queen that was the last quilt my grandmother quilted. In our last house it hung on a long hallway way. It does not have a home here and am not sure who to pass it on too eventually.
kmc, so impressed with you floor work! How are your knees?
Thanks for the responses regarding H working/talking from the heart of the home.
I finally realized that, for me, it is as if there is a person having a long conversation on a cell phone while near me. Drives me nuts.
He moved the router from the floor to the top of the desk and it all works fine now.
So my role of unpleasant wife is over for now @-) .
mp, hope the doggy retraining goes well. Sad story with a, hopefully, happy ending. Is your FIL lonely now?
Am frustrated as there is no clear solution as to how to cover our thick carpet to set up a studio.
I will pull up the carpet someday–if I really enjoy this activity and plan to stick with it–but am not
wanting to do anything permanent at this point.
RM, I’m afraid I know nothing of style. I care about comfort. In my job I stand all day and really need comfortable shoes. I also wear a wide width. My current shoe inventory includes Clark, Born, Naturalizer, and Easy Spirit. I have to try things on. I also try to rotate my shoes - wear a different pair on consecutive days.
RM, those quilt blocks have a bit of everything! I think the blues will be wonderful. I have been doing a lot of charity quilting for a women’s shelter – would love to try more difficult blocks, but the reality is that I need to make these sturdy enough for frequent washing and I need them DONE. For now, my creative quilts are for new babies, and I have a couple of nieces who will be getting married soon, so that will keep me busy. (One grandnephew has already had a kiddo – sweetest, happiest little guy on the planet. Made him an elephant quilt. Think they will be having #2 in the not-too-distant future.) Someday I will quilt something for myself, though!
Plows came through our neighborhood yesterday am and S2 (and I, to a lesser extent) spent the day digging out the driveway. Plow came through again overnight and widened the path so we can actually get the car out. Going to go see boysx3 on Thursday. Headed to cardiac rehab today to get away from the carbs in this house!
Popping in quickly before heading to the gym …
RM – here’s a link to the shoes I bought before our trip to Spain in the fall. The brand is Ahnu. http://www.ahnu.com/women-shoes/taraval/1010942.html?dwvar_1010942_color=CLGY#start=10&cgid=women-casual I tried a pair on at REI, but ordered them online to get the color (gray) I wanted. This model runs 1/2 size large; not sure if that applies across the brand. Also, this model is advertised as waterproof, but they aren’t – I wore them in a light rainstorm in Barcelona, about 6 blocks to a museum and my feet were damp when I got there. I’m already starting to obsess about shoes for our Asia trip …
Those are nice CBBBlinker. Maybe a bit too much like a sneaker than what I’m looking for but maybe what I"m looking for doesn’t exist in which case I have bookmarked that page as a choice. 
Thanks!
CountingDown - yes I think that this quilt will be a real challenge for me and will really let me explore the new sewing machine. I’m taking the class from the same store where I bought the machine. I’ve been doing business with them for 30+ years and they know me and I know them. Very nice place and they will help with any issues I encounter. This one isn’t going to be quick that is for sure. It’s a 10 month commitment as you don’t get all the blocks at once or the embroidery - it comes monthly for a section of the quilt.
RM, are you talking about a true walking shoe, or just something wide that looks good and is comfortable to walk in/stand in all day? Eg. Wineries? Or trails? 
These sandals by Dansko are wide, comfy, and made for folks on their feet all day (lotsa nurses wear Dansko)…but they’re cute too, in a chunky way.
http://www.zappos.com/dansko-sophie-black-python
I have the black sparkly ones and the gold sparkly ones. Its what I wore to Napa and Muir Woods, but I was wine-ing and fooling around, not hiking People always seem to covet the gold ones. The entire bed is raised so its not like wearing heels, though tey do give some height. Good shock absorption
Oregon, do you mean where you’re putting the kiln? Throw down some Hardiboard (cement board) or sheets of plywood if you don’t want to remove the carpet.
RM…see if you can find anything that you like from these suggestions. http://travelfashiongirl.com/20-comfortable-and-cute-walking-shoes-for-travel/
I am not usually a Dansko fan but these are kind of cute for summer and would go with lots of color combos.
Oh I like those KMC - not thinking really about hiking - not sure if we will be able to. The other couple that we are going with the wife had knee replacement surgery last week. Not sure what shape she will be in for hiking. More looking at something to wear walking around Napa, going to wineries, we plan on spending a couple of days in San Fran so something to walk in there as well. These are very cute.
I guess the ones I thought were Born are not - they’re Earth Origins. I got them at a DSW. These aren’t exactly them, but are similar:
http://www.dsw.com/shoe/earth+origins+jocelyn+flat?prodId=335463
They are very comfortable. Probably not fashionable.
Like those as well CQ. Guess I should do a bit of research to see what the weather will be like when we are there to see if sandals or shoes are more appropriate…
I have neutral sandals from Clarks and Naturalizer - during the summer months/warmer climates, I wear those. The Easy Spirit pair are more like an athletic shoe, but they’re all black so if my feet are in really bad shape, I can get by wearing them with black slacks. And I bring them so I can wear them when I work out.
When I travel (either for work or fun) my first priority is having comfortable shoes.
OK everyone, keep the shoe ideas coming! I’m all about comfort, too, but am somewhat befuddled about what to bring for this Asia trip. I keep reading how in Japan we’ll have to take our shoes off a lot, but I usually find tie shoes give me better support. Plus, we’ll be doing carry-on luggage only, so 2 pairs of shoes is my max. And this trip I may bring a skirt, so something that works with pants & skirts???