Wood

A few weeks ago, some trees came down in the yard during a storm.

The cleanup process is still continuing. The first weekend, Jeff began to cut up the trees. The second weekend was spent finishing the blocking and cutting off the limbs. I helped Jeff carry the blocks into the driveway and pile the branches together.

Last weekend we rented a wood splitter and now we have enough firewood for several winters. After the splitting, Jeff had the joy of stacking the wood.

We still need to rent a chipper for the limbs. However, we have other plans this weekend. I just hope the snow holds off for a few more weeks, so we have time to finish this task.

Just Passing Through

Returning from our morning walk, we spied some visitors to our pond. Fortunately we still had some corn from the Springtime visit and promptly threw out some food for our guests.

Veterans Day

Cooper and Otis want to remind you to think of our Veterans today.

Arctic Circle

I had a DUH! moment yesterday. I suddenly realized that Bettles is in the Arctic Circle.

Does this change anything ? Not really, but when I hear Arctic Circle, I envision EXTREMELY cold and snowy conditions. I am mentally prepared for Alaska cold, but not Arctic Circle cold.

I read that the coldest temperature in Bettles is -70 degrees below zero. Maybe crazy is an appropriate description for this adventure.

Wilton Center

A Bus passes us.

One Month

Jeff said to me, "We'll be in Alaska next month". My thought was, I'm NOT ready! I need to get my shopping list together and start visiting all the outdoor sports stores.

Wendy then sent me an email, saying her friend (the 4th member of our party) had just broken her ankle. The good news is that the cast will come off 2 days before our trip.

I am hoping that this is NOT a sign of things to come.

We are staying in Bettles (the red star on the map). If you thought Fairbanks was in northern Alaska, travel another 180 miles and you will reach Bettles with its population of 42 people.

I have a feeling I will be wishing that Coop and Oti (aka bed warmers) were with us on the cold arctic nights.

Zero

We usually do not get many trick-or-treaters at our house. However, since Halloween was a Saturday, I thought we would get a larger than normal amount of visitors.

I put the full size candy bars in a covered (dog proof) bowl by the front door. Oti pranced around in his pumpkin colored collar, ready to greet anyone who rang the bell.

We spent the morning cutting up the fallen trees and creating a pile of limbs to be shredded and wood to be split. After lunch, I expected the first kids to come by, but no one wandered down the driveway.

At 4:00 pm, I put on all the outdoor lights. I wanted to make sure everyone knew we were open for business. At 9:00 pm, we turned the lights out.

NO ONE, ZERO, ZIP kids showed up. What happened to the spirit of Halloween ?

Surfin' Safari

Otis went to the Doctor on Monday and they decided that he just had some sort of intestinal distress.

As part of his recovery, we are supposed to give him small amounts of Science Diet I/D until he can eat a half can and keep it down. We started out with about two tablespoons for his first meal and he gobbled it right up. Sixty minutes later, we saw it again.

Since the first night he's been able to keep it down. We've been slowly increasing the amount we give him and he inhales it right away, so it looks like his appetite is back.

Another clue that his appetite is back is the increased amount of "Counter Surfing" activity. We know Otis can get up high, because he frequently steals the dish towel hanging on the top rung of the oven. But lately, nothing is safe on the counter top. On Wednesday, Otis came bounding into the bedroom with a package of Lemmonheads candy that he grabbed off the counter.

This morning, we left Otis and Cooper alone while we were getting ready for work. The two biscuits Valerie left out for their morning snack was down to one by the time we got downstairs.

Of course, neither dog admitted to taking it.

Windy Days

Coop always has a spring in his step when he walks. On windy days, the spring becomes a bounce.

The instant that Coop steps out the door, he raises his nose and breathes in deeply. Coop's nose begins to twitch and he turns honing in on something I cannot smell.

Coop then leaps to the end of his leash, ready to take off after whatever is being carried on the wind.

I often wonder just what it is that Coop smells. Coop's view of the world must be so different from mine. Perhaps it is a better one, for Coop seems to find never ending delight in sunlight and shadows, blooming flowers, falling leaves and stone walls.

Sick

Oti loves to eat. Oti doesn't chew his kibble, but inhales and it disappears in 60 seconds. The instant Coop wanders away from his bowl, Oti runs over to check if there are leftovers.

We noticed on Friday that Oti's digestive system was not quite right, but were not overly concerned. However, when Oti showed no interest in food on Saturday and Sunday we began to worry.

We decided to try to get an immediate vet appointment on Monday. When Oti began vomiting on Mon morning, we knew for sure he needed a Doctor.

Dr Duffy was unavailable, but Jeff and Oti met with Dr. Levin at Norwalk Vet Hospital. Oti spent the day at the hospital, getting abdominal x-rays (checking for blockage or tumor), an IV, and antibiotics.

Thankfully, the x-rays showed no issues. The vet said there is a virus going around and Oti caught it. Oti is on a special diet until he recovers. Oti will not participate in play group this week.

Coop spent the day alone. Our dog walker left a note that said, "Coop did NOT seem to miss Oti at all". I get the feeling Coop liked the individual attention.

Big Mess

On Saturday night, there was heavy rain. I heard a crack and then a boom and thought this cannot be good.

Jeff went out to investigate and there were 2 large trees down near the pond.

The storm must have raged long after I fell asleep. All I know is that when we got up in the morning, Coop was no where to be found. We heard a thump, thump, thump and realized Coop was stuck under the bed. I don't know how Coop manages to squeeze himself into such a tight spot.

Clean up of the debris has started, but the trees are so large, it will take several days to complete. I guess I know what I will be doing next weekend.

Seeking Alpha

Everybody wants to be the "top dog", right?

One of Cooper's many quirks is he thinks he has to be the Alpha Dog of the pack. He is in constant turmoil trying to be the Alpha Dog yet be further down in the "pack" pecking order.

We've been working on leash training the dogs during their daily walks. In theory, Valerie and I are the "pack leaders" (we'll leave who is the true pack leader up to your imagination). As such, the dogs should be walking slightly behind us as we stroll down the street. If they get ahead of us, they get a forceful jolt on the collar followed by the most annoying buzzing sound. They both generally get it when they're walking alone.

When I walk them together, it's a different story. Cooper stays about one step behind me but one step ahead of Otis. You can tell from his gait that he knows he's going to get yanked back if he goes one more step up, but there's no way he's going to let Otis get ahead of him. If I stop walking, Cooper stops for a second to make sure Otis stops.

Otis is really a happy-go-lucky type of dog. He's happy to play second fiddle just as long as he is around people. Cooper is, shall we say, a little more neurotic. Every now and then we will give the dogs a stick of rawhide. Otis is happy as a clam to grab his and start grinding away at it right on the family room floor. Cooper, on the other hand, takes his bone and brings it upstairs to "hide" it. He then comes back down to Otis and sits and whines the whole time Otis is gnawing at his bone. He's even tried to snatch it out of Otis' grasp a couple times, but has learned that's probably not a wise choice. About two minutes before Otis is done, Cooper will run back upstairs, bring his bone downstairs and proceed to start chewing it just as Otis is finishing up. Maybe it's just because Cooper is a smaller dog, but I swear he takes his time while poor Otis just sits there watching.

These two couldn't be more different.

Devil

I recently wrote about Oti's habit of picking up shoes or clothing. Oti has never shown any interest in chewing these items.....until yesterday.

Jeff came into the house and placed his beloved UNC baseball cap on the chair. Oti picked it up. After a minute, Oti dropped the hat. Jeff put it back on the chair and we sat down to eat.

When we looked for Oti, he was in the living room, chewing on the hard brim of the cap!

Was this an act of boredom or is it possible that Oti may be a Dookie ? Could he favor the arch enemy Duke Blue Devils ? What a horrible thought!

Mom's Apple Pie

Thursday was a gorgeous fall day! The sun was shining and the temperature was 70 degrees. It was too nice of a day to work, so Jeff and I spent the day in Dover Plains, NY.

There is a new sporting clays course called Dover Furnace. Dover Furnace is a beautiful place. The foliage was at its peak, the sky was bright blue sky and bubbling streams made for a picturesque walk in the woods.

While we walked the course, we noticed hundreds of ladybugs flying around. The lady bugs landed on us, content with a free ride to a new destination.

We met Jeff's Mom and Dad at the Furnace. Jeff's Mom brought a homemade apple pie. We are in heaven! There really is nothing better than Mom's apple pie.

We had a great lunch at Copperfield's in Salt Point, NY. If you get a chance, stop in and enjoy a tasty meal.

Legacy

Today is Danny's birthday. It is hard to believe that Danny has been gone almost as long as he was with us.

Danny was a fantastic dog. "One in a million", Jeff always says.

Danny was a shooting star, whose light burned brightly for a brief moment; extinguished too soon, but his beauty not forgotten.

Our wonderful experience with Danny gave us the courage to adopt a troubled, broken dog like Cooper. It was Danny's foster Mom, Linda, who introduced us to Otis.

I still miss Danny and I think I always will. I find comfort in knowing that Danny's legacy is strong.

People of Walmart

If you ever have a good hour to kill and want to laugh till you cry, check out http://www.peopleofwalmart.com

Exhuberant

Whenever Jeff or I arrive home, we are met by a whirling dervish. Oti runs in circles and barks. You would think that he had been left alone for weeks, not just a few hours.

Oti then grabs any object that catches his eye and runs off. You can see from his expression that Oti wants to play. Oti does not chew on the object, just runs back and forth, out of reach, hoping that the chase will begin.

The other day I arrived home and found my pink rubber boot in the middle of the living room. Oti must have carried it up from the basement. One night, Oti raced to meet Jeff carrying my oven mitt (especially bad behavior since this was on the kitchen counter).Oti has no fear of digging in the hamper and running around with t-shirts.

Jeff left his sock drawer open and the next thing I knew, Oti was carrying socks downstairs. It is hard to be stern when Oti looks so happy. Saying "No, bad boy" has no effect. Oti seems to smile and say, you can't be mad when I am so cute!

Oti is either much younger than we think or this is a game he learned at his previous home.

Camouflage

In Autumn, leaves change from green to brilliant golds and reds.

In the same manner, Coop's summer wheat gold coat is turning red. Cooper's strawberry coat is much lighter than Oti's dark auburn coloring.

I have read that some animals change color with the season as a way to camouflage themselves from prey. I think that Cooper is hoping that his new coloring will make it difficult for the chipmunks to spot him in the yard.

More Of The Same

Rob Simmons is one of the Republican candidates vying to unseat Christopher Dodd. Simmons spent 6 years in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2000 until 2006.

Mr. Simmons is apparently taking pages from the Barack Obama Campaign Handbook and deciding that it is better to attack your opponent rather than present your position. For example, he recently criticized newcomer Linda McMahon because the corporation she ran contributed to Democratic Candidates. What Mr. Simmons fails to point out is that her company has contributed $70K to Republican Candidates vs. $34K to Democratic Candidates.

Mr. Simmons apparently isn't concerned about the thousands of Connecticut workers in the ranks of the unemployed. If he was, he would be putting forth a plan for growth to help attract entrepreneurs like Linda McMahon to Connecticut.

Let's get to the nitty gritty Mr. Simmons. What's your plan?

Here's Your Chance to Vote For Barack Obama!

Apparently potential is more important than actual accomplishment. Write-in your vote for Barack Obma for the Heisman Trophy.

http://promo.espn.go.com/espn/contests/ ... vote/2009/

Daddy's Boy

You would think that since I feed the dogs, this would raise my status with them. This is not true for Otis.

Otis is a Daddy's boy. If Jeff is not home, Otis wants to be near me. However, the minute Jeff gets home, I cease to exist. If it wasn't for Cooper, my ego would be in shreds.

I guess in Oti's case, he really is MAN's best friend.

Apple Pie

Now that it is apple season, thoughts turn to apple pie. Last year we found a wonderful high top apple pie at Trader Joe's and our pie problems were solved.

We went to Trader Joe's to purchase an apple pie and they now use a different bakery. Their pie is now called Grandma's apple pie. It did not look very appealing.

We ended up at Stew Leonard's and bought an apple pie to go with our lobster and NY strip steaks. Stew's pie is ok, but not as good as homemade.

I know Jeff is wishing we lived closer to upstate NY. I wonder if you can ship a pie ?

World Peace

I'd like to teach the world to sing,
In perfect harmony,
I'd like to buy the world a Coke,
and keep it company.

Where's my Nobel Peace Prize?

Bear vs Deer

Sue Ellen, the dog trainer, recommended Charlie Bear treats as training incentives.

I was working with Otis on recall in the driveway using a 20 foot leash. I had a pocket full of Bears and Otis was coming when called.

All that changed when Oti spotted a deer by the pond. Oti charged towards the deer. I hung on tight.

I called to Oti to come back, but he ignored me. All Oti wanted to do was jump into the pond and get to the other side. Recall skills were forgotten. I hoped the leash would hold.

Trying to haul in a frenzied 80 lb dog is not easy. Even after the deer was out of sight, Oti kept trying to head back to the pond.

Bears 0, Deer 1

Loner

Cooper is a loner. He is happiest alone on the deck on sunny days, chasing shadow friends and falling leaves. Coop does not long for human companionship.

I cannot blame Coop for this behavior. After years of mistreatment, it makes sense that he would find happiness in warm sunlight, away from those who might harm him.

Sometimes, when I go to bed early, Coop will go upstairs with me. Coop will hop up on the bed and I hear a thump, thump, thump. Coop stares at me with big eyes that say pet me.

I will pet Coop for a few minutes. When I stop, his tail begins to wag again. As I pet Coop, he eventually relaxes and you can hear his breathing slow as he falls asleep.

It is then that I know Coop trusts us and some of the bad memories are being replaced with good ones.

October

Falling leaves herald the end of too brief golden summer days. I hear them crackle underfoot as I walk Cooper and Otis along the road and am reminded of Danny.

October is Danny's birth month. One of my favorite memories is of Danny perched upon our stone wall as leaves float slowly to the ground.

A beautiful dog ,a beautiful day, a precious memory .

Knobs

After 3 years of looking at the bright gold knobs in our black and silver kitchen, we had enough.

Thank goodness for Home Depot contractor packs. Of course, the pack contains 10 knobs and we needed 51. We chose a brushed nickle knob that Home Depot also sold as singles.

I look the new knobs. However, we now think the cabinets look old. Needless to say, it will be a long while before we tackle a kitchen renovation!

Rose of Sharon

Two years ago, our LI family gave us this Rose of Sharon bush. It turns out that Rose of Sharon are great self seeders and the offspring were taking over their front yard.

The first year was difficult and I was not sure this bush would survive in CT. The deer and woodchuck ate the bush. It did not have a single bud. I was skeptical that this bush would see a second season.

Surprisingly, the Rose of Sharon is doing much better this year. The deer still eat the leaves, but some of the buds are intact. The blooms are beautiful and I am hoping it will continue to flourish.

Exhausted

Our LI family came to Wilton for a visit. It was the first time that Otis got to meet "Grandma" and our nephews.

Otis LOVES people and he began barking and jumping the second he saw the car pull into the driveway. Oti's unending exuberance prompted my brother to ask, "Is he always this excited ?" I laughed and said both dogs were sleeping before you showed up.

Coop gave everyone a quick sniff and headed to the kitchen door. All Coop wanted was to get outside on this beautiful fall day.

The guys went to a sporting clays clinic and Oti quickly fell asleep. That is, until everyone got back home for dinner. Having napped for a few hours, Oti was ready for round 2. Luckily, our nephews love dogs and were happy to play with Oti.

As I write this, both dogs are stretched out, sound asleep. Oti is snoring long and loud. I guess all the excitement tired them both out.

Moving Up

One of Jeff's favorite hobbies is participating in sporting clays competitions.

Two weeks ago Jeff placed 2nd in his class at the 2009 Connecticut state sporting clays championship. Missing first place by one clay target really hurt.

Last week Jeff shot at the NSCA Zone 1 sporting clays competition and won his class!

Congratulations to Jeff on moving up into a new, tougher class after these two successful outings. I have a feeling I will soon be spending more weekends alone, while he is out chasing glory.

Where's Dad ?

Oti always wants to know where Jeff and I are. Before Oti lays down, he will walk upstairs to check if Jeff is in the office and wanders around until he finds me. Once we are accounted for, Oti will relax.

When Jeff goes out to cut the lawn, Oti races from the back door to side windows to the front door and then upstairs to see the other half of the yard. Oti will whine when he can't see Jeff.

When the lawn is finished and Jeff is inside, Oti will take a nap.

It seems that Coop is not the only crazy dog in our house.

New Arrival

Ever since Jeff's Honda Civic was totaled, he has been driving the 4Runner. Unfortunately, the 2000 4Runner is getting old and starting to have problems.

We decided it was time for a new car. Here it is, a 2009 Honda Accord EX-V6.

Cleaning out the second garage stall will now be a priority.

Taking a Ride

Both Otis and Cooper love riding in the car. I like to crack the windows enough so they can get their heads out but not much else for their own safety. Each dog will take a window and we look like an airplane with Golden Retriever heads for wings.

Last night we decided it would be nice to take a walk in Wilton Center with the dogs. As we rounded the corner half way to Wilton Center, I looked back to find Otis standing on the rolled down window with half his body out! Valerie reached into the backseat and pulled him back and I quickly rolled the window up.

Two minutes later, I hear Otis' window start to roll down again. What? Well, he was standing on the switch which must have been enough to activate the window! Child safety window locks to the rescue!

So next time you're in my car and find you can't roll the windows down, you can thank Otis.

Seasons

I know that people are often classified by seasons, based upon their coloring and what colors looks best on them. Jeff and I were talking about the dogs and what season they would be....

I have decided that Otis is an autumn. This may be obvious due to his dark red coat and burnt orange collar. What may not be obvious is that Oti is a child of Fall. He is serious and watchful, a young dog with an old soul. Oti is a sentry who is always on duty and does not relax until all pack members are accounted for.

Cooper is a child of Spring. His strawberry blond hair and sunny personality reflect the warm spring days. Cooper loves to play and run and is never sad or serious. Coop continues to blossom like the spring tulips. Coop has been reborn since arriving in Wilton.

If The Election Were Held Today?

DailyKos.com and Research/2000 recently conducted a poll on Connecticut Politics.

It's no surprise (to me, anyway) that Christopher Dodd is the underdog in the 2010 U.S. Senate race. His unfavorable ratings are growing faster than Barack Obama's. Even more surprising is that Governor M. Jodi Rell is the favorite over presumed Democrat Ned Lamont and incumbent Joe Lieberman in the 2012 race.

In terms of a Government takeover of your health care, I'm definitely in the minority with 68% of Nutmeggers deciding they would like to see the inefficiencies and waste of government replace the 65,694 private insurance jobs in Connecticut.

How's that Hope & Change working for you?

Come

We were headed back from a walk and I had treats in my pocket. Since we were in the driveway, we thought it would be a safe place to test the dog's recall.

Jeff let go of Oti's leash and I called "Oti, come". Oti slowly wandered in my direction. When he got to me, he received a treat. Coop was up next. Coop never really focused on me, but eventually he arrived and received a treat.

We decided to try it one more time. When I called to Oti, he came racing towards me. 80 pounds of muscle moving at breakneck speed. Luckily, Oti hit the brakes at the last minute. It was obvious he had made the connection between coming to me and a snack.

Coop's second attempt was a failure. As Jeff let go of the leash, a butterfly floated by. All Coop's attention focused on the butterfly and no amount of calling or treat waving, got him to move towards me.

Seems like we need more indoor work.

Unsure?

First Senator Christopher Dodd is unsure if he was in the "Friends of Angelo" program at Countrywide.

Now, despite Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke hinting that the recession is probably over, Christopher Dodd is unsure again?

You would think that your elected officials who have spent unknown trillions on corporate welfare and pork barrel projects would at least be optimistic about all their inflation inducing spending. Any half-wit with a shred of common sense would hitch his wagon to the manufactured success of the current administration and ride the wave of success.

Not Christopher Dodd. Maybe Dodd can get Chairman Bernanke to print up some money so he can buy a clue.

Dump Dodd 2010.

Irish Setter

Someone asked us if Oti was an Irish Setter. I was not surprised by this question. When I first saw Oti's dark red coat, I thought his coloring was similar to an Irish Setter.

What really confuses people is when they hear both dogs are Golden Retrievers. You can see them look at Coop and then Oti. You don't have to be a mind reader to know that they are thinking - how can two dogs be such opposites and both be Goldens ?

Hair color, eye shape, size, weight and frame type are completely different. Each may be different, but both are beautiful.

Signaler

Sue Ellen, the dog trainer, came over this weekend to work on recall. Surprisingly, she said the best way to train the dogs is inside the house for the first few weeks. Every time you call the dog and they come, you give them a treat.

After the dogs have mastered inside recall, you begin to work on a long lead outside and eventually off leash. I am skeptical that Coop will ever master off leash, but I am hopeful for Otis.

While Sue Ellen was here, I asked about the fact that Otis always barks when a jogger or walker passes by. She said that Otis is a "signaler", he thinks his job is to alert everyone. This statement is completely accurate. Otis always signals at the approach of a car in the driveway or an animal in the yard.

Of course, one barking dog quickly leads to two.

Favorite Places

Both Cooper and Otis love to spend time in the kitchen. They can often be found under the table or by the back door.

This is not a problem, except when they decide to lay down behind me while I am at the sink. I am sure that one day I will step back and trip over them.

Starry, Starry Night

First Night Pictures

I've been messing around with my new camera and decided to take some pictures of the moon last night. Once I got the exposure figured out, they started coming out OK. I'm not sure what that blue dot is, but maybe has something to do with a dirty lens?

Flashback

My Mother has a portrait of our family that was taken somewhere in 1970's. My Brother, Father and myself are proudly wearing our leisure suits and floral polyester shirts smiling for the camera. Just put that image in the back of your mind while I explain our latest adventure.

During the last yearly maintenance of our heating system, our maintenance technician mentioned we might think about replacing our oil tank that was in the basement. It looked like the tank had some oil on the outside of it, but wasn't dripping on the floor so I figured we had some time. So I talked to a couple people and got an estimate for what it would cost to replace.

The only difficult part to this whole project would be that the oil tank was hidden behind a wall with absolutely no access. When a previous owner decided to finish the basement, they just sheetrocked the whole thing in. I knew there was going to be a little demolition involved, so I got started on it this weekend.

As I pried the paneling off, I discovered the wall had been papered at one time. Look at this beauty! Instantly, that picture of my family in our leisure suits popped into my head. The '70s sure were a strange time...

Happy Birthday Cooper!

One year ago we adopted Cooper from SGRR. We believe that he is 6 or 7 years old. What a year it has been. Life with Coop is a roller coaster - keep both feet on the floor and hold on tight!

At times the lows threaten to overwhelm us: cancer, seizures, oncologists, radiologists, and more medical testing than you can imagine.

The greatest high is that Coop is HAPPY! Coop's tail has not stopped wagging since he arrived. Coop has an abundance of smiles and kisses that he gladly shares.

Coop has turned into a beautiful, sweet, crazy dog. Coop always keeps us laughing with his unique personality.

Today we celebrate Coop and his love of life. If Coop could talk, I think he would say,"Life is great and if the sun is shining it is going to be a Coopity -Doopity day!"

Missing Kiawah

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about Kiawah. Kiawah Island, SC is our favorite vacation spot.

We try to get to Kiawah as often as we can. This year our upcoming trip to Alaska means no Kiawah vacation.

We usually go to Kiawah in early Sept, after the kids are back in school. The beach is almost deserted at that time.

I miss the sand, sun, and falling asleep to the sound of the ocean. The instant my feet touch the sand, troubles seem to disappear.

I am hoping that this time next year you will not find me in Wilton.

Gotta Hate When That Happens!

From FailBlog.org:

Sunset Grille

We had dinner at the Sunset Grille at Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk. Being a weekday, there were only a few diners, but I have a feeling it gets extremely crowded on weekends.

The Sunset Grille is located on a boat dock and has beautiful water views. The sun was setting as we ate dinner and the sky was full of pinks, purples and oranges.

If you go, I would suggest bringing a sweater. The high temperature was 75 during the day and much cooler in the evening with the breeze blowing off the Sound.

The food was good and the desserts were great. The Sunset Grille is a casual restaurant and a nice place to relax.

Another Bird Story

Yesterday's mourning dove incident reminded me of a Jake story.....

Our first Golden, Jake, once caught a baby bird. We were in our NC yard and I looked over and saw tail feathers sticking out of Jake's mouth.

Amazingly, when Jake opened his mouth, the bird was unharmed. The bird was scared and its feathers were damp, but there were no bite marks or broken wings.

I took the bird from Jake and it eventually flew away.

At 90+ pounds, Jake could have easily crushed the bird. Was it instinct that gave him such a soft mouth when holding the tiny bird ?

State Business

The State of Connecticut Legislators just passed a budget for the fiscal year that started July 1st. You would think that they would be fighting tooth and nail to keep state spending as low as possible in order to fight the immanent 1 billion dollar shortfall. After all, they just raised taxes on every smoker and every person that makes over half-million a year.

While House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr. was speaking on behalf of his constituents, what where Jack Hennessy and Barbara Lambert doing? They decided it would be a great time to play solitaire.

The guy behind them with ESPN.com on his computer was spared by the camera.

I hope the residents of Milford and Bridgeport let Mr. Hennessy and Ms. Lambert know we expect them to pay attention to the State's business!

Mourning Dove

This morning, Oti was barking and banging against the open front door. All this fuss was over two birds sitting in the driveway. It seems that Oti has a strong retriever instinct.

When Jeff let Otis and Cooper out before going to work, Oti started to bark and pulled Jeff towards Danny's tree.

Jeff said when he got close to the tree, he heard a rustling sound. It turns out that a mourning dove was trapped in the deer netting which protects the tree.

Jeff put the dogs inside and then freed the bird. Isn't it ironic that Oti's desire to hunt the bird ended up saving this animal's life.