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Nov. 20th, 2004 05:10 pmPuppy update: There can be only one. In my life, anyway. I found a good home for the black puppy, Gypsy -- a nice couple I work with, who have a 10-year-old daughter. I dropped the dog by their place on Monday evening, and as of Friday, they all seem to be happy and settling in. The puppy has been renamed Shady by the little girl. I have visitation rights. ;)
I was going to find a new home for the other one, too, but as soon as Gypsy/Shady was gone, the behavior problems that had been driving me crazy have almost completely vanished. No more running and barking at all hours of the day and night. No more hyperactivity and refusal to come into the house when I'm trying to get ready for work. He's polite, calm, responsive, very nearly housebroken, and is learning a few commands (sit, drop it, come and fetch). So, he gets a second chance. In honor of that, I've renamed him Lucky. I never liked the name Bandit anyway.
I took the dogs for a good long walk today, and they've been sleeping ever since. Ah, bliss. The dogs are happy and quiet, the house is toasty warm, and it's not even too cold outside. This has been such a lovely winter -- lots of snow, above zero. If every Fairbanks winter was like this, I don't think I'd mind the dark at all.
Ironically, I'm sort of looking forward to it getting cold (you know you're in Fairbanks when it's 10 above zero and you keep wondering when it's going to get cold) so I can make ice candles. A friend of mine makes them, and I have been wanting to try it ever since she described the process -- which was before I left Alaska in 2000, but I lived in an apartment then, and never had anywhere to make or put them.
You get a big cardboard cup or cardboard bucket (like you get in hardware stores). Mix water with food coloring and pour some in the bottom; set it outside and let it freeze. Then set a candle on the ice. Over the next few days, you pour successive layers of colored water, all different colors, letting each layer freeze before adding the next one, until it gets to the top of the candle. Then tear away the cardboard and light the candle. As it melts down, it shines out through the colored ice -- it's a lovely ornament for your deck, lawn or gatepost, with virtually no fire risk. (It's the middle of winter and the flame is surrounded by ice -- what's it going to burn?
I was going to find a new home for the other one, too, but as soon as Gypsy/Shady was gone, the behavior problems that had been driving me crazy have almost completely vanished. No more running and barking at all hours of the day and night. No more hyperactivity and refusal to come into the house when I'm trying to get ready for work. He's polite, calm, responsive, very nearly housebroken, and is learning a few commands (sit, drop it, come and fetch). So, he gets a second chance. In honor of that, I've renamed him Lucky. I never liked the name Bandit anyway.
I took the dogs for a good long walk today, and they've been sleeping ever since. Ah, bliss. The dogs are happy and quiet, the house is toasty warm, and it's not even too cold outside. This has been such a lovely winter -- lots of snow, above zero. If every Fairbanks winter was like this, I don't think I'd mind the dark at all.
Ironically, I'm sort of looking forward to it getting cold (you know you're in Fairbanks when it's 10 above zero and you keep wondering when it's going to get cold) so I can make ice candles. A friend of mine makes them, and I have been wanting to try it ever since she described the process -- which was before I left Alaska in 2000, but I lived in an apartment then, and never had anywhere to make or put them.
You get a big cardboard cup or cardboard bucket (like you get in hardware stores). Mix water with food coloring and pour some in the bottom; set it outside and let it freeze. Then set a candle on the ice. Over the next few days, you pour successive layers of colored water, all different colors, letting each layer freeze before adding the next one, until it gets to the top of the candle. Then tear away the cardboard and light the candle. As it melts down, it shines out through the colored ice -- it's a lovely ornament for your deck, lawn or gatepost, with virtually no fire risk. (It's the middle of winter and the flame is surrounded by ice -- what's it going to burn?