When Life Gives You Lemons....Make Dog Treats!

As I adjust our foster dog to a new, high quality, grain-free diet, I've discovered that grain free treats are not a very affordable option.  With chihuahuas, a $6 pack will last well over a month, but with a malamute requiring lots of positive reinforcement, this is a great expense.  She ate an entire bag in two days (in my defense it was an itty bitty bag of treats for toy breeds) as we teach her that the crate is not a punishment, but a safe happy place where she is to sleep and use when she needs some time to herself.  Her manners thus far have been impeccable, but she has to be crated at night and of course we want to spoil her a bit as well. 

I looked online for recipes and came across several to try.  I went with a drop cookie style treat this time and they've been a big hit with her and the chihuahuas.  Of course I can't just make a recipe, I have to alter and adjust to customize it to my own specifications, so this is my edit on an original recipe found on http://www.morethanpaleo.com

Grain-Free Dog Treats

2 sweet potatoes

2 T ground flax seed

4 T water

2 eggs

1 C peanut butter

1/2 C coconut milk

1 1/2 C garbanzo flour

Steam and mash the sweet potatoes.  I sliced mine and put them in the steamer basket of my rice cooker, allowed them to cool, pulled the peels off, and mixed them together in my mixer with the whisk attachment.

Mix the ground flax with the water in a separate bowl and leave it on the counter while the sweet potatoes cook, they'll absorb the water and form a paste.

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl to form a thick batter.  You may need to add more flour or coconut milk to your own desires.

Drop onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and cook at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Pull them out and press them flat then put back in the oven for 10-30 minutes depending on the size of the treat.  The small treats (about the size of a quarter) require 20 minutes total cooking time and the large ones (pictured - the size of a conventional cookie) require 30 minutes total cooking time.

Allow to cool and then test them on your happy dogs and foster pup.  I plan on storing them in a glass jar, and from what I read online, they will keep up to two weeks on the counter.  This batch made 40 small cookies and 15 large cookies.

A Reluctant Rescue

Life sure can be crazy at times.  I am not a fan of dogs, yet I own two rescued chihuahuas and love them, though not so much the male when he chooses to pee on my rugs.  Three days ago, I went to pick up some items from a friend's house and found her dog in less than desirable conditions.  Due to extenuating circumstances in her life, she is no longer able to care for the dog and has been attempting to rehome her with no success.

I came home, called Man, and told him we had to do something immediately because the situation was just no good, bad, awful and the puppy wasn't happy.  A few hours later we were back at the house collecting the dog and her various belongings.

When we brought her home we spent an hour on the front porch brushing, brushing, and brushing until she'd had enough.  We then brought her into the bathroom and washed her until the hot water heater ran out of water, but she still wasn't fully clean, we rinsed her and called it good until we could get her more settled and comfortable.  She'd been through so much already and the bath was a bit distressing so she'll get another bath on the next sunny day.

She's so full of fluff it's hard to tell she's thin, but the second picture (showing my embarrassing pile of recycling to go out) does show some of her leanness.

Man laid on the floor with her for an hour and a half before we walked her for the night and put her in the kennel.  She was utterly blissed out and started to relax.

There is an issue with Freyja, she's dog aggressive.  So at the moment we have my dog sequestered in my room with a small chihuahua paradise set up while we work on how to address her issues and safely attempt to integrate her with them.  I'm in touch with a malamute rescue as well as putting out feelers to local trainers to find out how to resolve her aggression in a safe, controlled manner.  I've had two serious inquiries into adopting her and have screened one out and told the other she is next on my list to come meet her if she doesn't work out in my home.

Since taking her in, I have been on the phone and computer calling and emailing everyone under the sun about her.  I've talked with the owner who had her prior to the people I rescued her from and got a great amount of her history under my belt and it's tragic.  She was bred multiple times and has been rehomed multiple times.  At some point in her life she developed dog aggression and the woman I spoke to rehomed her in the hopes she would go to a good home where she would not live stressed out by other dogs and loved.  Sadly, I am her sixth placement in her four short years of life and if I'm not her last, I want to be sure whomever she goes to will be  her final family.  She deserves to be loved because all she has to give is her love and she gives of it freely.

Now that she's settled in, she is utterly blissed out between all the love we have to offer.  She has labeled herself Protector of Children and when the kids went to school on Friday I walked her with us to the bus stop.  When the Yellow Flashing Machine of Death pulled up, she placed herself between it and the children in an attempt to protect them from impending doom.  Once she realized the school bus was a gigantic CAR full of excited children, it was all I could do to keep her off the bus because she wanted to ride with the kids. 

Girl came home from a sleepover with a stomach virus and Freyja has been nothing but a source of comfort to her between laying next to her on the couch and pacing outside the bathroom whining while Girl vomits and cries.  Once Girl was feeling a little better they got down on the floor together for some pettings and next thing you know, the belly was up for grabs and the world was good for a time.

The past few days have been hectic to say the least.  Helping her adjust, dealing with an ill child, and still keeping my other pets happy and content is taxing me to great lengths.  I am not very excited about adding another dog to my family and maintain a cautiously pessimistic outlook on the success of this venture, but it needed doing and I learned that when I want something done right, I have to do it myself.  So it's being done.

Washable, More Like Laughable

When I separated from my ex husband I had to get OUT and took very little with me in regards to furniture.  I got the couch and chair, my mattress, a bed frame for the Girl, Boy's dresser, and the dining room table.  I had $1000 to furnish my home so off I went to IKEA.  This meant I bought as much as possible with little (because that stuff adds up FAST).  I wound up buying the cheapest mattresses I could for my children.

Well, Girl still wets the bed on occasion and this means that in spite of my constant spraying down and protective layers her mattress was getting kind of smelly.  The tag on her mattress said the cover was removable and washable so off it came and after two washes it finally came out without a scent.  The mattress itself (cheap foam wrapped around springs) was sprayed down with an enzymatic cleaner and left to bake in the sun for the better part of a day.

When I took off the cover I knew I was in for trouble when it was time to put it back together, but I had no clue how hard it would be.  That foam is very grippy and did not work well when trying to shove it back into the cover.  The cover has a soft inner nap that wanted to stick to the foam and stay where it was.  After three attempts I finally got it back together with much cursing and back wrenching effort.

It doesn't look like much and pardon the mess in the garage, it's my staging zone for closet and clothing sorting at the moment so it's a hot mess, but here is a picture of success.

Don't do it.  Just don't.  I mean it was worth all the effort and I'll certainly state that I'm thrilled with how clean and fresh smelling it is now, but I was lied to.  Washable my ass.

Value - Or, Just Say NO!

I read an opinion piece today about artists and their value.  While it specifies those in the artistic industry such as photography and videography, I find this applies to both my crafting and my work.

I am frequently asked to knit, sew, craft, etc...items for friends when they see what I've made.  Some offer payment, others offer to buy the materials, and still others just expect me to do it for the fun of doing it and offer it as a gift.

Before I began to sew and knit seriously, I often thought that hand knit items were ridiculously overpriced; that was until I sat down and knit my first sweater and sewed my first dress.  Then I realized that people offer handcrafted items for sale are woefully underpaid.  My tastes run towards more costly items like fine quality yarns and stylish fabrics so when someone sees something I've made, they don't realize that my handmade item cost maybe twice what it would have cost if I'd picked it up in a store.  After factoring time to craft the item, well...it's a hobby as I tell people, and I don't make things for fun and profit, just for fun.  I do knit and sew for others as gifts, but when I have requests, more often than not I will say no.

That's hard for me, saying no.  I was raised to give of myself and then give more, but I rarely have time for the crafts that I love so much and having to do them for other people makes it onerous.  I actually will put off crafting an item for other people's requests until the very last minute because I am just not feeling it.

As for work, that's a very hard one for me.  I have learned to accept rejection of my rates, hard as it may be, and to refuse to offer services when potential clients attempt to haggle me down.  I've done favors before, but I've often found that the favors are seldom returned and rarely appreciated.  They also tend to lead to multiple requests for favors.

The other day I had such a request.  I would normally charge about $280 plus, given the condition of the home, a $40 wear and tear fee on my equipment and sanity.  I was offered less than half my standard rate, and as much as I wanted to help a person I like, I politely declined their offer and told them my rate is my rate, friendship aside.

Of course, there's a part of me inside that thinks that extra money would be nice, I could do something nice with the kids or invest in some hiking equipment for my big fall trip, but I have to value myself and say no when someone attempts to undervalue me.  I offer a service, and I expect to be paid for that service in a profitable manner. While I truly enjoy what I do, it's very hard and dirty work, and I do a damned good job.  That's why I charge the rates I charge, you get what you pay for and you get a lot from me when I work for you.  I've had housekeepers in the past, and I've come  home from a long, hard day only to clean up the mess the housekeeper has left behind: puddles of cleaning fluid, smears on my windows and doors, and worst of all...Pledge furniture polish buildup on my bathroom tiles.

I am not a charity, I'm not looking for an "opportunity" to get my business name out there.  Out of all the favors I've done for others, I've never seen a referral or money that I was promised in the future.  It was an opportunity for the person whom I helped to save money and get a great deal, and it has always left me feeling angry, bitter, and used.

So I don't do favors.  I reject low ball offers of payment.  I accept rejections from potential clients who feel my prices are too high.  That's life and I will not undervalue myself.

Temper Temper

I have one hell of a temper.  There are many days when I have to put myself in time out because I get all worked up and then I'm mean to everyone around me.  One of the big things I have to be sure to keep under control is not letting the little things get to me, but it often seems that I'm washed over by a wave of little things all at once and next thing I know it I'm screaming and flailing about in a rage.

Today was exhausting, just a very hard work day with no breaks.  I rented a high powered carpet extractor and spent the better part of  six hours treating my floors with an enzyme product to break down dog urine and then cleaning and rinsing my rugs.  I'm worn out.  I'm beat.

Then I realized that I HAVE to get the chicken feed out to the girls which got me in the back yard.  Next thing I know I'm neatening their coop and feeding them when I remembered I needed to take out the compost.  Out I go with the compost bin and I find that the compost heap has once again been scattered into the yard by the chickens and it's a big mess doing me no good.  I raked all the compost into the pile again and then grabbed some boards to place upright in the earth to form a bit of a border.  Then I stacked the rest of the boards next to the shed, neatened up the yard a bit, and headed back in to find...

...my mouse to my laptop wasn't working.

This is an OLD laptop and the touch pad doesn't work so I have to have a mouse.  I changed the batteries, nope.  I went through and updated the driver, nope.  That's when I started to feel the rage filling me.  I wanted to throw things, cuss, and scream but just out of curiosity I checked the battery.  It was in wrong.

I'm going to call it a day and have a good laugh at myself.

Spring Cleaning Checklist

Spring is coming so it's time to get thinking about cleaning.  I wrote out my checklist I work out every year and will have it printed tomorrow so I can start working towards my goals.  I prefer to do this one room at a time and set goals as well as giving myself rewards for completing my tasks.  Typed out, it honestly doesn't look like much, but I know it's a daunting task list I've just given myself, but it needs to be done, and I'll do it.

Spring Cleaning

Kitchen

• Wash walls
• Wash trim
• Window frame, sill, and glass
• Fridge – inside, top, sides, back, and clean vent. New baking soda and water filter
• Oven – clean cycle, wipe sides, clean drawer
• Range top – wipe down, clean filter
• Microwave – wipe out, clean sides and front, clean back vent
• Dishwasher – disassemble and deep clean, run with vinegar. Top off Jet Dry
• Cabinets – empty, wipe out, and reorganize. Wash fronts and scrub handles
• Counters – remove all items and wipe down. Refresh caulking in needed areas
• Trash cans - empty and wash out, wipe down fronts
• Wash light fixtures
• Replace fire alarm battery
• Shelves – remove items, wipe down
• Floor – sweep and scrub on hands and knees. Move fridge and oven to clean under
• Vacuum and wipe out floor register
• Stain door to garage

Reward for completion – eat dinner out or bottle of nice wine/cider

Dining Room

• Wash walls
• Wash trim
• Window frame, sill, and glass
• Clean worm bin, drain, and harvest castings
• Sort under worm bin table
• Reorganize desk and wipe with magic eraser
• Reorganize sewing area. Move fabrics not being used to storage box in garage
• Remove all books from shelf and wash shelf. Adjust shelves to maximize storage capacity and rearrange books. Bring books from other locations to place on shelf.
• Wash entire table, top to bottom. Condition wood.
• Wash each chair, top to bottom. See if broken chair can be repaired again or find replacement
• Bottle mead and dandelion wine
• Floors – sweep and steam
• Baseboards – wash
• Vacuum and wipe out floor register

Reward for completion – buy more books

Foyer

• Clean storm door inside and out, including handles
• Wash front door, inside and out, including handles
• Wash walls
• Wash trim and dust pictures
• Wipe out curio cabinet
• Scrub baseboards
• Sweep and steam floors

Reward for completion – new cat for cabinet

Living Room

• Wash walls
• Wash trim
• Dust pictures/decor
• Move furniture to sweep, dust, and steam floors under
• Dust furniture
• Reorganize entertainment center
• Sell video games we don't play
• Wash couch and chair
• Clean out fireplace – remove ash, wash tools, clean out vents, wash glass doors
• Place fireplace tools and wood holder in garage loft
• Wash window sills and windows
• Wash ceiling fan
• Sweep and steam floors

Reward for completion – new curtains for window

Hall

• Wash walls
• Dust décor
• Wash air intake
• Vacuum out air intake
• Organize and sort linen closet
• Wipe baseboards
• Wipe trim
• Vacuum rug

Reward for completion – print and frame photos for wall

Hall Bath

• Wash shower curtain
• Wash walls
• Empty medicine cabinet, reorganize, wipe out, and dust top
• Empty sink cabinet, wipe out, reorganize, repair drawers
• Replace toilet innards
• Scrub toilet, remove seat to deep clean
• Wash around toilet – walls and floor
• Remove tub floor trim and replace
• Scrub tub and shower walls, wipe top, replace shower head
• Wash tub toys and storage bin
• Wash and refill shampoo/conditioner bottles
• Buy new body puff
• Vacuum/wipe out floor register
• Sweep and scrub floors on hands and knees

Reward for completion – new picture for bathroom

Girl's Room

• Wash walls and trim
• Wash window and sill
• Wash curtain and rehang
• Wipe off blinds
• Organize dresser
• Sort clothes, donate/sell outgrown and shift seasonal to storage in closet
• Spray mattress and air outside. See about washing the cover
• Wash pillows and stuffed animals
• Sort shelf, wipe down, and reorganize
• Empty closet – reorganize toys, sort through clothes, sell or donate unwanted toys/clothes
• Move furniture OUT
• Wipe baseboards
• Vacuum/wipe out floor register
• Vacuum and shampoo carpets

Reward for completion – new wall decals/poster

Boy's Room

• Wash walls and trim
• Wash window and sill
• Wipe off blinds
• Organize dresser
• Sort clothes, donate/sell outgrown and shift seasonal to storage in closet
• Spray mattress, air outside, and see about washing cover
• Wash pillows and stuffed animals
• Empty desk, reorganize, and fix cork board
• New dresser knobs
• Empty closet – reorganize toys, sort through clothes, sell or donate unwanted toys/clothes
• Move furniture OUT.
• Wipe baseboards
• Vacuum/wipe out floor register
• Vacuum and shampoo carpets
• Hang rug and posters

Reward for completion – new dresser knobs of Boy's choice

My Room

• Wash walls and trim
• Wash window sill and glass
• Dust furniture
• Clean ceiling fan and grease
• Wipe lamp shades
• Empty and reorganize bedside storage
• Clean under bed, sort and store items
• Empty trunk, reorganize, and prepare for blanket storage
• Empty dresser, sort clothes and donate/sell what I don't fit/wear
• Find new home for printer or buy a printer table
• Move storage bin to garage
• Spray mattress and try to get it outside to sun
• Wash ALL linens and pillows
• Remove furniture
• Wash baseboards
• Vacuum and wipe out floor register
• Vacuum and shampoo rugs

Reward for completion – bed skirt for bed

My Closet

• Empty and reorganize
• Move storage items to garage, including yarn
• Vacuum and shampoo

Reward for completion - $50 to spend on clothes/shoes

My Bathroom

• Wipe down mirror
• Wipe down counter and sink
• Remove all items from drawers and cabinets, wipe down, reorganize, and dispose of items
• Wash bathroom rugs and shower curtain
• Replace vinyl curtain
• Scrub shower
• Sort through beauty items and wipe down or dispose
• New bath puffs
• Scrub toilet and floor
• Wash walls
• Replace floor trim under shower
• Touch up paint Mimi peeled off wall

Reward for completion – new Lush shower gel

Garage

• Wash blanket covering supplies
• Sort through and donate unused art supplies
• Clean washer – drawer too
• Clean dryer – drawer too
• Organize shelves
• Organize loft
• Sweep and steam floor
• Hang fly screen
• Replace broken door handle

Reward for completion – satisfaction

Porch

• Wash table and chairs
• Clean and repair grill
• Sweep and scrub porch boards
• Rake under porch
• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth under porch
• Hang fly screen
• Hang fly deterrent bag

Reward for completion – new mat for back door OR new chair cushions

Exterior

• Wash siding
• Wash windows
• Sweep porch
• Clean out front porch light
• Wash garage door
• Wash out garbage and recyling bins
• Spray exterior with bug treatment
• Spray under house for bugs

Chickens

• Remove coop slats and clean
• Empty and wash nesting boxes
• Refresh boxes with pine straw
• Move and rake out under coop
• Relocate coop to under pine tree and closer to shed
• Wash water and feed bins
• Paint coop

Reward for completion – new chicks

Yard

• Clean out beds
• Trim bushes
• Tear out front beds, seed, and remulch
• Rake pine needles and dispose
• Mow and bag, move to compost
• Rake compost and create boundary with a board
• Trim branches on dogwood

Reward for completion – ferns to hang on porch