Ruff Day

I had another "ruff" day of having kids read to him at a local YWCA after school program. There are a lot of good reads out there like "Six Monkeys Jumping on a Bed" and "Bear Stays Up for Christmas" — both of which were read to me today. My all time favorite book still remains "Hop on Pop" by Dr. Suess.

Newman listening intently to the story

Got Beads?

Time to howl! It's Mardi Growl! French for Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras refers to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after King's Day and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. Fat Tuesday reflects the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season.

The Mardi Growl Court

While in New Orleans the day symbolizes Mardi Gras, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, it's Fastnacht Day. The word Fasnacht is synonymous with the day to eat fatty, deep-fried donuts for good luck. Traditionally, fastnachts were made by Pennsylvania Dutch housewives to use up the remaining supplies of lard, sugar, fat and butter in the house before Lent during which time they were not to be eaten. 

With eating being one of Thelma Lou's all time favorite sports, Fat Tuesday rates high on her scale of holidays to celebrate. Let the calorie consumption begin.

Did someone say Fastnacht?

Love is Blind!

Did you know that approximately 1 billion Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas?

Six more weeks of winter

Rascally rodent Roger and the great weather prognosticator Punxsutawney Phil emerged from their dens early this morning and saw their shadows, predicting six more weeks of winter.

Rascally Rodent Roger

According to folklore, if a groundhog emerges from its burrow and sees its shadow, then six more weeks of winter weather is on the way. If it comes out and sees no shadow, spring is expected to come early.

Punxsy Phil

Punxsutawney, a small Pennsylvania town home to one of the most famous weather-predicting groundhogs, Punxsutawney Phil, has been carrying on the tradition of Groundhog Day since the 1800s, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. Unlike Punxsutawney Phil, Brushtown's resident rodent Roger has only recently taken up the science of meteorology.

Gobbler's Knob - Home of Punxsy Phil

Busy Beaver

As you might recall from my end-of-the-year brag sheet, Thelma Lou was hoping to "sit" for her TDI therapy dog test so that she can participate in an after school Kids Read to Dogs Program as well as become an official K-9 volunteer for Celtic Healthcare. We are happy to announce that Katandy's Li'l Angel Thelma Lou is now a certified therapy dog and could be making her first visit as early as tomorrow. 

Busy Beaver 

I must say that I have mixed emotions about Thelma Lou's success. While I am very proud of my little sister's achievements, she has been getting to spend a little more alone time with Mom than I'd like. I know that Mom enrolled her in scent work classes at Good Dog Rising to help Little Lou boost her self-confidence. Two years ago she wouldn't have dared to step outside our backyard without Rog or me let alone venture into a nursing care facility. Clearly M&D's decision to enroll her in the public school system coupled with her exposure to the outside world has worked wonders. She's now confidently shopping at Lowes for power tools with Dad and racking up substantive accomplishments to add to her resume which previously only included beauty pageant titles. But make no bones about it, I am, and always will be top dog in the Knowlton household. 

Pink is the new blonde

So we received a surprise with the impending Snowpocalypse that never arrived in Brushtown — Mom got a bonus snow day from work. We didn't really do much except watch some Boob Tube and hang out on the couch.

Bored Bullies

Unfortunately, late this afternoon Thelma Lou's nose work class at Good Dog Rising was also cancelled. Needless to say, her nose was more than a little out of joint. Thelma Lou wasn't the only one disappointed. Roger started whining like a little Mexican Chihuahua because he'd miss our daily cruise in town with Dad while Mom and Thelma went to class.

Senor Roger

After about an hour of Roger whining and Thelma pouting, Mom caved in to Thelma's pleas for "Mom and me" time so off to the beauty salon they went. Dad was not real happy with either of them when they returned and Thelma was sporting a bright pink bob like fashion designer Nicole Richie did earlier this week.

Pinky Tuscadero

Nicole Richie at the Fashion Los Angeles Awards

"Let freedom ring!" - MLK

"No person has the right to rain on your dreams!" — Martin Luther King Jr.