Funny Title, Great Book!

Mom cannot say enough great things about this book. She was totally obsessed with it when she got it from the library, and she wouldn't put it down until she was finished reading it. Of course, I can't read, but I feel as if I read this book because Mom told me all about it.

First of all, Mom does not allow herself to read fiction books that often. Allow herself? I really don't understand this concept because I allow myself to do what myself wants. If I want to go outside, I go. If I want to sleep all day, I snooze to my heart's content. If I want to eat until I puke, they eating I will do. My list goes on and on, but this post is not about me - it's about this book.

When Mom does read fiction, she almost never reads anything like this book. But all the reviews that she read forced her hand and before she knew it, she was reading it. The story is very fascinating and is written as letters. The main character Juliet, receives a letter from a man, Dawsey, who found a book that Juliet owned. Dawsey wants more information about the author of the book, Charles Lamb, and Juliet and Dawsey begin to correspond.

Juliet is an author who lives in London and Dawsey is a pig farmer who lives on the island of Guernsey. The book is set in 1946 and Juliet soon learns about the German Occupation of Guernsey. She begins to correspond with other people from Guernsey and then visits Guernsey. I don't want to give too much away, but the book is a peek inside what life was like for the people of this little island during and even after the war. It is a heartwarming book that everyone is sure to enjoy.

Another interesting thing about the book are the authors. When Mom first picked up the book and checked out the back flap she thought that it was interesting that the book had two authors. Maybe one did the research and the other wrote the actual text? Wrong. The main author is Mary Ann Shaffer and she kind of stumbled upon the story while researching another book. Mary Ann gets while writing the book and her niece, Annie Barrows, steps in to finished writing the book.

I guess I am lucky that I don't read because Mom either reads to me or summarizes the books she reads. Both are good options that I allow for myself.

Unscrew America!

If you are looking to make changes in the new year and need a resolution, I have the perfect resolution for you. I am talking about making a small change that will make a big difference.

Unscrew America is a campaign to raise awareness of CFLs and LEDs. The campaign was started by one of the producers of An Inconvenient Truth along with the founder of GSD&M's Idea City. The website is totally interactive with great information about the campaign, videos, and even additional information about things you can do to save energy.

The idea of lightbulb replacement sounds simple, right? There are so many places to buy CFLs, from your local grocery store to the hardware store down the street. Don't have time to run out and buy CFLs? There are lots of places on the Internet to purchase them. The bottom line is that there is no reason to not change your lightbulbs.

So, why CFLs? CFLs produce the same amount of light as traditional lightbulbs, but use 80% less energy. CFLs also last 10-15 times longer. Despite the additional initial cost of CFLs, they pay for themselves in five months. Remember to purchase Energy Star - approved bulbs with the same output as those you are replacing.

The most important thing to remember about CFLs is that you cannot simply toss them in the trash when they burn out. CFLs contain mercury, so the bulbs must be disposed of properly. Check your town's website or http://www.earth911.org/ for collection programs.

So what are you waiting for? Go to http://www.unscrewamerica.org/ right now! Get all the information you need about CFLs and LEDs, then get shopping. Even if you don't live in America, you can and should still visit the website to determine if you can participate in the campaign. This is a change we can all make as we unscrew America and the world!

Vote For Turtle Talks!

The Turtle Talks team is a sea turtle conservation program. The team spreads the message that youth are the generation that will preserve sea turtles and that what is good for sea turtles, is good for all sea life, and ultimately human life. Since 2001, the team has spoken to school and community groups about sea turtles, but they need your help now more than ever.

Zander Srodes, the team leader has authored a childrens activity book. The book is given away free at all presentations. It has been taken by team members to 5 countries in the Caribbean and mailed to children all over the world. The book is available in 4 languages. Over 100,000 copies have been printed and given away. What a great way to spread the sea turtle message!

Go to http://www.genv.net/en-us/bestbuy and vote for Turtle Talks. Sponsored by the Best Buy @ 15 Challenge and Ashoka's Youth Venture, the winning team will receive a $10,000 grant from the Best Buy Children’s Foundation. The grant would provide the Turtle Talks team with enough money to continue giving their activity book away for free to children everywhere.

You must act fast because voting ends on January 9, 2009. The best part is that you can vote every day. Please spread the message and tell all your friends to vote for Turtle Talks. And if you need more reasons to vote for Turtle Talks, just check out the video of Zander Srodes below and prepare to be inspired.

Time To Get Organized!

While Mom was at the zoo today, I decided to get my toy basket out and organize it. I don't really play with my toys that much, but you just never know when you will get a hankering for a squeaky. My blogging buddy Henry just got his first squeaky for Christmas, but if he wants any of my used squeakys he can have them.

My toy basket is almost bigger than me. It is quite full of goodies as you will see.

I had forgotten about a lot of my toys! Some of my very favorite toys that I had when I was a baby are in the toy basket. I had to check them all out to determine which ones would stay and which would go. I knew it would be a hard decision to get rid of the ones that are really stinky and beat-up, but I knew they had to go.

The picture does not do this toy justice! This is my drumstick and I used to play with this guy every day. I spent many hours flicking the drumstick across the room and then running after it to pick it up and do it again. This is actually a replacement drumstick because the first one I had developed a hole in it - oops. I guess I had really hard teeth back in the old days. As soon as I saw the drumstick, I put it in the "keep" pile.

This is another one of my favorites! As you can see from the picture, I loved this newspaper. At one point I think it squeaked, but I really liked it because I could carry it around in my mouth. I used to lay on the floor and chew the newspaper and that is why one end of it has lost its color. I hope that stuff was not toxic. Maybe that is why I have issues now.
I am not sure why I have two sandwiches. Maybe one was a gift - who knows. I do know that both of these guys still squeak and I think I have to keep one and give one away because I can only play with one at a time.

I have to keep this guy because he has sentimental value. This is Mr. Spooky. He is really dirty and smelly, but he still has lots of life left in him. My best buddy (and adopted older brother) Cody loved Mr. Spooky. Whenever Cody would come over to my house, he would make a beeline for my toy basket, dig around, and pull out Mr. Spooky. He loved this guy! He would then walk around the house and even the backyard with Mr. Spooky in his mouth. He wouldn't put him down - ever. When it was time for Cody to go home, he would walk out the door and all the way home with Mr. Spooky in his mouth. Cody went to the big bone yard in the sky just over a year ago, and I miss him so much. Mr. Spooky always makes me think of Cody and brings a big smile to my face.

I guess my "keep" pile was bigger than my "give" pile, because my toy basket looks the same as it did when I started. I have a hard time parting with things, kind of like separation anxiety. Mom says that I need to have a garage sale in the spring, but I think I will just take my goodies over to the Goodwill Store for some lucky dog to buy. Maybe while I am there I can pick up some new stuff. Shh, don't tell Mom.

Happy New Year!

Here's to a great 2009! I had a great time in 2008, despite some health issues, but I'm still here, alive and kickin' like never before.

I don't make any resolutions for the new year because I figure if I've made it this long, I must be doing something right. Why fix what's isn't broken? Mom does not make resolutions either, at least not ones that she tells people. Maybe she has super secretive resolutions that she thinks she may keep, but just in case she doesn't, she doesn't want to tell the world. Dad of course makes resolutions every year and he tells everyone his resolutions.

We are laying low today because Mom and Dad were out last night and Mom isn't feeling too good. I am probably going to hang out with Dad and watch the Winter Classic (go Blackhawks) so that Mom can rest. The one thing I am very excited about today is dinner. To kick off the new year right we are having one of my favorite foods - Popeyes! I personally could eat Popeyes every day, but Dad tells me that wouldn't be good for my trim figure, so I try to limit my intake as much as possible. I hope Dad doesn't decide to make a resolution about Popeyes this year, unless he decides to eat it more often.

May 2009 be everything you hope for and more. May you cut down on you carbon emissions and your trash. May you recycle more and consume less. May you make smart choices and always think about Mother Earth. Peace to everyone, everywhere.

After Christmas Shopping

While you are out grabbing all the great after Christmas deals, please consider purchasing some new holiday lights to use next year. Even if your current lights are still in good working condition, switching to LED is the best way to go for many reasons.

LED lights use 90% less energy and most light sets last 50,000 hours. They are also safer because they are cooler to the touch, UL approved, and Energy Star approved. This is another win-win for everyone. Less energy used means less natural resources used means less money out of your pocket. Whew! I feel like I should run out and buy some right now.

Mom saw some light sets at 75% off which is great, but of course she didn't buy them. There were lots of sets at the store and she thinks that if she waits a little while longer that she can get them at 90% off. Good luck with that I told her. With her luck, she will wait too long and they will all be gone. This will be another case of "I told you so". She does not listen to me but hopefully you will.

But what will you do with your perfectly good non-LED light sets? Don't throw them away - recycle them! Post them on craigslist or freecycle so that someone who cannot afford lights can have them.

If you have lights that don't work, please recycle them. They don't have to end up in a landfill somewhere thanks to the following two options. Please check each website for specific shipping instructions.

1. You can ship them to HolidayLEDs.com, Attention: Recycling Program, 120 W. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1403, Jackson MI 49201. The company will even send you a coupon for 15% off its LED lights. The lights are then processed and any material that cannot be recycled (i.e. loose bulbs) are discarded. Once they collect a substantial number of sets, they take them to a 3rd party recycling facility located in Jackson, MI. The recycling company puts the lights through a commercial shredder, which chops the lights up into little pieces. The pieces are then further processed and sorted into the various components that make up the lights (pvc, glass, copper.) The materials are separated and transported to a region center for further processing. In some cases, the pvc cannot be recycled.

2. You can ship them to Christmas Light Source Recycling Program,1923 6th Avenue Fort Worth, TX 76110. This company will give you a coupon for 10% off its lights. They take the lights to a local recycling company that pays a small amount per pound of lights - similar to what you would get for recycling aluminum cans. The money they receive from the recycler is used to purchase Usborne books that get donated to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Usborne offers a 50% match on donations, so for every $100 in proceeds from Christmas lights recycling, $150 in books can be purchased and then donated.

Now for some facts. If everyone used LED Christmas lights, we'd save $160 million in energy costs according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Ten strands of LED lights produce 30 pounds of carbon dioxide versus 300 pounds for regular lights.

So what are you waiting for? Don't be like Mom and wait too long. Go out and get some LED lights today or better yet, order them online. Happy shopping!

Merry Christmas!

Sending you pugs and kisses for Christmas!

Last Minute Christmas Gifts

Haven't finished your Christmas shopping yet? Get shopping people! If you are at a lost for what to buy, I have some great last minute ideas for you.

The perfect gift for the person that has everything is, what else, a sea turtle! No, no, you don't get a real sea turtle to keep at home, you adopt one.

Head on over to Caribbean Conservation Corporation and for a tax-deductible donation of $25 or more, they will deliver a symbolic sea turtle adoption kit presented in a beautiful full-color sea turtle folder that includes:
A personalized adoption certificate;
A colorful logo decal;
A colorful magnet;
A Sea Turtle Conservation Guide, with information about sea turtles and actions that everybody can take to help save sea turtles; and
A welcome issue to CCC's award-winning annual newsletter, the Velador

You can adopt a satellite-tagged turtle and track its movements all over the world via the CCC's website. If you want a more personalized gift, you can adopt one of the many turtles CCC researchers tag on the beaches of their research station in Costa Rica and choose the turtle's name. Mom has worked with turtles on this beach, so she can attest to the great work the researchers do.

Another great last minute gift idea is a reusable bag. Mom gave one to her favorite student and the student uses it all the time. You can pick up reusable bags at almost any store, everyone can use them, and best of all, they are great for the environment. Mom has an assortment of bags in her car and she really doesn't have a favorite, but the bags from Whole Foods are the best shape for carrying lots of groceries. If you can't get over to Whole Foods today, Jewel, Dominick's, Walgreens, and CVS all sell reusable bags. This is truly a gift that keeps on giving throughout the year. Your friends and family will love you for not only thinking about them by giving this gift, but also for caring about Mother Earth.

Most of us are lucky to have everything that we need. If you have friends and family like this, then give them the best gift of all, yourself. Simply being with people, sharing great times, and making memories is better than any material possession you can buy. I do buy gifts for people, but mostly I just sit on their laps and give them kisses. Everyone tells me that they love these gifts most of all. Now, I am not suggesting that you sit on laps, but hugs and kisses for everyone, everywhere cannot be beat!

For The Kitty That Has Everything!

First of all let me say that I am sooooo glad that I am not a cat, for many reasons. I like my cat buddies, but there is just something about them that isn't right. I never knew what it was before, but I think I have finally figured it out - cats wear wigs!

Kitty Wigs is the brainchild of Julie and Boone Jackson. Like most fun things, Julie started designing the wigs as stress relief from her day job. The wigs are wacky cute and would make the perfect holiday gift for any cat. I like how you could coordinate your wig with your wardrobe, I mean if you had a wardrobe. Like I have said in the past, I do not wear clothes, save for the occasional Halloween costume. There is absolutely no way that Mom could put something like this on me, but I understand that my feline friends are a lot, let's say, more adventurous then dogs.

Take Pink Passion for example. She is a mellow lady, who likes her wine like her men, perfectly aged. She is ready to party at the drop of the hat (or wig) and she is always in style. A trendsetter maybe, but definitely one of a kind.
This lady is the star of the show no matter the show.

There is only one word to describe Bashful Blonde - naughty. She is a woman of mystery, with an eye for scandal. Not one to sit home alone, she prowls the nights looking for the right man to rock her world. She is a tiger in the bedroom, but a lionness at heart.

There are two more styles to choose from, so I will let you check them out at http://www.kittywigs.com/. And don't get any crazy ideas and buy one for me. Hey, maybe sombreros for pugs? Or top hats? The possibilities are endless as long as they don't involve fake hair!

This Would Make A Great Gift!

Everybody loves the zoo so why not give the gift of a zoo membership this year? A membership to the zoo? What is that?

Mom's zoo is free to the public 365 days a year. Yes, you read that right. It is one of the only free zoos left in the U.S. Even though it is free to enter, visitors who drive must pay to park. They also sell food and gifts to help offset the cost of running a zoo, which is very expensive. By purchasing a zoo membership, you get perks like free parking, discounts at the restaurants and gift shops, and invitiations to special events.

Mom says that the zoo is the happiest place in the world. I know that some people don't like zoos and some of us (me) have never been to a zoo. Mom's message is to give zoos a try. They are places of education, conservation, and fun. So if you are having trouble deciding what to buy for that special someone this year, a zoo membership is the way to go. Check out http://www.aza.org/ to find a zoo near you.

Time To Go Visiting

Mom hardly ever takes me out, but today was a special occasion. I had to deliver a birthday present to a friend and I had to deliver it in person.

My good buddy Fred had a birthday on Tuesday. I was going to stop by his house with his gift on his birthday, but there was a snow storm and Fred got home from work very late. The week just got away from me, so finally today Fred was available and Mom and Dad took me over to his house.

This is Fred. He is a very young 64 years old. He looks good for his age, don't you think? There are some things you should know about Fred. He was in the Vietnam War -yikes. That sounds scary to me, but Fred handled it like a trooper. Fred was also in the Peace Corps in Southeast Asia. He did more in his life before he was 30 than most people do in their entire lives.

Fred is also an animal lover, despite the fact that he still eats animals (much to Mom's dismay). Fred is involved with an animal shelter in our county called Save A Pet. He volunteers there and every year (usually in the spring) he fosters an abandoned mother cat and her kittens. Fred is dedicated to caring for the kitties and he takes great care of them. I don't ever get to visit the kitties because they are young and trying to get strong after having a rough start in life. Mom tells me all about them and Fred sends pictures, so it feels like I know the kitties.

When I was trying to decide what to get Fred for his birthday, Mom suggested a book. I told her that Fred did not read books, but she thinks that she can turn everyone into a book lover, so she talked me into buying this book for Fred.

The book looks interesting, but I wonder it they have a version about dogs. I mean you always hear about dog miracles, like dogs warning their owner about a fire, seeing eye dogs, dogs that know when patients are going to have seizures, etc., but maybe no one has ever written a book about it.

Mom told me that this book would for Fred because maybe it would inspire him to write about his cat fostering. The kitties are miracles in and of themselves, but the joy they bring to Fred and to the people who eventually adopt them is also a miracle. I don't know if Fred is going to write a book or even a short story, but I hope he reads this book. I know he will enjoy it and I hope he thinks of me when he reads it. Happy birthday Fred!

Snow Day!

There was a winter storm warning last night and everyone was told to stay off the roads in anticipation of 12 inches of snow - yikes! The snow had not started by the time I went to bed last night, but when I woke up this morning, I couldn't believe my eyes.

I used to love the snow when I was a baby. I would run out and roll around in the snow making snow angels. I would push the snow with my nose to make snowballs and then let the snow cover my body like a snowman.

Things really changed as I got older. Maybe it was Mom's influence, I just don't know. Mom likes the way the snow looks, but she says that it really messes up traffic. Since I don't drive (not because I don't want to), traffic is not a problem for me. My only real problem with the snow is that I get lost in it and it is not that much fun anymore.

Dad had to shovel a little path for me in the backyard this morning. Despite the path, Mom had to force me out into the snow - it was a little too cold and windy for me - yuk. Don't I look miserable?

Thankfully, Mom did not take a picture of me doing my business (thank you!), but she had to get a picture of my backside as I ran for the door when I was done. I was only out in the yard a minute, but you can see how much snow accummulated in that short amount of time. The snow is no longer my friend.

Mom took this picture out the living room window. It looks like a bad picture, but that is just snowflakes that are stuck to the window. The snow is not a friend to the window, either. As you can see, no one is out, not even the birds. I don't know where they are because we filled the birdfeeders yesterday in anticipation of the storm. Mom was very worried that the little birdies would starve in the storm - yeah right. I should have asked Dad to go to Popeye's last night so that I wouldn't starve today.

The best part about today is that Mom did not go the zoo like she usually does on Fridays. She decided to spend the snow day with me. While I am sleeping all curled up in a nice warm blanket at Mom's feet, Mom will be reading and playing around on the computer. She will also be watching the snow continue to fall, because the storm is not over yet. Ah, what a perfect way to spend a snow day!

Wednesday Wag Out!

Eco-Friendly Water-Powered Clock

When Mom saw this she told me that she had to have it. This is one of the coolest clocks ever because it is powered by water. No more buying batteries! The clock is actually powered by the same salt and water mixture that cover over 70% of the planet. The electrodes harvest energy from the water and viola! Just keep the tank filled with water and you will be right on time. Depending on the tap water you use, you may have to add a small amount of table salt and the manufacture recommends squeezing some lemon juice in the water tank to make it run more efficiently. Of course the water needs to be changed once in a while and added as it evaporates, but that is part of the fun of having the clock. These are sure to be under many Christmas trees this year, so get yours while you can at http://www.bedolwhatsnext.com/.

Water Heater Tank Wrap

This is another one of the those items that you wonder how you've lived without, even though you don't realize that you need. If your water heater's insulation R-value is below an R-24 or it's slightly warm to the touch, then you need to buy this right away. Without it, you are throwing good money out the window and wasting valuable resources.

The Water Heater Tank Wrap is rated R-11 and by adding to your water heater insulation, you can reduce standby heat losses by 25%-45%, which will save you between 4%-9% in water heating costs. Wow! Designed for both gas and electric heaters, it also meets and exceeds U.S. Department of Energy Standards. Buy one of these today at home improvements stores or online at http://www.eartheasy.com/.

Walking The Wrack Line

Mom read this book while she was in Hawaii a few weeks ago. She was supposed to read this book, along with Carole, while they were on Wassaw Island this summer, but Mom did not order hers in time.

The book is a series of essays that the author, Barbara Hurd, writes while walking various shorelines around the world. She is looking for meaning in all the flotsam and jetsam that she finds. Mom does the same thing on Wassaw, but she has never written a book about it. Hey, what a great idea! Mom could write a book, make lots of money, and then I could get all the Popeye's I want - yahoo!

Barbara also talks a lot about her mother. So many things that she finds remind her of her mother who is now dead. It's interesting what people think about as they walk along shorelines. I have only been to a shoreline once and it was not a very good experience. I was there for a "doggie dip". Sounds dumb, huh? It is a once a year chance for all the dogs in our community to swim in our lake. I do not like water, but Mom and Dad took me there anyway. I dipped my paws in the water and ran back to shore where a really nice lady was feeding all the dogs carrots. I just stood by this lady for the rest of the afternoon mooching carrots off her.

Mom tells me that looking out into the endless abyss that is the ocean makes you realize that you are part of something much larger than yourself, that you connect with nature in a way that is almost spiritual. Huh? Maybe I was so upset about getting wet that I just didn't get all that or maybe because I was looking out into the lake it just wasn't the same. Whatever the case, maybe one day I can go to the ocean and see if I can connect like I am supposed to.

Mom really liked this book and recommends it. Since I don't read anything real deep, I will pass. I like to keep my reading light and short - like me!