Yes, it has been some time since I have written in “the blog,” and thanks to some down time over the break and due to an angry right hip I have a bit more time on my hands than I have for the last few months. My most amusing observations about family life have been simple ones, ones that have caused me to think and re think some of my decisions I have made or was planning on executing.

One thing that has caused me to rethink an initial yearning that I had was coming home this Christmas. I was uber excited to leave my quaint apartment (rather nice euphemism), in Rexburg for the change to come home and see the family. I was so excited that I neglected to pack properly and and did not even have time to vacuum my apartment before I left (I plan on getting a ridiculous bill for that)... I made a twelve- thirteen hour car drive and got inside with no welcoming crew. I went to the main floor and gave my mom a hug, father sat in front of the TV said welcome home, and resumed his hypnotic staring at the Tellie. My sisters were scattered all over the place and none of them were around, so I started unpacking my things. Twenty minutes into the process the youngest- (we call her Lizzie) saw me and was rather huffy because I did not come to see her when I got home!


Some other humorous and quirky happenings are in relation to my dog. He is a “Cavalier King Charles Spaniel”, and thinks he is King Charles himself. Strange enough and eccentric enough to be Royalty, he for the most part loves to eat what we are eating and loves to do things that he should not be doing. His breed was raised to be a a lap dog for royalty and the dogs were also used for hunting; as they have superior smell and are small enough to navigate small places and thick brush.

Despite the breeding for hunting, he is utterly useless for this. The things that he should be afraid of he is not and the things that are harmless he is either completely disinterested in or absolutely afraid of. A few examples: the dog hates balls- he runs away from them at almost all costs and at all sizes, but will run up to dogs five times his size and bark and jump up on them. He loves to chase cars and large objects, but will whimper anytime he feels you grab the scruff of his neck. He likes to play around the weedwacker and will chase the plastic string and even lawnmower if allowed, but refuses to go across the prickly grass in the July and August summer months. The desire he has for the fares of the table seem a bit perplexing to me. Aside from liking the usuals such as beef fat, bacon and pretty much any type of meat, be has a great love and loathing for an assorted number of fruits and vegetables.

The list of things he loves: Iceberg Lettuce, Apples- if they are cut up within the proper specifications, Bread- any type, but it seems the sweeter the better. Mountain dew, Coca puffs, Frosted Flakes, Bacon, Eggs, Potatoes- if they are cooked to his liking. Pomegranate, Peeled Grapes- he did not like them at first, and turned his nose up at them but I snuck some in his mouth and he has liked them ever since. Cucumbers- LOVES them! Bacon, Beef scraps, Pork, Cow lactate- “milk”, gravy, Carrots- depending on the day and how much beef fat they have soaked up- he also likes them uncooked. Rice- sometimes. Ice-cream, sorbet, and LOVES to chew on plain ice. Likes strawberries, cantaloupe and watermelon. Hot dogs.

Things he hates: Dark Green leafy veggies- my guess is that they are not sweet enough. Corn.
His dog food. Oranges. Celery, oatmeal.

It is strange to see him get as excited over a piece of lettuce (iceberg of course) as he will a piece of meat. His breed is a strange one, as he loves to have attention. When the family is away during the day or for a bit of time be gets really antsy and will walk all over the main floor of the house. While he is in the kitchen he will sniff around for bits of food, and lick them up if he can find them. When we are home he gets lazy and will only go after obvious bits of food if we point them out, despite his amazing sense of smell. He loves to go out on the back porch, wander out there for a bit, bark at the neighborhood dogs for a spell and then paw on the screen or glass door when this becomes tiring to him. Usually this interests him for five minutes at the most.

My father thinks he is pretty funny, and says that he fits into our family rather well. I sure wonder why......