Introducing Montague

Thank you ladies for your comments - they are very encouraging! And as always, as soon as I start writing down my blog thoughts, I realize once again how much I enjoy having a forum for my regular ramblings....

So....while gaining momentum in June 2010, this next post is All About Montague!!!

Ask and ye shall receive Janine! :o)

As I mentioned in my last post, I have visited the Maui Humane Society on several different occasions - I'm grateful that Carrie loves animals just as much as do, because it is a normal occurence for us to take bi monthly trips to town for Costco and home goods, and to stop at the Humane Society on the way for our animal fix. The Maui Humane Society has everything from dogs and cats, to turtles, pigs, and rabbits. It's a really fun trip, and usually I'm able to go in, get licked, pawed, and barked at, and leave with a full heart.

Not this time.

For some reason unbeknownst to me, I checked the MHS website before we headed over on this fateful day. There was a picture on the website of a pooch with a droopy face that just melted my heart, and I knew that I wanted to see him. As we walked down the row of kennels, each puppy jumped up and ran to the fence trying to get our attention - most barked and jumped with excitement. And at the second to the last kennel, this guy was just chillin on his bed, barely raising an eyebrow when we stopped at his cage:

He was like, "Whatever dudes, I'm chillaxin."

I knew I needed to visit with him. The MHS has a pretty sly system - you can't meet a dog unless you're serious about adopting, which means you fill out adoption paperwork first. I honestly hadn't even considered adopting this goober-faced pooch, but I really wanted to meet him. So I filled out the paperwork. And something in me shifted gears....and I started to suspect I wasn't going home empty-handed.

Like I said , the MHS is pretty sly...

We met him in the visiting area, and it was love at first lick. He was friendly, calm, sweet-natured. I left very reluctantly, after placing a hold on him, thinking I would talk it over with Bradley first. I should note, however, that Carrie and I promptly went to the pet store, and I bought a collar, leash, and food bowls....."just in case". :o) After one day of consideration, no concerns from Bradley, and MUCH prodding from Carrie, I went back to the Humane Society and happily paid my adoption fees.

I brought Monty home on Monday, May 3rd, after two surgeries - one to neuter, one for a face lift (he's a sharpei/lab mix, and apparently sharpei's have problems with their eye wrinkles) - and proceeded to get to know the newest addition to the household. From the very beginning, he has been an easy dog. He definitely likes to chew stuff, but only when he's really bored or wants to go out, so we haven't had any major destruction in the house....so far, we have some chew marks on the door frame, and two slippers have fallen victim to Monty's wrath.

Oh stats, he's 3 years old, about 60 lbs, he's a Sharpei/Chocolate Lab mix, and they picked him up stray on the West Side of the island up by Honolua Bay. They have no idea where he came from. Which is amazing to me, because for how even-tempered, sweet, and social he is....well, someone must have given him love at some point. Who knows what happened, but it's my good fortune, that's for sure.

He has already been a positive influence on me - we walk at least twice a day, to the dog park, to the beach, around the neighborhood, and these walks have 1.)reawakened my love of the outdoors, 2.)allowed us to meet a whole bunch of other awesome dogs, and 3.)forced me to leave work at a normal hour. All good things!

If he's a sleep at the screen door and you sneak up on him, he wakes up with a bark. That's cute. So far.

If your face is anywhere within range, it's gonna get licked.

When we come home at 6am from our morning walk, he promptly jumps on the bed to wake Bradley up. Also cute. Not to Bradley. Speaking of which, those two are like best buds, and Bradley loves him just as much as I do...it's pretty awesome.

He also likes to climb up on the couch with us at the end of the day when we're unwinding, and watching TV. Or just lick you.

It has definitely been an adjustment, and I certainly hadn't planned for it, but that pooch is the bestest, and I love him lots. I'll hopefully be putting up more pictures (probably on Facebook) once I get my digital camera situation ironed out.

Truth be told, the arrival of Monty in my life is such a blessing - I don't think about babies quite so much anymore. I have a feeling that won't last very long though....hmmmmm.....Well, for now, it's just us!

Oh how time flies....

I'm not sure how it came to be June of 2010, and my last post was over 8 month ago. Unbelievable.

I've now typed and retyped this line six times trying to figure out where to start. Start with the now? Or go back 8 months and try to catch up? I really don't know.

I bought a condo. There, that's a start. It was a crazy whirlwind process, and I find myself having paid a mortgage for the last six months. Oddly enough, I did not rent out my second bedroom. Somehow I have managed to afford the mortgage and homewoners dues on my own. Which I'm pretty stoked about because now that I have lived without a roomie, I think it would be reeeally hard to do it again. Bradley is basically living with me, and he helps a little too. I really love making this place my own, but it is definitely in the forefront of my mind to be looking for the next place - a step up with more room. That will be awesome. I'm also really looking forward to a tax return that reflects home ownership - I think it will be much nicer than normal. :)

It has been a serious year of visits and visitors, which I think is why I have been so very lax in my posting. I think it's a great excuse. I went back to the mainland the first week of December 2009, and then Elissa and Paul came to visit in March 2010. Dad surprised me with a birthday trip back to the mainland in early April. Corrie came to visit in late April. Lisa Fluckiger and her whole family came to visit in May. I'm going back in June for mom's surgery. Jayson and family are all coming in August. I'm going back in October for Grandma's 90th. And so far, that's it. :o)

In January, I made a resolution of sorts to change my lifestyle. I had gained about 40 lbs in the last 4-5 years, and I am really unhappy about it. So I started making some big changes in terms of what I eat and my activity level. Things have changed a lot since January/February. I was doing really well, and dropped 10 lbs by the end of February, and then with visits and visitors, I allowed myself a whole lot of excuses. I haven't stopped thinking about my lifestyle change, and I have definitely made some better decisions for myself, but I'm still struggling with food and my weight. I re-commited to myself in the last couple weeks, and my fridge is now full of a lot of green stuff, but I'm not feeling very optimistic about my resolve. I just don't know how to get over emotional eating and lazy eating....but I'm working on it.

I don't have a working digital camera, and I really need to fix that - I hate not having a camera with me for the special moments. My phone camera just doesn't cut it.

I got a dog! I've had him for exactly a month, and he's so awesome. His name is Montague Ruffalo Stebbins, and he's super mellow and sweet. I got him after a particularly vulnerable trip to the Humane Society - Carrie and I go there every once in a while just to see the sweet dogs and cats and give them a little love. I usually escape unscathed. But once those droopy eyes looked up at me, I just couldn't resist. He is amazing, and is just what I needed in terms of enjoying the outdoors. Because we live in a relatively small condo, we have to go out for walks twice a day. And I love that. We have a great time playing with other dogs, walking on the beach, and just enjoying the outdoors. I lucked out - he seems to love people and dogs, and is just a great dog all around. I can't believe that anyone could have let him go, but it's my good fortune.

My sister had a baby!!! William Harper Hanson was born last week, and I can't wait to meet him at the end of June!!!!!!!

I think that's about all I can write for the moment. Looking at this post has made it clear to me that I need to dedicate a separate post for almost each item of interest here, and that is a daunting task. Hopefully I'm up for it.

More time-worthy posts are forthcoming....