Frontyard with the new sod

Frontyard with the new sod
Originally uploaded by spappyjones.

This is the final result of 14 hours of work yesterday. Lights, edging and sod. three trips to HD, two to Hertz rental for a tiller and then a roller multiple trips for beer, we totalled out at a case and a half and three plate of pasta ala Shawn.

It was Dan's quiet genuis of putting two spots on the flag so I can fly my Betsy Ross at night and not get in trouble with the Supream Court for being a bad flag flyer. This is the link to the full set of photos.

Ben in the big people bed

Ben in the big people bed
Originally uploaded by spappyjones.

Ben caught a few winks in the big people's bed the other morning while I was getting ready for work. Maybe he is ready to tranfer from the crib at 6 weeks?

Netflix analyzer

Found this netflix analyzer on one of my rss feeds today. I like the results but from their reccomendation I should cancel my cable and only watch DVDs from netflix everynight to take full advantage of my price plan of 3 (unlimited).

Your results
You've rented 349 DVDs over 35 months from November 18, 2002 to October 10, 2005.
Your plan costs $17.99/month so you've paid $629.65 total.
Your average price per rental was approximately $1.80 each.
Average rental costs elsewhere are $3.75 each (not including late fees).
You've saved approximately $679.10 over your membership lifetime or $19.40 per month.
Here's some more about your renting habits...
You kept each rental for around 9 days on average.
The longest you kept a single DVD was 88 days: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004).
You rented about 10 DVDs each month.
You're not taking full advantage of your current plan. You could be renting 19 DVDs each month.

This is my full history since joining the netflix way of life, as in I haven't been to the theater for years.

Shipped Returned Title 09/13/05 10/25/05 Million Dollar Baby (2004) 10/04/05 10/24/05 Downfall (2004) 10/04/05 10/24/05 Ken Burns' Civil War: Disc 1 (1990) 10/10/05 10/24/05 The 39 Steps (1935) 10/04/05 10/12/05 The Sound of Music (1965) 09/20/05 10/10/05 Fever Pitch (2005) 08/04/05 10/04/05 The Corporation (2004) 09/13/05 10/04/05 Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) 09/23/05 10/04/05 Ghosts of Rwanda: Frontline (2004) 06/24/05 09/22/05 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) 09/13/05 09/20/05 Resident Evil (2002) 08/30/05 09/13/05 Queer as Folk: Season 1: Disc 1 (2001) 08/29/05 09/13/05 Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 4: Vol. 1 (2005) 08/29/05 09/13/05 Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 4: Vol. 2 (2005) 08/09/05 08/30/05 Ocean's Twelve (2004) 07/08/05 08/29/05 The Last Waltz (1978) 08/24/05 08/29/05 Singles (1992) 08/01/05 08/24/05 Ben-Hur (1959) 07/14/05 08/09/05 The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) 07/29/05 08/04/05 Dawson's Creek: Series Finale (2003) 07/25/05 08/01/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 5: Disc 4 (2001) 07/25/05 07/29/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 5: Disc 3 (2001) 07/21/05 07/25/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 5: Disc 2 (2001) 07/20/05 07/25/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 5: Disc 1 (2001) 07/18/05 07/21/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 4: Disc 4 (2000) 07/15/05 07/20/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 4: Disc 3 (2000) 07/07/05 07/18/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 4: Disc 2 (2000) 06/24/05 07/15/05 Bend It Like Beckham (2002) 06/22/05 07/14/05 The Bourne Supremacy (2004) 07/05/05 07/08/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 4: Disc 1 (2000) 06/22/05 07/07/05 Amazon Women on the Moon (1987) 06/21/05 07/05/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 3: Disc 4 (1999) 06/16/05 06/24/05 End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones (2004) 06/20/05 06/24/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 3: Disc 3 (1999) 06/14/05 06/22/05 The Aviator (2004) 06/14/05 06/22/05 The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) 06/17/05 06/21/05 Rosemary's Baby (1968) 06/14/05 06/20/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 3: Disc 2 (1999) 05/31/05 06/17/05 12 Angry Men (1957) 06/09/05 06/16/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 3: Disc 1 (1999) 05/24/05 06/14/05 Miller's Crossing (1990) 06/06/05 06/14/05 Welcome to the Dollhouse (1996) 06/07/05 06/14/05 Liberty! The American Revolution: Disc 3 (2004) 05/17/05 06/09/05 Liberty! The American Revolution: Disc 2 (2004) 05/23/05 06/07/05 Pieces of April (2003) 05/23/05 06/06/05 Caddyshack (1980) 05/24/05 05/31/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 2: Disc 4 (1998) 05/16/05 05/24/05 Team America: World Police (2004) 05/03/05 05/24/05 Deadwood: Season 1: Disc 3 (2004) 05/17/05 05/23/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 2: Disc 2 (1998) 05/18/05 05/23/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 2: Disc 3 (1998) 05/13/05 05/18/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 2: Disc 1 (1998) 05/12/05 05/17/05 Liberty! The American Revolution: Disc 1 (2004) 05/12/05 05/17/05 The Incredibles (2004) 05/10/05 05/16/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 1: Disc 3 (1998) 05/04/05 05/13/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 1: Disc 2 (1998) 05/03/05 05/12/05 Dawson's Creek: Season 1: Disc 1 (1998) 05/03/05 05/12/05 Dirty War (2004) 04/04/05 05/10/05 Vera Drake (2004) 04/28/05 05/04/05 Hotel Rwanda (2005) 04/15/05 05/04/05 Deadwood: Season 1: Disc 3 (2004) 04/25/05 05/03/05 Meet the Fockers (2004) 04/27/05 05/03/05 The Woodsman (2004) 04/19/05 04/28/05 Primer (2004) 04/12/05 04/25/05 Finding Neverland (2004) 04/11/05 04/19/05 Deadwood: Season 1: Disc 2 (2004) 04/05/05 04/15/05 What Dreams May Come (1998) 04/04/05 04/12/05 Sideways (2004) 04/05/05 04/11/05 Deadwood: Season 1: Disc 1 (2004) 04/01/05 04/05/05 Running on Empty (1988) 03/08/05 04/05/05 Interview with the Vampire (1994) 03/25/05 04/04/05 Being Julia (2004) 03/11/05 04/04/05 Seven (1995) 03/29/05 04/01/05 Closer (2004) 03/15/05 03/29/05 Ravenous (1999) 03/24/05 03/29/05 Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) 03/08/05 03/25/05 Mean Creek (2004) 03/11/05 03/24/05 Garden State (2004) 03/03/05 03/15/05 Maria Full of Grace (2004) 03/07/05 03/11/05 Wall Street (1987) 03/02/05 03/11/05 Crash of Flight 111: Nova (2004) 03/02/05 03/08/05 The Miracle of Life: Nova (1982) 03/04/05 03/08/05 The Story of the Weeping Camel (2004) 02/28/05 03/07/05 Fright Night (1985) 02/28/05 03/04/05 Dog Soldiers (2002) 02/28/05 03/03/05 An American Werewolf in London (1981) 02/21/05 03/01/05 The Howling (1980) 02/15/05 03/01/05 Last Life in the Universe (2003) 02/23/05 02/28/05 Collateral (2004) 02/15/05 02/28/05 Dogtown and Z-Boys (2002) 02/18/05 02/28/05 Mad Love (2001) 02/15/05 02/23/05 Friday Night Lights (2004) 01/18/05 02/23/05 Band of Brothers: Disc 4 (2001) 01/28/05 02/21/05 Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004) 02/02/05 02/18/05 Talk to Her (2002) 02/11/05 02/15/05 Election (1999) 02/07/05 02/15/05 Saved! (2004) 02/08/05 02/15/05 Dead Man (1995) 02/07/05 02/11/05 Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) 02/01/05 02/08/05 Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 3: Vol. 2 (2002) 02/01/05 02/07/05 Life and Debt (2001) 01/31/05 02/07/05 Band of Brothers: Disc 5 (2001) 01/20/05 02/01/05 Seabiscuit (2003) 01/19/05 02/01/05 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 01/13/05 01/31/05 The Cooler (2003) 01/19/05 01/28/05 Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 3: Vol. 1 (2002) 01/10/05 01/20/05 Junior Bonner (1972) 01/07/05 01/19/05 Before Sunset (2004) 01/10/05 01/19/05 Band of Brothers: Disc 3 (2001) 01/10/05 01/18/05 The Ice Storm (1997) 01/03/05 01/13/05 Troy (2004) 01/03/05 01/10/05 Napoleon Dynamite (2004) 12/31/04 01/10/05 Band of Brothers: Disc 2 (2001) 12/31/04 01/10/05 The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) 01/04/05 01/07/05 Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (2004) 12/28/04 01/04/05 13 Going on 30 (2004) 12/29/04 01/03/05 Band of Brothers: Disc 1 (2001) 12/07/04 01/03/05 All the President's Men (1976) 12/28/04 12/31/04 Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) 12/28/04 12/31/04 Animal Farm (1954) 12/14/04 12/29/04 Ocean's Eleven (2001) 12/23/04 12/28/04 Braveheart (1995) 12/14/04 12/28/04 Amores Perros (2000) 12/21/04 12/28/04 Futurama: Vol. 1: Disc 1 (1999) 12/20/04 12/23/04 1984 (1984) 11/30/04 12/21/04 The Boondock Saints (1999) 11/29/04 12/20/04 Ed Wood (1994) 12/07/04 12/14/04 The Exorcist: Restored Version (1973) 11/30/04 12/14/04 Blast from the Past (1999) 11/09/04 12/07/04 Donnie Darko (2001) 09/28/04 12/07/04 Angels in America: Disc 1 (2003) 11/15/04 11/30/04 Shrek 2 (2004) 11/16/04 11/30/04 Elf (2003) 11/11/04 11/29/04 Waiting for Guffman (1996) 10/27/04 11/16/04 The Station Agent (2003) 10/20/04 11/15/04 Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) 10/12/04 11/11/04 The Long Good Friday (1979) 10/12/04 11/09/04 A Decade Under the Influence (2003) 10/19/04 10/27/04 Desperado / El Mariachi (1995) 10/04/04 10/20/04 Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) 10/14/04 10/19/04 Super Size Me (2004) 10/07/04 10/14/04 Bad Santa (2003) 10/04/04 10/12/04 Mr. Show: Season 2 (1996) 10/05/04 10/12/04 Best in Show (2000) 09/27/04 10/07/04 Gandhi (1982) 09/30/04 10/05/04 Gladiator (2000) 09/24/04 10/04/04 Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 2: Vol. 2 (2001) 09/27/04 10/04/04 Mr. Show: Season 1 (1995) 09/22/04 09/30/04 Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 1: Vol. 2 (2000) 09/20/04 09/28/04 The Big Lebowski (1998) 09/20/04 09/23/04 Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 2: Vol. 1 (2001) 09/16/04 09/22/04 Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 1: Vol. 1 (2000) 09/14/04 09/20/04 Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) 09/07/04 09/20/04 Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) 08/26/04 09/16/04 The Harder They Come (1973) 09/07/04 09/14/04 Fidel: The Castro Project (2002) 08/27/04 09/07/04 Six Feet Under: Season 2: Disc 5 (2001) 08/26/04 09/07/04 October Sky (1999) 08/24/04 08/27/04 Six Feet Under: Season 2: Disc 4 (2001) 08/18/04 08/26/04 Dave Chappelle: Killin' Them Softly (2000) 08/16/04 08/26/04 The Man Who Would Be King (1975) 08/17/04 08/24/04 Six Feet Under: Season 2: Disc 3 (2001) 08/10/04 08/18/04 Cold Mountain (2003) 08/04/04 08/17/04 North by Northwest (1959) 08/12/04 08/16/04 Monsters, Inc. (2001) 07/26/04 08/12/04 In America (2002) 07/26/04 08/10/04 The Italian Job (2003) 07/29/04 08/04/04 Six Feet Under: Season 2: Disc 2 (2001) 07/21/04 07/29/04 Six Feet Under: Season 2: Disc 1 (2001) 07/21/04 07/26/04 Good Will Hunting (1997) 07/19/04 07/26/04 Snatch (2000) 07/15/04 07/21/04 Repo Man (1984) 07/12/04 07/21/04 The Man from Snowy River (1982) 07/12/04 07/19/04 Murder on a Sunday Morning (2001) 07/07/04 07/15/04 Rat Race (2001) 07/07/04 07/12/04 From the Earth to the Moon: Episodes 9-12 (1998) 06/24/04 07/12/04 The Birds (1963) 06/29/04 07/07/04 House of Sand and Fog (2003) 07/01/04 07/07/04 Bubba Ho-Tep (2003) 06/08/04 07/01/04 From the Earth to the Moon: Episodes 5-8 (1998) 06/15/04 06/29/04 Big Fish (2003) 06/15/04 06/24/04 Miracle (2004) 06/09/04 06/15/04 Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) 06/03/04 06/15/04 The Sound of Music (1965) 06/01/04 06/09/04 Monster (2003) 06/04/04 06/08/04 From the Earth to the Moon: Episodes 1-4 (1998) 05/17/04 06/04/04 The School of Rock (2003) 05/20/04 06/03/04 Step Into Liquid (2003) 05/26/04 06/01/04 Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) 05/17/04 05/26/04 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) 05/11/04 05/19/04 Path to War (2002) 05/12/04 05/17/04 Tigerland (2000) 04/26/04 05/17/04 Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) 04/30/04 05/12/04 Capturing the Friedmans (2003) 05/05/04 05/10/04 Jerry Maguire (1996) 04/30/04 05/05/04 Michael Moore's The Awful Truth: Season 1: Disc 1 (1999) 04/26/04 04/30/04 The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) 04/26/04 04/30/04 American Movie (1999) 04/06/04 04/26/04 The Believer (2001) 04/14/04 04/26/04 Matchstick Men (2003) 04/14/04 04/26/04 K-Pax (2001) 04/05/04 04/14/04 The Tao of Steve (2000) 04/06/04 04/14/04 Bloody Sunday (2002) 03/29/04 04/06/04 Summer of Sam (1999) 03/29/04 04/06/04 The Emperor's New Groove (2000) 03/29/04 04/02/04 Max (2002) 03/12/04 03/29/04 Super Troopers (2002) 03/15/04 03/29/04 Chopper (2000) 03/15/04 03/29/04 Reindeer Games (2000) 03/09/04 03/15/04 Galaxy Quest (1999) 03/05/04 03/15/04 Sex and the City: Season 5: Disc 2 (2002) 03/09/04 03/12/04 Sex and the City: Season 5: Disc 1 (2002) 03/04/04 03/09/04 Sex and the City: Season 4: Disc 3 (2001) 03/05/04 03/09/04 What Lies Beneath (2000) 03/01/04 03/05/04 Sex and the City: Season 4: Disc 1 (2001) 03/02/04 03/05/04 Sex and the City: Season 4: Disc 2 (2001) 02/24/04 03/04/04 Fishing With John (1992) 02/27/04 03/02/04 Sex and the City: Season 5: Disc 1 (2002) 02/23/04 03/01/04 Melvin Goes to Dinner (2003) 02/10/04 02/27/04 Croupier (1998) 02/17/04 02/24/04 The Thing (1982) 02/05/04 02/23/04 The Blue Planet: Seas of Life: Tidal Seas - Coasts (2001) 02/12/04 02/17/04 Spellbound (2002) 02/04/04 02/12/04 The Blue Planet: Seas of Life: Ocean World - Frozen Seas (2001) 02/02/04 02/10/04 Freaky Friday (2003) 01/20/04 02/05/04 The Blue Planet: Seas of Life: Seasonal Seas - Coral Seas (2001) 01/20/04 02/04/04 Limbo (1999) 01/16/04 02/02/04 The Blue Planet: Seas of Life: Open Ocean - The Deep (2001) 01/13/04 01/20/04 Catch Me If You Can (2002) 01/13/04 01/20/04 Identity (2003) 01/13/04 01/16/04 Heist (2001) 01/06/04 01/13/04 Gangs of New York: Disc 2 (2002) 01/06/04 01/13/04 Gangs of New York (2002) 01/05/04 01/13/04 You Can Count on Me (2000) 12/29/03 01/08/04 The Bourne Identity (2002) 12/29/03 01/06/04 The Desert Fox (1951) 12/29/03 01/05/04 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) 12/18/03 12/29/03 Swimming with Sharks (1994) 12/17/03 12/29/03 The Ben Stiller Show: Disc 2 (1992) 12/17/03 12/29/03 The Ben Stiller Show: Disc 1 (1992) 12/09/03 12/18/03 Mean Streets (1973) 12/09/03 12/17/03 Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) 12/08/03 12/17/03 The Red Shoes (1948) 11/25/03 12/09/03 Donnie Brasco (1997) 11/24/03 12/09/03 Deep Blue Sea (1999) 12/01/03 12/08/03 The Usual Suspects (1995) 11/24/03 12/01/03 The Sopranos: Season 4: Disc 4 (2002) 11/20/03 11/25/03 The Sopranos: Season 4: Disc 3 (2002) 11/18/03 11/24/03 The Sopranos: Season 4: Disc 1 (2002) 11/19/03 11/24/03 The Sopranos: Season 4: Disc 2 (2002) 11/17/03 11/20/03 The Matrix: Reloaded (2003) 10/31/03 11/19/03 A Man in Uniform (1993) 11/13/03 11/18/03 Finding Nemo (Full-screen) (2003) 10/31/03 11/17/03 Wages of Fear (1952) 11/03/03 11/13/03 The Lion King: Special Edition (1994) 10/28/03 11/03/03 Sorcerer (1977) 10/27/03 10/31/03 Bowling for Columbine (2002) 10/28/03 10/31/03 Scent of a Woman (1992) 10/21/03 10/28/03 Secretary (2002) 10/24/03 10/28/03 Amadeus (1984) 10/17/03 10/27/03 Old School (2003) 10/16/03 10/24/03 Amadeus (1984) 10/15/03 10/21/03 Shanghai Knights (2003) 10/07/03 10/17/03 X-Men (2000) 10/06/03 10/16/03 Pollock (2000) 10/08/03 10/15/03 Chuck & Buck (2000) 10/02/03 10/08/03 Stalag 17 (1953) 10/03/03 10/07/03 The City of Lost Children (1995) 09/30/03 10/06/03 Patton (1970) 09/30/03 10/03/03 Trekkies (1999) 09/29/03 10/02/03 Copycat (1995) 09/10/03 09/30/03 The Insider (1999) 09/24/03 09/30/03 Local Hero (1983) 09/18/03 09/29/03 Apt Pupil (1998) 09/15/03 09/24/03 When We Were Kings (1996) 09/12/03 09/18/03 Topsy-Turvy (1999) 09/08/03 09/15/03 Adaptation (2002) 09/05/03 09/12/03 Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) 09/03/03 09/10/03 Last Night (1998) 08/26/03 09/08/03 Go (1999) 09/02/03 09/05/03 The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) 08/26/03 09/03/03 Six Feet Under: Season 1: Disc 4 (2001) 08/26/03 09/02/03 Six Feet Under: Season 1: Disc 3 (2001) 08/18/03 08/26/03 Six Feet Under: Season 1: Disc 2 (2001) 08/07/03 08/19/03 Raging Bull (1980) 08/04/03 08/18/03 Six Feet Under: Season 1: Disc 1 (2001) 07/28/03 08/07/03 Insomnia (1997) 07/14/03 08/04/03 The Conversation (1974) 06/30/03 07/15/03 About Schmidt (2002) 07/08/03 07/14/03 American Pie 2 (2001) 07/03/03 07/08/03 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 06/25/03 07/03/03 Solaris (1972) 06/16/03 06/30/03 Life or Something Like It (2002) 06/16/03 06/25/03 Far from Heaven (2002) 04/28/03 06/16/03 Gattaca (1997) 05/23/03 06/16/03 Reservoir Dogs (1992) 05/22/03 06/03/03 A Shot in the Dark (1964) 05/15/03 05/21/03 A Shot in the Dark (1964) 04/28/03 05/15/03 12 Monkeys (1995) 04/11/03 04/21/03 The Pink Panther (1963) 04/08/03 04/21/03 Silent Running (1971) 04/03/03 04/11/03 The Sopranos: Season 3: Disc 2 (2001) 04/01/03 04/08/03 Undercover Brother (2002) 03/24/03 04/03/03 Besieged (1998) 03/21/03 04/01/03 The Sopranos: Season 3: Disc 1 (2001) 03/24/03 03/27/03 Waking Life (2001) 03/18/03 03/24/03 Alphaville (1965) 03/20/03 03/24/03 My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) 03/17/03 03/21/03 The Shining (1980) 02/27/03 03/20/03 The Wild Bunch (1969) 02/24/03 03/18/03 Breathless (1960) 03/11/03 03/14/03 Revolution OS (2002) 02/24/03 03/10/03 Scotland, PA (2002) 02/10/03 02/27/03 In the Bedroom (2001) 02/11/03 02/24/03 Night of the Living Dead (1968) 02/14/03 02/24/03 Nosferatu: Original Version (1929) 02/11/03 02/14/03 Ice Age (2002) 02/03/03 02/11/03 Stagecoach (1939) 02/05/03 02/11/03 Blade Runner (1982) 02/03/03 02/10/03 Sliding Doors (1998) 01/31/03 02/05/03 Children of Paradise: Disc 2 (1946) 01/28/03 02/03/03 The Searchers (1956) 01/29/03 02/03/03 Badlands (1973) 01/23/03 01/31/03 Children of Paradise: Disc 1 (1946) 01/24/03 01/29/03 The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) 01/22/03 01/28/03 The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) 01/15/03 01/22/03 8 1/2 (1963) 01/15/03 01/22/03 The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) 01/06/03 01/21/03 Andrei Rublev (1966) 01/07/03 01/14/03 The Bicycle Thief (1948) 12/18/02 01/14/03 Nashville (1975) 01/03/03 01/07/03 Vertigo (1958) 12/19/02 01/06/03 Sunset Boulevard (1950) 12/13/02 01/03/03 Citizen Kane (1941) 12/16/02 12/19/02 Blue Velvet (1986) 12/10/02 12/17/02 A Christmas Story: 20th Anniversary Edition (1983) 12/10/02 12/16/02 Jaws (1975) 12/09/02 12/12/02 Taxi Driver (1976) 12/06/02 12/10/02 Seven Samurai (1954) 12/03/02 12/10/02 Chinatown (1974) 12/02/02 12/09/02 Dr. Strangelove (1964) 11/26/02 12/06/02 The Big Sleep (1946) 11/29/02 12/03/02 Hackers (1995) 11/25/02 12/02/02 Casablanca (1942) 11/25/02 11/29/02 The Godfather, Part II: Disc 2 (1974) 11/22/02 11/26/02 The Godfather, Part II (1974) 11/18/02 11/25/02 Battleship Potemkin (1925) 11/18/02 11/25/02 The Godfather (1972) 11/18/02 11/22/02 The 400 Blows (1959)

Syd moved on today

Here is the message my sis sent the family about the ordeal:


Tonight Duncan and I had to let Sydney go. She has been suffering quite a bit over the last 3 days and none of the pain medications had been working. This afternoon she let me know it was time for her to go. We took her in and both of us stayed with her and let her know how much she is loved and how much the family will miss her. It was a very peaceful experience and I'm glad I was able to hold her as she left. The vet said she let go very easily so we know it was the right time.

Duncan and I are terribly sad. We are sitting here watching TV and talking about all of the little things we are going to miss. Like, we won't have to watch where we put our feet when we get off the couch anymore. She used to lay right there and I would step on her all the time. And, she won't be keeping me company during my baths anymore. No more sneaky kisses and worming her way up onto the back cushons on the couch. It will take a long time to get used to her not being a part of our lives anymore.

Do something wonderful for animals in her honor. Extra treats for yours, a donation to an animal charity, pets on the head for the neighbor's dog, whatever works for you. Just honor her and honor the special relationship we have with our dogs.

Bird

Yawning Syd, sleep well doggie

YawningSyd
Originally uploaded by spappyjones.

This is a my sister's favorite shot of her dog. She found out tonight that this member of her family not long for this world. As you can imagine this is crushing to all that have dogs in their house as their companions and protectors, best friends as well as children. Death of someone is the worst thing for the living to experience. Dogs are the best, death is the worse thing for them. Putting them down is even worse for the ones that raise and cherished them. My intension of this entry is not sap, it is to speak of loss. Sappiness is not one of my greatest assests. I have so much birth in my world and young ones it is natural for death to rear its cold unforgiving, selfish hand.

Writing epitaphs is not something I have ever been experienced with so I would not say that this one per se. Not sure what goes into one, probably just feeling, and beliefs. This is for my sisters friend that is a dog. For those of you that have never had a dog that under lived you there is know way to understand the absolute anguish of not only the thought of the loss but the actual decision to put the friend down. Here are a few quotes on wour best friends, if you never had a dog I recommend it, you will not be disappointed.

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. Will Rogers

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. Roger Caras

We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made. M. Acklam

We are all still alive if we are reading this. I can hear my son fussing and diggers snoring on the couch in ben's pappasan. i guess that is my sermon. Focus on our time because we all could be gone any second of the next day or the next moment very cliche I know but when I hear my sister crying on the phone death becomes a reminder of things to come. Syd don't go quietly into that good night.

Ben late night mid-melt down

Ben late night mid-melt down
Originally uploaded by spappyjones.

Yep here is me and the boy walking back and forth, forth and back for hours to keep him quiet so that Shawn can sleep a bit. This was taken by me around 3am or so, can't really remember due to 2-4 hours of sleep for the last 4 nights. He gets plugged full of milk before bed, then the pain begins, his pain. Gas? Lack of burp? We have yet to figure it out but we will. He is too damn cute to see that uncomfortable. He seems to like a blow dryer on high but the breaker will trip after a few minutes. He likes it when I do windmills with him in his car seat but my shoulder dislocates after 25 minutes of that activity.

i think I am going to invent a device that will swing and rock him perpetually, that is about all that will calm him down. When he gets like this he is not allowed near shawns boob. No male gets the goods unless he is calm and caring like his mother. Anyhoo he is plugged full of milk in any case. Must be gas. He doesn't do it during the day? Digger won't even sleep in our room anymore. Terrier's have no time for this noise.

Emily's wrist art

Emily's wrist art
Originally uploaded by spappyjones.

Our friends from across the street, Drew and Em just brought their twinkies into the world. We dropped in on them tonight for a brief visit between feedings. Ben's feeding went down three doors from where he spent his first few days on the outside. The twins are healthy and very sweet. Of course we saw them at their best while they were zonked. The picture is from Em's wrist. One bracelet is for here and the other two for each of the babies, one girl and one boy.

Like Dad like kid

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Originally uploaded by spappyjones.

Here we are talking a nice 2 hour nap this Sunday afternoon. Ben needing feedings every two hours last night which kept us on our toes, especially Shawn who has the food for the little cuss. Shawn is napping now. She watched the Sound of Music this morning with my Mom, neither of them fell to sleep during the epic, I sure did.