Rocky's Fortress of Solitude

Otherwise known as "Plan D," I believe I have finally figured a way to keep Rocky from destroying everything we own and making himself sick. He can't stay inside by himself because he eats or destroys as many things as he can before we get home. He can't stay outside by himself because he eats destroys as many things as he can before we get home. He is a model of good behavior while we are with him , but left to his own devices he is an absolute terror!! A brief sample of what he has eaten recently:

-nearly every plant I've planted in the backyard
-tape
-toilet paper
-garden hose
-pool filter
-a pool
-pond liner
-countless pounds of spoiled plums and apples from our fruit trees
-spatulas
-books
-welcome mat
-a rat
-a dead bird
-dog bowls
-BBQ tarp
-BBQ utensils
-pieces of the stairs going up to the deck
-Solar powered garden lights
-The DirecTV cable going to our bedroom
-lawn sprinkler

The list goes on. He's also figured out how to open doors and gates and has escaped from the backyard a few times. He is recovering from a sickness that he got from eating or drinking something in the backyard. To keep him safe from himself, we started leaving him in the downstairs bathroom, he knows how to operate a sliding door and easily escaped a few nights ago and went on a rampage in the house. When considering my options for puppy-containment solutions, the movie Hannibal came to mind. We could put him into a large glass box and cart him around on a dolly when taking him for a walk. Due to high cost, I dropped that plan and went down to the Home Depot for supplies. Thirty bucks later and Rocky now has his own escape-proof padded room, well except for the padding, he would eat it. He can't even have a dog bed in there because he ate his last one. I think I've finally outsmarted my wily, clever foe.........
So, I'm off to Chinese class right now and the Rocky Containment facility is getting it's trial run. Tomorrow I'm off to DISNEYLAND!!!!!

The Wanderlust Rules My Life

In keeping with our summer tradition of somehow spending as little time as possible in Seattle, Rach and I are halfway through a busy couple months of travel and fun. We spent another weekend in the San Juan Islands with Rachel's parents at a wonderful vacation home they had rented.

Panorama of the San Juans from the Anacortes Ferry

Then the following weekend we made a quick trip to Montana to visit our friend Mike who became fed up with the city and has been living in Montana since the spring. It was really great to see him, he's really in his element up there and him and Brett were both very excited to show me what Montana's all about.

Sittin at the Top of Thompson Falls

Now, with the Fall Quarter in full swing and school keeping me happily employed, Rachel is preparing for a trip to India (the videos I posted this week are themed for her trip). The day she gets back stateside we will be meeting up in Omaha for my cousin Erica's wedding. I'll be in Omaha for a very short time, as usual, but really hope to make the most of it. I arrive on Friday the 20th and leave at 5:00 AM on Sunday, can't wait to see all you Omaha types!!!

As if that's not enough, Rachel then leaves to go to Anaheim where I will meet her for the weekend so we can do Disneyland! I'm hoping they'll have something really cool for Halloween. Then I come back to Seattle and Rach continues out to Jacksonville, WOW!! Travelin' fools I tell ya!

The downside, Rachel will not be having her annual Halloween Party that she's been putting on for longer than I've even known her. I do hope to deck out the front porch as Davy Jones' Haunted Locker for the Trick-or-Treaters if I get some time though.....

A last note, I fixed the Pirates vs. Ninjas video from a couple posts ago, what a rookie mistake to promise you guys a great video and then fail to put the internet address into the HTML. Give it a look, it's worth the eight minutes!!!