Royalty for a Week, and Shameless The Rest of The Time (Volume IV)

Good Wednesday, my esteemed Empress.

Good Wednesday, dear Royals.

Princess E.F.B., it sounds like things are really going well for you. That is so good to hear.

I shut down Tuesday a few hours ago

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Clever, Prince Porter. Clever.

I need to decide if I actually want to make a pot of fresh coffee or just survive on the cup and a half of yesterday's old coffee. (Isn't it sad when this is one of the larger decisions I must make today? )

Good Thursday, my Empress.

Good Thursday, dear Royals.

We were scheduled for thunderstorms starting in the wee hours and lasting all day, and we got the thunderstorms. But right now it's cloudy but calm. I'll take it.

Good afternoon, Cantina.

Seems I'm coming down with a cold. Obviously, I'm not happy about it, seeing has the weekend is almost here, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it stays mild and goes away quickly.

There was a possum in our backyard this morning, which was a surprise. I've seen one before. It was happily munching on bird seed.

Good morning, your Grace. I feel unusually cheery today. Like the world isn't my enemy after all. Don't know why, but I'll take it.

Happy Friday, Empress.

Happy Friday, dear Royals.

LadyV said:

Good afternoon, Cantina Castle.

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There, fixed it for ya. (We'll just blame your cold. )

LadyV said:

Seems I'm coming down with a cold. Obviously, I'm not happy about it, seeing has the weekend is almost here, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it stays mild and goes away quickly.

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*Sends the royal physician and a bowl of chicken soup to Princess LadyV.* I've used zinc in the past to help, with some success.

LadyV said:

There was a possum in our backyard this morning, which was a surprise. I've seen one before. It was happily munching on bird seed.

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Possums are interesting animals. They have a lot of very sharp teeth, but they rarely attack. They do hiss like they are going to rip your head off when they are startled. But generally they are quite nice for a wild animal.

Michael Myers said:

Good morning, your Grace. I feel unusually cheery today. Like the world isn't my enemy after all. Don't know why, but I'll take it.

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Anytime that happens it is worth enjoying, Prince Michael. Keep going. May you feel equally cheery for the rest of the weekend.

Where's my coffee? I am off in search of....

Happy Friday, Royals.

It's been a slow, sleepy morning, but I think I'm gaining some momentum. In doggy news, da royal puppy has discovered that chasing her tail is fun and proceeded to chase it until she was dizzy. It was hilarious. XD

Words will happen soon, but first, I must recommend a new artist I've discovered: Brittany Jean. An author I read and follow, (IIRC from previous blog posts, she's Brittany Jean's cousin), wrote a review of Brittany's album HERE and links to a couple of the music videos. I've been listening to the songs and fallen in love. She's really talented and I love the simple, but beautiful Johnny Denver-esque style she has. "Wilderness for Heart" is my favorite song so far. It gives me a feeling of wanderlust and a desire to adventure and see mountains again. (Mountains, Gandalf!) So, if that sounds like your kind of music, I definitely recommend giving it a listen because she's really good. I plan to buy her album next time I get an iTunes gift card, which will probably be a Christmas.

Off I go to write.

Good evening, Royals. <------ Got it right this time!

I don't feel any better today, but I don't really feel any worse either. I skipped games tonight, which is a bummer, but it's for the best.

The possum was back again this morning. We starting to the think it might live under my neighbor's shed.

Good Saturday, my Empress.

Good Saturday, dear Royals.

E.F.B. said:

Happy Friday, Royals.

Words will happen soon, but first, I must recommend a new artist I've discovered: Brittany Jean.

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She has a beautiful voice and her guitar work is outstanding. Very nice! Thank you, Princess E.F.B..

LadyV said:

Good evening, Royals. <------ Got it right this time!

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LadyV said:

I don't feel any better today, but I don't really feel any worse either. I skipped games tonight, which is a bummer, but it's for the best.

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I suppose we will have to take it. But I'm waiting for the announcement you are feeling all better, Princess.

LadyV said:

The possum was back again this morning. We starting to the think it might live under my neighbor's shed.

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When I was in my teens, we had a possum that would visit in the summer months. It would come to the back door and examine the yard. Then Jill showed up with her joeys. It was quite something to see all the little joeys running around the yard.

Good morning, Royals.

It's a dreary, raining day. I suspect EFB might be dealing with the same weather. I'm going to bake Christmas cookies.

I'm feeling slightly better today.

I missed Sunday. I guess everyone else did, as well.

Good Monday, Empress.

Good Monday, dear Royals.

I need more coffee.

LadyV said:

Good morning, Royals.

It's a dreary, raining day. I suspect EFB might be dealing with the same weather.

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I was. On Friday it was cloudy, but only a little drizzly. On Saturday night the heavens opened and it poured. All the snow got washed away and the backyard is an absolute mud pit.

"Where are you going to be running around in mud?" asked the really old salesman when I bought my rubber shoes at Bass Pro Shop.
"Why, walking around my own backyard," I replied.

Worth every penny.

Ambrosia said:

I missed Sunday. I guess everyone else did, as well.

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LOL, yeah. After church and grocery shopping I'd planned to write, but just ended up deciding to get off the computer and craft instead. 'Twas very relaxing. Writing's going to have to happen soon today, though, because we're going out this afternoon to get our Christmas tree!

In royal puppy news, for the past two weeks, we've been working on training Meli to walk on a head harness. It looks like THIS and as the name suggests, is a gentle but effective way to stop a dog from pulling constantly while on a leash. No pinching, no choking, it just turns her head if she tries to pull, therefore making it impossible for her to drag me where she wants to go because she just goes in a circle instead. Very effective for willful dogs with control issues which is very much how da royal puppy is. We'd previously been walking her on a regular body harness, which *she* was okay with, but it gave us humans little control and no matter what we did, no matter how much we practiced and tried to train her, walks even just around the front yard had always been forced marches where, at best, I could sort of keep control of her if I kept my arms locked and just INSISTED she go the direction I wanted rather than where she wanted. At worst, walking her in public required my mom and I both to have separate leashes attached to the harness in case Meli got too interested in/upset by something and started pulling hard enough that one of us trying to hold her back on our own might fall down and lose her.

Well, after two weeks of desensitizing her to wearing the head harness (It rains treats when the head harness comes out, yay!) and leading her around the living room only, we walked her on the head harness in the front yard for the first time this weekend. Wow. The difference is amazing. I can now hold the leash with one hand instead of two, I don't have to have my arms braced, I don't even have to keep tension on the leash! I don't have to worry that she'll see a bird or squirrel and pull me down trying to get to it because if she tries she just ends up being turned around, and then gets praised for stopping. Y'all, we can even bring her beagle brother out to walk with her now because she can no longer playfully lunge at him, knocking him and me and my mom down and tangling the leashes. WE CAN ALL WALK CALMLY TOGETHER AND HAVE A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE I'M SO HAPPY!!!!!!

So, yeah. This training experiment (we had no idea if it would work for Her Royal Stubbornness, so it was truly an experiment) has been a 100% SUCCESS and I'm actually excited...not nervous, not anxious...EXCITED to take her to the park next time we get the chance. WHAAAAAAT. Head harnesses are awesome! <333

Good morning, your Grace. Perhaps the Realm could spare a click or two below on behalf of Susie?

Good afternoon, Royals!

I finally got out of the house today! It felt fantastic! I even got my car washed. Now it's all shiny again. I might also be going to the hockey game tonight.

Good Tuesday, Empress.

Good Tuesday, dear Royals.

Everyone, Prince Michael has a link to Princess Susie's Grandma thread in his sig line. Please use it and go over and give her a hug. Thank you.


In other news, as some of you know I live with my brother and sis-in-law. Pam had a heart attack yesterday morning. She is currently in the hospital waiting for the cardiologist to finally show up. Where this dr is at is beyond anyone. So. If you pray, please send out a prayer for her and that the cardiologist at least makes an appearance. If you don't pray, send some good thoughts if you would. She is stable. My brother and I thought it was a seizure. I searched and found that sometimes heart attacks appear to be seizures because of the brain being cut off from oxygen.

My dog decided that I needed to get up to feed her at the normal time. I could have done with another hour's sleep. But bless her puppy heart, she doesn't know how tired I am. Luckily the coffee is almost done.

I'm so sorry that happened, Ambrosia! I'll definitely be praying for her and you.

Good morning, your Grace. Thanks for the Susie note.

Saddened to hear of your sister-in-law. Wish there was more one could do than commiserate. Heart-felt blessings to her and you.

I tried to send Susia a moose hug but I have noticed that when I spread my arms for a moose hug the intended target and most people in the room flee. Plants without legs die. Dogs smile.

I'm about half way through shutting down another Tuesday

Ambrosia said:

In other news, as some of you know I live with my brother and sis-in-law. Pam had a heart attack yesterday morning. She is currently in the hospital waiting for the cardiologist to finally show up. Where this dr is at is beyond anyone. So. If you pray, please send out a prayer for her and that the cardiologist at least makes an appearance. If you don't pray, send some good thoughts if you would. She is stable. My brother and I thought it was a seizure. I searched and found that sometimes heart attacks appear to be seizures because of the brain being cut off from oxygen.

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sending said hopes, prayers, and thoughts.

I send my thoughts, Ambrosia!

I hope things change for the better, Ambrosia.

Good Wednesday, Empress.

Good Wednesday, dear Royals.

My sis-in-law is undergoing a cardiac catheterization this morning. I'm unsure if it is for adding a stent or more diagnostics. But whatever the docs are doing, I hope it helps her. Thank you all for your lovely thoughts and/or prayers. I appreciate each of you very much.

she appreciates me the most

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*farts*

Good afternoon, Royals.

I made it back to the gym for the first time since getting this cold. It's still hanging around, but improving each day. I'll be heading to trivia tonight.

Ambrosia, I hope her treatment helps.

I hope all of the Royals are doing well.