Worlds Best Band-Aid

Nothing makes a woeful mind swoon with joy like a freakishly happy and frisky pooch. Luckily, I happen to work in a place where Fridays in the office typically resemble a dog park.

Here are a couple happy faces that were waiting for me at work today...

The ever-loving and friendly, Ernie:


Ernie is the funniest character. He commonly wears clothes. And these clothes commonly have pockets into which he typically has loaded his favorite snack, Cherrios. Ernie is one of those wonderful dogs that is ALWAYS happy to see you. He spins wildly with his little fluffy Grinch-like toes tapping and bouncing and tail wagging. I swear he practically smiles. He also has a distinctive sniff, which makes it easy to know when Ernie has entered the building. This morning, I heard such a sniff and, after I yelped with joy, my nice co-worker, Eleanor (Ernie's mom) let him come over and visit our particular corner of the cube farm where we all showered him with hugs until Eleanor came to her senses and took him away. Clearly, we are a dangerous bunch.

Also a featured guest at the Farm this morning, the lovely and perfect, Rose:


Rose is a Portuguese Water Dog cross with, quite possibly, the world's most charming disposition. She actually DOES smile when she first sees you. It's obviously adorable. She can also do a million tricks and her fur is like crushed velvet. Oh, did I mention she's hypoallergenic? Yeah. Has no smell and does not shed. Miracle dog? I tend to think so. She is like a big walking stuffed animal. If I didn't like her mom Steph so much (plus, I'm no dognapper), I'd swipe her for myself. Rose has maintained "Finny's Favorite Dog" status since I first met her a few years ago.

Another favorite Farm pet, the rambunctious, Reese:

Reese was actually not available for a photo today, when I went by her cube she had been taken out for a walk. However, Reese has grown up with us at the office since she was the size of a hot pocket and is something of a mascot around here. Although not always the fashionista like our friend, Ernie, she did get dressed up for Halloween in her Princess Bunny costume that confused me on many levels. Reese is a nut and always happy to greet visitors with a big Pug grunt & snuffle and will sit on your lap and get belly rubs till she's bald.

After all the dog mauling I've done today, it's becoming increasingly hard to kvetch about things. So, covered in dog kisses, I've distracted my stressy mind with some new projects.

Nu?
I'm breaking down and trying a Softee. Inspired by Africankelli and her overachievingness with the pattern, I'll be trying the same one from Wee Wonderfuls. Normally, I'm not a big one for stuffed animals, but I have friends with kids, and Easter is coming, and I have a lot of scrap fabric, and I haven't hung out with the sewing machine in a while, and I have all these friggen buttons I can't bear to toss, and I haven't cracked my embroidery set since October and...well...they're cute. These poor children that I abuse with my handmade toys. Perhaps I'll run across a pattern for a PS2 one of these days. Until then, stuffed bunnies. That's the same, right?

Also, got my Cook's Illustrated magazine yesterday and, oh dear. They have a recipe for Turtle brownies. Such a sinful, naughty goofest. I'll probably make these. And if they turn out, I'll post pictures before I shove them all into my mouth at once. (Harken back to the carrot incident and you'll find the likelihood of this happening simply laughable) After that, all bets are off.

Oh, and I've got another Nappy bag cut out and ready to sew. I should prolly pull this one together soon before that baby arrives. Poor little one has no idea what he's in for. Stuffed toys, crocheted blankies, many MANY knitted hats. I should learn how to crochet GI Joes.

Plus, I'm thinking I need another pair of fingerless gloves so that I can get more raised eyebrows from coworkers and strangers alike. I had no idea that these cute and oh so useful mits were such suspicious items. What is so weird? My mom's answer: "They're just jealous." Ah, love the mom wisdom. I found a pair in Holiday Knits (thanks to the wise and wonderful LadyLinoleum) that I'm thinking would look hot knit up with some nice varigated green DK cashmere yarn. We'll see.

Ok, peeps -- go have great weekends and come back on Monday with something for Show & Tell.