Dear...

Dear,

Spring,
Where are you? Why have you forsaken us?

Breaking Bad,
I miss you. You were my best friend for a while and I will fondly remember our time spent together.

Hillary,
You can't please some of the people all of the time and I respect the fact that you are trying. Making  history isn't easy. The question remains; is it enough?

Food,
Our love/hate continues. Will I ever have the advantage here? I doubt it but recently I have learned a thing or two so look out.

Business,
Why are you so fickle? I guess that's why I am addicted to your ebbs and flows. I'd like a clearer picture on the future. Could you throw me a bone here?

Blogger,
I have been neglecting you a bit. Someday's life gets in the way so it's not always what we agreed to. I will try to be better about us.

Boston,
I am proud of you. You did real good yesterday. Even in the cold, raw and unrelenting rain. You persevered and showed your mental strength. We truly are Boston Strong.

Key West,
You are so beautiful. Thanks for last week.

Buddy,
I love everything about you. You are the world's best dog. Your loyalty, love and presence are some of the most precious things about home. Thanks for being at my feet every day (even when you don't want to) I'm sure you can sense that sometimes I need it more than you do.


With Much Love,

Candy
xoxo

Can't Keep A Good Man Down

Ever since my beloved Amos went to heaven last November, I have noticed a change in Buddy. I expected him to be affected, but the diffence in Buddy was one that I had not anticipated. I worried that Buddy would be depressed like he had when his beloved sister Jingles died. I worried that he would be lonely being the only dog in the household and even entertained bringing a puppy into the family. Interestingly enough, none of those worries were even close to what has happened with Buddy. 

Buddy's life was one of a pack. He spent his early days with his sister Jingle then two years later, Amos, aka. Boss Man was added to the pack. Their days comprised of loving each other and bonding, but It was clear early on that Amos was the Captian and that he ran a tight ship. Buddy had Jingles, who he loved her like a sister, and it was almost as if the two of them aligned to commiserate about Boss Man and his regime. Then Jingles was called to heaven way too early and Buddy was devastated. He layed around lethargicly and uncharacteristicly left food in his supper dish. Boss Man showed no evidence of emotion but stayed close to Buddy, and then there were 2...

It was life as usual for the boys and they had what seemed like a happy existence. There was definitely  a balance between them. When the altercations became physical, which they did occasionally, Buddy was always the victor due to his obvious size advantage. Still Boss Man never let him forget he was boss. There were rare occasions that they slept in the same doggie bed, which almost always prompted a photo to document as proof. They loved each other, it was obvious, just in their own way. Amos was advanced in age-we never knew exactly because My Guy rescued him-we estimated his age to be around 17 years old. We knew his day would eventually come. Come it did, and we worried how Buddy would react. 

The first few days without Amos, he seemed fine, still we waited. Nothing. There was no evidence of depression and dare I say it, Buddy had a new bounce in his step! Yes, Buddy is now The Man and he is loving it! Evidenced during treat giving, Buddy no longer has to quickly scarf it down so that Amos won't come over, snap, growl and confiscate it for his own. Nights are easier because Buddy can now sit on the end of the sofa comfortably without vicious growling and sharp teeth showing. Meal time has now become a joy without the threat of violence. Buddy has come into his own and now that the kids are gone, the empty nest is all about him and he is loving it. 

They say souls come into our world for a reason, and Buddy and Amos were destined to share their lives. Now Buddy is last man standing, left to be his own man alone and seemingly happy to be doing it on his own terms. 

See Buddy

SEE BUDDY. 

BUDDY IS A GENTLE, LOVING WHITE BOXER WHO IS HAPPY AND PEACEFUL ALL OF THE TIME.

SEE AMOS.

AMOS IS BUDDY'S BROTHER AND ALPHA MALE IN THE PACK. ALTHOUGH AMOS IS ABOUT THE QUARTER OF THE SIZE OF BUDDY, HE IS MOST DEFINITELY THE BOSSY BOSS.

AND THIS BOTHERS BUDDY..LIKE A LOT. SO MUCH SO, THAT BUDDY THINKS AMOS IS A BIG, FAT, PAIN IN THE ASS. 

SEE BUDDY SLEEPING.

AT NIGHT, BUDDY WOULD DREAM OF WAYS TO GET EVEN WITH AMOS. HE SECRETLY WAS HOPING FOR ALIENS TO COME AND ABDUCT AMOS. 

SEE AMOS WAKING UP.

AMOS ISN'T EXACTLY SURE WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM LAST NIGHT, BUT HE HAD CRAZY NIGHTMARES ABOUT BEING MEAN TO BUDDY. ITS LIKE HE SUDDENLY KNOWS HE BETTER BE NICE TO BUDDY OR ELSE...LIKE SERIOUSLY.

BUDDY, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAS NO IDEA WHY AMOS IS ACTING SO SUBMISSIVE...MUST BE BUDDY'S SWEET AND CHARMING PERSONALITY. 

YES,THAT MUST BE IT!  GOOD BOY BUDDY! 

Bad Weather Stew

Are you kidding me?

This time they got it right. No beauty emergencies today, that's for sure, so it looks like a lost day of revenue. I just made that FAB, slow cooker beef stew you see up above and I'm hunkering down for a day-long blasting of snow.

• The beef stew I made is from a blog called Butter with a side of Bread. I have made it before and let me tell you, it is just about the closest thing to perfection on a day like today!

• My Guy was out last night, so it was a Real Housewives of Beverly Hills MARATHON> Those bitches are so juicy...always fighting and swearing. It feels like home when I watch it! No wonder I love it so much. I'm half kidding, but really, after the latest episode, I was left feeling pitty for the ladies. Yes, they get paid a ton of money per episode and they have attained some twisted form of celebrity, but they fights and the petty drama that goes on makes me wonder about the toll it takes on their real lives...they have to fight to stay relevant or they get axed! I guess it no different than any other job except their bad behavior is rewarded.

• I bought a coat for my dog. Yes, I did and you know what? He needs it! He's an old fella. (we're not quite sure how old exactly-pound rescue) And his little Jack Russel body is slowly shedding hair. He doesn't mind his little velcro coat, it's bright orange and waterproof and as a matter of fact he kind of likes it! He has taken to wearing it around the house on really cold days. But on days like today I'm wishing I bought one for Buddy too. ( See Buddy here- it's funny. He's my Boxer)

• Tequila? A no no for Candy. Went out for My Guy's birthday on Sat night. I think I had a good time. 

• Since I'm  stuck at home today, I've decided it's the perfect time to study. I'm in the process of putting together The Candy Bar's E-Commerce site and I've been doing a ton of research on social media and online presence. It's very interesting and very motivating! So the good news is the day won't be a total loss! Happy Hump Day Bloggers!

Dog Gone Brilliant!

So I've got this new dry cleaning service that picks up the dry cleaning one day and delivers it to my door a few days later and I'm very happy with their service, so far. But that's not what this post is about. This post is about my dogs.

I leave a purple bag on a hook, filled with the dry cleaning, twice a week for pick up and lately I notice that my dogs will go berserk, barking furiously when the big purple van pulls into the driveway. The barking is not unusual. My dogs bark at everything that passes by; runners on the street, people on bikes, UPS and Fed Ex trucks, but not like they do when the purple van shows up. I can always tell when the Zoots guy is here because they go crazy; like they are up scratching and clawing at the window crazy.

Today I needed to ask my dry cleaning driver a question, so when I heard the dogs causing a rukus, I knew he had arrived. I carefully stepped outside and shut the door behind me, but it just barely drowned out the mayhem that the dogs were creating on the other side. I proceeded to talk to my pleasant driver and take care of business. When we were done, I apolgized to the driver for the dogs and I said, "I'm so sorry. I'm not quite sure what it is about you or your van, but my dogs seem to have a problem with you."

The driver smiled and said, "Oh I'm sorry. Well, would you please give the dog these?" In his hand he held two Milk Bone dog treats. " I always leave them on the front porch stoop, by the bag and I don't want to forget today." he said.

It was like a light went on in my head. I sort of chuckled and asked him to wait a second and I walked over to the door and let the clamoring, barking dogs outside. The same two dogs that were ferouciously clawing to get out  immediately turned into calm, sweet,  tails wagging dogs who went over to the driver and gave him a hearty welcome. I immediately understood. They were friends, and their Pavlovian response to the purple van was not at all what I had thought it was. My dogs wanted their twice weekly treat from their new friend the dry cleaning guy.

I was happy to know that my dogs aren't at all ferocious. In fact, it just solidified the "man's best friend" thing in my mind. Because before today I'm not sure that the driver understood that when he visited my home to pick up/dropoff , he was being anxiously awaited by his two new best friends.

Dogger Depression

SEE BUDDY

Remember him? This is my beloved 8 year old Boxer Buddy. And do you remember that I just lost my baby girl dog, Jingle,who was 9 years old, no more than two weeks ago? We all took it hard, as she was a member of our family and it still stings. But Buddy? He is taking it the hardest.

I think Buddy is depressed. Is that possible?

Buddy and Jingle were like peas and carrots. They grew up together and shared everything. They even slept in the same crate together every night; with the door open, so I know it was their choice.

It wasn't a romantic love they shared, it was more like a brother-sister love and Buddy has been lost without her. It's so heartbreaking to see him lay around and sort of sulk. He still has Amos, the boss, and the Alpha of the group so he's not completely alone, but I never realized how tough the loss of one of the pack was going to be on Buddy. And Jingles, his favorite one.

What do I do? Do they have doggie shrinks? Does he need doggie Prozac or anti depressants or will this ride it's course out while he adjusts?I mean, we all have to adjust. The thing that worries me is that Amos is the old dog. We aren't quite sure how old Amos is, because he was a rescue dog, but I know his age is somewhere in the teens. He's in great shape, but I'm worried that when it's Amos' time how Buddy will handle it? As it is right now, he's requiring a lot more attention and we are more than happy to give it to him.

Today I'm in no position to get another dog. I've had three dogs for close to a decade and I've loved every minute of it. Would I do it again? Hell NO. Yet, the boys seem so lonely without her.

I just want to see the little spring creep back into Buddy's step. I somehow think Jingles would have wanted it that way.

See Buddy: The Treat Mafia

See Buddy.

Buddy has fallen in with the wrong crowd and now is a member of a vicious street gang called, "The Treat Mafia".

See The Boss.

The Boss, and his colleagues believe they are in the business of "Treat Management".

See The Dame.

The Dame is, by far, the most ruthless member of The Treat Mafia. Her bite is much worse than her bark if she is denied her share of a treat. And without regard for consequences.

See their hangout.

The Treat Mafia patrol their hangout without mercy. Anyone who enters, gets the squeeze for a treat, and when they want it they want it now!

Or else.

And The Dame isn't one to be denied... If you know what's good for you.

The last guy who denied them a treat was never seen or heard from again.

Message on the street was, "he was with Luca Brazi, sleeping with the fishes."

Living In A Winter Wonderland

Remember last week when I said it was snowing in MA finally! Well, it is true that you need to be careful what you wish for because you just may get it. It stared snowing on Friday afternoon and didn't stop until Sunday night! Inspired by Alan at Robot Nine, (Check out his blog. He's always got something amazing going on) I thought I'd show you what it's like to wake up in MA today.

Thanks for the inspiration Alan!