Belgian Sheepdog

After 3 years of wondering what our Rescue Dog actually was, we think we have finally solved the question. Answer: Belgian Sheepdog!

According to the American Kennel Association, the Belgian Sheepdog is Elegant and proud, the Belgian Sheepdog is strong, but not bulky. During WWI, Belgian Sheepdogs distinguished themselves on the battlefields, serving as message carriers, ambulance dogs, and even pulling machine guns. It is no wonder that today this breed performs well in sports like obedience, herding, and tracking. They are also excellent workers, and work as search and rescue dogs, guide dogs, and therapy dogs. This breed is completely black, or may be black with white, although there are limitations to their white markings.

The Belgian Sheepdog should reflect the qualities of intelligence, courage, alertness and devotion to master. To his inherent aptitude as a guardian of flocks should be added protectiveness of the person and property of his master. He should be watchful, attentive, and always in motion when not under command. In his relationship with humans, he should be observant and vigilant with strangers, but not apprehensive. He should not show fear or shyness. He should not show viciousness by unwarranted or unprovoked attack. With those he knows well, he is most affectionate and friendly, zealous of their attention, and very possessive. Viciousness is a disqualification.

http://www.akc.org/breeds/belgian_sheepdog/index.cfm

Now our dog is very protective of his house, he will bark at anyone or anything that walks in front of our house. He also herds clothing, which may seem odd, but he gathers loose articles and places them in one pile under his eye. If he decides to move to another room, he gathers all the clothes and drags them to another room. (Sheep=Wool=Clothing, Following my logic) If H upstairs and I am downstairs, he will sit halfway in the middle keeping an eye and ear on us. I never really thought too much about his personality traits, but he is really vigilant more often than our labradoodle and childhood Golden Retriever. And he does know commands, "upstairs", "downstairs", "outside", "inside", and "sit" are his commands. Also he seems to be watching what you say with an inquisitive look, maybe awaiting his next command. He also loves to eat Belgian Waffles for breakfast or anytime of day, so we are totally certain that this is his lineage.

M

Winner, Winner, Movie Pass Winner

Someone was a winner this week at work, H, won gift basket part of a major fundraiser( it rhymes with (Vinited Say)) . It is called Girls Night Out, a 40 dollar movie gift certificate, cosmo mixer with sugar, a photoframe, 3 types of chocolate, hotpink (pashmina) and a nice decorative box (white and black zebra print). Just so happens, we might check out the movie this weekend, "The Invention of Lying" thanks to the giftcard. If the movie doesn't stink, it might get a review on here, and if it does really stink, it may as well.

Way to go H!

Apple Pie

Someone made some homemade michigan apple pie last saturday. It was pretty, pretty good.

Back to the Grind

The Woofers are powered back up. After a last few weeks of action packed shenanigans, hybrid woofers is back in business.

There was a Wedding I stood in a couple weeks ago(which was a great time), did some more basement painting, running the dogs around town before our trip and watching some very entertaining movies. Hopefully we can give you a better update.

Christmas in October II

This is what the Fascia looked like once it was placed. After waiting the day the pup was ready to with his coat for his walk!

Christmas in October

Last Saturday we took part with 6,000 other metro volunteers and worked in the inner city for Christmas in October. It is an event that covered over 400 homes that are need of dire repair for those who met the organizations criteria. Criteria seemed to be based upon age, income, and highly needed improvements.

The home we worked on was a small bungalow that needed a ceiling to be replaced in a bedroom, stairs to be enforced with bracing, basement windows needed repair, mortar repaired in basement, fascia to be placed on sides of house, tree trimmed, some plumbing replaced, a replaced shower head, and lastly the placement of a handle and lock on a door.

My main contribution was the placement of a door handle and lock. If you look at the original photo, the owner only had a pad lock as her side door lock! A pad lock! So I had to bore a large hole for the handle, then use a drill to make room for the trigger lock (*which was tough since the door was old and thin-making sure not to do any damage to it), then we had to replace the side paneling from the dry rot that was originally oriented along the side of the door frame. When I gave the keys to the homeowner she was thrilled that she had a real lock and key to that door, I am uncertain at how many years she lived at the house with a padlock. The pad lock was kept on the door as extra security if she felt that it was necessary.

H painted the fascia a gray color and placed extra supports under the stairwell that led to the basement.

Much more work could of been done, but given the volunteer force of 20, we accomplished quite a bit of handy-work. The team was quite thrilled to check off all items on the to-do list.

Tigers 1 and Done

"Warm up the bus(for them), cool down the beer(for us)" is what the Minnesota Twin Fans should be chanting tonight after the game.

The Tigers picked the worst time to go on a cold spell to match the recent temperatures. They lost in 12 innings to the Twins tonight. There needs to be some accountability, the team hits the skids in the last two weeks after being ahead in the standings by 7 games. With 4 games left in the year, they were up 3, and ended up tied with the Twins. Awful! No team ever has had such a let down!!

Between the ineptitude that the Detroit Lions have showed over the past 8 years, and the constant choking of the Tigers the last two seasons, where did it go right?

The Tigers have spent huge money on players that didn't even have any input on this season, it was a wasted gamble. The GM and his scouts should take a deep look at what they do from here forward, they can't afford to drop 15 million bucks on players that are consistently injured or plainly mediocre.

Will Leyland stay his contract out? Or will he walk away like he did in Colorado?

Will Bonderman be back at 100 percent next year?

Will the Tigers sign Polanco and Rodney from free agency?

Will the Tigers cut line with Dontrelle Willis and eat the rest of his contract?

So many questions, very little answers. The Tigers head back home tonight empty handed, ashamed, embarassed and licking their wounds.

And Miguel Cabrera, who is the teams biggest star, got so drunk a few nights ago, he ended in a domestic 911 phone call at 6 am over the weekend with his wife! Seriously, you got so trashed with the a friend or two from the opponents team on the biggest weekend of the year for your team? And how much they are paying you a year, 15, 20 million a year?!? Seriously?

This is one of the biggest let downs in Detroit Sports since Rasheed Wallace left Robert Horry Open for the game winning 3 vs. the Spurs in the 2005 NBA Finals. Or when the Pistons totally blew up against Cleveland that Rasheed was thrown out of the final game. Or when the Lions went 0-16 last year...or when the Tigers finished in 4th place last year in their own division after going to the World Series...or last sunday when the Detroit Lions were outscored 24-3 in the second half to the Chicago Bears. Or the Gary Sheffield Experiment.

All those great memories!

Basement Painted

Take a look at our newly painted basement aka, "the man cave".

By the way...whose tail is that in that photo?

Dog Park Video I

Cider Mill Video II

The Donut Manufacturing!

Cider Mill Photos

Cider Mill Trip

Saturday Morning we ventured to the Cider Mill. Donuts, half dozen donuts for 3.50, 2 ciders 3.00 were purchased. The apple cider are made from Missouri Apples and this weekend was a festivation at the Cider Mill. Pancakes and Sausage were available from the Lions Club, and several vendors brought their handmade trinkets and goods for sale. The Cider mill also makes their own Root Beer, Creme Soda, and Sarsaparillas.

A video of the action: