spoerlbob

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chels: Yesterday we had a birthday for the dogbear. Decan is 2 years old and he knew something special was going down the minute we started preparations. We gave him a banana and a squeaky toy in the shape of a cupcake with cream cheese on top (his two favorite people foods) and then a meat bone thing, which, you know, is perfect for dogs. He loved every bit of it. To be honest, he didn’t love the paper hat, but he put up with it.  When we set the plate down on the ground for him, he pranced around and sort of looked at everyone like, “Really?! I get to eat off of a plate?!? WHAT?!?!” And then he settled in to eat his treats. We let him go outside with the squeaker toy, which he immediately destroyed, and then we enjoyed ourselves some root beer floats, because it was a birthday party afterall.  A while later, he was itching to come in (which is rare - he usually wants to live outside), and as soon as he got in the door we realized why. He’d been skunked. He smelled worse than skunk smell though. At short range, it has a sort of gasoline quality to it. I fired up the internet which told us how to get rid of the smell and then we whipped up a concoction of baking soda and dish soap and some other stuff. We had to trap him in the bathroom and lift him into the tub, and he really hated it. It was like the dog equivalent of partying too hard and then having your friends clean you up after you’ve thrown up all over your dress in the cab. 

chels:

Yesterday we had a birthday for the dogbear. Decan is 2 years old and he knew something special was going down the minute we started preparations. We gave him a banana and a squeaky toy in the shape of a cupcake with cream cheese on top (his two favorite people foods) and then a meat bone thing, which, you know, is perfect for dogs. He loved every bit of it. To be honest, he didn’t love the paper hat, but he put up with it. 

When we set the plate down on the ground for him, he pranced around and sort of looked at everyone like, “Really?! I get to eat off of a plate?!? WHAT?!?!” And then he settled in to eat his treats. We let him go outside with the squeaker toy, which he immediately destroyed, and then we enjoyed ourselves some root beer floats, because it was a birthday party afterall. 

A while later, he was itching to come in (which is rare - he usually wants to live outside), and as soon as he got in the door we realized why. He’d been skunked. He smelled worse than skunk smell though. At short range, it has a sort of gasoline quality to it. I fired up the internet which told us how to get rid of the smell and then we whipped up a concoction of baking soda and dish soap and some other stuff. We had to trap him in the bathroom and lift him into the tub, and he really hated it.

It was like the dog equivalent of partying too hard and then having your friends clean you up after you’ve thrown up all over your dress in the cab. 

11 notes

MEDILL WATCHDOG: Illinois Lawmakers Free to Lobby

I’m looking forward to working on the Medill Watchdog team this winter. Here’s a preview of what this investigative Northwestern journalism team has produced. Medill Watchdog’s  story will run in NY Times and is on WBEZ.org.

Here’s the first sentence:

“CHICAGO—In most states and municipalities, government officials who vote to spend taxpayer dollars on proposals that also put money in their own pockets as lobbyists could be accused of illegal conflicts of interest. Not in Illinois.”

Read more now at MEDILLWATCHDOG.ORG

Filed under Watchdog Medill Journalism Investigation Public Money Lobbying Chicago Illinois

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Grocery List for men (or women) eating solo

  1. Cheap Cereal (under $2.75 but with ten or less grams of sugar per serving).
  2. Milk – something that will last you for one week. Keep it 2% or less.
  3. Bananas or Apples (four – choose one).
  4. Bag o’ salad (Cheap. You’re not fancy – yet).
  5. Dressing – cheap (this will last you for a few weeks).
  6. Frozen Dinners – Something that looks kind of healthy. Get three, maybe four.
  7. Hot pockets – (Lean Pockets). A poor man’s calzone.
  8. One individual frozen pizza. Again, error on the side of too cheap.
  9. Half a loaf of bread. Target sells this. Works well.
  10. Butter – for toasting and sandwich spreading.
  11. Turkey and cheese slices – keep it cheap. This could be lunch or dinner for the week.
  12. Granola bars – I’d say the cheapest, but try to look for something with enough protein – 4 or more grams per bar.
  13. Beer – cheap - but something that’s worth the extra cals.

Filed under food groceries lists men