Training continued...

OK, so Stella knows she doesn't like to have the bark collar on. I kept it on her while she was awake for the first 4 days. I would put it on when I opened my shades in the morning, about 10 AM. She wore it non-stop until about 8-9:00PM. Unless I left the house, which in that case, I took the collar off and she goes in the laundry room with her bed.

She doesn't. like. the. collar. She doesn't bark when she has it on though and I praise her lavishly every time she doesn't bark at the things she used to.
She's been following me around much more closely and is also now laying in my lap at times. Amazing. She's never been a lapdog but she's been loving it when I pet and rub her when she does lay in my lap or very close to me.
She used to be so focused on watching out the window that she couldn't be bothered to be cuddled. Now that she isn't allowed to bark at everyone, she's much more interested in the loving.
Can't say I blame her ;)
And, that's my two bit opinion. A dog psychologist, I'm not.

Since yesterday, I have been allowing her to go without the collar until the first time she barks. When she does, I scold her and tell her if she barks, she's going to have to wear it and then I put it on her. She can have it off tonight when I go to a church meeting but she barked, she's wearing it. She had been warned.
I've always been a bitch about consequences, huh Sarah? :)
Anyway, I will continue to do this until she gets it.

My ultimate goal is to get her to not bark without the collar on. She's smart enough to make the leap from "if I have the collar on, I can't bark but I can bark if it's not on" to "If I bark, I have to wear the collar so I won't bark".
The biggest question is WILL SHE???
Lord help me, another headstrong girl. Gotta love 'em!!

(And yes, I know I should have done this 2 years ago. I'm getting soft in my old age, what can I say??)

Ahhhhhhh, Peace and

Quiet!!
The bark collar is working. I hope I'll be able to quit using it and still have her not bark.

Bark Collar Part Deux

Yesterday was day two with the bark collar. Normally when anyone comes to visit, Stella barks and barks and BARKS. If it's Allison or my Mom, she also makes a very high pitched whine. Last night Allison came over and she attempted to bark once or twice but immediately stopped :)

Later, there were kids playing outside and she glanced out the window but didn't even bother getting off the couch to investigate. They played out there for a long time so I am very hopeful this bark collar is going to do the trick.

Bark Collar

Stella's barking has finally gotten to me. She barks when anyone walks by the picture window in the dining room and as the weather gets nicer, we have more and more foot traffic past our house. I got a bark collar yesterday and she wore it all afternoon. The first two times she started barking, she immediately quit. The next time, she was outside and barking at the next door neighbor's company. The collar was working but she continued to bark :(
When she came in the house, she spent the rest of the evening closely following me or sitting on my lap. I'm hoping she'll make the connection today and the barking will stop.

Laundry Is Done!!!

And put away. And it's only 7:30PM. Now I can go back to slug mode.

YAHOO!!!!

I didn't get to go on a cruise so I treated myself this afternoon. I love treating myself!!
I booked tickets to go visit my BFF Sharon in Cleveland April 15-19!! I'm pumped!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My entire house is CLEAN!! Including the rugs, my sheets and the dining room chandelier :) I hesitate to call it a chandelier but after taking down, washing, drying and rehanging all 12 sheets of crystal, it sure seems like a chandelier.
Anyway, I just took a long, hot, bubble bath and have regrouped and started on the dirty clothes.
Thank you Jim for not balking when I insisted we needed a jetted soaker tub for the master bath.

I Do Hereby Solemnly Promise

I will not go to bed tonight until my house is clean and my laundry is done. It may be a L-A-T-E night!

DAMN!

I was able to cancel my flight but Delta charged me $100 to redeposit my SkyMiles. It cost 45,000 miles so it was worth $100 to get them back but DAMN, I think Celebrity should reimburse me for that! It's their fault I wasn't able to take the trip! Stupid noro-virus!

Wasn't Meant To Be :(

Got a call from Celebrity last night. The cruise we were booked for is being delayed by two days because of the huge outbreak of Noro-virus on the ship. We had the choice of going two days later after they clean the ship or canceling altogether with a 100% refund. Because of my compromised immune system, we chose to cancel. No Spring break for me this year! Now if I can only get Delta to reinstate the 45,000 Skymiles I used for my flights, I'll be happy.

Three More Sleeps

and I'll be cruising the beautiful and hopefully sunny Carribean!

I Don't Want To!

I've been putting off cleaning my house for a week now. It needs to be cleaned badly. The simple fact is that I just don't want to. I hate cleaning and really no one cares whether it's clean or not.

No Alpine Burger For Me :(

Joe just called and cancelled. They found another ride. No trip to Bismarck after all.

More Downsizing

My closets and dresser drawers are all cleaned out and I just heard the garbage trucks go by. Good riddance!!!

I had a lunch date with a friend today but Joe just called from Minneapolis. The flights to Minot are cancelled today so they are flying into the Bismarck airport and need a ride to Minot. Guess who's cancelling lunch and driving to Bismarck later this morning? Good thing I adore my brother!

Outdated!

There was a lot of stuff in my pantry that just like me, was outdated. How does that happen? I just finished cleaning it out along with the spice cabinet and hauled it out to the curb for garbage pickup tomorrow morning. Such a nice feeling. Now I'm trying to find the motivation to keep on going and tackle my closet and drawers. UGH!
I also need to deep clean my house, wash the light fixtures and everything in my curio cabinet. I wonder why I insisted I needed the large one? Way too much crystal in that sucker! It'll take me all afternoon to just get it all washed and dried.
My goal is to have all this done before I leave for my cruise on the 17th. I tend to get more things done if I set a goal.

Born Flirt

I took Jameson to basketball practice last night. One of the mothers waiting for her son also brought her kindergarten age daughter with. Gage knew her and flirted with her during the entire practice. It was quite interesting to watch . When practice was out they both rushed outside. When Jameson and I caught up, they were sitting oh so sweet side by side on a bench in front of the building. For a 6 year old, that kid's got game! Lord help us all!

Don't Forget Me!!!

Stella jumped onto Allison's lap and climbed on her back to make sure she wasn't left behind when Allison got her shoes tied and went home.

Wasted Days

and wasted nights! I'm always amazed she doesn't fall off the back of the couch when she sleeps like this!

Great Grandma Reads

And David picks the story... and his nose.

When I Grow Up

... I want to be a fireman like my Uncle Karter.

My Brother's Hat

David made this hat in Pre-School. He called it his Boingo Boingo. I call it silly :)

Buddies

Do you see what I see?

The Burger Queen

Eating Lettuce Wraps at PF Changs! Notice how she has her pinky extended? Just like real royalty!