For anyone who is interested, one of my friends has a website devoted to dog care and such things. I said I'd do a little promotional work, so here it is. Check it out if you please. www.gooddog.ca

Christena and I got our invitation for my grandparents' 50ieth wedding anniversary in the mail yesterday. Today we rented the car to go home, so it seems everything is starting to come together. I am looking forward to going home. Tenie, me, Jetta and my cousin Chris will b driving home on the 20 of February. Our reading week starts that weekend, but I'll be in Montreal competing in the Eastern championships-otherwise we'd go home earlier. One of my friends is going to look after the cats and Carmen will be back on the Thursday so they won't be alone for too long. I can't wait to see Flash-that is my parents' dog. I bought her for them in the spring of 2003. I got her from the animal shelter in my home town. We didn't realize until we got her home that she is actually blind in one eye. She may have about 10 percent of vision. The vet figures she was scratched as a puppy-maybe when the puppies were crawling over each other to get to their mom. Other than that, I really dont' know much about her days before she came to live with us. She and her sisters were dropped off at the shelter at probably about 9 weeks. They were super young. She looked like a lab when I got her, but now she has the german shepherd markings on her face, between her toes and on her rear. I'll try to get a good picture of her when I am home and post it. (Actually, there might be one already up, but I'll get a more recent one). She is very protective of me and my mom. The other day she growled at my dad for picking my mom up. She also has a bit of an attitude problem when it comes to other dogs. Even though she grew up with Jetta, she is very territorial. Sometimes she doesn't let Jetta near me-that is when she gets put outside by herself. She can't stand being by herself. It's the worst punishment possible for her. She spent a lot of time camping with my dad and grandpa when she was a baby. There were a lot of big dogs around running loose and I think she learned then that she had to defend herself. I also think she throws her weight around because she can't see out of her one eye. Oh well, she's cute and I love her very muchAnyway, it is time to feed Jetta. She is pacing around behind me and nudging me with her nose. (Medley is also over. Ashley went grocery shopping with Tenie and he stayed here. I will hav to make sure he doesn't try to steal Jetta's food. She is definitely not the dominant dog). I also have to kick Sisu off my lap. she climbed up as soon as I turned my computer on. I think she likes the humming sound it makes. Too cute!

Yesterday we had a huge snow storm here! At first it was just raining-as it seems to be doing this winter-but then it started snowing. Not the nice light fluffy, pretty flakes you associate with Christmas or winter scenes, but this heavy, dense wet stuff that stuck to the trees, power lines and everything it touched. My friends and I had planned to go out for sea food, and although the weather was bad, we had made reservations and there was no way we were cancelling on sea food! Even though Ashley arrived at my house absolutely covered in snow and Medley was soaking wet. We wiped them both off and I gave Ashley one of my old winter jackets: it was water proof and had a hood. James and Chris said they would meet us there, as Carmen, Christena, Ashley and I thought we'd take a cab. Unfortunately for us, it would have taken 45 minutes for the cab to even show up and our reservations were only fifteen minutes away. So, the four of us-oh correction, the six of us, Jetta and Medley were there too-braved the elements. The walk there was pretty uneventful. There was a lot of slipping and sliding, and the dogs got soaked, but otherwise it wasn't too bad. The food was fantastic, if a little pricy, but that is what you get for ordering sea food. Half way through dessert, the power went out and everyone was starting to worry about how we were going to pay. Luckily, the power was restored when we were about to leave and we were able to pay. (The majority of us did not have cash). It was on the way home that the real fun began. It had snowed loads more while we had been stuffing our faces and the sidewalks were a disaster. The snow was probably past my ankles by this point and it was heavy an sticky. Jetta bounced through it, thinking it was fun. Medley and Cotton plodded along and shook their big heads every time blobs of the stuff fell off power lines and landed on them. At one point, a gigantic chunk of snow slid off a power line and nearly took out Tenie and Ashley. I think they saw their lives flash before their eyes. Chris left us and headed to his home,while the rest of us sloshed to our house. (James and Ashley came too). The plan was to go home, dry off and watch a few episodes of Sex in the City. But we got a little side-tracked. Tenie and I both bent down at the same time and started whipping snowballs at each other. Then, Carmen, me and Tenie turned on James and pelted him with giant, perfectly packed wads of snow. Ashley ducked out of the line of fire and Jetta pranced around as to say "Let me go! Must chase flying white stuff." The snowball fight ceased, but Tenie and I were not finished our snow fun. We got to someone's yard where the snow was completely untouched and we grabbed hands and fel backwards into the lawn. You can probably guess what happened next-we made 2 snow angels that were attached by their middle wings. I took this as a perfect opportunity to get James back for hitting me and I tossed a huge snowball from the lying position and heard a "clunk" when it made contact. (Hmm, maybe I should think of switching sports to basketball or something). When I stood up, Jetta jumped on me and danced around in crazy circles. I think she was worried I had fallen over because there was something wrong. She's not a very affectionate dog, but she has her moments where I can see that she actually cares. :) We did have to change our pants when we got home because snow had fallen down them and melted, but it was sooooo much fun! I think I'm a 22 year old that will never grow up. Oh, and my trainer definitely gave me the right dog. The instant her harness came off and she had been towelled off, she raced through the house jumping from one couch to the other; Medley chasing after her. The two of them even moved the furniture! (She a wild one)! The best thing is that the snow is stillhere! When I took Jetta out this morning, the trees were all bent over with their heavy load stretching their branches to the ground. There's nothing like a little snowball fight or snow angel making to lift one's spirits. So, if you have snow, go out and play in it: you'll be glad you did. Anyway, I'm off, we're making french toast and bacon this morning and I am needed in the kitchen.

Top 13 Hottest Men in Our Opinions (in no particular order)!

1. Mike Dirnt ( Greenday Base Player )
2. Johnny Depp ( Gotta Love a Pirate )
3. Orlando Bloom ( Younger Pirate or Elf need I say more )
4. Brandon Flowers ( Lead Singer of The Killers, a another lovely man in eyeliner )
5. Billy Joe Armstrong ( Gotta Love More Eyeliner )
6. Stuart Townsend ( MMMMMMMMMM Vampire )
7. Raine Maida ( Somthing About Lead Singer )
8. Viggo Mortensen ( Men with Swords MMMMMMMMM )
9. Cillian Murphy ( There's Something About Irishmen )
10. Colin Farrell ( Another Irishman.....Keep Them Coming)
11. Tyson Ritter ( Lead Singer of All American Rejects)
12. Ryan Reynolds ( MMMMMMM Canadian Men)
13. Shane West ( Doctor, Tom Sawyer, Sensitive Sweetie )

It seems a rather sentimental day for me. I am not quite sure why: probably the season. I haven't been home in a month and I am a little homesick. I always get sentimental when thinking about home. Just the little things have been making me smile. For example, last night Tenie came home from her killer mid-term and gave Carmen and I a chocolate rose each. They're obviously selling them for Valentine's day, but it was just such a nice gesture-especially after her brutal exam. This morning when I woke up, all three fuzzies were sleeping with me and although this is not a new phenomenon, it seemed extra sweet today. It was just so cozy tucked in with Sisu and Loki purring and Miss Jetta with her big sleepy eyes resting her chin on my leg. It was just so peaceful. I didnt' want to crawl out of bed! Jetta has done other cute things today as well. She was very vocal when my swim coach came on the deck. She danced around, making this strange sound that we have come to call "murfing," because there is no other word for it. She kind of sounds like a bear cub playing. She then found a half full water bottle on the deck and proceeded to chase it around while I practised. Who ever said dogs weren't smart! She makes her own games up, which apparently Stella has done, as I have learned from reading Laura's blog. Even just Jetta running to the door to welcome Tenie home from class, just now, was super cute too. She trotted over snorting wagging her tail and wiggling around like she always does, but like I said above, today it just seemed...well, cuter. It was also snowing lightly as I walked to class this afternoon. The giant fluffy flakes landed in my hair and on my cheeks and it made everything feel-happy, safe, relaxed, peaceful? I'm not sure. Either way, the snow flakes were welcome. I guess sometimes it's important to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life. If we are always busy rushing around, worrying about what our next essay mark will be, or whether or not you impressed your boss, colleagues or even just strangers, we miss important things. Most often things we cannot replace- like snorting puppies, fluffy snowflakes, or friends thinking selflessly. So, I guess my words of advice of the day would be-not that my words of advice are so profound-remember to slow down and enjoy the people *fuzzies included* around you and my God love the earth too! It never did anything bad to you. (Environmental sidenote: if you are a Canadian obsess with Tim Horton's, take a travel mug, it's cheaper for you and you use less cups)!