Just in case you’re interested…
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 3,100 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 52 trips to carry that many people.
December 25, 2014
with licks and snout-bumps,
Peanut Butter and Cheese
December 2014
On Thanksgiving afternoon, I posted a video wishing all of our beloved readers and lurkers a Happy Turkey Day. During that video, I issued a “challenge;” for every “Like” this blog received between Thanksgiving Day and midnight on Giving Tuesday (December 2), I would donate $1 to the Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA).
Soon, I had readers reaching out through Facebook to let me know that they wanted to “Like” the post but they were being prompted to sign into WordPress to do so. That felt rather inconvenient for them, so I extended the challenge to Likes in WordPress AND Facebook.
And then I sat back and waited. I might have accidentally-on-purpose allowed a couple more days to go by. This is the season of giving, after all.
Well, the final count is in. Over that long weekend, 64 people liked the post. That means $64 to AWLA. I am so thrilled you liked me. I mean, literally, you LIKEd me.
But I thought about it some more. $64 didn’t feel like enough. So I’ve been doing some thinking and some internet research.
Remember this little face?
photo credit: Animal Welfare League of Arlington
Almost four years ago, this was the picture of MJ that snagged our hearts and took us to AWLA’s door. She’s been a handful and a riot, and we couldn’t imagine our family without her. And because of her, we’ve met incredible volunteers and families through AWLA; our community has grown.
If we were to head over to AWLA today to bring home another puppy (puppy=younger than 6 months), our adoption fee would be $200. For us, it was 100% worth it.
And so, dear readers, with your clicks and support, Peanut Butter & Cheese will be making a donation to AWLA for $200. It’s not a lot, but it’s food or treats or toys for those furbabies waiting on their forever homes.
On a related subject…please! If you’re thinking about gifting a pet to a friend or loved one this holiday season, remember: that kitten grows into a cat. That dog may have accidents while he’s adjusting to home life. That guinea pig will need her habitat cleaned. A pet is more than just an unveiling moment of suprise and wonder. It’s for life.
Adopt, don’t shop. But please adopt responsibly.
Mama says we have to wait here while she’s “doing maths” from #GivingTuesday. This might take a while….
Happy Thanksgiving from our little family to yours!
#UNselfie #GivingTuesday
November 2014
Earlier this fall, James took an extended business trip, and the pups and I were left to our own devices for four whole weeks. All Kari All The Time.
Here’s some things you need to know before we move on:
-Owning two dogs– parenting two dogs– is much easier with four hands. It’s an extra person to hold the leash, to scoop the food, to rub the bellies, or to tag out when training gets to be frustrating.
-Our dogs love James more. Given the choice between snuggling with me or snuggling with him, he always wins. Yes, yes, it’s not a competition. Whatever. But I do walk away feeling a bit chopped-liverish when I’ve taken them on an adventure, rewarded them with treats, and hauled out the pool for afternoon lounging, only to have James walk through the door and they react as though I’ve tortured and ignored them.
– We have a routine that allows for a fairly equal distribution of labor. It is rare that schedule goes out the window. This trip blew up the schedule.
Right. So. Four weeks without James. We had set ourselves up a fairly ambitious schedule of home improvements and CGC prep-training. And every day, James received photo updates and emails from the dogs (yep) about how things were going.
First, they were confused by his absence, looking longingly out the windows for his return.
Then, they mourned him.
just to be clear: i was organizing closets. the floor of our bedroom doesn’t always look this… adolescent. And she wouldn’t let me touch one of those shirts.
…Even though adventures were continuing in his absence.
now, with harnesses!
We tried skyping, but they just weren’t into it. They’d bark at the iPad or run around the corner to look for James. Even worse was when they couldn’t muster the enthusiasm to look at the camera.
Before long, they got clingy, helping me get ready for work or checking up if they lost sight of me for a few minutes.
We broke a few rules… (sorrynotsorry).
it’s possible i slept here all night.
James finally came home, and the love and snuggles I had selfishly enjoyed for those few weeks disappeared. No room for me. 
He might have missed them more than he missed me.
But seriously, they were rockstars. They were flexible when work ran long (no accidents in the house). They were respectful when we took big adventures on our own. They helped out with house chores (I wish I had took pictures when I put Swiffer wipes on Zozo’s tail. You’ll just have to trust me) and yard work. They sang along or talked back as I prattled on when making everyone dinner. They were their typical loving, well-behaved, mildly-spoiled selves. But it was weird.
We can get out the door, but Mama needs to help us back in.
Halloween 2014
Last year, I finally succumbed to the voice in my head and dressed the dogs up for Halloween. This was particularly ineffective since we usually hide in the basement with the lights off and pray no one knocks on the door. Our’s isn’t a terribly well-trafficked street, and the neighborhood does an indoor candy dispatch in the auditorium of the local middle school.
But it made me deliriously happy, and that’s all that mattered.
This year, both pups got some showy threads. And many pumpkin-flavored treats were sacrificed for the photoshoot.
Happy Halloween, and stay safe friends!
i feel pretty… oh so pretty…
excited AND scared
Mom told us to smile. #derp
too many treats
peanut butter & cheese 