This morning, my sister brought me the best present yet…

Her name is Misha.  S he’s a one year old pug and, well, she isn’t exactly mine to keep.  Just a little someone my sister is boarding for the week that she decided to bring by.

Younger, sprightlier and, uh, less weighty than my guys.  She hung around for the afternoon and took over the house.

Also drove mom a little crazy while we were out for a couple of hours.  So much so that mom ended up calling my sister to ask her to hurry back.

So adorably pesky.

Did some more writing today and am well into ACT IV.  Should have a rough first draft by middle of next week.  I foresee a fifth act obstacle I don’t quite have an answer for.  But I’m not worried.  These things tend to work themselves out – hopefully well before this goes to camera.

Being back home always stirs memories…

Way back when I only had a mere three dogs, I ended up on the cover of a local magazine. My mom was so thrilled, she had the cover framed.
Ages ago, my parents had their bathroom re-tiled. Early in the process, my mother walked in and complained that the workers were putting the tiles in upside-down. Their boss apologized and had them turn the tiles "rightside up". It wasn't until about a week after they'd finished the job that I took a closer look and realized the workers had it right the first time. NOW, they're upside-down, with all of the columns pointing downward while all of the hanging flowers dangle upwards.

When my sister and I we were kids, this section of hall overlooking the living room (audience seating) was the site of many an impromptu performance. My specialty was magic.
The scene of one of my most harrowing moments. I arrived home from elementary school one afternoon, headed upstairs, and was on my way down the hall to my room when, suddenly, my sister jumped out at me from the raised crawlspace (to the right). It was a instant so singularly terrifying that I still remember how it felt to have my legs collapse beneath me in sheer, overwhelming horror. Bad, little sister! Bad!

Sis has mellowed somewhat.  Also, her gift-giving has improved dramatically…

Another present from sis - assorted chocolates from my new favorite chocolate shop: Le Maitre Chocolatier.
And their alcohol-infused assortment for mom.

Off to Supa Nige’s tonight for one of his elegant soirees (red stripe and dominoes).  Will report back tomorrow – if I make it back by tomorrow.

16 thoughts on “December 26, 2009: And the gifts just keep on coming!

  1. The magazine photo is just too cute. And I’m willing to bet you’re already pricing the cost of shipping Misha westward. After all, you tried to tell us Brie was a temporary resident….months ago…
    Do I detect shades of McKay sibling rivalry/feuding in your musings of bygone days? Funny reading either way.
    Congratulations on the steady progress on your script and best of luck on finishing it before returning back to the daily grind. Thanks for sharing pics and stories with us.

  2. Just one question: Does Le Maitre Chocolatier ship to the US??? Dangit…I might have to make a trip to Montreal, just for that chocolate. :p**************

    And SIS – if you’re out there, you’re my new favorite person! You must perform Ashleigh’s ‘duties’ while Joe is back home, namely, by being his archnemesis. Scare Joey again…maybe by slipping some mint in that box o’ chocolates! (or, better yet, put a rubber snake in his boot … 😈 )

    das

  3. Happy holidays, Joe.

    Do all pugs have that practically prehensile tongue? I remember a pic of one of your furry kids looking like his tongue could do for a hand as well.

    Man, those Le Maitre chocolates are about as dark as I’ve ever seen. How were they?

  4. Hey Joe!

    Misha looks cute but scared….I guess not quite as used to the camera as your lot. You had me worried for a bit. Thought you were gonna turn into the crazy dog guy with more dogs than changes of underwear.

    Anyhoo, looking styling for the cover…what was the reason…were you a travel don’t, a top 10 too old or a fitness you must?

    Knee update: The knee improves each day. Today I’m gonna try driving. Have no idea how I drove home from work Christmas Eve. All I know was that I was almost in tears. Glad I didn’t have to make a hospital trip at Christmas.

    Cheers, Chev

  5. Oh which is your room? Down the end or to the left? What was your room like when you were a kid? Action figures adorning it?

    When I was really little my room was bright yellow and orange. Yellow & orange stripey wallpaper, glossy yellow furniture, furry orange bedspread and orange lacy curtains. Trippy, huh? I loved it, chose all of that myself. I had those little figures you got from cereal packets on top of the bed head and would play with those before bed. Toys all over the floor too (messy kid).

    Cheers, Chev

  6. @das: MY SISTER FOUND MY SHOE!! I TOLD her it was there somewhere! She said it was lying on the floor in plain sight today. Since it’s been missing since late October, our theory is that it was in the depths of the recliner and finally worked its way out. Good thing I didn’t give up and chuck the mate!

  7. Watched Dr. Who: The End of Time Pt. 1 tonight, and it looks like they are sort of blatently ripping off Stargate. They had an alien device that needed 8 symbols to activate and they called it an “Immortality Gate.” It wasn’t round like our gate, but it seems like something the lawyers should look into.

  8. The pug was too much to handle for two hours? But she raised you and your sister. Whoever is younger must’ve been planned to keep the older one occupied. That’s how I timed having my second kid. It worked like a charm.

  9. so have you issued out revenge for your naughty sister’s action???

    Cute dog Misha is..

    Do you still walk the dogs now like in the picture or is 5 too much for ya?

  10. Coucou Joseph!

    Eh bien, vous avez pleins de souvenirs dans cette maison, merci de nous les faires partager 🙂 Ahhhh vous êtes trop mimi avec vos chiens sur la couverture du magazine, votre mamanà quoi être fière 🙂 Misha est tellement adorable =)

    Olala je pense qu’en ce temp de fête j’ai de gros problème avec le chocolat, je ne peu plus en manger =( pourtant c’est pas faute d’avoir essayé^^

    Je voudrai vous dire que je ne serai pas très présente cette semaine 🙂

    Bisou,
    je vous adore!

  11. @crazymom1 – Unless it just walked there on it’s own…like a horror movie shoe. The Creeping Shoe! AAAIIIIEEEE!!!!

    😉

    @ Joe – I’m totally convinced that in 20 years (give or take), -I’m gonna be the Crazy Cat Lady, and you’re gonna be the Crazy Dog Dude. 😀

    das

  12. No brothers? That might explain the lack of violence in the one practical joke played on you by you siblings you mentioned. If you had brothers, the joke would have involved blood/bruises. Life would have different if I’d had three sisters instead….sigh….

    Great family story about the tiles!

    I saw Avatar. Liked it! My physicist friend said he had to turn his brain off to enjoy it. I suppose ignorance IS bliss 😀 .

  13. Hello Joe, the pup is so cute, and it didn’t bite the head decorator,lol,good dog. Are you planning on eating the presents (foodie) while in Montreal, or sharing or shipping back to your home planet? Good luck with the story, yeah you will nail it(good thoughts). Nice dogwalking picture, can see why mom had it framed. I have tile in my bathroom, now I will have to check,up or down, makes the bathroom unique. thanks for sharing memories and photos. Sis has the best job. Enjoy!
    @das, glad to see you back on here after those Toddy overload pix, whoa..

  14. Thanks for sharing your childhood memories with us we promise not to do the same tho 🙂 Your mom and your sis are both stars in my book, give ’em a special hug from me:)

  15. Lol, very nice pug there – with incredibly blue eyes.

    So I have a Stargate question in general, not even SGU really…

    The Russians have had a 304, the US have four now, the Chinese, assuming the Sun Tzu survived, have one. But what about good old Great Britain? Any chance, even in passing mention, that she may get her own 304? The HMS Excalibur or HMS Wellington per chance? It would be a great sign of international development and show that it’s not America’s more opposing nations that build ships.

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