Who was there?

First let me say that Jack Gage on Main, KC, MO is a great place! The managers came by checked on us. The wait staff Mike & Mo were great. Food was very good. I had spatzle, very tasty. If course I had to copy the name from the menu. I was calling spakle, spitle. I've also had the grits on a previous occasion. I invite those who have been there to comment about what they had to eat. We were in the vault room which was really nice for our group.

Here are the people who came:

Dan & wife Robin
@Banky / http:/ Mobi-Strategy & fiance @Thundabolt / Reading Between the Lines
@Average_Jane / Average Jane & hubby Alex
Faith & hubby Leo
Krissy ( formerly Filegirl)
@Coderigger /Janet, Keith, Matthew, & Josie & wife @hoochimama / Ramblings, Rants, and Mommyhood Journal
@ITchickie / Ramblings from the Deep Dark Side

Code: Blog
@twitter name / blog

Tomorrow Happy Hour!

Click here

Winter Zoomies

I love watching Xander run in the snow.

Destructo Dog!

Hubby is home burning a couple of vacation days building a new insulated dog house. Since it has to be big enough for a Great Dane he is having to build it on the spot where it will live. Which means the dogs can't be in the dog pen while he is doing the building. So Trooper & Xander are in the laundry room with the dog door out to the fenced "doggie comfort patio". I've shown you photos of the patio & the new dog door in previous posts. Anyways, the dogs can go in or out as they please. Most of the time today they were in so says the hubby. He had the gate to the pen open, NPR playing on the mini boom box, tools, extension cords, lumber all over the place. He has taken the old doghouse apart & salvaged what he could & has the new one's frame up. Tomorrow he puts the sides & roof on. He's really doing a good job. He has put insulation under the floor, and I think he's planning on putting some in the roof & walls. There are houses out there that aren't as well built as this doghouse will be. No joke!

All of this is just the foundation for what I really want to tell you. In my laundry room I had 3 black foam pads that were shaped like a puzzle piece on their edges. I had them in front of the washer, sink, and dryer. Notice I said had? Xander having been put in the laundry room with no toys had to find a way to entertain himself. No doubt Trooper found Xander entertaining. I bet the whole time Trooper was thinking: "He is in so much troubllleeee". LOL! Hubby called me when he took a lunch break. He discovered 2 of the foam pads destroyed. Little pieces of black foam all over the floor. Also, a runner that I had put down was torn up. I just hope he didn't swallow any of it. Hubby had to clean up the destruction but not before I logged into Log Me In & checked out the what the cameras in the laundryroom were showing. Yup! That's right hubby installed remote cameras in the laundryroom. We can see the dogs when they are in there or if anyone is ever crazy enough to try to break in by way of the dog door. And I say crazy because if you saw a dog door big enough for a Great Dane would you go through it not knowing what was on the other side?

Once given toys to play with this afternoon & this evening Xander didn't tear anything up! Yea! Progress!

On both our vehicles we have a bumper sticker that says: "It's all about the Dane". It's so true. And I'm not ashamed to say it. My hubby is the Heart of my Heart, Love of my Life. But Xander is the Laughter & Joy in my Life. I look at his face and it makes me smile. I don't think the hubby will be jealous because I think he feels the same way. How lucky are we? We have each other, and a wonderful home that we share with our 4 legged children. God bless us one and all!

Hmmm not what I planned, but then Life is like that.

May you all have a blessed holiday. Remember those you love & those who love you. They are your blessings.

December Happy Hour

How about a pre-New Years Eve Happy Hour?

December 30th, 5PM-?

At

Gage Jack American Tavern

5031 Main St
Kansas City, MO 64112
(816) 531-4243

As always please RSVP !
A head count would help so we can have as many tables & chairs as we need.
All tweeters & bloggers are welcome.

Bad Ms. Moneypenny Bad!

Life is just to darn busy! We were out of town for Thanksgiving. And it seems like I've been running ever since. Sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner.

Here's the list of those who came to the November Happy Hour.=:
@Princessof World / So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year in Reading
@Average_Jane /Average Jane

@Xonassis / Hip Suburban White Guy
Beneath the Ginko ( my hubby)
@ITchickie
@JeffIsAGeek / (jeff)isageek.net and his lovely wife @MsGiggleBox
@TaraCuda / If I Had a Blog
@ReadHeadGirl / May's Machete and her handsome fellow @MC_HFC

@QueenOfQuirky / Queen of Quirky

I hope I got everybody. The Andy Warhol exhibit was great. I loved his animals the best.

Better than Chimpo & Logtar!

Thanks to Bea for posting this on Twitter.

Great Dane Zoomies

This makes me smile! Xander is a happy dog. Of course tired dog is a quiet well-behaved dog. Every day after work we take a bit of time and let the dogs run in our own "dog park".

November Blogger/tweeter Gathering

Friday November 13th 2009
5:30 PM-

Union Station

We will meet downstairs at the Warhol Exhibit, held in the Bank of America Gallery (same place as Narnia), which has been put together to mimic Studio 54 w/ a disco ball, music from that time period and fun, colored lights. All attendees will be given one free ticket to see the Warhol exhibit, which also includes one complimentary beverage as we'll be gathering on a Wine & Warhol night. Food is available for purchase. Attendees are welcome to stay as long as they like and enjoy the Warhol collection.

Special thanks to

Average Jane

/Celeste for getting this organized with them.

As always, all bloggers, tweeters are welcome.
Please RSVP to me here or on twitter.

October Blogger/Tweeter Gathering report

Average Jane & her hubby,
Beneath the Ginko,

Sponge Worthy

Three O'Clock in the Morning,

and myself met at Manny's for some good food and great conversations. Since it had been raining for days I was a bit worried about flooding. But we were fine. Some that were suppose to come were sick, others spaced it out. Since many of us meet through out the month I really don't mind the smaller get togethers. These bloggers are some of my favorites, and I'm pleased to call them friends.

Reminder!!!

Don't forget Happy Hour at Manny's today!!!
RSVP please!

October Blogger/Tweeter Gathering

Manny's on the Boulevard,

207 Southwest Blvd,

Kansas City, MO 64108

(816-474-7696)

5pm-?

Thursday October 29th, 2009

Please RSVP me so I have an idea of how many tables we need.

As always all bloggers, tweeters, commenters are welcome.

Only one rule: Don't be an asshole, play nice with others!

How Big is Your God?

I've seen him many times & read his book. Very good!

Netflix this movie!

Willow & Xander, heart ache & healing

This Saturday (3pm-5pm) Hubby & I will have Xander at the Spay Neuter KC clinic (59th & Troost, KC,MO). This event started out as a memorial to Willow. I wanted to raise dog food for SNKC 's Pet Outreach. Willow had been a rescue that was underfed. When SNKC first opened in this new location we donated in Willow's memory to the Outreach program. You will see on the wall there a paw shaped plaque with Willow's name. So bring some dog food & come meet Xander.


Most of you have been through with us what is written below. And for that we are thankful to be so blessed. I wanted to have in one spot the chronicle of Willow and how we ended up with Xander. The two forever intertwined in our hearts. If you don't know the story then read:

What's Happening

Hanging with Willow today

Willow's Tumor

Willow

I Got Ink

Tattoos

Meet Xander

Missing Willow but Smiling with Xander

Some Thoughts on Putting My Pet to Sleep

Xander Pup

Willow's Resting Place

Xander

His Very Own Dog Park

Knick Knack Paddy Wack Give a Dog a Bone

Those Crazy Canadians!

Bye @Betizuka & @Logtar September Gathering

We had the September Blogger/Tweeter Gathering @Brooksider, as a thank you to them for hosting the Twestival fund raiser for Wayside Waifs. We also came together to wish @Betizuka & @Logtar good luck & good bye. They are moving to Chicago. Below is the list of people who came. Here they are in order of appearance:
@MySpyderWeb (myself)
my hubby Kanga/Beneath the Ginko

@PlazaJen
@Xonassis
@NobleRot
@Taracuda & Brother
@Coderigger
Faith & Leo/Frighteningly Uncommon Sense

@Nuke
Phil (a non blogger/tweeter co-worker of Logtar's)
@Aquaflamingo
@Bioburn120
Tom & Sheryl ( non bloggers/tweeters longtime Friend of Logtar's & Bea's)
@Wryter
@JeffisaGeek & @Ms.Gigglebox
@Banky & @Thundabolt
@queentuffy & @kipkillagin

Please go to their Twitter profile to see their websites.

We had a great time & will miss them both an awful lot.

Xander loves his!

Grand Opening - Team Tugs - A web site for dog owners and dog lovers

Web Site Grand Opening!

Team Tugs – Hand crafted dog toys in personalized colors.

www.teamtugs.com

· Show your school spirit

· Support your favorite team

· Display your heritage

· Celebrate the holidays

Quality, custom made tug toys for your canine companion!

GRAND OPENING SPECIAL!

Use coupon code grandopening to receive 10% off your first order.

Coupon code valid through 12/31/2009.

This is an UNRESTRICTED coupon code!

Please feel free to forward this to your friends, family and fellow dog lovers.

Post it on your blog, stick it on your facebook or myspace page.

Print it out and put it on your message boards at work, school or church.

ALL ARE WELCOME TO VISIT AND USE THE COUPON CODE!

Hope to see you soon.

Michael K Prater, owner

www.TeamTugs.com

MKPrater@teamtugs.com

All the Single Babies!

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

LMAO!

September Blogger/Tweeter Gathering

Going away party for @Bea & @Logtar

That's right ! They are moving to Chicago & leaving us! I'm not happy but a great job for Logtar is calling. And of course where he goes Bea will follow. So please join us wishing them the best.

Brooksider Sports Bar and Grill

6330 Brookside Plaza

Kansas City, Missouri 64113

816.363.4070

September 24th, 2009

5pm-?

We are having it at the Brooksider as a thank you to them for having the KC Twestifal.

Which was a huge success! So come drink, eat.

RSVP PLEASE!!

This is good for your soul!

This just makes me happy!

Knit one

The most I've ever done was about 6 strands at once.

Knick knack paddy wack give a dog a bone

Well , not really a bone. How about a bag of dog food?

If you know me or the hubby you know how hard losing Willow to Osteosarcoma this last year has been. All though all the dogs we've had over the years have been special to us Willow was extra special. She really needed us. She was skin & bones when we got her. Maybe if the single mom who had her had been given help with dog food she would have been in better shape. This is your chance to make a difference to a hungry dog, in memory of our beloved Willow.

This started out with my friend @Thundabolt & I talking about the idea of an event to raise dog food. During this time I've become friends with @DVSGEM & have volunteered at @SNKC, who has a pet outreach program. Along comes @Banky who has this brilliant idea & creates @Volunteams. He asked me if I would be willing to have Willow's Memorial Dog Food Drive be the kickoff of this new & wonderful adventure to help @SNKC. So click here & here to go to the website for more info.

I'm told that it's better to buy multiple small bags instead of a big bag. We plan on having Xander, our new Great Dane, with us on October 10th @SNKC. Come meet him & bring some dog food for some hungry dogs.

Welcome to Team Willow!

Looking for a job?

OMG! O Magazine cOming tO tOwn in OctOber

Check this Out!

O, THE OPRAH MAGAZINE BRINGS O YOU! TO KANSAS CITY

A DAY LONG EVENT OF INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION

FEATURING OPRAH WINFREY’S EXPERTS AND EDITOR-AT-LARGE GAYLE KING

New York, NY (September 2, 2009) – O, The Oprah Magazine brings its “Live Your Best Life” mission to Kansas City, MO on Saturday, October 24 with O You!, an interactive day of seminars with O contributors and Oprah’s hand-picked experts that will empower and entertain attendees, just as the magazine does each month for its more than 15 million readers. Tickets are $99 and are available at http://www.oyouonline.com/.

The event takes place at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, where more than 4,000 attendees will participate in lifestyle seminars led by O experts including O, The Oprah Magazine’s editor-at-large Gayle King; New York Times best-selling author and O’s resident life coach Martha Beck; interior design expert Nate Berkus; political strategist and author Donna Brazile; make-up expert Ross Burton; O contributing editor Jancee Dunn; nationally-recognized fitness and weight loss expert Jim Karas; fashion expert and co-host of TLC’s “What Not to Wear” Stacy London; Emmy Award-winning television host and O columnist Suze Orman; cardiothoracic surgeon and health expert Dr. Mehmet Oz; and organizational management expert Peter Walsh.

“O You! is a day truly devoted to our readers,” said Jill Seelig, Vice President/Publisher of O, The Oprah Magazine. “We are thrilled to bring O’s trusted voices to Kansas City to inspire women to learn and grow. Now more than ever, we all need to take a breath and focus on living our best lives.”

To register for O You! and learn more about the event, please visit http://www.oyouonline.com/. Event registration is $99 and tickets are now on sale.

O You! is presented in association with L’Oreal Paris, Liz Claiborne New York , Alli, Truvia, Vtech, Benefiber, Blue Diamond Almonds, and The Laughing Cow.

ABOUT O, THE OPRAH MAGAZINE

O, The Oprah Magazine (http://www.oprah.com/) encourages confident, intelligent women to reach for their dreams, express their individual style and make choices, guided by the values of one of the most charismatic women in the world, O Editorial Director Oprah Winfrey. With an emphasis on personal growth, the magazine inspires, addressing every aspect of a woman's life -- the material, the intellectual and the emotional -- and deeply connects with more than 15 million readers every month (MRI Spring 2009). O, The Oprah Magazine, which also publishes a South African edition, is a co-venture between Hearst Magazines, a unit of The Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com), and Harpo Print, LLC. Hearst Magazines is a unit of Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com) and one of the world’s largest publishers of monthly magazines, with nearly 200 editions around the world, including 15 U.S. titles and 20 magazines in the United Kingdom, published through its wholly owned subsidiary, The National Magazine Company Limited. Hearst reaches more adults than any other publisher of monthly magazines (70.6 million total adults, according to MRI, Fall 2008).

How very christian of you!

WTF? Check this out!!! This is a time when you have to say "You are NOT a christian". I'm a very open minded catholic. I think that everybody has a right to believe in God or not. But this sick bastard has no right to call himself a christian. He will be the cause of violence because he will whip his followers into a misguided frenzy. I have to quit because he makes me sick.

August Gathering Recap

I'm here to tell you that Spin is a great place to eat! A few people had sandwiches which I think they enjoyed. And I personally will vouch for the pizza. Hubby loves it & was glad that I brought some home. Since he stayed home to get homework done & to dog sit with Trooper who was sporting 4 drain tubes, and 3 rather big stitched up areas. Here you can see 2 of the drain tubes. he has 2 more on his other side.

Here's also a photo of him in one of the t-shirts (Kansas City Australian Rules Football) that he had to wear for the last week. Hubby used to play a few years back. I thought Trooper looked pretty studly in that. As did the hubby!

Oh yea, back to the Blogger/Tweeter Gathering. Not a big group but we all had fun non the less. I do enjoy the smaller groups because of the conversations. It's much easier to have them & to follow them when you are crammed around 2 tables. Most of us have know each other for years now. And even tho we may not see eye to eye of everything we still love to hang out and shoot the shit. I know that if one of them asked me to come by after work they needed help/or the talk I would be there. There's a camaraderie/respect that is there. It's not fake or put on. And that's a fact.

Who was there:
Average Jane

Hip Suburban White Guy

PlazaJen's Blog

The M.Toast Hivemind

Three O'Clock in the Morning

and a new attendee Mo Rage , nice guy no matter what an unnamed blogger says. Mo Rage is also known as Pflow. OMG! That makes me smile for many reasons. "And just ask your Dr for a script Pflow..." LOL! Really I think his name has something to do with his other blog ( Philanthropic Foundation for Lottery Winners). Check out his other one too KC Photog Blog. Very cool stuff!

Sorry I haven't posted this sooner but life has been busy. Home repairs, sick dogs, BBQ with other bloggers. All in all August has been a good month. And I'm planing a trip to Colorado to visit a good friend. I love Colorado in the Fall! That's a lie. I love Colorado in any season.

And September is just a day away. Hope you can make the next Gathering!

Reminder!!

Click here!

Do you want to date my avatar?

I totally stole this from Average Jane's Facebook. I just wanted to put it somewhere I could find it. It cracks me up!

What I'm doing on August 30th

SNKC WANTS YOU!!

Spay & Neuter Kansas City, 1116 E. 59th, Kansas City, MO 64110 816-353-0940

MASH August 30th:

Once again, a HUGE tail wag to all the JULY volunteers! Many said it was the BEST MASH yet!

I appreciate all the positive feedback we received about the changes we have been making to improve the event. We will continue to ask each volunteer to sign-up for specific shifts with no limit on the number of shifts you would like to work.

AS A COURTESY TO OTHER VOLUNTEERS: If you would like to come in earlier, stay later or you bring more people than you had originally scheduled, PLEASE check with SNKC staff for openings. VOLUNTEERS who signed up for a scheduled shift will have first priority over unscheduled volunteers.

I appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

Volunteer Positions:

Shift 1=6:30AM-11:00AM
Shift 2=10:30AM-3:00PM
Shift 3=1:00PM-5:30PM

Administration(Check-in & out, pet runners)- Shift 1-NEED 1.

Autoclaving-All Shifts-NEED 1

Dog's-
Recovery- Shift 1 -NEED 3
Shift 2 -NEED 2
Shift3 -NEED 4
Cat's-
Vet Tech Asst.- All Shifts-NEED 1

Hospitality/Cleaning/Laundry- All Shifts-NEED 1

Contact Us:

As always, email TAMARA@SNKC.NET to schedule your time!!!

Can't donate time?

SNKC is seeking donations of the following:

Clipboards
Paper towels
Toilet paper
Soft Drinks
Bottled Water

Dog Food

reprint from their email newsletter

How do you take care of each other?

I got an email from the hubby:
Subject: On the positive side:

…of late menopause (after age 52), "Women who go through menopause late have a much lower risk of heart disease," says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine
*******************************************************************
I wrote: Well, that's a plus!

*************************************************************
He wrote back: That and the aspirin I feed you every day should help keep you around!
***********************************************************

Every morning he makes me a couple of toasts that he wraps in a paper towel & includes my aspirin & my cholesterol pill in a ziplock. Maybe after an hour after I get to work I'll eat.

He takes care of me in many other ways. But it's the little things like my toasts & pills, or in the winter when he scrapes my car windshield that really show how much he loves me.

How do you show your love?

August Blogger/Tweeter Gathering

Tuesday
August 25th, 2009
5pm-?

Spin! Neapolitan Pizza
4950 Main St,
Kansas City, Mo, 644112

RSVP !!!

from MASH to Love

Today I volunteered at the Spay Neuter KC Clinic for their MASH. They spayed/neutered eighty something animals. I was assigned to keep an eye on the male big dogs. Go figure! LOL!

We had the biggest dog I've ever seen. I think Tank is a Mastiff.

There was many very sweet Pitbulls. I've never really been around Pits before. These dogs great. There was one, Buddy, that broke my heart. A room mate had dropped him off & didn't pick him up. So we were thinking that Buddy was being abandoned. He was the last dog there. He is all by himself tonight in a kennel, with an Elizabethan collar on. He was scared. I had him on my lap loving on him & crying. At that moment I hated people. How could someone just dump him? I had tried to call the owner but it wouldn't go through, then do a reverse search on his address online with no luck. I was so upset. I saying that he was an asshole for dumping this little pup. On my way home I got a call from Buddy's owner. He didn't realize that the room mate hadn't picked Buddy up. I told him that I was calling all kinds of names & that Buddy was a very sweet boy. He said he would pick Buddy up at 8AM tomorrow. I'm still upset. He should have checked with the room mate during the day. But he did sound like he did care for Buddy. Poor Buddy, all by himself after having his nads removed.

I suspected I will be volunteering again for the next MASH in August.

I'm glad the weekend is over. Hubby has been in Rochester, NY. He's visiting his mother & brother. He's replaced a toilet, installed a storm window, removed an antenna & insulation in the attic, cleaned gutters, and did some yard work, God know what else. Have I said lately that he's amazing? I hate it when we are apart. Not because of his handyman work, but because he's my very best friend. Tomorrow, July 27th, is our 24th anniversary. He flies in tomorrow just in time to meet me for supper. He is coeur de mon coeur, l'amour de ma vie.

Love ya babe!

July Gathering Report

We met at The Peanut in southern JOCO. We had a nice turn out. Many bloggers that I had not met before.

@CadyKansas / We're not in Kansas Anymore, Toto & hubby who dropped by for supper
@arogersphotos / Amy Rogers Photography
@TaraCuda
@Betizuka / Betizuka.com
@Urbanverse
@AngiePedersen / Scrappy Marketing Solutions
@KBMcKinney / Four Funny Kids
@angelchrys / Angelchrys
and our sole male blogger that was brave enough to show up:
@jeffisageek / (jeff)isageek.net

And a good time was had by all!

Candy Shoppe!

The family made a side stop on our trip to the casino. We are such a wild bunch! LOL! The Candy Shoppe was a trip down memory lane. I bought a sponge candy brick, sweet tarts, and some mints. Hubby got some dark chocolate, gummy something & some licorice. These photos are of a few things I saw.

Some Canadian shots

View from my sister's deck. We spent the first half of our vacation here. We would sit outside on her deck drinking our morning coffee. What a view!


Sister's landscaping






Dad's garden, still too early up there to harvest anything yet.









Parent's cottage where we stayed half our vacation.

Float plane. We were in a boat & caused waves. The float plane had to wait for our wake to die down before taking off.





Guess the R fell! LOL! This was on a building wanting us to watch for snow falling from the roof.












Moose! We were on our way to go strawberry picking at a farm in Sturgeon Falls and saw this beautiful girl.




Patridge! This mom partridge tried to lure us away from her chick. I did see it but couldn't get a picture of it.



Hubby has a few more photos that I took on his blog. We had a great time but are glad to be back home in our own bed.

How Dogs And Men Are The Same

How Dogs And Men Are The Same

1. Both take up too much space on the bed.

2. Both have irrational fears about vacuum cleaning.

3. Both mark their territory.

4. Neither tells you what's bothering them.

5. The smaller ones tend to be more nervous.

6. Neither does any dishes.

7. Both fart shamelessly.

8. Neither of them notice when you get your hair cut.

9. Both like dominance games.

10. Both are suspicious of the postman.

11. Neither understands what you see in cats.

All in all I'm pretty lucky in the hubby front. Most of this does NOT apply to him. But I've known some husbands who were. As I write this I smell fresh baked bread made by the hubby. Yea, I really can't complain I have it better than most.

July Gathering

Women bloggers of KC - Let's have drinks!

Meetup - July 23rd!

So, for those of us who aren't joining the debauchery at the BlogHer Conference this year, I decided we should get together and toast ourselves here in KC! And yes I know some of you are going, but you're still invited because I love you anyway. :)
(Also it just worked out that both my kids are gone on this day. WOOHOO!)

So Thursday, July 23rd, at the Peanut in Overland Park - 127th & Metcalf, let's say 6-9 or so. Sound ok? Let me know if you can make it. And feel free to forward the invitation to other blogger friends who may want to come!

Organised by Jenny /@CadyKansas
cadykansas@gmail.com

Spyder: You can respond to Jenny or to me for this event. I will keep her posted. I hope you can make it. And if you are a guy you can come too!