We took to locking the dogs in our bedroom as they had a tendency to knock over the trash and whatever they didn�t eat, they chewed to bits and pieces and the leftovers were strewn about our home like a cyclone had stormed angrily through without warning. I had about a weeks worth of this. So my big bright idea was to put them in the bedroom and shut the door. Then they�d have the entire room and there was nothing they could get into� except the closet I found out. And well of course the things stored under the bed. Now everything that I had taken so much time organizing has been undone. Pillows have been shredded and the stuffing dispersed about. Shoes have been demolished, underwear crotches eaten� And the floor� ugh. I won�t even go there. My bedroom has become my worst nightmare. Shawn has to force me to go in there to even sleep anymore. It is definitely NOT for the weak of stomach. And I�m so squeamish. Ugh.

I�m about at my wits end with Barklee. I love him� he�s been such a trip since day one. Man, has that dog got character. And a stubborn streak to make even the most pig headed fume. I finally had gotten him into realizing that my floors were not a vast expanse of toilet tiles. I got him going outside to potty like Chewy. And then the snow hit. Barklee does NOT like the cold. The snow is okay, he loves to snort it and get lost in the piles. Once you get him outside. No easy feat by any means I tell you.

Yesterday morning, I got up and immediately let him or. He stopped short when his paw hit the porch and ran back in. I picked him up and put him outside but he got back in through my legs before I could shut the door. Then he started peeing on the carpet. I yelled, took him back out and went thru another round of him getting back inside. Complete where he started peeing on the carpet in front of the open door. I FINALLY got him outside. But he didn�t have to pee anymore. So he played.

I�m at a loss. I tried paper training and everything. I don�t know what to do. But I cannot handle another animal that pisses everywhere. Not to mention the fecal deposits he likes to leave on the floor beside my bed for me to step into or in the back hallway. Am I not spending enough time, am I not firm enough, is my dog part retarded? I just don�t know anymore. I�m thinking animal obedience training for both dogs. Chewy is a good baby for the most part, but firm training couldn�t hurt either one I should think. I�ve got to figure something out. I am only a 2.5 hour drive away from kidnapping my baby sister Gena to come stay with me a couple weeks and train him for me. They got one of Barklee James� brothers. He can sit, fetch, lie down and give you 5. Not my Barklee.

Oh, but he can shake. No in the traditional way- no, sirree. Not my baby. He�s so damn eager for the bone that when you tell him to shake, he throws both paws at ya. It�s cute. He�s cute. But g�damn, I�m frustrated. And Shawn doesn�t miss a beat either. He�s always reminding me that we didn�t need another animal. And that they�re all MY animals. So he won�t clean up after �em, I�m lucky if he feeds them anymore. He�s on strike.

But that�s a whole nother rant that�d take a whole nother entry.

So anyways I have big plans. And I�m gonna call my family and Michelle this weekend. I have my celly charging right now.

I just hope we don�t get anymore snow. We got snowed in practically Wednesday. Like 10 to 12 inches overnight. It was nuts.

So I guess I�ll sign off� I�ve got a lot to do, and not enough time to do it. And I am surely no �Merry Maid�. Nope� I�m just Cinderella at best. Still waiting for my Prince to smell my work boot�

Ain�t life grand?

Simply,

Sara