Hi, all.. sorry for being an absent hostess today. Lots of running & MY “shopping” for xmas. Easy & fun. Answering/chatting to you all together in the interest of time(mine) as I need to run back out shortly.
I had to take my dogs to vet for their shots/checkups etc. I go to Amish country – about hour & half south & always try to do it right before Christmas so that I can stop in at one of the Amish Cheese factories & “stock up”. I also stopped at winery & got two cases for gifts. On way is a large remote country park that I walked the dogs prior.. they took off for 45 mintues after ????????... and finally decided to return & we were just a little late but the operation at this vet is very low key.. Dogs very VERY tired upon returning to car (a friend drove me & wanted to check out the winery & the cheese factory) & we had some extended chat time in the car on the trip.
Kate.. I am so glad you are feeling up to getting out & shopping. That must mean you are better. Good!
Conor.. thanks for ping at Canteen re: your son. Hope he will visit at Finest on Mondays (well, any /every day is good too but esp Military Mondays). He might also enjoy the Dose.
Aqua.. love the first pet pix you posted. Ms Beezley & Barney are so cute.... is the black cat also called India? I recall the Bushes having a cat called India a few years back (he/she looks like India Ink for sure)
Dr. Scarp.. yum on those cookies! YUMMMMMMMY
Dave, Happy Birthday to your dear Bailey! My Toby is a little under two (we think) and Josy about year & half. (we think). Both rescues.
All, thank you for all the great graphics. I am not sure what happened to the table on my opening & the pledge. On preview it was just as I intended but the HTML gremlins decided to give me a hard time (again) it seems.
The vet appt was interesting. This is an old fashioned country vet. No fax, no email, no cell phone…WAY off the beaten track on dirt road. You go in waiting room & their might be a little goat or other small farm animal in addition to the cats/dogs/birds… I go there because the cost is so reasonable. It is about 80 miles & a delightful trip thru gorgeous country & communities & as I said, I get cheese (more on that in a bit)
Toby the golden took his shots without even responding to anything going on Josy, the German shepherd, just about ripped into the vet for each one. The vet jumps back very quickly~
I held her down as best I could but she is very strong..
3 injections for each. 3 year rabies, kennel cough & the update on all others.. some mixture. Also worming, general checkup & ear cleaning.
Both dogs total 45 dollars. Not bad huh?
What I do mostly now for gifts in my own baskets. I buy nice baskets that the folks can use. I put some nice filler on bottom.. for women a good quality pot pourri.. I put in 3 one pound hunks of Amish cheese. This year I got Baby Swiss; NY cheddar, and Pepper(white American w/jalepenos); also a loaf of bread from harvest Bread Store, and a bottle of wine from a winery.. This year I chose The Winery at Wolf Creek. The I put a scattering on good candy on bottom.. Trim with some artificial poinsettas & red bows. People seem to each year really appreciate it. If they have a cat I add catnip & a catnip toy. If they have a dog I add some good dog chews(pig ears, Home cooked soup bones)
Here are the links to the three places I got the bread, wine, cheese
http://www.wineryatwolfcreek.com/
http://www.byways.org/browse/byways/13793/places/35710/
http://www.greatharvest.com/
I upgrade the gift for closer people with two breads & two wines.