Dogs of Summer

The past couple of weeks have been full of summertime fun for us and for Harry.  We had a spectacular 4th of July (which also happens to be my birthday) and Harry's gift to me was being extra good with all my friends.  He posed for pictures and engaged in dancing, scratching, and eventually snoozing even during fireworks.  On the holiday weekend, we took Harry and a few dog friends to the Wissahickon for some dog hiking and swimming.  We were hoping that open water in its natural state on a sticky hot day would be an oasis for Harry.  Not so much; he still does not like water.  He does however, like car rides and I think he's made the connection that getting in the car = going someplace fun.

Dog friends are the best.  Harry hiked through the Wissahickon Valley with four friends - Hope, Dexter, Duncan, and Pearl and had to lead the way, even though he had no idea where he was going (and neither did we; we left that up to our mountain man trail friend).  For a hot and humid day, the Wissahickon was a great place to get in a long walk in the shade.  Regardless, tongues were flailing and by the time we hit the river all of Harry's friends were running into it.  

Did you know teacup Yorkies can swim?  Little Duncan was a trooper on the hike, and made Harry look like a huge wimp when he hopped into the water and swam circles around us.  The boo enforced a dip for Harry by carrying him out against his will.  It took one dunk for Harry to scurry out of there and proceed to sprint around and around the trees and trails like a maniac.  Harry was disgusting afterwards.  Dirty and crunchy and slobbery.

I really wish Harry liked the water, because swimming dogs are so fun.  Being an adult in a swimming pool is kind of boring...except when there's a swimming dog around, or a child I suppose.  Harry did soak himself in a puddle of standing water next to the river so maybe there's a shot of him someday enjoying a swim.  I'm going to have to do some research on dog psychology and water.

Post Wissahickon, Harry joined my family and I for my joint birthday celebration with my sister.  It was a consecutive day of dog partying for Harry, as he frolicked in the grass with his fur-cousins Karma and Jager.  

He also spent some time touring my niece's backyard humble abode while Karma spent time at the dinner table discussing beverage options with the boo.  

I enjoyed a great birthday dinner courtesy of Mom & Dad and stole a moment to teach my niece about the magical Britney Spears and how her songs are so much better than Call Me Maybe - the only radio song my niece likes.  The fur-beasts enjoyed their time together just as much which was seriously entertaining for me and my phone..snapping pics every 10 seconds.

We discovered when we got home that Harry now knows his cousin Jager by name, and will look around if you ask him "where's Jager?" which is funny and cruel at the same time.  Spending time with friends and family is made even better when dogs enter the picture.  And after spending two days in a row with dog friends, Harry was so beat he couldn't even get on his bed properly before passing out.

With two more months of summer left, I feel like Harry might hibernate through winter!

  

Dogs on Vacation

In the past month the boo and I have explored two of America's greatest cities:  Chicago & Boston.  On our travels I pined for Harry.  As we walked around, at least every 20 minutes I'd comment how Harry would like this or that or worse if I saw a dog I'd have to say hi and also talk to the parents about my Harry at home.  

Farewell for now friend!

Because of this, on our 6 hour drive home from Boston I researched where we could actually take Harry on vacation with us.  Although he probably wouldn't be able to accompany us internationally (I'd love to take my little gentleman to foggy London town) there area  lot of long weekend options available across our US of A.  Cities, like Boston & Chicago, in fact, are increasingly dog friendly offering up dog friendly hotels and a multitude of dog parks.

You can find dog friendly hotels in your city of choice here.

Better than a dog friendly hotel is renting a dog-friendly apartment or home for your stay.  Most rental sites like vrbo and airbnb will tell you whether or not their home is pet-friendly, and in that case you may be able to come and go as you please; taking your pet where he/she can come with.  

When Harry came camping with us, there were stipulations regarding his presence.  He had to be on leash at all times, and we couldn't leave him alone - he had to come with us everywhere.  Luckily they had rafting activities where he could be included.  If you find that you can't accompany your pet 24/7, a local pet sitter may be able to handle your pooch while you sight see.  

That said, DogVaycay is a website connecting thousands of pet sitters from all cities.  Unlike kenneling, dog vaycay is more of a vrbo site for pets.  Your dog stays in the comfort of their sitters home and in most cases has company all day long.  Your pooch may share their sitter's attention with a resident animal or could be hosted solo; either way it's a much more comfortable transition vs kenneling.

We used DogVaycay in our hometown of Philadelphia while we vacationed in Boston.  Harry stayed with his sitter for 2 overnights and one day.  Not only was it convenient, it was affordable, and we received updates from our sitter throughout each day (some via picture below).  We were able to meet our sitter before making a reservation and read reviews from others who have left their precious pups with her.  Harry even got to interact with the resident animals so we could ensure they'd get along.   The site is great for last minute reservations, and since payment and reservations are handled directly through DogVaycay, your dog is covered during their stay with DogVaycay insurance.  Of course, Harry came back happy and tired - thanks to his awesome babysitter.

Our next long weekend we fully intend to include Harry.  He's proven his stamina in car rides these past 3 months - we're on a barf free streak - so we think he might be good for a road trip.  I'd love to take him to some dog-friendly beaches in the South.  I hope you found the info above helpful and can use it to include your hound on holiday! 

DIY: Doggy Muscle Tee

As the seasons have turned over, we've been cleaning out our closets.  In Harry's case, his closet has been getting fuller...because as his Dad throws things away, his Mom (me) turns them into Harry clothes.  Enter the beer belly tee that is perfect for a pooch:

The boo wasn't interested in this jokey t-shirt for teens, but Harry was intrigued by the attention his belly would receive if he convinced his audience that his belly was in fact lucky.  We started by measuring the belly in question.

Harry's lucky belly is a whopping 24 inches.  This was my guide as to how much I would cut the boo's t-shirt down to make it Harry size.  I wanted room for give and a seam allowance, so I trimmed 3 inches from each side to give me 27.5 inches overall.  

I think it fits...

Using fabric scissors, I cut three inches and removed the sleeves from the t-shirt.  I was left with the neckhole, creating almost a t-shirt dickie.  The next step would be sewing the bottom and sides.  The hem of the shirt needed to be trimmed as well, and I drew a line for where I thought it should stop - a hoinky line, so that Harry's hoink wouldn't touch the tee.  This is what it looked like before sewing:

The t-shirt dickie was turned inside out and pinned together.  I left openings for the arm holes, which I made about five inches wide and finished the edges before sewing both sides of the t-shirt together.  

I also folded the edges on the bottom of the shirt and sewed them straight through one side at a time.  The sides were sewn straight on my sewing machine.  No crafty sewing pics this time, sorry folks!

The project took about 20 minutes, and then it was fashion show time.  Harry walked the runway and posed for numerous pics.  In hindsight, I think I still need to make the arm holes wider, like a real muscle tee.

The tee fits like a glove, minus the tight arms.  Plus, Harry has tricked strangers into rubbing his mystical belly.  I can't wait to start going through the boo's t-shirts and Harry sizing them!  Hopefully he doesn't mind...

Doggy Dining: Bacchus Market & Catering

Nothing beats an iced coffee on an early Sunday in a hot dog park.  Harry, the boo, and I made a discovery this past weekend that we will likely be revisiting.  As per our usual routine, we visited the Schuylkill River Dog Run on Sunday morning hoping to completely poop the pup.  Harry's endurance has lightened as the weather has heated up, so he tires out in much less time than he did in the fall.  Or maybe his puppy energy is fading...noooooo!  

On base...obviously.

Cherry picker!

After thirty minutes of intense tag and resting on base, we wanted to take advantage of Harry's lethargy and the good weather.  So we walked up Spruce Street only a couple of blocks to Bacchus Market to grab some coffees and sit outside.

Bacchus is extremely close to the dog park and quite convenient.  The owners show their love of their furry neighbors with water bowls, complementary treats, and leash hookups so you can get your snacks without worry.

The leash hookups at Bacchus Market & Catering

The iced coffees were refreshing and peppy and the service was both human and dog friendly.  It's always a treat to see people fawn over my scruffy and badly behaved mutt.

The small shop also features baked goods like cupcakes, lemon bars, and cookies as well as bagels and muffins.  In another refrigerator they sell homemade salads filled with fresh vegetables and delicious combinations.  Our next trip will likely include some lemon bars, and some more of their chuggable iced coffee.

Harry's Sunday Funday wrapped up with a visit of Doggie Style where we browsed leashes (Harry's is disintegrating) and picked up a cookie for our little guy.  It only took a few hours of our day to show Harry an extremely good time, which makes for a good time for us too.

Pimp Pup Pillow DIY

Since Harry enjoys his bed so much, I decided that he might appreciate something fluffy under his rear when he stays in his crate while his Mom & Dad are at work.  The crate can be a hard place, and Harry simply loves snuggling.  So I set myself on making a flat crate cushion for Harry to lounge on all day.

I bought a yard of fleece on Etsy for $4 (made me holla) in this pimpin tiger print and I used my leftover polyfill from making Harry's bed to stuff it.  In hindsight, I could have bought interfacing and just sewn the whole thing together, but I figured I'd just use the items I had on hand.

My first step was measuring the width and length of the crate.  I didn't want it to take up the entire space, so I cut the fabric in a square.  I added an inch on each side for seam allowance, and an inch on each side to allow for "puff room" - you'll notice when you stuff your pillow will become shorter in width/length.  Going back I'd definitely add another inch to my sides since his pillow puffed up a decent amount.

After cutting my fabric, I put the right sides in and sewed straight along 3 1/2 sides, leaving me some room to stuff.  Then I turned it right side out and stuffed.  

Once stuffed, I sewed my stuff hole shut and then measured 3 inches in from all corners, pinning in each corner.  I wanted to create a tufted effect for pimp style, which would have been much easier by using interfacing.  Since I stuffed with poly-fil, I jammed my pillow under my sewing machine and forced it through, sewing from pin to pin whilst pulling them out as I passed.  It's not perfect, but it did the trick.

Harry's pimp pillow looks so good in his crate, especially in his room where my fancy vintage chair is sitting (that chair makes everything look good).  

The pillow lasted all of a day and half...when Harry spent about two hours in his crate completely shredding one of the corners.  Right now I'm trying to figure out how to fix it, or if it's worth it.  Thankfully the materials were cheap!

Hunting with Harry

One of my favorite things to do is creep around the flea markets of Philadelphia, hunting for treasure.  A couple of weeks ago they came to Fairmount and set themselves up around Eastern State Penitentiary.  Since it was an outdoor event, I figured it would be a perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.  I shop, Harry walks.  I think I got more of a workout than he did.

I attempted to bring Harry to the flea market once before, when it was on Spring Garden in a warehouse right before 5th street.  Unfortunately, a surprise snowstorm hit and prevented a lot of the peddlers from driving into Philly.  Even though this is an indoor event, it's dog friendly.  Just make sure your dog is behaved.  

Harry drools with excitement at the flea market

Harry really enjoyed himself.  Not only was he surrounded by people paying attention to him, he was consumed by the smells of all the old things from strange homes.  It was a struggle to keep him under wraps, especially around glassware and strollers.  I was surprised by how appreciated he was by the sellers...I assumed they'd be annoyed by having a mutt sniffing their wares.  Sellers came out and greeted him and they even had water bowls set up for the occasion.  

Most exciting to me are my finds.  Usually when I attend flea market events I go with something in mind so that I can browse with purpose.  My intent in going to the Fairmount flea was to find vintage planters, or things I could use as pots for the roof deck garden.  I ended up with other things obviously...

For example, this martini shaker.  I definitely won't be planting something in it, but I may possibly be making an Old Spanish for my TV boyfriend Don Draper.  It's clean, it works, and it was $4.  Plus I have the recipes for all the groovy drinks from back in the day right at my fingertips.  I plan to pair these with a bunch of Mad Men-esque tumblers if I ever find cheap ones and then spend my evenings vomiting as I can barely handle beer.

Next up is this cast iron wall hook that looks exactly like Harry.  Notice his "zoinks!?" expression above.  The lady who sold it to me was pretty batty, and I paid $5 which in comparison to the swanky cocktail shaker may not be a deal.  But I'm a sucker for things that remind me of Harry.  I'm hoping to use this in our wall that acts as a foyer to hold Harry's leash.  We haven't named him yet, but I'm edging towards Larry, since they're almost twins.

It was at the Spring Garden Flea Market that I found a guy selling tons of vintage post cards.  Some were written on, some were blank.  He had them categorized so you could browse by city, country, or subject.  I picked up a few of places the boo and I have traveled, some of Philadelphia, and I checked out the dog category obviously.

The one above is from 1902, and although I have no clue what the post card says, I like the script and the sprinting dog reminds me of Harry's wild man running in the dog park.  I mounted it with double stick tape on some poster board and framed it.

This one really spoke to me.  The dog looks nothing like Harry, but the handwritten message completely spooked me.  It was only the day prior that Harry had eaten our IKEA chair cushion.  Of course I giddily had to tell everyone around me the entire story and the man selling post cards told me about a guard dog in a museum in Graceland that ate all of Elvis's teddy bears.  I thought he was crazy, but apparently it's true. Those post cards ran me about 50 cents each.  Deals yo!

Our most recent acquisition was done online via Craigslist.  I had been searching for a wingback chair to possibly reupholster (if I could figure it out) and stumbled upon one for sale only a couple of miles away.  I immediately pounced on it, and we brought it home on Monday.  It now sits in Harry's room so now he can have some company when he's in his crate.  Best part is, I'm obsessed with the color and it's not too worn out.  No reupholstering for me!

The treasure hunting is going to have to take a break for the time being.  We only have so much square footage.  But I think what we've found so far is pretty great.  I think Harry feels that the new chair adds sophistication to his boudoir...let's just cross our fingers that he doesn't give it the same homecoming as he did our IKEA chair.

Harry's Green Thumb

Remember when I said I'd be better at blogging this year?  Ugh, sorry.  The weeks and weekends have taken their toll and the projects I've wanted to complete have taken much longer than expected due to car failure, late nights at work, race weekends, and a dirty dog.  I thought I'd share a project I've been working on for over a month now, which is getting my roof deck spruced up for summer.

This year I'm hoping to borrow my sister's green thumb in my quest for an urban roof deck vegetable garden.  The major project in this endeavor was finding cheap planter boxes that were big enough for veggies but not so big that they'd leave me without deck real estate.  No such thing exists.  So I opted to build my own by modifying a tutorial I saw on one of my favorite "girl power" blogs, Shanty2Chic.

My first step was to buy and cut a lot of wood.  Luckily, I made a friend in the wood department of Lowes and he cut all my wood for free.  Did you know they're starting to charge per cut?  Where am I supposed to keep power tools in our bitty place?  My purchase consisted of six or so 1x3 furring strips and a 2x2.

I modified the Shanty2Chic tutorial so that my length and width were bigger to accommodate the deck.  I also added another furring strip to the top, which increased the length of my inside pieces.  Essentially I cut 10 pieces at 36" for the sides and 10 pieces at 20" for the ends.  I needed more room for roots, and adding the extra strip got me right to 12" depth.  My 2x2 was cut to be 12" each instead of the 9.5" recommended in the tutorial.

My process began by making the shorter ends, stacking the furring strips and screwing them into my inner strips.  I used some wood glue but I lack the patience and the clamps to let it dry in place, and screwed on top of the glue.  Once I had two ends, I attached the longer sides in the same manner.  Harry was not a fan of the drill, and watched cautiously from afar, either on the couch or in the middle of the staircase.

The plywood base wasn't bought until after I had the rectangles put together.  I wasn't sure of what my measurements would be so I measured the length and width of my boxes after they were built and visited my woodcutter friend at Lowes with my measurements.   I used wood glue around the entire perimeter of the base and then screwed it into the four corners into the 2x2s.  Then I kept it out to dry overnight.

Here we are with our finished boxes ready to be stained, Harry rocking a hoodie to cope with the windy weather that comes with a roofdeck in March (like I said this was a long project).  My goal was to stain the boxes and paint some garden/flower related song lyrics over the stain.  I needed it to be water proof so that the boxes wouldn't rot after one planting season.  My solution was an all in one exterior wood stain & sealant.

The boxes only required one coat of stain, so I had plenty of stain for two boxes and then some.  I stained both the inside and the outside, so that my inner box would be water resistant to sustain daily watering.  I thought about using some wood filler in-between the slats, but decided that the landscape fabric was enough to keep the boxes tidy.

Then for a while, I spent a good amount of time painting the outside of the boxes with my lyrical quotations.  I whipped out the acrylics from college and some leftover paint from the second bedroom paint job.  My lyrical choices were from Everclear's "I Will Buy You a New Life" and Alice in Wonderland's "Golden Afternoon"....I thought they were appropriate for gardening.

After everything was dry I drilled some drainage holes in the bottom of each box (you can see above).  I also drilled holes on the sides about 6-7 inches apart to create rope handles for transporting the boxes just in case we need to move them around for deck gatherings.  Had I the patience and skill I would have put casters on the bottoms so I could roll them around the deck.  Maybe next year.

The bottom of the boxes I filled with gravel, to allow for another level of drainage.  I covered this with landscaping fabric before I filled my box with potting soil.  It took me another week or so to even purchase my plants, and even after that I was nervous to plant them for fear that I would do it wrong or kill them immediately.

Once I got it together, I planted two tomato plants, two crookneck squash, 2 red peppers, 2 green peppers, and 2 eggplants.  The rest of my gardening endeavors are via container/pot and I started my own version of a vertical garden using an IKEA shelf I got for $20 and spray painted with rust preventative clear spray paint.  Time will tell if I have green thumb skills, but hopefully all this effort reaps plentiful rewards.  Regardless, Harry thoroughly enjoyed his time on the deck as you can see by his huge cheesing smile.