Really, not much has been happening around here about which to blog. We were expecting to be busy watching our new doors and windows being installed on Monday and Tuesday. The glass company truck rolled into the driveway bright and early Monday morning, and two workers got busy double checking all of the measurements. They were just about ready to remove the first of the three large living room windows, when I happened to notice the doors and windows in the back of the truck. "They look awfully white", said I. "They are white", said he. "But....", said I, "I ordered almond frames". The worker grabbed the order sheet and said "It says white on the order". He flipped to an inside (original order) page. Hmmmm. It said Color: almond. Next page....Color: almond. Third page....Color: almond. Somebody had messed up royally! Worker made a call to the office, then informed me the white doors and windows would be returned, and a rush order put in for the almond ones. It's now late Thursday, I've heard nothing more from the company, so we have no idea when we will, if ever, get them installed. Since I've already paid for half of the total cost, I'm hoping it will be soon.
In the meantime, we removed the pet door insert from our dining room sliding glass door, and had son John over to help with the installation of a new "in the wall" unit. Mr. Granny and I had built new steps for the outside. We couldn't have Annie and Otto flying through the door and out into open space! We built the steps extra wide, not knowing yet just exactly where the new opening would be situated. As it turned out, the new door is way off center, but I have plans for a little wall hanging (dog bone name plates on rope) next to it. That should center everything nicely.
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The new doggy door had two clear flaps, but Otto was afraid of them so we removed the inside flap temporarily, hoping he'll get used to it at a later time. He was so funny! There was no way he was going through this thing, even though it's exactly the same size opening as the old door, and situated just a few inches to the right. Annie went right through, with no hesitation. We coaxed and pleaded with Otto, but he just cowered and ran to the kitchen door. I finally picked him up and pushed him through the doggy door. Mr. Granny grabbed him and pushed him back out. Didn't work, Otto was still cowering in fear of that door! Just then, Annie came out through the door, down the steps and gave Otto a poke with her nose. She turned around and went back inside through the new door, and Otto timidly followed her! I was absolutely flabbergasted! I know she was showing him what to do. Shortly afterward, Annie went back out through the door and Otto followed her. Today he has used it several times, but he usually waits for her to go through it first.
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But I digress. It's Thursday's Kitchen Cupboard, and I have done a small amount of preserving. I canned 5 half pints and two pints of sweet chili sauce last week. Today I froze 3 pounds of green beans and three pounds of green bell pepper strips, and canned 4-1/2 pints of ketchup.
Gallon bags filled with green pepper strips and Velour green beans.
Today's batch of ketchup gives me 7-1/2 pints total for the season, which should probably be enough to last us for an entire year.
Join Robin and others for Thursday's Kitchen Cupboard!
Dogs are so funny sometimes. You never know what will set them off.
ReplyDeleteDaphne, Annie is such an Alpha dog. Her brother is a bit of a sissy. We do love him though :-)
DeleteAhhhh, the dogs of our lives. I love their stories. I can really picture you shoving your poor pup through the doggy door. I would have done the same thing. At least Annie stepped up and helped out.
ReplyDeleteLangela, Annie is always first and foremost until it comes to greeting us as we return home. Otto is definitely the more excited and exuberant one then. He's the one that can't hold his licker.
DeleteOh the dogs are so funny! My dog is afraid of absolutely everything and I can just imagine she would be just like Otto with those doggy doors. We are considering getting another dog - I heard it's much better and easier for them to have friends.
ReplyDeleteThe veggies look great! I hope your doors will come soon!
TS, Otto runs and hides under the bed when he sees the camera! He's definitely the sissy boy. He even waits until his sister eats half of her food at mealtime, before he begins eating his. I always said he was making sure he wasn't getting poisoned...if Annie keels over, he's not going to eat ;-) For siblings, they certainly have different personalities. We have never regretted getting two dogs. Ever.
Deletesilly dogs lol sure cute though!!
ReplyDeleteMrs. P., they are silly, but I was just commenting to Mr. Granny about how cool it is to see those "happy tails" every morning. They'll be deep under the covers, but the blankets will be bouncing from wagging tails the moment I wake up.
DeleteAs you well know, kids are like that, too. When we moved to a new neighborhood years ago, my older child made his sister go everywhere with him until he had the landscape scoped out. If a dog rushed them, she'd be there to calmly tell it to sit -- something he couldn't imagine doing. They're all more likely to do something with a peer than with a grown-up insisting. Glad Annie got Otto trained.
ReplyDeleteDianefaith, Annie is more like Otto's mother than his sibling! She takes good care of the baby, possibly because she will never have one of her own.
DeleteWay to go Annie! That is so sweet. Zoos often match up domesticated animals with wild ones since the wild ones often get very skittish with change. If the domesticated one acts normal about small changes, the wild one will usually follow suit.
ReplyDeleteNartaya, Annie is the teacher and the trainer. But if he steps out of line, she'll bite his face!
DeleteGranny, It's a good thing you saw that the windows were the wrong color before they started removing the old windows!
ReplyDeletePets are so funny sometimes! Your dogs sure do have the life though!
Robin, I was a bit upset to say the least. The customer service was so great, then that error was made. The week went by with no contact from them, so I finally called yesterday to ask just when we were getting rescheduled. It's now set up for next Wed. & Thur., but I feel they could have contacted me to let me know, I shouldn't have had to call them.
DeleteThey definitely should have contacted you. You are the customer!
DeleteWhat a good dog Annie is! So helpful to her brother! Your ketchup looks so good; maybe someday I'll grow enough tomatoes to make some too! But I'm not holding my breath. Hope your doors and windows come soon!
ReplyDeleteNutmeg, I had to make the sauce in small batches and freeze it until I had enough for ketchup. It does take a lot, and a heck of a lot of cooking to make such a small amount. I had so many cherry and small sized tomatoes though, and I had already canned more than enough sauce for the winter, so I ended up making the ketchup and some non-chunky sweet chili sauce. I do wish I'd had more large tomatoes for canning.
DeleteWindows come in Tuesday, installation starts on Wednesday.
We had that same problem with the cat door we installed in our shop - so the cats could go in and out of the shop when needed and none of them would have anything to do with it. Except for my grand old cat - serme. She was old and unfearful and showed them all how it was done. I sure miss that beautiful old soul.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the color mix up on your new doors and windows, hopefully the rush order will get done soon and you will be back in business.
Looks like you have been busy preserving. You probably have quite a supply of things put by for the winter by now.
Kitsap, they both learned to use the pet door panel in the sliding glass door right away. I guess it's the tunnel (the depth of the wall) that throws them on the new one, or maybe the slickness of the plastic lining. I thought about putting something in there to make it non-skid, but I'm afraid that might make the flaps hang up and not close properly. Not to mention collect a ton of dirt from their feet. I do hope we can get them used to double flaps, as that will certainly be better at keeping the cold air out. That was a problem with the patio panel in the winter months. Not so much the single flap, but the space between the glass patio doors that had to be stuffed with something to keep the cold air from coming in.
DeleteI actually didn't get as much preserved this year. Lots in the freezer, but not many tomatoes in jars. Next year I'm planting more early, large varieties! We're still eating the glut of pickles from 2009!
You have to admit the thought of "flying Dachshunds" through the old door would be awesome though.....!
ReplyDeleteErin, I think their giant ears would probably keep them aloft for a while, but I doubt they could clear the patio railing, LOL!
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