Friday Things
1. We had an awesome little snowstorm last weekend that dumped a total of about 6 inches into our backyard. I got some stuff done around the house, and even baked up homemade pizzas. Einstein and Duke loved running around and playing in the snow. Duke will sit with his head tilted back, mouth open, trying to eat the snowflakes. I love these guys! :)
2. EXCEPT… Duke has developed the awful, awful habit of snacking on poop. Ugh! Bleh, bleh bleh. My mom’s dog does this and I’ve always thought it was disgusting. I’ve counted my blessings that Einstein never developed that habit, but it’s come around to bite me in the butt. This is a recent development, so I don’t know if it’s because they’re frozen and he sees them sort of like “sticks”, but oh my, it must stop! We’ve seen suggestions about mixing pumpkin into food (didn’t help), sprinkling hot sauce on the poop (only works if you can see it and it’s not buried in the snow!), and mixing steamed broccoli into food (haven’t tried that yet). Does anyone have any recommendations? We need HELP! Ew! Bleh! Gross!
3. Confession: Don’t hate me, but I fist pump when I get winter weather advisories and winter storm warnings on my phone. I just love a good snow storm! So cozy and pretty! My Chief Culinary Consultant and I were just reminiscing about the blizzard of 2010; he was living outside of D.C. at the time, and we were snowed in all weekend. LOVED IT! This is what one of the streets near his apartment looked like (we ventured out once it stopped snowing; it was SO quiet – there are some cars buried under that snow!):
4. While I love the snow, the insane cold weather this year has left my skin a total wreck. My face has been SO flakey. Literally, within 10 minutes of putting on moisturizer, my forehead is covered in dried skin. I’ve always used the same skin care products year round (a hydrating formula), but I finally broke down and bought some products that were winter-specific. After using them for the bulk of this week and not seeing a single speck of dry skin on my face, I wanted to share my recommendations with you!
I’m a very loyal Bobbi Brown customer (disclaimer: I have no affiliation with Bobbi Brown, just love the products!); her skincare totally works for me, and I love, love, LOVE her makeup, so I naturally turned there when I needed more oomph in the moisture department. Below are the items I added to my winter skin care arsenal:
- Extra Balm Rinse (top L): I’m now using this to wash my face in the morning (I’m still using the same cleansing oil in the evening). I had tried a sample of it a couple of years ago, so I already knew it was fantastic. It leaves my skin feeling super clean, but not parched at all.
- Extra Repair Serum (top R): This was admittedly a splurge, but I was desperate! I’ve been putting a thin layer on (a tiny bit goes a REALLY long way) underneath my moisturizer morning and night. It’s silky with a bit of a milky texture, and it almost acts as a sealant. It feels wonderful!
- Extra Repair Moisture Cream (bottom R): I’m now using this as my daytime moisturizer. What a HUGE difference from my regular hydrating moisturizer. I can layer makeup on top of this, and when I go to wash my face at night, there isn’t a single fleck of dried up skin on my face!
BobbiBrown.com was running a special when I ordered, so you could pick two skincare products to sample along with your order. I got the Extra Repair Moisturizing Balm (middle) to use as my nighttime moisturizer, and the Extra Eye Repair Cream (bottom) since I was getting some flaking around my eyes, as well. I am loving both of these products, and will plan on purchasing them when the samples run out, although a little goes a long way, so they might last me through the winter!
Here’s to softer, hydrated skin!
5. I just caught wind a few days ago that some companies were releasing their Super Bowl ads early. The Clydesdales have always been among my favorite ads, and I saw that Budweiser had a new ad out this year… one with a puppy! In case you like to be surprised, I won’t embed the video here, but you can watch it on Adweek. After watching that, I followed the link to the ad from last year, which I somehow had not seen… And then I cried.
(Also, I’m a sucker for Fleetwood Mac.)
6. Are you planning a Super Bowl party this year? If so, what’s on your menu? My father-in-law’s birthday is Monday, so we are taking him out to lunch on Sunday, and then having snacks and birthday cake for the Super Bowl!
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7. Rebecca tweeted this picture earlier this week:
I immediately forwarded it to my mom and sister. Back when I was in middle school, my family went on vacation to Virginia Beach. One day, we took a cruise around the Chesapeake Bay. I had my trusty camera with me, snapping photos like a good little tourist. My sister was next to me, and apparently she made some sort of movement, like getting up on her tippy toes, standing at the (ahem, very high) balcony. My mom naturally saw this movement as totally life-threatening and went into mom panic mode, ran over to my sister, arms flailing, to pull her away from the balcony. In the process, she managed to knock the camera out of my hands and… plop, right into the water below. I threw a fit, my sister threw a fit, and I’m pretty sure my dad walked away and pretended not to know us. My camera sits at the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay to this day (or it washed ashore and someone has pictures of an awkward 12-year-old’s family vacation).
We’ve laughed about that story so many times since then, but oh man, when I saw that diagram, it was the first thing I thought of!
8. Be forewarned, the following is a sad, sad story… Earlier this week, a Pittsburgh police K-9 dog, Rocco, was brutally stabbed by a suspect during an arrest. He was badly, badly injured, and in the day or so that followed, required two emergency surgeries. He lost nearly all of his blood, and the local news got word out that the vet hospital where he was being treated (PVSEC), was in need of canine blood donors. I called as soon as I heard, and was going to bring Einstein to donate, however they said their needs had already been met by an overwhelming response.
They did tell me, though, that they have a blood bank onsite and that you can bring a dog to donate at any time so they have supply in the event of an emergency. I wanted to share the story because I didn’t know that blood banks existed for dogs. Apparently, this is the only one of its kind in the Pittsburgh area. If you have a healthy dog and are interested in donating blood, call a veterinary emergency center near you to find out if they have such a program and how you can help.
I cried last night when I found out via Twitter that Rocco didn’t make it :( Einstein and Duke got a lot of extra hugs and kisses.
Rest well, Rocco, and thank you for your service. I hope you’re dashing through an obstacle course somewhere warm and sunny.
9. As you can tell, I’ve been rather weepy over dogs the last few days, between the Budweiser commercial and Rocco. Sheesh! I’m pretty sure my Chief Culinary Consultant is ready to ban me from Twitter and YouTube. It’s a good thing I’m planning a carbalicious dinner for tonight (cheesy meat lasagna!). That should help, and I’ll top it off with some chocolate :)
10. TGIF! Hug your friends (furry or otherwise) today!
Hi Michelle
I came across your blog looking for a gnocchi recipe (which I am definitely going to try) here in South Africa, and haven’t stopped going through your site for 2 hours now LOL. Wow, Really love your site.
Where eating poopoo is concerned it is all good and fine to make the poo taste bad so that he will stop but you need to look at the underlying problem.
Eating Poo generally means some mineral deficiency. He is lacking something in his diet and this needs to be seen to. Maybe try a doggy multi vitamin. in SA we have Bob Martins. I’m not sure if you have over there but they are excellent for keeping dogs happy and healthy.
Well this is Wednesday and I am just now reading your Friday Things! What a crazy schedule I have had the last week! Your blog is always a delight to read :)! I couldn’t read the story about Rocco, it would be on and in my mind for a long time so I couldn’t bear to read it Michelle. I think anyone who is cruel to innocent little animals should be locked up for a long time! I too have had some really dry skin lately, I recently tried Clinique’s moisture surge and it feels like a huge drink of water for my skin. I apply it at night before bed and in the morning my skin is still soft. I simply love it! I love SNOW!! I know it’s been a cold winter and everyone I know is complaining about it but personally, I prefer a cold, snowy winter anyday over a hot, steamy, humid summer day. I hate the heat. I live in Maryland and it gets very humid here. The humidity just drains me of my energy, the cold on the other hand does not. I sure hope the this summer is a cooler one! You have the two cutest little guys there. I hope Duke gets out of that habit soon…good luck Michelle, you’ll find what works!
I love snowstorms too! I live outside of D.C. as well. That blizzard was a doozy. I luckily didn’t have to drive in it, but some of my husband’s coworkers did. It took many of them 12-15 hours to go from the Tyson’s Corner area to Arlington.
I, too, love a good snow storm. Now, as an adult, it’s like God’s/Mother Nature’s way of saying “Hey guys, it’s time to slow down, take a break from your hectic schedule and look around at what I’ve created.” It is so peaceful and quiet. You really don’t realize how much noise we are around until something like that happens to make every thing stop. I get that same effect inside when the power goes out.
I was born in Minnesota where, as a kid, I thought those big piles of snow were just an exaggeration and now living about an hour away directly east from you in Ohio, I love it. Would rather have the snow than a rainy winter.
I heard that the poop eating is a result of a potassium deficiency and to feed him bananas.
Your snow photos are killing me with envy. I’m stuck in the midst of a torturous summer, tomorrow is going to be 102F and the rest of the week is much the same. Looks like the perfect weather to hide inside and cuddle the pups (maybe not immediately after the poo-eating though!).
My dog is a blood donor at PVSEC. He had to take a break due to losing a kidney last September (treated by Rocco’s surgeon) but he has recovered and should be back to donating in a month or so. They take great care of him and he does not seem to mind donating at all.
My younger dog eats poop in the winter too – and only in the winter. It must be a poosicle to them.
Did you notice if he only eats Dukes? As far as I can tell with my dogs, Cleo (the younger one) only eats Ariel’s (the older/dominate dog), which from what I read can be a submissive thing. Regardless, I think I’m going to look into the pineapple so many people mentioned!
*does Duke only eat Einstein’s?
Hi Kristina, I’m not sure to be totally honest with you!
As you are an animal lover, I was disappointed to read of your choice of Bobbi Bown skin care…did you know they test on animals? They claim not to …”except where required by law”…and that means in China where it is still required to do so. I hope you will consider other brands. I have given up on my old favourites Estée Lauder who also make Origins, MAC and I believe Bobbi Brown in favour of companies like The Body Shop and other local companies here in Oz who don’t animal test.
I actually was not aware of the “fine print” in their language, thank you for bringing it to my attention!
I LOVE YOUR DOGS VERY VERY MUCH!!!
Our now four year old Golden was a poop eater when she was a puppy. We tried everything and resorted to just picking it up. She stopped after awhile. But for some reason, she’s back to eating the frozen turds. I think she thinks of them as poopsicles. Hopefully when it warms up, she’ll stop again.
Ha- I pump my fist at snow warnings, too. Expecting a heavy dose this weekend, and I have my kitchen stocked for some cooking!
Michelle – I was so sad to hear of Rocco’s passing. It looked like he was going to pull through, and we were so sad when he didn’t. It was comforting to see the human and K9 officers accompany Rocco home.
As for the poop eating, the cold weather may be a factor. Our lab mix doesn’t normally show any interest in other dog’s poop (although bird droppings are a different matter!) However, the other day he nabbed what looked like a local outdoor cat’s “payday” out of a snow pile. He likes cold things like ice, so we figured maybe he couldn’t resist a smelly frozen treat. Good luck – that’s a gross habit for such a cutie to get into!
The stick figures over the railing are STILL
Cracking me up. OMG
Hi Michelle – no dog advice. Just wanted to tell you I discovered your blog last week, made the dark chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting for my daughter’s birthday and have your spinach dip recipe ready for Super Bowl Sunday!, LOVE your blog! So excited to have found it:)
Hi Linda, Welcome to the site! Awesome to hear you’ve already enjoyed a recipe! Happy birthday to your daughter! :)
I love the snow pic of your babies! I, too, am a snow lover, too – surrounded by folks who DON’T like it. But, I live in Arkansas and we don’t get much, so it is always a treat. Sorry about the poop eating – ew gross – I second! My dog (now deceased) loved to go outside in cold weather and collect cat poop that our cats left JUST FOR HER. Yes, indeedy, GROSS! Hopefully you can get this nipped in the bud!
Love the Clydesdale/Puppy ad! But really, last year’s was my very favorite, even though this year’s is so precious.
Have a great Super Bowl weekend! We are having chicken quesadillas with all the fixin’s! And, a yummy layered salad.
Our 7 month old Mastiff is always in the poop too. I dont know if he likes to play with it or eat it but its gross. I am for sure trying some of theses. The other day he came back inside and it was smeared all over his nose.
I am a vet and this is a very good article that explains the basics of poop-eating: http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/its-me-or-the-dog/training-tips/dog-eats-poop.htm Forbid is a feed-through product that my clinic uses and has had some success with. Read the article and you will understand why it is only ‘some’ success.
Regarding blood banks: My clinic is in a small town, but we are the ‘big’ clinic in the area. Despite not being an emergency clinic, we do keep blood on hand. We also keep large dogs of our own, who frequently end up being our blood donors. So don’t just ask at the big clinics – your local clinic may need to replenish their supplies as well. And the vet’s dogs will appreciate the break – I’m not certain they always like it when their owner turns into a vampire!
And definitely get on this – the sooner you break this new habit/game, the easier it will be. It isn’t always possible to stop once it is a confirmed habit.
Haha! I can’t stop – vets love to share info and have a captive audience! Even though you feed grain-free, are the turd small and compact or are they fairly large and smelly? If it’s the second, it isn’t the right food for your dog(s), even though it is likely quite expensive! Large, soft, smelly turds are a sign that your dog’s digestive tract doesn’t appreciate what has been coming down the line.
Basically, give some of these suggestions a try – and give each suggestion a trial of at least a week, but preferable several. (I know, that kind of contradicts what I said about getting on this, but you can’t expect diet changes to have an immediate effect). Then head to the vet – there are tons of variables that can be in play, and talking directly to your vet about your specific situation while the vet can look at your dog is the best route to fixing your dog’s problem! Good luck!
For the poop thing Ive heard to give the pup bananas and to pick poop up before he gets a chance to eat it and turn the action into a habit cause then it becomes more difficult to stop. Ive been crying a lot too lately over animals. I just sent a shipment of pups yesterday to the US for a chance at finding good homes. Im relatively new at the “pet rescuer” thing and all this felt somewhat traumatic for me and the pups. Also just this morning i woke up crying about my Kater tots who i lost early in december. I had a dream that she appeared at my door all messed up. Katy was poisoned by an evil neighbor as well as my kitten Mia, my bfs cat Dirk and my neighbors cat david and another neighbors chihuahua. I just never had closure cause i didnt find her body. Its common for people here to “eliminate” animals they dont like and there is pretty much nothing pet owners can do about it. Even most authority officers in puerto rico think that kind of behavior is ok.
I have the worst dry skin, but haven’t had issues with it (or my lovely adult acne) since I started using the oil cleansing method a few months ago. It’s amazing, and you should consider giving it a shot. The Crunch Betty website has a couple great posts on how to get started (no, I’m not in any way affiliated with the site).
Also, I’ve always heard that if you sprinkle Accent or other no-salt seasoning on the dog’s food, it will prevent taste-testing the poopsicles. It’s so, so gross when they try to bring them into the house.
Happy Friday! I am with you on the snow! I am still waiting for the REALLY good one…..the one that says ” hey, settle in—you ain’t goin’ anywhere!”. Now on the subject of skincare. I live for YONKA. I have used this line of products for MANY years. You live in a metro area so you should be able to find a spa that gives Yonka facials. You need to run not walk and get one of these……they are heaven. I go as the seasons change and my skin is good to go! Let me know if you decide to check it out!
My sister’s dog ate poop like crazy! She took her to the vet and they prescribed a supplement to put in the dog’s food so it would be undesirable. It totally worked and the bad habit is no more.
You can buy a powder from your vet that you mix in their food which makes their poop smell bad so they don’t want to do that.
Since moving to Pittsburgh I am flaking away. I will have to try some of the creams, I too am desperate.
So sad about Rocco.
I always love reading your “Friday Things” blog. They seem to have a calming effect at the end of the week! Thanks for sharing you life with us! :)
Lynn, I feel exactly the same. Love Friday mornings – I always read Friday Things when drinking my coffee before heading into work – great start to the weekend.