Blog + Dog

Family Christmas Picture

December 19, 2019 RaeAnna

Merry Christmas!!! And Happy Blog + Dog!!!

Our Crazy Car Family Christmas Picture!!! | Santa Shirts | RaeAnna’s PJ Pants | Dylan’s PJ Pants | Dog Sweater | Santa Sack | Cookie Jar | Car Mug | Dog Mug | Car Wrapping Paper | Tree Skirt | Stockings | Tree | Blanket |

Last year, our family picture included a lot of buffalo plaid.
This year, we went with a car theme.

Random? Nope! Fun fact, we’re a car family. Not just a car family taking trips to car shows here and there. We are a crazy car family. Maybe not the craziest car family, but we’re up there, for sure.

I realized very quickly after meeting Dylan, cars are a big deal for him. After only four months of dating, we moved from Chicago to Houston… TOGETHER!!! (Hindsight, that could have been a horrible, terrible, no good idea. Over three years later, it’s turned out alright.) We moved to Houston because Dylan started going to school at SAMTech: School of Automotive Machinists and Technology. aka: Making Fast Cars Go Fast School For Car Nerds.

I grew up with a dad for a mechanic. We would go to car shows, and he would teach me about engines, history, and car fun facts. I’ve managed to retain a good bit of information. I wouldn’t be able to build you an engine, but I’m not half bad at troubleshooting or changing a tire. I’ll pay people to change my oil because it’s easier and I can.

Anyways. Dylan is a crazy car guy. He loves them. Two years ago, he brought a small block home to build. (It’s been sitting in the closet until I pulled it out for this picture.) For some reason, we have a racing slick [tire] on our patio. (It’s been there for just as long, but got drug into the house for me to sit on.) There are always car parts appearing and disappearing from my kitchen table. We bought a race car this year. He’s building the engine block and all the other fun stuff under the hood. He loves cars, and I support his dreams to build, design, and race them.

Cars are a huge part of our life. It’s his passion and his career; it only made sense to bring the race car theme of our lives into our Christmas card. We have red truck wrapping paper, a Santa bag with a red truck (and a dog) on it, a red truck cookie jar, red truck coffee mug (I used a Christmas puppy mug because dogs are my passion), an engine block, a racing slick, car ornaments, a red truck puppy sweater, and matching Santa in red truck pajamas. I think we nailed the theme. Now we just need a red truck. Hey, Dylan! Want to paint yours???

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

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I Bought A Chair

November 20, 2019November 20, 2019 RaeAnna

201911203443323906814685493 — Beau is thoroughly enjoying our [her] new chair.

201911201015724790395426420 — **She’s so photogenic when she’s comfy and hogging the chair…** | Chair | Ottoman | Sweater | Red Blanket | Sherpa Blanket | Blue Sequin Pillow | Green Pillow | Christmas Mug | Vase | Decorative Present | Fairy Lights | Ornaments

I work from home. When we moved into our bigger apartment, I knew I needed an office because it’s hard to motivate yourself to work when your office is your bed. We moved into a three bedroom apartment, and I monopolized the smallest of the three bedrooms for my office because I liked the bay window. At the time, my bookshelves took up one wall; otherwise, it was empty.

The first thing I bought was a desk so I didn’t have to sit on the ground. The criteria: no drawers. Drawers are distracting junk collectors. Next, was a big calendar white board for me to plan my non-existent social life and all my work projects.

My office is my favorite room in the house. I spend more time in my office than I spend literally anywhere else. I wake up, take the dog out, make a pot of tea, and start reading in my office for an hour before I start working. There are days, like today, I spend more than fifteen hours working in my office. It needs to be homey, comfy, and a reflection of me from the look, to the smell, to the feel, to the comfort. I want to walk in and be happy. My office isn’t perfect yet, but it’s damn close. There are a few more things on my list to make my office perfect. The biggest and most expensive purchase was the latest.

201911204089357884700159955 — **Beau’s only sharing because she wants to look like a good dog for posterity…** | Chair | Ottoman | Sweater | Red Blanket | Sherpa Blanket | Blue Sequin Pillow | Green Pillow | Christmas Mug | Vase | Decorative Present | Fairy Lights | Ornaments

I have had a papasan since my 22 birthday. I love it, but it’s not conducive to work or reading with a 60 pound Beau in my lap. I’ve been wanting an oversized armchair for awhile, but they’re not cheap, and I had a very specific thing in mind. I had been eyeing an oversized chair recently that wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but it was as close as I’m likely to get on my budget. Two weeks ago, we bought it.

I bought the chair for me, but Beau has monopolized it. The moment it was set up in my office, Beau started dogging it up. She has a memory foam dog bed next to my desk. Now as I type away at my desk, she stares at me from my chair. She loves it so much, she hangs out in it while she’s home alone. I like to think it’s a testament to how cozy and me-like my office is. It’s probably just the chair. We can easily sit side by side in it or curled up together.

I didn’t think my office could get any better, but I guess it can. The chair has made me very happy and even more productive. Maybe more importantly, it has made Beau’s life happier. She has less anxiety when we leave her home alone, and she’s as happy as happy can be curled up while I work.

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

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Blog + Dog

Calm Office

October 2, 2019September 30, 2019 RaeAnna

Beau was confused by the flowers. | Mug | Coaster | Vase | Pens

I’m a writer.

I’m a neat freak.

I don’t like working outside of my home.

This trifecta means my office is my safe place. I love my office. There are a few things I would change. Like a bigger, comfier chair. Or adding a funky lamp. If I’m not binge watching TV or cooking, I’m in my office.

I like my home to be as comfortable and cozy as it is light and airy. For me it’s a combination of dark and bright, heavy and light, fluffy and stark, cute and functional. Everything serves a purpose. Sometimes that purpose is bringing a smile to my face. I don’t want my office to just be comfortable for me; it has to be a place Beau enjoys being. Wherever I am, she also is.

I have a desk away from the wall but far from being in the middle. A papasan is nestled into a bay window. I used to have Beau’s Serta dog bed in the bay window, but she refused to sleep in it there. I like to keep the floor as open as possible so Beau can run in and out and play with her toys on the floor while I work without me getting in her way or vice versa. I ended up moving her dog bed next to my chair, up against the bookshelves because she could touch me and see out the window at the same time.

The other day, my friend brought me flowers. I put them in my office because I love how much life they bring to the room. She gave me the best compliment: It’s so calm. Ugh. Yes. That’s my aesthetic. Calm. Probably not. Between my high energy and Beau’s energy, calm is not the immediate aesthetic of my home, but when I walk into my office, I do feel calm. Beau doesn’t, but it is truly our safe space.

bisous und обьятий,
Beau and RaeAnna

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Blog + Dog

Leaving Beau At Home

September 25, 2019September 24, 2019 RaeAnna

There really is only one thing I hate about traveling. It’s leaving without Beau. I take her with me as much as I possibly can, but sometimes I just can’t. When I’m going somewhere she can’t be or I’m flying, Beau can’t come with and has to stay at home with her dad, who she loves. I travel so much, so Beau knows the signs.

She starts to whine and pace and crawl in my suitcase. Whoops that rhymes.

Beau loves to come with me on my travels. I don’t think she really cares where we’re going or why, but she does like to be with me. When she doesn’t get to come, she has perfected the sad puppy eyes. She’s good at them. It absolutely breaks my heart in two. One piece stays with her, and the other piece stays with me. If we were eight, we would have the best friend heart necklaces, but we’re not.

I spend as much time with her before I leave, but it really doesn’t get easier. The moment I close the door behind me to leave, she starts howling. It is so sad.

This past month has been crazy busy with travels. None of which she could accompany me. Luckily, I’m home for a little while before I’m off again. So Beau and I are getting tons of cuddles in. She is not hesitating to use her sad eyes on me to get extra treats.

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Blog + Dog, Travel, Travel Guides

How to Road Trip

July 24, 2019July 23, 2019 RaeAnna

Isn’t she the cutest being in the entirety of all the universes???

Fly.

Just kidding.

Get a driver.

Preferably one with a license and opposable.

I’m kidding. Kind of. I love(ish) driving. I might be getting tired of road trips. Ergo, the driver comment. Twenty hours, give or take, in the car a couple times a month is a little bit like dying slowly alone in a box on wheels. That’s hyperbole. It’s like running a marathon; except, I’ve never run a marathon, so that is also a guess. It’s kind of terrible. I, also, am kind of addicted. Obviously. Expensive but still cheaper than heroine, I’m told.

The first twelve hours feel like a bad TV marathon, but you’re too lazy to get up and change the channel back when the dial was on the TV. The next five hours are when you hit the too-delirious-to-give-a-shit phase. This is the money zone. I love that zone. It’s when my voice is the right amount of shitty and perfect for belting out all the songs I should never try to begin with. The last hour or three are the worst because I’m sooooo close but still 183.29 miles to go. That’s the math phase. If I were to go over the speed limit – I never do, for realsies, ask my best friends – I could make it there in two hours if I manage to average 98.5 miles per hour. Again this is fantasy because I’ve been in the car for 18 hours, and I’m ready to offer myself to my ancestors by way of seppuku to get out of this damn aluminum transportation device.

Peace out North Carolina! Actually, this was taken in Galveston, Texas. Shhh….

I like road tripping because I can take my dog. Beau doesn’t fly. I’m too poor and she’s too dog to fly. It’s also convenient to have a car at my end destination. I hate relying on people. Unless, it’s my best friends forever and always til the Big Crunch because where would I go without them anyways? It tends to be cheaper than flying but not always. I can bring as much ridiculous crap as I want without having to pay for checked bags. Who knows! I might need those seven pairs of shoes, a ballgown, all of my makeup, 26 books, and a yoga mat – I don’t do yoga, but I could be inspired on this latest adventure. You just don’t know!!! AND the apocalypse might happen or a house fire or I can’t stand the people I’m visiting all of a sudden out of the blue, and I don’t want to sleep on the sidewalk or a bench beating people away with a stick from stealing my stuff, so I bring my car because I can sleep in it push comes to shove.

Any who… I’m leaving North Carolina this evening on the next leg of my road trip extravaganza. Let me know if you want a recording of the singing happening between hours fourteen and sixteen tonight.

bisous,
Your Tired Blogger Friend

Blog + Dog

2019! Off We Go

January 2, 2019 RaeAnna

Here is a series of Beau pictures. They’re all perfect and very much us.
Enjoy Beau’s stream of consciousness.

*The wretched hat is placed upon the head.*

20190102_152617(0)-02.jpeg — I said, “I. Don’t. Like.”

20190102_152642(0)-03.jpeg — I don’t like the rain. I don’t like the hat. The treats are hardly worth this.

Is this a good enough pose? I look stupid. Is my expression conveying that?

20190102_152810(0)-02.jpeg — Why did the dog cross the road? To get away from you.

Won’t you leave me along, devil woman?!?

There. We look good. Here’s my sweater | My hat/leg warmers | Mom’s hat | Mom’s Sweater | Mom’s scarf | Mom’s jeans | Mom’s boots | I’m done.

Beau and I wish you a Happy New Year!!! I can’t believe it’s 2019 already. Holy wowza!

We spent our New Year’s Eve with family in the Chicago area. A very low key night surrounded by the people we love most. My 63 pound dog was miniaturized by her 170-ish pound Great Dane cousin, Dexter. They snuggled on the couch along with a tiny, old girl, Ana, and three cats. It’s a big couch, but four people, three dogs (totalling 200+ pounds), and three cats is cozy. We celebrated with food and an Avengers movie marathon. We know how to party hard.

We said our goodbyes to family and friends in Chicago yesterday. My grandparents live directly on the way from Chicago to Texas, so we stopped in for lunch. Then, we were convinced to stay for a few days. Working from home, I can do this.

I visit my grandparents in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas often. I haven’t been since the end of May. One of the first things Grammy said when I walked in the door, “I was wondering what happened! You’ve been gone sooooo long.” For awhile, I was here almost every month. After the I love you and I missed you’s were exchanged. “You’re staying the night.” Then my grandpa, aka Poppy Walt, wanted to take us out to dinner. And Grammy said, “No, they’re staying a few days. She has nowhere to be.” I guess I’m staying for a few days. Not that I or Beau are complaining. They live in a gated golfing community, and their backyard overlooks a fairway, a lake, and some mountains. REAL shit hole, I tell you.

Since we drove over night, Beau was cozy in her backseat blanket cuddle puddle for nine and a half hours. When we arrived, she was so happy; she loves it here. There is so much space to run around in their woodsy backyard, and the big house has lots of sniffs to find. The rain dampened her high spirits, but life isn’t perfect.

I couldn’t resist taking these cute pictures. I found her sweater, hat, and leg warmers at Target. She HATES the hat. I won’t lie: she is not a fan. At least, she hasn’t transferred her hat hatred to me as the hat-putter-onner. She really likes the sweater though. It’s warm and snug. The leg warmers helped her bear the rain, surprisingly. I’m still in a festive holiday mood, so I donned one of my go-to red sweaters, my favorite red scarf (budget version here), and a white hat. I also live in my grey Aldo boots, and these jeans. Seriously, these boots are the best. For otk boots, these are an incredible deal! Beau is for sure the cuter of the two. Although, she got her beauty sleep… I drove through the night.

Not a bad start to 2019. Rang in the New Year together in Chicago. Day 2 and 3 will be in Arkansas. Day 4 will be home to Houston. Ruff life. We’ll see where else 2019 takes us on our travels!!!

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xoxo,
Beau. Mom Sucks.