Blog + Dog

Visiting Vienna; Life After The Puppies Left Me

Vienna watching the horses in the pasture.
Vienna exploring the woods.
Being cautiously curious about the really big dogs!

When I brought Tess home, I would have never, in a trillion years, imagined my tiny dog would be filled with thirteen puppies. THIRTEEN! I just about had a heart attack when the vet came in with the news and the x-ray proof. It is still one of the wildest facts I’ve had to digest. I didn’t know what we were going to do with thirteen puppies. That’s thirteen births, thirteen mouths to feed, thirteen vaccinations, thirteen lives to watch over. Thirteen homes to find. I was mostly worried about the thirteen homes. 

I am a tiger mama. I would do anything for my babies. I knew I was not going to let the puppies go to just anyone. I vetted everyone who was interested in a puppy. I did home checks, interviewed, and made them sign contracts. I wanted to make sure every single puppy would be in a home that would love them and take care of them forever. I even made my very best friend and my parents sign a contract. There were zero exceptions made. Tiger mama. Even though nine of the puppies are no longer mine, there is nothing I would not do for them and their parents. Need a babysitter? I got you. Have a question at three in the morning? Call away. Want a hand to hold at the vet? Give me ten minutes. We’ve got this!

I found eight homes. Five found homes in Houston: two with my close friends, three with (now) new friends. One went to a wonderful home in Nebraska. Two stayed with my parents. One went to my best friend. Each and every person/family is lovely. They’re crazy dog parents like me. I couldn’t have asked for better families for them. Honestly, I’d let them all adopt me. Everyone has been beyond wonderful and keeps me updated with pictures and videos and anecdotes. It is just the best outcome I could have asked for. I have even gotten to dog sit for a few of them.  

Giving them up was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. If I could have kept them all, I would have. But that’s not fair to the puppies. They deserve to have all the attention. In a home full of dogs, I wouldn’t have been able to give them the attention they deserve. I found joy in pairing each puppy with the right family. Active puppies went with active people. Shy puppies went to families with patient hearts. The puppies attached at the hip stayed together. They all ended up exactly where they were meant to. And they are so incredibly happy and loved and safe. 

I never pressured anyone into a puppy because it’s a huge decision. A life changing decision. A financially, socially, emotionally, life altering entity coming into a home and peeing on things. A dog will be a part of your life for fifteen years (fingers crossed). They are family. My best friend, Alex, had been talking about adopting a dog someday. As in, not now. He wanted to get settled into his post-military life. I never even mentioned him taking a puppy because he’d been clear about a dog is for future Alex. Two weeks after the puppies were born, he said he wanted one. I thought he was joking. He wasn’t. I suggested March for him. She was the right combination of playful, active, funny, cuddly, and smart he needed. Each of the puppies is special, but she was specially suited for Alex. He met her at eight weeks old and fell in love. I delivered her to him on my birthday when she was twelve weeks. It was hard saying goodbye, but I knew I would get to see her again and watch her grow up. 

Vienna is an active girly, who loves to run and explore.

Before March was even four weeks old, Alex was sold. We video called often so he could see the puppies and “get to know” March. I told him to start thinking of a name so she could get used to her new name. They were all asleep in their various squishy shades of tan, brown, and black. He said, “They look like sausages; I’m going to name her Sausage.” I responded with, “No puppy for you. You can’t name her Sausage.” In his ever quippy manner, “Fine. I’ll name her Vienna. Vienna Sausage.” I tried to talk him into taking two so he could have a Vienna and a Genoa, but he is the very proud doggy daddy to Vienna. 

I was able to visit them in August when I went to Iowa. I was nervous she wouldn’t remember me, but she did. She is growing up into the sweetest and most playful dog. Her personality is really shining through now that she doesn’t have to compete with twelve other puppies for attention.

Raising puppies is hard work. Really hard work. Emotionally and physically exhausting work. Twelve weeks is not a long period of time, but it’s long enough to fall completely in love with thirteen individual puppies. For their personalities to be engraved on my heart. Being with them 24/7 is grueling but amazing. I watched them grow, see their eyes open, teach them how to eat solid food, clean up poop, and more. I got to know their unique personalities. Everyone asked which was the best puppy or who was my favorite. The truth is, I didn’t have a favorite. I couldn’t choose. They’re all perfect and special and wonderful. They’re so different. I love them all.  

The puppies have been with their furever families for three and a half months, and it is an absolute joy to watch all the puppies grow into themselves and their families. I know I did the right thing taking Tess in and caring for them until their furever families took over. I knew from the beginning it would break my heart, but it’s the good break. A happy break, knowing they’re in the best place for them. I miss them every day, and sometimes, I look through the thousands of pictures I have. The fact each family takes the time to keep me updated on their growth, development, health, and happiness means more to me than they could ever know. 

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

Blog + Dog, Travel, Travel Guides

How to Road Trip

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God, my car needs washed. Yuck.

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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. 

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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

Experiences, Travel

Washington DC Cherry Blossoms

In the middle of February, my best friend, Kelsey, texted me: You need to come visit the beginning of April! We need to take cherry blossom pictures. You HAVE TO COME! It so happens, I was putting plans into action that I would be on the East coast then… coincidentally.

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Kelsey lives just outside of DC, so we woke up early – for us, put on our pretty faces, packed a bag of books, hopped in the car, and drove the twenty minutes to a parking garage close to the Mall. Basically, she is a great friend to have for the touristing!!! And her photography skills… And her friendship, I just like her. She’s stuck with me for always because I have too many ugly photos for her to ever ditch me! *insert evil witch laugh here*

The famous DC cherry blossoms are planted along Tidal Basin, which is adjacent to the Mall and features the Jefferson Memorial. Suffice to say, it’s down right gorgeous. I was there the last weekend of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Holy Bajeezus, there were bunches of people. Absolutely a ton of people dressed in varying shades of pink, white, and other cherry blossom complementing pastels. (I would be a bold faced liar if I told you I accidentally picked out a white dress with light pink flowers to wear. Because I too wore cherry blossom complementing clothes.) Old, young, tourists, bloggers, families, solos everyone was out with their cameras to take pictures of the beautifully, short lived blooms.

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The amount of blossoms is breathtaking. I was there at the end of the season, so petals fell from the trees with a light breeze in what can only be described as “made for the climax of a romantic comedy.” Definitely cliche. Definitely gorgeous. Definitely worth a trip.

The blossoms are white on the edges with pink centers giving the illusion they’re pale pink. Their season is short and highly dependent on the weather. It was surprising they were still there by the time I made it to DC because there had been a big freeze the weekend prior. This year, they lasted from March 17 – April 15. It’s an amazing site to see. Tidal Basin is surrounded by cherry blossoms. At one point in your walk, you’ll look one way to see the Jefferson Memorial across the water, and looking the other way, you’ll see the Washington Memorial over the tops of the cherry trees. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial is nestled into the cherry trees and is quite stunning all by itself.

You could spend all day walking around looking at the cherry blossoms, and I think it would be worth it. If that’s not for you, the Mall with all the Memorials and museums is quite literally across the street. So if you’re bored… I don’t know what to tell you. There’s tons of options for pretty much anything anyone could possibly enjoy.

If you ever have the chance to see the cherry blossoms in Washington DC, I highly suggest you do. It’s not quite like anything else I’ve ever seen.   

Of course, as the blogger I am, I had to do more than just walk around and enjoy the blossoms. I also had to create content. Honestly, it was not a burden. I would have made Kelsey take pictures of me with the flowers any ways! I just had to take a little extra time to make sure I enjoyed being there on top of working. So this is me not complaining.

I was there on April 13, and the trees were gorgeous. The blossoms quite literally fell off two days later… I guess my timing could not have been better. This year, Washington DC cherry blossoms. Next year, cherry blossoms in Japan! (Just kidding, unless someone wants to sponsor me! I would totally trade posts for a trip to Japan next spring. Please email me!)

Travel, Travel Eats

Eating in L.A.

I love to eat. I mean, I really love to eat. When I lived in France, I tested every patisserie in Aix-en-Provence, the city I lived in. Eating is a major part of my everyday life. You can only imagine how it figures into my travel plans. While I was in California I ate at the obligatory: In and Out and Del Taco of course. I try never to eat places I can eat at when I’m at home.

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Sprinkles Cupcakes is a now famous cupcakery. It was founded in Beverly Hills, California in 2005, and since then, has grown into an iconic treat for people across the country. They rose to national fame for their delectable cupcakes, but became an instant hit when they introduced the cupcake ATM. You read that right! A cupcake ATM for those days you just need a cupcake now. If you’re like me, it’s happened more often than I’d like to admit. I actually have a Sprinkles here in Houston, but I had to go to the original to truly reach happiness. I enjoyed a chocolate marshmallow cupcake, which was delightful. I wouldn’t necessarily suggest the Beverly Hills Sprinkles as a quiet reading destination because there are so many people coming and going. It’s an upbeat place, which brings smiles to a lot of people of various ages.

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I think part of my trip to Los Angeles was planned around this restaurant… Badmaash. I saw it on Buzzfeed or something on Facebook. I already knew I was going to LA, but I really got excited to go when I found out about this Indian restaurant. I love Indian food, but this takes it to a whole new level! They are known for their Indian mashups. I personally had the traditional comfort food of Butter Chicken as well as the Tikka Poutine. Poutine? you’re thinking. Yes, Tikka Poutine. You are not seeing things. It is an amazing mashup of the Indian Tikka Masala with the Canadian Poutine. They have tons of other mashups, but I’m only one person with limited stomach space. I could rave on and on about this place and their food. The decor was just awesome. The walls had Gandhi wearing different colored sunglasses. I would not suggest this as a reading spot. Though the food is top notch, it’s definitely young, hip, and loud but in a good way.

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One of the last places I ate at in Los Angeles was La Brea bakery. It was awesome. The coffee was delicious. The food was delicious. I ended up going home with three loaves of bread because vacation and carbs. Who doesn’t love carbs? I love carbs. As far as reading, this is the best place to read. There are comfy booths, it has a quiet atmosphere. It is more like a local cafe than a bustling restaurant. I would go back in a heartbeat!