Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Otto and the Chipmunks!

This is Chippee, Otto's favorite new toy!





This is Otto's new daytime favorite!



POOR DEER OTTO!



Time to get the Windex! You need to click on the pictures to get the full steam and drool effect...




His entire body was shaking!



Monday, April 7, 2008

Otto exercise!

The Wisconsin winter has caught up with my waistline. I discovered fresh cheese curds and "fish fry" and put on a quick 10 lbs. I decided typing isn't the aerobic activity I needed so I went to the thrift store and purchased some 99 cent exercise videos. You know you are in trouble most of the exercise videos still in their original sealed box as opposed to all of the other well worn videos.



I set aside a little area in our home for me to watch the tapes and punch, kick or do what ever torturous activity required to shed the 10. I hate the thought of exercising, I prefer sitting, cooking, eating, even working appeals more to me then sweating away at a public place with equipment that has been touched by ANYONE...sickens me just the thought of it....

Otto has never seen me exercise except when I have to chase him to retrieve something he has taken or when I am doing aerobic vacuuming after his weekly brushings. My husband has never seen me exercise either aside from folding the laundry or cleaning the windows ( Otto's lookout posts) four times a day so the mere suggestion that I was venturing out to get myself a mat from TJ Max and a Billy Blanks (Otto's worst nightmare) Tae Bo tape was really amusing for him.

I wish I could describe better how my first 29 minute "Denise Austin" "Flatten those ab's" video went. Prior to going to "the room" to exercise, I put Otto in the bedroom, closed the door and told my husband that I would be back in half an hour...I wasn't even past the opening credits and "WARNINGS" in her video before the audience arrived. Otto, his 10 year lab pal Scout, and my husband all planted themselves down, as Gordy says, "Moral Support."

Have you ever had an animal laugh at you? Whereas my husband wouldn't dare, Otto was laying on his side when I started the sit up torture and every time I would raise my head (grunt and exhale) to my knees, he would wag his tail with his mouth open making like a chirping growling noise. He actually looked like he was smiling at me, for sure he was amused. This went on for about 10 minutes when I looked at my husband who was sound asleep on the floor...slightly snoring. He is like a baby, he can sleep anywhere regardless of anything...lucky guy..I have to have complete darkness, the right pillow...and must be all tucked in real tight and NO NOISE at all. I don't sleep too much between three snoring males in the bedroom.

Well, I made it thru the tape but decided that tomorrow, Billy Blanks, Tae Bo and I are going to have 30 private minutes, no audience, no moral support and no laughing dog.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Otto Quit Chasing the Deer!

I quit. The new sheriff is quiting and two weeks notice is served. For the past few days on most every walk, morning, noon, early evening and late night...there are so many deer outside our home, outside our doorstep- it is like a wildlife breeding area. We are growing deer here in Elkhart Lake! The snow is melting and deer are emerging from the drifts in large herds!

Otto has gone bonkers, he hates deer. From the moment we leave our house, his nose is high in the air, he walks on his tiptoes and his chest is puffed out. I have tried every trick I know to distract him and correct him- short of carrying the boiled skinless boneless free range organic smiling chicken breast that he enjoys every morning. Otto is very focused on causing bodily harm to the entire deer population. When he is in the house, he huffs at each window and races around the house, up the stairs, down the stairs, over and over again, the deer are visible from all windows.
It has been a record breaking snowy miserably cold endless winter and Otto has cabin fever. I don't, he does.

I think his dreams must be about busting thru the slobbery glass and running after his look-a-likes! If that ever happened, it would be the last time I ever saw him.....tomorrow I will bring the chicken with me.