Operation Cisco Rescue

I am aware I have not blogged in 2 years.  That is a good long time and I'm certain no one noticed.
The epic adventure I had over the past 4 days is definitely blog worthy to say the least.   In the event you may have been living under a rock the last 4 days, Cisco broke the internet..........
Let me start by being honest and say I wouldn't describe myself as a dog person.  My friends who have known me a long time would say the same.  I don't dislike dogs, I'm just indifferent.  I've even had a dog or dogs my whole life.  Until, Cisco.........

History of Cisco:
Even though I claim to not be a dog person, I follow Hart on Facebook.  They did a courtesy post for a Chihuahua rescue in NKY, and it was Cisco.  

I had never seen a dog this cute.  I somehow made a crazy connection.  We contacted the foster mom, and went and checked out Cisco.  He was a year old and Joyce had rescued him from a Hoarding situation.  All she knew was there was a lot of dogs, many of them inbred.  The husband would sneak them over the fence to the rescuers.  They were left outside, and the woman would just throw food out a window.  This was all we knew, but it appeared Cisco may had been abused, Joyce stated he didn't like men.  She brought him to our house, he met Kipper, we checked out and we were new owners of this precious little Chiweenie.  

our first meeting

It took him over a year to warm up to Ron.  He still won't go to him unless I am in the room.  He generally likes Ron best when he's asleep.  Everynight he gets in the bed and goes right up to Ron's face and sniffs him.  He will only playfully lick his hand and run away.  He will let him pet him only in bed at night if I am there.  He's a little warmer with Perry, he'll go to Perry if I am in the room, and he'll let Perry love on him, but only if I'm around.  If either of them break routines in the morning he barks at them.  He growls at Ron when he comes in the room, and I'm there.  If I am not at home he does not bark at either of them.  He's definately a good protector.  It's not my favorite when he's protecting me at 5 am, and I'm asleep.  

When we first got him we had a few breeches in our fence we discovered but I was always right there and Cisco would stop and just lay down if he got out.  All breeches were fixed immediately and we've never had an issue of him getting out.  Until Friday 6/14/19.

I left around 7:30pm to watch a softball game, the boys stayed home.  I honestly don't remember if the dogs were in or out when I left.  I got home pretty late 12:30 am, usually when I get home Cisco is at the door very happy to see me jumping on me, and basically dancing.  But not this night, I assumed he must be outside with Kipper our other dog.  So I went to let them in but Kipper was already in, and called for Cisco no Cisco.  Chaos ensued.  Ron (my husband) was asleep, but not for long.  We called for him for a few blocks with no luck.  The boys went looking the next  morning, with no luck.  I started posting messages on social media 1 am Saturday morning.  I paid a visit to Animal Friends Human Society.................

This was one of the worse thing I've ever put myself through. If you are searching for a dog that has recently gone missing.  They parade you through several rooms of sad lost dogs.  By room 2 I was in tears, after room three I ran out crying.  I wanted to just show them a picture, but they said I had to look, why torture me.  

I received so much outpouring of help immediately, from friends, family coworkers and so so so many strangers.  Suggestions as to where to post, and who to contact.  A huge part of me wanted to just get on with my life, but my heart wasn't ready to give up. Just when I'd start to give up there'd be a new sighting.  So I'd go and call and nothing.  All these strangers were seeing him and I'd go and see nothing. I made flyers and had them laminated.  

Saturdays sighting was close to home so I drove those streets at least 12 times.  I had the weekend off which is very unusual.  It was completely consumed with searching for this dog.  The interest, and search began to take on a life of it's own as people began sharing his story and his sightings.  People all the way to California were praying for his safe return.  I was going to try and go to church Sunday but then there was a new sighting, so then couldn't had to go drive those streets.  Keep in mind, Saturday we had a major storm and tornado's had touched down close by.  In my mind someone had him in their home and he wasn't out in the storm.  Sunday came (with another storm) and went and still no Cisco, but there were continued sightings each day.  Monday I had to work late, so I spent the morning following up on leads, which were very far from home and near a giant lake, and a park known to have coyote's.....I was getting very defeated, and was at this point a shell of a human.  The stress and lack of sleep, and keeping up with all the sighting and the inquirys, everyone wanted to know, so I felt obligated to keep everyone posted, the world helped me not give up.  While I was at work, my husband and son were following up on new leads 6 miles from home, figuring there's no way he had been seen this far away.  It started to rain and they gave up and came home.  

Then while I was at work, trying to serve the public and act like I wasn't worried about my dog, a stranger calls from facebook....weird.   They had a Cisco sighting and her husband was chasing him.  I instantly call my husband who had just got done searching for 4 hours.  So he ran to Waterworks Park, to try and capture him.  The stranger named Kevin chased him down the bike path for a good mile, while Ron and Perry tried to come from the other direction to box him in.  Perry and Ron never saw him or Kevin, and Kevin lost Cisco into the woods near the water treatment plant.  Once I updated all of social media.  Many people who I know, and who I didn't know went to that spot to search for Cisco.  Perry and Ron surrendered once it started raining.  Many searched that area until it got dark and some went after dark.  I couldn't leave work unfortunately, occupational hazards of being in charge.  But EVERYONE at IKEA was also worried, some were searching.  I rushed through closing the store.  Stopped at White Castles got 2 super smelly cheese burgers, picked up Ron and Headed to waterworks park.  Ron took me to the place Kevin described where he lost him.  I saw a beautiful deer, lots of fireflys, but no Cisco.  I was calling him as we walked the bike path, and praying, I never stopped praying.  I kept stopping and being quiet and l listening........and then, Ron said, "Jo turn around what's that....." I turn around and right at the opening where the lights were shining, (and the infinity flame) from the treatment plant this little white pup is running slowly towards me and I pick him up, and he just clings to me, and nuzzles his little dirty head in my neck.  He's wet, smelly and muddy, but not hurt.  He was shivering and whimpering not because he was in pain but because of relief.  Also why is there an infinity flame???

Snapchat photo sent out to my work family.  

When we got to the car, I fed him the 2 white castles.  He scarfed them right down.  Many think this must be his favorite food.  NO!  Good heavens he'd for sure funk up my house.  That was his first and his last.  He definitely had white castle farts the next day.  

This blog post is brought to you by White Castles, Bargains and Buyouts and IKEA

I couldn't possibly name everyone who helped out to thank.  So many people prayed who probably don't ever pray.  So now they can see the power of prayer, and how this tiny creature can bring a community together.  We need each other.  A generous friend has donated a nice Gift Certificate as a reward to Bargains and Buyouts in Green Hills.  Kevin the kind stranger who chased him for over a mile asked me to donate it to someone in need.  I've decided to do a drawing from all the people who helped.  So if you helped, you can leave a comment here, on Facebook or instagram.  I will do the drawing on Friday at 12:30 (basically Saturday morning) which is one week from when I noticed he was missing.  

THANK YOU, WE ARE HAPPY CISCO IS HOME!!

Also proof I have another dog. 

Please see #dailycisco on Instagram for more photos of this amazing pooch.  

Paper Pumpkin April 2017

So Here I am blogging after not blogging for a very long time.  I created this video, just to see how hard it could be.  Well it wasn't hard really just time consuming and I have a lot to learn! Like I could not for the life of me get it to upload from my MacBook........just why.  I had to put it on my iPhone, edit it there cuz I couldn't for whatever reason even get it to save where I could upload it from the MacBook to my phone so I could then upload it.  WHATEVER....why is it so hard to figure out?



I promise my video skills will get better.  I'd like to do journal pages, and art journal flip thru's.  I'll need a class or someone to point out how the heck to upload from iMovie to you tube without it stopping half way thru and just not even going......UGH......Enjoy.

Gene Wilder

With the death of Gene Wilder Yesterday, it's only fitting I post the scene from one of my favorite movies, and where I got the name for my blog.  Love Gene Wilder.  Movies he's been in are some of my favorites of all time.

I've not watched Young Frankenstein in many years but plan to do so very soon.  A lot has happened since April when last I blogged.  Perry graduated from High School, and has started attending Project Life thru Butler Tech.  He seems to like it and is slowly maturing and gaining more independence which is the ultimate goal.  His least favorite thing about his new program is packing his own lunch everyday, and having to do his own laundry.  Ha Ha Ha.....I told him it's called being a grown up, and those things suck for all grown ups.  Except Geegaw who strangely enjoys doing laundry.  Somehow I did not inherit that gene.

Perry also started attending "big church" with us.  Last week was his second week in big church, I show'd him how to use the bible app I had him put on his iPad, and by week 2 he learned to follow along with the message and look up scripture on his iPad.  Made my heart happy.  Hopefully he'll learn to highlight and refer back to important scripture.  I think it was harder on me this transition as he'll no longer have that forced social interaction.  I need to find a new forced social interaction for him.

I have way more time on my hands now that my child is basically grown and not involved in stuff, so I've been doing lots of artwork for my art journal and staying up to date on my documented life unplanned.

I really enjoy playing around with mix media.  I hope to start practicing faces again.  

He Loves Pop tarts.......

I had decided there was a lot of blog worthy stuff in my head lately, then something pretty epic happened.  Let me give you a little back story.  My child is not social, like at all.  He doesn't have friends he hangs out with.  Any socializing he does is usually created for him by me or usual situations like school or church.  He doesn't seek out people to socialize with.  He will not seek out people to chit chat.  I cherish the moments he starts a conversation with me, this usually means something or someone has left an impression on him.  He is completely content with who he is, and an extremely happy young man.  

I have gone to the same church for nearly 30 years.  We have attended this church as a family for Perry's whole life, it's the only church setting he's ever known.  He has loved attending the Student union since 6th grade.  Other than Boy Scouts and school it's the only "socializing" he does.  I often wonder what it must be like to be Perry in that setting. Loud.  Hundreds of people roaming around.  Loud music.  Over the years I have met people who know Perry from the student union who have given me a small glimpse, and how much they adore him.  The very best glimpse though is a year or so ago Perry show'd me a business card he keeps in his wallet.  I was like "what's that?" He was like "its the police officers that's always at the student union.  He's a really nice guy.  He gave it to me. "  I was impressed, he must have made an impression on him enough to show me what he had given to him.  And that he must talk to Perry every single Sunday.  Which if you know Perry that's not easy task, it takes patience and understanding as Perry generally won't talk back to you.   

Today I came home after going to a play right after church, then ran to the grocery store.  Perry and Ron had done their usual Sunday shopping, Target and Costco.  When I got home I saw an ENORMOUS box of pop tarts.  I rarely buy pop tarts even though it's generally Perry's favorite food. The only time I get them is if Perry goes with me to the store.  Ron will flat out not buy them as he considers them poison.  Even though we don't buy them Perry finds a way to eat pop tarts nearly everyday as they sell them at school and he gets them at church.  I don't buy them because he will generally consume the whole box in like 2 days, and I don't want to eat them either.....although they are delicious.  So when I saw the box of 48 pop tarts......I was like what on earth????  Perry really got over on his dad, he must have done something amazing.  I got busy cooking dinner, I had holler'd for Perry when I first saw the box but he didn't respond so I soon forgot.  Eventually everyone was in the same place and Ron said "hey show your mom what you got a church...." He show'd me the ginormous box of pop tarts, I was like "did you win some sort of crazy game?"  He was like no the police office gave them to me........say what?  what a precious precious gift for Perry.  He said he thanked him.  And he told me he kept his cool and just said thanks but what he wanted to do was this......and he began jumping around like he had just won the lottery.  I am going to leave that precious story right there.......that my friends is truly the "art of neighboring".......

Yes that is a hand painted  tarva dresser I won in an auction at IKEA many years ago.  You too can try to score a hand painted Tarva dresser on April 26th, at 6pm at IKEA.  There's way more dresser's up for grabs than when I scored this one and framed art work done by children of the lakota school district.  #ARTFORTARVA

Blog Worthy-Generosity

The message at church today was on generosity.  It was a great message and reminder.....much needed.  Said a prayer for God to show me creative ways to be generous, and then went about my day.  

Parked at Findlay Market 

My day consisted of going to Rhinegeist to Art on Vine, and then down to OTR to have an early dinner at Bakersfield.....my  most favorite restaurant in the whole world.  Generally speaking if I am anywhere near OTR for any length of time and around Lunch or Dinner time, whoever is with me ends up at Bakersfield, or The Eagle, but usually Bakersfield.  So Colleen joined me on this adventure.  It was her first time going to Bakersfield.  Both of us had not had lunch, and it was 4pm.   Usually there isn't a wait at 4 pm, but it was the second nice day in a row and a sunday, so it was an hour wait.......UGH.....Headed to a  few shops and then found a spot to sit and wait.  Dreading the hour wait......waited 20ish minutes and go the call there'd been a cancelation......SAY WHAT?  Score.....shared a big picnic table with 3 random strangers....one of which was fairly loud.  We set up to pig out with Guac (best in the whole world) and Queso......also very good.  With 2 appetizers one might just get 2 taco's, but we both had 3 different kinds we wanted to try.  We got the Guac and Queso within 15 min, seems reasonable.  Right when we got it the manger came out and apologized it took too long.  Wait what....but we didn't complain, everyone was super nice and attentive considering it was crazy busy.  

Fish Taco

We got our amazing tacos.  Inhaled them, and the waitress asked if the checks were separate.  We said yes.  The manger came back with our check, on one, and said it was taken care of, our meal was on him.......WHAT......wait why?  No reason, just on him have a great day.  Gave a generous tip, and was on our way completely baffled as to what just happened, and why.  So turns out the creative generosity happened to me and Colleen today.  So now I am challenged to pay it forward.  Continuing to pray for creative generosity.  God is good.  

Did you say Donut Trail?

Well I did it.  Mission accomplished.  When I first saw the title Donut Trail, I thought there was going to be hiking involved, alas there is not, I mean there could be, and generally should be, but that would be a loooong hike.
Butler County Donut Trail was a lot of fun.  It could probably be done in one day, but You'd have to get up super early, possibly even like 1 am, as often these places close by noon or before if they run out of donuts.

The first day I started was a friday, and Ron just so happened to be off.  He was not happy about driving all over the county in search of donuts he had not intentions of eating......see Whole 30 ever since then he refuses to eat donuts.  Something about sweet addiction....blah blah blah.  I informed him I'd go alone and he wasn't getting any, then I got kind of whiney about driving all the way to oxford alone.....Guess he felt sorry for me so off we went.

So we did oxford, ross and hamilton on the first run with a super grumpy husband.  A week later on the Saturday, and drug a reluctant teenager to Middletown, Trenton, and Fairfield.  He was all kinds of happy to get donuts, but not too happy about the driving all over the place for them.  

Driving from Middletown to Trenton is a really nice scenic drive with really cool old homes.  My review is that out of all the donut places we went to Milton's Donuts in middletown by far was the best.  It was a saturday morning and that place was hopping.  We got 4 donuts and they were so tasty. I am a huge fan of Holtmans, and thought there was no way I'd ever find a donut better than Holtmans, Miltons Red Velvet was very very good and better than holtmans......gasp.....

Milton's donuts were instantly devoured.  We barely breathed in between bites.  

Jupiters Donuts used to be Bee's.....it has good Cherry cake donuts.  

Donut Spot is our go to donut place pretty much my whole life.  When Ron used to eat donuts he'd surprise use on the weekend and we'd wake up to fresh donuts from here.  Now we wake up to a plate full of goetta and sometimes pancakes.









I tried to go to Stan's on a thursday around 10am.....well they had already run out of donuts.  It was the last one I needed, and had to wait one more day to complete this project.  So if you go on a weekday get up early.

I've done ALOT of things for a t-shirt my whole life, this is the first time a travelled all over to get donuts for a t-shirt.  You don't actually have to get donuts, you really just have to walk in to find out the super secret word for each place.

After this dozen (got a dozen to celebrate the last donut place) I'm laying off donuts for a good while. Lets hope Perry eats most of these.....because Diabetes people, and sugar is bad for you, but apparently not for a growing 18 year old boy.  

Now What?

So since 2004 I've been involved in Scouts.  At one point Perry was involved in Upwards basket ball, cub scouts, and a Saturday art class all at one time.  That was a very busy time in our life.   I realize I have one child, so I am sure all of that is nothing compared to being a multi-kid family.

Well Perry received the highest honor in scouting.  Eagle Scout in July.   I thought once school started
He and his dad would still be a part of the troop.
This is apparently not the case.  I knew I wouldn't
continue on, but I thought maybe they would.
They have both said well maybe we'll help out
next year, so maybe they'll just take a year off.
It feels weird like the end of an era.  Now I need to find some thing new to occupy my time.  Oh trust me I am rarely without something to craft.  I am currently multiple months behind on my documented life art journal for 2015,  I've come up with a christmas card that requires water coloring, die-cutting and then assembling, not to mention the t-shirt quilt I am attempting to create for Perry hopefully  for christmas, or maybe graduation, heck as much as I enjoy sewing (not at all), it may be done by the time he has his first child.  WHICH WILL NOT BE ANYTIME SOON.

So as it turns out theres plenty to occupy my time when I'm not working, heck maybe I'll blog more.