Evan Valentine, Stay-at-Home Dad

News from the newest Valentine family

Archive for the ‘animals’ tag

Dog Toys

without comments

March 03, 2010

Written by Evan

March 10th, 2010 at 6:43 pm

Posted in snapshots

Tagged with , , , , , ,

Greetings part 2

with one comment

February 26, 2010

Written by Evan

March 4th, 2010 at 9:55 am

Posted in snapshots

Tagged with , , , , , ,

Greetings

with 4 comments

Nothing makes Stephen happier than to see Chloe coming towards him.
Here he has his hand politely outstretched so she can sniff it.
February26, 2010

Written by Evan

March 1st, 2010 at 10:16 am

Posted in snapshots

Tagged with , , , , ,

Monte the Betta

with one comment

I don't understand this Betta. He just passes out for extended periods of time. Every time he does it, I swear he's dead. It looks like his gills aren't moving, and he won't come to life if you put food in his bowl or tap the glass.

Last night he was just floating on the top for about an hour, lifeless. Right now he's lying motionless on his side on the bottom of the tank... just kind of sprawled on some rocks. It's weird, scary, unsettling, disconcerting, all that.

Seizures? Coma? Normal Betta behavior? Practical Joker? You decide.

Regardless, I keep thinking he's going to die.

Edit: Okay, this time he's really dead. Our last fish lasted two years before he committed suicide. This fish lasted five days.

Written by Evan

February 19th, 2010 at 1:24 pm

Posted in text

Tagged with ,

Scary Kitty

with one comment

Not a great shot, but it gives the impression that my cat is evil.
(This is why I did not dare to use the flash on her)
February 07, 2010

Written by Evan

February 18th, 2010 at 9:47 am

Posted in snapshots

Tagged with , , , ,

She’s Vicious!

without comments

February 06, 2010
All Chloe ever wants to do is play. And she just snarls and play-bites the entire time.

Written by Evan

February 10th, 2010 at 10:41 am

Posted in snapshots

Tagged with , , , ,

Snow and Leashes

without comments

What is it about snow that makes people think their dog no longer needs a leash? Not only is it against the law to unleash your dog, but it is just plain stupid. I just took the dogs out while fat flakes fell from the sky. As soon as I got past our patio, I hear "Preencess! Preencess!!!!"

Our hispanic neighbors have a little white dog (possibly a bichon frise?) named Princess. It started charging us while barking, the girl next door growing increasingly nervous. I was thinking, "you should be nervous; Chloe treats about 50% of all dogs like Michael Vick's dogs." So I did what I always have to do and lifted both of my dogs off the ground by their leashes until the dad came out and called the dog back. Chloe definitely snipped at Princess. I mean, the dog was charging us while barking. What did she expect?

Now, this dog is usually kept under control and is therefore well-behaved, but the neighbors had the oh-so-common attitude of "It's snowing! That gives me carte blanche!" What is wrong with people? Leashes only work if we both use them. I had to deal with this same nonsense the other day. A maltese came into the street and was chasing us around. Then the owner doesn't want to come get their dog because they have to get close to my dog, and they don't know/trust my dog. It's just like what do you want me to do? The reason our dogs are so close is because you don't have your dog on a leash. If I pull my dog away, your dog follows us!

Had to get that off my chest.

Written by Evan

February 9th, 2010 at 9:36 pm

Posted in text

Tagged with , ,

Dogs and Snow

without comments

A huge snowstorm like this is hardest on the dogs. At first we really can't do anything except wade through snow that is taller than the dogs in an effort to find a place for them to pee. Eventually we can walk on the street but not the sidewalks. At least having dogs forces me to go out and shovel a few paths.

By this morning we were able to take a fairly normal walk, albeit on the streets. Here are some shots from yesterday when it was really hard for the dogs.

February 06, 2010
She wants to go outside and play in the snow, of course.

February 06, 2010

February 06, 2010
We've been outside about 90 seconds and Chloe is covered in snow.

Written by Evan

February 7th, 2010 at 4:18 pm

Posted in snapshots, text

Tagged with , , , , , ,

Taking Out the Dogs

with one comment

Written by Evan

February 6th, 2010 at 10:53 am

Posted in video

Tagged with , , , ,

Dog Presents

without comments

December 27, 2009

We gave them about ten toys at once. They were beyond themselves.

Written by Evan

January 12th, 2010 at 11:44 am

Posted in snapshots

Tagged with , , , ,

Joe with Presents

with one comment

December 25, 2009

Written by Evan

December 30th, 2009 at 2:28 pm

Joe on Christmas

without comments

December 25, 2009

Written by Evan

December 30th, 2009 at 12:33 pm

Posted in snapshots

Tagged with , ,

My Uncle’s Fish Pond

without comments

November 28, 2009

November 28, 2009

Written by Evan

December 8th, 2009 at 7:33 am

Posted in snapshots

Tagged with , , ,

Enjoying Her Perch

without comments

November 14, 2009

November 14, 2009

Stephen has outgrown this chair, but at least it's still serving some purpose.

Written by Evan

November 21st, 2009 at 5:29 pm

Posted in snapshots

Tagged with , , ,

Stephen and Davis (again)

without comments

November 08, 2009

November 08, 2009

Written by Evan

November 17th, 2009 at 8:40 pm

Posted in snapshots

Tagged with , , , , ,

2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic (Girl Power)

with one comment

I'm pretty sure that Zenyatta is my favorite athlete of all time. That was probably the best horse race I will ever see. When Zenyatta's owners decided to race her against the boys in the Breeders' Cup Classic, the consensus was basically "That's admirable, but she doesn't stand a chance. Just because she beats up on all the other mares and fillies doesn't mean she can run with the boys." Two weeks later, she is the only mare to have ever won this prestigious race. They could have easily entered her into the Ladies' Classic, and no one would have faulted them for it. Putting Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Classic was unexpected, even given her perfect record. Admirable indeed.

A few things that make this special:

  • Zenyatta was purchased for only $60,000. Her winnings now total over $5.4million
  • She is five years old, which is considered just slightly over-the-hill. Most winners of this race are 3 or 4 years old, and it has never been won by a 6 year old
  • She started the race in dead last, and after ½ of a mile, she was still nearly 11 lengths off the lead
  • She had never before run a 1¼ mile race
  • The Breeders' Cup Classic draws the cream of the crop. There are fewer age restrictions than most other races (horses must be exactly 3 to race in the Kentucky Derby, for instance), and horses from any country are allowed to race
  • She didn't ride the rail or split any horses in her final charge; Mike Smith instead chose to race her around the outside of a large pack of front-runners
  • She is an American horse that took back the crown from the Europeans
  • She is now 14-0, which is incredible when you are in a field of 8-12 horses for every race

All of these factors led to me screaming so loud in my living room that my child erupted in a terrified sob-fest. Most exciting finish ever. Zenyatta is known as a slow starter and a strong finisher, and tonight she lived up to the hype and more.

Written by Evan

November 7th, 2009 at 9:46 pm

Posted in text

Tagged with , ,

Jaime and the Dogs Like Pumpkins

without comments

October 25, 2009

October 25, 2009

Written by Evan

October 31st, 2009 at 7:29 am

Posted in snapshots

Tagged with , , , ,

Two Stupid Dogs (Video)

with one comment


The best part is my wife calmly looking at her facebook off camera.

Written by Evan

October 28th, 2009 at 7:22 am

Posted in video

Tagged with , , , ,

Chloe Series

without comments

Chloe1/3Chloe2/3Chloe3/3

Written by Evan

October 22nd, 2009 at 6:10 am

Posted in snapshots

Tagged with , , , , , ,

Laid Out

without comments

September 13, 2009

September 13, 2009

Written by Evan

September 24th, 2009 at 2:39 pm

Posted in snapshots

Tagged with , , , ,