Furry Fridays

Hi All,
Today I am starting a new feature. I will present one of the MANY dogs that needs rescuing at Main Line Animal Rescue, and put the direct link up for you to browse if you like what I post. Now, as you can tell, I am partial to Pits, Labs and larger dogs, but I will make sure to add some smaller ones too for those of you who are more Chihuahua than Great Dane.

This handsome guy featured above is named Ashton . He is a pit mix of some sort and apparently he is the star of the kennel over there. The staff loves him as do the other dogs, so he'd be a great addition even if you already have a pup in your house.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE click on THIS LINK or just head over to www.mlar.org and check out all the animals they have for adoption.

If you are not a PA resident, then please head over to Petfinder and look for a dog there. You can find just as many pure bred dogs on these two sites as you can from anywhere else, plus, they don't cost thousands of dollars like a breeder does!!

Anyways, not much going on in the city of Brotherly Love (besides the fact they are filming a move today on Market Street, anyone know what movie??), work is quiet which is nice, and tomorrow we leave for Colorado!

I am decked out in Pink and Navy today (something new and different, ha!) and am LOVING the spring weather.

I will do my best to post from Colorado, but otherwise expect to hear from me again on Sunday the 8th!

xoxo Mrs. Pit

You can't

...cry over spilled milk. You CAN however cry over spilled wine.
Last night I knocked over a full glass of my FAV red wine last night, all over the carpet, couch, myself, Mr. Pit and Lil' Pup...not good. Now the whole living room smells like OxyClean carpet cleaner, yuck. Anyways, we have 4 more bottles of the yummy wine (we buy it by the case, it's the bottle shown on the left) but it was very sad to knock it over and ruin a perfectly, hilariously fun evening. (Mr. Pit and I spent the night watching American Idol and making fun of everyone and everything about the show) Good times.

In other news, we are not even 1% packed for our trip on Saturday, and I haven't printed our itinerary or gotten anything organized. Our Peaks Passes are somewhere in the house, as well as my ski gear which has mysteriously gone missing. Oh well, I'm sure it will turn up before Saturday, it better!

Lil' Pup will go to the kennel (in the vets office) on Saturday morning and then my younger brother will pick him up next Saturday so that he can be home when we get home on Saturday night. I hate leaving him, but there is no other logical choice. Plus, he's safe, warm, and taken care of by the vets assistant that lives up stairs. He also gets updated on his shots (which saves an office visit fee) so it all works out. I do however, cry every time I leave him. He just wags his tail, licks my face and bounds into the back. Ah, dogs, gotta love em.

A cold nose wake up

So, Mr. Pit was up really early today and let the dog out, fed him and left him out of his cage when he left. We had discussed all of this last night as the plan.
HOWEVER, I completely forgot about it and woke up this morning to a cold nose on my leg as I was brushing my teeth! Lil' Pit realized that he startled me and looked a little nervous, but it was too cute waking up to such a wonderful cold nosed surprise.
We then cavorted around the house and back yard and I actually managed to make my train on top of all of that.
I have a big project due at work today, so this might be the one and only post of the day, but I'll do my best to check in after 3pm.
Have a great day!

A snowy start

Morning Pit Fans!
It's been a crazy start to 2009, but I couldn't be happier to be back on the scene. One big change is the new background, and I'm really loving the preppy sensibility that is all things argyle, and most importantly, pink and green!

Work has been good thus far in 2009 and I have also survived the two rounds of layoffs which were a total let down when they happened. A lot of good workers got cut because of the straining economy and the lack of construction work, and I am hoping that when things turn around they can all move on to bigger and better things. I however, have been busier than ever with competitive bids, which is good for me and the company, so all seems to be well there.

On the home front all is wonderful. Lil' Pup LOVED the snow this morning and was very excited that he got to be out on his leash today while we shoveled our driveway. I never thought we had a huge driveway until I had to shovel it this morning, and boy oh boy its bigger than I thought! But, I made it into work a scant 1.5 hours late and since hardly anyone is here in my department today, it all worked out perfectly.

On the economy front, Mr. Pit and I have most of our stuff together for our taxes, so we are really hoping that we get a refund this year instead of owing like we have the past two years!

I am also trying to really rein in the shopping but it is SO much easier said than done when you have companies like J. Crew and Pottery Barn constantly emailing you with offers and sales! I also found some really cute preppy blogs and websites that I am newly obsessed with.
My latest craving though, is for monogrammed melamine plates, bowls and serving trays...I mean, can you think of anything cuter?! I found super cute ones here and am trying to figure out how NOT to buy them for us (as we dont need anything more in any of our cupboards ever!) but am thinking of them as wedding presents. And, seeing as we have 5 weddings this year, yes, 5...I think I can get my craving out while buying for others, double win!!

Anyways, I gotta get back to the grind, but wanted to catch up and let you know I'll be with you regularly from now on!
xoxo Mrs. Pit
(oh, and btw, this weeks Gossip Girl was the best ever, posing us with the question of "Is a scandal still a scandal if you can't text about it?" ha...I love it.)

Bad Blogger, Bad Blogger!

I admit it, I am a bad blogger. Life got in the way, and work too, and that hurt me in the 'post a blog-a-day' thing I had going for awhile. But, I'm back now, and that's good news for everyone.

First, its 16 days to Christmas. AWESOME. Our house looks great (if I do say so myself since I decorated it ALL myself), and in Mr. Pits defense, he is studying for finals, so that lets him off the hook big time. But, the garland is on the mantle, the ornaments on the tree and the stockings are on the fireplace (even Lil' Pup has his own!) so we're ready to go. Big plans for this weekend and next, AND the one after that, so there's lot to do and the clock is counting down quickly.

This weekend is the annual Fundue party (and no, I didn't spell it wrong), its a fondue party that we started back in high school to get everyone together at Christmas time. We always do a Pollyanna (where everyone in the group gets anothers name, so that everyone doesn't have to buy everyone else a gift) and eat lots of cheese, beef and chocolate, and now that we're old enough and have been for some time, there is lots of wine, champagne and a whole lot of gossip. Now especially since 4 of the 7 live out of town, there is that much more to keep in touch about, so it's always a really fun time. Plus, now all the photos end up on Facebook so there is lots of photographic evidence of the fun. Oh, and boys aren't allowed, which is probably the best part of all. Not that we don't all love our husbands, boyfriends and others, but this is a girls night, and we like to keep it that way.

Next Friday is my company party and since it's the first 'fancy' party they've ever had, I have no idea what to expect. All I know is that the alcohol will be flowing, so I will take that opportunity to sit back and watch people make asses of themselves. I plan on NOT partaking in any of the open bar madness in lieu of staying sober and employed through the weekend. I also am wearing what could be considered a not-very-holiday-themed dress, it is appropriate for the dress code (cocktail attire) and not too low-cut. There are many reasons for this, none of which have to be explained :)

Then, the next party is Saturday night and this should be awesome. We have been invited to The Assemblies, which is one of the oldest Balls in the country and Philadelphia. It is invite only, White Tie and supposed to be one of the best parties in the city all year (to be trumped only by the Academy Ball which apparently is just amazing). But, I am so excited to see Mr. Pit in tails, and any excuse to get my hair, nails and toes done and wear a formal dress is really fun for me, so I am looking forward to it. I also have to practice my curtsy (oh yes, I have to curtsy my way down the receiving line) and Mr. Pit has to bow his way to the end as well. Mr. Pit is not thrilled about this in the least, but I promised him that once we get through the receiving line its open bar and an open dance floor for an evening of fun. My parents will also be there, as well as my brother and his date (his best friend J) as well as my best friend C and her boyfriend S, as well as her family. So, it will be super fun and I can't wait to get all dolled up for a Philadelphia tradition. You can read more about The Assemblies here , here or here.

Then of course, what could be better than Christmas coming just a mere 5 days after all that?? Nothing that I can think of!! I am almost done my Christmas shopping in its entirety, and now all I have to do is wrap, which, clearly I love...so it's ALL fun and games from here on out.

Then, I'm looking forward to many days off from work, a low key New Years Eve and then a fun ski trip up to New Hampshire to ring in the new year correctly.

Have fun and be safe these next couple of weeks, and remember, no matter HOW much trouble it might be to pick up your car the next day, PLEASE don't drink and drive. I hate to sound like a PSA, but please take a cab or sleep at our house if you're stuck on the Main Line. I will come get you no questions asked.

Peace, Love and Pawprints :) Mrs. Pit

The Big (Turkey) Day

Sorry for the delay in all my postings (really, I just didn't have time, and when I did I was too tired to think of anything pithy to say, so I apologize).
Today I have 2 of the 3 bids I am working on due, and then a week from now comes the big one. In the middle of all of this though, I completely neglected to pack for our trip to New York for the weekend (starting today) so I have to go home and pack quickly before Mr. Pit gets annoyed that I am so behind schedule.
This also involves packing Lil' Pups stuff into the car as well as he's coming to see his uncle, who is not as much his uncle as my inlaws mini poodle named Truffles. Lil' Pup and Truffles get along fairly well and there have been no incidents to date, but a few kerfluffles over bones or food or just plain old attention have come up in the past, so we'll see if we can't get through 5 days without them...but I highly doubt it.
I have 3.5 hours left at work today and I am hoping they go quickly and we can get these bids completed and out the door (or through the fax machine as it were).
So, I am wishing you ALL a wonderful Thanksgiving and am looking forward to 5 days of food, family and relaxation.
I am very thankful for my family, Mr. Pit, Lil' Pup, the fact that I still have a job in this craptastic economy and all my wonderful friends. I hope you have lots to be thankful for as well.
I'll be back Monday with what I am sure will be lots of stories.
XOXO Mrs. Pit

Hi, Bye!

Not much time to write today, since I'm really busy with 3 big bids at work, but wanted to stop in and let you know that I've stopped complaining about money. It is what it is and I'll pay the visa off eventually.
I also found that I had presents for my Dad that Mr. Pit and I had bought this past summer and completely forgot about, so that takes care of him. I also have something for my mom, yet something else from this summer, and I am sure that I can get my brothers both something that the annual Christmas Party at Gulph Mills that is 3 weeks from tonight on the 11th. So, I am feeling much better about that. Still trying to figure out good gifts for the bridesmaids and of course a good gift for my Pollyanna who has yet to be decided.
But, whatever it is, it will be thoughtful, mostly because thinking doesn't cost a thing!

Pitbull Love,
Mrs. Pit

Oprah, Puppy Mills and People Magazine

Puppy Mills suck.

The fact that they are not completely illegal is astounding to me.

For those of you not familiar with what a 'puppy mill' is, a brief explanation is simple and sickening.

Hundreds of dogs are bred each year to produce as many puppies as possible in living conditions you wouldn't subject your worst enemy to. Sires and dams are forced to live stacked on top of each other in wire cages with no bottoms and the only time they get to come OUT of the cages is when they are being bred or giving birth. These poor animals spend the majority of thier life unable to turn around, lie down, or stand at all comfortably as their paws dig into the metal. The dogs in the bottom cages perhaps have it worst of all, as there is nothing to catch the feces from the dogs above them.

Then, when these poor dogs are deemed too old to produce any more litters, they are routinely shot and killed and buried on the farmers land.

These poor dogs NEVER see a pat on the head, a scratch on the belly, or a night on a soft rug by a warm fire. These moms get to spend only 4 weeks with thier puppies (most good breeders recommend puppies stay with thier mothers for 8 weeks or more) and the puppies go from the farm to a petstore to sit in an even MORE cramped space waiting to be bought.

Puppy Mills are rampant in parts of central Pennsylvania, and Bill Smith (creator of Main Line Animal Rescue) and Oprah have done an expose on just how horrible these living conditions are for these poor animals. Bill has made it his mission to save dogs from central PA Puppy Mills and is working with local politicians and lobbying the state to have more strict laws enforced to regulate how these animals are being treated.

As of now in the state of Pennsylvania, dogs are considered livestock and therefore can be 'disposed of' (as the farmers call it) as such. It is not illegal to shoot a dog in the head in the State of Pennsylvania. WTF? How is that possible? This is the kind of thing that gets my blood BOILING and I want to do as much as I can to get the word out so we can shut down these 'farms' until they agree to better living conditions for all the animals they house.

PLEASE read the links below, they give a lot of information on all the good work that Bill and other dog rescuers are doing and thankfully the Oprah segment (which is re-airing tomorrow!!) has done a lot to uncover this seedy underbelly of dog breeding.

This is the Main Line Animal Rescue site that will link you to the Oprah story and the feature this week in People Magazine

Owning a dog or any animal for that matter is a privilage, not a right. Treat your animal as you would any other member of the family.

Adopt a dog from a shelter, try this one I guarantee they will have the breed you want!

Don't EVER buy a pet from a pet store. You are asking for trouble with the animals health (a very large percentage of puppy mill pups have been inbred and come riddled with disease) Pet stores are KNOWN for getting thier dogs from commerical breeders as opposed to private breeders who actually KNOW what they are doing. Plus, pet store owners know that you don't want to hear that they get thier dogs from a puppy mill, so they will tell you they don't. If you MUST buy a dog from a pet store, make sure to research the store, and the breeder they claim they get thier dogs from. If it is a responsible breeder you will be able to cross check them on www.akc.org or a number of other Kennel Club websites.

Also, don't sell yourself short by saying you'll only buy a pure bred dog. Pure breds are great (I grew up with a pure bred Portuguese Water Dog) but the mutts and mixes in shelters NEED YOU! Seriously, if you need points to get you to heaven, or for your karma...rescue an animal from a shelter. They will pay you back 100 fold with thier love and thanks.

And if you think that shelters only have pit bulls and 'bully breeds' a) check out a pit, you might like them. They were the original "Nanny Dog" used specifically to take care of children in the early 1900's. b) There are NO bad dogs, only bad owners. Don't shy away from dogs at shelters because you think they are bad dogs. 99% of the time its the owners who didn't know how to care for them or just plain didn't want the responsibility once they puppies grew into dogs. Dogs that aren't adoptable won't be there in the first place.

Thats all I have to say about the subject for now, I get pretty worked up about the whole subject and the whole thing makes me sad and mad and wanting to go home and give my rescue dog a great big hug (and a new toy).

So please, check out the above links and watch Oprah tomorrow at 4!

(BTW, thats my rescue pit puppy in the pic up there. Pretty ferocious looking huh?)

Here We Go!

Welcome to The Preppy Pit Bull.

This blog is going to be my outlet for all things ME, including but not limited to:

My likes, dislikes, rants, raves, obsessions, cravings, musings, ideas and the like.

It will also be a place where you can track my budding business (mostly an idea at this point, more on that later) my profession(s) (both current and dreamed), my wish list of items to purchase for me (Coach Whitley Boots) or other people (as I would love to one day buy my husband a Red Corvette, and my Mom a greenhouse, and a number of other things) and anything else that seems relevant in my little life.

I hope to make people smile, sometimes laugh outloud, but mostly entertain those who happen upon this blog on purpose or just by chance.

By the way, our dog is a rescued pit bull, hence the name of the blog. He is the sweetest dog on the planet and he is an amazing ambassador of the breed and all it's misconceptions. If this blog does nothing else, atleast those who read it will know that all pits are not bad dogs, just unfortunate that some pits have bad owners.

Enjoy!