What does it take to get a good fluffer around here?

Phew!! I know understand why no one will ever travel with Justin. Taylor and I decided to get adventerous and join Justin on a trip out to San Diego. Seemed like the perfect get away. Which it was, it was just the getting away part that's a little screwy.

1) Drive Faster Justin, Faster:


Hmm, apparently when your flight leaves the airport at 5:30, you are supposed to arrive earlier than 5. Well, Justin forgot this and the nasty gate agent wasn't going to let us check in even though we only had carry on luggage. (Yes it was a travesty, but I managed it). I came to the rescue, showed a little muscle and convinced the gate agent his man hood was more important than giving us a hard time. So we get through security, walk up to the gate expecting a big line only to realize that its 5:10 and we still have 20 minutes and there isn't even a plane on the ground.


2) How does 5:30 = 6:00?


So much for that 5:30 departure. The plane doesn't land until 5:30 so we don't start boarding until 5:45 and don't close the cabin door until 6. Hmm, that layover in Denver is getting shorter. Who would have thought an hour and a half layover wouldn't be long enough.



3) Who thought it was so hard to get a little fluffing


Come to find out that the airplane was late because the APU unit is broken. That would explain why it was so hot in the cabin. It also means the plane can't take off on its own, it needs a little help getting "warmed" up. So the faithful crew at CID bring around the fluffer, but wait you mean fluffers don't like corn? Seems they put the wrong fuel into the fluffer. So off we go for a another one, but wait this is CID, how many other fluffers can there be.



4) I so enjoy sitting on the tarmac


So the plane got its fluffing, became all cooperative and we flew to Denver. We left CID 50 minutes late but that still left us 40 minutes in Denver. Dinner is off the table, but at least we'll make our destination and not have to spend the night in Denver. We touch down in Denver, start taxing and stop. Oh! no you don't!! We sit on the tarmac for 20 minutes. Apparently since we were late our gate was in use and they thought it best to punish us by sitting and making us wait for the other plane to push off.



5) What gate was that?


Alright off the plane and T-15 until the next plane leaves. What gate are we at, oh B91. You mean we are at the farest end of the airport and have two extra long hall ways between us and the rest of the B concourse. Sounds fishy if you ask me. But whatever, so what gate are we leaving out of B24. Oh crap, the B concourse only goes to B15. Could you make it any farther please. Apparently Justin runs or some crazy stuff like that. Two hallways and 4 moving sidewalks later we arrived at the gate to a very peeved looking attendant who doesn't even acknowledge that we (well Justin) is panting. Oh and for the maintenance man on moving side walk 2, sorry about your toes, but really the four of you sitting on both sides of the railing, you're lucky he only took out your toes. I personally was throwing fists a little bit higher.



6) We're here...hey why isn't the door opening


So we take off, fly, get really hungry and land in San Diego. Ok, get us off this plane and lets get somewhere to get our munchies on. Hmm, the seatbelt sign is off, but the flight attendants are not opening the door. What could be wrong, wait why is the jetway still 10 feet away. No way I'm letting Justin try and jump that with me on his back. Yeah apparently all the jetway drivers went home early or something stupid. Fifteen minutes later someone finally shows up and moves the jetway into position and we are free.

Such a nice view, boy was the sun nice that day

Well it was a fun trip. No complaints, but one request: next time we go through the Denver airport, can I ride in a litter. It was a little bumpy riding shotgun on the suitcase. Thanks.

Hi, I'm Quinn, pleased to meet you!

Hi, I’m Quinn, lucky number 7! I’m new to the Flock, too. I first met up with Beth in Minneapolis when she was doing an internship in summer 2007. Since then she moved back to Iowa City for her last semester of undergrad. My favorite hobby is traveling. In the two months since I was adopted, I’ve already been to Chicago and Madison and State College, Pennsylvania. Beth says if I’m good, she’ll take me to Purdue next weekend (I might be bad though because I didn’t really like Indiana when we drove through it last weekend). She really likes football - I really like tailgating, so while she’s at the game, I usually hang out by the cooler and grill.

My job is to watch Beth and make sure she graduates. After that, I’m just here for companionship, unless she decides to go to grad school. I kind of hope she doesn’t for three reasons 1)I want my job of “graduation motivator” to be over once and for all 2)I read D.J.’s post about the boob factory and feel a similar experience would be traumatizing and 3)If she get’s a real job, then she’ll have more money to take me on vacations. When I’m not busy trying to get Beth to study or planning my next adventure I can usually be found scrapbooking vacation pictures and/or watching movies. Beth’s trying to get me interested in quilting too, but I think that’s TOO girly for me. I realize scrapbooking in general is kinda girly, but I want my vacation photos to look good.

Uh oh, looks like Beth wants to take a nap, I’d better go and make her do something productive.

Get a job, little pischer...get a job.

I took the little pischer, Preston, to find a job recently. Before we could leave the apartment, I had to give the kiddo a lesson in how to put on a tie. (See the picture. I decided to wear one for good luck)

He wasted tons of gas driving all over town looking for “Help Wanted” signs. Finally, he found one at a restaurant that’s not too far from where we live. He left me in the car, which I was not happy about, but he was nice enough to roll down the windows since it was so hot that day.

He didn’t want to talk about the details that went on inside for the interview, but I took it as a good sign when the manager gave him a menu to take home and look over. I’m guessing he just sat around and schmoozed for a bit but I didn’t want to pry. I was just happy to have the air conditioning turned back on.

A few days later, I was yelling Mazal Tov for the little pischer. He got the job and now spends lots of time away from the apartment. But I don’t mind. I have lots of time to sit around and critique his movie collection now.

Save the Boobies

Even an anarchist knows a good idea when one passes by. The fabulous people at http://www.boobiethon.com/ have developed a wonderful idea on how to raise awareness about breast cancer and hopefully raise some money for research in the process. I was so moved by their idea that I decided to submit my breasts and special nipple ring to the cause. I tried to get Taylor to join in the cause but Taylor just mumbled some nonsense about inequities. Whatever, THAT sheep never wants to play or help out on anything.

I really hope they post my submission. You see they very wisely have a policy asking people not to use animals as props in their images. However, clearly I am not a prop, but a well intentioned supporter of the cause. Plus,I have a pretty nice rack, even if I'm not a ram.

So lets hope my submission is posted, otherwise there will be a price to pay. No one wants to see me when I mean business.

Update: Yeah they think I'm cute!! I've been allowed to slide and will appear on the site tomorrow morning. Check me out!! http://www.boobiethon.com/

Yee Haw! Franklin at your service.

Howdy y'all. I'm Franklin. Someone thought all these sheep needed a watchdog to protect the flock and keep 'em out of trouble, so here I am. A dog's gotta do what a dog's gotta do. I came to live with this feller named John in Iowa City. He feeds me, and lets me look yonder out the window for coyotes and other varmints that might be out to get the flock. I bark at 'em, but the neighbors don't like that much.

I grew up in the high plains. My momma taught me to mind my manners at the food bowl, keep my nose clean, and to always be nice to the ladies. People think I'm stupid because I talk kinda slow, but you'd be surprised… I catch on perdy quick.

When I'm not barkin' at the coyotes, eatin' chow, or pickin' guitar with John, I like to practice my ropin' skills. See, I wanna be a rodeo dog someday. I'm still a young pup, so I think I can get there. In the meantime, I'll watch over this loco flock. They are a pretty good group of sheep, it just kinda tough to figure out what in tarnation they're doing sometimes.

But heck, as my good old buddy Waylon Jennings used to say, "I may be crazy, but it keeps me from going insane."

Y'all ride safe now, ya here? I'm gonna get some shut eye... I hope the sheep don't get out!

Without our traditions our lives would be as shaky as, as... as a fiddler on the roof!

Shalom aleycham! I am Elliot, number 58 and I am one of the newest sheep on the flock. (I’m also the most kosher, if you catch my drift.) Now lets get to the goods, eh? Sit back and I’ll tell you a tale that rivals even that of Moses!

My story starts years ago in the old country. As the good book says, it ALL starts back in the old country. Fast forward a few millennia and you’ll see me all by my lonesome in New York City. I was such a little pischer back then. I didn’t know a thing. But lots of maz to me! I got a roommate who worked as a movie critic and I got to go see all the newest releases. But oy vey! What a mess it made my eyes! They’re all crooked now.

After a rough patch in my life, I ended up at Beth-Beth’s Sheep Adoption Home. It really wasn’t too bad though… I got to schmooz with some other sheep. We always picked fights with these cats that lived there. Luckily, I didn’t have to deal with the felines for too long. Along came this poor college kid one night to see Beth-Beth. This boychick, Preston, shleped me back to his place where I live now. He has a huge collection of movies that keep me occupied all day. And that’s really about it.

I’m going to go watch Tevye sing and dance about tradition. L'Chayim!

No sheep skin for you!

Hmmm…where did the other sheeps go? There are more than just us. No matter, Erin took me and Sheepy on a trip. So I will tell you about it. Jesse wanted to stay home and watch tv and color all day. Jesse is lazy. We got to see all of the University of Georgia. It was fun and really really hot. Apparently the day that we went was a special day for some students. They were getting there sheep skins. They wore black bathrobes and looked silly. I didn't get it, I didn't see any sheep skins. Erin said we didn’t need anymore sheep skins so we went and walked around where they throw the pig skin. Which is good because I didn't want to give up my skin. I like it.

Maybe we should have paid attention to the Caution sign and went home then.

We got our pictures taken by the stadium. I got confused because it said it was the Stanford stadium but we didn’t go to Stanford to visit. Erin said that we don’t need to try and understand how Georgian's name things. After all we were in Athens.

I'm confused. Where are we again?

Bingo! I found the G!

Then we got lost and Erin touched a dirty dog statue and got slimed. So we tried to find a bathroom so she could wash her hands. This was important because she was caring us. But when we got inside this weird building all the bathrooms were ripped out and laying in the hallway. Erin found some paper towels by the pop machine and used them. Then we looked for the way out. The directions on the wall seemed questionable so Erin just used her senses to get out.

Wait, what is an elevator for? I don't get it. Good thing Erin was around.

Then we went downtown and meet a bulldog. He was all dressed as a Roman. I tried to tell him that Rome was a different city in Georgia but he was not very talkative. We got our picture taken with him. We tired to look mean like him but I don’t think it worked.

Grr...don't mess with us!

Then we went and got ice cream and went inside. We never made it to the botanical gardens like Erin wanted. But she did let us play in the big flower arrangement at her cousin’s house.

That's okay, you can call me Flower if you want. I don't mind.

Then we went home and made sure Jesse didn’t break anything while we were gone.