She Doesn't Live Here Anymore...

I don't think I could feel any shittier. We have been very indecisive whether or not to keep Fiona, and last night we just knew it wasn't going to work. I planned on taking her back this morning, Usually I try to get Rick to do my dirty work, but in this case, I wanted to do it myself since I had been pushing to rescue another dog. Rick loves dogs more than me and I figured it would just be too hard for him. Which it was, but he decided he wanted to go instead. So he did. When he went, a woman behind the counter started verbally abusing him and picking him apart for bringing back the dog. The dog we had only had for three days, had paid to spay, had paid extra to fix her umbilical hernia that we didn't HAVE to pay for-but wanted to, along with gave them a ninety dollar donation. Another woman came from the back room, the woman who we had dealt with when we decided to get Fiona. She was really nice and understood from the beginning that we may not be able to keep her, but desperately wanted it to work.
As Rick surrendered Fiona, the bitch behind the counter that had been giving him problems, demanded he sign a paper that said it was okay to euthanize her for any reason. Rick was horrified. After all, this place does boast about being a no-kill shelter. It must have just been protocol, but still. Seriously!

All I can say is that Fiona was an awesome dog, a playful little puppy that made me laugh. She got along great with Alabama, and had a very sweet temperament. But having 4 dogs changed the dynamic drastically, and Rick and I noticed it fast. Cash became very withdrawn and depressed. Wouldn't play for anything. Ruby started getting pinned in a corner by Fiona and Alabama both. And since Ruby wouldn't roll over and submit, she would just become terrified. And Alabama had never been like that to Ruby before. And then the baby began to cry because Fiona would run off with his Hot Wheels, or other toys. He began closing his bedroom door behind him as he played. Mind you that he just turned two in June! She would cover him in kisses and a few playful nips. That was enough. The whole house felt stressful, the dynamic had changed. Alpha dogs were no more and the big dogs had begun to take over. So we made the right decision for our family, even though our hearts are sore and we both feel like crying. Her sad little eyes will forever scar my soul. Or at least it feels like it right now. I know what we did was right. Rick even commented when he got home, how the house just feels so much more mellow. And it does. No more stress, just guilt.

I just checked the pound website, and she's already up. So hopefully she will find a good home soon. I know that I will keep checking it until she's found a home too. I just won't be able to help myself. Fuck, I'm a crazy dog lady, what else can I say?

Closet Renovations UnderWay

Part of the floor that had been in the old laundry room/ new half of my closet rotted out. I could squeeze down underneath my house now. But why would I want to?


And I got bored and decided to paint part of my closet gold. Just to see if I liked it. The flash makes it look more bling. And the paint isn't drying evenly so I'm a little bummed. I may have to primer and repaint it.

?Fiona?

I tossed and turned all night, then woke up at 6 AM and couldn't go back to sleep. What the fuck was I thinking? 3 dogs is surprisingly easy, but 4? A 6 month old hyper puppy that was chewing on my purse and flip flop when I met it? WTF was I thinking???? So Rick woke up from me and we decided to call at 8AM when they opened, and cancel. I felt SOOOO bad. And a little relieved. Rick set his alarm for 8, and at 8 I heard my car start and him drive away. Apparently he went down to the pound to cancel. They told him they couldn't cancel the neutering since it had already been paid for. I understood that, because whatever happens, the price is non-refundable, and I don't mind having paid the price since it was my fuck-up and maybe she'll be easier to get adopted.

Well...Rick went and played with her a little. And decided that we're keeping her anyway. Or at least going to try it. There are a few pit rescues close-by, but since she's a puppy and so friggin' cute, I think she may have a better chance at being picked up at the pound quick. Oh, geez...we'll see how it goes. I pick her up in a few hours.

And we think she'll be named Fiona.

Neener. Neener. Neener!

Who just got presale Misfits tickets for the Sunset Strip?

Me, that's who!

Crazy Dog Lady

I couldn't help myself! We rescued another one from our local pound.

*Short and Sweet*

Rick's a fast worker and good at what he does. The laundry room side is almost done, while the closet-side is a bit of a shambles. It'll take longer because it still had the original plaster, instead of drywall. So Rick's going to do his best at plastering part of it, then replacing the new wall with drywall. It takes a week for plaster to dry completely, so that is what will be setting us back a little. We bought the paint yesterday, and I really want to test out a spot on the wall to see if my vision was right.

*closet-side



*laundry room-side with a side of beefcake!



*New wainscotting! And a toddler's approval!


*Skimcoated and ready for primer!


*A new spade behind Rick's ear...


*An anchor tattoo


*The beginning of the kid's new jacket!

I've been MIA for the last 24 hours because we made a quick trip to Camp Pendleton to visit (my) Rick's nephew. Yes, RubyRedRuca is an auntie to a 20 year-old Marine! Sounds a little white trash/ ghetto right? Well, Rick's 12 years older than me and my sister-in-law had him young. And she only looks 29! Lucky bitch!

So we got the call around noon, to go see him before he's of to Iraq for six-ish months. I wonder if I'm giving out TMI. Whatever. That place is HUGE!!!! I'd never been there, only driven past it. And it's got the most gorgeous view ever! Makes me want to move to San Clemente. But I don't think we could afford it, and it would be too far a drive, even if Rick transferred to San Diego. So I'll just hate on all the San Clementians instead.

We stayed at a hotel close by and made the best of the stressful and sad day. Said our goodbyes and be-safe's, then drove home this morning.



And I just had to show this picture I took at his graduation in 2006. There were crowds of people and I stuck my camera up over my head to get a shot, and this is what I took. Classic!

Have I Told You How Much Ass My Husband Kicks?

***A post specifically requested by my husband.

Not literally. Well, he probably wouldn't appreciate me saying that. So yes, he can kick ass that way too. In fact, he threatened to beat up an ex-boyfriend of mine that he found annoying. He dubbed the guy "buff and tuff" and said that he would happily beat the shit out of the guy. But now he doesn't mind the guy that much.

But as usual, I'm getting off track....


The nastiness of my closet.

I'm finally sick of my extra tiny closet that I can't fit my stuff in. It almost makes me want to move back to my mom's where I had a gorgeous perfect closet that I could easily find things in. Rick has been offering to knock out the wall and rebuild my closet outwards. Cuz the guy loves to demo and build stuff. And it's not even his job! Weirdo!
Regardless, I finally agreed, so he went at it yesterday. And within hours, he moved out the washer and dryer, knocked out the wainscot and the drywall in the washroom and then blasted out the plaster in my closet. My closet was seriously retarded. It didn't make sense to me that a closet was so tiny in a California Bungalow. I had never seen one like that before. And sure enough, once the wall was gone, you could see that the closet was originally over double the size of my previously crappy closet. Ant that's basically what it's going back to. Cuz mama has a small retro store in my closet. Seriously, I could sell my dresses and live off the profits for months, or a year if I was frugal, but I'm not!


My nephew, helping move stuff out of the way. I call him Dusty Rose, because I can.


A "before" of the washroom.


Rick busting out the wall, less than an hour after the "before" picture.


After the plaster and drywall was cleaned up.


My closet's new window.

Oh! Did I mention I'm painting it gold? With black trim? And leopard carpet! Yep, it'll be awesome! And it won't look like I'm channeling Flava Flav, it'll look like a bad ass retro bitches closet! And here is the only picture I can find that has the color I'm going to look for. And I'm thinking about painting the washroom a Tiffany- robin's egg blue. Right now it's the same yellow as the kitchen, but I feel like sprucing it up a bit. Cuz I'm bored!


*This is the place I go and get my hair did at. It has Sailor Jerry wallpaper and gold wall! Bad ass!


And proof I can kick some ass too! Spinach and mushroom manicotti! Yummy!

Materialistic Musings of a RubyRedRuca

Any of my loyal blog readers, or friends or mine, know that I tend to have a dress addiction that resembles my shoe addiction. Which is alas Imelda Marcos. So with that said, I feel I deserve a new dress. Okay, maybe "deserve" isn't the right word. "Want", yes, that's more like it! Oh, and I'll probably get that blouse too, since I can justify it by combining shipping charges. Oh, I'm evil aren't I?





And I really need to invest in a blocking board. I have no other place to block stuff, and since I got a fat paycheck this week I should just do it already!


I'm almost done with the two main pieces of the sweater, but I must have misread the last few instructions, because the pieces don't match in size. This picture doesn't really show that though. I suck at knitting pictures!

Ask and You Shall Receive...

Wow! Today I was tagged by my friend. And I just won a blog award from a bloggy friend Brook. And my knitting blog inspiration Cari gave me a shout out due to my new tattoo! Cool! This Ruca feels extra special today!

Well, since I've already done this post once before, I'll just link to it- for any of you that may be interested, and I'll make a little something new up instead!

10 More Facts About This Ruca:


* I was born the summer of the Olympics when they were held in Los Angeles. At the time, we lived about a mile or so from the Coliseum. My mom says you could hear the cheering and see the fireworks from the opening games. Rick would also like me to mention that his favorite band at the time, Van Halen (yes, a "collective yuck!" is in order) also broke up this year.


I love this picture!!!

* I met Rick December 26, 2002 (I think I only remember the date since it was the day after Christmas). I had finally dumped my tattoo shop boyfriend after four wretched months of being lied to and repeatedly cheated on, but all that didn't come out until after we broke up. I worked at a coffee shop across the street from his tattoo shop, a job that he had got me, by the way. Anyways... I dumped his ass while I was sweeping the outside before closing, and he threw a patio chair and marched back across the street into his shop in a huff. Rick walked into the coffee shop 15 minutes later with two of his girl co-workers. He kept staring at me all creepy and decided to ask for my number. Sure why not, I'm newly single and anything to get me away from my loser ex-boyfriend seemed like a good idea. As he left with the girls and my digits, my ex-boyfriend walked back into the shop throwing a hissy and begging me back. I really think that giving Rick my number empowered me enough to say no to this loser for good. Sure, I didn't know Rick, and nothing could have come from our first date- but I think that another guy showing an interest in me was enough to get me out of the crappy situation I knew I'd been in.
So I married my rebound. And Rick will admit to having been my rebound, and he doesn't care, because I married him.

*Yesterday I ran into a different ex-boyfriend at work. I felt like I was 16 again, and tried to hide so he wouldn't see me. The girl I was standing near wanted to know which one of the group of 8 guys, he was. "The one in the wife beater covered in tattoos." She said that's the one she would've guessed. And that he was cute, and had a nice body. "Yeah, him being cute was never the problem." Sometimes me and Rick see him driving around town and Rick gets so irritated when he notices the guy stare at me. I guess he might be a little territorial over me or jealous. Whatever.

* I'm not a touchy-feely person. I'll hug someone if I have to. Like if their arms are already outreached for one and I don't want to leave the person hanging, but otherwise I'm just not that type of person.


* I've had 8 piercings, 2 of which were in my ears. Those are the only 2 I still have. All the others are gone now, and the only one that left a nasty scar was my belly-button.

* I gained 70 pounds when I was pregnant. Yes, 70. I was unrecognizable which was probably a good thing since I was very self-conscious about it and cried the last month I was pregnant when I couldn't fit in my BIG pregnancy jeans anymore. I stuck to my stretchy dress and skirts after that. Maybe I should have just bought a mu-mu.


* I secretly want to be on the cover of a Hot Rod car magazine one day. Only once.


We'd make a cute couple wouldn't we?

* I used to want to marry Tim Armstrong from Rancid. I think I'm kind of over that one now. But if I ever run into him at a show again, I'll get back to you.


Homecoming Dance at the Aquarium of the Pacific 2001

* Me and my best friend Katya used to want to start a punk band in LA. I would've played bass and she would've played guitar. I got really close to buying a bass and regret that we never at least gave it a try.

* My next tattoo is going to be a bow on the back of each leg like these. I've already made the appointment for Sept. Unless I change my mind, of course.

.:Done Deal:.

About as painful as I expected. Some spots really hurt, others actually felt kind of good. He took about two hours, and now I've taken the bandage off, taken an Ibuprofen and just keep looking at it. He tattooed acouple purple starbust(?) things in the background that I didn't know he was planning on adding until 1 was already there. But he's the artist and I trust him. Rick said it makes it more feminine. I agree. I did a crappy photoshop job to protect my little boys real name, so don't think he forgot to write it. But there's a lot of weirdos out there, (no, not you- you're perfect!!! But still...you never know about the other people that are looking for tranny brides and find me! For the record, I'm not a tranny- but I was a bride!)

And it looks even more awesome on my tippy-toes, like if I were wearing heels, which is why the placement looks a little funky in this picture.

Wish Me Luck!!!

I'm off to get my first tattoo!!!

*Pedicure- check!

*Make-Up and cute outfit- check!

*Flip-Flops and flats- check!

* Money- check!


I'm good to go!

~Nice Boom-Booms~

My bloggy friend Betsey (the titles for you!) kicked ass again and churned out another gorgeous apron that I had to get my greedy hands on. And she rocked it AGAIN. No surprise there! It's sushi and cute little fishies and black and white polka dots. It suits me well, thank you very much. Via request she made the chest small the way she had made my last one and it accentuates my Boom Booms; if I must say so myself. Which I'm sure will please Rick to no end.

So if you haven't gone and ordered yourself an apron yet, go do it! You won't regret it!!!!!

I know the pictures kind of suck, but I'm all hyped up on a soy chai latte and Rick took the kid to the park, so I've got nothing else to do! I think it's kind of funny that I cut my head off and this post is all about the apron anyway!

My Little Girls A Crip

.Shoe Whores.

Last night my was my mother-in-laws birthday. When we got home later that night Cashole (his real name is Cash, but when he acts like an asshole, Cashole becomes the villans name)- had ripped apart one of the baby's beloved cheapy sandals and his even more beloved Cookie Monster backpack. Why does that fucking dog always know excatly what to rip, chew or eat? He was originally named after Johnny Cash, but has lived up to the name of Cash- but as in Cash Money. Isn't there a rapper named that? That dog was expensive, his allergy-related surgeries were expensive and all the nice stuff he chews up are expensive.

So I need to order another $20 backpack tonight and today I bought the kid another pair of shoes. I can't find Crocs in his size anywhere, and since summer is mid-way through I just bought him some slip-ons. The kid was a monster in the mall and kept wiggling out of his stroller, but if I kept reminding him he was getting some new shoes he would sit still. Just like his mama.

I got some other cute stuff too. But just for me.

And my shoes in the pic are never before seen on the blog, but have been delighting me for many months now in my closet. I've just been too lazy to post them.

Even a Super Nice Camera Won't Help Rick's Photography Skills...

I wanted to show a picture of how far I've gotten with the front of my sweater. And the three pictures aren't exactly what I had been hoping for. Yes, my arms aren't at they're best currently, but they do not normally look like midget stumpy sausages as my photographer has so wonderfully shot them. Am I seriously going to need to hire a Mariah Carey's retoucher for blog pictures?!?

I feel like I should be cleaning. My house looks gross. My computer keyboard needs a good cleaning. So does my refrigerator. And my hardwood floors need to be mopped. And the backyard needs to be mowed and reseeded and the dog poo needs to be picked up. And the dryer has a bunch of clean clothes that need to be put away. And I need to make dinner tonight. Maybe cheese enchiladas. And the dinner table needs to be de-cluttered. And I need to wash my hair.

But at least I figured out how to synch my email address to my Crack Berry.