All new TMT questions!

1. What are you thankful for this week?
I am thankful that I've got a job that is accommodating with my crazy school schedule. And that I get to work with my little brother on Thursday and Friday each week. He is smart. He is funny. And he's a really hard worker. We swap school/classmate stories on Thursdays - it can be a hoot!

2. How do you deal with a squeaker/shrieker/noisy dog?
It depends on why they're being noisy and what frame of mind I'm in... I usually redirect and tell them to knock it off. And they are usually really good about being quiet in the first place. Usually.

But then there was this one time a couple years ago with Kenzi... I had stayed up 'til the wee hours of the morning finishing a paper and I had to get up early in the morning to deliver said paper to school. I had probably been asleep about two and half hours when the barking started. My sleep hazed mind wasn't working that well but I eventually figured out that the coon hunters were out and about. With dogs. And Kenzi was going to tell the world. The other two dogs were curled up sleeping and ignoring them like good dogs who understand that you don't wake the person up unless it's an emergency. I tried the normal things a half asleep person usually tries to get her to be quiet. She'd settle down for a minute then go back at it. So I finally grabbed a pillow and threw it in the direction of the barking. After the second or third pillow I think she got the hint. Or maybe I was too tired to care and fell back asleep. I do know that I probably did her a favor because if I hadn't gotten her to be quite Missy and Kipp would have pushed her down the stairs or something for breaking rule of the bedroom - you do not wake each other up in the middle of the night unless it's an emergency!!

3. Barbara wants to know: what would you say is ONE skill or attribute needed to be successful?

Hard work. Talent is good, but it won't get you very far by itself.

4. Pippin wants to know: what are your favorite games?

For the dogs? outdoors it's B-A-L-L. Indoors it's gnaw on each other's legs. Weird, but it works for them so who am I to question it?

For me? I love the card game Dutch Blitz. It's fast, kind crazy and really keeps you on your toes.

5. What are some of your strategies for dealing with winter?

Good outerwear. Good boots. Wool socks. Sonoma long underwear from Kohls. Blankies, hot chocolate and knitting in the evenings when I can get away with it. Pray that I don't have to get out and go anywhere when it's nasty. Snow can be nice because running in it wears the dogs out twice as fast (or keeps them snoozing twice as long afterward!)