A message from the Moochie Home Base

Hi everyone! To those of you enjoying the company of a Moochie, I hope you are doing well. To those of you eagerly awaiting a Moochie visit, thanks for your invitations!

I know the blogs seem really quiet... that's for two reasons:

1. I am going through a work transition that has me a little tied up right now, and it has kept me from posting some pictures of Flurpa's (Yes, she is Flurpa now, story to come soon) adventures in Europe and the lovely postcard I received from her from France. (Thanks, Kristi!) It has also kept me from introducing a new Moochie to you! He showed up in my kiln almost a month ago, and I haven't had a chance to really present him or share any of his adventures with you. For the most part, he has just been hanging out on my kitchen table. Big surprise there, right?

2. The Moochie hostesses have been quiet too! Where are you guys? What are those Moochies doing? I bet they are just lounging around right now. ha ha ha That's okay...no pressure, but I'll be sending out an e-mail soon to find out what everyone's status is... who is ready to pass theirs on, who wants to keep theirs a little bit longer... stuff like that. I hope everyone had a fun summer with their Moochies though!

For a while it was not really a big deal if the Moochie blogs were quiet because we really didn't have too many people waiting to host, but recently we have had many invitations for Moochies to visit some great places! How fantastic! So I'm anxious to try to get them moving again, or to at least get some activity levels up.

I'll be back soon on the travel blog with some fun stories and pictures of Flurpa's European adventures, courtesy of Kristi B.

Thanks, everybody! Keep on Mooching!

The Emergency Moochie...

Meet Flurp!



Flurp is a cute little girlie frog that made a quick entrance and exit to the Moochie Home Base! Just in time! I know nothing about her, but I just remember yelling into my kiln, "Hey!! If anyone is listening, I need someone to go to Oregon right now!!!" That was last night...and this morning, guess what.... nobody was in my kiln. I guess it doesn't work that way. I guess Moochies need to "feel it" in order to come to my house.

So I remembered that I have these frogs here that were supposed to be for a swap on Lampwork Etc. Not that Flurp isn't cute, but I want to redo my submission for that project, (which I better hurry and do because the month is almost over), and thought she would make a great honorary Moochie! She agreed to stand in so that Kristi B. in Oregon can have a Moochie to take with her to Europe on Saturday. Isn't that exciting??? I wish I could go to Europe!!! Have fun Kristi and Flurp!!

The first person who can guess where the name Flurp came from will win a surprise purple bead from me.

Empty Nest...

All the Moochies are out and about. Stop by the Moochie Travel Blog (link to the left in the sidebar) to follow along with their journey and see pictures with their hosts. Wedgie Ramon is still enjoying summer with his little hostess "Z". Loboto-Bear is down in Easton, Maryland having a blast and eating well. Jack is on his way to Michigan with a trip to Vegas! It's going to be quiet around here with no Moochies, but I hope they all have fun.

Loboto-Bear update!

I just wanted to report that Loboto-Bear made it safely to Easton, Maryland, where he is being hosted by Kendra S. I'm waiting for permission from Kendra to post pictures in the travel blog about his first adventures with her, her family, and friends. Stay tuned!!

Letting go is hard to do...

I have been preparing Loboto-Bear's belongings for his trip to Easton, Maryland. He really should have been on the road last week, but every time I go to put him in his little bed, he is nowhere to be found! The first time I thought he was just busy playing somewhere... but soon I discovered that his little disappearing act was intentional. I even tried to sneak up on him when I saw him in plain sight, but somehow he knew what I was up to and quickly scampered off. The last couple days I decided not to try to force the issue and just let things happen.

When I went to the kitchen this morning, where I can usually find him in the morning eagerly awaiting breakfast, I was surprised to see that he was not alone! Sitting next to him was a new Moochie!



Meet Jack!
Jack just arrived this morning, I guess, and so far I have no idea what he will be like. At first glance he seems kind of quiet. That's all I can gather at this moment. We'll have to give him a few days to adjust.



I could tell right away though that LB is acting differently now that Jack has joined us. It's almost as if he was waiting for him to arrive. Maybe he didn't want to leave without seeing that a new Moochie would follow. Maybe he didn't want to leave until he knew someone would be there to say goodbye to him. Maybe he thought we would be lonely once he was gone. I don't know the answer, but I am happy to report that LB is ready to go now!

Here he is looking over his belongings. He has a little pineapple pillow to remind him of his first day here and his trip to the supermarket. A soft blanket will keep him cozy in his box. His journal is there for everyone to record his happy moments in their home. LB gave everything a good inspection, and then he let out a happy "HONK! HONK!"



I will be taking him to the post office today, and hopefully he will be down in Easton by Friday! We'll miss you, LB!

A special dinner for Loboto-Bear

With Loboto-Bear getting ready to hit the road, we got a little sentimental. Keith and I made a trip to Zia Maria for a nice little dinner.

LB seemed to like the pretty bottles on the table, and was happy to be looking out the window through them. Maybe he saw funny reflections of himself in them. Here he is standing on the table candle...luckily it wasn't lit because he had some balancing issues.



The cheesey garlic bread arrived, and LB couldn't wait to get a taste!



He was quite ambitious though when it came to ordering his main dish. He thought the shrimp sounded really good...but when it came, he was overwhelmed!



Needless to say, he brought home a doggy bag!

Getting ready!

Loboto-Bear is going to be off to the Chesapeake Bay soon... so we went to Borders tonight to pick out his very own journal!



He liked the red, but thought the black one would be a more classical choice. (Yeah, right... he basically just stood there and stared at them, not knowing what in the world they were! LOL!)

Tomorrow I will get to personalizing it for him.

He received a very generous invitation to go abroad... all the way down to Maryland! (Hi neighbor!) He's excited about getting to see the bay and eating some crab! Ducks like crab, don't they? How about ducks that think they are bears?

It's going to be lonely around here without LB! He really knows how to enjoy himself! I'm looking forward though to seeing the Moochies get out there and explore the world!

What's new with Wedgie Ramon?

Here is a report of all the fun Wedgie is having with his hostess, "Z".

Sunday and Monday we pretty much stuck around the house. WR watched the kids play in the pool from the safety of the window. He told me that he likes it when they swim cuz it's so quiet in the house! Sunday night we made chocolate shakes and WR was so excited to have some that he almost drowned in it! Next time I'll have to put it in a smaller cup! Yesterday we were very busy. We went to York College to see Pete Geist, visual comedian, as part of the summer program through the library. He was very funny! WR and the kids laughed until their sides hurt! We went out for lunch and did a little clothes shopping (for Mom, for once) at the mall. Then we went to Maggie Moos for ice cream. WR loved it! He said someone should take his buddy LB there sometime. He may not like the noise at our house, but we have found something in common - an insatiable love of ice cream! We were all exhausted after our busy - and HOT- day. The kids went to bed and WR stayed up with me and helped me design some jewelry for a few hours. This morning we took Z to get a physical for Girl Scout camp. She goes next week. This weekend we plan to go to a scrapbooking session at my sister's-in-law and to the drive-in to see "Herbie". Monday we go to a friend's house RIGHT NEXT TO the fairgrounds for a cookout and the fireworks. I'm trying to prepare WR for that! I'll let you know how it goes.

MOOCHIE REPORT: Wedgie Ramon's first day away from Moochie Base

Quoted from the mom of his hostess: "WR had a very interestng experience at Chuck E. Cheese yesterday! At first he shared our pizza and watched all the kids playing while sitting safely in his box. After a while, though, he decided it was too loud and crazy in there for him and asked to have his lid closed! When we left C.E.C. he rode in the car in little brother's hand until they both fell asleep. We stopped at my grandparents' house in Red Lion to drop something off, but didn't stay long because of the sleeping little brother. My grandmother did get a peek at WR though. Somehow I think my grandparents' house would be more his speed - calm and quiet. When we got home everyone jumped in the pool, and a friend came down to swim. WR watched safely from the back window. Later, his hostess played a computer game for a while and WR sat with her and gave her pointers. We think he liked that. So far, so good! He seems to be fitting in well."

Bon Voyage, Wedgie Ramon!!

Oh happy day, happy day!! There is hope for Wedgie Ramon! A nice little girl on the other side of town has offered to host Wedgie in her home for a little while! I got to meet her today, and she is just the sweetest girl. I know she will be a perfect hostess!

So I made WR a little bed so that he can rest his wedge. (LOL!) He has a little journal, and his new hostess promises to help get it started for us.

Now, taking care of a Moochie is a lot of work. You have to leave them laying around on a table, then remember they are there when you go to get a snack! (Wait, that's probably not how you should host a Moochie, but unfortunately that is how it kind of went here! Sorry!) What I was trying to say is that a Moochie can wear out their welcome...especially since they are mooching. He he he For a little girl who is eight and probably has lots of fun summer things to do, it's going to be even harder! So we need your help! We need more hosts for Wedgie Ramon! Want to be Mooched? Just visit the Moochies Page by clicking here for details.

Here is Wedgie Ramon with all his Moochie Gear:


Loboto-Bear takes a look...kind of like he's saying, "Are you sure he's really going? Cool!" And gives him a farewell "Honk! Honk!"

We are going to miss you, Wedgie, but I'm sure we will meet again some day. Have fun on the road!! Hope to hear from you!!

Stubborn Little Moochies!

Loboto-Bear and Wedgie Ramon spent a long time like this:

I waited a while to see what would happen... but all they did was stand there like this. (Go figure!)

"Well, I guess I shouldn't really just sit here and wait," but then again, I'm probably just as stubborn! LOL! So I finally came back to these two pairs of cold shoulders and began by asking some basic questions. Now, I believe Loboto-Bear really comprehends everything around him, so I tried to see what questions would get reactions out of him. Here is a transcript:

Q: Do you want to go home with Ramon?
A: HISS!!!!
Q: Is he mean to you?
A: (No reply.)
Q: Do you like music?
A: Boom! Boom! Boom! (like a loud car thumping by with it's bass turned waaaaaay up.)
Q: Do you like to dance?
A: Boom! Boom! Boom!
Q: Does Ramon like to dance?
A: HISS!!!!!
Q: Does Ramon let you dance at his house?
A: HISS!!!!!

I'm guessing that LB probably feels a little stifled being Wedgie's pet. I turned to Wedgie and asked him if he could be a little more permissive with LB and let him enjoy his music and dancing. Wedgie just shook his little green head. "Ramon, are you ever going to let LB be himself?" Again, he just shook his head with doubt.

"I don't think you should expect him to be your pet anymore, Wedgie. I think he wants to be free." This time he just stood there... no reply. I suggested to them that they return home and go their own separate ways. "HIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!" from LB and frantic head shaking from Wedgie. "What, you guys want to stay here???" Both Moochies are just jumping up and down now and looking very excited!

"You guys can stay if you agree to be friends again."
Loboto-Bear turned around to face WR, but WR was not so ready to do the same. I think he was probably really hurt that LB ran away from him to begin with. "Come on, Wedgie! Let's make up with LB and you two can be friends again! Come on!"

Loboto-Bear just stood there facing Wedgie's backside. I went off to do my own thing for a while. "I bet I'll find them here later in the exact same position!" (You think?)

----- Fast Forward -------

Whoa! To my surprise, this is what I found when I came back later:

"You guys worked it out! Yay!"
So the healing begins, and we can move on to fun!

------ Fast Forward ------
NOT!!!!! Not long after I thought all was well, Wedgie was having one of his anxiety attacks. Apparently my kids were just tooooo much for him to handle that afternoon. So what do we do now? Clearly this isn't the place for Wedgie, but he doesn't want to go home...besides...I'm not even sure I'd know how to get him home anyway! There has got to be a solution!

Oh, the drama!

It has been quiet here on the Moochie front ever since Wedgie Ramon showed up. Loboto-Bear vanished until yesterday, and Wedgie Ramon does not say much. He is a very nervous little guy who doesn't seem to tolerate noise too well, which is all we usually have around this house. The children easily startle him, and then we have to calm him down. Lately he has just been hanging out on the kitchen table by my glass supplies because the kids are not in that area.

I had been looking for Loboto-Bear, thinking maybe he just wandered off somewhere, perhaps to discover new things. The kids were outside playing with Play-Doh when David spotted him under a plant. (That was easy because there are only four big plants in the backyard anymore!)



"THERE YOU ARE!"

He hesitated at first, but I think he agreed to come back in the house with me because he was hungry.

Stepping inside the back door into the kitchen, there was Wedgie Ramon on the table...and Loboto-Bear started hissing like a cat!! I'm determined now to get to the bottom of this situation, but it's going to be hard because LB only makes noises...none of which are words. Wedgie Ramon isn't saying much...he's either clueless or is hiding something....hmmmmmm

Wedgie Ramon is in the house...

He's a shy kind of guy... and that is probably why I didn't find him right away. He was hiding out behind my glass rods. I'm not sure how long he has been there, but I spotted him this morning. I noticed he couldn't stand up...so I put some epoxy on his legs and glued him to a little piece of wood. He seemed very pleased by this and thanked me for making him vertical.

I tried to find out what brought him to my kitchen, but he hesitated. I offered him a pretzel stick, but he was confused by it. After looking around a while to see if anyone else was around, he confessed that he came here to find his pet. "Your pet? What kind of pet?" He replied, "A little yellow guy with green ears." Aha...."I think I know where your pet is!"

Quickly I went to get Loboto-Bear....but he was nowhere to be found. "Hmmm...I knew he was here watching Spongebob with Samantha a minute ago. Where could he have gone?"

More Mommy searching...

Mr. Potato Head Corn Buddy Mommy??

Noooooooooooooo

Thanks, Satrina, for the funny "Mommy" pictures you hunted down! Hilarious!

"Are you my mommy?"

Loboto-Bear was well behaved in the supermarket. I quickly found out that he does not like free deli cheese like my kids do. He had a certain fascination though with items that were yellow with green tops. I wondered if maybe he thought these things looked familiar...maybe like his mommy?

Pineapple Mommy?
Noooooooooo.

Lemon Juice Mommy?
Noooooooo.

Every Moochie needs a home....

And on the web too! Just because little Loboto-Bear is new here, it doesn't mean he shouldn't have a place to blog, right? He went
with us on a trip to Shurfine today. He seemed to enjoy watching the rain drops fall on the window.


[Uh, pay no attention to the fact that he's not actually looking out the window.]