I have decided long ago that I should have my own column.  After recently getting engaged, I thought I would start on writing about the trials and tribulations of planning a wedding.

 Until last night.  I was starting my first blog on the whole relationship steps and then my fiancée turned to me and said, "Did you know there are two days out of the year when no professional sports are played." Oh really? If I would have known this I would have petitioned for these two days to be national holidays.

 However, I did have to endure the Homerun Derby...until I lured his attention away with video games.  Then I was reminded of the All-Star game. Two days without professional sports my foot. Enough!

 It have taken an active interest for the greater good of my relationship to learn and be more involved in the things my fiancée likes.  However, I know the difference between ERAs and RBIs, he should know the difference between broiling and boiling.

 I was told no matter what, I can watch my television shows when a game is on, however I am banished to the bedroom (or I end watching the game). The reason is: I look into those sad pitiful eyes as he says, "but look how great the game looks in HD. It's like your there."  Then maybe you should go there.

 The only other channels that seemed to stick on our TV, is the hundred channels of ESPN.  Wait, scratch that...99 channels. (I really thought "The Ocho" was a real ESPN channel). What the hell is up with the love for ESPN - they update what every 5 minutes.

 Throughout our relationship, I have bought by sport-loving fiancée autographs and one Astros' jersey with his name on the back.  When we moved to our new place, I decided in our spare bedroom to place all the sports memorable and autographs in there. 

 Yet, three autographed footballs from the University of Texas (my fiancée’s Alma Mater) sit on my beautiful, slender shelves, as the other two hold decorative vases and photos.  It makes my picture-perfect living room look like less polished.

 This morning as I looked up at the shelves I had an epiphany.  On the top left shelf are his footballs and on the right are my vases and "girl stuff", but on the bottom shelf that is centered between the two, is two black and white photos of us, plus a ceramic hot air balloon from the Paris Hotel and Casino, a reminder of where he proposed.

 It made me realize that the two entirely different sides are what make it work; it makes it interesting and fun. It also made me realize that we will always meet in the middle...well, except when it comes to television remote

We got our puppy.  We brought him home late Friday afternoon.  

Oh, and he does have a name.  After the name search and tossing back ideas, we decided on Austin.   Austin because, my boyfriend is a UT grad, because one of my favorite spots is in Austin, the Littlefield Fountain and it’s just a nice place we like to retreat to.  Not to mention, we had a bird named Mac Brown and well, he died choking on bird seed.  This seemed to shadow Texas' football season. Bevo was one we had to rule out; it seems more fitting for a cow.

He had his first set of shots last Monday.  He is supposed to go back in 3 weeks, which gives me time to look for a vet.  However, Austin, who is only 8 weeks old, has found love in his toy bear.  His love is disturbing and I really want to snip, I mean nip that problem before he finds love in everything.

I read a few places online to not have him neutered until 4 months of age.  I guess I can live with him loving the bear for a few couple more months. I read another site that says you can have your pet neutered (or spayed) at 8 weeks - that seems a little too young.

Back to trying to find a vet, this is really hard.  Especially when you are new an area and don't know a lot of people.  I could ask co-workers, but considering we are all from different parts of Houston, well I don't want to drive 20 minutes and get stuck in traffic.

Plus you don't want some one way expensive that is more about the mighty dollar than your beloved pet.  I'm not sure about vet chains - however VCA is a couple of miles from my home and there is one in Victoria, which is nice since we visit there. 

It was refreshing to see a coupon, but at the same time, when do you get a coupon to see the doctor?It was very helpful to research online. Although I found a place close to home but the vet was dressed in Renaissance entire with her family on the clinic's website. Not too sure about that.

I understand that pet store chains do have vet services, but that's a little scary.  That's like going to Wal-Mart for a physical or annual check-up - are you really getting what you need to be healthy?

I found some reviews online. Some are very helpful, other scare the hell out of me.  This one was quite alarming: "BEWARE! Their Vet that is staffed is DIFFERENT every day or two! My Puppy was there for a week so throughout her stay she saw 4 DIFFERENT doctors who all had DIFFERENT approaches to treating my poor puppy. One wanted to do as much medical treatment as possible, and did while they were there. The next day, the next vet did not feel this was a good idea and did the opposite. They put my puppy through a rollercoaster. I would have much rather they stuck to a plan. Then, to make things worse, when I questioned the activity, one vet actually bad-mouthed the other 3 vets!!! That was not very comforting. They did not check on my puppy and allowed her temperature to drop 10 degrees below average and she was in for a sickness that needed extensive monitoring and care. Please, Please! Ask questions before you go to this vet...if you are actually willing to risk your animal’s life."

There were other horror stories about a dog that got away from the vet boarding area and ran into traffic.  There even was a story about misdiagnosis and prescription mix-up.I'm glad I have a few weeks to figure it out.  I think I may have it narrowed down.  It's just amazing how similar it is to finding doctors and hospitals for us humans.

I went to a great baseball game Friday night.  I think it was probably one of the best games I have seen in Victoria. I traveled to Victoria for my father's birthday and a quick visit.  When my mother arrived home, she asked me and my boyfriend if we wanted to go with her to a baseball game; one of the students that she works with was playing in the game that evening. We decided to go, despite the humidity and love bugs.  With me working in Northwest Houston and my boyfriend working in The Woodlands, it is sometimes hard to get to an Astros game.  Plus, we miss Victoria baseball.  We both covered it for the Advocate. We get there and find a seat on the stands.  The bases were loaded and there were no outs.  The next batter comes up to bat.   The pitch flew by and the batter swung and missed.  The batter is again unsuccessful with the second pitch.  Third pitches comes flying and the batter swings and the ball goes soaring - home run.  It continued to be a success for the team as 10 batters reached home plate. I really wasn't sure which team to cheer for.  I mean 10 runs!  My mom had pointed out the student in the outfield and we waved, but the other team was on fire. The visitors were up.  I wondered how they would manage a catch up.  It's been a very long time that I have been to a game where 10 runs were scored in 1 inning.  Imagine the batting averages and RBI stats for that team. The visitors were off to a shaky start.  But before I could flick a few love bugs of me, the bases were once again loaded with no outs showing.   Once again I ended up cheering and yelling and not sure which team to root for.   The game came to end and it was quite sad, because I good have enjoyed that all night.  We didn't spend over $20 for admission or $35 on food, like we would back in Houston.  That was a very nice change of pace.

It wasn't the new UHV Jaguars that we saw. It wasn't a Memorial play-off game or even the Flyers.  Nope, this wasn't something else, something better than all that. It was Challenger baseball.

For those of you who have never been to a game or think children with disabilities shouldn't be playing a sport that could get them hurt, I urge you to go check it out.  

It is a chance for kids to come together as a team and be cheered for.  No outs or runs are counted.  Everybody plays, everybody scores and everybody wins.  It gives them something to look forward to, something that they can find happiness in.  

It brought tears to my eyes to see kids that are picked last or never picked at all, to smile and beam with pride as they touch home plate.

 Funny how things work out, it seems like only yesterday when Houstonians were in a rage about Roger Clemens deciding to leave us and follow his buddy Andy Pettitte (another traitor).  How could he just turn his back on his friends, his teammates and fans?  I'll tell you how, he succumbed to greed.

As our beloved Astros went into many countless slumps, numerous player and personnel changes, the Rocket took on another battle. And how that battle made us smile.  Karma came back and bit him in the butt, or in this case shot him in the butt with human growth hormone (allegedly).

And we debated if he was guilty as he sweated out his truth before Congress as Brian McNamee, his former strength and conditioning coach retells the account and produces evidence. His buddy Pettitte tried it, his wife tried it; so wouldn't it seem that the seven-time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher (not to mention 354 career wins) would try HGH.  

We watched the trial on a local news channel (or those working recorded it). We all had a snicker when Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md. told Roger, "It's hard to believe you, sir.  I hate to say that. You’re one of my heroes. But it's hard to believe," because we all felt that way.  We didn't want to like him because he left, but at the same token we didn't want to hate him.  I think it was a little fun to seem him sweat.

And now, he's sweating again.  This time it isn't over if he took steroids, but who he slept with.  As of now, 3 women, 2 famous and one not, have come out saying that they had a relationship with Clemens.  However, none of them really have commented on what type of relationship they had.  

The first to come out was Mindy McCready. Her background reads like one of the songs in her singing genre.  So to hear that, well it was a little skeptical; until Clemens’ wife decided to say yes she is a family friend.

Then another woman, a former Manhattan bartender, Angela Moyer says she knew Clemens.

The best one of all, beside the country singer train wreck and former bartender, is Paulette Dean Daly, bad boy golfer, John Daly's ex-wife.   So sources come out and say the father of four and Dean were spotted in Palm Springs and he flew her to his games at Anaheim Stadium.  Her response on being asked if she had a romantic relationship with Clemens: "You know what, I'm really uncomfortable talking about this. I'm just going to have to say, 'No comment.'  "I know Roger. I consider him a good friend. That's all I'm comfortable saying." 

I guess we should be glad that he stays out of the lime light when he's here in Houston.  Its bad enough we have to be home to a diaper wearing astronaut, amongst the other crazies, but home to a steroid injecting, having affairs, greedy, in denial sports star?  Oh wait; we have a few of those here already.

We are getting a puppy in a few weeks.  We have been thinking about getting a dog and thought about going the schnauzer route, since my parents have one, my brother has one and we have friends that have one.  Not to mention, they make great dogs.  However, $300 to $500 for a puppy is a little steep, especially on top of a $500 pet deposit.  Besides that in some places in Houston (and I've seen them in Victoria) there are breeders and puppy mills lining the streets and sometimes you just don't know what your getting.  It's really sad, but I'll save that for another blog.

A homely, pregnant stray found her way to my boyfriends sister's house.  She's not a prize winner in the looks department, but she is a loyal, sweetheart of a dog.  We don't know what she is or what she bred with. We think she is a chihuahua daschund mix that is a grey dapple (although I have heard it referred to as blue merle).

About four weeks ago, we went over to his sister's and  noticed that her belly had gotten bigger.  We all decided that indeed she was pregnant.  The next day, five little puppies were born. 4 boys (2 white with spots, 1 just like his mom, and the other grey with tan markings) and 1 little girl, who has a problem with her left eye.  We immeditly decided to take the grey one.  We didn't know how hard it would be for her to find homes for them and it sucks to see a puppy go to a shelter or the pound because it doesn't have a home.  (Luckily - all the puppies have been spoken for.  The little girl puppy will be flying to Ohio with my boyfriend's brother-in-law; one may stay with them and the mother; and the other two males have homes in the area).

We are getting ready and purchased a few things.  Also, trying to figure out how to introduce the ferrets to a puppy will be a challenge; however Chloe tried to play with my parent's dog, but scared the dog.  I'm not sure how Buster will do, I'm sure fine.

Our new problem is we can't think of a name.  Maybe we should wait until we bring him home and see what fits him, maybe we should have a name.   We have decided to have people help us with a name or give us ideas.

We were changing cell phone companies last night and as I walked around the Radio Shack looking at merchadise and watching a basketball game I started writing names down out of sheer boredom.  Barkley - seemed to be one that we liked and is now the front runner.

We tried Vegas themed names, since we love Las Vegas and go there every year.  We have toyed if with regular dog names, popular dog names and just silly ideas.

So do you want to help name our dog? We sure could use the help.