Wednesday Smiles

 

Hits and Misses

With a young rescue dog in the house, quiet time to write is at a premium - so sometimes it's best to just admit defeat and let your afternoon "go to the dogs".

Today's training with my Partner in Grime (my husband EJ) and Sunny was catching a ball from a prone position.  Though she's 14 months old she lived in a crate for 10 months so she's a bit behind in social skills and training but is quite smart and eager to please.  

Not sure how much "we" learned, but it was fun.

Wait!  I wasn't ready!

Did I tell you I wasn't ready?

Score!

It went THAT way!

Sunny grabs the ball - Take # 37.

Poetry in motion!

Branching Out

You all remember the dog elevator?  It was built with a winch motor and some lumber when Lorelei Lab couldn't do the stairs any longer. 

That thing behind it is the Juniper Bush from hell.

Despite whacking at it regularly, it just kept growing and taking over much of the yard. Juniper is also toxic to dogs and although Barkley, Abby, and Lorelei ignored it, Sunny wants to eat it like it's a bag of Doritos.  So out it comes.

So my husband decided to slay it, once and for all.  So after I got done with a week of work in DC (the meeting that would not die) it started. It took a couple of evenings after work , most of one weekend, and numerous sandwiches, but it's done.  

We didn't find a job of prohibition-era moonshine like we did when the front porch was rebuilt, but there was a maple tree trying its best to grow in there and a bunch of catnip (which explains the stoned long-hair car we'd find lounging on the dog elevator ramp, totally obvious to the fact dogs live here),.

The brush pile is as tall as my truck. 

Now to get rid of the remains.  Maybe it just needs the right sign.

Out of fireworks? - This will light up like the 4th with extra pops and crackling (Firemen not included)

Must rehome - Emotional Support Brush Pile

Free Free-Range Kindling

DIY Viking Funeral - just add boat and dead Viking

$50 - Natural Gin Flavoring. 

Failing that - we'll call the arborists who took out our 2 dead spruce trees and see if they want some mulch material when they're in the neighborhood.   

Hey Napoleon - my Mom and Dad left this GIANT pile of sticks unattended.

WE RIDE AT DAWN!

I wish everyone were this easy to please. . .

Madam:  My Treat Cube appears to be empty.

Everyone should have a mom with opposable thumbs!



 

Lab Lessons

OK Sunny, let me explain how this "fetch" thing works.  

This is your "Hurl a Squirrel". This is what you will "fetch"

I'm not sure about this, Dad.

Sunny, I throw the squirrel and then you get it and bring it back.

HAHA Dad - how about I lay here and you give me treats.

Sunny, trust me, you aren't called a Lab Retriever for nothing.

Are you listening?  There WILL be a treat.

A treat?  Why didn't you say that first thing?

I'm on it Dad!

This is fun!

I brought it back dad, where's my treat?

Happy Independence Day!

 To celebrate the fourth -  A jaunt around the neighborhood to work on leash skills (during the five weeks of the Illinois 13-year Cicada swarm, leash training went out the window).

But I saw a Cat dad!

See - I can walk like a good girl!  Where's my treat?

It's a whole BOX of treats!  From my favorite place Chewy!

It's a fox - stuffed with ropes so I can't de-squeak it immediately!

Mr. Fox - meet the Jaws of Doom

He's not putting up much of a fight Mom.

Can you ear me now. . . . 

What, we were just talking about the weather.

Mr. Fox - welcome to the Johnson Home for Hearing Impaired Stuffies.