Booming Banter

Mom was working this afternoon and so we went out early for our big walk. It was so cool compared to these past days so we got all our steps in before ten o’clock without any panting. I was glad because I was really quite tired from my exertions of yesterday.

Before she left for work at 12:15 she took me down to the end of our street for a pee. Two of my best friends Josie and Georgia live there. They are Cockapoo sisters and are both in love with me. Of course I play it cool but they chase me around like crazy.

They are one year old so just teenagers not nearly as mature as myself! Today their humans invited me into their big back yard to run around for ten minutes. Two days of freedom in a row is too good to be true.

When we came home I helped Mom wolf down her lunch which was a delicious cheese souffle that the bro had brought from work.

He also bought her some custom made masks that came all the way from Ireland. She had me help her choose one for work today. I gave my seal of approval to Ulster.

It sure is ironic that our humans have to wear the muzzles these days but if it keeps them safe I’m all for it. Just as long as I’m free.

Blessing # 755 – Masking a Statement

 

 

This day will go down in Scooby history as momentous. If you were Van Morrison you’d write a song about it!

I just cannot contain my excitement.

Early this afternoon my Ma said let’s go car. I was out in a flash. We took off and took the route to the beach. EXCEPT this time we stopped not at the human beach but at the doggie one!

You have never in your life seen such a place. It is doggie paradise.

I was a bit hesitant at first to get in the water. I watched the other dogs and played with them on the sand but that water was new to me.

There were boats going up and down the lake so that made waves which kinda freaked me out. Plus I’d never been swimming in this much water before. So what did Ma do? She got in with me.

Once she did that I got my confidence and soon I was doggie paddling like the best of them.

Of course Ma had to put her phone to the side so it wouldn’t get wet so you can’t see us both in the water but we had fun.

When we got out we were both soaked of course so we then went to the big dog park to dry off.

Oh that place is amazing you can run round in circles like a crazy canine and play with lots of other four pawed persons.

I even met a cute little lady and we chilled together. Don’t tell my girlfriend! It’s just a little summer romance!!!

Blessing # 754 – Days Like This

When the clouds roll in and your Ma gets thrown out of the pool because of thunder and lightning you can be sure you’ll have a good afternoon vegging together.

It’s clear  a parent is obsessed with you when she sees your image in the clouds. They have tablets for people like that. Next thing you know she’ll be painting me.

We saw that a new little store has open in town where you go with girlfriends to drink wine and paint. She is planning now for fall.

There is also a cooking school just  round the corner. She does her best to russle up something most days and of course I assist. Some lessons might be better for all of us than taking up the brush. Extend her repertoire to include more steak and less onions!

Could even stretch to a kiss for that!

Blessing # 753 – Meat Matters

There is a small room in our basement that my Mom has claimed as her own. She has it set up as a place to escape to but never uses it. Don’t ask me why!

It lies between the big room where the bro plays his war games and where we all go when there is a tornado warning and the boiler and AC unit where we hope we never need to go or else we’re in trouble.

In her own little place Ma stores her stash of books that she collects all year round for the pool season.

Any book that is part of her read again or ready reference is also stored her. This way they don’t get mixed up with Dad’s massive store.

This week she completed her fourth book of the summer The Handmaid’s Tale, which is scary given the current climate, and so we went in search of the fifth.

There is some process to the selection that includes the length of chapters, the size of print and the thickness of the tome and of course the draw of the outline.

I helped her choose this time and we homed in on The Bridges of Madison County.

As always there is method in my madness. I’m hoping it will inspire her to take us on a tour of the covered bridges of Ohio. Picnic plans speak so sweetly to me!

Blessing # 752 – Texts and Treats

The bro has his days off today and tomorrow so we got to hang out and then go out.

Usually it’s Dad and me together in the morning but it’s more fun when the bro’s about. He plays rough whereas Dad just plays ball.

Ma was in a bit of a mood this morning as the storm had wrecked her front garden.

She cheered up though when she salvaged a wee bunch and the bro arranged for her car service.

We drove out in convoy to the garage and then all piled into one car for a little road trip.

The bro had spotted a Mini car when the two of us were out cruising at the weekend. He thought we should look at it as it’s Mum’s favorite car in the whole wide world. When we got to the dealership it was sold. They have another though that looks good but the dealer said he had to inspect it as it’s leaking oil. Hardly auspicious!

After that we took the country roads home and I did some back seat driving. The bro was at the wheel and when he drives it’s always more exciting than with you know who. Herself never burns an orange or does anything on two wheels she just plods along. With the bro it feels more like a ride on a roller coaster. Spells vacation to me even if it’s just for an afternoon!

Blessing # 751 – Family Time

Praise be we’re sitting in the screened porch waiting for rain. We can see the clouds and hear the thunder and we pray for a huge downpour. The trees are all rustling like they should. It’s such a sweet sound.

We’re listening to the Duchess of Cornwall on Radio 5 while we’re here. Ma loves her and has become particularly attached during lock down. She’s been making some short videos that Ma watches and that show her great sense of humor and warmth. I like her voice too. Very calming and deep!

Today she’s talking about being an ancient ballerina. Seems she took to dancing just some months ago. Ma can relate as she does this Barre Ballet too.

Thats not the most important thing though that these ladies have in common. They both love rescues. HRH has Beth and Bluebell and Ma of course has me.

Its like HRH can read my Ma’s mind. She’s said perfectly how my Ma feels about me.

We also got what we prayed for. We had to come indoors. We won’t need to water for a few days and got a free hose down of the screens to boot!

Blessing # 750 – A Duchess and A Downpour

 

We just came back from the River bluff trail. This time Ma had the  sense to take water for me. Auntie Lori has also started giving me a bowl when I get to her house each morning and it does make such a difference in this heat.

On the trail we were looking out for critters  and signs of their activities. We saw lots of logs by the side of the river that look like they’ve been used by beavers to sharpen their teeth. We also saw lots of holes that we think could be the entrance into skunks homes. We sure hope we don’t come face to face with one of them.

There are all sorts of paw prints and we play detective trying to work out what they are. Most are easy but some are intriguing and we spin stories about wolves and coyotes and bobcats. Anyone know what this pointy one might be?

Don’t you think every good mystery needs a canine to solve the plot. Sherlock had his bloodhounds but Mum’s favorite Master Shardlake did not.

Maybe I could give him some help. I think I’d fit right in in a Tudor Court! Quite regal really!

Blessing # 749 – Story Makers

Much as we hoped the storm would come our way, when we heard the distant thunder last evening, it passed us by.

We also heard the fireworks from the neighborhood and saw some shooting up to the moon. The bro bought us some sparklers so we lit those and had festive fun too.

Maybe it was all that time spent out in the dark but this morning another tick was stuck to me. I showed Mum and she did the necessary.

After a long walk we were feeling very hot so she went to chill at the pool while I rested by the air vent.

When she returned she said that she had seen her nemesis the dreaded Japanese Beetle swimming too. This strike her with fear and trepidation as it spell disaster for the annuals. Those beetles chew through a geranium before you can say Jack Robinson.

The tick and the beetle got us thinking why do such critters exist? Bugs like bees might sting you but they do good things too like make honey and pollinate our flowers but what good things do beetles and ticks do.

We are truly ignorant to their benefits so if you know please enlighten us. A quick Google explanatory on ticks is that they serve as a food source for birds and as population controllers for deer, mice and other animals. For Japanese Beetles we find no glory.

For all we know they might eat disease causing critters like mosquitoes or attack bacteria or viruses. We might owe them thanks and an apology. In the meantime I’ll nuke or nosh them.

Blessing # 748 – Bug Zappers

I got confused and forgot to post on Friday. Maybe because Ma was rushing out to a street party that I could hear but didn’t attend because of the heat. A really good singer whose a friend of our neighbors came to perform and they had fun. Sounded great.

The very hot weather has done me a favor. Ma has taken pity on my tootsies so in the afternoon instead of walking round our area she has been taking me to the trails at the local forest park.

We get much more shade there so we don’t fry like an onion. There’s lots to see and smell too plus I get a ride in the car on the way there and back. BLISS!

Yesterday we took the trail down to the river. So much water but not a drop to drink. Hiking sure does make you thirsty.

We came across fields of wild flowers including Milk Weeds.
These are weird looking plants but the perfume is fabulous. They deserve a kinder name since they are very useful in attracting Monarch Butterflies. We haven’t seen any on them yet but for sure they will come.

We are so lucky to have these lovely places all around our city. They are called metro parks and are great for families to come for picnics with lots of set ups for BBQs. You can smell that cooking in the air too and to my mind it’s better than any Milk Weed.

I’m working on Ma to convince her we should fry up a few sausages too. She says that’s a hassle but I’m sure she’ll soon cave in!

Since it’s July 4th today the bro and her went to the pool as he’s got the day off. She got him some BBQ so I’m a bit miffed at that but then when they came home he made up for it by taking me for a car ride.

Just us bro’s bonding. Have fun on the fourth y’all!

Blessing # 747 – Independence

My Mom was feeling real blue this morning so we had to find something to lighten her mood.

I tried my usual ploys like playing ball and doing tricks but to no avail. She was all forlorn.

She had to dig though Facebook until she found the trick.

The result was we listened to this geezer called Paul McCarty talking and singing with some other dude for half an hour and touring a place called Liverpool where Ma and the Bro had been last year.

All this before I’d had been out for a trot. I was busting and begging!

So when she said let’s go I took off like a shot.

The music and walk brought a smile back on her face. She said some songs bring back good memories and according to that Sir Paul said « singing makes everything feel better »

Blessing # 746 – Singers of Songs