Booming Banter

When we headed off to the park this morning the rain had stopped. We visited the little geese who are growing as fast as our weeds. They looked like they were having fun so I thought I’d join them.

Their parents weren’t so keen on my idea and took a run at me.

They then took off into the water and I was all set to join them but Ma pulled me back and said she didn’t want to have to deal with a wet dog yet again.

No sooner had she spoken than the heavens opened. We were about a mile and a half from home and it poured all the way. We were worse if that’s possible that we were earlier in the week.

Herself had on her waterproof Barbour but all the rain ran off it and the water was running out of her shorts down into her shoes. You gotta feel sorry for your humans sometimes. Needless to say I too was dripping too.

As soon as she got the worst of the water off me she took off for the bath saying she was freezing.

I stopped by to see her a few times and considered jumping in but then heard Dad at the snacks.

She was away for ever and that is never a good sign. When she emerged she’d taken the Alien look to a new dimension.

She looked even worse when she took the round things out. I bet they’d be fun to shred but she put them away for another day.

Just as long as she has no plans to use them on me I’m cool to pretend she looks normal even though I’ve seen glove puppets with hair like that!

Blesssing # 703 – Muppets

The storms didn’t give up and we suffered a casualty. One of Mom’s favorite garden ornaments bit the dust. It’s a swan that is no longer dying it’s well and truly dead. She noticed it when she took me out for my early morning business and then abandoned me to put the flowers that were in it in the earth.

When we eventually got around to switching on the news we discovered that we were lucky. In that state up north of us several dams had burst and tens of thousands had to be evacuated.

It sure put things in perspective for my person: one dead duck’s manageable the worst floods in five hundred are not.

This afternoon I had some much needed time to myself. As things are getting back to normal in retail Ma took Dad to an appointment he had and went to polish up and restock her little antique stand.

It’s just as well the store relocated because she said the street where it was before got flooded last night. I’m glad she’s back in business because all her treasures block up the garage and get in my way.

I had such a good snooze that I was raring to go when they got back. Alas it was only a one mile march as the pesky rain came on again. Indoor tennis anyone? Or maybe just big cuddles!

Blessing # 702 – Holding Tight

They may go and find me a mate  as we soon need to enter the ark!

It has rained non stop since five o’clock yesterday afternoon. We had a tornado touch down about thirty miles from here and the trajectory was in our direction. Fortunately it decided to hold off.

All around us new ponds and rivers have formed. I’m quite partial to a paddle so it doesn’t worry me a bit. Quite refreshing!

However, herself is willing to get soaked only twice in one day so since we had a super drenching this morning I’m having to hold on some more until she is willing to walk again.

Our back yard looks OK but when you walk it feels like rice paddy. The feet sink into sludge. Out where our mint grows at the front door a small lake has formed that Ma is turning into a water feature.

All this does make me appreciate her though as no other dogs were seen out today and it is good fun to play catch with the towel when we come home.

The rain really brings out the poodle in me I go all curly and soft and cute.

When I dry it also brings out all my golden highlights too. 

Fortunately though no ones had the idea of puffing me up like a peacock. I’d take the hand off any who tried.

Looks like I’m in for a few more of these mad hair days. They do say cleanliness is next to godliness just wish he’d hurry up with that rainbow.

Blessing # 701 – Down Dog Days

We did our usual weekly family weigh in this morning and the face of the mother said it all. In spite of walking religiously she was closely approaching the point of no return on the scale. The place she said she’d never surpass again was within half a pound’s reach! I’ve told her she’s been having too many chocolate chip cookies, chips, ice-cream and of course the demon WINE! Will she listen? Might as well talk to the wall!

I dropped a pound which didn’t surprise me one bit being the fine physical specimen that I am. It may also be due to dehydration as she walked me into the ground yesterday and it was roasting. My tongue was touching my ankles!

She is immediately implementing intense remedial therapy as the pool will open in two weeks and she dare not expose the bod in its current condition. Bad enough that it’s white as the driven snow it will also be impossible to squeeze into any bathing cossy!

First up she hit the mint. Started harvesting it by the bushel load and stuffing it into teapots. She even tried to get me to eat some. I can assure you all that grass tastes much better.

Once she’d brewed for a while the potion was transferred to a big jug full of ice. She couldn’t persuade anyone else to try it so she’s drunk it nearly all herself  at least her kidneys are getting a work out.

Then she set to chopping all sorts of greens that contain mostly water and that no one else in the house will eat. Dad feigns indigestion at the sight of cucumbers and the bro categorically refuses raw green anything unless it is dripping in ranch dressing which somewhat defeats the purpose.

After boiling a load of eggs she finally hit the dressing. Bottles were being emptied quicker than you could say spinach. Anything that had a dreg in it was dumped into a big almost empty mayo bottle. The primary ingredient was apple cider vinegar. The very smell of it would strip paint. On top of this went enough chili and garlic paste to eliminate the need for social distancing. All this was then decanted into something that had a touch of real salad dressing in it and warnings were issued to all household members not to mistake it or they’d suffer. Trust me one sniff of that and you’d run!

The burn your way to beauty was liberally dispensed onto her greens and eggs and she wolfed it down. I left the room till it was over. Certainly won’t be begging for any of that.

Blessing # 700 – Fighting Fit

The sooner things get back to normal the better. Sunday’s usually are rush rush rush to get me out and back before the Ma and Pa leave for Church. I’ve enjoyed participating in Church from home but it’s getting a bit old now and I want them out of the house for a few hours peace.

The bro doesn’t surface from the basement till midday so I could have the place all to myself. Instead I have to put up with all sorts of false starts when it comes to even getting out on Sunday. Herself doesn’t have her pal to meet so she dawdles around. First there’s coffee after coffee and a tease for me with those chocolate doodads that the bro brings home. I only get the tail end because “chocolate is not good for puppies”. Balderdash!

After she’d noshed enough this morning she disappeared to the bathroom. Of course I followed her and found she was up to no good. She’d plastered her face in some type of blue grey gunk and then settled back onto the sofa with yet more coffee.

All her pals on Facebook had been making Avatars of themselves so of course not to be outdone she had to get at it too. Hers turned out quite well especially the ones where she looks grumpy!

I could have told her though that she didn’t need an app for Avatars. With that blue stuff on she already looked like an extraterrestrial.

Blessing # 699 – (Re)Incarnations

My bro was on first shift today so left home at 5:45. Fortunately herself and Dad decided that was too early for them to get up on a Saturday to wave him off so we three had a good lie in.

She had to do a little run to the post office so I rode along shotgun style for a treat. She swung past the store where she buys Dads whiskey and while there she was tempted by a little vino she’d tried and liked that was on special offer. 

Some might call it excessive I’ll call it patriotism to be kind but she invested in a whole case. Her excuse is a ten percent discount. A young man helped her get it in the car as she feigned old lady weakness. Hope he sees her in the gym and realizes she’s a big fibber.

Not one single thing did she get me so I went under the table in a huff when we got back.

I surfaced when she broke into a new pack of Maire biscuits. She eats them by the handful so I know if I sit close and drool enough she’ll give me one or two.

Now she playing those videos again while waiting for her pal to come by to go for a walk.

I’m sick to the back teeth listening to what color to wear with what lipstick and how to pack enough clothes to last a week in NYNY.

Still, I better be kind as she is taking me out in the sun soon and then I’m sure when we get back Dad will give me a spoonful of lasagne. It’s one of her better dinner dishes and a bro favorite!

Blessing # 698 – Compromises

The bro, who is a person of considerable wealth given the hours he’s working, has taken to buying us all little gifts as a surprise now and then.

Ma usually gets flowers or candy. Today she got a cala lily. Dad got a hat and I got this big thing that I wasn’t quite sure what to do with.

It really doesn’t smell of much but they put it on my daybed and kept telling me to chew it. It was bigger than any chew I’d seen before but eventually I decided they wouldn’t do me harm so I tore in.

Its a bit like eating bacon rinds and takes a lot of effort but I’m enjoying it. There are storms coming in so it will keep me going till they pass and I can get out to stretch the legs again.

We had a good one last night so herself was happy all the things that she’d plant got watered. They darn near got washed away.

The big banner that they put in the yard to celebrate the bro’s graduation almost took off. They had to bang it back in readiness for the next round of gales.

All that lightening and thunder doesn’t faze me at all but if they think I need calming and it comes in the form of rawhide what else could I do but play the game!

Blessing # 698 – Dance in the Rain

The energizer bunny must have passed by last night. Herself has not stopped all day. Apart from taking me for a walk early on she has been constantly on the go.

Must say I am not entirely happy about how she treated me. She was digging holes all around the house. I’m not exaggerating when I say she must have dug one hundred! She thought I couldn’t see her but I was watching from the windows.

No sooner was that done than she hit the clothes cupboard. She’s been watching this woman called Trinny who has a house made of closets filled to the gills with luxury garments. Everything is organized so she’s trying to do the same with her gear!

Total chaos and pandemonium! At least she let me in on this job.

Its better than it was but I do feel so lucky not to need all that stuff!

Blessing # 697 – A Classic Fur Coat

Today was so much more fun than the past days have been. Everyone around me seemed to be full of energy and in a super good mood. It’s incredible what a little sunshine can do.

The chipmunks we’re out in force in the woods on the way to the park. They move so fast even I don’t think I could catch them. They are like mini squirrels. Just perfect Bite Size

I will not even mention what the squirrels were up to. Let’s just say that wedding bells were ringing!! I was blushing!!!!

After all the romping around I couldn’t believe my luck. For the first time in ten weeks I was left all alone in my home sweet home.

The bro was at work and the parents both went out this afternoon so I got a nice chew chew and some much needed time alone.

Bliss. Don’t you just love your own company now and then?

Blessing # 696 – Normal Nonsense

First, let me report that the fish curry was OK it wasn’t as good as Dad does himself but it was all scoffed. Ma hasn’t got the finesse!

Today has been an upside down sort of day. It started with record cold that totally did Ma’s head in.

She started making dinner at breakfast time. Chopping like a serial killer and throwing things in that big black pot that stews for hours. The smell drove me nuts.

The bro was vegetating in the basement till lunchtime so I only had the ancients around. He emerged at midday ate a plateful of chicken nuggets and vanished again. He reemerged at two thirty, wolfed down some of what Ma had cooked and then took off for work.

She then took the big black pot and put it in the sun room and went to bed! At least the smell disappeared. I was perplexed but joined her as Dad was watching that COVID series on CNN again. I do wish that it is soon over.

We took a long siesta and when we got up she started putting a lot of that stuff in the black pot in dishes and stuck them in the freezer. The rest she put on plates. What the heck? I was totally puzzled by this point. Had I suffered for nothing? Should I take a stand and protest?

That’s when the day took an upturn  she scraped what was left in the pot into my bowl and mixed it with my crunchies. Oh yummy mummy it was worth the trauma. I ate every tiny bit before going for my walk.

We were no sooner out than we met Enzo my biggest bud. He’d escaped his yard as he hadn’t his electric collar on. We played chase up and down the street and dodged a few cars before his Dad caught him. It was a good laugh!!

I really needed that little boost of fun. Too much sleeping and eating really wears a body out!

Blessing # 695 – Playmates