Booming Banter

Our final day on the park challenge had us going round in circles. We knew we had two more parks to hit to meet our goal.

Try as we might it was impossible to find an entrance into Oak Ridge even though we drove past the address five times. Nothing if not determined my Ma.

So to avoid me passing out or suffering a malaise she decided to head to the other one we hadn’t explored. Alas it is still a work in progress!

By now my desire to pee had escalated to urgency so I told her to put the pedal down and get us to the nearest possible tree.

So agreed and we ended up back where we started at Adventure park. This time we did the sights and watched a lot of people.

Skate board dudes, basket ball high schoolers, climbing frames toddlers, Girl Scouts and even a group of ladies dressed in salwar kameeze like my auntie Hema wears exploring big trees!

I let kids pet me as I’m a decent sort and they all think I’m so sweet.

Little do they know that I’m a giant of a soul. Just like my shadow that has been walking with me and another huge person all week long.

Blessing # 822 – Adventurers

Our park target for the week is paying off great for me. Shame Ma’s project isn’t advancing as well.

She is possessed that she’ll work out how to get the plans drawn all my herself. She keeps hitting brick walls though! Today’s upside was that she got the third quote on the HVAC system so was chewing her fingers as to which one to pick! This called for fresh air!

So off we went once more to yet another of the towns parks. This one we’d never even heard of let alone been even though our family have lived here for ten years!

It was so worth the visit. A beautiful spot with two trails. Ironically located on Seldom Seen Road.

We took both trails and will let the pictures speak for themselves.

I found a great little hiding place that would be ideal for hunting down a bunny or two if herself would let me spend the night alone.

Definitely we’ll be going back
We just got a first taste of what the fall colors might look like today! Herself also got her head cleared and made a decision on the HVAC so we’re on the way to both heating and cooling!

Blessing # 821 – Road Less Travelled

This morning I alerted Ma to the trespassers in our yard. I got rid of them pretty fast too!

She appreciated and took me on a park crawl.

We hit Adventure Park, the Village Green and Library Park in one walk. Made up for yesterday and the days not done yet! We snagged some nice weeds down by the railroad tracks. Anyone know what they are?

I suspected there may have been and alternative motive for her pampering when she put some poop in a bag and slung it in the car.

Indeed after a bit of freshening up next up she wheels me back into the car and off we went to the vets.

It was that time of year to pretend you are a pin cushion.

I endured stoically but man am I glad I’m declared a super healthy hero and am back home again in my own kitchen!

Hoping for some special treat to compensate for my suffering this evening! Seems I need to get a dental chew a day to keep my pearlies polished! Yummy Mummy!

Blessing # 820 – Annual Events

How do you meet your goals if you keep going back to the same place? Unless of course if it’s to think from the comfort of your favorite armchair.

That’s what I thought today when Ma forced me to make two trips to Meadowview our usual duck pond park. We ain’t gonna get those parks done this week as planned.

Good reason though as it turned out. She hasn’t lost the plot. The second visit was to meet auntie Lori.

She is back at school so we cannot walk with her in the morning. Man was I glad we got to trot with her this afternoon though. Treats a gogo. She must have been saving them up all week just for me.

I’ll happily make a return trip there anytime any day. In fact I might just escape and go visit her by myself. All I need to do is lie in wait!

Sometimes it pays to resign yourself to the benefits of places close to home They can offer just as much if not more than new adventures.

Blessing # 819 – Familiarity

My Ma and me have a goal for the week. We are trying to hit ever park in our town. There are eight so it’s doable!

Yesterday we did a little one but this afternoon herself was full of energy as we’d had a snooze so we hit Liberty Park the biggest one.

It was full of kids of all sizes playing soccer. There were tiny ones and there were great big guys too.

We picked a little bunch of wildflowers. Tiny little blooms but beautiful colors.

Just when we got home and sat down we got a text from auntie Laura. She had picked a bunch of flowers from her garden. They were so beautiful and so big compared to our little bunch.

The colors though make me think they must have been painted by the same artist.

What do you think?

Blessing # 818 – Great&Small

I have the life of Reilly.

This time last year I was a 24lb one year old and a lot less sure of myself. My tail was definitely between my legs.

I’d just arrived in this big house and was feeling overwhelmed with all the new things. I was super cute though.

Fast forward 365 days and I’m two and 38 lbs. I’ve grown so tall and strong and am the king of all I survey.

I have my throne.

I eat like a king

I sleep like a baby anywhere I like, on or under the bed as my preference takes me.

I ride up front in my car and even control the TV remote. I deserve every happiness.

Why? Well I am the number one greatest love bug in the whole wide world.

Blessing # 817 – Just Reward

On Ma’s Facebook memories a photo of a balloon popped up today. It had landed in our yard exactly one year ago. She thought at the time it was a message from heaven that my predecessor Dibley had sent. He’d passed the rainbow bridge earlier that week and Ma and Pa and the bro were feeling very blue.

Little did they know that I was on a truck taking a long road trip from Texas to take care of them.

It was Friday 13 September, 2019 and it wasn’t the most comfortable of journeys. I had to bunk with 25 other puppies but it was a lucky day for me. My pals and I felt happy that we’d been rescued by good people who were taking us to safety at The Canine Collective in Plain City Ohio.

The very next day after a short sleep at that safe and clean and happy CC kennel I found my forever family. More on that tomorrow!

For today let’s just say that sometimes you need to cross a few borders before you reach your final destination!

Blessing # 816 – A Journey

Those who know Ma know that she speaks in code.

Would you like to drive out to the country, we’ll go somewhere we’ve not been loosely translates to I’ve an urge to go bargain hunting in barns but have not seen any sale advertised today

Poor Da is a sucker for her ploys. So it was that today after she’d fortified him with a good lunch we all set off.

I could sense her panick that after twenty miles we were still driving through the fields of gold as Sting would say.

Just then we hit a place with the fortuitous name of Prospect and she did indeed strike gold.

Three chairs for a dollar and an old telephone table that she got for a buck too. Granted the chairs have no seats and the table is grunge unlimited but she has vision and she has PAINT!

Think of me though dear reader as I was jammed into a tiny space to make room for her loot. She needs a truck for Christmas!

It felt quite cosy though after a while and not at all unlike my safe space.

Oh and I forgot to mention those chairs are going to be used to display the art in the tea-room. Just in case you thought she was planning to move into upholstery! Mercy!

Blessing # 815 – Limited Space

We had to paint again today to prevent a nervous breakdown.

The internet may have been restore but we’ve discovered part of the roof is off.

Our neighbors to the side found pieces of it in their garden yesterday.

The neighbors across the street captured the « touch down » on Monday evening. Now that we’re reconnected they were able to share with us today and we can almost see the roof being ripped off. Good to have if we do need to go through the insurance.

Painting is better than tearing your hair out I suppose so I help her stay calm as does copious quantities of bread with peanut butter and ginger jam!

I’m not sure she’s adding value to her rescues or giving them a better chance to be rehomed.

If it keeps her nerves steady I’ll just stick the snout out the window and breathe deeply.

Blessing # 814 – Brush Strokes

After six long weeks of being out of commission our fridge freezer is back in the land of the living.

Seems this time we had a Freon leak! I’m so glad it’s working because herself has bought a bucket load of ice cream so I’ll me wrapping my chops around a drop or two of that later on.

Dad is delighted too because he can get a few ice cubes in his whiskey and of course give me some.

Herself was working up an appetite for the cool stuff by spending the afternoon painting a big picture frame in the sun.

She went to a class last night at the antique store to learn all about the Dixie Bell chalk paint products they sell. That way if customers ask what different things are for she’ll have at least a basic knowledge of the range.

Today she « transformed » a framed print bought some weeks ago. While she forgot to take a pic of the original frame the revived version looks good.

Puzzled though that those flowers don’t smell like mine on the patio!

Blessing # 813 – Greener