Booming Banter

It’s as well I have a bladder of steel.

Ma left me with Dad to go painting at 9:15 this morning. I gave her my soulful “take me with you” look but she left without me!

At 6:15 this evening our neighbor Karen came over to say Ma blew a tire on the way home. Seems there was metal debris in the middle of the road and it ripped her tire. Good that it was close to a place she could quickly stop! Shame they don’t fix tires!

She tried calling Dad earlier from the project and he didn’t answer so she knew our phone wasn’t working at home! It’s been on and off like the internet since the big snow. So she called our neighbor instead.

Next up she texted the bro. He was at work in the town where he goes to college so she called AAA. They said the wait for a tow is FOUR hours

The bro called back and said he’d talked to his boss and the boss said he could go rescue Ma.

I wish to heavens someone would rescue me and let me out! I am fit to burst. I’ll just chew piggy.

Blessing # 1017– Exits

Yesterday Ma and me had to go get more paint for the project. I was happy as a clam to get a wee car ride with her.

This pesky light keeps coming on in the car about coolant levels. She asked the bro to check it and he’d done that and said the coolant was fine. The light wouldn’t go away though. Ma said it made her feel uneasy.

After we got the paint she takes a strange way home. She pulls into this place, runs in, runs out again and drags me out of the car into this place that looked suspiciously like a vets office.

Man I was scared. What was she up to? What suffering lay ahead for me. Please not grooming.

I was pained for fifteen whole minutes.

It’s not obvious when I’m worried unlike other canines. My emotions tend to be hidden by hair.

I make noises though, sad little cries and I go droopy.

All that concern was in vain. It wasn’t me who was getting checked out it was the car. The mechanic told Ma he didn’t understand why the light was on as the coolant was fine. Add that to the bro’s scorecard!

Pays to check though when you see that even the best of us like the Tiger can have accidents. Better not tempt fait.

Blessing # 1016 – False Alarm

We were delighted to find that the leak was not leaking when we went to the project yesterday afternoon.

We’d expected the worse because of the thaw. Maybe it’s a done deal but we’ll say nothing for now incase we jinks ourselves.

To celebrate the lack of leak Ma took me to the dog park.

It was awesome. Packed with puppies. Blue sky, pure white snow and no wind.

I was in heaven.

There were pals of all shapes and sizes colors and races in that park and not a cross word was spoken.

One lad looked like a donkey. I know some Great Danes but this was was The GREATEST. There were some teacup pups as well that were about the size of his big toe.

We all played ball and chased each other and sniffed a little.

Why can’t humans be more like us?

Blessing # 1015 – Ideals

My Mother is a hit or miss cook. She misses more often than she hits. Today was a classic case of bin it babe.

Dad was feeling a little under the weather following his vaccine and all the racing around yesterday.

So Ma was pampering him and making his favorite pancakes. The bro hates pancakes but she tried to kill two birds with one stone and offered up making crepes stuffed with Nutella to please the pair of them.

Disaster my dears total disaster. Never try to make crepe with boxed “just add water” pancake mix.

Outcome she had to fire more mix into the batter and make the father real pancakes and scrabble eggs for the bro. She remained calm! JUST just!

Great news for me though. I got eggs and pancakes. She ate the gloop and said it was fine. She’d eat anything that woman.

We’re off to the project now to watch the drips. I’ll report on the seriousness of the situation tomorrow at least she’s sweetened up for the trauma ahead.

Blessing # 1014 – Scraps

Ma was in excessively good mood this morning. She’d got new season strawberries yesterday so made us all banana strawberry smoothie for breakfast.

I needed a reminder that strawberries are tasty as it’s been a while since she bought them. I’d almost forgotten I like them.

It set her off for a big walk and then she took off ostensibly to have hundreds of photocopies made but she landed back with a glass trolley for the tearoom. Can’t resist shopping my Ma. It is super cute though.

We wolfed down a little leftovers and hit the road to deliver all those copies and then since Dad was on board for the ride we went to our favorite thrift store. Nothing great there today so we moved on to another.

We were no sooner there and I was settled down for a snooze while they shopped than the bad news came that the leak was now a four dripper!

Heavens the speed of the journey to get to the place nearly knocked me out. We were flying past those barns. I saw a Church and suggested we stop and pray. She motored on.

Turns out it’s all limited to one area so we’ve bucketed it up for the night. Please please please let the ceiling hold or I might have to deal with a temper tantrum.

Blessing # 1013-Roadrunner

When you are feeling a bit anxious Ma says the best thing to do is get up and get going. Carpe Diem!

That involves getting on your brightest clothes if your human and hitting the road as quickly as you can to confront the worst fears.

Such was this morning. We headed to see the leak at the project as soon as it was light.

This was good news for me because I got to go along and had a big ride in the car.

Second benefit we stopped along the way at the lake. The beach was closed and the lake totally frozen. Not a soul around as you might imagine. So total freedom.

That’s me way out in front.

Next up when we got to the project we found the drip had stopped dripping

We also found a ball for me to play with.

The problem isn’t solved it’s just that the temperature has fallen so much overnight whatever was dripping has solidified.

That means another trip on Sunday when it’s set to warm up a bit and on Monday maybe to start work on finding the solution once some of the mountain of ice and snow is gone.

Blessing # 1012 – Refreeze

We got more snow today. It was a balmy 20F or -6C this morning.

The good thing about that is it’s warmer on the tootsies so I got a longer walk!

It’s not all joy though. The project has sprung a leak. All was well yesterday when we were there except there was so much snow a tractor had to be hired to clear out the parking lot.

Today we were grounded because of the snow but Paula was there as she lives local and found the leak.

It’s coming from the upstairs back porch where the ice is melting fast because we now have heat going all over the place!

It’s bad but it’s not Texas. You gotta get things in perspective.

In the meantime a space craft has landed on Mars. It’s colder there than here but only just!

Don’t you ever wonder why we don’t fix earthly issues before starting more on other planets.

Ma says that’s how she now feels about her project. Why the heck could she not have been content with what she had.

I told her to chill. As you can see she has left me maimed with another chopping session.

No one say I look like a Martian or I’ll take a chunk out of you too!

Blessing # 1011 – Thawing

We follow the Biden boys as you know and like me they seem to have the run of the White House and are even allowed on the fancy bed.

Of course they deserve these luxuries because, like me, they take such great care of their humans even if we do nap now and then.

We’re glad to hear that the First Family also have a strong spiritual guide. The new Cardinal Gregory is their pastor at their new Parish Church in Washington DC.

He’s the first ever black Cardinal in the Catholic Church in the USA.

We listened to Al Roker interview him a few days ago and he seems like a very wise man willing to listen and open doors.

Wonder does he have a puppy? Champ and Major need to work on that. Even Cardinals need Canines.

Blessing # 1010 – Black History Makers.

I’ve been busy all day helping my Mom have a great birthday. Auntie Carol put me in charge even though she’s far away. Her card features me as you can see!

We got lots of snow which the Mother loves and had a long walk in the crispiness with Auntie Denise.

It meant we were grounded but weren’t worried as Dads vaccine appointment was rescheduled for tomorrow as the clinic was closed. That was the frosting on the cake.

We had a few little hiccups with internet connections so I had to reset the modem a few times.

Eventually it stabilized and all the messages from family and friends got through including a singing one with Dolly Parton!

I’ve then had to endure a few chick flicks including one called Dumpling in which Dolly featured prominently which was kinda cute.

Ma said it made her think of all the girls she knows from across the miles and the years that she was in touch with today. Nothing in the world like a good girlfriend except of course a dog like me!

Blessing # 1010 – Dolly Day

We’re getting ready for a blizzard. Big snow is expected this afternoon. We’ve still got plenty already on the ground from the last storm. Enough in fact for me to make snowballs on my moustache.

I’m better off though than some of my friends who are lower to the ground, as a message from Auntie Phyllis reminded me this morning.

Ma is worried because Dad has his second vaccine shot tomorrow and she doesn’t want him to miss it.

It’s on days like these that you sometimes you get reminders of people who are thinking about you.

When we washed the bedclothes this morning we got, as we always do, a reminder of Auntie Carol and all the love she put into making our patchwork comforter that keeps us snuggly at night.

We went on to wash a beautiful Aran Sweater that Auntie Helen made for Dad years ago. Ma has managed to conveniently shrink it to her size so she wears it often on our walks.

All these things, be they messages or material, just give you that feeling that all will be OK. No need to stress!

Blessing # 1009 – Heart Warmers.