Booming Banter

When we were making our way to the park this morning we saw one of my pals out for his constitutional. He is small and ancient and his family is very odd. Not only does he walk his Ma and Pa he also walks his feline.

Usually this kitty keeps its distance from the others and never comes near me but this morning I thought it was time we said hello. I crept up behind it and it froze.

It was like something out of a horror movie it hunched up and honestly I thought it was going to pounce on me. It snarled up its face and looked like a demon. Well what to do but back off.

When we got home herself was in overdrive again stripping beds and cleaning like crazy.

Next thing I knew it wasn’t just sheets and pillowcases in the laundry room I was in there too.

She bunged me in that big deep sink and started scrubbing. That’s when I got inspired. Maybe if I did that cat pose she’d back off too!

No fear she just kept on soaping me. Even got the bro to take my pic! Such humiliation!

The woman has no heart but I must say while the house may smell a little iffy of Eau De Chien Mouillé I am fresh and raring to go get that kitty!

Blessings # 685 – Félin’ Frisky

It’s dangerous when Mom sleeps till seven. She just can’t stop buzzing around.

After walking me into the ground she threw open all the windows and then tackled the bro’s hair. He’d come home from work last night and said he wanted her to cut his locks really short. Well that’s like a red flag to a bull.

Out came those clippers again and she started. He kept saying «shorter shorter » as apparently he had taken on a dare with some dudes in work. She stopped when she could see his head! He looks half bald like Dad!

It’s just as well he’s handsome and has a fine shaped cranium. Wouldn’t suit everyone!

The bathroom had black hair everywhere so she swung right into cleaning. The plants around the tub we’re all moved outside. Wasn’t sure what that was all about but she had this smug look on her face. Seems she managed to save seven out of nine geraniums  over the winter. So what!

Now she was on a roll and took to the kitchen and out went more plants that lived on the window sill. Another triumph she claims.

They are now on the back step along with other little things in huge pots that she talks to now and then. Leaves appeared from nowhere in these pots over the past few weeks. Seems these critters were living here before me but slept all winter. There’s a rogue among them that she can’t explain. Its growing so fast and she didn’t plant it but is letting it do it’s own thing. Bit like myself really!

She thinks it Purple Dead Nettle but wiser ones may know better. If so help her as she does try her best to be good to all her babies!

Blessing # 684 – Survivors

As a fitness fanatic it’s hard for me to sit still unless of course I’m out for the count.

If it’s not speed walking it running around playing ball games. It’s great for building muscle and keeping the spirits up.

I line the balls up on the couch beside Ma hoping she’ll toss them.

It can get a tad repetitive though so the bro is teaching me some new games.

He and Dad are very keen on wrestling so that’s one thing we’re working on and of course the American football season isn’t that far off so we’re getting into tackling that too.

When we’ve had enough exertion there’s nothing like a little time out together. Some might say we’re arm chair athletes but I know we’re professional team mates.

Blessing # 683 – New Dog Tricks

Like my family yours may be binge watching TV shows and movies.

When we’ve had enough of the news in the evening we’re into the first series of The Crown. That Queen person is so good to her dogs. No wonder she has such a big house with all those puppies. They have very fancy bedding but it doesn’t look as cosy as mine.

Our bed matches my coat and Mom and I have been availing of it for a snuggle each afternoon to watch The Chosen.

There are eight episodes of this show all about Jesus and his disciples and Mom is telling everyone about it because it’s so well done. You can download it for free on your phone or IPad.

The casting is great and the characters are so original and down to earth. They all seem to have fun and Jesus laughs a lot which is how we imagine him.

We are particularly fond of Matthew. He is super smart, has lots of little tics and quirkinesses but most important he has a dog.

Until he was « chosen » he worked as a tax collector and no one liked him at all except of course his dog.

It may be just another tale but it certainly is a wagging one!

Blessing # 682 – Kings and Queens

My Mom is a big fan of Walking Updates with Patricia. You should follow her she’s fun! We listen to all her video chat and it keeps us feeling chipper.

I’ve come to recognize her voice. She sounds a bit like my Mom. They come from the same part of the world.

Yesterday, Patricia, who was a hairdresser for many years, did a tutorial on hair cutting during lockdown.

We watched it a few times and Mom took my advice to try it. She’d already followed Patricia’s instructions on cutting her fringe and that had worked out good.

Armed with my grooming scissors which are the sharpest we have she got stuck into it this morning. She took it slow and spent quite some time in the bathroom. At one point I thought we were going to miss our walk but thought it wise not to disturb so just lay watching quietly.

It turned out fine. You can see a clear difference before and after.
When she asked Dad what he thought he said it was good but she’d missed a bit! At that point I thought she was going to explode as she was feeling very pleased with herself. Our walk was looking doomed but she breathed deep, went back to the mirror did a bit more chopping and off we went!

Blessing # 681 – Sniping Star

 

There are some weird and wonderful aromas all around me today. My nose is in overdrive once again.

The grass has just been cut which doesn’t help matters. It opens the airways and makes me sneeze something shocking.

The last bunch of daffodils have been plucked and brought into the living room. Mum says this makes her a little sad because they are her favorite flowers but they’ll come back again next year.

There are now other blooms coming out that smell really powerful. These flowers grow on big bushes beside our bedroom window and are called viburnum. They made me pass out for an hour or so just now.

Meanwhile in the kitchen there is some unrecognizable composition coming from the slow cooker. I saw herself chopping cabbage that’s smells like leaking gas to me. This went on top of pork and onion and mango and soy sauce and vinegar and orange juice and rice. Odd very odd. She calls it an experiment.

Truth is its her way of getting rid of all the bits and pieces in the fridge before the trash men come back tomorrow. While I love her to the moon and back I’m not convinced by her culinary skills. They are a bit hit and miss and it is unlikely this will be stellar. You know me that I’d eat anything and now that my bro has taught me to sit up at the table and eat like a human I’ll tuck in and be thankful.

Heaven knows the impact it will have on tomorrow’s tum though!

Blessing # 680 – Essential Oils

There’s been so much talk over the past few days about disinfectants and cleaning products it must have rubbed off on my Ma. The fact that we almost had a grease fire last night when she was frying burgers may also have had some impact!

We were hardly out of bed when she started I just about got out for a pee! She emptied the dish washer and started breaking up the stove and sticking it inside it.

It got worse after she’d been fortified with that black liquid she brews each morning. Once she downed that she ripped the rest of the stove up and started spraying all the bits with this stinky stuff.

She was scrubbing like a crazy person and all the while I was watching because I was sure she’d tackle me next. I was a bit musty after all that rain yesterday.

Sure enough the dreaded can came out. Trust me this is capable of transforming the most viril superhero into a whimp.

She wasn’t fast enough though I got under that table just in time and stuck fast till it was time to go meet Auntie Lori!

By the time we got back she was so fixated with putting her stove back together and singing the praises of that grease buster to Dad that she totally forgot about my wig! That’s one up to me and the weeks just starting!

Blessing # 679 – Clean Cuts

 

My bro was starting at 7:00 am so Ma and me were up at 6:00. The advantage of the early start was we got to tune in to the Rev Merv at Holy Trinity back in Ballylesson NI.  I’ve not been there in person yet but my Ma speaks highly of the place. See there’s a fine lamppost!

We went for a walk in the rain and got soaked. When we came home we watched Pastor Larry and the crew from Powell United Methodist. Who’d have thought I’d go to Church twice in the one day! Bet a bone I’m not alone either!

I sit real quite in my pew and listen intently too. There’s a lot of talk about being kind and showing how much we love each other that I completely understand. In fact I’m gifted in that regard!

I’m also good at spotting squirrels as you know. Since Ma won’t take me out I’ve taken up indoor hunting. Today I struck gold. I pointed rather than barked and Ma saw me and got my pic and the squirrels too. It was on our back fence eating a nut or something.

The pic Ma took is not great as she had to get it through our screen but still it’s shows I’m super smart!

Hoping for my efforts she’ll give me a drop of that sweet smelling strawberry stuff she’s been making this morning. It’s some sort of traditional Sunday treat she says her own Ma made. It’s a surprise for the bro but as there’s a bucket load of it am praying I’ll get lucky!

Blessing # 678 – Triflingly Times

Ma and me had a wonderful day. We went for long walks and we also had a little afternoon snuggle in bed to get our wind back. 

She only scolded me once when I barked at a jogger. Often she whispers to me that she loves me very much.

When she chats to people she’ll often say that she does not know what she would do without me as I’m her best pal. Makes me blush!

Its true though that you never can tell the reason why things happen until you know the reason.

Who would ever have thought that when I was rescued and took that truck from Texas to Ohio on Friday 13 September that I’d be such a good luck charm!

Blessing # 677 – Sole Mates

The good Governor has announced that schools will remain closed for the rest of the term. Of course everyone understands.

Still it’s hard on the bro as it’s his last year. He has on line classes that he does in the middle of the night but he misses seeing his friends and everyone knows the last few weeks at school are always the best of all!

He’s at work again today so we had to go to school to pick up a sign the district has prepared for all the seniors. I got to meet some teachers and barked at them so they know how much we appreciate all their effort to make this a special time for everyone.

There are many other things going on too for the 2020 seniors. The one I’m most interested in is a free giveaway from a local store called Dipped Donuts. I’m definitely going on that run!

TV too is in on the job with a campaign called Brag About Your Grad. Wouldn’t you know Ma didn’t need much encouragement. She sent in our Graduates photo and so as not to hurt my feelings I was included in the photo too.

Guess what! We were the stars on the 5:00 pm news yesterday and people started phoning to say they saw us. Pity we missed it ourselves! Not to worry though we’re now on the NBC wall of fame. Hollywood here we come!

Blessing 676 – Stars at Last!