Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Disturbing Her Peace

It's hard to get a good sunbake going....




when the paparazzi won't leave you alone!

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving!
Hope this post finds you all well. Today is about gratitude and we have much to be grateful for!

I am grateful my sister is still here to see another Thanksgiving, even though I can't be with her. I am so grateful for my home in this beautiful place; for it's odd design that gives me lots of workspaces; for it's proximity to our creek which brings me and my girl so much joy! 

And I'm so grateful for the little Baconhead herself. You may remember this photo from last fall. This past winter, as my niece was getting married, I found a great deal on a 20 x 30 print. I bought one for the niece and one for me. I took out the ugly shop yard background and dropped in a pink one to match the color in Mabel's collar. 


I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this print. I hangs on the living room wall, right over the spot Mabel gets her nightly cuddles. She will often sit back and admire herself!  You can see it from the back yard! It makes me happy and is one of my favorite possessions!


I'm also truly grateful to be in a place where I don't feel the need to hit the mall for more possessions! Especially on a family holiday! 

And I'm grateful for such wonderful friends... Ones in real life and online! 

Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Why Does It Take So Long To Train Humans?

Mabel Lou here. My mom took this photo of me for a blog post she intended to write and call "Old Dog Issues."  Well, let this old dog tell you that the ONLY issue around here is dumb humans that take forever to train!

You see, my mom took that picture because she is an idiot thought something was wrong with me. For several days in a row, I woke her in the wee hours of the morning...not to go outside ( I can hold it for 12 hours!) . No, I got up and balled up in my own bed for one simple reason: I was COLD! Of course, I would wake her up again around 5 a.m. when I got lonely even colder and wanted back in the big bed. I always ask permission to get in the big bed... I never take "NO" for an answer but I do always ask!

This seemed to disturb my mom but did she break out the nice fluffy blankies??? NO! Did she turn on the heated  mattress pad??? NO!  So every morning, I jumped off that cold brick of a bed to let Momma know but... it took her almost a week for figure it out!

It's like my toothbrush... every night after dinner, I get a toothbrush treat. But most nights, I finish my paltry vittles and come into the kitchen. Mom continues with her dinner or cleaning. I go and stand right next to her. She shoos me out of the kitchen. I retreat and give her the stink eye and she screams at me! "WHAT?"

I give her the sweet puppy face and again she screams, "WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU???"

Seeing that I'm apparently not going to be able to get proper dental hygiene from the crazy witch, I curl up in my bed. Much later, it dawns on her!

"Mabel, my sweet girl! I forgot to get your toothbrush out! I'm so sorry!!!"

And yet, tonight, it will be the same thing again. What's a pup to do with such dense humans in our midst? Some days, I just don't think I can teach her another thing!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Hard Working Woman

My mother has never been called lazy. She has a hard time sitting still even now at 89 with severe hip pain. When she visits me, if I don't give her something to do, she will make work for herself. Once while I was away at work, I came home to find she had cleaned all the cracks in my sidewalks surrounding and on my property... with a knife!

I don't remember what project my mother had busied herself with that caused her to wear the soles clean off her work shoes. I hung the worst one on a plant hanger where it's been for a few years.

With my sister's illness, we all seem to be re-evaluating the things we hang on to. I was ready to finally throw these away and remember with a photo.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Hey Mom???



That brown grass feels so good on my back....



So I rolled in it.


Tuesday, November 06, 2012

The Sleepover

Bart's people were out of town cause his dad got a big award. Bart's big brother was supposed to take care of him, but as a DJ, he's prone to last minute gigs.  Which meant, Bart had to sleepover at our house twice in 10 days!

The first time, Bart was up and at 'em at 3:30 am. I think he was simply ready to go home. Plus Bart has a doggy door and unlimited water at his house. We have no water in the bedroom and we keep the door closed (cause Mabel used to wake me up every night, practically knocking down the back door to get to critters. When I finally tried shutting the bedroom door...no more chasing critters!) I did put a small bowl of water in the bathroom for him but both nights, but he needed a potty break at 3:30.


The 2nd time we kept him was the last night his pawrents were away so we kept him most of the next day. I was impressed with Mabel's generosity toward him. She had NO issues which actually surprised me! Mabel is the jealous sort! She allowed him on our bed when he needed cuddles after that 3 am potty break. She shared her toys and she showed no concern when I fed him her kibble stew in the kitchen while she was fed on the porch. I'm very proud of my girl!

Bart, Mom's kinda funny about leg room... You might wanna move a bit! 


Bart slept most of the night in Mabel's bed on the floor. Sometimes he would come over to my side of the bed, check on me and go to sleep there.

Mabel took it all in stride... 

The next day, they sunbaked side by side. Bart was beside Mabel before I showed up with the camera! 

They hunted...

And this toy was in a different place every time I walked to the shop!

By the afternoon, Bart seemed kinda sad. We took him home just before his pawrents arrived.


Saturday, November 03, 2012

Frosty Paws Winners

The Winners for my National Adopt a Shelter Dog Contest sponsor by Frosty Paws are:



Mabel and I are so happy that some of our pup friends new and old from Blogville will get to try her favorite treat!