Putting things in perspective

Hard day at work usually leads to frustration in our household.  Not today!  A bad day at work was squashed by the ultimate:  a free day at the park!  By free I mean no dogs, on or off-leash or too many people.  It may sound like a small wish but with a large pack, consisting of more dogs that hate off-leash dogs, it is pure heaven.  We went to our favorite park, mostly because it is nearby, has the most trees, and is the largest near our home.

Added bonus was that it was only 80 degrees with a slight breeze when we went.

Ecco earns the prize of being my most favorite dog to walk.  That is all she is ever concerned with when we venture out.  Unlike Odie who scours the gutter for chicken nugget remains that the children in our neighborhood leave behind or Luna who is more preoccupied with finding a dog to bark at.  Io surprisingly gets an attitude when we walk.  We have to go where she wants to and walk on her side of the street.  Ecco just loves to smell and enjoy the day.  Even when we come across a dog off-leash she handles the situation accordingly and we move on. 

Even though she has a compulsion to lick us constantly, dig holes in the bed, and will often guard all of the toys in the house, how can you resist this face?

We have a system when we walk.  When something or someone comes in range of us that makes her uncomfortable, she sits and looks to me to tell her what to do.  Usually it is to give her a small treat for distraction but our buddy system has worked well over the years.  She was the slowest of our dogs to grow up and occasionally drives me to threaten to put her on the corner with a free sign around her neck (I feel guilty when I threaten this and would NEVER do so), but truly is such a sweet spirit on walks.  

This pose means we have found a really good smell and must stop!

Her contemplative look after watching the mailman drive by.  The truck made a weird noise.

Another great smell!

Just looking.

 When things get hard, there isn't anything better than something as simple as a good walk in the park to make you realize what you love the most.

Say What??!!

Red Cabbage Salad

I made this dish the other night and could not believe the entourage that followed me around while making this perfectly purple velvet ribbon salad.

I try never to give the dogs more that one or two bites of anything.  It's kind of a rule I made up after having to answer to Charles when one of the dogs would get an upset stomach in the middle of the night.  Their tummies are pretty sensitive to new foods, especially when we switch dog food.  Even trying the traditional incorporation of new and old food never works.  

I have to admit I was stunned when they begged, whined, and pleaded for a bite.  Not knowing the effects of red cabbage on a dog's system, I gave each a ribbon to try.  They ate it and begged for more.  I think it was the Parmesan cheese that sealed the deal.  The minute that golden wedge emerged from the refrigerator, they stuck to me like dog hair on black pants.  Cheese is considered currency in our household and may as well be gold to the dogs. 

Who knew?  Certainly not me.  All in all, is was a great salad and a hit in the kitchen.

We're Back!

Charles and I went on a short vacation to Phoenix, Arizona.  It is always a nice place to visit, but way too hot for me.  It was a 115 degrees on one of the days we were there!  All I could think about if my dogs could not tolerate that heat any more than I could.  They would be catatonic everyday.  I guess that wouldn't be so bad half of the time but their quirky personalities are what make them fun.

Thank you to my mom and mother-in-law for taking such good care of my babies!

This is a photo of Ecco on the way home from my mother's.  She is usually situated in the front passenger seat on most car rides but that was my spot so she had to go in the back with Luna and their crates.  She was pretty hilarious riding on top of her bed that was already on top of her kennel.  She pretty much held on to dear life most of the ride home.

And this is Luna the day after we got home.  All four dogs were completely exhausted.  It was a quiet afternoon - we loved it!

This dog only loves me when

I bring out the laptop. 

Luna becomes unglued when I bring out the laptop.  I cannot tell what the draw to this machine is but she could be laying on the floor and will upset whatever she may have been doing at the time to push my hands away from the keyboard or will hit the keyboard with her paw.  On more than one occasion, I have sent an unfinished email due to her extreme paw motions.

After I put the computer away she will go on with her routine which is either patrolling the neighborhood by watching through our front window or murdering one of her many stuffed animals.  

What we did today

Sunday

Not much happened today.  Sundays are usually uneventful in our house.  It is a time to catch up on chores that somehow did not get done during the week and it is the time to cook.  Every Sunday I usually cook dinner beginning at 11am and let it simmer for most of the afternoon and then bake dessert.  Thank goodness for having all the right ingredients for tonight's sweet delight.  I make pulled-pork sandwiches and chocolate anise biscotti, courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis. 

After a day of baking and cooking, both of which are good for the soul and a good way to meditate on the day, the dogs decided they too would partake in the casual way of life that is known as Sunday.

Io napped on her donut pillow.  She does not like the camera and runs away when she hears the click of the on button.  She also does not photograph well with a flash.  Her eyes are either red or take on a green glow effect and no amount of technology has helped us with that matter.  I apologize for the poor photo quality.

Odie has the hardest time relaxing on a Sunday.  His main prerogative for the day usually involves trying to convince Charles or me that it is dinner time.  Starting at around 2:30pm, he will stand in front of the food container and whine.  When we approach him, he wiggles and tap dances on the hardwood floor.  We do our best to ignore his suggestions and I usually will call uncle at 4:30pm and deliver his prized supper.

And then we ate.

Bed Shenanigans

Is there anything else more comfortable than your own bed?  The answer is no.  I can attest to this fact as the beds I recently slept in on a Colorado getaway were either like laying on a thin foam pad while trying to adjust to metal from the spring base in my back or like sleeping on a brick.  I am more the pillow-top kind of gal and I am hopeful we will graduate to a plush mattress one day.

The dogs also think our bed is the most comfortable resting place on earth and will do almost anything to get on it.  Even if it means lying in the warm sheets right out of the dryer on a 90-degree plus weather day.

Every dog has to have her or his day on the bed.  The routine goes as follows:  retrieve laundry from the dryer and drag through dark hallway to bedroom.  Come into bedroom to find every dog on the bed looking at me as if it is completely possible to make the bed with them on it.  Tell dogs to get out of room and close the door.  Hear multiple rounds of barking and hear the occasional paw from Ecco slide under the doorway as if it will make me open the door - yeah right.  It's a cute trick but one I have never succumbed to.  My husband says I don't draw boundaries but I do!  Finish making the bed and open the door to a blur of dogs racing to find the exact spot they were in prior to bedmaking.  Pristine looking bed is now wrinkled and hairy.

We even love the bed so much that Ecco decided to dig a hole in the mattress.  I love that dog, I love that dog......

At least at the end of the day, the bed is made (mostly) and everyone feels better.  Sweet dreams everyone.