Happy Anniversary... (for us!)

Well, yesterday was our thirteenth anniversary, and we decided we just wanted to go spend time and go to the Olympic National Forest. Of course, we're odd folks, and decided to take the boys with us on the trip, and let Riley and Piper have a day of peace without pests. That and Matt bought me a new 70-300 lens for my Nikon. <3 I love, love, love it. It's going to be absolutely fantastic at the Zoo next time we go.

Unfortunately, the day didn't start out quite so good. Poor Matt got a call and his job told him he needed to come into work, sigh. Wow, usually that's me - we make the running joke that we've never been able to have an anniversary without some sort of crisis at my business. Ha, well, it was his turn. However, the one nice thing was that we were able to go and play in the morning... so, we took his car out there. Whoops, mistake number two. We ended up getting lost when they changed the roads in the back area, and uh, well, ended up on this road that was like the Matterhorn at Disney.

Simon promptly decided that Matt's car has stiff suspension, unlike mine, and threw up all over the back of the car. You have to laugh - nothing like an anniversary where you're stopping for paper towels and a little bit of leather cleaner and both of us were cuddling poor Simon and apologizing the whole way back on the road. Caleb, not to be outdone, promptly threw up too, but hey, in his way, had to one-up his brother by crawling under the seat to do it.

But aw, a little bit of ice-water later and a walk, and getting off the road from heck, the boys were just fine. No hard feelings. Had lunch at this fantastic little resturant up in Quilcene, too! Beautiful place, the seafood was wonderful. But hey, of course... photos.

Down at the river...


I wanna go with YOU, not with dad! (Sigh, such a momma's dog, isn't he?)


I has an itch!!


Loved the outcrop with these rocks, they were just absolutely vibrant.


Caleb, up on the outcrop.


Simon up on the trail - I love this shot. I'm glad no one came down right then, lying on your belly in the middle of the trail, they would have thought I'd lost my marbles, I'm sure.


Is that a bird? Mmm, bird!


Why can't we eat the bird, dad? Please? He would taste like chicken, we're sure!


Just a shot off the mountainside to share. I need a wide-angle lens, sigh. The light wasn't great up there, either - it was supposed to be sunny, but it ended up being overcast. It was nice though - I love days like that.



PS: Wherever we go, people like Cardis. It's amazing how many people come running up to us to ask what kind of dogs they are. Caleb's gotten to the point where anyone even randomly looks at him he is just wiggling all over, the goofball.

You put your right paw in...

You put your right paw out... you put your right paw in and you shake it all about!
Simon's attempt at the Hokey Pokey...


And then you take your ball in the pool!


Get it, get it!


Shakeshakeshake!


Of course, can't forget Caleb.


"Why shouldn't I drink pool water again?"

*whistles!*

Here boy! Here Simon! C'mon!

(Hey, he's enthusiastic on the recall, that's for sure!)

A whole other Corgi!

Yep, two entries in a day, but this one deserved one on its own.

Riley is down to 29.5 lbs, as of Saturday! I honestly didn't realize how much he's lost until I realized people weren't coming in the shop insulting the poor dog. It got to the point where my employees would basically tell people to shut the heck up nicely about it.

I feel bad, because it was honestly not his fault - the vet and I were baffled for years, to the point where we were going to put him on drugs for this. We drew blood, expected there to be a thyroid issue - he naturally has a low temp, a low heartrate, low everything, and then tested him for all sorts of lovely things. (900 dollars later, vet said, "well, he's zen, that's for sure.") People would sniff at me to walk the poor dog and feed him less and I'd point out we went three miles every other day, and he ate a 1/4 cup of light dog food daily with green beans, and that was it. Sigh.

Finally, I've found the diet that works for him. Thirteen pounds off, five to go!





Haha, the only thing that now I laugh about is that funky little tail. It's the worst dock job ever, and now you can see it... ;) I'm okay with that.

Bye Bye Blue Wubba...

Okay, this weekend I made a horrible error in judgement. I was out throwing the Wubba for the dogs, and I should know that sooner or later that half-blind side of mine was going to catch up to me.

See, we have interesting neighbors behind us. The speculation is that they're a bit on the er, druggish side. Well, um, there's no speculation, a guy I knew who used to do landscaping told me that flat out when he was working on our house. Yipes. They have this little rotten trailer behind the house, and a bunch of older teenagers live in it. On a high note, they're rather quiet neighbors. On a low note, any toy I accidentally misjudge and toss over the 10 foot fence between the two properties... I don't get back. Sad. I think there's a horde of tennis balls and frisbees. Most of the time I really just smack the fence, though.

... didn't on Friday night! Tossed the Wubba over and it hit just on the top of the fence slats. Simon was staring at it and I might have been able to grab it and get it back on our side, had he not decided that this was the new game and ran up the fence boards to grab it. It went "teeter, teeter" and then fell promply into the tangle of blackberries and weeds on the other yard.

Simon, of course, was beside himself, barking and shrieking at the fence. I called him in just as Matt was coming into the kitchen. Then I was told -- "You threw it where? YOU can take him with you to work tomorrow, because I'm not dealing with Wubbabrain all morning screaming at the fence."

I tried baiting him with Gabe's old Wubba. No deal. He stood at that fence and made an idiot of himself.

So, sigh. New Wubba, his size, at work. All fixed. ;) Sheesh.

Sleepy afternoon...

Awww. That is all. ;)

Piper place...

It's funny - Piper's the most in your face dog I've ever owned. Literally. It's one of those things that drives me nuts about her in a way; give her a little affection and she has to take it as high as possible. She would lick your hand, arm, leg, whatever she can reach into a puddle if she was allowed. I admit, I am really not a dog constantly licking me person. I don't mind Simon hopping up and giving me a quick kiss, or Caleb doing it, and when Riley does it, I'm sort of honored, in a way. He does not hand out affection like that lightly - I don't think he's ever licked anyone else but me. But all three of the boys don't do it as repetitive behavior.

I know a lot of her behavior is because her first five months were spent... well, literally in a crate, due to her owner's sudden lifestyle change and a not-very up front petsitter. Training her to housebreak was tough - she'd leap up suddenly and go on the beds and sofa, but never go on the floor. It took me a few frustrating weeks to figure out it was because she'd used the beds in her crate, ugh, and any place soft was fair game. At times I'm just thrilled she knows her own name, I'm afraid.

However, she's genuinely a good little happy soul. Not a mean bone in her (I think it got licked out.) Likes children like no tomorrow, and this is a dog who shook and cowered when she saw them for the first few weeks. It was funny watching her come around and realize that little girls had laps and cuddles and would pick her up, and Piper was like, "Yes, yes, dress me in little coats and squish me I love love love love love -- what was I saying? Oh yes, love!"

However, she hates cameras. She really does not like them pointed at her. Usually her ears squish flat and she slinks off. I've learned with her if I want a decent shot, her mind better be somewhere else. So this little snapshot of her makes me laugh - it's pretty much what she's doing all the time. Happy as could be, in her own little Piper Place.

Yay for Monday!

Well, hahah, it's my day off. I'm okay with that, I need one.

My Volvo's in the shop - it died this weekend on the way into work. With the boys in the car. Which is just grand until we had to hike back to get the other car because stupid me had forgotten her cell phone on the charger. The Corgis thought this was wonderful, a morning walk, how cool! Me, not so much. Had to have the poor old car towed in.

On a high note, it's my battery not taking a charge, and not my belt slipping like I had suspected. Hooray! On a low note, the car had been shuddering to a stop and a friend of mine was driving it while Matt was out of town.

It's far more noticeable when I'm in the back seat, and I had intended to take it in - it just beat me to the punch. Well, come to find out the rotors are so worn into a groove that it needs new ones, front and back. Because of this, it was giving the illusion that I had 40 percent of my pad left. Uh uh. 5 percent on the front, 15 on the back. Yipes! I am a bad car parent, but I will tell you, Volvos are tanks and just put up with things like this. Sooo, 1400.00 later, I shall get my car back, sigh. Good thing it's the work vehicle and I write off my repairs, sigh.

Dogs were out playing again this morning, so here's a few pictures of the crew doing what the crew does best. Okay, maybe not. I give them a ton of credit, I got to sleep in this morning - both pups now understand the growled words "Go back to bed!" and decided they really didn't need to potty at five AM when the sun was up after all.


Rare, when I get all four in the same shot. I don't care that it's a bit blurry, it's funny. Pem, Cardi, Pem, Cardi.

Caleb decided a few weeks ago that he didn't need a crate any more. Now he sleeps in Ali's old spot, next to my side in a basket. It's funny, no other dog wanted that spot - Simon usually curls up with Riley in the closet (don't ask, but that's where Riley's always slept. I gave up and he has a box bed in there) and Piper has her bed next to the drawers. It's funny, if I had to pick a dog that Caleb's most like, part of me says Ali - he's got so much attitude and is as stubborn as a mule. However, he's the one who really notices out of the crew if you're having a rough day, and he's right there, curled up on your feet.


Look, a whole dog. There's actually mostly a whole dog in this frame! I shouldn't laugh, but man, he runs like a ferret right now. ;)

Mind you, I wanted the merle. I love merles. My dog of choice that I wanted since highschool someday was a blue merle, thanks. I think blue merle Cardis are absolutely gorgeous. When I think about a way to go in Cardis, it always involves blue merles. Matt adores brindles, he loves brindles.

So of course, Simon is Matt's dog, through and through.

I got the stripey chompy one, go figure. *grin* S'okay. He keeps me on my toes.


(Kinda like us, really. I'm the on the go go go one, and Matt's just the laid back zen dude.)

The critters are always a grand liftup after a rough day at work. I needed some Corgi therapy, so after I got home, I filled up the pool again and booted the crew out to play for a while.


Throw it for me, throw it again!


Almost caught it on the bounce!


MineminemineminenotCaleb'smine!


Giant water bowl. *laplap*


Dear dad. You're wet, sir!


Caleb's just not sure he wants to come out of the water.




Wet dawg. Classy one, but still wet! He's looking different every day...