Because Inquiring Minds (like K's) Want to Know: What They Look Like All Together

Caution: If you get squeamish around pet hair, pets near where you might insert food into your mouth, large numbers of pets in one place, or you work for the Health Department, no one is forcing you to read any further. 

This post is dedicated to Kristine, who lives with only one dog (Shiva) and one cat (The Cat) and who writes eloquently (and often humorously) about them at her blog Rescued Insanity. To her I say: Insanity is such a relative term!

;-)

So I took this picture today at the crack of dawn (except that dawn had cracked about an hour earlier for less morning-averse people):

Unfortunately, due to my poor camera skills and the seven moving targets, this is the best photo quality I could get. I did, however, make a few clarifying adjustments in this next photo:

And what you are seeing here (in case you can't tell) is cat treat time at my house. It happens once a day, first thing in the a.m., usually by my husband, right after he starts a large pot of coffee. (Yes, I know. :) Anyway, today he was running an errand, so Middle Child stepped up. Also, since dawn had cracked an hour earlier, the dogs, who are normally still in the bed at this time (and therefore, not trying to get in on the cat treat action), had already eaten their breakfast and were free to try and get in on the cat treat action.

Note: Cat "treat" time should not be confused with dog "snack" time, which falls between 11 a.m. and noon daily. We have two distinctly separate words for these activities so that the dogs don't break the sound barrier trying to get into the pantry whenever the word "treat" is called (and vice versa for the use of the word "snack"). We also, I will have you know, sometimes spell out T-R-E-A-T and S-N-A-C-K in front of the animals. Because although they can speak English, they can't spell it...yet. :)

So there you go. I hope we can still be friends. Even if you're allergic. And if you are, just say "no" if I invite you over; I'll understand. :) (By the way, how did bloggers ever manage before the invention of keyboard smiley and winky faces?)

*****

My next post will be technical in nature, but with a sprinkling of furry faces. I recently moved to a custom domain name (URL/address) for the blog and I want to share some of that experience with those who are interested. Hint: It wasn't hard and the transition has been seamless. But best of all, the switch doesn't require you to do a thing!

The Dogs' Night Out as Professional Soccer Spectators

On Saturday night, Jon Farleigh and Dewi accompanied my family and me to our first-ever professional soccer game. Called Paws on the Pitch, it was the annual Richmond SPCA night at our hometown Richmond Kickers. 

What a fun event! And although the dogs sat in two different rows (I sat with Dewi in the row directly behind JF and the rest of my family - to prevent a repeat of last year's "Snark in the Park"), I believe I speak for both the bipeds and quadrupeds in attendance. 

But then, there was that one unfortunate incident when I was taking a picture and a certain wayward Cardigan Welsh Corgi head rammed into my hand, sending my lovely Nikon s9100 (powered on with lens fully extended) into the air where it did a full somersault before crash landing on the pavement. 

The lens is now permanently in full extended position.  

And, by the way, I will be using my old, inferior Olympus until such time that Nikon can repair the damage for less money than I could go out and buy a new camera, or I go out and buy a new camera. Crap.

But back to the dogs: The stands were adorned with them - large and small, young and old, all different varieties. So much fun to watch, I must confess, that I barely even watched the soccer game. :)

So, would you like to see a few of them? 

Okay, here you go!

Anyone want to guess what kind of cross this is?

Oh wait! That's not a dog! (Silly me.) It's actually a Virginia opossum (a tame one at that) that was visiting from a new wildlife rehabilitation center that's opening soon in my area. This docile guy was just hanging out in his rehabilitator's lap.
(Note: The opossum was not in the stands; it was with its handler in a vendor booth, safely observing the crowd action from a distance.)

Okay, now for the REAL dogs.

The last shot I got before my camera literally crashed. [sigh]

Proof that we were actually at a soccer game...

...With Jon Farleigh...

...And Dewi. ;)

JF loves his dad person. :)

He also loves his mom person.
"I can see you up there, you know."

Did you know corgis can fit under bleachers?
(I wound up helping him up during the second half. He was a good boy, too.)

Psst. Hey, it's me.

Aww. Dewi loves his dad person, too. :)

The End!

Classic Cardigan: Dewi Learns a Tough Lesson about a Bar of Soap

Because I've decided to spend a few extra hours today with my furry fan club (because to them I'm a rock star:-)), I've got a classic for you (with a dog photo!).

My poor Dewi...

Originally posted on July 5, 2011:

Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way by Dewi - Fruity Soap

So the night before last - as I was milling around in the master bathroom - I heard The Hubby exclaim (in the dog version of his "what have you gotten into now" voice)...

The Hubby:  "Boys, what have you gotten into now!?!"

[cue slight groan as human lowers himself to carpet and slithers halfway under king size bed]

"Uh, ELIZABETH?!"

 Me [with dread]: "Yeah?"

[cue slight groan as human slithers out from under bed and stands up using only three limbs]

The Hubby (now standing in bathroom with outstretched arm and "how the heck did they get this?" look on his face): 

"How the heck did they get this?!"

(Meanwhile, Dewi is smacking his lips - as if he has peanut butter smeared on the roof of his mouth - with an ever-so-slight dollop of suds trailing down his left jowl.)

This is the part where I turn the blog over to Dewi and let him tell his story - in pictures.

I am not laughing, but my people seemed to think this was funny. P'shah.

Dogs, please pay close attention.

Any questions???

No dogs were physically harmed during the original incident or during the making of this blog post. The soap, however, needed a thorough rinsing due to dog slobber contamination. Oh yeah, and Dewi swiped the soap out of the walk-in shower when I had my back turned.

*****

Have a good weekend, everyone!
Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way by Dewi - Fruity Soap

So the night before last - as I was milling around in the master bathroom - I heard The Hubby exclaim (in the dog version of his "what have you gotten into now" voice)...

The Hubby:  "Boys, what have you gotten into now!?!"

[cue slight groan as human lowers himself to carpet and slithers halfway under king size bed]

"Uh, ELIZABETH!?"

 Me [with dread]: "Yeah?"

[cue slight groan as human slithers out from under bed and stands up using only three limbs]

The Hubby (now standing in bathroom with outstretched arm and "how the heck did they get this?" look on his face): 

"How the heck did they get this?!?

(Meanwhile, Dewi is smacking his lips - as if he has peanut butter smeared on the roof of his mouth - with an ever-so-slight dollop of suds trailing down his left jowl.)

This is the part where I turn the blog over to Dewi and let him tell his story - in pictures.

I am not laughing, but my people seemed to think this was funny. P'shah.

Dogs, please pay close attention.

Any questions???

No dogs were physically harmed during the original incident or during the making of this blog post. The soap, however, needed a thorough rinsing due to dog slobber contamination. Oh yeah, and Dewi swiped the soap out of the walk-in shower when I had my back turned.

For every loss, there are at least three reasons to celebrate (warning: extremely cute puppy photos)

First, I want to say thanks again for all the thoughts and kind words you've been sending my way. I almost didn't post anything about Charlie yesterday, but something told me that I'd be a dumb *ss not to share with the community who at least doesn't think I'm a whack job for going on so about my furry dependants. (I'm fine, by the way, if you think I'm a whack job for other reasons.) :)

*****

Disclaimer (sort of): I have no proof, scientific or otherwise, that there are at least three reasons to celebrate for every loss, as I have not experienced every loss. But, I'd like to believe that there are.  :)

Here is one:

This is my fluffy boy Jon Farleigh at approximately 16 weeks. Yes, he is standing in a pool of ICE, on a steamer of a day last year. Five seconds after I got this shot, he dropped to his belly. It was at that moment that I determined he would probably be fine living on frozen tundra. (Sadly for him, however, I would not.)

Here is a second reason to celebrate:

This is Jon Farleigh's handsome dad, Sam. He turned into a teenager (13) this past Tuesday, May 31. What a ladies' man. :)

Sam's having a proper birthday party/family reunion this coming Sunday and we can't wait to be a part of it! Of course, there will be pictures. :)

And a third reason to celebrate:

(Yes, I know I already used puppy JF. My memory isn't that bad, yet.)

This is The Hubby holding JF who was 10 weeks old.  The Hubby will have a birthday on Sunday, June 5. He will turn the same age as me, and I will rub it in for two months, until I am once again a year closer than him to qualifying for the "Senior Citizen Early Bird Special" at several local dining establishments.

The Hubby loves the critters almost as much as I do. What's that Hubby? Oh sorry, I meant to say that The Hubby is less verbose about them in public forums...and might think I'm a little off... Oh, darn it, I just want to say that without his money support and kindred soft spot for animals, I wouldn't have numbers one and two to celebrate. (And, for that matter, there would be no Dewi, Tigger, Eva or Lulabelle either.)  So, Happy (early) Birthday, Kind/Understanding/Generous Other Half!

*****

I can still think of a bunch of other things to celebrate, but I'll save that for my own private thought party (smile), except for one thing -
ALL OF YOU!

Have a wonderful weekend!