My Scruffy Valentines

It's February 14th again, and that can only mean one thing: Kip's birthday, and the anniversary of Katy's "Gotcha Day*".

Kip is 6 (!!!) this year, and Katy is probably a year or so older, so we'll say she's 7 today.

They are both fantastic dogs, my loves, who make me laugh every day. I've said it before - I can't imagine life without them, and the joy they bring into my life.

So Happy Birthday Kip, and Happy Gotcha Katy - there may just be an extra treat in store for you both today!


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Since Katy was a stray, I don't know her birthday, but we "celebrate" the day she came to live with us, aka her "Gotcha Day". Her actual "Gotcha Day" is Feb. 11, but that's close enough to the 14th!

The Gift that Keeps on Giving....

My sister got me this fantastic kitchen rug as a Christmas gift - well, at least it was supposed to be a gift for me...

We can haz food?

Is that food over there?

Maybe over there?

We give up.

How about now?

Sigh.

Starving.

We are cute - now feed us, or the rug gets it!

The Return of the Interloper

Over New Year's we once again had company, in the form of my sister's dog, Lily. While the dogs all get along, Katy can, at best, be said to tolerate her furry cousin. As you can see in the following photos...

Why am I all alone?

There you are Katy!

Katy, where'd you go?

Oooh, is this a good spot? Can I join you?

Damn Interloper. She took my spot!

It's my chair! I don't want to share! I don't know how Kip can sleep...

Fine. I'll just move to the back. Don't worry about me, I'm fine. Here. All alone. Hanging on. Precariously. By myself.

Really, I'm fine.

No I'm not. I'm falling.

I hate you.

Lily is now back at her own house, and Katy is much happier :)

Katydid vs Katydid

I saw these in the garden today:

That is a Katydid.

This is also a Katydid.

But only one of them is a tomato thief.

And so it begins....

Garden goodness

This was the harvest from the other day: potatoes, okra, zuchinni zuchhini zucchini (my second of the year - woot! Sigh), carrots, tomatoes, tomatoes, and more tomatoes. Not pictured: the two large bowls of tomatoes already waiting for me.

Also not in the basket - the monster Federle tomato, which finally ripened:

It's huge!

With Kiphead for scale

I'll make another large batch of soup, and I'll grill some to add to the previously grilled jalapeno peppers (I have an idea for a smokey salsa thingy - no recipe yet, but I hope it works), and I'll make a batch of roasted tomato sauce - yum! And then, the real canning will start!


Good thing I know what to do with any tomatoes that are left over...

Conversations with Dog

Katy: I want to go outside.

Me: It's raining.

Katy: I want to go outside.

Me: It's raining really hard.

Katy: I want to go outside.

Me: REALLY, REALLY hard.

Katy: I want to go outside.

Me: You'll get wet...

Katy: I want to go outside.

Me: Fine. Go.

Katy: I want to go inside.


5 minutes later? Repeat entire conversation.

but good news - IT'S RAINING!!!!!!!!!


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*no, my dogs don't really talk to me. Somedays, I wish they did - it'd be easier... maybe.

Wordless Wednesday - February 29, 2012

I can haz belly rubs please?

A 2nd anniversary and 5th birthday

Five years ago today, a little schnauzer puppy was born, and 9 weeks later he came home to live with me. And just over two years ago, another little schnauzer joined the fold.

Yep, it's that time of year again - the anniversary of Katy's adoption and Kip's birthday. Now, I may be a crazy dog lady, but I'm not so crazy as to actually do anything for the dogs on their "birthdays", but I do note the days every year.

Dog people "get" it, non-dog people never will, and I'm not going to waste my time trying to explain it to them. But these dogs enhance my life in more ways than I ever thought possible.

So happy birthday Kip, and happy anniversary Katy, and may we have many, many, many more!

And fine, maybe, just maybe, you'll both get an extra treat today :)

Hungry, hungry hippos!

One plan this year is to start making treats for the dogs. I needed some small cookie cutters, so I looked for one the last time I was at the local bulk food store (it also has a large cake decorating section, hence the cookie cutters). While they had the traditional dog bone shape, they also had this:

I don't know why I would possibly think a hippo would make be a good choice...

Sad dog is sad

I'm forced to lay in the hallway.

On the bare floor.

Then Kip steals my sun.

Katy loves to lay in the sun.  Unfortunately for her, the only windows that get good sun in the winter are in the side of the house, making the hallway the best spot for sunbathing.

And I am NOT putting a dog bed in the hallway.

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I have NO idea what is going on with Kip's back leg in that last picture.  It is not on backwards, and isn't broken, nor is it 25% longer than his other legs.  Freak.  :)

It's official: Katy is a freak

I really shouldn't be so mean to the poor, wee dog, but...

Katy had her annual vet check this week, and everything is great. I realized we had never done a blood panel* on her, so gave the vet the okay to run one. Katy was a champ getting the blood work done - even to the extent of shrugging her shoulder to increase the flow of blood :)

All her numbers came back fine, except for two liver tests - one is a couple of points higher than normal, one is a couple of points lower.  The vet called herself to explain the numbers, and that she had absolutely no concern about the out-of-range values - the worry starts when the values are5 to 10 *times* normal, not just a couple of points. 

(Have I mentioned that I love our vet?  The fact that she made a point of calling, and explaining everything is wonderful.  And the entire clinic treats both dogs SO well!)

While there, I pointed out two bumps that Katy developed recently - one on her ear, and one on her upper lip, right by her nose.

The vet doesn't think the one on the ear is anything to worry about - probably just a cyst, so it's officially a wait-and-watch item. No prob.

The other one had a very small "thing" coming out of it, so the vet grabbed some tweezers, and pulled...

... and a clump of thick, black, 1/2 inch long hair came out!

The vet said in 17 years of small animal practise, she has NEVER seen anything like that. Ever.

So, it's official.

Katy is a freak!

I'm not a freak, and I'll lay here and pout until you take it back.

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*The vet recommended the geriatric panel. Shhhhhh, don't tell Katy! Kip had his panel done before he was neutered, so now both dogs have a baseline blood panel done - a good thing, if they ever get really sick, as it gives the vet a "healthy" reference point. If you don't have one on your dogs/cats, please ask your vet about it next time you go in! IMO, the cost is worth the information and peace of mind. 

1 breed, 2 dogs.

SNOW!

I LOVE SNOW!!!!!



















 
Are you freakin' kidding me?  Get out of my way, woman, I'm coming inside.

What do you mean there are two more months of this??

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!


















Kip digs snow.  Loves it.  He will play "find the snowball" for HOURS.  My neighbours think I'm nuts because I'll stand there and kick snow at him, to his everlasting joy.

And Katy?  The dog that would spend 25 hours a day outside if she could?

She is not amused.

Same breed,  two totally different dogs!

WARNING! Cute dog pictures may cause an uncontrollable urge to squee.

Going...

Going...

Gone!

I think the dogs like the new couch.

This is why I made sure to get a couch with a wide back :)

After grooming...

I think Katy might be finding her recent haircut a bit chilly, since she found a cave to sleep in, silly girl!

The old love-seat is still here, and in the middle of the room. I have the old cushions piled on it, and tossed a couple of jackets over it.  I'll have to give Katy a blanket when I finally get rid of it!

Before and after...

Poor Katy.  She hates being groomed, but she sure looks more like a schnauzer, and less like a Muppet, afterwards!

Wordless Wednesdays - October 19, 2011

Katyhead and the fall garden.

She is going to be the death of me...

This is what I found when I went to let the dogs in after a potty run at 5:30 am this morning.



Fortunately, after 30 minutes of driving around looking for the damn dog pretty little Katy, I found her waiting for me on the front porch.



 Really, I don't NEED this much excitement in my life. 

Next up:  the installation of the new fence. 

D is for...

... dog, naturally :)

I can't remember a time I didn't want a dog, but we were a cat family, so I waited.  I waited until I was done school, and until I owned my own house.  And finally, after more than 30 years of waiting, I got a Kipper.  And then a Katy. 

They make me laugh.  They warm my back and my feet on cold winter nights.  They give me a reason to get out and walk, and to stop and talk to my neighbours.  They have even allowed my neighbour to lose a bit of her fear of dogs, as she gives them their daily treat, and they gain weight ;)

They bring joy into my life - joy to see Katy learn to play, to see Kip learn a new skill.  The joy I see on the faces of those that love them, and the joy the dogs give in response.  The joy they have when I come home, when I toss a ball, and, best of all, when I open the magic white box that contains their food.

Dogs are in our lives for such a short time, and they will eventually bring me heartache - but it is so worth it.

I waited over 30 years, and I won't be without a dog in my life ever again.  So here's to dogs, all dogs, and to Kip and Katy - you give us so much, and all you ask in return is a warm bed, a full tummy, and a scritch or two after a game of fetch.  We owe you so much for the laughter and joy you bring to us - I promise I'll try to walk you more often, and yes, I will get you that fence you've been asking for!

Stop with the socks already!!

My name is not Dobby, and if you give me one more sock, I'm going to chew it up*

Poor Katy.  I shaved her down, since she doesn't like either the heat or grooming, and she's been putting up with not-so-nice comments ever since.  Good thing fur grows back :)

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* It's a Harry Potter thing.  Really, you should read the books.