It’s been a beautiful day, an outside kind of day. It ‘s been sunny with temperatures in the low 80’s F (26 C). I was enjoying getting my picture taken, and I was especially enjoying being allowed out back in the dog lot. It had been “off limits” for a couple of months because Mom spread grass seed and a natural fertilizer. Boy, was that natural good to eat, but it sure did make us sick! Most of the new grass has grown in and there is still straw over the parts that are still bald, he, he, bald yard, he, he.
Xena was running all over the lot and sniffing along the perimeter. She was really happy because she doesn’t have to wear her Big Girl Panties when she’s outside. Before long, Xe ran up and gave me a play bow to get me to chase her. She led me up to the side fence facing the woods, where I turned around to give Mom another good camera shot. (That’s a technical term in the modeling business.) I have really started to enjoy posing for pictures. I’m thinking maybe I could make a career out of modeling. Although I really do like my job as a reporter. Wait, I’m getting off-subject. (That’s a technical reporter term.) 
XeXe was really intent on something outside of the fence. She kept woofing something at me while I was trying to give Mom a good shot. Anyhow, I finally got Xena turned around to face the camera phone. I didn’t want to be known as a camera hog (another technical term).
I was shocked when Xena said, “OK, OK, are you happy? Now leave me alone, Lucy! I’m doing something important out here. I brought you over to help, but all you want to do is get your picture taken.” She kept her mouth closed the whole time she said that so that the picture would be over with fast. I don’t know how she woofed at me with her mouth closed; maybe it was the beard. Anyhow, I have never known my sister to be a serious type of girl, so I didn’t quite know how to take it.
Offended, I went back to my original spot and casually kept an eye on her. 
Next thing I knew, she was barking her fool head off at something. Her bark sounded different than usual, maybe a bit less sure, but still insistent.
Mom was following Xena’s stare, trying to figure out what she was barking at. I also went over to check it out, but stopped several feet away when I saw what it was. 
Yep, a four-foot long snake on our side of the fence! Once we all backed away — at Mom’s urging — it wove its way back and forth through the chain link fence and into the woods from where it came. I guess I owe XeXe an apology…nah. But I am going to tell her how stupid brave she was.
Lucy, Ace Reporter and Model in Training *wags and wiggles*
Note from the Mom: Xena was very brave, indeed. I am very thankful it was a non-poisonous garter snake!
I know you liked squirrels, Angel Lexi, and that you even had a back yard living arrangement with them when you were young. It didn’t make you too popular with the other dogs, but you couldn’t have cared less.
Lucy, Ace Reporter on the Groom Beat, here. Today I have a bit of a different report. You have already met Maggie the schnauzer and Dora the shih tzu. They have been coming to Mom to be groomed for six years. Their mom’s sister-in-law is an artist. Can you see the pictures she is painting? 
On the left is the picture their mom took, and on the right is the painted portrait.
Where are you going, Lucy? 
She was kinda scared of me at first, but now we are happy to see each other. Anyhoo, our teacher asked if we all felt ready to do our demo (NO) and if we wanted to come in again this past Sunday (YES!).
Lucy, Ace Reporter here, with news on the Groom Beat. Not too long ago I reported about Mom’s record setting six hour groom. If you missed that one, you can read about it 
She climbed up on the top ledge of the sink! That was another first. We can’t wait to see what happens in six weeks when she comes back for her third professional groom. Oh, and it only took three hours, this time. Maybe next time will be even shorter, ya think?
I decided to do a side pose of just my face and a two thirds pose. I chose a pretty pink border to match my collar. I mean, who wants to look at some stupid flower, anyhow, right?
He tried it out and got so comfy he fell asleep for the rest of the day. The next day I offered Rudy my special Blue Bone. I thought he could chew on it if he got hungry, or use it as a pillow. When I took Rudy over to it, he licked it for a while, then laid his head down and fell asleep again.
I guess if I went all winter without eating -except for the occasional midnight raid on the fridge – I would be like a brain-eating zombie, too.
They were happy I got help for my allergies, and that I passed two agility classes, and that I love dancing Freestyle with Mommy. I introduced them to Jen-Jen Bear, who immediately became a part of their clan. I think she and Sweetheart are going to be BFF’s.
When Bro Andrew came in and said he was done, Mom said, “No, no, you missed one,” and sent him back out. So he went back out and even dug up most of the roots. End results:
People were buying children! I’m letting you know so that if you have any of those noisy kids that you don’t want, you can call this number and make a lot of money.
Why is this mess good, you may ask. This is Maggie. Previously, we asked for POTP for her Mom, who was battling breast cancer. During the final stages of the battle (wait, don’t cry yet, it’s good, I promise) Maggie didn’t have time to come for a groom, and ended up looking like this when she came a couple of weeks ago.
Her Mom had been going through reconstructive surgery and is better now. She didn’t even have to do something called chemo. We want to thank everyone for all the POTP’s that helped give this story a happy 
Do you recognize Maggie (L) and Dora? No, no, they’re not bad. They’ve been coming to us for years and we know and love them. Here’s the bad: their grandpa died and their grandma is not handling it well. It’s causing a lot of stress with their folks which, of course, trickles down to them. We know that some of you have recently lost close relatives and close friends, too, so you can empathize with Maggie and Dora. POTP for their family, please.
Roxxii is pretty adorable, right? It’s what happened in her family that is so ugly. Her Mom’s boyfriend died suddenly, and her Mom was right in the other room when it happened. They are young people, and no one should ever feel so bad that they should die like that. Her Mom is having a real, real hard time right now, so we ask for lots of POTP for her, too. Because she isn’t in a good condition to keep Roxxii brushed, she asked Mom to just shave her hair short. Mom thought she might get cold, so she gave her Xena’s first-ever hoodie,
It’s too small for you now, Xena. That means you can’t wear it cause it doesn’t fit you anymore. Our Mom was wondering what to do with it, and this seemed like a good way to pass on the love you always felt when you wore it.
Xena: Ludwig! Is it really you? Where have you been?
Xena: Everything is kinda’ tilting and I may be turning green.
My sister Lucy likes that chair also, and, strangely, her hair doesn’t stick all over it like it does on the other furniture. 
Sometimes we bark at squirrels and neighbors and delivery people; sometimes we bark and howl with the neighborhood dogs; and sometimes we just nap.
She doesn’t always want the offerings, so I take them back and offer them again another day.
Lucy here, Ace Reporter on the Groom Beat. Today I am going to feature two new dogs that came to Mom for grooms. The first one has the same name as me…can you imagine?
She kissed Mom and sang about how good it felt to be groomed. Can you see her tail wagging?
Her mom, Laurie, warned Mom that Aoife had some mats, and it turned out that her mom had no idea just how matted she was. Mom was determined to save Aoife’s coat, and spent hours de-matting her while she and Laurie gabbed about anything and everything. They even came upstairs and had cups of tea while Aoife was under the dryer. Laurie is a good petter, by the way, and said I am beautiful and sweet. 🙂 After drying Aoife, Mom found a bunch more mats and got back to work. The long blade on the clippers wouldn’t go through her hair, so Aoife got a scissor cut and gave Mom lots and lots of sloppy kisses. Miss Laurie sent us this picture from her house. We have no idea how Aoife’s hair got standing up on her head, ’cause it wasn’t like that when, at 5:30 pm – six hours after she had arrived – Mom declared her finished.
Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess with Lucy and Chia 