Birthday Trip to Nashville by Lucy

When last we met, we were on our way to visit our Uncle Bill and Aunty Jen and our cousins, Ella and Achilles and piggy Morty. Even with her Thundershirt on, Xena panted and shook like a freight train the entire three hour drive. For a short time she fell asleep and we had some peace.

Ella and I picked up right where we left off as BFF’s. When she first saw me jump out of the car and run to the gate she growled and I stopped. Then she apologized and said she was just out of her mind excited that I was there!

I love you, Lucy, you’re my bestest friend in the whole world.

I dared Ella to try to curl her tongue like I did. She sure did try! She even threw her head back to get her tongue to curl better.

Shortly after we arrived Achilles got stuck in his kennel, Morty got stuck in the bathroom, and everyone left us to our own devices. (I heard that somewhere and have been waiting for a chance to use it.) The peeps took Mom out for another birthday dinner. Well, it was actually a lunch, so I guess that’s one of each. They went somewhere that there was an antique car show with really old cars parked up and down the road, their hoods up and doors open. They ate at an Italian restaurant, where Mom got the lasagna that was dripping with hot, gooey cheese. (Please excuse me while I wipe the drool from my mouth.) They got home early afternoon, and then the fun for us began.

Achilles wanted me to watch him play with his ball. He loves to run and play with balls.

We had all been wandering over to where Morty was chomping on the grass because he is such a curiosity to us. Achilles even offered him his ball, but Morty wasn’t interested.

Us woofers ran and played together in the big back yard. Morty and Xena oinked and woofed at each other occasionally, but no blood was shed.

Later that night all the peeps went dancing. They went to National Ballroom and Co., owned by David Hamilton, worldwide ballroom dance champion. Mom was hoping to get to dance with David, but he wasn’t there. She and Dad had even taken a lesson from him once when he was in Chattanooga. Mom gave Uncle Bill a refresher course in rumba.

“…side together forward, side together back…”

Him and Aunty Jen, they danced all the rumbas and the ones Mom calls “belly rubbers.” The rest of the time they enjoyed watching everyone else dance. They took this picture of Mom and Dad swing dancing, but the lighting wasn’t very good.

Before we left the next day I got on the couch and saw Morty on Aunty Jen’s lap, with his little snout sticking out of the covers.

I tried to do a nose touch to say, “Let’s be friends,” but he tried to bite my nose. I guess he didn’t want to be friends. Aunty Jen explained that I don’t speak pig latin and he doesn’t speak dog sign language. So I guess it was just a miscommunication. In any case, I won’t be trying that again.

Tomorrow, Xena will tell you more about our visit. I tried to tell Mom that no more needed to be told, but she just laughed and shook her head.

Wiggles and licks, Lucy

Special Days

Lucy: gorgeous green

Xena: powerful purple

Our Mom had a birthday and our Dad made a big deal about it.

He made her his special chicken dish and pasta and fresh broccoli. We didn’t beg at the table; we just wanted to stay close to Mom on her birthday. Honest.

Our Aunty Jen and Uncle Bill are crazy lots of fun. They sent her this happy birthday message.

Later in the week Mom’s friends at work had a little party for her and someone named Lester who had a birthday the same week. They sang happy birthday to her and Lester and had special sweets.

You might know that Mommy works at a place called a synagogue. I don’t like it cause I’m not allowed to go to work with her like I did at the Methodist church. But Mommy seems to like it anyhow, which I totally don’t understand. So, what I wanted to tell you, is their big sanctuary had been closed down for a long time, and finally got repaired. They had a big party to celebrate the dedication and reopening just before something called High Holy Days. Mommy and Daddy went to celebrate with them. They had something sacred called scrolls carried in from the chapel, where they had been worshiping after they couldn’t use the sanctuary. They passed the scrolls up the center aisle then danced around the sanctuary to music, carrying the scrolls, until they were passed up to the “ark” on the “bimah.” Mommy taught me those words. See, I could be a great help to her at work. Anyhow, someone took this picture.

That’s Daddy handing the sacred scroll to Mommy.

After that part was over, they ate and drank wine and visited with everyone and generally had a great time while we sat at home waiting for them.

Lucy: But we have been getting some good walks when the temperature cools off a bit in the early evening, just before twilight. Every day we get a nice walk is a special day. E”special”ly if we see people who pet me or if I almost get to chase a cat.

Dad asked why we don’t walk as nice on the leash as Riley (center). I pointed out that we also don’t spend 87 minutes every walk reading pee mail like Riley does.

I heard we’re all going to Aunty Jens and Uncle Bill’s this weekend. And I saw Mommy packaging our food. I’ll get Uncle Bill to hold me and see if Morty has gotten bigger than me.

And I’ll get to play with Ella, try to make friends with Morty again, and maybe even get another kiss from Achilles. So today is going to be another special day!

And I get to go home with my Dad, Andrew!

We can’t wait to get on the road! Kisses and wags from Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess and Lucy, and Riley, too.

Talk Like a Pirate with Lucy and Xena

Lucy! Lucy! Save me, yer favorite pirate (I hope). Smartly, me lass!
I be on my way, little lassie. Ye look like a bilge rat, but I reckon yer still me sis.

A few hours later…

Lucy: What happened to ye, little Bilge Rat?

Xena: Ye call me dat agane and I be sure to ferget ye saved me life. Ye see, some udder pirate took ze day too far and blew up me ship. I was havin a taste a grog and suddenly like, boom! I twas thrown into da briney.

Arr! I’ve decided to stay home and play with my inflatable pirate ship. At least, if it gets a hole in it, I’ll land on the floor.

Pirate Lucy and Pirate Bilge Rat Xena surviving Talk Like a Pirate Day and thanking Shoko, Tyebe and Bud from The Canadian Cats blog, as well as Da Phenny and Da Nelly from the Easy blog and Kismet the curmudgeon parrot from http://Kylascott.com.

Flower Friday with Xena

Hey Luce, can you believe it’s already been a whole year since I had to pose for this picture?

We had a new azalea last year. That’s the one you posed beside. It’s a nice picture of you, too, Lucy.

That was our new, 3 season azalea. It bloomed again in the spring for a short time. In the spring it looked like this.

Later in the spring, Mommy called the place where she got it, Holcomb’s Garden Center. It had a warranty, and she was thinking about returning it. They told her that it doesn’t bloom continuously for 3 seasons, but it would bloom again in the summer. Well, in the summer, it was deader than a thumbnail.

Lucy: That’s a door nail, Xena.

Xena: Whatever. Anyhoo. by then Holcomb’s was OOB. That’s short for Out of Business. Can you believe it? So now it looks like this.

In case you’re wondering, that’s a hole in the ground where the azalea bush used to be.

Well then today, Mommy ran out to the store without me ’cause we live in the USA where they have stupid laws about dogs and stores and she came home with a mum. Mom came home with a mum! BOL, BOL! So, to kill two words with one stone…

Lucy: It’s birds, Xena. It’s to kill two birds with one stone.

Xena: Why word you want to kill birds? And I really don’t see how you could kill two of them with the same stone. Anyhoo, no matter what you kill with one stone, or if yo don’t want to kill anything at all, or if you just want to kill one word or bird or…

Lucy: Xena, enough. Please just get to the point.

Xena; Mommy decided to put the table out over top of the hole where the azalea used to be and put that mum that is not her on it and take my picture with it again. Happy Flower Friday, folks.

Pee S, The pretty plastic aura around my head is ’cause I itched a hot spot under my ear. More about that later.

Thanks to Rosy from the LLB Gang for hosting another edition of Flower Friday

Tongue out Tuesday

It started out with me going out front because Mom wanted to get a picture of me next to her dying hostas. She sure does kill a lot of plants. Or maybe she doesn’t kill them, something else does, and she just doesn’t notice until it’s too late. I’m just glad she’s better with dogs than she is with plants. Can I get an amen on that? Or maybe just a head nod?

What I didn’t know is that I was walking into the bowels of hell. It was so hot I coulda fried an egg on the sidewalk. That is, if I had an egg. Uh, hey Mom, can I please have an egg? Is it suppertime yet?

Wiggles and wags, Lucy

Grooming with Mom

This is Lucy, Ace Reporter, on the Groom Beat. Today I want to introduce Bailey. Bailey is almost as big as my little sister, but she is “small boned.” She is a Chorkie – a chihuahua and yorkie mix. Even as small as she is, it used to take someone holding her for Mom to be able to cut her nails. This time, however, Bailey behaved wonderful on the table. That’s a grooming term, you know – “on the table.” Bailey doesn’t have an undercoat – another grooming term – so Mom always gives her a “scissor cut.” Yes, another – well, you know.

It was Bailey’s peep brother’s birthday, so they dropped her off on the way to a birthday brunch. When Mom went outside to greet them and get Bailey, the birthday boy got out of the car and told Mom it’s his birthday and he’s 22, and then he gave her a big hug. It was hard to understand him, and he looked different than other peeps I’ve met. But I could sense that there was something special about him.

When it was time to pick up Bailey, her peeps were still at the restaurant and waiting on some of their food. So Mom brought Bailey upstairs to play with Xena. Xena started out by being her barky self until Bailey jumped up onto Mom’s lap and laid down the law to Xena. When she got down, Xena jumped up. Without a second thought, Bailey jumped back up and they shared Mom’s lap – or at least the chair – until Bailey’s folks got here.

Xena: I don’t think this is what was supposed to happen.

Wiggles and wags from Lucy, Ace Reporter.

After It Rains Hogs

Xena: I’ve heard that the weather is always a safe topic to talk about, so let’s start there today. It’s been stinkin’ rotten hot. It’s been so hot we haven’t even had our walks. In fact, it’s been hotter than a boy in heat.

Lucy: Don’t you know that boys don’t go into heat?

Xena: Sure I do. But you’d have yelled at me if I’da said that other word that starts with a “b”. So I’m making the weather a safer topic, ya see. So then it cooled off a bit after it rained cats and hogs and…

Lucy: It’s dogs.

Xena: What’s dogs?

Lucy: What it rained.

Xena: Yes, it rained. Anyhoo, that cooled it off enough for us to go out and play. I dared Lucy to try to catch me, and off we were on a chase through the dog lot.

I ran and ran in circles, and sometimes Lucy ran off the patio and tried to catch me, but I was too fast! I was in Warrior Princess mode, don’tcha know. All the grass was gone right there in front of the patio door, causing the dirt to get all soft and wet. Lucy got me on my back there and rolled me around a bit. (I let her.)

Lucy: Yep. Then Xena got me on my back and rolled me around a bit. too. (I let her.) After we’d done that for a while, Mom came over to see how muddy we were. I wasn’t muddy at all. I have super hero hair. It glows in the sunlight and keeps me from getting too hot. Fleas and ticks slide off it like a 5-year-old child off a water slide. The cold can’t get through it, and now we know the mud doesn’t stick to it. I got a pass on a bath.

Xena: I have super hero hair too. It doesn’t fall out all over the house and end up in big piles around the walls and the furniture. All that nasty hair around the house belongs to my sister. Apparently, though, mine isn’t mud-repellent.

Wags, wiggles and shakes, Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Lizzie Lucy’s Lizard

Xena: You might think that me and Lucy are always competing and arguing, but it isn’t so. We play together and team up when it counts. On this certain day we both saw a lizard trespassing near the front of our house.

Me and Lucy, we’re a team.

Lucy: OK, Xena, you chase it and if you can catch it, it’s yours.

Xena: So Lucy laid down and I chased the lizard… right into her mouth!

Lucy: Thanks, friend. I want you to know how much I enjoyed that lizard. I saved you the tail, you know.

Xena: But Daddy took it from me and put it in my food dish for later. Then Mommy came home and said, “How disgusting!” and threw it in the garbage. Phth. I didn’t really want it anyhow.

“Lizzie Lucy” dreaming about eating more lizards.

Lizzie Lucy and Lizardless Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

New Pillow

Xena: Mommy went shopping and got me my first pillow. “It’s Xena size, ” she said.

That’s my pillow, in the middle. It’s the pretty one. We turn it over for me to sleep so the pompoms don’t make dents in my face.

Lucy: Hey Xena, do ya think that’s Mom’s way of getting you to put your head instead of your bee hind up by her face?

Whatever, Luce. I think it worked.

Xena Schnauzer Princess Warrior with my own pillow

Lizard Hunter

A while ago, Lucy caught a lizard that fell off the house. She swallowed it down whole. Ever since then we’ve been hunting lizards in front of the house. This time, though, I want to be the one who catches a lizard.

Good. Lucy’s not looking. I can find me a lizard and catch it all by myself.
I see one! Here little lizard. Come to Mama.
Wait! You’re going the wrong way!

Well, you know the saying, “The lizard that sees me and runs away, lives to be hunted another day.”

Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Here’s my saying, “The lizard that falls down off the house, lands in my open, waiting mouth.” Lucy

Who Kissed Achilles?

Lucy: As promised, here is the rest of our story about the visit. We had a good time with our company. Ella and I hung out and played a little.

Ella’s already eight years old, so she doesn’t like to play as much as she used to. Achilles walked in like he was the big boy on the block, if you know what I mean.

Xena: Since you brought the subject up, I saw something that I’m going to share.

Lucy: Xeeenaaa……

Xena: (singing) Achilles and Lucy sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes..

Lucy: XENA!

Ella: Hey, girlfriend, hey. It’s OK, he’s just my bro, nothing more.

Lucy: Moving on, Xena forgot to tell you yesterday about what happened as soon as Aunty Jen walked in the house carrying Morty. Morty was squealing and carrying on. Then Aunty Jen handed him to Mom.

Morty quieted right down and dozed in Mom’s arms. Aunty Jen said, “Bill, didn’t I tell you this is what would happen!?” She knew Morty would feel the love.

Achilles: Hey, what about the story about me and Lucy?

Lucy: Moving on, Xena also forgot to show you this picture of Morty in his pack and play at the child’s birthday party yesterday. Did you know mini piglets use a litter box? The pellets in it are also used in horse stalls, and they turn into sawdust when they get wet.

Also, did you know that the bottom of a piggy’s foot is as soft as mine? And that pigs have no upper lip, just a snout?

That’s the end of our story for this time. Love and kis…er…wags, Lucy

A Successful Piglet Visit

First there was my meet and greet with Morty in his rope harness.

Then we did a proper “Hello, I will be your friend.”

Next, it was Lucy’s turn.

Lucy: I finally got to sniff someone else’s bee hind.

Morty enjoyed grazing on our clover, so Lucy thought it would make him feel more at home if she joined him.

We discovered that Morty loves his belly rubbed, just like us.

It started getting really hot, so we all came in the house. Daddy had paid someone to come fix our air conditioning, so it was much cooler. Soon, Morty left with his folks because he was going to be the star at a child’s birthday party. (He didn’t want to wear Angel Lexi’s star hat, either.)

After 87 hours they all came back and it was suppertime. We watched – with fascination – how Morty eats.

That’s water in the blue bowl, and piggy food mixed with fresh veggies in his food dish.

Morty, Ella, Achilles, Aunty Jen and Uncle Bill have to leave soon, so we’ll finish telling you all about our visit tomorrow.

XOX Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

This and That on Flower Friday

Xena – The Visit Ends: Our visitors finally went home after peeing  being with us for 10 days. 

This is me, Xena, and my new friends, Laila and Louis.
Can I take this bone that I found home with me?
Sorry about ruining your big rug.
Bye, bye, Miss Amy. We liked being here.

Xena – A Hat? No Thanks.  Mommy decided once again to try putting Angel Lexi’s hat on me. A cast member gave it to her when she was in the Wizard of Oz. It has a star on it to show she was the star of the show.

Does my expression tell it all?

Lucy – No board, just groom: Chaz was supposed to stay with us last week, but something happened that his folks couldn’t go away. 

Instead, he just came for a groom. 

Xena – Heat and a flower or something like that: It was hotter than a witch’s ti…

Lucy – Xena! No! 

Xena – What? 

Lucy – The saying is “colder” not “hotter.” 

Xena – Oh. Anyway, it’s been hot. So finally one day there was a slight break in the heat and we convinced Mommy to take us for a walk. I thought I’d better leave as much pee mail as I could, ’cause who knows when we will be out walking again, right? And we even saw some pretty flowers.

Lucy – More visitors coming this weekend: I found out that we are finally going to meet Morty.

I’m not sure how that’s going to go, but we are all hoping for the best.

One thing I am sure about is that I can hardly wait to see Ella again. You know we are tight! So, when I heard she was coming to visit, I shouted out a “Hey, girl” to her. She promptly responded the same to me.

   “Hey girl, hey!”

That went on for a while. Then I said, “I can’t wait to hang out with you. Just one thing, Ella. This here is MY Dad, OK?

She said as long as I understood that Aunty Jen is HER Mom, we’re cool.

                         Oh, solo mio…arrooo!

Xena –  Daddy is MY Daddy too, you know!

This is Lucy and Xena (she means Xena and Lucy) joining the LLB Gang (especially Rosy)  for Flower Friday. 

Grooming with Mom: Marley

Lucy, Ace Reporter here with another episode of Grooming with Mom. Today we feature Marley, a border collie or Sheltie mix, no one knows for sure.

At home before groom

Marley is a rescue and her Mom thinks she is six or seven years old. Mom thinks she might be just a bit older, but you never tell a lady that. Did you know that Angel Lexi used to bark at anyone who called her old? She preferred “mature.” So, we think Marley is mature. She is also a bit plump, te, he. But she’s also a very nice girl. She was so scared that Mom called Dad on the phone (he was upstairs in his office) and said, “Send Lucy down; Marley needs her zen.” So down I went, and sent tons of soothing thoughts Marley’s way.

After groom

Mom helped Marley off the grooming table so we could visit while she waited for her Mom. I only have one question.

Why is everyone so dang interested in my behind!?

I am Lucy, Ace Reporter on the Groom Beat, signing off.

Check, Check, Check: A Good Day

Hi friends, Lucy here. After yesterday, I was hoping for a good day today. I mean, yesterday wasn’t all bad. Xena and I went to the vet and I made all kinds of new friends. Everyone pet me and a policeman and a lady both wanted to take me home with them. The bad part was when a lady who works there stuck a needle in my front leg and stole my blood. It hurt, but I was very good. Mom explained that they will send my blood to Canada to get a DNA heart worm test done. That kind of test lets them know if there is even the beginning of a tiny heart worm growing inside me, and if there is, one shot will kill it. Xena had the same thing done, and she was mostly good about it, too. Anyhow, that’s why we don’t have to take heart worm prevention pills. We did get pretty bandages on our legs.

Wait…we gave them our blood, and you have to pay them?

Anyhow, today was a much better day. We got up and had real good brekkies. Good brekkies – check!

Mom made time to take us for a walk before she went to work. Morning walk – check!

Just before Mom left, she gave us each a treat puzzle. Mmmmm. Xena got a new one for her birthday last month, so she gave me her old one. I don’t even care that she chewed it up a little. I still love having it. Treat puzzle – check!

Later, after Mom got home, she took us for a second walk, and we had lots of mischievous fun. Afternoon walk – check!

Do you see my NPR leash? Did you know that stands for National Public Radio?
Read neighborhood pee mail. check!
Read more pee mail – check!
Sniff Xena’s bee-hind when she can’t do anything about it. – check!

This is Lucy, with a check mark by all the good things on my list.

Pup Invasion

Lucy: We had an invasion.

Xena: It wasn’t good, but at least it wasn’t alien balls this time.

Are you making our brekkies?

Lucy: Their names are Louis (L)and Laila (R). Louis is a Brussels Griffon and Shih tzu mix. Laila is a shih tzu and poodle mix. Mom grooms them, but this time they are staying with us, for about 87 days, I think. They are the couple who kept having puppies, but now Laila has had her big girl surgery.

Xena: Louis kept sniffing our bee-hinds and jumped on me from bee-hind. Mommy and I both yelled at him for that. Sometimes I stand with my bee-hind against a wall, now.

Lucy: Laila was OK except she kept pooping and peeing in the house. Mom put one of Xena’s Big Girl Time panties on her, and that took care of that. Louis has finally figured out he will never be popular by putting his nose or anything else near our bee-hinds. The only things we still don’t like is that they are Mom hogs.

We’re hoping everyone (including us) has a good week.

Wags and wiggles, Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess (and Louis and Laila)

Happy 4th of July

Xena: Our friend, Miss Vickie, made us special scarves for this great holiday. We hope that all dogs everywhere get great scarves on this special day.

Lucy: Uh, I think what Xena meant to say is, we wish for everyone on the earth to be able to live happy and free from cruel owners and rulers.

Xena: Sure, that too. And don’t make any big boom noises today!

Love, from Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess