We are joining Comedy Plus for the Wordless Wednesday blog hop.
Tag: dog friends
Sometimes: The Red Chair and the Shrine
Since The Tree is finally gone and The Red Chair has been strategically positioned in front of the window, I have a new favorite spot.
It’s best when the sun is shining. I get to keep an eye on what is going on in the neighborhood, watch for Mommy to come home from work, and sun bathe – all at the same time. I think that’s called multi-tasking. I like it so much that sometimes I keep my vigil on The Red Chair even when it is raining, which is most of the time lately. 
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.
And sometimes, I – being a good sister – let Lucy have the chair all to herself!
Not always, but sometimes, we leave an offering to The Windowsill Shrine.* It’s the only picture of my Guardian Angel Lexi that I can reach. Sometimes she helps me with things, like not being afraid, so it seems like the thing to do. 
She doesn’t always want the offerings, so I take them back and offer them again another day.
I am Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
- The Mom’s Note: This picture was from the first date Lexi had with Noodle on Valentine’s Day 2015. Here they are dancing at a disco after having a romantic picnic in Central Park. Dancing was one of Lexi’s favorite hobbies, right after acting and eating.
Lucy’s Dr. Seuss Day
This says, “Today you are you that is truer than true. There is no one alive that is youer than you. ~Dr Seuss” Sometimes it seems like everyone wants me to be someone else. Or at least it feels that way, and I end up trying to please everyone. That usually doesn’t make everyone happy, especially not me. I think I will just be me, and love everybody for who they really are, too. Will you be my friend today?
Happy Dr. Seuss Day, my friends.
Wags and wiggles,
Lucy
Pee S. Please go to Jakey’s blog to join in the blog hop. Bad Mr. WordPress won’t let us link everything from here.
From Agility to Freestyle with Xena
Hey friends! I graduated from my Agility too class and I can prove it. I got another piece of paper saying so.
Strangely enough, it has Daddy’s name on it too. He has never, ever gone with us. I don’t think he even knows what Agility too is. Mommy says I should give him a break ’cause he’s my Daddy and he loves me. I love you too, Daddy. ❤ 
Now we are going to focus on Freestyle for a while, and will probably go back to Agility again after we perform in Freestyle in April at the Chattanooga Obedience Club meeting. We’ve started working on our performance a tiny little bit. Last Sunday we worked on opening shapes. But I don’t think Mommy’s knees are up to what the teacher asked us to do. You can watch it here if you want. You can hear the teacher, Miss Julia’s voice asking us to try it different ways.
Our homework is to use an opening shape (we hope one that Mommy can get up from a little more gracefully) and turn it into a movement, then into a closing shape. We have two weeks before our next class, so we should be OK. At least if Mommy stays off her knees. *sigh* We worked on all kinds of turns, too. Miss Julia asked me and Mommy to demonstrate the yahtzee turn, and we did it perfectly! (Mommy’s been working ahead with me at home ’cause she already knows all this stuff.)
Did you see me scratching at the end of the video? Allergy season has started to hit, and I have only been getting my sea rum for 2 months, not quite long enough for it to work good yet. Mommy had an email conversation with my allergy dogtor and now I have to get more baths (drat) and almond butter covered Xertec (yum). He’s trying to take my beef-chicken-egg diet away from me, too, but Mommy thinks if it was the food that I would have itched all winter, and I didn’t. So phthh! to the allergy dogtor on that one.
Gotta go practice my Freestyle now.
I am Xena the Dancing Schnauzer Warrior Princess
Riley Visited Us
Lucy here. Riley was my first boyfriend. We had some really good times together. Then, about a year ago (which, as you know, is something like seven years to us dogs), he and Andrew went away and the next time I saw him he wouldn’t have anything to do with me. Never any explanation. I’d just been dumped. Mom said it was because Riley knew he wasn’t going to see me and was protecting his heart. But what about my heart?
Then, out of the blue (or gray, really, since it was raining), Riley came back. 
He gave me the ugly face at first, but I think it is because his folks were eating and he didn’t want me to get his portion. A little later he wagged his tail at me and said we could be friends again. That made me feel good. He has put back on all the weight that he didn’t need to lose and his furs are shiny and healthy-looking again. Even though his muzzle has gotten a bit gray, he looks so handsome, just like he used to.
Brother Andrew and our Jentry came and visited too. It has been way too long. 
I sat near them all evening until they had to leave. Riley promised to come back to visit again soon. Maybe next time we can run and play outside, just like old times. That sure would be fun.
Love and waggy tails, Lucy
From Pupdates to Ludwig Missing
WHERE WERE MOM AND DAD
Xena: Hi Everyone! As we mentioned not long ago, Miss Christy came and stayed with us while Mom and Dad took off without us for two whole nights. I showed her my favorite spot. 
Then I showed her how fearless I am when I play-attack Lucy. 
Miss Christy said I am as spunky as ever! Oh yeah, we found out that Mommy and Daddy went to a church convention. Here they are with a flat dude. 
The flat dude’s name is the Most Reverend Michael Curry. Some of you may might have heard of him. Mommy said she missed us me us very much and the first thing she did when she got home was take us for a nice walk.
FREESTYLE
Xena: I know you have been waiting to see another video of me dancing Freestyle. This one is from my second lesson. Since this lesson, I have gotten much better at walking close to Mommy’s legs. She shows me what she wants by holding a wooden spoon with almond butter on it down next to her leg when she walks. Tricky Mommy, but I don’t care. It tastes great and wait ’til you see my next video!
Lucy: Can I go next, Xena?
Xena: No, it’s still my turn.
XENA STANDS UP FOR HERSELF
I mentioned a little while back that I stood up to 2 dogs and They. Backed. Down. I know y’all have been waiting to hear that story. The first “incident” was when Peyton and Slider’s folks came to pick them up after being groomed. Mommy let me go outside with everybody and while I was trying to make friends Peyton growled and lunged at me. You can see in this picture that Mommy has used her as a guard dog, so I should have been more cautious.
Anyhoo, I lunged right back at her. We never actually touched, but I was ready. Her Mom said no one has ever stood up to her before, so Peyton didn’t know what to do and just quit. The second time was with the dog sitting next to me and Mommy at Freestyle class. We don’t have a picture of this dog, but he is the typical, crazed Border Collie. He was already worked up because he wanted to do Agility instead of Freestyle, then he kept starring at a little girl there, and finally he snarled at me. I stood up and lunged and he pulled away. *wipes paws* That took care of that!
CHRISTMAS TREE
Xena: Maybe you remember that our tree was still up the beginning of January. I started placing bets on if it would come down before Valentine’s Day, and if so, by how many days.
Lucy: Who were you betting with, Xena?
Xena: Myself. That way I was sure to win. Anyhoo, it’s gone. It disappeared the first week of February. I looked out the window to see if it was in the front yard, but I couldn’t spot it. I also ran through the side woods to try to find it, but I couldn’t smell it anywhere. And I got in trouble for running out of the yard.
This red leather chair took over the space. No matter. I won the bet.
I won the bet, Mommy. Give me a treat.
LUCY AND THE KENNEL
Lucy: Everyone was very kind to me when I let y’all know what I got for my birthday – a jail cell. I am very happy to report that I was so good after I saw it that Mommy never had the heart to make me stay in it, not even when both she and Dad left the house. She kept the door open so I could go in and explore, but why would I want to do that?
It is now folded up and leaning against the wall. That was a better present!
MISSING FRIENDS
Xena: That reminds me, I haven’t seen my friends, Brownie Bear or Ludwig or Rainbow Bear or even little Sweetheart Bear for 87 weeks.
Lucy: How on earth did my prison remind you of them?
Xena: They spent a lot of time hanging out in my kennel. Anyhoo, do you know where they are, Lucy?
Lucy: I heard they are hibernating in the guest closet for the winter. Bears do that you know. Of course, Winter Bear is still awake and playing in your kennel ’cause he’s a winter bear.
Xena: But Ludwig’s not a bear…where is he?
Lucy: He’s supposed to be guarding the bears while they sleep all winter. Let’s go take a peek. 
Xena: HEY YOU BEARS, WHY ARE Y’ALL SLEEPING AND WHERE’S LUDWIG?
Lucy: Shhhhhh Xena, don’t wake them up or they’ll be grumpy. But where is Ludwig?
Xena: *whispering* Maybe he got hungry and went out for a burger and fries.
2 days later
Xena: Hey Lucy, I just checked and Ludwig is still gone. I hope he didn’t get lost. Or eaten by a coyote. Or squished on the road. Or, or… Mommy! Call the Missing Ludwig Po-Po’s and give them Ludwig’s picture. We can post it on all the trees and telephone poles, too.
To be continued…
I am Xena the BRAVE Schnauzer Warrior Princess
and I am Lucy the umm, well, the Lovable
My First Valentine
I got so excited about Valentine’s Day this year that I made my honey a pretty card with my picture on it and sent it to him early. Here it is. Do you see my best happy face? I hope my pose isn’t too provocative. I sure do hope BB likes my card. I made it with love.
Look what Big Boy sent me! He even put me in a heart. ❤ Don’t we look like we belong together?Yes, Big Boy! I will be your Valentine!!
Lots of love, Lucy
Stuck
As Mommy was leaving for work today she gave me my new treat puzzle that I love to play with. It didn’t take me even 87 milliseconds to solve that puzzle and gobble up all the treats. That’s when I noticed that Rudy and Jen-Jen Bear didn’t make it into my kennel before Mommy closed and locked the door. 
I really tried to help them. I was able to get one of Jen-Jen’s legs in, but she yelled that it hurt, so I had to stop. 
Rudy, do you want me to try to help you get in the crate with me?
Rudy: Uh, no thanks. I’ll just wait here until your Mom gets back.
Jen-Jen Bear: I’m stuck. You’re not going to just leave me stuck like this, are you, Xexe? All the blood is rushing to my head and my leg’s starting to go numb.
Uh, yep. Don’t worry, I’ll carry you around with me the rest of the evening after Mommy gets home. Monkey and Winter Bear are in here with me, so I’m just going to play with them for a while. Then we’ll all take a nap. You know I would come out there and help you but…
Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
Visiting Our Aunt and Uncle
Xena: Auntie Jen must have heard me say I missed her, ’cause she invited us to come to her house near Nashville. I get a bit nervous on car rides, and I panted for the whole three hour trip even though Daddy held me and pet me the whole way there while Mommy drove. At least this time I didn’t puke in the car.
Lucy: That’s only because Mom didn’t feed us before we left home.
Xena: I had a much better trip home. Auntie Jen put lavender oil on my ears, then Mommy put some on my paw pads after we got in the car. I only panted a tiny little bit once or twice. I hope we have lots of that oil around.
We returned the Santa toy that Achilles forgot at our house a couple of weeks ago. 
He was so over-the-moon happy that he played with it all weekend.
Lucy: He ignored me all weekend, too. 
Xena: That’s ’cause he remembered the talk I had with him when he was at our house! And he let me ride the horsie he got for Christmas. 
At first it was a little scary. I mean, I had never ridden a horsie before. 
I thought maybe I should watch for traffic behind us like Mommy does when she is driving.
Then I said, “giddy up,” and urged horsie to go faster while I hung on tight. I rode bareback my first time out!
OK, Mommy, horsie said he’s done. You can help me off now.
We all played outside, too. 
Here we were playing follow the leader. That’s cousin Ella in the lead.
As the day got later, something strange happened. 
We think that aliens were coming down and making shadow monsters out of Lucy and Ella. The girls ran into the house with me and the monsters disappeared.
That Saturday night the peeps put Achilles in his kennel and left. The rest of us got free run of the house and we were all Very. Good. My folks brought home pictures of what they did while they were gone. 
They went ballroom dancing to celebrate Daddy’s birthday and Auntie Jen’s birthday. In that picture they were doing something called a foxtrot, he, he.
That wraps up our big out-of-town weekend. I heard that this coming weekend, Mommy and Daddy are going to something called a Convention in Knoxville. That means that our most favorite doggie sitter – other than our Auntie Jen and Uncle Bill – is coming to stay with us. We lo-o-o-ve Miss Christy!
Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
Pee S: I can’t wait to tell you the stories about how I stood up to two dogs who got nasty with me and They. Backed. Down! I am getting very, very brave.
Pee Pee S: I don’t never start the trouble, neither!
A Belated Birthday Story
Hi, this is Lucy, My 3rd birthday and 2nd gotcha day was January 14, the day before Dad’s birthday. I was excited, thinking maybe I would get a great big cake and maybe ice cream and lots and lots of treats. I saw a big, heavy package delivered a few days before, and just knew it had to be something for me. I was right! You are never going to believe what I got…
The meanies folks said this was a present to help me learn how to behave, to not chew up anything, and that would be a gift to everyone. Do I look happy with my present?
It is really big, and I can even walk around in it. Here is a picture of me and Ella in it together, to give you a sense of just how big it is. 
We could have even fit one more of us in there. This is the one that Achilles-dini escaped from when he and Ella were here for a few days. I wish he would show me how he did it, he, he.
Oh well, maybe my 4th birthday will be better.
Wags and kisses, Lucy
The Good Child
Late last summer Mommy got me a super duper seven month flea collar. She had tried very, very hard to repel those nasty fleas using different natural ways, like using blends of essential oils on us and diotomaceous earth on the yard, but we just kept on getting bit, and I kept reacting strongly to the flea bites. That’s when she gave up and got this flea collar from our vet, Dr. Karen. I think Mom spent all her money on it ’cause she said she has never paid so much for a flea and tick collar in her entire life. 
When the weather turned cold, Mommy took the collar off of me and sealed it in a plastic baggie for when the evil fleas return in the spring. Well, we got springy weather AND my allergy test showed I have a flea allergy, so back on went the collar. That is, until Lucy chewed it off my neck.
Mommy was not amused. She stood perfectly still, looking at it like she had never before seen anything that a dog had destroyed. #poormommy. We found a few small pieces on the stairs. Other than that, we think Lucy might be protected from fleas until after her next good poop.
Lucy: I’m not going to get any fleas now for seven months. The collar box said the collar’s good for that long.
Mommy could not bring herself to throw away the collar. Or to tell Lucy that she was wrong.
Now I have a duck-taped seven month flea collar. I wonder how many more months I have to go with it like this. Probably just until Lucy chews it off my neck again, he, he.
I am Xena , the Good Child.
Pupdate on Collar: Looks like Lucy continues to be protected from fleas. She chewed the collar off my neck again. My neck is 10 inches around. The collar is now 9 inches long. Mommy said you can do the math, whatever that means. I just saw it dropped in the trash. #poorermommy.
It’s real cold again, so I hope those evil fleas are gone for a while, or at least until Mommy can get me a new collar. Phhhthhh on Lucy the flealess!
Thursday Three Day Throwback
Mom: I guess it’s time to take down the tree. I’ve enjoyed it so much this year, I’m going to miss it.
Dad: Look at the bright side; only ten more months and we get to do it all over again.
Achilles: Can I help, huh, please. I’m really good at taking off the bulbs. 
Mom: Uh, why don’t you just watch and make sure I’m doing it right?
Two minutes later…
Achilles: You missed one, Aunt Amy. There’s another one you missed.
Mom: Move please, Achilles.
Achilles: I could get under the tree and get that one you dropped.
Mom: Move out of my way, Achilles.
Achilles: Oops, didn’t mean to step on your foot. Look, I can even fit back behind the tree. 
Is that my Mom driving by the house? Isn’t she coming to get me today?
Mom: That’s not her, and she will be here later. Now, will you please get out of my way?
Ella: I think you missed one, way up at the top. 
Mom: Thank you Ella. Now I think we are done, except for Uncle Jeff putting away the tree.
That was hard work.
Yep, I’m exhausted.
Wake us when our Mom comes.
Achilles and Ella, the helper pups waiting on our Mom.
Return of Our Friends
Xena here. Something bad happened. Our Uncle Bill’s Mommy fell down really hard. Her hip broke, and so did her leg, and her shoulder shattered. She is very old, and we feel very bad for her. So first, before we go any further, we want to ask for POTP for Miss Pat.
Our Aunty Jen and Uncle Bill drove the three hours from their home near Nashville to be with Miss Pat right after she fell. That’s why Achilles and Ella got to stay with us. Aunty Jen left them at our house while my folks were gone teaching a ballroom dance class. She locked Achilles in the new, gigormous kennel, and Ella took over Xena’s kennel. (That was to ensure that Ella and Lucy didn’t go on another destruction spree.) 
Achilles
When Mommy and Daddy got home an hour later, Achilles met them at the door. He really is Achilles-dini.
Ella was still in Xena’s kennel, and pitifully asked Mommy why she had to be in jail. Shortly after Mommy let her out she projectile vomited the little bit of kibble left in her tummy.
Mommy went up to the attic to pull out more dog beds. You can see that Angel Lexi’s bed got covered with red fuzz from my red blankie that was in the wash with it. The plan was for Achilles to sleep there because it is the bigger bed. Since he wouldn’t settle down, Ella claimed it. Silly girl, she didn’t even use most of the bed. I guess her head felt good on the floor.
The next day my folks had to go to work, so they jailed both of our guests. When Mommy got home (you know this is going to be bad, starting off like that, right?) Achilles-dini was loose again, but the door to the kennel was still locked. That is still a mystery. Now, here’s the bad part. The smell about knocked Mommy over. The big boy had left a steaming present in Daddy’s office, and I had to be in the house and smell steaming Achilles-dini poop all afternoon! *gag* Wait! There’s more! We couldn’t walk through the house without stepping in Achilles-dini pee. He left puddles and trails. I couldn’t believe Mommy wasn’t mad. She said it is because he drinks huge bowls of water all at once because he is so hot from his allergies. He takes medicine, but it doesn’t help enough.
Achilles-dini also decided the pretty hanging bulbs on the Christmas tree (yes, we still have our tree up in the front room because it make Mommy feel good) anyhow, he decided they are good to eat. No one has died – or even gotten yelled at (much) – yet.
Oh, and one more thing. I had a talk with Achilles. I told him in no-uncertain-terms that Lucy already has a boyfriend and he isn’t to be kissing on her. He understood and said OK, he could respect that.
BB, you know I have been called a “snitch,” but I can snitch on good things too, right? So here goes: Lucy behaved herself around Achilles-dini. Mommy is a notary public, and I will have her notarize my statement if you want, to prove it is true.
Our friends are going home today, and, until then, our folks are taking turns leaving the house for work and errands.
Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess, the good snitch
A Christmas Recap (or What I Got for Christmas)
Xena: Me and Lucy had a great Christmas with Uncle Bill and Aunty Jen and Ella and Achilles. We all opened our pressies Christmas morning, and I got a santa that makes crinkly sounds that I don’t really like, and a great new bear.
Lucy: They are for me, too, Xena.
Xena: You don’t like to play with them, so they’re mine. But I will be kind and give you the crinkly santa thingie.
Anyhoo, Mommy asked me today why I keep taking my new bear friend (who I haven’t thought of a name for yet – any suggestions?) into the bathroom and leaving him/her there. All I could say is, “Why not?” Ya know, it’s not my fault if I take new bear with me through the house and she/he doesn’t follow me back, right?
Lucy: Mom and Dad got home just before our aunt and uncle left. That was a good present. Then our peeps brother Andrew came over for a while, too.
Xena: And then, on the day after Christmas, Mommy brought out all these new pressies for us that she had been hiding.
Lucy: I got new jammies. I’ve never had jammies before, and I’m not sure if they look OK on me. At XXL, they are the largest that Chewy.com carries. Mom says I am just a beautiful big girl. 
They are soft and warm, so whenever it gets cold, I will be cozy, especially now that I’m not allowed to sleep in the bed with Mom and Dad any more. But that’s a story for another time.
Then Mom helped us open our other pressies. I kept my jammies close so Xena didn’t take them.
Xena: I we got two bags of treats. One of them is Stella & Chewy’s Wild Weenies Grass-fed Lamb. The other one is Dr. Jodie’s Natural Pets N-Trail Mix with lamb liver and spleen, grass fed beef kidney, turkey heart and gizzards, and pork brain. Mmmm. 
They are both freeze-dried raw, so they fit nicely into our raw diet.
And I got a treat puzzle! I’m so excited about that ! I tried one at an agility classes, and I got really good at it.
Lucy: I wanted to try it, but Xena wouldn’t let me.
Xena: Too slow, Luce. You snooze, you lose. (Especially when it comes to a schnauzer and treats!)
Lucy: Mom got a pressie from Dad that me and Xena just didn’t quite understand. They moved with her when she walked.
Mom laughed and said, “Leave them alone,” and “They’re not toys.” But we think otherwise. By the way, do I look odd in this picture? I think it’s just the camera angle, right?
Xena: Wrong.
Lucy: Be quiet Xena. So, can you see that they have stained beards, just like Xena? The bad news is that one-size-doesn’t-fit-all, contrary to what the ad said. So Mom got the company to agree to pay for return shipping with her refund. She called it “false advertising.”
That’s the end of our Christmas recap, friends. We hope you had a good holiday, too. Love and wiggles from Xena the Schnauzer Princess Warrior and Lucy
Xena: Pee S. I have decided that my new bear is a girl and I think I will name her after my aunty and call her Jen Jen (unless you have a better name.
PeePee Ess: HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Grooming and More: Roxxii, Dora and Maggie
Today, Ace Reporter Lucy on the Groom Beat. First, we have Roxxii. Isn’t she a doll? Mom did what she calls a “Winter Groom,” leaving her body and leg hair long to help her stay warm.
Her Mom had to leave her for three hours while she worked, so Roxxii came upstairs to stay with us.
Xena: Who are you and why are you here? I play bowed and you didn’t respond. Don’t even think about taking my Mommy or stealing my food or my pressies from under the tree.
Roxxii: I hadn’t thought about any of those things until you mentioned them, schnauzer dog. Where are the pressies? I don’t see any.
Xena: Just never mind. I already hid my reindeer when I saw you coming.
30 minutes later after Roxxii ran all over the house looking for Xena’s reindeer…
Roxxii: I want my Mommy.
Meanwhile, downstairs in the grooming room…
Dora the shih tzu: Maggie, did you see if that other dog ever came back? What happened to her?
Maggie the schnauzer: I don’t know, Dora, but I’ll protect you.
Maggie: Miss Amy, where did that other dog go? Is she staying with you while her Mom and Dad go away like we stayed a few weeks ago? Is she OK?
Dora: (As their Mom pulls into the driveway) Can we go home now, Miss Amy? Are we staying with you again, too? I really want to go home.
Angel Lexi: There’s no place like home.
Well, I seem to have totally lost control of my article, so I guess that’s all for today, folks. Wags and wiggles from Lucy, Ace Reporter who needs a lock on her computer.
Christmas Time with Friends
Hi, where’s our folks, and how did you get in our house?
Mommy and Daddy left and Aunty Jen and Uncle Bill arrived.
You look different , Uncle Bill.
Oh, you’ve got hair on your face now like me. I think we’re twinsies!
Ok, you can be part of our clan. You may feed me now.
I remember you now!! You just surprised me, coming in without Mom and Dad. Where’s my bestie, Ella?
It’s gonna be a fun Christmas with Ella and Achilles (and Uncle Bill and Aunty Jen)!
Love and wiggles, Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
Grooming with Mom – Christmas Puppies
Today I, Lucy Ace Reporter, bring you a fun episode of Grooming with Mommy. You may remember Louis and Laila, proud three time parents. They came to get groomed, like usual. What wasn’t usual was that after they were finished, their Mom brought their last three puppies that hadn’t gone to new homes yet. They are 12 weeks old, and all are little boys. Mom asked me to come downstairs to help her.
This little guy was first up, and he was really terrified. I gave him some thoughts of confidence that no one was going to hurt him, and to just relax. He listened to me, and while we passed thoughts back and forth Mom was able to hold him in her lap to finish cutting his nails. He is to be a Christmas present from a fire fighter in Georgia for his little girl. The puppy promised me that he would be a good boy for her.
I checked on the other boys in the kennel to be sure they were doing ok. 
The one with hair like his daddy growled at me. If you look hard, you can see my tail wagging, ’cause this little guy fussing at a big girl like me made me laugh.
The other two boys were much easier, and I didn’t really have to do anything else. Even so, I stayed just in case Mom needed me again. Besides, their Mom came back and pet me a lot while she told me how beautiful I am. I think I made her feel good, too!
Mom said, “Sit,” and we all sat. The growler (he, he) is up front. He is the only one with a single coat (that means no undercoat), like his Dad. The one that I helped with is in the middle, all groomed and ready to go make a little girl happy. Mom’s favorite is the one in the back. Just looking in his face, we could tell he is smart. He’s really good-natured too, and has a thick coat. He’s in the middle in the next picture.
Mom said me and Xena are enough for this home, so I won’t get to raise a baby brother.
Love and wiggles from Lucy, Ace Reporter and Doggie Therapist
When The Mom Leaves
Xena: Hey Lucy, don’t you wonder what’s in all these bags that Mommy put under the tree?
Lucy: Um, now that you mention it, I guess I do. Some of them smell good. Hey Xena, look, Dad left the door to the downstairs open while Mom is gone.
a short while later…
Dad: Lucy, Lucy, Lucy, what are you doing?
Lucy: Amph, s mn, ood.
Dad: Spit it all out, girl. That’s not whatever you think it is. No, no, don’t chew faster, spit it out!
Dad: Lucy, where’s Xena?
Lucy: (with a foaming mouth) I on’t know.
Another short while later Mom arrives home.
Mom: Xena, what did you do!
Xena: Uh, I came down looking for you, Mommy, and, umm, a little piece of something was sticking up, and, and, I thought maybe it was food, er, I mean, I wanted to clean the carpet for you Mommy, and..
back upstairs…
What happened to all the pressies?
This is Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess with only Grodd under the tree.
Nature Friday Walk at the Greenway
Hi Friends. This story for Nature Friday is from a walk we took the first Sunday in December. The days leading up to it were very rainy and dreary, and no one would take us for a good walk. OK, so we got to go for a short neighborhood walk one day, but there was no one else out to say hi! Slowly, the weather started to warm up from the 30’s to the 50’s F (-10’s to 10’s C) and then Sunday the sky was a clear blue with temperatures in the mid 70’sF (24’sC). Mom helped me with the temperature conversion with a new app she downloaded ’cause her old app disappeared when her old phone got dropped in the t…. Oops, Mom is making the cutting motion across her throat so you can just use your imagination as to why she had to break the bank to get a new phone.
Anyhow, that’s why we finally get to participate again in Nature Friday hosted by Rosy at LLB in Our Backyard
Mom had been complaining nicely telling Dad that he needed to spend more time with her, so when she asked him to go with us for exercise a nice walk at the greenway, Dad –being the smart man he is — said, “Let’s go!” It’s at the same place as the dog park, so I knew right where we were. Most of the leaves were off the trees and provided a soft walkway for our feet. The trail smelled so good, like squirrels and other dogs!
The trail ran right along South Chickamauga Creek. The creek is usually small enough to wade across (not that Mom ever has let us do that) but that Sunday — after all the hard rain — it looked more like a river.
You can see the creek behind us. It was flowing pretty fast, so we stayed on the trail (mostly). There were ginormous puddles on the trail, too, from last week’s rains, and Mom and Xena kept exploring other ways around the trails while Dad plodded along the edge with me.
There were some really beautiful areas — at least from Mom’s perspective. Me and Xena mostly had our noses down. Xena and Mom were following me and Dad, trying to keep up, and Xena kept pulling on her leash. Me and Dad knew this because we walked to a chorus of “Xena, walk pretty,” and “Xena, walk with me,” and “Xena!!” I told Dad we should just lose them so we didn’t have to listen to it, but he said that wouldn’t be nice,” and “Try to be patient.”
We found an old, abandoned two-room cabin with a tin roof, and Mom sat a spell on one of the big wooden rockers on the porch facing the raging creek. There were only two “rooms” with an outdoors area to cook, all very rugged. The “windows” looked like they had been cut out later with no sign of any way to insert glass or screening, and the only door was gone. Mom had decided to take a picture on our way back by, not knowing we would end up at the end of a loop and not need to retrace our steps. Dad walked around evaluating the structure, trying to figure out when it was built. He found modern nails and things called 2 by 4’s that made him decide it was built probably around 1960 and left to ruin when the previous owner of the land donated it all for the South Chickamauga Greenway.
The temperature had risen by about 10 degrees and Mom and Dad were wearing their jackets tied around their waists as we walked back into civilization at the end of a sock-shaped trail. Can you believe it was in the mid-70’s (20’s C) in December?!
We had walked for over an hour and Xena and I, after getting our paws thoroughly wiped, were very quiet in the back seat of the car on the way home. As soon as we got out of the car Mom threw Xena in the groom tub and washed the dirt and mud off of her until the water ran clear. Between the exercise and the warmth of the sun, we were all sleepy and and jumped – or fell – into the big bed and took a good afternoon nap.
Love and wiggles, Lucy.
The Christmas Monster and Grod
Xena: Daddy and brother Adam put up a big thing that looks like a tree right in the house! 
Xena: Lucy was scared, but I wasn’t scared at all!
Lucy: It looked like a tree, but it didn’t smell like a tree. Then Mom put all these lights and other stuff on it, so it didn’t really even look like a tree any more. I still don’t know what it is.
Xena: So what did it look like, Lucy?
Lucy: *whispers* A giant monster.
Xena: Well, sitting in front of the monster got us treats, so it couldn’t be all bad. Am I right? Then Mommy found some fun stuff in the plastic bins.
This is the Christmas gorilla. I think I will name him Grod, like on our favorite Netflix show, The Flash. Only our Grod will be a nice ape.
I promise I won’t hurt Grod, Mommy. Can I keep him? He’s my new friend, and I’m not afraid of him.
I am Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess and Keeper of Grod.
I am Lucy and I’m staying in the other room away from the giant monster.
Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess with Lucy and Chia 