dog – Page 12 – Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess with Lucy and Chia

Blogger Recognition Award

Published on October 8, 2015 by Xena, Lucy and Chia8 Comments

My most wonderful boyfriend, Noodle, who is the handsomest Schnoodle in the world, nominated me for the Blogger Recognition Award. I love awards! Thank you, Noodle!
Now, according to the rules, I must explain how my blog started. Mom used to post stories of my life from time-to-time on the website Dogster. Dogster was then bought out by another company, who wanted to do away with all the blogs and just run articles and stuff like that. There was a huge uprising from both the Dogster and Catster communities and they eventually decided that was a very bad idea. In the meantime, Mom was afraid she would lose everything she had written, so she decided to download it all and turn it into a book, now available on Amazon. Then she thought, “Well, there’s still a lot going on, so I need to start a new blog just for Lexi.” That is when, with the help of my Dad, she created this blog.

I have made so many friends with my blog, I am very happy Mommy helps me with it. She went back and loaded all of my blogs from Dogster in chronological order and then started new entries. Noodle was my first new friend. He commented on my December 2014 blog. In February he asked me to be his Valentine and we have been a couple ever since. I so love to hear from all my other new friends too.

Now I need to nominate 15 other bloggers. Because so many of my friends were Noodle’s friends first, he has already nominated many who I would have chosen. So here goes:

That’s all the blogs I can think of that Mom and I read or follow, other than the ones Noodle already listed. Listing any more would be dishonest, so we are going with honest over following the rules. *sigh*

The rules also say I have to give advise to new bloggers. Pictures. Everyone loves pictures. What’s the saying? Oh yeah, a picture is worth a thousand words, that’s it, isn’t it? Pictures, yes.

Now for The Rules:

Select 15 other blogs you want to give the award to. Do some digging if you must! Find those blogs. You cannot nominate yourself or the person who has nominated you.

Write a post to show off your award! Give a brief story of how your blog got started, and give a piece or two of advice to new bloggers. Thank whoever nominated you, and provide a link to their blog. List who you’ve nominated in the post.

Make sure to also attach the award itself! (You can do this by right-clicking, saving, and uploading the image above).

Comment on each blog and let them know you’ve nominated them. Provide a link to the award post you created.

Provide a link to the original post on Edge of Night. That way, anyone can find the original guidelines and post if needed, and we can keep it from mutating and becoming confusing! (It happens LOL).

Note: You can decline the award if you don’t feel up to doing the above, but remember—you have to earn it by doing the work! 🙂

Memory Monday

Published on October 5, 2015August 15, 2016 by Xena, Lucy and Chia7 Comments

I was laying around the house thinking about all the fun I had as Lexi-Toto in the local productions of the Wizard of Oz. To kick things off, we all attended the Annie Awards (like the Oscars, only at our local theater) in 2006. This is where I first met lots of the people I would be working with. A couple of people asked why I (a dog) was there, but as soon as they heard I was going to play Toto, they welcomed me to their ranks. It was a formal affair, so Dad made me wear a tux collar and bow tie. It matched Mom’s red dress! Don’t they look like proud parents? I still had a few months before the play opened to grow out my hair for the Toto look.

Here are pictures of me with my Dorothy from the first production in 2006 and the third one in 2014. You can probably see where I put on a pound or two in those eight years. Dorothy #3 used to grunt every time she picked me up. Mom said she was sorry about the extra weight, but that she wouldn’t be able to grunt like that during the live play. BOL

I must admit, I do look and feel better since I recently lost some weight on my green bean and carrot diet.

There was a lot of publicity surrounding the production at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre. Sometimes during our six weeks of rehearsals my Dorothy and I had to stop to have our pictures made for the newspaper and playbills.

For this picture, Mommy hid a piece of cake under my Dorothy’s right shoe. When she realized how focused I am when there is food involved, my Dorothy started rubbing hot dogs on her skin and hiding treats in her socks. See why I loved her so much? It certainly kept me with her – at least most of the time, as you will soon see.

The play ran for six weeks and I reported for duty every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon. I would arrive in time for warm ups. I would run to the room where I could hear everyone singing, “Doe, ray, me, fah, sew, lah, me, doe,” and scratch at the door until someone opened it and let me in. I would run to the front row and do warm ups with the cast. “Aroooo, arrrr, woof, woof!” I was so good that everyone would laugh with joy. Then we would all sing warm ups together again and everyone would laugh again. It was so much fun!

There were two distinct episodes when hot dogs in the socks did not keep me with my Dorothy. The first week on stage, I realized I could run down the stairs behind the good witch, Glenda, and visit with the audience. I had a limited amount of time so I visited quickly with just the first row, letting them know I was glad they had come. Then I tore up the opposite set of stairs and across the stage to stand next to my Dorothy in time for Glenda to point at me and ask, “Is this the witch?” Even though I never, ever missed my cue, this whole thing made Mom and my Dorothy a bit nervous, so Glenda started blocking my exit stairs with her big skirt. Drat.

A little further along into the production I realized the Wicked Witch of the West was sneaking across the back part of the stage while Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the Lion were near the front of the stage, discussing which way to go. Since not much else was happening, I thought it would be great fun to chase and bark at the Wicked Witch. She kept waving her hand and stage-whispering, “Shoo, shoo” at me. Later I found out that my Dorothy and her friends weren’t supposed to know the Wicked Witch was there, which explained why they only looked from side to side while saying things like, “Is that Toto barking?” and “Where is Toto? Do you hear him?” The audience laughed so hard that I kept doing it every night.

I have lots more stories, but my brain is a bit tired from all this remembering, so I will share more next time. Is it supper time yet?

When losing is good and trouble at the vets

Published on October 3, 2015October 3, 2015 by Xena, Lucy and Chia14 Comments

I ended up going back to see my doctor on Friday because my hip is still hurting a lot. I was sitting in the waiting room waiting for the inevitable torture when a dog at least twice my size ran out of an exam room, heading straight to me. I growled to say, “Stay out of my space,” and she growled back and jumped me. Mom risked life and limb to save me. Literally. She stuck her leg between us and broke up the fight. It took about two seconds for my adrenaline to drop back to normal and I started to shake. The dog’s name was Grace. I heard her people yelling, “Grace, Grace, stop!” My vet came over and sat down with me. She said it was her fault for opening the door and letting Grace loose. Mom looked at everybody and said, “Shame on you all for letting Grace loose in the waiting room.” Everyone sort of hung their heads and asked again about my welfare. Of course I was fine, just a bit shaken up, but feeling better now that Grace was in trouble, her people were in trouble, the vet was in trouble and I was being “poor babied.” Unfortunately it didn’t get me out of the vet appointment, but at least no one stuck a glass stick up my patootie this time.

The vet doubled up on my pain meds and prescribed an anti-inflammatory if I seem to be having an especially bad day. She also sent home with us some antibiotics to kill the bacteria in my mouth. Mom said my mouth was starting to smell like something had crawled in there and died. Eeww.

Mom asked about surgery on my hip, like a doggie hip replacement or something. Dr. Poston said she could do surgery on my femural head – I think that is the top of the bone going into my hip – but it should be a last resort. She did say my age would not be a factor, but she wants us to try everything else first, including chiropractics, cold laser therapy and herbal medicines. We know a vet in Chattanooga who does those things, except for the chiropractics. My chiro just retired, but Mom is going to beg her to treat me, even if she doesn’t want to treat people any more. I have one more shot of adequin for today and then no more for a month. That’s what they give race horses, you know. Mommy says I am special. Mommy also has to keep a diary of what she is doing to help me and if it is helping. I can only get or do one different thing at a time so we know what is helping – or not.

The good news is that I lost – two and a half pounds, that is. I owe it all to my green bean diet. No more canned dog food for me, huh uh! I get green beans with my kibble now, and I don’t care if they are from a can, I love them and I love the juice they are in! I only get the salt-free variety. I lick my bowl clean and then go back and lick it again to be sure. For treats I get fresh green beans. Today I helped Mom cook up carrot slices for my kibble topping. I ate the pointy ends of the fresh carrots. That’s helping, isn’t it?

I hang out a lot in the kitchen . I am a good helper.

My medicines and special veggies and water. And my diary. And tooth cleaning thingies.

Home Invasion

Published on September 20, 2015 by Xena, Lucy and Chia15 Comments

Riley no sooner moved out than Mom came home with two more dogs on Friday. My cousin Piper is here occasionally, so no big deal. However, this is the first time his roomie, Ella has come. Previously, she couldn’t come here because Riley tried to attack her – several times.

Piper the Schnauzer - can you see where the pit bull ate part of his left ear? — **Ella, already taking over Mom’s bed.**

0919151431 — **Piper the Schnauzer – can you see where the pit bull ate part of his left ear?**

I tried to set them straight on who is in charge around here. Piper said, “As always.” Ella just laughed and tried to get me to play with her.
I was just about over the shock of seeing these two in my house when I heard Mom fall down the stairs Friday night. Just the last step, but that was enough to have her holding her foot and ankle and squeezing back the tears. Dad and I ran down to her and I sat close, doing therapy. She sprained her ankle and has been on crutches all weekend. I am secretly glad because Ella has been afraid of the crutches. He, he. Moms said that with Dad limping for three months with a sprained ankle, and me limping with the hip dysplasia, she must have been feeling left out.

Today, Sunday, Mom has been getting around without the crutches, which made it easier for her to chase Ella when she started to do her pee pee downstairs. After thinking about it, Mom blamed me. How is it that I get blamed for everything. Just because I marked that spot when Riley was living here…

Now Ella has taken over my Dad: 0919152133
And Piper has taken over my couch:And they have both taken over my bed:

Come to think of it that really looks like me and Riley. Oh wait! It is! Memories…

Here is Ella and Piper on my and Mommy’s bed:

Why does that picture look so familiar?

To make things even worse, Mommy can’t take me to work with her this Monday or Tuesday. She has some seminar thing she has to attend. I bet she didn’t even ask if I could come. My hip still hurts and I gained back the weight I lost. I’m starting to feel a little depressed. Noodle, if you read this, will you please come take me on vacation?

If you remember, I asked for POTP for Piper. His diabetes is under control now with two shots a day – Mommy has to give them so Daddy doesn’t faint. Piper is also on an additional heart med for his class 4 heart murmur. His heart is enlarged, too. Dad says it is because his little heart couldn’t hold all the love he has for everyone, so it had do get bigger. Hmm, I wonder if that is true.

I am Lexi the limp-along in the doggie B&B.

Never a Dull Moment

Published on September 17, 2015 by Xena, Lucy and Chia20 Comments

My days are rarely dull. Sometimes it is hard work to keep them interesting, but I give it my best shot. Historically, I stay home with Dad on Mondays, and I feel like he needs to use that time to interact with me. You know, leave his office and give me treats, let me out, let me in, feed me, give me treats, etcetera. (I just learned that word, etcetera, and think it is pretty nifty.) Unfortunately, Dad disagrees, and so has been ~~begging~~ politely asking Mom to take me with her on Mondays as well. This Monday I thought he was going to fall on his knees and actually beg. “Please, please take her,” he said. Etcetera. So she did. Staff lunch and meeting are on Mondays. Nobody saved me a chair. So I had to sit on the floor and complain. Arrrrr. Arrrr. Arurrr. Etcetera. Each time a little louder. Finally, Mom asked Philip if he was done with his salad. “That dog’s not going to eat salad,” he said with a bit of incredulity in his voice. “Watch,” said Mom. I ate most of it and licked the rest of the lettuce clean and left it on the floor. I guess Mom felt it fit within the limits of my diet. Speaking of diet, I have lost 1.5 pounds. I can’t feel proud of that, since it was through forced starvation. Etcetera.

That was Monday. Tuesday my peeps brother Andrew and Jentry and the boy and also Riley came over and ate pizza with us. Did I mention Jentry and the boy bought a house and moved out, mostly. Well, mostly because I still see them a lot and some of their stuff is still here. Riley came in and gave me a polite nose to nose touch. I didn’t realize at the time it was his way of saying goodbye. He and Andrew are moving to another state called North Carolina.

Wednesday held even more surprises. Mom helped me into the car to go to work – my hip is worse – and I found myself on a fancy-looking new seat cover. Mom said it is to help me not slide around like I do on the leather. The colors are so bright that they reflect on my hair. It was at this point that she also noticed that I needed a bath. Grrrr. Dad commented that he felt like we now owned a Gremlin. Huh?

So off we go to work – or so I thought. Instead, we pulled into the drive through at the drug store where Mom got medicine and I got a milk bone treat. Mom must have forgotten about my diet since she let me have it. Then it was off to work for real. As soon as we got there, Mom opened the pills she had just bought and gave me one tucked into my wet food that she had so thoughtfully brought along. The adequin shots haven’t helped yet and I can barely put any weight on my back left leg. She explained that the pill was to help with the pain in my hip. Mom texted Dad to inform him that I wouldn’t be driving today since the instructions on the medicine bottle said it could cause drowsiness and to refrain from driving. Dad answered that I shouldn’t be allowed to operate heavy equipment, either. “No problem,” Mom wrote back. “She never does.” Like she ever lets me drive, BOL! Drowsiness…

When I wasn’t engaging in power naps, I felt much more like my old self and ran around with that joie de vivre that marks my life in general. Zzzzzzz. Etcetera.

Two more surprises awaited me when we got home. Dad bought canned green beans just for me. Some of them along with their juice went on my kibble at dinner tonight. Now that’s a diet! Yum! Then I found out that Riley had been here while Andrew packed all his stuff into a big U-Haul truck. My dear little brother left me a goodbye present.

Can you see it, right there in the ray of sunshine on the carpet in the front room? He knows I used to steal them from him, and this time he gave it to me. Maybe he is a good dog after all. *wipes tear*

OH NO, Mom’s got the comb and I just heard the word bath. Gotta’ go!

An Extra Memory Monday for September

Published on September 14, 2015August 15, 2016 by Xena, Lucy and Chia11 Comments

Mommy loves September – it is her favorite month. She asked me to share some of the fun things that have happened in Septembers past. In pictures, here we go!

Mommy made a new outfit for Rocktober Fest and wanted a German dog in the picture to make it authentic. I don't like being held. — **Mommy made a new outfit for Rocktober Fest and wanted a German dog in the picture to make it authentic. I don’t like being held, and I especially don’t like being hugged.**

Not to be outdone, Dad donned his authentic lederhosen AND held a schnauzer. — **Not to be outdone, Dad donned his authentic lederhosen AND held a schnauzer (me again).**

**I love staying at hotels. This one was on the way to Wisconsin. Dad was busy on the phone and not paying any attention to me.**

**Once again I get picked up for a picture. We stayed at a B&B in Appleton, WI. Daddy used to own this house.**

I enjoyed walking down to the river at the B&B. I love all the new smells. — **I liked walking down to the river at the B&B. I love all the new smells.**

I hope you enjoyed my little trip down a September memory lane. What’s your favorite month?

Memory Monday

Published on September 7, 2015August 15, 2016 by Xena, Lucy and Chia12 Comments

Mom has decided that she is cutting back on Memory Mondays to be only the first Monday of the month. That was today. Dad was trying all day long to install a new solid state hard drive in Mom’s computer, so she couldn’t do anything on my blog. Long story short, her computer rejected the hard drive, so here we are, waiting for the poor old drive to fail. Maybe Mom could give it shots of adequin, like she puts in my leg. BOL!

We finally sold our house in Red Bank, TN last week. That means I don’t get to go over there and sniff all around the yard any more. I think I am going to miss it. I thought I would post some memories in the form of pictures about my life on De Fue Street.

This is me and my Dad on my birthday in 2008. I don't know why he has such a funny look on his face. — **This is me and my Dad on my birthday in 2008. I don’t know why he has such a funny look on his face.**

This is me waiting for Christmas dinner in 2007. — **This is me waiting for Christmas dinner, 2007.**

**I liked to sit in the chair on the front porch and watch everything happening in the neighborhood.**

**Mommy planted flowers in pots and made the porch pretty. Look at my crazy beard!**

**On cold winter nights I would lay on the ottoman in front of the fireplace. Mom used to say it was the most expensive dog bed she ever bought.**

**I would go out the back door into the great big fenced yard. My screen house was out there too, and I could duck under the screening if I wanted to be inside it.**

**A dog and her stick. Goodbye, sweet De Fue Street House.**

A Visit to the Vet

Published on September 5, 2015 by Xena, Lucy and Chia19 Comments

Mom gave me a bath early this morning, then she took me to the doctor. Don’t they do enough nasty things to you without having to get a bath first? Yes, the requisite glass stick was stuck up the you-know-what. Then the nice lady doctor checked my back leg, driver’s side, that has been bothering me for a long time. It goes out from under me sometimes, and I have trouble jumping up on the furniture and, worst of all, my kitchen table chair. Mom has been cleaning yellow discharge from right eye, so she checked that too and said the retina thing looked very good. She listened to my heart and said it sounded strong. I have started shaking my head and scratching at my left ear, so she looked in it, too. The lady doc said she wanted to take an expensive x-ray of my leg, and the extra benefit of it was that she could see all my internal organs, too. Eewww. That just sounds gross, and I have no idea why Mom was so enthusiastic about it.

Results: I have one luxated patella. Dr. Sally said it was not genetic or they would both be like that. More likely, I injured it at some point in the past, and neither Mom nor I even knew about it at the time. It was probably when I jumped off the kitchen counter onto the hard tile floor. Don’t ask. Or it could have been when I jumped off the dining room table. Don’t ask. Or when Mom dropped me on my head in a store onto the hard concrete floor when I was eight weeks old. Oh wait, I jumped out of the buggy and landed on my head. Nope, that didn’t hurt my leg. Whatever caused it, it’s there and not going away.

In the xray she also saw a stone in my bladder. I did not eat any stones, I promise. My heart and my liver are slightly enlarged. So now what?

Dr. Sally said the number one thing that would help everything is for me to….are you ready for this….lose weight. Four or five pounds.

This can't be right! — **This can’t be right!**

Mom has a lot to do to take care of me now:
1. Eyes and ears are probably allergies, so she got a medicine like Claritin that I have to take every day. That means more treats, like coconut oil! I can see I am getting around this diet already. She also has to put special drops in my ears every day.
2. Because of the stone in my bladder I can now only drink distilled water. I wonder if that is like moonshine. Mom bought a gallon jug of it, then went back and got two more gallons to take to each of our work places. I have my very own water!

Mom has to start giving me a shot of adequin in my back leg twice a week. She said it cost more than the x-rays, but I am worth it. 🙂 After a month I get it in one month, then every three months. I hope Mom can remember all this. I am to keep taking my fish oil pill and my dasuquin, which are both good for my internal organs as well as my joints. And they taste good, so I still have those treats, too. I am supposed to go on walks or swim a lot to keep building up the muscles in that leg. Not to procrastinate, we left the vet and went on two short walks on the way home. The temperature was in the 80’s with high humidity so we couldn’t walk for too long. Pooh, who needs to exercise when I can have fun walking? I must have read a dozen different stories along the way.

To help my heart and liver, I am not allowed to drink alcohol – that’s ok, I have my very own non-alcoholic Kahlua. But because I have to lose weight I am not allowed to have that sugary goodness. Again, with the weight loss thing. Daddy said the vet has a stamp for my chart that says, “lose five pounds” that she uses every time I go to see her. That is so not funny, Dad.

Oh, and I have plaque on my teeth. Dr. Sally: “Didn’t I give you a tool to remove the plaque from Lexi’s teeth.” Mom, looking sheepish: “Yes, but I’m not good at it. I will try again.” Dr. Sally: “If I have to do a dental, I will remove the big fatty tumor on her chest at the same time.” So now they are planning a chest reduction. OMD, what is next?

Updates and Mowing and Camouflage

Published on August 29, 2015August 29, 2015 by Xena, Lucy and Chia8 Comments

Mommy was pulling weeds in my dog lot alongside the house this morning when she about “jumped out of her skin,” as she put it. Right over her head was a writing spider. Her first thought was to “whack” it, then she remembered Charlotte. It looked a lot like Charlotte, but too small.

So she left mini-Charlotte alone and got out the mower. Have I mentioned that it has both rained and sunned a lot here lately? The grass was so deep and thick that the mower barely got through it. Mom decided to call a neighbor who cuts grass to do the rest of the steeply-sloped yard. She took a picture partway through mowing in case anyone would like to see how tall the dog lot grass was.

Grass. You know, Mom, this is so boring.

We walked around the back of the house and lo and behold, there was Charlotte way down by Dad’s office window. She had built a big, new web and was patiently waiting for her next victim. Update #1, Charlotte is alive and well, and has apparently expanded her territory. Her old web is intact, too. Perhaps she is building a franchise.

This is Charlotte's underside. I think she was busy sucking the juice out of something. — **This is Charlotte’s underside. I think she was busy sucking the juice out of something.**

Update #2: Our BFF in PA is doing much better. Some of you may remember when we went up there earlier in the summer. The hospital bed is gone from the living room and she can walk with crutches now. Her leg is healing real good and she can even go up the stairs to her bedroom and bathroom. Next will be the repair on her hip, and I hope that means another trip for me and Mom. My away-from-home- dad, Buddy, misses me and I miss him too.

Now for the camouflage.

**Can you find us? Hint: red dog on red sheets; black and gray dog on black and gray bed.**

You may notice I was careful to only put my silver-colored paw on the gray part of the bed. Mom found us anyhow. I think the bow gave me away.

I am Lexi, the camouflage, spider-watching schnauzer.

Memory Monday: Nursing Home Therapy

Published on August 24, 2015August 15, 2016 by Xena, Lucy and Chia9 Comments

I don’t get to go to nursing homes anymore, not since my Grandma died. Sometimes I still think about it, though, because I still like older people. And sometimes when we go to the children’s hospital, we sneak into the section where there are sick big people – mostly older – and I feel their need. I give them the very best therapy possible. Hmmm. I think I will ask Mom to start taking me to nursing homes again. They need me. I have asked Mommy to type my memory Monday part in blue so you will know when it ends and we are back to now.

Memory Monday: My first trip to a nursing home.

March 20, 2007: Mom came home from work early on Friday and took me to a nursing home. At first I thought I was going to see my Grandma who lives near there, but I got to see lots and lots of other people who are old like my Grandma. Their rooms all open out to hallways, too, so they wouldn’t be able to let me stay all day either. They all talked to me nice and petted me. Mom told everyone about me being Toto in the Wizard of Oz. The bling on my collar was the picture button with me and Dorothy on it. No one had met a real, live star before, and I think they liked that. I felt very proud. There were a lot of cookie crumbs and I cleaned them up for everyone. I am a good helper. It was hot and stuffy in there and my throat got parched. It smelled funny too, like stuff I am not allowed to do in the house. I started whining and Mommy looked like she was going to be sick, so we left. She said we might go to a different nursing home next time.

I am a therapy dog now. I hope I don’t have to learn a new name again, like I did for the play.

Saturday I get to see my good schnauzer friends, Piper and Marley.

Lexi_Piper_Marley on patio 07 — The Three Amigos: (L-R) Piper, Marley and Me

We are all going to get tested to be therapy dogs for hospitals that take care of children. I like all the children petting me. I am so sure I will pass whatever the test is. I hear that Marley is a little worried about this because she never liked kids. I think I will talk to her about it. After all, I never liked kids either until the Wizard of Oz. I will let her know they are really OK. Sometimes they are yummy sticky and they usually drop food, so it’s good to hang around them. I am Lexi, the new nursing home dog.

See, I even said way back when I was only 4 years old that I am a nursing home dog. Yep, gotta’ get that going again.

Now for a Memory Memory post from my bestest guy, Noodle.

Memory Monday: The Elevator

Published on August 17, 2015August 15, 2016 by Xena, Lucy and Chia7 Comments

Today I was thinking about elevators and how they have become a part of life. I ride an elevator at least twice every time I go to therapize the sick kids at the children’s hospital and even understand the etiquette of elevator riding: turn to face the front and be quiet.

Sometimes I rode the elevator when Mommy and I worked at St. Paul’s. One evening we were all there (Mom and Dad and me) teaching a ballroom dance class. There was a good mixture of parishioners and folks from the big band that my Dad plays in. They all know me and know enough about me to realize what a talented genius I am. We taught in a large room upstairs, with the elevator just outside the door. Eventually, I got bored and headed down the stairs, then down the long hallway to the kitchen, which was at the other end of the church. I thought maybe I could get a little snack before going back to help with the class. While I was gone, something made the elevator ding. The class stopped and, suddenly realizing I was gone, everyone looked questioningly out at the elevator. Finally, someone voiced what everyone there was thinking: did Lexi push the button and get on the elevator? BOL! I am not tall enough to push the buttons!

I want to share with you the story of my first elevator ride in today’s Memory Monday.

February 6, 2007
I had my first ride in an elevator. Mom carried me onto it. It started to go up and when she tried to put me down I clung onto her like crazy. No way was I going to stand on this thing that was moving under us. She caught me with her knee as I was sliding off her and she saved me. The doors of this elevator thing slid open and she carried me out into a hallway. Then I got to visit my Grandma in her new apartment. I was so excited to see her and she was excited to see me too. When we were done visiting Mom held me on the elevator ride back down.

A few days later I went back to see Grandma and had to go on this elevator thing again. Mom tricked me – just walked right onto it with me on my leash. I was looking at this person that I thought would pet me and wasn’t paying enough attention to where I was going. I could feel it begin to move, but I kept my eye on that bright metal circle in the middle. I think that was the thing making it all happen. We made it up OK and I was wiggly happy to see my Grandma again. Grandma had a piece of toast all ready just for me. Mom thought she tricked me again when we left, but I knew that as long as I watched that circle thing, it would be OK. I just wanted to share that with all of my friends so you would know to just watch that metal circle and you don’t need to be afraid to go on an elevator. The elevator will take you good places, like to see the people you love. I am Lexi, the brave elevator-riding schnauzer.

By the way, since I posted this eight years ago I have come to realize that not all elevators have metal circles in the middle and that isn’t what makes them work. I am older and wiser now!

My Fish Oil Pill

Published on August 14, 2015 by Xena, Lucy and Chia10 Comments

Every night after we eat supper, Mommy and I take our fish oil pills. When Mom first hands it to me, I refuse it. Then she forgets which one is hers and sticks mine in her mouth. Every single time!!! Then she says, “Uh oh, this one is yours,” and gives it to me. I always take it then because I am afraid she will eat it if I don’t. Silly Mommy!

Memory Monday: Lily and Ivy

Published on August 10, 2015August 15, 2016 by Xena, Lucy and Chia8 Comments

It’s Memory Monday time, and I’ve been thinking about my half sisters, Lily and Ivy, who have crossed the rainbow bridge. Ivy was my hero, everything I wanted to be. She taught me how to be a good leader.

They only lived with us every other week, and I was always testing Ivy to see if I could be in charge. I clearly remember the last time that happened. She decided not to put up with my insubordination any longer. Ivy put me on my back and stood over me, moving her open mouth back and forth in front of my face. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut so I couldn’t see myself die and started to scream. It took what seemed like an eternity (at least 2 seconds) for Mom to come running into the kitchen to rescue me. The rest of the account is from Mom, since I had my eyes closed and was making too much screamy noise to hear anything.

Lexi’s Mom here. I politely asked Ivy to move off of Lexi and she did. Lexi, still on her back, just kept on screaming. Ivy and I looked at each other and if a dog could shrug their shoulders, I would swear she did. We both looked at Lexi again and back at each other. I finally said, “Lexi, it’s over. You can stop screaming now.” Lexi peeked through her eyelashes and started the wind down screaming. It kept getting softer and slower until she finally stopped.

It’s me, Lexi, back to pick up the story. I swear I saw my life flash before my eyes. I was only two, so it didn’t take long. After the “incident” I made a wide berth around Ivy for a while, just to be sure. I never challenged her again.

Daddy was just leaving for vacation when a young orange-colored dog showed up at the house where he was living. He told her if she was still there when he got back that she could live with him. She conned different neighbors into feeding her until he got back and lived with him ever since.

Lily was usually everyone’s favorite because she was such a sweet and friendly girl. By “everyone” I mean anyone new who met them. Mommy said that she liked Ivy’s cocky attitude best from the moment she met her. One day Mom was laying on the couch feeling sick. Ivy curled up with her and Mommy almost instantly felt better. Dad said he had never seen Ivy take to someone like she did Mom. After that, he called her Mommy’s black healer.

Once in a while Lily would make a break for it. About a year or so ago, Riley unlatched the fence gate while Lily was out in the yard. When she got out and started running down the street Riley was smart enough to realize he had made a big mistake and took off after her. My BFF Jentry was in charge of the dogs when this happened. She quickly discovered the jailbreak and was about to start through the neighborhood in search of two red dogs when she saw them coming back down the road from the cul de sac. Riley – even though responsible for Lily’s escape – had been a good brother and stayed with her to be sure she was ok. Lily was about 16 years old at the time.

Sometimes Lily was a clown. This is a picture of her when she got a feather stuck on her nose.

Lily was terrified of thunderstorms. She would try to hide in the most ridiculous places, like in the 2 inch crack between the stove and counter. Here she is hiding in my kennel. It is a large kennel, so it was much more comfortable than in a crack. She got pretty deaf in her old age and that actually worked for her, as she couldn’t hear the thunder any more.

In the summer Mommy would shave both Ivy and Lily. They were so much cooler without all that thick hair and undercoat, and it sure did stop the hair balls doing the tumbleweed dance around the house. As Ivy got older, she got to be more reclusive.

Lily was a real party girl and loved celebrating birthdays as much as I do. The difference is she didn’t mind sharing. Lily would be proud of me for sharing these memories with you. Ivy would have just said, “Whatever.”

I don’t want to turn into Spiderdog

Published on August 8, 2015 by Xena, Lucy and Chia13 Comments

Mom hates bugs of any kind. So when she investigated what Riley and I were staring at on the patio floor and found it was a small lizard caught by a spider’s web, she set the little guy free.

She then got her broom and started knocking down the many webs around the patio floor, furniture and ceiling, finally moving outside to get any there. Imagine her wide-eyed, try-to-hold-it-together, freeze-in-place look when she saw this creature under the house eaves just outside the screened patio.

The markings on its back look white in the pic but are yellow. Notice the distinctive web design in the lower left of the bottom pic. It looks like a phone cord.

Can anyone tell us

What kind of spider this is and
If it is dangerous and
If Mom should kill it? (she is leaning toward death to all spiders)

(Notice I got to use my counting skills!)

Oh, and did I mention it is big!

Continuing the 8 Photos of Happiness Challenge

Published on August 5, 2015August 5, 2015 by Xena, Lucy and Chia17 Comments

Noodle nominated me to participate in the 8 Photos of Happiness Challenge created by Ariel’s Little Corner of the Internet. How fun! In no particular order…

**My all-time favorite thing…the stage. And this is a montage, so it counts as one picture, as Noodle said!**

**I love to go to Rock City with Mom and Dad for Rocktober Fest. I always see some of my peeps friends there and there is good German food for a good German dog, too!**

This picture is from my 10-year-old birthday party. I had a Healthy Choice meal with my Mom and Dad and then my very own cake shaped like a dog. I know, kinda’ weird, but Mom meant well. Can you see the happy all over my face?

**This one is from my last Freestyle competition. I love Freestyle!**

Another birthday pic, this one from this past May. I love birthdays and I love MickyD's!! — **Another birthday pic, this one from this past May. I love birthdays and I love Micky D’s!!**

**I love boating on my Sammy Joe, feeling the wind in my face.**

There are so many more pictures of things that make me happy, it is hard to choose the last one. Should it be of me at work at the church on the mountain? Or rolling in the ivy? Or taking a trip?

It's hard to stay awake when it is bedtime, but sacri- fices have to be made. — **This is one of my nite-nite rituals with my Dad. Happy endings to happy days.**

It’s now time for me to nominate the following blogs/friends:

One of my new friends Kona, at Mister Baloney Head

Sammy at, well, Saving Sammie

My friend who I wish would stay out of the street, Cupcake, at Cupcake Speaks

Sophie, who knows what a real terrier attitude should be, at corkscot (OK, Shelby and Sidney too)

I do not wish to be responsible for anyone’s unhappiness because I inadvertently omitted them, so If you want to join the challenge, just JOIN!

Rules and explanation of this tag:

Thank your nominator/s and link them in your post.
Link the creator (Ariel’s little corner of the internet)
Post your 8 photos of happiness;
The photos can be anything that represents a moment, object, place or feeling that makes you happy.
Pop in a brief description of the photo, why you chose it or let the photos do the talking!
Spread the happiness and tag up to ten other bloggers!

Memory Monday: The Triple i

Published on August 3, 2015August 15, 2016 by Xena, Lucy and Chia8 Comments

It’s Memory Monday time again and I wanted to try once again to explain why I am not BFF’s with Riley . He is an imposter, an imposer and an imposition. (I am practicing my i words today.) He wants to do everything I do. Here are two examples. (No Mom, I don’t think I am obsessing over Riley.)Memory Monday:

June 18, 2012

Riley’s Diary: I am an agility AND a freestyle dog.

Hi friends. I completed my first agility course with my people brother Andrew and got a nice piece of paper for it. Not edible. Andrew is going to keep it because it is his first time doing anything like this. Well, it is my first time too, but I love Andrew so I guess I will let him keep it. We are now in Agility II and doing stuff called teeters and weaves. I am slowly getting used to stepping on a training board that moves around. It is a bit scary, but I am getting braver every week. The other dogs are all running across the real teeter. I need to think about it a bit longer before I trust it. Agility is really great though, cause I get tons and tons of treats while I am there, really good stuff I never get any other time. The best part, though is that Andrew has a new toy he plays with me only when we are there. I want to play with the other dogs, too, but I have to understand that this is not the time for it.

I have also been going with Mom and Lexi and Milo to Freestyle training. I have to sit in a crate a lot, but boy do I ever love it when I get to go on the floor and strut my stuff. Everyone says how very beautiful I look with my long legs, just like a Tennessee Walking Horse. Now I don’t know what that is, but it must be really pretty.

I am so happy to get to do the things my talented little sis does! She’s the best! Riley

Now here is a Memory Monday from my best guy, Noodle.

Happy Sunny Sunday

Published on August 2, 2015 by Xena, Lucy and Chia4 Comments

I was all set to complain about Riley again, and then…

Happy Sunny Sunday!

Joy in the Journey

Published on July 29, 2015 by Xena, Lucy and Chia4 Comments

Mommy reads a blog called Morning Story and Dilbert. She asked me to share this short excerpt from it, as it pertains to all of us dogs who want to dig our tunnels to visit each other, whether from Tennessee to Florida or Australia to Canada!

Two brothers decided to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch.

“What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors.

“We plan to dig a hole all the way through the earth!” one of the brothers volunteered excitedly.

The older boys began to laugh, telling the younger ones that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible. After a long silence, one of the diggers picked up a jar full of spiders, worms and a wide assortment of insects. He removed the lid and showed the wonderful contents to the scoffing visitors.

Then he said quietly and confidently, “Even if we don’t dig all the way through the earth, look what we found along the way!”

Their goal was far too ambitious, but it did cause them to dig. And that is what a goal is for – to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen; in other words, to set us to digging!

But when we fall short of our aim, perhaps we can say, “Yes, but look at what we found along the way! Look at the wonderful things which have come into our life because we tried to do something!”

It is in the digging that life is lived. It constitutes the joy in the journey.

Dig!

Memory Monday: Riley’s Arrival

Published on July 27, 2015July 30, 2015 by Xena, Lucy and Chia6 Comments

Riley on MY bed. I am praying for deliverance. — **Riley on MY bed. I am busy here praying for deliverance. Where’s my Mother Mary night light?**

Today, Mom left me home with Dad, because he missed me so much while I was on my special trip to PA. She also had to go to the doctor to get another shot for the lingering poison ivy on her way to work this morning. So, I was laying around in MY bed when I discovered Riley was intent on making himself at home there too. You would think he had the run of the house while I was off on my mission of mercy. Hurumph. You can see that I decided to pray for deliverance from ~~the Dufus~~ Riley. Mommy said that was so not nice.

So that got me to thinking about when Riley first arrived, and this is the story of that.

Memory Monday

November, 2010

A dog now named Riley has come to live with us. Riley can’t claim a pedigree like I can. He is a mutt, a mongrel, a totally undignified mix of un-papered dogs who had a quick tryst, if you know what I mean. I shudder to think there are more like him running around out there. I couldn’t believe it when Mom brought him home in the first place. She called him Dufus the first couple of days he was here, and boy, did she have that right. She says she found him side winding like a rattler with legs down the middle of a busy back road and it was a miracle he hadn’t been hit by a car. When she stopped to save his life he splayed all four legs to stop her from putting him in her car. That shows what little intelligence he had even then. Who wouldn’t want to ride in a comfortable Toyota Avalon with heated leather seats? At the time Riley was only six months old and 28 pounds, plenty small enough for her to win that battle. She walked in the house announcing she had found a dog, but don’t worry, she wasn’t keeping him. She would find his owner or put him up for adoption on a website and that would be that. My BFF Auntie Jen and my Dad just looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed.

After a few days of advertising and no one claiming him, Mom declared he needed a name other than Dufus. “I mean,” she said, “who will take a dog called ‘Dufus’?” So she and Auntie Jen got on the internet to look at dog names. When Mom saw “Riley” she decided that fit him really well. At this point we were all supposed to start calling him “Riley” instead of “Dufus.” *sigh*

The next day Dad took him to the vet who said he had almost every worm known to dog, except, thankfully, heart worms. So he got ~~Dufus~~ Riley de-wormed, vaccinated and on heart worm prevention. Oh, and did I mention he also had ringworm, which is really a contagious fungal infection, not even a worm? Aghh! Mom asked why Dad spent all that money on a dog they weren’t keeping. Dad said, “When you named him I knew we were keeping him.” Mom still denied it.

Then they bought him toys. So he wouldn’t chew anything in the house with his puppy teeth now starting to fall out. How that worked out is another whole story. Suffice it to say that we don’t have a sheet or blanket left in the house without at least one hole in it. *sigh*

**Six month old Riley with his new toys.**

That’s the end of my Memory Monday. Hop on over to my sweet guy Noodle’s blog and check out his newest Memory Monday. Noodle 2

Back home in Tennessee

Published on July 26, 2015July 26, 2015 by Xena, Lucy and Chia6 Comments

We left our BFF’s house early this morning and are back home. I already miss my newly trained Uncle Buddy. He took good care of me once he understood what a good communicator I am. Back home, Riley’s still here. Peeps brother Andrew is away. Haven’t seen the boy. Jentry is here mowing the grass. She needs to stop doing that and come in and cook something.

Whew, it was a hot ride home. Air conditioner all but conked out. I panted most of the way. Mom tried to put an ice pack on me, but I got in the back seat to avoid it.

I'm not sticking my tongue out at you, I'm just hot! — **I’m not sticking my tongue out at you, I’m just hot!**

Just south of Cincinnati we passed an exit for a place called Big Bone Lick State Park. I really, really wanted to go there, but Mom said we had to get on home.