Dancing in the New Year

Have fun ladies, bring in the New Year in style.

Overall, it has been a great year.


We were quite sad to say good bye to Duncan when the evil cancer monster took over.


And we where so delighted to have the twins join us. Yeppers, they make our world so colorful.

Not sure what lies ahead, but we'll make it good no matter what.

So go ahead ladies, shake your bootie and make a few new friends on the Saturday Pet Blog Hop.

The Pet Blog Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Many, many thanks to the hosts, the Pet Blog Hop rocks.

Please join us, the rules are simple:

1. Follow your three hosts
2. Check out some of the our fellow bloggers, leave them a comment and tell them you are visiting from the Pet Blog hop
   
3. Add your blog to the Linky
4. Copy and paste the html code into your html editor

The aftermath

It was a dark and cold night. It hadn't rained for 24 hours.

What happens when you combine all of that with Flocko.


Silly humans, you still play ball!


Mud or not.

My goofball

Flocko wasn't happy playing ball in the rain just once yesterday. He had so much fun with his splash down, that he had to play twice... in the pouring rain.

We were just getting ready to settle down for the evening when we looked into the living room.

Yes, the wet dog had crawled up into the rocking chair.


He can be such a goof, but I love him so.

My splash is bigger than your splash

Neither hail nor snow nor sheet of rain can deter Flocko from playing his nightly game of Flocko ball.

It was raining bull mastiffs and and great danes today, all day. But Flocko did not care. Water was entering the garage and the basement, but Flocko had to play ball.


Crystal, our itsy bitsy 47 lb. greyhound couldn't wait to run up to Flocko, our biggest boy weighing in at 80 lbs., she had to make sure he saw the big splash she made while running.

Unimpressed, Flocko took this as a challenge.


In a very big way.



Just for the record, this little rain puddle used to be lovely green grass. The dogs lay in it's shade by summer and trance in it's branches by winter.


Quite proud of his splash, he walked right on by Crystal, snarking something about "eat my dust."

But I'm pretty sure he meant to say "have a raindrop on me."

The forest sprites

Seriously girls, we have an acre of grass. I just mopped the floors. Must you all just stand in the mud?

Single-file frolicking

For our greyhounds, playing in the rain is just absurd, unconscionable, intolerable.

However, during a sun break, the squishy mud between the toes is delightful.

Bring it on.

Yes Jillian, there really is a Santa Paws

This is Jillian and Slinky's first year with a couch to call their very own. As all of the other greyhounds danced and caroled around the the fire hydrant in anticipation of Santa Paws, Jillian crawled up on her couch feeling, well skeptical.


So she waited and waited.


And what to her surprise should a appear? A tiny sleigh and 8 very slow reindeer.


Thrilled with her new treasure, she snuggled and squeaked.


And the moral of the story you ask? The reality is, it isn't the size of the toy, but the size of the couch that really matters.

Nope, they don't forget

I adopted my first greyhound on January 1, 2002. To say that greyhounds changed my life forever would be a huge understatement.

I immediately became involved in greyhound adoption and that led to proving the chipping theory: you can't have just one.

Jori was our fourth greyhound, Megan is my oldest daughter. The day I brought this shy little brindle girl home as foster, to get her more used to being with people, my daughter and Jori became one.


Megan grew up, went off to college seven years ago, got a job in Portland. Jori stayed behind with me.

Yesterday Megan came home for a visit. I was pretty sure Jori was going to climb out of her skin in excitement.


I admit it, I sent Megan out into the backyard so that I could witness the reunion. I suspected that Jori would know her the minute she saw her and I was right.


The best things in life are never forgotten.

As you begin your holiday celebration, just remember that it isn't about what is under tree waiting to be unwrapped, but it is all about the memories.

Make some new friends, make a few memories and join us for the Saturday Pet Blog Hop.

The Pet Blog Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Many, many thanks to the hosts, the Pet Blog Hop rocks.

Please join us, the rules are simple:

1. Follow your three hosts
2. Add your blog to the Linky
3. Copy and paste the html code into your html editor

The watering hole

Yup, the family that lives together drinks together.

Probably wouldn't be this peaceful if kibble were involved. :o)))

Ears wishin'

Every one a very Merry Christmas from all of the hounds at Greyhound Gardens.

Happy birthday handsome

Well, well Mr. Handsome, today is your big day!

How many candles do we need to lace that kibble of yours with? It seems like just yesterday I met you as an 11 month old pup.


You haven't aged one tiny bit, well, maybe just a little more white around the old schnoz. But you're just as beautiful.


Happy 7th birthday my hunka, hunka hound dog.

Awful, just awful

I knew my time was getting close, I just didn't know that today was the day.

Danny and Jori retired, something about being 9 years old.

6 am and mom says it's time for me to go to work. Uh-oh.


We pulled up to the emergency vet and as soon as I saw those shiny white floors, I put my shake on. Then we got inside the doors and I put my brakes and skates on.

No luck, mom picked me up like I was a toy poodle or something.

So I tried not making eye contact. The vet just sat down beside me and waited. He waited so long that eventually I forgot to shake.

That's when the needle, pretty sure it was the size of a straw came out.


Donating my red blood, the blood that matches my red collar.

I stood pretty still, but then I had my butt placed as tight as I could up against mom, there was no where for me to go.

Vet said I did really well for my first time.

FIRST TIME???? They are going to want more?

OK, OK

I'll stop hiding my head in the sand and start thinking about Christmas presents.

I always thought a Starbucks and a gas gift card were great ideas.

Still celebrating

We went back up to Portland for another celebration today for the newlyweds.

Couldn't help myself, I had to head for the river for a few quick shots.

The boats were decked out in their holiday finest and off for the parade up the river.


Just south of the Hawthorne Bridge.

Notta greyhound

It has been a total whirlwind week. Last night we went to my bosses house and his ultra shy kitty posed for for a few pictures.

Today, my daughter got married. I'm bragging and posting her pic as well.


So, while I'm joining the Saturday Blog Hop, I'll be toasting my daughter Holly and new son-in-law Joe.

The Pet Blog Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Many, many thanks to the hosts, the Pet Blog Hop rocks.

Please join us, the rules are simple:

1. Follow your three hosts
2. Add your blog to the Linky
3. Copy and paste the html code into your html editor

Well whaddya know?

It's Goofy. Yes, yesterday The Mouth made an appearance and today it's Goofy, I mean Skirvee.

Yes, the brother to the twins is the community goofball, but we love him.

Sing it baby

Meet Flo the Mouth.

You have no idea how true this is.

Patience young grasshopper

Her royal highness (thank you Thundering Herd for putting that thought in her head) is ready to greet her audience now.

Thank you so much for the complements on my photos. Trust me, it is my incredibly beautiful models.

I don't have a studio. I set up nearly everything in our living room. For the most recent set of portraits, I am using a 2 yard remnant of black velour type fabric as the backdrop. I'm also bouncing an off-camera flash into an umbrella.

But mostly, I just have to be really, really patient and wait, and wait and sometimes wait even longer to get them to pose.

They can be such fat heads.

Excuse me?

You want what? When?

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Try again tomorrow.

OK, so the iPhone cat trick didn't work out this time.

Say what?

Continuing on with the portrait sessions. I am so happy to announce that I have found a new attention getter to add to my arsenal of ridiculous chicken clucks, meows and high-pitched noises.

I grabbed my iPhone and searched for animal sounds on YouTube.

Worked like a charm. The reaction to the cats were hilarious. Why didn't I think of this sooner?

Name that twin

One of these girls insists on getting us up at 4:30 am every morning. And then, the other twin gets up. And then, we get up.


One of the these girls jumps up on the bed to give us kisses every night, she's never missed a night.

The other, likes to snuggle with her babies. They are her babies and no one had better touch them.


This one is a party animal. The song Girls Just Want to Have Fun was written for her.


This one plays Close to You over and over.

All I can say is, if you ever get a chance to have litter mates, go for it. These girls make me smile every day. :o)))

And if you can't have litter mates, then at least join us on the Pet Blog Hop.

The Pet Blog Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Many, many thanks to the hosts, the Pet Blog Hop rocks.

Please join us, the rules are simple:

1. Follow your three hosts
2. Add your blog to the Linky
3. Copy and paste the html code into your html editor

Next...

Ok, ok. I'm smiling. See?


Holy crap that light was bright.

Yes, the torture continues. Three down, nine to go plus a cover.

Terri's torture chamber • day 2

Yes, the torture continues. After standing on my head and suffering from numb butt, I'm not sure who is tortured more.


Greyhounds - zero, Me - two!