Sleepy Selfie Sunday: The Couch Slowly Fills

We are happy to join The Cat on My Head for Sunday Selfies.

Lucy taking a lazy Sunday nap.

Chia joins her.

Chia gets her new, organic flea collar on. They both turn around, and Chia decides Lucy is more comfy to lay on than the pillow.

Riley completes the trio.

Happy Sleepy Sunday.

Awww Monday: Final Chapter of Our Visit

We are joining Comedy Plus with much thanks for hosting Awww Mondays.

Xena: Thanks for holding me Auntie Jen. You’ve had a busy day and I’m glad to be here for you. Uh, where’s my Uncle Bill? Did Mommy leave my comb so I could look pretty for him?

Lucy: Mmph, mm, mmph. *pushes up head* Ah, I couldn’t talk with you laying on my head, sister. I want to be next to you, Auntie Jen, and cuddle and let you know I love you, too.

Xena: Is it time to eat yet? Where’s my Uncle Bill? Mommy gave him the instructions for feeding me, um, I mean feeding me and Lucy.

*Later*

Achilles: Ella? Don’t you wanna play with me and Lucy? What’s wrong?

Ella: My back legs hurt. You know, the ones I had surgery on. Mom warned me about running and playing too hard, but I was just so excited that you’re here, Lucy.

*meanwhile*

Xena: I’m rested and ready to help you with quotes again, Uncle Bill. I think I got us a lot of liver treats yesterday!

Uncle Bill: Yes, well, about that…uh, I think we’re all set with liver treats, and I’ll have them sent to you when they arrive. How about if you just cuddle here on my lap while I work?

*later*

Achilles: I love you, Lucy. I want you to live here.

Lucy: I love you too, Achilles. I would stay here with you and your sister Ella, but I can’t ’cause it would break my Dad’s heart. Why don’t you and Ella come home with me? You’d have fun playing with Chia – if you didn’t mind her hanging off your cheek – and we could be together forever.

Achilles: I can’t, my love. Riley and I don’t get along. I can’t stand the thought that he used to be your boyfriend. Grrr.

Lucy: But I never loved him like I love you, honey.

Both: *sigh*

Lucy: Mom and Dad will be here soon. Please ask Auntie Jen and Uncle Bill to bring you to visit me. And take good care of my BFF Ella, please. Bye bye until next time. *smooch*

I’m So Excited!

Lucy: Are we there yet?

Five minutes later...

• 

• 

Xena: I heard Mommy ‘splainin to Uncle Bill all about how to feed me and Lucy. That’s when I realized I was gonna get left! Aghh! After her and Daddy left, I laid by the back door for 87 minutes waiting for her to come back, while the three “biggies” got all the excitement out of themselves.

Uncle Bill works from home, and everyone collapsed in his office. Since I hadn’t been running around like a crazy dog, I was able to help Uncle Bill with his work.

Uncle Bill even texted Mommy to let her know how great I was helping him with quotes on Dell products. Let’s see, I think this one could sell for about a gazilion liver treats. I love my Uncle Bill. Hmmm. Maybe it won’t be so bad being here for a few days after all…as long as I get to cuddle with him all night.

To be continued…

Riley’s Vet Visit and Chia Working for Mom

Riley: I can’t believe Mom Amy and Dad Jeff up and left again. Wednesday they took me to the new vet and left me all day. I was on my best behavior this time and everyone was super nice to me. They even helped me relax and take a little nap while I was there.

Chia: I wondered where you were. What happened?

Riley: When I woke up Wednesday morning after having a rough night with “the runs,” my left ear flap was swollen up like a balloon. I found out after the folks picked me up from the vet hospital late on Wednesday that it was something called a hematoma. While I was napping, the doc drained all the extra blood out of my ear flap and strapped my ears down to the side of my head. She said both my ears have fungal and bacteria infections and I must have hit something hard with my head when I was shaking my ears. They cleaned out my ears and put medicine in them while I had my nap, too. I found out they also stole some of my blood to send off to the the labs. If I catch those labradores, they’re in big trouble. But they must be smart dogs, cause they’re gonna let us know if I have heartworms, why my abdomen is so big, why the lymp nodes on my back legs are swollen (I don’t limp), why I had liquid poop, and if it would be safe for me to come back next week and take an even longer nap. I might have to do that if my ear flap swells up again. So where’s Mom Amy and Dad Jeff, and where’s Lucy and Xena?

Chia: I heard something about an anniversary trip. Mom took Lucy – my best buddy – with her. And she took Xena – my second best buddy and the only dog in the house who can make Alexa obey her.

And she took the laptop with her. So I’m gonna try to get on the work ‘puter as Mom. I can pound on that keyboard type really fast. Then she will get paid for working while she’s gone. And I’ll (hopefully) get more treats. Pretty smart, huh? But I’m gonna take a work nap first.

Riley: Did someone say it’s nap time?

Lucy: Are we there yet?

To be continued…

Grooming with Mom: Roxxii

Ace Reporter here on the Groom Beat with an update on Roxxii.

Roxxii’s first groom by Groomer Mom got reported a little over three years ago. Now this Ace Reporter is back with a practically unbelievable story about what’s happened to her in the last year.

When Roxxii was first introduced, it was explained that her Mom was the girlfriend of one of brother Andrew’s friends. About 1 1/2 years ago, Andrew’s friend took his own life while his girlfriend, who we’ll call Em, was in the house with him. Understandably, she was a total wreck after that. (Groomer Mom explained this all to me.)

Well, about 14 months ago, Groomer Mom got a text from Em saying she had been in jail, and the police took Roxxii to our local shelter. When she got out, the shelter had “adopted” out Roxxii and wouldn’t give Em any more info. Em needed her old girl and all the unconditional love she gave, and she felt that Roxxii needed her, too. Mommy wished with all her heart that she had known what was going on, ’cause she would of gone to the shelter and bailed Roxxii out to live with us until Em could get her. But now it was too late.

Fast forward to last week. I’m gonna give you the full story since I am a reporter of integrety.

Daddy came home from work in our old truck that was suddenly missing the passenger side mirror. Over supper he told us that as he was pulling out from our subdivision onto the main road at o’dark thirty, a set of headlights suddenly appeared coming around the curve, and the truck was moving fast! He whipped his head around to see if he was about to get rear ended. As he did, he heard a loud bang! but didn’t know what had happened. Remember, it was really dark out. The next time he looked out at his mirror, it was gone! It all had happened in just a couple of seconds, with no time to think. In telling us about it, he came to the conclusion that there was also a truck coming toward him. (Yes, he was driving our truck, and the vehicle tearing up behind him was a truck, and the vehicle coming from the other direction was a truck.) (Remember, we live in Tennessee.) Anyhow, he figured the truck coming toward him in the oncoming lane must have had a ladder or something sticking out from the truck bed, and that’s what hit his mirror.

Fast forward to the next evening. Our folks had just finished their yummy supper out on the porch when they heard someone ring the front doorbell. As usual, Mommy got up to see who it was. Long story shorter, it was the nice young man who had been driving toward Daddy. And he had our truck’s shattered mirror in his hand. After everyone talked for about an hour, Daddy realized what had really happened. What really happened? Here’s the scoop!

Daddy, needing to turn right out of our subdivision, looks to the left before pulling out. Seeing no headlights, he starts to pull out, and is too far out when headlights suddenly appear, coming way, way over the speed limit at him. As he reflexively looks back over his shoulder to see if he’s going to get hit, he doesn’t turn the wheel hard enough and crosses the center line, where this young man is just reaching him in his own truck. Their driver side mirrors collide. No one stops, because that would be suicide at that point. You know, ’cause of the maniac tailgating Daddy and just ditches on both sides of the road.

The accident was clearly my Daddy’s fault because he crossed the center line. The young man somehow tracked Daddy down using Google maps or some Googe app. After the congenial hour-long conversation, they decided it would cost too much to just give the man cash to replace his truck’s mirror and repair the scrapes on the side of his big, new truck. It would have to be turned into insurance. Which means the police would have to be called.

Next thing we knew, there was a police cruiser parked in front of the house. The policeman, who was the same age as the young man, asked him if he wanted to press charges. He said no. He knew it was an accident, and that my Daddy had nowhere to pull over, and so on and so on.

Lucy: Xena? What do you think you’re doing? Are trying to impersonate me?

Xena: Uh, well, you see..

Lucy: Yes or no?

Xena: Well maybe, but I never said I was you. *pushes laptop over in front of Lucy*

Lucy (really!), Ace Reporter here on the Groom Beat with an update on Roxxii.

That whole long story that only Xena could do in the name of journalism was to tell you that while Groomer Mom was down by the road with Dad and the police and the young man, a car pulls up and the lady asks if anyone knows where the groomer lives. Turns out, it was Roxxii’s grandmother and Em’s mother. She wanted to make a grooming appointment. Groomer Mom realized Roxxii was back, safe and sound. I was watching from the house and saw Groomer Mom doing a Happy Dance right there in the road! The grandma paid the dog shelter $1000 to get information to track down Roxxii. Man #1 who got her from the shelter was fostering her. Man #2 came to his house and took Roxxii and wouldn’t give her back. Man #3 got Roxxii from Man #2 and brought her to her grandma. This was over the course of several months. Her grandma has no idea who Man #3 is or how he knew where to bring her. His only caveat was that Roxxii live there with her grandma, since Em was back in jail and facing serious time. Roxxii’s grandma loves her and wanted to keep her anyhow, so she readily agreed.

Roxxii was in pretty bad shape groom-wise, so her grandma said to just “cut it all off.”

This is a picture from the first time Roxxii came to us, about three years ago.

She looked even worse this time, with her hair grown over her eyes and the eye snot underneath them stuck to her skin.

Here she is after her groom this time. Her hair had to be cut really short because of all the mats. Her grandma promised to keep bringing her so she doesn’t get in bad shape again.

I’m ready to go home with my Grandma now, Miss Amy.

We are very thankful for a happy ending for Roxxii.

Groomer Mom: While this turned out well for precious Roxxii, we are all praying and doing POTP for “Em.” We ask for your good thoughts for her to be able to get her life turned around.

Lucy (really!) and the imposter Xena, Ace Reporters, signing off.

Xena: Just one more thing to be thankful for! The young man whose truck mirror Daddy knocked off with our truck mirror just bought a zero turn lawn mower and, next summer, when it gets too hot for Mommy to cut the grass, he is going to start cutting it. And one more thing to be thankful for is he said we were so nice to him that he wants to take Mommy and Daddy out to dinner! BOL! It’s a crazy world!

Today we are joining Brian’s Thankful Thursday, with special thanks to Brian for hosting it!

Xena Makes a Call

Xena: Where’s Mommy and Daddy?

Lucy: Chia’s in her kennel, so that means they’ve left. You know they always come back, or Miss Christy comes to stay.

Xena: But it’s almost suppertime! What am I, er, we going to do?

Lucy: You don’t have to growl about it, Xena! Just take a nap and wait for someone to show up.

Xena: I’m not growling! That’s my tummy.

Hmmm, I’ve heard Mommy tell that thing she calls Alexa to call her phone. “Hey Alexa, call Mommy’s phone.”

Hmmm. Nothing. Maybe if I read the directions on the screen…wait! I think Alexa says, “Amy” when it talks to her. “Hey Alexa! Call Amy’s phone.”

Amy: “Hello?”

Amy: Jeff, get a to-go box. We have to go home.

I am Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess with a happy tummy.

Busy Sunday Selfies

We are happy to join The Cat on My Head for Sunday Selfies.

Chia: Lucy! Play with me!

Lucy: I’m resting…I. Said. No!

Chia: Xena, play with me!

Xena: OK, first, let’s play “singing.” I’ll teach you a song. I’ll sing my part first, then you sing your part.

Xena: “I ain’t nothin’ but a schnauzer, woo, woo woo.”

Chia: “I ain’t nothin but a Jacksund, woo, woo, woo.”

We hope you enjoyed our busy selfies today.

Woo, woo, woo from Xena and Chia

Thankful Thursday

Our Mom gets this dog food recall alert, which is what she copied and pasted below. The links are safe, so don’t be afraid to click them.
We are so very thankful that we eat a fresh diet and don’t have to worry about aflatoxin killing us! But for those of you who eat kibble or canned dog food, ask your folks to read this article. We love you all and don’t want anyone to get sick from aflatoxin.

Dear Fellow Dog Lover, Like you… I’ve been watching in horror as the number of deadly dog food recalls that mention “aflatoxin poisoning” as the cause… has been increasing at an alarming rate.  And frankly… I’m concerned.   Not just because of the hundreds of innocent dogs that have already died…  That’s bad enough.  But…  Because only a small fraction of dog owners seem to be aware of just how dangerous this toxic contaminant can be. Truth is…  In larger doses, aflatoxin can kill a dog… suddenly… and without warning. These are the cases you hear about the most.  But…  What most dog owners don’t know is that… Chronic, long-term exposure to smaller doses of aflatoxin can be just as deadly.   That’s because…  Tiny, invisible amounts of the poison can accumulate in the body… over time… and can ultimately cause liver cancer… and death… later in your dog’s life. Which is why I published this revealing report: Aflatoxin… Avoiding the Deadliest Natural Toxin in Dog Food  What can you do right now… to significantly lower your dog’s risk of aflatoxin poisoning?Read the article here. Please help spread the word. And share this important article with other dog lovers. Keep learning.  Mike Sagman, Editor The Dog Food AdvisorSaving Good Dogs From Bad Dog Food P.S. Not yet on our recall alert list? Get FREE lifesaving recall alerts by email. No spam. Cancel anytime.

I got steak tatare one year for my birthday. It was almost like being in France.

Lucy: I remember this I sure do love fish and spinach!

Today we are joining Brian’s Thankful Thursday, with special thanks to Brian for hosting it!

A Video Message from Our Mom

We’re joining Comedy Plus for theAwww Monday Blog Hop!

Miss Christy: You pups got a video message from your Mom. Gather round and I’ll play it for you. *mumbling* I never get video messages…I’ve never even stayed with pups before who got video messages.

Xena: The ocean sure looks calm there and small.

Riley: That’s not the ocean, it’s a swimming pool.

Lucy: She’s changed locations. Oh dear. Do you think she’s been stolen and we’ll have to go find her, or maybe give a reward to get her back?

Chia: Why isn’t anyone playing with me? Wait! What did she say at the end there? Miss Christy, did you tell her what we did yesterday, running off to to look for her and Dad on Talk Like a Pirate Day??

Miss Christy: No Chia. I promised I wouldn’t in exchange for you being a good girl for me.

Riley: What? Mom Amy found out? Xena, push the duster around the floor. I’ll pre-wash the dishes, and Lucy, you lick the kitchen floor clean.

Chia: What about me?

Riley: Hide that thing you chewed up and stay out of trouble.

Xena: And I’ll look up at her adoringly when she gets back.

Lucy: And I’ll try to not look too guilty.

Miss Christy: That’s right. You pups do all that work and I won’t have to. I’m sure she’ll forgive you then.

Chia: Won’t have to what, Miss Christy?

Miss Christy: Uh, umm *thinking* I won’t have to tell our little secret!

Talk Like a Pirate Day: Gettin’ the Folks

Xena: It’s really nice having Christie here with us, but isn’t it time for Mommy and Daddy to come home?

Lucy: I know it’s Mom’s long weekend birthday trip, but it seems like 87 days.

Chia: Play with me! Let’s play! I got your cheek, Lucy and I’m gonna pull until you play with me!

Xena: I want my Mommy.

Riley: I’m gonna go find them and bring them home I heard somethin’ about a beach.

Lucy: I saw this on social media:

Riley: That’s them! That beach can’t be too hard to find. Anyone with me?

All: We’re coming too!

*A few hours later.*

Chia: I’m wearin’ the hat and that makes me the captain. I wanna’ turn this wheel when we get goin’.

Riley: Smartly, me lasses. Daylights a’burnin’. We don’t wanna be caught out in a storm after dark and end up in Davey Jones’ locker. That’s right, everyone in. No scallywags or landlubbers amongst ye, right?

Xena: Uh, what makes you think you are less of a scallywag or landlubber than us?

Riley: Garr. I be showin’ ya’ this picture of me in the (un)briny water:

Xena: Oh, ok. Sorry. We’re jumping in.

*87 seconds later*

Chia: I’m the driver.

Lucy: The weather looks clear, Captain Riley. It should be a good trip.

Chia: I’M THE CAPTAIN!!!

Xena: Where’d you go, Captain Riley? Are we there yet?

Chia: I’M THE…

Everyone: Yeh, yeh, we know, YOU’RE the captain.

Riley: I’m up in the in the crow’s nest and I’m really tired after all that walking to get to the ship. I think I’ll take a nap.

Unknown woman by the boat: Are y’all ready for the ride to start?

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Sunday Selfie Sleepy Crew with Xena

We are happy to join The Cat on My Head for Sunday Selfies.

Xena: It’s selfie time and I think it’s Riley’s turn. Now where did he go? Ah, there he is in our favorite red chair. Ri! Wake up for your selfie! Riley! *click*

hmff

That didn’t work out so well. Guess he forfeited his turn. I think that long mess called Chia is next in line for a selfie. I know she’s around here somewhere; she and Lucy were just playing. Or maybe I should say she was just grabbing Lucy’s face and stretching the skin as far as it would go while Lucy pawed at her to get her loose. Oh! There they are.

Well, so much for either of them doing a selfie. At least Lucy still has a face. *click*

I guess it’ll be my turn after all. But first, I wanna tell you about Chia “grossing Mommy out.”

Mommy was sitting on the rug on the porch, taping down the edges so that Chia couldn’t turn it over and tear it up. She got one side done and put her hand down on the rug to lift up to turn the corner. Her hand pushed on something soft and small and kinda gooey. Chia had killed one of my lizards, and it was laying there without it’s tail. I’ve never seen Mommy wash her hands for so long.

A few days later Mommy and Daddy were having lunch on the porch, and Mommy had laid her eyeglasses on the table while she ate. She looked down and saw a “twig” on the floor. Chia’s always bringing sticks and stones in from the dog lot, and Mommy picks them up so she doesn’t eat them. She realized when she laid the “twig” on the table that it didn’t look quite like a stick. When she put her glasses on she discovered it used to be a grasshopper, but now had no legs to hop.

If that put all kinds of icky image in your head, let me replace them with one of pretty little me.

Hoping you have a grossed-out-free week (which is much more likely without Chia around).

Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Awww Monday Tug-o-War

We are joining Comedy Plus with much thanks for hosting Awww Mondays.

Chia: I’ll play with you, Riley, how Mom just showed me. Please don’t hurt me.

Riley: I won’t hurt you, hotdog. Just remember whose rope this is when we’re through.

Chia: I think I’m winning.

Lucy: I’ll help you, Riley!

Nature Friday Blooper

We are joining Arty, Jakey, Rosy and Sunny of the LLB Gang with much thanks for hosting Nature Friday.

Wordless Wednesday Play

Thanks to Comedy Plus for hosting Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.

We all voted, and Lucy won the “Most Patient Dog in the Pack” title.

Wordless Wednesday Sign

As I was leaving my dermatologist’s office I saw this sign posted by the elevator.

This is probably due to this complex being an offshoot of Erlanger Medical Center, named after the Baroness d’Erlanger. The cornerstone for the Baroness Erlanger Hospital was laid in 1891. In 1899 the $50,000 hospital opened with 72 beds. Soon after its opening, Erlanger formed one of the state’s first nursing schools and developed a partnership with Chattanooga Medical College, now the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Mommy, this is supposed to be Wordless Wednesday. You’re as barky as me!

Thanks to Comedy Plus for hosting Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.

The Sunday Selfie Five

We are happy to join The Cat on My Head for Sunday Selfies.

Today we are starting with the founder and original author of this blog, our Angel sister, Lexi the Schnauzer.

Now we each get to take a turn so there’s no resentment or fighting. Since I, Xena, am the schnauzer who inherited this blog, I get to go next. Yesterday I got my monthly groom and weekly bath so I could look nice for you.

Don’t you just love how Mommy made my picture extra special to make me the focus of your attention?

You wanna guess what happened next? All of a sudden, Larry the Lemur, who had been missing since June, appeared from a field of flowers on our back porch! But where did the flowers come from!?

I was never very crazy about Larry, but he seemed changed. He said he’s been hiding because of Chia. Yep, I get that.

And can you guess what happened next? Chia zoomed past me, grabbing up Larry on her way.

Larry’s worst fears came true. Chia’s mouth is open, ready to deadie my stuffie. It was like the movie Nightmare on Elm Street. Do you see him covering his head to try to protect himself? Chia wouldn’t give him up to Mommy, so Mommy pulled her tail. When she looked back to see what was happening, Mommy grabbed Larry and helped him find a high place to hide again. Hey Chia, that was your turn for your selfie, BOL!

Riley’s up next. Mommy gave him a bath in the big tub yesterday, and she hurt her back trying to get all 75 pounds of him out of the tub. She told him he was on his own and left him there. Obviously, he did. (She’s going to the chiro doctor tomorrow.) Anyhoo, Riley said it was his nap time, so just get this picture thing over with. Riley, you’re not gonna get very far with that attitude!

Riley: Grrr.
Xena: OK, big buddy, all done!

Finally, we have Lucy, who wanted us to make her picture pretty like mine.

That’s all of us! So, who do you think has the prettiest picture. If you vote for me, I’ll…

Lucy: Xena! You’re doing it again! It’s not a contest!! And there’s no voting, either.

Xena: Well, if it was, Chia would lose.

XOXOX Lucy, Riley, Chia and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess.

Chia’s Thankful Thursday

Today we are joining Brian’s Thankful Thursday, with special thanks to Brian for hosting it!

Hi! Hi! Hi! I’m Chia!! And I get to write in the blog today. Woohoo! Every time I crawl in Mom’s lap and she has this puter thing there, I try to type on it. I use my paws and my nose and I know I could do it by myself if I just had half a chance. Phooey. But I’m here to be thankful today, and I am! I am thankful for my big sissie Lucy!!

Lucy plays with me and she lays with me and she tells me I am her own, woo, woo, woo…well, maybe not that last coupla parts. OK, here’s some pictures to prove it’s true.

I lay real close to Lucy in the big bed unless, of course, I have burrowed under the covers.

I’ve learned to lay on the pillow like a princess from my other, mean sister, Xena. (She chews bones I should have and won’t back down to me.) It’s best to lay like this when I have a pillow under me and Lucy to lean against.

Sometimes the pillow gets knocked on the floor and Lucy lays at that end of the couch. That’s when I just curl up with her like this. She makes a pretty good pillow, and I can even hear her heart beating. Or is that her tummy making noises?

Anhoo, I think I could write the Thankful Thursday every week!!

Xena: NO!

Chia: grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Grooming and Company on Awww Monday

We are joining Comedy Plus with much thanks for hosting Awww Mondays.

Lucy, Ace Reporter here on the Groom Beat with another new groom.

Hi folks! It hardly seems like it’s been only a week since I last reported on a new groom — yet here is a new one yet again. And, once again, this pup’s mom was referred to us by one of our current clients. Lily is a 2-year-old shih tzu who couldn’t get in to see her regular groomer for 2 months. Here’s what she looked like when she arrived at our door.

She didn’t weigh more than three or four pounds, just a wee bit of a girl with more mats than anything. Groomer Mom felt her over real quick-like and delivered the bad news that she would have to shave Lily down (that’s a grooming term) everywhere – even her face. Her mom said to do whatever she needed to do, that she wouldn’t be upset.

Lily was a mover-around-the-tabler (that’s a reporting term) but a real sweet little girl. I thought you might like to see a mid-groom picture, too.

The part where the hair is close to the skin was matted like felt, so the shaving was real slow-going. Groomer Mom shaved a big tick off before she could see it, so she had to use her special tick tool to get the head out of Lily’s skin. Then she grabbed her super-duper flea spray as those nasty buggers started emerging from under all that matted hair.

Groomer Mom knew this wasn’t going to end in a pretty groom. But sweet Lily was going to feel so much better, and her Mom would have a blank slate to start with to keep this from happening again.

The new appointment she made for 6 weeks out would also be an important part of that, too!

To finish up, I want to report that everything has mostly calmed down around here. Our aunt and cousin have gone off to do whitewater rafting today before they leave out for home. Jemma has done well, and most of us have been real nice to her. Chia started nipping at her, so Jemma started nipping Chia’s butt, BOL! Jemma can whip around real fast like most dogs of that breed, so Chia doesn’t stand a chance. We aren’t sure if she understands that it’s her own fault.

Jemma: You’re a good reporter, Lucy. You tell it like it is.

Lucy: Thanks, Jemma.

Then we all got new, meaty stew bones to chew outside. Chia got in Xena’s face about it, and it turned into a real, honest-to-goodness dog fight! I stood back to let them sort it out, and the only peep to jump in and stop it was Mom.

Xena: She didn’t have to, I was whooping that little brat’s butt!

Lucy: Like I was saying, Mom grabbed Chia, but that pup is so long that she slipped out of Mom’s hands and she and Xena went at it again. Mom grabbed up Chia again and threw her in the kennel, getting a bad scatch on her leg in the process. Dad was sitting right there and didn’t do anything at all. Boy, was he ever in trouble when the dust settled.

Xena: That wouldn’t have happened if Mom had let me finish it myself! I’m in charge, and that long brat isn’t going to usurp me as alpha here.

Lucy: What about Riley?
Xena: I stay outa his way.

I’m innocent, Your Honor.

So, folks, that’s our calmer weekend. Hope your week includes only nice things.

Lots of licks and wags, Lucy, Ace Reporter

A Birthday, Towing, Company and More

Lucy and Xena: There’s been so much going on that it’s going to take us both to tell y’all about it. First, we’ve all been itching. Must be somethin’ in the air or the grass or somthin’. Mom says that’s why we aren’t going for walks…

Xena: I’m the only one scratching sores on my face, so I’ve had to wear the plastic cone of excellence around my head.

Itchy Xena

Lucy: As you know, the Jewish High Holidays is soon upon us, so Mom’s been working a ton of hours. I think that is also why we haven’t been going for walks.

Xena: Daddy’s 97-year-old aunt in Fort Wayne, Indiana died, and he had to drive up there for the funeral. That left Mommy with the really old truck – older than Riley, even – that was having problems with something called a clutch. Mommy learned to double pump the clutch to change gears so she could get to where she needed to go. Personally, I think she should just stay home.

Lucy: So, with all her long working hours, she decided to leave work early on Thursday and make the almost hour drive to pick up our brother Adam. He was coming to stay here a couple of days for his birthday. She used her GPS to start out, and it told her there were bad accidents on I75 and took her a back way.

Xena: So there she was, double pumping away on the clutch when all of a sudden the clutch pedal just fell to the floor. She had never been in this part of Chattanooga. She was on a two lane road with only a narrow strip of grass to drift the truck onto to get it off the road.

Lucy: But Mom and Dad have a service called triple A, so she made the call and sat back to wait with a dying phone battery. The day was hot, so she rolled down both windows and hoped the exhaust from all the passing cars didn’t kill her.

Xena: Meanwhile, our Aunt Jenny (not Auntie Jen), who lives in Ill in Noise, was heading our way with her teenage daughter and dog, Jemma. They had spent the night in Ken Tucky after visiting the Mammoth Caves. Aunt Jenny said she would detour up to Cleveland Tennessee to pick up our brother Adam, who they had never met. Then Mommy called a neighbor friend who said she would pick her up at the car fixing place when she got there in the tow truck.

Lucy: The tow truck took almost an hour to get there, but the man driving it was very nice and he and Mom chatted the whole way to the repair garage. When Mom’s friend came to get her, she had their new daschund dog with her so Mom could meet him. His name is Jake and he is middle-aged. He is going to come over sometime to get a bath and nail trim! We’ll get a picture of him then.

Xena: Anyhow, everything worked out pretty good. Brother Andrew showed up with the DQ birthday cake right after brother Adam and Aunt Jenny arrived, and we had lots to jump off the bed and bark about all night with brother Andrew wandering around, heating up food and stuff like that. (Mommy was not in a good mood the next day.)

Lucy: So, Aunt Jenny and her daughter left for Atlanta on Friday, and we were in charge of taking care of Jemma. They said Jemma wouldn’t play with us, but we all knew that Chia would change that. We weren’t disappointed, either. They ran and played for a long time, then we all joined in and had a lot of fun. Sometimes Jemma got possessive of her harness and the room where her kennel was, but we worked that out without shedding any blood. She won’t use the doggie door and won’t do her buziness in the dog lot, so Mom’s having to take her out on a leash every time she needs to go potty. At least the weather is nice!

I’m a good girl, but I don’t know where my Mom is.

Lucy: Brother Adam was supposed to be back in the group home where he lives on Saturday, but Mom called and left a message that she was without a vehicle and it would be Sunday before she could get him back. (Dad will be home late Saturday night.) Then Brother Adam told Mom that he only had enough of his medicine to last through Saturday morning. That was a bad thing. He has to take his medicines every morning and night. I don’t know what will happen if he doesn’t, but it sounded like it would not be good at all. So Mom called the person over the home and said she didn’t know what to do. The nice person named Sharon arranged for one of the workers at the house to come out early Saturday evening with all the other guys that live there, pick up Adam, and take them all out to eat. Mom was both really suprised and thankful, especially since it is almost an hour drive each way.

Xena: In the meantime, brother Andrew let Chia out loose in the yard with him, not knowing Mommy had stopped doing that because of Chia “taking off.” Mommy realized this when she heard Andrew yelling for Chia. She went out and told him it was useless. Chia would come back on her own, as long as she didn’t get hit by a car first, but there was nothing else they could do. Andrew started walking the neighborhood calling for her anyway. He no sooner got back to the house than Chia also returned, just like Mommy said.

Xena: After solving problems and working from home all day, Mommy fed all of us first, cause she loves us most of all. Then she made garlic butter shrimp and steak for her and the “boys,” as she calls them, followed by ice cream cake.

That’s Adam in the pink shirt and Andrew next to him.

Xena and Lucy: Before bedtime, Mom laid down the law that it was lights-out-in-bed-time at 10:00, and they could go to bed earlier if they wanted, ’cause she sure was. Isn’t it cool how she can boss around big guys!? Aunt Jenny and her daughter will be back sometime today, and take charge of Jemma again. Dad will be back tonight and will get the High Holy Days booklet to print right –Mom’s spent way too much time on that! And “the boys” will be gone. Now Mom’s getting ready for a day of grooming dogs. Wow, it’s been hard keeping track of everyone. And the good news is the repair garage called, and there won’t be any charge for fixing the clutch. Less than a year ago they replaced a part of the clutch assembly, and that’s the part that failed. So the warranty will cover the cost of the replacement and the garage isn’t charging for their labor.

We’re exhausted. I think we’re going to nap while Mom grooms dogs that aren’t us.

XOXOX Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

In Purrsuit of Flavors: Teas

Thanks to Shoko and Tyebe of the Canadian Cats and Nelly and Phenny of Easy Blog for hosting this yummy day.

My favorite summertime tea drink is a simple mixture of two different teas, steeped together and poured over ice.

No need to add sugar, as both the peppermint and especially the ginger teas have a natural sweetness. And they’re both caffeine-free, so enjoy them any time of the day.

We are also joining Comedy Plus on Wordless Wednesday!

Thanks to Comedy Plus 
for hosting Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.