Achilles and Ella went home with their dad yesterday. They were so thrilled to see him that they forgot to say goodbye. But we have precious memories of their time here with us.
Achilles is a cuddle bug, and loved time on the couch with Uncle Jeff.
Achilles is fighting severe allergies. He was recently allergy tested and has the sea rum (serum) like Xena. When we could monitor him closely, he didn’t have to wear his hood (cone) or Rambo suit.
When all 80 pound plopped down on you, you felt it. Xena usually stays pretty close to her Mommy, so care had to be taken that he didn’t plop down on top of her when he also wanted to be close. Such a sweet, happy boy. He wiggles all over, and just wants to be loved.
This is Xena greeting Achilles (after she stopped barking at him).
Ella and Achilles also liked the same chair in the living room. Maybe it was because of the “guard” schnauzer on the pillow watching over them.
Achilles
Ella
That’s where Ella slept most nights, with the blanket her mama made her under and over her.
The pictures below show what close friends Ella and Lucy are. It took 1.5 seconds for this wonderful relationship to begin.
Rock City’s Rocktoberfest 2019. We hope Rock City will be open for Rocktoberfest again this year, and are able to do it in a safe way.
Oh, and for those who asked, yes, Achilles did get his time back in the home office after Xena ran him off. He even got his “hood” or cone off for a while.
Achilles found a spot on the corner of Lucy’s bed. She didn’t move over for him, but she didn’t mind sharing, either.
For now we will say adieu, with hopes next time comes sooner rather than later.
Lucy: You look bored, Ella. Why don’t you tell me a story about what’s been going on at your house. I heard some of it from Achilles, and now I want to hear it from you, girlfriend.
But you didn’t want to hear how I almost died, Lucy. *thinking* OK, I’m going to give you the quick version.
I stopped eating ’cause I felt uncomfortably full. And I stopped pooping ’cause it couldn’t come out no matter how hard I tried. I felt all “bloated.” My regular vet who I love couldn’t help me ’cause she didn’t have the diagnostic equipment, so Mom spent most of the rest of the day trying to find someone who both could and would help me. Seems a lot of docs aren’t taking new patients during this awful COVID-19 thingie. Finally we went to a great dogtor who used a machine that could see me inside and I had something called a blockage way down in that messy coil of intestines. Can you see the ring on my front arm? That’s where they shaved me and put in a needle to help me go to sleep for my surgery. They fed me and gave me drinks like that too for a while, until I was able to eat again. Do you see the huge black square on my tummy? That’s where they shaved me and cut me open and removed the block from inside my tummy. Who knew my skin is black!?
Lucy: I think your black skin is beautiful, Ella. That is a very scary story, but it has a happy ending. Umm, I’m also glad you gave me the short version!
Ella: Me too, I’m thirsty now. But first, tell me some more about stuff that’s been happening around here.
Lucy *thinking*: Hmm. OK. Riley was spending a lot of time here. Can you believe he still has an ear infection that’s been going on a year or more?
He seemed to really like being here, and would even ask my Dad to play ball with him every night. The first time he asked, he stood right in front of Dad, staring at him, and started barking that really loud, deep bark of his. Dad’s usually really good at understanding us, but this time he just looked over at Mom with a “Why is he doing this?” look on his face. Mom knew right away. “He wants you to play ball with him,” she said. I don’t know how she knew; I mean, even I didn’t know. But she can “read” that boy. After doing the same stare and bark two nights in a row, Dad finally knew what Ri-boy wanted at the same time every night, and would get up and play ball with him.
Ella: He is a good looking dog, isn’t he? I wish he liked me, but he was pretty hateful to me the only time I’ve been around him. I really don’t understand it. I like everyone and everyone likes me! We could have made pretty puppies when we were younger… *sigh* But what about his ear infection?
Lucy: Oh yeah. Mom picked him up from Andrew’s and took him to the vet. They came to the car and got him and took a little of the gunk out of his ears to do a culture. Oh, and me and Xena went too, and gave blood for our twice-yearly DNA HW test, which came back negative. In this case, negative was a good thing. Anyhow, about a week later, the new vet – who never met Riley – called and said he has two types of staph in his ears, and they would work him in to treat it. She said it would be fast and easy to clean out his ears and put in the medicine. I could see Mom covering her mouth and her whole body shaking. I was afraid she was having a seizure, but turns out she was trying not to laugh. Finally, she told the new vet that four grown men can’t hold him to clean his ears or cut his nails. But he trusts his dad Andrew to clean his ears, so she promised that he would do that before she brought him. At the vet’s, the vet techs put the medicine in his ears while he was still in the car. He wore a “just in case” muzzle, but he was surprisingly good. Now we’re waiting to see if it works.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen…
Xena: Hey ‘killies, when’d you join the gang? Achilles: I don’t know what you mean.
Xena: We’re both “in the hood!” BOLOLOL!! ‘Killies: *groan*
Lucy, Ella, Achilles and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
Priscilla, you know you can’t push me out of this chair, right?
Priscilla: I don’t know until I try.
They’re coming, I just don’t know when. It’s daylight. I thought they would have been here by now. What’s taking them so long? You can keep scratching there, Prissy, that feels good.
They’re here! Let’s go welcome our best friends!
Happy Fourth of July, Achilles! *wag, wag, wag*
Hi Lucy! You look as beautiful as in my dreams, girlfriend. Hey, do you like my new camo outfilt? I wear it when I’m itchy. Do you think I look silly?
Lucy: *swooning* You look like Rambo. He’s this tough, sexy guy on TV. Only you’re much more handsome.
Does it look good from this angle, too?
Ella: Come on Lucy, let’s go play a little. I can’t play too hard, though. I’m mostly better, but I’m still recovering from surgery. I almost died, you know.
Lucy: No!! Don’t even say that. Let’s go hang out. Are you coming, Achilles?
Achilles: What do I smell on the counter? It smells sweet.
Lucy: Oh, it’s just the 4th of July cake Mom made. She doesn’t share cake with us, but you might get some fruit later. Let’s go outside with everyone.
Achilles: Hmm. I think it’s too hot out.
I’ll just lay down here near the cake on the cool floor. You girls go on.
Xena: Where’s Achilles? I don’t trust him.
To be continued…
Lucy, Ella, Achilles and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
Riley: I’ve been feeling better about being here with Lucy (and Xena). Although I still miss my Dad, I know he’ll come back for me and I might as well enjoy my time here. Right? I’ve started eating more – I really love that sauerkraut and coconut oil that Miss Amy mixes into my food – and I’ve had more energy. Lucy and I run in the big front yard while little Xena runs after us and jumps and barks and growls at me. I finally figured out she’s not trying to be mean or “take me on” but its’ her way of playing. I ignore her, as she usually just bounces off of me. In this video, me and Lucy played kinda rough, so Miss Amy kept Xena away.
Every evening between 7:00 and 8:00 I start barking at Mr. Jeff. Miss Amy always knows what I want, so at first she had to cue him, “Riley wants you to throw his ball.” Now he knows, and we play ball in the house – down the hallway and into the bedroom or the library or the living room. It’s nice to have a guy like my Dad who will play ball with me.
My bed got moved into the living room so I have somewhere other than the hard floor to lay when the family is together in the evening.
As everyone was getting ready to go to bed the other night, Miss Amy noticed that I had stretched out so that my head was hanging off my bed. She knows that I still chew up things – at least stuffies – so she went through the house looking for something she “didn’t care about”. Then she remembered the brown blanket that I had chewed big holes in years ago. She retrieved it from the closet and laid it all bunched up under my head like a pillow. I slept especially good that night.
The next day, when I got up to eat breakfast, that crazy schnauzer ran and jumped into my bed.
She and Lucy eat a lot earlier than I do, so her beard was all spiky-wild from her food. Then she acted like she had to guard my bed so I wouldn’t try to get back in it. Silly schnauzer! I spent the rest of the day in her favorite red chair. That one kinda back-fired on her, didn’t it?
The Mom: I don’t like to wear shoes in the house unless my feet are cold so I often slip them off when I sit down. One particular day, I found a present in one of my sandals.
I don’t know who left it there, but it warmed my heart.
It might have been me. Or Xena. Or Riley. We all love Mom.
Epilogue: Andrew picked up Riley and took him home with him. Riley may be coming back…or he may not. Either way, Lucy and I love having him here. And, I suspect, even the crazy little schnauzer does, even though she would never admit it.
By Riley, Lucy, the Mom and the Crazy Little Schnauzer Warrior Princess
The Mom: Why are you staring at me, Riley? What do you want?
Riley: I just ate and I need to go out.
*a few minutes later*
Lucy: Where’d you go, Riley? I saw you go into the woods and thought you had run off.
Riley: Nah, I just had to do my business and I don’t like anyone watching. Besides, why would I mess in my own yard, or in my family’s yard? That’s just nasty. And why would you think I ran off?
Lucy: It’s cause Mom told me she had a dream about you and me running off together through the woods like we used to do a couple of years ago. In her dream, she found you near her old neighborhood and brought you home. But she never found me. She said it was a terrible dream. It woke her up and she never went back to sleep that night. So I am staying out of the woods.
Now, where did Xena go? It’s so hard being the responsible one, trying to keep track of every body.
Xena: I found a hole; two holes, actually. I can smell a critter.
Lucy: What’s in the hole? Don’t you have to go potty?
Xena: I don’t know yet, and I already went. Now will you please be quiet? I need silence. Absolute. Silence.
Xena’s viewpoint: Why, oh why, oh why is he living here with us again?
Riley won’t listen to anything I woof. He watches when I get my food and I’m afraid he’s going to eat it. Even my schnauzer warrior moves wouldn’t prevail against this 70 pound behemoth. Mommy threw my ball for me and Riley got it. When I tried to get it back from him, he hit me in the head with his tooth, and now there’s a hole where my ear meets the top of my head. I screamed and wouldn’t go near him for a few days. I even got behind Mommy every time he came near. And he has taken over my chair, so I can’t lay on the top of it and watch outside. I wish he would just go home.
Riley: Is that my Dad coming?
Lucy’s viewpoint: My buddy is back. He’s 20 pounds bigger than me, but I’m almost as tall as him. Sometimes we run and play in the front yard like we used to do. I love having Riley here. Did I mention he’s my friend?
Riley’s viewpoint: My Dad Andrew brought me over to Lucy’s to visit. Or at least I thought I was just visiting. But then he said he had to stay with friends for a while and I could stay here with his Mom. It’s true that she takes real good care of me and feeds me things I like and gives me pills for itching and pets and scritches me. But I miss my Dad Andrew…a lot.
I’ve had some fun times playing with balls and bones (I didn’t mean to hurt that silly schnauzer). And Lucy is a sweet girl and fun to play with. I’ve been real good. I’ve gone into the woods to potty and not run off. I always wag hello when I see the neighbors on our walks, especially the little kids. I love little kids. The guy working on the patio brought his teeny tiny 3 month old chihuahua and I was very, very careful not to hurt or scare him. We could even be friends if he wants.
I was even sorta, kinda good for my bath and nail trim. OK, so Mr. Jeff had to hold me for the nails, but at least they got cut, right? I even let Lucy have everyone’s favorite red chair this afternoon.
I just miss my Dad Andrew so much. He’s my heart-person. Every time I see the other patio worker guy drive his white truck up the driveway, I think it’s my Dad coming to get me. I get excited and start to bark. Then there’s the let-down.
When are you coming to get me, Dad? I’m OK, but I miss you so much.
Sho: Well, if we had to be stuck somewhere other than Canada during this pandemic, I’m glad it was here with you and Xe. And Tye had the right idea with this spa tub. I – being a cat – didn’t think I would like it. But it’s so relaxing.
Lu: It’s true, Sho. And this inoculation of Corona tastes pretty good. Do you think it would work better if we had it in “shots”?
Both: BOL, MOL, ha, ha, ha, *hic*
Xe: Hey, what are you two doing?
Tye: OMC, I can’t look. I think they’re naked!
Lu: Of course we are, silly cat. None of us wears clothes. Well, except when you put on that strange-looking hula skirt. The real question is, what have you two been up to?
Tye: I flipped Xe the bird. Xe: And then I shot Tye the bird. Both: Yep, we kept flipping each other the bird and it was lots of fun.
*earlier that day*
Tye: I’m so glad we found these old rackets up in your attic. *whack*
Xe: *whack* Me too, Tye. Shoot that angry bird back to me and I’ll flip this one right back atcha.
Posted at 1:37 am by Xena and Lucy, on April 13, 2020
Mommy washed my bedding and put fresh spring cases on the pillows in my kennel. Looky, my stuffies got a good bath and “air” dry. Now they don’t carry any germs, especially with Easter Bunny appearing from who knows where.
The Mom: Xena, your beard sure looks crunchy. How long’s it been since you had a bath?
Stuffies: Uh oh, wanna bet who’s getting a shampoo and blow dry next? Let’s go with Lucy to watch.
Posted at 1:08 am by Xena and Lucy, on February 9, 2020
Xena: Something odd happened around here. I was having a good, normal Saturday. Daddy finished putting together my breakfast and I declared it good. Mommy finally crawled out of bed around 6:30 in the morning, saw it was dark and cold and threatening snow, and said we would all go outside after the sun came up. We never actually saw the sun, but it did get lighter outside so that we could see if any coyotes or werewolves were coming at us from the nearby woods. (None did.) Lucy and I played in the yard for a little bit while Riley (yes, he’s back) took his time deciding if he would step onto the wet grass. Mommy says Riley is very smart, but he sure does take a long time thinking about stuff.
I sure hope Riley doesn’t take as long to make up his mind as this guy.
I still didn’t think anything was out of the ordinary when I heard a scratching at the front door. We get a lot of Amazon deliveries, and I figured the delivery person had figured out the dog way of asking for the door to be opened was preferable to banging on it or ringing that annoying bell. Well, that, or else I was finally going to get to be a ratter.
So, as usual, I hollered for Mommy to come open the door. Look who was there! At first I thought it was Ludwig come home, then I saw the dress…
Xena: “Who are you? Are you Ludwig? You smell like Ludwig. Why are you dressed like that?
Schnauzer at the door: No, Xena, I am Ludwig’s cousin, Lois. I’ve heard so much about you from my wonderful, handsome cousin Ludwig! Then I heard that you and that scoundrel, er, I mean, Achilles might be getting married, so I came for the wedding. Let me in.
Xena: Riley! Get out of my bed and come here! I need your help.
This dog says (s)he’s Lois, Ludwig’s cousin. What do you think?
Riley: Well, (s)he’s got this strap thing from the dress wrapped around the part that would give it away, so I’m not sure. Do you want me to rip it off?
Lois: Stop it! Stop it!
Xena: No, that would be way too rude. But she thinks I’m marrying Achilles. What should we do?
Riley: Lucy says let the new dog stay.
If it’s really Ludwig, we’ll know soon enough.
Yes, we will know soon enough. If Lois perches on Vicky the Troll, uh, we’ll know it’s really Ludwig, and my ploy to make him jealous worked.
In the meantime, I’ve reclaimed my bed and am going to help Mommy in her home office.
Posted at 1:36 am by Xena and Lucy, on January 28, 2020
Hi, this is Xena again. I read in one of Angel Lexi’s posts that she loved the phrase et al, so I had to keep reading to find out what it meant. I quickly discovered it meant whatever you want it to mean. So, let’s start with who is still the reigning queen et al.
Ella, Queen of her Domain, et al
Lucy: Ella and I are still best friends, et al.
Speaking of et als, Mom asked me to include this picture in our post today. She thinks it’s a lovely picture of me in Auntie Jen’s living room.
We all fell back in like we had never been apart.
Here I am between my BFF Ella and my guy Achilles, et al, watching a black cat walking along the fence line. We saw him on and off throughout our visit.
Can you guess what had happened here?
Xena: We all spent a lot of time after lunch sitting around visiting and snoozing in our chairs. There was a dog for every person, plus a bonus pig for Auntie Jen et al.
Achilles picked Mommy as his bed.
Lucy: The real reason we came this particular weekend was to celebrate Aunty Jen’s birthday – and also Dad’s birthday that was last week. Oh yeah, and Lucy’s, too. So the peeps went out to the “Snow Ball.” Dad and Mom et al danced all evening to a big band.
Mom danced so much her left foot felt like it was getting a blister (it wasn’t), and Dad danced so much his previously injured ankle started to scream. But they said it was too much fun to worry about a little pain.
Xena: Aunty Jen and Mommy got up really early on Saturday morning to do a pod cast or something like that on Facebook, I think. All I know was that Aunty Jen was talking into a camera while holding up clothes called lularoe and Mommy was frantically unpacking a box, ripping open the bags, hanging the clothes and numbers on hangers, and handing them to Aunty Jen. I made the mistake of hanging out with them, and got used as a “sales tool.” I didn’t even have my beard washed or combed, and it was so early that I was still in my sock monkey jammies. It was rather embarrassing, but people kept typing in comments about how cute I am. *grin* So anyhow, if you want to buy any lularoe for Valentine’s Day – or anytime – Aunty Jen is selling them. Tell her Xena sent you.
Love and wiggles, Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess, back home et al.
Posted at 1:12 am by Xena and Lucy, on January 7, 2020
Since I’m the oldest (4 years old on January 14), I get to go first. I had a good year with my family and fun with my little sister.
I practiced my zen techniques with our grooms, babysat some adorable puppies (I’m just glad I got to give them back), took lots of walks, had fun with my guy, Achilles, and made a ton of new friends at Rocktoberfest.
You did have a good year, Lucy, even though I think mine was even better! By the way, I’ll be 3 on June 21, so please contact me for where to send my pressies.
I won my first Freestyle title, went on a trip, met our new pig cousin, got three agility certificates, and added three new stuffie friends to our household.
We can’t wait to share all our new adventures in 2020 with all our friends here, and we’ll do our best to keep up with yours, too.
Love, wags and wiggles from Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
Posted at 1:32 am by Xena and Lucy, on December 28, 2019
Is it Christmas yet?
Did Santa come? Can we open our prezzies? What, not until Daddy gets back with brother Adam?
Lucy: We let our guests go first. Achilles got an empty, Santa covered water bottle, and he loved it! He worked and worked on it until he got the bottle out. Then the fun was over. I think he was disappointed that there was no stuffing in the stuffie!
Xena: Morty got reindeer ears and an empty bag that he tried to eat. Oh wait, the bag wasn’t his prezzie, he just grabbed it from someone else.
Lucy: Mom made doggie cookies for Morty and Achilles and Ella and they all scarfed them up. She packed them up some more from the freezer to take home. Some of them had pumpkin, and some of the cookies had tomato in them. They all were salt and sugar-free, with no preservatives or artificial anything. We weren’t allowed to have any because of all the carbs interfering with our stomach acid pee H.
Xena: But we did get Dogurt. It’s a new doggie yogurt that Mom found right in the dairy section of the grocery. Later we got real live beef soup bones. A big one to fit Lucy’s mouth and a smaller one for me to chew. Our peeps brother Adam sat outside with us until we got all the greasy stuff off them so we didn’t get it all over the furniture.
Lucy: Our friends, Chloe and Chaz -who stay with us sometimes and who Mom grooms – gave us this blanket. Do you see the heartbeat?
Xena: Lucy got a weird bone thing that she doesn’t want and neither do I or Ella.
Mommy said it’s OK for her to give to Achilles the next time she sees him. We’re sure he’ll like it.
I got new stuffies. No bears, ’cause they always go away to hibernate in the winter – except for Winter Bear – and then they empty our fridge when they are done hibernating. They get like zombies trying to eat the brains of Cone Heads. We don’t actually stock brains for them, but we make sure there’s plenty of berries and stuff to satisfy their extreme hunger from not eating all winter.
Anyhow, I got Chip, who is siting in the back closest to me. His big eyes and teeth kind of scared me at first, but I’m getting used to it. And puppy Oscar the Schnauzer. And the other dog is a stray and doesn’t have a name yet. Any suggestions?
Lucy: Brother Andrew got here just in time for dinner. Him and brother Adam were really glad to see each other, and were acting goofy. Mom said it was like how me and Ella act when we see each other after being apart.
I don’t know why “all good things must end.”
But maybe it’s so we can get some rest and be ready for good things the next day.
Love, Peace and Joy from Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
Posted at 1:59 am by Xena and Lucy, on December 27, 2019
Xena: Our friends stayed the night, and the next day – Christmas Eve – they got together with their parents and other family. They were gone a-a-a-all day! In the meantime we had a P-I-G to deal with. Morty. Yesterday we told you about Lucy accidentally French kissing Morty, and Morty invading my new cave tunnel. If you missed it, you can read about it here.
When her folks left, Ella was very upset and kept watching out the window for them. Then she got in her favorite chair and struck a pose and an attitude.
I am Queen Ella and don’t care if they ever come back.
Uh, does anyone know where they went? No one asked me if it was OK.
Seriously, when are my pawrents coming back?
The day was warm – about 68F/19C – and we spent some time out back. Morty grazed (I learned that means he ate grass) and we all hung out for a while. (This pic was taken earlier in the year, but you get the picture…BOL, get the picture BOL!
Achilles has bad allergies, so he had to go in, and everyone but Mommy and Morty went in to keep him company. When it was time for them to come in too, Mom had to sort of herd him onto the back patio and into the house, but at least he listened. He actually listened good to Mommy all day. Next thing you know she will be teaching him tricks, he, he!
Inside, Achilles followed Mom’s every step. Morty followed her around too, but sometimes went off to oink somewhere else in the house. Achilles saw Mommy wrap one of his pressies, and he kept trying to get up high on our Troll named Vic (he’s an old-fashioned record player), so she had to put it wa-a-ay up high on the kitchen cabinets. Then he discovered our magic red chair in the front library, the one where we watch all the world go by, and bark when needed. He thought he had to bark at everything: kids, adults, cars, squirrels, leaves, and probably ants, too. I’m more selective – I never bark at ants or leaves. That soon got on Mommy’s last nerve and she made encouraged him to get down and play with Ella and Lucy. I joined in by barking. She said that somehow the situation had not improved. By the end of the day Lucy and her boyfriend Achilles were worn out.
Achilles got too hot, so he laid on the cool tile floor.
I may have been a bit worn out myself. But at least I had my chair back.
87 hours later, Uncle Bill and Auntie Jen returned, and then Mommy and Daddy came home from Christmas Eve church. We all fell exhausted into bed, hoping Santa Paws would come and bring us good things.
Please come back tomorrow to find out about our Christmas Day! I am Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
Posted at 8:22 am by Xena and Lucy, on December 26, 2019
Lucy: My bestie Ella and my guy, Achilles came with my Uncle Bill and Auntie Jen to spend Christmas with us. Morty the pig came too. I loved having them all here. Morty made himself right at home.
Morty is 9 months old, so he’s still a baby even though he has grown a lot since we saw him last. He’s now 21 pounds and a little bigger than Xena.
Xena’s new favorite place is between the otto man and the love seat. It didn’t take Morty long to discover this cave-like area and try to claim it as his own. Xena was laying there with Mom’s legs over her, spanning the gap between the love seat and otto man when Morty entered the tunnel and laid down facing Xena.
He kept creeping closer to her, and she got scared and backed around the corner away from him.
Xena: I wasn’t scared! I was just practicing safe pig. Not like you were doing, Lucy. We all saw you kiss him with your tongue halfway down his throat! Mom just wasn’t quick enough to get a picture of it.
Lucy: It’s not what it looked like! I was just trying to give him a little hello kiss on the snout when he opened his mouth in a big yawn.
Anyhoo, the peeps sat around talking the first night, and it got kind of boring.
So Ella decided to turn the attention on her, while Achilles sought attention from his Dad.
Hi Uncle Jeff. Do you remember me, Queen Ella?
Ella: Hold still and let go of me, I want to kiss you!
Achilles: Ella, let me show you the way to do it.
You’ve gotta get your paws up around his neck and lean in. Aghh! He’s got me by the ears!
Xena: While they were attacking my Daddy, I cuddled up in my Uncle Bill’s arms. (I knew Daddy could take care of himself–he’s big and strong and my hero.)
I love Uncle Bill and he held and pet me until I was so tired that I had to lay on the floor and go to sleep cause no one would go to bed with me. Besides that, I could see Achilles running back and forth around our bed looking for my basket of stuffies that Mommy had put up. We found out that he is another stuffie killer, just like Riley. You sure know how to pick them, Lucy.
Lucy: He’s just got that one little fault…
Lucy and Xena: Come back tomorrow for Christmas Eve adventures, when we (Xena, Lucy, Mom and Dad) are left alone all day with Morty (and Ella and Achilles). XOX Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
Posted at 1:05 pm by Xena and Lucy, on December 7, 2019
Xena: I sure do miss Daddy. He’s sick of noise, so he left.
Lucy: Well, Xena, while he may be tired of your shrill barking every time you see something move outside, he’s actually on a trip to visit his mother. She lives in Illinois. Hey, I have an idea. Let’s send him a picture and tell him how much we miss him.
Xena: Come home and let us in, Daddy. Lucy: But it’s sunny and warm out. I want to stay outside. Xena: But it’s his job. Both: We miss you, Dad, come home soon.
Xena: Do you see Daddy? Has he come home yet? Do you think he got our message?
Lucy: I don’t know, Xena. Let’s see if Mom will open the gate so we can help her while she rakes leaves. Maybe that can be one of my new jobs: “Lucy, Professional Leaf Raker.”
Lucy: Xena.
Xena: What?
Lucy: Race you to that pile of leaves over there.
This is Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess enjoying a sunny 60 degrees in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Posted at 1:52 am by Xena and Lucy, on November 25, 2019
Xena: You simply won’t believe what happened.
Lucy: Is that because you make things up so often?
Xena: No! It’s because it’s, it’s…oh never mind, I just want to tell what happened. And it’s true. Every word of it. You’re not going to believe this. *hop, hop*
Mommy’s friend’s name is Laurie. Miss Laurie has Eefah (OK, so that’s not how it’s really spelled, but that’s what it sounds like, and I’m goin’ with it.) She’s a really nice Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier. Miss Laurie brings Eefah to be groomed every 6 weeks and her and Mommy talk the whole time. It’s something like 87 hours. This is Eefah after going home from being groomed.
I’m Aoife and I approve these pictures.
Lucy: Xena, this falls in the “Lucy Ace Reporter on the Groom Beat” category. What does this have to do with the offi…
Xena: Shhh, I’m telling the story, Lucy. So anyhow, Miss Laurie brought a bottle of…wait for it…whiskey to work. Did I mention that Miss Laurie works in the office next to Mommy’s? Anyhoo, it was for some event they were having, or so it was said. Mommy wanted to try it. Scandal! Drinking alcohol at work! So the office – in fact, the whole building – got closed – and…
Lucy: Hold up. That is not why the building got closed!
Xena: Well, how do you know? How do you know that the whole story about the building being something called structurally unsound was the real reason. Maybe it was a cover up to the scandal? Maybe…
I’m Ole Smoky Tennessee Salty Caramel Whiskey, and I do not approve this message.
Tennessee Whiskey Bottle: Hold up there, you crazy schnauzer. Do you really think that one little ole sip of me could close the entire building and make everyone have to work somewhere else? Do you think that they would have spent thousands of dollars for months and months — before the “alleged” scandal happened — trying to quantify the damage from the soil shifting that caused cracks and mold in the building? You are one loco pup with a big imagination. I get around, and I hear things. It was the terrible drought followed by the torrential rains that finally did it in. That bad soil the synagogue was built on finally did a real bad shift and now it is unsafe to be in there. Now stop telling tall tails, or even short tales, you little terrier with a giant imagination, and maybe some day you’ll even be allowed a wee sip of me.
Xena: *bewildered look* Uh, as I was trying to say, the office is now in the bottom floor of our home. That area is something called an “in-law suite.” I wonder where the “out-laws” get to sleep, BOL! With no 40 minute commute, Mommy gets to sleep later and work in her casual clothes. Of course, that also means we get our breakfast later, and I don’t like that at all. I jump in bed and nudge under her neck, trying to get her up to feed me, er, us.
Our new home office
And Miss Brooke, who is the Office Assistant and only lives a few minutes away comes to our house to work. She got her own key and everything. We get to stay in the office with them all day and get pet and I lay in Mommy’s lap a lot. Miss Brooke really likes us both and says we are very good pups. And I don’t have to stay in my kennel any more. Of course, that also means I don’t get my treat puzzle, either. That’s another thing that falls in the not good column, but I really do like having Mommy home all day.
Lucy: And now Mom is home when we think we should get our supper. I remind her by poking her with my nose. Me and Xena, we used to synchronize our pokes to Dad to let us out and give us treats, with Xena standing under me. He says we look like a 2-headed Cerberus like that. Now he shuts his home office door. He says his leg was starting to bruise and he wasn’t getting any work done, either. One day last week I stuck my head under Mom’s leg while she was sitting in her work chair and tried to lift her up so she would come feed us. It surprised her, but it didn’t work.
Miss Brooke’s own dog, Hank, has started coming with her. Every time I see Hank, I try to make up with him, but he doesn’t seem to want to be friends. I’ll keep trying, like I did with Riley, and I know he will eventually be my friend.
I’m Hank, and I’m not unfriendly or afraid; I’m just not interested.
Xena: Hank’s afraid of me. Mommy says it’s cause I bark at him. Isn’t that barkalishis? I’m only 15 pounds to his 45 pounds. He must know I’m a Schnauzer Warrior Princess. I invite him to play every time he is here, but he always says no way Hose Aye. My name isn’t Hose Aye. He must have me mixed up with some chihuahua he knows. Mommy got Angel Lexi’s bed from the attic for him to lay on. But when he’s not here on Wednesdays and Thursdays…
We keep Mommy and Miss Brooke company and give them moral support. All day.
Keep up the good work Mommy and Miss Brooke.
We are Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess at work.
Dogtor B, an ex-shelter dog, became a therapy dog in October 2016. He loves to talk about his endeavors, his new little brother Sky, and life in general as an expat.
