I Feel Like a Puppy Again

Xena: Hi, hi, hi! Guess what? Wait, I’ll tell you. Mommy read about how bad bennies are for people…

Lucy: It’s benadryl, Xena. Bennies are something else. We don’t get those.

Xena: Well, we don’t get the dryl stuff anymore, either. That’s what I’m here to tell everyone about. So anyhow, as I was saying, Mommy thought, “Hmm, if they are that bad for people, then they can’t be good for dogs, either.” She said you could read about it here if you want to. But keep on reading my story, too. Mommy thought I had changed because I had turned two years old. I was mostly laying around on the love seat and didn’t want to play. The only things I was still enthusiastic about were food and Freestyle. Friday morning, after reading that article, Mommy only gave me a Xertec for my allergies, and no bennies.

Lucy: Xena, I told you, it’s not bennies. And Xertec is spelled Zyrtec.

Xena: No, like I told you before, it’s XERTEC like my name XENA,

Sorry folks. Sometime Lucy thinks she knows more than me. So later in the day when Mommy called to let Daddy know she was finally on her way home from work, he told her that he didn’t know what caused this big change, but that I had been running all over the house with my stuffies.

Do you want to wake up and play with me, Ell?

I had started playing with Lucy again, too. I ran outside with my bully horn and even came back to get another toy to play with in the yard. Mommy knew why, and had conflicting emotions. She was very sad that she had been suppressing my joy, and very happy that I was still the same puppy she knew, and hadn’t really changed.

Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess is back!

So instead of those bad old bennies – Lucy, don’t even say it – I am getting a bath about every other day *pthhh* with BioHex Shampoo with Chlorhexidine and Miconazole. It has microsilver and ceramide in it. (Mommy helped me with those words.) Now I am hardly itching at all and I’m wide awake and ready to rumble! ( heard that last part on TV when the folks were gone.) Anyone want to play?

I’m my Mommy’s happy puppy again.

XOXOXOX Xena on Xertec (only)

A Successful Piglet Visit

First there was my meet and greet with Morty in his rope harness.

Then we did a proper “Hello, I will be your friend.”

Next, it was Lucy’s turn.

Lucy: I finally got to sniff someone else’s bee hind.

Morty enjoyed grazing on our clover, so Lucy thought it would make him feel more at home if she joined him.

We discovered that Morty loves his belly rubbed, just like us.

It started getting really hot, so we all came in the house. Daddy had paid someone to come fix our air conditioning, so it was much cooler. Soon, Morty left with his folks because he was going to be the star at a child’s birthday party. (He didn’t want to wear Angel Lexi’s star hat, either.)

After 87 hours they all came back and it was suppertime. We watched – with fascination – how Morty eats.

That’s water in the blue bowl, and piggy food mixed with fresh veggies in his food dish.

Morty, Ella, Achilles, Aunty Jen and Uncle Bill have to leave soon, so we’ll finish telling you all about our visit tomorrow.

XOX Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

This and That on Flower Friday

Xena – The Visit Ends: Our visitors finally went home after peeing  being with us for 10 days. 

This is me, Xena, and my new friends, Laila and Louis.

Can I take this bone that I found home with me?

Sorry about ruining your big rug.

Bye, bye, Miss Amy. We liked being here.

Xena – A Hat? No Thanks.  Mommy decided once again to try putting Angel Lexi’s hat on me. A cast member gave it to her when she was in the Wizard of Oz. It has a star on it to show she was the star of the show.

Does my expression tell it all?

Lucy – No board, just groom: Chaz was supposed to stay with us last week, but something happened that his folks couldn’t go away. 

Instead, he just came for a groom. 

Xena – Heat and a flower or something like that: It was hotter than a witch’s ti…

Lucy – Xena! No! 

Xena – What? 

Lucy – The saying is “colder” not “hotter.” 

Xena – Oh. Anyway, it’s been hot. So finally one day there was a slight break in the heat and we convinced Mommy to take us for a walk. I thought I’d better leave as much pee mail as I could, ’cause who knows when we will be out walking again, right? And we even saw some pretty flowers.

Lucy – More visitors coming this weekend: I found out that we are finally going to meet Morty.

I’m not sure how that’s going to go, but we are all hoping for the best.

One thing I am sure about is that I can hardly wait to see Ella again. You know we are tight! So, when I heard she was coming to visit, I shouted out a “Hey, girl” to her. She promptly responded the same to me.

   “Hey girl, hey!”

That went on for a while. Then I said, “I can’t wait to hang out with you. Just one thing, Ella. This here is MY Dad, OK?“

She said as long as I understood that Aunty Jen is HER Mom, we’re cool.

                         Oh, solo mio…arrooo!

Xena –  Daddy is MY Daddy too, you know!

This is Lucy and Xena (she means Xena and Lucy) joining the LLB Gang (especially Rosy)  for Flower Friday. 

Check, Check, Check: A Good Day

Hi friends, Lucy here. After yesterday, I was hoping for a good day today. I mean, yesterday wasn’t all bad. Xena and I went to the vet and I made all kinds of new friends. Everyone pet me and a policeman and a lady both wanted to take me home with them. The bad part was when a lady who works there stuck a needle in my front leg and stole my blood. It hurt, but I was very good. Mom explained that they will send my blood to Canada to get a DNA heart worm test done. That kind of test lets them know if there is even the beginning of a tiny heart worm growing inside me, and if there is, one shot will kill it. Xena had the same thing done, and she was mostly good about it, too. Anyhow, that’s why we don’t have to take heart worm prevention pills. We did get pretty bandages on our legs.

Wait…we gave them our blood, and you have to pay them?

Anyhow, today was a much better day. We got up and had real good brekkies. Good brekkies – check!

Mom made time to take us for a walk before she went to work. Morning walk – check!

Just before Mom left, she gave us each a treat puzzle. Mmmmm. Xena got a new one for her birthday last month, so she gave me her old one. I don’t even care that she chewed it up a little. I still love having it. Treat puzzle – check!

Later, after Mom got home, she took us for a second walk, and we had lots of mischievous fun. Afternoon walk – check!

Do you see my NPR leash? Did you know that stands for National Public Radio?

Read neighborhood pee mail. check!

Read more pee mail – check!

Sniff Xena’s bee-hind when she can’t do anything about it. – check!

This is Lucy, with a check mark by all the good things on my list.

Louis and Laila – Still Here

Before I tell my story, I want to wish Noodle, my almost brother-in-law, of the Adventures of Noodle, a very happy birthday. Noodle was Lexi’s boyfriend, and they had lots of wonderful adventures together. So, from me and Lucy and Mommy, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NOODLE!

Well, it’s been six days and Louis and Laila are still with us. And they are still alive and unharmed. Just wait til I tell you why I said that. Monday morning, Daddy got up extra early to go in to work. He doesn’t usually go to work on Monday and neither does Mommy, but he had a lot to do. The invaders were sleeping in my kennel in the living room, and he tried to sneak past them. He was trying to be quiet so they didn’t wake up Mommy. When that didn’t work, he let them out of my kennel, which is right next to the back door, and was about to open the door for them when Laila peed on the floor. While he was trying to get that cleaned up, Louis ran around the house lifting his leg on everything! Daddy tried to get that cleaned up, too, but, well, he had to go to work. So he woke up Mommy and told her what happened. That was probably his second mistake, right after letting the invaders out of my kennel. We won’t get into that, though.

Soooo, in order for Mommy to keep her sanity and in order to help Daddy stay out of trouble, we now have a protocol. It goes like this.

1. Both Laila and Louis have to wear my big girl panties at all times, except when they are outside.

Laila: Ha, ha, Louis, you have to wear a diaper like me. Louis: I’ll never make an impression on the girls like this.

2. The first thing in the morning, Mommy fixes their breakfast and sets it out back on the patio. Then she takes them out and removes their diapers. They stay there until it is time for her to go to work. Then she goes outside and puts their diapers back on them before bringing them in and telling them to go into my kennel. (grr)

Laila: I would rather be inside playing with this bone I found.

3. After work, Mommy fixes their supper and sets it out back on the patio, then takes them out back, removes their diapers, and leaves them there until me and Lucy eat our supper.

4. Then Mommy goes back out, puts their diapers back on them, and brings them in to spend the evening with us.

Louis: I’m hot, turn the air conditioning cooler, please.

Laila: Come lay on the kitchen floor Louis. It’s nice and cool.

The funny thing is, I have started liking them being here. I firmly told Louis, “No!” and he has stopped sniffing my bee-hind and trying to climb on me. And I keep trying to get Laila to be my friend. I gently put my paw on her and wag my tail. She mostly ignores me, but last night we all played together, even Lucy and Louis.

Mommy admitted that she had hoped I would make some friends my own size and have someone to play with besides Lucy, who is 87 times bigger than me. I still get to snuggle up close to Mommy all night long, and now I get to stay out of my kennel during the day because Louis and Laila are in it. And I get to play with them after supper. Maybe, just maybe, Mommy knew what she was doing.

Love and wiggles, Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Happy 4th of July

Xena: Our friend, Miss Vickie, made us special scarves for this great holiday. We hope that all dogs everywhere get great scarves on this special day.

Lucy: Uh, I think what Xena meant to say is, we wish for everyone on the earth to be able to live happy and free from cruel owners and rulers.

Xena: Sure, that too. And don’t make any big boom noises today!

Love, from Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Lizzy Lucy

Xena: Lucy, sometimes you lay just like a lizard – a giant lizard. Maybe I’ll start calling you Liz or Lizzie. Lucy: Shhh, I’m trying to blend into the carpet like a lizard does so I can catch another one. They’re pretty tasty.

Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Birthday Finale

If you missed how my birthday started, or if naughty Mr. WordPress removed it before you saw it, Mommy fixed it and you can check it out here. Mommy got home from work and we got another good meal. Then she gave me…another ball. Can you believe it? This one has spikes and when she squeezed it, it squeaked and started flashing a light. This one was from a different galaxy than the first one, but still from outer space.

I guess these were all teases – or maybe tests to see how brave I have become – ’cause then I got my real presssie. A new treat puzzle! It’s called a Dog Brick by Outward Hound. Mommy filled it with cheesy goodness and you can see what happened next. (You can skip the part where Mommy is loading it with cheese if you want.)

At first I was skeptical, thinking it might be another alien, but it didn’t yell or blink lights at me, so I decided to check it out. It was easy, except for that last piece where the lid popped open. I suspect Mommy will make it harder next time “more of a challenge” is what she says. Anyhoo, I love my new puzzle!

We ended the night with a special treat I never had before – doggie ice cream!

Come on Mommy, we are doing a good “Wait.” Please say “Free!”Nom, nom, nom, slurp.Yep, it’s as good as I heard it is.

Love, Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Freestyle and Shorts

Sunday I went to Freestyle with Mommy and learned to “touch.”

See that orange cone thingy behind me? Miss Julia stuck a treat inside it and then gave me a different treat every time I touched the cone with my nose. I really, really liked that game. I always keep an eye on everything going on there.

Other than Freestyle class, not too much has been happening this week, so me and Lucy, we thought you might like to see some short little videos of us. (He, he, I bet you thought you were going to get to see us in shorts – like clothes – right?)

While I was gone having fun with Mommy, Lucy was in the back yard eating all the meat off of a raw deer rib…and some of the bone, too.

Most days, Mommy says, “Who wants to get their teeth brushed?” and we both come running. I always go first. Our “toothpaste” is coconut oil with Neem essential oil in it. Sometimes we get Lavender essential oil in it too for flavor, but we like it either way.

Then it’s Lucy’s turn. Mommy got a red finger brush for Lucy, but Lucy kept trying to bite down on it. So, to keep her finger safe, Mommy went back to using a regular toothbrush. Did you notice me walking under Lucy? I do that all the time!

I’m still woofing at Daddy to fix the video of me and Lucy howling, and he keeps saying he is too busy right now. Grrrr. Hey, wait, maybe that’s what he’ll do for me for my birthday next week! Yeah, I bet that’s it! And lots of belly rubs and chair naps, too.

I am Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess with clean teeth

 

 

Time with My Daddy

I’ve been thinking about my birthday coming up on the first official day of summer – June 21. I know boxes have been delivered from Amazon that Mommy has whisked away without letting me see what’s in them. I think it’s going to be a good birthday.

I’ll be two years old. But I’ve also been wondering if that means I’m all grown up and what changes I need to make. Should I stop saying “Mommy” and “Daddy” and instead say “Mom” and “Dad”? Do I still get to spend time in Dad(dy)’s lap?

And sleeping between Mommy and Daddy at night?

 

Mom said that me at the table reminded her a lot of Angel Lexi.

I wonder how old I will have to be to get my own seat at the table like Angel Lexi. There’s just so many things to think about now that I’m almost two.

Relax, Xena, you’ll know what to do. Everything will come in it’s own time. You will make new friends like I did with Spike here. You still have a lot to learn, and lots more treats to eat. And it doesn’t really matter what you call our folks, they will always love you, until the end of the world. 

Wow, it’s so wonderful to have a Guardian Angel as great as Lexi. She helps me a lot. Now I’m thinking about last week when it was just me and Daddy -well, and Lucy -at home alone. I saw a little white moth flying over my head, like it was saying “Hello.” I looked up at it and watched it go past, like the schnauzer in the picture on the yard flag Mommy got.

Then the little white moth flew over Lucy to say hello, and Lucy looked up too – and ate it! So far the score is Lucy-2, lizard – 0, moth – 0.

And now I’m thinking about the times lately that Lucy and I have been watching out the window and started howling together. We stop, look at each other to decide whether to continue, and usually let out one more good howl. Daddy might have recorded the last one. I’ll ask him to give it to me to show you soon. So maybe I don’t have to change anything. Maybe new things will just come while other things stay the same, just like my Angel Lexi said. I think I will just relax and go on to Freestyle practice with Mommy.

I am Xena the almost two-year-old Schnauzer Warrior Princess

 

 

Nature Friday in Indiana

 

We are joining Rosy for Nature Friday!

Brownie Bear and the Bully Horn

 

Lucy: My Easter Bully Horn is all chewed up – more like shredded – at the big end. I can’t figure out what happened.
I wonder if my sister did this… I’m going to find out.

Xena, stop right there.
‘Fess up, Xena. Did you shred the end  of my bully horn?

Xena: I didn’t mess up your stupid bully horn. You probably did it yourself. Or it was Brownie Bear. You know he was trying to get it. Yeah, that’s it. You wait here for a minute and I’ll prove to you it was Brownie.

OK, Lucy, come on in. Here’s the proof.

Brownie Bear: *yawn* Where did this come from?

Lucy: Grrr. You chewed up my horn!

Brownie: I need to stay up here with you for a while, Ludwig.

Late that night, in bed…

Mommy, Lucy thought I chewed up her Bully Horn and I didn’t and I didn’t know how to make her believe me so I blamed Brownie Bear ’cause he really might have and then I might have put the horn by him while he was asleep and I was a bad girl for maybe doing that, wasn’t I? And do you believe me that I didn’t chew it up?Mommy: I love you so much, baby girl. Yes, I believe you, and you are still going to have to tell Lucy the truth about Brownie Bear and tell Brownie you’re sorry.

*yawn* I will Mommy, I promise, as soon as I wake up tomorrow.

And no more making up things that gets others in trouble, you hear?

I *yawn* promise I wo…zzzzzzzzzz

Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

 

Nature Friday, Mortie has a Waddle and Other Non-News

Xena: Not too much happening around here. Mommy and Daddy have been super busy doing things NOT with us and it’s been a bit boring.

Lucy: We still get our after-lunch walks every day except on Tuesdays and Thursdays when they are both gone to work so that they can afford to feed us “better than they eat”. That’s what they say. And we still get our after supper walks except for the one day last week that it was so late that the sun was going down. Oh, and the one day last weekend that we ate supper early and then they left. OK, I guess it really has been a boring week or two.

We did find out something interesting, though. Mortie has a waddle, BOL. You can see it in this picture. Aunty Jen told us that this kind of pig is originally from New Zealand where there are lots of poisonous snakes. (Our friends from http://www.jaspersdoggyworld just let us know there are no poisonous – or other -snakes in New Zealand.)The snakes bite the waddle and the poison doesn’t spread.  So now we don’t know where Mortie is from or what the waddle is for!

Xena: It’s been 87 days since I went to Freestyle class. My Big Girl time is finally over and I want to go dancing. Sometimes I sit on Mommy’s lap and watch what the other dogs are doing in their dance routines. If I like it, I try out the moves when we get home. That way, Mommy thinks I’m good at making up new dance steps. She laughs and tells me what a clever girl I am.Our next set of classes begins this weekend, but I. Can’t. Go. My folks are going far, far away to Indiana to celebrate Daddy’s aunt’s 95th birthday and our sitter, Miss Christy, is staying with us. I think she should take me to Freestyle, and I could show her what to do.

We’re joining Rosy and the Gang for Nature Friday.

We got something called a Yard Flag. It looks a lot like me when I was a puppy. It makes Mommy smile every time she sees it.

Lucy: What doesn’t make Mom smile is our not-a-year-old azalea bush. She took a picture of it to the garden center where she got it and asked if it should look like this.

They said that’s what it’s supposed to do, and will bloom again in the summer and in the fall. And they gave her a one-half refund on the “organic” fertilizer she bought in March to use with the fescue grass seed in the dog lot. She found out the tiny little pebbles are made out of people poop. Ewwww! Xena and I ate a little tiny bit of it before we heard, “No!” We both had the squirts and puked on and off for three weeks. We weren’t allowed back out there for 87 days. So she figured half her money back was better than none, since she would have just thrown it away.

Xena: We’ve been watching this grow in front of the house. I heard that a boy named Jack might be coming to visit and we might get a golden egg or even a harp. Mommy wants to know if anyone has a guess what this plant is. I still think it is a magic beanstalk.

Do you remember Mommy’s hostages that she planted after the Hated Bush got gone? This time, it really wasn’t me who chewed something up. Mommy mixed up some essential oils and stuff and sprayed everything. It did seem to kill the tiny red and black bugs crawling all over the giant beanstalk.

That’s all on our news around home. Love and wiggles, Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

 

Mortie’s First Day Home

Lucy: We haven’t met our new cousin yet, but we got lots of pictures and some stories. Aunty Jen got home safely to Nashville after picking up Sir Mortimer aka Mortie from Indiana. Turns out that Mortie is half mini kheune and mini-Juliana. He got to ride in her lap on the way home. This was all new for him, and we kinda understand how scared he must have been, and how being tucked in Aunty’s arm and listening to her heartbeat must have helped.

Once they got home, she had to introduce Mortie to Ella and Achilles, without a clue as to how they would react.

Xena: I mean, they might have been thinking that their Mommy just brought home the bacon, why isn’t she frying it up in a pan, right?

Lucy: Xena!

Xena: *hangs head* Sorry. I know, I know, Cousins don’t eat Cousins. And Siblings don’t eat Siblings.

Lucy: Where was I? Oh yes. So Aunty Jen still has the playpen that Angel Cousin Piper used to sleep in last year. New Cousin Mortie was happy to take a nap in it, all snuggled down in his blankie. Ella quickly showed her maternal instincts.

Xena: I’m telling Ella you said she is matted and stinks, Lucy.

Lucy: I’m ignoring that. So, Ella laid by the pen and growled at Achilles every time he came near. We don’t know if she was protecting him or claiming him. Mom thinks it might have something to do with her remembering Piper in that pen. Ella and Piper were very close and she grieved a lot – along with everyone else – when he left to cross the rainbow bridge. Now she’s got little Mortie to watch over.

Turns out, Achilles loves Mortie, too.They even napped together. 

Xena: We can’t wait to hear more, and especially we can’t wait to meet Cousin Mortie. 

Lucy: We’ll be back soon with more stories.

Love and wags, Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

 

 

Upside Down World

Hi friends, this is Lucy and Xena, and boy have we got news for you!Lucy: You remember our Aunty Jen, right? Here’s a picture of her with Achilles from this spring.

This has nothing to do with Achilles. At least not yet. And we hope not later, either. This has to do with one of our Aunty Jen’s dreams for the last five years. That’s longer than either of us has been alive! She’s been following a particular breeder up in Indiana.

Xena: For a schnauzer, right?

Lucy: No! For a …Pig!

Can you believe it? We are going to have a cousin who is a six-week-old Mini Juliana piglet. His name is (probably) going to be Sir Mortimer Hamington. We’re all going to call him Mortie.

Xena: I might call him Hammie, he, he.

Lucy: Aunty Jen and Uncle Bill are driving north this week to adopt him. Mom and Aunty Jen agreed that we have to get together every other weekend so that we can all get used to each other. 

Xena: Is he good to eat?

Lucy: NO!!! He’s going to be our COUSIN! NOT our SUPPER! And I may have to pig sit sometime! My world is turning upside down!

Xena: A pig, and no bacon or pork chops. I think my world is turning upside down, too!

Xena: Uh, what do pigs eat….

This is Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess, waiting to meet our new cousin Mortie (or Hammie)

Almost Wordless Wednesday

We have no idea why Mom keeps changing the sheets.

We are joining Comedy Plus for Wordless Wednesday.

Lucy and Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Hostages and Peeing Eels

Xena: After the Demise of the Hated Bush as well as the removal of all the other bushes by our brother Andrew, the front of the house looked bare. Mommy had decided on some plants called hostages because they are peeing eels and she doesn’t have to keep planting them every year. I promised to help pee on them, but Mommy assured me the plants would be better off without my help.

Lucy: Uh, Xena, they aren’t hostages. They are hostas. And I don’t think eels pee on them. The word is something else.

Xena: I know Mommy didn’t call them Something Else! 

Lucy: No, no, I meant…oh never mind.

Xena: Yesterday we drove almost an hour to pick up my older brother Adam, and then drove almost another hour back to our Freestyle dance class (Adam came with us). The little farmer’s market that is in that area was open, and we got some hostages.

Brother Adam helped carry the heavy stuff and dig and plant.

First they raked all the old stuff off to the side. Then they found bare spots and put down new landscape cloth. Isn’t that cool? It’s like they wanted to dress the ground! Then they cut holes in the cloth and planted the hostages. Next they raked the old stuff back over it. Brother Adam carried a bunch of bags of black mulch from where Daddy had unloaded them out back. Adam and Mommy, they cut the bags open and covered everything but the new hostages and the few bushes that were left – and, of course, us. I know all this because me and Lucy, we snoopervised. Where are you going, Lucy? Lucy: The work is done, nothing more to do here. Let’s skeedadle before Mom catches us for a free photo shoot. Besides, the sun is in my eyes.Lucy: I told you to run, Xena.  Xena: Where’s the cookies? Lucy: We’re working for free, just like brother Adam.  Xena: Where’s brother Adam? Lucy: Mom sent him to mow the grass.

Love, and Happy Easter and Happy Passover from Lucy and Xena and the Mom, and the Hostages with Peeing Eels

Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Nature Friday with Competing Sisters

It’s Nature Friday over at my friend Rosy’s place. (Click here to join the hop.)

We got our first bloom of the season. It is a tall purple iris. When Mommy was growing up, her folks also called it a flag. It looked pretty lonely so Lucy and me, we decided to involve it in a contest with us.

So here is how it works. We both posed in front of Miss Iris and want all of you to vote on who did best. The only problem is that it was kinda hot out and we went for a walk first. Even so, I’m pretty sure I will win. I’m even going to let Lucy go first. Lucy said she is featuring three quarter and side poses, in a thoughtful mode. She picked a purple border to match the flower.

Now it’s my turn. Hmm, I guess I needed my beard washed after supper.I decided to do a side pose of just my face and a two thirds pose. I chose a pretty pink border to match my collar. I mean, who wants to look at some stupid flower, anyhow, right?

OK, so now it’s your turn to vote (for me).

Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess in a pretty pink border

My Stuffie Friends Left

No sooner did my Clan Bears return than Rudy and Winter Bear said they needed to go to “The Great North” for the summer. They said there are places where it snows all year and the temperature barely gets above freezing. At first I thought they were going to Finland to visit Kosmo the cat. Then I learned that the snow is mostly gone in that part of the world and it is warming up. Then I thought about The Canadian Cats, but it’s the same story there.  Without involving me, they had been planning what they wanted to do over the summer until it got cold here – well, as cold as it ever gets. Neither one has a port to pass, or could pass the port, or something like that, so they had to stay in the United States. I wanted to help, so I offered Rudy my special blankie to keep warm on his travels.He tried it out and got so comfy he fell asleep for the rest of the day. The next day I offered Rudy my special Blue Bone. I thought he could chew on it if he got hungry, or use it as a pillow. When I took Rudy over to it, he licked it for a while, then laid his head down  and fell asleep again.

When that silly reindeer finally woke up, he said he was always sleepy cause it’s already too hot here. Meanwhile, Winter Bear was snoozing in the toy basket. I guess it is too warm here for him, too. 

I got them both awake long enough to pack up some supplies and head out the door. That was a few days ago. Once in a while I get word from someone that they gave the two travelers a ride or fed them or just spotted them in the woods to the side of the highway. The last report was of them resting near McKinley Mountain in Alaska.

Hey, I should have sent a list with them to give to Santa! I sure am going to miss those two rascals, especially Rudy. His red nose is hard, and Mommy could always hear me dragging him all over the house. I didn’t want  him to miss anything that was happening. I sure hope they can find their way back home before Christmas and bring me some pressies from Santa.

*yawn* I think it’s time for a nap. Maybe it’s too warm in here…

Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Return of the Clan Bears

I heard some rustling near the closet cave and sure enough, my bears were done with their winter hibernation.

Brownie Bear was carrying the poor crippled bear who has two useless legs, only one arm, and no ears. I think he used to be Riley’s, who cruelly used and discarded him.  I never thought he’d make it through the winter, but he sure is tough. My friends didn’t seem to even notice me standing there wagging my tail.

I was so happy to see them, but they plodded right by me on their way to the kitchen. I guess if I went all winter without eating -except for the occasional midnight raid on the fridge – I would be like a brain-eating zombie, too.

I waited until they cleaned out the fridge and transformed back into my bear friends again. Then Rainbow and Sweetheart Bears came into my kennel to visit with me while Brownie and the little purple bear (whose name I don’t know) finished licking out the fridge (boys!).

Pretty soon everyone was together, just like old times. I told them about everything that happened while they slept all winter. They were happy I got help for my allergies, and that I passed two agility classes, and that I love dancing Freestyle with Mommy. I introduced them to Jen-Jen Bear, who immediately became a part of their clan. I think she and Sweetheart are going to be BFF’s.

It was what is called an “emotionally exhausting day.” Without meaning to, we all settled into a puppy/bear pile for a happy nap.

Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess