Riley’s 14th Birthday

Thanks to  Comedy Plus for hosting Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop!

Popeyes Chicken Breast

Riley on Thankful Poetic Thursday

I’m on a streak here for the poetry Thursday. Chia’s complaining, but she is alway complaining about something, so all I can say is “deal with it.” I might, and I mean might let her do the poem next week. We’ll see.

Here’s the picture Angel Sammy gave us to work with. Of course, it has had a small alteration.

The Travel Guide by Riley

Hello Monsieur Bear.
It’s nice to have you here.
I hope your trip was good
And you got some fishy food.

I’m your travel guide;
I’ll take you far and wide.
Where’er you want to go
Moving fast or moving slow.

To the spots the tourists go,
Moving fast or taking it slow.
Or to spots much more remote,
Touring farms with cows and goats.

You can’t eat them when you’re there
But I’ll get you some sans hair.
We’ll go to a movie show
Or to a club b’low.

Watch that bus! It’s coming fast!
Oh crap! He shouldn’t of smoked that grass.
If that bus had only braked!
But what a pretty rug he’ll make.

A bear rug, BOL! I bet that would be super soft to lay on. Now for my thankful. My Person Andrew has been here with me all last week and all this week. That makes my heart happy.
Hey, anyone else got a thankful today?

Chia: I’m thankful that Mom and Dad’ve been taking me and my sisters on a lot more walks. I pull so hard on the leash that my nails scrape on the road and I don’t have to get them cut. I’m really thankful for that too!

Riley: Chia, you’re weird.

Chia: Grrrrrrr *runs away*

We give many thanks to Angel Sammy for the fun picture this week and to Angel Brian for hosting Thankful Thursday!

Your friends, Riley and Chia

Thankful Poetry Thursday with Riley

I get to write another poem today, and I’m going to try really hard to be great at it.

I’m the Kid by Riley

I know this swing is just for kids
And the rules us pups forbid,
But I’m the kid in my family
Just with a different anatomy.

I steal the food and run through the house,
Slipping away quiet as a mouse.
When Mom’s on the phone I bark loud.
Of my high howl I’m very proud.

I’ve toys that fill the living room
Plus my own bed, my own costume.
Yet in bed with my folks I creep,
Praying, “Now I lay me down to sleep.”

Amen
Now here’s some thankfuls from my two little sisters.

Chia: Well, I have, besides the GPS tracker I already wear on my collar, yet another little tag to trace my every move. I couldn’t be happier – NOT! Why do these people think they have to know everywhere I go? And now I jingle louder as I run through the house, so they even know where I am when I’m at home. It must be an obsession. Here’s the stupid thing that’s now hanging on me. I’ll be happy when it falls off and gets lost.

Xena: My collar name tag broke, so Mommy ordered me a MYLUCKYTAG QR Code Pet ID Tag from the amazing Amazon. It looks like this. Now if I somehow get lost, my Mommy will be able to find me through something called a Gee Pee Ess, and find me even better if a nice person scans that square thing on the back and contacts her. They’ll know I’m lost cause the tag says so. She also got me one that slides on my collar that has my name and Mommy and Daddy’s phone numbers on it. I’m so thankful they love me and want me to be with them. That makes me happy.

The Mom: I’m so very thankful that such great technology exists to help get our beloved cats and dogs back to us if they should get lost. I’m also thankful that it has a free subscription so that I can see where in the world they are and so that anyone who finds them can contact me. Go technology! Here’s a link if you want to check them out. (Nope, not getting anything for this other than the satisfaction of knowing it could be of use to someone.)

And here’s many thanks to Angel Sammy for the fun picture this week and to Angel Brian for hosting Thankful Thursday!

Run Away! by Riley

Many thanks to Angel Sammy for the fun picture this week and to Angel Brian for hosting Thankful Thursday!

Here’s Angel Sammy’s fun picture and my poem for it.

Run away! Run away! by Riley

Run away kids, run as fast as you can.
No, your parents aren’t blind, they just don’t understand
They think it’s just soil from the water’s bottom,
But it’s really a monster, too late when you spot ‘im.
Run!

Well, at least I got one little kid moving! I’m thankful that I can still move around, too. I’m coughing more, but I’ve learned to lift my head up or lay it on a pillow and that helps. My Person Andrew’s been with me all week, but he’s leaving to stay with Jentry tomorrow cause it’s some big anniversary for them. I’m sure he’ll be back on Sunday, but I’ll miss him. *cough, gag, cough*

Your buddy, Riley

A Late Poetry and Thankful Thursday

Thanks to Angel Sammy for the picture this week and for Angel Brian’s Home Blog for Thankful Thursday.

Riley here. I get to do the poem for this week, using this picture that Angel Sammy found for us. Here we go!

It’s New Year’s Eve     by Riley

It’s New Year’s Eve in the Old Folks Home.
No one’s dancing or playing with phones.
Blowing on toys is fun for the boys;
The girls laugh and say my ears hurt, Oy!

We know there’s no promise of one more year.
(Oh, what’s the difference if I’m deaf in one ear!)
We’ll live happily in a life full of love
‘Til we fly away to our new home above.

Speaking of ears, I think I must be going deaf in at least one ear, too. I thought I heard Mom Amy say, “Good girl, Chia!”

I went back to my favorite vet place a couple of weeks ago. First I had to go to work with Mom Amy and spend the day there.

It wasn’t bad at all. The Al-Anon group came in at noon and L.O.V.E.D. me! I stayed for part of their meeting, then they let me back out to the office when I asked. I went on to the vet’s because I had been coughing and hacking a lot more and Mom Amy worried I might have caught a doggie cold or something. They took another x-ray of my chest. If you want to read about the first x-ray, click here. In short, that first x-ray showed my heart was a bit enlarged, and my heart murmur had gotten worse. This time, Mrs. Dr. Vet hung the old x-ray from March and the new one she just took up side-by-side and Mom Amy could see that my heart had gotten bigger. The Vet said that it was pressing up against something called an esophagus (Mom Amy spelled that for me) and that was making me cough. Kinda like if you press on your throat and it makes you cough. I got some pills that will help slow down how fast my heart is growing. I guess maybe that was on my mind and that’s why I wrote the poem the way I did. Hey, love y’all! *wags* Riley

From Mom Amy: There’s nothing that will cure what is happening, only slow it down some. As it is, we are thankful for every day we have with our Big Guy Riley.

Christmas Waiting and Treat Puzzles

Merry Christmas to all our friends! We are still waiting for brother Andrew and Jentry so we can get our pressies. In the meantime, Mommy gave us treat puzzles to work on. Here’s a short video of us all hard at work getting the treats out of the puzzles. You’ll see Riley in the background.

After we all decided there was no more treat goodness left in any of the puzzles, Chia started disassembling one of the bigger puzzles and taking the pieces into my our kennel to chew up. Seeing how it’s Christmas, Mommy only laughed at her and put what was left of the pieces back into the puzzle as best she could. You should have seen Chia’s surprise when she didn’t get scolded! May the spirit of Christmas last the whole year through!

Love and Happiness from Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Riley’s Thankful Thursday

Thanks to Angel Brian’s Home Blog for hosting Thankful Thursday.

Hi there friends. I went to work with Mom yesterday. This is the bed Lucy and Xena lay in when they’re here. It’s a bit small, but I made it work.

I had a very enjoyable day with a lot of people fussing over me and petting me and saying really nice things to and about me. I greeted everyone with wags and didn’t show them my teeth like Lucy does. I know it’s supposed to be a smile, but come on! She’s got fangs!

The Al Anon Group came today and most of them pet me and said what a good boy I am and how handsome I am. Some of them even told Mom Amy stories about their own dogs. I stayed in the meeting for a while, going around the table and helping everyone feel comfortable and able to tell their own stories about why they were there.

A little later I got to meet the mailman and he gave me a big treat just like he does Lucy. I followed him back to the truck cause the treat was good and I wanted more… and it worked!

One lady came in with presents for under the Giving Tree and a container of cookies to take downstairs for something going on last night. I could smell the cookies. Mmmmmm. I followed her the whole way down the long hallway hoping to score, but no luck. Mom Amy came after me and gave me a consolation treat.

Well, I shoulda know something was up. The only other time Mom Amy took me to work was when I had to go to the vet. Sure enough, that’s where we went as soon as she got done working. I didn’t really mind. Everyone there is so nice to me. They even laid me on a big table and took lots of pictures of my insides. Is that cool or what!? Mom Amy looked at the pictures of my heart. It’s gotten bigger since they took my picture in the spring this year. But then you probably know I’m a big-hearted boy, right? I really like people and just love, love, love the little folks. But because my heart has gotten bigger, it is pressing a bit on my windpipe. That’s the reason I cough so much. I know My Person Andrew is really worried about me, and cries for me. I don’t want him to be sad. I think I’ll make sure he knows I got some medicine to take to help slow my heart from getting even bigger. Maybe he’ll feel hopeful so he ‘ll forget feeling sad and just have fun with me when we’re together. That’s really all I want for Christmas…and maybe some more mailman treats….and cookies.

Anyhow, I wanted to say that I’m thankful to have such a great day, and for MPAndrew. And for mailman treats…and cookies.

Your friend, Riley

Thanksgiving Thankfuls and Poetry Thursday

Chia: I made my poem short and to the point so everyone could get back to eating turkey.

There’s an Outhouse by Chia the Thanksgiving Injun

There’s an old outhouse
So we don’t pee inhouse

And we’re all thankful to Angel Sammy for the picture this week and for Brian’s Home Blog for Thankful Thursday.

Speaking of Thankful Thursday…

Riley: Chia! Why are you dressed like an Indian? Mom Amy said we should dress like pilgrims for our Thanksgiving picture. We even had a meeting and I decided we’d all just wear pilgrim hats. What’s wrong with you, long dog?

Chia: I’m a rebel. And I can run faster than you.
Lucy: Everyone please just stand still and look at the camera. The sooner we get this over with the better.
Chia: Xena, where you goin’?
Xena: I think I see a critter…

Riley’s Sleepy Sunday Selfie

Thanks to The Cat on My Head, for hosting Sunday Selfies!
Jentry and My Person Andrew just left. That’s why I’m late posting this. They come almost every Sunday for a family dinner and visiting. I’m happy Dad Jeff came up with that idea. He must have known what I wanted.

Mom Amy moved my bed and pillow to the guest room. It’s so much quieter and out of the way of traffic. I get really good snoozes here. Happy Sunday, my friends. *wags* Riley

Thankful Poetry Thursday

Well, since I’m the male of our 4-legged pack, I said I would investigate the house in this picture and write the poem. If you look closely, you’ll see that’s not a tree behind the house, it’s a monster. When I realized this, I high-tailed it out of there as fast as my legs could carry me! But I’ve still got a poem for you.

The Scary Goon Behind the Castle by Riley

Wednesday, are you going home to your scary castle?
Morticia’s there with Dad Gomez and Lurch, your trusted vassal.
But who’s that goon in your backyard, with him I wouldn’t wrassle!
I’m outa here, I’m headin’ home, to my less scary passel.

That experience has made me thankful there’s nothing scarier than the vacula in our house. And lately I’ve been taking it on when Mom Amy starts pushing it around the floor. Oh yeah, I’ve attacked it once or twice. Mom Amy just laughs and tells me to go somewhere it isn’t.

Mom Amy: I’m thankful our Riley, at the ripe old age of 13, is still with us, going on walks, attacking the vacuum, and even occasionally playing with Chia. I’m also thankful the insurance company is paying for the new roof we got this week. It seems every time the wind blew another piece of our old roof flew off onto the ground.

And we’re all thankful to Angel Sammy for the picture this week and for Brian’s Home Blog for Thankful Thursday.

Awww Monday Trio

Lucy: Is it raining out there, Riley?
Riley: No, I just got a bath. Uh, what’s Chia doing to you?
Lucy: Not sure, but I think she’s trying to pick me up by the nape of my neck.

Thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Awww Monday!

Thankful Thursday Poem

First, we want to thank Brian for hosting Brian’s Thankful Thursday! And thanks to to  Angel Sammy for the fun picture this week, too. 

Xena: Babies, nope, you can have this one Chia.
Chia: Why do you think I want to write poems about babies. *shudder* They all look like the same stupid kid to me. Hey, let’s give it to Riley. Riley loves babies!

Thankful for Babies by Riley

A litter of babies (they all look alike);
Oh, what I would give for a dear little tyke!
Climb me or pound me or pull on my ear,
Do what you want, you would still be my dear.

I’d watch you and keep you safe from all harm,
If I couldn’t stop you I’d bark an alarm.
Stick your hands in my mouth or pull on my tail,
No matter, I’d still love you without fail.

Can I keep one, Mom Amy, I only want one?
I’ll feed him and walk him though I’m no longer young.
He’ll be my baby and I’ll be his dog
Until the Lord calls me; then I’ll be with God.

by Riley (who really wants a baby or young child)

Riley’s Selfie Sunday

Furst, thanks so much to The Cat on My Head, for hosting Sunday Selfies!

Hi Friends. Guess what tomorrow is…..it’s my birthday. And not just any birthday. I’ll be lucky number 13! Today I thought I’d celebrate by drinking some of Chia’s vodka. Oh yeh, she’ll tell you more about that on Tuesday.

I look kinda wet here cause I am. I just got a bath and a blow dry. But the blow dry wasn’t long enough to get me all dry. I got a nail trim, too. No nails were hurt in the dremelling process.

Anyhoo, Mom Amy promised to post 13 pictures of me tomorrow, on my birthday, so be sure and stop by and say hey! Now, to chew the top off this soft bottle…

*wags and little hops* Riley aka Ri Boy

Health Updates on Thankful Thursday

First, a big thanks to Brian for hosting Thankful Thursday!

Hey friends, this is Riley. My first thankful today is that I get to do a post a lot more since Xena took over the blog. Angel Lexi was very selfish with her blog, and only grudgingly let anyone else (me) post anything. So thanks, little sis.

My second thankful is even better. It has two parts.
Part one: My Person Andrew came with me and Mom Amy to the vet for me to get my diagnostic X-rays and an ultrasound on my tummy and chest. It was to see if I had a heart murmur or what was going on. Even though I was really high on some good sh*t Mom Amy gave me, I still knew he was there with me and it made me feel even more good than the drugs.

Part two: The tests showed no fluid in my abdomen or in my chest. It did show my heart is slightly enlarged, but all y’all already know I have a big heart, right? *grin* No heart drugs or anything else is needed. I’m feeling good and am eating all I can get ahold of and playing with Chia a little bit and also my stuffies. Hey, I’m gonna be 13 in just under a month, woohoo! Hope I get something good for my birthday!!

Xena: Thanks Riley. I’m glad you understand this is still my blog that I inherited from Angel Lexi. And you can use it anytime you want, since you inherited the position of alpha dog from her.

I’m gonna be real thankful when my right ear is back to normal. The culture the vet place did showed it’s full of yeast, but no bacteria. the new med that Mommy has to put in my ear every day hasn’t helped at all. So now — because we’re at the “end of our rope” — I have to take a half a pill called prednisone. I sure hope that works. I hear everyone gets extra hungry when they take that pill, but I’m a schnauzer, meaning I’m always extra hungry!

Those are our Thankfuls, so next up is our picture poem! Oh, and thanks to Angel Sammy for another great picture.

Angel Lexi the Schnauzer by Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

An empty slate, like an empty plate,
Always leaves you wanting more.
It’s so unfulfilling and makes you unwilling
To turn around and walk out the door.

Our Angel Lexi took steps whence she
Could fill the void on the wall
Our hearts still miss her, our wonderful sister,
But she still has the power to enthrall.

Thanks to  Angel Sammy for giving us a blank slate to work with today!

Riley’s Selfie and No Exploding Heart

Riley: Xena what’s called in legaleze “the first right of refusal” for today’s selfie. She was sleepy after quickly devouring her breakfast, or brekkies, as she calls it, and refused on the basis of not wanting to go through getting “prettied up” to be presentable.

I, myself had just settled in for a long last-day-of-winter nap when asked if I wanted to do the Sunday Selfie. Since all I had to do was look at the camera, I said sure, why not? So here goes…

Besides I have news from going to the vet — my favorite vet place where I love going — on Friday. My belly has been really big, and I’ve been chewing on one side of it. Plus I’ve been hacking up clear, foamy liquid a couple of times a day. This all brought a big uh, oh from Mrs. Dr. Vet. Listening to my heart, she said my murmur had gotten decidedly worse, too. So I get to go back to visit with them again in two weeks for x-rays and stuff. And I get to take drugs before I go, but shhh, don’t tell anyone. Mom asked if Mrs. Dr. Vet couldn’t just put me on the heart medication she had talked about, and the answer was a bit scary. Something about if it was the other thing, like a growth or tumor or something like that, on or around my heart, the medicine for a heart murmur could make it – and my heart – explode! Eeeyikes! So Mom Amy and Dad Jeff decided to spend the money on diagnosis. Whew. I’ll let you know what happens. But at least I won’t be having an exploding heart…I think that would hurt a lot. Your buddy, Riley

Oh, and thanks so much to The Cat on My Head, for hosting Sunday Selfies!

Riley’s Topsy Turvy World

Angel Teddy of Two Spoiled Cats gave us a great picture to write a poem about. And boy, am I ever gonna do it!

I thought and I thought and I thought. Mom Amy went to work and came home and fed me and ate and went to a church meeting and came home and I said, “Mom Amy, I know it’s late, but I’m ready. “

She said, “OK, let’s do it, then.” So here goes.

Topsy Turvy World by Riley

Everything seems upside down
In this world and in this town.

Right is wrong and wrong is right.
Why do some folks always fight?

Hot in winter, cold right now;
Hey, does anyone have a plow?

Dogs who get the very best;
Kids who’re hungry, cold, and stressed.

So topsy turvy cars are weird?
To some the difference is revered.

The problem with this picture now:
The dog should drive, the man should meow!

This is Riley, saying thanks, Angel Teddy!

A Peaceful Wordless Wednesday

It’s rare that Chia has nothing to say. We’re going to celebrate her quietness today on Wordless Wednesday, with a big thanks to  Comedy Plus for hosting Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop!

Sunday Selfie by Riley

Riley: Hi folks, and Happy New Year from us all. We had a good Christmas with lots of treats for gifts and no clothes. Yep, that’s a good Christmas. My Dad Andrew has been here with us too, and that makes me tail-wagging happy!

It’s my turn to do a Sunday Selfie, so first, a big thanks to The Cat on My Head, for hosting Sunday Selfies! Today I want to show off my new Benebone I got for Christmas. We all got one, and at first Chia was going around grabbing everyone’s and hiding them. Since she stopped that nonsense, we’ve all been going around picking up whichever one we come to, so I don’t think this is the one I chose, but hey, it’s still good!

Hope you’re still enjoying lots of treats and time with your folks. Love y’all! *wags* Riley

Saturday Potpourri

Xena: We’ve got a bunch of odds ‘n ends to show you today. I’ll start off, cause I’ve been bored, bored, bored.

Mommy’s been working almost full-time at a church, Daddy’s been sick in bed (but he seems better now), and Mommy’s also been working from home for the place where Daddy works. Then, after supper, when everyone settles into the living room before going to bed, I have to run into my kennel to protect it from Chia taking it over. That doesn’t leave any time for cuddling or petting or playing. But I hear we’re going to In Dee Anna, so maybe things will liven up soon.

Lucy: First, in case you were worried about me, I haven’t had to wear pj’s lately, but I see them being packed for our trip to the cold, white north in a couple of days. I also saw my new sweater from last Christmas being packed.

Mom had 2 grooms yesterday and 5 today, and she had to carry them down the hallway into the downstairs kitchen to wash them in that sink. Her hose watchamacallit for her grooming sink fell apart.

She tried a coupla places around town, but no one had the parts. Lowe’s didn’t even have that type of sink hose, and the other place told her how to take hers apart and fix it. Nope. So she’s waiting on Amazon to send the two she ordered – in hopes that at least one will fit and work – but they won’t be here until next Wednesday when we’re all gone to In Dee Anna, er Indiana.

This here’s Shaggy. She belongs to one of Mom and Dad’s friends from church, and he’s also our handyman.

Shaggy’s letting Mom know what she thinks of being here and being groomed!

Riley: I can hardly wait until everyone leaves for a few days. My heart person, Andrew, will be here with me and just me!

He’ll bring in any packages and maybe he’ll even fix the sink for Mom Amy. And I’ll get tons of petting and sleep in the bed with him. I hear Andrew’s coming Sunday night. I hope that’s really soon!

Chia: Hi, it’s me, Chia! I was supposed to be the one who told you my Dad’s been sick all week, but of course Xena had to do it first. Grrrrr.

I cuddled up with him to keep him warm and help him feel better. Uh, try not to look at my hair all over the sheet, OK? Anyhoo, it worked! He was up all day yesterday and even asked Mom to play one of their word dice games last night. Today he left to go play in his big band. You’d think that as good as I was to him, he’d of at least taken me with him, right?

Oh, and since Lucy showed you a picture of her in her new sweater from last Christmas, I’m gonna show you mine!

It’s getting packed, too! Well, gotta go now and make sure Mom packs all my stuff.

Love, Xena, Riley, Lucy and Chia

Clothes! Oh No! by Riley and Lucy

Thanks (we think) to The Cat on My Head, for hosting Sunday Selfies.

Hi friends, it’s me, Riley with what should have been a better picture for Sunday selfie. I like to wear this sweater that my pal Lucy gave me for Christmas last year. But it has a tendency to slide down my back.

I really think Mom Amy should have taken better care to help me wear it properly before she took this picture. Oh well, sometimes you get what you get, right?

Uh, hi, this is Lucy. Y’all may know I don’t like to get my picture taken, not even under the best of circumstances. What if things went wrong and I ended up inside that phone thing? What if bad people who I used to live with recognized me and I had to go back there? (Although both Mom and Dad have assured me that as long as I want to live here in my furever home, they will never let anyone take me from them. But still…) Anyhoo here’s my unwilling picture for Selfie Sunday. Oh, and it was me who messed up the couch cover in hopes it would take the attention away from me.

I guess cause I gave my sweater to Riley, my folks thought that I needed something else to keep me warm. I am so humiliated. But Mom says my name is next to the word compliant in the dictionary, so I do what I’m asked. (Please don’t share.)

We love you, Mom, and don’t really blame you. We really hope Santa Paws still comes (and that he forgets to bring us clothes).

XOX Riley and Lucy