Vacation for ME!!!!!

Well, I guess Mom finally decided to ditch Toto and take ME, the PERFECT TRAVELER, on her vacation with Julie and Barney instead of him! I really hate to sound smug, but I knew it would be me all along. No way is HUGE Toto gonna be lugged around by Mom on vacation. It's vacation, get it? Vacation is where you relax and don't do ANY work. Lugging Toto is WORK!
We are trying to all be nice to Toto so he won't feel sad. In fact, Mom says that maybe Julia's Mom will let him go to her house and stay with her while we are gone. He LOVES Julia, and, if he's at her house the girls working here won't have to deal with his obnoxious behavior in the kennel, BOL!
Well, I gotta go now cuz I need to try on all my vacation clothes and see which ones the other dogs think I should pack for MY trip. And, I need to make sure my collars and leashes are all clean and ready, too. Catch ya later!

Howlaween photos....

This weekend Mom and Julia decided it was a good time to take some NEW Howlaween photos. Julia wanted them ALL alike, as in all of us smiling at the silly black cat sitting beside the pumpkin and the spider. Well, I am here to tell you, I do not like look alike photos!!!!
Soo, between the sun shining in my eyes causing me to close them, Mom's dunked camera being stubborn, and the wind blowing over the silly cat, and me generally just being uncooperative, I managed to end up with a different photo this year!!!
Mom bought that tie last year AFTER Howlaween at a junk store for one dollar. I laughed at her when she bought it, but she said it was for Barney cuz he LOVES to wear ties. Well, Julia ended up putting the tie on ME after Mom insisted (Julia HATES that tie, BOL!) and I thought it was rather cute so I sat nicely for this one.
Good thing, cuz with all the photos they took, and even MORE after when we all got to play after the costumes, this is the ONLY one Mom kept of me, so you better enjoy it!!!
Otherwise, it was a pretty nice weekend. I was hoping for another kayak ride or maybe a canoe trip but apparently Julia has a bad cold so she and Mom (and TOTO!!!) went off shopping for the day. I got to stay home and watch the house.
It was okay cuz it is chilly and Mom got out some of the new dog beds she has been collecting all Summer long. I tried them all out and some of these beds are REALLY comfy!!!!

Kayaking with the kids...

Today Mom and Julia decided to take the babies kayaking. Since they are so young, Mom let me go along to teach them the ways! I got to go with Gemma and Mom cuz Julia insisted on taking Quincy. It seems that he is MUCH calmer than Gemma, at least now he is.
Once I told Gemma the rules she was pretty good. It was hard paddling out to the island for lunch cuz there was a stiff wind blowing. Mom said that was good cuz that meant we wouldn't have to paddle BACK to the landing...the wind would blow us back! Of course, when we headed back the wind changed directions, BOL!
Anyway, except for Mom capsizing the kayak and drowning the cameras, we had a very good time. The babies were very well behaved and they didn't get sea sick. Come to think of it, they didn't get carsick either! They were a bit much while Mom and Julia were eating lunch, but tying up their leashes to a nearby bush solved that problem!
After kayaking, we went for a hike over to the end of the pond. It was a beautiful day and we all had a great time! I was so happy that I am small AND a good teacher so I could go instead of Toto. He had to stay home, hehehe!!!
As for the vacation trip... we still do not know whether it will be ME or Toto accompanying Mom and Julie. Today Mom had to order some new pee belts so I listened very carefully. First, she ordered 4 small ones, I was sooo excited cuz I KNEW they would be for me and I was going!!!! Then, she ordered 4 medium ones, Toto's size. Darn it all, we STILL don't know!!!

Our new brother...

Well, Quincy has arrived!!! I was the first one to get to visit with him. It was okay, he bounced over to me and was going to give me a BIG labrador kiss and I quickly nipped that in the bud, literally!!!
Fortunately, he seems to be fairly smart and once was enough. I did enjoy my Sunday afternoon visit down to the big yard with him and his sister Gemma, especially when I discovered Smokey Cat down there! He and I had a nice run around the lawn. Quincy could only watch since his pudgy body and baby legs couldn't even begin to keep up with me and Smokey!
I was also invited to lunch with Mom and Julia and Auntie Jeanne...we had PIZZA, my favorite! After lunch, sadly, I was replaced by Toto. Oh well, I was the first!!!!
It appears that Toto is no longer having a peeing problem. In fact, he hasn't peed in the bedroom since his fourth day of antibiotics. I seriously tried to hide them so he would begin peeing again, but Mom reminded me that the vet clinic was just next door and she would get him some more!
Drats, that vacation trip was MINE, all MINE!!! Now it's back up in the air again. On the one hand Mom says I am smaller and easier to travel with. On the other hand, she says Toto hasn't been on vacation for a long time and it is really his turn.
I say he's a dog and won't even realize we are gone, Mother! Besides, remember those places said pets were welcome IF they were carried or in a stroller. There is quite a big difference between my svelte 7 lbs and his massive 18 lbs. He weighs almost THREE TIMES as much as I weigh. Remember your sore shoulder and how tiny our stroller is???
Besides, you will also be carrying your camera(S), your purse, and all that other stuff. I am only looking out for your own good, Momsie dearest!!!

Sorry, Toto.

Mom said I have to apologize to Toto for being so not nice to him. She said he went to the vets and he is really sick and can't help it that he is peeing in MY bedroom.
Well, that may be, but I can still hope that he doesn't get better until after MY vacation!!! Besides, I am experienced at vacationing and will be no problem at all and will NEVER mess on anything. Well, unless Julie gives me her left over chicken livers again, BOL! That mess really wasn't my fault, it was hers! Fortunately, Mom had that cleaning stuff in the car with us!
This weekend our friend Lola is coming back for a short visit. Seems she is going to have a "meeting" with Darrell. She is actually pretty fun so I hope Mom lets ME play with her, even if she is in heat. I certainly can't breed her, BOL!
Hey, I discovered that chippie that is stealing the cracked corn out of the chickie pen! He is pretty exciting and I would LOVE to chase him. Mom was bragging that none of us bark at stuff like that when I suddenly couldn't contain myself and had to announce to everyone, (including the neighbors, hehehe) that he was stealing the chickie food!!! Come on Mom, you said I was supposed to alert you to the thunder storms, how about to the imposters as well???

Hey, Diary pick for me!!!!!!

I was pleased to notice that I was picked as a Diary pick today. I want to thank everyone for their visits and nice gifts!!! I LOVE gifts!
Speaking of, remember how I always say stuff changes around here??? Well, it turns out that Toto has apparently LOST his vacation privileges and I am first in line as his replacement, hehehe!!!
It seems he has started peeing in the bedroom EVERY NIGHT! And, since Mom won't take him if he's peeing, he has lost his chance! (Guess that diuretic I gave him really does work, BOL!)
Mom did crate him for two nights and he was perfectly dry both nights so she was pretty sure he doesn't have a UTI. Besides, he had a negative sterile urine check just two weeks ago. Soo, she got up in the middle of the night and let him out and even that didn't work, he STILL peed all over the floor! She tried the pee belt but he pees soooo much that it leaks and gets on the bed so that is definitely OUT!!
I am sorry that Toto will miss out on the great trip. He won't get to go on the train ride, or sleep in the motel, or go shopping, or picnicking in the mountains, or.....

I Won!!!

I won Honorable Mention in the Adoption 2012 contest!!! I want to thank all the judges, those who donated such wonderful prizes and especially those others who won as well. There were many, many super entries and I suggest if you haven't you all read them. Have a box of tissues handy!!!
BUT...the way I see it, WE ALL WON, cuz we all have wonderful new homes in spite of our sad beginnings!! Well, maybe not Toto cuz he wasn't adopted, he just wrote about him "helping" Mom with her rescues. Not the same, Toto, but we will let it pass just this once!
On another subject, my toe is still hurt, but it is getting better slowly. Mom is sure my nail broke off under the skin and that is why it is sooo sore. She did put some antibiotic ointment on it and wrapped it up in a bandage so it wouldn't get dirty and I think that helped a bit. Hopefully, it will be ALL better by this weekend!!!
Instead of working in the garden Mom and I worked in the chickie house on Sunday. I got to help cuz I don't chase chickies!!! We made a nice pen inside the house for the babies, then we cut a hole in the wall and made them a nice outside pen as well.
Since they are only just over three weeks today we can't put them outside yet but maybe next week if it stays warm. They are getting HUGE, and have lots of feathers, too.
Oh yeah, I gotta finish the Guinea story for Toto. This morning the vet arrived to pick them up and he had his sons with him. Mom had them in two cages but one cage was kind of wimpy. Well, that is the cage that one of his sons dropped and the THREE Guineas in that cage escaped out into the front yard.
The boys were sure they could catch them. Mom smiled, handed them a net and told them to go for it! A while later they came back and Mom told them she would get them again tonight and they could pick them up tomorrow. They were pretty relieved to not have to chase them anymore!!! Mom says they would have better luck catching a shooting star, BOL!
Later Mom went out and herded them back into the lab pen and then let the chickies down with them. Now we have TWO more Guinea eggs for our dinner!!!
Pretty soon it will be dark enough and Mom will go catch them and put them in a SAFE cage, BOL!!!

Better this morning?????

Well, it was a long night and every single time I jumped off the bed I landed on my very, very sore toe!! But, Mom says it is better and not as swollen this morning. What does she know, it isn't HER toe!!!
She thinks I must have bruised or cracked my toenail. I dunno, but I can say, it feels like it is totally BROKEN!
But, I remembered, I am going on a ride this afternoon over to visit with Quincy for a bit. Hopefully, he can now go outside and play and maybe even finally meet me. Mom says he is one month old now.
And, since it is a beautiful day, I may recover enough to go for a run in the field. Kayaking was a possibility but Julia has gone to camp and Mom's other kayaking buddies are away so I guess that is out.
Mom said she does have some gardening to do so maybe I will help her out with that, if I am so inclined. If not, I can rest in the shade, maybe even in the hammock?
Well, gotta go get my collar and leash so I can see Quincy!!!

OMD, I am injured...

Mom has seriously been neglecting me lately. I haven't been on any rides, trips, kayak or canoe excursions, etc. I did go to work the other day and got groomed, but, as all poodles know, that is NOT FUN!
To make it even worse, today Mom went off at 6 am with Darrell to a dog show. I didn't mind missing the dog show, but I would have liked going to Tractor Supply. (Darrell told me they stopped there and it was a special day and he got to go inside and eat dog biscuits!)
When they got home, Mom took Toto and went to OUR Tractor Supply and left ME home in the house!!!! Toto got patted and petted by tons of people and he even got a free FRISBEE!!!
Soo, when Mom got home I met her at the door with my foot held in the air. I tried to take a step or two, but it was hurting SO BAD that I had to stumble and limp. It worked, Mom immediately picked me up and ohh'd and ahh'd and checked me over.
My toe IS hurt! It is swollen and hot and IT HURTS!!! Mom said she didn't think I was dying, in fact, she was sure I would survive so I wouldn't let her touch me again. I ran (oops, limped!) under the desk and I am staying here until I get to go somewhere.
UH OH, maybe this was a bad idea...hope she doesn't take me to the vets!!!!

Finally, a run in the lab pen!!!

Julia was here again for the weekend and I was pretty sure that she and Mom forgot us dogs lived here, BOL! They pretty much didn't do ANYTHING with us, well, except took us for a ride to see Quincy, but we had to stay in the car!
It was raining and way too hot for a run in the field, besides the chickies were all down there most of the time.
Today, Mom and Julia went off shopping cuz it was raining again. We all got left home, UGH! Finally they got home and actually took us all down in the lab pen for over an hour!!!! We did lots of running, but Momsie didn't get any super photos, just the same ole stuff, so she didn't bother to post any.
I happened to see some of the junk they bought today...turns out, it is all toys for Quincy. BIG toys, too. Is it okay to hate him before he even gets here????? All I keep hearing is Quincy this and Quincy that, and on and on. Not very nice!!!!