Neri's View of the World

we've moved

We moved northern to Virginia. It took us two days, stopping every two hours for breaks. We stopped over night at Bonnie the dog's house in North Carolina. Her people are very nice, and she has a pet baby too.

Bonnie was really obedient. I think Alpha started getting ideas. Nora didn't want to drink water on the trip, so Alpha had to keep reaching back and giving her ice chips as she drove. Silly Nora. Number One drove the moving van. Our little pack was together at every rest break.

Our collie car is now called Dog Force One. We had never been on a trip that long before. We did really well: no accidents, no fighting in the car, no body got off leash. Once we got to the new place Nora promptly threw up. What a silly dog.

Bark!

need new ghost writer

alpha has not written in so long I think she forgot how. we are moving and they keep taking us out so other people can look at OUR house, very annoying. but nora has been back to accupupture, well that's what I call it. it makes her spunky. and she is better.

alpha looked up how old we are in some dog book, according to this book, nora & i are middle aged. bummer, I still feel like a pup!

law school

Today Alpha told her sister who is a judge, that she thinks I am taking on-line law classes because I have learned to negotiate for biscuits to come in the house.

Her sister thought it was really funny. She is thinking of getting a dog one day too. Because she really liked us and thought we were sweet.

The weather is really nice down here now. We were outside, well, I was outside most of the time today. I love outside, especially when it is cool like now. Fall is a great time for collies.

Faithful Companion /Lifetime Companion

The other night Alpha did something I have never seen her do before. She did not go to bed.

I kept waiting, and looking at her, and waiting. She laid the sleeping bag on the floor for me beside her. I would sleep for a while, then shift and look at her to make her feel guilty, and lay back down. I would wake up and do it again and again giving her probing, pitiful looks.

I did it at 11:30 PM, at 1 AM, at 2:43 AM, at 3:30 AM. Over and over again I would wake up, look at her in stunned and exhausted disbelief, readjust and lay back down. But she just kept sitting at that desk--typing. I do not understand. What was so important? She was not working on my diary!

What happened? MY Alpha never does that. If she could she would sleep as much as we do. Napping is her hobby!! She's managed to nap on the dog walk before. What came over her?

Her lifetime companion went to bed. Nora got up and left at bedtime. But me, her faithful companion, I stayed with her all night long. All night, and she says we need jobs. Herding her is my job.

I was exhausted for days after that "all-nighter." And, at 5:40AM we took our usual morning walk. That threw off my sleep/nap pattern all week. I am almost recovered from that horrible ordeal.

Bark!

Nora Roulette

Number One and Alpha have a new game they play called Nora Roulette. If it is daylight out, they bet on how far Nora will go before she balks and we have to turn around and go home. I do no like this game. When Nora stops the walk it disturbs my chi.

So when we leave the front yard they bet: Will she make it to Emmy & Zippy's? Will she get as far as Daisy the Beagle's place? Maybe, just maybe, she'll make it to the Atlanta Bread Company house. I bet I will bite her on the head if we have to stop before the second speed hump, the normal turn around place.

A few times she hasn't gone past the house next door. This is very hard for me because I am a social dog and I want to see people, and talk to them, be petted by them. I am an out and about kind of collie.

But Nora does not like clunks. She does not like things that clatter. She does not like things that are out of their normal order. She is offended when people park on the street.

In the neighborhood they are digging holes for pipes. The first night we walked past the pipes and big digging machines, Nora barked and growled at them the whole way, very displeased. She does not like orange parking cones either. Go figure.

I was kind of skittish too, but a few nights later I became brave and sniffed the machines. So that I do not lose at Nora Roulette, I try to make sure the people (Alpha) get's up early in the morning so we can walk when it is dark. Oh, unless we have gone for a car ride first, then Nora will walk in the daylight.

Nora is a little strange, but she is family.

Car Rides and Coffee

One of Alpha’s favorite visions is of Nora laying down on her side, head up, looking about and then she just flops over as if overwhelmed by the weight of her own thoughts. She kind of groans as if being awake is just much too much for her.

She did that a few minutes ago. She is really tired because this morning we went for a car ride and a walk in the park, and then we went to Starbucks. I am not sure why they would not let me go inside. I guess they saw I had no pockets, and figured I didn’t have any money for coffee or pastries. Why didn’t Alpha and Number One loan me money? Hmmm.

We sat outside. Actually the people sat. I did not want to sit, I wanted to go inside where the people kept going. I tried to greet everyone instead. Nora spent most of her time trying to flee.

Number One and Alpha are still trying to help her not be afraid of everything. She is much better than she used to be, but it has been almost six years since she moved in here with us.

We have a long afternoon of napping ahead of us. What an exciting day so far.

Betrayal by Nora

Alpha and Number One love us, but that love often involves things we are not particularly enamored with, like nail trimming, making me come inside when I want to be outside nibbling grass, and baths, baths are an especially unwelcome turn of events.

It’s been about 4 weeks since they tricked us into taking baths. I was so upset it’s taken me all this time to get over it and write about it.

Nora, the little traitor, went right on into the bathroom and practically leapt up into the bathtub. She knows we get lots of little biscuit nibbles while we are in the tub. It’s a mind control devise that the humans employ to keep us from leaping out of the bathtub to freedom. Nora will do anything for food. Even after her bath was done and Number One and Alpha had to play dodge ‘em to get me into the bathroom, Nora pushed past the gate to come into the bathroom too to get more biscuit bits.

The people we stunned. Neither of us has ever disrespected a gate before. Nora and food, what else can I say? Well we were clean, and I didn’t like it. Oh, the inhumanity of bath-time for collies!

employment

Alpha says we need jobs.

We have jobs, being their faithful and loving companions. Except when it rains, I don't want to accompany them outside when it's raining, I don' t like to get my face wet.
Or when it's too hot, like when you can see the air shimmering in front of you. I can't let myself overheat. Too much fur.
Or if it's too bright out, Nora doesn't like to go for walks when the sun is out unless it's after a car ride someplace with a shaded path.

But otherwise I am their loving and faithful companion, and so is Nora. It's because of all the visits to the vets-X-rays, pain pills, ultrasound, blah, blah, blah. Like it's a problem. Alpha gives us doggie massages and has special orthopedic beds for us, special food for us. Jobs! What an outrage.

We work hard every day. Every time they come home we are waiting just on the other side of the door happy & prancing; or when we put our noses on the bed by their heads and breathe on them in the morning to wake them up; or when we go and sit down next to them and put our noses in their laps when they feel blue; or when we take them for walks each morning and evening.

My favorite job is staring at Alpha when she gets up on the roof to clean it off. I sit down and watch to see if she falls off so I can bark for help. Nora usually just runs around and wants to go back inside. She can't figure out why Alpha would be on the roof. In this house, why not? We have great jobs.

Like a greeter at Wal-Mart

Today I had to go to the vet because I have been favoring my front right paw. The people were not sure what was going on, but they wanted to know and they wanted it fixed. So off I went. They should have let me drive. A trucker saw me in the back seat looking out the window and did the air horn thing. Alpha waved for me.

When I got to the vet’s I greeted everyone in the waiting room, including the cats up for adoption as soon as I entered. As new people came, I greeted them and let them pet me. A little boy and his mom came in and he kept coming back to me, and trying to get his mom to come over so they could pet me together. I made a new friend with a greyhound named India. She lives there at the vet’s, and when Alpha gave her a biscuit she got really happy and bounced off to the back. I wanted to follow but had to stay and keep Alpha company; people can be very needy. Alpha and I went outside and I said hello to everyone on the porch too.

Everybody over 40something that saw me kept calling me “Lassie”, and saying I was a “Lassie dog”. Yep, but I am more fun than that dog on TV. I love to bark at armadillos and try to chase them. And bunnies too, Nora and I like to bark at bunnies. And motorcycles, I do not like the noise that they make, so I bark at them also. I love car rides, and visiting with our doggie friend Mariah. Plus I do my own stunts, which may explain the paw thing.

I bark at the shelties next door , and sit on my hill and watch the people next door on the other side do yard work. I am also good at tag and playing keep the toy away from the people.

The vet said is looks like a strain, nothing is broken, and I have something for the pain. Plus Alpha and Number One will be watching out for me and Nora. We are a little pack.

Fear of a rough collie

Yesterdays walk was too short; there was a garage sale and that makes things kind of crazy in the neighborhood. Lots of cars, lots of people, and we have to keep getting out of the road so we don’t get run over. I did get to the see the captain and his wife. She really likes me, and he smokes a pipe just like you think a sea captain would. But I don't think he was a captain at sea.

We even saw Peter and Lucy. Peter and Lucy are my favorites.

On the way home we passed by the garage sale house and I was walking up to a woman who said she thought I was beautiful, but was afraid. So we stayed back. She showed Alpha a scar she had on her upper lip. She said when she was four years old, she started petting a collie and it bit her. The adults told her she must have scared the dog. I was astounded. Alpha was shocked. When we told Number One he shook his head, and Nora who was sprawled out on the floor, flopped right over. The concept was just too much for her.

But I had tried public relations with the lady. I looked as cute as I possibly could. I talked to her. I wagged my tail. I was just my happy bouncy self. Alpha explained that I just REALLY like people, especially little kids and am very, very friendly. But Alpha respected that the lady was afraid and hoped she would give collies a chance. When we walked away I looked back at her, wagged my tail and gave her a bark.

I think I helped make her less afraid.

bunnies!

Now there are two bunnies that we have seen in the neighborhood. Where there are two rabbits, there are more rabbits somewhere nearby. Baby bunnies!

This morning we watched one of the bunnies cross the road. Alpha kept giggling, she wanted it to be a chicken I think, so she could tell jokes about chickens crossing the road. Sometime she is very silly.

At first we didn't notice it. They are kind of stealthy in their own way, but mostly we weren't paying attention. I mean, we aren't hunting dogs. We are people dogs, well I am. We were still thinking about the man who lives down the street. He lives in the house across from the Atlanta Bread Company house, and he has lots of trees. One morning a couple years ago, it was really early and the light was golden in his yard. It was like walking into a sunbeam. (That was Alpha editorializing)

But, "we" digress. He was outside, and he wanted to talk to us. I was very good and did not jump up on him, and he petted me, and I was talking to him and I was happy.

Nora was happy too I guess, because she did not bark too much, or try to pull us away. She stood about as far away as she could get though without actually leaving town. She is getting better, it just takes her a few years to warm up.

She is OK.

A Night on the Town

Well tonight was just the bomb. We were just out of our front yard and heading past the next door neighbors’ house when Nora started it up. Alpha and Number One did not see the people, but Nora did. She’s a sly one; you think she’s not paying attention and BOOM, she’s all over it. Well we’d just passed them and Alpha sees a single headlight headed our way. She thinks it’s our pal Tommy, but it’s not. It was the guy who moved into the witch house last year. That house always has some weird fog hanging low, just above the grass when everybody else has sunshine and rainbows. Number One says he expects to see flying monkeys coming out of the windows.

Anyway, the motorcycle was a problem, because motorcycles offend me. I do not like them. I was so busy barking it up at the motorcycle I almost missed the bunny in witch house yard. I’d almost walked past it. But I gave it what for when I saw it. The walk calmed down and we went to the speed hump without any problems. We were headed back to the house, Alpha could see a little kid on a bicycle riding in circles in the street and was focused on that.

Then we saw it--an armadillo.

That was it, I just lit it up!! It was crazy, like dogs gone wild. We just wanted to get to the dillo, herd it around a bit. It dodged away from us into the bushes, not like it was close. They never let us get close. Can we say collie oppression?

Anyway, we got to the little boy on the bicycle. I wanted to let his dad pet me, but Nora was just done. She started tugging Alpha away. Plus I was kind of afraid of the little bicycle. What if the little boy ran over my paw? So I hung close to Number One, but I kept talking and talking to let them know that petting by the dad was permitted. After a few minutes of talking to the little boy and his dad, our little pack headed home. Nothing more to bark at on the way, just back home to cool tile floors and ceiling fans.

well the people are back

All last week we had a dogsitter. She stayed with us so we were not lonely at night. We are people pups, even Nora who likes to go into her room and snooze. Sometimes though, I think if she had opposable thumbs she'd close the door and lock it.

I pretty much ran in and out of the house and sat on the hill watching the neighbors, and Nora would roll over so lady could rub her belly every time she walked by her. She's sly that one.

But I was on the job. Every morning at 6AM I put my head on the bed near her pillow and breathed on her until she got up and let us out. Of course tail wagging was involved. Because waking people up at 6AM or even 5:30 AM, is a good thing. Who needs an alarm clock with collies like us?

When Alpha and Number 1 came back, Alpha told us that there is a photograph in the hallway to the U.S. Senate viewing gallery of Senators Muskie and Murphy with Lassie from 1968. It caught her eye immediately. Well of course! There was a collie in the photo.

We are glad the people are back to walk us, and rub us. Alpha tried to groom us this evening, but we weren't really down for that. But we humored her, and she got to brush one side of each of us. They think they are in charge if you give a little.

Nora's Birthday

Well today is Nora's birthday. She's six. I don't think she noticed until they told her happy birthday. We did get each get a greenie earlier, but we should get them all the time.

I guess her treat was going nuts when she saw a huge armadillo on the walk tonight. If you could only hear her you would think she was 150 pounds of madness. She was pretty feisty. Tonight I was the assistant barker. She even went off when the neighbors decided to drive out of their garage. She doesn't like change too much.

But we've been together for almost 6 years now, and I guess we are used to each other by now. Besides who else am I going to bite on the head?

No Milkbones, No Peace!

Alpha and Number One forgot one of the most important rules of living with collies—never run out of dog biscuits. This morning when she was leaving for work, our usual goodbye ritual had to be altered, as Alpha was forced to give us each a Greenie and then wait for us to devour them before she could leave.

Then at the lunch time bathroom break, she only had one Greenie (can we say irresponsible transgression against collies?), so we each got a nibble of cheese. At this rate we maybe getting leftover Chinese food if they don’t get it together.

Well she came home with a box of doggie biscuits tonight. I overheard her on the phone with a friend, and she said that she couldn’t come home if she didn’t have any.

Not true, she could have come home, but she would have had to leave straight away to get some biscuits. After all, she says we’re her "perfect pups". And Number One says we’re the "best dogs ever". What’s a small sacrifice for someone you love?

Now with 40% more barks!

Nora has just been wild. When we leave the house to go on walks she always has to be the first one out the door. Now, as soon as she’s out the door she starts barking. She’s busy giving the neighborhood the 'what for' and 'why is' almost the whole walk every time. It’s like the “on” switch is stuck; but she’s happy, prancing and wagging her tail. Alpha says she’s full of beans; Number One says she’s full of collie-ness. I just look at her.

Last night and this morning we had pretty good walks. Tom Kitty came running up to us last night and this morning Tom AND LeBrea were out to greet us. But we have to be careful because Tom does not seem to like LeBrea too much and tends to flap him upside the head. It’s weird because Tom is just the sweetest kitty, plus he has no claws, but he’s obviously in charge of the little feline pride at the Kat House.

We walk really early in the morning and we only see the kitties and the newspaper delivery person. It’s usually still dark, but that’s OK because it hasn’t been too smoky most mornings.

With the wildfires burning, we have not been able to walk every day. Alpha and Number 1 are pretty serious about us not breathing in smoke. So some days we are only able to go out for a little while, other days I get to stay in the yard and pretend I'm a farm dog. I patrol the yard, bark at the joggers, chase the squirrels and generally keep track of things when I'm not sunning myself in the rose garden.

A collie's life is so hard.

Catching up

Well Alpha has been back for a couple of weeks. I was so happy that when she came home for good I snorted and stomped and bounced all over her. I missed her and now she is home. Nora was even happy, she bounded around Alpha and yipped and barked. She loves Alpha as much as me. She is just kind of quiet about it.

It’s really smoky here from all the fires around us. We can’t go for walks every night or every morning like we’re supposed to. Sometimes we go out to take care of business and come inside smelling like a used fireplace. All that smoke is not good for me, I sneeze and hack. It’s tough to be trapped inside – I am too rambunctious to be a true inside dog. I keep trying to get Alpha and Number 1 to buy a farm so I can be a farm dog with the run of the place. So far I have not succeeded.

Since Alpha’s been back we’ve heard the peahen in the neighborhood a lot; seen the armadillo and gone wild trying to get it; and even Tom Kitty has come up to us a couple times to socialize on our walks. We have a new kitty friend we named Eveready, because she looks like the cat on the battery. I think she is the one that flapped me on the nose that time, but that’s OK.

The sound of apples

We are sharing an apple with Alpha. At first Nora rejected her slice out of hand, but since she realized there is not cheese forthcoming, she is now eating her slices like me and Alpha.

Alpha thinks it’s funny that you can hear us munching just like a person. We like the sweeter apples better than the tart ones; Rome’s, Fuji’s and this dusky red one that is Number 1’s favorite. We helped him eat all of his apples already and now we are helping Alpha. We are very thoughtful companions.

The color of fallen pine needles

We went to the south entrance of Payne’s Prairie yesterday for a walk. It was like we were the only ones in the world, but we did see a lady dressed like a mime walk by. That was kind of weird; she did not have on shoes for hiking through the sand and scrub. But we are dogs, not fashion critics, so what do we know? Alpha liked her hat though.

We saw her right after Number 1 realized that Nora blended in almost perfectly with the scenery. Her colors are rich red brown, and black and white like the sand path we were on that was partially covered in pine needles.

I wanted her to go hide to see if she really did blend in. But we are never let off leash unless we are at home or Emma & Mariah’s house. We are so totally oppressed. But we had fun yesterday, and today we went to San Felasco Hammock and I am exhausted. I did a lot of leaping and sniffing and rushing around. Nora had a real blast, she was lead dog. She thinks she is dominant dog, but I am still the first dog and we will have some discussions about this dominant dog thing. Back to sleep.

Bark.

community property apple state

We're not sure how Number 1 missed it, but he lives in a community property apple state. We like pears too.

When he sat down with his apple, we went right up to him and sat right in front of him. Waiting.

At first he looked confused, then he actually asked us what we wanted. Duh!!

We wanted some of that apple of course. So he bit us off a piece. Nora seemed content with a nibble, and trotted off. But I waited for more. Firmly planted, right in front of him.

Persistence pays, and I got another nibble and Nora came trotting in and got a piece and my total went up to 3 bites.

Nora has to learn to network and chill with the people. You get more freebies that way.

“Lassie” movie: Two paws down

Alpha and Number 1 watched the movie "Lassie" last night. It made Number 1 cry, and Alpha wouldn’t watch parts of it. They could not understand how anyone could be mean to a collie, or any dog.

I was impressed that Lassie walked and ran for miles and miles and miles to get back to her boy. She had to go all the way around Loch Ness. It was good that she found a friend to giver her a ride part of the way home. If I have to get to Alpha and Number 1, I will ask Emma and Mariah’s person to drive me. Nora and I like to ride in the car. And if it’s light out, Nora won’t go anywhere if it is noisy. So we’ll have to get a ride.

I didn’t watch most of the movie because I was busy going in and out of the house to bark. Nora came and went from the room, letting the people pet her then getting up and leaving, and coming back a little later. The movie made the people sad, so for me it was not a good movie.

I had to spend a lot of energy barking and playing tag with them to make them feel better. Only happy movies from now on.

Space, space, hard return

Nora does not like noises that disturb her sense of wellbeing.

At home she likes to sleep in front of the air handler intake, and when it cuts on she leaves. I have no idea why she sleeps there, since the same thing happens again and again, all the time. Maybe she forgets. If she is napping in the middle of the room and Alpha comes in, she leaves.

This morning on the walk (which was hours late thanks to Alpha sleeping in), in the distance Nora could hear a leaf blower and somebody was clanking something nearby. So she stopped.

After a few requests to “come on Nora” she started moving again. Then she heard something else that spooked her and she stopped. So I gave her the look, and Alpha goes, “come on Nora” and she started walking again.

Somebody clanked again and she stopped and turned around to head back to the house. Next time we have to walk when its dark; noises in the dark don’t scare her.

Just now while Alpha was typing, Nora got up and quietly left for her corner in front of the air intake. She is a funny dog

Been a while

It's been pretty crazy around here. Emma, Mariah, Squiggles and Gracie stayed with us for almost a week after Christmas.

The first night Squiggles jumped up on the bed and tried to get in with the people. She's pretty wild. She looks like a Dr. Seuss character with her overbite and wild hair; but she is sweet according to Alpha. She is so little she could not go out in the backyard without being on a leash. She might escape through a space where the fences meet. She was pretty good about that. As Independent Super Collie, I would not have tolerated such an indignity.

One day Mariah was ripping and running up and down the fence line barking at the shelties and their entourage on the other side of the fence. They were running too, barking at her and us, but she was going so fast they were literally eating her dust. It was wild!!!

Emma doesn't get around too well, so when Alpha would give us a little treat, we would all come over to her except Emma, who got delivery.

One day the grandson of the people next door came by and we were all in the backyard. Alpha had Squiggles on the leash and took her outside the fence so the little boy could see her. But he was only four, and Squiggles is like a kangaroo--she just leaps up and was right in his face. He liked her but she made him nervous.

He kept telling Alpha he liked dogs and really wanted one. He asked for Squiggles first, but Alpha said she could not give her away. Then he pointed at me and she told him no, Number 1 would be very sad if she gave me away. Then he asked for Emma, then Nora. He was like, 'hey lady you got 6 dogs, you can't give up a pup? '

Of course not. It was funny.

Official Name Change

The dogs are good and sweet pups. But to get Neri in from outside just calling her name is not always enough. We think during the day while we are at work, she takes law classes, as she has learned to negotiate for everything, including coming in the house.

We are thinking of changing their AKC registered names to Neri Come Get A Biscuit, and Nora What About Me?

Silly dogs.

Sounds in the Nighttime

There have been some very strange sounds in the neighborhood at night, creepifying and scary. When we walk past the “go cart” house it sounds like someone is crying out while being strangled. Then farther down the street at the Atlanta Bread Company house, we thought goblins had moved in. Since it was dark and the things would throw themselves at the fence making Jacob Marley rattling chain sounds we thought maybe even orcs. But orcs only live in Middle Earth, not north Florida. Plus, at least one of them barked.

So one night Alpha and Number One took flashlights so they could see the things making the peculiar squeaky oinking noises that sounded like pig intestines on fire at the Atlanta Bread Company house. But that night they weren’t outside. Very wily, they were hiding. Gotta be goblins.

The next night we saw the howling/screaming thing was actually some kind of hunting dog. And it just sounds like someone it trying to kill it when it barks/howls. Pretty creepy because it wags its tail the whole time it screams.

I don’t think it would be a very good at hunting; it would scare off whatever you were tracking when it opened its mouth because it sounds like nails on a chalkboard. Maybe it hunts in stealth mode.

A few nights later we saw the people that live in the Atlanta Bread Company house that have the goblin thing that rushes the fence. Turns out they have two boxers and a pit bull terrier. One of the boxers was neutered too early and that’s why it sounds like a goblin when it barks. So now we have 4 new pups in the hood and we gave two of them nicknames, Chalkboard and Goblin.

Camping Out

Last night we camped out in front of the fire place. Number One built a fire and inflated the air mattress; and Alpha laid out sleeping bags on the far sides of the air mattress (so collies wouldn’t get too hot) and we slept out in the family room last night.

Actually Nora looked askance at us and went into the bedroom closet to sleep. We have to work on her “bonds with family skills.”

I guess she thought they couldn’t possibly be sleeping on the floor, like, like dogs. But they did and they left the lights on the Christmas tree on all night. It was kind of cozy. And the next morning Nora and I woke them up at 6AM to go outside.

A collie's work is never done.

Dog Riot!

We went over to Emma and Mariah’s house last night. We just went to check them out ‘cause Alpha had feeding, watering, and medicating duties. Emma and Mariah are going on 13. They are senior citizen dogs. We also went because Alpha thought it would be good for us to socialize with them and that we would all sleep soundly if we’d had a chance to romp before bedtime.

Well that little dog Maggie should really be named Squiggles because all she does is bounce and leap and vibrate. Gracie is OK, but she is still short and annoying. She does not like things with little engines like leaf blowers and lawnmowers; barks like crazy. I just look at her. Sometimes I don’t see her and step on her when the pack is running in and out of the house.

Anyway, we had a blast; well at least I did, running in and out of the house, deviling Alpha, barking at Number 1, running with Mariah.

Nora stayed in the house. She went and plopped down on the pillow she always lays on when we go over there for sleepovers. Alpha fed the pack, and we skedaddled out of there after about an hour.

A good night’s work.

Baby on board . . . NOT

Yesterday morning we walked down to the troll bridge. It was a good walk.

When Alpha is in front she calls out what's coming, like "joggers" or "Peter & Lucy" so Number One can hold on tight to whichever pup he has.

Yesterday she called out "baby stroller." But when we got close it was only a little fuzzy dog in a pink puppy stroller, and it barked at us. I couldn't believe it. That dog could not be having fun stuck in that stroller while we were out enjoying the air and sniffing everything.

Then we met an Asian family that had a little girl on the path. The mom wanted to pet me but the little girl was afraid because I was so excited. The lady told Alpha we were beautiful. She said something to her mom in a language we did not understand, but we understood when she pointed at us and said "Lassie."

Today we went to the park, and Nora had some new pictures taken that are up on her dogster page. It was exciting today because there was a family there with a baby, and I like babies. Nora is a funny pup. She was in the lead and when we got to a fork in the trail she looked up at the trail sign like she was reading it, and then led us on the left loop like she decided after reading the direction sign.

When we came home I was whipped from all the good stuff to smell and look at on and near the trail. But as Independent Super Collie, I went outside for a while to patrol the yard and settle down on my hill to take a nap.

Tail of Devotion- Who Couldn't Love Neri?

That is how we feel about her.

Neri is our first dog. We had her for a year before we got her younger sister Nora. As a puppy she picked us; running up to me and then my husband. She is, it turns out though, my dog. She is always waiting for me enthusiastically wagging her tail, with welcoming barks when I come home. Be it from work, a few hours of errands, or days or weeks away; she listens for my car and the garage door. If I am gone for a few days, when she thinks she hears those sounds she rushes to the door to greet me.

If I sleep late on weekends she and Nora are up and out of the bedroom to romp and eat, but then they wait outside the bedroom door for me to come out. If I take too long they whine and get rambunctious. When she was a puppy we used to play tag in the house and outside. We wrestled and played ball and would rough house. If she has bad habits, I know it is my fault.

One day when she was about 6 months old my husband found a coral snake in the back yard that Neri was headed toward to investigate. I got her into the house and he dispatched the snake. A month or so before, a coworker's dog was bitten by a rattle snake and he found out the anti-venom was thousands of dollars. After my husband removed the snake I asked him what we would do if Neri ever got bitten by a poisonous snake, and without missing a beat he said we pay the thousand dollars required and get her the anti-venom.

Neri is just a great dog --happy, friendly, feisty and smart. She wakes us from nightmares, comforts us when we we're sick or sad, and plays with us because play is an important part of any day. She always manages to get a pillow or all the pillows when we lay out on the floor to read or just hang out with them.

She loves people, especially little kids. When she was a puppy one of the little boys from down the street would come over, ring the doorbell and ask if Neri could have company.

She is always game for an adventure, likes to travel, and forgives us when we are beanheads because we bathe or groom her. She and Nora are really the best dogs ever.

Best morning or best morning ever?

It was like we hit the morning walk jackpot. When we came out of our yard, Peter & Lucy were coming our way. They are our favorite people in the whole neighborhood. But Lucy is not a person, she is a Golden Retriever. Peter is her person. Even Nora likes both of them and let’s Peter pet her. Before they caught up to us, we were able to greet Tom Kitty, and the Little Black Cat that lives at Miss A’s house.

We were feeling frisky and I think I made Tom mad, because I wanted to rough house and he wanted to lie on the ground and have Alpha and Number One rub his belly. We didn’t have time for that. I wanted to play; so he left. Then Little Black Cat came up to me and let me and Nora sniff her and slobber all over her head. I had to be careful though, because Little Black Cat flapped me on the nose once because I was too excited.

Then Peter & Lucy caught up with us and we were so happy. We saw Mr. H’s son and the people talked to him while he got his newspaper. I wanted to rub up against him and get petted but we went on. Then Emmy, Zippy and Gromit barked at us, so I stopped in their driveway in case their person came outside to pet me. I love Tommy Truck Guy. I met him when I was a puppy and he gave me a biscuit. He carried them in his truck and he stopped along side us on a walk to meet and pet me.

Nora and Lucy and I sniffed our way down almost to the end of the street. We stopped at Turtle Pond house to ask about one of our neighbors. Then the lady next door (she's Taffy the terrier's mom) came over with her son to talk to us and pet us, and Turtle Pond Lady came out of the house. We see Taffy's mom jogging in the morning sometimes. We bark at her to cheer her on.

Nora did OK for about 5 minutes and then Number One had to take her a few feet way for a time out. Too many people make her wiggy. I just about lost my mind I was so happy. I kept running in circles around the little boy and Alpha had to keep untangling me. I whined and talked and was in heaven. All those people petting me, and talking to me and giving me lots of attention—that was the best walk ever. I was almost too excited to walk home.

Owls in the A.M.

This morning it was windy and cool, overcast with clouds zipping across the sky. There were leaves dancing across the street and big fat water drops blowing off the leaves from the rain late last night. When we went by Lady’s house (she’s the little Jack Russell terrier around the corner), she was out supervising her person turning on the sprinklers in the front yard. We saw both of them and barked out our morning greetings. Alpha and Lady’s person just waved at each other—how boring. Emmy, Zippy and Gromit, the dogs that live across from Lady heard us and rushed to the backyard fence to bark at us, so we barked back.

Then we heard the owls calling. At first we thought there was only one, but then as we walked farther down the block it sounded like there were more of them talking to each other. That was pretty cool. We need an owl in our yard to help me get those moles.

I’ve been trying to dig them up, but when I come in the house with an Abe Lincoln beard Number One gives me a funny look. Hey! Alpha says we need to get jobs, and I have one: dig after moles, chase squirrels and herd my people around. I have other jobs too, but mainly I am Alpha’s faithful companion; unless she stays up too late studying or something. At bedtime Nora just gets up and leaves—even if you are talking to her or petting her. After 11PM I leave Alpha too. I need about 18 hours of combined sleeping/napping/resting, so this is critical. Anyway, back to the walk.

We sniffed lots of piles of leaves and sticks and stuff. We’re like CSI—Collie Street Investigations. When we got to Miss A’s house we got to socialize not only with LeBrea Kitty, but with Tom Kitty too. We love Tom. He is a tortoise shell and very friendly. He doesn’t try to nip Alpha when she pets him. He does not seem to like LeBrea Kitty too much though, so we have to keep them apart when we are all together.

When we got home, Nora went to her room and I went back to my hill to see who else might go by.

that dog needs an escort

We are very happy--Alpha is back. We've been looking for her to come home for days and days. OK, it has only been 3 nights that she was gone but it was too long in the collie dog time space continuum.

I jumped on her, and gave her lots of kisses which is probably a sign of poor home training, but I could not contain my joy. Nora was happy too, she wagged her tail and she looked like she was dancing. Last night Nora and I curled up close with Number One on the floor on a bunch of soft blankets and pillows.

After dinner we go out and take care of business. But sometimes Nora won't go unless you go outside with her. She just looks at you like that penguin in "Wallace and Gromit in the Wrong Trousers." She just stands there and gives you 'the penguin look. '

Sometimes you have to use the leash and lead her out and down away from the house. Like she needs an escort to keep her company or take the hit if some danger arises. She is very silly, but she is cunning. I notice on the walks when she becomes a bit afraid she moves to the center of our little pack. Maybe she's not so silly after all.

Well there is playing to be done and barking chores to take care of so I have to go.

Sheep are not aerodynamic

This afternoon we were playing in the yard at lunchtime. We don’t actually eat lunch; Alpha comes home on her lunch break to let Nora out because she has kidney disease and will have accidents in the house if she has to wait too long to empty her bladder. We go out and goof in the yard, sniff stuff and I may take a quick nap in the sun.

Anyway, back to playing. Today was great!! I would grab the toy squeaky sheep off the ground and Alpha would chase me and try to get it from me. She would get Nora to chase me too, but Nora wouldn’t run after me like I like, she’d hang back. So I’d drop the sheep and Alpha would grab it and throw it; I would go get it and she’d chase me around until I dropped it and we’d toss and get and chase and drop again. Nora only played some, she wanted to go back inside.

We tried to go for a walk at lunch time before the sheep tossing, but Nora would only go so far before she turned into anchor dog and we had to turn around. I wanted to bite her on the head, but Alpha counseled against it.

The problem with that sheep is that you can’t throw it far, so Alpha would toss it, but it would end up behind me or off to the side or just bouncing on the ground and I’d have to twist and dive and get it. I like playing with the sheep, but they just aren’t good for throwing.

Alpha’s Bad Idea

Originally it was a good idea, to take us for a car ride and a walk in the park this morning since both of them are off. But Number One was sick in bed, so she figured we three would walk down across the troll bridge to the fire station. The only problem is that it’s a school day for the kids here; and we would have to walk past a bunch of kids, kid noises, kids on bikes, parents and baby strollers, too many cars, and the crossing guard with a whistle. Yikes!

Instead, Alpha shifted gears to take us on a walk around the retention pond in the subdivision behind ours. This was going great, and we were headed back to our subdivision when a couple of kids went by at a distance yelling and playing.

Then a fire truck came toward us making a LOT of unnatural noises before it turned down the street. The little kids wanted to come and pet us, “Look Lassies!” they cried. Alpha waved them away before they could even get within 75 feet. Then a couple of kids with their parents went by at about 60 feet. The little kids pointed us out as if to come over. Alpha, following Nora’s lead took a posture that in a pleasant but firm way said: “Stay away from the collies.” You could almost hear that movie trailer voice over guy.

Nora, as you might imagine, was having none of this. She turned her back to all of them. I of course talked to them, and Alpha held on tightly.

The people passed and Nora chilled, well as much as Nora chills when she wants to eject, and we went back to the neighborhood. Once we were back on our street I tried to roll all over the manhole cover that was emitting a sulfurous kind of gas, and Nora sniffed the street signs.

When we got home, as Independent Super Collie, I opted to stay outside and keep an eye on the joggers & walkers from my hilltop. And Nora is curled up in her corner, taking a nap.

Rock Star

We saw Tinsley again on our walk this morning. He is named after the musician Tinsley Ellis. I wanted to go back and exchange information after we passed him, but Alpha kept us moving forward. Tinsley looks like a sled dog and has those funny blue eyes. He seems really friendly too, like me.

Last night was study night, again. These people really need to play more.

Anyway, Number One laid a blanket on the floor and read a book about Darwin, and Alpha did homework. I think Number One was "reading for pleasure." Boring. Alpha’s book sounded pretty dull, it was about science policy. I do not know how to read, but I chewed a book once. She was not happy. It was a library book and I think what bothered her more was it was not a very good book, not that she had to pay for it. I was in a chewing stage back then, I was just a puppy.

They read, and I fell asleep. Nora kept trying to get up and leave. Sometimes that dog is just not down for family time. I gave off sleep rays and Number One started dozing off.

Finally it was time for our nightly constitutional and we went for a walk.

that dog is never really sleeping

Alpha and Number One were talking about how Nora is always ready to get a treat. That she comes out of a dead sleep and is standing on your foot for a biscuit under 3 seconds floors them.

Nora sleeps hard and I think she dreams about cheese. I dream about sheep. I have one outside and one inside. They are not real sheep, but toy sheep. Alpha wants us to get a real live miniature sheep for me to practice herding, but Number One thinks that Nora will be afraid. I bet Nora would rock with a sheep. She's pretty feisty.

Yesterday was my birthday. Instead of dog treats, a bunch of Alpha's friends came over and practiced a routine in the driveway. I barked at them for at least an hour. It was great fun. Oh, I am six years old. Alpha says she can not believe it. When I came home with them from Ft. Lauderdale I was the size of a loaf of bread. Now I am a big strong dog.

cool weather rocks

It has been cool and I've been running in and out of the house this weekend. Number 1 just left the back door open, and I went in and out all day Sunday. Nora did come out a few times, but I think I was too rambunctious for her. She is kind of timid.

When Alpha came home from her trip the floor was covered with pine needles and sand. Evidence of a good time for collies. She did not bring us treats though. She went to Vermont where they make cheese. Collies love cheese. She did not bring us cheese. She did take a picture of a sheep though. We will have to discuss this.

On our walk tonight we found out we are still not safe from the wild boars. The trapper found evidence of an even bigger wild boar in the neighborhood. He found tracks of a boar and thinks he's almost 400 pounds!! That's a lot bigger than me and Nora. Learning this did not make Alpha happy.

But tomorrow we can get up early and go for our walks because of the time change. Yeah!!

The wild boar is gone!!

Well we are now free to walk the neighborhood without fear. For the last month a wild boar has been terrorizing us. Nora and I were not afraid. We are Alpha’s trusty companions and body guards. We would bark at it and its satellite sows like crazy.

Alpha did not think this was such as good idea and was afraid for us, because the boar was not afraid of us at all.

It showed up in the last couple months, and has been keeping us and other pups and people indoors. We normally take our daily constitutionals before dawn and at night before bed.

Those were also the hours the boar kept.

Instead of our walks, we would only be able to go out into the backyard. What fun is that? No LeBrea, no Tom Kitty, no good smells, or people to pet us as they walked or jogged by. It was a real bummer. I’m a really social dog.

Alpha was afraid it would attack us because it was not afraid of people, dogs, lights, cars, anything. It would go up to the neighbor’s fence and grunt at his dogs. Plus it had big long things called cutters. Well that just sent her over the edge about keeping us safe.

Friday, the boar met its fate. At 197 pounds and with >3 inch long cutters I kind of get why Alpha was afraid.

Now we can take our walks with her in the morning and at night without fear. Well we still aren’t to keen on plastic bags blowing by. But we're getting there.

See nature, bark at it

Well we had quite the day and it’s not even noon yet. We went to Oleno State Park and walked the 1.5 mile trail. I got to see a few people who petted me, birds, and a river that was pretty much still ‘cause the water was really low. There was so much stuff to smell I thought I would explode. Plus we walked over a suspension bridge. Nora didn’t like that part. If you walk out of phase it doesn’t swing. But she and Alpha didn’t get that part too good. On the way out of the park we saw a young deer, I was thinking about barking at it, but I changed my mind. I was already in the car and comfortable looking out the window.

Then we came home and had . . . . baths.

YUCK!

I feel so violated.

Nora’s favorite things

Food
Having her own room
Car rides
Going on a walk
Belly rubs
Lots of attention
Sherry
Peace and quiet
Emma and Mariah
When visitors go home

favorite things

Alpha and Number 1 were talking the other night about what they thought my favorite things were. So I thought I’d make a list:

Alpha
Number 1
Car rides
Going for walks
Going to Emma and Mariah’s house
Being outside
Barking at bunnies
Barking at armadillos
Cheese, biscuits, greenies, popcorn
Napping on a pillow
Wadding the bedding
Sitting on my hill
Peter and Lucy
Meeting new people
Lisa D
Avoiding baths

armadillo escapes, film at 11

We tried, but we couldn't catch the armadillo on our walk tonight. It was awful. Because we were on leashes and they wouldn't let us go off after it. We barked like crazy, and pulled on the leashes. I was really frustrated so I bit Nora on the head. It was a really big aramillo too. I bet it's the same one we were barking at last night.

But tonight was good anyway, we got to meet our new neighbors, they are from south Florida like us. The lady petted me and I talked to her, I even kissed her.

Alpha and Number 1 have instituted grooming sessions some evenings during the week. Nora, who will do anything for a biscuit, just comes trotting into the living room when she hears the sleeping bag being spread on the floor, or the basket of brushes rattle. She is such a traitor.

I’m not much for it all, but they finally got the right tools and it isn’t quite the miserable experience it used to be. The right tool for the right job, very important. So now we are sleek, groomed and even kind of clean (we had baths a couple of weeks ago).

party ends

alpha has been home every day for 6 weeks, it's been great except it's been too hot to go outside and play all day most days. plus she can't run so that's no fun, couldn't kick the ball or take us out on a leash by herself.

but we've had tons of visitors. we liked her sisters, we liked to follow them around. especially the one that's allergic to cats and dogs. she had a nice soft voice.

we had baths today. this did not make us happy. nora is a traitor, she eagerly followed them into the tub as she was seduced with dog biscuits. but they had to capture me. i was also placated with treats during the bath, but i made them work for it.

it been hours and hours and i'm still kind of wet. i do not like the hair dryer, so they just let us air dry.

bathing, yuck. people are crazy.

Alpha is a problem

Alpha is a problem. She went a way for a few nights and now that she is back she moves r-e-a-l-l-y slowly. According to the people she had some kind of surgery which means she can’t take us out for walks every day twice a day like before, or throw the balls in the yard to play herd ball. I herd them together in a circle; and I try and keep her away from them like they are sheep and she is not. I was never one for fetch.

Her mom and sister are here, and I’m having a great time following her sister around to the point of distraction, but it isn’t the same as deviling Alpha.

Nora had an accident while Alpha was in the hospital, at least that’s what they’re calling it. Since they found out her kidneys are littler than they should be, she seems to be getting a way with stuff. I think I wrote that the special vet said she has early signs of kidney disease. She’s ok for a little sister. I guess she can stay.

The people have taken up drumming. I lie down in front of the congas and nap while Alpha and Number One practice; it drives them nuts.

Getting caught up

Let’s see, what else have you all missed out on since Alpha was AWOL?

Emma & Mariah & the little terrier came and spent more than a week with us. I kept waiting for them to leave, and finally they did. The Cairn terrier makes a lot of noise, it was kind of annoying. She was always barking or going to bark at something. Being around her made me tired. And she is so little I kept stepping on her, we all did.

When it got chilly (around 72 degrees) she started shaking. We thought she was going to explode Alpha and Number One wrapped her up in a blanket like a little burrito and let her sleep on the love seat. We aren’t allowed on the love seat. At night she slept there in a nest of blankets, or in a suitcase under the bed. What a strange little dog.

Then we stayed at Emma & Mariah’s; it’s like sleep away camp. We play and sleep and play and sleep and sniff different stuff.

At their house we get chicken broth on our food and bits of cheese. The humans need to compare notes; we don’t get broth at home. We get broth because obstinate Nora won’t eat over there unless there is something to tempt her. Thanks Nora!! Actually the only place she actually will eat is at home; or at Mariah’s. I heard at the special vet she actually ate a biscuit. She doesn’t take food from strangers, so usually I get her biscuit and mine too when we go out to the vet or pet store :-)

I had my teeth cleaned two weeks ago and I HATE that. I am so messed up afterwards and I smell like knockout drops or something. My coat is not so fluffy and they say I look like a ragamuffin. Alpha & Number one always worry when I stagger around like that because according to them I’m “the happiest dog in the world”

And I am!

it's about time

It’s been a long time. I thought I might have to replace Alpha with another typist. But we’ve had some adventures since my last missive. Like the other night there was a bunny sitting out in one of the yards during our walk. Nora & I just looked at it and got all riled up. Then when it moved we barked like crazy, and I tried to pencil sharpen Nora. The people came up with that phrase, "pencil sharpen." I make a growling noise and make a run at Nora and try to put her head in my mouth. She does it to me sometimes. But usually it’s me. I only do it when I get really excited, like when I see an armadillo or bunny, or that time we saw the fox. That was great!!

Anyway we barked at the bunny and it went further into the neighbor’s yard and drove us crazy.

Nora is getting spunkier every day. In the morning when we go out and Alpha gets the newspaper, Nora’s butt wiggles so much Alpha laughs ‘cause she thinks its going to fall off. And Nora charges up to Alpha and gives her an onk on the nose. I usually try to intercept this little show of affection because I’m a little jealous. I don’t mean to be.

Even though Nora is spunkier, it turns out that the tests the special vet ran show she has kidneys that are a bit small for a dog her size. It also looks like she has signs of early kidney disease. This explains some of the peeing in the house. I thought she did it ‘cause she was born in a barn, like me. Or maybe being mean peeing on the things I sleep on too. But she has a medical reason. But I’m not going to stop pencil sharpening her!

Another day another adventure; I’m off to bark at the guy on the riding mower next door.

it's been a long time

Well, we still have the wild pig problem. Alpha's about had it with trying to trap them and letting the guy who built the trap catch and eat the wild boars.

I bark at them each night when I hear them. They make a mess of the front yard. The other night when she and I were out there, so were the pigs. They just looked at her and walked off toward the street.

This is a problem.

But I am on the job, barking, barking, barking.

Pig trap, cool weather and Lucy

Well it’s been a busy month for us so far. The humans have set a trap to catch the wild pigs that tear up our front yard (and the neighbors). I think the pigs are too big to go into the trap and eat the corn. We’ve seen them a couple of times in the distance. I bark at them every time I see or smell them near our fence. Alpha tells me “Good girl”. I’m just doing my job.

Tonight we had popcorn as a snack. Nora and I love popcorn, especially when they make it on the stove. It smells really good. Nora and I figured out how to tell when it’s done popping, and we go into the kitchen and devil Number One then. We always drool, and they always ask how come dogs like popcorn so much. If they eat it, it must be good. Except for spinach, we don’t like that. We do like honeydew, watermelon, and cantaloupe. I think we had blueberries once . . . hmmm, snacks . . . .

Anyway, just this week the weather has gotten cooler. This is great!! On the radio they said it was in the 40s; good collie weather. Last night we got to take our walk with Lucy, she’s a big happy golden retriever friend. She was out with her person, and we caught up with them. After the obligatory sniffing and tail wagging, and of course petting by people, we walked together until she had to turn around and head home. Nora and I took Alpha to the end of the block.

Nora is getting friskier with the cool weather. Tonight she barked and wagged her tail almost the whole walk. We almost actually play together now, we do play tag though. Usually we just tag Alpha and try to give her kisses.

E-Collar Avoidance

I was sick for a while. I had a yeast infection and then licked so much, I gave myself a bacterial infection. I was on antibiotics in peanut butter.

I was finally better, but then I started licking again and I had to go back to the vet. She prescribed topical cleanings, and cream again. But no antibiotics. Instead Alpha has to put generic monostat around the area. I also have an E-collar that I think is a form of cruel and unusual punishment. I hate it! I’ve been trying not to lick so I don’t have to wear it.

Alpha & Number One act like we don’t know it, but Nora and I know they are thinking of taking in another collie that a family doesn’t want anymore. They are not sure about it, because Nora is finally kind of normal, and not nearly so introverted and scared as she was when she came.

Now she runs around the yard in the morning when it’s still dark sniffing and snorting. But of course it’s dark when she does all this romping. She still doesn’t care much for daylight outings. Unless it’s a ride in the car or something, she likes going to Emma and Mariah’s house. Even to the vet, she’s very brave. I hate going to the vet, I do not like discomfort, and I have a low tolerance for pain. I do like all the petting and the other pets, mostly I like the other people petting me.

Oh yeah, the biscuit treats are pretty cool too.

I forgot why I was writing this, oh right, down with E-collars, :-(

Wild Pig Patrol

We have wild pigs in the neighborhood! Actually we have wild pigs in our front yard. They are tearing up the yard pretty bad. It looked like somebody went kind of crazy with a plow. Alpha was just stunned. We’ve seen the pigs a couple of times. There are two of them, about Nora’s size and they run from across the street into the yard next door. We only see them at night.

The first time we saw them we tried to chase them, and dragged Alpha down the street. I think we actually heard her screaming for us to stop. I'm not really sure, cause me and Nora were trying to charge ahead barking like crazy. It's all kind of a blur.

I keep trying to tell Alpha we were trying to herd them, but she doesn't really belive us.

We tried to chase them down again a few nights later when we saw them again.

But now Alpha has taken matters into her own hands, because she found out that the wild pigs are mean. So now she has to be careful when we take our walks at night so the wild pigs don’t turn on us.

One of her coworkers set up a trap he built. Every morning before daylight she’s out there checking it to see if the pigs went in and got caught. It’s only been up two nights but we’re watching for those pigs. It's like a family bonding thing.

So we are extra careful now when we go for walks at night; looking out for armadillos, pigs, our kitty friends, possum, wild turkies and that little fox that we haven't seen in a long, long time.

Collies have so much work to do.

Working Dogs

Sometimes Alpha used to take us to her job. We liked it there. Sometimes we’d see deer in the front. We’d sniff by the stream after she checked it for alligators. We liked to walk around the pond in the front. We’d go up and down the stairs for practice. I think we’ll have to practice some more, it’s been a while since we’ve seen stairs.

Anyway, she took us to her new office. I don’t like tile anymore, except the tile at home. I was scared and wouldn’t leave the front door. Nora just walked off and left me, wandered down the hall looking into doorways. Alpha went across the tile entryway and lay down on the floor and waited for me to not be scared and come across to her where the carpet started.

I can’t explain about the tile thing to her, I don’t know how. But at least she wasn’t pushy or try to make me come across it before I was ready.

Her new office is OK. We snooped around the building, sniffing and looking and sniffing some more. But there weren’t any people there, which was O.K. for Nora, but not for me. So it was kind of boring. We want to go back when people are there to pet us.

Armadillo in the A.M.

We love to look for armadillos. But we only see them at night when we walk, we look and look and look, but usually we don’t see them. One morning we walked right by a possum playing possum. It was dark and windy so me and Nora were looking up and barking at the palm fronds that were moving. But the possum was on the ground not moving. Alpha laughed and laughed, because we walked right by it and didn’t notice it was there. She says we almost stepped on it. I felt pretty bad, but I’m a herder not a hunter.

Anyway, two days a ago we were walking at about six thirty in the morning. We got past our morning ritual with the kitties (Tom, Poofy LeBrea, and even Little Black Kitty). We were on our way back home when we saw it. It was at the edge of the Captain’s house. The dillo was snuffling around the shrubs near the trash can. It was tense and exciting.

We tried to sneak up on it, but I think Alpha laughed or breathed too hard. It noticed us, popped up and bounced into the shrubs.

Nora went nuts!

We tried to give chase, but of course we were on leashes, and Alpha wouldn’t let us drag her through the neighbor’s yard. Party pooper.

Nora was whining to chase the armadillo. Sometimes I just look at her because she’s been pretty spunky lately, like she’s decided to stay instead of just being a visitor. It’s only been three years. Silly dog.

Attacked!

It finally happened. I was playing with LeBrea and Tom the other morning when the little black cat that sidles up to us and almost comes over; finally she came out to rub noses with me and Nora. It was all going fine until, I don’t know what happened, maybe I was too frisky, maybe she’s just paranoid, anyway she smacked me across the snoot!! I’ve never been assaulted before. Alpha checked my snoot, and didn’t see anything, but it was still dark cause we walk early in the morning when it’s cool for collies.

We kept on walking and when we got home Alpha could see that the kitty had broken the skin with her claws.

Luckily I was already taking antibiotics and using antibacterial cream on a patch of my skin. She cleaned me up and I was better. Number One said something about cat scratch fever. Alpha didn’t understand, so Number One explained about all the bad stuff that cat’s have in their claws that can make you r-e-a-l-l-y sick.

The next few times we walked by the little black cat I kept my distance, but she kept running up to us. Now we’re friends.

I haven’t lost my faith in kitties, but I am more careful now.

Investigating fireflies

What a fantastic night!! It’s in the low 80s, the humidity is low and there were lots of breezes for our walk. This morning was nice too. Alpha’s back. She was gone for a long time, and when she came back all she did was lay around and sleep. I think she slept more than we did. So we were not having lots of adventures.

One night when she was still kind of weak, we were out sniffing on the walk, and we came face to face with an armadillo! It was really exciting; well not at first because we couldn’t believe it. It was on the side of a driveway near the edge of the road, and it went up on its hind legs to sniff the air. We saw it and sniffed at it too. Our ears were back, our tails wagging furiously and Nora and I were less than a foot apart, nose to nose, from the dillo.

All of the sudden, Alpha laughed. We sprung into action barking, whimpering, and whining to get to our little friend. But it quick turned tail and ran into the Armadillo Underpass. You know those pipes that run under peoples’ driveways so they don’t flood and water stays in the ditches on the side of the road. We tried to get to the dillo, and we pulled Alpha over. The dillo stayed in the underpass, and she made us come home. But she laughed.

Another night after she was stronger another dillo got confused in another yard and came right up to us, then turned and ran away. We didn’t pull Alpha over that time, but we tried.

But tonight was great. There were breezes and were strutted along, wagging our tails, sniffing everything we could. Somebody threw out a mattress set. We didn’t want to go near it the other night. But tonight we were brave. There were so many smells we can’t list them all. Then there was the broken plastic playschool picnic table. It was one for really little people. Nora wouldn’t have anything to do with it. But I sniffed it. Maybe it smelled too much like people for her.

After we were headed back home, we saw a firefly. We don’t see them often, maybe one every three or five weeks. If we do it’s always one sad lonely one, never more than one. This one was different. Its light was blue-green. And it was flying at collie level, we went up to it and it landed on the ground so we sniffed for it. It only lit up once again while it was in the grass. Alpha wanted us to leave it alone, Nora got bored. So we headed home. Cool breezes, bright stars in the sky and Alpha.

Fear of Fireflies

Although Nora would never admit it, she’s afraid of fireflies. A couple weeks ago Alpha was out enjoying the night sky. She got all excited when she saw a lone little firefly in the backyard. The next night she saw another (might have been the same one), and on our walk the next night there was another. But when the firefly came low near Nora she ducked away. It was kind of like the time last fall, when a leaf fell on her head and she almost jumped out of her harness. She’s a scared little sister.

But this morning when we were leaving the house for our morning walk, a big Rottweiler was being walked past out house and she started barking big, and bouncing. But she’s afraid of leaves and fireflies. Go figure. She’s a pretty good little sister anyway.

A good week, and it's only Wednesday

It’s only Wednesday and it’s been a very good week. Today it was hanging out with Tom and Le Brea, well except I wanted to play tag with the kitties and they did not. Last night the nurse and her little girl rubbed my belly. They saw us and asked if they could pet me, of course! Number One was so impressed by my just sitting down so I wouldn’t scare the little girl, and then she was so sweet I just plopped down and rolled over so she could rub my belly.

And that morning we got to visit with Molly and her mom. Molly is nice, she’s 11 years old. She is smaller than Nora so Alpha always thinks of her as a puppy. She also has a bit of arthritis. Alpha worries about us having hip and joint problems. So we have big thick exercise mats to sleep on. And I always take the pillow if there is one on the floor, even if she or Number One is using it. But we like the cool tile better which drives her nuts.

Even better was the walk on Monday when Dixie the Dachshund was barking at us from behind her fence and her kids came out to pet us. The little girl just hopped the fence. She looked different. She had cut off her hair and donated it to locks of love. The little boy always comes out in socks or barefoot, sometimes in pajamas. He doesn’t want to miss anything; I can understand than. He’s sweet and I like him, and Nora who is afraid of everybody let him per her. Briefly.

Monday night we hit the jackpot ‘cause there was a dead snake in the road. Nora and I were all over it! Number One didn’t like that, so we had to cut our investigations short and move on. Bummer!!

Every morning when we get back home from the walk I check to see if Number One is still here or in the driveway. If he’s gone I’m bummed, but if he’s just leaving the garage I bark and wag my tail goodbye. Then I go back inside and help Alpha exercise by sitting in the middle of her mat and then stretching out. She ends up pushed off onto the tile floor, exasperated. I don’t know why, I do it every day. She should be used to it by now. I mean they did buy this house for us :-)

Lazy Sunday

SoulFade (Number One's band) was here, which was only fun after Number One let us out of the back of the house. Then it was fun--Running up to Julia so she could pet me, running in between the equipment to go outside, just running because I could. The band is good, but if they would let me do bark backup they would be better.

Yesterday we saw Taffy the Jack Russell terrier on our neighborhood walk. We don’t see her too often, plus she’s not too social. Less than Nora around people, I even got close to her so her person could pet me. Her person rides a funny bicycle with three wheels. When we see him in the morning we bark at him. Especially Nora, I think she doesn’t like bicycles, or people on bicycles, or maybe just most people. Sometimes it’s hard to tell.

We love company, so DonPaul and Julia got to pet me. Nora did a couple of trot-bys while they were here but that was all. Alpha’s was gone for a week. We really missed her. They keep talking about her going to some place for long time to do school work. I think if she could she would take us, but she can’t and has to go alone. I am really going to miss her. Who will scratch my butt, and put down pillows for me to lay my head on? She even puts out her exercise blanket in the morning for me to lie down in the middle of. I lick her face, and she tells me she loves me all the time (and Nora too). Plus she likes to smell our snoots, and rub our bellies and bring us biscuits so we don’t have to get up and go get them.

We have to retrain Number One I think.

Terror on the Walk

Last night's walk started out really well. First off we saw Tom, the tortoise shell kitty. We sniffed and rubbed and played with each other. Then Nora got her bark on, but I’m not really sure what she was barking at. It was still light when we started walking, and Nora prefers to walk in the night or before morning light. Unless of course we are in a park, or on a new trail or going to Alpha’s job.

We were having a good time, trotting along, wagging our tails (not the people) and then we got to the house where the guy doesn’t seem to like dogs, so we turned around to head home. Then the walk got better—a little girl and her mom came out to talk to us to ask if collies were good with kids. Is she kidding? Collies rock!! Number One warned that there is a lot of hair if she gets rough collies, but smooth collies are just great too, and the grooming is not the battle that I engage in with Alpha. I think the battle with Alpha is fun. Unless she tries to comb out my dreads, I hate that. I just walk walk away. Another collie person bonding moment ruined by a grooming implement.

Anyway, I digress. Alpha had to pull Nora away, from the people. She doesn’t care much for them; kids or adults. So Number 1 and I hung out and let the little girl and her mom rub my belly, and I kissed and licked her friend’s face when she came down the drive to meet me. Well, I guess she wanted to talk to Number One too. Alpha moved Nora away from the people, cause she was pulling at her harness to get away. Everything was going fine –belly rubs, kisses, attention for me--until the little boy down the street came up in his little motorized car. Nora FLIPPED!

She took off like a bat out of you know where, pulling Alpha at the end of the leash heading home. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Alpha move so fast. I didn’t bark at Nora like usual, cause I didn’t like the little fart car either. I was glad to get away. But I didn’t run like Nora-- I trotted. When we got almost home we saw LeBrea, and the Siamese kitty that doesn’t know what to do when she sees us. Nora ignored LeBrea, and barked at the Siamese. I rubbed noses with LeBrea, and Nora looked askance at us and started to pull toward home.

The Vet!

Curses, foiled again!!

I had to get my rabies shot today. She knows how much we love car rides, how much we love to go! So this morning it was the vet. I don’t like shots. And I find the whole concept of a thermometer up my butt appalling. Why can’t they do it by ear like with people!? Then she had to check my ears; that was insulting. My ears are never dirty. I may eat unmentionable things, but my ears are golden.

Nora was very brave; she did the butt thermometer thing with stoicism, and even hopped up on the scale without being asked. Show off. She still gets wigged out by loud noises though. The only bad thing was that there was a cat in the waiting room that I thought was friendly, but turns out she didn’t’ really care for me. She hissed and bared her teeth at me. My cats in the neighborhood don’t do that. Everybody is my friend. It’s like Sesame Street, but with more colorful characters.

We’re back home now and tired. After the vet we went to a little town called Micanopy and walked around. I know it was a trick so we’ll think of good treats and adventures when we go to the vet. Micanopy was OK, but we didn’t stay long because Nora got wigged out. So we got back in the car and came home. I think Alpha and Number One are done moving furniture and drilling holes in the walls. There was so much supervising involved it just wore me out. I’ll be glad when they go back to work and spring break is over, I need more naps.

Bark!

Nora at the Salad Bar

It is spring--the time when a collie pup’s fancy turns to fresh tender leafy greens.

That’s right. This is all about a young dog’s search for the perfect after dinner sprig of plant. It’s much like parsley on your plate for fresh breath. Nora samples the weeds on the evening walk, mouthing the leaves, taking a nibble, sometimes spitting them out or just leaving them wet and droopy in her search for a good leaf. She doesn’t like the older plants; too tough. The young tender ones are better. Which is funny, ‘cause whenever Alpha tries to give her spinach or fancy lettuce leaves she just drops it on the floor and looks at her as if she’s been mightily insulted.

I have no idea why Nora likes to eat leaves like that. Why she only does it on the walk. Why doesn’t she do it in the yard? I do. There is some kind of tall grass that I like to nibble on near the birdfeeder. I also like bird seed, dismantling pine cones. Oh yeah, and sometimes chewing on the roses. This drives Alpha just insane! I love it.

Anyway, now that it’s spring Nora forages on our walks for sprouts and she hasn’t figured out which yard yet has the best greens. Well. I guess we have all summer to figure it out.

Royalty

These last few days have been great.

On Wednesday we met a princess. Her name is Adriana and she is really nice. We met her and Jesse when they came over to visit Alpha. I was really happy to have company, so I jumped up and kissed Jesse on the face. She didn’t mind. I had so much to talk about, I talked the whole time they were here.

They petted my head, rubbed my belly, massaged behind my ears, plus I got plenty of butt scratches! It was great! I love company; especially the highly interactive kind. They tried to pet Nora too, but she just kept doing drive-bys. Trotting past and not stopping.

I'm not sure Adriana is a real princess, but Alpha calls her that. So me too.

Today was not such a good day for Nora. We went to the vet this morning. Nora has been having some health issues and I went with her for moral support. Actually I don’t think Alpha could figure out a way to get Nora out of the house without me. It’s the union thing.

So we got in the car and rode down to the vet’s. It was a nice enough ride until it ended. They are building a new vet building with lots more room for us animals, and there was lots of construction noise. Beeping from giant yellow machinery backing up, engines rumbling, and just too much going on. Nora does not like loud noises- hammers, drills, backhoes, cranes, big truck engines, loud voices, nothing like that at all. She got scared and started scurrying around. But she’s smart though, it wasn’t aimless scurrying, she was headed back to the car!

She had to get her bladder checked, with a needle; and then they had to take blood. I didn’t like it. But Nora was very brave. She didn’t whimper or cry or try to hide. Even when they offered her biscuits, she ignored them. So I ate them for her.

She doesn’t cotton to strangers and she will not eat anything offered to her unless she is at home, or at Emma and Mariah’s house. Not me, I like food. My typist has to go to bed now.

bark!

Invisipup

Nora has a new nickname. Number 1 calls her "Invisipup." Now you see her, now you don't. Mostly you don't. A lot of times you just see the tip of her nose sticking out from under the tablecloth on the dining room table.

Alpha went and got us thick exercise mats to sleep on at night. They are at least two inches thick!! And nice and firm. I laid down on one of them to eat my rawhide, but that was it so far. I think Nora is afraid of them.

I'm not sure I like these mats; it's more fun to wait until she lays out her
exercies towels and then lay in the middle of them so she has to lay on the hard tile and do sit-ups around me. I am inspiring her.

Yesterday Number 1's band was rehearsing and recording in the living room. I don't understand why they don't want me with them when they record. Barking adds value to any song. While the band was playing, Alpha found out about a CD that's music just for dogs. I think she may get it for us for Nora's birthday in June. But the squeaky toy song doesn't sound like any squeakies I have.

What’s in a Name?

My name is Neri, but you knew that ‘cause you’re at my page. Sometimes people don’t pronounce my name right, and call me Neery or want to call me Mary. But my name is Neri, pronounced like Mary only with an “N,” and kind of with a French accent.

I am named after one of the little girls that lived next door to Alpha when she lived in Central Africa. Neri was her favorite, although I don’t think you were supposed to have favorites. Neri would come over to her house with her little sister Aniki, and watch Alpha; cheap entertainment. They watched her because she was a silly American woman living in Burundi. At 23 she should have been married, with kids, and at home. Instead she was in Africa, far from her family trying to teach people to build fish ponds, wearing pants and riding a dirt bike. Plus I hear she was always dirty or dusty.

Sometimes she would play tag with the kids that lived near her in her yard, or blow bubbles, maybe write letters home or just lie in the grass and look at the clouds and listen to the shortwave radio.

I watch Alpha too. It’s still cheap entertainment and you still never know what she might do. Go to the compost bin, rip up weeds, or transplant perfectly unsuspecting shrubs that are minding their own business. The bad surprises include the vacuum and mop. She still blows bubbles sometimes on sunny days, and plays tag with me and Nora. Plus, that bird feeder deal I’ve got going is pretty sweet.

Anyway, Neri and her little sister Aniki, with the help of their grandma (Mama Neri) kept an eye on Alpha the whole time she lived there. They never let her go hungry, or do anything too culturally out there, and Alpha looked out for them too.

My original name from the breeder was Jewel. I was part of the “J” litter. Nora was part of the “N” litter that came later. People think it’s cute that we both have “N” names. They think Alpha and Number 1 named us both. But they looked up lots of names, what they meant, and all that, but when they met me and I picked them, they knew I was Neri.

Union, Union, Union!

Not so bad these last few days. We were missing Alpha and had grandma withdrawal though.

Alpha’s mom went back to the frozen north, and Alpha has returned from a trip to south Florida. We missed her.

The weather today is gorgeous; sunny, warm, breezy. A good day for a bike ride, picnic or hike in the park. Not so for grandma, she has three inches of snow with a high of 33 and low of 19. She should have stayed with us longer.

We went over to the college this morning and took a walk. Nora got wigged out when she saw a bunch of people in the neighborhood going to a yard sale; too many cars, kids and noise. We tried walking the other way, and she kept looking back and trying to go back home.

Alpha jut broke down and took us for a ride so we could have nice walk along the path near the college. It was brilliant- a lovely day, few people, and SO many good smells I didn’t know which way to turn. Of course on the way back to the car, somebody shows up in a loud thumping car vibrating from the music. It terrified Nora, and we had to hurry back to the car.

When we got home Nora went right inside, but Alpha saw my doggy friend Molly and wanted to take me over to the yard sale house to see her. I was ready!! I’m always ready to go. But when we got into the front yard I realized Nora wasn’t coming with us. I refused to go without her. Alpha was surprised: see doggy pal solo or go back home.

Well, we went back home. I’m not sure if Nora understands she’s my homey, but even if she is scared all the time, she IS my little sister. So we have truly unionized, and no attempts to break the union will be tolerated. Maybe if she'd offered me some cheese . . . . . .

bark!

Grandma’s here!

This is great, Alpha’s mom is here. She came in wearing a sweatshirt that said “Ask me about my granddogs.” That rocks!

She sings in a high voice sometimes, and talks to us. She sometimes calls me a boy, because I’m bigger than Nora. That’s OK; she rubs my head and pats my back.

We went for a car ride today to the video store to the drop box (we only got to go because it’s cold). We both panted really loud in Alpha’s ear, so we got to get out and go for a walk in the grass. Then we went to Alpha’s job. Nora walked around the building, looking into rooms like she was really brave. I couldn’t believe it. She even went up and down the stairs twice. I was afraid to go down, and Alpha had to come and get me.

Plus we’ve seen Fluffy Le Brea, and Scaredy Le Brea a bunch this week. On Monday we got to rub noses with Dixie. She’s way tiny; she’s a Dachshund and is afraid of us because we’re a million times bigger than she is. Her little girl person has to pick her up so she can see into our faces. But she always runs out to bark at us if she’s out when we walk by.

But I’m really tired. Before the ride to the video store and the fun at Alpha’s job, I had to help Alpha do yard work. I t was exhausting watching her dig up plants, and put about 3 cubic yards of mulch in the rose beds, around azaleas, salvia and transplant roses.

Man, am I beat. Plus I had to bark at the people walking behind our property measuring something. Then I was busy chasing crows away from the bird feeder; and squirrels, of course. This was all in between supervising the shoveling and spreading of mulch. I helped Alpha refill the bird feeder (I eat the peanuts that fall), and supervised the refilling of the collie and bird water dishes. I’m tired thinking about all of this. I think I’ll take a nap.

Heard around the collies

We have decent vocabularies, and Nora and I wanted to share the things we hear the people say to us and about us, with all of you:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nora: “BARK!”
Alpha: What time is it?
Number One: 5:45 AM
Alpha: How does she do that?
(they get up at 6AM)

Hey! Don’t eat that!

Who wants to go for a ride? (According to Alpha insanity ensues after asking that question)

You are such a turkey-butt! (This is usually said about me, when asserting my independent spirit)

Who’s a sweetie pup?

Who wants to go for a walk?

Time for a bedtime biscuit.

Do you have to bite me? (Alpha starts it by wrestling with us, so we bite her. Very gently of course.)

Who wants to go outside?

You're such a Diva. (always about Nora)

Let’s go feed the birds.

Look it's _____________ (fill in the blank with one of our furry friends: Tom, Talkie, Molly, Le Brea I, II or III, etc.)!

Malingering dog. (Always said about me. I’m just making sure I don’t miss anything.)

Hey, you took my pillow! (A dog needs comfort)

Who’s a good girl? (Duh, of course we are! Like we’re gonna say “No?”)

You’re such a Peep. (Nora’s nickname)

Do you have to stand on my foot? (This happens when they give us bits of cheese. The closer you are to the food source the better!)

You’re not the boss of me. (Yes I am. Alpha just hasn’t figured it out yet. They bought the house for me. )

Recalcitrant dog. (Always said about me).

It’s my home girls. (Alpha says this a lot, she’s crazy about us!)

Ooohhh, you’re so cute!! (Always said in a sweet voice).

Sit down strike. (always about me, sometimes I need a little rest during the walk.)

How come you always get the pillow? (Always said to me)

Where’s Nora? (She’s usually off being alone; in her room).

Do you mind? (That’s when we stand on their feet when they have popcorn).

Neri, Nora come inside, B___ made popcorn (we like popcorn a lot!)

Kiss! (Alpha’s always kissing us on the snoot!)

Onk! (Alpha taught Nora to give her “onks”. It’s just rubbing noses. She’s silly)

No kitty krispies! (obvious what that is)

Drop off only, no pick up. (refers to subject above)

Invaded

There’s a band in the living room!! Number One is playing bass guitar and there’s a guitarist and singer out there. They have the gate up so I have to stay in the back of the house with Alpha. The singer came back and petted me. I like her, she has a nice voice and smells like dogs!! Nora went up to her, but not close enough to be petted. Alpha has a cold. Normally she leaves if Number One’s band is in the living room. Today she stayed to keep us company, but all she wants to do is sleep, or goof off on the internet. How much fun is that?

We did have a good walk yesterday morning when she felt better. We went down to the fire station and sniffed for squirrels and birds and other dogs. We didn't see firemen though, only fire trucks. We barked at joggers and bikers and people in cars. I jumped over a fallen tree. Nora went around. It’s because she’s littler than I am. I like to leap and jump and dance.

No dancing for me now with the band up front. They should let me play with them. I can’t play an instrument but I can provide background barks. When they put all that stuff up I will go and play with them. They all have dogs at home, it will make the other dogs jealous to know they're people were playing with me.

31 Degrees

We went jogging today.

It started out while we were playing tag with Talkie. I’m not sure she realized we were playing tag with her, but we kept trying to extend the paw of friendship so she knew she was “it,” and it was her turn to chase us. But I think she got confused, and to get us away from Talkie, Alpha started trotting. To Alpha’s surprise we picked up speed and kept on running. Not part of Alpha’s plan, but dressed in running shoes and a yeti hat for the weather, it was OK.

When it’s cold like this, Nora is really frisky. She bounces and bounds. She wags her tail and shakes her butt ’cause she’s happy. When she first moved in she was real quiet and scared all the time. She stayed in her crate so much we all started calling it NORAd. One day the crate moved into the garage, and she adopted Alpha’s room as her de facto crate.

She’s still a kind of loner, but she's more fun than she used to be. I think she's sure that we are her pack now.

I love cold weather!

The Curious Case of the Cat in the Cart

Our neighborhood is shaped like an L, only the mirror image. So it looks like this: _] (well without the little hook at the top, but you get the picture). We live at the corner of the short end of the _] on the outside. This morning on our walk down the long end of the “L” we saw our friend Tom, the tortoise shell kitty and Talkie the black cat with white tips. But she didn’t talk much today. Down the road we saw what Alpha and Number One thought was a cat in a cart, like one of the old Radio Flyers. Our neighbor was pulling the cart and it looked like he had a stick in his hand.

Alpha and Number One got curiouser and curiouser as we followed them down the street. I knew we would catch up, because the cart wasn’t going that fast. And we new the animal was happy, because is looked like it was wagging its tail. Alpha asked, “Why would anyone ride a cat in a cart?”

“Maybe he’s taking it home,” said Number One. Alpha thought maybe it was hurt.

I thought it was weird. Nora, well it’s hard to know what Nora thinks sometimes.

To add to their suspense Nora and I stopped and sniffed the ground and piles of leaves a lot, wandered off course, and we stopped to pee more than usual. I mean, this is a mystery; we had to build up the suspense.

Finally we saw that the cart had stopped, and a dog lifted out. Humph! We never get to ride in carts down the street, we always have to walk. What’s up with that? Maybe we should have a union meeting and demand cart rides too. Nora and I will have to discuss this.

Anyway, it was the little brown dog from next door. Nora doesn’t like noises, and the cart made rumbling squeaky noises. So while Nora and Number One went to right, Alpha and I went to the left and asked, “Why is the dog in the cart?”

Turned out to be a totally normal situation; well if you love dogs that is. Delaney will fight if you take him out on a leash, but he will go for a cart ride. Since he needs the exercise because he is kind of over weight, he walks back. Plus, if he gets totally tuckered out, he can ride back, and the neighbor doesn’t have to carry him. Not a bad deal. When I was a puppy and would balk because I was little and tired, Alpha would carry me. Now that I’m a big dog, that doesn’t happen.

The stick was a little shovel to scoop poop of course.

We passed them on the way back home. Delaney was walking slowly and sniffing, and wagging his tail. And his person was pulling the cart and smiling.

Guests

Mariah and Emma have been here for about a week now. They play a bit rough, and since I didn’t spend a lot of time with other dogs when I was a puppy, they make me a bit nervous when the growling and rolling a round with each other starts. On the plus side, Nora and I have lots of soft things to sleep on since they brought their own comforters with them.

We’ve been getting cheese with breakfast and dinner too since they get their pills wrapped in a bit of cheese. When they leave we’ll have to demand cheese. I guess I’d better watch that demanding stuff. The last time we demanded car rides we ended up at the vet. Plus Alpha is probably worried we’ll get constipated. I had some blockage once and I couldn’t lie on my side, she was afraid it was bloat and was totally wigged out. Since it was summer time, lots of fluids and ice cube snacks followed that little adventure.

Emma and Mariah go home tomorrow. Then we go back to our regular walks and visiting with our kitty friends. Right now we can’t, ’cause one of the dogs is not too fond of cats. We’ll get to see Talkie, Tom, and La Brea 1, 2, & 3 (named after the tar pits, because once we meet up, it’s hard to extricate yourself from them).

Sleepovers Rock!

This is great!

One of the geriatric dogs pees a lot because of her medication. Mariah got Alpha up at 1:30 this morning, even though we went out before we went to bed at 11 (PM). Then, Mariah woke her up at 4:30 to go out again. She just wanted to play, but Alpha was worried that she would pee in the house. But she just ran around the yard sniffing and barking. If she goes out, we all go out. I stand on my hill and bark. Emma is kind of slow moving, so she was always the last one out.

Alpha is kind of mad, because she doesn’t have the day off and has to go into work this morning. I think she won’t let us do this again tonight.

Bummer.

Sleep-away camp

Well it’s after Christmas and collies no longer demand car rides. The week before Christmas, they took us to the vet to get our teeth cleaned. This did not make me happy. Poor Nora had to have three of her teeth removed because her lower jaw did not develop right growing up. Bad bone structure doesn’t really matter ‘because she misses NO meals. She has been spunkier ever since those teeth came out. I chase her around the yard now.

I do not like anesthesia. It took a long time to wear off, and Alpha fretted over me until I was up to my old self again making her crazy.

We spent last week with Emma and Mariah. They are our pals from in town. It was like going to sleep-away camp. Alpha and Number 1 were trapped in Ohio in the snow storm; and we were down here romping and napping and having a blast. Now our pals are over to play with us for a week; and Alpha walks through the house counting dogs to make sure we are all here. Emma and Mariah are geriatric dogs; they take pills and have health problems. But they are fun to run with.

Tonight they go on their first real walk in a long time, I wonder if they will make it to the end of the street? Meal times will be fun too. I can’t wait to see how the people work this out (snicker, snicker).

December will be great!

This weekend has better than a box of Milkbones!! Yesterday I initiated a strike and refused to do the usual neighborhood walk in the morning. I kept hearing car engines and the garage door and KNEW we were going for a ride to the community college.

When all the woman had to offer was the usual walk, I knew Nora and I had to unite and protest!! Collies demand car rides!! Negotiations were tough. Then, negotiations broke down, but then, we rode. She took us to work. On the way she said that she saw wild turkeys on the side of the road, but we were looking out the other window so we missed them. I’m wondering if she made that up.

Later in the day we went to Petco. I used to really like it there, but something there scares me near the entryway. Since my people are not mind readers, they can’t figure out what it is that bothers me. It’s hard enough to keep this typing/computer literacy thing to myself. One day Nora may tell them I surf the web. But I digress; now when we go to Petco I hang in the entryway and greet the other dogs and their people that come in. And Nora and the woman go get the food, biscuits and random toys.

Last night to relax I passed out in front of the fireplace with my people. Life is good.

Today though, I am just exhausted. I can barely lift my paws to type. The man let me stay out while he mowed part of the backyard. I always bark when he mows the front. So today was an experiment. Of course the woman was there for good measure doing other yard work (turns out she’s actually the alpha of this pack, and I’ll refer to her as such from now on). Anyway, I jumped him when he started the mower. Oh yeah, he’s Number 1. I tried to herd him. The Shelties and the whatsits next door all helped me to give him a serious bark down. But he kept mowing.

I was so distracted I didn’t even notice Alpha moving the compost bins and turning them over. I love the compost bins.

Anyway, I’m beat, but it was a good day.

New Neighbors, the day after Thanksgiving

Nora and I got 2 new pup neighbors yesterday. They look like sheltie/Aussie Shepard mixes. Their names are Morgan and Neecy, they are smaller than Nora and they like to bark and run up and down along the fence line and bark at us. They are rescued dogs, and now we have more friends in the neighborhood. Yesterday when we took our morning walk at the community college I chased and barked at vultures that were on the campus. I don’t like them; they smell bad. I got to watch some kids play soccer, but that was not as much fun as the walk, with lots of things to smell, and windows to look in, and stairs to go up and down.

Today has already been a busy day. After breakfast, we took a walk in the neighborhood and I saw Talkie the kitty. She is named after the character Talkie Tudsberry from the Winds of War. She’s talks all the time and she walked with us for a little while. I cleaned her ears for her, I’m a good friend.

When I got home, I went out back and thoroughly examined the ground around the birdfeeder in case the doves knocked off anything good like sunflower seeds or peanuts. Nora and I played tag in the yard, and I chewed up a pinecone while I watched mom trim back those crazy roses. Nora kept coming out and peeping at her, but she just kept trimming. I like the rosebush near the fence the best. I like to chew on it in the summer time. Drives my people crazy!

Day after Thanksgiving

It's the day after turkey day. After a walk around the community college this morning, we are back at home and I have finished my morning nap with my little sister Nora nearby. I had the pillow, she got the floor. Being the big sister has advantages. It is cold out and I love it!! I try to stay outside as much as I can, but the people keep making me come in so I can grace them with my presence. I will help the woman with her research paper by politely listening to her ideas, and then I will go back to sleep for a while. The husband is playing bass guitar, not bad. But them being home has kind of thrown off my schedule. Next week it will get back to normal--uninterrupted power napping!!