Wordless Wednesday, Part Deux, sort of

It's only 'sort of' because it's not wordless. See, today, TaiChi and Abby had hair appointments (me? I'm still pretty short from my experience at the grooming salon that had never seen a poodle or poodle mix before), and Mom was planning on doing a wordless "before and after" photo session. But, well, there were a few spanners thrown in the works. First, it has been snowing All Day, and so getting before and after pictures has been a bit of a challenge. And then Abby's hair appointment isn't 100% finished. Her little puppy brain was about ready to explode before they got to her face, so while she is groomed from the neck down, her face is still long and hairy. (I know that some people like that look, but Mom and Dad wanted Abby to have a clean face, so they could see what they were getting under that fluffy puppy suit of hers.) Abby has got to go back tomorrow to be "finished". And. Well, TaiChi is not sure that she's ready for photos yet, as she's buried under blankets. She's been going bald for a while, and where she wasn't bald she was fairly matted. So.... Her hair cut pretty much consisted of shaving her bald (Mom hopes that she'll grow some hair back), and since it has been snowing all day, it's pretty cold, and even with a sweater on, TaiChi gets cold pretty easily (because she's basically skin and bones). Hence the being buried under blankets since she got home.

Soo.... You'll have to wait for some photos of their new looks.

However, as I mentioned earlier, it has been dumping snow All Day. Which means that there is an open invitation for all of you snow lovers - come visit and get your snow fix; it is supposed to snow through Friday morning. And for those of you who don't like snow? Be happy you don't live here! ;-)

Actually in that photo you can kind of see Abby's new 'do.

Deep-snow zoomies.



Of course, for Abby, the snow is much deeper...

Happy winter, spring!

*kissey face*
-Fiona, the Queen of the Snow Zoomies

Wordless Wednesday, Part 1

Yes, these were taken today. Happy spring in the mountains! :-)

*kissey face*
-Fiona

Of Turkey Hotdogs and Cars and Things

Yay! Finally another update! If Mom weren’t so busy, I’d get at the computer more, but, I guess I should be happy that she doesn’t just sit around and watch Law and Order re-runs all day. Oh wait. Sometimes she does do that! Teehee! Kidding, Mom!

I think when I last got to the computer, Mom and Dad had just finished their first autocross of the season, but Mom hadn’t brought the camera, so she didn’t get any pictures. Now, they have finished their second autocross, and Mom and Dad both got some pictures.

But before I get to the last autocross (which I didn’t get to go to again because the House With Wheels is still down south), hmmm. I’m not sure if I did anything too exciting. Mom and Dad have been taking me and the Little Monster (Little Monster and me? And I? Since I didn’t go to Puppy Class, I never learned these things…) on lots of walks – it is good for Dad to get up and moving around a bit, so we generally get to go on two walks a day, which is pretty cool. And Mom and Dad have decided to start walking us together (we were walking with Mom about 20 yards behind Dad so Abby didn’t get distracted, but now we walk together and it’s me who gets distracted by Abby…), and that’s fun. Mom hasn’t taken any pictures of the walks, though, because she’s too busy making sure Abby “pays attention”. I’m not sure what this “paying attention” thing means, but I’m sure it’s something that puppies must do.

Since we have no walkie pictures, I'll give you a gratuitous tug-of-war picture...


So, on to the autocross. Even though I didn’t go, Mom told me all about it, and so I can relay all the excitement. For those of you who don’t know what autocross is, it is like Agilities for Humans in Cars; they set up a bunch of cones in a parking lot or airport tarmac, or anyplace that has a lot of open paved space, and they try to get their cars through the pattern of cones (which varies for every event) as fast as possible without hitting cones; every cone is a two second penalty. Mom hits a lot of cones, but apparently has fun anyway.

Uncle Charlie and family brought down the Big Yellow Car so all Mom and Dad had to do was show up. Here’s the car when it was all nice and clean (and before Mom it a bunch of cones with it!)


And Mom was very happy when she saw these two cars parked near them (because there is a tiny part of Mom’s heart that wants a “muscle car” – even though she LOVES the Big Yellow Car, and she knows it has more horsepower, and it out-performs either of these ‘tanks’ and she even likes the way is goes “vroom”, but she says there is “just something” – I think it’s a kink in her DNA…)


The course way very challenging; they raced at a place called the “E Center” don’t ask me why which has a pretty hilly surface for a parking lot and is very slippery. Which meant that Mom (and Aunt Linda) spent a lot of time going sideways in the car. Or, in Mom’s case, spinning it. Twice. In Mom’s defense, so did Aunt Linda… Mom also hit A LOT of cones; 7 on one run, I’m told. Which is like a world record, I think!

Here's Mom trying to keep the car going straight...

Here's Mom in the start line; this is one of her favorite pictures just because of the angle of the car.

And here's Dad:


When it was all said and done, Mom said she had a lot of fun, even if she didn’t go as fast as she would have liked, and she hit more cones that she wanted to; she said she ‘learned stuff’ which is good, I think. Maybe one day she’ll learn to not spin the car…. Heehee.

And while Mom and Dad were gone all day, Jessi, (who Mom calls The Greatest Dog Trainer Ever – me? I call her the Greatest Human Trainer Ever, as she taught Mom to feed us turkey hotdogs!) came by the house three times, and took us outside and played with us, and took care of TaiChi, and Abby.

Oh. Yeah. Abby has a bladder infection – very late Saturday night, when Mom was trying to sleep for the autocross, Abby got up and peed. And then got Mom up an hour later, and an hour after that, and on and one. When Mom got up the second time, she caught on, and gave Abby some of TaiChi’s antibiotics. Because Mom started Abby on antibiotics, and because a bladder infection isn’t life-threatening, and because it was a Sunday, Mom figured that it wasn’t urgent enough to take Abby to emergency care. Jessi, along with her Amazing Hotdog Skills, is also a holistic dog healer, and gave Mom some advice as to how to help Abby feel better along with the antibiotics. As an update, Mom took Abby to the vet today and got her on some other antibiotics (because Abby is now a whopping 28 lbs, where TaiChi is 11 lbs (maybe) and TaiChi’s aren’t strong enough). She should be feeling much better in a couple of days. In the meantime, she’s loving the peanut butter that “hides” her pills. Who knew cranberry extract came in a pill? Anyhoo, the Little Monster is doing better.

So while it would have been fun to be with Mom and Dad at the autocross, the next best thing was having Jessi come by. Can anyone say “turkey hotdogs”? Heehee.

And speaking of Jessi. Today was another turkey hotdog receiving day dog class. Mom says this might be the last one for a little while, as she would like to get to southern Utah so we can pick up the House With Wheels, and maybe spend a little time down there while it is mud season up here. However, Mom says that we will DEFINITELY be going back to PetCo for more classes because 1) I need to be “socialized” (um… does that mean I have to move to Canada?), 2) Mom thinks that there is a lot more for us to learn, 3) she thinks Jessi is just the best trainer in the world, and 4) Mom needs to keep practicing her turkey hotdog delivery technique.

But…. Here are a couple of pictures of today’s class.

Here's Abby, totally sucking up to Jessi. Mango, you were right about these little puppies being suck-ups. *sheesh*

This one is out of focus, because we were all moving so fast, but it pretty much shows how things went in play time...

Although Bella (the other dog in the class) wasn't a complete pushover...

School's out!!!


*whew* Long post. I guess that’s what happens when Mom doesn’t let me at the computer for a while!

*kissey face*
-Fiona

PeeEss: Now I'll try to catch up on everyone's bloggies; forgive me if it takes a while!

I'm ba-ack....

Yeah, I know, I've been AWOL for a while. Blame Mom Nature and my complete lack of opposable thumbs. And plain old Mom. Because she's been "busy" and unable to help me type.

First, Mom and Dad had the first car race of the season last Saturday, and we didn't get to go!!! I mean, just because the House with Wheels is still down south, and we'd have had no place to hang out, and there wasn't any place at the venue to park it, is that any excuse not to bring us? Oh, I guess it is. Nevermind. Apparently Mom and Dad had a lot of fun; they drove the Big Yellow Car, and I guess after Mom drove, Dad was a little nervous that he might not be able to beat Mom! (He did end up beating her by a fair amount, but it sounds like Mom drove pretty well, and is very happy that she made Dad nervous, if only for a little while!)

Big Yellow Car at tech; Mom didn't get any action shots. Something about either driving or working. Sounds like a lame excuse to me!

We all stayed home; I got to be Free Range, because I'm Responsible, while Abby was in her crate, because she "can't be trusted" and TaiChi was in her crate because she tends to wander and get stuck in corners if she is left to roam free. We weren't stuck alone all day, though. Mom had arranged for Jessi, the lady who is teaching Mom to feed us turkey hotdogs, to come by a couple of times and let us out and play and feed us and let us drink and pee and stuff. And that was really good. Except that Abby was still mad at Mom and Dad for leaving her alone most of the day, so when Mom and Dad got home, Abby peed on the bed! Way to show 'em, Abby! Heehee!

*ahem*

After the car race, Mom was focused on getting the two of them ready for a big ski race. And yes, they were going to leave us! I know that Jessi would have fed us lots of turkey hotdogs because she was going to stay with us, but still... But Sunday, Dad got hit by a snowboarder, and got hurt enough that he's not going to be able to ski race. He's not hurt super bad, but enough that he can't ski race for a while. And while I'm sorry that Dad got hurt and that he won't have a chance to ski race, I'm very happy that Mom and Dad aren't going anywhere. So are Abby and TaiChi; we'd all much rather have Mom and Dad home!

Mom says that they have another car race (where she'll actually try to get some pictures), and then we are all going to go down south to get the House With Wheels. Yay! Back to the House With Wheels!!! And then we'll be able to go to all the car races with them!!! Mom says that we might be able to spend some time in southern Utah, which means lots of hiking and trips into Zion Nat'l Park (on the ONE trail I can go on), and trips to Wal-Mart to look at the polygamists (or shop, or something).

In the meantime, we got a teeny bit of new snow that we wanted to enjoy before it melts.

Heehee! Lookitme in the corner; I'm over-exposed!

Obligatory cute puppy picture. If you're into that sort of thing.

The little monster is getting bolder. And bigger!

Heehee. Chasing the little monster around the yard!

We've also been doing a bit of bitey face.

And a certain someone has decided that my ear is on her menu...

*sigh*

Oh. And one other thing.... Mom has decided that it is "better" for me (me?!?) for Abby to be in my dog class, so instead of Abby getting her private puppy lessons, she's in the class with me and this other dog named Bella. Mom's going to try to get pictures next week.

*kissey face*
-Fiona

Me Thinks Something is Rotten, and I Don't Think It Is The Trash (for once)

I must act fast, or I shall find that I have become Mango. No, not in a relentlessly huge, goobery, languorous, torpid, but magnificently so sort of way, but in a my-bloggie-is-being-taken-over-by-my-younger-sibling sort of way. Yesterday’s post? Who let the little rat near the computer? Not me, I tell you. Sure, when she gets old enough to have something worth saying, I might give her the opportunity to dip her unnaturally large toe in the water, but until then, nope. Look at poor Mango; master of his domain, until he put forth enormous effort to make the 2010 MangoMinster the raging success that it was, and he comes back to discover that his little brother has usurped his bloggie, and he’s stuck with unflattering picture of himself being posted, and has to suffer the indignity of the name of his bloggie being changed to "Mango and Dexter's Great Adventures". Poor guy! . This borders on the level of political upheaval in a banana republic (and I’m not talking about a store full of over-priced clothes for people who want to look like they have slightly more money that then people who shop at The Gap).

And I, for one, will not stand for it in Fionaland. Okay, technically it is TaiChiLand, but she has relinquished most of her power and public appearances in order than she may seek a More Perfect Nap. When it comes down to it, though, she still makes the important decisions, the red telephone rings directly through to her, and it is her voice alone that allows access to the nuclear arsenal launch codes.

*Betcha you didn’t think we had a nuclear arsenal, did you? Yeah well, this is Utah, and you can own pretty much any weapon in production, as long as you don’t point it directly at your neighbor’s living room window.*

*ahem*

I will quash any uprisings with impunity.


I’m just saying.


And Farley? I love you dearly, but your stated affections for the Little Monster my dear sister border on treason. I’m just saying. ;-) I know that it is easy to get suckered in by those Cute Puppy Pictures, but trust me, underneath that fuzzy exterior beats the heart of a monster. So don’t let down your guard!

Gah. Someone seems to keep hacking into my site and posting pictures of the Demon Spawn.

Besides, the Little Beast can’t even get up on the bed on her own without a child step.


And she hides under the bed to get away from the Jaws of Doom. Hee-hee.

Until she can get up on the bed by herself, and she out-weighs me, she won’t have anything to say. Trust me.

Even if I have to sit on her. Because we in Fionaland do not believe in "freedom of the press" (unless it is my freedom to press Abby into the mud/snowbank)....


And now that I have made that clear, we’ll return to our regularly scheduled blogging. Stay tuned!

*kissey face*

-Fiona, Supreme Dictator of Fionaland for Life

Wordless Wednesday

*neeneer-neener*
-Abby

Sun Tzu and the Art of Bitey-Face, Part 1

Before I entered my formal edjumacation at Petco U., I was home schooled. Which, among other things, included a lot of hours spent watching the History Channel while Mom and Dad were off bye-sickle-ing and car racing and doing whatever else it is that they do. The History Channel is great because you can learn all sorts of cool historical stuff, like how to build your own trebuchet and why Howard Carter is responsible for most of the Mummy movies . But I also learned about 'The Art of War' that this Chinese guy named Sun Tzu wrote about a million years ago (which would be about the time TaiChi was entering middle age). Very clever guy, this guy Sun. (Or is it Tzu? I get confused that way.)

Anyhoo, with the arrival of the Puppy Monster, I have decided that I should return to my studies of military tactics, and will be presenting to you, over time, my interpretation of Sun Tzu's work. I call it "The Art of Bitey-Face".

1: Other conditions being equal, if one force is hurled against another ten times its size, the result will be the flight of the former.

2:The skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy.


3:Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.


4: Reduce the hostile chiefs by inflicting damage on them; and make trouble for them, and keep them constantly engaged;

The 5th and Final Lesson of the Day: All armies prefer high ground to low.


I have to go back and study the book a bit more, because I know that he has a big section on maneuvering, but I can't remember what he has to say about levitation...


Thus concludes today's lesson on the Art of Bitey-Face.

*kissey face*
-Fiona

Uh-oh.

Maybe I should re-think that bitey-butt move.

Mom took Abby to the vet yesterday for her 12-week whatever-it-is-that-they-do thingy, and The Little Monster weighs 20 lbs!!! For reference, at my 12-week whatever, I was an ethereal 14 lbs. Um. If my math is right, that means that she is something like 40% bigger than me at the same age. If she continue on this trend, she'll be 70 lbs, to my petite 50 lbs.

Ulp.

Maybe she'll be a big lumbering 70lbs and I can out maneuver her. Or she'll stop growing next week. Or something.

The question is: do I beat up on her now, while I still have the advantage and take my licks later, or do I start playing nice now so that Rodan (as I envision Abby becoming) will take it easy on me? Decisions, decisions....

I mean, it is kind of fine bitey-ing the little monster. Maybe I'll just take my chances...


Besides, when the post person show up with pictures like these ones below, I am thinking that I should be allowed to bitey the "little angel" as often as I can. I mean, Oh Puh-Leeese! She is nowhere near as innocent in person as she is in these pictures.

(The pictures are hard copies and Mom tried to take digital pictures of them so she could post them, so they don't look quite as clear here as they do in person...)

*gag*

*kissey face*
-Fiona (the undersized?!? Arrrrgh!)

Awards and Cool Pressies!

As you may recall, TaiChi and I got a box from Mango a while back, and Mom FINALLY helped us open it.


And guess what?!? It was our awards from MangoMinster!!!!

*gah* I've tried loading this picture 3 times, and it is still sideways.. Oh well, you get the idea!

Here is the backsides of them:
How TOTALLY COOL!!!!

We are SO EXCITED!!! Mom and Dad have all these skiing and car racing trophies and medals and stuff, and we are so excited to have our very own medals!!!! These are Super Heavy Duty medals, too!!! We honestly didn't expect anything like this! (And I'm using a lot of exclamation points, because we really are super excited!)

So, of course, we had to model them. TaiChi, in keeping with her Bad Sport self, didn't see the need to actually wake up for the photo shoot.

So I offered to model them both. Because I make a good model, if I say so myself!

We haven't figured out a permanent place for them (although I think I'm going to try to hit Grandpa up to make a 'shadow box' frame for them. *hint*hint*), but at the moment, we felt that Mr. Bufus should have the honors.

Mango also sent us some MangoMinster magnets, but Mom didn't get a picture of them. We also a cool bag (I'm telling ya', this was a great box of goodies!) with some Most Excellent chewies and a toy. Mom managed to get a picture of the bag and toy before Abby stole the toy...

As for the chewies, we might have "tested" a few of the treats before Mom could get a picture.... (Now Mom wants to find more of them, since we gave them the 12 Paws Up stamp of approval - even though TaiChi didn't eat one, she still approved because we were too busy munching to accidentally jump on her!)

*ahem* (But they were tasty!)

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mango for the Most Excellent Award Box of Goodies!!!! This has been a great week, pressie-wise!

Speaking of awards, all three of us got and award from the Most Excellent Vizsla Dog, Dennis:

Too cool! Thanks very much, Dennis! If I understand this correctly, I'm supposed to give this to 15 people. Wow. 15. Hmmm. Totally at random (because I love all my friends) are 15 people: 1) Doby and Lola, 2) MollieJo and Bobo, 3) Farley 4) Twix (of the Most Excellent Paw-It-Forward packages!) , 5) The Schnoodles , 6) Sierra Rose , 7) Stacey Mae , 8) McGillicutty 9) The TN Bull 'Terrors' (heehee) 10) Benny and Lilly , 11) Lorenza (who is the Best Dresser I know!) , 12) Ginger Jasper (because I love kittehs, too!) 13) Abby (even though she shares a name with The Little Monster my dear sister) 14) Brutus (as an aside, Mom and Dad saw some Brutus look-alikes walking in the snow today and couldn't stop laughing) 15) Luna (whose Mom seems to spend almost as much time on Facebook as my Mom does... if that is possible)

*whew* That's a lot of people. Thanks for the award, Dennis, but next time could you give one that requires less people to pass it along to? Thanks! :-)

And on a final note, thanks for all the words of support regarding The Little Monster. I would like you to know, however, that I had the final word. (For now.)

*heehee*

*kissey face*
-Fiona