This and That

First, I would like to say that I have been swimming!!! Like feet off the bottom of the pond and actually swimming!!!! In all fairness, the first time it happened, Dad had thrown the ball out Just Far Enough that I couldn't reach it just by standing on my tippy-toes. I took the next step, my head sort of went under the water - and I could hear Mom wondering whether she was going to have to jump in after me.... thanks for your faith in me, Mom... - and then it dawned on me that they didn't call it 'doggy paddle' for no reason, and so I started paddling. Just. Like. That!

But, my assistant failed to bring the camera with us for my maiden voyage, and today? Today I went swimming again (and while my pesky little sister hasn't actually been swimming yet, she's been wading in deeper and deeper because she wants MY ball; the nerve! But I bet she'll be swimming soon, too!), and did Mom have the camera?

Well, do you see any pictures of me in a pond? Yeah. Um. Mom charged the batteries on the camera, and then left it on the kitchen counter. It is Really Tough to find good help. You'd think in this economy personal assistants would be a bit more, ah, detailed-oriented if they wanted to stay employed. I'm just saying... Maybe a reprimand letter in her Permanent File would get her more organized?

So, just take my word for it. I've been swimming, and Abby the Pest is wading deeper and deeper into the pond in an attempt to steal my tennis ball. My personal assistant PROMISES she will get pictures. Let's just say that she's not getting her next pay check until I see some swimming pictures.

But, enough of that. While I'm not quite Olympic Champion level yet, I'm liking this frolicking in the water thing. And since I am WAY more interested in my ball than other doggies, Mom and Dad have decided to let me (and Abby the Pest, since she is also WAY too interested in my ball to notice anything else) off the leash, so I am free to frolic. Pretty cool stuff! And if I had some pictures, you could see how totally cool it is. *ahem* And for the record, I am pretty good off-leash; there have been other doggies around, and while I have been known to go investigate, I come running right back to my ball (and Mom and Dad).

I don't know if I've mentioned it or not, but the pond is over 2 miles from where we park the Box on Wheels, so we get a good walk going out, then Abby and I have the chance to get all nice and wet and possibly a wee bit muddy, and then we've got the entire walk back to dry off and de-mudify, so by the time we get back to the Box on Wheels we are all dry and clean, and we have the double bonus of a long walk and water frolicking. I ask you, can life get any better? Other than having pictures of it all, that is. I thought not!

Since I have no swimming pictures (and consequently, no hiking pictures), I am forced to show you what is going on at the House of Fiona. Mom and Dad are getting ready to put a new roof on the house. Don't ask me why, other than that bits of it keep ending up on the lawn, and apparently this is a Bad Thing. I guess it also has something to do with the fact that we have a wood shake roof, and since we live in a relatively high fire-risk area, Mom and Dad would like something that is a wee bit less flammable. Or something.

Anyhoo, before the roof work starts in earnest, some work had to be done to our chimney, so Uncle Larry has been making all sorts of noises in the back yard, and on the roof.


Here is the naked chimney - there was something 'not right' with the top bricks, so they had to all be taken off, and the chimney rebuilt up.

Here is Uncle Larry stomping all over the roof and making Much Noise for us doggies who would rather be napping.

See how tough it is to get comfortable when Uncle Larry is making all sorts of noises on the roof?!?

And do you see all these noise makers? Eeesh.


Seriously, you have No Idea how noisy it has become! But, the chimney looks much less naked now.


Much less exciting than pictures of us frolicking in the water, huh?

On that note, I'll leave you with a slightly blurry picture of me and the Mutant Puppy going at it...

*kissey face*
-Fiona the Swimmer and Abby the Mutant Puppy