More Snow!

I'm beginning to feel like a broken record (or for those of you youngsters, a broken CD)... More. Snow. Gah!!! Do the weather gods have Any Idea how much this snow is interfering with my hiking schedule? And do they have Any Idea how crazy The Little Monster gets when she's not exercised regularly? Mom says that the weather is supposed to be Much Nicer tomorrow, and we're going to start exploring the 'multi-use trails' in Park City. I sure hope so, because Abby is a total cracker dog when she isn't walked like, 15 miles a day!

Oh, but before I show you some snow pictures (all taken today....*le sigh*), I want to assure everyone that I feel much better. I think I was just sick of Abby. Teehee. Mom was all set to take me to the VET on Saturday morning, but I woke up Saturday and was feeling fine. I'm not sure why I was all lethargic and not hungry and stuff, but when I woke up Saturday morning, I bounded out the back door and put The Little Monster in her place. Mom fed me, and I was all better, and everything was "back to normal" - if you know what I mean.... So Mom decided to 'keep an eye on me' and she was happy with what she saw, so I avoided the VET!

Go me!

Heehee. But speaking of the VET? Mom went to the House With Wheels the other day, and she took Abby, so that Dad and I could have a break from The Beast, and because the VET is like, right next door, Mom decided to stop by and weigh Abby. Now, keep in mind that I am a sleek, streamlined 50lbs. Abby? At 18 weeks, Abby was 37.5 lbs. Hello?!? She's going to be a MONSTER!!!!

*ahem*

But on to the snow pictures.

This was this morning. Mom took us outside, and then went back to bed!

Later, when we all woke up again, Abby and I went out and worked off a little excess energy. Here's Abby attempting to run like a Big Dog:

And then it was time to give her a reason to run! Heehee!


Heehee!

And here's the obligatory 'Wild Kingdom' photo...

Me, posing.
And The Little Monster trying to do snow zoomies with her short little leggies!

Stubby little puppy leggies! Heehee!

Anyhoo, I guess if we can't go hiking, racing around in the snow is good fun. (Although Mom is muttering uncharitable things about mud...)

And if any of you want snow, feel free to come visit - it is supposed to snow on and off all week....

*kissey face*
-Fiona

Back Home For Now

Finally, an update! I know, I know. I’m not going to harp on Mom’s “busy” status; I’m just going to have to accept that until I grow opposable thumbs, I’m going to have update according to Mom’s whims. *sigh* Anyhoo, we had to head back to Park City today (I’ll explain in a few), but just mentally insert several hikes (ones that pretty duplicated ones that I have already posted pictures of, and one that was short, and was along the Virgin River that had rapids and all sort of cool scenery, but for which Mom forgot the camera… *ahem*), a little bitey-face and me hiding under the chair to get away from The Little Monster.

Oh. Wait. I’ve got a couple of pictures of that last bit.


Okay then. Moving on. We came back up to Park City because Mom and Dad have a car race this weekend. One of the reasons for going to southern Utah in the first place was to pick up the House With Wheels from its warm winter home, so that we’d have a nice comfy place to hang out while Mom and Dad do their car racing thing. We were going to come back on Thursday, but the weather is calling for snow (or rain, depending on which weather forecast you read) the next couple of days, and Dad didn’t want to be driving in bad weather. So, we loaded up the House With Wheels and departed this morning.

While Abby and I have the entire HWW (House With Wheels) at our disposal (I should note that this is the HWW all folded in, for travel - Mom took this picture from the passenger front seat while we were driving - as you know, we have TONS of room when it is parked and all opened up!),

We choose to hang out up front with Mom and Dad because that’s where all the interesting stuff happens…

We can keep an eye on Dad’s driving.

And we can play two-headed hydra.

And we can see how closely we can squash in to nap.

And I can keep a close paw on Abby, when needed.

In all fairness, the little rat slept 99.9% of the trip. Which meant that she was taking my usual sleeping space. Which meant that I had to find someplace else to hang out.

Heehee!

Anyhoo, we are all back safe and sound and back in the House Without Wheels. Mom is going to get the House With Wheels cleaned up so it is ready for the car racing this weekend. If the weather is better than predicted, Mom and Dad have promised to take us on long walks. And if the weather doesn’t cooperate, I’m guessing Abby and I will be running around the in yard, getting Super Muddy Feet!

I’ll keep you posted!

*kissey face*
-Fiona

PeeEss: I have been really bad in following bloggies as of late; I'd like to promise that I'll do better, but I have to accept that Mom is a slacker in helping me. I'll do my best to keep up with everyone, but don't take it personally if I don't get to you for a few days at a time.

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

Updates, and School and Stuff

First, Mom wants to let everyone know that TaiChi actually ate real food today. Mom roasted a chicken for dinner, and TaiChi mooched chicken off Dad and Mom. (And Mom's tough. Dad's a softie when it comes to getting parts of his dinner, but Mom's a bit of a hard-ass when it comes to feeding us off her plate. But even Mom fed TaiChi, and she snarfed it right up.) Needless to say, Mom and Dad are both thrilled. Not wanting to upset her stomach, Mom's going easy, she'll give TaiChi more real food tomorrow once she's certain that TaiChi's stomach is okay. Mom will keep supplementing TaiChi's diet with the Nutri-Cal because TaiChi can use all the calories she can get, but for now, Mom and Dad are thrilled that The Little Old Lady is interested in food again. She's also up and moving around a little bit more (hey, it's all relative), which is cool.

Next. Yesterday was The Little Monster's first Puppy Class. I am not sure why Abby is going school to learn to be a puppy, because it seems to me that Abby already has the puppy thing down, but what do I know? I mean, I didn't get to go to Puppy School.... I learned the old fashioned way...

Here's me. I totally had the puppy thing down at an early age!

And then here's the Little Monster, who clearly needs to learn how to be a puppy.

Mom says she sees a family resemblance, but not me. I don't see it At All. Nope. Not at all!

*ahem*

Anyhoo, Abby's first day of Puppy Class was Saturday, and Mom was kind of bummed that Abby was the only puppy there. However, I guess they have other puppy classes, and they will set up a group "play date" once a week so Abby can get socialized. Mom is threatening to bring me to this, as well. Just because I'm a wee bit anti-social, she's going to inflict a mess of puppies on me?!? I don't know about this...

Sorry, kiddo, but you need to learn how to be around other dogs. Oh, and if you didn't know, you are starting obedience classes tomorrow. Because not only are you anti-social, but you lack some, ah, basic skills.

MOM! You are kidding, right?!?

Nope. Buck up. You are both going to school. Time for you both to become edjumacated!

Hmm. I'm not so sure about this. But I guess I'll keep you posted. School. Me. Hmphh.

And double hmphh. But... When Abby came home from Puppy School, Mom brought home some new treats, so maybe I could live with the school thing if it means more treats for me.... The classes are through PetCo, so, of course, it's awfully easy to pick up more treats/toys after class....

Okay, since this school thing now has me all worried, I'm going to have to console myself with playing tug-of-war with The Little Monster.


Heehee. I may be a goofball, but I'll still bigger than she is!

And finally, a comfortably resting TaiChi. Notice how she has "borrowed" one of our toys as a pillow. She is clearly still In Charge. :-)

*kissey face*
-Fiona

My New 'Do, or Yes, Sir, I'm Ready To Enlist In the Marines, Sir

Yesterday was my haircut. My old groomers (who had this very handsome white standard poodle named Basil) have vanished, and Mom was forced to take me to this place called 'Doginhaus'. Uh-huh. Even Mom was skeptical. But I was in desperate need of a haircut. I was so woolly that Mom and Dad would have to open the windows so I wouldn't overheat.

Here is my before picture:

I am Most Woolly here. Not quite as long haired as my buddy Clive but Very Woolly for me.

Anyway, Mom wasn't super impressed with the groomers; she told them she wanted me to have a "poodle sport cut", and they said, "what's that", which concerned Mom a bit, and then the woman couldn't believe that I wanted a clean face like a poodle, and thought that Mom didn't know what she was asking for. Which frustrated Mom a bit. But since I was in desperate need for a haircut (not only was I Very Woolly, but I was quite matted from the snow, and my matted ears were making the perfect chew toy for my darling little sister) and Mom figured that unless they cut me or did something heinous like that, it would be tough to screw up my hair too badly, she decided to go through with it. Figuring that anything will grow out over time. Thanks, Mom. I think.

As I mentioned, my hair was really matted from the snow, so they ended up shearing me like a lamb. And frankly, it didn't turn out too bad. Although Dad says I got a full-body "high and tight"... I like it because you can see my beautiful snooter, my liquid brown eyes, and my long leggies!



However, having short ears doesn't seem to have made them any less of a target for the Little Beast.

There is a plus to my new look, however. I am much more streamlined for snow zoomies.


If you can't tell, it has been snowing all day, so The Little Monster Abby and I have been forced to amuse ourselves.

Heh. Do we look like sisters to you?

Yeah, I didn't think so either.

Hopefully with this snowy weather, Mom can help me get caught up on bloggies; The Monster has been sucking up all the time that Mom and I usually spend reading bloggies. (Or she'll start to attack me just as Mom and I are settling in for some good bloggie time. Youngsters these days!)

Anyhoo, while Mom didn't like the attitude of the woman who cut my hair, and won't take TaiChi there (when the woman said that nicking warts on old poodles like TaiChi "just happens", Mom decided that TaiChi would be going elsewhere), I like my streamlined look. And Mom and Dad are happy that I'm not tracking as much snow into the bed!

Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow to all you lovebirds!

*kissey face*
-Fiona