Good Times!

Our weather has been really nice this week (other than Mom complaining about allergies and itchy eyes and whatever.... *sigh*) so there has been much zooming around the yard, with and without tennis balls.

The youngsters, of course, run around like the crazy nutters that they are.

For the record (and as you will see later), Lucy-Fur didn't actually catch those tennis balls - but she's very good at picking them up off the ground!

Totally insane.

She even looks crazy when she takes a break!  We don't call her Crazy Daisy for nothing, you know!

Unlikely that she caught that one!

Speaking of catching tennis balls (or not catching them, as the case may be), I'd like to show you three different techniques for catching tennis balls.

First, there's me. I employ a classic style that actually involves catching the tennis ball (a concept that seems to be foreign to the youngsters).

It's really not that difficult.

Or possibly it is, because the youngsters haven't *quite* mastered this yet.

Seriously. I think she just closes her eyes and opens her mouth and hopes.  Oy.

I'm a little concerned that Lucy-Fur might be studying Daisy's "technique"...

Lucy, dear Lucy, please don't do that.  Seriously. Watch this instead.

I think she's getting the idea of keeping her eye on the ball, but she hasn't really got the idea of catching it.  (She might just not care.  Which would be okay.  If she just wants to bounce, that's okay, too.  I've known a blonde dog who was super bouncy and had very little interest in the catching elements of the process, so if Lucy-Fur follows in Abby's footsteps, that would be okay, too.)

She didn't catch it, but she's working on the bounce!

And, Lucy-Fur is learning to throw the ball for herself.  Not really learning to catch it, but she's getting really good at flipping it up in the air!

And she's got an excellent pounce!

And, she looks pretty cute prancing in the morning sun with a ball in her mouth, so there's that, too!

Yes, I've said it. Lucy is cute. I actually sort of like the wee beastie, as she generally distract Daisy from attackling me (not always...)

Seriously?!? This is why you have your own puppy, Daisy!

I don't even mind when she nudges in on my breakfast!  (And if that isn't a sign that I like Lucy-Fur, I don't know what is!)

I guess breakfast with a friend is okay...

To wrap up the week, I had my swimming/massage session.  So AWESOME!!!

"Hey, wait, I want that tennis ball!"

Watch me use those hind leggies to go get that tennis ball!

And execute turns in the pool!

Zoom zoom!

Resistance training!

Hi Angela!

And if you have any doubt about how much I love the swimming, well, kissey face-ing Angela should show you how much I love this!

Have a great week!

*kissey face*
-Saint Fiona the Patient, Crazy Daisy, and Lucy-Fur

A Few Photos

The weather has finally turned nice, and there was quite a bit of tennis ball action this weekend (although not so many photos, as Mom was busy trying to keep certain youngsters from chasing the rabbits/birds/voles/moose/skunks/whatever that are starting to show up with the nice weather).  There was also swimming!

As I have mentioned before, I am swimming each work to get exercise and to keep my back and hind leggies strong.  And I love it!

I didn't actually go in the pool on my own yet, but I'm getting closer to doing it!

 I started off with some regular swimming of laps.

But then I quickly progressed to swimming in circles - apparently that helps my hips and leggies. It was tiring, that's for sure!

But, I also got plenty of massage, and yes, I LOVE my massage time!

And there was some resistance swimming (Angela was holding on to me to make me use my hind leggies more).

And more swimming in circles!

Going round and round!

You know I'm relaxed and having fun when I'm trying to play kissey face with Angela during the massage!

And then Angela got all sneaky with making me swim in different directions to get the tennis balls.  (I *might* be a little bit tennis ball motivated!)

It was another great swimming session!

Mom also finally got around to Lucy's 10 month photo (barely within the +/- 7 day window).  I wanted to get in on the action, and Lucy didn't seem to mind.  (Good thing, since it is my couch!  But I actually sort of like the wee beastie - nowhere near as crazy as Daisy!)

If you can't read it, she's 56 lbs and 22 inches tall. And she loves tennis balls, too. Luckily we have lots of tennis balls!

And then there was the group photo.

Notice how Lucy is actually becoming better at posing than Daisy?

Daisy, however, can be a total suck-up (shocker, huh?)

Would you trust that face? (If so, did you vote for Richard Nixon? Heehee!)

And Lucy is really mastering that looking-cute-for-snacks (I have taught her well!).

Mom will get some tennis ball photos this week. She spent a big chunk of today putting up 'temporary' fencing so Daisy (and Lucy) can't dash up the hill in the backyard into the brush, and once that fencing is totally done (the aspens that went down last week are in the final stages of removal - once they are gone, Mom can finish the fencing) Mom will feel more comfortable letting Daisy off leash again.  So stay tuned for more photos!

*kissey face*
-Saint Fiona the Patient, Crazy Daisy, and Lucy-Fur

All Sorts of Excitement!

So.... Dad's mother and sister came in to town over the weekend to celebrate Mom's birthday and belatedly celebrate Dad's birthday.

Before my aunt and grandmother came into town, it was really warm, followed by snow.  So, before they arrived, we got in some snow zoomies!

And some snow portraits...

All dramatical!

And then it warmed up in time for the visit.  The first time I saw my aunt and grandmother was on the way to my 'aquassage' appointment at the Dog Dive (it's swimming and massage).

I was all excited to see my relatives, and I think they were all excited to see me!

Getting scratchies from my grandmother!

And then they watched me while I showed off my ability to get massaged! Heehee!

Oh yeah! I totally love this whole massage thing!

And, of course, I showed off my swimming prowess!

And more massage prowess!

There are lots more photos from the swimming but it's been a busy weekend, and Mom hasn't gone through all of them yet.

The next day, we all met up and went on walkies.

Lucy-Fur was TOTALLY enamored with her grandmother - even though Dad's sister was walking Lucy-Fur, all Lucy-Fur wanted to do was see her grandmother!

"Hi Granny!"

"I really want to see you!"

"Seriously, Granny! I can't keep my eyes off you!"

"Never mind who's walking me - I want to say hello to my grandmother!"

Total suck-up! Heehee!

After the walkies, Mom got some family photos.  While she was setting up the lights, she actually got a photo of herself, to test the lights. I gave Mom a profile view of me so she could test her depth-of-field settings!

An actual photo of Mom! Someone should frame this!

And then there were some family photos.  You'll notice who Lucy was hanging out with...

And, you can also see how well Daisy cooperated while I acted like the perfect model!

And then there was more candid time, including rare photos of Mom with us (and yet more photos of Lucy-Fur sucking up to her grandmother!)

There was a dinner or two in all of this (to which we were not invited) and Mom and Dad came home with the appropriate offerings of steak!

Dad's mother and sister left this morning, and the missed the worst part of a ginormous windstorm that came in and knocked down a couple of our trees... (The roof is fine, but those two trees will get turned into firewood...)

And now everything is back to normal....

Mom has a bunch more photos, but she was busy with our visitors, so there will be more later.  Have a great week!

*kissey face*
-Saint Fiona the Patient, Crazy Daisy, and Lucy-Fur