they want you to think they're sleeping
Ha! Do you know what they're reeeeally doing? These 2 innocent-looking goobers (Scout and George, formally*) are actually very busy shedding - with every. fiber. of. their. being. To make sure no surface goes unhaired. And as one of the vacuumers around here, I can vouch for what a spectacular job they're doing! I filled up an entire vacuum bag in one go-around yesterday! Ack!!
They have been banned from the sewing room. Especially that fella on the bottom - his hair loss exceeds all measures of anything remotely normal (as does his personality). What they lack in hair retention they make up for in sweetness, loyalty, companionship, silliness, cuteness and goodness - so we'll keep them around!
*Informally, they are known as MANY other things. Current fave for Scout is La Diabla, and for George, (he'd rather I didn't say).
An early morning hike doesn't get much better than this: gorgeous blue sky (my husband's favorite color), crisp, cold air, two dogs running, busy birds chirping, and the 3 musketeers bounding along a lakeside path. We've been doing Sunday morning hikes for about 5 years now - pretty much our version of church. We've never found ourselves more centered, more uplifted or more enlightened than after a walk in Mother Nature's woods. Truly, our hearts and souls are overflowing with a very conscious and contagious joy. Anyone can read from a book on a pulpit, but the awesome beauty and simple complexities of a forest burgeoning with life will re-align your sense of good and righteousness more than any word on a page. Give it a try. Let yourself be humbled by the wonder of it all, and let me know how clear-headed and energetic you feel afterward!
While making breakfast one day last week, I heard the Peanut Man and George romping and wrestling in the dining room. Then I hear nothing but the Peanut Man laughing hysterically, to the point where he's barely taking a breath. And that makes me laugh, even tho I have no clue what's taken place in the next room. He's yelling, "Mom, mom, you have to see this! [laughing, breath, laughing, tears streaming] George looks just like Princess Leia!" [more laughter, less breathing] So I go check it out, and sure enough the big galoot is sporting 2 flipped-inside-out ears that bear a striking resemblance to the good princess. Better still, he's just sitting there looking at us, waiting in a wired-up but confused state, wondering what the big whoop is, "Nothing to see here folks, let's get a move on, grab a toy, c'mon now, we're still playin'!" As we're making up what he's thinking, he gets up and starts tearing around the house at 50 mph, no brakes...and the harder we laugh, the faster he goes! A look-alike contest gone haywire for sure!!
We were going out for a walk last night, and I thought I'd snap a few pics for our Christmas card before we set-off. Both dogs were told to sit and stay - Scout (on the right - a rescued pooch from WV) will not move a muscle until she is released, ever. She's unbelievably obedient! George (goober on left) just turned 1 in October. He's a rescued pooch from NC, and this is his first real snow (if you can call it that). He was having no parts of sitting and staying - he's very wiggly and lanky and wormy - and strong! He was desperate to bound through the snow - he just kept pulling and snaking backwards to get away. My batteries were dying, and I was a little "excited" as I was telling my son to get him to sit, he kept yelling, "It's okay, Mom! Just take the picture....It'll be fine, Mom! Really, it'll be fine." In that instant, I realized, "He's absolutely, positively right!!" And it's just that sort of wisdom (at 10 yrs old!) that shines through now and again and levels a situation like nothing else can. I'll keep that nugget in my pocket as I stumble through this busy season...it'll be fine! (And I really like this pic b/c that's real life, take it or leave it.) Thanks JD.
