Christmas Morning

We had a joyous Christmas morning. 

The boys: Finny (our granddog), Andy and Roy woke up first and had a short walk.  Then we awakened the rest of the family and gathered around the fireplace to open stockings. The boys opened their stockings first with lots of treats and goodies.  Then we adults opened ours and went on to our presents from Santa.  The boys watched patiently hoping that they would get some more goodies from our presents.  We had a wonderful Christmas morning that went on into the afternoon.  Then we had a huge Christmas breakfast and all fell asleep around the fire.  I hope all of you who read my blog had a very Merry Christmas too!

Our "Charlie Brown" Christmas Tree

Merry Christmas!

Our tree is all decorated and I am afraid we couldn't hide its many flaws even with a poinsettia trying to cover up the big hole in the center.  But, alas, it has much personality!

Our "

Helping Dad trim the tree.

Dad is getting lots of help with the tree......

Getting our Christmas Tree

For years when our children were little we grew our own Christmas trees.  After a while the trees all got too big or we had already cut them.  This year, we found a real "Charlie Brown" white pine in our yard to decorate.  It is crooked and slightly spindly, but it is ours.  the boys helped pick it out and then helped Dad trim it for the stand.

Apartment in New York City

Three fluffs floofing on the floof chair with Aunt Floof!

Thanksgiving feast

All four of us (my husband and I + Andy and Roy) traveled to New York to celebrate Thanksgiving with our daughters and two of their friends. We enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving feast set on a beautiful table in front of a cheerful and warming fire. Our hosts treated us like royalty and waited on us hand and foot. We could get used to such luxury! The boys loved the beautiful home and big yard and pond to run free.

After dinner in front of the fire.

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

This time next week we will all be GETTING READY to enjoy our Thanksgiving feast, ALREADY have enjoyed it and suffering from the consequences, or LOOKING FORWARD to it.
My family has so very much to give thanks for: good health, good homes with warmth and cheerfulness, and family and friends you want to share it all with. We will be traveling to New York to be with our girls and their friends. The boys, of course, would not be left at home since they are family too! We wish for all of you who follow my blog a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Let us all give thanks; for most of us are truly blessed. (Incidentally, that is a "turkey" on Andy's head.)

Confused azalea

We are in the midst of a severe drought in Georgia. Our azaleas and rhododendrons have suffered, some beyond saving. This poor azalea is all confused.....it is November and it is blooming! Pray for rain.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is fast approaching! The boys are far too dignified to be dressed up in a costume, so I used someone else's picture of their Shelties all decked out for the occasion. The boys rejoiced that I didn't try to humiliate them.

Happy Fall!

In Georgia we have been suffering from a long drought. If we don't get some rain soon, we will be going on water rationing. Not only has it been dry, but it looked like summer would just not leave graciously. FALL has finally arrived! We are enjoying dry, but much cooler weather. It is time to bring out the sweaters and sleep under a comforter at night. The boys are full of energy and play since Fall temperatures have arrived. We look forward to celebrating Halloween. The boys haven't decided what to dress up like yet, but I know they don't like wearing hats! (see birthday picture)

Apples

Yesterday we left Andy and Roy at home by themselves and traveled to the north Georgia mountains to buy apples and stone ground grits. The grits are called "Georgia Ice Cream." You can see one of the bags behind Roy on the right. Then we went on to buy apples! We bought 2 bushels of various varieties, so we will have plenty to eat fresh and plenty to cook. I have an apple pie in the oven as we speak! : > ) I make apple pies, apple cobbler, baked apples, fried apples, etc. Grits are Phil's speciality. He cooks them every Sunday morning. Andy and Roy like grits too. They always get a spoon full.

Daily walk

Andy and Roy and I take a 2 mile walk first thing every morning. I bought them a double leash so they can walk in sync with each other. Andy, being the dominant pup always walks on the outside with Roy next to me. This way, Andy can pull off to the side when he wants to. Roy has to push Andy aside if he wants to go off to the side to poop or pee.

Ladie's Brunch

Today the boys and I entertained some women clergy in this area. We used all our "beautiful things"' for fun. The boys behaved and enjoyed the company while we enjoyed Brunch together.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Andy and Roy!

The boys are 2 years old August 31st. We celebrated early since Mom is going to be out of town. The boys got canned food for breakfast, some new toys, and will have home made ice cream later as they finish off their canned food. They were none too happy about getting their pictures taken with their party hats, though.

Bed and Breakfast

The boys entertained overnight guests again. We love having folks spend the night on their way to "wherever." My seminary friend, Liz and her husband, stopped by again, but brought their two friends Bob and Dee with them. Andy particularly took to Bob. We figured he smelled like a dog (ha, ha!) Herb made the wooden lawn ornaments and napkin holder and gave them to us as gifts.

Morning Treat

Every morning before our breakfast, Phil gives the boys a spoon full of his cooked cereal plus a nut. In this picture you can see the boys waiting expectantly for their treat.

Children's Sermon

This past Sunday I used the boys as the object of my Children's Sermon. I printed out the first page of this blog and told the children all about Andy and Roy. I told them how Andy is highly intelligent and loves to fetch his toys by name, but Roy is not in the least interested in intellectual pursuits. Roy just wants to fetch, forget what the name is! On the other hand, Andy gets bored with just fetching a toy over and over again whereas Roy would do it all day. "Should I make Roy learn the names of the toys or make Andy fetch things a long time?" I asked the children. We decided that each pup/person has his or her own gifts and should not be made to be other than what he or she is. We should, instead, celebrate the gifts that we each uniquely have. I don't know if the children got the point, but they enjoyed looking at the blog and I enjoyed bragging about my boys.

Happy Birthday, Sis

Our eldest daughter was visiting from NYC, so we celebrated her birthday while she was here. The boys helped her open her gift. They didn't get any cake since it was chocolate and pups can't eat chocolate. They did get lots of rubbing and cuddles though.

Happy Birthday, Sis

No privacy (actual picture taken in bathroom)

Every time I go to the bathroom, I have two heads peering in to "help." Privacy is no longer a luxury we can enjoy in this house as long as the boys are around. Today I actually made the trip alone while the boys were playing outside.

Happy Fourth of July

July 4th we celebrate our Independence. We should also give thanks for all of those who have given their talents, gifts, and even their lives to enable us to be a free people. Our family, including "the boys" will have our traditional home-made ice cream to celebrate. The boys LOVE ice cream, but they have yet to experience my home-made fare. We will also follow tradition and watch the musical "1776" which recounts the story of the writing and signing of the Declaration of Independence. I wish all of you who follow my blog a very Happy 4th! Those in my international audience, I encourage you to rent "1776" and enjoy a musical version of our history.

Weighin In

One of the boys had gained some weight the last time they were checked, so we gathered them up for a trip to the Vet to be weighed. I won't say which one was guilty, but we try to keep them at their peak weight for their bones and general health. The guilty party had gained weight instead of losing. Phil measures out their rations, so we must watch their treats more carefully. The non-guilty party has stayed the same weight. Notice the boy's car seats and seat harness that hooks into the seat belt. When our children were small, we made them ride in car seats and then seat belts. Our 4-legged children deserve no less.

Happy Father's Day!

The boys asked me to make their Dad a Lemon Meringue pie (one of his favorites) for Father's Day. They made him a card that read "Happy Father's Day Honorary Pup.......Love Andy and Roy" and they signed it with their paw prints. They didn't get to taste any of the pie since Mom thought all that sugar would not be good for them, but they enjoyed watching Dad appreciate his piece.

Playtime

The boys have a box full of toys and their Dad plays with them every night after supper. They particularly like to fetch "cookie monster" which is what we call the blue blob-like creature with three limbs. They can get a little jealous, so Dad has to hold one boy while he plays with the other and take turns. It is a little like kindergarten, where children must learn to share their toys and take turns. I think Dad enjoys playtime as much as the boys.

Liz and Herb's visit

One of the nice things about retirement is the time to visit with friends from time past. One of my school friends from the 60's, Liz, stopped by with her husband, Herb on their way to a family reunion in Virginia. The boys fell in love with Liz and got nice back rubs and lots of loving. It was fun to catch up with news of mutual friends and renew the ties of friendship which have lasted through the years.

My Grand-dog

I just got back from my trip to NYC to visit the girls and grand-dog, Finny. The girls threw a huge Memorial Day party Monday and fed over 30 people. We had all southern cuisine (hoppin' john, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, pecan pie, home made ice cream, corn bread and biscuits, etc.). Since both of my girls are excellent cooks, the meal was delicious! Finny was a little taken aback with all the people in the beginning, but finally decided it was way too many people to keep up with, so he went to sleep in a corner. When I returned home last night, my boys knew right off that I had been unfaithful to them. They could smell Finny and gave me the sniffing once over. They were not too scruffy from their lack of grooming, but I sure got a lot of fur this morning when we resumed our morning brushing session. All my boys (including my human "boy") seem glad to have me home.

Off to NYC

I spent over an hour today grooming the boys: brushing their coats, cleaning ears, and trimming toenails in preparation for my departure tomorrow to visit my girls. The boys won't get their daily grooming when I am gone, so I am sure they will be quite scruffy when I return next week. The boy's Dad will be taking care of them, so I am sure they will get excellent, spoiling care, but no grooming. (See my Mother's Day gift still giving the gift of beauty along with our Amaryllis just starting to bloom.)

Under the weather Andy

Andy has had a gastrointestinal upset for 5 days now. He loves to hunt out cat, rabbit, and whatever kind of poop he can find in the yard. I felt sure that something he wasn't supposed to eat upset his stomach. I have been treating him with Pepto Bismol and finally resorted to cooking him rice and feeding him that instead of his food. When he was still sick today, I took him to the Vet. He HATES going to the Vet. He stuck right close to my leg and then starting whimpering, so I took him up in my arms until it came his time to see the Vet. He crawled up my chest until his head rested next to my head and we waited. The Vet agrees with me that he ate something untoward in the yard that is upsetting him. He got some medicine to settle down his stomach and some bland dog food to eat. Hopefully, he will soon be better. If anyone knows how to stop him from eating poop, let me know! Roy hasn't developed a taste for such delicacies, thankfully.

Happy Mother's Day

The boys surprised with me an early Mother's Day present today! I LOVE Hydrangeas! Isn't it beautiful??!!

Relay for Life

Friday, May 4th was our county's "Relay for Life" to raise money to combat Cancer. This was my second year to participate. Only another cancer survivor can know what it was like to walk the "survivor's lap" between rows of cheering people who were cheering us on in our battle against cancer. I saw folks there in wheel chairs being pushed by their caregivers, those wearing hats to cover bald "chemo heads," some on crutches, and some like me, who looked perfectly normal. Last year I cried, this year I just appreciated the fact that so many people were cheering us on. Then came the very moving lighting of the luminaries. I had bought 4 luminaries: one each in honor of myself and my brother, and two in memory of my sister-in-law and husband's Aunt who helped raise him. I had already walked the track and found our luminaries and taken pictures of them. Then all the lights in the stadium were darkened and one could only see the luminary lights and those spelling out "HOPE" in the stands. Everyone was quiet as a bagpiper led us in a walk around the track. I saw some folks sobbing by their loved ones luminary as family members embraced. I walked in silence, thankful that I am a survivor and no one is sobbing by my luminary.

Big Mouth

As we were taking our daily 2 mile walk we came across two huge black Labs loose in the neighborhood. I wasn't afraid because they seemed friendly enough, but Andy, the King of the neighborhood, was not happy. One of these days his big mouth is going to get him into big trouble. He growled and barked at the labs and they went scampering off. One of these days he might not be so lucky. He has gotten used to other dogs cowering at his bravado. For instance, at my brother's house, his three dogs let Andy rule over them, even though they were more than twice his size. Let's hope with his high intelligence, he will have sense enough to "let it go" when necessary. Roy, on the other hand, is happy-go-lucky and glad that Andy is in charge and he can just enjoy life.

Dog Show

Well, Andy, Roy and I went to our first Dog Show this week-end. We went as observers since the AKC doesn't allow "altered" dogs to participate. Andy was at first alarmed at all the dogs, but I put on my Cesar Millan's "calm assertive pack leader" persona, and he calmed down knowing that his pack leader was in charge. We saw everything from huge Great Danes to little teacup dogs. Sadly, we didn't see any St. Bernards. Being a former Saint owner, I would love to have seen one. It was strange, but I am sure studied by those who know a lot more about dogs than me, but Andy and Roy seemed to recognize and relate to their own breed. We all decided that we were glad we weren't "show dogs." We all had a lot more fun watching everybody else perform, while we just sat and enjoyed the show. We don't need a judge to confirm for us that our family is beautiful and outstanding!

Bosom buddies

Andy and Roy are real brothers, born in the same litter. Brothers can be real friends, or they can only tolerate each other. Roy and Andy are true bosom buddies. Where one is, the other is not far behind.

Opera Day

On Saturdays we listen to the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts. Roy is an avid opera lover and as you can see from this picture with his Dad.

HAPPY EASTER

Rhododendrum

Clean pups and clean porch

It is a beautiful Spring-like day, so the boys got their monthly bath. The porch was readied for many enjoyable meals outside as we enjoy the azalea blooms and keep up with all of our bird feeder friends. Tomorrow may be the official beginning of Spring, but we jumped the gun today!

Spring flowers

It is not officially Spring yet, but we are starting to see signs that it is coming. I have flowering pink/white peach blooms (very fitting for the peach state), quince, and forsythia. Saturday morning the boys and I walked up the street to a pottery sale and bought my pretty blue bowl/vase. As usual, the boys garnered lots of attention from their admiring public. Roy eats it up and Andy tolerates it. Andy is pretty much aloof when it comes to strangers. He has to check them out first and make sure they are worthy of his attention. Roy just loves everybody and takes attention wherever it is available.

Love Story

My first cousin got married right out of high school to a boy her parents disapproved of. Due to parental pressure the marriage was shortly dissolved. The boy moved away and my cousin went on with her life, graduating from college, getting married, subsequently divorced, buying a home and retiring. Out of the blue, about a year ago she heard from her long lost love. He was in the area and they met for a meal. The embers were rekindled, but my cousin let him get away a second time. After mulling it over for a while, she gave him a call as he was en route to another destination. He came back and they have been together ever since. They seem made for each other and are both obviously very much in love. They stopped by Monday, March 5th, we went to the Court House and got a Marriage License, then off to my church where I performed their marriage ceremony. True love won out in the end after some 40 years! This story doesn't have much to do with my "boys" and this is the "Sheltie-Mom" blog, but I can say that they both adored my new cousin-in-law and he was warmly welcomed into the family. They didn't attend the wedding.

Orange tree

Our orange tree is full of oranges this year. We keep it outside to get lots of sun in the summer and bring it inside for the winter. It is displaced momentarily by a Christmas tree in December. The boys like to smell the tree, but are not interested in eating the tiny oranges. I hope to have it surrounded by blooming potted Amaryllis before too long.

George Washington's Birthday

It is a tradition in our family to celebrate George Washington's birthday every February 22nd. Remember the story of George chopping down his father's cherry tree and when being confronted saying "I cannot tell a lie...." Well, today scholars say the story is apocryphal, but it is a good excuse to have cherry pie anyway! Happy Birthday, "Father George," the father of our country.

Winter flowers

Spring has not sprung yet, but we do have daffodils and camellias blooming in our yard! Some have managed to escape the killing frosts of the past few weeks. The boys are enjoying the cold weather as they play chase without having to stop for water breaks all the time. I am trying to teach Roy to play Frisbee. So far he hasn't gotten the hang of it, but I understand it takes time. We take breaks to fetch with his ball to give him positive experiences to counter his frustration with the Frisbee. He is QUITE capable of fetching a ball!

Westminster Dog Show

Ch Kylene Eden The Dragonslayer may be the "Best of Breed," but he can't hold a candle to my Andy or Roy!

Happy Valentine's Day

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. We celebrated early because I have another commitment tomorrow night. My "Valentine" got an edible valentine!

New Beds

Everybody needs a place to lay their head at night and pups are no exception. We just bought Andy and Roy their own beds. They have been sleeping on the rug next to our bed each night, but I thought they needed a bed to call their own. At first, I put a bed on Phil's side and one on my side. This works some of the time, but for the most part they like to be together, hence, the beds on the same side. Mom has the pleasure of sliding to the foot of the bed to go to the bathroom at night because her side of the bed is blocked by furry bodies in their comfy beds.

This is a description of Laylage's "Sea Songs"
"Its like a cabaret in a dream where this person who is like a singer but not a singer
and this other person who plays the vibes and a huge drum and a cymbol
spin eerie songs out of birds and waves and women on rocks and angelic fish and old sea shanties
and somehow you know its an erotic dream even though no one takes *all* their clothes off
and its only all these images, watery and wierd, floating around."

Sea Songs

Tonight my oldest daughter will be performing again her "Sea Songs" along with vibraphonist/tunesmith, Matt Moran accompanying her with his original music. I heard her in NYC last year and continue to be amazed at my daughter's stage presence, beauty, and talent. I wish everyone who reads my blog could see and appreciate what she is doing. She is an amazing creature, even if I am her Mom! If you want to learn more about what she is doing, click on the link at the bottom of my blog: Luminous Work. My only regret is that I live too far away to see her performances as often as I would like. The picture is blurry because it was taken during a performance without a flash.

Barbaro

As much of the nation, I was very moved by Barbaro's plight and courage as he fought to overcome his injuries. I, like many others, was very saddened that he had to be euthanized. Letting go of my beloved Abbey, was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. She was our 4 year old St. Bernard with osteo-arthritis in all of her joints as well as the complication of epilepsy. Her Epilepsy did not appear until after Abbey's first TPLO surgery on her back hind leg. We went on and tried to help her mobility with a second TPLO surgery, but then her epilepsy got worse and the seizure medicines made her weak joints even weaker. After a harrowing week of several seizures a day and no mobility following each seizure, we made the very painful decision that it was time to let her go. I feel for the Barbaro's doctors and owners. I think Gretchen Jackson, a co-owner of Barbaro said it so well, "Grief is the price we all pay for love." I will never get over losing Abbey, but time does heal. Having Andy and Roy, though they could never take Abbey's place, help us remember the joy of loving Abbey.

Fetch

It was a cool, crisp January morning today and just perfect for a brisk game of "Fetch." Andy, the non-athletic pup, played a short time and then wanted to chew on the ball in a nearby patch of liriope. Roy, on the other hand had to be made to quit fetching. He even jumped for the ball as we were walking back into the house. I decided I wanted a picture of him running back so obviously elated with his catch. Unfortunately, my camera does not have a fast enough speed to catch him without blurring the fast-moving Roy. I would take the picture and by the time the camera had registered the image, Roy would be back with the ball. After several attempts, I managed to get a somewhat blurry vision of Roy's joy.
After so much exertion, both pups were ready for a nap in Dad's lap. (picture below.....

A nap is in order....