Fun in the Snow

Our daily morning playtime in the backyard is working so well for Ellen and me as well as for the dogs! They just love it and so do we. Here they are being patient schoolboy and girl waiting for their almond treat.

The Pill

We have decided to upgrade our kitchen and baths with granite counter tops. Tomorrow, our new range is being delivered plus the carpenter is coming to unhook our current sinks and remove the current countertops so that the granite template man can come on Wednesday to measure for the granite. That means that today I have to remove everything from the countertops, from the cabinets beneath the sinks, and from the current range drawer. Where does all of it go? On the dining room table and in the two bathtubs! Guinness loves the potholders, and I left them too close to the edge of the dining room table.

Playmates Redux

Some chase shots. Can you see Guinness’s face taunting Lucy to steal the ball?

Playmates

For nearly two weeks, Lucy and Guinness have met in the backyard each morning, plus many afternoons, instead of trekking off to the ballfield through deep snow and ice, bitter winds, and frigid temps. They are so cute together – chasing, wrestling, playing tug, and the game of can-you-snitch-what-is-in-my-mouth is the funniest of all. The perpetrator uses canine wiles to keep the object. Lucy can maneuver better and run faster than Guinness, but Guinness has his own cunning when he has the opportunity of being the perpetrator. Once he ran into a snowbank, stopped, and backed up escaping with the toy still firmly clenched. They both pose in stances keeping their moms laughing. Their mugs mimic coy, playful, teasing mannerisms.

One morning, when they had no toys, Guinness ran into Lucy’s garage and returned with the tug toy!

Yesterday, Lucy’s mom set the ball on the backyard patio table. Lucy jumped up on the table to retrieve it! I tried to catch a photo of her up there, but didn’t get my camera out fast enough. Then we tried to replicate the scene, and Guinness jumped up too. While playing the jump-on-the-table game, I snapped a few shots. Guinness has the green collar.

The Boy Grows Up

Guinness still plays his Gingerbread Boy games, but he rarely ruins anything. He is just playing a game. He will lie with the object and caress it if we do not retrieve it from him. We decided to try leaving him loose in the house when we are away. We were at a friend’s house for dinner last night for five hours. Today, we were downtown for lunch and a play from 10 AM to 6 PM. He behaved perfectly with no problems, so he has won new freedom plus the honor of serving as our brutal security sentinel.

This is Lucy

Isn't she cute?

We are being pounded with snowstorm after snowstorm this winter with melts and major icing in between. They don’t plow my doggie park parking lot frequently and it is too dangerous for Ellen to take her long walks with Lucy in the morning, so we have agreed to meet in our backyard at 7 AM. Lucy is a runner and keeps Guinness chasing her. It is great exercise for both of them.

I must be constantly vigilant to keep Guinness from stealing my mitten. He manages to foil me daily. Today, Lucy wanted a part of the game and chased Guinness to get my mitten from him. Fortunately, Guinness was clever enough to keep the mitten to himself until I was able to retrieve it.