Scootchie

Smootchie

Pepper climbs onto my lap and loves the camera. If this doesn't make you smile, you need some serious puppy playtime therapy and you should contact me immediately.

Patience, my dear ones, patience. Go read some of my other very amusing posts, then come back and double click the blurry picture.

Just Us Girls

Scott is really out-numbered. We are an overwhelmingly female household, now. Mollie and the two girl puppies are doing very well. They don't seem to be pining much for the boys, which is good, but I do occasionally see the pups looking around the yard for someone else to play with!

Both girls have new names. Miss Soxie is becoming "Pepper," and going to live in southern Minnesota with my brother. I fly her out at the end of April. Don't worry, she can come in the cabin with me. I have a Sherpa Bag and everything is arranged! Pepper is living up to her name. She has the most little black freckles of all the pups! She also has the most delightful and upbeat personality. Here's a picture of her relaxing under our hammock.

Surprise is our girl and will stay with us and Mollie. We will register her with the AKC as "Mollie's Amazing Surprise," and she is now called "Maizie," like A-maz-ing. Maizie already has many nicknames, "Maizie-MOO!" "Maizie Monster" and "Lazy Maizie." That last one is Scott, and I can't quite figure it out, because nothing could be more fast and furoius than our little girl! Maybe it was, "Maizie-Daisy?" Or "Crazy-Maizie?" I dunno. Maizie likes the tall grass when we don't mow, and has pretty much flattened all my forget-me-nots in the garden.

Mommie Mollie is just splendid, thank you, and shares the limelight with the two puppies very well. I mean, who could ignore this beauty? The way the sun catches her beautiful brown eyes just about stops my heart!

Finally, here's a little video of Mollie playing with Pepper. They are both upside down and mouthing each other... until Newton the bird screams and interupts them...twice! I call it, "Pirate Playtime" because Mollie makes a noise like, "Aaaargh!"

OOOOOOOOOH! I just figured out how to embed video! Check me OWT!

Oh, OK, ummmm... Count to 20 then double click the picture of Mollie and it should run. I hope. Sheesh, this is just so way beyond me why I can't make it work...

Snoobie says, "So long!"

Both of our precious little boys are gone. Waaaaaaaaah!

Actually, it's not so sad, because little Mister Snoobs went home with the lovely, lovely Barrett family, Valerie, Ethan, Cameron and big sister-doggie, Marmelade. (Dad, Jeremy, was not able to be in the picture.)

Certainly, Snoobie is having the time of his life with those two boys! And, when the pups met Marmelade for the first time, the two girl pups went and hid with their tails between their legs, but Snoobie fell in love at first sight and trailed his new sister-doggie all over our back yard! It was meant to be!

Valerie sent me this e-mail:

dear rachael and scott,
thank you for our package of joy.
it is so sweet for me to see the enjoyment the boys are getting out of having this little ball of energy in our midst . . . and he truly is.
cameron was sitting with me in the back yard today just laughing and laughing as snoobie raced around the garden like a maniac.
wow, all of us (snoobie and marmalade included) are going to bed exhausted each night.
(i am thinking of hitting the sack when i finish this e-mail.)
our little snoobs is doing so well. i don't think he has peed or pooed in the house once.
the crate training is a little confusing for us as he seems he is always out of it and then when we are ready to put him in, i think "oh, we can't put him in until he pees or poos." which starts a whole new session of fun on the grass.
marmalade is putting up with him nicely. she is loving all the racing around on the grass after balls and toys and it is good way to wear them both out. the boys are taking their job of raising him very seriously. i have to bite my tongue sometimes when i see the amount they feed him or when they are carrying him outside to go pee instead of having him follow them but he just eats what he wants and is fine being toted around.
he was wonderful on the car ride home. just slept and cuddled the whole way. interestingly, i tried to take him to the local baseball field to pick up cameron in the car and he was trembling, crying and trying to burrow between my legs within the first two blocks. i abandoned my plans and pretended it was just a little excursion and took him home to his safe haven.
i've got to go, he is crying to get out of the crate.
i will keep you updated.
thank you again.
valerie

Here are a few last pictures of Snoobie, one with him sleeping in my arms, that little cuddle baby, and the other just too cute giving you the Princess Di eyes.

Truly, we miss that little baby boy. But, we know that he is with the right family and having a blast! Go, Snooba-rooba! (By the way, Snoobie might eventually get a new name, but for now, he is still Snoobie!)

Sly says, "Sly-o-nara!"

It had to happen. It was time for little Mr. Sly to go to his new family. He was sooooooooo ready, and I knew that they were ready to receive him, so...

Our firstborn gets a new name, "Wiley Loman Bryson" and is gone to live with Tammy and Aaron Bryson and big sister-doggie, Freeway. They are the loveliest couple and I am so glad that they have become a part of our extended puppy family!

Wiley (Sly) is so happy in his new home and adjusting well. Tammy keeps me up-to-date with calls and e-mails and we chatter away and giggle at Wiley's newest antics. Here's a recent message:

Hello!

Today has been too funny! Mom, Dad and my Sister left early this am. Not 1 hr after they left the Exercise Pen showed up, via Fed Ex!

Salvation! Without all the extra help...Perfect timing!

So today, with fewer people around and just Aaron and Freeway, as I went to a client at 1pm, Wiley and Freeway had more fun together and tonight.....realized their freedom around the house. Wiley has found every hiding spot imaginable to get away from Freeway when they are playing.

He is not dumb! She's a big girl and he needs to protect himself and he has found many ways to do that and I have to say....play in the house is much slower since Freeway can't get as much traction on the hardwood floors as she does outside in the grass.

On top of that Wiley has gone into his crate twice, all by himself, once he was worn out today!

We are on our way to a happy little family and I think in time....we shall all be very happy campers, right here at home!

Just lacking in a little sleep, so we are going to bed....

Good Night!
Tammy, Aaron, Freeway & WILEY!

We miss that little fireball, but his brother and sisters are still keeping us busy, busy, busy!

As a fond farewell, here are a few last pictures of Wiley, on his "throne" (a birdbath where he would habitually sit, we sent it home with the Brysons,) and with his brothers and sisters in the "little bed."

Happy Trails, Wiley, ya big galoot! We love you!

Easter Gift

Variations on a Theme: I made another Scheherazade necklace, this time with a teardrop pendant, and gave it to my mom for Easter:

Outside Thinking

Today I took the fearsome four out into the backyard for extended playtime. They've been outside in the back many times for potty training and playtime, but this was a whole 45 minutes! Once they got going, there was almost no stopping 'em! And they have no sense of boundaries. My poor flattened flowers! Also, I guess it's a good thing the birds did not want to take a bath.
Download birdbath.mp4

The "Eyes" Have It

I need to use a Meg Frost Cute Overload word, here. So will you please look at the redonkulous eyelashes on little Miss Soxie?

Heeeeeere's the close-up!

Mister Sly has some pretty eyes, too. They match his cool blue collar! I think that they are actually starting to change color, but for now, the baby blues are killin' me!

Tiptoe Through The Tulips...

or Flop Through the Forget-Me-Nots, whichever.
Download tiptoe2.mp4

Starring Surprise and Snoobie

Puppy playtime

The pups are VERY active! See? Download playtimes.mov
What's all the whining? It's your pal, Mollie, who wants me to make the flash go so she can chase the light!

Look, Ma, I'm a Banker!

Actually, I am a Micro-Financier! I joined an organization called Kiva which works with micro-lenders on the ground in developing countries to make small loans to entrepreneurs in order to combat poverty. If you recall, Mohammad Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize for doing just that.

I chose a furniture maker in the Ukraine, named Vladimir Livindovich, because of my interest in artisans and craftspeople. Vladimir needs $800 dollars for tools and materials. Through Kiva, I was able to lend him $100, of which he will receive $100! That's right. Kiva keeps none, Vladimir gets all. If you'd like to help him as well, here's his page: http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=7060 You can make a contribution as little as $25.

EDIT: Wow! In the time it took me to upload the video in the next post, all of Vladimir's funds were raised! Please consider some other worthy entreprenur for your loan.

Is this a good investment? Yes. The default rate on these small loans to poor people is staggeringly low. When Vladimir pays back his loan in 6 months, I'm going to lend to a fisherwoman in Samoa.

Here's a great article about Kiva and micro-finance from the New York Times blog, On the Ground:Download microfinance.doc

You, too, can be a banker to the poor.