Running With Scissors...

There’s Nothing Like a Good Swim

Nope, there’s nothing like a good swim on a beautiful day.

Churning up the water with your best friend.

Here’s a LuLu-size stick…

And a Wally-sized stick.

LuLu drags one in that’s big enough for both of them.

Poised and ready to go again.

Can’t we stay here forever?

Our little LuLu, at seven months, has just now decided to start swimming, other than the times she accidentally found her feet could no longer touch bottom.  She has loved playing in the water, but swimming was always an “oops” thing for her.  Last Saturday she plunged right in without hesitation.  Wally’s development was way ahead of her, athletic kind of guy that he is.  He lives life large, while LuLu is more laid back and loose and floppy.  Of course, she has her crazy puppy ways at times, and Wally has his incredibly sweet and mellow side.   Constant through all of it is their kind, happy, loving natures.  I want them to have the best lives a pair of Goldens could ever hope for.

Have a beautiful day!

Coming and Going

This first picture has a rather Pied Piper- ish look to it, I think.

This one looks like they’re trudging through a storm.

We’re hoping for a nice day today.  Got a picnic at the lake planned.  I know two furry critters who won’t care what the weather is.  We’re going, anyway.  Hope it’s gorgeous where you are.  Have a great day!

Fun is Where You Find it

Hello!  Are you ready for the weekend to begin?  We’re supposed to have sun, so I’m looking forward to spending some time sprucing up the garden.  We haven’t had much of a spring yet and any time spent outside is a pretty wet proposition.  Wally and LuLu care not one bit, though.  In fact, if there’s water to be found, they’ll find it.

I was out throwing the ball for the puppies the other day and when it got a little too slobbery and dirty I stepped over to this old wheelbarrow full of rainwater to wash it off.  Well, LuLu couldn’t believe she’d never noticed this water wonderland before and she climbed right up in there and started splashing around like a baby in a bathtub.  Wally then thought it was great fun to retrieve the ball and drop it in the wheelbarrow each time and watch Mom push up her sleeve to fish it out.  I tell you, I can’t do anything with these guys without getting wet.

LuLu is officially back to unrestricted play as of today.  As far as she’s concerned it’s none too soon.  I’m afraid she hasn’t been very good about following doctor’s orders and she goes on a tear every now and then.  Today she has my blessing.  She’s all healed up and looking fine.  I think a good run in the sand dunes is in order.

Till then she’ll have her fun wherever she can find it.  You know how it is… you buy your kids all these expensive toys and what do they do?  Splash around in an old wheelbarrow full of rainwater.

Have a great day!

Doggie Saturday

Hello, and happy Saturday!

A few days before LuLu’s stitches were due to come out she developed a bulge near her incision site.  I took her to the vet who aspirated some bloody fluid, stating it was nothing to be alarmed about, her incision looked good, and she wasn’t concerned at all.  The bandage is meant to apply pressure and lessen the drainage accumulating in her abdominal cavity.  It gives her quite the hourglass figure, doesn’t it?  Maybe I should try one of those.

Her stitches are coming out today, though I’m not convinced her incision looks quite healed enough.  I’ve already removed the bandage and LuLu still has a bulge.  I’m trying not to worry.  There was no infection in the fluid, so that’s a good thing, and LuLu is 100% happy and perky.

Hopefully, she’ll be released to full rough and tumble puppy play soon.  Pictured below are Wally and LuLu with Tori, the girl next door – prior to surgery.  They sure know how to have a good time!

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for good news from the vet.  I hope you’ll have a beautiful Easter weekend!

Sweet Saturday

Hello, and happy Saturday to you!  I have a little something for your sweet tooth today.  My husband, Rich, always says if they were any sweeter they could give you diabetes.  It’s so true.  I don’t often capture Wally and LuLu’s utter adorableness in photos, as I usually photograph them when they’re playing, but on this day the hugability factor was high.  I get a catch in my throat when I look at them.

This was on LuLu’s second day home.  She just took her pain medicine and she’s feeling a little sleepy.

Are you sleepy, too, Wally?

I guess so.

Maybe I’ll just lay down here with you for a while.

We’ll play later.

Ni’, night.

Love.

Does This Remind You of Anyone?

How could you not love that face?  I think the artist did a wonderful job of capturing the Golden Retriever expression in this illustration.  This is a digital stamp from Just Inklined called Golden Retriever On Guard.  They have a lot of beautifully illustrated dog images at Just Inklined.  Type your breed in the search field and see what pops up.  In fact, they have a lot of great images, period.  I’ve spent a good deal of time looking around over there lately.

Now, I haven’t been one much for using digital stamps in the past.  Over the last couple of days I’ve concluded it’s because I haven’t invested enough time searching through the many images various companies have to offer.  Well, hold me back, I’ve now discovered the instant gratification of digital shopping.

I thought I’d try some different coloring methods for my digis, so this time I made a generous sized print and colored it with soft chalks.  I used mustard and pumpkin on the dog, with brown and black for the nose and paw.  Rust on the sign, and gray and black on the fence.  It’s very easy to make a soft background with chalks, so I sponged in some distant trees (olive) and a teal blue sky.

When the coloring was finished I sprayed on a couple of coats of clear acrylic sealer.  Chalk coloring simply looks chalky and some of the detail in the drawing will appear hazy.  The spray sealer not only prevents any of the chalk from rubbing off, it also pops the colors, removes the haze and lets the details show through.  This is my chalk coloring paraphernalia:

The chalks are from Stampin’ Up!  I’ve had them for years, used them often and barely put a dent in them.  All those colors at my fingertips and very compact for carrying to work in my bag.  In the photo above you can see a sampling of the sponge applicators I use.  There’s also a blending pen (Tombow blender) which I use in the smallest spaces, such as the lettering on the sign.  The blending pen will harden the chalks so I’m always careful to touch it to only one corner of the chalk pad.  The large craft tweezers are for holding the image while I spray it (outside).

Pictured below is the real deal and the reason this digi stamp speaks to me.

Love.  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Golden Retriever on Guard (Just Inklined digital stamp)  Paper:  Ruby Red textured, So Saffron, Basic Gray (all Stampin’ Up!), Flourishes Classic White, BasicGrey Wags & Whiskers designer paper  Ink:  Printer  Accessories:  Soft chalks for coloring, leaves (CTMH), screw brads, linen thread, Martha Stewart edge punch

The Picture of Happiness

Hello and happy Saturday!  If you click to enlarge the photo above you can see the water droplets flying off Wally and LuLu’s wagging tails.  They have so much fun when we take them out, and they’re so appreciative and joyful it guarantees we’ll want to do it again and again because it makes us happy, too.

LuLu had never seen a cow before and she was fascinated… from a safe distance.

She feels secure with her big, strong Wally by her side.  Check out the curl in Wally’s tail (photo below).  The more on alert he is, the more his tail curls.  That is so not the Golden Retriever standard, but I so do not care.  Though he comes from registered AKC stock, we never bothered to register either Wally or LuLu.  We wanted Goldens for their temperament and intelligence.  Wally is the most amazingly brilliant, loving, sensitive and gentle soul and we could never have hoped for a better dog.  I don’t think LuLu could curl her tail if she tried.  She’s going to be a beautiful adult with a heavy coat, but most importantly she’s the very essence of love and sweetness.  She makes it her job to round up the family and usher us all into one room.  When she’s got us where she wants us she settles down beside Wally and waits for the cuddling to begin.  She doesn’t have to ask me twice.  I just sink down into the two of them and bury myself in their softness and love.  It overcomes me every time.

Anyone for a swim?

Come on in, the water’s fine!

LuLu makes like a big girl and brings back her own stick.

Sometimes you just have to run.

I’ll be making sure the kids get plenty of exercise this weekend because Monday LuLu gets spayed.  I’ll miss her during her overnight stay.  I’ll hurt for how sad and abandoned she’ll feel.  Wally will search the house and yard for her, then lay down with his head between his paws and a sorrowful look on his face.  I know him.  I also know what a happy reunion it will be after a long night apart.  Remember when we first brought LuLu home?  Boy, has she ever worked her way into our hearts.

Have a wonderful weekend.  I hope Wally and LuLu brought you a smile or two.  They’d be happy to know it.

Snow Day!

Monday night at 10:30 it started snowing.  By 11:00 it looked like this.

What’s going on out here?

Tuesday morning we woke up to more snow than we’ve had here in years.  LuLu didn’t quite know what to make of it at first.

Wally just wanted to catch snowballs.

LuLu couldn’t figure out where they went.

I had to go to work, but Rich and the kids stayed home and played.

A day or two of snow is a treat, but I’m glad it doesn’t stick around too long.  We’re back to the same old rain now.  It’s easier to deal with, but snow is much more fun to play in.

Stay cozy and have a good weekend!

Happy Saturday!

Look closely at LuLu’s chest.  Do you see all the black?  Well, she’s not as small as she used to be and to crawl under the deck now is a tight squeeze, scooting over black, composted garden soil.  Wet garden soil.  But she loves to crawl under there and then poke her head out at Wally, teasing The Big Guy who has long since outgrown the space where he once loved to play, as well.

“You mean, just because she got dirty I have to stay outside, too?”

After a lot of water and scrubbing she was fit to come back in.  I believe she thought she’d done something naughty, so the whole time I was cleaning her I used my happy voice to reassure her that’s just what puppies do and it’s okay she’s a good girl Mommy loves her sweet baby and the dirtier you get the more fun you have and you sure look like you had a lot of fun.  You get the picture.  She carried the scent of the good earth for a while, but then, I like that scent, too.  My earthy little puppy.

Naturally, once the door was open Wally decided he preferred to stay outside on the sunny deck.  As long as he has a choice and he doesn’t feel cut off from his people, he’ll always choose outside.  I can’t wait for summer when the doors can stay open all day.

Wally and LuLu send their love.  They’re very free and generous with it and, believe me, nothing would make them happier than to give it to you in person.  Have a beautiful day!

A Saturday Hello From Wally and LuLu

Just dropping in with a few pics today.  Not much going on this rainy week.  We had a sunny Sunday last weekend and that’s generally the kind of day the camera comes out.

This photo probably gives you a better perspective on their sizes.  LuLu is almost six months (on March 11) and still rather petite.  At her age Wally was over 60 pounds.  He’s almost 100 pounds now.  That’s why I call him The Big Guy.

Looks like she’s been playing with Mommy’s eyeliner.

Pretty and demure.

Handsome, strong, vigilant.

I love them so much.

Slobbery kisses and puppy hugs to all of you.  Have a great weekend!