A Friend

Someone did something crazy nice for me.

I still can't believe it.

Thank you Laurie!



hug your hounds and your sweet friends

The Gang's All Here!

Your wish is my command, of course!

First there was chaos.


And then there was utter mayhem:

And then, thanks to Molly's help and Laurie's genius, there was perfection!

Lying: Mama Pajama, Fat Charlie

Sitting: Lindy Sexy Butt Loo

Standing: Giacomino, Maria, Sam I Am, Swede Does Any One Want Some Of ME William, Delia, Luciano

L to R: Lindy I Am Irresistible Loo, Fat Charlie, Maria, Sam I Am, Swede Dear God In Heaven Help Me William, Delia, Luciano, Giacomino

Lying: Mama Pajama

I wish I could figure out why some photos are click-and-enlargible, and some are not. Just blogger magic, I suppose.

hug your hounds

Way too short - way too long

Laurie and thirteen year old Spats:

Oh our lovely visit with Laurie and dear Spats, Rivet, and Simmer was just way too short. It felt like it was only beginning, and there she was today, already packing up to go home. A forecast of a snow storm across Illinois teased at keeping them here one more day, but the storm petered out and they got on the road at about 10:45 this morning.

We had a delightful time. As mentioned, the dogs were stars. Not a sneer or a snarl offered during the whole visit, and Lindy Loo's virtue remains intact. Sam I Am would listen for his brother Rivet to emerge from the guest room each morning. He'd cock his head at the sound of the door opening, and then jump up wagging as he heard Rivet plink, plink, plinking down our ridiculous stairs. When Rivet's handsome self appeared at the bottom of the steps, Sammy turned inside out with wags and smiles and bounces and woo-woooooos. "Look! It's my very own brother! Again! This morning! Right here in our house!"

Sam I Am's brother, Rivet

And we did get to do a lot of fun things. We went to visit Phyllis and Maddie (I'll post those photos later.) We ate ourselves silly. We practiced Agility at the Kennel Club, and were so impressed with our incredibly talented dogs! I was able to watch Laurie take impossible photos like this one:

Laurie left me with these priceless photos and so many more:

Two treasured Very Old Dogs, Giacomino and Spats

Giacomino and Maria

Molly and Mama Pajama

And as to the "way too long" part? Oh the travellers had a flat tire on the way home. After a little scenic detour through Central Illinois (well, that dang I-74 can just sneak by without so much as a howdy do, if you're admiring the beauty of your dogs in your rear view mirror), Laurie called to say that she had a flat. Bill and I were worried sick, until she called back saying she and her dogs were tucked into a toasty warm hotel room, with free wireless and a king sized bed. They will have about five more hours to drive in the morning, after they switch the donut for a real tire.

Hug your hounds

Visiting

The dogs in this house are being absolute stars. Gems. Unmitigated ambassadors of canine perfection. Delightful hosts, hostesses, and guests, every one. My dogs are thoroughly enjoying Laurie's dogs; well, Delia could do without Lindy Loo's sister Simmer, but Delia could do without Lindy Loo, if we're being honest. But Sam I Am so loves to have his brother Rivet here, and it's just fun to see them all having a fun visit. And speaking of Lindy Loo, Swede William would like to enjoy the pants off of her, but we're at the point where we are not allowing any meeting of the minds or other parts between those two lovebirds.

The weather has just been atrocious. Freezing rain and ice everywhere. Trees are dropping like Swede William wishes Lindy Loo's pants would. Laurie gamely insists that it's better than the ten degrees below zero (that's Fahrenheit, for my foreign friends) that she left in Minnesota. But the dogs can't walk on the pointy needle ice covered grass, much less run on it. Tomorrow the forecast is for ... freezing rain. I didn't have the heart to tell her. This is supposed to be the South. (Photo copyright Laurie Erickson. Lord she can even make ice look good!)

When Laurie comes to visit, I beg her to take photos of my Kennel Club friends' dogs, and not only does she agree, she has increased in popularity so that we worked her for two solid days. I get to be the Photographer's Assistant. I help the owners position the dogs, and then quick move my body parts out of the photo when Laurie has captured their attention. This involves contortions not appropriate for old people. I am an old person. Even older than three days ago. Much older. But when the folks get to view their dogs' photos on Laurie's computer, it is so much fun to see their reactions. "Oh!" "Oh look how pretty she is!" "How, when, how did she get that shot?" "Oh, my God don't you love this one? I love this one. It's so him." Laurie is amazing.

Yesterday we started out with a litter of precious five week old lab puppies. Six of them. Laurie gave me these photos to share with you, dear readers, but of course they are all copyrighted. I love the bloopers. She called this one "back chaining."

We cannot imagine what the puppy on the right was doing! (Maybe the puppy on the left foofed?)

And then she got this perfectly adorable shot:

And this:

And she got Lindy Loo and Simmer:


And Simmer and Lindy Loo:




More fun to come!

Hug your hounds