October 28, 2009

beforeOblivious!

I know I’ve talked about squirrels before, and I’ll try to promise that I won’t talk about them again, but today they were possessed and tormented me relentlessly. They tormented us all, actually.

Monty was first for walking though he only got a walk to and from the groomer today. He needed a spa day, as you can tell from his before photo since he has grown into a Wooly Mammoth. I asked him if that was going to be his Halloween costume, but he said he hadn’t decided yet.

But back to those rodents. So we’re walking up to the groomer and down every tree (or up it as the case may be) a squirrel raced and scampered taunting us with their bushy tails and those chompers. They were oblivious to the canines in their presence and often just rested at the base of tree or on a lawn nervously chewing on a nut or two when we approached. Of course, we did everything we could to alert them to intentions (CHASE THEM), but not until we’d stretched ourselves out to the end of our leashes, dragging Gretchen in our wake would they dart up the tree or race across the lawn, often passing right in front of us! Oblivious, I tell you! Oblivious!

After we dropped Monty off at the spa, Gretchen took me back home so I could eat my breakfast. On the way, 20 more squirrels risked their furry lives dashing across the street or under a bush RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! Oh how I whined every time they passed, but Gretchen refused to let me off the leash. Arrrrgggghhhh!

While I ate breakfast, Gretchen picked up Oshi and Perrito and together they walked to Quillette’s house. Later, Gretchen would complain that her arms were 10 inches longer, growing every time the dogs — all three of them — would go on high alert when they saw a tail or a rodent’s ear. I know what it’s like. Every leaf, every piece of garbage in the wind, every glint of sun off the wet sidewalk looked like a potential squirrel and since they are at the peak of their season (or so it seems) everyone was pulling this way and that checking out for the possibility of a squirrel.

trio

oshiperrito

Usually when Gretchen takes photos of the boys she just lets them drag their leashes, but with those squirrels frisking about, she had to wrap their leashes around a tree lest they take off in pursuit. Even Quillette licked her chops thinking about a bite of Autumn Squirrel!

squirrelyum

Gretchen dropped Quillette off at the house while she went and picked up Saber for a solo walk. Saber’s not been feeling so well, but today he was back to his old self. He was so happy to see Gretchen he about knocked himself over wagging his tail. And when he got outside and realized it was squirrel season, he too became obsessed.

Saber and Gretchen headed to the tennis courts to play, but there were people playing tennis so they instead, Saber got to play some fetch in the small grassy area near the courts. Gretchen thought this was a safe spot for leash-drag fetch because the squirrels were not as abundant. Saber didn’t seem to care. He just wanted to run and run and run. Soon, I understand, we’ll have a play date and for that, I will be very happy. I’ve missed the little rascal and I have a thing or two to teach him about squirrel hunting!

fetch?let's play

here I comeear boy

this is funcuteness

After Saber came Gemma. Now, I think I’m a pretty astute squirrel spotter and when I see one, I can throw a decent tantrum trying to get at ’em, but no one — and I mean no one — can compete with Gemma. She is a terrier after all, but when she sees a squirrel, it’s all Gretchen can do to stay on her feet! That’s why their walk headed out of squirrel country and up to the gardens that are now in their last days as the cold weather is setting in. Hard to believe, looking at these photos, that this calm dog is a squirrel fanatic, but trust me, Gemma takes the cake for squirrel obsessiveness!

garden

did you say rodent?

Bella was next for a walk and while Gemma is the Queen of Squirrel Safaris, Bella is a close second. She pops up her ears, stands super still, and then with the full weight of her adolescent body, she lunges after those furry critters with wild abandon. That’s why Gretchen took her to the tennis courts before they went on their walk. She wanted to burn off some of that squirrel energy before they attempted to walk through the neighborhoods.

gray cloudsrodents?

long legslove da ball

And walk through the neighborhoods they did, down through the tunnel and back up over the hill where Gretchen tried to get a photo of the snow in the distant mountains. It was much to gray for such a photo, but trust me, the snow is there!

Yahoo!

snow?

Once Bella went home, Gretchen came back and got Quillette and me. We headed out for a game of fetch. Since the schools let out early today, we didn’t get to visit our student friend, but Q and I made up for it by scouting and scouring the neighborhood for squirrels! And boy, did we find ’em!

At the field we almost both took off when we heard the whine and hiss of two fighting cats. Luckily, we were pretty tired from playing fetch, but let me tell you, if we’d heard squirrels, we’d be off in a flash!

you hear that?

Finally, the groomer called right after our game of fetch so we headed back up the hill to get a newly coiffed Monty. Doesn’t he look nice? I went into the store with Gretchen to pick him up, but Quillette HATES the groomer so she waited outside only peeking in with much caution!

afterI'll stay here

Monty was feeling very frisky so we went for a nice long walk along the ridge and then down by the school where I sometimes “teach” in the mornings. Gretchen has always wanted to take a photo of me on the school student-made cob bench. She thought it was a perfect time to do it since Monty was looking fine and Q and I were pretty tired. Of course, we refused to look at the camera and when we did, well, Monty was busy flipping his newly combed ears back and forth. Yeah, you look good dude!

on the benchnice hair

As we made our way from school to Monty’s house, the squirrel action was fast and furious. Gretchen was happy to drop off Monty and when we got back to the house, she gave a big sigh of relief. We’re about to head out to take Quillette home, but I don’t think we’re going to see any squirrels at night, are we?

Until tomorrow,

Rubin

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