Some Kind of Crazy

I just looked up and found out it was August. When did that happen? Summers are always so speedy around here. One minute it’s raining and cloudy and I’m walking with my pals and the next thing I know it’s 93 degrees, blue skies, hot pavement and all these relatives arrive and people want us to pet sit for them. Wow!

Hence, two weeks have flown by and I am just now combing through the photos and writing this blog.

Only I don’t have much time to write so I’m going to focus on photos and hopefully provide you with a picture essay on our some kind of crazy!

It started out like normal…picked up Tyson for a cloudy walk down by the lake…

Then an unexpected visit with my pal Ben on a bit warmer day…

Ben has a big pool at his house and yes, I got to go swimming but we didn’t get many photos of the swim sessions. (Actually we got some movies but I am banned from showing them on this blog because Gretchen doesn’t like what she looks like in her wetsuit. Oh vanity…)

Ben doesn’t like the water party because he fell in once and that freaked him, but also because Ben has a heart condition that means he has to remain fairly calm. It’s hard, though, because one of our favorite games is when Ben chases me around the backyard. We can’t do that anymore and that makes me sad, but seeing beautiful Ben always makes me really happy!

Then Gretchen walked the siblings…Kali and Carter…and it was starting to warm up though not enough to make them pant much.

Another walk with Monty and Tyson up at Bradner Gardens and yes, as you can tell by Monty’s panting smile, the temperature was rising…

But the real heat didn’t arrive until Porter and Porcini showed up on the doorstep and I mean that both figuratively and literally!

Don’t let that compliant photo fool you. These two are gladiators! They love to wrestle and play and go for walks. Oh and beg…

Of course, they don’t much like water, but that didn’t stop Gretchen from pulling out the pool for a refreshing break!

Porcini swims at Wellsprings K9 with Gretchen every other week, but still, he’d rather lie on the porch than swim…

And then we got another pet sitting gig with my friend Paige. Only Paige has a new brother so you can imagine the fun we had! Meet Cosmo!

Yes, I know my head is cut off in this photo but that’s because Cosmo is a busy guy and Gretchen had only a Milli-second to take the photo. I tried to teach Cosmo some of my tricks while we were there like rolling over. He’s a quick study!

Paige was unimpressed, but then again she’s taught Cosmo all sorts of stuff like how to scent out rabbits and bark at crows!

Paige loved that we stayed with her while her Mom was away. We watched the Olympics and Paige supervised while Gretchen worked on the computer.

Still that Cosmo is pretty cute. I can hardly wait for him to be a bit older so we can run the fields together and wrestle around. Of course, Paige is still the #1 Doberman of my heart, but I don’t think Cosmo will mind being #2.

And if that weren’t enough fun, it got really hot and relatives from Wisconsin and France arrived and we all got to go to our friends’ wonderful cabin! Yahoo! We got there in just enough time to see the sun set…always spectacular!

And we met up with a little green friend…

We had to initiate the French in a few “wilderness” rules though…first, appropriate shoes!

These shoes belong to Thomas. He is very fashionable. As are his sister Helena and his Mom, Corrine and Dad, Christophe.

Of course, another cabin fashion lesson was about to be taught when Corrine kept waving her arms to get rid of the mosquitoes!

Uncle Phil, though, is from Wisconsin and there’s not a mosquito he can’t handle!

Then we had to teach them that cabin time is about food and games. Luckily they brought their own games!

And I assumed my position…under the dining room table!

But being at the cabin isn’t all about lounging and eating. Nope! We went for a hike to one of my favorite spots — Spider Meadow! Everyone was eager to set out…

Despite the numerous river crossings…

And the snow on the trail…

And the long miles we had to climb to get there (though not everyone got there)…G and I got there, that’s all that counts!

And when we got there I dove right in to the icy mountain creek! Yahoo!

Wow! And now we’re home and I can officially call this blog complete. They’ll be lots more photos though coming this week of relatives, dog clients, and pet sitting friends. What a full life I lead!

Until then,

Rubin