BFFFs: Best fur friends forever

These two love to be together. Secretly, I think it’s more Gwyneth that loves Saylor. Saylor kind of puts up with it. We call her G-O-D (grumpy old dog). This was yesterday’s nap. Gwynnie claims her spot, not taking no for an answer.

Gwynnie Loves Saylor

Gwyneth is a certified snuggle bug, and she loves Saylor so much. She’s always snorgled up next to her. Evidence to follow, and this is a mere sampling of the pictures I have of these two love bugs.

Lie Down with Dogs

My own interspecies snorglefest photo, with our sweet Gwyneth and Saylor. You know if that little grey leg was longer it would be flung across Saylor’s back. She loves her BFFL (best friends for life).

The flipside:

And for the sake of randomness, one of my favorite artists: Alexander Calder. This is his sculpture, in Chicago.

More cool sculpture from the Chicago trip:


Happy Wednesday  ands to you,
Robin

Catch Up Time

Boy, does work take up a lot of time! And it’s not like I don’t have time off, I do, but I tend to collapse in a heap when it’s all said and done.
So, to catch you up... These are actually from Mary’s (my MIL) birthday in February! I decided to mix the colors up in the vase, and I like the way it looked.

I collect (well, I have three so far) German weather houses. My grandmother had one, which I now have, and I’ve added two more. They just make me think of her and her house and all the warmth that it held. This I bought from a great shop on Etsy called Becaruns. Great prices and a fun selection.  And look how cute this was packaged? Kate thinks so, too.

And here’s the new little house, unwrapped:

My friend Sherri makes Clafoutis all the time. I finally tried one, and it came out pretty good! Not like hers (she’s a great baker!), but okay. I’ll keep trying… This was Julia Child’s recipe – easy, all ingredients go into the blender.

And, now pics of the fur children. How else to end this update, right?
Saylor says, “Is it dinner time?”

And here’s little Tonya Harding, as we like to call her because of the way she dive-bombs poor, sweet Kate. Even though it wasn’t actually Tonya wielding the police baton that hit poor Nancy Kerrigan, it’s the thought that counts! She hired the hit. For this picture, we say: Cat or Otter? We are not sure.

Personally, and it’s not like I’m biased or anything, but I think the caption for Kate’s picture should read: If I were any cuter, they’d have to arrest me. (Said the ridiculously proud Catmom.) Of course, she does now bear the name of royalty. Hee hee.

Sorry I’ve been away so long! Hope you all haven’t forgotten me!
, Robin

Saylor, the Ayurvedic Labrador

Weekend before last I took an Ayurvedic cooking class from the lovely Laura Plumb. She and her husband, Bhava, are the founders of Deep Yoga. I take yoga from Laura every week and she's so inspirational. As she teaches the class, she talks us through waves of breathing and movements, but that's just half of it. The "talk" she gives as she teaches is as beneficial to me as the class itself. And the music she plays is heavenly. By the time I am finished I am so blissed out that I just float home.  I can't say enough about her and her husband. Bhava also plays the guitar and sings during Laura's class sometimes. And he teaches his own awesome yoga class. One day I'd love to do their tour to India. India is not a country I'd try even with just one other person; I'd need the security of a tour guide that knows the country. Of course, I'd go with my friend Moni any day. Even though English is really the main language, I'd still like someone with a little Hindi under their belt.

So, here's the funny part of this Ayurvedic cooking business. A couple days after the class I tried one of the recipes: Kichari. I made it before I went to the Indian grocery to get all the right spices, so I kind of faked it. It was good, but we only ate it a couple times (I made a veritable ton). Since there was quite a bit left, I thought, gee, Saylor may like a cup mixed into her food. OMG! She loves it! Lately she's been airsy-fairsy about her food. So here I am tonight, at 10:23 p.m. making another monstrous batch because tomorrow's doggie breakfast would be really boring if it were just kibble, and not mixed with kichari! Ha! Here’s the girl, posted in the kitchen the entire time I was cooking, just staring at me with her darling face. Oh I love this little doggie...she's pure love. ♥

Cook that kichari, Mom.

Kate and Saylor - Early Evening Nap

Could they be cuter? Kate would so snuggle in, and does get quite close, but Saylor keeps a respectable distance 'lest her canine friends should see her canoodling with a kitty. Kate and Saylor - such loving sisters.

Calm...Calm...Crazy!

We were just having a little yogurt and granola. Like any other morning. The fur-children were peacefully enjoying the brisk breeze coming up the canyon. The sun was shining.

There was even a little inter-species snorgling. Note the extreme dog paw/cat tail close up:



And then, someone with cat whiskers decided to climb to the top of the screen as if trying to escape a Turkish prison! James extracted her (Kate) from her runway and we got this face (click on picture to enlarge it). Note: he's actually being gentle with her - it just looks like he's holding her tightly! Trust me, they rule the roost!

Saylor Meets a Skunk

Gee, what is this collection of ingredients? Some interesting recipe for a home spa treatment? Um, no. The other night I was watching Worst Week (it is so funny!) when I noticed James kind of hurrying up to the front door. Through our rippled glass door I see Saylor and it looks like she's drooling! Um, what's up? Well, I crack the window to get a better look and in comes a WAVE of skunky air. OMG! Saylor got skunked! I ran to the store and got White Vinegar and Peroxide and concocted the anti-skunk wash. Then, we had to do a final rinse of white vinegar and water, which you leave on the poor dog. It all worked out, but good lord, what an ordeal. And there is one rule of dogs getting skunked that seems to hold true for everyone I've talked to. It ALWAYS happens right late at night, usually before bedtime!!!

Here's the girlie all lathered up. And of course, she was very good about the whole thing. She's such a good dog. Next up: Kate's Morning Sun Salutation.

A Walk at Liberty Station

I am a total Liberty Station fan. The old Naval Training Center was sold to the Corky McMillan Company (I hear for $1 if he spent the money to develop it) by the City of San Diego, and what has sprung up, I think, is a perfect little community. Great homes, beautiful trees and green spaces, stores, shops, restaurants - even the most fantastic Ace Hardware store. I could almost live there, if we were condo-dwellers which I'm not sure I could do but I don't rule out - they're that nice.

We take Saylor down to the path along the water. And of course, there's plenty of grass napping.
















She meets various dog friends...














...and on this day we saw some guys jump off the bridge. I of course had the camera at the ready.















Behind the guys, a couple of dogs and their owner sailed slowly by on their catamaran. Such a nice day.
















Here they are preparing to jump!

Saylor Sez Happy Birthday Dad!

Saylor honkers down under the covers for a birthday nap!

Dogs & Dads Go Swimming

Now that it's nice and warm, James takes Saylor to Fiesta Island where they go swimming. Yes, girlie swims alongside her Dad for about a mile! And she keeps up, no problem. It's a really good, no-impact workout for our 8-year old girl. When she gets home she's so thirsty from getting salt water in her mouth, so it's straight to the outside bowl for mighty gulps.















I love her totally wet face. So cute. And sandy, too!

































After the bath, it's play-with-the-towel-while-being-dried time. Lots of fun for all.

The 4th

It was a crisp, sunny day on the fourth and the festivities were in full swing at Mom and Dad's. We arrived at 2:30 to find the front door adorned with this very cute, very patriotic basket.















There was so much food. Two kinds of chili - green and red - mac and cheese (yum!), bratwursts, BBQ ribs (meat, anyone?), salad, potato salad, and cherry pie and cupcakes. I had to be wheelbarrowed out to the car afterwards.

I love this picture of Izzie giving the peace sign. She looked so cute that day - all comfy and stylish in her jeans.














The croquet game hadn't yet started - but everything was set up and ready to go.















How about this centerpiece? Complete with Miss Liberty Bell on the left.
















And, of course, no day would be complete without darling Saylor. She was there with us, donning her vintage bandanna (it was my Dad's!). She was making sure not to get too far from the grill for fear she'd miss a morsel. Later someone did accidentally give her a rib. Yikes! But thankfully it didn't do what pork bones usually do to a dog. We were relieved, and she is fine. The girl is a world-class beggar (typical Labrador) so I'm sure she tirelessly wore her target down until they had no choice but to give up the rib. Oh Saylor! We love you so.

S is for . . .

Why Saylor, of course. Need I say more? Check out these adorable pics. It is also important to note that she is:

• Eater of all things Edible. We joke that the only thing off the menu are metal shards. But afterall, she is a Labrador.
  
• Liker of all things Lazy.
• Lover of the Good Sleep (which is on our bed!)
• Fan of Saturdays (which are Dogs Go To the Beach Day!)
• Leading lady of the Itchy Scratchy Show!