"Beat the Bark"

...this morning was my last day with edgar & zowie [aka "my seniors"]. it was bittersweet, as i know that i'll have them again soon - but they started and ended my day on such a perfect note these past 3 weeks... i'd gotten used to it. zowie is always sooo excited to see me when i come [me = food] that she does this little dance then begins barking like mad [she's got a louddd bark for such a little, older, girl... its the aussie in her] until i feed them. so we developed a game i call "beat the bark" where i have to get in the house, put my stuff down, grab and organize the mail, grab edgars bowl, make it to the kitchen and scoop both of their food before she starts barking. hmm, put it this way - calone: 2, zowie: 20 easily... i finally stopped counting :)

but anyway... i love them... and i just wanted to share that!!

the current roster here on vanowen street: inca, sydney, bam & stimpy. more stories to come soon!!

[this is zowie while 'in the zone' for a treat]

yesterdays nap.

it was a very hectic and adventurous day which i successfully performed on less than an ideal amount of sleep the night before - so once i made it home around 4pm, i retired for a much needed nap on the sofa... well pressure in odd places woke me up. i opened my eyes to find tilden (my german shepherd) laying along side me on the very narrow strip of sofa that was left... mica (my cat) laying on my back... stimpy (a chihuahua who is not allowed on the sofa) curled up behind my knees... and gia (my old shepherd who can't make it onto the sofa even if there were room) laid on the dog bed next to us with her chin resting on my hand that had fallen from the sofa. too cute for words!! i was sleeping so soundly that i have no idea when or how everyone made their arrangements. i'm dying to know who was first... and to see the faces and thought process of each of them. wheres the camera and a spare set of hands when you need them???

4 sleeping dogs.

I can't believe how incredibly 'right' this feels.

I have Buckley and Stimpy here along with Gia and Tilden. The 4 of them are surrounding me while making use of the 2 large beds downstairs and I doubt that even a rattle of the treat bag would wake these guys up right now. Playing playing playing, all morning!

Not only is everyone getting along, but they're genuinly enjoying each others company... something I've had absolutely no part in, its all natural. Stimpy sleeps with Gia... Buckley and Tilden are attached at the hip... Buckley finishes his food then goes right outside and waits for Stimpy to finish his... Gia still gives Tilden drive-by kisses... there is no question of how pack oriented this group is and i love it!

More on Buckley later... (how on earth do Beagle owners do it, lol)