Coulee and the Gang

Sweater

I haven't knit many sweaters. I usually run out of steam part way though and never finish. But I LOVE this one and am so glad I saw it though to the end.

I think I'll add another inch to the bottom though. We'll see how lazy I am.

Centre of Attention

Well my visit in Nelson didn't last long. Marlin tried to make it out to us but the route he chose was really snowy, really slow and not very safe. So he turned around and headed for home. Dad and Shelley were also planning on leaving Nelson that day and as I had carpooled with them from Cranbrook, I hitched a ride back. After a very long day of driving, I made it home safe and sound.

Marlin and I celebrated Christmas again yesterday morning and then spent the day doing nothing. It was great. Today, I've done not much more but I did join Jolene and Amanda for a short walk in the snow.

The girls had an absolute blast.

Lacey didn't stop running the whole time and seemed to have everyone else chasing her (well other than Wicca and Boone who didn't want to play).

Kort was a little obsessive and Lacey finally told him to back off.

Tobogganing Fun

Before...

After...

Even the "old folks" took a turn.

Smoke

I'm having a great time at my sister's place in Nelson. We had a great Christmas Day filled with family, presents, great food and even a little tobogganing. And to make things even more fun this year, they just got a new kitten that is really cute and doesn't mind me stalking her for photos. In fact, she's been stalking me right back.

I often seem to be catching her in areas of bad lighting or later in the day so there is no natural light. Luckily I have a few more days to keep trying!

Merry Christmas!

What would Christmas be without...

A Christmas Tree,

A stocking full of gifts,

and a good snowball fight!

Happy Holidays from Marlin, Wendy, Coulee, Lacey and Lu!

My Favorite Cookies

For years, my Grandma made Pink Clouds (aka Wendy's Delights) for me at Christmas. Now that she no longer bakes, I am carrying on the tradition (even though Marlin hates them - that just leaves more for me to eat!). They are essentially a sugar cookie with a merigue topping that has crushed candy cane and chocolate chips mixed in. Doesn't that sound good?

My other favourite is a Chewy Chocolate Ginger Cookie that I found in the 2001 Martha Stewart Holiday Cookie magazine. It actually uses real ginger in the recipe. Yum, Yum!

Just Because

There is just something about this photo that I love...

The Stool Game

Coulee loves to put toys under the stool so she can try and get them back out. Half the game is the challenge of getting it under there in the first place.

We love it, because it gives us a short break from endless fetch.

Lacey prefers the game of napping.

How many of you were thinking the other kind of stool? :)

Looking Back

If you haven't read back to the beginning of your blog in a while, I highly recommend it. Coulee hasn't changed much in the last year, but Lacey has. And because I've just posted recently about her sister, I thought you might like these old posts featuring the two of them.

http://crazyandlittle.blogspot.com/2008/03/lacey-wrestling.html
http://crazyandlittle.blogspot.com/2008/03/too-many-pictures.html

Sisterly Love?

Maggie and Lacey really re-connected again today. They haven't played this much together since they were pups.

And finally we got a picture comparing their size. Quite the difference eh?

Tag

Sarah tagged me to post the 6th photo of the 6th folder of my photos. It just happens to be one of Kort as a pup (he is still a pup but he is now a much bigger pup!). This was taken the first time Kort came to work with Jolene. He was too small for daycare but he came into the play area afterwards to meet Lacey and to race around.

Pretty Collar

I think if Lacey had long hair, she'd be flinging it behind her shoulders to show off her beautiful new Mimi Green Collar.

Hidden Obstacles

Lu has a nasty habit of stretching out over a full step. It can make going up and down the stairs a little awkward and downright dangerous when you are carry something and don't see her.

The Best Seat

Lu thinks this is the best seat in the house.

Please Sir...

...can I have some more?

Coulee has the best bowels of any dog I have ever met. Unfortunately these last few days, she has had the first diarrhea of her life. So she is on a pumpkin only diet for the day and she is not very happy about it. She was even willing to risk Lu's wrath to ask Marlin for dinner.

As you can see she is still begging!

No Competition

The girls rarely play with toys together. But I've discovered if I also get in on the game, I can get them both to tug at once and not even quite realize they are playing with each other. They think they are playing with me. Then when I let go, they will play briefly together.

Apparently though, Coulee doesn't think it is much of a competition. "I don't even need to hold on or pay attention, I can just stand on it."

"Yawn! I can even do this while taking a nap."

Our Favourite Things

Amanda, the corgi kids and Boone listed their favourite things and suggested we do the same. So here are the best things ever according to Lacey and Coulee.

1. Baby Cuz - You just can't get enough of Baby Cuz. And if you aren't as addicted to it as Coulee, it is fun to steal it from her just to bug her.
2. Morning Snuggles (oops, maybe this is one of my favourite things!)
3. Food - they are apparently starving at all times and would eat anything you tried to give them.
4. Walks - what dog doesn't like walks?  My girls prefer to go commando (off leash) but will settle for a leash walk if they can pull like the dickens and bark at everything they see.  Otherwise, where is the fun?
5. Pillows - big, soft, fluffy pillows.  Does the bed count as a giant pillow?
6. Have we mentioned Baby Cuz?

Long Day

I drove Grace out to Cranbrook today so she could catch her flight to her new home tomorrow. I drove to Cranbrook, had a brief visit with my Dad and his wife, handed Grace over to another volunteer who is keeping her for the evening and delivering her to the airport tomorrow, bought a new daycare toy and then drove home with a brief stop to photograph a windmill. I'm exhausted. Is 6 p.m. too early to go to bed?

More Than Good Enough

The Prairie Dog Canine Rescue hosted an adoption fair today. They had 12 dogs from their rescue adopted including Jackie. It was a really good day.

It was really hard to say goodbye to Jackie. It has been really hard to say goodbye to every dog that we have fostered. I was thinking about it today... Why is it so much harder to say goodbye to a rescue dog than it is to a friend's dog that you look after, or a client's dog no longer requires your services?

Is it because you may never see them again? I don't think so. I've had clients move away and while I was sad to see them go, I didn't cry every time I thought about it.

Is it because you aren't sure they are going to a good home? I don't think this is it either. I know the rescue does the best they can to match the right dog up with the right family and will often turn down applications because it isn't the right fit.

I think it is so hard because I'm afraid I'm sending them the message that they weren't good enough.

Every one of these dogs have been told at least once in their life, if not more, that they aren't good enough. They've either been left behind in a cardboard box, or dropped off in the country somewhere, or abandoned at a kennel, or given away because they've had a baby, or are moving, or... It doesn't matter what the reason is, it comes down to the fact that their owner no longer considers them a priority and that they aren't worth fighting for.

I know life isn't black and white and that some people have some really legitimate reasons for having to find their dog a new home. I get that. I really do. But that sure doesn't seem to be the majority and I'm shocked and annoyed by the number of dogs that come into rescue that people really haven't cared about.

I'm scared that Jackie will think that despite the love we gave her and she gave us, despite all the cuddles every night, and despite the fun we had, that when it came down to it, she wasn't good enough for us. When the fact is, she was more than good enough. She was great. We were never meant to keep her forever. We were just meant to keep her safe until she could find someone that needed her as much as she needed them. I just hope she knows that.

Family Resemblance

Can you see it?

This is Lacey's sister Maggie. We definitely got the runt of the litter.

The Perfect Dog

Jackie is about as close to perfect as a dog can get. She barely barks (and only after my 2 have been going on, and on and on. I bet she wouldn't bark at all without anyone encouraging her!), she loves to snuggle, she loves to run, she completely ignores our cat, she is good with kids, she is quiet and calm in the house, she plays with dogs of all temperaments, sizes and ages and she has a pretty long fuse.

The only time I've ever seen her act inappropriately is over a toy. But in the few weeks she has been with me she only had 3 episodes in the first week and only 1 episode this week - and that was after putting up with a pushy puppy all day long at daycare. I could hardly blame her! And when I say "episode", I mean a quick snark that is all bark and no bite.

She really better get adopted this weekend at the adoption fair. I'm not sure how anyone could meet her and not fall in love. I think she would fit in well with just about anyone - a family, a single person, an active person, a couch potato, a young person, an old person, as a second pet, or as the only pet. She would be anything you want her to be. All she wants, is to be with you.

Comin' At Ya!

Just a few more pictures from our walk yesterday. Notice how much dirtier the toy is now that my girls have gotten a hold of it? I bet Kort wouldn't even touch it now!

Lacey and Jackie play quite a bit at home these days but only if I can keep Coulee out of it. Generally this isn't a problem, because Coulee always picks fetch over wrestling.

One of Lacey's favorite games is stealing Coulee's toy. Not because she wants to play with it, but just because she knows Coulee wants it.

And just one more example of the Amazing Lacey - the world's first flying dog.