It's Great to Crate!

~~That's right. We finally broke down and did it, and we agree, we should have done it sooner. After the worst day ever on Saturday, we consulted dog-lovers Tina and Trey. They added the last note to the mighty chorus of advisers. "Use the crate!" Casey is taking it easy in the photo above, but Max is not as sure in the one below. ; )

~~Saturday was the clincher. We had started trying puppy pee pads because clean up is so easy. The boys had another idea. When we came back from getting Mother Helen's lunch, a blizzard had hit the back bathroom. No two fibers were still next to their original neighbor and there was not piece of backing larger than two by two inches. Clean up took over half an hour.

~~So, crates here we come. Sunday we crated for forty-five minutes. Each boy had his favorite cow hoof to chew. It wasn't so bad that they wouldn't go back in. In fact, after a nap on the sofa was interrupted, Casey crawled back in his crate to finish sleeping! On Monday, we used it twice during the day--about thirty minutes and nearly three hours when we had to be gone. Guess what? They survived without accident. Afterward, they ripped, romped and played with abandon.

~~Monday night was neither quiet not easy and Max had an accident. Tuesday night was better with no accidents. So we are sure crating will work and the mornings are the reward. No poo or torn, soggy paper to clean up and, best of all, no fluffy pee pad snow!

~~We had been told how well crates work, but seeing is believing. After all, hindsight is 20/20. ; )

Don't Fence Us In!

~~Too late! The boys' play yard is complete and, let's be honest, they love it. Romping around is dear to their puppy hearts. Not to mention, John and I are breathing easier. Being able to potty off leash should help with leash and house training. The two rowdy little boys can run after each other to their hearts' content.

~~We worked the better part of four days and the fence looks marvelous! John quipped that someone would ask us who we hired. I responded, "A-1 Fencing." As in, Alpha (John) and his #1 assistant (me). ; ) It helps when you have an experienced surgical nurse...er...project assistant with construction and tool experience. The job isn't so hard that way. We do know a thing or two about pressure treated wood, concrete, and tools.

~~We are now the proud owners of a fenced play yard that keeps the boys safe. Except for our escape artist--Max found the one spot that he could get through--between the post and the foundation. We plugged the hole and even Little Max has been contained. ; )

~~So wish us luck on house training and all that. The boys are growing and we hope all will resolve itself soon.

A Cappella Thunderstorm--A Must See

~~How does a choir make a thunderstorm? With hands, feet, and an amazing precision that will put you in awe. The clip is of Perpetuum Jazzile, a Slovenian a cappella jazz choir. Their rendition of Toto's Africa will astound you. Take the time to check it out.

~~There's nothing like a sudden shower to take the sizzle out of a hot summer day. It's as good the shade under a tree. So, take a listen and feel the heat recede! This choir adds another way to provide a cooling break. ; )

Casey and Max Grow Up!

~~Well, a little bit. ; ) They got their third round of shots a week ago on Wednesday and Casey weighed 4.4 pounds, Max weighed 3.2 pounds. Yesterday they got their first clipping. Such a difference! They now weigh 4.6 and 3.6 (in only a week!), but look like they have lost weight. They also look twice as tall. Their hair had grown to three inches and now they are only 5/8 of an inch. It lies in flat waves. We kept their silky ears, some on their heads, and pompom tails. Our fluffy pups are now long, lean, aristocratic poodles.

~~Less hair has to be better outside in the 95 degrees and they aren't parking on the air vent as much. Their energy level is up as if it needed any increase. They have found their tails. Nothing like watching two puppies somersault across the floor or turning like tops. John has upped his estimate of the work two puppies takes compared to one to quadruple. There is no doubt that they are both all boy. ; )

~~The biggest change of all is Max's lovely apricot was changing into a light cream. You can still see his apricot ears. What's really funny is that both boys have a small patch of alternately colored hair high on their left hip. It's like each pup needs a bit of his brother's color to mark that they are siblings.

~~Enjoy our boy's photos. They grow up so fast!

Music--Old and New

~~What is the world's oldest musical instrument? Would you believe a 35,000 year old flute? It's true! How cool is that? It sure warms my heart. I played flute for eight years in school, but that was nearly as long ago as this new find is old. ; )

~~The artifact was found in a southwestern German cave and is eight and a half inches long. With its five finger holes, it produces harmonic notes comparable to modern flutes. The cave was also the site of a rich find of carvings and two other flute fragments. Early man called this cave home. It's not the only old dwelling that boasts flutes. Three other flutes have been found in another German cave. All the flutes are made out of ivory or bone. Finding so many examples of early musical instruments means that music is common to the culture of man all the way back to the beginnings.

~~I don't know about you, but this new discovery just confirms something I've always known, music enriches our lives and makes us happy. The next time I sing in choir, I'll be thrilled to know that my joy has been around a long, long time. So enjoy the music, any music, in the shade of the cherry tree. ; )

Down? See UP

~~If you haven't seen Pixar's latest movie, UP, you need to. It's the perfect animated movie--beautiful visual images, wonderful story, and lovable characters. UP is the best I've ever seen and though I really liked last year's WALL*E, I found UP to be much sweeter and multifaceted. Finally the promise of computer generated animation has been achieved. UP combines the color saturation of the old glass plates with the intense detail of computer animation. Some of the best visuals range from stained-glass colorful to the effective use of gray tones. Check out the rainbow light that glows through the balloons that float the house on its long journey to South American or the equally detailed grays of the old news reel that inspired the trip. It would be worth the price of admission just to see these images, but add one of the best, most nuanced stories you'll ever see, and you have the best animated movie ever.

~~UP is the story of elderly widower, Carl Fredrickson, who is trying desperately to cling to his memories of his beloved wife, Ellie, the home they built, and the dream of their long-planned trip to South America. Into Carl's life come developers who want his land and house and Russell, a Wilderness Explorer Scout. Russell helps Carl find both new purpose and love in life. Along the way, Carl shows Russell the meaning of true love and fathering. UP's greatest strength is the multiple themes that subtly reinforces and reflect each other. they include:
*Don't give up on your dreams.
*You're never too old for adventure.
*Keep your promises.
*Help others.
*You don't have to be a parent to take care of a child.
*Friends come in all shapes, sizes, and ages.

~~Dog lovers take note--you will be thrilled with the helpful and endearing Dug. Enjoy the many "doggie-isms" that play out--from the distraction of "squirrel" and "ball" to loyalty and sheer doggedness. Play fetch with a lovable pooch and you will find out just how sloppery a tennis ball can get. ; )

~~Pixar and Disney have offered us a wonderful gift in UP, but didn't stop there. the main feature is bracketed by a wonderful short feature that answers the follow-up question children are sure to ask after being told that storks bring babies--"But where do the storks get the babies from?" You'll never look at clouds the same way again. ; ) And don't neglect the credits either. Each of the usual categories--production, sound, music--is illustrated to perfection. Sit tight and enjoy.

~~All in all, UP is a wonderful way to spend a summer afternoon or evening. There's a story line or theme for everyone. So take the time and allow UP to give you a lift. And enjoy the shade while you do.

It's a boy--and a boy!

~~When is a Cassie really a Casey? When he is so dark brown that it's hard to tell if he is a boy or a girl. That is until his people observe closely when he is outside doing his business. So our little girl is a little boy and we couldn't care less. I remembered the breeder saying we have a girl and a boy, but John has always been sure we have two boys. Guess who's correct? ; )

~~So we are the proud "parents" of two little boy puppies who are growing fast. The boys are nine weeks old in the photo. Casey is bigger than Max. If you wonder why the smaller of the two is named Max, we weren't too sure at first either. But the longer we observed him, the clearer it became that Max always gives his maximum effort no matter what he's doing--running, wrestling, chewing, or sleeping. Both of the boys are learning two new words--come and sit. Treats are a must, but at least they are starting to get the point.

~~I am still laughing about my being outnumbered by the three males in the house. This big laugh is a great example of the joy we can find everyday in the shade of the cherry tree. ; )

Cassie and Max Come Home

~They're here! Our toy poodle puppies came home today and, boy, are they cute. Born April 7, Cassie and Max are fluffy, bright-eyed, and waggly-tailed. Cassie is a lovely chocolate and the larger of the two. Max is apricot and darker on his head than his body.

~The breeder assures us that they will be house trained in two weeks if we are vigilant. So, we are on watch. Including watching their first three and a half hours at home--asleep. Yep, that's right. Two adults watching two puppies sleep. We are fascinated--and in love! ; )

~Here's hoping the prediction isn't too good to be true. Wish us luck!