What Happened to Fall?

Mom told us that fall was coming. Katy barely remembers last fall, but I love fall. The weather is cool, the leaves crunch under my feet, and the smells are amazing. However, this past week has felt worse than any we experienced during the hot days of summer. Everything in the house is sweating from something Mom calls humidity.

I demand my fall weather and I want it now!

Wordless Wednesday: The Red Sox Season Not Going Well

Crochet Swaps Bring Dog Treats

We have been complaining that Mom spends too much time with her crochet hooks. In fact, she started to use Bailey as a crochet pattern holder when he wanted to snuggle with her on the couch and she was working on a project. However, we have discovered something cool about crocheting. Some swap partners send dog treats and toys.

Mom is involved in a group that does themed crochet swaps. She completed her first one and her first box arrived. We were very excited and Mom could not understand why as all she could smell is cinnamon, which she loves. We however, immediately sensed there was more to this package than yarn, crochet hooks, potpourri and candles. There was the delightful smell of dog treats. We were even more amazed to find a cool Frisbee that doubles as our new favorite tug toy. This one is Katy sized and she constantly fights to get it back. Mom is not sure what it is about this toy that she is so attached to, but she is thrilled that Katy is showing some interest in holding on to something when I try to steal everything. (You should have seen my toy pile yesterday.)

So perhaps this crocheting thing is not so bad after all.

What a Beautiful Fall Weekend

Mom and Dad spent a great deal of time enjoying the fall weather. It turns out that many people ignored the directions for that fall festival and brought their dogs to the outdoor festival Mom we wrote about a few weeks ago. The dogs left the parade and ignored the rules about going to the festival. Mom and Dad followed the rules and we stayed home. However, Dad made some special time for us when he got home and Bailey made a visit to a special friend later that night.

Sunday Mom and Dad were going to a kid-oriented event that Dad had to make a presentation at and they invited one of our human cousins to come and visit. She came over on Saturday night so she could be ready early on Saturday morning. Katy and I chased the ball, but Katy hesitated to get to close. Not me, I got as much attention as I could. She wanted to make friends, but was not sure. She would come close even poking with nose and foot, but each time she retreated. I of course took full advantage of the situation and got as close as I could. Never one to pass up a tummy rub, I moved in. However, Katy was trying to make a connection. After we went to bed, Katy made several trips downstairs to check on our guest. She would stay for a short time until a noise would send her flying back upstairs to jump up on top of me.

When Mom and Dad arrived home last night, Katy kept checking the door. She normally has this reaction when she knows Mom or Dad has stayed outside talking to a neighbor and has not come in yet. She was distressed that one of her sheep had not returned home. She actually missed our guest. She does not seem to understand the idea of borrowed sheep, yet.

I may have to get used to sharing attention with Katy, as she is getting bolder.

Our Weekly Book Review: The Salamander Spell

While Bailey has shown no interest in the series I was very excited when Mom brought home The Salamander Spell. After the romance and adventure of The Dragon Princess ,I had high expectations. Bailey had no interest in the Tales of the Frog Princess series, although he has gotten hooked on the Grimm's sister adventures Mom has been reviewing for her education blog.

Mom was interested in this story as it provided the family history Emma's Mom, Chartreuse and Aunt Grassina. It explains why Emma's Mom was not the green witch and why Aunt Grassina ended up with the gift of magic. It was not nearly as exciting as Milly's story. Mom has promised to make it up to me and has put Milly's next story Dragon Kiss on reserve at the library. I will admit Bailey is right, the Sister's Grimm are pretty funny.

Wordless Wednesday: Dad's Bad Aim

It is the Small Things

It really is the small stuff with Katy. Like children, it is wrong to compare dogs, but sometimes you cannot help yourself. Things came easier to Bailey. It may have been that he came to us as a puppy from rescue and he had less baggage. He might have a more outgoing personality. I do not know. I do know that Katy has fought hard to believe and each victory is amazing.

People can debate the issues with dogs on furniture, but we have always enjoyed cuddling with the dogs on our beds and couches. That is why the couches all have fleece blankets on them. They wash when company comes and it reduces the hair to clothing ratio for our guests. When Katy came to us, she had challenges with stairs and jumping was not something she would do. We were not sure if it was training or fear.

The stairs were necessary. In order to reach the backyard she had to be able to negotiate the back stairs. My husband carried her down the first few times, but that was not a long-term option. With cookies and Bailey's help, we coached her on walking the stairs. Today, the problem is still getting her to walk the stairs. Now, she flies over them. Getting her to touch the stairs is a thing of the past. She flies up and down every set of stairs indoors and out. It is wonderful to see her fearless, but we do have to work on keeping her from breaking her neck with her races with Bailey around the house.

I started a tradition of picking her up and scratching and petting her on the couches for short periods of time to help her understand she was allowed on the furniture if she wanted to be there. She was not interested for a very long time. Last night I walked into the room my husband and his friend were watching the game and I saw Katy jump up on the couch and curl up with my husband. I struggled not to say anything. For some reason when you notice what she has done, even in a positive way, Katy leaves. My husband told me later that she has started to come out at night and watch sports with him on the couch. It does not sound like a big issue. However, if you understood how far she has come not just jumping up on her own, but to initiate contact it is huge.

Katy may always be shy. Several people have remarked that may be her personality. I am fine with that. My hope has always been that she would choose to do things based on personality, not on fear or bad past experiences. She may never be comfortable with strangers. However, she has won so many of the battles with challenges since she arrived with that I leave it to her to decide.