Revenge of the Smoke Detectors

A couple years ago we posted about our smoke detectors going NUTS!  It happened again during the holidays.  Mommy came home to chaos as Daddy tried to determine which smoke detector's batteries were going dead.  She found me and my sister in the laundry room.  Dixie was desperately trying to make her escape.  I was just keeping Dixie company until Mommy could provide the comforting Dixie needed. 

We stayed in there until Daddy made the terrible noise stop.  The next day when Mommy got out of the shower, she couldn't find us and started looking around the house.  Once again, she found us in the laundry room! 

Another smoke detector was beeping to let us know it wasn't long for this world.  As Mommy started trying to figure out its location, Ruger disappeared.  Can you spot him??

Ruger didn't seem to be bothered by the noise the night before, but he sure was this time.  Maybe because Daddy wasn't home??  He tried to hide out in the bathroom behind the door. 

It took Mommy several tries before the noises stopped.  Actually, they'd stop for a minute or five . . . long enough for Mommy to contemplate putting the ladder away and then they'd start again!

Thankfully, we haven't had any issues with the annoying beeping life saving machines since January.  Crossing our paws we don't have to hear them again any time soon!

Jenna

Our Pet Ostrich

We recently had an exotic animal in our house.  We had a black ostrich!  She was very intent on hiding her head in the sofa.  Her name was Dixie!

Dixie rarely gets on the love seat anymore. She used to love to sit on the love seat in our previous house.  Then we bought a new sofa and Mommy put a ban on dawgs on the sofa.  That lasted for a while and then she relented.  I'm the only one who takes advantage of Mommy's weakness for having us near her.  Dixie usually sits at Mommy's feet instead.  The only exception is if Mommy is enjoying a snack while sitting on the sofa. As the foodie in the house, I like to beg from Mommy's feet.  Dixie sometimes jumps up next to Mommy to have an up-close view of the food.

Recently Dixie hopped up on the love seat and there was't any food in sight!  Mommy was surprised,  and I was a little annoyed Dixie was in my place, but I behaved and allowed her to stay there.  Mommy says the reason Dixie doesn't sit up there often is because I dominate the love seat.  That's not true!  All Dixie has to do is ask politely!

After saying hello to Mommy, Dixie buried her head in the sofa cushions!

Mommy really likes Dixie's ears in this next picture.

The ostrich emerged briefly . . . 

 . . . and then went into hiding again!

Eventually Dixie decided to be Dixie the Lab and not Dixie the Ostrich.  She snuggled up to Mommy for several minutes more before (finally) relinquishing the sofa to its rightful owner!

Yes, this next one is ME!

Hopefully the ostrich won't be back anytime soon.  Mommy disagrees with my thinking, but I don't want anyone, even my sister, to take my place.

Until next time, 

Jenna

Sofa Squatter

Pillow Talk

Daddy says we have too many throw pillows on the bed.  Does anyone else's Daddy say that?  Mommy really doesn't pay any attention to what Daddy thinks about this particular topic.  She's the one who makes the bed in the morning and turns it back for the night.  If it's an inconvenience for anyone, it's her and she's willing to overlook this problem and put up with the many pillows.

Despite the fact that our parents' bed and the other beds in the house have beautiful pillows on them, you'll never see them.  Mommy keeps a flat sheet over the top of each bed so we don't get the bed linens dirty.  Our black and brown hairs aren't attractive on all those white pillows and spreads.  At least that's what Mommy says.  I say why have the beautiful pillows and covers if you can't see them and enjoy them?  But that's a story for another day.

Recently I've found a way around Mommy's pillows and protective covering.  I like to retreat to my parents' bedroom at night while they are in the living room watching TV.  Jenna usually settles on the sofa beside Mommy, and Ruger usually lies at her feet.  I have the bed all to myself . . . shouldn't I make myself comfy????

I totally agree with you!  Sometimes I rearrange all (SEVEN) pillows and settle smack dab in the middle . . .

Other times, I just pull back the top sheet and the first couple of pillows . . . 

My puppy dawg eyes work EVERY time to keep me from getting in trouble.  After all, I'm pretty sure I'm Mommy's favorite!

Dixie Doodle

Fire in the Hole!

When I first arrived on the scene, I didn't really take notice of the hole in the wall.  Jenna's crate was out in the middle of the den since she was convalescing and needed to be where she could keep up with all of us.  (Look at how tiny I was!!)

But a few weeks ago the temperature started to drop and Daddy moved that giant medallion screen to reveal the hole.  What in the world was he doing and why did we have a hole in the wall?  If you listened carefully you could even hear the wind blowing through it . . .

Daddy said the hole is really called the fireplace and it's a favorite feature in any house for him.  As soon as it gets the least bit chilly, he loves to build a fire.  He said I have to be careful and not get too close.  He also said that wooden leaf garland Mommy has hanging over the fireplace is a fire hazard, but I'm not totally sure of what he meant.

It only took Daddy a few minutes to build a roaring fire in the hole, I mean the fireplace.  I have it on good authority (from my sisters) that Mommy takes a LOT longer to successfully build a fire and it doesn't always stay lit!  This thing called fire is amazing!  It made all kinds of cool, crackly sounds and gave off heat that kept me warm.

Once it made a loud crashing sound and I had to jump across the room to save myself!  Mommy said it was just a log shifting, but I feared there might be something more sinister in there trying to grab me.

I finally became convinced that it was okay to enjoy my usual sleeping spot in front of the hole.  Drat!  It's going to take me a little while longer to call the hole by its proper name.

If you need me I'll be curled up sleeping in front of  the fireplace!
Ruger

Our Little Sheldon

Do you ever watch The Big Bang Theory on CBS?  If you do, you're very familiar with the character of Sheldon.  To say Sheldon has a bit of OCD is putting it mildly.  He must eat certain types of food on certain days, can't knock on a door unless he knocks in three sets of three, and he must sit in the same spot on the sofa any time he's in the living room.  To sit in another chair is unthinkable.

We seem to have a Little Sheldon on our paws here at the house.  Now that Mommy is allowing us to hop on the sofa again, Dixie is reverting to her old ways.  Dixie is channeling Sheldon!  She must sit in the same spot on the sofa every time.  It doesn't matter if Mommy, Grandma, or I am already sitting in HER SPOT.  Dixie will give you the stare down until you cave and get out of her way.

She can become quite agitated if you ignore her.  Mommy tries to coax Dixie into another spot on the sofa or to a place on the floor, but once Dixie has it in her mind, you can forgettaboutit!

This is HER SPOT!  Dixie doesn't care if you settle on top of her or beside her.  Just let her have it!

Yes, that's me getting comfy on top of Mommy.   My parents say I don't understand personal space.  I'm not sure what they speak of.  Mommy was sleeping, so she didn't mind.  Dixie was in HER SPOT on the right end of the sofa, so she didn't care either!

Dixie doesn't mind lying on top of Mommy either.  As long as the majority of Dixie's body is in its rightful place, she's good!

Don't let this look fool you.  Dixie may look sad and lonely, but trust me, she's in her Happy Place!

We're telling you all this in case you visit one day.  If you start feeling the hairs on the back of your neck twitch and sense you're being stared at by Dixie, you're probably right!  Especially if you're in HER SPOT!

Jenna

Where's the Broom?

For those of you old enough, do you remember Wendy's advertising slogan "Where's the Beef?"   We don't actually remember it ourselves, but Mommy has talked about it when teaching advertising techniques.  We feel like adjusting it a bit and going around the house asking, "Where's the Broom?"

Since we've lived in this new house, the broom has almost completely disappeared.  The Swiffer only makes a weekly appearance.  What's going on here?  In our previous house, the broom or Swiffer made almost daily visits to our kitchen.  Mommy had a love/hate relationship with those two devices.  She loved the results; she HATED how often they came calling on her.

Here's a reminder of what the previous kitchen floor looked like on moving day:

From far away, the floor looks pretty good.  It's blue and white, one of Mommy's favorite color combos.  But it's only from far away that this floor looked good.  If you were to see it on a daily basis, you would know why Mommy hated it!  She asked herself a million times while living in this house who in their right mind would put WHITE tile in the kitchen!  Daddy started asking who in their right mind would have two black labs in a kitchen with white tile, but that's another story.

One of the best things about the new house in Mommy's opinion is the tile in the kitchen.  I think Mommy's IN LOVE!  This tile has to be the best invention known to man or dawg.  It shows NOTHING!!!!!  Well, it might show a few tiny water spots from a certain unnamed dawg's drool, but only in the right light.

Every tiny little bitty dawg hair is able to hide out until it decides to form a tumbleweed.  That is the only time Mommy notices anything on the floor.  When she sees a tumbleweed that has formed, she simply reaches down and picks it up.  She does not go looking for the broom or the Swiffer.

The poor broom is basically only used and abused for outdoor chores now (and boy, do we have some serious dust and dirt out there!).  The Swiffer is only invited into the kitchen once a week when Mommy does her regularly scheduled cleaning.

I personally have the feeling the Swiffer should invite himself in at least twice a week, but Mommy is living by the philosophy of "Ignorance is bliss!"

Whatever makes Mommy happy,
Jenna


PS: Happy Birthday tomorrow to Grandaddy!  We hope you have a great day!

PPS: The broom did make an appearance Monday on Halloween . . . after all, Mommy has to get around somehow!