Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Guam!

Temporarily Out of Office

Dear blog follower(s):
This will probably be my last blog posting until the New Year.  I am headed to Guam to visit Brian and I am not bringing my laptop with me.  Sadly, I am not bringing Tahoe and Ashley either so... since this is a blog that is mostly about them, I should really put it on hold until I return. I may be able to post a picture here or there but I can't promise anything. Thanks for reading and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Be sure to come back in 2011!

Let it Snow! (But Only for Today)

We received our first snowfall of the season: 1" to 3" accumulation averages were reported around our area.  I'm guessing that we received about 1.5" to 2" tops in our neighborhood. The snow was light but it fell steady from 10am to 3pm.   When I came home from work, Tahoe and Ashley were literally bouncing off the walls from being cooped up all day.  I let them outside to get pictures of them with the snow but Tahoe would not stand still so... all of the photo's included tonight feature Ms. Ashley.

And before I forget, a special shout-out tonight: Happy Birthday Babu!

Ashley's tail is pointing at the snow

She's crazy!

Ashley loves to eat the snow

COLD

It's 20 degrees outside  - the wind chill makes it feel like it's 14 degrees with wind gusts up to 30 mph. (Tahoe and Ashley think I'm crazy for taking this photo outside in the cold.)

It's COLD outside!

A Weekend Full of Holiday Cheer

Things have been pretty busy around here lately... with work and the holidays and preparing to travel, I've had less and less time recently to post to the blog.  This weekend was no exception.

On Saturday, after walking the dogs, I braved the crowds at the mall to do a little Christmas shopping.  Although the mall was busy, I was able to pick up a few items for folks on my gift list.  When I got home, I prepared cards and gift bags for Sunday evening's annual "holiday get-together" with our friends. 

Today, I walked the dogs, went to the gym, watched and listened to the Georgetown basketball game, prepared dessert for the dinner party, (did laundry somewhere in between) and celebrated and exchanged gifts with friends.  But... enough about me... I know that what you're really wondering is what have Tahoe and Ashley been up to?

Tahoe was pooped out on Saturday after our walk - he spent most of the walk chasing sticks that my dad kept throwing for him.  Ashley was a daredevil - with a little coaxing, she went down the slide on the playground.  She's one crazy dog! On today's walk we saw three large white-tailed deer bound through the woods.  It was wet out but luckily the rain was just a slight drizzle.  The temps have been in the low to mid 40's this weekend so it's been a bit more comfortable for all of us.

Tahoe was pooped! (He didn't even notice the box on his head)

The lake was still iced over

Ashley, before attempting the slide

I just got home a little while ago (from the dinner party) and I was happy to share gifts with Tahoe and Ashley.  Both received new collars - Tahoe's is blue and Ashley's is purple. They also received gourmet doggie treats from Chateaux Animeaux. (Thank you Pat and Hester!) They are both enjoying the treats. I've also included a few pics of their friend Riley - our friend's dog, at the dinner party tonight

Riley

Riley and Hattie

Ashley with her new purple collar

Tahoe with his new blue collar

Ashley enjoying a gourmet treat

P.S. - DQH, I was late tonight because I was doing laundry and waiting for the cake to cool.  I'm usually late because I'm waiting for Brian to get out of the shower! So... yes, it is Brian, not me.

P.P.S. - LBH, here's a link to the commercial that was continuously played during the game.

Cold as Ice!

This morning I bundled up in my warm fleece clothes and braved the frigid cold temperatures to walk Tahoe and Ashley.  We walked for only about 20 minutes.  It was 24 degrees - too cold for me to take pictures! Once we reached the lake, Tahoe and Ashley got to stretch their legs a run a bit.  The lake was actually half frozen and there were four seagulls circling the water.  (What in the world were the seagulls doing there?)

I took a few photos of Tahoe and Ashley this evening... both decked out in my winter scarf.  (Tahoe's posing with his toy snowball.)

Ashley

Tahoe

Brrr... it's Cold!

This weekend was a cold one - it's been in the 30's and low 40's for the past two days.  The next few days will be more of the same cold temps but windier.  The cold has not kept us indoors though.  I took Tahoe and Ashley out for a walk in the morning on Saturday and Sunday. It sure was chilly!

On Saturday, Tahoe found a really good stick and played tug-o-war.  On Sunday, Tahoe and Ashley checked out the playground. 

Tahoe and his stick

Playing tug-o-war

Sniffing the playground

More sniffing

Do you see Ashley? Do you see Tahoe?

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This evening, my dad and I went out to dinner.  As I was parking the car, I saw a van with a bumper sticker that said "Hafa Adai!" That means "hello" in Chamorro, the native language in Guam. (Hafa Adai Brian!)

Swamped with Work

During the past two days I've been so swamped with work that I've been too busy and tired to take the dogs out for our morning walks.  I've come home from the office and then literally I've been on the computer from 6pm to midnight working on faculty promotion files - urgh!  The good news is that the files are due c.o.b. tomorrow so... come tomorrow evening I'll be finished with this project.  In the meantime, poor Tahoe and Ashbones have had to amuse themselves.

So, I took a few minutes tonight to provide you with a quick glimpse into what those two rascals have been up to while I've been busy working...

Removing stuffing from toys

Ashley caught in the act

Snuggle bugs on the couch, waiting for me to finish my work

Double the Fun

This morning's walk was dark and rainy.  Surprisingly though it was mild and 50 degrees.  I was a little overdressed with my Winnie the Pooh winter hat but at least the hat kept my head and ears dry. When we arrived at the lake, Tahoe took off bounding up and down the nearby hills.  (For a 10+ year old dog, he's quite impressive to watch!) Ashley stayed close and walked on the dark path with me.  At one point, I heard a strange noise coming from the woods that sounded like a cross between a baby and a bird.  It was pretty spooky and it made my spine shiver. Luckily, I'm happy to report that we did not encounter any creepy monsters.

Ashley, looking towards the source of the creepy noise

Can you find Tahoe in the darkness?

This was the brightest that it got on our morning walk. Can you find Tahoe now?

Why "double the fun?"
Well, I had a doctor's appointment this afternoon which allowed me to come home early from work today.  I surprised Tahoe and Ashley with an afternoon walk at 4:45pm.  Two walks on a weekday - yay!  Unfortunately, both walks were mostly in darkness due to the rainy and overcast weather. But, that little detail didn't seem to bother Tahoe or Ashley.

Tomorrow's weather is predicted to be windy and rainier with scattered thunderstorms.  We might just have to settle for playing ball inside.... we'll see.

By the way, I just saw a great Hoya's basketball game go into overtime.
Final score: Georgetown 111 - Missouri 102
Go Hoyas!

Holiday Weekend

This weekend, in between cooking Thanksgiving dinner, attending a Georgetown basketball game, and working on dossiers for work, I was able to spend some quality time with my two favorite furry buddies.  We went on walks, played ball, played "find it" with treats, and I even gave them baths. Of course, we did have a few hiccups along the way...

During a walk on Friday, Tahoe pee'd on my dad's sneaker.  Tahoe had never done anything like that so I was laughing and teasing my dad about it for a while. Well, do you know about karma...? On Saturday, while I was walking Tahoe and Ashley, Tahoe walked between my legs and pee'd on the right leg of my jeans! Eew! My dad swears he'll get even with him someday... personally, I don't think I want to be a witness to that.

Yes... I have washed my jeans since the walk on Saturday. You may want to avoid my dad's red sneakers though.

Ashley

Ashley on the go

Tahoe on the run

 

We Are... GEORGETOWN!

Today I went to a Georgetown basketball game: Georgetown vs. UNC Asheville. During the game, I had an opportunity to get a few pictures of Jack the Bulldog. Although Tahoe and Ashley weren't present, they were happy to share today's blog posting with their friend Jack.

Jack the Bulldog

And... in case you were wondering... Georgetown won the game - 87 to 72. Go Hoyas!

Thanksgiving

Today we took a walk by the lake. It was 50 degrees, overcast and dry. Along the way, Ashley found several surprises.  The first was an apple.  The apple was sliced and sitting on a pile of leaves in the woods.  Next, she found a slice of white bread.  The bread was laying on top of a tree stump.  Then she found another piece of bread; it was half of a slice and it was on the ground.  She also found m&m's - red and green, scattered around a tree.  Unfortunately, the last item she found is the one that she swallowed... a piece of chewed green gum that had been tossed onto a pile of leaves. Yuck! Needless to say, it was a strange walk.

For dinner, I gave Tahoe and Ashley a special Thanksgiving Turducken, a canned dog food with turkey, duck, and chicken. They also received a few extra bites of the turkey breast that I cooked.  (I cooked a 3 lb turkey breast. Brian usually cooks 20+ lbs of turkey for us on Thanksgiving!)

Mr. Turkey Head

Although I can't spend this turkey day with my husband, I am thankful for my home, health, family and beautiful dogs. Happy Thanksgiving!

Tahoe and Ashley, sharing an Eskimo Kiss

Morning Routine

After about a week, I'm finally over my cold... Tahoe and Ashley are especially happy because that means that we are back to our usual morning routine.  (There were a few days last week where I was too sick to walk them). This week is a short week at work with Thanksgiving.  I'm looking forward to spending more time with my favorite pooches.

Super Tahoe!

Tahoe, sniffing at the ground

Ashley, chewing on grass

If I Didn't Have Dogs...

If I didn't have dogs... I could walk around the yard barefoot, and my house could be carpeted, instead of tiled and laminated.  All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be free of hair. When the doorbell rings, it wouldn't sound like a kennel and I could get the door without wading through a bunch of fuzzy bodies who beat me there. I could sit on the couch and my bed the way I wanted without taking into consideration how much space a couple of fur bodies would need to get comfortable. I wouldn't have strange presents under my Christmas tree - dog bones, stuffed animals, toys, treats; nor would I have to explain to people why I wrap them. I would have money... and no guilt to go on a real vacation. I wouldn't be on a first name basis with 6 veterinarians, as I put their yet unborn grandkids through college. The most used words in my vocabulary would not be: out, sit, come, no, stay, and leave him/her/it ALONE. My house would not look like a day care center, toys everywhere. My pockets would not contain things like poop bags, treats, and an extra leash. I would no longer have to spell the words B-A-L-L, F-R-I-S-B-E-E, W-A-L-K, and T-R-E-A-T. I would not have as many leaves inside my house as outside. I'd look forward to spring and the rainy season, instead of dreading "mud" season. I would not have to answer the question "Why do you have so many animals?" from people who will never have the joy in their lives of knowing they are loved unconditionally by someone as close to an angel as they will ever get.
How empty my life would be.
(Author Unknown)

Ashley

Tahoe

And then there was Ashley...

In November 2007, a friend approached me and asked me if I wanted another weimaraner.  My first reaction was "No Way!" Tahoe was already a handful... how would I be able to manage him AND another dog. I was curious though, so I asked a few questions and I learned the following:
A few weeks prior, the father of my friend's boss died.  He was 94 years old. He lived in Newcastle, Maine and he had a three year old weimaraner named Ashley. My friend's boss and his wife lived in Northern VA and they drove up to Maine and brought Ashley back to their home. They had two other weimaraners and they were not prepared to keep Ashley so they were looking for a new home for her. 

Brian and I were not necessarily prepared to welcome another dog into our household either. But, I was intrigued by the idea of another dog in the house with Tahoe.  Brian and I had been in and out of the house a lot during this time for our jobs.  I reasoned that another dog would give Tahoe some company while we were out.  It would also give him a "job" of sorts... he could be a big brother.  The more I thought about it, the more I started to like the idea - even though it seemed a little crazy.

I contacted my friend and decided that I wanted to meet Ashley. She suggested that Ashley meet Tahoe too so I picked Ashley up and I brought her home for a sleepover.  Ashley and Tahoe seemed to get along and, for the most part, Tahoe accepted her. Ashley was very shy and she stayed close to me throughout the entire stay.  She was much smaller compared to Tahoe. I must admit that I bonded with her that evening. She was very sweet and gentle.

I returned Ashley the next morning. Over the next two days Brian went back and forth about what we should do.  Deep down, I wanted to keep Ashley but we already had Tahoe... and it just seemed crazy to get a second dog.  But Brian knew that Ashley had touched my heart during her short stay. (She had touched his heart as well.) He told me to go pick her up and bring her home and that's exactly what I did. Ashley joined our family on November 16, 2007.

Ashley

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Brian!
(It's already November 19 in Guam....)

Nicknames

When Tahoe was a puppy, our friend Pat gave him his first nickname... "Taco" or as Pat likes to say, "Taco Boy!" Overtime, we've come up with several nicknames for both Tahoe and Ashley.

Tahoe's nicknames:

Ho

Mr. Ho

The Ho-ster

Taco

Tahtoes

Tahtones

Tahtonies

Ashley's nicknames:

Ashie

Assie
Asimo

Ashbones

Ashtones
Ashtonies

Ashie

The Ho-ster

The Differences Between Tahoe and Ashley

It's been raining all day and I have a cold - just what I needed!  I walked Tahoe and Ashley this morning in the rain.  It was a short walk (yet again) but they were soggy dogs nonetheless when we returned to the house.  So, instead of writing about the rain or my stuffy nose and sore throat, I thought that I would take this posting opportunity to tell you a little bit about the funny differences between Tahoe and Ashley.

Of course, there are the obvious differences... Tahoe is a boy and Ashley is a girl, Tahoe is 10 and a half and Ashley is 5 (and a half?), Tahoe is tall and slender and Ashley is shorter and stout.  But there are also much more subtle differences that I've discovered since I've been lucky enough to have them both in my life.

Tahoe and Ashley

They have different approaches when seeking attention:
Tahoe is a very energetic weimaraner.  He loves to play ball and he can be forceful (and relentless) when he wants me to understand his desire to play.  He'll take the ball, chew on it to get it all wet, and then take his cold wet nose and nudge my hand or my lap or just about any other part of my body that's convenient for him.  He's patient but up to an extent, after which he get's frustrated and voices his frustrations. Ashley is a bit more low-key.  She likes to play ball but but she'll take the ball and place it on the floor next to me or in my lap when she wants to play.  She is also very patient and she'll quietly wait ten minutes... thirty minutes... whatever it takes until I throw her the ball.

Their gaits are very different:
On walks, Tahoe bounds forward like a miniature horse - front legs reaching forward and back-end veering crooked. Ashley's walk reminds me of a cartoon. Do you remember the Fintstones? One of Fred's hobbies was bowling and he was nick-named "twinkle-toes" because he would walk on his toes. Ashley walks like Fred Flintstone... on her toes. 

They drink water differently:
When it comes to drinking water, Tahoe's big tongue usually displaces half of the water in the bowl.  He is the one responsible for the puddles of water on the floor by their water and food bowls. Ashley is much more prim and proper with her approach.  She is much neater and makes less slurping noise.

They have different eating habits:
Tahoe is finicky with his food.  He does get hungry but he is also known for not finishing his breakfast in the morning.  When he is hungry, he'll whine and cry until he's been fed. Ashley loves, loves, loves food.  She'll eat anything, anywhere, from anybody.  I've been on walks with her where she's spotted food wrappers near the sidewalk and in a split-second, she's gobbled them up.  That said, she cries for food only when she knows that I'm about to feed them.

They sleep in different places:
Tahoe likes to sleep on our sofas, beds, and floor.  When he goes to sleep for the night, he always sleeps with me.  Ashley likes to sleep on our sofas, beds and her doggy bed.  She also sleeps on the floor but she prefers the sofa. She has no problem sleeping the night away in a room by herself.

There are many more differences but, with all of that, there is one constant that remains the same for both of them: they are beautiful animals filled with unconditional love.

A Friederich Morning Mist

There was a thick mist this morning when we went out for our morning walk.  The air was a bit warmer than usual and more humid.  The pictures from this morning make it look colder than it actually was.  As we walked past the lake, for a moment, I felt like I was in a Friederich painting.

Our lake this morning

Walking in the woods

To Tahoe and Ashley's dismay, our walk was cut short because I needed to get back to the house to prepare a pot roast and get ready for work. 

The Dog Park

Today we went to the dog park.  I usually don't take Tahoe and Ashley to the dog park because there isn't much grass there and Tahoe's paws tend to get ripped up by the rocks.  But, today was a beautiful day and I wanted Ashley to have a chance to run around off-leash for a while.  So I grabbed my camera, a tennis ball, poop bags, and I loaded everyone into Brian's car for the 5 minute ride to the park.

There were about 30 other dogs at the park.  We saw a greyhound, an afghan hound, a dachshund, a pitbull, and a number of other dogs - big and small.  Tahoe and Ashley sniffed around a little bit and, for the most part, were pretty uninterested in the other dogs around them.  Tahoe played with the tennis ball and Ashley got to run around. It was a good Sunday.

Someone's checking Ashley out...

...and she dishes it right back