Well - we left
off
with wondering if Scooter would be able to leave the presents under the
tree
until Santa came - let alone the stockings we helped Santa with that
were
hanging on the mantle for her and Puffin. Christmas Eve was a
fine
time, Mary Ann came for supper (and we had a pretty steady stream of
company
all day so there were plenty of opportunites to "greet" everyone (and I
do
mean greet. We are working on teaching Scooter that everyone coming
into
the house does not need a half hour long serenade at the top of her
lungs
to feel welcomed). Mary Ann being here meant that Puffin and Scooter
got
the better end of the deal for tidbits than if it was just up to Ginny
(they
get goodies but I do try to keep things under control). Seeing as it
seemed
that both needed to burn off a little energy ( you could swear the two
of
them knew what was going on and coming the next day) we opened their
Santa
present from Ginny - a Bubble Buddy Bubble machine, and it comes with
special
bubble juice that smells and tastes like either bacon or BBQ chicken
(depending
on the bottle). The Bubble Buddy has a trigger that you pull that
activates
a fan and sends a stream of air through the little thingie with the
bubble
juice on it. Well - I have to admit that many times when I fall for
gadgets
like this it's a bust, but this was a rip snorting success. I knew that
Puffin
liked chasing bubbles - we'd done that since she was a puppy but it
would
be a new adventure for Scooter. Scoots didn't need much tutoring - she
was
as riled for the "hunt" as Puffin within about two runs of bubble
streams....
and as an extra whammy for Scooter she was enthralled with the noise
the
thing makes with the fan (no batteries, it's all mechanical) so she was
torn
between trying to catch bubbles (drat - it disappeared again!) or going
after
this thing making the funky noise. When she finally managed to climb up
and
get to the bubble maker then she decided not only did she like the
aroma
of the bubbles but also the taste of the bubble juice (it's all
designed
to be safe for them so no worries there). So from there on it became a
double
fun game - see if you can tackle Ginny and get to the bubble maker, or
chase
the bubbles. Puffin in the meantime was beside herself - no question
there,
she was after as many bubbles as she could nail.
Mary Ann had arrived with goodies
too
- ths was Scooter's first exposure to opening presents, and she was
still
getting the hang of it.... Puffin did the opening and then Scooter took
over
shredding the paper. They got a nice full supply of rawhide chewies,
and
munching on one ot two of them helped to pass the time.
Then, after supper Zoe arrived
for
a visit with her mom and dad, Billie and Ray. We all had a nice cozy
evening,
the girls all getting and giving their gifts to each other and sharing
them
(Zoe is vegetarian so this gets interesting at times) - Puffin and
Scooter
gave her a supply of Booda Velvet Munchie Sticks since they are "legal"
-
and Zoe did get to splurge on a rawhide chew here for the holiday. Zoe
brought
a bag of Bark Bars, gingerbread for the holiday and we all shared those
for
treats (and I do mean all - giving the girls theirs I commented on how
good
and close to the real thing they smelled - read the ingredients and
both
Billie and I ended up tasting them.... other than not being sweet they
were
pretty good!). Everyone had a good time for the evening and then tucked
on
their ways... and we put out our cookies for Santa and carrots for the
reindeer
(though the girls had to sample those first) and snuggled into bed to
wait
for Santa to come.
Christmas morning found us all
here
(Dutchess County, NY) waiting for the snow to start - we were predicted
to
have a whalloping nor'easter slam in with at least a foot of snow. The
original
forecast was that it would start in the wee hours Christmas morning,
but
it got delayed till about noontime. It was enough though that it
scrambled
a lot of plans, and the company that Puffin, Scooter and I had planned
on
having in for a few days over the holiday (Puffin and Scooter's 92 year
old
adopted Aunt Tess) had opted to stay home since she was also getting
over
a nasty cold. So, it was the girls and I - and what a wonderfully
cozy
day we had. Santa did indeed (with some elf help) have goodies under
the
tree and in stockings.... so after a lazy morning snooze it was time.
The
girls each got the first thing out of their stockings - a new
rawhide
bone, wrapped in tissue paper. Well - Scooter apparently took good
notice
the night before when Puffin was unwrapping for the two of them, since
Scooter
needed no coaching this time. In fact she didn't really care - nor did
Puffin,
it they were opening their gifts or mine.... they just sailed into it
with
total, sheer unadulterated glee. I'm one of those folks that when
someone
KrisKringles me (that is an old carry over from college, receiving a
Christmas
gift ahead of the day) I save it for Christmas morn if it is ok with
the
person being kind to me.... and also this year a very dear friend
managed
to stuff a BIG stocking (with all the stuffers wrapped) and send it
standing
up in a box through the mail to me (from Atlanta). I'm not really sure
who
had more fun with it - me or the furkids, but we just had a ball. They
could
not wait for something new to come out so they could help unwrap... and
so
it went with the gifts under the tree as well as their stockings. By
the
time we had all finally come up for air (and it started snowing about
half
way through all this utter mayhem) the living room sort of looked like
a
bomb went off. Scooter was tearing around through all the paper and
sliding
left and right since she had no traction with the floor covered in
paper....
Puffin was settled in chewing on her new goodies.... and I just
sat
there drinking it all in for the memory bank. Had they been human kids
I'm
not sure it would have warmed the heart much more.
After finally cleaning up the
living
room (which took no less than 45 minutes) we had lunch and then had to
start
with keeping an eye on things outdoors. We'd started with about an hour
of
sleet before the snow, and I needed to get out and get that taken care
of
in front of the garage and on the path before the real snow cover
settled
in, which I did... and also it was time for the girls to have a visit
out
in the run. Now, Puffin has seen snow, so what we had then was nothing
new
to her and she was having fun rooting around in it, turning into an
oreo
cookie (remembe she is black so with white snow she looks like she's
been
"frosted"). Scooter however, was tucked in at her vet's for her spaying
when
we had our first snowstorm of the season so this was her first
introduction
to the stuff. Well.... not enough had accumulated in the run for
me
to have to clean them a place yet, we just went out to have fun (and do
business).
Scooter tok one look at it and then looked at me, back to the snow, and
then
trots out into it. That got her - never felt anything like THAT on
these
little Tennessee Tootsies. However, it seemed to flip a switch in her
and
off she took. The
run
goes along the back of the house -
and also has the downspout that runs across about half way
along.
Takes off flat out, under the downspout then leaps airborne, landing on
her
belly and sliding to the end. Back she came at full speed, turns around
and
goes at it again.... the only way I stopped her was to bring her
in.
I can even describe the look on her face - that dog was in total
abandon
and knew exactly what she was doing.... looks at me enough to say Gee
Mom
- dunno what that is but I sure do like it!.
We had a few more stopgap digouts
throughout
the afternoon and evening - once the snow settled in we got better than
an
inch an hour (well over sixteen inches by the time it was over during
the
late night hours). Next time out neither Scooter nor Puffin (the
skating
rink was well buried by then, with about six or eight inches on the
ground)
could figure out where the ball went. I'd cleaned an area for them,
they
did their duty, and then were romping in the stuff (iceball city here)
-
it was perfect snowbal snow. So, Ginny obliged and tossing them
snowball
- but they went nuts "looking" for them - not fair when the ball
disappears
as it lands! Puffin was plowing through the stuff like an old pro -
Scooter
was still developing her own style of transportation, sort of a long
leap
rather than a step. After we came in we snuggled in on the living room
floor
with pillows and blankies in front of the Christmas tree, listening to
the
storm outside and snoozed on a nap... then it was time for supper
(steak
for all of us). It was the 9pm and last call for the night though
that
was the payoff. By this time it was getting a little much for Puffin -
playing
in the stuff is one thing but when it comes close to filling up your
ears,
maybe it's time to exercise some decorum. Scooter on the other hand,
well...
I clear to the downspout for them; to Scooter it appeared, there
was
this nice white step she could just jump up on on the other side
of
the downspout. So - back up, rev up a head of steam, charge full speed
ahead,
take off - but she wasn't planning on disappearing when she landed. By
this
time we had better than a foot, and she only stand about ten inches at
the
shoulder. Totally disappeared even with a fourfoot landing. Just as I
was
about to go to the rescue up pops the head, swiveling around like "HUH?
Whahappened?"
- and then her BOING factor kicked in - she was havnig the time of her
life
bouncing all over. No forward motion, just boings - carrying her all
around
(as one of her cockapoo list buddies says, bunnyhopping!) - the only
way
I got her in was to literally catch her and carry her.... just like a
little
kid, shivering her patooty off, grinning as only a cockapoo can,
but
not wanting to come in. Both of them got good towelings off and wrapups
to
melt off the snowballs and warm up... then it was cookie time and the
end
of a wonderful cozy smoochy day.
Check out the
Christmas
photos....