They tell me...

I have a big one for my size, so why don't you get into the hot tub baby and find out for yourself?

Welcome Home Mom....

I am just getting back from a month long holiday trip/vacation.  I wake up to the picture below, winter here, frost, steam coming off the lake so I decide to sit in the hot tub outside - to meditate and absorb all the beauty of this day.  My 3 little babies still lay inside sleeping.  I woke up with Maisy on her bed, right beside me...snoring as usual.

I think about the stories over the past month.  My house sitter/dog sitter got a call at 1:30am from the neighbors while I was gone. Seems Maisy got out in the middle of the night and went for a neighborhood romp (probably got the other dogs barking).  I laughed, because as many of you know, Maisy is a Houdini Escape Artist and likes to test everyone.  I recall another time when another girlfriend was watching my dogs and Maisy got out while she napped. She found her but the more she chased her, the more Maisy ran. It is a game to her.  My friend (26) was mad but laughing, as she could not catch the old girl in the 'hood.

Let me remind you that Maisy is 14 years, 6 months old. Overweight with arthritis. Completely blind in one eye. Just had 3 cancerous tumors removed last month, and has a throat infection (on meds for that now).  We lock the gates, bungee cord them, drag furniture to cover it even more.  She can also get out of her kennel and open doors.  She can do everything but NOT poop on my driveway.

So, back to my story, I am in awe of nature and my surroundings, relaxing and happen to glance over for the first time at my gate from the hot tub.  It was WIDE open and my heart went racing. As some of you know, Maisy likes to take Sam on her new adventures and he is her apprentice in escaping now.  I jump up, cold and wet now and run to the gate, worried my babies are out and can get hit/hurt.

Maisy "The Mangler" has destroyed my gate and fencing, and left it wide open to leave me a message. AFTER she un-bungeed the cord and moved the metal bench aside.

I run around screaming her name, with just my towel on. I figured she got out while I was relaxing but alas, she was still inside with Sam. I quickly shut the remains of my gate and scolded her as she smiled up at me and wiggled her whole butt. I guess she got out on ME in the middle of the night, got bored after running around town, came home and got into her bed.  So today when it warms up, I get to fix the gate once again.  I hope if anyone saw her and Sam, they just thought they were short, fat reindeer lost after Christmas.  Not my babies, my babies would never do that to ME, only the dog sitters.

Sam- did you do it? "Not me momma."  And looks away.

Maisy- did you do it? "I was here all night with you momma. Now give the sweet girl a treat please. I need something to take this nasty taste of metal out of my mouth!"

Naked Thanksgiving

I started my day by slipping out to the hot tub on my deck to watch the sun come up.  I am dog sitting for the holiday and of course, Tootsie wanted to come along.  She is a little dog (poodle/bichon frise mix) with a low tolerance for cold weather.

Since it was so early, I slipped out naked with a blue towel wrapped around me.  I have neighbors all around but late at night (or very early), I do not bother with a swim suit.  So Tootsie and I go out to the hot tub with only a towel wrap around me and I quickly slipped in before anyone could spot me.  Tootsie began to shiver soon, even sitting on my towel so I decided to wrap it around her and tuck it in. I never thought beyond that moment of helping her stay warm....when she got up and walked off with my towel draped around her!  There she goes, down the deck looking back at me sweetly and soon the towel slips off her.

Now I have two choices- walk of shame, slow, tip toe, secretly hoping no one is looking or run like hell, figuring no one can make out any details of me streaking (like they don't know it is me at my own home) until I can pick up the towel and make my way back into the house. I opted for #2 and rushed for the towel. Tootsie could not understand all the fuss.

I am now very awake and alive for my Thanksgiving Day.  This naked turkey made a memorable impression on her neighbors, with a little help from my friend:

When are you getting out of that hot tub....

I need attention!  NOW would be good.- Shanti