Taking Over the House

Willa has totally taken over the house.  She still hasn't wrapped Sage around her paws, but she is close.  Annie?  Well, they are in cahoots.  Way too much in cahoots.

She is verbal.  When she wants something, we all know.  And she hurls herself into every moment.  Life, for Willa, is in the moment.

Lot to learn from her.

Murphy's Day.

Silliness

Part of being owned by labs is finding the inner silliness.  You have got to have a lot silliness in your DNA to be owned by labs.

So, sledding, whooping, finding ways to let the labs know I am still young, is important!

Murphy's Day!

In Seattle

So we stayed home this weekend.  Lots of errands.  Long walks in the city with the girls, realizing that this neck of the woods has way too many people.

I always wonder whether the girls know if we're here or in Nahahum Canyon.  I know.  I know that it is so magical to open the door and watch the girls romp in the Aspen stand.

But then, then, we run into friends.  We see a sunset over the Sound....

Who knows where we will end up....

Murphy's Day.

Another Weekend

Another weekend and hopefully we're back into eastern Washington.  The girls so love that neck of the woods, the explorations, the romping....

It's the weekend!

Murphy's Day.

Friends

Yesterday was one of my dearest friend's birthday.  She is 68 (notice I am not naming names).  She has been there for so many events and moments in my life...and as we both get older I try not to imagine my life without her.

Same thing with these three....while they each have individual dynamics, together they are a force...they are friends.  They have each other's backs and blindsides.  Sage has been able to go on without Murphy, but I know, just in how close Annie is to Sage, that she'll need to find solace in Willa...friends are such an important part of our lives, especially with dogs.

Murphy's Day.

What Was Mom Thinking?

Hasn't every older sibling said this at some point?  "What was Mom thinking when she brought home my little sister?"

Sage thinks it all the time.  Annie knows no decorum.  It's all about living life to the fullest.

"What was Mom thinking?"

But in reality, Sage loves Annie's energy and zest.  Who wouldn't?

Murphy's Day.

Life is Good

For all the horrors in the world, there still are moments when I stand back and say: "Life is good."  This weekend, a trip to Nahahum Canyon.  Snow, sun, some work clearly up "downed woody debris."  And the girls....they had a blast.

I simply love this picture of all three of them.  Goonball Annie, with Sage trying to act so nonchalant and Willa, not yet 7 months, still figuring out which Yellow lab she should be emulating.

Life, life is good.

Murphy's Day.

Sage's Friends

Carol came to visit last weekend.  Carol was with me when I picked up Sage almost 8 years ago.  And Sage adores Carol.  Whenever Carol comes, Sage does a little happy dance and always wants to sleep in Carol's room.

Carol left eastern Washington a day before we left.  And the next morning Sage went to the door of Carol's guest room and stood there, nose pressed to the door.

Have I ever mentioned that loyalty is a trait of labs?  Sage knows her friends.

Murphy's Day.

My Friend Sally

Years ago I met this woman, Sally.  We met as young lawyers.  And she has a daughter, Mary-Elizabeth. About 7 years ago, Mary-Elizabeth was diagnosed with leukemia, and they went through several years of agonizing treatment and fear.  Mary-Elizabeth graduated from Holy Names, here in Seattle, and went onto Gonzaga University in Spokane.  At the very beginning of her sophomore year, she relapsed.

My friend Sally and Mary-Elizabeth are now in the middle of intensive treatment.  And while I write and talk about the girls, my hopes and fears, I can only imagine what they are going through.  Sally and Mary-Elizabeth are outgoing, hopeful, wonderfully powerful women and have an amazing network of support.  Sally even has a great dog-sitter for Tucker, her Scottie.  But, it's scary....

You can read Sally's thoughts in this amazing blog here.

Murphy's Day.

Double Trouble

Remember that slogan for Wrigley's gum: "Double the flavor, double the fun?"  Well, we need to modify it to "double the trouble, double the fun."

I keep saying that the addition of Willa is allowing Annie to be a puppy.  Since she spent so much of her puppyhood driving to and from my parents and their various hospital stays, having an active younger sister is like being back in the weaning pen.  It's non-stop.  I am grateful I don't have a lot of "tail level" things around my house, much less glass.

Over the weekend they were non-stop.  Wrestling, chasing tennis balls, finding sticks, wrestling.  When they finally stopped, they stopped.

Yep.  Good weekend defined....for Double Trouble.

Murphy's Day.

Great Weekend Defined

For us, a great weekend is defined as one that you need to rest up from....as in, doing so many things you're tired.

We're back in Seattle and tired.

Happy Valentines Day, by the way!

Murphy's Day.

Post-Spay

I am absolutely convinced Willa's vets put 12 volt batteries in Willa when they spayed her.

Total energy.

Annie wants a refund....

Murphy's Day.

Imagine

Imagine three labs romping in this landscape.

I know, I am on a rant about living in the city....

But just imagine.

Murphy's Day.

Looking Forward to Carol

Several weeks ago our friend Carol was going to come out.  Then Seattle froze over and we postponed.  So, she is scheduled to come this Friday.

Sage adores Carol (or actually, all of us do).  She does this little dance when Carol shows up.  And Willa has learned she can get on furniture that normally she is not allowed with her protector, Carol.

We'll head east and play in the snow.  And finally have Christmas in February.

Yahoo!

Murphy's Day.

This Is What Happens With Summer-Like Weather in Seattle

It was a gorgeous weekend, even though being in the city was frustrating.  We even enjoyed watching some of the Super Bowl (Sage thinks Madonna is just as good a business-woman as she is)....

But the summer-like weather made us think about summer and, of course, fly fishing.  Being out on a river.  Willa has been out fly fishing twice, once just after she joined the family, on a cold fall day, and the second time on a nice fall day on Rocky Ford.  But her real "education" in fly fishing will come this summer.  Dreams of trips to Montana, maybe fishing with my friend Bill (we have to get rid of our "skunk" from several years ago!).

Sage and Annie are fly fishing pros.  They could be guides.  They know great spots, Sage knows all about entomology, and she knows the sweet spot on Icicle.

Dreams.  It's what gets us through the dark winters in Seattle.

Murphy's Day.

Weekend at Home

Stayed home.  And reminded ourselves why we like to leave Seattle....way too many people, way too much traffic (probably 10 cars use Nahahum Canyon Road during a 12 hour period), way too many frustrated souls.

But we cleaned up the back yard, washed the car, vacuumed the sand out of the back of the car (I had enough sand in the car to rent a beach umbrella), and did other errands.

But, phew, Seattle...ok, I'll admit it, I looked at real estate ads for Missoula.  Seattle is just not that much for for us anymore.

Murphy's Day.

Keep This Lab Quiet

Yeah, right.

My friend Bill, a vet in Wyoming, tells me he realized sporting dogs can't be kept quiet when a dog, several hours after surgery, leapt into the back of a pick-up truck.

Willa has been crazed since her spay.  I am convinced the vets put something in rather than take something out.

Scary.  

Murphy's Day.

Downton Abbey

I am sure many of you are wondering if Sage got the part of Isis in Downton Abbey, the Masterpiece Classic on PBS (Sunday nights at 9 PM.  It's fantastic).  She says it's not her, but I dunno....

Murphy's Day.

Sometimes You Just Need Snow

Sage had a great time this past weekend.  So much so, she was fairly stiff at night.  Me too!  There is something about snow and dogs and bluebird skies....

Murphy's Day.