Downton Abbey's 12th Man

Seahawk fever has even gotten to the local public broadcasting station!  This was posted on their Facebook Page!

Go Hawks!

Murphy's Day.

One More Time

Have to use this picture one more time....Willa is totally oblivious to the Seahawk mania going around this city.

But she at least let me play with her a bit!

Murphy's Day.

Bi-Partisan

See, we really can all get along!

Murphy's Day.

When There is No Snow

It's been really quite amazing (and disturbing) the lack of snow this season.

So, when there is no snow, we hike.

A long climb up Burch Mountain.

Murphy's Day.

Week of Crazyness

In case you haven't heard, our home town team, the Seattle Seahawks, are going to the Super Bowl, which is this coming Sunday.

As we are now a week away from the game (to be played in New Jersey), Seattle is "going crazy."

12th Man flags flying from every flag pole (who knew we lived in the Nation of 12th Man?), people living in their Seahawk jerseys...

And one dog who loves her hat.

Murphy's Day.

Friday Afternoon

Friday afternoon and this is what the back seat of the truck looks like.

Murphy's Day.

Uncle Chris

The girls have a friend.  He lives in Syracuse, New York.

And he makes them the very best dog treats.

Uncle Chris.

Lots of puppy love.

Murphy's Day.

Trying to Work

Around 4:30, the girls begin to get antsy.  They want to go outside for their late afternoon walk...and it gets crazy underneath my feet and around my desk.

Not that dissimilar to a normal office.

Murphy's Day.

But Mom.....

Kids and labs...they have one thing in common, that: "But Mom....."

Hard to resist.

Murphy's Day.

Lions and Lambs

Well, this certainly has taken a long time, but here are the Lions and Lambs...or maybe they just needed comforting.

Murphy's Day.

Then Again...

Then again, there was something nice about just settling in for the day.  New toys near-by, bed in the center of the house.

Sage is smart!

Murphy's Day.

Ready to Go

Ok, Mom, get the camera out of my face...

Murphy's Day.

Annie Oakley

My sensitive child doesn't like anything stuck in her face.

But I think this photo captures her, studying her sisters, trying to get close to me...

Murphy's Day.

Willa

Willa also seemed comfortable with the camera.  I also really like this shot, it shows, I think, her soulfulness.  In the corner, you can see an out-of-focus nose...that's Sage.

Murphy's Day.

Close-Up

Over the holidays I took some close up photos of the girls.  Sage, of course, was the most cooperative.

I love this photo.  Her Christmas bone close up, the various colors of her ears, and her ignoring the camera in her face.

She would have done well dealing with paparazzi!

Murphy's Day.

Holiday Collars

I don't like advertising for folks, but I have holiday collars for the girls.

A Tail a Dog Can Wag is a company started by a woman from Sun Valley, by way of Colorado.  And her collars are fantastic.

Each of the girls have different designs.

Made in the US!

Murphy's Day.

Willa

Boy does this girl love Christmas.

But she also seemed to turn a corner this season.  She still is trying to become "top dog apprentice," but she also seems to realize that being in this pack is pretty darn good.

And with the cold weather, she has become quite the snuggler....

Murphy's Day.

And Annie's Five Years

On January 5th, Annie Oakley and I celebrated her 5 years with me.

Like Sage, she came as a gift during the holidays.  Murphy had died.  And on Christmas Day, my friend Mary called, checking in to see how I was doing without Murphy.  The she told me a neighbor had a litter of labs.

The next day came pictures of all the females.

I was still grieving.

But after some reflection I called the breeder to see if any females were available, and only one was.  I called Mary, who tore off, left a check, grabbed Annie and after much finagling to get Annie to an airport, she arrived in Seattle on a stormy, wet, and gloomy night.

She walked into my life during a tough time, as my parents were both ill and failing, so much of her early months were in the back of my Pilot, shuttling back and forth between home and their house.  She felt my stress.

And she became this sensitive, funny, gregarious, loving girl.

Annie Oakley.

Murphy's Day.

Now We Are Ten!

During the break, Sage turned 10.

On Christmas Day I took some photos of my sweet Baby Sage.  She willingly let me stick a camera in her face.

It's hard for me to accept the fact that it's been 10 years.  On New Years Day 2004 my good friend Mary emailed me, telling me she'd had a litter.  She was was Murphy's breeder.  And she doesn't breed very often, in fact, she has had only two litters, Murphy's and Sage's.

She had two females.  She was going to keep one.  And asked if I wanted the other.

I think I thought about it for about 2 seconds...

Two months later I was on a flight back to Washington, DC to collect Sage.

The first night was in a hotel room in Easton, Maryland.  The hotel was filled with high school kids on some sort of athletic tournament.  And the next morning when they saw Sage, they all melted.

As did all the Midshipmen and Mishipwomen on leave from Annapolis was we walked through town, waiting until we needed to get to Dulles.

I've never had as great service as that flight, Sage pulling in flight attendants like a magnet...

And it's been that way for 10 years.  She has captured everyone's attention.

Sweet Baby Sage.

We're Back!

Happy New Year!

Happy Lab Year!

The girls are still recovering from their holidays, tons of toys, lots of treats...and ton of play time.

Maybe Mom is also still recovering.

Murphy's Day.