5/29/2017

from our walk on this quiet Memorial Day morning

please appreciate this bunny "root"

Aidan Mischief

this is new. He only stood up there for a second, while I was doing dishes at the kitchen sink.

then I went out to play and the ball got knocked under the deck.

So, of course, Aidan had to go after it.

Did he come out with it?

Noooo. 

Just muddy feets and bellies.

Saturday Afternoon Mini-Adventure

Aidan wasn't quite ready to end our ride.

This was about 10 seconds before my panic attack.

So this morning I was thinking about the few things I needed from the grocery store, and how I'd need to crate Aidan while I went out, and how he'd been so patient in the crate already this week, and how I really didn't want to go shopping and I really didn't want to leave him behind, and I thought, "Let's try this free pick-up thing."

So I hopped online, chose a time I wanted to pick my order up, and did all my shopping virtually while Aidan ate his breakfast. I got an alert that my order was ready 20 minutes before our hour window, so I harnessed him into his doggie seatbelt and away we went. He loves riding in the car. And with his seatbelt, he sits very nicely and quietly without trying to roam about or be a distraction. 

We pulled into one of ten pickup parking spots, and there was only one vehicle in any of the other spots. I clicked the "check in" button on the grocery app and within a couple of minutes, our guy was

bringing our stuff out to load into the car. And he brought doggie treats for Aidan and a freebie bag for me. We were in and out of the parking lot inside of 10 minutes.

When we got back, I unloaded the groceries inside and came back to unbuckle Aidan, who had hopped in wearing his new leash recommended by our trainer as well as his seatbelt harness.

Then he hopped out of the car wearing his harness, but, too late, I realized the leash was lying on the seat and he was trotting out of the garage and down the sidewalk, quite elated that I'd decided to let him roam!

My heart in my throat, I willed myself not to panic, grabbed the leash and slowly followed, calling to him. He kept turning around and looking at me, but deciding he'd really rather taste a bit of freedom down the street instead. Luckily, from behind us, came another guy walking his boxer, which Aidan thought was a great treat. He ran over to the boxer to say hi and the guy held his collar while I profusely thanked him for saving me what might have been a very long afternoon. Flashes of Evan's run his first week at home were replaying in my mind the entire two minutes Aidan was off leash down the street.

Crisis averted. Thank you, Boxer Man!

So, he may just stay in his crate while I run errands next time.

But the online pick-up thing was really cool, super easy, and they got the order exactly right. The only thing I probably would've picked better was the carton of strawberries. They even got the avocado perfect!

5/27/17

(don't worry, I'll keep her safe.)

Fisher is now completely deaf. She doesn't leave the deck now, but still enjoys getting in the sun. This was Friday just ahead of the sun cresting over the house and bathing the deck in radiant heat. She's hanging out in anticipation. Aidan's hanging out in anticipation of her curling up with him. One of them has a lot longer to wait.

This morning I woke just before 4:30 a.m. On a Saturday. 

Decided, instead of lying there willing myself back to sleep as the room got lighter, Aidan and I would get out into the early pre-dawn light and roam around. I remember our first month here, ten years ago, in June 2007 marveling at how early it started to get light here in the summer.

Here's what's happening in our neighborhood between 5 and 6 a.m. on a May Saturday:

bunny conventions, everywhere. 

here were actually two more just to the right of this photo, hiding under a car parked on the street.

one of the curb brigades

in our hour out and about we saw exactly one other person, near the end, jogging on a trail. 

Other than that, it was bunnies and birds.

We have discovered that Aidan is afraid of water. It makes getting him cleaned off quite the chore, especially since he took the 5 minutes unsupervised in the backyard where Bob left him to chew apart the kiddie pool. PetCo tried and called and said nope. So, that's on this afternoon's session with Sophia, Aidan's trainer, to discuss. He is quite interested in sitting outside the tub when we shower, but no amount of coaxing will convince him water is fun. Yet.

He comes down to check out the little waterfall and immediately turns back. 

Unlike Evan, who would've plopped right down in that running stream if I'd let him.

sun isn't quite up yet, but its impending light is turning everything purply

blooms everywhere are loving all the moisture we're getting

Aidan is starting to catch on with mom's photo taking stuff.

 

reminding you this Saturday morning to stop and smell the roses.

Or chase the bunnies. 

Whatever's your thing.

Winding down May

Mostly walks, and skies, and Aidan, with a few cats thrown in for good measure.

I love that Aidan responds to Evan on the television. He always comes when hears Evan's deep bark.

He's really, really trying to fit in with the cats.

Faith got in my lap, so got in her spot.

 

the most curious puppy, ever.

And now, for video. Because, Aidan. 

I listen to the Moana soundtrack quite a lot. 

Aidan always stops and listens to the opening notes with such interest.

Aidan listening to Aidan listening, while sleepy. 

5/23/17

More rain last night with some high winds. Most of the clouds were off to the east this morning, so they made just a little pocket of color low on the horizon.

Monday Breaks with Aidan

Our little songbird hanging out with us. She's got a nest in the little birdhouse below her.

The bunny

watching the squirrel

SUCCESS!! I just happened to catch it on video. 

He's never brought it all the way back and dropped for me before.

It's usually something more like this:

And here's what a typical photo session with this pup usually nets you:

 

5/22/17 Monday Morning

 

Aidan, Week 4

So, looking over my lack of blogging this week, thanks to lots of playing catch-up at work, here's basically everything from my phone since I got back from Houston

Getting under the deck away from the heat:

playing with Juno at the dog park one morning

puppy sleeping

puppy sleeping video

Aidan meets the squirrel

Wednesday evening we went to the Verizon store to pick out new phones. The guy who set them up managed to screw up everyone's six ways from Sunday. Bob's line was routed to Sam, who wouldn't have a phone. His SIM card was so corrupted he had to take it back in. Only to find out the guy also set up MY phone number to route to Sam's new phone once she activated it. Bleh. But it all got sorted out and, yay! new phones!

Oh, and then this happened on Thursday

Friday we had our first round with the dog trainer, Sophia. Our main homework is using our marker word for all the good things he does (followed by a tiny treat). Aidan's word is "Bingo!"

Got a different kind of leash arriving Monday to help simulate the natural tug on his scruff like mama dog pulling her pup back into line. And a pet corrector that we'll start using on naughty behavior. More on that to come. 

Aidan watching dog videos on the youtubes

today, snow is completely gone and it's absolutely gorgeous

I got to have lunch with Marci and her family this afternoon, but managed not to get a single photo. 

Also picked up a new power recliner from someone here in the neighborhood for a song. Possibly pictures to follow. 

But mostly, just Aidan.