Clever Canine Manipulations

Mysti Girl is so funny, and pretty clever.

Our Doggie Girls like to cuddle with me on the couch during the evening, and it varies who gets the plum seat next to me, usually first-come, first-served. But when the Son's pup, Chelsea Belle, was staying with us during his deployment, she often got the spot closest to me because she is small enough to sit on the footrest of the recliner without collapsing it.

Chelsea is also a titch toy-crazy. She will show you a toy in her mouth while waggling her rear end all over the place for hours. And Mama Mysti took note of that.

Around Christmas, when Mysti wanted to sit next to me but found Chelsea already there, that cagey Mama would go in search of a toy and bring it to me. She would then start playing "tug" with me, putting only her front paws on the couch, and pulling the toy perilously close to Chelsea who, of course, couldn't stand not having the toy all to herself. Then Mysti would yank the toy from me and "toss" it across the room. Chelsea, of course, would spring into action and triumphantly leap down to grab the toy before anybody else could . . . while Mysti hopped up on the couch and helped her whole self to my lap.

This is what Mysti looks like when she's feeling close enough to me:

Yap's almost close enough:

They're both pretty darn close:

Last night, Yappy had claimed my lap and Mysti was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, I heard toenails clicking across the floor and here came Mama Mysti, trotting into the living room, carrying -- you guessed it -- Yap's favorite toy.  A few minutes later, Mysti was in my lap, and farther down the couch was this:

Oh, that clever Mama.  Sneaky, too.  Heh.

I Guess Maybe It's Like Riding a Bicycle . . .

I wonder if I remember how to publish a post? Maybe I'll just post some pics -- a lot has happened the last year.

The son volunteered to deploy to Kosovo with the Arkansas National Guard 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team to support NATO. It was a long 10 months, from May 2017 to March 30th!

While he was deployed, we kept one of his dogs, Chelsea Belle (one of the Mysti and Bouie's litter), most of the time. So, yes, we were back to having THREE Labradors most of the time.  Remember when the puppies looked like this?

The dogs really enjoyed one another's company and their favorite game was "Who can get in Mom's lap first?"  And "Let's see if we can get Mom's place on the couch."  They did a lot of napping.

The pups celebrated their 3rd birthday in August. Wow.  Three years.

Pepper was inducted as the very first honoree into the University of Central Arkansas ROTC Hall of Fame in the Fall. Pretty cool.

Grandchild #7 (Another boy! That makes 6 boys!) joined the family last month in mid-March!  While he and his Mama cooled their heels in the hospital, we kept Persephone, more commonly known as "Persi Pup," another of the litter. So, yes, for a few days we had FOUR Labs, including all three of the Yellows pictured above. I truly wish there was an after-market for Lab fur -- we would be stinking rich!

In addition to those events, we had plenty of misadventures with the oldest Grandchild (he turned 18 this February) who was staying with us most of the time while his Dad was gone. The most interesting one happened the night he snuck out a downstairs window to go to a party and we wound up getting "that" call from the Arkansas Children's Hospital Emergency Department at 0200.  While his pride and joy, his Jeep, now rests in pieces, he fortunately didn't do any permanent damage to himself when he drove through a fence while reaching for his cell phone and nearly wound up in a swimming pool.  Pepper, however, didn't share that luck; he had a hypoglycemic reaction in the ER, fainted, and smacked his forehead on the floor.  Not many 68 year-olds can claim to have been admitted, albeit it briefly, to a Children's Hospital.

There was a Family Vacation on Lake DeGray, another adventure in misadventures in which I ended up in the ER after smacking my head on the bathroom counter and wound up with "Raccoon Eyes." Fortunately there was no skull fracture or brain bleed, but I was quite colorful for a month or so. And, no, I will not post a pic here, even though I did post one on Facebook to beat out the sons-in-law who threatened to do so on their terms.

There was the King Biscuit Blues Festival in the Fall, along with Pepper's 46th Reunion of his Army Flight School class held in Nashville (the Nashville in Tennessee, not the one in Arkansas where my Mama was born).  Our first ever trip to The Opry!  There were also Thanksgiving, Christmas, no Bowl game for the Razorbacks, the CAMAN Ball in New Orleans (where I got to wear my crown for the first time in a long time!), birthdays, parties, and just a lot of living in general.  And the Son came home in time for Easter.  Many, many blessings found their way to Moogie's Manor that Easter weekend.

Perhaps the rest of 2018 won't be quite as adventurous.  Having 7 grandchildren and a number of granddogs is plenty adventurous in itself! But, having all of them does make for some pretty cute pics. And lots of memories.

A Dog-lover's (Stolen) Giggle For The Day

Today's Overboard comic strip struck a whole symphony of notes around Moogie's Manor:



This is also why you travel with several towels in your car.

I Guess Yap Wins This Round

Remember this picture from a few days ago?

Then tell me -- who is in whose personal space here?

Love my pushy girl dogs!

A Love Poem

A friend posted this on Facebook, noting that he always loved Johnny Carson and Brigadier General Jimmy Stewart. Me, too, so I decided to watch to see what the attraction was.

I sort of wish I hadn't.

Then again, I'm glad I did -- I got to have a little bit of a catharsis -- smiling through tears.  See what you think:


I re-posted it. This was my introduction:

"Oh, how I wish that it weren't true. I'll always love a dog named Bou.

And Jimmy Stewart.

I probably shouldn't have watched this."

And, yes I will always love a dog named Bou. And Rosie. And Wendy. And . . . .

Life Goes on at Moogie's Manor

Christmas Cheer from (a not very happy looking) Yappy!

She had two reasons to be unhappy. First: Pepper and Mysti went duck hunting on Thursday for two days without her (where Mysti apparently specialized in whining and knocking over her water bowl); and, Secondly: I made her wear that Santa headband.

She's not really much of a very girly-girl.

This is one shot from this year's Christmas card. Don't you just love the stare-down?

And another, from the back of the card, with the caption, "Remembering our Bouie, sleeping in heavenly peace . . ."

May your holiday season be blessed with warm memories and the opportunity to make many more.

Thinking About Thankfulness

I am thankful for having had a great dog in my life. I've had plenty of wonderful dogs, but only Bouie was great. And, I'm thankful for having his "lady" and his offspring in our home to love.

I kinda like my husband, too. I'm thankful he has been in my life these many decades.

I'm thankful for our healthy children and grandchildren, and for the opportunity to see them regularly without having to drive 7 or 8 hours.

I'm thankful to have my father, now 86 years old, still with us. And, I'm thankful to be able to go to doctors' appointments with him so he won't have to walk so far. And, I'm thankful to be here in Little Rock to support him as he begins radiation therapy for lung cancer. I'm truly and prayerfully grateful that his prognosis is good.

I'm thankful for good friends.

I'm thankful I don't have to move anytime soon.

I'm thankful for my Senior Discount at Krogerville. And, I'd better go use it before all the other geezers get all the good stuff.

Heartbreak at Moogie's Manor

We spoiled him mercilessly for the last few weeks of his life, cooking steak and burgers for him every few hours so he wouldn't starve. We soaked up all the love we could manage, then we let our precious pup, our Bouie, trot across the Rainbow Bridge on November 3rd. He was suffering from untreatable, diffused carcinoma of the liver, and even though he gave it a valiant battle, he let us know that he was ready to move on to his next adventure with companions, both old and new. The following is my Facebook post on that sad, sad morning:

"We held our Bouie as he crossed the bridge this morning. We took turns last night lying beside him on the floor -- he was always a floor kind of guy. He ate some rotisserie chicken for breakfast after a last walk with his best friend, and his canine family. He was so weary and weak that it didn't take long for his great, strong heart to stop, peacefully and painlessly. I told him that we'll see him soon. His best friend wrote a beautiful tribute to him. I love you, Bouligny Voodoo, forever and always. Au revoir, my precious puppy."

Here is Pepper's:

Somehow, my house, usually full of joy and activity, is very lonely and empty today. My best friend and soulmate, Bouie, went to heaven today. He was very sick with cancer and was becoming uncomfortable, and so we went yesterday to duck camp and walked around the fields and blinds for one last time. 
This was a great dog. He was a superb hunter, retriever and flusher, yes, but he was also a loving friend to all who knew him. He had ultimate patience, and let grandkids pull on him, run over his tail with bikes, all without complaint. When we went hunting, he knew the minute we stopped the truck where we were. He was excited and alert, wanting to miss nothing. When the alarm went off in the mornings of a hunt, he was first up, ears perked, pacing, ready to go. And he could go all day. Strong, fast, and bright, he hunted like the champion he was. 
From the time I drove to Texas to pick him up, as a strange, gangly, somewhat homely puppy with a pointy head and a long nose, he was skeptical at first, but soon became my best buddy. I can't say I walked him every day, but I bet I got 90%. It was our thing, to walk every morning and every evening, to run miles on the neutral ground. We would go to Bayou St. John twice a week and practice duck dog jumping and retrieves. We would practice marking and retrieving two, three, four birds. I taught him how to flush in one week, and he was one of the best at our hunting camp.
When Katrina hit and we moved back after a long evacuation, the City Park golf courses were closed, so we were able to run almost every weekend along the cart trails and through the woods, chasing whatever was there, and diving into any lake, bayou or creek that looked inviting.
This is the prayer I whispered in his ear as he went to sleep today:
"Dear Father, please welcome our boy Bouie, into your house, into your arms, into your heart. Please make him strong, fast and free again, without pain. Find some folks around heaven who will take him on walks, play fetch and retrieve with tennis balls and dummy ducks, and play catch with popcorn and pizza crusts. Every now and then, let him run through a park chasing white birds until they fly, and diving into water at full gallop. However you hunt in heaven, please take him along. He is masterful at it, and he loves it so. Most of all, Lord, let him find friends who love him, and who he can love. He is really good at that, and he loves it most of all."
Goodbye, my great friend."

An anonymous friend sent us this lovely Memorial Candle and "Bouie's Prayer." It warmed our hearts.

Some favorite Bouie moments:

 Bouie Puppy splashing in the waterbowl.

 On sentry duty

 Sweet face

 His favorite nap spot in Little Rock

Our hearts still hurt, and the girl dogs are still confused -- although they are very cuddly and mindful of where we are at all times.  My chest is tight and my eyes are a little leaky right now. There are just some family pets who creep into your very soul. He was one of those, and his absence physically hurts.

I brought Bouie's ashes home last Friday, so he is here with us again, resting in a place of honor where he can watch over all his loved ones.  So, cheers to you, Bou Boy!  See you soon.

Moogie is Dog-Tired

Today is a "Poor Moogie" day. I had a little minor surgery on a toe yesterday, and today it really hurts!

I also lost about a gallon of blood when I left the doc's office and stopped by the drug store to pick up some prescription refills. When I stepped out of the car, it felt as if I had stepped into a puddle. Well, I suppose that, technically, I had -- it just happened to be a puddle of my own blood in my shoe. Gross.

So, I high-tailed it back to the doc's, where his sweet nurse cleaned me up and applied pressure to that stubborn bleeder. Pressure didn't work, so the good doc cauterized it. When cauterization was first mentioned, I pictured a soldering iron, but, fortunately, he used silver nitrate instead. I was really glad because smelling barbecued Moogie wasn't on my to-do list for the day.

Sweet Nurse called me mid-afternoon on her lunch break to check on me. She said she just wanted to make sure that my toe hadn't fallen off, or that I hadn't bled out. Heh. I thought it was very thoughtful of her to check on my well-being.

So, today, all the anesthetic has worn off and I've been walking around on it too much. Therefore, I do believe I shall take to the couch with my Kindle and a tootsie-propping pillow in anticipation of cocktail hour.

Oh, and Happy National Dog Day!!!

Video Publish Fail. Really Cute Video, Too.

Well, shoot. I couldn't get the video to transfer from Facebook. Maybe I can get Pepper to publish it to YouTube later. Sorry.

Pepper and Bouie went to Duck Camp yesterday to do a little work on the house.

(The girls were left at home to take care of Mom. And they weren't particularly happy about it.)

When it was time to play, Pepper sent Bouie off in search of quail. Here is the intrepid hunter, having a ball. Not bad for a guy who'll turn 9 years old next week:


It makes my heart smile to see him so happy.

Good boy!

A Family Kind of Weekend

The weekend was a lake-focused one.

On Saturday, Pepper took Bouie and Mysti (much to Yappy's chagrin) with him and SiL#2 to fetch the boat from the repair shop on Lake Ouachita where it had been since shortly before the Fourth. The dogs had a lot of fun swimming and spending time with their dad and friend. Pepper enjoyed swimming with the dogs; he did not enjoy spending mega-bucks on the boat.

Then dawned Sunday and we headed out for the lake again (and to pick up the boat from the repair shop. Again. But that's another story.), eager for a day with family and summer Arkansas sunshine.

We got the sunshine, in spades. Dang!! It was hot!!

"We" was constituted of Pepper and Moogie, The Son and his three kids (Grandkids ##1, 2,& 3), Younger Daughter and SiL#2 with #5 (yep, SiL#2 had a Pepper-centric weekend.), and three Yellow Sisters from last year's litter. 

Yep, three 11 month-old Labs. On a lake.  And on an isolated island with lots of sticks. And old campfires to rummage through.  And Pepper casting fishing lines to chase.  And people sitting on funny styrofoam things in the water to try to capsize.  Successfully.

We were privileged to be spectators at a private performance of the Labrador Olympics of 2015!

It was a fun day of family time, even if I did get a little fricasseed in the sun. There are sections of Moogie's skin that haven't seen direct sunlight in ages. We were all pretty worn out by the end of the day. At least #5 got in a little nap. That would've been a good idea.

Here are some pics. My phone storage was acting up so I didn't get a shot of Younger Daughter and #5, or of #3. Or, I guess, of The Son. Oops. Elder Daughter and family were in Dallas, visiting SiL#1's folks.

Here's #2 riding the knee board.

#1 on the Boogie Board.

Pepper, #1, and some dogs scaring some fish.

Three Yellow Sisters, enjoying the water.

A little male bonding time.

Two sisters -- the largest (Persi) and the middle-sized one (Yap).  Petite little Chelsea was farther out.

Poor #2 was the target of Chelsea on more than one occasion --  she wanted a cuddle from her boy (or, to try to drown him).

Yep, they're sisters, all right. Playing and tussling all the time, even in the water.

Yappy was one tuckered out puppy (which is not totally a bad thing!). She's still kind of subdued, even today!

What a fun time!  Now, if I can just shake off my too-much-sunshine-exposure hangover.

Keeping Things Clean

I love the way a clean house looks and smells, but I'm not so crazy about the process of getting it clean. I must say, however, that Moogie's Manor is much easier to clean than the Mansion in New Orleans. And, today, this sucker is clean! I even did some baseboards.

We don't have dust bunnies at the Manor, we have dust DOGGIES.

Guess why.

Good guess!

We occasionally even get to sit on the couch. But, just occasionally. They're anxiously awaiting post time at The Belmont. Don't they look anxious?

Crossing my fingers for a Triple Crown celebration -- I re-stocked the Triple Sec just in case. Happy weekend!

The Numbers All Add Up

Younger Daughter and her husband are buying their first home!  They were supposed to close today, but the weather over the last couple of days has thrown their lending officer into a tizzy, so it's delayed until next week. Younger Daughter is, to use her words, "tres bummed."

They really wanted to get the keys so they can start painting -- it's going to need a lot of loving "updating," having been a one-owner home built in 1974.  But it's got great bones and is structurally sound -- and they got a great deal on it from the heirs of the previous owner. I'm sorry they won't be able to have the family "camp in" they planned for tonight.

I think it'll be the perfect starter home for them.  It's larger than our rent house where they've been living.  When they first started looking, YD told me that her "must haves" were 3 bedrooms, at least 2 baths, a fenced yard, and a fireplace.

(A fireplace.  Younger Daughter is sooooo me.)

So, it has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a fenced yard, and a fireplace.

And a 2-car garage!  With a door that opens and closes! And it's in a stable, safe neighborhood.

I know it'll be a good home for them because "the numbers" work out great. (If I manipulate them a little.  Shhh, don't tell!) You remember the numbers, don't you? The ones that applied to Moogie's Manor, Moogie's Mansion, and various other of Moogie's dwellings. Those numbers were somehow related to the number 12.  Well, get this:

The address of YD's new house is 2919 "Persi" Lane.  Two + 9 + 1 + 9 = 21, and 21 is 12, backwards!

(See, I told you -- it's just a teensy manipulation!)

Even if the numbers are over-manipulated, there are still multiple digits in the street number.  That's important right now, too. Moogie's Manor is 14212; Elder Daughter's is 13707; Younger Daughter's will be 2919! It's just meant to be, don't you think?

(Where is Buck to make fun of me when I need him?)

Speaking of dogs -- Pepper was mean yesterday when he had the audacity to go outside in the snow without any dogs. Can you tell?

Weekend Observations, Stolen Stuff, and Being Royal

Winter reared its frigid head around these parts the last couple of weeks. Most of the snow has melted (although there's more in the forecast for Wednesday), but we were pretty much housebound for days. The novelty wears off pretty quickly. (I know -- I hear the "wah, wah, wah" from you folks who have winters that regularly last longer than a few weeks. But you must remember that Moogie is a Southern girl!). Consequently, I've spent a LOT of time on Facebook this past week, so I thought I'd share a few giggles I found there.

Sad commentary.

Then there's the really bad pun:

Heh. A math joke that even I get!

We've all had a little cabin fever and been cooking obsessed. I had lots of help in the kitchen:

And, even dogs get cabin fever and go nuts when they finally get to romp outdoors:

We went through quite a bit of firewood. Yappy found the fire mesmerizing. She also found the firewood to be a tasty snack:

But, I think this is my favorite Facebook steal. Pepper posted it and tagged me in it with the caption, "OMG. It's Moogie!" And, of course, he was correct:

He later acknowledged in the comments that he's just a lowly unpaid Consort. It's good when a man recognizes his place.

And it's good to be Queen.

Happy Sunday!