Getting an Appointment

My previously well-coiffed Toby has been looking a bit shaggy, so I decided to get in touch with his groomer. When I did, they told me that since Toby is considered a dangerous animal only the owner is willing to work with him, and she is booked until January.

Sad Emoji
Naughty List, Toby, currupt politicians, evil dictators, indoor poopers, software developers

Looks like “Santa” won’t be bringing any gifts for Toby this year. All “his” money will be tied up in tips and gifts for the groomer to try to bribe her into seeing us again.

I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m a perfect angel!

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Keep your perfect angel warm this winter with the gift of a cozy quilt. Many sizes and designs are available from my shop at L Bowman Studios.

Watch Out, Peppermint!

 

Toby and new stuffed girlfriend looking off into the distance.Isn’t this cute?  The two of them are even starting to look like each other!

Watch out, Peppermint.  Someone new is after your man.

This is Toby’s new “girlfriend”.  You may recall from Poopiter that my boy has a particular fondness for his toy peppermint.  Now, though, there is a new lady in his life.  This little gal doesn’t have a name yet, but I think she needs one.  Any suggestions?

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The Spirit of Cooperation

Two Cairn terriers refuse to look at the camera for their portraits.

Two Cairn terrier brothers turn their backs to the camera as Mom tries to take a picture.

As you can see, my two are nothing if not cooperative when it comes to having their pictures taken.  I just gave the two little monsters a very itchy pair of fur cuts, but neither of them would look at me so that I could capture their new do’s.  Thanks guys.  I’ll remember this next time.

 

Pick up a copy of A Tired Mommy Is a Good Mommy which deals with time B.T. (Before Toby).

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Both are available from Amazon.

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Hand painted Chihuahua dog handkerchief

Looking for a special gift?  Hand painted handkerchiefs are not only thoughtful but eco-friendly.  Show someone you love that you care about them as well as the planet!

This and many unique handmade gifts are available at my shop L Bowman Studios.

The Flower Garden

A single yellow daffodil flower.

So far, this is the bounty of our flower garden.  I was fortunate to snap this picture before 6″ of snow fell on  the poor little flower and bent his stem.  Although the flower is intact, now it looks like he is kissing the dirt.

The flowers may not be enjoying the cold, but the puppies are going nuts for it.  Oh yes, and they peed on the flower.

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Another Friday in Lent

 

Baked beans again?!? Do you want to go to hell?

I think going to hell for Lent is going to be my new tradition.

For some reason, I can’t seem to keep my days straight at this time of year.  I screw up every Friday.   I am sure the people at church would gladly cluck their tongues and say “Don’t you love God enough to fast a mere one day per week?”  As I recall, though, Christ came to walk among us and hung around with those whose faults were most offensive to other humans.

What could be more offensive than a fondness for beans?

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Catch up on some of Bitey and Toby’s other Lenten seasons in A Tired Mommy Is a Good Mommy

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Available from Amazon.

A Drift of Snowbies

Snowby gazing lying on his back, gazing up at the stars.

Snowby lists to starboard.

Snowby with no head.

When I started writing this, I wondered if there happened to be a measure word for groups of snowmen like “a murder of crows” or “a tuxedo of penguins”.   Most of these interesting words are terms of venery – or words used by hunters.  Since no one hunts snowmen, there isn’t a ready made word for gatherings of them.  Drift actually refers to groups of pigs, but I thought it was particularly appropriate for snowmen.

This drift occurred Saturday.  After I walked the boys for the last time, I sneaked outside and had fun building the biggest snowballs I could manage.  I had two snowbies (snowbys?) facing the road and another lying on its back gazing at the stars.  By morning when I could get pictures of them, one was listing seriously to starboard, and the other had lost its head completely.  (It is a shame because under its head is a lovely hydrangea hat that I had given it.)

I found out later that the neighbors had fun speculating about the supine snowby that appeared overnight.  Did he fall over, or was he just lazy?

That yellow snow? Don't ask.

That yellow snow?  Don’t ask.

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Shhh, I’m Sleeping

 

Cairn terrier sleeping in a pile of laundry.

It was an exhausting but wonderful day!  Mom took me out on the 50′ leash, and I ran and swam and played like a puppy.  I dove and rolled and took snow baths. I dug tunnels and hunted for voles and leaped for snowflakes.  When I was done, I plunked my butt down in the snow for a refreshing sit. Ahh, it was heaven.  Sure I had to get de-snowballed, but it was worth it.

After all of that play, I needed a nap somewhere quiet (where that usurping little brother of mine couldn’t find me), so I crept off to the dirty laundry for some serious sleep.

Mommy says:  Since Geordie has come along, I haven’t been able to use a hamper or a laundry bag.  I end up with the dirty clothes in a pile so that Geordie can sleep in them.  I have tried giving him soft, pretty blankets and beds, but all he wants is stinky clothes.  A messy corner is a small price to pay for a happy pup!

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The Snowby

 

Cairn terrier pup standing in snow.

This is The Usurper.  He has outgrown his green sweater, but he has a green flower attached to his collar so you can still recognize him.  It turns out this little puppy enjoys snow more than most anything in life….except maybe tennis balls.

A Snow Toby that looks more like Winnie the Poo than intended.

Toby and I played for hours out in the snow.  I tried to build a Snow Toby, but it came out looking more like Winnie the Poo or Mickey Mouse.  (My audience is divided on that one.)  It was a nearly impossible task because Toby tore up each snow ball as fast as I could roll it.

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Folks keep writing to tell me how much they enjoy it.  You can get a copy for yourself, a loved one or even to donate to your local library!

 

The Dog Ate Your Homework

 

Little Cairn Terrier chews a piece of paper.

I think Toby may have just won the Naughtiest Dog award for the month.

Over the holiday, family was visiting from out of town.  My SIL is a primary school teacher and brought some papers to grade over on her Christmas break.  As she was going over the children’s work, Toby decided to help himself to some papers to chew on and play “run around the house”.  I told my SIL to tell the children that reindeer had gotten to their homework.  Instead she took a photo of my naughty puppy caught red-tounged with papers in his mouth to show the students that the dog ate their homework!  (That excuse doesn’t work for kids, but for some reason it does for teachers.)

I’m still not sure how, but Toby got toys and treats from Santa.  He must have a very high tolerance for bad behavior in canines.

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Toby Saves the Day

 

Drawing of stinky socks surrounded by flies.

Meet teeny, tiny Toby,

His toots more lethal than old socks!

And if you ever smelled them,

You’d be a pine-y box.

wooden coffin with cross on it

All of the folks around him

Looked upon his toots with fear.

On more than one occasion,

They’d been known to kill a deer.

Two deer dying of stink fumes from Toby's toots.

Then one sunny afternoon

Recruiters came to ask:

“Toby with your toots so rank,

Won’t you come augment our tanks?”

Army recruiter asks Toby to join the cause.

Toby stands atop a tank, tail pointed toward the enemy.

Then how the nation loved him

As they sang and did a dance.

You, teeny tiny Toby

You have lethal flatulence!

Toby surfs on a grateful crowd after his farts save the day.

The itty bitty monster was living up to his reputation again this week….

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