Snow Day

I have a confession to make. Well, actually a couple. Yesterday, I took a "snow day" from work. Woke up at my usual time of 4:40a.m., saw all the snow on the ground and phoned in. Bad, bad me and I know if anyone from work is reading this (I sure hope not), I'll be in big trouble. The second confession is I tell everyone I hate the snow, but secretly, I love it. I love tramping around with the dogs down in the trails. The beauty and silence is breathtaking. I love being the first footprints in new fallen snow. I love the sugar frosted trees in the woods. I love how much Sonic and Tess love romping and getting goofy in it. I love making snow angels. I love riding a neighbour's toboggan down the hill at the end of our street. I guess I'm just a big kid at heart.

These photos were taken on the ravine trail which is just a 2 minute walk from our front door. I love the creek that runs down the middle. At the end, there is a nice little pool where the dogs can swim. It's never too cold for these 2 guys to want to swim.

Ok, so now you know my secret. Shhhhhhhhh.....................

Sunny Daze

These are the days we live for on the west coast. Brilliant blue skies and sunshine. The air is crisp and invigoratimg. The north shore mountains behind the Alex Fraser Bridge are one of my favorite winter views. Walking through the boardwalk in the bog is the perfect spot to view them. This was my first trip into the boardwalk portion of the bog since I fell in there a month ago.

That unidentified object setting behind the trees is the SUN. I needed a pic so the next time we are in gloom and rain, I can come here and remember.....

It's very difficult to get a really good photo of Sonic when she knows you're trying to do that. She doesn't like to look you in the face or she is busy looking around for the next stick to be thrown. I finally had to hold a stick over my head with one hand and try to get this shot with the other hand. Obsessive dogs, but I love 'em.

Of course, Miss Tess, the Diva dog likes nothing better than to pose for the camera, show off for an audience or just generally look cute.

Happy "Gotcha Day" to Sonic

Yesterday was 2 years to the day that we got Sonic. We never really knew her actual date of birth, so we count Janurary 15th as her birthday or her "Gotcha Day". It's hard to believe that this is the same dog that we brught home from Vancouver on that night 2 years ago.

Sonic was to be our first foster dog. We were actually expecting to get a 5 year old border collie. The owners however, made other arrangements for this dog and we ended up with Sonic. She'd been transported in the back of a truck from Hope, then kept in a crate for several hours till the transport person could get her to where we were picking her up. She was still saggy from having given birth recently, very stinky and VERY terrified. We knew after 3 days that we could never give her up. So, we asked the rescue people if we could keep her. This is known as "failing fostering 101".

We fell in love with this little dog, issues and all. She was afraid of mops and brooms, rolled up newspapers and most of all, she was afraid of men. Even with this fear, she bonded extremely closely with Charlie. She is still "daddy's girl". Gradually, she came to trust us and started to lose her fear. The real little border collie started to shine though. She has gone from a fearful, cowering dog to a confident, very intense little dog who makes us laugh ever day. Just one look from her and it's enough to melt even the hardest heart. She has Charlie wrapped around her little paw.

She has not been without a few challenges though. She can be very headstrong and sometimes her "issues" still surface. I knew she would get even with me for putting antlers on her, but I had no idea her idea of evening the score would be to pee on my side of the bed. Peeing episode aside though, she is a joy to work with most of the time. She's very eager to please and what she lacks in finesse, she makes up for with enthusiasm.

So, here's to you Sonic. HAPPY GOTCHA DAY!!!!

Trip To Vancouver

Yesterday, we made a trip to Vancouver to buy part of the costume I will need for my Charlie Chaplin routine. Seems the only place to find a proper bowler hat is at The Party Baazar down in the west end. So now, I have my hat and my cane. Getting the rest of it will be a piece of cake. Getting Tess to cooperate during the competition might take a bit more doing.

Of course, we can't have a trip to Vancouver without taking Sonic and Tess to a dog beach in the west end. We had to share it with a dead seal, but I don't think they minded too much. Neither did the seal.

You get it. NO....YOU get it. Water COLD!!

OK, OK. I'll get it, ya big chicken.

Oooooh. Ice water up the bum.

Ok, ok. So I did get one.

Happy New Year

It's my turn!!!

Chasing it down.....
Waiting for the right moment.

Got it!! Tess gets a high jump.

Is it MY turn yet????

Ha!! Gotcha.

OK, we'll BOTH bring it back to Dad.

A couple of tired and happy pups.

What better way to celebrate the new year than with an early morning run and then a trip out to Garry Point Park to play frisbee with Sonic and Tess. We were treated to a bunch of crazy people doing a small version of the Polar Bear Swim. Sonic and Tess did the doggie version of the swim.

While I've done the Polar Bear Swim maybe 5 times, I think these guys were really crazy. Not because of the cold water but because it was in the Fraser River and the sign that said "no swimming, water contaminated..."