Advice from Pumpkin

So, Darbs.  Next time The One Who Feeds Us tries to stick something on your head like that "wedding" veil or stuff you into something (like that pumpkin Halloween costume Erika wore as a baby,) do like I do:

RUN AWAY AND HIDE!

Some day MY prince will come...

Until then, I can dream...

Update: OK, I'll admit it: I woke up at 2:30 a.m. and watched the wedding until 3:30 a.m.

Caught it!

The big yellow ball almost got away from Darby today, but she caught it just before it rolled down the little hill.

Get back, I say!!

That was some pretty fancy maneuvering!

Fuzzy around the edges

Our Easter visitor

So, we had a canine visitor on Easter -- Cheryl, the Lab/Golden Retriever puppy our friend Jane is raising for Canine Companions for Independence.

Darby, bless her heart, couldn't stop barking at this sweet, but slightly rambunctious -- although very well behaved -- puppy, and so she spent most of the afternoon and evening upstairs in her crate with a yummy, new marrow bone. And, was happy for it, I believe. She is a bit of an introvert, like me.

Pumpkin tried to engage our last canine visitor, Noel, in play, but Noel is a regal, older dog who wasn't interested.  But on Sunday, when Cheryl tried to get Pumpkin to play, Pumpkin was the one who wasn't interested!  

When Cheryl checked out the girls' Igloo,

Pumpkin had to come right behind her to make sure she hadn't messed anything up!

They did race around the yard a bit, and even with those short little legs, Pumpkin held her own.

But, all the sweet little play-bows couldn't get Pumpkin to play. 

Interestingly, Pumpkin's "sleepy" ear was upright a good part of the afternoon -- and not just when her head was tipped backward.  I've noticed the ear stays upright when she is particularly alert. 

I think this photo looks like Pumpkin is holding onto Cheryl's leg while she tries to pull away.

Every now and then, Pumpkin had to retreat to the safety of Glenn's legs.  (Note the upright ear.)

Poor Pumpkin!  She was a little worried about Cheryl playing with "her" bones, but she didn't have the nerve to do anything about it!

So, the Easter Bunny didn't come visit, but we're sure glad Cheryl did!  We hope Cheryl will come visit more often!

An Easter visitor

We had a special visitor yesterday and it wasn't the Easter Bunny.

It was Cheryl. The Canine Companions for Independence puppy that my Saturday morning walking buddy, Jane, is raising.

 We had a fun afternoon.

More photos later

Hoppy Easter!

Hoppy Happy Easter!

So much for trying to get the girls to pose with an Easter Bunny! This is the best photo out of about 30!

 

Glenn gave me the bunny for Easter before we got married, so it has been with us for at least 29 years.

If Pumpkin has her way, it won't be seeing another year... 

Any wonder we call her the Lil' Shitski?

Something that didn't get away!

Responding to my "Drop it!" command.

I guess I need to teach her a "Drop it and leave it dropped!" command!

Neener, neener, neener!

Ha-ha, Darby and Pumpkin, you can't catch me!! Neener, neener, neener!

Rolling -- Updated

Update:  Based on the comments, I think the way I first wrote this post was misleading.  The photographs represent two times when Darby overshot the ball when trying to retrieve it.  She and Bonnie both "roll."  It seems to be a very  efficient way of changing course quickly.  Darby and Bonnie would do it when they were playing, and if I'm remembering correctly, Erika said Bonnie used to do it when running in the dog park.  

To catch each  series of photos, I held my shutter button down and fired off multiple shots as Darby rolled over until she ended up back on her feet.  I'll insert a comment between the two series below.   


She can be rambunctious, but she doesn't do this every time I throw the ball for her!


Sometimes Darby runs after a ball so rambunctiously that she overshoots it and has to use a football-style shoulder roll to recover.   Like this:

 

End of the first set of photos; almost back on her feet. 

Start of the second set. 

Back on her feet, ball in her mouth and on her way back to me!