It's my birthday and I'll bark if I want to

It's my birthday today and I am two years old!!!! Mom can't believe the time has passed so quickly. She says she has lot of surprises for me today!! We will have lots of photos later. We have the most perfect day for it, we had the coldest summer night on record last night, it went down to 40 degrees and today it is only going up to 71 - which for any dog with so much fur is just wonderful. I have been outside nearly all morning just enjoying the cool.

Reilly and Franklin's Big Adventure

Woofitty woofs - what a great morning I have had. It is nice and cool and mom asked Franklin and his mom if they would like to go to the leash free dog park with us - and they said yes. So we all got in the car and off we went. Franklin has NEVER been to a leash free park before so his mom wasn't sure what he would do - but of coarse with me by his side to protect him, he was just fine. Here we are checking out all the great smells.








And.....it got even better, for as we were walking we suddenly saw Lady, Red and Scrap. I had met them before so it was cool to see some friends again. We did the sniffing butts greeting and all was well, so off we went, running and barking and having fun. Even Franklin scurried along with us.













My mom and Franklin's mom sat of the bench near the lake to have a rest and although we boys didn't need to rest, we thought we would keep them company and rest in the shade. Franklin's mom had been a little worried that he might get lost in the long grass, but he is smart like me and he stayed on the path. He was in doggie heaven just a sniffing and sniffing all the new things. He wasn't to sure about being able to run free and kept fairly close to his mom for awhile but after eventually he was just enjoying himself so much he didn't notice how far away from his mom he was. Yep - he was one happy little corgi today and he liked it so much he has asked if can come with us again and we said yes!

Not a lot happening

It has been a very quiet week so far. On the weekend dad finally finished my deck and put the railing on the steps - now I have to go down all of them and off the bottom step where as before I could just just off the top step - gee thanks dad - it makes me speed chasing of the rabbits all that much slower now! Apart from that it has been hot and humid again this week so not much happening in the way of walks. I was looking through some old photos and I thought I would show you some of my sister Dusty. She was from the same litter as me and she went to live in Connecticut. As you can see she is white with sable and that is what mom was hoping we would get this year.....but we know that didn't happen. These photos were taken when she was about four months old and we wonder what she looks like now. Mom would have loved to got Dusty but someone had phoned just a few minutes before mom and bought her. But she got me and she was very happy about that ! Well back to snoozing on my vent.

Wordless Wednesday

Oh no - I surrender - not the comb again!!!!

Me Happy

Here I am smiling like a fool because today we went to the leash free park and I got to run and run. Dog oh dog it was so much fun. It was actually sort of coolish this morning - at least not as humid as it has been and that is good weather for me. I sniffed and sniffed and even checked out where a deer had bedded down. That was something I had not smelt before. Of coarse I was enjoying so it much that when I heard something moving in the bushes I suddenly had a flashback of that killer duck again. For a moment I froze on the spot listening and them I ran to my dad as quick as my legs could carry me for protection - ah um......I mean to protect him of coarse!!!! Dad is scared of ducks and needed some reassurance. We had the park all to ourselves again - for some reason not many people take their doggies there which is odd as it so much fun and there is so much room to run and it is very safe as it has big fences all around it. Mom thinks they probably don't know about it as it is a little out of the way and she doesn't mind that not a lot of people and doggies go. I do like to meet other doggies sometimes though, especially if they are nice and want to play and run with me.

It just isn't right!

I decided to take the mom to the pet store this afternoon as she has been feeling very sad about not getting a baby brother or sister for me and we also had to get something to send to Mr Ludo for his entry in the pee-mail competition we had a while back. (His secretary was a bit slow sending his address to us and some giant mouse or monster ate the treats we had got for him so we had to get some new ones !!!!) Anyway.....I was quite excited to visit the pet store and see my friends and guess what - they don't work there any more. After all that effort I put into training them, making sure they know me by name, that they give me only my special cookies and they know just where to tickle my ear....and they go an leave!!!! That just isn't right, especially as the same thing happened at the other pet store I go to visit. Now both my stores are full of strangers and none of them seem very friendly and they didn't even offer me a cookie let alone want to make a fuss of me!!!! Don't they know I am Reilly - the Cowspotdog??? Sigh.

PS - Eukanuba sent me a $5.00 coupon for some of their food but I don't eat that brand so if any dog (here is the USA) likes it and your mom and dad would like the coupon just send us an email and we will pop it in the post for you.

The lonely path I walk

You may not know this but for the last two years we have patiently waiting for a brother or sister of mine to arrive. Mom and dad wanted to get another white sheltie like me and they just love my personality and temperament so much they wanted to get one from my original dog mom and dad who both carry the white recessive gene that creates white shelties. We had paws and fingers crossed last year but it didn't happen and mom was very disappointed. Again we crossed our paws and fingers this year so when we heard that my dog mom and dad were hopefully expecting we got very excited again. Sadly we heard yesterday that it didn't take and again there is not to be any little brother or sister for me. My mom dog (her name is Bailey) unfortunately doesn't have puppies easily she has to have a procedure called artificial insemination done (that is how I also came about) and although she was there on time at the vets, it just didn't work. It will be next February before mom dog Bailey can try again and maybe third time will be lucky. Until then, I shall just walk a lonely path by myself. I know my mom and dad just love me like crazy but it would be nice to have a brother or sister to play chase or bitey face with. Maybe next year.

A new park

We went to a new park today to celebrate the 4th of July. I am not sure what that is all about but mom says I have to be extra proud today because I am an American dog. I wasn't too happy having to have the halti thing on my nose but mom says I had too because there was lots of big and little people around and I always love to go say hello to EVERYONE but I hurt moms hands when I tug to much. There was a lot of people in the park too and they were having a Tea Party. My mom drinks a lot of tea and I didn't see any cups of tea so I am not sure why they called it a tea party. Here I am am being a proud American doggy and listening to the 'pledge of allegiance'.












We only stayed a few minutes and then wandered off to explore the rest of park. We came across a really cool little bridge that had a small creek running underneath it. Mom says that this is the type of bridge trolls live under......I just looked at her and said 'you are being silly mom'. It was very shady and cool and we stopped and rested here for a while. Isn't this the prettiest park with all its trees. There was also a big lake that had a fountain in it and a big sand pit that the little people were having fun playing in. I wanted to play in it too but mom says dogs are not allowed - can you believe that? Anyway, we had a great 4th of July and hope you did too.

Wordless Wednesday

Hiding from the bone monsters

We got up this morning and it was actually cool!!! It is the first time in over a week it has actually been nice so mom gave me a nice big bone to take outside. Now of coarse you all know about the bone monsters and how they try to steal your bone if you leave it alone for even a moment and how you have tuck yourself into tight little corners so they don't sneak up behind you (even if it is in mom's flower bed). So here I am with my nice marrow bone deciding where to hide first. Under the tree in mom flower bed was my first preference but than I thought mom would probably say I flattened the flower that was underneath me - which we coarse was already like that before I laid down. I saw that look in moms eyes though so I though I had better move. Next I tried under the pink bushy thing next to the air conditioner and that was fine until it suddenly came on. Then I went and laid under mom's chair but she didn't seem to appreciate me gnawing on the bone right under her. So then I had to wander around the yard carrying my bone and doing my whining ' scare the bone monsters away' noises. I finally settled down under the tree again but then mom went inside so of coarse I had to follow and take my nice dirty bone inside too. Oh dog oh dog.....where to hide my bone now? I finally found the perfect place, right under dads cushion on the sofa. I hope he doesn't sit on it this time!!! Oh dog, dad just said the magic word - walkies!!! He is going to take me out. I had better go get my bone and drop it at moms feet for her to protect when I am out. Mom can't go with us as she a bad ouchie back and can hardly walk. She was trying to do a jigsaw puzzle and her back went crack pop crack and then she couldn't stand up straight. Hopefully she will be better tomorrow after she has been to see the cow-ro-practor.

Wordless Wednesday

With the temperatures being in the high 90's and 'real air feel of 110 due to humidity - there is only one place for me to be - on my favorite vent !!!

Fur coats and hot weather don't mix!

We got up nice and early yesterday to go for a walk at the lake before it got too hot but when you're a walking shag pile carpet anything above 50 degrees is hot!! Not that I was going to let that stop me, a good walk and sniffing marathon is worth being warm for. For some reason today I was quite fascinated by the white line on the road and kept wondering what it was there for. Did it lead to the pet store or the way home - what was at the end of it and where was the end of it? Next I had to investigate these most interesting rocks. I could smell cooked fish, meat and something sweet - mom says they were marshmallows. I think mom should have a pile a of rocks like this in our kitchen to cook on then I could see what was going on and enjoy all those yummy smells. For some reason mom doesn't think that is a very good idea.












We walked about half way around the lake and then both mom and dad were getting too hot so we headed back. Of coarse I could of walked right around the lake and I was only walking slowly because mom and dad were and I was just resting waiting for them to catch up. I must admit it was nice to rest in the cool shade though. When we got back to the car mom got me a big bowl of water which I slurped down, it was nice and cool and then mom turned the air conditioner on full and I flopped down on the back seat and snoozed all the way home - dreaming of steak with marshmallows on it!!! Remember guys and gals - if you are going anywhere with your moms and dads in this hot weather - MAKE SURE they put a couple of bottles of water in the car for you.

It wasn't me !!!!!

Mom has been very carefully 'nurturing' as she calls it some lilly plants in the garden. Franklin's (the corgi) mom gave them to her. Now you have to understand we don't have any nice big flower beds so there was just one little patch that mom could plant things in and it also happens to be one of MY favorite places to lay in the morning. Needless to say the mom wasn't to happy with me today when she went outside to see three of her lilies laying flat on the ground especially as the flowers were just about to burst open. Now why she would blame ME I do not know.....I mean to say we do have those pesky ground squirrels and we have some baby bunnies this year......and it could of been them !!! The fact that I was laying on one them really doesn't mean I did it or that it was MY fault.......it could have already been flat on the ground BEFORE I laid in that spot. As a result she only has one flower left and I thought I better show it to you before something happens to it. And here I am giving mom my best "it wasn't me mom" look. For some reason I don't think she believes me. Why does the mom want to grow things in MY back yard anyway, it is where I like to run and play, snooze in the sunshine and chew on a tasty bone. That is far more important then a silly old flower don't you think?

Mom and Dad are home and I am SO HAPPY

Mom and dad got home very late last night but I was so happy so see them. I bounced and woofed and bounced some more and then of coarse I had to pretend I didn't really miss them all but mom knew I did because I stayed glued to her feet and where ever she went I was right there next to her. This morning when mom got up she checked the mail and guess what - there was a package for me!!!! I was so excited especially when I saw it was from Katie. Mom opened it up and look what was inside. A new squeaky sheep, a card and a bag of my favorite pretzels!!! Slobbers and lickies to Katie for getting me my most favorite treats. Here I am with my goodies and here I am playing with my sheep. Mom says it's my Honky Tonk Sheep as it honks rather then squeaks.

After I played for a while mom and dad said lets go a walk. Dog oh dog I was so excited I just about tripped the mom up trying to race to the car before her. We went to my favorite leash free park and the grass has grown so much since I was there last but luckily they had just mowed the path. I had to look this way and that to work out where to go and I had to keep a watch for those killer ducks! I saw some swimming on the lake so I knew there might be some in the grass too.












I ran way ahead to make sure it was all safe for mom and dad. And then dad and I had a game of 'skitchum' that is where I run as fast as I can and he has to try and touch me as I fly by. I am so quick though that he never does. We like to play this at home too when I race around and around the sofas. I am so happy mom and dad are home but now I am tired so I am off to have a good long nap. Woofitty woofs.

Mom and Dad Come Back

Mom and Dad are on vacation in a place called the outer banks in North Carolina at something called the beach. They are visiting my dad's mom which means she is my grandma - hey I didn't know I had a grandma!!! She who is never seen (dad's hooman daughter) is still home so I spend my time between here and over with my little buddy Franklin the corgi. His mom doesn't own a computer though so I haven't been able to blog as I spend most of my time there. I think it is pretty bad that mom and dad went on vacation without me but mom says I would not like it as it has been in the 90's every day and VERY VERY humid. She also says this beach thing is like a giant lake full of water and we all know what I think about water - good for drinking and ABSOLUTELY NOTHING else. Mom says she misses me very very much as this is the first time we have been apart since she got me. I must admit I haven't noticed that much as I have been lots of fun spending time with Franklin even though he doesn't know how to play. One of these days he is going to learn - and in the meantime I keep will trying to teach him. This is where my mom and dad are. Grandma lives here all the time and mom says she is so lucky to be able to walk on the beach any time she wants. All that sand in the fur gives me shudders though and think of all the baths mom would be constantly giving me to get it out. Mom and Dad will be back after two more sleeps and I can hardly wait. I have missed my Dad soooooooo much and okay, I mave missed my mom too.

Little babies

Mom was sitting on the front step this morning when this tiny little baby ground squirrel suddenly popped out. She is sorry she couldn't get a better picture but they are VERY fast and very shy (you can click on the pictures to see them bigger) A lot of people mistake these for chipmunks but these are actually 13 lined ground squirrels and they LOVE the sunshine. Personally I dislike them....and one of these days I am going to catch me one and CHOMP it. I chase them all the time in my back yard as they live under the patio too. I also found one of their holes in mom flowers bed and dug it all up to show mom (for some reason she didn't seem happy about that!!!) They also have a bad habit of digging under the edge of the concrete which can then cause it to crack and dad is going to have to fix the area around the front step because of them.

In other news, Mrs Robins babies have hatched and mom sneaked a quick peak today and saw three of them. They look like they are already over a week old and seem to be doing well nicely. Mrs Robin certainly has her work cut out for her...we have been watching her flying food in non stop. Mom wonders how these three are all going to fit in this nest by next week.....it looks pretty crowded already.

Wordless Wednesday

Off to the post office

What a busy morning I have had. First I went to Petsmart and I must say I am a little disappointed as all my favorite people seem to have left and the new ones are not very friendly......I didn't even get offered a cookie!!! Can you believe that, no cookie for Reilly!!! After that I went to Petco where I got some of my favorite low fat vanilla prezels and I DID get a cookie there. Next stop was the post office. Mom had a big bag full of prizes we are sending off to the winners in our Pee-Mail photo Challenge (we are still waiting for Mr Ludo's address though!!!). So do check those mail boxes this week guys (Joss and Jesses might take until next week because they live on the other side of the world in the land of the long white cloud). We hope you like your prizes as we tried hard to find things to match everyone. Have a great week everyone.

Woofitty Woofs