Quite the Week

Lowri - Whew, it has been quite a week.  Last Friday morning, we went down to help MC and Story have babies.  Story said she wasn't quite ready, but she kept TM and MC on pins and needles.  Every time, TM thought about leaving, Story would start nesting harder.  This went on all day and night.  TM got up every couple of hours to check on Story (we kept the bed warm for her).  At 5:30 on Saturday morning, TM got up to check for the last time.  No Story.  Nope, not in the room.  TM was freaking as she had taken Story out to potty at 3:30.  She was afraid she hadn't put the gate up and Story was somewhere in the house.  She went over and woke MC up and asked if she had Story.  Yes, she did.  Story was unhappy at being in the whelping box all by herself, so MC brought her into her bed.  TM went back to sleep. 

Kevin - Of course, when MC got up, we told TM we should get up too.  She snarled at us!  We had to stay quiet on the bed for another hour.  It was hard!

Lowri - TM decided to go to the store for some stuff as it was obvious that she was going to be there a while.  Nope.  It had snowed overnight - on top of the half inch of ice that was already there.  She ended up blocking the drive.  A couple of hours later, she and MC came back out and shoveled and chipped ice.  Finally, TM got out.  Of course, when she got back from the store, she got stuck again.

Kevin - Story had one of MY babies while they were out digging.  By the time TM came back from the store, there were two of my babies.  I kept trying to sneak a peek, but no one would let me.  TM went back out to shovel and chip some more and my third baby was born!

Lowri - All in all, Story had seven puppies.  She is being a great mother.  There are five boys and two girls.

Kevin - They are BEAUTIFUL!  Well, I hear they are beautiful <sigh>

Lowri - Sunday morning, TM packed us up and we left - after more digging, chipping and cutting of brush for traction.  When she got out of the driveway, she cheered!  When we finally got to PR's place, we only got halfway up the driveway because of all the snow.  PR got the tractor out and raked all the ice.  We FINALLY got up to the house.  It was a long weekend.

Kevin - And the week just kept on going!  When we got back to town, it was to a puzzle.  The hot water was working, but only at half stream.  The cold water was working fine.  Once TM got to bed, she figured out that a pipe was broken.  There wasn't anything she could do right then, but she didn't sleep a wink all night.  When she got up yesterday, sure enough, water was flowing out from under the house (it hadn't been the night before).  She got the water turned off (the utility company did it for her) while she was at the CPA's place.  He was doing her taxes (lots of bad words). 

Lowri - TM couldn't find a plumber.  Apparently they are all very busy right now.  Finally she got a hold of her favorite guy.  He couldn't come yesterday.  TM cancelled all her clients for yesterday and today.  Today, she called the plumber again.  He can't come until tomorrow - unless it snows.  If it snows, it will be a couple of days.  We are expecting 3 to 5 inches tonight. 

Kevin - We have TM all to ourselves!  For a whole week!  It is great.  TM bought lots of water, so Lowri and I have plenty to drink.  You don't need to worry about us at all.

Lowri - Since she can't work, she has started replacing the floor in the whelping/sitting room.  We are trying to help.  It will be nice.  Puppies will have a hard time damaging it.  It is the same kind of stuff she put in the kitchen only this looks like oak flooring.

Where Does the Time Go?

Lowri - TM wants to know "where does the time go??"  She thought she had just posted on the blog.

Anyway, TM is teaching Kevin how to use the treadmill.  I did NOT like it when I learned, but she is feeding Kevin treats, cheering - loudly - when he walks just a few feet.  I might be tempted to try it for that kind of inducement!

Kevin - It was great!  Lots of treats for just staying near the front of it.  Of course, I was just a tad suspicious of it as it made TM go splat on the floor.  She was walking fast on it and thinking of how she could encourage me to walk on it.  She pulled a bonehead move to try it out (while walking fast) and went splat. 

Lowri - TM still bounces well.  I remember she went splat a couple of years ago.  She was more embarrassed than hurt.  Kind of like today.

Kevin - Can you guess where TM sleeps when we are in town (PR mostly stays on the farm)?  We are ready for bed in the photo.  TM gets a little cranky as we are sleeping on HER side.  When she finally squeezes in, Lowri climbs right on her, and I cuddle as close as I can.  She lets us stay that way until she is ready to go to sleep.  Then we have to move over to the other side of the bed.

Exercise

Lowri - TM is determined to get Kevin and me in shape.  We are starting to walk the neighborhood again.  Tonight, it was really cold out.  TM doesn't like cold.  She went to the sitting room and set up the treadmill.  I was really suspicious that she was going to make me use it.  I didn't want to be anywhere near it.  But she got up on it and walked for 30 minutes.  After a while, I sat down beside it and watched it carefully.  It didn't try to grab me, so I guess it is okay if TM uses it.

Kevin - TM said she was going to get some treats and show me how to work the treadmill.  She didn't.  I was really hoping for some treats.

Food - For ME

Lowri - TM made food tonight.  It was great!  It is all for ME!  Well, Kevin can have a little, but those gluttonous puppies aren't going to get ANY of it.  You wouldn't believe how much they ate of MY food!  TM was going through two big pans of the raw food every week.  She couldn't make enough to last.  She was even stretching it with kibble.  They would have eaten the walls if TM hadn't been watching.

Kevin and I got to clean up for TM.  It was great!  At the point where only one head would fit in the pan, I assured Kevin that the one head was MINE.  TM got testy!  She kicked me out of the pan.  Kevin got to do the dishes.  So NOT fair!

Kevin - TM is playing a new game with me.  She puts a board down and I have to put my front feet on it.  If I do, I get a treat!

Lowri - And that is another thing.  I got stuffed in a crate while Kevin played the game.  BOO!  I want to eat all the food I got to eat when the puppies were a couple of weeks old.  I was getting FOUR times what I get now!

Kevin - Then TM took me for a walk.  We didn't go too far because it was COLD.  I got to play the show dog game - <snicker>  more treats for me.  Poor Lowri got left in the yard.  TM did give her some treats just for being pretty.

My New Word

Lowri - The new word I learned today must be really, really bad!  TM has been muttering it a lot.  She has been going through lots of little papers and saying the bad word, then rubbing her temples.  The new word is taxes.  Whew, I am going to stay out of her way and then cuddle with her tonight.

Kevin - The pieces of paper that have dropped on the floor taste pretty good.  Unfortunately, there are no puppies here to blame the toothmarks on.  WAIT!  "I" am still a puppy!  Do you think I can play that card?

The Puppies are Gone

Lowri - I don't understand how this works.  I had my babies in November.  I was so busy, I barely had time to tell TM my thoughts.  I did everything for them.  As the weeks went by, I got over them being so self-absorbed.  If I stuck my nose in the puppy pen to clean up their breakfast, they mobbed me to get a snack.  I mean, they had just eaten - and they ate almost ALL of what TM had given them.  They are supposed to leave some for me, but apparently no one told them.

Finally, I told TM I just wasn't interested in being with them any more.  I thought I would finally share some of my thoughts on motherhood, but TM was suddenly too busy to listen.  That went on for another four or five weeks!  FINALLY, TM has some time to listen to me and let me sit on her lap.

All of my babies are gone.  We found them some fabulous homes!  TM has heard back from everyone.  They love my children.   Of COURSE they do!  These are MY babies!  Anyway, I am contentedly sitting on TM's lap, ready to share my thoughts.  I think motherhood is for...zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.  

Kevin - <snicker> Lowri is out.  Not much in the way of thoughts to share right now.
 
Here is the list of where my babies all went and what their real names are...

Elyan Bluefox Name in Lights of Sunspark - Reba
Renay and Jon Crooker, Karen and Sharon Wilson - Arizona

Elyan Bluefox Never Say Never at Serah - Blake/Romeo
Patrick and Jane Smith - California

Elyan Bluefox Night Moves - Taylor
Cathy Ochs Cline - Virginia

Elyan Bluefox No Cure for Crazy - Kellie
George Ann and Bruce Kuettel, Jane Crenshaw - Oklahoma/Texas

Elyan Bluefox No Fairy Tale - Trewe
Cheryl Kienast - Tennessee

Elyan Bluefox No Place that Far - Barron
Christy and William Patch - Tennessee

Elyan Bluefox Nobody 'Cept You - Deriks
Bill and Sandy Mims - Illinois

Elyan Bluefox Nobody Does it Better - Sara
Cindy Curry - Washington

Elyan Bluefox Nothing But Flowers - Tuli
Penni Adrian - New Mexico

I had a very important job with this litter - besides being their father.  I got to spend a LOT of time with them teaching them Cardigan stuff.  I played and played with them.  I was very gentle.  TM was proud of the good job I did.  Here are a couple of the pictures of me being a good daddy.

Here I am being a pillow for Reba

Me and Mini-me, Sara.