The Dog Days of Summer

There have been many a moment in the past few weeks when I have questioned giving up my extra weeks of doctor sanctioned leave and returning to work! Trying to get the house ready and fit for the market has been stressful and exhausting between trying to sleep for work, getting the dog out of the house and organizing contractors and workers. However, it is *finally* ready and it looks pretty awesome if I do say so myself. But not enough for me to want to stay in it!

Here's the link to the MLS posting. It wasn't on the MLS but a few hours before two people came to see it yesterday so I am taking that as a good sign and keeping my fingers crossed. The faster this goes, the better for me and the psycho dog who not only barks at every person who comes to get a flyer from the sign but also at the sign itself!

Lalalalalalalala! I hear nothing!

In our non-existent spare time, we have managed to cram in a new 6 week Reactive Rover dog obedience class on Wednesday nights. Last night was our first night. To my immense relief, there were no "kick me" dogs (is that a PC thing to say considering the class is sponsored by the Humane Society???) in the class. PB doesn't usually react to small yappy dogs as I don't think he even recognizes them as real dogs! Neither do I PB, neither do I.

We have a very handsome Golden Retriever, a black lab/Mastiff mix, a shepherd mix, a Newfoundland and a black lab something mix. They are all fairly large so that is good practice for us as bigger dogs tend to send PB into a frenzy of whirling dervishness. However, he was the class star last night and was used by the instructor as the demo dog since we have been working on these issues for over a year now and he is well ahead of where everyone else is. It's kinda nice not to have the craziest dog in class once in awhile!

Which doesn't mean he isn't crazy. This flying ear thing is starting to worry me slightly...

Flying myself away to my happy place where there IS NO WATER!

Last week we returned to Boundary Bay with Samson and the Jakester to meet Daisy, Darwin and Bear for another swim. Samson was in heaven but tired quickly and Jake suddenly discovered the puppy in himself and loved every minute of it.

Root beer eyes implored us to stay a little longer...

Samson shakes off the gallons of water his Newfoundland coat traps.

PB became a little distressed by the quickly incoming tide which forced him to have to swim and actually make a concerted physical effort at something for the first time in awhile! He was not terribly pleased and once he got back onto a sandbar, this is what he looked like:

Uncle. I am not moving from solid ground thank you very much.

I pointed out to my PB that the tide would continue its inexorable march and he could lie there all day but much of it would be lying under water until the tide went back out. He grudgingly moped himself back into the water to swim to the beach when my words proved strangely prophetic.


In addition to work, the house, trips to Canada and dog obedience classes, I have been trying out my new bionic knee in the great outdoors as I don't want to miss what's left of the summer and I miss my regular activities. So my friend Kristin and I headed up to Lake Serene just under Mt. Index for an 8 mile hike. This is the same hike I did in early spring with PB and he actually completed it when we did it. Which is probably why he refuses to complete another one with me! Lake Serene is indeed, serene. But only after you climb about a bajillion stairs built into the trail that go straight up the mountain. So we left PB at home on the sofa and set off for lovely Stevens Pass.

Although it was cloudy at the trail head, once we reached about 2500 feet, this was our view:

Ok, ok, the stairs were worth it.

On the way up, there are the lovely Bridal Veil falls, reminiscent of the Olympic National Park:






And the even lovelier Jen and Kristin beneath them! At least we think so...




The lake itself was spectacular because it's set in a bowl beneath the sheer cliffs of Mt. Index and the range of granite mountains around it. The lake has that blue/green glacial water that always looks pristine. Kristin boldly went swimming in the lake which looked to be about -20 degrees F to me. From the look on her face, I think she agrees with my visual temperature assessment!

Cold?

While I found it amusing watching Kristin pretend to enjoy her "refreshing" swim, this is as close as Jen Prem gets to swimming, people.

And this is a little too close if you ask me...

Notice the snow in the background? Wonder why Kristin was cold? But it was a great hike with fantastic weather. It's good to know my knee doth not protest too much and when it does I just tell it to shut up and look at the view!

Cross your fingers for the house everyone. There is a perfect house in Duvall for rent on 6 fenced acres which PB would die for and I wouldn't mind either!