Just Relax

Holiday shopping got you frazzled? Don't think you'll have enough hours in the day to accomplish everything? The thought of all those relatives at the house for the Holidays got you feeling blue?

Shaak Ti says "Just relax. Point your tummy towards a warm fireplace and let yourself melt. Ahhhhhh, can you feel your stress just slipping away?"

Thanksgiving Preparation

We're preparing for a low-key Thanksgiving here at the homestead. Just the four of us, two people and two dogs and a simple menu.  We're going to make our famous Neatlof (recipe here), some mashed potatoes, and a few fun veggie sides.

Shadowfax knows that there is a food centric Holiday approaching and even though she's been told that it's just us, she's still pretty excited - licking her lips excited. She associates Holidays with Cavalier, North Dakota and the grandparents, and all the tasty treats and smells that go along with it.

Chilly Fall Mornings

We woke up to a chilly Fall morning of just 17 degrees. We scurried through our morning walk, took care of business, and got a nice breakfast in our tummies. The dogs then set about to the serious business of napping by the fireplace or covered with blankies.

17 degrees isn't unheard of this time of year but it still pretty chilly for us. The good news is that the days are sunny and afternoons get back up into the 40's. The past few days have been glorious sunny afternoons, with breezes blowing the colorful leaves off the trees.

The key is to rotate so one end doesn't get overdone.

Sleepy Shadowfax

You know when you've had one of those long weeks and you can barely keep your eyes open. It's a Friday evening and it's been a just a non-stop workweek of walks, playing in the yard, budget meetings, and chasing squirrels.

It's hard work being a deaf dog around here, there's always work to be done.

Why We Yoga Elsewhere

Alycia has been a yoga practitioner for some time. She generally goes to the local YMCA to take a class. It would be simple to just do a few yoga poses at home when she has 15 or 20 minutes to spare, but there's a problem.

The problem is Shadowfax. The second that yoga mat is unrolled, she immediately goes and lays or sits on it. Ah Shadowfax, silly puppy.

A New Basketball for Shadowfax

Through trial and error we've discovered that Shadowfax's favorite item to play fetch n' catch with is a deflated basketball. She loves the challenge of chomping (or trying to chomp) something so large and enjoys running it over as she scampers after it. The good news is that these are pretty easy to come by and usually very cheap, often free.

Any basketball that's been sitting in a garage or yard for a few years and won't stay inflated is just fine with Shadowfax. Alycia and I recently visited her Uncle Mike who lives here in town. He mentioned that he had a few old basketballs and had heard that our dog enjoys them.

This particular ball is old enough that the panels had started to peel away at the edges. Even better! Now it's a chew toy too. Thanks Uncle Mike!

A Warm Fall Afternoon

It's been lovely Fall weather here in Boise, Idaho. Warm days in the 70's transition quickly to cool nights. These days are perfect for lounging on the back patio, soaking up the afternoon sun...and watching for those pesky squirrels.

Shadowfax finds it easier to spot squirrels when she has a better vantage point. Alycia's lap fit the bill perfectly.

Shadowfax Plays Hide-And-Seek

We were playing Hide-and-Seek the other day when Shadowfax tried to hide in Tito's old crate. I counted to 10 and found her pretty quickly. She gets some credit for trying a new and innovative hiding spot, but she gets low marks being found so easily.

This crate had been in the same place for months, Shadowfax has never given it more than a second glance. All of a sudden, for several days in a row, she's decided that she needs to thoroughly explore it. Dogs are silly.