Sittin' on the dock of the bay

Not watching the tide roll away, though.

Just watching avocets and sandpipers across the way

Which I suppose rhymes, too. 

Possible dog song.

We managed to miss the rain today, which is actually a bummer. It was coming down so hard this morning it woke me up. Stopped dead about quarter after 7. Nothing since, but a few teasing clouds.

We may get another round later this afternoon. That will be ball in the back yard time. I have been dying for a good soaking rain. Yeah, yeah, drought and all, sure, but really it's just because it's the bestest dog wash ever. First, requires no effort or clean up on my part. Second, not stressful on the dogs (I have yet to figure out why water in a tub is bad and water outside a tub OK, but whatever). And last and thirdly, they are just the softest after a rain bath. Way better than any shampoo or rinse. Bunny soft!

Fingers crossed that wasn't the last rain for another 6 months!

Beach day

I would love the beach so much if it didn’t have sand. Lord, how I hate that stuff. You know, it wouldn’t be so bad if it were at all possible to leave it there. I guess if you live there you just get used to it? It’s traveling properties are remarkable. I had a chapstick in the car. Opened it to use it on my drive home. IT HAD SAND IN IT. Never left the car. WTH?

 Speaking of sand, this one will be pooping sand castles in a few hours.

   

I don’t know how many face plants one needs to do before on realizes that slowing down a bit may be beneficial. She did not reach that magic number today. 

 

And this camera juggling thing is a pain. Maybe going back to just one body is the best? I’m not sure how I am doing it but I keep accidentally adjusting the exposure bias. I didn't check when I started shooting this morning. My bad, I know. So all the really funny pictures where they are getting their willies out look like this… 

 

I guess we just call it “art” and run with it? 

It was a stunning day today. Perfect dog temperature, too. I didn't get some extended sillies. 

 

But just the tail end. More old lady posing after energy drain. 

Pelly over Carmel. 

 

Belly over Carmel.

   

After she cleaned her face off by ingesting a half pound of sand. Certain bits will be very clean tomorrow!

Great day for a walk

So, that’s what we did. 

After work, of course. I am off this week, so naturally, and in the most American way possible, I end up at the office. Not for long. Had dogs with. Also wearing sweats. So, not a real work day, but still. Vacation that does not include trip to Santa Clara would be lovely. At least the 49er’s were not playing. 

The good part it at least being at work puts us closer to the bay. We went the Palo Alto Baylands for a stroll. Soo many people out! Not sure if it was normal lunch strolls for folks? Everyone else off this week? I was not expecting to see more people than we do on a normal weekend.

   

So many birds to watch. Very busy out there. 

 

You normally see pelicans in a group. Funny to see a singleton. You really notice how freaking huge they are when they are surrounded by Shovelers and Coots instead of their own kind. 

 

Kate was not in a posing sort of mood today. Tired from office excitement, maybe. She just *knows* there is a tennis ball in the building somewhere and must…find…it. She didn't. It was lost. About two years ago. That Kate, not much into letting go. 

 

I had this brilliant idea for a little trip this week, but I got busy and/or lazy about firming up plans and when I decided to do so there were no dog-friendly hotels left. Boo. So, we are staycationing. I have a long list of things that I will feel mildly bad about not getting done. Dumb shit like car washing and haircuts and new glasses and dog bathing. The beach sounds a little better. Maybe we’ll fit that in between naps and cookies. 

Bendy chops! 

Frisbee catchers

I used to get weird breed guesses for my dogs a lot. People *swore* Bella had to have German Shorthair in her because of the ticking. Some agility folk loved to argue with me about Bella being pure bred Border Collie. No amount of explaining could change their minds. I have even been told that Kate is a pit bull. 

For whatever reason, this doesn’t happen much anymore. On our walk yesterday, though, a guy who was biking with his gf stopped to ask me if they were Jack Russells. I was so not expecting that. I said, “is who a Jack Russell?” He pointed at the girls. “Them.” “Oh, no, you’re about 20 pounds off. They are Border Collie mixes.” 

“Right, those are the ones that catch Frisbees.” 

“Sure.” 

I guess when discussing my dogs, that does about explain it. 

Though, I expect that the folk that need a working dog, the keepers of the usefulness, may be a little disheartened by that. 

But the sheep, they are soo big. 

Would rather watch ducks. 

And, I rarely take notice of this, but when I do it’s like I can’t stop seeing it… Kate has the biggest sticky outy thumbs ever. Like Even Cowgirls Get The Blues thumbs. 

Should have names her Sissy.

 

Friends

Brilliant!

When I dropped the girls off last Friday I said,"Now, today is one of those days that someone might put a hat on you. Just be polite. There will be cookies, too."

Well, no hats, but a little more dog-friendly costuming. Best day care photo I have ever gotten. And that's 11 years worth of daycare holiday photos!

Just great!

Photo by some awesome employee at Downtown Dogs

Save the daylight

Worst day for dogs. That whole “fall back” thing is pretty hard. 

 Feels….like…dinner… 

 

We actually hard rain this weekend, too! Like, real rain. The kind that gets things wet and leaves puddles. Not just the kind that puts dust spots on your car. Everything was thankful for the soak. Amazing how quickly things green up. 

 

I haven’t been to our morning park for a daytime walk in a while. We went yesterday to avoid dealing with Levi’s Stadium traffic, which we would have to skim on the way to any normal weekend destinations. The daytime park has apparently turned into pot central. Cars full of kids smoking. Every other picnic table, kids smoking. The park is a half mile long and really only open on both ends. It is sort of protected from traffic and animal control. One of the reason there is a fair amount of off-leash play there. I guess that sort of applies to the normal police, too. Now, I could care less what you smoke and, quite frankly, I would rather deal with stoners than drunks. You want to put something in your body that makes you stupid? Knock yourself out. However, not in public! That shit smells horrible! Cigarettes are not allowed in public parks, but this OK? 

Kate watching squirrels. Probably high. Who can tell? 

 

Clouds of smoke aside, it was a stunning day. Good for the girls, too. One of those bonus days when you are just going to go on a leash walk and happen upon a lost ball needing a throw. 

 

Excuse me, Bella’s lost ball.