Beautiful...

We just got back from our nightly walk with our mom...

We were totally minding our own business when this strange lady stops our mom.

"I just wanted to tell you how beautiful your boys* are!"

Pippen and I looked at her like she was nuttier than a fruitcake.

Like, really, how could mom NOT know how beautiful** we are?

* The lady actually used the layman's term "dogs"
** As studly young men, we prefer to use "handsome" to describe ourselves, but we aren't about to quibble.

Terror on the High Seas!

We started out early this morning so we could catch the 9 am ferry to Saltspring Island.  In fact we started so early, it was still dark out!

We stopped off at the bank and then went to Tim Horton's to get a coffee and our favorite donut, then we were on the road to the ferry.  When we were almost there, mom realized that we were going to arrive way too early so we stopped at our favorite park for a quick walk.

Even with a fifteen minute walk, we were still the first ones to arrive for the ferry!

Are we getting on that ferry?

And so the terror on the high seas begins...

I told Sam not to watch Titanic last night...  Of course he hyperventilated the whole way there!

But we got there in one piece and got to see how pretty it is there.

Mom got to see her cousin and made new friends, did some shopping and sightseeing and then it was back on the ferry for us...

And now we are back home, Sam has survived another ferry ride and I was the ever supportive little brother.

Swimming Lessons!

It's a little known fact that Havanese are great swimmers.

For this reason, every summer I hold swimming lessons for labrador retreivers - a breed not known for swimming...

Here I am showing the class the proper technique.  If you look closely, you'll see one of my students floundering in the background.

Before every lesson, I speak about the importance of safety.  There should be no 'horsing' around in the water and only one lab per floaty.

Watch and learn, you black labs...

Training these big dogs is a lot of work and very time consuming but I do it for the love of teaching others to swim.

If there are any other labs - yellow, black or brown - that would like to learn to swim, I'll be holding lessons starting late June.  Tell your moms and dads not to worry, we have lifeguards at the ready to save your sorry behinds in case anything happens!

Who is that handsome dog looking back at me in the water?

oh, yeah, that's just my handsome self!

Teddy

Today was a day of reflection for me.

I was thinking about my very bestest friend in the whole wide world (after mom and Pippen, of course!)

Next month, Teddy and I will celebrate our 6th anniversary!

This is what I looked like six years ago...  Mom says I had an attitude even then!  I'm not sure what she means by that.  I have to admit, though, I was one cute little dude...  The intervening years have been hard which is why my cuteness factor has gone down a bit but I blame that on having a mom and little brother to look after and train.  It's a lot of stress for one little doggie!

This is what Teddy looks like today - pretty much the same as he looked six years ago...  He's had a few baths and been chewed on and tossed in the air quite a bit...  And his squeaker still works (my squeaker still works too but I can usually blame it on Pippen!)  I think the years have been kinder to Teddy...  but...

I'm still one good looking dude that the girls can't resist!

Sunday in Sidney

Today we ventured out to Sidney.  Mom was meeting her cousin for brunch and we decided to tag along so we could go to our second favourite park - Cy Hampson.  We have no idea who Cy Hampson was but he's got a great park named for him!

It's looking a tad chilly out there...

Are we getting out of the car?

I think those big dogs are following us...

And the big dogs were following us, so we walked faster.

and mom tried to take pictures...

My New Bedroom

Last year for my birthday, Mom bought a townhouse and we all moved in.  I didn't think she could top that birthday present this year but, guess what???  She did!  I got my own bedroom redecorated and everything!

This is what my bedroom looked like when we moved in...

In case you're wondering, that's pandas on rainbows for the wallpaper.  I told mom straight up that that had to go!  Way too girly for a stud like me!

And after a lot of hard work on our part, this is what my bedroom looks like now!

I even put my teddy and ducky on the pillow so I would always know where to find them!

I'll tell you I was so excited about getting a new bedroom that I would go in there at night before it was finished and wiggle on the bed to find the most comfortable spot...

I can hardly wait until my birthday next year to see what I get!

Puppy Sitting

 So here's the story...  Mom was off for three weeks and we were BUSY!  That's why we haven't written anything since November.

In early December, we got a new neighbour, Jake.

He looks cute doesn't he?  He's a Bichon/Shi Tzu and he's only three months old!

Jake thinks Sam is a great guy and for some reason Sam likes him too!  Which brings us to the reason these pictures are in our house...  Sam offered his puppy sitting services so for the first four days of mom's vacation, that's what we did.  We had to stay home and watch the little beggar.

He liked to hide under the chaise and do sneak attacks on Sam.

He'd run circles around Sam.

And do other unmentionable things to Sam... (good thing mom took a picture!)

Me?  I just wanted him to go home!  And eventually he did but he came back the next day...