Nature Friday

On the weekend, we had all been enjoying the new patio furniture and sitting outside. The dogs asked to go inside, so they did.

Shortly after a very cheeky Red John made his appearance.

This was very upsetting to Lee who was watching outside the back door. But not as upsetting as what happened next. The little squirrel ran right up to the patio door (I missed the exact moment) put his paws against it and then turned and ran away.

Hailey has to be on tie out on our deck because she can run off and if a squirrel is brave enough to come up while she is out, she will chase it and if she is lucky kill it! 

Travel Thursday - Vegas Baby!

When we went to the mini-Bar last month we had the option of flying to Vegas or Salt Lake City. Vegas won. We had only been there one other time about 9 years ago. That time we stayed off strip. This time we stayed in the fairly reasonably priced, on strip Harrah's (it was a very nice hotel).  I would say the city is cleaner now than it was then. But at the core it is the same. Vegas is truly everything I hate about humanity and yet I love it. I love it because it is honest. However, it is a place I can only love a few days at a time.

On our first full day we walked the strip, stopping for drinks and food and a little gambling. 

Us at the Flamingo

Statue of liberty made of Twizzlers

Art in a mall

At the Bellagio

In the Bellagio

Because we are big foodies (and nice places are safer for people like me with lots of food issues to eat at), we had dinner that night at Gordon Ramsey's Steak house in Paris. 

The overall experience was great. Because you are in Paris eating at a British restaurant, they have a 'Chunnel' you walk though. The marketing in the restaurant is amazing. The pattern on the ceiling matches the glasses and the menu. I will say the chairs were very uncomfortable. I really did appreciate that one of the first questions the server asked was are there any food allergies. They were super good with them and actually double checked something (which if I had eaten the rest of the trip would not have been as fun).

One of the most impressive things was the wheel of meat. They brought out this wheel with a sample of all the cuts of steak and explained it.

In the end, we went crazy and ordered the most expensive steak on the menu, the American Wagu. The steak is now tied as the best steak I have ever eaten (Michael Jordon's Steak House in Chicago is the tie, I would really need to do a side by side taste test to see what is best). 

I took pictures of all the food but am just sharing some

We also had a side of mashed potatoes and Brussel sprouts. The food was amazing. The service was maybe a little fast. I like a slower pace at a fancy restaurant and we were out within about 1 hour and 15 minutes. I have no regrets eating there, even after the credit card bill with the price in Canadian dollars came. 

Our stop after dinner was to the Rio to see Penn and Teller. They are the longest running show in Vegas history. They put on a really fun show. It was reasonably priced and lasted about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Then after the show, you can stop and have your picture taken with them. We stopped at Penn's line as it was shorter. They have done this every show for over 40 years. 

On our second day, after vegging by the pool (it was May 1 and it was snowing at home), we went to the Billboard Music Awards. This was not in our plan, but we had the opportunity to go. When else am I going to see Taylor Swift, the Jonas Brother's reunion, learn who BTS are, and see Kelly Clarkson, Paula Abdul, Madonna, Mariah Carey and others all perform in one night. It was interesting to be on the other side of the TV show, but no matter what side you are on, 4 minute commercials are long. Fortunately my BFF was watching it and she and I texted at the commercials. Watching the crowd was as interesting as watching the performers and we saw some things. 

After the show, we went to Caesar's Palace to Bobby Flay's Mesa. This is still a pricey restaurant but a fair bit cheaper than Gordon Ramsey's steak house. The food was not as good, but was still excellent. The Man's chicken was overcooked and I didn't like my tomale, but my lamb was perfect. They even had a dessert (banana pie minus the crust) I could eat.

We enjoyed our 2 days in Vegas and then headed out to Bryce to meet up with the others. It is so amazing to me that this blog, which was designed to help me cope with my beloved Lee resulted in this opportunity. It is a reminder that you never know where life will take you. 

Next week I will share some pictures of our road trip to and from Bryce. 

Wordless Wednesday - Finally a Little Sun

New Furniture

We have lived in our house for almost 7 years and for 7 years we have said we are going to get some patio furniture for the back deck, and we haven't until this year. Some of the reason for the delay in this is my weird cheapness (I have no problem spending money in some categories but find it hard in others). Patio furniture can be very, very expensive especially when you consider at best it is not going to be in storage for 5 months of the year. I found a deal I liked, with a piece I liked.

It arrived Friday so Friday night after dinner we unpacked it.

Phod did not like that we were doing new things and stayed at the edge of the garage. 

Hailey on the other hand was very helpful and in the garage the whole time. 

Finally a nice place to sit out back. 

Hailey likes it and is happy to sit out with us. The tie out needed on the deck will be explained on Friday's post (short story, she will run away).

Phod is not so sure about the new furniture! But he is enjoying sitting outside with us. 

Next purchases will be a storage container for the pillows so we don't have to use the dinning room table and maybe an umbrella. I hope to have these by 2025:)

Mischief Monday - It Scared the 💩 Out of Her

The Scene: The wee hours of Sunday morning, the peeps and pups are sleeping happily in their beds, when suddenly low levels of thunder can be heard.

Our protagonist, Miss Hailey Bug, turns into the fearful pup. She starts pacing, panting and scratching at the door to escape.

The Man lets her out of the room.

She continues to pace and carry on, which causes Phod to become anxious.

The Man gets up to be with her to discover she was so scared she had 💩 at the top of the stairs.

The Man spends the next hour or so trying to comfort her (turning lights on, turning music on, blocking all the places she will try and scratch through).

Phod goes back and forth between the peeps and finally sleeps with the Lady on the bed.

Finally, our girl settles with the lights on, the music on, and the Man on the couch.

She was very tired on Sunday.

There are no thunderstorms in the forecast until Wednesday.  Natural alternatives are being researched to complement her Prozac.

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I apologize for not getting to visit you all as often as I would like. Life is happening and until the flooding/construction is a little bit better I will be losing a lot of my spare time to work. 

Nature Friday - Red Canyon Utah

Besides visiting Bryce Canyon, we spent some time in Red Canyon. Here are a few pictures of this beautiful place.

The Man smelling the tree which was suppose to smell like vanilla or butterscotch

The hosts Murphy and Stanley

The flats joined us

A rare picture of us the people together! 

Sniffer-vising

We had our long weekend last week. Like many self-employed people, long weekends don't always mean days off. They can mean catching up at home, so I brought some paperwork home to catch up on Monday. 

I had finished up with one project that required binders and clipboards brought in from a centre. I set them on the floor beside my desk. I heard the little pitter-patter of toes and looked over to see Lee sniffing the documents. She may have even given the clipboard a little lick!  I laughed and called her the sniffer-visor. (Don't worry, I never left the important work documents alone with her. I would hate to say, my dog ate the data!)

Sniffing Lady's work - confidential information has been blacked out

Wordless Wednesday

A Project Hailey Fail

As you may remember, our Lee is on prozac (the generic form picked up at the human pharmacy) from about April-October every year. She is on the prozac to help her with her severe anxiety cause by fireworks and thunder. (If you have forgotten how severe, in August of 2012 she chewed her way through the wall).

She went back on it in early April. We had our first storm. Short story, I ended up asleep on the couch with the TV and lights on and she ended up in bed with the Man after almost 2 hours of stress. 

I spoke to our vet after this and we decided to try increasing her dose. He said we could double it. We increased it to see. 

The increase caused Hailey to be extra tired and she looked uncomfortable in her body (I think she just felt too stoned). After a short time, we returned her to her regular dose.  I spoke to the vet and he said we could look at an in-between dose and I said let's see.

We just got through our first long weekend of the year which means a lot of fireworks for us. While she was a bit pacy the first night, we let her out of the bedroom and she settled without any destruction. Overall she did really well. So for the time being, we will leave her meds as they are. 

Mischief Monday by Phod

Dear pals,

You know I am the best dog in the world and I try very, very hard to keep my peeps happy and safe. On the weekend, I had to do my safety job. You see the deer are back. Sometimes there can be up to 10 in the yard. 10 intruders. I don't care that my people say they are nice, I see them as intruders. At any rate, Man had taken me out on leash. He did a survey and there didn't appear to be any deer around so he let me off leash. What Man didn't know is that the deer were in the bush behind the house, so I ran after them to give them a ticket for trespassing. 

A sample picture of a deer in the yard

Lee was really not happy I got to guard and she started to bark. The Man was calling me to stop and come back, but I couldn't listen because I had a job to do. Lady dragged Lee back to the house. Man started on the low path behind the house and Lady started on the high path.

Can you spot me in the bush?

It was only a few minutes before Lady could hear the gentle jingle of my tags in the bush. She called to Man that she had found me. Slowly but surely (one must stop to eat some deer poop) I made my way back to her. 

I wouldn't look at Lady

The Man was not happy that I left the yard. He gave me a stern talking to. I pretended to show remorse, but really it is fun very important to keep my people safe. 

After such an adventure I needed a really good nap!

Lady says it was mischief but I think I was just doing my job.  I have found I have been on leash a lot more since!

Lesson, my safety measures are not appreciated by my people.

Your pal, Phod

Nature Friday - Bryce Canyon

I am joining Rosy and the Boyz for Nature Friday.

When I started this blog 8 years ago, I had no idea that it would result in 4 trips to meet other bloggers and their dogs. There is so much negativity on the internet and so much hate - it is nice to have a little corner that has united us with wonderful, like minded people (aka huge animal lovers), who we have no business knowing any other way.

This year, the mini-BAR was in Bryce Canyon, Utah. Utah is now the 25th State I have visited. 

Today, I share pictures from Bryce Canyon itself. 

Me  at the top of the canyon before the first descent

Looking into the Canyon

The Hoodoos

More Hoodoos

The rule breaker . . . one of the trails was washed out (no we didn't go far on the closed path)

The pups that have brought us together - Mabel, Arty, Jakey, Rosy, Murphy and Stanley and of course the Lee and Phod flats

Even more Hoodoos

Me and Man and flat Lee and Phod at the top

Murphy and Stanley's peeps and the Man on our big hike

Making sure we don't get lost

I wonder how long before this Hoodoo falls over

Hiking in Bryce was fun but tough. First, we live around sea level (about 1000 feet above) and in the Bryce area it is 7-8000 feet about sea level. So we were starting with thinner air then we are use to. Second, when you decent into the canyon (which isn't too bad), you go down about 1000 feet. This means you have to come up about a 1000 feet. Third, it can be very steep in places (it is a canyon after all).  I did it twice, and I am going to say, both times that last 500 feet were very hard. I found the second time harder, I think because my legs were sore from the 2 full days of hiking on the previous days. 

I don't think the pictures do the magnificent canyon justice. It was stunning. I am so glad to have had this opportunity.