Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Rocky the Retriever

Pookie's Bird Dog

Rocky the Retriever has decided to relocate to Pincher Creek for a while, and I thought I would write a post just for him.  Rocky has been the best dog we could have asked for, and he has been a big part of our family for almost six years.  Rocky is very lucky we have family like Ryan and Julie to take him in, and we can't thank them enough for doing it.  He is a hairy bastard that only listens when he feels like it, but you can't help but love him.

The kids are getting bigger and louder every day, and it was a major adjustment for my bird dog just having them around at first.  Once they began to get around the room, we found that they were all over Rocky, and more into pulling hair roughly than petting nicely.  The poor dog would lay by the door, and Declan would yank a handful of hair out of his tail.  He would get up and lay in the hallway, and BAM! Stella is pulling his eyebrow off.  He would get up, try to move into the living room, and there's Reid, just waiting for him.

The old guy started getting grumpy over the last couple months, and finally (after hours of harassment), he snapped at Stella.  If he wanted to bite her, he would have, but it was still bad enough that we knew we had to make a change.  Rocky was such a happy, unaggressive dog before the kids came that I couldn't believe he would even dream of getting mean with one of them.  The poor guy was nearing the end of his rope and needs a break.

Rocky is now living in Pincher with Ryan, Julie and Archie the Retriever.  Archie and Rocko have been best buds for years, and Rocky is becoming reaquainted with being a very big deal around the house.  It all worked out, thanks to Ryan and Julie.

Now, the story of Rocky.


Rocky the puppy.  Our little family really started almost six years ago, when Rocky came to our crappy apartment.  I immediately began letting him get away with murder, you will notice that this picture was taken as he climbed up on the couch to have a nap with me.




They grow up so fast.  Rockstar enjoying a smoked pig ear.  This was still in the old apartment, he laid a bit of damage on that place.




Rocko at the dog park.  This is his favourite place in the world, other than the couch.




Rock Lobster.  This dog puts up with a lot of shit, some of which is humiliating.  This was a couple years ago.





This sums up Rocky right here.  Providing moral support as I chop up some beef for a raclette dinner.  Look at the focus on the meat.  If he stared at your food any harder it would burn right through it.  Yes, that is a Lululemon hoodie, dudes wear those now. 




If being good looking was people, Rocky would be China.




Rocky may be getting old, but I always tell him he's still good looking.  Partly because it's true, and partly because I'm fishing for him to say it back.  So far, no good.


Thank you again Ryan and Julie, it means the world to us that he is so loved and so happy.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

The Lion, the Monkey and the Strawberry

First Halloween, in the Books


Halloween may be my new favourite holiday.  We didn't take the Pooklings out trick or treating, we just put them in costumes for as long as they would tolerate it and let them bomb around the house.  These costumes are supposed to be for babies that are 18 months old, but our kids are bit ahead of the old growth chart.  Declan's noggin is so big we could barely get his monkey hat on.


Reid the Lion, giving us a roar.  Or squeal, whatever.





Declan the Monkey.  Big Monkey.





Dad's little Strawberry.  Too funny.





A little happier in this one.




These kids haven't even figured out the candy part yet., and look at the enthusiasm.  Troopers.





The Pooklings, Oct .31, 2011.




This picture really sums up what life is like around the ranch.  People can stop telling us how crazy it is going to be when they can get into everything, because they are getting into everything now.  One day they are sleeping peacefully in their little swings, then next they are trying to pull dishes out of the washer so they can smash them on the floor and roll around in the glass.





Bath time for Meatball.  If it's worth doing, it's worth supervising. 




Even binky time is smily time.  We are lucky to have such happy little people.  Most of the time.




More updates soon.  Promise.