Checking in with Chula and Archie

[Helen]

Hi guys   Sorry I haven't been around much the past week or so.  I've been pretty involved in my ebay stuff.  Painting like a maniac.  I've started painting small pieces that I don't mind selling cheap, and having a blast with them.  I'm all jumping up and down, thrilling at watching the bidding, and at the end have to laugh at myself because you can barely buy a cup of coffee with the total at the end.  hahaha!  Zefi, are you and Michael still selling your cards up there?

Archie is huge now at 6 months old.  He's as tall as Chula now.  He was neutered last Friday, and that only slowed him down for one day.  He's still the happiest boy I've ever seen.  Full of energy.  One of his nicknames is Zoom Zoom.  He's also Monkey Boy, and Monster Boy, and Jaws...

Last night he bounced into the other room where Richard was getting into the spa.  Archie threw his new stuffed alligator toy INTO the spa!  I knew nothing about this, as I was in the kitchen.  Well, Richard threw the sodden alligator back to Archie... next thing I know.... I see Archie zooming down the hall towards me with this soaking wet alligator sloshing water everywhere.   Chula is sleeping peacefully in the entrance hall.  Archie LEAPS off the top of the 2 stairs from the hallway (his favorite leap) and lands smack onto Chula!  She was NOT impressed and he got a serious snarl.  Didn't bother Monster Boy.. he just scooped up his drenched alligator and danced the rest of the way into the kitchen to fling it on my legs.  Argh!  I snatched up the toy, and went to tell Richard, "The only thing worse than throwing a stuffed alligator into the spa is... throwing the WET alligator BACK TO THE PUPPY!!"   Yeesh.  I had some mopping to do.  (but I do admit, it was all pretty funny!)

Let's see... I'm still grooming faces.  I tried doing Archie's face for the first time last week.  He did really good!  Just stood there and let me shave him.  Gosh, I LOVE being able to keep them pretty!   He's gorgeous.  I need to take some more pictures of him.  And he's really a very good dog, except for being a maniac. LOL.  Naw.. he just loves to play.

Chula isn't falling all the time anymore now that they brought her prednisone back up, but she's sleeping all the time.  Now that the Arizona summer is drawing to an end, I hope to get her out for some walks. 

[Michael]

Thanks for the update, Helen! Yes, they are a blast, aren't they!?!? Even when they're having too much fun. Amber can be my little brat....she'll sneak up to Shelby and pull a toy right out of Shelby's mouth.....not playfully...but like "that's mine...you can't have it!". She can actually be fairly rude at times. And Shelby will usually let her, but Shelby's also learned she's faster and more agile than Amber, so sometimes she'll have a toy and play "keep-away" from Amber. Amber hates it....Shelby zips all around, almost teasing her, and if I'm sitting in the living room or wherever this is going on, Amber will come over to me and stomp her feet....you can see she's pouting. Almost like she's saying "take it away from her, it's mine...it's not fair!" And I just laugh. I know she'll have the toy in just a few minutes when Shelby's dropped it somewhere. Silly kids....gotta love 'em though! Loved the alligator story...that was cute!

We do still offer the cards, but have to get more sets up on ebay and in the shops. We're hoping to do some Xmas ones here shortly as well! It's snowing here this morning....brrrr!

[zefi]

Monster Boy sounds wonderful!

I have 6 little Jaws of my own here. They are so adorable, but man, they BITE!  They're going through that oral fixation phase that lasts about a year! LOL

I need to do some more painting. I've been busy with the pups and with work and just keeping up with the grass at this time of year. There's always so much to do. But I have some stuff I want to list on ebay and some more on my website. I hate the prices you get for your work on ebay (and then people expect to always get it for that) but the exposure is good... plus as you said, at least you're out there doing something.

Meanwhile I have a terrible sore lower back. I have no idea how I did it other than weeding a few days ago might have set it off and then washing 6 puppies made it worse yesterday. Its just gotten worse to the point where I can barely move today. And I have to get Tana groomed for the Royal in Launceston tomorrow. Ugh. Anyway, mustn't complain. Just grin and bare it. 

Glad to hear Chula is doing better. I really hope you can get her more active again too.

[Helen]

It's snowing there?  Egads!  Zefi, I hope your back is better today.  Washing ONE poodle just about kills me.  I can't imagine doing a whole HERD!

I hope (someday, lol) you can find time to paint again Zefi.   Nobody does poodles like you do!!  I have my little zefi painting up on the wall in my studio, and I cut the picture out of last years calendar and put that on the wall too.  I'm still wearing my zefi apron while I'm painting too!

[zefi]

Its been warmer, then cold again and wet and sunny. The weather is really wierd. LOL

My back is still killing me. I am so behind on everything. So much to do! All I want to do is lie down and rest today!