P is for PARKS

After preparing the introduction for this week, I thought it might be a bit ponderous.  So for my personal post, I decided to simply take you all for a virtual stroll through three of the parks I regularly visit. 

First, we have Boundary Bay Park where there is a beach, a playground for children, a brand new changing house with cafe, and plentiful trails to wander.  Next is Ladner Harbour Park where I take Tegan to play with other dogs after we do our stroll along the pathways, all the while perusing the plentiful greenery.  Finally, there is the North Trail Dog Park that I just recently discovered. The music for this week's slideshow is the theme from "Black Beauty" and I believe it is  phenomenally enchanting, so do turn it up loud.  And all the photography is mine. 

But before we say "on with the show," we must thank the preeminent and personable Mrs. Nesbitt, the founder of ABC Wednesday, and the passionate and perceptive Roger, our current administrator, for their painstaking labours at keeping ABCW possibly the ultimate in blogs!

O is for OBEY

 

In not quite 3 months, I've gone from being an independent, new senior to a doting and exhausted "Mommy" of a yellow Labrador puppy.  Now I remember why we have our children when we're young and why we get the kids a puppy when they're old enough to look after it.  It has been a grueling few months. Every night I moan as I get out of bed in the dark of night to let the pup out for a quick pee. Thankfully, I'm so exhausted that I quickly fall back to sleep, only to waken with a start as I hear that yip-yip "Yoo-hoo, are you up yet?"  But then in the evening, when she falls asleep while we're watching TV, I can't help but look at her adoringly, especially when she's on her back spread-eagled for all the world to see!

However, we seem to have fallen into a routine, and she's now trust-worthy enough that the hubby brings her upstairs to the bedroom when he leaves for work around 6:30 am.  She settles down on a blankie in the corner of the room and is quiet until around 7:30 or 8:00 when she lets me know in no uncertain terms that it's time to play!  I am not a morning person, so she knows now that while I check my emails and a few other important sites, she is allowed to sit in the chair and watch any goings-on outside.  Then we go downstairs for our breakfast, the morning news, and the newspaper with coffee.  Then it's shower time, and she's become very good about lying on the bath mat to wait and then watches as I go about my dressing  rituals.

Downstairs again and if I'm in the mood, I'll take her for a walk.  Sometimes I take her out both in the morning and the afternoon but I always take her at a time so she's pooped out when my students come between 3:15 and 6:30.  At first, I had to keep her in the family room behind a baby gate, but now I've trained both her and the students so she can now meet and greet each student before settling down under the table until we're finished.  Obviously, I have other chores to attend to during the day, so I take her everywhere with me, whether in the car or on foot.

This week's slideshow is about what she's learned since we brought her home - how she has learned to OBEY all the rules.  We're both absolutely thrilled with her intelligence, except that because she's so smart, she also knows how to be obstinate.  And that's the phase we're in now!  *Sigh!* 

Oh well, when I look back at all the photos I've taken of her, I must share this one.  It shows how much she loves us and we love her!

Opulent thanks go to our official leader, Mrs. Nesbitt for creating ABC Wednesday, and to the omniscient Roger, our current administrator of the site.

N is for NORTH TRAIL

I think some of you are probably getting sick of looking at slideshows of my new puppy, Tegan.  Then again, I'm getting lots of nice comments about how cute she is and how much she's growing.  Also, most of my life right now is caught up in taking care of her - feeding her, cleaning up after her, washing her bedding, taking her for walks, going to the Vet for checkups, disciplining her, and teaching her.  *Sigh* Oh, and don't forget bathing her (and then sanitizing the tub afterwards!) Seems I'm the mother of a new baby again!

Since there are lots of dog lovers out there, I continue this week with an outing we had at the North Trail in Ladner, BC.  While showing off (yes, I admit it!) my puppy, I'm also showing you my neighbourhood, which is a natural spot for great photos!  While wandering along the numerous trails around here, I've discovered that although I feel as if I were in the wilderness, I'm usually only steps away from houses, shops, and other businesses. So on that note, I give you my 4 3/4 month-old yellow Lab puppy Tegan enjoying her outing in nature. And notice that she is careful to use "N" words during her commentary.

Thanks to the nutty Mrs. Nesbitt and to the notorious Mr. Roger Green for their creativity and noble efforts at keeping ABC Wednesday a successful international blog.

M is for MEMORIES of MARCH

"In like a lion; out like a lamb" is one saying about the month of March.  I prefer "March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers" because around here we never know for sure if we'll get any decent weather before the end of March.

Did you know that March was named after the Roman god of war - Mars?  Also, the first day of spring, Passover, and St. Patrick's Day all fall in the month of March.  My favourite Irish blessing is "May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand."

Oh, and we must not forget what happened in March a long time ago when a soothsayer warned Julius Caesar that something terrible would happen to him.  And as we all know, Caesar was assassinated on March 15, 44 BC.

Because March is the beginning of a new season of growth, we all celebrate new life in nature and the promise of warmer weather to come.  Personally, I start to come out of the darkness that sets into me around October and emerge with my camera ready for action!  I put together a little slideshow with some of the photos I took last month. (There are only a few of the dog, by the way!) It's accompanied by the music "Spring Has Sprung." Enjoy!