Incredible two weeks......

Well, you have heard it on the news.......it is now over and everyone has dug themselves out and things seem so normal, as if it never actually happened.

BUT IT DID!!!!!

In all my years in Washington and being in this business, I have NEVER experienced the wrath of Mother Nature like I did in this last big Pet Sit weekend. I could write a book, and this last adventure has enticed me to do just that. 'The Adventures of Pet Sitting"

The Snow/Ice/Wind Storm that held two friends and myself hostage seemed uneventful to the animals we were spending time with. However, it taught me a valuable lesson that I should have learned while Girl Scouting.....IF, I had ever been a Girl Scout.....BE PREPARED!!!!

When the snow came it was a beautiful sight. As told in the picture above, looking outside Abbie's house. I kept wishing it had come at Christmas time so that my grand kids and my children and friends might have a White Christmas. Be careful what you wish for.

When the snow kept falling and it seemed like an endless stream of cotton falling from the sky, I thought to myself, 'This is beautiful, but how am I going to get out of all this snow'. I consoled myself by believing it would not continue to fall and as long as it was just this gorgeous white powder, driving was still an option. After all, I have All-Wheel and Overdrive. On the third or fourth morning, I woke to an ICE STORM. What the heck is an Ice Storm? I'm from California....I am lucky to have seen snow! I was soon forced to find out what an Ice Storm was and it wasn't pretty! Now the entire state looked like a giant Ice Arena! The news showed clips of people sliding down the middle of their streets on sleds and clips of dogs attempting to maneuver on the ice; making it seem like a Winter Wonderland. Unfortunately, these clips only lasted two minutes and then the REAL news went on for 24 hours. Downed power lines, roofs caved in, deaths, buildings collapsing due to the weight of the ice, people attempting to drive; who can only be described as CRAZY. It was incredible. And the forecast was not good either. By this time they were forecasting rain and high winds. OMG!

During this time, my business has to go on as usual. My clients are sunning in beautiful Cabo or Palm Dessert or Las Vegas, but this is home and my clients are depending on me. There are animals I would never leave in harm's way. And I had to go out, no matter the weather as it is my busiest weekend of the year. And it was only January. Taking my life in my hands, somehow, I managed to get everyone moved into their perspective places and get all clients covered in the time allotted. What might have taken one hour to accomplish, now took half a day. My car was stranded at one client's home; another friend's car was stranded at a second client's home; and a third car was stranded at my home. But everyone was where they needed to be.

Taking a sigh of relief, I settled in and assumed the worst was over.

Second lesson......NEVER ASSUME.

Here comes another round of snow. Jeeeeezzzzzz

When Abbie's parents arrived home, they were kind enough to hire their driver to get me out of the snow and ice and back to my home. Thankful, Thankful, Thankful. I love Abbie. I love spending time at their house. I love her parents. But, I needed to see, feel and touch my own fur children. Unfortunately, Kathy was stranded in Renton. No way to get her out as her car was stranded and the ice and show and wind was so bad, I couldn't get in or out if I tried. Then the really bad news for her.......she lost power. There she sat for four days as she was just covering until I could get there. I was fortunate to have power the entire time. And though I felt bad for her, inside I was so grateful to be home, WITH power! (Sorry, Kathy)

Well, I have just finished one chapter of my book. Closing out this chapter, I can say it seems like it was all a terrible dream. How fast life goes on. But I definitely have a clearer understanding of

"Don't MESS with Mother Nature"

Abbie is Wonderful, the Farm is Too!

Abbie is great and content as can be. She is sleeping, eating and walking everyday! She likes watching them work on the remodel. Its coming along. Nothing much more to report which is a good thing because I am having a problem with Blogger. I thought it was my computer, but it appears to be the Blogger website. It won't allow me to upload photos. I have an email into their IT department. Therefore, I will combine the Farm update with Abbie's. Kathy is neatly tucked away at the farm. I went over there at Four o'clock to feed the horses and check on everything. All was quiet just like at Abbie's. Tomorrow The Bobs are leaving for Vegas. I will go take them to the airport in the morning. I have extra help to cover everyone that is gone this next three days. But, I will apologize ahead of time in the event I cannot blog over the weekend. Email always works, so please email if you need to get ahold of me. I hope everyone is having a great time.

Blogging

I would have blogged before now but have been having electronic difficulties. Hope the bugs are worked out.
Abbie is doing great. She visits with the construction guys when she isn't napping. It has been very cold inthe morning so she is content to be inside. We are suppose to get snow at 500ft on Sunday.
All is well here at Abbie's.

Abbie Walk

This isn't a new picture of Abbie.....this was taken in the Spring of last year. But it has been so dark and gloomy, we thought we would post this pic and see if we can't 'will' the sun out!
Abbie and I went for a walk this morning after visiting with the neighbors. It was cold and rainy as usual but Abbie doesn't care and she loves her walks. I spent the day in the doctor's office so Kathy came and gave her a potty break for me around 2pm. When I returned at 4:30, she was so happy to see me and we went for another little walk. She has been snoozing all day today and tomorrow we are going to work on a few projects. I am going to clean mommy's pantry and make peanut butter cookies. I need to do something to earn my keep around here. I will probably clean the bar too as I enjoyh doing that. Its all that wishful thinking .... wishing I could have a little cocktail! Haven't had a glass of wine since I shared one with Abbie's mommy and daddy. I also noticed some cob webs over the bed that I will get as well. As you can see, I am not the 'average' pet sitter....I do a little bit of everything! Especially for my clients because they are so good to me it is easy for me to do kind things for them. Nothing else to report. Abbie is doing well. We missed our McDonald's run yesterday so maybe this Sunday we will do her French Fry run as she LOVES her French Fries. Hope Mommy and Daddy are having a fantastic cruise for their 35th wedding anniversary!

Abbie and Me.....

That sounds like a wonderful book title.....kind of like 'Marley and Me'. Just a thought. And with all the antics I have had with Abbie, I might just write a book about her afterall.

We have been together since Friday night. She is doing well and was glad to see me. That always feels so good when she greets me, tail waggin and head shaking! We plan to spend the first part of our visit low key. I have three days when things are a little hectic and I will have to leave her during the day but only for a few hours now and then and then we are back to the low key routine until her mom and dad get home. Everything is fine, quiet and full of cookies!!!!!

Almost Christmas.............

Well, it's almost Christmas and we are ready for it to be here! The pups and my roomies and I are ready to begin the festivities! The house is decorated, the stockings are hung and all of us are ready for my kids and grandkids to arrive. As you can see by the pictures, the house is warm and inviting. Everyone is looking forward to my kid's arrival as, afterall, they are what really matter, right? The joy on their face is what it is all about. No matter our age, seeing those little eyes beam when they see all the gifts under the tree, puts happiness in our hearts. It makes spending all that money worth it.
So, here's wishing all of my clients, their two-legged children and their fur children much happiness and joy this Holiday Season. Thanks to each and every one of you for allowing me to spend time with your 'children' through the years. I look forward to many more years with you in the future.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all!!

Dee

The Playful Paw Animal Companion Service

Newest members of The Playful Paw Family

Meet the Newest members of our little Pet Sitting Family! Mattie, Sophie, Misty and Links came to me by way of Katie and Katja's mommy and daddy!
After meeting them today, I have done nothing but think about how adorable these four little fur people are. And their mommy and daddy are the greatest as well. Mattie and Sophie were rescued. They are just about five months old. Their story is not unique, but heart-warming for sure. Their mommy and daddy have been Cat lovers forever. They have never attempted to transition into Dog owners until now. However, they have made the leap and I must say, they are already great owners and I can tell they will be dog lovers, as well as cat lovers from now on. Mattie and Sophie were left in a trash can in Texas. The horrendous people who left this litter of pups should be hung! (and I am being kind, because I really believe they should be SHOT!) These fantastic animal lovers had Mattie and Sophie flown here to be loved and showered with affection. Anyone that loves animals that much deserves a lifetime of wet nose kisses and cuddles from these special creatures. I know I am being sappy, but Truly.......don't you agree????
Misty and Links are well loved and spoiled as well. They did not warm up to me as well as Mattie and Sophie but everyone knows that Felines have a mind of their own. I caught a glimpse of them and I am sure we will be steadfast friends after I have spent a month with them in January and February.
I have grown to love my current clients and their fur children. Adding to the 'family' is always a welcomed event and this little family is no exception.
Stay tuned in January and February to see how much Mattie and Sophie have grown.
I will miss all of my Playful Paw family during this holiday season as everyone is spending it at home and with family. No dog fix for me until January. I guess I will just have to spoil my own pups until then!!!! They will love that!

Last day with Abbie.......

Well, today is my last day with Abbie Girl. She is a gem and has been good girl the whole time. I know she is sick of me though and excited to spend the holidays with her whole family. She is still getting up in the night, at least once, but sometimes twice. It isn't consistent so not sure if she has a little bladder infection going on? The weather is cold and dreary. There are a lot of leaves on the property and I haven't seen a gardner since I have been here? Perhaps they came and I didn't notice? All else is perfect! Nothing new to report. Abbie will be very happy to see Mom and Dad tomorrow night! Until my next visit, Happy Howlidays to Abbie's family and all my other clients as well. Stay tuned for some pictures of a new client who has 6-month old Labs! How fun will that be!!

Sunday Drab.....

Abbie and I are just hanging out this dreary day. We woke up to darkness. There was so much cloud cover that it seemed like it was still nightfall. It is not as cold today, suppose to be in the fifties, but yesterday was very cold. We had snow in our passes so I assume that is what kept the temperature down. Abbie isn't impressed with the weather either. She has not been going out very often during the day, but still needs to be let out at least twice in the night.She is snoozing away right now and I can only guess that it is the way she will spend the rest of this Sunay!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Even though it is Turkey Day, Abbie and I have been low key today as always. I was gone this morning for a couple of hours and will be gone from 2pm until 5 or 6pm but the rest of the time is just Abbie and I hanging out. Of course, she will be getting her piece of Turkey so she will sleep well tonight. She is content just hanging out as the weather is cold and rainy and she has no desire to go outside. But she does send Turkey greetings to her mom and dad in the desert! We both hope they are having a great time with family and friends while we hold down the fort!!!

Rain and Wind

This morning Abbie and I woke up to a loud storm coming through. The wind was blowing so hard and the rain was pounding the roof. Abbie didn't even want to go out until it subsided a little bit. But, she has been forced to go out in it all day today. I have noticed she doesn't ask to go out near as often as when the weather is a little better. It hasn't let up at all.
Not much else to report. We have been doing a little cleaning, a little cooking and getting ready for Turkey day. Of course, Abbie will get a bite of turkey on Thanksgiving. I will go home for a few hours on Thursday as my room mates are cooking a bird and then come back to be with Abbie girl. She is a happy girl!

Burrrrrrr.........

Abbie and I woke up to lots of ice on the ground. The temperature was 27 degrees. We knew it was going to be cold as we were out last night at midnight and the sky was full of stars and clear as a bell. But VERY cold. The coyotes were howling last night as well. I was thankful that Abbie did not want to go out in the middle of the night. I worry about her and the coyotes. She has been getting up at 3:30 am and wanting to go out. I throw my hoodie and shoes on and go out with her as I don't trust the critters in the neighborhood. But when she goes way out in the back yard I lose sight of her and that makes me nervous. Who says a petsitter's job is easy! It can be a worriesome job! But when they return safe and sound and give you those nose kisses, it is all worth it.

Our time together has been uneventful and relaxing. Today is Sunday and I will take Abbie for her Sunday afternoon ride. She had her french fries last night so we will not be going to McDonalds today but she is happy if I just drive her around the block!

Low Key and Spoiled

Abbie and I are doing well. Here she is cuddled in the blanket on the bed. We are very low key and there is nothing but rain and lots of wind. The ground is covered in leaves but the gardners came today and took care of the leaves! Abbie and I are keeping each other company and being lazy like slugs! Of course, anyone that knows Abbie's house knows that there is nothing but slugs all over the place! LOL That sounded terrible but Abbie's family collects snails and slugs! Just clearing that up for anyone that doesn't know.

Nothing new to report.......

The farm is doing well. All the animals are being loved and pampered as usual. No coyotes......no herd of Deer, Elk or the like! Nothing but rain and peace and quiet. Just the way we like it!

I have created a monster!!!!!!

I noticed yesterday that Abbie was 'asking' to go outside about every 15 minutes. At first, I just thought she needed to take care of business and couldn't make up her mind. After several hours of this going on, I realized she was asking more than usual and eventually decided there was something else going on. I also noticed she was asking to go out the front door consistently. Usually she will go to the back door and ask to be let out as well. Finally, about 3pm, I decided to watch her and see what she was doing. I usually stay on the porch, watch her out the front door or go all the way outside with her. But, I didn't want her to know that I was watching her, so I let her out and pretended to walk away from the front door. When she made the turn to the left of the house, I followed her. Without so much as stopping to sniff the grass, she continued walking around the side of the house, through the gate to the back yard, up the little sidewalk and straight to the back door and barked to be let in. She was surprised that I was right on her tail and looked at me as if to say 'busted!'. That is when I realized I had created a monster! As a treat, I give Abbie a part of a cookie (about one third) each time she goes out to potty. It's my way of telling her 'good girl'. Well, the cookies are what originally gave me a clue that she was going out a lot as I try to watch how many cookies she eats. I bought her a new box of them yesterday so I was really aware of how many she was getting. That is when it hit me that she was going out the front door and walking straight to the back door because she KNEW I was going to give her a treat when she came in. Can you believe that? I swear Abbie is NOT a dog......she is more human than some people I know!!! LOL.

Horses and QVC

Well, it seems Kathy is right in her element (and I don't mean her car). She has a view of her two most favorite things on the farm. The horses she sits and stares at out the big bay window during the day.......and the Television so that she can shop all day on QVC. Between the two of us I think we OWN that station! We are busy Christmas shopping, each of us in our perspective pet sitting gigs!
She says there isn't much else going on. The weather today is chilly, but no snow in Enumclaw. As a matter of fact, the weather is better in Enumclaw today than it is in Maple Valley. But, she and the dogs and the horses are all doing fine. Quiet and uneventful which is just how we like it when we are watching someone's fur children!

Abbie Girl

I arrived yesterday to find Abbie wagging her tail and excited to see me. It has been pretty gloomy around here and that suits her just fine as she prefers to stay indoors with me. Of course, treats are nearby and that may be the REAL reason she stays indoors. She got a good brushing today as she keeps coming in the house wet from the rain. So, I thought she would enjoy a brush to her cold, wet fur. Its very quiet and we haven't done too much. I had to leave to make an Airport run to pick up a client, but other than that, I have been here the whole time. We are holding down the fort and enjoying our time together.

The Kids......

The kids on the farm are doing well. Nothing to report which is usually a GOOD thing. Cassie is being a good girl for Kathy and this picture says it all......they are waiting for their mommy and daddy to come home and they figure if they peek out the window long enough it will happen! They are very comical sometimes.
The weather has been crappy and very cold so they have been indoors a lot of the time and Kathy is keeping them good company. The horses have their blankets on and they stay in the pasture, grazing for most of the day. We may be getting snow this coming Saturday so its a good thing they have their blankets on. Everyhing is running smoothly!

Mt. Rainier Yesterday

This was a shot of Mt. Rainier from the pasture where the horses reside. Although the sky looks ominous, you can see Mt. Rainier just peeking up in the background. It was much prettier in person and this isn't a very good shot. But, what a contrast from today as the storm from Alaska is getting ready to pelt this area in just a few hours. We are on storm watch and the winds are suppose to be dramatic. The weather never fails me when I am at the farm and I usually have at least one day of disastrous weather before leaving.
The farm animals are all doing well. Cassie never ceases to amaze me as she always manages to be up to at least one antic a day. Yesterday she ate half my sandwich. I made the sandwich and turned around to put the condiments in the refrigerator and in the four steps it took to put things away, she grabbed and ran! So, she had a chicken sandwich for lunch! And she is so dang cute, you can't get mad at her. Besides, whose fault was it anyway.....uh, that would be MINE!
The pups are all laying around being lazy. The horses are grazing until the winds and rain come. Laramie is still being a pill at feeding time. I have figured out a way for the other horses to get at least half of their treats at night eaten before Laramie takes over their feeding bowls. I have thought about closing him in the stall until the others eat, but I do not know his temperment enough to know if that would freak him out or not, so we will continue to try and outwit him.
There has been a rash of burglaries in the surrounding cities. Although the farm is pretty remote, better to be safe than sorry. Apparently, the breakins are ocurring in the middle of the night while everyone is asleep. They gain access via the garage remotes left in the vehicles and wipe you out of all your worldly possessions while you are asleep. So, I scanned all the vehicles and grabbed the remotes! The last breakin was just blocks from my home in Maple Valley, so this one hit 'close to home'- literally!
Kathy will be here at the farm for the next few days but I will be visiting twice a day so I will continue the blog from where I am dogsitting with Abbie! But, everything is A-O-K!

Rain, Mud and Mt. Rainier

All is well on the Farm Front. And though there has been a lot of rain and the ground is soaked and has produced an enormous amount of mud which now resides on my car.......Mt. Rainier was in full view this morning. Trying to get a good shot of it, however, was not successful, but I will try again tomorrow.
The pups are happy and healthy and enjoying the time outside. Cassie got to go on the trail with Laramie and Barb today so she is exhausted right now and snoring on the back of the loveseat! Ruggles seems to be doing better with her sore and she is sporting a clean T-Shirt and her ears are good. They each live for the nightly cookies (and the extras they get during the day) and all has been quiet during the night for the last three nights. There is a full moon tonight so I expect something will wake us in the wee hours of the morning.
Tomorrow is house cleaning day and I have two doctor's appointments in the morning, so I will return in the late afternoon in time to feed both the horses and the dogs. We expect to stay in all weekend and Kathy will be here on Sunday to take over for a few nights.

A day at the farm.....or three days.....

Well, I have been at the Farm since Friday night but I have been very lax in the blogging area. Sorry about that. Let's just say it hasn't been uneventful.
Having arrived late Friday night made for a late night anyway, so needless to say, I was still awake at 3 am when Cassie went nuts! She scared the crud out of me as she jumped out of a dead sleep and lunged for the windows in the dining area. She will usually do this at least once a night, but will usually stop the panic barking after a minute or two. She was not letting up this time and I had to see if I could catch a glimpse as to what she was barking at. Cassie not only has radar hearing, she has radar vision as well. I think she was born with night vision as I could not see anything in the pitch black area she was barking towards. I flipped on the Deck light to see if I could get enough light to see something. Sure enough, I could the outlines of movement in the pasture area. I could make out movement and the outline of figures moving about. I could tell they were fawn in color (any other color would have not shown up in the dim light). They were bigger than a deer but not as big as an Elk. And there were more than I had ever seen EVER! I counted 30 figures in the dark and I am sure there were more than that. I have seen a family of Deer and a family of Elk, but never have I seen a whole herd! I wanted more light so I could snap a photo, but there was no light to be had. They grazed for about two hours and Cassie did not leave the window until she was satisfied they were going away. By this time we were all awake for the rest of the night.
Saturday night was almost a carbon copy of the first night, but this time it was a Pack of Coyotes. Again, and by now I must sound ridiculous......I have NEVER heard that many Coyotes in all my years in this state! They were so loud and so eerie that I swear they were going to lift the house with their screams! It was kind of spooky! Cassie's incessant barking finally made them disperse and all was quiet except for my nerves! Another sleepless night.
But last night was much quieter and a much shorter version of the two nights preceding. Cassie woke us at 2:30am and barked for a short time and then laid back down to sleep.
I am anxious to see what tonight brings......well, sort of. :-)
The horses are doing fine, except Laramie is showing me a side I have never seen before. He is quite aggressive at feeding time. I have seen him eat his food, bite the other horses and bully them out of their stalls to eat their food. I try feeding him first and hurry up and feed the other two before he can finish his so that they get enough to eat. But, he eats fast and it is a race for the three of us! They are much bigger than I am and I am forced to let them haggle it out on their own. That's the story on the farm! All else is great!!!!

Still no computer

The Scnauzettes and I are doing great. I cannot access the router for some reason, so I am blogging from my phone. However, I took a cute video of the pups today and will post it tomorrow when I go to the farm. Kathy will be here tomorrow and Saturday. The pups will be glad to see her.
Until tomorrow, all is great.

Minis and me

Having problems getting online, but thank goodness for my phone. It's my lifeline! But the pups and I are doing fine, Molly, Izzy and Frannie are spoiled rotten. They love it when I don't leave as they get my full attention. They are sleeping all over me. They get treats regularly and we probably go outside way too often. All is well on the Mini Schnauzer homefront.

Happy HOWLoween......

Well, I am back from am family reunion and November is a very busy Fur Children month! I will be so glad to see everyone that I haven't seen in a while. I will be out from Halloween until December. The last half of this year has been slow but I certainly understand why a lot of you have chosen to spend the holidays and the latter part of this year at home. I just miss everyone when I don't see you for a long time. And that goes for the two-legged friends as well as the four-legged friends! So, see you all soon!!!! Have a Pawsitively Happy Howloween!!!! (I'm so corny)

The New Paw Mobile and my Pups....so cute!@!!!

Last Night

Abbie and I are doing great. It is our last night together but I will be back in three weeks to spend a good long stay with her. She is doing well. She has not gotten me up in the middle of the night at all. She goes out at 11pm and then we go out in the morning around 7am. She is making it through the night so I hope for her parent's sake she keeps it up.

Its been raining all day today. I had to go get my shot this morning and when I returned she looked so sad because she wanted to go out but it was pouring down rain. So, we waited it out and the rain finally broke and we were able to go for a walk. She got a good brushing today and she is busy sawing logs right now. She is so cute and she is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her family tomorrow night. I will leave her about 5pm tomorrow and see her again in a few weeks.

Ready for Halloween

Well, she actually looks like she is ready for me to quit dressing her up. But, despite the look on her face, she loves it. Especially since she knows she is getting a treat when she is done. Every year I tell myself I am going to go buy her a real costume and every year I forget.....so she is forced to wear a make-shift Witches outfit. I think she is mad because she is being upstaged by the witch next to her. But THAT witch didn't get a treat!

Abbie is being her usual perfect self. She has been resting all day except for the visit from the girls next door. She wore her costume, ate her cookie and now she is snoring! What a life!!!!!

Abbie's Lazy Today

Abbie is feeling fine, but she really wants to be lazy today. I tried to get her to go out for a walk and she was having no part of it. I guess dogs are like people.....there are times when we just want to be a vegetable! She loves it when I make my lunch or a snack. She is definitely more animated as she is hoping for the smallest of morsels. I am sure it is because she is starving to death ;-)

Nothing new to report. The sky is blue right now but I suspect not for long. It has been overcast and the white clouds just came out and split so the sun could peek through just long enough to tease us. I feel the rain coming back by sundown. Abbie slept all night last night. She went out about 10pm and didn't wake to go out again until 7am this morning. I was very surprised. I haven't left today so she is happy to be curled up next to me snoring away!!!! She is so freakin cute!

Abbie, the Rain and Me......

Well, so much for the sunshine. It has been raining here all day. It didn't stop Abbie and me from taking a little stroll. She is curled up on her bed right now as if we hiked a mountain top. I guess we have both hit the Geriatric Stage......Ugh!

The weekend is coming and Abbie knows that we go to McDonald's on Sunday. I will cut back on the French Fries as she does not need to put weight on. She is in such good shape and we need to keep her figure! Nothing exciting happening today. She is content, resting and loving the cookies she gets. What a life!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABBIE

Abbie turned 14 mid-September. I am with her for the next few days and she was happy to see me. It seems like forever since I have been here. I have to admit....I LIVE for my Abbie Fix! She is the best looking 14-year-old I have ever seen. I have many senior fur children, but just as some people hold their age well, so does Abbie.
It rained like crazy yesterday, last night and the early part of today. But, it let up this afternoon which gave us time to spend some time outside. She is so good about my leaving in the morning to go get my B-12 shots, but I suspect she knows I am coming right back as she is never surprised to see me return. She was so funny today when I checked the mail. She just strolled right out to the street like she didn't have her electronic collar on??? Wonder if it is working???? It didn't seem to zap her and I had to move back toward the house and call her to come back behind the invisible line.
She slept pretty well last night. Her mommy had mentioned that she was getting up several times in the night. I took her out at 11pm and she didn't wake me until 4am. Not too bad but I will keep an eye on her in case she has a little bladder infection.
All is well on the Abbie Front! Hopefully we can catch some sunshine one day this week to get some really good pictures!

Peace and Serenity.......

I love my clients. But it is time for me to take a break. I will be available after Tuesday but wanted to let you all in on a Tranquil, Spiritual Journey you too can take sometime. It's a wonderful place to regroup, be romantic or just get away from the hustle-bustle weekday.
Cave B Inn includes a Winery with a Wine tasting room (I won't be tasting unfortunately) and a Spa. The restaurant is a four-star restaurant with a new chef and the meals they provide are awesome. Each of the bungalows are built on the edge of the Gorge in Quincy, Washington. Walking to the edge is not a problem and the view is phenomenal. There is a beautiful pool when the weather is condusive, but the accomodations are 4-Star! It is a beautiful place and I have told some of you about it. My daughter flies up from California to go this little piece of heaven.
So, each of you know that I will return shortly with a fresh outlook on life. I am looking forward to all my petsitting in November! Take care everyone.
P.S. I included a wonderful dog story below. Please be sure to read it. It touched my heart.

A Great Dog story........

_________________________________________

This is a story from "Senior Focus" a newspaper my sister gets.
It is written by Saralee Perel.
What a great, FUNNY dog this is about!

"Bob's beloved Becky"
Our five-year-old border collie, Becky, is the weirdest dog we have known. My husband, Bob, and I couldn't love her more.
Our older dog, Gracie, is a Sheperd/collie mix. She is the smartest dog we have ever known.
We assumed that Becky would watch and learn from Gracie. Boy, were we wrong.
Border collies are known for herding sheep. Plus, they need lots more activity than other dogs and are considered one of the smartest and bravest breeds. But apparently Becky swam through the genetic pool without soaking up one drop of it.
If a gun wielding gangster broke into our house, Becky would go after him with the courage of a SWAT team commander. But, when a fly is anywhere in the house, she runs, trembling and whimpering,behind the toilet where she stays until I have spent half the finding the fly.
Bob had always wanted a border collie. We adopted Becky because we were told she was bred to need no more activity than any other dog and that she didn't have the herding instinct that all border collies do.
That was a bunch of hooey. Becky is not only on the go 24/7, she herds EVERYTHING in her universe. She herds:
1. The vacuum cleaner.
2. Our empty-headed cat Murphy, who doesn't even notice.
3. Apples that fall out of the grocery bag.
4. Anything that drops on the floor including tomatoes but, especially meatballs.
Becky spends time in our fenced-in back yard herding her flock. No, not sheep. Its her flock of clay plant pots that once contained pretty flowers!
Using her nose to move them along, she herds the pots one by one from the left to the right side of the yard. Then, crouching down with that intense border collie stare which is used for the purpose of intimidation, she makes sure that none of the pots make a break for it and run fleeing from the rest of the pack. Then she herds all of them to the left side of the yard. Then back to the right; then left. This keeps her happy for hours.
Becky doesn't bark. She screams. When she does, she sounds like a woman. She screams when she sees that a miniature painting has been moved three inches. She screams when she sees a truck in our driveway-our truck.
One day, Bob decided it would be fantastic for Becky to follow her genetic instincts and see sheep. He said to the farm owner, "Would it be OK if I kept my dog on a leash and took her over to your sheep?"
"Sure."
Gracie and I stayed in our truck and watched.
Bob walked Becky to the pen where there were a dozen sheep. He looked so proud, just like a shepherd and his border collie in the ancient hills of Scotland.
When they got to the pen, Becky peered at the sheep...her body crouched for a full two minutes in that concentrated border collie stare. It truly was a beautiful sight to see her in her timeless glory.
Then she let out a scream so earsplitting that all the chickens jumped a foot off the ground.
Bob rushed Becky back to our truck while the farmer came running over looking around frantically for what he thought was a screaming woman who was severely injured.
Meanwhile, all 12 sheep kept doing what they had been doing all along, eating stuff from the ground, still ignoring the doofus border collie who was scared to death of them.
There is something that Becky does that she has never been trained to do. When she sees Bob, and he always kneels down to greet her, she slowly stands on her hind legs, puts her front legs gently around his neck, rests her head against his, and HUGS him. She does not move no matter how much time Bob spends hugging her and kissing her forehead.
Becky loves Bob the way Romeo loved Juliet. And he loves her the same. When Bob leaves the house, Becky stays by the door, no matter how many hours it takes for her beloved leader to return home. She will not eat, drink, or do anything other than stand at her post....waiting.
When he comes home, the first thing they do is hug. Bob keeps his eyes closed in ecstasy.
To me, love is love, whether it's between adults, between parents and children, between dolphins, between whales.
But especially between Bob and Becky!

Last day in Paradise......

This expression on Katja's face says it all. Okay, they love me....but, I am just a substitute for their mommy and daddy for a short time...they are over me and want their REAL parents back! When we woke up this morning they both came over to me and seemed almost joyous as they sense that their return is soon. We are getting ready for a walk. I have to go out on a couple of appointments today (medical), but will return soon and often. It is suppose to be warmer than yesterday which means 'hot'. Yesterday, the first day of fall was in the high 60's by 7 am. I swear it reached 80 degrees yesterday but haven't checked the weather report. Strange. Anyway, the girls are doing extremely well. No problems at all. Katie is not chewing or scratching, her eyes got drops 3x a day.....well, I will leave a report for their parents. They are excited to see their family back in place tomorrow. But, they have been great to sit and my pleasure!

Toys, Treats and Tails waggin!

Katie and Katja are doing great. They have no issues and have been taking their meds and eating like little champs the whole time. They go outside when it isn't raining (raining now) and we get our walks in either very early or late afternoon. So, this is a boring post........but that's a good thing!!! Because all is well!

All is calm on the Schnauzer front. The highlight of our day was a package delivery and a visit to the neighbors. Today is Abbie's 14th Birthday so we dropped her off a Birthday present from the three of us! Katie and Katja are sleeping right now. Katie is buried in her blankets in front of the window and Katja is on her throne in the chair. Its getting darker earlier now and I have heard the Coyotes out between 7 and 8 most nights so they go out with me around 10pm on their leads so I can see them in the dark. They have been very good. Today we cleaned a little and played with toys after some time outside. They are missing their family though.....Katie told me in a nose kiss!

Sunday got away from us......

Sunday was our 'down' day and it got away from us without us blogging. Sorry about that Momma and Daddy. But, it rained all day and we did absolutely nothing. We played with toys and ate cookies and got brushed, but other than that...not much going on. Today was a much nicer day and we got a lot of outdoor time. I have been taking them out at dusk on their leashes because the coyotes were out last night in full packs. I could hear them screaming at 7pm when we went out. Scared me so I keep them on a tight reign. But, they still crawl up on my chest and sleep and they love all the kisses that they give me. They are doing very well. Nothing to worry about here!!!!!

A lazy Saturday afternoon. Its been raining on and off. Kathy came by to visit and bring McDonald's so everyone got french fries! Yummmmy. We cleaned up a little. The girls got brushed and they both laid on top of me and took a nap for a while. Other than that....nothing to report. I didn't go anywhere today so the girls were quite happy. Its suppose rain all day tomorrow but I have to go out in the morning. I will be back early and I imagine we will all vegitate tomorrow afternoon. The girls are fine and all is well on the homefront! Katie and Katja tell Mommy and Daddy XXX000!!

Katie and Katja heard this You Tube today and they went bananas. They were talking just as much as this little guy was. They have had a pretty boring day today so we just played on the computer. Its dreary outside and Auntie Dee has been a little sore today due to a fall. I know.......AGAIN!  But, all is well and I will tell their mommy and daddy all about it later. Everything is going smooth as silk. Lots of mail, packages and outside and cookie time! Katie has been laying up on my chest and Katja lays just below her on my tummy. I know...hard to believe, but they do like to lay with me while we watch television! Katie is looking at me now as if to say...'ok, so why aren't you laying down so I can lay on you'. So, I guess I better assume the positions before she really tells me off!
Nothing to worry about on this homefront!!!!

Groomed and Tired. We woke early this morning to get the girls to the groomer early so Auntie Dee could make her Doctor's Appointment. Donna was kind enough to take them a little early so I could make my way to Federal Way. By the time I was done at the doctor, Donna called and said they were ready. So, everything worked out perfectly. I arrived home with happy puppies and a delivery of wine! Hmmmmmm.....maybe there will be some left when their mommy and daddy gets home. (just kidding). I visited the Neighbors last night and had a wonderful time but WAY too much wine was had by all. So, I think the wine is safe tonight.

The girls look very neat and tidy and they seem to want to sleep all day. Katie keeps staring at me as if to say 'Well, are we going to play, walk or something, So, we may be going for an evening walk since we missed this morning. They will definitely get their walks in the morning as I have to go out for a while tomorrow morning. The girls have been perfect. They are getting their medicine and eyedrops (well, Katie) on time and everyday that they are suppose to. They love riding in the car so I might take them for a ride this weekend. Abbie, the neighbor loves her Sunday trips to the McDonald's, so I may give them all a ridet to McDonald's and they will get a french fry! (at separate times, of course.) I am at Abbie's in October, so I will see the girls again then too. Can't get enough of these pups!

Toying Around and a funny story........

The sun didn't come out today. It is officially the first day of fall. Its probably about 70ish and I guess that is all we will see of the sunshine. Katie and Katja are inside playing today even though we went out for a walk in the rain/mist this morning. They got wet, but they love wiping their paws because they know what follows. However, I have to tell you a funny story. After our walk, I went next door to walk Abbie so she could get some excercise in too. When I returned I asked the girls if they might want to go outside. They seemed eager so I opened the back door and let them out. Now usually, I don't let them go out by themselves and if I do, I always have an eye on them. So, I looked out and I saw Katie go back in Robin's Hood's forest and I saw Katja out of the corner of my eye sitting on the driveway. I stopped long enough to come in and pick up their bowls and wash them and anything else that was in the sink. It took me all of five or six minutes and I went outside to track down the pups. When I got out there all I could find was Katie who always comes running when I call. But I have found that Katja can be a little devil and sit wherever she is sitting and look at me like I'm crazy. I went around to the side of the house checking the whole driveway and I didn't see her. I went up and down the drive and checked the entire front yard and didn't see her. I checked the rose garden and all of the area behind it and I didn't see anything. The whole time I am calling her name and by now I am freaking out! This went on for probably 20 minutes until I decided it was time to come in the house and get cookies, a lead and anything else I could find to entice her into the house. When I grabbed the lead off the table I caught out of the corner of my eye.....Katja......laying in her chair, fast asleep. She must have come in in that six minutes I was doing dishes and decided it was nap time. She scared the bejeezus out of me. But I was really glad that she was there and Katie and I just joined her and gave her a cookie of course. Its a lazy day and they are both asleep in their beds. No doubtedly, waiting for dinner.

Back from The Vet.....

Katie and Katja and I just returned from the Vet. They both got a clean bill of health and in fact, I was told that thier little Anal glands were not that full. So, maybe we might want to give them a couple more weeks in between. But, mommy and daddy know best and we will leave that up to them.

We went out and watered this morning and soaked the roses while we were gone (about 45 minutes) and we are now watering the other side. The weather is getting cooler so I suspect we won't be watering too much more before everyone returns home.

Its funny, sometimes when I have all this time to think while I am dogsitting, I think I should socialize more, get out and date, search for someone to share my life with.....and then it hits me.....I am just as content having all my little furchildren in my life and if I never share my life with anyone again, I always have their unconditional love. To some that might seem kind of sad....but, it really lifts my spirits! Jeeeezzzz....don't know how I got off on that. Anyway, the girls are being perfect little angels. They work me whenever they get a chance for that extra cookie or an extra trip outside, but I don't mind as I am here solely for them and that is the way it is. 

I am going to visit another one of my clients this week who lives next door but other than that, I am all theirs!!! Hope mommy and daddy are enjoying some good Italian Wine and feeling guilty because I don't have any!!!! :-)

Bright and Beautiful day

Today was a picture perfect day in Washington State. I got to visit with the horses and the farm animals as well as take care of the two little Schnauzers I am with for the next two weeks. I was peaceful today knowing I can put my entire focus on my animals as it is just me and them. I seem to be married to my job and for now, that is okay. The closeness and attention they give me is adequate in the absence of a partnership I hope to have some time in the future. The Schnauzers are doing as well as always. We spent a lot of time outside today. As a matter of fact, Katja didn't want to come in tonight for over an hour. I had to take her lead outside as if we were going for a walk before she would come to me. At least I know how to trick her although I feel bad doing that. We had an early morning walk at 7:30 and Katja let me know she was done before we got all the way to the end of 244th. But she got a long way none-the-less. We ran into Bonnie on the way back and visited for a while. I keep watching for Abbie outside but haven't been able to connect with her yet. Katie and Katja are happy little campers, loving their treats, the attention and the spoiling they are getting. I am actually loving the time alone with them as well. All is well on the homefront and we hope mommy and daddy are having a wonderful time in Italy. How could you not?????

Oh....and Katie and Katja have their Halloween pictures for next month as you can see above.

Full Day

This was Katie and Katja a few minutes ago waiting for their treat I promised them. We watered the entire perimeter of the house and set up the soakers on the roses. They were very good little pups and followed me all around while I watered for two hours. Whew......a LOT of beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees!

Our day began early with a visit from Bonnie. I had an appointment in the early morning and when I returned we did some playing outside, brushing of their coats and just played until it was time to water. They are being perfect angels as usual and Katja is showing no signs of pain. They both have eaten every time I feed them and Katie got drops in her eyes three times today! Yipppeeee.

Tomorrow is pill day so we will see how that goes. All is well on the homefront.......Almost time to Schnauz......I mean, Schnoooooozzzzz.

The Girls........

Well, after a long vacation, I am happy to say I am back with the fur children and today is our first day together in a long time. Katie and Katja welcomed me as if I were here yesterday and were so excited to go outside and bask in the sunshine. Katja was a little more reserved but went right out and laid down in the sun. She was happy to just sit with me in the yard while Katie went back in what I call the fortress to explore. She is so goofy, she ran around to the front door just as her mommy said she would and barked until I let her in there instead of coming in the back door with Katja and I. They are very cute little Mini Schnauzers and, oh boy, are they spoiled! But they are the children of the house and that is as it should be. They had their dinner at 4:30 and ate like little champs. We went out before AND after dinner and with all this sunshine, we will no doubtedly be going out a few more times before bedtime. Oh yes, and they helped me take the trash out too. All is well at the home of the 'Schnauz' and they are contently sleeping their dinner off as we speak! Stay tuned for further updates..........

Back from Vacation

Vacations are great but I really miss my customers when I am gone. I will be glad to see all the upcomming fur children I have in the coming months. I had an opportunity to see a lot of old friends and connect with people I had not seen in a long while. Now it is time to get back to business at hand and what a lucky person I am to have such loving clients who share their fur children with me.
You will see a new PlayFul Paw Mobile in your driveways, but don't be alarmed.......it is just me with another vehicle to better serve you with. I will be better equipped to transport any of my clients to and from the airport and also offer transportation to and from the Vets, Picking up food, or any other errands that I was forced to stop offering as my vehicle was too small. An email and new brochure will follow this posting and please feel free to call if you have any questions! See all of you soon.

Horse Rescue in California

I am taking advantage of some down time and visiting in California. Today I visited White Rock Horse Rescue Ranch. The following is their mission statement:

Our primary mission is to rescue horses that have been abandoned or abused and to find new owners committed to providing them with a loving, caring environment. Our extended mission is to provide unadoptable horses a natural setting in which to live during their remaining days and to introduce various groups of people to the fascinating culture of the horse.

Once inside the gates of this mystical sanctuary, I was overwhelmed by the 45 horses available for adoption and fostering. There were horses of all sizes and colors with varying needs. Although horses are their main criteria, they are not exclusive to horses as there were also many goats, dogs and llamas. There were also many volunteers caring for the horses, riding or just visiting the ranch. I had mixed emotions as I visited with as many as I could. I was thankful for the ranch and the people who selflessly volunteer and for the owners of the ranch. Yet sad that this surely must be a small handful of animals that need our help. The ranch depends on private funding, donations and volunteers. It was apparent that the work involved was tremendous. I am now motivated to seek out a rescue operation in my area but I will do some Graphic volunteer work for White Rock Horse Rescue.

Please visit their website at: http;//www.whiterockhorserescue.com

Good Bye to Obie Zinn

This is my Grandchildren's pet dog, Obie. My Son and Daughter-in-law saved Obie when he was about a year old. He had been abused and needed special love. He was well loved and my grandchildren and Obie were inseperable. They loved Obie. Obie passed away due to illness and when I spoke with my grandkids and my son, none of them had ever heard of RAINBOW BRIDGE.......So, for those of you who have not heard of this poem, please read below:

Just this side of heaven is a place called RainbowBridge.spo

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to RainbowBridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross RainbowBridge together....

South County Cats

SOUTH COUNTY CATS IS ALWAYS IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE AND THE ARE A GREAT ORGANIZATION FOR THE TRAPPING OF FERAL CATS AND IN CONSTANT NEED OF SUPPLIES AND FOOD. AS OWNER OF THE PLAYFUL PAW ANIMAL COMPANION SERVICE, I WOULD ASK MY CLIENTS TO HELP OUT IN ANY WAY THEY CAN. IN RETURN, I WILL PICK AND DELIVER ANY SUPPLIES, FOOD, DONATIONS YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE AND I WILL OFFER YOU A DISCOUNT ON YOUR NEXT VISIT OR OVERNIGHT STAY WHEN YOU BOOK WITH ME. YOU MAY CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL FOR PICK UP AND I WILL GIVE YOU A DISCOUNT COUPON WHEN I ARRIVE.
BELOW IS A LIST OF ITEMS NEEDED BY THE ORGANIZATION: