Laxie through the Looking Glass

[GreekStein]

Dawn, have you ever had a sleepwalking dog ?

LOL

PMSL! great vid boo

[Laxie]

Dogs beds and dogs get a wash every two weeks.  Whatever about their beds, is that too often to be washing the dogs?  I use warm water and special shampoo for dogs, followed by a leave in spray conditioner.  Neither bottle gives warnings about how often they should be used, so just curious.  Anyone know?

[Laxie]

I've been keeping an eye on things since that video was posted and can confirm - Cassie has an 'active' dream at least once a day...usually around noon.  Had some things to do around the house the past couple of days which delayed things, but back on track now.  Will tear road in the morning for the new phone so I can video her sleeping antics at lunch.  Fingers crossed I get back in time.  If not, will catch it on Thursday for ye.  I'll try not to giggle when I'm recording it, but can't promise anything. 

Lily has been barking A LOT since Cassie arrived.  She's barked more in the past 2 months than she had in all the years before.  Brian and Sinéad were convinced it was because Lily thinks we've replaced her - and she's jealous.  I think they're wrong.  If Lily were jealous, the pair wouldn't be eating out of the same food dish together for a start.  Lily has just become more lively and since they've always known her as mellow, they weren't getting it.  Luckily, the oldest two kids 'get it' as of today.

Their latest party piece?  If it's raining when they go outside, Lily has this thing about grooming Cassie when they come back in!  Cassie stands still while Lily acts like the wee mother cleaning the rain water off Cassie's sides and back.  Once that's done, they tear around having a bit of play time for themselves before settling down to their next nap.  I'd only seen this a couple of times in the past week, so didn't mention it to the crew.  Today they were home when Lily and Cassie went at their 'routine'.  And the kids were gob smacked! 

'So then.  Tell me Lily's jealous now you lot.'

Sinéad in shock, 'Wow!  I guess she really DOES like Cassie.  Hey Brian!  Come here and check this out!'

Sarah shot back with, 'We've been trying to tell ye that for AGES, but ye were too thick to listen.'

As if they knew we were all enjoying the scene, Lily took extra time cleaning Cassie off today and their play seemed more animated than usual afterwards. 

And all is right with the world in Laxieland.

[Laxie]

So today I faced a bit of a moral dilemma.  I've always been of the mindset that you're to cheer on your team even if you know they can't win on the day.  If you're part of a team, you're to show up and give it your all.  Again...even if you know you're about to get crushed.  Just get in there, do your best with your head held high and try to have some fun.  Winning really isn't everything and sometimes people learn much more from losing now and then.

After the mess over double scheduled matches a couple of weeks back, we parents pretty much asked the girls to just pick one team and stick with it to avoid future confusion.  They picked the U16's so we thought we were through with the U14's.  Not so much.  On Saturday we received a call which I duly ignored as I didn't recognise the number.  Turns out it was one of the U14 coaches.  He'd left a message pretty much begging us to get Sarah and her friend Laura to an important U14 Final on Tuesday night.  That was tonight.

Normally I'd insist Sarah go as she can't let the team down, but a few factors caused me to go against everything I've ever taught them.  First, Laura was refusing to go.  There are really only 3 strong players on the team.  They need all 3 to show up if they have any hope at all in a final.  Normally, Laura's absence wouldn't have given cause for us to stay home.  But there were a couple of other factors thrown in as well.

Sarah hasn't been to a match or training with the U14's since she decided to stick with the higher age group.  It wouldn't look right to suddenly show up on the night of a final making another girl lose her spot on the field.  Drove me nuts when Brian was smaller and into Irish football.  He'd be there for every training session and every single match, but rarely saw the pitch.  Other Lads would stroll in when it suited them and got a full game.  Brian would come home in tears, I'd give him a hug, rinse repeat the next time.  

That went on until he was 12 and another village tried to poach him for their team.  Our own village objected to the transfer and he was told he'd have to stay out of football for 2 years before he could play with the other village.  You'd swear we were talking about Roy Keane ffs!  That was that.  Brian said screw 'em and hasn't looked back.  I just didn't feel right putting some other kid through the tears tonight so Sarah could show up for the glory of a final.  Especially when she's not been involved with them for a bit at this stage.

Add to that, the town they had to travel to for the match is well over an hour's drive each way for us.  All that driving for a match she shouldn't be playing as she's not been around, they haven't a hope of winning as all 3 strong players won't be there, while another girl loses her spot to make way for Sarah added up to 'Sarah, I think you should give it a miss.'  I listed all of the above reasons for saying what I did...and that's when all hell broke loose.  

Well, let me tell you...my sweet innocent wee girl left rip well and truly!  She threw every life lesson I've ever taught right back in me face, tried the tears, tried the begging...you name it.  She had the full arsenal ready.  Personally, I think Sinéad gave her advance warning, but can't be sure.  Anyway, it got ugly in the end.  

She turned to me and said with pure venom 'I can't believe what a horrible mother you are.'  Enter the knife...cheers.    

Me, 'Sorry?'

Sinéad and Brian in unison, 'Oh I KNOW you didn't just go THERE.'

I was raging at that point, because we'd already had the chat and she'd made the choice to stick with U16.  Now I was the bad guy for asking her to please stick to that choice.  Deep breath.

'Horrible mother, eh?  Right.  Tell ya what ya do.  Ring your father and if he'll leave work early* to take you, you can go.  However your room looks like a bomb hit it, so you'll be up there cleaning it spotless until it's time to go.  If the room isn't spotless, you're not stepping foot outside this house.  How's that for horrible?'

Honestly didn't think she'd ring him.  But smug as could be, she picked up the phone and made the call.  Also didn't think he'd say yes.  But he did.  Marv.  After that she headed up to her room to do the cleaning.  All the way up the stairs mumbling about her mother not supporting her.  That's when I pointed out I've never missed a match yet and said she was best to zip it while she was ahead.  Sigh.

Well, they went to the match.  The female coach refused to start Sarah as punishment for not showing up the last couple of weeks, despite protests from the male coach.  They got their backsides kicked and some wee girl lost her spot on the pitch to Sarah before half time.  On the drive back, Sarah and Timothy listed off all the shows they were missing tonight as they wouldn't get home in time.    

She walked through the door and straight over to me for a hug.  Then she looked up and whispered, 'I'm sorry mom.  You're not horrible and I'm really sorry for saying that.'  Then she gave me a cheeky grin and giggled together with another hug, 'By the way, you were right about the match.  I shouldn't have gone and we got our backsides kicked anyway.'

All in all a win for the lot of us as it turned out.

*PS  'Early' in our house is 6pm as opposed to any time after 8pm.

[EvilPie]

Dogs beds and dogs get a wash every two weeks.  Whatever about their beds, is that too often to be washing the dogs?  I use warm water and special shampoo for dogs, followed by a leave in spray conditioner.  Neither bottle gives warnings about how often they should be used, so just curious.  Anyone know?

I personally wash ronnie's bed every other day but only wash him once every 8 to 12 weeks or if he really stinks.

When I say I wash his bed I actually put a towell in it and put a fresh one in every other day which keeps smells off the actual bed.

By giving fresh bedding often a lot of the dirt comes off him on to his towel thus cleaning him a bit every day.

I actually washed Ronnie yesterday for the first time in about 3 months. I don't use shampoo, just water to get rid of any dirt on him but I give him a really good soaking. I'd only use shampoo if he had fleas or something which needed getting rid of.

Do you find they roll around in muck a lot? It's probably because they hate smelling of shampoo and spray conditioner.

If you don't wash them as often they won't have to roll in shit as much because they will actually smell like dogs instead of boots perfume counters.

I guess what I'm saying is that in my opinion yes, once every two weeks is far too often to bath a dog.

[Laxie]

Cheers Matt!  Was thinking that might be why Lily likes to roll in so much 'stuff', but wasn't sure.  Cassie LOVES to be washed, but Lily runs for the hills every time.

Their 'beds' amount to 2 big fleece throws folded in half a couple of times to add some cushion under them.  At night, they usually end up with the girls at some point or other.  I shake the blankets outside every couple of days, but will give a go to actually washing them every couple instead...and lighten up on the shampoo baths.  Clean warm water and their big yellow car sponge should do the trick...minus the 'boots' smell.

[boldie]

This might just be turning into the best thread on Blonde at the moment.

[Laxie]

Just home.  Dinner to throw on, dogs to walk and phone to figure out..........

[technolog]

Full phone review pls.

[The_duke]

Full phone review pls.

[X] Makes Calls
[X] Receives Calls
[X] Sends Texts
[X] Receives Texts

Job done

[Laxie]

Full phone review pls.

[X] Makes Calls
[X] Receives Calls
[X] Sends Texts
[X] Receives Texts

Job done

[X] Plus a whole lot more!!! 

[Laxie]

Cassie tends to just hang about if it's too warm outside.  We had a scorcher yesterday!  To get 'round it, I took them out in the morning and again in the evening when it wasn't as warm.  We all just chilled the rest of the day.  And I learned how to use the new phone.

Murphy's Law says they weren't going to act half as nutty when they heard the 'w' word this time since I learned how to capture it on video.

 

[Laxie]

Cassie had a good run about for herself...

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and Lily was ok with just pottering around for the most part.

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But despite waiting until the sun was going down, they were still wrecked in no time...

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[Laxie]

And one more because I liked it....

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[Laxie]

When we first moved to Ireland, I loved to walk the fields picking all sorts of wild flowers for a vase back at the house.  The neighbours all had a laugh saying I was picking weeds for my vase.  Sigh.  How can wee things like this be considered weeds?

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(Need to work on my photo skills with the new camera, but you get the idea.) 

Anyway, the neighbours can laugh all they like...won't stop me picking 'weeds'.

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