Ronin, with his girlfriends Rooftop Dawn and Blondie.

Reese was just beside herself. I don’t think she’s seen so many doggies in one place at one time. (A big thank you to Scott & Bosco for the awesome photos.)

Anyway the power went out again this afternoon, so I did what any bored parent would do. Pictures. Of course. Here is my pink hairless baby being adorable. Also my beige hairy baby with his best begging face. He really wants to go on a W-A-L-K here, but I can’t say “walk” because he’ll freak out so I have to spell it.

Also, The Great Housepainting of 2008 is wrapping up nicely. Today, the whole garage was painted. Next up will be the Deck Project of 2008… but before that we have to perform the Exorcism of the Stubborn Concrete Steps. More on that in a future post, the post where I talk about how my awesome husband made a jackhammer his bitch on Father’s Day Weekend.

It really wasn’t long ago when my only real concerns were how green I could make the grass on my front lawn or coordinating my toenail polish with my vast array of corporate-casual outfits. How different life is right now for me, I have neglected my patchy front lawn for the second spring in a row and I have forgotten that I even had toenails, much less what color they are sporting.

Today. Today was one of those days that made me realize how simple those cares are. We could start with the girl. She pooped a LOT, starting early in the morning and ending just before her bath tonight. I’ve never SEEN a baby poo so much in one day! What the hell am I feeding her? And why does it seem like three times as much is coming out of her than what actually goes in?!

And the DOG. Cleaning up after my pup has had it rough points (oh, those morning walks when I was pregnant BLECH), but today was just…charming. Imagine if you will – a 65 lb dog running wind sprints around my postage stamp backyard with a clump of POOPY GRASS hanging out of his butt. Dear readers, if this offends you, do so skip down to the picture of my daughter eating her feet. If you are a dog owner, or have owned a dog in the past you know what kind of random things they eat and consequently pass out the back end. I should be so lucky that it was merely grass and not, say, a pair of socks or a garden hose or something.

This dog, he knows there’s something desperately wrong with his hind end, and while he’s attempting to “run” it off, it’s just not going anywhere. He bends back, tries to nip at his tail, but to no avail. I think I even saw him attempting to perform the quintessential “ass drag” on the lawn. If you know anything at all about greyhounds, you’ll know that they are physically built in such a way that it near impossible to do the “ass drag” for any reason, and for this I know my carpets and area rugs are safe.

Three minutes of me watching him deal with this noisome anal disaster with his comically pathetic butt dragging and I realize that I am forced to help him. By pulling the malodorous clump of poopy grass out of his butt.

Really, that’s not the high point of my day. I got a pedicure too.

But not that kind of pedicure

On our way back home is where it got interesting. I ran into my neighbor Erin down the street with her very active 5 year old Cameron and her new baby Carson. Carson was due about a week after Reese, but phyiscally you’d look at him and think he was a month and half ahead of her in size. We were chatting and strolling back to our respective houses, pretty oblivious to the surroundings save for Erin’s sharp eye for Cameron’s wanderings. What could go wrong, right?

Ronin started to thrash around, he actually threw his head back and wrenched himself free of his collar. This is the part of the story where I literally fall over dead from the terror of seeing my dog and his COLLARLESS NECK go running down the street away from me.

The sight of a dog trotting down a street might not strike fear into the hearts of other dog owners, but other typical dog owners didn’t adopt a dog that is known for its high prey drive, love for running, and no road sense whatsoever. Also, I’d wager other typical dog owners didn’t sign up for a dog that can reach up to 45 miles per hour in 3 strides.

So here I am, in the middle of Olentangy Blvd with one hand on the stroller, and one hand holding a dogless leash. My greyhound is moving very quickly away from us, about as scared-looking as I have ever seen him. I glance behind me and it all makes sense.

The black lab that attacked Ronin last summer, the one who CHOMPED Ronin by the neck and pinned him to the ground! was Right. Behind. Us.

Every step closer that dog came, Ronin would move farther and farther away from us.

Oh. SHIT.

Fortuntately, Erin grabbed Reese’s stroller and said “I’ve got your baby, now go get your dog!” and I take off down the street after him. Ronin seemed even more alarmed that I’m coming after him, so he kicks if up a notch and trots faster.

RONIN! COME!

He stops, turns and looks at me. In my head I’m thanking God for that a little bit of “recall” training seems to have worked with him, even in the smallest measure.

I hold out the leash toward him, beckoning. Out the corner of my eye, I see that wretched black dog turn down a sides street away from us. Ronin watches them too, as he begins to calm immediately.

I jingle the collar. He cannot resist the tinkling of metal on metal, it’s our signal in the house that it’s time for a walk or a car ride. Ears perked, he turns around and damn near prances back over to my side where I wrapped my arm around his chest and slide the collar and leash over his head.

As soon as I get back to the house, I so had to change my pants.

Ronin and The Snow

P.S. Thanks for taking Reese in stride. You’re such a GOOD PUPPY YES YOU ARE! YES YOU ARE!

Baby, it’s cold outside

This dog ‘gets’ the concept of unwrapping his presents!