OK, so yesterday Ali came in and said to me, “Listen, I’ve seen Sophie. She got a haircut and a bath. Will ya look at me? I’m a mess! It’s getting embarrassing to even go out to take a leak because she’s sniggering about me.”
I replied, “How can you possibly know that? There is a fence and vines about 3 feet thick between you and Sophie. You can’t see her.”
“Look, I know you humans think that when we stand outside and bark our heads off we are just being stupid, annoying dogs. Think again. When she says, ‘Arf, arf, arf, woof, woof-woof. Woof, arf, woof,’ that isn’t just noise. She was smirking when she woofed me that she is clean and cool with short hair for the summer. I really can’t believe you don’t know that.”
So I asked, “Why do you bark? You talk to me. Sophie talks to Caroline. Why not just talk to everyone?”
“Are you kidding?” he replied with astonishment. “That would let everyone in the neighborhood know about us.”
“So?”
“Sophie, China, Mai Lin and I are the only ones who can talk to you! If it got out, think of the insanity of the paparazzi ‘hounding’ us!”
“OK,” I said. “We’ll keep it quiet, but what’s with the attitude about the bath? You could just ask.”
“I gotta keep up my image,” he remarked as he walked away with a snort.
Needless to say, I got out the clippers, combs, brushes and all the paraphernalia and began giving them a summer do. Ali went off and sulked for a while, so I started with China. I got her trimmed yesterday and then got to work on Mr. Big. I didn’t get him finished, to his chagrin, but today I completed him and worked on Mai Lin. She is a grump in her old age, so I didn’t complete her. I'll do that tomorrow. And bathe them all. They will look and smell wonderful by this tomorrow.
By way of intro, Mai Lin Shu (pronounced “My Lyn Shoe”) is my Senior Canine In Residence at Chez Lynilu. She will be 15 next month, and is the mama of China Doll (full name: Ama Wei China Doll) who just turned 13 a few days ago, and is the shy and quiet one. Well, except that she hides and barks at people who come to the house. Ali Zan D’Ewok is Lord of the Manor. He is Mai Lin’s second husband, so China is his stepdaughter. He has treated her well, in spite of the step relationship. He turned 13 on my birthday in April and is father to Margarita who lives with my daughter in Florida along with Mai Tai, China’s litter mate, er, slightly older sister.
Here are some “before” and “halfway” pictures.
This is all 3, Ali (the "blonde"), Mai Lin (on the right), and China (front, center).
This time I got Ali to look at the camera.
This is Mai Lin with her shaggy look. Sexy, huh?
China is ready for bed. The raggedy look makes it seem like she's already been asleep.
Here's Ali. He does "disgruntled and embarrassed" so well!
In the back yard after the trims.
Mil Lin wouldn't look at the camera, but she at least stood sitll. I haven't finished her legs, so she has puffy gams!
China was happy to stand still and pose for a couple pictures.
A face to die for!
My boy, "bubba." I think he is saying, "Are ya gonna finish this or what?"
LOL!!! I am sitting here at work and the office is all quiet except for me laughing. I love the pictures of them and your comments besides the pictures. Your babies are so beautiful, plus they have the "coolest" personalities. I will talk with Sophie about not bragging so much about the way she looks. I had no idea that she was making Ali feel so bad about himself. Sophie had told me that she was out in the yard and Ali was making fun of her short haircut and the way her butt looked like a globe. I think she was just covering for what she had said to Ali. I promise to handle this and it is promised she will be grounded for at least a week.
ReplyDeletehee hee hee!! I was feeling rather goofy last night, and I guess Ali just picked up on it. He says now that he appreciates your concern, but after a good night's rest, he doesn't think you should ground Sophie. She already apologized! And he admits that perhaps he blew it out of proportion. ;-)
ReplyDeleteCan't we all just get along?
Sweet. Sweet puppies.
ReplyDeleteragged - Caroline and I just met in the back yard, talking over the fence, and fortunately both dogs apologized to each other for their attitudes. There is peace in the back yard again. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYes, it is good they apologized, but as soon as we got in the house Sophie blurted out, "I don't know why I had to say I was sorry. Ali started this whole thing". And then she mumbled something that sounded like a curse word.
ReplyDeleteCaroline - Didja wash her mouth with soap? Ali has been the picture of "good boy." He's not taking any chances!!
ReplyDelete