writer, warrior, whack-a-doodle

Settling In

Settling In

September 2, 2010
Posted in: Dogs | Reading Time: 4 minutes

No rest for the weary.  This week, we got the wireless router working (it actually works if you do NOT follow the installation directions), received our air shipment with our clothing, and got the cable TV entertainment system working. Mr. Wild Dingo has been traveling on day trips throughout Europe, while I unpacked and walked the dogs, shopped and walked the dogs, did laundry and walked the dogs, interviewed a fence contractor and walked the dogs, met with the architect and carpenter and walked the dogs. Are you getting the picture? Because we don't have our fence in yet--oh wait, you knew that already, not like I haven't complained about that 47 times yet--I have to take them for two really long 1.5-2hour walks daily because they can't get their zoomie fix. With all this walking, I've been conking out into a deep coma every night. And can someone please tell me why is it I came to Switzerland to escape the never-ending lines of contractors working on our property in California, only to come to a finished home with its own mile-long list of contractors and work to be done?

Clearly these two find unpacking too exhausting and decide a nap in the sun is just the ticket.

Same dogs, same tricks, different country. Gotta love our "quality" rent-a-furniture.

Thank Dog for obedience! When our first set of contractors came over to discuss mandatory changes to the house to comply with the canton and country codes, of course I tried to lock them in a room. I completely forgot they can open doors and out they came, with a little cracker hello. Loki usually spends about 30 seconds with his rough tough manly barking "There's an intruder! An intruder,"  before I'm able to get out my skillet and beat him into submission quieting down.  Seriously though, thank dog for the two years of obedience as I'm able to put them both on down-stays in the kitchen so I can chat with the contractors throughout the house and they don't need to be bugged by a cracker dog and a wiggly husky.

"Hey Princess, why does this feel like jail if the doors are all open?"
"At least its the kitchen. Shut yur yapper. Maybe I'll get a treat for this."

Our neighbors invited us for coffee last Sunday. They have three children, who speak FIVE freaking languages (while all I can say "bun chore"), that love dogs and they wanted to meet them. After coffee, we went to retrieve the dogs. Juno slipped her collar just outside the front door and ran for the street. Thank Dog for obedience once again. Juno come! She flipped around and came right back to us for her no-slip collar. Juno greeted them with proper wiggles and wags, while Loki greeted them with barks, then yips of excitement. Rules are rules and Loki had to wait until his yapper was closed before he got to go meet them officially up close.  Later, they both obliged the children with many tricks and proper behavior. The little girls seemed to fawn over Juno while the little boy seemed enchanted with Loki.

After a good long meet and greet, we came home to this:

Hmm... funny, I don't remember leaving my shoes like this.

By now, Internet readers, you must think I let my dog destroy my shoes for pure Internet entertainment value. I mean, it happens so much, clearly I can't be this dumb, right? Let me assure you, I'm not independently rich and cannot  afford to buy new shoes every time I have writer's block.  Besides, it was Mr. Wild Dingo who left the bedroom door open and there isn't a single closet in this house.  These are brand new shoes. I'm now down to 1 pair of sneakers and 2 pairs of flip flops. Seriously. I can't go on like this.

"It looks much better with a little white in it to match my natural loveliness, don't you think mom?"
Damn Sibe.

Mr. Wild Dingo pointed out that Juno was kind enough to leave me at least 2-intact shoes on either foot that I can wear:

I'm thinking I can claim that this is all the rage in the US. Besides, the Swiss are not exactly known for their fashion trendiness. They'll never know!

In the mean time, Juno has taken to "the drink" to replace her need for shoe masticatory rages:

"So light! So refreshing! Just the thing one needs to wash down all that shoe leather."

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14 comments on “Settling In”

  1. Hey! Your label says mastications. Hehehe. When my human brother was a wee thing, all you had to do is say mastication and he would shoot his milk out his nose. Easy mark.

  2. Where did my other comment go? Just sayin that with only sneakers left your mom will be compelled to do her duty and walk you all the time when she is not snoozing.

    Slobbers,
    Mango

  3. Of course, Juno is just helping you to become a trend-setter there in Switzerland! She's doing it out of love, I'm sure! Soon, it will be all the Swiss rage to wear mismatched shoes!

  4. So the dogs are trained to down stay during big distractions and to come when called but Mr. Dingo isn't trained to shut the bedroom door? Tsk, tsk.

    We have a similar situation in our household. Luckily, Golden Retrievers have a soft mouth and can carry shoes all over the house without a single tooth mark.

    Sorry you have to fit shoe shopping in with all your other jobs!

  5. Hey, I see that things are getting back to normal for you... The shoe thingy was a dead giveaway!!! hehehe
    I can't wait to hear more of the adventure.

  6. Woo khan take a husky out of the khountry but woo khan't take the husky out of the husky...

    Or something like that...

    As fur this one, slipping my khollar would probably mean next stop Siberia...

    Khlogz&Khysses,
    Khyra

  7. I remember how exciting it was when the fence was finished! Moose was just getting off of post-op crate rest but it was still a huge relief to be able to let him out when he wanted.
    Funny about good dogs still having a 'habit'! They should at least eat the shoes of the person who left the door open!
    Glad you are settling in. COntractors never go away do they?
    Moose + Momma (& Mandy)
    p.s. bun chore ha ha ha ha took me a minute!

  8. I think that the "two different shoes is all the rage in the US" line will work perfectly. I was already going down that line of thought when I read it! My husband went to work for an entire day wearing two different shoes. He had to give a lecture to 100 students in two different shoes. Ha Ha!

    But, maybe you need to get a lock box or something for the remaining shoes. Or, soak them in bitter apple...

  9. ...And then the shoe, ahem, I mean the penny, dropped!
    (Sorry, sorry, I ought to be shot at dawn, I know. Won't do it again, I swear...)PERFECT excuse for a shoe-shopping trip methink.

    Hope you remembered to pack the mighty skillet to mete out swift punishment again Mr Wild Dingo.

    Are you sure Juno is the one hitting the 'kro? I mean, all that stress...

  10. Juno is attracted to cows..you can't blame her for sampling the goods till she can get to the real thing when you're not looking.
    Those shoes look like my Danko's that I have..I would be hard pressed not to beat one of my pups with the left over one if I ever found mine looking like that..
    I'm very lucky. One doesn't touch shoes, she is sensitive to raised voices so a few good "bad dog" talkings cured her of that habit. the other pup just likes to carry them around once in a while. He drops them right where we usually walk as our reminder that he wants to go out.

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