Birthdays Galore

July is filled with birthdays in our little family.  Keltie (11th) is 2, Kooper (20th) is 8 and me (22nd) at 29 . Holly loves birthday parties, and gifts – any gift for anyone, from anyone.  The dogs have learned that a birthday for one is a birthday for all. Treats are freely shared, toys are for everyone to play with.  Even Gracie comes out for birthdays, generally sitting up and above watching the giddiness of all the silly dogs.

Kooper joined us for a cabin trip on Friday, where we had Keltie’s cousin birthday party.  The car ride there was filled with anticipation.  Kooper and Holly both enjoy watching the road from the middle seat, directly next to my shoulder.  Two big dogs sharing the same small space presents a dilemma for both of them.  With no growls yet no backing down, they figured out how it could be done (see pictures).  And I was thoroughly entertained throughout the whole trip, and accurately informed by both of them that I had made the correct turn to get to the cabin.

Kooper and Lana facetimed me on my birthday, a nice treat for the end of the day.  Holly & Helen got into the conversation, especially Holly who heard Lana’s voice & saw Kooper’s face, then immediately found Hedgehog and held her tenderly in her mouth throughout the entire conversation.  Holly is still figuring out how someone can be in the room talking to her, without being in the room.  Truthfully, I gave up trying to figure it out long ago.

The weather has allowed for the outside work projects to finally get into motion. And that they did!  On Saturday, Holly & Helen had plenty of action right in their own backyard.  My neighbor is building a new garage so using the east side of his garage as a fence is no longer an option.  He was kind of enough to give me a heads up so I could get the fence extended before the garage was torn down.  Saturday, Mac & Mike were there digging fence post holes and pounding planks.  Occasionally, I saw one or the other taking a short break to toss Holly’s soccer ball.  Also on Saturday, the painting crew (Robyn & Jenna) was here to spiff up the top level of the garage trim.  These two were an easier target for Holly – paint brushes, tape and rags are an easier theft than saws, hammers and power tools.  At one point, I noticed a tape roll had fallen to the ground directly under Robyn’s ladder.  I told Holly to ‘leave it’ and she did, sitting instead right next to her soccer ball.  Once Robyn came down from the ladder and moved it a few feet, Holly quietly snuck in and grabbed the tape roll, then did the taunting walk around the yard. I didn’t intervene, but watched.  Robyn called for Holly and asked for the tape roll.  Holly slowly walked over to her and dropped the tape roll at her feet, prompting praise and petting.  That was Holly’s trigger to pounce on her soccer ball and place it in Robyn’s mid-section.  It was game-on at that point.  Holly had successfully negotiated the return of hostaged tape roll for about five tosses of the soccer ball.  Happy endings are wonderful.