Rainy Day Throwbacks

Got water!  Lots of it.  Also, got mud.  More than we need or want.  A steady rain has been adding to the puddles and washing even more of the snow away.

So, trips outside with pups today will mean more work and more towels than ever.  I thought I was on to something the other day when I looked online to see if waterproof doggie booties existed.

They do. 

So, I called Petco.  The lady said they had a few on hand. Upon arriving at the store a little later, I found three kinds of footwear for dogs but felt a little uncertain as to what size to get for Liam.  He keeps growing. 

He seems to be growing into his big feet; this week he needs to grow into that tail which seemed to extend by at least a couple of inches while I was gone.

Not knowing what to do about size, I asked a staff member to come over and help me decide.  She looked everything over and then said, "You ought to just go buy some baby socks and maybe use a hair band with each." 

"So, these don't stay on?" I asked, "not even the booties with velcro straps."

No, she said. 

So, I took her advice, went to Wal-Mart and bought three packages of baby socks and a roll of adhesive tape.

I came home, put the socks on a very willing and unwiggly Liam. He didn't seem to mind in the least.  So, then came experiment time.  I snapped on his leash and headed out the door.

Within four feet of the door, one sock fell off.  By ten feet away, all four were on the ground or on their way off from Liam's. feet.

I walked back into the house with a wad of soggy baby socks and said to Bill, "Good idea, but . .  . oh well, I guess we'll be using a lot of towels."

So, yes, wet-dog season is here. 

It's also Throwback Thursday, and when I was scrolling through my photo library the day before yesterday, looking for some other photos bound for a publication, I saw the two pups above and wondered whose puppies those were.

My oh my, Barbara and Laurie's Australian Cattle Dogs, Jessie and Meggie,  have completely transformed since that first day we greeted them in their crate at Spokane Airport. In addition to size, their color has changed to basically solid brown. 

Anyway, finding that picture led me to many more in the digital collection, including youthful photos of horses and other pups as well as memories of good times and good people. 

So, happy rainy day in North Idaho, happy Throwback and best of luck to the SHS Lady Bulldogs this afternoon in their first Idaho State Tournament game against Burley.  Of course, I'd never forget the other Bulldogs who are hosting Pacific this evening in the Kennel.  GO, ZAGS!  

Enjoy the photos. 

Our beloved Kiwi when she was about the same age as Liam is now.  She turns 11 this year, and she hasn't slowed down much as queen of the Lovestead  Border Collie Nation. 

A wonderful Sandpoint couple and two old friends:  Skip and Nancy Pucci.  This was taken a few years back when Skip brought his horse and cart to town for the Fourth of July and invited my mother to ride shotgun with him. A great memory for Mother.

Skip was also the first Sandpoint resident Bill met when he came to Idaho for the 1973 Boy Scout Jamboree.  At the time, Skip had a scout troop and played an active role in the Jamboree. 

Always fun to find photos of my grand nephew and nieces, the triplets, Jacob, Grace and Justine, who are now busy eighth graders at Coeur d'Alene Charter School.

Their dad Sefo works as a groundskeeper at Circling Raven Golf Course near Worley. 

We have the Slaneys to thank for some of our Border Collies.  On this day, they brought Webster on the right.  Webster soon moved to Palm Springs where he leads a happy life with my friend Mow and her menagerie.

Kiwi was quite happy to greet Webster.  Sadly, her eventual sidekick Kea is no longer with us, but we have good memories. 

Another case of a beloved pet no longer a part of our family.  Casey had just gotten acquainted with Lily when this photo was taken, shortly after Lily (standing) arrived from Oklahoma.  Like my sisters' pups, Lily's color has changed dramatically, as she is mostly white with red spots. 

A good time in February a few years back when Mother, Annie and I did some Texas touring and my niece Laura met us in San Antonio where she was attending a conference.

That trip was a "going home" of sorts for Mother who lived in San Antonio as a child and attended Ursuline Academy. 

The beginning of the Folgers coffee can era with our Border Collie nation.  Kiwi's first toy was one of those red cans.  There were a few scattered around our farm on Great Northern Road, and now there are dozens on our 20 acres here in Selle.  They grow well out in this rural neck of the woods. 

Yesterday my friend and former colleague Don Albertson joined Facebook, so I've posted a few photos this morning, which Don should enjoy.  He taught with most of these ladies, and he's married to the one in the front row on the left.  That would be Terri Albertson sitting next to Shirley Parker and Myra Lewis.

Standing:  Edna Iverson and Bev Chapin ( who passed a way a couple of years ago).  We all loved and do miss Bev.

This photo was taken when the ladies came by to see our new farm in Selle about ten years ago. 

SMILE:  Some of my former Ponderettes Drill Team stars, Patsy Beyer Sletager, Holly Whittaker and Sue Hatch Smith, who attended a book event for Lessons with Love. 

And my mother was at the book event, as was . . . 

my Latin teacher and former colleague, Marian Ruyle. 

So, were all these folks.  I won't try to name them all, but I'm sure there are numerous recognizable faces for local blog followers.  

At the book launch, The River Journal publisher and owner Trish Gannon thought Willie needed to have some Clark Fork Wampus Cat apparel, for some stranger reason.  Obviously, Willie appreciated Trish's generous gesture. 

Another 2007 book launch attendee was book lover and Thompson family (those are the outlaws) matriarch Helen Thompson. 

And for my friend, Don Albertson, here's a nice memory as he visits with Steve Neuder and his adorable daughters.  I do believe one of them is a busy high school student these days.