Going Aussi to Celebrate the Return of the DWB!!

Look what we found: this is a Kangaroo Paw. Mom saw it at our garden center on Saturday and had to have it. She doesn't have a clue as to what a real kangaroo paw looks like, but she liked this interpretation. (The plant we bought actually has red flowers instead of yellow and is very cool looking.)

We also have a new Australian tree fern to replace the one that kaputted on us in the cold -- photos later.

Guess this is Mom's way of celebrating the return of the DWB!!!!! To quote her favorite "Joey," this is a big %*&# deal!!!

Jake

Zen for Our Boy Jackson

News flows so quickly through our virtual world that by now the word about Jackson needing our special prayers and healing love has reached so many of his pals across the globe. We just want to add our wirey zen and crossed paws to the circle of love surrounding him and ask others to do the same thing.Jackson is an amazing dude. He's overcome all kinds of serious illnesses -- and in the process has brought so many of us together in friendship and love. So we're in his debt and committed to helping him continue his fight now through this latest setback.The flags are furling. The dog star is in action. The circle of paws is holding him -- and his J1 and J2 -- tightly.

Hang in there, dear boy!! We love you.

Jake and Just Harry

The girl can't help herself...

As she does every year at this wondrous moment, our mom goes around reciting the following classic poem in her imitation Brooklyn accent:

"Spring is sprung.

Da grass is riz.

I wonder where da boidies is.

All da boids is on da wing.

My, my ain't dat absoid!

I taut da wing was on da boid..."

Indulge her, if you will.

Jake

FYI, There are many variations (and alleged authors) to this poem -- and apparently there is even a Cockney version.

Sure and Begorrah**

**Would you just look at that!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all our Irish friends -- and to all the rest of us who are Irish for just one day!! O'Jake and O'JH

No rest for the weary...

Just so there's no confusion about my role in this household: not only do I make sure Mom is working her you know what off, but when Dogdad has a deadline, I step in to make sure his work is done correctly too.

What would they do without me?????????????

Jake

Just so you don't forget us...

We looked at the date on our last blog and realized "someone" has not been living up to her responsibilities. We know from the tap tap tap of her fingers on the computer, followed by huge sighs and occasional groans, that she's in one of her project deadline modes. But lest everyone forget us in the meantime until she finishes, we persuaded her to take a few minutes to say hello. As you can see, I help as best I can by watching over her from my bench which is just a few paws from her desk. I make sure she is really working so she gets done as quickly as possible.

And if you look carefully, you'll see that while I recline on my bench, another furry creature who looks a lot like me prefers the lower level.

Yep, that's my silly brother. Gotta' love him though -- he's given up his nightime shower barking and is back in everyone's good graces.

Now get back to work, mom, you hear!!!!

Jake

Sunday Sun

We know many of you are still snowbound, without power, feeling cabin fever -- so we thought it might be encouraging to see a bit of sunlit green and remember that Spring is just around the corner -- somebody's corner, not sure just whose though.

Here in South Florida, it's still chilly (for us), but since the sky was a bright blue and the sun shining yesterday afternoon, Mom agreed it was time for a little photoshoot. So we all went out on the patio, with a bit of red wine ... Now don't get any wrong ideas. We're not really lap dogs. We're terriers. But those chairs are too high for us to reach, so the folks took pity on us and lifted us to where the action was. Honest. Not lap dogs. Terriers.From our kinda' comfy lap perches though, we had a good view of the fox tail palm that Dogdad planted in honor of Jakey back in 2003. It took a hit from Wilma in 2005 -- but it has recovered and continues its skyward march. On the other side of the patio, some of the greenery and plants have survived the unusual cold of a few weeks ago...

But, sadly, one of Mom's favorite plants -- a ginger with bright red flowes -- that she's had since before Dogdad and us --decided enough was enough.And the mussenda -- the plant with beautiful white flowers -- seems to have given up too.

Ah, but then we heard noises and had to get down from our heights to do one of the things we do best: PROTECT THE PERIMETER!

When we were reassured that all was safe, we told the folks we were ready to go back inside.

The afternoon sun still reached us -- Jakey on his favorite bench and me, as always, on my sacred mission TO PROTECT THE FAMILY!

Lest some of you are wondering about my situation as canina non grata, and my quest for employment elsewhere -- I have received several very interesting offers: Scotland. Boston. An estate with a beautiful pink barn. Mayemphis. Mexico, Switzerland, England.

When Mom read all the replies and learned how many others get awakened regularly in the wee hours of the morning -- she and Dogdad had a long conversation about how fortunate they were that, however piercing/ear-shattering my bark, I had awakened them only once or twice before dawn in five years* -- and that perhaps they should rethink the situation. In the past week, things seem to have quieted down -- and only once did I feel the need to sit on the dressing room/bathroom floor for an hour -- listening. Listening for sounds that apparently only I can hear.

But please, dear friends, keep those job offers open -- you never know!!

Wirey love from Jake and me!

Just Harry

* Full disclosure forces me to admit that I awaken them after dawn quite regularly when the neighbor's little white dog whom I seem to detest goes for her morning stroll. But that's another story.