MANLY MONDAY!

Tom: The weather is gorgeous. It's a little cold so the ground was crunchy this morning but the sun feels so good.

A few days ago, I went with #1 to see our little pup buddies, Nours and Lily, as I am playing a major role in socialising them. As you can see, they were very good about following my lead!

Little Lily even knows how to point. Isn't that cool?

In other news, I continue to enjoy my Fantasy Flyer!

Oh, and I promised to tell you what Ms. P brought me! I got a woofie stuffie that is almost as big as I am!

And some balls and treats!!!

Bibi-Chan: As you know, I sleep under the covers with #1, so here I am, urging her to come to bed...

And in the mornings, I often like to be on the bed, where I am frequently disturbed by you know who...

And this of course is how it inevitably ends...

Gen-Chan: I DO look up to my big brother!!!

This is how #1 found me when she awoke this morning:

I was sitting on the back of the big chair by her bed and I was NOT bothering anyone! Just surveying things...

And here, for your viewing pleasure is a lovely sunny shot of me taken this morning also:

Vidock: As she went wild on the photos on Friday, #1 doesn't have much left to share with you, so here is just one left over from that series:

I got word that she's coming to see me tomorrow so maybe she can take some more photos then. By the way, she got her Nikon S9100 back. It's repaired but she looked up the user reviews on amazon and it looks like a lot of people have had the same problem with that camera, and a lot are finding themselves taking too many blurry photos. So, Nikon, you're outta the door. There will be a newest new camera soon!

SNUGGLES ON SUNDAY!

Tama-Chan: #1 and I were looking back through our posts and realised that it's been three weeks since we did a SoS post! Can you believe that? I guess there has been a lot going on and not enough days in the week to cover everything. Anyway, we woke up to a glorious, if cold, day and today we are snuggling!!!

Here I am with my Tommy:

And here are the boys on #1's bed first thing this morning:

You would be correct in suspecting that things did not stay peaceful for long...

Here is Tommy looking after his little Sei-Chan:

Genji hanging with Tommy:

and glued to #1....

Wishing you all a very snuggly Sunday!

PS: Some of our older blogging friends may remember ISIS, our beautiful Abyssinian friend from England. She was Sen-Chan's special friend. She hasn't blogged for a couple of years but we were very happy to hear that she gave birth last week to a litter of five kittens! You can read the kitten diary and see photos over at the Lovelynx Abyssinians website. Congratulations, Isis!

Sleepy SEIturday

Sei-Chan: It's SEIturday again so that means that #1 has been back for a whole week. Let's face it, life is best when she is home with us. Of course she is planning to leave again soon, to spend a few days at the national agricultural fair in Paris, but the wonderful Ms. P will be looking after us so that barely counts...

Anyway, I gather you have already been told that my Beastie Band was found and is back gracing my neck:

I have been spending some time supervising kitchen activities from my radiator perch:

But as you know, supervising #1 at work is my main mission. Not sure why I started feeling so sleepy today, though..........

So I moved over to the radiator hammock...

I was having a wonderful snooze when a certain silver menace stated bugging me...

Sigh...

Have a great weekend, everyone!

VIDOCK VENDREDI or Vidock Friday!

Vidock:

"Munch, Scrunch, Munch, Munch......."

"This is sheriously delishious hay. It tashtes of warm weather and our lovely fields!"

"Hey! #1!!!!!! Is that YOU?"

"It's been so long! Let me come over and give you a smooch!"

Guess what? # told me she took delivery of a bag of my all-time favourite treats!

The thing is that you cannot buy these treats online. They are only available at Tractor Sales stores. So, having seen her mention her local Tractor Sales outlet somewhere, #1 turned to our dear friend Chrystal who does such amazing rescue work. Chrystal packed off her husband to the store, and when he came back with the bag, she mailed it to our friend Ms. P in Texas who then hand-carried it across the ocean. How about that for global networking?! And all for sweet little Percheron stallion me!!! THANKS!!!

By the way, in case you were wondering... I am very proud of the "this side up" arrow blaze on my face. That way, I know that they're never going to put me the wrong way up!!!

TAMA TAKES THURSDAY!

Tama-Chan: No other way, was there? I was happy to enough to give up my Tuesday post in honour of the lovely and very brave K, but a girl, especially a Queen, does have to have her exposure! So I just took over Thursday this week.

Now, let me see... what's been going on? We had some time out in the run when the snow started to melt and temperatures finally turned positive. #1 thought we might enjoy a bit of the leftover snow minus the freezing temps. She was right.

Queen Tama surveys her outdoor kingdom:

I was glad much of the snow had melted!

Please note that I have a new collar. The previous had become a little tatty and ratty...

Here I am, sitting on the laundry pile, waiting for #1 to Zoom-Groom me:

I do love the Zoom Groom!

And by the way... Only a few days ater #1 returned from England with all that stash, we've scored big again and are very thankful! Remember Ms. P from Texas? She looked after us about 15 months ago when #1 went to the States. Well, she's back! She is looking after a friend of ours, Mimi, who lives not far from here, and she came with a full suitcase! Aside from bringing us stuff that #1 had ordered:

She also brought her own fabulous selection of gifts!

Thanks, Ms. P! You're a true friend! Tommy and Vidock will tell you about their stuff separately...

One-Word Wednesday: SUPERTOMMY!

Pillars of Strength - A Special Day for K

Today is Valentine's Day, a day when we think even more than usual about all those we love, whether they are near or far. Each and every one of us here considers all the others to be their Valentines. But the real magic of our Blogosphere is how it allows us to reach far beyond our own families, friends and communities, across oceans and around the world.

Our post today and all our Valentine's wishes are dedicated to our friends K and KB whom many of you know through the fabulous blog "Romping and Rolling in the Rockies." The blog is written by KB who shares with us the extraordinary beauty of where she lives and all the wonderful creatures she captures on her hidden cameras. K is her chocolate lab, a dog that embodies beauty, joy and love. K has had her share of problems over the years but none as terrifying as what is facing her now. She has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma. She has had radiation therapy and is now undergoing a course of chemotherapy with the next round due on Friday, February 17th.

What is most extraordinary about K and KB is their indomitable spirit. KB has struggled with spinal problems all her life and yet she gets on her bike and roars through the spectacular countryside that surrounds her. K and her buddy, R, are her partners in adventure. As they have together faced this awful turn of events, they have shown truly amazing grace and an unfailing determination to be brave and to live each day to the full. They are both such an inspiration to us.

It is our hope that their strength and true appreciation of what it is to be alive, as well as the love and admiration that we all feel for them, will carry K and KB through many more adventures. We are joining our friends around the world in participating in PILLARS OF STRENGTH in their honour today. Please note that the picture above depicts the leg that carries K's osteosarcoma.

We have taken the liberty of lifting a photo from the blog so you can see for yourselves, those who do not yet know her, the beauty that is K: