I had a party yesterday!

Diane and Cosmos showed up at our house to go for a walk late yesterday afternoon. I was totally beside myself with happiness. We headed out for a walk along the lake, and guess who we met on our way?

Riley! And Gary!

We all walked together. Sniffed stuff together, peed on things together. My human was going to let me have a swim because it was hot. Usually Riley doesn't come down to the lake, but he did yesterday. He was funny - he wasn't really too sure what to do at the water. I ran straight in, bit the water, rolled around, swam, shook. Riley kind of tested things out on the shore, played with algae and rocks and eventually came into the water a bit. Cosmos got her paws wet, I think - that is usually the extent of her involvement with water. We all romped and played in our own way down there. Riley dug up a big rock, and carried it up to the grass in his mouth.

He is SUCH a man. Ahhhhhhhh.

We continued along, two of us wet, one nice and clean and dry.

Usually we split up by Riley's house. He goes home, we continue along the sidewalk to our house.

Yesterday, though, this did not happen. He came with us.

All the way into my yard!

I couldn't believe it! Riley came to my house!

Riley, Cosie and I wandered around, checked out toys and bones, had a drink and generally had a good time.

Riley made up a game. My human put a big bowl of water in the yard for him (since Gary was in the yard, Riley was in the yard - he never strays far from his dad, so, the water had to come to him).

He self-played with his tennis ball back there, eventually coming up with this game where he would drop the ball into his water dish, fish it out, carry it across the patio, drop it, chase it while it rolled, catch it, and take it back to drop into the water bowl. Then he'd do it again.

He appeared to enjoy this game.

Wtf?

I don't get it.

But, whatever, I was still just glad he and Cosie were over hanging at my place.

My peeps.

I was a bad girl yesterday. I had a good time being a bad girl.

My misbehaviour began at the QEW and Northshore Rd, after having been packed into the car and driven along Lakeshore. I realized at this point that we were most likely heading somewhere really fun, and, unable to clearly detrmine where we were headed, decided barking my brains out, smearing the passenger side windshield with dog snot in the process and trying to climb out of the car via the dashboard would be a good way to release the pent up energy inside me. I was not aware the human had a headache, which made her slightly more intolerant of my ridiculous behaviour.

"Storm, sit!" she commanded.

I sat.

For about five seconds, before my ass popped up again and I resumed my attempt to climb out of the front windshield. And so it continued all the way to the RBG parking lot.

"Storm, sit!"

"Storm, SIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

We arrived at the RBG and found Diane and Cosmos. My human rolled down her car window, uttered something to Diane in frustration and next thing I know I'm being unceremoniously dumped into Diane's van. All good with me - Cosie was there, and it was fun. The part where she shut the door on my tail? Not so fun. I wasn't hurt.

The four of us went for a walk at Coote's Paradise. Paradise is a good word for it. That place is oozing chipmunks and squirrels. Seriously, I have never seen so many. I tried to chase all of them, nearly pulling the human over a few times. She tried to slow me down, stop me. I ignored her. Later in the hike, I nearly yanked her into a small creek, and into the lake during an attempt to chase down a couple of swans. By the time we were heading back to the car and I nearly yanked her down a hill while chasing a chipmunk, she was beyond mad at me. I had to do a down stay. I got up before she told me to - that got me into even more trouble.

It was worth it. I had SO much fun - swam, chased stuff, sniffed, explored, hung with my BFF.

I slept the rest of the day.

I went to the groomer yesterday.

Also known as the canine version of Guantanamo Bay.

At first when we went into the pet store, a place I adore, I was happy. I tried to eat pig's ears piled up in a box and apparently free for the taking. Attempted to gnaw on a roasted marrow bone sticking out from a display, and had a general sniff around the place.

Things changed rapidly. Next thing I know, the human was handing over the leash to the groomer - who started to make me walk away from my human, which confused and upset me. I started to cry out, assuming my human would respond and rescue me.

Instead, she walked out the door.

I was led to the back, where I spent the better part of four hours being washed (or waterboarded from my perspective), poked, prodded, snipped and stuffed into a jail cell.

Surely there is a law against this kind of canine torture practice?

After a few hours I was sprung from the cell and led to the front. I spotted my human and bolted to her before anyone could catch me and take me back to the torture chamber.

Little did I know, the worst was yet to come.

Apparently I emerged all "cute and fluffy and delicious smelling". I am still being mauled on a regular basis.

I've got to roll in something gross very soon and put an end to this cuddling bull****.

My boyfriend was hit by a car!

He's ok, thank god.

He was playing catch with his ball in his favourite park across the street, saw two dogs across the street and, quite uncharacteristically, decided to run across to say hello to them. His dad yelled at him to stay, no no avail. Off Riley went, onto Lakeshore Rd. He was hit by an SUV. The man stopped, apologized to Gary, said he tried hard to avoid Riley. Gary told him it was not his fault - it was his fault that Riley was off leash and ran into the street. When Riley went onto the road - at rush hour - his dad's heart was in his throat.

Amazingly, all that happened is a small abraision on the inside of one of Riley's legs.

He is truly incredible.

I love him even more now.

I have a message to deliver.

I know we have language issues. I will try to make this as simple and clear as possible.

Stay away from my bum.

All of you.

Don't touch my bum.

Don't lift up my tail to look at my bum.

Don't stick fingers or thermometers into my bum.

If my anal glands are clogged, leave the damned things alone. I'll suffer.

Don't talk about my bum.

Just leave my bum alone.

Seriously. I've had it with all of you.

Got it?

There is a field at Bronte that, around this time of year, is like a little slice of heaven. Whenever we hike in May, we stop in this field. If it's windy, you can see the tall grass blowing with the wind, and smell thousands of amazing scents in the air.

We stopped in our field last night during a twilight hike. The human laid down in the grass. I licked her face, then, surrounded by super fat blades of spring grass, feasted on the buffet around me. Once I'd filled my belly, I kicked back, put my nose up and sniffed the air. Whenever the wind changed, the scents changed.

I love that field.

Hello readers! One tired out German shepherd here. I ran a bit too much today, given that my arthritis is bugging me. Couldn't help it - we got to Bronte and Diane and Cosie were there - happy, happy happy! We had a great walk, played in the creek, I rolled in some mud (Cosmos is such a lady - she tiptoed through it), and met a few dogs. Good times. On our last walk of the day, I saw Riley again and we walked together. Now I'm home and pretty damned tired. And smelly.

Had a rather humiliating experience the other night. I was tired after a day of hiking and sleeping, and was snoozing over by the loveseat, upside down with my ass exposed for the world to see. The human came down to the floor to snuggle me (ugh) and, well, I think I farted but I'm not sure. This totally intense smell started coming from my butt. Next thing I know, the human is examining my ass. I kept snoozing. She got up, went into the kitchen - and I heard water running.

That is generally not a good sign.

I stood up in order to facilitate a quick escape if necessary.

It was futile. The human came out of the kitchen holding a wash cloth. I could smell shampoo on it. She lifted up my tail and - jesus - cleaned my ass. It was SO humiliating.

Some days...but, hey, I smell petal fresh now.