I've Got Work To Do!

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie.  Over here, by the door.

"Oh.  Hi."

Sorry.  I think it's my turn to blog today, but I'm on watch dog duty.  Yes, I know "they" say Siberian Huskies are not good watch dogs ...

"Oooh, they've got the Bobcat fired up!"

... but our new neighbors across the street are having yard work done, and I plan to watch these guys all day!

Come to think of it ... maybe I need to go outside.  Of course, ever since The Turtle Incident, Mom hasn't been as easy to convince, but maybe if I drink a bunch of water or something.  Have a great day, everybody -- I've got work to do!

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Wordless Wednesday

Cammie!

New Favorite!

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  After seeing some of our fellow bloggers post about the new Apple Orchard Clusters Blueberry Crunch treats by Blue Buffalo, Mom decided to spring for a bag for Maggie and me to share. I think you can see what we think of them by checking out my pupils in this photo:

"YES!!!!!!"

You could saw we're rather fond of them.  I mean, apples and blueberries ... yogurt, flaxseed, dried apple pectin pulp (try saying that three times real fast!) -- what's not to love?!? Frankly, Maggie and I were a bit concerned Mom might reach in and sample one!

"No worries, Cam. She sealed it up nice and tight!" 

You just never know!

Rumor has it there is a bag of the cranberry ones in the magic closet!

Thanks to those of you who posted about these treats!  

Cammie!

PS:  We do not do the monthly product reviews for a well-known on-line pet supply company.  We purchased these treats and really enjoyed them!  We wanted to spread the good word!

We Did Our Part

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie.  Mom is still processing the 87 million photos she took at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, but we'll share some of those with you eventually.  In the meantime ...

Mom wanted Cam and me to pose by one of the planters out front.  She said she had treats, so we sat and looked at her:

"What kind of treats?"
"Do I smell Old Mother Hubbard treats?"

Well, OK - I sat. Cam posed nicely, though.  And we hadn't been shown any treats yet, so I'd say that was mighty good!  Mom, however, didn't think that was quite the shot she was after.

She decided she wanted us closer to the planter - and could we both sit, please?  Fine.

"We've earned at least two treats now, right?"
"Yeah, Mom -- right?!?"

We did our part. It's not our fault there were shadows all over the flowers!  (That's my best "Skeptical Look", by the way!  Pretty good, don't you think?)

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Serene Scenery Sunday

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  Yesterday, Maggie and I got to go on a road trip with Mom and Dad.  We went down to Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, also known as Mom's Happy Place.  We saw lots and lots of really beautiful birdies and stuff.  Mom is still processing her 87 million photos, but we thought we'd share the very best photo of the day for Serene Scenery Sunday!  Ready?!!?

"Is that a sammich?!!?"
"Sharing is caring, Mom!  C'mon!!!"

We had such a good time!  And both Mom and Dad shared their sammiches - that's what made it so serene!

Have a great day!

Cammie!

It's The Weekend

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie!  It's the weekend ...

"Ha roo!"

...who's ready to PLAY?!?

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

There Is A Time To Be Calm ...

... and then ...

Hello, everyone.  It's me, Cam.  You know, Maggie and I see all kinds of things out front - other pups, kit-cats, birdies, bunnies, squirrels, sometimes even a coyote or a deer, the occasional skink or lizard, etc.  And we're fascinated by these things.  We are always very calm and quiet; we take the approach of silently staring at them.  It's what we do.  Except ...

Maggie saw him the first day.  It was right in our driveway.  Check it out!

"Hey ... what's this?"
"Uh oh."

Then it hit her.  It was a TURTLE!

She did what comes naturally to a normally calm Siberian Husky. Mom caught part of it on video.

To watch on YouTube, please click here.

Seriously. It was a TURTLE!!!!!!  A TURTLE!!!

Maggie told me about it, then we did this the whole rest of the day:

"No, really.  I need to go outside, Mom."
"Yeah.  Me, too.  I'll go next."

Unfortunately, Mom didn't buy it.

The very next day, I was walking past our neighbor Tao's yard, when ...

"TURTLE!!!!!!"
"Oh, @$%#!!!"

Ornate Box Turtle, Latin name Terrapene Sibertauntus ornata ornata. Mom shot some vid of me and the TURTLE, too.

To watch on YouTube, please click here.

I couldn't help it.  It was a TURTLE!!!!!

I did this at least every 5 minutes after Mom brought me inside:

"I need to go outside, please.  It's the steroids they've got me on.  Really!"

I was a bit more convincing than Maggie, but only because of the meds I'm taking.

"Awesome, Cam!  Scream as loud as you can if you see him!"
"Don't worry, I will!"

Unfortunately, Mom only bought it a handful of times, then she accused me of faking it.  Technically, I didn't say I needed to pee, I just said I needed to go outside.

"OK, Mags.  We'll take shifts.  You get some rest, I'll stay by the door.  Mom's bound to weaken sooner or later."
"Sigh."

Mom has no idea why we'd get so excited over a turtle when we're so calm about everything else.  What can I say?  It's a TURTLE!!!!!

Cammie!

PS:  Yes, we are still looking for it.  It was last seen in the vicinity of Tao's Mums.  I think I should go next door and thank him for the Eclipse Glasses, don't you?

PMQs: More On Eyes And Shoes, Plus Foil Beanies And Seashells!

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie, here with another installment of PMQs - Questions to the Prime Minister.  We received some great questions, plus some super follow-ups from last week, so let's jump right in and get started!

Hunter's sweet mom, Noreen, wanted to know more about heterochromia iridum -- being bi-eyed. She wanted to know if there is a potential for bi-eyed pups to go blind, because she heard it (heterochromia iridum) is a "genetic flaw". Great question - we get this a lot!

Me!  Polargold's Margaret Thatcher

Addressing the "genetic flaw" part first -- it is genetic, but it is not a flaw! In the show ring, where they are looking for everything that exemplifies perfection in a dog (that's my oversimplification), being bi-eyed is not considered a "fault" or "flaw" at all! In fact, my canine mama Bebe, Dancing Winds Polargold Legacy, is a champion -- and she is a bi-eyed beauty! (Click here to see a photo of her with me and my sisters!)

As per the potential to go blind -- no more prone than anyone else, I'm happy to say.  In fact, reputable breeders are very careful about eye disease and have certified canine ophthalmologists check the eyes of the dogs in their breeding programs.  They ensure their dogs are not passing along any genetic eye conditions.  Some breeders go beyond that - like mine and Cam's!  As part of the contract Mom and Dad signed when I was adopted, not only were my canine mama and dad's eyes examined before they even considered breeding them, but Mom and Dad had to agree to take me to a certified canine ophthalmologist when I was between 12 and 18 months old.  Our breeder wants to ensure none of us in their breeding lines have any eye issues.  AWESOME!   I was given a very thorough eye exam by the great folks in Ophthalmology at KSU Vet Med Teaching Hospital.  I remember them complimenting me on my eye health and saying what a very good girl I was -- especially for a puppy (remember, I was still a youngster!), and something about "especially for a Siberian Husky puppy".  Hmm.  Not sure what they meant by that, but Mom was super pleased, as was my breeder when Mom told her.  Everyone at Ophthalmology (students, residents, and the Ophthalmologist herself) wanted to meet me - it was super fun! They were very impressed that my breeder would have that in our contract and had great things to say about her!  GO TEAM POLARGOLD!!!

Oh.  And in case anyone is wondering, there isn't a chart at the far side of the room with drawings of cats, bunnies, squirrels, etc.  Cam told me there would be, but she was just pulling my leg!

Back on the issue of shoes, our beautiful kit-cat pals Isabella and Angel wanted to know if our mom always wears shoes. They added, "Our theory is your mom wears them so she's ready to go on walks in a split second!"  The simple answer is yes, she does!  And for the very reason you mentioned!

"C'mon, Mom!  Shake a leg!"
"Not too hard or your shoes will come off!"

Ha roo roo roo! Good one, Cam!

Our friend Mr. Mark Albee had another great question! He wanted to know if our mom has a foil beanie. Ah, the foil beanie! Legend has it that bipeds make and wear these to protect themselves against Siberian mind control. Show him the drawer, Cam!

"Check this out, Mr. Albee!"

FOUR kinds of foil.  FOUR!  Why would anyone have FOUR kinds of foil, unless they're into beanie production!?!?  Besides, how else could you explain her ability to resist us?!!?  So the answer is yes, Mr. Albee.  A definite yes.  I'm not saying I've seen a beanie, but FOUR kinds of foil?  Can't be for anything else.

Our last question comes from our dear kit-cat pal Madi!  Actually from her mom.  She wanted to know if we've seen any pretty seashells on the shore of the Kansas Ocean!

"She shells she shells at the -- no, wait.  That's not right..."

Alas, Mom-o-Madi, we have not.  (There is frequently goose poop there, though, which is way more exciting, in my humble opinion!). We have found some lovely shells in our garden, though for some reason Mom just grumbles about them.  

"Hey, what are these down here?  Mini escargots?"

I thought they were cute, but Mom said the guys that live in them eat her plants.  So do I, but she loves me!  (I didn't really write that, did I?  What I meant was I THINK ABOUT eating them.  But I don't.  Really.).  Anyway, they are garden snails, distant relative to that French delicacy escargots!  They are the only shells we see around here.

That reminds me of a great joke passed down in Ao4 HQs lore. Please click here to read it; you won't be sorry.  Our great-sister Ammy was a master joke-teller!!!

That's it for this week!  Thank you for some GREAT questions!  If there is anything you would like to ask, please leave a comment, zip us an email, or leave a comment on Mom's FB page.

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Wordless Wednesday

Mags and Cam!

Fun With Solar Eclipse Glasses

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cam!  As Maggie mentioned yesterday, our neighbor Tao brought some Solar Eclipse Glasses over for Mom and Dad.  As Ao4 Headquarters was right at the 98.6% viewing point for the eclipse, Mom and Dad were able to go out onto the deck to view the event.  The clouds obscured a lot of it, but they were able to see enough to make it exciting -- plus, there was TV coverage.

Back to the glasses.  Mom just had to try to get us to wear them for a photo shoot.  We knew it was coming.  Let's cut to it - with quick captions!

"Seriously, Mom?"

"Yeah, this is a lot better."

Let's look at how Maggie is doing with hers.

"Oh, hey, look at that.  They're falling."

Mags and I changed positions, then took another run at it.

"Umm..."

"Ha roo?"

Right.  Then I mustered up every bit of supermodel powers I possess and ...

"Here's the money shot, Mom!  Is Maggie ready?  I can't see anything!"

I'm not sure how Maggie ended up on my other side - again, I couldn't see anything - but this was the best we could do for Mom:

"I don't even know where to look!"
"Who turned out the lights?"

Given the challenge those glasses presented (lightweight, nothing to hold them in place), I'd say Mags and I did mighty well!

Did any of you or your bipeds get to see the eclipse?  What an exciting event!

Cammie!

Are You Ready?

Greetings to all!  It's me, Mags, here with Cam.  Are you ready for today's total eclipse of the  heart  sun?

"Don't look directly into Mom's eyes!"
"I ... I can't look away!  We need protection - quick!"

"Do you think this is enough, Cam?"
"Enough to look at Mom, yes.  Enough to watch the eclipse, no."

Yep.  We need the big guns for that.  C'mon, Mom!  ENGAGE CARTOON MODE!!!

"Oh, yeah.  This is good."
"Yeah.  Totally set."

Just kidding.  I think humans are the only ones  stupi  interested enough in the eclipse to go out and stare directly at it.  Besides, we're expecting thunderstorms today.  Maybe.

For those who do get to see it, please be sensible and safe!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

PS:  My very favorite neighbor brought over a couple pairs of eclipse glasses yesterday.  I'm sure if he realized what Mom was going to do with them, he would have refrained from doing so.  We'll have some "outtakes" for you tomorrow.  

Serene Scenery Sunday

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cam.  This week for Serene Scenery Sunday, we thought we'd share a quick shot of us posing on the porch.

"We've got this, Cam!"
"Give it your best shot, Mags!" 

What can we say?  Mom had treats!  Talk about serenity!

Oh.  Right.  And the porch planter is still looking mighty good, despite the heat!

Have a great Sunday!

Cammie!

Saturday Plans

Hello, everyone! It's me, Cam. We went on a nice all-family walk this morning and now we're doing this:

"Hey, everybody!"
"Hello!"

I think we'll be playing indoor games later; it's going to be another toasty one today!  Do you have any interesting plans?

Stay cool, everyone!

Cammie!

Sneaky Snake II and 3-Rings

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie.  Yesterday, Cam and I got to play with our new toys, Sneaky Snake II and 3-Rings.  It was mighty awesome!

After Mom gave them to us, I ran into the Living Room and got busy with 3-Rings.

"Won't be long 'til I have a NICE hole in you, 3-Rings!"

Cam really likes Sneaky Snake II, so they played together.

"You might want to snuggle in close, Sneaky Snake II!"
"Hold me, Cam-O!"

Seriously.  Like I'd hurt Sneaky Snake II.

Yeah, OK.  But not while Cam's playing with him.

Mom shot some vid of all of us playing.  Check it out!

To view on YouTube, please click here.

So, yes. As you could see, I may have started that hole I mentioned. Here is a still shot:

"This is going GREAT!"

Have I mentioned these are "under supervision only" toys?  They are.  I have no idea why.

Mom decided she'd like to play with 3-Rings, too, so we got a little Tug action in:

"Pull, Mom!  Pull!"
"You're too strong, Mags!"

What fun!  We even played a little Siberian Husky Rules Fetch.  Then some more Tug.

"I've got you now!!!"

Oh, yeah.  See that sort of teal-colored fabric?  That used to house one of the squeakers.  I performed a Squeak-ectomy.  For some reason, Mom took the squeaker away and put it somewhere where I can't find it.

"I wouldn't look if I were you, Sneaky!
"She'sssssss got Jawssss of Sssssteel!"

What a fun time!  Mom said we can all play again this afternoon!  I can't wait!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher 

PMQs: Heterochromia Iridum and Shoes

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie, here with an installment of Questions to the Prime Minister - or PMQs.  We're glad you wanted to see this "column" revised!  Please remember to ask any questions here in the comments section, zip us an email (see sidebar for address), or leave a comment on Mom's FB page.  Let's get started!

First up is a question from our friend Mr. Mark Albee regarding my heterochromia iridum - or the fact that I'm bi-eyed.  He wanted to know ... "Is it true you can see in to 2 worlds?"

Mr. Albee is referring to an old legend that says those who are bi-eyed can see into Heaven and Earth at the same time.

Heaven on Earth, perhaps, but ... seeing Heaven and Earth?

Alas, I must dispel this myth, though canines do have the ability to read peoples' hearts.  Having different "vision", though ... no.  Having said that, I AM fairly certain my mom (who has two browns) can see through walls, as she always seems to know what I'm doing.  It's kind of freaky.

There's another legend that says that bi-eyed sled dogs are faster than dogs with the same color eyes.  This one I just may well buy into, as I am aces at doing zoomies!  Seriously.  Trust me here.

Our dear friend Molly the AireGirl said, "I would love to know how many pairs of sneakers your mom has, Maggie? She sure does have great taste!"  Mmm.  Sneakers.  Taste.

Oh.  Sorry.  Right.  She probably didn't mean "taste" as a verb there.  Well, the shoes are kept in one of the magic closets around here for some reason.  The doors to said places always seem to be closed.  I have no idea why; let's not even discuss it.  That's all in the past.  And in the trash.  Long gone.  Let me try to sneak in and check out the sneakers.  (Ha - get it?  "Sneak" and "sneakers"?  Moving right along...)

OK!  Molly, I managed to drag out just the Salomons - the ones like the pair you saw yesterday.

"Yeah.  She might have a slight addiction problem."

She's partial to these.  After her fall this Spring, it was especially helpful that you don't have to tie them. Their QUICKLACE™ system has a strong one-pull tightening capability - easy-on, easy-off. That could explain why the number of Salomons went from 1 to 4 during her recovery period.  Please keep in mind Mom very rarely wears anything other than running shoes any more - so whereas other women might have pumps and heels and sandals ... our mom has these.

Yeah.  So ... these are just the Salomons.  I'll get Cam to help me haul out some others.  We might need to find a larger room.  Let's just hope Mom doesn't use that "I Can See You, Maggie" vision of hers.

"Too late.  Hi, Mom.  Who, us?  No, we weren't doing anything."
"I have never chewed a shoe in my life.  And don't worry - I'm watching Maggie."

So, there you have the sneaker collection, Molly.  Come to think of it, there were an awful lot of comments about Mom's shoes yesterday!  This wasn't a question, but my very cool kit-cat friend Ditto made an interesting observation about the pair in the Wordless Wednesday shot!  He said, "...they look like they would make a fun head rest for naps."  Funny you should mention that ...

"Right on, Ditto!  Right on, my kit-cat pal!"

Great minds think alike, Ditto!

Remember, if you have any Questions to the Prime Minister, please send them in! Thanks for some great ones this week!

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Wordless Wednesday

Cam (and Mom) and Mags!

Hey ... Wait A Minute!

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie!  So there I was the other day, practicing my aircraft carrier landings when ...

"Mmm!  Hey, wait a minute.  Did we change laundry detergent or something?"

I couldn't help it.  The deck of my aircraft carrier --- I mean the quilt --- was so fresh, so clean, so ...

"It smells like a rain forest ...
or better yet, an untouched meadow covered in snow ..."

I think it's the new laundry pods or something.  

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Monday Morning Walkies

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cam!  Thank you for all of the kind words on yesterday's post!  I sincerely appreciate your prayers and good thoughts!  Today is another great day!

Mom, Dad, Maggie, and I went around the block together!

"I love it when the whole family is together!"
"Me, too!!!"
"Us, too!  Errrr... three.  Or is that four?  I haven't had my coffee yet ..."

We had TONS of fun.  I almost snagged another Cicada, but Mom saw it before I did.  Maybe next time!

It was getting warm by the time we got home, so Mags and I grabbed a quick beverage, then we did this:

"Zzz..."
"Zzz..."

Maggie is always nearby, in case I need anything!

I hope all of you are having a wonderful Monday, too!

Cammie!

Serene Sunday and Public Service Announcement (PSA)

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie.  The other day, I did something that made my mom feel super serene, so I thought I'd tell you about it today.  Oh.  No, not the Cicada Incident, though that was right up there as far as I was concerned!  I mean the other day, I wooed at Mom, letting her know I would like some toy time!

"Yes!  Pickles is exactly what I had in mind!"
"Me, too, Mom?"
"YAY!!!  And yes, you, too, Mags!"

"Did you stuff them full of treats?"
"Lots of treats?!!?"
"YES!"

It was super great!  I took mine onto the bed by the TV for a bit ...

"This is so yummy!  I love stuffed Pickles!"

... then moved over by the fireplace!

"I'm so happy!"

See ... I haven't wanted to or been able to play for a while.  You may have noticed Maggie has been doing double-duty with the blog, or we've been using very carefully taken photos of me.  And today, you can certainly see some of my shaved spots.  I had major surgery a few weeks ago to have an adrenal cortical carcinoma and my right adrenal gland removed.  This past week, I got my staples out and started something called Chemotherapy.  Mom and Dad believe they have chosen the best treatment for me, to give me the best quality of life for as long as God allows. 

We are not telling you this to make you sad or to garner sympathy (though quiet prayers are greatly appreciated).  Please don't put it out on your blogs - this post is enough, probably more than enough.  The reason we are sharing is the PSA part of this post:  If you see ANY changes in your pet's behavior -- please talk to your vet!  The only change I had been exhibiting prior to surgery was an increased thirst.  Thanks to our vet listening to Mom and Dad's concern, we are able to discover and fight this cancer!  There is no question too small or seemingly trivial to ask your veterinarian!  

Please be happy with me - I'm not really aware of what's going on with me, to be honest, I let Mom type the two previous paragraphs.  I'm the same girl I was before, just some shaved spots and not as much energy.  I'm getting stronger every day, though - I even walked all the way around the block today!!!  

For those who are wondering:  Maggie is being the best sister a girl could ask for!  She is keeping close watch over me (can you see her reflection in the fireplace?) and hasn't tried to do the "BOOM" at all.  I think she understands that I'm not quite ready for that!  

Celebrate life, everyone!  And have a serene Sunday!

Cammie!