Essential Service?

Greetings to all!  It's me, Mags.  The other morning on our walk, Dad and I did a little window shopping.  Everything was closed, of course, except ...

"Hmm.  This place seems to be open, Pops."
"It's a liquor store, Mags."

"So I'm not allowed to greet anyone,
Mom can't get her hair cut,
kids are forbidden from tossing a ball around at the park, but ..."
"Yeah."

"Whoo, boy.  I just don't get biped logic sometimes."
"I don't either, Mags.  I don't either."

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Wordless Wednesday

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Wait! Is That ...

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie.  I was just  taking a nap  guarding the living room the other day, not much going on, when ...

"I'm so b --- wait!  Is that a stuffed Pickle?!?"

And it was!  What a great way to add some excitement to the afternoon!

Cammie!

Bird Watching

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  We've had a few days where it's been nice enough that Mom and Dad want to go sit on the deck and get some fresh air.  Maggie and I love to go out there and do a little bird watching!

"Mags!  Birdies in the Amur Maples!"

"Got 'em in my sights, Cam!"

Maggie likes to use the railing for a snooter rest to steady her gaze, while I like the honey bun approach.

How are you staying busy?

Cammie!

Serene Super-Cool Sunday

Greetings to all!  It's me, Mags.  Out here on the front porch.

"Hey."

Just wishing all of you a serene AND super-cool Sunday.

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Ha-looooooo?

Greetings to all!  It's me, Mags. In the mornings lately, I've been taking my dad on super-long walks.  Something about getting "someone" tired.  I dunno.  Dad doesn't seem out of control to me, but who knows?  Anyway, here are some shots he took of me out on patrol!

"Ha-loooo, west side of town!  It's me, Polargold's Margaret Thatcher!"

"Ha-looo?  Anybody?  Bueller?"

"It's like a ghost town out here, Dad!"

It's getting a bit depressing!  Even the rare times we run across anyone, I'm not allowed to visit!  Maybe I should start wearing my mask.  Maybe then I could schmooze people.

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Helping In The Garden

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie.  Yesterday afternoon, I helped Mom take a bunch of pix out in some of the gardens.  Here are a few shots to show you how hard I was working:

"Hey, Mom, look!  That tiny Hosta is alive after all!"
"Yeah ... thank you, Mags ..."

I'm sure she wouldn't have seen it if I hadn't pointed it out!

I sat down and got comfy by the bigger Hosta:

"Hey, check this out!  Does this thing match my collar?!?"

I was tremendously helpful and was rewarded with some deck time!

"Fine.  'Sit on the deck.' Got it.  How can I help you in the garden from up here?!?!"
"You're working too hard, Maggie."

Mom's sweet like that - not wanting me to over-do!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Please And Thank You

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie.  Maggie and I raced downstairs the other day to get busy helping Mom in her Studio.  You know - because we're Working Breed pups and can't wait to get started!

"C'mon, Mom!  Shake a leg!  These Pickles aren't going to stuff themselves!"
"Umm ... what Maggie said, only with a 'please' attached."

"What the ... how does my filling disappear so fast?!?"
"Mine's got plenty left!  Thanks, Mom!"

Pickle Time is an integral part of Mom being able to get things done in the Studio -- and we're more than happy to help her out!

Cammie!

Wordless Wednesday

Cammie!

And Another Thing!

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie!  Yesterday, Cam and I were giving our mom a WHOLE lot of help in her Studio.  We helped so much that after I had finished my Pickle, Mom stopped to take some photos of us!  I was in the midst of a very important political speech ...

" ... Furthermore, I stand strongly in favor of Pickles ..."
"Uh-huh ..."

" ... and those who work hard to earn their Pickles ... oh, wait."
"What, Mags?"

"Did Mom just wash this?  It smells really nice!"
"I dunno ..."

"OK. Now ... back to those Pickles!"
"Maggie.  I told you.  I'm not done with mine."

"Sigh ..."
"How did she know that was going to be my big closer?!?"

Cammie is VERY perceptive, you know!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher 

Lost In Thought

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie.  Are you ever overcome by deep, philosophical thoughts?

"If this is the strongest KONG they make, is it the King KONG?"

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Super Serene Scene Sunday

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cam.  Today, I've got this for you:

Me, out on the deck yesterday

My mom said it was the most serene, beautiful scene.  All I know is I got a cookie!

Cammie!

This Calls For ...

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  It's the weekend - and we think this calls for ...

"... COOKIES!!!"
"Oooh, it's the good kind, Cam!"

I hope you'll all join us!

Cammie!

Ixnay On The Ansplay

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  There we were the other evening, in a very important meeting ...

"OK, then you could bring your fish oil pill in here and eat it on the carpet and ..."
"Uh ... Cam.  Ix-nay on the ansplay."

Oops.  Well, fortunately, Maggie and I were conducting our meeting telepathically.  I'm sure our mom isn't on to us at all!

Right?

Cammie!

Are You Busy?

Greetings to all!  It's me, Mags.  Are you busy? 'Cause if not ...

"I could really stand some tummy rubs."

"Hey!  Hey!  Where are you going?!?"

Oh, come on.  It'll only take a sec.  I love tummy rubs!  ... until I don't.  Then I run off.  I'm a bit like my kit-cat friends in that regard!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Wordless Wednesday

Mags and Cam

She Had Treats

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie.  The other morning after our walks, Mom took Maggie and me out to the backyard to do some posing.  As the title reads, she had treats.  So we gave her this:

"What kind of treats do you have?"
"The good ones, Cam.  Promise."
"Show me the cookies!"

We got a treat for that.  And she wasn't kidding - she had the ones we currently like.  We offered to stay put while she worked from another angle:

"How many more do you think she has?"
"I'm not sure ... Mom?  How many treats do you have left?"
"Umm ... lots.  Really."

"That didn't sound too convincing."
"I know.  If she takes one more step back, I'm diving off this wall."

Mom can sometimes read Maggie's mind and came and grabbed our leashes.  She did have one more TINY treat left, so it all worked out OK.

Cammie!

Why No Easter Photo Shoot?

Greetings to all!  It's me, Mags.  Some of you may be wondering why we didn't do one of our traditional Easter photo shoots -- you know, posing with the pysanky, snooter-hanging a mini bunny quilt, or balancing a bun.  You know. The stuffed bunnies.  Anyway, we did try and I was REALLY GOOD the whole time.

Me!  Being really good!  With a tiny bun!

Honest.

OK, maybe it went more like ...

"Got it, Mom.  'Just sit and ignore the bunnies.'  Check."
"Hurry, Mom.  Really." 
"OK, ready?  Just let me ..."

"Hey, Cam has two buns!  C'mon, lemme just post with one!"
"Uh-oh!"
"Uh ... Mags!?!?"

Things may have gone south for a bit there.  Then Mom decided maybe I COULD pose with one, too, if I was really good.

"OK, girls, now just ..."
"Hey!  Pay attention, bunny!"
"Oh, boy."

And just like that, our photo shoot was over.  

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Easter 2020

From all of us at Ao4 Headquarters, we wish you a most blessed Easter!

Let's Try Out Front

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  The other day, when Mom was trying to get photos of Maggie and me after our play session, we thought she had thrown in the towel when we went out the gate and headed up the steps.  She thought she'd try one more time before we went inside.

Sometimes she can be as stubborn as a Siberian Hus---oh, what am I saying?!?  Anyway ... we stopped and sat ...

"Oooh.  That's pretty good, girls!  Can you look up a bit?"
"I'd strike while the iron's hot, Mom.  Really."
"I'm trying, Mom.  I just ... can't ... stop ... thinking ... about ..."

"Quick, Mom!  TAKE THE PICTURE!"
"... the bunny!!!"
"Sigh ..."

THAT was a wrap.  And we got cookies anyway, since we didn't scare the bun.  Mom may be stubborn, but she's also a softie.

Cammie!

Before The Bunny

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie.  As Maggie told you yesterday, we were having a lovely time in the yard the other day until we spotted a bunny.  After that, there wasn't anything we could focus on other than the bun.  We HAD to sit and stare.

And stare.

And stare.

And ... well, OK.  Mags already covered that.  ANYWAY, before that, we did some awesome posing for our mom.

Here we are, up in the Friendship Garden:

"Do your Serious Look, Cam!"
"Got it, Mags."

And here we are on the wall above the Wildflower Garden:

"The sun's in my eyes."
"Same here.  We should have brought our shades."

I think we should count our blessings that Mom didn't have our shades.  Moving right along ...

This last one is us about mid-yard:

"How about this, Mom?"
"Hey, Cam ... I have a feeling we're being watched."

About 30 seconds later, we spotted the bunny.  All posing was off after that!

Cammie!

OH! ... Hello!

Greetings to all!  It's me, Mags!  The other afternoon, Cam and I got to go exploring, playing, and posing (of course) in the backyard together for a bit.  When we were ready to head inside, Mom asked us to do one more pose on the limestone chunks by the gate.  I hopped right up there, but then ...

"Oh.  Oh, wait.  What do we have here?!?"
"Oh, no.  This isn't going to go well."

I couldn't help it.  Check out who was just outside of our fence:

Peter Cottontail.  Or ... perhaps the Easter Bunny!?!

Needless to say, Mom wasn't able to "re-focus" my attention.  I mean ... it was a BUNNY!  I had to sit and stare at it.  

And stare at it.  

And stare at it.

Eventually, he took off, then we went back in the house.  What a great way to wrap up our backyard time, though!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Wordless Wednesday

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Adopt-a-Cammie Day!

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  Today is Adopt-a-Cammie Day, my Gotcha Day, my Homecoming!!!  Seven years ago ... well, click this link to read the details ... but seven years ago, I joined the Army - so to speak!

"What a great day that was!  And what a great day today is!!!"

Mags and I have already gone on walks, I was serenaded by my mom and dad while I had breakfast, and I got to to play with Mom in the backyard!

We have lots of celebrating to do today - you can join in on the fun by tooling your bipeds out of as many cookies as you can!  

Cammie!

Anyone Else?

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

"Pardon me for not getting up."

I don't know about you all, but I've been working myself silly lately.  Is anyone else as exhausted as I am?

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Silent & Serene Sunday

Mags and Cam

CROG Time!!!

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie!  Yes, Cam and I have been doing a lot of work lately - supervising while Mom and Dad work in the gardens, making sure everyone gets enough exercise in, helping Mom in the Studio ... it's been a LOT!  But you know what they say about "all work and no play" - right?  So the other morning, after Cam and I took Mom and Dad for their morning walks, we thought we'd earned a break!  And nothing says "break" like a round of Crazed River Otter Games (CROG)!

Here we are, mid-round:

"I'm on base, Cam!"
"You can't stay there forever, Mags!"

You're never going to guess who instigated CROG.  Let's back up a minute.  Check it out:

"I guess I'll go see what work's on tap ..."
"Come here, you little Crazed River Otter!"

See what I mean?

It was all I could do to run across the room and get on the other base!

"Whew!  Safe on base!  Let me catch my breath, Cam!"
"C'mon, Mags!  Let's keep playing!"

We had already been playing for quite a while.  I know I was getting tired, so I thought Cam was, too.  I got off base and tried to make my way across the living room when ...

"Holy Balto, Cam!  That's some wild footwork!!!"
"Check this out, Mags!"

She is aMAZing!!!

"Wow!  OK, I'm ready for another round if you are, Cam-a-roo!"
"Ready, willing, and able, Maggie!"

It was great fun!  It's good to take a break from all the work sometimes.  I hope you're getting some recreation in this weekend!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher