Doing a Little Catching Up...

Wow! I realized earlier today that it's been a while since I updated this thing, so I figured that since I had some free time now (and who doesn't at 11:20p on a Friday?), I'd put up a post about some things that took place over the last couple of weeks.

Aug. 28-30 - To the surprise of many, Chloe and I made a trip back to eastern PA to visit family and friends, and celebrate my mom's birthday. Peggy was already back there on a business trip, and had to stay in the area for the weekend due to some more business there on Monday. Rather than stay at a hotel for the weekend, she was going to stay with my parents. Once that was arranged and we realized Peg had some airline miles available, we did some quick planning and arranged some airfare for Chloe and I to fly out on Friday and fly back on Sunday. It was a quick visit, but the great time we had visiting with folks made the time-zone disruption well worth it.

Sept. 1 - Chloe got her 1st homework assignment of the school year. Beginning today and everyday hereafter for a while, Chloe will be bringing home a reading-level appropriate book for her to read out loud to Peggy and/or me, and then keep a log of the books she's read. In just these couple of weeks, we're beginning to notice some improvement in her reading skills. ( So, yes, for those of you in the know, my daughter will be more read than me by the time you finish reading this post.)

Sept. 6 - Peggy and I celebrated 12 years of marriage. How? By "grillin' and chillin'" on the patio with Chloe... it was a wonderful day.

Sept. 7 - It was a sunny and warm today, so we thought it was a great opportunity for a KnPnCnC walk somewhere. So we decided a walk around nearby Coot Lake was in order... it is close, and dogs are allowed to be off-leash. We made it about 80% of the way around and came to an area where it was easy for dogs to get in/out of the water. So, I thought I'd test Chamberlain's willingness to get wet by putting a tennis ball in the water tantalizingly close to him, but still far enough away from the shore that he'd have to go for a very short swim to get it. Well, did I ever tell you that Chamberlain can howl? He stood on a log, pawed at the water, looked at the ball, looked at us. And when that strategy got him nowhere...howl! This went on for a couple of minutes, but eventually the log got wet enough from him pawing the water that he eventually slipped in. He swam to the ball, and quickly returned to shore. But we think the cooling effect of the water made an impression on him.

Shortly after we left this area of lake, we came to another area where there was easy access. So we decided to throw in some sticks to see what he would do. Well, I won't say he went in with the reckless abandon one might see in a lab or retriever, but he showed considerably less hesitation in going for a swim to get the sticks then he did just a few short minutes prior for the tennis ball.

(Picture: Chamberlain, the Pennsylvania Water Beagle retrieving his wet quarry.)