Happy Howloween!!

 started putting the Halloween stuff away for the year before the last trick or treaters came.  Tusker had his final class of beginner class so that cut into handing out candy time, but we did have fun and got a fair amount of visitors.

 i move the fencing stuff up to the door.  the puppies jumped up with the first few trick or treaters but eventually they got into the groove of it all.  then they'd sit and watch the kids leave with sad looks in their eyes. they really did have fun.

 it was a bit icy out there.  i had gone to Costco today to get a script for Blossom. since i was there i decided to just buy a box of the big candy bars.  love to hand those out. the kids eyes really pop out.  that just never happens any more.  they came out with smaller candy bars some time in my earlier childhood, but i do recall days when we got a pretty impressive haul.  our pillow case full of candy was no dolled out or monitored.  what we collected was ours. back then you used a pillow case.

 some parents used to go with kids but often we just ran the hoods in packs of kid.  life was a bit safer back then.  when i was a kid there started to be stories of glass and razer blades being put in to candy.  some hospitals started to xray candy.  eventually, i remember my mom just gave us candy one year and said go buy what you want.  our costumes were pretty basic too.  my brother rented a wizard costume one year i think as a teen.  he was pretty excited about having a real costume for a change.

 decided to show up to class with my Halloween hat and with Tusker dressed up.  we were quite the hit.  Tusker was allowed to pick out 2 toys since Ivy had missed the last class since i totally lost track of what day it was and slept through it.  this time we got a little certificate.  Ivy hasn't gotten one yet.  she's earned them both though. the only class she missed either time was the last class.  Tusker is signed up for puppy II.  i'm going to try and sign her up for a proofing or rally class.  should be fun.  rally is where you have kind of stations where the dogs have to do tasks.  just another layer of training.  should be fun.  she's pretty smart.

 would be fun to be able to do some hospital visits with them eventually.  they are really pretty mellow dogs...puppies but they will mellow into great dogs for volunteering.  they would need canine good citizenship certificates. can i keep Ivy from jumping? that was actually a tough one for Blossom.  Ivy does it more off leash than on. their worst still is greetings with other dogs, especially off leash dogs.  just way too much temptation and overload of stimulation for them still.

 woke up today with 2 dogs on the bed.  thinking i really need a king size bed.  haha.  admittedly, it's nice to wake up with them there.  Blossom was never much for sleeping upstairs.  she used to come up and say good night but then she'd head downstairs again.  Rio Catalina was the upstairs dog.

 when the night was done i only had 3 candy bars left.  i had these containers of slime, which i really should have handed out more.  ended up only giving them to a few kids.  one kid asked if i had anything without peanuts.  i asked if he'd like some slime...he and his friend both seemed pretty jazzed about that idea.  so they left happy.

 the dogs were dressed up to greet kids.  the pups started to get rambunctious so rather than have them shred the costumes i finally took them out.  i turned out the porch lights about 8:45 but had left some little lights on the railing still...some folks came by at 9:45.  i gave the kids candy but then went out and unplugged those lights.  closed for the night.

 monday walk with LS.  no other shows for the walk.  i had made goodie bags.  another friend did meet us at the coffee shop and then my hair dresser walked in with a friend to the coffee shop so i figured i'd give them a bag each.  haha.  they got a kick out of it.

 i did Halloween.  it's a low stress, no obligation holiday.  just fun in my mind.

 there were a few times when it occurred to me that one day in the not to distant future trick or treating will be gone totally.  a few times i thought, what if i open the door and there is some kid with a gun pointed at me.  after that i made sure and checked the peep hole more.  sad that this thought even crossed my mind but our society has just devolved as far as random violence goes.

 this thought had never occurred to me in all my previous years handing out candy.

 Ivy looks so adorable in her Rufferee costume.  hell dogs just look adorable in costumes period.  not sure how big they will end up getting or if costumes will even fit them next year.

 tried her in the bug hat

 tried to get all three, but one dog...who shall remain nameless was less than cooperative.

 these are from the other day out walking.  Ivy was out on the ice.  it was pretty funny to watch. pulled the phone out to do video but batteries on all video machines were dead.

 that day it was cold out.  20's i think. batteries just don't survive long the colder it gets.

 i didn't go out on the ice but i had seen some bike tire tracks across.  i like to wait a bit.  big chicken.  i grew up in California though so walking on lakes is not a normal thing. i'm a bit more hesitant.  i saw in the paper a few days later that folks had already been out skating on potters as well.

 haven't taken much for evening drives.  stay up late, sleep in late.

 someone was passing around this thing about traits of brilliant folks.  staying up late, being messy...those were a few.  i had all of the traits...of course, how brilliant can i be if i can't remember the 4 traits now. haha!!

 it was funny, today i was talking with my friend about Drumpf and how i suspected at some point it would become known that he was somehow in contact with banks in Russia and/or China and then i started to see some articles about just that this afternoon.  i would not be surprised at all.  he is reportedly having trouble getting US banks to work with him.  still pretty preliminary stuff but interesting that it's looking more like a possibility.

 with a week until the election we should still have a few big revelations of heinous things one or the other of these candidates have done. haha.

 we did decide whatever happens there will be some books and movies that come out of this election and the days of hell that could surely follow.

 my beautiful Blossom.  each night i think, i'll make the calendars and each night i end up crashing.  busy day today though and i have to wake up early to get Blossom to the vets.

 i think i have to drop her by like 8:30...may have to just come home and crawl back in bed.  not even bothering to put a bra on for that.  hope they find the source of her infection and are able to resolve it.  want my girl happy and healthy.  she does have her appetite back and seems pretty frisky on the trails.

 can't believe it's November almost

 Tusker started to venture out on the ice, but i don't think he liked the sliding around bit much.

 Ivy is pretty brave, at least when she has her pack around. without them she's a bit of a nervous girl.

 it's one of the reasons it's good to get her in a store alone for some training.

 guess i'll set the alarm for 7:30 and then i can hope to get Blossom there close to 8am and be back in bed by 8:30!!  i'll tell you how close i get to that.  haha.

 the pups play dirty sometimes.  tail grabbing is not off limits.

 they just keep getting cuter and cuter though.  i'm pretty smitten with all 3 of these dogs.

 how cute are these pics of all 3 of them on one stick!!

 different colors...so adorable, if i do say so myself.

 on this happy note...i shall head to bed.

 stumphenge

grateful for:  A.  Halloween and all the fun that goes with it.  B.  cute happy kids in costumes  C.  to have dogs who are getting trained and becoming better and better each day!!