attempted wag the dog

Before we were disturbed by our water heater travails, part III, we had a fine summer weekend of water play and BBQs. We hosted a BBQ on saturday as sort of a small going away party for some friends who will be moving to Florida, on purpose (!), later this month. John and I have known George and Audra for years, as long ago as when they and another couple, Yung and Diana, and John and I all started dating. Then, coincidentally, or so I'm told, we all got engaged about the same time, got married during the same summer, and all had our first children within a year of each other. The six of us have had some really good times and have taken several fun trips together (all pre-children of course).


So we set up the pools and let our combined six children have at them while the six of us drank plenty of beer and my frozen blendered fruity/rummy concoction sans colorful paper umbrellas.

I had probably more fun than would be expected decorating the cake I made for dessert. I thought about writing "you're moving to a place where a guy named Jeb runs things" or "say hi to the retired new yorkers for us" or "welcome to florida, ask us about our instant asylum policy and hanging chads". But John found that the official unofficial state motto is "ask us about our grandchildren" so I wrote that on the cake in Spanish. I was pleased. And the cake was yummy. And we'll miss them all.

On sunday we went to Jeff's house for his belated birthday gathering. Jeff has a "real" pool which is always very popular.


Allison and Kate always enjoy playing with Jeff's dogs: the airedale, Blitz and the standard poodle, Samantha. Allison stood behind Blitz at one point and pushed on his backside, frustrated,"Go, doggie!" which had absolutely no effect on him. Sydney decided that leashes would work better. The dogs got immediately excited because when the leashes come out they are taken out for walks. "This is a major ripoff for them," Jeff noted.

Well the leashes were effective, kinda. Allison pulled on the leash but she isn't strong enough for that to be a real mandate for Blitz to go somewhere he isn't interested in going. So Allison waited until Blitz turned in a particular direction and she then raced to get in front of him and go where HE wanted. But she made it look like it was her idea.


Jeff looking over his birthday peach pie, since he already had cake on Aug.1.

Lots of help with those candles.

I just found it humorous so here's some more dog-walking, or small child-walking, travails. We don't win parents of the year awards for attaching a dog that is 2.5 times our child's weight to them, but they enjoyed it and it was too funny to resist. Jake and Brayden took turns being walked by the dogs too. Erin, wise beyond her years, steered clear of the entire endeavor.

You can see Allison being cleverly redirected by Blitz, and that's cousin Jake concerned about the open door: