A new leash on life

Shasta got a new leash yesterday and today is a work-at-home day for me, so while I waited for my dear artist friend Ravi to send a file from Mumbai, Shasta and I took a walk around the block.

Come join us!

This is Shasta’s new leash. (Rave for PetSmart: they exchanged her $50 leash for a new one when the cord frayed – no questions asked and no receipt needed!)

And this is Shasta’s “oh, goody gumdrops!” look when she realizes that a walk is a possibility:

That blur is a wagging tail.

“Shasta! Sit! Calm down so you don’t pull me and make me… oh, break my ankle or something!”

Good girl.

One of the main reasons we chose our house back in ‘95 is that the elementary school is literally a stone’s throw from our house. This was great when all the kids were little!

The weather has been so unseasonably warm this winter that, instead of being reduced to dry, twiggy brambles, the blackberry bushes are still green!

And look at this – a holly bush! I have never noticed this before. Isn’t it “berrying” a bit late? Isn’t this supposed to happen around, oh… Christmas? What IS it with the weather this year?!

Excuse Shasta, please!

Look over there! One of my favorite houses on the street. It’s amazing what they’ve done to this house! The wrap-around porch adds so much charm and the revised roofline – and shingles -- around the garage changes the whole character of the house.

Next stop? Stop! Turn right, Shasta.

It might not look steep to you, but this hill can be a killer on the knees (and ankle):

This place is much prettier in any season but winter, but some beauty is still to be seen in February.

These guys even seem to have an amphitheatre set up in their front yard! See the rows of chairs?

On the steep hill is the nicest – and most out-of-place – house in the neighborhood. I want it!

No wait – actually I want one of the adorable doll houses in the neighborhood! Look!

Or maybe it’s the DOLL I want! I found this German Götz doll at Tuesday Morning yesterday and came so close to buying it – and what a deal it was, down to $40 from $170!

Should I? Should I go back and get it? Look at those lederhosen… and even an edelweiss! Look at the similarity to Kat when she was little (always daddy’s little girl):

…and maybe a slight similarity to Elisabeth too (except for the hair color):

But I digress. Let’s keep walking!

This little boy loves Shasta and insisted on holding the leash to take her for his own walk…

…but he feared her too, as he apparently only has teeny-tiny dogs at home.

Just as we rounded the next corner, we came upon a house that one of my faithful readers will recognize:

…and then we were beckoned toward the short-cut to our house! (I love Photoshop!)

Who was in our forest to greet us once we climbed the hill by the neighbor’s fence? Bailey!

We romped around the forest a bit…

…until we came upon our house!

Boo had apparently been busy while we took our walk, and all this warm weather is making him think it’s spring… which is all fine and good, except this part – the gift he left by the back door:

Bad cat.

But good Ravi… who went above and beyond the call of duty, making a critical fix for us when he should have been sleeping, sent a file from Mumbai, then waited patiently for me to get back online. This post is dedicated to you, Ravi! Pleeease come visit us in Seattle someday!