Christmas progress is made - at least by Lee

Shopping has come and gone - thank goodness.  There were precious few parking spaces available but the stores seemed not too bad, all things considered.  Do you suppose it had anything to do with the 'focused' expression?  It was a multi-car all out blitz.  Chantelle and Lee joined forces at Costco while Ken flew solo.  The little Toyota was lower to the ground as it wended its way home to Regalridge at dinnertime.  Chantelle's vehicle was in a similar state.  Ken wore out another pair of shoes but Betsy wasn't terribly encumbered.  Ken is at the 'what am I going to do, what am I going to do' stage.  One high point at Costco was a little corner behind a large display.   There, on the floor, were five boxes that had been a much larger display last month.  In these boxes were blown glass Christmas trees.  The price was 1/10 of the original.  And this year's ornament is arrived.  The weather forecast for the day was dreadful.  Snow followed by high winds and heavy rain.  By dinnertime, all was still quiet, albeit threatening. 

The kennel continues to move forward and to fill.  Brunswick the Poodle-mix is here and bouncing as Brunswick does.  Enthusiasm is his stock in trade.  Jake and Barbaro are the stars of the show.  They have developed a routine, love the big yards, go out from their outside doors without leads to the exercise areas and play until called back in when the short parade recurs and the two stand outside their run doors until we catch up.  We are pretty sure Barbaro's owners will be happy to leave him here indefinitely . . .  The team of Bailey and   Gemini is a good one.  The old retrievers are managing number four yard with Nemo occasionally in tow.  He misses Lucy and her strong managerial talents but considers the big girls at least some compensation.  Their speed parallels his and that works for him.  Moses and Naomi are doing well.  Naomi is exercising her lungs but perhaps a little less frequently than in the past.  Moses is managing his side of the kennel with Moses intensity (Barbaro thinks he is an odd duck).  Both love the big exercise space and are kicking up their heels. 

The house dogs are well.  Patti has moved from chicken stew to grilled hamburgers with potatoes and squash with potion on the side.  She is happy and her mobility is improved this week.  Nick was not amused that all of the cars departed and he wasn't in any of them.  That needs to be remedied, he thinks.  The Norwich are delighted with the ramped up activity level in the house and the people in the den through the evening as the Christmas specials manage to catch enough attention to have humans light on couches and chairs.  Paula in her pregnant state is living in Lee's lap as often as is possible.  Piper has requested that Lee stay home the rest of the week and Lee may well comply.  Wrapping and baking are significant challenges that need to be wrestled.

Dinner was the remains of a chicken pot pie, biscuits and Christmas cookies.  And we are on to yet another wind storm.