Vincent van Rigby

My loyal readers know that I am a pup with many talents.  I maintain this blog, I’m Head of Security, I shred large things into smaller things, and I can hear (and respond) to a car door slamming three blocks away.  My loyal readers also know of my love for Bob Ross.  Well, I’m happy to report that I have added a new talent to my repertoire and it was inspired by Bob, himself. 

I am now an artist! 

Before I continue, allow me to take a step back. 

Sister spends a lot of time watching videos of cute dogs doing adorable things.  Normally, I am quite offended by this behavior as everyone knows that I’m the cutest and most adorable dog and that she should be spending her time doing more productive things like jotting down my inner most thoughts for you, my readers.  Anyway, every once in a while, she does come upon an interesting video with an interesting idea and her most recent discovery was one of those instances.  Even still, I will admit that I was a bit hesitant as I watched Sister bring all her art supplies down into the living room. 

With a glint in her eye, Sister set up all her acrylic paint bottles in a row on the living room floor and called me over.  Obligingly, I slipped and slided my way over to her (I’ve got an uncanny ability to find and snooze on the single one-foot by one-foot square space on the floor not covered by an area rug which therefore results in getting up with all four feet facing in the same direction something of a challenge) and observed the bottles.  There were colors everywhere: dark grey, medium grey, light grey and everything in between!  Sister encouraged me to come over and pick out my favorites.  Carefully I sniffed the bottles and zeroed in on one particularly pretty grey.  I picked it up in mouth and took a step in the direction of running off with it.  Sister tackled me and wrenched the bottle from my mouth with a “good boy! Now pick another one!”  I sniffed some more and found another grey to my liking.  I picked it up, Sister tackled me, and, again, pulled the bottle out of my mouth.  “Okay, keep going,” she said.  Again and again, I picked until I got bored with the remaining greys and started to walk away.  Sister grabbed my collar and told me that I had picked out four colors: black, forest green, teal, and brown.  I looked up at her kindly thinking “those are some pretty weird names for the color grey.” 

Sister scooped up all the bottles of paint then scurried away with the four I had chosen.  I, on the other hand, decided to take a nap. 

A few minutes later, I was awoken by the nutty smell of peanut butter wafting in from the dining room.  With great interest and a rumbling belly, I make my way into the room just in time for Sister to present me with a strangely shaped and yummy smelling item. 

Turns out, while I was asleep, Sister squirted a canvas with the four paints I had chosen and covered it with plastic wrap.  Next, she coated the plastic wrap with a layer of peanut butter.  My job was to lap up the peanut butter and, in the process, smear the paint around the canvas.  She had me at “lap up the peanut butter.”

So, I did my artistic duty and licked away at the nutty goodness.  By the time it was gone, I had created the following masterpiece. 

 

This one, Bob, is dedicated to you.

Old and New Friends

Paint On My Ear

I'm covered in paint.  Actually, to be more precise, I am covered in linen colored paint.  I have it all over my right ear and down my right side.  I think I even have some in my tail.  Now, you might ask, why am I covered in linen colored paint?  And the answer:  It is a result of having way too much fun Sunday morning and being so completely exhausted by the afternoon that I did not realize where I was laying.  Let me explain.

I sensed something was up as soon as Sister stumbled down the stairs a full two hours before her normal Sunday morning waking hour and I knew something was up when she started packing my travel bag with cookies, newspaper, and my water bowl.  I was going on a trip!

After a twenty minute car ride, Ma, Sister, and I pulled up in front of a place I had never been before:  it wasn't the house out east, it wasn't my Old Westbury Gardens Estate or Sagamore Hill or Sands Point, and it wasn't, thankfully, the vet's office (don't get me wrong, I like visiting Doctor Friedman, but I really hate it when he tries squirting medicine up my nose).  On Ma's command, I jumped out of the car and looked up and down the street.  It was then I saw it:  a small rat-like animal on a leash.  Mecki!  Dragging Sister behind me, I lunged toward my bff and bunked noses with him.  Then, I realized Mecki and I weren't alone.  There were two other dogs on leashes, a big black Giant Schnauzer and a medium sized gray Standard Schnauzer.

Tink and I Hangin' Out

I immediately recognized the Giant Schnauzer.  It was my friend Tinkerbell (known as Tink) who I haven't seen since our play date at my house in the spring of 2010.  The Standard was her Sister (Tink has a four legged Sister) Zee Zee.  After bunking noses with Tink and Zee, I turned my attention to the humans holding my buddies' leashes.  First I said hello to Mecki's Dad Andre, then Tink and Zee's Mom and Dad Faye and Doug, and finally I scurried over to Karin and checked her for cookies (Karin always has something tasty in her pockets).

Tink, Zee, and I

After all the hellos were said and a couple of cookies mooched, we all walked into Tink and Zee's backyard.  It was then that our leashes came off and the fun began.

Mecki and Tink

We chased each other all over the backyard:  through the bushes, around the pool, and to and from the water bowls.  Tink and I boxed like we did a couple of years ago then spent a fair portion of the rest of the time getting each other soaking wet from the water we were storing in our beards (her) and jowls (me).  Zee and I tussled for a little while and Mecki scuttled around eating all the dog biscuits that Tink and Zee had been hiding away for the last few weeks.

Watching the Fun

After playing for over an hour and a half, it was time to go home (but first we walked around the corner as a pack to visit a house with a whole herd of dachshunds--I won't lie, it was a bit disturbing).  Although I did not nap while Sister drove Ma and I home, I did lounge in the back seat comfortably while Ma scratched my back.

Once at home, Ma decided that she was going to spend the rest of the day painting the living room walls.  Unfortunately, she failed to inform me of this decision so when I, thoroughly exhausted, curled up in my usual spot by the front door, I brushed against the fresh paint, coating my beautiful blonde locks.  Ma made a face at me, but honestly I was just too tired to care.  Not to mention, people pay big bucks for faux finishes and I just created one for free.  You're welcome Ma.

An Easter Compromise

I'm just going to come right out and say it:  I fell asleep.  I had a perfect plan worked out to keep the Easter Bunny from breaking into my house on Easter morning (that didn't, Sister, require bunny ears), but that plan fell through.  The giant bunny managed to break into my house and, though he didn't get any carrots (turns out we didn't have any in the refrigerator), he did manage to seriously compromise my status as Head of Security. But I don't think it was entirely my fault that the bunny managed to breach security.  You see, my family kept me very busy yesterday and I was simply too exhausted to carry out my plan.  Let me explain.

My family is always telling me that I am a born helper dog.  I love getting right up and under the sink or toilet with whoever is doing plumbing (the smaller the space the better), I am a pro at turning large sticks into small sticks when I assist with the yard work, and I am very skilled at shredding old receipts and cancelled checks (the only problem is I tend to get a bit over exuberant and shred documents that I shouldn't--sorry Ma for this morning's shredding session).  Anyway, yesterday I was exceptionally helpful.  I helped, or at least tried to help (more on that later), all three members of my family.  Here's a rundown of what I accomplished.

Pa:  I helped Pa replace a window in the living room.  I helped in three ways:  I barked out instructions (I always need to remind Pa to measure twice and cut once), I accompanied him outside countless times to cut the trim and molding and carry garbage out of the house, and I kept an eye out for any misplaced tools I could herd back to Pa's side (and gnaw on if I got the chance).  Pa was very impressed by my helpfulness and made sure to tell Ma and Sister when they returned home from work and doing chores.

Sister:  I helped Sister make cupcakes for Easter.  When Sister cooks, I'm in charge of quality control and cleanup.  You see, not only does Sister give me samples of ingredients as she adds them to her recipes, but she also tends to be a bit of a messy cook.  Talk about a win win situation for me!  Yesterday, I patiently waited by her side to clean up bits of creamed sugar as if flew off the blades of her hand mixer and also muscled her out of the way when a piece of lemon zest fell to the floor between her and the dishwasher (after all, I didn't want her to accidentally slip).

Trying to Help Ma

Ma:  I tried to help Ma paint the living room, but apparently Ma didn't want my help.  No, I don't know why.  I tried to help when I noticed her struggling with the drop cloth, but apparently holding down one end by laying on it was not Ma's idea of helping.  Then I tried to retrieve her paint roller, but she definitely didn't seem too keen on that idea.  It was then that Ma blocked me out of the living room using a chair and a baby gate.  I was quite insulted and barked at her for a while.  Obviously, some people just don't appreciate an enthusiastic assistant.

And those are the reasons why, when I decided to merely rest my eyes for a minute last night, I fell deeply asleep thus giving the Easter Bunny his opportunity to break in and scrounge around for carrots and leafy greens.

Enjoying My Easter Toy

But you know what?  Maybe I was a bit harsh on the bunny.  Despite all my threats, the bunny left me a present:  a giant yellow chick plush toy (which Sister has already had to sew up three times).  Maybe, just maybe, if he keeps his visits limited to just once a year and doesn't tell those stupid little bunnies that keep trying to take over my backyard each summer about our agreement, we can get along just fine.  Maybe.