A Good Pout

Ruffles got to the cherished Frisbee first, so Rainbow and Shaker decided to have a good pout. Now the question remains, why is this silly thing the favorite toy? Yes, they all seek that nasty blue/red Frisbee thingy to chew on!

Ella's Misunderstanding

Just before a show, it is quite predictable that Ella will chew on something that will turn her white fur pink or yellow. Today she ate a tube of RED lipstick, but the joke is on her. She is not, nor are any of the Riverbend Cardis entered in Des Moines! Hahahahahahaha, Ella!

Little Heathens

Ruffles and I after he peed on the cone in the obedience ring. Little heathen was lucky he didn't end up with a clothes pin on his winky!

Ruffles informing me about something! Yep, he is an opinionated Little Heathen!

Rainbow. This one speaks for itself...Little Heathen!

This one is of Shaker, but I had one just like it of Ruffles. (Unfortunately it was lost in a computer crash) Little Heathen but crazy endearing, 'eh?)

Shaker and Russ created this little masterpiece just 2 days before our wedding. Yep, just two days later, we had 100+ people on this deck. We cleared taped it for the day and now it has pet resistant screening, a dog door and appropriate screen guard. Little Heathens!

Kathy and I recently read Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression by Mildred Armstrong Kalish. First, let me highly recommend this book. It is not only thought provoking and well written, but it is a fun read. So what does this have to do with a Cardi blog?

Well, we recently settled on two kinds of dogs in our house--kitchen dogs and rowdy dogs. The kitchen dogs are well behaved, seldom make messes, always come when called and generally are easy to live with dogs. The rowdy dogs (Russ, Shaker and Rainbow) seldom come in when called, chew things they shouldn't, bark and well they are just a bit more rowdy.

Yesterday Kathy suggested that 'Little Heathens" fit their personality a great deal better than rowdy bunch. And she was right! The Ruffles, Shaker and Rainbow clan are very endearing, great performers, quick to please and, at times, quite naughty!

So give Little Heathens a read and I'll bet you see your Cardigans, as well as, mine ensconced in the pages of this absolutely delightful book.

Dora the Explorer

Dora as a puppy at Georgetown Business School.
One year later, a seasoned student!

When I opened this picture, I nearly split laughing. How ironic it is that one of Ruffles and Music's daughters would find herself perched on a lecture table at Georgetown. Many, many eons ago, I dreamed of being able to afford Georgetown, but alas I could only afford a NY State School. But the wheels of fate have been very kind to me, so no complaints about State School!

Kathy just walked by and added that she too was accepted at Georgetown, but Northwestern law ponied up more scholarship money. We will laugh about this picture all day! Please, Jill, keep these wonderful images of Dora coming our way!

Sisters

Dora the Explorer

Dora...Oh my, Where does that look come from? Oh yeah, her Dad!

Rainbow and Ruff Ruff

Rainbow

Izzy. Apparently she and Rainbow share something in common...back burners!

Izzy

Dinah

Dinah and her kitty friend. Shhhhh....we won't tell anyone that one of them likes a kitty.



We would love to share pictures of Dora the Explorer and Evie. I have heard that Dora is 18lbs and full of mischief, so I am sure that she is one of the sisters! I had the pleasure of showing Evie in Kankakee, IL in December and she is a sweet as her sister Rainbow is naughty.

Another Round of Soccer Balls

We bought the Cardi kids and Duchess too, a round of junior soccer and footballs for Christmas. But, alas, junior balls aren't tough enough for Corgis. So while visiting Nick in Iowa City we popped into a Play It Again Sports to pick up a couple regulation soccer balls. I think the fellow at the store thought I had lost my mind--buying soccer balls for dogs. Seriously, who better to buy used soccer balls? So in spite of his odd looks, we procured one white and one blue ball.

Initially Rainbow thought the blue ball was an alien life form, but after Shaker showed he it was just an 'ole soccer ball, she warmed up to it. I shot some video and some how or the other, I ended up shooting in slow motion so hit the fast forward button to get it in real time. (Yes, I will figure out this new camera but it is going to take a bit!)