Stop Thief!

I haven't posted any pictures in a while.  I don't really take that many, even with a phone in my pocket I'm just not a shutterbug - I leave that task to Hubby.

 Last weekend we piled into the boat for a little fishing.  The rest of us might as well have been in the Dead Sea, Igor on the other hand pulled in this whopper a real trophy fish.  He was so proud!

 Callie thought she was going to have a heat stroke after chasing a tennis ball today - read story later in post.

 We went down to Chicago a few weeks ago and took the kids to the Museum of Science and Industry and also wandered down to see the shiny bean.

 Me standing on Marie Antoinette's staircase in the la Pettite Trianon .  All the France pictures look like I never changed clothes because I was always in that coat with a blue scarf.

Hubby kidding around in the Louvre.  Honestly I made him pose for this picture as he'd zoomed by this guy to look at naked lady across the room.  He was like walking around with a 12 year old pointing out all the naked boobs - they are everywhere - I have a feeling French boys aren't too interested by the time they get that age.

Today I picked up a tennis ball thrower for the dog.  You've probably seen them, a ladle like thing that allows even weak armed me to really fling it a long way.  Callie has been gaining weight right along with me all winter and we both need exercise.  The difference she kind of likes it.  I get home and take her down to the park that is right behind our house.  Callie chases the ball a couple of times and then a neighbor dog comes bounding out of his yard.  Callie and the neighbor dog chase each other a little, snarl, and do what dogs do.  After their meet and greet Callie pretty much seemed uninterested in the dog and he in her.  I throw the ball again and Callie refused to go get it.  By this time neighbor dog starts eyeing the ball.  I'm edging toward it, urging Callie to fetch while the little weasel is sneaking toward it as well.  He got there first, picks up the ball and starts walking home.  The whole time I'm calling him (I don't know the dog's name) but he wasn't having any part of it.  I followed him back up into his backyard to find a young guy on the upper deck of a duplex standing around with his shirt off.  I asked if the dog was his, and it was, and then tattled.  Guy apologized, introduced the dog as "Mack" - probably good to know if I meet him again since he only lives four houses down - and tosses me the tennis ball.  Through all of this Callie just follows me around panting like I had ran her 150 miles. 

After collaring the ball thief and getting our property back, I take Callie home and she proceeds to pant for what seemed for ever.  I texted Hubby, and he suggested taking her swimming.  I load her into the back of the truck to go to the river for a few minutes before picking up the kids at school.  Callie jumped in because she loves to ride.  Take her to the river and she swims and retrieves a stick a few times.  I called her load up, and she tried, but suffering from middle age and fat (much like her masters) the tailgate was a difficult leap, and she bounced off and landed on her back.  I felt bad for her, it was pretty dramatic though I don't think she was really hurt.  Then I couldn't get her to even jump again.  Nothing like partially lifting a river water soaked 110 pound Labrador into the bed of a truck.  Nasty.  I will remember to take some sort of step for her next time.