Of Modern Art and Mile-high Meringue

Sadly, Chica and I didn’t get our usual Monday morning walk in the park with the ladies this week. Once again, Mary and Lewis abandoned us at the vet’s. Just so they could sashay to Fort Worth. For an art exhibit, no less.

Granted, it was to see the work of a British artist considered to be the 20th century's preeminent portraitist. But Lucian Freud, a grandson of the great Sigmund, had a way of making everyone look unattractive, up to and including Queen Elizabeth.

For some reason, he was kinder to dogs. (This is a topic that needs to be explored, but perhaps no one but a dog would pursue it.) Thus in a creepy portrait of Freud's first wife, half nude with dark mole above her breast, an unusually white dog resting against her appears sleek and fine.

Except for copyright issues, I’d include an example of Freud’s work. Instead I’ll include a more pleasing image: a photo Mary took enroute to Fort Worth, in Marble Falls. There, at the Bluebonnet Café, mile-high melt-in-your-mouth meringue on pies attracts miles-long lines of customers melting in the outdoor heat while they wait to get at them. Wish we could've.

To sweat or not to sweat

Six Belles and us two bitches walked Brackenridge Park today, covering territory in and around the Sunken Gardens. Starting at 7:30 seems to work as it never gets to sweating weather until around 8:30--quitting time. Of course dogs can't sweat and as the saying goes, ladies (unlike horses and men) only "get all in a glow." But we would swear that we saw some perspiration on their brows. Good news is that they want to continue. Chica and I say no sweat. We'll be there.

Alternate plan (we hope)

After a bit of calling, the Brackenridge Belles decided not to walk this morning because of intermittent rain. Which is just as well with us pups. We really don't like to get our feet wet, let alone muddy. Instead we hope that Mary's grandkids come over to play today. They are lots of fun and always give us treats. Mary is pretty stingy when it comes to treats except when the kids are here. We say, bring them on.

Beatin' the heat: more than a notion

On Monday five Belles met to walk in Brackenridge park half an hour earlier than usual to avoid the heat. It went so well they decided to do it again next week. ‘twill be interesting to see how long they can stand it. Chica and I figure that by August they/we will have to meet at 5:30 a.m. to beat the heat.

Speaking of heat, Mary and son Maverick took a midmorning walk with us along a newish segment of the Salado Creek greenway on Sunday and the heat really took its toll. Both Chica and my tongues were practically dragging the ground when we finally were allowed to go off-trail to drink at the creek.

Thing is, walkers really need to get out so they are done no later than nine. For now, that is. Come August the ending time might just be 7:00 a.m.

New walk, new car

The Belles had a fine time last Monday walking in Cathedral Park, at the headwaters of the San Antonio River. The bad news is that Chica and I weren’t included, since our mistress figured dogs weren’t allowed there. No matter. We got a long walk in the 'hood that night when it was cooler.

Don’t know how much longer the ladies will keep walking, given the advancing heat (three-digit temps are predicted for next week), but they plan to go on Monday to Brackenridge Park. Chica and I look forward to it.

Good news on the car front: My master and mistress bought another Prius to replace the one that was stolen. This one, the Prius V, is a little bigger, more like a mini-station wagon. We like riding in it despite Mary’s paranoia that we will scratch the nice new leather with our toenails. She jumps on us whenever we try and climb up the back of the seats, so we’ll have to lie low until she gets over her new-car issues.

You can be sure that the next time we go to the country, my master and mistress will put the new car in the garage and if someone else has their car in it (as was the case the time of the theft) they will park it inside the fence in the back yard. Time was when Tarpey was at the end of nowhere. But now that there's enough population to warrant a cell phone tower, we dogs will have to keep our ears pricked up 24/7. Which will be a trick for Chica, given that her ears are so floppy.

New car; continuing walks

Women are prone to change their minds. The Brackenridge Belles and Bitches have done just that re: walks in the park. After agreeing to disband for summer, the ladies have continued walking week by week, agreeing that when it gets too hot they’ll stop. So far so good…

Meanwhile on the car front, my master and mistress heard from the insurance company that their car is beyond repair. So they have bought a silver Prius V, which is a bit larger. Chica and I haven’t been in it yet but we can’t wait. There’s nothing like the smell of a new car…

Dog Days of Summer Drama

With hot days on the horizon, five Brackenridge Belles met Monday for their last walk of the season. Fortuitously it was fairly cool but ever since, temperatures have approached three figures in the afternoons.

My master came to get us dogs after our walk in the park so my mistress could run up to our place in the country. Why? The story begins there Sunday morning when Mary awoke around 6:30 to what she thought was the sound of a male voice outside, followed by what sounded like a car peeling out. Turned out it was HER car.


Looks like the perp rammed it into a tree a ways down the road. After two Bandera County sheriff's deputies, a highway patrolman and a wrecker did their things, Mary and Lewis left for home in son Maverick’s car.

While Chica and I hated to miss seeing riots of wildflowers along the road to Tarpley again, we were happy to be at home in bed while Lewis organized the storeroom. With the dog days of summer upon us, sleeping is our preferred pastime.