Friends, rain and puppy breath

It rained all day and all night Monday.   Sometimes hard, pelting rain, sometimes just drizzle.  Beluga was filled with damp towels, things don't dry here easily.

 I was able to get a technician from Mr. David's Mobile Hi Fi service to come in and diagnose a speaker problem we've had for a long time.   Luckily he had replacement speakers in his van, so it wasn't long before I was able to hear Tchaikovsky in stereo once again.  That makes me happy.

While the worker was performing his magic, Pam (of Pam and Vic) and I went to Sage Biscuit for a lunch/breakfast feast and then poked carefully around a really unique shop next door, the Bradenton Hound.   I was sorely tempted by many beautiful things, but  I only bought a tiny gourmet dog cookie as a hostess gift for our friend's sweet Chloe.

Friends Don and Carol are in the area for a week or so and we went to their campground to say "welcome" and get the grand tour of their new motorhome    Its a beauty.     I took some pictures of them and the inside of the "palace", but I must have had too much wine because they came out all blurry.     We'll see them again on Friday, so I'll get another chance.   We talked and talked and then braved the downpour to go out for dinner.



We kept our fingers crossed that the rain would go away by this morning.   Six of us here at Holiday Cove had a reservation for a tour of Southeastern Guide Dog School in Palmetto (about a half hour north of here) and it would be cancelled in case of "inclement" weather.  Pam (of Pam and Vic) does a mean rain dance (as in rain rain go away dance) and it worked once again.   Thanks Pam.

Well, it worked for the most part.  The tour started dryly but while our guide was talking, the skies began to leak again and we had to move under a beautiful Pavilion til the shower passed.  It made the tour a bit longer than usual.

Pamela and Victor listen attentively 

Finally we were able to make our way to the first stop on the tour - and my favorite.....the puppies!
Some of us sat on benches in the "arena", some of us sat on the floor and when we were all set they opened a door and a whole litter of 10 week old yellow and black balls of fire flew into the room to greet us and jump on us and kiss us and play with the floor full of toys waiting for them.

At first I tried to get good pictures of the sweet things, I managed to get a few, but finally I just put the camera away and enjoyed the mayhem.

Pam (of Pam and John) has her hands full

what are you doing under there says Vic

Lips, Eyes, and Yellow Ducky

Love

this baby will grow up to be

someone's eyes.......

After getting our fill of babies, we walked over to the training kennels where a few adult dogs in various stages of training were waiting to greet us.

everybody loves a belly rub, right?

a conversation

After our tour was over we decided it was time for lunch.   Pam and Karen both suggested the same place, so that's where we headed.   A good choice!

A funky place right on the river with great food and good beer.  Just the ticket after a hard mornings work.    We sat outside under an umbrella and enjoyed the view and the good conversation.

happy lunch crowd minus John and David

Ever resourceful John finds a way to keep the falling tree buds from getting into his water glass.

Osprey's enjoy their lunch too