Time keeps flying by and another month of Bruno’s project has come to a close. Our big guy celebrated his (slightly belated) first birthday, got neutered and wore underwear on his head. All in all another interesting month, that made for some fun photography.
Week 18 “birthday boy”: This photo is for his first birthday, combined with a challenge to include three things in the photo (a hat, wood, and the colour purple). For those wondering why he looks so sad, he was just concentrating on not eating the cupcake. I also had a little fun with an imagined ‘dogversation’.
Dave: Bruno, are you ready for this week’s photo?
Bruno: Yup. Good to go. You got a plan?
Dave: Yup.
Bruno: So… can this week be of me chasing Eva around the yard?
Dave: Nope, not this week.
Bruno: Getting a cuddle from the kids? Love that.
Dave: Nope, not this week.
Bruno: Me driving the car? I’ve always wanted to try that and I think I’d be really good at it!
Dave: Not quite – today on the way to the groomers you beached yourself on the back seat and got your leg stuck in Dan’s car seat. Then you fell off the seat. I don’t think you driving is a safe idea.
Bruno: But at least I could be in charge of the car radio. I’d make it play the bird song – drives Eva crazy every time.
Dave: I’m with you on that. But this week is a challenge week in the 52 weeks group. Three items – wood, a hat, and the colour purple.
Bruno: I’ve got a great idea – we run around in purple rain and I wear a little red beret. Completely original.
Dave: You forgot the wood. And I think some guy formerly known as prince tried that before.
Bruno: Oh.
Dave: Julia had a great idea. Since it’s your first birthday she thought we should get a cupcake with purple icing, sit you at the wooden kitchen table and have you wear a birthday hat and a neck tie.
Bruno: I get it all, except the neck tie. Why the tie?
Dave: She thinks you would look good in it, and after all it would be a bit of a party.
Bruno: Ok, I’ll wear the tie. But, instead I would like to eat the cupcake and wear the cupcake paper like a hat. See – I remembered the would this time!
Dave: So close. But let’s stick with Julia’s idea.
Week 19 “above all else, be happy”: A quick shot from above, a perspective that I love with dog photos. Bruno was just being his regular old happy self.
Week 20 “if you must wear a cone, may it be filled with tennis balls – a golden retriever proverb”: This was a big week for Bruno. He got neutered. I wanted to create an image with him in a cone that was both fun and respectful. A bit of a challenge as cones tend to make them look rather pathetic. The solution – putting a dozen tennis balls in the cone with him. He had a blast and I think it made for a fun photo. Also makes for easy one-line jokes “Have you seen my balls?”
Week 21 “when life gives you a gate, make it into a window”: This week highlighted the ‘renovation’ that he has made to our doggy gate. It also lent itself to another imagined ‘dogversation’.
Me: Bruno, what’s with the revovation?
Bruno: What renovation?
Me: The gate modifications.
Bruno: Oh that’s not a renovation, more of a customization.
Me: What was the plan?
Bruno: No plan. I just got excited, bumped into the gate then it kind of fell apart.
Me: Yup, I remember that from a couple of months ago. We fixed that window with duct tape. What’s with the new hole?
Bruno: Well, it kind of happened again. It does make for a nice window. But, there is small issue.
Dave: What’s the problem?
Bruno: Eva goes back and forth through it without problem. Leaves me on this side while she watches birds in the living room.
Dave: Well, you’re not that bird obsessed so I don’t think that’s a big issue.
Bruno: But, I am people obsessed, and sometimes the people are on the wrong side of the gate.
Dave: Got it.
Bruno: And there’s one more problem. Remember how much we all love Shreddies?
Me: Yup.
Bruno: Well, she just danced through the gate and stole the Shreddie you had placed on the hardwood to keep me looking through the window for the photo.
Week 22 “jedi training”: My kids sometimes wear underwear or pyjama pants on their heads as ‘pantlers’. When you do the same to a golden retriever it fits best by covering his eyes with the waistband (one of the little lessons that I’ve learned in life). As always, Bruno is happy to do anything involving attention. It also made for a fun imagined ‘dogversation’.
Bruno: Hey Dave, guess what?
Dave: I have no idea.
Bruno: I’m a Jedi.
Dave: Putting Daniel’s underwear on your head with your ears sticking out the leg holes does not make you a Jedi.
Bruno: Does putting underwear on my head make me not a Jedi?
Dave: Nope.
Bruno: So, I’m a Jedi!
Dave: I have a feeling that your logic is flawed. But seriously, what’s with the underwear on your head?
Bruno: Remember Episode IV?
Dave: Yup. Loved it.
Bruno: Well, remember on the falcon when Luke puts the blast shield down on his helmet while working with that drone?
Dave: Yes. Classic scene.
Bruno: And do you also remember that he was doing it to get in better touch with ‘the Pork’?
Dave: I think you mean force.
Bruno: Nope. It has to be pork. Otherwise why would everyone be so excited about it?
Dave: I still think they mean the force. But, what you’re telling me is that you’re wearing his underwear like a helmet with the blast shield covering your eyes to get closer to the pork?
Bruno: Yup. Fool proof plan. I can smell the bacon already!
Dave: Dude, don’t ever change.
