All of Bruno’s July photos were taken at the cabin, leading the good life.  Summer at the cabin is amazing, especially when you’re with a golden retriever.  It really was a great July.

Reflecting

Week 26’s photo “reflecting”was a bit of a random shot.  Multiple other ideas had failed, but when I came back from failed photo walk with him I noticed a very miffed Agnes watching us through the front window.  So, I decided to play with the reflection.  And it led to my favorite dogversation yet.

Agnes: Hey Bruno! How did you get to go outside while I’m still in here?
Bruno: What’s that? I’m having trouble hearing you with that window between us.
Agnes: I said why are you outside while I’m inside!
Bruno: Sorry, still not hearing you well. You said something about a side of beef?
Agnes: No. I asked how you got outside!
Bruno: Really? You want to learn to hang glide?
Agnes: Not hang glide. How did you get outside?
Bruno: We’re going for a car ride?
Agnes: No. I asked how you got outside!
Bruno: Really? You like the late 80’s rap song “let your backbone slide”?
Agnes: Would you stop talking about Maestro Fresh Wes? I was asking how you got outside.
Bruno: You know, I heard you the first time. I have no idea how I got out here without you, but I do know that you’re fun to bug.

Water Shoes

Week 27’s photo “water shoes” was a follow-up to a winter shot of Bruno’s feet and my daughter’s boots in Week 9.  We missed spring, but now we have summer to add to our collection.  Just like in March there was a bit of chaos getting the shot as Bruno really does love to dock jump.  Special thanks to my son Daniel for helping out with the photo.

Bruno: Daniel, do you have my water toy?
Daniel: Nope. Mom has it.
Bruno: Daniel, but I want to jump off the dock and I need my water toy to do that with.
Daniel: Dude, I really don’t have it.
Bruno: Are you sure about that? I feel a mighty jump coming on.
Daniel: Yup. I’m sure.
Bruno: Oh. Can you go get it?
Daniel: No. Dad asked us to stand still side by each for this summer time photo of my shoes and your feet.
Bruno: Well, we both know that that isn’t going to happen.
Daniel: Are you talking about when you almost dragged my down the dock because my hand was in your collar and you felt a need to jump, or are you talking about the time you decided to jump with no warning and half landed on Dad as he was wading chest deep in the water to take this photo?
Bruno: Yeah, both of those may be relevant talking points. And there may have been other events too.
Daniel: Agreed.
Bruno: On a completely different topic, do you have my water toy?

We Love Summer

Week 28’s photo “we love summer” was another one from the dock.    Somehow Bruno often ends up with a group of children jumping with him in the water.  All is good, as long as he is given enough room for his enthusiastic water entry.

Bruno: Julia, are you ready?
Julia: Yup.
Bruno: Daniel, are you ready?
Daniel: Yup.
Bruno: Alright then. On the count of three lets all run and jump into the lake yelling “We Love Summer!”
Julia: Okay. Sounds like a plan.
Daniel: Alright. Best plan you’ve ever had.
Bruno: Better than the time I snuck into the back of the SUV at the gas station and ate a hole in the dog food bag while dad pumped gas?
Daniel: Yes. Much Better.
Bruno: That’s so good to hear. But there is one problem. I’m hungry now.
Julia: Oh, then I’ve got an idea. After we jump in the lake we run back up to the cabin and eat a whole pile of cookies.
Bruno: But Dad says I’m not allowed into the cabin until I dry off a bit.
Daniel: Guys, no need to worry! He’s distracted with his camera. As long as we’re quiet about the cookies part of the plan we can definitely pull it off!
Bruno: Oh right. Good idea. One ….. Two ….. Three …
Julia, Bruno and Daniel: We Love Summer and Cookies!

Faster than a Speeding Rocket Ship

Week 29’s photo “faster than a speeding rocket ship” was another day on the dock.

This was intended to be the last jump of the day, but Bruno managed to sneak away for me on the stairs and make one more sprint down the dock while holding his own toy for an extra jump. Unfortunately he did partly land on Daniel’s and his rocket ship popping it in three places.

Fortunately Daniel was unharmed, and the vinyl repair kits are pretty effective.

Daniel: Hey Bru, are you faster than a speeding rocket ship?
Bruno: Likely.
Daniel: Why likely?
Bruno: Well, for starters I’m not certain that I know what a rocket ship is.
Daniel: Okay. It’s a big powerful ship made to bring people and other things into space.
Bruno: Oh. And are they all made out of vinyl and inflated with air?
Daniel: Not all of them.
Bruno: Well, lets just say that I’m pretty confident that I can beat your rocket ship. Shall we make it interesting?
Daniel: More interesting than a boy wearing a rocket ship and a golden retriever jumping off a dock together?
Bruno: Yup. A little wager. If I win, you owe me another jump and a cookie.
Daniel: And if I win?
Bruno: Well, if you’re far enough ahead of me that I accidentally collide with the ship, I’ll likely just land on it and pop it with my claw.
Daniel: Seriously?
Bruno: Likely. But I will feel really bad about it if that’s any consolation.

The Fun Index

The last photo for the month “the fun index” was just Bruno being Bruno.  He was making his way back to the dock for another jump, with kid paddle boards and kayaks drying off after a morning of use.

And by the way, people trolling by in boats really do stop to watch and cheer for Bruno when he is jumping.

Bruno: Dave, I just don’t get it.
Dave: What’s that?
Bruno: Why you humans say that a measure of how much fun a summer day at the lake has been is how many water toys are spread out on the dock and lawn.
Dave: Well, if we’ve had lots of water playing and other fun there is usually a random collection paddle boards, kayaks, a giant inflatable duck, miscellaneous floaties, and other things that have been used and enjoyed during the day.
Bruno: That makes no sense.
Dave: Why?
Bruno: Because all of those toys suck. The paddle board and kayaks are so unstable that they scare me, and I am no longer welcome around random floaties after the ‘inflatable rocket ship incident’.
Dave: Then how do you measure how good of a day it’s been?
Bruno: Well, I would have to say that if my bumper toys is on the lawn, my belly is full, my fur is wet, and I can barely keep my eyes open in the late afternoon then it’s been a good day.
Dave: I could see that.
Bruno: And there’s one more thing that makes it an awesome day.
Dave: What is that?
Bruno: If Eva and Agnes are yelling at me from the deck while I’m down here playing in the water with the undivided attention of my favorite four humans while other random humans passing by on boats are cheering on my jumps, then it’s been an awesome day.