This was Agnes’s second Christmas with us, and she really figured it out this year. She was more relaxed, confident, and involved in everything. A real big part of the family.
A Christmas Story
This photo was part of the 52 weeks tribute/imitation challenge. I selected a photo by Katie McLellan as inspiration. Julia was happy to sit in the window reading a book with Aggie, which I shot wide to make it more seasonal.
Agnes: Ooooh, are you going to read me a story? I love stories.
Julia: Sure thing. It’s a Christmas one.
Agnes: Ooooh, I love stories and Christmas. This will be great.
Julia: Perfect. Now this is a story about …
Agnes: Oooh, don’t tell me. I want to guess! Is it a story about a rescue dog that got adopted by a loving family and had Christmas stories read to her?
Julia: Um, nope.
Agnes: Oooh, is it a story about a cute dog who charmed her way into a family’s home then got rewarded with a candy cane?
Julia: Um, no.
Agnes: Ooooh, is it a story about a rescue dog that saved Christmas by leading Santa’s sleigh?
Julia: Agnes, not every story is about you.
Agnes: They should be. But if it’s not about me, what is it about?
Julia: It’s a Stuart McLean story about a guy named Dave who cooks a turkey.
Agnes: Oooh, that is about me! I know a guy named Dave and I like to eat turkey! Sounds like a holiday miracle where the cute dog gets to eat a whole turkey!
High Tea
Agnes relaxing on a forbidden couch with Karen during tea time. And no, they did not eat all of the cookies and oranges themselves.
The lovely people at the shelter did think that Agnes was a corgi because the adult dog they picked her up with had short legs and they assumed it was her mother. But, seeing how this girl looks today I’m not sure that was her mom.
Karen: Thank you for joining me for tea time.
Agnes: You’re welcome. I do certainly enjoy a Christmas high tea.
Karen: High tea?
Agnes: Yup. This tea time does come with socializing, delectable collection of Christmas goodies.
Karen: That is true. But, I’m not sure that makes it high tea.
Agnes: Well, maybe you’re forgetting that we’re in an elevated position on the couch. So that must make it high tea.
Karen: I don’t think the height of the furniture is a defining criteria of high tea.
Agnes: It is for me. Plus, there’s one other thing that makes it high tea. I am British.
Karen: British? I thought you were a Saskatchewan girl.
Agnes: Dude, the people at the shelter thought I was a Corgi. So, I must be British. And us British folk do love ourselves a high tea.
Karen: I’ve seen your legs. I don’t think you’re a Corgi.
Agnes: Pish, posh. Corgi or not we’ve got a collection of cookies, yummy orange balls and stripy bent sticks on a fancy plate. So lets get to the overeating part of this high tea!
Karen: All of those cookies may not be for us. There are Dave and the kids to consider.
Agnes: Pish posh. If you don’t tell the other humans I won’t tell Bruno and Eva. So lets put on our fancy hats and get down to high tea time!
The New Dogs in Town
Daniel received these awesome slippers from our family babysitter as a Christmas gift this weekend. They’re super cute and comfy. Plus, the moment I saw them I knew what to do for this week’s photo with Agnes.
Agnes: Hey Daniel, when did we get more puppies?
Daniel: Agnes, these aren’t new puppies. They’re stuffed slippers.
Agnes: Stuffed? Like they got dinner without me? Sounds very unfair.
Daniel: Dude, not stuffed like eating, stuffed like with stuffing.
Agnes: Oooh, I love stuffing. The perfect side for a lovely Christmas turkey dinner.
Daniel: I don’t think you understand. They’re not real puppies. Just slippers that look like puppies wearing bunny hugs.
Agnes: I’m not so sure about that. If they’re not real why did I see them running around the house two minutes ago?
Daniel: Really? They were running around the house.
Agnes: Yup. They were running around perfectly synchronized with your feet.
Daniel: Um, Agnes – they weren’t running. I was running and they’re slippers. Which were on my feet. Like indoor warm shoes.
Agnes: Really? So there’s no stuffing?
Daniel: Really. But I wasn’t lying, they are full of stuffing.
Agnes: Awesome! Lets go to the kitchen and hook me up with some turkey dinner and stuffing!
Walking into the New Year
Agnes really has changed so much this year, and I think that her 52 weeks project was a big part of that. Each week we pushed her limits a little bit more, and she responded well to the challenges. In fact she progressed so much as a confident member of the family that we’re doing it again. I was uncertain which dog to do 52 weeks with in 2019, but seeing her progress over the last year it will be another year of Agnes. I can’t wait to see where 2019 takes us.
Daniel: Wow Agnes, I can’t believe it’s almost the new year.
Agnes: Me either.
Daniel: Yup. And it’s been a pretty big year for you.
Agnes: It seriously has been.
Daniel: Do you remember how at the beginning of the year you wouldn’t do photos without Bruno right beside you?
Agnes: Sure do.
Daniel: And do you remember how you refused to go outside for walks without Bruno and Eva coming along?
Agnes: Sure do.
Daniel: And now here we are for an end of the year photo walking through a frozen field in -30c weather.
Agnes: I’m starting to think that just doing indoor photos with the big guy was a better idea.
Daniel: Really?
Agnes: Yup. Much warmer. And by the way – do we really need to walk all of the way into the new year?
Daniel: I sincerely hope not.
Agnes: I agree. Lets go home. You can have hot chocolate while I eat all of your marshmallows.
