Ciao miei amici!!

Santa vacca!!! (Holy cow!!!) I am brimming with la vergogna e la mortificazione (shame and mortification)! We read your bloggies the other morning and la mia ragazza felt so crushingly awful that we have been absent from DWBloggyland for so many months that she set aside her holiday baking (which -- heeeeeeee!!! -- she is miserable at anyway, so she doesn’t mind stalling on it!) to put this long overdue post on my bloggy. Rest assured, we are all fine and dandy here although oggi fa freddo –molto, molto freddo (today it is cold – very, very cold) -- and la mia ragazza is quite fretty about me not having a proper cappotto di inverno (winter coat). She told me to ask Santy Paws for one – and I did – and now I am determined to stay awake on Vigilia di Natale (Christmas Eve) to see if he squeezes down the comignolo (chimney) with a new coat and many giocattoli magnifici (magnificent toys) for me. Which I deserve, as I have been a splendid and good girl this year. Except for maybe this one time ...

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!

So anyway, here are cinque cose (five things) that have happened in Lucia’s beautiful universe in the cinque mesi (five months) that I have been awayyyyy:

1. I had surgery to remove a troublesome spot at the top of my back leggie – which was terrible enough! – (Note from LMR: it was a scary time here – the vet was concerned that Lucia might have a malignancy – fortunately, test results came back negative) and then, worse, I had a very, very, very bad reaction to Auntie Sthetic (I did not even know I had an Auntie named Sthetic!) and cominciato ad avere allucinazioni (began to hallucinate) so la mia ragazza – who was so very terrified that she might lose her most darling and adored Aire-girl – rushed me to the Mergencyvet, where I spent about un milione di ore (a million hours) having many tests done. Alas, the Mergencyvet didn’t know that I was reacting to Auntie Sthetic and gave me a version of the VERY SAME THING to make me sleepy for the tests, and I went into another serious round of reactions which lasted for a whole other day!!! I had to take
molti farmaci (many medicines) for many days afterward

... and later, la mia ragazza even took me to a vettie who did agopuntura (acupuncture) to help my very sore back – but in the end, I, Lucia the Lionhearted, survived!! (Note from LMR: we think Lucia might have twisted or hurt her back as she was waking up, post surgery; instead of having her treated with yet another pain medication, I took her to a holistic vet who offers chiropractic and acupuncture as a way to alleviate pain. During the acupuncture treatment, itself, Lucia’s face changed from tense to completely relaxed. No more pain!!! It was really amazing ... even better, she's been completely fine since.)

2. We moved from our (former) very cold climate to a (new) much less cold one, although you would never know that today since it’s only nine degrees outside!

3. I had my fotographia (photo) taken with Santy Paws’ elf last week. Awwwwww! La mia ragazza is very smitten with my seasonally dressed self in this picture!

4. I have made many, many new friends, thanks to my twice weekly visits to doggie daycare:

Kobe and Scout the Standard Poodles

Mogie the Irish Wolfhound

The Beautiful Sophie (la mia ragazza loves this Vizsla girl … plllbbbbb!)

(Hubba hubba, Dennis!!!!)

Hal the LabraPlott

Coop the Labradoodle

Peking Gus

(Heeeeeee!!! Get it?? He's peeking!!)

... and 'Panga the Welshie

(She's a mini Lucia!!)

Muahhhhhs to all my wonderful buddies!!! (But I, Lucia, am the only Airedale at daycare!!)

5. I found out I am probably related to Farfel’s new sister, Star!! And I am also distantly related to Mischka the Airedale!!!! Ah, it’s so wonderful to have famiglia (family)!

I send many smoochies and huggies to all of my DWB amici, and also send out extra-special smoochies and huggies to Miss Sunshade and her mum, who presently have their paws full. Please run right over to their bloggy and give them some DWB TLC!

Tanti baci!
Lucia

PeeEss: Muahhhhhs to my beloved Buster and his bellissima baby niece, Gracie!!

I am TWOOOOO!

Ciao miei amici!

Guess what???? Ho due anni!!! (I am two!!)

Although I am molto (very) excited at the idea of having my second birthday, for some reason la mia ragazza has been quite emotionally tormented by it. She keeps looking at me with teary eyes and saying, "Mia bella ragazza (“My beautiful girl) is growing up.” I, Lucia, find this endlessly amusing! Does she not realize that Airedales are like Peter Pan?? We NEVER grow up!!!! Heeeeeeeeeeee!! At two years, I am just as curious, frisky, playful, rambunctious, comical and energetic as I was at one, and at one, I was as playful and mirthful and gleeful and joyful as I was at six months – and probably at six weeks, too! Possibly even six days!

La mia ragazza has something up her sleeve for my birthday, I just know. But, I will have to wait until she’s home from work to find out what it is. Do you think it will be a party with cuppycakes … mmmmm cuppycakes … and hats and pressies!?!? I, Lucia, would enjoy that enormously. In fact, I think the only way I would enjoy it more is if all of my bloggie pals could be here with me to celebrate!! MUAHHHHH!

Tanti baci!

Lucia

Pee Ess: Once my birthday festivities have settled down a bit, I will come back and tell you about the very scary surgery I had to have two weeks ago, and the very scary thing that happened to me afterward. I though la mia ragazza was going to have a nervous breakdown!!! Sheeshh!!!!

Ciao miei amici!

La mia ragazza, mia zia and I, Lucia, had a splendidly busy day last Venerdì (Friday!) Il mattino (the morning) began ordinarily enough with my delicious prima colazione (breakfast) of Orijen kibbles and a spoonful of yogurt (mmmmmm kibbles and yogurt …). Soon after breakfast, la mia ragazza turned me loose in the yardie so I could bark my usual congenial morning greetings to i vicini (the neighbors)

Ciao, cari vicini! E 'un altro giorno glorioso! (Hello, dear neighbors! It’s another glorious day!)

and then take care of various duties of a personal hygiene nature (NO!!! Please do not show that mortifying photo again!!), while inside, la mia ragazza dried i capelli (her hair) for 341 hours. Santa vacca! I, Lucia, could sing an entire Puccini opera ...

... in the time it takes her to fuss with her hair!!

When I came back inside, she put on my collar and leash and announced, “Andiamo, Lucia!” (“Let’s go, Lucia!”) She, zia (aunt) Conni and I went to the car, where she clipped me into my seat belt and then off we went. We drove and drove and drove and DROVE – I thought we probably had crossed the equator – and then finally, quasi due ore più tardi (almost two hours later), way, way out in the midst of molto verdi e alto alberi (many green and tall trees), we turned down a long lane and then … I saw something that looked like THIS:

La mia ragazza was too slow with the camera, so these are stand-in goats.

Santa vacca!!! Or, rather, santa capra!! (holy goat!)
I was fixated on those kids (heeeeee!!! I made a little joke!!!!) … until I heard the tell-tale and unmistakable sound of Airedales barking!!!!! Dov'ero? (Where was I? ) Era questo un dolce sogno!?!? (Was this a sweet dream!?!?)

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

I was absolutely perplesso e confuse (perplexed and confused) until I saw the large and colorful Airedale banner waving from a flagpole, and a sign on the gate surrounding the nearby house that read, “Airedale Terrier Crossing.” We were at an Airedale kennel!!! Just look at these glorious resident ‘dales!!!!

Ciao, i miei Aire-cugini! (Hello, my Aire-cousins!)

La mia ragazza was very glad to find such a magnificent Aire-kennel, with such kind, knowledgeable and aire-xperienced owners (molto grazie, Sharon and Rita!!!) not too far from la casa della mia zia Conni (my aunt Conni’s house). There are bella cagnolini (beautiful doggies) and meraviglioso proprietari (wonderful owners) who lovvvve Airedales, all set in the midst of serene, peaceful surroundings. I, Lucia, received a bellissima aire-cut while la mia ragazza and zia Conni chatted with Sharon and played with some of the doggies. And though I did not get a chance to make the personal acquaintance of any of those very compelling capri (goats) -- which, given my friendly and congenial nature, I very much wanted to do (pllllbbbbbbb to la mia ragazza, who wouldn't let me) --it was still an eccellente (excellent) day, all around.
Now, speaking of all things Airedalian, here is a pikkie of la mia ragazza’s friend’s Bullwinkle:

Si, si (Yes, yes), he is quite il bel ragazza (the handsome boy), and there is no question la mia ragazza is completely smitten with him. Ah, she is so fickle!!! What about her darlingest Lucia!?!?! But I wonder … sta per essere il mio fratellino? (is he to be my baby brother ?) Forse mio cugino? (Perhaps my cousin?) Will we ever meet??? Ah, destino! (Ah, destiny!) I, Lucia, am genuinely puzzled!

Tanti baci!
Lucia

Ciao, miei amici!!!

It is I, Lucia!!!!!!!!! (La mia ragazza says that is gramatically incorrect, but -- pllllbbbbb!!! --who cares what she thinks!)

Well, I have finally been able di persuadere (to persuade) la mia ragazza -- lazy, unmotivated, slackified soul that she is -- to sit down and type up a new post for my bloggie since the last one she did was 743 years ago. Santa vacca!! But she is a casa tutto il giorno oggi (at home all day today) and despite the many errands she says needs to run and jobs she needs to tend to, I explained to her that NIENTE (NOTHING) is more important than letting me say ciao to all of my doggie, kitteh and hooman pals in the bloggieverse, and she, for once, saw la logica e la saggezza (the logic and wisdom) of my thinking. So …. CIAO BELLA, EVERYONE!

I have some splendida e importante notizia (wonderful and important news) to report! My darlingest friend, Alyce

had cuccioli (puppies)!!!! Yes, the world is a better place thanks to dieci (ten) new Airedales

(Note to my bloggie pals: We used a bit of a creative license here since we don't yet have photos of the new puppies. This photo was taken at my breeder's kennel several days before I, Lucia, came home with la mia ragazza. The puppies are my brothers and sisters at eight weeks, and the charming, yawning puppy in the background is ME. Awwww!)

which arrived about otto settimane fa (eight weeks ago). And you should hear la mia ragazza carrrrrrrrry on about these aire-pups. If I, Lucia, had any possessive bones in my body, I would be follemente geloso (insanely jealous) of the attention she shows to the new doggies, but fortunately, I am una emotivamente sicuro (an emotionally secure) aire-girl and am in no way threatened by the UNBELIEVABLE level of interest la mia ragazza has shown in the little ones, in particular, un molto piccolo (a very small) aire-boy named Bullwinkle.

(He doesn’t look like this Bullwinkle … heeeeeee!!)

Oh, she is simply pazzo (crazy) for him, and I sense she is secretly plotting to find a way to make him my bambino fratello (baby brother). Can you imagine I, Lucia, sharing my space and la mia ragazza with a BOY!?!?! Santo fumo!!!

As for what’s happening in Lucia’s beautiful universe, well, nearly everything has been perfection, though I DID have a incontro difficile (difficult encounter) with a specific category of fauna in the back yardie, resulting in some not-so-insignificant personal discomfort. I was outdoors on a warm spring morning, chasing my tennis ball, body-slamming my cousin, Heidi,

and barking a friendly greeting to i vicini (the neighbors)

Buon giorno, beloved neighbors!

when I noticed the rose bush had bloomed like a pink waterfall over the side-yard fence.

Ahhhh! Bellissima!

So of course, I, Lucia, being the self-appointed impresario of all springtime loveliness blossoming in the yardie (heeeeeeee!!!!) decided to go over for a delicate sniff of the intoxicating pink-rose aroma. Well! Molte, molte impertinente api (Many, many impertinent bumblebees)

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!

were buzzing around i fiori (the flowers) and these winged ones were, as Mango would say, most unfriendly toward my darling terrier faccia (face). When they approached me, I, thinking they were going to give me smoochies, tried to offer smoochies in return, but they WERE NOT SMOOCHIE BEES!! Instead, they began to bite my adorable self!!! I, Lucia, ran away quickly,

To quote mio amico Dennis the Vizsla, "Aiiiieeeeee!!! Run away, run away!"

but still ended up with several stings on il lato sinistro della mia faccia (the left side of my face). When la mia ragazza came home from work later that day, she noticed me pawing at my head and investigated, then put a cold cloth on my face (ahhhhhh) and some disinfettante (disinfectant) and Auntie Bye O’Ticks ointment (I did not even know I had an Irish aunt!), but the next day I was scratching and pawing at my face even more, so off I went to my V-E-T, who clippered away some of my beautiful gingery furs and put on MORE Auntie Bye O’Ticks …

and THEN gave me a shot of steroids. I kept waiting for la mia voce (my voice) to get low from the steroids or to have super tennis-ball-catching powers from them, but all they did was make the itchies stop. Anyway, I am doing much better now although I do have a huge thirst, which causes me to drink vast amounts of acqua (water) …

and must frequently visit the yardie for – ahem -- i miei doveri personali (my personal duties),

I, Lucia, cannot believe la mia ragazza posted this photo! Molto mortifying!

but the V-E-T told la mia ragazza that is typical and ordinary after a steroid shot. Of course, I, Lucia, am anything but typical and ordinary. Heeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, one last thing: if any hoomans are interested in learning more about la mia ragazza’s friend’s splendid new aire-puppies, la mia ragazza says to let her know ….!

Tanti baci!
Lucia

Max Was Here, Too!!!

Ciao miei amici!

I, Lucia, am quite excited to tell you that Max stopped by la casa della mia zia (my aunt's house) in Tennessee -- where I'm presently visiting -- during the southern United States leg of his worldwide tour!

Because I am a young and as-yet-inexperienced-in-the-ways-of-the-world Aire-girrrl, I asked Max to teach me a few lessons about what it means to be a clever, loving, considerate, intuitive and companionable doggie. So, whatever Max told me to do, I tried to do. But ... quickly realizing that I have the attention span of a gnat and thus follow directions poorly (la mia ragazza says, "spend three minutes watching Lucia in agility training and you'll realize how true that is" --- pllbbbbbb!!!!), Max decided that the best teaching method for me would be learning by doing. Here are some photos of our lessons. (We had to do it this way because la mia ragazza's Photoshoppy skills, as you all know, are nine levels below wretchedly abysmal ... heeeeeeeeee!!!)

When Max showed me how to investigate and patrol the garden ...

I did this ...

When Max told me how to walk nicely alongside the hooman so I could see my shadow ...

I did this ...

When Max showed me how to sing ...

I did this ...

When Max taught me how to chill out by relaxing in the grass ...

I did this ...

When Max showed me how to stick out my tongue (heeeeee!!) ...

I did this ....

When Max taught me how to play with blankets and shirts ...

I did this ...

When Max showed me how to stand on my back leggies ...

I did this ....

When Max explained how to make horsey eyes ...

I did this ...

When Max said, Lucia, always snooze in the sunshine ...

I did this ...

When Max told me to give plenty of huggies to those who love us most ...

I did this ...

When Max taught me the winsome, upside down glance ...

I did this ...

When Max showed me that daily walkies are beneficial ...

I did this ...

And when Max taught me how to have a good nap after a good day ...

I did this ...

On this bellissima (most beautiful) Valentine's Day, dolce (sweet) Max, I send you my heart. I only wish it could be as enorme (large) and magnifico (magnificent) as yours!!!!!!

Tanti baci!
Lucia