Warming up in Fort Lauderdale

Hi All...Ben here again,

The last time I wrote to you I was resting on the bow of our boat here in Fort Lauderdale at our slip waiting for low tide so I could get down off this boat and go chase the geckos and cats. The bow is facing the dock, and the only way to get off this thing at high tide is to be an Olympic gymnast. Unfortunately, low tide is only twice a day and sometimes that’s in the middle of the night! Makes it hard for a guy to keep a regular "schedule". Too high for a walk!
Fortunately I still have my "yard" or at least the part of it that Jeff didn't THROW OUT a few weeks ago! As part of the clean-up process on our boat in preparation for Wendy coming to visit, they decided to make my yard more presentable, so they began throwing out some of the brown grass – just as it was getting the right smell. And it’s hard to get a good aim in it now, if you know what I mean. Jeff gardening

Wendy came to visit us one weekend after we arrived here, so Jeff and Izzy got real busy getting the boat in tip top shape for her arrival. Jeff was working on some project so she could take a shower in the guest head…I’ve never been down there, so I don’t know what all the fuss was about, but it seems to have been fixed cause she smelled real good all the time she was here.

Then they got the crazy idea to get the boat wet all over and scrub it with brushes and wax it so it was real slippery. I’m not sure what they were thinking…I could hardly stand up anywhere!

Here’s a picture of Wendy with Jeff and Izzy…..uhm… that I took… Wendy said that Neva misses me. You remember her. She was my pal in Denver.

This is me with my good friend Neva when we were in Colorado. I keep a picture of her near my bed. She's a frisky one!

While Wendy was here we went on a Water Taxi ride one day to see some of the town. Bridge opening in Fort Lauderdale on the Intracoastal Waterway with lots of boats! Wendy and Izzy looking at the sights from the Water Taxi Jeff's version of sightseeing ...babes and boats

We checked out the beach across from the shops and all those restaurants that smelled goodand dipped our toes in the ocean...not as cold as the Dog Beach in California
Then we took a dinghy ride and we saw lots of kids having a race in their sailboats Jeff likes to go try new ways of getting home to our boat. Sometimes we have to get down real low in the dinghy to go under the bridges he picks. Like this one. Someone sat on my tail going under that.

Wendy and Izzy decided I needed a haircut, so I got a ride in the back of Wendy’s convertible and went to a place called “Rover the Rainbow”. Three very nice young men shampooed and pampered me, clipped my fur and gave me a cute scarf. They made my arms look big and strong, and left my tail real long and fluffy. Here’s a picture of my new haircut. Whadda ya think?
Here's the old haircut... ....and here's the new haircut. Notice my big biceps, and defined abs. Cousin Brian came over to have some fun with us while Wendy was here. They all went out on the town and left me to guard the boat. I did a good job and got a treat when they came home. I think they had fun, according to this picture.

Jeff went off on a motorcycle trip in Mexico and left Izzy and me here on the boat alone for ten days. Neighbor John gave him a ride to the airport in his flashy Jag. They both had big smiles as they drove off.
Nice ride to the airport A picture of Jeff and his motorcycle in Mexico

Can you believe it…one of those days he was gone was Izzy’s birthday!! He really had to kiss up, so before he left he arranged a nice birthday dinner for her with cousins BJ and Brian at Morton’s Steak House, and a subscription to Netflix with a bunch of chick movies. He also sent the obligatory guilt flowers on the special day while he was riding in the dirt in Mexico. Guilt flowers BJ and Brian with Izzy on her birthday at Mortons
I thought I'd at least get a steak bone out of that but no-o-o-o-o. I just got a dog biscuit and a pat on the head. Of course Izzy told me I had done a great job as the watch dog while she was gone! They came back all happy and kept me up late playing loud music and laughing. I think they had wine...

Izzy and I actually had a nice quiet time without him here…no pressure to fix anything and no calamities for 10 whole days! I took this picture of Izzy chillin on the deck while Jeff was gone. It also gave Izzy time to ride her bike to shop at the Galleria (I think she only bought two more pair of shoes this time), and order a new teak table and chairs and lights for the sundeck on line. She took me on real long walks and stayed up late with me watching the chick flicks. Guess Jeff had a good time too, and he didn’t come back with any splints or bandages so Izzy was relieved and happy to have him home.
He must have gotten bitten with a motorcycle bug in Mexico though because he helped our neighbor, John, fix up this little scooter, and then talked him into letting him use it for a while. As you can see, “Cutie” is quite different from his usual style, but it has a motor!
Jeff with John

He looks kinda silly on that little thing....John calls him "Easy Rider". Who's that?

Well, I'm on duty now as the OWD ( Official Watch Dog) while Izzy and Jeff go out for sushi on their bikes, so I'll have to catch up with you later.When I do a really good job at this, Izzy gives me treats!

Love,

Ben