Sam comes for a visit

Sam (left) & her driver, Lee Murrer, stopped by for a visit on their way to Pennsylvania -- and ultimately Alabama.

Sam's antics got me smiling on this cold winter's day. And she even got Stella Bella (right) moving around a bit. I kept Truman, not pictured, on a lead as he is 14 & still horny & I didn't want to chance that he might strain himself.

Anyway, the three Bouvs enjoyed themselves for a while before we went in for a sit down in front of a warming fire & some appetizers: green olives, thinly sliced, toasted French bread with humus. As the fire burned down & the Bouvs calmed down, lunch was announced & we moved into the dining room.

Soup, sandwich (mozzarella, red peppers, basil w special sauce) on flat bread w a nice red Chiraz (sp?), sparking water.

A non-confrontational conversation ensued about President Obama's first State of the Union speech & other matters like Lee's work & our very old commercial Garland gas range which Lee admired & Carol loves to cook on but hates to clean. Can't say that I blame her but, really, the maid does it.

After a rest, dessert arrived: fresh strawberries dipped in dark chocolate along w some amaretto cookies (also dipped) w coffee. Poor Truman was sent to sleep behind some French doors where he could see what was going on but couldn't join in, Stella sneaked off to her position near the fireplace & Sam learned to lie quietly by our chairs as we finished up.

To ward off pending fullness & possible nap time, Lee & I, plus the Bouvs, went outside for a walk around the property & while I was explaining our next construction project, the Bouvs romped in the snow . This time Truman joined in -- sort of -- but he seems to know & respect his own limits which some older adult humans could learn from.

As Sam scampered around full speed, I tried to convince Lee that sometime around the age of 2-2.5yrs, a light bulb would probably go off in her head & she would become a more 'responsible' Bouvier (they don't mature until 3-5 yrs). She's got such wonderful exuberance, she runs with such abandon, it's exhilarating to watch. This is not to say she's a wild child. No. Lee is terrific with her & she pays strict attention to him, looking him right in the eye for instruction. She reminded me a bit of Ruben.

Finally both Sam's & Stella Bella's feet were decorated by so many frozen balls of ice that we got a bowl of warm water to melt them off.  Stella went into the house, Sam went into the car & about 4:00 pm Lee set off for his next stop with Carol, John & Zoe in Philadelphia.

It was a very nice afternoon which we look forward to doing again when the pool is open, the gardens are blooming & we can sit on the terrace, eat, drink & reminisce about this day.