Once again Mom is fresh out of ideas so she calls on me, Roscoe the Rascal to fill in for her. You would think I would get an extra treat for this, but nope. Something about it's not fair to my sisters. I do not get it.

A while back we discussed a typical day in my life and that was in early spring. Well summer days are a bit different. Shadow, for one sleeps in but I get up when Dad gets ready for work and depending on how far he has to travel for the day that could be between 2:30 to 3:30 a.m. Once he is ready we get to go for a walk in the wee early morning hours. Sometimes Shadow goes with us, if she wakes up. Some days, much to Mom's dismay, she waits and realizes she is missing out and then wakes Mom up so she can be let outside to go for a walk with us.

Ivy (remember she's the oldest) stays in bed.

When Shadow and I get let back in Mom is usually back in bed and we have to wait until she gets up to get ready for work. Sometimes neither Shadow or I are very patient. As soon as it gets light I am ready to play so I will jump on the bed and start pawing at Mom. Shadow is usually ready for breakfast and does her typical whining that wakes Mom up.

Early this summer Mom used to also take us for walks, which was great. We all have enjoyed her getting healthy. But then she ended up hurting what she called her good knee. Osteoarthritis and torn cartilage. Sounds painful but she's been a trooper.

The surgeon suggested no more walking for exercise. Bummer for us but Mom still takes us for short, slow walks at times.

Now, for exercise, she gets on a stationary bicycle that goes nowhere, literally nowhere. It is no fun at all. Ivy and I try to get close to get petted but the pedaling gets in the way. Sometimes I get on her file bin and look outside while she rides to nowhere.

The Fourth of July was a bit of bummer as Dad would not let me stay outside. Something about not trying to grab the smoke bombs, firecrackers and other fireworks. So we three dogs had to stay inside.

The kitties scattered, as they do every year, but they always come back after the noise subsides.

The rest of the days are pretty typical. We spend the mornings outside in the kennel while both Mom and Dad are at work. I've been digging, because I get bored and every afternoon when Mom comes to check on us. She shakes her head because the water dish is full of dirt from where I have been digging. This morning (I am working on this Tuesday) she moved the water dish, thinking that would help.

I don't know why she is surprised every day. A dog has to do what a dog has to do and as I have said before, it is not easy being me.

We spend the afternoons inside because with Ivy and Shadow being mostly all black dogs and much more fur they get too hot, even as nice as the summer has been so far. It's OK though, after all the digging I am usually ready for a nap.

The miller moths have not been as bad this year, thank goodness because Mom and Dad still think I should grab and eat them. Well, I realized last year that they are, well, gross.

I did try to eat some type of worm crawling on the driveway one day but Mom said no. They don't like me trying to eat stinkbugs either.

It is hard to know which bugs are OK and which ones are off limits.

I realize there is still much for me to learn.

Until next time, enjoy the summer, I know I will.