Yesterday was quite a day. We had to clean up the house and yard in the morning, because someone was coming to have the house shown to them. Mother, Nicholas, and I worked on that in the morning, but mother had to leave around 9:30 to have her hair done. Grandmother also helped by blowing the driveway and garage clear of grass clippings and the like. My grandmother and aunt, who had come down to clear out grandmother's storage unit, left between 10:00 and 10:30 yesterday morning. (BTW, Sapphire was really happy to see grandmother again and took to Aunt Tara quickly.) We managed to clean everything up fairly well before leaving at noon with both dogs, shortly after mother had returned.
First, we went to Petsmart and bought several things: a 44 lb. bag of dog food, a prong collar for Sapphire, two ropes, and a huge tug toy, with a loop at one end for the dog and a triangular loop with a handle at the other end. That things is neat; it is over three feet long, I'm pretty sure, and, with that handle, the dog can't possibly win. However, at the store, Sapphire and Gucci didn't behave very well. Gucci was managable because she is so small, but Sapphire wanted to run after everyone (in our family), mill around with Gucci, and run over to the dog training area where a (noisy) class was going on. Stay was nearly impossible when I attempted to fit a prong collar. Mother was happy with Sapphire because she wasn't aggressive or fearful, but I was definitely not; Sapphire's excitement and disobedience was frustrating. (This is an example of why we needed the prong collar; she is just too big to hold when she is excited, and in such cases she doesn't always have good manners.)
Then, we stopped to get some take-out for lunch. I think it was 1:15 or so when we arrived home. A neighbor who had just obtained her real estate license and had made the request also walked through the house.
There was little else noteworthy yesterday, until evening. Catherine (the baby in the picture and my youngest sister) was walking around with some food, which she stuck out in front of Sapphire's nose. Then, Catherine lifted her hand a little; and Sapphire sat. Next, the baby touched her hand, with the food still in it, to the ground; so Sapphire laid down and looked at her. Finally, Catherine dropped the food for Sapphire to gobble. Ta da!!!Â
 It was really funny, because Catherine is 1 year old (her birthday was on October 14th), and we had never taught her to do that.
It was quite a day, but I did get some school done too.Â
Sofia
Edited: to clarify a point.
