We had a really nice visit with my folks this weekend. I hardly took any pictures and we didn’t even take Rockwell out in his jacket and maybe that’s why I felt so relaxed. They arrived on Friday and we went out to lunch. We’d had a busy 12 hours preceding because of a leaky pipe in the basement and I just didn’t want the extra burden of taking Rockwell out to a restaurant so we left him at home (sorry boy!).

He just loves the parental units because they lavish attention on him, calling him smart and cute and sweet (which he is). Mum plays with him making him run around even though she stays in one spot. Dad just needs to make eye contact and Rockwell is wanting up on his lap. When we watched a movie (or anything for that matter) on tv in the evening, it was more fun to watch Rockwell watching the tv than to actually watch whatever was on.

On Saturday, Dad took Rockwell for a walk and when he got back, he complained at how much Rockwell pulled at the leash. I had coached Dad a little on how to compensate for and correct the pulling but unless you see it in action, it apparently isn’t much help. Sunday, Dad and I both took Rockwell for a long walk and I walked in front (the sidewalks are narrowed because of the ice and snow) with Rockwell. The whole way around the loop, I had Rockwell on a short leash and whenever he would try to head off to the side or or go for some bit of garbage, I would snap up on the leash, tugging up on his collar and usually say “leave”. Let’s just say there was a lot of snapping and leaving on my part. When we got home, Dad said he could see how it worked but he doubted he’d want to do that for 30 minutes on a walk. I said, "but see how it works out your arm muscles too!" Extra benefit! He wasn’t convinced.