Glacier Goes for Sushi

It was a beautiful sunny day here yesterday; perfect for taking Glacier to the beach for a belated birthday romp. Despite the sun, the wind was chilly, but we just made sure to wear layers and Tenie, Carmen, me and the three dogs headed out.
The first part of our journey ran into a snag when Hermione decided to leap from the purse I was carrying her in. My heart broke when she fell to the sidewalk and yelped so loudly, people probably thought I murdered her. I was so worried that she would run into the road. I dropped both Glacier and Roscoe's leashes and spun frantically around, trying to find my very upset puppy. I'm not sure how, but I managed to find her and scoop her up and it was then that I realised that I had let go of the boys' leashes. I scuttled back to where I had left them and found them standing perfectly still, facing the direction we had been traveling. I praised both boys profusely, while trying to calm Hermione.
I check her all over, squeezing paws, legs and spine to make sure that she wasn't hurt. She wasn't shaking and she didn't seem to mind my gentle compressions. So, I felt a bit better. I still felt so guilty. I had no idea she could fit through the small opening in my purse's zipper. I had put her in there so I could walk Roscoe, have Glacier guide me and be able to bring her along as well.
A nice woman, who had been out in her yard, or garden as it is called here, came to see if I needed help. She assisted me in zipping Hermione into my jacket, looped Roscoe's leash around my arm and then told me my shoe was untied.
I was a right mess!
After the shoe was tied, all three dogs were in position-Hermione securely zipped in and my arm under her-I was able to continue on to the girls' flat where Carmen took over Roscoe's walking and Tenie carried Hermione for me.
We walked along some busier roads and the traffic noise seemed to make Hermione a bit nervous. Tenie just kept her tucked in her coat and that seemed to relax Hermione. Glacier was so excited, he was nearly tripping over himself to get there faster. It's funny how they know where they are going, even if they have only been there once before.
The tide was out and so we walked down on to the beach a bit sooner than our last trip. Both boys were placed in a sit/stay and when they were released, all bets were off. They took off so fast that it wasn't long before they were just specs in the distance. There is a sea wall that runs the length of the beach and so I wasn't worried about them going up on the road, but they definitely were a bit too far. Surprisingly, one call of their names and Glacier and Roscoe turned around and came galloping back. Tenie had to warn me to brace myself as they were lumbering right at our knees, but in typical Glacier and Roscoe fashion, they swerved around us at the last second. Both boys' tongues were flapping and drool was plastered across their faces, but they weren't slowing down.
Despite it being a bit more than breezy, I thought we'd try putting Hermione down in the sand to see what she thought. At first, she was a bit afraid, but every time Glacier or Roscoe ran near, she got excited and would run towards them. We didn't leave her down for long as she is only 10 weeks old and hasn't had her second set of vaccinations. All things considered, she did quite well.
Meanwhile, Glacier and Roscoe were off making new doggie friends and greeting every person they could find. Glacier played one of his favourite games where he lies in wait and then chases down Roscoe, pouncing on him at the last minute.
On the way home, we walked back along the shore since the tide was still out. Shells crunched under our feet and you could see/feel the ridges in the sand where the waves had packed it into solid lines. It makes you wonder what actually lives there when the tide is in.
 Glacier took full advantage of the exposed shells and would crunch them in search of shell fish. He would crack them open with his jaws and if nothing was inside, he'd spit the fragments out and continue his quest for sushi. I was a bit concerned about what his poop may be like the next day, but there really was no stopping him. I think he figured a birthday just wasn't a birthday without some sort of delicious delicacy.
When we reached home, it was into the bath tub for both boys. Their bellies, legs and faces were covered in sand and salt and there was no way they were going to be tracking that through our flat. Neither Glacier nor Roscoe thought the rinsing should be a part of the birthday fun and made it quite clear when I tried to hoist them, one at a time of course, into Tenie's bath tub.
Boys cleaned and Hermione exhausted, the humans sat and chatted. Roscoe and Glacier found comfy spots on the floor mat and stayed there to dry. Judging by the heavy way they slept, I think they definitely enjoyed themselves. Even today, they were both pretty worn out.
I can't speak for Glacier, but from my point of view, he had a great birthday; complete with freshly crunched sushi.