Safety First

Hi, Gracie here to talk about a very important part of every project - safety.

Now that its summer, your people will likely want to go do some crazy things outside like build walls, put in a deck or hire some strangers to walk around on your roof for days and make a lot of noise - general human craziness stuff.







We are going to cover how to keep yourself safe when summer activities distract your people from the most important thing in their lives - you.

As you can see from this photo, my person (Dad) is completely absorbed with rubbing that stinky bug stuff all over him.  Now everyone in the neighborhood can smell where he is, but he is not focusing in me, like he should be.





The first thing to do is have a team meeting and review the work area.  This can be done several times during the project so you keep up to date on changes.

The goal is to find the best places to stand to remind your people you are there without getting hurt in the process.







Hmmmm, this appears to be a tripping hazard. We better mark this one as a warning. I could stand here to get attention from my people, but it might move and hurt my toes.

I realize your people may plan to use this in a safe way in the future, but make sure you don't get hurt on it when its still a tippy rock in the middle of the walk way.

If you can't get your people check the work area when you want to, negotiate a time when you can come back and check their work.

You want to spot those dangerous areas you should stay away from when they are working and you can't do that if they are moving things all over the place and possibly getting in the way of your inspection.

You can see a work area negotiation in action in this photo.  We eventually stood on Dad's lap until he gave up and let us have our inspection time.  (he went and pretended to get a sandwich)






Always supervise at a distance.  Luca demonstrates how to monitor your people without getting in the way of the heavy rocks being used.

Though we all want to be in the thick of it, it is better if you stand back and let your people work.  It helps the project go faster and the sooner they get done, the sooner you can reap the benefit of their hard work.

If your people are using words like Deck, Patio or Retaining Wall, it means they will bring in some stuff that could be a lot heavier than you are and can easily hurt you.

Make sure you stay far away from this stuff - unless you are standing on your people, then you will probably be pretty safe.






The dangerous parts are usually found in piles in the last place you would put it - like in your favorite spot to sleep in the sun or that great place you like to us to roll in fresh worms.

It's always a good idea to post reminder signs when your favorite hang-outs are under construction, so no one wanders in and gets hurt.  Here is Pippin selecting a spot for her "Work Area - Keep Out" marker.  (Pippin doesn't like to be photographed when she leaves markers, so we chosen a pre-marker photo this time.)



Here are some examples of places you should not be when your people are doing projects.

This is not your space.

Do not get in the car and help your people unload stuff.  As you can see, these rocks are great to stand on, but they can squish me like a bug.

I know its fun to play in the car, but hold off until the stuff has been unloaded.

This is not your space when people are working.

You could fall, get itchy plants on you or surprise your people and make them jump and drop something.

Ok, so the surprising your people part is really fun, but not if they drop something on you.







This is not supposed to be your place, but we all do it from time to time.

Since none of us can turn down a comfy lap when available, please just make sure that there are no sharp pokey things to hurt you or heavy things to fall on you.

Your people may not be able to work freely with you in their lap like Pippin is, but this helps them remember that it really IS all about you.









There is no running in the work area - even though it is really fun to do.

Trotting is not advised either.

A little tag is ok when you get bored from watching your people work, but outright running is not ok.






So that is pretty much it on the safety talk.

I know it looks like a lot of extra work, but that is just how it is when you are supervising your people.  They do funny things and you have to make sure you get right in the middle of everything.  

If you don't, your people may make the huge mistake of thinking these improvement projects are for them, when we all know that it really is all about us.

Its our job to help them remember that...all the time.

Tune in for our next post on how to stain a cement mask.

How to Replace a Shade Tree - Piluzo Archives #4

Hi, this is Gracie. Welcome to my How To blog.  This is the last article from our Piluzo archives - #4 How to Plant a Shade Tree.

If you recall, last week (2008) our neighbor cut down the shade trees right over the fence. Our yard is now like the Saraha Dessert and we can see all the neighbors - and we bark at them. That has to change, so we're adding some trees to our yard.

You may have noticed that I have my collar on for this show. That's because the first thing we need to do is BUY a shade tree, and you know what THAT means...
















Its time for a trip to the garden centers! Now everyone 'collar up' and head for the car!



















No, we don't get to drive, though Pippin asks every time. She's got a really good sense of direction and we're pretty sure she'd be able to find the place if Mom and Dad would just ask her.

When you get to the garden center/nursery make sure you stick together. You never know when someone may show up with treats and you don't want to miss out.

Is this what we're after?

Nope, maple tree first, then hedges.

Wow, its like we're in the tree forest!

OK, that sounded kinda dumb.

What's with all the buckets? Don't trees grow in the ground? How do you piddle on these?

Here's what we want! This one right here. Its the right kind and bigger than the others

Uh, where did the tree lady go with the loud mover machine thing? How do we get our tree to the car without her help?

We better head to the front and find her.

Holy Cow! What was that? Its like a GIGANTIC iggy with huge ears!

OMG! Its coming this way! I hope it won't eat us... (the deer was just as freaked out by the pack as the pack was by the deer)



















We finally find the nice lady that can bring our tree to our car. She loves us and sits down to talk with us every time we visit.











The tree is bigger than we thought we would find, and it takes up most of the back of our SUV. That means we get the rare treat of riding in the front seat with Mom and Dad.


We use this valuable time to catch a quick nap on the way home. (Luca is laying on the console, just out of the photo.)

Back in the yard for a quick stop. We're taking a little break in the grass while Mom and Dad wrestle the tree out of the back of the SUV and set it in place in the back yard.

After a drink and a roll in the grass its back into the car for us. We still have work to do.











Here we are at Garden Center #2. We've found our maple tree, but now we're on a hedge hunt.

We like our neighbor and all, but we really don't want to see him in his britches any more. Mom thinks a hedge will fix that problem.

We figure that we need to keep barking at him until he gets the idea and puts up a screen.

Zoe does Iggy PR work where ever we go. She's the most social in the group and doesn't mind introducing herself to COMPLETE strangers - as you can see here. This is where people start asking questions and Mom and Dad tell them all about us and how wonderful we are.

This is part of our job as Iggys, so you should work on getting used to doing this. People will never know how great we are if we don't let our people stop and tell others.

Hmmmm, where would I go if I were a hedge bush??

Here are the hedge bushes! 

Ewww, they stink! Zoe, come here and smell this stink - its great!

Mom and Dad can come back for these tomorrow. These are pokey and we don't want them in the car with us. We need to think about our travel comfort, you know. 

Lets go find Luca and Pippin and have these set aside for tomorrow.

Luca and Pippin are lost in the Greenhouses

"Oh great, where did they put the door? We'll never find our way out of this place."




We did finally find our way out of the greenhouses, but we were not allowed to sit up front like last time. Rats.

Finally, we're home!  Our people will go get the hedge bushes tomorrow, but for now we need to have a meeting about our research trip and what our next steps are.

We'll have to get back to you on the tree planting part of the project. Shopping for the perfect tree is exhausting and we need a nap before we even think about coordinating THAT phase.

ZZZZZzzzzzzzzz.......

How to Mangle a Play Date - Piluzo Archives #3

Hi, this is Gracie. Today we're going to go way back in time to #3 in my How To series. That week we learned How to Host a Playdate - sort of - and our garden looked really different back then.

In this episode, we were going to do our annual Summer Bash Fundraiser/Playdate/Picnic, but we had a horrible thing go wrong before the guests showed up and we had to cancel. 



Some folks were already on their way, and we had to 'wing it' a bit. What can you do??

So we've invited all our guests, we've got the RSVP list and they'll all be here in 2 hours. Time to prep the yard.

After you've picked up up all the stuff that can be chewed, hauled off or tinkled on, you may want to provide a little shade - tents!









After you've talked your people into setting up the tents, you should go check the air lock gate.

An air lock gate is a double gate arrangement - iggys and people come in one gate, close it, go through the second gate...iggys come in, but they can't accidentally get out.














OK, Dad, we can't have tent ropes hanging out to the sides, so you need to make sure those feet are staked down really good.

We don't think this will be enough shade, so lets put up the second tent, too.












Uh, guys....someone is running a chain saw....


















What do you mean the neighbors are cutting down the 2 big trees behind the shed?? But the branches hang over into our yard - alot! We have people coming! They'll be here in less than two hours!

Mom! I need the computer! We need to send out emails and make some calls!










We contacted most of the guests, but some slipped through the cracks and we expect they'll show up in a little while.

Its really loud from all the cutting and we don't want to freak anyone out. They're being really safe over there, but no one wants to go to a playdate where the background music is chainsaws.

Auntie Beth and her pack arrived from the south - its a 2 hour drive for them and they were almost here when we found out we couldn't stop the cutting thing.
Everyone in her pack got their nails painted special for the fundraiser.

Neville got a turquoise to match his collar.











Lydia showed up in pink that matches her collar, too.

I've asked Auntie Beth if she'd be willing to paint toenails at our next event - I'm gonna get mine done!

















Uh oh, a few of the guests are arriving because they didn't get the message in time. Dad takes the people aside before they get to the yard so they knew exactly what is going on.











Some people drove a long LONG way and decide to stay for a while to give their iggys a break in the travel. We are all staying over by the koi pond and AWAY from the loud fence with the trees.

The cutter guys found out we had guests coming and they got all the cutting near our fence done before anyone showed up, so we'd all be safe. Its just loud now, as they chop up and shred the branches they cut off, but none of us are really wild about that part.






Some of us watch the tree cutting. Its not that exciting, but its something to talk about. This is totally going to screw up our shady yard for playdates.

Our mom says she's going to buy a tree tomorrow and plant it so we can have some shade again - but it will take some time to grow in.

Here we are hanging out in the grass near the tents and our people. We're keeping it pretty low key today. Lots of ear licking and sunbathing.

We also know that Dad is cooking burgers, so we don't want to get too far away in case someone drops something.

Its always nice to see old friends (some we only see once a year) but we don't have to run all the time. Laying in grass is nice too.

My brother Luca makes a good pillow, but I usually have to wait until he goes to sleep or he grumbles at me.

We're really glad we put up tents for the few people that are here. Its way more sunny now and you couldn't see the neighbor house before. Violet is barking at the cutter guy on the tree so he stays on his side of the fence and out of our yard.

She did a really good job, too, because they were very careful to never come too near our fence. Grrrrrrrrr.

One of our local fosters stopped by, too. (Isn't he handsome?) He is moving from a foster home in the south to one in the north and hopped a ride up from our place. We're in the middle between Seattle and Portland, so our house becomes a handy transfer spot or adoption point during play dates.















Ahhhh, FINALLY! Dad grilled burgers and hotdogs. Time to hit the people up for snacks. We all put on our cutest "isn't that for me?" face and start to make the rounds. (except for Libby, she kept trying to steal people's food when they weren't looking)


















Now its time for a little snuggle with our people. Its been a strange day and we all could use a lap to lay on.

So, that's all for today. As you can see, what may look like a disaster can turn out ok with a little patience and support from friends.

Tune in next week for How To #4 - How to Plant a New Shade Tree!

We're working on your request for How To Open the Biscuit/Treat Bin, but Pippin still needs a little time with our bin to figure it out.

Thanks for watching!