So Far Today

This morning (Friday) a farmer I talked with LAST Friday called and said he thought he had just seen Peri run up the road toward his daughter's house. It's the area closest to me where they hung out for several days last week. So I went down there, but there was no sign of either dog and the dogs that live there were sound asleep on the porch... I woke them up when I started calling Cotton and Peri's names.

Just ran off 300 more flyers and we're going to put them out this afternoon. The problem is they could be anywhere now and I may be targetting the wrong area with the flyers.

It might help if I could keep from crying every time someone calls or asks about the dogs. I'm not a lot of fun to be around right now. And when I'm not crying, I'm in a terrible mood. Wish I had someone to take it out on!

The current flyer is at http://breeders411.com/lost.html

Back to Puppies

This has been a big week for awareness. The pups have gone from living in their own little world, a little startled by my presence whenever they discover me in the pen, to looking for me and the other dogs. Every one of them LOVES being massaged along their spines and will gather around waiting for their turn. They've learned when I open the gate, Mom is going to disappear for a while. Today, when I let Emy out for the first time, MOST of the pups tried to go with her. Then they all sat right at the gate and watched as the rest of us left the room. They now stand up on their back feet, front ones on the cardboard "bumper" for support and touch noses with other dogs or sniff my fingers when I put them close enough. They also look up at me when I call "puppy, puppy" and they know the sound of water or puppy kibble being poured into their bowls. They are fairly steady on their feet and running short distances. Their blanket is a great source of fun... they grab an edge and shake and sometimes pull it over themselves or another pup. They also play tug of war with it. All this is spread out over the 24 hours as they probably sleep 22 hours a day and only play for a few minutes at a time.

Next photos
I will be doing individual pictures of the pups this weekend to help you make up your minds about picks. So far, the only one definitely picked is the black with the most white. Both blacks have red highlights which means they will lighten up and my black-and-tan pups always lighten up as they mature.

Cotton and Peri
Nothing to report. Your continued prayers are requested. Thanks.

Again, No News

Had two phone calls first thing this morning. Both from ladies who thought they had seen Cotton at animal shelters... different shelters, one 30+ miles from here. I went to look but she wasn't there. (In fact, there weren't ANY dogs there that looked even a little bit like her.) But for a couple hours, I imagined....

A number of you have asked how Tommy (the guy who left the gate open) is doing. He's among the living. And no, I didn't fire him. He IS getting a little concerned about the gallows I had him build in the front yard....

No News

No phone calls last night so nothing to report. I went by the church and checked the food bowls. Only one had been touch and it was probably by a raccoon... lots of half eaten kibble on the top layer. So I picked up the bowls. I'm almost resigned to not getting them back. These swings from the highs when someone calls to tell me they've been spotted to the depths this morning are wearing me out.

Puppy picks
Definite picks have to be made in the next week or so (by the time the litter is 6 weeks old.) Those of you with the earlier picks, especially first pick/each sex, if you've already made up you mind, please let me know. The suspense is killing everyone!

Quick Update on the Dogs

I learned today that the girls are "all over the internet." All the vets and the two animal control shelters I visited told me they had already seen the flyer info on the internet. One vet added the girls to his Facebook "lost dogs" section last week some time. I appreciate this BUT if any of you Have or put the girls on your social networking site, please do not mention they are Whoodles. I'm afraid someone will get their hands on them and NOT give them back or keep them and try to sell the puppies.
Thanks.

Puppy weights

There is a considerable spread here in weights. The smallest by far is the mostly white parti girl while the largest by just a tad is the blond boy. Here they are, ladies first
mostly white parti -- 2.05 pounds
fifty/fifty parti -- 2.60
blond -- 2.20

blond boy

and the boys
black, most white -- 2.40
black-and-tan -- 2.40
black, least white -- 2.70
blond -- 2.75
So, from largest to smallest, it is boy, boy, girl, boy boy, girl, girl.

Mom makes the best cushion!



Cotton and Peri
I spent the entire day, Saturday, running around. I went to the church very early and waited around, with Diamond, for about an hour. Then went home to take care of the others and to update my listings on the internet. Wasn't there a half hour and a lady called... twice in 10 minutes... because the dogs were at the church, trying to get in the doors. Of course, I'm on dial up, so I didn't get the calls until an hour later. By the time I got back there, all the people were gone... on a day trip of some sort... and there was no sign of the dogs. Sat around, again with Di, for almost 3 hours... put out 4 big bowls of dog food and 4 of water... in various places around the grounds and left more flyers. Went back home and an hour later a guy called to say he'd seen them... a half hour before... by the church but on either side of the bridge over the interstate. I was hoping they'd be spooked enough to stay off the road, but no such luck. Back I went, no sign of the dogs at the church or on the roads. Pulled into a guy's driveway and he said he'd seen them a couple times the day before and twice today... going back and forth across the bridge. So I went into town, ran off another batch of flyers with updated info and spent two hours driving the roads, taping flyers to mailboxes. Had any number of calls saying they'd seen the girls... 2, 3, 5 hours ago... and one saying a dog had been hit by a car a couple hours before right at her driveway. The dog lay in the driveway for over two hours and the next time the woman looked, the dog was gone. She had called animal control... I didn't think they worked on weekends and they have a bad rep for taking days to respond... but maybe they came and got the dog. When we went to her house, the dog she described sounded like a large purebred Poodle I'd seen at a home earlier AND there was a Jack Russell with it just like at that house. So we went down there but the people weren't home. I told a neighbor about the dog that had been hit and he said he'd tell the people. About 6, a car flagged me down and the couple told me they were headed off to cruise the roads, looking for the dogs... not for the reward, but just to help. And there were a couple of teenage boys, with their Lab, walking down the road, going into the woods, looking for them too. They grinned when I said "I guess you guys could use the money when you find them." There are a lot of people paying attention, so maybe, just maybe they'll be found. The dogs are getting about as desperate as I am.

Sunday
Quiet. No new sightings of the dogs. A couple people called to say they had seen them the day before and a couple others called to ask if they'd been found. But no one saw them on Sunday. I'm assuming this means they've moved on. One person had seen them near the church but in an entirely different direction than everybody else, so I don't know which way they are going. ANY way is bad, except back up over the ridge, through the woods. They are getting to more and more crowded, heavily trafficked areas and close to two intersections. I'm going to the two shelters this afternoon, although I know they haven't been picked up and mailing flyers to all the vets. Other than that, I don't know what to do. Cotton's pups are due around the 15th.

Pix

Yes, they're growing!


The 2 "black" boys. Now both are getting red highlights.


The "black and tan" and the blond guys.


The 3 girls



Emy and pup



More pix on the puppy page, probably much later today. I'm on dial up and don't want to tie up the land line very long in case someone has news of Cotton and Peri.
Weights also later today.

So

Thinking they may not have run far last night and might still be hanging around the church grounds, I went back very early this morning and took Diamond with me. She's their mom/grandma and was the one who ran off with them but came back hours later. There was no sign of them, but Di and I walked as much of the grounds as I could. I called for them even though I know that isn't going to mean anything to them. Guess I was thinking if they looked toward the sound of my voice, they might see and recognize Di. She stays right with me, but I was afraid to let her off lead just in case she spotted them and ran to them... and all 3 disappeared.

I know a number of you don't understand WHY they don't come to me. Once dogs are loose and away from their home area, they go into a different thought process. Everything reverts to instinct and they just don't see things the way they did before. (People are the same way under extreme stress.) I know a number of people who have gone through the same thing as I am and the only thing that works is to either catch them or to trap them some place quiet where they can't escape easily and you can sit, talking to them until they calm enough to recognise you. Unfortunately, I don't think either of those is going to happen with my girls. I'm afraid they are going to get down to the interstate or over to the next road which is just as busy.

I've pretty much decided this is over and I'm going to have to move on. I just can't do it yet. I'm putting out flyers this afternoon when I have someone to help me. My head is constantly working out senarios where the girls stay off the roads and make a big circle back to this area. Not much chance of that, but it's all I have right now.

Re: EMY's pups, my apologies
I know I've been neglecting my promise to all of you for pictures at least every 10-14 days. AND the puppies were 4 weeks yesterday but I didn't get them weighed. I will do both today and tomorrow and get everything posted.

I have Bad News

I'm now certain I'll never have Cotton and Peri again. This evening, I called Larry (the man where they had been hanging around all week) and he hadn't seen them all day. Apparently we just spooked the dogs yesterday. Larry suggested they might have gone on over the ridge and thought I should check the church grounds on the other side. I thought about doing it tomorrow but went right away instead. There were some people in different areas of the grounds... it's huge... and I asked one if he had seen any dogs. He said "Look like Poodles?" And I told him yes and gave him a flyer. He said yes, he had seen them run across the parking lot about a half hour before, avoiding all the people. So I drove around the parking lots and in the back of the church, there was Cotton running up a hill, no more than 30 feet from me. When I called her name, she slowed and looked at me, but kept running, still looking at me. Then the puppy came running passed. She was kind of bouncing as she ran and looked at me, like she was hesitating. But then she looked at Cotton who was way ahead of her and still running, and she kept going too. The church is right ON the interstate and they were headed north into the woods that border it. Tommorow I'll go over to the neighborhood that is on the other side of the woods and put up flyers. I gave some to a man who works at the church just in case the dogs hang out in the woods over night and he sees them tomorrow. But I'm really out of hope. I'm pretty sure I was just given one last view of them and it's breaking my heart.

We SAW Them!

The posse didn't happen today. And I was really down. I probably should not put this on the internet, but I already posted about trying to figure out where I had gone wrong (so to speak.) My oldest son's name is Jude for St. Jude. I named him that to keep my side of a bargain I made with St. Jude. So this afternoon I made another bargain. (No, I don't have to get pregnant or adopt to keep this one.) BUT 15 minutes or less later, my phone rang and a man told me he had seen my dogs. And 20 minutes later I was trying to get up his driveway. (We really do not encourage visitors in this part of the country... as our driveways will attest to.)

Don't have my hands on Cotton and Peri yet... they took off like scalded chickens as soon as they realized we were looking at them. But we know where they are... they've been hanging around in the same area since Monday night (the first time they were spotted) and even went up to the man who called me's door. I took him a bag of dog food so he could start feeding them, hoping they will quickly settle enough for me to get there and coax them to me.

Sunday, they apparently made it to the top of the ridge and then took a left. When they got to more civilized environment... pastureland and homes... they stuck around. It is comparatively safe although I've been warned there is a guy with horses who has shot a number of his neighbors' dogs. It is about 2 miles as the crow flies, but a lot farther the way the dogs had to go since they're not crows.

And I had a call on my land line when I got home, from a man who lives in the same area who has seen them as well.

I'm trying not to feel too elated or over confident. There is still so much that can go wrong. Dogs that have been running loose even a short period of time can be really difficult to corral.

So PLEASE keep up the prayers and psychic vibes. It is working!

Again, No News

It's been 86 hours and I'm exhausted. Many of you know I have PAD which makes walking harder than it used to be, so with all the exercise I've had, I can barely move from one room to another. Good thing the dogs are on their best behavior!
I got some sleep last night, because I'm tired, AND because of a promise that a group of guys would go into the woods today and see if they could locate Cotton and Peri. Well, it's almost noon and no one has shown up.

I know you are supposed to learn something from everything you go through, especially the bad stuff. But I'm having a hard time figuring out what the lesson is with this. Checking to see that the gates are all closed seems too obvious. I can't think of anything I've done that needs punishment. I haven't even been particularly snarky lately. And if it's not MY lesson to learn, I wish something besides my dogs was the method.

I do appreciate hearing from all of you. It helps. A lot. Thanks.

Puppy Update

No news about Cotton and Peri.

However, Emy's puppies are doing well. They are almost 4 weeks old... Friday... and like all pups that age, getting hungry. Emy spends all her time in the pen and most of it OUT of the nest. She gets in and feeds them often but doesn't stay more than a few minutes at a time. She mainly nurses standing up... yep, the pups are big enough to sit under her and suck away... and only lies down with them during the night. She's still cleaning bottoms and picking up after them. BUT since they are now big enough to get out of the pool, they are getting into the water. And not in a good way! One soaking wet pup can contaminate the whole litter in a matter of minutes! Taking pictures from here on out is going to be difficult. Yesterday, I put Emy's food bowl IN the nest. The first puppy to notice was the most white parti girl. She was wrestling (sort of) with her brother and just kind of leaned over to inspect it. Then she started licking it. Her brother, the least white black, had to get up to inspect it and he started off licking the bowl as well. But a minute or two later, he had his head in the food and was getting his first taste of the future. Which he seemed to like since he stayed there a very long time, eating one piece of kibble after another. Sister lay down right there and went to sleep and didn't even notice when he dropped some kibble on her and then rooted all around until he found every piece. Today, all 7 pups are "eating" kibble and it is scattered all over the pool. (Emy is NOT a happy homemaker!) I just found the blond boy curled up IN the bowl, asleep, while the rest of the pups are sleeping elsewhere. Changes are coming... the pool is going to disappear pretty soon which means the pups are going to be nose to nose with other dogs AND will be discovering the world outside the nest.

No News

A quick update because there is nothing to report. The flyers are done and we're going to be putting them up and into mailboxes this afternoon. I did have a phone call this morning from a neighbor who saw the ad in the paper. There is a sign taped to the stop sign that says someone has found two black and white hounds and he wanted to let me know about it in case they were my dogs. But the sign has been up for 3-4 days, so it's not Cotton and Peri. I am so depressed.

Prayers, Good Thoughts Needed

Last night, the man who does my yard work left right when it got dark and did not close one of the gates. An hour or so later, I let Keogh, Di, Cotton, Peri and two puppies out. I did not see the open gate. An hour later when I called the dogs back in, only Keogh and the two puppies came. I called and called. And drove all around my area but I was pretty sure the three missing dogs were in the woods. Diamond came back around 1 AM... I left the gate open and the front door and when she came in, all the dogs started barking madly. BUT Cotton and Peri have not returned. I've spent all morning driving the roads, calling the local vets' offices and making a flyer. It is hard to explain how difficult it is to look for the dogs around my house. I am mostly surrounded by hundreds of acres of dense, unkempt woods... tall trees and lots of brush... very hilly, broken terrain. It is next to impossible to get very far on foot and totally impossible in a vehicle. Driving on the dirt/gravel, deeply rutted "roads" requires all my attention so even if I could see more than a few feet into the trees, I still couldn't look for the dogs.

Please, keep us in your thoughts and prayers. I want my dogs back.

We were 3 Weeks Old on Friday

Emy and Boon's pups at 3 weeks... two to three times the size they used to be!
A couple of them are getting out... and back IN... the pool on their own. Most of the others are getting out, but they've learned to just take a nap when their mom leaves them out there alone. Probably because they've already learned the two-legged mom will put them back with everyone else.

First weights will be NEXT Friday, on their four weeks birthday. Usually, the following weigh in... at 8 weeks... is MUCH more indicative of adult weight. This is because at 4 weeks, the pups are still relying on mom's milk which is getting thinner and less nourishing. At 8 weeks, they are eating dry puppy food and are getting as much as they want, whenever they want. (They will still be suckling whenever mom is around, but it more like a pacifier than a meal.)

Lucky
The last of Jennifer's pups is looking for his forever home. He'll be a year old in just about a month and is around 40 pounds. He's had all his shots, including his first rabies, and has been on heartworm prevention.



Lucky likes people but is still very leery of them. He is affectionate with me and loves getting back and belly rubs BUT even after all this time, he doesn't come up to ask for attention. It will take him a lot of time to fit in comfortably at his new home.



Lucky gets along well with other dogs. Here he is with Boon, who is several weeks older. They are penned together and go out in the yard together and even though they have reached breeding age... and Boon's getting a girl every now and then... they are still getting along.



Lucky is available to a family with lots (and LOTS) of patience, a fenced yard and another friendly dog already in residence. Oh, and it has to be close enough to me for him to be returned easily if, after a suitable period of time, it isn't working out.

New Experiences

The pups can see AND hear. AND walk. Well, they sort of walk... two steps, fall to the left, three steps, fall to the right, two steps, bang nose on floor.... They are growling and barking at each other and at every little sound they hear. ANd today I saw a couple sitting, facing each other, using their paws as battering rams... before they both fell over.

AND just about everyone has managed to get out of the new TWO ring pool. They are only getting out where their mom is lying... she is never more than an inch or two from pool side (except when she goes OUTSIDE and tries to enlarge the mud puddles. There is a layer of dirt in the puppy pool from where Emy has tracked it in.) Anyway, she is always lying right next to the pool and the pups have all learned to track her down, kinda rear up on their back legs and just kind of fall out of it when they get hungry. As soon as she gets to her feet, or whenever I look in and count fewer than 7 pups in the nest, I pick the wanderer(s) up and fill the pool up again. Another week and they'll be spending much of their time exploring the pen outside the nest, getting into Mom's food and drinking water.

They grow up so fast!

Cotton's ultrasound
We have more buns in the oven! Yesterday's ultrasound confirmed the pregnancy. A number of good, solid heartbeats (we don't count them) and the fluid is nice and clear, so things are looking good. Doc DID say the fetuses look a little bigger than 30 days old, but since she was covered only twice, they're either 30 0r 32 days along. She usually has REALLY big litters for a dog her size (28 pounds) - 13 the first time and 11 the second - so maybe there are fewer pups this time around. She's done really great before, but fewer pups would be just fine with me.

New Pool

Had to blow up another pool for Emy's pups... very unusual for a litter to use two of them, but Popcorn (one of the little rescues) put holes in the top rung of the original one, trying to paw the pups. Now that they are two weeks old, eyes open and sort of on their feet, a couple have gotten out... they've basically just fallen out... and it upsets Emy. She immediately tries to pick them up to put them back in the nest. The problem is, she scoops them up IN her mouth and they are way too big for that. Honestly, I've never seen a DOG lift a pup by the scruff of the neck the way cats do their babies. I'm afraid sooner or later, one of the pups will get punctured. Now, Keogh had no qualms about her youngens wandering all over the pen at 2-3 weeks. She just sat and watched over them. But Em's not having it... maybe because there are other dogs in the room. So the easiest solution is a new pool. And all was peaceful and quiet last night! I did put a cardboard border, about a foot high, around the bottom of the pen so Popcorn can't stick his nails in the new pool!

Old Cotton Pup



This is New Jersey's Brody Decker BEFORE his first haircut. Haven't seen an "after" picture, but I'm sure one will arrive soon (hint hint.) Brody is from Cotton and Brogue's Oct '10 litter.

MY Favorite 2 Weeks Pix

The two blond puppies...
female on the left (a TAD lighter in color and weight)



And Mr. Personality, the black-and-tan guy

Don't Forget the Doubles!

Double Doodle boy
(Keogh and Ost puppy)

A Texas boy and his Double Doodle


Josh and Shadow

PIX part 3 - Birthday shots

More (mostly different) shots will be on the website in a little bit. And I'm setting up the separate puppy page at the same time. I'll email the url to puppy families.

The 3 girls


The 4 boys



Just the 2 parti girls


The 2 blonds... female (lighter) on the left, male on the right



The 3 black boys

PIX part 2 - Two Weeks Birthday

Nursing pups... think they're getting bigger?!
Several have ONE eye open. No one has both open just yet.
AND a couple woke up when the other dogs started barking this afternoon, an indication that their ears are opening as well.

Pix

HA HA! You all thought they were puppy pix!
This is a friend of mine's Devon Rex who took part in a cat show (non regulation, obviously!)
Sage won first prize.

Jackson

Jackson was one of the pups who came to live here, looking for a home, when he was about 3 months old. Eventually he went to live in Virginia with a wonderful lady and an equally wonderful Golden Retriever. But Jackson NEVER made any progress in the settling in department. He refused all contact with his new owner AND with the dog. Even more unusual, the Golden had no interest in making friends... or anything else... with the new puppy. They tried everything... letting him adjust on his own, forcing the issue, professional training, everything. He was so resistant and reclusive, his lady said it was like living with a ghost. Finally, after several frustrating, heartbreaking months, Jackson came back to me.

At first, I was tickled to death with his obvious delight in being "home." He responded IMMEDIATELY to his brother and Boon and romped and played with them almost from the moment he walked back through my door. He went in and out when they did and did everything with them. Yes, he still avoided physical contact... and never made eye contact... with me, but I let him take his time to get around to that. He never did. And worse, indoors, when in the puppy pen (8' by 6') he paced like a caged wild animal. I never once saw him lying down or even sitting. As soon as he saw or even heard me, he was on his feet.

When he was in Virginia and I was getting reports on his behavior, I thought he sounded autistic (which does happen with dogs.) And back home, he was manic (which also happens with dogs,) the other end of the autistic spectrum. I chose to ignore those little bells going ding ding in my head and decided to place him WITH his brother, Lucky. This meant, the beautiful, sweet Lucky could not find a home unless the family was willing to take Jackson as well.

I began to find Jackson's distaste for humans... annoying. And then disturbing. He NEVER EVER even once gave me the idea that he would bite, but he also never gave me the idea he would ever be a good pet for anyone. So we went to the vet for evaluation. He immediately reverted to his "I'm in another world and there is no one in it but me" state, lying on the floor at my feet, head on his paws, practically in a stupor. As busy as the vet offices were, he never moved, not even to lift his head. After evaluation and testing and consulting and more evaluation and lots of discussing, my vet asked me why I was putting so much effort into a pup who clearly had a serious neurological problem and at best would have to be medicated and closely monitored his entire life... his entire UNHAPPY life. My only answer was I didn't want to give up on him because I would feel like a failure.

When I finally considered quality of life... his, mine and any family who might try to take him... the decision was obvious. Jackson was euthanized.

As I stood there with his body, I felt an immediate sense of relief and I believe it came from him. I told my vet, "He just said 'thank God THAT'S over."

Rest in peace, Jackson.

Important Info

All of Emy and Boon's pups are spoken for. They'll be 2 weeks on Friday and I plan to take pix of them then. I'll put some here on the blog and some on the website. They will replace the ones already on the website, so if you are doing a puppy book and want any of those pictures, get them now.

Some time next week, I will take the info about this litter OFF the website. Don't worry... I'll create a web page JUST for the Emy/Boon litter. It will have a separate address which you can use to see the photos and other info. You will NOT be able to access it through the Mountain Summit Whoodles page.

There are a couple reasons for this... people ALWAYS want what they can't have. As long as this litter is on the main site, even though it says the pups are all sold, every other email I get will want to know if I'm sure. Some people will offer me more money to sell them a pup that is already spoken for. (I find THAT attitude very offensive.) Also, since these pups' futures are settled... somewhat, anyway... I want to put the emphasis on the Cotton/Boon litter due next month.

No News is Good News

The pups are doing great. Which isn't hard when all you do is eat and sleep. At 11 days, they are acting as normal as possible... thought I saw one trying to get his belly off the ground yesterday, but if so, he only did it that one time and no one else is copying him. By this time next week, their eyes will be open and starting to focus AND a few days later, their ears will open. Also during that time, they WILL be strong enough to stand on their legs. And then the fun begins! One of the rescue dogs keeps reaching through the wire of the puppy pen, trying to touch the pups. BUT he has managed to put holes in the top rung of the pool, so there is only a two inch high ring between them and... freedom, so they'll be out of the nest, maybe before they are really ready for the experience!

Update on Jackson coming tomorrow
This is the blond "Jennifer's pup" who was returned because he refused to settle in at his new home. Since he showed me some rather bizarre behaviors, I had him in to the vet for evaluation and the results will be available soon.

Playing Catch-Up

Finally, got a couple photos opened up. Even though they were downsized, my MAC simply refused to do anything with them. The "new" computer has a problem working with my dial up server and often doesn't have enough speed to download pix without freezing, no matter their size. However, it apparently likes rainy weather because today, when it is pouring, it just popped those suckers open!

This is Koda Eppley watching what's going on in the gym. He is from Di and Brogue's October 2009 litter.



And these two shots are of Koda's younger brother, Duncan Mills.
Duncan is from Di and Brogue's October 2010 litter.





2011 will not have a Di and Brogue litter or even a Di and Boon litter. Darn.

HOT Day, Crabby Puppies

It got hot early, in the 90s before noon, and very humid. This is the first day the pups have been unhappy. ALL of them were whining and restless. So much so, they were upsetting Emy. So, I soaked a pillowcase and spread it on the bottom of the pool. Then, I put the pups on it. Didn't hear another peep out of them all day... and it got up to 97 before the storms came around 4.

This is the gang about 5 minutes after the pillowcase arrived.



Oh, look at all the shading on the black male at the bottom of the pix.

Happy 1 Week Birthday

Top pic
Getting a little birthday chow are the two black with white boys and the mostly white parti girl. Snoozing are the half-&-half parti girl, the black-&-tan boy and the two blond pups... the lighter one is the female and the darker one, the male. Note the female has some "crinkle" to her coat.



Middle pic
The blond girl has wakened and is hungry....



Bottom pic
She has reached the milk bar! Her parti sister and two brothers are still snoozing.