Meet Solo

I knew better than to introduce Solo on Oliver, err animal Wednesday.  Oliver, in fact, doesn't know about Solo yet, but they will become acquainted soon enough.  I let Oliver sponsor the crate training of Moon, and not Molly, and Molly STILL doesn't trust Oliver as far as she can spit him.


Solo is a rough coated border collie and he's a very large boy.  He was the only pup in his litter, firstborn son of Cinch (Lockeye It's a Cinch) a half brother to Moon and Molly.  That makes Solo a nephew of theirs.  Solo comes to live with us next week.

Molly is in agility training now-just beginning to see if she likes it.  Moon and I are working together on Freestyle (dancing with dogs) moves to see if its possible for us.

Greta got a new collar today-it's soooooo cool.  It's two chain links woven into a buckle collar, with ribbons in between.  If Cody chews THAT one off her I am going to rename him Cujo.

Ch-ch-changes

As I made coffee this morning I watched the dogs interact and was pleased to see that some of Molly's teenage angst has waned (for now).  I also thought about how Greta and Cody's relationship has changed over the years.

Cody came first, then Greta.  Cody was an intact neurotic male bully.  Having him neutered really didn't make him any less neurotic and he was a bully for years.  Greta avoided him.

Last year though, when he got sick, everything changed.  Although better now, Cody is not top male in the pack-right now Moonie and Oliver share that role.  It depressed him for awhile, or so it seemed.  Now he and Greta hang out like an old retired couple.  She has her bad hip, and he's just old-and the groom each other and care for each other like they've been friends for life.

It's like the song says "if you can't be with the one you love, honey, love the one you're with."

Faces.....

Diva Standoff

Molly stares down Prissy.

Sharing

Moon and Molly Playing

Grown up, but still a lovely scoundrel

I think Oliver still holds the prize for the most charming/photogenic of all my dogs.

A Guest Beauty

This is young Mr. Q, a Lockeye pup out of a sister of Moon. He lives in Switzerland with Evelyn Constantinidis and her wonderful pack of dogs. Moon and Molly belong to an extended dog family who stays in touch with each other and I think that is part of what makes them so special-being able to share with people who truly understand how I feel about my dogs-because they feel the same way too.

It was only a few days ago Q was living with his siblings in Oklahoma-now he's off on his world tour.

Glory

This is Molly's Mom.
It's funny, the other pups in the litter were merles like Sage (red and blue) but I got my little red smoothie just like I wished for.

All is orderly in the universe

This is a shot of the little guys when they first got here. All are doing well. Below is a rare size order arrangement in the backyard.

Crappy Phone pics of the Papillion

He's a little fresh with Lily.
But he's cute.

Pugs Need Love Too

Isn't the Homeward Bound Logo Cute? (I didn't make it, but I like it)

Cuties

This and That

Today is Mom's shopping day so I went down and made lunch for Daddy-Cuban Bean Bisque. I don't know if he liked it or not, but it was nice to spend time with him. Mom and I will go to Water Aerobics tonight-tomorrow is an Uncle John Day. I'm being a bit more organized in how I spend my time and it's helping.

I'm going this afternoon for a trim/frost job on my hair-keeping it uber short means it always looks ok whether I do anything to it or not. Can't say it affects MY mood, but it keeps Mom mollified.

My neighbor, the ones with trailer who sweep the entire street on garbage day, admired my bike rack and went and got one for himself. THEN he got a part to attach it to the back of his trailer when he pulls the trailer. I was so tickled-he gave me the order form for it-40 bucks and I can use the rack I already own and know how to use. It's the little things that keep me happy. But more than that, it made me feel like a trailer/biker person.

Yes, that is looking for external things to feed my ego-but I do want some things in common with our fellow earthlings. The cool thing is that the bikes/trailer are authentically me-things I have/do just because I like them.

The same holds true with my dogs. There is a covet factor in there, to be sure, with some of the dogs. I've wanted the merle and the brindle chi's for years, but honestly, I don't love or value them any more than the mongrels that share my house. In my mind, they are all destined for great and wonderful things-be it as teachers, visitors of the elderly, or companions on the road.

It's funny how we humans invoke such powers and dreams into everything we touch. But dang it, LOOK at Oliver, there IS greatness and good in that scruffy face.

Fat Tuesday!

I didn't actually realize that that is what today was, but when Oliver and I showed up at the nursing home this afternoon, it became apparent to me that it was, indeed, Fat Tuesday.

Oliver was the life of the party, proving to me that he is a born dog therapist. It was also interesting to watch people interact with him-in New Earth, the author talks about how puppies, babies, etc. are unblemished and in touch with their true natures. I've taken the older dogs, but never a puppy.

Now, I'm not saying puppies are superior to old dogs for therapy. Dottie is quite serene and she passes that on to her people she visits. But for Mardi Gras parties, scruffy pups are the bomb.

A Scare

Dottie had a seizure last night. I held her the rest of the night and she's fine, but today I'm very tired and don't want to think about much of anything, especially a world without Dottie in it.

And that's the thing-there is not a damn thing I can do about it-she's old, sick and her time is running out. ALL our times are running out. FUCK.

At least Dottie has the good sense to lie in the sun, happy for the time she has. We should all be so wise.

Farewell little dog

One of my next door neighbor's dogs passed away. He is clearly broken up by it. I told him he could bring Daphne (the dauschund) over to play any time he liked. He was worried that she wouldn't react well, but she seemed fine to me-I told him I'd leash the pack up so they could introduce each other one at a time and not overwhelm her.

I don't know the neighbors that well, but their dogs are constantly with them and fairly well mannered, therefore I like them. MY kind of people.

Families

I knew to call my Mom tonight so she could tell me that Dolly (their dog) died. When we spoke earlier she was going to the vet. Mom talked and talked and talked and finally I asked and she said "I hoped you wouldn't ask, I don't want to upset you'...and I said "Oh, Dolly died."

Families speak in the most cryptic languages-most of it unspoken. If Dolly had been a human, she might have hung on till things settled down, but Dolly was a dog, and when it's time to go, they go.

I am under strict orders not to buy another dog on the way home. Dottie and Prissy are at my folks house, so they will have canine company. I have the cat and the snakes. Lucky me.

I took a nap on the floor (hardwood) and when I woke up the old cat was sound asleep...ON ME. No hardwoods for her-complete fat Okie ass cushion. Lots goin on, lots to sort out-the road is lookin good (after a bath and a nap).

I've been avoiding John because things are just too crazy and I don't want to worry him-but I also know he knows exactly what is going on. He's family too and communicates better the silent way than verbally.

I had a whole rif I wanted to write about whether it was better to pay 5.95, get 5 things and eat three of them, or order what you want and pay 8.00 at Arby's. But right now that doesn't seem to matter. Who cares?

The thing that Dolly-dog knows is that there is no good time for crisis or dying or any of those unpleasant things. We'd all be better off if we just did what we needed to when we needed to.