New Kid On The Block

The NKOTB has arrived, or should I say the new paws on the block have arrived.  At least temporarily.  He doesn't look anything like the others.  Partly because he's not the same.  In fact we could play the which one of these doesn't match game with Buck.

Buck is a pointador.  Half labrador, half english pointer.  Totally adorable.  Funny, after all these years, to have a big 'ol blocky lab head looking at me again.  Makes me think of my dear Abby who long ago crossed the bridge.

This is what we've learned so far.  It's not a stretch for him to get his head on the top of the table.  Counter surfing is a varsity sport, and water bottles are fun not frightening!  He's our first experience with a dog who likes to burrow under the blankets and is a first class cuddler.  He's prone to howling and fussing like crazy when you leave him, although he goes into his crate like a dream.  I like to think he quiets down shortly after we leave.  Ya, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Thankfully the neighbors are 1/2 a mile away.  They may be grateful we're 1/2 a mile away.  I love the sound of him running in the back yard.  Sounds like a horse thundering towards you.  Always wanted a horse in the back yard.

He was one of our fosters from two years ago, so when we heard he was in need it was natural to help him. Who would have known he'd have grow so much!  

  


Sometimes life doubles back on you like this.  You send someone off into the world and if you are lucky they come back for another round of loving.  They have changed, you have changed, but the love hasn't.  

Saying Goodbye Saying Hello

I suspect saying goodbye is always harder than saying hello.  May not always be the case, but I'm guessing so.  For Reno, it's always a guess for him in wondering how long we will remain empty nester's in the fostering business.  I'm always ready to say hello before he is, but it never takes him long to catch up.

Not long ago we said goodbye to Jessie.  Soon we'll be saying hello to Buck.  Funny thing is this will be our second go around of hello/goodbye with Buck.  We had the privilege of fostering him two years ago when he was just a puppy.  He's coming back into rescue and while we won't be actively fostering him, we will be a way station on his journey to a foster home.

There are mixed feelings involved.  We're delighted to see him, but sad life issues force him to come back.  We grieve with the family who is giving him up, and pray for a family to be blessed with a new furry friend.  In between those places we nurture and care for him.

Hello and goodbye, in many ways shapes and forms.  It's part of life, part of loving.

Casting Our Vote

It's election day, I think you may have heard about it.  Mick and Layla have some votes they'd like to place as well.  So in their honor I respectfully submit these votes...

We vote for more forever homes and less dogs lost and dying in shelters.  We vote for an increase of treats and raw meaty bones for dogs everywhere.  We vote for warm beds, food and shelter.  And Kongs and Wubba's, don't forget them.

We vote for increased hours of sunlight, because day light savings time puts a cramp in time to play fetch after work.  We vote for equal opportunities to blog because our HuMom always hogs the computer.  Blankets, we want more blankets too. 

We want more chances to catch the squirrels and less fussing when we roll in putrid stuff.  It doesn't stink to us. Get over it.  We want meatballs to rain from the sky.

Cast our vote for the elimination of dogs chained and abandoned.  And for the love of dog teach the stupid Humans how to be responsible dog owners. We vote for gentle hands and soft kisses.  We vote to be loved softly across the bridge when the time comes. 

We vote for election ballots to be saturated with chicken gravy and pressed into bones for dogs everywhere to enjoy.  

We vote for our Humom to win the Nobel Peace Prize for being the worlds best Mom. Okay, so maybe we are biased.  We'd stuff the ballot box on that one.  Which of course means, you guessed it, more gravy saturated dog bones for us.  

Sign us - registered barkers and proxy voters.  Mick E. Democrat and Layla Repub Lican 

Simple Pleasures and Simply Outrageous

Under the category of simple pleasures....we went for a stroll last night.  I think if you amble along, it's a stroll. If you truck along, its a power walk, and if you stride competitively, it's a race of some sort.  We strolled.  Not far, just to the end of the lane.  Because if it's in the 60's at the end of October and the Hunter's Moon is shining on you...you just ought to enjoy it.  I hope we never cease to be in awe of the rising moon.

So hand-in-hand we strolled down the lane, like a couple of old married folk.  Perhaps we are just that.  And when we got to the end of the lane we danced.  Like teenagers.  Perhaps we haven't lost that.  By the light of the moon, because it felt right.  Completely a simple pleasure.

On the other end of the spectrum...Mick would like to comment on the simply outrageous.  Mind boggling, utterly senseless, simply unfathomable.  And that would be that we bought canned tuna that is liquid free.  No tuna juice.  None, zip, nada.  No tuna juice???  How can that be??  What is a dog to do??  Tuna juice is one of the simple pleasures Mick enjoys.  Whenever we serve canned tuna he gets the juice.  No juice, unthinkable!!  No juice??  No way!

So there it is, the good, the bad and the juice free.  Something to cherish and something to challenge.  Something dog gone delightful and something to make a dog howl in dismay.  Lucky us....poor Mick.