Sunday, January 24, 2010

So Far So Good

OK we have had the lovely Prince Nickolas for two weeks...what a treasure he is. Oliver, our first dog, my and my sons very first dog, was a new and exciting venture for us. The poor pup was sick shortly after we got him and I used to wait for him to yawn to throw the pills into his mouth. It terrified me to pick him up and his teeth, well, I wanted a glove like falconers wear. Then came Phineas, first rescued pet, little guy with some obvious issues. rescued the very day he and is brothers were to be put down, not even 10 weeks old when we got him, already neutered, last pup to be adopted...much different looking with his coat of many colors and black rimmed devil eyes. He quickly stole our hearts and became Oliver's shadow. Then, for some reason known only to higher powers we rescued not one but two kitties. Brother and sister Artemus and Annabel, smaller than small, 6 weeks old....what the heck do you do with a kitten? Why do I have two pets I can now hold in one hand? Why are they so fast and what is with all the scratching? Well...Artemus, the little talker of the two, walks beside me and gabs and gabs filling me in on all the goings on of the house and pretty girlie Annabel watches the boys of the house and rolls her eyes. She is not averse to being held and when I ask her dance the paw is presented and we dance around the kitchen. They have been an experience, a time consuming, costly, funny, exasperating experience. I wish I had known animals all my life and am grateful for the patience and love they give so freely. Hmmm....4 animals, that should be enough for a house of three people. NOPE....I wanted another dog for about a year. I would bring it up and be shut down...finally I said I am getting another puppy and for Christmas I want support and puppy things. The family certainly came through. Two weeks before Christmas I found a litter of lab pups that were rescued. Actually their Mom was rescued, pregnant, the day she was going to be put down. Thank goodness there are places that rescue animals. A Lab Rescue organization scooped her up and she was placed in a foster home to give birth and to have the opportunity to mother her babies til they were old enough to leave. They all lived there, the foster home. They were luckier still that the home fostering them was full of labs, the family raised and trained labs so little ones were nothing unusual. What a great start to a life that was never intended to happen. Nickolas came to us well loved and cared for and a bit sad for having left his family but now after two weeks he knows he is home. He knows his crate and puts himself in there when wanting some solitude. He adores his animal siblings and freely kisses their noses, especially when he thinks they may be getting bored with him or angry at him. He shadows the big dogs and proudly accompanies them on their daily walks, determined and successful at keeping up. He has to be stopped and reminded he is only a baby. They have decided he is ok and have taken to looking out for him. Even the kittens have figured out he is staying and have come more close to him to observe him and his antics. He is the smallest of the dogs we have had. I am so glad I got to know him as a baby as every day it is evident he is growing quickly. Soon he will be giving the big dogs a run for their money. I hope some day to return the favor and foster some dogs til they can be placed in their forever homes...they will be welcome and loved and missed when given to their families. But, we have been on the receiving end and would like to repay the kindness.

This eating vegetarian was going swell til two days ago, I have been hankering for fish so may indulge. I am hoping to get to the gym Tuesday and Thursday this week...

Knitting...

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