Life Long Learning

I'm almost forty. My age isn't a big deal for me; I'm not one of those people that hides it or even cares. In a couple of years, give or take, I'll have been on this lovely planet for four whole decades. Why does that matter?

I feel like I should be smarter by now.

This week, I learned a couple things in spite of myself.

Right where he belongs

Monsoon, at some point this week, injured his paw. I knew it was hurting him, as even the threat of touch made his lip curl. Watching his face carefully, blocking his muzzle with my arm, I examined him and although the paw was quite swollen and obviously painful, there was no obvious external injury. That leaves us with the possibilities of a break or a sprain, and I had little choice but to wait and see how he progressed.

Over a couple days, he gradually improved. The limp became less severe, the swelling went down, and Monsoon seemed to be in a better humor overall. So I celebrated by being a huge jackass and making idiot mistakes that you'd expect from someone who just landed on this planet and had no idea what "Dog" was. When he was curled up on my bed, looking sleepy and adorable, I tried to incite him to play. He huffed a little and pulled his head away, and while it was obvious he wasn't in the mood, I decided he just needed a little encouragement. I ruffled his ears, made silly noises at him, and completely ignored what he was telling me. No eye contact, tension in his muscles, grumblings of malcontent.

No problem! I can convince him he wants to interact! When I leaned over and rubbed a hand over his rump, he snapped. He snarled, whipped around, and caught me just under the right eye. Not bad, barely broke the skin, but my dog bit me. In the face.

Because I was not listening to what he was clearly saying.

Because I decided in my infinite human wisdom that those signals didn't apply to me. He loves me so much! Surely, I thought confidently, he'll just get over his boo boo and his cranky mood and understand I want to cheer him up and make him all better.

It's pretty humbling to share this with you folks. I don't need you to point out what I did wrong; I know damn well where I failed. I don't need a lot of reassurances that Monsoon isn't a bad dog; he's not. I really don't need a lot of really well-meaning people telling me to get him to the vet ASAP; he's almost back to normal already and this is not a thyroid condition.

So why share? Because after a crying fit and hours of weepy self-recrimination and doubt and shoulda-woulda-coulda... Monsoon limped over and put his head in my lap. He pressed in close, just like the first day we met, and sighed. He kissed my tears and gave a single little wag of his tail.

I'm not new to dogs, and I read them well. I made a stupid, stupid mistake and the one who pays when people make mistakes like this is always, always the dog.

My mistake was not in bringing this goofy little scaredy pup into my home.

That, I know, was a brilliant idea. I stand by it. And Monsoon stands next to me.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday with Kara-mel

Sunday Silhouette

This Looks Like a Nice Spot!

Monsoon, you can't just stop walking.

I only paused for a moment to pluck a couple weeds. It wasn't a covert signal for naptime.

Look, that's not even a comfy place. There are much, much softer places in the yard, where grass is lush and there aren't as many rocks and roots. There's an acre of squishy moss!

Get up, buddy. You're little, but you're still too big to drag around like this.

"No, Mama. I'm good."

 

Wordless Wednesday

L: Ki-lee, who made me want a little black dog of my own
R: Monsoon, my little heart-healer

Gettysburg 2012

The Myth of the "High Energy" Greyhound, Dispelled

Monsoon, on our way!

Getting comfy in the hotel

Some of my favorite things: Houndies, adult beverages, and other people of like mind!

Beautiful queen Blueberry

Bunny the Supermodel

Okay, Chester's a chocolate lab. But spend five minutes with him and his mom and you'll know why we love them so much!

Monsoon handled all the socializing incredibly well!

If you don't know them already, you can get to know Chester here and Bunny and Blueberry over here. I'm blessed to know them and their parents, to have such wonderful people and animals in my life. If you'd like to see more candid shots I did get some up on the Facebook page here. I apologize for this short update; as usual, I have too many issues and not enough time or mental energy.

But I always, always remember: I have the most amazing pack of friends in the world.

We’re participating in this Saturday’s Pet Blog Hop, hosting by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.  If you’d like to participate, please follow the rules and follow your three hosts, add your blog to the Linky and copy and paste the html code into your html editor.  Thanks again to our hosts for putting on the hop!

Whirly Wednesday!

(Edited to add: May induce motion sickness or vertigo!)

I WILL Take My Vacation!

"Tell me more about this 'vacation' thing, Mom..."

I know I'm a little late to the party this week, but I have a slew of excuses designed to make you feel really, really bad for me.

A couple of weeks ago I lost a crucial battle in my ongoing war with gravity and fell down a couple of steps; several casualties resulted. My favorite ice coffee cup, with its double walled construction and purple straw, shattered on impact with the driveway. My laptop, my dear friend and companion, fell about six feet straight down and landed flat on the gravel. I hoped, a futile weak little hope, that it might defy my luck and survive.

It did not.

The third casualty of this stupid fall, more important than the cup and arguably less emotionally devastating that the laptop, was my left ankle. Something in there is sprained and something in there is probably, I admit, broken. I've broken foot bones before. (Did I mention this battle against gravity is not new to me?) The husband and I are having a long-term "discussion" about exactly when I should go to the doctor. Obviously, I can't go to the doctor because what if something is way more broken than I think? What if an xray says I need to be in a cast? I am going on vacation. Already, one dog-blogging friend of mine is grounded due to broken bone and given how much I plan to harass him over it, I'd better show up myself, limping or not.

Next. On Tuesday of this week I noticed our preschooler breathing funny. You're just going to have to trust me when I say I have laser-sighted instincts about this kid's breathing, given some severe respiratory problems he's had in the past. Heart full of foreboding, I trotted him off to the pediatrician and waited for the words "You're overreacting."

Ha ha ha! The doctor never says that to me. He said, "We need some xrays. Now." Surprise, your instincts are great, your little boy has pneumonia.

Thursday night we dropped of my vehicle for pre-inspection repairs that guarantee I will not be enjoying the comforts of a new laptop anytime soon, since the necessary funds and a lot of other funds besides are now devoted toward getting my vehicle in state-inspection-passing shape. (They are SO picky about little things like giant cracks in the windshield. Jeez. That's the price of a laptop right there!)

Obviously the only way to end the week was for the little boy to start feeling better at the same time I came down with a sudden incapacitating case of the Martian Sinus Cold. I don't remember the past couple of days. I promise you I spent yesterday asleep.

None of this is going to change my plans. I'll see you at Gettysburg. I'll be the one limping along with a neurotic little black houndie trying to hide behind me.

If you're also going to GiG and want to say hi, please feel free to get in touch with me through FB, here! I'll add the usual disclaimer that any personality I display on the internet tends to evaporate when I'm placed into "real life."

Forever and Six Months

Six months ago today, I sobbed into your golden fur for the last time.

There's no more to this post, because I can't bear to write it. It doesn't hurt any less today than it did six months ago and looking through pictures of you just breaks my heart over and over.

Making Progress

I haven't written a lot in the blog about Monsoon's anxieties, largely because of my own.

You see, I do well with most dogs. I'm not an "expert" and I'm not trained in any way and I haven't even read all that many books or sites on training. I just find dogs very easy to communicate with.

Monsoon has been a challenge.

It's not that I have a hard time understanding him. He's not subtle. The challenge is in making him understand that he's safe. I have to work with him, exposing him to scary things (like lawn furniture or blowing leaves, for example) without overloading his little brain and provoking a panic reaction.

He does panic sometimes. When my husband and I walk the dogs outside, if Husband should decide his head is chilly and put on his hood, Monsoon forgets instantaneously that's his dad. Dad disappears and is replaced by Terrifying Hooded Stranger, and there is anxious growling.

He still barks at me when I come home sometimes -- if I am carrying too many frightening grocery bags.

When he is relaxed and playing, he's amazing. He's a complete puppy, all that demented manic energy. He's been a huge help with aerating the lawn and we're really looking forward to getting some fence up so he can expend more of that energy off leash.

Last Saturday we had a test play date. I have been terminally unsure about bringing Monsoon to Greyhounds in Gettysburg because of all these issues, but my mind is at ease. I think he's going to have a lot of anxious moments and I plan to get him a red bandanna, code for "I may be nervous, please leave me alone."

 

His tongue is ginormous relative to his tiny head. That's Charm on the right.

Overall, he did so well; I was so proud of him. He wants to be brave. He wants to play and sniff people and get pats and rubs. It takes him a while to settle down and he needs a lot of space to get used to people, but he passed this test with flying colors. We will see you in Gettysburg, I am thrilled to report! There are a few more pictures of our day over at the Facebook page here, if you're interested.

I wasn't able to get a picture, but on the way home he curled up in the back of the van and cuddled with Charm. Charm (along with her mom) is special to me. Seeing Monsoon snuggle up to her and relax was a special moment for me. I did pretty well, though. I didn't cry.

My angel Drive and his friend Charm, a year ago

We’re participating in this Saturday’s Pet Blog Hop, hosting by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.  If you’d like to participate, please follow the rules and follow your three hosts, add your blog to the Linky and copy and paste the html code into your html editor.  Thanks again to our hosts for putting on the hop!
This is a Blog Hop!

Pop Quiz

Darling little Charm belongs to my friend Karen

1. How many milliseconds after this shot was I on the ground? Show your work.

Weird Wednesday

They slept like this for an hour. Yeah, he's actually asleep with that face.

Testing the Water

We're up early! We're going on an adventure today!

Today Monsoon will be meeting the good friends and their hounds with whom we travel to Greyhounds in Gettysburg. It's a big test of how he'll do in a social and possibly stressful environment, so keep your fingers crossed and I'll report back. At the very least, I'll have a few good pictures.

I shouldn't just drop this in, since I didn't mention there was trouble, but I found out just last night: I am officially going to Gettysburg!

We’re participating in this Saturday’s Pet Blog Hop, hosted by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.  If you’d like to participate, please follow the rules and follow your three hosts, add your blog to the Linky and copy and paste the html code into your html editor.  Thanks again to our hosts for putting on the hop!
This is a Blog Hop!

Someone Appreciates Spring Weather!

Can you believe she'll be 13 in May?

Oh, Mondays...

Watch Dog

 

Dude. There is nothing out there. I don't know what you think you're whining at for three hours a day, but there is nothing out there.

 No. No, there's nothing out here either. In the interest of science I spent a lot of time staring out the window with Monsoon over this past week, and I am positive. There's nothing out there.

That doesn't stop him, though. He bounces and whines and chatters. When I take him outside, he explores the yard thoroughly and then looks up at me as if to say, "Huh. I was pretty sure I saw something out here! Did you hide it, Mom?"

So: my apologies for another unannounced month-long hiatus. If I ever knew they were coming I'd try to issue a warning, but that's not how it works. How it usually works is I pull my head out from under a pillow and realize I haven't spoken to anyone, updated a blog, taken a picture or completed a project in a month and that I should probably rejoin society. Here I am, for however long it lasts this time! ;)

We’re participating in this Saturday’s Pet Blog Hop, hosted by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.  If you’d like to participate, please follow the rules and follow your three hosts, add your blog to the Linky and copy and paste the html code into your html editor.  Thanks again to our hosts for putting on the hop!
This is a Blog Hop!

Excitement

Well, no. Not really. Today, after a busy week of weather and driving and errands and minor emergencies and mood swings and emotional issues... 

Today we are being beautifully lazy. Enjoy your weekend. May you get from it whatever you need. 

 

We’re participating in this Saturday’s Pet Blog Hop, hosted by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.  If you’d like to participate, please follow the rules and follow your three hosts, add your blog to the Linky and copy and paste the html code into your html editor.  Thanks again to our hosts for putting on the hop!

Wordless Wednesday

Dog Life List

Do all dog lovers have them?

I know there are folks who stick with their breed. Greyhounds, pit bulls, wieners, what have you. There are some that stick with a group. For example, I wouldn't mind collecting just about every sight hound there is.

Most of my friends know I love lists and charts, so it might not be a surprise to learn I have an actual list of "Dog Breeds I Want to Rescue." (Without starting a debate, I do not buy dogs, unless paying a rescue fee counts.)

What is on this list? I'm glad I pretended you asked!

Obviously, this is a tiny fraction of the list and it's all in addition to the greyhounds I can't imagine being without. What are your favorite breeds? What do you love about them?

1. Borzoi

I met this guy and learned two things I hadn't known. First, Borzoi are ginormous. They are like springy, prancy little ponies.

Secondly, and this is where I may have squealed at a perfect stranger while patting her dog, they can have soft fuzzy silky baby curls.

I do think I'd need to dress fancier if I were going to walk a Borzoi, though. Like a Russian Czarina or something. 




2. Pit bull

I dream of someday rescuing my own. The first pibble I ever loved was named Geordie, and my stepfather rescued him via the "take him directly from the scumbag who bragged about the fight Geordie'd won that day."

Geordie -- this isn't him, sorry -- was the sweetest, most loving old man I ever met. He sat on laps, he kissed my infant daughter, he played gently with children. He was brilliant. I'll miss my "brother" for the rest of my life.





3. Corgi

Astute readers may notice this is a picture of a cartoon dog. True, but Ein (from the anime "Cowboy Bebop") is the first Corgi I fell in love with. My usual affection is for big dogs, but come on. Look at him widdle face.
Trivia: I told my mom I wanted a Corgi someday. "Ugh, those little things that look like sawed-off Collies?" So that's how I think of them. ;)






4. German Shepherd Dog (or a Malinois or a Tervuren)

I'll be honest, I have some apprehension about these breeds, having owned a mostly-GSD mutt growing up. They're beautiful and strong and smart. I worry about the ramifications of having a dog that will solve problems faster than I do.

I have been vicariously enjoying the adventures of my friends Mr. and Mrs. Taleteller over at Tales and Tails, not only with beautiful GSD Morgan but with their new baby, Kuster. I have also been reminded that puppies are not for everyone and they're way, way braver than I am.





5. The One That Needs Me

Canine Body Language

A short story in five frames. Can you tell what happened?

 

 

We’re participating in this Saturday’s Pet Blog Hop, hosted by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.  If you’d like to participate, please follow the rules and follow your three hosts, add your blog to the Linky and copy and paste the html code into your html editor. Thanks for stopping by!