Life if full of transitions. My summer is over and today I went back to work to plan for another school year. Sunday finalized the transition from carpet to hardwood floors in the main part of the house. No more smelly puppy pee carpet!!!! But now there is the transition of dusting everything off and putting it back in place, or deciding to donate much of it to Goodwill.
We are also making a transition in Dawgpatch. On Friday Blossom's puppies will be 8 weeks old and will begin leaving to go to their new families. Maggie will leave first Friday afternoon as she goes to live with the Farley family and Lizzy, the cocker they adopted from us a couple of years ago. Then on Saturday the Walden family will come down from Virginia to pick up Ribsy so he can go live with them and his very own older sister, Lula. My beautiful little sable girl will be waiting for her new mom to get back from her vacation and she'll be going to North Carolina on the 16th. That leaves the other 3 babies who will stay here and play and be with us until the right family comes along and decides to adopt them.
In the meantime, Emma has blessed us with 6 new baby English Toys. They are so tiny and fresh and warm, and again I marvel at how quickly they are growing and changing. Emma is a wonderful mom and turns her back on me every time I open the door to change the bed. She hates the disruption of her little family for the sake of cleanliness! But she forgives easily if I rub her head for a while and tell her how proud I am of her for producing these wonderful babies. Thank you, Emma!
Monday, August 4, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Puppy Therapy
I just visited the blog of one of my puppy owners. I found her on Facebook and reconnected with her and realized that she is way more than a puppy owner! She's a scientist by day and studies and practices many different forms of meditation the rest of the time. All this in addition to being a wonderful parent to her pup. I left her blog and opened mine and suddenly felt very shallow! There's a part of me who wants to be very transcendental and philosophic. T
o live in Virginia Highlands, have a long gray braid and fresh complexion and only eat organic and herbal food. But then what would I do without chocolate? My newfound friend talks a lot about living in the now, and when I went to check on the puppies I realized that they are my way of living in the now as much as I seem to be able to do that. I don't spend a lot of time meditating or studying philosophy, but I do spend a lot of time smelling puppy breath and snuggling with soft little bodies: Laughing at babies wallowing in yogurt during their first few meals and watching them wear themselves out licking each other after these meals. During these times, the house goes to pot, the dishes pile up, the laundry basket overflows and I am totally oblivious of all of this until someone rings the doorbell. So maybe I will develop my own philosophy. I know I'm not the first, only, or last to lose myself in the joy of watching animals do their thing. But I've decided I won't feel guilty any more about the amount of time I spend with my puppies. It's my form of meditation, my therapy. And it's what Ilove to do.
o live in Virginia Highlands, have a long gray braid and fresh complexion and only eat organic and herbal food. But then what would I do without chocolate? My newfound friend talks a lot about living in the now, and when I went to check on the puppies I realized that they are my way of living in the now as much as I seem to be able to do that. I don't spend a lot of time meditating or studying philosophy, but I do spend a lot of time smelling puppy breath and snuggling with soft little bodies: Laughing at babies wallowing in yogurt during their first few meals and watching them wear themselves out licking each other after these meals. During these times, the house goes to pot, the dishes pile up, the laundry basket overflows and I am totally oblivious of all of this until someone rings the doorbell. So maybe I will develop my own philosophy. I know I'm not the first, only, or last to lose myself in the joy of watching animals do their thing. But I've decided I won't feel guilty any more about the amount of time I spend with my puppies. It's my form of meditation, my therapy. And it's what Ilove to do.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Watching puppies
It always surprises me that in the few short months between litters of puppies, I can forget how amazing they are. Blossom's babies are 2 weeks old now and I could spend hours just sitting, watching, holding, snuggling and smelling them. Watching a puppy grow is watching nature and instinctive behavior at its best! At two weeks, these little guys can find the warmest, softest and most comfy spot in the bed. They know (smell) when
mom is even in the room. She can be outside for her break (she still has to check out every smell in they yard at least twice a day) and they are perfectly content to snuggle with each ot 
Then a couple of them are just like their Mom and they get all agitated when you pick them up. They can't be still long enough to enjoy the attention they're getting. Although their eyes are barely open, they are already playing with each, trying to bite each other's mouths (they don't have any teeth yet). They inevitably fall over they they stretch themselves to attack a brother or sister, but the intent is still there. what a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
MORE puppies!
It seems Emma and Atticus did some serious courting while we were in Ireland. From the reports I have gotten from Sandy, our sitter, and our other friends who used our pool while we were gone, we should be having little ET puppies the middle of August. Go, Emma!!!!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Puppies!!
Blossom presented us with 6 beautiful babies last Friday the 13th. She has 3 boys and 3 girls and they are all perfect and beautiful! Well, they are as beautiful as newborn puppies can be. She did a wonderful job with the bi
rth and she's being a terrific mom. We almost have matching pairs- a black and white parti boy and girl, a black and tan boy and girl, a solid sable girl and a parti sable boy. I think they're all going to be stunning dogs! The little sable girl is already taken. She'll be going to North Carolina to be spoiled and loved and coddled. What a lucky little girl!
rth and she's being a terrific mom. We almost have matching pairs- a black and white parti boy and girl, a black and tan boy and girl, a solid sable girl and a parti sable boy. I think they're all going to be stunning dogs! The little sable girl is already taken. She'll be going to North Carolina to be spoiled and loved and coddled. What a lucky little girl!
The puppies have really helped me deal with my remorse for letting Bella and Louie go to new homes. Although I know that was probably the best decision for them, I have missed them terribly. I have had a short reprieve this week because I've been able to keep Bella (aka Rosie) and her new sister Belle, the lab. Their family is vacationing in Florida and so the girls are here at our doggie zoo playing ball and chewing on bones until they return. Next week they'll all be moving to Boston, so I won't 
be able to see little Bella for a very long time. I've also come to love sweet Belle. It's been fun to see how differently a big dog moves. She is a joy to watch when she's playing ball. She leaps for the ball in a way no short legged little cocker ever could. Toby will be SO glad when she goes home. She beats him to the ball every time! It's been wonderful having them visit with us this week. Rosie (Bella) has definitely bonded with Belle and they are best friends now. I'm thankful to the Rogers family for giving her such a wonderful home.
be able to see little Bella for a very long time. I've also come to love sweet Belle. It's been fun to see how differently a big dog moves. She is a joy to watch when she's playing ball. She leaps for the ball in a way no short legged little cocker ever could. Toby will be SO glad when she goes home. She beats him to the ball every time! It's been wonderful having them visit with us this week. Rosie (Bella) has definitely bonded with Belle and they are best friends now. I'm thankful to the Rogers family for giving her such a wonderful home.Louie is doing well, too. I heard from his new parents last week. They love him dearly, but then, how could you not love sweet Louie.
The last I heard, Kinzi was having her toenails painted blue and silver. She is enjoying being treated as the prima dona she is while her pal Maggie is spending her time enjoying having her very own tennis ball that no one else steals. It's good to know that all my babies are happy.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
The Land of the Leprechauns
Roy and I will be leaving Sunday for Ireland where we will roam around learning about the Emerald Isle for the next 2 weeks. The pups will be well cared for and loved by our sitter and various other friends who will enjoy their company and our pool. When we get back, we will be anxiously awaiting the birth of Blossom's new litter sometime around June 17.
Go gcastar ar a chéile arís muid
(Until we meet again)
Joan
Privacy and Fewer Distractions
The Dawgpatch residents are adjusting to a new change in our environment. We have almost completed a privacy fence which encloses the 2 street sides of our back yard. Now Blossom can concentrate on her ballgames without the constant distraction of people and dogs walking by, and the neighbors don't have to hear the hysteria that breaks out in the Cocker Castle when Sophie (the cocker across the street) or Riley (the golden retriever down the street) come to visit and sniff out the latest news. What a relief to know that our little terrorist, Blossom, is securely contained, and that Emma and Atticus are safe from the outside world!! And I can run around the back yard in my pajamas!! Life if good.
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