Ha-Ha to the Dogs!

Window open

Window closed

Our cat likes to taunt our dogs from the safety of the kitchen. She was officially named "Gracie" by youngest daughter MJ, but she's known as "Kitty" these days.

My Dog, My Teacher

This is Baillie, our 17 year old blind and deaf cocker spaniel, although this picture was taken a year ago after she was groomed.

A couple weeks ago in our weekly Lectio Divina group, I had an insight about Baillie that is teaching me more about God and how to live.

The scripture we meditated upon was John16: 12-13:

16:12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

After sitting with this, the images that came to me were our two cocker spaniels. Both went blind and deaf as they aged. The first one was Bagel, whom we got a few months before our first child was born in 1979. About ten years later, she reached a point where she could not bear her life as a blind and deaf dog. She would sit in the kitchen, not moving, and crying. She was too afraid to move. Soon after that, she was put to sleep.

In contrast, Baillie is 17 and bumbles around. She sometimes circles and almost always bumps into things. She forgets to go outside, and we have to guide her out there. Sometimes Baillie startles when we touch her, but she never snaps or growls. She doesn't cry and does not act unhappy. She still goes outside and goes around the house, bumping into walls and furniture. Baillie has been been able to bear disabilities that Bagel could not, which does not diminish how wonderful a dog Bagel was. Somehow Baillie senses that she is safe and will be guided, even though she cannot see or hear.

I am seeing that Baillie is showing me that she feels safe and that she will be guided in her dark and silent life. She trusts that things will be okay. She shows me that I am safe in this life, with God always with me. Even if I cannot see what is ahead, if I take the steps toward the seeming "next" thing, I am safe. Trusting God's presence will always be with me in whatever I do or however I am is my lifework. Baillie is my example, as I must remember that Bagel also teaches me that there is no condemnation about what I cannot bear or what I cannot do.

As Julian of Norwich said, "All shall be well, all shall be well, all manner of things shall be well."

Problems!!

We have been thrown into a tizzy with an email this morning from the friend who always house-dog-sits for us when we travel. She cannot be here for us during the upcoming trip to WA State, even though we asked her months ago. In three days we need someone taking care of our pets, because Chuck will depart. (I am leaving the day before, which I have already pre-posted for Thursday.)

Chuck reserved spaces at our vet's kennel, which is expensive and not our first choice for our dogs. We'd prefer someone staying at our house. Calling people and friends today brought frustration and worry. What to do?? Finally, we found the sons of church members who are willing to help us out.

They just left after getting to know our dogs, including leaping Maisie (our Lab/hound mix). One is in college and the other is in high school, and they will take care of the dogs in partnership. They may even sleep here. That makes it nicer for our dogs and for our cat, who will not indicate her pleasure.

Chuck and I feel great relief. Whew!

How Our Cat Copes

With all the noise and ruckus from our floors being redone, our cat often goes into seclusion in our main bathroom, which is where she sleeps at night.

Happy Cartoon for Today

Happy Birthday to my Oldest Daughter

30 years ago today my wonderfully talented oldest daughter AE was born. Her father and I like to remember the dramatic story of her birth, which she tires of hearing about. She abruptly emerged when only my husband and I were in the birthing room! He yelled for help, saying,"The baby is coming!" Of course, we didn't know until her birth that AE was a girl. I cried when I called my parents to tell them that I had a baby girl, because I was so glad. Good memories.

The cocker spaniel is in honor of AE, too, because she and KA have Morgan, a cute and pretty cocker spaniel. Almost 16 years ago, AE surprised me with a little blonde cocker spaniel puppy, who is now a surprisingly contented elderly dog who is both blind and deaf.

Another Dog Adventure!

Here is the higher and improved gate for our driveway, which CB built yesterday. Notice the gap on the right, so I can easily reach the latch from the outside!


Although CB boarded up the bottom of our backyard fence back in July 2010 (pictured here) , he did not do that behind the bushes. This morning, Cisco disappeared--and when I went to investigate where he had been spending a lot of time recently, I found the missing board as pictured below. Cisco loves to dig and discover rotten boards that can be chewed and pushed away. Luckily, Maisie could not fit through that hole. Plus, Cisco comes when he is called, so he did not go far.

Now CB is outside, repairing this part of the fence. I'm glad he is so handy at fixing and building things.

Over the Fence!

This is just a random funny picture of dogs jumping a fence, but it gives you an idea of the way Maisie jumped over our gate two days ago. Ever since we moved into this house, we've had a rolling 4-ft. high fence across the driveway--to keep our young children and their dogs safe. Now it's just to keep our three dogs in the backyard.

On Thursday CB and I came home to find Maisie gone. Remember she's the yellow lab mix (with hound!) that was left in our yard the day after Christmas two years ago? There was a message on the answering machine from our postman, telling us that he'd found our dog some blocks away. Finally, we got her back and learned that she had leaped the fence after Cisco had gotten through a hole nearby--Maisie couldn't fit through that opening and so followed Cisco running off!

The quick remedy CB found was to nail boards on top of the gate so it would deter Maisie from jumping until today, when he began building a newer and higher gate.

Today CB is building the new gate in this wonderful weather that a cold front brought to us--it is only 68 degrees F. (on Thursday it got up to 92!).

Safely Home!

Last night our youngest daughter MJ arrived home from Spain! She was living in Granada for the past five months. It is wonderful to have her home, and Maisie greeted her with greater excitement than anyone else!

Cisco, Maisie, and MJ

Cisco, MJ, and Maisie

MJ and boy friend CM,
who drove from San Antonio to meet her with us
at the Corpus Christi Airport.

Maisie's wet adventure

CB bathing Maisie

This morning Maisie ran away and had a joyous run in the rain as a cold front was blowing through here with thunderstorms. Usually we close the driveway gate when one of us leaves, but this morning CB forgot. I did not realize that and put the dogs outside; after an hour or so, I wondered where Maisie was because the other dogs had come inside. That is when I discovered the gate was open!

I very slowly drove around in the heavy rain, trying to spot her. After 30 minutes, I called CB who was working at a Habitat house, wailing that Maisie was lost. So he drove back and started looking, too.

Eventually, he called to say he had found her but that she kept running away from him. I drove to meet him; luckily, by then CB had gotten her into his truck. YAY!! I was so worried that Maisie was gone.

The result for Maisie was a bath. Now she is whimpering because she is stuck in the laundry room until she dries off; she can see Baillie and Cisco--and me typing on the computer through the French door.

It is a good day, after all.

Gracie, all warm and cozy, on my winter coat today.

Getting old is no fun

Baillie by the new couch

Baillie is 14+ years old. She is blind and deaf and gets confused at times. In the past few days she has gotten lost in our backyard. One day she was wandering around in a corner, bumping into a tree stump. I finally had to pull her back to the deck, where she realized her location and could navigate herself to the backdoor. However, today she went in the wrong direction from the backdoor and fell off the (low) deck. I had to guide her back.

Usually Baillie walks tentatively and slowly around. She also sleeps a great deal of each day. She still seems happy, unlike our last cocker spaniel Bagel who whimpered in one place all day in the kitchen, because she could not see or hear. Bagel was put to sleep as she could not cope with her blindness and deafness. I am glad that Baillie is more cheerful.

A BIG Mistake!

Today the sectional couch we ordered on Sept. 24 was delivered.
Look at it!

We needed it to fit 68 inches of wall space, and it was 10 inches too long! The images we were given to fit into our space on paper indicated that those two pieces would be 26 + 42 inches. We were never told that those were the inside measurements.

Much waiting and many phone calls ensued, with the two delivery men standing around, chatting amiably with us, for 1 1/2 hours. It was finally determined that the end piece would be returned and a new long piece equaling 68 inches in total will be manufactured. We just hope it will not take another two months. . . .

This is what we have now, which looks much better than it did.

Cisco and Maisie sniffing the new couch

The dogs have been sniffing the couch and the various cushions. We hope that Maisie will not climb up on the sofa, as she did with the old love seat.

Here is guilty looking Maisie, who is trying to get down before I see her.

My mother helped me pick out that love seat when we moved into this house in 1987. It is now sitting in BJ's old room, awaiting MJ having her own apartment in fall 2011. (Trinity University requires its students to live on-campus for the first three years of college.)

We also hope that Maisie will not chew and rip the new couch as she did with the above pictured love seat. Go here if you want to see what damage she inflicted upon it.

Sun and Drizzle

Washington State has been in the sunshine for two days and now is back in the clouds, which is more normal for November. Today it is gray and drizzly and is about 50 degrees F.

When CB and I flew here on Wednesday, we were shocked to clearly see all the mountains from our plane. The woman sitting next to me said she had traveled to Seattle on business trips for the last 12 years, and this was the first time she had ever seen Mount Rainier while in the air! When we arrived in Seattle, it was a record 74 degrees F., which was warmer than the weather we had left in TX. It was beautiful; I went around taking pictures of brilliantly colored Japanese maple trees.

We flew here for my father-in-law's 85th birthday. The party was last night in Bellingham, and it was full of laughter, fun and love. All four children and their spouses were there. It was one of the nicest times we have had together. There were three birthday cakes--for beloved dad, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law (me), so there was a lot of blowing on many candles. Oddly, I had the most candles; my sister-in-law Chris said that candelight was much kinder to older faces.

Now in Seattle, we are visiting friends and daughters AE and KA. I loved meeting AE today near the University of Washington Quad. She looked lovely in a brown sweater and jeans and took us to see her office. It is wonderful to see the girls again so soon after their surprise visit to Austin for my birthday.

Two days in Bellingham and two days in Seattle, then we whiz back to San Antonio, TX, so we can take daughter MJ out for her birthday dinner on Sunday night.

We are fortunate to travel here and also to have a friend, who is also my massage therapist, stay at our house taking care of our three dogs and one cat. The first time Denise met Maisie, Maisie kept leaping on her, leaving muddy pawprints. Denise was a little worried about being with Maisie so much and kept those muddy clothes to be worn just around the dogs, calling them her "Maisie clothes." However, she says that Maisie has calmed down and all the dogs like her.

Weekend Pictures

Here are a few pictures from DC and AA's visit with us, along with their English Bulldog Sampson.

Jan and AA at the baby shower.

AA with Sampson chewing on one of Maisie's toys.

Maisie and Sampson liked to play tug-of-war,
though Sampson tired sooner than Maisie.

Maisie is barking at Sampson because he has the tugging toy.

Tree down!

The ash tree that seemed to be damaged by a windstorm in early July was cut down today. It was diseased and could not be saved. That saddens me, because I love trees. Also, the family room is noticeably warmer without its shade.

Here follows a picture essay of the cutting down of the ash tree today. It started and continued with the three dogs barking and barking at the intrusion of men and equipment in their backyard.At times, it seemed like there were more than (merely) three dogs barking!

The beginning of the morning

There were three workers. One was the brave person up in the tree, sawing off branches.

What a balancing act!

At the end of the afternoon, they took the stump out and ground up it and its roots.

This was the tree that Maisie and Cisco would watch squirrels run up and down--and they'd eagerly scratch at the French door to be let out to run and chase those rodents. Now Maisie will just bark at lizards; we'll see where the squirrels go. . . .

More Maisie pictures!

Maisie loves to climb up on to CB's lap when he is at his computer.
Baillie is to the right.

Maisie wiggles on CB's lap and usually chews while squirming,
but she's kissing him here.

During the thunderstorm yesterday,
Maisie lay quietly under my computer desk.

Future losses

A few months ago a storm hit us and the big tree in the backyard lost a large branch. The picture of that is here.

Now we noticed that there is a suspicious bulge around the middle of this same tree. It is cracking and will eventually fall over. So the poor ash tree needs to be removed.

That is so sad. We will plant another tree, but it will take years (decades) for it to grow as tall. It will take a long time for us to find shade under the tree that is in the middle of the backyard.

Other news is that our poor old cocker spaniel Baillie had two types of accidents this afternoon. Old age and poor reflexes are setting in. We will have to be more aware of forcing her outside at regular intervals, rather than letting her go outside when she thinks of it. Being blind and deaf, Baillie does not notice when Maisie and/or Cisco go out the door. (Baillie is 14 years old.)

Missing my dogs. . . .

Friday Five: Pets or not?

My friend Judy told a group of friends last week that her beloved hermit crab Al died. She missed Al--after six years of his company, even though she was not sure how pronounced his personality was or if he had one!

With the chewing exploits of our third dog, puppy Maisie, I am wondering about the pets we presently own and have had in the past.What about you? Tell us about the animals in your lives. If you have no pets, give examples of friends' pets or imaginary ones!

1. Did you grow up with pets?
We always had a cocker spaniel. When I was very little we had black Inky. Then when I was in elementary school, we had black Licorice. When I was in high school we had a blonde cocker named Toffee, who had four puppies. My parents kept the the smallest one called "Little Girl."

2. Do you have any pets now?
Three dogs: 14 year old blonde cocker spaniel Baillie; approximately 5 year old mixed shepherd Cisco; and 8 month old Lab mix Maisie.
One cat: gray and furry Gracie

3. What is the funniest or worst thing any of your pets have ever done?
Lately, it was Maisie chewing and pulling off material from the loveseat; the picture is here.

When I was about 4 years old, I remember running to my mother to tell her that Inky had the mumps! Inky had chewed up the nylon sleeves on one of my dresses, to which she was obviously allergic.

4. Who is/was your favorite pet?
I loved our reddish cocker spaniel Bagel, who grew up with our first three kids until we had to put her to sleep. She was completely blind and deaf and would not move, just cry in one place. That was so sad.

I also loved Licorice, BJ's big black Lab, who was put to sleep a few years ago. I am hoping that Maisie will grow into as sweet a dog as Licorice was as she aged.

5. How did you train your different pets?
The only success I've had is housebreaking the dogs. I'm not very good at training, though they learn what "stay" means. Maisie knows what "crate" signifies and goes into her crate when we leave home. (When she was left out, she would chew and strip off the wallpaper in the laundry room.)

It is hopeful that Maisie and I are going to an 8-week training class starting on August 18.

BONUS: Pictures of a pet or one you wish you could have.