I think I've been duped

We were told that Charlie was Black Lab and white Shepherd but someone forgot to mention that splash of Lion. Charlie looks as if he has a mane and he is HUGE!! Much bigger than Shepherd or Lab. Not just tall but long and muscular. I swear I could climb on h is back and ride him. And yet, with all of that bigness comes a baby's heart who is afraid of Michael swatting flies and who MUST KISS me on the mouth when I come home, or else. Gentle giant is the term that comes to mind. He is bigger than Kali, even his teeth are bigger than hers. Think Quaterback and the cheerleader and you have them perfectly. He adores Kali and she him and he grows smarter every day.

There is another love in Charlie's life and that is going to the store with Josh. Not that Charlie ever gets to go INTO the store, rather he is just going along for the ride. Josh used to take Rocco and I know it broke his heart once Rocco was gone, it's now been almost a year. The gas station guy, where Josh goes for his cigarettes had even asked after Rocco. ANYWAY. Now it's Josh and Charlie and gas station guy occasionally comes out to give Charlie a treat and someone is always willing to rub his head and tell him what a good boy he is.

Last night it was raining like a son of a gun and Josh decided to leave Charlie at home. Charlie had other ideas and hustled after him but Josh was too fast and closed the door before Charlie could get there. First Charlie tried to ram his way through the door then came out with the most woeful heartbreaking howl you would ever want to hear. I have never heard any animal cry like that. Josh heard it too and Charlie joined him on that ride, even tho he did get the seats muddy with his big old baseball mitt paws.

Guess that will teach us. Josh is not allowed to go to the store without Charlie. Seems simple enough.

Catching up again

I know that. lately it seems that all I do is talk about Kali when this is Charlie's blog. So let me tell you what Charlie has been up to.

First of all, he is growing. He's now bigger than Kali with the most ridiculously long legs. Moose legs I call them. Moose have long long legs which help to keep their bellies dry when wandering through wet places. Charlie's legs are long, but he doesn't care how wet he gets. I'm guessing it;s the black lab in him. He does have a lab's webbed feet, something I just noticed and an adorable feathering on the back of his legs that we refer to as his pantaloons.

I was missing Charlie the other day and couldn't figure out, at first, why that was so. He's right there in the yard so why was I lonely for him. Then it came to me. Once Kali came and the weather got cool enough for him, he's rarely in the house and when he is in the house, he's got Kali.

Well, the other day he comes to me in the craft room, catches my eye and whines. That usually means that he wants to go out, so I get up, climb over piles o'craft stuff and head toward the kitchen door. Only that wasn't what he wanted. I asked him to "show me" and what he did was to lead me to the big dog pillow in the living room and then put his paws on my shoulders to make me sit. And then he brought me a toy so we could play tug of war. YES! he wanted to play with his momma.

It's a game that I had invented for Rocco called EWWW I don't want this thing it's got dog spit all over it.

Charlie had one end of a long legged. long armed monkey toy I had gotten him and I pull and twist and try to get it away from him while he hangs on until HE decides it is spitty enough. It was an achy hand day so I tried holding on with both hands, till Charlie put a paw on one arm and forced it down as if to say, one hand only. Thinking that I was putting intent into his actions that wasn't there, I tried two hands again and again and got the same response from him. One hand only please, two is cheating.

I don't know how long we played that silly game but I was glad to know that Charlie is still m y baby.

I've asked for a camera for Christmas so I can take some pics of the dogs. The camera I have now is far too complicated to use and by the time I figure out flash or no flash or what kind of flash, picturing taking has become a chore. If I get the camera then there will be pics of the dogs.

Everyone should have a Charlie.

Delight

It's so wonderful to come home to two dogs who think that your homecoming is the high point of their year. yes, they get me muddy when it is wet and, yes, my face gets as soggy as their paws from all of the kisses but the JOY the sheer mind blowing JOY that MOMMY'S HOME!

And if I can be petty for a moment. I love the fact that the people across the street see it every day and I KNOW their dogs don't act that way. Ha!

Charlie is now almost the size of Kali and is still growing. he has the longest legs and the most beautiful eyes. He's my love, my baby boy and the chattiest dog I have ever met. Rocco and Ollie 'talked' to me with ears and eyes but Charlie has a whole range of sounds that I am slowly but surely learning.

Kali isn't as vocal but her expressions speak for her. Last night I opened a new box of Chees It crabby crackers. They do taste like steamed crabs with LOTS of seasoning. I do mean LOTS. As soon as the inner wrapper crackled, there was Kali licking her lips and looking anxious. Since I always share with the dogs, I warned her that she wouldn't like it. After assuring me that she would love it, I gave her one cracker. One sooner had her lips closed around it, she stopped still and gave me a look that said. "Oh crap, I hate it , I don't want it but what in the heck am I going to so now?" I relented.... after I laughed... held out my hand and said spit it out. She did and ran to the water bowl. I don't blame her, after half a dozen of those crackers I was ready for the water bowl myself.

Charlie watched all of this with one eye gave me a look saying "Girls! What ya gonna do?:" closed that eye and went back to sleep. No crabby crackers for him. I think he waited to see how Kali had reacted and I bet if she ate it, he would have been ready for his share.

Charlie LOVES outside. He would rather be outside than any other place in the world save in the car with Josh going to the store. He'll curl up on h is pillow on the porch and snooze and even if I ask him does he want to come in, he thanks me politely but stays outside. It doesn't matter if it is wet or cold, my boy is out in the yard or sitting on the porch under the awning. He so appreciates a big yard. It scares me to think what might have happened to him if we weren't chosen as his new family by his first father, Mr. Ali. Charlie probably would have been dead. It wasn't just the vet that made him well, it was me and Josh and even our old old cat Frankie (who has gone to her rest just recently). I kept getting the fluids and meds in him, Frankie kept him warm, Josh coddled and babied and coaxed him with scrambled eggs. Even if Charlie hadn't been ill, he never would have been happy in a townhouse with little kids and outing only on a leash. He roams the yard as if he were exploring new territory each and every morning, pouncing upon toys he left in the yard with a "There you are" yip and a race around the yard with the toy in his mouth. Kali is faster than Charlie but he's a bit more cunning and lets her run circle while he waits till she tires and he bounces.

I wish I had his energy.

Charlie and Kali both have helped to heal my heart. Thank you my furry babies. Mommy loves you.

Almost But Not Quite

Charlie bit my nose this morning. It wasn't done on purpose. I had just gotten up and the dogs go wild with excitement each morning when that happens. It's as if I have been away for years! Should I sleep later than normal, then someone is always whining and scratching at the door telling me it's time to get up. I'm assuming that it's one of the dogs scratching, otherwise it would be just too weird if it was the husband.

Anyhow there I was; half asleep with excited dogs dancing around me talking up a storm when the husband decided that then and only then is the time to give them their flea stuff (advantage). Now, since I'm surprised that the husband can dress himself, it was up to me to put the advantage on the dogs because I KNOW HOW TO DO IT. Ignoring the fact that the husband kinda did it last month.

Meanwhile the dogs are growing even more excited at the package, no doubt thinking it some new kind of treat. I can't get Charlie to stand still enough for me to do it so the husband helds by grabbing him around the neck and hugging charlie against his body. Since the medicine goes down the dog's back, no good. Do I have to tell you that Charlie wants none of this now and is thrashing around to get loose? Suddenly the husband lets go, Charlie spins around and wham, gets me in the nose. Blood is dripping, dog is yelling, Kali is launching herself at me. I catch Charlie with my knees advantage him, let him go, grab Kali, advantage her and done.

My nose is still dripping blood and when I check, Charlie's tooth hasn't gone all the way through. If it had I could then sport a swanky pierced nose if not for two facts: 1] Charlie caught me near the tip of my nose, not a usual pierced nose spot but more importantly and number 2 is, since I have no stud earrings and only dangles, I would then have to inset a dangle and have it swing and dangle from the end of my nose all day. There's a look for you.

BTW I've advantaged dogs before. I usually wait until they are asleep or working on a bone or something and have NEVER had such a battle doing it. I think next time I'll let the husband do it. If he can remember to read the directions on the package.

Could they be any happier?

Charlie and Kali love their life. This morning, I looked through the kitchen door window to see the both of them sitting side my side on their pillows, hip to hip, watching the world go by. They love being outside even when there is nothing going on. When the group starts gathering in front of the house across the street, the puppies leave their porch to say hello and drown in licks any face that ventures too near.

I've never had two puppies at the same time. Two dogs, yes, three dogs yes, but never two young ones together.

It;s not just Kali that loves the yard and to run around and around and around but Charlie's always taking himself out even when Kali doesn't want to go but Charlie can always keep himself occupied. I have never had a dog content to play on his own but that's Charlie. There are toys scattered all over the front yard, as if we had small children. I suppose we do have children only they are covered with fur.

I marvel at how much I loved each from the very first. There is nothing like a dog to make you feel loved.

It's true

Charlie is part black lab and Kali is part Australian Shepherd both breeds that do not mind getting wet or so it said when I googled their breeds. Apparently they were correct because, even tho it rained a good deal yesterday the puppies were out playing in it. They couldn't wait to go out again this morning and don't want to put up with all of this namby pamby let me dry you crap. In fact, pull out a towel to dry them and there is a good chance a new get the towel from the human game will erupt. They they start to dry and the hair on Charlie's ears look as if it was crimped. They don't care. there's a yard and a buddy and puppies just want to have fun.

Older son keeps a close eye on them when they were outside and when he couldn't see them yesterday he was concerned. He called to them but the didn't come running so he called again and two heads popped out from under the porch wondering what he wanted.

We had other dogs who loved being outside and instead of the fuss of getting them a dog house we pulled off some of the siding that surrounded the underside of the porch and they could go there for shelter. Of course when the weather was really bad we brought them in the house. The underneath hasn't been used in a decade or more until the puppies took over. I'm thinking it's more of a fort for them than anything, where they had hide and then spring out at you, scaring youhalf to death and giving them a chuckle.

It's fun with two puppies at the same time. I have to stop writing up these blogs at the office because all I want to do now is go home and kiss puppy noses. SMOOCH!

Who's a big boy

Charlie is officially growing up. He no longer sleeps on the air conditioning vents but sprawls out on the floor like a big boy and yesterday Josh found him asleep on the couch, a first for Mr.e Fuzzy Ears.

Last night he cam tearing into the bedroom where I had to give him a boost to get up on the bed and there he took up sentry duty at the foot of the bed and began to bark. His big boy I mean business bark and not his puppy goof around come on mommy play with me bark.

And he barked and barked and barked but I couldn't find any reason for him to bark. I even let him outside where he plopped down on his new porch pillow and seemed set for the night. No camping out for Charlie Bear. Not till he's old enough so I know he won't TRY to get out of the yard. I don't see why he would. We actually ordered him food when we ordered chinese last night. Charlie's no dummy. He'll stay where the food is good.

With Patty's parvo I threw away all of the dog pillows and in Deals yesterday I found new pillows. I got two, one for outside and another next to the vent in the bedroom though if he continues to join me in bed, leaving the air condition vent behind I may just move the second one to the craft room for when he visits me for a crafting session.

I really shouldn't write these posts at th office, it always makes me want to go and fuzzle Charlie.

Charlie addiction.... not a pretty sight.

He's not just a memory

Yes, Charlie fills my life with delight but I still miss my Ollie and my Rocco, not to mention all of the other pets who have crossed the rainbow bridge. Little dog Ollie was a character. To look at him you would have thought that he was a frou frou dog but looks can be deceiving.

Ollie loved water and puddles and mud. He also loved taking a rolled rawhide outside and leaving it somehere so it would get rained on turning it into an almost indestructable flattened piece of hide. Usually by the time that happened, it was covered with dirt and who knows what all but, to Ollie, it was a treat. Not that he actually chewed it. Once it was all soft and floppy it was then hidden away somewhere for later. Thinking of it now, Ollie must have been part pirate always hiding his treasure to dig it up and rebury it elsewhere so his crew (Rocco) couldn't find it.

We have had three days of down pour. Downpour so massive that every muscle in m y body ached for days before it started. Today there is sun shine and little humidity just the kind of weather Charlie adores. He was in the yard and I needed to bring him in so I could open the gate and leave and when I called his name he came bouncing toward me, eyes bright, and this square of god knows what hanging out of his mouth. When he got closer I knew he had found one of Ollie's treasures.

I do mean treasure. You would have thought that Charlie had found the holy grail so thrilled was he with this dirty floppy bit of skin. He tossed it in the air, the pounced. Grabbed it, somehow managing to twirl it around his head only to let go and have to go pounce on it one more time. No flapping rawhide was going to get the best of HIM! I eventually got Charlie into the house after the rawhide had escaped his mouth and had to be recaptured another couple of times and once Charlie and the rawhide made it into the house, Charlie threw it down and rolled on it, thrilled that he had this wet, spotted thing all for his own.

I know when Ollie hid this away, he was saving it for himself and not for some fuzzy eared dog tween. (Not quite puppy, not quite grown but somewhere in beTWEEN) I don't know why Ollie hid it, in the first place, he never did chew it once soggy. Maybe he was just hiding and rehiding it to tease Rocco. Whatever the reason, it now comforts me. I feel as if Ollie isn't as far away as I thought. He's still here. Still around in the things he hid, the puddles he used to run through, the sher joy of puppiness even when he was an old man of 14.

A part of me wondered if I was unfair to Ollie's memory getting a puppy within a month of losing him (Ollie) But now I see, in a square of wet rawhide, that Ollie has bestowed on Charlie a gift, a memory for me,. A message that he understands and is glad that Charlie is here. A gift to Charlie to tell him he is welcome. And here I thought it was only a square of wet rawhide.

LIfe without Patty

Patty wasn't a part of our family for even a week before we lost her. I tried my best to beat that parvo that had a grip on her. I got water or food down her once every hour. If I fed her too much she would poop copious amounts of blood so I took it slow and easy. I prayed and cried and fought to be optimistic that the little girl would pull through. All to no avail.

And then the so and soh's that I adopted her through, inferred that it was my fault that she died that I didn't follow their adopt8ion rules and I had promised that I would take her to the vet if her symptoms got worse. What? I wouldn't have taken a puppy with symptoms in the first place. I didn't even know that Patty was from the same rescue group as Charlie until it was too late. And the the so and so inferred that Charlie was perfectly healthy when he left their care and I had made him sick or the man who had him before me while my vet told me that Charlie had to have been sick much longer than that to be as sick as he was.

So no new puppy. No little girl to curl in my arms, to give Charlie hell, to brighten our lives. We put her to rest under the tree were all of our fur babies rest and yes, I checked with the vet first. He also says we can get a puppy in two months as long as I keep on bleaching everything.

Losing Patty also opened my eyes to something else, a dynamic in the family that has probably always been there but I didn't see or didn't want to see. I see it now.

Charlie was a bit lost at first when Patty went. He was so solicitous of her, played with her endlessly and was as thrilled with a little sister as I was having a little girl. It doesn't seem to bother Charlie as much but I have noticed that he is growing up. I don't mean just getting bigger but more dog like than puppy. He keeps tripping over his feet like most tweens do but he now has his big boy bark that surprised even him the first couple of times that he used it.

He's still goofy and as smart as can be. When he wants you on his pillow he grabs any part of your clothing that he can reach and drags you there. I thought that was what it meant but , hey, I could always be reading something into it that really wasn't there but he was out in the yard with the older son when older son said he was going to the store. Charlie grabbed the hem of the older son's shorts and led him to the driver's side car door. Yep, it was Charlie language and I am stating to learn it.

He still has what we though would be only puppy fuzz but I suspect he'll always be fuzzy. He loves gummy bears and lollipops and has to attack cheese before he can eat it. We had taken him to the vet just to check him out and there is no sign of theparvo that killed patty. He's on antibiotics just to be on the safe side and I give him that nutri-cal stuff that he had when he was sick, just to keep him healthy. He loves the stuff and it makes it much easier for him to take his pills.

There is only one drawback to Charlie. Thinking about him makes me want to go home and be covered in excited puppy kisses. And if I am quick enough, I can give him a juicy on his bare belly. Besotted is the word for me.

Life iwth Chrlie and PATTY!

The husband made a mistake yesterday and mentioned that we really shouldn't wait till Charlie was much bigger to get him a brother. Charlie was driving our older than dirt, lighter than air cat crazy with his need to play and so, the husband, quite off handedly, suggested I start looking. Less than half an hour later I was furiously emailing a craigslister who had a girl for adoption, younger than Charlie, a chocolate lab, shepherd mix while Charlie is a black lab shepherd mix. I had told Kelly (the foster mom) all about my loss of Ollie and Rocco and how ill Charlie had been. It seems that Kelly lost an old dog of her own to lymphoma within the year and a foster puppy that she had named Charlie to distemper. So the puppy was ours. We left the office almost immediately and off we went battling beltway traffic that is awful even when

We get to Kelly's to find the smallest, daintiest little girl ever. She's hardly the size of a chihuahua, thin as a whippet and reminds us all of a small greyhound. Patty came to me immediately, which found favor with Kelly and I let the Hysband do the talking while I adored the puppy.

Like Charlie,, Patty was a rescue from a high kill shelter down south. So again I get a puppy and a rescued dog and while my heart breaks for the older rescues, I deserve puppies... yes I said it... and since these will probably be the last puppies I ever bring home... I'm no spring chicken... I should have puppies. Besides we tithe to charities each month and one of the charities is Animal Rescue.

We were told that Patty was a bit timid and that she was anxious because her brothers had been adopted the day before leaving her behind. Well. she wasn't left behind any more.

We avoided the beltway on the way home and so it took longer, tho not by much because we WERE nearing rush hour and I held her the whole way. She readily made herself comfortable, sprawled across the rocky mountains of my chest and tucked her head against my neck and slept.

There is something very moving about the trust an animal gives you. I never know what I do to deserve such an honor but I cherish and, yes, savor it, each time it happens.

When we got home, Older son let charlie out so he could greet me while the husband carried Patty into the house. I thought Charlie was going to go out of his mind with joy when he saw that we brought him a puppy. Come on. How many puppies do you know whose parent buys him a puppy?

As for timid Patty....HA! Timid was only a disguise she quickly shed. She's the boss and told Charlie so in no uncertain terms. Charlie didn't care, he gave her his goofiest grin, tripped over his own feet a couple of times and managed to send hard dog and cat food flying.

I've never known dogs who used their paws much like a cat would. Charlie does it but I thought it was just a Charlie thing. Nope Patty does it too and for a moment there they actually looked as if they were boxing. Oldest son has a tradition of sleeping with w new pet on the couch the first night, only Patty followed Charlie into the bedroom leaving Josh asleep on the couch. Of course, they got up WAYYYYY too early this morning but there is a certain delight in puppy breath in your face first thing in the morning, especially since they just came in from outside and want to tell you all about it.

Patty hasn't explored much of the yard yet. It was hot yesterday and rainy today but I have no doubt that she will love it. She and Charlie sat at the front gate watching the neighbor kid across the street walking a dog. Patty and Charlie sat side by side, shoulder to shoulder and I suddenly realised that it didn't seem as lonely as if did when Charlie sat there alone. Ollie and Rocco used to sit like that and before Rocco it was Ollie and Mutley and before that Ollie, Mutley and Emily. In fact, the walked dog must of scared Charlie because he bolted up the kitchen stairs and into the house, while Patty Cake just sat there being the princess.... I see a rhinestone studded collar in her future.

She had a touch of diarreah and a bout of vomit, neither of which are alarming. She was full of spit and vinegar this morning and is probably ruling the roost as I write this. And yet, Charlie is enamored. He adores his little sister already and even let her lay on his big pillow. Imagine. He even shares his most favorite toy a big stuffed flamingo that flops about just right as he shakes it.

I even wrote a ditty (though it isn't very good) ahem

Patty Cake Patty Cake
Charlie's girl
Her tail's straight
while his has a curl.


I know... I won't give up my day job.

It's wonderful being a new mother again.

Charlie and the Vet

It was time for Charlie's rabies shot and so off we went. The husband the dog and me. Charlie rides well in the car, unlike Ollie who used to try and climb me and then hang from my head like a badly fitting scarf. Charlie, however sat nicely on my lap and I noticed that he has to have a paw on my arm at all times. maybe he was doing it for balance but maybe he just felt better holding onto mommy's arm.

We get to the vet and are hardly out of the car when Miss Kathrine comes out of the office, throws her arms wide open and calls out "there's my Charlie Boy!" Charlie raced to her to be swept up into her arms and I don't know who nuzzled more, Miss Katherine or Charlie. In the waiting room, kisses had to be gotten from and given to Miss Tabby. Charlie strutted around that waiting room as if he was the king of the world and when it was time to see the Doctor, the other two lab techs were in the room with us. It was like a party with laughing and smiling, no one able to quite believe the miracle of Charlie who doubled his weight in only 10 days.

Charlie was good for the vet. They were able to remove the tick that Older son and I had failed to do because we just couldn't hold charlie still long enough to remove it. They removed it easily and hopefully if he gets another one, I'll be able to remove it even if both the sons and the husband has to lay on Charlie to hold him still.

Charlie was equally good on the ride home. I took him into the house while the husband took off to do work stuff and I was going to follow once Charlie went for his nap. Charlie has never been home alone and I hoped that if he was sleeping when I left that he would sleep through the afternoon.

HOWEVER>>>>

The husband had turned up the air conditioning before we left for the vet and Charlie, who lies ON the vent, was unhappy and whined at me until I turned it down a degree and the air condtioning kicked on. Is some puppy spoiled? Probably... ok yes he is. He doesn't need to see the vet for a year but it will be sooner than that because we are planning to srupise the vet and staff with make their own ice cream sundaes as a way of saying thank you.

Yes I know they were doing their job. Yes I know if they didn't love animals they wouldn's have the jobs that they had. Yes I know they got paid for it. BUT THEY SAVED CHARLIE'S LIFE. If I could, I'd give them gold but ice cream will have to do.

Not all angels have wings.

Mornings with Charlie

Charlie loves to spend an hour or more in the yard, in the morning. Not alone, of course, but with Mommy. I sit, while he does his charlie business sniffing the grass, checking out the bamboo, patrolling the perimeter. I only follow him when he goes around to the front of the house. Charlie hasn't tried to leave the yard, yet, but I'd rather be cautious.

So this morning, even tho he was already out once, he bounced up on the bed and woke me with a dog's version of 'mommy, mommy, MOMMY!!!!!'. I dragged my butt out of bed, threw on clothes and out we went. This morning I made it as far as the kitchen steps when I settled in. Charlie looked puzzled for a second, ran up, touched my knee with his nose and then raced to the chair I usually sit in and touched his nose to it, then gave me a look. No chair for me. It rained last night and I didn't want to sit in a puddle. Charlie accepted that and eventually headed for the front yard.

There I sat on the front steps watching Charlie doing his thing. He run back to me occasionally to climb the steps up behind me, wuff softly in my ear, and then take those stairs two at a time to go back about his snuffling.

Oh the joy of the little guy! Life is an adventure for him, one he is willing to share with me. He's fascinated by everything. There was a bird near us and he sat so very still watching it and when the bird finally flew off, he looked at me, and grinned. (Charlie, not the bird.)

Tomorrow it's back to the vet for his rabies shot and I am looking forward to the surprise of the staff when they see how that poor dying dog bounced back and bloomed. In fact, they are going to have to deal with his tick, because we can't get him to sit still long enough to work on it, not even the oldest son can hold him still enough. But he's healthy enough to struggle and to yap and to chase shadows. Isn;t that what's important?

Galumping puppy

When I was going into the 8th grade, we moved out of state and I found myself going to a new school in a new town in a new state. Suddenly I was shy, couldn't wrap my tongue around words if my life depended upon it. I slowly made what I thought was friends till my mother told me that the only reason that they came over the house was because of her, they all liked being around my mother.

Then I went to high school, in the same town but a new school and there I was again, adrift. Again I slowly gathered a collection of friends but this time didn't invite them home often mostly because when they did come over, my mother inserted herself.

Then came a time when I became aware of boys, not that they were aware of me, and my mother, supportive as always, told me they would only want me for two things, my money or my body.

You can imagine how much self esteem I don't have.

Is it any wonder that I love animals the way I do?" That I mourned the passing of Rocco and Ollie.

Fast forward to this past Saturday. The husband and I did our weekly get soda at Walmart run and as we pull into the driveway Oldest son opens the kitchen door and joins Charlie on the porch. I heard Oldest Son telling Charlie that Mommy was home and when I called the puppy's name, he flew down those step and cam galumping down the driveway to me. Galumping is when a dog runs so fast, they stumble over their own feet, do a sommersault and are back on their feet without missing a step. All the while he's running, he's whining and is all over me, when we met. Rocco and Ollie would greet me that way and I missed it so. Of course I burst into tears and scooped up the little fart for a hug.

Later Oldest son told me that he is trying to teach Charlie to recognise the sound of our cars, so that I can be greeted like that all the time. I really need to feel that someone wants to see me, just for me, even if that someone is covered with fur.

And yet Charlie can also break my heart. I notice that when he sleeps his mouth makes little sucking movements much like he would have done when momma fed him. His favorite thing to do with me is to take a finger into his mouth and simply sucks on it. I wonder if he was taken from mom too early. Or do I simply taste good? Whatever,he can suck on my finger as long as he wants as long as he doesn't bite.

I am besotted with this little boy. I'm so lucky to have found him. And now I want to go home, I'm in the office now, and stick my nose in his fur and smell his puppy scent. Luckily the icky puppy breath went away once his stomach was healed. Now he smells like puppy and love.

That'll learn ya!

Had the lap top open on the couch only I hadn't yet powered it on. Charlie meanwhile was on his way down from the window, across the smaller chest and onto the arm of the sofa then step down onto the cushion and stopped dead. And then I heard a growl and a deepthroated not yet a man but getting there bark and he was barking so furiously his whole body was moving with it. i thought one of the cats had done something but no, Charlie had seen his semi reflection in the screen and was NOT going to let that dog into his house. No way no sir uh uh. As soon as I powered up the laptop the intruder was gone and Charlie was very satisfied with himself. If he could have hitched up his pants and spit, he would have.

You go Charlie

Too cute for words

I mentioned the desk beneath the window before. Charlie has discovered that if he turns around he can see what it going on outside. There he sat, still and straight daring, just daring anyone, human or not, to even think about coming into the yard. Should anyone be foolhardy enough, Charlie will get you , knock you down and practically drown you in puppy kisses. Then and only then would he yell at you giving you a piece of his mind. I must say that when he gets going and flattens his ears back and opens his mouth that he resembles nothing less than a tazmanian tiger. Charlie is cuter than the tiger. He looks ever so fierce when he really isn't fierce but we let him think so.

His recovery is astounding. I know i've said that before. I've also discovered that I can buy him more of that sweet stuff that he likes so much via pet meds. i always want to keep a tube of that around in case I ever have to give him meds again.

But back to the window. So there's Charlie, a shadow against the window and the next thing I know, he's on the sill that curly tail of his slowly wagging and then the speed of the tail picks up and I had to get up and look and the husband was getting out of his (the husband's not the dog's) car. Now we've only had him for two and a half weeks and one of those weeks he was on death's door, but it is like he has been ours forever. I don't even mind getting up too early with him and sitting outside while he explores the yard even if it does, occasionaly, take longer than an hour and a half. That's a lot of territory for a puppy to mark. No wonder he's so thirsty when he reaches his water bowl.

What is best about Charlie is his sheer joy in being alive. Everything is new, everything is meant for him and he is going run headlong into each adventure as it arises.... as long as one of his people are in the yard with him.

Have to close this now. Writing about him makes me want to go home and bury my face in his fur.

Only to have him bite my ear. I think he's convinced that I should have a few more piercings.

Be careful what you ask for

Last week he was starving. This week Charlie will eat anything, food wise that is, and I mean everything. He always has a bowl of crunchies to munch on, and gets his dog food once in the morning and once at night and then the sweet nutritional stuff he loves so much that I can coat his pills with it and he just sucks them right down. That's known as his sweetie time and he practically vibrates with excitement as he watched me squoosh the stuff onto my finger. On top of the sensible dog themed food we have also discovered that he will eat, in no particular order, veggie chips, green pepper, carrots, grapes, bananas, gummy bears, cat food (duh, what dog wouldn't sell his soul for cat food) tuna (human not cat), cookies, crackers, lettuce and probably a dozen other things that I can't think of at this time.

Unlike Rocco who would suck the food in, seemingly swallow it whole and wait for more, our Charlie is a gourmand. He takes the food ever so gently from your fingers and chews it thoroughly, swallows and then asks for more. And when he has had enough, he still takes the food from you, as to not insult you by refusing and then buries it someplace, for later.

Now this is where I have become convinced that Charlie is channeling Rocco and Ollie. Ollie buried his food. Usually not outside. Instead he would tuck it in my shoe or purse or tuck it under the pig dog bed he loved or even ever so carefully cover it with something. Charlie took a cookie then spent the longest time burying it in a napkin. Another thing that was an Ollie and Rocco thing was their safe place, which was that big pillow. If you were playing a game with Ollie and he took whatever it was you were playing with onto the pillow with him, it was safe and you could not have it. Rocco did it to, to an extent, but his was, if Ollie was on the pillow, Ply time was over and you could not snatch anything from him. This was something they made up.

So last night I said I was going to bed and suddenly Charlie grabs me by the pant leg and drags me over to the pillow only letting go once he had be safely on the pillow. I tried to leave again and back to the pillow I was pulled, so I gave up and sat and that was when Charlie began bringing me all of his toys so we could play. I can only guess that he was saving me for later.

I've mentioned Charlie on the desk, that was a Rocco thing but Charlie has figured how to climb back down and not jump to the floor. Charlie checks on me whenever he comes in the house, searching me down and letting me know he's in, exactly how Rocco did it.

When Rocco used to be ready for bed and stretched out on the big bed and I was staying up too late on the computer I would get these side ways glances from him and then he would sign, these big put upon sighs and if that didn't convince me to turn out the light, he would pull a blanket up over his head. Charlie is starting with those looks but not yet the sighs though I do expect them any time now.

Charlie is growing. I can almost see it happening. His legs are getting longer, his feet bigger but he is still a puppy.

I think he thought he died and went to heaven when he discovered all there was to discover in our back yard. In face, I think our back yard is what dogs have in their heaven. There is the bamboo and the piles of brush and the pool, toys, critters and fence. Charlie spent an hour and a half in the yard this morning before I could convince him that it was too hot to sit outside, because I must sit outside that's part of Charlie's world. He occasionally checks to make sure I'm still there.

This morning he watered all of the usually spots, checked out the bamboo, ran around the pool, grabbed a toy off Rocco's grave then had an argument with a ball that would not stay still as he tried to grab it. The ball fought backa nd the two of them went tumbling down a small decline we have in the yard. But Charlie won and told me, the ball and the world in general that he had won. He dropped the ball, bounced through the grass where he tussled with a stick, a leaf and ran back to see if that ball dared to move, it hadn't. He tackled the old basket ball but give it up as a lost cause because for now, at least, the ball is bigger than Charlie.

I will always miss those dogs that went before Charlie but this little imp is certainly help to heal a very broken heart. He has a vet appointment next week for his rabies shots etc and I bet the vet et al will not believe their eyes when Charlie struts on in.

I don't know what I did right to deserve Charlie but I hope I keep doing it.

A Charlie weekend

Boy, when a puppy gets better a puppy gets better!

I cannot believe how fast he recovered and now he is doing what a puppy should do.... RULE THE ROOST!

Charlie and I have a routine, he wakes me up way too early so I can take him outside where he explores the yard. Josh took him out to meet the neighbors the other day and now Charlie no longer stays close to the house but roams the whole yard. It's a big yard, fenced all the way around and holds all the wonders a puppy could want. there is the pile of branches waiting for a chipper and the stand of bamboo that would make King Kong feel small. There is also a path worn through the bamboo by other canine feel but Charlie will have to find that path on his own, since there is no brother to show him.

The yard is puppy paradise and the only thing he likes better than the yard is... the desk. We moved an old desk to the front window for Rocco and with an arrangement of this and that, we created 'steps' of a sort for Rocco to use to get onto the desk. Well, Charlie figured that out for himself an I guess we aren't going to be moving that desk back to someplace sensible any time soon.

Yesterday morning after making our countless loops around the yard, I had to crawl back to bed. 5:30 is too early for me. I had pooped Charlie out sufficiently and it was back to bed. This time he wanted to be on the bed, instead of the air conditioning vent and then my pillow where he draped himself over the top of my head like a living head band and putting me right to sleep. We made it to 8:30 this morning and I may have enough energy today to get some, any crafting done.

Speaking about crafting, Charlie Wanted to do some yesterday, as he sat on my lap at the craft desk and was disappointed that he didn't have the thumbs needed to do much of everything. I am wondering if we can do the paint on the paws type of thing and have him decorate paper for me. That I need to think about because I certainly don't want to make him sick. Maybe finger paints are the way to go. After all toddlers can use it and while Charlie galumps instead of toddles, he is still a very hairy toddler.. who eats grapes and bananas. So Charlie is well and still healing my heart. I think he's up to the task.


Now to find him a brother.

Charlie

prolog I wanted a puppy. NO, I needed a puppy. My heart was so broken I thought I would never stop crying. You have to understand, I am not a crier. Tears do not come easy to me. In fact, it would often be a year before the tears would fall and that would only happen when I would watch all those 9-11 shows that would tear my heart apart. Oddly it wasn't the whole buildings falling down that would get me but the small random kindnesses that often went unnoticed in these shows: someone crossing themselves as they watched someone jump from the windows, others helping someone to their feet or sharing a cell phone. The story that really gets me is the one about a wheelchair bound woman who met with the other disabled at their designated point on floor 17, that is until one of this woman's co workers saw her, scooped her up out of her chair and carried her down those 17 flights and saved her life. That could make me cry. My mother's death an funeral didn't even have me tearing up but then I lost Rocco the Wonder dog and within 6 months Little Dog Ollie and I was so broken I cried at dragonflies or for no reason at all. There I would be , doing nothing, thinking of little and the tears would roll down my face.

Even worse, no one understood, or cared to comfort me except for my cat Isabella who would come running even when I made no sound. Finally I realized that is something didn't stop this, I would be forced into psychiatric care.

A puppy. I needed a puppy and, hence, Charlie.

CHARLIE IS FOUND
Now you would think that once I decided I needed a canine furbaby I would just go out and get one. Not so. I felt I should get a rescue dog, but I wanted a puppy. Did I want big or little? Boy or girl? I know I wanted a mixed breed but that was about it and forget asking anyone else in the family because the answer I got constantly was "Whatever you want." Well, for god's sake if I knew what I wanted I wouldn't have asked. So then I started checking rescue sites which are so overloaded with pit bulls you wonder if any of them actually find a good and loving home. I thought I found a mid sized dog who had been rescued and was living in someone's office for the past 6 months but the squeak of my kitchen door scared it when its foster family brought him to visit and then resposted the dog on craiglist without telling me. And then there was Charlie. It was a friday and the post popped up on craigslist along with the picture and I called the owner and said I wanted the dog. To make a long story short after the owner hemmed and hawed Charlie was ours.

Oh my god, look up adorable in the dictionary and you are sure to find a photo of Charlie. he's a lab shepherd mix but looks more labbish with the most incredible eyes that change from amber to hazel and back again. He was little and round and full of energy and we all fell in love with him instantly. He nipped toes and chased balls and refused to let you leave the room by holding onto your pant's cuff and not letting go. He slept sprawled next to the air conditioner vent and thought canned catfood was gourmet dining. Each day I loved him more and then he was sick.

I didn't say got sick because we now suspect he was sickish all along. The people who had him before us had gotten him from a rescue group that had saved him from a high kill shelter down south. The new parents were giving Charlie milk at night and so Charlie had this big round belly so when Charlie's nose began to run I thought it was milk alergy, then he became lethargic and it was down hill from there. we took him to the vet where he was examine, no fever, given his shots and suggested that we give the boy a benadryl. Come Saturday he was all skin and bones and I was frantic. Luckily the vet squeezed us in because Charlie never would have lasted till Monday.

Charlie had lost 2 pounds between Wednesday and Saturday morning. I had been up most of the night, on line trying to find out what might be ailing him and it looked like parvo fit the bill. By now Charlie had the dry heaves and I was told by the husband that I was worrying over nothing and, for god's sake, couldn't I be positive once in awhile? Don't you just love the support.

So Mr Skeptical the husband went with us to the vet's and was in for a rude awakening. It seemed as if everyone but the phone lady was in that exam room, giving him fluids, checking his stool, soothing him, getting meds into him, testing the stool (bloody of course) and trying not to panic. You see, this poor vet is the one who had put three of our previous animals to sleep and had given a death sentence to one, who died in his sleep thank god, and so Doctor Suh was not going to give up. Thankfully the parvo test was negative but Charlie did have a massive infection of his gastrointestinal track which was causing the internal bleeding. We got our bag of meds and special food and pages of instructions and took Charlie home.

I had thought the waiting for Rocco to get so sick that it was his time to be sent over the rainbow bridge was horrible, dealing with the puppy sickness threatens to break me forever. This loving adorable puppy looks like the nazis got hold of him and tried to starve him to death. He slinks around house ears back giving you this look as if begging your forgiveness for something that he did not do. He wants to be left alone and now sleep with our ancient cat who is as light as air and who tolerates his warmth against her.

We were at the vet's again yesterday to discover he had lost another pound. Back with the iv, the pills and this time the vet showed us how to force feed Charlie, plus we got even more special food and a gel like nutritional suppliment that will help. His stolls are now solidish and blood free but with the force feedings and the pills, Charlie screams whenever I get near him. He wants no part of me and while that breaks my heart, I have accepted it. I don't care if he doesn't love me, I love him and I want him well. I do not get impatient when I end up with dog snot and mooshed dog food sneezed all over me, or if I have to try and try and try again to get the pills down his throat. I am his mommy and I want him to live. I am to call the vet tomorrow but what is there to tell him. The food is getting in, he is a little more alert but screams when we get near.

This is horrible. Truly horrible and I feel as if I am in this battle alone. I've told Josh that I don't want him feeding and pilling the dog because Charlie has to have someone he feels save with. The husband yells at the dog to stop squirming and I am better off doing it all myself. I have on line friends but none in my real off line world and so I am alone in this.

So I have started this blog because I have to share this with the universe somehow, as if saying it out loud (so to speak) will strengthen Charlie's hold on this life. The vet thinks there is a chance for Charlie and is as determined as I am to do the best for him and, of course, if it is needed, he'll join Rocco and Ollie, Mutley and Emily, Rubby Bunnits and unnamed kitten, Pip and Bunbun in our little grave yard under the big tree. And I...... I will be empty.