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.