Patches

She is laying on one of the cushions of the couch looking like the Queen of Sheba. It is her couch that she occasionally lets me sit on. My finger is poised and ready to give her a good scolding. The evidence in the form if an open and empty zip-lock bag, is lying below her on the carpet. The now empty bag once contained about a dozen Oreo cookies.
      Once again my dog has gotten into something she wasn't suppose to. It is this uncontrollable urge that wells up from deep within her. She can't help it. Most times the guilt just overwhelms her. Many are the times I have retuened to the house, opened the door, and have been gretted by her slinking about yet wagging her tail furiously. When confronted by this scenario, I know.
      "What did you do?", I ask. I begin to look about to see what mess I will have to clean up or what food I won't get to eat.
     Today is a little different though. There is no slinking, no guilty look. She just lood at me with those sad brown eyes, no guilt. It's almost as if she's saying, "Hey, you left them where I could get them. What do you expect?"
      I suppose it's all my fault. I make a concerted effort to be sure that tasty things that might just tempt her are placed well out of her reach. However, her ability to skirt these minor deterrents seems to be getting better. Her problem solving skills regarding how to obtain food would shame the most skillful engineer. Her ingenuity is amazing when it comes to dinding and obtaining forbidden food. Then there are times when it's just laid out in front of her; my mistake I guess.
     But this is just one of her, I guess you could say, special qualities. She is a brat, a spoiled brat. According to her the world revolves around her. If you stop while petting her, you will get the look. First there is just a slight pause and then the head comes up along with a side-ways glance. "You stopped?", her expression says. "How dare you stop!" You don't stop petting the Queen of Sheba, it just is not done. And if the petting does not resume within the specified time you will get the nose. Now many dogs get attention by putting their nose unc\der your arm and giving it a subtle little lift as if to remind you of your ovligation to pet your dog. However, there is nothing subtle about her nose. It digs under your arm again and again until petting is resumed. The queen demands her attention and she will not be denied!
     I could go on and on about her. She may be a spoiled brat, but she is my bestest buddy. Walking her down the street I feel a sense of pride; she is so beautiful. But then again she already knows that.
  

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   In Loving Memory

     Sorry this is so late. Between visiting all of you I was trying to get the estate sale ready to go so I have been a bit busy these past few weeks. I will try to get back on track in the future! I will keep this month short since there will be another newsletter due in just a couple weeks.
     Just before I sat down to write this I was listening to the news about some little children who accidently drank cleaning supplies & are in the hospital. Made me think not to be careful just for the kids but for our pets as well. That goes for medicine too & of course antifreeze! I know I've mentioned this before but now that the weather is cooling down & thoughts shift to preparing for the winter we all must be cautious that our pets don't lick up any antifreeze along with any other dangerous products. And the plants that may be brought in from the cold. If you are not sure wether your plant is toxic to pets there are plenty of locations that have lists of toxic plants for you to access the information. Feel free to always call me if you can't find the info! I'm always available for advice - not just when I'm visiting with your pets!
     Some sad notes over the past couple months-some of buddys went to Rainbow Bridge. Jordan, who had battled with diabetes for quite a long time passed on. She will be surely missed by Diane & Craig and me!. One of me "escape artist" buddys -Benjamin left us. He was one of my big orange snuggle buddys & I certainly cried along with Diane & Jon when Diane told me. Sunshine the hamster passed quietly in his cage altho just a few months ago he was able to survive 4 days out of his cage when he escaped-much to the dismay of Mia the cat! Can't talk about those 4 days to Mia!! I also heard of Jasper passing on. Diane & Dennis are deeply missing their cockatiel. Diane tells me her other cockatiel Jasperina seems lost without her friend. I know I will miss him too.
     Oh boy do we have new buddies join our family! Remember I mentioned we lost our oldest kitty Shine? Well- welcome to Star! What a difference for Jeanne & John to go from 21 yr. old kitty to a 2 month old kitty! But what a cutie!! Cindy & her daughters now have a pond in their yard & some new fish! Lily, Angel & Pepper. Then I met Cyndy & Steve & their group- Holly, Baili, Boo, Dickens, Daisy & Marmalade! & at the time I visited there were 4 foster kittens ( Remington, Ranger & Cassidy, & Jesse) & their mom Dolly at the house too! Speaking of foster kittens- 10----yes 10 kittens along with 1 mom, Buttons, Chico, Mr.Buttons, Lacey! I should've called Jeanne to come try to do anything with 10 kittens running around & see if she thought Star was hyper after that! Wow, I couldn't walk without 5 kittens hanging on to my foot, if I bent to scoop the box 3 kittens on my back, try to sweep-right! 6 kittens hanging on to the broom! & the whole time little Midnight crying & crying-pick me up!!!! What an adventure! I was glad that I gave the afternoon visits to Angela & Laura because this old body would've never survived! I don't know how Kathy & her daughters do it! Ozzie & the kittys along with Veronica & Walt brought Buzz home! I haven't met Buzz yet but am looking foward to it next month! I talked to Janet recently & she brought home Hobo during her get-away to Florida! Guy & Sheba thought-"but all I asked for was a pig ear!!" I will be meeting Hobo soon. Then during a short trip for Steve & Sue I met Belle & Annie! Belle was quiet, but Annie made up for it! In fact the visit I brought each a new toy Annie, after playing with her catnip rope for a bit, took Belle's stuffed toy & was rolling around with that too! Another to-short trip by Jayne let me spend time with Clarence & Lily! I can't wait to see them again! Two older kittys- Victoria & David were such a pleasure to visit. David is another diabetic & a sweet guy! The kittys took the time away from parents Patti & Elton with much more ease than Patti did! hehehe Another full-house living with Dawn, we welcome Shawna, Sarah, Logan, Pipin, Bunny & Susie! I get more interaction in that house from Pipin! He is constantly talking to me & if I disappear into another room he screams & whistles! One weekend I arrived to find Logan sitting on top of his cage! He was supposed to be in the cage but managed to open the door & leave! There was nooo way he was going to let me near him to put him back so he stayed there the whole weekend. I had to mighty careful when I added food & water as those feathers gave meaning to "ruffle your feathers!" Here is another group- Harvey, Rodeo, Crayon, Shelby & Godiva! And Sandy & Joe also brought home with them a tiny 5 week old kitten they found during their trip. Kitten is going on to a new home with their niece tho. Margaret took a day trip & I had the joy of visiting Milo, Zoe & her "grand-dog"-Fergus. On the first trip I proceeded out walking the 3 of them when suddenly Milo stopped. Refused to move. So I walked over to him to try to get him going & when I got to him over he plopped on his back for a belly rub! Doesn't matter to Milo where he is when the need hits! Last but not least- Rudy, Salty & Pepper. Eric & Tammy went off to see the kids play soccer & I got to play with the pets! Wow- I told you there were lots!
     One final note- a walk in the life of a petsitter. Off I go with Shaq & Max. We mosey on down the road a ways & Max has a nature call. As I am fumbling with leashes & a pick-up bag I notice a huge swarm of birds in the yard ahead of us eating away. Suddenly they all fly off & I assume it's because of the dogs but then I see a kitty body come up from the grass. So between the kitty & the dogs I am telling them "oh that's why the birdys flew away. Hi kitty, etc etc etc" Now I have the bag ready & as I turn to pick-up across the street sitting on her porch is a lady! Geeez how embarrasing! hahahaha So after talking to her a few minutes off we go, this time me trying to pull a 160 lb & a 95 lb dog who really really wanna play with the kitty-pleeeeeeez????? Now we proceed along, things much calmer & I am enjoying the beautiful weather & deep in my thoughts when Shaq decides to stop. First he turned sideways & stopped. Now-you all are sitting there saying, yeah-so what? Well-when a 160 lb Newfy decides to stop everyone stops. That is except Max. I of course walked right into the side of a stopped brickwall whose back is approximately the height of my waist. Shaq does not budge, Max keeps walking propelling my outstretched arm over the back of Shaq pulling along my body from the waist up. So here I am in front of dozens of people also out enjoying the gorgeous day bent over the top of a dog with my butt sticking straight up in the air. sigh.

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Last Updated 9/17/03