Hi Mike, you always fill my heart with gladness when you post! As always, your words are wise and wonderful - and I will certainly take them to heart. Thank you - don't be a stranger, especially as we all count down to March 2009. I hope you and yours are all doing well. God bless, Maureen

thank you for your very true posting.

Maureen, thanks for sharing.  I remember how horrible it was when Sophie died and I grieved with you.  I agree that  Rufus and I need some time so we'll wait it out and see how things go.  If the right dog comes along, I'll know it.  BTW, I'm envious of your chickens.  I'd love to have some, but Rufus is a Retriever and it's bad enough that he actually catches hummingbirds.  I'd lose my mind if he brought me one of my chickens. 

Big Hugs and Chicken Envy,
C.

Kim,

If I remember right, you're a dog lovin' kind of gal.  I remember you posting about training a puppy a while ago.  I'm taking your advice and givng Ruf lots of love and attention.  I took him for a walk last night and I had forgotten what a good walker he is. 

Rufus is actually a little afraid of the cats.  They play mind games and swipe at him once in a whie.  Stinky will rub up against him and purr and then take a swipe at his nose when he tries to nuzzle her back.  Maizie just smacks him for good measure.  He leaves them alone for the most part, but does a running head butt if they get too close to his rawhide.  He'll carry around a rawhide for a day or two or lay it on the ground and watch for anything to come near it.  Last week, he had a rawhide n the middle of the bedroom floor and Stinky walked too close.  He head butted her so hard she flipped through the air twice before she landed on her feet.  She walked up to him, purred, rubbed against his legs and clawed the crap out of his butt.  Yeesh!

Hugs,
C.

Pammy, you crack me up.  My cat Maizie is a paper shredder and I don't get it.  Why do they do that?  OK, a bird eating boiled eggs is a little cannibalistic. I knew that the shells were good for them, but the egg itself is ooky.  That cracks me up, no pun intended. 

My sister used to have a beagle that would open the fridge door and eat EVERYTHING when she was at work.  She tried bungee cording the door shut and finally had to resort to a chain and padlock to keep Ernie from literally eating her out of house and home.  He opened the oven door and pulled out a pork roast right after she had put it in the oven one time.  You couldn't even have a pack of gum in your suitcase when you went to visit or the dog would shred your luggage.  He once ate a bag of Heshey's kisses and her yard glittered when the sun struck the foil in his poop.  I don't know how all that chocolate didn't kill the dog.  That dog really needed Overeaters Anonymous. 

Thanks for being there, Pammy.  I'm going to take my time and when the right dog comes along, I'll know it.

Hugs,
Connie