First day of ‘School’…for Ruger

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First day of 'School'...for Ruger

As I get back in to the writing groove, bear with me as I talk endlessly about my puppy. It’s never hard to write about something so cute and endearing as a puppy, so, here is the puppy update of the day:

Ruger had his first day of ‘school’. As part of his socialization at this age, I introduced him to daycare yesterday. As a mom, I am not unfamiliar with the butterflies in the stomach, the slight twinge of anxiety as we drop our kids off for their first day. I was rather puzzled and surprised that I would feel that way about my puppy! (Yes, Mia went along with. I felt she deserved a day of respite with some other friends, away from the annoying pestering of her housemate.)
Just as a responsible mom would, I sent lunch, and discussed his needs and quirks with the staff prior to leaving.

Then I ran errands, lots and lots of errands. I was so productive during my extended time of freedom! I picked up the carpet from the repair shop on the other side of town (the one our foster puppy Jada chewed), ran to the warehouse for staples, was able to unload and put away the supplies, IN PEACE, and even got in a much needed dental exam.

Then, finally, back to pick up my precious littles. Little man got an ‘A’ report card, and Mia was happily exhausted. Back home, they both drank, ate and Mia settled in to sleep. Little man, however, seemed restless. No, it wasn’t that he had to go potty, he had eaten, and tanked up on water. He kept whining and roaming around his kennel…which was closed.

So I opened the door to his kennel, he promptly crawled in and passed out. And snored.

I’d say, little man had a big day.

Coming up for Air!

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So much for the ‘freedom’ and ‘peace’ of being an empty nester! 

It seems to me I am swimming in ‘busy’, busier now that my girls are gone than I was the past 2 years of their High School years! One reason is I have my sweet little nugget, Ruger, who is growing like a weed. He went from an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, black ball of fur, to a puppy. And his paws…..Geez Louise, he has lions paws. I can’t begin to even contemplate the repercussions of that not so small observation! 

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While the puppy sleeps during the day, I have been taking the opportunity to dive off the pier in to the gigantic lake called ‘Deep Cleaning and Organizing. I’m by no means a dirty house keeper, but I’m not always tidy, especially in the kitchen. After being at home for 20 years with kids, their friends,  our animals, and family friends coming and going, I stopped fretting the small stuff awhile ago. So what if the dishes don’t get done right away?  So what if the stove isn’t show-house pristine, or the non-perishables are on the counter?  I was cooking up a storm, churning out meals, snacks, canned goods, preserving, crafting, floral arranging, computer work, bill paying, you name it, my kitchen is the hub of life in this house.

That means it’s lived in.

That means, have a nervous breakdown over every single thing out of place, or let 80% of it go and enjoy life. I’m sure hubby wishes I was a little more attentive to the small things, but I always figured once the girls were gone, I’d have loads of time to knuckle down and tackle the things I’ve put off. Even if I was tidier, I don’t ever think I’d want my house to look like a showroom. It’s not a showroom, it’s where we live. Sure, I had my moments in the deep end of ‘ENOUGH OF THE MESS’ and griped, moaned and groaned. But, I think all who have graced my door understood my house was ‘lived in’. 

In between cleaning and errand running, I am trying to take the time to walk my older gal. While I could be swimming laps, Miss Mia needs some TLC time.  Since we have been taking short walks with the puppy, she has been missing out on her 6 mile hikes with me. So today, when puppy took his morning nap, I grabbed her leash and out the door we flew to get 5 miles in as quick as possible.

We were greeted with absolutely glorious weather. We are talking pool lizard, lie by the pool glorious weather. This bi-polar state has decided to cut us all some slack, and the day is just perfect in my book. That makes 3…..3 perfect days so far this spring/summer.

Yes, I count. 

So, now it’s back to the task and I have a monumental one before me. I am going room by room and weeding out everything and anything we don’t need or want. While we are not downsizing immediately, this is a great opportunity to being the mental process in preparation of that stage. Not only is the house calling for my attention, but the garden is long overdue for a good weeding and general tending. And then there is the dinner meal to contemplate and prepare, and those blueberries that need to be processed and preserved. Hmmm, maybe pie. Oh dang, I think I need to make a pie, a Blueberry Pie….

(Deep Breath)

I’m divin’ under!

Payback can really BITE!

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Payback can really BITE!

This is Ruger.

This is Mia.

This is Ruger obviously stalking Mia, and Mia not quite sure she is happy about it. I find this completely hilarious, from a karma point of view. Why, you might ask? Here’s why:

We have always gone to the Humane Society for our dogs, and when we moved here 14 years ago, we had Kimmy, a Humane Society Black Lab/Shepherd mix who was already a senior of 11. When she went to Heaven, I had no desire to adopt a puppy while tending 2 young daughters, so we adopted Maize, a Yellow Lab/Shepherd mix who was full grown at 4 years old. (I absolutely recommend older dogs for young families. Busy parents generally do not have the time and attention to give a young puppy; little children are not very suited to caring for a young dog; and there are SO many older dogs who need good homes. Maize was absolutely loved by ALL she met! Please consider an older dog for adoption)
Well, about 5 years ago Maize was getting on in years and my children (now teenagers) felt it was time to get another family member, and they were old enough to help with a puppy. A trip to the Humane Society, and home we come with Mia.

She is a perfect dog. Yes, she is also a Lab/Shepherd mix (my favorite mix). She grew up out of her typical Labrador puppy chew stage to be a loving, good natured, calm and sweet dog. However, as a puppy she absolutely terrorized Maize! Ankle biter is what we called her! She would lay down and ‘stalk’ Maize, and poor Maize trying her best not to be utterly crabby about it.

So, it quite appropriate that ‘what goes around, comes around’. Ruger is smart, and so is learning quickly that ankle biting results in a ‘correction’ from Mia. All the same, I can’t help but giggle…just a bit.

(click on the photo to be taken to the Humane Society of America website. This is not a paid advertisement, but a personal plea to rescue loving animals who need homes.)