This is Amber and my husband. Actually, she has gotten larger since this picture was taken, but it gives you a reasonable idea of her size. She weighs about 90 pounds.
I spend a lot of time loving her each day. She has her ‘rituals’ during the day and it’s very hard to distract her from them. For example, she comes to me when I’m at the computer, getting my attention and then staring across me toward my right pocket, where she knows I carry dog treats. She doesn’t have a subtle bone in her body. It’s very clear that she isn’t worried about ME, wanting love, or wanting to go out, or anything else – just a cookie.
This morning I was slow to respond to her drama. She climbed up – the front half of her in my lap – and nibbled on my ear. When I laughed, she used her front paw to encourage me further, catching me just below my neck with a couple of claws. She really got my attention with THAT. I’m not sure if I’ll have marks or not, but she did NOT get a cookie for that.
Yesterday she was jumping up and down beside the truck, as if she were on a trampoline, waiting for me to open the door for her so she could jump in. I started to open the door and she came down with both feet on MY feet. I was in sandals, so I really felt all 90 pounds of her. I now have bruises on the tops of both feet.
I have learned the lesson well that when she is in the yard with me, I need to pay attention. She suddenly decides she should join me. If she is across the yard, she starts running. I try to either get beside a tree, get up against something, or at least turn to the side so she doesn’t run smack into me, knocking me flat on my back. Kneeling down doesn’t help – it just allows me to fall down from a lower spot.
Amber will either keep me young or put me in the hospital. It’s never boring.
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
The following is the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the ‘Peanuts’ comic strip.
You don’t have to actually answer the questions.
Just ponder on them. Just read the e-mail straight through, and you’ll get the point.
How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.
These are no second-rate achievers.
They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies.
Awards tarnish …
Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here’s another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Easier?
The lesson:
The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money … or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most.
Pass this on to those people whom you keep close in your heart.
“Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It’s already tomorrow in Australia!”
“Be Yourself. Everyone Else Is Taken!”
Filed under Blog Repost - Wonderful Posts, caring, Family, Food for Thought, Friendship, love, making a difference, memories
Our son also wanted to know who my dad thought was the WORST radio voice was. There was a woman who ran a flower shop in Tulsa when my dad was doing the radio ads. I THINK her name was “Christina” and I THINK her business name was “Christina’s Flowers.” She had a low, gravelly voice. My dad thought it was wonderful because everyone else on the radio (except she and him) had voices with round, mello, smooth tones. So he billed himself the Second World’s Worst Radio voice. Wow. how MUCH I miss him.
It’s funny that our son sent these this morning, April 3rd. It would have been my parents’ 80th wedding anniversary. I had been thinking of them yesterday, missing them, so it’s amazing our son sent this.
He also sent me an image from Google Maps showing our home in Tulsa as it appears today. The people did a lot of work to the house and put a fence around the perimeter of the property. I wish I could share it with you, but I can’t get the URL to embed here. I’ll add it here – just in case you are able to make it work.
I feel really lucky to have someone who cares. This way I can take a virtual, instant trip to the beach whenever I need it. :0)
THANK YOU, ML.
Filed under Delightful Surprises, Family, Favorite Things, vicarious enjoyment
Sometimes I feel as if I’m on my last nerve. The past several days have been like that. I’m having ‘whine’ with my cheese today.
My husband is trying to drive me crazy. I love him, but I’m actively thinking of hiring a man to use a backhoe and dig a hole for him in our back yard.
Just one example –
He doesn’t want a cell phone. I’m listening to music on the computer. Suddenly, I realize he’s talking to me. I stop what I’m doing and turn to him. He wants to know if we have “What’s App”. I tell him, ‘no.’ I ask him why he’s asking me. He tells me someone wants him to pay them using the app. Then he gets mad when I tell him I haven’t added it to the phone. I leave to go to the other room since I’m tired of him ranting at me. I get comfortable in my chair and fall asleep. He wakes me up, asking me what my passcode is to my phone. I tell him. I drift off again. He is back, telling me my passcode doesn’t work.
I get up and come into the office, put in my passcode, get the phone working for him. I get busy on the computer. He asks, “how do you get messages on this thing?” I stop what I’m doing and show him again where the messages thing is, push it and pull up his message. A bit of time passes, and he asks me, “do we have “what’s app?”
End of rant. (I THINK) :0)
Filed under Challenges, Family, love
I have a favorite spoon. It isn’t valuable to anyone except me. It’s a great spoon for eating soup and such, kind of between a regular dining spoon and a soup spoon in size. It has a wooden handle, and that sealed the deal for me. I LOVE wood.
I’ve used it for YEARS. One day several years ago, the wooden handle split. I tried to be adult about it, but I was really sad. I’d never seen one like it and knew I couldn’t replace it. My husband managed to find a wooden shape that was perfect. He spent a long time carefully drilling a hole down the middle of the complicated shape and glued it on the metal end of the spoon. I was delighted, and have used THIS ONE for years.
Well, as you’ve probably figured out, the handle finally gave up the ghost again. I mentioned it to my husband, but figured he probably wouldn’t be able to get more wood the right shape. His hands also shake now, making precision work much more difficult. I put the spoon with the split handle in the cutlery drawer, just keeping it, even if it couldn’t be used anymore.
When I was getting my coffee this morning, my husband went outside. He came back with this –
It might be dumb to cry over a spoon, but I did. He explained that he got more than one piece of wood years ago so he could repair the spoon again if the handle failed.
The hole I’m digging in the back yard for him will definitely have to wait awhile. :0)
Filed under Cause for Celebration, Family, love, marriage
Our son is now a property owner all the way across the world from us. This is a view from the condo he bought. Property ownership will make him more secure – always a good thing.
We are happy for him. He is living where he wants to live, although the next dream is a second home ‘in the country’ there. He is as safe and secure as there is in the world today. He is able to live the way he wants. It just doesn’t get better. WE would be happier if he had someone to share his life with. My husband pressures him for ‘rug rats.’
Happily, he seems to be accepting our words about how proud we are of the man he is. I honestly have never personally known anyone who is kinder or more generous than he.
May he be ‘happy as clam’ (where did this expression come from? Are clams really happy?) in his new place.
The experts know little more about SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) than they did 41 years ago.
This is our Jade. She was born Dec. 5, 1980. She died of SIDS Feb. 10, 1981.
Our son was almost 2. The experts said he wouldn’t understand. Wouldn’t remember. He picked up Jade’s blanket, put it in the trash and said, “Broken.”
“Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexplained death of a baby younger than 1 year old. Most SIDS deaths are associated with sleep, which is why it’s sometimes still called “crib death.”
“SIDS has no symptoms or warning signs. Babies who die of SIDS seem healthy before being put to bed. They show no signs of struggle and are often found in the same position as when they were placed in the bed.”
We were told to put Jade to sleep on her stomach, to keep her from having any problems should she spit up during the night. “While the cause of SIDS is unknown, many clinicians and researchers believe that SIDS is associated with problems in the ability of the baby to arouse from sleep, to detect low levels of oxygen, or a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood. When babies sleep face down, they may re-breathe exhaled carbon dioxide.” This is the ONLY thing they seem to have learned in the 41 years since we lost her – now telling new parents to put babies to sleep on their backs.
We had taken her for her two-month shots on Feb. 5th. There is some discussion on the shots being a factor, though the autopsy showed she was “perfect.”
Other facts –
Final facts –
They may never know what causes this or how to prevent it. Through this, my husband and I have learned how precious and fragile life is. We have learned that, even when each of us is being hard to live with, we ‘punch’ and hug at the same time, knowing we have each other through the best and worst life has to offer. Love is stronger than hurt. Love is all.
Filed under Family
I’m a bit ticked off by January this year.
I spent the first half of it worrying that my time here was up. As soon as I got the news that I would be here to annoy people for hopefully a good while longer, my husband got sick, and then graciously gave it to me. I’m enough better to be ticked off now, so maybe I’ll feel fine again soon. Today my plans are to make myself into a human sandwich in my recliner – heat pad under me, throw over me, and me comfy and cozy in the middle. My husband will do the errands this morning. He leaves in about 10 minutes, actually. We’ll see how he does. :0)
Our weather has been gorgeous the past few days. I wish I could have gotten out and enjoyed it. Tomorrow evening cold weather is supposed to come back, but hopefully it will just tease us a bit, rather than dumping on us. (Susy, I hope you’re digging out now.)
I had a nice chat with our son this morning. He is buying an apartment and will hopefully get all the details handled by the end of next week. I’m excited for him. He sounds happy and excited – just the way we love for him to be. :0)
Happy Tuesday!
Filed under Family, Mother Nature, taking care of yourself, Thoughts on a ________
Good morning! I hope 2022 will be a great year for you!
Although my husband scoffs, the weather people were absolutely right about what the weather would do yesterday. Temperatures fell all during the day and it was 17 degrees F. this morning. We didn’t get any snow flurries yet, but I don’t think you’ll hear any complaints. It is COLD and gray outside, with some stiff breezes.
I got the ingredients for beef stew into the crock pot first thing this morning, so we’ll have a nice comfort meal this evening. I also got a comfort gift – having a chat with our son. He’s in Thailand and has almost forgotten how cold it can get in Arkansas. He considers wearing a hoodie and shoes other than sandals “cold” there. :0) He fondly remembered my fixing beef stew in the crock pot while he was growing up. Although crock pots aren’t big in Thailand, he’s thinking about trying to order one online so he can fix his own stew. It was a wonderful way to start the morning, talking with him before he goes to sleep. (He’s 13 hours ahead of us this time of year.)
This is a great day to have a warm, dry home. My heart goes out to the people in Colorado who are now suffering through such awful devastation of hurricane force winds driving wildfire. I hope help comes soon.
I’ve become a slug. I’m not exercising as I should. I’m trying to “get back on the horse” exercising three times per week and see if I can actually keep that going. It is said that you can build a habit in three weeks. I guess it takes longer for me. I’m not really kicking myself, having learned that that isn’t productive, but I HAVE written it on my calendar, and hoping to check it off. Fingers crossed and trying to build determination. I’ve also gotten back into cronometer.com an online program for tracking your food, drink, and exercise. Things CREEP in insidiously. You THINK you’re only fudging a bit, and one bit is added here and then there, and…. OUCH. As my friend Maria encouraged me to do, I’m breaking my goal into “doable chunks ” and I plan to reward myself with stars, time to play in my art room, etc. to encourage success.
I hope you have a warm, quiet Sunday, doing something that brings a big smile to your face.
Filed under DIET!, exercise, Mother Nature, Thoughts on a ________
We just finished a conference call chat with our son.
Chatting with him on a conference call, where we can SEE him and watch him smile is the next best thing – a true gift. He stayed up late in order to talk with us and I’m still smiling. THE most wonderful Christmas gift for us. He is safe, healthy and happy. I told him that while I’m not biased in any way, being his mother, I am truly proud of the man he is. I don’t know where he got all the kindness that simply oozes out of him. I feel lucky that we value each other as people.
I hope that you, too, had a love-filled, happy Christmas.
“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” Norman Vincent Peale
“Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind.” -Mary Ellen Chase
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” – Charles Dickens
“Let the spirit of love gently fill our hearts and homes. In this loveliest of seasons may you find many reasons for happiness.” ~ Unknown
Filed under Family, Friendship, holidays
“Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart… filled it, too, with a melody that would last forever.” ~ Bess Streeter Aldrich
“From Home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another. The warmth and joy of Christmas, brings us closer to each other.” ~ Emily Matthews
“Let the spirit of love gently fill our hearts and homes. In this loveliest of seasons may you find many reasons for happiness.” ~ Unknown
“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.” ~ Burton Hillis
“A hug is a great gift – one size fits all, and it’s easy to exchange.” ~Author Unknown
Filed under Family, Friendship, holidays
I hope this finds you healthy and happy.
It’s a nice day here – sunny and 38 degrees F. It’s supposed to get to 58 this afternoon. I’ll take it!
My husband and I are going out to lunch today – celebrating being alive and ornery by enjoying a cheeseburger and French fries. I haven’t had a French fry in over a year, so it will be a real treat. We’re also going to stop by and see my friend Kay, who fell recently and still is in a lot of pain. She had an MRI Monday, so we’re hoping to get some information and treatment options for her soon. We will do our errands and then settle in for a quiet Christmas together. I will deliver a last present to a friend while we’re out.
Our son is in Thailand, so it will be my husband and I, our dog, Amber, and our cat, Abby here to celebrate. I had a nice chat with our son this morning. He is well and happy – the most wonderful gift.
I’m not sure what the rest of the day will bring, but am open to possibilities. :0)
I hope your day is a happy one.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
When I came home from visiting my friends, Amber met me at the door – exuberantly, as usual – which means I find something to hang onto while I greet her – she stopped dead in her tracks, sniffing me all over. This continued while I got some coffee and prepared to sit down and tell my husband how my friends were doing.
I then remembered that Amber might feel I had betrayed her.
I had committed the cardinal sin in “dogdum” of cavorting with, and petting other animals. I started to laugh, thinking about all the evidence of my afternoon sins – scents of a bunny, four other dogs at Carla’s, her cat, and finally Nora’s fuzzy, yappy Belle. Oh, the SHAME of it! I got up and got Amber a treat, and petted and talked to her for several minutes, which helped a bit, but she continued to look at me suspiciously, plus sneak a sniff from time to time until my nightly shower…
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
Our weather is yo-yo-ing, not sure whether we’re still in the fall or at the beginning of winter. Storms are due this evening into tomorrow, with record high temperatures here today and a cold front coming though. Mother Nature is really in a snit lately. We will hopefully have a quiet day with a very wet evening. Right now it’s really beautiful outside. I’ll try to get out to play today.
One of my dear friends from Lunch Bunch fell last week. Our medical community is giving her the run-around on giving her some real help. She needs an MRI to find the extent of the damage, but it isn’t scheduled until NEXT Monday. Meanwhile, she’s in pain and can’t keep pain medicine down. Her husband took her to Ft. Smith yesterday to see if they could get some help. I will call her later to find out if they were successful. I want to FIX her, help her to quit hurting, help her to feel sassy again.
I’m now waiting to schedule another health test. My ‘adult’ side peaks her head out, mainly during the day. At night, I’m at the inner child’s mercy. I came down in the middle of the night and read for about an hour to chase away scary and dark thoughts. Happily, during the daytime, I’m MUCH better able to find joy.
I had a nice chat with our son this morning, who lives and works in Thailand. We are so lucky to be so close to him, even though we’re physically across the world from each other. We can talk about anything, help each other handle what life gives us, encourage each other, even giving virtual hugs.
I hope that you’re having a good Wednesday.
Filed under Encouragement, Family, Friendship, Mother Nature, Thoughts on a ________
It’s a beautiful, though chilly morning here. Lots of sunshine.
It’s our son’s 43rd birthday today. I actually wrote to him yesterday, as he is 13 hours ahead of us in Thailand. He had forgotten that it was his birthday! I sent silly pictures, such as the one above, and wrote out the Happy Birthday song. We chatted a bit. I told him I thought he should play his guitar and record himself singing Happy Birthday. This is one of the many times I wish he weren’t all the way across the world from us.
This week will actually be most of our Christmas. Thursday I have a massage and will take my therapist’s presents then. Friday is Lunch Bunch and we will exchange presents there. I have several more to deliver around town, but that will be the bulk of it. I’m trying to get Christmas cards in the mail. I love this time of year!
The scared inner child is trying to find the adult in the room. I’m waiting to hear from my doctor what and when the next step is. “One foot in front of the other. Do what needs to be done. Stop being stupid.” (Not only am I a wimp, I talk to myself. )
We’re going to run errands now. I hope you have a great Monday.
Filed under Friendship, holidays, Thoughts on a ________
This isn’t really a picture of the “Ladies of Lunch Bunch,” but it shows the spirit. We met as usual today, except one of us wasn’t there. Kay fell yesterday and was checked out at the hospital before coming home last night. She had called to tell me she wasn’t going to be there today.
I don’t know the details of what was found, but they did allow her to go home. This morning I called and she was in pretty bad shape. She was dizzy and nauseous. She has her husband and niece there with her, and she was waiting for her local doctor to call and tell her if he thought she should go back to the hospital. I don’t know any more details than that. She said she would keep me in the loop of what was happening.
It was good to catch up with Linda and Patty, but the worry was underlying everything. We won’t be able to settle down until we know how Kay is and what is being done to help her. She didn’t tell me anything was broken, so I’m assuming she was mainly shook up and probably sore from the fall. I want to know the why of the dizziness and nausea. She only weighs 98 lbs right now. As feisty a lady as you would ever want to know, so it’s doubly disturbing for this to happen to her.
So, all appendages are crossed for her recovery. We need our friend back.
________
We are having an amazingly warm day today with a cold front and rain forecast for this afternoon and evening. I gathered what is probably the last of our flowers to bring inside.
When we came home from Lunch Bunch, we found that Abby had decided that the buffet was a great spot to sleep. Amber, our 95-pound yellow lab, climbed up in my roll-around office chair with me this morning, almost causing us to both end up on the floor. She likes to make me laugh. Right before we went to Lunch Bunch, I sat on the sofa to talk to my husband, and Amber took that as an invitation to join me. She walked right up and sat beside me, crawling into my lap and licking me as if she were allowed on the furniture!
Final thought – I discovered a singer named Andreas Kummert. I think he’s from Germany. He has such a distinctive style and voice. I could listen to him for hours.
Enjoy your Friday.
Filed under Family, Friendship, Thoughts on a ________, video
Filed under Family, Favorite Quotes, Friendship
We had a wonderful time this morning on a conference call with our son, who is all the way across the world from us. The fact that we talk all the time on a chat program, plus every once in a while enjoy a conference call where we can see and talk to him real time, makes me almost forget how far away he is.
One of the things I admire most about him is his independence. He decided what he wanted to do, where he wanted to live, how he wanted to live when he got there, and figured out how to make it happen.
He told me today that his meditation brings him so much happiness it seems to flow out, bringing that happiness to others he sees. He is calm, content with the freelance work he is doing, happy with his rental house in the woods, happy he is becoming proficient in another language, and more.
He wanted to know if we are happy with what he is doing. I told him there are no words to express how proud we are of the kind and generous man he is and how happy we are that he is building the life he wants. (I also told him that I would be happier if I saw the light of love in his eyes again and found someone to share this beautiful life with him. His dad wants rug rats. :0) (I told him I would be happier if he gets married first.)
My heart is full that we are so close, if not geographically. We are so lucky to have him in our lives.
My hair is blowing as I realize we’re at the end of another week and we’ve started September. We will leave for Lunch Bunch soon. I love seeing my friends’ faces, hugging their necks (vicariously – with Covid), and sharing a meal, seeing with my own eyes that all remains well.
Since the main people who pass our driveway these days are the kids who ride on the school bus, we will concentrate on displaying the decorations we hope they will enjoy. We will put up Godzilla today.
When we get back from Lunch Bunch and a few errands, I’ll check the dragonfly in the shop to see if he’s ready for us to put back up on the side of the house. I’ll also check the Christmas presents that I think are finished and ready to come inside. I THINK all is finished, except for painting on some polyurethane for protection.
I will make a chef salad with chicken left from our lunches today for dinner tonight.
I’m HOPING our weather forecasters are right with chances of rain tomorrow night into Sunday. My husband is smiling because he’s only had to mow once lately, but our plants could really use a good soaky rain. In CASE they’re right, I need to check our tomato plants and do some weed whacking today and tomorrow.
On the start of this Labor Day Weekend, I think of my dad, who was born – he said ‘quite appropriately’ – on Labor Day. My parents have been gone a long time now. I still feel them encouraging me to enjoy each day the best I can.
I hope that you enjoy YOUR Friday, too.
Filed under Family, Friendship, Thoughts on a ________, Tribute
I’ve had my goldfish for about 6 years now.
I didn’t give them names, but we ‘talked’ several times a day. Twice a day they would bunch up in the corner of the tank, opening and closing their mouths rapidly and wiggling their little bodies in anticipation of the ‘delicious’ food I sprinkled in. There was a lot of activity as they avidly ate every little bit, and then were calm again.
After lots of research, I had finally found a combination of filters and treatments that kept their tank water clean and sparkling. My husband was noticing the other day that I wasn’t having to clean the tank every week anymore.
Last week the smaller fish died. We talked about getting another fish, but I thought we should just be thankful we had one fish.
This morning the larger fish was gone, too.
I guess it’s stupid to be sad over a couple of fish, but even with no names, they were members of our family for a long time. They will be missed.
Filed under Family
We had a quiet celebration yesterday. Last night our wonderful neighbors in the valley put on a beautiful display of fireworks. They don’t know how much I look forward to it. :0)
Independence Day was my father’s favorite holiday. He used to get a whole double-armful of ‘ladyfingers’ that were all tied together. You were supposed to untie each one and set it off. My dad would light the one on one end, then throw the whole bunch into the yard. Each went off with a bang, making the whole bunch jump with non-stop bangs. The group jumped all over the yard by the time it was finished. He would stand there watching with a huge grin on his face.
He had a challenging couple of years the result of which was that his vision was mostly gone. (My mom laboriously copied the cryptoquote from the newspaper onto a huge piece of paper with a sharpie so that he could try to work it every day.)
In preparation for the holiday, he had bought the usual fireworks he loved, including some ones for after dark. My husband and I were dating, and we all had dinner together, my dad having grill chicken quarters outside. My husband picked up the mantle without a word, setting off the fireworks for all of us, having my dad ‘choose’ which one was next. Of course, the celebration started with the ladyfinger ‘detonation.’ We followed that with my favorite ‘snakes’ and ‘sparklers.’
Finally, my husband set off the night ones, one at a time, with my dad choosing the order. It was super hot that year, and I brought out a wet washcloth so my husband could mop his face. When the display was finished, my dad had tears quietly rolling down his face as he smiled. He stood up, put his hand out in thanks to my husband, then pulled him in for a hug.
If I hadn’t already decided my husband was the one, that would have sealed the deal.
Have a love-filled celebration today.
Amber is a 95-pound yellow lab. She thinks she is a ferocious guard dog. I don’t really think she gets the idea, though.
Instead of barking, she greets everyone who comes to the house with tail wagging, wanting to get up on them and give them a kiss or two. (She might bowl them over while doing that, but her intentions are to LOVE, not DEFEND.
She will run like a nut after a rabbit or other critter in the yard, but she’s never come close to catching anything – leaving that job to Abby, our cat.
She routinely sits on her bed in the living room late in the evening, when we’re watching TV or reading, suddenly growling or barking – scaring us to death. There is never anything that she is growling or barking AT – and we have to encourage her NOT to do it.
Last night she was in the office with me. Suddenly she was growling and barking – looking at the stairs to the second floor. When I got up to go with her and check out what the problem was, I had to laugh. I had ‘walked’ a big ‘package’ of bottled water up the stairs and left it at the top, to be taken into our bedroom when we went up for the night. Amber saw that at the top of the stairs, recognized that she didn’t normally see that there, and freaked out.
SO – our guard dog was great at defending us from the bottled water. We can rest easy.
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
He came home and they went to college – he at the University of Tulsa and she at Oklahoma State University. When she had one semester left of practice teaching, they married – June 14, 1969.
Today we celebrate sharing our lives for 52 years, and we haven’t killed each other! He asked me for another 52 years, and, in a moment of weakness, I said. “Let’s do it!”
We have a pretty good start now. We will enjoy sharing a seafood platter tonight in quiet celebration.
Filed under Cause for Celebration, Family, love, marriage
Amber is a 4-year-old, 95-pound yellow lab who thinks she is a lap dog. Every day when I’m sitting at the computer, she tries her best to climb up in my chair with me. This results in a lot of laughter (on my part), face-licking (on hers), hugs, and some colorful bruised spots on my legs.
She also SAYS she wants us to throw a ball (or one of her other squeeky toys or ropes) for her. There is a lot of drama in the game. She brings the toy with great enthusiasm (I don’t really understand how she manages to smile with a ball in her mouth, but she does, making it squeak as she comes to us, shaking her head to break the ball’s neck.
We hold out our hands for her to give us the ball so we can throw it. She doesn’t really want us to THROW the ball as much as she wants to engage us while she lords it over us that the ball is HERS. She actually wants us to play Tug of War. She will actually put the ball in our hands, but won’t let go of it. She will pull it away, eyes twinkling, then run around and around the living room, squeaking the ball madly, return to us again to tease us, over and over.
Finally, when we give up, she drops the ball in our lap. We throw the ball, she dashes to get it, bringing it back eyes filled with triumph. She really would LIKE for us to play Tug of War, but she can pull us up right out of our chairs, so we aren’t excited about that challenge.
Would you like to come over and play with Amber for awhile?
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
Amber, our 4-year-old, 95-pound yellow lab, is driving me nuts this morning. She won’t settle down, and I have tried everything to try to make her happy. I hugged her, talked to her, petted her, gave her a treat, let her outside, let her back inside… She has crawled up as far as she can with me in my office chair over and over. She doesn’t seem to be hurting. I got up and took her outside, walking around the house, and out to the garden with her. She will get on her bed in the office, and then this is what I see.
Filed under Family
creativeartworksblog 