To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring - it was peace. ~Milan Kundera

My faithful friend has been sick and is today at the vet hooked up to an iv for hydration. Poor fella. We're hoping all is righted soon, and suspect a soup bone is to blame for his condition, but he may also be suffering from his teenage hormonal drive. You see, hubby and I set Chief up on a play date with two lovelies, both female (ages 8 and 2) on Saturday afternoon. Being new dog owners, we didn't realize that we were exposing the boy to a female who was not fully out of her heat cycle. So for three hours our teenage horn-dog did his level best to get lucky with Zoey, a beautiful Weimaraner. Because we didn't know this was like abusive torture to the guy, we never allowed the deed to be consummated. Lord knows he was a tenacious bugger. Following that day, Chief seemed depressed with little interest in food or play. He played a little ball, but he just wasn't his high-energy, fun-loving self. Then he got sick because of the soup bone, at least that's what we're guessing. J took him back to the vet this morning where puppy is going to stay until this evening. I hope the vet can get him to eat. What a Casanova! We got some excellent pictures though. I'll have to get those posted soon. Now that I know what was going on during that Saturday afternoon romp, it might be little like posting doggy porn. Nahhh, not really. But I find it disturbing none-the-less because as his mom, I don't like to imagine my puppy growing old enough for that sort of activity.
I predict it will be a quiet weekend at home with my guys since the pup is going to be recovering. A little quiet time is always welcome. Just as my title's quote says, sometimes "doing nothing is not boring - it('s) peace." In this busy, impatient world, I prefer some time to decompress, to listen to nothing, to be still. After being at school all day with all of the energy and bustle around me, with so much noise crashing on my ears and bothering my brain, I need stillness. This will be the first afternoon since we adopted Chief that I'm going to have that again. And I just don't know if I'm going to like that at all. I miss my pup.

Monday, Monday...

Oh it's Monday all over. Lately I've been having such a great time over the weekends that I can barely talk myself into going to work on Monday. Of course I know during these economically trying times it's a sin to think that way, but I blame the boys of my house. We're all just having such good times! Last night, as we all got together in bed to watch a little tv, Chief took his usual spot laying up close to me with his head resting over my arm where he fell asleep quite fast. He was one tired puppy. I told J he lays that way between the two of us so that he can keep a sleepy eye on J (whom he worships) while getting scratches and pets from me - best of both worlds I guess. At that very moment, I had an overwhelming sense of pure happiness. I quietly realized it while my dog breathed evenly and my hubby tried to watch something on tv without dozing off. When I have those moments I try so hard to memorize exactly how I feel at that very instant. I close my eyes and breathe in, almost trying to soak it all up through my skin or nose. I want to remember it all. I hope my mind never fails or that I lose any of these precious times with age.

Mmmmmm, coffee! But do you need that caffeine?

Hubby and I are considering some improvements on our house which can be stressful under even the most pleasant situations. And my poor J doesn't need any more stress in his already tightly-wound life. On top of having high blood pressure, the stress of work and finances just add more worries to his mind. I'd like to think that puppy and I balance out that part of J's life, but I realize we can also add to it. I think I did so when I tried to organize and clean up some of the clutter and chaos we have right now. I can smile about it now, but this morning J was convinced I had done something with his shoes, he just couldn't find them. He was sure I had moved them somewhere when he couldn't find them, and of course he was already a little late for work. Which led him to get a little snappy with me. He finally found the shoes - where he put them Friday after work - but not before he told me I couldn't go to work with a safety pin sticking out of the back of my pants - well, in my head it sounded like: "You can't wear those awful pants to work looking like that!" I can tell ya'll, tone of voice is everything... It's a good thing God matched us up. In His infinite wisdom, and raging sense of humor, He knew I could take it when J gets irritable, and that J can take it when I fire right back. The two of us are a pair. I'm almost too laid back for my tight-as-a-bedspring husband. We are opposites at the extreme end of the spectrum. But I do so love him, tone of voice and all.

I understand we may be getting some more snow here. I'd love to get a hint of spring sometime soon. Anything. I'd take a bird's song or a breeze with a touch of warmth in it. I guess I won't be getting that in this 18 degree weather. Despite this cold, we braved the snow yesterday for some bowling with friends. I hadn't been bowling in years and it was so much fun. I bombed since I'm not that much of a competitor, but J was a winner. And our friends, F and M, they were a hoot - so competitive! The bowling joint was nice, having been remodeled recently. It had couches for waiting on your lanes to open, and couches for the bowlers to sit when waiting to bowl. There were tables where you could eat junk food until you popped, and we were allowed to take drinks into the bowling area which was new. I drank regular Coke and had fries with cheese and bacon, mmmmmm. We played skeeball afterwards, won some candy, and left feeling fat and happy. Well, happy anyway, not really fat, just bloated a bit. Hubby and I didn't have to worry about fixing dinner at all when it was said and done. We just went home and snoodled with puppy and watched the tube. Now that's entertainment!

"You think dogs will not be in heaven? ...they will be there long before any of us." RLS

Hubby downloaded some new pics of our puppy last night so I thought I'd share some with the blog fans, the few I have. My intention was to keep up blogging more steadily this year, but time is so precious. I spend it more carefully than I did a year ago. Part of that is due to our pup, Chief. While he demands a lot of my attention and time, he is so well-worth it all.

Lately, whenever I or my husband read about Belgian Malinois (Chief's breed), the literature will always state, "This breed is not recommended for first-time dog owners." D'OH! Even if we had known this about our puppy, after meeting Chief almost a year ago, I think we still would've picked him, and now we are so glad we did. Neither J nor myself can imagine our home without that dog. He has such a strong personality and is very attached to us both. Well, he's especially fond of J, that can't be denied. Chief watches J with an affectionate intensity that I've not seen in a pet before. If I put my mind to it, I could worry what would become of puppy should something ever happen to my J. But I'm not jealous. Puppy and I have our own attachment and bond. At night when we all go up to be to lay in our little "pack", he waits for me to get in bed and under the covers, then comes to lay up against me while I snuggle with him. He's so warm and sweet when he's sleepy too. In the mornings, when I get up and puppy comes in from his exercise with J, he almost always seeks me out and gives me a puppy "hug" where he leans up against me. He's just very special to both me and J.

In this picture Chief and I are having a serious discussion...
On to another important topic - the weather which has been icily obnoxious for the past month, or it seems like a month. In reality it's been only a couple of weeks, but I think we are all here in the East are quite tired of temperatures in the single digits or teens. We were finally given a God-is-good break yesterday when the mercury rose to about 35 degrees. Puppy and I played and played and then walked for a good while. It was WONDERFUL! I didn't feel the inside of my nose freeze up, and my face didn't feel like it would crack and chip off like ice. Plus, I didn't have to fit Chief in his doggy boots. He looks hilarious, but they protect his paw pads from cracking and bleeding. Hubby laughed at me last night when I told him how excited I was that it reached 35 degrees. And the best day of the week is today - it's sunny and should reach 45 today! Well, it's Friday, and I'm looking forward to the sun, snow, cold and warmth with my family of three. God is so generous to me and my pack. I love them more each day, more than myself, more than I thought possible. I hope you and yours have this kind of love in your lives with those in your "pack".

Blessings To My Husband - the Pack Leader

I just adore my husband. I usually sprinkle in little tidbits about him in my pet blog, but today I want to give him public praise, for without him, I would not be who I am today. Plus, I wouldn't have had the two lovable pets I've had since we married. And thus no blog to write.

For you gals out there who have good, caring, responsible husbands, give them a big hug and do something extra special for them today. Sometimes we can take these gems for granted. My hubby is a bread-winner, bill-writer, cook, counsellor, friend, accountant, dog walker, planner, lover, nurse...well, the list just goes on and on! He takes it upon himself to do nice things for me that he knows I like - such as his cooking. One of my favorite things is when he says he will take care of dinner. I swear, there can be a can of beans and some fruit in the cubbard and the main can whip up a miracle meal. The way he takes care of me and puppy is so endearing. I just don't know what we would do without him. And he can read me and my moods, God love him. Although I tell him every day just how much I love him, sometimes words need to be emphasized with actions.


I know my hubby's favorites too, and I try never to get lax with these things. Right now, one of his BIG favs is Chief. While loving and playing with Chief is so easy, caring for him is more time-consuming and can be tiring. J takes the brunt of puppy's care, especially taking him in the mornings. Those cold, cold, dark mornings when he has to play ball and walk Chief. Did I mention it's cold and dark? And winter hasn't even begun yet - we're talking snow and ice yet. Brrrrr! J took so much time and effort researching what type of dog to get us, mainly for my protection (so he says...), but when it comes to puppy's care, J has stepped up and is an outstanding Pack leader.


If my best friend is reading this, be assured I also know many of your other favorites. I will be sure to do these things for you as you so unselfishly do mine for me. You have taught me not just about love, but support and giving. I hope I have done the same for you. I hope you know how proud you make me. I hope you know that I realize just how much you give of yourself to me (and Chief).


I know if puppy could put his two-cents in this note, it would be all about playing ball - but it would be about playing ball with his best friend J. That sums up the love of a pet for his master. Something Chief and I have in common.

After a Long Break, I'm Back

At the encouragement of my hubby, I'm back doing the blogging thing. I let a whole summer and much of the fall pass by without updating my blog about our puppy progress, and the 1 year anniversary of my sweet Hobby's passing.

Summer was pretty great. I really got to bond with Chief. He has grown into a very handsome, sleek dog. His sweet personality has also emerged. I think over these past months, Chief has come to accept and understand that J and I are his "pack". He listens and obeys better with each passing week, so now both parents are more settled. While he's still only a year and a half, he tries to test us with little tantrums of barking and stubburn refusal to obey the simplest commands. But, we follow the "Dog Whisperer" way of being calm and assertive with him, and eventually it works. I can see how people get frustrated and deal with their pets out of anger, but you just can't get angry. It's best to step away and calm down for a minute if puppy is acting up, which I admit I've done on more than a few occasions. What can I say? He's a head-strong dog, and he's very manipulative. But, that's also the breed. Malinois are working, smart dogs and we know we can never let up on his training. I'm loading a few recent pics of the boy for any of my friends and family who want to see our handsome guy.

As you can see by these two pictures, I like J's big fluffy green chair. Chief usually comes to love on me when he really wants to me to go out and play ball. So, if he doesn't get his way with some gentle loving, he'll sit his big furry britches in my lap. It's not as comfortable as it looks. The picture on the right shows just how big he has gotten (and him trying to take a toy I had put out of his reach). He's all muscle; lean and ripped. We have to feed him around 5-6 cups of food/day. With all the activity he gets, he can lose weight very easily.

I guess you could say much of our at-home time is invested in this furry critter. But we are a Pack now. We love and rely on each other, and I'm not just talking about how Chief relies on me or J. J and I rely just as much on each other. If one of the Pack is having a bad day, it's almost a sure bet that one of the other members can help in some way. On a weary day when I can't imagine having to come home and exercise or play with puppy because I'm just so tired, all it takes is a shy, bashful glance from his chocolate-brown puppy eyes to warm me up. A little tap of the tail to let me know he's happy I'm home (albeit just to let him out of the crate and play ball)... Still, he's helped me recover from the loss of my most loved cat, Hobbes. I'm not 100% over it, but I can rejoice in knowing my Pack has my back.

"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face." ~ Ben Williams

I don't envy those who go home after a long, stressful day to an empty house or apartment, with no sweet furry critter to greet them. I know when I get home today my big puppy with be there in his "den" with ears flat and tail tappin' waiting to have me coo to him while I pet and scratch all his worries away. Little does he know just how wonderful it feels to have him appreciate me; he says nothing but never has the saying "actions speak louder than words" been so true. He gets so excited to be out and see me that he hops around, tail wagging, stopping only to be rubbed or scratched. I'd like to be able to bend down and snoodle him, giving him kisses, but he's so wired up at that point that I'd get a fat lip (and have in the past) if I get too close to his head. He's a head-butter. Poor hubby learned that two days in a row with a bloody nose both times. I think this calls for an injury inventory...

Me: fat lip, scratched gums (YES, I SAID GUMS), "black" eye, two cracks to the bridge of my nose, bite on my torso, bite on my right upper arm, two falls, whopping big bruise to my right calf, various scratches and bruises. That about covers my puppy love taps.

J: two bloody noses, a fat lip, a twisted ankle (twice), a head-but or two, bruising over most of his body and various scratches, blisters on toes from walking puppy.

So far, neither of us have had to go to the doctor or hospital. We are fortunate because a puppy can be very energetic and clumsy, but a 75 lb. puppy can be disastrous. Hubby and I are still looking forward to the day when we can introduce Chief to the rest of our family. Sometimes it's like having a new baby, and addition to the family. I'm by no means trying to say having a dog is the same as having a child, but we are just as proud. Chief definitely makes our little family complete. He occupies a different place in our hearts than Hobbes does, but he's definitely left his mark on us - no pun in tended.

My sweet hubby (BC-Before Chief) before we were married...ahhh, youth! He didn't know what was about to hit him!

No amount of time can erase the memory of a good cat, and no amount of masking tape can ever totally remove his fur from your couch. - Leo Dworken

After being away to visit family in NC this weekend, I returned home to discover how much I really missed puppy. This did surprise me since I didn't think I was as attached as I've become. Since my Hobbie died in November, I guess I've tried to ignore just how much I need my new puppy. I'm not sure that he missed me as much, but he's still as slobbery sweet as always.

It's so hot out right now, up in the 90s, and Chief is not one for staying out in this type of heat for long. Hobbes was a different story - even with a full-on fur coat, he would find a little shade and fall asleep. One of my favorite pictures is of him asleep in the deck, belly up - I think I posted that one already. I will miss him this summer. I so enjoyed cuddling up with him, putting my ear to his belly and listening to his loud purr. As for Chief, he's not much of a purrer, but he does cuddle once in a while. It's usually when he's so wiped out from being up during the day or for a weekend that he's at his most affectionate.

Best story to date starring hubby and Chief: the puppy pool. As the heat has cranked up and Chief needs to play and burn some energy, hubby went out this weekend and bought an $9 plastic pool - you know, the kind you see in almost every yard with kids. Chief's first responses to the pool were total indifference. He didn't want it, hate it or even understand that water means relief. SO...Sunday evening I'm out with my favorite guys in 90 degree heat and J is encouraging puppy to at least walk through the pool. Nothing. So I tell J to get in the pool, which he does; takes off his socks, shoes, stands in the pool. Nope. (Note: I think during all of this Chief KNOWS what's going on and what J is asking, but just wants to see how far he'll go to get some pool action.) Now I'm thinking J is gonna have to sit in the water, but I don't want to tell him that b/c I know he'll do it. In the next second hubby comes up with the idea himself and down he goes. Picture a 6 foot man with T-shirt and shorts sitting in a sky-blue kiddy pool, urging a 75 lb. dog to "Come on! Come on buddy! Come on in! Get in the pool!" This puts Chief in a twitter as to what to do next. Does he get his feet wet??? Jay, his life's-love, is sitting in the water and he's calling out to puppy! What to do ?!! He prances and prances around the pool for a minute or so and...I would love to tell you to look at the picture to find out, but I didn't snap one - DANG! Our fearless Chief got in and followed Jay's commands to sit and lie down - in the pool, in the water, with his Jay. That dog surely loves his master.