By reader request, a picture of the lion in winter. That bed was my Christmas present for him — it just looked so soft and fleecy. Alan derides it as a “cat bed.” He avoided it for a few days, but now, most mornings, that’s where you can find him, having his a.m. snooze. He could use a haircut, but he always does, this time of year. He’s not growling or fussing, just mid-yawn. That’s our dog. Tomorrow he sees the vet for his 140,000-mile checkup. After which I hope to post something a little more substantive. But hey, you know you love the dog pictures.
brian stouder said on March 7, 2006 at 10:12 am
OK – I need another Diet Coke I guess, but when I read
“Alan derides it as a “cat bed.�? He avoided it for a few days, but now, most mornings, that’s where you can find him, having his a.m. snooze. He could use a haircut, but he always does, this time of year. He’s not growling or fussing, just mid-yawn. That’s our dog.”
– it took me to the last sentence to realize we wren’t talking about Alan anymore!
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Dorothy said on March 7, 2006 at 10:52 am
Brian you need more than another Diet Coke!
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Deb said on March 7, 2006 at 3:07 pm
I am with Brian…While I was proud of Alan for coming around and at least tryin’ out the bed. once I saw he was dominating the new digs for his a.m. naps……I was worried. Glad to understand it was Ziggy all along!
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Cynthia said on March 7, 2006 at 3:49 pm
Nancy, your dog is a real cutie. What’s his name?
I laughed at the comments. It reminded of a high school paper I wrote in English class. My teacher had gone wild with the red pencil and wrote, WHO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? to point out to me that writing two paragraphs with nothing but pronouns wasn’t going to cut it with him.
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joodyb said on March 7, 2006 at 5:40 pm
thanks. it did my heart good to see your beloved pet. i’m still having the overwhelming spirit grab when i come in at night. i had a really strong one last night, totally expecting Pearl there. it is SO weird. i miss her so much.
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mary said on March 7, 2006 at 6:28 pm
joody, I had two dogs die within six weeks of each other this summer. Not easy. I still use one of their names as my password on lots of things. I can’t bring myself to change it. Twelve years ago my dog Charlie died, a truly fine dog, and I still can tear up over him.
I’ve got two new dogs now, both with lots of potential. They still have some wild puppy ways, which can be daunting with huge dogs, but I’m sure I’ll be devasted 12 or 15 years from now when they go.
I don’t just enjoy dogs as pets, I have real respect for them as a species. I am in awe of the instincts they’ve developed to coexist with man.
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Dorothy said on March 7, 2006 at 8:21 pm
Mary that is beautifully put. I came to be a dog owner only after I got married. But I feel such a connection with all the dogs I’ve had. Even Dublin, the first one, a really dumb Irish Setter. The one I felt the strongest about, though, was Atticus. I just force myself not to think about him too much, though, because it hurts way more than I want to hurt. He had to be put down just before we moved in September (the 11th!!) 2004. He had cancer. The dog I have now looks a lot like him, but doesn’t have his personality, of course. He’s lovable, but he’s not Atticus.
And joody, I don’t know how you can come into your home without a dog there to greet you. I’ve had 5 dogs now, and loved each one tremendously, but when they the first 4 passed, I HAD to have a new one almost immediately. It helped my heart to heal. But everyone is different and ready on their own terms. I wish you well and a new pup in the near future!
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jcburns said on March 8, 2006 at 12:43 am
Sproingy? Perky? Schmoozy? Twiggy? Wiggy? Something like that.
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Carmella said on March 8, 2006 at 6:45 am
You dog lovers might enjoy “Marley & Me” by John Grogan. Gotta love the dogs!!
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Dorothy said on March 8, 2006 at 6:51 am
Ah I finished “Marley & Me” in two days – reading only at night after work! Loved it. I lent it to a friend at the office after my hubby read it.
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Deb said on March 8, 2006 at 9:45 am
Did I Really call him Ziggy? Sorry..please give him my apologies. Must have been the Ambien.
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The Other Nance said on March 8, 2006 at 4:57 pm
Thanks for the picture… Spriggy looks quite handsome after his bath ordeal the other day. “Spriggy” — of course! And if memory serves correctly his brick at the Ft. Wayne Dog Park reads “GO DOG GO!” And he appears to be “going” along very well!
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