Merry Christmas

It's been quite a year. And the girls and I are going to take a few days off from writing, just to re-coup and hopefully restore.

Have a wonderful Holiday!

Murphy's day.

Yes, Annie, There is A Santa

So far, no tree in the house. But Annie knows something is up. Stockings came from the basement last night. And a suspicious package from Mud Bay, the dog store, that was locked in the linen closet.

Hmmm.

Murphy's day.

Life is Good

Sage has had a rough time. Murphy dying November 2008, her knee surgery, losing my mother (who was her friend), and Annie trying to establish her place in the pecking order (humans at the bottom). But I was closely watching Sage this weekend and I think she is actually very happy right now. She has lost some weight, placing less stress on her knee, she seems to know when to snarl at Annie and when to play, and she doesn't seem as subdued as she was this time last year. I know she realizes I am down, but she is doing her best to cheer me up as only a lab can do...rolling on her back to let me scratch her belly.

Life is good.

Murphy's day.

Winter's Solstice

Great ad for Orvis!

Annie decided to sleep in during these dark, winter days. Can't blame her.

Murphy's day.

Long, Dreary Week

We're at the end of a long, dreary week. Rain, lots of rain, lots of driving for my father, lots of "on hold" for bureaucrats. Long, dreary week. But Annie and Sage have been always willing to make me laugh, or in Annie's case, at least distract me by getting into mischief. See Mom, it's not so bad, look at how easy it was for me to eat the throw on your bed!

Murphy's day.

Dreary

It's indoor weather. Dreary. I really don't understand people here in Seattle who prefer warm, winter rain to cold and sun. Bring on the sun any day. And now, we're about to get the warm, pineapple effect, where all the snow we got in the mountains will melt.

Time to hunker in, play with toys (the girls) and for me to work.

Murphy's day.

Carbon Footprints

We're past the half-way point in the climate change talks at Copenhagen, Denmark. So we decided to think about Sage and Annie's carbon footprint. They have both flown, in fact that is how they got to Washington. Their toys, more than likely, were made in and imported from China. In fact, as we learned a few years ago with the recalled dog food, probably some ingredient of their food comes from China. Their dog beds were probably made over seas....and worst of all they love to ride in my smallish SUV to get to a park so they can romp off leash (which they also do in the back yard). They also seem to like it when I finally turn the heat on...

It's not a pretty carbon footprint, but frankly, other than all the imports, which I am not happy about, I don't think I would change their lives.

Sigh.

Murphy's day.

Teasing Annie

This weekend I was teasing Annie. My friend, Mary, called me on Christmas Day to tell me about this litter of "hunting labs." And the next day I had a picture of Mary, her daughter-in-law, and four female pups (two in each of their arms). My eyes drifted to the calm, light colored on, that Mary thought was the smaller (or runt). But I hesitated about getting another dog and before I made up my mind, three females were gone. The crazy looking one in Mary's left hand was left.

Annie.

As I teased her, she just rolled on her back, as if to say: whatever Mommie. I'm here, deal with it.

Murphy's day.

There Are Few Things Worse

Really, I love the snow in the city. And there are few things worse for the dogs and me when weather forecasters hype up that there will be snow and it doesn't happen.

No snow.

Murphy's day.

Is That Snow in the Forecast?

As if to further egg on the dogs, there is snow in the forecast. While the cold and sun has been, well, err, gorgeous, this idea of snow will only make the dogs ecstatic (and I do enjoy watching them romp. Snow does not bother me, although Seattle drivers in the snow are a whole other issue).

Let it snow!

Murphy's day.

Someone Loves This Weather

Most humans become spry and active around 65°. But not labs. They revel in cold, cold, cold.

Annie loves this weather. She is up at 4:30 AM, ready to rock and roll.

Murphy's day.

Sleeping Warm

Years and years ago, right after my father had his heart attack, my Mom stayed with me. She slept in my bed and I took the guest room. Murphy, knowing something was wrong, climbed into bed with Mom every night and laid her head on Mom's legs. Mom, who'd never slept with a dog in her life, was delighted.

This week it's really cold here in Seattle. I turn the heat off at night, so I encouraged Sage to come up and sleep with me. I am sandwiched between Sage and Annie. Totally toasty warm, with Annie doing her best Murphy imitation laying her head on my legs.

It does not get much better.

Murphy's day.

Winter People

My mother was not a winter person. Even though she loved the labs, who are definitely winter dogs, she was not as thrilled by the cold, the snow, the frost, as they are. In her last days she looked out the window at the grey, cold Seattle day and said: "I hate grey."

But the girls, they are ecstatic winter is here. Nothing better than a good romp in the frost and snow, being able to cuddle up in bed at night. Absolutely nothing better. They have made me laugh with their antics in the cold.

Murphy's day.

Brrrrr

It's ironic that on the opening day of the Copenhagen round of climate treaty talks, it's really really cold here in the Northwest. We've got double duty, trying to stay warm ourselves and keeping Dad warm. It's too bad he doesn't want to cuddle up with the girls, they would help. Annie is so active, she pumps out a zillion btus even when she is sleeping.

Winter, even if it's not the calendar winter, yet, is here. Bare, cold, and an added dose of missing Mom.

Murphy's day.

Comedians Are Sensitive to Sad

They say that comedians are sensitive to sad.

Annie is the house crack-up. And she has spent the past month, since Mom was hospitalized, trying to make me laugh, giggle, smile, and just remain calm.

I think she needs a raise in her allowance. She's had to work pretty hard. Doing the funny thing with her ears that labs do so well, rolling down hills, leaping on her sister (and missing the target), bringing me dead toys while I am on the phone...

Murphy's day.

Obituaries

Here is a link to Mom's.

Murphy's day

Thinking

It's been and continues to be, a whirlwind of activity. But I have managed to find sometime to think (mostly, of course, in the middle of the night).

And one of the things I keep thinking about is how grateful I am to have taken Mom to some of the places I love. Over the past ten years I have gotten her to the Methow Valley, Cashmere, Glacier National Park, Sun Valley, Hood River, Walla Walla, Pendleton (nope, not during rodeo...), Ashland, La Conner. Every time, every place, she willingly took a leash, walking Murphy, Riley, or Sage.

I feel her spirit soaring in the hills, mountains, river canyons, estuaries that we were able to explore. Hopefully she is holding Murphy and Riley's leash.

Murphy's day.

Quietly Searching

I know when I leave the dogs are always looking. And I get a sense they continue to do that for my mom. I used to take them over to her place every day, or almost every day. And before her hip surgery last spring, they would bound into her place, tails going over the tail-speed-limit, looking for my parents. Now, when I go they wait in the car, and certainly know from my sighs and tears, something is not right.

Murphy's day.