Ode to Solitude!

I bring it on myself.... I really do!

Thought I would take advantage of this brief reprieve from the cacophony of growling, yipping and
barking to do a little writing.  As you have probably noticed I have been MIA since January.  January ushered in both the new year and the demise of my immune system.  It started with a flu-  three weeks of ughness.  There were times when I did not care if I made it, times when if I had the energy I would have heaved my carcass into the middle of the road to let a truck finish me off and times where I cried and carried on.  Thank goodness there was no one else around who had to endure my enduring of the flu.

I just started feeling better mid Feb when....  BAM!  I caught a cold.  Not just any cold... a colossal cold.  It started with a sore throat, progressed to a cough,  then enter sinusitis.  I am now on week 3 and just starting to feel 80% normal.

Now after reading this you probably feel sorry for me.  That would be a mistake.  Because I have a bad habit of making lemons into something even less palatable........

See in the midst of all this I picked up a new puppy.

I decided to get the puppy in the Fall 2014.  The puppy was born Jan 17, 2015 which made it ready to pick-up, smack dab in the middle of my cold recovery period.  If you have, are, or ever will get a puppy I highly recommend doing so when you are 100% well.  Nothing slows down recovery like 3 am walks in the freezing cold;  having to high-tail it outside without a jacket to avoid accidents in the house and "patiently" waiting for a dog to do it's business when what you really want to do is lie down and curl into the fetal position.

Originally the puppy pick-up was to be any time after March 10th.  That worked out perfect I would take the Friday before March break off and then being my Pupternity the week of March Break.  I was ecstatic..... I would not even need to cancel client visits because all the kiddos would not be in school anyways.

Excitement was short lived.  The puppy pick-up was bumped up to March 7th.

Crap!

I was just at the peak of cold-dome, still had to work and was adding a puppy to the mix.  Did I happen to mention that this was also time change weekend!!!!!!

The first week was "ruff" (sorry could not resist the pun).  It wasn't that Fergus was a poor sleeper.  The first night he slept 9 pm to 5 am and would probably have slept longer... I woke him up because I thought  maybe he had died from shock.... I was wrong... how I cursed my decision for the rest of that day.  The hard part was trying to find a new balance during a time when I did not have any balance.  All I remember was take care of basic puppy needs, spend time with original dog, work, puppy/dog care, work, puppy/dog care, bed.  For 4 days the family was in bed before 8:00 pm.  On the fifth day, I was off and pretty much slept when the dogs slept.... which when you have a puppy and a senior dog, that pretty much means you are sleeping the day away.

Week 2 was ushered in by rough-housing.  The dogs have found out that they like each other.  This does not stop Gimli (senior dog extraordinaire) from trying to claim all toys- new and old and then using said toys to taunt Fergus (Trouble 2.0).  This leads to retaliation where Fergus either plays tug-o-war with Gimli's feathers or launches into is new attack method slipping under Gimli's belly and sinking his teeth into Gimli's elbow.    The end result howling in pain, yipping and then the glorious "back off you bugger" growl/bark combo.

You would think that once the point is made that Fergus's behaviour is inappropriate that the sounds would end.    You would be wrong.

Once started the sounds grow in intensity and variation.  Gimli starts with-  " Take that you dirty rotten bastige!"  "You can fudge off!"  "Rackin' frackin' frito lay!!!!!!".  This leads to a higher pitched retort from Fergus- "Ohhh yeah!!!!!!" (Fergus is young and not so crafted in his responses yet).  Then a game of bark karaoke is born until a grand crescendo it reached or I can't take it any more and I break out the treats to bribe them into silence.

Last night I actually found myself down in the basement folding laundry. (Editor's note-  I usually avoid all forms of domestic activity)  I was humming.  I was at my Mecca.

WHY?

It was gloriously quiet...... well until Bill "the I need to talk to you" cat came down and harshed my mellow.

I guess I have my work cut out for me..... teaching the dogs what quiet means.  Until then I have to revel in moments like this one......

Editor's note.  For some reason this did not get posted... Ohh yeah.... that's right they started barking and duty called.  Thought I would post it anyway as this is proof that as long as you persevere everything will pass.  As of tomorrow Fergus will be be six months.  I look at the picture above and wonder where the time has gone.  Don't worry I have been taking pictures and gathering intel to continue blogging about the first year of life..... it's just the first few months got in the way.  Well that and the need for close supervision.

Tah Tah for now!