It's the Little Things in Life

I bumped into a dog park patron I hadn't seen for a while.  She inquired about Skally.  She is amazed!  Not only about Skalatia (one of her nicknames, along with Marie - from Everybody Loves Raymond...there are just too many similarities!) but about Rusty, Simon and Samson...She hasn't been around since before Samson came into our lives.  It's amazing how things change in 3 years!  Even 5!

I was content with only one dog, Syd, but then I realized he needed a partner in crime, so to speak.  It's just not right, in my humble opinion, that dogs should be alone during the day when I'm not home.  So, eventually we met Skally (Syd was nearly 3).  This was not a match made in Heaven - Syd had been King of the Castle, and now Skally, who outweighed him by at least 2x, came in and added the woman's touch.  She also kept winning in the chase for the ball - so Syd stopped playing in a very short time.

After Skally came Cubby - who we'd known since he was 3 months.  Cubby and Skally were best buddies.  And the three of them, actually, played and wrestled, tug-o-war, ran, barked, etc. together.  But Syd was still his own personality, and once he'd had enough he'd part ways from us and go his own.

After Cubby's death, there was a heavy pall on the house.  Skally and Syd both missed him terribly, as did I.  And then Syd was stricken with cancer.  When he died, though, Skally sniffed my arm where his head fell when he passed, smiled at me, then ran around the yard barking as if in jubilation.  I couldn't figure it out.

For a year I had only Skally.  She loved all the attention she was getting - but something was really missing.  Eventually I realized there was the necessity to find a partner for her.  So, I looked for an older dog; a bigger dog.  My intentions were to have both dogs for a few years, then have some time to myself.  HA!

I found Rusty (see the first posts), and the two of them had to find their rhythm.  They did, in ways I never imagined.  Today they love setting off the barking at me together, as if singing - smiling and watching one another.

Then came Sammy - and there was another spark of life in the house.  And now Simon.

Things have changed for the better.  There are days when I wonder about my sanity, but these guys are such wonders!  Yes, they can be demanding, but they also take care of one another (Simon is a food thief - so he needs watching!).  I know that if one were to vanish the others would be at a loss.  I include myself in that lot.

We have become a pack.  If I take a poo bag to the trash in the park - they are all watching and following.  If I go running through the park, they all follow.  The only one not to lick my face is Skally (she's not licked my face in at least 9 years, and even then I'd only received 8 licks, total).

There is a closeness and a bonding.  Even Simon and his quirks are accepted by the others.  He and Skally enjoy each others' company, and Samson loved launching into him.

Simon has his balls.  Skally has her fence fighting.  Samson has his stuffed animals.  Rusty has me (I swear without me none of these guys would do much of anything around the house).

They're all so quirky!  Skally has no problem going outside no matter the weather.  Sunday was sunny and then rainy - Skally wen t out.  I went to take care of my mother, so left the back door open for the others, just in case.  Only Skally had gone outside.  The others were dying to go out when I came home to use the facilities.  No kidding.

I feed them, walk them, speak to them, read to them...and we're a family.  It's the little things that help create the whole, here.

An Homage to Skally...My Oldest and Dearest Friend

Life is odd.

It would seem that as we aged we'd become more agile physically and mentally, rather than just mentally.

Or maybe that's just middle age.

I love watching puppies.  They're quite clumsy and dorky.  And yet they continue to push onward to get to where they believe they should be  -  it's instinct.

And as they grow, they adapt to the new challenges around them.

Dogs can do that.  Adapt - to a new home, family, siblings, surroundings, what have you.
      but not always to a new food....yuck.

People have troubles adapting to new things, unexpected things.  I watch, listen, and see it everyday.
Age makes it tougher.

I watch Skally.

I remember her as a young lass.  I recall the days she'd leap through the tall grass with the other dogs in our walking club.  They'd leap up as dolphins in the sea of grass.  It was marvelous, breath taking, jubilant, and memorable.  I remember Syd running through, as well, but not having the long legs to imitate - but quick enough to run below them.

Those days are over, though.  I watch my gazelle toddle around the yard, her legs, sometimes, moving like steel pegs from the arthritis.  And then a bark comes from the other side of the fence - And she springs into action!  No bother to the pain, but leaps and pounces that soar over the grass and pathway to meet her friend/foe for fence fighting.

I know the end could come at any time.  It could for any of the pups; but for her it would be a natural progression.

I treasure her days as I would anything priceless.

I laugh each day as I move the sheep skin back to its place in the living room from where she's moved it to cuddle.

I pull her tautly on the lead when she demands to sniff far off track from the others, and wants nothing else but to investigate something unseen.

She didn't adapt to her age.  She grew with it.

She adapted to her new siblings as they came in, and reigns over them.

She is regal.   She's the Queen Victoria of the manse.

I write this in case I forget in the future.

Misty-eyed, I ponder her beauty, her grace, her style, her judgemental stares.  Her sense of humor and insistence which crop up daily.

She may have leapt wonderfully as a young lass, but her style and finesse will always be bounding through my mind.

A Morning at Thousand Acre Park on the Sandy River Delta

Well, I finally gave in - no, I believe it was the rain!

This week has been wonderful!  The weather has been graciously nice and gently warm.

I decided last night to take the pups to Thousand Acre Park, where the Columbia Meets the Sandy (although you actually see a great deal more of the Mighty Columbia than the Sandy River).

We arose this morning at 630, took care of our chores, and ate breakfast.  Then I showered, and dressed, and out the door we went!  It's good to get there earlier in the day to ensure you find parking!

As we drove, we found ourselves behind a car with some very frolicky pups in the back.  We had to pass them.  What if they got the only spot left in the lot?!

We arrived and there were a few open spaces for cars, and we gave the car we had passed the better of the two - they did have to be passed by us.

And then we went!

As we headed on to the path, we were greeted by no fewer than 15 dogs, rushing about.  Sammy, Simon, Rusty and Skally all rushed in and watched.  Luckily they did their do's early, so I had a trashcan nearby to huck it in.

We walked briskly.  Rusty was in heaven, running all about.  Simon was in awe.  We found a stick and he went running to play fetch for a bit - but we were also continuing our walk.

Skally was quite curious about all the smells, and what was hiding in all the bushes!

We met many other dogs - all friendly, and most off lead.

We made our way to the river where we found  a fisherman in the one spot most dogs like to drink from.  He wasn't happy about all the dogs finding him throughout the day, but he chose that one spot!

After playing in the water, we made our way past the blind, and headed east over the winding paths.  Eventually we found the "pond".  This is filled with rainwater and grows during the winter months, and slowly shrinks in the warmer weather.  Today it was full.

I was quite surprised to find Simon walking into the water of the pond, as well as the river.  He seems so uninterested in the pool and pond at home  Hmmmm.  Rusty even got his feet wet!

Skally, of course, had a marvelous time soaking her luscious gams in the cool  drink.  She was so content!

After walking about 4.5 miles, I realized Skally was wearing out, as were the others.  So, we headed back to the car, where they all jumped in and grabbed a good spot for resting (except Skally, who stood on her haunches and kept her head out the window all the way home!).

They are now sleeping contentedly.

A good day!