no dress rehearsal

meet hunter

Dean and I have been thinking about adding another dog to our family since our sweet Abby died in October. Not that a new dog could ever replace her, but we thought a pup in the family would be a welcome addition. There's nothing better than a wagging tail to greet you when you arrive home from work. I frequently looked on the spca website, along with other animal rescue organizations, searching through countless pictures. Every dog had a cute face and a sad story, but none of them struck me as a dog we wanted to make part of our family like this guy. We called about him one day, met him the next, and took him home that very evening.

Hunter is an 8 - 9 year old black lab, with gray "old man" whiskers on his face and paws. He had such an expressive face in his spca picture, very soulful eyes. His profile read like a doggie personal ad - "Hunter loves car rides, long walks and liver snaps" - I just loved that. We also knew that, being an older dog, Hunter would have a much harder time finding a forever home to live out his retirement years. We just felt in our hearts that he was the dog for us.

I can't say enough about the staff and volunteers of the spca. We dealt with Cheryl during Hunter's adoption, and she was great. She so obviously cares for the animals at the shelter, and even called us a couple of days after we brought Hunter home to check on how he was doing. Cheryl gave us a little background on the old boy - his owners surrendered him to the shelter because of a serious illness in their family.

Hunter resided around the bay before coming to our home, so Cheryl affectionately called him a "bay dog". Based on some of his behaviors, it seems that he did live in a small community. He scratches at our front door at times. At first, we thought he wanted to go "pee-pees" and would let him out in our fenced back yard or for a walk on a leash. But he would come right back in and scratch again. We suspect he was probably allowed to wander out and about in his old neighborhood, a la the littlest hobo. He had never been to the vet in his  life, ate a lot of table food  and will catch long, thin stick shaped toys but not balls.

I think that Hunter is adjusting to being a city dog quite well. He was relaxing and snoozing a lot the first few days he came home, but quickly livened up. He's a great dog - we've only heard him bark once in the two weeks we've had him, and his tail wags furiously the minute you say his name. He has been to the dog park, to Bowring Park and around the neighborhood for walks on a leash, played fetch in our backyard, went for numerous car rides and taken trips to my mom's to play with her dogs. He has made his first trip to the vet ever, and did great. Although Hunter sits and gives his paw when you have food, he doesn't reliably follow commands so next Wednesday, we're going to try to prove that you can teach an old dog new tricks, when we start basic obedience school. Honestly, I'd just like Hunter to be able to sit and stay, so I can get his photo wearing hats.

Here he is, playing fetch with Dean in the backyard.

And here he is, waiting for the next throw. He is such a sweet dog, and everyone who has met him so far is charmed by him. Finally, here he is, drifting off to sleep after a day of play.

Adopting an older dog has been such a good choice for us. Hunter is already over the chewing and house training puppy stage. He is fun, playful, and loves attention. But he is also content to curl up and nap when it's time to relax. In some ways, it also feels like a bit of a tribute to Abby have adopted an older dog. Abs was with us for 10 years, right from her crazy puppy stage. At 8 or 9, we know that it's highly unlikely that Hunter will be with us that long, but we hope that we can provide him with a loving and happy home for the duration of his doggie life.

all dogs go to heaven

We buried Abby in my mom's backyard in Paradise in the early afternoon of the cold, rainy Sunday she died. My mom's husband Keith built a box for her, and we lovingly lined it with blankets, placed her body carefully and covered her with a throw mom had crocheted years before. We tucked Dean's old rugby ball, Abby's most recent favorite toy, next to her. We can see the spot Keith picked from the living room window, and I think that we'll plant some flowers there, and get a river rock engraved with her name, in the spring.

I'm surprised at how very difficult this has been for me, the depth of sadness Abby's death has brought. We both knew that, at 10 years old, Abby was certainly considered a senior citizen in the german shepherd world, and I thought we were more prepared for her passing. Dean and I had talked about how the upcoming winter would likely be difficult for her, even last year her hips were bothersome and she sometimes had problems getting around in the cold weather. During summer she was fine, but we wondered if this was the year we would be faced with the choice the owners of aging pets dread.

In time, I think that we will come to be thankful that Abby lived a happy, active life until the end, and recognize that this way is probably better for her and for us. As a therapist, it's what I always hoped for our nursing home residents - peacefully passing during sleep rather than suffering through a long illness. Abby was such a part of our daily life and our home, and the house is too quiet without her.

Abby was a dog filled with personality, with such an expressive face. She was a sweet girl with a fierce bark, but no bite. She could be beautiful and dignified, but was most often silly and playful, with a big goofy doggie grin on her furry face.

After 10 years as part of our lives, there are enough stories about Abby to fill a book. True to her breed, she was a smart girl, loyal and protective. In fact, we've been outsmarted by Abby more than once (though we could hear her get off the forbidden sofa as soon as the alarm sounded after an overnight snooze, we could never quite catch her actually on the sofa, nor did we ever figure out how she continually let herself into the kitchen closet to eat a tasty morsel out of the garbage can. She never revealed her method, even when Dean and I got into the closet, closed the door and called her name). Abby enjoyed her Kong and tennis balls, but her love next to her "mama" and "dad" was definitely cookies. She would do just about anything for a cookie.

Scoobey Snacks and Snausages were among her favorite grocery store fare, but a real treat was when Jay or Ms. Nikki would send over ham or beef bones. Of course, heaven was when we'd mistakenly leave out our food, and she'd get to feast on stolen cookies - the ultimate cookie. In her time, she's gotten whole cooked chickens, crawfish leftover from a boil and even a 15 lb frozen turkey, innocently left in the sink to thaw while Dean and I ran a quick errand. When we returned, all that remained of our thanksgiving bird was the little metal ring that holds the packaging together. That, and a rather bloated dog, laying in the corner.

We got Abby when she was 7 weeks old and we were in our early 20's. Truth is that we probably weren't ready to be dog owners. Our lives were just too unstable, with more changes in store than even we realized. Yet Abby had infinite patience with us as her owners. She tolerated the hours we spent trying to teach her to "speak" (she made funny sounds that almost sounded like "Marrero", the town we lived), the "balance cookie on nose then catch" trick, the crazy way Dean would flap her ears about as a part of the "Earlympics", often synchronized to music. She sat wearing Mardi Gras beads and boas, scarves, slippers, hats, a chicken bucket, motor cycle helmets and Schlumberger coveralls, among other get-ups, for photos. With the aid of a cookie held behind the camera, she became quiet the model. She had patience with us as we moved, changing her routine, the people she was around, the places she went. When busy jobs and lives had her home alone, she was content to guard the house, chew on her toys and wait to greet us. Abby may not have been the perfect dog, but she was the perfect dog for us.

Abby filled a huge role in our lives. She was the tangible evidence that Dean and I were making a commitment to one another, long before we were married, or even engaged. Her addition turned Dean and I from a "young couple" to a "family". She has been a constant in ten years filled with changes, when we sometimes struggled to find our way. When New Orleans was a brand new city of unfamiliar people and places and Dean was gone weeks at a time, she was the familiar face that prevented my evenings from being filled with loneliness. I don't know if I would have made it through those first few months of that move without her. Those who I count as some of my dearest friends were people from my time in Louisiana. In fact, I received beautiful flowers after Abby passed away from my sweet southern friends. Thank-you Nikki, Yvette, Monica, Danielle, Brandi, Carmella and Ms. Laura. Your gesture brought tears to my eyes, and I think Abby's the only dog I know who received a floral tribute upon her passing.

Dean and I will eventually get another dog. We're just dog people. And no doubt, that dog will be a loved family pet. But Abs was so much more than that. No dog could ever fill Abby's paws or the roles she played for us, but we hope we will find one to fill some of the empty space in our home.

Right after we found Abby's body, Dean turned to me and said "Don't worry, all dogs go to heaven". If so, Abs has plenty of room to roam, balls to chase and mountains of cookies waiting to be eaten. She was such a beloved and important member of our family. Though there will likely be more cherished family pets in our home, Abby will always hold a place in our hearts, as she was so much more than a pet. She was our Abby, and I will miss her always.

sad day

Our beloved puppy dog Abby unexpectedly passed away early this morning. She was 10 years old.

Dean and I got Abby when she was just 7 weeks old, a wee little thing. She was the lazy pup of the litter, and her mama's owner had to poke her with a stick to rouse her from her napping location under the shed to meet us. Bringing Abs home was the first big thing that Dean and I did together, as a couple. Long before we were married, or even engaged, she was a commitment we made to take on another life to care for together.

Abby was well traveled, making moves with us from Alberta to Newfoundland, to Ontario, down south to Louisiana, and finally back to Newfoundland again. Always a loved member of the family, she became particularly special to me when we moved to New Orleans and Dean started a career that brought him away from home frequently. I knew no one in the city and having Abby at home, waiting to greet me at the end of my work day, made the time that Dean was gone so much less lonely. I've cried into Abby's fur more times that I can count over the years.

The last week or so, Abby hadn't quite been feeling herself. Though she didn't seem to be in distress at all, her energy level was low. Last night, she was laying around more than normal, not following Dean and I around the house as was her usual routine. Still, she had enough energy to share a hamburger with Dean at supper, and go out for her last backyard pee before bed. A little worried, I settled her onto a blanket near our bedroom, brought her a drink of water, and went to bed myself. Dean found her when he got up in he morning. Although she had moved to a different spot, she was laying peacefully. It looked like she had passed quietly in her sleep.

Our move back up north seemed to age Abby. During the cold days of last winter, she began having difficulty getting around. Typical of a white german shepherd, her hips began to give her trouble. Though fine during the summer months, we anticipated Abby having even more problems this winter, and dreaded the coming of the cold weather. Thoughit's hard to have lost her, I'm glad that it didn't get to the point where Abby's quality of life was such that she suffered, and we had to make the decision that many pet owners have to face. She lived a good doggie life until the very end.

One of our friends once described Abby as a dog filled with personality, and that certainly is true. Abby is a loved member of our family who could never be replaced, and she is missed.

10 on tuesday - friday photo edition

1. Hurricane Gustav, thanks for ruining our travel plans for a fun long weekend in New Orleans. This is as close as Dean and I got to the Saints game on Sunday - sitting in front of the television watching it, thanks to our purchase of the "NFL Sunday Ticket" package earlier in the day. We did wear our jerseys, snack on Superdome-like food, and cheer, which was fun. And the Saints won. Undefeated in the season!

2. I've begun to unpack some of my scrapbook and sewing supplies, so when Dean requested I pick up some gummie bears for a co-worker of his who has been helping him out lately, I did up this jar. Just a simple, 2 minute little craft, but it was nice to get my hands on some of my old stuff that's been in storage for a year.

3. I used a coupon at Michael's to get a frame for my "keep calm and carry on" poster. Perhaps I should have sprung for professional framing, which would have surely corrected the wrinkles and creases caused by the big old dent in the poster tube that occurred somewhere between the UK and here. Or, as sweet Katy pointed out, I could look at the creases and be reminded to be calm. I know it's not a perfect fit, but I'm trying to be frugal here, with the jar budget system still in effect.

4. Last night, Dean was heading upstairs to continue to install drywall and asked if I would come up. I was busy resigning myself to a long evening of being a drywall assistant, when Dean said, "No, I don't need your help. I just want someone to keep me company so I'm not bored". So I filled the tub with nice hot water, added bubbles, took a lovely bath, and chatted with my buddy. He was working in our bedroom, the next room over. Here he is, busy putting up sheets in the newly built closets.

5. I also did a bit of reading in the tub. Though I don't watch Oprah on television, her magazine seems to be one that inexplicably jumps into my buggy in the checkout line at the grocery store. "Too busy to live?" she asks. Why yes, Oprah, I am - how did you know? And is there advice inside for how to turn it around?

(Magazine sitting on the newly tiled bathroom floor, dirty as it is right now)

6. Here's a little peek at one corner of our kitchen. We've just finished tiling and grouting the counter with black granite tile and the back splash with tumbled marble mosaic tile. I'm in the process of facing the salvage yard purchased cabinets with veneer and finishing the doors. All in all, we've done this kitchen quite inexpensively. The beautiful limelight hydrangeas are compliments of my mom and her garden. They begin a lovely bright green and fade to ivory as the blooms mature.

7. I did my biggest wedding cake yet last week. It's my policy to not decorate any cake I haven't baked myself, but after a request from a sweet bride that I couldn't refuse, I broke my own rule and decorated her grandma's fruitcakes. Let's say it was a nightmare and I now remember why I don't do it, but the cake did turn out nicely, I think. I don't know what Bran puts in her fruitcakes, but boy, was the finished product heavy. I could barely lift it.

(I should point out this was not my design, but one the bride picked a picture of).

8. Fall is in the air - it's getting chilly and we've been talking about (eekkk) turning on the heat. When I brought Abby out to play yesterday evening, I was cold. Where did the summer go? And, more importantly, why didn't we attend to the stuff needed outside the house before now?

9. One thing I do look forward to as fall approaches is the changing of the leaves. I love the rich, gorgeous golds, reds and browns  that the cooler weather brings. Here's one of my nan's maple trees in October of last year.

10. Another thing I look forward to as fall comes - the food. I do like that fruits, veggies, salads and lighter fare of the summer, but there's just something about the heartier offerings of autumn. Last night, we had homemade roasted asparagus and carrot bisque and grilled apple, spinach and brie sandwiches. I love when the house is filled with the spicy cinnamon, apple, pumpkin and maples scents, which hit you as you walk in a warm home from the cool weather outside. So cozy!