Back from vacation and Carla and I had a SLOW run today (more of an amble). The humidity gets us both. For once, she wasn’t leading the way and there was no sprinting or any kind of bounding. I thought she might like a dip in the creek but when we got there, the weeds were high and she took a look at the stickers and gave pause, so we even skipped the swim. Lazy, lazy summer.
Carla is made for lazy summer. She’d look gorgeous lounging on anyone’s porch, but has been on mine much too long. I can’t help but worry that it will be a difficult transition for her once again when her forever family finally finds her. C’mon, people, pick her! She is so ready to shower her dedication, love, and solid snuggle with you.
Carla’s become such a part of the scenery around here that we decided to jump in and get a new foster from the next transport. As it turns out, we’re getting not one, but four new fosters.
We were on vacation riding the Cape May Lewes Ferry on a gorgeous hot sunny day when I irresponsibly took advantage of the free wifi to check e-mail. I could blame it on the rum drinks or the heat or the high of being on vacation with good friends, but when the pictures appeared in my feed I had to have these puppies.
I know. You want them, too. My kids were over the moon about fostering them. I’d promised them we would foster a puppy this summer, so why not four? The way I see it is – if we have to quarantine one puppy for two weeks, why not four? I’m sure you’ll hear many stories of me eating those words in the weeks to come. We’ve had Carla so long, the memory of cleaning up poop has faded, much like the pain of childbirth, and I’m ready for this. (I think.)
The puppies arrive on the 26th so we have a week to get things ready. This will be the push that finally forces me to clean out my large cluttered mudroom. I have everyone’s word that they will help with this adventure. I’m hoping that their word is better this time than it has been in the past. I distinctly remember hearing similar vows in regards to the gecko, beta fish, and bird that led to prolonged reminders on my part and eventual abdication on theirs. Sadly, all the small critters in cages lived short, tortured lives in our care. Everything will be different with the puppies! (cue the pretty music and birds singing.)
The first thing we had to do in preparation for the puppies was re-name them. With over 4800 dogs in the system, their Winnie the Pooh names were taken long ago. I was sad when I heard this news because the Winnie the Pooh names had been the clincher for me. We are a Pooh family. The baby nursery was all Pooh, the first videotapes (dating myself here), cds, books, and even computer games were all Pooh. I sang the song, “Christopher Robin” to my little cherubs when I tucked them in at night. My oldest son’s middle name is Christopher after you-know-who, which was a compromise because I seriously considered naming him Christopher Robin. (I told him about that this weekend and my now 18-year-old, said, “That would’ve been pretty cool.” Only my kid.)
So, I posed the question of names to a group of my dear friends while sitting around a table in our favorite brewery (Dogfish Head in Rehoboth). We considered using the names of the beers we were sampling, but decided that they didn’t sound like puppy names. No one would want to adopt Noble Rot or Hellhound.
After very little deliberation, we chose Jillie Bean (childhood nickname for one of the kids we were traveling with), Chick Pea (it just sounds cute), Lug Nut (a friend once had a dog named this and I’ve wanted to use it ever since), and Marzle (the main character in would-be Christopher Robin’s newly self-published book).
I’m sure it’s going to get pretty exciting around here, so stay tuned. And please send your positive juju out in the hopes that Carla finds her forever home before the puppies take over. She’s too big to get lost in the scuffle, but she deserves her own place and her own people to love. If you’d like to touch her gorgeous velvety ears or get a slobbery (but polite) kiss in the kissing booth, she’ll be at Codorus State Park on Saturday for the Codorus Blast. Just look for the OPH booth.
I’m partial to Charm but that’s only because I have to rescue her so often from Chism’s extreme energy and lack of empathy. Chism doesn’t get that when she has a good hold on Charm’s ear and Charm is emitting a high pitched squeal for long periods of time that translates as “Excuse me, but you’re HURTING MY EAR!” Charm is the Laurel in this Laurel and Hardy act. She’s sweet and clumsy and so very forgiving.
Chism takes up all the air in the room. She is ON all the time and if you catch her taking a quick nap on the Frank bed, all you have to do is think, “Ah, there she is sleeping” and she will leap to correct your assumption. Whoever adopts this pup better know his/her way around a dog training manual.
Another Good Dog™ 