You know what? I told you on Friday I'd have great news for ya on Monday, but DAMN!!
Saturday morning I drove into DC, picked up Ira and Warner and off we went to "
South Paws", a veterinary hospital in Fairfax, VA. Warner was scheduled for a sonogram. Don't even ask me what for.... it was so technical my brain STILL hurts.
Warner was so comfortable in the back seat of the truck she made it as difficult as possible for Ira to leash her.
Turns out however, although she's 10 or so yrs old, she and her internal organs are in pretty good shape. The doctor was so impressed with Ira's knowledge of what was going on, she assumed and asked if he had a medical background.... she almost dropped the little sonogram thingy when I told her, "NO, he's just a nerd"
Let me tell you... this place is just "Top Drawer". They have doggie bowls at the water fountain and a Cappuccino machine.
Of course we understood how they could afford to give away cappuccinos when they told Ira what the total was.... good god.
Poor Warner was like.... please pay it.... they'll use me for experiments otherwise. She gave us one of her pleading bug-eyed looks and drooled a little.... that's all it took and Ira was slinging a credit card at them. Of course I was all about telling him how now she deserved Ice-Cream since she was SOOOOO good and didn't bite a single person.
On one of my last walks with Takaani and Dash together, I stopped in front of our neighbors Chris and Miriam's home. I couldn't go in because Takaani just requires too much energy to do the whole "get to know you" thing and they have three dogs. Miriam who just happens to ALWAYS have a camera in her hand snapped an album of pics before we headed back up the hill to home and air conditioning. Dash is forever happy to drool on a camera, but today Takaani was over it and we could tell by his ear-folding attitude. He turns them back when he's annoyed.
Well, Saturday came to an end and just like those many nights when we were children waiting for Santa Claus to come.... I didn't get any sleep. Sunday would mean taking Takaani to meet another family that might possibly adopt him, and I wasn't ready.
I had written back and forth with this fella Terry and heard all about this great farm where the animals all love living and his 10 yr old Malamute roams free and never leaves the farm.
Truthfully, I believed what he said in his e-mails, but I had prepared myself for the sound of banjos playing when we arrived. I had told Steve that if the farm was run down or the dog that lives there was aggressive, we were leaving. I seriously think Steve went with me because he believed I had somehow sabotaged Takaani's previous "almost adoptions", and was going to make sure I didn't screw THIS one up. I won't go into direction detail, but if you ever get the chance.... Go There.
Fort Valley, VA
It wouldn't have been an outing with Dean n Steve if we didn't pass at least one turn and end up in the wrong driveway, but eventually we pulled up behind the right house. Oh, I forgot to mention the absolutely beautiful and weedless flower beds at the farm entrance.... the long winding road that went up and up and up and emptied out under a sprawling pine that was cloaked by an immense and equally beautiful multi-layered, rock bordered flower garden.
Where the hell were we and would Takaani really be living here? Was his luck changing? If they liked him and kept him, could I come visit and STAY? There were all kinds of questions going through my mind, but the one thing that wasn't, was banjo music. Nope, there weren't any backwoods dog skinners here. This was the home of decent folk and I hadn't even met them. Out of the house came Terry followed by Bob, and both of them accompanied by the biggest dog I've ever seen. Trooper had to be at least 5 times bigger than Takaani, but I'm sure it was mostly fur, because he probably only weighed 3 times what Takaani weighed. So, this began two hours of meeting the fellas and discussing Takaani's history and hearing more about the farm and the rescued horses that live there. If it weren't for the gnats I'd probably still be there jawin away.
I realized after just a short while, that this was Takaanis new home and that he had found his humans.
It had been drilled into my head by the Malamute Rescue people and the numerous websites by those OH SO RESPONSIBLE DOG BREEDERS that Malamutes need a fence to keep them in. I should have known better. Takaani didn't need a fence. What he NEEDED was a reason to never want to leave. He would find that here on this little piece of heaven. Trooper had found it and he was obviously willing to share his wisdom with Takaani. Trooper had been a rescue and these fellas knew what it would take to bring Takaani around. I really hated to say goodbye, because I was sort of prepared for some sort of emotional upheaval and it wasn't happening. Takaani was really going to be fine. I couldn't be sad because all I could feel was happy. I knew I would miss him, but more so I would miss being there when he realized for the first time this was his new home and that it rocked.
Some friends of Terry and Bob have a website that has some pretty incredible photos on it. Since I totally spaced and forgot to take ANY pics while we were there, I asked and have for you these two of Trooper. The first one by himself and the second running beside Terry on his horse.
Visit Frank and his website
It's about an hour 1/2 drive between our homes, but a beautiful one. We arrived back in Harpers Ferry to a quiet house. Although I knew where Dash was and I knew he was having fun, I wanted a puppy hug. Miriam eventually returned with him all wet and smelling like a river dawg.... even Dash got wet... just kidding Miriam!!
Dash LOVES the river, but he LOVES even more being at the river with Cane. Cane and Dash have been buds for some time now. They can play for hours... drink and go at it again. I'm happy to have Chris and Miriam as neighbors, but it make it nicer because they have dogs. What better place for two pups to hang out on a hot.... ALMOST summer day!!
Sunday evening came.... it got dark we hung out with Miriam drinking wine and eating watermelon. It was WAY past our bedtime when I finally went to the door with Dash. There would be no Takaani tonight. There would be no racing him to the bed.
I slept good Sunday night, and I slept that way because Takaani wasn't gone, Takaani was finally home.
I checked with Terry today for an update and like I suspected Takaani's fine and he's been renamed. Troopers little Buddy has been dubbed, "Buddy"
This had been an all around Buddy weekend. One of those weekends that make you laugh and cry at the same time. Old friends, new friends, our friends, dogs and humans alike. Time spent with a partner a neighbor a pal, doesn't matter if you've known them for years or just met as long as it's heartfelt. These kind of weekends come more and more often for me. I guess I'm gettin sentimental in my old age.
As for Buddy, he brought a helluva lot more than puppy kisses into my life. He reminded me that to trust in a stranger is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength of character.
His trust is what drove me to never give up on him. His little Houdini butt might have cost him his first two homes, but somehow, I think he knew what he was looking for and refused to settle.
Now he's home and I look forward to seeing and hearing about his adventures.
Have a great life Boy!
Turns out however, although she's 10 or so yrs old, she and her internal organs are in pretty good shape. The doctor was so impressed with Ira's knowledge of what was going on, she assumed and asked if he had a medical background.... she almost dropped the little sonogram thingy when I told her, "NO, he's just a nerd"
Let me tell you... this place is just "Top Drawer". They have doggie bowls at the water fountain and a Cappuccino machine.
Of course we understood how they could afford to give away cappuccinos when they told Ira what the total was.... good god.
Poor Warner was like.... please pay it.... they'll use me for experiments otherwise. She gave us one of her pleading bug-eyed looks and drooled a little.... that's all it took and Ira was slinging a credit card at them. Of course I was all about telling him how now she deserved Ice-Cream since she was SOOOOO good and didn't bite a single person.
On one of my last walks with Takaani and Dash together, I stopped in front of our neighbors Chris and Miriam's home. I couldn't go in because Takaani just requires too much energy to do the whole "get to know you" thing and they have three dogs. Miriam who just happens to ALWAYS have a camera in her hand snapped an album of pics before we headed back up the hill to home and air conditioning. Dash is forever happy to drool on a camera, but today Takaani was over it and we could tell by his ear-folding attitude. He turns them back when he's annoyed.
Well, Saturday came to an end and just like those many nights when we were children waiting for Santa Claus to come.... I didn't get any sleep. Sunday would mean taking Takaani to meet another family that might possibly adopt him, and I wasn't ready.
I had written back and forth with this fella Terry and heard all about this great farm where the animals all love living and his 10 yr old Malamute roams free and never leaves the farm.
Truthfully, I believed what he said in his e-mails, but I had prepared myself for the sound of banjos playing when we arrived. I had told Steve that if the farm was run down or the dog that lives there was aggressive, we were leaving. I seriously think Steve went with me because he believed I had somehow sabotaged Takaani's previous "almost adoptions", and was going to make sure I didn't screw THIS one up. I won't go into direction detail, but if you ever get the chance.... Go There. Fort Valley, VA
It wouldn't have been an outing with Dean n Steve if we didn't pass at least one turn and end up in the wrong driveway, but eventually we pulled up behind the right house. Oh, I forgot to mention the absolutely beautiful and weedless flower beds at the farm entrance.... the long winding road that went up and up and up and emptied out under a sprawling pine that was cloaked by an immense and equally beautiful multi-layered, rock bordered flower garden.
Where the hell were we and would Takaani really be living here? Was his luck changing? If they liked him and kept him, could I come visit and STAY? There were all kinds of questions going through my mind, but the one thing that wasn't, was banjo music. Nope, there weren't any backwoods dog skinners here. This was the home of decent folk and I hadn't even met them. Out of the house came Terry followed by Bob, and both of them accompanied by the biggest dog I've ever seen. Trooper had to be at least 5 times bigger than Takaani, but I'm sure it was mostly fur, because he probably only weighed 3 times what Takaani weighed. So, this began two hours of meeting the fellas and discussing Takaani's history and hearing more about the farm and the rescued horses that live there. If it weren't for the gnats I'd probably still be there jawin away.
I realized after just a short while, that this was Takaanis new home and that he had found his humans.
It had been drilled into my head by the Malamute Rescue people and the numerous websites by those OH SO RESPONSIBLE DOG BREEDERS that Malamutes need a fence to keep them in. I should have known better. Takaani didn't need a fence. What he NEEDED was a reason to never want to leave. He would find that here on this little piece of heaven. Trooper had found it and he was obviously willing to share his wisdom with Takaani. Trooper had been a rescue and these fellas knew what it would take to bring Takaani around. I really hated to say goodbye, because I was sort of prepared for some sort of emotional upheaval and it wasn't happening. Takaani was really going to be fine. I couldn't be sad because all I could feel was happy. I knew I would miss him, but more so I would miss being there when he realized for the first time this was his new home and that it rocked.
Some friends of Terry and Bob have a website that has some pretty incredible photos on it. Since I totally spaced and forgot to take ANY pics while we were there, I asked and have for you these two of Trooper. The first one by himself and the second running beside Terry on his horse. Visit Frank and his website
It's about an hour 1/2 drive between our homes, but a beautiful one. We arrived back in Harpers Ferry to a quiet house. Although I knew where Dash was and I knew he was having fun, I wanted a puppy hug. Miriam eventually returned with him all wet and smelling like a river dawg.... even Dash got wet... just kidding Miriam!!
Dash LOVES the river, but he LOVES even more being at the river with Cane. Cane and Dash have been buds for some time now. They can play for hours... drink and go at it again. I'm happy to have Chris and Miriam as neighbors, but it make it nicer because they have dogs. What better place for two pups to hang out on a hot.... ALMOST summer day!!
Sunday evening came.... it got dark we hung out with Miriam drinking wine and eating watermelon. It was WAY past our bedtime when I finally went to the door with Dash. There would be no Takaani tonight. There would be no racing him to the bed.
I slept good Sunday night, and I slept that way because Takaani wasn't gone, Takaani was finally home.
I checked with Terry today for an update and like I suspected Takaani's fine and he's been renamed. Troopers little Buddy has been dubbed, "Buddy"
This had been an all around Buddy weekend. One of those weekends that make you laugh and cry at the same time. Old friends, new friends, our friends, dogs and humans alike. Time spent with a partner a neighbor a pal, doesn't matter if you've known them for years or just met as long as it's heartfelt. These kind of weekends come more and more often for me. I guess I'm gettin sentimental in my old age.
As for Buddy, he brought a helluva lot more than puppy kisses into my life. He reminded me that to trust in a stranger is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength of character.
His trust is what drove me to never give up on him. His little Houdini butt might have cost him his first two homes, but somehow, I think he knew what he was looking for and refused to settle.
Now he's home and I look forward to seeing and hearing about his adventures.
Have a great life Boy!
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1 comment:
That's really awesome! Everything! The world needs more people like you who can see what's really important in life. Buddy's new home also looks very inviting, including his new humans. When we get to the east coast maybe you can find an "excuse" to take us there? ;)
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