Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Sweet

We all have a bad day once in awhile and today was one for me........it finally got the best of me and I did what all well bred Southern women were taught to do in the past.......I took to the bed !!! Of course that really didn't help any more today than a century ago except for one thing............I was curled up in the fetal position and was sobbing and blowing my nose and feeling more sad than I have been in a very long time.
I heard a little whimper and opened my eyes...........about two feet from my face , laying side by side with their faces resting on their front paws and as still as they could be were three of the cutest cavaliers in the world. Six huge brown eyes staring at me and very still. I don't even know when they got on the bed. At first I just looked at them but Montgomery is the talker of the group and he did another little whimper and as soon as I talked to them they all crawled over to me with tails wagging.............they proceeded to walk all over me, rub all over me and roll all over me. Needless to say the crying was over!!
It was the sweetest thing.
e

E and Zeke go to the vet

I hope the Easter Bunny leaves you a basket full of love and good health and maybe a piece of really good chocolate!!

Zeke and I had an interesting afternoon this past week. He wasn't eating with his usual gusto and seemed to be on top of me at all times so I knew something was going on with him.....so after some feeling around I discovered true grossness encrusted all over his little package.....tried washing, trimming, more washing but nothing was working so I'm thinking he's got some terrible STD or worse as I had never seen anything quite like it before.The next afternoon Zeke and I went to the vet's office and found that my usual vet had sold his business and moved to Murrell's Inlet on Jan. 1. So there we were ..... new Vet, new dog, new office procedure and new ailment. Could have been a disaster but the new Vet was great, Zeke was his wonderful self and the encrusted wang was not nearly as bad as it looked (and smelled).
As soon as we walked in the door Zeke was the center of attention and everyone had to put their hands on him and talk baby talk etc. You would not believe.....no I guess you would probably have expected it as I do now. Besides his only competition at the time was a yappy little terrier of some kind and an ill tempered pomeranian.....give me a break. When we got in the examination room and they saw what I was talking about they decided to lay him on his back to clean him up and he wanted no part of it so I stepped in and told them to let me hold him and of course they were skeptical but said we'd give it a try....I picked him up and cradled him like a baby and he didn't move or make a sound for twenty minutes......he just looked at me and I kept telling him what a good boy he was. The vet and his assistant were really caring and gentle during the entire process .....they used a saline solution and some other stuff, trimmed some weird hairs growing in weird directions and then the vet grabs Zeke's shaft and says let's take a look at that penis....you are probably used to things like that but a thousand funny things popped into my head ...be honest they flashed in your mind too.....so I said geeze Doc your idea of foreplay stinks!!!!! It just came flying out of my mouth and they started laughing so hard so much so that the receptionist came back to see what was going on. Zeke was a champ through it all and the vet was impressed with him but there's no telling what he thought of me.
e

Needless to say

Well I told Brogie about his new grandchildren and although he looked at me as if he was listening we all know he can't hear a thing unless you yell.........and besides all he really cared about was me rubbing his belly. It took him a really long time to relax when someone was petting him.........it's not that he didn't like it .......but you could tell he was on edge as if something might happen. Not so anymore....as a matter of fact he probably asks for attention the most and of course he gets it. His head is on my foot right now........needless to say he has learned how to handle me.
e

Brandon and the boys

Daughter Leslie has a significant other, Barry.........and he has a 3 year old son, Brandon, who will grab your heart in a skinny minute or at least that's what happened to me. Steve and I had him this weekend and as you can imagine our very quiet predictable weekend was anything but.........................it was a change for us but it was even more so for the boys. Brandon is not a rowdy kid but he is 3 and he is on the go ........so the boys were in shock at first. Montgomery got into the swing of things quickly and was soon playing fetch with balls and hotwheels............Zeke doesn't do the fetch thing but he did sit and watch as we built a lego tower and Brandon laughed so hard when Zeke knocked the whole thing down with his tail.........Zeke was interested in everything we did but most enjoyed nap time. Brogie is another story....he was very apprehensive all weekend. I think he was afraid Brandon would fall on him or something like that or maybe he had a bad experience in his past with a little one .......who knows. He kept his distance at all times and that is so unlike him. The funny thing is that today they all are exhausted and have been sleeping nonstop. I had to wake them up this morning and none of them was interested.........usually they are all so lovey dovey with tails wagging and kisses .......but not today. They went outside did their business, ate breakfast and went to sleep..........Brogie didn't even eat his breakfast. Their tails weren't even wagging!!!! They slept all day. My guess is that the boys are like Steve and I thinking that the best thing about grandchildren is that after the fun is over they go home.
e

Too Tall

A few years ago Rose Hill converted it's 27 hole golf course back to a normal 18 hole course...........so what do you do with all that property. Can't tell you what a hot topic it was here in our little part of the world. While the powers that be tried to decide what to do with it the residents of Rose Hill started using it just as it should be used.......the cart path is paved and is just over two miles long so walkers, joggers, bikers and skaters put it to good use. Flying kites and electric airplanes is a big activity also. But the people that use it the most are the dog owners. We even call it the dog park. There are two poop bag dispensers and trash containers so it is a great set up. The boys love it and we have been letting them off leash at the far end. Zeke runs as hard as he can for a few minutes and then goes in circles........then he runs back to us and circles us........you should see his little face. I swear he's smiling!!!!
I don't know if you'll believe this as we had a hard time believing our own eyes the first time but Brogie is a great little runner.......he keeps up with Zeke and Montgomery. He's not so good on the circling part but in a straight line he's right there with them and if there is a squirrel or bird he'll lead the way. We think he has a little bit of alzheimers because when he sees a big egret he forgets how stiff he is and hauls his butt as fast as he can......he gets pretty tired and seems to be happy when I put the leash back on.
As we were walking back to the car today a man with two very large great
danes was just starting their walk........and the funniest thing happened. Montgomery and Brogie went over to meet and greet and do the smell the butt routine but no matter how hard they stretched they couldn't get a good sniff.......Brogie got up on his hind legs and put his front paws on Montgomery's back and still couldn't get anywhere near where he needed to be for a proper sniff. The great danes were so sweet.......they just looked around and when their dad called them they trotted off. Of course Zeke was in his usual spot when big dogs are around....behind his mama.
e

Rock Statrs

What with all the rain and flooding and flu I haven't been out and about much recently so when we decided to pick up a pizza the other day I had forgotten how three handsome cavaliers invariably draw a crowd. We went to a local pizza place that is take out only so while Steve was inside I opened the back of the car as the boys love to take in all the sights and smells..........it didn't take long before I was answering all the usual questions and watching the love fest. It used to be...what kind of dogs are they? but more and more I'm hearing...are those King Charles? People still don't quite get the name but are much more aware of the breed now. We were coming out of a park and walking back to the car yesterday and a lady slammed on her brakes, jumped out of her car and left it running in the middle of the street .........the boys loved her and she was all over them and vice versa. Having ROCK STAR dogs is never dull.
e

Cold, Wet Winter

Our front yard is under water and the only good thing is that I guess we could list it as "waterfront" property and market it to boaters.
I must have enjoyed the flu as I proceeded to have a relapse and can't seem to get back to normal.
In fact everyone I talk to these days is in the middle of some kind of turmoil whether it's marital problems or financial woes or health issues or grown children having to move back home and the list goes on. This is truly the winter of discontent............but I am so lucky to have my very own antidepressant available to me 24/7 and no prescription necessary. General Montgomery H Carson, Lord Broughan Carson and Zig Zag Zeke Carson shower me with affection and adoration each and every time they see me. They treat me like I'm the most magnificent person ever..........I get to smile over and over every day and not many people get to do that these days. Too bad I can't really bottle this stuff......I could call it CAVALIER CURE ALL.........garanteed to ease your pain , soothe your soul and bring you joy.
e

Unbelievably Sweet Dogs

I am almost never sick........can't remember the last time I had a cold but this year I got a flu shot as that's all I heard about in the fall and since I'm "getting up in years" ........thought it was a good idea...so what happens..I got the worst case of flu that I have ever had.Who knows what I had as I was to sick to go to a doctor until 6 days later and that was too late. But that's not what I wanted to tell you about.
I got sick in the middle of the afternoon and spent that first night in and out of the bathroom and finally got settled into bed a little before dawn and I slept for 28 hours. Steve said that Brogie and Montgomery layed next to me with their heads on my legs the whole time except when they went out to potty or when they ate. How sweet is that!!!!!!!!!!
Now this is a little sad. Evidently Zeke was on a pillow beside mine and had his head on mine and would not move not even to eat. After about 20 hours Steve picked him up and took him outside to potty which he did quickly and ran back in to his position. He did not eat until I woke up 8 hours later. When I woke up his leg was across my neck and his chin was on my forehead. We think he thought I was dead and was in mourning. We are all recovering nicely and Zeke is making up for missed meals.
e

Puppy Love

OMG...........Zeke is in love! You would think a handsome fella like Zeke would have an eye for the spunky little poodle at the end of our street or maybe the fluffy lapso apso or our neighbor's corgi but noooooooooo.........he's got the hots for a HAT.
This love story began on Christmas. Steve got this cool hat as a gift........it's red and black plaid and has ear flaps but the main thing is that it's lined with rabbit fur. Steve has a very big head and this hat is huge and when it came out of the box all three dogs made a bee line for it. Brogie and Montgomery lost interest but Zeke was beside himself. Finally put it up and out of sight but I guess it wasn't out of smell as Zeke sat in front of the closet door and patiently waited.......and waited........and waited
I lured him away with food and Steve took the hat out to the garage. Zeke went back to the closet and knew it was gone so he went all over the house sniffing.....didn't give up for a long time. A few days later I heard Zeke out in the garage barking which is unusual so I investigated and he had spotted the hat on a high shelf and he was jumping and barking and totally revved up. That same day we went to an oyster roast and Steve wore the hat and when we got home he left it in the car. Steve putters around in the garage a lot and is often working on his car so a few days later I was in the kitchen and Zeke came running in the house with the beloved hat. I was afraid he was going to tear it up but I guess I didn't realize that this was "puppy love" for real. I tried to grab it but he ran over to the bed and jumped up and rubbed his head and all of his body all over the hat and then layed on top of it. I eventually got it but felt terrible when he looked at me with those huge brown eyes. We would give it to him if it was't such a nice hat. So now I'm on the look out for a cheap hat with rabbit fur.
e

COLD

Steve and I wear down vests during the fall, winter, and spring and it's usually all you need here. Daughter Leslie gave all the pups a new vest for Christmas and we were happy to have them yesterday. We had to go on our walk early yesterday and when we left it was 27 degrees.........way cold for us. I was so bundled up that I looked like the Pilsbury dough boy and Steve was the Michelin Man........but the puppies were adorable.
Brogie has worn clothes before as he was comfortable getting dressed and moved normally but Zeke was a little concerned. He let me put his vest on but then he tried to rub it off........when it wouldn't come off he ran to me with that look...fix it Mom! Montgomery is used to it so he knew we were going out and he was happy. Brogie's vest has a pocket.....must be for his cell phone!!!!!!! When we got outside we were all happy to be dressed for the weather even Zeke. Today he didn't even try to rub it off.
e

Hair

Happy New Year
One of my friends called me at the last minute to substitute in her bridge club and I reluctantly agreed and threw on my fleece jacket, combed my hair etc and off I went. Hadn't seen some of the ladies in awhile but one of them said .........oh Emma you've got dog hair all over your jacket and she proceeded to try to brush it off!!!!!
Little did she know that I had already spent five minutes and three sections of sticky paper on it and I was well satisfied with how little hair was still on it.
e

Wrapping

Couldn't put it off any longer so decided to wrap gifts last night.....I have turned into a scrooge as I find gift wrapping to be a pain and have even considered stuffing everything in a bag with tissue paper peeking over the top....just think it could be a theme Christmas...BAGS R US or SANTA SACKS or even better PRETTY PAPER POKES .....maybe next year.

In the midst of all the paper cutting and taping and bow making and just when I was completely sick of it all one of my little guys made me laugh out loud. I had bought Steve one of those nice rain jackets that has a zip in or out fleece jacket inside so it's good for all year wear as he has worn the same one for years now and it looks ruff. I had it laying in a big box but had not put the top on yet . Zeke was in the box on top of the jacket ON HIS BACK.
Jacket- $100.00.........Zeke in the box- Priceless
e

Dirty Dishes

Have been having some backpain lately and was laying on the bed with the heating pad when I heard some dishes rattle ........ didn't think too much about it as I was very happy stretched out on the heating pad and thought maybe Steve was looking for a snack. But every 10 seconds or so I would hear another little rattle........curiosity got the best of me and I went to see........what's your guess?

The door to the dishwasher was open and sitting on top was Zeke.....he was licking the dirty dishes as quietly as possible......as soon as he saw me he dropped his little head like he was in BIG trouble......all I could do was laugh. He is so funny.
e

The Tree

We have a zillion Christmas ornaments and lights and so I usually look for a chubby if not down right fat tree..........this year's tree is morbidly obese!!!!! Zeke helped me with the lights and some of the ornaments but Montgomery and Brogie only watched for 10 or 15 minutes and went back to the bedroom to nap. It was dark and rainy all day and they slept a long time. I was sitting on the floor taking a break and trying to untangle some ornaments when Brogie sauntered over to me for a little rubbing but I could tell he needed to go out ........he took a look at the tree and I knew what he was thinking.........so I watched him and just as he started to lift that leg I yelped at him so he preceded to go under the tree and all the way around and came out with two ornaments hanging on his fur......one was on his ear and one was on his tail.......I jumped up to get my camera but by the time I got back he had gotten them off.........it would have been a great Christmas card.
e

TAG

Every night at about this time we see Brogie chasing Montgomery through the kitchen and into the great room and on to the bedroom........a few seconds later they do it all over again but this time Brogie leads the way. His health and overall fitness has improved even more since you were here and he walks everyday now. His ears are always up and we are soooooo happy to see him this way. He and Montgomery are VERY similar in almost everything and have become very close. Zeke has turned into a Mama's boy and prefers to be on my lap when at all possible. He watches the other two racing around but all he wants is some belly scratching..........and of course I'm more than happy to oblige.
Hope you are well.
e









After looking at these pictures you may want to review your screening procedures for prospective retiree adopters...........because it is obvious that two NUTS are responsible for two of your beloved puppies.
My favorite shot is the one that Brogie is kissing Santa..........Santa loved Brogie and we have noticed that when we are out and folks come over to us they almost always end up fawning over Brogie.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
e

Baking with Zeke

It is surely getting close to the holidays because this afternoon I decided to bake cookies and in my later life that doesn't happen very often..........same thing with real cooking and just about every other domestic thing I can think of ...........but today the old urge for home baked goodness got the best of me. Zeke is my kitchen buddy and when I started mulling around in the kitchen in the middle of the afternoon he was anxious to know what was up. He watched everything and smelled everything....butter, eggs, brown sugar oh my....I read the recipe out loud to him and he turned his head back and forth as if he knew exactly what was going on..........at one point I had to get a paper towel and wipe the drool off his mouth. He had two long strings hanging all the way to the floor!!!!!!!
We set our counter tops higher than normal because we are so tall and it's a good thing because if they were standard height I believe Z would jump right up there. Usually he just sits and watches me but today I think the smells got to him as he got so worked up he did the snort thing and did a little whining..........he was so cute.........and he loved his very own just out of the oven COOKIE!!!!!
e

Proud Parents

We had an interesting encounter on the trail this afternoon........a horse and rider came up behind us and it was the first time that has happened with Brogie and Z. Montgomery has never had any reaction to it but just didn't know what to expect from the others. We were at a narrow section of trail and we squeezed over to the side and the boys sat right beside us and never made a sound. The rider was on a very experience horse........didn't even have his feet in the stirrups......he started talking about our beautiful cavaliers and asked if we were showing them in Savannah right after Thanksgiving.
He sounded very knowledgeable and was surprised to find out Brogie's age. We talked a bit and as he walked on he said ......your cavaliers have wonderful manners maybe the best I've seen. Don't know if that's true but it was a nice thing for him to say. We were proud.

Our refrigerator has the freezer on the bottom so the actual frig is about three feet up.....I was a little late with supper tonight and when I opened the frig to get the hamburger Zeke tried to jump in the meat drawer. Never a dull moment.
e

HO HO HO

We all know that I am looney tunes about the boys but in my defense all that I am about to tell you is in connection with a charity event for the Humane Society.........ok that makes me feel a little bit better I think.
After a few hours of bathing, blow drying, grooming, and brushing and of course Christmas bandana attaching we loaded up the boys and went to a local pet shop for pictures with the big guy....that's right ........SANTA
We arrived at our assigned time but they were running a bit late so we opened up the back of the car and the boys were on view......they were a hit as usual even though all the dogs I saw were beautiful......but let's face it they aren't cavaliers. The clientel at this little shop is represented by every manner of purebred canine you can think of and the Carson Pack was the hit of the day. Santa was one of the owners of the shop and he is a little guy and he was really good with all the dogs. When we were done he wanted to hold Brogie a little longer and Brogie looked at him with his big soulful eyes and Santa was hooked. He rubbed Brogie and talked to him for a good while........don't think he wanted to stop but the lapso aphso group right behind us was getting crazy.
They even took a few shots of all the Carsons on the sofa with Santa......we have lost our minds. I don't think any of the pictures will be very good as the boys were really excited and the photographer was not a professional.....but everyone made a nice donation and we all had a fun time and when we get the disk I'll send them to you.
We had some errands to do so by the time we got home the fellas were wasted as you can see in the enclosed photos........they slept for hours.
e

Zeke Carson

Zeke has been soooooooooooo easy to love. He bonded with all of us quickly and seems to enjoy everything we do. He loves to fold clothes....I always empty the basket on the bed and fold there so I can watch TV as I fold.......Zeke inspects each piece of laundry, snorts, and rolls on top and don't get me started on the vacuum cleaner.....he especially likes the little crevice attachment...moves his head from side to side trying to figure out why it's making such a high pitched sound...........sucked up a dime one day and Z looked at me then the vacuum me vacuum me vacuum.........I got so tickled I sat down on the floor giggling and before you knew it I had three boys climbing all over me.
We have an office set up in the room over the garage and there's a single bed up there so when both Steve and I are working they all come up there and snooze on the bed. Montgomery and Brogie just lay down and rest but Z watches us for awhile.....can always tell when he lays down because the snoring begins. Another thing Zeke loves is the car .....don't open a car door around him unless you're ok with him jumping in......got groceries today and you know who got up in there and sniffed each bag. He really likes it when I am in the kitchen.......since he has been here I have not cooked one thing alone and he always helps loading the dishwasher.........he knows the refrigerator is a good thing and is intent when that door opens. He participates in everything and of course I talk to him all the time and he looks at me like we are really conversing...........I guess we are.
Of course his most favorite thing is going for a walk and I'll tell you all about that later just know he has a ball.
Holly, thank you for letting us have him so soon.....I was willing to wait for him for a year and a half but I didn't know him then.
By the way, Montgomery loves loves loves them. Through out this whole process he has been loving and kind to both of them. He is not a loner and having Bogie and Zeke has been wonderful for him too.
Z is loved deeply and I believe he is very happy.
E
Occasionally in life when we put a little effort into something we see some rewards and I'm here to tell you that sometimes that little bit of effort can pay back BIGTIME. The first few days we had Brogie he was sweet, quiet, and always tried to do what we asked.........but when I looked in his little eyes all I saw was not really sadness but maybe the best description would be resignation. He wasn't eating much....he was lethargic........he never caused any trouble and he seemed to love any attention I gave him but he was not thriving. At first I thought maybe his age had gotten the best of him and he was too tired to try anymore but then I remembered our first trip up to your place and how he took off to go up to your house to visit the ladies. He was a dog on a mission and that was in early August so I began a new strategy with Lord Broughan. I knew he wasn't eating enough so I started feeding him in a room by himself and boy oh boy did that work...........he eats everything in his bowl and scratches on the door when he's done........it's done wonders for him and now he sits in the kitchen licking his chops while I get his bowl ready. The other thing I did was to spend some time alone with him each day....he has responded so well that I am amazed. I think Montgomery and Zeke are so much stronger and have so much more energy that they push Brogie to the side in their exuberence for food, treats, attention and whatever else is going on. They don't mean to hurt him or anything like that it's just the way it is. Brogie now trots over to me and asks for loving and I most always stop what I'm doing and hug on him and you should see the twinkle in his eyes.........he is a love muffin. We have been taking him on our walks every other day so that his little joints and muscles could rest but he is doing so well we're going to go to a two days on and one day to rest schedule. We wallk briskly for at least an hour an he can now keep pace and I swear he looks like he's enjoying it. He might be old but he's got a lot of living to do and I mean HAPPY living for him and me. I adore him.
I have a lot to tell about Zeke too but I'll do that next time.
E

Brogie

Occasionally in life when we put a little effort into something we see some rewards and I'm here to tell you that sometimes that little bit of effort can pay back BIGTIME. The first few days we had Brogie he was sweet, quiet, and always tried to do what we asked.........but when I looked in his little eyes all I saw was not really sadness but maybe the best description would be resignation. He wasn't eating much....he was lethargic........he never caused any trouble and he seemed to love any attention I gave him but he was not thriving. At first I thought maybe his age had gotten the best of him and he was too tired to try anymore but then I remembered our first trip up to your place and how he took off to go up to your house to visit the ladies. He was a dog on a mission and that was in early August so I began a new strategy with Lord Broughan. I knew he wasn't eating enough so I started feeding him in a room by himself and boy oh boy did that work...........he eats everything in his bowl and scratches on the door when he's done........it's done wonders for him and now he sits in the kitchen licking his chops while I get his bowl ready. The other thing I did was to spend some time alone with him each day....he has responded so well that I am amazed. I think Montgomery and Zeke are so much stronger and have so much more energy that they push Brogie to the side in their exuberence for food, treats, attention and whatever else is going on. They don't mean to hurt him or anything like that it's just the way it is. Brogie now trots over to me and asks for loving and I most always stop what I'm doing and hug on him and you should see the twinkle in his eyes.........he is a love muffin. We have been taking him on our walks every other day so that his little joints and muscles could rest but he is doing so well we're going to go to a two days on and one day to rest schedule. We wallk briskly for at least an hour an he can now keep pace and I swear he looks like he's enjoying it. He might be old but he's got a lot of living to do and I mean HAPPY living for him and me. I adore him.
I have a lot to tell about Zeke too but I'll do that next time.
E

Carson Boys

We have a very small family and I love all of them and I like most of them .... but family that you get to choose is one of life's true joys.

We have been thinking that Brogie is looking better and better........we know he's feeling good because he is so much more active and so much more into everything that we do....and today a neighbor who hasn't seen him in a few weeks couldn't get over how good he looked........it made us feel so good because let's face it he has us wrapped around his little paws and we want him to be around as long as possible.
Am attaching a few pictures of the pack snoozing together and one of Brogie that didn't turn out so good as he put his nose almost on the lens. I'm having to learn how to take shots of three at a time.....it's not as easy as I thought it would be.
e

Puppy Tales

I have a small pantry just off the kitchen where I keep almost all nonperishable food etc..........and of course dog treats and it has become Zeke's most favorite place..........but only at certain times of the day....he has figured out when I am most likely to give them a treat and since the door is usually open part way he now goes inside this tiny pantry and waits. The first day they were here I realized that Zeke is food aggressive so he eats in the utility room by himself and the other two get their food in peace but when it comes to treats the first one that comes gets the first treat. Sometimes after they have been out to take care of business during the middle of the day I give them a little treat and I know where to find Z. He's so cute about being smart.
Have Brogie and Zeke been on heartworm prevention pills? Went by the Vet today as I only had 2 pills left and they said I would need to have bloodwork done on them unless you had some sort of documentation from vet showing a negative heartworm result. No problem if you don't I'll have them tested if need be.
e

E-mails

For the last ten years or so I have listened to my friends telling all sorts of stories about their grandchildren and have probably .....no, absolutely looked at 10,000 pictures of them. So you would think they wouldn't mind hearing about my puppies but they are definitely over it. I admit that I'm a little over the edge but I'm OK with that and I love being able to write to someone who is actually interested in the boys and enjoys my stories. I have always loved dogs but as I get older I am realizing that I like dogs more and people less.........dogs are so honest and so kind and ask so little.........wouldn't it be nice if you could say the same about humans.
E

Brogie's Baby Boy

You told us right before we left with the boys that we would draw a crowd with three cavaliers..............you were right. The funniest thing about it is that almost everyone says the same thing. Oh they're so cute and they all look alike! OK I get it they are all one breed but really.......they are not even all the same color ........go figure. I think what happens is that when they see the boys they get an overdose of CUTENESS and just start blabbering anything that comes to mind whether it makes sense or not. It is so much fun.
E

Zeke Carson aka ZigZak Zeke aka Ziggie aka Z

Zeke has been soooooooooooo easy to love. He bonded with all of us quickly and seems to enjoy everything we do. He loves to fold clothes....I always empty the basket on the bed and fold there so I can watch TV as I fold.......Zeke inspects each piece of laundry, snorts, and rolls on top and don't get me started on the vacuum cleaner.....he especially likes the little crevice attachment...moves his head from side to side trying to figure out why it's making such a high pitched sound...........sucked up a dime one day and Z looked at me then the vacuum me vacuum me vacuum.........I got so tickled I sat down on the floor giggling and before you knew it I had three boys climbing all over me.
We have an office set up in the room over the garage and there's a single bed up there so when both Steve and I are working they all come up there and snooze on the bed. Montgomery and Brogie just lay down and rest but Z watches us for awhile.....can always tell when he lays down because the snoring begins. Another thing Zeke loves is the car .....don't open a car door around him unless you're ok with him jumping in......got groceries today and you know who got up in there and sniffed each bag. He really likes it when I am in the kitchen.......since he has been here I have not cooked one thing alone and he always helps loading the dishwasher.........he knows the refrigerator is a good thing and is intent when that door opens. He participates in everything and of course I talk to him all the time and he looks at me like we are really conversing...........I guess we are.
Of course his most favorite thing is going for a walk and I'll tell you all about that later just know he has a ball.
Holly, thank you for letting us have him so soon.....I was willing to wait for him for a year and a half but I didn't know him then.
By the way, Montgomery loves loves loves them. Through out this whole process he has been loving and kind to both of them. He is not a loner and having Bogie and Zeke has been wonderful for him too.
Z is loved deeply and I believe he is very happy.
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Brogie Carson

Occasionally in life when we put a little effort into something we see some rewards and I'm here to tell you that sometimes that little bit of effort can pay back BIGTIME. The first few days we had Brogie he was sweet, quiet, and always tried to do what we asked.........but when I looked in his little eyes all I saw was not really sadness but maybe the best description would be resignation. He wasn't eating much....he was lethargic........he never caused any trouble and he seemed to love any attention I gave him but he was not thriving. At first I thought maybe his age had gotten the best of him and he was too tired to try anymore but then I remembered our first trip up to your place and how he took off to go up to your house to visit the ladies. He was a dog on a mission and that was in early August so I began a new strategy with Lord Broughan. I knew he wasn't eating enough so I started feeding him in a room by himself and boy oh boy did that work...........he eats everything in his bowl and scratches on the door when he's done........it's done wonders for him and now he sits in the kitchen licking his chops while I get his bowl ready. The other thing I did was to spend some time alone with him each day....he has responded so well that I am amazed. I think Montgomery and Zeke are so much stronger and have so much more energy that they push Brogie to the side in their exuberence for food, treats, attention and whatever else is going on. They don't mean to hurt him or anything like that it's just the way it is. Brogie now trots over to me and asks for loving and I most always stop what I'm doing and hug on him and you should see the twinkle in his eyes.........he is a love muffin. We have been taking him on our walks every other day so that his little joints and muscles could rest but he is doing so well we're going to go to a two days on and one day to rest schedule. We wallk briskly for at least an hour an he can now keep pace and I swear he looks like he's enjoying it. He might be old but he's got a lot of living to do and I mean HAPPY living for him and me. I adore him.
I have a lot to tell about Zeke too but I'll do that next time.
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Carson Boys

We had bath day on Wed. and as usual I learned a thing or two. I have always bragged about how good Montgomery is about taking a bath........so I bathed him first and dryed him with the hair dryer and trimmed a little around the ears.........so far so good. Next up Zeke. I didn't know what to expect but I figured at least I had one of them done and I'd get through the next two. Well turns out Zeke is absolutely wonderful getting a bath. He even did his patented snort when I scrubbed around his tail and behind his ears........his tail wagged most of the time annd when I blow dryed he laid down on the towels and I just rolled him over when I needed to get to another side. Every time I told him what a good boy he is he licked me and looked at me with those huge brown eyes. OK so at this point I am happy beyond words so even if Brogie turns out to be difficult I feel like it will work out fine. Now Brogie had been watching all of this as he was on my bed in the pillows and from there you can see the tub and vanity and I was pleased because at least he hadn't run off to hide. I try to be much more gentle with everything I do with Brogie because he is so stiff and I know a lot of things hurt him but you would never be able to tell that when he's getting a bath..........he was magnificent.........even lifted each leg when I asked and he loves to be rubbed on his chest and his private parts. Blow drying was equally good. He held his head up and seemed to love the air on his chest. He loves attention and he made the whole thing a real love fest. So now I can brag about how wonderful all of the boys are on bath day.
I'm attaching a few pictures taken right before and during one of our walks. They all have on their Halloween bandanas and I think they look very handsome. I will take more pictures soon just haven't gotten into that much yet.
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Meal Time

We live a fairly quiet life these days.......maybe it borders on boring.....but some of the things I might have missed during my busy years are no longer overlooked and often bring an unexpected smile or big laugh. We have settled into a routine at mealtime and the dogs and cat are fed first and they all must have watches as they start assembling at about the same time in the morning and in the evening. All three dogs are so much the same and so much different and mealtime is the perfect example. Now these guys spend all of their time together but I feed them in separate rooms for a number of reasons .........the most important being that it gives Brogie a chance to eat in peace and he does so well that way. Truth be told we do a lot of things a certain way to accomodate Brogie's age but then he is the kind of dog that makes you want to do that...........I wish we had gotten him many years ago.
While I am fixing their meal they are watching my every move......they have learned not to sit in front of the refrigerator or the microwave but the rest of the kitchen is theirs.......and they have fairly good patience.....up to a point.
Zeke is first....simply because he is the most enthusiastic which is a nice way to say he's hell bent on getting his food and getting it now! He is fed in the utility room and when I'm walking that way he moonwalks swiftly..........guess you might call it moontrots all the way never taking his big brown eyes off his bowl. You would think going backwards that fast that he would bump into something but he must have the route memorized as he never touches anything. To me it's the cutest thing and he does it everytime.
Brogie is next and his thing is to start licking his chops and walking in place.........I guess he has flat feet or fallen arches or something and we describe his style of walking as paddling ........I take his bowl to the bedroom and I hear him paddling behind me and when I put the bowl down he paddles into just the right position and let me tell you he moves around until he is in his most preferred position .........then he gets into it just as much as the others, teeth or no teeth.
Montgomery is last because it's OK with him to be last.........he is just as eager but is willing to wait. Now Montgomery is like his Mama when it comes to weight.........not breed standard.........more of us to love!!!!!!!!! He tells me how happy he is with his tail....instead of wagging from side to side it goes around in circles and then when I start to bend over to put his bowl down he goes around in a circle too! Does it every time.
What may be viewed as a chore to get the dogs fed has turned into a little comedy act that I get to enjoy twice a day.
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The Saga Begins

My husband and I became empty nesters later in life than most. It was bittersweet but we adjusted and got busy living our new life. All was well for several years until our 16 year old poodle died. Losing a beloved pet is always hard no matter what stage of life you are in but this time it was crushing. It took me a year to even think about getting a new dog and another 6 months to get serious about it.
We have always had cocker spaniels and then our little poodle and I thought it would be a cool idea to get a cockapoo. Our daughter wanted us to think about getting some dog called a CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL. She's pretty sharp......she told me all about cavaliers and then showed me pictures!!!!!!!!
I had to have one.....a tricolor. Someone was looking out for me because I did everything wrong .....no research, no visit to see facilities or parents, and no references from former clients. I saw the ad and called the number. Next thing you know I am pulling into the parking lot of a McDonalds just off I 20 and meeting a "breeder". She was parked by the dumpster but all I could see was the magnificent little puppy in her arms. In no time at all I was whipping out hundred dollar bills like they grew on trees. I got the paperwork and the puppy and headed off into the sunset. I am sure that if anyone was looking at the surveilance cameras for McDonalds the whole thing would look like a drug deal at twilight.
And so our CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL saga began.
I named him Montgomery but we mostly call him Gummie. Fortunately, his heart and knees are good and I later found out the seller is known to be a respectable person etc. For the next year I was deep into puppy love but as we all know one cavalier is never enough and Gummie loves other dogs.......but I just didn't want to start over again with a puppy..........I wanted an instant pal for Gummie. Again someone was looking out for me as one day I came upon a neat website........CAVALIERS BY CRUMLEY. I read everything on the site, looked at all the pictures, and did it all over again the next day. I was excited about the retiree section and decided that even though Holly had no idea who I was or what kind of person I was ..........well I was going to fill out the retiree application and somehow I would convince her that we would be a good fit for one of her beloved cavaliers.
In August 2009 we drove to Lula, GA to meet Holly and 10 year old Broughan aka Brogie. Gummie loved it. We got down on the floor amidst all the wagging and met precious Trudy and sweet Lily and handsome, handsome, handsome Zeke.
On October 10 2009 we returned to Lula to pick up the boys.......BROGIE and ZEKE............now we have a pack!!!
As Holly was saying her goodbyes to Brogie and Zeke, she teared up and I felt horrible even though I was so happy and I quickly said that we would stay in touch..............AND WE WILL

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