A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS

On the very first day Lucy was with us..... we had a moment.........it's probably the reason she and Gummie are such good pals.
We all went upstairs..........except Lucy, who was stuck at the bottom, shaking. I don't think she had ever seen stairs before and it was too intimidating for her. Daughter,Leslie, picked her up and carried her........... and we all had some lovey dovey time.
Thinking she would be ok going back down we all headed to the kitchen...... noticed Lucy was missing. She was at the top of the stair........nervous but not shaking.....I tried to talk her through it, but nothing was working. Gummie came bounding up with his exuberant little self.......and I guess he knew just what to do.
He went up to her and they touched noses....then he went down one step, .....turned back to look at her and waited.............she slowly came down one step. He touched her nose again and went down 3 or 4 steps, turned, looked at her and waited. She crept down to him ever so cautiously and then they both started wagging.... big time. It was a piece of cake after that.....and these days she is the quickest up and down.
Good times.
e

TENNIS, ANYONE?

Lucy is adjusting to life in a home......doesn't sound too hard but think about it ......she has lived her 3 years in a kennel. Guess what she has had the hardest time with..........TV. At first she barked at anything ................then narrowed it to animals and/or people that moved, but after a few days it mostly went away..................yesterday there was no barking at all.
Sometimes when I go downstairs and know I'll only be down there a few minutes I close the boys (and girl) in my bedroom....mainly so that Brogie won't make a useless trip..... they all follow me wherever I go.........and a 12 year old cavalier doesn't need to make 20 trips a day up and down the stairs. So that's what I did this afternoon.
I was probably down there 15 minutes when I heard Lucy and Gummie raising the roof. I found them at the foot of the bed.....eyes glued to the TV...Wimbledon ...ladies tennis match with Serena Williams and somebody. Both ladies GRUNT when they hit the ball........both dogs BARK every time the ladies GRUNT. When the ladies went to their chairs between games..........the dogs laid back down...but as soon as they heard the next grunt they jumped up ......and got right back into the match.
I started to change the channel but decided to let them work this out.......and thankfully, it was near the end of the match, because they did NOT give it up.
Tennis? Who knew!
e

TRUCKLOAD OF CUTE

Sunday morning a big, shiny black truck(one of those with a big backseat and all the goodies of a luxury car) pulled into my front yard. At the wheel, Steve Crumley, and in the passenger seat, Holly Crumley.....and although they are an attractive duo...........it was their cargo that made this a truckload of CUTENESS.
I have never met any of their three sons........but at least one of them must be a handsome dude. Three year old Bailey Crumley and two year old Jackson Crumley were in the backseat in their car seats.......they were at the end of a very long trip and yet...... soooo sweet and happy. Jackson has blond hair and a smile that he flashes at will......it melts your heart. Bailey has that same blond hair and is a talker........love it.......she showed me her freshly painted finger nails AND toe nails.......and said she was ready to go to the beach because she had been in the truck FOREVER.
As if that is not enough cuteness.......there was another passenger........who had, in fact, ridden all the way in Holly's lap.
LUCY is a three year old blenheim who just finished nursing her puppies...........she is a daughter of our beloved BROGIE...............and we are her new foster parents. She pushed the cuteness gauge into redline territory.
Her coat is blown and she's hanging pretty low..........but when you look at her little face......OMG.
She even has freckles on her face just like Brogie. I was immediately smitten (I love that word, my mama used to use it all the time).
We have had three days with her.............so far her favorite is Gummie. Although she is the smallest, I have the feeling she may end up ruling the roost. Only time will tell.....and I plan to enjoy all the time we have with Miss Lucy.
e

SPUNKY

I went out to get the paper early this morning with Gummie leading the way. It was almost dawn but still pretty dark and when I got to the end of the driveway.......all of a sudden ......barking, growling, and all kinds of commotion coming from across the street. Gummie wanted to zip over there but I said no and we started back up the driveway.
Out of the dark a white fluff ball darted in front of us, trailing a lead line and barking like we were mass killers trying to attack his home. Gummie's tail went into propeller mode and I just watched all the fluffiness running circles around us.
In no time I heard shuffling footsteps coming up the drive......the proverbial "little ole lady" said....I don't think he'll hurt you. I said good morning and we had a nice little chitchat.....both dogs sniffed each other and played chase for awhile.
She was visiting her grandson who lives down the street and had arrived last night so this was only SPUNKY'S second walk in the neighborhood and he was a bit nervous, she said. She was such a nice lady and I enjoyed our talk........... it made me think a bit.
Her grandson is at least 50 years old so she is probably in her nineties. She told me she walks SPUNKY 3 or 4 times every day and he is her buddy.
If I am lucky enough to live into my nineties please let me be ambulatory.................. and please let me have a little buddy to walk.
e

OLLIE

I have a new email friend, "d", who lives out on the west coast and has four beautiful cavaliers, one of each color. How cool is that! She sent me a great little story recently that I would like to share ........hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
e


An interesting story today. We live in a canyon area surrounded by unpopulated hillsides in the northern part of Los Angeles County. Up until this year there were very few wild furry creatures around. There was, however, a large population of coyotes that roamed the area in packs keeping rodents and the like at bay. We could hear howling at night and often saw them roaming the streets just before dawn. With the ever increasing housing developments sprouting up, those coyotes have completely disappeared. Now we have an invasion of jack rabbits, tree rats, raccoons, and opossums. All four Cavs seem quite brave with their barking and noses to the ground, but once confronted with creatures face to face they run for their lives. Jackson and Cooper bark from the door, Savannah will venture out to the yard gates, but little Ollie (Holly's black and tan) takes off for the far reaches of our yard and flushes out four footed invaders. This morning there was more noise than usual. I was at work, but my husband had to call me and recount the story. Ollie cornered the granddaddy of rats. He had it in his mouth shaking it wildly and was headed for the house when Bruce said "leave it". Being the well trained pup he is, he dropped it at Bruce's feet. It didn't move. Bruce touched it with his foot. Since it didn't move and thinking it was dead he picked it up by the 3 foot tail. Suddenly it started twitching and jerking all over the place. It was playing dead, we think. Anyway, Ollie was so proud of himself prancing around. Bruce took it to the trash can with all four dogs now trailing in a single line toward the trash cans feeling brave and adventurous now that the invader was corralled. I guess it is still in that trash can. I am afraid to look!! The exterminator comes tomorrow to do the dirty work. YUCH!!! So much for city life. I think it will be awhile before I let Ollie lick me on the face. Yeah, maybe five more minutes.
d

TRAINABLE

When Gummie wants something from me he talks....absolutely talks.........granted, his language is a series of grunts, groans, and whines (can whine be a noun?), but he communicates and has trained me well. Now I pretty much know what he wants by the sound he's making.
Brogie takes a different tack......he either barks at me or puts his paws on me ......and I have to guess, but with him it's usually potty time or lovey dovey time. Doesn't take a brainiac to figure him out.
Zeke is the laid back type......he only gets excited about a few things.............food, car rides, and chasing things that have a heartbeat. He is a patient little guy and only occasionally needs to get my attention...........he just growls and wags his tail, and that usually means he's got to go. About a month ago he started a new thing to get my attention and it's only when I'm sitting on the patio. He'll growl and wag and then sit in front of me.......and stare at me. After a few minutes he'll stand up, growl, wag, and stare at me. He has big eyes and he STARES for what seems like a long time...then he'll repeat the sequence. We're outside so he's free to go poop or pee..........the patio door is open part way so he is free to go inside and if he wants attention he just rubs on my legs .........................so it was a mystery to me as to what he wanted.
I guess I'm a little s l o w .............but I've never had a dog stare at me for that long. He was probably thinking he'd never be able to train me.....but you know what ........I AM TRAINABLE.
Come to find out he wanted to go inside...........but he wanted me to go with him!!!
He does it every day and even though I don't always go in when he wants me to, at least I know what he wants. Before you know it I will be under voice command and able to go outside without my leash on......just like Gummie.
e

CLOSE

I love soo many things about the boys and I'm including a picture of one of them........I bought three wonderful and expensive doggie beds........they deserve it. You would think they would love that...............nope, they would rather be scrunched up and uncomfortable as long as they are together. I mean how can you not love it!!!
e

PIX

I've had some folks wanting me to post some pictures of the boys and even though I am a terrible photographer (took these with my cell phone) they still look beautiful to me.
They are the sweetest little guys and I don't know how I managed without them.
e



MONTGOMERY CARSON "GUMMIE"


ZEKE CARSON

BROUGHAN CARSON "BROGIE"

LILY PADS

Last fall I borrowed a few water lilies ............OK, I stole a few water lilies from a lagoon here in town. I rationalized my plundering as being helpful to the town because the water lilies were smothering the pond and needed to be thinned out..........geez I can put a spin on anything, even larceny.
I cut all the foliage off, placed the root balls in fabric baskets, and sunk them to the bottom of my patio pond...........where they quietly enjoyed a winter hiatus.
This Spring we had an explosion of lily pads and beautiful , dazzling white water lilies and they have almost smothered the surface of my little pond!
When I first started the pond Zeke got upset about everything I put in there but after a few weeks he got over it ...........Gummie and Brogie never cared one way or the other..........but when the actual water surface began to shrink Gummie had issues.
There is a water bowl for the boys downstairs and one upstairs and Brogie and Zeke use them...........not Gummie. For some unknown reason, he only drinks from the pond. We had a really big pond at our last house and he drank from that one too.
I noticed that it was getting hard for him to find a spot to have a drink and the other day it all came to a head. I think what happened is that he put his paw on one of the lily pads to move it out of the way and when he actually stepped on it he lost his balance and fell in............it was so funny. I guess he didn't see it that way because his eyes got big and desperate........... he looked like he had been thrown off a pier. I jumped up and helped him scramble out of the pond..... he shook off and we went on with things.
I have started thinning out the lily pads every week or so and Gummie continues to use the pond as a water fountain.
I mean, really, what do you expect when you live at the zoo!!!
e

CHASE

Zeke and our cat, Kissie, have an unusual dynamic going on. Gummie and Brogie never, ever bother Miss Kissie.......they go out of their way to show due respect for the eldest pet, and with good reason.
Kissie likes to go outside, come inside, go back outside, come back inside............all day long. She seems to always be on the wrong side of the door. Often when she comes in she will scoot through the house to the stairs and zip up to my desk where I keep a bowl full of her dry food .... and when she does that, Zeke takes off after her, growling and barking.
I think the natural inclination would be to feel sorry for the sweet little pretty kitty....but don't fall for it. No matter how fast Zeke runs he is never fast enough so when he finally gets upstairs Kissie jumps up on the desk and stares down at him with a look of utter disdain and superiority.........and he waddles back downstairs knowing he's lost one more time.
If Zeke doesn't chase her she will wait at the bottom of the stairs until he can't stand it anymore and off he goes............how many times will he fall for it.
The outcome of this game is totally dependent on Kissie's mood..........yesterday, Kissie was in a very bad mood! As soon as Zeke took off after her, Kissie arched her back and warned him to leave her alone..........well Zeke tried to stop, I think.......but in an instant Kissie slapped him, he yelped so what did she do .......she slapped him some more. She got him on the nose once and it started bleeding and he really cried then. He ran over and jumped in my lap and put his head in my armpit which I guess is now his default position.
I was sitting at the breakfast table trying to comfort him when Kissie jumped up on the table. Poor little Zeke buried himself under my arm again and Kissie looked down at him as if to say.......you are soo easy. She sauntered off, Zeke calmed down and the only one still worried was Gummie. He took turns going over to each of them sniffing and rubbing.
I am hoping Zeke's chase instinct will take a vacation for awhile......Gummie and I would like that.
e

WHO'S YO MAMA? POST SCRIPT

I did a dumb thing shortly before we left the party that hurt Zeke and Brogie ...... I have felt bad about it ever since.
I decided to go out to the car and tidy up a bit before we headed home.....I was going to get the coffee cups etc out of the car. Gummie went with me as he can go without a leash and I planned to only be there a few minutes. Just as I reached the car I got a call from a client and I really needed to talk with them. We were parked at the far end of the play area and Steve was still in there talking and I had left Zeke and Brogie with him. After I had been on the phone for about 5 minutes I saw Zeke and Brogie at the fence in front of the car.
I don't know how to describe the look on their faces..........I think panic might be the best word....and the longer I talked on the phone the sadder it got..........panic turned to resignation. I know they're just dogs but they have feelings and they remember way more than we want to admit. Zeke is 5 years old and I am his 3rd or 4th owner.......Brogie lived his first 10 years in a kennel. They've been with us for almost 2 years now and as much as I love them.......they love me more and I think they thought I was leaving them. I mean really leaving them!
Steve went over and put their leashes on to bring them to me and at first they wouldn't budge.....but being the good boys they are.......they finally followed him and when they got out of the fenced area and turned back toward the car... Zeke went crazy.....crazy happy. Brogie started barking and they drug Steve to the car. Thank goodness dogs don't hold grudges.............if I had done the same thing to our cat I would have had some serious repercussions to deal with. Instead, I was rewarded...... with love and affection and JOY.
e

WHO'S YO MAMA?

Last month we took the boys to a doggie party ...I guess you would call it a play date. There were 22 absolutely wonderful, beautiful Cavalier King Charles spaniels in attendance.........15 or 16 females, 6 or 7 males.........1 black and tan, 3 rubies, 6 tri-color, and 12 blenheims and a partridge in a pear tree. It was fascinating. And by the way, all the owners were great.........most of them are as crazy as I am about their dogs...........and they all have cute stories to tell.
Initially, I was concerned about how Zeke would handle the situation.......I knew Brogie and Gummie would be having a ball because they both love people and dogs. As soon as we went in the gate and took off the leashes the boys were into it. Gummie and Brogie visited all the owners and all the dogs and kept running back to me to check in.
Zeke had some visiting to do also.....remember he was a stud dog........and there were many, many little ladies in attendance. I watched him sniffing around each and every bitch there ......he would start on one side, then the butt and end up on the other side..........it kept him very busy and very happy.
There was an Easter egg hunt and Gummie and Brogie walked along with me but weren't into it so much. Brogie stepped on one and pawed at it so I picked that one up and Gummie sniffed at one and I got that one also. Zeke was too busy to play so we only got two eggs.
The last game of the day was called "Who's Yo Mama?" All the dogs were herded into the first fenced area with the gate closed.......then all the owners walked down to the far end of the play area...............lined up facing the dogs......the winner would be the dog that went to his mama first. When they opened the gate I saw Gummie take off ............the others took off too but they went left and right and all around. Gummie had me in his sights and he ran straight to me and at the last second a precious little blenheim female jumped in front of him but she came to me not her mama who was at the far end so Gummie was the winner and Brogie was second!!!!!!!!! Zeke was a little too busy to join us.
The ladies who organized the event did a super job...........they had doggie cake and ice cream and human cake too.....they even had doggie goodie bags to take home............but the best thing was giving all of us a chance to meet and greet folks of like mind and enjoy 22 fabulous dogs. I guess we were there for about 3 hours and during that time I never heard one growl or whine or any sign of any aggression from the dogs .....or the humans.....good times.
I wish all of you could have heard the sounds inside my car on the way home.........Steve and the boys took snoring to a new level ......I turned the radio up but there was no drowning it out.
All of it left a smile on my face.
e

ROYALTY

My friends have all come around to the fact that I have " gone to the dogs". Almost none of them pick on me anymore about having 3 dogs........ they have come a long way. So have I........for awhile I actually wondered if they were right....maybe I was nuts.
Truth is... I really didn't change........they did. In the last few years several of them have either gotten their first dog or have gotten a second one. My dearest friend who adores the boys and is over here four times a week............ opted to adopt a kitten about 6 months ago and the two of them are as happy as can be.
Once a month we all go out to lunch and every few months one of them seems to have some pictures to show. It used to be all about grandchildren.......but nowadays it's more likely to be a puppy picture with the occasional grandchild thrown in. Most of the grandchildren have been fairly cute but the puppies have been absolutely precious. My favorite was an English bulldog named ......are you ready......PRINCESS. She is mostly white with a brown spot on her butt. .... not exactly princess material in the traditional sense. Now I will never have anything other than a cavalier .........cavaliers are perfect for me..........but PRINCESS is perfect for her owner (who is one of my favorite people)......they both have bodies shaped like a barrel and their idea of exercise is a brisk walk from the house to the garage and they really don't like to over do that. The boys have met Princess and they really like her....especially Zeke. At one point they were all laying in the driveway and Princess was in the middle and Zeke had his head on her front paw. Evidently he appreciates the fuller figure silhouette.
Just goes to show you ......it's all in the eye of the beholder.....even a bulldog can be a princess.
e

REUNION

Last month I went to my high school reunion........we've only had one before and it was 20 years ago and I missed it. This time around I started getting emails from classmates that I hadn't heard from in years and eventually decided to go. We had activities all weekend and it was a riot. I must say ...........on the first night when I walked into the room I thought I was in the wrong spot because..........there were a bunch of OLD PEOPLE in there!!! Anyhow it was a great weekend and when I got home Sunday afternoon I was pooped.
The boys ran out to the car and helped me get my luggage...........Zeke really wanted to pee on my garment bag but I saved it at the last second. After hugs and kisses and rubbing we plopped down on the bed and I was looking forward to a nap......the boys were ok with it but they weren't going to take any chances about me getting up any time soon. Brogie draped himself over my right leg.........Gummie was on top of my stomach...........and Zeke was on my pillow with his face on my head.........funny thing is, we actually slept.
It was good to be home.
e

BREAKFAST

I've been having some issues with my back lately..............Bending over to do anything is challenging............and the number of times a person has to bend over each day is astronomical. I can do it but it has to be in super slow motion. One morning I was trying to put Zeke's bowl down for breakfast and he was super ready...........but I was super slow so he decided to help!!!
You can just imagine the chaos that ensued ....as soon as he jumped up his bowl slipped out of my hand and flipped over........hundreds of petite orbs of crunchy processed dog food hit the kitchen floor and bounced all over the place........I let out a little yelp because when I straightened up so fast my back bit me pretty hard.....and Gummie and Brogie were beyond confused. Gummie was so worried about me but there was a lot of free food on the floor..... so he took turns grabbing a little food and coming over to comfort me...........he was sooooo conflicted........but, hey ,there was free food so it couldn't be all that bad, right? Brogie sat in the middle of the kibble and stared at me and poor little Zeke was mortified. I sat down at the table and he immediately jumped in my lap and put his head in my armpit. When I caught my breath and my back eased up a bit I looked down at Brogie and he was laying down in a sea of kibble and Gummie was eating all around him................I had to laugh and that made Zeke come out from under my pit.........so I took some meds and we started over. What a morning!!!
e

BUZZ

Word on the street is that on April 16th, somewhere between Brunswick, GA and Hilton Head Island, SC there's going to be a gathering ....an assemblage...a collection...a cavalier concourse if you will.......whatever you want to call it. It will be a Crumley Cavalier Celebration and I can't wait to see all of that cavalier cuteness in one location. I told the boys about it but you know they did what they always do ............wag and wag some more. They will be excited when we get there but I'm already looking forward to it.
I've had a busy few weeks and late yesterday afternoon I was sitting on the patio enjoying an "adult" beverage..........don't you just love that term.........actually it was just a little vodka on the rocks...........anyhow, Zeke jumped on my lap, it caught me by surprise and vodka and ice went flying all over the place. I wasn't going to be denied so I fixed another glass and started walking out when a bumble bee on steroids swooped down on me and then on Zeke and back on me........somewhere during the buzzing and dodging my freshly refreshed drink went flying over me and Zeke and the bumble bee too. I looked down on the patio and the bee was awash in ice cubes and vodka......he was buzzing like crazy and Gummie was all excited..........his tail was circling itself at warp speed ...........but it was Brogie who charged the bee. Remember Brogie only has a few teeth so I guess he planned to gum it to death.......I got him back and crunched the poor ole bee just so none of us got stung. Sometimes I think I'm a magnet for strange things and strange occurrences......anyhow we all opted to go inside and stay inside.
Brogie doesn't worry too much about his age.......he's an awesome dog and I wish ...........I really wish I had known him when he was young but I am thankful to have him now and I am enjoying every day we have with him.
e

CHEERIOS

My bathroom in this house is smaller than I am used to and as a result I often put the toilet lid down so that I can sit and put on socks, shoes etc. I walked in there last night and Zeke was sitting on the toilet ...........and had a sheepish look on his face. I thought it was so cute and I gave him a little scratch on his back.........he wagged and jumped down.
We settled in and got to sleep soon after but at around 2a.m. Gummie got all agitated and started whining. Being half asleep, I got up and was heading to the stair to take him out but he didn't follow so I got back in bed. As I was trying to go back to sleep I heard crunch...crunch...crunch..........coming from the bathroom. I sat up and saw Gummie at the bathroom ,whining and pacing. So I got up again and peeked in there ......Zeke, Zeke, Zeke.
He was standing on the counter ....front paws on one side of the sink, back paws on the other side......he was really stretched out. And when he saw me he started crunching as fast as he could!! My purse was on the counter and inside I had some cheerios wrapped in clear plastic. (I remembered running out of little baggies and had to use the dreaded clingy plastic wrap). I never put my purse there but there it was and Zeke was not going to miss the chance for a quick snack. Brogie slept through it all but I put Zeke down on the floor and divided the remaining cheerios for him and Gummie.
Giving them the cheerios was probably the wrong thing to do ...........I'm not so good with discipline when it comes to the boys.....but the way I figure it, they make me LAUGH even if it is at 2a.m. and that's worth a few cheerios anytime.
e

PLAYED

OMG......I have been played.....by a dog!
It all started a few weeks ago...........one morning Brogie seemed stiffer than usual and when we got to the steps he hesitated...........I started down and looked back at him and he looked at me with his melt-your-heart little face and I decided to go scoop him up and we all went downstairs. The next morning I went downstairs and heard Brogie barking at the top of the stairs so I went back up and carried him down. He quickly figured out that if he wanted either up or down the stair all he had to do was bark and I'd give him a free ride. You know , I was a little suspicious because he was still walking well and he often chased the squirrels etc .........but I thought the stairs were too painful for him. WRONG.
I was out of town for a few days and when I called home I asked Steve how he was doing with Brogie and the stairs and wouldn't you know it .......Mr. melt-your-heart had been running up and down the stairs at will for two days.
OK maybe he had an injury and needed a little help for awhile ......and maybe his injury was healed by the time I went on my trip.............m a y b e..........whatever, that's how I'm going to rationalize the whole thing. I have to preserve a little bit of dignity, right?
e

SNEEZE

Spring has sprung.......the Bradford Pear trees are in full bloom and they are everywhere. I always think they look like white hot air balloons, still tethered but eager to fly. Next week all of their blossoms will yield to vibrant green leaves and they'll look like huge green tootsie pops. Daffodils are still going strong and I've even seen a few azaleas opening. I am so glad to see some warm weather.
The boys and I have been enjoying more time outside and and I've been noticing something a little different this year. We're starting to get more pollen in the air and I think Zeke might be allergic to it......not bad symptoms just sneezing..........but it's funny because when he sneezes his whole little body does a shake thing that starts at the front and goes all the way to the back and ends with his tail finishing off the sneeze with a cute little wag. It even happens like that when he is sitting down. You can always count on Zeke to put a cute spin on everything.
You know my life is not as hectic as it used to be.......certainly not as exciting........maybe not as happy........maybe it's a different kind of happiness. Whatever.............I am seeing my little world differently these days........the good, the bad, and the unexplainable............and one of the good things is having these kind little creatures in my life.
I have the BEST time with these boys.
e

XL

Ever since September I have been putting on the ole feed bag with real gusto and as a result I can barely zip up my pants. Seriously, the few pants that I can get on are so tight that I really can't breath. So now I'm paying the price and it's back to being "careful" with food and getting back on the treadmill etc............GREAT.
Last night was my first workout and you can just imagine what I feel like today. The boys took it all in stride until I got on the treadmill. They were all on the bed and when I first started walking their little heads turned from side to side ............so curious. Each time I changed the speed or incline they all sat up and moved their heads from side to side....they were sooooo cute and it made the time fly. Brogie was the first to give it up, followed shortly by Zeke.............but Gummie sat up each time for the entire 45 minutes and we talked each time.
Tonight............as soon as I started walking all three boys got on the bed, got comfortable, and went to sleep. I walked as fast as I could, I sweated and I huffed and puffed for 45 minutes...........they SNORED. To them, the treadmill is old news now ............guess I'm going to have to do this on my own. No fun.
e

BIGBIRD

Having a resident comedian is always fun....and occasionally it's hilarious. Occasionally happened this morning.
I slept in because I didn't have anything until the afternoon....didn't go downstairs until 7:30. It was so balmy that after I got the boys fed I took my paper and coffee to the patio and we enjoyed a truly beautiful morning. Steve has all sorts of bird feeders and bird baths in the backyard and the birds and squirrels have a buffet that would rival The Bellagio. There is almost always a squirrel or some birds out there and Zeke loves to charge out the door and chase them off. It is one of his favorite things to do and it gets his day off to a good start.....today it was two fat squirrels and he loved it. He speeds out and they run off and he trots back to the patio and sits down. We lounged out there for an hour and I finally took the boys in and was starting up the stairs when Zeke started barking and growling and having a fit to go back out. I went on up the stairs but soon all three were barking and Gummie ran up to my bathroom barking and begging so I trudged back down and looked out and could hardly believe what I was seeing........a buzzard! Yes the exact same ugly bird you see eating road kill........the one that only flies off at the last possible second.......often making you slow down or brake because they are so slow to get out of the way. If you have never seen one you would never believe how big and ugly they really are............the boys were freaked out.
Zeke was almost foaming at the mouth and so I thought I'd let him out and he could chase the buzzard off and then trot back and we'd get on with it...........sounds like a plan to me. I got Gummie and Brogie back from the door and cracked the door open just enough for Zeke to catapult himself across the patio and zip right over to the bird...........but the buzzard didn't get the memo and instead of flying off it spread it's enormous wings and stood it's ground. How big do you think that bird must have looked to little Zeke...........he tried to slam on the brakes... but it was too late and he stumbled and rolled all over himself as he veered off to the right and skidded finally to a stop on the other side of the buzzard. It is impossible for me to tell you how funny it was. I was laughing so hard, but at the same time Zeke was trapped on the other side and his big eyes were fixed on me.........and the buzzard had his eyes fixed on Zeke. So I walked over to the side of the yard and knelt down and Zeke took off running to me and he ran faster than I thought he could run ......he jumped up into my arms and buried his face in my armpit. As I was walking back to the patio the buzzard started flapping it's wings and eventually got off the ground.
The whole thing was so funny and then I felt a little sad for him.............but when we went inside, I put him down and he ran over to the pantry..........so obviously he was over it and I had had a great laugh ....treat time for sure.
e

STANDOFF

It has been so cold and wet this winter and, of course, I whine about it ............exactly the way I whine in the summer about the oppressive heat and humidity. But there was no complaining yesterday.......glorious sunshine and 65 degrees. I was out and about all day long ..........had a gift certificate that I enjoyed using and had a late lunch with friends....good times.
When I got home and opened the front door I walked into the middle of a standoff. Our stair goes up to a landing then turns 90 degrees another half flight so you can't see the top of the stair from the front door. Our cat, Kissie, was perched on the landing and had that classic cheshire cat grin and I could hear the boys at the top of the stair. Gummie was whimpering, Brogie was barking, and Zeke was jumping around and grunting. Now there is no question that I am the leader of the pack but no matter how much those boys wanted to come running down the stairs to greet me they were totally at the mercy of the Queen Bee, Miss Kissie Carson. Even though all four of them often sleep together, Kissie occasionally has the need to show all of us exactly who is in charge and I don't know what she says to them .........but they listen.
I scolded her and she looked at me like I had lost my mind.........then she gave me a little meow. I sat down beside her and she rubbed all over me, purred, and rolled on her back.
Gummie crept down two steps and waited.............he was so nervous that his tail was spinning around like a propeller........but he inched his way closer and just as he stepped on the landing Kissie slapped him on his leg three quick times, rolled over and rubbed her face on his. The standoff was over........they all ran down the stairs........but we all knew who won.
e

TOUGH ENOUGH

Yesterday Zeke surprised me ...no, shocked would be the right word.........as a matter of fact it reminded me of a famous line from an old movie, NETWORK, I think. It went something like ....I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!!!!!!!!!
We were on a short walk and a man and his dog were coming towards us and all of a sudden Zeke started growling and then barking. Gummie and Brogie were looking around and both got closer to Zeke and started sniffing him......I felt like doing the same thing just to make sure we had the real Zeke. After the dog passed Zeke put on the brakes and turned around to keep his eye on the dog.....all the while with a low growl. I couldn't get him to budge........so I knelt down and we all loved on him ............he was so happy.........and we went on.
Zeke may have a new philosophy on things but he's no fool.............he knew that dog was on a leash ......maybe he even knew it was a very old boy...........or maybe just maybe he thinks he's tough enough now to take on a CHIHUAHUA.
e

OOPS

Our little Brogie has been having some trouble holding it (me too).....he tries to make it down the stairs and out the door but it's hard .......especially first thing in the morning and he's had some accidents. You remember how touch and go it was right after your children got potty trained so you put a diaper on them at bedtime ...just in case....well that's what I do with Brogie. He has a fancy little doggie diaper.....denim with plaid inside and a hole for his fluffy tail. It works like a charm and he is so used to it and so easy about the whole thing that he doesn't get on the bed until I put on his diaper.Each night he waits beside the bed .......wagging...... and since he's so good about the whole thing I love on him and he rubs his face all over me and of course that gets the other two off the bed....and we have a big scratch and rub session........every night.
In the morning we all go downstairs together and they wait by the door for me to get the diaper off of Sir Broughan. Well that's usually what happens.............this morning we got up really early and I must have had a moment because I opened the door and off they went. I started the coffee and turned on the TV, sat down at the breakfast table, looked out on the patio and there he was..................his stiff little legs were spread out and he was barking his little tiny bark and I knew what I had done!!!!!!!!!!
Have you seen that commercial that's running these days for Huggies or one of the diaper companies that says......what happens in a diaper should stay in the diaper............and they are having a contest to see which baby dumps the biggest load in his diaper........I'll put Brogie up against any of them.
He was wet ....he was poopie ....but he was still wagging and he never got upset. I got him all cleaned up and apologized the whole time but he didn't care.......he loves me no matter what and as far as he was concerned it was over. I felt terrible but he just wanted me to get it all off so he could have some breakfast.............so I cooked BACON
e

UPDATE

After our little episode with the pit bull both Brogie and Gummie carried on with life as normal but Zeke , well you know. Could not coax him out the front door much less down the driveway....the fenced back yard was ok but that was all. After a few days of that I decided I had to do something .......tried several things including liver treats (which always worked before) but what worked this time was the car. Zeke's favorite thing is to go for a ride and when I opened the car door he could not resist.........we rode over to a park that is close ............got out and went for a great walk. It was in the middle of the day and we were alone ...........it took 4 or 5 trips for him to really relax but I think it's going well. He will now walk in the neighborhood and yesterday we ventured out on the same path where we had all the trouble.......this time we went the other way.
e

SCARED

Well here we are 2011.........I didn't make any resolutions, never do, because if I had I would have already broken it.
Steve hasn't been able to walk with us for several months and so I take all three dogs by myself which requires a little coordination......I put Brogie on a tension lead that extends 15 feet and keep the other two on short leather leads. It works well as I put Brogie's lead in my pocket and he follows just behind us. I've had people ask if I was a dog walker etc. but today I was talking to a lady that I've never seen before and she asked me if I was a HOARDER. I still don't know how I feel about it.............I think I'll just chalk that one up as a weird encounter........anyhow, that happened early on and little did we know what was around the corner.
It is a little over a mile from our house to the entrance of our little neighborhood and just as we made the turn onto the bikepath we saw a lady and her dog way ahead waiting by the road, I think she was waiting for the school bus, and as we got closer I noticed that her dog was not on a leash..........it was a fairly large dog but I really didn't think too much about it as we have never had any real problems. As we got close I heard her telling the dog to sit and she took hold of his collar............we walked on with no problem but I cringed a bit when I realized it was a pit bull..........kept walking and thought all was good......about 3 minutes later I heard her screaming at the dog and I knew what happened........and I knew what was about to happen............as she was screaming I turned around and got all the dogs behind me and I got myself as big as I could and I started screaming at him to stay...... he was coming at us so fast but .................at the same time it was like a movie in super slow motion..........I was so scared but I knew he was hell bent on getting us and there is no way I'll just be a victim without a fight. I have no idea what made him stop except I screamed soooooo loud and had my hands in front of him ..................he stopped less than 3 feet from my hand..................and he growled and I screamed at him to stay ..............he growled and took a step toward me and I dropped the leashes and I lunged at him with fists flying.............I think I scared him ...........he started backing up but he had a mean look on his face so I just stood my ground and his owner finally caught up and grabbed him. Since he had already gotten away from her before, I figured it could happen again so I took the lead off Montgomery and gave it to her and she took her dog
home.
I looked at my three little boys............they looked at me ............they started wagging....... and I
started crying. I hugged them and we headed home. As we passed their house the lady came out to return the lead............she was very apologetic but I was having none of it and told her I would talk to her tomorrow. I want her to worry about this for awhile.
I was so scared today........... On the positive side, I got through the whole thing and didn't wet my pants!!!!!!!!!!!
e

DOGS, DOGS, DOGS

It's New Year's Eve and we just got home from an oyster roast and I'm already hearing random fireworks.............Zeke hates it........and is in my lap right now. Glad we didn't stay long because here in an hour or so he'll really need some comforting.
Right after Christmas we went to visit one of Steve's brothers and they had a 13 week old basset hound............so cute. He loved all the boys but his most favorite was Brogie. He curled up next to Brogie and the two of them slept most of the afternoon. They have a Great Dane named Barkley and his favorite was Montgomery.........they played all afternoon........chasing tennis balls and soccer balls. Their other dog is a Boston Terrier, female named Jessie...........and her favorite, of course, was the handsome boy, Zeke. They walked around together and sat by the fire together and tried to beg for treats together. We had a great time watching them...............when did my life start revolving around the antics of the dogs????????????
e

KITCHEN HELP

Brogie and Gummie spent the day napping but Zeke and I were very busy.........we had some baking to do and it took us all afternoon.
When I first started puttering about in the kitchen all of the boys were asleep on their pads and not in the least interested in what I was doing .......it didn't take long before Zeke knew what was going on. I think it's the smell of butter that gets him interested.........whatever it is, he watched my every move for hours. He is the most patient of the three and never gives up. I love it......and now I talk to him and ask him his opinion about how I'm doing things and if it looks done or does it need a few more minutes etc. and he looks back at me with those huge brown eyes ......there is so much hope in his eyes and with good reason. He likes everything I bake....... even fruit cake cookies!!!!
I have never had a dog that liked to help out in the kitchen and I'm lovin' it.
Zeke is going to be very happy tomorrow because I'm baking some peanut butter chewies for Brandon .....and Zeke loves LOVES peanut butter.
I hope everyone has a great Christmas and I hope you have some yummy baked goods and hugs and kisses from those you love.....and I hope you all have at least one furry little friend to help you enjoy it all even more.
e

LIGHTS

You should see our little neighborhood........all decked out for the holidays.........come to think of it the entire cul de sac is probably visible from space at night. Well, maybe not, but there are lights everywhere and I've been taking the boys for a stroll just before 8 each night and there is no need for a flashlight. The Christmas decorations don't bother the dogs the way the Halloween stuff did. As a matter of fact, they seem to really like it. One neighbor has a group of three really large snowmen very close to the street.......almost in the street...........they are brightly lit at night and Zeke can't wait to pee on them every time. I saw these folks out in the yard and confessed Zeke's obsession and they laughed and said every dog from the area has had a field day with those snowmen!!! Gummie and Brogie are more fond of a house on down the street that has a long hedge next to the street and has a zillion white lights next to a lamp post tightly wrapped with a million green lights............Brogie pees on the lamp post, Gummie next to the hedge and Zeke takes aim again on the post. And so it goes each night....by the time we get home they are as dry as a bone.
I have a winding driveway and some oak trees and have draped red and green lights from the trees across the drive over to the oaks on the other side and it is really cool. Lots of people have driven up under the lights and asked to take pictures of their car..........it's been fun. You can't see our house from the street but everyone can see the explosion of red and green and it makes you smile. I definitely fit in this new neighborhood......we are all a little over the edge.
e

LOOSE TONGUE

Here we go again......grocery shopping, cooking, running back to the store, cooking, baking, one last minute trip for ice or something and of course EATING. I love Thanksgiving.
We only have a few people coming this year but I plan to cook as if a crowd was coming and we'll have leftovers the rest of the week.
Brogie has 5 teeth and all of his food has to be soft or I have to cut it up into small pieces and that's what I do. He really loves chicken and turkey so I'll be doing a lot of chopping this week. Because of his lack of teeth he has some trouble managing his tongue and it's kinda funny. For instance, when he yawns, and he yawns often, his tongue falls out of his mouth and sort of flaps around ......it's really funny looking but he gathers it up and goes on. After he eats he tries to lick his lips and that tongue goes out to the side and he keeps after it until it's back in his mouth. Well today I baked a pecan pie and after I put it in the oven I scraped the bowl and gave Gummie and Zeke a lick....Brogie must have been anticipating his turn because when I turned to let him lick his tongue was already hanging out to the side.............not to worry he still got a taste and did some smacking and was well satisfied............it's so funny too watch.
He is precious in his old age.
Happy Thanksgiving from the Carson Pack.
e

GLOW IN THE DARK

I hope everyone had a fun Halloween.....we did....even Zeke! We had lawn chairs set up at the end of the driveway as did most of the neighbors and we handed out every kind of mini chocolate bar known to man. The boys sat beside us and greeted every little trick or treater and in reality got more attention than the children. Some folks had dressed their dogs in costumes but we opted for bandannas .............that's about as far as I'm willing to go with that.
Zeke is pretty much afraid of ......pretty much anything big or loud or new or unusual or .....well you get the idea. But you know what, he did great on Halloween. He sat on my lap for the first 30 minutes or so and then he sat under my chair for a little while but then he was wagging and greeting and getting all kinds of attention and he really got into it.
All of our neighbors had these glow in the dark sticks and they gave us a few and when we ran out of candy we packed up and went inside and I forgot about the glow sticks.
Evidently, I put the glow sticks in my jacket pocket when we started to come in and at some point in the middle of the night they fell out of the pocket on the floor next to the bed. I woke up to see Zeke and Gummie tag teaming an all out assault on the glow sticks. It was hilarious. Growling, barking, and charging......... Brogie slept through the whole thing..............too much trick or treating for him.
I don't know if Zeke was afraid of the glow sticks but I know he was serious about defending his home from those scary aliens........you gotta love that!!!!
e

SPIDERS, GHOSTS, & WITCHES

Turns out our new neighborhood is way more fun than I thought. We moved here at the first of July and for awhile I didn't see anyone out and about.............now that I think about it, I guess it was just too friggin' hot to be outside. But with Halloween around the corner you should see all the decorations..........lots of pumpkins of course but also some really cool, really large as in huge blow ups on the sides and roofs. One house has a spider theme and the house next door has a 25 foot Spiderman on the roof crawling over towards the spiders.
The first time we saw the spiders Zeke almost had a stroke........one was hanging in a tree near the street .........it's about the size of an umbrella............and Zeke spotted it as soon as we got to the end of our driveway............he got behind me and peeked around me at the spider. Gummie and Brogie were excited but not afraid.................they trotted over and said hello to the neighbors and the spiders and we went on our way.
Turned the corner and the first house on that street had ghosts everywhere..........all sizes...........hanging from anything and everything, fluttering in the breeze. I thought it was fabulous but the boys barely noticed it because right across the street was a 10foot black witch stirring her cauldron. I guess it's motion activated because as soon as we approached she threw her head back and let out a maniacal laugh ...............all three boys stopped immediately, put their noses on the ground, and crept closer and closer......well, two of them crept......you know who parked himself behind me again.
Neighbors tell me this is a very active place to be on Halloween night...........Gummie and Brogie are going to love it but I'm not so sure about Zeke.
e

THANK YOU

One year ago yesterday Steve, Gummie, and I piled into the car long before dawn and traveled to Lula, GA. It's a long haul but it was a happy day because that was the day we scooped up Brogie and Zeke and became the Carson Pack.
Just a few months before that Holly had saved Brogie's life. His owner was planning to put him down...........for no other reason except that he was old and no longer useful to her. Of course, Holly would have none of that and Brogie went to Lula.
As soon as we saw him we wanted him............Holly agreed but we had to wait a few months and during that time Brogie and Zeke became BFF's. Brogie got into Holly's heart and she couldn't split them up............so we got BOTH of them.
We have had a GREAT year!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, Holly, first for saving Brogie and second for letting us be part of it all.
e

SNICKERDOODLES

We were invited to an early in the season oyster roast this weekend and even though the oysters will be better in 4 or 5 weeks I couldn't wait to taste some salty, local goodness. Our host asked me to make his favorite cookie that I bake for him occasionally...........so I got the ingredients out of the pantry and put the butter out on the counter to soften.
I think Zeke was born with some sort of special smell sensors that focus on things like butter, sugar and eggs...........because if any of those ingredients are on my counter you will find him close.
The cookie is a variation on the old fashioned snickerdoodle.........the dough is rolled out and you add all the toppings then roll up like a jellyroll, refrigerate and slice and bake.......pretty simple. Zeke started drooling early on and got closer and closer.........the other two were sleeping together in one of the dog beds in the breakfast room. They could see us but weren't interested.
Whenever I bake cookies I give each dog a small cookie as soon as they cool........it didn't work out quite that way this time................ as I was putting the finished roll into a pan to refrigerate a chunk fell out of my hands onto the edge of the counter and then plopped onto the floor. From Zeke's vantage it must have seemed like the heavens had opened up and delivered a gift from the big man himself..............he got over that dough in a bulldog stance and scarfed up at least two inches of raw egg, sugar, cinnamon, buttery dough and crushed pecans in seconds. Gummie and Brogie hustled over but it was too late. They both looked at me with that wonderful cavalier look of love and hope. Zeke, on the other hand, for a brief moment was a Cheshire cat................. and he looked at them and at me as if to say........ I WIN !!!!
I took Gummie and Brogie outside and gave them a treat and that made them happy too..........but the real winner here is me!!!
e

EAR DROPS

Zeke has ear mites and I have some drops that I put in his ears each morning and again in the evening. Anytime I need to give one of the boys some kind of pill or drops I always finish with a little treat...........they LOVE those tiny liver treats. So yesterday when I put the first drops in Zeke's ears the other two ran to the pantry and waited. Zeke shook his head a few times and zipped over to take his place in line at the pantry door. The phone rang and I had to run upstairs to the office to talk with a client. 45 minutes later I went down to the kitchen for a cool drink and there they were..........still in line..............waiting patiently by the pantry door.
As soon as they saw me they stood up in unison and started wagging........they certainly know how to handle me........and I'm not telling how many treats they got!!!!!!!!!
Good times.
e

DIVOT

A friend asked me to take care of her one year old cocker spaniel one day last week and I was glad to do it as I had no big plans for the day ........what's one more little spaniel, right? These friends are avid golfers and their dog is named Divot.........he is handsome.........he is sweet natured.......and he is a happy boy.
He arrived very early in the morning and my boys were still asleep and he was half asleep as well. They all greeted each other with the usual butt smelling etc........no problems. I started a load of laundry and went back upstairs to get dressed. All of a sudden I heard serious growling and dogs were running around.........I ran back down and found Divot trying to mount Montgomery and he was having none of that.
Turns out Divot is sexually confused.........he is neutered and has been since he was four months old. Somehow Divot didn't get the memo.
It scared Zeke and he hid under the bed but when Divot tried to mount Brogie he was in for a surprise............that ole boy came out with a growl that I've never heard before and Gummie actually charged Divot...............my precious Gummie and Brogie had Divot down on the floor .......I couldn't believe what I was seeing. In a way I was glad to see that they could stand up for themselves. That should have been the end of it but Divot has another problem............he is as dumb as a doorknob........... and wouldn't give it up. I finally put him in a bedroom and closed the door. I tried to let him out several times during the day but each time it ended when he went after one of the boys. When his mama picked him up and they went out the door all three of the boys came running over to me jumping up and wagging ............they were so glad to see him go.
I was too.
e

ICING ON THE CAKE

Yesterday was my birthday.............it was a beautiful, clear day and I had family and friends wishing me the best. It was topped off with a yummy meal that I didn't have to prepare and a fabulous birthday cake with raspberry filling and white icing..........four layers, intricate decoration and more candles than you can imagine. We ate ...........we drank.............and we laughed until it hurt. You can't ask for more.
After all was said and done and the goodbye hugs and kisses were over, we sprawled out over the sofa and began the over stuffed routine of vowing never to eat so much again. The boys loved having company and all three got plenty of attention...........who can deny three cute cavaliers? Gummie and Brogie were helping us relax, both were gently snoring. Zeke has the booming snore and it was absent. He is always near so I knew something was up. I found him standing in a dining room chair with his front paws on the table................his tail was wagging and his face was covered with white icing and his nose was glistening with red raspberry filling. He pulled back off the table and sat in the chair licking his face over and over and over. I think most dogs would scurry off knowing they were busted and in big trouble..... but not Zeke. He looked at me and kept licking his face until he had all the evidence off except some stuck under his chin so he rubbed his chin on the table and proceeded to lick the table clean. By this time Gummie and Brogie had joined us .............being the strict disciplinarian that I am, I cut the affected section of cake off and divided it onto three small paper plates that were decorated with birthday balloons .............put them on the floor and all three boys had cake................I could not have had a better birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!
e

FRIENDS

Since we moved back to the Island my best friend lives a couple miles from us and comes by often.............it's like the old days .....almost. Anyway, she likes dogs but has told me that I'm nuts for having three. The boys have done their magic on her and now she spends the first 10 minutes loving and talking to them...........eventually she acknowledges my presence but I'm beginning to think her frequent visits have very little to do with me.
Last week she was over here four times ...............I was cooking supper one evening........it was later than usual and I realized I was in the kitchen alone.............VERY unusual. I walked into the great room to tell them supper was ready and found all of them......asleep.
One human and one dog in the recliner..............one human and two dogs on the sofa............snoring, big time.
Nap time with friends ( furry or not ) ........doesn't get much better than that.

SENIOR MOMENT

Brogie is almost 11 and, like most of us senior citizens, he has his good days and his less than perfect days. Gummie and Zeke are happy and alert every day but once in awhile Brogie gets caught in a senior moment and can't get out.
This morning he got up at 4am and paced in front of the door until I drug my senior self out of bed and down the stairs............thought he would just go out and do his business so I sat on the patio and waited............and waited..............and waited some more.
Brogie is almost deaf so calling him is pretty much useless...........you have to almost scream and since it was 4:30am I decided to grab a flashlight and take a stroll.............couldn't find him so I went back upstairs and woke Gummie up. The only thing I could think was that somehow he had gotten out of the fenced in backyard so Gummie and I went looking in the cul de sac and down the street and all we found was a BIG tabby cat who scared the death out of both of us.
Every morning I feed the boys right after they go out and take care of business.......they come in and sit in the kitchen and wait..........no matter how long it takes, they sit and wait. When Gummie and I got back home we walked into the kitchen and there he was............. sitting and waiting. Don't know when he came back in or where he had been but he was sitting and waiting so I knew he took care of all his business. I hugged him and told him it was way too early and Gummie and I went back to bed.............but Brogie didn't follow us. Two hours later I went down stairs to get a cup of coffee and there he was.... laying down in the kitchen........waiting. I think he was stuck in a little time warp and his little senior mind told him that if he waited long enough things would get back into sync.............or maybe he was just too tired to go back upstairs...who knows. Anyhow I fed him and he got back into the swing of things after that. He is too cute and I love, love, love him.......I hope he lives long enough to break the cavalier record for old age.

ZEKE AND THE PATIO POND

A few weeks ago I dug a hole next to the patio and eventually ended up with a cool little pond complete with plants and fish. It turned out great and I was well pleased with the whole thing. Montgomery and Brogie liked it but Zeke REALLY liked it. He sat on the patio and watched every move that I made............it took me three afternoons and Zeke was there every minute. When I started putting the water in he seemed to get a little anxious but that passed and we all enjoyed the little pond and loved the sound of the water. All was well for a few days and then I started putting water plants in and around the pond and of course ..........some koi and a few fancy goldfish.

Zeke was mildly curious about the fish.............but the plants were what he got excited about. His first order of business was to attempt to pee on each and every one. It was a little tricky hiking a leg up on the edge of the pond and aiming out.............thought he was going to fall in on two attempts but he kept it together until the job was done. Having marked HIS pond and plants he laid down on the patio to relax.............and then he spotted it..............a floating plant that was slowly meandering in his pond. It must have looked menacing to him with it's long stems and random movements because he jumped up and started growling............yes, Mr. Scared of His Own Shadow Zeke, was growling. Montgomery ran to his side and started barking and that got Brogie on the scene as well. Brogie helped with the barking but neither one of them could figure out what they were all excited about ............so they went back inside leaving Zeke to defend the pond alone. And defend it he did.............he jumped up and down, he growled, he went all around the edge and barked and he kept looking at me.

So I took the plant out and put it on the patio...........Zeke backed up as fast as he could, I like to call it moonwalking but in this case it would be moontrotting, and he growled some more. I knew he had to work this out for himself so I just watched..........it took him 10 minutes but he finally got close enough to sniff and touch................and YES, pee on it. Now the little plant floats around the pond unnoticed ...........but there is no question who it belongs to.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

The temperature is near 1oo every day and the heat index is over 1oo..............and the humidity is pretty close to 100.....................who in their right mind would even consider moving in July!!!!!

Thankfully, we survived. They say sometimes the shortest moves are the worst........we went 10 miles............but the move stretched out over two weeks and I didn't think we would ever get all that stuff moved from one garage to another. We have downsized and as a result a lot of our furniture was just too big.............so we sold some, donated some and put more out in the garage. How can two people and three dogs have so much STUFF!!!!!!!!!!!

The boys act like they've always lived here. The first day they smelled everything over and over and were satisfied from the very first night. Supper was a little late that night but other than that ...........they are happy campers. They all love to unpack boxes............smell everything including the newspaper. Opened one box full of pantry staples including a bag of BEGGIN STRIPS.............gave each one a strip and after that they all helped me open every box. Couldn't have done it without them.

So far the boys have met a very big and pretty corgi that lives next door and a little poodle and her big lab friend. Can't wait to see who else we'll meet...............hope the neighborhood is ready for an invasion of cavalier cuteness!!!!!!!!!

FARMER'S MARKET

During the summer our little town has a farmer's market set up on one of the streets in the historic district that is lined with antique stores etc. It's only on Thursday and I love it. Montgomery always goes with me and this is his third summer. He loves it too and of course he always gets loads of attention. I have an old wooden radio flyer wagon that has wooden slats on all of the sides and I always take it with me in case I get a watermelon or a lot of corn or peaches or who knows what. This is my first summer with Brogie and Zeke and ...........yes, I was crazy enough to take all three at the same time......... with the wagon in tow ............to the first market of the season. We created total chaos in no time at all...........it was a happy, lovey dovey kind of chaos.............but it was still chaos. We had leashes wrapped around me, the wagon, baby strollers, moms, kids, dogs, farmers and anything or anyone who approached us............and everyone approached us. Cavaliers are magnets...........people are always attracted to them and kids can't keep their hands off of them and their moms are so happy to see how gentle they are. But an hour of untangling leashes and dogs is enough for anybody and we headed home.

Now I take one dog each Thursday and it works out great for everyone. Montgomery's day is like ole home day.........lots of people know him and he gets treats from some of them so he's in heaven the whole time.
Zeke is actually a shy boy and I didn't know how he would do without the other boys but as it turned out he had a solution...........as soon as I got my wagon out of the back of the suv he jumped in it , I started to get him out but he loves to ride and he looked so happy sitting there.......... so off we went. He's been twice now and each time he jumps into the wagon and inspects all the produce on the way back to the car. He gets a lot of attention sitting up in that wagon.
Brogie always walks on my left and slightly behind me...........he is perfect on the leash.........but for some reason the wagon confused him. He kept wandering behind me and walking beside the wagon so I tied him to the left side of the wagon and pulled it with my left hand...........he was content and each time I stopped to look at some fruit or veggies he sat down beside the wagon and waited for people to come over. He is precious and loves all the attention he gets.

Quite a few people bring their dogs..........and some of them are cute and sweet............some, not so much. I know they all love their dogs but I don't think any of them get as much enjoyment as I do from my little guys. A friend of mine told me recently that she would love to have a dog but they are too much trouble.............I shook my head and said her problem was that she had never had the right dog. I am so lucky.............the right dog times three.
e

PET FRIENDLY

Lots of things about the rental market have surprised me but this takes the cake!
A young hot shot rental agent gave us a call with a lead on a house with a "pet friendly" policy. I realize that the English language is ever evolving but the word friendly now has strings attached. After viewing the house we felt it could work for us...... so he handed us a FOUR page rental application................couldn't believe the things they wanted to know but we saw no problems until we got home and read the whole thing.
At the bottom of the last page there was a paragraph that was entitled PET POLICY and it started off by stating a nonrefundable deposit of $5oo was required .............per pet.............we have 3 dogs and 1 cat...................but that's not even the worst part!!! The last nail in the coffin was that the rental amount would be increased by $25 per month ...............per pet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obviously I have been looking in all the wrong places and working with all the wrong people. I could not resist calling the agent .............and in my most softspoken southern way I suggested what he might do with his rental application and all of his other rental requirements. When I finally gave him a chance to respond he stammered his way through an apology............. and waived all of the pet requirements. I thanked him and wished him well in his career and life............and I left it at that.
If I don't find a house soon we are going to be living in the car..............Zeke would love that!!!!!!!!!!!
e

HOUSE HUNTING

In the past each time we got out of one house we would build another, but this time we are not sure what we want to do or where we want to be............. so for the time being we've decided to rent a place until we can decide. Some form of retirement is around the corner and I just know we are not going to be living in this area for that, but who knows! The last time we rented a home was in 1973 and boy oh boy have things changed.
We have two major requirements.........a garage for Steve ( no, not to live in ) and a fenced in yard for the boys..........and I guess there is one more thing.......I don't want to pay an arm and a leg. Is that too much to ask? Maybe.
When a rental agent says "charming family home" that means little house with three little bedrooms and a one car garage with an area to store bicycles. A "cozy home with character" means a tiny house with itty bitty bedrooms and a color scheme that will knock your socks off. But if he says he has a "spacious executive home" that translates into a house that you can fit most of your furniture into but is grossly overpriced...............so the search continues.
We have been taking the boys with us when we do our first drive by to see the outside of a house and check out the neighborhood and even though Steve and I find it tedious, the boys are having a blast. When they see another dog or ducks (they were all over one little neighborhood) the boys bark and wag...........bark and wag.
We almost hit a deer in Belfair and I thought Zeke was going to have a stroke............it took him 10 minutes to calm down. Every time we slow down and look over at a house they all look in the same direction as we're looking and check it out............Brogie looks in the general direction but Gummie and Zeke stare as long as we do. It's our version of HOUSE HUNTERS.
e

COFFEE

Every once in awhile I have a mostly sleepless night during which I worry about............you name it and I worry about it. I'll worry about some personl things but I'll mostly worry about stuff that I have no business concerning myself with. Go figure......maybe I think I can solve the problems of the world in the middle of the night...........good luck, right? Last night or should I say this morning at 3am I was still awake but at 3:30am I was getting sleepy. Big problem.........I had to pick up my best friend at 5:30 to take her to the airport. Decided to make some coffee and wouldn't you know it the can had about 1 tsp in it. None in the pantry either...........no problem ......Kroger is open 24 hours and it's just a few miles away. Simple!............or maybe not.
The boys are always asleep at this time of the morning but the phone rang (friend calling to make sure I was up!!!!!) and I picked up my keys and walked out to the garage. When I opened the car door Zeke catapulted himself onto the front seat with Montgomery landing almost on top of him. So the three of us were off.............almost. Just as we were pulling out of the garage I saw Brogie at the top of the stairs .............sleepy eyes and all. I was in a hurry but who could leave that sweet boy.......I lifted him into the car and we took off.
Shopping in the middle of the night has some perks.......my parking space was so close to the front door I could almost jump from the car into the store. As I walked in I hit the button on my key to lock the car......just habit.............but that's a mistake when you have the boys with you.
I was walking up to checkout when I heard all the noise and saw the lights flashing and a few people coming into the store all laughing .............I heard "they're so cute" so of course I knew who they were talking about. I paid for the coffee and walked outside to see my hazard lights flashing and the car alarm blasting and 3 very alert boys. The lights were so bright and the alarm was so loud!!!!!!!! My car has a motion detector and the boys set it off and then stepped on the hazard light button. There was a firetruck parked nearby and two firemen were standing by my car.......oh no........ I asked if someone had called them. No ma'am, he said, we were going in to get some things for breakfast and thought we'd wait here until the owner came. That would be me , I said............ and they started talking about how the whole time the alarm was blasting the boys were just wagging their tails and never looked stressed or anything like that. I thanked them and we went home.
I really didn't need any coffee after all of that.
e

A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS

Daughter Leslie graduated from college 4 years ago and fortunately for me, she got a job and apartment close by. She is a late in life child and we have always been close. She popped in frequently and would occasionally spend the night and she showered the boys with affection and of course they LOVE her and go crazy every time she walks through the door.
Last month she got a HUGE promotion and I am so proud of her and happy for her............but along with the promotion came a move to Charleston. Her new apartment is actually across the bridge in Mount Pleasant and this weekend I went to visit. She is so much fun and we had a ball.
She had asked me to bring some of her clothes and other things that had never made it over to her last apartment............so last week I got some boxes and started packing. The first night I took the boxes into her room the boys were so excited............Zeke got on her bed and observed ( he likes to pretend that he is aloof but he watched every move we made)...........Gummie and Brogie sniffed each and every thing I put in the box. At some point Gummie went into the closet and brought me a dirty, dusty sock (proof of my housekeeping skills). Of course I thought that was great and I gave him hugs and kisses (proof of my craziness about the boys). Gummie knew he had done something good and made a bee line back into the closet with Brogie following step for step. Brogie never actually brought anything but he was by Gummie's side the whole time and they delivered............
one scarf
two more socks
one belt
and a plastic bag full of other plastic bags
I thought it was the coolest thing and they were so proud of themselves.
e

KIND

Montgomery aka Gummie is the kindest dog I have ever known and I tell people that all the time ..........who knows if anyone believes me ...........but it is true. Just this afternoon on our walk he did a very kind, caring thing for Brogie.
Our recent thunderstorm left many fallen limbs and debris everywhere and today we came upon a huge uprooted wax myrtle that totally blocked the horse trail . We started to go a different way but I thought we could get around it if we climbed over it at the base and then made our way along the side of the ditch and then work our way back up to the trail. What was I thinking!........It was my bright idea.....so I led the way. After I got over the tree I just motioned for Gummie to come over and he will follow me anywhere. He jumped up on the trunk and worked his way over to me. Zeke followed Gummie and the three of us waited on the trail. Steve's balance and flexibility are compromised by an accident he had years ago but he made it over the tree and the only one left was Brogie. Steve tried to talk him over it but I could tell that wasn't going to work so I made my way back to the tree and talked to him and tried to get him to jump.............I was getting ready to go back over the trunk so I could pick him up and I had his front legs on the tree....................all of a sudden Gummie jumped back up on the tree and leaned down and touched Brogie's nose, then he turned but Brogie didn't move and he whined a little. So Gummie leaned back down and put his face beside Brogie's face for 2 or 3 seconds. I reached down and Brogie made a little jump that was just enough for me to grab him and lift him up and over......I put him down on the ground and he and Gummie made their way back to the trail. Of course I had to go along the ditch again ......but when I got back up to the trail all of the boys were waiting for me and off we went.
I don't pretend to know anything about dog psychology or dog behavior or anything else for that matter but .............there is no doubt in my mind that Gummie was trying to help Brogie or maybe he was trying to help me...........I don't know and it doesn't matter............he was trying to help and that is my definition of KINDNESS.
e

THUNDER

We have thunderstorms here often so it's no surprise to have one in the evening after a hot day.......and tonight we had a big one! It was loud and long. Even Brogie heard it and it scared him. He snuggled up next to me on the sofa and I could see how worried he was. I got up to look at the hail bouncing up on the patio and he got soooo nervous. Most of the really big storms are in the summer and last summer we didn't have Brogie and Zeke so I didn't know they would be frightened. Montgomery and Brogie are very close......and Montgomery is VERY kind..........he jumped up on the sofa, put his face next to Brogie's and flopped down beside him and rested his head on Brogie's paws. That did the trick.........Brogie rested his head on Gummie's big floppy ear and they were sleeping in no time at all with Brogie in full snore mode. It was (I realize I'm showing my age here) without a doubt a true KODAK moment.

I was so focused on Brogie that I didn't realize that Zeke was missing for awhile.......but I got thinking about him and called him but no response so I looked all around and when I went into my closet I heard a tiny little whimper...........I flipped the light switch and wouldn't you know it the light bulb blew. The lights in the bedroom were on but the closet was pretty dark especially at the back. I have a section of double rods at the back and the clothes on the lower rod hang down to about 2 or 3 inches off the floor. So I'm down on my knees feeling around in the dark, crawling over shoes when I get to the back corner...........there he was....... under my winter jackets..............shaking. He was really scared. I sat down and he got on my lap and we sat in the dark closet ...........after my eyes adjusted it didn't seem so dark and when the thunder stopped Zeke was good to go. I guess Zeke and I had a little KODAK moment too.
e

Business Expense?

You know how when your children are just starting preschool or kindergarten and you sort of meet other parents but you don't really know their names.............you know them as little Sarah's mom or little Tim's dad and that's the way they know you until one day you see them somewhere without the children and you finally introduce yourself ........at last the parents have real names and sometimes you even become friends. Of course that was decades ago for me but it is now happening with the pack. People see us out and about with the boys and they ALWAYS notice the boys and probably barely see us.
Now that I am an official "temporary" employee for the Census Bureau my association with three little cavaliers has proved to be very beneficial on several occasions. My most recent batch of census forms all had addresses here in Rose Hill............so even though Rose Hill is fairly large with around 400 homes I was calling on neighbors so to speak. Numerous times I have been greeted at the door with ........oh I know you .....you have the three little dogs..........................or .....I've seen you walking the cute little dogs.......or...........you have the pretty King Charles!
You get the picture. It made a mundane task into a fun chat and I met some nice people and we now know each other's name.
Of course not everyone is so pleasant and on two occasions I called on addresses where I met with very unhappy people who were not willing in fact adamantly opposed to the census etc.
I thought I was going to go away emptyhanded until I mentioned that we walked near their home and saw their dogs............that broke the ice and when they found out I have the cavaliers the tone of the conversation changed drastically..........all of a sudden I was no longer the big bad government ...........just a neighbor who loves dogs too.............I got the most important info needed if not all of it and they are now counted in the census.
.....................I think my boys should get an identification badge like I have that I have to wear around my neck at all times while on the job............I could attach it to their collars right next to their rabies tag...........it's an official tag but my name is written on it with a SHARPIE. I suppose that might not fly but at the very least I think I should be able to list them as a business expense. They definitely helped take the census!!!!!!!
e

Working Dogs Part 2

I would be happy to tell you that the boys quickly adjusted to our training schedule but, of course, that didn't happen. In fact Friday was the only day I didn't have to carry one of them outside each morning. I know dogs live in the moment but they weren't diggin' the morning moments.
My front door is made up of beveled glass panels divided into 9"x12" sections and the bottom three panels look like picture frames when you walk up to the front porch and see each dog peering through their assigned pane.............don't know who assigned the panes but they are always at the same one. They are very still and quiet until I start to walk up the steps and that's when the action begins..........Montgomery barks and goes in circles, Zeke barks a little and leaps straight up over and over, and Brogie barks continuously and marches in place. This happened each day at lunch and again at the end of the day.........and my usually undemanding boys DEMANDED a 5 minute love fest no matter how bad I had to go the bathroom. I try to give each of them the amount of attention they want ...........Gummie is satisfied first with Brogie coming in a distant second while Zeke would like to be velcroed (is that a word?) to my body and would be content in my lap for who knows how long.
It was a long week for the boys but they survived. I don't think I would appreciate a census taker.........I mean an ENUMERATOR knocking on my door early in the morning so I don't head out until 10 or so now and the boys are much happier. Granted their main activity is sleeping during the day but they don't like to start their day job until they've had a really good, long night's sleep. You might say I have three little pampered pets or............does the term SPOILED ROTTEN come to mind? Either way, I'm lovin' it.
e

Working Dogs Part 1

The business of architecture is slow these days and I have had way too much time on my hands so a few months ago I took a test to become a census taker. The census bureau deemed me to be literate enough to do the job and for 8 weeks I will be (you won't believe this) an ENUMERATOR. Do you think the government paid someone to come up with that job title?............The best part is that I can make my own schedule so it won't interfere with other things.............except for last week which was TRAINING WEEK.

I had to be there at 8:00 am which is no problem for me as I usually get up early anyhow.............but it was a big problem for the boys. When I called them at 6:30 the reaction was underwhelming to say the least. Left undisturbed they will sleep to 9 or 10........it happens often. That first morning the only reaction I got was that Montgomery opened his eyes!!! That's it.......nothing else. So I turned on all the lights, TV, and got some music going on the computer.............nothing. I finally knocked on the bedroom door and that got Montgomery's attention. Zeke could care less and Brogie probably didn't hear it. I had to pick Zeke up and carry him outside...........went back in to get Brogie and picked him up gently as he is always stiff first thing in the a.m. and when I put him down outside he just stood there ..............it was still kind of dark and he just stood there and looked at me like I had lost my mind......he was so tired and stiff he SQUATTED to pee!!! When I let them back inside they made a bee line to the bed and when I left at 7:30 all three of them were snoring.
e

Tantrum

Not only is Zeke handsome but he is also VERY well behaved....but (of course there has to be a but) we do have one issue. Any time Zeke is outside he has to be on a leash unless he is in the fenced in yard because if he sees anything move and I mean anything ........bird, deer, rabbit, butterfly, dog, cat, ANYTHING...........he takes off after it and will not stop until he decides to stop no matter what I do.
We take a 2 or 3 mile walk most days on the horse trails in our little neighborhood and there is a one mile section that is bordered by a fence on one side and thick brush on the other side and I have been letting the boys off the leash there and they LOVE it. The first thing they do is run as fast as they can for about 15 seconds or so and since the trail winds a good bit they are out of our sight for awhile but then they turn and head back to where they can see us and we can see them at which time they take off again.............and so it goes over and over. Zeke takes a few detours but he gets back to the trail pretty quickly and I've learned to have faith that it will be ok.
At one point two trails intersect and that is where we gather up the boys and put the leashes back on. Recently Zeke made the decision that he didn't want to do it that way anymore. He wants to go the rest of the way home (it's only about 1/4 mile but you have to cross a paved road) off leash.
He was so put out with me that he threw a tantrum!!!!!! As soon as I snapped on the leash he grabbed the fabric lead and shook it as hard as he could then he threw himself down on the ground all the time shaking that lead......I got him up and we walked home with Zeke shaking the lead all the way. I think he growled a few times. At one point I stopped and told him to SIT which he did and he looked up at me with those big brown eyes and the lead in his mouth and what could I do...........he is so sweet and so cute and so well behaved......................I gave him a big hug !!!!!!!!!
Guess I showed him.
e

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