Hmmm …

I was looking back through some Ranch pics and saw the below trilogy. It caught my eye bc of the way Pebbles was sprawled out in the mud. As you can see here, it’s typical for Pebbles. She always likes to get dirty:

But this was just too weird – she doesn’t love water so I was actually documenting that she got near it willingly! I’m sure that it in no way did this newly found affinity for lakes have anything to do with her being tied to Piper! Maybe that’s why she’s down – hanging on to dear life, dead weight and making Piper drag her. If I’m going in, I’m not going in easily!

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“Pebbles, look at that? What is that? It’s shiny and right there at the edge of the water. Don’t you want that? It’s just for you and you’re gonna love it. Everyone is going to be so jealous of you! You just have to have it”

“Where? Oh, I see it! I must have it … It’s MINE!!!”

“Oh, Pebbles. Guess it wasn’t anyth … wait … what’s that over there? OO, there it is. Let’s go get it!”

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Happy Day Ranch #4

Posed Perfection

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Wordless Wednesday ~ Happy Day Ranch #3

Buddy System Kinks:

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Happy Day Ranch #2

The Buddy System:

The A Team ~ Angus & Abbi

Team P ~ Piper & Pebbles

All Together Now:

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Happy Day Ranch #1

Last weekend, I traveled down south to visit my Mimi!

Isn’t she adorable!! The best!  Sadly, this blurry awful photo is the only one we took together.  Pathetic isn’t it!  I’m going to be better about that next time.

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The just under 4 hour drive was uneventful enough.  Gorgeous weather permitted us to roll the windows down and enjoy the breeze – or 70+ mph winds.  Abbi loves the wind in her face … she just plops down, gets cozy, and rests her head on the door where the vibrations lull her to sleep.  Pebbles, on the other hand, suffered from car sickness as a puppy so nowadays, her spot is directly behind the driver. Anywhere else and she panics – climbing over anything and everything to get to “her spot.”

Angus and Piper also got to go.  As Angus is about to have to undergo heartworm treatment, he’s living up his “last days” to the fullest.  The Ranch was a perfect weekend for him and he was so anxious to get there he never sat down. Seriously, he didn’t!  Piper got her own personal space and security in a crate in the back. She was more than happy to not be crammed in the back row between frozen-stiff P and pacing A.

It’s an awesome place – the weekend was going to be full of memories.

(breath-taking view from the back porch)

We arrived, well I did – to freshly baked chocolate chip cookies! About 4 dozen that would barely last us the weekend 😉

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Mimi has three pets – Maggie, a loveable, pleasantly plump dauschund (VERY pleasantly) and then there’s the two kitties –  Ginger, and Tigger – neither of which were all too happy to have us there.  Ginger is the Bubbas mommy and Tigger their brother!

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Meet Daphne!

Isn’t she just adorable! Don’t you want to just scoop her up and let that puppy breath fills your lungs! Okay, kinda gross and pretty much kisses aren’t permitted at my house unless asked. But you must admit she’s the MOST ADORABLE PUPPY you’ve ever seen!!!

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She’s been here about 30 mins and this is her take on what’s going on …

“Who are you? I like you! Let me nip you!  No, okay … I’ll find somebody else.”

“Whoa, the enemy is quick … and HUGE!  But I’ve got a few secret powers they aren’t aware of. My superdog shrill bark should hold them off!  YAP YAP.”

“What is this thing they put around my neck? I must get it off.”

“Hmm, there’s just no way to sneak attack. They’ve got me cornered.”

“Turning on superdog hyper speed! Yes, they tremble & cower in my presence!”

“RETREAT, RETREAT!! RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!!!  Boy they’re big!”

“Maybe they won’t see me under this one! Darn. Why aren’t I invisible? This thing they put on my neck must have stripped me of my superdog powers!”

“Resort to Plan B – ATTACK!!!”

“She’s fierce! If I could only get this off … “

“Bahhh…. I can’t risk it. I’ll have to destroy her first & then worry about it.”

“She even knows my secret superdog belly bite! Can she read my mind?!?!”

“I must rest and re-coup. Hmmm, on to Plan C.”

“Why aren’t my superdog strong nails working to get this off?”

“I’m sure the superdog booty dos-si-do will get her!”

“Almost …. allll–mmmooostt ….”

“AHHHH, a sneak attack!! She’s good.”

“I’ll show YOU what it means to attack from behind!”

“They’re distracted. My chance to get this off and destroy!”

“Blast – they knew my plans!”

“YAP!”

“The big white one – hmmm. I like her.”

“Ya know …… this is fun!”

“Okay, one battle lost, but not the war, not the war.  You beware spotted girl!

One last try!”

“Oh, I give up. Plan D – look cute and snuggle.”

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Withdrawal

can refer to ANY sort of separation like adopting out 2 cats & 3 dogs in a week?

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In order to experience the symptoms of withdrawal, one must have first developed a PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE warmth required for a good night’s sleep, snuggling needed to enjoy a movie, excitement demanded so I feel welcomed home.

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This happens after consuming one  ….. Pebbles

OR MORE ….. Abbi, Griff, Rhino, Piper, Mattie, Willow, SueAnne, Zoe, Corkie, Beck

of these substances for a certain period of time.

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Generally, a person will start to feel worse ….. Corkie, Willow & Beck adopted

AND WORSE ….. Zoe & SueAnne adopted

hit a plateau ….. I’m holding tight to Mattie and Piper

and then the symptoms begin to dissipate ….. ONLY because I’ve got a new pup coming tonight and a second Sat! AND potentially a new kitty in there somewhere!

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SPUNKY, SPUNKY!!

YESTERDAY!!!!! Oh, yesterday! It was the BEST day I’ve had in a LONG, LONG time!!!

No, it wasn’t bc we partied all day at work and got off early or bc the drive home was traffic-less or bc I won the million-dollar lottery.  Last night was fabulous because Piper was SPUNKY!

Typically as I walk up to my door, I can hear the excitement from my girls tucked away in their crates.  They let me know where they are and that they missed me.  Almost the first thing I do is greet them and let them loose.  They wiggle with glee and head straight for the door – guess it wasn’t excitement to see me after all.

Well, in the midst of greeting and releasing – I noticed a new sparkle in Piper’s eyes.  She was wagging her tail almost wildly and watching my every move.  Quickly she stepped out of her cage but never took her eyes off me.  We all went outside and she ran around.  SHE RAN!!  Now, this in itself is a victory!

She’s been cowering and creeping through the yard, never letting me out of her sight (not like last night when she just wanted to see me – but bc she didn’t trust me not to get her when she wasn’t looking).

But OH the joy she expressed.  Her body was moving right along with that waggin’ tail.  For the first time in her over thirty days here, she went up to my girls and greeted them. Pebbles sensed her excitement and jumped for glee.  “Wanna play?” she asked. “Chase me!”

Though that was a bit much for Piper still, that tail never stopped!

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Whatta Weekend

You may not be from around here but it was ab-so-lute-ly gorgeous!! I spent it outdoors, err WE spent it outdoors every moment we got.

Friday night I met Beck’s new family.  Boy is she a smart kitty lover! Beck is going to be one spoiled cat – brushed, petted, loved and adored as the only man of the house.  He’s one lucky kitty and I’m happy for him – his daily boxing matches with Rhino might have had the best of him soon .

We left Willow up at Petsmart in hopes that a week there would find her a good home and the Pebbles and I headed to Home Depot for some last minute training before her Therapy Dog test Saturday afternoon.

Soon we were home and happily greeted by the jealous herd there.  It was bittersweet without Beck and Willow to greet me at the door.

Saturday was a long FULL day – woken at 6am by Piper’s whining (a new thing she’s learned with confidence), immediately outside, I get breakfast ready because I’m here to serve them, all inside, eat, outside, give kitties nose drops (kitty cold from Willow), get scratched, chase kitty to give more drops, clean scratches, dress in grundgies, sweep, clean up breakfast, inside, crate a few, gather the rest, load up the car, everyone hop in, to the dog park, out, run, run, run, play, run, almost 3 hours later load up for home, they sleep, I clean (isn’t that how it always is?!), give kitties nose drops, bandage scratches, Pebbles and I go to our test, squeak out some nerves, test, test, test, PASS, celebrate, home, one-on-one times with those left behind, wonder if Willow got adopted, crate, I get “Kat time,” home, give kitties drops, outside, bed.

Sunday was pretty much the same with a few additions – church, home, lose Mattie, dog park, WILLOW GOT ADOPTED!, nursing home visit, home, another visit to family, do dishes, turn on disposal, find Mattie after she shot out from under cabinet, comfort scared kitty, laundry, bath 5 dogs and 3 cats, brush 5 dogs teeth, 2 dogs cry, 3 dogs hate me, 3 cats growl, clean 8 sets of ears, give kitties drops, lay down on couch, watch movie while dogs go wacko bc they’re clean, wake up with three kitties on top of me, two dogs on each side, crick in neck.

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Firsts

The past two weeks, we’ve had a lot of new friends coming over to play.  With that, we’ve celebrated often as they each accomplish things they may have never done ever before and definitely not in our home.  We’re building trust in each other, gaining confidence, and learning that love prevails.

9th – I brought home my first foster kitties – Willow and Beck

10th – I scooped cat poop for the first time in a year – gotta love those automated litter boxes

11th – Piper wagged her tail!! SHE LOVES ME!  (Still working on a second time – darn)

12th – Willow came downstairs into Doggieville

13th – Beck let out the softest, most precious, long meow – well, it was sort of pathetic but adorable at the same time

14th – Zoe “stayed” for 2 mins – 2 WHOLE minutes.

15th – Beck and Willow learned their names! or at least responded to them

.       – Piper took a treat!!!!!!!! From my hand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Prob the first in her life

16th – Mattie gave me my first deep kitty wound as she bathed – and her front paws are declawed! Anything’s possible, I guess.

.       – Willow jumped on the couch – a feat as heavy as she is. (We do the stair climber!)

17th – Beck stopped swiping at Zoe (understandable though)

.       – Piper came to my brother and sister

.       – SueAnne waited at the door before coming in. If you only knew how long we’ve been working on this – over 6 weeks!

18th – Willow slept on the bed.

.       – Piper pottied outside! Thank you inventor of the zip line (Abbi’s really glad as she can now have her bed back in the room as that was P’s favorite spot – gross)

.       – Mattie came out from hiding … when called!

19th – I helped give my first kitty shots

20th – Zoe learned “down” … FINALLY!

.       – Piper went around me to the right! on the ground, dragging, but still.

.       – Mattie stopped hissing at Pebbles.

.       – Beck jumped up on the bed and curled up for the night. (Snuggled NEXT to Zoe!)

.       – SueAnne raided the litterbox – yuck

21st – Mattie greeted me on the table – way out of her comfort zone.

.       – Piper cuddled with me … without me pulling her on the couch, she asked to come up and I said yes, and she came!!

22nd – Mattie learned that scary places can be conquered while eating.

.       – Piper went on a walk WITHOUT freaking out once at weird noises.

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And soon … that list will be even longer!! We’re just about all party’d out!

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