Kids....furry and non-furry

Kids For Sale. Thank goodness they thought to put a picture of a goat on their sign.

Chuck just left to take Jordan to the airport. She's on her way back to the desert of Arizona. I think she had a good week......I know I did. It's a treat to have an adult child come home for a visit. We started her visit with a meal at Houston's......a favorite of our whole family......and ended with Mexican food last night. In between there was barbeque, Chic-Fil-A, homecooking and Bluebell. Food addiction? Whatchu talkin'bout?

While here, Jordan borrowed Will's camera and took a couple of rolls of film. She got some really cute ones of the furry kids and I wanted to post them. If you know me, you know I love my dogs. I love one of them way more than the others.......but I think dogs need other dogs, so I do put up with the other two. Yes, I said 3. And if I had a bigger piece of land, I would probably have a whole herd. If dogs come in herds.

The oldest dog is Dixie. She is a Bijorkiepoo. That's what she was called in the Chronicle ad. The perfect lap dog, the ad claimed......so of course, on a whim, I called the number. (I read the want ads for puppies........don't tell Chuck. He is unaware of this addiction....just as he is unaware I am overweight and sometimes get in a bad mood.) Anyway, I made the call and the nicest lady told me the puppies were really mutts but too high -classed to be called that. The mama was a Yorkie Poo and the daddy was a Bichon. Before I knew what I was doing, I got directions to their house and said we would be over later that day to look at them.

At this time, we had one older Golden Retriever and had just had to have a 1 1/2 year old Shit Zu (that's how I'm spelling it.) put to sleep. Another story, another day.......but in a nutshell, we had a new kitten and the dog got into some cat litter and it was the clumping kind and it basically shut down his colon. We didn't know what was wrong with the dog until $600 worth of tests later, the vet told us there was nothing to do but take him home and wait for him to die. I took him to another vet who gave him another 48 hours of care and then reaffirmed that he wasn't going to make it. It was very, very sad and we had to make a very hard decision........and it had only been the previous week.....which is why I was looking at puppy ads that day......although I really do look at them alot.)

So back to that day....which was Oct. 22, 1999, our anniversary. Chuck had taken the day off and we were planning on going out to lunch somewhere. When the lady said they lived in Clearlake, I thought perfect! We'll go out to eat on the other side of Egypt. Now all I had to do was figure out how to tell Chuck about the puppy we were going to look at.

I told him like I tell him everything. I just blurt it out and give him the look that says....deal with it. He said we would go look but that's it. Just Look. We aren't even taking any cash. "I mean it." In his sternest voice. (whatever..........)


So on that day we head an hour south, go have a nice lunch then find the puppy house, and the lady greets us at the door. She brings out the Mama Dog and the litter of puppies. They are one huge cluster of puppies, coming into the room tripping and licking all over each other. Then one shoots out of the cluster and runs right to Chuck. I am not kidding. I could not make this up. He looks at me, then at the lady and says, "Where's the closest ATM?"

We named her Dixie Belle and she is the smartest, most neurotic dog ever. She has OCD and lots of skin allergies and thinks if she stares long enough, she can make a tennis ball move in the water. She's a swimmer, a soccer player (rolls the ball with her feet and bumps it into the air with her head) and a football player (hikes it between her legs better than the pros). She was born on 9-09-99....making her the oldest furry kid I have.

Perfect lap dog? Uh, no. Her legs don't bend when you hold her.......they stick straight out. Feels like you're holding an animal that has already visited the taxidermist. But she's great entertainment and a really sweet dog. Just don't bring out a tennis ball....or you'll be sorry. She never tires of bringing it back to you to throw. You, however, will tire of it after the 64th time. Many tennis balls have been thrown over the back fence because if we try to hide them....she can find them.

Dixie Belle Hackney

The youngest dog is a Chihuahua that Cameron brought home one night during her senior year of highschool. She called home from her boyfriend's friend's house and said she was holding the cutest little puppy that the family was giving away. I said, "NO." She said, "But Mama, it's black & white." I said, "Bring it home and let me look at it." (Cameron knows how to word things......black & white......hello? I love black & white.)

Chuck was mad, mad, mad. He wouldn't speak for days. Not that we could tell a difference. He doesn't talk much. But he had his cheeks puffed out....so we knew it was "not speaking" versus "not talking." Then about the third day, I came into the den and the new puppy was laying on his shoulder while he was watching the evening news. He had a look of defeat on his face.......but the puffy cheeks were gone.

This was the easiest "puppy" as Cameron really did all the work. She got up with it at night and cleaned all the messes and took her to the vet for all the shots.......just as she promised. Cameron's good for her word. And we named this one Sadie Sue. She's a Chihuahua........yappy and bug-eyed. Her birthday is Septemberish, 2006.

Sadie Sue Hackney

And now for the dog of my life....the one that is my favorite. I have grown up with dogs....I came from a dog loving family and continue that tradition and I'm not sure I've ever loved one like I love this one. Her name is Maggie May (so original, I know) and she is a Shit Zu Poo......purchased on the corner of 1960 and Kuykendahl on Mother's Day, 2003, after one too many glasses of wine at dinner. We were leaving Pappa's Cafe and I saw the sign.........made Chuck do a U turn.....just to look. (really, by now you think he'd learn)

There were 3 little puppies in this crate and the lady selling them said they had been there all day. She was getting ready to close shop and would give us a good deal. Maggie was the only girl and the only white one. The other two were the prettiest caramel color but boys. I just do girl dogs. I looked at Chuck and said, "Chuuuuuuuuuuckkkkkkk, I really like this one." And, "She's been in this crate allllllll dayyyyyyyy." He said, "Okay." The lady said 250......he said would you take a check? She said yes. He said would you take 225? She said yes, but you're getting a great deal. (Really lady? You're getting $225 for a puppy that noone else would buy.....all day....maybe you're getting the great deal.)

It was absolutely, positively the MOST IMPULSIVE thing we have ever done. And we have done alot of impulsive things in our married life. I remember driving home with this puppy and thinking what the hell did we just do. What is wrong with me? Why do I not have any self-control. I'm a mother, for God's sake. Can I be a better role model? My kids are in the back seat and I am going gaga over this puppy. Ughhhhhh.

And then after a few sleepless nights holding this precious thing up to my neck while she cried for her birth mother, I fell in love. I shudder to think of the joy I would have missed out on if I hadn't told Chuck to make that U turn. Do you think that's the Holy Spirit?

Wouldn't you fall in love, too?

And now almost 6 years later, she still has me wrapped around her finger. She allows me to carry her on my hip and talk "baby talk" to her. And Chuck is even luckier. Maggie sleeps under the covers against his legs. I think his furry legs are her surrogate birth mother. heehee.

She is the best greeter in the world. She will not stop until you stop and love on her when you return from being gone. Even if the trip was just to take the trash out. She is the limpest noodle when being held. She lets us pull her ears over her eyes and up into a ponytail of sorts. She is just happy.

Some of my non-furry children have called her d-u-m-b, but I would never call her that. I will admit that after she goes out the doggy door to use the restroom, she cries at the back door to be let in. We have to yell "Maggie, come back in!!" several times until she remembers the doggie door swings both ways.

Maggie May Hackney

Just this week an email was going around about a litter of lab-mix puppies that were thrown out on the road. Someone picked them up but obviously can't keep them. I would post the picture here but I had to delete it because everytime I looked at it, I felt my self starting to reach for the phone to call the number. I have had this conversation in my head over and over all week.

Me: Ohhhh, they're so cute.

Me: NO.

Me: But, a lab -mix. That would probably make the greatest pet.

Me: NO.

Me: Chuck wouldn't stay mad long. He never does. And he would end up loving it sooo much...

Me: NO.

Me: And Will is leaving for college this summer and we would have more room in the house.

Me: What the hell are you thinking? That doesn't even make sense! There'll be more room?

Me: But someone has to save them!

Me: NO.

Me: What's one more dog?



Me: NO.



Me: At least it's not octuplets when you already have 6 kids at home and live with your mother and you're not even married. Now that's crazy. But this would only be the 4th dog. And I'm married.



Me: NO.



Me: You're so rude. Where's that fun, impulsive girl you used to be?



Me: Chuck squelched her....finally.

So I did the only thing I could think of ........I forwarded the email to tons of friends. Maybe by now they forwarded them on and someone has taken in these babies.

I hope you have a furry kid in your life.