Brown mutt for sale

A few days after the kids moved into our house, a friend recommended that we go to a comedy show to cheer ourselves up and relieve stress through laughter. Dealing with the fire stress, Christmas holidays, and kids has been different and difficult at times.

Then it occurred to me that my family provides a good bit of laughter. I could put on the rosy glasses and adapt a better attitude, therein find some funny. (And take my meds. Those are important.)

So I'm going with the cheaper version of a comedy show: almost middle-age kids, teen grandchildren, child-size grandchildren, and a great-grandie trying to learn to crawl and walk at the same time. Almost all of us living on the same house lot. 

Let's add to that menagerie of people, the menagerie of pets: three Maltese pups in the small camper; one Maltese in the big camper; and in the house a sweet schnauzer named Lucy and the newest member of the menagerie: The Mutt.

The Mutt, aka the brown dog, the stray dog, that damn dog, has one or two irritating habits. His moniker depends greatly on his antics and the amount of cleaning required of the the adult dealing with him. His bad puppy habits are so despicable that I decided that we needed to "rehome" him. To that end, I put a small ad on Facebook:

Brown mutt for sale. Real cheap. Answers to every command he knows. Trained to clean trash cans. Will self-load into any vehicle. Eats anything. Can dig trenches and make gates. Loves everyone, good with small children (able to teach them how to fall correctly and rebound quickly). Paying $5 to come look at him, plus $5 if you take him home. 

Thus far I have received no takers. Will, however, defended Mutt and insists he is part of the family and Jolie loves him. Therefore, he cannot be rehomed. Uhm, that's coming from someone who doesn't have to pick up after him, repair the fences he breaks, refill the holes he digs, run him out of our camper, or walk in the dark with Mutt jumping on knees, thighs, and ankles. I just know that Mutt is determined to see me fall in the gravel just for the fun of watching me roll. No doubt he will help me up and kiss all the boo-boos. 


By now we've gotten used to him and expect him to come bounding into a set of knees at any second. His favorite pastime is to tease the Maltese puppies when they are outside. We built a small yard for them right outside the camper. It's where we feed them, let them get some exercise and take care of outdoor business. 

Mutt has been trying for weeks to dig into the yard, which shows his IQ level. Few animals work to get in a cage. We can't allow that because Mutt weighs more than the three Maltese together. Translate that into every day someone has to shovel dirt and rocks back into the holes he's created. When he not escaping his freedom, he's using it to annoy the Maltese by running around and around their yard so that they feel the need to bark and chase him. It's a mean game of "Not It" that no one can win, not even the humans who try desperately to chase him away.

Cotton is my forever dog, so he comes with me almost everywhere, which requires walking from place to place. While Cotton was out few days ago, Mutt ran back and forth in front of him trying to engage a game of tag. He bomb-rushed into Cotton and rolled him into a couple of cartwheels. I barely snatched up Cotton before the second assault and tossed him into the camper. 

Believing he's a big boy with a full set of teeth, Cotton was somewhat miffed and wanted blood.  He bounced back out yapping and snarling, so I caught him again this time in midair and received a nip on the arm for my efforts. While I dealt with the maniac in my arms, Mutt bounded past me into the camper. You can't imagine the joys of playing hide and seek in a small camper until you play with a mad Maltese and a crazy Mutt, who is actually good at all of his games. 

Puppy Update on Cottontop

Hey, leave me alone

My sweet little Cottontop was only three months old when I got him for my birthday. Now he is well over 13 and is getting old and cranky. It's a bit like living with a 90-year-old man. He eats, sleeps, and waits for me to get home. 

Last night when I got up from my chair, I accidentally tossed my lap blanket over  him. When I returned several minutes later, he was exactly as I'd left him--a little black nose peaking out. 

Really? You had to move the blankey?

Of course, I decided he was too cute to miss the shot. 

And that lead me to consider that since I haven't posted anything about the puppies in a while, it would be about time.

You may notice that in some of these "portraits" he has what looks like a pink bow. It's actually a pink heart that Marley gave him for Valentine's Day. I stuck it in his hair thinking that it would soon fall out. Boy was I wrong! That adhesive is meant to stick.

After a bath

It's going to take a bath and some growling to get it out. I've tried a few times, but he does not appreciate it one bit. Snarls, growls, and snapping ensues. I've let go every time.

Newspaper is always fun

This picture is one I took after he had a field day with the newspaper, a toy and the pages of a children's book. Marley was not happy about her toy or her book. It didn't seem to matter that she'd already written in the book or that the toy had come from McDonalds. 

Don't move the toy...

this is where it belongs

These last two pictures are meant to show how smart he is, but it way work against him. He decided one afternoon that his toy belong in this place on the edge of his bed. I threw it several times. He would not return it to me. Instead he returned it to this place everytime. 
After a few times I gave up and stopped throwing the toy. He promptly climbed in the bed and took a nap leaving the toy perched on the edge. He has never done this since. 


On that note, he will not play with just any toy. He chooses the toy and will fetch or squeak it. Throw a different toy and he ignores it. It annoys the grands to no end, but they annoy him, so it's an even game. 

I hope you enjoyed the update on my sweet, cranky old man. Do you have a pet who's been with you for a long time? How long has it been?

Puppy Struggle is Real, Y'all

A puppy's struggle that is. Some people just can't possibly understand how difficult a puppy's life can be. I thought I'd tell you what it's like to be a five pound puppy in a family this size.  

And in THIS house, it's almost unbearable. After all, we are made to do all manner of chores. We have to keep a close watch over the family. Intruders are always a problem--you just don't know when to expect some marauding squirrel or cat. 

Don't think it's all that easy. I have to check the entire house. That means every time a door is opened, I run in and search in every corner, behind every door, under things, and in things. 

Nothing can be left unsearched. You just never know where a squirrel or cat or (worse) a mouse might be hiding. We've even seen opossums, foxes, and armadillos running round outside. What if they were to come inside?

If something makes a noise, we all jump up immediately and go after it. It doesn't matter what's going on or what we're doing; our job is to snap and snarl and bark and yap to scare off whatever made the noise. We don't like making all that ruckus, but it's important to our people. Sometimes they join in and help us make noise. That must be when they are really scared.

My special job is entertaining and making people laugh. But the people around here are a hard sell. Plus, you never know when they might expect to be entertained, so we are on 24/7 and have to keep appearances up at all times, just in case.  It's not easy doing all that grooming. 

Oh sure, they take pretty good care of us. They feed us well and we get lots of attention. Sometimes we have to take baths, but who wants to smell like a human? If possible, we go straight outside and roll around in the grass or, when we're lucky, something smelly. It's the best way to get rid of the people smell that no one likes. 

Sometimes one of us gets into trouble, like the time I tried to climb up on the dresser. I was stuck for a little while but not long. Another time, I went under a rocker and was afraid to get out. We are all really smart but it happens anyway. 

We just have to be patient and wait for someone to come help. I never whine or cry but other puppies do, sometimes. 

I like to take naps when there's not much going on.  I rarely get to take naps but at my age, but I have to try. Most puppies can find a few hours to rest or nap. 

I have to work really hard to find a perfect spot. But sometimes I get on a soft chair, or a puppy bed. Other times, I curl up in a lap.  I can't sleep just anywhere like the younger puppies, but I can sometimes get comfortable even in odd places. 

In fact, I'm ready for one of those naps right now. I think I'll go find one of those comfy spots and snooze. 

 It might be difficult to find the perfect spot but when my mom gets home from school, we share her big chair and there's nothing better or more comfortable than her lap. So I'm going to climb in her favorite chair and keep it safe and warm for her so we can rest when she gets home.

 What do you do when you want a nap? Do you have a special place to nap?

Sunday Quilt Inspiration: D O G S

How many cute puppy pictures do you need to see before you're hooked?

This last one did it for me! I have said three Maltese puppies are one too many, but this little heart-melting cutie could come home and join our too many family!

By the way, these 12 or so quilts constitute just a minor number of the dog/puppy quilts that Pinterest has. 

Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Good Doggy!

Our puppies (Maltese) are just the sweetest and cutest. Of course, I'm biased and have loved one for twelve years now, so he's extra special. It occurred to me that everyone probably feels the same way about their puppies. Then why not let them inspire us! 




To that end...Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Doggy Style

Sewing inspiration...(and a few quilts)