Christmas Day

Christmas Day is always great. Dan always gets me some special gourmet treats and usually a new pet bed or something. He usually has lots of visitors and I gets lots of belly rubs and plenty of attention.

This year I got some special treats and I didn't get a new pet bed this year because Dan said the Wal-Mart closest to our house didn't have any good ones. He more than made up for it by letting me nap on the electric blanket all day and he took me for long walks in the neighborhood. He really wanted to see what all of the neighborhood children got for Christmas. He hasn't seen anything too destructive so far so it may be a good year.

Merry Christmas! Molly

A Christmas Wish

Since this is Christmas Eve, I would like to express a Christmas wish. Dan adopted me from an animal shelter and I am glad that he went that route.

It was a tough beginning to my life but when Dan and Kathy showed up at that animal shelter on a Saturday morning in September of 2002, I was going to make sure that I got noticed. I was diving over all of the other dogs to get their attention and I just knew they were going to pick me. Sadly my brother was in there with me and they could only take one of us.

That is my Christmas wish. If you want to acquire an animal companion, even if it is a cat, go to the local animal shelter and take a look. All of these dogs (and cats) want is the same chance that I got and that is to go to a loving home. Usually you can find a puppy or even give an older dog a chance, but you will have a lifetime companion that help you live your life to the fullest. Everyone knows that dog owners live longer.

Doing My Calisthenics

Before Dan takes me out on one of our walks, I have to make sure I do my stretches. First is the front legs and then the back legs. I do not want to pull a hammy while I am out chasing a squirrel. Dan doesn't stretch for anything. I am surprised he can even make it out of bed. In spite of all of my winter weight, I do like to keep in shape. Something other than round anyway.

Every once in a while Dan will get the urge to run (at least what he calls running anyway) but it doesn't happen often. He calls what I have winter weight. He is only a few sandwiches shy of being a year round Santa Claus.

Jailbreak

I staged a jailbreak yesterday. Dan was taking me on one of my many afternoon walks and he didn't close the back door. When he turned around to close it I thought he was going to take me back in and I refused. I stopped really fast, ducked underneath the leash, and it came right off. I had the sweet taste of freedom!

I shook my head really hard to try to work out the kinks in my neck and I took off across the backyard. He immediately started yelling "Molly!" and he yelled it three times. When he yelled it that third time I knew I might be in trouble so I stopped and let him put the leash back on.

Pop artist Andy Warhol believed that everyone would have 15 minutes of fame. Being a dog, I had 15 seconds of untethered freedom and it was great!

Home Alone

Dan left me home alone so he could go to Charlotte last night. That is the first time he has ever done that. I don't need a babysitter and he left some lights on and he had someone stop and check on me a couple of times and let me out so I could use the bathroom. I did miss the electric blanket being on. I like snuggling down in that.

It was a little bit scary but I made it through the night. I should have taken a big dump on his bed but I did not want to have to smell it all night long so I held it until he got home about 7:30 this morning.

I was so happy to see him when he walked through the door although his clothes smelled like beer, strippers, and Thai food with a slight hint of IHOP. Did he bring me a doggie bag? No!!

Molly Is Back

My restriction is finally over. I have been on my best behavior. Dan has been really depressed this week so I have been trying to cheer him up. I would take him my toys from time to time and demand that he play with me. There is nothing that makes anyone feel better than playing with a dog. I also took naps with him just to let him know I was there for him and made my belly available for rubs. Seeing Dan depressed is really tough. Nobody is there for him except for me.
Molly

Molly's Couch

I give Molly some dog bicuits as treats a couple of times a day and she promptly buries them in the couch. She usually finds a spot in between the cushions or in the back of the cushions between the couch and the cushion. She uses whatever is laying on the couch to pack on top of her treats and it is usually some of my clothes or the daily mail.

If anyone, including myself, makes the mistake of sitting on that couch, then they have to answer to Molly. She starts by giving you a reproachful look as in "Get your ass off my treats!" and if that doesn't work, she starts pawing at the couch informing you that you need to get up. It usually doest the trick. She wants you off the couch.

Molly will return to her column tomorrow as her restriction will be lifted after her display of good behavior this week. She has avoided any altercations with Honey even though this afternoon she thought about it. The point is, she didn't act on her ill feelings towards Honey.

The Poopie Dance

A friend of mine told me that when her dog needs to go out real bad, she does what she describes as "the poopie dance." Molly, being the diva that she is, has turned her poopie dance into a dance routine that looks like it belongs in Michael Jackson's Thriller video.

Her dance routine comes complete with barking and growling and I believe she even throws in a moonwalk at the end of it. It has twists and turns, a few break dancing moves and it is quite impressive. She could easily win Dancing With The Stars. The only problem with that is she likes to perform her poopie dance at 2 or 3 in the morning when I am trying to sleep. Impressive but aggravating.

Molly The Tarheels Fan

Molly is a North Carolina Tarheels fan. Of course, I didn't give her much of a choice in the matter. If she would have come home one day wearing Clemson or Duke colors, she would have been right back in the pound.

Molly sits dutifully beside me during the basketball games, barks at the appropriate bad calls by the officials, and gets up and paces the floor with me. She is also aware enough to stay out of my way when things are going bad. She doesn't like wearing jerseys or she would have one proudly displayed on her backside.

Molly could also teach UGa a thing or two about being a mascot. Molly says sometimes you just have to come out of that cushy doghouse and bite somebody's ass!

Thats My Story And I Am Sticking To It

Dan has decided to revoke my internet privileges for a week all over a little incident that happened last night with Honey next door. Dan strained his neck Wednesday night (I am surprised it didn't happen at the strip club) and he was really hurting last night.

He had to walk me because he doesn't have anyone else. As soon as we rounded the corner of the house, here comes that flea-bag Honey. She started mouthing off and then growled at me. In my own yard! That was it, it was time to brawl! I told Dan it was coming. Paws were thrown, a little bit of chasing ensued, and Dan was caught in the middle. He took an inadvertent paw to the balls (thats my story and I am sticking it!)and that was it, fight over. In my defense, the bitch had it coming.
Molly

The Diva Is Taking Over

Dan has decided to relinquish most of the writing duties on Molly's World to me, Molly, as it should be. I have more to say anyway.

Last night I stole Dan's pillow and slept on it all night long. Rain and cold weather makes these old bones hurt, I am almost 70 years old, and I stayed on the couch all day long yesterday, napping and resting. That is why I decided to sleep on Dan's bed last night and I thought his pillow would help me rest better and and it did. The electric blanket really helps too. Dan does take good care of me.

A Day In The Life Of Molly- Part IV

Every once in a while, Dan will take me for a ride in his car. I love riding! I stand on the console in his car and I can see everything. Sometimes we'll just ride around and other times he will take me to the park where I can run around and commune with nature. When we lived in Gastonia we had a park near our apartment and it was my favorite. We would go early in the morning when nobody was there and I had the run of the place. Thousands of different smells and bushes and trees! It was awesome! I almost ran out of pee one time but I mustered up enough for one last drop.

I even tried driving one time but Dan didn't like that. We were driving down I-85 near Charlotte and he hit about 80 MPH and I thought driving looked like fun. Just being behind the wheel going that fast was exhilarating! However, I did not appreciate being told to get my fat, hairy ass out of his lap. It's winter weight!

A Day In The Life Of Molly- Day III

Dan likes to take me on walks and every once in a while we run across that dumb Boxer next door, Honey. He is always trying to get me to play with her and I just don't like her. She's dumb and she smells bad and she is just really annoying. We always growl at each other and Dan thinks I'm kidding around with her and I'll let him think that. I just really want to slap the bitch!

The ones I really don't like are those three mongrels that live in the house down in the corner. Their owner lets them run all over the neighborhood and they are always in my yard. One day I look at the window and one of them is taking a dump in Dan's flower bed. I barked at them "Get your flea bitten ass out of my yard!" but they didn't listen. Their owner was standing there watching them do it.

I talked Dan into a retaliatory strike the next day. It had snowed so Dan walked me down to their yard and I took a dump right beside their mailbox on top of the snow where they would make sure they saw it. I hope they stepped in it. All I had to say was "Special delivery from Molly!"

A Day In The Life Of Molly- Part II

The only time Dan really gets mad at me is when I wake him up at 2:30 in the morning. I need a mid-night snack and I believe 4 or 5 hours is plenty enough sleep. If he's tired he really gets pissed at me but he still staggers to the pantry, digs me out a Munchy Bone (my favorite), and hands it to me. If he is extrememly grouchy, I let him go back to sleep.

When I am ready to go out for a walk, I make sure he sees me doing my stretching exercises (it is important to warm up) and that usually lets him know that I am ready to go. If he is still in bed, I make sure I jump up on the bed and do my calisthenics. If he is still insistent on staying in bed, I resort to old faithful and give him the old cold nose under the covers.

A Day In The Life Of Molly- Part I

A friend suggested that I turn the keyboard over to Molly for a day and let her write her own entry from her perspective and in her own words.

I must say that Dan treats me pretty well and I have no complaints there. He takes me out when I need to go out, keeps my water bowl full, keeps me fed, and is always there with a treat or some dog biscuits when I need a little snack in the afternoons.

He changed my food recently to some kind of healthy diet stuff and it really gives me gas. He'll be sitting there watching TV and I'll drop a bomb on him and it is so funny. He starts gagging and cussing and sometimes he will get up and leave the room. I will act like I am asleep the whole time and I will slowly wag my tail to make sure I fan it for maximum effect. Hey, he farts on me!

The Aptitude Of A Dog

I have always believed that a dog has a special aptitude to know when their owner is hurting or sick and will show their concern accordingly. I don't know whether it is true or not, but I believe it and I have seen Molly demonstrate her concern for me and protect me from those that may further injure me.

Molly is no different from other dogs in that respect. After one of my operations on my right foot, Molly got up beside me on the bed, laid right by my foot, and dared anyone to come anywhere close to me. Since my roommate was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer, she has paid particular attention to his pain. She will lay patiently outside his bedroom door and wait on him to get up so she can check on him.

Molly And Her Supper Dish

I grew up reading Peanuts cartoons where Snoopy would carry his supper dish to the back door, bang on it, and expect it to be filled. Molly has added her own twist to that story. I have to take her supper dish with us from room to room so she can always have it handy if she decides to eat anything. She needs to maintain her strength for all of that napping and eating she has been doing although her and Honey, the Boxer next door, did play a game of "growl and chase" when I took her out tonight.

Growl and chase is a game of Honey and Molly's creation and it is played something like this. They walk slowly up to each other and stand nose-to-nose. The first one to flinch gets growled at and chased by the other one. Molly was on a roll tonight as she pitched a shutout. Of course, Honey cried foul because I act as the referee but I try to be as impartial as I can.

Daddy The Protector

Molly likes playing with my roommate and they go at each other all the time. Its funny because when my roommate gets a little bit too rough for her, she will run and hide behind me. As soon as he turns his back, she will go charging at him for the sneak attack. As soon as he mounts a counter attack, its back to hiding behind me. Its all part of the game and Molly loves games.

What is not part of the game is the fact that my roommate has pancreatic cancer. It is a vicious game that no one wants to play and very few people win. Molly can sense that something is wrong with him and she is trying to help in her own way.

Molly Wants To Brawl

There are times when Molly just wants to fight with me. She has a bit of barroom brawler in her. She challenges me by continuously barking at me and then she'll make a charge at me. I'll get down in the floor to accept her challenge and the fight is on.

She hardly fights fair and there is usually alot of biting and hitting me from behind. I put her in a few headlocks and give her some noogies and I keep throwing her out of the octagon (its actually one of the bedrooms in my house but she likes to pretend). That usually makes her mad and once she lays her ears flat and starts biting real hard it is time to start wrapping it up. We always hug and shake hands after it is over to show there are no hard feelings.

Inspiration From A Friend

A friend of mine I work with brought me something this morning at work that she had written and wanted me to read. She had written an essay about her four pets- two dogs and two cats- and how they had come to be in her family. It was very well written and it was written with emotion and I was impressed. She wanted my opinion and I told her I would not change a thing. Her and I could swap animal stories all day long and there are days where we have.

She has inspired me to tell the story about how Molly ended up in my family. We went to the Henderson County Animal Shelter at about 11 AM one Saturday morning. My wife told me that she was tired of seeing me mope around the house without a dog to hang out with and I was going to go pick me one out.

We walked around to the cage and there were about thirty dogs in one cage and Molly was fighting over the top of all of them to get my attention. She was the smallest puppy in there. I told the guy "that is the one I want," and pointed to Molly. Little did I know that it was her last day there and she only had five minutes left. I shudder to think beyond that.

The ride home was an adventure. We put her in a cardboard box and I had to slam on the brakes when a car pulled out in front of us. Molly and her box went tumbling end-over-end under the front dashboard of the car. I couldn't help but laugh when she slowly peaked out of the box to see what had happened. That was Molly's first hour in the Gibbs family and it has been a beautiful end-over-end ride ever since.

Molly As A Therapy Dog

In Molly's lifetime with me she has worn many hats. Defender, Counselor, Friend, Sidekick, and Wing Man (although she likes to be called a Wing Dog). Now the label of Therapy Dog can be applied to Molly's long list as well.

My friend and roommate was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer on October 31. After spending eight days in the hospital, I finally got to go pick him up last night. When I got him home, Molly was so excited to see him and she immediately demanded his attention. If there is anything that will make you feel better, it is the divine attention of a dog.

This morning when we got up, she immediately went to his door and sat patiently outside of his door waiting on him to get up. This was, of course, after she had her morning treat and visited her favorite neighborhood trees. Hey, first things first.

Molly followed the same routine this afternoon when I got home. She waited patiently outside his door and when he came out, she immediately demanded his attention. She thought that him giving her a belly rub would make him feel better. I think it worked. There were smiles all around.

Molly Is Family

I had someone tell me yesterday that they had read Molly's World and they liked it very much because I treated Molly as a family member. I had never really thought about that before but she is a family member. I spend more time with her than I do my family, I talk to her more, and she definitely understands me a whole lot better.

Molly picks me up when I am down, she helps take care of me when I am sick, she gives great advice with a simple "Woof" or a raise of the eyebrow, and she protects me from everything from animals to people. I have always trusted Molly's instincts on whether I should trust someone or not and more often than not, she is right. Although I would never do it, Molly can tell alot about a person by sniffing their butt.

Daylight Savings Time

Early Sunday morning at 2 AM the phenomenon known as Daylight Savings Time began and Molly thought we should go celebrate. She woke me up at precisely 2 AM so I could take her outside so she could fertilize the neighbors yard. I thought it was an unusual way to celebrate but Molly has always danced to the beat of her own drummer so I went with that. It was also 2 AM in the morning, what else was I going to do? Luckily the celebration didn't last long and I am just glad Molly didn't want to join the Polar Bear Club by jumping in the creek across the street. I celebrated with some Grey Goose Vodka and grape juice once we got in the house.

The Life OF Pee Wee

My Mom's dog Pee Wee died one morning last week and I expected it to happen one day soon but it surprised me all the same. It surprised me because that dog had a will to live like no other dog I had ever seen before. He was completely blind, could barely stand up, but he kept plugging along. We all suggested that Mom have him put to sleep but she always refused with tears streaming down her face. She is 75 years old, has had three different kinds of cancer, so she knows something about plugging along and a will to live.

We estimate that Pee Wee was somewhere between 16 and 17 years old and he was my Dad's favorite before Pops passed away in 2007. Pops was put in hospice care the week before he died so we decided it would be a good thing to take Pee Wee to see him before he passed away. Pops was in a coma by this time and we put Pee Wee up on the bed with him and the poor dog kept pawing at my Dad's hand wanting to be petted. Pee Wee could not understand why Pops wasn't getting him to fetch his damn hat or some other ridiculous item.

Pee Wee was Pops favorite dog and he took him everywhere with him- to Wal-Mart, to the barbershop, to his favorite General store. Pee Wee was his copilot. My youngest sister took Pee Wee in as an orphan when he was about two years old and Pops didn't want to have much to do with him at first. He was just another stray animal one of his kids had taken in. Pops must have seen some great potential in Pee Wee because pretty soon they were inseparable. Pops and Pee Wee could have been stars on David Letterman's stupid pet tricks and even without the fame and fortune, Pops had to show everyone that came over to our house what Pee Wee could do.

After Pops passed away, Pee Wee became Mom's dog as they battled the problems of getting old together. They fought the good fight but it was time for Pee Wee to go and he went peacefully in his sleep as all good dogs should. My nephew Kyle buried him in the Pet Cemetery behind the house so he could joing the rest of the bird dogs and family pets that have crossed over to the other side.

Molly And Her Habits

Molly has habits like no other dog I have ever had and sometimes it is hard for me to remember when she developed them. Yesterday I was sitting in my tv room, a semi man cave, and she kept coming into the room and barking at me. Usually that means she needs or wants to go out. I went into the living room and held up the leash. That wasn't it. Sat back down. More looking at me and barking. I went and checked her water bowl. it was full. Sat back down. More barking. I went in there and sat down in the other room to see if I could figure it out. She started eating. That was it. She wanted me to sit in the room with her while she ate. She did not want to eat alone. I took her food bowl into my tv room and she was fine. What a diva!

A Chill In The Air

Fall is in the air and the temperatures finally arrived to back that up. Molly always gets excited when the weather turns colder. I take her out in the mornings when frost is on the ground and she comes back in the house, she is ready to rumble. She goes and gets her toys, she wants to play tug-of-war, she wants to wrestle, and she is just feeling like a young pup again.

When she sees me putting on my jacket she gets all excited because she knows we are going outside. I have noticed that doggie-doo seems to smell much worse on a cold, frost-covered ground. It is more odiferous and even Molly can't wait to get away from that.

Messin' With Molly

My new roommate likes to mess with Molly and every once in a while she is in a bad mood and lets him know about it. He is always grabbing at her tail and this afternoon he grabbed it and she went after him. She let him know in no uncertain terms that she was in a bad mood, to leave her alone.

Tonight she got him back. He prettied himself up because he was going out on the town and he hates dog hair. Molly sheds real bad, I don't care what time of year it is. Molly decided she needed some attention and she wanted it from him. He kept trying to push her away and the more he pushed, the more she wanted to be close to him. He ended up leaving about 30 minutes early because he was afraid he would get dog hair on his clothes. As he walked out the door, Molly seemed to say "Ha! Mess with my tail now!"

Molly's New Collar

When I brought Molly home from the kennel the other day, I noticed that her dog collar had started to fray some around the edges. I knew it was time to pick her out a new one.

I looked at Wal~Mart the next morning but they didn't have any that really appealed to me. Molly is strong as an ox so she has to have a sturdy one and I like the old fashion leather kind but those are hard to find now. Molly, being the diva that she is, is also very fashion conscious so I also have to take in color, style, and things like that. We can't have Molly committing a fashion faux pas.

I decided to try Pet Smart next door. They have a whole row of nothing but collars and leashes. I probably should have taken Molly in there so she could pick out her own but I didn't want a video of Molly slapping a Pomeranian around to end up on TMZ television. I can see one of those grainy security videos now.

I picked her out a chartreuse colored collar with brushed stainless steel clasps and it is very stylish. I brought it home to her and tried it on for size and after viewing several angles in the mirror, Molly barked her approval and we were set. Now I have to accessorize.

The Perfect Spot

Molly has to find the perfect spot to be able to use the bathroom. I take her out every two or three hours when I am at home with her. If she needs to go out any other time, she comes and tells me about it. If she needs to go really bad, she will come and start barking at me and goes to the door.

Whenever we are outside, she likes going across the street where a little stream runs through my neighborhood. When I take her out when I get home from work, that is the first place she heads. We walked up and down the creek bank for about 20 minutes. She would sniff out one spot, get all ready to go, and then she would change her mind. We did this for about 20 minutes and she finally ended up in the spot that she had orginally picked out. I realize its a womans perogative to change her mind but that is taking it a bit to far. Molly is the diva.

Pee Wee

My father passed away almost five years ago but one of his legacies has always been his dogs. He has two of them that are still living, Pee Wee and Bear.

Pee Wee is about 16 or 17 years old. To be honest, I think most of my family members have lost track of how old he is. This dog refuses to pass away peacefully and "give up the ghost". I can honestly say I have never seen a dog with a will to live like this dog has got.

I went to pick up my Mom the other night and I had to pick Pee Wee up and place him on the ground outside so he could do his business. As soon as I placed him on the ground, he just tottered right over and gently rolled over on his back. He struggled mightily to get on his feet and with a gentle push from me, he finally made it to his feet. He continually walked in a small circle on legs that could barely support him for the next five minutes until I gently picked him back up and took him in the house and placed him in his bed.

He can't see any more and I doubt he can hear either but his will to live is second to none. I know it would be better if we put him down but you can't help but admire the fighting spirit in this dog.

Trust In Molly

I took my Mom to my nephews football game last night and that means I had to leave Molly in the care of my roommate. That was the first time I have ever left Molly in the care of someone other than a family member. I was extremely nervous about it. I felt like a parent leaving their baby home for the first time. I had to fight an incredible urge to call up and check on her every 30 minutes or so.

I was hoping to see my roommate before I left to pick up my Mom so I could give him my "penalty of death" instructions before I left the house to pick up my Mom but he had some errands to run after he got off from work and I didn't get to talk to him.

He called me later and said he ended up having plans and I quickly told him that he did not have to walk her if he didn't want to but he said he would anyway. I very well couldn't tell him not to because he will have to walk her sooner or later while he is living here.

It must have gone off without a hitch because Molly was here waiting on me when I came back home at about Midnight.

Molly And The Electric Blanket

I went out the other day and bought myself an electric blanket. I didn't realize they were so expensive but I bought one anyway. With a cold spell hitting early, I thought buying an electric blanket was an investment in my immediate future.

Molly loves electric blankets and this one is no different. I got it put on the bed that night and it took her a few minutes to figure out the significance of the new blanket on the bed, but once she did, I couldn't have gotten her off the bed if I offered her a thousand Munchy Bones.

She staked her claim to one of the bottom corners of the bed and she didn't move for the rest of the night. That is very unusual for her. She is usually up and down all night long and she didn't even want to get out of bed when I took her for her pre-dawn walk. Every time I woke up she was curled up on that corner of the bed.

The Iceman Cometh- Part II

Back in Molly's younger days, she used to stay outside in her pen in the backyard. One night, it was bitterly cold and it was supposed to snow so I decided to bring her in the house because I was worried about her safety.

She was not allowed in the bedroom so I decided to sleep on the couch so she wouldn't be by herself. That dog never could get comfortable enough to sleep and she kept me awake all night long. Every time I would dose off, she would take her wet nose and roust me awake. At that time, she was not comfortable staying in the house. That changed over the course of time.

About 7 or 8 that next morning, I had to get some sleep, it was supposed to warm up to the 20's, so I decided to put her back outside for a couple of hours so I could get some sleep. Before I could get back in the house, she was already curled up into a ball and asleep in her dog house. So much for worrying about her.

The Iceman Cometh Part I

Molly loves cold weather. She loves the snow. She loves playing in it and she can take walks as long as I am willing to stay outside. She is built for winter. She has a thick undercoat that is as soft as a down pillow and it must keep her really warm and really dry.

The past couple of days it has turned much cooler in the mountains of western North Carolina and Molly's friskiness has increased exponentially. This morning I had already taken her on four walks by 9 A.M. I had to drag her back inside that last time.

Doogie

One of the neighborhood dogs is named Doogie. He reminds me of the dog on Hee Haw and he is big buddies with Honey that lives next door to me. I don't even know who he belongs to. I think he belongs to one of the families that lives through the woods back behind me.

I was walking across my yard to go to my mailbox the other day and I happened to hear some of the neighborhood boys running thru the neighborhood, romping and ripping, and having a good time. Running right along with them was Doogie having the time of his life. He was barking and chasing and jumping up after the boys and I could tell he was just happy to be playing again. Those boys brought out the pup in Doogie and it was good to see.

My Supper Dish Is Empty

The other night I was sitting at my kitchen table working on something when I heard Molly's toenails clicking across the tile in the kitchen.

Molly hates eating alone so she usually waits until I am in the kitchen or the living room before she eats. I wasn't paying much attention until I heard her scratching the bottom of her empty supper dish with her right front paw.

I turned around and she was looking at me and this time, she slapped her empty supper dish with her paw to emphasize that it was empty and how could I let this happen.

I sprang into action and quickly filled because I didn't want to feel the wrath of Molly for the rest of the day.

Molly And Pops

Today would have been my fathers 75th birthday. My father loved dogs. We owned at least one dog and usually 3 or 4 since the day I was born. Bird hunting was one of my father's passions. We had his bird dogs that stayed outside and served as part-time pets during the hunting off-season and we usually had a family pet for in the house as well.

Molly did not like Pops for whatever reason. Just the very sight of my father sent her into fits of growling and barking that usually wouldn't stop until he left. I have no idea why Molly did not like Pops and neither did he.

It really bothered him that Molly didn't like him and he tried his best to make friends with her. We had a cookout at our house one time and my wife made me put Molly in her lot outside so she wouldn't be in the way. While everyone was socializing and having a good time, my father sat in a chair near Molly's lot and tried to make friends with her. She kept her distance and wouldn't have anything to do with him. This went on for 4 hours until my parents finally left. I believe it really hurt my fathers feelings because a dog did not like him.

The Daily Routine

Molly has been back from the kennel almost a week now and it didn't take her long to ease back into her daily routine although there are some of her routines I would love to reset.

One of these would have to be her waking me up between 2:30 and 3 AM so I can take her outside so she can use the bathroom. Don't get me wrong, I am glad she wakes me up because it is better than waking up to the strong aroma of doggy-doo wafting thru the house and burning my nose hair. I have the worlds worst time of trying to go back to sleep.

Her first couple of days back, she let me sleep until 6 AM a couple of mornings, but now that she is rested up, she is ready to roll on her timetable. Its Molly's World.....

A Morning At The Park

I decided to take Molly to one of the local parks this morning in Fletcher. I used to take her to the park all of the time when I lived in Gastonia, NC but the park down there was only a mile or two away.

Molly loves to ride and all I have to say is "Do you want to go for a ride?" and she gets all excited. We got there kind of early but there were still several people in the park with dogs, people jogging, two small children playing on the playground, and there was even a soccer game going on, complete with referees tweeting their whistles ever so often. That is how a park is supposed to be.

I try to steer Molly away from other dogs because of her attitude towards other dogs but that is the good thing about a park, there is usually enough room for everyone. Molly was able to pee on everything in sight and she even took a healthy one under one of the trees. They had just put down some cedar mulch in the park around the shrubs and trees and I love that smell.

We made it out of there without a jogger getting bit or another doggie brawl breaking out so I decided to provide Molly with a treat and made a Bojangle's run. Molly is a hit at just about every drive thru I go thru. She loves the smell of fast food...

Back From The Kennel Day Two

This is Day Number Two of Molly's return from the kennel. She is starting to ease back into her routine although she is still sleeping alot. She actually let me sleep until 6:15 this morning before rousting me up to take her out for her morning constitutional.

She still remembers how to bury her dog biscuits in the couch cushions and that she gets a Munchy Bone first thing in the morning. She still won't let me out of her sight so luckily I have a few more days before I have to go back to work.

Molly Is Back Part II

After we got home this morning, Molly did a very brief tour of the neighborhood since she hasn't been here in almost a week, left a little bit of pee in strategic locations, and we went inside the house.

Once inside the house, Molly made a quick inspection to make sure I hadn't had another dog in the house (an offense punishable by the death penalty), gave her one of her favorite treats (Ol' Roy Munchy Bones from Wal~Mart), and then she immediately sought out her pet pillow so she could catch up on some sleep.

That was her agenda for the rest of the day. Sleep and eat. She really didn't even want to go outside. She also would not let me out of her sight. If I changed rooms, she changed rooms. I put her out in her lot while I mowed the yard but that was about the highlight of her activity. She was so glad to be back.

Molly Is Back Part I

I went and picked up Molly from Paw Pleasers kennel this morning at about 9:10 and she and I couldn't be happier. I was nervous about picking her up and was hoping she was in a forgiving mood for putting her there any way but it was the best place for her while I was out of town.

When the lady went back to get her I could hear Molly charging down the back hallway,panting and straining at her leash. She knew I was there to pick her up. I had already settled our account so we were ready to roll. She was jumping up and down, she even jumped up on another customer which is unusual for her, but she was just happy to be sprung. She looked like she had lost weight and somehow looked alot smaller in stature, but there was no doubt that it was Molly.

We had a slight problem as we were trying to get out the door as we ran into a lady coming in the gate with her two dogs. It was a dog thing with some snapping, snarling, and the exchanging of some growls, but no harm,no foul.

It took Molly a few minutes to get her bearings in the car but within a couple of miles, she had assumed her customary stance, front paws on the console, back paws on the backseat, and eyes forward, leaning on my shoulder as we went into the curves. She was back!

Checking On Molly

I called Paw Pleasers yesterday afternoon to check on Molly and they said she was fine and a "sweet girl" (are they sure that was Molly?) but they said she wasn't eating well which I expected that. She always loses about 5 pounds when she is in the kennel. The girl on the phone also told me she doesn't like other dogs too well and she really doesn't like people either. That is my fault and I take full responsibility for that. I did a very poor job of socializing her when she was a puppy and that may be very well why she has the diva attitude she does today.

Missing The Molly

I have to admit it. I miss my dog. Over the course of the past 5 years she has been the one constant in my life I could depend on. She has always been there for me and has never refused to help me out or to listen to me. We have talked about everything. She says it all with a simple "Wwwooooof." That conveys a sense of understanding that is lost on most people. It also doubles as advice. It is great advice.

What do I do about work? Woof. What do I do about my marital problems? Woof. What do I do about my in-laws? Woof-Woof. (That required extra emphasis). What do I do about my financial problems? Woof and just make sure we can afford dog treats. That one word has so much meaning. What does your woof mean?

The Kennel

I am going out of town for a few days and had to put Molly in Paw Pleasers Kennel yesterday. The Paw Pleasers Staff runs a great facility and are very professional and I do not trust that many people with my dog.

I knew Molly wasn't going to take this news well so I took her to Fletcher Park yesterday morning as kind of a special treat and she thoroughly enjoyed herself. She got to pee, sniff, growl and woof to her hearts content and she reallhy wore herself out. About two hours later, I loaded her up in the car and we headed towards the kennel.

Molly was so thrilled that she was going to be getting to ride twice in one day but that quickly evaporated when I pulled into the driveway of Paw Pleasers. I do not not know anything about the memory capacity of a dog but she remembered Paw Pleasers and it had been about a year since she had been there.

She starts growling and giving her "wwwoooof" in her low, gutteral growl-bark. The last place she wanted to go was inside the gate but I finally got her in the door. Molly has a copper-colored overcoat that runs in a stripe right down the middle of her back. Whenever Molly is upset or threatened by something, this stripe stands straight up and it looks like a Mohawk. As soon as one of the Paw Pleasers personnel greeted us, the Mohawk formed and I thought "this may get ugly". The young lady took her on back and I was able to rest a little easier knowing she was in good hands.

Molly And Thunderstorms

We had a thunderstorm the other day and Molly reminded me how much she dislikes those moments when Mother Nature voices her displeasure at mankind.

When we heard the first clap of thunder, Molly came over and sat beside me. When we saw the first bolt of lightning, Molly got in between my legs and underneath the chair. We resembled a white, hairy pretzel. When the house started shaking from the thunder and lightning strikes, Molly would have squeezed her 50 pound body into one of the pockets of my shorts if she could have. I had to pet her and reassure her that if lightning was going to strike, that I would make sure I was the one that was it. We all need some reassurances once in a while.

Dogs Love To Ride

The other day coming home from work I was driving down I-40 when I got behind a red Mazda Miata with its top down, two bicycles strapped to the back, and I see a dog riding in the passengers seat. He was mostly brown but I could see a touch of white on his chest, his face, and on his ears.

He was standing up with his back feet on the front seat, his front feet propped up on the headrest, his head straight up in the air, and those long ears flapping in the wind. This dog was living large as all dogs should.

Molly And The Vet

I had to take Molly for her annual vet appointment this past Monday. The trip to the Vet is just as traumatic for me as it is for Molly. I came home to pick her up and she was so excited because she got to go for a ride in the car. It has been a while for her. All I had to do was say "Do you wanna go for a ride?" She mauled me all the way to the car.

When we got about a half-mile from the Vets office she knew where we were going and she knew she had been tricked. Hopefully she will forgive me. I practically had to drag her into the office.

The Vet came in and Molly started growling and barking to voice her displeasure at the situation. After a quick consultation with the Vet on the best way to give Molly her shots, he headed to the back with Molly leading the way on her black leash with metallic silver paw prints up and down it. If a dog is going to go, she has to go in style.

Within about three minutes I heard her leading the charge back to the waiting room, panting very loudly as she strained at the leash to get the hell out of there. Since I didn't hear Molly yelp or scream, I thought the Vet had given her up as a lost cause and was going to refuse to do it. He came back into the room and announced they were finished.

I was surprised and wanted to know what secret he had discovered. There was a cat in its carrier waiting to be picked up and Molly was so busy messing with the cat, he put three needles in her and she never even noticed. The cat distracting her was all it took. Now we know what to do the next time.

Wake Not The Sleeping Dog

"N'esveillez pas lou chien qui dort." The translation for this is "wake not the sleeping dog." This phrase, according to my research, first appeared in French literature in the 14th century. It is still very sage advice seven hundred years later especially as far as Molly is concerned.

My new roommate is in the process of moving in and Molly hasn't decided if she is going to like this arrangement or not. I have been going over "Molly's Rules" with him when I have had the opportunity to and one of the first ones I told him was "if Molly is sleeping, do not wake her up." He found out firsthand the other day why I told him that.

We were sitting there watching TV and Molly as laying on the floor asleep. He reached over there to pat her on the head and he had barely touched her when she came off the floor snapping and snarling. Talk about not being a morning "person." All I could see was fangs and claws because she wakes up pissed if she is in a deep sleep. If she is having one of her dreams and you wake her up, you are as good as bit. The French realized it wasn't a good idea early on in recorded history and now David does too.

Max The German Short-Hair Part IV

I came up with the bright idea to start taking Max out on a leash so he and I could get used to each other and so he could get some exercise. I might as well have put a leash on a bull. That was without a doubt the strongest dog I had ever been around. He sniffed and peed on everything including my dad's next door neighbor's pit bull. I'm sorry but that was funny. In the pit bull's defense it was only a pup.

The funny thing was when my wife took him out on a leash. They were walking out thru the backyard and a rabbit takes off in front of Max. My father and I was standing in the backyard watching all of this. Max took off after the rabbit and I thought Kathy had achieved lift off, he pulled her off the ground so fast. She tripped and fell down and Max was still in chase mode and he was stomping on her head trying to resume the chase. To Kathy's credit she never let go of the leash.

By the time I arrived on the scene Kathy was crying pretty hard and me and Pops couldn't stop laughing. The harder she cried the harder we laughed. I did check to make sure she was alright and she was more scared than anything but Max wouldn't hurt anyone unless he was over exuberant in his friendliness. Like I said to her credit, she didn't let go of the leash and Max and her formed a solid friendship after that day.

Max The German Short-Hair Part III

Max was full of life and full of energy and he had such a unique personality. Since he had been one of my fathers bird dogs, he stayed in a lot out behind the house. This dog was an escape artist along the lines of a canine Harry Houdini. He dug a hole about three feet deep under his pen and somehow managed to squeeze his big body under his fence and get out. He would make a beeline for the house wanting in, or wanting to play, or just to show me it could be done.

This was a pattern that repeated itself throughout his life but he only had the best of intentions. He wanted to be free. I tried everything I could to an end to his escape artistry but I never completely put a stop to it. The best effort I made was to fill his hole woth bricks and logs from my fathers wood pile and that slowed him down more than anything.

Max The German Short-Hair Part II

Max was a classical looking German Short-Hair dog. The dark brown liver spotting, the greenish-colored eyes, the sleek build, and a nose built for hunting. He was also strong and powerfully built. He was the friendliest dog you would ever want to meet. He loved people and he loved attention and he would do anything he had to do to get that attention.

It had to be one of my proudest moments as a German Short-Hair owner when that breed won the Westminster Kennel Dog Show a few years ago. It literally brought a tear to my eye when they announced him as the winner. Kathy called me into the living room when she saw that dog and seeing that dog brought back a ton of great memories. I sat down and watched the rest of the competition when I saw that. Max had long since passed away but I will always have a soft spot for a German Short-Hair.

Max The German Short-Hair Part I

When I was out and about the other day, I passed by someone that was out walking their German Short-Hair dog. That made me think of the first dog I "co-owned" with Pops, a German Short-Hair named Max. I say co-owned because my father got him first thru one of his hunting buddies. Pops took him out a couple of times but Max did not hunt well in tandem with his two Brittany Spaniels and wasn't going to hunt him so he was going to give him away to someone who would use him. Pops hated to see a good hunting dog go to waste.

While Pops was in the process of looking for a good owner for Max, I decided I was too attached to him to let him leave so I asked my father if I could have him. Thus my journey began as a dog owner. It was (and still is, Molly) an awesome journey and I do not know what life would be like without my awesome canine companions.

Bringing In The Groceries

I usually try to make my weekly Wal-Mart run early in the morning on Sundays. Most people sleep in that day and it is not as crowded. I can get my shopping done and I usually do not have to wait in line.

I always bring the bags in from the car and set them on the floor and Molly immediately goes over and starts going thru them bag-by-bag. I guess she is wanting to make sure that I got her "special" treats (Ol' Roy Munchy Bones. She really loves those things and gets awful pissy if I run out and she doesn't get her morning treat). She is always able to pick out the bag that has those in it and then she is satisfied. Only then is my Wal-Mart shopping experience complete.

Molly The Interior Decorator

When I went to bed the other night it was kind of hot and stuffy inside the house and I figured it would kind of cool down as the night wore on and I would be fine. I am one of those types of people that has to sleep with some type of cover on top of me. It doesn't matter if its a sheet, a quilt, a blanket, it just has to be something.

When I got in the bed to go to sleep and turned off the lamp beside my bed, Molly took that as her cue to climb down off the bed and find her a cooler spot on the floor. She usually sleeps on her pet bed but if that is too hot she will find her a spot in one of the doorways to lay down.

About a minute after I turned the lamp off, I hear Molly dragging something across the floor. I raised up to see what was going on and she had taken her pet bed in her mouth and was dragging it across the floor. The ceiling fan is in the center of the room and she was dragging her bed under the ceiling fan. She would pull her bed a few feet and then look up to see the beds position in relation to the ceiling fan. As soon as she got her bed positioned where she wanted to, she patted her bed down, fluffed up the pillow, and laid down for a cool nights rest under the ceiling fan.

Molly And The Spiders Web

Molly and I were taking our customary walk in the woods yesterday afternoon and we were walking along our well worn path with Molly leading the way when she led me face first into a spiders web. I was walking with my head down and not really paying attention when I felt the sticky creepiness of the spiders web closing around my face.

My reaction to get the hell out of there was almost instantaneous as I immediately ran out of the woods shedding my clothing as I went. I ran my fingers through my hair a thousand times to make sure there was no spider in it and i also checked my shirt inside and out to make sure I did not pick up a spider during my hasty retreat.

Molly was oblivious to my dilemma and was rather pissed because we did not finish our walk but I told her we would not be walking in those woods again until fall.

The Hiatus Is Over

After about a three week hiatus me and Molly are back. Molly and I are both in sore need of an energy boost. She believes the "dog days" of summer have already started but I believe they are still a week or two away.

Molly was excited to learn that author Dean Koontz had written a memoir about his Golden Retriever. She loves it when I write about her but she is a pretty tough critic. A memoir usually means that someone has passed on but neither one of us wants that to happen. We still have alot left that we need to accomplish.

Molly The Vulture

A couple of weeks ago I moved my bed in my bedroom to the opposite side of the room and underneath the window. Now Molly can just lay on the bed and look out the window.

Last night I woke up about 2 A.M. and there Molly lays on the bed looking out the window. That scene reminded me of the Peanuts comic strip when Snoopy would sit on top of his doghouse and do his Vulture routine and try to intimidate everyone that walked by. I don't know if Molly is going to intimidate anyone but they won't be walking by my bedroom window without her knowing about it and announcing their presence.

A Depressed Doggie

Molly has been really depressed the past couple of days and I don't know why. She has moped around the house and moped around the house but she did perk up a little bit this afternoon when she got to play with Honey next door. They played a game of their own creation called "growl and chase." They will stand nose-to-nose and one of them will grown and the other one will start chasing. Its pretty funny to watch.

I was getting ready to go out this afternoon and she looked so sad laying on the bed. She didn't even lift her head up when I was telling her good bye. I have had alot of people over at the house this week so maybe she was lonely and missed the excitement. She is finally starting to warm up to people a little bit. Whenever someone new comes over she has to assert her dominance or those people do not stand a chance in this house.

The Nap Buddy

I have been on vacation this week and I can't seem to stay awake. I am probably taking 3 or 4 naps a day and I am sleeping good at night.

This is where Molly is being a bad influence on me. All I have to do is ask "Molly, are you ready to take a nap?" and she gets up and heads straight for the bedroom. She is already on the bed and asleep by the time I can get laid down. She would be a great nap buddy if I could get her to share the bed a little bit more.

July 4th

It is kind of appropiate that I make my one hundreth post on Molly's World on July 4th. Although, I do realize that all of those fireworks my neighbors shot off last night were not in mine and Molly's honor. They were just shooting them off because the law now says they can. A little celebration in our honor would have been nice (Molly's been wanting a new party dress), I understand that it is a celebration of our independence and people have the freedom to do so.

She is really not a big fan of fireworks and the loud booming noises kind of scare her and when she gets really scared she becomes clingy and needy. Last night she was practically attached to my hip but thats o.k., I understand and I am there for her.

Molly has never been a lap dog even when she was a puppy. Thats o.k. too because now she weighs about 60 pounds and the thought of her sprawled out in my lap makes my legs hurt.

Thank God For Dogs Part Two

In the last years of my Dads life he would have rather spent time with his dogs than he would people. Any time he had to interact with people, he took his dogs with him. I guess they kind of acted like his "security blanket." I just thought my Dad was losing it and he was slipping further and further off the deep end.

Now that I look back on it, it turns out that my father may have been a very perceptive person. Dogs place all of their faith and trust in you and you can put all of yours in them. There is an old Irish proverb that goes something like "A dog owns nothing but is seldom dissatisfied." Humankind could learn alot from dogs.

Thank God For Dogs Part One

I believe in the saying that dogs are man's best friends with more conviction every day. My friends and associates are bailing out so fast on me you would think I had contracted the bubonic plague or that I was on fire.

I have lost all faith in humanity. Every day, no matter what has happened and no matter what I have allegedly said or done, Molly is ecstatic to see me as soon as I walk thru the door. We go on walks and rides together, she listens to me when I talk to her and the only thing she wants from me is attention. She wants me to give her a pat on the back, a belly rub when she requests it, and to play fetch with her when she feels so inclined. I also have to give the obligatory chase whenever she grabs one of my socks but that is usually when she believes I am paying too much attention to my computer or the TV. That is the best bargain in the world but you can't buy it at Wal~Mart.

The Obvious

My friends point out to me all of the time how Molly runs this house. I know that. It is obvious that is the case but I cannot help myself. I cannot help but laugh at the things she does when she is asserting herself either.

Last night is a good example. I am getting ready to go to bed and I look over at the bed and Molly has already ensconced herself on my side with her head laying on my pillow and all stretched out like that was the way it was supposed to be. I lightly scold her, telling her she knows better, and I pat the other side of the bed with my hand and tell her to move over. She looks at me with the utmost contempt on her face, stands up, turns in a complete circle, and lays back down exactly the way she was before she got up. I couldn't help but laugh. After a little more forceful encouragement, she finally moved over and we both got some sleep.

Special Delivery From Molly

I was walking Molly this morning and she took a dump right beside my neighbors mailbox. I don't have any regrets about her doing this and I have a good reason.

This particular neighbors dogs are always taking a dump in my yard and they have three of them. I looked out my window the other afternoon and their Lhasa Apso Ginger is taking a dump in my flower bed right beside my Maple tree. Gingers owner is watching her do this while yelling at her to get out of my yard. Nice try but it was too late. Molly's policy has always been "fight doo-doo with doo-doo" and taking a healthy one before the mailman comes for the day is a much more effective way of getting our point across.

Several friends have taken issue with me and Molly doing this and one of them suggested that I take a "pooper scooper" with me so I can clean up after her. I really like that idea because I can scoop it up, open the door to their mailbox, and make a special delivery from Molly and we'll take care of the postage. I wonder if it is a federal offense to deliver doo-doo?

Eating The Good Stuff

I made the "mistake" of buying Molly some of the good food the other day and after a couple of days of turning her nose up at it, I think she is beginning to like it. I think slapping her bowl into the middle of the kitchen floor signifies some upturned nostrils. I had always bought her the Wal-Mart brand (Ol' Roy) before and she was content with it.

Any dog food is not her first choice anyway. Pizza crust is number one, followed by biscuits, and anything with meat in it or meat by itself. This new dog food is Purina brand and it has the Zip Loc feature so you can seal the bag to keep it fresh and the nice foil lining inside the bag. I have always gone by the motto "nothing is too good for the dog" and Molly has always endorsed that policy. This particular food is labeled "healthy weight" and if Molly needs anything as far as canine cuisine goes, it is healthy weight. She is getting kind of portly in her golden years and I assume full responsibility for that. Molly believes that if she has to go on a diet then I should go on one too but exactly who is the master here and who is the dog? A bowl of "healthy weight" dog food coming right up!

Molly The Psychic

I finally figured out this afternoon that Molly can tell who is driving down the road or into my driveway by the way she reacts. If it is someone she knows and likes, she lets out several mini-barks that sound like "wuh, wuh, wuh, wuh" and if they pull in the driveway, she gets really still and listens intently for the car to turn off and the car door to shut signifying that the driver got out of the car. She then pokes her head through the curtains and to she sees them in person and she starts the mini-barks again and running around in circles.

If it is someone she doesn't like, like my family or anybody that works for UPS and drives the big brown truck, she starts barking furiously and immediately runs to the window and lets them hear about it. Not bad for a guard dog.

Porky Pig

Molly and I were sitting outside enjoying the shade the other afternoon when I see what I originally thought was a pig that had gotten loose in my neighborhood and had wandered into my neighbor's back yard. I found out later that my neighbor's were dog sitting for their son's Australian Shepherd but it looked like a super-sized version of a pot belly pig with the emphasis on pot belly.

This poor animal was just fat. They live about two houses down and he saw us out in the backyard so he started meandering his way towards us. About halfway to my house, the dog was panting so hard he passed out under my next door neighbors trampoline for about 15 minutes before he could finish the trek to my lawn chair.

He stopped long enough to let me pet him for a few minutes and I am pretty sure Molly told him what a tub of goo he was (a John Kruk reference). He was a friendly dog but after a few minutes of petting, he waddled off to parts unknown and that has been the last I have seen of him.

Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty doesn't have anything on Molly. This dog can sleep anytime, anywhere. She can sleep on my bed, the couch, the floor, the closet, the kitchen floor, the bathroom floor, and her bed and anywhere else she can plop her 60 pound body. It doesn't matter.

She also has the most vivid dreams of any dog I have ever had. She is having one right now. She runs in her sleep, she growls, she barks, and she occasionally wags her tail. I wonder if her imagination is that vivid when she is awake?

Today Is Her Birthday

Today is Molly's 9th birthday and she is only getting better with age. I remember the day we picked her up from the Pound (Molly is a Pound puppy and is proud of her roots). I wanted a puppy real bad and that was the first place we went.

We walked around to where the cages were at and there was about 25 dogs in one large cage. Molly was just about the smallest dog in there but she was diving over the top of all of the other dogs to get to me. I used to go with my father when he went to pick a bird dog out of a litter and I remember him telling me to always pick the dog that craves the attention because they will be easier to train. It was Molly's last day there and she only had 5 minutes left.

We had taken a box to put her in because we did not know how she would handle riding in a car. On the way home I had to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident and she went tumbling across the floorboard of the car. I figured she would never get back in another car after that experience but she loves to take road trips. All I have to do is ask her if she wants to go for a ride and she heads straight to the car.

Molly just wants a nice, quiet celebration for her birthday mainly because she does not like to many other people but she has received well wishes throughout the day. She doesn't do party hats and something tells me she would be really mean with a hangover so booze is out. I will take her for a birthday ride later.

Molly's Cute And Cuddly Neighbors

Last night some of Molly's cute and cuddly neighbors came to visit. A Scottie named Max, a Lhasa Apso named Ginger, and a Pomeranian that I always call the mini-Lion King.

I had Molly out in the front yard and here comes Max charging over from two houses away. The owner starts yelling after it but it doesn't bother me any because the Scottie does not have an aggressive bone in his body, he just wants to play. He comes up to Molly, they have a stare down and Max starts running around. Ginger runs up next, they have a brief stare down, and she does a belly flop in front of Molly looks up at her and starts yipping. The whole scene was so unbelievable cute. The mini-Lion King was taking a dump at the house across the street and is fairly unsociable anyway.

I don't think Molly appreciated the cuteness but as a dog owner and a dog lover, I did. I just wish I could have gotten pictures. They just wanted to play and make friends. Molly was really straining at the leash by this time because she wanted to assert her dominance but this was when I decided she needed a time out.

Molly and NASA

I think dogs should be an integral part of NASA and the space program and I would like to recommend Molly to charter the program. Today while I was out with her taking our afternoon walk, she had to stop and whiz on one of "her" bushes. After she is finished she has to do her scratch routine where she throws grass, rocks, and debris all over the place marking that as her bush.

Some of the neighbors dogs saw what was going on and started barking at her. The more they barked, the harder she scratched, and before it was over, Molly had achieved lift off. It was actually impressive that a dog that is still packing her "winter weight" from last winter can get that high off the ground. I would love to see Molly sleep in a weightless environment such as space and I bet her farts would really be impressive in a weightless environment.

Even A Firefly Needs Five Across The Lips

For whatever reason Molly has been in a brawling mood lately. I don't know if it is because she turns 9 years old on Friday or what but she has been awful ornery here for the past week or so.

During our power outage the other night, I decided to go old school for my entertainment. I put Molly in her lot, dragged out a Citronella candle to keep the bugs at bay, set up my lawn chair, grabbed me a book, and I was ready to wait out Duke Energy. I couldn't completely give up my electronic devices so I made a few phone calls on my cell (one was to Duke Energy) and I went back into the house to grab a drink. I discovered the power was back on so I went back outside to retrieve Molly.

The scene that greeted me was right out of Friday night at the fights. Molly was squared off against a firefly and she also decided to go old school. She brought back Muhammad Ali's old "Rope-A-Dope" defensive boxing strategy from the opening bell and was dodging, bobbing, and weaving like her life depended on it. The firefly was hovering in front of her and everytime Molly would make a move, it would light up and chase Molly back into her corner. Molly finally went with Fred G. Sanford's "Five Across The Lips" offense and knocked it out of the air with one quick but deadly swipe of her paw. That was when I opened the cage door and stopped the fight with a ten count. Molly retained her championship belt and is still the Josiah Lane title holder.

Wrestling For Fudge Rounds

The other night I was walking through the house and I was trying to get the adult proof plastic wrapper off a Fudge Round Little Debbie snack cake. As soon as I set the Fudge Round free from its plastic prison, it staged a jailbreak on its own from my hands. It popped up into the air and I managed to corral it one time but then it escaped from my hands again and hit the bedroom floor.

Molly was laying on the bed watching all of the action unfold and when she saw the Fudge Round flying through the air she started springing into action. As much as an overweight, slightly beyond middle age dog can spring anyway.

I grew up watching Mid-Atlantic Championship wrestling in the Gibbs household. Rick Flair got his start there as well as several other big name wrestlers. We even had some tremendous family bouts of our own complete with our own moves. I will never forget my Dad's patented combination Head Scissors/Fart In Your Face move that was designed to render you unconscious and my own patented move The Double Titty Twister and the Flying Double Butt Kick. The Double Titty Twister was a tap out move if there ever was one.

Anyway, me and Molly both dove for the Fudge Round at the same time and the wrestling match for the ages was on. I led with the Head Lock and administered several short left jabs to the jaw. Molly decided to cheat from the opening bell and just started biting me in as many locations as she could. Since this was an unsanctioned match there was no referee and she was able to get away with it. I had to sacrifice my body and throw it on top of the Fudge Round. The battle was short and violent and there was much blood spilled and declared a Draw with the real loser being the Fudge Round. It was beaten beyond recognition. Molly and I both retired to our separate locker rooms to lick our wounds and wait for a rematch.

The Massage Therapist

A few years ago Molly started having trouble with one of her hips. I took her to the vet and everything and he said he really didn't see anything structurally wrong so maybe it was arthritis or something. Her hip got so bad, it was to the point where she would hobble along and wouldn't put any weight on it at all. She even collapsed in our neighbor's yard one time on one of our walks. That really scared me because she curled up in a ball and just laid there and looked at me like "I just can't go on. Try and make it without me."

I decided to take matters in to my own hands and I started massaging her back leg/hip area. At first I was surprised she let me but that meant I must be doing something right. Molly so enjoyed them that she began backing up to me and holding out her back leg for me to massage. She would start to stretch out her back leg as I massaged. It must have really helped her because she was back to normal within a couple of weeks but I still give her those leg massages. Molly never was one for those doggie day spas.

The Anticipation

I was out walking Molly this afternoon and I saw one of my neighbors pull into his driveway about two houses down and I heard a crescendo of barking from his front porch. They have a screened in front porch and that allows their dogs to stay outside for the most part during the day. They have three "ankle biters" but as soon as they saw him, you could hear the excited yips and see three tails wagging because their owner was home.

That made me think about Molly and how happy she is to see me when I get home at the end of my day. As soon as I walk in the front door you can hear her thumping against the bedroom door wanting out. Since its summer I always come in and change clothes before I take her out and she usually waits patiently for me by the door. When she knows we are definitely going out, she will jump up and tap my hand with her nose and she has such a happy look of anticipation on her face, kind of like a child gets at Christmas.

She really gets excited when I take her for a ride in the car. She hops up on the back seat, props her paws up on the middle console and she is ready to ride. She especially loves road trips.

Sleep Habits

About two weeks ago, I started noticing that Molly would rather sleep on the floor than sleep at the foot of the bed like she used to do. Molly is a very sound sleeper for a dog and if she is in a deep sleep, its best that I don't even nudge her because she wakes up mean. She wakes up snarling and snapping and God knows I do not want to get any body parts in the way.

I am a very "active" sleeper to say the least. I toss and turn and thrash my legs and arms around. I guess Molly got tired of being beat on and kicked all night long and she decided her pet bed is actually pretty comfortable.

Now when I get up in the mornings, she jumps right up on the bed and makes herself comfortable so that kind of clued me in that she might be trying to tell me something.

A Responsibility And A Privilege

Owning a dog is a responsibility and a privilege but unfortunately, anybody can go get a dog. Nobody usually asks for references, you don't have to take an IQ test, and you get walk right out the door with them to basically do whatever you please.

I really hate to see good dogs go to waste. They are not given any attention, they are turned loose to run the neighborhood and get hurt or get into trouble and the owner thinks they have done nothing wrong. A dog needs love, attention, and a sense of belonging and they don't ask for much.

Physical Limitations

I have always wondered if a dog knows when it is a bad idea to physically do something. I am 45 years old now and I have pretty well realized that I cannot go out and play pick-up basketball five days a week without having to pay a serious price in physical pain and agony. I don't even think I could do it one day a month now but every once in a while I start feeling pretty spry and I go out and do something stupid like that and I pay for it-in blood, sweat, and tears.

Molly used to have this routine where she would run through the house as fast as she could go bouncing off the couch, the bed, and sometimes me and just doing it for 5 minute stretches until she decided to stop. She would circle the furniture or whatever other obstacle used to be in her way and slide through the kitchen like she was on ice skates. It was like running suicides from one end of the house to another.

She hardly ever does that any more and I have often wondered if she realized she is not a young pup any more and just can't do it. She did it about a month ago but that was the first time in forever. Me and my best friend Molly get to grow old together and that is one of natures perks I guess. We just give each other that knowing look that we could used to do it with the best of them and thats all we need.

A Storm To Remember

This afternoon we had a hailstorm like no other I have ever been thru before. It had been thundering off in the distance for a while but I didn't really pay it any attention until the satellite went out and I couldn't see the last ten minutes of Walker, Texas Ranger and Chuck Norris whooping some bad guys ass.

About ten minutes later the first ice missile hit the side of the house. I opened the front door to see what was going on and that was about the time all "hail" broke loose. It was hitting the house so hard I sounded like I was in the middle of a giant popcorn popper. The last time I looked out the door, bits and pieces of trees were flying by the house, the wind was starting to pick up speed, and the trees in the front yard were laying on their side.

That was when I decided Molly and I were going to seek cover in the bedroom closet in the middle of the house. She was running around barking and sounding the alarm and I finally got her calmed down and into the closet. As soon as we got in there, Molly was perfectly calm and serene and curled up in a ball and went to sleep at my feet. Thats how you weather a storm.

I have never been thru a tornado before but I cannot imagine it sounding much worse. The hailstorm probably lasted 20-30 minutes and after it was over, I went outside and looked around. Molly's lot outside took a beating (she immediately wanted to file an insurance claim) and all of my trees, plants, and flowers received some major damage. Molly went with me to look around and she was surprised. She didn't know what to make of the hail.

You Can't Replace The Dog

A friend of mine sent me a text message this afternoon and told me her house had been broken into and robbed on Memorial Day. The thieves had stolen a camera and some of her Mother's jewelry and one of the first questions I asked was did they hurt your dog Max? Luckily the answer was no and Max was fine, probably just scared a little bit. A robbery is a robbery. You feel a sense of violation and of course it is a personal loss but the dog was alright.

I have always said that if you have to steal something, then steal it, but don't hurt my dog. I would rather my dog hide under the bed than get hurt protecting my stuff. Hurting my dog is a sure fire way to piss me off and lead to your ultimate demise. Posessions can be replaced. Family heirlooms like jewelry is much harder and may never be replaced but the potential is there.

You can also get another dog but a dog can never be replaced. It will never be the same dog. You can get the same breed but it will never be the same dog. Each dog has a unique personality all their own. Molly and I know each other so well. She knows what I want and I know what she wants. If we want the same thing, its usually never at the same time, but its all good.

The Barking Dreams

Molly has dreams like no other dog I have ever had before. She has these vivid dreams where she growls, barks, and chases things in her sleep and occasionally wags her tail when she dreams of a friendly face.

I finally caught one of her barking dreams on my digital camera yesterday and I showed it to a few of my friends at work and they loved it. Its to bad it had to come without sound. Molly is laying on the bed all stretched out and everytime she barked her whole pot belly would shake. Her front feet would twitch and her back feet would run and she was having a great time. It must have been the thrill of the chase.

I did a little bit of research on dog dreams and it seems to be a consensus that they dream about things they would do in real life. Molly loves chasing rabbits and squirrels and i hope she manages to catch them in her dreams. She is probably not tethered by a leash in her dreams and can run freely across the grass and into the woods. I wonder if I am in her dreams with her?

The Shedding Season

Molly sheds like no other dog I have ever had before. It lasts all summer long and halfway into the winter. If its above 40 degrees outside, she sheds. You can pat her on the back and literally watch the fur fly. Its these fine white hairs too, the kind that stick to everything.

Molly's shedding started getting bad about a week ago so today I thought I would try to help her out some by pulling out her rake when we went outside and give her a good brushing.

Her and I both ended up thinking that was a bad idea. When I came at her for about the fifth time, she started getting quite a bit pissy about it. Clump after clump of white and soft brown hair came out. I don't even think it qualifies as fur. When I was thru with her, it looked like she had exploded all over the back yard.

The brushing only made her shedding worse instead of better. Alot of the hair had worked its way loose and clung to her body. She ended up looking like she had an afro and was an extra on Soul Train. If we could only work on her dance moves....

Molly The Watch Dog

Molly is really slipping as a watch dog. Last night the security light aimed at my driveway kept coming on meaning something outside had to be triggering it whether it was a wild animal or a human passing thru.

I look over at Molly laying in the floor beside the bed and she's not moving so I figure it must not be anything. It comes on a couple of more times and my curiosity is up. I thought I heard something in the driveway and I start to intently listen. I definitely heard something inside the house by this time and it was my trusty canine companion and bodyguard snoring so loud it drowned any other noise. If there was an intruder outside I was hoping that they would think Molly was growling at them because Sleeping Beauty sure as hell wasn't going to wake up. I bet they would have hell to pay if they tried stealing her dog treats.

It Doesn't Feel Like Rain

I have to tell an embarrassing story about Molly. I love taking Molly for walks in the woods especially early in the morning. The light is just beginning to peak thru the branches of the trees, the wildlife is beginning to stir, and it is nice and cool and fresh.

Yesterday morning we were making our morning circuit thru the woods when I had to pee. I am an old country boy at heart and I found myself a big Oak tree to shield myself from the view of any neighbor that could possibly see me. Molly is sniffing around and hot on the trail of something and when she is focused on a scent like that, she is oblivious to everything else going on around her. I started to pee and I really wasn't paying much attention to what she was doing and the next thing I know, she walked right into the line of fire before I realized it. I peed all over the top of this dogs head before I could stop myself.

The look this dog gave me was priceless and I couldn't stop laughing for about 15 minutes. The funny thing was is that she was so focused on whatever scent she was following, she didn't even realize I had peed on her until I started laughing.

They say paybacks are rough and Molly exacted her revenge on me this afternoon by dragging me through a briar patch while she was on her way to taking her afternoon constitutional. I got a little bit scratched up but I didn't find it as funny as she did, either. All I did was pee on her head.

A Milestone

At some point and time yesterday, my Molly's World blog reached a milestone of sorts. My Molly's World blog had its 500th pageview. That is not a drop in the bucket compared to the more popular blogs out there but Molly and I have to celebrate the small things in life. It is also getting alot more pageviews than all of my sports blogs put together but I have not really put those out there like I have Molly's World.

According to the statistics given on my blog homepage, I have readers all over the world. Russia, China, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, and Belarus are a few of the countries other than the United States that are listed. I don't know if these people were just passing thru or if they can even read English, but it still counts on the stat sheet.

Molly's World started out about alot of different things but it came down to a man and his dog and Molly thinks thats the way it should have been all along. A friend of mine tried explaining to me yesterday about how the Harry Potter series is a microcosm of life but it can't get any more microcosmic than a man and his dog.

Leash Laws

Alot of places have leash laws now. A dog owner is required to have his dog on a leash especially if you are out in public with them. I have always put Molly on a leash no matter where we were at. I want to be in total control of her actions and I don't want her to be accused of any wrong doing. Me and my father had more disagreements about my dogs being on a leash than we did anything else.

I heard my neighbors Boxer, Honey, got into some kind of trouble, the cops were called, and now if she is outside the house she has to be on a leash. I think she tried taking a nip out of one of the neighborhood kids. If that docile, mild-mannered dog tried biting anybody, its because they probably deserved it. Some people just need a chunk taken out of their ass once in a while. If its the people that live up the street, they probably overreacted, and Honey should have taken a piece of their ass as well.

Molly Loves Her Sleeping Bag

Last night I knew it was going to be cold (it was 62 degrees inside the house when i got home from work at 4:30) so I pulled a sleeping bag out of the closet. It was my way of giving Mother Nature the finger for it being so cold this late in the Spring because I refuse to turn the heat back on.

I pulled the red sleeping bag out of the closet and that has always been Molly's favorite thing to lay on. I started that tradition when I lived in Gastonia except last night, I fully intended to sleep in it. Molly intended something completely different.

As soon as I stretched it out on the the bed, Molly hopped up on the bed and staked her claim to it. She quickly curled up on it and I knew I wasn't getting it back. I decided to dress up in sweat pants and a sweatshirt and I knew that was going to have to do. Last night was one of the very rare occasions in which Molly spent the whole night laying on the bed but she wasn't about to give up that sleeping bag.

A Little Bit Frisky

I don't know what it is but the cooler weather makes Molly a little bit frisky. It is down right chilly here in the western North Carolina mountains for the middle of May, overcast skies, cool wind in the air, temperature in the low 50's, and it feels like October or November. I may even have to turn the heat back on.

I came home this afternoon and Molly was ready to go. It didn't matter where, Molly was just ready to go. We went outside and did our lap around the neighborhood and Molly was still full of energy when I brought her back in the house. She was running at me and barking, she brought me all of her "tug-of-war" and "fetch" toys, and we had to go outside two or three more times so she could expend all of her energy. She wanted neck scratches and belly rubs and she just demanded attention. I wish it was that easy for me. I, however, am not Molly.

Happy To See Me

Today was my first day back at work after 8 1/2 weeks off for surgery and Molly and I both had some adjustments to make. Our morning schedule was moved up by two hours- me getting ready for work and Molly's bathroom schedule. We both managed the first morning without any problems and I was proud of both of us. It was like we had never missed a beat.

The daytime schedule was a little more difficult. It involved me being gone for 10 hours and Molly in the bedroom by herself for that length of time. A few bumps in the road for me but I made it home safely and Molly was waiting for me with open paws.

I always know she is happy to see me. I hear the "woofs" coming from the bedroom as soon as I unlock the front door and whenever I open the bedroom door, it is an explosion of joy. She runs out, high-fiving my hand with her nose on her way to the front door, and she cannot wait to get out the door. As soon as that leash is strapped on and I open the door, she is down the steps as fast as she can go.

The smells of the day hit her full force and she makes sure she takes them all in. Molly redefines stop and smell the roses. We have about a three or four yard radius that we cover and we make a circuit thru the woods as well to see what wildlife has stopped by throughout the day. We try to be at one with nature during this time and it is my favorite time of day. I am so damn lucky that Molly allows me to smell the roses with her.

Keeping Molly's Spot Warm

I can now add "bed warmer' to the job functions I perform for Molly. This morning I got up to go to the bathroom and in the two minutes I was gone, she had taken my spot in the bed just like I had been saving it for her. Then when I started to get back in the bed, she looked at me like "I know you don't expect me to move!" and she didn't.

Instead of laying longways in the bed, she will lay sideways and really stretch out so she can have the whole bed to herself or so she thinks. When I do make her move, she growls every step of the way and voices her displeasure at being disturbed. I am always losing track of who is supposed to be the "master" but I am pretty sure it is not me.

Molly The Therapist

While I was recuperating from foot surgery and being held "prisoner" in my house for 8 1/2 weeks by piss poor short-term disability payments (I couldn't afford to go anywhere), I had to turn to Molly to be my Therapist. She was all my health insurance would pay for.

Molly is a great listener. I talked to her more than I did anybody. When I am talking to her, she arches her eyebrows, and her ears stand at attention, and her eyes get that understanding look that you can only get when she feels what I am telling her. She hangs on my every word no matter how mundane or trivial it is.

Mollys prescription for my mental health was long, stress-reducing walks around the neighborhood and thru the woods (of course we had to throw in a rabbit chase for her once in a while), and relaxing, rejuvenating naps in the afternoon to recharge our batteries. Molly also suggested I quit my job but I can't quite go that far yet. She enjoys her morning dog treats too much for me to take that drastic step.

Although I am not completely cured, Molly feels I am ready to go back to work even though I believe she will miss the time we spent together. I will miss it as well.

The Dinner Bell

The Microwave starting up must be like the dinner bell for Molly. Opening the refrigerator door is almost as good but nothing sets her feet to moving like the microwave whirring into action. As soon as I hit the "Start" button, it sets off a one dog, canine stampede and I don't care what kind of deep sleep she is in.

She knows she may be hand fed a few leftovers and at the very least get to lick the plate (who needs a dishwasher?) but she knows some victuals is probably headed her way.

I guess it would be considered a Pavlovian response to the microwave but if Molly could operate it herself, she wouldn't need me.

The Art Of The Belly Rub

I read somewhere that when a dog flips over on its back and shows you its belly for a rub, its the ultimate sign that a dog trusts you and is offering up its vulnerability.

Molly enjoys a good belly rub but she offers her belly up for very few people. I have to give her at least one or two a day and she tells me when I can quit. She also likes me to rub right under her chin and her chest. When I start rubbing under her chin, she will cross her paws over my arms to make sure I hit the right spots. She lets out these contented grunts that almost makes her sound like a pig.

Molly always used to wait on my wife to get out of the shower in the morning. She would lay right in front of the bathroom door and she would not let her get through the bathroom door without giving her a belly rub. That quickly became part of her morning routine. Whenever Molly sees my wife now, she demands that belly rub.

The Straightest Distance Between Two Points

Molly has always been a firm believer in the mathematical principle that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. That straight line is usually between my legs as I am trying to walk but I have kind of gotten used to it by now.

It was much worse when I lived in Gastonia and I had to navigate a flight of steps in my apartment every day trying to get her out of the apartment. I would be trying to put a leash on her and get her down the steps and I would be about halfway down the steps when she would shoot between my legs.
I took a few tumbles down the steps because of Molly but I wouldn't replace that doggy enthusiasm for the world.

She gets so excited over the simplest things. When I get home in the afternoon and pick up the leash she starts jumping and twirling and letting out these contented "wwwoof! wwwoof!". All because she gets to go outside.

I wish I felt that sort of enthusiasm. About anything. Maybe I should start jumping up and down and doing the Molly dance the next time I get to take her outside. Molly could teach me alot about life if I would just listen to her.

Honey The Pizza Guy

There are two vehicles that Molly easily recognizes. They are the UPS little brown truck (she doesn't like them) and any car delivering a pizza. I don't know if it is the little triangle on top of the pizza delivery car or Molly can smell the pizza, but she starts barking as soon as he/she rounds the street corner near my house.

Yesterday afternoon I called Pizza Hut and ordered me a pizza to be delivered so I would have a great snack while I watched the NFL Draft. They were here in about twenty minutes and Molly alerted me when he arrived. I had to shut her up in the bedroom so I could pay for it. That is a standard practice in my household.

The pizza guy knocks on the door, I open it, and there is the pizza guy standing on my front porch with Honey, my neighbor's Boxer that came over from next door. I guess she thought he needed an escort from his car to my front door, but there she stood just as calm as she could be. That is a feet for Honey because she is never calm about anything. When I opened the door to give him the money, Honey briefly considered inviting herself in but I discouraged that notion. I can only imagine the brawl that would have broken out had she made it in to my house.

The pizza guy gives her a few pats on the head and Honey did not feel inclined to escort him back to his car. She didn't even get any pizza for her troubles.

The Protector

Any time I am sick or injured, Molly always stays right by my side to protect me from evil and those that may seek to injure me. I had surgery on my right foot on Monday afternoon and Molly was waiting on me when I got home. She spent the night by my side making sure I was alright. She spent the next day following me around the house, making sure i was O.K.

Last night we had a bad thunderstorm and Molly insisted that it was my turn to make sure she was alright by continuously waking me up so I could personally address the storm issues. We both made it through the night and she is presently sleeping it off. I think I may have to join her.

Molly's Nose

Molly is a mixed breed dog and I don't have a problem with that. I do not need AKC papers telling me that she is a great dog, my best friend, or a Diva but I do find myself speculating as to what kind of breed makes up her essence.

One guess I have is that she is part bloodhound because of her super sensitive nose. She doesn't even look remotely close to being a bloodhound but she can sniff out anything. When she was a young pup, we would be walking through the yard and she would start sniffing real hard along the ground. About 5 to 10 feet later, she would start digging in the ground furiously and she would scratch a mole or some other kind of rodent.

The other day we were walking outside, and Molly comes to a dead stop, and sticks her nose almost straight up in the air. She takes a couple of sniffs, her nose is twitching furiously, and she takes a hard look at her dog lot which is slightly to the northwest of us, about 40 yards away. I look up that way and I don't see anything out of the ordinary or any animals lurking around. Molly has other ideas and makes a beeline for the lot. She starts sniffing real hard and looking underneath the platform that her lot sits on. When we get to the far edge, she flushes out a cat that was hiding underneath the platform. I was amazed that she smelled the cat from about 40 yards away and knew exactly where it was at.

Molly's weakness has always been rabbits. There must be a special smell about them or something because she can smell a rabbit from about a mile away. They also provide the opportunity for a good chase. This morning I had her in her lot and there was a rabbit that emerged from the woods behind my neighbors house. I don't think Molly could see him because her view was obstructed by a utility building but she starts barking because she knew he was there. She smelled his presence. He quickly beat feet back into the woods. I posted on my Facebook page that the Easter bunny had come to visit my house but Molly had chased him off.

As sensitive as her nose is, the one smell she is oblivious too is her own farts. There is a children's story out there called "Walter the Farting Dog" and this dog cannot have anything on Molly. Last night she was laying in the floor and I caught a whiff of one of her eye watering, nose hair burning, noxious gas bombs that you can't escape from fast enough and she just laid there looking at me and made no effort to run for cover like I did. She probably thought it was funny and she also probably thought she may have owed me one.

Feeling Like A Young Pup Again

There comes a certain time in your life when you start to get a little bit too old to do the things you used to do, especially physically. My weakness has always been playing basketball, whether it be shooting baskets or a pick-up game every once in a while. I am at the crossroads stage now where I know I am going to pay for it for several days afterwards when I do something like that.

I believe dogs have those moments as well. Molly's weakness is running. When she was a puppy she used to have these running fits in the house where she would run just as fast as she could go from one end of the house to the other. She would be jumping on beds, the couch, circling objects in the floor, and these would last five minutes or more.

When she was done she would end up on one of the beds, panting real hard, tongue hanging out, a wild look in her eyes, but full of life and excited to be alive. She had one of those moments this afternoon but now she is going to pay for it for the next several days. I will ease her pain as best
I can.

It was great to see her go and just run. It caught me by surprise and I laughed as she tore thru the house. She was feeling great to be alive and wanted to let me know it. She was rambunctious all afternoon and she finally couldn't control herself any longer. I do it not because I have to but because I want to and I am sure she did the same thing. She allowed herself to feel the giddiness and exuberance of youth one more time. Damn! It felt good!

Honey

Honey is my next door neighbors Boxer. She is beautiful and probably the sweetest, most even-tempered dog I have ever been around. There are alot of stray dogs that seem to make their way to my neighborhood and any time they do, Honey makes friends with all of them. Five minutes after I see a stray dog trotting through my backyard, they'll be in my neighbors yard playing with Honey. They'll be romping and ripping through the backyard like a couple of kids after school. She is definitely not an Alpha dog.

A couple of afternoons ago I am sitting in my computer room and I look out the window and I see Honey trot by, squat in my yard right in front of my porch, and take a dump. She then trots off to her yard. Why she felt the urge to do that, I do not know, but I do know Molly will return the favor.

Karma exists even in the dog kingdom. Yesterday afternoon I am sitting outside enjoying the beautiful weather, writing in my journal, and Molly is sitting beside me. I hear a loud hiss, instantaneously followed by the sound of Honey yelping. It was like a surprised shriek. I look up and a beautiful, gray-colored cat and Honey are squared off in the street in front of my house. I should say that the cat was squared off and Honey was busy backing off. The cat was bowed up, eyes wide, and mouth still open hissing a warning to Honey. Honey is slowly backing up, with a surprised look on her face like "What did I do?"

I couldn't help but laugh and they overheard me and both shot me a glance. The cat walked off and went on about her business and Honey slowly made her way up to me after taking one to the chops. She hardly ever lets me pet her but after the run-in with the cat, Honey needed a little TLC.

Honey let me give her several pats on the back, assuage her ego a little bit, and she sauntered on off to lick her wounds. Molly thought it was funny but not happy that I was petting her.

Our Daily Walks

Since I have been out of work, Molly and I have started taking several walks a day and we are both going to hate me going back to work. Maybe her more than me. Today was a perfect day. The temperature was in the high 70's, a slight breeze blowing across the backyard, and it was a great day to go exploring.

Molly and I are usually able to cover most of the ecological spectrum when we walk. We have the woods behind the house, the grassy yard, and the creek across the road to explore in. It is better late in the afternoon when shade covers most of the backyard.

There are so many things to see. There are ladyslippers getting ready to bloom in the woods (although I have to work real hard to keep Molly from fertilizing them), Molly loves looking for water life in the creek (although a Wendy's cup hardly qualifies), and she has to personally examine every bush along the path. We have been able to redefine stopping and smelling the roses and its a beautiful thing.

Rainy Days

Molly, like most dogs, hates the rain. If it is raining real hard, she refuses to go outside and I can't say I blame her. She is alright with a light rain, but anything harder and I can't drag her outside.

It rained all night long last night but luckily, I was granted enough of a window this morning to be able to take her outside. It was raining very lightly and we were able to stay outside about 20 minutes. It started pouring again about 5 minutes after we came back into the house.

Molly very rarely, if ever, gets put out in her lot out back but she used to spend quite a bit of time out there when she was a puppy. When she did stay out there she would refuse to get in her dog house if it was raining. I don't know if she wanted me to feel sorry for her or what but it usually worked. I always went and got her and brought her in the house.

There was one time when I came home from work, it was raining like it was being poured out of a bucket. There Molly sat outside waiting on me to come home. I dutifully went out there and got her and we were both totally drenched by the time I got her in the house. We dried her off for about thirty minutes, used just about every towel in the house, and it still didn't help.

One more "Rainy Day" story. My wife had gotten Molly one of those huge pet pillows to put out in her lot to make it more comfortable for her. We went out and put it in her doghouse and fixed it up real nice. The next time it rained, I looked out our kitchen window and Molly had dragged her pet pillow out of her doghouse and was all curled up on it, laying on it out in the rain. I couldn't help but laugh. I also went outside and brought her in.