I Have To Go. Now!

Molly often wakes me up in the middle of the night because she has to go to the bathroom and I wake up pissed as hell, calling her every name in the book (which I later apologize for), but all things considered, it is better than the alternative. The alternative would be her leaving a big stinking pile in my bedroom, usually right under my nose. The other night I had only been asleep for about 45 minutes when she woke me up. I am on some serious sleeping meds and it takes me a few minutes to get it together, but that blast of cold air when I first step out the door usually does the trick. Sometimes Molly goes right out and does her business but there are other times that she wants to smell every blade of grass in the yard. Those are usually the nights I get upset.

Molly's New Buddies

I had forgotten that there was an empty apartment on the third floor of my building until last night when I saw two young ladies moving in. One of them made the mistake of trying to pet Molly and she let her know in a hurry that wasn't an option, now or at any time in the future. Much to our dismay, I found out these two young ladies had two dogs of their own. I had a chance to meet the dogs on my own, Molly and Megan, and they are such sweet dogs. They immediately wanted me to pet them and they were jumping up on me and I was giving them as much attention as I possibly could. The young lady profusely apologized but I love dogs and I cannot pass up the chance to hang out with my furry friends. I could hear my Molly voicing her displeasure from the second floor but thats ok.

Molly Versus Dozer

My next door neighbor got a solid black Labrador Retriever puppy for Christmas and Molly had her first chance to meet him on Christmas morning. Molly was not impressed by his cuteness and I found out they had decided to hame him "Dozer". I brought Molly downstairs and Molly was curious like she normally is and Dozer had the curiosity of a puppy. They touched noses and Molly did not know what to do. The dog was so tiny, had not made a sound, and was quite taken with Molly. The lack of fear by Dozer threw Molly for a loop and she decided she wanted nothing to do with him. Molly slowly backed up and took a circuitous path around Dozer and wanted away from him as fast as possible. Molly's reaction surprised me because she is so "Alpha " dog. We ran into Dozer the night after Christmas and he was ready to play but Molly wanted nothing to do with him. She took off running with Dozer in hot pursuit. I could not help but laugh.

Nothing Says Christmas Like A 3 Dog Brawl

The Combatants were Ajax from #102, Suki from #203, and Molly from #208. Ajax's corner person was some lady I had never seen before and knew nothing about dogs, Suki's corner person was the nosy old bat and I was kind of hoping she might suffer some collateral damage just because she keeps telling me Molly needs obedience school. She could use some mind your own damn business school. Ajax and Molly tried to start before the bell rang and it got ugly after that. The nosy old bat, instead of waiting until the smoke cleared from the main event, walked Suki right into the middle of it. Molly was swinging and snapping and it was every man for himself. Suki ran like a girl, Molly and Ajax fought to a draw, and the nosy old bat blamed Molly for the whole incident. The next time Molly decided in order to stay in the Christmas spirit of giving, someone is getting a pine Christmas wreath complete with pine combs, shoved up their ass.

Dogs Know It Is Christmas

Dogs know when it is Christmas simply by the changes around the house- the tree, the lights, the different smells (especially the smells- Molly is partial to turkey and chicken casserole), and a lot more visitors than normal. Molly enjoys opening presents more than anyone in the house. She loves ripping into the paper and tearing it to shreds without getting into trouble for it and she is always sure it is some kind of special treat. Getting a new leash (like I got her this year) is the equivalent of an adult male getting socks or underwear (Oh Boy!!) but she gets the most enjoyable use our of her new pet bed. I had to give it to her a little bit early this year because she desperately needed it. Molly has been sick for about ten days now but she is slowly getting better (I had to change treats- I believe the snawsomes made her sick) so I had to take it easy on the special treats this Christmas. I just want to get Molly healthy so she can start acting like Molly again- ornery, sarcastic, and arrogant. Merry Christmas from Molly and Dan!!

The Nose Knows

I am constantly amazed by how sensitive Molly's nose is. Our apartment complex has a bad mole problem and Molly is doing her best to eradicate this problem. She has made it a personal crusade. She will be walking along with her nose to the ground and we will come across some mole tunnels and Molly will slow down and take a good hard sniff. My Dad always referred to it as "creeping" but she will start lightly pacing herself along the tracks of these tunnels and then she will make a sudden dive into the ground. Usually all she gets is a mouth and a nose full of dirt but the other day she pulled a big fat mole out of the ground. Molly made quick work out of it because it was dead by the time she pulled it out of the ground. I made her spit it out but she took it as a matter of course. I congratulated her on a job well done and there is not another nose like hers in the neighborhood.

Soaking In The Sun

There is something about a warm ray of sunshine streaming through the window that makes a dog want to take a nap. It has to be such an incredible feeling of warmth it must be mesmerizing. It evidently has that effect on all animals because that was a running gag in the Garfield comic strip. That is the effect that it has on Molly. I open up the blinds to the sliding glass door to the balcony and Molly will immediate walk over to the door and almost collapse. She looks so relaxed and peaceful. Maybe I should try it.

No More Pizza Crust

Last Sunday, I ordered Molly and me some Pizza Hut Pizza so we could enjoy some pizza and watch a little bit of NFL football. Molly lives for pizza crust. She sits at (or on) my feet and patiently waits on me to get done with the center part before I start breaking her off some crust. With our bellies full and my Seattle Seahawks going in the tank against the Miami Dolphins, Molly decided to take a nap. Within about 5 or 10 minutes, Molly was snoring beside me. Within a minute or so after that, I start smelling something that smelled like somebody had dropped a turd under my chair. I looked and Molly was still snoring and I quickly discovered that about every other snore, she farted. She farted for the rest of the night. At one point, I had to open up my sliding glass door and windows to air the place out. I went to bed kind of early and one of her farts smelled so bad, it woke me up and I searched the apartment because I knew she had taken a dump somewhere in that apartment. I never I did find anything. She is not getting any more pizza crust for a while.

The Stray Dog

Molly and I were taking our first walk of the morning this morning at about 4:30 AM when Molly caught the scent of something. I was thinking the bears and that was the first thing I looked for. We were near the mailboxes and I really wasn't paying attention until I looked up to see what Molly had caught the scent of and it was a dog laying under the bushes. He was just looking at us until Molly started towards him and then he took off. Molly normally would have started barking or woofing at him but she could tell something was immediately wrong with him. He was a cold and hungry stray that had tried to lay down and get some warmth under the bushes. He looked like a German Shepherd mix and he was looking at us like "I wish I had someone that would walk me on a leash." Even Molly felt a great amount of sympathy for him. My heart really went out to him but I never could locate him after that.

Da Bears

There was an old skit on Saturday Night Live in which George Wendt and some of his buddies were devout Chicago Bears fans but being Chicago-ites, it always came out "Da Bears!" About a week ago I was trying to take a nap one afternoon after work when some butthead is out in the parking lot honking his car horn. I get up thinking I am going to shove that car horn up somebody's ass. I go to my sliding glass door at my balcony and I see a Momma bear and her three cubs ambling through the apartment complex. One of our maintenance guys was honking his horn, trying to hurry them along. The bears were not really in that big of a hurry and I immediately thought "photo op!" I grab my camera and try sighting it in and I got some decent shots of the cubs as they ambled along. I was standing out on the balcony taking my pictures and Molly was standing beside me watching all of this. The funny thing was, Molly never made a sound. Not a whine, a woof, a bark. Nothing. I am sure Molly was thinking "Damn! That Momma bear is big. If I don't make a sound maybe she won't notice me." That is my Molly. Self preservation is the key.

Slowing Down

Molly and I are both really slowing down and it is quite obvious. Our age is catching up to us with the speed of light. Molly and I spend more time napping on the weekends than we do out taking walks now and it is really a sad thing to see and an even worse thing to experience. At least we are going down together. We nap together, we slowly amble down the sidewalk together, and we hurt together. Every once in a while we are rambunctious together and after that, we pay for it together. It would be just about the perfect dog-owner relationship if we could figure out how to go out of life together. I don't know if we can make it without each other.

A New Book

I was at Barnes & Noble the other day searching the clearance rack for some reading material and I stumbled upon Angel Dogs: Divine Messengers of Love. I flipped thru it, it looked like a book that Molly and I would like so I quickly made the purchase. The book is by Allen and Linda Anderson. It is well put together and includes stories from readers from all over the place about how valuable their dogs were and are in their lives. There is a little bit of Molly wrapped up in just about every page. Its a great read, a little bit tear-jerking at times, and it reminds me how lucky I am to have Molly in my life. She is my protector, my caretaker, and my best friend who loves unconditionally and without prejudice.

A Good Pile Of Leaves

When I was a kid, my neighborhood friends would never let a good pile of leaves go to waste. My father and I had an unwritten agreement that I had at least two days to play in the leaves before he burned them off. My friends and I would build leaf forts and have acorn fights, we would wrestle in a big pile of leaves, and we would invent other athletic contests to have in the neighborhood leaf pile. One of my favorite games we invented was a game we called "Fumble" in which we would get a football, bounce it into the pile of leaves, and the mad scramble for the ball would ensue. Since my house had the most trees and the most leaves, that leaf pile was in my yard. Since Molly and I live in an apartment now, I never expected to see a pile of leaves in one of the side yards and I was even more surprised when Molly did not let that leaf pile go to waste. As soon as she saw it, she headed straight for it and plowed right thru it and a wrestling match spontaneously erupted. We ended up calling it a draw even though Molly should have been disqualifed for fighting dirty. There was some biting, pulling hair, and a few low punches but I pulled out the flying double butt kick to salvage the draw. Molly somehow manages to pull out the best memories from me.

A Partnership

As Molly and I get older, we find ourselves worrying about the other one more and more. Neither one of us are what I would describe as in good health but we still manage to make it thru the day. I have my RA and my PLMD and Molly has bad hips and right now a bad case of fleas I am desperately trying to get rid of. We look after each other the best we can and try not to do anything stupid that is going to make us hurt worse but sometimes our minds don't remember what our bodies can't forget. We end up paying the price for it for a few days but we are no worse for wear. Molly and and I have a partnership and we are going to see this thru to the end. I love my dog and she is there for me thru the good days and the bad days and I will be for her as well. When I adopted Molly I signed a contract in blood and tears.

Dr. Molly

About a week ago I was diagnosed with van incurable condition. It is nothing life threatening (at least not yet) But I honestly believe that Molly knew long before I, or even the Doctor, ever did. I had noticed about two months ago that Molly would never stray more than about two feet from me when we were in the apartment. A lot of times she would just sit there and stare at me like she was trying to communicate with me. She would watch me so intensely like she thought I was going to keel over at any second. When I found out last week she circled the wagons around me even tighter. Now she knows I know. Molly and I are in this together. I wouldn't have it any other way. Now if I could only get her to talk.

Molly Wants Her Own Pet

My apartment complex has these fat white/gray grub worms that are all over the place when I take Molly for her morning walks. Molly has taken an interest in them for reasons unbeknownst to me and she is always trying to dig them up. The other morning she was successful and she managed to sneak it into the apartment. She gently carried it in her mouth, all the way down the sidewalk and up the steps. When we got into the apartment, she spits it out on the floor and I finally noticed it a few minutes later. Molly looked at me like "It followed me home Daddy! Can I keep it?" My response was swift and immeditate. I grabbed a paper towel and went and threw it down the steps of my apartment building. Undaunted, Molly tried sneaking one in again this morning but I caught on to what she was doing and I made her spit it out.

Slowing Down

Molly and I are slowing down as we get older. The Fall of the year is on the horizon and as the weather turns a little bit cooler the steps in my apartment building are a little harder to go up and down for both of us. The other night I was taking her out for her last walk of the night and she stopped at the top of the steps like she didn't want to go down them. I encouraged her and told her it was alright and she slowly hobbled down the steps. She weighs about 55 pounds and if I pick her up, the only way we are getting down those steps is by falling down them. I briefly though of setting up a block and tackle system on my balcony, rigging up a harness for her, and lowering her to the ground that way. My neighbors would love that. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Molly's Personal Masseuse

Evidently Molly has a personal masseuse and it's me. The last time I took her to the Kennel, she ended up with a bad case of fleas and I think she is blaming me for it. As Jake Blues said in the movie The Blue Brothers "It wasn't my fault!" Now every time her back itches, she sidles up to me, growls or woofs in my direction, and I am supposed to scratch her back or rub her belly until she is content that I have served my purpose. Then about every ten minutes she will make up and demand another belly rub. She usually isn't too pleasant about it either.

A Beautiful Dog

All of my neighbors that make a comment on Molly all describe her as "a beautiful dog." It doesn't faze Molly and it also doesn't curry them any favor with her as she is still not going to let any of my neighbors pet her. A tail wag and a friendly little woof is about all they are going to get out of her. The lady that lives downstairs from me swears up and down Molly was smiling at her the last time I brought her home from the Vet's office but I believe that was more of a case of Molly was just happy to be home from the Vet's office. Molly is a beautiful dog and she has a soul and a spirit that is uniquely all of her own as all dogs do but she will always be the Diva.

My Bologna Has A First Name

Molly has graciously agreed to accept bologna in lieu of dog treats for her snack time now due to my procrastination in buying her dog treats. I have always hated to shop and now that has extended to buying her dog treats. Bologna is cheaper anyway but I cannot seem to get Molly to sing the Oscar Meyer bologna jingle from the old commercial. She is just not feeling it.

A Woof Over Our Heads

Molly has a Woof for all occasions. The Demanding Woof means it is time for a treat. The part growl and part woof means that she wants a belly rub. She saves her best woofs for the other dogs in the neighborhood walking by the balcony of my apartment. The howling woof is just an attention getter. The flat out bark is a warning sign that she is pissed at the other dog. She saves that for a select few. The playful woof means that she is ready to play. The desperate woof means that she needs outside now. I have learned to interpret them over the course of time.

On The Inside Looking Out

Molly was napping today and I needed to take the garbage out. I didn't want to wake her up just to take out the garbage but I knew she would be up like a flash as soon as she heard the door open. As I am walking back across the parking lot after depositing the garbage in the dumpster, I look up at my apartment and I see Molly giving me a look of reproach because I went outside without her. The look said, "You butthead! How could you?" Molly has mastered the art of non-verbal communication. I had to pacify her with a treat and take her for a walk to help make amends. I was forgiven and all is well now.

Let Me Sleep

I am always imploring Molly to let me sleep on the weekends and this morning she did. Kind of. She woke me up at about 3:30 which is about her normal time during the week so I can live with that. We both went back to bed and she let me sleep until 8:30. It felt good and Molly slept right there beside me. In fact, Molly has spent most of the day napping while I watched college football. We took a couple of long walks this morning and this afternoon but it was unseasonable hot so we didn't stay out too long.

Da Bears!

I ran into one of the office ladies this afternoon when I was out walking Molly and she said that a bear had been sighted on the premises. I walk Molly very early in the morning when it is dark outside and I have been trying to keep an eye out for bears. I do not know how Molly would react to one but I am thinking screaming like a girl and running isn't one of her top options in spite of what her owner would do. We live at the base of a mountain and are in close proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway so I know the chances are there that we may eventually run into one. I am going to have to try to minimize those chances.

Walking The Dog

I live in an apartment complex now and there are many dog owners but only a small handful of us actually walk our dogs. This is a fairly large complex with plenty of room to walk our dogs but the vast majority of the people only take their dogs in the area right beside their building, let them do their business, and then hustle them back inside. Molly and I usually cover most of the neighborhood at least twice a day, usually 3 or 4 times on the weekends. When Molly walks, she gives a new definition to "stop and smell the roses." Molly smells everything and and I mean a nose to the ground, "yes I inhaled", sniff test. Last Friday morning she picked up the scent of a rabbit and the hunt was on. People should get out and walk their dog. It is great exercise for both of you and you can see so many different things on any given day. Spend some time with your dog and allow him to introduce you to his world.

Bringing Home The Fleas

Molly's little stint at the kennel did have one negative side effect. She brought home a bad case of fleas. I immediately went out and got some Frontline that will hopefully fix the problem. I have to admit I was not happy when I noticed the little bloodsuckers crawling around on Molly but it is not the kennel's fault. The kennel did have a fullhouse this time and they can't control what the other dogs bring with them when they are boarded there. She has never had a flea problem before and she has changed environments, so I should have expected it.

Introducing Mazie

A really good friend of mine that just recently had to have her family dog put to sleep decided to get a new puppy from the Humane Society the other day. She made an excellent choice on where to get her from and she decided to name her Mazie. She has spent the last few days getting to know her and introducing her to the neighbors and the neighborhood which she will soon rule. I can't wait to meet her. Puppies look at things with such amazement and they can make a game out of everything. They are always testing their boundaries and you can't help but laugh most of the time. Puppies introduce you to their world also. They amaze you with their intelligence, sense of humor, and their individual personalities. They are able to teach you as well as you being able to teach them and it is such an awesome process.

Transitioning Back Home

Molly is back from the kennel. She dragged her ass and about 5 pounds of fleas up the steps and slept most of the day yesterday and this morning. The transition from the kennel to back home takes about 3 or 4 days for her to work out all of the kinks and ease back into her routine. Her bathroom schedule is the hardest to ease back into. Outside of sleeping all of the time (and the fleas) the transition seems to be much smoother this time. I think it is good for Molly to be around all of those other dogs. She seems much more tolerant of the other dogs that live in our neighborhood, at least for the first couple of days. After that her territorial nature takes back over and she starts woofing at everything that walks by our balcony. I should probably take her to the kennel more often.

I Love Kennels

I went and picked up Molly from the kennel this morning and I just love going to the kennel. They always have such an eclectic mix of dogs. Paw Pleasers has a play yard out in front of their office that has about a 5 foot tall fence around it so the dogs have some privacy. I pull up in their driveway and some reddish-brown colored dog sees me pull up so he trots over to the fence and he is jumping up and down like he is on a trampoline trying to get my attention. You can't help but laugh. I go inside the office to pick Molly up and they have a private room set up just outside the office. Their is a Boxer on the inside looking out the window just staring wistfully at me. I asked the lady behind the counter if he had been put in isolation. She answered, "no, it is just a private room." The Boxer still looked like he wanted my help in escaping. The lady went and got Molly and she came charging thru the kennel on her pink leash with the kennel lady in tow. She was happy to see me and even happier to get out of there.

Bacon!

Every time I fix myself some bacon I am reminded of the snausages commercial where the dog catches a whiff of bacon and he goes running thru the house and the voice is going "Bacon, bacon, baacooon!!" That is about what Molly does whenever I fix breakfast in the mornings. She will lay at my feet and she will let me know when she thinks she is not getting her fair share. I don't have to worry about a crumb hitting the floor either. I thought of this when I fixed myself some bacon this morning and I didn't have my 55 pound best friend with me to share my breakfast with. I will have to make sure I fix a big plate full when I go pick her up from the kennel.

Talking To The Spirit World

I believe that dogs know things and can sense things that humans can't. Molly was wound up last night. She was very hyper and agitated and she was barking and woofing at me and I could not figure out what she wanted. I believe there was a presence in my apartment and she was trying to tell me about it. She went into my bedroom by herself and she was barking and carrying on but it was the tone of her bark that bothered me. There was something or someone in there with her. I could not see it but she knew it was there. I also believe she knew who it was. It wasn't her threatening "I don't know you" bark. I walked into the bedroom to see what was going on and as soon as I walked into the room, a cold chill went up my spine. She calmed down after a bit but she refused to go in the bedroom by herself after that. I do not believe it is a malicious presence but Molly knows when it is there.

No Dog To Walk

With Molly being at the kennel and me being out of town, I feel lost without a dog to walk or to talk to or to confide in. Molly is my personal version of a therapy dog. She makes sure I get my exercise, she makes sure I get up on time in the mornings, and she lets me know when I am out of treats. She is also my security system. She lets me know when someone is at the door, she warns me when the UPS guy is in the neighborhood, and she tells me when one of those fleabags in the neighborhood is walking by. I have been around dogs all my life and it is very hard to survive without one for 5 days.

Molly Goes To The Kennel

I had to take Molly to the kennel Paw Pleasers yesterday as I am going out of town for a few days. Molly loves to go for a car ride. I need to take her for more pleasant rides as the only rides I take her on any more are to the Vet and to the kennel. Paw Pleasers takes very good care of her and I know she is in good hands when I leave her with them. Me leaving Molly at the kennel is like a parent leaving their child at summer camp. I really hate doing it but I know it will be better for both of us. I was telling one of my neighbors the other afternoon that I was taking Molly to the kennel while I was on vacation and she made the comment "that gives y'all a break from each other." I guess we are a lot like roommates. We get on each others nerves and get in each others way. We get into arguments just like roommates. We got about 5 miles from my apartment and she knew we were headed in the wrong direction. I believe that she tried getting the attention of the people in the car beside us to see if they wouldn't help her out. I can see Molly holding up a handmade sign saying "Help! I am being kidnapped!" We made it to the kennel without incident and she begrudgingly went back with the girl at the kennel. I'll call and check on her in a couple of days and make sure she is o.k. I am already counting down the days when I can go and pick her up.

Dogs And Pickup Trucks

I think that dogs riding in the back of pickup trucks is a form of animal cruelty. The dog riding in the truck is not the act of cruelty but the potential for what could happen is the cruel part. I was driving down I-85 coming home from Charlotte one Sunday morning when I pickup blew by me going about 80 MPH with a dog in the bed of the pickup. I was horrified by this act of carelessness with this dog. I ended having to pull off at an exit a couple of miles down the road because I could not watch this anymore. They actually make dog seat harnesses now. I used to live down the street from a man who let his dog ride on the cab of his pickup. I was horrified by that. I think it is a dog owners duty to provide a safe environment for their dog.

The Search Mission

Yesterday afternoon I was standing on my balcony and I saw one of my young neighbors out with his dog on a leash. The little boy was only about 7 years old and it was obvious to me the boy could not handle this dog. It was pretty predictable as to what was going to happen next and sure enough, a couple of minutes later the dog broke free and took off. The little boy took off chasing after it but I knew it was gone. I put Molly on a leash to see if I could help. I canvased the upper part of the neighborhood but I didn't spot the dog. I was walking back down the sidewalk to my apartment and the little boy and his father passed me on their way to search for the runaway dog. The little boy was just bawling and my heart went out to him. I felt so incredibly bad for him. He tried talking to me but I really couldn't understand a word he said through all of the tears. I have been that little boy. When I was growing up, the family pet was a Poodle named Midnight. He died one afternoon when I was about 10 or 11 years old, and my Mom distracted me and my older sister by taking us shopping on a Sunday afternoon so my father could bury him. When Midnight didn't turn up late that afternoon, I went looking for him and I feared the worst. I was bawling just like the little boy this afternoon. My parents finally had to sit me down and tell me he had passed away. Luckily this story had a happier ending and the little boys dog turned up about 20 minutes later. I helped corral him long enough for him to be lassoed and returned to the little boy.

Our Annual Trip To The Vet

I have gotten really lucky with Molly. She has been relatively healthy to this point in her life and the only trips she has had to make to the Vet's office is for her annual shots. Today was the day. Molly must be mellowing with age. Today went off almost without a hitch. I have been loyal to my Vet over the years. He has been the family Vet for almost 35 years now. He has always been Molly's Vet. Now that I live in a town over 20 miles away, it makes it more inconvenient, but it is worth the trip knowing that Molly is well cared for. Getting there is usually an adventure, but today it was about as smooth as it could get. It also helps when the Vet distracts Molly with a cat so she can give her the shots she needs.

A Kindred Spirit

Molly lost a kindred spirit the other day. A dog named Sadie. I had the pleasure of spending several days with Sadie a few months ago and she was a beautiful dog with a powerful spirit. She accepted me without judgement and allowed me to take her on walks in which she shared her world view with me. Her world view was filled with curiosity and a dignified defiance. She was going to do what she wanted to do and she let me know that I could follow if I wanted to. It came that time in Sadie's life where her body just broke down due to her advancing years. Her owner made the compassionate and courageous decision to allow Sadie to leave life with the dignity that she deserved. She also made sure that Sadie was in familiar surroundings and surrounded by the people that made up her inner circle. If and when Molly ever gets to that point, I hope I have the courage to make the same decision.

Snawsomes

I buy Molly a dog treat at Wal~Mart called Snawsomes made by the makers of Snausages. She prefers the beef and cheese flavor but it really doesn't matter. They must have some addictive, narcotic-type quality to them because if I run out of Snawsomes, there is hell to pay. If I take her outside, she expects a Snawsome when she comes back in. If I forget, heaven forbid, she sits at my knee and woofs at me or gently nudges me in the direction of the kitchen until I present her with one. She knows exactly what cabinet I keep them in and if patience is a virtue, Molly is not a virtuous dog. She immediately takes it to her spot on the living room floor, props it up between her paws, and it is usually gone in under a minute.

Go Ahead Cat, Scratch Me!

On one of our daily walks through the neighborhood, Molly and I encountered an orange-and-white tabby cat. He had escaped from one of the apartments in this building in the front corner of the complex. Molly and I had seen him perched in a window many times but we had never run into him face-to-face. I gave this cat several opportunities to run for his life but it wasn't happening. I remember this Sylvester the Cat cartoon where a bulldog had him backed into the corner but there was a panther hiding behind Sylvester. The bulldog says "Go ahead cat. Scratch me!" The panther takes a swipe at him and tears him to shreds. This tabby cat was ready to brawl. He bowed up and he wasn't backing down. Molly and I politely declined the cat's invitation and we have ran into him a couple of times since then all with the same result. That is one cat not to be messed with.

The Mole Patrol

Molly has taken it upon herself to rid the apartment complex of all of the moles tunneling their way under our buildings. So far all she has gotten is one mole and several mouthfuls and nosefuls of dirt. According to her, dirt is not that tasty and makes her sneeze. It also gives her gas. Molly sai in an interview "If the rest of these lazy ass dogs around here would put their nose to the ground instead of another dogs butt, we could rid our neighborhood of these pesky moles. Besides, the ground is bound to smell better."

The Dog Days Of Summer

According to Molly air conditioning has to be one of the greatest inventions ever. Molly has a nice cool place to lay around in all day while Dan is working away in his own sweatshop. On the weekends Molly can lay in front of the sliding glass door and watch the world go by in the nice, cool air conditioning. It was so hot outside one day, Molly didn't even feel like chasing a cat or even woofing at it and telling it what a flea bag it was. I suppose that is why they call it "the dog days of summer." When a dog doesn't even have the strength to chase a cat, it has to be hot.

Fireworks

Molly is not a big fan of fireworks. This being July 4th I have been trying to brace Molly all day long for the impending celebration and the fireworks that will follow but she does not understand the need. She loves cookouts and all of the scraps that inevitably fall on the ground and the smells that come from the grill. I am ready to comfort her in her time of need when the loud noises start occurring. I read on the internet today that more dogs run off and become lost today than any other day of the year and the primary cause is fireworks. It is suggested that you put your dog in an escape proof room in the house and leave on a TV so she has some familiar sounds to comfort her. All excellent ideas.

"Wake Up, It's Storming!"

We had a bad thunderstorm last night and I do not have the luxury of sleeping thru them any more. Molly has seen to that. As soon the first peel of thunder rolled across the sky, Molly was on the bed waking me up to make sure I knew it was storming. The next time she woke me up, I think she was trying to sit on my head. For all I know, she was trying to fart in my face to pay me back for not waking up the first time. The third time she woke me up, I got the message. I was supposed to be awake so she could sleep. Luckily, Molly was able to sleep thru the last of it. I am just glad I could help.

The Dog Days Of Summer

The mountains of Western North Carolina have seen record breaking heat the past three days and poor old Molly is feeling it. The temperature has been hovering around 100 degrees and it is not much cooler in the shade. I am just glad the air conditioner works in my apartment. Molly wanted to go out for a walk this afternoon and I might as well have opened the oven door and Molly and I crawled inside it. Molly usually busts out the door like her fur is on fire but not the past couple of days. There was a cat hiding under a car in the parking lot and Molly didn't pay it any attention at all. Any other day it would have looked like a Sylvester the Cat cartoon with Molly dragging me thru the parking lot chasing this cat. She is much more active early in the morning and early at night but that is to be expected. Molly just hopes that all of the other dogs out there have air conditioning.

The Spirit World

I watched the movie Young Guns the other night for the hundredth time and the line "They can't see us. We're in the spirit world asshole," really caught my attention. My recently deceased friend David and I had discussed many times about him trying to communicate with me after he had passed on. We never really discussed how he was going to do this but we really did not know what to expect. Evidently the possibilities are endless. David was always messing with Molly and she treated it as a game most of the time and she was always barking and carrying on with him. Ever since his death I have noticed a great increase in Molly's dream activity. She has these barking dreams that will wake me up. She will also be sitting in my bedroom all by herself and she will just start barking. I will walk in the room and she will be looking towards the middle of the room and just barking. They are playful kind of barks. As soon as I walk into the room I will get a cold chill that will make me shiver. I may not be able to see into the spirit world but Molly can.

The Birds And The Bees

Since Molly has been "fixed" I had to give her a much different talk about the birds and the bees the other day. Molly is always biting and snapping at bees until one mounted a counter attack the other day and he really put her on the run. It was a big bumblebee and he was mean. The Bumblebee chased her down the sidewalk until he felt that he had made his point. My talk with Molly was pretty short and simple. Bees sting and it hurts when they do. She took that message to heart and yesterday she about took my legs off running from one. No more biting and snapping for her. She even let a lightning bug back her down. A lightning bug? Molly, please.

Today Is My Birthday

Molly's birthday was last Sunday on Fathers Day. She is 10 years old, a milestone for any dog. I would have had her a party but she doesn't like anyone so who was I going to invite? I can envision a doggie birthday cake, Molly wearing a party hat, and feasting on some doggie ice cream. I am going to buy her some special treats and a new pet bed. Molly deserves to be treated like the royalty that she is. Looking back over Molly's 10 years, she has been such a great companion. Like any relationship, we have had our ups and our downs but I can count the downs on one hand. She has been my therapy dog and I can count on her to be there for me when things go bad or I need a sympathetic ear or a soft doggie shoulder to cry on. I wish Molly would live forever but I know that is not possible in spite of the questions raised in Stephen King's movie Pet Sematary. I guess it is ever dog owners wish that their dog out lives them or that they die together. I have already got a contingency plan in place in case I die first.

Fathers Day

Pops passed his love for dogs on to me and dogs have always been part of the family. I was watching a video of some old home movies that my sister found of us when we were kids and in most of the scenes there was a dog. My sister knew most of their names and I was really young but the videos showed they were part of the family. The dogs were up on the couch with us, greeting Pops at the door, or playing with us. Molly has been part of my family since the day I got her. She is the daughter I never had and I don't even have to buy her a car, worry about her dating, or paying for college. I remember the last conversation I ever had with my father. I was living in Gastonia when he got real sick and they called me late one night and told me I needed to come to Hendersonville. I realized the seriousness of the situation so I didn't give Molly a chance to do her business before I rolled down I-85. Right as I pulled into the entrance to my neighborhood Molly took a humongous dump in my backseat. It was a good, smelly one too. I had to clean it up before I could go see my father. I told him the story of what happened and he gave me intructions on how to prevent it from ever happening again. Looking back on it, it is kind of fitting that the last conversation we ever had was about a family dog. My family dog.

The Vacation Is Over

Molly and I have taken enough time off from our blog. The vacation is over. With tomorrow being Fathers Day and because of my Father's lifelong love and appreciation of all things canine, I would like to honor him in this blog. I have been around dogs ever since the day I was born. Pops always had bird dogs and we usually had a family pet as well- Midnight, Peanut, Sheba, Pee Wee, Trixie, and Bear- to name most of them. Towards the end of his life I think Pops always felt more comfortable around dogs than he did people. I always thought he was a little bit crazy but as time passes on, I am beginning to believe that Pops knew what he was doing. Dogs represent unconditional love. They do not want anything from you except maybe a little bit of attention. An old Irish proverb says that "A dogs owns nothing but is seldom dissatisfied." Molly always wants some dog treats thrown in for good measure but that is a small price to pay for the kind of devotion that you receive in return. Pops always believed a perfect day was one that was spent out in the woods with his dogs, on the scent of a covey of birds. When he could no longer go to the woods, that perfect day became one spent out in the backyard in the company of his dogs. I am sure that Pops joined up with all of his dogs in the afterlife and are roaming the great beyond enjoying that perfect day.

Tourists On A Roll

I finally got to go to my second Asheville Tourists game of the year on Thirsty Thursday, May 31st. I must say that Tourists Manager Joe Mikulik has the team playing great baseball. They are getting timely hitting and solid pitching and they are trying to run away with the first half title in the Southern Division of the South Atlantic League. I don't believe they have as much power this year as they have had in past years but they have several batters hitting over .300. It was the first Thirsty Thursday I had ever been too and it was a lot of fun. It is sponsored by the Wild Wing Cafe and I ate there before the game. I can't wait to go again.

The Passing Of A Friend

One of my good friends David, passed away on the afternoon of May 14th. He fought a courageous battle with pancreatic Cancer. He was my roommate for a couple of months before he got sick and he and Molly had some legendary battles. She probably got along better with him than she has any of my other friends but she still had to tell him to step back when she thought he was getting a little too familiar. She would snap at him and snarl but within minutes they were back to being buddies. I have to wonder if she knew David was sick before he was ever diagnosed by the medical establishment. David will be missed greatly by me and Molly because he was a great friend and a true dog person.

Molly And The Balcony

Molly had her first balcony experience yesterday afternoon. I decided to be brave and let her outside on the balcony and about that time her fleabag buddy from downstairs walked by. Molly barked, growled, and carried on and the fleabag looked at her with the greatest indifference in the world. I talked to the owner of fleabag, Nosy Old Bat, and she was pretty cool about it but what was she going to do? It seems like Molly would soften up with old age but I guess that is too much to hope for. This is our 200th post on Molly's World and we, to this point, only have one loyal reader and a few visitors that occasionally stop by but we are not trying to start a fan club like Giant George because that much press and attention would really bring out the Diva in Molly.

Wake Up So I Can Go To Sleep

Molly hates thunderstorms. I believe even more than she hates the fleabag that lives on the first floor. We had our first real bad thunderstorm of the spring the other night. I had just gone to bed. The thunder had not even died down yet and Molly appeared beside me faster than the lightning outside.

Normally Molly sleeps at my feet or on the floor. Not during a thunderstorm. She has to make sure I am awake so she can sleep thru the storm. I guess I am supposed to stand guard or something. She makes sure that she keeps me awake with several licks on my arms and getting in my face if she has to. It must have worked that night because I didn't sleep much that night and she slept like a baby.

Molly Meets The Boston Terrier

Molly has started to meet various dogs around the neighborhood and tonight she ran into the Boston Terrier from up the street. I had seen him around before but that was the first time we had ran into him face-to-face.

My posts are starting to sound like headlines at a professional wrestling event. I can see Molly running up to the Boston Terrier and laying him out with a dropkick and then an elbow drop. If the Terrier got up from this combination I think Molly would follow with a creative move invented by me and my little brother, the Flying Double Butt Kick. I think that would be the clincher.

To avoid such confrontation, I hustled Molly into the apartment so he could finish his walk.

Molly The Mountain Climber

I took Molly on a walk this morning and I decided to cut down this trail down a hill to get to the pond and it wasn't the best idea I had all day. Molly cuts down thru there like she is on a mission from God and the hill was much steeper than I thought it was.

When Molly starting pulling me down the hill, momentum got the best of me and if the two trees weren't there to break my headlong rush down the trail, it could have gotten ugly.

Molly was navigating it like Mount Everest and when she slammed on the breaks, she stopped on a dime. She didn't do me any favors, as I left shoe rubber and the skin off my fingers on the trail and on those trees.

Molly And The Early Wake Up Call

It is a rare occasion when I sleep past 5 AM much less sleep late on the weekends like most normal people. Once I am up, whether it be 2:30 AM or something a little bit later, I usually do not go back to bed. I will take cat naps throughout the day, but I never go back to bed for an extended period of time.

In spite of the fact that I took Molly out at Midnight last night, she still woke me up at 4 AM this morning to go out. I do not see how that dog makes it 9 or 10 hours a day when I am at work and yet she can only make it 4 hours maximum when I am at my apartment.

I was so tired this morning, I vaguely remember taking her out this morning but she must have had to go real bad because she didn't smell every bush in a sea of bushes like she normally does before she went about her business this morning. I came back in and went back to sleep for three more hours before I got up for good this morning. When I got up at 7 AM, Molly still needed out.

Molly Meets Beethoven

I am sure most everyone has seen or heard of the movie Beethoven about the St. Bernard and his family. There are all of these little St. Bernard puppies running around and wreaking havoc to the merriment of all.

Molly got to meet one of Beethoven's puppies yesterday and he was just as cute as advertised although Molly was not impressed. The St. Bernard puppy belongs to the Head Maintenance guy at the apartment complex and I had seen him walking the little guy around on the leash for about the past week or so.

Our Maintenance guy drives around in this golf cart to make his rounds and yesterday Molly had just got thru doing her business around the front corner of the complex when the Maintenance guy pulls up in the golf cart with the St. Bernard sitting beside him. The dog was just so cute sitting there.

Molly takes one look at him and starts off in her boxers stance, and the puppy looks at her and starts barking at her except it was a baby bark. Molly did not know what to do and she did something she rarely ever does and that is start barking back. Normally she just growls. The puppy sat there like he owns the place. In a way I guess he does. He gets to ride around in the cool golf cart and has access to the whole complex. Thats right, Molly hates him and all his cuteness.

Molly Gets Mugged

We were out at 3:30 the other morning doing our usual pre-work walk. We took a longer walk than normal because we walked the lower and upper end of our apartment complex and we were heading back to our building when I looked over and saw the gargantuan white dog out with his owner ("A Man and His Horse"). All I saw was the dog because the owner was blocked by a garbage dumpster and a large bush.

About the time I looked over, the big white dog saw us and immediately trotted over in our direction. I did not know what his intention was and I was really not that anxious to find out. He did not give me much of a choice.

I had Molly on her leash like he should have his dog on his. The dog went right around me and was all over Molly but not really in an aggressive fashion or else he would have had her for lunch. Molly is not a small dog but this dog towered over her and she did not know how to react. He was just on top of her and Molly started growling but it was a scared kind of growl.

The owner took his own sweet time getting over there and he mumbled "Sorry" and pinned his dog to the ground. I hustled Molly away from the scene and into the apartment and headed back downstairs to talk to this guy. He disappeared.

I went back inside and Molly was kind of beat down by the whole experience which I do not want that. We went back out a little bit later and she had shaken it off by then.

Leash laws exist for a reason and I would like to think that I can walk my dog in relative safety and I want to impart this piece of wisdom on my ownership impaired neighbor. Be a responsible pet owner. Put your dog on a leash.

A Good Walk Wasn't Spoiled

Sports Author John Feinstein penned "A Good Walk Spoiled" about life on the PGA Tour. Golfers should take a dog with them and the walk would not be spoiled. It would be nice and slow, maybe even relaxed, and it would definitely redefine stop and smell the roses.

I took Molly for an Easter walk this morning after I came home from work and it was very fitting for a religious occasion. We were able to commune with nature and it was so quiet and peaceful.

We walked down the hill to the pond and I decided to take a shortcut down the hill and thru a small patch of woods. It was a well worn trail but because of all of the recent rain, the footing was a little bit treacherous, at least for me. Molly walked down the muddy path like a billy goat.

There is a dogwood on the far side of the pond that is big and beautiful and in full bloom. When the sun is out and you stand across from the dogwood, it has a perfect reflection in the pond. The resident duck was floating around on the upper portion of the pond but his mate wasn't with him. I hope nothing has happened to her.

We also talked with the fishes and the frogs, the birds and the bees, and we made it back to the apartment. It was a good walk and befitting of An Easter Sunday morning.

The Spirit Of Easter

Molly decided to get into the Easter spirit a day early this year. I took her out for her usual 5 AM walk this morning after only getting about three hours of sleep but I am used to that part of my life now. By sleeping all day, Molly more than makes up for the sleep I don't get.

While we were out on our walk this morning, we ran into the neighborhood stray cat. I don't know if he is a stray just an escapee, but the feline fleabag struts around the complex like he owns the place.

A brief chase ensued with Molly hot on his large, gray tail and me tethered to Molly by her pink leash, when all three of us ran into a rabbit. The rabbit was trying his best to mind his own business and remain as inconspicuous as possible but that just wasn't meant to be.

After a very brief period of chaos, the scene turned into a four party chase. The rabbit, the cat, Molly, and I all went tearing across the parking lot and into the grassy knoll where Molly and I got left in the dust and sucking wind.

Molly and I have kind of let our physical condition deteriorate and we retired from the chase scene a few years ago. Molly likes to come out of retirement once in a while when instinct kicks in but reality usually kicks in shortly after that. Since it is Easter, Molly and I hope the rabbit made a clean get away.

Walking In The Rain

Molly does not like the rain. At all. This morning she had no choice but to make an exception. It rained all yesterday afternoon (luckily it slacked off enough for her to do her business) and was raining steady when we got up this morning.

I put on my Indiana Jones hat and raincoat and I leashed Molly up and out the door we went. We got to the bottom of the steps and she started whining a little bit. She took a few steps out into the rain and she tried to turn around but I wouldn't let her. It was now or never because I didn't like it any more than she did.

Molly has that nice down undercoat that keeps her skin fairly dry but she hates it when it rains in her face and on her ears. She squints her eyes and lays those ears back to try to keep them dry. We made it the length of the sidewalk and I actually had to make her come in. She picked up the scent of something and forgot all about the rain.

A Man And His Horse

Molly woke me up about 3:30 AM this morning to go out which is a little later than she normally does which I was thankful for. I got my clothes on and I went to the balcony to test the temperature to see if I would need a jacket or not.

I look out across the balcony and into the parking lot and I see a large, solid white dog and his owner in the light of street lamp. The owner looked like he was stretching to go jogging or something. He probably could have rode the dog rather than jogged. I am guessing the dog is a Great Dane.

I was hoping he would see me and Molly come out and politely go the other way. Instead the guy was playing fetch with his dog in the parking lot. That raised a couple of issues for me. The dog is supposed to be on a leash at all times and I am guessing that is why he was out that time of morning because nobody else would be. That was the first time I had ever seen them out that time of morning.

Molly usually growls and woofs at other dogs but she took one look at this horse and never made a sound. Molly is a smart dog. The size of the dog also made me worry about mine and Molly's safety. He was off his leash and I have no idea if he is aggressive or not. He ran over near us a couple of times but never paid us any attention. I took Molly over into "our" corner, Molly did her thing, and we came back inside.

Fill My Bowl

Molly has been quite demonstrative recently about me making sure her food bowl is full at all times. When her food bowl reaches the maximum state of emptiness, she pats it rather furiously and if that isn't immediately recognized, it is followed by short and loud barks.

Molly has even gone so far as to turn her bowl on its side, and roll it over to me so I could fill it. It reminds me of the scene out of the Snoopy comic strip where Snoopy takes his food bowl in his mouth and goes and kicks Charlie Brown's door. If you are going to be hungry, do it with style!

Summer Is Early

Molly sits at the keyboard again to post this entry.

Dan took me for a walk as soon as he got home today like he always does but it was so hot. It just sapped the energy away from me. Some of the Ankle Biters from across the parking lot were out and I didn't even have the strength or the energy to fight with them.

I am a cold weather dog. I love a nice, cold morning to where I can run and rip and chase things. I can feel the cold down in my fur but I am still comfortably warm. We skipped right over winter this year and went straight from fall to spring.

I also love the snow. I love playing in it and sticking my nose way down in it and touching the grass. I love the way the snow feels on my nose and I can taste it with my tongue. I love the way the wind blows in so many smells from all across the neighborhood. The winter is Nirvana for me! Now I have to wait about 7 or 8 more months....

Molly Finds Some Weed

I came home from work early this morning and decided to take Molly on a walk down by "Old Man Kelsey's Pond." (For the uneducated that is a reference to a scene involving Ernest T. Bass from the Andy Griffith Show).

We had been out for about 15-20 minutes and we walk down by a stand of bamboo at the end of the lake. Molly is nibbling on some grass and stuff like she always does and she starts nibbling on this plant. She is spending longer than normal on this plant while I am trying to urge her to move on to something else.

I take a look at this plant and I am thinking this looks oddly familiar. It has 5 leaves, it is shaped in a particular pattern, and I am thinking "I wonder....."

Since I am not familiar with marijuana growing in its natural habitat or what it looks like in a sandwich bag, I took a picture and sent it to a female friend I work with who is more familiar with marijuana in both of its states. For the purposes of this blog, we will call her the Pothead Hooch.

Within a few minutes her reply came back and it was "Poison Ivy." She must have taken a second look before I could respond and texted me again and said "Wait a min..." Upon further inspection she wanted me to "Dig that shit up and plant it in a pot with Miracle Gro!" My answer was "and put it on my balcony right?" Molly wanted me to invest in some rolling papers after she got some snacks and for some reason she slept most of the morning.

A Bad Attitude And Socially Unacceptable

A was talking to the nosy old lady that lives on the first floor this afternoon and she was extolling the virtues of her veterinarian and how I should switch. I am sure she gets a kickback for a recommendation and that is why I wouldn't do it. She made the comment that she "heard Molly wasn't sociable." I hate for Molly to have that reputation but it is the truth and I am not going to apologize for it.

I got Molly from the animal shelter when she was about 8 to 10 weeks old. She was about 5 minutes away from being put down when I rescued her. She has had a chip on her shoulder ever since. She carries that chip with a lot of pride. She has a bad attitude and she walks with a swagger. Molly is my dog and she knows how lucky she is. She also knows how lucky I am. She is loyal to me and that is all I need and all I could ask for.

Molly The Therapy Dog

After an especially brutal day today, I come home and Molly greets me with open paws as she always does. My manager gives me my daily reaming and one of my best friends stomps all over my feelings. My friend apologized and she expects me to tell her it is o.k. when it is really not but that is a story for another day.

On days like this I cannot wait to get home and see Molly. She is unconditional love at its finest. She knows my moods better than anyone, she knows when I am down and when I am happy, and she knows exactly what to do for every situation.

This afternoon Molly thought a good walk in the warmth of the sunshine would help lower my stress level and she was right. Molly also thought that cleaning up after her with the pooper scooper would be symbolic of the crappy day that I had had and she was right again. She also made sure it really stunk which was symbolic of my friend stomping on my feelings. Molly did not have an answer for the half-ass apology except for a growl and a real sharp "Woof!" I think "Woof" is an answer that is applicable in all situations. Molly wants to go to work with me so she can straighten some people out about how you don't abuse a knowledgeable employee and more importantly, you don't stomp on a loyal friend.

Molly And The Single Life

Molly has made it her mission in life that I remain single for the remainder of my days. I was taking Molly on her afternoon walk yesterday afternoon down on the front corner of the property when this car pulls up. A woman driving and a little girl, probably about 5 or 6 years old in a car seat in the backseat. The woman parked her car and I noticed them staring at me.

The little girl hops out of the backseat and comes running up to me and Molly. When I saw this happening, I practically had Molly in a headlock so she wouldn't snap at the little girl. I explained to her that she may not want to try to pet Molly because Molly, in all honesty, is not that friendly to strangers. Especially ones that are fairly hot like this little girl's mother.

Molly cost me more brownie points yesterday afternoon thus assuring me that I am not going to get anywhere close to first base with this woman. I need to find a place that like rents out cute cuddly puppies to attract the women and then I can spring Molly on them when they come to visit.

Settling In

Once again Molly takes over the keyboard to give an unbiased on her world and everything in it.

Dan just doesn't understand how tough moving is on me. I am a creature of habit. I would sleep all day while he was at work and then we would make our rounds 3 or 4 times an afternoon when he got home. We had the woods at the back of the property to play in and everything.

We come over here and it is a much smaller space and it is overcrowded with dogs. The dog upstairs, Chance, is a real butthead and he is always woofing at me. We got into a brawl in the doorway to our apartment one afternoon when we were going out for our walk. Dan thinks his owner is hot so I took it easy on him. He almost makes me miss Honey. We have a set routine over here as well but not as much room to roam and Dan is always trying to avoid the other dogs. I say bing them on! They need to know there is a new Queen in the neighborhood!

Molly Has A Follower

It took 182 posts, a little bit of creativity and artistic license or should I say liberties, and a whole lot of Molly but Molly and I finally have a follower. I have had several people read Molly's World but no one that was ever willing to admit and show their face as a follower.

Now I feel like we have a reputation to uphold. My reputation is kind of sleazy but very undeserved, and Molly's reputation is one of being kind of grouchy and the protector of my sleaze.

Molly acts as my chaperone, she does background checks using the tried and true butt sniffing method rather than the more conventional Google search (Molly likes to make it more personal), and she usually does a good job of weeding out the strippers and the hookers. However, she is partial to strippers so buy Molly something pretty and she will let you slide.

Molly The Sun Dial

When it comes to Molly's bathroom schedule, you can about set a sun dial by, it is that regular. She decided to throw me off schedule yesterday afternoon.

Since the advent of the "DooDoo Paparazzi" at my apartment complex I have been really conscious of the fact that I need to take a pooper scooper and a bag with me when it is time for one of Molly's scheduled pit stops. She needed out about lunchtime yesterday and since I didn't think it was time, I did not take any of her supplies with me.

I took her down into the front corner of the apartment complex, and she started to squat down. When I realized what she was doing, I took her by the leash and dragged into the woods so she could take care of business there. The woods gave me some cover from the prying eyes of the DooDoo Paparazzi and gave me and Molly a little bit of deniability.

When I started dragging her, Molly looked at me like "What the hell? I am busy here!" I couldn't help but laugh. Luckily Molly does like her privacy and she went under a bush so we may have got away with that one, not to mention the fact, it was in the woods.

Molly Takes Over

With the destruction of Molly's pet bed, she took matters into her own hands in order to find a replacement. She did not have to look far. She took over my bed.

I was talking to someone on the phone the other night and I always pace when I talk. I was pacing back and forth and I paced into the bedroom. Molly was in the process of turning down the bed so she could go to sleep. She grabbed the corner of the quilt with her mouth and pulled it back perfectly. She proceeded to take the rest of the covers and nudge and pat them down until she had formed them into the "nest" that she wanted to. She gently grabbed the pillow and moved it into the position that suited her best and stretched out and was asleep within two minutes.

She didn't do many any favors because when I wanted to go to bed, she wasn't about to move. All I got was "the stare." Molly opens her eyes, looks at me with the one eye facing me, and doesn't move. Marty Feldman would be proud.

I watched in complete fascination as the scene unfolded in front of me. I tried to describe the scene to whoever it was I was talking to but I doubt I did it justice. I think she may be more human than most of the people I know.

Molly and Her Pet Bed

Last Sunday when I was watching the Creighton-UNC basketball game, Molly decided to come into the bedroom and destroy her pet bed. I came into the bedroom after the game and there was piles of stuffing laying all over the room.

I am guessing while she was trying to bury one of her dog biscuits underneath her pet bed, she tore it a little bit with her claw and that was when the stuffing started spilling out of it. She has always had a weakness for playing with stuffing and she couldn't help herself. She was like the little pig on the Geico commercials. "Weeeeee! Weeeeee!", with stuffing flying all over the bedroom.

I had no choice but to throw her pet bed away, stuffing and all. She watched me dispose of it with a certain amount of sadness. It lasted for over two years so I cannot complain. That one was perfect for her and it will be hard to replace.

Me, Molly, and Niagra Falls

I was laying on my bed reading this afternoon and Molly was laying beside me napping as usual. There was a nice breeze blowing thru the bedroom as we are having unseasonably warm weather.

I decided to get up and take Molly for her late afternoon walk and as I am putting my shoes on, a drop of water hits me on the arm. Since I was in my bedroom, this really surprised me so I started looking for the source.

My bedroom ceiling has a leak. If I lived on the top floor, I could possibly explain it. Since I don't, I had no explanation. To make a long story short, evidently there is no explanation, and Molly and I have Niagra Falls dripping from our bedroom ceiling.

A dog's ability to adapt has always amazed me and this particular nuisance is no different. Molly has jumped on the bed, paid the drip no attention, and is ready to sleep. I hope I can sleep any at all. Ah, to be a dog.

The First Thunderstorm Of The Summer

We had out first thunderstorm of the year this afternoon and Molly assumed her customary position in my right pocket. She happened to be laying in front of the sliding glass door when the first flash of lightning and peel of thunder occurred. She moved in a hurry but she handled it pretty well because it got kind of intense there for several minutes.

Molly The Separatist

I have had to try to keep Molly separate from all of the other dogs in the neighborhood because of her Alpha Dog nature. I have paid particular attention to when everyone else walk their dogs and I have tried to walk Molly when we have a little bit of room to spare and room to roam.

That is easier said than done and maybe I should start letting Molly get a little bit closer to the other dogs. I can slowly introduce her to the concept that she is going to have to coexist with other dogs. This is all my fault because I did not socialize her when she was a puppy.

Molly And The Balcony

My new apartment has a balcony as I am on the second floor and Molly and I have a great view of the "dogs on parade" throughout the neighborhood. Molly is already trying to figure out ways to jump off the top rope and body slam these poor, unsuspecting dogs in our neighborhood, WWE style.

There is some decorative lattice up on the balcony and I can see Molly throwing her weight up against it and falling right thru. It would probably be about a ten foot fall and probably enough to shake her up real well. I will probably have to keep here tethered to her leash while we are on our balcony to prevent this from happening. Maybe I should just go ahead and get her a cool looking wrestling outfit complete with mask so she can be ready for her wrestling debut.

My Guest Has Arrived

Molly usually doesn't do well with houseguests unless she is familiar with them. Molly liking them is usually a bonus. One came over last night that she is very familiar with and Molly was ecstatic.

She immediately ran up to them and flopped on her back and wanted a good belly rub. Then she wanted to be petted and then she wanted another belly rub. She followed them around my apartment as I conducted the grand tour. My guest commented that I never gave Molly any attention. My response was she gets all the attention in the world and gets treated better than any dog on the planet. The difference is she wants that attention from everyone she likes not just me.

The Doo Doo Patrol

I made it home to walk Molly at about the same time I do every afternoon and as I am going down the sidewalk, I noticed one of my female neighbors sitting in a car watching me. She was in the passenger seat and another lady, who I had never seen before, was in the drivers seat. I nod my head in greeting and kept on going. Molly stopped at the nearest fire hydrant (what dog can resist a fire hydrant) and took a whiz. I looked up and both of the women that were in the car were watching me.

My apartment has a fairly strict policy about cleaning up after your dog and I think that is a good thing. It is a healthy environment to have for a pet owner. As long as everyone follows the policy that is. I quickly discovered that not everyone does.

These two women were fairly large, angry women and I either had Golden Corral on my breath or they were watching to see if I cleaned up after Molly. I wasn't worried because I always walk her down into the front corner of the property and she does her business in the woods.

I would be happy to submit Molly's DNA to be tested against all of the other Doo Doo in the yard but Doggy Doo Doo CSI has not asked for a sample yet.

Molly Takes A Trip To The Duck Pond

The other day I decided to take Molly to the Duck Pond, located at the front entrance to my apartment complex. I haven't seen anyone else walking their dog dog down there and I thought it was give us some new territory to explore.

There are two ducks that inhabit the pond and they were both present when we took our walk. As soon as I saw them, I quickly got visions of us getting flogged by the ducks. They really didn't pay us too much attention and Molly only observed them from a distance (she was never much of a bird dog. She is more into rabbits and squirrels) and we survived our little adventure.

Woof Wars

Molly and Tripod have decided to have Woof Wars to see who can woof the longest and the loudest. They woof at each other across the parking lot, across the yard, up and down the stairs, from the balcony, through the balcony, and thru the roof/ceiling of our apartments. They have got all of the bases covered.

Molly wins for the longest and the loudest as well as the most creative. Tripod has the edge in most annoying and worst timing. Maybe will let them play a good game of "growl and chase" like Molly and Honey used to do.

Tripod

The first full day Molly and I were in our new apartment, she had a rival for her canine supremacy of the apartment complex. The lady that lives in the apartment directly over me has a three-legged dog who is every bit as alpha as Molly is. I started calling the dog Tripod. It seemed like a natural.

As soon as they saw each other from across the parking lot, the woofing and growling began. The lady who owns Tripod is very attractive so Molly is not doing me any favors. Tripod is a scraggly, junk yard looking dog if there ever was one but he does like to woof a lot. His owner and me have already decided that they are not going to get along no matter what.

No Molly Left Behind

After a month long hiatus to move, the duo of Molly and Dan are back for more. Moving is very stressful for a dog. You take them out of an environment that they know and have gotten used to and put them in strange surroundings where they don't know anything.

Molly has adapted pretty well. The biggest thing she has had to get used to is so many other dogs being in such close proximity. I think everyone over here owns a dog. We were sitting on my balcony the other night and it was like watching the Westminster Dog Show there were so many different dogs being paraded around by their owners. I think Molly is the only Mutt of the bunch but she is the most beautiful dog over here.

Molly And The Sleeping Bag

I am still packing stuff up and moving things around and I found one of my sleeping bags in the closet. I tossed it into the corner of the room to temporarily get it out of the way.

I didn't really think anything about it until I heard Molly scratching around on it and moving it around. I thought she was burying one of her dog biscuits. About 30 minutes later, I look over there and she has got a bed scratched out for herself and she is sleeping like a baby.

Molly can make her bed out of just about anything but she has to arrange it just right and make it to her specifications. She'll fix it, test it out, make a few adjustments, and then it is time to sleep.

In Rare Form

I do not know what Molly's deal was last night. She has been pretty good over the past couple of weeks about not waking me up in the middle of the night needing to go out or anything like that.

Last night she woke me up at a little after 2 A.M. I thought she needed out and since it was cold, I got all bundled up, and stood at the door with the leash in my hand. She shook her head no, she didn't need out. She turned around and headed toward the pantry where I keep the dog treats. She wanted a post-Midnight snack.

Usually she sleeps at my feet but last night she had to sleep right beside me. Everytime I tried to roll over, the cuddle hound was right in my way. It made for a rough night. For me, anyway.

On The Move

I found out a few days ago that I will be moving into an apartment again in about three weeks. I haven't broke the news to Molly yet but I am sure she will take it with her usual grace. I remember the last apartment I moved into in Gastonia. I showed it to Molly and she promptly took a dump in the middle of the bedroom floor to show me what she thought of our new home.

She will have to get used to the sounds of an apartment again. People being a lot closer, doors slamming, more noises, and not as much room but I believe she will adapt quickly. As long as she is by my side, we can overcome just about anything.

Molly Helps Out Around The House

Molly likes to help out around the house when she can. She likes to help me do the dishes by licking my plates clean. I would like to point out that I still wash them afterwards because Molly does have a propensity to lick her butt quite often.

She also likes to help me do the laundry by giving my clothes the "sniff test" to see if my clothes are good for another day or she tells me its time to change. When she growls I know its time to change clothes.

Molly also likes to help herself out by telling me when her food bowl and her water dish are empty.

She also likes to tell me when it is time to take the garbage out. After I take it out, she helps me usher in the new garbage bag by barking, growling, and jumping at it.

Molly Is Feeling Bad

Molly felt poorly today and she didn't have to say a word to me. I took her out at a little after 6 AM this morning and she didn't ask to go out again until almost 5 PM. If I am at home she is wanting out every two hours.

I sometimes forget that she is almost 10 years old. I am of the opinion that dogs should live forever, staying by your side and being your best friend until they escort you to the great beyond. Molly is in tune with how I feel and I would be remiss in my duties as Molly's best friend if I wasn't in tune with how she felt. That is the beauty of any friendship. You are there for each other.

Molly's Daily Routine

Molly has a daily schedule that she likes to adhere to and she is pretty adamant about maintaining it. When I get up in the morning, Molly wants her morning treat after I take her out. She lays there and munches on it while I eat my breakfast and play on the laptop. She then oversees me getting ready for work and getting out the door.

Molly then goes back to bed until I get home, usually anywhere between 2:30 and 4:30, and then she is ready to go out again. As soon as we come back inside from making our round thru the neighborhood, she wants her daily alotment of dog biscuits and she either munches on those or hides them for later.

We then go out about every two hours after that until we get ready to go to bed. Molly usually turns in about 7:30 or 8 and I usually go to bed about an hour later. Sometimes Molly sleeps on the bed with me and the rest of the time she is content to sleep on her pet bed.

Molly's New Years Resolutions

I know we are already a week into the New Year but it has taken me a while to think of a few things that I could improve on. The first thying would have to be my "winter weight" issue. I don't have to stay outside any more so I really don't need to put on any extra weight but I am sure that it will not be as easy to take off.

I could be a little less grouchy with the neighborhood dogs and try to be a little friendlier towards Dan's visitors but this is my house and it is the duty of every dog to protect their house! I can tell a lot about a person just by sniffing their butt and with some it doesn't take long. Dan knows when I don't like someone and i don't have to tell him. That is usually when he locks me up in the room.

Molly's New Game

I don't know exactly when Molly started this, but Molly started playing a new game with me. Somehow, I always end up the loser without even getting in the game.

She starts by laying down at my feet beside me as I am watching TV or playing on the computer and then she leans up, cuts a fart and runs out of the room like a bat out of hell. She seriously looks like she has been shot in the ass. Like I have ever done that to her before.

Last night Molly was getting ready to get in her pet bed and I was talking on the phone. Right as she started to lay down she farted and took off into the other room. I will eventually get in the game.