Laying 2015 To Rest

Molly and I put another year to rest. She spent the day napping and I multitasked by napping and watching football and that is not a bad way to say goodbye to 2015. Molly and I went through a lot this past year. I can't say all of it was for the better but it happened, we weathered the storm, and we got past it. The past is where we plan on leaving all of the bad stuff behind. We will probably ring in the new year asleep because Midnight is way past our bed time but as often as I wake up, I am sure I will catch it about that time.

The Asa Of Guard Dogs

There was a character on The Andy Griffith Show named Asa and he was the guard at the bank in Mayberry. Every time something happened at the bank, the bank teller or bank president would have to wake him up so he could do something about it. I believe Molly has reached the Asa part of her guard dog life. Last night someone drove up to the house about 10:45 and since I wasn't expecting any guests, I did not know who it was. I heard them drive up, I got up and looked out the window to see if I recognized the car, and instead of at least barking to let me know something wasn't right, Molly slept through the entire incident. I think she may have growled when I bumped into her and woke her up when I got out of bed, but that was it.

Noah's Ark

If it rains much more, Molly and I are going to have to build an ark. As long as it is a light rain, Molly can handle it. Anything that beats down on her head, it is useless for me to even put the leash on her no matter how bad she has to go. If it is raining hard, Molly will lower her head and flatten her ears and immediately turn around and head back up the steps. She will not let me put a doggie rain suit on her. I, however, have my raincoat and my cool Indiana Jones looking hat that I wear. He had a cool whip though, and all I have is a cane or my crutches. It is hard to look cool when you are on crutches.

Christmas Is Over

Now that Christmas is over, Molly and I can sink back into our semi-normal routine of taking morning and afternoon walks, sneaking in an afternoon nap, and Molly providing the inspiration for me to write. Since it has done nothing but rain for the better part of a week, the walks have even been cut down some. Molly and I have been working on our goals and what we want to accomplish in 2016 and Molly insists that we include taking daily naps on the list. I may have to make a concession to her on that one because I will not be going back to work for about four more months and that is one goal I can definitely accomplish.

Molly & Me & Reality TV

Evidently they will put anyone with a wacky idea or theory (or a whole season's worth of wacky theories) in front of a TV camera and give him a voice. I was channel surfing this morning and I happened upon a show called Missing In Alaska. The premise of the show is that there is an Alaskan Triangle where during a certain time of year 5 out of every 1,000 people go missing, most of those never to be seen or heard from again.

The three "investigators"- Jax, Ken Gerhard, and Tommy Joseph- have researched aall sorts of local legends in search of missing people. Some of these local legends include a mermaid type creature, the otter man, and Alaskan monkeys that could possibly be eating people. Whenever the Jax, Ken, and Tommy find anything resembling "evidence", they pull out high tech gadgets, have experts test their samples, interview locals about the legends, give historical examples of sightings, and present their wacked out theories. Jax is usually skeptical, Ken always believes, and Tommy is never sure. At the end of the show, they have no confirmation of anything and they move on to something else.

I believe Animal Planet should give me and Molly a camera crew and they could follow us around on our daily walks. They could watch Molly take a healthy one on the neighbor's yard while I hide around the corner, we could "investigate" which dogs took a dump in our yard (my money is on that white flea bag that lives in the house through the woods), and we could investigate what happened to that rabbit the other night. The only traces left of the rabbit where tufts of fur scattered in a small circle in my yard near the woods. I am almost afraid to find out what tore into the rabbit but my guess is a more reasonable theory of Fluffy, the neighbor's cat. I have not learned yet how to come up with off the wall, wacked out theories yet.

A Christmas Story

I found out my Mom's breast cancer was back on Christmas Day. We did not discuss it but it was definitely the elephant in the room. That is not something you can put back in the box and take back to where you got it. She got the results back from her biopsy on Christmas Eve but we are not going to sit down and talk about it as a family until sometime next week. My Mom will be 80 years old in about three weeks. That does not make the news any easier.

The cancer was discovered during a routine mammogram. She has had breast cancer before and it was about ten years ago. They found it during a routine exam then as well. I will really not know anything until next week. That is the worst part of hearing news like this. I want someone to take action now. I know I am rambling but I am trying to make sense of this. I don't guess it is ever going to make sense but writing, rambling, and being incoherent is the only way I can deal with it.

Molly's Christmas Wish

Molly's Christmas wish is really pretty simple. Molly was a rescue dog. I got her from an animal shelter. Molly's wish is that all dogs great and small, pure bred and mixed, young and old, can be adopted into a home where they will become a valued member of the family, loved and respected, given treats and belly rubs, take long walks in good weather and bad, and to become the best friend that they deserve to be. Cartoonist Charles Schultze once wrote "Happiness is a warm puppy." True happiness is having that puppy by your side and sharing every experience possible as you grow old together.

Molly's Festivus For The Rest Of Us

In keeping with Seinfeld 's time honored tradition of the "Festivus For The Rest Of Us", Molly has her own version of the Festivus. First came the Festivus aluminum pole. Molly really never cared for Christmas trees (she could tell it wasn't real) except to slap the occasional cat out of them so the aluminum pole suited her just fine. Plus after Festivus is over the pole can double as a stripper's pole so the pole can stay up year round.

Next on the list was the feats of strength and Molly always excelled at this one. On our daily walks there will sometimes be a cat that wanders out into our path and Molly can completely pull a 220 pound man (that's my story and I am sticking to it) completely off the ground, walking boot for my surgically repaired foot that adds about 10 pounds and all, and that requires a great amount of strength. If there is a direction she really wants to go, we go. The closing of the feats of strength ends with me limping back to the house to pop painkillers and that usually signals the end of Festivus. A good time was had by all and Happy Festivus everyone!

Christmas And Molly

Molly used to love Christmas and I have always made her part of the family celebration. I would always buy her a present, wrap it and put it under the tree, and let her participate in the opening of the presents. I would tear off a little corner of the package to get her started and she would go to town tearing the wrapping paper off. That was her favorite part. One year I bought her a pet bed and she used it for about five years until she figured out that she could lay on my bed full time. I don't buy her anything any more because everyday is Christmas for Molly.

Molly's Owner Turns 50

I turned 50 years old yesterday and Molly was right there with me as she always has been since the day I got her. Molly provided the "party's" (me and my girlfriend) entertainment by chasing her leg around the carpet for about ten minutes. Molly has always been the life of the party. My girlfriend tried to get a video of Molly chasing her leg but as soon as the camera phone came out, Molly stopped. Molly's philosophy has always been "if there is no video proof then it couldn't have happened."

50 has always been the top of the hill and now I guess I am supposed to go crashing down the other side of it. There has never been any grace to anything I have ever done so why should I start now? I will stumble, I will fall, and getting back up may sometimes be a struggle but I will eventually make it back to my feet. I might limp and I might crawl along the way but I will finish with style and that will be a style that is uniquely all my own. Molly and I limp down the driveway on our daily walks but we always end up back at the house.

The Best Part Of A Rainy Day

As far as Molly is concerned, the best part of a rainy day is coming in and being dried off with a big fluffy towel. The way Molly's fur coat absorbs the water, I briefly thought of tossing her in the dryer and fluffing her up but she quickly vetoed that idea. We walked out into a very steady rain this morning and Molly picked this morning to want to prance through the mud. I quickly vetoed that idea. I usually try to hold an umbrella over Molly's head to lessen the damage of the rain and it helps a little bit (it helps me look stupid). Molly walks right to the linen closet when we come back in, knowing that she is going to be towel dried. She likes me to get those ticklish spots right beside her rib cage and her foot starts thumping when I do that. After the drying, I give her the two treats and all is right in Molly's World.

Connected

I thought it rather appropriate for my 25,000 "official" tweet on Twitter should be from Molly's World. Molly and I have been "connected" with the social media for quite a while now and Molly might have more pictures of herself posted on Facebook than any other dog out there. She gets thousands of more compliments than I do but Molly is a good looking dog and she knows it. Molly is less connected on Twitter than she is Facebook but she has her share of admirers on there as well. Everybody loves a dog and if they don't, then there is something wrong with them.

Unseasonably Warm

We are having an unseasonably warm spell in the mountains where Molly and I live and she is undergoing an early shedding phase. She will be balder than a baby's butt by the time winter does get here. When we walk outside now in the near 70 degree heat in the middle of December, I rub Molly's fur coat down with my hand and her fur comes out by the handful. Molly has always been bad to shed but it usually calms down quite a bit during the winter months. Not this year. It is too bad I do not know how to knit Molly's fur into sweaters or I would have some great Christmas presents.

Molly Talks To Me

Molly talks to me and it took me a little time to understand what she was saying but she is usually very vociferous when she says anything. This afternoon I split my plate of leftover chicken with her and he let me know when her plate was empty. She also wanted to know where the rest of it was at. She ended up flipping the empty plate over onto the floor just in case I did not understand what she was saying. She came through loud and clear but I was out of chicken anyway.

Walking Molly Is My Treat

My foot has finally healed up enough to where I can wear the protective boot and take Molly on walks at least down the driveway. We can't go off the beaten path yet like Molly so often likes to do or brawl with the neighbors dogs yet (we are still a couple of months away from being able to do that but the little white dog that took a dump in my front yard this morning has an ass whipping coming to him) but we are slowly getting there. I don't think I will ever be pain free again so Molly and her bad hips and me and my bad feet stagger down the driveway like a couple of wino's on a Saturday night or my old roommate any time of the day, any day of the week. I was surprised at how incredibly important it was for me to be able to walk Molly. You would think I was trying to walk on the Moon but being able to walk Molly is part of the healing process for me, physically and mentally.

Dogs On Video

I just saw a video on Facebook where some dog owner had set up a video camera in her bedroom and the basic premise was that the dog was not allowed on the bed. The dog looked like maybe a boxer or something and it shows the woman walking out of the room but there is a cat sleeping on the very edge of the bed. If I was the dog, I would have been pissed. She allowed the stinking, butt licking cat on the bed but not the dog? The video shows the dog moving past the camera a couple of times and then the dog finally gets on the bed and has a field day. He is rolling on it, scratching his back, and doing roll overs. The dog finally gets around to going over and kicking the cat in the ass. If I can find out who the dog is, Molly and I will send him enough dog treats to last him a month. That is a clear cut case of dog discrimination.

Cookie Thief and Bean Stealer

Molly has somehow gotten into the habit of stealing my girlfriend's cookies right out of her hands. If you have any item of food in your hand and hold it low enough to where she can get to it, Molly believes it is for her. The same is true with any item of food in a bowl. I was sitting in my bedroom enjoying a game of Madden 16 and having a bowl of baked beans as snack. I sat the bowl down for just a second and Molly snuck off the bed and before I could stop her, was finishing off my bowl of baked beans.

The last thing I needed was Molly and a bellyful of baked beans. As it turns out, they seem to have the same effect on dogs that they do on human beings. Molly proceeded to gas me out of the house for the rest of the night and it was not a pleasant experience. I plan to never make that mistake again.

The Days Get Shorter

I was taking Molly out for our late afternoon walk and the sun starts sinking low over the mountains about 4:15 now. The setting sun produced some strange effects on our shadows and Molly and I got philosophical for a minute. Job 14:5 reminds us that "a man's days are numbered" but so is any living creature. We do not know when it is our time and this long stretch off from work has allowed me to absorb as much as the world has to offer me. It is not letting me in on all of it's secrets but it is sharing with me as much as I can handle. The time off has allowed me perspective and another opportunity.

I Talk To Molly

I talk to Molly like I would a real person and I know I am in trouble when she starts answering me back. I asked Molly a question the other night that I am sure that most dog owners have at least thought of asking their dog and that is "How clean does your ass actually have to be?" The way Molly licks her ass you would think that she is getting it ready to be a butthole model for a dog magazine of some kind. She was licking and slurping on it the other night like a family full of large people would treat the breakfast buffet at the Golden Corral. The real problem with that situation was that she woke me up at 3 A.M. doing it. Molly has no shame that is for sure. Buck, the Bundy family dog on the television show Married With Children said that the key to life is "knowing how to sniff good butt." Knowing how to lick good butt cannot be far behind.

A Day Of Thanks Molly Style

The real meaning of Thanksgiving gets lost in the shuffle of everything else going on in the world. It is a day to be thankful of the things you have but not necessarily material possessions. I am thankful that my family, as dysfunctional that they are, is together for one more year. I don't think I could ever sit down and make out a list of all of the people I need to thank and I am hoping at least one person could say I have helped them out in some way. I have also found that it is not easy to write through a painkiller haze but maybe I should be more thankful for those.

I am thankful that Molly is still here with me although she is currently hogging the bed and refuses to share my pillows. I don't know if I would have made it through the past year without her.

I have next to nothing but I have more than most. I have family and friends that love me, as dysfunctional as I am, and I could not want or ask for anything more.

Life After.....

It has been almost a full three weeks after my foot surgery but I am really not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I have eight screws, a bone graft, and two plates in my foot that they had to screw together just to hold the mess that is my right foot together. The doctor has given me a "bone stimulator" (although I think I would have preferred a "boner stimulator") to help speed up the bone graft coming together and a wing and a prayer and I am supposed to be as good as new in a year. A year. A fucking year!

I turn 50 years old in another month. I get to sit back and let life pass me by for a year. There is a ton of things I could be doing, should be doing, but will I be in the right frame of mind to do them? I spent a night in the hospital, I have had two post-op visits with my doctor, and I have heard "we had to do a lot of work on your foot" more times than I care to count. They make it sound like a car that has been in a wreck. What I have not heard is a prognosis of any kind or a game plan for what happens now or within that year. All I have is a bucket full of painkillers and antibiotics that really only dull the sensation I am feeling physically and emotionally.

A Walk In The Dark

Molly's eyesight is going fast and I can tell that more and more everyday by the way she compensates for her lack of vision. She uses her nose the way a blind man uses a can. She feels her way around the house with her nose as a cane and her sense of smell. A dog's ability to adapt has always amazed me. Dogs do not have the capability to complain so they just play the hand they are dealt and do what they have to do to survive. A man can learn a lot just by watching his dog.

The Immovable Object

When Molly plants herself somewhere now, she is not moving unless the urge seriously strikes her. The only motivation she seems to have any more is when she needs outside to go to the bathroom and when she needs to eat or get a drink of water. I have to be honest, that is a lot of my motivation now too and I suppose we both have legitimate excuses but at least I will get up and move out of her way. I have to try to navigate my crutches around her, crawl across the top of her to get in the bed, scoot her over six inches so I will have some bed to lay in, and generally accommodate her every whim. Yes that is my fault but she is an old dog and she is the diva.

The Remains Of The Day

Molly likes it when I am having to recuperate from surgery because we both end up spending about 20 hours a day in bed. If I thought Molly would sleep on it, I would buy her a bed she could have all to herself but she likes that comforting feeling of knowing she can take up all the space in my bed. There is a certain beauty in being a dog owner.

The Home Stretch

Molly and I are both really staggering down the home stretch. Me with my foot and Molly with her health issues that come with being a "mature" dog (she hates the term "old" dog. In fact, she hates the term dog, too). It seems that every day presents new obstacles and every day, Molly and I have to fight through the pain and I cannot think of "anyone" else I would rather have by my side. She has been here for 13 1/2 years now and it saddens me to think that she won't be here much longer. My foot surgery has been a blessing because now I get to spend most of my day with Molly.

That's My Spot

Molly needs help getting up on the bed now but I believe Molly has figured that while I am distracted with helping her get up on the bed, the race is on to steal the spot I just vacated. It is a race she usually wins but with Molly and I, it is all about the competition. Since I now have a cast on my right foot, it makes it that much harder for me to jockey for position.

Last night was one of those instances. I helped her up on the bed and she immediately threw a body block as she dove for my pillows. I countered that move as I dove and cut her legs out from under her and knocked her off balance. Molly congratulated me on a good move and I was awarded the position. We are all about fair play.

The Gods Are Not Smiling On Us

I am really struggling with my latest surgery and I may even have to check in to hiring a professional dog walker in order for Molly to get her walking time in. Since my surgery, it has pretty much rained every day, making the struggle that much greater and a whole lot wetter. I have to bundle my foot up in a garbage bag so my cast doesn't get wet, try to figure out which walking device won't sink down into the mud so I can get her outside and then have to deal with Molly's un happiness at me trying to do the best I can. My girlfriend has helped out a ton and Molly's eyes light up every time she sees her, but being punctual is not my girlfriend's strong suit. It is going to be a long six months.

The Daily Struggle

The daily struggle to walk Molly is going to be much worse than I thought it was. I have tried various methods- a cane (really not working), an old person's four-legged walker (only works slightly better and will now be known as just a walker), and a pair of crutches (and I haven't figured out how well they work yet). I usually try to limp over to the grassy field up above my house, park whatever device I happen to be attempting to use, and crawl through the grass from there. Molly is not really understanding any of my futile attempts to walk her so she usually waits on my girlfriend to come over so she can be "properly" walked. And we have six more months of this?

Home Alone

I had to leave Molly home alone during my hospital "visit" a lot longer than I wanted to but I did not have a lot of options. She made it through until I made it back home and then she settled right back into her routine of making sure that everyone knew that the bed was hers no matter how much space I needed for my foot. Every time I bumped her in the middle of the night I got a growl in return and my girlfriend had to wedge herself into the bed. Molly graciously allowed her a small sliver of space to sleep in but we all made it in there. It never ceases to amaze me that between us, me and my girlfriend probably weigh 450 pounds but we let a 55 pound dog have however bed space she wants which usually covers about one-third of the bed.

A Little Help From My Friends

"I get by with a little help from my friends." Joe Cocker

We all need help from our friends once in a while and Molly is no exception. She has a hard time getting up on the bed because she has arthritic hips so I have to give her a boost from time-to-time. Molly is not exactly a light dog (I always say she keeps her winter weight on even during the summer) so I am able to boost her up well enough to get on the bed and that makes her happy and I am happy that I can help her out.

"Mmm, I get high with a little help from my friends." Joe Cocker

This is the second line to the Joe Cocker song and Molly did get high that one time in the kennel but she did so without me. Maybe Molly never understood the second line that song.

Heading Into November

As Molly and I head into November, we are facing many obstacles that will take some maneuvering and some perseverance to get by. We cannot get around Father Time and he is catching up real fast but we can make our lives more comfortable but trying to live a little bit healthier and by doing whatever it is we need to do to make this happen. After my foot surgery on Tuesday, even our simple walk outside that Molly and I enjoy so much will become an obstacle but I will do whatever it is I have to do even if it is to crawl on the ground, to make sure that Molly and I still get to take these walks. Molly and I will approach these obstacles together as we have done from the beginning.

Where Did He Go?

Molly and I took a short walk outside this afternoon and we caught a squirrel in the act of pillaging in our front yard. Molly just about caught him but the squirrel quickly shot up the big Oak tree in the front yard. Molly chased him to the trunk of the tree but the squirrel quickly shot up the tree and jumped from limb to limb and was three trees over, down that tree, on the ground, and already running across the yard by the time I saw where he had gone. Molly still had no clue as she was still looking up in the Oak tree for the squirrel. Another one got away.

Leaves Of Fall

The Fall has always been my favorite time of year. The colors came late this year but the reds, yellows, and greens have finally arrived. Part of my driveway is concrete and has become a collection point for leaves and I can hear the skittering of the leaves as they blow across the concrete (it reminds me of the opening scene to the old horror movie classic Halloween). It is very quiet here and when Molly and I take our walks, the sounds of the woods are pretty amazing as well. I can hear the squirrels running through the leaves and every once in a while they will bark at me and Molly as walk underneath the trees, the birds are whistling and making all of their various sounds, and only once in a while can you hear any man made sounds. Henry David Thoreau had his Walden Pond and I have mine.

My Sleep Schedule

I work third shift now and that is a tough way to earn a living. It seems like you never get enough sleep, you are always tired, and you have to look at a clock and look outside to see if it is day or night and look at a calendar to even know what day it is. Molly has never let my sleep schedule bother her. She seems me get in the bed, she gets into the bed. It is that simple. Molly lets me know when she needs out and I get up and take her out. Dogs live life in the simplest terms and we can learn a lot from them. There is an old Irish proverb that states "a dog owns nothing but is seldom dissatisfied." The only luxuries Molly has in life are treats when she comes in from outside and a decent bed to lay on.

Nature's Majesty

I have been working third shift for about three months now and this is the time of the year when the sun is just beginning to rise as I get home. I always walk Molly as soon as I get home and we have the privilege of watching the sun rise over the mountains. The sky starts changing color from black to midnight blue and then a purple hue before the sun starts coming over the mountain. That is when you get the blues and the pink outline of the clouds and it is really a sight to behold. I don't think Molly pays as much attention to it as I do but she is in touch with the power of nature.

Eyes On Me

If Molly even thinks that I am going somewhere, she starts following me around the house. I have to sneak and get my car keys and she hears them rattle, she is right on top of me. I am trying to get the rest of my stuff out of my storage unit so I want have to pay the monthly storage fee any more, and I have to sneak out of the house to unload my car. If she knows I have left, Molly runs around the house barking and looking for me. We are best buds and she misses me but that is taking separation anxiety to a whole new level.

Sleeping With One Eye Open

There is an old saying about "sleeping with one eye open" and Molly has mastered that art. Molly sleeps with one eye open because she thinks that I will do something without her. I will walk into the bedroom where Molly is napping on the bed and she will have the one eye open. Sometimes it gets kind of creepy because as I move around the room that one eye follows me just like the paintings in the old horror movies. No matter where I go in the room, that one eye follows me. If Molly hears the front door open or I put my jacket on or start changing clothes, she is off the bed like she has been shot out of a cannon. She is bound and determined that I am not going to do anything without her. She is a great best friend.

Molly's Native American Name

I did some research on how Native Americans acquired their name and the articles I read said that native American names were earned rather than given. Molly has worked hard to earn her Native American name of "Two Treats." Every time I take Molly for a walk and come back in she gets two treats. If I forget to immediately give them to her, she sits beside my chair at my computer desk and "reminds" me that I forgot to give her the two treats she has "earned." By earned, I mean she successfully went outside and used the bathroom and came back into the house.

I ran this Native American name by her and she liked Two Treats. She much preferred Two Treats to the other names I had thought she earned- Fat Dog Napping or White Dog Sleeps 24/7.

A Fitting Tribute

A friend of mine's dog, Gus, passed away the other day and she posted such a fitting tribute to him on Facebook, it brought a tear to my eye. She wrote about how Gus was too dignified to be just a dog and that he held himself to a higher standard. She told stories about Gus's life and what a great life he led and every dog should be so lucky. Reading the tribute to Gus got me to thinking about how lucky that Molly and I are to live the life we lead. Sometimes days are a physical struggle for the both of us but we lean on each other and keep going. I wouldn't have it any other way.

A Chill In The Air

Molly and I had our first true Autumn like day today. It was about 37 degrees when we got up with a nice cool wind blowing when we took our morning walk. Molly and I used to love this kind of weather but now I think it just reminds us of how old we are getting. The cold weather puts a chill in our bones and makes our joints ache but we will keep going on our walks until we can't go any more.

Driving Miss Molly

I was out walking Molly this afternoon and my girlfriend pulls into the driveway. My driveway is about 250 yards long and it curves around and goes up a hill. Molly immediately recognized the car and she starts woofing her hello. Molly trots up to the rear passenger door and wants to get in. I open the door, give her big butt a boost into the back seat of the car, and off we go. The car has a leather interior and I was afraid Molly's claws would do some damage but she stood perfectly still and was the perfect rider. Try picturing the canine version of Driving Miss Daisy. "Now hush up, and drive Miss Molly home." Molly lives to ride and even though it was only a couple of hundred yards, Molly was happy. Molly expected to be chauffeured around and that is what she got.

Molly's Life Interrupted

I spoke of "Life Interrupted" on my Dan Is That Guy blog but whenever my life is interrupted, so is Molly's. I have already been figuring out ways in which I can obtain certain devices (a walker, knee scooter, or crutches) in which I can safely walk Molly and her life will not be interrupted as much as mine. Molly likes having me here all day long but it also means that she wants to go on walks more often. I am figuring that the first couple of weeks will be the worst until I figure out the best way in which to move around and accommodate Molly. Molly has always been aware when I am down but she will never let me be out and she helps out as only Molly can.

Molly's Revenge

Molly exacts her revenge in various ways whenever she wants to get even with somebody. Molly is especially brutal when she wants to fart on someone. I remember this one woman I was dating was sitting on the couch and Molly didn't particularly care for her so Molly would walk up to her and fart about every ten minutes and walk off. Molly was trying to gas her out of the house. When that didn't work she resorted to biting her. Molly definitely marked her territory with that one. Molly likes my current girlfriend but Molly will steal her cookies right out of her hand as a way of letting her know who is boss and exactly whose house this really is.

Molly Comes First

I am facing a major surgical procedure in about three weeks and my first thought was of Molly and how I am going to take care of her during my long convalescence. Most pet owners are like that. We are looking at a three or four month time frame. That is a long time for me not to be able to walk Molly. The day of the surgery I may have to stay overnight which is very unusual in today's insurance controlled hospital care. Once again, my first thought was of Molly having to stay by herself during that night. Since I work third shift now, staying overnight by herself for Molly is not that big of a deal. I am worried about someone spending some time with her before the night comes.

"It Was The Dog!"

The family dog has always been blamed for nose hair burning farts but tonight I caught my girlfriend in the act. It was one of those sonic boom kinds of farts that even Walter the Farting Dog could not have pulled off. When I reacted with stunned disbelief her first words were "It was Molly!" I said "You have got to be kidding me!" Molly was innocently lying there between us oblivious to the fact that she had just been blamed for something. I knew Molly had a few pieces of pizza crust but I knew she was incapable of doing something like that. I gave my girlfriend a hard time about blaming "poor Molly" but I think Molly was just happy to be included in the conversation.

Angel

My girlfriend's pet Guinea Pig died last night. I don't understand Guinea Pigs as pets but it was still her pet and I feel bad for her loss. A pet is a pet no matter what it is. I affectionately called Angel "the Guinea Hog" because she was a chubby little thing and was always eating. Angel is responsible for me and my girlfriend going out for the first time. My girlfriend had come into my store to buy Angel some food and then she came over to my department to see if I was working. I told my girlfriend that I would come up with a Guinea Pig prayer for Angel and I am still working on that one.

Time And Attention

All a dog really requires is a little bit of your time and a lot of your attention. The best two moments of my day are when I walk Molly right before I go to bed and when I walk Molly in the afternoons when I get up. It is tremendously stress free and it is just Molly and me observing nature. It is a beautiful day no matter what the weather is like because I am getting to spend time with my best friend. Sometimes I talk and she always listens and once in a while Molly will give her opinion. She is not as vocal as she used to be but with age comes wisdom. She knows when to talk and she knows when listening is exactly what I need.

A Brand New Day

That is always the best thing about a good rain finally ending. Everything is so fresh and green and the world just looks brand new. I had the pleasure of watching a beautiful sunrise this morning over the mountains of North Carolina and I also get to wake up to a bright blue sky with a day full of potential. I try to see the beauty in all things now and I will be the first to admit that I am not always that way but I have been making a concentrated effort to see what is before me rather than what is behind me. I also get to share each day with my best friend Molly. She is always pointing out new things to me and I try to see the world through her eyes as well.

Mr. Blue Sky

"Hey there Mr. Blue
We're so pleased to be with you
Look around see what you do,
Everybody smiles at you."

"Mr. Blue Sky" Electric Light Orchestra

When Molly and I stepped outside today, we actually saw some blue sky and it was so good to see after eleven straight days of rain and cloudy skies. I am hoping we might actually be able to see the sun tomorrow. The fall has always been my favorite time of year because of the brilliant fall colors around here and the cooler temperatures. The Autumn of the year also puts a spring in Molly's step because her favorite time of the year is definitely winter. She has got some winter dog in her and loves playing in the snow. She really gets excited when it snows.

The Sky Just Opened

Molly hates walking in a hard rain and it has rained every day for about ten days now. The past three days have been really intense. I practically had to drag her out in the yard yesterday so she could use the bathroom. I dutifully held the umbrella over her head so she would not get to awful wet because as soon as the rain starts hitting her face, she is ready to go back in. I look like a real goob standing out there holding the umbrella over my dog but do what I can to ensure her comfort. It is about time to start building an ark although I do not believe that Molly would be thrilled about any other animals being on the boat. There is a couple of inches of standing water in some place in my yard and like most dogs, Molly does not like getting her paws wet. I am hoping the rain comes to a stop sometime today.

Bribery

I am not above bribing Molly to get her to do what I need her to do. This morning as I was about to get in bed from working all night long, Molly was stretched out all of the way across the bed. It became apparent that she was going to be stubborn and not move an inch. I ended up having to bribe her with a bacon flavored treat so I could have more than just a sliver of the bed. The smell of bacon is a powerful incentive for Molly to move. After I secured the center of the bed I explained to Molly that she was still getting to lay on the bed, she just needed to share.

A Walk In The Park

Molly loves to go to the park. What dog doesn't? Molly has antisocial tendencies so I have to make sure that when we go, there are not to many other dogs around. The translation for that statement is no other dogs around. I have about ten acres that we can now walk on and as long as Sammy the Bear is not running amok, we are good to go. Molly also likes for people that she likes to accompany us on these walks. My girlfriend and I will take her on these walks in the afternoons and Molly will wait patiently on my girlfriend to catch up with us and Molly will pick up the pace to keep up with my girlfriend if she tries to leave us behind. It is good to see Molly share her joy.

A Let Down

This is off topic for Molly but it is kind of a big let down whenever you work on a blog, you think a particular post is pretty good, and then no one reads it. You want the whole world to tell you how fabulous it is, you check the status on it, and only five people have read it. You re-post it thinking maybe that the Twitter or blogging world has missed out on it's brilliance, and the readership has made it up to seven people. It is a good thing I am not trying to make a living as a blogger (exactly how does that work anyway?) or I would be living out of a cardboard box and eating out of dumpsters. For some reason Molly insists that I keep dog treats in the house.

Storming The House

The other day I am sitting there looking out the window and I counted 12 squirrels in my front yard. Most of them were gathering acorns and that seems a little bit early for them to do that. I can't remember if that means that it is going to be an early winter or a long winter. I am sitting there watching all of these squirrels and my imagination took over. I can imagine the squirrels storming the house, commando style, and staging a hostile takeover and taking Molly and me prisoner. They already pepper my car and roof with acorns. They could arm themselves with acorn semiautomatic weapons and maybe an acorn RPG or an acorn launcher. My front window would be an easy target and they could breech the house there. I can see the flying squirrels parachuting onto the roof in their WWII fighter helmets and repelling down the side of the house. I can see whatever my imagination allows me to see.

The High Wire Act

I was driving down Highway 176 in East Flat Rock the other morning when I happened to glance up and see a squirrel making his way across a power line that ran over the top of the five lane highway. It wasn't exactly the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles but it was still very impressive for the little guy. I saw another one doing the high wire act in my driveway during mine and Molly's walk this morning. The squirrels are always jumping from tree to tree and doing other acrobatic things that would make the Flying Wallendas proud. The Squirrels are one of the few animals that have not managed to catch Molly's attention around here although she has caught theirs.

Being Social

One of the biggest mistakes I made with Molly when bringing her up was that I did not "socialize" her. She wasn't near too many people and I did not take her around other dogs either. I did not do her any favors because that is an important part of a dogs upbringing. I was probably more protective of Molly than she was of me and that is saying a lot. Molly did eventually learn how to get along with my roommate's dog Mandy, but Molly made it clear that there were certain lines Mandy could not cross. One of those lines was the threshold to my bedroom door. Mandy crossed that line few times but she quickly learned that it was a bad idea.

Tucking Molly In

First of all, I hardly ever make up my bed. When I get back in it at night is usually how I left it that morning. Molly usually takes full advantage of that by snuggling down in the covers and using my pillow but if she is going to sleep all day, she might as well be comfortable. Last night Molly achieved a new standard. I was trying to get in the bed and Molly was sprawled out all over the place. She refused to move so I had to pull the covers up over both of us and she looked right at home getting all tucked in and everything. Molly definitely leaves the good life.

Taco Night

It is a little known fact that Molly helps me make most of my meals. She wants to taste test everything, she helps me eat it, and she helps me do the dishes after we get through eating. Molly was very vocal in her displeasure because we ran out of tacos tonight but tacos give her gas so I only gave her a real small helping. When she realized she wasn't getting any more tacos, she stood in the kitchen and barked and barked at me. There is just no making her happy when it comes to food. Molly is now sleeping it off.

The Rain Won't Stop

It has been raining here for the better part of two days. It is great sleeping weather but it is not much good for walking Molly. As long as it is a light rain, Molly is fine with it. A heavy rain, she is not happy with at all. I take her out and try to hold an umbrella over her head so she don't get so wet and it helps a little bit. Molly does love being toweled off and what dog wouldn't? Molly has real short, thick hair so I have to scrub down deep to get her dry. Of course, Molly then jumps up on my bed with her damp self gets my bed all wet and soggy. Molly likes to share everything with me.

Thanks For The Cookie

Yesterday afternoon I was feeling domestic so I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies. My girlfriend came over later on and she helped herself to a few of them. My girlfriend was sitting on the couch, talking to her Mom on her cell phone, and she let her hand dangle down with the cookie still in it. My girlfriend really wasn't paying attention so Molly walked up to her, gently took the cookie out of her hand, and gobbled it down. My girlfriend didn't even realize what had happened until it was too late. Molly quickly earned the nickname the cookie bandit.

Waking Up

There are days when you wake up and everything is immediately off to a good start. You slept great, you feel well rested, and you are ready to start the day. This afternoon was not one of those days. I woke up and I wasn't quite ready to open my eyes yet and I caught a whiff of this god awful aroma. I open my eyes and Molly's face is about two inches from my face and she is laying some doggie bad breath on me. That is one way to make sure I get up. I told Molly, "Damn! Take a doggie breath mint or something." I was met with a blank stare and more panting. We both decided that she needed to go outside.

Early Warning System

Molly is my early warning system for everything that goes on around the house. I work third shift now and good sleep is a very fleeing thing. It doesn't happen often . I was sleeping today and Molly woke me up with her very urgent, very persistent barking. I was sleeping very well so I staggered up, made sure she had food and water, told her to get back in bed, and promptly went back to sleep. The last thing I remember was early crawling up in bed with me.

When I took her for her walk this afternoon I saw some bear tracks in the driveway so I am thinking that may have been the cause of Molly's barking but as long as they are not breaking down the door, I am safer in the house hiding under the covers until the bear leaves. Molly just thought I should know.

What I Have Learned

Today would have been my father's 79th birthday and I have made it a tradition 0n Molly's World to write something in honor of my father, the ultimate dog lover, and of course, Molly. I have been around dogs since the day I was born. I believe that our Poodle Midnight was in the delivery room when I was born. What I learned about dogs, I learned from my father, what dogs have taught me, I learned from Molly.

My father taught me to love and respect dogs and to value the friendship that they provide and Molly has taught me that as long as I have a dog, life is never as bad as it seems. Those are two valuable lessons from two influences in my life.

Always There For Me

No matter how great things are or how bad things may get, the one constant I can depend on is Molly. If I have a great day she is there at the door to greet me or if life has delivered a kick to my balls, Molly is there to share in my joy or to boost my spirits. Molly picks on my how I feel, emotionally and physically. Molly gives me the unconditional love I can never get anywhere else. I believe it was cartoonist Charles Schulze that wrote "Happiness is a warm puppy." His Peanuts comic strip centered around Charlie Brown's relationship with his Beagle Snoopy. They were always off doing their own thing but at the end of the day, they always had each other.

The Window

I was sitting at my desk looking out the window this morning and all of the animals out in my front yard was a sight to see. There was about seven squirrels, several different kinds of birds, and a turtle even crawled past. I have some kind of bush right outside of the window and a beautiful bird perched on one of the limbs so he could pick the red berries off of it. The bird sat there for several minutes checking me out as I was checking him out. It was a scene right out of the Dr. Doolittle movies.

The property I live on has become a wildlife sanctuary and I am good with that. I do wish the animals were a little more photographer friendly and allow me to take a few shots of them in their natural habitat.

A Substitute Walker

I let my girlfriend take Molly our for a while this afternoon. I just stood back and watched. I am going to need a "substitute walker" when I have my foot surgery in about another month and my girlfriend is the logical choice. Molly walked right along with her and never even batted an eye. Molly feels completely comfortable with her. I do not think that my girlfriend is completely aware of Molly strength and perseverance when she sees something she wants to go after. I am hoping Molly will understand the situation and take it easy on her but we will have to wait and see what happens.

Pillow Fight

Molly loves sleeping with the pillows. Last night she built herself a pillow fort and hunkered down in the middle of them and went to sleep. She is always taking the pillows in her mouth, arranging them just so, and then patting down with her nose. The pillow fort was a new one so she is getting more creative as she gets older.

In the mornings when I get home I take Molly for her nature walk and she immediately comes back in and goes to bed. She hogs all of the pillows and I have to out wrestle her for one just so I can sleep. It get quite comical at times. This morning I got scratched just about my left eye when she rolled off one of the pillows and her paw caught me. I have to fight just so I can get a pillow and get some sleep.

Let's Go See What That Noise Is

Cats have the reputation for being curious and having to be in the know at all times. Dogs cannot be far behind them. My house is surrounded by woods and I have already listed the various forms of wildlife that inhabit them. It is kind of like the old children's book "Where the Wild Things Are." I know they are out there and I don't really to know the specifics of which wild thing it is. I own a pistol but I am not about to shoot anything unless I am in very serious danger.

Molly has a different take on hearing noises in the woods. She has to know what it is. Molly and I have this discussion about every morning and every afternoon about how it is really not that important that we know what it is. I think we need to respect the wild thing's space and it's right to be in the woods and Molly wants to tell it to get out of "our woods." Right now we are agreeing to disagree.

Bears And Snakes And Groundhogs, Oh My!

The woods surrounding the property that I live on has turned into a zoo over the course of the past month. When I found out that three copperheads had been killed on the property last week, that made me really nervous. The Bear was bad enough because he can smack all of the ass off of me and Molly but at least he shows us enough respect to keep his distance. The groundhog shows us enough respect to run and hide whenever we see him. The snakes are sneaky and can kill you with one lethal bite. They are also camouflaged which makes them even harder to see. Molly and I went from ten acres to cruise around on to about a 50 yard square radius to roam around on to be safe. I love watching wildlife but I am used to seeing birds, squirrels, and rabbits. They are some of the cute and cuddly woodland creatures. Those I can live with.

The Molly Test

When it comes to people, I trust my instincts more than any person I know. Molly usually lets me know immediately whether she likes someone or not. There is one guy that I know who likes to embellish the truth when it comes to telling a story. There are probably bits and pieces of the truth when it comes to his stories but sometimes you have to dig really deep to find the small shreds of truth. The first time Molly met him, she tried biting him. Molly fiercely defends me but that is very unusual for her. She has only done that to a handful of people. Most of them are my family members so I am not exactly sure what that says about them.

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day and they asked how my girlfriend and I were doing and I said we were doing well. Then she asked the key question- "Has she passed the Molly test?" I said yes she has. Molly feels comfortable enough to nap beside when I am not in the room and when we are out on one of our nature walks, Molly always waits on her to catch up with us. Yes, I would say my girlfriend passed the "Molly test."

A Hot Shower

This is Molly. I have hijacked Dan's blog while he is asleep. I do not understand this human ritual of standing in a tub under a pipe that pours out hot water, pouring soap on a towel, scrubbing off your body, and doing the same with your hair, and then wiping all of the water off with a towel. Dan shuts the bathroom door, I open the door, he shuts it, I open the door, he shuts it, and so on and so forth. If he wants to clean himself , he should wash himself off with his tongue and paws like I do. It gets the job done. Who needs water? I hate walking in the rain but I can understand the drying off thing. I kind of like being rubbed down with a towel.

Molly Knows Best

Molly knows best especially when it comes to her needing out. I was not that excited this morning when she needed out before it was daylight because of Sammy the Bear lurking around but Molly insisted so I took her. She also needed out this afternoon and that was very fortunate because there was some man and his two dogs prowling around on the property. They were just two dachshund's but I believe his intentions were honorable. He told me he had lost one of his dogs but he did not give me any information about his lost dog. He seemed rather pissed that I caught him. Molly took care of business.

Scratching That Itch

All dogs scratch. It doesn't mean they have fleas or anything, it is just a fact of canine life. As Molly has gotten older, she will scratch just because she thinks she has to. I will hear her back foot thumping the floor and I will turn around and look at her and her foot will be missing where she is intending to scratch. Molly does thump out a good beat though. It sounds like the beginning of one hit wonder Ram Jam's "Black Betty." I have thought about taking Molly to one of the local nightspot's karaoke night and Molly might be able to thump out a beat, but I can't sing. I wonder if it could get us on stupid pet tricks....

A Story Comes Together

I decided to try my hand at writing a children's book. The inspiration came from all of the wildlife that Molly and I encounter on our daily walks and there have been many animals. They are all unique and fascinating in their own way. I have to give them life and human characteristics but I did not want to make them too Winnie the Pooh or Charlotte's Web. I am going to leave the creepy crawlies out of my story because I do not think they would make good characters for me.

Molly is not going to be a central character for me but instead she is going to be a character in the background. Molly has spent her time in the spotlight, she has her own blog, and her adventures have been well documented. She might become a major character later but she believes it is someone else's turn.

Animals At Play

While Molly and I were on our afternoon walk, I always watch all of the other animals we see on our journey to see what they are doing. We saw these two squirrels playing and they were amazing to watch. One was chasing the other and they were running up and down trees and jumping from tree to tree and just having a great time. Molly wasn't impressed but I watched them for the longest time.

I have always been fascinated with animals at play- cats, dogs, squirrels, bears, and any other kind of animal you can think of. I believe animals play with imagination. Watch a kitten play with a ball (mine used to love playing with the cap off a gallon of milk), attack you from somewhere in hiding, or a dog play with a tennis ball or to try to get you to play with them. It is all fun and games and they get unbridled joy out of their play. A lot can be learned from watching the animals that we come across every day.

Bad Dreams

I have become so paranoid about Sammy the Bear that I have started to have bad dreams about him. If you put a title to dreams this one would be called "Bear On A Rampage." It was a Cujo type of dream except the main character was Sammy. I dreamed he was chasing me and Molly and I had to run into the house to get away from him. I turned Molly loose from her leash so she could get away but she ran back to fight Sammy so I could get away. I made my escape into the house. Molly made it in a few minutes later, all beat up and had several cuts where Sammy's claws got her.

Molly talks to me in my dreams with a human voice. She told me "I put up a good fight but he got me a little bit." I immediately started tending to her wounds and trying to patch her up. I looked out the front window and I saw that Sammy had been cornered by a hunter. The hunter shot Sammy and that upset me but Sammy had it coming for what he did to Molly. It was one of those dreams that seemed all to real.

Sammy Returns

Sammy the Bear paid another visit to my house sometime during the night. Molly picked up on his scent when we walked up to the cottage on our morning walk this morning. There was also a garbage can knocked over and two complete bags of garbage missing. Unless there is a garbage thief running somewhere around Flat Rock, Sammy had a little bit of a snack sometime during the early morning hours. I know Sammy is out there and he knows Molly and I are here so as long as we respect each other space (and he cleans up after himself), we will be fine.

I know a lot of hunters are licking their chops to go after Sammy and I will try to protect him as best that I can. Sammy is just doing what bears do this time of year and that is hunt for food. People are chasing bears out of their natural habitats so we are going to come in contact with the bear population. This is their land as much as it is ours and I have a great respect for wildlife so as long as they keep their distance and do not look at me and Molly as the buffet at the Golden Corral, we can coexist.

I Want To Stay Outside

There are some days where Molly just does not want to come in from our walks. She was moving in slow motion anyways and my feet hurt so we had our usual argument about whether we were going in the house or not. She talked me into staying out for a few more minutes so she could get a few more sniffs in. Molly was not doing well at all today. She stayed in bed most of the day and that is all she really does any more but that is alright. She deserves the rest.

Talking To Molly

Some of my friends have picked up on the fact that I talk to Molly just like she is a regular friend of mine. Why wouldn't I? Molly knows me better than anyone else and she is my best friend. We have regular conversations (as long as I can interpret her woofs, growls, and barks), she gives great advice, and she is a great listener without interrupting me.

Molly and I do have our disagreements but those are usually quickly settled. One morning this week our conversation went something like this. "C'mon Molly. We are going inside now."

"Woof." (No, I am not ready yet. I need to go sniff in that corner of the yard.)
"C'mon Molly. I'm not bull shittin'. We are going inside."
"Wwrroof." (Oh, alright.)

I actually won that argument.

Ups And Downs

Molly and I are both going through some physical ups and down right now but that is OK. We are in this together. Moving was hard for her yesterday and it was all I could do to get her off the bed and out of the house so we could take our walk. I am feeling it to and I believe Molly understands as only a dog can. She will walk out here and check on me once in a while and I really appreciate that. If I am laying down, she will get in my face to make sure I am still breathing and then she will lay back down. You cannot beat unconditional love.

Too Many Horror Movies

"Be cautious of bears at all times, even while being mauled by a tiger." Craig Benzine

Running into the friendly neighborhood bear a couple of times over the past couple of weeks has really amped up my paranoia about wild animals. I was stocking movies one day last week and I saw a horror movie about a Grizzly bear on a rampage. That was the last thing I needed to see. I thought giving him a friendly name might help me out some. I have decided on Sammy. That is a nice, friendly name. I believe he would like that.

I did not have a Sammy sighting this morning nut Molly did miss out on her visit to the dog park. That's OK. We were both kind of tired anyway. I did throw the garbage in the back of a dump truck on the property. I thought Sammy might not be able to get to it in there.

Winnie The Pooh He's Not

My house is hardly the "House on Pooh Corner" but I had another run in with the friendly neighborhood bear this morning. I should at least give him a name. He is also rather large. I realize now that on my best day, even with the fear factor included, I cannot out run him.

I came home early from work and the bear was dragging one of my bags of garbage across the yard. I scared him off when my car drove up and I am pretty sure the bear made an obscene gesture and grabbed his crotch before running off into the woods. I figured he would come back after I went to sleep for the day but he decided to stay away. Molly got a nice trip to the dog park out of it which is a treat for her these days. She got to ride in the car and got to poop on new ground so it was a win-win for her.

I am really not comfortable with the bear being that close to the house but with me working third shift now, it is going to be harder to prevent. Animal control refuses to do anything and to a certain extent, I can understand that but I am also concerned about the safety of the bear.

Molly The Explorer

I think Molly spends most of her time outside trying to get me stung, bit by something, or mauled. She has to explore every smell, hole in the ground, and tall patches of grass looking for what left that smell. The other day she discovered a hole in the ground on where of our walks so naturally I pulled her away from it with a "Molly! Get out of there!" About three seconds after I pulled her out of there, some bee's came pouring out of the whole. I was afraid it might be a snake hole but bee's are probably worse for me. If Molly got stung on the nose, I doubt she would be happy about it either.

A Restless Soul

Molly has become very restless in her golden years. She could not make up her mind where she wanted to end up last night. She went from room to room trying to figure out where she was going to be most comfortable. She tried the floor in my bedroom, the floor in my reading room closet, back to the floor in my bedroom, and she was on my bed three or four times. Of course, she finally decided on my bed when I turned in to go to sleep but she always made sure she knew where I was. If I got out of my chair in the living room, I could see Molly peeking out from the reading room closet to see exactly where I was. I guess she wanted to make sure I wasn't going anywhere.

Molly Devious

Molly has a devious side to her and she was at her devious best last night. She started woofing and barking at me at about 4:30 this morning and that usually means that she needs out. I tried to tell her that it was a false alarm because she really didn't need out but she insisted that she did. She barked and woofed for about five more minutes until I had enough. I resigned myself to the fact I was going to have to get up and take her out. I got up and start getting dressed and I put my shoes on and I turned around and said, "Alright Molly, let's go." As it turns out, she just wanted me out of the bed so she could have my nice warm spot. When I grabbed the leash she had already hopped up on the bed and was spread out and almost asleep. I ended up not having to take her out until almost 11 AM this morning.

Listening

When I was out with my late afternoon walk with Molly, I decided to try to listen to nature rather than just watch it. I could hear the gentle crunch of the white gravel under my feet as I walked down the driveway, I could hear Molly panting as she plodded along beside me, and I could hear the birds in the trees, and the crickets chirping in the grass. What I did not hear was civilization as we know it today. I didn't hear any cars, I didn't hear any lawnmowers or leaf blowers, and I did not hear the loudest of all of the animals- people. It was a beautiful and serene walk. It is one Molly and I take every day.

National Dog Day

Molly believes that every day should be National Dog Day, and as man's best friend, it should be. Molly has been side by side with me every day for 13 years and it has been one hell of a fun ride. We have laughed, we have cried, and we have shared it all. Molly has enriched my life in more ways than I can count and just when I thought I couldn't go any more, Molly is standing at the door saying "C'mon, Dan. We need to go out, You'll feel better." She was right. The peace and quiet of our nature walks, I always see something I have never seen before, and our walks have a calming effect on me in a stress filled world. I couldn't have made it this long without her.

Self Defense

I took Molly for our usual walk this morning and I got to thinking that if something does come at us, I have nothing to defend ourselves with. I would really rather not take a pistol because I really do not want to take a chance on shooting Molly and I really do not want to kill anything else either. The best I could do was my Rawlings Adirondack Ron Cey Model P302 autographed baseball bat. I just hope the bear doesn't know anything about baseball. I do not think my .22 Smith and Wesson pistol would do much damage and I can see it now. My Clint Eastwood impersonation: "Well, we just can't let you slap all of the ass off of us." The bear: "Who's we, sucka?" Me: "Molly, Smith & Wesson, and me," and I go to blasting. All of my shots miss and I piss the bear off and then me and Molly run like a couple of school girls.

Vacation Is Over

My vacation comes to an official end tonight. No more hour long naps with Molly, no more sleeping late with Molly, and no more lounging around with Molly. I adopted the motto "I work to live not live to work" and as long as I keep Molly in dog treats, she is happy with me having to go to work. I can't say Molly is exactly happy about me going to work, but she is more understanding.

I watched Molly sleep this afternoon. Head on my pillow, body stretched out, and her cheeks would flap whenever she would take a deep breath. She is such a deep sleeper. I make sure I call out her name before I wake her up so I can move her over. She begrudgingly moves to her corner of the bed so I can lay down. She still likes to lean up beside me while she sleeps as long as I am not to restless.

A Day Of Rest

Molly has taken Sunday as a day of rest a little bit too literally as she has barely been out of bed all day long. I was rearranging some furniture and she got up to see what all of he commotion was about but that has been about it. She likes to check and see what I am doing. She likes the house that we live in now and doesn't want to have to move again. She likes the nice, long walks we take and all of the woods and the bushes and even the wildlife. I like it here too and I have no plans of moving either. I should take a page out of Molly's book and go take a nap myself. I have a lot I did not get accomplished over my vacation to do this afternoon. I wonder if it is possible to squeeze nine days worth of work into one afternoon. Nah, I would be better off taking the nap.

Observations

Our brush with the bear last week has definitely made me more observant about our surroundings as we take our walks especially late in the afternoon. I have always been on the look out for snakes and other creepy, crawly wildlife but the bear pretty much snuck up on us. I have learned to pay more attention to Molly's nose and I can tell when she has got her nose firmly wrapped around the scent of something. When Molly stops and sticks that nose straight up in the air, it might as well be a red warning flare that is being lit. She has always been that way but I just always figured it was a rabbit or a squirrel or something non lethal. Not any more. I was amazed at how sneaky such a large animal can be. I need to trust Molly's nose and I should have figured out by now, if it is too quiet, something is going on.

Protect The Wildlife

As the word of my bear story spread I started getting a lot of feedback on my blog and on Facebook. I also heard back from an element I did not expect to hear from and that is the hunters. I said "bear" and their eyes lit up. First of all, I have nothing against hunters because my father was one. I went hunting with him on several occasions but I chose not to carry a gun. I enjoyed watching my father work with his dogs and the mutual respect they had for each other. My father was in tune with nature and he respected wildlife. I could not bring myself to kill anything but there was no better way to spend a Saturday than out in the woods during the fall with my father and his dogs.

The hunters that heard my story all said that it was almost bear season and the bear "would be taken care of." I do not want him to be taken care of. The is fine just the way he is. I will give him all the space he needs and he and his bear family are free to roam. I just hope I have a better photo op next time. The bear has sanctuary on my property any time he needs it.

Evidently my efforts to give the bear sanctuary have gone for naught. My landlord believes that the bear is a little too close to people for comfort and he is going to allow a friend of his to bring some "bear dogs" over and chase him off. I can understand his reasoning but I am still not happy about it.

The Snoopy Dance

Cartoonist Charles Schultz gave his dog Snoopy a "happy dance" when he created his comic strip Peanuts, a dance that Snoopy did when he was overjoyed with life. They even mentioned the Snoopy dance on the television show Psych. Every dog has a happy dance that demonstrates their exuberance for life. Molly's always involved running and jumping and running in circles around your feet. Now it just involves a little bit of woofing and if she feels really good, she might turn a circle or two. Still not bad for a dog of 13 and I know what she means.

I read an article the other day that said that most animals are capable of feeling and showing emotions. That is a fact dog owners have known for years. Some dogs even smile when they are happy and if you look closely enough, you can see the joy in their eyes. No one in this world is happier to see you come home than your dog. Once you walk in the door, you get to see a real happy dance. At least one "person" is happy to see me when I come home.

Wore Out

Molly and I are both wore out from our mad dash from the bear the other night and neither one of us barely made it out of bed this morning. When we did make it out of bed, we didn't stay out for long. It was a great day for napping. We told our story to everyone that would listen and there was a slight risk when telling the story of us looking like weenies but when it comes to getting all of the ass slapped off of us, being a weenie is a stigma I can live with. Call Molly names at your own risk. Survival is the key and we survived our encounter with a Black Bear. Granted, he is one of the more docile bears in the bear kingdom, but when he stood up on his hind legs, he wasn't asking for directions or wanting to know the name of a good restaurant.

I have been to the spot where we encountered the bear several times and he might actually be bigger than I thought. The angle I was looking at him was actually downward so he may have been a little taller. He was still a very impressive and very beautiful animal. I was lucky enough to see him.

A Bear Story

I decided to walk Molly right before dark last night. I usually walk her a lot earlier than that because the woods around my house are full of all sorts of creatures. The only thing we usually run into is the friendly groundhog who believes in running and hiding. I always walk Molly to the end of the driveway and back which is about 150 yards. It is a nice walk, it gives Molly the chance to commune with nature, and me a chance to take a deep breath. We made it to the end of the driveway and was on our way back down when I saw movement in the bushes to my left.

I thought it was one of the stray dogs that has been getting into my garbage. It was jet black and was really big. I yelled "Get out of here!" About the time I got that out of my mouth I realized how big this "dog" really was. When I yelled, he stopped, turned around, we looked at each other, and I thought, "Damn! That is an ugly dog!" He stood up on his hind legs. He was about six feet tall when he stood straight up. My brain finally made the connection that I was staring eye-to-eye with a bear. I was so surprised to see a bear looking me in the eye all I could do was yell, "Shit! That's a bear!" He was still standing up on his hind legs looking at me and gave his best Robert DeNiro impression in Taxi Driver and seemed to be saying, "You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me?" He showed no fear of me and Molly whatsoever but looked at us more out of a sense of curiosity.

The so called wildlife experts all will tell you not to run from a bear but I believe strongly in self preservation so I ran. Molly was right by my side every step of the way and we ran like our hair was on fire. I haven't ran one hundred yards that fast since I was in high school. Fear is a great motivator. I looked behind me one time and baseball legend Satchel Paige once said "Don't look behind you. Something might be gaining on you." I looked behind me because I wanted to know if I needed to run faster.

I got back in the house and immediately researched Black Bears just to see what we were dealing with. Luckily for me and Molly, they are not an aggressive breed of bear. There have been only 61 Black Bear attacks that have resulted in death since 1900. I wasn't so much worried about death as I was an ass whoopin'. I really did not want to be number 62 or to find out of this article was right about the Black Bear not being aggressive. Molly was so rattled. she immediately came in and went to sleep while I turned to the social media to tell my story.

When I think about it, the bear was such a beautiful animal. It had jet black fur that had a shiny sheen to it and it was big and tall. I love seeing nature and wildlife and this is his habitat as much as it is mine. I had no intention of hurting him and I think he realized that, especially when I took off on a dead run. When I yelled at him, he turned around out of a sense of curiosity more so than one of aggression. I would have loved to have gotten some pictures of him but I didn't believe he was going to wait around because I sure didn't.

Molly's New Friend

When it comes to getting into Molly's inner circle, you really have to take it slow. My former roommate worked his way into her inner circle, but he was an alcoholic and I think she felt sorry for him. My girlfriend and I have been dating about ten months now and she has slowly worked her way into Molly's inner circle. Trust is not something Molly does easily and if you ever get on her bad side, you are there permanently. She thought my last girlfriend was her personal chew toy and I even got bit a couple of times in the process. When my girlfriend comes over, she always makes sure she goes in and greets Molly and Molly immediately jumps up and starts wagging her tail and lays those ears of hers flat on her head and starts rubbing up against her. My girlfriend treats Molly with a great amount of respect and Molly has begun to trust her and she is aware that my girlfriend does not pose me a threat. That doesn't mean that Molly is going to leave us in the same room together but I don't think that was ever going to happen anyway.

Max and the Great Chicken Chase

I got an old "hand me down" bird dog of my Dad's one time, a German Short Hair Pointer named Max. Pop's had taken him in from a friend of his and Pop's was not hunting him much and he made plans to give him away. I had gotten attached to him and I wanted to keep him in the family, so Pops turned Max over to me.

Max was a beautiful dog and had tons of personality too. He craved attention and would do whatever it took to get it. He loved to play "fetch" and he just loved people. He had a tail like a baseball bat and when it started wagging, damage could be caused. He was too big to be kept in the house so we had to keep him outside. He was the Harry Houdini of the canine world. I don't care how much Pops and I tried to fence him in, he would figure out a way to escape and he would make a beeline for the house so he could be where the action was.

Our neighbor had some chickens that were always in our yard. One of them got to close to Max one day and he quickly figured out how to escape and the chase was on. Max was a pretty big dog but he had speed and the desire for a chicken dinner on his side. The chicken had quickness and the fear of becoming a chicken dinner on his side. Pops heard the commotion outside and he came out and took off after Max to try to stop him and I took off after Pops to try to stop him.

It looked like a Tom and Jerry cartoon in our backyard that afternoon. Max would dive at the chicken, the feathers would fly, but the chicken continued to get away. Pops was yelling at him the whole time "Max! You better come here!" Max kept on going and as the old saying goes "in for a penny, in for a pound." I was laughing so hard I wasn't much help. This chase went on for about ten minutes until Max had to stop because of exhaustion. He stopped and rolled over on his back and Max looked up at Pops with his tongue hanging out and I will swear he had a smile on his face. Max had a look on his face that said, "I know I am going to get an ass whoopin' for this but, damn, that was fun!" As pissed as Pops was, he couldn't help but laugh either.

My Nap Buddy

"Every dog must have his day." Jonathan Swift

I laid down this morning and took a five and a half hour nap. Molly was beside me every second I was asleep. Molly makes a great nap buddy if I can ever her to share some of the bed. She snores in her sleep, she has dreams, and she acts like a human in almost every way but to call her human would be an insult to Molly. She is way to faithful to be compared to a human.

Talking To Molly

Author Christopher Morley said, "No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as the dog does." The best days of my Father's life were spent alone with his dogs. Whether he was out in the woods with his bird dogs, laying out in the backyard in his hammock under the trees, or riding down the road with his dogs perched in his lap or looking out the window, those were the best times of my Father's life.

When I was growing up and even as I grew older, I never really understood the relationship my father had with his dogs. My father passed away over eight years ago and only one of his dogs remain. One of his dogs, a Rat Terrier named Pee Wee, outlasted my father by about five years and lived to be 18 years old. I think the poor dog waited around as long as he could to see if my Father would come back. That dog had a will to live unlike any other living creature I have ever seen.

As I am about to turn 50 later this year, I am finally beginning to understand the relationship my Father had with his dogs. I spend a lot of time alone with Molly because of my work schedule and I could not ask for a better companion, my girlfriend not withstanding. Mr. Morley is right in the fact that Molly knows everything about me, all of my ideas, fears, and concerns, and she still follows me wherever I go, and I follow her. It is a true symbiotic relationship and as Molly's life winds down, I appreciate the time I spend with her more and more every day. I feel totally blessed when Molly and I wake every day and are able to go on one of our walks and I can bounce my ideas off of her.

Get, Get, Get On Up!

When Molly wants me out of bed, she has various ways of making sure I get up. It is much harder on me and her since I started working third shift but Molly has probably adjusted better than I have. This afternoon Molly used the classic "bed bump" where she bumps the bed as hard as she can. If she needs to go out real bad, it feels like an earthquake. Her waking me up is better than the alternative of the smell of dog poo waking me up which has happened before because she could not wake me up.

A Slow Walk

I write often about mine and Molly's walks and that is our time to commune with nature and to gain a perspective on our world. There are days we take slow walks and then there are days like today when we were "old man" slow. Comedian Tim Conway used to do a skit where he was an old man and he just shuffled along at a snail's pace and that was me and Molly this afternoon. I didn't sleep well, my feet and legs are killing me, and Molly is never in a hurry any more. Molly stopped five or six times in the driveway for either rest or because she wanted to be petted but I didn't mind. That is a good thing because I do not think I could keep up with her.

Rain Man

Molly generally doesn't like rain but yesterday afternoon, for whatever reason (Molly generally doesn't give one when she is in a mood), insisted on taking a long walk in the rain. This was right after I had showered for work, got dressed, and was getting ready to go. After our long walk, I had to change clothes, dry myself off as well as Molly but that is her favorite part of walking in the rain, and smell wet dog the rest of the night. Molly may be doing this to get back at me for working third shift and making her be by herself at night.

Rushing Life Along

There are times that I have to remind myself that my walks with Molly are for Molly and not for me. I am always rushing her along because I am in a hurry to go nowhere and our walks gives Molly an opportunity to enjoy what she likes to do and that is stop and smell the roses- and eat grass, and pee on every bush and "hot spot" in the yard, and just generally explore the natural world around her. Molly should be able to do that and I should slow down and explore life with her and maybe pee on a bush or two. I am sure the neighbors would love that.

A Wake Up Rrrraaaa

I was dead asleep this morning and I was awakened to the sight of Molly standing over the top of me, trying to get my attention. Her face was in mine and she was making that special sound only she can make. It sounds like "Rrraa! Rrrraa!" Then if that doesn't get me up, that is when the barking begins. When I first open my eyes, the last thing I expect to see is Molly standing over the top of me with that "Get your ass out bed!" look on her face. We made it out in plenty of time so we could take our morning walk and commune with nature.

A Bed With Fresh Linens

I finally got around to putting fresh linens on my bed and I have to give Molly credit, she waited patiently until I got done. As soon as I was finished tucking that last corner, she hopped up on the bed, made her little nest out of the sheets and the pillows, and was asleep in about two minutes. I soon joined her because working third shift is wearing me out. Of course, I had to move her out of the way so I could even get on the bed but that is a common occurrence. Sometimes she moves, sometimes she doesn't. Molly has a daytime nap buddy even on my days off.

And Then The Rains Came

The first thing I do when I get home in the mornings is walk Molly and the first thing I do when I get up in the afternoons is walk Molly. It is a pretty good routine that we have established but every once in a while that routine goes astray. It has been hot lately, I live on ten acres of land so if it is really hot like it was yesterday, I walk around in just a pair of shorts because there is going to be no one that sees me.

We were out yesterday afternoon and we walked to the far end of the driveway which is about 100 yards from the house when I felt a drop of water hit my back. It had rained earlier in the morning so I thought maybe some water had fell from one of the tree's. Wrong. It started raining, slowly at first, and then it started coming down. Molly and I had to hoof it back to the house but we still got pretty wet. I could see the rain coming down against the backdrop of the green of the trees. It was a pretty sight to see but not so much to be out in.

I Was Framed

A good friend of mine reminded me of a song yesterday when I got back home from my court appearance by Cheech and Chong, "Framed." The theme of the song was "I was framed. I never do nothing wrong but everytime I get the blame." I can see Molly and I doing a skit to that song. I can probably sing as well as Cheech Marin and Molly has been high before (not on my behalf) and I think we could pull it off. Maybe we could do something like Cheech and Chong: Pet Detective. Molly would have been a great drug sniffing dog.

The Court Date

I have to go to court this afternoon because of a little accident Molly and I were involved in a little over a month ago. Although the officer did not ask Molly at the time of the accident, I wonder if I could use her as a witness. I am sure dogs have been in a court before but when Molly starts laying the law down, I am sure that she would be treated as a hostile witness. Hostile or not, I believe that Molly would get her point across. Her point would be that I am innocent of all charges. Molly might even belt out a few choruses of Billy Joel's "An Innocent Man." Molly has watched Law & Order.

A Children's Story

I have been thinking about writing a children's story but it is hard to use Molly as an inspiration. She is a great dog and she is my dog but she is never going to be confused with being child friendly, or people friendly, or other animal friendly. What I can use for inspiration is the animals that Molly I encounter along our daily walks, the things we enjoy doing, and the moral lessons that can be taught in a children's story. That would be a legacy that Molly and I would like to leave behind.

The Dog Days Of Summer

This heat is sucking the life right out of me and Molly. I did not have air conditioning last year but I made sure I had it this year. Air conditioning may be the greatest invention in the history of mankind. I know Molly is loving it. I do not know how we made it through last summer without it. When Molly and I walk outside in the heat, we look like two inmates on death row walking to the electric chair. I am just thankful that the house we liv e in is surrounded by lots of shade trees and there is usually a slight breeze blowing across the fields. However, all of the shade trees in the world cannot beat air conditioning.

Making It Through The Night

I can always tell when I have had a tough night sleeping because when I wake up the bed is torn all to hell. The fitted sheet is off the bed and wadded up, the sheet and quilt are all over the place and half in the floor, and I usually toss my pillows in the floor for whatever reason. I really do not know how Molly survives those kind of nights and I would be willing to bet she gets no sleep whatsoever. I would love to videotape me sleeping some time just to see what happens. My girlfriend swears that I one night I was farting in my sleep and then laughing about it and I never once woke up. I really find that hard to believe. I also allegedly talk in my sleep and that can be a dangerous thing.

"Move Over Lard Butt"

I made this comment a couple of weeks ago when my girlfriend was staying over and she mistakenly thought I said "Lard Butts" but I was referring to Molly. That has also been my affectionate nickname for her and it is more like a term of endearment. Once Molly settles into a spot on the bed, she is tough to move. Demanding, begging, pleading... none of it works. If I am in the living room and she hears a fork on a plate or me open the treat bag, Molly looks like Greg Louganis doing a half-gainer with a back flip coming off the bed to get in on dinner or some treats. Last night I was literally laying on top of Molly and she still wouldn't get up. She refuses to lay in her corner of the bed and insists on hogging the whole thing.

Dog Tired

That is a saying I have heard most of my life but I never knew exactly what it meant or where the phrase originated. Whoever came up with that saying must have worked third shift because all I want to do is sleep all of he time even though I can't. Molly sleeps 12 hours a night, her and I take about a 30 minute walk when I come home in the morning, and then she sleeps about six more hours before I take her for another short walk. At least we have much more room to roam on this property and not as much interference, rules, or obstacles to avoid. We have nature at it's finest. Molly and I have the sun and the moon, the rain and the snow, the flowers and the trees, and the birds and the bees and almost as many creatures as a zoo.

The Good Bye Routine

A man has a special bond with his dog. It is a bond that is only shared between him and his dog. That bond is based on companionship, trust, and silence. The man will share information with his dog that only his dog will know about. I unburden my soul to Molly on our walks in the mornings and in the afternoons and I know she understands.

I hate leaving Molly here by herself when I go to work. There is a routine that we go through when I am getting ready to leave. We have a routine that we go through before I leave for work whether it is in the morning or at night. I call Molly into the bedroom and using phrases like "Daddy loves his girl" and "you be a good girl for Daddy tonight" doesn't exactly make me look like the manliest of men, it all goes back to that bond that Molly and I share. It is an unspoken and unconditional love that vonly Molly and I understand.

Meh With The World

Molly and I are both meh with the world right now. She is not happy that I am working third shift although she did pick up a daytime nap buddy. She would rather have me here all the time but I have to work so I can support Molly in the manner that she is accustomed. That would be sleeping on the bed, a dog food bowl in every room in the house, and treats every time I take her on a walk and we successfully make it back in the house. Now that I realize all of that, Molly has no reason to be meh with the world but I do.

Surviving The Night

Molly survived my first night on third shift although I worried about her quiet a bit. I left the light on for her like it was a Motel 6 but I don't know if that helped her any or not. I usually put all of my "valuables" in my bedroom so she can guard those but my philosophy has always been if you break in, take whatever you want but if you hurt Molly, I will hunt you down. My paltry items can be replaced. I did work hard to get what little I have, but I cannot replace Molly. Another dog is not Molly. Another dog is another dog.

When I came in at 7 AM, Molly was laying in the middle of the bed asleep and I immediately took her outside and we had a nice little walk. It is so great to be greeted by someone (and yes Molly is a someone) who loves you unconditionally.

A Little Help From My Friend

Now that Molly has entered the "mature" (she likes that more than being called old) of her life, she needs a little help from time to time. It reminds me of the Beatles song "I get by with a little help from my friends." Molly really can't jump any more and the only way she can get on my bed is to throw her front paws up first and pull her back legs up behind her. Sometimes it is a struggle but she is usually able to make it. This morning, I was getting ready to leave for the Doctor's office and Molly was preparing herself to get on the bed. It is like watching a gymnast try to mount the balance beam. Molly hates being picked up but does not mind a boost once in a while so she threw her front paws up there and I grabbed her and gave her a quick boost. She appreciated it by laying down and taking a nap.

Molly The Show Dog

My girlfriend is a hairstylist and she is always taking pictures of Molly and showing them off to her clients. The clients remark about how pretty she is and all of that kind of stuff. Molly will pose for Maggie for whatever reason. Whenever I try to get her to pose, she turns her head or starts licking her butt or something like that. For Molly, being photogenic does have its limits. I take lousy pics with my cell phone. Some people take better pictures with their cell phone than I do my Nikon. By the time I break out the Nikon, the photo op with Molly is gone. It is all in the life of the diva. You have to be ready with the camera at all times.

Breakfast In Bed

As Molly has gotten older she has gotten a lot of special treatment, I will be the first to admit that. This morning was one of those mornings. I had some scrambled eggs left over, Molly had gone back to bed after our morning walk so I just went into the bedroom and laid the plate down in front of her on the bed. The plate of eggs caught her attention and I didn't even make her get up. I take care of Molly.

Molly's New Friend

Molly has really taken a liking to my girlfriend. When we went on our afternoon walk yesterday afternoon, my girlfriend was lagging behind and Molly would trot out ten or twenty steps and then look behind her to make sure my girlfriend was coming. Molly finally stopped and waited on her and then she pranced down the driveway with that tail perfectly curled and a bounce in her step. She was almost prancing down the driveway, showing off for my girlfriend. Molly sits on her feet, lays beside her, and tries to get my girlfriend to pet her. My girlfriend is not that brave yet because Molly has still got her eye on her, watching her close.

Waking Up In A Bad Mood

Molly is famous for waking up in a bad mood and she reminded me of that last night when I went to bed. I touched on the back to tell her good night and I did not realize she was in such a deep sleep. She came up biting and snapping and was ready to tear me in half until she realized who I was. It was almost a reflex for her and she could lay a hurting on someone if she wanted to. She has bit me like that before and it did not feel good. It was not completely her fault but I was on the receiving end of a bite mark and their was blood.

Molly Joins The Family

Somebody asked me the other day how it was that Molly came to join my family and I really love telling this story. We went one Saturday morning about 11 AM to the Henderson County Humane Society (I am proud to say Molly is a rescue dog) and the man on duty walked us around to the back of the facility where there were about 25 to 30 dogs in a single cage. All of the dogs ran over to us but one in particular caught my attention. She was the smallest of the bunch but she was crawling over the top of the rest of them to get to me. Without any hesitation, I said, "I want that one!"

I was asked why I chose that one and my answer was pretty simple. "I didn't choose that one. She chose me." My father was a dog man through and through and I remember him telling me one time how to go about picking out a dog. He told me "Pick the one that comes to you first. That is the dog that wants to be yours."

My next door neighbor at that time was the one that picked out the name Molly but the name really suited her. She was my dog from day one and we have both saved each other from certain disaster but that is a story for another day.

Dog Tired

I had a spiritual pep talk with Molly last night. I walked into the bedroom and she just looked so tired. I can't even begin to describe the look that she had on her face. I laid down beside her and started petting her and I told her that everything was going to be alright and I wanted her to leave on her terms. I also told her that I would miss her greatly but she had protected me as best that she could and I did not want her to be in any pain. I took on a walk before we went to bed and she had perked up a little by then. Watching her transition to a senior dog is very hard for me to watch. She has been my protector and my best friend.

Molly's World Turned Upside Down

Over the course of the past couple of months, Molly's world has been turned upside down and, unfortunately, it is about to get flipped again. I have to start working third shift as of next Monday night, meaning I will be gone all night long and have to leave Molly by herself. I will be home all day of course, but it will be another change that Molly has to deal with. Molly is a lot like me and she does not like change. I do not think this change will be better for either of us but I did not have many choices and I had to cut the best deal for myself. Molly and I will have to adjust. We do not have a choice.

Molly's Sanctuary

I have managed to craft Molly and me a sanctuary. I call it my "reading room" where I hope great things will be crafted and created, written and perfected. Molly sanctuary is the walk in closet in my reading room. She obviously feels comfortable in there and we can spend our quiet time in there together. I even put Molly a food bowl in there so she can have something to snack on. Later on maybe a little mini fridge for me so I want have to leave in the middle of me creating my Frankenstein. I have already created my Frankenstein, I just have to perfect him.

The 3 AM Wakeup Call

I threw Molly's bathroom break schedule off last night and I had to pay the price for it. I took her out to early yesterday afternoon and did not take her back out, fed her some tacos, and other unhealthy stuff, and I was out at 3 AM this morning as a result. I had my flashlight so I could see all of the creatures of the night and what they were up to at that time of night. I barely remember any of it with the exception that I remember thinking that "I am going back to sleep. I don't have to get up and go to work." Sleep I did. Molly didn't even wake me up again but we somehow managed to change sides of the bed. I have never figured out how she does that.

Coming Out Of Her Shell

Molly has really had a hard time of it for the past five weeks. She has suffered loss the only way dog can- silently. Her actions have to tell me how she is feeling since she can't do it herself. It has only been me and Molly for the most part. My girlfriend visits as often as she can and those visits really perk Molly up. Molly comes out of her hiding place and wags her tail and greets my girlfriend. She circles around her several times and makes sure she gives her a good "sniff down" and grants her approval. I also make sure that I include my girlfriend on mine and Molly's afternoon walks and she is more comfortable around my girlfriend now. These visits are helping to bring Molly out of her shell.

Glow In The Dark Eyes

Since I have returned to work, I have to walk Molly in the dark now so I went out and bought a high power flashlight to be able to see all of he creatures of the night a little bit better. We started out on our walk about 5:15 this morning and we start down the driveway so I start shining my light into the woods to see if I can see anything. I was almost immediately met by a pair of "glow in the dark" eyeballs that was hunkered down close to the ground. All I could see was the glowing eyes and I could not see what they were connected to so I got a little bit nervous.

Molly and I definitely had the attention of the glowing eyes. I scanned the perimeter of the woods to see if I could see anything else and when I came back to the spot of the glowing eyes, they were gone. Molly and I circled back around and the glowing eyes must have tracked us every step of the way because they also circled around to get in front of us. That was when I found out the glowing eyes belonged to a cat.

That scene reminded me of the Sylvester the Cat cartoon where Butch the dog says to Sylvester, "Go ahead cat. Scratch me!" There was a Panther standing behind Sylvester the Cat that sawed Butch the Dog into pieces with his claws. I was not wanting a repeat of that scene so I waited patiently until the cat left.

Not Getting Away

Molly has been more clingy than usual lately and today was the worst day yet. I came home and took her for her early afternoon walk. I had to park my car a little ways down the driveway because the construction crew was on the property. When I walked into the bedroom Molly was hiding in the corner of my room so I am guessing that the noise the construction crew was making scared her a little bit. I came in, gave her a little reassurance, and off we went.

When the construction guys left, I went out to move my car and Molly went nuts with the barking. When I came back into the house, I had to get Molly's attention to let her know I was back. Then I went to take a shower and she did everything but get in the shower with me to keep me in sight. It is good to be wanted.

Cheer The Pup Up

Molly and I are both in kind of a rut. I keep trying to remember the things that used to cheer both of us up. Nothing really comes to mind. I even broke out one of her old dog toys the other day. She grabbed ahold of it for a few seconds and put it down and hasn't looked at it since.

I decided to simplify things and take possessions out of the picture. We just enjoyed walking through the woods, enjoying nature, and spending time together. It is hot in the afternoons when I get home so we go for brief walks then. It cools down a little bit late in the afternoons so we take more extensive walks then. I came to the realization that Molly is not going to be around much longer and we do need to enjoy the simple things.

This Is The Spot

I have often wondered how a dog picks a spot where it uses the bathroom. I understand the whole peeing thing where they pee over the top of another dog's pee to "one up" the previous dog. Molly will search the entire yard for that perfect spot to drop a load and it drives me insane. We will start at one end of the yard and work our way over pretty much the entire ten acres and end up back where we started and she will pinch a loaf. I think she does it so she can stay outside the entire time even if it is 100 degrees outside. Compared to the alternative of her leaving it in the house, I am along for the walk.