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Lost dogs and four-pawed messages

by Mir on January 19, 2012 in Aspi(e)rations, Offspring: ecstasy and agony, Oh look! Something furry!!

I may have mentioned before that sometimes there’s a dog at Hippie School; the director was bringing her almost every day, for a while. This dog and Monkey immediately became the best of friends, because Monkey loves animals and Star is a saintly paragon of patience when it comes to children flinging themselves all over her.

It was reported to me on more than one occasion that when Monkey was having a difficult time, either he would spontaneously go bury his face in Star or she would go to him and sit on his feet. (It must be noted here that Licorice is also very patient with Monkey, but at 12 pounds, it’s not as though she can actually anchor him the way a large dog can, and that’s aside from the fact that if he’s truly freaking out, she gets scared.) Just one more benefit of Hippie School, right?

One day last week Monkey came home absolutely despondent. “Star ran away,” he told me, eyes brimming with tears. “She was probably just chasing something and got lost. She didn’t come back.” (more…)

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Comments { 64 }

Dear Dad: I’m still alive

by Mir on December 26, 2011 in Oh look! Something furry!!

My father sent me an interesting email this evening, on account of I apparently haven’t blogged for three days and he’s concerned that I may have died. I didn’t, of course. I have merely been sucked into a maelstrom of holiday frivolity, which basically means I have been overseeing cousin relations in-between eating everything that isn’t nailed down.

Also, my nephews got an Xbox Kinect. So, um, I have been busy smoking Chickadee at Just Dance. HA!

Anyway, we continue to be impressed with how well the dog is adjusting to the various craziness—different house, extra kids, people coming and going. I kind of expected her to just lose her mind, but she’s done remarkably well. I’m sure it’s only partially because she’s figured out that both my sis-in-law and my nephews are only too happy to feed her.

Of course, I do have some bad news to relay. (more…)

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I totally want a second dog now

by Mir on December 21, 2011 in Oh look! Something furry!!, What do I do all day?

So the first day we were here, Zoey peed ALL THE TIME. Talk to her nicely? Pee. Speak to her sternly? Pee. Ignore her? PEE! And along with the incessant piddling, we had her leaping atop Licorice at every possible opportunity, and Licorice spending a lot of time making adorable little cranky-snarly sounds to try to tell Zoey to back off.

The second day, I guess my dad found a little cork and Zoey stopped peeing everywhere. She only spent half the day pouncing all over Licorice, and much time was spent with both dogs lazing in front of the stove, roasting their tender underbellies. Eventually there was some running around and bouncing of balls and the dogs were VERY NEARLY playing together, and then Licorice apparently tried to kill Zoey’s Most Favoritist Toy—a very flat raccoon—and ZOEY snarled at LICORICE. Most surprising. And hilarious.

This morning, Zoey was put outside while Licorice at her breakfast. And then Licorice went and laid down by the door to wait for Zoey to come back in. I suspect we’ve reached a truce. So I made Otto get out the camera. (more…)

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Comments { 23 }

One big (leaky) party

by Mir on December 19, 2011 in It's not a regret, it's an "experience", Oh look! Something furry!!

So the kids went off on their adventure and then Otto and I loaded up the car while Licorice nervously paced my office. By the time we scooped up Her Furriness to put her in the travel crate, she was so relieved to not be left behind that she seemed to totally forget that she hates riding in the car.

We drove and drove and drove and drove, and we listened to a lot of “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me” and ate a lot of snacks, and when we pulled up at my folks’ house the next day, Licorice was all, “I LOVE ROAD TRIPS!” I am certain this had nothing to do with the potato chips I kept poking into the crate, by the way.

In truth, the drive was pleasant, if somewhat repetitive (where are we? still in Virginia? STILL??), though it was a relief to finally arrive and stop moving.

But, uh, did I mention that my parents got a new puppy? (more…)

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Guess who is my favorite right now?

by Mir on December 17, 2011 in Offspring: ecstasy and agony, Oh look! Something furry!!

Without compromising the privacy of the underlings in my household, I can tell you that the three little ones ’round here have VERY different reactions to impending travel.

It’s funny, really, to watch them all exhibit such different behavior. An interesting anthropological study, you might say. Because there’s that whole nature/nurture thing, plus two of the three share DNA, yet they could not be more striking in the various reactions they have.

And I, of course, just have to deal with it all. With a smile. When I can manage it. So, yes: The kids head off for vacation with their dad, today, and here is what my morning wrought: (more…)

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Comments { 30 }

My heart disappeared

by Mir on November 19, 2011 in Oh look! Something furry!!

Yesterday was the last day of Hippie School for an entire WEEK, because it turns out that hippies take their vacation breaks pretty seriously. The kids had already had a wild field trip day on Thursday, so yesterday was more of a “regular” day. As I puttered around my office yesterday afternoon, I thought that I might finally grant one of Monkey’s most fervent wishes.

“Why don’t you ever bring Licorice when you pick me up??” he always demands, as if I am specifically leaving the dog at home to agitate him. The truth is that due to our carpool arrangements, I only do pickup a couple of times a week, and as there is 1) already a dog at Hippie School (because OF COURSE THERE IS) and 2) pick-up time is complete mayhem and 3) Licorice is already kind of neurotic, it has just never seemed like a good idea.

But yesterday was the last day before vacation, so I figured: What the heck! I finished what I was doing, then grabbed the leash and went out on the porch to call the dog. (more…)

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Comments { 29 }

The good, the bad, and the Halloweenie

by Mir on November 1, 2011 in Haven't been hit by lightning yet!, Oh look! Something furry!!

The GOOD news is that I found a deal on a huge sack of Sour Patch Kids (mmmmm… Sour Patch Kids) and it took less convincing than I thought it might to talk the kids into us all staying in last night. I know that probably makes me some sort of Halloween Scrooge, but whatever. I gave them each their own bowl of candy and everyone seemed happy and it just seemed easier.

The BAD news is that the dog really and truly hates us, now. Or at least she did until I gave her some peanut butter this morning. Which I guess cancels out the hate. But I’m putting some pics below the fold so that you can judge for yourself. Heh.

The HALLOWEENIE news is that I’m over at Off Our Chests today, talking about wearing a mask for Halloween. Obviously. Come on over and join the conversation, particularly if you’ve ever felt more at home wearing someone else’s face.

Now, for the Licorice lovers: (more…)

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Comments { 25 }

Deckpocalypse

by Mir on October 26, 2011 in It's not a regret, it's an "experience", Oh look! Something furry!!

As I noted last month, Licorice enjoys her time out on safari now that the fence is complete and she can roam around in relative freedom, inside a contained area. It had gotten to where she spent only a napping hour or so indoors with me, during the day, and spent the remainder of her daylight hours either 1) outside doing lord knows what, 2) hurling herself at my office door as a subtle hint that she wished to head out, or 3) standing next to my chair whining until I opened the damn door.

I’ll admit, I was a little saddened that just laying on the floor of my office was no longer sufficient for her. My office is a messy pit, but a dog on the floor totally spruces the place up. Nevertheless, I was pleased that she was enjoying herself so much outside, and it did kind of make the whole fence debacle ALMOST feel worth it.

But then—because I’m essentially a big jerk—I had to go and ruin the dog’s good time. (more…)

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Comments { 17 }

Random things, only slightly germy

by Mir on October 19, 2011 in It's not a regret, it's an "experience", Offspring: ecstasy and agony, Oh look! Something furry!!

If I had some magical blog-glue I could probably cobble all of this together into a cohesive post, but I don’t. Oh well!

I came home from my travels and waited for the inevitable I-spent-hours-on-an-airborne-metal-tube-filled-with-other-people’s-germs illness to settle in, but then spent a couple of days patting myself on the back for remembering to take my Vitamin C, because I had FINALLY escaped that particular fate. Only, now there’s some weird bug going through Monkey’s school that Monkey clearly has and I spent a day going, “Do I have it? Am I just making myself sick psychosomatically? I’m fine. I’m sure I’m fine. Oh, wait. I’m not fine.” Said bug is a very mild stomach thing, hence the confusion. (Also: Not complaining. I would rather have an intermittent stomachache than, say, projectile spewage that is in no way ambiguous.) I should probably stop kissing my kids, huh?

In related news: Monkey actually NOTICED and SHARED that he wasn’t feeling well, so it’s been a carnival of “You say your stomach hurts? WOO HOO!” all up in here and at school. (That’s what happens when your kid usually just lays on the floor with a fever of 105 and insists he feels fine.) (more…)

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Comments { 27 }

My dog doesn’t care what day it is

by Mir on September 11, 2011 in Oh look! Something furry!!

I think the various tributes and remembrances and “never forget”s and such that are all over the ‘net today are good and important and needed, but I just can’t. Call me a delicate flower, call me cold or shallow or whatever, some things are too hard for me. And this is one of them. I’m calling it knowing my limitations.

Over the last few days, my good and loyal hosting provider—truly the very best hosting service I’ve ever had—has been working literally around the clock to deal with various DNS attacks that keep bringing my servers down. Which means every time I think to go post something, my sites aren’t working. Now they are, and all you’re getting is a story about my dog.

But if you’re like me, maybe that’s what you need, today. (more…)

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