LIFE'S BETTER IN THE MOUNTAINS

Friday, January 7, 2011

Fridays are Golden

Given Ellie's enthusiasm when she stumbled upon a stuffed toy the other week,  we decided to give each of the girls a stuffed toy for Christmas this year. 

They wait patiently for the toys.



Lucy doesn't seem to know what to do with this strange object.  But Ellie is ready to dig in.



She carries it to a bed and searches for the weakest spot.



Here's how you do it, Lucy.  You put it firmly under your paw and then you chew the dickens out of it.



Lucy looks perplexed as Ellie enjoys the toy.  I just don't get it!



With Lucy's disinterest, Ellie takes both toys and alternates chewing between the two.



She's quick and the stuffing flies.



Ellie seems to be having so much fun that Lucy gives it another try.



I STILL don't get it!  What's so fun about that?

Lucy did not understand the toy and did seem to like the way it felt in her mouth.  She went on to other things and Ellie quickly tore the stuffing out of both toys.  The process lasted only a few minutes but Ellie had great fun.  All of us laughed at Ellie's determination and Lucy's confusion.  It felt good to laugh after the snowstorm had stranded our daughter and she didn't make it home until after Christmas.

So...let's all start 2011 with laughter.  Even Abraham Lincoln, troubled as he was, saw the value of laughter.  He said, "With the fearful strain that is on me night and day, if I did not laugh I should die."

Our own lives are often filled with strain and even in the worst of times we need to laugh.  When things get so complicated that we can't stand another stressful event, perhaps it would do us good to find some reason to laugh.  I'll try very hard to do that this weekend as we face two major weather fronts that are predicted to dump us with yet more snow.  Our record snows last winter are much in my thoughts so I am trying very hard to laugh.

I do have another favorite quote about laughter and I apologize that I do not know its author.  The phrase has helped me a lot in some weird circumstances.  Here it is:
"If you know you're going to laugh about it later, you might as well laugh about it now."

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

19 comments:

The Bug said...

I love their different personalities - so much fun.

I tend toward the irreverant side of life - and have a very hard time not seeing humor in everything. There are times when this is NOT appreciated. However, at this late date I don't think I'll be changing anytime soon :)

Nellie from Beyond My Garden said...

So cute. It is amazing how each has its own personality, isn't it. Our dog, Peach received a new toy every Christmas from which she first removed the eyes (must have been too creepy) then she shook, tossed and gently chewed the toy all day. By the end of the following day, she alway had destroyed the past year's toy, removing stuffing that had remained intact for a year. The same would happen to her new toy as soon as she received a replacement. Don't we wish they could talk to us?

Karin said...

Our grand-doggies (is that what you call them if they are your children's dogs?) chewed their toys to pieces, and dear d-i-l had just finished vacuuming because company was coming! The joys of pets!

NanaNor's said...

Hi there, I appreciate how both dogs look at toys differently. Our Sadie would chew the stuffing out of toys but actually after the squeaker and Regie doesn't understand toys at all.
We are expecting snow on Sunday but today it is sunny and beautiful.
Stay warm.
Hugs from Colorado, Noreen

SouthernSass said...

My little dog does the same as Ellie - chews up his stuffed toys in no time at all! Good luck with the weather - we are forecast to get ice. I'd much rather have snow!

Barb said...

Research has shown that even if you just put a fake smile on your face (let alone laugh!) good endorphins are released into your body. I often walk along smiling (without thinking about it) and wonder why everyone is smiling at ME...I guess a smile is contagious, too. Lucy and Ellie always put a smile on my face.

Rudee said...

Miss Ellie looks to be in her glory.

George said...

If you find something to laugh about in the prospect of more snow, I hope you'll share it with us. We're supposed to get hit as well, but not as hard as you will.
The pictures of Ellie enjoying the toys and Lucy being perplexed are priceless.

kks said...

love the quotes!! and your header is amazingly beautiful! i have a golden that likes to gut stuffed toys too! great story...
send the snow MY way!!! i would gladly take it all....
xoxo

KGMom said...

Oh, our dog Ziva and Ellie should get together. I have yet to find an indestructible toy for Ziva. She works at and worries a toy until she has it totally apart. White fluffy stuffing is everywhere and squeakers are disemboweled.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Isn't it interesting to note the different personalities that dogs have ---just like children????

Cute post, Carolyn.... Bundle up and stay inside for several days... We've had flurries all day today --with some accumulation which melted.... They say that a BIGGIE is coming on Sunday/Monday....

Ready for Spring yet???? ha
Hugs,
Betsy

carolina nana said...

My 2 dogs act the same way when I give them stuffed toys. Bernie chews the stuffing right out of them and Dolly just looks at hers as if expecting it to do something.
Have a blessed weekend.
Look out for the next snow storm coming.

Jayne said...

LOL...that's so funny that Lucy was not at all impressed with her gift and had no clue what on earth to do with it. Shows that dogs do indeed have very different personalities.

Even we are supposed to get 4-6" Sunday night into Monday Carolyn. Baten down the hatches! Have a great weekend.

Toni aka irishlas said...

Your story made me laugh! Probably because I can so relate to this. New stuffed toy - five minutes - done! Stuffing everywhere!

Anonymous said...

Interesting to see such different personalities in the two golden girls. It's true about laughter, and we often have a pretty good laugh everyday. Sometimes it's just watching the cat walk in from outside, where the ground is frozen. When his paws touch the carpet, he does a very fine little dance!

Vicki Lane said...

Our current crop of dogs aren't interested in toys. But I keep some around for our son's dog when he visits. Ali Ali always goes to the basket under the stairs and gets out his chew toy. If only we could teach him to put it back when he leaves...

Golden Samantha said...

Love this post! Sammie used to chew up everything, but now seems to let Avalon do the "el destructo" routine at this point! You are so right on about the laughter - it does feel so good to experience those deep-down belly laughs, where you shoulders just shake! Happy New Year and hope you don't get TOO much snow - send it this way!
Hugs xoxoxo
Sammie and Avalon

How Sam Sees It said...

Sam covets his toys, but Monty seems to relish ripping them to pieces. Isn't it amazing how different all Golden's are?

Sam

LOVE, MERCY AND GRACE...GOD'S GRACE said...

Too funny! Thought it was cute how each has their own personalities and how they reacted differently to the stuffed toys!

Supposed to get snow here in the morning (Monday)...certainly not looking forward to it, since we don't really know how to drive in it in these parts of the woods! :o)

~Beth