Fridays are Golden

Just like the fireworks...colorful, fun, and entertaining. Appropriate that our Lucy was born on the Fourth of July! Last Sunday was Lucy's fifth birthday.

Frankly, I did not see the need for a second dog. After all, we already had the best dog in the world. But my husband's dream was to have two Golden Retrievers when he retired. Since retirement was planned in 2006, it seemed reasonable to get a puppy in 2005. I jokingly told him that if we got another dog then I would have to quit work. To my surprise he said, "That's a great idea!" So Lucy was the catalyst for my retirement.

We had planned to name the new puppy Abigail in honor of my second favorite First Lady, Abigail Adams. We quickly determined that "Abby" and "Ellie" sounded too much alike. In addition, this little fuzz ball just looked like a "Lucy." So Lucy received her name from a First Lady...not because she was so much admired but because her name was Lucy.

Lucy Hayes was called "Lemonade Lucy" because she rid the White House of alcoholic beverages and served lemonade to guests. She was the first First Lady to have a college degree. A devout Methodist, Lucy also banned card playing and even dancing. Alcohol was served at the White House only on a single occasion. In 1877 a group of Russians came to visit and the staff felt that they would be insulted if they were not served vodka.

Today's extreme sector of the right would love Lucy Hayes. During the term of Rutherford B. Hayes the White House held daily prayer sessions, Bible readings along with hymn singing. No card playing. No dancing. No pool. (The Billiard Room became a room for Lucy's plants.)

But enough about the other Lemonade Lucy. Let's get on with celebrating our own Lucy.

Here she is, already smiling and comfortable in her new home. Lucy's first thought when in a new situation is, "What do these people need to do in order to get along with me?"

Such a tiny little thing, she already had the "show dog strut" when she walked.

For size comparison...here she is parallel with two-year-old Ellie.

She loved to play with Ellie from the beginning. At first we didn't allow Ellie to interact much because Lucy was so little and could have been accidentally injured. The happiest day of Ellie's life came when the veterinarian said Lucy was big enough for them to play. Imagine Lucy's surprise when she ran to jump on Ellie, only to find herself flipped over. The shocked look on her face was priceless. Even today, when they rough house, Ellie is the victor.

Lucy didn't care as much for soft cuddly toys. Her favorite was a hard ball which she would push and tumble all over the place.

Even as a young puppy, Lucy always found a good place to sleep.

That aspect hasn't changed in the last five years. She still can sleep better than any dog I know.

Lucy has brought a new dimension of joy to our lives. She may be the smartest dog I've ever seen. She was not as easy to train as Ellie was. When we trained Ellie, she quickly learned the response and was consistent in performing it. Lucy, on the other hand had a lot of questions about every command. For the simple command "sit" Lucy wanted to know, "Oh, you mean NOW?" "Oh, you mean HERE?" "Oh, you mean I should stay sitting?" "How long do I have to sit?" "Oh, this command applies no matter where we are?"

Lucy is a wonderful dog and very loving. In spite of her impish ways, she really hates to be scolded. She has hilarious expressions and a great sense of humor. She observes every little thing and given opposable thumbs, she could assemble a swing set. She is a perfect compliment to our Ellie and I cannot imagine one without the other.

How is the summer passing by so quickly? Like most of the southeast and eastern seaboard we are having really hot weather. Needless to say, it's early morning and late evening walks for the Golden Girls.

Have a wonderful and safe weekend. Remember: the most important things in life are not things.