LIFE'S BETTER IN THE MOUNTAINS

Friday, June 1, 2012

Fridays Are Golden

This has been a quiet week for the Golden Girls and for us.  The seat protector for the new car was on back order, so we switched to a different color.  It doesn't match the seats but we didn't want to keep waiting.  Unfortunately it has rained every day so the girls have not yet been in the new car.  Dog hairs in a new car we can deal with.  We are not yet ready for wet dogs and muddy paws.  So we have taken long walks and some running in the woods.

I've been a little blue this week thinking about people I know only through their blogs.  It seems that many of our blogger buddies have recently lost their pets, or are facing that uncertainty of deciding when it's time to make that dreadful decision.  My heart goes out to them because we have traveled that path before.

When we got Lucy to join our family it marked the first time we owned two dogs at once.  It is definitely double the fun.  But this week I have thought of the awful time when we might lose one of them.  In addition to our own grieving, we would have a dear friend remaining who is also grieving the loss of her sister.

Someone once said, "One reason a dog can be such a comfort when you're blue is that he doesn't try to find out why."  That has been ringing true around here.

You might think that the girls are blue as well when you see the photographs.  But that is definitely not the case.


Lucy looks so solemn




And Ellie has crawled between the chair and the table.



Whatever could be on Ellie's troubled mind?

We see these looks on our dogs every evening around 4:30.  That means it's almost time for dinner.  My husband sits in the chair and they are waiting for the signal that it's finally time.  We watch re-runs on television from 4:00 until 5:00.  The girls know that the commercial break after 4:30 is the cue.  The man will finally arise and see to his most important duty.

So while the girls may look sad, they are actually anxious about having dinner.  I assure you they have rarely missed a meal but they seem concerned about that possibility every single day.  Mornings are easy.  Get up, take a walk, come back to breakfast.  But they have to anticipate the evening meal.  And they do.  From 4:00 on.

Today's quote is attributed to someone named Cheryl Zuccaro.  It has been floating in my head all week.

"It came to me that every time I lose a dog, they take a piece of my heart with them.  And every new dog who comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart.

If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog and I will become as generous and loving as they are."

What a wonder that would be.

HAVE A MOST WONDERFUL WEEKEND, EVERYONE!



29 comments:

Tucker The Crestie said...

Oh, the anticipation of dinner time!

Love that quote by the way.

Have a beautiful weekend!

My Mind's Eye said...

Hi Ellie and Lucy...well I'll be I also eat between 4 and 4:30. From now on I'll be thinking of you two Golden Girls and dreaming that we dining together.

Mom says she totally understands your Mom's post too. Only another animal lover really gets the fact that 4 leggers are FAMILY!!
Hugs Madi and Mom

The Bug said...

I love that quote - if only!!

I get anxious about my dinner too - just ask Mike - ha!

The Bug said...

I love that quote - if only!!

I get anxious about my dinner too - just ask Mike - ha!

NanaNor's said...

Hi, Your girls certainly look like they are waiting for something; our two last dogs got really antsy around 5:00 p.m. because they knew it would be dinner time.
It is so hard when others lose their furbabies(for us too)and my heart always breaks for them but there is hope that comes with an other pup.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Noreen

Arkansas Patti said...

I loved both those quotes. My little guy is almost 15 so I tend to look at him a bit differently these days.
You are right, dogs do mourn the loss of their dog buddies. We all pray that time will come sometime in the far future.

Ms. A said...

Can't tell you how many times I have wept with bloggers loss of a pet. It's been several years since I lost my last one and I still miss them all.

I LOVE THAT QUOTE! Have a nice weekend.

Carolina Linthead said...

Yes, I have seen that look at 4:30pm from The Bug, lol! Such beautiful girls. Your post breaks my heart and knits it back together again. I am very familiar with what often is called the "black dog"...so very familiar. Cherish each moment, my friend. Live in the now.

tina said...

I am a golden lover too. You just can't beat their sunny dispositions and they are easy on my garden! Not like our new lab. He is a moose.

I came here because I had done a post on sweetshrub last year and the fact that is called 'Sweet Bubbie' bush by mountain folk. My inlaws are from the Grandfather mountain area and his mother; who is 80 something, told me the story of sweet bubbie and so I surmised it was because of the relationship of sticking the flower in one's bra while in church since churches generally were not air conditioned back then (several years ago). One of my blogging friends saw your comment on another blog and thought I'd appreciate your story of the sweet shrub too.

Ginnie said...

your girls are certainly photogenic. It would be hard to pick out the best shots ... have you tried?

KGMom said...

I love the simplicity of a dog's life--and the absolutely giving way a dog lives.
The worried look is priceless.

troutbirder said...

Indeed. Baron is my fourth dog since I was 24. Passing on was very hard but I was able to say goodbye to each one. Oh the fond memories though..... :)

KB said...

Your girls do look pensive in those photos. I'm glad to hear that their only worry is whether you will remember to feed them... because we all know that you *will* remember.

I love that quote. So true - yet it doesn't make things any easier when that dreadful, yet love-filled, phase arrives.

Tipper said...

Love the quote! It is amazing how our pets can tell time : )

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Nice post, we lost our oldest dog last week. She was 18 back in Feb. Our other two are kind of funny without her. Meal time seems to be a big focus in their lives, they know how to tell time!!

Rudee said...

I love the quote.

When my cell phone chirps with evening report at 3:30, Leo knows it's time to eat and begins his prance. I feed him before I leave for work for the evening. It's funny because my phone has that same chirp for every alert, but if it's not 3:30, he pays no attention, so I do believe he can tell time.

How Sam Sees It said...

BOL - even though I feed at 5 in the evenings, Monty starts to bug Aaron around 4:30. We kind of think this is strange since Monty is never interested in his food. We think he just likes the routine.

Sam

Cheryl said...

What a beautiful quote.
As someone who has loved and lost eight dogs, I can relate to it.

I understand your sadness, life sometimes is difficult but I know you have strength of character to get through this and will have some words of wisdom for us all.

Have a lovely weekend with those delightful golden girls :)

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

A bittersweet post, but pets love us humans unconditionally and we do mourn their loss sometimes more than a family member, which is not unexpected.

Busy Bee Suz said...

That quote is so wonderful...and honest.
Dinner time around here is all sorts of crazy...well for Ozzie anyway. Seems that he was on the streets for a long time, not knowing when is next meal would come...and now, he lives for dinner and breakfast! he gets so darn excited, he can hardly contain himself. :)
Pets are such big part of our lives...when they are here and when they are not.
Enjoy your weekend.
xoxo

Vicki Lane said...

I LOVE that quote! Of course, my heart must be mostly dog by now, Over the span of 49 years, we've had so many dogs -- almost always 3 to 6 at a time -- and each so special.

Barb said...

A wonder indeed. We would all do well to emulate our furry friends. I enjoyed the story about The Girls anticipating dinner.

Captain Shagrat said...

This post really hits the spot... i lost my dearest friend Harry lab this time last year and I.ve always said that something of me went with him that day, but I'm so glad it did he was truely a special person.

kks said...

love the quote!
thanks for your support during this important political time in our history....(i am hopeful, but not confident)....and very anxious...
xoxo

George said...

I think it's neat that the girls can tell time and differentiate between a program and the commercials. There's a great deal of truth in the quote you shared.

NCmountainwoman said...

Thanks for your comments, everyone.

Tucker - Do you hang around awaiting dinner as well?

Madi - We'd love to have dinner with you. Um...we haven't tried any cat food yet but we can offer some really good dog food.

Bug - You always crack me up!

Noreen - I know your new little one is such fun.

Patti - Yes, as they age our dogs do take a new look in our eyes.

Ms. A - Unfortunately it's a fact of pet ownership. The worst part.

Linthead - Too funny about the Bug. Yes, we carry some of each pet in our hearts.

Tina - Thanks for dropping by. I lived many years in Boone, not far from Grandfather Mt. Love your Golden.

NCmountainwoman said...

Ginnie - I could not decide which I like best. Depends on any given moment in time I suppose.

Donna - I often wish we could live as simply.

Troutbirder - The losses are always difficult but as you said, the memories are strong.

KB - You and K, the runner and R stay in my mind as you live through these days.

Tipper - Yes, and I wish we could explain to them about daylight savings and standard time. That always messes their little brains.

Janet - So sorry you lost your good friend. It leaves such a heartache.

Rudee - Funny about the chirp.

Sam - I assure you that our dogs are not like Monty...the are all about the food. All the anticipation and the food is wolfed down in two minutes.

Cheryl - We do hold dear memories of the pets long gone, don't we?

NCmountainwoman said...

Beatrice - Yes, the loss is huge.

Suz - Neither of our dogs ever had to worry about that yet they still go nuts at meal time.

Vicki - I know you have recently gone through some big losses. Even when our hearts feel broken, we seem to have enough room to love one more.

Barb - Yes, we should all be more like our dogs. Kinder, less critical and more loving.

Captain Shagrat - Thanks for dropping by. Sorry about your loss.

kks - All eyes are on WI today. Paws and fingers crossed here!

George - I think it is the volume and pace of the commercials that make the difference.

Anonymous said...

The perfect blog post to read on a rainy morning with Miss Piggy and our grand dog Ivy lying nearby.