Saturday, November 24, 2012

Shadows

Jib here.

Mom wrote another poem for Sailor. She is still sad, but I am helping her be not so sad.

She says, "Zorba danced. I write."



Shadows
                                  

Only his shadow remains.
The shadow of a bark
Echoing in my ear
As the sun reaches toward twilight;
The shadow of a breeze
Swirling in my hand,
 Cold nose on a warm day;
The shadow of the grass
Rippling across the field
As my ghost dog runs by.
The splash in the water bowl,
The click of toenails,
The scent of wet fur -
Mere shadows all
But here,
 Never gone.
 Forever…
Shadows



Monday, November 12, 2012

(Don't) Go Fly a Kite (Ears)



Jib here.

Kite is having ear woes.

I had ear woes, and after a year and a half, Mom gave up.

But Mom says she can't give up on Kite. Mom says at some point, he's supposed to get all dressed up and go into the conformation ring and run around in circles and stare at cheese. And he needs tipped ears for that.

Why?

Does he need tipped ears to hear Mom call him to Front from 50 feet away?

Does he need tipped ears to hear Mom say, "Find Mine" when he's doing Articles?

Does he need tipped ears to hear Mom tell him to Drop when he runs to her on a recall?

Does he need tipped ears for that? And that? And that?

I don't think so.

But Mom isn't going to give up.

So to spare little Kite a world of glue and bother, let's all chant:

Tip, ears, tip!





Thursday, November 1, 2012

I'm Going Home



Sailor here.

I'm going home. Mom told me a long time ago that if I were too lonely without her, I could come back to Earth as her ghost dog.

I am not lonely, but Mom is. She is sad.

So I am going home to be her ghost dog until she smiles again.

I will run next to her and she will see the grass ripple as I run by. She will feel the fleeting touch of my nose in her hand. She will hear the echo of my greeting. I will leap and  bark and she will feel the whisper of my paws on her shoulders.

She will smile.

Then I can be happy.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Nothing Has Changed

Sailor here.
Zoe had a sleepover last night.She didn't go back North.  She stayed here to play with me.
Nothing has changed.
She still tries to bully me.
I still tell her off.
Then she laughs and runs in circles.
I herd her.
I laugh and herd her some more.



Zoe, how about a snack?

Friday, October 19, 2012

Hallelujah!

Sailor here.

It's wonderful at the Rainbow Bridge!
I can eat all I want. All day long if I want.
The water tastes great!
I can run and never get tired.
Zoe came down to chase me.
And best of all, guess what?

I got my testicles back!!!

Thursday, October 18, 2012

SAILOR (November 13,1998 to October 18, 2012)

From Sailor's Mom:




Sailor, you turn toward me in the sun and your coat shines before my eyes, gold as the first rays of dawn, red as the sunset. You are my sun, my warmth.

Your ruff glows white as that perfect cloud on that perfect summer day.  You are my cloud.  You are my sky.

Your eyes are the deep brown of the earth, glinting with mischief, alive with happiness.  You are the earth, soft and rich.  You are the soil from which my love grows.

You are my happiness.  You are my light. You are my life.

Your love sweeps across my sky, across my earth, across my heart, shimmering, beautiful.

You looked up at me this last time, grateful, adoring.  There is no sadness in your eyes, no regret.  I see peace. I see love. 

There are rainbows in your eyes. 

And some day when my pain has faded to a whisper, I will smile with memories of you
and fill my heart with all the colors of the dawn, of the sunset, of the earth, of the sky.  




Sailor, you and I will walk together always in the shadow of the Rainbow.

Sailor, oh my Sailor



From Sailor's Mom:


Sailor and I have done so many things together: obedience, agility, therapy, backpacking, a little tracking, herding, modeling for calendars. We did it all but most importantly, we did it together, our bond growing stronger and stronger with each class, each competition, each activity. He is such a wonderful boy, my first dog, with a heart as big as the moon. Sailor's memory will live on long after his ashes have been scattered in the sea.



Sailor, your ship as come to carry you home.

Godspeed to the Rainbow Bridge.
Wait for me there.

And when my time has come to follow you into the light,
To meet you waiting at the Bridge,
You will be the first that I shall seek.
Yours will be the first hello.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Whisper in My Ear

Whisper in my ear
The story of my life
While I lie close and warm
And feel your love surround me.

Whisper in my ear
The story of your love
And I will whisper back
The love I have for you.


Lip to ear,
Heart to heart -
The story of our life
Together always.

Tell me what you loved the best
And I will whisper back
The story of our laughter,
The story of our love.

Whisper in my ear
Your last good-bye
And I will whisper back
"Thank you, I love you, thank you."

Lip to ear,
Heart to heart.

Always.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

My boy




Jib here.

Here's my boy.

I love him.

He loves me.

I kiss him.

He drools in my fur.

Mom says it's Karma.

Whoever she is.


Sunday, September 16, 2012

Me! Perfect!

Kite here. Me!
Mom loves me. She made me a list of whys.
Kite, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
Soft mouth when taking treats
Was house trained at twelve weeks
Never had a house training accident in the house. Not once.
Rides well in car. Never got car sick. Not once
Crate trained
Has slept through the night since I brought him home
Likes being brushed
Jumps up on the hearth to be brushed and turns around on command
Stands still on grooming table; doesn't bail
Stands still when being blown dry
Lets me Dremel his toenails with no fuss
Kisses me every morning. And afternoon. And evening.
Loves all people and dogs. Especially children.
Plays well with puppies
Respects the older collies and learns from them
Does not resource guard
Loves training
Leaves it when asked
Doesn't charge out the front door or out of his crate until released
Sits politely for supper until released
Sits politely to be let out of the dog yard
Pees on command
Does not counter surf. Or empty waste baskets. Any more.
Comes when called. Mostly.
Isn't he just the perfect puppy?

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Big Heart

Jib here.

Mom hugged me. She hugged me for a long time.

She told me what a big heart I have.

A big heart for babies. And kids. And puppies.

A big heart for her.

Mom loves me. She loves my big heart.





Thursday, September 13, 2012

Recycling Day




Kite here! Me!

I helped Mom. I helped Mom recycle.

It's fun and happy.

It's hard on my new teeth.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Bath Day



Kite here. Me!

Banner came over. He had a bath.

So did I. Mom and Aunt Judy took pictures.

It was not fun. But I got lots of cookies. And hugs from Mom. She said I was great.

Can I go roll in the mud now?



Monday, August 27, 2012

Writing Contest





Jib here.

I am bored. Kite is bored. Sailor is, well, asleep.

Mom is entering a writing contest. That means she is writing. She is writing and writing.

She doesn't have time to play with me. She doesn't have time to play with Kite. She doesn't have time to kiss Sailor.

We are bored.

Maybe if we all barked....


Thursday, August 16, 2012

Will Yum!

Kite here! Me! Kite!

Will is here, too.

Yum. Will-Yum!!




High As a Kite

Sailor here.

So what that the whoppersnapper is five months old?

So what?

He's high in the rear. He's high all over, too.

He's high enough to steal Jib's toys off the outside table.

He's high enough to grab socks out of Mom's laundry basket.

He's high enough to snag a cookie from the kitchen counter. And there is NO flappy snappy to stop him!

He's so high he can't walk under my belly anymore.

He's so high he can't squeeze under the bed upstairs anymore.

He's high as a kite.

So what?



Friday, August 10, 2012

Growing and growing

Sailor here.

The little whippersnapper has become a whoppersnapper. He's growing. Fast.

Mom says she misses when he was a wee pup and she could pick him up in one hand.

Jib says he misses when he was a wee pup and it didn't hurt so much when he bites.

I DON'T miss when he was a wee pup. Now he knows to stay out of my face.


Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Runs with Stick

Kite! Me!

I had a dream.

I dreamed I was a puppy again.

I dreamed I ran. I ran with a stick.

Jib couldn't get it. It was MINE!

My stick!

I woke up running. I was in my bed.

Where is my stick??


Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Obedience

Me here! Kite!

Mom is teaching me. She is teaching me obedience.

Mom say, "Heel." I look up at her. I trot by her side.


















She says, "Go Touch!", I go touch.
She says, "Sit!" I turn. I sit.
I get cheese!



Mom says, Front!" I sit. Right in front.
 


But my favorite is Alligators and Crocodiles. With Banner. My brother!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Tule!

Kite here. Me! Kite!
I have a girl friend.
Tule! Tule! Tule!
She is fun.
She rassles good.


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Mine!

Kite here!
Me! Kite!
Ball!
MINE!!

Weave

Kite here!
Me! Kite!
Mom is teaching.
She is teaching me.
She is teaching me to weave.
I get cheese.
Weave cheese!



Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Play Ball!

Kite here! Me! Kite!
Boy came to play.
He came to play with me.
He came to play ball.
With me. Kite!

We had fun!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

I Am a Teacher

Jib here.

Mom needs help. Kite needs to learn how to take the dumbbell. Mom doesn't speak Dog. So I am teaching the whipper snapper.

You pick it up THIS way

That's right



Don't DROP it!



There ya go

Now walk with it


You're welcome, Mom.