Pets hold a special place in our hearts. They make us laugh, they relieve our stress, they love us with loyalty. They don't judge us, they don't criticize us, they don't lie to us. They give their affection unconditionally.
Today I give thanks for my dog Bean Sidhe ("banshee"). I got her in March 1998 when she was just eight weeks old. Much has happened in my life in the 13 years since then. I have had four different jobs in four different states; driven five different cars and lived in eleven (!) different apartments. Relationships have come and gone. Through it all, Bean Sidhe has been the only constant, the one thing I could always rely on. No matter which job I come home from, or where home is, she is excited to see me every single day.
I am happy to say that other than having a little arthritis which is well controlled by medication, Bean Sidhe is pretty spry for a dog of nearly 14. She lost her hearing about 18 months ago, but it doesn't seem to negatively impact her life. (In fact, she now sniffs around the backyard in peace, blithely unaware that the neighbor's dog is barking at her.)
Without further ado, on to the picspam of the aspect of my life for which I am most grateful today.
 |
| shooting rubber bands - she holds it with her paw, stretches it with her nose, then lets it fly :-) | |
|
 |
snoozing on the afghan my mom crocheted for me her granddog
(I wish my hair was naturally that glossy black!) |
|
|
|
|
 |
| toasting herself by the heater |
|
|
 |
| toasting herself by the fireplace |
|
|
 |
| burrowed into a pillowcase with the pillow |
|
 |
| 2009; 11 years old and going grey |
|
 |
| she used to burrow completely under her blanket; now that she is deaf, she keeps her face out so she can see where I am |
|
 |
| despite 13 years of practice, the burrowing isn't always 100% successful ;-) |
A house is very empty when theres no pet to greet you when you come home. Your dog seems to be a very clever one, never heard of a dog shooting snoods before :) Shes so cute cuddling with her blankets!
ReplyDeleteAww! How cute! Yeah. Pets are great. :')
ReplyDeleteShe is so cute! And I love her little hedgehog friend. :) The act of burrowing must be extremely entertaining: I can only imagine the maneuvers she must employ to accomplish the end result!
ReplyDeletePets are most definitely one of the greatest blessings. They are our companions through the highs and the lows, and that bond can become amazingly strong. I'm so glad that you are treasuring it! Some people don't seem to realize how special those little creatures are.
linnea-maria - How right you are about a house feeling empty! She's pretty clever, I suppose. One day she found a ponytail holder I'd dropped and just started shooting it across the room on her own.
ReplyDeleteMaeam - Thank you. :)
VictorianKitty - She uses a funny swirling technique - she lifts up the blanket with her nose, crawls under, and then turns in circles until the blanket is wrapped around her like pasta swirled on a fork. :)
On several cars around town, I've seen a paw-shaped sticker that says "Who rescued whom?" Pets really do rescue us -- from loneliness, from depression, even from inertia (the dog/cat insists on playing rightthisinstant!) In my dog's eyes, I'm the most important person in the world; to her, I matter... and that makes her very, very special. I think people who limit their view to "it's just a dog" and "it's just a cat" are really missing out.
Your dog is an adorable little nugget. I like her little Batman ears. My dog saved my life. She also likes to screw up my day pretty often (emergency vet, holla!), but I wouldn't trade her for anything.
ReplyDeleteLove the new banner, BTW.
TanteFledermaus - Dogs can indeed be life savers, both figuratively and literally. Mine certainly gave me a reason to keep going. I remind myself of this when she is under my feet and tripping me. ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you!
OMG!! *I* have a minpin too! Tho mine is a boy called Fritz and only 6months old, but I adore him and he's so loving back (although bratty often!) Minpins are so gorgeous, aren't they? Yours is a darling ;)The look she gives on the pruple rug is so like a look my boy gives. Sweet.
ReplyDeleteHooray for Min Pins! :D They can be little devils, though, and many end up in rescues because the owners get frustrated. Owners expect their puppy to be a soft, floppy, eager-to-please Golden Retriever type, when in reality it's a teeny tiny mastermind plotting world domination. ;)
ReplyDeleteI always say Bean Sidhe has 100 pounds of personality in a 10 pound body. She was quite difficult as a pup, but once I came to understand her, we got along great. She grew into the best pet I could ever ask for. I hope you and Fritz enjoy the same kind of lifelong bond. :)
What a cute little dog! When I have my own house, I want a little dog and some snoozy old cats and I can only hope it will be as beautiful as your house!
ReplyDelete