Texas Lady

Do you see a boat? I see how full my garage is. Any volunteers to clean it out?

So, this was the grand winner of the shopping trip. I forgot to ask when the first payment comes out of Ronnie’s check. He loves it and has taken it out the past two weekends. My first comment was “Well, it doesn’t look like much, does it?”. I thought he was going to divorce me on the spot (or shoot me which would have been just as bad). Honestly, I never thought about how it sounded; I just said the first thing that came to mind. Guess I know how he feels when I hyperventilate while opening the box of a new laptop and he sports a sick half-smile before turning back to the TV screen. I just don’t get it! Even the dogs were more interested than I was.

Oh, yeah, the dogs. We’re down to five now. Two months ago we had seven, which was 55 pounds of pure canine joy. I’m a sucker for a needy dog. Definition of needy dog: one that looks at me…..

Seventeen years ago I adopted a three-month-old blonde female Pekinese from the local SPCA. Two years later I bought another Pekinese that we lost to illness three years ago. It was sudden, heart-breaking and soul-destroying. I thought I would never get over it. But by the time she died we’d bought a long-haired Chihuahua from another pet shop, so she helped me to survive.

Five years ago my step-daughter gave us another Chi, which gave us four before Miss Baby died. All my girlz were spayed except the new Chi whose time under the knife was due. However, Ronnie decided we should let her experience motherhood. (Motherhood?) Though we already had 4 dogs, he was adamant, so after a couple of tries we had three new puppies. They were a precious five weeks old when Hurricane Ike hit. I refused to leave because no hotel would take so many dogs. While Ronnie and his mother slept I experienced the scariest night of my life wondering if, with the next gust of wind, my roof would disappear. But that fear was nothing to the eventual realization that I had to give the puppies away. What? But, but, but, THEY’RE MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We gave one of them to my sister-in-law whose stud we had used and the male to my mother-in-law. Then we adopted another male from the shelter to help raise the puppy we bought from a street vendor (did I tell you my husband loved me?). Got it? Did you keep up with the doggie dosie doe? So….that made seven dogs (six female and one male). I was totally happy, with all the love I could handle. So many babies to snuggle, cuddle and to feel their warm little hearts beating against me. (SIGH)

But now we’re down to five………..