As much as the dogs miss us when we’re away, I think I miss them even more. Especially at night. After a while, you not only get used to sleeping like a contorted magician’s assistant in one of those sword-through-the-box tricks, but you come to draw comfort from their pudgy, snoring, encroaching presence. As crazy as it sounds, I now have trouble sleeping on a spacious bed. A quiet room will keep me up. When I’m away, I miss their plaintive cries the second dinner time rolls around, or their impatient barks as I hurry to fill their bowls. Lulu’s version of fetch which involves her bringing you her toy and then snatching it back and running off with it the second you show an interest. Bubba’s indolent refusal to go out for his final bathroom break of the night, forcing you to scoop him up off the couch to help him along. Jelly’s bad hips which require she be “chauffeured” from her comfy dog bed to the backyard or up the stairs or on and off the bed. The way they eat their snacks: Jelly, challenged by the simple act of chewing, Lulu, always gentle, Bubba, who attempts to take the tips of your fingers too. The day one of our national airlines starts selling pet seats is the day I start buying flight passes.
I’ve always dreaded the prospect of being offered a terrific job somewhere overseas, not because it would place me in the difficult position of having to choose between my work and my dogs but simply because I’d have to turn down a terrific job. It’s bad enough being offered work on the other side of the country as past experience well proves. Remember that Toronto gig? The major headache with that charter company? The fact that I had to take the five and a half hour flight to Toronto with Akemi and two of my dogs, then turn around and fly back to Vancouver the next day so that I could fly back with a friend and my other two dogs the day after that?
Ideally, I’ll be working in Vancouver next year but if it’s L.A., then at least I won’t have to worry about flights. Instead, we can all look forward to a family road trip!
Hopefully, it won’t come to that though. The gang kind of likes it here, even with the occasional snow.
Big day tomorrow for my Snow Monkeys who go for their second championship trophy in fantasy football league play. Wish us luck!
![Touchdown dance! [Source: PacificCoastNews.com]](https://i0.wp.com/josephmallozzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/188.jpg)
Joe, that was a nice write up about your furry gang, Our doggy children do have their ways of entwining themselves in our lives. While I don’t allow our dog Lucy to sleep with us (she’s a very active sleeper and at 50lbs and all muscle, I’d wake up bruised every morning), she’s always beside our bed at night. Occasionally I’ll wake up in the middle of the night to hear her dreaming of a bunny chase or maybe it’s a squirrel standoff. She’ll be pumping her legs, vocalizing (Husky owners will know what this is like), and biting the air (remember the part where she doesn’t sleep with us?) She is the most active dreaming dog I have ever known.
And that is a cute outfit on Bubba. Does that video mean that Bubba is playing Santa this year? How good is he at handing out presents?
Good luck Snow Monkeys! I’m hoping for a Ravens win against New England (of course), but the Flacco and Rice injuries last week may make that difficult. Tomorrow will tell.
Beautiful vid….certainly in keeping with the season…Love the outfit!
Akemi scores again.
Good luck to you and your team.
Good luck Snow Monkeys!
It’d be really cool if you brought the dogs around to the fish shop when the weather gets nicer… only I doubt I’d get to nip out to pet them. That’s the only real thing I miss about working graveyards at a small-town gas station; all the friendly puppies that came to visit that I could run outside and pet. Not really able to do that at 7 Seas, even when the boss isn’t around!
Snow Monkeys for the Win! All fingers, tails and paws crossed here.
When we were given a Great Dane, we had to teach her she couldn’t sleep in the bed with us. At 125 pounds, that’s another person.
We sleep with two cats. Harry, the 20 pound lump, sleeps on my feet when Larry is home, otherwise, he takes his side of the bed near the pillows. Oide likes to sleep on him, or up against my side, or on the back of my legs with my bum as a pillow. If all the cats got along, I’d have four with me. The girls are super-cuddly, but fight with Oide. They have their own bedroom. Punkin is cute, she will put herself to bed when we turn off the TV. Runs into her room, asks for a treat, them gets into her “hut” on the top bunk.
Love the snowpup outfit, Akemi, is that one of your creations?, Lovely, looks so cute and good at keeping snow off the back. Safe journey to moms and I hope you found the perfect gift, and I mean not the fruit of the month club, unless she would like it…I thought about that for my mom, but some fruits like grapefruit don’t go with some medications and others are just yuck. But I bet you got her a great one! I don’t live on the way to LA, unless you go by way of Florida, which cross my fingers, weather has been quite nice for this Christmas. Take loads of pictures at moms to share and of course don’t eat too much of her wonderful cooking. Oh what the heck, go ahead, the exercise room awaits you on your return. and hopefully some smoooooth sailing news. Tell Sis and mom hello and Merry Christmas from us at the blog! Relax and enjoy!! 😀
I know what you mean. When I was at my mom’s house, it was hard sleeping because I stretch my legs out in bed.
Cute Video! Is that Jelly? Did Akemi make the outfit? Cute hat. Poor little guy, he/she needed snow shoes to go with the outfit.
My little Thor has to be cuddled up against one part of my body or another for both of us to get a good night’s sleep.
Go Snowmonkeys!
By the way…where are the doggy boots???
I remember the hassle you had with that charter company, seems like such a long time ago.
I wonder how Leah Gauthier is doing?
Love the picture of Lulu looking out the window – it’s almost wistful. I know what you mean about missing the fids – before I go away for any trip, I take the birds to stay with my nephew and his family. So, I usually have a full evening when they are not around. And the house sounds so, so quiet. There’s always some level of chatter going on with the two of them, so my house is almost tomb like without them. I hate it, and can’t wait to get them back.
My African Lovebird, Bart, (who’s a she, actually) is almost 13 years old now, and could possibly live up to around 25. That’s a long time to get attached to a creature, and I’m not sure what I’d do without her.
Big ice storm here today, along with a festive mix of snow and ice pellets. It’s quite awful weather – I’d rather have just snow.
Good luck with the Snow Monkeys!
(P.S. What does the “anyone live on the way” part mean at the bottom of your post? Did something get cut off?)
“It’s bad enough being offered work on the other side of the country as past experience well proves.”
You’ve been offered a job in Halifax? 😉
Speaking of animals, this is pretty funny – some of it is accidental or instinctive behaviour, but others…
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pictures/view/83290898/
Lovely photo and video! I hate going away and leaving my pups. Sleeping with two rather large Boxers, however, isn’t easy. They’re bed hogs and really don’t care about our comfort. Our little dog, Casey, sleeps in her kennel right next to my side of the bed, and she actually likes it (she puts herself to bed every night). That said, when Riley decides to sleep on the large dog bed I keep in the bedroom, I can’t sleep! I’m not a cuddler, but they know my hubby is and they’re all over him. Somehow, they’re like an oil spill and spread during the night, and before I know it, I’m sleeping like a pretzel while they’re on their backs, taking up 2/3 of the bed. Wouldn’t change it for anything, though! 😉
Who doesn’t love a 3-dog road trip? If you’re up for a small detour off the I-5 to the SF bay area, I have a guest room and dog-friendly hardwood floors. You’d be more than welcome 🙂
Oh and “Safe Travels”!
Jelly is like my beagle. She will do anything for a treat, encluding running through snow. Look at little Lulu. Her satelite dish ears are longer than her body! 😉 So cute!
@Ponytail:
I thought that was Bubba…I guess snow is the great gait equalizer. 😉
Jelly looks like the Royal Santa… very cute!!
Looks like you guys really got dumped on, eh? That’s too bad… no, really I mean it… *smile*
Hope everything is great with you and yours!!
Hago!
K
“I am Bat-Lulu.” Cue the Hans Zimmer score. Great pic of Lulu looking like a tiny dark knight.
Finally watches Man of Steel, there was so little chemistry between Lois and Supe, their kiss was like the dry little kisses Arnold, Sly and Bruce plant on the random spunky chicks that populate action flicks.
Good luck to the Snow Monkeys!
What would we do without our pets.?
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!
I have two cats and I miss them whenever I go on vacation. My little black cat Eryn likes to sleep on me. Whether it be my ankles or my shoulders I am so used to it that I feel like something is missing when I wake up and don’t have to slowly move myself as not to disturb her.
Well if you end up doing the road trip and find yourself traveling through Sacramento I know some excellent restaurants you can hit. Actually anything Bay Area-ish I have leads on restaurants as well. In fact I have a spare room if you all need a place to crash :O)
Shana
I’m playing catch-up yet again. Adorable video and love the outfit. I think my Boomer needs one.