September 21, 2010 - Never Thought I'd See That

Howdy!

"Never thought I'd see that." I say that alot around the Shady Rest. There's always something going on that I've never seen before, never even considered that I might.

For example, we had a guest Sunday night. Saturday was Santa in September 2010. It went well - donations were down, as they seem to be everywhere, but thanks to a lot of good will and good donations, all went smoothly, everyone had a good day, and every penny we did get ($409.50) went right to the pugs. I got to spend some time talking to all the rescues that attended - good folks, rescuers. Go to some rescue fair or adoption event and visit with them, if you get a chance. Meet a few other breeds and the people that love and care for them. It'll be good for your spirit and you might learn something while you're at it.

Anyway, come Sunday, I got an email from the min pin folks, thanking us for having SIS and inviting them, and asking, too, if I knew of any place that did boarding at a discount for rescues. Seems they had a min pin boy that needed out of a bad situation in a hurry, and a place to bunk until a long-term foster home could be found. I offered the Shady Rest, if they didn't mind a pug person instead of a min pin person minding him for a bit. They didn't, and Max came to spend the night. A happy, handsome nine-year old red/rust min pin, he fit right in and got along just fine.

As I got ready to go to work Monday, I poked my head in to tell Cj goodbye (She gets up about an hour after I do). Sammie was dozing in my spot on the bed, Sherman was behind Cj's knees, and then Max's slender head and long muzzle rose from in front of her hips, to blink at me and make sure I wasn't planning on making anybody get up. I wasn't, and as I looked at that slender-as-a-deer-fawn form curled elegantly on the bed, I thought, "Never thought I'd see that."

Even more unlikely, I woke up the other day and saw Kali, the hermit-cat, sound asleep on the bed. That alone used to be as rare as hen's teeth, but what really made me shake my head in awe this time was her companion. Barely a foot and a half away, also sound asleep on the bed, lay Sherman. The cat best known for being afraid of everyone in general and dogs in particular, sleeping next to the beagle, the breed best known for trailing prey and small running creatures it thinks are prey, completely comfortable just inches apart. Never thought I'd see that.

I hate to sound like I'm boasting, especially since I don't really take any personal credit for it, but I often think there's something about this house, this place. It was here when we moved in, part of what made us want to settle here in the first place. Something peaceful. I don't know if it's the actual house, or the little patch of earth on which it sits, but something.

There are occasionally spats, sure. Whenever more than one living being inhabits a space, there will be disagreements, but no yelling, no throwing, no hurting. Max was returned to rescue because he was peeing in the house. A bit of investigation found that he'd been perfectly house trained when he was adopted, but the couple who had him argued nearly constantly. They yelled, at each other and at him, and threw things (only at each other, far as could be determined.) His sensitive system couldn't take the stress and he started forgetting his house training. I'd have been peeing on the floor too, subjected to that kind of environment. We were told Min Pins are sensitive, he's likely to be nervous at first, a little jumpy, not want to eat. Not at the Shady Rest. He walked in, sniffed around and visibly relaxed. He toddled around with the other dogs, walked fearlessly under Freya's legs, barked at the neighbors with Spencer, and ate his dinner like a champ. He was, for just one evening, one happy, relaxed, tummy-tickles-and-peace-and-quiet evening, a Shady Rest dog.

Never thought I'd see that.

Y'all take care.