Taylor Arrives at Golden Pines

Saturday was really a roller-coaster of a day that ended with the much anticipated arrival of Taylor who came from about 4 hours away in West Virginia.  No matter what the time, and no matter how tired, all the introductions to the new kid need to be done properly to get things started on the right note.  I knew that Taylor was exhausted and stressed, because the person who brought her to me said that she whined during most of the trip.  But despite everything, she handled meeting everyone just fine, and in the early morning hours, we called it a night.

Taylor really seems like a nice girl. Her first day with us has been spent sleeping in our bedroom. But she has had quite the week. Her owner passed away, and she was left alone in only home she's known until arrangements could be made to get her to us. I've not seen her wag her tail, she hasn't eaten and doesn't want anything to drink.  I'm hoping that when she realizes that even though her world may appear upside down right now, she's going to be okay...I promise.

A Howling Welcome Home!!

We made it to Friday!  Yesterday's weather had everything from heat and cool breezes to sun and pouring rain, and it was topped off with a tornado warning.  But we made it through the storms pretty much unscathed.  

There are a few things on our agenda for the weekend, and one is that we will be welcoming a new addition to our household.  Her name is Taylor, and she's 14 years old.  When she arrives, I'll tell you her story.  But I'm hopeful that the dogs will give her a 'howling welcome' like they did for me when I got home this afternoon.  What's heard on the video below is not the usual welcome that I receive; I can only guess that the dogs have taken a cue from me, because it's how I feel many times when Friday and the weekend comes!!  I hope you enjoy your weekend too!!   

**The loudest dog heard in the video is Josh, followed by Sheba who is howling in the lower key, CarrieAnne barking with Charlie and Cissy singing the melody in a higher key.**  

Whatever it Takes!

We've been hampered by severe weather all week long, and we're still not through.  Today was really hot and fairly humid as a storm system to the west begins to get itself together. The weathermen are telling us that the ingredients are in place for severe weather on Thursday.  Of course I'm not ready for the possibility of a power-outage, but by the time the storm arrives, we will be.

With the heat, the seniors, like Annie have to be coaxed to go outside, preferring stay inside where it's cool.

Todd on the other hand, being an independent spirit, and not one to follow the crowd, has to be bribed to come back inside!

CarrieAnne however is finding her own relief from the heat.  Long time readers of this blog know that Carrie has her own little private swimming hole in a place that only she knows about.  Since construction began on the house in back of us, she's not slipped away to take a dip to cool off.  But I guess with the heat this evening she just couldn't resist.  She was gone for quite awhile and just as it was getting dark and I started to worry about her, she reappeared, happy and very cool!  

Whatever it takes!!  

Stay safe and cool everyone!  

~Josh~

All That Matters

The weathermen were right and the rain blew out of our corner of Virginia in the early morning hours.  When the sun appeared, and because I'm feeling better, I decided we weren't going to be lazy and that things were going to get done around the house.  I cleaned half of the house and then told Carl we needed to head outside and get the yard work done. 

~Annie~

Even though Carl still can't really do anything other than drive the tractor, it's something.  He put it off for a little bit, and then decided he was tired of hearing me nag him, ask him when he was going to get started, and so he went outside, taking the dogs with him.  A little while later I came out and found that Carl wasn't mowing but was in the barn working on the weed-whacker and trying to figure out if it is still capable of fulfilling it’s lawn-care duties.  I could see CarrieAnne at the far-side of the yard, with Todd intently watching whatever she was doing.  Josh and Sheba were nearby playing with the frisbees.  

Cissy was laying in the grass. 

It was really one of those real, visceral moments when I looked around and realized that everything was as it should be.  

Everyone seemed happy, and that was all that mattered.