SETTLING

Saturday June 4-Saturday June 11, 2011

Joe had a great time. The weather wasn’t the best, but he still is glad he went and got to see all he did. You’ll have to ask him about it because I doubt he’ll get on here and write about it.

Joe made the comment after he got home that this is what it must feel like for the parent that works all day and comes home to hear about all their kids habits and what they like to do. As most of you know, Chance is our baby. After a week in the house just the two of us, I learned everything she likes to do. On the weekend when we wake up a little later than normal, Chance is not in her bed. She’ll have already made her way downstairs to try and bask in the sunrays coming in from the 8’ wide sliding patio door between the living room and back deck. In the afternoon she will do the same behind the couch by the coat closet on the remaining bit of carpet before the hardwood floor entry, to catch the rays from the high windows in the 2 story foyer/stairway.

This house is so much bigger than our old place, we often lose her and have to call her because we can’t find her. 9 times out of 10 she is in the living room in one place or another, but without fail she’s usually curled up sleeping right under our feet between the couch and coffee table. She hasn’t found her favorite spot yet though in the living room.

She is apprehensive of the gas fireplace. We are still learning where all the light switches are so we often mistakenly turn on the fireplace. She hears the low whoosh noise and immediately has to go investigate. Even after it’s turned off she spends the next 10 minutes or so staring at the fireplace because someone has to keep an eye on it. To her that sound comes out of nowhere so she’s worried about why. Eventually she forgets about it, because let’s face it she’s a dog and can’t focus on one thing for too long. 

The other strange new behavior of her’s has to do with her basket of toys. She was so excited to see them all the night I unpacked them. I had brought her favorites, her kong, tennis ball and squeaky green beer bottle (thank you Pat, Chrissi & Liam for the awesome Christmas gift!) to the house in Bellingham, but I guess all her “forgotten” toys really peaked her interest (much like my long lost jackets). She will proceed to pull multiple toys out at a time and have a grand old time pretending to bring them to us to play with and then run away before our hand is close enough to get them. She has 3 ropes and without fail, all 3 are strewn across the room. It looks like I’m going to have to begin her training again of fetching her toys and putting them back in the basket. Someone’s gonna have to teach that dog to clean because I’m not going to do it all the time.

Her other new favorite toy was actually a gift of mine from an old-coworker. His daughter had picked out rubber duckies for the whole studio, each one dressed up to suit the person. Mine used to sit on my desk, next to the rubber duckie of my deskmate. She might not be happy to hear that Chance has really taken a liking to playing with it. She fortunately isn’t the type of dog to tear apart rubber toys and eat the shreds. I actually think the duck might stay around for a while until she gets overly excited playing one night and has her tooth go through the thing. I hope my deskmate is enjoying her maternity leave. It sounds like she has really taken a liking to motherhood. Knowing how much she loves her 2 dogs, her son is in the most capable hands imaginable. 

Chance still hasn’t learned her boundaries yet with the yard. Being on a cul-de-sac with wedge-shaped lots, I can see why she has issues knowing “her” area. 

Thursday to celebrate all the new hires my company had a happy hour. We had $2 PBR & Tartar Tots at Noc Noc, an introductory GGLO stable. I didn’t get to stay long since Joe was out of town and I needed to get home to take care of Chance. They are still hiring so I’m sure there will be another one soon.