Poor Iris. She lays in one dog bed and is quickly followed by puppy Tilly who has a super squeaky rubber toy in her mouth. Tilly happily squeaks her toy time after time...at least 10 squeaks per second. Iris gets up and goes to the other bed. Tilly happily follows "squeak squeak squeak" Iris sighs and lays down and Tilly give the toy a little toss, it lands just under Iris' nose. Tilly takes the toy and rolls around in the bed next to Iris. Iris gets up and goes back to the other bed. It takes just a moment for Tilly to realize she is being left. Iris stands in the bed looking hopeless as Tilly lolls around on her back kicking her legs in the air and twisting. Iris is determine now to get this bed to her self. She waits until the pup is distracted then wedges her whole body into a bed that was meant for a 20 pound dog. No room for puppy to share that bed....of course Iris getting out of that bed may require someone to pull the bed off her rump. Before you feel too sorry for Iris I should tell you she has her own version of playing with the puppy. She plays that greyhound favorite "You run so I can catch you and make you stop". Tilly thinks it is a stupid game but if Iris will play with her she will play whatever Iris wants to play.

Dusk had another scare last week. More than a week ago on Saturday he went from feeling pretty good to feeling crummy. I could see him wilting almost before my eyes. Once again his temperature spiked. I called the vet and we started him on big doses of antibiotics again. I was in contact with the vet all week end and Monday I took Dusk in first thing to be checked. Another x-ray showed that the mass in his chest is still growing. I spent the next several days staying with him as much as possible. I canceled some classes and made every effort to be there when he needed me. I nearly made the appointment to let him go more than once. Thursday evening he was breathing labored and seemed to be fading. I was certain we would be taking him into the vet first thing in the morning. I got up during the night to check him and he seemed like he was sleeping comfortably. I got up early to evaluate him so Darrin knew if he was going in to work or calling in late. But Dusk seemed like he was actually feeling better and Darrin headed off to work. From then on Dusk seems like he has been actually doing well again. He packs his toys around, barks at the neighbors dog and has a good appetite. I don't know exactly what is happening in that chest of his but I am thankful he is again feeling like himself. Today he even did his favorite move....a somersault in my lap.

Other than annoying the other dogs, Tilly is doing super. She is so smart and learns so quick. She already has a list of things she knows. Darrin and I both are really enjoying her. The weather has been nice and I have been able to get my pony out for a drive or two. Apple seems to like the drives as much as I do. It is fun to watch him moving right along with his ears up and a prance in his step. The doves have been able to go out to the flight cage during the day which is so nice after the long cold months. And the cat....well Sigh has a brother now....although he doesn't know it yet. We were up in Ronan yesterday looking at an armoire I decided not to buy. The woman's porch was covered in cats. She said they were feral strays. She told us many of them showed up after a house in the neighborhood burned down. She had been trying to tame them in hopes of finding them homes but said she hadn't had much luck. I had noticed this cream colored cat when we pulled up. He actually walked towards us when we approached the house. When he came right up to me and I scooped him up...so much for feral. The lady raised her eye brows in surprise and said "Please take him". I looked at Darrin and asked "Well?" Darrin said "He seems to like us". The lady ran for a box before we changed our minds. The cat was far from relaxed but he let me hold him and then stuff him in a box. Next thing we knew we were heading home with a stinky, dirty feral cat in a box behind the drivers seat. Thankfully the box stayed closed. The cat has been dubbed Malarkey and will head to the vet on Wednesday for his rites of passage into pethood (neutering and shots). He isn't super friendly but hopefully with the help of a smallish cage for a few days and good stinky food I can win him over. For now I am happy he used his litter box and hasn't tired to scratch my eyes out. Hopefully he will blossom now that he has a name and belongs somewhere.