Slight Detour: Dog Daze and Such

It's rather amazing, thinking about the first full day with a brand new puppy, how life has changed and how we oldies have actually survived, as has the puppy.

Surprisingly, a lot got accomplished in spite of the adjustments to having an addition to the family.

Bridie spent part of her first day playing in the outdoor run while Liam and Foster tolerated the situation.

While they were in the run, I finished my chores and went to town to get a collar that would fit.

While surveying the scant offerings, I couldn't help but chuckle while listening to another couple checking out items in the dog section.

"He'll have that eaten in about ten minutes."

Yeah, I could sure identify with that comment, thanks to past puppy experiences---most recently with Liam who ate everything, including parts of the couches.

He especially liked the plastic in Folgers coffee cans so much, I had to hide the cans which, as chew toys, had gotten me through other previous puppies.

Liam not only chewed; he ate.

We found many a red plastic speckles in his dog logs to prove it!

Amazingly, Liam's system tolerated all that plastic.

Other comments from the couple at North 40, as they looked at collars and toys, indicated to me they'd also had puppies before.

Finally, I turned around and engaged.

They'd had their new puppy two days. They had also experienced some dynamics issues with the two older dogs, which apparently hadn't been too keen about their new puppy.

Soon, we figured out that we are actually neighbors.

Yes, there's another new puppy here in Selle, and I have some nice new friends because, thanks to puppy parenting.

I learned later that they had finally come up with a name for their little boy: Harley.

A family name and a connection with Harley-Davidsons influenced that decision.

As for our Bridie, she was named before we ever conceived the thought of having a puppy.

After meeting the manager of The Bar on the Aran Island of Inis Mor last month, I learned that BrIdie is a nickname for the common Irish name of Bridgette (which has several spelling variations). Bridgette is a name that appears in our family ancestry.

What a pretty name, I thought immediately after Bridie Tierney disclosed her name in an informal introduction.

From that day forth, I decided that if I ever had another female horse or dog, her name would be Bridie---not to be confused with Birdie.

Anyway, back to the North 40 experience in the puppy aisle, it was obvious that commonality often breeds new friendships. I'm told to think of them as the "BB's," aka Beth and Bill.

We finally went on our respective ways. With a new red collar and two bouncing bally chew toys, I made my purchase and drove home.

Well, that trip, except for meeting some new friends from the neighborhood, turned out to be a big waste.

I had purchased a collar exactly the same size as the first one, which was too big. The collar looked smaller but was size 20, just like the one I had at home.

Not wanting to drive back to town, I went to the shop where the combination of a rather dull hole punch, a nail, a hammer and a screwdriver eventually led to an extra hole in the new collar.

I figure I can do the same with Collar No. 1, and we'll have a backup collar.

Bridie spent most of the rest of the day in the house, 'cept for potty breaks. She has been a very good puppy, but occasionally No. 1 seeps out rather easily.

We do have a big bottle of Resolve on the kitchen island. Haven't had to use it much, but it's there.

At one point during the afternoon, Bridie saw the horses lined up at the fence. Apparently, when horses are in a field, they need some barking attention OR a herd dog running the fence line like Liam does for hours each day.

Bridie barked at those horses through that sliding glass door for at least ten minutes. They paid no heed.

Mid-afternoon, we left Liam and Foster home----to get some rest---and headed for town. Bridie made three get-acquainted stops.

She helped me deliver a present to my friend Helen. She met Bill's colleagues Lee and John at Inland Forest Management, and she met her aunts, Barbara and Laurie.

I can happily report that during all those visits, she had no accidents, and she was a delightful little visitor in all cases.

I think we're going to like this little lady a lot, and I'm beginning to believe that with all her apparent natural familiarity with people and places around the Lovestead she might just be a reincarnation of our beloved Kiwi.

And, if such things happen, that's very okay with us.

Don't get me wrong. Like any puppy, she's keeping us on our toes but making it comparatively easy.

In other news, it's snowing today, which at this point is much more desirable than the rain we were getting earlier this morning.

I did notice yesterday that Bill has the plow on the back of the tractor, so if too much falls, we can plow.

This is definitely feast week with turkey day coming up Thursday and ALL those Gonzaga games.

Tonight, the ZAGS will meet another test of their No. 1 status when they take on No. 2 UCLA. Should be a fun game to watch, as will the Duke contest later in the week.

Big win last night against Central Michigan, and we're hoping for a trifecta.

GO, ZAGS

7 p.m. PST on ESPN.

Tonight is also Willie's home opener for his Sandpoint Girls varsity basketball team. It's been a rough start for the Bulldogs, but Willie said the young, inexperienced squad showed great improvement in Lewiston this past Saturday.

Wishing them all the best of luck.

GO, BULLDOGS!

Finally, the local paper's history column from 50 years ago (below) led off this morning with someone this family knows well.

Fifty years later, Capt. Brown and his wife Mary are spending the week in Houston.

They've been on a long-awaited road trip for the past several days. Now, they'll stay in Houston for a week and then on to San Antonio (where our mother lived in the Gunter Hotel when she was a little girl).

We're so happy for them, as we are everyone who is finally having the opportunity to enjoy traveling again. It's so good for the soul and for a renewed attitude on life.

Be sure to read all the history notes, especially if you're local. You may recognize a few names.

Happy Tuesday.