Slight Detour: Happy Birthday, Helen; Bridie Comes Home

A birthday greeting to my good friend and editor---one for each year of her life----if I can count right that is!

Happy Birthday, Helen, Happy Birthday, Helen; Happy Birthday, Helen; Happy Birthday, Helen.

Happy Birthday, Helen, Happy Birthday, Helen; Happy Birthday, Helen; Happy Birthday, Helen.

Happy Birthday, Helen, Happy Birthday, Helen; Happy Birthday, Helen; Happy Birthday, Helen.

Happy Birthday, Helen, Happy Birthday, Helen; Happy Birthday, Helen; Happy Birthday, Helen.

Helen, you are the ultimate friend to me and a whole lot of other people.

Thank you for that friendship.

Hope you have a wonderful day and that ALL your friends call you up.

BTW: you can find Helen Newton in the local telephone book (look for Skip).

~~~~~~

Moving on---that's what we did yesterday. We moved on down the highways for more than 500 miles, and now our lives here at the Lovestead will move on with the addition of Miss Bridie Love.

Bridie came from the Skagit Valley in Northwest Washington. I realized after agreeing to purchase her that all three of our beloveds are Washington dogs.

Foster came from south of Seattle; Liam came from a farm in Hunters, Wash., and now Bridie from Concrete.

We met Griffin and Bridie outside the Starbucks in Ellensburg, Wash. Bridie was outside playing with Griffin when we drove up.

Griffin probably saw the biggest smile ever to come from this face as we walked over to meet the little pup.

Actually, she's not THAT little. Bridie is almost 13 weeks old, which is five weeks older than Liam was when we picked him up.

A lot of growth happens to pups in five weeks.

Bridie rode to Ellensburg with Griffin, free range, so to speak with no leash and no crate.

Her introduction to a collar went okay until it slipped off at the first rest stop east of Ellensburg. We stopped there because, with Bridie's size, she could not get very comfortable sitting in my lap.

So, we turned the leash into a makeshift collar/leash combo, gave her some food and water and then put her in the crate.

One thing I've noticed about Bridie: brand new experiences?

Heck, she acts like she's done them all her life, just like she acts like she's known us all her life.

She took to the crate with no problems, and by the second rest stop, she figured out how to lead.

I must say that a big Great Dane named Sophie (a pup herself at eight months) unknowingly intimidated Bridie as she strolled with her own around the doggie business section of the rest stop.

Overall, I would say the ride home was a great success with our new beloved.

One thing we learned from Griffin is that Bridie has a tiny white heart on her nose. So, we're guessing it was meant to be that she should come and live at the Lovestead.

Upon arriving home, the next adjustment came when Bridie met her new brothers. Lots of curiosity and sniffing on both sides, to say the least.

Foster puts her in her place when she takes up too much of Mom's time, but it's just a snarl, which he usually shares with other dogs vying for what he deems his space.

Willie and Debbie stopped by for a sandwich and got acquainted.

This morning I can report that Bridie has been very good about doing most of her business outside. A few mistakes but not bad AND she slept through the night.

I took her to the barn for early chores this morning so Bill wouldn't have to yell a lot of "No's." After all, she has reached the "chew everything in sight" stage.

So far so good and such a loving little gal she is.

I think she's going to fit right in, and so far, she acts like we'll be an okay family for her.

All good. A bit of constant planning of the next move, but all fun.