The cold windy weather is perfect for sleeping in, especially when we are taking a few days off from the early morning cycles to rest for Saturday’s relay. Well, there is nothing like a puppy to change plans. A nine week old Springer spaniel. He is a gift for a friend, and supposed to be a surprise, so we got to keep him last night. Pearl was not overjoyed to be displaced in our attentions for the evening, but Phoebe was actually less grumpy than usual. We set the little guy’s kennel next to her bed, and she slept by him all night without a whimper. Which makes me think that 12 year old Phoebe is not only near sighted, she’s stone deaf. There are benefits to old age when it comes to barking puppies, it turns out. We took the puppy out at 3:30am, and then sometime around 4:00 Chip started shouting in his sleep about zombies. He has never talked in his dreams before, but it must have been all that barking. At 5:00 I gave up and fed and walked the puppy. He really is very nice when he’s on your lap or underfoot. He was picked up at about seven and met his new owners, who are still cooing over that puppy smell and sweet, sweet face. I hope they have ear plugs for tonight. Or maybe we can give them Phoebe, too, you know, to puppysit. Then again, we may need her tonight when the Juneau grand-dog, bouncy Annie (the year-old retriever Carorline calls “Stop It”), arrives for the weekend. It’s just one big (and little) dog party around here.
