This Little Creature

This is a sight I often see sometime during the day. Martini, awakening from his nap. He’s so small and depends on me, his caretaker, to protect him from all things large harmful. He has no conception of aggressiveness or danger. He’s never met a person or thing he didn’t love.

We have some friends who have a large ten year old golden retriever. We took Martini to their house once and I think they were sort of miffed that I wouldn’t let Martini down to “play” with their dog. I just couldn’t. Even though they say that their dog plays with another Yorkie that belongs to a neighbor, I didn’t trust their dog. Martini is a new dog to their dog and it would only take one move by this big dog to injure Martini.

Well, last night these friends called us and invited us to dinner at their house this weekend. They made a point of asking us to bring Martini too. Mr. Pop said we would love to and now that Martini has his carriage we would bring that for him to be in while we eat and visit. Again our friend insisted that their dog would be fine around Martini and they could “play”.

I just can’t let Martini loose in their house to “play” with such a big dog. My gut tells me it’s dangerous and in the past my vet has told me the same thing. You never know how any dog is going to react to another dog, especially a big older dog to a strange little dog. So we will accept their invitation but Martini will either be held by my or be in his carriage. If their dog did hurt or god forbid kill my dog hearts would be broken and a friendship of so many years would be in all kinds of jeopardy. I’m going with my heart and gut on this, knowing if I do, I will have no regrets.

Surprise

Since our 20th wedding anniversary five years ago, Mr. Pop has been asking me what I would like to do this year on our 25th. I have mentioned all sorts of things but as of late I wanted to make sure whatever we did we could take Martini with us. I won’t even consider flying anywhere and especially putting another dog on a plane. Due to airport negligence I almost lost one of my dogs some years back. They forgot to put her kennel on the plane that I was on. I got her the next day but she was almost dead from stress and the heat in the cargo part of the plane.

Well, yesterday Mr. Pop surprised me with the plans for our anniversary in October. We are going to Savannah Georgia and then work out way up to North Carolina to visit the mountains and see the fall leaves. The best part is the reservations are already made at some amazing bed and breakfast inns. Each of them welcomes little dog. The pictures on the net are of beautiful old homes that have been refurbished to be gorgeous inns.

So now my thoughts are going beyond summer and into fall. I love to have something very special to look forward to and this summer when hurricane season panic sets in I’ll just start thinking about the wonderful fall trip that is to come.

Door to door spam

When I am here alone I seldom open the door when the bell rings. My rule is if I don’t know you or expect you I won’t open the front door to anyone.

Saturday, Mr. Pop was here working at the computer and the door bell rang. Since he was here I picked up Martini and opened the door. There was a man standing there, he was nicely dressed and he had an assortment of papers in his hand. He told me he had been doing a survey in our area and then he flashed a paper with what appeared to be a copy of some sort of postcard copied on it. He said, “Recently you or your husband received a card like this asking if you would like more information…” I said, no neither of us had filled out such a card asking for more information on anything. We know better than to do that and besides we don’t want more information on anything that comes in the mail.

After I stated politely that his information was wrong I politely shut the door. I know there are all sorts of spam on the internet but now it’s going door to door.

Best Valentine's Day Ever!

Yesterday Mr. Pop took me to two different choclatiers so that I could pick out the candy I really like one piece at a time. There was lots of fudge involved and anything that contained raspberries and chocolate. I mean that was serious fun.

Today the florist delivered a beautiful vase of flowers with all my favorite flowers including roses, carnations, lilies and others. That was a wonderful surprise along with the balloons and card than accompanied it.

Tomorrow night Mr. Pop will be preparing beef fillets along with potatoes and a Caesar salad for dinner. We’ll have a special wine to top the dinner off.

See why I said this will be the best Valentine’s day ever? It’s because I married the best Valentine’s sweetheart in the world.

Another week has gone by?

Is it just me or does time seem to be flying by faster than ever before? I know I’m busier than in the past few years but it seems like every time I glance at the calendar another week or month has flown by. Maybe it’s true that time flies when you’re having fun because regardless of how fast time passes I sure am having fun.

Another Manic Monday

Last Monday I was manic because due to a reaction to his annual shots Martini felt bad and refused to eat. I’m a dog mom and something like that worries the hell out of me. By Tuesday morning his appetite had returned and he was fine. There was a great sigh of relief at this house.

Because Martini had an appointment with the vet today to have his teeth cleaned I couldn’t feed him anything this morning. From the time he got up this morning he followed me around with this little question mark over his head. He just couldn’t understand why he couldn’t have any food. I felt like the worst person in the world every time I looked at him.

I just called the vet and Martini came through the procedure just fine and is ready to come home. In case you didn’t know, February is National Dental Awareness Month for dogs and cats so get you pet to the vet to check out his or her pearly whites.

Hopefully next Monday will be less prone to being manic for Martini and me.

That Face

Saturday, February 5, will mark the second anniversary of the first time I saw that face. Yes, Martini has shared the past two years of our lives with us.

I remember like it was yesterday the moment his rescue mom rang my door bell. I was so excited and anxious at the same time. All sorts of questions were running through my head. Questions like will he like us, will we like him and will we all adjust to one another. Had I only known then what I know now, my mind would have been at ease.

After I signed all the papers and the foster mom left, I just stared at this little dog not quite believing he was ours. He was so gentle and so sweet.

The next morning I got an email from the foster mom telling me she cried all the way back to her house. When her husband came home that night he was mad at her because he hadn’t had a chance to tell Martini good bye. Her husband said, “Maybe things won’t work out at his new home and they will give him back to us.” She said she told him, “There’s not a chance in hell that little dog will ever leave that house. The bond was there the second she and that little dog met.”

The foster mom was right as rain. There wasn’t a chance in hell that little dog would leave this house then and the chances are even less today. We have shared two years and we are looking forward to many many more.

(Yes, those are a few of him many dog toys he has received these past two years scattered on the carpet behind him.)

The Way Martini Rolls

I took this picture at the green market this past Saturday. While Martini was safely enclosed in his stroller another small dog was stepped on and badly injured by one of the shoppers. It was a nightmarish scene that will haunt me for a long time.

When we witnessed the accident I told Mr. Pop, “This carriage is worth its weight in gold.”

Little dogs enjoy being with their humans but humans must realize that little dogs stand the risk of harm when they are on their leash and amongst so many big humans and big human feet.

I don’t know how badly that little dog was harmed but from the looks of his condition, it was really bad.