More About Morty

Thank you all for stopping by and reading and commenting on what's been happening in my corner of the world. 

To answer a question, Morty arrived at Golden Pines nearly a month ago. 

Not since Todd have we had we had a smallish dog around the house, so there has been a bit of an adjustment in having Morty around - Especially because he's totally blind. Added to any concern was the vague and few instructions I'd received from his second foster home that specifically mentioned keeping an eye on him around other dogs.

I'd been told Morty got along with other dogs - And I felt confident our crew would be fine around him, but I was now worried his terrier instincts might kick in around unfamiliar dogs. Thankfully he is totally fine, and as expected, our dogs have been fine too and they don't mind his bumping or running into them at times. --I wonder if it was the other dogs in his previous foster home that didn't like Morty bumping into them and that caused a problem?? 

Morty has mostly learned his way around the house and yard. We have used a leash and a clicker to teach him the way - giving him plenty of praise along the way, especially when he's outside. 

He’s gotten comfortable enough that he now has full freedom inside the house -- except at night when he's crated. We still use our voice or the clicker to guide him when needed, but for the most part, he confidently wanders around on his own. 

~A new helper in the kitchen~

Along with being blind and incontinent, Morty deals with struvite stones—mineral deposits in the urinary tract often brought on by UTIs. To manage this, and to try to make sure the stones don't return, he stays on a strict prescription diet (no regular treats) and drinks mostly purified water instead of our mineral-heavy well water, though I still make sure he gets plenty of his favorite treat: ice! I'll add here that unlike his last foster home, I don't ration Morty's intake of water, it's important that he stay as hydrated as possible. 

All that aside, Morty is really a nice little dog. He’s a bit of a social butterfly that responds to our talking to him, and his spirit brightens when you give him praise. 

He’s a fun shadow, that is almost always nearby, and that proverbial "little heartbeat at my feet." 

Was it the Cosmos?

I’m a pretty big believer in karma, serendipity, the cosmos and the universe, fate, faith, or whatever it is you want to call things that happen without any real explanation.  And I confess that I often look for those proverbial signs, and I try to follow them.  

The losses of Max, Jack, Noodle and the latest, Kaboodle have totally gutted me. And one morning as I sat alone with my grief, something popped up on Facebook... 

I knew about this particular story that began in the early part of spring - It was a heartbreaking report that happened in a neighboring county involving FIVE dogs that had been found tethered outside, with little to no shelter in single digit temps in early February. Sadly one dog was dead, and was believed to have died from prolonged exposure to the extreme conditions and malnutrition -💔- The (so called) owners were both arrested and charged **(each with 1 count of felony animal cruelty, 3 counts of Class 1 misdemeanors and 6 counts of Class 4 misdemeanors)**

The four remaining dogs were taken to the local shelter for care and for the court case to work its way through the system. In May, the 4 dogs were released from the shelter and they found their way to 2 different rescues. One of these dogs went to a rescue whose Facebook page I follow. 

He had caught my attention because he was a 10 year old wiry-haired terrier named Morty, that weighed about 30 pounds, and was totally blind and incontinent. 

Of course my heart went out to this senior boy.  I couldn't help but follow Morty's journey that was being posted on Facebook, as he went from the shelter to a foster home, and then he went to a 2nd foster home.

The post that I was reading that particular morning was a plea for a 3rd foster home for Morty. It was needed as soon as possible, or he would have to go into boarding. In that moment, I felt like the cosmos was telling me something, so I thought about it for a couple hours (believe it or not, it was that long!) and I applied to foster him. 

After nearly a week, and not hearing anything or from anyone, I thought I must have misread any sign I'd been given. But no, I was not. I received a call from the rescue. And the next day I made the 3+ hour drive - one way - to a place I'm not sure where I went exactly, to pick up Morty, and bring him home. ❤

~On Our Way Home From Somewhere~

Hello and Goodbye to Kaboodle

When I look back and think about Kaboodle, I know that I was really like a kid before Christmas - I was feeling a blend of anticipation and excitement as my nearly 5 year old dream of adopting a retired Foxhound was finally going to happen. 

~The day we met Kaboodle~

Anyone that had been around me from this past April could testify that the arrival of a retired American Foxhound was practically all (!!) I talked about. And as an overthinker, it was all I could think about. 

The day finally arrived for Kaboodle to come to live with us. He was everything I'd hoped he would be. A true gentlemen. He was very social, easy going and affectionate, gentle and graceful too. Kaboodle seamlessly blended in with the Goldens and Labs and with the cats too. 

Yes, there was that adjustment and some things he had to learn, like not to counter-surf, but it wasn't anything we'd not taught other dogs before him. 

~Checking out the fridge~

Carl and I loved him from the start and we both just knew he belonged with us. ❤ 

As a Foxhound, his breed does best with exercise for both his mind and body. And so of course I dreamed and planned the fun walks and places (like Tennessee) where we'd go for him to take in all the new smells and maybe ones he knew too. We took him for walks around our property and I loved watching him stand there sniffing the air and taking it all in. 

As I've already said, Kaboodle completely stole my heart. He even had a heart on his side. 🤎

But as we were getting to know one another things changed as quickly as they began. He'd been so eager at mealtime, and all of the sudden, he was hardly touching his food. And as much as he loved walks, he resisted being taken. 

We were off to the vet, and through the long process of tests and x-rays, a trusted vet felt that Kaboodle had cancer. Any treatment would not have given him a good outcome or prognosis. 

So, after 30 short days, we said goodbye to Kaboodle.  The words from I Dreamed a Dream from Les Misérables that goes, "There are dreams that cannot be, and there are storms we cannot weather."  could never had been more true. I had so many dreams of the fun and adventures we would have with Kaboodle. But those dreams were not meant to be. 

Its been almost a month now. And I still miss Kaboodle. We crammed a lot of love into the month that he was here. For nearly 10 years, Kaboodle lived the life he was bred for; that of a Foxhound. And he retired to a place where he could dream of those places, and soak up the indoor comforts of a soft bed, and a family that loved and misses him. 

I am beyond grateful to the Foxhound Retirement Program for their kindness, compassion, friendship and support and their dedication and all they do to help retiring Foxhounds like Kaboodle, begin their next chapter, that we all wish could have been longer. We have of course been offered another Foxhound. And maybe, just maybe, in time, there will be another one. 

The Dust is Settling!

Hello Friends!  Thank you, Sallysmom and Stephanie and the others of who dropped by and checked in on us in yet another absence - How kind and thoughtful of you, and it is a perfect reminder of the kindness and friends in the blogging community. ❤

'Tis the sunflower season!

Where to start? I retired from my job on June 10th - My birthday. A perfect day at work, and a nice lunch at an amazing Greek Restaurant that's known for its fresh, modern take on Greek culinary culture. The Doctor that I work (worked?) for, generously ordered practically two of everything on the appetizer, lunch and dessert menu for everyone to try - and I'll confess that I didn't know half of what I was eating, just that it was all delicious! --one page of the menu is below

It was a really nice celebration and a lovely way to end the working chapter of my life.  And I am incredibly grateful for this next chapter. But I have to say that after chasing the clock at work for so many years, adjusting to an open schedule has taken some time. But I am getting used to it and have even adopted a new 'at home' wardrobe. 😊

I found that during the initial 'transition,' I didn't want to leave the house. I just felt emotionally flat.  And when asked by friends how I was doing, I simply said to everyone that 'I just needed the dust to settle on everything.' And I did. I think I was more burned out and tired than I thought. Because I slept. A lot. But after a few weeks, the haze has started to clear, and I am finally feeling better and more energized.

~Ree, like me, not energetic on a hot day~

Of course, no matter how I may be feeling, there are the dogs to keep me busy. And when I wrote my last post I was anxiously and eagerly awaiting the arrival of Kaboodle, a retired American Foxhound that I'd dreamed of having for more than 5 years. I will end this post on that note, because I want Kaboodle to have his own post that will be posted shortly.