HER GREATEST CONCERN

A dear friend and one of my clients passed away on Sunday after an 18 month battle with breast cancer. She was one of my first clients when I started my business almost 6 years ago.  Judy Loucks was an amazing women with many talents and a warm, generous heart.  She was one of those people who could love her pets deeply without spoiling them.  That's not to say that her pets didn't have the best of everything, because they did. But her pets, especially her dogs were well behaved, respectful and a joy to be around.

I always felt a deep bond with Judy because she was a practical, straight forward person and because the deep connection she had with her dog Dunn reminded me so much of the relationship that I had with my dog Kobe.  In many ways our dogs were our soul mates.  When she first learned that her cancer had returned and spread, her first thought was of her dogs.  Her greatest concern was their welfare after she was gone.

Dexter is 18 months and Dunn is 9 years old


Judy and I discussed options to place her dogs in the event of her death.  Dexter still being very young, she thought that he would be more adaptable and she hoped he could go to someone with an active lifestyle to give an outlet to all of his energy.  Dunn being older and starting to slow down didn't have the same requirements.  She felt it might be better to place them in different homes.  She knew I adored both of her dogs and would do anything to keep them both happy.  She asked me if I would consider adopting them.  Her brother Chuck had already offered them a wonderful home, but the dogs knew me and my family really well and she knew that the easiest transition for them would be to our home where they have spent so much time .

We discussed it as a family and Becca and Jared really wanted us to take both dogs.  Becca was already taking Dexter as her companion as she went running almost every day. Chuck knew it would be a major change to his lifestyle to have a dog back in the house and needed more time to think it over.  His gift to me for Mother's Day this year was permission to adopt both dogs.

Even though I adore Dexter, I didn't think it was the best choice for him in the long run.  Becca and Jared will probably only be at home for a year or so, and after that our house would be a little dull for him.  Whereas Judy's brother, Chuck is an avid outdoorsman with an active lifestyle built around hunting, fishing and camping.  He and his wife Cathy live on 5 acres in the woods in Montana.  They really wanted Dexter and hoped to field train him. Dex is the type of dog that really needs a "job" and being a hunting companion for Chuck sounds ideal.

I am thrilled to give Dunn a home for the rest of his life. He is such a sweetheart! Very mellow, well behaved and has perfect house manners. He is very attached to people and not that interested in other dogs- even his housemate Dexter.  He tolerated his presence, but just barely. Both dogs will benefit from being and "only" dog and being the recipient of all the attention.

It is so fun to have a dog sleeping on the floor next to my bed again!!
 

LESSONS FROM THE PACK

 I have discovered that some of life's greatest lessons can be learned from a pack of dogs.

Get some exercise every day.



Take the time to play in a puddle.

 

Pay attention when food is being offered

 There's no better way to cool off than to get in the water.

 

Always share your toys.

 
 

 

If something is in your way, move it.

 

 

 



 

 When it's hot outside, go find some shade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is nothing more delightful than the sound of rushing water.

 

 

 





Take the time to show those you love how you feel.






The final bit of advice from the pack:

When "poop" happens, just kick some dirt over it and move on.
 

YOUR EDUCATION WAS NOT WASTED

My daughter Rachel, husband Nate and their two children Evelyn age 2, and Douglas age 1 (plus dog Odie)


Today being Mother's Day, I wanted to share a topic that my daughter Rachel addressed on her blog a couple of days ago.  She lives in Idaho and had read an article she found on KSL news written by a journalist by trade, but currently a full-time mom. The journalist had been invited to address a class of high school students regarding career choices.  She fielded the expected questions about how to choose which college to go to, how did she decide on a major, etc.  The she was hit by a question she wasn't expecting- why go to college when you are just going to be a stay-at-home mom? She responded with the usual,  to provide for herself and her family in case of the death or disability of her husband.

But if she had the chance to respond to that question after some pondering she would answer that being a mother is a very difficult job and that one needs to get all the education and preparation for that job one can possibly get. After all, C.S. Lewis said that "the homemaker is the ultimate career.  All other careers exist simply to support it."

I would absolutely agree that no matter what you get your college degree in, it will not be wasted in a job as a full time mother.  You will need every skill and all the knowledge possible to succeed at what I think is the most important career choice possible.  The rearing and educating of the next generation.

You wouldn't leave your child at a day care with unlicensed or untrained workers for a few hours, why don't children deserve at least the same level of preparation from the parent that cares for them the rest of the day. 

Heather Hale, the writer of the KSL article declares that "motherhood is the most noble, challenging and intellectually stimulating profession on the planet."

I wholeheartedly agree.

SUBMARINER

This is Maggie, a 9 year old Springer Spaniel that loves to dive for rocks.  Here, she is intently watching the water for the "tell tale splash" that means I have thrown a rock into the water for her to retrieve. If this was a video, you would notice that her little stub of a tail is furiously wagging, telling me "ok, I'm ready- throw it".

Other dogs like balls. Note the one in the Golden's mouth. Maggie is not like other dogs, she prefers rocks.  Here, she has seen the splash  and she goes to work.

Found it!!

RIGHT HAND MAN

Since Chuck travels so much, I am very grateful to have Jared living at home while he is going to college. He is tall so he can reach things I cannot, he is strong so he can lift things I cannot, and he is cheerful about doing it.  Plus, he makes the best guacamole, ever!!

He stays busy attending daily classes, going to institute, working out daily at the gym and tending his garden.  He helps out around the house by getting the trash out for pickup every week and doing the dishes every night after dinner. 

He is a huge help around the house.  He spent all morning today cleaning out gutters. He often helps me with yard work, and he even washed my car this week!

He is thoughtful.  When he leaves the house, he asks if there is anything I need him to do before he goes. Then he asks if there is anything I need for him to pick up while he is out.

We are somewhat competitive about our respective gardens.  He has a vegetable garden, and I have a flower garden.  We both have our own little secrets to making our garden succeed.  We share them with one another, but I don't agree with his methods and he doesn't agree with mine.  I have learned my methods by trial and error over the past 25 years.  Jared has learned his by a lot of reading and research and following experts advice. Somehow, at the end of the season, both gardens are gorgeous even though our approaches are totally different.

Jared is very nutrition conscious.  He has a very healthy diet and teaches me a lot about nutrition.  Any food that I pick up, Jared can tell me off the top of his head what the nutrient content of it is.  We share a love of herbal teas, and love to try new ones to receive healthful benefits.  Chuck recently bought us a Ninja blender and the whole family has gotten into "juicing" and smoothies.  We are whipping up green smoothies daily with spinach and kale. Jared is very good about being able to eat things that are good for him even if it doesn't taste that great.  Me? Not so much.

Jared is very interested in current events and learning new things.  He has a subscriptions to the magazines "The Economist", "National Geographic" and "Snowboarder".  He is very politically aware and a very independent thinker. His opinions are always thoughtful and well researched.

To sum it up, he is an amazing young man, one that a mother could be proud of- in fact, I am. Very.

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

 

It is warming up here in the Northwest. Which means we are consistently above 60 degrees.  We have even hit 70 degrees once so far, and the next few days promise to bring a few more 70 degree days.

Above is Dexter who has discovered that the fountain in his front yard is just his size.  On warm days he gets in it and lies down right on top of the bubbler.  What a chill dog. Literally. When they say that Golden Retrievers are water dogs, he certainly lives up to his reputation.  If there is water any where around, you cannot keep him out of it.  Even if it is just a mud hole, he will plop himself down in it. Of course, he loves to swim and he goes nuts if you turn on a sprinkler or a hose. During warm days I always take my pack to the water so they can swim and exercise without overheating.

The ground is warming up enough for Jared to rototill and put in his vegetable garden last Saturday.  My flower garden is exploding.  My tulips are just past full bloom and starting to fade just as my oriental poppies are close to blooming. My peonies have buds on them as well.  The apple and pear tree are in full bloom. This is a gorgeous time in the Northwest when the Rhododendrons and the Lilacs come into bloom.

I have worked in my garden weeding every single day this week, which also means I have gotten into the hot tub every evening to soothe my sore muscles. There is something so zen about gardening.  Communing with nature, pondering life's problems while one digs in the dirt.  Nurturing growing things.  It just puts me in a good mood and makes me happy.  And you know what they say about if Momma ain't happy..........