New neighbors/three dogs.

We met the newest neighbors this week. A thirty-ish couple with two young girls and three little dogs. Very nice family, and they're thrilled to have their little house at the bottom of our hill. "Our hill." We all say that up here.... the few families that live on top of the hill each call it "our hill," the families living further down call it "up the hill." Somehow, it works.... we all know just what we mean.

Three little dogs down there at the new neighbors..... all very cute, very friendly, all running around their property and walking back and forth in the road. Does the new neighbor know about the coyotes? Does she know she can't leave those cat-sized dogs out during the night? They'd be gone by morning, if a coyote came along looking for a moon-lit midnight snack. We'll have to mention that the next time we see them.

I brought them some chocolate brownies when we stopped by to say hello yesterday afternoon. A new recipe, made with a German Chocolate cake mix..... came out more like cake than brownies, but they were delicious. I cut them into squares, frosted them, put little plastic flower pics into each one because I thought the kids would like the decorations.... and called them cake squares instead of brownie squares. I gave mostly all of them to the new neighbors, gave two to the handyman when he left yesterday, and saved just two for us. Easy way to cut down on calories-- bake what you want, then give 95% of it away.

Those little dogs down there...... so cute, except for their summer haircuts. If you're going to have a long-haired dog, then deal with it. Brush them every day to keep their hair clean and un-matted. I doubt very much that a long-haired dog is going to want to be shaved for the summer. The long hair keeps their skin cool..... shave it off, and their skin is going to be burning in the sun. I wouldn't say that to the neighbors, of course, but that's the first thing I thought of when I saw those buzz-cut little dogs playing in the 102-degree sun.

Dogs. We're still talking about Gracie here. Still expecting to see her first thing in the morning when we walk into the kitchen. Still expecting her to be sitting next to us in the TV room at night. I am, however, getting used to not having to get her outside before we go out, after we get home, and rushing back from wherever we've been if she's been in the house too long. Gracie was an old dog.... going out two times a day just wasn't enough for her, as it had been for so many of her years with us.

The house is dog-less. We are dog-less. After 14 years of having that smiling doggie-face looking up at us, this dog-less living takes some getting used to. I keep telling myself that it will get better, get easier, as time passes. I wonder about people who have never had pets in their house. Is it because they're just not pet-people? Do they not want the extra work? The extra responsibility? Don't they need those little doggie-smiles and kitty-purrs?

And who knows..... maybe the no-pets people are better off. Their hearts don't get broken when that last day comes and you have to make a decision to put an end to what was once a life that was so much a part of you and your home. Maybe it was so hard with Gracie because it was all so unexpected. Up till the day before we took her to the vet, she seemed to be just fine. Who would have known that all of that horrible stuff was growing inside of her?

I need to stay away from the pet shelter. Stay away from the pet shelter. Stay away. I haven't been back there since I donated all of Gracie's food and treats, but that doesn't keep my mind from going back there at all hours of the blessed day and night. I wonder what happened to that pretty white dog...

Stay away from the pet shelter. Stay away.