Bodie and Brady playing

We took Bodie with us to our daughter's home the other evening because she fixed us a ... FREE DINNER!   Yup!   So, off we went, taking Bodie with us.   He really gets along with our 2 year old grandson, Brady.   Mentally they are about the same age...

Bodie update!

Bodie has now been with us for 10 days and we just can't believe what a wonderful dog he is.   We think he was around children.  We took him to our daughter's house and he played with her kids one entire afternoon while she cooked dinner for us.   He was fine with the kids (ages 2 and 5).  They eventually wore him out and he came home and toddled off to bed at 8 p.m., right on schedule.

He's only had 2 accidents in the house.   The first one was the day he came home (he obviously wasn't potty trained), and another one this morning when I was gone to Target and WalMart for groceries.  I reminded hubby to pay attention to his behavior, but... OF COURSE he ignored me and didn't look up from his laptop apparently the entire time I was gone.   So, it really wasn't the puppy's fault....(if you know what I mean...).... Poppa just wasn't parenting.

So, because it was ONLY 108 here today, Bodie and I spent some time in the back yard.   He ran around the yard and started DIGGING under our Chinaberry tree. ... digging and digging...MAN!  Those little paws sure can MOVE!   He ended up with dirt all over his nose!   He's asleep now and the cat came into my office.

I finished 2 journals this weekend and am starting another one.   I really LOVE the 9x11 inch size, so tomorrow I'll head over to the library and see if I can find more of them.   You can see them here in my ETSY store:     https://www.etsy.com/shop/DesertsandBeyond?ref=pr_shop_more
I finished my desert/Western themed one, did a Sierra Nevada one, and finished a general botanical one.  It was a busy weekend!

So, until next time...
~~Cheryl Ann~~
I'm wondering why there are NO COMMENTS for weeks and weeks...???WHERE is everybody?

NEW puppy! Meet Bodie!

Hubby and I had planned a 6 day vacation up to the eastern Sierra and by golly, we were gonna do it.   So, off we went last Friday for a stopover in Bishop, then 4 nights in a pet-free cabin in June Lake.

BUT...

Along the way, we stopped at the Inyo County Animal Shelter.   We both have been looking at dogs there.   They always seem to have some BEAUTIFUL ones!   So, we walked in Friday afternoon and went up and down the row of dogs.   I liked a 3 year old Australian cattle dog, but hubby stopped and was looking at a 6 month old lab mix (same coloration as Ripley), whom I had passed by because it was too painful to look at him.   But, hubby hovered.  He liked him...A  LOT.   Bright eyes, eager, friendly, very mellow.   So, we adopted him on the spot.   We couldn't take him to the cabin and he needed to be neutered, so he was neutered Monday (and given his rabies shot) and we picked up Bodie on our way home Wednesday.   I told hubby (it was a 7 hour drive home, 5 hours from the shelter) that I would DRIVE, but HE had to take care of the pup.   Turns out, Bodie slept on his lap almost the entire way home.   I only made 1 stop, in Adelanto, for a potty break.

So, the little guy (with LONG legs) is home now and settling in.   He sleeps on our bed at night, and sometimes he is on top of the cat!  He squiggles and wiggles and has completely taken over our bed.   He does wake up about midnight and he is awake for a couple of hours (me, with him!), but then goes back to sleep about 5 am and sleeps until about 7.  I can live with that.   He LOVES chasing and retrieving balls and we play catch every morning.   He's so mellow that our outside cat, "Mr Gray" just ignores him.   He is used to cattle, rabbits, etc...having lived outside for 6 months.   But, he IS getting potty trained and will go sit by the porch door when he wants or needs to go out.

Here is a photo of me with him at the shelter:

We are on the lookout for a new dog

Well, it's been a month since the vet came out and put Ripley down.   It hasn't been an easy month.   I still have moments of...sadness and tears. 

I was able to clean off the side porch and gather up some of her toys.  I still haven't been able to go into the closet, into her "den" and clean it out, however.   Yesterday I did stop at a thrift store run by an animal rescue and I bought 4 bowls, 1 leash, 2 toys, 3 books (GORGEOUS ONES!) and a pad for the car.   We WILL be stopping at humane societies along our way to June Lake for our trip and hubby is searching internet sites.   We just haven't found a good match for us yet.   Puppies go quickly and we are taking a short vacation soon.   I see a lot of older dogs, but we would prefer one about a year old (OUT OF THE PUPPY STAGE!).   It would have to be one that gets along with young children (5 grandkids) and cats, so that is quite a tall order.   We will know when the dog selects US.  And, it has to be a dog that we both agree upon.  I'm the one who has always brought home our dogs, so I think it is time for hubby to have a say in this! 

I'm trying to eat better and get my body (and mind) back into shape.  I've discovered quinoa and it is YUMMY!   I'm also eating more broccoli.   I run over to Whole Foods and buy a container of the salads I want and I munch on it for a couple of days.

Anyway, that's where things stand. 

Thanks for stopping by.  No photos.  I just haven't had much interest in photos lately.

~Cheryl Ann~