Sunday, May 30, 2010

Happiness is a warm puppy! -Charles Shultz

"A puppy is but a dog, plus high spirits, and minus common sense." -Agnes Repplier

These are 2 of the more adorable houseguests we've had come to visit and the poor things were relegated to the Garage!

Ernie (tan pup on the right) belongs to Webb and Bodie (black pup on the left) belongs to Anna. I guess their "Brangelina" name would be "Bernie."

Ernie and Bernie are 8 week old Beagles. And they are really cute! Spoken (written) by a person who is not-so-crazy-about-dogs-altogether (which makes the statement quite a compliment)! And I say that "ernie"estly (earnestly - get it?).

Puppies are just like babies; cute enough that when they wreak havoc you still forgive the little monsters! They are also like babies because the best time to hold them is when they are tired. Until they get lethargic, they have no interest in cuddling.

I have to say that the very best thing about your son getting a dog is knowing how much he is going to learn! Some of it will be sheer joy and others times....not so much! Webb was pretty convinced that Torrey and Kona were both "a piece of cake" in terms of time and effort. But dogs seem pretty low maintenance to youth who don't bear the brunt of care taking.

So, it will be interesting to see if Webb's perspective shifts on the relative ease of owning pets! That said, Ernie and Bodie look like they'll be worth the effort! As I noted: they are really cute!

In tribute to Bodie & Ernie, one of my favorite quotes from John Grogan's book, Marley and Me:
"A person can learn a lot from a dog, even a loopy one like ours. Marley taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. He taught me to appreciate the simple things - a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. And as he grew old and achy, he taught me about optimism in the face of adversity. Mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty."