We're Back

Momma Pug and family arrived back in the great city of Houston today at 3 p.m. If you met a navy Trailblazer on I-10 with a man driving and a pug in the front seat with him and two fuzzy dogs in the back with a fat woman, then you saw us. Sonny the Pug pitched a hissy fit to sit with his daddy. But not in his daddy's lap. No sir. His tantrum was for him to sit next to the Aggie while Aggie drove. Now, let me just say that I do not think its sane behavior for someone to give up their seat in the car for a dog. However, after 24 hours on the road you become more open to such ideas --and not just for the sake of making your dog stop pouting with you for leaving him for 11 days. No, after 24 hours on the road you start to loose your will to go on. You start giving into to urges and taking the easier way out. Today it was just easier for me to sit in the back of the SUV, hold Deuce and Ripken and let Sonny have his way. I am exhausted and ache from fall off the tram. I just didn't have it in me to fight with the pug.

Ripken, god love him, hasn't pouted in the least. He's just so glad to have his people back and in his home again that he's practically thanking us for leaving him at the vets for over a week. When we went to pick him up, the vet came out and asked us exactly what kind of dog Ripken is. We honestly aren't sure, we told him. Ripken was adopted from the Houston SPCA. They thought his mom was a Cairn terrier. They have no idea what sired him. After we shared this story with the vet, he said, "Well, folks I have to tell you... Ripken is the most amazing dog I have ever seen. He's sweet, gentle and loving. He wants to make everyone happy. He was a joy to have and I hope he comes back soon. You guys should really consider making him a therapy dog -- you know to visit folks in the hospital. He'd be soooo good at that. His disposition is certainly one of a kind. He's just so amazing. I wish that I could have a dog just like him. He's wonderful."



Then the vet got down on one knee and kissed Ripken on the head and Ripken gave him a big lick on the face and a doggy sort of hug. Meanwhile, Deuce is climbing on top of his daddy's head and threatening to bite an elderly lady who is just trying to buy a small sack of dog food. Without missing a beat, the vet gives Rippy one last rub on the year and says: "I'll miss you so much Ripken." Then, as an afterthought: "Bye Deuce."



I think that pretty much sums up our family. Ripken is amazing. Sonny has to stay with Cussy because he's delicate and no one but us loves Deuce. And even we don't like him all the time. In fact, if he weren't so cute I would have murdered him by now. In the two hours since we've been home, Gertrude has tried to kill him. Twice. And that's taken some effort considering that she's spending more of time making us pay for leaving her alone with just the comforts of Grumpy for a week. I sense that tonight I will be bitten in the face for no particular reason while I sleep.



"When I am done with you, fucker, you will wish the fall off the tram in Virginia had killed you. Fucker."