Slacker Mom

Good grief. I'm such a slacker... Last post was in July and there's been so much that has transpired between then and now.

<ahem> August was uneventful and September was much of the same.

October was an entirely different story...

First off, there were two family weddings, both of which were spectacular - sister-in-law and niece were married to two of the nicest fellows. Then there was the house-sitting gig at my sister's home on the Central Coast at the end of the month -- ten days of solitude with me and Poppy, two resident kitties and a green Amazon parrot.

Pops and I had a great time together. And the kitties only tortured her a little... She was a good sport about the circus-performer who walked across the top of the enclosure eying her with great curiosity. She never barked or lunged at him. Not once.

She lives with a cat so she wasn't in total shock. I think it was more that they were unknowns and did behave as expected. Oliver, the home cat, is big and confident. He has no trouble putting Pops in her place, albeit gently. He will even deign to play with her on the rare occasion. The pair of cats we were taking care of were a different story.

For the most part they kept their distance and stared at Pops with wide, startled eyes. Tigger, the male and more bold of the pair, would jump up and gingerly walk across the "gate" to Poppy's enclosure. He was terribly fascinated with the the large creature who defied explanation in his world. His sister, Pepper, wanted nothing to do with the big dog and would freeze for about two seconds when Pops was in the living room and then zip off to another part of the house where she felt safe.

 Poppy and Tigger had a funny interaction one evening. When she was in the living room, I had her on a long lead so she wouldn't be able to chase the cats. She and Tigger had a little routine -- he would jump up on the back of the couch and she'd put her front paws up and they'd play "keep away" with the cat always just out of reach. The night was chilly so I started a fire in the wood stove. The crackling sound puzzled Pops and she kept cocking her head trying to figure out what that new noise was and alternately searching for the cat. Surprise!

One of the best things we did was to attend National Pit Bull Awareness Day sponsored by SociaBull of Monterey County. The weather was clear and warm and it was so much fun to see so many bullies in one place! Pops was very well behaved and we made some new acquaintances. Just wish I'd had four hands--two for the dog and two for the camera. I'm merely human so no pics of the event. You can find some on SociaBull's Facebook event page.

When we weren't lounging and napping, we did a lot of walking through the low hills and pleasant countryside. It was idyllic as always and, while I do miss living in a more rural area, I realized that it was just too quiet. Coming home to the noise and bustle of Richmond felt like home. I think Pops was glad to have her freedom back, too.

P.S. Poppy passed her basic obedience class!