You may not be able to tell, but we are bored. Mommy works too much and we always have to ‘hang out.’ We want to play more, run more, eat more, do more things, but nooooooo. We have to wait. Life as a dog can be very boring.
But we forget all about being bored when Mom finally takes us for a walk.
Did you ever notice how everyone wants a piece of Mom’s lap? It is hard to get any space to get comfortable. Don’t they know that she is mine and I should have priority?
Mini Cooper is so rude. She has the nerve to sit on me because she wants the whole lap to herself. Cats can be so pushy, don’t you think?
Sometimes, Bearnard doesn’t mind being close to Mini Cooper as long as she lets him stay on Mom’s lap. I don’t know about you but she looks scary to me.
I give up. I am going to go into my kennel and let Bearnard and Mini Cooper figure it out. Nite Nite – Jolie Olie
Over the years Big Tree, the giant maple in the backyard, has seen many animals. It watched the kids grow up. It shadowed many a pool party. Now it has a new group of protectors.
Jolie and Bearnard are the keepers of the watch in 2024.
Sofie & big tree 2010
Louise & big tree 2009
The Trio 2019
Sofie & big tree 2014
Lulu & big tree 2009
Squash & Louise big tree 2011
Squash E Bear 2007
Jolie & big tree 2024
Bearnard & big tree 2023
Charles & big tree 2022
Nikkolette 2001
In 2023, it was Charles and Jolie.
In 2022, it was Charles, Louise, and Sofie.
In 2013, it was Louise and Sofie.
In 2012, it was Squash and Louise.
In 2011, it was just Squash.
In 2002, it was Nikki and Squash.
They have seen a lot of squirrels come and go and think about all those birds. There was a year (about 3 years ago) that the Cedar Waxwings stayed in Big Tree for a month.
While the dogs were out for a walk, Mini Cooper was happily resting in the sunspot on the stairs.
But, then we came home.
And poor little Mini Cooper was rudely pushed out of her spot by the dogs.
Sometimes life is just not fair. But Mini can get up by the windows if she wants and the fluffballs can’t, so I guess it all works out in the end. Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Happy 8th Birthday, Miss Jolie Olie. You are a crazy, silly, bundle of fluff. Though you have only been with us 1-1/2 years, it seems like much longer. We love you tons!!! Stay forever sweet girl.
Noel has been gone for several weeks now. She was one of our oldest and longest cats. I was thinking about all the events and other animals she lived through in her almost 17 years. She outlived 4 dogs: Squash (2010), Sofie (2022), Louise (2022), and Charles (2023), and left us with 2, Jolie and Bearnard. She outlived her fellow felines Zackary (2010), Cuddles (2010), The Muffin Man (2012), Constance Kitty (2012), and Nine (2022), leaving us with Stella and Mini Cooper. The human children were only in middle and high school when she rescued us and now they are adults with cats of their own. She also had time with multiple Guinea Pigs, Mr. Moto, Georgia, Checkers, and maybe others.
We have been thinking about her a lot these last couple of weeks. Her not being here is very evident.
Dec 2023 – Noel telling Bearnard to get off her spot on the couch
No one really likes to talk about the loss of a beloved pet. No one tells you how much you will cry. That a companion will leave a hole in your heart way bigger than their little 10-pound body.
Oh, and then there is the guilt. Few of us are lucky enough to have our animals pass away peacefully in their sleep. So we feel guilty that we had to ‘put them down,’ or that we ‘let them die.’ Guilty that we didn’t play with them enough or didn’t pet them enough, or this, or that, or any one of a million possible things we could feel guilty for.
No one tells you that you will second guess almost everything you’ve done since they were a kitten. Did we give her the right food for her particular issues? Did she have issues? Should we have done more?
Look Mom, I brought you some birds!
The one thing I can tell you about grief and loss and the continued ebb and flow of missing Noel after being with her daily for 16 years, 10 months, and a bunch of days, is that she is burned into my memory and heart forever.
We all grieve differently, but grieve we do. So if you have ever lost a pet, or several, I offer you my heartfelt condolences. Please know that over time your sadness will lessen and your tears will flow less. And know that the best thing you can do for you, and to honor their memory, is to go on and not get lost in that sadness. For me, I go and hug my other dogs and cats and humans, and let the love that I felt for Noel translate into even deeper love for the others.
Here’s to you Queen Noel: Your memory is a blessing. “yehi zichra baruch”
Several months ago I took a dog travel crate out of the attic to take Noel to the vet. I like to use the dog crates, even though I have smaller cat crates for each of the cats (in case we ever have to evacuate), just to give them room. Anyway, the minute I got home with Noel from the vet, Jolie, who loves crates, was not happy that a cat was using her crate and she decided that this crate should stay in the living room all the time so she can keep an eye on it. So it has.
However, when Jolie was getting ready to go in the crate the other day she found a surprise. Mini Cooper, the cat dog, had taken it for her own. Slowly, Jolie backed up and went to sleep on the cat bed.
Yes, now the cat sleeps in the dog crate and the dog sleeps in the cat bed (sort of).
Bearnard here – I can tell you that I am not used to snow days. Actually, I don’t think I ever saw the white stuff before. Being Littles, the snow is right up to our bellies. And worse than the snow on the ground was the Arctic freeze. Mom would not let us outside without our sweaters on because it was -9 degrees with the wind chill and she was afraid that we would become pupsicles. The snow was wet and stuck to Jolie’s hair in clumps. Lucky me, my fur is thick and resilient.
What a week of snow and ice it was, but then it changed to 75 degrees and foggy. I am happy that we were able to go for long walks in the grass again, even though there were still some snow banks left over from the days before. Now everything is wet and muddy (including our bellies), but puddles are fun for me. Sadly, Jolie hates the rain and the puddles because of her burned paws, but she does it.
Mom says this weather reminds her of some science fiction books where planets have such varying temperatures between night and day that the humans have to be prepared to freeze when the sun(s) go down and roast when the sun(s) rise. I do hope we don’t get to that point. Was it too cold to play outside by you, too? – Your friend, BearBear
What kind of mischief did you get into today?
V took that great picture of the bluebird and the squirrel tail by the feeder. Those critters sure did eat a lot during the storm days.
Noel, the Christmas Cat, here. I know you heard some stories about the stupid dogs during the holidays, but no matter what I put in their path (chocolate, garbage, and other dog-killing things) they seem indestructible.
I, on the other hand, had a wonderful holiday and Mom has started to give me some extra yummy wet food (I am not supposed to know that there is medication hidden in it). V calls me ‘Poodle Paw’ because the fur on my leg, where the IV was when I had my teeth cleaned, is finally growing back in, but really slowly. Since Mom realized that Jolie was sneaking onto the kitchen table and stealing my food, which has been solved, I get my full servings – though I always cry for more.
I hope that you got everything you wanted for the holidays. Even though I can’t get rid of those darn dogs, I will continue to remind them who is Queen.
But, then we came home.
And poor little Mini Cooper was rudely pushed out of her spot by the dogs.
I hope that you got everything you wanted for the holidays. Even though I can’t get rid of those darn dogs, I will continue to remind them who is Queen.
DogDaz Zoo 