The official ending of this blog creeps closer and closer. I didn't think this through before embarking on this adventure. I didn't have a "Top 16 blogs" identified... I figured I'd scroll around a bit and find something of interest here and there. Thus, this swan song isn't really a "top 16." It's "16 random posts which make me happy." In that spirit, here's a blog from a happy party pup who had to exit life a wee bit too early. Her words include some good-hearted teasing of her fat, smelly sister Freckles.
[Preface: Lucy was a Maltese-Shih Tzu with a sparkle in her eye and a jaunty gait. I met Lucy when she was four weeks. A co-worker brought a box of puppies to the office. I took one look in that box and KNEW immediately that I had to have one of those puppies. Seriously--a box of puppies! I told the wife Freckles needed a friend. (Freckles didn't need a friend.) We added Lucy to the family when she was seven weeks old. Since I'm the one who asked for the second dog, the wife got to name her. The wife had always wanted a pet named Lucy, so Lucy it was. From the day she got here to the day she crossed that rainbow bridge, she brought us much joy and a lot of entertainment. (She brought disdain to Freckles--her smelly, crabby sister. So much for needing a friend.)
Lucy knew how to get the most out of life. She reveled in life. We should all be so lucky to live life like Lucy. Unfortunately, Lucy developed a very aggressive cancer, giving us only two weeks to shower her with love. I truly believe she gave us the two weeks because she knew we needed them...
Or, maybe she just wanted two weeks to sleep in the bed. Knowing Lucy, it was probably a little of both.]
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Live Like a Dog, as told by Lucy Bark of Poteidaia.
- Start each day with an obnoxious squeaky toy. Don't stop
squeaking until (1) the squeaky is broken; (2) the squeaky is removed from
the toy and then broken; or, (3) some mean human comes along and takes the squeaky
toy because he/she cannot tolerate one more minute of squeakiness.
- If someone takes your squeaky toy, don't let it get you
down. Wait until the squeaky toy is put back in the toy
pile...wait....wait...go get it and start squeaking again. Pure bliss.
- Never miss the opportunity to give a kiss. Heck, kiss them
twice. Kiss them when they are not looking. Kiss with reckless abandon.
- Never say "no" to a treat. Never. Life is too short to
say no to treats. Besides, someone else will come over and steal the treat if
you don't eat it, so enjoy it yourself. The fat, smelly sister dog doesn't need
another treat.
- Tolerate your human friends when they do stupid things like
put you in costumes, put boots on your feet, try to feed you healthy treats,
don't take you along when they go get ice cream, insist on yet another posed
photo with the fat, smelly dog. They can't help it. They know not what they do.
- Run. Run when you can, while you still can. If you can't
run, skip. If you can't skip, trot. If you can't trot, hang out with the fat,
smelly dog.
- Stick with the underdog. Who doesn't love an underdog? If
you can't stick with the underdog, stick with the under bite. There is nothing
cuter than a shih tzu with an under bite.
- Eat waffles. Right, grandma? It's even better if the waffles
are made by said grandma. You can't have a bad day when you eat a waffle.
- Say hi to everyone you meet while on a walk. You might
be the bright spot of someone's day. Say hi enthusiastically!
- Behave as much as you can....progress, not perfection. If you accidentally chew the computer cord, don't forget to use that charm and personality. If you roll in raccoon poop, look innocent and apologetic. If you eat raccoon poop, look even more apologetic and remind your human you're behaving the best you can. If you run down the street when you are not supposed to be running down the street, run fast and then behave as best you can, using a kiss and charm to avoid issue upon return home.
- Ask for forgiveness, not permission. See above. Oops! Did I just eat the fat, smelly dog's treat? Did I just jump up on the back of the couch? Did I just rip up that box of Kleenex? Gosh, I'm sorry. I thought it was for me--I didn't know. I'll ask next time. If that doesn't work, look adorable. When that doesn't work, use your pouty face.
- Remember that ice cream and whipped cream are the food of
the gods. It pays to know that DQ gives out "pup cups" and Bucks
of Star give out "pup lattes." Get in the car and get thee to the
drive through.
- Use your cute face, sparkling personality and/or your under
bite to get your way. Don't be relegated to the floor--sparkle that
personality and get your place on the couch.
- If you throw up, it is best not to eat your own vomit. Don't
let the fat, smelly dog eat it, either. No one will kiss you if you eat your own vomit. Actually, don't eat any vomit.
- When offered a ride, take it. While
you are at it, see if you can stick your head out the window. If they say no to
sticking your head out the window, enjoy the ride anyway.
- Keep it simple. Smile, wink, squeak, kiss, eat, pee,
poop.
- Celebrate life. Squeak a squeaky. Eat a waffle. Kiss a
sad person. Kiss a happy person. Run, walk, skip, jump. Don't just sit on the
couch. Celebrate life.
- Live like a dog. Keep it simple. Stay in the here and now. Love the one you're with.
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