Love, Life and Puppy Dog Tales

In these days of caller ID, I suppose a lot of phone calls go unanswered, allowing a machine or digital voicemail to do the work instead. IF it's really important, then we can take the time to make that return call. I am not any different than most of you. If I don't recognize the number, I tend not to answer the call. I wonder how many missed opportunities have come my way.... The phone rang on Thursday afternoon. I didn't recognize the name or the number. I nearly didn't answer it. In fact, I set the phone back down after reading caller ID. But on thinking twice, I picked it up. "Hello?" I said. No reply. Silence tends to make me hang up quickly and I almost did this time.. but instead... "Hello?" again. "Um... Hi." Said a quiet, tentative voice on the other end. "I, um, well, um, I am out at the river and... well, um... I found your dog's collar." She really struggled to say that. She sounded afraid. Worried...

Author Gene Hill wrote the below quote that I tripped over today. It says so many things I have ever thought about all my dogs. I wanted to share this with you.... "He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds; my other ears that hear above the winds. He is the part of me that can reach out into the sea. He has told me a thousand times over that I am his reason for being; by the way he rests against my leg; by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile; by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him. (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along to care for me.) When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive. When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile. When I am happy, he is joy unbounded. When I am a fool, he ignores it. When I succeed, he brags. Without him, I am only another man. With him, I am all-powerful. He is loyalty itself. He has taught me the meaning of devotion. With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace. He has brought m...

If I were on the East Coast or Midwest or a Mountain time zone, I'd be 40 by now. If I were in Hawaii, I have a bit more time. But I have a few more minutes yet.... It seems a bit surreal. I am in such a different space turning 40 than I was turning 30. I remember 30 well, although considering the amount of alcohol involved, I suppose I shouldn't, but I do. It was a fun, happy, care free moment in a time surrounded by a tumultuous emotional roller coaster I wasn't sure I would survive. It was a hallmark year for me as that was the time that I finally discovered I could stand up for myself, by myself, on my own two feet and I didn't NEED anyone... anyone except myself. It was distinctly a time of self discovery and self reliance and purposeful change. Did I think I'd be here at 40? In a marriage with a wonderful woman, searching for the right house to buy, still working search dogs, and discovering new people to bring into my life? To be honest, I am not s...

Kaeden is always such a joy. No, that really isn't a person hanging from the tree... it is a life size manikin we use in training. It provides a good visual when we do cadaver training since we can't seem to get real bodies to train with. Kaeden loves what he does. We are true 'hunting' partners now. Time and maturity has forged the bond and the trust that is necessary to create a good working relationship. And he never fails to amuse me. The second picture is why he is affectionately known as a Hungarian Tree Climbing Desert Dog (yes... I know there are no deserts in Hungary....)

OH WHAT A GAME THIS HOME BUYING EXPERIENCE IS! We got to look at some really NICE homes that by the time we walked through the door, multiple offers had already occurred. And we got to see some really DISGUSTING places that no amount of markdowns would entice us to buy them (UNREAL what some people allow their animals to do inside their home - and NEVER clean up.... I felt like I needed a shower after that house....) Perhaps our home buying experience is supposed to be a lesson in patience. It is certainly becoming that. What an interesting game buying a home is.... You want to sell your house for $10. I offer you $7. You say that's not enough, so you say you'll take $9. I say no..... that's more than I want to pay. I'll give you $8. You say... close... how about $8.50. So I say.... ah.... lets go with $8.35. And you agree.... That's if it's SIMPLE. aack. What we have experienced so far is.... the asking price is $10. We give our offer of $7...

My oh my he is a handsome dog! Perhaps I am prejudice.... but... It is so hard to believe that it has been nearly 3 years that I have had Kaeden. Time has just flown by. He has matured well into his work. Get him on a boat now and he is intent on finding what he is looking for. He doesn't seem to have a time element that he tires out on the boat like I have found with other dogs, so that makes me happy. Today was a good day on the boat. It is ever an adventure, learning what the dog does on the water. I went out with no expectations. Actually, expecting nothing and was surprised when I started get alerts from him. Good dog. And speaking of expectations.... not holding my breath but we are putting in another offer on a house in the am. Should know by Tuesday what the verdict is. Putting positive vibes out to the universe ... but it will happen if it is supposed to happen. Kind of like life in general.

The enormous black cloud that seemed to follow me home gave me a clue that something immense was pending. Todays sudden, albeit expected, massive downpour actually made me stop. I stopped doing anything (much to my dogs' dismay as they felt it was dinner time!) and just watched the rain come down. It felt like the very first time I had ever paused to notice to rain drops slamming into the ground. I watched the street and saw the colossal splash each mammoth drop made and it felt so tremendous. I actually got my camera out, laid down on the floor in my doorway and began taking pictures of the rain hitting the ground. I even spent time watching the rainfall through the macro lens of my camera just for the enhanced view. Suddenly, I was so much smaller than the huge rain drops falling from the sky. It was humbling. A close friend once wrote a poem about raindrops. It was about raindrops on a windshield. If you concentrate on the drops, the rest of the world becomes a blur a...