Tag Archives: herding dogs

Travels and Travails for Zoe

Posted on August 26, 2013 | 2 comments

Dear Reader,

I am Zoe, a herding dog, breed unknown but probably between Aussie and Border Collie. My folks got out a suitcase last night and finished packing it before I was done with my beauty sleep this morning and it was like planning for the invasion of Normandy.

Mom told Dad he had to pack his own bag with help so he could hang up his belongings and bring them all home. She says Dad hasn’t packed a suitcase in 12 years. I’ve only been around for nine so no judgment there.

He stole my pillow I’ve had for five years to use on the plane and in the hotel. I’ve been looking for him all day, not just for the pillow. Mom is calm and into our routine. I have been badgered by a man whose friend says he is afraid of dogs and I got nowhere near him and he and Mom argued for a few moments. I’m only sorry he’s afraid of us dogs because he’s missing out on a good thing.

Then there were fireworks. I’m not really scared of them but they are loud and bother my ears. I was still looking for Dad to come home even though Mom is taking good care of me. She did eat the rest of my meat loaf for dinner, though. In order to make her feel guilty for me missing a pack member I did jump on the sofa three times tonight, and that’s not allowed. She did not make me jump down.

Then there have already been two late night Coast Guard exercises with helicopters and now she’s gone to her desk to write this and I had to come see her. Now when she goes back to bed she’ll have to lift me up again. I have no hips and am getting old.

I look forward to our pack being together again tomorrow as right now I think Mom has to go to sleep and I’ll protect her. Canine friends, keep rescuing Timmy from the well. I’m learning the Lassie salute. Zoe

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Gifts

Posted on March 8, 2013 | 4 comments

I packed a suitcase and hanging bag for my husband, who left to speak at a conference today. I walked him to the car and came right back and informed our dog that I was going to the grocery store to get her food and she tried to run away from home. She only made it to the elevator. Her message is that you don’t get up, pack a bag and leave me here alone. Of course she is a herder, Aussie X.

Late afternoon my dearest love, husband of ten years and a man who has not packed a suitcase in 11.5 years, called to tell me he got there OK. Not only that…..

He hung all the clothes in the closet and put everything else into drawers in the hotel room.

Women, take note. It took less than twelve years to achieve this transformation from clean pile/dirty pile to actually unpacking for two nights. He’ll be cooking for me in another decade or two. His mother (we talked for two hours last night) says that will wait until he retires. By that time I’ll probably be in the retirement home sipping boxed chicken broth through a straw.

I’m always made fun of for unpacking into hotel drawers and closets immediately after arriving, but it does have a purpose. I packed his bag yesterday morning and it was like a Cecil B. DeMille movie gone bad, where the bathing beauties didn’t dive into the pool every 1/4 second and didn’t exactly swim in a synchronized fashion.

Now J has his phone charger and everything else where he needs them. I’m so proud. Just to let you know, I only have a mild version of this disease. My dear Aunt actually re-arranges furniture and wall hangings in hotel rooms. She went to a museum and got a print to tape over my mother’s hospital room picture because the morphine was giving Mom nightmares which that particular picture exacerbated.

I can’t wait until he starts doing the laundry and cleaning out the frig. A wife can dream, can’t she? Y’all have a great day. It’s 5:30 and I think I’ll get the flashing collar and take out the dog because she’s herding me again. Some things never change. Dee

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Looking for Jimmy

Posted on March 4, 2011 | Leave a comment

I’ve two hints for anyone wanting to adopt a herding dog:

1. Never do anything fun once. If s/he likes it the first time, it’s routine; and
2. Never change the routine.

Jim came home about five o’clock this afternoon to have dinner, get snacks and beverages for his team, and rest up a bit. He left at 10 p.m. to roll out some software. Zoe (the herding dog) is upset and has spent the last two hours looking out the front window for Jim to return. He changed the routine!

Neighbors just adopted a lab/border collie mix a few weeks ago. Should’ve got the dumb one!!! We should have, too, but we love our girl.

Note to Ms. Trish: Zoe was so upset you left that she shredded a tissue, something she hasn’t done since she was a pup.

As to dinner, yesterday I made a lovely cauliflower and cheese soup. I blanched (usually steam but don’t have my equipment) a head of cauliflower and made two cups of bechamel and added a few ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, with salt, pepper, nutmeg and a pinch of cayenne. Buzzed the drained cauliflower with a bit of chicken broth from Zoe’s stash and mixed them together in a pot and warmed it through.

I served it with seeded artisinal bread, not home-made, with Black Forest ham and cheese sandwiches. It’s wonderful to have guests and catch up on old times but I understand a local restaurant t-shirt that says something like “my life is your vacation.” We live in a wonderland every day of the year and want family and friends to enjoy our time here as much as we do. Ms. T even saw the ermine! I’ve only seen the winter one three times. The summer one used to live in our hot tub and poach his extra prey next door.

Seldom does dog Zoe leave my side. I know she’s not in bed upstairs, she’s at the front windows looking for Jim. I can’t sleep either, he’s changed my routine. Cheers, Dee

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