When the Heart Wants What it Wants

Our Yorkie Libby is always giving interesting life lessons. The other day, she showed us how to love unconditionally—even if the object of affection is smelly, mangled, and…well, disgusting. Libby has a pile of plush doggie toys placed in an old cat bed on a trunk at the end of our mattress. In it lays […]

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An Introduction We’ll Never Forget

  Excerpt from “Tail Wags and Whiskers”… “…We arrived home, and I brought the dog out of the car on a leash, letting Poopsie sniff around the front yard. In moments, 3-year-old Paul burst out the front door, overjoyed, with my dad following closely behind. At that moment, Randy came home from work, cruising slowly […]

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Even Our Dog Needs “Me” Time

Our terrier Libby has a beloved pastime, and she could do it all day, if I let her. Trouble is, I wouldn’t get anything done. It’s hard to relax when she’s performing this ritual, so only a few times a day is she given free rein, so to speak…. Libby loves sitting on our backdoor […]

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So Much for the Birds and the Bees!

  The other day, while taking out the garbage, I became surrounded by a marauding gang of bumble bees. They buzzed around me like a mini fleet of Black Hawk helicopters and seemed to think I was competing for a nearby mountain laurel’s blossoms. Worried I’d be stung, I ran back inside and slipped on […]

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Simon’s Unexpected Night in the Town Slammer

  “…To my frustration, the dog still escaped every chance he got. One time, as I was starting dinner, the phone rang. My stomach lurched when I saw the dog warden’s number on caller ID. As usual, before answering, I gave a quick look around the kitchen where Simon was usually by my side. He […]

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A Tense First Encounter

Excerpt from “Tail Wags and Whiskers“… “…For all Floyd’s bravado, playing baseball and suavely sauntering through the playgroups, he wasn’t without his neuroses. One time, I opened our front door and the cat came exploding into the house, crouching in terror under a chair. Randy and I hurried to look out the window, expecting to […]

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4 “Terrier-Tested” Calming Techniques

Anxiety seems to be creeping in everywhere. You can literally feel it in the air. But there’s a creature in our house who teaches my husband, mom, and me every day how to relax, stay chill, and hang loose. She’s our Yorkie Libby and here are four things she does to keep herself (and us) […]

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The Little Dog Who Just…Knew

  Excerpt from “Tail Wags and Whiskers“… “…I had forgotten how loyal dogs were. According to Randy and the kids, when I go to the mailbox, Ren climbs onto the love seat in front of the living room window and anxiously scans my every move, whining with worry. When I come back with the mail […]

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A Hesitant Introduction

“…On the weekend, I brought Randy to meet Simon at the kennel. After observing all ten dogs in the lineup, my husband stood before Simon’s cage. Simon looked back, giving his best eager smile and wagging tail. “So, this is the one,” Randy whispered. His voice had a You’ve got to be kidding tone. He […]

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A Kitten Arrives…

…“What should we call her?” I asked Randy. My husband gazed at the ceiling, squinting his eyes. Then he looked down at the tiny gray-and-beige tabby now snoozing in my lap. I held my breath, not sure what he’d come up with, or if I’d like it. Finally, he said, “Callie.” I smiled and nodded. […]

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