Lizzie

Things just aren't going well for our family this year. Frankly, I'm tired of it, so, so tired of it.

When Elaiine found the property years ago, which we now call home, she dreamed of bringing our herd of llamas and a couple of (construction language) dogs to the mountains. Somehow, she envisioned having a few Great Pyrenees dogs to protect the herd. Incidentally, I was in favor of buying a piece of rural property not in the mountains, but, "happy wife, happy life". We're in the mountains, not on the flatlands looking at the mountains. What am I doing? That's a story for later, this is a story about Great Pyrenees.

The Great Pyrenees chapter of our lives did not happen right away. We moved from the city with two un-mountainlike dogs, Lucy our (my) Rottwieller, and Friday, our black lab mutt. (I think a couple of teachers read this crap unless they block me, so at times I wonder if words like un-mountainlike are words. I'm okay with making up words, but occasionally I will look them up. I will speak to that in a moment. I've got to get back to Great Pyrenees.)

When Elaine has a dream she is not one that gives up easily. She saw herself with at least one Great Pyrenees. As luck would have it, I was working in Pueblo, Colorado on a restaurant remodel, which incidentally is not as bad as it sounds. The plumbing contractor on the project happened to breed Great Pyrenees puppies. Stop! He didn't actually breed the puppies, he owned breeding dogs. What's wrong with you guys? There are some good plumbers in the world, Just because some might never have been to college. Oh, oh, I need to get back to dogs. Did I mention I'm tired?

I bought Elaine's first Great Pyrenees from that plumber. The dog was a six-month-old female that the plumber had named "Chunk", which is exactly why people think about plumbers what they think about plumbers. Who names a dog, "Chunk"?

Bringing an unfamiliar dog home and sitting on the seat next to you for about 200 hundred miles is an experience everyone should have. I brought "Chunk" home and introduced her to Elaine. Elaine fell in love immediately. Not with me, with "Chunk". I think Elaine loved me also, but one can never be sure. Elaine told me, Don't call her "Chunk", her name is "Emma". That's what happens when you are reading Jane Austin.

Chunk/Emma did not immediately love any of us as much as Elaine loved her. She jumped out of the pickup and crawled under the truck. Elaine, physically crawled under the truck to pull Chunk/Emma out. When Chunk /Emma was out of the truck, she came out running and headed for God knows where. We caught her down by the creek, a quarter mile away.

None of this deterred Elaine. She loves Great Pyrenees. Over the years we obtained two more Great Pyrenees, Maggie, and Lizzie. I would like to talk about Lizzie.

Great Pyrenees are great guard/watch dogs. That comes with its own set of issues. Maggie would show a little aggression. Lizzie, I have never heard her growl at anything or anyone. But she will bark, to let me know my aggression is needed.

Great Pyrenees are smart, loyal, and persistent. Did I say persistent? They will continue their watch for hours. Some great Pyrenees are very nocturnal and will guard their flock/home all night. These are facts that, if you have one, you may look up in your World Book Encyclopedia. Gosh, I hope you didn't throw them away. I guess you could just trust these facts as I have told them, because, "I ain't arguin' because I think I'm wrong."

Last summer, Elaine, and Ivy noticed a lump between Lizzie's legs on the underside of her body. The news from the vet was not good. After a biopsy, it was determined Lizzie had developed a form of dog breast cancer.

It was decided the tumor was operable, and even at Lizzie's age, (12+ years) surgery was an option. We tried the surgery. The vet happily informed us the surgery was a success.

All was not to be honkey-dory. Man, I'm tired. I'm guessing you know where this story is going. You're right, Lizzie is up all night barking. Inside, outside, barking. Standing at the door scratching to get out, and then scratching to get in. I am not getting any sleep.

Elaine: Can you let Lizzie out?

Me: It's your turn. Elaine: I let her out at 1:00

Me: I didn't hear you.

Elaine: You were asleep

Me: I wasn't asleep, I was pretending

Elaine: You (construction language)

Me; Just give her a treat, maybe she'll lie down.

I don't know why I suggest the treat, I need to use the restroom anyway.

Thanks for this week's yarn sales. It gave me a reason to shovel the snow away from the yarn storage. Maybe that's why I'm tired. Nah! It's the dog. God Bless, stay healthy, get some sleep!

Our crazy lives!

Monner