Only a mother could love her looks

I absolutely adore Willow.  I loved The Dogs (Mighty Milo and Sissy Girl); I don't think anyone would argue that.  But they were old when they passed. I really don't remember them as puppies. I mean there are specific episodes that I remember but I just remember them being casual and relaxed.  Not as an excuse for why I feel like I love Willow more but more so people remember that I loved them. They were great dogs.

And I think there is a little bit of guilt around this.  I feel like I've forgotten Milo and Sammie. I feel like I was a horrible parent and didn't let them be a true dog. I abused them by not letting them be on the couches.  I never took them to a dog park, they didn't have bones on a regular basis....yadda yadda yadda. I struggle with all of that...

But Willow absolutely makes me laugh out loud.  She gets so excited to see me.  She will launch herself at me when I sit down on the floor to see her.  She talks to me all the time.  I understand that dogs "don't talk" but I assure you that Willow does.  If she gets irritated with something or someone, she will grumble and snort.  She knows when shes in trouble because she'll start meowing at me to forgive her.  And she will groan and grumble when I come home and she is so excited to see me.  I love coming home!

So, with this new love of my life, I'm a different kind of dog owner. She is on the couches (which was a HUGE no-no with The Dogs).  I have been known to give her VERY small bites of human food.  But that is going to stop. Human Food is for Humans....and she has 3 bones every day (which she loves and reminds me to give her them several times a day)

And for all those people that I made fun of for dressing their dogs....I apologize.  That's an official apology. Those don't come from me very often. 

So I have a nice little wardrobe for her in the colder months.  My reasoning is because she has so little hair and so she'll get cold easily.  Which my vet confirmed but wouldn't go on record saying that I should buy her clothes.  Guess she didn't want to have to do that for everyone.

But I have found an all new level.  HALLOWEEN!!!!  Yes people, Willow has her own Halloween costume.  I honestly wasn't planning on a costume, I just stumbled onto them at Target.  This is actually Crawford's fault...she talked me into going to Target.  Or I could have talked her into it but lets stick with it being Crawford's fault.

I bought the shark one first and then found that she had a hard time jumping up on things.  So I went with the bat one. I need to make some alterations to the bat one but not a lot. 

Starting October 1st, on our nightly walks, she's Willow the Bat Girl!!!

And since we're showing each other our kid's photos....

She has taken to sleeping on the "bolster" I have at the top of the bed.  I used to use that as my pillow but she took this over and I have, yet, to take control back.  And not just with reclaiming my pillow; this dog walks all over me.

I can't remember if I ever posted this but this was the result of our very first walk. I don't think she had ever been walked or on a leash and she was not happy about it at the time.  I ended up dragging her several feet before I turned around and found this situation.

I know, by all standards and others eschewed vision of beauty, this dog would be called ugly. And I'm very biased... she is probably so ugly that she's cute...that's how others have explained that.

But to me, she is gorgeous.....



Deep Thoughts by Willow Grace



Up Up Up in the Air

Memorial Day weekend my in-laws came to town.  I mean ALL the in-laws. They all converged on Joe's house and I was blessed to be able to spend a lot of time with them.  I know, when people divorce they are supposed to move apart and it's unusual to keep in contact with the extended family.  But Joe and I have never been conventional in our lives after the divorce; our lives together yet apart.

One of my sister-in-laws and her husband have hot air balloons.  The first time I met Joe's family was Thanksgiving.  As we were pulling into town Joe noticed the family in a field.  The whole crew was there getting ready to pack the balloon back up.  Not knowing any of these people, I managed to walk over and not talk to anyone. Long story but I managed to meet his father as I knocked his knees out from under him. Great first impression.

Within the last 13 years, I was able to fly one time and crew a bunch of other times.  And its always been fun. A bunch of people walking around, carrying ropes and chutes.  Everyone knew everyone.  It's a great society!

So I got to take my 2nd flight the week of Memorial Da.  For me, it's hard to do because I hate heights but when you get up in the balloon and it's several hundred feet in the air? It's magical.  The pilot, my ex-brother-in-law, has been flying for years...years!!!  And he is good.

So, I wanted to share some of the pictures I took. I get a lot of compliments when I take pictures.  This is something I would really like to delve further into but that takes money.  So, I use my cheapy little digital camera and try to get something good with it.

The other balloon we flew with

I love this picture, we were this low at one point

As we were landing

Flying across the highway

Where we took off from