My Little Spooks

I wasn't able to get this post up on Halloween itself, or even yesterday, but I just had to show you guys my "boys" in their Halloween costumes.  I thought they looked pretty darn cute. 

My guys dressed up as Batman and Robin this year.

Don't let Murphy's face in this photo fool you.  He seemed to enjoy wearing his costume when all the trick-or-treaters came.

I bought Duke's Batman costume because it was only $8, and I wouldn't have been able to make it for less.  They didn't have a Robin costume, so I had to make one.

It was really easy, and really cheap-- probably less than $8.  I bought a red toddler t-shirt, one piece of green felt, and one half yard of yellow fabric from the $1 per yard section.  I cut the sleeves off the shirt and sewed on some green felt for the sleeves.  Then, I cut a circle of green felt, embroidered an "R" with some yellow yarn I already had, and sewed it on.  I finished the shirt by using my yellow yarn to add a few stitches down the chest.  Finally, I finished the outfit by creating a little cape with the yellow fabric.  Simple, but pretty cute. :)

They boys really enjoyed sitting outside and watching the trick-or-treaters with us.

Duke looked like he was guarding the candy.

And Murphy was the friendly face welcoming everyone...

All in all it was a great Halloween!

How was Halloween for you guys?  What were you?  Did you dress up your furry friends?  I'd love to hear about it!

P.S.  I finally got my computer in the mail and have it up and running.  I'm still in the learning stages of my new Mac, and I'm having to get used to all the differences that I'm not used to.  It's slowed down my blogging as I'm trying to get everything set up the way I like it, so bear with me. :)

Transitions...

After my posts earlier in the week and my absence yesterday, I think it's pretty obvious that I've been super happy with the man of house returning.  What about "my boys," though? How are Murphy and Duke adjusting to the 6'5" two-legged creature being back in the house?

I'll put it this way.... The following picture (taken with my iPhone, so forgive the quality) was Duke the morning the hubby left on his trip.

He stayed this way for a good 30 minutes after he heard the super loud noise of the Kent's project cruiser drive away.  It was completely pitiful.  For weeks, he ran to the door whining every time he heard a loud vehicle drive by.  When Kent is home, he is Duke's "person," so when he left for a while 

poor Duke didn't know what to do.

In time, he got more used to the situation and stopped running to the door every single time... Instead, his ears just pricked up until the loud sound would pass.  He became my shadow, and I became his "person."  I was super curious to see how the transition would happen when the husband returned. 

This is how it went down.... We walked in the door from the airport, Duke lost his mind with excitement, and I seemed to vanish from the universe.  No transition period needed for him.  He's as happy as a clam following his man around and riding in the truck or the cruiser pretty much everywhere.

Oh, and he gets to sit in the recliner again...

And he LOVES it. :)  Can you tell?

Little Murphy is happy too.  I think he believes he has "his life back."  Since Duke is no longer around me 24/7, little Murphy gets as much attention as he pleases... and I think he's pretty thrilled about that.  I think it's a good deal for everyone. 

Happy Friday everybody!  Have a super weekend!

Size Doesn't Really Matter

Ahhh, get your mind out of the gutter... I know at least someone clicked to read this just from the title...  Anyhoo...

Funny little tale for you today...  It has to do with my furry guys and how they teach me a lot.  You all know my little Murphy.

Yep, this little guy with the innocent eyes.

I may not have told you guys, but Murphy rarely ever barks.  I mean it's not something that happens even once a day.  He only barks when he wants to play with a dog on the other side of the fence at the dog park or if he is really into playing with one of his toys.  He never ever barks at people, and I often joke that if a burglar came in, he would welcome them with a wagging tail and say, "Hey!  Welcome!  I'll show you the good stuff!"  

Well, since the hubby has been away, I've signed up for a program where the yard guys in my neighborhood will cut my grass for free.  They come once a week, and I never know exactly when they might pop in.  They just open the gate to my backyard, cut the grass in literally 5 minutes, and go on their way.  This uncertainty messed with my schedule, though, because I usually leave my sliding glass door and lanai door cracked so the dogs can go in and out as they need to while I'm home.  

The other day I came home from the grocery store, opened the doors to let the dogs out, and came back inside to put away groceries.  Duke followed me inside, and I thought Murphy did too.  You can imagine my surprise when I hear my little Murphy barking his head off and growling outside in the backyard!

Can you imagine this guy growling?

When I ran outside to see what was going on, the yard man was there about to come inside the gate, Murphy was still barking, growling, and running in circles, and Duke just stood there eying the guy really suspiciously.  I told Duke to go inside, and he did, but Murphy was too busy losing his mind to listen to me.  I had to pick him up and bring him in.

 

I wanted to be a little mad, but I couldn't help laughing.  All this little guy (who is usually as docile as a wet dish rag) knew was that no one ever comes in the back gate (except his family... and that's rare).  He knew that it wasn't normal, and that this yard guy with the crazy sounding machine was a stranger... And he had on some weird clothes (long sleeves, long pants, and a mask thing to protect him from flying debris).  In Murphy's little mind, that should not be happening and he had to take action!  It didn't matter to him that the guy weighed 200 pounds, and he only weighs 20.  He was going to take care of business and get rid of him if he could... and if he couldn't, he was going to at least let me know. 

Looking back on it later, I saw the lesson in his little example.  We may be small in this big world, and we may not be able to do everything on our own, but if we see an injustice or something that just isn't right, we have to do something.  We have to start by using our voice to bring attention to it, and then take any little action we can that might help.  If you love something, you fight for it... even if you're not sure you'll win.  You just have to try.  

I've told you before, my dogs teach me a lot... and if they're not teaching something new, they are giving me little reminders of things I need a refresher on.  :)

Because of this little lesson, I want to take a step towards helping a cause that means a lot to me.  You all know I love animals.  I want to help them and let you help, as well.  I plan to donate 20% of the profits from the next 5 pet portraits I book to the Humane Society (or animal charity of the buyer's choice).  Contact me at TailsToTell [at] Live [dot] com if you are interested in a pet portrait, and I'll be happy to give you details.  :)  Or just check out my shop for the portrait listing. 

Have a fantastic Wednesday! 

Oh, and don't forget I'm on Twitter now... Follow me at Tails2Tell if you tweet.  :)

P.S.  If you read regularly, please become an official follower through Google Friend Connect by clicking the "Follow" button to the right of this post.  I love knowing who reads, and I love getting your feedback through comments.  It always makes my day!

Tail Wagging Tuesday: The Little Things...

For the past few weeks, it's just been me and "my boys" in the house since the hubby has been away.  I'm so very thankful to have them around to keep me company (even if some people think it's crazy to say a dog keeps you company).  They are always a constant source of entertainment, and when I have random lonely spells in some evenings like I've had the past few days, they help me not feel so alone, so I wanted to take today to list some of the wonderful ways my furry guys continue to inspire me everyday. 

1) Each day they wake up ready to face the day with a "smile" on their face.

 Every morning, Duke is the most excited guy EVER.  He's ready to get downstairs and get the day going, ready to face anything that might come his way.  Isn't that how we all should be?

2)  They know how to take a break, relax, and recharge.

Murphy and Duke, both, know how to get comfy and relax when they need to.  I, on the other hand, have a hard time taking time out to take a nap even when I'm exhausted.  I stay up too late, and sometimes try to do too much.  Don't we all need to know how to take a break and relax?

 

3)  They have no preconceived notions about anyone.  They don't care about size, age, color, career, family situation, or anything else that could possibly matter to us humans.

Everyone they meet gets the same treatment.  Everyone gets a chance, and nothing matters except the way that person is acting in that moment.  Isn't that something we should all strive to do?

 

4) They love with every ounce of their being, and are forever loyal.

Murphy and Duke are always there for me, and as long as I spend time with them and take care of them-- essentially, "hold up my end of the bargain," they will never leave me.  No "better friend" is going to come along and take my place simply because they are bored with me.  Just one more example we should all try to follow...

5)  They are always patient with people of all ages.

 Duke is a big guy, and if he were to be impatient with anyone, they could easily be hurt.  Luckily, thanks to his good graces, he is always incredibly patient. The kids in the neighborhood can rub his hair in the wrong direction and try to feed him rocks, and he will just politely stand there and give them "kisses."  I know I need to remember this kind of patience much more often... especially in traffic.

6)  Nothing seems impossible to them.

If they want something, they go for it.  Even when a rawhide bone is as big as Murphy, he doesn't let it stop him from going for it anyway.  He simply gives it his best effort, and he's happy with that.  I know I sometimes look at a task that seems entirely too grand in my mind, so I never even attempt it.  I should try to be more like Murphy and never see anything as impossible.

 

7)  They know how to fully appreciate the little things like a walk around the block or a nice breeze on a summer day.

 Nothing makes them happier than spending an afternoon in the park or feeling the wind in their face when I roll the windows down in the car.  They let the little things make them happy, and I know I need to do that more often.  Many times, when certain things don't go my way, I can't think of anything else.  Instead, I need to look at the positive and appreciate all the little things that make life good.  Shouldn't we all?

Happy Tuesday everybody!

Tail Wagging Tuesday: A Little 1 Year Party!

I meant to have this post put together sooner, but it's been a busy past few weeks.  Better late than never, though, right?  :)

April marked the one year anniversary of my precious little Murphy coming into my life.  If you haven't read Murphy's story, I highly recommend you go take a look.  It was one of my very first blog posts, but it remains one of my favorites.

Since my best little four-legged buddy came to live with me, things have been so much better.  I have one of the most gentle, loyal, and loving companions I could ever ask for, and he sure makes spending so much time alone bearable.  To celebrate the year that he has been with me, I decided to have a little doggie party for "my boys."  I know... I'm that crazy... At least I didn't send out invitations.  It was just us.  Haha!

I got one of their favorite treats from the grocery store.

Yep, you're seeing that correctly.  It's peanut butter flavored doggie ice cream! They love it, so they get it on special occasions.

I split one little tub between the two of them (Duke getting a little more, of course), and they literally inhaled it!  I don't even think it was on their plates for 30 seconds!

 

 Then, to get celebration mode into full swing, I put some cute party hats on my guys for a "photo op."

Ummm... cute, right?  :)

Don't worry, I didn't leave the hats on them for very long.  We finished up our little celebration with an extra long walk around the neighborhood.  All in all, I think it was a good day.

And now, to cap it all off, I'll share with you guys some snapshots of my sweet little Murphy throughout his first year with me.  Enjoy!

I'm super duper thankful for this little fella.  I know I would be a lonely girl without him.

Happy Tuesday!

P.S.  I'm thinking about doing some "special features" on Tail Wagging Tuesdays for a while.  I'd love to feature stories of other super special pups-- the ones who are rotten, the ones who have helped their owners through hard times, the ones that have overcome some difficult times, and the ones who are just adorable.  After all, who doesn't love a sweet animal story?  If you are interested in helping me out, e-mail me at TailsToTell [at] Live [dot] com and I'll tell ask you a few questions and ask for some photos.  :-)  Let me know if you guys think this is something you would be interested in!

Tail Wagging Tuesday: No Place Like Home

It's yet another Tail Wagging Tuesday here on the island.  Hope everyone's week is off to a great start!

Today I was thinking about one of Duke's favorite things to do.   

What is that?

It's going home.

I'm pretty sure he's very happy now that he's found his "forever home," so he makes darn sure he knows where "home" is.  Even though we live in a neighborhood with lots of little cookie cutter homes, he knows for sure which one is his, and he will bolt home when given the opportunity.

Now my little Murphy appreciates his "forever home," too, but he doesn't always know which way to go... nor does he seem very concerned with getting there.  Murph is kind of easily distracted.  Let a bug, cat, gecko, or even a leaf cross his path, and he will follow it until the next distraction appears.  That's just part of his charm though.

I don't have a video of Murphy following distraction after distraction, but I do have one of Duke running home as fast as he can.

In this little clip, Kent had just taken Duke across the street on a little walk to do his business.  He walks right beside you on walks, so he wasn't on a leash.  Just as they reach the end of our little dead end street, Kent makes Duke sit.  Then he walks a little ways ahead of him, asks him if he's ready, and then says, "Go home!".


Pretty cute huh?

Does anyone else have a dog who is super crazy about home?  Or maybe one who is like Murphy and a little too easily distracted?  :)

P.S.  I'm planning a giveaway very veeeery soon.  You don't want to miss it, so be on the lookout next week.  Plus, you'll have to be a follower to enter, so hit the "Follow" button to the right of this post.  :) And.... you'll have an extra chance to enter if you are also a fan of Tails to Tell Studio's Facebook page, so go become a fan so you're ready!

Tail Wagging Tuesday: Tricks and Treats

I enjoyed writing last Tuesday's post, so I thought I would do another installment of "Tail Wagging Tuesday" and tell you a little more about my "boys,"  Murphy and Duke. 

If my boys were kids in school, I'm afraid one would probably be in the Honors program, and one would not.

Duke would be my Honor student.  He's pretty much bilingual, and he catches on to new things super duper fast.  All of his commands are in German, and he almost always recognizes them immediately and complies (unless it's the rare occasion when he feels a little stubborn that day).  Even though he knows German, he also knows some English.  Sometimes I tell him to do something like "go outside" or "get ready for a walk," and he knows exactly what I'm talking about.  Bottom line:  He's a smart cookie.

  

My little Murphy, on the other hand, isn't quite the Honor student that Duke is.  His nickname around here has become "Smurphy," and Kent likes to tease him by calling him "Special Ed Smurph."  (Isn't that terrible??)  He's really just joking though.  He knows Murphy isn't a mentally challenged little dog; he's just easily distracted and was never really taught how to learn at a young age.  He's a wonderful little guy who does his job of being a cuddle bug and a lover better than anyone, but we have had a difficult road when it comes to learning some basic commands.  (Those basic commands have nothing to do with manners, though.  He has wonderful manners-- knowing how to behave with company and other dogs, knowing how to go outside for his business, and knowing how to always be sweet and gentle.)

If you've read Murphy's story,  then you know that I got him when he was already close to five years old.  I don't know his background, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't abused.  He is so sweet, gentle, and well-mannered that I feel he had a good home.  However, I don't think his previous owners taught him very many "tricks" or basic commands.  When he first came to me, he half-way knew how to sit.  When I worked with him for a few weeks, it seemed to refresh his memory and he got pretty good at it.
   
From there, I wanted to teach him how to lay down.  I thought we were never going to perfect that.  (I've trained plenty of my dogs in the past to do basics like this, and it's never been quite this difficult.)  He got so worked up and distracted by the treat that would be coming his way that he just couldn't control himself.  We kept at it, though, and worked every single day for about 2 1/2 months before "down" finally seemed to click.  It was quite an accomplishment for Murphy, and I was so proud of him.

After giving him a little break from "school,"  I decided to try something really ambitious and teach him to roll over.  Now that was a trip...

We worked for at least 3 months or so, having a session almost every day.  It was looking pretty hopeless until a few weeks ago.  It finally clicked!  I was so excited I could hardly stand it, so I took a video.  :)

And now I'm going to share my little guy's big accomplishment with you.... Enjoy!

(Once again... ignore my high pitched country accent.  When I get excited my voice goes up an octave.)

Tail Wagging Tuesday: A Day at the Doggie Park

Since Kent and I were cooped up this weekend like the two pitiful people we were, our "boys" Murphy and Duke were cooped up too.  They didn't get their normal long walks or time at the park, so I thought I would make up for it today. 

We went to the park for a nice long visit.  I love taking them to the park because I love seeing how happy it makes them, and today I decided to take my camera so you could see too.

When we first get to the park, they always have to run, sniff, and "mark" everything.  (Murphy's favorite thing in the world besides "hunting" bugs is marking every tree outside.) 

Lots of running, and lots and lots of sniffing...

After all that, they usually get a drink from the doggie water fountain.

Finally, they like to end their visit to the park with lots of smiles, resting, and letting the wind hit their faces.

And that's what a day at the dog park consists of...

As for me, I'm still working slow and steady on new paintings to share in a week or so. :-)  Also, now that I've recovered from my weekends of sanding a painting furniture a couple weeks ago, I'm going to be re-doing my end tables soon.  I'm pretty excited, and I'll share some before and after photos when I do it.  

Hope everyone is having a fantastic week!

Great Big Chicken

I'll start by saying that on the arts and crafts front, I'm in between projects at the moment.  I have a pastel piece in slow progress in my studio.  I just finished what I consider a flop of a "welcome sign" for my foyer area that I'm not even going to show you until I come up with something better, and I'm just about to start on the three canvas piece to go above my bed, so no cool pictures of stuff like that today.  I'll be sure to show it when I get it finished, though.

I thought today I would tell you a little tidbit about one of my "boys."

I live with a great big chicken... a big 80 pound chicken with four legs.

It's Duke.  Now ordinarily Duke is not afraid of much.  He will growl at other big dogs in the neighborhood (he's pretty sweet with the little ones though), he isn't scared of any people that I know of, and he's fine when I take him new places.  His biggest fear is actually a little thing.  A little thing in my house that he uses every day.

Yep.  His arch nemesis is his water bowl.

(I know... He looks terrified.  I feel a little guilty about making him sit beside his bowl for this picture.)

I bought that awesome Le Bistro water bowl/tank thing when my mom complained about filling Duke's half brother's water dish 20 times a day.  I knew a big dog was going to drink lots of water, so I thought why not just get a great big 3 gallon water tank.  

I bought it before Duke got out here, and Murphy used it and wasn't scared at all.  Duke, however, is terrified by the gulp, gurgle, gulp, gulp noise it makes when the bowl refills.  He creeps ever so gently over to it as close as he thinks is safe.  Then he streeeeetches his nose out, and drinks.  Sometimes it takes a few seconds before the gulp, gurgle, gulp, gulping starts, so he looks up every once in a while to wince and see if it has started yet.  If it hasn't started yet, he'll drink some more.  If he hears it, he slinks away to return a little later when there's no more gulp, gurgle, gulp, gulping going on.  

Don't worry.  He's getting plenty of water.  I have to refill the tank every other day, so I know he's drinking plenty.  Plus, I think he's coming to terms with the gulp, gurgle, gulp, gulping and slowly making progress.  Hopefully one of these days he'll even be good friends with his water bowl... maybe... 

For now, though, it's just one of his quirks that keeps me entertained and makes me love him even more.

Oh, and he's a little afraid of the camera too.  Yesterday after photographing my wreath, I decided to try to take some pictures of the guys since they were all up under my feet.  

He just won't let me take a pic with his ears up.

At least not both ears at the same time...

Since Duke wasn't much in the mood for a photo shoot, I set the camera up for a few snapshots with Murphy...

I really am so thankful for "my boys."  I would be so lonely at times like these when Kent is gone for a few weeks.  They give me lots of love and laughs, and they are one more thing to keep me busy.

pssst.... You can help keep me busy too.  Hop on over to my Etsy shop and place a custom order for a personalized pet portrait for yourself or someone you know.  Or check out the painting in this post to see if I could create a similar custom design for you.  :-)  If you're interested, e-mail me at Lindsay.Edwards (at) Live (dot) com.  

Dogs Do Not Understand Shrink Wrap or Curtains...

It all started this morning when I woke up and saw it drizzling rain outside.   On days like this, I always feel the need to do some kind of project in the house.  I decided today was the day to finally start fixing up my super drab bedroom.

When I say drab, I mean absolutely, positively, no question about it, drab.

When we got married, it was the one room we didn't really buy furniture for.  We just brought my bed from my apartment in grad school, Kent's dresser from when he was younger, another tiny chest of drawers I had, and a night stand that he got somewhere in California from a thrift shop.  Needless to say, nothing matches.

About a month ago I finally ordered a bedspread that I really liked, but I wasn't in a hurry to finish decorating.  I guess I just had other things going on.  I hadn't even bothered to hang any curtains.... pathetic, I know.  Today, however, I decided the bedroom revolution had to begin... ASAP.

After my spin class, I decided to go curtain shopping, and actually found some! (It was a miracle to find something I liked and that matched for a decent price on this island... It almost NEVER happens.)  With curtains in hand, I found a curtain rod to go along with it, and left the store smiling.  I was going to have curtains up today.  

I even left the store with the motivation to hit up the closest Ross store.  (It's absolutely the best place to go for affordable nic nacs, mirrors, cooking utensils, etc. here on island.)  I found a mirror to go above our mismatched dresser once I refinish it and an awesome little vase for the bedroom, as well.  I was pumped.  I couldn't wait to get home and put it all together.

When I got to the car, I remembered that today is one of the days Kent has his weird night schedule.  Man, I'm going to have to hang this stupid curtain rod myself, I thought.  Luckily, I was an only child for five years when I was little, and my brother didn't come along until I was 7, so my dad pretended I was his son for 7 years.  I have skills.

I arrived home mentally prepared to hang my curtains.  My boys, Murphy and Duke, were waiting on me when I walked in the door and were excited beyond belief.  With the drizzle outside, we hadn't been on our usual long walk, so they started to follow me around the house like two extra shadows instead.  I ran upstairs with my curtains, curtain rod, and all the tools I knew I would need-- screw driver, tape measure,scissors, and level.  When I realized I needed a power drill for the wall anchors, I ran outside to borrow Kent's drill.  The boys were on my heels the whole way.

Kent had a sanding bit thingy in the drill, so I had to change the drill bit to the one I needed.  Crap, I thought, I don't know how to change this thing.  Grrrrr....

Being the military wife I am, and my dad's daughter, I was not going to wait on a man.  So what did I do?

I YouTubed it.

It worked like a charm.

Finally.... Now I can just go hang this stupid curtain rod and get my curtains up.

Snag number two... my house doesn't have wooden studs.  They are metal.  Shoot.  As I am silently cursing those metal studs and growling out loud in frustration, the boys just look at me.

This isn't from when they were staring, but these are the looks I was getting. 

Finally, I found a place to put the hangers that wasn't backed with metal.  Whew... Almost finished.

The boys are staring at me like I'm a space alien.  Murph is laid out on the bed amidst screws, tools, pencils, curtains and the packaging I had to cut into a million pieces to get my curtain rod out, and Duke is on the floor trying to be close to me but avoid being stepped on.  I've broken a sweat between the packaging, the power drill fiasco, and the metal studs.

The hangers are up, and it's time to put together the two pieces of the rod.  Oh no.... what now?  Why are they not fitting together.  Sheesh... I have the WORST luck!  Then I see the tiny little sticker with nearly microscopic writing.  It says "REMOVE SHRINK WRAP."  Seriously???  Whose bright idea was it to shrink wrap two poles?  They don't need to be shrink wrapped.  They were already in child and adult proof packaging!  

Now both dogs are looking at me like I am a bomb that might explode any minute.  I start struggling with the shrink wrap.  It's nearly impossible to get off, and it's making a lot of noise.  Murphy jumps down from the bed, and with Duke, starts backing out the door.  Finally I get the shrink wrap off, put the rods together and hang my curtains.  The boys, my chilled out little Cavalier and my 80 pound German Shepherd, are peeping in from the hall way looking terrified.

I finally gather up all my tools and the ridiculous mess from the shrink wrap, put them away, and admire my work.  Murph and Duke sneak in and sniff the curtains, looking at them like they might fall down any second.  Way to have faith in my handiwork guys... It's okay though.  I love them anyway.

Despite what the boys think, my curtains are hung, and I think they look pretty good, even though I still have a lot to do in the room. 

I put together my little vase too.

Next--after refinishing my mismatched furniture to make it match-- I plan to paint a wall hanging to go with the bedspread.  I ordered the canvases today. There will be three parts to hang above the bed, and I'll paint them with a floral design derived from the bed.

(I'm pretty sure Murphy thinks he's a model.  He always jumps in front of the camera.)

I'll post updates as I continue to work on everything.  Ideas, thoughts, tips, and suggestions are always welcome. :-)

Meet Duke

Yesterday I told Murphy's story, so today I felt it was only fair to share Duke's story. 

Here he is.  My big handsome fella. 

After Kent and I got Murphy, we thought he could use a friend.  Kent loves Murphy, but with his super active lifestyle, Murph can't always keep up.  We thought next time we would go for a big dog.  My dad has a super awesome German Shepherd named Jett, and we love him so much that we thought we would try to find a German Shepherd.

Since Shepherds can have so many health problems (and because I didn't want to support any potential puppy mills on the island), I decided to contact my old boss at the kennel, who also breeds German Shepherds.  He said he didn't have any puppies available, but he had a great 3 year old who had been returned when his owner passed away.  Duke had been owned by an elderly man who had a big farm.  It broke my heart to think about what the poor dog was going through.  One minute he was riding in the back of a truck feeling the wind in his face with his favorite person, and the next his owner was no longer there, the family didn't want him, and he found himself in a kennel waiting on a new home.  We immediately said we would take him.

It was then that we had to begin the months long process of getting a dog to Hawaii.  Because the island is rabies free, they have a crazy long procedure for importing animals-- shots and blood tests with a specific time-line.  Instead of having Duke come out and stay in quarantine here (the quarantine place is not where you want your dogs to be), we had him stay with my family through the process.  He got to stay with his half brother Jett, a Blue Heeler named Lacey, a chihuahua named ChaChi, and a little mix named Shelby.  I'm pretty sure he loved it.

Here's a photo of Duke and his half brother Jett

Kent and I finally got to meet Duke face to face in December when we went home for Christmas.  We instantly fell in love with our new 80 lb lap dog!

(This isn't the greatest pic because it's from a phone, but you get the idea.)

In January, after one delay because of a snow storm, Duke finally flew out to Hawaii.  We were so excited and so happy to have him meet his little fur brother.  Duke was exhausted after his flight, but was really sweet with Murphy.

Now that a couple months have gone by, Duke is nice and settled in.  I feel so good knowing he is here with me when Kent is away.  Murphy might be good company, but as far as a guard dog, he's no use.  He would welcome any intruder with one of his happy smiles and lead the way to the "good stuff."  Duke, on the other hand, barks at an unusual noise, and always lets me know when someone comes up.  Not to mention he is a tiny bit intimidating to look at.  (And he does all of that while being a great big cuddle buddy to me.  I couldn't ask for more.)

And that's pretty much the story of my big handsome Mr. Duke.

On another note entirely, I've been working on a new painting of a beagle named Nelly.  I'm about halfway finished, so look for a new post with her picture very soon.

Happy Friday!

My Little Miracle Murphy

Since this blog is all pretty new, and since I don't have a whole bunch of exciting things going on right now, I thought I would give you a little background on one of the four-legged loves of my life-- my little Cavalier Murphy.

 I fell in love with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels when I was working at a dog kennel in college.  Two little Cavaliers came in and stole my heart with their sweet, soulful eyes, and gentle demeanor.  I knew it was the breed I wanted to have one day.  They are expensive little dogs on the mainland (for good reason... they are awesome!), but when I got to Hawaii they were pretty much out of the question.  (Dogs in Hawaii sell for outrageous prices-- even mixed breeds sell for a thousand dollars sometimes.  It's pretty sad actually... people act as if they are a commodity or product instead of a living creature.)

After college and finishing my Master's degree, I got married and the military moved us to Hawaii.  We didn't have a dog before we moved, and we weren't even sure we were going to get one.  Fast forward about 8 months, and I am really missing my family's animals.  My degree is in Art Education, and that's a job that's just not going to be available on the island because so many of the schools in Hawaii are under funded and don't even have Art or Music programs.  I'm spending most of my days at home arranging things in our new place and trying to work on a little artwork to get up the nerve to sell a few things.  Kent, my husband, is gone most of the time working.  His job calls for some super long hours and a lot of time away, so I was getting super lonely.  I wouldn't even think of paying any of the exorbitant prices for the purebred dogs here when they probably came from puppy mills and there were so many others that needed to be rescued.  I started to look around online-- Craigslist, shelters, the Humane Society, and then the SPCA.  I wasn't finding anything that really felt like the right match.

One Wednesday morning, I was feeling particularly lonely and miserable.  All kinds of things were going through my mind. Why was I on this stupid island anyway when all I ever do is spend time alone? How do I even make friends?  My neighbors don't talk to me when I smile at them and say hello, and the few wives of the men Kent works with are at entirely different points in their lives from me.  How am I ever going to meet people?  I just wish I was home.  All of a sudden I just felt the need to get out of my lonely little townhouse and do something to cheer my pathetic self up.  I wondered, what always makes me happy and makes me feel loved.  It was then that I decided on a whim that Wednesday morning to go to a place I had never been, the Oahu SPCA.  I wanted to just go look around at the dogs on the off chance that one might seem like the right fit... plus dogs always make me happy, so I made the drive and walked inside.

All of the dogs I saw were in need of a loving home, and I wanted to help them all.  My neighborhood has rules against pit bulls and pit mixes, so I knew they were out of the question.  As I walked by the kennels in that bare bones shelter my heart went out to all of these poor creatures that were so down on their luck.  Kennel after kennel had a pit mix or maybe one that was too timid to be adopted out or one that wasn't medically ready to go to a permanent home.  By the time I was nearing the back of the shelter, I was feeling like I was destined to be alone on this rock in the ocean... I wasn't even going to find a dog that was right to keep me company.

Then I turned the corner, and I saw a beautiful little Cavalier.  I walked as fast  as I could to the kennel he was in, and he came to the side where I was standing and put his sweet little nose through the chain link and looked at me with the most loving eyes I had ever seen.  It was over.  My heart was his.  I could not believe that this perfect little Cavalier was in this place.  Was this a miracle or some kind of terrible joke to toy with my already fragile emotions?  I told the girl showing me around that I loved Cavaliers and that I would love to put in an application for him.  She looked down a little and said that there were already close to twenty applications filled out to take him home but I was welcome to fill one out because they try to do "best match" instead of first come first serve. I couldn't help but feel my heart sink just a little, but I wanted that little dog so badly.  I filled out the application.

The application was very long and detailed, and I filled it out with every detail that I thought would let them know how much this little guy would mean to me.  When I finished, I turned it in and felt like I might be sick.  I knew I would give him a wonderful home, but would they see it that way?

I walked out the door and to my car.  I immediately called my mom and told her to pray and to tell everyone in my family to pray.  There had to be a reason I woke up that Wednesday morning, randomly went to a shelter, and saw the four-legged companion of my dreams.  My whole family said they would, and I sent up a prayer myself.  I told God I knew it might seem trivial to pray about getting a dog, but I felt I really needed that kind of love and companionship in my life.  (Not to knock my sweet husband in any way... he's always there for me, but when he has to go away for work, I'm completely alone)

A few hours later my phone rings with an unfamiliar number.  It was a woman from the shelter telling me that she thought I would be perfect for little "Napoleon."  (That was the temporary name given to him.)  I finally breathed again for the first time in hours, and I told her I would love to come and get him.  We arranged for a pick-up the following Saturday, and I was overcome with excitement.

On Saturday, Kent and I got up and headed to the SPCA.  We did all the paperwork, and they came out with my sweet little buddy.

I took this picture with my phone right after they brought him out.

When we got home, he gave me one of his sweet smiles, and I knew things were going to start looking up.

Over the next few weeks and months we went on hikes and walks and to the dog park often, and things really began to change for me.

Murphy made himself right at home.

We both started making friends in the neighborhood, especially at the dog park.  It was amazing to me how many more people talk to you when you are walking an adorable little dog.  I no longer went for days without face to face human contact when Kent was away.  I was able to meet people and have good conversations.  It was wonderful.  I made at least a couple really good friends through going to the dog park with my little Murphy, which had an amazing effect on my attitude towards everything else.  While this may not be my ideal place to live, it's no longer the absolute worst, and I no longer feel so lonely and empty.  It may sound silly to some, but I honestly believe Murphy was an answer to my prayers.  His presence has changed my attitude and helped me in so many ways.  He is always there for me, his eyes are always full of love, and I am never alone.  I couldn't ask for a better companion, so call it what you want... I just call it my little miracle.  

Soon I'll share Duke's "tail" and many more... Stay tuned...