CASUALTIES OF REMODELING

Bella Grace

As amazing as it is to watch your dreams come to frutitation, there are always ups and downs.  The cottage has been in the destruction stage for several weeks now.  Who knew it took so long to take down one little cottage?  It was practically no bigger than a chicken coop.  And now it looks like a chicken coop.  And I should know because I've had a few of those things.  I haven't always lived at the beach you know.  I was once a country girl with chickens, and goats and a monkey.  But that is a story for another time.  I promise I'll get back to you on that one.

I have three, soft, fluffy, sweet, loving, loyal dogs.  Dog doesn't come close to a word which can describe the animals who are just like kids to me.  Usually, as a matter of fact, I call my dogs my "kids".  YES, I am ONE OF THOSE people.  I will herein refer to my dogs as my "kids".   My human kids completely understand this because, they are at the butt-head stage (teenagers) and they really don't care how I refer  defer  to them as long as I  stay out of their way.

Who else sits by the door waiting expectantly for it to open; and you appearing on the other side makes their day complete? Who else bounds through the door in the morning and jumps on the bed covering you with puppy kisses and then snuggles-in to sleep until you're ready to get your day started for real?  Well, maybe on the days your husband doesn't leave at 4:00 AM for work he might do that but, seriously, on a day to day basis.  Yep, only "the kids" do that.

When you do a remodel the size and scope of what we are doing, and you have to move your family, and all your worldly possessions, to an alternate location so you don't get bulldozed by the Barbarians,  sometimes, sadly, regrettably, you have to make compensations.  They may break your heart a bit, though they are filled with good intentions. They are necessary to go forward but,  thank you God,  are only temporary casualties.


After searching for over a month for a place to live while we remodel the cottage, we found (much to our disbelief dismay) that, a family with two teens, three dogs, and one cat with six toes and no tail, were not a landlords' dream. Go figure. The fact that we only wanted a four month lease only enhanced the hilarity of renting to us.  So in our desperation, we had to come up with an alternate plan for part of our family. We tried to get someone to take the teenagers instead but, nobody wanted even temporarily to volunteer for that job. Imagine. No Body.


Long, late night sessions of tears  debate, and decisions were made.  In the end, the Cock-a-Poo's (at a price) got to come with us.  A hefty, non refundable damage deposit later,  they are even now, beside me, looking up with the grateful eyes of someone who made the cut.

 Our miracle kitty with nine lives, resides still, at the cottage such as it is

Meet, "Scout"

 He prowls about keeping would be bandits at bay.  He sleeps with the raccoons who have invaded the premises, and taken up residence outside the door of the only room still intact, (where this guy is living).

Meet, AP

This may be the sweetest, cutest, hardest working guy you'll ever know.

He does it all and he does it with a smile on his face.  Well, usually.  Right here in  this picture he looks kinda surprised.  That's because I keep sneaking up on him with my camera.  But I've never known him to be anything but happy and jovial.  Of course he isn't really my kid.  And I'd adopt him, really I would but, then he'd just act like a butt-head.

 We get to see him and pet him and feed and water him, every day. No, not that guy;  the kitty.  Okay, yes, both of them.  Anyway, Scout has lots of company and gets in on all the action which, is just as he prefers it.  You can't feel too sorry for him.  He's a cat and he does what he wants anyway.  Kind of like teenagers but, quietly and with less protesting.

But, then there's this one.  This one, the sweetest of all sweets.

 The kid who asks for the least, who loves everyone, who is just happy if you take her on her daily walk.  This one, this completely unsuspecting one -  didn't -  make - the cut.  Apparently weight DOES matter, and at 100 lb. she tipped the scale for the acceptable doggy weight limit for renters.  Alas, she is in a temporary foster home. But don't jump to the wrong conclusion.  She is with people who love her.  She is with kin.  She's with her biological doggy mom, one of her doggy brothers, and her Auntie Kim, Uncle Alan and their two daughters. Whew! They have been kind enough to share their home with her. This is only confusing or disturbing if you are not ONE OF THOSE kinds of people. All of the rest of you will completely understand this logic.


 Bella Grace, who we all refer to as Bella Beane, (who knows why, it's just one of those things you say in an unnaturally high pitched voice, when you are talking to her and want her to feel the love),  gets a big backyard, her own bed, and lots of attention and love. She's back to her roots, to her beginnings, to when her name was "Grape" for goodness sakes. Before we adopted her, she and all her siblings were given the names of fruit.  So before Bella was Bella, she was Grape.  But if you pet her nicely, and talk in that high pitched voice, she'll answer to anything.




This family of whom I speak are the family who were there on the day she was born.  They took care of her for 8 weeks until we adopted her.  She was loved and she bonded at the most vulnerable stage, which made her the dog she is today. (Can you tell that I am an advocate for adoption?)  These people were kind enough (and will surely be sainted in the next life), to take Bella Grape back into their home temporarily, adding a third dog to their pack. Where is Caesar Milan when you really need him, I ask you? We could have used a good dog whisperer in the past 2 months! "Caesar, are you listening?" He never listens when I talk to him.  He's too busy taming wild beasts.


So to you, Bella Grace Beane Grape puppy girl, we miss you every day.  We can't wait for the Cottage to be done so you can come home and we'll all be together again.  For the day when we can run on the beach once more and throw a stick which you will look down at and then up at us as if to say, "A stick". "Really people!"  "Maybe YOU want to go fetch a stick."  "But as for me, I want to go swimming".


So if you will, sit back and watch a montage of love.  A little dedication to the one who didn't make the cut. But who knows that, we will spend the rest of our lives making it up to her.  If you can, only because I am not yet computer savvy enough to actually do it for you, insert the "Lassie" theme song into your head before you look at the following pictures.


Hum now -

You know we love you more than all the doggy biscuits at Hideaway Cafe, Beane!

Sniff.  Sniff.  Blow.  Wipe.  Sniff.  Blow.




Until we are together again...


Blessings,


Mommy


To see more posts about Bella go here - 

ADOPT- A -DOG