Ten Things Tuesday 6/1/10

Over the weekend, Mr. Mamie and I gave the dogs baths. This is never a very popular activity, though they both endure the process fairly well.  While we were washing Molly, I was telling Mr. Mamie some stories of her life (before he came into it), and thinking about how the years are catching up to her – gray face, patchy fur, dry skin, straining eyes.  In my mind though, she’s still the barely-three-month-old who came home with me from the pound so many years ago.

Here are ten thoughts about my “laprador,” Molly Renee (yes, she has a middle name):

1.    When I adopted her from the City of Berkeley Animal Shelter in December 1997 I could carry her in my arms.
2.    She “picked” me – just waiting at the fence in her cage, looking and wiggling and saying “I’m your dog!”
3.    She always used to “gut” her stuffed animals, attacking and yanking the stuffing out to get to the squeeker. Then she became very blasé about the toy… once the squeeker was gone, who cared?  Now, she doesn’t get too excited about new toys, and leaves the tossing and attacking to Scout.
4.    She’s always enjoyed frolicking in the snow, but hates rain. She’ll skip going out to pee for hours in order to avoid having water fall from the sky onto her head!
5.    Just a couple weeks after adopting her, she and I went to Wombat’s and GolfDad’s for Christmas (this may have been the last Christmas in the house I grew up in). Molly spent the whole of Christmas dinner rolling and flopping in a mud puddle in the backyard as we watched through the sliding glass door, laughing hysterically.
6.    That Christmas is when she learned about presents – she got lots (adoring mama and grandma, after all), and quickly caught on to the rattly-paper sound as a precursor to another fun toy for HER, no matter for whom the present was actually intended.
7.    Molly loves the family cabin in Colorado… we haven’t been in a while, and I hope we can go back while she still has a chance.  One of the nicest few days of my life was spent with Wombat and Molly at the cabin, enjoying fall sunshine and chilly nights, working on yarn projects and eating soup, in late September 2003.  The picture above is from that trip.
8.    She hates the vacuum, as much now as she did as a puppy.  Even when it’s not running, if it’s left sitting in the hallway, Molly does everything possible to avoid it!
9.    Molly has lived in five different apartments/houses with me, and has accompanied me in visiting countless friends and family from California to Kansas.
10.    Molly has always had some good doggie friends, some of whom are gone now, but she loved them all... Emma, Justice, Nakita, Charlie, Daisy, Sammy, Rusty... we love and miss you!

Molly has been my best friend for almost 13 years, and I dearly hope that the status quo continues for at least a few more.