Chooch is lying at my feet with an inflated dougnut around his neck. (I’ts replaced by a damnable plasitc cone at night!) Monday was his “surgery day.” He was neutered – a requirement for adoption from the Animal Rescue League and most other shelters. A good idea. We’re not sure why this didn’t happen to Chooch when he was puppy, but it’s done now. He seems to be comfortable and doesn’t hate us! Just wants cuddling…and food! Bessie was quite upset when Chooch disappeared for two days! She really pouted and didn’t want to have anything to do with us. Now that Chooch is home, Bessie’s a happy Lab again.
OK! I know I promised something beyond a discussion of our Labs this week. It’s been a lovely, almost unstructured week. As Ellen blogged, Saturday’s secret-discovering-trip was interesting. Stay tuned to our next show on 18 July at 9 PM for a film sampling of our day.
There are some days that I seem to accomplish very little. I’m a “morning person,” so if I’m going to accomplish any houswework or pursue my writing, it has to happen by noon. Yet some mornings when I wake with great resolve to do a number of chores, noon arrives, and I’ve little to show but my unfulfilled resolve. But this morning I started at 8 when Barry left for a conference in Philadelphia. It’s now barely 1 PM. and I think I’ve accomplished more this morning than I have in weeks. Cleaning, ironing, gardening, a long phone conversation with my daughter in Californina, some deep sorting and bagging of old clothes that have been accumulating in the basement – I’ve meant to get at those for….years, I think. Wow! What happened?
Actually, in addition to this lovely cool, breezy, sunny morning, I didn’t begin by checking my email and catching up with my correspondence. Usually, after the breakfast dishes are put away, I go right to the computer. It often traps me for hours. But not this morning. Didn’t even look at email until everything else was done. It really made a difference, I think. My psyche is not “housework focused”….ever! It is easily persuaded to put off chores until another day, especially when I get caught up with email and the Internet. I am planning to revise my schedule for computer time!
It really wasn’t a day to inspire a deeply thoughtful blog, but I feel very good about everything I have accomplished. Who knows what the afternoon will bring?!
We are very exctied about the forthcoming arrival of Monah Gallagher. Can hardly wait to meet her and have her meet Bessie and Chooch. Dogs! Love almost every one, but I love the big ones best!

I’ll end the suspense! Chooch, the Pooch, is now part of our family!Seems as though he’s been with us for years! He joined our ranks last Wednesday afternoon. Of course, at that time his name was still “Hank,” a name the Animal Rescue League gave him when he arrived as a stray. (He was microchipped and licensed. The owners were notified, but never came to pick him up! He’s been at ARL for a month.) We named him after Carlos “Chooch” Ruiz, that amazing catcher who plays for the Phillies! Good guy! Good dog!
So, if you’re not a pet person, you might wish to stop reading at this point. I understand, and I promise to be more inspiring next Wednesday. But for today – it’s all about Chooch.
He’s six years old, a lovely milk chocolate colored Labroador retriever with a distinguished gray beard. Looks like a purebred – thick, otter tail; big ruff; large chest; big “smart spot” on his forehead. Whatever he is, we love him. Bessie! Of course, it was her approval that sealed the deal! They act like an old married couple. She walks by and gives him a kiss in passing, and he sniffs…I won’t go into detail about what he sniffs! They’re dogs! She’s started to tease him the way she used to tease Buster, our big chocolate Lab who died a year a half ago, and whom we’ve all been missing – A LOT!!!
Chooch doesn’t bark, doesn’t get up on any furniture, is housebroken, sleeps in Buster’s bed next to Barry’s side of our bed. (Bessie sleeps in hers next to my side.) He loves to eat!!! Follows me all around the downstairs – and, yes, I’ve tripped on him and stepped on him several times. He’s very tolerant and just grunts! But most of all, Chooch wants to be hugged and petted – all the time if you have a free hand. When one of us sits down, he sits on the floor and leans against us and pushes our hand to be petted. He’s a living Huggable! It’s wonderful! A dog who just wants love!
He’s quite smart – as most Labs are – at least in our experience. He’s already learned to dance with me like Bessie and I dance with paws on my shoulders and wiggling to my off key crooning. He’s learning to wait before going through a door, and also before he approaches his full food dish. (That’s a REALLY hard one because he LOVES to eat, but he’s learning.) On the negative side – he would love to chase every bird, squirrel, and bunny in the neighborhood. We’re working on that, and he’s doing really well at controlling that urge. (Wish I could do as well controling my urge for ice cream!) He meets people with a wag of the tail and a smile. (Great smile!!!)
Did I mention that he weighs 83 pounds, 10 more than Bessie, and is about the same height. (Buster weighed 140 when we rescued him!)
So, there he is! Our Chooch! He’s found his “forever home,” as Meg said last week. He is our second rescued Lab, and we are believers!!!! There are a lot of animals at ARL looking for forever homes. (Meg just rescued Charlie, a charming cat with a Chaplin mustache – hence, the name!) Of course, he really chose her, just as Chooce (AKA Hank) chose Barry when he went to check out the chocolate Lab on the ARL website!
We’ve been looking for him for a year and a half. It was worth the wait!
If you’ve read this far, you must be a dog lover. Have a great week. I promise to return next week with more artsy, intellectual “stuff.” (yawn!) – am still reading LBJ’s bio!

It’s been several weeks since I blogged, and, truly, I’ve no excuse. The almost-agenda-less summer days are wonderful, and I’ve been enjoying having time to read and garden and knit – as welll as write -but I’ve found myself losing track of the days. So Wednesdays have been sliding by without reminding me to blog!
We’re considering adopting another Lab. A chocolate one – six years old – a guest at the ARL. Our big, lovely Buster died about 18 months ago, and we all (Bessie, most of all, I think) miss our gentle giant. Barry’s been looking at Lab rescue sites, and yesterday he went to see “Hank” at ARL.
Barry said he really felt a connection with Hank, so we went to see the pup last evening. He’s a good guy. Six years old, a stray with a microchip and license, but when the owners were called they didn’t come to pick him up. How can you do that?!
So today Barry’s taking Bessie to “meet and greet” Hank. She’ll make the final decision, and I must admit I’m a bit stressed about the idea of a second dog. Buster was SO my dog. Where I was, there was Buster waiting quietly for me to scratch his head or, better still, give him a treat. Hank’s a good guy! I think I could love him – I think I hope Bessie feels the same way. (ARL has been calling him “”Hank” for the month he’s been a guest there, but they don’t know what his name really is. He didn’t seem to respond especially when we called him “Hank.” I’d love to rename him “Chooch” for my favorite Phillie.
So stay tuned. When next I blog, I’ll let you know whether Bessie has taken a shine to “Hank.”
One recommendation: I’ve discovered a new Norwegian author – Jon Nesbo – my son says he’s read several of his books and enjoyed them. I’m reading “The Leopard,” a well written detective tale! There’s something about those Scandinavian writers of mysteries that I find very entertaining. (Still slogging through LBJ biography – volume 1! Good reading/well written – but there’s only so much Texas I can take at one time!)