Saturday, August 16, 2008

New addition to the family

So today we got a new member to what is now the Somershoe clan.  To avoid minds from wondering what we've been hiding for the last 9 months, it is a 9 month old golden retriever.  Goldie (real original name, I know) was the one puppy our neighbors kept from the litter their golden had 9 months ago.  The neighbors said they were going to get rid of her since their teenage son doesn't give her any attention as he said he would.  So after much discussion and me saying no more dogs, I changed my mind (on my own, really!) and said let's get her.

We went over this afternoon and fairly easily got a leash on her.  She's never been walked, so she just wrapped herself around us, making moving her through 2 gates a chore.  I ended up just picking her up.

It's a good thing we got her because poor Goldie stunk like I don't know what.  We got her a new collar, food bowl, puppy food (I think she's only been fed adult food) and 2 baths.  In the washing process we got a few hundred fleas off her.  She is kind of skittish, mostly because she wasn't well taken care of, but she just sat patiently as we washed her, all over, twice!  She must have known we were going to take good care of her.  I'm sure it felt good to have all those fleas die!! We applied flea and tick stuff to the cats and Nick, and will get her treated ASAP.  

In the meantime, she has been inside a house for the first time, which took ~5 min of coaxing and 2 treats.  She just stood in the doorway and would take one step forward and 2 back.  We only let her in the utility room since she is still has some fleas and, of course, is not house broken.  In 2 weeks, we'll be back in Vicksburg for Labor day and we'll get Nick's old crate.  After that we'll let her stay inside over night.  Much work to do with Goldie, but she is really sweet and Nick and her play very well together.

Much to my chagrin, as soon as we gave her her first puppy treat she ran into my garden and tried to bury it.  I chased her out and later started my "training" on staying out of the garden (which involves the hose at full blast).  Later she started eating the treats right away.

At dinner time, Nick remembered from experiences with Kudzu and Ivy that he must eat really fast when other dogs are around.  They both ate well and played the game nicely.  Goldie does drool like a waterfall when drinking (if not sticking a paw in the water bowl), so we've moved the food and water to the utility room (not just case we are only letting her in there for a while).

In the end, she has warmed up to use very quickly and hopefully she won't dig my garden too much or do #1 or #2 inside!!

So after they went to sleep and I busted them for sleeping in the garden, a little later we could see both of them sleeping next to one another in the yard.

You're getting me a what??? A little sister??


Goldie in the new yard.


Inseparable.  Goldie's only about 40 lbs or so.

I love you too sweetie!


Pooped from playing.

Too cute.

In other news, I did my first bike race of the year on Wednesday.  My good bike is in the shop (and has been), so I rode my old steel bike that was my first bike I bought 6 years ago.  It is heavy, but treated me well.  I did way better than I expected (in terms of speed and not getting lapped 3 times).  So all was well.




I may have been at the back a lot, but I held my own.  It was a little scary going around a corner at 25mph with someone on your elbows, especially since I haven't done it in a year!

Just some other nice shots.  Our mockingbirds finally fledged babies on Friday.  This was their 5th nest, 3 in our yard and 2 in the neighbors bushes.  Hope the mockers don't hate us when we cut down the holly bushes they've nested in the last 2 years.  Yup those big holly's in the front are going this fall.   
Baby bird, barely out of the nest.


Immature male Ruby-throated Hummingbird coming to the feeder.  One of at least 3 different individuals visiting frequently.

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