dogs, cats and stress
We are going to find another home for Jacô. Jacô likes to protect his space and is not a good dog to have around small children, young active adults that sometimes rough house or the eternally young who like to read books with their heads on the floor and their feet on the couch; not if you like your hair, or wish to be bite free. I've been trying to find a way to remove this animal from the house for quite some time now...
I´m about ready to send him down range for target practice but the fact that that would be an awful example to set keeps me from doing so. AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED that made my wish come true.
BACKGROUND
Our neighbor had a kitten. A pretty black thing named Pandora. Our neighbor also has a schnauzer, a husky, two medium-sized singing birds and a parrot that knows the names of every kid in the neighborhood, and repeats them, loudly, at odd intervals during the day. The husband of said neighbor was rather "iffy" about the kitten. The dudeman, however, was not. He would visit said kitten and play with her. "She really likes me and needs me as a friend..." was the reason for his many visits.
PROBLEM
Our neighbor decided to give the kitten to some friends of hers and casually announced this Wednesday morning while Nanners, dudeman and I were helping her blow up balloons for her husband´s birthday party. The dudeman hyperventilated. Then he started crying as only seven year old little boys can cry - usually when someone dies. He fled to our house and buried himself in the couch. He wouldn´t move. Then, when the lady was there to pick up the cat he ran next door, carefully picked up the tiny,(she is only a month old), kitten and started telling her how he loves her and he would be praying for her and loving her and how he didn't want to say goodbye to her..... etc., sobbing and crying all the while. Of course the neighbor's friend was horrified. No respecting Brazilian woman would ever come between a young blond boy and a kitten that was obviously loved beyond even, perhaps, futebal (soccer - the national religion of Brazil). Our neighbor looked at us, Nanners and me, and we quickly said that if a cat came into the house a dog would have to leave it or Phil would not speak to me for the next century. We also added that any decision about said cat would have to be made by the philmeister. Little boy gently put the kitten down in her bed and FLEW home. I followed to pick up any pieces that might need to be picked up. I found boy happily LEAVING the house and heading back to the neighbors and the philmeister, a very deflated philmeister, sinking into his arm chair. "I'm just too "mohlli",(port for soft), for my own good he was muttering to himself"
SOLUTION
We are seeking a home for Jacô, and little kitten, now named Sophia, is a member of our household. She and little boy slept together, "She might be afraid of the dark, mom!"
Sophia, oddly enough, likes to sit with boy while he plays play station games. She likes to play with the controls, but little boy distracts her with yarn when that gets to be too much. She also has decided that Phil's chair is her favorite napping chair and - oddly - enough Phil doesn't seem to mind this. He says that she has a rather large "purr" and that he doesn't mind sharing. Sophia rides on little boy's shoulder. Sophia plays with a ball of yarn supplied by big sister Nanners. Sophia likes to hide on the book shelf and attack the sofa. Little boy is happier than I've seen him in many months. He even cleaned out the kitty box ... I wonder how long that will last.
I´m about ready to send him down range for target practice but the fact that that would be an awful example to set keeps me from doing so. AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED that made my wish come true.
BACKGROUND
Our neighbor had a kitten. A pretty black thing named Pandora. Our neighbor also has a schnauzer, a husky, two medium-sized singing birds and a parrot that knows the names of every kid in the neighborhood, and repeats them, loudly, at odd intervals during the day. The husband of said neighbor was rather "iffy" about the kitten. The dudeman, however, was not. He would visit said kitten and play with her. "She really likes me and needs me as a friend..." was the reason for his many visits.
PROBLEM
Our neighbor decided to give the kitten to some friends of hers and casually announced this Wednesday morning while Nanners, dudeman and I were helping her blow up balloons for her husband´s birthday party. The dudeman hyperventilated. Then he started crying as only seven year old little boys can cry - usually when someone dies. He fled to our house and buried himself in the couch. He wouldn´t move. Then, when the lady was there to pick up the cat he ran next door, carefully picked up the tiny,(she is only a month old), kitten and started telling her how he loves her and he would be praying for her and loving her and how he didn't want to say goodbye to her..... etc., sobbing and crying all the while. Of course the neighbor's friend was horrified. No respecting Brazilian woman would ever come between a young blond boy and a kitten that was obviously loved beyond even, perhaps, futebal (soccer - the national religion of Brazil). Our neighbor looked at us, Nanners and me, and we quickly said that if a cat came into the house a dog would have to leave it or Phil would not speak to me for the next century. We also added that any decision about said cat would have to be made by the philmeister. Little boy gently put the kitten down in her bed and FLEW home. I followed to pick up any pieces that might need to be picked up. I found boy happily LEAVING the house and heading back to the neighbors and the philmeister, a very deflated philmeister, sinking into his arm chair. "I'm just too "mohlli",(port for soft), for my own good he was muttering to himself"
SOLUTION
We are seeking a home for Jacô, and little kitten, now named Sophia, is a member of our household. She and little boy slept together, "She might be afraid of the dark, mom!"
Sophia, oddly enough, likes to sit with boy while he plays play station games. She likes to play with the controls, but little boy distracts her with yarn when that gets to be too much. She also has decided that Phil's chair is her favorite napping chair and - oddly - enough Phil doesn't seem to mind this. He says that she has a rather large "purr" and that he doesn't mind sharing. Sophia rides on little boy's shoulder. Sophia plays with a ball of yarn supplied by big sister Nanners. Sophia likes to hide on the book shelf and attack the sofa. Little boy is happier than I've seen him in many months. He even cleaned out the kitty box ... I wonder how long that will last.