ONe very happy Mary

IN an effort to stop the mole digging mania i took the dogs to a different wooded area today. IT looked like people hadn't been down there for a long time because the paths were overgrown. I hadn't been there for a couple years but it is a favorite spot for i spent my childhood playing there. I thought of Puckstop because there were turkey everywhere..like short people walking around just within your peripheral vision. Victor and Pepper acted like they were in Las Vegas and took off at a dead run but it was Mary who surprised me. She acted like she couldn't possibly be happier. Galloping down one path after another. She even surprised a buck and then surprised me as she galloped after him. SHE has never paid attention to deer before. WE finally got down to the creek and i was trying to find a easy way to the water and had found one when i turned around to signal her i saw her leap off of a 3 ft embankment. All i could think was :yikes: NOOOOOooooo but she was just fine. She headed for the water dropped her nose in, blew bubbles, then flipped the water as she always does. I gave her a good long time for wading about while zany one and two ran through the brush. I thought about the agility jumps as Pepper first and then Victor sailed over a looped goatvine. I don't think i have ever seen Pepper jump so high and she had no idea it was there until she cut the corner of the path. ON our way out we ran into a couple of hikers and their toddler which made her even more delighted. SHe is a sucker for a baby. She followed his blondeness about then finally rejoined us to go home. The other good news is that there was postively no mole digging. With squirrels, turkey, deer, and more they had much more fun on top of the ground and had no need to look under. Just thought i would share what a great day it was for Mary.

What a perfect day for you and all your furkids!

Wowza you had me really going with the story and all! I love the little smiley for the "noooo" portion too. haha Great write up!

WE can't go every day because of the poison ivy. I have to scrub them as soon as we get home but that won't be around much longer. YAY

I think Mary just refuses to accept her old body. In a way that's a good thing and in a way it is frightening. SHe could have hurt herself jumping off that embankment like that. 3 feet doesnt' sound like a big deal, in her early days it would have been nothing..twice that would ahve been nothing but not on the solidified joints she has now. SHe was able to jump up in the car without help. I think those runs really loosen her up and didnt' act in pain at all when i got her home. After her bath even tho she was covered i saw her shivering so i pulled her up on the sofa, draped her over me and covered her with the blanket to warm her from both sides. I had used the blow dryer before to get off most of the dampness so she should have been fine but she wasn't. The shivering worried me but once she was on the sofa with human warmth she stopped.

It is incredibly wonderful to hear that Mary is having such a fabulous time running around.

Oh, if you could only see the biggest smile on my face ever to hear how much Mary enjoyed it. Mary expresses what life is all about.

Reading this makes me sooooooooooo happy ! Bless our Mary !

That is wonderful! It's great to hear happy stories about Mary. Your description made me feel like I was right there along with all of you. I was able to picture it vividly in my mind.

I reached for my camera in my bag but i had forgotten it. I have no way of getting it in the computer anyway. My mom said "how many miles of video do you have of that dog by now?" I told her about as many as i am going to need when she leaves me. She has a touchy pancreas, she has arthritis. She can't hear a lick unless I hollar REALLY loud and she is not far from me. Hopefully the weather will warm up a bit more and we can go a couple more times. Her wagging tail as she stood face to face with the deer was priceless. He was pretty handsome too! HE didn't stick around long enough for me to count his points,,,but for a second he was as interested in the old wagging dog as she was in him. He didn't act scared at all, just curious.

Smkie, remember, when it's time for Mary to go, Bronki's waiting for her And neither of them are ever going to be far from you.

When we had our last close call i was mentally trying to summon them all..Tate, Bin, Bronki...i was blubbering like a fool because Mary does not like to be alone. THe time is closer and i know that. But for now we are trying to make the very best of it as we should. You should have seen the expression on Pepper's face tho. Broken walnuts all over the place, rich turkey scent, she looked like she just won the lottery. First the dogs ran down the path deep into the woods and Mary and I followed at our much slower pace. THat was when I saw the turkey people on both sides...there had to be 20 if there was one..all moving silently, just within the trees. It was almost creepy. THat is until Zany one one two zipped back and sent them all to the trees. I figure it didn't hurt them any to sit up there for the little bit while we are in their woods. I love to hear the sound of dogs hitting the creek water...splaash! I thought about when Pepper had to stay on the leash while Virgo and Sawyer played with mine. WHat a grand change it is for her to be the one splashing into the water and racing up the banks. When i was small and played here there were no turkey or deer for that matter. THis is a pretty small patch of woods so that is sad they are crammed in there like that. Glad to see that someone has pulled logs and brush over the path to keep the dirt bikers out. Running into that in quite a few of our haunts.
Mary is so much more limber after she runs a bit, i try to take that as a lesson for myself.