Tally Pup Update!!!

NavyGuy was able to check on Tally on Saturday - she's doing GREAT! He watched her do some work with the trainer, and then got to play with her for a bit. Basically, she's kickin' ass. Tally is doing fabulous for her age, and is still a little peanut (she'll look big in the first photos, but check out the relative size in the last photo). She's eating well, making friends, has clean ears and teeth, and is still our little squeaker pup :)

I'm ready guys! I'm ready! Let me run! I wanna run!



Bringing back a bird.

Finally in the water! Apparently, she still isn't a huge fan, but can you blame her? It's still freezing cold!

Awww... spending some quality play time with her papa.
Here's Tally in the front middle (her pink collar has faded drastically). The yellow lab in front of her... is 13 weeks... Tally is 6 months!

Only a few more months to go until Tally comes home!

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Monday

*Met with a new babysitting client today. Apparently, I seemed trustworthy so she and her husband went out for lunch and left me to read a book on their couch while the 15 month old napped. Little one slept soundly for two hours, and I went home a few dollars richer.

*NavyGuy's pox arm is still not right. He checked with the Doc today and Doc thinks perhaps the shot "didn't take." And the conspiracy deepens...

*Tomorrow I go back to Starbucks after a glorious two week vacation. My barista life continues. For how long I don't know - I'm still waiting to get my permanent teaching license so I can go back to subbing, but it's in the hands of the bureaucrats at the moment, so who knows how long it will take. The Starbucks income is dwindling as of late (not only because of my frequent vacationing), but also because now that the holiday season is over, Target has drastically cut back on hours for its employees. So my 30 hours weeks are down to 18, maybe 20 hours if I'm lucky. Which means I'm half excited to go back to work tomorrow to make some moola, half bummed that I have to don the khakis and green apron again.

*The bad news continues - we couldn't go see Tally pup this past weekend. The trainer was hosting an event and didn't think he'd have time to show us around and show off what Tally had learned so far. I almost burst into tears over the whole thing - I miss that dog so much! How is that possible? She's a dog. And I've known her for all of five months. But the house is so quiet without her, and everyday I come up with some new completely irrational legitimate concern. Is Tally adjusting to the new food alright? What if she's not sleeping well at night? What if they aren't cleaning her ears? Lab ears can get very waxy, and what if Tally's ears are getting too waxy? And then she can't hear the lessons they're trying to teach her, and they think she's untrainable, but really, she just can't hear well? NavyGuy is starting to wonder if ten years of an unruly dog would have been less painful than three months of me, without the dog...

What up with all of you? Any news to report? Stories to share? Complaints to lodge?

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My baby's growing up!

Saturday was a big day for Tally (and a sad one for her mama). It was her first day of school.

(She refused to wear her backpack in her first day of school photo on the front porch, but I'll photo-shop it in eventually.)


Many of you are likely wondering what in the world I'm taking about. Well, Tally pup has gone off to boarding school, or summer camp if you will. She's currently three hours away at an obedience and hunt training school. Even though it means Tally will be away from us for three months or so, NavyGuy sold me on the idea with lots of sound logic and reasoning (I hate when he does that - irritates me to no end.).

Tally is at the prestigious Ivy League academy known as the Long Hollow Retrievers Dog Training, where she'll learn to become a talented bird hunting dog, and a well-behaved, people-pleasing, even more adorable puppy. (I didn't read the specifics of the brochure.) And of course, per life with the Navy, it fell to me alone to drive her the 3.5 hours away (the trainer is in Ellensburg, WA, east of Seattle).

So Saturday we set out early, me in the driver's seat, Tally buckled into the passenger seat. She has become such a good little traveler; while I navigated and listened to my book on CD, she curled up and rode like a champ.

We stopped for lunch at Burger King, and Tally had her first french fry. (It was a road trip afterall - what kind of road trip have you ever taken that didn't include french fries?)


(Ooooo. I don't know what that is, but I am intrigued...)

She scarfed it down (and hopefully that small bribe will be what she remembers about her mama... instead of the fact that I was the one who ditched her at school for three months).

We arrived at the school right on time, and the trainer, Ryan, was outside to meet us. He seemed like a very solid kindergarten teacher, and he showed me Tally's bunk (as it were). She gets her own fenced-in area, and because she's still a puppy, she'll get extra play time. I panicked slightly when I saw another black lab that Ryan said was also Tally's age... the other dog was twice as big! Tiny Tally is gonna get eaten! Even Ryan took one look at Tally in the car, and was, "oh, she's a little squirt... what a cutie!" Both true statements, but he better keep a watchful eye on his littlest student... (Yes, I'm a nervous helicopter puppy parent already - I've made my peace with it and it's high time the rest of you did as well.)

So now I'm temporarily husband-less and puppy-less. No cute little face waiting for me at the door when I come home. No puppy sitting on my feet at night keeping them warm. Sad face. It's very tough to think rationally and know that we're doing what's best for Tally pup (and the rest of us) in getting her trained and well-behaved... when I just want to snuggle with her! (Consider this post your personal invitation to my pity party, no RSVP necessary. Gifts are not required, but are always encouraged.)

The only solace at the moment is that NavyGuy comes home this weekend, and we can go visit Tally every couple of weeks. Is this weekend too soon? I don't want to embarrass her in front of her new friends at school. Maybe I should just send a care package...

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My final say for the day...

Whew! A very productive blogging day if I do say so myself. There are a few more stories from the weekend that need their telling, but I've made a significant dent in the list. I'll leave you with a few random snippets...

*I have to go back to work tonight. In fact, I'm probably steaming milk or cleaning dishes while you read this. It should go without saying that I'm not happy about this fact. I've been off since last week Thursday and it's been blissful. The only coffee I've been in contact with has been sipped out of my own cup while standing on the customer side of the counter.

*Tally pup doesn't have worms. The vet called NavyGuy today and little girl is a-ok. Guess the $80 in tests and medicine was totally worth it.

*There will be bathroom re-do photos coming soon. I got bored already with NavyGuy gone and me home alone, so I decided to redecorate the upstairs guest bath (not a good precedent to set I know, but such is life). It's going to look super awesome, just wait!

*I'm hosting my first spouses' club meeting next week. Very nerve-wracking. Luckily I can put NavyGuy to work helping me get the house ready, but I still need to create an evite, come up with some food ideas, and decide on an outfit that screams, "casual, sophisticated, and effortlessly gorgeous, yet won't show sweat stains or any possible food spills."

*Is it wrong that I'm already really excited to go back to Wisconsin in a few weeks?

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Book Review: The Art of Racing in the Rain

The Art of Racing in the Rain
by Garth Stein

The Least You Need to Know... told through the perspective of a thinking, tv watching, waiting for reincarnation as a human, dog.

Reminds me of... Marley and Me; Timbuktu by Paul Auster.

Pros... I read this one in a little more than twelve hours. It's arranged in short chapters than lend itself to, "oh, I'll just read one more," and the story sucks you in quickly. Being a dog person, I loved the conceit that the narrator is Enzo the dog. Enzo tells the tale with great insight, and hilarious bits (and the dog himself is very likeable), even though much of the story is quite sad and depressing. A satisfying, if unbelievable, ending.

Cons... Somewhat predictable plot lines. Even though I found myself wanting things to resolve in the way they did, it was very unrealistic and felt like a bit of a throwaway when everything wraps up very neatly at the end.

Quotable... Enzo: "I've always felt almost human. I've always known that there's something about me that's different than other dogs. Sure, I'm stuffed into a dog's body, but that's just the shell. It's what's inside that's important. The soul. And my soul is very human."

Bottom Line... It's a dog book, so it should be no surprise that you'll need a box of tissues by the end; that said, read it.

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...And oh good grief... puppy woes

Why is it when one parent is away, that's when the kids get sick?

I got back from the Wisconsin escapade and picked Tally pup up from the kennel. Apparently, everyone loved her, she has a wonderful disposition, she made a new best friend in the few days she was there, and blah blah blah. BUT, the owner informed me that she may have seen worms in Tally's poop that morning. (Oh, sorry - should there have been a "graphic content" warning at the start of this post? Don't worry - there's no poop photos.) Continuing... oh good grief, I thought. I have no clue what I'm supposed to do to deal with this, and the dog has to go to the trainer on Saturday, and great, this is JUST what I wanted to have to monkey with on my first full day back.

Jeez.

So, anyway, I take pup home. I call NavyGuy and we decide that the two of us searching "puppy worms" on the internet probably wasn't the best solution. After a quick call to the vet, I came away learning way too much about dog bowel movements, but apparently, a) worms are fairly common, b) we didn't do anything wrong (whew), and c) it could be treated with no harm to Tally, even if it turned out she didn't have worms.

Well, complicating matters, I was supposed to be taking one of the other Navy wives to the airport in Bellingham that afternoon (this is all happening Thursday of last week), and the vet's office was only open from 2:30-5pm, and they don't take appointments, you just have to show up and wait your turn, and oh good grief.

So, I pick up the Navy wife early, get her up to the airport, and get back to Anacortes in time to throw Tally back in the car (and back in her cute little seat belt!) for a trip to the vet. Fresh poop in hand, we clamor into the office and take our seats to wait it out (well, I sit while Tally desperately tries to sniff and greet every other person in the place). Some time later, we go in to the exam room, pup gets a quick shot to kill one possible strain of worms, and I leave with two unmarked pills to shove down her throat the following day to kill another possible strain. Yeah - so now I have to figure out how to give a dog pills. I can't even swallow pills for god's sake, how am I going to get them down her throat?!?!? Oh good grief. That's tomorrow's problem, I thought.

So we spend the rest of the night relaxing at home. I force Tally outside to use the bathroom every hour, and the neighbors and passers-by are treated to a nice sight of me in my raincoat (because of course, it's raining) wandering around the backyard with a flashlight examining everything that Tally eliminates, searching for signs of worms or who knows what. (Say it with me now... oh good grief.)

The next morning we face the pills. Trusty internet sources suggest hiding it in some people food. Of course I haven't been to the grocery store since I'd returned so we have few options. The only viable scenario involves a hunk of cheddar cheese that's been in the fridge since Christmas. There's nothing green on it, and it still smells like food, so I smush the first pill in a bit of it, and settle on the kitchen floor preparing to do battle (another great visual that you'll all have to imagine for yourself). All the internet sources recommended shoving the pill-food-ball as far back in the dog's throat as possible, then slamming their mouth shut, and massaging the throat to push the pill down. Um yeah.

Luckily, Tally will literally eat anything (hold this thought for later), so I just shoved the cheese at her, she gulped it into her mouth (why bother wasting time with the whole chewing thing) and down the gullet it went. Bless her little heart she swallowed pill number two even faster. And now she thinks cheese is awesome.

Well, after all this shenanigans I decided she needed a treat (and I needed a ten minute break), so I got out her rawhide bone for her to chew on. Under my supervision, she gnawed for a bit, and then I took it away from her. I noticed though, that she still seemed to be chewing on something in her mouth. Fearing she'd gotten a little hunk off without my knowledge, I fished around to see what she was gumming.

Oh good grief. Out fell parts of a tooth. PARTS. At first I couldn't even figure out what it was. I'm 94% sure now that it was just a puppy tooth (which are prone to fall out anyway), but all I got out of her were parts of it... meaning she must have eaten the other part of her tooth! Yes, people, our dog will eat anything. Even her own body parts. Just to make me lose my mind.

Oh good grief.

(Who, me? I'm an angel...)

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Escape to Wisconsin: The Mission Commences

We left our story on Thursday afternoon. I had found a kennel for Tally pup. Scratch that - kennel is a misnomer. Perhaps bed and breakfast is a better phrase.

Because Tally is young, little, and not yet spayed, I was really concerned with making sure she stayed at a place where she'd be kept separate from other dogs, and not put in a position to have to defend her honor against some frisky boy puppy! The Canine Cozy Care Resort is a smaller, family run boarding facility, where each pooch has their own room (NavyGuy put the kibbash on upgrading Tally to the luxury suite with a window, and tv playing G-rated doggie movies). The dogs get many hours of playtime and love, and NavyGuy and I both could rest easy that our little peanut would be well taken care of.

The "resort" is 45 minutes south of us though, and I'd need to drop Tally off in the afternoon on Thursday before NavyGuy got home from work. I was reluctant to make her ride in a crate in the back of our car, so I nabbed a puppy "car seat" harness of sorts to keep her safely in the passenger seat and not on my lap while I was trying to drive. It took a few test drives around the neighborhood (and a steady supply of Cheerios), but she got the hang of the process.

Doesn't she look adorable/ridiculous in her little harness? She's still not a huge fan of it, but she's made her peace. Oh by the by, have you ever tried packing for a five day puppy vacation? I thought it was tough to get myself packed! She needed food, treats, toys, everything labeled with her name - I suppose it's good practice for future travel with kids, but good grief. Damn dog is more high maintenance than I am!

Anyway, I got her down to the resort on Thursday afternoon, stopped at Best Buy to pick up a last-minute something or other that NavyGuy had ordered and desperately needed for his trip, and got back to the house around dinner time. Finished my packing, grabbed a quick bite to eat with NavyGuy, and then it was off to meet the airport shuttle around 7pm. My journey home was only beginning...

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Cheers and Jeers

Jeers... to having to do bathroom checks at work now. Apparently, in order to "save money," the talking heads at Target came up with the brilliant plan to have the Starbucks girls do the mid-day bathroom cleaning. So now along with "steamed milk" and "poured coffee," I'll be able to add "scrubbed toilets" to my resume! (Sense the sarcasm... let it roll around in your ears for a minute.)

Jeers... to missing Stamp Club because NavyGuy had a night flight. Tally had already spent most of the day by herself, so I had to come home and be with her instead of getting my craft on. Grrr.

(Tiny) Jeers... to Tally. For acting like an actual dog, not the perfect puppy we've been honeymooning with for the last three months. After being cooped up all day, it's not surprising that she's been driving me nutty all night long with the jumping, and the nipping, and the stepping on my laptop, and the frantic tearing around the house like a toddler on a sugar high on Christmas. (Of course now that I've typed this, she's decided to curl up on my lap and look adorable. Damn puppy dog eyes. They'll get'cha every time.)

Cheers... to having Pillsbury cinnamon rolls for breakfast. That's all I got for cheers. It was really more of a jeerful day. Bah.

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Tally pup helped me clean out the large storage closet in the basement last night. She was crazy helpful... she gnawed at packing peanuts, continually stepped on items I tried to pull out, and eventually opted for the "I'll just stand in the closet and watch until someone lures me out with a treat..."

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Tally Makes Herself Comfy

Like writing an essay about the advantages and disadvantages of case studies in research wasn't difficult enough...

But Mom, I'd rather sit with you than anywhere else... especially when you're trying to play with that big black thingy that I like to step on...

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Bits and Pieces

*The espresso machine (fancy name = Verissimo) went beserko all over itself at work today. My co-worker Jennifer was in the process of making a drink when the Verissimo started making the most god-awful grinding sound. We opened the contraption to take a look, and the beast gave a loud pop and a spark! She and I nearly had simultaneous heart attacks, and then read the message screen on the machine: piston error. Lucky for me, this all went down about eight minutes before my shift ended, so it became completely not my problem. Ah the joys of just being a minimum wage worker bee... (no, I did feel bad that I had to leave them with a Starbucks incapable of making any beverage with espresso shots... but not bad enough that I was going to stay and fight the Verissimo!)

*There was also the memorable customer who walked up to the counter, looked at the menu boards (which say Starbucks), looked at my apron (which says Starbucks), and looked at the entire coffee area (which SCREAMS Starbucks), and promptly asked in a forlorn voice, "Oh, is this Starbucks coffee?". I wanted to say no, but I was afraid that might make her stay. (Unfortunately, she stayed even after I said yes and then proceeded to bitch about Starbucks coffee during the entire transaction.)

*NavyGuy got his H1N1 vaccine yesterday, and apparently the hospital on base was also handing out anthrax vaccines like candy, so he got himself hooked up. I can't decide whether to be relieved that he's theoretically safe from an anthrax attack, or disturbed that he needs a vaccine to prevent him from a potential anthrax attack.

*Also, just in case you didn't have enough doubts about the United States Navy, let me paint you a picture... Yesterday, NavyGuy was sitting in his jet waiting to take off on a flight. Apparently, some valve on the plane wasn't working. So the mechanics were called in to trouble shoot. And their solution? Bang on the valve with a broom stick. Yup. A broom stick. Isn't it nice to know your tax dollars are being spent wisely?

*I will be completely unreachable between the hours of 11am and 1pm tomorrow. UNreachable. The world can end around me, and I will still be relaxing at the spa getting a massage. No, seriously, not a metaphor - I have a massage tomorrow! NavyGuy's parents got me a spa gift certificate for my birthday last year and I'm finally getting around to using it. And it's gonna be legendary.

*Tally pup also has a big day tomorrow. In anticipation of NavyGuy hopefully getting some time off before he deploys, we want to find a place to board Tally, so we can relax and know she's in good hands while we're gone. I found a "canine resort" that seems awesome, but they require a meeting with potential doggies ahead of time, as well as a temperament test. So Tally has to be on her best behavior tomorrow and win over the resort folk - wish her luck.

What's up with you guys? :)

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Holiday Baking

She's finally been takin' out for her first spin...


Yes, it's official. After being terrified to turn it on for six months, I used the glorious pink KitchenAid stand mixer for the first time today to make several different kinds of holiday cookies. It's kind of intimidating, no? Okay, maybe I'm the only one, but it's like super expensive and heavy as all get out, so I was always a wee bit nervous that I was going to break it or something. So I just let it sit on my counter and shine in all it's pretty pinkness.

Well her cushy days of just being counter candy are over! Baby works like a charm! In fact I spent so much time baking this morning, that Tally finally got bored of wandering around my feet and decided to curl up in a safe place (just in case things went haywire in the kitchen).

The results of all my hard work today? A couple batches of Fudge Crinkles, a family recipe called Sweet Treats, and possibly my new favorite: Fake-Out Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars...

I'll admit, they aren't quite the same as the real ones (the blondie base is thicker than the ones you'll get at Starbucks), but the flavor and taste is super similar, and I think, quite delicious. My mom found the recipe here, and even though they take some time and effort, they're way worth it. (Mine obviously don't look as pretty as those in the recipe photo, but give me a break - this was the first corner piece that's always a pain in the booty to get out of the pan!).

More recipes to come - I have Monday off of work, so I'm going to try to get some fudge made, and NavyGuy will absolutely die if he doesn't have his Peanut Butter Chocolate Wheat Thins.

What Christmas cookies are your favorites? Does anyone have all their baking done?

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11 Weeks

Tally made it to 11 weeks on Friday. She's grown to 14 pounds (she was 10.5 when we brought her home), and she's looking less and less like a puppy and more and more like an actual dog (but still a pretty tiny sized cutie-patootie dog)



Tally still hasn't figured out how to get down once she's up on a couch, so she sits anxiously, looking pathetic until one of us helps her down.


This is her, Hey, where 'ya goin' without me?!? look.


A shopping trip to PetSmart yielded this fabulous find - a stuffed, four squeaker, teddy bear. Tally LOVES it, and it was a charity purchase so some of the cost will go to help other puppies! It's as big as her, but she looks so cute with her new friend.


Totally all her doing - she stepped in from the couch and plopped down all, hmmm, soft, smells good, I can make this work...


On a walk to Cranberry Lake (about three blocks from our house). She's losing most of her puppy fat and really thinning out - look how long those legs are getting!


Checking out Cranberry Lake.


Enjoying her time with NavyGuy...

We also cleaned her ears this weekend, but it took all four hands (and would have been helpful to have several more), so no pictures of that fun :)

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How a Puppy is Like a Toddler

Having spent two and a half weeks with Tally - and many many weeks' worth of time with toddlers - I've developed a strong theory that puppies and toddlers are eerily similar. The evidence:

1. They both have no concept of the word "no." We tell Tally this a zillion times a day (I even cop a deeply menacing man voice to add gravitas to my no's), and yet it has absolutely no impact. Ever seen a mom with a toddler at the supermarket? It's a broken record of no's and yet said toddler continues to try and throw herself out of the cart/grab random breakable items off shelves/run in the opposite direction.

2. However, a toddler and puppy's favorite word is "no." In a conversation with HistoryGirlie last week, her daughter Kitty said no to Elmo, bananas, chicken nuggets, fruit, cookies, play, sleep, diaper, and flugglehorn. Tally's "no" isn't as clearly spoken, but the sentiment is understood by all.

3. Both enjoy putting things they shouldn't in their mouths. I suppose most toddlers are getting past this stage, but I think the concept holds. Hand Tally a tennis ball, rope toy, or even a treat - no interest. Leave a sheet of paper, bathroom rug, phone cord, or coffee table on the ground, and she's suddenly very interested.

4. Puppies and toddlers thwart all productivity. It now takes me 20 minutes to unload the dishwasher because I have to stop every six seconds and see what Tally's chewing on, or why she's wandered out of the kitchen and is she peeing somewhere... Crafting is a joke - she only wants to sit on my lap and eat the paper. Leave a toddler or a puppy alone for one second and they'll manage to stick their fingers/paw in an outlet or worse; it's nearly impossible to complete even the simplest of tasks... unless you can manage to get them to take a nap :)

5. Both are super cute and snuggly. And this is how toddlers survive their terrible twos and dogs survive puppyhood - even when they're chewing on your favorite shoes or taking off all of their clothes and dancing on the glass coffee table (yup, definitely a true story), they're so adorable and lovable, you can't help but smile at them. Once Tally finally crashes for the night and curls up on my lap, all of the day's headaches and frustrations are forgiven.

Moms or dog-owners - did I forget anything?

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A Birhtday Message From Tally

Can't wait to see you next week!!!

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I'm... So... Close...

Let's play the caption game again! Leave your best in the comments.

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Delivery!

Okay guys, this big brown thing is kinda freakin' me out, and I can't get to any of my toys. If you're done taking funny pictures of me, can you please get me down now?

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A Weekend of Firsts...

It's been quite the adventurous couple of days for Tally pup, with many firsts...

*First Ice Cube - is there anything more amusing than watching a puppy pounce and chase a small piece of ice around the kitchen floor? Everytime she'd get it in her mouth, she's spit it back out, like, "what IS this cold slippery thing!?!? I kind of love it!"



*First Poker Game - I had to work Saturday night and NavyGuy was invited to a poker game at a friend's house... so Tally went along. She didn't win any money, but boy did she win over the crowd; apparently, she was passed from lap to lap the whole night and reveled in the attention.

*First Cat - also at Poker Night. The hosts have two cats, and when Tally tried to kindly introduce herself to one of them, it backed itself into a corner and then morphed into a giant hissing furball of fury and ran away. NavyGuy claims Tally was a bit confused as to why the nice kitty didn't want to be her friend, but other than that she was unfazed.

*First Encounter with the Vacuum - she doesn't despise it, but I don't think she'll be begging for me to drag it out of the closet again anytime soon.



I've heard it can only see movement, like a T-rex, so I'll just sit perfectly still...



Don't make eye contact, don't make eye contact, just walk quickly past and be cool...



Attack!!!

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Funny Puppy

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Happenings and Going-Ons

I have to go back to work Thursday and I'm dreading it as much as most new moms must. Tally will have to be left for several hours without us!!! I know, I know - it's not equivalent to having to take your human baby to daycare for the first time. But I'm feeling guilty already. What if she's scared? What if she resents us? What if she poops in her crate while we're gone? (I guess most parents don't have to worry about that specific concern.) The rational grown-up part of me knows she'll be fine... but the rest of me is freaking out!

In other news, Tally met mom tonight... over Skype! "Grandma" is already over the moon about her grandpuppy, and seems ready to hop on the next flight to Seattle for a little face-to-face time with the cutie-pie. NavyGuy's parents and his sister met Tally the night before (again via the magic that is the internet and a webcam); I swear this puppy isn't going to have a moment alone once everyone arrives for Thanksgiving :)

And in non-canine news, NavyGuy is getting closer and closer to finishing his training, and officially graduating. It seems like he's been a flight students forEVER, but if all goes as planned (which, let's face it, it's the Navy - that ain't gonna happen), he'll graduate next Friday and find out what squadron he'll be joining. Send lots of good weather and working airplane thoughts our way, so that he can finish quickly!

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