Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

Inspirational song: Me and Bobby McGee (Kris Kristofferson)

This was worth waiting for. I'm stretched out on my bed, sore and tired from driving 8 hours, round-trip, watching a puppy chew on an orange and black, grunting raccoon toy. She's lying below me on the flokati rug, and if her papa is any example, when she is an adult, her fur will look remarkably similar to that gray and white rug.

Saoirse is the most beautiful pup. The rest of the litter (or those remaining who I met) were lovely, but in my eyes, she was always the fairest of all. Something about the pale gray of her body fur and the charcoal of her ears just pierces my heart in the right way.

I had set up a half-crate in the way back of my car, complete with a blanket and toys. She stayed there until we reached the gate to the alpaca ranch, and then she whined and climbed over the seat into my daughter's lap (she was riding in the back so she could give the baby all the attention she needed). Saoirse yelped for the first ten or fifteen miles, and then gave up and snuggled my daughter for the rest of the four hour drive home.

I got to meet her parents, and wow, is her daddy a large boy. When he stood next to me, he leaned his head into my hip. He was as loving and beautiful as he could be, and I hope she grows up just like him (but maybe a few pounds smaller). Mama was nice too, but not as interested in me. I thanked her for making such lovely babies.

We have now met everyone in Smith Park. The cats are interested but not amused. The only one to be outwardly rude was Athena, and no one here is surprised that she has swatted already. I'm not letting her mix with the older dogs until her second set of shots, so we go around to the side yard where the woodpile is to pee. Murray watches her through the old remaining chain link fence, whining that he can't get closer. The cats keep getting a few feet away and just sniffing the air around her. I have hopes that she is enough of a baby that they will just fold her into the family now, before she is as big as all four cats combined (so... Easter?)

(that is a chew stick, not a poop)