written 3/25/14
You know how, when those wild fuzzy rocket-on-a-leash, hi-tilt, crazy energetic, love to stir up trouble and there’s always too little trouble, amazing little creatures grow up and you marvel at what they’re learning? Each day is something new. At some point, the metamorphosis occurs: that wild, crazy unstoppable caterpillar turns into a breath-taking, elegant (and gradually more graceful) adult.
I’ve learned something new with Banner in the house. Rather, I’ve unforgotten some of those spills and puppy antics that come with bright, energetic minds.
First of all, it’s tax prep season, and I missed her 9-month birthday yesterday. And I can’t even make it up until later this week. But we did have extra fun over the weekend. There’s always a twang of guilt when you miss an important day.
So, the new awareness is this: It’s amazing how much I can forget! <g>
There are those breathless moments when a long-hidden memory is fresh in front of me, when I want to savor that moment and make sure that it stays with me this time (with the intention of writing it down). Then in another fleeting moment, you move onto the other things in front of you, like when that coy expression says a treasure may need to be extracted from the mouth of an unyielding puppy. Stopping to do something off-track isn’t always an option with a puppy in the house. Your attention has to stay present and keen on what a busy little girl is doing next, and hope to distract her prior to her interest in something less useful to a Newfoundland puppy.
And, as always, to put my perspective in place, my 9 month old puppy has behaved wonderfully in the past few days, while people ask too much of a young puppy in terms of patience as tax preparation is completed. (Yes, shouldn’t say this out loud.) But, even exceptional patience has its limits, and boredom comes with a price. Banner requires plenty of exercise. She walks like Banker did, at the front of the leash with great enthusiasm, from the beginning through the end. She loves to race like a black streak, she can’t stop at one lap around the house because she’s running too fast, so she has to make two. I see so many familiar shades of experiences with other Newfs. She looks directly into my eyes to listen with great interest, like Banker did. She walks with a long reach like Parker did and she has several of his characteristics too, including some of his humor. She looks like Holly at times, more so when she was younger. It’s a joy to remember, and at the same time she is building her own memories. Very happy we chose the “family plan”!
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