New Baby

This is our new puppy. I got her Friday night from a couple here locally who raise dogs. She is a Havanese, thus the green eyes, and is just a ball of fluff. She looks like a little fat guinea pig with a puppy face to see her run around.

I named her Savannah when I got her, seeing she was a Havanese, I thought Havana, and that didn't sit well, so it became Savannah. Then today Kaitlyn, one of my piano students and good buddy was here and she said, "Oh she looks like an Oreo." She's black and white everywhere except that brown on her face and ears. So, I rolled that around for a while and thought that Oreo would be a good name. When I mentioned it to Bill, he started calling her Cookie instead of Oreo, so we decided on her full name being Oreo Cookie and then we can call her either. But, I'm still trying to decide if that tastes right or not. I figure I'd better hurry up and get settled on something as I want to take her to the vet and get her wormed, and checked out, and they always want a name.

Bill likes a 2-syllable name rather than a 3-er so Cookie it will probably be.

The reason I went ahead and got another dog so fast is that I was losing it over having Tippy put to sleep. I cried for two weeks before I did it and have been crying off and on since she's gone. I just missed her so bad. So Friday I made up my mind that I had to get me another baby or go crazy. You dog people probably understand. The rest of you - sorry you don't get it. Anyway, I called several ads in the paper, went to the Humane Society over in Mena and almost got an adult Pomeranian, then came home and called the two places here locally who I knew were in the puppy business. One a lot bigger than the other. I had to leave a message on the answer machine at every place, and the place that got back to me first is where I ended up buying the baby.

I went over and picked her out and up and when we got home I put her down on the ground to go potty, and of course, here came Skipper to check her out, and then Mama Kitty from the barn decided to get in the act as well. So, in trying to keep the cat away from the puppy because I wasn't too sure how she'd react, I picked Cookie back up, had my cell phone and planner in hand and started to go up the stairs to the front door. AND THAT'S WHEN I SAW IT!!! There was something laying in front of the bottom step and about 2 inches draped up on the step. AND IT WAS A COPPERHEAD!!! I almost lost it. There I was - hands full of puppy, planner, and papers. Nothing to whack it with, and Mama Kitty and Skipper just about on it. So I shooed them both away, put the puppy back in the car, and ran around to the highway porch where I'd just set the three-tined digger thing. I grabbed it and hoped to heck that snake was still in the same spot because I really didn't want him roaming around the yard. Luckily, he was still laying there, head up on the step and body stretched out right along the front of the step.

AND THEN THE FUN BEGAN!! I turned the fork thing over to have more to whack with, and started hitting. The first blow hit the concrete and sent sparks flying and got the snake's attention. He pulled back off the step and coiled up and I just went to beating him. He tried to get away and I wasn't about to let that happen so I just kept with him, whacking and whacking until he finally quit wiggling. Then I hit him a few more times for good measure and picked him up and threw him out in the flowerbed in front of the house - where, trust me, we will probably never walk again.

So, now I am REALLY on the lookout for snakes. Bill has been telling me for years that they are out there and you have to watch where you are stepping and I always do, and I am just so thankful that I spotted him before going up on those steps. But that's a first for me as long as we've lived here. Ma saw a black snake one time coming over the fence and on to the porch, but I haven't seen a copperhead that close up and personal since the one that was in the house over on the creek when we were remodeling. That's a whole nother story.

But, all's well that ends well, and that story ended well. The snake is dead, the dog and cat didn't get bit, the puppy is adorable, and I'm smiling again. Life is good! By the way, all this happened while Bill was in Texas helping granddaughter Lacie remodel her barn where she keeps her horses, so I was ON MY OWN! Did pretty good for an old gal if I do say so myself!

Till the next time,
Joan