Sunday, June 22, 2008

Shhhhhhhh

This is what we're doing.



and this



The grands have gone home.

[Leif, William, Abigail, and Cleo]

We miss them already, but both the humans and the hounds in the house are, to quote our English friends, knackered.
We had a great grand time with the grands! And their parents, too. The visit was especially stress free for me, because for the very first time, the children were old enough that the whippets had no confusion. They recognised them as human beings and not prey.
Having your husband's grandchildren seen in the eyes of some of your "specialer" dogs as a small thing to be chased down and eaten is NOT conducive to good mental health.
I may not have given the dogs enough credit. They might have done just fine from day one. But, and this is a large but, I was never willing to take the chance. I really didn't want a child with hamburger where their face was supposed to be, and I didn't want to have to put a dog down. So, my way of coping was to keep the "specialer" dogs and children totally separated, never the twain to meet. Giacomino and Maria, Sammy and Mama Pajama were always fine, supervised, but the rest... I just didn't know for sure, and I for sure didn't want to find out the wrong way.

Only there was little cooperation in this endeavor, folks thinking that I was being over cautious or psychotic, and what did I know about dogs?
So, in years past there was the time that I came back in the house from scooping duty to find the dogs released from the dog room, and a young grandchild facing the most special of the special dogs. The dog was backed into a corner, the grandchild was doing the ET scream, hands waving in the air, and every tooth in the dog's face was on vivid display.
And another time when as the mothers and I drove up to our house from shopping, the dogs, who had been crated in the dog room when I left, ran up the street to greet us. The front door was open, and the crates were open, and the gate to the yard was open. And a distant neighbor was wanting to show me the rip in the seat of his pants where Luciano had bitten him.
Now, I give special Looch all kinds of credit. He did not bite either of the grandchildren who were running around under his long pointy nose for the biting. He did not. But when the distant neighbor (who, truth be told is a little special himself, in that he wears all khaki and presses an ancient transistor radio to his ear, next to his khaki baseball cap as he walks aimlessly and harmlessly around the neighborhood) approached the small grandchildren, Looch apparently felt the need to bite the man in his butt.
He did not break the skin. And I gave the man money for new pants and prostrated myself in apology. He still walks by our house and waves a pleasant hello with the hand which is not holding the radio, so I believe he holds no grudge.

But nothing remotely like that happened on this beautiful visit.

On this visit the kids walked the dogs.


William walked Swede William who is named after William. It gets a little confusing, like when I yell, "William don't you dare eat that poop before I can get to it!" as I'm scooping, William the boy looks at me and says, "Gramma Patience, don't worry!"


And in addition to chalking the sidewalk, they chalked each other.


We made awesome thrift store finds!


And Cleo shared her amazing origami skills on the dinner napkins, making the table oh so festive!


Swede William tried to convince the non-doggers that they were missing out on the very best thing in life.


And gave boy William's frog a ride!


Fat Charlie demonstrated how we all felt when they left... We just wanted to curl in a ball and wish they were back.

After a little nap.



hug your hounds

18 comments:

  1. what a cute site! your grandkids and dogs are adoreable. :)

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  2. My mom is always worried when my human cousins come to my home because they always want to play with me and sometimes I like to be alone.
    Glad everyone enjoyed the visit this time!
    Kisses and hugs
    Lorenza

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  3. Great post Patience! Hope my grands will sit still long enough to let me take a picture or two!

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  4. We feel like all you guy do ..knackered!!! Glad you had a great visit...Your pictures are wonderfull! Love A+A

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  5. What a super nice visit! We still can't get over the fact that there are two furs on one bed! Mitch and I would have to be pretty exhausted to do that!

    Love ya lots,
    Maggie and Mitch

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  6. Surely those whippets that I met would never, ever bare their pearly whites at anyone. I don't believe it, I just don't believe it (I do believe it but I'm in denial).
    I love seeing all the pics of your family...and sleeping hounds...and I would love to meet the young Beatles fan (she rocks!).
    Now you must go and meet and Xan.
    And...some very dear friends of ours from here (NY) are coming on the 11th to check out Lowertown. I'll make sure that Michael brings them over for some special Renzulli fuzzies (Terry will go nuts over the doggies).

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  7. Patience, it looks like you all had a great time. I can understand your concern about the dogs, but I think your dogs are likely teaching the kids good animal manners.

    BTW, thanks for the link on my site. You are motivating me..... :D

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  8. Looks like all of you had a grand time!!!! Woofs, Johann

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  9. Seems like many of us have been spending our weekends sleeping. Me too cos I was soooo tired after swimming on Saturday.

    I am sure the Whippets are missing the kids already.

    Luv
    Snowball

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  10. What a nice visit. It is always nice when everything goes well. We have to watch Foley around the small ones also.

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  11. Oh my... I'm getting senile too ;) I can't remember if I've allready commented on this, but I'd say you've all had a pretty good weekend!

    Ane

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  12. Grands AND thrift stores rock!! I don't blame Looch-he was just protecting his charges!! bet Dinsky wouldn't have been so patient-tires ahh woos from P-Doggy

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  13. umm, those little people can be unpredictable, better to be safe than sorry.
    Love 'n' snuff
    George

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  14. such sweet pictures! we have to muzzle phoebe when there are kids around as she can snap if she is scared. she has bitten both me and my son (both in fear rather than aggression) so i don't take the chance with her.

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  15. Sounds like EVERYONE was very well behaved. I can imagine everyone is feeling a little pooped and somewhat glad things are back to normal. But I also know you will miss them! We are just (selfishly) glad to have you back :)

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  16. Oh kids are so cute. I love kids.

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  17. I bet those pooches and the grands become best of friends.....just give 'em some time!

    TZC

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  18. I sent my Travis to live with better people because he could not see eye-to-eye with my (then) BF's young children. I still miss him every day, but he is in a beautiful and beloved home.

    You have done the right things.

    Jenn (crying)...

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