Lily Lu

It has been a busy summer and I have neglected this blog for far too long. My loyal and odd helper Nate has moved here from South Dakota and we are back in the woods cleaning up invasive brush, cutting down unproductive trees and getting ready to plant new seedlings. So when we are done working for the day I am just to tired to do this and my head feels empty. Today, finally, RAIN! Not a random shower, real, honest to god, thunder and lightning, by the bucket full, RAIN. So, no work in the woods today. Time to talk about our new family member.

As you may be aware our beloved dog Candy passed away in March. I would like to say I have gotten better about it but even typing that line brings tears to my eyes. Had to take a kleenex break. I professed at the time that I would never have another dog. Carol wanted to go look at some puppies in July and I told her I would go along for the ride. Some friends had some 6 week old Redbone Coon Hounds and Carol wanted to see them. Nate and I were done working for the day and he asked to tag along. Carol fell in love with a little female and decided on the name Lily Lu. I have held to my statement that I would never have another dog. Carol picked her out and Lily Lu is her dog.

This is the wonderful Miss Lily Lu protecting one of the prized possessions. Yes it is a big black bone. If you believe everything you hear apparently all large bones are black. Why, I wonder, does it appear to have testicles on both ends? Those should probably be issues for a different blog entry. Back to the Lily Lu story. She is cuter than this picture. She is a genius. She thinks the world is made up of things to be smelled and chewed. I am one of her smelly, chewy things.



I submit  as proof of Lily Lu's genius the photo above. She goes to the box every morning with Carol and prances happily back to the house with the paper in her mouth. She almost always is willing to give it to me in exchange for a tasty treat. Beggin Strips are her absolute favorite. If she does not get the treat she is  willing to turn the newspaper into confetti.

After a hard day being a growing puppy it is time for a nap on the couch. Lily Lu lives for three things. Attention, food and sleep are the mainstays of the days. If only life for the rest of us could be that simple. We have a lot to learn from Lily Lu.

Lily has helped me learn a couple of things. Puppies and 58 year old men have at least one thing in common. We need to get up and pee sometime during the night. Monday night at three in the morning Lily Lu felt the call of nature. Carol was sleeping soundly so I decided to take the little lady out to do her jobs. Leaving a warm bed and stepping out into the 60 degree night air meant that I felt a sudden and urgent need to pee as well. Lily Lu was busy doing her job and I thought this allowed time for a quick pee. I dropped my underwear to my knees and let fly. Your thought processes are not as quick at three in the morning and quick pee is no longer an ability I possess. Lily finished her pee and started to wander about on the leash. She gave a quick look my way and decided it was time to take a closer look. Thinking as quickly as my sleepy brain would allow I determined that peeing on the dog was not a good option. I redirected my aim closer to my feet to avoid giving Lily Lu a golden shower. After a few seconds I realized that I no longer heard the familiar sound of urine hitting the ground. Yes folks I had brought the aim a little too far in and was in fact peeing in my underwear. I don't have a degree in physics and cannot understand how urine can exit your body at alomost 100 degrees and after exposure to the air for a few seconds is like ice water. I pulled my underwear up to my cold and now shrivled daddy parts and made a shameful walk back to the house to throw them in the washing machine. Lily Lu and I still pee outdoors but I am more aware of what both of us are doing.