I would like to quote from one of Thomas Jefferson's letters-----------
“It is in our lives and not our words that our religion must be read.”
I was 22 years old and living in Georgia when my friend Bailey Jones first told me about the Jefferson Bible. He was a retired history teacher and he loved Thomas Jefferson. He would go on and on about Jefferson and his bible. Bailey Jones was a highly respected Baptist and a wonderful story teller. But Bailey Jones was also a flaming alcoholic and I took everything he said with with great reservation. We had many long talks about many subjects. Bailey had a wonderful mind.
Bailey had a stroke 6 months later and died. His wife ask me to paint a scene of the River Jordan in the baptistery of the new baptist church in his memory. I submitted a canvas for approval with three other artists and mine was accepted. I spent the next 3 months painting the scene of the River Jordan working in the Bailey’s beloved baptistery.
When our Chosen Faith class mentioned the Jefferson Bible---I was all for it. I hadn’t thought of Bailey Jones and his Jefferson Bible in years. I would finally after 50 some years get to read it.
When I was asked to think about what we would like to report on from our Chosen Faith Class, I chose Jefferson Bible. I was very interested in studying and discussing this book. But when we began reading I found that I was much more interested in the history of the”why and wherefore” of its origination.
As a young man Jefferson had been greatly influenced by the philosophical writings of Henry St. John, Viscount Bolingbrook. His religious skepticism was engaging to Jefferson and it prompted him to record passages from Bolingbrook's writings into Jefferson’ s “ Literary Bible”,which was composed during the 1760’s and1770’s.
In 1798-1799 Jefferson wrote of of “several delightful conversations” with Dr. Benjamin Rush, a well respected scientist and outspoken Universalist. Their conversations were often of Christianity and Jefferson told Rush he would write down his views on the subject. Dr. Rush over the years continued to remind Jefferson of his promise.
In 1800 politics was rearing its ugly head. Jefferson was then standing as a candidate for the presidency. There were those who were already reviling him as an infidel too impious to be president.
The following spring a triumphant Jefferson wrote,”Our countrymen have recovered from the alarm which art and industry had thrown them;science and honesty are replaced on their high ground and you,my dear Sir, as their great apostle, are on its pinnacle.” This”great apostle” was Dr. Joseph Priestley, prominent scientist and Unitarian theologian.
Dr. Benjamin Rush and Dr. Joseph Priestly, helped reestablish Christianity for the reasonable and enlightened such as Jefferson. Rush was an ardent champion of theological openness. Priestly had determined that much of Christian doctrine was either defiant of or unnecessary to the Christian message and therefore not only obscured, but distance from the lives of many persons who had neither the time nor the means to investigate it.
Thomas Jefferson thought of Jesus as eloquent,benevolent,innocent, a victim first of the Roman state and then of the Christian Church.
In a statement of his faith,Jefferson wrote to Rush, I quote “I am a Christian,in the only sense he wished anyone to be; sincerely attached to his doctrines, in preference to all others;ascribing to himself every human excellence : and believing he never claimed any other”.
Jefferson’s quest-- I would call it began with passion in 1798. He finish the Gospels in 1820 at the age of 77. They had been sitting on his shelf for a decade and a half.
So this was the why and the wherefore. I feel that Jefferson believed he was creating a concise book that would be for Christian and non-Christian and would reach those seeking a good and moral life. He wanted to create and a real human Jesus. A reader’s digest version.
Do I think he did that? Yes, but I believe he looked upon it as something he must finish. But after all this was Jefferson and I am happy he did give us the Jefferson Bible at age 77!
For me studying the Jefferson Bible was something else. I will cherish it because it reminded me of an old storyteller that walked into my young life in a strange and wonderful way and returned again when I was an old woman.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Goodbye Uncle Paul
As I drove to my office my stomach was on the offensive, I had a meeting to go to;I was running late. I was thinking of Uncle Paul. He and I were going to the mountains this afternoon.
He was a kind and generous of spirit. He was one of those people who probably didn’t have an enemy in the world. He loved fishing for trout which also gave him incredible patience. When we were children my brother, 6 cousins and I were rowdy but for each holiday he would gather us up and play baseball in summer and monopoly or some board game in the winter. He was a good man and he loved us all dearly. He died and left us all grieving. He requested to have his ashes to put in the stream where he fished and I was the only one to be there. We had celebrated memorials back in the midwest and I brought Uncle Paul’s remains back with me.
BLOOOOY!!!! My left rear tire blew out. I pulled to the side of the road and jumped out of my car. A wrinkled old pickup pulled up behind me. A young,skinny cowboy looking kind of guy got out.
“Can I help you ,mam? Do you have a spare?”
“Well. I have a spare but I can call somebody.” I said. Now I am really late,I thought.
“If you open your trunk, I can change that tire in a few minutes---I promise I know how. And you can be on your way and take it to tire shop.”
I finally agreed and only if he would let me pay him $10. He was right I could be on my way. I opened my trunk and there was a Red velvet bag with Uncle Paul inside. I didn’t explain even as his eyes looked questioningly at the bag. He reach in and got everything he needed and was quickly at work changing the tire. I walked to the front of the car to get my billfold out of my briefcase. He put the damaged tire in the trunk with the advice that I shouldn’t have it repaired--it was in bad shape. He closed the trunk. I gave him $15 because I was grateful and would not be late for my meeting. I had enough time to take it to a tire shop and get a new tire put on. I came into the meeting only 10 minutes late.
Later in the afternoon I drove to the mountains to take Uncle Paul to his favorite place. I sat in the next to the spot where Uncle Paul liked to fish. I shed a few quiet tears and walked to my car,opened the trunk and imagine the look on my face when I discovered the Red velvet bag was gone! Uncle Paul was gone!
All kinds of scenarios went through my head as I followed my travels that day. I really thought I would find the Red velvet bag,at one of the places I had been. I never did.
The next week, I ran this classified in our local paper:
LOST: Red Velvet bag with box of ashes inside.
Please return it as it is our Uncle.
Just put the bag in the mail box. No questions asked.
Well. we never got Uncle Paul back but I know that is ok with him.
He is quietly laughing somewhere. I am not.
He was a kind and generous of spirit. He was one of those people who probably didn’t have an enemy in the world. He loved fishing for trout which also gave him incredible patience. When we were children my brother, 6 cousins and I were rowdy but for each holiday he would gather us up and play baseball in summer and monopoly or some board game in the winter. He was a good man and he loved us all dearly. He died and left us all grieving. He requested to have his ashes to put in the stream where he fished and I was the only one to be there. We had celebrated memorials back in the midwest and I brought Uncle Paul’s remains back with me.
BLOOOOY!!!! My left rear tire blew out. I pulled to the side of the road and jumped out of my car. A wrinkled old pickup pulled up behind me. A young,skinny cowboy looking kind of guy got out.
“Can I help you ,mam? Do you have a spare?”
“Well. I have a spare but I can call somebody.” I said. Now I am really late,I thought.
“If you open your trunk, I can change that tire in a few minutes---I promise I know how. And you can be on your way and take it to tire shop.”
I finally agreed and only if he would let me pay him $10. He was right I could be on my way. I opened my trunk and there was a Red velvet bag with Uncle Paul inside. I didn’t explain even as his eyes looked questioningly at the bag. He reach in and got everything he needed and was quickly at work changing the tire. I walked to the front of the car to get my billfold out of my briefcase. He put the damaged tire in the trunk with the advice that I shouldn’t have it repaired--it was in bad shape. He closed the trunk. I gave him $15 because I was grateful and would not be late for my meeting. I had enough time to take it to a tire shop and get a new tire put on. I came into the meeting only 10 minutes late.
Later in the afternoon I drove to the mountains to take Uncle Paul to his favorite place. I sat in the next to the spot where Uncle Paul liked to fish. I shed a few quiet tears and walked to my car,opened the trunk and imagine the look on my face when I discovered the Red velvet bag was gone! Uncle Paul was gone!
All kinds of scenarios went through my head as I followed my travels that day. I really thought I would find the Red velvet bag,at one of the places I had been. I never did.
The next week, I ran this classified in our local paper:
LOST: Red Velvet bag with box of ashes inside.
Please return it as it is our Uncle.
Just put the bag in the mail box. No questions asked.
Well. we never got Uncle Paul back but I know that is ok with him.
He is quietly laughing somewhere. I am not.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
OFF GUARD
It was a beautiful day in May. The kind that makes one think of beaches, bathing suits and picnics. No such luck today.
Kaye and I were on our way to have lunch at Barbara Hatcher’s home. Barbara was one of those business friends that develop out of need for each others goodwill in company business.
She was quite charming,a great hostess and a good idea of where she belonged in the scheme of things. She had always been delightful to Kaye and I, so when she called and told us she wanted to have us over for lunch before she left to go to Mexico for the summer. ( She went every summer) I laughed and said, “She probably wants you to take care of her dog.”
“Why me?”
“Because you live closer than I do. No, I was joking. She takes the dog with her. I don’ t know much about her, but I do know that. I have only met her socially about seven or eight times and then out to dinner with them twice. I think she is very nice. But I sure wouldn’t tell her all things you and I tell each other. I do not think of her as a close friend. She goes to your church doesn't she?”
“Yes, and she sings in the choir and has a nice voice. Molly told me that is about all they do other than give large donations to everything the church does. She was raised in Chicago and comes from big money. I don’t know how she knows that. And she told me that the women is totally unflappable. When her daughter was married about nine years ago here in their back yard, the caterer was from Lake Geneva and he had an auto accident.He called Ben and told him he would need to rent a van; he would have to reload everything into a rented van; he had started early but he told Ben he would be 45 minutes late.There was already seventy or eighty people of the hundred people invited to the house and no food! Ben was running around repeating ‘What will we do?’
Barbara told him calmly, “You get someone to help you and keep refreshing everyone's drinks. They may be drunk but they will all remember they had a good time.”
He did just that. Molly said they had a great time.
“Well, that is really keeping your cool. I am impressed. I do think Ben is kind of a nervous Nelly anyway.” We grinned at each other as I pulled into Barbara and Ben’s drive. The restored Victorian home was always a delight to see.
I rang the doorbell and soon Barbara was at the door greeting us warmly with a gentle hug and said,” I am so happy to see you girls again. I was hoping for a nice day and it is. Come in,come in. Let’s go out on the terrace, I made us a pitcher of frozen daiquiris. Do you like daiquiris? I have tea if you would rather have tea.”
Kaye and I agreed we would rather have the daiquiris. Barbara left us on the terrace to admire her wonderful roses. She soon returned with a pitcher and tall slender glasses in hand. She poured them carefully and handed each of us the wonderful cooling drink.
She ask each of us about our children and listen intently as though she was hanging on every word. She was such a perfect hostess I thought. Then I thought is she for real? And so it went small talk,small talk,small talk. Barbara jumped up and said, “Well, I must go check the chicken breasts, everything must be about done.”
I looked over at Kaye and smiled and she looked as bored as I felt.
Barbara called thru the door and Kaye and I picked up empty pitcher and glasses and walked off the terrace.Barbara met us with ,”Oh, you girls didn’t need to do that.” She smiled and took the tray. “Come in the dining room and sit down down.”
There the table was set for a very lovely luncheon.The food was elegant, the wine was too. We finally had stimulating conversation when I asked Barbara was she still doing water colors. I had stuck an information nerve in her and she told Kaye and I how she loved to go to Mexico. That she had a maid and gardener there and she did nothing but paint. How fine it was to realize this lady had a wonderful passion other than being the “hostess with the mostess.” We became totally caught up in her painting and she agreed to show us her paintings.
Kaye said,” Let Jean and I clear the dishes to the kitchen and you can show us water colors. We won’t take no for an answer. Will we,Jean?”
“That’s right you heard her.” We carefully carried crystal, china and wine bottles to the kitchen.
She returned with five water colors and an easel. There was an open stair case behind her now as she stood putting each water color on and taking the next off. “ They are truly wonderful,Barbara, I said. Why don’t you have a show?”
“Well, I have been approached by someone in”--------the look on our faces surely gave Barbara a indication that we were looking over her shoulder. She turned and saw coming down the stairs was a very pretty elderly lady wearing only her eye glasses and nothing else!
Barbara sighed deeply and calmly said,”Hello, Mother.” With a faint smile on her face she said,”Mother, I would like you to meet my friends, Kaye and Jean.” Mother nodded. We smiled and nodded.
Barbara turned and put a loving arm around her shoulder and said,”This is Ben’s mother and she makes her home with us. And she is going with me to Mexico over the summer. Mother,I think you better go upstairs and start to pack we have a lot to do.”
Barbara kissed her on the cheek and Mother went back up the stairs but turned and waved before she went through the door.
Barbara returned and continued telling about her chances for a one woman show as though nothing had happened. Kaye and I stayed for dessert and good conversation for almost and hour and a half. We never mentioned Mother’s nudity nor did she.
As we left we told Barbara we had a wonderful time and we would see her in the fall when she returned. Kaye and I agreed we would never tell anyone about what happened. Even though we laughed as we drove home that day.
Kaye said , “Well, Molly is right-- Barbara is totally unflappable.”
Kaye and I were on our way to have lunch at Barbara Hatcher’s home. Barbara was one of those business friends that develop out of need for each others goodwill in company business.
She was quite charming,a great hostess and a good idea of where she belonged in the scheme of things. She had always been delightful to Kaye and I, so when she called and told us she wanted to have us over for lunch before she left to go to Mexico for the summer. ( She went every summer) I laughed and said, “She probably wants you to take care of her dog.”
“Why me?”
“Because you live closer than I do. No, I was joking. She takes the dog with her. I don’ t know much about her, but I do know that. I have only met her socially about seven or eight times and then out to dinner with them twice. I think she is very nice. But I sure wouldn’t tell her all things you and I tell each other. I do not think of her as a close friend. She goes to your church doesn't she?”
“Yes, and she sings in the choir and has a nice voice. Molly told me that is about all they do other than give large donations to everything the church does. She was raised in Chicago and comes from big money. I don’t know how she knows that. And she told me that the women is totally unflappable. When her daughter was married about nine years ago here in their back yard, the caterer was from Lake Geneva and he had an auto accident.He called Ben and told him he would need to rent a van; he would have to reload everything into a rented van; he had started early but he told Ben he would be 45 minutes late.There was already seventy or eighty people of the hundred people invited to the house and no food! Ben was running around repeating ‘What will we do?’
Barbara told him calmly, “You get someone to help you and keep refreshing everyone's drinks. They may be drunk but they will all remember they had a good time.”
He did just that. Molly said they had a great time.
“Well, that is really keeping your cool. I am impressed. I do think Ben is kind of a nervous Nelly anyway.” We grinned at each other as I pulled into Barbara and Ben’s drive. The restored Victorian home was always a delight to see.
I rang the doorbell and soon Barbara was at the door greeting us warmly with a gentle hug and said,” I am so happy to see you girls again. I was hoping for a nice day and it is. Come in,come in. Let’s go out on the terrace, I made us a pitcher of frozen daiquiris. Do you like daiquiris? I have tea if you would rather have tea.”
Kaye and I agreed we would rather have the daiquiris. Barbara left us on the terrace to admire her wonderful roses. She soon returned with a pitcher and tall slender glasses in hand. She poured them carefully and handed each of us the wonderful cooling drink.
She ask each of us about our children and listen intently as though she was hanging on every word. She was such a perfect hostess I thought. Then I thought is she for real? And so it went small talk,small talk,small talk. Barbara jumped up and said, “Well, I must go check the chicken breasts, everything must be about done.”
I looked over at Kaye and smiled and she looked as bored as I felt.
Barbara called thru the door and Kaye and I picked up empty pitcher and glasses and walked off the terrace.Barbara met us with ,”Oh, you girls didn’t need to do that.” She smiled and took the tray. “Come in the dining room and sit down down.”
There the table was set for a very lovely luncheon.The food was elegant, the wine was too. We finally had stimulating conversation when I asked Barbara was she still doing water colors. I had stuck an information nerve in her and she told Kaye and I how she loved to go to Mexico. That she had a maid and gardener there and she did nothing but paint. How fine it was to realize this lady had a wonderful passion other than being the “hostess with the mostess.” We became totally caught up in her painting and she agreed to show us her paintings.
Kaye said,” Let Jean and I clear the dishes to the kitchen and you can show us water colors. We won’t take no for an answer. Will we,Jean?”
“That’s right you heard her.” We carefully carried crystal, china and wine bottles to the kitchen.
She returned with five water colors and an easel. There was an open stair case behind her now as she stood putting each water color on and taking the next off. “ They are truly wonderful,Barbara, I said. Why don’t you have a show?”
“Well, I have been approached by someone in”--------the look on our faces surely gave Barbara a indication that we were looking over her shoulder. She turned and saw coming down the stairs was a very pretty elderly lady wearing only her eye glasses and nothing else!
Barbara sighed deeply and calmly said,”Hello, Mother.” With a faint smile on her face she said,”Mother, I would like you to meet my friends, Kaye and Jean.” Mother nodded. We smiled and nodded.
Barbara turned and put a loving arm around her shoulder and said,”This is Ben’s mother and she makes her home with us. And she is going with me to Mexico over the summer. Mother,I think you better go upstairs and start to pack we have a lot to do.”
Barbara kissed her on the cheek and Mother went back up the stairs but turned and waved before she went through the door.
Barbara returned and continued telling about her chances for a one woman show as though nothing had happened. Kaye and I stayed for dessert and good conversation for almost and hour and a half. We never mentioned Mother’s nudity nor did she.
As we left we told Barbara we had a wonderful time and we would see her in the fall when she returned. Kaye and I agreed we would never tell anyone about what happened. Even though we laughed as we drove home that day.
Kaye said , “Well, Molly is right-- Barbara is totally unflappable.”
Monday, February 9, 2009
BYE BYE, MURPHY MULDOON !!
Prior to my last knee surgery Lady Love and I had numerous discussions why we probably should look to place Murphy with some one who would suit him and his energy. But I was hoping for him to improve in his behavior and we had invested so much time and money into him. He had made some very good changes in his personality but he still would jump on our very senior neighbors and almost always knocked my daughter -in-law down.
So during my three month therapy I continued to stew about Murphy. A man that was also taking therapy had a bad fall and things were looking bleak for a good recovery. I thought about what would happen if Murphy knocked me down. I talked with my therapist and she was adamant about being careful. She had two knee replacements herself (she was in her early 40’s).
I began talking with other people and deciding more and more that we must find a new home for Murphy. I printed up this flyer and began handing them out to people that might know someone that was looking for this energetic dog:
MURPHY MULDOON
Murphy is a three 1/2 year old Bishon. He is a rescue dog and all of his bad habits were (we believe from what we could glean out of his history) are from from a kind of neglect of being shut in the laundry room and left while the family went to work. Bishons are very social. His first owners were a young couple. He seems to relate to men and if they wear baseball caps he really loves them.
Outstanding traits: Housebroken, enormous energy, sweet puppy personality,gets along with most cats. He and the cats romp thru the house like a tornado. He is good natured with most people. He has a very big bark but would hold a flashlight for a burglar. He is only aggressive if he becomes frightened. He travels well and we have a safety car belt and he loves to ride in the car. He loves to sit in my lap even if I don’t have a very big lap. He does not shed. He is a clean dog with good breath. Murphy needs a fenced in yard.
If you are not familiar with Bishon--they have “buzzes”. They have so much energy that they run in circles and bark. This is normal behavior for them. It is a sort of “self exercising” process built into their personality. We let Murphy go as wild as he wants out side but in the winter we stop him after 4 times around the dining room table.
When a Bishon is in a “buzz” he just saying he is happy and everything is all right in his world. He also may be trying to engage you in play. A Bishons favorite place to sleep is on your bed.
Less desirable traits: Absolutely EVERYTHING is a game with Murphy. If he steals your socks ---this means “chase me!” He has never met a kleenex or piece of toilet paper that didn’t deserve to be chewed. He steals pill bottles,Elmer's glue,chewed my printer software. white out, the list goes on. His taste in chewable items is unlimited. He loves a waste basket with any choice of garbage. He jumps on every one. He steals pens and will chew them up if he has time. We have had Murphy for two years and a half and he really has improved a great deal. We took him to training school. That did help when I could walk him every day. He had all ready been to training school and he “heeled” when we got him. He responded to the man teaching the class and would come home and behave awful.
Over the last two years we have repeatedly noticed that he loves men and responds to them very well. He behaves when my son comes --Lady Love’s stepson spent three days with us in the fall and he behaved while Brian was here. We had a sprinkler put in this summer and he loved all those men. Our pastor stopped in and his remark was, “This dog is a boy’s dog!” He responded to our pastor and he has had some experience with training dogs.
It has taken us two years to realize what he was telling us. He needs a man in his life. The rescue person did say that the young man in his life did like the dog alot and was sorry to give him up.
Lady Love and I care a great deal about Murphy but we are not suited to each others respective personalities. We are admittedly too old to give him the attention he needs. We lead too quiet a life style.
WE have agonized over this for several months and---we of course have become increasingly more attached to this smiling bundle of energy. BUT WE KNOW WE MUST DO WHAT IS BEST FOR MURPHY!
We take our responsibility toward Murphy very seriously. We would like to make a request to any one choosing him--if they do not want the dog. Please do not take him to the Humane Society. Call us and we will try to place him with some one that will take this little guy that has already been placed twice.
HOORAY FOR MURPHY MULDOON!!!!
Murphy was placed with a teacher, a taller, larger women which, of course,he fell in love with her immediately and she with him. She took him on Friday night for the weekend for a tryout. She already had an aging Dachsund and Murphy played very carefully with him as he did with Kitana. He hopped in the teacher’s SUV and never looked back.
We were happy about placing him ourselves and felt we had a wonderful 2 1/2 years with this peppy pup but we were so happy to hand the challenges we had with him over to some one younger and more able to fit his needs. Murphy Muldoon has a wonderful personality. And we sadly miss him.
Lady Love and I shared teary eyes almost daily and the cats looked for him. They ran thru the house hoping that Murphy would jump out and run with them.
P.S. He gets to sleep in his new mistresses bed. What a life for Murphy Muldoon!!!!
So during my three month therapy I continued to stew about Murphy. A man that was also taking therapy had a bad fall and things were looking bleak for a good recovery. I thought about what would happen if Murphy knocked me down. I talked with my therapist and she was adamant about being careful. She had two knee replacements herself (she was in her early 40’s).
I began talking with other people and deciding more and more that we must find a new home for Murphy. I printed up this flyer and began handing them out to people that might know someone that was looking for this energetic dog:
MURPHY MULDOON
Murphy is a three 1/2 year old Bishon. He is a rescue dog and all of his bad habits were (we believe from what we could glean out of his history) are from from a kind of neglect of being shut in the laundry room and left while the family went to work. Bishons are very social. His first owners were a young couple. He seems to relate to men and if they wear baseball caps he really loves them.
Outstanding traits: Housebroken, enormous energy, sweet puppy personality,gets along with most cats. He and the cats romp thru the house like a tornado. He is good natured with most people. He has a very big bark but would hold a flashlight for a burglar. He is only aggressive if he becomes frightened. He travels well and we have a safety car belt and he loves to ride in the car. He loves to sit in my lap even if I don’t have a very big lap. He does not shed. He is a clean dog with good breath. Murphy needs a fenced in yard.
If you are not familiar with Bishon--they have “buzzes”. They have so much energy that they run in circles and bark. This is normal behavior for them. It is a sort of “self exercising” process built into their personality. We let Murphy go as wild as he wants out side but in the winter we stop him after 4 times around the dining room table.
When a Bishon is in a “buzz” he just saying he is happy and everything is all right in his world. He also may be trying to engage you in play. A Bishons favorite place to sleep is on your bed.
Less desirable traits: Absolutely EVERYTHING is a game with Murphy. If he steals your socks ---this means “chase me!” He has never met a kleenex or piece of toilet paper that didn’t deserve to be chewed. He steals pill bottles,Elmer's glue,chewed my printer software. white out, the list goes on. His taste in chewable items is unlimited. He loves a waste basket with any choice of garbage. He jumps on every one. He steals pens and will chew them up if he has time. We have had Murphy for two years and a half and he really has improved a great deal. We took him to training school. That did help when I could walk him every day. He had all ready been to training school and he “heeled” when we got him. He responded to the man teaching the class and would come home and behave awful.
Over the last two years we have repeatedly noticed that he loves men and responds to them very well. He behaves when my son comes --Lady Love’s stepson spent three days with us in the fall and he behaved while Brian was here. We had a sprinkler put in this summer and he loved all those men. Our pastor stopped in and his remark was, “This dog is a boy’s dog!” He responded to our pastor and he has had some experience with training dogs.
It has taken us two years to realize what he was telling us. He needs a man in his life. The rescue person did say that the young man in his life did like the dog alot and was sorry to give him up.
Lady Love and I care a great deal about Murphy but we are not suited to each others respective personalities. We are admittedly too old to give him the attention he needs. We lead too quiet a life style.
WE have agonized over this for several months and---we of course have become increasingly more attached to this smiling bundle of energy. BUT WE KNOW WE MUST DO WHAT IS BEST FOR MURPHY!
We take our responsibility toward Murphy very seriously. We would like to make a request to any one choosing him--if they do not want the dog. Please do not take him to the Humane Society. Call us and we will try to place him with some one that will take this little guy that has already been placed twice.
HOORAY FOR MURPHY MULDOON!!!!
Murphy was placed with a teacher, a taller, larger women which, of course,he fell in love with her immediately and she with him. She took him on Friday night for the weekend for a tryout. She already had an aging Dachsund and Murphy played very carefully with him as he did with Kitana. He hopped in the teacher’s SUV and never looked back.
We were happy about placing him ourselves and felt we had a wonderful 2 1/2 years with this peppy pup but we were so happy to hand the challenges we had with him over to some one younger and more able to fit his needs. Murphy Muldoon has a wonderful personality. And we sadly miss him.
Lady Love and I shared teary eyes almost daily and the cats looked for him. They ran thru the house hoping that Murphy would jump out and run with them.
P.S. He gets to sleep in his new mistresses bed. What a life for Murphy Muldoon!!!!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
MURPHY MULDOON-- KITANA,TOMIKO AND CHINA
October 31,2005 What a day this turned out to be:
Lady Love and I started to run a few errands at about 10 a.m. this morning. I needed to stop by Home Instead Office to turn in my hours. I asked her if she wanted to go the back way to the office. First she said no and then she said yes. So I directed her on my round about short cut. She laughed and said she would never believe that was a short cut ( but it is.)
We arrived at the office and I found our office manager, Debbie in a beautiful witch costume wishing everyone a Happy Halloween. She offered me a Halloween cookie and I took one for myself (figured Lady Love wouldn’t want one as she has not been feeling too well this entire week.)
Deb checked my hours and said they were o.k. so I started out the door. She called,”You don”t know of anyone that wants some kittens do you? I have 13! Here take a look they are adorable.” She held up a placard with little groupings of one,two and three of the most adorable kittens all posed and named. I told her that I didn’t think we wanted any.
When I got to the car I told Lady Love I just had seen pictures of the most adorable little kitties I had ever seen. Lady Love said ”Well,I wouldn’t want to take a kitten with out holding it and interacting with it but I’d like to take a look at the picture.” So we went back into the office. The next thing I know we are making arrangements to meet Debbi’s husband in a little over an hour. To “look” at the kittens---Yeah right!. We had to go to the bank next.
“Now, do you want to go the back way to the bank?,I said.
“Oh sure, this is a day for adventure.”
I directed her around Bittersweet Park and over to our bank. Less traffic lights. Lady Love went in the bank and came out carrying two Halloween cup cakes.
We laughed and ate those gooey cupcakes like two excited children. This was a day full of surprises.
We drove out to the country where Debbie lives, and there was her husband, beckoning us to enter the thru the open gate. (She is right he is a handsome Indian man with a long braid hanging down his back.) We drove around to the back by the garage and Wayne ,introduce himself and we chatted easily as we walked in the garage.
There they were, 11 adorable kitties. Lady Love went thru the gate into the kitty pen and stood with never less than four kitties at her feet. I saw a shy little tabby,gold and gray female kitty and Lady Love handed her to me. What a doll--she was already named China because she looked like a liitle china figurine. I had discovered the word “chinoiserie” so that is what I named her but we will call her China.
Lady Love thought from Debbie’s picture that she had wanted the little black and white female. Instead she picked a gray tabby male.(Debbie had named him “Cuddles”)but Lady Love named him Tomiko. The kitties are similarly marked and naturally the most beautiful babies you have ever seen.
We, of course, ended up taking both kitties. We had talked about doing this but I thought perhaps we never would. But Halloween was a day for adventure and just what two old girls need in their life--more babies.
We kept the babies downstairs while they were small and eventually would introduce them to Murphy. He had done well with Kitana so we introduce them each day a little a time and found him to be interested but somewhat wary as were we. As they grew larger we were surprised at how well they all got along. Kitana was still the “queen” cat and dealt with all of them so she was rewarded with respect.
Murphy trained Tomiko to play with him. Tomiko still to this day knows how to make a game out of anything he does. China is a shy little girl and remained that way in spite of Murphy.
Murphy is now enrolled in dog training class!!!!! Go figure. I spent all Oct. and part of November walking Murphy when ever I could. Training Training. Training.
On Nov. 4 Murphy got a hold of Lady Love’s (Rinititidine) an acid pill and we thought he had eaten the whole bottle. Called the vet and he said we would have to bring him in to induce vomiting. Because that was way too many pills. We were rushing around getting ready to go when Lady Love remembered that Murphy took things into his crate. Sure enough,there was a pile of pills --there was 55 pills so he had only eaten 4 --we called the vet back and he said just feed him and every thing would come out all right. Whew! That Murphy!
Nov 8, I guess that the Murphy saga may go on forever. Today while Lady Love was working in her studio downstairs Murphy became bored and ate a bottle of white out. He climbed upon the dining room table to get same--this is the same dog that finds it impossible to jump in your lap.!!!
Dec.4 --My right knee was giving me trouble and it appears surgery was
going to have to take place soon.
Lady Love and I started to run a few errands at about 10 a.m. this morning. I needed to stop by Home Instead Office to turn in my hours. I asked her if she wanted to go the back way to the office. First she said no and then she said yes. So I directed her on my round about short cut. She laughed and said she would never believe that was a short cut ( but it is.)
We arrived at the office and I found our office manager, Debbie in a beautiful witch costume wishing everyone a Happy Halloween. She offered me a Halloween cookie and I took one for myself (figured Lady Love wouldn’t want one as she has not been feeling too well this entire week.)
Deb checked my hours and said they were o.k. so I started out the door. She called,”You don”t know of anyone that wants some kittens do you? I have 13! Here take a look they are adorable.” She held up a placard with little groupings of one,two and three of the most adorable kittens all posed and named. I told her that I didn’t think we wanted any.
When I got to the car I told Lady Love I just had seen pictures of the most adorable little kitties I had ever seen. Lady Love said ”Well,I wouldn’t want to take a kitten with out holding it and interacting with it but I’d like to take a look at the picture.” So we went back into the office. The next thing I know we are making arrangements to meet Debbi’s husband in a little over an hour. To “look” at the kittens---Yeah right!. We had to go to the bank next.
“Now, do you want to go the back way to the bank?,I said.
“Oh sure, this is a day for adventure.”
I directed her around Bittersweet Park and over to our bank. Less traffic lights. Lady Love went in the bank and came out carrying two Halloween cup cakes.
We laughed and ate those gooey cupcakes like two excited children. This was a day full of surprises.
We drove out to the country where Debbie lives, and there was her husband, beckoning us to enter the thru the open gate. (She is right he is a handsome Indian man with a long braid hanging down his back.) We drove around to the back by the garage and Wayne ,introduce himself and we chatted easily as we walked in the garage.
There they were, 11 adorable kitties. Lady Love went thru the gate into the kitty pen and stood with never less than four kitties at her feet. I saw a shy little tabby,gold and gray female kitty and Lady Love handed her to me. What a doll--she was already named China because she looked like a liitle china figurine. I had discovered the word “chinoiserie” so that is what I named her but we will call her China.
Lady Love thought from Debbie’s picture that she had wanted the little black and white female. Instead she picked a gray tabby male.(Debbie had named him “Cuddles”)but Lady Love named him Tomiko. The kitties are similarly marked and naturally the most beautiful babies you have ever seen.
We, of course, ended up taking both kitties. We had talked about doing this but I thought perhaps we never would. But Halloween was a day for adventure and just what two old girls need in their life--more babies.
We kept the babies downstairs while they were small and eventually would introduce them to Murphy. He had done well with Kitana so we introduce them each day a little a time and found him to be interested but somewhat wary as were we. As they grew larger we were surprised at how well they all got along. Kitana was still the “queen” cat and dealt with all of them so she was rewarded with respect.
Murphy trained Tomiko to play with him. Tomiko still to this day knows how to make a game out of anything he does. China is a shy little girl and remained that way in spite of Murphy.
Murphy is now enrolled in dog training class!!!!! Go figure. I spent all Oct. and part of November walking Murphy when ever I could. Training Training. Training.
On Nov. 4 Murphy got a hold of Lady Love’s (Rinititidine) an acid pill and we thought he had eaten the whole bottle. Called the vet and he said we would have to bring him in to induce vomiting. Because that was way too many pills. We were rushing around getting ready to go when Lady Love remembered that Murphy took things into his crate. Sure enough,there was a pile of pills --there was 55 pills so he had only eaten 4 --we called the vet back and he said just feed him and every thing would come out all right. Whew! That Murphy!
Nov 8, I guess that the Murphy saga may go on forever. Today while Lady Love was working in her studio downstairs Murphy became bored and ate a bottle of white out. He climbed upon the dining room table to get same--this is the same dog that finds it impossible to jump in your lap.!!!
Dec.4 --My right knee was giving me trouble and it appears surgery was
going to have to take place soon.
MURPHY MULDOON--MEETING QUEEN CAT
Kitana,our cat is fourteen years old and has been an “only child” for about three years. We brought her all the way from Michigan to Colorado in our van---the air conditioner broke down and we thought we were going to lose her. She is a wonderful Persian and she has only ever been treated with love and affection. She is sweet, mellow and very laid back as far as cats go. Her life never prepared her for an ill mannered, pushy, totally rambunctious PUP! In spite of all this she learned how to deal with this playful upstart. What a gracious lady she is.
Murphy approached her as another puppy and he sniffed her and tried to roll her over. She was surprised but we really think she likes having another animal in the house. She would get a little skittish and would want to run and hide. We watched Murphy closely and how he treated her; we scolded him for being too rough. He started to look at her as something other than a puppy. She was equally as puzzled by his behavior. She had other dogs in her life but she liked them because they treated her with respect. She was going to have to teach this dog how cats behaved.
Kitana realized she would have to be on the defensive with this pup. After several days of just being around him she decided if he came towards her she would hit him in the nose with her paw. (she never put her claws out!) We could hear her hitting him from across the room. Well , that wasn’t working because he thought she was playing and he would come back for more.
Each morning Kitana and Murphy would come out and greet each other. Then two of them sit side by side and look out the screen door and watch the birds and whatever is going on in the back yard. Kitana seems to look forward to seeing him each morning. Murphy gets bored and he would starts to sniff and punch her. One morning she hissed and caught him squarely on the nose WITH HER CLAWS. He whined and looked at her. We knew she had really earned his respect when the next thing we saw Kitana was chasing Murphy and he was the one diving under the table. Kitana was again the “Queen” cat.
Murphy’s bright little doggie brain is always working to draw you into a game.He repeatedly pulled the place mats off of our dining room table in an effort to get us to chase him.
One day the place mat had a plate and a half glass of tea.
He was sure we liked that--it took us a week to convince him we were not really into chasing him. ( Was this why his mistress didn’t like him?)
Each day we tried to trust him a little more and leave him alone in the house. He’d been doing well for a couple of days. We were working in the yard and checking on him periodically. Lady Love walked in to see him standing in the middle of the dining room table. She chased him down and he went into his crate. He had a pretty good day for the rest of the day, Maybe there was hope for him yet.
The next day Lady love was eating breakfast and she remembered that the hose had to be put on the raspberry garden. She was going to be gone for just a minute but it was long enough for Murphy to eat her bacon. (Was this why his mistress didn’t like him?)
Before Murphy came to our house we each kept our daily pill boxes on the dining room table on our respective place mats so we would take our pills with our meals. That always work well for us until one day Lady Love walked in and found that Murphy had opened my entire pill box and emptied it. She called me and I ran in afraid he might have eaten them all and my pill case contained my sleep aids. Gratefully we discovered he had not eaten a one but there was dog slobber on everything in his effort to open the box. (Was this why his mistress didn’t like him?)
His behavior became some what better when we were able to let him run freely in the yard. He could run and enjoy his “buzzes” in the back yard. We were still working on the back yard but there was grass and it was great to see him run free.
He still could not get over trying to draw us into playing games with him. He constantly grabbed a glove and would run around the yard happily. He knew he was going to be scolded,but it was worth it just to tease us. Lady Love finally taught him that he should give the gloves back. That was something.
While I was at the computer writing this--Lady Love went to run an errand, walked into the dining room and said,”Oh, Murphy is being a good
boy,he’s out here just chewing on his bone---oh no he’s not he’s gotten Kitana ‘s vitamin bottle and he has eaten all the vitamins out of it!” Will it never end?
We now have every door in the house closed because he chews all the items in the waste basket he unrolls the toilet paper and pulls it all to the living room (Was this why his mistress didn’t like him?)
We had talked of making a “Dutch door” going to the basement and we decided with Murphy’s arrival -- now was the time. We could put a kitty door in the bottom and then Kitana could come and go to the downstairs without Murphy trailing behind her.
Lady Love carefully measured the chest of both animals and decided Kitana could easily make it thru the kitty door and Murphy couldn’t. The next two days we sawed,reinforced,sanded, and varnished. We wanted it to look nice and it did. We were so proud of our job well done,
The next day I went downstairs to do a load of laundry and left Murphy in the dining room upstairs. I was busily sorting and loading clothes; I turned around and there stood Murphy!!! He stood there grinning his best doggie grin and wagging his tail happily.
How did that dog get downstairs? Did he teleport?(Probably not.) Did he possibly come thru the kitty door? The kitty door was only 6 inches across. Murphy was 9 inches across his chest and he weighed 17 lb. I called for Lady Love--she didn’t answer. I thought that perhaps she had let him downstairs. I ran up stairs with Murphy trotting behind me.
Lady Love was in the back yard and I called to her,”Did you let Murphy downstairs?”
“No I went outside when you when downstairs. Why? “ She asked.
I told her what had happened. we talked and we both were convinced that the three inches difference in would not allow him to go thru the kitty door.He just must have slipped down the stairs quickly behind me. He is very fast;the ONE thing he knows very well is how to heel. That must be it.
We both returned to our respective chore and I again left Murphy upstairs. I started the washing machine and was walking towards the stairs and there came Murphy THRU the kitty door. There was surprise on both of our faces as I screamed , “MURPHY!” He shot passed me like a streak. He hid in Lady Love’s studio but I finally convinced him to go back upstairs. I put him in the kennel. I went out to tell her that all that work looked nice but it didn’t keep Murphy out of the studio.
That wonderful silly,grinning, and happy dog had done it again!!! He had made a game out of the kitty door.
Over the summer I agreed to give my granddaughter Kate guitar lessons. Murphy loves Kate and each time she came for a lesson,he would go crazy--jumping,running and whining. We thought that perhaps she reminded him of his young mistress.( Was this why his mistress didn’t like him?)
But he also did this every time the door bell rang. This had to stop before he knocked one of our very seniors neighbors and friends flat.
We decided we had to get him trained and we needed to do it soon--he was definitely a dog out of control. We already loved this crazy,wonderful laughing dog. He and the cat give us so much joy that we couldn’t think of taking him back just because he was INCORRIGIBLE!!
Lady Love and I both have had dogs in the past but we each had raised our dogs from puppies. I know this makes a great deal of difference.
Lady Love had four dog books in her vast library and we each started reading. We spent the weekend reading dog books. It didn’t take much reading to find out we had a spoiled dog with very bad habits. We each found good ideas and then we collaborated and we began to apply them immediately.
A tin can with about fifteen pennies in it works like a charm. We drop the can next to him and he just stops what he is doing.
We figure Murphy being locked in a laundry room all day long and then being played with very roughly when they were with him, that probably Murphy didn’t like that and maybe he didn’t like them---or his name “Nemo”. He responded to Murphy Muldoon the first day we had him. He was just neglected in a way that his breed can’t tolerate.
So that is why his mistress didn’t like him.
We allow him to run and play as much as he wants but we will not allow anyone to play rough with him.
Today, September 27, 2005, Lady Love and I sit in our office writing at our computers,Murphy sleeps quietly beside us. He is sweet, silly energetic and he is turning into the dog we were looking for. We love Murphy Muldoon!
October.
Finally got my computer back from repair shop and got my software down from the shelf to find Murphy had been there first-- there was a tooth mark in my printer software!!! So I had to order new printer software. I told the man at Epson that my dog ate my software he laughed so hard and he didn’t charge me for the service charge---he said it was the best laugh he had in a long time!!!! He was still laughing as I hung up the phone.
Murphy approached her as another puppy and he sniffed her and tried to roll her over. She was surprised but we really think she likes having another animal in the house. She would get a little skittish and would want to run and hide. We watched Murphy closely and how he treated her; we scolded him for being too rough. He started to look at her as something other than a puppy. She was equally as puzzled by his behavior. She had other dogs in her life but she liked them because they treated her with respect. She was going to have to teach this dog how cats behaved.
Kitana realized she would have to be on the defensive with this pup. After several days of just being around him she decided if he came towards her she would hit him in the nose with her paw. (she never put her claws out!) We could hear her hitting him from across the room. Well , that wasn’t working because he thought she was playing and he would come back for more.
Each morning Kitana and Murphy would come out and greet each other. Then two of them sit side by side and look out the screen door and watch the birds and whatever is going on in the back yard. Kitana seems to look forward to seeing him each morning. Murphy gets bored and he would starts to sniff and punch her. One morning she hissed and caught him squarely on the nose WITH HER CLAWS. He whined and looked at her. We knew she had really earned his respect when the next thing we saw Kitana was chasing Murphy and he was the one diving under the table. Kitana was again the “Queen” cat.
Murphy’s bright little doggie brain is always working to draw you into a game.He repeatedly pulled the place mats off of our dining room table in an effort to get us to chase him.
One day the place mat had a plate and a half glass of tea.
He was sure we liked that--it took us a week to convince him we were not really into chasing him. ( Was this why his mistress didn’t like him?)
Each day we tried to trust him a little more and leave him alone in the house. He’d been doing well for a couple of days. We were working in the yard and checking on him periodically. Lady Love walked in to see him standing in the middle of the dining room table. She chased him down and he went into his crate. He had a pretty good day for the rest of the day, Maybe there was hope for him yet.
The next day Lady love was eating breakfast and she remembered that the hose had to be put on the raspberry garden. She was going to be gone for just a minute but it was long enough for Murphy to eat her bacon. (Was this why his mistress didn’t like him?)
Before Murphy came to our house we each kept our daily pill boxes on the dining room table on our respective place mats so we would take our pills with our meals. That always work well for us until one day Lady Love walked in and found that Murphy had opened my entire pill box and emptied it. She called me and I ran in afraid he might have eaten them all and my pill case contained my sleep aids. Gratefully we discovered he had not eaten a one but there was dog slobber on everything in his effort to open the box. (Was this why his mistress didn’t like him?)
His behavior became some what better when we were able to let him run freely in the yard. He could run and enjoy his “buzzes” in the back yard. We were still working on the back yard but there was grass and it was great to see him run free.
He still could not get over trying to draw us into playing games with him. He constantly grabbed a glove and would run around the yard happily. He knew he was going to be scolded,but it was worth it just to tease us. Lady Love finally taught him that he should give the gloves back. That was something.
While I was at the computer writing this--Lady Love went to run an errand, walked into the dining room and said,”Oh, Murphy is being a good
boy,he’s out here just chewing on his bone---oh no he’s not he’s gotten Kitana ‘s vitamin bottle and he has eaten all the vitamins out of it!” Will it never end?
We now have every door in the house closed because he chews all the items in the waste basket he unrolls the toilet paper and pulls it all to the living room (Was this why his mistress didn’t like him?)
We had talked of making a “Dutch door” going to the basement and we decided with Murphy’s arrival -- now was the time. We could put a kitty door in the bottom and then Kitana could come and go to the downstairs without Murphy trailing behind her.
Lady Love carefully measured the chest of both animals and decided Kitana could easily make it thru the kitty door and Murphy couldn’t. The next two days we sawed,reinforced,sanded, and varnished. We wanted it to look nice and it did. We were so proud of our job well done,
The next day I went downstairs to do a load of laundry and left Murphy in the dining room upstairs. I was busily sorting and loading clothes; I turned around and there stood Murphy!!! He stood there grinning his best doggie grin and wagging his tail happily.
How did that dog get downstairs? Did he teleport?(Probably not.) Did he possibly come thru the kitty door? The kitty door was only 6 inches across. Murphy was 9 inches across his chest and he weighed 17 lb. I called for Lady Love--she didn’t answer. I thought that perhaps she had let him downstairs. I ran up stairs with Murphy trotting behind me.
Lady Love was in the back yard and I called to her,”Did you let Murphy downstairs?”
“No I went outside when you when downstairs. Why? “ She asked.
I told her what had happened. we talked and we both were convinced that the three inches difference in would not allow him to go thru the kitty door.He just must have slipped down the stairs quickly behind me. He is very fast;the ONE thing he knows very well is how to heel. That must be it.
We both returned to our respective chore and I again left Murphy upstairs. I started the washing machine and was walking towards the stairs and there came Murphy THRU the kitty door. There was surprise on both of our faces as I screamed , “MURPHY!” He shot passed me like a streak. He hid in Lady Love’s studio but I finally convinced him to go back upstairs. I put him in the kennel. I went out to tell her that all that work looked nice but it didn’t keep Murphy out of the studio.
That wonderful silly,grinning, and happy dog had done it again!!! He had made a game out of the kitty door.
Over the summer I agreed to give my granddaughter Kate guitar lessons. Murphy loves Kate and each time she came for a lesson,he would go crazy--jumping,running and whining. We thought that perhaps she reminded him of his young mistress.( Was this why his mistress didn’t like him?)
But he also did this every time the door bell rang. This had to stop before he knocked one of our very seniors neighbors and friends flat.
We decided we had to get him trained and we needed to do it soon--he was definitely a dog out of control. We already loved this crazy,wonderful laughing dog. He and the cat give us so much joy that we couldn’t think of taking him back just because he was INCORRIGIBLE!!
Lady Love and I both have had dogs in the past but we each had raised our dogs from puppies. I know this makes a great deal of difference.
Lady Love had four dog books in her vast library and we each started reading. We spent the weekend reading dog books. It didn’t take much reading to find out we had a spoiled dog with very bad habits. We each found good ideas and then we collaborated and we began to apply them immediately.
A tin can with about fifteen pennies in it works like a charm. We drop the can next to him and he just stops what he is doing.
We figure Murphy being locked in a laundry room all day long and then being played with very roughly when they were with him, that probably Murphy didn’t like that and maybe he didn’t like them---or his name “Nemo”. He responded to Murphy Muldoon the first day we had him. He was just neglected in a way that his breed can’t tolerate.
So that is why his mistress didn’t like him.
We allow him to run and play as much as he wants but we will not allow anyone to play rough with him.
Today, September 27, 2005, Lady Love and I sit in our office writing at our computers,Murphy sleeps quietly beside us. He is sweet, silly energetic and he is turning into the dog we were looking for. We love Murphy Muldoon!
October.
Finally got my computer back from repair shop and got my software down from the shelf to find Murphy had been there first-- there was a tooth mark in my printer software!!! So I had to order new printer software. I told the man at Epson that my dog ate my software he laughed so hard and he didn’t charge me for the service charge---he said it was the best laugh he had in a long time!!!! He was still laughing as I hung up the phone.
MURPHY MULDOON--THE BEGINNING
Lady Love had promised me a dog for my birthday April 10th. However she was going to wait until I had recuperated from bladder surgery and I could handle the care of a dog. During my recuperation I was on the look out for “a small,female poodle ,terrier type”nothing seemed to be listed in the Tribune or the Thrifty Nickel
Lady Love and I went “dog shopping” on Tuesday May 2nd.
We visited the Greeley Humane Shelter around 10 am and found that they had had an adoptathon over the weekend and there was nothing but BIG, BUTT-UGLY, FIERCE dogs---not what we were wanting.
There was a volunteer named Pam that had a private shelter and she took us outside and talked to us about a Bichon that she had just received. He was a male,all white , neutered and was brought to her because the mother had paid $800 for the dog and the adult daughter “didn’t like the dog”. He weighs about 15 lb. She would sell him for $85.
I asked Pam ,”What was wrong with the dog?”
Her answer was “Nothing that I can see. he has papers I’ve had him for three days and he is just a happy little guy and is really sweet. He’s housebroken and he knows how to heel. I just think they don’t know how to train a dog. They left him in the laundry room all day long and then never paid much attention to him. The girl’s live in boyfriend use to play real rough with him. He told me that .”
Lady Love ask me if I would like to see him---reminding me that I had been looking for a “small female,poodle.” My response: “I know but my nephew had a Bichon and it was such a nice dog. It would not hurt to look at him.”
Pam told us she lived by Platteville and she would be home about 1:30. She gave us directions to her “Heart to Heart Shelter”. We were on time and she brought this sweet,energetic bundle of joy out of her truck and he ran to us like he had been waiting for us.
Lady Love smiled and said, “I think Jean wants him. Do you?”
I quickly answered ,”Yes!”
While Lady Love wrote the check for him. Murphy and I jumped in the back seat of our coupe and he settled in the car,again like he was waiting for us.
Pam told us his name was “Nemo”. I told her I was going to change it to Murphy Muldoon (a sweet and lovable character in a Nora Robert's book that Lady Love and I read to each other.) I told Lady Love all along that if it was a girl or boy I was till going to call the dog Murphy Muldoon. Pam thought that was great since he never responded to “Nemo” when she called him.
I sat in the back seat holding Murphy Muldoon on the ride from Platteville to Greeley telling him his new name over and over. Of course we had to take him to “Pet Smart”, Lady Love said we needed to have some dog food and some new toys. Murphy Muldoon excitedly watched all the other animals in the store that day--including a goat on a leash! He smiled all the way around the store.
When we arrived home Lady Love made an appointment with the vet the next day. Murphy had a physical. The vet said he was in fine shape and we certainly got a “good dog”.
The following Saturday I took him to the groomers. The groomer said he was easy to groom. She added we certainly got a “good dog”.
It is obvious to me that the vet and the groomer know what to say to parents of a new dog and that Murphy’s reputation as a holy terror had not yet reached Greeley.
Oh,and the name change from “Nemo” to Murphy Muldoon came easily--you hear “get out of there”,”put that down”, “stop that”,”don’t chase the cat” ,etc, etc.,all proceeded by “MURPHY!” I think the neighbors dogs began to know Murphy’s name also or thought their names had been changed.
With the arrival of spring Lady Love and I had a variety of projects that were already in full swing before Murphy ever arrived--replacing our back yard. Our pure white Bichon had to be kept under control for a little while. Lady Love rigged up a tethered line so he could run back and forth from the patio and to grass and not be in the large amount of mud in our back yard.
We had read that Bichons like to sleep in a bed--preferable yours.
We were trying to decide where Murphy was going to sleep --in the dining room or our bedroom. Lady Love was tired and she got ready for bed and stretched out while we were still discussing where he should sleep when Murphy jumped on the bed and put his head on the pillow next to Lady Love. I thought she would be so mad that she would knock him to the moon! Instead she laughed so hard at him because he REALLY thought he was going to sleep there! I took him to the dining room ; tied him to the door knob and he cried for an hour until he went to sleep.
The second night we decided we would try putting him in a portable kennel we already had ; he cried for an hour and went to sleep. He finally goes to the kennel each night but not willingly--he must make a game out of it. He is still sure that he should sleep on or under our bed.
We recognized that he liked to be played with very rough and we refused to tussle and play tug with him. He would run,growl and bite at our clothes. He found out soon that his was unacceptable in his new home but he continued trying for about two weeks and then stopped.
We had read that Bichons have “BUZZES”. This means that your Bichon will start to run very hard in a circle, while making a low growl . He is merely telling you that everything is all right in his world. Murphy had a buzz every evening for several days in our dining room. Had we not read this we would have been alarmed. First we scolded,then we tried to stop him. Nothing worked so, we ignored him. Night after night we sat watching tv or reading books what ever our current activity was and let him go around the room like a maniac dog. If any one had walked into our home they would be sure that we were the craziest two old women they had ever seen. He soon tired of us ignoring him and stopped doing it in the house. One thing with Murphy, he does not like being ignored. Lady Love and I enjoy watching him “buzz” outside.
Murphy’s next big adjustment was the cat.
Lady Love and I went “dog shopping” on Tuesday May 2nd.
We visited the Greeley Humane Shelter around 10 am and found that they had had an adoptathon over the weekend and there was nothing but BIG, BUTT-UGLY, FIERCE dogs---not what we were wanting.
There was a volunteer named Pam that had a private shelter and she took us outside and talked to us about a Bichon that she had just received. He was a male,all white , neutered and was brought to her because the mother had paid $800 for the dog and the adult daughter “didn’t like the dog”. He weighs about 15 lb. She would sell him for $85.
I asked Pam ,”What was wrong with the dog?”
Her answer was “Nothing that I can see. he has papers I’ve had him for three days and he is just a happy little guy and is really sweet. He’s housebroken and he knows how to heel. I just think they don’t know how to train a dog. They left him in the laundry room all day long and then never paid much attention to him. The girl’s live in boyfriend use to play real rough with him. He told me that .”
Lady Love ask me if I would like to see him---reminding me that I had been looking for a “small female,poodle.” My response: “I know but my nephew had a Bichon and it was such a nice dog. It would not hurt to look at him.”
Pam told us she lived by Platteville and she would be home about 1:30. She gave us directions to her “Heart to Heart Shelter”. We were on time and she brought this sweet,energetic bundle of joy out of her truck and he ran to us like he had been waiting for us.
Lady Love smiled and said, “I think Jean wants him. Do you?”
I quickly answered ,”Yes!”
While Lady Love wrote the check for him. Murphy and I jumped in the back seat of our coupe and he settled in the car,again like he was waiting for us.
Pam told us his name was “Nemo”. I told her I was going to change it to Murphy Muldoon (a sweet and lovable character in a Nora Robert's book that Lady Love and I read to each other.) I told Lady Love all along that if it was a girl or boy I was till going to call the dog Murphy Muldoon. Pam thought that was great since he never responded to “Nemo” when she called him.
I sat in the back seat holding Murphy Muldoon on the ride from Platteville to Greeley telling him his new name over and over. Of course we had to take him to “Pet Smart”, Lady Love said we needed to have some dog food and some new toys. Murphy Muldoon excitedly watched all the other animals in the store that day--including a goat on a leash! He smiled all the way around the store.
When we arrived home Lady Love made an appointment with the vet the next day. Murphy had a physical. The vet said he was in fine shape and we certainly got a “good dog”.
The following Saturday I took him to the groomers. The groomer said he was easy to groom. She added we certainly got a “good dog”.
It is obvious to me that the vet and the groomer know what to say to parents of a new dog and that Murphy’s reputation as a holy terror had not yet reached Greeley.
Oh,and the name change from “Nemo” to Murphy Muldoon came easily--you hear “get out of there”,”put that down”, “stop that”,”don’t chase the cat” ,etc, etc.,all proceeded by “MURPHY!” I think the neighbors dogs began to know Murphy’s name also or thought their names had been changed.
With the arrival of spring Lady Love and I had a variety of projects that were already in full swing before Murphy ever arrived--replacing our back yard. Our pure white Bichon had to be kept under control for a little while. Lady Love rigged up a tethered line so he could run back and forth from the patio and to grass and not be in the large amount of mud in our back yard.
We had read that Bichons like to sleep in a bed--preferable yours.
We were trying to decide where Murphy was going to sleep --in the dining room or our bedroom. Lady Love was tired and she got ready for bed and stretched out while we were still discussing where he should sleep when Murphy jumped on the bed and put his head on the pillow next to Lady Love. I thought she would be so mad that she would knock him to the moon! Instead she laughed so hard at him because he REALLY thought he was going to sleep there! I took him to the dining room ; tied him to the door knob and he cried for an hour until he went to sleep.
The second night we decided we would try putting him in a portable kennel we already had ; he cried for an hour and went to sleep. He finally goes to the kennel each night but not willingly--he must make a game out of it. He is still sure that he should sleep on or under our bed.
We recognized that he liked to be played with very rough and we refused to tussle and play tug with him. He would run,growl and bite at our clothes. He found out soon that his was unacceptable in his new home but he continued trying for about two weeks and then stopped.
We had read that Bichons have “BUZZES”. This means that your Bichon will start to run very hard in a circle, while making a low growl . He is merely telling you that everything is all right in his world. Murphy had a buzz every evening for several days in our dining room. Had we not read this we would have been alarmed. First we scolded,then we tried to stop him. Nothing worked so, we ignored him. Night after night we sat watching tv or reading books what ever our current activity was and let him go around the room like a maniac dog. If any one had walked into our home they would be sure that we were the craziest two old women they had ever seen. He soon tired of us ignoring him and stopped doing it in the house. One thing with Murphy, he does not like being ignored. Lady Love and I enjoy watching him “buzz” outside.
Murphy’s next big adjustment was the cat.
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