Piper Poem #2

From 2013, another ode to Piper:

A blizzard came an’ momma set me loose

I jumped an’ I played and ran off like a goose

I’m in big trouble ‘cause I went on the lam

Momma says I’m a bad dog, yes I AM.

Oh, I am not a bad dog, she’ll say

Then she threatens to send me away.

I wear the orange collar of shame

Whenever we go out now to play a game

I’m not allowed outside at all

Without a shock-collar, horse fence or a 10’ wall.

Oh, I am not a bad dog, she’ll say

Then she threatens to send me away.

The ACO was nice after all, didn’t charge my mother

It’s $92.50 – roaming dogs are quite a bother

Momma say I cost her some big money

Then she melts ‘cause my eyes are like honey

Oh, I am not a bad dog, oh no

But I have got a LONG way to go.

My attention span’s a nanosecond

A really long time, I reckon

I’m a-scared of the cat and the vacuum cleaner

I like table scraps, biscuits and little wieners

Oh, I am not a bad dog, oh no

But I have got a LONG way to go.

Sometimes I wish I were a good dog, like Trix

Momma loves me anyway, even if I need to be fixed.

I’m a good dog, I’ll stand beside her

And when I’m scared I hide behind her

I am not a bad dog, oh no

But I have got a LONG way to go.

 

Another verse or two…

Momma has a guard she wears to bed

I got a hold of it and tore it to shreds

It’s $1400 and Momma is mad

I guess I was really, really bad.

I’m a bad dog, it’s really true

This is worse than chewing a shoe.

Momma won’t sleep well without her guard

But it’s not wearable in plastic shards

She might stop breathing and that’s scary

If you don’t breathe life’s a little hairy.

I’m a bad dog, it’s really true

But I love my momma, through and through

I hope that’s enough to save the day

Or this time I might get sent away

I try to be good, but it’s just too hard

Maybe this time I’ve gone too far.

Please Momma, don’t send me away

Someday I’ll be a good dog, I promise, okay?

 

Piper, I just don’t know what to do.

I keep working to try and teach you

You are such a bad dog sometimes

That I have to write it in rhymes.

No, I won’t send you away

Just stick to your toys when you play.

You’ve got lots of toys and lots of bones,

Leave my yarn and other things alone!

 

 

Hyper Piper of Haven

 Yesterday, Dec. 26th, 2021 was not a good day.  I went to Bloomfield in the morning and when I got home I was assailed with an awful stench when I walked in.  Piper had had diarrhea in her room.  Everyone went out and I cleaned up the mess, opened windows and doors and was glad that the temps were in the high 40's.  I even ran a fan.

She seemed ok, not great but although she didn't eat much of her breakfast, she had delightedly chowed down on lamb lung, so I figured she'd be ok.  I had decided not to give the dogs their capstar (damn fleas) until the afternoon, so I knew that was not the cause of her intestinal distress.  No one got their capstar yesterday.

At dinner time, she came in but went right past her room to the den and lay down.  I followed her in and tried to tempt her with her dinner but she ignored it.  Shortly thereafter she threw up, and I decided to call the vet.  She made her way to the kitchen and sank to the floor as I was on the phone.  Bolton said to bring her in for 9 p.m. (it was around 6) and I said, no, we're coming now.  

It took me a few minutes to get help to carry her to the car.  Mary Snow came to our rescue and between the two of us and a blanket, we got Piper into the back of the car.  I kept talking to her and she was looking at me.  No tail wags, but her eyes were bright and intelligent.  

As we reached the corner of Woodbridge and Middle Turnpike, I heard her give a soft groan.  I called back to her, telling her I was right there, we'd be to vet's in a couple of minutes, hang in there...  She never made another sound and about three minutes later we were at the vet.

I opened the hatch and was horrified to see that she wasn't breathing.  I think I screamed.  I begged her to not be gone.  The vet techs picked her up and raced into the building, telling me to park (I'd pulled up in front of the door) and come in.

I sat in one of the exam rooms for about 5 minutes and the vet came in.  I don't remember her name, she's one of the partners, and all she said was "I'm so sorry."  

Baby Girl, Sweet Loves, My Little Sunshine was gone.  

I was already crying.  I still am.  

They brought her in, and I had some time to stroke her soft fur, take her collar and pray.  

Over the next several days I will probably post more of the poetry she inspired.  

I am grateful for so many things:

    That Trixie immediately wanted to play with her, and they were really good buddies.

    That Pieper Memorial was able to diagnose her and give her another year.

     She was relatively healthy (addison's aside) until the very end.

    for 11 wonderful years with my wild and crazy, hyper girl.

    She got to be a mother to Tripp.

Her song was "You are my sunshine" and she was.

She was SO athletic.  

The blizzard of 2015:

Piper Poetry

 This is  one of the poems I wrote to Piper as she learned to be a house dog...

I got shocked 3x by a scat mat

Caught my paws in 6 little mouse traps

But I am not a bad dog, oh no.

I peed on the floor just last night

I ran off to play with a jack Russell type

But I am not a bad dog, oh no.

I’m only 60 pounds of Piper

Maybe just a little bit hyper

Momma, won’t you love me anyway.

I jump over the fence and over Trixie

Maybe my rap sheet will make history

Momma, pay the fine and come get me.

Now Momma’s got me a ‘lectric collar

She don’t have yell, she don’t have to holler

I am not a bad girl, anymore.

I don’t jump the fence, I’m not bad

My wandering days are over.

 

 June 2021

Merry Christmas 2021

 

Merry Christmas!

Well, 2021 will not go down as a banner year, thanks to the ongoing COVID restrictions.  Travel was one casualty, socializing another.  It’s been tough not to see family on the major holidays, but at least we’ve all survived.

Betty had “the covid” last December and didn’t begin to feel herself until June.  Talk about Long Covid!  Both her sister and brother-in-law also survived the virus, but are still struggling in recovery.

I did run away to Myrtle Beach for a week last April.  We celebrated Mom Cyr’s birthday at the Myrtle Beach State Park which was wonderful.  We consisted of her actual daughters, Melody, Johnna and Darci, and her grandson, Brandon.  Oh,yeah, me too!  Originally I was planning on going to Texas in May, but that got pushed to November. 

I did go to Maine (Bangor) for a week at the end of May.  We celebrated my cousin’s graduation from high school and just being able to get together.  My cousin Todd checked out Rigbee and spotted a possible problem in the overhead.  He also gave me some tips and suggestions for maintaining the big rig.

I came home from Maine and took Rigbee up to our RV place and had them check out the issue Todd had spotted.  It was MUCH WORSE than we anticipated.  The whole bottom half of the overhead portion had rotted out completely.  Several thousands later, not only was the overhead rebuilt, but the carpeting replaced with vinyl and the whole exterior scrubbed down and resealed.  We’re good to go, now!

Tripp and I continue to work on Agility, and are now pursuing our Novice titles.  We’ve yet to get a qualified run, but we have fun.  We camped out at the Big E for the Thanksgiving Cluster and had a great time in Rigbee with Piper and Tyson.  While we didn’t qualify, it was exciting and different and we learned a lot.

Tyson is learning scent work and I think he’ll be very good at it.  He enjoys it and I enjoy working with him.  We are still attending Family Dog 3 classes, because it’s just so much fun.  Piper is just busy being the beautiful blond.  Her Addison’s is being held at bay with 10 mg of prednisone a day, which also means she’s constantly hungry and thirsty.  Age had also afflicted her with arthritis and some days she limps a lot, but her eyes are bright and her tail wags, so we soldier on.

Our month-long Texas trip was again pushed off, and now will commence the long drive in early January.  I can’t wait to see my sister-from-another-mother finally enjoying retirement! 

I came down with a virus a couple of weeks ago and ended up in St. Francis’ ER early last Wednesday morning.  By mid-afternoon, I was released to the waiting room as they needed the bed in the ER.  I had an RSV – respiratory virus, not the flu, not Covid, but quite intense.  I’m still not 100%, but I do feel MUCH better. 

Looking forward to a brighter, healthier 2022!

Raelene, Blackie, Piper, Tripp and Tyson.