Morris trying out Santa’s chair

The three musketeers – Annie, Morris & Peanuts

Being Annie was difficult for a while. Christmas came and went. Guests arrived and left. Mom and Dad were planning a holiday and Morris and I was going to go with them. We were excited. We didn’t know exactly what it meant, but I didn’t care much if I was with Mom and Dad.

Morris had his theories about what a holiday is, but it sounded farfetched to me.

“We’re going to stay in a very beautiful houthe, with lotths of foodth and jutht thitting in the thun. And we’re going on long walkth on a very big thand pile with a biiiiggg thwimming pond. Mom ith going to feed uth Icecream every day!” He would give his coy sideways smile and nods knowingly. “I’m telling you, Annie!” He gave his nose a quick lick, and whispered: “Aaaand, I hear Mom is getting a babythitter for the Thchnauzerth….” By then I thought he had lost his marbles.

But it turns out that Morris was right. Mom and Dad were planning a beach holiday with Morris and me.

There was just one thing to be done before our trip. Dad had to go for a check-up because he lost a lot of weight and mom put her foot down and said Granny Rachel must go too. So off they went and came back with forms to fill in. Four days later they had to go back, and everyone came back looking sad. Mom came and explained to me and Morris that we might need to put our holiday on hold for a bit. Dad and Granny both had an illness called Cancer and Dad had to get an operation first.

Dad went to hospital the very next day and stayed away for a whole week. Mom played with us every day and told us how Dad was and reassured us he will be home soon. Mom said that the medicine he needs to get better was going to take a long time to give. She called the holiday place and cancelled our holiday. Morris was disappointed but agreed a holiday wouldn’t be nice without Dad.

And so, Dad came home, but still got thinner and thinner. Granny Rachel came to visit us in the Garden in a wheelchair. Morris wanted to bite the wheels, but then decided they are too big, and opted to rather try and pee on one. We had a nice afternoon. Mom, Dad, and Granny Rachel sat in the garden the entire afternoon telling stories and having a nice laugh. Mom made coffee for everyone, and Morris and I enjoyed having our people around us. The sun was shining, birds were singing in the trees and the water cobbling over the rocks in the pond made me very sleepy. I lay next to dad with his hand on my head. This is what is means to have a home, I thought to myself as I drifted off.

That night mom came to sing to us and for the first time in weeks she didn’t look sad. She kissed us goodnight and Morris and I went to sleep almost immediately.

We woke up in the middle of the night by a vehicle arriving in our driveway. It had lights swishing about and people got out and brought a bed on wheels to the house. I didn’t even bark. Morris and I just sat and waited. Mom spoke to the people. Then silence. After a short while they all came back out with Granny Rachel on the bed with wheels. They pushed her right into the big van and drove off with mom following them in her car.

We sat staring at the garden gate for a long while, waiting for mom to come back, but she didn’t. The next morning the sun came up, and still no mom. Then, way later than our breakfast time, mom arrived home with Granny George. Granny Rachel was still not with them. Mom came to give us our breakfast and told us that Granny Rachel was very ill. Peanuts came to stay, and bunked with Morris and I. This helped a bit as we had a mate to make the days waiting for mom a bit shorter. We love Peanuts.  A few days went past where mom was more at the hospital than at home. Then, one afternoon she came home very late. She told Morris and I that Granny Rachel went to live with Jesus. She was very sad. We all were. Even Peanuts.

As always, Morris had a big debate with himself when we went to bed, about what exactly happens when we go live at Jesus. “Mom thaid we are all going there thooner or later, but I’m not thure about that…” He babbled on for a good while and finally went to sleep.

The next few weeks was a busy time. Dad didn’t get any better and mom took him to hospital where he had to stay for a while. Mom was very worried about him, and was at his side most of the time, but she made time for me and Morris too. We helped her plant some new flowers in the garden, and she even got us a brand-new duvet and a pretty cover for our room.

One day a lot of people showed up, and mom was telling us that it was to say goodbye to Granny Rachel. We didn’t bark at anyone. We just sat and watched.

Days turned a bit cooler, and the leaves started falling off the trees. Dad came home and started feeling better. The medicine was working, and everyone was happy. We loved hanging out with Dad on his rest days after his medicine. He wouldn’t do much, just brought his pillows and a blanket and slept quietly on the couch outside at the fountain. Mom would make sure he’s always comfortable and brought him lots of drinks. They would chat for hours, until he falls asleep. Morris loved cuddling up to Dad, and I kept watch. But, as mom said, all our love and medicine put together just wasn’t enough. He died quietly on a Thursday morning.

Mom came every morning early to have her coffee with us outside on the steps and watched the sun rise. It was bitterly cold, but she did it. We watched as her tears dripped into her coffee cup. She would wipe them away and kiss our noses and would say what Dad used to say; “The show must go on!” She was rarely in the house, always outside. We loved it but didn’t know what to do to make her feel better.

We had a goodbye gathering for dad too. Morris and I just watched. Mom played dad’s music until late that night. Everyone left and mum sat outside with us for hours.

Then, one morning, we got the news that Granny Hazel went up to heaven too. I told mom it’s so Dad wouldn’t be alone until we get there. Weeks turned into months, and slowly thing returned to our new normal. I know it will never be the way it used to. Morris and I still talks about dad a lot, especially at bedtime.

Our busy season came. We had a lot of things going on. And before we knew it, it was Christmas Eve. Mom put up the Christmas tree a few days earlier and it looked as pretty as always. Morris and I helped her to leave some Milk and cookies next to the Santa chair, and Morris licked one when he thinks mom wasn’t looking. But she did see and gave the cookie to Morris to have and one for me too. Morris didn’t want to go to bed and sat most of the night on the porch waiting for Santa to arrive with our presents. He must have fallen asleep, because the next morning our presents was under the tree, the milk and cookies gone. And Morris didn’t see Santa. Morris is now convinced Santa is a magician.

And so, I have learned a valuable lesson. Life as we know it, will always change. But, for me and Morris, even though everything changed over the last six months, we still have a home and a mom who loves us. We had to adapt to our new life without dad and our grannies, but we are still here making the best of every day. I still sleep sitting up in the morning sun, and Morris still try to catch a lizard without its tail falling off.

Just before we drift off to sleep Morris says goodnight without fail. Mom says we call that love. And love can never die. We believe her.

Peanuts

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With the preparations for our December holiday we had a lot of work going on. There was some painting which I helped with. It took mom two whole days to get all the green paint off my tail and some blue and pink from my front left foot and my bum. I like helping where I can, but the same can’t be said of Morris and Pikkie. They mostly just trot by and give whatever projects we are working on the side eye. Pikkie will sometimes walk with me and inspect all our handywork at dusk, but that is the best time of day for hunting according to Morris. This is when his prey tries to suck up the last bit of warmth from the bricks on the side of the house.

At nighttime after we’ve been tucked in and mom sang our goodnight song, we sometimes riminess over things that happened in the past few days… and the question always comes up: Did Morris catch any lizards today? The answer is always: “Mind your business” followed by a sneeze and a smile and Morris started babbling about paint and grass and petunia’s flowering and sometimes he mentions the cats teasing him. He doesn’t fool anyone. We all know that Morris haven’t caught a single lizard in all the many months living here.

One morning early mom woke us up. The big cleaning is starting today, and she wants to get a move on as Morris explains to the guests. Later in the day it became clear why mom was in a hurry. Clouds were gathering and looking angrier by the second and Morris and Pikkie made their thunder nest between the two big armchairs in the office. I don’t mind the thunder, but this was quite the storm. Morris kept his eyes closed and just kept saying: “Be gone! Be over!” and shook a little with every word. Pikkie isn’t scared of the thunder either but feels it’s his duty looking after his adoptive brother. Eventually it went away, and Morris is now starting to believe he’s got some magic powers.

The weather didn’t clear after the big storm, but produced one storm after another for a few days, in which Morris’ believe of powers became stronger with each storm. Then the rains started, and no matter how much our Morris whispered  for it to be gone and be over it just carried on and on and on. For days I had to listen to Morris wining about the rain and him threatening to just poop in the house, but luckily it didn’t happen. Each time there’s a little break in the rain we would run outside to check that everything was still in it’s place. Mom put movies on for us to watch again, but with all the water outside Morris and Pikkie didn’t want to watch Pirate movies again. “If it carrieth on raining like thith, the Cracken will come get uth from our Bedths!” Morris proclaimed a few times. Pikkie shook his head “Mom will never allow it!” he said with confidence and Morris believed him and calmed down a bit.

Eventually we woke up one morning and the sun was shining bright and cheerful. I did a few yoga poses on our porch and lay down to soak in the warmth. Morris flopped down against me and sighed. He lay on his back with his tummy in the sun and his tongue hanging out of the right side of his mouth.

The day was a lazy one with us mostly stretched out on clean fresh green grass – just sunning ourselves.

Late afternoon mom sat with us while our food cooled and was busy cleaning my ears when all of a sudden Morris jumped up and ran into some nearby plants. A lizard ran out, but not fast enough. Morris grabbed him and then, the unthinkable happens; the Lizard lost his tail and ran under a flowerpot. Morris got confused by the tail and jumped on it, but when it kept on moving Morris gave one loud scream and ran away. He ran straight into the office and into his “Thunder Dome” between the chairs. Pikkie and I went to check on the tail and it was still moving. Mom was laughing so hard the tears ran down her face. She went inside to see if Morris was OK and came out holding him in her arms. He had a sheepish grin on his face and didn’t want to look at the tail. Dad came out to see what the noise was all about and promptly named Morris The Lizard King.

“It was too grosthh, Annie!” he said that night when we were still laughing about the lizard Morris finally caught.

“I know how they work now” he said with a serious face. “Tomorrow I’m going to catch me another one…”

It was quiet for a while and I was thinking the boys fell asleep when I hear Morris whisper: “Thhlippy little thhuckerth”. And with that, he went to sleep.

My days are filled with entertaining our guests. I love telling them what to do for fun and where to go while they are visiting, but the part of my job I love the most is taking care of our Morris.

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Since Pikkie came to stay with us the boys stay up late some evenings and tell stories for hours. Sometimes I listen to them, other times their soft voices are soothing, and I drift off to sleep in between Morris’ lisping and Pikkie’s perfect pronunciations.

Since its winter and there’s not much going on, mom has started to let us watch video’s in our living room during the day when it’s cold and miserable outside. Morris adores watching any type of Pirate movies. He can probably relate to all their physical ailments and rough adventures. Pikkie loves the love stories and doesn’t like much action. I don’t mind. As long as a movie has a happy ending, I’m happy!

With all the rough movies, Morris has started to use some colorful language. Mom doesn’t know yet, but I am worried about what Morris will remember and whether his vocabulary will remain like this when we are fully booked with lots of customers to entertain. Sometimes he lets off a phrase that mom definitely wouldn’t approve off, then runs in wide circles laughing his pirate laugh. Mom thinks it’s funny and keep on making videos of Morris being “funny”. Poor mom.

Being Annie comes with a lot of responsibility. Our hotel has to be the best. We can’t let our standards slip and our guests pick up bad behaviors. Morris does not seem to care, nor want to listen to reason when I finally got a chance alone with him. “Nobody carethsss, Annie.” He says with his charismatic one-sided smile. This is his standard reply when he thinks I’m being silly. “The more dogth mithbehave, the more their momth love it!” he claims. I won’t know. I haven’t been around as long as Morris and have to believe him.

And so, the weeks ticked over, it became colder and colder, and the guests less and less. And then, just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, mom got ill.

She came to put us to bed the one day, with hair standing in all directions, looking a little bit flushed in the face. She hugged us all tightly and tried to sing our goodnight song but struggled to get it to sound right. Morris licked her a lot.

That night was terribly cold outside, but we were all cozy and warm with our heatlamp and our electric blanket and Morris and I were snuggling on my bed, with Pikkie preferring the armchair. He gets warm very easily.

“I don’t think mom is feeling great,” I told Morris. “We will have to give her many licks in the morning.”

The next morning mom was late. Dad came to fetch us, and give us our warm food, put some blankets on our couch, and switch on the heater for us. Morris refused to eat. “I want mom!” he angrily barked at dad. Dad sat watching us for a while and scratched my ears the way I like, but eventually gave up and took the food away. Time went by slowly. When the sun was high in the sky and most of the frost was gone, mom came to see us. Morris was beside himself. Mom picked him up, her face all red and scrunchy looking. “Shame, my boy!” she said, and her voice sounded weird, but she held him close. Morris milked it for all he’s worth, and started moaning, “I’m thoooo hungry… haven’t had food thinthe yethterday…” Mom went to the fridge, got some food especially for Morris and heated it up. The little bugger seems to get exactly what he wants.

Mom got sicker and sicker and Dad was worried. No-one was allowed to visit. We were bored and either lounged in the sun or watched TV when it was cold out. But then, after weeks of nothing going on, Mom got better!

Then, Dad had to go to hospital. Morris were upset because Mom was upset and was in a foul mood until he made Mom laugh again. We didn’t know when he would be coming home, and mom said we will just have to wait and see. No visitors were allowed in hospital, but at night she would sit with us and we would call dad. He was in much pain, but hearing his voice helped us all. Every time Pikkie heard Dad’s voice he would do his happy dance.

One afternoon we were doing our rounds with Mom to make sure our guests were happy. Her phone rang, she answered and started walking to the gate, while waving at us. Shortly after, she got in the car and off she went.

Morris stood by the garden gate, pondering why mom would so abruptly leave. He got tired of waiting for her to come back so ran back to the cottages to chat up some girls. Mom doesn’t know it, but he’s actually a terrible Butler. I had a nap in the sun, when I heard Morris’ voice; “Thhhshiver me timbertthhs, Annie, Thhhshiver me timbertthhs!!!” And there he was, wagging his tail so his whole body wagged with it… Dad was back!

Later that night when Mom came to put us to bed, we did our normal routine. Mom telling us we’re beautiful and she loves us, tucks us in, sing Morris his goodnight song and then, when she turned at the door to look at us one more time, she said: “I love you guys! And don’t think for one minute I don’t know about your bad language Mister Morris!”

For once Morris didn’t have an answer.

Pikkie doing his happy dance!

Shiver me Timbers Annie!

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Our guests became less again, and mom was worried. Sometimes she will sit typing on her computer and sigh. Then look at us as though she doesn’t really see us and keep on doing her work. A couple of weeks ago mom told dad she refuses to watch the news anymore. She says it makes her depressed. So, she stopped. Every morning with her morning coffee she would sit with us while we have breakfast and smile at us when we chomp away at our food. Morris still gets away with only eating homecooked food and ignoring his kibble when it suits him.

Then, one night when we were settling in for bed, mom came to ask us a favor. She wanted to know if we would manage having another roommate. One of our guests needed a home, and so, here we are. How could we refuse?

Luckily, we know our new brother all too well. His name is Pikkie and he goes by the surname of Pomeranian.

Pikkie have stayed with us often and I remember him staying here when my legs were still in bandages. He’s a real gentleman and Morris’ best man friend.

Pikkie never cared if his mom dropped him off to come and stay, but the day she brought all his toys and beds and blankets with him he was sad. He didn’t want to play with us or eat his food and that night he lay outside on the grass until the moon was high in the sky. Finally, when he came inside our room, his eyes were sad, and he went to his bed but fiddled around the whole night and didn’t seem to be able to have a restful sleep. The next morning mom picked him up for extra cuddles and after breakfast Morris and I had a secret conversation wondering whether we should tell him he’s going to stay forever. We didn’t have to. He knew.

He wasn’t in the mood for playing like always when he’s visiting and lay by the garden gate staring into nothing the whole day. That night mom picked him up and gave him a big hug, holding him tight. She told him he’s not alone in the world and has a family. We are his new family, and we love him. He understood. He ate his food and went straight to his bed. Morris thought it was a good idea to cuddle up with him for the night, and the two had whispering conversations for a long while before finally giving up and falling asleep.

In the few weeks that Pikkie has been with us he’s become a lot more talkative and I have to sometimes leave my bed and go outside for a bit of quiet time when he and Morris start telling manly stories.

Mom and I have our girl time every day. She always makes sure my eyes are clean and my breath doesn’t smell. My toenails are short and shiny and brushing is my favourite thing to do! When we do this, she talks to me. About all the things that makes her happy, the things that makes her sad, and the dreams she has for us. This morning she was sad. “Look,” she said, pointing at the cottages in the garden, “no guests.” We sat on the step in front of the office with her arm around me and she pressed her head against mine. “Just think what our little hotel would have been like if the “thing” never happened.”

I looked out into the garden and remember how it quite recently still was, and without a doubt, I know deep in my Annie heart that it will be like it was again; a busy, bustling, bubbly place full of good energy and happy barks. Everyone loves it here so how can it not be?

Ours is a place that was meant to be. I couldn’t hug mom back but did what I know how to; I lick. A lick saved my life, and today, I would like to think that I saved my mom’s.

Ps: After much deliberation Morris and I have decided that Pikkie needs to earn his keep. If you have any suggestions as to what position he might be good at at our hotel, please send us an email to: annie@baxters.co.za.

Our new Roommate Pikkie

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Sometimes when I sit with her, she would say things to her computer. Most times when she talks to herself is when we watch Morris play. She would look at him and smile, then say something like “Who knew?” rub my head and carry on what she was doing.

One afternoon about a month ago, mom sat at her desk and started clicking away at her emails. She used words I’m not allowed to bark and then went quiet for a second and frowned at her screen. She sat reading for a moment or two and then called Dad. Mom was excited. I wasn’t exactly sure why, but she said we’re going to be on TV. I have no idea what she meant, because me and Morris do not have one of those.

In the weeks to come mom became more and more strict with everyone working here. Do this, do that, and most often, she would ask “Why isn’t it done yet?!”

During this busy time, I met my Grandma for the first time. She smells weird, but Mom said she smells of fresh sea air and if me and Morris are good, we might go visit someday so we can go to the beach. She was nice to me and rubbed my head a lot, but Morris was convinced he’s her favourite again. He does that often, and I go along with it and let him think that to make him happy.

So, the days came and went, and Grandma went home again. We were sad, she was very nice to us. Morris was especially sad since he had become quite fond of having a bit of Rooibos with Grandma. Mom said it can’t do him any harm since Granma didn’t us any sugar or milk and allowed him to lick away at the tea to his heart’s content.

We were busy in the weeks to come and had lots of guests come and go. Lukie Benfield came and stayed with us for a long while. We were all sad when she had to go home. Pebbles came to visit all the way from Durban, and then, just like that, mom took him to the doctor to fix his teeth. Poor Pebbles. Morris says having your teeth done is not nice and painful for a day or two.

On Monday morning mom came early to give us breakfast. We didn’t have it like always in the office with her, but on our porch. Mom looked worried and sad and said our Leila was very ill. She was rushing her off to the doctor. Later that morning mom came back and was very sad, with tears running down her face which we took upon ourselves to lick off. Mom said that Leila went to heaven. I don’t really know what that mean, only that once you go there, you never ever come back. We are sad that we won’t have her around anymore. We loved her. She was always friendly to us.

The very next day everything was busy. Mom was giving orders to everyone and they were doing lots of work. Then, just as we thought Mom has lost the plot completely, some people arrived with a big black thing on a stand. It looks a lot like one of Mom’s camera’s but just bigger. We were running around, and they took lots of videos of us. Later in the afternoon they left and we were all tired. That evening mom gave us more than usual chicken and veggies and Morris says maybe if he only eats his chicken, mom won’t give him anything else. I told him she’s too clever to do that, but after he did it for three days straight she did exactly what he said she will do. He’s such a clever little bugger.

Morris practicing his “Famouthhh” smile

Watching mom reading emails

And So, Tuesday night mom came to our room to sing our goodnight song and tuck us in. She became sad again and when me and Morris became worried, she said she’s going to be all right. She just misses our Leila and we mustn’t worry. From now on things will get better. Apparently we are going to be a little bit famous, Morris and I. We don’t really care about that. We have what be both always wanted; a mom who loves us, a bed to sleep in and warm food on cold nights and mornings. So while I drift off to sleep I can hear Morris whisper: “We going to be famouthhh…”

Morris being tired

Pebbles before his trip to the Vet

Having Breakfast on our Porch

After a very busy Tuesday

Breakfast

We helped mom plant these

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His name was Duke Barker.

He was so handsome with the gentlest eyes and the softest tongue. The one and only Duke!

Duke came to us very scared and unsure. He was supposed to go to a faraway land with his family, but at the airport the officials said his passport was no good, and he was sent away. He didn’t get to say goodbye to his family, someone came to get him, and took him to the house next door of where he used to live; he desperately wanted to go home and looked through the fence all the time, barking at his family to come get him, but no one came. The house was empty and the garden where he used to run around was deserted. He became very sad and our Friend Pebbles’ mom called Duke’s mom and told her she was going to bring Duke to us.

“He’s a cool dude!” is all Pebbles said when I asked what Duke’s like. “And he likes swimming!” Pebbles said with enthusiasm and said that he has known Duke for a long time and often had visits with him in the past.

When Duke arrived, we were all excited! Pebble’s and I were waiting at the gate, but our excitement was short lived. Duke wasn’t in the mood for chit chat and went to his room and just sat on the porch. He didn’t want to speak to anyone and when we asked him if he was OK he just turned his head not to look at us and stared into nothing.

The day progressed like any normal December day, with running and barking and playing and then, when we were all tired, mom would bring all the guests their dinner. She made sure everyone ate their dinner, and always add some chicken stew with yummy veggies. Duke didn’t want to eat. Mom sat with him, brushing him and playing with his ears, scratched his chest and eventually said to him: “Dukie, you must eat boy!” and so he did! He loved the chicken so much that mom took his bowl and got him some seconds. After that he went straight to bed. He slept until the sun came up the next morning. After his first night with us, he started talking to me and Pebbles and we played the whole day.

Days went by and Dukie settled in more and more. Days become weeks and weeks became a month. Pebbles went home after about two weeks of Dukie being with us, and we were sad so see him go. Duke loved lying in the pond under the running water and mom wondered out loud whether we would have enough time before he had to leave to build him a proper big pool.

We didn’t care though, during the day we would play, until it got too hot, then we would sleep on my porch under the big tree while the cool wind carried away the heat. Late afternoon we loved chasing the horses when they ran past to their stables, and then Duke would run past all the other guests screaming: “Dinner! Dinner! Dinner!”

Mom always gave us our dinner last and would then sit with us for after dinner cuddles.

When we had our after-dinner cuddles mom would talk to us about things that happened that day, and she would tell Duke every night: “One of these days you are going to have to be a very brave boy. You are going home to your family, but to get there will be difficult and it will take a long time. Me and Annie can’t go with you, but whenever you get scared, just close your eyes and pretend you are here with us. Pretend Annie is lying next to you and you can hear her snore. Pretend you just had dinner and you are having your tummy scratched, but most of all, pretend I just told you we love you.”

Duke would always lick mom’s hand when she told him that and she would give us both big hugs and tell us to be good and sleep well.

And so, the day came where Duke had to leave. Mom sat with us longer than usual the previous night and told Duke that his journey was to start the next day and came earlier than usual in the morning to wake us up. She gave us breakfast and gave Duke some extra chicken and some liver bread. We sat on my porch until a man came with a white van. Mom put Duke’s collar on him, and cried so much, her tears fell on his head. I licked him, and said: “So long Duke, I am going to miss you forever.” I felt sad. Duke licked me back and licked mom a lot!

Mom walked with him to the van and allowed me to go with. Duke jumped into a big wooden box in the van and mom kissed him goodbye one last time. I jumped up and kissed him too. The man came and closed the box so we could only see Duke’s face. One last time Duke shouted: “I love you Annie!” before the man closed the door of the van.

After the van left mom and I sat on the step outside the office and she cried a lot. Dad came and brought us some coffee and said to mom that everything will be OK and she should stop crying. She hugged me tight while drinking her coffee and after that we started preparing breakfast for all the guests. It was a quiet morning, with no one running around shouting “Breakfast!” to wake all the guests up.

Two days later mom told me that Dukie has landed in a faraway place I have never heard of, and that he was safe. He still couldn’t see his family for two weeks after that, but once we got the news that he was home we were so excited! Mom gave all the guests liver bread with cottage cheese frosting to celebrate.

With mom’s help we put a picture up for me of Duke and me. I look at it often and wonder if he remembers me. I am sure he does! He might be romping around the beaches of Brisbane, but I know, when he goes to sleep at night, he remembers the late-night chats and secret parties we had for the time he stayed with us.

We are forever friends.

Annie and Duke having their nightly chats

Dukie Barker at Breakfast

Being Brave – on his way to Australia

Lounging under the aircon with Annie

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Mom walked slowly with me, one step at a time, and when I got too tired, she would pick me up and held me tight and would always say: “I won’t drop you.” I loved being carried around and would sometimes fake being tired so mom would pick me up. I think she noticed because sometimes she just laughed at me and called me her clever girl.

Fairy-Godmother came to visit me often and mom would always fetch me and put me on the couch with them to be part of the visit. I loved having visitors! Lots of people came to see me, Annie!

One day mom and Fairy-Godmother discussed finding me a home. I was sad. I looked at mom and told her “This IS my home!” but I didn’t think she understood me. I worried a lot about how I’m going to tell mom that I didn’t want to go away.

Weeks went by of frequent walks where I didn’t get tired anymore. Then came the running. At first I was a little scared to try, but as luck would have it, we got a visitor named Pebbles. He was very short and very long and very black. I wasn’t scared of Pebbles and he was very nice to me. One day Pebbles saw a lizard and ran to catch it, and I went with him. We didn’t get to the lizard before he disappeared under some flowers and then up the wall, but I ran! From that day on I am a little like Forrest Gump. Everywhere I go, I would run!

Fairy-Godmother was very surprised when she first saw me ran and said, “Ag jirre, so oulik, man!” I felt special and like a new dog!

Still, everytime Fairy-Godmother came, she would discuss my new home with mom. I felt sad. I didn’t want to go away. Every night mom came to put me to bed, I would look at her and say, “Please mom, I want to stay with you!”  I said it all the time, but mom always just kissed me on my nose, then on my head and both ears, and said, ”Sleep nicely now. I’ll see you in the morning.” She would cover me with a blankie and fold it around me so I would be nice and warm, just like a hug.

Then one day when I didn’t expect it, Fairy-Godmother pulled up in her car, mom and and Fairy-Godmothers fairy daughter put me in the car, and took me back to the hospital I came from. I was scared. Why are they doing this? Mom kept telling me, “It’s Ok, Annie! Don’t be scared!” but I was!

At the Vet

On the way back home!

They carried me to the same table I lay on that first day I almost died, and this time, I stood on it! A lady with a blue coat came, looked at me, bend and twisted my legs and then gave me two injections. It was a little bit sore, but I was too scared to make a noise.

Then mom picked me up from the table and carried me back to Fairy-Godmother’s car, and to my surprise, we came straight back home!

Everyone laughed at me making zoomies on the grass. I felt so happy! Mom called me over and tapped on the couch for me to jump up.

“You are staying here, Annie;” mom said, “forever and ever!” She gave me a big hug and I liked it very much and licked her face. I was so happy!

Shortly after that we started to get a lot of friends for stayovers. Some stayed over for long, other’s just a few nights, but I liked every second! Mom gave my room a makeover and put a real big bed in with sheets and pillows and extra blankies and a big chair I like to lie on. She said she gave me granny’s old bed, and grandpa’s armchair. I like both! Equally!

Then, one day, something strange happened. People came and started hammering at some wood, and before you know it, there was another house! A nice big blue one under the tree with a big porch! I loved the porch! Mom said the entire house was mine! We moved all my furniture and I then had my own house with a big garden and a big tree just for myself. Sometimes mom let me have sleepovers with friends I really like and we play into the night!

I’m so glad I found my home!

Finally I can work on just being me, Annie.

The post Home appeared first on Baxters Dog Hotel.

Then one morning, mom said, “Annie, Mommy might have a friend for you for a little while…” She didn’t look too sure, but, at around lunch time the next day she brought home a ugly little black fella who smelled of hospital and was stinking a lot. He had almost no hair, and was looking very sad.
He was friendly enough though and I asked him what his mom calls him…He said he doesn’t have a mom and he didn’t have a name. This was OK, because before I came to be Annie, I also didn’t have a name or a mom. I told him not to worry, he would have both soon! He looked very sceptical, and sighed. He did that a lot!
I asked him how long he was visiting for and he also didn’t know. He was cold all the time and said he had a tummy ache. The First night he was here he didn’t want to jump on my bed, but slept in a small soft bed by the heater. He was scratching the whole night. When mom came to check on us in the night she just said “oh shame!”. Every time she would kiss me on my head and rubbed the little fellow’s head. She put some ointment on the little fella’s ears and on his tummy and then covered him again with a blanket. He was sighing a lot when she left. He said the stuff helped him not to itch and then did sleep for a little while.
When morning came we had some warm food. She looked at the little guy while he was sniffing in the garden and called him. “I will call you Morris,” she told him, “because you’re small and black”. She turned around and walked out of the garden gate and left us looking at each other.
“I guess you have a name now!” I nodded at him. He sneezed. Then scratched some more and tilted his head to the side, gave me a smile with three teeth showing and said; “I like it!.”
And so, days turned into weeks and we fell into a nice routine. Morris still scratched, and after the medicine from my Fairy Godmother wore off, he was back to scratching into the wee hours of the morning.
Mom took Morris to see my special friend, doctor Lize-Marié, and with medicine and food that smells yummy, his itch went away.
Morris now doesn’t smell anymore. He likes playing with me and runs like the wind! He even had a small operation done and stayed over in hospital for a night. It wasn’t fun. I missed him too much!
I had a talk with mom and asked if Morris can’t stay like I did. I will teach him stuff so he can work too. I didn’t think mom heard me, so I kept on telling her. So then, when I was sad because Morris wasn’t here, she said she think he could stay. Forever and ever so that I will always have a friend.
Fairy God-Mother wrote a long story about Morris’ new job. I think everyone likes his job, but It’s not as nice as mine! Now that Morris’ have clean teeth he often think he’s mom’s favourite, but I know he’s wrong. We both are.

The post Being Annie – About Morris appeared first on Baxters Dog Hotel.

With grateful thanks from Annie.

My First Picture

Rescued 20 August 2019 on Party road.

The post Being Annie – New Beginnings appeared first on Baxters Dog Hotel.