Head count:
Two adults.
Five kids.
Two kittens.
&
Two dogs!
Two BIG dogs.
We have welcomed two stunningly beautiful Bernese Mountain dogs into the family. Whoa, right? I know. Crazy, right? Maybe. But you have to meet these two. Seriously. It all started when we received an e-mail about two labs who needed a home. They were immunized and "fixed" and ready to go. Aidan's heart melted. He really wanted to take them in. I warmed to the idea and we went for it. It didn't work out. But now the emotional ball was rolling. . . I took a peek on Kijiji. I typed "Bernese Mountain dog" and up popped an ad that read: Two Bernese Mountain dogs FREE to good home. I fired off an e-mail right away. And within a few hours we were off to visit the dogs.
They came bounding out of the house nuzzling and rolling around and generally being big adorable sucks. Summer is 3 years-old and "rangy". She simply demands cuddles. During a movie with the kids, she came and notched her head sideways into my lap and stationed herself their until Cooper muscled her out of the way for his turn. Cooper is roughly the size of a bear and also very affectionate-- only far less jiggly and frantically gleeful. He is 4 years-old, which means in a year he will be considered a senior. Crazy. So we have to go easy on him. For example, I told Elijah to dismount when I caught him trying to ride Cooper like a horse. I have a soft spot for Cooper.
Why in the world would anyone give up such beautiful and loving dogs at this point, now that they are trained and socialized? It turns out the three year-old daughter of the family has developed really unpleasant allergies. This was a very reluctant goodbye. In fact, Aidan told me the owners were both crying through their farewells. They won't see these dogs again. For their daughters' sake they want a clean break. She has been told that Summer and Cooper are "on vacation." I have promised, however, to give regular updates via e-mail to set their hearts at ease.
If today is any indication, I will have only glowing reports to give. The dogs piled out of the van and made themselves at home. We walked them around the perimeter of the property. Showed them where to do their business. Spent the afternoon cuddling with them and introducing them to the kids. And we went for a good walk. Tonight Aidan is at a Sens game. Normally I would have that uncomfortable home-alone feeling. But I don't. I am watching Runaway Bride with a dog or two warming my lap.
Yes, there are challenges:
1. They are big and hairy. Anyone who knows me is aware of my love of clean floors, but I have already given them a good brush down and will do so regularly.
2. They will need time to bond with us after having been loved for so long in another home. Frankly, I have been amazed at how easily they seem to have accepted Aidan and I as their new owners. But they are super emotional dogs and will need extra attention in the next few weeks to make them feel at home. (This minute, Summer is at the bottom of the stairs crying because I have left her for five minutes.)
3. They are so big that, should their health deteriorate, they have the potential to be very costly to keep . Aidan and I have set our limits, however, and will not go further than is financially wise.
4. Finally, we will likely only have two to three good years with them. For some inexplicable reason this breed's life expectancy has plummeted in recent years from 10-12 years to 7-8. They don't live very long. We don't have to think about that yet. . .
Now is the time of life to take these chances. We are a young family who can't go on lengthy vacations. If we camp, they will camp. If we stay at Grammie and Grandpa's, they will stay at Grammie and Grandpa's. (Yes, I got clearance.) We have to stay close to home. We haven't got expensive furniture. We have kids with the energy to give these dogs the attention they need. We have to try.
As I mentioned
HERE, we have begun to finish a large section of the basement to accommodate these two. This will be doggy home base until I get my bearings. We have it set up as an extra living space: somewhere the the kids can play, and we can veg with a movie in the evenings. And that's just what I was in the middle of doing. I better get back to it--Summer's calling.
From family of seven to nine in one day.
hange of plans. As always. . . I posted HERE that the basement would be white and orange, but kept coming back to my curiosity about black walls. I couldn't help but wonder what that would look like. I figured it would make things more cozy down there, and be far less likely to need scrubbing. So, we made a complete switch to black. The ceiling is black, with plans for black and silver tin panels to cover the plumbing pipes. The floor is black--painted right onto the concrete. The walls are black for the first four feet, and will be given a wainscoting shortly. Lots of dark paint. That being said, I accented with a lemongrass green that breaks up the black and makes for an amazing contrast.
