Rocco and Lucky have new friends to introduce to you – Bosse and Bessie – the kittens :-). Not that we planned to take more cats, but ... their mum just moved to us as Kitu, Miku, Atsi and Tikker during the 25+ years we have had our country home - she just appeared on autumn and didn’t leave any more. Only exception is, "good people" have supplied us with very social male cats this far, but this one was girl and totally wild. Which brings us to second exception - she brought us 3 kittens this spring :-) (and our Tikker is neutered, so he can’t be blamed :-). ) She hide her babies between first floor ceiling and second floor floor, so it was quite a job for daddy to catch them. But unavoidable, considering mum + 3 kitten would make ... house full of cats in no time :-(. Of course nobody of us had heart to make the hard decision for them..., so I built baby-box for them to our bedroom and their mum moved in after them. By now, one kitten has moved not far from us and though we wanted to find new home to one more - surprise,surprise, :-) world is full of kittens at springtime so we have 2 of them at home. And wouldn't give away neither of them now, such sweet and funny friends. Rocco has new TV serial running around the house 24/7 and even better then rat-TV, as he can participate in movie too :-). Additional bonus to Rocco is that there are sweet little bowls on the floor that he no way touches... until we close the front door behind us :-) - then the bowls are washed in a second. Lucky too likes kittens, he sometimes even plays with them - nice innocent playmates, won't bite his precious coat and also definitely no takedowns :-). But then again, Tikker, Rocco and Lucky agree, that there is no peace in the world any more, you can never know when they come and turn their noses to your bowl or mouth when you eat; try to sleep on your aura and so on :-).
And one more new friend. But first I have to tell you sad news too. Our weekend-dog Jossu was diagnosed cancer just couple of weeks before Christmas and doctor said he won't see Christmas. He did, he even saw spring, but then he left us. And now, last week, Riki too. They were both around 14 years old, so a lot of memories to think back. Jossu was found wondering on streets with his brother as a puppy. As days went by and there was no sign of them having a home, Jossu came to live with our daddy's parents and his brother to daddy’s brother’s family. Jossu chose daddy to be HIS person, and just as Rocco always follows me, Jossu was agree with everything daddy wanted to do. He has been with us on our trips in Estonia and Lithuania, slept under our table in restaurants, visited us at our 6th floor city home, all that with no socialization as a puppy. He had his kennel and chain at home, but when visiting us on weekends, he was running free and never left the territory. Just the opposite. Last summer he suddenly appeared to our country home, piece of his chain still hanging. The distance is 4 km and there are other dogs on the way and road to cross over.
If you really know the dog, there's always something unforgettable in him. Jossu too had one unique habit - he never wanted to turn back :-). When we turned around and wanted to go back, he came to us jumping up on us and giving a lot of very wet kisses until we turned around again and continued our walk. And of course, when dog thinks up something by himself, you have to support it. So we tried to sneak back on every opportunity and always let him be happy about changing our minds. And that's even when we came from nice long walk and couple of steps before home turned around - he also came to kiss us and ask not to go back... and not because he very much wanted to go home and get chained :-)
About Riki I wrote a posting some time ago. Him we found on our walk here at country, under a tree next to road. We walked by with daddy's parents old german sheperd, teenager Jossu and my old Rally with us then and thought he is with someone, but next weekend he was still there. We took him food but as we only went to country on weekends, weather was getting colder and colder and he didn't leave anywhere, one weekend we invited him to come with us and he did. At that time we only started our "own" life so we didn't even consider taking second dog and Riki stayed with daddy's parents hoping we'll find his home. But nobody missed him and he stayed there. As loyal as he was to his tree the weeks he lived in forest, he was to his territory in new home too. There was no collar or harnesses that he wouldn't get rid of, but he never left from home alone.Now both old friends are gone and we miss them very much.
But back to more positive news and to this new friend I promised to tell about. This is Hannah. I promise I'll post better photo when she will learn to stay on one place for a second :-)
Hannah is from Tallinn shelters. In old age Jossu and Riki gained a lot of privileges from daddy's parents. Including living inside the house, a lot of attention, walks and so on. Hanna came so they would still have the reason to go walking and to have a happy soul in the house who wouldn't let their life get too boring. And Hannah gives her best by eating computer cables, shareing the bed and sofa, being the first in the car and so on :-). Fair dog life this far, I would say :-). In countryside it's very usual, that "watchdogs" are living outside chained. By my opinion, security company's home surveillance agreements are cheaper and work better. And additionally to security company's agreement those people could rather take a pig - then it's not only feeding it 2x per day but then they could eat it later :-). So should she gets chained we'll change her to pig and everybody is happy :-). But for now she is free and very happy. We had Rocco and Lucky with us when we went to pick her up and she loves them. Trying to be most friendly Duracell rabbit when she meets them and do everything to please them. She has too good batteries by Rocco's and Lucky's opinion, so they don't much appreciate her trying. Lucky, who doesn't like pushing puppies is doing his best to teach her Murphy's Sheltie law :-) :
If it's mine it's mine,
if it's yours it's mine,
if I like it, it's mine,
if I can take it from you it's mine,
if I am playing with something ALL of the pieces are mine,
if I think it is mine it is,
if I saw it first it's mine,
if I had it then put it down it is still mine,
if you had it then you put it down it is now mine,
if it looks like the one I have at home it is mine
