Eunice Marott's Comments

Hard to imagine a guinea pig as a pet running loose here........but hope Molly does not catch it.  I am off to a goodbye dinner for our assistant manager tonight.....supposed to be rain storms here....but better than snow and ice so will not complain.

  Molly now fine on her leg....so figure she was just a wee bit too wild in her chasing our squirrel friend.  Hope you are having a great day.

Hi Eunice....hope your week is going well...and that Molly is enjoying cooler weather.  We had some really bad storms here last night...winds 70 mph ...only damage was it took three sections of our 6 foot wooden fence down....much to Molly's delight.  She was so funny this AM when she went out...stalking over to the fence and sniffing up and down the part that had fallen into the neighbors yard....then she decided she should go visit and run around their yard.  Her two buddies, both Black Labs live there .  We told her no she has to stay in her own yard and that was the end of it .....she will stand and gaze over there but not go into their yard.  I am so impressed with her today....their dogs just come visit each time they are let out....only problem with that is they do not get along with the two dogs who live behind us.  Insurance company will get back with us I think tomorrow and Alan is going to put a temporary fence up after they come....though I told him Molly would obey just having a string across the opening!  We just remind her to stay in her yard each time we let her out and shake a finger at her....she goes out and turns around after she gets off the patio....we just let her see us watching and seems to be the end of it. Our boys would have been over there waiting on their back doorstep for someone to come pet them. Now if her friend the squirrel runs over there I am not so sure she will stay in our yard....she can not get out to the street as their yard is also fenced so I don't worry about that

Congratulations to your son...will that mean he will move closer to you in Sydney?  would be nice to have those grandchildren close enough to spoil! 

   Fence that came down goes into neighbors back yard( where her two playmates live) and so it is fenced and no danger of her getting into street.  Just so impressed she stays in our yard even when the other two dogs run back home...she sits and waits for them to come back into our yard.  Had some tornadoes here in MO last night....these were winds from bad storm...but luckily no other damage....we are debating if we wish to go back with 6 foot fence again or not....second time wind has taken it down.  Molly does not jump so we do not really need the six foot....would like to keep some sort of privacy screening by the patio but will see what Alan has in mind....he has to wait for a bit anyway if he is going to do the work til ground thaws and dries up to put fence posts in so we have time.

    We are a chilly tonight but day times are reaching into the 50's so not too bad.  Our first day of spring will be March 21 but we may have a wee bit more winter weather.  Our springs we usually get some good rains here....saying is April showers bring May flowers!  might have freezes up to the first week or two of May so I never plant my flowers before Mother's Day here. Hope you get your cooler weather so you can enjoy some time outside with Molly. 

  I do think our girls look a lot a like....infact both Angie and Alan thought one of your pictures was our Molly!  must be the name!

Hope it does move them closer so you can see the grandchildren more often.  Will keep my fingers crossed for him.

  Molly is bugging me to come to bed....it is late here so I guess she is right....as she usually is !  Quite the little bossy lady when we do something different here...had to laugh tonight though when I realized how spoiled she is...sofa in both family room and living room has covers on it so she can be on them along with chairs in both rooms!  My boys got the end of the one sofa in the living room legally so they could watch out the window.  They would sometimes sneak into chairs .  I can honestly say I did not cover all them for her....Alan did!  Think she has him wrapped around her paw!

Hi Eunice,

   Doing fine here....working a lot til we get new sales lead trained and past the big event we are having at work next week.  Then will see how hours work out.  How are you all doing?  Sorry you still are so hot...we are going to have more rain tomorrow and dip in temperature but looks like it will just be for the weekend.  Working both days but Alan meeting me for dinner after I close the store Saturday night ...so least that night I get out of cooking.

   Molly has been loving our weather...Alan has been leaving the back door open for her to run in and out while I am at work....that way he does not have to keep letting her out.  For the first time she actually fell asleep out in the yard yesterday,,,,,Alan was afraid something was wrong as she had never done that before. Think she wore herself out chasing that squirrel.  Alan put up a temporary fence til we get the other fixed...Molly could jump it lickety split if she wanted to but is content to nuzzle noses with the two Labs next door so I think she would like the temporary fence to stay.  Wooden one she had to stick her head under it to see them .....only spot she dug by the fence was where she greets them under the fence every morning. 

  How is Molly doing?  Did you see the discussion on spaying on forum?  almost told them to look at your Molly's picture to compare the difference when I added the note for them to look at my Molly to see how her coat is. Interesting to see the discussions on it and the differences in cultures  and countries.  New to the female issue but we did also neuter all of our males except the first one.  Hope all is going well for you and that it cools off soon for you.....has Molly decided to take a dip in that pool yet?

Hugs from Molly to Molly.

S

New discussion....easy for me to add comments as was not a choice I had to make as it was already done when we found Molly.  Just find it interesting the difference in opinion in different countries. 

   Molly just digs a spot so she can pop her head under to say Hello to her buddies...does not try to dig out so we just gave up and let her have her little peek a boo hole ....neighbors love it as they love Molly.  She is just so nosey she likes to know what is going on in their yard....and greets all their company that way also. 

   That is expensive and glad your son was able to work it out so he can take care of the grandkids so you can do your winery weekend.  I bet you will have fun.  Wish it was winery time here but have a few months yet to wait for the nice weather for dining out on their patio's . Are you going to just one winery?  Here we have a few that people actually ride bikes (or can do it by car) from one to another in a long trail ride.  Afraid I might be too tipsy to get back on a bike after the second stop!  You can purchase a picnic lunch and your bottle of wine also...some craft shops also to go to.  Just a fun way to spend a day outside and enjoying nature here.  Hope all is going well for you and that your weather will be a wee bit cooler for your trip.

   I agree with your trainer....and like the long leash idea.....I need to get a new one for Molly ...we do have an extender leash but only Alan uses it as I do not like it.  Just be careful that she does not tangle in under growth .  Bet Molly does well on her exam...is it all onlead?  

Sounds like a wonderful weekend...and hopping on and off bus would mean you could have a wee bit more wine if you wanted to!  I am sure Molly will do well at the kennel but will be extremely happy to see you when you pick her up.  Hope she does well on her exam....and really hoping she puts the rest of the dogs and the trainer to shame on recall....especially the ones who are pressuring you to let her run free in area you are not comfortable with. 
Be sure to let me know how she does .

  Just had a brief rain storm here...more rains tonight so seems small rivers and streams are the concern here for some flooding...they will be flooding a bit more due to melt off up above us of all that snow this winter .  Might have to change way I go to work due to flooding but we do not live close to where it floods .  Seems so funny to me that it is almost Sunday there for you while it is Friday evening here!  Molly spent the day in and out...took a few of her stuffed babies out to play with but also brought them back in...like she is taking care of them. 

Thanks and I am sure Alan and I will have a great dinner tomorrow evening when I get off work.

 Will you bring wine back with you from the various wineries?  We have one we stop to on way to the lake for lunch ...and afraid we love their plain old grape juice....used to buy it by the case when my girls were younger.  Just tastes like they just made it today ...now that I am thinking about that I want some!  We can buy their wine in local stores here but have never seen their grape juice which is a shame....our girls always saluted the New Year with a wine glass of that grape juice.Some of the wineries here also have wonderful jams they make from the grapes.....just a fun thing to do.

Molly cuddled up sleeping as it is raining outside and temperature is taking about a 30 degree drop tonight....see saw weather here for the next few weeks it looks like...winter just does not want to let go of us this year.  March came in like a lamb so the saying is it will roar out like a lion....sure hope they are wrong on that one/

I know you are still thinking and that is why I wanted to let you know it was being discussed again.....rough decision to make I know.  You kennel Molly when she is in season?  I do not think most kennels here will take a female in season to board.  Sounds like a good way to handle it if they keep all males away!  Afraid my only true experience of a female in season was little Daisy down the street....she would escape her owners and come to my front porch and tear up our screens trying to get to our Shannon.....lost two sets of screens to her before they finally got her spayed! 

   Also have been following the attacked again forum....see reference to dog park fights so perhaps my decision to avoid them is a good one for Molly.  Just everytime I go by the one that is closest to us it seems to have a lot of large pit bull mixes and labs. I notice when Molly plays with the two labs next door that she will play for about 5 minutes and then is more interested in birding in their yard....they will sneak up on her to get her to play again but very quickly she is back to her hunting.  She likes them but sometimes they get too rough for her and she heads to the gate then. If they would play chase me she would love to play til she falls over exhausted but seems like they like to body wrestle and that is not something she likes at all.

  I think we all have lost dogs too young to either cancer or auto immune diseases....and so we worry about every thing we can do to prevent it but sometimes forget that it is what or how the breeder bred their dogs that probably has more impact on their lives than choices we make for them....except for good food and medical care and loving them.  I think in some ways being an only might be a very good thing for our girls....they get all the attention they crave, and we get to truly enjoy that close bonding we have with our Molly's. 

Our Molly looks so prissy next to the two lady labs next door.....just dainty in build and mannerism....though she can really be a clown....she likes to jump over them when they run at her. 

  Eunice, I did not know you had that problem so early with Cherie and how difficult it was to manage....that would make me think twice also before doing it again.  Our vet pretty much said that same thing Tracy said on forum.....but as you know it was not a decision we had to make.  Don't stress over it if you can manage the kenneling in her seasons perhaps that is the way to handle this with Molly.  And then we can compare coats over the years to see if there really is that much difference. 

Give Molly a hug from our Molly.  boy could we confuse people on forum with our two Mollys!

Eunice...I think you are doing what you think best for Molly...and your family.  No one should ever try to make you do what you do not want to do....includes that off lead playing in area and among dogs you are not sure of and the spaying issue.  We each have to try to do what is best for our particular MOLLY  and our families.  Can not wait to hear how her exam came out today.  Have a great day and spoil Molly a wee bit no matter how that exam came out! 

Was Molly leaning into Neil on that sit?  I sometimes think they should be called Irish Leaners....as all of ours liked to lean against your leg.  Glad she is coming along....did she do off lead recall?   I always had trouble on the down, leave your dog.....I would get half way across the floor and hear the snickers and know they were crawling after me.

  We had a great dinner....and now just about time to get ready to sleep as I open and close store tomorrow.  Talk at you soon.

12 hours is too long for them to be alone I agree! Glad you will be getting to spend some time with the grandchildren but am sure you will really be missing Molly.  I know you said last year they kept you updated while you were on vacation so hope they will give you a Molly report while you are gone.  I snuck away to call to check on our Molly last summer....as we had a bet who would call to check on her first ....only to find Alan had also been checking on her.  Not sure what we could have done from that distance but sure made us feel better knowing she was having a blast playing in all the playyards and with the other dogs. Hope you enjoy both your trips,

Will have to check out that movie...and where it is about.  Never have heard of it. 

Glad you are able to spend time with your son and that your daughter inlaw will be able to be with her family and catch up on some familytime with them.

Still seems so funny to me to watch Alan with Molly....he liked our boy dogs but they always were my dogs...not Miss Molly...not sure which of us is crazier about her....and he spoils her rotten.  Molly is smart enough to know how to play each of us so pretty much anything she wants to do she gets to do....always someone ready to play with her or watch her antics...like her hide the bone game....she never does it unless she has an audience which is usually me!  She will ignore that silly bone til I am home which just makes the game even funnier.  She knows who rough houses with her...and who really likes to play with what toy and picks the game accordingly it seems.  We both have just enjoyed her so much .  We do tease Alan about stealing my dog all the time...and then I get the your the one that found her so she is your dog business....but it is him she stalks by watching the windows when she is outside...she has to know where he is if he is at home and likes to follow him from room to room.  The boys always followed me from room to room but never stalked me from outside thru the windows.  

Eunice your Molly sounds so much like ours...wants to be in on everything.  Alan is out doing some errands so Molly is waiting for him to come home.....there will be much ado when he walks thru that door...she is so nosey she will be checking out what is in his bags but most of all making sure he knows she is happy he is home.  She will greet him with toy in mouth and roo at him hoping he will drop everything to play their chase game. Tried to get a picture of her yesterday as she had three stuffed toys in her mouth while sitting on the sofa...and rooing at him to come get her....missed the picture as took me to long to get my camera.

Roo ing is like she is trying to bark in a wee bit of a yodel style...but with her mouth full of stuffed toys it comes out all muffled and funny. She is telling us all about what she thinks it seems when she does it.  Wish we had shops close enough to walk to...have to drive to the ones we go to but Molly loves seeing all the people and just going anywhere different...as you well know an Irish Setter gets attention almost anywhere they go ...Molly loves the attention but sometimes would just rather walk than stop to be admired and petted. 

So now Molly has found her calling...weed the yard and then replant the weeds in an area with no plants!  Messy enough for a bath?  Trying to put Molly's off til Friday as we have more rain due Tuesday/Wednesday so she will just get all muddy again!  Got her a Shamrock bow today for St Patricks Day....but she does not want to wear it on her head!!!  so will just work out a way to attach it to her collar. 

Here they have two different parades for St Patrick's Day...one is the Hiberian parade( Irish families ) and the other is full of floats etc ...bars serve corn beef and cabbage and a lot of green beer get drunk.  We just do our traditonal Irish Setter walk here....Molly will get a nice long walk wearing her green, a special bone and then we will have corn beef, cabbage and new potatoes and carrots....maybe some Irish Soda bread.  Big day for bars here! 

   Is Sydney like that ?  Love Molly rooting out those plants on you....so far our Molly has not bothered plants....hope she does not start.  Had the one who kept tearing out my baby bushes and upended me into the mud hole but not ready to ever go thru that again....it's funny now but at the time I was about as mad as I ever got at any of my boys.

Funny how we remember them by their favorite thing to do that annoyed us! Shannon was our escape artist...he climbed though.  Last Shilo was our gardener.  Molly has not done much digging this winter after those moles but figure when they start moving around again she will be after them again....she does stop if she see's us looking at her.

 I think it would be fun to go to pre school ...wonder if they will have green eggs and ham or make shamrocks.  We used to do that here for the little ones ...and read Green Eggs and Ham for them on that day.  Schools here the kids would wear their  green and study about Ireland....remember one year I made Irish Soda bread for the class.  We started our Irish Setter walk's way back when our oldest was in a stroller...a lot of times we get early spring around then so it would be one of the first nice days for a walk so we just decorated the dog along with my daughter and called it our parade.  Even poor Pebbles got dressed up as an Irishman on St. Patricks Day if he was here with us.  We don't do the bar scene as it can get pretty wild in the evening. 

Sounds wonderful to me...lying asleep in sunshine!  What a rough life she has.  I would keep her inside also while they demolish that house.  Are they going to build a new one?  When our neighbors had a new roof put on this summer Molly started out the back door and saw a man on their roof...scared her at first so she backed up and then kept sneaking up to the door to see if he was still there....finally she barked at him. She is just so nosey she does not miss a thing going on.  You could almost see her thinking...people don't belong up there...only birds and squirrels do.!!!!

  We just had Mardi Gras celebration here this past weekend....each year getting to be bigger and bigger....start drinking at 9 am and keep it up all day, like you said about your Austraila days it is just too wild for us.  Seems like they keep finding reasons to have street drinking parties or bar hopping events here lately.  We live on out skirts in the county so not near where all that fun in going on!  We tend to do our celebrating here at home and have lotsssssss of entertainment just having Molly in our home,