Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

“Coco”, my adult female “pup” was cute.  “Coco” is a midsized long-haired black dog (about eighty pounds).  She was quietly and comfortably sitting on my wife’s Lazy Boy chair cradling her eight inch bone to her chest.  No one was going to take it away.  I just smiled looking at her.  She was all female sitting there so demurely.  When she wants her belly rubbed, she rolls slowly on her back–ever so slowly raises her one front paw to indicate that.  She is definitely sweet but can be quite demanding when she wants to go out into our fenced yard and we are not so quick to comply.  She definitely has the sweet and good natured personality of her Mom, a golden retriever, appropriately named “Sweetie”.

Tags: belly-rub, Coco, demure, dog bone, dogs, female, golden retriever, good natured, Lazy Boy chair, pets, Sweetie
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The morning greeting from my “pups” was exuberant.  Their names are “Coco” and “Tilla”.  We have had them since they were born and, of course, they are full grown now.

Today they jumped all over me when they saw me for the first time this morning at my front entrance.  “Tilla” demanded he be petted even jumping over “Coco” in the process.  “Coco” wiggled in every direction and “mouthed” me although she did not bite.  She does this only when she gets excited.

I know these dogs are only on “loan” to me.  I don’t own them.  They are both God’s creatures.  And the day will come when they will not be on the earth any more–not that they are old or sick.  They are not.

They are only the first and second dog I have had from birth.  And they do not belong to me.  Today I will enjoy them.  They are a gift.  I will treat them as such.  For that matter, my time here is only temporary, too.  You usually outlive your pets.  But not always.

Tags: a gift, Coco, dogs, God, God's creatures, morning greeting, pets, pets are a gift, puppies, Tilla, time on earth
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Coco is one of my “pups”.  I call her that although she is full grown.  Her Mom is our golden retriever and Dad is our Rottweiler mix.  She is totally black with a little patch of white on her breast, long haired with the most adorable fluffy ears.  She was the pup who hung back and observed before doing anything.  She is so different than her Mom, “Sweetie”.  Sweetie will demand your attention.  She will put her paw on you to get petted more.  Not Coco.  Coco is this unassuming lovable dog.  Sometimes she sits there both paws crossed so feminine-like.  She likes her privacy:  often she is the last dog to come inside from the yard.  When she has a bone, she is loath to leave it and will, often, run out into the yard with it in her mouth and return into the house with it in its mouth, too.  I love all my four dogs but she has a special place in my heart.

Tags: Coco, dog bone, dogs, four dogs, golden retriever, Pax, pets, puppies, rottweiler mix, Sweetie, yard
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Most nights I am greeted by my three black pets when I go to bed.  There is “Coco” my female “pup” who usually is at the foot of my bed.  Then there is “Tilla” another “pup”, who sometimes lies on the left side of my bed and other times is on the the bed.

Sometimes in the middle of the night I find him curled right next to me.  I call these two dogs “pups” but they are full grown now.  There is my black cat “Cool Hand Luke” who is never too far from me sometimes snuggling right next to me.

This is their routine.  And they know mine.  My cat has been with me almost ten years even before Lynelle and I married.

I have other pets (two more dogs and six more cats) but these three are special and when they are not in my bedroom when I go to bed I miss them.  I always leave the door ajar so if they want to leave, they can.  They have spirits of their own.

Tags: cat sleeps on bed, cats, Coco, Cool Hand Luke, dog sleeps on bed, dogs, four dogs, pets, seven cats, Tilla
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My world is interconnected.  There are so many people I owe thanks to.  And I am sure I will leave somebody out.  A thanks to my primary doctor who takes goood care of me.

A thank you to our retired electrician who did some work in our house this year.  My wife still loves that lamp you installed over the sink.  And we have three new electric radiators and two new thermostats.  There is nothing like heat in the winter.

Thanks, to Bob, who willingly answers my questions about “ailing” cars.  Thank God I have not needed you too much this year and our 2006 SUV is behaving well.

Thank God to all my listeners at the Open Mikes.  Their comments encouraged me and kept me writing.

A thanks to Mike whose comments in his letter to me I have picked up occasionally when my spirit dropped.  I am sorry your best friend died unexpectedly.

There is Sonya, our postmaster, who always asks how I am doing, everytime I drop by our post office.

A thanks to the team of doctors that takes care of me–my nephrologist, etc.  There are so many people I appreciate.

A thanks to the small church I go to–its pastor Pete and the many people I have become friendly with from there.

I know I have left out people.  My sisters who had an hand in making my trip to San Francisco by train a reality and who both support me and care about me.

Philhaven, a thanks to for helping get me past a rough patch.  You all know who you are.

And all my pets, particular my dogs:  Pax who always comes to me when he wants something.  And Tilla whose tail never refuses to wag when he see me.  And Coco is a real sweetheart.  And don’t let me forget Sweetie, who is just that a sweetie.

And that is just the dogs.  Thanks Cool Hand Luke, the last pet still alive from my Duncannon days, a black cat, who often keeps me company on the bed.

And most of all my wife who is always there and gives me a reason to get up each morning.

Tags: car repair man, cats, church, Coco, Cool Hand Luke, doctors, dogs, electrician, friends' letter, give thanks, God, my sisters, my wife, open mikes, outpatient, pastor, Pax, pets, poetry, postmaster, reading poetry aloud, Sweetie, thank God, Tilla, writing
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Coco, my other “pup” was content chewing on a bone, all by herself, outside.  She was two years already but I still called her my “pup”.  Her brother was in the house lying down.

I loved Coco who was an long haired female almost totally black.  She enjoyed her privacy.  Her mother, a golden retriever, was named Sweetie so I could not name Coco that.  Coco also was a real sweetheart.

Her nickname was wiggles.  I did not know I could love dogs (and cats) so much.  Each animal has their own personality.  And they are all different.  And I love each one.

All this is new to me.  I did not have any pets growing up.  My Mom was too fussy so she could not tolerate any.  So here I am with seven cats and four dogs, a real menagerie.  My wife loves animals.  And I do too.  I had to become an adult to find that out.

Tags: Coco, dog bone, dogs, four dogs, golden retriever, love dogs and cats, menagerie, my Mom, my wife, pets, seven cats, Sweetie
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I have several nicknames for my dogs.  My daughter says you can’t change the name of you pet once you give one for your dog.  I beg to differ.

Pax my 90 pound Rottweiler mix is now Big Woof or Woof for short.  He is the most vocal of our four dogs.  And he is beginning to respond to the last name.

Coco is now called Wiggles for obvious reason when she sees you she wiggles all over the place when she sees you (???).

The other pup Tilla originally Atilla The Hun, now shortened to an affectionate Tilla, now has been called at various times Junior Woof or The Olympian or Small Woof.

The last other dog we have is named Sweetie and her name describes her to a tee so she will not get any other name.  It fits her perfectly.

Tags: "Big Woof", Coco, dog names, dog nicknames, dogs, Junior Woof, my daughter, Pax, pets, rottweiler mix, Small Woof, Sweetie, The Olympian, Tilla, Wiggles, woof
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My three dogs were laying at my feet and I realized how much I loved them and they were only on loan (the fourth one was in the next room). I loved each dog and each one I had a special relationship with.

Coco, the black long haired mutt, the offspring of Pax and Sweetie, was lovely. She had the personality of her mother, a golden retriever: She just loved you and asked nothing in return.

Sweetie, her mother, often spent hours chained in the previous owner’s house. She, sometimes, demanded affection, having been deprived of it in her first year of her life. She was one happy-go-lucky dog.

Tilla, the second offspring of Sweetie, was perhaps the most intelligent and athletic dog I have ever known. Often when he is in the office with me he pushes the door shut–a behavior I have never figured out.

I looked at all three dogs who had joined me in the office while I was reading my paper and realized everything is by grace. I did not grow up with pets but here I am with four dogs and seven cats all of whom I love dearly.

Everything is by grace. And God gives you first, second, third, sometimes fourth chances, etc., to do it all over again.

Tags: affection, athletic dog, Coco, do it all over again, dogs, everything-is-by-grace, four dogs, God, God gives you more chances, golden retriever, happy-go-lucky dog, intelligent dog, love, love each dog, Pax, pets, reading my paper, relationships with my dogs, seven cats, she just loved you, Sweetie, Tilla
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Every day I have to count my blessings.  It is so easy to take the bounty God has given you for granted.  At the moment I have four dogs.  You never know when they are going to outlive you.

Usually it is the opposite:  you outlive them but you never know.  Life is, indeed, very precious.  I am enjoying all four dogs at the moment.

There is Tilla who greets me every day eagerly.  He and I have a special relationship.  I never thought there would be another dog like Daisy who was the first dog I raised from a pup.  She usually did not take her eyes off of me.  I mourned when she died of cancer.

But then Tilla came along.  Unlike Daisy, he is eager to please, although a scoundrel.  We built an extension on our fence, at considerable expense, for he liked jumping it.  The only dog who could.

We had one visit from the local warden when one neighbor complained about one of his escapades.  I know he is only on loan to me, will not be around for ever.  I will enjoy him now.  He is a blessing.

There is his sister, the other pup we kept, Coco who is a real darling.  She has a real sweet personality although she can be quite insistent when she want to go out.  I know she is, also, on loan.

Life is very fleeting and I will enjoy these two dogs while I have them.  Nothing is forever.  And that includes my life too.  I will try to be appreciative of all my blessings.  Every thing is by grace.

Tags: be appreciative, built a fence, Coco, count your blessings, Daisy, died of cancer, dog jumped the fence, dog warden, dogs, dogs are on loan, eager to please, everything-is-by-grace, four dogs, God's bounty, life is fleeting, life is precious, mourn, my life, nothing is forever, pets, puppy, scoundrel, sweet personality, take for granted, Tilla
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Thank God for my pets.  Somehow I believe it is no accident my second wife also loves animals.  I never had pets growing up.  I love all of my pets.  All eight cats and all four dogs.  It is a menagerie.  And it is true I can’t go on vacation so easily but that is a small price to pay.

There is Tilla one of the pups we kept of our golden retriever (we kept two) who is a paradox extremely aggressive but timid at the same time.  For example, if you throw four scraps to our four dogs, he usually will get three if you don’t stop him.

He actually let my daughter pet him the last time she was over (that was a first).  He still runs in the other direction when my son approaches him.  And he is good with pets.

Coco is the other pup of Sweetie and extremely affectionate although she can be pretty insistent when she wants to go out.  She will sit at our feet front legs crossed sometimes–a real lady.  She gets along with everyone.

My eight cats are all different (the one unfixed female, now fixed) had two litters–one and three.  Pumpkin the only surviving cat from the first litter is one quiet, laid back cat who seems to get along with all the other seven.

The other three from the second litter of Jasmine’s are Cheyenne, China, and other whose name temporarily escapes me.  Both Cheyenne and China are long haired.  The mother is shorted (???) haired, small and dainty but able to take well care of herself.

Cheyenne is one beautiful although somewhat wild cat.  He usually does not let me pet him.  If I get too close, he gives me the eye as if to ask me “how dare you approach me?”

China is one exotically black and white colored cat who is one cool character.  He is extremely laid back and nothing seems to faze him.  I always have trouble remembering the sexes of our cats.

Cool Hand Luke a black female cat I brought into this marriage who hangs out in our bedroom and is appropriately named.  I have another completely black cat “Slinky”.

It is hard to tell the two apart although if you pet them you can tell the difference immediately.  “Slinky” is somewhat timid and extremely affectionate.

Tiger is the third cat from the second litter of Jasmine also appropriately named who sorts (???) blends in with every one.

Buttons is the other tiger looking cat who decided to adopt our family.  He showed up at our doorsteps and my wife started feeding him and when he got his shots, she let him come in.

He knew a good thing when he came in:  he did not go out for months again.  He is the newest member of our menagerie.  He does, at times, terrorize the other cats.

He also terrorized the vet and her staff during his exam:  It took them ten minutes to catch him in the exam room when he squirmed out of the grasp of the vet and three people were chasing him around the room (the vet called for backup).

He scratched the hell out of the vet in the process.  He is still a (???) somewhat wild although he has calmed somewhat after he got fixed.  That pretty much takes care of our cats.

Pax, the father of the pups, is the only pet of ours not mentioned by name.  He is the biggest and oldest dog close to an hundred pounds, an Rottweiler mix.

He suffered from bad ear infections and only at the vet where they put a muzzle on him would he allow anyone to go near to clean them.  It took me awhile before I lost my fear of him.  The veterinary helper called him a “baby.”  He is one dog I never want to get out he is one scary looking dog.

There is also Sweetie our golden retriever who is aptly named.  She will stand there forever letting you pet her.  She is one happy-go-lucky dog who always likes to have something in her mouth.  She was traumatized by her original owner who would lock her up for hours.  That is how we got her and that is the last of our menagerie.

Tags: Add new tag, big dog, Buttons, cats, Cheyenne, China, Coco, Cool Hand Luke, dogs, ear infection, eight cats, four dogs, God, golden retriever, happy-go-lucky dog, Jasmine, menagerie, my daughter, my son, my wife, Pax, pets, Pumpkin, quiet laid back cat, rottweiler mix, Slinky, Sweetie, thank God, Tiger, Tilla, veterinarian
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Coco is my other pup.  I call her that despite the fact she turned two in the past July.  She is the second pup we kept when our retriever had her litter of seven.  She is a long haired black female dog.  Coco loves what we call “crunchies”–crackers, chips anything like that.  If she hears you munching away she immediately “plops” herself right in front of you hoping you relent and share some of your snacks with her.

She is a very gentle self assured affectionate dog.  There are some others things about her:  when she looks at me cockeyed with her absolutely adorable fluffy ears I just want to “melt”.  To say she has captured my heart is an understatement.  If we had not named her mother “Sweetie” already she would have probably gotten that name.  That pretty much sums her up.

Tags: affectionate, capture my heart, chips, Coco, crackers, crunchies, dogs, gentle, golden retriever, July, pets, puppy, self assured, share your snacks, Sweetie
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One of my new pups (she was two in July) has a new name “Wiggly”.  My daughter says you can not rename a pet but I did.  Her original name was “Coco” but I renamed her “Wiggly” because it was descriptive of her:  when she sees you, she wiggles in delight all over.

Her whole body is in motion and her black tail sweeps back and forth.  She will “attack” you and slobber all over you when she meets you.  She is female and completely black except for a splash of white under her throat.

She is a funny dog.  She likes her privacy and sometimes will spend most of her day outside.  Inside, she often goes off by herself and lays down on our bed.

She is a long haired dog with adorable fluffy ears.  She is very affectionate and can be quite insistent when she wants to go out.  “Wiggly” describes her to a tee and she is now responding to that name.

Tags: affectionate, Coco, daughter, delight, dog sleeps on bed, dogs, pets, pups, rename a pet, Wiggly
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