Monday, February 23, 2009

The good thing of this all was that I got to spend time with my favorite cousin* and her babies. Paula's always been someone I looked up to: took up the flute because she played it. Would go out hiking in the woods and chase snakes around because she did. Dyed my (curly, blonde) hair black because hers is. Heck, even got into "blood sport" because it was a thing for her, too. My nickname for her is Artemis or Diana, by the way.

Paula reading about her forebearers

I'm an Avar-Viking hybrid; Paula's an Avar-Tatar melange. Here, she's reading a Dutch mercenary's account of the exploits of her probable ancestor Stenka Razin's insurgance against the Tsar. Apparently, this sort of upstart stuff runs in the family. I can't confirm it, but have it on fairly decent authority that an Austrian prince left his noble wife for one of our ancestors - a lowly maid. Paula's looking into this.

Odie II

Though, of course, she loves all animals, my Diana only has hunting dogs around her. This is Odie (short for Odin). He's a pitbull/English Bulldog hybrid. Though he's just a puppy (or a poopie, depending on your regionality), he's pretty hefty. Still, he thinks he's a kitten. And look at that pink nose-nose. (eee!) Of course I'm afraid of him, but he's still pretty loveable.

Tobias I

Toby, I'm sure, is 1/2 Shepherd, 1/2 timberwolf. He's a good foot or so taller than me if he jumps. Can't jump much, though, as he's 14, has serious arthritis and, interestingly enough, Marfan's disease. Still, and I saw it with my own eyes, he's happy. Though he's not long for this world, it isn't his time yet.


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*Yeah, yeah, I know I shouldn't play favorites.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Love the doggies, especially the Pit Bull mix. My Samantha was an American Staffordshire Terrier which falls into that class of dog. She was super sweet - would kiss you to death and her affection with everyone was difficult to restrain. When Dad died she jumped up on the couch next to a minister friend and licked him on his bald pate! Talk about embarrassing!
Your profile of your cousin is lovely - would like to meet her one day if she ever visits these parts.

Be said...

I have a hard time convincing her to come out. She's got some problems that keep her from visiting unfortunately. You *would* love her, though.

Paul's coon kitty Tony does something similar to what your Samantha used to do. He'll either jump up on the back of the chair and lick Paul's brush cut head or lick my neck/shoulder and (gasp) bite my ear. Can't figure out where he learned *that* one.