Ceili isn't the sort of dog I'd choose for myself. In fact, I didn't choose her. My other dog, JD, "picked" her. My sister found her one hot summer's day in the City Building in Clarksburg. Most likely, she had gone in through an open door in hopes of finding a cool spot. I really didn't want her. I wasn't in a good situation to take on another dog at the time. But once JD saw her, I guess it was just love at first sight. After I'd said, "No way!" JD said, "WAY!!" He used the Gandhi approach--he refused to eat, he refused to play, and all he would do is to lay at the top of the stairs looking out the side windows on the front door where he'd seen her go. After three days, I couldn't take it any more, so I told my sister I'd take her.
And I can't say we were Ceili's top pick, either. For a couple of years, she would try to escape whenever she got the chance. She made it quite clear she would much prefer a home with (a) children and/or (b) a tractor. Twice in those early years, she got loose when the neighbor across the road was working in his field. She'd run down the hill, across the road (OMG!), and just start following behind his tractor. I'm quite certain this had been a big part of her routine where ever she had lived before.
But over time, we've at least gotten used to each other. But I still feel badly for her. She doesn't play any sort of games. She won't play with any toy. She won't chew bones. Nothing the other dogs like to do. She does like to go out for walks, especially in the woods. But Lord help us she is the most annoying dog to walk I've ever seen. She thinks she has to pee every few feet to mark her territory. And when she runs out of pee?? What can I say--she improvises!
She does like to eat. That is one thing that brings great delight to her day. So every morning and every evening, I sing her little getting ready to eat song and she does a happy dance while I get it ready. I can always tell if she's not feeling well if I don't see that happy dance.
There is, however, one thing that makes her unbelievably happy. She loves days like today. Its those first warm days of Spring. Not too hot yet, but definitely not too chilly. It can't be raining or have been raining within the past 24 hours so as to make the grass wet underfoot. The sun has to be out and the earth feel warm. She loves to go spend hours outside on such days. She will lie down for a bit in the shade and then go stroll about in the sun. Sometimes she'll lay on the back porch, but usually she'll prefer to be out in the grass. Often times, she'll dig up a bit of dirt and stretch out on that.
There aren't too many days that fit all of Ceili's requirements. I think I've come to cherish each one as much as she does. Especially now that I see more and more gray coming onto her face and see the tremors in her legs getting worse and worse as she gets older. There are only so many Summers, baby. Only so many Springs. So we'll enjoy each one as much as we possibly can together.
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