She's a keeper . . .

 

Mitzie is like me.  She just loves Christmas. She is always most interested in the putting up of the tree each year,  investigates each new ornmanent  at the bottom of the tree  with her tail wagging approval.  I always make sure that I put unbreakables down there, lest her enthusiasm break any, especially with that tail swinging back and forth when she gets all excited.  

All of my gift wrapping has likewise been aided and approved by her,  Her soft velvet nose has almost been tied into the ribbons on each one. She wants to be a part of everything in our lives, and we want her to be a part of everything in our lives.  It is a mutual admiration society!

Every card that drops through the letter box gets her stamp of approval as well.  She greets each one with her wagging tail and a velvet sniff before it gets hung up on the string which Todd has placed across the lounge window to hold them.  She appears to enjoy hearing from our friends as much as we do, and that is just as well, as most of the cards also contain Happy Christmas wishes to her also!   She is a part of our family not only to us it seems, but also to our much beloved friends. 

 

She also enjoys accompanying us on our shopping trips. I like to think it's not just for the cheese string she gets at the end of it.   She keeps Todd company in the car while I march up and down the aisles picking up this and picking up that.  Dogs are good company and she is one of the best . . .   I love that she loves to go in the car with us.  Jess always hated it and it was very difficult to get her in.   Mitzie, on the other hand,  runs out the door and stands next to the car, tail wagging in antipation of the trip to come.   She does whine a bit if she is unfamiliar with where we are going.  (Interestingly enough she remembers if we have been somewhere with her before or not)  All told though she is not a bad car companion at all.    

One of her favourite places to go is to our friends Tina's and Tony's. She just adores Tina and that is probably because Tina makes a huge fuss of her. The last time we took her to their place we were having lunch and Tina had a little bowl of the same just for her.  Mitzie was pleased to no end.  She gets super excited when Tina comes to us.  She practically turns herself inside out with excitement.  She spends the first five minutes or so telling Tina about all the things she has done since the last time they've seen each other.  Its quite amusing actually and thankfully Tina doesn't seem to mind in the least!

 

She's been in attendance with me at all of my Christmas baking sessions as well.   Those liquid brown eyes and that wet black nose follow my every move as I roll and prick and slide things in and out of the oven.    The best bit for her though I think is the cookies cooling on the racks on the table.   She sniffs the air with great attention, once again her tail wagging in anticipation.    Yes, I am a bad mommy . . . I do give her the occasional treat and crumb, but it is never anything that would hurt her.

She has a great nose for good food and cooking.  God help us if we have been to McDonald's and have not brought her back some McNuggets.  I am positive she can smell McD's on us and knows we have been and she is quite, quite disappointed if we haven't brought her something back.   

  

She also approves of most of our Christmas Television viewing. Like me, she enjoys the older films, and too, like me, abhors old Cowboy movies.  If a vote was taken, Todd would sadly lose out.  (It's my story so I can say what I like, lol)  Actually I don't think she cares what we watch just so long as she is allowed to sit between us.  Not on one side or the other,  but in between.  That is where she is happiest, enjoying cuddles and ear scratchings and attention from the both  of us equally.

Although I cannot speak for Todd, I have to say I don't mind in the least, these sofa cuddles, with the three of us.  We are a happy trio of companionship.

  

I dread to think of what would our lives be like without her in them . . . quite empty I suppose. She is such an important piece of our lives and we love her to pieces.  She is the child we couldn't have together. Every now and then I think about how old she is getting, and I realise that about half of her life is gone.  In dog years she is 56 1/2 years old now.  And I have noticed it showing itself in certain ways.  Her muzzle is taking on a  brownish flush  (Her father was a brown Spaniel and all of her siblings were browns.)  She sleeps more. She sometimes hesitates now when jumping up onto the sofa and often has to take two runs to jump up onto our bed.  My heart aches at the thought . . . and I cherish every moment with her all the more.

Todd is always saying she is the most loving dog he has ever had, and I have to concur. She truly is a most loving and affectionate dog, and the best companion ever.

  

♪ ♫ I'll be home for Christmas ♪ ♫
You can count on me...
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents under the tree ♪ ♫  

Its cold enough out there this morning to snow, but I don't think we are going to get any here in Chester.  It often snows all around us for some reason. We only ever very rarely get any right here.  And I hope we don't get any, yet  . . .  I have to teach in Relief Society tomorrow morning, and the children are doing the Nativity in the last hour of our meetings.  Can't miss either one of those and I dread to think of Todd trying to drive through snowy conditions.  I'm a nervous Nelly as it is!

With that I will leave you with a thought for today . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *A negative mind will never 

give you a positive life.  •。★★ 。* 。 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Melting Snowmen Bark . . . 

 

And Rudolf Bark.  You can get the recipes here.  Both are such a simple make and oh so cute!

Have a wonderful Saturday.  I probably won't be on tomorrow morning as I will be putting the finishing touches on my lesson!  Don't worry if I don't appear!  Hope today goes well for you.  Don't forget! 

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And I do too!