Marshmallow and Mittens!!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

This is a story about redemption and second chances.

 

Last week I went home to Indiana and stayed with my niece and her husband.  They have a big, black dog named Marshmallow.  Marshmallow started out life with my nephew, his wife, and three kids, and when my nephew and his wife got divorced, Marshmallow became one of the casualties.  At the time, I agonized over whether or not I could handle three dogs, two of them super-sized, and was so relieved when my niece (Mar’s aunt) said she and her husband would take him. I lost sleep over the relocation of Marshmallow and felt badly that he lost the only home he had ever known.  My niece was not a “dog person” and the deal was if her husband wanted a dog, the dog was his responsibility.  I offered advice, whether it was asked for or not, and hoped for the best.

 

It’s funny how dogs can work their magic when given half a chance and Marshmallow is no exception.  His people love him dearly and my niece, who is not a dog person, will tell you she is now a “Mar person”.  Marshmallow has his own bedroom, has been invited to “cuddle” in their bed, goes to daycare once a week, has gone on vacation with them, and even has his own FitBit to track his activity during the day.  I must say when my nephew-in-law showed me Mar’s fitness activity on a day when he was home alone, I commented that I expected if someone slapped a FitBit on me when I was home alone, my activity level might mirror Mar’s.  It showed a slight spike when they left for work, nothing most of the day, and a spike when his people got home from work.

 

While I was there, I slipped him lots of treats and learned to spell c-h-e-e-s-e in his presence just so I wouldn’t have to produce any if I said it out loud.  His human dad is very fit and doled out Mar’s treats with weight management in mind and Mar quickly figured out a cute look in my direction might score him a couple more. Of course, one night he had a little extra gas and comments were made, directed at one interfering aunt, about the reasons treats were kept to a minimum. Thankfully, no one mentioned that my “more treats are better than one” rule might be the reason I might show little activity on a FitBit.  Anyways, I felt a little like grandma, able to do a little spoiling and send them on their way, because after all, if there was a problem I wouldn’t be the one taking him out in the middle of the night, or so I thought.

 

Our Vern gets us up every single night, so it’s always nice to be in another place where there is a dog and know I don’t have to do anything.  I could hear Mar moving around, but unlike home, I didn’t have to try and wait out anybody else “sleeping” in the same bed and pretending they can’t hear a large dog circling our bed.  In all honestly, it is almost always me that gets up with Vern and it really doesn’t offer me any more sleep if I don’t, because I lie in bed mentally ticking off my concerns about the way John is handling the outing. Why haven’t they come back in the house? Doesn’t he hear Vern barking out there?  Did both dogs come back in? Did he lock the door?  Is he even supervising the dogs or is he in the bathroom?  Sometimes, I even shout out these questions and have found that sleepy people are never receptive to being interrogated in the middle of the night and so I usually just do it myself.  Besides that, John has lost weight and with the loss seems to have the need to cover up every part of his body to brave the cold and frankly, I worry that one of these days, Vern is going to reach his breaking point watching John put on his coat, his gloves, his hat, his boots at the same speed a three-toed sloth would if it needed to get dressed and take Vern out.  I just don’t want to find Vern lifting his leg one day on a piece of my furniture while John is still tying up his boots.  I take the dogs out in whatever I went to bed in on the off chance that one day one of the dogs will decide that seeing me in a T-shirt and underwear is far more disturbing than just holding it all night.  I am pretty sure most of you can see a pattern here. Do something you don’t really want to do in the first place so slowly and so incompetently that the Type A and impatient person you are married to finally jumps in and does it herself.

 

So, it was really a true vacation to hear a dog, but know I didn’t have to do one thing or brave the cold.  Foolishly, I was still basking in that knowledge when Marshmallow came into my bedroom and stood staring at me and I continued basking until I heard him whining in the hallway and nobody rousing from their bed and telling him they would be right there.  It is times like this that I am sure I give off some kind of “Sucker” vibe, because when I got up to let Marshmallow out into the freezing cold he didn’t seem surprised that it was me and not his humans.  Since I didn’t want to have to wake the occupants of the house and tell them I had let out their cherished dog and he had subsequently run away, out I went with him and stood there while he did the same thing my own two dogs do in the middle of the night.  Sniffing and standing, like they have all the time in the world and the imminent crisis I sensed inside as they paced and panted was just a ploy to get outside and have a look around.  In the end, just like my own two, he did deliver both the goods, which is the reason I never feel comfortable ignoring them in the middle of the night.  I am like a hamster on a wheel and I can’t jump off.  Oh, and just because I could, I gave Mar a treat when we came back inside. I know what you are all thinking….that I made a wonderful guest, right?  Keep in mind, I spent the rest of my visit telling Mar how lucky he was that his Aunt Laurie showed up in his time of need while others slept, until I think I was asked to give it a rest, which I reiterated was what I was trying to do in the first place when Mar woke me up.  

 

Which leads me to Mittens.  Mittens is our neighbor’s cat.  He started out in life a stray that showed up one day without telling anyone his back-story.  We have seen our share of feral and stray cats since we moved to the country and I have fed, watered, and trapped a few and even let one in eventually, but now that she is gone, I don’t want any more cats. I am more than happy to point them to better accommodations and will help any cat find a great home, but I would be just as happy if they bypassed Doodle lane all together and made their own reservations at a neighboring bed and breakfast.  Well, Mittens did just that and quickly figured out that our neighbor lady was a sucker for a very cute black and white cat. Her husband not so much and he was determined if his wife wanted a cat it would be an outside cat and that was that.  The life of an outside cat can be a hard one and pretty soon Mittens tangled with something and showed up one day at her house in sad shape.  My neighbor lady cleaned his wounds, took him to the vet, administered the prescribed salve to his wounds, got him his shots, and made a wonderful area in her garage for her outside cat.  I would see her out in the yard cuddling Mittens and I swear the cat hugged her often.  He would put his paws around her neck and snuggle in and even though I am not psychic I soon started predicting to John the neighbors were getting an indoor cat soon.

 

When they went on vacation, they had us come over and take care of Mittens still in the garage, but by this time, Mittens was smart enough to stay close to the house, he followed our neighbor lady around like a dog, and at night came into the garage willingly and the door was shut to keep him safe. He was such a love bug that Hayley and I fought over who got to go over and take care of him that day.  Pretty soon he got to go in the house, but just in the kitchen and then just like that, Mittens was in the house more than he was out.  Mitten sightings became rarer, much to the dismay of Fudge and Vern, and when he was out he stayed close to both of them and would usually come when he was called. He ventured over in our yard a couple of times, but after being chased up a tree by two over zealous Doodles, decided their friendship would be better suited slightly long-distance. Now, Mittens has the run of the house, but also has his own room, complete with window perch, because he likes to look out the window.  Come to think of it, Mar has his own room, too. Both the husband and wife have fallen in love with him and nothing makes me happier than to say to the husband, “How is your outdoor cat doing?”

 

Mittens and Marshmallow are not the only two animals that hit pay dirt in the human’s department, but they are two that I know personally.  In both cases, their humans didn’t really know what they needed until one special animal came along to tell them. Animals are funny that way.  We can resist and resist and tell ourselves life without an animal is so much easier, less messy, less complicated, less a lot of stuff, but in the end, it sometimes just takes one dog or cat to make us change our mind.  In my case, it took two. 

[Miss Ellie]

Oh Laurie...well you've done it again...tears of joy running down my cheeks...it is truly amazing how animals can open the hearts of people like no one else can...I am so happy for Marshmallow & for Mittens...thank you for sharing this beautiful story!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I love these two tales. They give me hope! :)

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Thanks, Christine.

Cheryl, What a sweet story. That Finn is a charmer :) Thank you!

Joanne & Becka, LOL....yes, I had to spell cheese :)

Thanks, Stella.

[Stella]

Wonderful!!

[Becka]

Joanne, you mean it's c-h-e-e-s-y!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

This blog is so Cheesy!   In a really great way 

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Loved this!  Laurie, you are an angel to animals in the middle of the night :) Isn't it wonderful how animals work their magic! Dogs have never been allowed on the furniture in my mother's house so FInn keeps 4 paws on the floor when we're there. I walked in one night to see FInn on the couch next to my mom and she was sharing an apple with him.  They didn't know I was watching. So sweet.

[Christine & Shelby]

Great blog Laurie.... As always. Love the stories of Marshmallow and Mittens.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Charlotte, I love that story. I am so glad Lady found her way to you :)

DJ, YAY....I am happy your dog stayed an inside dog :) Sounds like she taught your dad something great!

Leslie, Thank you!

Carol, Thank you!!

Thanks, Bonnie!

Donna, LOL...he surely did recognize a kindred spirit :) Thanks!

Nicky, They always see me coming :) John wants a FitBit...me, not so much! LOL

Sheila, No way...I remember those days with our feral cats. I think they like your house so much better :) Thanks for recognizing my super PS skills. LOL

Awwwww....thanks, Gail!!

[Charlotte and Bo]

I think that animals know how to work their way into your heart and home.  When my brother and I were kids we were outside in the front yard raking leaves.  A stray dog came running up and started playing with us.  We were all smitten and asked if we could keep her.  Mom went in the house and talked to dad who was opposed to the idea since we already had a dog.  Mom let the dog into the house and our soon to be Lady went straight to my dad, climbed up on his lap and gave him a kiss.  That was that, except for the obligatory ad in the paper to make sure no one was looking for her.  It seems she had been dumped and it became apparent why when a little later she surprised with 2 pups on my brother's bed. :-)