The Two Strangers

Joshua and Cadet.  Buddies!!

  Life was routine for myself and the three dogs. We had morning walks, evening walks and playtime.  Weekends were full of long walks, relaxing outdoors at a local coffee shop, fetch at the park.  I took the dogs with me wherever I could.  I had never spent a night without them.

 Langston, who was still angry about Cadet's arrival in my home, still had time alone with me.  We would walk every Saturday morning, roughly 2 miles to the Farmer's Market.  He would patiently wait for me outside the market.  I would quickly walk through, grab my produce, fruit and bread.  I always made sure to grab a baguette and blueberries, when in season.  Before our walk home, I would sip on coffee and we would both enjoy blueberries and bread.  This was probably one of my most favorite moments of every week.  I enjoyed our companionship and he enjoyed some alone time with me.  With 4 miles under our belt, Langston and I still had to walk Cadet and Halle.  So leashes in hand we headed off to the park.

  My routine continued until late spring.  In late Spring of 2004, I met my future husband, Joshua.  Life changed a lot for my dogs during this transition.  We would still go for our walks, but spent evenings over at Joshua's.  He had a large back yard so the pups and I would play fetch and have fun there, instead of the park.   Halle and Cadet took up with Joshua as if they had never known life without him.  Langston on the other hand, not so much.  Langston was very jealous.  He had always been the alpha male in the pack, the shoulder to cry on, the twinkle in my eye.  Who was this strange fellow and why was he taking time away from him, with me.  He was used to be the center of attention.  This was a difficult period of adjustment.

  Needless to say, we had a long road ahead.  Langston enjoyed Joshua's company, but was an emotional wreck inside.  He started having stomach disorders with vomiting and diarrheal. We later found out, this was Langston's way of showing me that he was jealous and unhappy. Time passed and Langston realized I was not going to leave him behind and he very much was still the apple of my eye.  He and Joshua are great friends now, but Joshua still gets grumbled at if Langston wants to be alone with me.

George

  Throughout all of the adjustments my dogs had to take by Joshua and I beginning a relationship.  Joshua's cat George had a bigger challenge.  George, the second stranger,  was not so sure about this women with the three dogs entering into his life.  He would watch us from afar for the first couple of months. He was a terror to other cats and didn't much tolerate dogs.  He would hiss if the dogs tried to interact with them or slap them in the face.  My dogs grew up around cats and have never fully understood why all cats don't like them.   Eventually, and 1 million slaps later, he tolerates the dogs.  He and I on the other hand are good buddies.  He will cuddle on me in the mornings and begs for me to groom him.  George acts somewhat like one of the dogs.  He walks with us on our property on a leash and lays by the woodstove with a dog Kong at his feet.  Even though we all had to adjust, we have all been treated to a wonderful life together as a pack.

Langston and Joshua at the Lakes in 2010. Langston was recovering from his amputation of his leg because of bone cancer.

   Joshua and George have brought so much joy into my life.  Joshua has helped me become a better, calmer person.  He has a wonderful attachment and love for our dogs, as well as they do for him.  Even Langston.  Many stories could be told about our meeting, as I am sure they will throughout the blog.  When we all became a family, I never realized just how important Joshua's support would be become.  Now that my dogs are seniors, I am unsure what I would have done without Joshua in my life.  The stress of aging is difficult.  My three dogs, not very long ago where spry, crazy pups.  Running around without a care in the world.  They are all entering the senior stage of their lives and all have some sort of medical issue.  Joshua's strength has been wonderful during some of the hardest times. Halle has chronic bronchitis.  There have been asthmatic fits that we were unsure if she would continue breathing.  Cadet has epilepsy.  This is very scary and would be very difficult for me to experience alone.  The seizures are frightening, but so is the unresponsive 105lb dog during and afterwards.  Langston was diagnosed with cancer last year.  Having Joshua as my shoulder to cry on, my friend to confide in, has made this all tolerable.  Animals are a joy, but their lives are short.  This makes loving them wonderful, but it can be painful.  I adore Joshua for his love for me and our pack.


Even though, Joshua started out as a stranger to my dogs, he is as close if not closer to them as I am.