ATB: Spring and Grandchildren

All Things Brittany: Spring and Grandchildren



Okay, so it's not a secret that I'm just not a morning person. That doesn't mean I can't get up early and function because I can. But it does mean I have great difficulty doing so. As I get older with more kinks, aches, and joint stiffness occurring it makes it easier to sleep in. On the other hand, John is definitely a morning person.  He jumps out of bed at the crack of dawn with his whole day planned. It just drives me crazy! We're both 'retired' so our time is our own, sorta kinda. Sharing our lives with our crew of Brittanys requires we both adhere to a schedule to accommodate all of their needs. But that in itself is a labor of love so it doesn't really count as work. Who can complain when you are greeted each day with so much love and happiness by those who believe the sun rises and sets by you? It doesn't matter if it's the greeting John gets at the crack of dawn or if it's the greeting I get when trying to find my way to the coffee pot a few hours later - our Brittany dogs shower us with love. I don't like to be jumped up on unless I invite them. Thankfully they do understand when it's okay and when it's not. Usually. The thing with Brittanys, even the most well trained and obedient ones just have a deep need to look you squarely in the face. Fortunately they are not a huge dog and their medium size makes that little quirk of theirs acceptable for the most part. There was a dog show handling class I once attended where we were instructed to actually teach them a cue for jumping up GENTLY onto us. This was to give them a chance to s-t-r-e-t-c-h their bodies out while in the ring.  So most of our crew knows the cue or the signals for when it is okay and acceptable, when I will happily welcome a gentle 'up!' to visit briefly. I do not like and barely will tolerate however when they think they can jump up on me or bounce off of me. THAT gets a correction, one they wish to avoid. It's rude, dangerous, and dominant on their part. This 'discussion' may not make a lot of sense to anyone who has a well trained obedience dog. For those who have crazy fun loving Brittanys like we do though, it will make perfect sense.  But alas! I have wandered from my original intent of writing.

It was not up until two days ago that I could honestly tell you all the snow was gone from our front yard. We had so much snow piled up around our property I really figured it would linger well into May. Our two oldest granddaughters (13 and 12) came over to help us with some yard work. I will confess I'm reaching the end of effectiveness for my Synvinsc-1 injection received last year in my knee. Also that I'm having a flare up of Lyme Disease symptoms. Consequently yard work and most physical activity is quite difficult at this point in time. So having the girls over was truly a blessing for both of us, but especially for grampa. They were very willing to help us rake and scoop all that needed to be removed. I did manage to rake off the perennial gardens though.  And that was the day the last of the snow melted. John used the tractor grader bar to go back and forth across the remaining pile, a pile which was at one time about 30 feet tall!  As he spread the snow out, it melted by the warmth of the sun.  How nice! the youngest of the two later drove the tractor while grampa raked into the bucket what I'd removed from the gardens.  Our teenage granddaughter continued to rake the lawn and make trips down back to dump out the grass etc. What good kids to help us out, and they said they'd love to come help us again if we needed them to.

One day this week before I had surfaced from my slumber John had already started to finish the raking.  I stumbled to the coffee pot while glancing out the front window to see much to my delight the entire canine crew here 'helping' him! It was so funny as I noticed that they were definitely looking to John as the Pied Piper.  The dogs were not intentionally getting in his way, they gave him his space to rake but each one was nearby doing it's own thing. Piper was running around playing keep away with a ball in her mouth - thoughts of her puppies clearly left behind.  True romped around trying to initiate play with Piper. Scooby and Wish were laying down in the shade of the house together. Molly tromping around in the woods down back in her own little world. Rosie was two steps behind John, watching his every move because she knew he'd take the rake and use it to play with her.  I opened the door to let Pippin out as she had been in the house with me. Jack and Hemi were also playing nearby where John was raking. And Luna the horse was standing nearby calmly.  John was in his shirt sleeves.

Yesterday our daughter brought our oldest grandson up to stay with us for a few days. He brought his B-B gun and crossbow so he and grampa could do some target practice.  Her daughter also was here and enjoyed riding Luna around.  We've simply been enjoying the warmer spring weather which we all have longed for. John and I also attended a luncheon for 'seniors' at our son's church.  It was so funny when I told Ivy we were going to attend she said 'but gramie, that's for old people and you and grampa are so young!' Out of the mouths of babes for sure.  The day before I had enjoyed a rolled chicken lasagna that she and her little brother had helped to make.  It was excellent.

We've been a different kind of busy this past week, but a type of busy that we love and look forward to. Although the crew was definitely a part of the happenings here, this has been a week where we've spent a lot more time than usual with our grandchildren. It is school vacation and that has a lot to do with it. I've never thought of spending time with them as babysitting. And years ago I made a decision that no matter what was going on, no matter what I was doing when one of them walked through the door - they would always know that to me, seeing them come into our home was the happiest moment of my day and I simply drop whatever I'm doing. I hope each one of them, from the oldest to the youngest will grow up knowing how very much I love and care for them.  More than anything.

We'll be celebrating the 12th birthday of our next to the oldest soon. I'm looking forward to her party. I asked her what could I get her for a gift so she let me know. I'm glad that I was able to find it and know she'll be happy. These are the simple and happy moments we share with our family. They are the moments of our lives. Lately I am so keenly aware of the rapid passing of time. The years are just passing by quicker than I could have ever imagined!

It's funny. But as I see the grandchildren growing up, I also look to our canine crew, our ATB family.  Muzzles are turning white on the 8 and 10 year olds.  Our youngest Brittany soon will be 2 years old. They too are aware of the changes in the seasons of life.  They are so happy, ask very little of us except to be loved and well cared for. This is the time of year where they all can spend time outdoors together all at the same time - barring any hormonal problems. And love them I do. I joke and say they were our answer to the empty nest syndrome. But there really is no empty nest here.  Our children grew up into outstanding adults, they are each happily married, doing a find job of raising their family. Both couples are hard working at their respective jobs, careers, and ministry. Whatever family time we do have together, is always real and meaningful. We mingle our separate lives with each others so that we are intertwined despite the uniqueness and individual lifestyles. Love abounds. And these dogs that are a very important part of our life, enjoy our family.

I don't know if this is rambling, or if I just needed to sit and write about nothing in general. But it's been a great week for spring to finally show itself.  Things will get busy next week, we prepare for an AKC Hunt Test. And Nova will be returning here to have her puppies .  She is due mid-May and soon will be the center of my attention upon her arrival.  Kids will go back to school and the ebb and flow of spending time together will resume. Living in the moment takes on new meaning.  Maybe I'm learning something about life from these Brittany dogs that God has blessed our life with. It probably sounds funny to say but maybe the time I've spent observing their pack dynamics together has somehow helped me better understand my own family gatherings of time spent with the ones I love most.

I am tired lately. This flare up has been long and difficult. I do not like to go on about it very much, everyone has problems and troubles. And I know this too shall pass. In the meantime I'm going to enjoy the rest of the time this week with a very sweet 10 year old guy who tells me I totally rock and that spending time with us is the best time of all. I hope he always feels that way. I hope they all will. Seven grandchildren... seven awesome wonderful grandchildren.

Take care and God bless you and yours... John, Ann, and All Things Brittany