Dogsitting

I've just returned from a hike over the mesa where Maya, our Rhodesian Ridgeback, and I got acquainted with three wonderful new friends.

As reported earlier, Annie and Ryan, my colleagues at the Institute for Environmental Solutions, have agreed to house/dog sit for us while we are away on Windleblo. The only hitch is that Annie was recently accepted to enroll in a landscape design program back East beginning in early September, and we don't return until September 30th.

There shouldn't be a problem leaving the house empty, especially under our newly recruited shoreside coordinator's watchful eye. But the question remains -- what to do with Maya?

Months ago, before the arrangement with Annie and Ryan was made, I related our summer cruising plans to Heather, my dental hygienist, during a visit. Not really thinking of her as a possible solution, I described our dogsitting predicament. Without hesitation, she said "I'll take care of Maya." She explained that she had two retrievers, Barney and BJ, so one more dog for a while wouldn't be a bother.

Well, I didn't want to impose on her, and when I discovered Annie and Ryan's lease expired in mid-June, the solution seemed obvious, until their plans to leave a month before our return became clear, that is.

Then, I remembered Heather's kind offer.

I called her and asked for her help. She checked with her husband, Tom, and last weekend confirmed that they would help. Today, Tom came over to the house with Barney and BJ for a walk over the mesa. Maya quickly proved my worries unfounded about whether she would get along with her new friends. The dogs immediately romped together and had a grand time chasing rabbits and deer up on the mesa. During our "walk and talk," Tom revealed himself to be just as sunny, bright, and congenial as Heather.

Next week, I'll take Maya over to their place near Green Mountain so Maya can see where she'll be staying for the month of September. We're relieved she'll have a safe place to stay and great new friends looking after her.