Wow, unexpected surprise.

[Pats]

First, let me introduce our temporary house guest, Cubby.

He's a handful - strong.

Okay, I just got an email from my attorney sister - the one I avoid. She apologized for a conversation we had 3 years ago. It was one that really hurt me and I kept telling her to stop, to drop it and she wouldn't. I left and she continued in an email. I haven't been alone with her since. I don't get it. In the last 6 months we've literally only sent 2-3 word messages - happy t'giving, happy bday and merry Christmas and that's been it.

 

[Ginseng]

That sounds like good news. It would be great if y’all could mend your relationship. I love your house guest. Give him a treat and say it is from me.

 

[Pats]

That sounds like good news. It would be great if y’all could mend your relationship. I love your house guest. Give him a treat and say it is from me.

Can't. It'd be like you going back to your abusive therapist.
Cubby says thanks for the treat. The visit is to see if I could handle him being here for 6 months or more. Not sure how it will go - this dog is an escape artist and, in the past, has chewed up the side of a house during a storm where he was left outside and wanted in. But I'm going to try to be optimistic.

 

[Sara3]

Awww Cubby is so cute <3

 

[Ginseng]

Sounds like our dog. He ate, ate his first dog house. Then he stated on the wooden fence and our house. My son had to chain him up in our fenced in back yard. I am crazy over that dog though. We have some diet of connection. I worry about him way to much.

And about my abusive therapist, if she asked me to come in for an appointment I probably would. I really need closure. I need some kind of explanation where this all makes sense and is not just craziness in my mind.

 

[invisibility003]

Aww hello Cubby! What breed of dog is he? He is gorgeous! Is he part beagle, by any chance? His face reminds me a lot of my dog Toby, who is a beagle, except for the ears which are a bit different.
Give him a big cuddle and pat from me

 

[Fino]

Maybe she just suddenly decided one day, after discussing it with her husband for the fiftieth time and him yelling, "Just apologize! It's been three years!" Maybe she had some guilt all this time, but her mind was filled things like, "but she..." and "she should have..." or "well, what about her and the way she..." all prevented her from overcoming her pride and finally take the plunge to apologize.

Whoa.

The Plunge of Apologies.

I hope she knows how to swim!

Anyway, I understand you not running back to her arms or side or where ever you'd run to if the apology caused memory loss, but I bet it's nice that it happened anyway!

Even if it doesn't change a lot.

 

[Pats]

Aww hello Cubby! What breed of dog is he? He is gorgeous! Is he part beagle, by any chance? His face reminds me a lot of my dog Toby, who is a beagle, except for the ears which are a bit different.
Give him a big cuddle and pat from me

pit husky. His grandpa was a show dog - African pit?

 

[Pats]

Sounds like our dog. He ate, ate his first dog house. Then he stated on the wooden fence and our house. My son had to chain him up in our fenced in back yard. I am crazy over that dog though. We have some diet of connection. I worry about him way to much.

And about my abusive therapist, if she asked me to come in for an appointment I probably would. I really need closure. I need some kind of explanation where this all makes sense and is not just craziness in my mind.

It was funny, one day my son in law had built a pen with a heavy duty wire fence. He came in saying there's no way Cubby and get out of there - as Cubby walked past. He went back and made a few adjustments and again came inside as Cubby walked past. LOL I just don't think there's a barrier that would keep him in.

 

[china autie]

Even if Cubby is not the one, there may be a dog who is the right one for you. Or there may not be.

He is a handsome fellow. Most dogs need "a job" and some will invent one if you don't keep them exercised and occupied enough.

My dog's job is to howl at ambulances so they don't get lost.

Other possibilities are things like testing a fence to see if it can have holes, chasing squirrels, playing fetch until the human collapses from exhaustion... The possibilities are endless.

I have seen some dogs wearing doggie backpacks on their walks. They carry water and a treat or two. They all seem proud of this and their owners report that they are calmer because they have a job.

Oh, uhm, your sister.

I have a pair of half-sisters myself who don't talk to me except for when a parent is dying or potentially dying.

I understand the need to be cautious. Ultimately, you get to decide how distant or close you want to be with your sister.

We are not required to allow them back into our lives to any degree unless we want to try it out to see how it goes.

I support you in whatever you decide to do.

 

[wight]

I totally second china autie, if the breed mix is correct, that dog needs a job and daily structured walks, AND to be with his humans.

The sister thing... I don't know, I don't speak to my sister at all. There was a falling out over my niece's wedding and well, that was 3 or 4 years ago. No amount of apologizing at this point is going to really change anything.

 

[Mary Terry]

Cute dog! Does he have a companion dog to keep him busy?

About sisters - I have two sisters, both considerably younger than I am. I'm very close to the one closest in age to me; the other sister is 17 years younger than I am and bat-**** crazy like our father was. I have nothing to do with her because she has borderline personality disorder and I have long been her favorite target for abuse. I feel no guilt about refusing to engage with her, I never want to see her again, my brother and "good" sister know that she is not welcome to come to my funeral, and I have written my will to totally and specifically exclude her and her children from inheriting anything from me. She made her bed and now she needs to lie in it.

Sometimes family members are so toxic that it is best and healthiest to drop them from your life, but only you can make that determination.

 

[Tom]

I think my Aspie is showing because I think the dog is much more important then your sister. Anyway I agree with the suggestions to establish a routine with Cubby. Dogs seem to respond well to predictable agendas.

 

[Pats]

Rough night - he's just excited and confused and he had me in tears when twice he pressed his nose against a picture of his mom (my daughter) and was crying. Broke my heart. I'm hoping he and Milk will make friends - he wants to play with Milkbud so bad, but Milk keeps saying "get away from me you big horse".

Thought more about my sister. Re-read her email:
"You know, I don’t think I really explained something about that discussion you and I had at the cabin in galax. I was mad at myself. I didn’t like who I was and I took it out on you. Sorry. I shouldn’t have said a word." copy and pasted.
I don't think it really says anything, so I'm thinking she asked my sister what did she do and my sister probably told her maybe it was something to do with a conversation we had at the cabin in Galax. Her email doesn't really make sense.

 

[Judge]

Gotta love a happy dawg!

 

[Mia]

She apologized for a conversation we had 3 years ago. It was one that really hurt me and I kept telling her to stop, to drop it and she wouldn't. I left and she continued in an email. I haven't been alone with her since. I don't get it.

Your lucky that she apologized. Haven't spoken to a sibling for five years. They will never apologize, and I stopped waiting for it to happen a few years ago. She has been right from the day she was born. Although her version of right is to make things up to fit her own narrative.

On the other hand, Cubby looks like he could use some TLC. He looks like a good dog.

 

[tducey]

Nothing like a dog, hope it all works out for you.

 

[Kirsty]

Oh it’s only temporary. At least you got a wee while with the dog. I have like no dog contact. I won’t even go there or I’ll sound sulky because I’m envious. Don’t think about it too much, Kirsty! Lol! (Not jealous as I could make the effort to sign up to ‘Borrow My Doggy’ or something similar.) FML! Haha

 

[Pats]

Oh it’s only temporary. At least you got a wee while with the dog. I have like no dog contact. I won’t even go there or I’ll sound sulky because I’m envious. Don’t think about it too much, Kirsty! Lol! (Not jealous as I could make the effort to sign up to ‘Borrow My Doggy’ or something similar.) FML! Haha

can also volunteer to walk dogs at the shelter.

 

[Pats]

The wall I built for the mural. I'm loving waking up to it. (I do have more work to do in here) Cubby is doing pretty good - starting to calm down. I'm thinking he may just stay with me for good.