My daughter moved back home from college last weekend. It’s not really a boomerang thing, because she finished the academic portion of her medical imaging major and is now moving into her externship at our local hospital.
Of course, I’m very proud of my daughter and I’m happy to have her back home.
She’s good company.
She also brought her dog with her. Since we have two dogs already, my initial reaction was, “Hmmmmm.” (I found out years ago that “Hmmm” sounds much more intelligent than “Uhhhh” even if I have no actual thoughts running through my head).
Her dog is a Shih Tzu and his name is “Tuffee.” I spent the day with Tuffee and I thought of how his name actually fits. He’s a pretty tough dog. At least emotionally.
Tuffee started out as my father’s dog. When my father passed away, he became my brother’s dog. My brother ran into some difficulties and couldn’t keep the dog, so Tuffee became my sister’s dog. She and her husband moved about a year ago and weren’t able to keep Tuffee, so my daughter came to his rescue and took him in.
That’s four different owners between two states and over a span of (I think) six years and Tuffee has stayed tough. He and my daughter are now inseparable.
She left yesterday to go pick up some more of her things and was gone overnight. She left the dog. At first Tuffee seemed a bit out of sorts. He wouldn’t eat. He moped about the house a bit. But within a few hours he was up on the sofa, kicked back and relaxed.
He slept in her room alone last night and spent the day with me today.
I took him to the groomer’s. He was okay with that. No problem, just jumped up into the cab of my truck and looked at me as if to say, “Let’s roll.”
When I picked him up he seemed happy. I couldn’t tell whether that was from my coming back for him, his getting away from the groomer’s place, or because he was cleaned up and trimmed. In any case, he jumped up in the truck, tail wagging, and panting in a way that made him look like he was smiling. He kept that smile all the way home.
When we got home he jumped out of the truck, ran up to the house, and went in and ate his dinner. He pranced around the house a bit (Shih Tzu’s tend to prance when they walk) then jumped up on the sofa, stretched out and fell asleep.
It was then that I realized that Tuffee has that Zen thing going on. No matter what happens, he’s pretty much unflappable. No matter who he’s with, he seems to enjoy their company. If there’s nothing to do, he just kicks back and enjoys the sunshine or takes a nap.
He lives in the moment.
Of course, I’m very proud of my daughter and I’m happy to have her back home.
She’s good company.
She also brought her dog with her. Since we have two dogs already, my initial reaction was, “Hmmmmm.” (I found out years ago that “Hmmm” sounds much more intelligent than “Uhhhh” even if I have no actual thoughts running through my head).
Her dog is a Shih Tzu and his name is “Tuffee.” I spent the day with Tuffee and I thought of how his name actually fits. He’s a pretty tough dog. At least emotionally.
Tuffee started out as my father’s dog. When my father passed away, he became my brother’s dog. My brother ran into some difficulties and couldn’t keep the dog, so Tuffee became my sister’s dog. She and her husband moved about a year ago and weren’t able to keep Tuffee, so my daughter came to his rescue and took him in.
That’s four different owners between two states and over a span of (I think) six years and Tuffee has stayed tough. He and my daughter are now inseparable.
She left yesterday to go pick up some more of her things and was gone overnight. She left the dog. At first Tuffee seemed a bit out of sorts. He wouldn’t eat. He moped about the house a bit. But within a few hours he was up on the sofa, kicked back and relaxed.
He slept in her room alone last night and spent the day with me today.
I took him to the groomer’s. He was okay with that. No problem, just jumped up into the cab of my truck and looked at me as if to say, “Let’s roll.”
When I picked him up he seemed happy. I couldn’t tell whether that was from my coming back for him, his getting away from the groomer’s place, or because he was cleaned up and trimmed. In any case, he jumped up in the truck, tail wagging, and panting in a way that made him look like he was smiling. He kept that smile all the way home.
When we got home he jumped out of the truck, ran up to the house, and went in and ate his dinner. He pranced around the house a bit (Shih Tzu’s tend to prance when they walk) then jumped up on the sofa, stretched out and fell asleep.
It was then that I realized that Tuffee has that Zen thing going on. No matter what happens, he’s pretty much unflappable. No matter who he’s with, he seems to enjoy their company. If there’s nothing to do, he just kicks back and enjoys the sunshine or takes a nap.
He lives in the moment.
We joke around a bit and alternately call him “Tuffee,” “Tuffee McTufferson,” “The Tuffster,” “Tuffarino,” and any other variations that come to mind.
I think I can learn a lot from Tuffee. He doesn’t stress about anything. He doesn’t worry about the future. He doesn’t live in the past. Nothing seems to get to him.
I think he’ll be good company too.
I think I can learn a lot from Tuffee. He doesn’t stress about anything. He doesn’t worry about the future. He doesn’t live in the past. Nothing seems to get to him.
I think he’ll be good company too.
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