One chapter ends...
...another begins: Dudley is here
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J. Dudley
I might have about 20 minutes before Dudley wakes up, so I’ll grab them to let you know how things have gone since we picked up our nine-week-old, J. Dudley Gilbert, on Thursday, September 21 (the day after the Okoboji Writers’ Retreat wrapped). Dudley does not like it when I am on my computer or iPad; thus, naps (his and ours) will be essential in the future.
This new puppy picked us out when we first visited the litter of Golden Doodles three weeks ago. He came bounding forward, all smiles. We saw the litter twice; on the last trip, we brought him a toy so he’d smell the kennel when he'd left the only home he’d known since he was born.
Dudley sat in the pet carrier we brought along and kept wide awake for the hour's drive home. He whimpered a bit; his tiny heartbeat was rapid, and he panted until we gave him an ice cube.
Before this day, Richard and I both had waves of thinking about backing out of this lifelong commitment to a four-legged person. But there was no backing out now. What have we done? I thought silently.
Dudley was surprised when his feet touched the grass. He looked bewildered and adorable. Neighbors came to ooo and ahh and offer advice.
A resident squirrel sat on a perch on the lowest branch of an oak tree, giving J. Dudley Gilbert hell for being in his yard. The pup cocked his head.
After several minutes of being handled by folks, I scooped him up, and we sat at a picnic table toward the end of the yard.
He settled into the crook of my arm, stretched out with his chest and belly to the sky. As he inhaled the smell of West Lake Okoboji, his nose twitched, his heartbeat quieted, and his eyes closed, opening briefly when he heard the sound of gulls or felt a puff of the lake breeze.
And that was that. He was home.
J. Dudley will have a separate column dedicated to his life and times (in hopes of retaining non-dog-lovers as subscribers to this Potluck column). Those interested in how a sort of retired couple handles a new pup, please join J. Dudley’s World.
Iowa Writers’ Collaborative member Cheryl Tevis posted a lovely column yesterday about Lakeside Labs, the venue that hosted the Okoboji Writers’ Retreat. Here it is:
IOWA WRITERS’ COLLABORATIVE
Have you ’ explored the variety of writers we have in the Iowa Writer’s Collaborative? Writers from around the state contribute commentary and feature stories of interest to those who care about Iowa. Please pick five you’d like to support by becoming paid. It helps keep them going. Enjoy:
Just puts a huge smile on my face. Enjoy!
Enjoy your new family member. He is adorable! Warning: the squirrels at The Landings are particularly evil to our four-footed friends.