Mutts Part 3, in which I Mean a Dog 5/28

 Last fall, when the grass was green, my pixie cut was just starting to grow out, and a girl could sit outside without the danger of a red nose, Spring came over to shoot pictures for me.  She had me pose on the grass, my trusty typewriter next to me.  As she readjusted her camera, the mutts meandered over.  

I love this picture of the two older dogs; it reflects their personalities so well.  Tilly (the dog in the background–blue heeler/German shepherd mix) is a lady.  You can't see it, but her paws were crossed.  She's funny, sweet, gentle; a real people pleaser.

My Maddie, on the other hand, is a goof ball.  She has strong beliefs about what is right and what is wrong (walks at 4:00 sharp=right…one of the other dogs playing with her special blue ball=wrong), and she likes to serve up JUSTICE as she sees fit. 

I love all three dogs, clearly (otherwise, why would I ramble on about them so?), but Maddie and I have a special tie, one that comes from hours of walking, just the two of us, and from night after night of sharing a bed, just the two of us, before we moved in with Neal and Tilly.  She has protected me and entertained me over and over.

Guess what?  Today is her sixth birthday.  If I remember the dog years to people years ratio correctly, she is now older than I am.

Does that mean I have to listen to her now?

Happy Birthday, Maddie Mulligan!  Mwah!