Saying Goodbye to Buster

I don't think I mentioned it here, but for almost the entire month of October, we were a three dog household. Now for any of you reading this who think, as I used to, that the second and all subsequent dogs make life easier because they will play with and entertain the original dog... you would be wrong. The math is simple, people. More dogs equals more mammals who need food and attention which equals more work. So when a beautiful brown lab showed up at our backdoor the last Monday in September hungry and lonely, I was felt sorry for him and after trying unsuccessfully to run him off decided to feed him for a couple of days while we searched for his owner. Because he would be leaving again. Posters went up all over the neighborhood and we waited patiently for someone to claim him, and while we got a few calls, none of them were Dog #3's family.

In the meantime, I couldn't just call him Dog #3, so I christened him Buster. C became a little skeptical about Buster's temporary status once he got a name, but I've got enough work to do with a baby and had no intention of keeping Buster. Especially not after that sweet, energetic animal dug craters in our backyard and went through a two month supply of Lulu's food in 3 weeks. No siree.

My grandmother came from Louisiana to visit my mom for a few days and while she was in town, she came over for dinner one night.

While she was here, she got to meet Buster, which was fortuitous because she had been looking to get "a big dog" and decided that he was sweet and beautiful. I told her to take him, and she said that if I had him neutered, she would. Well folks, that was on a Wednesday and the following Thursday Buster said goodbye to his manhood.

I let my grandmother know when he was ready for his new home, and she drove over last weekend with my cousin Jeffrey to pick him up. It was so wonderful to spend a few hours visiting -- Jeffrey had only seen Olivia once before when she was brand new, and I loved watching him play with her.

They were able to spend several hours with us, and then it was time to load Buster up in the back of the van and head home. We weren't sure how Buster would do on the trip or even when he made it there, but other than a bit of excitement over his new girlfriends, Maw Maw says that he's doing wonderfully. He even adjusted to a name-change and is happily answering to Buddy now.

Our time together was short and semi-sweet. So thanks for the memories and for aerating our backyard, Buddy. See you at Christmas.