TORTURED BY DAWGS

The dawgs, by the way, are torturing me. These aren't the happy dog days of summer, as in this photo below when they begged beneath a picnic table for treats -- that's Mom between them.



So what's wrong, you ask? Well, it's getting into the second week of Gabriela's stint at boarding school. Yes, we sent her there for a three-week session to learn her manners. It's the first time she has been separated from Achilles since she arrived here on Galatea. We visited her Saturday, and she lost weight ... but is more well-behaved. But that she lost weight is eating at Mama Moi (all puns intended).

Then, speaking of eating, due to Achilles' health issues, that dawg has been hand-fed for three years. You heard it. So, today, I decided -- what with remission of his bowel syndrome ailments, as proven by fabulously firm poop nowadays (well you want to know details, don't you) -- that it's time to wean Achilles off being hand fed. Today is the first day.

Day One: Achilles has eaten nothing.

Now, I expected this. The dogs are stubborn and can apparently go for days without eating. But Mama here is killing her conscience -- she wants them to Eat, Eat, Eat!

My husband has a bet with the universe as to whether Achilles or I will cave first. I have always caved on everything to Achilles -- I got the dogs a danged Xmas tree, didn't I?

But I am determined that, at age three, Achilles no longer needs to be hand-fed. So if I can get past the mother-guilt this week, I'll be fine. Besides, it's not quite true that Achilles ate nothing. He ate a thumbnail's worth from my fingertip during his last meal when I tried to entice him to eat something.

Okay, I nearly slipped -- what was my fingertip doing near his mouth? But Mama is determined -- stay tuned! As I was saying--

Day One: a thumbnail's worth of canned trout and sweet potato dog food

(Yes, I know: trout and sweet potato. I don't want to hear it, y'all...!)