#so *if* we take one of the dogs it would *most likely* be the dachshund

[chrismcshell]

due to Circumstances, there is a greater-than-zero chance that my sister and i will have a dog soon

[starkwlkr]

teenagers | hugh jackman

an: i love y’all thanks for supporting my delusions about a 55 year old man (are y’all tired of me posting hugh/logan fics yet?? lol)

Your seventeen year old daughter, Olivia, leaned her phone against the paper tower holder. You and Hugh were getting breakfast ready while Olivia did god knows what. You would see her film tiktoks and take selfies for her instagram often so you assumed she was doing that. You were proven right when music started playing from her phone.

“I think the apple’s rotten right to the core. . . “

You watched as Olivia danced to the song. You weren’t even sure what the dance was, but you found it fun. Hugh just stood there completely confused.

Olivia finished the dance the turned her phone to record yours and Hugh’s reaction. She obviously posted it to tiktok where marvel fans found it funny that you and Hugh didn’t know what was going on.

oliviaaajckmn: 1 million dollars and I’ll make mum and dad do the apple dance in their costumes

wandasmagic wolverine is so brat coded

peter3stan PLS MAKE THEM DO THE DANCE

gwenpool “thank you olivia jackman” we all say in unison

buckysarm MAKE THEM DO THE DANCE AND MY LIFE IS YOURS

Hugh was a family man, it was no secret. Something he always loved doing was bringing his kids to work. Your two boys practically grew up on the x-men and avengers set. When Olivia was on set, Hugh was basically her assistant.

“Dad, I want a smoothie!”

“Dad! You’re not holding the umbrella right!”

But that was baby Olivia. Teenage Olivia spent most of her time in Hugh’s trailer or annoying her father while he rested in his trailer.

“Liv, go annoy Ryan or Shawn. Let me take a quick nap.” Hugh mumbled. He was still in his wolverine costume using a jacket as a blanket.

“I just want to know why Thor was crying? And don’t say who’s Thor! I saw the footage old man!”

“Oh my god! Is that Loki?”

No, the god of mischief wasn’t on set of the new avengers movie. Olivia had named her puppy after her favorite marvel character. The internet found it funny that wolverine or your character wasn’t the favorite.

Olivia was currently paying you a visit on the new avengers movie. To her, it did feel weird seeing you behind the camera instead of in front, but at least you were still part of the new marvel phase.

Pedro Pascal, the new Mr. Fantastic, asked for permission to pet the miniature dachshund. Olivia nodded and smiled when Loki the dog immediately took a liking to the older man.

“This is so beautiful I think I might cry.” Olivia fake sobbed as Loki started exploring the avengers set, he almost tripped over several wires, but Olivia saved the pup from getting tangled. It reminded her of all the times she almost tripped on the camera wires when she was younger.

“Hey, mother,” Olivia greeted you with a kiss on the cheek. She wasn’t the only one giving you a kiss, Loki had jumped into yours arms ready to give you kisses. “Loki missed you too.”

“Only Loki?” You teased. “Or are you just here to get a picture with Pedro?”

“You know me so well, mom.”

[allywthsr]

LEO LECLERC | (c.leclerc)

summary: you and Charles get a dog

wordcount: 1.8k words

pairing: charlesleclerc x fem!reader

warnings: dogs

notes: how cute is Leo? My goodness.

You and Charles had been together for quite a while now, while he was busy racing all over the world, you were staying at home and working, sometimes you would join him for a race but most of the time, you couldn’t just get off work. Even with meeting your friends and being busy with your own work, you still felt lonely, especially at night. You never knew what could happen, due to having your address leaked by a few fans, you had people ringing the doorbell at two am. Sometimes friends slept over, but you needed someone to cuddle with when Charles was gone.

You‘ve always thought about having a dog, and all the cute puppies on your Instagram page had you swooning, just like Charles, he had always kept a close eye on your phone whenever you went down a rabbit hole of looking at cute dogs, seeing what kind of dogs you loved and spent hours of watching, he secretly always watched videos as well, but he also knew that a dog meant more work than it seemed in the videos.

It wasn’t like you two were seriously talking about getting a dog, sometimes the topic would randomly occur and you fantasized about the life with a dog, but you weren’t even sure if Charles would be a hundred percent okay with a little companion.

Until one Thursday evening, it was an off week for Charles and you were cuddling on the couch, watching some Netflix, when his phone rang. Joris was calling and Charles left the living room, you heard him mumble something in French, but you couldn’t hear him clear enough to fully hear what he was saying. Shortly after he came back and sat down again, you looked at him, he normally never left the room when he received a call.

“Joris called to tell me something.”

That made you sit up, nudging him slightly to talk more.

“I know how lonely you felt these last few weeks when I’m not around. And I know that you love dogs, so I aske-”

“You got us a dog?!”, you screeched in his ear, to which he shifted a little more far away, so he could keep his hearing ability.

“Not yet, Joris knows someone whose dog accidentally got pregnant and wants to sell some puppies, I thought we could go there tomorrow and see if any puppies like us?”

With tears in your eyes, you nodded and hugged him tightly, this was your dream, a little someone to take care of, a new best friend.

During the night you had trouble falling asleep, too excited to look at the dogs, so when the clock hit 7 am, you got up and took a shower, after you prepared some breakfast and woke Charles up, the faster you could get there, the better.

You both were nervous during breakfast, this was a big decision, a dog was a responsibility for several years, but you knew he or she would have the best life in your home, and your lives would also get better. There would always be a little cuddle buddy, someone to play with, and someone who needs your attention twenty-four-seven.

Joris didn’t say what breed it would be, only that the pregnancy wasn’t planned, but the puppies were adorable, and you didn’t doubt that for one second, every puppy was a cute creature.

The drive was rather short, only thirty minutes until you reached the family home, when you rang the doorbell, you could already hear dogs barking, and when the door opened and an older lady smiled at you, you could hear little puppies crying. You introduced yourself to the woman, whose name was Margarete, and she welcomed you into her home. After she offered you a coffee, she led you into the room where a big playpen was standing, and five little light brown puppies were sleeping. The little golden retriever dachshund mixes had the cutest little floppy ears and the softest-looking fur you had ever seen.

You quietly gasped after seeing these angels, and the first one lifted his head, after hearing a strange noise, and got excited when he saw you and Charles, waking his siblings in the process. After the puppies were awake and barking at you, you couldn’t wait anymore and carefully got in the pen, immediately you had four dogs crawling all over you, and the fifth one was sitting in the corner, crying for his mother, he was smaller than his siblings but in perfect health. Margaret told you she was currently training them to be separated from their mother, and so they could be crying, but when Charles joined you in the pen, the little fella walked over to him and sniffed at his knee, before getting up on Charles leg and finding a comfortable spot to sleep, after all, he was a small puppy.

From that moment, you knew this puppy had your heart, seeing how comfortable he was with Charles, and how he was crying for his mama a second ago, these two had a special connection.

Charles also fell in love with the little boy, he picked him up carefully and the puppy started to lick his face, which Charles commented with a chuckle. You two looked at each other and you knew what he was thinking, you found your little love. Charles gave you the fella and he also started sniffing you, giving you small licks on your chin, when you held him close to your chest.

Margaret came in and saw you cuddling with the dog, she knew you made a decision when you looked at her, “That’s Leo, you can change his name if you want to, but my grandson named him that way.”

Leo fit him perfectly, Leo Leclerc.

Charles and you took your time to cuddle some more, really making sure Leo liked you and wasn’t scared.

After doing all the paperwork with Margaret and learning about the needs that a little puppy had, you two left the house and went straight to the pet store, you still had to wait two weeks until you could pick him up, but you two were way too excited to not go and shop for Leo.

The cart was almost full when you waited in the queue to pay, food, toys, leashes, beds, and more stuff waiting to be used by Leo.

The next two weeks were going by slower than you’d hoped. Every day you chatted with Margarete and she sent you pictures and updates from Leo, the little puppy was doing great and got his last few shots at the vet, now he was ready to come home to you.

It was a Saturday when you picked him up, Leo got excited when you had him in your arms, licking everything he could reach, while Charles paid for Leo, and signed the last papers. Now he was officially yours, your own little puppy, to cherish and love.

On the way home you spilled some tears, while the little angel was sleeping on your lap, this was a dream come true. Now you wouldn’t be as lonely anymore when Charles was gone, but you also had a little companion when you two were together.

The first few steps Leo did in his new home were wobbly, he was a little scared, so you and Charles settled down on the floor, just to make sure Leo didn’t feel lonely and had someone he could go to if he needed emotional support. But he was a brave boy, and even if his steps were slow, he still looked around the apartment, sniffing all these new smells and he already found his favorite spot, which was underneath the piano, where a furry rug was lying.

You let the little puppy sleep and started making dinner, Leo must’ve been exhausted, he left his old home and his family, and now he was with strangers in new surroundings, but he felt comfortable, or otherwise he wouldn’t be sleeping like he was now.

The evening was spent cuddling with Leo, when you and Charles were lying on the couch, watching TV, Leo tried to get up on the couch and when Charles picked him up, he settled on your belly, where he took another nap.

The first night was nerve-racking, you had read a lot of articles, so you prepared for the worst. Leo and you two went to bed at around eleven pm, the little puppy lay down in his dog bed that Charles placed in the corner of the room, and two hours after you fell asleep, you got woken up by little whines that came from Leo. You grabbed him and put on his leash, and Charles and you went outside, where Leo did his business. Charles held your hand, while he had the leash in the other hand, he looked adorable with his jumper pulled over his head.

Back at home, you laid in bed again, but before you could fall asleep, little whines came from Leo again. Charles let out a sigh, “Do you think he needs to go outside again?”
“But he did his business, maybe he misses his family? They slept cuddled together every night after all.”

So he got up, picked Leo up, and came back to bed with him, when Leo settled between you, he stopped crying and fell asleep.

The next morning started off early, Leo licked all over your face and started playing with your hair, even if you were sleep deprived, when you opened your eyes and looked at Charles with Leo, all of this was worth it. The way Leo’s tail was wagging when you filled his food bowl with the puppy food, you think you died from diabetes, but Charles wasn’t any different. You already caught him way too often when he sneaked a treat to Leo, and you only had him for a day.

You also caught Charles cuddling with Leo while he was doing sim work in his simulator at home, or while taking a nap on the couch, or how Leo followed him everywhere Charles went. He already loved his new dad. Just as much as he loved you.

The ice cream launch was when you wanted to introduce Leo to the world, the little baby was frightened by the flashing lights, but when Charles held him, he calmed down again, in general, he felt most calm when he was in Charles’ arms.

Leo loved small walks, he couldn’t walk for long, he had small legs and was exhausted easily, so you all could walk for fifteen minutes before Leo had enough and wanted to be held, that's why you and Charles were often seen holding him.

You couldn’t wait to see Leo grow up and have the time of his life, especially Charles couldn’t wait for him to join him at a race, Leo would be his emotional support dog, in these hard times at Ferrari.

[pickingupmymercedes]

Hi! I love your account. Sm. Like a lot. Would you be interested in writing something for lewis where he casually mentions in his gq interview that he has a longtime gf or wife. Or he recalls a memory of them introducing roscoe to her dog or cat?

Thank you so so much for the ask bestie! I drabbled something short, hope you like it ❤️.

PS: I'm still not over that interview btw, he's such a complex person and I'm so glad he's letting us see this side to him (a LVFH type of thing is something only someone like him could pull it off)

_____________________________________________________________

Lewis Hamilton’s drive to continually innovate and push the boundaries of his sport stems from a dual motivation. Firstly, he is determined to challenge and break the often conservative and traditional norms of Formula 1. Secondly, he is laying the groundwork for the latter part of his own illustrious career.

“I went through this phase of understanding that I can’t race forever,” he says, prompting him to cultivate those other passions. “Because when I stop, I’m gonna drop the mic and be happy.” “The difficult thing is I want to do everything,” he says, laughing. “I’m very ambitious. But I understand that you can’t do—actually, I take that back because I don’t believe in the word can’t. To be a master at something, there’s the 10,000 hours it takes. Obviously, I’ve done that in racing. There’s not enough time to master all of these different things.”

As our conversation progresses, Hamilton discloses that he has a kindred spirit who shares his compulsion to explore a myriad of interests. “I’m fortunate to have someone in my life who encourages me to embrace my spontaneous ideas and give them a shot. She might even be more adventurous than I am,” he chuckles. “She’s a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, and always so sure that you can dive into anything and learn as you go.” His eyes light up with admiration and affection as he speaks of her daring spirit.

The usually private Hamilton, who has been discreet about his long-term relationship, contrasts their differing approaches to life. “I need some more time to think things and really plan out how I want them to go. But she’s a jump now, ask later, so she’s most times hyping me to just try it. We balance each other. Sometimes I’m the strategist, and sometimes she’s the one taking the first bite.”

As for his future plans, apart from his endeavors in fashion and film, Hamilton prefers not to rush into anything. “She still has dreams she wants to pursue, so for now, I’m happy to be her supportive sidekick whenever I can. Perhaps in the future, when we both have more time our own family might be on the horizon, but not while I’m still racing.”

He quickly corrects himself though, referring to his bulldog, Roscoe, as his son, and introduces the adorable dachshund who frequently graces Roscoe’s Instagram posts. “My partner’s parents gifted her the little sausage dog a few years ago. Introducing them was a bit tricky as Tete is quite territorial. She wasn’t fond of me at first either, so Roscoe has a head start in winning her over. But now, Baguette gets along with everyone, and we can’t imagine our lives without her.”

Eager for more personal insights, I probe for updates on his personal life. However, when his response to my inquiry is, “Time will tell, when things happen we’ll make sure to update everyone when it feels right” I gracefully pivot to our next topic of discussion.

[weirdmarioenemies]

Name: Bulbie

Debut: Pikmin

Pikmin 4 has a doggone good time being as doggy of a game as it can! I'm sure you are well aware by now of the new Funny Weird Dogs!

And I love these weird dogs! They are wonderful. I'm glad they are so important and beloved. But I would like to focus on a different dog, the very first Pikmin Dog, who we have known about since the very first game! Olimar's dog, Bulbie!

With this, I have shown you both official images of Bulbie that exist. I wish there were more! Bulbie is a dog even weirder than Oatchi and Moss, a whole different kind of critter that also happens to get called a dog. Isn't that great? These people have the concept of "dog", and so far we've only seen it used to refer to these funny bipeds! Olimar has no problem referring to both Bulbie and Moss as dogs, so I am led to believe that "dog" is more of a category of creature to these people, rather than a distinct species. Like how "mole" is a category of creature to us!

We know a precious little bit of Bulbie Lore. He is lazy, and able to sleep anywhere. He loves carrots. He farts a lot. That's about all we know. Awesome! Sure sounds like a Dog to me! And of course, Olimar loves Bulbie very much. Just like he loves his whole family! He is a Family Guy, complete with Funny Dog!

You may already know, or you may have noticed yourself, but Bulbie looks quite like a Bulborb. This is because Olimar named these creatures after Bulbie, due to their resemblance! It is also for this reason that they are members of the Grub-Dog Family. You see? Bulborb is just like a dog! While it is sweet of Olimar to name the species after Bulbie, it must also make his encounters with them even more disturbing. Not only is this a (comparatively) massive, hostile beast that could easily eat him whole, but it looks like his beloved little friend! That's like a nightmare! Especially with other, scarier Bulborb variants! I am happy to know that his Bulborb experiences do not affect his love for Bulbie one bit.

As much as I love and talk about invertebrates and funny fish, dogs have always been among my favorite animals, and always will be! They're an extremely conventional animal to love, and for very good reason. They're wonderful! And on this post about Weird Dogs, I would like to talk about how dogs are, in fact, weird in their own ways.

They're always sniffing with their wet noses, which they keep wet to smell even better. They love to lick, and lick to show love. And that love is such an important thing! Dogs are creatures of love! It is our love for dogs that shaped them into what they are today! It is what drove us to shape this single subspecies into countless distinct caricatures of its noble ancestors. All still members of the very same species! The amount of dog customization that has occurred is ridiculous. Need a better way to hunt badgers? Make a Long Dog. Yeah sure! Why not!

Obviously, most dachshund owners today aren't interested in hunting badgers. They are interested in having a Pet. And a Pet Dog is such a truly incredible thing! There are not many animals that should be kept in a house around humans, but then there is Dog, literally born to be among humans. Born to be loved, and born to love! If you don't think that's one of the most wonderful things ever then get outta here!

This is an animal that runs around and spins in circles because it sees an ape that it loves so much. An animal that ends up learning snippets of human language, because those are the snippets that make it happy. An animal that gleefully exposes its vulnerable underside, because it trusts a member of a different species to rub it in just the right way that feels so nice.

Even with the general consensus on dogs being pretty dang favorable, I feel that it's easy to take a lot of their behavior and history for granted, to see them as the "default animal", when they SO aren't. The default animal would be a parasitoid wasp, silly!

If I was not able to convince you that dogs are weird, then just look up canine transmissible venereal tumor, obviously using your own discretion, because there will be graphic photos. If you ask me, this one medical anomaly easily makes dogs a contender for one of the weirdest animals EVER! Bet you didn't know dogs could be contagious!

I like funny dog Bulbie

[dozing-marshmallow]

GETTING A DOG WITH CHRIS MCLEAN HEADCANONS

The house was empty with just you and Chris.

And you were a long way from having children with him.

So, you asked him something that wasn’t as demanding as children, but all the more loveable.

At first, he refused,“We already have enough pets in our backyard, (Y/N)!”

He means those wild animals...?,“Those aren’t pets, Chris... They don’t live with us and they can look after themselves.”

“Oh, so you want a feeble animal to depend on you like the sick freak you are?”

When he said it like that...

“Joooooking! It’s a joke, don’t be sad!” he pets your head,“Let’s go get ourselves a dog.”

A dog? But he’s already owned three in the past. Why not get a kitty instead?

“Eh. I’d prefer to get an animal that likes me.” what a flawed answer.

“Chris, cats do like their owners.” you explained, doodling the head of a cat on his hand with a marker,“Just because they’re reserved, it doesn’t mean they hate you.”

He begged to differ,“Mhm. Walking away whenever I try pet them is love, yeah? No thanks. Dogs don’t have a social battery, much like me, and they all love me. They don’t just sleep around all day, they want to spend time with me.”

Okay then.

You make it to the pet store with him, taking longer than you guys thought it would to actually look at the dogs.

After all, the store had tarantulas, snakes, fishes.

Things you saw most of the time on the island, but looking so different seeing them in a tank.

“Aw, Chris... Look at this Turkish Angora.” you cooed at the pretty kitty at one point, who stared up at you with captivating blue eyes.

He takes one look at the white furry face,“Meh.”

“You just wanna look at dog pens?”

“Duh.” he responds condescendingly, frown twitching at you being the one wasting time.

“Alright.” you scoff, going ahead,“Don’t look me like you weren’t gawking at that axolotl for fifteen minutes.”

“They’re cute!” he tried to justify, catching up to you.

You finally get to the dogs, this aisle naturally being the loudest part of the pet store with their barking and playing.

“There’s so many choices!” you exclaim, leaping from one stall to the other,“Shih tzus, western terriers, beagles, dachshunds! Ah! They have everything here! I wish I could take all of them home!”

“And have my house smelly and scruffy? No thanks.” Chris sneers, no compassionate thought spared towards any of the breeds you mentioned,“Let’s just find one already.”

One of them will melt him,“Look at the chihuahuas here!”

“Hmm...” he peers down at the bundle of the tinier dogs, yipping at him, haven’t touching his interest.

“What’s with that look? Chriiiis.” you knew what could be going through his head,“Chihuahuas aren’t as bad as the media makes them out to be!”

“It’s not that...” his voice creeps with uncertainty,“They’re just...well...permanently small, aren’t they?”

“You mean you wanna get a big dog?” you twist your head to the end of the corridor, seeing there were quite a number of pens you have yet to look at,“There should be some down there!”

And there were! “Now we’re talking!” Chris eventually approves, watching the batch of huskies.

“They’re very beautiful... Though I was hoping I could pick up the dog.” you had every right to estimate that. These dogs were probably taller than you if they stood on their hind legs.

“Tough luck, dogs aren’t made to be carried.” Chris scornfully responds to your dream, before sighing,“If it means that much to you, I suppose we can get one as a baby... Hm...”

He had difficulty picking. You were fine with any breed, so you proposed to him,“How about I go buy the dog essentials while you pick the one you want?”

“Really?” there was this paw of gratitude that glittered his eye for a second, before he bashed it away with an egoistical,“I mean yeah sure, whatever, I know the one I’ll pick is gonna be right anyway. See you in a bit.”

You internally grieve from the way these dogs you met earlier looked at you as you walked past them. How long will these precious animals need to wait for the perfect family to take them home? The one... Such a shame he stuck to his word this time.

Whether Chris wanted to or not, you were definitely going to personally put some more money towards animal shelters.

By the time you were done paying and had carrier bags of dog treats, bowls, a bed, and toys, you set off on your journey back to the dog aisle to reunite with Chris, just for it to be completed halfway through as he had thought the same, newly sporting something in his hand too: a lead attached to a picturesque polar bear like dog next to him, with its tongue hanging out in a smile.

“I decided to get the Samoyed.” he grinned,“I was stuck between that or the German shepherd, but then I thought, why not get something new?”

“Aw...!” you bend down to pet the dog’s fur, the Samoyed, who was very welcoming, even cocking its head to invite you into doing so. The vanilla strands of its body fluffed in mighty submission under your hand, feeling too heavenly to be tangible,“Such a pretty dog! Is it a male or female, and did you give it a name yet?” you didn’t hear your voice pitching higher.

“It’s a boy dog, and no, I haven’t figured out a name yet, which is weird, since I am fantastic at those.” his tone too mystified at his current lack of creativity.

A random suggestion popped into mind after looking into the eyes of the big dog, noticing his being very similar to Chris’,“How about Lavender?”

“Lavender? Seriously? I can’t imagine calling him that! He’s not even purple! It makes no sense!” Chris criticised immediately.

Sheesh, you didn’t think it that bad of a name,“Alright then, what were some that you had?” you asked, straightening your legs back up.

“Snow orrr Snowball.”

“...”

“...Lavender, it is.”

Perfectly timed, Lavender let out a howl, sugaring Chris’ lemon mouth into stroking him with adoration.

“Aw!” he was back in the shoes of his fans,“I love this dog!”

Who couldn’t? He hadn’t been with Chris for a whole day and his person had already changed. Dogs... Purer than man could ever be.

[wyrddogs]

Listened to the FDC podcast episode with Dr Danika Bannasch on chondrodystrophy (CDDY). It was not dachshund-specific; since she breeds tollers she mostly focused on them. Here are my notes:

IVDD (intervertebral disc disease) is not the same thing as IVDH (intervertebral disc herniation). Dr Bannasch considers CDDY and IVDD to be interchangeable.

CDDY variant: Abnormal intervertebral discs. Can have bouts of back pain. Can have disc herniation. All discs are "diseased".

Not all dogs with disc herniation show clinical signs.

All CDDY dogs (in her study on tollers) have signs of diseased discs, but not all had clinical signs that the owners noticed. So not all CDDY dogs are brought in for medical care.

She emphasized that CDDY causes short legs, not long backs. So CDDY shows up in a lot of breeds that you wouldn't expect-- tollers, Portuguese water dogs, beagles, Chesapeake bay retrievers, etc. because the phenotype is shorter legs, not longer backs.

She feels that IVDH is the most painful disease in veterinary medicine.

The CDDY mutation is dominant. It is a "gain of function" mutation. There is no "normal" gene; it is an insertion of an entire gene on a chromosome where it does not belong.

There is a difference in calcification risk between dogs with one versus two copies of the CDDY mutation, but there is no difference in herniation risk with one or two copies.

All beagles are homozygous for CDDY. You cannot "fix" this unless you do an outcross. In breeds where the allele frequency is lower, you can select against it. But be careful-- if the frequency of the allele is high enough, there can be consequences if you remove all CDDY dogs from the gene pool.

Usual recommendations-- keep dogs lean and fit, avoid landing hard if possible, stairs seem to help. Pay attention to subtle signs of pain, eg. refusing to do things they like.

CDDY prematurely degenerates the discs. So a younger dog has "older" discs. All discs degenerate as dogs age, but a dog with CDDY degenerates faster.

What does CDDY do? It makes the legs a little shorter and the skull a little wider. Dr Bannasch believes it rounds the ear tips. This is a desirable phenotype (it seems to win in the show ring), so breeders selected for it before we knew it was bad.

Chondrodysplasia (CDPA) is not associated with IVDD but also produces short legs. Some breeds only have CDDY, some only have CDPA, and some have both. [Note: Dachshunds have both, but CDDY is more common.]

In a breed where there are a lot of homozygotes, it will take a long time to remove CDDY. First you will have to produce heterozygotes, then you will have to produce homozygotes of CDPA.

Chondrodysplasia (CDPA) may be associated with valgus (deformed/bowed legs) and elbow issues. So its not totally innocuous.

As a breeder, she worries about producing a dog that would experience back pain, or have a herniation event, or sell a dog to someone who cannot afford the $12,000 surgery.

X-rays are not great at detecting calcification. CT scans are a bit better, but much more expensive. They've been screening in Europe for a while, and have not seen much improvement. She has not seen much evidence that the amount of calcification correlates with the possibility of a disc herniation event. MRIs look at hydration status, and still aren't great at predicting herniation events, and are super fucking expensive. There are no good screening tests for predicting disc herniation.

Dr Bannasch has dealt with a lot of anger and pushback from breeders for her work on CDDY. Whenever she feels down about it, she goes into the neuro ward to look at the surgery patients for disc herniation events. Then she is rejuvinated to continue her research.

[halcoded]

we've been going through some nintendogs and nintendogs+cats games - some are ours from years ago, some are recently-acquired. but all of them come with some little pieces of history that i don't want to see disappear forever when i return people's dogs/change owner names etc, so i thought i'd memorialise them here. eventually i'm going to return all the other people's dogs, change the owner names, etc, but without resetting the game entirely... so i wanted to make sure they're remembered. even if it's just by me.

first: from 2016-2017, this is our oldest nintendogs game. our actual oldest one was acquired in about... 2007, maybe? maybe later than that, we were pretty late getting it compared to other people. but that cartridge is lost to time. that, or maybe it's the same one after a reset and i just don't recognise anyone in the friends list... but i'm really not sure.

we must have been playing it sometime in 2016-2017; the owner name and the name of the corgi match my host's name at the time (hence why it's scribbled out, they don't go by it anymore) and the GSD is named after a friend we had at the time. the rest, aside from Lucky who i think might have been one of the old owner's dogs, are all named after star trek characters. 2016-2017 was our star trek phase so it makes sense.

oh right, this. the friends list tells me that whoever had it before was playing in 2011-2012, which really makes me curious... i'm not sure if i bought this game from someone else, or if my friend gave it to me and those were their old friends or something. i don't recognise the usernames at all, i can't think of anyone we knew in 2011-2012 that matches those... so who knows. the answers are lost to time, but i'm glad i can sort of. memorialise them all here.

next up: i think this is nintendogs+cats... golden retriever edition? i can't recall right now. i only got it a few days ago, and it looks like the owner was playing in 2011. they seem to have spent the most time with lexy, the others didn't have many tricks unlocked. it's interesting that there's no info about the owner - i wonder if that's because it's the +cats version, so it's tied to a Mii, which i of course don't have? but it still has the old Mii's appearance... maybe they really just didn't ever put a message or present up, who knows. i guess i can test that when more of my +cats versions arrive.

i really like lexy, i wish we could keep her... unfortunately in all but one of these games (not including the first one, our own), the dogs all have lowercase names or names with symbols in them, and i just can't stomach that sadly. they have to have proper case names or it feels 'wrong' to me. i haven't returned these dogs yet, but i think i'll spend some extra time with lexy when i do. this person also only had these three dogs, there was no one in the dog hotel.

here's dalmation and friends. this one is my personal favourite (this specific game, not dalmatian+friends in general)! this person clearly put a lot of time and love into the game; james was almost at the top position for flying disc competitions and had high ranks in all the others too! i also just love jane 66's profile, it has so much personality. i think reading this one is when i knew i wanted to take pictures of them all rather than let them be completely lost to time.

i also love that they had two identical beagles! i would never think to adopt two of the same dog but it's sweet that they liked them enough to have two. i can't be sure, but i feel like rex might have been their first dog since he's a dalmatian and the others sort of overtook him later - or maybe he was bought last, for the sake of having the 'title dog', and left in the hotel... who knows! i really like this one. i kind of don't want to return the dogs at all, but like i said: the symbols in the names grate on me too much to keep them, sadly.

finally, dachshund and friends. this one is interesting; it looks like the last owner might only have been playing the game for a day or so. they taught Rowan the first three tricks (you can only teach three a day), didn't enter any competitions, and only have 26 points as you can see. i kind of wonder what happened - did they have the game for a long time and do a reset just before they gave it away? who knows.

their username and message are so charming to me, there's so much personality there. it's also really interesting to me that they didn't pick a profile picture, and that they called themselves 'Root' in their message but didn't use that for their owner name! kind of like saying 'I'm Samuel, but you can call me Sammy', haha. it's nice.

that's all the ones i have for now. i have a couple more that should be delivered in a few days. i also have (or, well, don't have) two other games that are lost to me: nintendogs+cats toy poodle edition, and nintendogs+cats golden retriever edition. i'd like to talk about those too, though i don't have pictures of any of them.

golden retriever was my first +cats game, i bought it in 2017 which must have been when i first got a 3ds. i had a great dane puppy called schultz, and a little black and white kitten whose name i don't remember. i'm sure i had others, but i don't remember them either. i know screenshots of them did exist somewhere, but i think the old blog and discords i posted them to are long gone unfortunately. i last played it in 2022, which is when i also ordered +cats: toy poodle and +cats: french bulldog (i still have french bulldog).

i was going through some really heavy irl stuff at the time (well, some of us were - not me specifically but you know, haha) and i think our littles and caretakers were fronting a lot. so we wanted to have multiple games for ourselves. in french bulldog, we have a french bulldog called Egghead and an unnamed pit bull terrier - we must have bought it and then stopped playing within seconds lol. i don't remember any of our toy poodle version dogs/cats. i'm not sure what happened to the other cartridges; i know we were playing them all at a friend's house a lot, so whether i left them there or i accidentally threw them out while cleaning, or they're still hidden away somewhere, who knows. it's unlikely i'll find them again though. i think my friend is likely to have thrown them out thinking they were someone else's, and if they were here i'm sure i'd have found them while we were packing all of our games away...

oh, right. finally: a little shoutout to the very, very first nintendogs we ever had. it was nintendogs: chihuahua and friends, and we adopted a little black chihuahua called Chichi (after the petz game) and a brown and white spaniel called Faith (i think after my friend's oc, or a tv show character we liked). i know we had other dogs but i don't remember them at all. we probably had trouble bonding with them, like we often do if we have more than two pets.

if you read all of this, thanks and congratulations! if you have stories of your own to share, like old dogs and owners from secondhand cartridges you've gotten, i'd love to hear them.

[theflyingfeeling]

Seventeeth Day of Gift-Giving: Snow Day

Prompt: tossing someone in a snow pile

In which Aleksi is a struggling dog-daddy, Olli his loving little helper, and Rilla the Queen of the Entire Universe and an Honorary Member of the Trade Union of Dachshunds (TUD) 💖

~

“Come on now, Rilla, don’t be like that.”

The look on Rilla’s dark brown eyes as he glared at Aleksi told him she was, no doubt, going to be like that.

“Hey now, I promise it’s not going to be too bad. It’s just a bit of snow. And it’s even plus degrees!”

“I fear that’s exactly what’s concerning her,” Olli offered as he leaned against the kitchen door frame, still munching on his breakfast slice of bread and butter. “I can imagine getting wet snow stuck in one’s fur doesn’t feel nice.”

“So you’d rather she poops on your hallway rug then, huh? Rilla, let’s go!”

Knowing exactly which strings to pull to get her way, Rilla ignored Aleksi’s pleas and padded over to Olli who awwed, his mouth stuffed with rye bread, when Rilla pawed his feet with her furry one.

“Look at her! She just wants to stay in for snuggles.” Olli crouched to scratch Rilla behind her ear. Rilla, in turn, wagged her little tail, over the moon about Olli’s attention and understanding.

“You’re ganging up on me now? She’s barely been outside these past couple of days!”

“You’re one to talk…”

Olli’s remark was justified, Aleksi had to admit, but in his defence, he had had many good reason to stay inside most of the time instead of adventuring in the cold and the snow, such as Olli’s lips kissing his, Olli’s hand caressing him all over, Olli’s eyes looking at him with so much affection Aleksi didn’t know was even possible, and Olli’s cock grinding against his own, to mention some. 

Rilla, however? She stayed inside on days like this only because it was encoded in her; Aleksi knew dachshunds in general could be particular about the weather conditions in which they’d be willing to do their walkies, but Rilla was definitely in her own league. Besides, Aleksi was pretty sure there was some kind of Trade Union of Dachshunds (TUD) that sent word to its members about upcoming drizzles and dropping temperatures, reminding them they may be entitled to compensation if their humans as much as suggested they stick their delicate little noses outside in such circumstances.

“Well, maybe it’s high time all of us go get some fresh air for change, for a proper walk to make sure she does her business, instead of just turning back at the end of the street. And perhaps we should go the opposite direction this time, to avoid her getting stuck staring at the hare that’s not even ther…”

While Aleksi talked, Olli kept petting Rilla and feeding her pieces of his bread while Rilla kept wagging her tail and happily accepting the modest treats, neither of them even bothering to pretend they were listening anymore.

They were lucky Aleksi loved them both so much.

~*~

Rilla wriggled in Aleksi’s arms as he tried to brush her stomach free of snow by the front door of Olli’s house. She had only agreed to walk to the nearest bus stop, grudgingly like any self-respecting dachshund would, stopping every five metres to give Aleksi the evil eye for so cold-heartedly forcing her through such a torture. She had done her business, though, so in Aleksi’s books the walk was a success, and turning back home, Rilla had suddenly been dashing through the snow with no worries whatsoever (another model example of typical dachshund behaviour).

“Stop it, Rilla, I’m trying to help you!”

“What if you hold her while I take the snow off?” Olli suggested, his hand already reaching towards Rilla’s snow-covered underside. 

“We can try…” Aleksi muttered, not entirely convinced Rilla was up to being manhandled by them both. That was why his surprise was great when almost no lumps of snow remained on the fine fur on her belly after Olli’s gentle brushing (and with only minimal grumbling from Rilla).

“Good girl,” Aleksi praised her. He waited for Rilla give to her fur one last shake of her own before letting her inside. Probably remembering the traumatic event Aleksi had put her through, she rushed to the fluffy blanket she had appropriated as her napping spot and rubbed herself against it for a while, after which she settled down with one last death-glare at Aleksi. Then she closed her eyes.

“Wanna go outside for a bit more? The thaw’s feeling so nice.” 

Aleksi was going to say yes anyway, but Olli’s warm, hopeful smile only settled his decision, and as if he needed any more persuasion, Olli pecked him on the cheek for giving an affirmative answer.

They were barely out the door when Olli tackled him to the soft snowdirft and began scooping snow on him, his bright laughter and Aleksi’s own yelps of resistance filling the air. The surprise attack and the shock of cold snow on the exposed parts of his neck left Aleksi breathing heavily once Olli was done terrorising him and settled for just lying on top of Aleksi, his eyes twinkling from the smile hiding behind his woolly scarf.

“What was that for?”

“For being so stubborn sometimes.” Olli leaned in to leave a small kiss on Aleksi’s mouth. “You’re so independent and strong and I respect that, but I hope you’ll also let me help you with stuff every now and then.” 

Aleksi looked into Olli’s eyes, so sincere and tender. He had to blink an extra couple of times to keep his own dry. 

“Because I want to help you. With Rilla and… with anything I can. I know it won’t be much, with me living here and you…” Olli’s speech trailed off, as if he, too, was already dreading Aleksi’s return to Helsinki looming in just a few days and hoped that if he didn’t say it out loud, it wouldn’t happen and the physical distance between them wouldn’t exist. 

Aleksi didn’t want to hear it either, as pointless as it was to ignore it. For now, however, all he wanted to do was cherish the time they still had left. 

As he hadn’t really prepared for Olli to say such things while pinning him down on the snow, Aleksi had no means to answer. The best thing he could think of at that moment was to lift his head enough to close the gap between their mouths, hoping it would do the trick in letting Olli know just how much he appreciated his words.

Then, as suddenly as Olli had jumped on him, Aleksi flipped the man off himself and paid him back in his own coin, laughing when Olli laughed, kissing him back when he pulled on Aleksi’s scarf for their mouths to meet halfway.

[demonfox38]

Completed - Wild Guns Reloaded

What do you mean, you can't use a single screenshot from a video game as both your feminist philosophy and gender identity?

How about two? Would two work?

Man, so many things confuse me about Natsume as a company. Like, its history, for one. Splitting to form two different companies, both of which use Natsume in the name (Natsume Co. vs. Natsumi Atari, which no, is also not the Atari you are thinking of.) Then, of all products for Natsume-associated games to become popular, it's "Harvest Moon." Like. What? Why? I'm not saying the library of Natsume works is the most creative set, but they're all excellent zeitgeist encapsulations. Like, you want hard platforms with ninjas and bullet hell adjacent shooters with snappy music? Man, Natsume has you covered. But apparently, it's the dating/farming sims that the masses are all about. I just don't get it.

Look, man. I live in Iowa. If I wanted to do "Harvest Moon" shit, I would have done it in real life. Ya know. Joined 4-H. Picked rocks on my grandparents' farm. Showed animals at a county fair or two. Get knocked up in high school. Worked in an industrial slaughterhouse for Tyson. The kind of stuff that I have deliberately avoided.

Shooting robots in petticoats ain't something I can get in real life, so that's the game from the Natsume library I'm playin'. Living that sweet South Dakota lifestyle, I guess!

"Wild Guns Reloaded" (not to be confused with "Wild Arms," despite me doing that multiple times) is a 2016 remaster of Natsume’s SNES title "Wild Guns." Set in a vague futuristic depiction of the American West, you are charged with blasting the notorious Kid gang's faces cranially inward through a series of bullet-riddled levels. Do you have the structural integrity of a paper plate? Yes. But you also have access to several gun styles, bombs, electric lassos, grenades, and a drone being led around by a little long-haired dachshund. You'd be surprised what you can do with such an arsenal.

Look man, you're not playing this game for plot. You're doing it for the challenge and the sweet, sweet aesthetics.

Like, God. The original "Wild Guns" was already a stunner with its large, detailed sprite work and bombastic music. "Wild Guns Reloaded" has doubled-down on that, smoothing out its animations while keeping its bright sprites, broadening the play field, remixing its score with higher-fidelity instruments, adding two new stages, and throwing in two new characters with unique playstyles into the mix. And man, what a choice they made there, too! Getting a cute little doggie? Adorable. Getting a gigantic gal with legs like a Ninja Turtle action figure and the ability to pitch grenades in heaps at will? Outstanding!

Could there have been more logical character archetypes to pull? Sure. An Indigenous American, Latino, or Chinese immigrant character could have made sense, if care was taken into their implementation. But, man! I appreciate the stones of a game to toss a second Big Bertha into the mix. I'm not gonna be the bitch to argue against a dog, either. Excellent choices! Very creative! Bark bark bark!

As cool as it is, "Wild Guns Reloaded" is an unyielding steel wall in terms of difficulty. Like, yeah. I'm used to getting my teeth kicked in with certain games, so I wasn't surprised when even the first screen of the first stage was enough to push me back on my first try. What did surprise me is how few people on Steam have been able to drive through that first barrier. We're talking a 46.7% achievement rate for people able to beat the first boss. Next boss? 22.1%. Like, holy crap. Are we as a community that weak willed in spirit?

Having said that, I don't think it's actually very well communicated how to even play this game. Like, yeah, there's a manual. A whole whopping three pages long! But, that doesn't even remotely get into the logic behind the game. Or, hell. Even how to properly shoot.

So, I want to take a good chunk of this evaluation to do just that! Because damn it, this game is too fucking cool to not help other people get into it.

At heart, "Wild Guns Reloaded" is an arcade-style shooting gallery. In some sense, it could even be seen as an extreme variant of Treasure's "Sin and Punishment" series, or perhaps a game akin to "Galaga" or "Gradius." To survive, you need to not only dodge shots, but turn the tables on your enemies, using reflexes and memorization to hold waves back and smack bosses around for daring to try the same trick twice on you.

You have two planes of action to monitor:

The red space is your general field of play (where you are expected to shoot down.) The green space is the area that you occupy. Aiming and walking are tied to the same controls, so you will move around a little bit when you are drawing a shot.

If you are in danger of getting hit, the game will let you know with a little "Look Out!" message.

You can also watch the trajectory of an enemy's fire through this flashing cursor on screen:

Missiles will have a subtle shadow effect on your territory as well, so keep an eye out for them:

Your evasion options are either:

Walk with the control stick/directional keys (not generally advised unless you are playing the dog)

Jump using a dedicated Jump button (gets above obstacles)

Dodge by hitting the Jump button and your directional controls left or right while keeping the Fire button held (keeps your character on the ground; allows for faster recovery)

If the enemy lobs a stick of dynamite at you, you don't necessarily have to run. Stop firing, pick the dynamite up using the Fire button, and toss it back at your foes for a little extra damage! Whatever you decide to do, commit to it ASAP. You do not want to be around with that goes off.

Generally speaking, it's to your benefit to plant your heels in the center of the screen and only move out of it when you are about to take a hit. (If you had a buddy, perhaps you could split the screen. But, good luck with that…) The game tends to punish you for hanging out in the corners of the screen, often deliberately planting sentries at the edges to rebuff you. Camping in the corners also reduces your space to evade, so it's better to keep your options open for evasion by owning the center.

Your offensive options differ depending on the character you play. For the original characters (Clint and Annie), the standard style is:

Hold the Fire button to shoot an uninterrupted stream of bullets

Tap the Fire button repeatedly and release to shoot out an electric lasso that stuns your target (allowing you to return to regular file and blast the crap out of them for a few seconds)

Whack the Fire button when an enemy is in your territory (sending them flying back)

FYI—you should notice a brief change in your character's stance when you can whack an enemy.

Normal:

Whacking:

Doris' play style is based on building up power to unleash barrages of grenades at a target. Unlike Clint and Annie, she's waiting for a perfect opportunity to strike once and as hard as possible. Hold the Fire button to charge up her attack, then release it for her to unleash it. You can charge Doris' grenades up to an x7 multiplier, but most situations can be handled with at least a x3. Also, you can preserve her multiplier through dodges, so prioritize dodging on the ground to jumps where possible.

Bullet's style separates his hit box into two separate entities (the drone and the doggie.) The drone can be activated by pressing the Fire button. It will continuously attack anything that comes into its aiming reticle, but it will have to be released and reset for new targets outside of its range. Bullet can't defend himself, but he can wiggle around much quicker than other characters, so it makes it easy for him to avoid getting hit while his robot buddy provides a steady stream of damage.

You will have to disengage the robot to whack people back on the playing field, so make sure to keep Bullet by his buddy when someone comes creeping along the bottom of the stage. It is important to note that the robot can also be stunned, so you should try to keep it out of enemy fire when possible. It's just not a run ender necessarily if it takes a hit.

All characters have a bomb ability to clear the room when necessary to keep the screen from getting too busy. These are limited, so use them with discretion.

Be sure to pick them up any time you see them on screen! You can usually find them either by killing specific enemies or blowing up chunks of the terrain.

Clint, Annie, and Bullet can get limited-time modifiers for their weaponry. This can include a machine gun for faster damage, a shotgun for a broader range of damage, a grenade launcher for big and heavy damage, a laser gun for some precise spicy damage, and a harmless pop gun designed just to screw with you. All have a limited ammo account (around 50 for everything), so use (or deplete) wisely!

The machine gun, shotgun, grenade launcher, and laser gun will all appear on screen as an icon with a single letter for their ammo type (M, S, G, and L, respectively.) A randomized weapon (including potentially the pop gun!) comes out of these:

Everyone has a green meter on their HUD.

This builds up as they hit and kill enemies. When it maxes out, this triggers the Vulcan Cannon. This weapon not only deals massive damage on hit, but it also makes your character invulnerable. It will run out of steam within a few seconds, so don't be too reliant on that status. But, it can help in a pinch.

Everything past that? It's standard video game stuff, ya know? Memorize waves. Endure a minute or so of gunplay to get to the next boss. Learn their special moves. Find the glowing weak point. Crack it open. Regular Peppy Hare behavior.

Honestly, getting a handle on your offense style and movement capabilities is most of the challenge. The weird little movement ticks were what caught me off guard. I would be studying what few YouTube videos I could pull up for this game, stop, then go "Wait, what? I can do that?" before booting the game up and doing exactly what I saw. Like, I didn't even know how to fire my goddamn gun right. I didn't even think about holding my Fire button! I just went into rapid tapping! That's how far behind I was in all of this!

Having said that, you may want to remap your controller to something like this:

(Buttons pictured correspond to an Xbox 360 controller.)

It'll allow you to keep spraying bullets with the back of your thumb joint, then kick in jumps or dodges as needed with the front of thumb.

As far as other issues go? I would have liked having some kind of screen select or boss rush for practicing. (I suppose just playing the game is practice enough. Still, I would have liked to focus on a few trouble spots at my leisure.) I know some people in the forums for this game on Steam were disappointed that the multiplayer function was local co-op only, but man, I can't imagine what a mess the net code and rollback situation for this kind of game would have been like. Especially, when you live in the middle of Fuckoff, Iowa and the really cool players are out in South Korea. I guess people out here do okay with whatever flavor of "Call of Duty" is available, but those games are also far more forgiving when it comes to injury and death. It's hard to get people recruited for this kind of abuse.

Although, I could see my dad playing this. Maybe just once!

Look, this game isn't for everybody. I get it. It’s a tough cookie. But, I think "Wild Guns Reloaded" deserves more than for half of its players to give up on it within 0.3 seconds of their first death. It's a wonderfully constructed game, and there's a lot of logic underpinning its challenges. It does require some gumption, analytical skills, and reflexes to push past the worst the game throws at you, but it's not insurmountable! Hell, the game gives you infinite continues! You just gotta grit your teeth and get in there!

Hell, I got my first game clear in under four hours of playing! It can be done, and maybe even in a reasonable amount of time! (Though, maybe keep your playing sessions under an hour and a half to give your hands a break.)

If you feel like you could use a waltz with a Winchester, "Wild Guns Reloaded" is currently available on Steam for $14.99. You may want to wait for a sale, if you're feeling iffy on it. Fine. Reasonable. Definitely more so than the average going price of ~$250.00 for the original SNES game. I might be a sucker for the retro market, but damn it. Even I've got to put my foot down every once in a while. Especially, when an affordable upgrade is available!

Life is hard. Sometimes, people just want to work on their cutesy little gardens and snuggle with their video game spouses. Get through the sadness softly. There's room for that in this world. Hell, there should be more room for it, if we're being honest.

But, uh…I prefer having a hearty digital ass-kicking instead. Even when neither the computer nor I know whose ass is going to get kicked.

[friendly-neighborhood-furry]

I really wanna be friends with you but i'm scared to take the first step, specially because, what if you don't want to? what if I scree it up?

you're just so cool, sorry..

oh yeah I have to ask something

Do you have pets? (genuine I wanna know because of the cat in your pfp lol)

its okay, don't be afraid to reach out! i'm always excited to make new friends, especially through places like tumblr! :) and don't worry about messing up either, if it makes you feel any better i have flubbed plenty of social interactions myself lol - -''

please feel free to reach out though! i'd be delighted to hang out and chat with you anon :)

to answer your second question, yes i do have pets! three cats and a nasty (affectionate) little dog.

funny enough, none of my cats are the one in my pfp! i just found that picture somewhere and have been using as a pfp ever since. but since we're talking about them already, i'll share some actual pictures of my critters!

this is wilson! we adopted him in 2018 (i think?) and we love him so dearly. since hes orange he has his weird little quirks, but he’s a very affectionate cat and an excellent napping companion :3

here are biscuits and cosmo! both were rescued in summer of ‘22. cosmo (right) was rescued first as a very young, malnourished, yet surprisingly fierce kitten, whom we nurtured and cared for diligently until she blossomed into the spry young cat she is today :) oh and biscuits kind of just showed up in our backyard one day

hes also VERY sweet and probably the most vocal cat i've ever known! you cant see it in this picture, but hes actually got a broken tail. the vet said it must have been broken a long time ago, and since it isn't causing him any pain, we've elected not to mess with it.

it is pretty interesting to look at though! i've thought about doing photoshoots with him so that myself and other warrior cats fans artists can use them as references. if anyone would be interested in seeing that, please let me know! :D

and here is the aforementioned dog. his names walter and he’s a terrier-dachshund mix (we suspect the terrier half to be a carin terrier) and he will be turning 14 this year!

truly one of the most vile, stubborn and ornery creatures i have ever lived with, but to be fair those words could also be used to describe everyone else in my family (myself included). its good that we're the people he ended up with because i truly don't think anyone else would put up with him LMAO-

all jokes aside though i really do love the lil guy. he’s incredibly loyal to us and he gets nervous when one of us isnt home (so quarantine was basically a dream come true for him). he's very cute and his age hasnt stopped him from being playful and excitable :)

anyway yeah i love my pets i love our animals couldn't imagine my life without animal companions in it

[aslightlydifferentchristmascarol]

Amelie & Other Marleys

Inspired by the wonderful @rom-e-o's post about how their OC would get along with the various versions of Scrooge- go check it out, it's wonderfully written!

Obviously, in my own AU/retelling of A Christmas Carol, Amelie Wilson is Jacob Marley's soulmate and greatest friend (besides Scrooge, of course). But would she be this way with any of the other Marleys from across the different Christmas Carol adaptations I've seen?

Also, just a quick heads-up- she's meeting all of them pre-death.

Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962) version, played by Royal Dano: Well, he seems chill, but judging by that portrait of him we see in Scrooge's office at the beginning of the cartoon, he'd probably scare her away just by looking at her. No thank you. 0/10.

The Stingiest Man in Town (1978) version, played by Theodore Bikel: He isn't really the most attractive man, but at least he's not as scary as the Magoo version. He also has a good singing voice, and judging by his tone during the song, Amelie would probably offer a shoulder for him to cry on frequently. 7/10.

Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) version, played by Goofy: He does constantly speak of "robbing widows and swindling the poor", but aside from that, Goofy's Marley seems to have had a soft side he'd reveal to only one person, and Amelie (who would also be an anthropomorphic dog- specifically a longhaired dachshund- in this version's universe) would certainly be the one for him to reveal it to. 9/10.

A Christmas Carol (1984) version, played by Frank Finlay: This version seems a little stuck-up, but not so much stuck-up as the 2022 version (more on him later). While Amelie wouldn't want to DATE him, she would probably enjoy sharing tidbits of advice with him. 4/10.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) versions, played by Statler and Waldorf: Believe it or not, I actually think they'd be pretty high on the list for her. In the Present scene of my version, the Ghost actually does show Scrooge a vision where Marley and Amelie are cracking jokes about Scrooge just the way that Statler and Waldorf themselves would normally do, so I think Amelie's humor would click perfectly with them (again, she'd also be a Muppet herself in this version's universe). The only problem with them is: Which brother would she date, Jacob or Robert? Maybe both of them at once? 8/10.

A Christmas Carol: The Musical (2004) version, played by Jason Alexander: He's actually the one I got most of the inspiration for my own Marley from, from the talent for singing to the tendency to give massive hugs to those he loves/trusts the most. So of course she'd take to him right away! 10/10.

A Christmas Carol (2009) version, played by Gary Oldman: Hmm, we don't know a lot about what he was like before he died. He doesn't seem to be the guy who would have much of a soft side like Goofy's or Jason Alexander's version, though. She most likely would probably just want to be his friend, if anything. 4/10.

Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (2022) version, played by Jonathan Pryce: Unfortunately, he seems far too snobbish and sassy to want to even interact with a cheery, affectionate girl like her, and I think that feeling of not wanting to interact with each other would be mutual between him and Amelie. Literally the only thing that might even attract her to him is the fact that he's always got Boris, the handsome bulldog, at his side. (Because yes, Amelie loves animals.) 1/10.

So, here's the final ranking:

2004

Mickey's Christmas Carol

The Muppet Christmas Carol

[ghostofthemost141]

I'll Be Back

Chapter 1

Ch.2 Ch.3. Ch.4 Ch.5 Ch.6 Ch.7. Ch.8.

About: Amelia 'Amy' Vargas had everything going for her. Her dream dog, big house, and in the honeymoon phase with her husband Alejandro Vargas. Her worst fear comes true when Alejandro is KIA during a mission. Or so she thinks. He comes back home, seemingly normal and like his usual self, but Rodolfo, who witnessed his death, is very suspicious.

Each chapter will have individual warnings

!Warnings!: Some short NSFW content

The longer I waited, the harder it was for me to stay awake. So I resorted to doing stuff around the house. There’s always something needing to be done around the place. Alejandro and I recently moved into his parent’s old ranch that had a farmhouse on the property. And while it is perfectly liveable, there’s work that needs to be done to not only the house but the barn as well. As I got up to inspect what could be done, I felt a brush up against my legs, nearly tripping me in the process. 

“Oh Winston! You nearly tripped me!” I exclaimed in a joking manner. 

Winston simply looked up at me and walked over to his food bowl, nonverbally demanding to be fed. 

“That’s all you care about huh?” I say, walking to his food bowl. 

A little snack couldn’t hurt him. Winston was a long haired, dark brown and black colored, brown eyed standard size Dachshund. Alejandro found him in the streets and brought him in, hoping he belonged to someone. No one ever claimed him and he was adjusting very well with Ale and I so we kept him. He has been in our household for a couple of months now and he is the most rotten, sassy yet sweetest dog we have ever had. Even though I mostly take care of him, Alejandro is clearly his favorite. I grabbed a small handful of dog food from the food bin and put it into his bowl, with him happily eating it up. I sighed contently, as if I was watching my own human child eat up their supper. I peered over at the fridge, knowing Alejandro’s dinner was sitting in there. I made some homemade chalupas with some homemade churros as a dessert and it was ready about two hours ago, about when he said he would be home, but he has not arrived yet. Usually that happens, but everytime it does it scares me, that even though he is done with the mission, something could still happen to him on the way home. Car wreck, a hitman mission gone right, all kinds of stuff could happen to him. It’s useless to try and call or message him since there’s hardly any signal from where his base is up here at the ranch. 

“Oh Winston, I hope he is home soon.” I say. 

“Oh querida..” 

I turned to look and found Alejandro stepping in, shutting the door behind him. 

“Ale!” I breathlessly said as I ran to him and jumped into his arms, Winston barking happily in the background. 

Alejandro chuckled as he held me back tightly. Alejandro then suddenly pulled me back and crashed his lips onto mine, giving me a passionate kiss. I kissed back, feeling his tongue run on my lips. He really did miss me this time. I pulled back, out of breath, and just happy that Alejandro was home. 

“I am so happy you’re home.” I say, holding him tightly. 

“I am so happy to see you, Amelia. My sweet Amelia.” Alejandro said, pecking my lips. 

Winston was whining and jumping on Alejandro’s legs demanding to be held. 

“Little Winston.” Alejandro said as he picked him up and held him, supporting his back. 

Winston immediately leaned up and gave Alejandro some kisses on his nose. 

“Winston!” Alejandro laughed, making me laugh too, “that’s your mama’s job.” 

I laughed as Alejandro sat Winston down, immediately facing me. He smirked at me, looking up and down at me. 

“What’s that look for?” I asked as he stepped closer to me. 

Alejandro pulled my long brown hair out of my ears and let it fall onto my shoulders. 

“I missed you, cariña. So, so much.” 

“I missed you too, cariño.” I said back, feeling Alejandro pull me in close to him. 

I didn’t even realize how much I missed him until he was standing right in front of me in all of his glory. I always miss him when he goes out on missions, but this time around it was much stronger than before. Alejandro held my cheek, staring deep into my eyes. 

“Go take your gear off, guapo.” I told Ale, seeing his eyes wander all over me. 

“Fineee.” Alejandro whined as he turned and started stripping off his gear, hanging it on the special coat hanger he has for it next to the front door. 

“Oh I also made some chalupas and some churros for dinner if you want it now.” I announced, heading into the kitchen with Winston following me. 

“¡Joder, sí!” 

I laughed at Alejandro’s exclamation, knowing that chalupas were indeed a good choice to cook him. 

“Oh let me go change out of these clothes real quick, amar.” Alejandro announced as he made his way to our bedroom. 

“‘Kay.” I say, taking his dinner out of the fridge and putting it in the microwave to heat it back up and same with the churros. 

I intensely watched the chalupas and churros spin around in the microwave, with Winston on my legs begging for some scraps. 

“Oh stop, your Dad will give you some you know.” I say to Winston, as he continues his begging antics. 

The microwave beeps indicating the food as done. 

“Your food is ready, Ale! Better come get it before Winston eats it.” I tease. 

“I’m comin’, I’m comin’, maldito.” 

I giggled hearing Alejandro curse as he came trotting into the kitchen. He wore a black t-shirt that was a little too tight for his broad shoulders and chest and some gray sweatpants. I took his food out of the microwave and handed it to Alejandro. 

“I just know that is going to be better than some of the other shit I ate recently.” Alejandro commented as he sat down on the dining table. 

“How so?” I ask, sitting down next to him. 

“You never had an MRE?” 

“Nope.” 

“Well,” Alejandro smirked at me, “you’re really lucky you haven’t, cariña.” 

I chuckled as Alejandro dined into his food, seeing a familiar face at his feet. I could see Alejandro shake his head at Winston, but Winston was not giving up. 

“It’s your fault he begs.” I joke, bumping his shoulder. 

Alejandro just rolled his eyes as he finished his plate, eventually giving in and giving Winston a piece of chicken that he happily took into his mouth, ran to his bed, and ate it like a treat while lying down. 

“He’s something.” Alejandro mumbled as he got up but I stopped him. 

“I got it, Ale.” 

Alejandro’s deep brown eyes stared into my blue ones. They said everything they needed to say without him actually saying anything. 

“Okay.” He said with a smile. 

~

“O-Oh fuck.” I groaned into Alejandro’s neck, feeling the finish line coming close. 

“You feel so nice, querida.” Alejandro moaned into my ear, as he upped his pace, “I’ve missed you.” 

I dug my nails into his back and squeezed tight, feeling the intense warm feeling down in my stomach start to release. 

“S-Shit, Alejandro!”

“Amelia, m-mierda!” 

I felt Alejandro finish at the same time as me, both of us holding each other tight as we both hung onto our highs. Alejandro collapsed on top of me, and held me tight with his big arms and I held right back. 

“I definitely missed that.” 

Alejandro chuckled, giving me peppered kisses on my shoulder and neck. 

“Oh trust me, I did too.” Alejandro leaned up and looked down at me with a playful smirk, rubbing his hand on my cheek. 

“You thought of me during your mission?” I joke. 

“You have no idea, Amy. My hand never compares to the real thing.” Alejandro looked up and down at me when he said that. 

I felt my face turn instantly red as he said that. I never thought Alejandro was that naughty. 

“You naughty man.” I smirk, playfully flicking him in the shoulder. 

“Is it really me being naughty if I just missed you?” 

He’s got a point. Alejandro then smiled at me, placed a kiss on my forehead and cleaned me up, as he always does every time we have sex. He grabbed a warm towel and wiped me clean, and to release any tension down there. He then grabbed me a clean pair of pajamas and helped me into them. 

“You’re so sweet, Alejandro. I am glad to be a Vargas.” 

Alejandro looked up at me as I said that. I could tell I caught him off guard with that comment but he immediately took it in stride. He leaned in and kissed my lips. 

“I am happy you said yes.” 

 I giggled, leaning into his chest, feeling his warmth and muscles. I could just feel him smiling down at me as he always does. 

“Let me get dressed and I will go get Winston and we can cuddle while watching that Christmas movie you love so much.” Alejandro suggested. 

“Home Alone?” 

“Yes.” 

I giggled as Alejandro guessed it right. He knows me so well. I let Alejandro go as he got dressed into some boxers and some sleep shorts, staying shirtless for my own pleasure, and went and got Winston. For some reason, it was oddly attractive seeing Alejandro walk in with our dog in his arms, with his broad shoulders and perky chest. 

“I love a man who loves animals.” I joke as he sat Winston down, who immediately burrowed under the covers near me. 

Alejandro chuckled as he got into bed next to me, making me move Winston to the left of me so he could lean in close to me. We put the movie on and started watching it, tangled up in each other's arms and legs, happily content with the life we have together. I never want this to end. 

~

[roguemonsterfucker]

There is a ridiculous amount of off-leash dogs where I live! It's like? the norm?? and fully legal??? and I live in a pretty major city???? People legitimately train their dogs to be off-leash and just kind of. trust them to follow them around and not run into traffic. of which there is much. And I'm just kind of sitting here like. what possesses one to do this.

To be completely fair, I have not personally seen a single bloody/injurious incident in my time here. But why even take the risk? The dog can get spooked. get excited. get attacked. start eating something it shouldn't.

I have seen aggressive dogs need to be pulled away, but they were usually on leashes.* Sometimes the off-leash non-aggressive dogs have needed to have their owners grab them by their collars – WAY too close to the action – to pull them away themselves. And I'm kind of just sitting here like. do you not love your animal?

Some dogs have come up to me to be friendly and ask for pets. One put a dirty paw on my lap and almost left a stain on my nice pants. I didn't mind, personally, and the owners were usually embarrassed, but I like dogs. If I were indifferent or legitimately afraid? If I were the type to react with aggression?

Wouldn't it be better for everyone if the dog were on a leash? to protect the dog itself? other dogs? other people?

Because the thing is, the law apparently states that if the dog is off-leash, you don't have to pick up its shit. It's a loophole built in to ensure that if a dog does its business and the owner doesn't notice because it's off-leash, the owner can't be fined because it was an honest mistake. But that turned into "well I don't want to be an actual dog owner and take care of my animal so I'll use this loophole to my advantage."

There is dog shit on the streets. I have to walk around dog shit on a consistent basis. I have stepped in dog shit multiple times.

Small dog owners don't pull this shit. I have a friend with a teeny tiny dachshund who would never dream of letting her off-leash unless it were in an area specifically curated for small dog safety. I have multiple neighbors with chihuahuas and other, similarly-sized and -shaped breeds and mixes and mutts who always use leashes. Most French bulldog owners have them on leashes. It's almost exclusively the medium to large sized dogs. This is most likely because they assume it's safe enough for them (not getting crushed/lost/left behind). But like. sure that makes it safeR. but don't confuse that for safe ENOUGH. And also other people exist.

Luckily I've noticed that since the ONSET OF** the pandemic more and more people have begun to use leashes. So, hopefully things are changing for the better.

*...Usually.

**IT'S NOT OVER JESUS CHRIST PEOPLE

Allegedly it isn’t legal for dogs to be off leash here but that doesn’t stop folks. 😩

Oh yikes that loophole sucks. 😬

Sadly here it isn’t exclusive to larger dogs. There’s people who let their chihuahuas go to the bathroom in their front yard instead of their fenced backyard for some reason??? Like… everyone has fenced backyards here. I’d kinda get it if it was an area that didn’t have backyards (still please use a leash though) but why the fuck are these small dog owners letting their dogs go in the front yard? There used to be a Pomeranian that would be in the front yard unsupervised to go! I think they even had a doggie door in their front door???? The fuck???

It really is just better and safer for everyone to use leashes. Like, there are some places that I think it’s okay to be off leash. Like we used to have like 25 acres (over 20 years ago) and we let our labs run around and swim in the small lake there SUPERVISED. And I’m sure there’s other situations where it’s okay. But not in a populated neighborhood. Not where I’m going to be tackled by a dog when I step outside my door.

Ugh I just remembered the exact same thing happened a year or so ago with a bulldog being walked by some kids. Off leash. That dog really didn’t like my dog but at least it was short so when my mom picked up my dog, she was pretty safe. But that was scary and the kids were still like “he’s friendly!”

[allthingsfook]

helloooo could i possibly get a ship from u? :) i’ve been seeing ur posts and they r so extremely cute omg.. keeping this anon, obvi LOL

i’m 5’2 (she/her), i have extremely long, black hair, brown eyes and naturally tan skin. i love the palazzo pant, tiny tank top look with big earrings!! gold is my jewelry of choice :)

i keep my hair long because i dance hula & tahitian! dance is truly my first love. besides dancing, i’m a self-proclaimed gym rat & i love lifting heavy.. my favorite day is leg + glute day 🫣 i also love to crochet, knit and bake! i also have a really bad shopping addiction lol. aaaandddd i have a mini dachshund named oscar who has my entire heart <3

i’m generally really shy & awkward when you first meet me, but you’ll def know when i’m comfortable w you when i literally never stop talking/cracking jokes. i like going to get silly (alcoholic) drinks with my friends and all around just hanging out. i like to think i glow the brightest during the spring & summer time bc i gravitate towards my bed during winter (i love the warm sun!!). i’m always open to listening to new music & i think i definitely broadened my horizons in the past 5 years.

i also recently graduated from college with a bachelors in psychology & am looking to apply to masters programs in counseling starting fall 2024! i aspire to be a licensed marriage & family therapist :)

thank you so much <3333

Thank you so much! This blog has basically turned into a ship blog 😂😂

I got mixed vibes while reading your blurb, but my heart says….

Josh 🍃🥝💚

First off, I think your free spirit, modern hippie vibe would attract him. In a room full of blonde VSCO girls (i have no idea what the 2023 term for those are 😂), you’d pull his attention!!! When he gets enough liquid courage to introduce himself to you, he’d be genuinely intrigued by all your interests and future plans!!

When you tell him about hula and Tahitian dancing, he’d scooch to the edge of his seat and listen intently. Over and over again, the boys say Josh is a worldly guy. He’d love to learn more about that culture, music and form of dance. Once you get to know each other better, he’d most certainly ask for a private dance in a cheeky sort of way 😂

Josh is certainly attracted to a woman who takes care of herself. Now that doesn’t necessarily mean skinny, because I’m convinced he loves a little curvier girl. Lucky for him you really do be working that 🍑

Josh would appreciate your creative outlets, and encourage you to gift them to your loved ones around the holidays. I can see the two of you baking together in the winter. You’d be tossing unmeasured ingredients into the bowel and josh would be glued to the recipe. “Wait, how much sugar did you put in?” He’d question with concern. You’d just shrug your shoulders and tell him that you measure with your heart! And when your dessert is done baking, he’d agree that straying from the recipe paid off!

As eclectic as Josh can be in areas of his life, his wardrobe is falling short 😂 At least from what we see. Please drag that man to a vintage or thrift store and spice his closet up! I get the sense he’d be uncomfortable in some bold options but with your reassurance and compliments he’d grow to like them! Let’s not forget Oscar!!!! I picture Josh sorta being like the dad that doesn’t wanna get a family dog, but the kids convince him and then they are like best friends in a few months 😂 Josh will be a little apprehensive of a dog at first, not because he doesn’t like them or doesn’t want one, I think it’s just a huge adjustment and responsibility. Give him a month or so and he’ll be bringing toys and treats home left and right, rolling around on the floor with him, and taking up the whole bed to cuddle with Oscar.

Honestly your shy, inverted demeanor when your first meet Josh might be perceived as refreshing! After all, he spends a lot of time around people who recognize him and wanna chat his ear off! I think he’d like a girl he had to chase after a little bit. When you finally let him in and things are going steady, the fact that the both of you are so similar would make your relationship effortlessly fun.

I think Josh thrives in the sunny months as well. He’d admire your glow and beauty in those seasons; calling you his summertime sweetheart💛

Having such a diverse taste in music is important if you are with Josh, otherwise your brain would be drowned out with shit you’ve never heard of. And while you do have a broad taste, Josh probably still will do exactly that. His taste in music is everything BUT mainstream. He’d definitely introduce you to a lot more!

Lastly, he would be so proud of your educations. Proud and attracted. As I have mentioned before, he definitely likes a woman with a head on her shoulder and someone who can carry an intelligent conversation. I don’t believe for a second he would enjoy someone who just always agreed with his opinions; if anything he’d want someone to challenge him just to engage in a healthy debate. Psychology 100% intrigues Josh, so I think he’d really enjoy talking with you about various psych topics; picking your brain for hours on end.

Well, I think that sums it up! I hope to hear back from you on how accurate you think the ship was! Even if it isn’t your lane, I still like to hear. The great part of his fandom is most people love all the boys!!! Here’s a little collage and song ship just for you!

[rememberingmybestfriend]

PB&Js & Ambien

A year ago today I had my last Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwich. You should know that I LOVE PB&Js! Even as an adult I had one for lunch each day along with a protein shake. I remember reading about different athletes doing the exact same thing and thinking, “They stole that from me!”

I am pretty weird about PB&Js, because as I like to shout from the mountain top, I was only one of like six people in the world who made them correctly!

You spread the peanut butter (Skippy or Jif) on a slice of bread. Then you wipe off the knife, scoop out some Jelly (Welchs grape) on top of the peanut butter and cut it in half. 

How can the entire planet be wrong?!?  They put peanut butter on one slice of bread and jelly on the other slice…like a terrorist??

My kids, coworkers, friends and strangers would all mock me, but I am a man of principle. I’ve always stood up for what’s right, even in the face of adversity.

Adversity is why I no longer eat PB&Js. Here’s why…

For 10 years, every day at lunch, I would share the last piece of PB&J with Baxter, my constant companion for 16 years.

Baxter gave no fucks. He didn’t care about ANYTHING in the world, other than being next to me. 

I remember when I first started dating after my divorce. If someone came over to watch TV with me, Baxter would get on top of the couch and walk across the cushions and fall in-between us. I laughed my ass off every single time, though it usually wasn’t appreciated my dates. 

When I would travel, whoever was taking care of Baxter would send me pictures of him staring at the door or out the window, waiting for my return. I know people thought it was cute, but it tore me up.  

Baxter was with me in the darkest period of my life and he was with me when I finally realized my dream of living in San Diego. We had a ton of fun, going to dog beaches and walking in the most beautiful weather in the world. 

I remember a “Low Rider” event where it was all dachshunds, corgis and bassetts (Baxter was a dachshund/corgi mix). The last Corgi Beach Day we went to there were over 900 corgis on the beach. 900!!! It was nuts and it was heaven!

During our time in San Diego I met another dog person, Jillian, who ultimately became my wife (she actually laughed at Baxter’s couch trick). She had two dogs of her own. There was Pearl the puggle and Ozzie Waldo the Shih Tzu. All three of our dogs were over 10 years old. 

In 2019, life brought me back to Tulsa. Along with Baxter, Jillian, Pearl and Ozzie Waldo. Shortly after moving back, Baxter got sick. Several vet visits later it was discovered he had cancer in his spleen and one of his adrenal glands. I took him to OSU Vet Surgery Center for a pre-surgical check and said I wanted to wait two weeks for the surgery so I would have some extra time with him in case anything went wrong. They said I had two days…..I didn’t even have 24 hours.

That night, Baxter’s tumor burst and I rushed him to the ER in Tulsa. This was at the beginning of Covid, so I couldn’t go in with him. I handed his limp body to a tech and went home and waited for the eventual call.

Around 6:00 am the next morning, I realized…the call never came. I went and picked him up and raced back to Stillwater where he had emergency surgery. Again I came home and waited for the call. Later that afternoon the phone rang and was told the surgery was a success and he could come home in a couple days. This is a picture of us after I picked him up...

Baxter never needed chemo, but I had him checked out every 90 days like clockwork. A year later, his step brother Ozzie Waldo got prostate cancer. Ozzie was a fighter and went through a dozen radiation treatments in Dallas and became cancer free.

A few months later Jillian found blood outside of our new home and we assumed it was from Ozzie peeing. We made plans to take him back to the cancer doctor. Later that night Baxter started bleeding from his nose. It wasn’t Ozzie’s cancer that had returned, it was Baxter getting a new form. Nasal cancer.

Baxter and I made our own trips to Dallas for radiation treatments. Again during Covid, so I could never enter the doggie hospital. I remember the night after his first treatment he bled all over the hotel room. It looked like a crime scene. I cleaned up as best I could and left a huge tip for the maids.

Baxter eventually beat that cancer too, but damn it was long and brutal. It’s normal for dogs to still have bloody noses and he had his share. It’s the most terrifying thing because there's a LOT OF BLOOD from those damaged arteries in his nose.

After Baxter turned 14, his back legs started giving out. He went to a lot of acupuncture and laser appointments that would slow the progress, but he was half dachshund and back issues are part of their life as they get older.

I was so fortunate to work from home the last 10 years of his life.  I moved around a lot throughout the house each day. I’d sit at my desk where Baxter had a bed right next to me. During work Zoom calls, coworkers as well as customers would ask, “How’s our boy doing?” 

If I got up to get a drink, Baxter followed. If I got up to use the bathroom, Baxter tagged along. I have a home gym and he thought he had to follow me on every exercise.

As Baxter’s legs started getting worse he would STILL follow me everywhere. I would plead with him, saying “I’ll be right back!” but he had to be next to me, even if he had to drag his beat up old body with just two legs.

Ozzie’s cancer tragically did return in December of 2022, and we said goodbye to him on the last day of the year. 

Two and a half months later, a couple days after Baxter turned 16, I had another scan done. No cancer, but they found a clot in his artery. I did some research (I know too damn much about dog diseases) and it was not good. 

If the clot broke free it would be a horrible death. They gave him some blood thinner, but that wasn’t helpful with the bleeding that would still come from his damaged nasal arteries. 

The next morning I could tell he wasn’t feeling well and I said, “Fuck it, I’ll cancel my plans and just hang with him in the living room all day.”  Later he started bleeding so much. Our living room was covered in blood. I realized it was getting close. 

I had promised him after that last vet trip that he would never have to go to a clinic again. I called a service that helps people say goodbye to their pets at home, and set up a time for the following Wednesday. Once again, time had other plans. 

By noon I knew we weren’t going to make it to Wednesday. I called a vet close to our house and made an appointment for later that afternoon. 

I laid next to Baxter and told him all the things we did together over the years and how much I loved him. We also split a whole PB&J sandwich. Later that afternoon I said goodbye.

I am so grateful for those 16 years. I am grateful that I had the ability to keep him around longer than most. I think about him every single day. 

Later on, at the end of 2023 my doctor kicked me off of Ambien after almost 20 years. Pro Tip: Never tell your doctor the truth.

I bring up this seemingly irrelevant fact because with Ambien….you don’t dream. I didn’t give a crap about dreaming, I just needed to sleep. 

Eventually, after multiple attempts, I got a new prescription that allows me to get 8 hours of sleep….along with a lot of dreams.

One night, Baxter came to visit. I knew he wasn’t real but was overjoyed to see my boy one more time. I am sure he wouldn’t care if I still have PB&J sandwiches but it was “our thing” and I don’t want to share those memories.