#so excited to have some new Bichons to follow!

[lootnoot]

These are excellent, love how you captured their strange shapes! as someone who has one of these weird little fuzz goblins (though not as well groomed as those on insta, wow) bichons just be funny like that

(And is anyone is concerned he has plenty of leash on the pic were he is standing and is not being choked, he just stands like that when he wants attention the goof)

I keep seeing all of these weird dogs people own on insta’d gram so I drew a few. They are truly a different species I love them

[sian22redux]

A Puppy in the Family

So yes fellow crazy baseball fans, I know you’ve been watching closely--have guessed that my Cleveland’s loss to Boston means @theycallmebecca gets a fic. This time I didn’t need to ask for a prompt--I know what she would like:  a sequel to He Followed Me Home.  

So here it is.. more adventures of Fenway and Dodger and Chris and Y/N..this time from a slightly different point of view. Grin. Hope you enjoy.  This is part 1 of 2.. no warnings--just tooth rotting fluff.  Shout out to Twitter’s Thoughts of Dog for inspiration.

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March 2020

 Today is a wonderful day.  

 All days are, of course-- even the ones that are wet and drizzly, forcing us to sit patiently inside watching the raindrops race down the windowpane.  But today is a particularly extra super specially wonderful day.  

Because Chris is coming home.  

Our ‘dad’, our protector, chief Frisbee tosser and best roughhouser is finally coming back.  That thing that happens in hoomans’ ‘wurk’ had come round again.  A ‘script’ arrived.   I do not know how this pile of wonderfully new smelling paper can magic Chris away, but it does.  Almost every time it arrives.  After the pats and hugs and snuffles Y/N will pour a glass of wine and mope, snuggle with us on the big white couch, marking little x’s on the calender (that evil thing with V-E-T scrawled across it) and then she will go about our usual day routine: breakfast kibble and a quick walk on Lorel drive, her leaving us to go to ‘wurk’, long snoozles for Dodger and I, then staring at the door til my eyes go wobbly; more snoozles after we play fight a bit and then finally she is back!  

Y/N is home!  Dinner kibble comes and then pats and play time and then bed.  

This has happened for three lines of x’s before this wondrous day arrived.  

Y/N is so excited.  She has primped us both.  Brushed me til my coat shone glossy black, trimmed Dodger’s nails and brushed the dust out of his fur, even sort of brushed the house.  She wiped and tidied and walked around with the noisy ‘coom so we knew it was important.

(Dodger doesn’t like it—he hates the loud whoosing noise-- but I stood and waved my tail because she said “Good boy” and “Chris is coming home” and I don’t want to look less than my best.)    

We wait while Y/N primps herself (her dress and shiny lips are nice) and then it happens.

We hear a big engine car and the door whines open and he is there!  Chris! Chris!  I am so happy I can’t help but bark and not mind that Dodger is always faster than I am.  He leaps up to put his paws on Chris’s chest, barking “Hi, Hi, Hi,” leaping like a kangaroo, and Chris is answering ‘Hey there dude,” and laughing at the licks and I am very careful not to knock them over and so proud when I get the big strong pats.  

“Good boy, Fenway.  Good boy. Missed you too. big guy!”

Chris sees me! I wiggle my whole body in ecstasy until it knocks over the umbrella stand and his suitcase.  Oopsie.  sometimes I forget that I am BIG.  

Then it is Y/N’s turn.  She gets kisses and duper hugs..the ones that lift you right off the ground because our Chris is super strong and super excited to be back with his partner once again.  

There’s a bit more of greet time for us and then it’s greet time for them, though as welcome rituals go it’s kind of odd.  There is no sniffing of tushies, or zooming around for play or licking muzzles but there is lots and lots of talking and kissing and talking and kissing and sprawling on the giant couch and glasses of wine on the low wood caw-fee table that I have to be extra careful to not bump over.

“Fenway, pal..watch out!”  

Oops—sorry.  I was only showing off my new squeaky hotdog.  

Dodger and I sit at their feet and send happy thoughts their way and eventually Chris stands up, and carries Y/N into the bedroom and I start to rise but Chris says ‘Stay.”

Whine.  

I want to be with them too.  

<No you don’t,> says Dodger, flopped over on his side and heaving a contented sigh.

<Why not?>

<They’re doing it again.>

<Doing what?>

<Mating.  They’ll be there a while.>

Oh.  Right. Dodger has explained this.  Hoomans, unlike dogs, do not usually joyously couple underneath the sun. They’re shy.  And slow.  They take ages with it and honestly sometimes I worry that it must not work because they do it all the time.  

Sometimes Chris and Y/N aren’t that shy and do it where we are.  On the couch. In the kitchen. In the swimming pool.  Dodger takes this time to snoozle more but I usually just lie there and thump my tail to be encouraging.

It must be tiring for Y/N to be in heat so much.

<You’re not a bitch.  What would you know about that?>  Dodger chuckles at me, tongue lolling and pale eyebrow raised.  

I frown, puzzling it through.  < Jenna the Bichon at the park said so.  And I think it is right because sometimes they sleep right after.>

<Good point.>  Dodger lazily scratches at his chin. <And Y/N doesn’t run around as much as Chris.  She must be tuckered all the time. 

I stare at the blond wood of the latched and bolted door (it’s firm, I checked), alert to intruders or harm but nothing seems amiss. A few high-pitched giddy squeals come from the bedroom but Dodger just rolls over and goes to sleep.

<They’re fine, Fenway.  Get some sleep yourself.>

I do, and dream of pats and empty laps and ice cream cones.

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<Gooob morning!!> I bark to Chris and Y/N the next day when they drag themselves blearily out into the super toasty sun streaming through the windows.  

Dodger as usual is silent but stretching ready for a race.  Me--my toes are a tippy tappin’ and  I am jumping, so excited to see them there, so unable to contain all the love the world inside one BIG but furry body.   All I can do is bark <I love you.>  again and again and again, while sending all the happy thoughts.  

“Hey, hey.. hold up Fenway.”  Chris opens the backyard door.  I bounce outside.  The air is clean (no fires) and the sun is warm and Chris is back! Oh happy day! I snap at a yellow moth and almost catch it; mark my tree after Dodger goes on his, and trot around the yard, sniffing all the whiffling smells—grass and pool water and leafy moldy goodness.

Y/N comes outside with sleep shirt on and two cups of coffee.  Chris tosses Dodger’s new red ball far as the fire corner  <Goob morning> I bark again hoping the ball will come to me.  Yes!! Chris notices!!  I Proudly Catch it and trot over and drop it at his feet.  Y/N comes back out with a little pot of honey, a jug of coffee cream and two cross-haunts.  Mmmmmmm. Flaky buttery goodness.  I want really bad but I am trying to be extra good, so I make myself join the chase.

We fly back and forth and back and forth until Chris says “Enough!”  and so I stretch out on the cool patio, lay my head on Y/N’s bare feet to keep them warm. This gets a tummy scritch (my mastery plan has worked) and so Dodger noses in, leans against Chris’s legs. <Pat me, please> he yips, twice, then Chris laughs and calls him jealous—scritching him perfectly behind the ears.

Chris’s big strong hands are good at scritching.

For a little while we all snoozle just there in a heap (Chris is ‘still jet-laggy’ says Y/N) but when I open one eye there is more kissing going on.  

<Dodger, do you notice it?>  I whisper quietly.

<Notice what?>

<She smells different.>

Dodger, more experienced with the world than I—he is a whole year older--turns over on his back, ear drooping crookedly, looking up to the ‘ounge chair and taking an experimental sniff.  “Nope. What does it smell like?”

I do a deep long sniff, just like when we ride in the car with the windows down and I am eating the wind. “Happy.  New kind of.  Sugary good.”

He turns toward Y/N and tries again, holding longer on the in.  <Oh,> he yips. <She’s expecting   Good nose Fenway.>

Expecting?  As in PUPPIES?!  I sit right up in shock.  <You can smell it?!>

<Of course,” says Dodger, rolling over to keep his patch of sun.  <It’s like when Suki  smelled Mrs. Wilson’s cancer.>

 Oh.   Suki is a very pretty Maltese who lives just up the street.  She knew her mom was sick and was very sad and brave before she was happy again because Mrs. Wilson is ok.

I think it was all the helping hugs that Suki gave.

I give another whiff, luxuriating in the Happy and then the kissing stops.  Chris pulls Y/N up---says the magic words ‘More BREAKFAST’ and so I leap--follow them inside- sniffing carefully toward Y/N’s back.  Happy definitely.  New and Sweet and Rainbow Magic Sprinkles.  

I excitedly wag my tail and bump her leg but she laughs, puts her hands on her hips and misunderstands.  “Fenway you are not getting another breakfast.”

<No> I bark, <Expecting!!>

I jump in my excitement, tapping my feets but she just laughs and reaches for more cross-haunts and jam (Jam!!!).  I have to be extra good behaviour and not jump up to steal. Sometimes I can’t help myself—I am technically still a puppy too: Dodger says its no big deal so long as I am mostly good.

Speaking of Good, I inch close to her chair and take another sniff, resting my snout in her lap.   Still Happy. Still New.  This is good, very good, and so I burrow deeper, thumping my tail on the floor, super happy for them both.  

“Fenway, I can’t eat with you there.”

I put a paw upon Y/N’s leg, trying to get closer to that wondrous smell!  HAPPY!   She holds her pastry high, laughing as I take another whiff, but then I’m taking too much room, too excited to remember I am BIG.   

“Fenway? What is up with you?  Go sit!”  

I don’t listen.   I am too happy (and inches from the Jam!).  I miss Dodger’s warning bark and then Chris is there, frowning down, shoving my nose away and in the hard voice he says.  “Fenway, No!! Bed!”

I have a sad.  I follow his finger to my bed and flop down on cushy foam, tucking my tail as far under as it can go.  Sorry dad. Sorry.    

Dodger comes and waits patiently until I am released.  

<I don’t think they understand,> I sigh mournfully.

<No,> says Dodger, <but they will when she changes shape.  Be patient.>

Patient!?  That is the hardest thing of all.  I sigh and watch them eat.  There is talking of parks and parties and ‘pearances, all the usual breakfast stuff.  Tick tick tick.  Finally a walk is called and I am on my best behaviour; carrying along my leash because outside is larger than you think and I don’t want them to get lost.

<Y/N is expecting puppies!>  I bark excitedly to Chris (who still doesn’t seem to hear) as we turn right at the gate.   This takes us to the Bermans.  Their little hoomans are my frens—they like to play with rainbow spheres and mark the road with chalk and give me water out of the green garden snake.  Dodgers trots at full speed and I waddle on behind,  past the scary blue mailbox (are there cats lurking there?), past the red STOP sign to the Kindle’s yard.

Oh boy.  My little brain is whirly with anxiety.  First I think hooman puppies would be good but now I wonder if they will be like Mrs. Kindle’s.  Running and shrieking and pulling tails.  Trying to jump on my back.  Yikes.

<Will the puppies be good?>  I yip to Dodger when I catch him up.  

He cocks his head and Thinks. <Puppy. Hoomans mostly only have just one. It will be busy and smelly at first but eventually it will be like being in ‘Chussets. 

My ears perk up.  ‘Chussets.  <Really?>  

I have been three times.  The plane ride is kinda scary but there are miles of trees and a giant green.  An extra Lion for Dodger and squeaky hotdog for me.  Chasing ball with cousins and extra special Pats from MomLisa.  She’s the alpha alpha female.  

Very fair and kind.  

(She didn’t even scold my excited piddling when Chris and Y/N came back from their ‘moon trip.)

<Not the moon Fenway, honeymoon,> grins Dodger, <The party after The Wedding.> 

Ah The Wedding.  I was so proud.  Y/N and her friends got cleaned and dressed and buffed all sparkly. Chris got nervous but then sleek and clean.  Even Dodger and I had a groomer come.  The feathers on my tail were so very shiny. Carly looked pretty and Shanna too.  Ethan was super proud to walk between us and hold the fancy leashes.

I was very, very good.  

I walked between all the smiley happy people remembering to not steal, not jumping up because it startles them when I put my paws upon their shoulders.  Once, in the long, boring talking part, Chris cried a little and I stood up to go rescue him but Dodger woofed <stay> and explained it all.

<Hoomans sometimes cry from happiness.>  

They do?   I think this is weird but then I think it must be like when I piddle joyously.  They can’t help it--it just leaks out.

There was music and people and Snacks.  So many, many Snacks.  Our Secret Mission worked. Dodger and I convinced nearly every single guest that we had not eaten in several weeks.

(I didn’t like the salmon.  I barfed it into a handy pot.)

Even if Chris and Y/N didn’t have a lot of time for us so many others did. Ardeejjj, Chris’s good good fren knows exactly where to scritch; Miles and Stella and Ethan chased us through the chairs and out onto the lawns.  Tara took me for a needed walk (I can only cross my legs so long).  It was perfect.

On the ‘moon afterward we stayed in ‘Chussets for 4 rows of x’s.  So long, soooo long,  but we were at Carly’s house and it was super fun as always.  Miles and Stella and Ethan made sure we weren’t too sad.  Played tag and toss and chase until I had to flop down in the sun and bake.  

(My coat shines more if I am careful to bask enough.)

I guess a new people puppy in the family will be fun but still I worry.  Y/N’s smell gets stronger and stronger but strangely they still don’t understand.  It’s xasperating.   I have a huge snootful of Happy-New and I worry if I will be good enough.  

Will the puppy like me?  Will I knock them over even when I am duper careful?  

<Relax.> says Dodger and I am sure he’s right (year older!) but this morning I feel so angsty I steal a yogurt lid from the trash.  Chris doesn’t quite understand and so I have no choice but to evade him spectacularly.  

It works.  When we are done both of us are smiling.

------------------------

Tagging: @nomadicpixel @arizonapoppy @heather-lynn @pegasusdragontiger

if you want to be added just message me.....

[writingsofmyimagination]

Conjecture |8|

Idol Reader Au, Enemies to Lovers AU

Summary: Your management refused to renew your contract unless you collaborated, so you ending up working with Min Yoongi. A guy you’d disliked from before both of your debuts. There is more to their past than meets the eye.

Links to all other parts in my masterlist :)

Words:1795

Warnings: SMUT!! (nothing to crazy, morning sex), Swearing, Embarrassing mum alert.

Not sure on this part but ya know :P

if you want to be tagged let me know :)

Reblog, Like, Comment pwwwweeasse :)

// Yoongi exhaled a large breath outside the threshold of the cause of all his uncertainty; beyond which was an answer he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. He knew what he wanted to say but whether it would come out coherently was another thing entirely. His hand was near trembling, his fingers stroked through the back of his hair in nervous glitches. He liked you, like really liked you. The vulnerability he felt was unnerving and unfamiliar but he needed you to see that; give you a tiny glimpse of the huge generous heart at his centre. //

  The gentle ripples of the mattress stirred you into a semi-conscious state as Yoongi’s arm found a snug spot between your breasts; provoking a drowsy smirk laden with contentment. You soaked up the comfort shrouding you, nothing had felt so right before; like this is where you were meant to be. You wriggled your behind into him with approval, wanting to not be further than a hairs width from his skin before you’d allow yourself back to sleep.

The morning sun streamed in through the curtains, the glittering beams threatening to stir you to full consciousness. You point blank refused.

You realised rather promptly that sleep was not on Yoongi’s agenda, when you’d wriggled in to him it rushed his blood southward. Neither of you said a word as he nuzzled into the back of your neck before littering the area with firm, wet kisses. His hand slid round and loosely gripped the back of your neck before tracing down your spine; the volume of your soundless moan exposed your biggest area of weakness. Anywhere the cool fingertips passed, goose bumps lined the skin. The embers between your legs grew ferocious; he pulled your hip back so you were pressed closer to him and he’d gained easier access to your inner thighs. Heavy breaths were exhaled each time his fingers ghosted over where you ached the most.

“Yoongi…fuck… please” you whined breaking the humid silence. You felt his lips curve upwards against the top of shoulders with gluttonous approval.

“I was waiting to see if you’d beg” he purred

“It’s not something I’m above ya know” when the full pressure of his fingers finally slid through your need for him one lot of relief was expelled only for another type of tension to begin building.

“God y/n is this how bad you want me?” his fingers honing in on your clit.

“Mmmhmm” you replied rolling your head forward, your hips circling and pressing back into him feeling just how bad he wanted you too.

The agonizing lazy slow circles he drew were gradually winding up the coil, you impatience diffused through your system like a raging current. You rolled over in his arms.

“I need this now” you whined stroking his cock; you stretched over to your bedside draw and shuffled around for a condom which you gave him as you rushed your nightshirt off desperate to feel his soft skin flush to you. You both rushed back to being entwined unable to be apart, his hands wrapped round yours and pinned them above your head, his face nestled at your neck breathing hot. Your nails left half crescent stains on the back of his hand, the mixture of both your moans spreading through the room.

“I can’t believe you made me wait for this… you feel so good” no words could form in your throat, you were lost in how he felt now you were one.

“Neither can I” you admitted in between sweet gasps, his hips bucked into you with hard definite clarity. Your bodies grew flushed with moisture, body heat rocketing between you. You were breathless, loud pants echoing filling the otherwise silent space. His thrusts slowed down and he started teasing you, not fully filling you. Your patience for this was gone the moment his lips touched your skin. You just needed him to fuck you, you’d waited too long. He released your hands in favour of supporting himself on the mattress, with their new found freedom your hands tugged at one of his, he willingly allowed you to guide it to around your throat. His face flashed hesitant for a moment until you squeezed, you tightened his grip with your hand and you clenched around him. His control over himself seemed to dissipate quite rapidly after that with his thrusts resuming to full strength.

“Y/N fuck I’m c…” Yoongi grunted bucking his hips jerkily.

“Don’t you dare stop” you panted, he obeyed thrusting through his own climax to ensure you got to yours.

 Your attention flew to the sound of your front door closing followed by the unmistakeable excited claws of Charlie on the wood floor. It usually brought you joy but currently it sent you into panic.

“Shit, that’s my mum, put some clothes on” you said almost winded at how fast you flew out of the bed and chucked a long shirt on.

“Hi Mum, I was just…” you said as un-phased as possible

“Oh please y/n don’t give me any excuses I know what you were doing I heard from the front door” you dropped to the floor at the buzzing Little ball of fluff at your feet and gave Charlie all the fuss he desired shielding your now tainted pink cheeks from your mother. You resumed to standing when Charlie sauntered off and you were back facing the disapproval on her face.

“I thought I told you to stop messing with that Wonho guy and actually get a proper boyfriend” the downside of having your mum as a best friend often involved her speaking her thoughts on your love life. What made it worse is she had no volume control plus the fact she also didn’t care if anyone heard.

“I was hoping with you on this project you and Yoongi would make up and start a thing, he’s such a nice boy” Mortified into absolute stillness staring straight through your mum at Yoongi who’d surfaced into the room silently. Your mum caught on and turned and carried on without skipping a beat

“Good Morning Mrs Y/LN” Yoongi greeted after a low bow.

“Well glad you finally stopped being a stubborn cow” she said turning back to you.

“Mum!” you scolded feeling five again. Yoongi was failing miserably at hiding his amusement and it only grew with the warning stare you chucked his way.

“Don’t know what you’re smiling at Mr Min you let her get away with it all this time”

Your expressions swapped in an instant. Yoongi went to defend himself but sensed correctly he would not win against your mother. Charlie clip clopped back in the room and made a b-line for the stranger in his house, only to attack with licks and paws to get his attention to which he gave without any hesitation.

So… Yoongi has Charlie’s approval.

“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you” Yoongi informed Charlie in a high pitch voice. “Bichon Frise?” he inquired

“Crossed with a Cavalier King Charles” you replied trying not to melt at how adorable he looked playing with Charlie.

“Are you going to tell your management? Oh your father will be soo happy” She was off in her world of happiness now.

“We’re doing it today” you responded a tad calmer now the smell of coffee was in the air. Her eyes grew wide and her eyebrows grew further apart.

“Wow it must be serious then if you’re going to try all official, how do you think it will go?”

“I don’t know” doubt obviously seeped through your words. It was the honest answer, you wasn’t sure if they’d even allow it. Your management would likely be fine but BigHit was another situation entirely. It would be more of a bigger deal for their male idol to come out and say he’s dating than it would be for you, no doubt they’ll be huge restrictions on what the pair of you could and couldn’t do if they do allow it. In addition you’d have to deal with the media beyond the announcement not to mention the negative backlash from fans of both of you. You’d done so well at scurrying away your worries but now you’ve been asked about it here they are rearing the ugly head of doubt which deflated your mood massively your eyes sunk to the floor.

//Phone Ringing//

It was your manager. You motioned your mum to be quiet with a finger to your lips as you put the call on speaker phone.

“Good Morning Y/N are you with Yoongi?”

“Yeah I’m here” He answered for you joining you in the kitchen.

“Good, glad I caught you both together PD and I have some great news” you assumed the pair of them had you both on speaker phone as well.

“Oh please do tell” your interested was piqued, your gaze shifted to Yoongi who met you with a shrug of his shoulders

“Well s you know the interest in this project has been crazy and that interest has gone as far as the MAMA’s” he paused, Yoongi frowned at you and shrugged his shoulders again, you mimicked his expression.

“You’ve been asked to perform the single” he paused again. Your mouth dropped open and your coffee mug nearly went crashing to the floor as your grip faltered.

“What? Are you serious? That’s… well that’s incredible” you replied voice much higher than normal.  Your gaze held on Yoongi his reaction was much less animated than yours but the excited glimmer definitely danced in his eyes.

“Yes I’m serious, but they are only four weeks away so we need you both to come In today and see what’s been done, we may have to push you to bring the release date forward to give time for the reactions. Obviously the boys will be performing and Y/N you have also been invited to present the Artist of the Year award this year, I’ve already got the agreement details, they just need you signatures”

Your racing heart, your buzzing system no longer required the caffeine you were offering.

“We’ll leave in about half hour, we have something else we need to talk to you about as well so we can do two birds one stone and I’ll be bringing my dog just FYI” your mum gave you an approving smile.

“We’ll I’ll leave you to get ready” she gave you a kiss on the cheek “So proud of you darling”. This had you fighting back tears in a beat.

“Thanks mum”

“You make sure you take care of her or you’ll have me to deal with” she warned passing Yoongi

“Yes Ma’am” he replied confidently yet somehow sheepishly at the same time.

[prettywordsyouleft]

The Special Outfit

Request: #36 for @inulovekawaii13 – “Dogs don’t wear clothes!”

inulovekawaii13 said:

I live these little drabbles you are writing for the drabble game! Can you do 36 with EXO's Sehun? I think this would be so cute!

Pairing: Oh Sehun x reader

Genre: fluff

Word count: 886

You stopped dead in the entryway of your apartment, staring at the little white dog greeting you energetically. It wasn’t uncommon for Vivi to greet you like this; he was always full of excitement when his humans finally returned home from work.

The reason you stopped wasn’t Vivi himself. But what he was wearing. You stared at his little sailor’s outfit, fit with a boat hat and didn’t know whether to laugh or cringe. Picking Vivi up, you carried your little sailor around the corner and into the living space, finding your boyfriend Sehun sprawled out on the sofa playing a game on his phone.

When he noticed your arrival, he grinned. “Hey baby, what do you think of Vivi’s little outfit?”

“Dogs don’t need to wear clothes!” you exclaimed, placing the dog on the ground and watching him chase his tail happily. You couldn’t help but smile. “Even if he does look adorable.”

Sehun sat up and nodded repeatedly. “He does! A dog clothing company asked me to try some of their outfits out and give a review.”

“You mean there’s more than this one?” you uttered and Sehun smirked. “Don’t traumatise him, Sehun!”

“Look at him,” he gestured to the dog unfazed by his outfit. “He’s happy as a sailor! Aren’t you, Vivi?”

The little dog came bounding up to his owner and leapt into Sehun’s open arms, basking in all the affection the tall man showered him in. You rolled your eyes and shook your head. The things he does for that dog, you thought to yourself as you walked into the kitchen to start making dinner.

You got used to coming home and finding Vivi in various outfits. Some days they were more comical than others, like when he was a little hot dog, and Sehun had even once dressed him as a Princess - tiara and all. Your reaction wasn’t as concerned as it had initially been and you had even taken to complimenting the little dog whenever you saw him dressed up in something new.

Opening the door to the apartment, you smiled when you found Vivi waiting for you. “Hello Vivi, what are you wearing today?”

Glancing at the dog more closely, you let out a small squeal. “Look at you! A little tuxedo, don’t you look just dashing! Oh, and what is this?” you wondered as you noticed a little badge on his back when he turned around excitedly. Tilting your head so you could read the words follow me, you frowned.

And then Vivi took off suddenly, leaving you questioning what was going on. Removing your shoes with haste, you stepped up into the apartment, rounding the hallway corner and finding a trail of petals scattered across the floor. Vivi hadn’t waited for you, entering the bedroom through the door that was ajar. You were already overwhelmed by the pathway that when you reached the bedroom finding Sehun in a matching suit, you couldn’t help but choke on a sob.

“What are you both doing?” you spluttered and Sehun grinned at you.

“Well, since you have been enjoying seeing all of Vivi’s new attire, I decided to save the best one for last. And it got me thinking over how I wanted to present it to you. Baby, I want our life together to be as mysterious and exciting as it has been for you coming home and finding Vivi in his outfits. I want to be the reason you laugh and enjoy every day. I want to be there when things are hard and hold your hand. And whenever you cry, it’s going to be me wiping those tears away.”

“You already do all that for me,” you breathed and Sehun nodded, shifting closer to you. When he knelt down in front of you, it dawned on you that he was proposing and you gasped, your hands flying to cover your mouth and muffled the, “oh my God!” that tumbled from your lips.

“Vivi,” Sehun called and the dog approached his master, only to shy away when Sehun reached for the small suit pocket. The man’s cheeks flushed with colour as Vivi continued to evade him, growing frustrated that his plans were clearly being messed around with by the little bichon frise.

You giggled and crouched down, beckoning Vivi over to you. Of course, just to spite Sehun, the dog happily leapt up at you and Sehun groaned, reaching into the pocket to retrieve the ring. “I guess he didn’t want you to wear it.”

“He’s getting so used to wearing all the pretty things, I can see why.”

Sehun managed to smile as he turned to you, as you were still crouched beside him. He shook his head as held up the ring. “Only you get to wear this, if you accept.”

“Of course I do!” you cried, thrusting your left hand forward to your now fiancé. Sehun slid the ring on and then Vivi dashed right through you both, knocking you into Sehun’s lap. You looked at each other before laughing, hugging Sehun tightly. “Well, this wasn’t how I expected my day to go.”

“Do you know I practised pulling that ring out of his pocket so many times. I can’t believe when I actually wanted to, Vivi stole the show and the ring!”

_________________ 

All rights reserved © prettywordsyouleft

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[houseofbutta]

Birthday Bitch

It was turning out to be a fairly nice day even though the weather that week had been somewhat unpredictable. The house was uncharacteristically quiet. Days like this weren’t uncommon now that Boogie was often out on the road, leaving the chaos in the house at a minimum.

Ju walked into the kitchen with half-closed eyes, making a beeline for the coffee pot as Deenie sipped from her cup, working on the crossword in the newspaper.

“Good morning to you too, sunshine!” she spoke, without looking up from her task.

“It’s too bright in here.” Ju croaked in her, I-just- woke-up-and-can-barely-find-the-strength-to- speak voice.

“That’s because you’re hungover, sweetie. Again.” Deenie rolled her eyes.

Ju simply didn’t have the energy to go off. She was tired and the days of their heated, short-tempered youth were mellowing out as they all became more civil in adulthood.

“Good.” Deenie smirked, looking up for once from the paper. “Keep that same energy when Boogie gets back.”

Ju scoffed with a chuckle.

“You tell her that too!” “Mornin’ ya’ll” Dejah bounded in, sing-song, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

“The energy needs to come down about 12 million notches, babe” Ju held her head.

Dejah laughed as she opened the fridge looking for the orange juice.

“So Boogie is coming back today, I heard.” Dejah said, sounding skeptical, “It’s been months since she’s even slept here. Last time she came home, she didn’t even realize her Jean Paul Gaultier perfume was missing, since she was only here for a day.”

“You better stop takin’ that girl’s stuff, Dejah!” Deenie warned.

“Boogie don’t miss little shit like that. I only took it because I know she’d say yes if I asked her for it!” Dejah shrugged, before popping some bread into the toaster. “Besides, she’s changed. She seems like, nicer now in a way? I dunno.”

“Fuck outta here, she’s the same Bougie Bitch she always was,” Ju interjected, waving her hand dismissively, “She knows it too. Just because she wrote that weak ass self-help book, she thinks she’s an expert now in, whatever hoodoo, booboo garbage juice meta trend is sweeping the masses. Witchcraft is not a fucking trend, bro. She shouldn’t be playing with that shit.”

“True, Remember that fucking demon situation we had on Halloween, years ago?” Deenie reminisced, “All the windows busted out, it was like a movie!”

“Exactly!” Ju sipped her coffee, slowly finding her energy, “There have been many incidents in this house of paranormal activity, and I swear they all was surrounding her.” “Come on ya’ll know that’s not fair.” Dejah chimed in, turning to face them with her arms folded. “If you had some freaky secret power that could communicate with ghosts or whatever, what  the hell would you do with it?”

“I dunno. Help somebody I guess.” Deenie replied. “Who says I don’t?”

“Nobody, but I’m just saying if it’s a part of you, you probably can’t just turn it off.” Dejah shrugged, pointing a finger at her head and making a mocking “Duh” face at the girls, who scoffed in response.

“Whatever, she’s so full of shit. Even if that bullshit she wrote in that book is real, her personality is still the same, I don’t care what you say, Dejah, people don’t change.”

“Have you read the book, Ju?”

“I started it, but it was trash, so now it’s a coaster on my nightstand.”

Deenie laughed.

“Ya’ll bein’ real shady right now.” “Hold on now, we’re not haters- I’m just saying she comes off high and mighty. That’s all.” “Power will do that to you, maybe.” Dejah said, catching her toast on her plate the moment it popped out, before walking back up to her room while sipping her OJ.

“Or an inflated ego,” Ju sucked her teeth, irritated as her eyes followed Dejah leaving the kitchen,“She gets that shit from Boogie.”

_____________________________________________________________

By the time she’d arrived, it was nearly 4PM. Boogie came nearly crashing through the door, balancing worn Louis Vuitton luggage on her arms, as her little white bichon came running up barking and jumping all over her.

“Down Momo! Ahh! Mama missed you too!” she cooed at the small dog, before announcing, “I’M HOOOOOMMEEE!”

With closed eyes Boogie threw her arms open wide, waiting for a rush of hugs that did not come.

“Hey Booger,” Rai smiled down from the upstairs banister. “What are you doing?”

“Rai! I was...nothing.” Boogie put her arms down looking somewhat embarrassed. “Where is everyone?”

Rai shrugged.

“Around, I guess.”

Boogie pouted. It wasn’t a big deal for her to come home from a long book tour, but it wasn’t unlike them to miss her birthday.

“It’s my birthday today,” she announced dejectedly.

“Happy birthday!” Rai said smiling, and making her way down the steps, when Dejah suddenly burst out of her room, running down the stairs and hugged Boogie.

“Awh!” Boogie laughed, hugging her back. “Thank you both!”

“I have an announcement to make and I wanted to treat everyone to a girl’s day. I have big news!”

“Ooh! OK! I’ll go tell everyone!” Dejah jumped up and down excitedly before running back up the stairs.

“How are things, Rai?” Boogie asked, just as her phone chimed urgently, demanding her attention.

“Quiet, you know. It’s not boring, but since you’re not around as much, Ju goes through these combative moods all by herself and she doesn’t know what to do with that frustration.”

“Psychology suits you, miss.” Boogie smiled, with a fist bump to her little sister.

“Thank you! I’m almost a doctor- when this semester is over, I’m gonna be legit.” Rai beamed, then, slowly, her smile faded, “She misses you. You know that, right?”

“I don’t know anything she doesn’t tell me,” Boogie shrugged.

“Hello, hello!” Desty and Jayti, followed Dejah, Deenie and Xai down the stairs as welcome home hugs made their rounds and they all caught up for a moment before beginning to wonder what the hold-up was with Ju.

Finally Ju emerged from her room, leather-clad black jacket and shoes, dressed to kill.

“You’re finally back.” she chuckled, as she took her time walking down the stairs. “Next time you go, take that little annoying yappy mutt with you.”

Boogie rolled her eyes before hugging her best frienemy with cheek to cheek kisses.

“I missed you too, Miss Salty- Ooh!” Boogie pulled back suddenly, her eyes watering a bit. “You smell like a distillery, Ju, damn! It’s not even after 5!”

“Mind your business.” Ju flicked her wrist dismissively before tossing two pieces of chewing gum in her mouth. “So what are we doing?” “Right! Sooooo! I rented a party buusss!!!” Boogie exclaimed, leading them all outside with open arms. “Tadaaa!” “Wow, just like the old days.” Deenie scoffed, remembering nights past that got so wild, they all wished they could forget.

“No! Not like that, we’re responsible adults now!!” Boogie said as she led them to the vehicle.

The bus driver opened the door to them, and they all entered to see an interior of woodgrain and leather seats. A small mini fridge with wine and champagne and a small assortment of snacks, cheeses, and chocolate.

“Heeyyy! We fancy now!” Rai voiced her approval, before taking a seat next to the snack bar.

“Eee! I’m glad you approve!” Boogie clapped her hands with glee before telling the driver to proceed to the first stop for luxury mani-pedis and massages at the day spa.

As they all settled into the back seats to get comfortable, Rai filled and passed out champagne glasses, proposing a toast.

“To the Buttacreme sisterhood! May we always have  each others’ backs!”

“Cheers!” ____________________________________________________________

“This place is legit!” Boogie  called back to the girls as they waited at the crosswalk,  to cross the street. “Wow, you ladies sure look nice, today.” and older white, gray-haired gentleman commented, looking over their collective outfits.

“Thank you, Mister!” Jayti bubbled, particularly happy with her colorful spring dress of choice.

“Do you mind taking our picture?” Boogie  asked, handing the man her phone, as the light changed. “Sure! Ooh! You all should line up over the lines of the crosswalk, like the Beatles!” he said excitedly,  walking backwards to line up the perfect shot as they crossed the street. “Who are the Beatles?” Dejah whispered, to Jayti, who shrugged, before serving face to the camera.

As they all entered The Pampered Palm: Nail Bar, they were met with the acrid scent of Acetone and Enamel- the combination of a sweet chemical smell that excites the high maintenance part of the human female brain; and there were exclaims of “Yaasss!” and “Okurrr!” that rose from the 8-woman group as the cushy pink upholstery and silver damask wallpaper welcomed them into the lap of luxury.

As half the crew sat to get manis, the others got pedis, and a kind uniformed woman served champagne and mimosas which Ju knocked back in a matter of seconds.

Boogie looked worried. “I’m concerned.” she whispered suddenly to Rai, sitting next to her, sipping slowly from her champagne flute. “She’s fine.” Rai said, before shooting Boogie a sympathetic look, “You know how she is… she’s coping.” Boogie, stole a peek at her friend once again, now on the phone, withdrawn from the present moment and enthralled with pondering what color to paint her fingernails next.

“Have a happy birthday!” Rai insisted, raising her glass,

Boogie sighed, shaking off her dark feelings, before smiling and clinking glasses with Rai.

_______________________________________________________

After a couple of hours of pampering, they all made their way to the new Pomerado Luxe  Beauty store. As per usual, Boogie went overboard, buying the latest this and that from the  Gisza collection.

“Ladies, get whatever you want!” Boogie laughed, placing her hands on her hips as they all winced, when her store receipt printing from the cash register began to resemble a trail of toilet paper.

They were all much more economical in their choices, even though she was paying.

Xai landed on a metallic pink lipstick, Ju found a red to add to her collection, Desty landed on a spring eyeshadow palette, and everyone only chose one thing, except the baby of the Buttacreme bunch who wanted six. “Dejah!”  Deenie picked the excess glosses and highlighter from her basket. “NO!”

“Boogie said we could have whatever we want!” She frowned.

“Yeah! But out of courtesy, you shouldn’t be greedy!” Deenie reprimanded with a wag of her finger.

“But-” “No buts, put it back and pick ONE!” Dejah began to protest when Jayti gently squeezed her arm and shook her head.

Leaving the store, everyone was smiling and happy with their purchases, except Dejah who fell behind, pouting a bit and feeling irritated by Deenie.

“She gets on my nerves sometimes, Jay,” she confided in Jayti, “Like, you’re not my mom!”

Jayti pulled Dejah aside a moment, holding her shoulders.

“You’re right. She’s not, and she does have that way about her. But D, she has been there for you- for all of us. It’s just makeup. Don’t let it make you too mad, k?” Jayti comforted her.

Dejah rolled her eyes with folded arms, before drawing a deep breath and nodding, agreeing to let go of her animosity toward the woman.

“Good,” Jayti smiled mischievously, “becaaaaaauuuse-”

Jayti suddenly opened her bag to reveal it full of stolen shit.

“Byyytch!!!!” Dejah burst out laughing so loud, the others turned around, wondering what was so funny.

Jayti hastily zipped up her purse while Dejah made some weird ass excuse about a meme she saw on the internet before rushing the procession onward to their next destination.

________________________________________________________

La Luz Hotel was situated in the middle of downtown. It was rumored that famous people stayed there all the time, and as they walked into the lobby, they were promptly greeted by the staff.

“Miss Patel! You’re just in time for your surprise party!” The girls snickered and Ju scoffed at the woman looking annoyed.

“Well you just ruined the surprise part!” she hissed.

“I apologize,” the woman looked sincerely confused, “Since she planned it for herself, nearly 6 months in advance, I assumed she already knew about it.”

Her words seemed sarcastic, which further irritated Ju, but the look on the woman’s face was choked up as if she were about to cry. So Ju, backed off, uncomfortably.

“Sorry-Lead the way,” she said, exchanging a  nervous glance with Desty and Xai.

The Suite was on the 34th floor, with high ceilings and party snacks and favors that meticulously decorated the luxury suite.

“Ahh! This is so cool!” Desty  giggled, barely able to contain her excitement.

“So glad you like it!” Boogie laughed, passing out whistles and party poppers to the girls as Xai pulled out her phone to take a pic, “Now Everybody say ‘SURPRISE!’” They played trivia games, danced and talked about the past 10 years of ups and downs they’d all shared- from the happiest moments, to the saddest breakups. They all laughed and cried and caught up from the beginning to the present, resolving past fights and issues that were buried among them all. At that moment, Boogie, busted out the champagne and began pouring glasses for everyone before stating,

“I have an announcement to make,” she said, clearing her voice. “These past 10 years have been such an experience! I’m grateful to each and every one of you for helping me grow into the person I am today! I used to be selfish, spoiled and heartless, but living with you guys helped me evolve into a better person,”

Her voice cracked with emotion and her eyes got hot with tears.

“Thank you so much for being my friends! I’ll always love all of you, so with that, I’d like to announce that I’m  going to be-”

“Married!” Ju shouted, slurring her words, “I fucking knew it!”

“No- I’m actually going to be-” “A lesbian!” She cut her off again.

“Ju, relax,” Deenie, squeezed her arm, prompting Ju to snatch away, stumbling toward Boogie. “Sorry, I’m trying to pretend to be psychic like you do.”

The girls winced at the dig, suddenly backing away, giving the two space, as had happened so many times in the past when a fight was about to break out.

“Ju, what is your problem? You’ve been acting like this all day.”

“You always thought you were better than me- NO! ALL OF US! Just because you had money, and you would flaunt it in our face and pit us against each other and you’re JUST WICKED! Forgive me if I’m not buying the ACT, Boogie! You are the same selfish bitch you always were, with a shiny new coat of paint and a nose job!” “Ooh! Somebody stop her!” Rai interjected as Jayti’s arm shot out to stop her from jumping in. “I didn’t get a nose job!” Boogie lied as her finger self-consciously touched the tip of her nose.

“See? So self-absorbed. That’s the only thing you took from EVERYTHING I just said!? Fuck you, Boogie!”

It was as if in slow motion. The raspberries floating in the bubbly champagne flute hit her in the face first then the drink splashed over her immaculate beat, melting her mascara and eyeliner instantly.

“No. The. FUCK. YOU DID NOT!” Boogie shrieked.

“I think I just did.” Ju said flinging the last remaining drops that were in the glass, at her, to make sure she made her point.

A Table skid across the floor, flipping over. Purple and blonde weave was flying, the thud of them collapsing to the floor sent all the girls into a frenzy trying to break up the fight before the cops were called. The freshly manicured raptor claws were out, and even though there were 5 of them, trying to pull the two apart, they were so heatedly engaged, it was nearly impossible. Finally Boogie  pinned Ju flat on her back, holding down her wrists, which was pure luck combined with the fact that Ju’s drunkenness had made her lose her balance.

“You ARE A FUCKING LIAR!” Ju shrieked, bucking and thrashing under Boogie’s modest weight, when suddenly, Boogie kissed her.

The gang gasped, Rai’s hands flew to the sides of her eyes, shielding her peripherals as her jaw dropped, Jayti looked like she might faint, Dejah’s face contorted with shock and disgust, while Deenie’s hands flew to cover her young eyes instinctively trying to protect her. Desty and Xai however, exchanged a wide-eyed look that  simply prompted them to take another sip of their drinks.

After about 30 seconds of them full on making out on the floor, they finally stopped and looked up at the collectively confused faces of their housemates.

Boogie slowly stood up, lending a hand to Ju, who wobbled to a stand as well…

“So… I guess you’re all wondering, what that was about.” Boogie started.

The awkward, tense silence hung thick in the air, as they were all rendered completely speechless.

“We maybe...hooked up...a few times…” she trailed off.

“WHAT?!?!?” Dejah shouted from behind Deenie’s knitted hands over her face.

“There was this time… with that Australian guy...Tristen… we might have had a threesome.” Ju added in, guiltily.

“WHAT?!?” Dejah exclaimed once again.

“Anyway… after that, things changed a bit between us… We just hooked up, but it didn’t mean anything!” Boogie dismissed.

“Clearly it meant something to ME!!” Ju glared at her, shaking, with tears watering her eyes, when she finally threw her hands up and stormed out of the hotel room, slamming the door behind her.

Boogie reluctantly went after her, and found her standing outside on the hallway balcony of the hotel, smoking a cigarette.

“You smoke now, too?” Boogie jested.

“What do you care?” Ju  dismissed her, flicking ashes to the ground.

“Ju, I’m sorry, if what we did, confused you. I’m not a lesbian. Sure, we tried some shit, but it wasn’t like I made a full commitment to gayness! It wasn’t THAT GAY.”

“I don’t even know what that means!” Ju sneered. “It wasn’t just a ‘few times’ like you’re convincing yourself. I mean, I wasn’t counting, but the fact that I LOST count, means that you’re trying to minimize it to something meaningless.”

“But, you’re not a lesbian either!” “That’s not the fucking point!” Ju rebutted, “You can’t just treat me like one of your little fucktoy boyfriends; use me and leave.”

“Wow, okay, I didn’t use you anymore than you used me!”

“REaALLy?!” Ju snapped, “ because as I recall, I never, not once, came to your room in the dead of night like a stray cat scratching at YOUR door.”

Boogie groaned with exasperation.

“Ju! I wasn’t trying to use you! I just thought we were having fun!”

“It was. Until you broke my heart.”

“I didn’t know!”

“Correction: You didn’t care.” Ju said, grinding the cigarette butt into ash and flicking it over the balcony. “As soon as you started traveling all the time, it was like you couldn’t WAIT to leave and have an excuse not to talk to me. You wouldn’t even answer my calls or texts, and most of the time it only about regular shit, like ‘Bring home some toilet paper.’”

“Ju, I’m sorry!”

“You ghosted me like some fuckboy. You KNOW how my relationships with men have gone… and now you’ve ruined women for me too...”

“Ju, I swear to God, if I had known how you felt-”

“Stop playing coy. You knew how I felt when I left you those dusty, sappy ass voicemails when you were gone. You knew how I felt when I made you come 4 times in one night.You just didn’t want to commit, and I get it. But you can’t just buy back my fucking friendship and, for once, throwing money at the problem ain’t gonna make it disappear, Boogie.”

“Ju…” Boogie reached out touching her shoulder, teary-eyed, when Ju shrugged her off “ I really am sorry…”

“You’re right about one thing: I’m not a lesbian- hell I never even considered myself bi, but what I am willing to admit, is I am damaged. In spite of that, I trusted you, because we were friends, and you made me feel accepted, only to turn around an reject me on the basis that you’re ‘not a lesbian’. I’d never been with a woman before you; how about you, Boogie?

Boogie’s eyes were glued to her champagne stained shoes with guilt.

“Fuck you.” Ju said, with her back facing Boogie as she pulled out another cigarette. “I never want to see you again.”

Boogie, slowly nodded before hesitantly turning around to pull the door open to see cast shadows on the floor scrambling from around the hallway corner, that let her know everyone heard everything.

As she walked back into the suite, everyone was behaving so over the top in trying to act normal, Boogie couldn’t help but call it out.

“I feel so dirty.” she admitted. “Look, guys, I’m leaving… for good. I didn’t want things to end like this,”

“Aww! Boogie” They exclaimed and began coming in to hug her goodbye when she held up a hand, stopping them and backing away toward the door.

“I really don’t deserve it,” she said, teary eyed, “I just wanted one last good memory, for old-time’s-sake, but I’m sorry, ya’ll; I can’t do this… “

“Boogie, wait!” Dejah called out as Boogie opened the door to leave.

“I’ll send for my things. Goodbye.”

As the door shut behind her, the room fell silent with a heaviness that left them all feeling disconnected and hollow. The candy nipples and crumbled BDSM gingerbread men littering the floor along with smashed cupcakes and spilled champagne, prompted them all to begin cleaning up the mess, while humming “happy birthday” in such a somber tone it sounded like a negro spiritual.

___________________________________________________________________

The weeks that followed stretched into a month, and as the weather started to become warmer, the Buttacreme house welcomed a new college sophomore who moved into Boogie’s old room and mostly kept to herself.

The awkwardness surrounding the birthday party, had created a moody tension around Ju, that, at the slightest mention or reference to Boogie seemed to set her off into a funk that would last for days.

Other than that, some normalcy was returning with the intro of the new girl, Kayla, since she was unaware of the drama and simply offered up baked goods to anyone and everyone who was interested.

“She’s cool.” Rai said to Jayti, taking a sip of lemonade as they sat out on lawn chairs in the backyard, soaking up the springtime sun.

“Yeah, she’s so innocent though.” Jayti laughed, “Remember when we were that age?”

“God, I don’t think I was ever so baby-faced in my youth.”

Jayti sighed and opened up her magazine to read up on the latest gossip.

“Oh my god!” Jayti’s jaw dropped.

“What?” Rai looked up suddenly, from her phone.

“House meeting…” Jayti said, flipping the magazine and showing Rai the article.

__________________________________________________________________

It was dark by the time Ju came out of her room. As she bound down the stairs, headed to the kitchen, she saw the entire house, save for Kayla, seated in the living room, surrounding the coffee table, whispering quietly amongst themselves. It looked suspicious to say the least.

“What’s up?” She asked, taking a detour into the living room to see a single magazine in the center of the coffee table.

They all remained silent, not certain how to break the news.

Dejah grabbed the magazine, and flipped to the page, handing it to Ju.

Upon seeing Boogie’s photo, Ju scoffed, pushing the quarterly, back at Dejah, with rejection, when Dejah, pushed it again, for Ju to take a closer look.

“...The 34 year old best-selling author was reported missing on April 6th 2020 soon after she arrived in Japan, when she unexpectedly didn’t show up for a book signing, and subsequent attempts to contact or locate her yielded no results. The police began an ongoing investigation that led them to the local den of Yakuza who are known to use spiritual mediums situationally.

Ichigo Soichirou, the lead detective on Blaire Patel’s case, reported that it “isn’t uncommon for the Yakuza to outsource to a foreigner as they are harder to track.”

April 12th, only 6 days after the initial report, Miss Patel’s body was found in a Freight container at a commercial loading site in Tokyo Harbor. The case is ongoing, suspects are being interrogated and arrests have been made, but the tragedy of Patel’s sudden and violent end has undoubtedly shaken her family and fanbase to the core. Prayers and condolences to the family and close friends of ‘The Ratchet Medium’ author. She will be missed.”

Ju’s breath shuddered, prompting Deenie to stand up and hug her, when she pulled away, hyperventilating for breath.

“She’s….gone.” Ju sobbed.

Desty ran to hug her oldest friend, stroking her hair and whispering comforting words to her, when Ju pulled away, turning her back to them and slowly, ascending the stairs as they called after her, worried.

Once she got to the landing at the top, Desty’s voice called out emotionally.

“JU! We all loved her! Stop pushing us away! We need to heal together!”

Ju’s hand gripped the wooden stair banister, digging her nails into the varnished finish, when she slowly turned her head looking down at the lot of them, standing and looking up at her, with deep concern ingrained into their facial expressions.

“These are the last tears I cry for Boogie.” Ju announced. “Good Riddance.”

With a final wipe of her tears, her footsteps receded and her bedroom door slammed shut; leaving them all  frozen in a moment of time wondering what would happen now?

[maribatshipper]

The Three Fairy Godmothers Pt 1

Part 2

Anna smiles towards her sisters, her pink curly hair bouncing with her.

"I can finally meet this Fiona girl! She seems so exciting!" Anna smiles.

Elsie mutters, "If only a certain someone didn't curse her."

Jenny asks, "Did you say something?"

Elsie frowns, "Nothing, Jenny."

Jenny growls, "It's Fairy Godmother! How many times do I have to say it?"

Elsie winces, hiding from Jenny's anger.

"Sorry, Fairy Godmother. So, where's your son?" Elsie asks.

Jenny sighs, "He should be with Fiona now. In the Palace."

Anna exclaims, "That's right! I remember hearing in the news that Fiona is coming back to Far Far Away! This is gonna be so exciting!"

Suddenly, all the fairies get a tingle.

"A Princess is crying! Bubble up, girls!" Elsie exclaims.

The girls float away in bubbles.

***

"Your fallen tears have called to me

So hear comes my sweet remedy

I know what every princess needs

For her to live life happily!"

The girl's bubbles pop, causing them all to jump in shock seeing which princess in front of them.

"Fiona?" Elsie and Anna whisper.

Fairy Godmother exclaims, "Oh my dear... Oh, look at you... You're all um..."

The female ogre in front of them raises her eyebrows in confusion.

"Grown up!" Fairy Godmother finishes.

Fiona asks, "Um... Who are you?"

Anna gives Fiona a great big hug and smiles, "We, Princess Fiona, are your Hairy Dogfathers!"

Elsie tries not to giggle and corrects Anna, "Fairy Godmothers. I think you've been hanging around Helen too long, Anna."

Fiona asks, "I have Fairy Godmothers-?"

Fairy Godmother interrupts, "Shush shush shush! Darling, I'm here to make it all better!"

Anna gasps in shock, "What are we, chopped liver?"

Fairy Godmother ignores both her sisters and continues, "With... just... a!"

Elsie rolls her eyes as Fairy Godmother starts singing and messing up Fiona's room.

"Wave of my magic wand,

Your troubles will soon be gone!

With a flick of the wrist

In just a flash

You'll land a prince with a ton of cash!

A high priced dress made by mice

No less!

Some crystal blessed pumps

Enormous dress!"

Anna frowns, "Jenny always goes so over the top with this part."

Fiona looks terrified of everything happening, including the gold dress that just appeared on her body.

"Worries will vanish

Your soul will cleanse!

Confide in your very own furniture friends

Will help you set

A new fashion trend!"

Fiona gasps as a chair picks her up and drags her over to a mirror with the face of some prince.

"I'll make you fancy

I'll make you great

(The kind of gal a prince would date!)

They'll write your name on the bathroom wall!

(For happily ever after, give Fiona a call!)

A sporty carriage to ride in style,

Sexy man-boy chauffer, Kyle!

Vanish your blemishes

Tooth decay cellulite thighs will fade away

A hool and a hey

Have a Bichon Frise!"

Elsie whispers to Anna, "I think Jenny's going too far, Fiona looks annoyed."

Anna nods in agreement when Fiona yells, "STOP!"

Everything stops and Elsie turns Fiona's dress back to what it was before, a lovely dark green.

"Look, thank you very much, Fairy Godmothers, but... I really don't need all of this!" Fiona exclaims.

Every living thing in the room except for Anna and Elsie gasp at Fiona's words. The now living furniture looks insulted at Fiona. Suddenly, there's a knocking on Fiona's door. A bookshelf moves in front of the door for some reason confusing Anna.

"Fiona? Fiona?"

When the owner of the voice can't open the door, he practically breaks it down, throwing the bookshelf to the other end of the room. The girls then see the voice belongs to an ogre. Anna and Elsie glance at each other in shock. Not from the furniture being flung away, but from it being an ogre. They glance at Fiona and quickly put two and two together. A donkey comes in with the ogre.

"Oh, you got a puppy? All I got in my room was Shampoo!" the donkey exclaims, causing Anna to giggle.

Fiona hesitates, "Oh, uh... Well Fairy Godmothers... Furniture... heh... I'd like you to meet my husband, Shrek."

All the Fairies gasp, "Your husband?!"

Anna is practically fangirling, Elsie is unsure how to feel, and Jen-... Fairy Godmother, is furious.

"What- When did this happen?!" Fairy Godmother exclaims in shock.

Fiona frowns, "Shrek is the one who rescued me."

"Well that can't be right!" Fairy Godmother exclaims.

Shrek frowns, "Great! More relatives!"

Anna laughs, "Haha! He doesn't like in-laws either! Hi, I'm Anna, one of Fiona's Fairy Godmothers!"

Shrek ignores Anna as he turns towards the door.

"They were just trying to help." Fiona sighs.

Shrek exclaims, "Good, they can help us pack! Get your coat, dear, we're leaving."

Anna and Fiona gasp, "What?!"

The donkey frowns, "Leaving? I don't wanna leave!"

Fiona asks, "When did you decide this?"

"Shortly after arriving." Shrek frowns.

Anna frowns disappointed, "Awww. But..."

Elsie puts her arm on Anna's shoulder, shaking her head.

"Look, I'm sorry." Fiona apologises.

Fairy Godmother frowns, "It's fine. We need to go anyway. If you ever need me, "Happiness is just a teardrop away"." She hands a business card to Fiona, only for Shrek to snatch it away.

"Thanks! But we got all the happiness we need. Happy, happy, happy!" Shrek frowns.

"So I see. Come along girls." Fairy Godmother orders.

The two sisters follow their sister to the floating limo carriage.

"Let's go, Kyle."

***

Elsie frowns. She could tell that Princess Fiona actually found her true love, and it wasn't her sister's son. She looks at her nephew in sadness. She knows that they'll try to split them up, but they can't! Those two were actually made for each other.

"You're thinking too loud." Jenny frowns.

Elsie turns away from Jenny and looks out the window. She knows what'll happen now. Bribe the king or blackmail him. Either way, it guilts her for ages, like last time.

"I don't know how it can get any worse!" the king's voice exclaims from outside the floating limo.

"Hello Harold." Jenny speaks up as she opens the door.

Something happens which Elsie's too distracted to take any notice of when King Harold is forced into the limo.

"Oh, hello. So... What's new?" Harold nervously smiles.

Elsie and Anna wave to him, keeping quiet the entire conversation.

"Do you remember my son, Prince Charming?" Fairy Godmother asks.

"Charming? Is that you? My Gosh! It's been years! Wh-wh-When... When did you get back?" Harold asks.

Anna and Elsie both internally groan.

"Oh, about five minutes ago, actually. AFTER I ENDURED BLISTERING WINDS, SCORCHING DESERTS! I climb to the highest room in the tallest tower-!"

Fairy Godmother interrupts, "Shush, shush shush shush. Mummy can handle this. HE ENDURED BLISTERING WINDS AND SCORCHING DESERTS! HE CLIMBED TO THE HIGHEST BLOODY ROOM OF THE TALLEST BLOODY TOWER!"

Harold attempts to diffuse Fairy Godmother's rage, but get's interrupted.

"And what does he find? Some Gender confused wolf telling him that his princess is already Married!?"

Harold exclaims, "I mean, it wasn't my fault, he didn't get there in time!"

The girls sink into the cushions for a moment.

"STOP THE CAR!"

The car stops, causing Harold to stumble in his seat.

"Harold. You forced me to do something I really didn't want to do!" Fairy Godmother exclaims while the window is rolling down.

"Where are we?" Harold asks, terrified.

"Well hi there, welcome to Friar's Fat Boy, may I take your order?"

Fairy Godmother glares, "My diet is ruined! I hope you're happy."

The girls relax a little and Elsie pats Harold's shoulder in comfort.

"Okay, Two Renaissance Wraps, no Mayo, Chili rings-"

Charming interrupts, "I'll have the Medieval Meal."

"One Medieval Meal, and Harold, Curly Fries?"

Harold frowns, "No, No thank you!"

"Sour dough, soft taco, then? What do you want?"

Anna exclaims, "I'll have the Curly Fries!"

Harold frowns, "No, really, I'm fine."

"Your order, Fairy Godmother. And this comes with the Medieval Meal." The server hands the bag of food and an axe through the window.

"Here you are dear." Fairy Godmother hands the axe to her son.

The limo drives off again.

Fairy Godmother calmly frowns, "You see, we made a deal, Harold. And I assume you don't want me to go back on my part."

Elsie always hated this part.

"Indeed not." Harold sighs.

"So Fiona and Charming will be together!" Fairy Godmother emphasizes.

Harold sighs, "Yes."

"Oh believe me Harold. It's what's best! Not only for your daughter..." She takes a bite out of her wrap, then continues with her mouth full, "But for your kingdom!"

Suddenly, Harold's kicked out of the Limo back onto his terrace.

"But what am I supposed to do about it?" Harold asks.

One of the body guards throws the axe into Harold's hands.

"Use your imagination!" Fairy Godmother glares and slams the door.

Elsie sighs as they fly to their factory.

"Oh, what's wrong now, Elsie?" Fairy Godmother frowns.

Elsie hesitates, "Nothing, sister."

Anna exclaims, "I hate this plan! Why can't you get your son to marry someone different? Fiona already has a husband! It'd just be cruel to separate them like that!"

Charming glares, "I'll have you know, Auntie, that only Fiona is for me. She's mine, and no one else's."

Elsie sighs. Here goes another hourlong ride argument.

[1000-directions]

@queerlyalex tagged me in this approximately 4 million years ago. i think someone else tagged me too with different questions, and i will try to find that and answer it within the next 4 million years.

The rules are: ✰ post the rules ✰ answer the questions given to you by the tagger ✰ write eleven questions of your own ✰ tag eleven people (sorry, no, this already took forever)

1. If you had unlimited resources for one thing, such as going to school or travelling or to meet someone or to do a good work such as solving the water crisis in Flint, what would you use your unlimited resources for?

i mean...now that you’ve mentioned flint, i feel like i can’t say something selfish like “finance the recording and production of my ep” or “laser hair removal” or “spend a month exploring the galapagos” without sounding like an asshole lol. it would be nice to do something like...end all hunger and war everywhere, but i don’t know if that’s something that’s a matter of resources as much as entrenched inequality and hatred, and that might be beyond the scope of this hypothetical exercise. so i’m gonna go with overthrow the united states government. not just impeaching, convicting, and imprisoning trump, but getting rid of everyone, abolishing the electoral college and two-party politics, maybe a parliament or something. and while we’re at it, i’m gonna throw all the guns into the sun and redistribute all of the wealth so that no one is a billionaire and everyone has enough to get by. by throwing all the guns into the sun, i’m undecided if i mean that hyperbolically or if i mean lets re-fund NASA and get people excited about space exploration again and build enough rockets and train enough astronauts to literally throw the guns into the literal sun.

2. Say you’re an amazing photographer and you got picked up by National Geographic (before Rupert Murdoch of course, ick), they are willing to let you go anywhere in the world to photograph any subject, where are you going and what are you taking photos of?

ummmm we’re either going “louis tomlinson: a life in food” where i follow him on tour and take pictures of his starbucks order and what he likes to eat for breakfast in different countries or “wildlife of oceania” where i travel around australia and new zealand taking pictures of cool ass kangaroos and birds and coral reefs.

3. Do you listen to music when you go to sleep?

NO. silence or rain are the only sounds i can tolerate when i’m sleeping.

4. Have you ever had a “food phase” where you absolutely cannot stop eating this one thing, or a few things in combination? Do you still get cravings for whatever it was?

i mean, my entire life is a food phase where i absolutely cannot stop eating E V E R Y T H I N G. when i was in high school, i would make muddy buddies or puppy chow or whatever you call it -- the chex with the chocolate and peanut butter and powdered sugar -- every thursday and then watch ER. a friend of mine used to do that, so i tried it once and it was just a very satisfying combination of like ritually making something and then watching something i really enjoyed. it always tastes better in my imagination than it actually tastes on my tongue.

5. Can you tell me about the best pet you’ve ever owned? Or someone else owned and you still connected with? If you’ve never experience this comradery with an animal a) I’m sorry and b) tell me about a stuffed animal or a beloved trinket.

my father is really allergic to dogs and cats (and deathly allergic to birds) but when i was a kid, we had at various times 3 dogs and 1 cat, all of which we had to give up after a few days or months because he couldn’t breathe. i don’t know WHY my parents kept bringing animals into the home of young children who quickly got attached to these animals only to have them repeatedly given away. when i was 19-ish, then got a bichon frise, this lil dude:

(enjoy the only picture i will ever post of myself on tumblr btw)

we spent a lot of time together when i lived at home. my parents traveled a lot, and they were gone basically every weekend, and it was just me and him. when i moved out, he used to go outside my door and scratch and whine every night because he didn’t understand why we weren’t hanging out. he was a big reason i waited so long to move out of my parents’ house, because the thought of not seeing him every day was so so upsetting to me. over the last few years, he has really deteriorated, and now he’s an anxious old man puppy who won’t let anyone touch him (same tbh)

6. Do you like hummus? If you haven’t ever tried it, Google it and tell me if you would be willing to try it.

hecK YEAH i like hummus. plain hummus, garlic hummus, lemon hummus, pine nut hummus, black bean hummus, red pepper hummus, GIMME IT ALL TBH. best with lil pieces of pita obviously but i usually eat it with carrots and try to pretend i’m being healthy.

7. What’s the most you’ve ever spent on fan merch, whether it’s an object or an album preorder, etc.

oh.......shit. as a disclaimer, this was a long time ago when i was living at home and working full time and i had decent savings and wasn’t super concerned about the future. i spent $2000 on a pair of tickets to see a band on new years eve at some casino in oklahoma. i live on the east coast. so i also had to pay for a flight to dallas, a rental car, and a hotel. i had an amazing time, it was one of the best shows i’ve ever been to, and my friend and i still talk about it all the time all these years later. however...especially these last few months when i’ve had no solid idea how i was going to pay my rent or bills or anything, i’ve really thought about how much it would help to have that money back. but that being said, i was such a reckless idiot back then that i probably would have just spent it on something else stupid anyway.

8. I have a really weird #adulting life goal where I want to end up with a house that has a formal dining room. Do you have an #adulting life goal?

hmm. i don’t like to fantasize or speculate about the future much, because i am like...so far away from where i would ideally like to be in any aspect of my life, period. i don’t think it serves me well to look more than one or two steps ahead of where i am at any given point. there have been many times in my life where i’ve looked at where i am and thought, wow, i never could have even IMAGINED i’d have accomplished this even two years ago!! so i just try to tell myself that there is good stuff up ahead that i don’t even know i’m capable of achieving, and i try not to worry about specifics. 

9. Do you have pajamas, like PJs you bought from the PJ section at the store and wear as PJs to bed, or do you wear whatever such as sweats and a tshirt from your closet like I’m wearing right now?

i have a bunch of cute satiny nightgowns like little slips that i used to wear in the summer, and then t-shirts and pajama pants in winter. these days, i literally just wear a tank top and underwear, and if i ever get cold (lol unlikely) i just pile on another blanket.

10. What are some of your goals in 2018? Either goals for yourself or what your doing or your fandom experience, etc. Can you tell me about them?

i start the new job in a week, and i just wanna work hard and do well and hopefully make some friends with my coworkers. most of my friends are moving away in a few months, and there are two in particular i really want to make an effort to stay in contact with. i would like to lose enough weight so i don’t completely hate myself by the time i meet everyone at red rocks. if i lose 35 pounds, i’ll be back where i was when school started. and i want to grow my nails out.

11. What is a happy memory you feel like sharing?

when i was eighteen and failing out of college for the first time, i went to a thai restaurant for lunch (by myself, i had no friends and was hundreds of miles from home and knew no one, i went days at a time without talking to another person), and when the waiter brought the bill, there was a note inside that said “excuse me but you have a nice smile.” and that was it, no phone number or anything, just a nice compliment from a stranger at a time when i was completely falling apart.

[truempathy]

will has adopted several dozen dogs over his lifetime --- around thirty, in total. he’s cared for even more. he doesn’t keep every dog he finds. the cuter, younger ones -- puppies, popular breeds like golden retrievers and black labs, and the very rare purebreed -- he finds homes for. people are really eager to adopt puppies, especially cute ones. they’re easy to find homes for. but the older dogs, the ones who aren’t as cute, the mutts ... the chances of someone else in the world adopting them over the twelve week golden lab they see in the shelter is slim to none. those, the lesser appreciated dogs, are the ones will adopts. lesser appreciated by others, yes, but not less loved. not by will, anyway.

in total, will has cared for (adopted, fostered, or saved) around eighty dogs.

he’s pretty well known in shelters in his area of virginia. a lot of dogs means a lot of time at the vet, at the shelter, at the pound. it’s a lot of money, too, but will hardly has a.) a significant other b.) a child or c.) any expensive tastes, so he figures the money he earns from his time at the fbi should go to something. and what better than animals? they’re kind, they’re compassionate, they love unconditionally. they don’t kill other dogs or humans for the fun of it. they don’t enjoy bloodshed. they don’t hate. not unless they’re forced to. not like humans do.

will doesn’t have a real family, but he considers his dogs his family. they’re a part of his life, and he’s hard pressed to give any one of them up. he can’t stand animal abusers, and he can’t see himself with anyone who can’t see themselves living with seven plus dogs. his dogs -- the pack, as he likes to call them -- are a rowdy bunch, lively and excitable but not overly loud. they consist of the following dogs :

WINSTON.  winston is an australian shepherd and cattle dog mix. will was on his way back from baltimore, maryland  -- consulting with jack on the minnesota shrike case for the very first time -- when he found winston walking on the road by himself. he assumes winston was abandoned by his previous family. left behind when they moved, probably. winston was friendly enough -- but wasn’t interested in hanging around will until he came back with treats. like he had somewhere to be. someone to find. he eventually got winston in his car, washed him (he was dirty, but will was surprised -- and a little charmed -- to find a lot of the spots he thought was old dirt were just fur markings), and introduced him to the rest of the pack. winston is the newest addition to his family, and the most responsible of the bunch. doesn’t bark out of turn, doesn’t mow over newcomers, and keeps the other dogs in line when they get too excitable. very sweet, very calm, very friendly. intuitive, too. he keeps closest to will out of all of them, especially when he senses will is upset or when he’s woken up from a nightmare.

BAXTER. a border collie, he’s very protective of will. he tends to be the first line of defense when it comes to will’s safety --- he’s very friendly to strangers, but his instinct is the sharpest out of the entire pack, and baxter can easily tell whenever someone’s around or something is on will’s property. he’s got the sharpest nose too, and is always the first to know when will’s getting food -- for the dogs, or for will himself. he’s the beggar of the bunch, and likes to sleep on will’s bed at night. and at day. whenever he can, really. baxter was the first out of the seven that will has now, and will found him alone in an alleyway when baxter was just a couple of weeks old. he wouldn’t have made it if will hadn’t dropped everything right then and there to help him, and even though will was supposed to be out of boston that night, he changed his mind and made reservations in a motel for the next week to stay close by after he brought baxter in to the vet. no owner was ever found, given baxter’s young age, and will quickly claimed baxter for his own, filling out the appropriate paperwork. eventually baxter recovered, got a clean bill of health, and was on his way back with will when he was strong and old enough to make the journey. baxter was will’s baby from the beginning, and will loves his dogs equally, but he’s a bit more lenient when it comes to baxter.

BUSTER.  a jack russell terrier who kept breaking out of the animal shelter whenever it was time for his walk, buster escaped one day and no one caught him in time, and no one was able to find him once he’d run off and out of sight. will did later that night, after buster knocked down one of his trash cans and trapped himself inside of it. will took him in, and it was pretty difficult to catch buster again even in the comfort of his own home with how quick the little guy ran, and how he excited the rest of the dogs and made them a bunch of running, jumping bodies. he called shelter the next morning, and they were wholly unsurprised to hear someone had found buster, if a little relieved. it made will pretty curious, enough to ask if this happened often. they said yes, that he’d been there for a few months already and no one’s looked at him. he wasn’t a puppy anymore after all no matter how he acted like it, and wasn’t cute enough. it was all will needed to hear, and he adopted buster that afternoon, whose name had originally been ronnie. will figured buster was more of an accurate title, because of how he likes to bust out of places whenever there’s a door open. buster’s super excitable and super loud. and, to will’s surprise, it wasn’t lola the chihuahua who had the napoleon complex, but buster.

JACK.  jack is an american pitbull / terrier mix. his story is, unfortunately, not a very surprising one for the breed, will knows. will found jack abandoned and tied to a pole, dirty and dehydrated. it was out of the way enough, in a rural area where not a lot of foot or car traffic came through, and the empty plastic bowl with dried dog chow a couple of feet away made will think that it wasn’t by accident that jack was left here. despite jack’s hunger and thirst, he didn’t bite when will offered him water or food, and it didn’t take long for will to see jack had a collar and tag on him. will brought him back home after spending some time bonding and getting jack to relax around him, but even then on the ride hom jack was very quiet and reserved. he flinched a little when will got too close at first too. will called the number on the tag when he got back to his house in wolf trap, and got in touch with the owners fairly quickly. the owners were surprised to hear about jack at first, before they became extremely hedgy and evasive when will asked about jack. they claimed jack had run off, that they’d tried looking for him at first but eventually gave up when they couldn’t find him.

will didn’t mention the leash jack was on that was tied to the pole, or the empty container of food. neither did they. instead, he asked why they gave up so quickly, and they said it was because jack had become increasingly aggressive, and they figured someone would find him if they couldn’t and bring him to the pound. we probably should have seen it coming, they claimed, he is a pitbull after all. maybe it was for the best. it was hard to ignore the implications of that statement, and the reality of what had happened to jack. so will asked if they were going to pick him up, because he had him right there, and wasn’t surprised when they made excuses, saying they had children, and they didn’t want a pitbull around their kids. jack was next to him the entire time, quiet, shy, but not barking or biting or snarling at will even as he ran a gentle hand down his back.

the next day, will went to the shelter, told them the story, and got jack checked out and vaccinated. jack was a total angel, if a bit shy and skittish. will called the owners again, and after a bit of discussion (he may or may not have let slip he was an fbi agent after they hemmed and hawwed about doing it because of the legal repercussions), he was able to get them to legally give up jack, and will became the his rightful and legal owner. he also made a call to the aspca, telling them what happened, making sure what the owners did would go on record legally. it’s been a couple of years since then, and jack is now energetic and loving towards will and the other dogs, if a little shy around other strangers. he tends to be at the back of the pack when new people are over, but his demeanor is hard to ignore or mistake for anything other than what it is: happiness.

HARLEY.  a white german shepherd mix with brown markings, harley is a sweet girl and a little on the older side given her eight years. she was given up by her owners, but not without a lot of heartache. they loved her fiercely, and it showed in her sweet demeanor. they were sad to see her go, but knew it was for the best since they couldn’t care for her anymore, and didn’t want her to go to a pound or a shelter. they both knew because of her age that she wouldn’t be adopted. so when they saw will walking his five dogs, they were surprised but charmed, and talked to him despite his quiet and awkward demeanor. eventually they brought the subject of harley up, hoping he’d adopt her from them, and he was more than happy to oblige. after all, what was one more dog to the pack? he had the money, he had the time, and he had the space. harley adjusted well after whining and mourning for her previous owners, but the good company she had kept her spirits up, and it didn’t take too long for her to adjust and fit in. she’s a notorious jumper, jumping when it’s feeding time and whenever they go outside, and is great at frisbee and catch.

BONNIE.  bonnie is a bichon-frise with brown overtones. like harley, she’s a bit on the older side, being seven years old. she’s tail wagger extraordinaire, and usually wags her tail so much when she’s being pet or whenever will comes home that her entire back half of her body moves with it. will adopted her when he went to the shelter one day with another dog he’d found (this time, the owners took them back, they were worried sick and mortified that their dog got lost, but eternally thankful that will found them). will saw her -- heard her, more like -- because while there were tons of dogs in the shelter, she barked the loudest, and practically knocked herself into a wall with how hard she wagged her tail at the sight of him. the tail wagging only grew stronger when he approached her. susan -- one of the workers there who’d grown to know will well because of how often he comes in with dogs -- told him bonnie had been here for a couple of weeks, after being transferred in from another shelter. she hadn’t been adopted in a year, but had managed to avoid euthanasia because she was transferred. will adopted her right then and there. bonnie might not be a puppy, but she’s still young at heart. she’s very loud and energetic, barks a lot and tries to push her way to the front of the pack when its feeding time or when someone new comes around.

LOLA.  lola is a chihuahua terrier mix. she has a massive underbite, and pretty wispy hair. she’s definitely not the cutest dog on the planet, and everyone knew it. the shelter especially. will was surprised to hear from them -- considering they were all the way in maryland, and he’d never been to their shelter before. but as soon as they mentioned they were a kill shelter, he knew why. they told him that susan had called them, and mentioned him to them. the shelter susan was from was full -- they couldn’t take any more strays or new dogs, but if lola wasn’t adopted soon, she wouldn’t be adopted, ever. susan, the shelter, and will all knew that lola wouldn’t be adopted before the grace period was up. it didn’t take much convincing from there for will to agree to make the drive to maryland, and he did. it took him around four hours to get to the shelter - an extra thirty minutes than it should have been when he got lost - but he got there, and when he saw lola, he could understand why people would look past her in favor for the prettier dogs. she snuffled pretty loudly too, but will found it cute. she curled up in his lap easily when he approached her and pet her, and fell asleep fast, head tucked over his hand and nose pressed to his knuckles. will made sure that the next time she went asleep, it would be surrounded by five other dogs. it took some acclimation, but not a lot, and eventually lola fit in with the rest of the pack like she’d always been there. 

his dogs are all incredibly well trained, a reflection of the time, care and love that will put into raising them, keeping them fed and loved and safe. it only takes a sharp whistle and a click of the tongue from will to quiet them down when they start getting rowdy, and despite the open property with nothing to fence them in, they know better than to run off. ( other than the occasional bust-out from buster, that is. )  they’re incredibly friendly to all, to a fault really ---- they’re the worst kinds of guard dogs, even if they have keen senses and can sense when something is on will’s property. they don’t bite, even intruders, and are notoriously easy to win over with food and love. 

[poop4u]

How to Tell If Your Dog Has a Cold

#Poop4U

The post How to Tell If Your Dog Has a Cold by Dr. Ernie Ward appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

I had just completed my physical exam and was beginning to discuss my findings when Dr. Google joined us. I was seated across from a smartly dressed, smartphone-wielding young client. As she flashed the screen to show me her list of demands, I noticed a clear drop of liquid reflecting from the nostril of the baby-faced Bichon at my feet. Chloe was 3 years old, fully immunized and a picture of perfect health, until returning from boarding two days earlier. She had developed a cough, runny eyes and nose, and her owner was understandably worried.

“Most of these antibiotics are available in generic form, and here are the current prices from my preferred online pharmacy.”

As she read off the medications, costs and shipping times, I continued silently studying Chloe’s breathing. Quiet, deep and regular breathing, despite the pharmaceutical recital to which we were both held captive. I hadn’t heard a cough yet, but I still had a couple of tests to go, something no amount of internet searches and chats could perform.

“I’m not suggesting Chloe couldn’t have an upper respiratory infection she contracted while boarding. We used to believe Bordetella bronchiseptica, the bacterium associated with ‘kennel cough’ we vaccinate against, was the main culprit. We now understand it involves multiple bacteria and viruses. CIRDC more accurately describes my No. 1 concern for Chloe’s symptoms.”

Photography ©Natali_Mis | Getty Images

The truth about CIRDC

Canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC) is still erroneously referred to as “canine cold,” “dog flu” or “kennel cough,” although none are correct and cause considerable confusion for dog owners. To complicate matters, most cases never receive a precise diagnosis, and the condition rarely requires antibiotics. This makes treating CIRDC doubly demanding for today’s “insistent-on-instant” pet owners. Some conditions can only be treated with time, a price few are willing to pay these days.

“There’s something else I’d like to do to determine the extent of Chloe’s condition. So far, I’ve observed a clear nasal and ocular discharge, normal breathing and body temperature, and healthy lung sounds. You said Chloe mainly coughs and sneezes after walking, getting excited or after periods of lying down, and that her appetite and energy levels were basically normal. I’d like to see if she has any congestion in her upper trachea by gently massaging her neck. Many times, if a dog has tracheal inflammation, she’ll exhibit a goose-honk cough after I rub her throat.”

As I gently massaged Chloe’s upper airway, I noticed her swallow hard a few times and a couple of soft coughs, but no goose-honking.

“That’s good news. We’ve got a couple of ways to proceed.”

Most cases of CIRDC will resolve within 10 days without needing prescription medications. In more severe conditions, or when an owner wants to pursue all available testing, we begin by evaluating chest radiographs and blood tests. Some dog owners request cultures of the throat or nasal passages, but current medical guidelines discourage these tests unless an outbreak is occurring or pneumonia develops. Even the most sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays often fail to identify a specific causative agent and are prone to sampling errors and difficulty interpreting normal flora from infectious. In cases involving boarding facilities, I always alert them to be on the lookout for H3N8 or H3N2 canine influenza (CI).

Treating CIRDC symptoms

Many dog owners believe antibiotics are needed to treat upper respiratory infections and feel cheated if the veterinarian doesn’t dispense at least one. The fact is that most canine upper respiratory infections are caused or complicated by viruses, rendering antibiotics powerless. If a dog has a fever, decreased appetite or lethargy, then an antibiotic such as doxycycline may be used. I also use a nebulizer in my clinic to jumpstart treatment of these more serious cases. When needed, there are a variety of prescription and over-the-counter medications to help reduce excessive coughing.

In most cases of mild CIRDC, symptomatic treatments are the only treatment required during the first 10 days. I recommend:

❅  Using a humidifier, especially at night

❅  Keeping your dog in the bathroom when you take a hot shower

❅  Applying warm water compresses several times a day to keep the nose and eyes clean of debris

❅  Using plain saline nose drops to clear snotty nasal passages

❅  Using a walking harness to avoid irritating the neck

❅  Trying canned food or dry kibble softened with warm water to enhance palatability and be easier to swallow for dogs experiencing sore throat.

❅  For owners interested in natural remedies, I’ve used powdered echinacea root and mushroom extracts with good results.

Always see your veterinarian

“So, you’re saying it’s not ‘kennel cough’ and Chloe doesn’t need these medications?”

“That’s not exactly …”

“That’s great to hear! You never know what to believe on the internet these days. I feel so much better after you examined her so thoroughly.”

“Well, that’s great …”

“If you can tell me where to get this humidifier thingy and those herbal treatments, I’ll be on my way.”

And with that, Dr. Google was officially off Chloe’s case. I called to check on her three days later, and she was “90% Chloe” according to her owner. By the following week, Chloe was back to her old self.

If your dog is suffering from runny eyes, stuffy nose or coughing, see your veterinarian at once. “Real” canine influenza and more serious forms of CIRDC can become life-threatening quickly, and prompt diagnosis and treatment is critical. The internet can be both a valuable asset and a confusing distraction for dog owners. There’s no replacing a physical examination and an attentive, experienced veterinarian when it comes to providing the best care for your best friend.

Thumbnail: ©Wavetop | Getty Images

About the author:

Dr. Ernie Ward is an internationally recognized veterinarian known for his innovations in general small-animal practice, long-term medication monitoring, special needs of senior dogs and cats, and pet obesity. He has authored three books and has been a frequent guest on numerous TV programs.

Read more on dogster.com:

What can be Done to Prevent Recurrent Ear Infections?

Why Won’t Some Ear Infections Resolve?

Why do Dogs Get Ear Infections After Swimming?

The post How to Tell If Your Dog Has a Cold by Dr. Ernie Ward appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

Poop4U Blog via www.Poop4U.com Dr. Ernie Ward, Khareem Sudlow

[brok3n-ins1d3]

We’re engaged and I’m pregnant!

So I thought I’d expand a little on everything that has happened since the last time I updated this account almost 4 years ago. First things first, I graduated with my bachelors degree in biology! That alone in and out of itself is amazing and I really beat the odds by accomplishing that. I’m extremely proud of myself and can’t wait for things to come. So with Steve, the last thing I said on this account was how happy we were and it was about to be our 4 month anniversary, and I loved him. Well, he didn’t say he loved me until 7 months in (lol) and he said that on Valentine’s Day (how cliche). We kept our relationship strong while I was living at college for the first 2 years. After I was having entirely miserable experiences at school living with other girls me and Steve decided to get our first apartment together! We got our apartment in July of 2017, 40 minutes from my school, for my junior year of college. Honestly, at that point, I couldn’t be happier. Right after we moved in, we went and got a puppy together! His name is Chewie, and he’s a bichon Pomeranian. He was a huge handful to start but we loved him so much. On October 31st, Halloween, when we were on our second trip to Disney together with my family, Steve proposed to me at the beasts castle. I was over the moon happy! We were engaged we had our own place we had a puppy together! Everything was amazing. Things started to get really bad in the relationship as the months went on from there. I couldn’t find a good job, he had a job an hour away working over nights so I was left alone every night in an apartment I didn’t necessarily felt safe in because the apartment complex was shitty and the people were sketchy. The neighbors above us were TERRIBLE and made it impossible to live happily since there was always screaming and banging and crazy shit going on. It wasn’t a good place to live and all the excitement from being on our own had faded. We couldn’t really afford our bills because I was constantly in and out of jobs, couldn’t find anything that paid me well. I was struggling through school. The kicker was when I randomly developed appendicitis in December right around finals time and ended up needed surgery and was on bed rest for 2 weeks. I almost dropped out of school because I had teachers that weren’t lenient at all and were threatening to fail me for my absence. It was a very hard time. We couldn’t afford groceries at all, I was constantly at my parents house asking them for money for gas money so I could get to school and money for food. We were feeding chewie before ourselves. Our relationship was strained because all we ever did was fight when we were together, about dishes and laundry, about how Steve never cleaned up after himself and expected me to do it. I was so depressed I literally wanted to die. I would sit at home and cry constantly, I hated being alone, I hated living. The only thing keeping me through it was chewie. We finally decided we needed to get out that place, and packed up and moved out in March of 2018. We went to live in his dads apartment he had just moved out of that was closer to my friends and family and closer to his work and family. It was more expensive, but we were determined to make it work. I got a better job right away, we were able to afford groceries, we were able to save money, things were amazing. We decided to have our wedding in October of 2019, and even went to a place in Salem to put the down payment! We were so excited! Everything was great! Until again, they weren’t. We fought all the time, again, with keeping up with chores and responsibilities. It seemed like nothing helped him learn to keep up with his own shit, I was in and out of jobs AGAIN, we stopped buying groceries again. It was just like an incredibly vicious cycle that never stopped reoccurring. Steve was paying almost all the bills and I was focused on savings, but my car shit the bed and I needed to drain the savings for a new car, his car was totaled in an accident, and he needed a new car. It was just a lot at once. Things weren’t going that great. We were so close to breaking up multiple times, we constantly fought over little shit. Nothing was stable, I was constantly at my parents again with chewie because we needed money again and because I needed to get away from him. It was becoming a lot. Things started to get a little better, we went to Disney again in November of 2018. It was a good get away for us and it was a good break from reality. School was hard again, I was in my senior year and approaching finals time. I only had to make it through one more semester and I’d be done and we would be able to save money and I’d get a career and it was so close to the finish line!! Well, I can tell you that plan didn’t follow through (the whole career right after college part) because on December 9th, 2018, we found out I was pregnant! We found out incredibly early, because chewie was getting so protective of me out of nowhere and he had never acted that way before. We took a test on the 9th, a day before my period was even supposed to start, and it came back positive! I felt like my whole life flipped upside down. It was everything I’ve ever wanted in life, but knowing I was actually about to be a mom was terrifying and I was so nervous and scared that all I could do was cry. We could barely support our dog, how were we gonna have a baby?! So, we told our parents we would take them up on an offer they had been throwing out for over a year since we had constantly been struggling, and we told them that once our lease was up in February that we would move back in with our parents. They didn’t know why then, but it became clear. We told my mom on Christmas Eve, when I was barely 7 weeks pregnant because I needed help figuring everything out and also because she kept trying to get me to drink with her and I had to decline which she was already suspicious about. We told my dad on Christmas Day. My brother we told the day between. Everyone was so happy for us! I was so relieved that they were so welcoming and so happy to bring a baby into our already crowded apartment. They were so supportive and loving, it still makes me emotional to think about. Both my grammas were in shock, my gramma from my moms side cried immediately because for some reason she already had an idea that I was pregnant or going to be pregnant soon because on Christmas she kept bringing up how it would be an amazing Christmas gift to become a great grandma when the time was right, and it was crazy to me and my mom how spot on she was, but she’s a loud mouth and couldn’t keep shit to herself so we wanted to tell her as close to the public announcement as possible LOL, but we told her about a week after Christmas because she wouldn’t let it go and my mom and I caved. She immediately thought it was a girl, and was so excited to be a great great grandma. My noni from my dads side was thrilled but wasn’t sure if she should be excited or upset at the news, my dad convinced her everything was going to be okay and she was reassured. It was easy telling me family. It was harder telling his. We were terrified. We held it off for about a month to tell them because Steve was extremely nervous on how they would react. We told them and they were very supportive! His family is very excited for the baby to be here and they’re very involved in baby shower planning and helping so much with everything we will need which I’m very happy about, seeing as me and his mom didn’t really get along for a long time. On January 29th we announced to the world we were expecting, so many people were shocked! I told my best friend before I even told my mom, right away like 3 days after I found out. She cried and was so excited. We told all our close friends before we announced and people were so excited and supportive. Everyone immediately jumped to help us with anything we needed and even started buying things for the baby, it was so heartwarming. On February 16th, after doing an at home blood test, we found out we were having a boy. I knew from the night we found out we were having a baby, I had a dream that I kept trying to dye my hair pink and it kept coming out blue. I’ve always wanted all girls so I knew he was meant to be a boy. We decided on the name Greyson Victor. A strong name, one that both our families loved. We set a woodland animal themed baby shower in place. I’m currently 31 weeks pregnant, he will be here so soon, and we can’t wait to have him in our arms. Our baby shower is in 2 weeks, I go on maternity leave from my jobs in 2 weeks, and things will become so real after that point. We had some fear about preeclampsia in the first trimester, with my blood pressure being incredibly high and my mom having had preeclampsia and toxemia with me, I was born at 28 weeks. So I was labeled high risk and saw my doctors frequently. After the second trimester began, all my health problems faded away. I was losing weight (which was good for me since I was overweight to begin with) blood pressure dropped to normal, passed my gestational diabetes test, no protein in my urine, baby is completely healthy with a strong heart beat, he has all his fingers and toes and is in perfect shape. He’s already getting ready for birth with his head down, and we’re ready whenever he is. Steve was incredibly nervous to be a dad. He didn’t want to fuck anything up, and he’s still nervous he will be bad at it. I try to tell him we learn as we go and we’ll learn together. Though we don’t live together anymore, Steve comes over almost every night. He will be here 24/7 when the baby is here. Chewie cannot wait to meet his baby brother. He’s constantly sniffing and kissing and laying his head on my belly. The pregnancy has been so easy for me, it only just recently got harder to deal with in the third trimester with constant back pain, acid reflux, inability to sleep and stay asleep, constant peeing, I can’t walk normally anymore, my whole body is sore constantly. But he kicks and flails and has hiccups every single day and whenever I’m reminded that he’s there it makes everything worth it. I love him so much. I can’t wait until he’s here. In more exciting news, in March my family and I are going down to Florida to look at houses! I’m going to apply to careers in Florida with my degree around November after the baby is here, and my family wants to move with us because they’re also done living in our state. It’s always been my dream to live in Florida and be close to Disney! All of our dreams are coming true and I can’t tell you how beautiful it is to see it all unfold. I’ve posted before about how life gets better and no one believes it does, especially when you’re really going through some hard shit. But I’m here as a living breathing example that life DOES get better. There was a point where I was so depressed and suicidal I never wanted to see another day again. I can’t believe I’m that same person. I was so doubtful I’d ever find the one, and yet here I am, engaged, pregnant with our son, and planning our wedding for fall of 2020. Were looking at houses in my dream state. I finished college in a field I’m passionate about and that I will use to find a job that I care about and that will help me make the impact on this planet that I’ve always wanted to make. I can’t be stopped. I’m on a roll. Im so incredibly happy with the twists and turns life has thrown at me to put me right where I am today. I only hope that you all experience this joy I’m feeling one day, because everyone deserves to be this happy.

[stiles-wtf]

5 Ideas to Manage Anxiety at a Multi-Dog Thanksgiving

The post 5 Ideas to Manage Anxiety at a Multi-Dog Thanksgiving by Heather Marcoux appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

In my family, the holiday season means lots of food, lots of grocery-store runs, and lots of dogs underfoot. For the last several years, we have celebrated the holidays at my sister’s place. She has two little dogs, a yappy (but adorable) old Bichon and a cranky (but adorable) old Shih Tzu. Since my parents live about six hours north of the city we three kids are in, they bring along their two senior dogs. A couple of years ago, my brother got himself a pair of Miniature Schnauzer puppies, which increased the holiday guest list to six dogs, eight adults, and one human child — a multi-dog Thanksgiving.

My husband and I were the only ones who weren’t bringing a dog to holiday get-togethers, but that changed in October when our rescue Lab-mix GhostBuster attended his first (Canadian) Thanksgiving dinner.

There were already four smaller dogs (including one who is blind and another who is deaf) crowding into my sister’s kitchen when GhostBuster arrived, but somehow our Dogsgiving wasn’t really that chaotic.

I’m pretty sure I was more stressed out than all of the dogs combined. Here are five tips — based on our recent experience — for keeping calm with an extended family of dogs under the table.

1. Don’t panic (like I did)

Attending a Thanksgiving celebration with other dogs? Here’s how to make it an enjoyable experience for all involved. Photography ©Voren1 | Thinkstock.

I hadn’t planned for GhostBuster to join us for Thanksgiving dinner. I didn’t know if my brother would be bringing his two dogs, and I figured that if he was, seven dogs would just be too many to have at my sister’s house (thankfully, my brother’s pups did not attend this year).

It was my husband who insisted on bringing GhostBuster (after I called him once there and asked if he would ever be making an appearance). I was nervous as I waited for them to walk the five blocks between our place and my sister’s, and when I looked out the living room window and saw the pair coming up the driveway, I felt my muscles tighten with anxiety. I wasn’t afraid that GhostBuster would behave badly, I was just afraid that I would feel like we were imposing — and I let my anxiety get the best of me.

2. Decide: All dogs inside or all dogs outside?

I was reluctant to add to the chaos already happening in the house, and as a result I wasn’t being fair to my dog or my husband. When my guys first arrived, I put poor GhostBuster in the backyard until we could figure out how to integrate our ungainly Lab mix into the crowded kitchen without him moving about like a bull in a china shop.

GhostBuster is never left outside on his own at home, so he was quickly doing his World’s Saddest Dog act. I knew I wasn’t being fair, and my husband encouraged me to either bring GhostBuster inside or let the other dogs out. We proceeded with an indoor meet-and-greet before a group pee break.

3. Introduce your dog to new dogs with caution

GhostBuster knows my sister’s dogs pretty well. They’ve gone for lots of walks together and hung out in the backyard a bunch of times. My parents’ dogs, on the other hand, didn’t know GhostBuster at all — and since Pagan the Jack Russell Terrier has been known to start scraps with my siblings’ dogs, a slow and steady introduction was needed.

When we first brought GhostBuster into the kitchen, I stood right beside him while the other dogs all circled around my feet. To Carlos and Sophie, he was old news, but Pagan and her BFF Rags were leery of this new giant before them.

My mom kept a close eye on her little Pagan as the five dogs sniffed around each other. GhostBuster was not a hit with Pagan, who growled at him — twice. My mom and I calmly separated the two, but didn’t move them very far from each other. It was obvious that Pagan was intimidated by GhostBuster, so we just kept him at a distance by until she got used to him.

By the time the humans were moving on to pumpkin pie, Pagan had begrudgingly accepted GhostBuster as a fellow member of this temporary Thanksgiving pack.

4. Don’t be a helicopter pet parent

When the turkey came out of the oven, the dogs were all very excited to do a little (safe!) taste testing of the Thanksgiving treats, and they congregated in the kitchen to get their collective beg on. My mom was giving each of the dogs a little bit of turkey, but when she got to GhostBuster, I butted in.

“It’s better if you hold it flat in your hand instead of dropping it,” I told her.

I knew I was being ridiculous, but GhostBuster’s (one and only) biting episode was still fresh in my mind, so I also tried to school my dad on the best way to deliver treats.

“Stop hovering!” my husband scolded me. “They’ve given treats to dogs before! He’s fine.”

My husband was right. My parents have probably delivered hundreds of thousands of treats and table scraps into the mouths of many dogs in their lifetimes, and GhostBuster was being a perfect gentleman, sitting and waiting for these nice people to feed him.

Once I backed off a bit and stopped trying to control every interaction, GhostBuster was able to relax and enjoy the holiday a little more.

5. Know when to call it a night

Just like holidays are stressful and overwhelming for some people (obviously, myself included), they can be overwhelming for dogs.

My husband and I were very, very proud of GhostBuster for how well he did for his first multi-dog Thanksgiving. We left Thanksgiving dinner rather early and took him on a nice, relaxing evening walk to calm down from the hectic holiday.

Tell us: How do you handle a multi-dog Thanksgiving? What are your tips and tricks?

This piece was originally published in 2017.

Thumbnail: Photography ©Liliya Kulianionak | Thinkstock.

Read more about dogs and the holidays on Dogster.com:

Is Your Dog Embarrassing in Front of Guests? Expert Advice

5 Dog Breeds That Are Good with Holiday Guests

How to Keep Your Dog Happy and Safe During Your Holiday Party

About the Author: Heather Marcoux is a freelance writer in Alberta, Canada. Her beloved Ghost Cat was once her only animal, but Specter the kitten and GhostBuster the dog make her fur family complete. Heather is also a wife, a bad cook, and a former TV journalist. Some of her friends have hidden her feed because of an excess of cat pictures. If you don’t mind cat pictures, you can follow her on Twitter; she also posts pet GIFs on Google+.

The post 5 Ideas to Manage Anxiety at a Multi-Dog Thanksgiving by Heather Marcoux appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

[daddyslittlejuliet]

5 Ideas to Manage Anxiety at a Multi-Dog Thanksgiving

The post 5 Ideas to Manage Anxiety at a Multi-Dog Thanksgiving by Heather Marcoux appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

In my family, the holiday season means lots of food, lots of grocery-store runs, and lots of dogs underfoot. For the last several years, we have celebrated the holidays at my sister’s place. She has two little dogs, a yappy (but adorable) old Bichon and a cranky (but adorable) old Shih Tzu. Since my parents live about six hours north of the city we three kids are in, they bring along their two senior dogs. A couple of years ago, my brother got himself a pair of Miniature Schnauzer puppies, which increased the holiday guest list to six dogs, eight adults, and one human child — a multi-dog Thanksgiving.

My husband and I were the only ones who weren’t bringing a dog to holiday get-togethers, but that changed in October when our rescue Lab-mix GhostBuster attended his first (Canadian) Thanksgiving dinner.

There were already four smaller dogs (including one who is blind and another who is deaf) crowding into my sister’s kitchen when GhostBuster arrived, but somehow our Dogsgiving wasn’t really that chaotic.

I’m pretty sure I was more stressed out than all of the dogs combined. Here are five tips — based on our recent experience — for keeping calm with an extended family of dogs under the table.

1. Don’t panic (like I did)

Attending a Thanksgiving celebration with other dogs? Here’s how to make it an enjoyable experience for all involved. Photography ©Voren1 | Thinkstock.

I hadn’t planned for GhostBuster to join us for Thanksgiving dinner. I didn’t know if my brother would be bringing his two dogs, and I figured that if he was, seven dogs would just be too many to have at my sister’s house (thankfully, my brother’s pups did not attend this year).

It was my husband who insisted on bringing GhostBuster (after I called him once there and asked if he would ever be making an appearance). I was nervous as I waited for them to walk the five blocks between our place and my sister’s, and when I looked out the living room window and saw the pair coming up the driveway, I felt my muscles tighten with anxiety. I wasn’t afraid that GhostBuster would behave badly, I was just afraid that I would feel like we were imposing — and I let my anxiety get the best of me.

2. Decide: All dogs inside or all dogs outside?

I was reluctant to add to the chaos already happening in the house, and as a result I wasn’t being fair to my dog or my husband. When my guys first arrived, I put poor GhostBuster in the backyard until we could figure out how to integrate our ungainly Lab mix into the crowded kitchen without him moving about like a bull in a china shop.

GhostBuster is never left outside on his own at home, so he was quickly doing his World’s Saddest Dog act. I knew I wasn’t being fair, and my husband encouraged me to either bring GhostBuster inside or let the other dogs out. We proceeded with an indoor meet-and-greet before a group pee break.

3. Introduce your dog to new dogs with caution

GhostBuster knows my sister’s dogs pretty well. They’ve gone for lots of walks together and hung out in the backyard a bunch of times. My parents’ dogs, on the other hand, didn’t know GhostBuster at all — and since Pagan the Jack Russell Terrier has been known to start scraps with my siblings’ dogs, a slow and steady introduction was needed.

When we first brought GhostBuster into the kitchen, I stood right beside him while the other dogs all circled around my feet. To Carlos and Sophie, he was old news, but Pagan and her BFF Rags were leery of this new giant before them.

My mom kept a close eye on her little Pagan as the five dogs sniffed around each other. GhostBuster was not a hit with Pagan, who growled at him — twice. My mom and I calmly separated the two, but didn’t move them very far from each other. It was obvious that Pagan was intimidated by GhostBuster, so we just kept him at a distance by until she got used to him.

By the time the humans were moving on to pumpkin pie, Pagan had begrudgingly accepted GhostBuster as a fellow member of this temporary Thanksgiving pack.

4. Don’t be a helicopter pet parent

When the turkey came out of the oven, the dogs were all very excited to do a little (safe!) taste testing of the Thanksgiving treats, and they congregated in the kitchen to get their collective beg on. My mom was giving each of the dogs a little bit of turkey, but when she got to GhostBuster, I butted in.

“It’s better if you hold it flat in your hand instead of dropping it,” I told her.

I knew I was being ridiculous, but GhostBuster’s (one and only) biting episode was still fresh in my mind, so I also tried to school my dad on the best way to deliver treats.

“Stop hovering!” my husband scolded me. “They’ve given treats to dogs before! He’s fine.”

My husband was right. My parents have probably delivered hundreds of thousands of treats and table scraps into the mouths of many dogs in their lifetimes, and GhostBuster was being a perfect gentleman, sitting and waiting for these nice people to feed him.

Once I backed off a bit and stopped trying to control every interaction, GhostBuster was able to relax and enjoy the holiday a little more.

5. Know when to call it a night

Just like holidays are stressful and overwhelming for some people (obviously, myself included), they can be overwhelming for dogs.

My husband and I were very, very proud of GhostBuster for how well he did for his first multi-dog Thanksgiving. We left Thanksgiving dinner rather early and took him on a nice, relaxing evening walk to calm down from the hectic holiday.

Tell us: How do you handle a multi-dog Thanksgiving? What are your tips and tricks?

This piece was originally published in 2017.

Thumbnail: Photography ©Liliya Kulianionak | Thinkstock.

Read more about dogs and the holidays on Dogster.com:

Is Your Dog Embarrassing in Front of Guests? Expert Advice

5 Dog Breeds That Are Good with Holiday Guests

How to Keep Your Dog Happy and Safe During Your Holiday Party

About the Author: Heather Marcoux is a freelance writer in Alberta, Canada. Her beloved Ghost Cat was once her only animal, but Specter the kitten and GhostBuster the dog make her fur family complete. Heather is also a wife, a bad cook, and a former TV journalist. Some of her friends have hidden her feed because of an excess of cat pictures. If you don’t mind cat pictures, you can follow her on Twitter; she also posts pet GIFs on Google+.

The post 5 Ideas to Manage Anxiety at a Multi-Dog Thanksgiving by Heather Marcoux appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

[jeffreyrwelch]

5 Ideas to Manage Anxiety at a Multi-Dog Thanksgiving

The post 5 Ideas to Manage Anxiety at a Multi-Dog Thanksgiving by Heather Marcoux appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

In my family, the holiday season means lots of food, lots of grocery-store runs, and lots of dogs underfoot. For the last several years, we have celebrated the holidays at my sister’s place. She has two little dogs, a yappy (but adorable) old Bichon and a cranky (but adorable) old Shih Tzu. Since my parents live about six hours north of the city we three kids are in, they bring along their two senior dogs. A couple of years ago, my brother got himself a pair of Miniature Schnauzer puppies, which increased the holiday guest list to six dogs, eight adults, and one human child — a multi-dog Thanksgiving.

My husband and I were the only ones who weren’t bringing a dog to holiday get-togethers, but that changed in October when our rescue Lab-mix GhostBuster attended his first (Canadian) Thanksgiving dinner.

There were already four smaller dogs (including one who is blind and another who is deaf) crowding into my sister’s kitchen when GhostBuster arrived, but somehow our Dogsgiving wasn’t really that chaotic.

I’m pretty sure I was more stressed out than all of the dogs combined. Here are five tips — based on our recent experience — for keeping calm with an extended family of dogs under the table.

1. Don’t panic (like I did)

Attending a Thanksgiving celebration with other dogs? Here’s how to make it an enjoyable experience for all involved. Photography ©Voren1 | Thinkstock.

I hadn’t planned for GhostBuster to join us for Thanksgiving dinner. I didn’t know if my brother would be bringing his two dogs, and I figured that if he was, seven dogs would just be too many to have at my sister’s house (thankfully, my brother’s pups did not attend this year).

It was my husband who insisted on bringing GhostBuster (after I called him once there and asked if he would ever be making an appearance). I was nervous as I waited for them to walk the five blocks between our place and my sister’s, and when I looked out the living room window and saw the pair coming up the driveway, I felt my muscles tighten with anxiety. I wasn’t afraid that GhostBuster would behave badly, I was just afraid that I would feel like we were imposing — and I let my anxiety get the best of me.

2. Decide: All dogs inside or all dogs outside?

I was reluctant to add to the chaos already happening in the house, and as a result I wasn’t being fair to my dog or my husband. When my guys first arrived, I put poor GhostBuster in the backyard until we could figure out how to integrate our ungainly Lab mix into the crowded kitchen without him moving about like a bull in a china shop.

GhostBuster is never left outside on his own at home, so he was quickly doing his World’s Saddest Dog act. I knew I wasn’t being fair, and my husband encouraged me to either bring GhostBuster inside or let the other dogs out. We proceeded with an indoor meet-and-greet before a group pee break.

3. Introduce your dog to new dogs with caution

GhostBuster knows my sister’s dogs pretty well. They’ve gone for lots of walks together and hung out in the backyard a bunch of times. My parents’ dogs, on the other hand, didn’t know GhostBuster at all — and since Pagan the Jack Russell Terrier has been known to start scraps with my siblings’ dogs, a slow and steady introduction was needed.

When we first brought GhostBuster into the kitchen, I stood right beside him while the other dogs all circled around my feet. To Carlos and Sophie, he was old news, but Pagan and her BFF Rags were leery of this new giant before them.

My mom kept a close eye on her little Pagan as the five dogs sniffed around each other. GhostBuster was not a hit with Pagan, who growled at him — twice. My mom and I calmly separated the two, but didn’t move them very far from each other. It was obvious that Pagan was intimidated by GhostBuster, so we just kept him at a distance by until she got used to him.

By the time the humans were moving on to pumpkin pie, Pagan had begrudgingly accepted GhostBuster as a fellow member of this temporary Thanksgiving pack.

4. Don’t be a helicopter pet parent

When the turkey came out of the oven, the dogs were all very excited to do a little (safe!) taste testing of the Thanksgiving treats, and they congregated in the kitchen to get their collective beg on. My mom was giving each of the dogs a little bit of turkey, but when she got to GhostBuster, I butted in.

“It’s better if you hold it flat in your hand instead of dropping it,” I told her.

I knew I was being ridiculous, but GhostBuster’s (one and only) biting episode was still fresh in my mind, so I also tried to school my dad on the best way to deliver treats.

“Stop hovering!” my husband scolded me. “They’ve given treats to dogs before! He’s fine.”

My husband was right. My parents have probably delivered hundreds of thousands of treats and table scraps into the mouths of many dogs in their lifetimes, and GhostBuster was being a perfect gentleman, sitting and waiting for these nice people to feed him.

Once I backed off a bit and stopped trying to control every interaction, GhostBuster was able to relax and enjoy the holiday a little more.

5. Know when to call it a night

Just like holidays are stressful and overwhelming for some people (obviously, myself included), they can be overwhelming for dogs.

My husband and I were very, very proud of GhostBuster for how well he did for his first multi-dog Thanksgiving. We left Thanksgiving dinner rather early and took him on a nice, relaxing evening walk to calm down from the hectic holiday.

Tell us: How do you handle a multi-dog Thanksgiving? What are your tips and tricks?

This piece was originally published in 2017.

Thumbnail: Photography ©Liliya Kulianionak | Thinkstock.

Read more about dogs and the holidays on Dogster.com:

Is Your Dog Embarrassing in Front of Guests? Expert Advice

5 Dog Breeds That Are Good with Holiday Guests

How to Keep Your Dog Happy and Safe During Your Holiday Party

About the Author: Heather Marcoux is a freelance writer in Alberta, Canada. Her beloved Ghost Cat was once her only animal, but Specter the kitten and GhostBuster the dog make her fur family complete. Heather is also a wife, a bad cook, and a former TV journalist. Some of her friends have hidden her feed because of an excess of cat pictures. If you don’t mind cat pictures, you can follow her on Twitter; she also posts pet GIFs on Google+.

The post 5 Ideas to Manage Anxiety at a Multi-Dog Thanksgiving by Heather Marcoux appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

[shariandwalt]

Mexico!

Please forgive my hiatus but moving back into our home in Durango and getting reestablishes with routines, reconnected with family and friends, and reinvested in our community has been a full time gig. That being said, I felt the need to wrap up our Latin American Adventure blog, so here goes.

A change of plans routed us through Mexico for our last 2 months, and I’m so glad it did! Mexico is just easy. It is easy to get around, easy to find amazing food, easy to communicate, easy in its familiar North American style. Our entire time was spent in the state of Jalisco with the exception of a short visit in Nayarit on a couple of occasions.

We spent our first week in Guadalajara, a big city that turned out to be easily maneuvered on foot, by city bike rental, or by Uber. Guadalajara had enough to offer that we even returned with Tori to show her around. We immersed ourselves in art here spending time going to see murals by the famous Orozco, strolling the enormous indoor mercado filled with artisan wares, and enjoying the artistic streets that had much to offer in the way of architecture, murals, and sculptures. Guadalajara is also known for its restaurants so we weren’t shy about exploring food here either. Delicioso!!!  We also took a day trip tour to the town of Tequila (the drink was named after the town, and the town was named after the volcano). We toured a couple of distilleries, ate unique Mexican food from the different states in Mexico, and fell in love with tequila (the drink and the town) enough to return a couple more times with guests.  

The next month was spent in Puerto Vallarta. We found that there are a couple of luxury bus lines in Mexico that make long distance travel a dream so we took advantage of this comfortable and affordable service several times. PV was terrific! We took advantage of the well-established expat lifestyle that was at our fingertips: amazing restaurants, Uber, easy to ride and manage local buses, beaches, night clubs and shows, Costco, Sam’s Club, and cool little towns nearby to explore. We went to a show featuring Donny Most (Ralph Malph from Happy Days). What a crooner! His voice was a blend of Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darren, Dean Martin… And a super sweet guy to boot!

Walt took a week of Spanish classes while we were here which opened up a field trip for us to the town of San Sebastián where we visited the San Sebastián Tequila distillery, a small family owned coffee farm, and a super charming mountain town. Muy tranquilo! The entire day was spoken in Spanish. It turned out to be very stimulating, challenging, and mind blowing! We have come a long was since leaving for this adventure last October with the purpose of learning Spanish a top priority.  

Our last month was spend in the town of Ajijic, a charming area full of Mexicans and expats along Lake Chapala, the largest lake in Mexico. We got to share this part of our journey with Tori. We took her to the town of Mezcala where we boated to Isla De Mezcala, an island where the indigenous population survived a siege in the 19th century  by the colonial government for 4 years and won their rite to autonomy and where 55 families maintain that autonomy today by telling the government how the tourist industry should be run on the island. She also got to go to Tequila where she and her dad took part in a tequila tasting at a unique tequila tasting room. (That’s a lot of “tequila”!)  

A funny thing happened on the malacon! Walt and I were on one of our morning walks when we looked up to find Jack and Laurie Kloepfer heading our way. Jack and Laurie are friends from Durango who just so happen to have a place of their own in Mexico. They were in Ajijic on a house swap. We got to get caught up over dinner and we made plans to go see them in their town of Rincon de Guyabitos.

We were also excited to welcome our next set of guests, Cori and Louie Poitry. We explored Tequila with them too, taking them to Heradura, a different distillery than we had been to before that had more of a hacienda style flair to it. We also experienced Samana Santa (All Saints Week) and the dramatic reenactment of the crucifixion on the streets of San Antonio. Later we caught a local bus to the town of Chapala and mingled with the masses, many Mexican families celebrating Easter along the malacon. The Latin people really know how to celebrate holidays and family in a big way!

Ajijic has a lot to offer so we took advantage of it – good restaurants, wine tasting at the Lake Chapala Society (an organization for expats), nearby towns to explore, long walks on cobblestone streets, live music and dancing at local venues… But we had more exploring to do so we caught a bus for Rincon de Guyabitos to see how Jack and Laurie spend their time. After a comfortable 3 ½ hour bus ride from Guadalajara, we arrived in the delightful Mexican beach town of Rincon de Guyabitos. Lauri and Jack were fantastic hosts. They introduced us to their family and friends, local restaurants, and the local realtor. One thing led to another and we are now the proud and excited owners of a condominium in this charming location. This is the type of investment that is meant to share when it isn’t rented out so let’s get together for some fun!

This is my final blog. If you’ve read this far, I am grateful for the time you took our of your day to follow our adventures. It is wonderful to be back in Durango catching up with family and friends that we missed so much. We even have a new pup in our lives, Pearl (AKA Mini Pearl, Perlita, Pearly Shells...), a rescue Bichon Frise out of Phoenix. Life is grand!!!

Aloha!

[moys16]

Cavachon Puppies: Things To Know Before Buying One

By Walter Patterson

Looking for a new puppy is always an exciting moment for the family. There are lots of things to learn about different breeds before getting one that will be a right fit for your home environment. If you are interested in Cavachon puppies, here is some crucial information to look at beforehand. One key thing to bear in mind is that unlike other breeds, cavachons are classified as crossbreeds. The breed is a cross between the Bichon Frise and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. In general, it is rated as a designer dog. It is reputed for its sweet temper, a positive trait for a home environment blessed with kids. As a result of the crossbreeding aspect, it is difficult to put together a breed standard that is authoritative. Nevertheless, there is some basic information on temperament and general characteristics that you can look at. This information is what you should ultimately use to make an informed decision when purchasing. To begin with, the small size of the breed is the first thing you will notice about it. This particular trait makes the dog a good option for an individual who lives in an apartment or a small home. It is also recommended for one who likes to head outdoors regularly in a recreational vehicle. An adult dog may have a height of 12 or 13 inches. A close examination of their coats reveals that they are soft and silky. There are three main color standards for the breed. These are white, a mixture of black, white or tan and white and apricot. White cavachons are the most sought by buyers. Cavachons are not recommended for use as guard dogs. This is because they are not aggressive. They are known to be gentle, tolerant and harbor a need for affection. For this reason, you might want to buy one if you have children and if there are other pets in your household. Like other dogs, they tend to be largely energetic. However, they do not like being hyperactive like popular breeds such as German Shepherds. A little exercise every day should be enough for them to make up for their high energy levels. Most people like to walk them around or engage them in a game of catch. Kids often love to have cavachons around them as they bond easily and are incredibly cute. Many of them eventually end up getting attached to their pets in their formative years. Studies indicate that cavachons love attention and companionship. They are the ultimate pet companions for kids growing up without siblings or friends to play with. Puppies typically weigh four or five pounds. During their developmental stages, they ought to be handled carefully. Be sure to give yours a safe place to sleep and feed it on a schedule. When young, they adapt to training very easily. Ensure you maintain consistency during training so as to make your puppy know how to follow instructions. Health is one factor you should scrutinize. Check its nose, gums, eyes, inner ears, coat, tail, anal region and behavior. Thereafter, keep it clean by following a strict grooming schedule.

About the Author:

Get an overview of important things to keep in mind when purchasing Cavachon puppies and more information about an experienced dog breeder at https://ift.tt/1eROWMg now.

Cavachon Puppies: Things To Know Before Buying One via best4dogs https://ift.tt/2ri4jKV

[socielengagementactsc-blog]

Day One, 6th of April

It was a friday afternoon, we started off our program for the first day later in the day, right after the kids at Shelter Home 1 came back from school.

We first gathered at Dataran Sains, Faculty Science. After the muslims have performed their Zohor prayers, we head straight to Shelter Home 1 by Uber, which was roughly 10 minutes away from University Malaya. It was such a hot day but our team was excited and anxious to meet the kids! We arrived there aat 2:15pm where we were greeted by the PIC, Aunty Agnes. The kids came running to us. I remember Christyn and Susan approached me and bombarded me with questions, they were so adorable!

We started off our day with doing some ice breaking, asked for everyone’s ages and names! They were around 16 of them ages between 6 to 12 years old. We proceeded with a few games. The first game was Simon says, then charade! They even taught us a few of their favourite games to play, one of them is my sign and your sign! It was amazing seeing 8 years old teaching 20 years old a game! At 3 o’clock, it was time for their study hours, so we head to the study place, each one of us assigned ourself to a kid, we helped them out with their homework and reading!

After they had their tea time at 5, we continued with games! The kids were very excited to get sweets. So, we played killer and police! Although we cant seem to figure out who is the winner, we had fun! 

We took a break from 6-7, the kids have to shower and we had to perform maghrib prayer, so we walked to the nearby masjid which is around 10 minutes walking distance. When we came back at 7, it was their study hour so we helped them with homework and study! 

REFLECTION

On 6/4/18, we have our ice breaking session with the children from here we get to know everyone. We have our very first game call Simon say. This game is to test the alert of the children. Some of the children are very focus and alert but some are slow in response. There is a problem we face. There is a few kids that don’t give much interest in the game because they played before this. However, we managed to make this game a success. From this activity, it has remind me about my childhood time, where I use to play in school. I have also learned that we must have leadership when conducting this game in order for them to pay attention to it to avoid kids that don’t listen to us. Next, we even teach them in their homework during their homework time. From here, I learn that we must be patience during teaching and they pretty like the way I taught them. Overall, I feel happy because I managed to deliver something to the kids. I’m looking forward to meet them next time.

- Kelly Ng Zhi Wei, SIQ170008 -

On the first day(6 April), the kids were too hyperactive. Some of the initial tentative also needed to be changed on the day. We all needed to think fast to come out with a new activity for the kids.

- Noraqilah Zainudin, SIQ170022 -

On this day, we went to the shelter home for the first time. It was a lot of fun to me. I was really excited to meet and to get to know each and everyone of the children ranging from 6 to 12 years old during the ice-breaking session.

- Nurhanani binti Abdul Rapa, SIQ170026 -

My first day there, we were having ice breaking to get know the kids. We played childhood games such as ABC and  Simon says. For the evening activity,  we played game “Guess the drawing”. But we asked the kids to guess the animals instead of drawing. It such a funny session because the facilitator imitate an animals and no one could guess the animal because it such a weird posture! On 7.30p.m, the kids seemed a bit tired and not hyperactive anymore. Same goes to the facilitators. We were out of energy. So, we taught them educational subjects and help them to finish their homework. What I realised about the kids, they are not good in Bahasa Malaysia. We sometimes do quiz ‘peribahasa’ with the kids to improve their knowledge.

- Puteri Saffawani Mohd Yunus, SIQ170028 -

I have never thought doing volunteering work would be so meaningful until I have my very first experience helping out at the Shelter Home 1. When we arrived there on the first day, I was very nervous because all of them are non-Malay and I did not know how to communicate efficiently with them because they use English as their first language. It supposed to be 16 kids there but only around 12 kids came and greeted us,  maybe because some of them were shy. Some of the kids were very friendly that they talked to us first. But there were also some kids that are hard to approach, they always sat at the corner and very quiet during the activity. I thought that maybe they are still shy with us because it was the first time we meet each other. For ice breaking, we do introduction and simple games such as ‘Hello and Hi’.  We introduced ourselves to the kids and we learnt the kids name. it was very hard for me to remember all the kids’ names because I was bad at memorising names. For the evening and night, we had tutoring activity with them.  Through this activity, I learnt about their level of education in certain subject. Most of them are excellent in studies, especially in English. That day, I learnt how to approach and communicate with kids.

- Nurul Syuhada binti Awang Da, SIQ170027 -

On 6th April 2018, the children were hardly listen to our instruction and they were not paying attention. Some were not participated to play games. A boy Nickson started to become closer to me after we study the ‘peribahasa’

- Muhammad Faiz Hilmy Bin Hazam, SIQ170017 -

When I went to the orphanage the very first day on 6 April 2018(Friday), I was quite nervous as I was not really familiar to communicate with the orphans there . I was worried whether I can communicate well with them and make them feel at ease. I was going Shelter Home 1 that day. The person in charge of our project had helped us a lot by giving us the schedule of the children on every Friday and Saturday and of course letting us know the exact location of the orphanage. The manager there are kind and friendly to us and of course to the orphans too. She allowed us to launched our activities such as the ‘ice-breaking session’ and ‘The killer’ without any worries . There are two or three helpers with the manager to control the orphans during the activities as some of them were quite naughty and rebellious . After the game , we guided the orphans to their dinner and bath time and of course the sleep time. The orphans are living comfortably there, which are really glad to see. I got the chances to talk with the orphans, knowing them and show caring to them. They will share their experiences and stories with me, some are sad while some are happy. Hope they are healthy now.

- Lee Zhijie, SIQ170010 -

I went for a total of 5 days out of the given 7. First of all, I go to the 1st ,2nd ,4th,6th and 7th and during the first day, I got a bit overwhelmed by the kids there. Without much experience dealing with children, I find it hard to engage them socially. During that day, the kids are also especially active and that not helping much. Luckily I got to know a boy there especially well and we also played some game where one of it we took turn guessing the meaning of ‘peribahasa’.

- Muhd Nazman bin Nazrun, SIQ170020 -

During this programmed, I learned to recognize the personality of a multiracial person. On the first day 6th April, at Shelter Home, I also learn to think quickly and prepare something in advance. For example, children at Shelter Home are very naughty and most of the activities are difficult to follow by them and this requires us to think the other ideas or activities on that day.

- Mohd Afiq Irfan bin Mohammed, SIQ170016 -

It was my first day here. I never conduct an activities or even engaged with these children. I was really nervous but excited at the same time. When we arrived there, first thing we do is to gather all children and sit in a circle with them. The ice breaking session starts. We introduced ourselves as well as the children. But it was kind of noisy because the children was a bit hyperactive. We didn’t expect them to be so active and we it was tough to control them. After that, we had a tutoring session where we helped them with their homeworks and also answers any subject related questions that they asked. All in all, it was a great and tiring day. It was hard to control them but I believed as time flies, we will get to know each other even more and be more comfortable around each other.

- Nur Adriana binti Che Johari, SIQ170023

I was one of the members that was involved on the first day of our project, I remember significantly how anxious everyone was to meet the kids. When I first entered the house, 2 kids, Susanne and Christyn immediately approached me and asked for my name. I was starstrucked at how adorable and friendly they were. They welcomed us to their house with open arms and I was touched. We started our day with ice breaking, for us to get to know each of them and vice versa. What I learned for that day was that each of them has different personalities and passion. We played a few games and afterwards we helped them with their homework. They were some of them that needed more attention than others and there were also some of them that managed to complete their tasks and homework easily. We also had bonding session in which we just talk to them and listen to their stories. They enjoyed the attention and we were happy to listen.

-Jasmine Faiqah, SIQ170007

Today is the day of our first social engagement session. We arrived Shelter Home at 2.00 pm by taking Uber. To our surprise, we saw a white Bichon barking in the porch. As a Muslim, I was in shocked and reluctant to enter the house because I doubted whether we can enter a house that keep a dog in it or not. One of my group member, phone her Ustaz to clarify things. Fortunately, there is no harm for a Muslim to enter a house that keeps a dog as long as there is no direct contact with it so I guess this is a good start because at least I gain new knowledge from this project..

As I take my first step into the house, I can see that the kids were hyperactive and excited to see us and they welcome us with open arms. We embark our social engagement with ice-breaking session. As day goes by, occupied with various activities in our schedule, I can see that I am slowly getting along with the kids and it is not as bad as I expected. We did a lot of fun activities like Simon Says, and Guess the Animal. Those activities were indeed, a fun and beneficial activities because they test our alertness and how to deliver information in a correct way so that other people will find it is easy to understand. These activites really loosen up as I enjoy them so much.

- Arifah binti Mohd Noordin, SIQ170001

Jasmine Faiqah Kamarul, SIQ170007