My Friend Brandy

This is my friend Brandy - sitting in her backyard, waiting patiently for me to put away the camera, come down off the deck and join her! :<}

I will be going out to stay with Brandy again this Saturday for a few days. I love that dog and she loves me! She is so funny, when she sees me she starts to bark, whine, yelp, jump around, fall down, etc. - absolute chaos. I just laugh every time. She sometimes gets in trouble for 'being so crazy' but I say, don't get angry at her, she loves me! :<} It is a great feeling to see such joy in someone's greeting. :<} The entire neighborhood can hear her and it sounds like she is in dire distress but they know that she does that when I come to the house, so when it happens and they know the owners are not home, no one calls the police. :<} She does this every time - even when I am staying with her and leave to run an errand or go to an appointment - when I return to the house it is the same happy chaos. :<}

One of my favorite memories of Brandy was the time I brought a friend out to their house and as we walked around to the back of the house where Brandy and my friends were, she saw my friend first. She had not seen her before, so she barked a 'who are you' greeting, but then wagged her tail and said hello. Then she saw me. She fell down, jumped around, barked, whined, yelped - the whole scenerio. It was wonderful! I smile even now when I remember.

I always look forward to spending time with her. She is a Border Collie and a beautiful dog. They live out in the country and have a huge yard and a deck and flowers and bird feeders. I love the peace and quiet there. I live in a very small apartment in the city and being in a house again, with windows all around and space and a large kitchen to cook in and doors to walk directly outside - just being in rooms to walk around in - it's great. Plus, they have a basement in case of storms! :<

Brandy and I have our little routines - we go outside to put birdfeed in the feeders in the front of the house and the one up the hill in the back yard, water and care for the flowers, clean and change the water in the bird bath, put fresh drinking water for her outside, get the mail from the mail box, etc. We sit on the deck or on the front step of the porch, we take a 'tour' of the back yard, we watch TV. Sometimes we take a rest if I am feeling ill - me on the couch reading a library book, she on the floor next to the couch - laying between the coffe table and the couch.

When I am working on my projects she usually sleeps by my feet and if I make a move that may seem like I am getting off the stool to take a break, she is at the patio door, wagging her tail, excited, ready for a trip outside - as if to say "It's about time!" She is getting older now and time I spend with her is very dear to me. She is a very happy and affectionate dog and loves to be petted and given attention. Sometimes we sit on the floor and have 'conversations' and she looks at me with those beautiful eyes and I think how lucky I am to have this dog's affection.

When I sit down to watch TV, or read, she is right beside me in a flash - from wherever she has been sleeping - and will lay beside the chair while I pet her as long as I continue. To me, that is bliss. To sit in the chair, with my feet on a footstool, the blinds on the picture windows drawn back so I can see the birds at the birdfeeders, the sun shining in and my hand on the head of the dog at my side. Pure bliss. And at night she is always either by the bed or in the doorway to the bedroom - safely watched over by my friend Brandy. I simply love her.

Thanks for stopping by today! I will be back again tomorrow with some more new birdhouses to show you.

Take care. Wishing you a great day today!

Barbara Diane