olive loves: blogging about puppies to make up for lack of blog posts

Since I haven't blogged in nearly two weeks, I decided to play the puppy card.  I have been home in Cincinnati visiting my family, for my mother's birthday, and since I am lacking blog inspiration, I can only think to blog about my dog.  Many weeks, a striped rug, or a piece of vintage Pyrex can make my day; but this week, having returned to Providence, and being quite homesick, it is Lilie who I am thinking about the most.  And it is she who is the topic of this blog.

Meet my family's dog, Liliequist of the Berkshires, Lilie for short.  This photo was taken at my cousins' house in Connecticut during Thanksgiving 2007.  Lilie was just over 6 weeks old when we decided to surprise my parents with a puppy on this vacation. 

My dad: elated, my mom: not happy about forthcoming dog hair. 

My sister Jocelyn purchased Lilie in the Berkshire Mountain Region of Williamstown, Massachusetts, where she then lived and worked.  After the death of our Spring Spaniel, Stephanie, our family went two years dog free.  This was a strategic move; Stephanie was perhaps the dumbest (and cutest) dog you've ever met, and the idea of having another similarly behaved dog was not something to look forward to.  But after two years, something just didn't feel right.  Family walks were beginning to dwindle, and something needed to be done.  So we decided to give Lilie to my dad as a late birthday present.  She has since been the focus of our family's attention for three years.  And for a good reason.  She gets the paper every morning.  She retrieves her leash when she wants to go on a walk.  She doesn't bark at passing dogs.  She can recognized a USPS employee even outside of her own neighborhood, or state, and will approach said USPS worker to retrieve a treat.  Her list of tricks goes on and on.   And while I am always impressed with her intelligence, I am most fond of her loyalty and gentleness.  She is one of my best friends, she always greets me kindly, and is always sad to see me go.  So, for lack of a better post, I leave you with some photos of my American Lab, Lilie.

Lilie and Jocelyn playing frisbee on Washington and Lee Campus (Athletic Fields, Summer 2008).  Photo taken by Susie Keller.

 Lilie in Harbor Springs, Michigan, Summer 2008.  Photo taken by Susie Keller.

Lilie and her best Friend, Ralph, Winter 2009, Cincinnati, Ohio.  Photo taken by Susie Keller.

So, there you have it, I have used my puppy card, and I will now continue to blog regularly.  And since I mentioned Vintage Pyrex earlier in the post, I should let you know that I have acquired a rather special lemonade pitcher...to be blogged about in the near future when I can borrow my Lumix from work.

Missing my best friend, who just so happens to be my dog.

-S-