March 28, 2010

I've been home from my job in Deadhorse for 6 days now and will soon have to leave for another stretch of work away from home. I've enjoyed lazy days and the company of Jim and our dogs.

For Jim and me, being apart is hard and time together is always precious. For the dogs, I come and go in their lives and they have gotten used to it. Jim is the constant in their world. Toby takes a day at a time VERY slowly now. He spends most of his time sleeping, usually under the woodstove or on his big pillow. In his old age, he can't handle the cold outdoors for very long at a time, and is getting unstable on his legs.

Ruby, however, is growing up and is a big bundle of soft fur and exuberence. She rarely leaves Jim's side inside or outside. She does get excited to see me when I come home though, and is willing to devote a portion of her time to me as well as her master. We play outside, go for long walks, cuddle indoors, and I enjoy burying my hands in her amazingly soft fur as she rests her head on my shoulder. With little effort (besides complete devotion) she has given us a lot of pleasure and carved a special place in our hearts.

She is so well furred, that she seems impervious to the cold and loves the outdoors. Here are some pictures of her enjoying the outdoors: