Ollie

 So this is Ollie, the newest member of the Sweeney family.  I certainly did not plan to get a dog right now, especially not a tiny puppy.  But here he is, all two pounds of adorable fluffiness and spunk.  On Thursday afternoon last week my mom and I took the kids up to Pismo Beach, just to walk by the ocean for a bit.  It was a nice day and Charlie LOVES running on the beach.  And Katherine, well, she wanted to get outside to catch Pokemon (yes, she jumped on the Pokemon Go craze - I'm not even going to comment on that).  But anyway, we walked by the water for a bit, crossed through part of town where our favorite Orange Cat Cafe is located and then walked past a pet store on the way back to the car.  We went in to just look at the animals (mistake number one) and these big dark eyes caught my attention.  The kids were of course begging for every puppy in the store, as they always have done since they could talk (we are animal lovers) but when they saw me pause and watch this particular black Yorkie-Poo (Yorkshire Terrier & Poodle mix), they, being the observant and intelligent (& maybe manipulative) kids that they are, honed in on him too, pointing out that he looked calm and quiet and he is a breed that does not shed and how helpful they would be if we got him, etc, etc...  I mus say I considered him, but a new family member should not be an impulse buy.  Over our 15 years together, Ryan and I would often fall for a dog and try to convince the other that we needed a dog, but one of us would always be the voice of reason and we have remained "cat people" all these years.  Knowing I couldn't just buy the dog, I gathered my pouty kids and we left the pet store.  I did ask the clerk though how old the little guy was and she said 9 weeks.  The whole drive home and all evening I kept thinking about that little face and I also realized this little guy was born the wek Ryan passed away.  I don't really know why that seemed important to me.  Maybe because the birth of a puppy is a joyous event during the most horrific week of my life?  Or maybe this little guy was another way to cling to my Ryan in some way?  Maybe the dark curly hair and dark eyes reminded me of Ryan somehow?  I really don't know.  I can't put my finger on why this puppy seemed to call to me.  Maybe God knew I needed a loyal companion right now?  But I do know I ended up back at that Pismo Beach pet shop on Friday and found myself purchasing a puppy and lots of puppy "stuff" and had two very excited children.  And the past four days have been filled with the exhausting work of puppy training, but it is filling my days with a job I can't ignore and a face that brings smiles.  Ollie (short for Oliver) is a little bouncing ball of fluff who loves to snuggle and cuddle.  He's extremely intelligent, full of life, and has these dark puppy eyes I can't resist.  He can be out playing but when I call out, "Ollie, Ollie, Ollie!" he comes flying at me like a tiny fluffy torpedo, intent on jumping in my lap and giving me puppy kisses.  He greets me in the morning with cuddles and falls asleep in my lap at night, my snuggly little fluffball.