the daily grind: so

Remember my favorite Christmas gift this year - the one I'd been asking for for at least the last twelve or thirteen years? A little Jack Russell Terrier of my own? Have I told you how perfect she is for me? I have? Well, pretend I haven't, because I'm about to again.

Izzy with her friend, Todd.

So, little Izzy comes to the ranch with me. She runs alongside the horses when I ride. (and, NO, I haven't done that for a couple of weeks now. What are you? Tyler's spies?) Her tiny little legs keep up too, inexplicably. When she wants a break she jumps up and down next to me until I lean over and catch her. Then she rides with me - or whomever else she chooses - for awhile. She trees Wild Turkeys, plays hide-and-seek with the deer, terrorizes the pot-guts (and poor squirrels), and basically thinks she owns the place. Last week she was almost dinner for a hawk. (I'm NOT kidding. She was inches away from being carried off in the evil bird's talons. Now the relentless thing is stalking her. Good thing it can't seem to hunt quietly.) Basically, she's proved herself in that arena of my life.

Izzy bossing around one of the horses we were looking at buying.

She's been an amazing playmate with the boys from the start, so that was never a problem.

The only thing close to an issue is that she isn't convinced Nick is her superior. Watching him try to walk her is hysterical. That's okay, he needs a friend to hang out with now that school is back in.

Wrestling with Nick

Last week we took her out on the boat with us, which Tyler has done before. This time, however, she took the plunge - literally - and came swimming. Grey was so nervous she was going to drown if she got in the lake. Once we all got in to swim a bit she jumped right in. So, we can cross that element off the list too. She's a boat-dog. If I could figure how to get a service-dog vest for her we could cross off 'likes to shop' and be set.