Home for the Dogs

We did find homes for our dogs.

Ironically, one went to the School Secretary and the other two went to the Church Secretary. Was that a conspiracy on their part - "I feel sorry for this former employee, so you take one and I'll take the others..."? Either which way, Ranger can now hunt to her heart's content in an endless sea of overgrown spare lots and Wei Ming and Pepper have long daily walks with their new master. I am told they love them, though it is hard to picture our large, I-am-just-going-to-sit-here-and-not-move Wei Ming taking a walk on a lead.

Of course, their new masters had to come collect them right as the movers were packing our shipment. E.J. took Ranger to the vet with her new owner to change her microchip details, I was standing in our open gate with a clip board, checking off boxes as men carried them past, and Melinda drives up with Raymond. As the movers were discussing the packing strategy anyway, I laid aside my clipboard and went over to Pepper and Wei Ming, who were tied up beside the house. Just then, E.J. arrived home with the children and Ranger. He left them in the car to help untie the other two dogs. Raymond took Pepper and tried to load him in their car. Not knowing our sneaky little pup, he let go of Pepper's collar to lift him into the back and... Yup! There went Pepper. "What a fun game!" Pepper is thinking. "I'll let them come as close as possible, and then dodge away at the last minute. Then I will lead these 2 adults and 2 children a merry little chase through the alleys and spare lots of the neighbourhood."

Meanwhile, the movers are calling for me and it is time for E.J. to take Ranger to her new home. In the end, Melinda and Raymond left for an hour or two and we left Pepper to return on his own. He came trotting in, all smug-like, while I was talking to our neighbour, who happens to be Pepper's old vet. He couldn't resist the opportunity to come over and bark over the fence one last time.

Poor boy. I snagged him, put him on his lead and gave him to Raymond when he returned a few minutes later.

I can't help remembering when Boo discovered we weren't taking our dogs with us. She went over to where the three of them were tied, sobbing the whole while. She petted each on the head and said,
"Bye, Pepper.
Sob.
Bye, Wei Ming.
Sob.
Bye, Ranger."