Olive

Olive, 2 Months Old

It was inevitable...sooner or later we were going to get another Boston Terrier, and when Mick started showing signs of depression and lethargy I grew concerned. I couldn't loose my other boy too! I've had that happen before when I lost my first dog - Mama, my cat Eb left us two months later. Plus, Mick has aged, a lot. It's as if Sailor took Mick's youth the day he left us.

After some discussion we went on sabbatical, the three of us, away from home and Sailor's constant memory. It was exactly what we needed. We drove up North to Eugene then to Portland for a few days, then one day to Washington state and adopted a little female Boston. She was going to be used for breeding due to her "exceptional" markings, whatever, we just wanted a companion for Mick. Plus, we liked the thought of saving this little girl from a fate of over breading and a house that reeked of patchouli oil and chaos. Tony named her Pearl, then he changed it to Olive, which I think better suits her personality.

I can't say Mick likes Olive very much. Actually, he's quite annoyed with her, but being annoyed is better than being depressed. He's eating pretty regularly now, and he'll play with his baby sister, if I initiate play. Sometimes he's rough and nips, which is followed by a squeak from Olive, but then play resumes. She's one tough chick. Mick doesn't mean to be hard on Olive, he's just used to playing with his brother, who could dish out as good as he got from his much heavier compadre. That said, playing with Olive is more remedial than fun for Mick, he'd rather lay under the table where he and Sailor used to hang out.

Olive on the other hand LOVES Micky more than anything, including us. She's constantly on him and tries every tactic under the sun to be near him, which drives Mick nuts; but the alternative is him staring into space, teary eyed and not responding to anything. The hardest part is watching Mick run all over the house looking for Sailor when we first come home, as if his brother was merely on an extended vacation. Now we give him a kale biscuit, made from scratch, let Olive out of her pen and act like everything is GREAT. It seems to work most of the time.

Of course Mick's emotions mirror our own, and I can see why some marriages dissolve when they loose a child, especially if that child was the only thing the couple had in common. I thank God that Tony and I had a life before Sailor, and while we had him we did many things together as a couple, without the dogs: traveling, picnics, going to the movies, etc.. In a way, I think it's our history that is enabling us to rebuild our life. We danced together in the kitchen the other night - something we always do but haven't done for a while. It was really nice.

Spinach, Leak and Cheese Quiche, Martha Stewart's Recipe

Olive has helped not only Mick, but me and Honey. She's a total clown, the Boston Terrier's leading characteristic, and we find ourselves laughing a lot despite ourselves. She requires much of our attention of course, she's a puppy, which gets us out of our heads and in the moment. Unfortunately, she has a habit of jumping on her poop, trailing it all over her room then laying down in her bed. So I've been on constant potty patrol, interchanging her two beds and toys between washings. Heaven help us when we're gone for more than 4 hours. Her room looks like she'd spent the day finger painting a collage - in poop. She also enjoys gnawing on all of our wood furniture, including the legs of the piano, which Tony thinks is endearing. She's also very smart and knows what "NO" means and stops whatever she shouldn't be doing, finds an appropriate toy and looks our way as if to say, "See, I'm a good-girl, please don't get rid of me."

I think she's also the reason I started cooking again. The boy used to sit in the kitchen with me while Tony took a nap or watched a movie; now Olive does the same thing, or she stares at me from above her Papa's head while he naps. It's strange, she even butts me on the leg with her wet little nose, the way Sailor used to do while I'm doing dishes or writing on the computer. It's their way of saying, "Hey, I'm here." She pains me and touches my heart at the same time, which is such a strange sensation. I imagine it's akin to what a woman feels when she see a little boy who looks like her own deceased son that passed from heart failure. Heart failure, a Boston Terrier trait that I was unaware of...

Olive and Mick, July 2011

Still, the joy these little buggers bring are worth the wake of grief they leave behind when they go. I'm hoping we can give Olive as good a life as we gave Sailor. A simple, yet adventurous life playing ball, walks on the beach and lots of kisses. Plus, she has a sweet older brother. If I know Mick, Olive's going to be one loved baby sister. He's already teaching her everything he knows, the same way Sailor taught him how to play with toys and how to give loves. I guess when it's his time to go, she'll have a strong foundation that she'll pass on to the next generation. So in a way, Sailor and Micky's legacy will live on...furever.