Bye-Bye Penny

After a month of running a zoo with 4.5 little monkeys, 2 dogs, 2 lizards, and various creepy crawlies, we decided the puppy had to go. 

It wasn't her fault, of course.  But it just proved too difficult for us to accomodate her puppy behaviors.  Especially now.  With a baby on the way.  A toddler testing the limits of her independence.  And a very long house fix-it list which includes painting various rooms.

As Shaggy loves to point out to me, Charger was a better dog with Penny around.  And it's true.  Undeniable, in fact.  He has way too much pent up energy without his dog buddy to wrestle.  He's downright annoying at times.

But still, our house is much calmer with only one dog.  Gone are the shrieks of, "Penny, NOOOOOO!"  I haven't once walked into the kitchen to find a dog on my table.  There are no new dog teeth marks on ANYTHING.  We haven't had to replace the fence on the other side of our house.  And no kids have been knocked over by dogs who are playing a little too rambunctiously.

It was a tough decision.  We all loved her.  R even told me yesterday, "Penny was my favorite.  But she won't come here anymore."

We're hoping the rescue group can find her a great home where she has another dog to play with, and someone who has the time and energy to train her properly.  A place where she'll be better off than here.  Or at least that's what we tell ourselves when we want to feel better.

We've also been finding great . . . ummm . . . "consolation" . . .  in the realization that R seems to be channeling the essence of Penny.  Or her mischevious nature, at least.  In the last week, we have found her on top of the coffee table, standing on the back of the sofa, on top of the kitchen table, on top of the dresser, on top of the kitchen counter, most of the way up a ladder, and standing IN my bathroom sink. 

And believe me, she was up to no good in each and every one of those places.  We're sort of wondering just how long Penny's spirit will be haunting us.