Help Chie Blumenthal: A NEW FAMILY MEMBER

A NEW FAMILY MEMBER

IT HAS NOW BEEN ABOUT 2 WEEKS SINCE WE GOT A CALL FROM OUR OLD FRIEND, CAPTAIN TIM. HE CALLED TO SAY THAT HE HAD A GROUP CANCEL THEIR FISHING TRIP AND FOR ME TO GET CHIE UP THERE SO WE COULD TAKE HER OUT FOR A RIDE ON THE LAKE. CHIE ASKED IF HIS DOG, BO, COULD COME AND HE SAID "SURE," SO WE PACKED A FEW BAGS AND OFF WE WENT FOR A BOAT RIDE ON TEXOMA!!

TIM SAID THE STRIPER WERE HITTIN'. HE CAUGHT FOUR 10 POUNDERS THE DAY BEFORE AND WE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT ANOTHER GROUP HAD TO THROW BACK 13 AND 15 POUND FISH. SOUNDED GOOD TO US AND TIM SAID WE COULD STAY IN HIS CABIN FOR THE NIGHT SO WE PACKED A SOMETHING TO EAT AND LEFT RIGHT AWAY!! IT WAS A FUN NIGHT RELAXING AND CHIE PLAYING WITH BO DIDDLEY.

WE GOT UP EARLY AND HIT THE WATER AT THE CRACK OF DAWN. IT WAS NICE AND COOL AND THE SUN WAS GORGEOUS RISING OVER THE WATER. THE FISH WERE THERE AND CAPTAIN TIM PUT US ON 'EM. WE GOT INTO THEM ON TOP WATERS FOR A WHILE. IT WAS EXCITING AND FUN, JUST CRUISING ON THE BOAT WAS ENOUGH, EVERYTING ELSE WAS GRAVY. IM SURE A MORE EXPERIENCED FISHERMAN COULD HAVE CAUGHT MORE, BUT THE EXCITEMENT OF SO MANY FISH HAD MY GAME OFF. I POPPED MY LURE SO HARD ONCE IS SHOT OUT OF THE FISH'S MOUTH AND SMACKED TIM SQUARE IN THE HEAD,( SORRY ABOUT THAT. DONT GUESS WE WILL BE GOING BACK ANYTIME SOON).

BACK AT THE DOCK WE WATCHED TIM FILLET THE BOUNTY AND GOT READY TO HEAD HOME. RIGHT BEFORE WE LEFT THOUGH, TIM ASKED IF WE COULD RUN BY THE HOUSE, HE HAD SOMETHING FOR CHIE. WE RODE OVER TO THE HOUSE AND TIM GOT OUT OF HIS CAR AND WALKED OVER TO HIS WORKSHOP, HE LOOKED BACK WITH AN ODD GRIN ON HIS FACE AND LEANED DOWN OPENING A DOG KENNEL. OUT POPPED A VERY CUTE LITTLE RED LAB PUPPY. I ABOUT HAD A HEART ATTACK, KNOWING I HAVE TOO MUCH ON MY PLATE AS IS. I WAS SHAKING MY HEAD "NO", TIM WAS SMILING AND LAUGHING TELLING ME THAT IT WILL BE GOOD FOR CHIE, AND BY THAT TIME IT WAS TOO LATE.

CHIE, NOW, HAD THE DOG IN HER LAP KISSING IT AND LOVIN ON IT, SO WHAT COULD I DO? WHAT COULD I DO? ASIDE FROM WANTING TO STRANGLE TIM, I GUESS I COULD JUST GO AHEAD AND TAKE IN A COUPLE OF GERIATRICS TO CARE FOR IN MY SPARE TIME. NOTHING IS TOO MUCH, IM FEELING INVINCIBLE NOW! THE WHOLE RIDE HOME I SPENT TRYING TO CONVINCE MYSELF THAT I AM NOT HAVING A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN WHILE OUR FRIEND BOBBY INFORMS US THAT THE DOG IS COVERED IN FLEAS.

WE SPENT THE REST OF THE RIDE HOME THINKING OF NAMES. SASSY WAS WHAT TIM'S GIRLS NAMED IT, BUT CHIE WANTED TO GIVE IT ANOTHER NAME. AFTER CONVINCING HER THAT, YOSHIKO, HER MOTHER'S NAME, WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA DUE TO THE FACT THAT SHE IS STILL , LIVING!!! CHIE HAD IT SET IN HER MIND THAT IT HAD TO BE NAMED BY THE TIME WE GOT HOME, NO MATTER WHAT. SHE SHOT DOWN ALL OF OUR SUGGESTIONS IN NO TIME FLAT AND FINALLY SETTLED ON "SASSY UDON BEBE." WE CALL IT JUST, "UDON" AFTE HER FAVORITE NOODLE.

FOUR BATHES AND HUNDRED BUCKS OF FLEA SHAMPOO, SPRAY, COLLAR, ETC..... AND THE THING WAS STILL SCRATCHIN', ALMOST AS MUCH AS ME. ALL I HAD TO DO WAS HEAR THE WORD "FLEA" AND i WAS SCRATCHIN AND FEELING THEM ALL OVER ME. BOBBY ASSURED ME THAT I WAS JUST PARANOID AS HE WATCHED ME THE WHOLE RIDE HOME AND NEVER SAW ANY ON ME DESPITE MY CONSTANT SWATTING , RUBBING AND SCRATCHING.

TIM CALLED THAT NIGHT, ABOUT TWO DAYS TOO EARLY. HE ASKED HOW THE DOG WAS AND I EXPLAINED ABOUT THE FLEAS , ME HAVING A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, HE CUT ME OFF THERE AND SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO CALL ME BACK, WISE CHOICE. IT WAS A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER BEFORE WE GOT BACK TO HIM AND LET HIM KNOW WE WERE OK AND ADJUSTING. HE TOLD US THAT IT WAS REALLY HIS GIRL'S DECISION. HE HAD TO ASK THEM IF THEY WOULD GIVE IT TO CHIE, AS IT WAS THEIR DOG, AND IT TOOK SOME CONVINCING BUT THEY AGREED THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR CHIE TO HAVE. WE THANK YOU GIRLS. CHIE LOVES THE DOG AND HAS BEEN WORKING HARD TO TRAIN IT AND FEED IT. ITS REALLY SMART AND LOVES THE WATER.

SO NOW WE HAVE A DOG, OH JOY. CHIE HAS BEEN DOING WELL WITH IT AND REALLY LOVES IT. I DO HOPE WE WILL BE PLEASANTLY SUPRISED AND IT TURNS OUT TO BE THE BEST DOG EVER! I REALLY DONT WANT IT TO RUN AWAY AND NEVER BE SEEN AGAIN.