A Puppy for Christmas - theHumm December 2019

By Glenda Jones

“Ah”, you think, “she’s going to write about getting a puppy from Santa, how cute it was with its little red bow, how it played in the gift wrap, and snuggled with the toys.” No, she’s not!

We are living in chaos most of the time, with doggy toys scattered everywhere, and no end in sight for any sort of home décor that resembles House and Garden. Not only that, little Miss Diva is an escape artist whose idea of spending time in her crate consists of working the zipper loose and getting out as soon as possible. It’s supposed to be a restful spot for her, since we know dogs need eighteen hours of sleep and rest daily. She is surviving on less than ten, and we are hardly surviving at all!

So here comes December, and I fear for our Christmas decorations. We endured the cat climbing the tree last year and didn’t place any ornaments on the lower branches; however, except for sleeping peacefully there, she caused no further trouble. But two Sheltie puppies can cause no end of damage in very short order. One swift run through the house and papers go flying and furniture can be overturned. Our door mats are always scrunched at the entrances, a lovely welcome for anyone.

I decided to put up the decorations slowly, one a day, so as not to arouse suspicion. I managed to get the countertop centrepiece in place, and that lasted all of four hours. The cat discovered the feathers in it and gnawed on them until they were bedraggled and garbage fodder. There had been little bells tucked into the centerpiece, but those were knocked down for the dogs to chase. All fun and games, until I found one chewed to a flat disk. At least the puppies didn’t swallow them. So the centrepiece is now minus the feathers, minus the bells, and not looking as pretty as it should.

There should be greenery on the coffee table, but I eschewed that in favour a basket of tiny teddy bears. Yes, they do look like dog toys, No, they aren’t… but they are now, I guess. Saves me having to buy new toys for presents, right?

Diva is a barking crazy dog when new things appear. She is the pro of Sheltie spins, a feat you’d have to see to believe. When we started to assemble the Christmas tree she threw herself into a frenzy that defied description, grabbing the branches, hurling herself into the decorations, and doing her best to undo everything we were trying to accomplish. Once the tree was up, she stood back like she’d orchestrated the whole affair. We, on the other hand, began to question our sanity in even trying to put up the tree.

Will the tree survive the season of mirth and merriment, or will it fall victim to mayhem at puppy playtime? Diva’s choice diversion is to chase the cat. Can you see where this is going? Cat up the tree; Diva hauling it over; Brandi helping; Bonnie, wise dog she is, watching in disgust. What do we do with the menagerie if we’re leaving them alone for any length of time? We’re considering putting the tree in the dog’s X-pen. It won’t win us a place on the house tour, but it might be safer that way.

Out of respect for visitors, we’re dutifully training the puppies to keep their noses out of food left on the low table: the expensive cheese, the home-made crackers. It is so uncouth when company comes to have a dog helping itself before guests are served. It’s probably the reason we don’t entertain people who don’t own dogs themselves. So far, we’ve lost an excellent piece of cheese and some very good shortbread. The dogs never go for the carrot sticks, and blessedly leave the olives alone. Diva, however, would love to sample the wine if she could. Ah yes, a puppy around at Christmas is eye-popping!

The outdoor lights have also caused major concern for Diva. The first time she saw them, she attacked the back door as if they were a hundred little eyes coming after her. We thought that would only happen once, but no, every time she looks out there, she’s off again to defend the troops from the invading hordes, whatever they are.

Maybe by next year all this silliness will have disappeared and we will have a normal Sheltie like the other two. But for this year, we have a crazed little Dervish who can’t get enough of the Christmas spirit. No five-year-old begging for a magic toy could be as eager and excited as Diva is. So we’re just going to enjoy all these puppy antics — “she said with trepidation” — and remember that these three dogs that light up our life are family too.

Do you want a puppy at Christmas? I’m thinking likely not. And if in your moment of folly you tumble into the puppy trap, come on over and meet ours first. Rationality will surface, and you’ll wait for spring.

I wish you all a snow-covered, dazzling Christmas with family, kids and pets. However if you also have a puppy in your midst, I will add that I wish you one extra glass of wine to soothe the angst.

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Happy Local Holidays! - theHumm December 2019

By Kris and Rob Riendeau

Here at theHumm we’re big on local economies. The retail and service businesses in the small towns that we cover play a huge role in the cultural life of those towns. Each store, restaurant, or small enterprise attracts and serves a particular clientele — some inside the community, some from outside. Some businesses host their own special events; others join together with local festivals to make the whole experience more vibrant. Many provide support in cash or in kind to local initiatives. A healthy local economy is an essential component to a healthy community.

It is with this in mi......

A Puppy for Christmas - theHumm December 2019