The past year has been marked with the growing realization that Naomi is entering a new phase in her life: the quiet, elderly years. We stopped running together in August; it's just too much for her. We still go for walks twice a day, but even that has changed. She was at the door the minute I grabbed the leash and would be way out in front; now, she looks at me with a "Walk?-but-it's-so-nice-on-the-couch" look and when we are out she walks right next to me. She still sleeps as deeply as ever but is slower to get up. Yet, Naomi is a complete nut case when it is dinner time, and on our recent trip to Sea Ranch she had quite a time at the beach.

Naomi is in excellent health and continues to be the canine love of my life. I think back to the beginning and she is not the same dog. She used to be so afraid of every noise. Now, when I am doing my hair, she walks right in and looks utterly horrified if I don't immediately give her a blow dry. Naomi will even move around to make sure I've warmed all the spots!

Leonard, our other dog, tore his ACL this summer and had TPLO surgery. Naomi was a very patient big sister and was careful with her wobbly brother during his recovery. And for twelve weeks, it was just Naomi and I on our walks. While we adore Leonard, I think we both enjoyed it being just the two of us.

Grietje

21 November 2007

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It’s time for the annual update on Naomi. The news is that there is no news! Naomi is alive and well. The only thing that is changing is that Naomi is slowing down. But that is to be expected as she approaches nine years of age. At the same time, most people are stunned to find she is not a young dog. My beloved coonie is one sassy middle aged mama! Naomi—also known as Nomie, Monster, Buttercup, Ladybug, Mayonnaise, and Bunbun—loves mole hills, barking at squirrels, wrestling with her little brother Leonard, our blow dry sessions, the daily look-deep-in-my-houndie-eyes-snuggle, stealing cat food, and baguette ends. She hates bi-weekly toenail trimming sessions and Mummy’s need to dress her in the occasional costume. As for the toenails, it’s for her own good. As for the costumes, I tell her it’s a small price to pay for the fact that I will do anything to ensure her happiness and comfort. I celebrated my 40th birthday two weeks ago. We had a huge party and my husband hired a performance artist to paint a commission at the party. Before he started, the artist said, “This is about Grietje and about who Grietje is and what means more to Grietje than anything.” Within two strokes of his brush, I—and I think just about everyone there—knew he was painting Naomi. And of course lots of photos of my little poopsie whoopsie! Take care, Grietje 14 November 2006 Naomi and I have been together for five years-her 7th "birthday" and our fifth anniversary was June 9th. As always, at this time, I am so grateful to Bonnie Norris who fostered Naomi, Cheryl Speed who brought Naomi and I together, and everyone at ABTC rescue that takes such good care of these hounds. And so my little buttercup of a coonie is aging very gracefully. She is getting more gray-even some gray hairs on her saddle. She is so relaxed and calm-there are rarely signs of the skittish timid hound I picked up from San Francisco International Airport five years ago. Naomi and her little brother, Leonard, are the best of friends. I was getting ready for work this morning and Naomi stopped in for a brief blow dry--she lets me run the dryer over her fur as I pet her--and then she plopped herself on the bed to help Mummy decide what to wear. As I turned to go, she looked up with rather sleepy eyes, and I knew, as I know everyday, Naomi is my little piece of heaven. Grietje 10 September 2006