the most important part

I’ve been barn-sitting this week, which is way bigger of a job than I always assume it is, and without internet on my computer I was like “haha, yeah, I’m not writing anything on the blog I’m just going to sit here after filling waters in the sideways rain* and watch four hours of Criminal Intent” I just… I’m not of the mobile generation.

* As an aside, sideways rain is the worst. It doesn’t fill water troughs but it does make epic fucking puddles.

So because this is a horse blog and I’ve a “long” absence to explain, I thought I’d start with the most important part.

PUPPIES!!!!!!

A few weeks ago I saw a dog on a facebook share chain that made my heart melt. She was pregnant and miserable in a shitty, high-kill shelter and I pulled some strings, made some super compelling arguments to some people, and my barn manager agreed to foster the sad pregnant girl dog. We arranged for transport from the shitty shelter up north, I ran around getting a whelping box and puppy supplies, and less than 24 hours before the blue mama was supposed to arrive we got notice from the shelter staff that a few days earlier they had sent her to a different rescue that could pick her up sooner. Uh… thanks for letting me know, I guess? I was glad she made it out of the shelter, but disappointed that I had wasted my time and wasn’t going to have any EPIC cuteness in my life any time soon.

Last week we saw an urgent call for foster for another pittie mama needed help at another shitty high-kill shelter. This one had already delivered seven puppies, and was surrendered with them. We still had all the stuff, and I had a pittie-sized hole in my heart (made worse by Ellie living with my boyfriend for the last few weeks), and were more than willing. Everything came together over a few hours, and on Sunday Penny and her seven babies came to the barn!

Penny is sweet and petite (only 35-ish lbs) and with six behemoth boys and one girl in the litter, we named them after Princess Bride characters. The pups are already about two weeks old (unclear – not listed on the surrender paperwork) and are fat, fat, fat! Their eyes are open (though not all the way) and the babies are starting to wobble around the pen.

We gave the litter puppy-names after characters in The Princess Bride. So may I please present to you: the Princess Bridal Party (working title).

Penny and Buttercup (because Buttercup is the smallest I take advantage of the fat boys sleeping to give her a chance to dine alone at the milk bar)

My name is Inigo Montoya.

Westley and Humperdinck (who appears to have slightly long/rex/wire hair?)

Inigo spooning his little sister Buttercup, with Vizzini and Andre to the right

I lined them up by color and then proceeded to take a shitty picture. Inigo Montoya, Buttercup, Vizzini, Andre/Fezzik, Humperdinck, Westley, and Miracle Max.