Two new arrivals...

A week ago today, Claire and Chris's wee boy Tyler was born. Fit and well and healthy. Claire and Tyler were pretty good too! Everything went better than last time around - certainly was easier for Claire not having a kidney stone and enflamed apendix problems to deal with at the time of baby's arrival. Sounds like things are all settling in OK.

Today Jeanette & I went out to the airport and picked up wee Rosie, our Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier puppy, fresh off the plane from Patea/Wanganui and none the worse for wear.

She greeted us just as she did when we first met her a couple of weeks ago. Very affectionate and snuggly and plenty of licks around the neck and the chin.

Once we got her home, we introduced her to the property from the side entrance and the back yard. Then we led her through the house room by room (as per Cesar Millan the dog whisperer advice). She met our old dog Blue almost immediately and they were both fine together (apart from Blue getting a bit drooly) with plenty of tail wagging and sniffing etc. She went on and explored her way around as we introduced her progressively to the rooms of the house.

She seemed to get the geography sorted pretty quickly and after a good tuck-in to some good puppy food, she was ready to play. Blue tried his best, and she walked in and out of his legs as he towered above her. Two of the cats took off pretty much straight away, while Max stuck around and has been carefully observing and checking Rosie out from a safe but handy distance. When Rosie curled up to have a sleep, Max got a bit closer - but still was a bit wary.

The other cats have come back in now (eveining) and will be fine. Rosie has a really sweet personality with loads of confidence and curiosity, and with a very trusting, snuggly and affectionate side which comes to the fore very quickly and easily. Alternates from all fun and play to sleep in fairly quick cycles. She seems to have made herself very much at home - currently snuggled up to my foot sound asleep (the dog - not the foot)as I sit and type this.

It must have been a huge day for her today: separated from her canine whanau; her wonderful human 'parents' Hannelore & Tony Bennett; all the familiar sights & sounds & environment; and hour in the car to the airport - an hour on the plane - some time in cargo handling process - meeting us again in the car and then 20 mins back to our place - then all of the previous paragraphs (no, I won't repeat them!). Wow! That is a whole lot for a wee mite to cope with.

Fortunately she seems to have just taken it all in her stride and seems to have settled in to our 'pack' extremely well, considering. We're stoked.

We were both supposed to be at the opening of the new Lonely Dog gallery tonight - Jeanette has gone, I'm puppy sitting. All good.

No doubt we'll post some fresh pictorial evidence before too long.

Cheers
Bruce & Jeanette
bbremner@ihug.co.nz