Ding Dong the Dog is Gone

...The dog is gone 

The dog is gone

Ding dong the wicked dog is goneeeee!

At first I was sad. Then resigned. Then disappointed. Then there was happy Ava. Happy family. Happy yard. Happy happy happy. Saturday evening Angus was given a new home with an English fella who hunts and has acreage in a neighboring city. He was incredibly nice and was excited to get Angus. The peace that has come over our household over the last two days is incredible. We are all so happy now that the decision has been made and the deal over, especially Ava who is eating like a champ (we all remember the hunger strike of winter 2014-15, right?) and is no longer being exiled outside or being harassed constantly. My stress level is exponentially lower and I swear our backyard looks more lush and beautiful than it has all summer. 

It was not an easy decision and was one that took a long time of talking and working out to get to but we finally came to the realization that Angus just wasn't working for us. After a year living with us he never gained more respect for us or accepted his position in the general pecking order. Our yard was constantly destroyed, Ava went on regular hunger strikes, I got him to learn to heel on leash but he was not good (read: awful) at the park (which is where we walk to). Zack was stressed and not wanting to be around him or train him. We had countless reasons that it wasn't working and no solution for the problems other than to find him a home that would work better for him. I cried because it was too hard caring for a brute on my own (I still swear a female would've been better!) and then in the end cried because although it was best for him to go I was sad to see him leave. (And I consequently spent a good amount of time that night sobbing in the shower over my Mollie... I think she's a heartbreak that will never completely heal.  I still cry often over her and miss her so incredibly much.) Now that Angus is all done I'm happy and peaceful! But it was sad saying goodbye, even as he drove off in a Land Rover to his new plush digs.  

(Update: the new owner contacted us two days after taking him because he was so rotten that he needed help finding a new home as well.  At least I lasted a year- they lasted two days. I truly can be a patient woman. Hopefully his new home after this one is a good one.)

Hugs for Ava!

This is our beautiful flower bed. We bought two clearance plants today and divided some hostas from the front to recreate a happy landscape this evening. I forgot to take a before photo, but Angus had dug huge craters in it as well as a trough alongside the house. I love the new bed. It's even better than the original! (Which couldn't be recreated without a large amount of money anyways because he dug out all the fancy plants in it.) Thankfully I like simple. 

So above you can see we need to reseed  the yard again but below you can see vast improvement already in the grass. 

Emma had a blast running around the yard in her undies while we were working. She was one very happy camper. 

Gwen just hung out with me. :)

I gave Emma the hose to play with and turned the water on low. She lovessss the water. I bought a new pocket hose and think it was worth every penny. It's durable and soft and easy to store and perfect for Emma to play with and easy to use... And and and (I sound like I'm getting paid to promote them doesn't it?)

Sigh. And this was my giant "C'MON, iPHONE!!!" What a great photo this would've been had it not been blurry.