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Ribsy loves roller skates. Specifically, Girl in roller skates. When moving.
Ribsy latches on like a conga line and refuses to let go of Girl's leg.
At first Girl thought it was hilarious, but then it quickly became annoying. How was she supposed to get better at roller skating with a whippet wrapped around her thigh?
Dear Readers,
Today is my 1,000th post. Granted, when it began five years ago, in 2004, I wasn't the one who was actually doing the blogging. After all, I was only 3 months old at the time. My Girl took care of the posts, and right to this day she still helps me compose my thoughts and upload my photos. It really is her blog as much as it is mine (and lately, my pesky sister's too, but that's another saga on its own).
So when my Girl confided that she didn't know if she wanted to continue the Snippets past its 1,000th post, I listened in concern. I can't do this on my own. I need her as much as she needs my life and antics to write about. Plus, I didn't know how much longer I wanted to keep going, either. I'm slowing down, getting surly, and enjoying sleep a lot more than I used to, and figure that regaling you with entries about my sleep positions, locations and dreams (usually chasing a squirrel) doesn't rank too high on the excitement scale.
But then I asked her, wouldn't you miss it if you stopped? I reminded her of the fine bloggers that she's met over the years, the helpful dog-raising information she has learned, and the amazing community of whippet lovers who have dropped in to say hello and give us virtual pats on our hands.
She paused. Then sighed. And in a weary voice, said, "Ribsy, I think I need to write a guest post."
Here it is below.
Love,
Ribsy
****
Honestly, I never thought I'd still be here today, helping Ribsy with his blog. It all started out quite innocently, as a way to journal our adventures in our new house with our new puppy.
Since our first entry, Boy, Ribsy & I have moved to a new city, changed addresses three times, and picked up another whippet. Ribsy has endured his share of unsightly gashes, an airplane ride across the country, a maddening case of separation anxiety, and an even more maddening sister.
But more importantly, Ribsy has opened our eyes to a new way of seeing things. From the dog's point of view, I've learned to enjoy the outdoors, to revel in the simple pleasures of life, and to truly understand the meaning of unconditional love.
There were plenty of bad days to go along with the good ones. And no matter what the circumstances were, no matter how negatively poisoned the air seemed to be, Ribsy was consistent in his affection. The loyalty was unwavering, from the gentle nudge of his snout to his half-turn-to-flop by our side. He always knew what to do to soften the stillness and comfort the hurt.
Ribsy is my best friend.
I feel we've both grown to need each other more than ever, but that we've both outgrown the intentions of this blog. He's no longer a puppy, and me, I'm no longer an aspiring writer. Neither silly dog antics nor cleverly-crafted summaries of such antics happen around here anymore.
Sure Mirabel could step into Ribsy's paws and more than fulfill the 'silly dog antics' role, but the heart of the Snippets has been and always will be Ribsy. His heart and his devotion remains unquestioned, but his lifestyle and my desire to write, have changed enormously.
After 1,000 posts, what more could I possibly seek to accomplish through this blog? Occasionally, I do get excited about posting, but for the most part, I wonder who is even reading this, and what they are thinking if and when they do so. I don't want to let anyone down by shutting the blog down, but then again, I am even more afraid of disappointing the few readers that I do have, with continued poor-quality, mundane, and pointless posts.
I am struggling. I am fatigued. And I am fearful of burdening the blogosphere. Or floating in it, listless and without purpose. There must be a reason for the Snippets. And until I find the right one that re-ignites the passion, I won't be back.
Off to hug my best friend. And his pesky sister.
Thank you to everyone who has visited and commented over the years. We really, really couldn't have continued this blog without your support.
Sincerely,
Ribsy's Girl
Ribsy is glad his Girl can't sew. If she could, there's no doubt that he would be wearing something beyond humiliating for Halloween.
Despite her lack of domesticity, Girl has managed to outfit Ribsy in some memorable numbers, thanks largely to her scrounging abilities and Boy's handiwork skills:
Ribsy the Airplane, Part I:
Ribsy the Airplane, Part II:
Ribsy as Seabiscuit (hmm, Girl as Tobey Maguire?):
"Hahahahaha," laughed Mirabel. "You look ridiculous."
"Wait till you see what I've got planned for you, Missy," Girl warned.
Mirabel's eyes widened.
Anyway. So what if you don't have time to scrounge, or the skills to sew? Then you'd have to go the ordinary route and buy a costume. Unfortunately, being a whippet has its disadvantages, despite their obvious awesomeness. And that is, most off-the-rack canine clothes don't fit the whippet body type.
That being said, Ribsy thinks he's found a few (emphasis on the word "few") Halloween costumes that may work on whippets:
First up, the Headless Horseman:
Next, as modeled by their Internet pal, Santos, the Pet Lobster:
For the predatory whippet, the Shark:
And in the "I can't believe what I'm seeing" category, Ribsy kids you not - the Gray Squirrel:
"Oh please no," gasped Mirabel.
Have you found any great Halloween costumes for whippets? Or are you planning to create something that's just as special as the breed?
Whippets love to burrow, and Ribsy and Mirabel are no exception. With the temperatures dipping down to near freezing nowadays, they are busy honing their nesting skills in preparation for the much chillier days ahead.
While they both exhibit natural abilities, Ribsy is a better digger and prefers to curl into a ball, which is much more heat-retaining than Mirabel's splayed-out, limbs-jutting-everywhere style. However, Mirabel is a curious girl and will usually stick her snout into anything.
So only time will tell who gets the knack of their new Snuggle Sac first.
Created by the talented Shopmollyd, the Snuggle Sac is a sleeping bag for medium-sized, heat-seeking dogs such as whippets.
Ribsy and Mirabel are delighted to help test out the Sac for durability, comfort and warmth.
When they first sniffed it out last week, they weren't sure what they were supposed to do with it. What they did know was that it was soft, and that it looked good. So Ribsy promptly planted himself on it to prevent pesky Mirabel from figuring it out first:
Girl likes the light beige color - that means the inevitable buildup of stubborn little white doggy hairs won't be noticeable. She also loves the paw-print heart and bone sewed onto the top of the Sac. Cute!
On the second day, Mirabel made it into the Sac, figuring that the cozy fleece lining would feel heavenly wrapped around her. And she was right:
And with some assistance, a tired Ribsy cozied up in the Sac last night. He gives it "two legs up" for comfort:
The size makes it the ideal whippet privacy pouch - perfect for Ribsy and Mirabel, who don't normally sleep & snog together anyway. "Thanks Shopmollyd!"
Check back for more photos next Sunday.
Via RNOF and friend comes another wine label featuring our favorite hounds.
This could be Ribsy and Mirabel, no?
"Ugh, she's the lumpy one for sure," declared Ribsy.
"Hey, I'm taller than you in real life," reminded Mirabel, quite smugly.
If you live in the US, you can order a bottle of Vezzo Pinot Grigio for only $5!
Now...where's a red wine with a whippet label? Is there one out there?
Now, we all know that whippets look great on beer bottles, but on wine labels? They take elegance to a breathtaking new level.
"I'm certainly not surprised," said Ribsy.
"If I had my own wine label, I'd crop out my bum too," admitted Mirabel.
The award-winning Whippet Sauvignon Blanc is produced by Longview Winery in Australia's Adelaide Hills wine region.
Ribsy wonders how he can get his paws on this wine for his Girl.
Perhaps it will be available in New Zealand during Boy and Girl's upcoming travels?
What does Ribsy think?
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