Hanging Out at Home on Starfish

Zuzu and Tootie are homebodies...well, Zuzu more so than Tootie.

Every morning, about an hour into our ritual of reading the latest happenings in the Key West Citizen while drinking several cups of strong Cuban coffee, Tootie charges out to the lanai and begins to make various sounds, grunts, moans, whines, and whimpers, to gain our attention. She wants to go for a walk. Zuzu, however, is not so eager to face the perils of the Sugarloaf Blvd bike path, but she will play along to support her sister.

The past couple of days, the rains have halted our morning walks and Tootie is beginning to wonder if we will ever get back on the path!

From her perch at the top of the stairs, she gazes down towards the boulevard wondering how many of her friends have been by while Zuzu nervously watches for speeding bicycles...yikes!

We manage to get outside a couple of times during the day, in between rain showers, to do their business in the yard. 

But most of the day is spent inside, sleeping wherever they can manage. Usually they are sprawled out on the master bed, but on this day they took advantage of the open guest room door! Ahh, the pillow-top mattress is sooo nice!

Soon the rains will cease, the sun will shine, and humidity and temps will climb and the mosquitos will be out in force, and we will once again go for our walks on Sugarloaf Key...much to Tootie's delight and Zuzu's dismay.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned!

Winter Doldrums?

With the recent arrival of spring, we look back and ponder where the winter season has gone? It was a rather uneventful season; no snowstorms, blizzards, or ice glazed roads down here in the tropics, only the occasional pesky cold front ushering in brisk north winds forcing us to close the windows and don long sleeved shirts.

Our girls enjoy the break from the summer heat and sun and the lanai was their preferred spot to lime the winter days away. We, too, spent many afternoons relaxing on the sofa looking out across the water. Thankfully the sofa is large enough to accommodate the contemplative Wayne and his girls.

We continue to marvel at how far these two puppy mill rescue girls have come during these past two years. They used to hide out in the master bedroom closet, coming out only for a meal or a quick dash around the yard. At night, they would retire to their dog bed in the closet, not to be seen until daybreak.

Now they keep us within earshot or sight, follow us outside, and hang out with us around the house. Tootie has become quite independent and has developed a "go-with-the-flow" attitude about everything. She can sleep soundly and comfortably in almost any situation and environment.

Zuzu, however, is our worrier. She worries where we are, what we are doing, and if we are going to leave her. When we do go out, she has begun to exhibit mild separation anxiety; chewing the corner of the chair, chewing on a belt hanging in the closet, chewing the plug off of the fan cord...chewing her nervous energy until our return.

Alleviating her anxiety is our new goal, especially as we head into rainy season which brings the frequent thunderstorm. Not sure how we can modify her behavior, but we'll try. We were hoping Tootie would set the example of chillin' and relaxin' as only Tootie can do.

Zuzu is always on alert, always checking out the environment, protecting her house and her pack. Tootie is grateful and which is why, perhaps, she can lounge around and take frequent naps during the day.

So, with the arrival of spring, the nights are getting warmer, the days are longer, and the water temps are rising. Once the winds subside, we'll begin our frequent jaunts to Marvin Key. There will be less lounging on the lanai and more running on the sand bar! Well, maybe the same amount of lounging on the lanai. Tootie needs her beauty rest.

Happy Spring!