Santa and Noelle

Another adventure involving animals. I am my own Animal Planet! I was driving home from work when I passed a neighbor's farm. Very nice people who I only know to wave and say hello. Their petite black lab was out in the front yard which is right on the road. So many farms have their barn yards divided be the road - barn on one side, house on the other. She was running around, kind of frantic, like she was looking for help. On go the brakes and I got out of the truck. I saw little tiny puppies running around near a garage type opening in the back of the house. A woman walked out and I told her I was concerned about the dog, etc. She said very matter-of-factly, "Do you want any puppies? I was just going to take them to the ASPCA but my car won't start." I said I would look at them and she led me to the hole in the back of the house. It must have been a firewood storage area and was full of old boards and junk. No discernable dog bed, or rug, or house. Eight little puppies were huddled together on top of some boards. The woman told me she can't afford to keep them all. I asked who the father was and she said she thinks it's the Rottweiler down the road. Hmmmm, I thought, a recurring theme - the Lab and the Rottweiler mix puppies. Just like my Holly. My mind was racing...Dog pound for the little darlings???? She couldn't take them tonight and it was brutally cold. I wanted to say things like, why can't you take them in the house? Or barn? Somewhere protected from the cold and the road? None of my business. With all kinds of warning signs going off in my head, I picked up two little females and off I went. The woman thanked me and gave me a bag of their puppy chow. At least it was "puppy chow" I thought. Matt met me in the driveway and his face said it all. Okay, Okay I said...I just wanted to save two of them from the cold! I promised I would find them homes. As of tonight, there are two possibilities in school. I am enjoying them while I have them...cute, hardy, wonderful puppies! So smart and friendly. I hope the others made it to the pound, and out of the cold.