Zoey Jo, Coming Home!

I made a new friend yesterday.

One I hope will be with me for a long, long time.

I had, on a whim about a week or so ago when I was feeling that as good as things were, there was something still missing – clicked over to the Humane Society at Wilkes website just to see who was up for adoption.

Over the past several months that Sadie has been gone, I have flip flopped.  “I don’t want another dog.  It’s too much work.  They can’t replace Sadie.  I have too much travel coming up.”  You know how the arguments go between what the heart wants, and that danged voice of reason.

About a week ago I came upon the following photo:

There was something in that face -

Something that just tugged at my heart.

It’s in the ears, and in the eyes.

And I called.

Was this dog they had named “Bella” still available?  Yes.  Can you give me any info on her?

All they knew is that she was found as a stray.  She is approximately a year old.  They said shepherd mix. Very friendly.  Gets along with other dogs.  Is not aggressive to cats or children.

And I was in the car to drive an hour to go see her – was I CRAZY!?

Knowing that Empty Spools at Asilomar has been canceled, and that I am now not flying anywhere until the end of May – what better way to enjoy social distancing than with a 1 year old still-very-much-a-puppy dog?

It didn’t take long.  The moment I parked I could hear the cacophony of dog barking.  It was a mad house as I was lead up the row of kennels to pen 5 where she sat.

All around her was mayhem.

She was not barking.  She was not timid either.  She greeted the shelter worker with kisses and tail wagging.  She was put on a leash and we lead her out between the row of kennels for some “Getting to know you” time.

And I fell in love.  Puppy kisses – oh still so very much puppy left!

She walked on the leash with me all around the parking lot.  There was some puppy jumping and a bit of overly-excited – but she didn’t piddle from excitement.

In 30 minutes she was mine!

I opened the van door and in she went as if she had done it 100 times!

I was trying to get a selfie – she was too excited to be going home to sit still!

And she passed test number 2 (the first one being the barking thing.) She didn’t get car sick the entire ride back up to Virginia, over winding mountain roads.  Good girl!

Test number 3 -

She passed the Emmy Lou test!

No aggression.  Just curiosity.

Emmy Lou, however is not impressed and will have nothing to do with this invader!  She will get over it.  In time, I am sure.

Oh, you are a pretty girl!

And through many sources, I feel she has a whole lot of Australian Kelpie in her -

Test number 4 – PASSED!  There have been ZERO house breaking accidents.  She will take care of her business while walking around the yard on a leash.

Test number 5 – passed.  She slept through the night (Well, until about 6 am when I quickly threw on my clothes to get her outside for morning business – which was fine!)

I think I’m going to like this place with all these cozy quilts!

Oh, this is Emmy Lou’s bed?

I think I like it for ME!

One tuckered out pup -

Getting used to new beds while this thing called “SEWING?!” was going on -

The website listed her as BELLA.  She doesn’t look like a Bella to me.  She doesn’t answer to Bella.  I asked the shelter guy if she came in with that name, or if it was given to her.  They named her that, and she’d only had it about a week.  Name change it is.

It will take some time – but we are calling her Zoey.  And because all proper southern girls are called by two names, she shall be called Zoey Jo. Click to Play:

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A post shared by Bonnie K Hunter (@quiltville_bonnie) on Mar 12, 2020 at 5:33pm PDT

This morning I’m all about “Scratch my belly!”

Oh, those ears and eyebrows!

We are going to spend the next several weeks getting to know one another, and exploring all of the out of door things as the weather turns nicer.

Kelpies need roam to run.  They are active working dogs.  Which means she will be pushing ME out the door to get our walks in.  That Grayson Highlands State Park pass is going to come in handy – no excuses.

I’m anxious to see if she likes water.  Many Kelpies do.  I wonder if she will be a toy-playing, fetch-liking dog?

Hard to tell right now as she is passed out on her bed right next to me.

And then there is the whole adventure of introducing Zoey Jo to the QPO cats, Dresden and Lola. 

To celebrate Zoey’s Homecoming:

And the fact that I am home for a while – I have placed my Addicted to Scraps Book at deep deep discounts in the Quiltville Store. 

At only $15.99!  And it comes with a free PDF download for my Wanderlust Table Runner.  A $10.00 value.

This impromptu sale is only good through March 31st.  Don’t delay!

Today, if Zoey Jo is as good as she has proven so far – I will get the remainder of that Shoo Fly Shoo quilt top off the floor!  Then I’ll only have the cross-seaming of the rows to do.  Borders are still in the thought process.

I’d love to have it in the long arm by the end of the weekend.

What’s up for your Friday?

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

This is what my very small inner voice told me yesterday. "Go see the shelter dog."

I am very used to talking back to that small inner voice. And my reply was "it's an hour away. I don't have time. We are supposed to be social distancing

My very small inner voice began to speak louder! "GO SEE THE DOG!" And I listened.

Make time for more of what makes you happy!

I am so glad I did!

Happy Friday, folks!