Romeo and Juliet - Or Just Juliet

A couple of mornings ago, I let my dogs out and before I could get their food set out and let them back in, they started one of their barking frenzies that they do to let me know that we are potentially being invaded by some passerby on the street. This was a more frenzied frenzy than the usual frenzy though, so I walked around the house to see what was up. I found my neighbor standing there, who told me that one of the dogs that belong to the neighbors who live behind me was loose and that was the cause of the ruckus. I got mine back inside and fed and went out front to see if I could catch this little dog and notify her owners.

Now, first you need some history on this little dog. Her name is Juliet and she is part beagle and part Jack Russell according to her owner. She is an older girl. Juliet spent one afternoon with me about 2 yrs ago. The house I am living in is the same house that I grew up in and lived with my parents in until I moved out on my own. When I was cleaning it out after my mother died, I looked out the front window and saw this cute little dog running loose. She was willing to come to me but had no collar or anything to identify her so I went and put signs up and kept her with me. She was content to be in the house and so I let her lay inside since I was working in the front of the house and could see if anyone was walking around looking for her. Well, it got dark and time for me to go back to my own house, and I was trying to figure out what to do with her. I put her outside for a little bit while I thought about it, and while I was in the house, I heard her barking. I thought "Oh there goes the G____'s little dog barking" and about that time it hit me: the G_____'s little dog was barking in my backyard! So I found a number to call them and left a message. I decided to go put a note on their door and let them know that their dog was in my backyard but that I had to go home and for them to please come get her. About that time the phone rang, and it was Mr G____'s granddaughter who was now living in the house since her grandfather had died and had the care of his 2 dogs. She came right away and thus I learned that my afternoon companion was named Juliet.

So Juliet was once again on the loose. After my day with her previously I learned from some other neighbors that it is not at all unusual for Juliet and her friend, a grey poodle, to be out running wild. She was out front and I called to her and she came to me and we went in the kitchen. She now has a collar with a tag that says "I'm lost...please call" and has 3 different contact numbers. I tried the first one and it was a place of business. I started to explain what I wanted and a voice on another line told the receptionist that he had it and asked me where I was. Turns out he had gotten a call about 10 min before from the guy 2 houses down from me who had the other dog. The current owner is Mr G___'s son. When he came to get Miss Juliet, we talked for a few minutes, and he is apparently remodeling his father's home with the plan to move in. Meanwhile, Juliet and Lucky (her little friend) are living there alone. He comes by morning and night and feeds them and checks on them. They are in the yard during the day and in the storage room at night. But apparently Juliet is a digger (explains why she was all muddy and got my clean nightgown all dirty!) and they get out during the day. I had a new sewer line put in a while back and still have the rocks that got dug up in the process. The grand plan was to build a retaining wall across the terrace in the back, but so far that has not happened. So I offered him as many of the rocks as he needed to line his fence with so they can't dig out. My mom had done the same with the fence in this house years ago when we had a beagle who was a notorious digger.

That has been the highlight of the week, I guess. I am still working on my PS Pumpkin Patch. It is fun so far. Of course, it will be Valentine's Day before it is finished at the rate I am stitching lately...