The Menagerie

Keri’s place is outside of Houston. If you visualize a clock, I’ve moved from about 12:00 to 9:00, though I’m still about the same distance from the downtown area. But it’s a whole different world out here. There’s a good deal of acreage and farmland. Keri’s property’s about 3 acres, and her mother lives in the house next door.

When I came out here, I knew there’d be Keri’s horses, a dog or three. But I missed a few critters. I live with a macaw that keeps laying (sterile) eggs, a parakeet, four pure-bred registered Yorkshire terriers, and a Rott/Chow cross that thinks he’s a Yorkie. Keri’s three horses, three cats, and two dogs (one of the dogs, I think, could qualify as a small horse) add to the miniature zoo. Oh, and did I mention Nemo, the red beta? They’re all over the place (except the fish), going from one house to the other with the same casualness as the humans do. Though Keri’s house-cat considers the Yorkies cat-toys, and treats them accordingly.

This, apparently, is typical in this area. The neighbor has another four dogs (I’ve yet to be introduced to them). One morning while I was taking my walk, I managed to accumulate a pack of four dogs, originating from three different houses. I didn’t know a one of them, they just decided to escort me a while. I’ve got no idea how that managed to happen, though I did succeed in shooing them all home.

Only it gets worse. Keri’s good friend Roxi lives in Katy, which isn’t very far from here. She’s got another five dogs and two cats. And all the canines go stark raving mad with glee anytime they hear someone come to the house. So regardless of where I go, I’m surrounded by at least two dogs at any one time. Roxi actually has one female that has recently had a litter of pups, four of them. They’re all comfortably ensconced in a play-pen, dive-bombing into their rice cereal and being adorable. Every time we go to Roxi’s there’s another story of what the puppies did.

It’s been quite a learning experience. I’ve always been a cat person, so I’m partial to the cats. Quiet, reserved, introspective. All these crazy dogs have been a real shock. There was a short period of time where I thought I’d go crazy with all these yapping jumping canines everywhere I turned. But now I’m seriously considering absconding with one of the Yorkies when I move out.

The Yorkie pups, by the way, are for sale..$1500 a pop…err..pup. They’re already registered, and are pure-blue-blooded Yorkshire Terriers (in miniature). Drop me a line if you’re at all interested.

shayla