One of my family members has a dog that we will call Gigi for the duration of this post. When i first brought Sili to meet Gigi years ago she was still afraid of everything and anything bigger than her. Gigi was bigger than her. So of course she growled and snarled at Gigi. But Gigi is a gentle giant; regal, patient, and usually resting somewhere in the sun. She saves her short bursts of infinite energy for rabbit hunting and doesn’t bother herself with the politics of other dogs and their issues. So i picked Sili up in my arms so that she would be taller than Gigi and leaned her down just enough so that she could sniff Gigi’s nose. As soon as she sniffed her she began wagging her tail and fell head over heals in love with Gigi. She was the older sister Sili never had. Sili copied her every move. If Gigi laid down, so did Sili. If Gigi got a drink, so did Sili. If Gigi sniffed a particular spot of grass on a walk, Sili sniffed that spot too. Sili loved Gigi and wanted to be right against her wherever she was, and Gigi… wanted space. Poor Gigi just wanted to lay on her bed unaccompanied, look out her window by herself, and get a drink from her bowl without company. But it made Sili so happy to be near her that Gigi tolerated her super close presence for the duration of each of our visits. So you can imagine the thoughts going through Gigi’s head when i opened the door and introduced her to the second one…Cashew. Now she had two dogs following her around wherever she went, copying her every move, and sitting super close to her when she tried to sunbathe in the yard. It was like her house had suddenly been converted into a daycare center for toddlers and she was unwillingly in charge. Her face in the pictures says it all. I don’t think Gigi enjoys our visits as much as one might guess but Sili and Cashew think she’s just the best thing to ever walk the planet and each time we drive through the gate and they figure out who we’re going to see the crying and jumping begins as chaos erupts in the car from the gate to the driveway. Gigi is their hero.
Sili had a relationship with Gigi before Cashew even existed so she wanted to spend some quality time with her beloved cousin. I finally took pity and peeled Cashew off of Gigi’s furr where she was trying to sleep. Cashew spent some time with her mommy while Sili and Gigi caught up. They just hung out quietly in the yard, because that’s what Gigi liked to do, and Sili was a little more respectful of that than Cashew.
Gigi’s mom was a chef. There was always something good to eat every time we went for a visit. However, this time around it was one of my favorites…vegan german chocolate cake. To die for. I mean sinfully sweet and moist. It was the best!