Pictures of Princess Ruby Tuesday and the Old Dowager Zoey

NEARLY WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Instead of waiting for the Chem Geek Princess to send me pictures--I have yet to receive any from her engagement--I took some of my own on Sunday.

I was going into town for Women's Torah Study, so I took my camera with me, and stopped by the CGP's little house on the way home.

Ruby Tuesday, her official name, is a little gem! She greeted us at the door, as her Grandpa Engineering Geek came just to meet her. So here's the pictures, bracketed by two of our Old Dowager Queen, Zoey. After all, the reason we took a second look at Ruby in the Animal Care Shelter, was that the Chem Geek Princess called me over, saying: "Oh, look, Mom! It's a mini-Zoey.

And here Queen Zoey lounges on her New Zealand
Sheepskin bed, showing off the Boychick's new floor.
(September 2008).

Her spots and ticking, once so black, are going white with age, and she likes to lounge in the sun more of late. She still plays, but less often during the day, and for less time.

And here, Little Princess Ruby lounges on

some of the carpet that was replaced by the

wood flooring at our house.

Now it provides a soft place in the CGP's

'Little House' for a puppy tired from

playing and performing for her hew family.

Here, Ruby demonstrated her newfound skill: Down. Stay.

Each time the CGP says it, she pushes her firmly down, and then rewards her by stroking her face while telling her what a good puppy she is!

Ruby is a calm, but curious dog who is happy to please her new mistress.

Ruby came home knowing a few skills already.

She can Sit. Stay.

She asks to go outside, being fully

housebroken, and she can shake

hand-to-paw when she asks for a biscuit.

We really don't understand why she was

returned to the Shelter. That lady's loss was our gain.

Ruby already has two toys.

A sheepskin giraffe for inside,

and a big purple squeaky ball for outdoor fun.

Here she demonstrates her play-bow, before she fetches the ball. It takes her a few tries to get it into her mouth, too.
And no matter who throws it, she always brings it back to the CGP. She knows the hand that feeds her!

And another look at our Old Dowager Queen.

You can see the resemblances and the differences

between the two.

Zoey doesn't have black ears, nor the black rings

around her eyes. Ruby does not have the big

black spot on her back.

Zoey is bigger, and her ticking is

fading with oncoming age.

But the two have uncanny similarities in personality.
They are both dainty Princesses, they hold their bodies and tails in the same way, and when Zoey was younger she had the same calm curiosity.

Both are a little on the thin side, too.
Ruby with the leggy thinness of late puppyhood.
Zoey with the stiff thinness of old age.

Ah, dear Zoey. Are you eleven? Twelve maybe. You were certainly at least a two when we rescued you in January 2000. But you were not yet three, according to the vet. Well, old girl, I know exactly how you feel on those cold mornings when the barometers falling and we both get out of bed stiff with arthritis.

But love is wasted on the young, they say.