We are happy to welcome our old friend Chippie for a two-and-a-half week stay here at Chez Zielske. While her family are off to decidedly far more tropical locale than here in sub-zero St. Paul, Minnesota, we are charged with her care and upkeep.
For you long-time blog readers, you all know Chippie well (you can read lots more about her by clicking here.) Chippie is my neighbor's dog who we took in for 6 months back in 2007 while they were out of the country.
Things have definitely changed with this old girl, even since her last stay. She spends most of her time sleeping, curled up on a big cushy dog bed, with not a care in the world. She doesn't hear very well. I know this because I can vacuum within a few feet of her dog bed and she doesn't even stir.
She no longer does stairs, so her long cozy nights sleeping in Aidan's room are now just a sweet memory, and I no longer have an office buddy at my feet. It's tricky enough for her to handle the stairs leading from our back door to our yard.
The yard is tricky too. It's covered with a foot of hard, icy snow. When she arrived last week, I had the kids go out and tromp down a section so she would have a place to go when nature calls. We call it Chippie's Poop Pad.
I know she's not my dog, and maybe making a scrapbook page about pets you don't own is goofy, but I look at it like this: I love this dog. We don't take it lightly when our friends ask us to take over the care, feeding and love of their pets while they're away. It's a very big deal.
I'm not sure how many more visits Chip will be making to our house, but rest assured, while she's here, we'll make sure she's warm, fed and above all, loved.
LAYOUT SUPPLIES: CZ Layered Template No. 28 • Buttoned Up Numbers, Foundation Cardstock (Katie Pertiet) • Bellissimo Paper Pack (Lynne Grieveson) • Dearest Script and Avenir fonts
Sandi Keene says
How wonderful to see Chip again. She is so loved.
Melissa says
It’s very sweet. I don’t blame you for falling in love with her. I think your readers are a little in love with her as well. Give her a scratch behind the ears for me. 🙂
Madeline St Onge says
Hugs for Chip from me too. She has the most beautiful eyes.
kate says
Aww Chip is cute! I love the layout 🙂
Nancy M says
What a sweetie. Dogs are cool no matter their age.
justjane says
Getting old is the pits – for all of us! It’s sad really; the way life trundles on past us. I hope you have a few more years of enjoying chip and her annual visits. She’s a gentle soul.
Jennifer Camplin says
Hugs to dog.. sweet!
Cyn says
Not goofy at all… she’s part of your family.
ZoezMom says
I just love when you post about Chippie… who’s a big shweetie?! C’mon, who’s a big shhhweeeetie? I’m sad to hear she can no longer do stairs. Is there any way you can relocate your office temporarily to downstairs in your scrap room while she’s visiting? I’m sure it would do you both good to spend the time together.
annie says
this is so sweet.
Kathleen D says
Love the layout too! The paper is gorgeous.
Beth S says
I love this layout. It is just so heartfelt. Give her a big hug for me. Ok gotta go I’m getting emotional here.
Betheroo says
As any animal lover knows, you are not being goofy. I think this is such a sweet page, and it celebrates one of the relationships in your family’s life.
Jennifer Mattix says
She’s a sweet girl. That face tells you everyhing.
Susan Raihala says
Cathy, there is nothing goofy about scrapping a dog that’s not yours! Love is love, no matter who receives it!
Our Golden is slowing down, too. He’s 12.5 now, and though he can still navigate the stairs and even sometimes jump on the bed without assistance, it hurts him. We can tell. Dogs really don’t live long enough.
http://questioningmyintelligence.blogspot.com/2009/09/whats-in-name.html
Debbie says
I’m sitting here crying reading this. She is so lucky to have your place to crash at. Molly, my beagle, is in her 15th year and I see so much of her in Chippie and I too don’t know how much longer she’ll be here. I am so glad you did this page.
Juju says
Awwwww. Pat the wonderful Chippie on the head for me! Cocoa and Mocha (our chocolate lab and black lab) enjoyed hearing about her again.
Marge Johnston says
Omgosh, gotta grab a tissue. I’ve loved this dog from a far for years! We lost our beloved chocolate lab 3 years ago, he was 12. I used to walk down the stairs in front of him, in case he lost his footing. I’d seriously unplug the mac and move downstairs just to be near that sweet face. Enjoy your visit with the lady. She’s a real class act! And your photography of her is simply beautiful and expressive! Love it!
kp says
You are such a good friend, and Chippie is one lucky dog.
Elizabeth says
Cathy, I think you are a big softie. It’s just wonderful that you can open up your heart and love a dog so much when it isn’t even yours. In this world, that is very nice to see.
Rhonda H says
OHHH, myyyy! I {heart} Chippie, too. I did a TWO PAGE 12×12 spread on “Our Furry Neighbors”. My neighbor has 4 dogs that my 7-year-old son LOOOOOVES to play with, bathe, etc… She jokes we have the best deal in town….she feeds them, and pays the vet bills, but they are really our dogs! LOL!
So, doing a LO about someone else’s pet is NOT nuts. Really, you all have joint custody of her!
Tanya says
I love that you take care of Chippie and love her as much as her family does. She is blessed to have such a wonderful friend like you!
margie scherschligt says
Sweet, sweet Chippie. Loved reading this.
Nancy M. says
As the human of two wonderful golden retrievers (ages 7 and 13), this post bright a tear to my eye. Sweet, sweet Chippie! She is one lucky dog to have two families that love her. Love your photos of her and your posts. No dogs in your future? It seems so natural to you.
Heather Crawford says
Awww, reminds me of my little 15 year old deaf Jack Russell, Buster..Hate it when they get old! I just posted about him..
http://heathercrawford.typepad.com/lean_in/2010/01/baby-its-cold-outside.html
Kelli says
I love Chip! She’s such a sweet girl! Have fun with her!
Jen says
Nothing goofy at ALL about scrappin’ an animal you love – even if it’s not yours. I have many a page about my sister’s pets who lived with us for a while and sweet doggie Jinx we used to dog sit a lot! Chip looks like a beautiful dog and a wonderful house-guest!
pam says
What a lucky dog to be so well loved by her second family! As a dog lover, I don’t think it is the least bit odd to scrap about your love of her whether she belongs to you or not. Give her a scratch behind her ears for me. She is so sweet.
Gina says
Oh my, Chip has such soulful eyes. Your blog entry brought tears to my eyes. Your neighbours will have a great vacation knowing their doggie is in such caring hands.
Deb J says
What a neat layout. I don’t think you are crazy to make a layout about her. She is your adopted pet. It’s sad to hear that she is not doing as well as she was. It’s hard to watch pets we love get older and frailer. She’s such a neat dog.
gitz says
Totally think Chip deserves a scrapbook page… I have to say, every time I read about you taking care of a dog I think, “I may have to give her Riley in my will. Even though she doesn’t know who I am.” Because you’re the only person who I think would spoil my pup appropriately 🙂
Lisa says
Well I’m sitting here crying reading about Chippie and I just had to get up and go hug and kiss my 2 pups! I think Chippie is so blessed to have your family care for her while her family is away. Enjoy your special time with Chippie and she knows how loved she is!!
Betsey says
We are “kitty-sitting” for our neighbor’s cat while they are gone for the winter. And you do take ownership during that time. They are coming home for a week, and I really don’t want to give up Lunar even for a week.
They don’t know it yet, but I, too, will be making an album all about his visit with “Grandpa and Grandma” and how we spoiled him. (Isn’t that what grandparents are supposed to do?)
Jett says
OK… next time you need to put “mascara alert” on the top of your post! 😉
chippie is one lucky pup to have so many who love her. Enjoy your time with her. She may not be able to hear or get around as well as before, but she knows how much you love her.
Pam Spradlin says
Such a lucky dog to have such great neighbors!
Margy Eastman says
I know what you mean about other people’s dogs, Cathy. My favorite patients are the little old guys that I’ve been treating through their golden years. It amazes me how frail they get, how content they remain, and how much their people love them. I think I know why they stick around for so long…they’re already in heaven.
Enjoy your time with Chippina the Lovely-
Margy
Lori says
Hi Cathy!
I’ve got a question unrelated to this blog post if that is okay? I watched your rounded corners tutorial and I have followed all the steps, but I got stuck on “click simplify layer in your layers pallette” I am a mac cs4 user and I have looked everywhere for simplify layer and I can’t seem to find that over on my layers pallette. Any helpful suggestions?? Ahhhh
I am taking your Design Your Life class and I am already loving it!!! thank u.
Debbie S. says
It makes perfect sense to create pages about that sweet dog. She is a part of your family, after all.
By the way, I totally copied your Christmas card back in November. On a girls’ craft weekend, I made 53 cards and sent them out the week before Christmas. They were quite popular. Thanks for the inspiration.
Wildlonewolf.blogspot.com says
I totally wish I could find someone like you for my two…*sigh* Chippie has no idea how good she has it:)
Pooh.Fanatic@gmail.com says
Sweet old girl! (Not you CZ!!!;))
~NeseScott
Marianne says
You are so wonderful to take Chippie! I love her! Great picture of her.
cathy says
Lori, that’s only in PSE. If you’re CS4, you just need to Rasterize the layer. Email me if you are still stuck at the DYL email!
mary says
LOVED this post and your layout – Chippie is a lucky dog indeed to have you guys (and while your post didn’t make me cry, reading all the comments did – boy, dogs are just the best!). on a digital note – after your christmas layouts with mindy terasawa’s papers, I fell in love with them – and now lynn grieveson…I think – finally – a replacement for the basic grey papers I love so much from paper scrapbooking – thank you!!
Elizabeth says
Chippie is beautiful! I can totally relate to all those signs of changing with age. We lost our Golden, Molly, to cancer at age 13. It’s so very hard to watch them age, but it also such a beautiful time of life; I wouldn’t have traded for anything else in the world. Here is a video of our Molly if you would like to see it.
I have followed your site for years! I love everything about it! You seem like such an awesome lady!
Caroline says
I love that you love that dog. 🙂
Houston says
I love that you made a page about Chipina! I hope you have a wonderful visit with her.
Jennifer Larson says
Lovely. Made me a little sad; we just put our dog Roswell down before Christmas. I need to go scrap her…
Quinna says
Oh how I love this dog…and I have never pet her….she is so special!
Carolyn says
Oh Cathy!! I think your page is wonderful and not silly at all. She’s a friend, just because she can’t talk to you or walk on 2 legs doesn’t make her any less worthy of a scrap book page. (this coming from one who makes almost only pages about dogs) She’s very fortunate to have such a good second family. Thank you for sharing.
reyanna says
Oh, now nice to see you scrap about Chippie again!!! I’ve missed that face. Lovely layout too! I just love that floral “paper.” 🙂
karlalala says
tell your neighbors i have come to love their dog too!! your blogs about Chippie and your video’s of her actually make me tear up!! and i LOVE that you take her in when they go away. you rock that way CZ!! always enjoy the other dogs that visit you as well. thanks for sharing!! scratch the ol’ girl for me, will ya!!
Sherri P eh says
You and Chippie are both lucky. Very lucky!
lorry says
I love Chippie too! Glad you took the time to create a page for her. She definately is a well loved dog. 🙂
Regina says
Hi Cathy. I love Chippie too. I can see by her grey muzzle that she’s an old gal and living out her golden years. Enjoy your stay Chippie. You are truly loved.
Regina NJ
Jennifer says
what a wonderful photo!! I just went back and re-read all your dog-related posts (and Chip’s posts!), and she is so lucky to have TWO families that care about her as much as you guys do… now if you excuse me, I need to go skritch my puppies’ bellies and give them kisses (and get a kleenex, too…)
Susan Tethal says
Love that you Love Chippie. I tell you, it is so nice to see this in this often times, cold, harsh world we live in. Those “Goldens” they will steal your heart every time. Give her hugs, she looks like a good, good dog.
Tracy says
I agree, it’s not silly at all. She’s sweet.
Bonnie says
You’re killing me Cathy! I have the biggest place in my heart for Goldens. My first one (Katie) lived to be 13. I now have one who’s 5 named Maggie. Chippie’s family is blessed to have someone who loves her enough to immortalize her in a scrapbook like a beloved family member, to care for her while they are away. Take it from a Golden lover who knows!