Kimi took us back in time the first time we went out to do any serious fishing. She sat there in innocent glory as those who were fishing readied their poles, attached their sinkers, their hooks with bait or their lures. And as the chosen few walked away with said poles Kimi stood up on all fours. Her tiny head came to full alert as did her ears to full perk. All was quiet save for the occasional bull frog croaking off in the distance, the sharp single cry of an Eagle passing over our heads, or the quiet talk of those with us. The first to get his line wet stepped up to his chosen rock. Kimi's head tilted WAY back as she watched the lure being drawn back over head. And as it hovered for the barest of time, Kimi's ears were tilted backwards as she strained her head as far back as it could go. Eyes alight with wonder, she watched.

Then suddenly the pole was swung wide and sharp, the lure sailed up and out over the waters in a gentle arc, if you listened closely you could hear the line as it zinged its way out. For a split second anyway. For just as quickly as the lure went sailing the calm and peace and quiet was broken by the sharp irrepressible and frantic "YIPYIPYIP!!!" from Kimi!! Launching herself up and forward Kimi hit the end of the lead I had shortened and with a desperate "RRRYIRRRYIP!" she let us know in no uncertain terms she wanted that lure back out of that water NOW! She was jumping against her lead so fiercely that her front feet were no where near to touching the ground. Her sharp yipping broke the silence of the evening as surely as would a sonic boom. I pulled her back close to me where I was sitting and help her tight, trying to reassure her that all was well and she just needed to be quiet.

For the time that the lure was still in the water Kimi was content to be quiet. Not still, but quiet. My smile lifted as I watched Kimi do a perfect army belly crawl forward. Silently and slowly, she reached out with her front feet; left, right, left. Then up came her behind and her back feet moved; left, right, left. Just as the last step was taken her behind hit the dirt again. Then it began again. Front feet forward; left, right, left. Behind in the rear her back feet followed said steps; left, right, left. And so on. Chuckling to myself I let her sneak her way to the end of the lead and was about to reel her in again when all of a sudden all.......insanity broke loose.

In front of her came the lure, up up out of the water. Lunging forward Kimi shouted out her own commands to the lure, to the one person fishing, to the pole, and to who ever would listen! "RRRRYIP!" "RRRRYIP!" GGGGGGGRRYIP!" Jumping up and down as she did so, and all the while letting her head lift up and twist back to keep her bright eyes fully trained on the lure as it swung up and over her head again, Kimi was determined to NOT let it hit the water again! As the pole swung out in an arc, Kimi crouched toward the ground, her eyes never leaving their intended victim. As the pole was flung in a forward cast, her legs sprang like a steel trap and up she jumped as high as she could shouting "GGGGRRRRRYIP!" As the lure once again flew out over still waters, Kimi hit the end of her leash in a full fledged fury. Growling yipping, snapping, and snarling, she was as angry as I have ever seen her to be. This lure was NOT going to get away! Period!! Lunging and pulling with all her might her front feet lifted from the ground and she continued on, propelled by her strong back legs and feet.

Once the lure hit the water and sank beyond sight, Kimi would settle down onto the grass to once again army crawl toward the banks edge. If she couldn't capture her prey by sheer might she would simply have to out fox it! Suddenly the pole bent, the fisherman let out an excited shout and gave a quick jerk to the pole to *set* the hook. This brought Kimi to her feet as excitement filled the air. Eyes bright and wide with wonder, her tail wagging slowly Kimi waited. She kept looking from the pole to the water and back again, knowing that soon whatever was on the underwater end of that line was going to come out! The fish that had been caught gave a quick roll to the top of the water, it's tail splashing across the surface. As we watched the water arc and heard the quick splash, Kimi jumped forward, closer to the edge. Her eyes peering down into the water, you could almost see she too was holding her breath. Daring a quick happy glance to the one fishing, Kimi quickly looked back to the water again just in time to see the luckless fish rise to the surface. Her whole body aquiver with excitement I heard a low whine start. It almost sound like she was saying "OOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" Once the fish had been lifted clear of the water, she began a happy little dance, stepping lightly from foot to foot. As the fish was grasped in tightly gentler hands Kimi began to spring up and down up and down in her attempts to gain a closer look. Once the hook had been safely removed the captured fish was lowered for her inspection. Kimi's tail was set awagging as a look of joy spread over her features. Not moving her feet, but instead leaning her body in as close as she dared I watched as her tiny tongue snaked out from between her smiling lips. OOH Kimi you licked a fish!! YUCK!!

Running her tongue out of her mouth and over the wet head of the fish a time or two, Kimi then stepped back. I am guessing she had to make sure the fish was okay and then thank it for playing this game with us. She watched with a deep interest as the fish was then lowered over the water. Suddenly it came to her that we were not keeping this fish for her to play with but were setting it free! Jumping to the edge of the water in two mighty leaps, Kimi let out a shocked "YIP!" and then looked into the water in total disbelief. Staring down into the dark river waters, she let out as low whine or two, perhaps begging it to come back or telling it to be happy? She then turned her face to the one who set her new found friend free and appointed him with her best and dirtiest glare. This time Kimi was NOT a happy camper!

However fishing was not over so she had perhaps another shot at gaining a new found friend. As time wore on and no more fish were caught we moved on to a new and hopefully better spot. For me at least it was as we ended up back to me place in the sun. Walking out across the water I sat down again on my rock while I watched our wild and rugged men fish. This time as the lure was cast into the rapidly moving water, Kimi decided as she to was in the water she had a better chance of catching it!

As the lure hit the surface and sank beyond the frothing white waters, Kimi bounced forward. SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH went the waters all around her. Paying no heed to the water as it covered her with glistening wet droplets she bounced her way out as deep as she dared go. Shouting out her rapid fire "YIPS!" and "GGRRRs!" and "RRRRRRYIPS!" as she sprang through the chilly waters, she gave voice to her demands to leave her fish alone! Onward this game continued in like manner. Kimi's face bore a look of total frustration and intense concentration as she sprang through the shallow waters time after time hoping to either scare the lure out of the waters or persuade it to simply give up and come back in on its own.

No doubt all of Kimi's yipping and fierce growling and energetic bouncing in the waters kept the fish away so I would have to say she was successful in protecting her beloved if not tasty fish! After a while all fishing attempts were given up on and a new game unfolded.

The lure was removed from the line so that nothing was left but the pole. Kimi spotted the end of this pole, the one who had spent the past hour driving her mad. Even though she was standing knee deep in the water, which to you and I is still barely ankle high, Kimi gave a mighty leap up. Seeing this as a chance to have some fun, the pole was lowered to the surface of the water, just out of Kimi's reach. As it was bounced lightly up and down in front her her face, she looked up into the smiling face of the one on the other end of the pole. "Go ahead Kimi, get it!" The invitation having been issued, Kimi smiled brightly and dipped her head down to the surface of the water to watch the tip of the pole as it bounced and wiggled its way over the water. Springing lightly after it yipping happily, Kimi gave chase.

SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH she went again through the shallows, yipping and snapping at the pole. As it was lifted higher and crossed over and behind her to start back the other way, Kimi simply jumped up into the air and turned in mid stride. landing with a wet KERSLPASH she shouted out a drippy "YIP!" and continued bouncing through the water. It amazed me how quickly she had figured out how much faster and easier she could go thru the water if she jumped hopped and bounced rather than trying to force her way through it in a run. Looking much like a fox springing after a fish in the shallows, Kimi bounced and jumped along with her trade mark smile growing wider.

Figuring to out fox the pole, Kimi jumped up onto a rock. Leaning way out she snapped her jaws quickly and tried to snare the pole that way. Only real problem with that bright idea was the fact the rock she had chosen to stand on at that time was a bit slime covered which made it slick as spit. As she tried to hold on with her front feet, her back feet slipped and went opposite directions as they tried to slide backwards. I watched her face take on a very strained look and saw her extend her front toenails as only a cat should do. The corners of her mouth were drawn back in a drunken grin as she strained to hold on to that rock with dear life. Her eyes widened and her ears laid back with the effort it took to hold herself on to the rock with just her front toes. Those stiff and strained toenails made a chalk board type scratching sound as she slide back an inch. Two inches.....two and a half inches. .....

FINALLY... her back feet managed to find a couple places that were a bit less slick then any other spot they had already tried and she got a holding grip. Her face relaxed, as did every other muscle in her body. Balancing precariously on top of this rock Kimi let out a courageous "YIP!" to the offending fishing rod. Not good Kimi! Having done this rocked her world and this time her front feet slipped forward. I laughed as the happy expression on her face turned to horror as the water rose up to meet her. With tiny white wet back feet desperately gripping slippery rock, her front toes slid closer and closer and closer to the water. Her body teeter-tottered back and forth as she tried to hold her position in the rear and keep from getting wet behind the ears again. Her mouth opened in a shocked grimace as her tiny eyes widened beyond belief.

At about that time a cool late spring breeze ruffled up over her back and it seemed to be all she needed to push her over the edge. Mother Nature had decided Kimi need to cool off! I remember wondering even at that very second why she didn't just go on in the water, She would get wet, but not dunked. I guess only Kimi can answer that one and she has learned not to talk under water. Her nose hit the water and I swear to you her eyes squinted shut tightly. As the water closed up over her slowly sinking upper body, I stood to reach out and pull her back up. Unfortunately for Kimi right about then I placed my foot on a slippery rock and out went my arms in a windmill attempt to right my own self. Success not so gracefully offered, I did save myself from a soaking, and quickly looked to find Kimi.

There she stood, her behind straight up in the air, her head well under water, not moving! Okay, was she trying to talk to the fish now too? I grabbed her by the tail and not so gracefully yanked her up and out of the water and onto the offendingly slippery rock by her tail. Our little water dog was soaked from just behind her shoulders to the tip of her nose. Letting out a couple quick water-filled sneezes, again blinking crystal clear droplets from her eyelashes, Kimi gave me a lasting look. Uh-oh. Mommy's in the dog house now! If looks could kill..well let's just say any offered apology would find itself barking up the wrong tree. That was a most definite not so sweet Kimi look! I could try to excuse it away by saying that glare was caused by the sun light in her eyes, or by the water she was still trying to squeeze from her eye lids, but I don't think anyone who could see it would buy it.

Have you ever noticed though, when you get angry at someone you often do things without thinking them through clearly? Something you will regret later? Kimi learned the same thing on this day too. Offering me on last glare, she tossed her soaked head into the air with as much grace as a soggy doggy can do, let out a HHHMMPPH toward me and shook the water from her body. Well, as you may have just guess, that is NOT a good thing to when still balancing on a very slippery and even wetter rock then before. It worked as she shook herself, after all her toenails were only lightly scattering across the slippery surface. It was when she stopped that disaster struck.

Her left foot slipped toward the right. Her right front foot slipped toward the rear and a dawning look of reality came over her face. Just as she slipped backwards and to the left into the deeper pool of water the look changed to one of recognition. I swear the poor wet dear was thinking "Oh no......." In slow motion I watched her body slide under, followed by her upper body, her chest and finally.....her head. She looked much the way a steamer would I suppose, as it sank into the murky depths of its final resting place. Her face held the look that I am sure many sea fairing captains have held as they bravely and without complaint went down with their ships. She knew it was coming, there was nothing she could do to stop it, why fight fate? before her tiny nose had a chance to sink below the surface and fill with water, I scooped her up and set her down in the shallows. Having had MORE than enough water fun for one day, Kimi sprang like a jack rabbit across the shallows shouting "YIP! YIP! YIP!", one for each time her feet hit the ground again. By the tone of her voice, and the look on her face when she offered my one last dirty look as she tossed her head and her hair over her right shoulder, I recognized these words. "That's IT! I've had ENOUGH! YOU stay out there if you want and I HOPE you fall in!" The last was issued with a hearty "GGRRRYIP!" when she landed on the warm dry surface of her tiny island in the sun. Flipping herself around she threw that one last angry "ggrryip" my way. Doing her best high school girl imitation, Kimi flipped her head up high and to the right as she turned a stiff tail my direction and stalked off with a very soggy nose held high. Boy talk about having your nose out of joint!

Her bad moods never last for long though. As she was stalking her way across the island, her feet hit the sand. Warmed by the late afternoon sun, it squished its way up between her toes and she walked on. Well, she proved one thing to be true, l warm sand squishing between your toes is good for what ails anyone...young or old...canine or not. Within a few short steps, you could see her body relax. Her head dropped from where she had held it so rigidly. Stopping in the middle of the sand, she lowered her nose, stopped walking and with her wet right front began to paw at the sand. Within one or two half hearted swipes, the left foot joined in and she soon had sand flying out from under her belly as though caught up in a strange but furious wind storm. As the hole she was digging became deeper, Kimi's little body twisted left then right as she worked to make this hole as even as possible. Once she lifted her sand covered nose to me and offered me a quick and happy sand coated smile. I shook my head as I smiled over her roller-coaster mood change. No sooner had she turned her attention back to her self made sand pit then Kimi tucked her head and executed a perfect swan dive into the hole. As she landed it was clear to see she had somehow measured this perfectly for her body fit right down into this hole for as she twisted, turned and rolled on her back from side to side, she managed to cover every square hair with sand. Once completely sanded, Kimi lay there on her right side, her head pillowed by the sand she had dug out to make the hole, Her top ear flopped over her forehead and her pink tongue, sand coated though it was too, laid hanging from between her smiling lips. Okay...life was good again. She wasn't drowning, she wasn't even TOO wet, and she was very very dirty. Lifting her head she called "YIP!" to me just once, as if to say "Kiss me mom!", then flopped her head back down on her pillow of sand again. I laughed as I watched her eyes close to the sunlight. Knowing she was about to drift off to nap time as a happy little camper shook my head knowing full well how right she was. Life is indeed good.

Forgive the ones who you love. Hold their love, not a grudge close to you heart. Life may get soggy sometimes, but it's just to short. And remember this. When you find yourself in the pits......make it a sand pit, troll around in it and take a nap. Everything looks better after a nap in the sun.

walk in beauty
Kristi & Kim