Sandi and Patti playing in our back yard

Patti playing in our back yard

Busy Patti!

Patti is doing much better with her house breaking, therefore, she has a lot more freedom. Her newest game is taking ALL the toys out of the basket and throwing them all around. Then I pick them all up so she can do it again. Fool that I am, I've done that four times today. She's happy though and that's all that matters. She got two rides in the car today which she loved. She sits there like a proper little lady and looks out the window. She's learning that she can go in and out the pet door whenever she wants to so she's been buzzing in and out all day. She's a little ball of energy. It's like having a toddler around which is fine. We adore her!

I feel like I've neglected Patti the last few days. We had a death in the family, one of our lady rat girls, Lily. It was a difficult passing and wiped me out, but I will make it up to Patti.

Last night I tried to keep her company by lying in the floor beside her to read. I don't know in what Universe I thought that would work out, but certainly not this one. Before I knew it I had massive jaws and a huge tongue and a big chest standing with one foot on each side of my face, licking it unmercifully and nibbling on my nose and ears. The more I struggled and laughed, the more determined she became. I had to call Frank to pull her off of me. After a while she got it and for brief amounts of time would lie as close to me as possible before getting up and trotting around. Patti has two speeds-stop and full speed ahead. I also convinced that toys, not mommy's arms and hands were to be used to chew on. She's such a puppy! We adore her.

I'm so proud of Patti. She's doing well with her potty training. The only thing is, I'm afraid she thinks that's all outside is for. She races out, goes, then races back inside. She was out of her crate for quite a few hours today (confined to the den) and no accidents. I'm cautiously optimistic. 

We took both dogs on errands with us today. Frank stayed in the car with them while I did a little food shopping and then I stayed in the car with them when he went to Lowes to get bird seed. Patti sat there pretty as you please, watching everyone and everything with such wonder. Everyone smiles at her. Her joy is truly contagious.

I realize this is an odd thing to be excited about but excited I am non the less. When Patti and I went outside this morning after breakfast, for the first time she went pee and poop right away! I started clapping and bouncing up and down telling her what a good girl she was. She gave me this amazed look and bounced over to me thinking:  I don't know what I did to make her so happy but I'm going to figure it out as soon as I can and do it again. We animal lovers get excited about the oddest things, don't we?

Patti's friendship with our rat Benny continues to grow. As soon as Benny gets out for playtime, he goes over to Patti's crate to visit her. She lies down and puts her head between her paws and gets as close to the side of the crate as she can. Benny stands close to the crate and they have a staring match, gossiping, no doubt, about their day. In a few minutes, Benny wanders off and Patti cries. They repeat this scenario several times always with the same outcome--Benny leaving, Patti crying for him to come back. It's a bittersweet thing, but it's touching.

Patti's Homecoming

Patti's homecoming