Bonding with Joey, the Puppy!

The view from the window. That snowdrift covered up our wishing well and bushes! The photo is in color, but looks black and white.

​It all happened during a blizzard in February.  Snow covered the ground and painted the trees white.  The wind howled into the storm and piled the snow into drifts over five feet high.  The sun didn’t shine for two days and the bitter cold made my paws hurt.  And I was bored.  Even though my upright was attempting to teach me a new trick and was playing with me, I found everything boring.  I wanted to play and run, to jump through the snow drifts and go hiking, but the storm brought over two feet of snow and we were officially snowed-in. 
I needed something to do, someone besides my upright to play with.  And that’s when I remembered Joey, the puppy.  Before, I had always seen him as a nuisance and as the “evil puppy who was stealing all the love and attention,” but now I saw him as a potential playmate.  He was chewing on a ball so I went over there and stole it from him. He barked.  I rolled it back to him.  He nosed it over to me.  I grabbed the ball and ran around the house.  Joey chased me.  It was FUN.  I dropped the ball and he grabbed it.  I chased him around the house.  We were playing tug-a-war with a rope toy and running and chasing each other.  I discovered it was fun playing with Joey! 
Then Joey needed to go potty.  My upright let us out into the backyard.  The snow was piled high in the yard.  The wind flung cold snowflakes into our faces.  I even squeezed my eyes shut.  My upright came out with us, but suddenly she was calling Joey’s name.  She couldn’t find him.  I looked around.  He had been right behind me in the deep snow.  The snow was so deep that it was over his head.  I couldn’t see him.  I could tell my upright was concerned.  There was a note of urgency in her voice.  I could barely see her through the blowing snow.  She called for Joey again.  But he still didn’t emerge.  It was up to me to find him.  The thought of leaving him in the snow didn’t even cross my mind.  He’s a puppy.  He’s young and innocent and even though he sometimes annoys me, he’s my puppy.  I raced through the deep snow, jumping through the deep drifts until I found him.  I led him through the snow and back to my upright. 
We went inside and she wiped off the snow.  Then we all snuggled together in front of the fireplace.  The fire crackled and sent delicious warmth to our wet fur.  My upright drank hot cocoa and rubbed my belly.  She told me I was a, “good older sister,” and that “I saved Joey.”  I discovered she still loves me.  And she also loves Joey, the puppy.  I guess she has enough love for both of us.  

---

Joey's giving me a kiss, which I begrudgingly accepted. The picture is blurry because he can't hold still.