Red Dog, I Think I'm Gonna Puke!

Red Dog is safely stowed away in the basement, I think. Do doubt he'll be uncovered in the next few weeks as I make my way through the house. More on him later.

Today I was grilling Joseph on our way back from eating at Panchero's for lunch. Mmmmmm! I was asking him what he would do if he were in my shoes. I wanted to know what he'd do with the dolls my mom made for me when I was a kid. These are lovely dolls, folks. She specialized in Raggedy Ann and Andy. She has seen much less quality dolls than the ones she makes sold for $100. I still have the pair she made me when I was one year old. They are tattered looking, but in pretty good shape. I have a three foot tall pair as well. Plus, my mom also branched out and made a few other kinds of dolls. They are beautifully made. I never really got them down for my girls, I guess with the idea that we'd keep them nice and pass them down. I just didn't realize that for items to carry meaning, they needed to be held and loved. With my space issue, these are a real dilemma! Joseph didn't make this any easier. He simply told me that he'd not make any decision about them because they are mine.

At that point, somehow, Joseph remembered Red Dog. Red Dog has been with me for a long time. I'm not sure what age I was when he was given to me, but I know that he was washed many times. One day, at about age 3 or 4, I remember sitting on the bottom stair of the staircase and crying. Red Dogs stomach had ripped open and the little beads and stuffing were coming out. Mom saved the day and sewed him up for me.

When Nathan was born, we put a shelf up in his room to display some of the dolls and, of course, Red Dog. I used to pretend that Red Dog would talk to Nathan and sometimes Nathan talked to Red Dog.

When we moved to this current house, the shelf was again installed in Nathan's room over his crib. He always liked to say good night to Red Dog, who was up on the shelf, before he went to sleep. At that time I was pregnant with May and apparently often said, "I think I'm gonna puke!" One day I took Nathan in for his nap and suddenly, he looked up at Red Dog and said, "Red Dog, I think I'm gonna puke!"

Red Dog stays. Good dog.