She is NOT an L.L.Bean Cover Model

I had always wanted a Golden Retriever. I grew up drooling over them in the L.L.Bean catalog. They have always used the most cuddly looking fur-babies in their advertising. They are often pictured jumping off the end of a dock into Lake Sebago or bounding across the Sand Beach in Acadia, Maine in the Summer issues. In the winter catalog, they are so often seen romping in the snow. In. Nose-Deep. Snow. They are seen having a wonderful time helping to bring in the freshly cut Christmas tree from the forest. In. Really. Deep. Snow.

When we lived in the Philippines, God brought us a wonderful Golden Retriever named Carmel. She was named after missionary Amy Carmichael but CARMichaEL was too long so …it eventually transformed into Carmel. She became a dessert topping when we got a second one and named her Butterscotch, which was often shortened to Butter by my daughter…. thankfully, it did not shorten to Butt.

When we moved back to the states our dogs suffered a bit of culture shock. They had doggie culture shock in the form of seeing fuzzy rat-like creatures with fluffy tails that could run straight up a tree and tight-rope walk on the utility wires above the yard. Squirrels were a new thing to chase, very different from the rats and snakes they were accustomed to. They had lived mostly on cement so a huge yard full of green grass was a new experience too. They went from being 100% OUTDOOR dogs to being spoiled high-maintenance divas, thanks to my parents. They settled quite comfortably into being furry-grandchildren.

Butterscotch was not doing well even before we moved stateside. She had an enlarged heart and an enlarged liver, we knew ahead of time she would not be long with us. She did a great job growing grass this fall.

Carmel, now playing the card of sad-dog-in-mourning,

became even more of a WUSS, aided by her ever-dotting grandparents. She was given a comfy fleece bed complete with pillowed-edge. Although it was second-hand to her, she dove onto it the first time it was dropped on the floor and claimed it as her own.

As the weather turned cold, her non-fuzzy sister bought her a pink cable-knit sweater complete with sparkly silver thread throughout, for she was a tropical dog and not used to such extreme temperatures as 65℉.

A few days ago, the weather grew colder and the forecasters started talking about white stuff falling from the sky …a lot of it …A LOT OF IT.

So, Carmel had her first experience with the stuff we call SNOW. If it is possible to sink from Wuss to Wimp … she did it. No, you will not be seeing Carmel working as a model-dog for L.L.Bean any time soon. She will never make her parents rich that way for she has made up her mind to NOT LIKE SNOW. She was shoved outside, expected to follow the kids lead and the spectacular example of the fur-kids in the yard next door. She would have nothing to do with it. She was dragged to the middle of the yard on a leash and she sat down and refused to romp, bound, or catch snowballs. There she sat in DEEP SNOW up to her chin.

The whimpering began and she, in fact, became a WIMP.

The dog once bragged on for being a JOCK is now a WIMP.

BUT- she is such a cuddly wimp, so soft and fuzzy and good with her non-fuzzy sisters and brothers. She is willing to be a pillow,

my companion in my early morning quiet hours,

a foot-warmer, and a sympathizer when one is sad. She is willing to endure long periods of petting and scratching. She is a very faithful and constant companion.

…except when it involves cold wet white stuff fallen from the sky.