So this happened....

I know it’s Friday, and I am supposed to be posting about our Baking Friday – Pie # 10 where I show you how I made these. 

But, that will have to wait until tomorrow, because there is something bigger that G and I have been doing this last week that I want to share with you, and I have a feeling will actually excite people way more than Mini Apple Turnovers.

His name is Maximus, or Max for short.  Maximus because of his size, but Max because of his soulful eyes, like a good jazz blues musician. 

We didn’t plan this y’all.  We think he may have lived in the house behind us at one time, but those folks moved away months ago. They had so many dogs it’s hard to know for sure, but last Thursday night I saw Max hanging out around their front steps on my drive home from work, so I asked G to walk over and take a look.  Next thing I know we are feeding this wet, smelly, matted dog some leftover smoked pork butt. 

And a bit more smoked pork butt.

Quite a bit of smoked pork butt.

That is when the three of us, G, B and I, began to debate what to do next.  We joked that if he stayed with us, I would now be the only one in the house without white hair…at least for now…ahem. But he clearly had to have a bath if he was staying here!

So G gave him a bath while B and I familiarized ourselves with the pet care aisles at Walmart.  I told B as we were driving to Walmart that I didn’t remember the last time I’d been on the pet care aisles of Walmart.  My friend, P, reminded me that it was on a business trip with her when she was exploring private label pet care ideas.  That was at least 2 lifetimes ago folks…

Anyway, Max let G give him a bath without complaint, and then despite the mats and tangles, he laid very still and quietly without complaining while G patiently tried to brush him out as much as of his hair as possible. 

So that was last Thursday night.  G took him to the vet on Friday and found out that Max aka “King” since we had no other name for him at that point, did not have a chip and is a Great Pyrenees.  He is about 1-1/2 years old and weighs 70 lbs when he should weigh at least 100 lbs.  But his heart and lungs and teeth are good, plus the vet remarked at his gentle demeanor.  G also got Max a couple of toys.  Because...toys.

Then Saturday Max discovered some brush next door and ended up with thistles all around his mane. And while he was sure that rolling around in the grass in the backyard would be enough to get them all out, eventually he slinked over to the steps and resigned himself to me picking them all out and then brushing him all over again.  Again, without complaint….pretty amazing for a stray.  Max will even respond to “Sit” and “Stay” and “Come” most of the time, which I understand to be hard for independent thinkers like Pyrs.

On Sunday, Max met the J-man for the first time, and was gently much more interested in sniffing J-man than J-man was interested in him, but at least there was no indication that Max thinks J-man is anything but the cool man that he is.  And then Max stayed by himself in the front bedroom/office while we all went apple picking as a family, and he did very well.

Are we keeping him?  We are still debating if we are the right people for Max, but we are at least doing the right thing by him.  We wouldn’t be approved for adopting Max from a Great Pyrenees rescue, because we don’t have a fenced in back yard, but so far, Max doesn’t seem to be letting that bother him. 

We did at least have him groomed last night.  Here is his before pic:

And here is his WIP pic.  

Miss G spent over 4 hours working on Maximus, and while you could see the indignity of it all in his eyes, he stood very still for Miss G.  He even managed to smile at one point...perhaps in hopes that a smile would cause us to make this indignity end!

Finally done!  Look how handsome!

That’s “our” Max.  We are taking it one day at a time right now, but even if we decide we aren’t the right people for Max, we will do our best to find him a good home.  We wouldn’t just turn him back out onto the streets.  Given how often we travel and various other considerations, it is an ongoing conversation.  We decided last night that we will know he is staying when we get him “real” food and water bowls.  Although G did say something to Max last night about waiting until Christmas for one treat that Max was smelling as we left Pet Smart last night…