1: The Homecoming

I always knew that I was to be born into greatness. That was and is my destiny! My birth mother’s name was Cutie which is well, rather cute. My father a distinguished pug named George Washington, (and sire to many lords and ladies I was told, but none I doubt as handsome as I) sadly I must say I never got to know. My mother never barked about it but I had heard from other sources that it was a one night stud, or rather I mean stand!

Last time I heard George was retired and living somewhere near the beach on the Mornington Peninsula. Apparently not far from me as the crow flies, (whichever direction that is) but it is of no consequence to me now. Water under the bridge! Though I must admit that sometimes I did wonder as I grew up and out and into my skin, if that is where my broad shoulders and good looks originated from! From George himself as my birth mum Cutie was really, shall we say “quite delicate”.

Any way I left home at a tender age to make my own way in the big world yonder My mother Cutie was sad to see me going, but she understood that there comes a time in every  puggie’s life where he has to move on.

The day I left was quite emotional. All these feelings whelming up inside my cute, small body. My little blue blankie on which I had entered the world on, had been packed together with my just born puglet photos, and some tiny puppy treats to sustain me on my new, about to begin journey.

I remember waking up early and waiting excitedly for my adopted parents to arrive that morning to collect me and take me to my new home. Cutie had spoken  (if the truth be known barked and whined really, as that is what dogs do in some of their communication) to me the night before, explaining what was to come. Whilst I didn’t quite understand because I was only a wee tacker after all and my intelligent brain was only just starting to develop, I did understand the emotions that my birth Mum was displaying very well. I was to later wonder if that was all part of nature or nurture? Nature I was fairly sure.

Anyway I vaguely remember when my soon to be adoptive parents had first come to visit me, when I was but two weeks old, and here I was now a big boy, or rather a big puggie standing tall 8 weeks later and ready to fly, or should I say jump the nest!

Thinking back about that time now in my life, brings back memories of when I was born. Some would not believe or understand that I could actually still remember the day of my birth-September 8th 2011. A great day indeed! But back to where I left off, which truthfully I can’t remember now, but it was, I think the day I sat by the door expectantly waiting for my new mum to arrive.

I heard the car drive up outside and then the sound of two car doors opening and closing. I am blessed with good hearing and smelling though some might say that this is nothing special, all dogs have this gift! Anyway whatever!

The door bell rang and Cutie my mum started barking immediately. I know she was really crying because THAT time had come.

I sat there at the door looking up with wonder at this vision that stood before me as the door swung back. It was my adoptive mum looking positively gorgeous. I thought that she looked soo beautiful just like an angel, and with her gorgeous laugh on spying me that made my tummy suddenly turn into like jelly! I thought I had gone to Heaven! Wherever Heaven is but I know it’s somewhere good.

My adoptive mum bent down, picked me up ever so gently and planted a big kiss on my big, flat nose. “Oh” she said, how much you have grown since I last saw you, and sooo handsome now!” Well my heart just melted and I felt so proud and like I was standing on all paws 30cm tall and not the 10cm, which between you and I, was really all that I was at that time.

I remember she was wearing this beautiful perfume which even now she still sprays on, and now I know she does so just for me because she knows that I love her smelling so gorgeous all the time. In fact barking about all this, brings to mind a day just recently when she was entertaining guests that night, and so I got to have a shower and shampoo and blow dry before Mum had hers! And a spray or two of Brittany as well! We both smelled so beautiful that night, and I’m sure the guests were all very impressed.Though alas there were no other dogs visiting as well! Now that is who I would really liked to have impressed! Someone of my own canine quality. You know, breed?

Anyway back again to the original story, so there I was being hugged in my new mum’s arms when I glimpsed over her shoulder, this man dressed in a shirt and tie standing behind her smiling at me. He was my new dad! No doubt having dressed up especially for me! How blessed was I to have a new mum and a new dad! And still get to keep my birth mother Cutie who I would later visit from time to time. I was so excited that I nearly forgot to say goodbye to my siblings and give Cutie a big smoochy lick, before I was whisked off with my meagre belongings to my new car which was to take me to my new home, sitting quite proudly on my mum’s beautiful knee homeward bound.

Mum talked to me throughout our journey home. I think she thought that I might be sad leaving my birth family and wanted to distract me, and yes I was sad, no disputing that, but secretly I felt like I had started on one new, big adventure. All the new smells, the sounds, the world that I could see from the window of the car when mum held me up to get a view was just soo amazing.

Mum told me her name was Sharhara. I loved that name when I first heard it. It was like a melodious song. Still do. It always brought, and still brings to mind images in my mind of grand, wide open spaces of mother nature.

Dad’s name was Ricardo but apparently everyone called him Rocky for short, though mum said to me that they were both very informal people unlike others that they knew whose names she said she was not going to mention, and to please just call them Mum and Dad.

I felt so happy. The happiest puglet in my whole, small, yet to be fully discovered world. Life could not get any better than this I thought.

In a very short time we arrived at my new home. Mum got out of the car carrying me and then she stood still and looking down upon me with her gentle eyes she said, “Rambo there is something you need to know before you go in”.

I tilted my head quizzically and looked at her with my big eyes. (I am a pug so I do have big eyes) “Rambo”, she said, “you need to know something. We also have other adopted four legged loves like you. We have three cats that have been with us for a very long time and just may be a wee bit unsure to begin with, of our adoption of you”.

Well my heart sort of skipped a beat when I heard this. Where I had come from there was one cat in that household called Kimba, and She and I, from the day I entered the world, did not see eye to eye. And now here was Mum saying there were THREE felines in my new yet to be home.

Anyway being the positive little puggie (that I always was and still am by the way) I resolved that I would not let this unexpected news get in the way of my love for mum (and Dad of course), because I understood even at that tender age all about unconditional love. Even if others didn’t.

Mum then announced quite loudly, “I am going to name you “Rambo”, short for Ramadan (because she said that I was born in the 9th month) Bohemian (mum is a bit ‘alternative’ shall we say, though Dad would affectionately refer to her more as “unique”) and I think she wanted to, in some little way live life through me by adding the ‘Bohemian’ bit to my name. So there I was. Ramadan Bohemian, such a special name for a special little pug.

Where I had just come from, Cutie’s home that is, I had a blue spot of paint or something similar on my forehead and my name had been Puggie3. In fact my siblings had been called similar names as there was also Puggie 1, Puggie 2, and Puggie 4. I had a new name now and I loved it. It was all mine! Ramadan Bohemian! But from that day forth, I was really only ever known as Rambo, and that suited all of us fine!

Unless of course when I would happen to inadvertently be disobedient, and I always knew when this was so, because I would be called then by my full name which always made my tail briefly uncurl and head straight between my little hind legs. In fact while I think about it, I have always actually had this beautiful tail, that though short, sort of curled around into itself and sat proudly on my rump, a bit like a meringue most of the time!

But back to the story, nothing, and I mean nothing could have prepared me for when we first entered the house. I gazed around and up in awe. Three pairs of eyes side by side sat there at the very top of the stairs coolly gazing down at me. My little heart was beating fast and i knew I was trembling so. I could feel from those three felines eyeballing me that there was definitely no warmth here..yet.

Mum carried me up the stairs straight to where the gazing eyes were and stopping there in front of them, said in a very authoritative voice, now “Milo, Bailey and Maggie, I want you all to meet your new brother Rambo. Be kind to Rambo please and don’t annoy him. He is a puppy who has just left his family and is no doubt sad, so please make him feel at home and mind your manners at all times whilst you are in his company.

With those wise words she then placed me gently on the floor in front of her legs, and directly in front of the three pairs of eyes! If I could have run I would have but I had no where to go. But my feline siblings did! And after throwing a few hisses and sideways looks at me they took off in various directions. I could tell they were not happy. But I was very thankful they had gone.

But still in doubt if this was such a good idea after all coming here. I mean after all I was now the new kid, or rather the new pug on the block here! But I didn’t have much time to contemplate my new fate with destiny, because Mum picked me up again and took me into the kitchen saying “Rambo you must be very hungry”. And suddenly I realised yes I was. VERY hungry in fact.

There were two bowls she had placed on the kitchen  floor. I drank thirstily from one and then attacked the food on the other plate with gusto! It was yum! So yum in fact that I could have eaten three more bowls. I looked around for more but resigned myself to the fact that this was it. This was my dinner and no more was coming. And to digress a bit it is still the same today. Portion control. For my own good to keep me healthy and fit I am told constantly. Life can be tough sometimes for a wee pug.Especially when you grow up blissfully ignorant of the fact that you are considered by many to be overweight for your size and breed.

I had never worn a collar before and suddenly here I was having a beautiful blue one buckled up around my little big rolly polly neck.(Not that I really have a neck as such, some would laughingly later say unkindly though not really meaning to be unkind I knew)  I felt so proud. Like I now had my very own piece of bling just like all of Mum’s that she was wearing. I was later to discover that she loved bling! But nowhere near as much as she loved me.

By now the cats were still  no where to be seen and I was very tired. Mum took me into another room which later I was to learn was her bedroom that she shared with Dad. Mum then placed me on my very special little blue blankie inside a new little soft basket which was lying on the floor, and all I remember after that, was that I was running through the daisies in my dreams, and chasing butterflies and life was so good.