The Face of Change

What we have here might possibly be the biggest change that has happened around here in a long, long while.  As I said before, we lost the Mighty Quinn.  To be exact, it was on Halloween day and has been quite the seismic upheaval in our lives.  After all, the Mighty Quinn was with us for almost 15 years.  Like Betty White, he didn't quite make it to the mark, but we cherished every single moment we had. We are so lucky to have been able to share our world with such an exceptional guy. 

Cabra adjusted, but was fairly subdued.  So after the shock wore off a bit, I began to consider two things: 1) Maybe another dog would help Cabra.  You know, give her a new lease on life sort of like The Ottoman had done for Peanut.  Cabra is just a year younger than Quinn, so she is 14.  I hated the thought of her spending time alone when she had been with a companion virtually her entire life;  and 2) Maybe it would help the Goatfather and I.  There would never be another Quinn, but perhaps it would help to somehow fill in a bit of that huge hole in our lives. Maybe.

So the search began.  We didn't want to find another Australian Shepherd because it would never measure up to Quinn.  Plus, well, there is that whole thing about not being as young as we used to be.  (Now I've done it.  I've actually admitted this twice now.  Is this becoming a habit?  Oh, crap.)  No, we decided.  We can't keep up with another Australian Shepherd.  What we need is a 'lap dog'.  Uh. Huh.

After awhile, I happened to see an ad in the paper for Shih Tzu puppies.  Hmmm...we actually had owned a Shih Tzu in the past.  His name was Chester.  He was never the brightest bulb, but he was terribly loyal and loving.  Hmmm...  And maybe being a puppy, and being more like her, as in another 'mop' dog (Cabra is 1/2 Bichon and 1/2 Havanese), as well as more her size, Cabra would readily accept such a dog.  Trouble with that was, we forgot to consult Cabra. (More on this later... is your curiosity piqued?)

Long story short, enter Mochi, the Shih Tzu, with 1/4 Havanese mixed in.  Have you ever gone to a Japanese restaurant and had Mochi for dessert?  If you don't know what it is and have never tasted it, you are missing out!  Mochi is an umbrella term for all kinds of Japanese rice cakes, but usually, in a Japanese restaurant, it means a small ball of ice cream (green tea, red bean, or mango) covered with a sweet glutinous rice flour. It just seemed to fit this little guy.

Of course he is a bit bigger in this picture, but when we brought him home, he weighed a mere 4 pounds.  So far he has been quite an adventure.  At times he is incredibly sweet and loving and at others it seems the demons are at his heels as he races hither and yon in fits of the 'zoomies'.  (Really.  'The Zoomies' is a bona fide term.  I Shih Tzu not.  Google it.)

Remarkably, Mochi has many traits that the Mighty Quinn possessed.  Who knew?  I don't know if this is because he is a male or if somehow the Universe has a sense of humor.  Like the Mighty Quinn, Mochi started playing fetch almost immediately (so much for not having to keep up).  And, like Quinn, if you get ready to throw the fetchable object, he runs about half way and stops, looking into the distance for said object to come zooming over his head and land.  Plus, Mochi cocks his head to the side when he recognizes a word ... Just. Like. Quinn. Coincidence?  Hmmm....

Mochi has more than met our expectations.  He is cute, outgoing and friendly.  He has quite the personality.  So much so that on a recent visit to the vet, when I called to say Mochi was here for his appointment, the response I got was a resounding 'Yay!'.  Everyone loves Mochi.  I just wish people could figure out how to pronounce his name.  We have heard everything from 'Moh-kee (like Mocha but with the ee on the end), Moo-chee (wasn't that a Disney kid??), Mo-gee (as in emoji?).  Nope.  It is Moh-chee.  Just like the Japanese treat. 

So, yeah.  This has been quite the change.  Once again change created a loss but at the same time, created a space.  One available to be filled with something new.  "Loss is nothing else but change and change is Nature's delight". - Marcus Aurelius