It’s been two full days, and our new fur kid, Asta, is assimilating nicely. She’s not as shy, coming to us when we call, and letting us pet and hold her. She’s playfully interacting with our older dog, Hershey, and seems comfortable in her new home.
One reason we were so charmed by her, is that she is physically challenged. She will have a pin in her hip, a remanent from her surgery, for another month. Her injured leg appears shorter now, and the prognosis is that she’ll always have a limp.
For older dogs, imperfect dogs, it’s much harder to find Forever Homes. We sought out such a dog, mainly on the expressed wish of our son. Being a bit different himself, he can empathize and wanted to give a loving home to a needy pet.
Watching Asta peacefully sleeping this morning, the Mister mentioned how much happier she seems, and asked if I was still glad we adopted her.
“Do you still like your smelly, broken Valentine gift?”
I told him about the Japanese tradition of repairing broken pottery with gold-filled resin. The art of Kintsugi, “golden joinery,” mends shattered vessels so that they are considered better and more beautiful. I said I thought of Asta like that. She was broken, but with all the love we can offer, her wounds would mend and be made more beautiful.
“I don’t know, I don’t think we should spray paint her gold,” he said.
“Don’t worry, I have gold nail polish.”
“I feel the same way about your appendix.”
I love you too, Hon.
When the Japanese mend broken objects, they aggrandize the damage by filling the cracks with gold. They believe that when something’s suffered damage and has a history, it becomes more beautiful.” ~ Barbara Bloom
Oh, I like that.. to mend with gold. You have done this with a heart of gold 🙂
LikeLike
Fantastic! My best bud for nearly a dozen years was a “slightly irregular” shelter pit bull with little nubs for ears left after an apparently botched crop job. Gently-used pups are the best ever.
LikeLike
She is beautiful. And your family is precious.
LikeLike
She is a beautiful dog and so lucky to be so loved by you!
LikeLike
I am so glad that you gave Asta a forever home. My Big Boy Dog was recovering from surgery when I adopted him. At the time, I thought that a lot of people had been scared off by the bandages and swelling and missed out on a really special dog.
LikeLike
I feel the same about Asta, that a lot of people were only looking for perfect puppies (she’s 4yo). I think she’s going to be an awesome dog.
LikeLike
I love your conversations with the Mister. Asta has such a pleasant, happy face.
I always love the ‘broken’ pets, the ones most people wouldn’t want. One of my favorite things about our new puppy is, he has what I call a “Wonky” ear. It just doesn’t lay right. It’s goofy and adorable.
LikeLike
Oh, this is beautiful. I’m so glad you have given such a beautiful dog a loving home. What a happy life she will live 🙂
LikeLike
Ahaha! A gold appendix incision. That tickles my funny bone.
LikeLike
I love this. What does Asta stand for? Is it Japanese for gold filling 😉 Being in Mexico, I am surrounded by broken dogs. They are everywhere. I think Mexico is Japanese for “home of broken dogs” sorry, I’m being weird… I wish I could adopt every single old abandoned dog out there, but I’d need to move into a kennel. Dogs. It appears as though they have the gift of seeing right into our soul, don’t they?
LikeLike
Asta is named after the dog in the “Thin Man” books by Dashiell Hammett, and the movies based on Hammett’s books from the 1930s.
All of our pets have been rescues, so ‘broken’ in some way. They have been the best dogs and cats. I don’t think I would ever find another pet any other way.
LikeLike
I hear ya. Why have an expensive pure bread when there are hords of unwanted dogs out there…
LikeLike
She is so lucky to have found you guys! And your family is so lucky to have found her!
LikeLike