Molly 

    Since I began writing this column I have been fortunate enough to meet all breeds of dogs, from the largest being a Newfoundland to the smallest a miniature Dachshund. Just when I thought I’d come across them all I find another breed that inhabits these golden hills.

    A person hears that the older you get the faster time flies. On television they conducted an experiment to determine how time flies in your life. Take a stopwatch and start it running and without looking at the face stop it, after what you perceive as 60 seconds. The scientist conducting the experiment said that the older generation will stop it before the sixty second mark indicating that what they perceive is 60 seconds is actually less. Thus time moves faster the older you get.

    What I am leading up to is the fact that I write this column once a month and that deadline comes quickly. Thus I had one day to go before having to meet the deadline and no subject for the story. Then my wife and I stopped to grab a bite to eat in Pine Grove and there right before my eyes was the sign “Guard Shitz Tzu on duty”. Magically I had my story.

    Molly is the Shitz Tzu who is the guard dog. Of course the sign was just kidding because Molly was at home with her owner Belinda Massaro.  Belinda and her husband Steve own the 76 station in Pine Grove.  Molly resides in the hills above Pine Grove. She shares her home with 4 cats and two dogs or maybe it would be more appropriate to say the cats allow Molly to be there. Cat owners can relate that cats generally rule a house that has both cats and dogs. Four birds also share her life.

    I looked up the breed on the internet and it said one of the owners that would be a “fit” for the breed is a hairstylist. Looking at Molly I can see why. Her silver and black hair covers almost all of her face, eyes included. A hairstylist would have a field day with one of these dogs.

    Molly is definitely at a disadvantage when it comes to size. She is the same size, if not somewhat smaller, than the four cats she lives with. Plus in a fight a cat would have clear vision of her hair covered body while Molly would be looking through streamers.  In fact one cat at Molly’s home, Knuckles, loves to play with Molly. Knuckles likes to hop on Molly and pin her down then take off running daring Molly to catch her. From that point on it’s a game of tag where Molly runs after Knuckles, catches him and next Knuckles grabs Molly tackling her and then running away once more waiting for Molly to find him.

   Also living with Molly is Hunter a beautiful chocolate lab and Digger a rat terrier.  Hunter is like a big brother to the rest of the house. His bass woof would scare anybody away until they see him come out of the house with his tail wagging.  While Digger figures it’s his job to announce that a person has arrived. Molly may be a lot of things including Mom’s (Belinda’s) dog but a watch dog she isn’t. In fact around others she tends to run away preferring to let Hunter and Digger deal with any threat.

    Molly also spends her days with four birds. She enjoys hearing the birds in their cages chatter. She may not understand bird chatter but she loves the sound of their voices. She can be easily entertained just watching them flitter about their cages.

    Still when the day ends and all the activity at the Massaro’s house ends you can find Molly on Belinda’s bed contently curled up looking more like a fur pillow than a dog. She loves her family and returns every bit of affection they give her.