So Spoilt

Imagine this - The Male African Lion

They lazy, depend on their female “staff” for everything, including providing food.  They will however, protect their pride from intruders and from danger.  Once an African, always an African. 

 After 15 years, I still get the urge to run around with my spear, shield, and pretend I am Tshaka the Zulu, but I am only female and I must take care of my Nduna.  The Nduna “Chief Headsman” of the Matulich clam. 

If the Nduna is tired I must make him a comfortable spot to sleep, if he is hungry I must go out and kill for him to eat.  He is the Matulich Nduna.  Attached is how the Matulich Nduna is treated with respect and love.  How he is worshiped.  How the Nduna is to be treated.  He is Nduna Malaika.

No comments at this time, I am out hunting, his women are out hunting.  We see zebra and giraffe.  

Nduna is spoilt.  He is his mother's child.  His mother loves him.  Yes, this picture shows it all. 

The man in my life.  So spoilt. 

I am 60 pounds and I still want my mum to carry me.

Swimming

Grandma, grandma,

I was swimming and this this (sobbing) horrible dog kept starting trouble with me, so I got up on my mum's back.  If I bite him, I would have to leave the beach, so I climbed up and we made the dog leave the beach. Here I am safe from the horrible dog on mum’s back.  Inkie led the dog away from me.  Grandma I was afraid.  Inkie was afraid as well, but she kept me, Duna safe.

Mum said that some owners are stupid and should take care of their dogs, like she takes care of us.  Sob, sob, sob.

The black and white dog was evicted.

Christmas

We were getting our Christmas pictures taken by Mr. Gary’s in his house.  It was fine until someone yelled “CHEESE”.  I looked under Santa’s beard, (Santa was a woman) and would you believe there was no cheese.  Why would they tease me like that?  Everyone knows I love cheese!

Initiation to manhood

Mum decided that it was time for my initiation to manhood.  I wasn’t sure what this meant, but I was ready.  Mum stayed home one Thursday and took us for a 30 minute ride.  I was excited the smells were different, Inkozosana was there, and we were going somewhere.   We got to this place; we walked a little while mum made us pee.  Around 8:15am mum put Ink back in the car and took me into this building.  I got to meet Ms. Deb.  Then Dr. Hall.  I don’t like doctors.   Well I walked like a brave young warrior with my mum.  We went into this room, he checked me out, touched my ballaas.  It was weird, now I was afraid.  Well then he gave me a few injections, mum said something about pre-op.  I was really afraid.  Then mum handed Dr. Hall my leash and left me.  I was scared.  After then I don’t know what happened.  Mum picked me up about 1:30 with my sisters.  I was mad.  I peed in the house and showed her I was Nduna and I was back.  That night mum held me and whispered, “Du, my sweet baby, you are now a man”.  I guess that was initiation to manhood where ever Dr. Hall did.   Grandma, my ballaas hurt terribly.   I think they shrinking now.  I don’t like this.  Mum does check them every day to make sure they still there I guess and they haven’t fallen off.  They look like they sewn together.  

My Nose

I am growing up, smells make me go crazy.   Yesterday I was okay, today when Ink walked by I got excited.  I am not sure what is happening to me.  When Ink pees I get randy.  Mum caught me and asked me  what I was doing, imitating a  donkey braying, I must have "Duna stop worrying Ink disease", as that is what mum yells all the time.   I was looking up licking my lips and my brain was all going weird.  I felt things I never felt before; my chonkie was doing my thinking.  I am a growing boy.  Mum keeps chasing after me as I want to ride Ink and my body moves to some Congo dancing song.  

My nose is huge I guess because I need to smell stuff and find women.  I am a boy, a growing young man.  I am Nduna Malaika and I am learning about girls.  

Honesty - Is Honesty a Virtue?

Since I am a teenager, I have been very naughty.  It is really not me, Inkozosana instigates and finds things to do and break that make mom mad and then she punishes us.  We get time out for doing stuff.  I learnt my lesson, but then Ink breaks stuff and mum cannot punish one, so we both get punished.  She puts us in our crates and makes us stay there.  Well, I broke my couch.  In my defense, the couch is mine.  Now Inkozosana wanted to lay on my couch.  So I pulled the blanket and she pulled the blanket and the blanket tore, then we moved the pillow and the pillow ripped in half and all the stuffing came out.  It was fun, but when we saw mum drive up, I got afraid because I was guilty.  Inkozosana says it is okay because all mum would do is put us in time out.  I don’t like time out.  I like to be with mum.  Well mum put us in our crates, and then she punished us.  We got plain ole’ dog food.  No meat, no gravy, we got nothing but dog food.  It was awful.  I learnt my lesson, and sat on the couch, but Inkozosana found something else to break. 

I am not sure why she is so naughty.   I was honest I showed my mum the couch that we broke.  I took the blame.  One thing mum does now when we make her angry is not look at us, touch us or talk to us.  She turns her back to us.  I love my mum, but this breaks my heart.  I really want Inkozosana to stop the nonsense but she won’t.  Mum will crate her by herself.   I think that will be best.  

How can Inkozosana be so bad?

One day mom went to the doctor because her foot got hurt, maybe when we were out walking in the woods or playing in the garden or maybe she is old.

Her foot was swollen and she couldn’t walk.  So she went to the doctor. I remember mom saying, “Mom’s leaving now, it is 10:30, I will be back soon”.  When mom was gone, Inkozosana opened all the kitchen cabinets and took whatever she wanted out and left it on the floor.  Grandma, I was on my couch asleep because when mom got back home, I heard her yell, “Inkozosana, what did you do”.  Grandma, I was too little to reach the cabinets.  Mom tells the story like this, I got home after the doctor and there was stuff all over the house, the kitchen cabinets contents were all over the kitchen floor.  Nduna was on his couch with the kitchen cloths on his head.  Inkozosana had spilled water all over him and his couch”.  So grandma, how could I do that to myself?  Inkozosana is very naughty.  She really tires mom out. 

Greed

Dinner time in our home is very special.  Mom makes us special meals from scratch.  She prepares the vegetables and gets fresh meats from the store.  (We go with her, but stay and look after the car.  Grandma, I like going for rides, but that is another story for later).  She likes to marinate the meat in different sauces and then bakes it or puts it in the slow cooker.  It smells so good, our mouth water in anticipation.  If mom was stolen we would have to eat junk.

There is a dog at the dog park we go to sometimes.  Her name is Kasey.   Kasey eats dog poop.  It is nasty.  She is a chocolate Labrador.  Her owner is always chasing after her and yelling for her to stop.  We don’t play with her because she stinks.  She will even fight dogs for their own poop.  One time Kasey came and told us that she will share the poop with us if we find her some.   We not greedy.  We refused and said she can have whatever she finds. 

When we having dinner, mom can put her hands in our bowls and when we have snacks, she can take them from us, and share what we have.  I saw mum pretend to take a bite of something I was eating, but I don’t mind.   It is okay.  Mum also needs a little snack.  I am only greedy of one thing.  I want my mum to myself.

Ink's first few weeks at Home

My bed posts were eaten, or rather nawed by wood termites.  My square dinning room table is now round.  My dressing table has no corners, and side table is some odd shape.  Ink has eaten them up.  Cheyenne's litter box is always clean, and I have a gate and what not keeping Ink away.  She is really making life non-stop. 

She eats all the time and she can steal.  She is looking at you and her leg goes in for the kill.  She is awful.

Listening to Mum

There are times when being a teenager is hard work.  I sometimes drown mom out when she is lecturing me.  One day in the woods we were playing and although mom told us to stay close we didn’t.  We played and ignore mom.  

Mom hid from us.  When we realized mom stopped calling, we had been gone in dog time 5 months.  In people time 5 minutes.  Ink and I ran back to where we thought mom was and she was gone.  My heart was beating and I was running around and sniffing the air with my big nose and I had a little smell of mom.  We followed the smell and then Mom jumped out from a tree she climbed and said “BOO”.  We learned our lesson.  

Grandma, I was so happy to see her, now I always pay attention to her, or I try to.  I told Ink if mom gets stolen who will feed us, what will we eat.  Probably junk or kibble.  Yuck!

Ink's Lessons in life

Growing up and learning

My mom talks to me every day and when I do something that is not tolerated she tells me.  I am trying to pay attention as I am young and I need to learn. 

My Mum spends all her time when she is not working, with us.  My Mum says that a dog that fights and is always angry is not welcome into our house or the dog park, people won’t like them and they will not be able to go anywhere.  I am very loving.  

One time someone brought a dog to the dog park that didn’t like me because I am a boy, he growled and snapped at me and made me angry, my hair on my back stood up, my voice got deeper and I felt really BIG.  I wanted to fight him, I was really angry.  I remembered what My Mom said to Ink and me.  If we ever in a situation where the dog wants to fight or bite us, a really bad dog, we need to come to her straight away.  My Mum is brave.  Well, this dog lunged at me and hurt me; my Mom grabbed the dog, dropped it to the ground, pinned it down on the ground, and yelled really loud, “NO, BAD DOG, BAD DOG.”    I looked at Ink and Ink looked at me and Grandma, I felt safe.  Mum will protect us as long as we come to her.

Du's First night Home

My first night

After my mom picked me at the Baltimore Washington Airport, and took me to our house, where I got to meet my big sisters, Inkozosana and Cheyenne, I got on the couch and was told it was okay.  This was my couch.  Imagine a whole couch too myself.  My mum held me the whole night as I was alone and I wanted to cry.  I did cry, but she rubbed my back and held me really close.  She held me on her chest the whole night so I could hear her heart beat and know that I wasn’t alone.  She whispered to me and still does every night, that she loves me.   She rubs my feet and ears and tickles my tummy and I fall asleep.  Bedtime is special because we cuddle a lot.  I like it when my mom whispers in my ears, “Nduna Malaika, my little baby boy, Mommy loves you”.

(Duna was just a tad over 7 weeks.)

Mom tells me that I am better then sliced bread.  I am homemade bread with real butter and gooseberry jam.  Yum!

Nduna leaves the Nest and Arrives home!

Letter to Grandma.......

Dear Grandma,

I am one year old today.  I am on my way to becoming an elegant and much admired Rhodesian Ridgeback.  

Mum asked me to write to you and tell you about my first year, which has been exciting and funny, and a fun filled puppy-hood.  It has been filled with cuddles, hugs, long walks, going to the beach, meeting new people, finding new friends, learning new things and cheese.  I LOVE CHEESE!  

Before I begin, I want to tell you, my mum loves me!  She really loves me.  

When I said goodbye to you and went off to the unknown, I arrived in Maryland.  My mum picked me up at the airport at 7:33 on May 8^th, 2009.  My mum’s birthday.  I am a birthday baby.  I am special.  When I arrived, my Mum quickly picked me up, held me, and whispered my name, Nduna Malaika.  I have a name, a strong African name.  It means Chief Angel.

Grandma, it is a big world out there and I am going to conquer it.  I am Nduna Malaika; I am A Glenholm Rhodesian Ridgeback.  I am my mum’s boy and I love CHEESE!

Love Nduna

Nduna's aka Du's House Rules

Nduna Malaika’s Personal Property Rules

Inkozosana can have everything, broken or fixed, new or old, everything.

However, Mum is mine, all mine, YOU HEAR THAT ALL MINE!



Inkozosana's aka Ink's House Rules

Inkozosana Sibongile’s Personal Property Rules

1.    If I like it, it's mine.

2.    If it's in my mouth, it's mine.

3.    If I can take it from you, it's mine.

4.    If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.

5.    If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.

6.    If I'm chewing something up, all the pieces are mine.

7.    If it just looks like mine, it's mine.

8.    If I saw it first, it's mine.

9.    If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine.

10.  If it's broken, it's yours.

Introducing Inkozosana

After I put Chief down I needed a dog who could hear as Dakota was deaf.  Cheyenne did as much as she could, and what seems strange she would walk around the house and peek out of the windows and hiss and growl.  She is a strange feline wana be canine.

Since I grew up with a Rhodesian Ridgeback and wanted a dog that I felt safe with.  I scoured the internet and looked at pictures, met some and nothing jumped out at me.  They didn't have "the look".  I came across a puppy from South Dakota and she was okay, but the face I couldn't get it out of my mind.  I closed the website and all the next day they little face was back.  After about 4 days I called and she was the last in the litter.  She had an overbite, but that face.  Eventually I decided, I wanted her.  She would be just a dog to protect the household, I couldn't love another dog. 

Inkozosana Sibongile - nee Summer Brighton

November 24, Monday
Flight number 624 to BWI, arrive 4:19 pm
Recovery within one hour
Reservation number 01242981061

Life would never be the same with the arrival of "The Madam".

Ink's first night home!

I picked her up and boy did she stink.  She was covered in dog poop and wriggled like some earth shattering wormly creature.  She was good in the car, got home and all she did was chase poor Cheyenne and eat.  My poor cat.  She slept part of the night after a bath;  we slept on the floor in the dog room - aka Living room.  I did pray for God to help me.  (Ink was almost 3 months, what did I go and do).

Life's Ending and New Beginning

Life ended as I knew it September 9th, 2008.  I had to put my dog down.  Making the decision was the worst thing I have ever had to do.  Lung cancer that spread to his spine and at the age of 11 plus years, and letting him go with dignity and trying not to be greedy, "quality versus quantity".  I will always love him - Chief Shadow Worrier June 1, 1997 -September 8, 2008

Fast forward February 2nd, 2009, I took Dakota in to have her leg checked out as she was limping and one vet said she has soft tissue damage and I wasn't convinced.  I said either bone cancer or some other type of cancer.  It was bone cancer.  I opted to put her down right there and then, I refused to be greedy and keep her, "quality versus quantity".  My heart was still hurting from losing Chief, losing Dakota, all, but killed me. 

Life as I knew it then, was gone.  They were excellent fur-friends, my kids and I miss them something terrible. Cheyenne my cat and I will survive.

Looking back, both Chief and Dakota were the last in their litters, Cheyenne was abandoned by her cat mother.  Call me a sucker for the unwanted.

When my heart warmed up, I "hatched" Inkozosana Sibongile and Nduna Malaika.