Freddie Ate the Cake
There are dogs and then there are beagles. I didn’t know that when my son Mikey talked me into getting him a beagle puppy. But I was soon to find out. That’s what FIXING FREDDIE is all about; it’s the story of a boy, a single mom, and the very bad beagle who saves us both. The book is coming out in hardcover in August 2010—but Freddie’s story is hardly over.
Every day with Freddie is an adventure. My son Mikey’s recent high school graduation was no exception. It was a beautiful summer day, and all the family was gathered at the lakeside cottage where we live. The lake glistened in the afternoon sun and the roses in the garden were in full bloom and I was feeling pretty proud of my boy, myself, and my life.
In the spirit of the celebration, Freddie was on his best behavior. He didn’t growl at the graduates in their scary long gowns and funny hats or bark at the neighbors who dropped by for cake or bite my ex-husband when he showed up at the house for the first time since Mikey and I moved in six years ago, more’s the pity. (Just kidding. Really. Well, mostly.)
Mikey's cake before Freddie ate it
Several of our guests complimented Freddie on his good manners. One summed up the general sentiment when she told me, “I can’t imagine how you wrote a whole book about how bad Freddie is. He’s such a love!”
I nodded in agreement, blinded by happy tears. Like his human Mikey, Freddie was growing up. He’d graduated to Grown-Up Beagle, proud recipient of a Good Dog! Degree. I patted Freddie’s silky ears, wiped away my tears, and smiled at my son across the yard.
I congratulated on myself on raising a fine son and a fine dog.
Then Freddie ate the cake.
After Freddie ate the cake!
Paula Munier has been a dog person her whole life. Raised by a man with a penchant for Weimaraners, Vizslas, and Great Danes, she got her first dog of her own on her tenth birthday—a black miniature poodle named Rogue. Since then she has shared her life with numerous dogs, cats, fish, and a bearded lizard, all of which together caused far less trouble than just one small beagle named Freddie.
I currently own two beagles and two is simply not enough. They have changed my life. They have taught me to bark and howl (like a madman) as we exit the house and round the end of the driveway at a run. My dictionary has always had two entries after “Dog”. 1) beagles 2) wannabees. Would you believe that I had been once painfully shy? They’ve taught me more about being a beagle than I have taught them about being a human. I get down on all fours when I get home to greet them and to be greeted. I am looking forward to getting my own copy of the book. If I cant have a third beagle, I will at least read about them!
Ironically, this book came out just 4 days after I lost my 15 year old Beagle “Freddie” to cancer. My Freddie was truly my best friend, especially in the past 6 years when we weathered the trials of divorce, empty nest syndrome, a new house, and the horrors of dating. Every page of “Fixing Freddie” brought back happy tears, as I remember when my Freddie did EXACTLY the same things!