Sunday, March 7, 2021

What's In A Name?

 If your name is Robert are you called Bob? How about Andrew? Are you Andy? Thomas is Tom?  A few times I had folks ask me if my hubby's name of Jack is a nick name for John. Nope...Jack is the legal handle for my honey.  My name is Kathleen but I've been called Kathy all my life.  Well, that's not entirely true.  How about Kath...yep I've been that. Jack calls me Kate.  My niece's name is Katie and toward the end of Mom's life she would call me Katie too.  In high school I was called Greek. In a school of 4000 students if you yelled Kathy down the hall you'd get many heads to turn. Yell Greek and not much of reaction unless you were me!  In surgery I was Starko...(Or Starcasm lovingly called by some surgeons!) Let's not forget YaYa that my Grandkiddos call me. Yia Yia is Greek for Grandmother but I chose to spell it YaYa and it's my blog go to.  Do you like your name?  My Grandfather went by Al because he didn't like Elmer.  Jack's Grandfather offered us $50 if we would name one of our kids after him...Otis...nope, wasn't ever going to happen! Now a days the movie stars call their kiddos some weird stuff.  I guess we'll see if they grow up to like it.  I don't think I'd like my name to be Apple but that's just me.  So what's the real point here?  Well, I mentioned a few times we were thinking of getting a puppy.  I went over it a million times in my head and just couldn't decide.  Would this be a good decision for our lifestyle at this time of our life? How would Arnie handle a puppy at his advanced age of 11.  Do I have the time and stamina for puppy training?  My sister said she's never seen me so indecisive about something.  She was excited that we would both have pups who were sisters too.  So I took a deep breath and said OK, we'll do this.  On Tuesday last week we brought her home.  A little red Goldendoodle...AKA..Mutt.  Let's face it they are really just a mixed breed but now they are called "designer dogs".  Hoity Toity!  My friend is the breeder and this isn't a puppy mill situation.  My son Jordan was surprised we went with a breeder since we've always gotten our dogs from a shelter.  If I didn't know the breeder so well I wouldn't have gotten her.  Yes, it's a her and I mentioned her name in previous posts.  Her name was Autumn. My sister named her because of her red color and Autumn is my favorite season.  We've had her 6 days now.  6 long puppy training days. To say I'm tired is an understatement.  But I know it will get better and she's doing really well in a short time.  I'm glad I'm not working at the moment too.  Today we had my kids and some of the Grandkiddos come over for lunch and to meet her.  She's the one who's exhausted now!  So back to the name game.  We decided to change her name.  After being with her and getting to see her personality come out we decided Autumn was too millennial and didn't fit her.  I asked my sister if she would be upset if I told her something.  She immediately thought I was getting rid of the pup! That's because after the first day I was ready to do that! In fact, my son was willing to take her.  But that didn't happen! No, I told her. We were keeping her but changing her name to....LUCY!  Like Lucille Ball with that red hair! Plus her personality is spunky enough for it!  So here's LUCY:

She's a cuddler.

She like to rest on shoes.  Hasn't starting chewing them yet.  Hopefully we'll nip that in the bud if/when she does.
Yep, loves shoes.

Plus she's fairly chill.

She was whipped after the family left.  Arnie isn't very pleased about this.  He either ignores her, puts up with her, growls at her, lifts his little lips up at her and finally when he's had enough he nips at her.  She's learning that he's not fun to play with.  So wish us luck.  I'm still wondering what the heck I was thinking! Then she does something cute and all is forgotten!  Welcome home Lucy...(the puppy previously known as Autumn...hey, don't complain pupper..you could have been called Apple)

12 comments:

CHERI said...

Such a cute addition to the family. Sometimes I want another dog...sometimes not. Our last one (long story) about did me in so I've stayed away from another one for several years now!!! As to names...my mother told me my daddy didn't like the name she had chosen for me CHERYL, so he nicknamed me Cheri which I was called by all family and closest friends. But in school I wanted to be called Cheryl. An uncle often called me Cheri Pie, a family friend called me Cheri Blossom. My "adopted" (another long story) grandparents/family friends called me Lane (for my middle name Elaine). My grandmother name turned out to be Cheri. Confused yet??? Thanks so much, "Kathy", of Yaya as I tend to call you, for always stopping by my blog:)

joeh said...

OMG!!! Stop with the puppy pictures. I'd have puppy fever, but My Mrs. C does not want a dog. Actually neither do I anymore...except when I see puppy pictures.

I think Lucy will bring you a lot of joy.

Story about names. My favorite aunt, Aunt Nancy passed away 12 years ago. At the funeral it had her name as Elenore. I came to find out that my Grandmother wanted to name "Elenore"
Nancy but her mother demanded she be named after my Grandmother as was the custom of the time. Grandma then said, "I'll name her "Elenore" but I will call her Nancy and no one ever knew her by her given name.

Shady Del Knight said...

Hi, YaYa! (aka Kathleen, Kathy, Kath, Kate & Katie) I won't call you Greek. :)

The name Lucy suits your new pup, dear friend! If it had been male, then Rusty might have worked. When spoken, Lucy is a name that will grab your pet's attention more easily than Autumn, I would think. That should make it easier to train her. She's a cutie! I'm so glad you didn't back out of the deal and are hanging in there and being patient until she is settled and her training completed. I'm sure she and Arnie will learn how to peacefully coexist under the same roof and maybe become great friends in time. It is funny how Lucy gravitates to those shoes. I think pets like to sleep near articles of clothing that bear the strong scent of their humans. It is comforting to them.

Thanks for showing us the newest member of your wonderful family, dear friend YaYa, and have a wonderful week!

acorn hollow said...

She really is cute good luck with puppy training. My legal name is Cathy that is it. I always get push back from Dr offices etc saying no your full legal name. My grandfather's legal name was Enoch but was always known as Lester hmmm what is in a name?
Cathy
Oh and my best friend is Cathy and I have been at parties where there were 5 of us.

jack69 said...

My legal name is Jackie. That bothered me for years after someone told me my parents did not know Jackie was a girl's name. LOL Strange about that, our first boy we named Jackie Jr. Anyway I Love Lucy!
Sherry & jack down in Florida sending ((HUGS))

Julia said...

What's in a name indeed! I've been called Julie, Jewel but my legal is Julia and my first grandkid called me Mamoo because she couldn't say Memere which is the french for grandma ( I think ).

You have a lot of courage to adopt a puppy. When I see puppies, it's like seeing newborn babies. They are so cute and cuddly but I think of all the diaper changes, getting up to feed them and care for them. I know puppies and babies are different but I'm working on 75 but if I was younger, I would cave in too. Good luck with cute Lucy.
I think the name fits her. I hope that she brings joy and companionship to you, Jack and Arnie.

Only 12 days to official Spring!

Hugs, Julia

Jane and Lance Hattatt said...

Dear Kathleen,

Having just discovered you in Blogland, we are relieved that you have told us your name. It would have felt strange writing to YaYa.

How adorable is your new puppy and how right you are to change the name. Autumn is far too grown up and serious, whereas Lucy seems to suit her perfectly. WE can imagine if she takes after her namesake, Lucille Ball, that there will be fun and exhausting times ahead. But, how wonderful it is to see such energy and joyfulness,,,,, just what is needed in these strange and difficult times.

As for names, we are the only Hattatts [with four ts] in Europe. There are about seven in the world, but this is our claim to fame. Alas, it means that it is difficult to go incognito and we are for ever spelling the name which usually has a t missed off. But, with one syllable first names and a tongue twister of a surname, our names rarely become shortened.

having found you, we shall return.

Prims By The Water said...

We felt the same way after bringing our Tundra home...what were we thinking. But now we would NEVER give him up. Lucy is adorable! You will come to love her too. Janice

TheCrankyCrow said...

I think Lucy is the perfect name for her!! Ahhh, names....I have so many name stories I could write a book. My given, legal, name is Robin. I was supposed to be "Nicole Marie" but was born on the first (full) day of spring and my dad had a sense of humor. And given name or not, it is not what I was known by.... What I was known by was "Dolly" (I had a full head of dark curly hair and very pale skin as a baby/child, so someone started calling me "Dolly" and it stuck). In college, I acquired the nickname "Squirrel" (don't ask). Now I am known mostly as "Cranky" or "Crow." Snowdog was actually my son's dog and he named him... I offered some very awesome name suggestions for a Siberian, but my son didn't care for any of them. Finally I suggested "Tucker" because he loved to tuck himself under my legs. My son looked at me and said "Really, mom? What do you think people will THINK I am saying if I am yelling "Tucker!"? Guess he had a point LOL. And then, the names people chose for their children that I came across in working for Child Support. Eeek.... Confidentiality prohibits me from sharing those, but I bet you can imagine. But I can share what a fellow attorney named his first daughter..... "Alanhah"....his last name Bull. Seriously? Seriously. Anywho...Lucy is adorable and I look forward to many, many, Lucy photos. (And Snowdog loved shoes too when he was little....now my cat has a shoe obsession.) ~Robin~

Kay G. said...

Most certainly a Lucy! I go by my middle name, KAY-short and sweet just like me. HaHa! Cathy and Kathy, Linda, Susan, Jan, Lynn, Cheryl...these are names from our generation.😊

Susan Kane said...

our lucy is a big dog, lots of love.

CHERI said...

Lucy is adorable and her name is perfect:) I think the movie star folks and their absolutely ridiculous kid names are just wanting attention! The poor kids. However, I have taught some students over my years with unusual names. This may sound crazy (and guess it is) but it's the truth...I once taught the smartest little girl whose name began with Z and contained every single letter of the alphabet!!!! I could never pronounce or spell it but she could and she was only 7. Thank goodness we were allowed to just call her by the first part of her name...ZERTA (with a long a on the end).