Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukka & Everything Else!

It's actually the day after Christmas.   So I can tell you about all of it, including my lesson with the Elementary School kids.

We went to see them on Tuesday.  There were only four of them there 'cuz the 3rd grade was on a field trip.   So we had 4 fourth graders.  One of the boys came up and said hello to me, just the way he was taught.  He asked Mom first if it was OK, and when she said yes, he held out his hand to touch me under the chin.  It felt so good.  And he was really cute.  I couldn't help myself.  I kissed him on the nose.  He spent the rest of the session petting my back.  At the same time as he was doing the project Mom had for him.

They were all pretty stoked about decorating frames.  I was kinda worried, 'cuz they were all boys.  But Mom told them they could make something as a gift for someone they loved, since this was the giving season.  Then she told them that they could have a picture taken with ME in it.  Then they got really excited.  That made me feel good, that they would like to have me in their picture. 

I knew I had to do a good job for them.  So every time one of them came and sat down to be photographed.  I sat straight as an arrow and looked right at the camera (well, I guess I was looking at Mom who was standing right behind the camera).  I didn't move until the flash went off.  I'm a pro at posing for pictures, you know.

A good time was had by all!

Then we had Christmas at home.  Mom and Dad had their traditional holiday fare:  Steak and Grilled Lobster Tail.  That's what they had at Thanksgiving, too.  I don't really like that stuff, 'cuz nothing ever falls on the ground when they have it.  I like when they have things like pineapples and blueberries that fall off the counter. 

But I can't complain 'cuz they filled my stocking with lots of goodies and I ate them all and then tried to eat my stocking.  Mom took it away pretty quick.  She says we need to keep it for next year.  Why can't she just buy me a new stocking next year?  It was tasting pretty good since their were lots of crumbs left in the bottom of the toe. 

Well I'm tired.  It's been an exhausting Holiday.  I hope you all had good Christmases and are having a good Hannukka and if you celebrate different holidays, may they also be happy.

Love, G

Lesson Plan

I am going back to my Elementary children this week.  So Mom and I have to come up with a lesson plan.  We are supposed to do something to help these kids develop certain "Core Competencies".  There are 7 of them.  Attachment, Empathy, Self Regulation, Affiliation, Respect, Confidence and Tolerance.

We have a big tote bag full of fun things to do.  Mom set them all out to decide what we should do.

She asked me to come over and help her decide which of the activities we should do.

I wasn't having anything to do with that.  I was afraid that if I picked up any of those fun things, I would be in trouble.  You remember how I got into trouble when I picked up a book of Mom's and tried to read (eat) it?  And the golf glove that tasted so good going in (but not so fun coming out)?  I sure remember those things and I'm not about to do something like that with these things.  Not happenin'!

Instead, I sat down and talked to Mom about what would be good to do.  I reminded her it was almost Christmas.  So we decided to let the children decorate some fun frames.  Like the purple flower thing in this picture.  Then we would borrow the Polaroid Camera to take pictures of each of the kids.  They would have something nice to give to someone they love for Christmas.

What is a Polaroid Camera?, I asked my Mom.  She told me that long long ago before I was ever born, they had cameras that printed out pictures right on the spot.  She said she didn't even know they existed still, but apparently they have become quite popular.  They even sell them on Amazon.com, that's how popular they are.    I think my students are going to have a good time when we go see them. 

But I asked Mom, how this was going to develop some of those Core Competencies?  She said, "Well there are a number of things.  First they'll have to decide who gets which frames so they will have to be Tolerant of each other.  Then they'll make a pretty frame for their pictures and hopefully develop more Confidence.  Then we'll let them take a picture with you, G, so they will have to Respect you or you won't sit with them, will you?  And finally, I have some Christmas stories about a puppy dog that will teach them about Empathy.  What do you think, G?"

I told her I thought it would work very well.  I think my students will have a good time and learn lots of good stuff.  I can't wait to go.

Love, G

PS  I'll tell you all about it later.

Thanksgiving

I got to spend Thanksgiving with Mrs. J and 3 other pets.  And then I got to spend Thanksgiving with Mom and Dad!  That's a lot to be thankful for, don't you think?

Here's how it happened.  Mom and Dad left to go to basketball games in Las Vegas on Monday morning.  They told me Mrs. J was coming to get me and sure enough, just after they left, there she was.  She never forgets me. 

We went to her home and she told me ThomCat and Kona would be there to play with me.  I didn't know Kona, but I like any dog who will play with me.  And I liked Kona.  He's smaller than me, but we all know how much I like small dogs.

We played some and had a good time and then came Struthers.  He was pretty cool. 

He's like 91 years old, so he couldn't play with us.  But he's a very wise doggie.  He told Kona and I lots of interesting things.  Someday I'll tell you what they were. 

I got to sleep in the big bed with Mrs. J and Mr. T.  Just like at home.  But then on Thursday, Mom and Dad picked me up and we went home and had our own Thanksgiving.  Which is steak and lobster on the grill and I got to supervise!

It was a good Thanksgiving for me.  How was yours?

Love, G

What's a Gambit?

You all know I love little dogs.  (That's why I got voted off the dog park two weeks ago.  Remember?)  Well today I met the neatest little dog.  His name is Gambit.  Like a swear word with a G.  (His dad said that, I didn't say it.  I just retweeted it! I know I'm not supposed to use swear words. 

I didn't know what a Gambit is, so I looked it up.  His dad said Gambit was a cartoon character, and this is what I found in Wikipedia.

Gambit is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. Gambit belongs to a subspecies of humans called mutants, who are born with superhuman abilities. Gambit has the ability to mentally create, control, and manipulate pure kinetic energy to his desire. He is also incredibly knowledgeable and skilled in hand-to-hand combat. 

Well, if that didn't describe this little tough guy, I don't know what else could.  He came right up to me and started wrestling just the way I like to.  We ran and dodged and dodged and ran and ducked and jumped and twisted and ran some more.

Then he did that thing that Mom tells me not to do with some dogs 'cuz they don't like it.

But, since he was doing it to me, I figured I could do it back, and mom wouldn't care. 

 

Then we really started dancing:

He didn't even want to stop to let me have a drink.  He had soooo much energy.  Like the Wikipedia thing said.

Gambit and me had a really really really fun time.  I hope I see him again. 

This week is Thanksgiving and I'm going to Mrs. J's to stay for a few days while Mom and Dad go to some place called Las Vegas where they play lots of basketball.  Mom and Dad like to watch basketball.  I'd rather go to Mrs. J's and play with TomCat and sometimes there are other dogs there too.  I wonder if Gambit will be there.  That would be just great.  I would like to play with Gambit at Mrs. J's.  But we would probably break things if we played in the house.  Maybe I'll wait and see Gambit at the Dog Park again.  I hope so.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody.  I'm thankful for all my animal friends and my human friends.  And my Aunties and my Day Care ladies and guys and my little humans at the school.  I hope you have lots to be thankful for too.

Love,  G

First Day of School

Finally.  I had my first day on the job at the Elementary School in Phoenix.  It's been how long coming?  Let's see, Mom had the idea when that Brad Jaffe came over to help me not bark every time the phone rang.  That was, let me check my calendar, yes, that was December 17, 2014.  (By the way, that's my Uncle Billy's birthday.  He lives in Washington State with my Aunt Jill and two cousins, Kyle and Kate.  Uh, oh, I'm doing that digressing thing again.)

Where was I, December 17, 2014 and now it's November 15, 2016.  So that's 365 days from December 17 until December 17 of 2015.  And 30 days has September, April, June and November, when short February's done (except we need to count an extra day for leap year) all the rest have 31.  So that's a total of 670 days from start to start.  Way to go Mom!  Good thing you're retired or we would never have made it. 

We should have made it a week sooner.  I was scheduled to go last Tuesday.  But the night before my foot hurt.  I went into the living room with my left paw in the air.  Mom checked me out and put me to bed, but in the morning I was still limping so she called in to tell the School that she could still come but I couldn't.  They told her to stay home.  They didn't want her to come without me.  I'm the important one.

But we finally made it this week.  And it was fun.  First Mom took me outside to take a picture with my vest.  She says her Mom used to do that every time the kids had a first day of school.  How can there be more than one first day of school?  So here I am.  In all my glory.  Mom liked these two shots 'cuz they show off my pretty face. (Hmmmmm)

 Then we drove to the school.  There were 7 little tigers in my class.  3rd, 4th and 5th graders.  They were so cute.  They introduced themselves.  One little girl, Anna, was really really quiet.  And her friend Toby said, "She's shy.  Anna are you scared?"  But she gave us her name and told us her dog just had 8 puppies.  I was thinking that Toby was being really nice to her.  He seemed to really care about Anna.  I liked that.  Later on, I went over and gave Toby a big kiss on the nose.

One boy, Juan, said he was really afraid of dogs.  So Mom and me stayed a little away from him.  But I could see him watching me all the time and thinking maybe he could like me.  I could tell what he was thinking.

Mom shared some of my pictures with the kids and told them all about how I was adopted and they asked a lot of questions.  She told them I was from St. Louis, Missouri and asked if anyone knew where Missouri was.  Toby said yes, but when Mom asked him to tell the rest of the class, he said he forgot.  So she told them it was a two day drive to the east.  She showed them the picture when I was driving out for the first time and I stuck my tongue out at her from the back seat of the car.  That wasn't very flattering.  But then, she didn't ask my opinion of the pictures she chose.

Then they practiced how to greet a dog for the first time.  That's so if they were to ever go up to a dog who is not as nice as me, they wouldn't get bit.  I kinda liked it, 'cuz they all gave me pets.

When we left, Juan came up to me and scratched me under the chin like he was supposed to and then patted my side.  I told you he was thinking he could like me.

I was glad to get back to the car later.  I was thirsty and tired.  But I'll remember my first day of school.  And I'm going to share with you the pose I liked better than the ones Mom picked for my FDOS.  This one has my red Therapy heart showing quite nicely, and I think I struck a stately pose.

Can't wait to go back in two weeks.  I'll tell you all about it!

Love, G

I got voted off the dog park!

We went to the dog park in Horizon Park again.  There were a lot of fun dogs there.  I played with lots of dogs my own size and we had fun.  This was Astor.  He's a really really big huskie german shepherd mix.  He was really pretty.

Then there were dogs more like me and we all romped and ran.

After awhile some really tiny dogs came in.  Of course I went to greet them.  I'm the Official Greeter of the Park as you know.  There was one that was sooo small.  She could fit right between my paws.  So I kept trying to capture her right between my paws.  I chased after her and captured her and chased after her again.  She was soooo much fun.  Her name was Lou.

But her mom didn't like it much.  I don't know why.  She kept telling me to go away.  Even my mom kept trying to pull me away.  I wasn't hurting Lou.  I just really really liked her.

After awhile, Mom said, OK, enough, we're going home.  She apologized to Lou's mom and we left the park.  It was OK, 'cuz by then I was tired.  But I hope I see Lou again soon. 

Love, G

PS.  Do you think Mom should have taken me out of the Dog Park, just 'cuz I liked Little Lou?

My Pretty New Friend

This is really cool.  We saw some strange little birds outside the other day.  Mom took a picture of one of them.  They are all green and yellow and pink and look like a little parrot.  These are the pictures Mom took.  In this one you can just see the green back as the little bird was hanging on the lower branch of the tree.

In this one, he's walking around on the wall.

Mom went to her favorite reference source (Google) and looked up what it could be.  It really is a little parrot.  It's called a Phoenix Love Bird.  And here's a better picture of them hanging on a cactus:

 They really once came from way far away in Africa and were somebody's pet.  But once in awhile a bird would escape.  And sometimes breeders let them loose.  And all of a sudden, many years later, they just live here in the wild.  Apparently they only like Phoenix, 'cuz even though they have escaped in other parts of the country, Phoenix is the only place where they've created their own colony.  Isn't that fun?

I hope they come and see me again.  They are really pretty.  I love love love my new friends!

Hope you see some pretty new friends, too.

Love, G

Can you spell Neurofibramatosis?

I want to dedicate my blog this week to my cousin.  He lives in California and has a dog who loves him a lot.  Frosty, (that's his dog) asked me if I would tell my blog people about my cousin Zach. 

Zach has NF (Neurofibramatosis).  And for many years, Zach has helped to raise money for research to combat NF.  He even has a Facebook page and he calls it Zach Attack!  Which I think is pretty great.  I don't know that much about NF except Frosty says it's pretty serious.  So I'm going to let Zach's mom tell you about it. 

Please don't feel like you have to give money.  I won't know if you do or not, but I will know that you know about the disease now.    That's what Frosty wanted me to do for Zach. 

 

Joyce Simmons Marks

September 24 at 7:15pm · Los Angeles, CA · 

Hi Friends!

Will you take steps with us to End NF?

http://join.ctf.org/teamzachattack

On October 22, 2016, we will be participating in the LA NF Night Walk to increase awareness of neurofibromatosis (NF) and raise funds for the Children’s Tumor Foundation...and we need your help. This year the event will be hosted by CBS weathercaster Josh Rubenstein, Freeform's star of Young and Hungry, Jonathan Sadowski, and supported by NY Jets kicker Nick Folk located at 4024 Radford Ave. Studio City, CA. It is a night fundraising walk with a glow in the dark theme and there will be food, wine, beer, kids carnival, and celebrity karaoke at the afterparty. Registration opens at 4:30pm and the walk starts at 6:00pm. The afterparty with karaoke will be from 6:00 - 9:00pm.

NF has touched our lives in a profound way. Zach was diagnosed with NF 14 years ago. He has a progressive brain tumor that required a total of 4 years of chemotherapy to arrest. We are lucky...Zach’s been off of chemo for 6 years! We are optimistic about his future hoping the brain tumor nightmare is behind us for good! But NF is a lifelong disorder and one that he will have to deal with forever. Please join our efforts to raise funds for research and support by making a donation to this worthy cause, and/or walk with us. You will help the Children’s Tumor Foundation fund research and provide information, programs, and services for the millions worldwide who live with NF.

There is no cure for NF. There are no effective treatments. But the Children’s Tumor Foundation has created a number of innovative programs that are already speeding up the drug research and development process. They are actively driving clinical trials and are bringing together top scientists to work collaboratively to solve the mysteries of NF. It is work that gives renewed hope to the millions of people worldwide who live with NF.

It would mean so much to us if you could help us reach our fundraising goal of $5000.00. If you can, please make a donation today by visiting my fundraising page below. Every dollar truly helps! If you would prefer to send a check, please make it payable to Children’s Tumor Foundation, include in the memo area “In Honor of Zach Marks and LA NF Night Walk,” and mail it to:

Children’s Tumor Foundation
Attn: LA NF Night Walk
120 Wall Street, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10005

If you would like to learn more about neurofibromatosis and the incredible work being done at the Children’s Tumor Foundation, visit www.ctf.org.

Children’s Tumor Foundation, visit www.ctf.org.

Thanks for listening and learning about NF and my cousins Zach and Frosty.  It's important.

Love, G

Been Really Busy

I know.  You've missed me.  I haven't been here in a couple of weeks.  But I have an excuse!  I've been awfully busy.  While Mom and Dad were getting ready to go to Arizona, I had my last meeting with my Day Care Center.  As you probably know, St. Louis was the site of the Debate on Sunday between Cotton Candy Head and Mrs. Clinton.  So we also had to go down to WashU to make sure everything was progressing well before we left.

So I went to my Day Care Center.  I didn't tell them it was my last day.  I was afraid they might be sad and I always want my people to be happy.  That's my job.  And they seemed pretty happy.  Even the one guy who used to not like me (he would back away if I got near and Mom said I should stay clear of him 'cuz he was afraid of me.  I'm a pretty big, black dog and some people are afraid of big black dogs).  But this time he actually called me to him and petted my head.  Then he gave Mom a big grin and I knew we were all happy.

Mabel, the puppy wasn't there that day.  She was home sick.  My Auntie Debbie knows Mabel, too.  She says Mabel is my girlfriend.  Mabel is NOT my girl friend.  She's too young for me.  She's only a few months old.  She's not my girlfriend.  I don't have a girlfriend!

I left my Day Care and we went home to take a walk down to WashU.  They were putting lots of tents up.  They put the tents in cages like I used to stay in only really, really Huuuge cages.  Like these:

Once we decided everything was OK at Wash U, we got ready to leave.  Mom didn't bring my pillow.  I told her to bring my pillow, but she said I didn't use a pillow.  It just took up extra room.  So for the first couple of hours on the trip I couldn't get comfortable.  I didn't know how I was going to last 22 hours in the car without a pillow.  I begged Mom to find me a pillow.

My mom is pretty smart.  She invented a pillow.  She took the stuffing out of my doggie bed and made it into two pillows for me.  Then I could go to sleep finally.  I don't think she will forget my pillow again.

We stayed the night in Amarillo, Texas again.  Only this time we were able to find a hotel that had a restaurant nearby that let me eat on the patio with Mom & Dad.  We walked to the restaurant and it was fun.  I like it much better than eating in the hotel room.  The waitress was cute and nice.  She took Mom and Dad's order.  Then she said, "Your dog is looking at me like he's offended."  Dad said, "That's because you didn't ask him for his order."  And he was right.  So she brought me a bowl of water which was what I really wanted.

That night we watched Cotton Candy Head and Mrs. Clinton.  I went to sleep.  And now I'm going to take a nap with Dad 'cuz I'm still tired from all the traveling.

Have a good day.  It's really nice here in Arizona.

Love, G

Youngsters are getting Bigger, too!

We went for a long walk yesterday.  I didn't really want to go.  I did my usual STRIKE in the courtyard.  That's where I put my feet down and won't go forward no matter what mom does.  But she tried something new.  She said, "Guinness, we're walking to the Dog Park.  Now do you want to come with me?"

What, I thought.  Walking to the Dog Park?  Normally we drive.  Is this a trick?  I wasn't sure, but I decided I should give it a chance.  I could always go on strike if we went the wrong way.  So I agreed and ran out the courtyard.

When we got to the library stairs, I went on STRIKE again.  I just wanted to be sure.  But Mom said, "Guinness, did you forget?  We are going to the Dog Park."  So I gave in and went on.

Well, we DID go to the Dog Park!  And guess what?  There were dogs there!  And one of those dogs was a puppy Marmaduke.  I didn't even know Marmaduke could ever be a puppy.  And this puppy was bigger than me.  And he's only 8 months old.  Look at him!

He runs funny.  His human says he only runs in a straight line.  He doesn't do turns.  And he looks like a pony when he runs.  But I liked him.  And we had a lot of fun.  I was tired and had to rest before we made the long walk home.

I guess I can trust Mom if she says we are going to the Dog Park.

I really do like to walk.  I don't know why sometimes I just decide not to.  I probably need a Doggie Shrink.  Dad thinks maybe I do. 

Hope you have nice walks and go fun places like I do.

Love, G

My Auntie Debbie

I had a visit from my Auntie Debbie (the lawyer not the dentist).  My mom has a lot of friends who are real smart and do real hard jobs, like both of my Auntie Debs.  And this Auntie comes to visit just me!  And I really like that.  Mom thinks she comes to see her, but I know better.  She just pretends to visit my mom.  I start barking as soon as I hear her at the door, 'cuz I want her to know that I am really glad she has come to see me.

The last time she came, I let her sit on my couch with me.  We wrestled and played.  I was real careful not to hurt her.  Mom tells me I have to be careful because I'm stronger than I think I am.  And I think I'm pretty strong, so that means I could probably push Auntie Debbie off the couch without even trying.  I don't think I want to do that.  Auntie Debbie might not come and see me again if did.  Mom took a picture of us.  I behaved myself for the picture.  I know how to pose for pictures.   I SHOULD.  As many pictures as mom has taken of me and I have to pose!

I hope my Auntie Debbie comes back again soon.   Actually, I hope all my Aunties come to see me.  I really like all my Aunties.  Auntie Deb the Dentist and my Auntie Annie in South Carolina who takes care of rescues like me.  And Auntie Kelley who takes care of me sometimes.  And Auntie Jan who takes care of me in Arizona.  I have lots and lots of Aunties.  Everyone needs lots and lots of fun aunties.

I hope you all have your favorite aunties, too.

Love G

I learned to shake!

Mom and I went to work Monday morning.  I had double duty but I didn't know it till we got there.  Then once I had made the rounds saying hello to all my friends, she made an announcement.

"We are going to teach Guinness to shake his paw today!"  What?  That was the first I had heard of this.  I guess Mom didn't bring funny pictures like the last time.  Instead, I get to be the funny picture.

So sure enough, we tried.  She made me sit.  Which I do very well, thank you!  Then she said "Shake", and she stuck her hand out.  I saw she had treats in her other hand.  I had to think.  What could I do to get her to give me a treat?  So I went all the way down on my belly! Everybody laughed.  And Mom said, "No, Guinness, not Down.  Shake!"  I just looked at her.  What's this "Shake" thing?  I'll do whatever.  Just give me one of those treats.

So we started over.  About 6 times.  She kept grabbing my right paw.  Then she would say, "Yes, Shake" and give me a treat.  Finally a light clicked on in my head.  I lifted my right paw.  Boom!  I got a treat.  I did it again.  I got another treat.  They were ALL laughing now.  I didn't care.  I had figured out how to get those treats. 

Finally we took a break.  I went around and got petted by my friends.  Jill, the girl with Down Syndrome was there.  I kissed her on the cheek.  It was a good thing to do, 'cuz it made her really happy.  She told everyone that I had kissed her on the cheek.  So I did it again.

There was another gal there who stays all by herself.  She was there the last time too, but she seems to like to sit in a corner where no one else is.  I went over to her and she was a little timid with me.  But I licked her hand and she petted my head.  Then she stayed quiet again, so I went back to the table of ladies.  While I was there the lonely girl walked by.  One of the ladies said maybe the lonely girl was afraid of me.  I didn't think so.  I went back over to her and do you know what she did?  She had a BIG doggie treat hidden in her pocket and she dropped it right in front of me and gave me a big smile.  She's not afraid of me.  She likes me a lot!

Then there was Nathan.  He always has a hard time eating his breakfast.  That's OK by me.  He spilled lots of milk on the floor.  I helped clean it up.  Nathan, you can spill your breakfast anytime you want. 

Mom made me do Shake a couple of times more and then we said our goodbyes and went home.  All in all, it was a good time.  I haven't had so many treats in a long time.  Maybe ever!  It's nap time for this puppy.

Love, G.

Life with Aunt Kelley

Mom & Dad left me again.  They went to visit Dad's brother and some other relatives in someplace called Annapolis and Rehoboth Beach. 

My Aunt Kelley came and took care of me again.  We watched the news and I was worried 'cuz there was a Hurricane going near those places.  The Hurricane was called Hermine.  Kinda like the gal in Harry Potter that Mom used to read about.  That's a good book.  Or actually lots of books.  Uh, oh.  I'm supposed to be talking about the Hurricane.

Anyway, the Hurricane stopped.  So I didn't worry anymore.  But Kelley kept me busy 'cuz our weather was really good.  We took lots of long walks and I got rather tired.  We watched TV together, but I couldn't stay awake.

I'll have to get back to you next week.  Sleep well.  And don't let the hurricanes blow you over.

Love,  G

 

The Youngsters Seem Smarter These Days

 I've been meeting a lot of dogs in the neighborhood these days.  Seems like there are a lot of new neighbors moving in with their fur legged friends.  (Or did I mean four legged friends? Either way.....)  Just across the street there are two Labradors; a yellow and a chocolate.  I haven't met them yet, but it's not for lack of trying.  Whenever I see them, I take my "I AM SITTING HERE WAITING FOR YOU" position:

until they would see me and know that I was a very good dog and then come and visit me.  So far, not happenin'!

But I met this really cool youngster at the park.  I've heard on the news that young people these days expect things to be handed to them and won't go out and work for anything.  Not this little guy.  His name is Marco and he's just 9 months old. 

He's a rescue puppy like, me.  He looks like a lab, and he has a beautiful white spot on his chest, just like me.  He was adopted as a real little puppy, just like me.  But the gal who adopted him couldn't handle him and she brought him back.  That's just sad.  That's when his new Mom and Dad came and right away they took him home. 

When we met at the park, I knew he was going to be a real fun friend.  We ran and wrestled and then when I stopped to rest in the shade, he sat right in front of me and we talked until we went and played again.

And this is the best.  You know how much I like to play Keep Away and Tug o War with my Frizbee?  I didn't even have to show Marco how to do it.  He just knew!

Marco is a little small as far as labs go.  He's smaller than me.  I hope he grows just a little bigger so we can be the same size.  That would be RAD!

Love till next time,

G

Back to Work

So I did go back to work on Monday.  I saw a lot of my old friends and met some new ones.  Mom said I could wander around with my leash on so I stopped and said hello to each one (and got my head scratched!)

I especially tried to make friends with Nathan again.  He was having a hard time eating just like the first time I met him and I thought I could help.  But there was another lady there who was also trying to help him.  This lady was not an Aide or anything.  She was a client just like Nathan, only she was being a Good DooBee and taking care of Nathan just 'cuz he was a friend.  I'm going to be like that!  And take care of my friends just because I can!

I thought one man was sleeping.  He had one of those metal contraptions in front of his chair and his head was down.  I went over to check on his metal contraption and I nuzzled his hand to make sure he was OK.  He jumped a bit, but then he smiled a really big smile and patted my head.  He liked me, I could tell.

I asked Mom if we could bring something with us to share with the folks to make them smile.  So she and I went online and picked out some pictures about funny dogs.   Here is one of the pictures:

I could really identify with this guy!  If you want to look at more pictures, just click on this:  FunnyFidos.com . 

They all seemed to like the pictures, so I let them look while I explored the place a little more.  I did not know that they had birds in a cage.  I stood and stared at the cage, thinking they were just fake.  But they were flying around in the cage.  Weird!  Then there was a huge box with fishies swimming around.  Maybe that's where they get their lunch.  I never stay long enough for lunch so I wouldn't know.  But the fishies didn't look very big for a lunch.

After I explored some more, Jill, the gal with Down's Syndrome arrived.  I don't think she remembered me, but she liked me just as much as last time.  She giggled everytime I touched her hand, so I kept doing it.  She has a very nice giggle. 

Pretty soon, mom said we needed to go home.  I said goodbye to all and that I would see them all in two weeks.  They all smiled back at me.

When we got home, I helped Mom open the mail.  She got a birthday card from me!  Do you like it? 

Hee hee.  It wasn't really from me.  How would I mail a card?  It was from my Auntie Annie.  But doesn't it look like it should have been from me?

Have a great week.

Love, G.

Checking In

I know you've all been waiting to see how my job is going.  I wish I could tell  you.  But we've run into a few issues.

First, let me tell you.  I DID TRY to go to my job a couple of Mondays ago.  But Mom drove me to the parking lot.  (I still don't have my driver's license.)  What do you think we saw?  A big Ambulance and a police car in front of the door.  I wanted to go right in and see what was happening.  Mom said, no, we had to stay in the car while she called the 'ministrator.  (I think that's who she called.)  She said to the 'ministrator, "Guinness and I are in the parking lot, but it looks like you have some serious issues.  Would you like us to come back another time?" 

What?  Come back without finding out what was going on?  I saw one of my friends from last week get into the back of the Ambulance.  We couldn't just leave?  Could we?  But apparently we could.  'Cuz Mom just started the car and we headed home.  She said we would go back in three weeks; after she and Dad got back from Arizona?

Now that was the first I heard of her going to Arizona with Dad.  And I hadn't seen any clothes piling up in the back room where they put the stuff before we all go in the car to Arizona.  Uh, oh, I thought.  They're leaving me again.  And sure enough, two days later, they went away in the morning and that evening My Auntie Kelley came.

My Auntie Kelley stays with me lots.  Especially when Mom and Dad are gone for more than a few days.  She works at Mom's old bank, right up the street.  If I needed her, I could bark real loud and she would come to see me.  (I've never tried that, but I'm sure she would.  She's that kind of Auntie.)

I try to be good when Mom and Dad are gone, but sometimes it's hard.  Like when the mail man leaves the mail on the floor in the front hall.  Mom used to leave a sign on the door so the mail man would put the mail between the doors when I was younger.  I used to eat the mail a lot.  I don't do that so much anymore.  Not since I got old enough to drink wine. 

But today I was bored.  I went and read what the mail man had left.  There were three big white envelopes that said they were from Capital One Credit Cards.  I know Mom doesn't have a Capital One Credit Card, and anyway, what would she need with three envelopes from them anyway.  So I ate one.

Auntie Kelley caught me, but not before I swallowed the rest of the envelope.  It was pretty good.  I would recommend trying a Capital One Credit Card envelope if you ever get hungry.

I was still licking my lips when we went outside for a walk.

Hope you had a good week.  I'll be back to work next Monday and I'll tell you all about it. 

Love G

My First Day at Work

I did it!  I finally got a Gig here in St. Louis.  And last week I had my first day on the job.  It was great!  Wait till I tell you all about it.

First, Mom and me (I mean Mom and I - I got excited, sorry), Mom and I drove to a place about 15 minutes away.  So it wasn't very far.  When we got there, she walked me around the parking lot.  (She wants me to feel comfortable with the place before we go in.  Also, I think she doesn't want me doing something I shouldn't do indoors.  But I wouldn't do that.  I'm a big boy now.)

So then we went to the door.  A nice young lady came out and welcomed us in.  As soon as we walked in, what do you think I saw?  A tiny puppy sitting in the lap of a lady not twenty feet in front of me.  If I had been at my house, I would have run up and said hello to the puppy right away.  But I knew I was supposed to be on my best behavior so I sat quietly next to Mom and waited for her to tell me what to do.

Soon I was being introduced to all the people in the place.  It was a place called an "Adult Day Care".  I think it's kinda like the place I sometimes go to in Arizona.  You remember the Doggie Day Care I go to called "Always Unleashed?"  All kinds of puppies from all over would come and we would do fun things together.  That's what this place was for people.  There were all kinds of people and they were doing fun things.

First I went to a table with 5 ladies.  I nuzzled the arm of the first gal, and she rubbed my head.  The next gal wasn't so sure about me, I could tell.  So I went to another one named Rose.  Rose had a metal contraption next to her.  Mom rolled it away so I could get nearer to Rose, but not before I had a chance to sniff it out.  You never know about these metal things.  Sometimes they just up and make noises when you don't expect it.  But I think I've seen these before in the medical facilities we went to once.  People would use them so they could walk.  I was pretty sure it wouldn't hurt me.  So I went to say hello to Rose.  She really liked me, I could tell. 

Then I decided to be cute and make these ladies laugh.  So I snuck under the table next to Rose and nuzzled a couple of knees and popped up on the other side of the table.  They thought that was really funny.  Even the lady who wasn't sure about me.  She let me come over then and give her a kiss.  That was really nice.

Then I was brought over to meet a young man who was trying to eat his oatmeal.  A girl in a uniform was helping him to eat.  I stuck my nose on the table and offered to help him eat his food, but Mom pulled me away.  His name was Nathan.  I don't think Nathan would have minded me eating his food, but Mom said it wasn't polite.  Mom told me Nathan had something called Down's Syndrome and that was why he couldn't eat all by himself.  I think it might be good to have Down's Syndrome, and here's why I think so.

A little after I had talked to Nathan about his oatmeal, the door opened and a really happy gal came in.  Her name was Jill.  She was giggling and hugging everyone and she gave me a hug too.  But then she did something really nice.  She sat right next to Nathan, and she put her arm around him and told everybody there that Nathan was her friend; that he went to classes with her in a school.  And Nathan was smiling like he hadn't before.  She made him very happy.  Mom told me later that Jill had Downs Syndrome just like Nathan.  That's why I would like to have Down's Syndrome too.  Then Jill would like me as much as she likes Nathan.  But I guess she liked me pretty much anyway.

Then I met Conchita.  I think that was her name.  Conchita rubbed my fur and held my head and she called me Linda, Linda.  That's not my name you know, but I didn't tell her that.  Then she called me Bonita and said a bunch of other words I didn't understand.  I asked Mom later why I couldn't understand her.  Mom said Conchita was Spanish and she was speaking Spanish.  She said Conchita had not really called me Linda like a name, but that in Spanish, she was saying I was beautiful.  That made me feel really good.

Pretty soon it was time to go.  So I made the rounds and kissed everyone goodbye.  Especially a man they called Doctor.  'Cuz he told everybody that I was a very smart puppy!  So I gave him a big kiss.

When I got in the car, I just collapsed in the back seat.  It was kinda stressful meeting all these people.  But I really liked doing it.  I'm going back there next week, but only after I get a good rest.

Till next week.  Yaawwnn!  Love, G.

PS.  Mom is bringing some fact cards of Interesting Dog Facts to share with the people at the Adult Day Care Center next week.  Can you think of anything that would be fun for us to do with the people there in some of our next visits?  Please give us some ideas.  If there isn't a space for your comment, then if you click on "Click here to leave a comment" at the bottom of this post, you can tell us your ideas.  Thanks, all.  G