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

 

My Claycation

Mom and Dad went to Nova Scotia (without me, again).  But one of my Auntie Debs came and stayed with me.  She said she was having a Claycation with me.  I didn't know what that was, but she says, when you take time off of work, you get a vacation.  If you go somewhere far, its a Real Vacation.  If you stay close to home, its a Staycation.  But she came from Illinois to stay in Clayton, so she calls it a Claycation.  I said I want a Claycation too, so she said I could do it with her.

And did we have fun!  She played keep away with my Squeaky Kong Ball.  But she didn't really know the rules.  She's supposed to run after me and if she catches me, she gets to throw the ball.  A couple of times she took the ball and ran with it herself.  Oh, well.  She's kinda new at this, so I guess I have to give her a break.  But we had fun anyway.

She let me sit on the furniture 'cuz Mom and Dad told her I could.  And did I take advantage of that!  I climbed right up on the couch and sat where Mom usually sits and used her pillow. 

Ha, ha, Mom.  That's what you get when you go on a Real Vacation and leave me with Auntie Deb on a Claycation.

My other Auntie Debbie came and had lunch with me for two days.  It was a really fun Claycation with all my Auntie Debs!

There was just one thing about this Claycation that wasn't so fun.  It was really hot.   And I didn't really want to go out sometimes.  So I decided to go on strike one day and I gave Auntie Deb the "Evil Eye". 

It didn't work.  She made me go anyway.  (Why do I think she may have been talking to Mom about my strikes?) 

I was really happy to see Mom and Dad when they came home.  But I hope Auntie Deb comes again for a Claycation.  We had a good time.

Stay cool.  It's really hot out there.

Love, G

Happy Birthday America, my paw!

I don't know what it is.  It happens every year about this time in St. Louis.  There are a lot of loud noises.  People are shooting at me.  If I go out, I could die; I know it.

When I first came to Clayton with Mom and Dad, I was just 12 weeks old.  Three weeks later, Mom took me up to the park to play.  It was July 3rd.  The same as this week.  As we approached Kingsbury Park, there was a loud KABLOOM!  Someone was shooting at us!  I grabbed Mom's leash and started pulling her to home.  But she wasn't coming.  She kept telling me to stop and to calm down.  She didn't know someone might kill her.  So I tried to drag her home.  But she fought me all the way.  In fact, she tried to tackle me, and kept telling me it was all right, to calm down.  But I knew better, so I pushed and kicked and broke free, pulling her with me.  (She lost her glasses, and I think I might have left some scratches on her, but I couldn't leave her with those shooters, could I?)  We finally made it home, but I was really scared.  Dad went out and came back with her glasses. 

The next year it happened again.  This time my Auntie Debbie was staying with me.  As soon as I heard the shots, I had to pull her back home and make her stay close to home till it was all over.  It's not easy taking care of my girls.

This year was even worse.  Especially when it got windy and rainy.  Then the shots were like from high up and sounded low and rumbly.  Then when I heard  loud one up in the direction of my park, I ran.  Hard as I could (at least as hard as anyone can with someone dragging on the leash).  I don't know how I can make Mom and Dad understand the gravity of the situation.  Don't they know we could all be shot?

Yesterday, when Mom tried to get me to go out after breakfast, I'd had enough.  I just ran up the stairs and said, NO!

Mom tried bribing me with treats and stuff.  She tried to tell me it was just America's Birthday Party.  AS IF!  What kind of fool does she think I am.   I wasn't budging:

So she fooled me by pulling out my "Go to the dog park" leash and she went to the basement door as if we were going in the car.  I believed her, so I came down.  We went down to the car, but instead of getting in the car, she walked out the basement door.  So I went.  And I did my thing.  But when I came back, I went and sat with Dad.  He wouldn't fool me like that!  He would protect me.

I really don't like America's Birthday Party.  Why can't America just have a nice glass of wine like I did and not shoot people and animals all over the place.

Yours,

G