The Ambassador

So, as I said last time, I was chosen to be an Ambassador for the Tail Waggin' Tales program at the Palomino Library.  We arrived there Friday morning with lots of time, but there weren't any people who were supposed to tell Mom and me what to do there.  Someone told us we could wait in some chairs up front.

But I whispered to Mom, "Let's just go do what we always do!"  And she said, OK.  So we found a spot where kids could find us.  Then we put my blanket down and my book out.  In about two seconds, I was overwhelmed by about 6 little tykes all under the age of 5.  One kept running up and touching my ear.  They hugged my neck and rubbed my back.  It was heaven!  The gal at the book counter came over to watch and she was laughing because they were having so much fun and so was I.

Then they went away to do other things and Mom and I were quiet again.  But another little girl came by and Mom asked her is she wanted to read to me.  She said, "Will you help me?  'Cuz I'm only 5 and I can't really read."  Mom said, "Sure!"  So she took my book and Mom read the words while she ran her fingers over the words as Mom read them.  But then I think she got a little bored.  She pulled the book close to her and said, "OK, I'M going to read the next page."  Mom said, "Sure, you go right ahead."

So she looked at this page:

And she read:  "Guinness likes to swim."  And Mom said, "That's great!"  What was she saying?  I know that doesn't say "Guinness likes to swim."  But the little girl was happy so I guess that's why Mom said that.  She went on to the next page.

This time she said, "What IS that?"  So I know she's not reading my book.  Mom explained to her that we dogs have our own water fountains to drink from.  She was amazed and let Mom read the rest of my book for her.

Then her Mom took a picture of her with me and they went away.

But then, a girl with long brown hair came over to meet me.  She said her name was Christa and she wanted to read my book to me.  She was 8 years old and very pretty.  When she was about half-way through the book, another girl came over and sat down with us too.  She was 8 too and she had long brown hair.  I thought they were sisters, but they didn't know each other.  They kept reading my book and laughing at the pictures and petting me all at once.  Christa introduced herself to the other girl who said her name was Nia. 

They were having so much fun together that there Moms took pictures of both of them with me in the middle.  After that they gave each other their phone numbers.  So I guess I was responsible for them making friends that day.   That made me feel really good.  

I hope you get to make good friends today!

Love, G, Ambassador in Chief. 

Those Little Ones

Mom and me (no, Me and Mom, no, Mom and I?) anyway, we went to the library last Thursday for my "Tail Waggin' Tales" hour.  But before we left, she took me to my favorite Green Spot.  (She's always afraid I'm going to need to go to the bathroom while I'm at the Library.)

Have I told you about my favorite Green Spot.  It's just around the corner from us, and Boomer and Roscoe live right next to the spot.  And Chopper is just on the other side.  And Mr. Green (I call him that 'cuz he drives a green car), lives on the corner.  He always stops to say hello to me when he's in his green car.  And when he's home, he comes and pets me. 

Across the street, next to Roscoe and Boomer lives Mr. Red.  (Yep, he drives a Red car.).  He and Mrs. Red sit on their front porch and drink wine and eat crackers and I always go up and say hello to them.  They really like me, too.  They bought treats, just for me so they have them when I come by. Lots of times they're not there, 'though.  And I try to call to them to come out.

Sometimes they come out and talk to me, but usually I have to find them on their porch.  They weren't out this afternoon, so I was sad, but Mom said we have to go to get to the Library on time.

When we got to the Library, my new little friend, Celeste,  who is learning French came over.  She read a new book to me.  But it wasn't in French.  Then a new gal came over to meet me and Celeste got a little jealous.  I thought she was going to yell at the new gal, but she didn't.  She just waited till she left.  Then she read some more.

One little boy was sitting at the computer and looking at me.  Mom asked him if he would like to come and read to me.  He was a really nice boy, and asked Mom if I would like it if he read to me.  No one has ever asked if I would like to be read to.  I nuzzled his leg to let him know that I would love to listen to him read to me.  So he did.  Afterwards he asked Mom, "Did he like it?"  And Mom told him that I LOVED it.  And I did.  Wasn't he super?

Then another Mom came over with her teeny tiny little one year old.  Her name was Christine.  The Mom had freckles all over her and red hair, just like my Mom.  She was pretty, just like my Mom.  She said that Christine was A-F-R-A-I-D of dogs, but that she wanted to help her get over it.  (Why did she spell Afraid?  Did she think I can't spell?)   But she said she didn't know quite how to do it.  Mom said we could try to help.  Mom told Christine's Mom that I was the most mellow dog she had ever met and that I loved little kids.  (I DO love little kids, but I'm not so sure I want to be the mellowest dog Mom ever met!)  

So Christine sat in her Mom's lap, and her Mom got closer and closer to me.  I didn't move.  My Mom petted me to show Christine that I wouldn't hurt her if she touched me.  Finally, Christine took her Mom's hand in her own tiny ones, and she made her Mom's hand pet my head.  Then she giggled and pulled away.  I guess that's progress!  And she was so sweet.

 Next week I'm supposed to go to another library called Palomino.  I'm going as Ambassador for the Tail Waggin Tales Program.  I was asked to go because the kids at my library really like me.  But if we have more libraries with more Tail Waggin Tales Hours, I'm going to have to find some friends to help.  I can't do it all!

Hope you have fun experiences at your Library.  If not, you can come to Mustang Library with me.  It's lots of fun.

Love, G

Ode to My Mom

I was a young pup,

Just weeks from the womb,

You took me home

To save me from doom.

I was barely as big

As my Daddy's shoe

But it wasn't long 

Before I just grew.

You made sure that I played

And got plenty of sleep

So I cuddled my toys

And slumbered real deep.

You laugh at my jokes

And forgive all my blunders

And comfort me well,

Each time it thunders

You told me, "Bark Softly"

And carry a Big Stick"

Don't know what that means

But it gives you a kick.

You take me to doctors

To make sure I'm healthy

(You know if you didn't,

You could be wealthy!)

You take me to Dog Parks,

All over the city

I've met some great puppies

And some are so pretty.

You let me get comfy 

Wherever I am

I do take advantage

Whenever I can.

Sometimes I get angry

When you don't understand

But I know that you love me

My life is so grand.

I wish that all puppies

In shelters or not

Could have a Mom

Like the Mom that I got!

 HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ALL  THE MOM'S OF THE WORLD!

 Love, love, love, G

Oopsy Daisy

You're probably wondering about my choice of Title.  Well there is a good reason.  The Oopsy is because of this:

I got in trouble for trying to help with the finances again.  When will I learn?  But Dad left out his checkbook on the coffee table and I know he has trouble balancing his checkbook, so I figured I'd just do it for him.  Unfortunately, I kinda did it in.

 

And while I was at it, there was a bill for Dad's safe deposit box at Commercial Bank and since I know he doesn't have a safe deposit box there anymore, I tore it up.

But I got in trouble anyway.  Why do they keep getting mad when I try to help?

But on a lighter note.  The reason I said "Daisy" in the Title.   It's spring in Arizona.  All the flowers are coming out and it's really beautiful. 

And this last is my favorite, 'cuz it's right in front of Miss Laura's house.  She sometimes comes to visit me when Mom and Dad can't get home in time.  She feeds me and takes me for a walk.  I really like Miss Laura.  And the other day, a man was going into her house and I barked at him 'cuz I didn't know him.  My Mom told him I was very protective of Ms. Laura and he said he was her nephew and why didn't we go say hello to Ms. Laura.  So we did and I saw she DID know the man and I felt better.  Ms. Laura seemed happy that I was protecting her.  These are her flowers:

Hope you have spring daisies sometime soon!

Love, G

My New Gig

I was just reviewing my posts for this year, and I realized that I must not have told you about my new gig.  So here it is:

On Wednesday afternoons, right around 3:30, Mom and me (no I mean, Mom and I) go to a public library about 15 minutes away.  It's called the Mustang library, and there's a real Mustang Statue (I mean the statue is of a real Mustang, the Mustang is not real.  How could they keep a real Mustang in the library?)  

We bring a blanket and I get to sit over where all the kids read and learn and play. 

Mom let's me bring my very own blanket.  Have I ever showed you my blanket?  It's really really really really soft and it has "Gabriel's Angels" embroidered on it.  I like to sleep on it.  And I thought maybe the kids would like it too.

So I go and sit on my blanket and wait for the kids to come.  Sometimes I get bored and go look at the kids toys and books.

It looks a lot like the School where my 7th and 8th graders go.  I didn't have to wait long till the kids spotted me and started to come over.  Some of them just like to pet me and see if I do tricks.  So I shake their hand and I sit and I go down.  They seem to like that.

Mom brought some books for the kids to read to me.  (She didn't think the library would have any books?  What's the matter with her?)  But she brought the book my Uncle Davis wrote about two little ducklings that he and my cousins and my Auntie Joanny adopted.  And she brought a book about Ishy the cat who belongs to my Mom's friend in Oregon.  But the best book for the kids is the one about Guess Who?  Yeah, it's about me.  It has pictures of me and my friends and Mom thought that the kids might really like to read to me about me.  And she was right.  They all wanted to read to me about me!  And I liked it too.  I got to sit and get my head rubbed while they looked at all my pictures and my friends and learned all about me.

So that's my new gig.  I like it a lot.

Hope you have some gigs that you like, too.  If not maybe I can help you find one.

Love, G

Owee at the Dog Park

I've mostly been telling you about my jobs these days.  But I've been having fun and going to the Dog Park sometimes, too.

Mom and I went one day a couple of weeks ago and there were lots and lots of big dogs.  That's not the usual.  Usually there are only four or five dogs and some of them are tiny.

We played hard and they liked my Frisbee.  That's my favorite day at the dog park when the other dogs play with me and my Frisbee. 

Only things got a little rough this day. 

I was running and jumping and playing and suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my paw (foot to you humans).  

I stopped and hopped around a bit, and Mom came running.  I scared her, 'cuz I was bleeding, too.  (She hates blood.  Especially if it's someone else's and not hers.  So she was a little upset.)  She rushed me to the car and grabbed Dad's car towel.  (Dad keeps a white towel in the car for emergency spills.  He wasn't going to like my bleeding on his white towel.  But I guess he might not like me bleeding on his car seat either.)  

Mom took me to the Vet right then.  We got in without an appointment.  They said I had just broken off my Dew Claw.  But it hurt!  So they cleaned it up and put a real pretty bandage on it.

I would have liked to wear my bandage to class the next morning, but Mom said I couldn't.  They don't like it when the Therapy Dogs have "issues" in class.  I guess they're afraid I might bite one of the kids if they touched my bandage.  I wouldn't do that.  I might cry a little if it hurt, but I would never hurt one of my kids. 

Anyway,  I liked my bandage and I'm still going to go to the Dog Park.  It was just a accident!

Hope you have a good week and no accidents, but if you do, I hope you like your bandage, too.

Love, G

FINANCIAL GENIUS RUNS IN MY FAMILY

Mom is in Connecticut visiting my Grandma.  So she asked me to do the blog.  She said I could do anything I wanted.  I decided to tell you about how Financial Genius runs in our family.

At least, that's what I call it.  My Mom and Dad don't seem to appreciate it as much as I do.

You see, my Mom is an  Attorney/CPA and she has worked for a long time with financial stuff for other people.  So I figured that I should try to help her.  Since I'm a part of this family, I like to be able to make a contribution.  

I got involved first when I helped her to figure out all her CPA credits when she got audited.  I told you about that in a previous story.  You remember this picture?

I worked hard getting those records in order for her.  But we managed.

Then there was the time I checked out Dad's paycheck.  I picked it apart to make sure he had been paid sufficiently.  He and Mom weren't very happy with my work, though.  They told me I shouldn't help like that.  I think they had to ask for another paycheck.

Then there was the $22 that Mom's friends had left for her on the coffee table.  I was afraid someone might steal the money, so I took it off the coffee table and tried to fold it up to hide it.  Unfortunately, it all came apart and ended up in pieces.  

They got all their money back anyway.  I left the serial numbers intact.  I knew enough to do that at least.

A few months ago, my dad left his checkbook out on the table.   I checked through it (do you like the pun?  I "checked" through his checkbook?  Guess you had to be there.)  I wanted to make sure he had recorded all his checks correctly.  But somehow there were some pieces missing after I finished. 

I think Mom put the checkbook away before Dad could see it.  Probably for the best.  

Last week we got an insurance statement in the mail.  So I was looking at that and it lost some pieces too. 

I don't know what happens to these things.  I'm just trying to be helpful with my financial genius.  

I must have taken care of all the business by now.  'Cuz lately there haven't been any financial documents where I can see them.  So I think we must have taken care of them all.  

If you need me to help you with your financial affairs, please just call.  I'm available now that I don't have any to help Mom with.

Love, G