I learned about the Birds and the Bees

 It has been a busy time here and also a very slow time !  Let me tell you why.  First, Miss M came and surprised me.  We got to spend the afternoon together.  Went on a walk, practiced commands and just hung out.  Forgot the the camera so no pictures but that was OK since I got more attention instead of Miss M and Grandma T trying to get me to sit/stay to snap a picture.  I always hear them saying it is hard to take pictures of me since I am so black and blend into everything.

My next adventure was to a dog beauty salon with Avalon.  It was a first for me but Avalon goes about every three months and gets her fur trimmed.On the drive over to the salon she was telling me all about it.  When we got there-first we took a shower in a special bathtub and had our hair blown dry. Then I got a combing and Avalon got a fur cut.  Last, we had our ears cleaned, nails done and some really nice smelling stuff put on our fur with a beautiful bandanna put on.  I heard the nice lady tell Mom Avalon behaved nicely but I was kind of a challenge.  I tried to tell Mom it was the first time for me and it was soo exciting that I couldn't help myself. I think Mom went later to have her hair done too ?

Mom and Dad have been talking about their special "Therapy Puppy" Ruthie a lot lately.  I never knew her but Avalon talks about her.  Avalon told me that Ruthie went to the Rainbow Bridge a year ago this week. Mom and Dad raised her like they are raising me but then Mom went and got certified with Ruthie as a Therapy Team instead of going to another forever home.  Avalon said when she was being puppy raised her and Ruthie would go together with Mom and do special talks to kids and adults.

The rest of the week Mom and me just did our day to day routine.  We always go for our bike ride around the lake with Avalon in the morning, work on some commands when we get back then several times we headed to the food place Mom likes to go to for more fixings for the turkey.  That turkey must be something special.  I have not seen it again since we picked it up a week ago.  

The weekend came and for the first time it was really COLD when we went for our walk.  Mom and Dad put on lots of clothes.  I am sure glad I was wearing my fur coat.  It was nice to get back home and relax with Dad in front of the TV to watch the HUSKER game.   It was a good game. The HUSKERS won so Avalon and I didn't have to worry about Dad.  He was a happy camper and stayed on the couch.

After the game Mom and Dad sat me down and had a conversation with me about the "Birds and the Bees".  I thought we were going to be talking about those flying things in the sky but that was not the case.  The Birds and the Bees have to do with becoming a Mommy Dog which seems funny.  Avalon said they talked to her about it too.  However, Avalon did not tell me about what was going to happen when we went back to the Vet the next day.  I was soooo excited to go to one of my favorite places but boy did things change soon after.  I had surgery.  The Vet doctor explained to me that I would be sleeping when I had surgery but forgot to tell me I would not be feeling on the up and up afterwards.  I was told I now will be a forever Guide/Service puppy for a forever partner instead of being a Puppy Mom.  Not that being a Mom is bad I just won't be one.

I spent the night at the puppy hospital.  Dad stopped to see me in the evening but I don't really remember much of that.  I was very sleepy.  The next morning Mom came and picked me up and I was sooo excited I leaked all over.  I haven't done that for a while but I was getting scared that I was not going to see everyone at home again and when Mom came I knew everything was going to be OK.

The rest of the week I was on restricted play time.  That was a bummer !!  I spent the first day in my kennel except to go take a break and then the next few days either in the kennel or mud room.   Avalon and I could not play together and I did not get to go on our morning bike ride.  Mom and dad did give me a little white pill each morning that made me sleepy so I did sleep a lot.  Miss M, Miss K and Grandma T came to visit me but Mom said I could not get excited so they did not come in the mud room.  We did take some pictures though with a BIG turkey.  The one Mom bought at the food store was a lot smaller so maybe the one outside was growing up since we bought him a while back.
 Mom cleaned and got ready for the holiday she called Thanksgiving.  When the day came Avalon and I did not get to visit with the guests but had to stay in the office.  Mom said I still can not get excited because of my surgery and Avalon sometimes likes to visit too much.  We did get to visit though when guests would come to the office door.  There were new people I have never seen before along with some I see a lot.  Mom said next year at this time I will probably be at KSDS college.

 The next day was another HUSKER football game.  We went for our morning weekend walk even though it was Friday and I even got to play some.  Not too much though because of the surgery.  Mom and Dad did some work around the house putting Thanksgiving stuff away then at 2:30 the game started.  It was a sad day in HUSKER LAND as Dad would say because they lost the game.  Dad was a sad camper :(

This weekend Mom and Dad started taking the Thanksgiving decorations down and putting up ones for Christmas.  Another holiday Avalon told me about.  She said we will get to go visit someone called Santa and tell him of gifts we want from him. Avalon told me to start making a list and check it twice before we go.   

Mom and Dad spent most of the day outside decorating and it was dark when they were done.  I got to come out to look at the decorations and Mom tried to take a picture but being black I just did not show up.  The decorations looked so pretty along with some decorating I did on the mud room wall while they were out.

In remembrance of Ruthie -  Rest in Peace at the Rainbow Bridge 

Ruthie and Avalon with Santa-2011

Scary Times at the Village

 Dad said this is the BEST time of the YEAR !!   It is Nebraska football season and also the World Series of Baseball.  Dad was very excited and the weather was so nice we watched the final game outside.  Dad even shared some of his drinks with us - mostly what he called backwash but it was a first for me.  I have watched Avalon do this so I knew just what to do.  GO CHICAGO CUBS !  Way to WIN !!!

The weekend came and it was NEBRASKA football again.  Mom made dinner early and it cooked all day making the house smell so nice.  Mom and Dad finally took the boat out of the water but not before they took a ride around the lake.  Avalon and I didn't get to go but we watched from the deck.  Dad said it will be gone all winter but in the spring it will be back.   We went swimming in the lake when they got back and I must admit the water was cold.  While we were swimming Mom and Dad finished putting all the outdoor fun stuff  away and cleaned up what was left of the garden.  I guess it is official - Summer is over - and fall is here.  Winter is around the corner.  Something called snow is coming.

 Halloween finally came.  Avalon has been talking to me about it and said it can be scary.  Miss M and Miss K along with Grandma T came over and Avalon and I watched them put all kinds of fun and scary things up in the yard.  Then before it got dark Mom took me out to look at all of the cool decorations.  I was not scared !!  I am a BIG girl.  However, when it got dark outside all of these scary people came to the door and wanted treats.  Mom and Dad put treats in their bags just for saying "trick or treat" - they didn't have  to do any commands.  I didn't think that was right!

Mom watched me closely when someone would come to the door.  She said a small black puppy can not get out on a night like this.  I could get lost and it would be scary.  I really didn't want to get lost so I listened to Dad when he would say - Sit/Stay when someone would come to the door.  Miss M and Miss K even came back to get treats before the night was over.

Mom had her handyman over to fix the redecorating I did in the mud room.   I thought a hole in the wall would look nice along with roughing up the casing around the doors.
I thought I did a good job but Mom didn't like it.  Bill, the handyman put up some stuff on the walls to deter me from redecorating again.  Now I think that looks funny !  I also celebrated my 8 month birthday.  Thought there would be cake and hats or something but Mom just said I am getting older and we were off to run errands.  I just don't understand why Avalon doesn't have to go and gets to stay home by herself.  It is not fair but Avalon reminded me she gets car sick plus she is just a forever puppy now not a service puppy in training like me.                            

 Saturday and BIG Red football.  It was a night game so Dad was excited all day long waiting for the game to start.  However, it was a really SAD day in Husker land.  They lost the game BAD.  I thought dad was going to cry so I told Avalon we should go over and comfort him.   I don't think it did any good since he went to bed right after the game was over and did not even listen to the radio like he usually does.   This meant early to bed for Avalon and I too.

 This week Mom and I went to a store called Target.  Mom said we were on a mission to buy a turkey which I have been told people eat for a Holiday called Thanksgiving.  I asked Mom if the turkey we were going to get would be like the ones that walk through our yard sometimes ?  They are BIG birds and make funny noises.  However, when Mom picked the turkey out it was hard and wrapped in plastic.  It sure didn't look like the ones that visit us sometimes in the yard.

Avalon and I finally went on a trip
together this week too.   We went to see one of our favorite people, the Vet.  It was Avalon's yearly physical and I had a pre-surgery check up.   Mom said it is time to make sure I don't have puppies and become a mommy instead of a Guide/Service puppy.  We had the talk about the birds and the bees and I am glad I will be a trained dog and not a mommy.  Not that being a mommy isn't cool - I just want to be a forever assistance dog for someone who needs me.


Saturday has come again and the HUSKERS are playing at home. Mom and I took some food to the Humane Society then ran some errands while Dad went to work.  When Dad got home Avalon and I got to spend time in his Man Cave in the basement during halftime.  I have never been there before - It had lots and lots of HUSKER stuff everywhere.  Dad played a game hitting balls with a stick.  I tried to help him put one back on the table when it bounced off  but he wasn't to keen on that.  I thought it funny that he would hit them in holes on the table just to do it again.

It is with sadness that I tell you that BABY passed away on November 9th.  I didn't know Baby much since she stayed away from me because I played too hard as a puppy, but Avalon told me Baby had been around for 18 years.  Avalon told me she was here for all of Mom and Dad's forever puppies and also all of the Guide/Service puppies they raised.

REST IN PEACE OVER THE RAINBOW BRIDGE !