Something To Do With Change

Dear Diary, 

I'm not sure what a New Years Resolution is.  But I think it has something to do with change.  So while everybody else is making their list...  I've decided to do my part...

1.  I will wait until after 7:30 am to start scratching my ears and licking my butt.  

2.  I won't jump up on Rissie the minute she walks in the door.

3.  I will not jump in Mom's chair as soon as she gets up to go to another room.  I'll jump in Dad's chair instead.

4.  Okay.  I won't jump in Dad's chair either.

5.  When it comes time to clean my ears, I'll sit passively and allow Mom to dump that wet stuff down my ears and massage them... and I won't get up and go crazy, rubbing them all over the carpet and pillows.

6. Barking at passersby is out of the question.  I will pretend there is no one outside of my window walking down the street.  I will convince myself that it is a figment of my imagination.  

7.  I will sleep in Gracie's bed at night.

8.  I will stay away from all bugs.

9.  I will not chew up any of Rissie's toys.

10.  I will not beg for chocolate.  I know it's off limits.  

In Return, I am asking that Mom and Dad do a little changing of their own.  

I mean, a dog like me deserves a little respect.  Don't you agree?  

Gracie.

Happy New Year Everyone!

  May 2011 be Blessed beyond Measure!!

An Unfair Advantage

My sister sister Angie is two years older than me.  We were close growing up.  She was born with a hole in her heart and had to have several surgeries as a child.  Mom and Dad were often back and forth from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore with Angie.  Sometimes they would take me along...  because I wanted to be with them.  Mom said I was always good, and she didn't mind taking me.  Though I was very young, I can remember it quite vividly.  The medicine-like smell, the pictures that other children had colored that were plastered over a big glass window leading to a play area for the children, the huge, consoling statue of Christ that welcomed us into the hospitals lobby, and my sister lying in a bed smiling, relishing her presents and the attention she was getting at six years of age.  

Now one time, for some reason, they had to take the train to Baltimore (and we were very poor).  "You are five years old," Mom schooled Angie on her sudden age-change before getting onto the train.  When a child turned six, a ticket needed to be purchased.  When it came time to collect tickets, the conductor asked Angie how old she was.  "Well," she answered.  "I'm five when I'm on the train, and six when I'm not on the train."  Mom was appalled.  

Angie never got married or had a family.  She was the only one of seven children who went to college.  She teaches Social Studies but has also taught English Literature (I think) at a middle school in the Annapolis area.  

And she has convinced me to play 'Words with Friends' with her via my IPod Touch.  

The game's great... almost identical to Scrabble.... and you can make your word whenever you have free time - then it's the next persons turn.  As you can see on the screen, Angie is winning this game.  She wins them all.  When she was here over Christmas, I'd notice her tinkering around with her IPhone... I thought she was texting.  It turns out she has a half a dozen games going with different people.  

I'm humoring her, and playing along.  But I think she has an unfair advantage.