Louie has a Broken Doggie Heart

This is my cousin Louie.  He is very sad.  

His mama just died and he does not want to leave her bedside.    

My mom is very sad too.  You might want to VISIT her.

Gracie

IT'S ALIVE!

Say it isn't so, Santa!  

(5 second video)

Assuming It's Mine

 Many packages coming into our home.

They must be for me.

Let me investigate....

It's mine.  I can tell by the smell.

A box of cookies.  A very big box of cookies I'm thinking...

It's a Problem

I am not one to normally complain.  You know that, right?  

However.  The atrocity that is taking place here is just too much to bear.  My chair= moved from my window.  In its place:  The most disgusting noise-making wretched bunch of non-food, non-play toys useless items I have ever laid eyes on.  And I've been around the block a time or two.  As a matter of fact...  I own the block.  It's mine, all mine.  I also own the neighborhood.  Others know it.  That is why they turn and walk away when they see me coming.  

But wait.  I am getting off subject here.  

Let's get back to business at paw.  It is called a Christmas village.  First of all, let me remind you MOM that I do not particularly care for Christmas and all it's fancy changes.  I am a pup of habit and I would appreciate it if you would work around that.  Know what I mean?

And secondly.  You know how I am afraid of trains.  Remember how I freaked out at the tracks during my walk?  Well..  you get my drift.  

Anyway.  Not my favorite time of year... ya know?  So I'm counting the days till it's over and making the best of a bad situation. 

The perfect place to get away from it all...

Mom has started a new blog and HERE is her first entry.  Check it out if you want to be bored to tears.  I don't see mention of my name anywhere in it...  whatever.

No Excuse If You Ask Me

I am not getting a walk every night like before.  It gets dark early and there is a chill in the air.  No excuse if you ask me. 

 Daily walks should be mandatory when one owns a dog. 

 Trips to Pet Smart do not count.  I want to go somewhere where I can pee on everything.   

The warning "Don't pee or poop in the store!" before walking into the store kind of makes you lose your desire, ya know what I mean?  

My 12 second video of a poor excuse for a walk:

ALL MINE

Hey all!  Good news.  Mom says this blog is now mine to do what I want with. 

Hmmm...

She says she doesn't know where to go with this blog anymore.  

She says she keeps repeating herself. 

She says she is boring.

I tend to agree.  BOL!!!!

She is getting old ya know.   No, I mean really.  She repeats herself a lot and I think its cause she's senile   old.

She gets in my way a lot too.  I'm talking about hogging the bed.  Seriously.  I think six inches on the edge of the bed should be plenty of space for her.  I mean.  If she lays on her side and maybe loses a few pounds she won't take up nearly as much room.  Sometimes I just have to give her a push with my hind legs just...  a ...  little...  

And then..

I can stretch out and be comfortable.  

Letters To Home

The top 10 things I learn from reading Dad's letters to home as he served in the 

Navy in WWII are as follows:

1.  He was extremely homesick

2.  He was excited about the movie machine that they got on board his ship.

3. He wished he had a camera so that he could take pictures of the devastation that he witnessed there.

4.  He sold cigarettes to the Japanese for a high profit.

5.  He wished he would have married my mom (his then girlfriend) when he was home on leave, so he could go home sooner. (haha!)

6. His penmanship leaved a lot to be desired.

7. He had a love for animals.

8. He sometimes wrote late at night.

9.  He was lonely.

10.  He ended most letters with, "Don't forget to write often."

*****************

Dear Dad,

You don't know me yet, but I will be your fifth child.  I will be named after you and Mom and the last "planned" child.  Two brothers will follow.  I really enjoy reading your letters to home and  I am feeling that emptiness that you have in your heart when you plead for letters from the family.  I'm sure Grandma writes often, as do your sisters and brothers and even Mom.  But it seems that you never get enough.  You must be really homesick.  I will be glad when you are finally home because then you will marry Mom and start our family and live happily ever after.  Oh, and one more thing, Dad.  Thank you for serving your country.  When the time has come for me to be born,  it will be my country too, and I will grow up knowing that God has gifted me with one special, selfless Dad and I am ever so grateful.   

All My Love,
Your future daughter and Middle child, 
Bobbie Jo  

Fast Forward just a bit....

Dad and Mom had seven children.

Dad would never be lonely now, we would see to that!

There were likely times when he wished he were back on that ship - alone - with no more personal anxieties like kids fighting over who sits by the window in the car and mountainous responsibilities which included how he would afford shoes for us to wear to school.

Life can get hectic that way...  

And then - one day, its over.

He was 53 when he died of a heart attack.

 It is the only military funeral I ever remember attending.

It left me in awe...  of my hero, my Dad.

My dad is the curly dark-haired guy on the left.
RIP Dad.  I Love you so much!  Until we meet again.....

A Kind of Hush

I really enjoy going to the oldie's shows.  

sister's in crime

Last night, Peter Noone and
Herman's Hermit performed in Annapolis, Md.

Ready for some fun!

The venue was great and our table sat right smack dab in front of the stage.

There was a kind of Hushhhhhh....  

All over the world last night....

As Peter Noone took the stage and swept the audience back to a sweeter place and time.  

A time of simplicity.  

Beginnings. 

 Hopes. 

Dreams.  

Innocent Love.

 Growing older has its perks though...   

And with any luck we grow in wisdom as we age.  

Things make more sense.  We understand our mortality and that the world that once revolved around us did not revolve around us after all.  We just thought it did. 

Peter Noone is one of the best performers I have seen so far.  He is energetic, funny, talented, and extremely kind.  

Growing older can be sobering.  Our lives are filled with obligations and heartaches.  We win some, we lose some.  And if we are not careful, we can become cynical and our hearts, hardened.  

But if we but close our eyes and listen to the music....  

We can be fourteen again....   

And life is just.  good.

Dear Diary,

Mom and dad were gone again.  I don't know if I can forgive them for leaving me (even though Lindsey was here to take care of me).  I will be angry for a very long time.  Or.  Until I get a belly rub.  Gracie.

Help!

Gracie says:

"Help!"

Don't Try To Be Something You Are Not

Here I am.  All cutesy and lovely.  Just like mom aka the nag likes.  

Trouble is.  This is just not me.  

If God wanted me to be a dalmatian puppy he would have made me a dalmatian puppy.  

Agree?

So anyhoooooooo  mom and dad the pack decided a joy ride in the Buick (last night) would be fun.  

I was tricked!  

I'd been to this Animal Prison/Hospital before!  

*Insert shaking back legs here* 

*****Shaking really really really bad!!****

 I was pleasantly surprised to find that not one peep there was interested in sticking anything up my butt or messing with my ears.

  Everyone was laughing and giving stuff away instead. 

 It was something called trick or treat night and all us pups got to visit each and every horrid jail cell examining room and the evil peeps technicians filled up our bags with treats.  

Ahh...  so that's where the treats came in... hence...the words  Trick or Treat.  BOL!

They gave us doggie treats made from peanut butter and cheese, chew treats that were yummy (and I never get at home), cookies, and toys.

I met up with my black cousin Opie and I didn't even try to rip his head off like I usually do.  It was all good. 

And now.  

Let me tell you where the REAL AND MOST AWESOMEST TRICK EVER came in.  The TRICK was on Mom and Dad who thought it cute/funny/awesome for me to pretend to be a dalmatian pup for the night.  

 "Wait!"  I said.  "That's trickery!  There's no way I'm going to pretend that I'm something I'm not!"  

And so.  Right before stepping out of the cold wet night and into the festivities of the hospital place...  I walked right out of the legs of that furry dalmation get up.  Mom had to sit on the wet ground and rescue me as I was trapped inside this 18 month old baby costume turned 11 year old dog costume.  

Geese!!  What an ordeal.  

And so.  We partied hardy at the Animal Hospital last night.  I smelled some butts and came face to face with some pretty scary lookin'  dudes and dudettes.  But I did it with dignity as Dad carried that horrid ball of cutesy costume in his one hand and my goodie bag in the other.  

And now... for the real TRICK!  

It was dark.  It was raining hard.  Dad had to park about a mile away.  He went to get the car and brought it to the door.  "Get in!"  He says.  

And that's when Mom noticed the poop hanging from my butt!!  BOL!!!!

  Have ya ever got so excited about it all that ya just let er rip?

  Well.  You get the picture then.  

Ahhhh, but it was a fun night.  And in the end I got a bag full of goodies and a sock monkey that squeaks.  

Life, it's about as good as it gets.

"Dear Sock Monkey:  You are NOT a monkey!  You are a sock!  Don't try to be something you're not!"

Not Impressed

While grocery shopping with her mama, Summer saw these pretty, colorful flowers and said "I have to get these for Grammy!"  

And so, she did.

I love that she thinks of me when she sees beautiful flowers.

The calendar may say fall is here.  But for me,  Summer is all year round.   Love this girl.

Gracie:  The Puppy Years

"So is this bath stuff something you
people do often?  Not impressed."