What I did last summer

Guest Post by Guppy, the Lucky Dog 3

She says that I will be going back to school in October.  So I thought I would get ahead and write some thoughts for that back to school tradition, the ‘What I did last summer’ essay.

I was still under my doctor’s care until mid-August.  So I had to be real quiet.  I have watched a whole lot of dog TV

I have invented a new game.  I throw my toys up in the air.  They land all kinds of fun places.  It makes her laugh when She sees them.

See the pink and yellow thing on top of papers?  That is the end of one of my knotty bones.  It tosses real well.  I like to see how long it will take for her to see it.

 

A different day I got it up here on the cabinet next to her bed.

She played a real trick on me.  During the day, when I’m not watching dog TV,  I lounge on her bed.  One day, the bed DISAPPEARED!!!!!!!

Man Alive!  I was soooo confused.  But She found a bunch of my toys under there so it wasn’t too bad.

It used to be that when they went away (which I don’t like, you know.  But I am gettin better about that.) She would lock the glass door that is part of ‘dog TV’, so I could sit and look out and wait for them to come back.  But She is all worried about it gettin cold.  She says that’s gonna happen.  (Not too soon for me.)  So She rearranged her metal shelves.

Back when I first came,  before they started leaving the door open, I was already climbing on those shelves even though there was all this stuff there.  Why it took her so long to figure out that if she just rearranged a few things I could have a ‘viewing platform’ and I would be just as  happy as a tick on a hound.  So now,  when they go out, She moves the garbage can and all the stuff on top of the shelves and the shade.  So I use the stool, climb right on up, sit on the piece of furniture and look out the window.  When She first did it, She thought that I would need to be shown how to do that.  Well, my Momma didn’t raise no fool!  I could figure out what to do but sincein She was handing out ham, I played DUMB and let her break it down to little steps, handing out that ham to encourage me.  Anyway, I like my viewing platform.

So mid-August came.  She had made my doctor’s appointment.  Just to make sure I was okay.  And that day the car DIED!.  Really!!!!!! She was so upset she almost cried.  Our sweet young neighbor, Liz, the woman who lives with my friends Emma and Riley, stopped what she was doing and drove us out to the doctor.  She kept apologizing to me about not being able to take me to the dog park that day.  I might have gotten a few extra bones that day.  Anyway, now I go to the dog park.  It’s fun when other dogs are there.  But sometimes there aren’t any other dogs there.  I almost cry when that happens.  But still it is okay because I can walk all over by myself and sniff as long as I want.  Honestly, She gets so impatient when She takes me on a walk and I want to stop and sniff.  Doesn’t She know I’m conducting important DNA analysis on that blade of grass!  I mean REALLY!

And of course we had a hurricane.  I have been a little bit on edge about it all week.  Barking at everyone I see.  But I am going to be brave because I need to look after my Ben and She says that She won’t leave me alone, so that is okay.

I helped her clean up and get ready.  Not a bad summer.  I think I truly am a LUCKY DOG.

 

Getting Ready For Florence

Let me just say.  I would really rather have my Aunt Florence visit than this hurricane…

There has been chatter about this storm for over 10 days now.  It begins to wear on you.  But on the other hand, when we were in Italy, we had very little idea when some major weather event was going to happen.  In Italy, I did learn to keep a collection of empty plastic jugs that I could fill with water if I had a clue that we were going to lose power, which meant losing the pump for the well.  Here in the US, every Spring, I use up the supplies from last year and restock my ‘hurricane kit’.  This is a carryover from looking after my Mom when she lived in Florida.

So since we had adequate supplies, I only had to worry about gas in the car and the always essential, pink fizzy wine and Cheetos! And of course, the always important, trip to the library.  Grocery stores were a ZOO!  Parking lots, don’t even ask!  We live in Cameron Village so I know a few parking places that others might not know of.  And I know the ‘flow’ of the village, the busy times, the slower times.    So it wasn’t too bad to get in and out.

Our neighbors have made sure that we know if we need their help they are there.  They are absolute champs at moving all the flying objects off the deck. (see a picture later) This morning I went out to move everything from our deck.

Not sure how the begonia forest and jungle will fare in the storm.

You know who came out to help me

And everything is tucked away.

It gets to the point when you say “I’ve done all that I can do’.  We just don’t have the space to move things inside.  But those young neighbors did a spectacular job.

Look at those garbage cans….  such a good job.

So we will see what happens.  I worry the most about this tree.

It made it through Hazel and Fran and goodness knows how many other storms and has been examined and declared healthy.  So I am sure that it will be fine.  Plus we sleep and live on the ground floor…..  Updates later.