October 22, 2012 -- RENE' BURST MY BUBBLE!

It seemed like such a nice Monday morning--Rene' and Friends day! I'm always on my best behavior when I know I'm going to Canine Craze...I wanta get there as early in the day as possibhle and stay until 4:30-5:00 in the afternoon. I was finished eatin, doin my duty and there at 7:15 a.m. The rule is they tell the Mom's and Pop's that they need to make sure their dog has already pooped and is ready to go. So, we just do it at home and then we don't have ta worry when we get there.

It was a great day of fun and games as always. When Mamaw came to pick me up she looked so sad...I coulda cried. She took me to the car and we headed home--my window down half-way so I could get some air.

On our trip home Mamaw said, "Oh Miss Scarlett, I just read a notice that Canine Craze Performance Center isn't going to have the daycare or boarding service effective Friday, November 2, 2012." Rene' is just gonna do the training sessions from now on...

I hang my head as she shakes her head to and fro--trying to comfort me. We are both beyond disappointed! Then she says, "Well, don't despair, you can go next Monday--but that's the last day. We'll talk to Becky and begin to set up 'play dates' for you and Dallas--it's gonna be okay."

It was a sad time for all of us. Poppy was just as shocked as the rest of us was. They talked about maybe sendin me to a 6-week training session but she don't know how that works. She thinks we should just think about it and after my last day she will talk to Rene' and see just what that training is. She don't want to pay for the stuff she has already taught me...and I don't wanta have to go through all that again either!

Then they got all gussied up (ya know--Mamaw with all her jewelry? And she fixed her hair real nice; even Poppy said so.)  She tole me they was goin to somebody's house to support some political guy--and I had ta stay home feelin all sad and everythin...

I was sure glad when they got home. Mamaw felt sorry for me and reclined on the loveseat with Poppy, watchin the last debate. I climbed up on her lap and just took in the heat of her body and her gentle touch...maybe things are gonna be okay after all...

The popcorn was good too...

October 16, 2012 -- I HEAR WILLIE NELSON SINGIN "ON THE ROAD AGAIN"

Monday mornin and no Canine Craze for me--I just don't get it! What is wrong with Mamaw anyhew? She and Poppy are goin from one end of the house to the other--busy as hell. Did she forget to take me? What will Rene and Friends think? Will they miss me? Or call the house to see where I am? I am upset!

When all of a sudden, Poppy is haulin a suitcase to his car--and his golf clubs. Where is HE goin? Things are just a mess around here today. And then--Mamaw went to THE CLOSET and hauled my bag out! I'm thinkin a road trip--but nobody is sayin a word about it. Suddenly Poppy comes upstairs haulin my kennel and I think I know that I know.

"Wanta go for a ride," Poppy asked? Do bears sh** in the woods? Course I wanta go. We have ta go through the same routine every time--no differences. I have to sit, get hooked up to my leash, go outside and pee; then she opens the back door and I know I'm supposed ta jump in and stay on the towel. I do what SHE says...every time cause I don't wanta be left behind.

And we are off like a herd of turtles...I can't begin to settle down till we're just ridin...I like to see what's goin on outside and Poppy opens that big opening in the roof and I get all those smells. I tell ya, it's yummy. It's a long ride where we're goin today Mamaw said. We goin to see John and Carol Hunchins. They live on a golf course in Rice Lake, IA and are our  "bestest friends."

Doggie Stops

Along the way we stop so I can pee again so I don't haveta hold it forever and ever. I appreciate this too! We stopped at the Boondocks this time and when I went with Mamaw to pee, we saw two different places to go. One said CITY DOGS and had a firehydrant for that purpose and the other one said COUNTRY DOGS and it was a tree stump. I didn't haveta ask which one to use cause I'm a prissy little girl and the tree trunk just did not appeal to me.

I just loved it when we got to the Hunchis house and Mamaw let me outta the car. She led me to their yard and it was so puffy and nice on my paws! And the smells there were just Awesome! So she let me off leash so I could get the full benefit and I was in hog heaven...I ran and ran so fast my floppy ears was stickin straight back; it felt wonderful and I felt so free.

We're in the house, havin a wonderful time with our friends. I was good--really super good--everybody said so. Mamaw sat on the big couch and I jumped up and threw myself across her lap. Nothing better...trust me. We talked and talked and they had a sandwich. I GOT NONE. OMG--then IT happened! Mamaw asked Poppy to go to the car and get my bag with all of my food, treats, water and their wine. They was gonna celebrate with John cause he had an operation and is all better now. So she brought her most expensive bottle of wine to share...and then Poppy came back in the house. He said, "I don't think that sack got put in the car." Oh-oh--no food or treats for me? You got it--NO FOOD FOR ME. Carol opened a bottle of their wine and filled their glasses. They're enjoyin themselves while I'm worried about what I'm gonna eat? I am stunned! did ya hear me--STUNNED! They just keep havin a great time.

After a while, John said he thought we should go for a drive and get me some food. I tell ya--I coulda given that guy a humungous hug and kiss. Course that meant I was gonna have ta go into my kennel and WAIT. Okay Scarlett--make a decision; what's it gonna be? I relent--and get in the kennel. It seems like they was gone an awful long time and I was sure happy to see em walk in the door and let me out. In Mamaw's hand is a sack with some food for me.

Well, we spent the evening eatin--and boy did I eat!!! It was good too. We sat and watched some TV and I was content just sittin with my Mamaw. It was a lovely evening. And at bedtime, she let me come downstairs with her. I feel too warm...and can't relax. Mamaw thinks I'm bein a pest so she cons me into goin back upstairs and makes me go to my kennel. I'm busted!

Miss Carol wants to take me outside to go potty cause Mamaw is still sleepin. I look at my poppy with my eyes and say to him, "Poppy, what do I do now? Should I go with her? She's gonna make me go outside without my family." Poppy indicates that it's okay so I got to pee. Back inside I go downstairs to wake my Mamaw and she's up and gettin ready...I'm happy bout that too. We go upstairs and she feeds me and gets fresh water for me. I grubbed the food up and felt wonderful. They have breakfast AND I GET NONE. Course that's cause nobody picked up my sack and put it in the trunk. John was goin to work so we hugged and said our goodbyes.

Before we leave, I'm back outside enjoyin the golf course. Again I run and enjoy myself. I gotta tell ya--we don't have grass like THAT at home! She let me enjoy my runnin around and enjoyin every bit of the outing...cause it's time for us to leave and head home.

The drive home was very nice...I like listenin to Mamaw and Poppy visitin about stuff. It seemed like we got to the Boondocks really fast. We head back to the toilet place and I see the stump and the firehydrant again--did my 'thing' and got back in the car for the rest of the trip. It felt really good when Mamaw said, "We're home Miss Scarlett." Nice two day trip but love gettin back home to my usual routine.


Our tree looked so beautiful I gotta share photos for ya...









Right: Becky, Dallas and me playin in all those pretty leaves...


Left:
This is what our tree looked like when we got home.





Till next time ya all!

October 3, 2012 - SHE'S A SMART GIRL SAYS CANINE CRAZE!

It's been hard on me lately. Mamaw has that bad hip and bad knee and just doesn't get around very good. Poppy says she's supposed to rest more than she does. Poppy and me can see how much it hurts her to move every time she insists but it's hard to hold her down.

This week she's been in and out of the house haulin her 2 ice cream buckets of water to make sure "her blooms" keep bloomin. And today was our very last BEST day of the week so she watered trees and bushes and everything. She got her scissors out and was cuttin those long vines she loves so much so she could get her plant inside that she doesn't want to lose. She's gonna keep takin out all those sheets to cover "her specials" to keep as long as she can.

When Poppy took me to Canine Craze on Monday, Mamaw was havin trouble gettin around. But when he came to pick me up all of a sudden, she had ghosts out in the flower bed and her scarecrow down on the lower level deck. Tellin ya right now--I ain't happy bout it either. That huge ghost just flops around in the wind and it scares the he** out of me! Wonder how long she's gonna let THEM stay out there?

The Canine Craze Report Card says I'm still in Kindergarten but the message was, "She is such a smart girl." If that's the case, why didn't they promote me to First Grade Skills? I don't get it--do you?

Poppy went back to the doctor on Monday--we still don't know anything. Guess he has to go see some kind of a specialist. Me and Mamaw--we worry...

They did go out last night. Mamaw called it, "Date Night" and didn't feel bad at all just walkin out and leavin me to myself. She said they haven't done that in a long time and she needed a date so Poppy tole her he'd be her date. They came home laughin and havin fun so I guess they had a good time.

When they went to bed, I was finally able to settle down and sleep myself. I just can't relax and really rest till everybody is home and safe.