December 24, 2012 -- HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE!

The house is in an uproar!  Mamaw and Poppy are runnin' around and bumpin' into each other. I'm followin' her as close as I can - they're sprucin' up and packin' bags so I know they're headin' out - if Lil Red is leavin' I am makin' sure I'm on the bus.  Just found out we're headin' for MI - gonna see Big Dan and his gang for Christmas.  Sure hope we don't get run over by Santa and the Red Nose Reindeer since were both traveling on Christams Eve.  I think the Navy "Dude" will be home from "under water" boat train'.  I am not sure how far away MI is but I think it's goin' to be a long ride!  Speakin' of rides - I am not sure I like Mamaw's Lil Red coupe or not (of course she insists on takin' it!) - the back seat sits so low it's hard for me to see out - maybe I will need a sittin' stool!

Well we're on the "road again" - it's kind of snowin' and blowin' so Poppy is goin' mightly slow at times and then racin' like the wind to make up for lost time when the road is clear - at the rate we're goin' I might be an old dog by the time we get there!  We've made a few stops for all of us to do our "thing" (these old folks need 'em more often than me) plus takin' on a little chow.  The roads are clearer now so Poppy has the little red wagon flyin' along pretty good.  We just got a text message from Dan - we will be arrivin' in Kalamazoo shortly.  I am "pooped", hungry and my bladder is screamin' so we aren't gettin' there none too soon.  Well we're at big Dan's - another safe trip but sure took a long time - glad we are here - now the family fun begins! 

I'll blog later to let you know if I fooled Santa Claus this year about my misbehavin'!  Wait I think I hear somethin' - sounds like skiddin' sleigh skates, jigglin' bells and tiny hoofs - yep I beieve old St Nick is comin' - I better "hide" or he might not leave me a doggy gift!  Yep I was right - Santa was here!  Woe is Miss Scarlett - everyone has opened their gifts and there wasn't nothin' for me - I guess I know my naughtiness finally caught up with me - Mamaw warned me more than once this year.  Or maybe Santa stopped in WDM and "dumped" my presents there - now I will have to "suffer" that long ride again to find out if I got my gifts at my home.  The "waitin' will be long and terrible 'cause we are not havin' Christmas at home until New Year's Day with Reggie, Mike and their broods.  I don't know if I can make it but I'll try my best!  I'll let you know if I fare better at home.

DECEMBER 15, 2012--KAOSS; THAT'S WHAT IT IS AROUND HERE!

Everybody is so darned busy around here, I don't get no attention. Well, guess I got a little. Had to go to see Miss Jessica at the Ashworth Animal Hospital cause I got yeast infection in my floppy ears!!! Yeast infection--I thought you got that on the other end. Anyway, it's daily drops and ear cleanin. I only put up with it cause she gives me a treat when we are finished and I sure do love those new treats I have to have now--they are salmon.

Poppy has worked his fanny off--gettin our Christmas Letter ready to mail, working (and he says its really busy right now.) He keeps tellin me he has to work so I can have these good eats. He had to go to a Christmas Party too, and take 10 gifts with him. He gives em to "his girls" he calls em. Mamaw didn't get to go so we just vegged out and loved each other.

Mamaw has been finishing the Christmas shopping, her aqua therapy, labels for letters, cookin and cleanin. When she gets home from her therapy she says she is just exhausted! They make her exercise in the water and this week they added weights!

They went up to Iowa Falls to watch our granddaughter, Emily's last horse show. They couldn't find anybody to let me out to go potty so I had to stay at home. It got late so I had to hold my legs together...Was glad when they walked in the door and she took me out. And to top it off, Emily won all the prizes...Poppy and Mamaw was just bustin at the seams...

This week, Poppy asked Mamaw to come into his office. I wondered why--suppose she did too. She doesn't like to bother him when he is working. Anywho, he showed her a little red sports coupe and he wants them to go drive it.  Well, they did...I thought it was a pretty hot little car for Mamaw, but Poppy was just delighted. They even let me in the car so I "could inspect it." Poppy went back to see what kind of trade he could make on her Lexus. Now folks, who in the world would want to trade a Lexus off for a little red coupe?
Poppy said it was on her Bucket List. God forbid...

Goin to Christmas dinner at Miss Betty's tonight. That's Poppy's sister ya know? Mamaw has been cookin maidrites for a crowd all afternoon and it sure smells good! I don't get no more treats that you folks get to eat cause of my allergies. I itch and Mamaw says we gotta get rid of that...so--NO MORE.

November 28 & 29 (WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY--NO PLEASURE TRIP THIS TIME...

Oh Boy...rush, rush, rush...Poppy got on the phone to find a "pet friendly" place for us to stay in on Wednesday night. Then he was on the phone again to see if Gwen and Bill Gasperi would allow my kennel to sit in their heated garage for the wake and again on Thursday for the funeral and luncheon.

By now ya know we are goin to be "on the road again" to Mason City for our friend John Hunchins burial. For a couple of days Mamaw and Poppy have been really, really sad and they just keep sayin, "I can't believe he is gone." Well, I'll have ya know I loved Johnnie too--and he loved me. And needless to say, it was a pretty long drive there too!

We had no time to play around when we got there--Mamaw had to change clothes and get around for the wake. I asked if I could go to the wake too, but she said, "Oh no Scarlett--I know you would be a good girl, and that you'd like to grieve along with us, but people wouldn't understand. So off I go, along with my kennel and I know the drill...I accepted that and was a very good girl cause I know Mamaw and Poppy needed me to behave. Hey now--I can behave when I want to.

Back at the hotel, they left the TV on for noise but I heard everything...and I was nervous too! Somebodies big feet kept stompin and there was just constant noise. I didn't sleep good at all--neither did Mamaw. About 4:00 a.m. Mamaw got up to take some kinda pill and came back to bed. She cuddled me and made me feel safe so we slept then for a while. Then when ya get up you know it's a different kinda day cause I knew I didn't have my deer yard to smell around and I'd sure miss that. But, Mamaw was great; we just walked around and around till my pooper would work for us.

It was time then to get around for the funeral. Same drill...kennel and I to the heated garage...Mamaw and Poppy was goin to the funeral. They was gone a long time; guess they had lunch at the church too, but I was a good girl again...(Miss Gwen left a note for them sayin, [QUOTE] Took her for a walk & let her play in the yard before I left! Have a safe trip! GWEN [END OF QUOTE])

On the way home, they talked about the tribute Poppy had given at Johnnie's wake. Mamaw tole him he did "a good job" cause he didn't even use any notes. Mamaw says he's terrific at stuff like that...I can tell it's gonna be a time of grieving around here for a while.

Half way home, Mamaw felt bad about all the "kennel" time for me and so she asked Poppy if he would drive the rest of the way home and she let me be in the front seat on HER LAP!! And how wonderful it was to sleep in OUR OWN BED--WITH NO NOISE...