5/15/15 Quiet Day

Woof! Just a quiet day today. Erik came by for a visit, and we played out in the yard a little bit. It was beautiful outside, and I always like to see my favorite people!

Mom’s foot is healing at a rapid rate. She can wear shoes – only one pair, the Converse All-Stars – as they are wide enough and she bought them 1/2 size too big as she was planning ahead for this. She barely limps at all now, and doesn’t need the crutches. I credit myself for having taken good care of her and not stepping on her toe.

We have all the windows open and I can hear all the news in the neighborhood: someone getting a roof installed, the dogs barking, birds chirping, and, while I’m not listening and sniffing out the window, I’m playing with my toy bone on the stairs.

(don’t even think about LOOKING at my toy!)

This weekend, my humans have to cut the remains of the old swing set up and set it out for the trash collectors. Mom already arranged to have the debris picked up Monday. Secretly, I’m terrified of my humans getting a saw to cut this wood up. It should be very interesting, to say the least. Mom has lots of activity planned for the back yard. I will keep you posted.

Woof! Love, Maggie

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2/14/15 A Valentine’s Day True Story

You may remember our human, Mike. He is the oldest human child (from Dad’s starter marriage) and lives in the big city.

Mike and his friend, Angel, were in a terrible car accident today which involved 18-20 vehicles including a semi truck. They escaped with minor bruises and injuries. Angel’s car is beyond totaled. Truly it was not their time.

This is what happened: the couple were en route to Springfield when they passed rural farm areas. It snowed this morning, and (with only the flat plains around) the wind whipping up turned the expressway very suddenly into whiteout conditions. Since it had been dry, people were whizzing up and down the expressway and had no room to maneuver when the whiteout hit.

Angel’s car was hit and sent spinning to the middle of the road. Unable to see, Mike and Angel got out and went to another car for assistance. After exiting the vehicle, it was hit numerous times. The car they got into was hit three more times. Thank God for Good Samaritans! Someone in the pileup was not so lucky and was airlifted to the hospital. We had some tense moments, but everyone on our end is now back at home safe and sound, although banged up and bruised quite a bit. Our thoughts are with the others involved in this accident.

So that was our Valentine’s Day gift of nail-biting.

On a happier note, Mom gave me a lovely, juicy bone for Valentine’s Day and says I am her sweetheart. I love my family! I took the bone nicely from Mom (no snapping) and chowed down.

Dad is making Mom her favorite meal of Black Pepper Tofu. The dish includes shallots, garlic, green onions, jalapenos, and ginger, amongst other things. The house smells delicious.

Last night, Mom made Dad and Jamie a roast beef and I got some of the gravy.

Wishing all of you a safe, happy, Valentine’s Day and lots of love from me to you!

Woof! Love, Maggie

4/28/14 “Gimme Dat!”

Probably my favorite game to play with my humans is, “Gimme Dat!”

The game starts by me choosing a toy, bone, rope, stick, or the like, and prancing over to my respective human with my ears up and my eyes bright.  I take a couple of graceful little leaps to let them know I am in a playful mood.  They always fall for it.

Immediately, said human says, “Gimme dat!” and makes a grab for what I have in my mouth.  Tonight it was one of the indestructible Nylabones.  Mom tried to get a pic of me mid-air but alas, only had the following fuzzies to show for it:

Note, butt in the air, tail waving.  Mom says, “Gimme dat!” and I make a mad dash for the upstairs:

At this point, Mom was able to get the bone away from me and toss it down the hallway.  Scramble!  Pounce!  I win!

My humans are pleased with me, as I tended to be very mindful of my toys, and now I have learned to not be aggressive about them.  Mom has even taken a toy right out of my mouth with no repercussions from me.  I have learned that she is going to throw the toy, and then I will get it back.

Gimme dat!  I love this game!  I can play it all night.  Until I get tired, then I want to crash in my chair.  Unfortunately, tonight, I chose the ottoman, and rolled right off it.  Thump!

I played it off, though, by going into “belly rub” mode.  After I got my belly rub, I climbed back on the chair and settled down.

I’m a sleepy, good girl!  Woof!  Love, Maggie

4/3/14 Geese

Our house is the last house on the cul-de-sac, which is a fancy human way of saying, “dead end”.  We live right next to the swamp and the woods.  Dad calls the swamp, “Lake Jimborooni” because he puts “orooni” on the end of everything he says.  (Like, “Maggie, do you want a treat-orooni?”)  Dad thinks he’s talking Italian that way.

The swamp and the woods are considered a wildlife sanctuary.  Every year, we get migratory geese from Canada in.  They make a nest, lay some eggs, hide from the coyotes at night, and walk around like they own the place during the day.  They get goose poop everywhere.  The funny thing is, our neighbors two doors over used to feed the geese, and the geese showed their appreciation by blanketing their driveway in poop.  Those neighbors have been gone for seven years, but the geese keep coming back to that same driveway.  Drives the “new” owners nuts!

So I was looking out the dining room window surveying MY front lawn and MY cul-de-sac and MY swamp, when who comes goose-stepping out of the tall grass?  Yup.  The fat geese.  I had something to say about it, namely, “Woof-woof-woof-woof-woof!” (Translation:  “Get off my lawn, before I make an early Thanksgiving dinner out of you, and then stuff your feathers into Mom’s pillow!”)  The geese waddled on, dipping their necks and, at last, sitting in a shallow puddle in the middle of the street.

Mom could see that I was doing a good job of guarding the house against the Killer Geese, and she gave me a nice bone for being such a good watchdog.

Ahhh….suddenly, I don’t care about the geese anymore!

Woof!  Love, Maggie