My Mom is a "meany"..............

Can you believe that my Mom is a total "meany"?!? I got a package in the mail this past Friday from my pals Augie and Ti --- clearly a birthday prize for me and guess what???? My Mom is a stickler for absolutely no presents (prizes as we call them) before a guys "actual" birthday. So I have to wait till Tuesday....... could Mom be any more mean, I ask you??  Ignore her Augie and Ti -- I want to sincerely thank you for sending me a "prize" and as soon as I can open it, I will thank you even more. You and your humans are truly good people. I thought Mom would weaken over the weekend, but....................

Awwww Mom.....please.........

 

Come on Mom. the package squeaks and everything -- I can't wait till Tuesday.................

My Mom does have some redeeming features.... I saw "Frosty Paws" and some Angel Food Cake in the grocery bags today and there is a pretty reliable rumor that my bestest pal Farley is coming over this upcoming weekend..... could it be???... my Birthday and our April "Thanksgiving" dinner all in the same week?!? A guy could get overwhelmed...................

THANKS AUGIE AND TI -- I will open it soon  -- and thank your Mom for getting the cushy envelope and going to the Post office and everything ... we are truly grateful :o)

Please forgive my absence, I have been busy....

Greeting blogging and other friends.... I ask your forgiveness for my absence, but I have been terribly busy GAINING weight! For friends who follow my blog and my other friends and family, you all know I was pretty sick before the holidays and in to the New Year. Since late October, I have had some serious liver problems, multiple medical tests and a daily regiment of pills. Well, apparently, the pills are finally working. All of the bad levels of "liver function stuff" that I had going on have either gone WAY down or back into a normal range. My humans are very happy! We know that because I was born with an abnormally small liver, my issues will continue, but as long as the medicine keeps working, my liver will work. And, the best sign that everything is working is weight gain.... and I have been gaining weight like a pig! When I got sick, I went from about 85 lbs. down to 74 lbs in a very short amount of time. Now, I have rebounded to a glorious 87.7 lbs. I am a close to being a healthy and happy "big boy" !.... take a look at me thriving.....

I

I am basically what rude people would call FAT, but in my world, fat is good because it mean my liver is working so my friends, remember, fat is good. And, I have a birthday coming up in a little over a week -- something my humans thought we would not get to celebrate but, hey..... a guy has got to turn FIVE don't you think?!? Thanks Dr. Jeff, Dr. P and my two specialists....you all gave me a second chance at growing hopefully a lot older. My humans and I are very grateful.

Winter Wonderland...?!?!?

Let me just say that I for one happen to LOVE winter. I tend to be sort of a "hot box" so when the weather gets cold, I am at my finest. Let me just lie around outside and enjoy the cold and all is right with my world. I am especially happy when my Mom takes me for winter walks.... like today. We walked around our block.... up the other street ... and then ended up in that giant field behind where the little humans go to learn stuff..... OK MOM, it's the Elementary School.... excuuuuuuuuuuse me! Anyway, I don't much care about the school, give me the play ground and I am a happy boy....

 

And then there was the GIANT snow storm we had at the beginning of the month.... Michigan got off easy compared to the rest of the country, but we still got the most snow I have seen in my lifetime. I couldn't venture out past the small spot my humans shoveled out for me to "take care of business". I did however, continue to stand guard at my huge doorwall to make sure there were not trespassers in my backyard. I was handling the task quite well when suddenly.... Holy Ka-Moly .... what is that?!?  MOM!!!! There is a giant CONDOR in my backyard....

What Mom??.... It is not a Condor?!?..... A small Hawk???.... Are you sure??.....  OK, A small Hawk, but it is ripping something to shreds in my backyard........

 

Good Grief Mom, it is eating a bird...... I am disturbed on two levels.... First: If there are things to be eaten in my yard, I will do the eating and Second: What kind of mental case bird eats one of their own species?!? That is just wrong.......Maybe I don't like winter after all.......c'mon SPRING!!!!!!

Woo-hooooo, I got mail ...

I have been feeling a little better lately..... and then I felt a lot better when my Dad went out to get the mail yesterday. Mind you, I don't get very much mail. My bestest pal Farley gets mail, Augie and Ti get mail, Sugar gets mail, etc, etc, etc, .... I got to thinking that maybe a guy has to send mail to get mail.....HELLO!!.. Mom!!... let's send mail. But, in the mean time, I got mail from Augie & Ti....

 

Wooo --hooo... it's a Valentine's Day prize!!!........What?!?.... MOM?!?..... what do you mean I can't have the treats inside this glorious package until Valentine's Day?!?..........

Good news... Mom got weak and let me have a couple of the delicious heart-shaped treats in the box and they were awesome!!

This wonderful treat from my  fellow "Cantonites" (here in Michigan) -- Augie & Ti was such a nice surprise -- THANKS SO MUCH GUYS -- these treats are awesome and getting something in the mail is the absolute best thing ever 

:o)

Wordless Wednesday...

On a serious note....

Greetings fellow bloggers and friends -- Dugan is reluctantly allowing his Mom to talk to you (I'm the one he calls the "slacker"). There will be no pictures in this post, just some very heart felt THANKS from all of Dugan's family and all of Sophie's family.

I have a picture of Dugan on my wall at work with a quotation under the photo. I don't know who the quote is from, but it reads,"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened" . Over the course of the last few months, it has become very clear to me that there are so many people out there whose souls ARE "awakened" because they understand what it means to love an animal.

The kind thoughts and words that have been sent wishing Dugan well and expressing sympathy on the loss of sweet Sophie have meant more to my family and to Sophie's family than we can ever begin to tell you. From Dugan's past blogs, you might know that Sophie's Dad had moved to New Jersey a while back and Sophie and her Mom moved there in the summer last year -- not nearly long enough to establish friends that could understand the pain of losing Sophie. Her Mom read all the comments on Dugan's blog and saw that "dog friends" are everywhere and share our sorrow.  We are grateful for every thought, prayer or kind word. Dog people truly are the BEST!

I am currently scanning the archives for a walk down memory lane with Sophie and our first Golden, Lager, and then Sophie with Dugan -- I will post some happy photo memories soon. Until then, again, THANKS so very much.

A sad start to the New Year....

My family and I are heartbroken this day --- our beautiful friend Sophie has crossed the rainbow bridge. She shared a wonderful 13-1/2 years with her family and friends and there is a hole in our hearts. We are so grateful for the time we had with her at Christmas. Please keep Sopie's family (especially her Mom) in your thoughts and prayers. She was one beautiful lady and I will miss her more than I can ever tell you.

Rest in peace Sophie -- we will always love  you.