Happy New Year

It’s that time again…Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.  It’s next week and B, the rabbi, has been very busy on his computer getting ready for the holiday.  He’s an interesting guy.  He works on Hallie’s laptop to be near the family because that computer is in the kitchen.  He loves to watch movie previews and show Lil Joe and My G stuff on You Tube.  He brought home his laptop from work — not sure what he does on that one – probably top secret rabbi stuff.  Then he writes on his blog in the office.  He is one busy computer guy.

So, as I was saying, Rosh Hashanah is next week and I just know there will be some good food around this place.  Twice this past week people have dropped off these little loaves of cake so that the family will have a sweet year.  There was a banana cake and a honey cake.  I say “was” because those puppies are long gone.  They didn’t last too long around here.  Although My G has the most amazing sweet tooth I have ever seen, he didn’t even get a chance to see those cakes.  Hallie left them on the table and “chip-chock” before she knew it, I gobbled them up.  She left the banana cake on the table, kind of close to the edge, on Sunday.  It was an easy grab.  I took the cake into the TV room and it was delicious.  Yesterday, she left the honey cake on the same table.  I actually saw her stop and push it away from the edge.  But it was still an easy grab and I ate that cake too.  I ate that cake in Hallie and B’s closet.  Hallie was impressed that I did not leave one crumb on the floor.

So now everyone keeps teasing me because i ate those cakes.  They ask about my outside business and say that I have love handles – whatever that means.  I was just doing what dog gots to do.  There’s a lesson in this post for the family — don’t leave food on the table, especially little cakes.

In closing, I want to wish everyone who reads this blog a happy, healthy new year.  May there be peace in this world.  May everyone be caring to the earth and treat each other with respect and dignity.  And may there be a new president in the White House (one who gets his daughters a dog from an animal shelter).  L’shanah tovah!

We Got A Swimming Pool!!!

Well it has certainly been an exciting weekend.  On Saturday morning when Hallie went down to the basement to feed Peepers, she found that various parts of the basement had water in them.  After a little discussion with B, she decided to go and buy a wet vac to clean up the water.  She returned about 30 minutes later and went downstairs to get to work.  B left for the Sabbath services as he is a Rabbi.  I was happy to stay inside as it was raining cats and dogs (who makes up these sayings).

So Hallie was busy downstairs and Lil Joe had gone down to help.  I noticed her voice was a little shrill and then My G was also downstairs helping.  It was weird to see My G up so early on a weekend morning.  The next thing I notice is that the door to the basement was left open.  This never happens as the basement is where Peepers hangs and I am never allowed down there.  With all the excitement, they had left the door open!  So I sneaked downstairs, but I didn’t get past the staircase as the whole basement was filled with water.  It was everywhere.  I didn’t have my bathing suit on, so I just stayed on the stairs. The boys were running up and down the stairs with buckets of water and Hallie was using the wet vac.  Frankly, I thought it looked pretty futile.  They were working so hard and the water was just everywhere.

Later in the morning Hallie’s bald friend and his son, who isn’t bald, came over to help.  They rigged up this pump and got most of the water out of the basement.  It still as to be carefully watched, but it does seem under control.  Now there is a rather strange odor coming from the basement and Hallie goes down every ten minutes and uses the wet vac.  It seems like alot of work.  Oh and did I mention that water is also coming in over Hallie and B’s bed?  They have a skylight over their bed and it really seems to be leaking because of all of this rain.

Oh and did I mention that it has rained for two days straight?  It is unblievable how much rain we have had.  I hate going for walks in the rain.  I get all wet and nobody seems too interested in hanging outside to walk when it rains.  It’s like I just have to get out there and do my business – not that it is always so easy to just do my business in one walk around the block!

So we didn’t really get a swimming pool and it as been a really long weekend, with all of the excitement about the basement and none of the attention on me.

Happy Arrival Day To Me!

It’s hard for me to believe that a year ago yesterday (the Sunday of Labor Day weekend), this crazy family of humans drove all of the way to Huntley, IL and brought me home to live with them.  Oh, what a year it has been.  I was just reviewing my bog from the past year.  Do you remember that Hallie originally was the one that started this blog?  She thought that she would keep track of the family’s life with me in it.  As it turned out, I’m keeping track of my life with this family in it.  Ten thousand people have read my words of wisdom and I am sure that number will grow.

So, it has been a good year for me.  At least I think it has been, since I didn’t really do much self reflection when I lived in that animal shelter.  This is a good loving family who has been extremely patient with my little idiosyncrasies.  Think of all of the things that I have chewed since living here – the couch, the blinds, the furniture, shoes, etc?  Think of all of those sleeples nights in the crate.  Think of all those accidents on the beige carpet.  Think of all of that barking that I do at Peepers.  This family truly accepts me for the dog that I am and they continue to buy me loofa dogs on a regular basis.

I know that I have brought a lot of joy to this family, especially to Hallie.  Do you remember in the early days that Hallie was actually afraid of dogs?  That’s a hard one to believe when I see her bossing me around or when she hugs me and rubs me all over.  I would follow her just about anywhere and I do.  Even though My G is always trying to act so cool, he is good for a snuggle or two.  I have to mention Lil Joe, because he is the kid that wanted a dog so much in the first place — of course, he could walk me every now and then.  Finally, there is B, a great and loving guy who is always ready and willing to let me sit on his lap.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again and again and again… I’m one lucky dog!

A shout out to all of the animals and humans in New Orleans and on the Gulf Coast – be safe and stay out of harm’s way.