Happy Anniversary To Me

Two years ago yesterday, the family shlepped (oy am I a Jewish dog) to Huntley, IL to adopt me from a shelter.  Of course, when they drove to pick me up, they didn’t know they were going to adopt ME, but they did.  Though I haven’t written as much as I would have liked this past year, it has been a great year.  Barack Obama became president, his kids finally got that dog they wanted, Lil Joe had his Bar Mitzvah, Hallie’s Museum opened, and  meeting our neighbor, Jorge, who walks me some times.  I also scraped the window sills and radiator covers by two windows ’cause I have to bark at every dog that goes by this house and I’m still living here.  What a great place.  It’s not only humans, who need to take the time to appreciate the little and big things going on in one’s life.  So, this is my day to appreciate the little (loofa dogs) and the big (a family’s love) today.  I am one lucky dog!

25 Random Things About Me

As you may know, Hallie is spending a lot of her time on Face Book.  Sometimes she leaves her page up and I have noticed that a lot of her friends write these lists of interesting tidbits about themselves.  I like that idea, so below is my list of 25 Things About Me.

1.  I really like Hallie.

2.  I am a rescue dog.

3.  I like food.

4.  I am a Jewish dog.

5.  I always check the pantry to see if here is something good to eat.

6. I also check the garbage.

7.  Wooden blinds taste yummy.

8.  I like to lay on my back and have my tummy rubbed.

9.  Being so cute compensates for a multitude of sins.

10.  I think that My G is part dog because he sleeps so much.

11.  I love loofa dogs.

12.  I wish Peepers would come upstairs sometimes – NOT.

13.  I go to sleep in my spot, but can’t wait until I can sneak into Hallie and B’s bed.

14.  I’m grateful that I don’t have to go into a crate.

15.  Looking out a window is one of my favorite pastimes.

16.  I am a people’s dog – not a dog’s dog.

17.  I like Fiber One pop tarts and cocoa puffs ain’t bad either.

18.  I like to bark at dogs.

19.  I like to bark at Lil Joe’s friends, Sam and Jordan.

20.  I like to listen to NPR.

21.  Bark Obama gives me hope.

22.  I piss My G off the most.

23.  I wish I knew what humans were saying to me – don’t they know that dogs do not speak or uderstand english.

24.  I miss the red hair lady and the bald man.

25.  I AM ONE LUCKY DOG!!!

My Bark Mitzvah

As you know, I am a Jewish dog and I am hoping to celebrate my Bark Mitzvah – to acknowledge my entrance into Jewish grown-up dog-hood.  I know about Bark Mitzvahs, because My G had one, Lil Joe spends a lot of time practicing for his and B conducts one just about every week on Saturdays.  I just know that mine must be soon.  True it is strange that I have yet to make it to a synagogue, but why quibble?

Last week, a woman came over and she sings with a band.  B, Hallie, Lil Joe and me sat with her and discussed what sounded like a really fun party where her band would be playing.  I really think we were talking about my Bark Mitzvah party.  She kept asking Lil Joe what kind of music he likes and what games he wanted to play.  I sat on B’s lap with my paws on the table, listening to her every word.  I hope that at my Bark Mitzvah party the band plays: How Much is that Doggie in the Window, Who Let the Dogs Out, You Ain’t Nothing but a Hound Dog,  and Me and You and a Dog Named Boo.  Those are some of my favorites.  Maybe I should invite Snoop Dog to come too?

I know that a Bark Mitzvah is not only about the party.  I’m really looking forward to it all – the service, my new suit, and my speech.  I just wish Hallie would tell me when it is.  It’s an exciting time for the family.  Enough about me – I wonder when Lil Joe’s Bar Mitzvah is.

Christmas Break

Even though I am a Jewish dog, I know that Lil Joe and My G just started their winter vacation from school.  This break always occurs right around Christmas, so I think that we should call it what it is – a Christmas vacation. I guess I am a little old fashioned.  I’m excited to have this break because I know that the family will be around a lot!  My G will stay up late into the night and sleep half the day away.  Lil Joe will hang out and watch TV and read and hang out with his friends.  Hallie and B will go to work, but they will have lots of days off and no meetings at night.  This will all just make my life – happy, happy, happy!

It is definitely going to be a white Christmas.  It snowed twice this past week.  Snow is all over the place which means that my walks are a little bit shorter.  I actually don’t mind because it is a little “nippy” out there, especially for my paws.

Do people say I hope that we will have a white Hanukkah?  I doubt it.  But for those folks who do wish for snow on this minor Jewish holiday, they will definitely get their wish.  Personally, I hope that I get some new yummy chew toys as well as a new loofa dog.  Ever since Hallie got me that latex loofa (which is impossible to destroy), I just don’t get that toy as much as I use to.

I hope everyone enjoys their Christmas vacation.

I Showed Them!!!

Well it was not my Bar Mitzvah this weekend.  I thought that all of the grandparents came to our house to celebrate this important milestone in my life.  But it was not to be.  Everyone came here to celebrate B’s tenth anniversary at his synagogue.  Apparently there was a big party last night and guess who was not invited?  This morning all of the family came over for brunch.  I spent the whole morning tryng to look cute and begging for food.  It was exhausting. Tonight, the family went out to dinner and when they came home they made the mistake of leaving their leftovers on the table and guess who ate the leftovers?  Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!

Lovely Morning

My pal Hal just took me for the nicest walk.  You know she is very busy during the week and sometimes we don’t get to walk as long as I would like.  This morning she took me to the arboretum and then we walked through the neighborhood.  As usual, Hallie let me sniff and smell and drag her wherever I wanted to go.  It was a lovely way to start the day.

Something is going on at the house.  All of the grandparents are here.  I wonder if it is my Bar Mitzvah and nobody told me.  Funny, I don’t really remember sending invitations for my big day.  Who knows, my long term memory is not too great.

Everybody had Shabbat dinner here at the house.  Hallie made some yummy smelling food and nobody gave me any.  A piece of pineapple fell on the floor and then Lil Joe stepped on it, so even I didn’t really want to eat it.  It was also Halloween, so trick or treaters interrupted our festivities.  It was nice to be together as a big family.  I would have to bark every so often so that nobody would forget that I was here – as if that is even possible!

Happy November!

Where Does the Time Go?

Alas, where did this month go?  It seems like only yesterday that I was celebrating the Jewish New Year and now all of the Jewish holidays (and there are a lot) are over.  I’m sure that B is happy about that.  As a rabbi, those holidays mean he is one busy guy.

Maybe I haven’t written that much because there really has not been too much to report.  One day Hallie took me to visit Suzi, who gives me a bath and cuts my nails.  It’s always a fun outing.  This time was particularly nice because I was the only dog there and Suzi gave me all of her attention – which you know I love.

That very same day Hallie took me to the doctor.  I wasn’t sick or anything, but they nearly made me sick to my stomach.  I was so nervous I had an accident in the waiting room.  I weigh 23.5 pounds.  The doctor said I look very fit and in good health.  Then she gave me 3 shots!  Ouch!  She also took some blood.  Hallie was very kind to hold my paw when the doctor did that.  I passed all of my tests with flying colors (and I didn’t even study).

The weather is getting colder which can only mean one thing – winter!  That means my walks will be shorter.  I’m really trying to enjoy myself when I go out for a walk these days.  There is so much to sniff and smell.  My G and Lil Joe almost never take me for walks anymore.  Hallie still takes me for the longest walks.  Gotta love that girl.  I would never say this to Hallie, but lately B has been particularly nice in the petting and holding department.  Together they are a perfect match (for me).

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!

OY

I am so losing my momentum for writing this blog. I’m not sure why this is so. Could it be that the family let the cat write a post on MY blog? Could it be that the family sent me to a kennel for 4, yes I said 4 days. I just have to say “What the hey?” What is going on around here? Where is the love? It has really hurt me to the core. I’m trying to be my happy go lucky self. Yes, I eagerly accept treats, yes I am happy to go on oodles of walks, but something just feels missing. I’m not sure what it is. I have heard that some dogs go to therapists and take prozac. Maybe that’s what I need to do.

I do realize that time does heal all wounds, so maybe I just need to hunker down and deal with my issues. My main issue is with the cat, Peepers. She is so annoying. She stands at the top of the basement stairs behind the door and hisses at me. It drives me crazy, so what do I do? I bark at her. I literally stand on my side of the door and bark, bark, bark at her. Hallie, Lil Joe, My G and B they come a running and scream their heads off at me. They say “no bark” and I just look at them, cock my head and think “are you going to give me a treat? They usually do not give me a treat. Didn’t they know that cats and dogs have not traditionally gotten along? Truth be told, when I was at the shelter my life was not as comfy as it is here. When they walked me through the cat area, I usually just kept my head down and walked right through. Did those people really think that I liked cats because I ignored them. Surprise! I’m a dog and we don’t like cats. Well, I’m cute and I am resilient and this too shall pass.

And one more thing… the family was gone almost the whole day today celebrating their good friend H.M.F.’s Bat Mitzvah. HMF and her family often come over for Jewish holidays and stuff with my family. She is a great girl. What’s really interesting about her is that she is a strict vegetarian. I always feel extra safe around her because she has this amazing respect for animals that you usually do not find in all humans. Anyway, I just want to give a “shout out” to my friend, HMF, and wish her a hearty Mazel Tov too!!!! Maybe I can become Bark Mitzvah some day.

Mother’s Day

Between being Jewish and human, this family celebrates a lot of holidays. On Sunday it was Mother’s Day. This was one great day for Hallie. It was like everything everybody did all day long was just to please Hallie. True, she does do a lot around here, but did she really deserve all of this attention, especially if it meant that I was not the center of their world?

Lil Jo made her this amazing breakfast. Of course, I had to stand guard while he was cooking in case anything fell on the floor. He made Hallie pancakes, eggs, toast, and strawberries. I don’t recall her ever eating so much in one sitting. My G and B gave her presents. Her brother gave her a box of chocolates. All the members of this family like chocolate and they go out of their way to make sure that I don’t get any. It’s really quite annoying. They do the same thing with grapes and raisens, but they don’t seem to hold the same appeal for me as chocolate.

There were also lots of cards for Hallie. Luckily the cat told me to buy her a card or I would have been empty-pawed as she opened her cards. During the afternoon, Hallie and the boys played video games. She doesn’t usually do that and I happened to notice that she really isn’t that good at it. But it was nice having the family together. It sure helped that it was cold, rainy and raw all day long. At night everyone went out to dinner. That’s always a treat for Hallie because she hates to cook. All in all it seemed like a good day for her. I don’t recall ever celebrating Mother’s Day in the animal shelter. I wonder if my Mom was like Hallie, perfect in every way!

On another topic I want to give a shout out to Barclay Obama, a goldendoodle that lives with Hallie’s brother. He’s my new cousin that lives in Indiana. of course, since I’m not really a dog’s dog, I don’t really want to meet Barclay. I’m just happy to know there is another dog spreading his doggy ways in another deserving family. that is related to my family. Welcome Barclay!