Holidays and A Holiday!

We are very tired in my house today. We just drove back from South Carolina, which isn't anything like North Carolina, and it is gray and cold and yucky out. I have been saying hi to all my toys-- I missed them very much! But I had so much fun.

It is the holidays! Mama said I get two holidays-- Chanukah and Christmas. This is cool. It means I get lots of presents. Mama didn't get me anything for either holiday because I get stuff all the time, but Grandpa and Laura gave me a ducky, Bubbe and Zayde gave me a penguin. It was such an awesome few days! I had so much fun!

Then a few days ago, Mama and Papa packed bags and folded up my crate. It was very distressing! I thought they were leaving me! But we got in the car-- Mama put my crate blankie in the car-- and we drove and drove and drove... it turns out it was Christmas and we were going to see Aunt Bonnie! And we stayed at the beach!

I had never seen the beach before. Mama likes the beach a lot and she sent me pictures from their trip last year, but this was all new to me. I got my first look at the beach from our hotel room. It was very cool.

My favorite part of the whole trip was sitting in the sunny spot and watching the people on the beach.

The beach itself was ok. I like the sand and the smells. I like the reeds that wash up and the seagrass and the fun doggies who were out on their walks. But the ocean is SCARY! It rushes up and tries to get me. I didn't like that too much. But Mama said that was ok and we stayed further back. Here I am exploring!

Mama and Papa had Christmas dinner at Aunt Bonnie's and Uncle Andrew's. They said it was very nice and delicious but they missed me. Doggies are not allowed to go everywhere. I spent a lot of time in the hotel room in my crate, but that was ok. I hung out in front of the window and with my toys. Mama and Papa even gave me a bully stick!

We didn't stay in the hotel the whole time, though. We went out to eat too. I sat on patios and drank water and lots of nice servers said hi to me.

One day, Aunt Bonnie came to see us at the beach. I like Aunt Bonnie a lot. She has two doggies-- my cousins Roscoe and Marley. Marley was a scaredy-dog and didn't want to get out of the car, but eventually she came out and we sniffed and said hey. She was cool. Then Uncle Andrew came by with Roscoe and we all went to the beach. Roscoe is big and in charge and kind of wary of new doggies, so I let him sniff my butt and he decided I was ok. We all walked together on the beach and it was so fun. I tried to get Marley to play but she snapped at me, so I just walked, which was fine.

Mama and Papa took me to downtown Charleston, too. It's ok. Mama and Papa like Charleston a lot because it is pretty and old and there's very good food. It was nice and all, but it had too many horses! I don't like horses! They are big and weird. I barked at all of them! I warned Mama when I saw them coming and I yelled-- "Stay away from my mama!" Mama and Papa tried to make me stop, but it is my job to tell them when there is danger.

We saw nice things in Charleston, though, like this house that's named after me! So cool.

Mama and Papa went out to eat a lot in Charleston. I did not go with them, but Mama sent me this picture of a big vegetable plate at a cool restaurant called Husk. It was for Papa because he does not eat meat. They were both very happy.

On our last day, it was very foggy! I couldn't even see the beach from my spot.

So we got in the car and came home. It was a long drive, but I was very sleepy so I didn't mind-- I just curled up in the back with my blankies. Now we are home and I am so tired! I snuggled with all my toys and on my sofa with Mama and Papa and went to sleep. I miss the beach, but it is nice to be home.

Big Changes for Mama-- and Me!

Mama started her new job on Monday. It was very exciting! But it was also very tiring. Not only did Mama have a new job, she also had a Christmas concert to do on Tuesday, so it was a very busy week. On Monday, we got up and took our long walk, then Mama started doing things she hasn't done in a while, like putting on makeup and nice clothes and doing her hair. Then she LEFT. I was very confused! I am used to having Mama around.

On that first day, though, Mama came home in the afternoon! Yay! I can deal with that. She said the office didn't have Internet yet and she had to do a phone meeting, then she was done for the day. It was nice to have her around. Mama said it was good to have a slow first day and that she liked her office very much. On Tuesday, though, my mama was gone ALL DAY. She left from work to go straight downtown to do her concert. It was distressing. But Papa came home in the afternoon and took me out for a walk, and I liked being home with him. Mama got home late at night and I was so excited to see her! I miss my mama when she's not here.

On Thursday, Mama took me to daycare. I didn't like when she left me, but I had so much fun with all my daycare friends-- we ran and ran and ran and got so tired. Then on Friday, Mama got up extra early. We went on a shorter-than-usual walk-- turns out Mama had to take Papa to school early for his finals. He has been very busy. Finals are extremely important, so Papa works hard when he's at home. That's ok. I hang out with him and watch and make sure no one bothers him. But back to Friday-- after she came back home, Mama showered and had breakfast and got ready and then she got out a bag and put Rhinococerus and Bunny in it! She got my travel bowl! This was exciting!

We went to Mama's office! Mama works in a very nice office that is wide open with only three other people. When we got there, it was empty, so I explored. After I checked every nook and cranny for cats (no cats! Yay!), I settled on the nice rug in the sunny spot by the front with my toy.

It was so nice. Mama's co-workers started to come in and I liked them very much! Two of them have doggies and the third, Mama's boss, has human puppies but wants a doggy too. They rubbed my belly and said nice things to me. It was so fun!

Mama and I left at lunch and went to run an errand. Mama had to pick up the new bag Papa got her for Chanukah, and she took me into the store! I met a nice older doggy named Rae. We sniffed and said hey, then Mama and I chatted a bit with the nice ladies, then we left and went home. It was so fun! I came home and fell fast asleep. Papa came home later and took me for a walk, then we slept some more. Mama and Papa went to a dinner at the synagogue, but when they came home, they snuggled with me on the sofa.

This morning, Mama and I walked for a long time-- 6600 steps!-- and now I am very tired, but it was a very good week. Even though there are changes and there is a lot to get used to, it is a very exciting time for all of us.

I'm Thankful for My Family!

Last week was a very important holiday-- Thanksgiving. Mama and Papa told me it's a time for family to get together and eat a lot and say nice things to each other. Mama and Papa told me they are thankful for me. I am thankful for them, because they give me treats and blankies and they make sure I don't have to go back to the shelter.

On Thursday morning, we got all our stuff together. Mama put my food and treats in a bag, and she packed my favorite toy! Oh boy! I jumped in the car and Papa strapped me in and we drove off. We went to Greenville to see my grandpa and his wife.

The last time we went there, I had to patrol for cats, but this time, I only looked around for a little bit-- the people were very busy doing stuff and I figured they were ok. I met my Aunt Bonnie! She's papa's sister and she lives in Charleston and she's very nice. She wasn't feeling well, though. She gave me lots of rubs and called me "Budders", which I liked. I had fun with her.

Besides that, I slept a lot. It was very nice. There was a fireplace and it was so warm, and the rug was comfy, then I curled up in a fun chair.

I spent a lot of time on the sofa, too, getting rubbed by Papa and Grandpa. Papa said the men in the family should have special time, and I agree.

Then the family had dinner, then Mama and Papa and I got back in the car to go home. Mama had to sing in a concert on Friday, which is why we couldn't stay over with Grandpa. That's ok, though, because I don't think I would have had fun with those cats. Mama got up early on Friday and had rehearsal, then she sang at night, and Papa and I spent the day together.

Saturday was very relaxing. Mama had another concert but not until the afternoon, so we had a relaxing morning.

The weather was nice, so she let me sit on the porch for a while.

On Sunday, we had a visitor! Her name is Miss Angel and she is a doggy trainer! Her job is to tell mamas and papas how to fix problems with their doggies. Miss Angel liked me a lot-- she said I was a very calm, well-trained doggy. Mama is worried because I am too attached to her and when she leaves me places, I scream, and it makes me very distressed. Mama doesn't want me to be distressed. So we are working on building up my confidence. I am used to bothering Mama whenever I want attention, but since Miss Angel has been here, Mama won't let me bother her. I have decided it's more fun to play with my toys, so that's ok.

On Monday, Papa took me to daycare, which was so weird! But he is ok without me, so I didn't scream when he dropped me off. I cried because I wanted to go in! I had such a fun day.

Yesterday, Mama took me to the vet for a shot. She let me ride in the front seat. I cried a little, but Mama said I was a very good boy. Then she had to go someplace called Trader Joe's, and she left me in the car. I didn't like that too much, but I had my rhinoceros to keep me company so I was ok.

It was a very tiring day! I went to my bed and curled up with my toys and slept a lot. Mama said it is good because we have a very busy weekend ahead. I wonder what we will do! I'm sure I will tell you all about it, whatever it is.