Day 12

My Mom and Dad are back in TEXAS and I am really excited to see them! They said that there were lots and lots of dogs in Scotland. (Like I care...) The Grandparents are taking me home to Houston this weekend. I'm just not sure how Grandaddee is going to survive without me in Dallas, however. We are, like, attached at the hip - actually, I mean heart!

Last night, the grandmother was broiling a steak and the smoke from the broiler made the smoke alarm go off. I HATED that noise and followed my Grandad around until he made it stop. Then he sat down, and I came over, looked up at the smoke alarm and then I kissed him on the nose. He killed the monster, you see.

I'm thinking Dram will probably be OK without me - she just more or less tolerates me being around. (Heh heh! I crack myself up.) This is the woman who almost cried at work this morning because she told me, before she left for work, that the thunderstorms were going north of us, so it would be OK. Well, guess what? We had a giant storm about 10:00. She was worried that I would think she lied to me. (She was right. I did. ) She needs to do some major sucking up when she gets home from work. I'm thinking that part of that steak she fixed last night would go a long way toward a reconciliation.

This is how I will look at her when I tell her just how abused I am:

Think she'll fall for this?

Later...

Yes, indeedy, she fell for it. Like a ton of bricks...

Not only did I get some steak, she came home with a new toy for me, too.

Well, good night, my friends and fans. I think these pictures just about tell the story, don't you?
Mama and Daddy, I'll see you tomorrow night!

I love you!

Day 11

Can you believe that my grandmother was working ON HER COMPUTER from HOME when she could have been paying attention to me? I'm pretty sure that won't happen again. I had a very serious talk with her.
I think she understands her duty now.



OMG! We had a horrible, dreadful, HUGE thunderstorm yesterday. The thunder was so loud that it shook the building and the lights went out and the lightning flashed and all sorts of B-A-D things were happening outside. And WHERE were the grandparents that profess to love me SOOOO much!? AT WORK! They told me they didn't know we were supposed to have any storms that day - that the weatherman had just mentioned that a few isolated storms might occur. Well, here's the skinny on that - isolated storms mean that said storms will search me out wherever I might be and KA - BOOM on my head! Not that I'm scared, you understand, I just get annoyed at the disruption.

Fortunately, for me (and for them - I'm certain God would have smote them had they not come home to take care of me!) the Grandparents showed up in the middle of the storm to give me my medicine that helps me calm down (from being disrupted - NOT scared!). It was pretty funny to see them show up soaking wet, dripping with rain and apologies. They also gave me lots of hugs and kisses - yuck - who wants to hug a wet Grandparent? But I very kindly allowed them to, since they felt so badly for leaving me alone when a Dreadful Storm (sort of like the Dread Pirate Robert - ever see Princess Bride?) was coming.

I also got a bite or two of cheese out of the deal. Then they had to go back to work...heh-heh! They got to explain to the folks at their work about rushing home so the Granddog didn't get nervous (uh, I mean disrupted...). Some people just don't understand dogs and grandbabies (I mean granddogs!) If they would just quit their jobs and stay with me, we wouldn't have these issues.

My Mama called today and she is so excited to see me.

I miss her and my Daddy a lot.

Here's me waiting for them to come home.

I love you, Daddy and Mama.

Day 10 (Mother's Day!)

We had a nice Mother's (well, Grandmother's) Day. My Dram was very glad I was here. She and I slept late and hung out together most of the day. (But I still miss my own Mama!)

Anyway, Dram told me that the town they live in, (Richardson, Texas), has a wonderful event every May. It's called "Wildflower Festival" and they have it because this whole town grows wildflowers EVERYWHERE! Next weekend, they even have a big 3 day party with music and drinks and artists and all sorts of cool stuff. So, we went for a walk so I could look at some of the flowers and I decided to pose in the flowers next to Dram's house.

Am I not just INCREDIBLY handsome!?

(I kind of think that Richardson's Wildflower Festival

will name me their official mascot next year.)

I'm not conceited, you understand, just confident in all my Golden Glory!

Day 8 (No day 7 - sorry about that!!!)

Well, it's Saturday afternoon, and the grandparents finally came home. They SAID they were having brunch with Aunt Erica and Uncle Jay to celebrate Aunt Erica's birthday, (even though her birthday was in January) and an early Mother's Day celebration for Dram.

I was a little suspicious because I was just sure I smelled Another Animal (dramatic music here) on their hands when they came back! But they showed me my new leather halter they got for me at the pet store and explained THAT was what I smelled. So they are forgiven.

For the moment.

I'm telling them to get that halter on me and let's go for a walk right now! But Dram says she's a little tired and needs to wait a little while. Too bad! She should have thought of that before she offered to keep me for 2 weeks, right?

My Vet visit to Dr. Carter went extremely well. I charmed him, just like I charm everyone. He says I'm in great shape, with just a couple of little things to do (teeth, some joint supplements, etc.). He also said he is more than ever convinced that I am about 6 years old. Oh, for those of you who didn't know, I am a Rescue Dog - my Mom and Dad got me from the Greater Houston Golden Retriever Rescue Society (GRRH) about 5 years ago. That's a great organization, let me tell you!

Better yet, let me SHOW you!

PRETTY HANDSOME, WOULDN'T YOU SAY?

Mama and Daddy, take a look at me! See how happy?

The Grandparents are taking good care of me, so don't worry!

Just be sure you bring Dram something wonderful from Scotland.

(sorry - she made me write that....)

Day 6

An OK day for a Thursday, EXCEPT, I heard the grandmother making plans to take me to the VET tomorrow! There is absolutely nothing wrong with me, but my Mom likes for me to go to the same Vet that took care of all of our family's Golden Retrievers, (including my cousin Atticus of Bluebonnet Fame) whenever I am visiting Richardson. I have a very good vet in Houston, but our whole family loves Dr. Mark Carter of Springhill Veterinary Clinic. And his staff, too. Anyway, anytime I spend time with the grandparents, I go and visit with Dr. Carter for awhile; he asks me how things are, I tell him just fine, he tells me I'm handsome, I tell him I know that, but thanks for the compliment - you get the picture.


My Dram gave me a new 'girlfriend' today. I think she wanted me to stop 'loving' the throw pillows on her couch. She's pretty hot. (My girlfriend - not my Dram.)

Day 5

Interesting developments around here. I seem to be getting very attached to my Grandaddee. He comes home at noon and I don't move from his side. Then, when he comes home from work, I am his shadow. I love my Dram, too, but I am just crazy about him.

Oh, I've learned this neat trick! I can make him do whatever I want by ducking my head, looking up at him with my beautiful, soulful, amber-colored eyes (Dram's description - she tends to gush) and then holding the end of my collar in my mouth like a pacifier.

Grandaddee calls it my "Sussy."

He thinks it's the sweetest thing he's ever seen.

I have to admit, I AM pretty cute!

Day 4

My Mom is in London right now with my Dad, doing scary things like touring where Jack the Ripper used to be and where some people got their heads chopped off.

Anyway, she always wants to know what cute things I do while I am away from her. Silly Mom!

DANTE = CUTE THINGS!

That's redundant!


Tonight the grandparents are going to watch "American Idol". Not sure why - if there aren't animals to watch, (I try to see where they get in and out of the television.) I usually doze off.


I have a cousin named Atticus, who lives in Dallas. We are lucky dogs to live in Texas! He got to have his picture taken in the Bluebonnets (which is our state flower) that grow close to where my Dram and Grandaddee and Uncle Jay work. He's very handsome, isn't he?




Sometimes I pester him when I want to play.

Sometimes he gets angry with me.

Sometimes he tells on me.





Mom and Dad, if you find an internet cafe' in London and get to read this, I love you! But I should tell you, my Grandaddee is trying to convince me to live in Dallas with him always.

Day 3

OK, they take all the trouble to come after me, drive me to the North, (when everyone knows I'm a Southern Gentleman), and then I'll be darned if they don't go off to work and leave me alone all day. (Well, with the exception of coming home at noon to let me outside to do my 'business'). Anyway, I really think they should suspend all activities except for paying attention to me for the duration I am here, don't you? Granddogs are grand babies, too....

But I have to admit, they are really pretty goofy about me...But heck, who can blame them? Grandaddee has learned that he must be touching me at all times while sitting in his chair! And Drammie talked pretty silly to me.

Day 2

Me and my Grandaddee got up sort of early, but Dram didn't, so after I did my potties, I went back to bed with her. THEN, my mom called before she got on the airplane for London and woke us up! But we still had an OK day. They made me watch the Dallas Mavericks basketball game and we lost to Denver. That was no fun. But then, later we got to go for a ride in the car (with no rain this time!) and I got part of Grandaddee's ice cream cone. So, the day turned out all right! Also, did my guard stint on the balcony - I am keeping the lions and tigers far away from the Grandparents' house. Haven't seen even one since I got here!

Day 1

Well, on Saturday, I left my wonderful home in Houston to meet my Dram and Grandaddee in Centerville, Texas so they could transport me back north (all the way to Dallas!). They are keeping me while Mom and Dad go to London and Scotland for a delayed honeymoon. I love my grandparents, but I do NOT love storms or cars. We had a very DANGEROUS trip, because the worst rainstorm (Really, really - the worst ever!) in the history of Texas fell on our car almost the whole way! Oh, but I was so brave! I sat bolt upright in the backseat (well, when I wasn't trying to make sure Grandaddee wasn't afraid by poking my head under his arm and resting my head on his chest) with VERY big eyes and sort of a drippy nose! But we made it safely to Dallas, and my Dram (some dogs say Grammy - I say Dram) gave me a wonderful treat when we got home. My mom might read this, so I won't rat Dram out by writing down what it was.


Later that night, she sat on her bed and worked on her computer while I watched "Nature" on PBS. I am, in case you wanted to know, an extremely literate, cultured dog. I also stood on their balcony and made sure none of the piranahs or sharks in the swimming pool tried to get out. (They tried to tell me they were just leaves in the pool, but I KNEW BETTER!)


It rained some more, but I was snugged up right in the middle of the grandparents, so I wasn't at all scared. And neither were they, because I was there to protect them. We all slept pretty well.