Here’s looking at you, kid!

 

 

NO, I’m not out climbing Everest.  In this photo I’ve been sitting outside for about ten minutes while owner shovels the driveway and curly-haired figures out how to fit the new vehicle into our  garage.  We are by nature a very organised family but we have some nice but older  furniture we want to sell and it is taking up parking space.  Anyway, here I am completely snow covered and feeling quite adventurous looking. Edmund Hilary dog is my thought!   As far as I know there are no raccoons in my family tree but my geneology is a bit shady.   Sad to say but I am just another mutt bastard. Don’t be upset,  I’ve had counselling and I’m doing well now.

The weather around town has been wild and crazy every day.  You wake up and you have no idea what you are going to get.  But if you are stupid and leave your car in a store parking lot over night, be prepared. When it snows no one has time for niceties.  The sign says parking is only for a couple hours so buddy…move the vehicle. We got a huge snowstorm and look at what this owner met up with upon returning to his car.  Maybe he can’t read?

  It was  his own fault but you can’t help but feel just a bit sorry for him, can you? The problem was that the weather forecast said a storm was coming for almost 24 hours before it arrived.   This particular storm snuck up on us in the  dead of night.  As you all know  snow is capable of arriving quietly with little fanfare.  It falls sneakily and  persistently all night long and then you wake up to a completely new vistas.  We find it all a great adventure. However, snowfall is also exhausting as there is a lot of shovelling that goes along with the excitement of a new world order. 

You can’t tell but my thoughts are quite uncharitable in this photo.   The snow has arrived and I have just stepped outdoors for my first view of life.  The snow is very deep and I’m supposed to be excited  to wander over to Clarke’s to get curly-haired a coffee. Sometimes I think they just haven’t taken the time to get to know the real me and we’ve been together nine years now.  I really just wanted to lie in front of the fake little hearth we have heating up the condo.   In fact it was just after this that I bounded into a snowbank to deal with some business I had to take care of and the snowbank enveloped me up to my nose. It was a complete and utter shock to my system.  Snuffling and snorting for dear life, I crawled out and then submitted to being tied up like a horse to a picnic bench outside the store. .  No one   put  any warm milk in my dog food that morning to reward me for the coffee run. It’s always about THEM and THEIR creature comforts?  Who’s the creature in this picture….MOI guys, MOI. 

People are so different.  I don’t know if where they were born is a factor but one guy is out shovelling in his shirt sleeves and the other is covered from head to toe as he blasts our snow away with a snow blower. Gotta love that plume, eh? It’s our job to keep our sidewalks clear and for the most part our neighbourhood does a pretty good job. Every once in a while you hear someone complaining about somebody not pulling their weight but it is pretty rare.  Owner is a bit odd because she doesn’t  actually complain about snow shovelling; it is in her history and she just regards it as a good reason to eat some chocolates when she comes inside.  To everything there is a season….and snow shovelling apparently equates with chocolate eating season. As for me, I sit outside patiently as she does her thing.  Boris used to chase the snow as she tossed it up on to the ever growing snowbanks.  I am much too dignified; I supervise.

What happened next was bone chilling!  The temperature dropped as low as we remember.  One day it was snowing tons of snow every hour and the next we were freezing our tails off.  We got up and headed outside for a nice little walk and I made it one house….ONE HOUSE people!  Although I mentioned my hobbling last posting, I wanted to show you a photo of a big steam plume from the buildings nearby.

Living in Telluride we have very clear air. Everything is so beautifully visible, achingly so (unless a forest fire is burning somewhere.) The cold seems to accentuate that clarity even more.  Very cold days are great days for taking pictures except you are so excited and want to take so many photos that humans forget that they quickly  suffer from frozen finger syndrome.  I tried to warn her but she wouldn’t pay me any attention.  The pictures were taken and instantly we went back inside to warm up.

 

And then the next blizzard arrived.   This is all fantastic for the skiers and the mountain.  Snow is Telluride’s  livelihood.  As I’ve told you, when it snows in this town people get excited.  People pray for snow…and I’m not kidding! Well we got it in spades guys. Owner and curly-haired went cross country skiing on the valley floor (without me as the rules demand) and look what happened to her glasses when she took them off on the way home.  You don’t see this  in Texas. Fun times in Telluride town this weekend! Small things make them happy, what can I say.

So now I’m inside warming up and waiting to be brushed off. My jacket  sure came in handy today. Thanks guys. But, I must  say  owner is  getting on my nerves with all this picture taking.  Surely we have  enough photos of your truly by now. However, I’m her dog and she  loves me so I have to put up with it. Where are those three kids when I need them? And, yes , that tongue is at you owner!)

See ya later.

 

Hard drives, India and A Christmas Story

A few months ago I wrote about never planning too far in advance of an approaching blog deadline. Why didn't I listen to my advice? This week has reminded me that the computer is in control. In fact, some nice guy in India was really in control as he had to gently inform me that my hard drive had blown up....for lack of a better term. There went my photos (yes, I need to back up my stuff...please no notes about that as I'm eating dog scraps as an appropriate mea culpa gesture.) This is why there was no posting on Tuesday. I'm sure your day was destroyed when you realised there would be no news from Casey, Telluride dog




So now I'm typing on a computer the size of a piece of cheese. Tough with claws. My new hard drive has arrived faster than even that techie in India predicted....24 hours after a service call Dell delivered my new hard drive BUT curly haired has to get home to install it.Owner is good with cookie baking and has many wonderful qualities but computer wizard is not on that list.



David droped us a line from Shanghai. He must be trying to screw up the minds of his little Chinese students. To introduce them to Christmas he showed them the movie A Christmas Story...you know, the homely little kid who wants the Red Ryder Beebee Gun, the dog eating the turkey, kid stuck to a frozen pole by his tongue, and the giant bunny suit given as a present by grandma. These are all big moments in the movie, but honestly....where did your mind jump as soon as you read the title of the film and saw to whom it was being shown. COME ON.... I know where mine went. It went straight to the  politically incorrect scene  in the Chinese restaurant and the waiters singing Deck the Hars with Bars of Harrie...right....what did those little Shanghainese make of all that, I ask you? David plans to straighten them all out with some good old fashioned gingerbread house making. For $80.00 shipping, you too can send two $6.00 gingerbread houses, two extra bags of candy, a box of Quaker oatmeal, and a couple tubes of toothpaste to China. It's Christmas....what were we supposed to do?



As for me, I can't take this tiny keyboard any longer. Due to technical difficulties at the moment, you won't get my incredible report on The Blizzard of Was for a few days. By then the storm will long be forgotten. Hopefully my frozen paw syndrome will have disappeared. This is a huge issue for me at the moment. I can barely make it outside to attend to business before my back left foot is hovering at stomach level and I'm hobbling on three legs. The vet said booties are really not necessary but I'm beginning to wonder. First it is the cold snap that punishes my feet and then it is warmed up slightly mushy snow sticking to my pads...Suffering and chowbradors do not go hand in hand. If I get booties I want the ones with treads on the bottom so I don't slide around on the ice like a lunatic. The good ones are apparently called Muttluks....gotta love a good spoof of a name, don't you?



Preparing for Christmas means different things to different people. Curly haired is being really kind and driving back to Colorado from Texas with our new vehicle. This is selflessness which is the true meaning of Christmas. It means buying gifts for someone less fortunate with the Angelbaskets project. It means fostering a dog....but we haven't figured out who is coming here or when, but I can share a water bowl for a couple weeks. For Benj it means handing in a completely bound Senior Thesis on Lobstermen and the Economy. For Jon it means taking a break from work and job hunting and sitting down to watch tons of mindless tv and loving every second of it. Kim takes a break from her patients and bakes tortieres and makes perogis so that two family traditions are followed, even when family isn't around to eat all that food.  David apparently gets his Christmas kicks messing with Chinese understanding of the West.Lights are strung, carols are sung and friends from Phoenix are anxiously awaited -- as they get to try out our mountain for the first time. Did I mention cookies...owner has got to stop making cookies. She has gotten ridiculous about baking. Tonight she made eight gingerbread cakes. Now she needs to make butterscotch sauce so she can give these things away as gifts. The house does smell lovely though.



So good bye for now. Talk to you soon. I have some great photos of the after effects of our recent storm when we got at least a solid foot of snow, and it seemed like a lot more than that. Certainly we had a ton of shovelling to do after the plough went by. Where's a man with a snowblower when you need one? Here's to Ranjit (I think) in India who painstakingly led us through hard drive testing. Heres to the guy's who shovelled out our driveway three times in two days. ...but he doesn't like to interfere with  snowplough snowbanks! Here's a warning to the bad dog owner who allows her vicious dog to run toward me leashless and snarling with fangs out.....get a bloody leash for that monster or it will be ugly! Here's to everyone with warm smiles on the coldest days of the year! You are appreciated, espsecially when you comment on how lovely my coat looks against the white snow. Yes, I am vain. So what? See ya later.

Technical Difficulties

Unfortunately there has been a technical difficulty and the blog will be posted at a later date.

Smell ya later!

-Casey

Noel Night Gets Me Thinking.

It’s Noel Night Day.  Last year everything seemed to happen at night but this year the discounts are being offered in stores all day long.  I’ve  decided it is alright to allow myself to be confused.  Who knows how humans come up with these ideas anyway. 

We had shopping to do for some of the men in the family so owner and I headed into town bright and early.  Curly-haired took an hour off work (no one knows!) and went skiing.   This must be one of those perks he mentions when he talks to his friends in Texas.  Perks sounds a lot like purr and I thought he was talking about how rarely he  sees  cats  in Telluride.  Now I know.

Shopping for Christmas is fun if you have ideas about what you want to buy  and if you can afford to buy them, or anything even resembling your dream gifts.  The discounts offered from the grab bags at the counters make some things more affordable.  In one store we barely covered our tax but hey every little bit helps. 

 

Shopping and spending seemed to make owner a bit sad today. I guess it always reminds her of Christmas’ past when everyone was still young and at home.  It  also reminded her that the dreams she  and curly-haired had for the  boys, when they were young,  are harder and harder to achieve.   They  raised really good guys who turned into wonderful men.  They mostly followed the rules.  You know….went to school every

day, worked hard, got good grades, went to university, and then recently  everything got messed up.   All that talk they swallowed along with their pablum

about following their passion and then  life will work out fine doesn’t seem to be quite as  true.  Owner feels bad that life is so much harder for this generation,   especially the kids with big dreams and goals, than it was for  hers.

Owner had a long chat with a young person  in town.    I heard this story second hand because for some reason I wasn’t taken inside any stores today.   Most stores welcome and fawn over me so I don’t  understand why I was left out in the cold (literally).  Actually it was a bit embarrassing being tied up to the bike rack hook. 

Anyway, here was this guy and he had  also done everything he was supposed to do.   He worked hard, got good grades and finished his Masters in a field of study that was his long-held passion.   Many of our friends back in Texas are very proud to tell us that their children are going to specialise in the same area  when they grow up.   Well, this  young person   said, “make sure they think it through.”  Think it through?   “Yes,” he said. “Think it through. Follow your dreams, follow your passion but always be aware the world changes, demands fluctutate, and be prepared.”  

He used to have a job he spent years working toward; he’s just not doing that job at the moment.  Grateful for the work he has he certainly dreams that he can return to the field for which he trained.   He designed  homes for people – one of them was larger than most of us could even begin to imagine  (how would a human even find their way around in there, they don’t scent mark?) But, this is  what the people wanted to build and he  was happy to design it.   Life seemed perfect.  But, the economy fell apart and suddenly the Mr. Rich Guys  disappeared and the market dried up.  Now is the time to  to keep body and soul and spirits together so that when there is an upturn  he  will be ready to get back to the drawing board.    Dogs have a hard time keeping their spirits up when their circumstances change and they find themselves at Second Chance, for example.  Humans aren’t all that different.  However, give us a bowl of food and a belly rub and our spirits can bounce sky high.  Humans are better at  long term perspective and that is what keeps them moving forward, grateful for what IS today and hopeful for what MAY BE tomorrow.   Owner said she hopes more of the big spenders who caused some of these problems end up in jail….even if some of them are from her home and native land (the only part of her National Anthem I’ve ever bothered to learn.)   

You know she’s a big talker so she couldn’t leave without mentioning  that our boys are all around his age and in similar situations.  David seems well settled in Shanghai, but is always trying to figure out a way to make a bigger and better deal and get on with his dreams of glory.   Luckily his passions are  Mandarin and China  so currently  he’s the one  kid living his dream.   Our Jonathan is in a difficult, stressful time and is applying for jobs like mad, up until 7 a.m. on occasion  sending out applications and curriculums to universities looking for  History professors.   He’s done everything required to get his third university degree….and whenever we see him he’s working hard reading, analysing and writing…..so even I, a mere dog,  can tell those Ph.D.’s aren’t handed out like Hallowe’en candy.   He’d have worked his tail  off if he  had one.  He’s really into   Medieval History and is excited  to introduce young  students to the topic and  kindle their passion.  He’d be a great Professor  because when Jonathan tells you about history it comes alive and you feel that you are living in those times. To be  honest I  haven’t got a clue  what he’s talking about, but he’s so animated that I get wound up right along with him.  He’s frustrated  because even though he applies for jobs…..the interviews don’t get lined up.  The young person in town commented that  “at least your son currently has some jobs to apply for.”  It isn’t funny but it made me do a dog snort when I heard this because our Jonathan says something similar about  Benjamin.  Benjamin has the jobs to apply for, and gets the interviews but is still waiting for an offer.  He understand that it will be  hard to feel good about an offer, if and when it comes, when  so many people with children, car payments, and  mortgages, have been let go.   Our Jonathan would appreciate just  ONE of the interviews Benj has had and  the person we met  would like to be able to send in a resume for even ONE job opening.  I’m glad I’m a dog because this all seems too messed up for me to contemplate.

So on Noel Night, we are happy to be out on the street looking forward to  Christmas and all that that means to every family. Who wouldn’t enjoy the aspiring little ballerinas twirling and giggling  in the windows of Telluride Sports. (practicing for their roles in The Nutcracker.)  While we pick up the odd gift  we are hopeful that shopping locally will help keep local stores around.  Everyone needs to hang on to their dreams of a brighter future.  The only way to go is up, as they say.  We are all in this together, humans and animals….if humans lose their jobs then more dogs and cats go to places like Second Chance.  I think they call it the tickle down effect…..things get bad and no one is around to tickle you.  See ya later.

 

Look what you get!

 

Shelter & Pet Related Questions:
Second Chance Humane Society – Ridgway

970.626.2273

Shelter Manager:
Allison Dooley
970.626.2273
allison@secondchancehumanesociety.org

It isn’t the best  picture of me but you get the idea right?   This was taken  four  years ago when  Benj was still in high school.  I thought I looked quite dashing but I did hear owner say, “gee, until we took that photo I  thought Casey was  really something special.  Holy Cow, she just looks so dog-like!”  No kidding! What was she expecting for Pete’s sake; I am a dog. Anyway,  to be honest it shocked me that those words could even come out of her mouth.  I shed a few quiet tears, picked myself up, dusted myself off and carried on.   She’s lucky I love her because she has a few “not so hot photos”  of her own that I could post  for all of you to take a  look at.  (David actually copied a few of her yucky pictures on Facebook and she was not very impressed! Serves her right is my opinion.)

Second Chance was supposed to come to Telluride  on Wednesday  to celebrate Noel Night. Their special photo-taking session, like the one above,  was called Santa Paws – I like catchy titles like that.  Telluride’s Noel Night  is an event where  every  shop has discounts and grab bags to encourage everyone to shop locally – of course! Santa Paws  sounded like fun to me and we planned to volunteer. As you can tell from the above photo I am very experienced with  these types of events and felt I could give good guidance to all pets involved.  However, Second Chance  couldn’t find a venue in which  to hold the programme so  guess we will just have to shop instead. As much as looking for Christmas gifts is fun, it would have been nice to remind people of animals in shelters seeking new families as well as providing people with photos of their animals with Santa. 

Did any of you catch that little heartbreaker movie, A Dog Named Christmas, the other night? This is a super family Christmas movie if you are looking for one. (Of course it can’t beat Prancer, my all time favourite Christmas film.)  Hallmark is working with humane societies around the country  to encourage people to  “foster ”shelter animals  over the Christmas vacation.  Two things happen because of fostering programmes. The shelter workers and volunteers get a bit of a break to spend time with their own families, and the animals get a chance to remember what it is like to live with a real family. For a short time they get daily walks outside, no cage, catch up on pee-mail, a little extra holiday spirited sniffing goes on, and hopefully some time to  play games with some kids,  doze in a sunny spot,  and so on.   Sounds like a good idea to me.  You never know….some of them might  get adopted into forever families.  Obviously everybody is on their best behaviour.

  My owner shed a tear or two at the movie  and curly-haired was heard to say, and I repeat…there can never be a time when we don’t have a dog around our house.   It was pretty nice to hear these words because it means they really do love me and appreciate the gifts I bring to the family table.

If anyone wants to foster a pet it is pretty easy to do.  You call up the humane society  near you and fill in some paperwork.  Then your house has to be approved as a safe and loving home  for an animal.   You specify what your needs are, your rules and regulations,  and then they match you up as best they can with the ideal pet for your family.  

 

 

As  an example of the good you can do, look at  Leo.  He has actually found a forever family and was the reason for the title of this post!  I mean Look at What you Get!  He was rescued by loving people but not from the humane society.  He was found in a campground just living on scraps.  Of course you can tell  he’s not living on scraps now, is he?! I like to say he’s a real scrapper… ha ha….but only in the nicest way.  He’s quite the cool dude with his glasses and wine!  I actually think that I could hang quite comfortably with Leo even if he is a cat. (I’m not sure but I think he thinks he’s a dog stuck in a cat’s body.)   I’ve never heard  of these  trans-species animals before and  as far as I know there are no operations for these mixed up pets, no hormones they can take.  They are stuck in the body they were born with.)  Apparently he has been known to go hiking with his owners Corinne and Brett – until he pulls the old cat routine and asks to be carried.  A part of me admires that….act tough, then whine and get carried….hmmm….have to try that some day. (guess I need to shed a few pounds first.)  Even though he is an around-the-house fur  dropper  his loving personality and partying  nature guarantees this forever home is really his forever. Our loving personalities and entertaining qualities are why animals were put on earth in the first place (and yes this is true even if you mistakenly think  animals first arrived to do your work and provide you with food….WRONG….entertainment and love are the real reasons.)

 Many humans appear to go through life feeling a little empty.  We, as animals, can see how they  try to fill that emptiness with buying  things, bigger and better toys.  People who are the happiest generally appear to be those who know how to reach out to others and to share their good fortune.  Although it would be nice if everyone did  this all year long, the Christmas season seems to encourage more of you to reach deep inside  yourselves and  share. We animals can only give back in so  many ways and we make that a daily practice all year long.  There is so much we could teach you if you were only willing to pay attention.  Just remember, people, that there are so many ways to fill that emptiness inside and one way is to give unto others.  Whatever you choose to do this Christmas, do it with love. Perhaps you want to visit people who are living in old folks homes with no family nearby, perhaps you want  to visit hospitals with your pet (please! call to find out  how first),  help an elderly neighbour get her shopping done, clothe a teenager in some of the latest fashions her family could never afford to buy, or drop off a meal for a family adjusting to life with a new baby.  Of course since I’m a dog I love the next one  the most.    If you feel you have room in your heart to foster or, even better, adopt  a pet from a local shelter,please do so. Think what it will do for the animals and think what it will do for you.  I guarantee your heart will sing.

Now, go get your lights up and make some Christmas cookies. Let it snow, let is snow, let it snow.  See ya later.

Second Chance Humane Society…join their Facebook group to be aware of everything they are doing in and around our communities.

Come walk a Shelter Dog and burn off that extra serving of stuffing and mashed potatoes!

 

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

 

If you wish hard enough and long enough, dreams do come true.  I know because all  my life I have wanted to sail through the countryside with my head hanging out the  window of a big Dodge Ram.  We are  not big truck people so I was pretty sure this wasn’t in my future.  Wrong!  Today we had so much stuff to transport to Ridgway and bring back from Montrose that we needed a pick-up!  My eyes are only closed to keep the wind out….I truly am blissful here.

First we stopped by the Second Chance Thrift Shop in Ridgway.  We dropped off a few chairs we don’t need anymore, lots of framed pictures that will brighten up someone’s home, and some second-hand skis that  will move someone up a  notch  in the ski department.  Benj had pretty nice skis.  Curly-haired had really LONG skis…..someone  tall will enjoy those for sure. He liked them  for big long glides down the slopes.  Someone somewhere is going to be a happy camper, as they say.

It was Black Friday today so everything in Montrose was hopping.  We did a quick Christmas shop at Target.  The deals were great they said.  I don’t know because I was stuck in the truck the whole time. Actually I Loved it!  I even went up to sit in the driver’s seat for a while.  I looked  HOT up there.  Home Depot, Office Depot were on our list   and then we looked at cars.  I’m trying not to get my hopes up but it would be nice to have a little more freedom, and a vehicle would give us that. 

Benj took off to Maine again.  We left him at the airport.  He took home a big batch of cookies in his luggage. He made them so I guess that was fair. Look at the size of them; they are ginormous. My dog biscuits are never that big.  No wonder owner is always worrying about her five pounds.

 

Driving home owner was busy snapping photos of everything.  I tried to smile at first but it quickly became old.  Relaxing and sniffing was all I had on my day’s agenda.  Turkey day was just yesterday  and already people are thinking about tree season. That plastic bag likely blew off  about ten miles down the road….it was flapping like a turkey about to have its head chopped off!

  

We must have gotten a little carried away thinking about  Christmas because suddenly a Dickie Bird (what grandpa in Canada calls the coppers) was flagging us down.  Once the nice young officer  looked into the backseat and saw they were in my care and control  he went easy on curly-haired.  Gee we weren’t going that fast!…I had just been thinking FASTER, FASTER in my head when I heard the big “oh no,” from the front seat. It was instantly obvious that  my dreams of speed were dashed.

We went from dried brown grasses, no snow, and warm temperatures to cold temperatures, snow and ice in just over an hour.  Things change quickly around here. Cows were enjoying a good mow down on the leftover fall grasses, especially the ones near Ralph Lauren’s ranch.  I wonder what he does with his cattle?  Does he ride the range? 

By now we are getting closer and closer to home.  You can see the snow starting to gather up high on the red rocks.  The river isn’t frozen and is moving pretty quickly.  I just want to say that if you think the blurry bits look good…..you should smell them!  Those scents fly by at lightening speed and you just get enough of a taste to stir your passions….deer feet, river moss, skunk tracks, snow flakes, rotten leaves, dead mice, bear fur, oooh I’m driving myself crazy with this list.

Once the Valley Floor is just outside the truck window I know it is just moments to our driveway.   People in town raised about FIFTY MILLION to buy this land and preserve it for future generations.  Not every town does that! And let’s not forget that the town has 2,000 full time residents, give or take a few.  Buying the Valley Floor was a monumental achievement and the town made legal history as well. Pretty impressive folks.   Telluride people value their outdoor space.

  Soon the family will be out there cross-country skiing.  I’m not allowed to go.  Dogs can’t go out on the Valley Floor because we disturb the wildlife.  I’m OK with that.  There are plenty of outdoor spots I can go that I don’t even try to argue this point.   Besides, I’ve heard that cross country skiing is really hard if you are a dog.

It’s been a bit chilly up here lately.  I spend most of my nights huddled near the heater.  The other morning I actually hopped up on the couch and burrowed into owner’s chest to warm  up.  The couch is sort of off limits to me but she allowed it this one time.   She could feel my fur was cold to the touch.  It was a heavenly snuggle.  When I say the condo was cold, I mean it was cold! One Christmas  when my owner and curly-haired were up in Toronto, the water froze just like this (our bathroom sink!)  in Ron’s bathtub.  You could skate in the bathtub.  

Anyway, just kidding with the above photo.  That’s really the water from my dog bowl on the patio! Good one, eh?  Keep warm everybody!  Hey, and if you own a big truck….come pick me up some time and take me for a ride.  I’d love it!  See ya later.

It’s time to give thanks everybody!

 

Well it is time for me to give thanks for my wonderful life.  When I think back to living in a cage and having no home I am extremely grateful for the life I lead.   In fact, I really have too much.  I have two personal dog beds, three bowls, lots of food to go in the bowl, a lovely waterproof duster to wear during wet weather,  a thick natural fur coat, and people who adore me. My sight may be going but so far my health is good.  Arthritis pills keep my aching joints calmed down.   What more could a furry little mongrel like me want.  The only thing I can think of that would make my life complete is a small piece of dark meat on turkey day! 

Living in Telluride has opened up a whole new world for me.  Now when my owners have guests I also get guests.   Recently on  movie night I was delighted   to have Zak show up for a bit of food and a night of “Keeping Mum”…..really good by the way if you are looking for a fun film  for your teens.  Last night we entertained for the Giving Thanks Day  and Lilly came over with Eric.   How great is that? Milan came too and was a bit surprised he hadn’t been asked to bring Hans…..those Rotties though? …small space?….three dogs…..their reps?  Oh well, next time Hans, next time.    Anyway, I admit I got a little miffed.  You can see I refused to look at the camera for anyone.  Lilly really knows how to work a crowd, perform tricks, and get everyone roaring with laughter.  I went over to inspect  the whole “tricks” thing and realised I had been led down the garden path!   She does tricks for vegetables….how dumb is she?  They had Canadian tortiere for the main meal and she did her inside voice, outside voice, rolled over, gave a high five for pieces of broccoli.  Weird, man weird!

 

Let me just add this…the  D ------A------Y I even dream about putting my chin on the table is the day Curly-haired Alpha  falls over in a faint.  AND…get this, he was  taking pictures and just enjoying the hell out of this English Bulldog chatting up the table.  (she does channel  Winston Churchill  well,  doesn’t she?) God, since her visit I’m  considering plastic surgery, can you believe it?  Jowls  are on my Christmas list.  Sad to say but I was embarrassed  for curly-haired, he was falling all over himself, laughing that unstoppable laugh he  gets when he’s having a great time!   And owner….she just kept looking down to make sure I was fine with the visitor.  How on earth did that help the situation? She was absolutely useless at  dealing with my emotional turmoil.  Let it be known I do love Lilly.  I’ve known her since she was just a little bag of wrinkles over at Resortquest.  Now, I hear I might  even babysit her sometimes.  I’m going to teach HER a few tricks.  You can count on that….remember my poop in the shoe trick.  That’s always good for a laugh.

Now we realise, as a family, that it is not just THANKS we should be giving.  GIVING is important too.  We  have found our little ways to try and give back.  Not all of the events  we participate in take place this weekend, but we are aware of our responsibilities given the lives we lead.   Santa Paws with Second Chance comes to mind – around Noel Night  I think.  I wonder if I get to go to that;  I’d like my photo taken with Santa.  

Recently,  we have been  busy giving to the birds.  Our grandpa in Canada has set such a good example for us that we have decided we need to follow in his footsteps.   We called him up in Haileybury, Canada (now known as Timiskaming Shores…how can you do that, change a town’s  name.  It infuriates owner no end.)   He told us all  his secrets. He works hard to  make the birds come to his house rather than to his next-door neighbours.   He buys peanut butter, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and makes a big gooey mess.  The birds FLOCK to his place  (ha, good pun eh?). How hard can it be, right?   We went out and bought a nice big bird feeder, filled it with seeds, added suet because bird’s  need fat to survive the winter….and nobody came to our party.  So far we have had depressing results.  The big birds don’t seem to be able to get their beaks into the bird feeder or rest on it to peck  gently at all the great seeds we supplied.  The little birds either aren’t visiting Telluride this year or are afraid of the big birds patrolling the bird feeder.    Any suggestions anyone?  We want to give!  I want to hear those birds say THANKS…..well I haven’t heard my owners say that but gee, it is the least those tantalising little birdies can do.

And as for you and your  thanks, I have only this to say. If you are lucky enough to be a dog owner….GIVE THANKS.  We are the best thing that ever happened to you.  We make you get exercise.  We never argue with you about anything.  Every single thing you do is the smartest thing we have ever heard.   We love  unconditionally.  We snuggle any time  and give kisses unabashedly.  If you have high blood pressure, we lower it.   We clean up all crumbs under tables and on the floor. And, we are funny as hell!  Take that CATS. 

 

 

And now I give thanks.  I am thankful  to live in Telluride.  It is probably one of the greatest places on earth to be a dog.  Yes, I love my Lone Star State but my loyalty to my newfound friends and my newfound town runs deep.  What would my life be without Shiprock down the street making snow angels? (Gee in the above photo it  looks like he lost his head!)   Zak tiptoeing through the tulips, so to speak.    Hans hoping to come to dinner?  Lilly entertaining the family with her silly jowls and tricks.  Eloise eating her carrots. It is true.   I miss my old pals. I do.  But thank you God for giving me new ones.

 

Now  I know many of you  have seen this  video of my new hometown but I swear  it is worth watching over again. This little video makes my owner cry.  I’m not lying.  She cries with delight.   I think that is her way of giving thanks for living in this incredible town too.  If you have seen it, watch it again.  If you haven’t….ENJOY.  And let me add…everything you see is true.   It snows like this.  People ride their bikes in their ski boots with their skis and dogs alongside.  Avalanche dogs apparently know how to get on a chair lift…I do not!   People drink beer here!  HA!  Who would have thought that right?  Snow makes us happy!    Telluride awaits.

 

Shot and edited in the winter of 2009 in collaboration with the Telluride Visitors Center, Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association, Telluride Ski Resort and Telluride Mountainfilm in hopes of giving viewers a soulful look at the winter experience in Telluride

Happy American Thanksgiving.   See ya later.

Flickr Tags: Telluride,dogs,Thanksgiving,video

A dog’s eye view

Boy, they go to see a movie which is supposed to be a pleasant event and suddenly they are home having a  heated discussion about what the movie meant.  Why go to a movie in the first place would be my question?  And this movie was in bloody English.  Imagine if it had been in a foreign language with poorly translated subtitles. In that case you  would be forgiven for having different opinions on what  the heck was happening.    Curly-haired Alpha  likes to take his movies literally and owner likes movies that make you think about what else it could have meant. She likes to imagine herself in the movie and curly-haired Alpha wants to be the director.  Not the best combo I guess unless you are already movie stars.

Me….I would just like to see things clearly.  My vision is seriously deteriorating.  I think they call them cataracts.  One day I could see fine and then POOF everything was a little cloudier, like looking through a piece of beach glass.  At first I thought it was pretty but now it is just irritating.  Put me in a dark room and I  trip over things as I mentioned last posting….a pair of slippers set a trap for me.   Benj better keep his suitcase out of the way when he comes home or he may find me sleeping in it; this would not be because I chose to  but because I fell into it and couldn’t get out.

Today is your chance to see the world as I do, minus the cataracts.  I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Quickly  you  will realise how close to the floor I am.   It is pretty amazing that I have any sense at all of what is sitting up there on the kitchen counter.  There’s no way  I can get a glimpse of a chicken or a lovely cut of beef.  That is why the good Lord gave me a great sense of smell.  The fridge opens and I  appear because it smells so darn good. Actually if everything in there was rotten  I  would still come.  Refrigerators  equal potential. We will take stinky rotten cheese if that is what you offer; dogs in France must have it good. Getting back to my big dream of everything  rotting in a fridge…I  hope they would let me roll around in some of the liquified remains because that would be absolute heaven for any dog.  That  delicious thought aside,  I think everyone should have a canine pal because we provide a good vacuum cleaning service.   You can’t see the crumbs on this floor but I can and  I do the doggie snuffle daily  to clean them up. 

 

Coffee table anyone?   I bet you had to sit and think a moment, didn’t you, before you realised what it was.  Now don’t think my owner doesn’t clean up; she does.  Dust in Telluride is a never ending problem.  I don’t know if dust doesn’t show up as much in a humid environment or what, but here  at a “high and dry altitude” it is impossible to eliminate.  I’m only a fan of coffee tables when we entertain and have cheese  or meat trays  laid out for guests. When not in use the darn thing should be sent to a black hole in the bottom of the floor.   Wiggle room between a coffee table and a couch is always a touchy problem, literally!  I can just barely squeak my way between the two objects but lying down is damn near impossible and I am not a big girl.  Imagine how Boris at 110 pounds must have felt and apparently he thought he was the size of a lap dog.   Many stories abound in this house of Boris, when the TV was lower,  deliberately standing   between the  TV and the viewers and completely  blocking the screen.  Old Bo had a good sense of humour I must say.  However, they ultimately responded by moving the  TV up higher  and never thought to lower it for me.  Most funny stories end up with consequences, don’t they?

I’m thinking of asking Santa for my own laptop with which to view my favourite TV shows.  Dear Santa…. I believe, I believe. (I think that is how it works.)

 

Here’s my view from the window seat.  Aren’t those cushions on the left annoying.  I don’t have proper hands so I can’t move them; however, my chin rests on them quite comfortably.   Summer time on a window seat with open windows is pure heaven.  The odours from everyone’s evening meals waft in on the breeze.  Of course my owner decided  to replace the seat cover materials.  Now they are beautiful  with  expensive fabric which was a huge mistake in my opinion.  I’m not really allowed up here anymore but they aren’t home all the time.  Who’s going to tell on me?

 

  

Lying in front of this little Amish heater is my favourite place during the winter months.  Yes, I love snow and ice  but when I get inside again I love to warm my toes and whiskers and dream my life away. From here  I have a bird’s eye view of everything that is important in my little kingdom.   My bed is just behind me but  I like to save that for evenings.    I don’t understand why but I have always preferred the floor in daylight hours.  Lying  in front of the stove gives me a direct visual on  the fridge and  food and water bowl.   You just never know when a scrap of something delicious is going to make it over  to the bowl outside of feeding times.  It doesn’t happen often (Lane) but it has happened and I’m not one to miss out on a treat.

 

 

 

 

It is almost bedtime at the OK Corral.  Time to get the leash down  and snap it on the old collar and go for one last evening amble. Look what they wrote on the back of the Made in Canada tag.  Those Canadians really have a sense of humour about things eh?  Gee, now they have me doing it too, eh?  OK, eh, gotta stop, eh?

 

So, time to head out and look at the stars, as they say. Water the lawn; check the pipes, write my name in the snow.  You get the drift, eh?  See ya later.