Wednesday in Vermont

Good Morning, Family and Friends wherever you are,

Isn't it just the best morning?? Aunt Marion is here to visit so I went outside this morning and barked at her car. Have to let it know who owns this house and who is the boss. I did the same thing yesterday, but one must err on the side of caution. It might have forgotten overnight. Cars aren't all that bright, you know. That done, the day could begin.

Yesterday was so great! Mommy and Aunt Marion went up to see Grandma Peck. It was the first time Mommy had driven in over two weeks.....she was a little scared, she said. But, all went well and they had a wonderful visit with Grandma. That's a picture of her above....you can tell Aunt Marion by the curly hair.

Grandma has Alzheimer's Disease and the last time Aunt Marion went to visit, Grandma was kinda in her own little world. That was hard for Aunt Marion, but this time, she was in our world! And she was funny! She commented on Aunt Marion's curly head and said "it took a whole lot of spit to keep a curl in her hair!" Mommy said that was because she had baby fine hair and she said, "Yup, and my baby fine hair didn't grow up when I did!" She's grinding her teeth for some reason and complained that sometimes they'd just pop out (falsies) when she talked so she was learning to keep her mouth shut. She complained that the panties she had on (depends) bunched up in the front and it looked like she had a penis, but she needed to wear them because she leaked. Then she had to pee.....which she did sitting there....and told Mommy that her pee had a very stong smell. Mommy told her that was becasue she wasn't drinking enough and Grandma said, "So I should drink more to leak weaker?" They got her cleaned up....the girls at the nursing home are great, Mommy says. They really treat her with love and respect. When she came back, she was still on a roll! She asked Aunt Marion if she was in her third childhood..."not that it's any of my business"......and Aunt Marion said she was just a recycled teenager. That's funny 'cause Aunt Marion is 82....an Arctic Blonde.....

Grandpa Peck walked by and came to join the girls. He didn't have much to say and didn't stay long, but Mommy and Aunt Marion had a nice long visit. They didn't get home until dinner time. Daddy will go up later this week to see her, too. He was too busy getting me ready for the big trip today.

Mommy and Aunt Marion are going shopping today. Mommy needs a new dress for Aunt Sheila's wedding. That's where we're going.....to South Carolina for her wedding....among other places....we're starting to get ready now....it's sooooo exciting. I'll be back tomorrow to fill you in on what happens today. In the meantime, have a wonderful day. I love you all!!

Juni

Tuesday Morning

Good Morning, Friends and Family, And how is everyone today?? We're great here. Mommy had a good check up with the eye doctor and our trip is a GO!! Yippee-aye! She can go back to her normal routine, for which Daddy is very grateful. Not only did he have to cook....which he normally does anyhow 'cause Mommy is.....challenged.....in the kitchen and Daddy has the stuff chefs are made of. At least that's what Mommy says, and it's the reason she's sorta chunky.......definitely not slightly obese, like the doctor says. What does he know, anyhow??? Anyhow....now the bed gets made, and the laundry is done, and the floor is swept, and the bathrooms are clean.....Daddy did help with some of that because his Aunt Marion is coming to visit today. I like Aunt Marion. She has curly hair like mine 'cept it's grayish. Someday I'll look like that, too. It's not a bad look.....the curls make it look pretty. So, I got Daddy's socks for him today....all by myself. Mommy had to help the first three times, but now I've got it. Not hard at all. And, it means ROAD TRIP! We went up to Uncle Eli's for a visit and then Daddy got me my new license. So now we're all set for the big trip. I've had my shots and now I have my new license so we can go anytime. I'm excited. Mommy and Aunt Marion are going up to see Grandma Peck where she lives in a nursing home. Daddy will go later this week to see her. Hope all is well at your houses. I love you all! Juni

March 2011

Good Morning, Family and Friends,

It's 4:55 AM and we are up and ready for a ROAD TRIP! Have I ever pontificated on road trips? Are you impressed with that big word? My mommy was an English teacher and she's taught me some pretty impressive words. 'Course, I don't actually use them when I'm talking 'cause I talk in DogSpeak. DogSpeak is one of the oldest languages in existance and not all humans are able to translate correctly, but my mommy and daddy are pretty good at it. Once in awhile they goof up, but I can usually get my message across with volume and persistence. On the other paw, they have taught me some English. For instance, I know red, green, pink; cookie ball, frisbee, bone, truck, road trip, NO JUNI, and socks. Oh, did I not tell you about socks? I'm really proud of myself for this one. Sooooo, almost every morning, Daddy and I go on a road trip to somewhere. Mostly we go up to Uncle Eli's in Bristol where Daddy meets his buddies and has a cup of coffee. I, on the other paw, stay in the truck and have a nap. I used to go into Uncle Eli's shop, but he has this HUGE.....and I'm talking bigger than my 96 pounds and all muscle...Achida.....Akita.....blue-eyed Alaskan dog named Cujo. Yup, Cujo. He's my age, and when we were little, we'd play and have the best time. Then he got big and his paws? Twice the size of mine. One day he hurt me, and then he wouldn't leave me alone, so now I won't get out of the truck. I love the ride, and I always want to go, but I won't get out of the truck. Makes me too nervous. Uncle Eli feels really bad that I won't come in anymore, and I do love Uncle Eli, but ya gotta protect yourself, ya know? So, I don't go in. I'm not very comfortable in other people's homes, anyhow......I'd rather go in, say my hellos and get right back into the truck. That way I'm safe, AND there's no leavin' me behind. Get it? But I digress........back to socks.

So, when it's time to go on our road trip, my daddy tells me to go get his socks. He leaves them on the chair in the bedroom.......one day, I'll actually take them out of the drawer, I'm sure, but learning takes time and puppy steps........and I just think for a minute.....I always have to think for a minute.....and then I go down, get his socks and bring them back to him. It makes him laugh for some reason, but them he scritches my ears and tells me I'm such a smart girl and, when I was just learning, he'd give me a little cookie. Now? Not so much. Now it's just that love thimg......which is OK......but better with a cookie. My doctor says I've had too many. I'm on a diet. A no cookie diet. I hate it.

Well, I'll come back after we've been to Mommy's doctor and tell you what she said. Mommy is sooooooooo bored, and she hopes she's well enough to have some activity this week.

Have a great day. I love you all,

Juni

Still March 24

I wanted to get my pictures on before I told you the story of Mommy and her eye. We've really had an exciting week. Last Wednesday, we all went to the eye doctor in Middlebury so that Mommy could have her eyes checked. She'd been having some problems with her right eye....it didn't hurt, or anything, but one little area in the bottom was really fuzzy and wouldn't clear up. The nice doctor there looked at her eye and said, "Well, I have goood news and I have bad news. The bad news is that you have a detatched retina. The good news is the Retina Center in Burlington will see you as soon as you can get up there." Yippee Aye!! Road Trip! I LIVE for road trips!

So off we went and fifty minutes later, we were there. It can take a little longer, but Daddy seemed to be in a hurry......I think he might even have gone over the speed limit a little..... but I try not to criticise, because he has Mommy to do that. And......most of the time she does a damn good job.......I told you about her Indian name, right? Five Horses? Nag-nag-nag-nag-nag? Yup, thought so.

Now, some of this stuff is just hearsay, you understand. I stayed in the truck while Mommy and Daddy went inside but they told me all about it when they came out. First they put some drops in Mommy's eye so that the doctor could look wwwwaaaaayyyyyy inside and see what was going on. Then Mommy had to wait for awhile for the drops to work, so they sat out in the waiting room with several other people. One quite elderly man shuffled in......tall and very skinny, with old jeans and a red/black checkered coat, maybe three teeth, a touc and tall, black barn boots that were three sizes too large for him. Daddy whispered to Mommy that when you get old, you have to wear boots like that because your depends leak and they'll catch the drip. Mommy gets really loud sometimes when she laughs.....but so did the other people in the waiting room.

OK, so then the nice doctor looked at Mommy and told her she had two options. She could go into the hospital to have surgery, or she could have a procedure there in the office that had an 85% success rate with a much shorter healing time. It would have to be done right then, though. There was no going home to think about it. Something had to be done today. So......they did it. Seems like I was in the truck for an awful long time, but Daddy did come and let me wee wee a couple of times, and gave me some water and food. I wasn't hungry, but I was thirsty.

Now, if you're squeemish, don't read the rest. Just know that mommy had the procedure done and she's home now, taking it easy and healing. K?

But if you're curious....this is what they did. They put three shots in her eye to numb it. And.... since she was awake with her eye open, she saw it all. That done, she layed on the floor for a litte bit trying not to faint....which she didn't. Then, they took a little eye stuff out with a syringe so that pressure wouldn't build up......and since Mommy was awake, and he eye was open, she saw it all. That done, she layed on the floor for a little bit trying not to faint....which she didn't. Next, they took a little something and froze the area around the tear in the retina. By this time, Mommy was beyond fainting, and the doctor had layed her full back in the chair so she was already in a good position.....then the doctor took another tool and put a small bubble of expanding gas in the area of the tear and detachment. OK.....done city. Come back Thursday for a checkup. Thursday... ...bubble had not begun to expand.....wait to see what Friday brings....went back Friday....no expanding. You up for this???? Same procedure all over again, this time to remove the bubble that had gotten stuck and put in a new one. And they didn't have to do the freezing thing again....but yes to everything else. So.....this one was successful. Now all she has to do is sit for six days with her left ear on her left shoulder, look down, and keep the bubble in the spot over the tear. Saturday was another trip...all looked good. Had Sunday off. Back again Monday....all looked good. Back again Wed....all looked good. Whole left side of her body is numb........she has to sleep sitting up or on her stomach.......not a lot of rest for her...or for the rest of us either.

But it's Thursday now, and she can sit normally. The bubble is receding and had done what it was supposed to do. She can't have much activity.....bathroom, meals....that's about it. She won't even play with me much but I sit with her and let her rub my head when she wants to. She sure doesn't look very pretty with that bloody eye, but it's getting better now. The bubble will be with her for several weeks, I guess, but she says she'll get used to it. She can get used to anything that saves her eyesight.

OK.....the warnings for a detached retina include flashing bright lights in your eye....which she didn't have......floaters....which she didn't have.....and a fuzzyish, blind spot that won't go away which is the only thing she did have. It doesn't hurt.....but it needs to be taken care of immediately. It isn't age, weight, gender, religion or hair color based.....it just happens to some people with the right DNA. Just be aware and take care of yourselves. Mommy hopes none of her friends or loved ones ever have to go through this.

Love to all,
Juni

March 24

Ok.....so here I am with my Daddy. I LOVE to sit on his lap and help him keep clean. I hold onto his arm and I lick and lick and lick. I'm never sure just how he gets so dirty, but man, it takes a lot of time to clean him up. Then there's the picture of me and my beer bowl. It's yellow, as you can see and I have to go find it and bring it to Daddy whenever he has a beer because he shares.

Daddy calls it silly beer because it doesn't have any alcohol in it, but we like it...oh, yes we do. So, he tells me to go get my bowl, which I do, and bring it to him and he gives me a little taste. It's a bonding thing between daddys and daughterdogs. The next very pretty photo is of me and my big cookie ball. I have three cookie balls, you know....this big red one, and two smaller ones...green and pink. I know the difference between them and if I take a minute to think about it, I know exactly where I've left each one and can go and get it. That's how smart I am. Sometimes I need help 'cause they've gotten stuck under a sofa....or the bed.....but someone will always come to my aid. They're more than just for cookies, you see....they are to be thrown and chased! Oh, my daddy and I have such fun with them. Sometimes Mommy gets a little upset because we make dust.......or I bang into something and something falls off a lamp table......but she's a pretty good sport most of the time. So.....there are the pictures. I really am a beauty.

Wednesday, March 16

Yippee-aye!! Frisbee weather!! See all the green grass? It's sorta smushy, though, so I prefer to stay out of it. I am missing my mountains of snow because the sliding isn't so hot now, but all seasons come to an end. And now? It's MUD season! Poor Mommy......she's starting to whine about all the footprints on the kitchen floor now. She'll do this until early summer when it's all nice and dry and I'm not bringing in wet, muddy feet anymore. I will admit. She's a whiner. Daddy says if she was an Indian, her name would be Five Horses........nag nag nag nag nag......he says that's a pun, whatever that means........but there I go again, digressing. FRISBEE WEATHER, YIPPEE-AYE!

Tuesday, March 15....the Ides.....

Hello Friends and Relatives alike.....not that you're really alike in any way....that's really just an expression writers use, and as you know, I am a writer....albeit somewhat unpolished, but I'm young and have many years to practice my craft and become more and more proficient at it....but I digress. I just wanted to say hello, really.



So the last few days have been a double-edged sword, if you will. The snow seems to be receding, leaving nice grassy areas available for play. Daddy even got out the FRISBEE last night after supper!!! Did you hear me??? FRISBEE! How exciting is that??? ooops, gotta go back to normal type.....there, that's better. Anyhow, I caught the first one he threw. No slouch here, bubbas. Second and third ones? Not so much. It'll take me some time to get back into the swing of things, to be sure. But how exciting is it that it's FRISBEE time again? Pretty darn exciting, if you ask me......which you didn't.......'twas the other way around, remember. Anyhow, the other side of that coin....or sword....is that there is less and less snow to piddle/poop on, and my preference is snow over soggy grass. So now I have to wander around the yard abit to find a good spot to eliminate....Mommy won't let me use some of those other bad words......she does, but she won't let me........double standard....double edged sword.....all members of the same family......anyhow, that doesn't make Daddy happy because now he has to hunt for all my little piles to clean up after me!! I kinda feel like the Easter Bunny, putting eggs all around for the kids to find. So, how does that compute??? Why isn't it the Easter Chicken? Bunnies would leave little piles like mine, wouldn't they??? I'm confused.....



Hope you're all having a swell day. I'll be back later with some more tittalating stories...... tintilating?? What is that word??

Love to you all, Juni

Aunt Tammy's Gift

Mommy had a birthday last month. We're really not supposed to talk about it, but she turned.....old......poor thing. Anyhow, Auntie Tam sent her two really cute hats and a beautiful necklace that she wears all the time....and some funny glasses. I like the hat, but it needs little holes for my ears to go through so that it'll stay on.......my birthday's Jan. 3 for future reference.....I just turned 3.

Work Room

Daddy built cabinets for all of mommy's craftie things......and then asked her if she wanted him to paint them purple or burgandy......she chose burgandy....and this is what she got. Is that burgandy?? Am I supposed to be color blind?? Looks pink to me......But Mommy loves the space and likes to work in her room, so who cares what color they are???

More fun pictures!!

Here is Mommy's new island. Daddy has been working on it for......two?....years?? Perhaps that is an exaggeration, I don't know. I'm just a dog. And what does that have to do with our trip west???? Not a thing, but I wanted you to see it. Mommy loves the extra counter space for all the times she does the cooking......oh......wait.....that's wrong. She does her own PB&J sandwiches, for sure, but Daddy does all the rest of the cooking. One look at her and you can tell just how good a cook he is.....sorry, Mommy........I should talk. I had a weigh-in at the doctor's this week and I'm up to 96 pounds. Doc says fewer cookies.....but see my cookie ball??? It should NEVER be empty!!

Saturday, March 12

Good morning, friends and family,

It's a lovely sunny morning, the air is warm and the day inviting......no, wait.....that must have been wishful thinking.....sigh......

It's a grey, rainy morning and I have to get my feet wiped every time I come in from being outside! Daddy makes me get down on my back so he can reach all fours and he DIGS between my toes to make sure he wipes off all the mud! What a pain. But.....does it make me stay inside?? Oh no.....'cause when a girl's gotta pee, a girl's gotta pee, ya know?? Not to mention that when the wind is blowing, there are a gazillion things to chase! It's just such fun! And sometimes the chase takes me into the garden area.....which doesn't have so much snow on it anymore because of the rain.....so it tends to be muddy....somewhat.....and squishy....somewhat..

but ohhhh, so much FUN! And, when a girl's got to have fun.......get it???

So, Daddy bought Mommy a present yesterday, and she wants me to try it out. Uncle Patrick had given her one of these things last year, and it worked for a little bit, but doesn't anymore so Daddy got a new one. It's one of those dohickies that you plug into your computer and then you can put the other dohickie from your camera into it, and download some pictures. Hang on, we're gonna try!

Oh, goodie!! IT works!! See all the snow we had?? I loved to climb up and slide down the banks. What a great winter it's been for that sport!! Now I'll have to go to another page for more pictures. See you later!

Love, Juni

On the Road Again

Hey Hey Hey!! I'm back!! I've missed you all wicked, but now I'm back! We're all getting ready to "Go West, young dog, Go West!" Well, really, to be totally honest, we're just doing the heavy thinking about it right now. We have another month before we can actually get on the road, but that's really soon, don't you think? It'll go in a flash.......Right now, it's snowing to beat the band. I never really understood that saying....why would anyone beat the band? Don't like the music? Don't like the members? Geesshhh.....I don't get it.

What I DO get is the weather!! Oh, I love the snow. It is such fun to play in and the wind kicks up all sorts of things I can chase and I can dive into the snowbanks and when I come back into the house, Mommy laughs because I'm all white!! And everyone knows I'm mostly BLACK! So, I'm having a good time, even if my humans aren't. Daddy says I need to be careful because he just got a new Chinese cookbook.....called "101 Ways to Wok the Dog"........he's mean. Maybe I'll bite him later........