Happy Monday! Today we’re going to offer not one, but a trio of smiles in honor of Halloween. The weather could possibly impact the number of trick-or-treaters who will drop by the Ranch as the first hard frost has been forecasted along with perhaps a spot of actual moisture. We’re not sure how many will actually ring the doorbell since the local merchants in the neighborhood offered daylight parades with kid activities over the weekend. There were loads of costumed pets and kids walking around neighborhoods.
Smile #1
Smile #2
I think everyone who’s ever tried to fold a fitted sheet can relate to this smile.
Smile #3
My fluffy (e)motion detector is off to spread some joy at Lutheran today and tomorrow. While we barely survived the bath (I think the walls are still recovering from all the water), I’m hoping it hasn’t impacted Wilson’s attitude about bringing joy to folks. I’m clearly gonna have to devise a better strategy getting him ready. My back won’t survive any more ‘steer wrestling’ episodes. Let’s just hope the high value treats will provide some amnesia and he focuses on seeing his friends swoon over him, especially in the emergency department. He’s a big hit there among the staff. Wish us luck that wiggly bum goes into overdrive.
Welcome to the last Friday in August. Can’t say as we’re sorry to see the calendar roll over to September. Elsa here, along with the House Pony who got spiffed up in anticipation of his first visit to the new Lutheran hospital this morning. I will say he cleans up pretty nicely. Wish them luck.
But now for, how about we join our friends at Adventures of the LLB Gang for their weekly Nature blog hop. Don’t forget to click on the highlighted link to see what others posted this week.
Wilson: Egad…my hairs have been stolen! I was rather tricked into going for a ride but I suppose if I have to get all dolled up to go to hospital, at least Sydney from The Dirty Dog Grooming Salon was there for me. She’s very sweet and understands us sheepdogs. She’s has nearly a dozen sheepdog clients and she makes us all look terrific. My coat is a bit shorter than usual this time but luckily it’ll grow.
Elsa: Well, she better not get any ideas of working on me since I know she does other breeds. Yeah, that’d be a hard no as far as I’m concerned. I can barely tolerate it when Mom grooms me, let alone a stranger and frankly, I don’t care how nice she is. She ain’t getting her clippers anywhere near me!
Wilson: Now, now, Sydney’s wonderful. She very kind and patient. You could do much worse.
Elsa: Bite your tongue!! Well, let’s stop all this grooming talk-it’s giving me the willies and get right to sharing pics from around the neighborhood, shall we?
Wilson: Righto! So you remember a couple of weeks ago when we posted a picture of a bright orange pumpkin in someone’s front garden? Look at it now to see how much it’s grown. I sat nicely in front of it [before my luxurious furs were stolen] to give you some scale as to how big that monster is!
Elsa: Yikes…that thing is as big as your fat head!! And the vine has gone completely bonkers. I think they’re going to have a tough time mowing the grass.
Wilson: It was really something, I wanted to go investigate it more closely but Mum would have none of that. Instead we walked on and came across this cotoneaster shrub. The flowers have bloomed and now the berries are the main event. The birds are going to be in hog heaven this winter. They do look tasty.
Elsa: {Diverting the growling tummy of the House Pony} Maybe there’s a squirrel in there somewhere.
Wilson: {Interrupting} Squirrel?!?! Where…lemme at him!!
Elsa: {eyes rolling} Oh good grief, do I have to explain everything to you? That was just a figure of speech. I don’t think there are any squirrels in that shrub.
Wilson: Well, I’m going back to check it more closely the next time we walk past it, just to be sure. You know how I feel about squirrels.
Elsa: Yes, we all know how you feel about squirrels. Sheesh, give it a rest, dude. Let’s move on, shall we?
Wilson: Fine. Mum was pretty excited about this next photo of a morning glory vine. It had the classic purple, the often seen fuchsia and the palest shade of blush pink, all together. The only thing missing was the cornflower blue version which is Mum’s favorite when it comes to morning glories but we haven’t seen the blue ones this summer. Aren’t these dazzling?
Elsa: As you know, we typically go for our morning walks around dawn so as to avoid the heat which has been relentless still. Lately we’ve have more than a few mornings where sunrise has been very colorful. Just like last week’s post, we were beginning our walk and thus are very enthusiastic, when Mom slams on the brakes to stop and admire the sky. Humans…you can’t begin to figure them out.
Wilson: I hear that, sister. But still, you have to admit, it sure looked smashing.
Elsa: I suppose but for crying out loud, I don’t need a whiplash at 5:30 in the freaking morning!
Wilson: You’re right about that. We’ve got our rhythm going and BAM! we have to break stride to photograph something. I know Mum wants to capture things before they disappear, but it is a bit disorienting.
Elsa: I noticed she found a new lawn statute the other morning.
Wilson: She sure did. I wasn’t sure about what it was exactly and approached cautiously but Mum assured me it was safe and no harm would come to me. I think she called it a peacock.
Elsa: Hmm, meh. Not exactly my cup of tea but you know Mom. So she was talking to her daughter to get an update on the new puppies and she sent pictures of them that we thought we should share because it’s been a while. I can practically smell the puppy breath. My heavens…those little guys sure are growing. Can’t believe they’re six weeks old now. Soon it will be time for them to go off to their new homes. She mentioned they’ve decided to keep this little black guy. Isn’t he cute? I offered to show it some awesome Ninja moves but that offer was resoundingly declined. The brindle fella next to the black guy is reportedly a bit of a stinker. He repeatedly manages to escape the whelping box and go looking to pester his Mama. I think he’s gonna be a handful, but a pretty cute handful, with those white tipped toes.
Wilson: Mum keeps wondering how her daughter manages to get all eight of them to sit for a group photo. Well, technically seven in this photo…as that little stinker brindle pup breaks rank. They had their first outing in the backyard a couple of days ago and had a jolly good time checking out grass, bugs, and all manner of interesting things. You can’t help but smile watching them romp around.
Elsa: Well that’s it from the Ranch. We hope you have a great Labor Day weekend and are able to enjoy getting out and seeing what Nature has to offer in these last weeks of summer.
Wilson: I heard we’re going to see our Grandpa to celebrate his 94th birthday. Baby Halia will be there to wish him many happy returns so he’ll be on Cloud 9 again. Can’t wait to see him and maybe I’ll get to meet the donkeys while we’re there. We hope you have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend. Cheers.
Greetings and surprise! It’s me, Elsa, the Ninja Ranch Hand here to share a wonderful occasion with everyone. We rarely post on Saturday but we just couldn’t let today pass without honoring my brother. Recently my brother’s original Mom contacted us and provided us with Norman’s exact date of birthday. Mom had long thought he was a little older than the rescue thought and she was right. Twelve years ago today, a little fur ball came into this world and has been brightening everyone whose path he crossed ever since. Norman (who was always called Norman BTW) entered our lives in January of 2020 and while I don’t always show it, I do love this big lunkhead. He’s always sweet (even when he’d probably prefer to swat me into next week because I can be a bit of a pill) and is the most even keeled dog Mom has ever known.
Happy 12th Birthday!
Everyone at the hospital adores him and he’s one of the favorite dogs visiting nurses and staff throughout the hospital. Recently we’ve seen him starting to slow down and Mom thought it might be time for him to retire and live a life of leisure since it was becoming harder and harder for him to get up from laying on slick hospital floors. Then our pet therapy group wondered if Norman could just be a door greeter welcoming visitors into the hospital. Mom will bring a nice comfy pad for him to lay on while bringing his special kind of therapy to all who see him. He will wish patients well when they are discharged as well as when they check in at the hospital. We’re going to try it out and see if it will work because he’s just so special.
In the meantime, my Mom and I plan to dote on the big fur-ball this weekend and will shower him with treats and loads of attention while he brings us smiles. I mean who wouldn’t-just look at this sweetheart. He started out being a lounge lizard as a puppy and he’s still one which always makes Mom smile.
Norman has never once balked at all the stupid hats or costumes Mom dresses him up in. His good nature is always front and center and when Mom comes home, he runs and grabs a favorite toy to show her he’s glad she’s home. This dog is a dream, I could learn a few things from him but I’m endearing in my own special way. But Norman…well he’s just something extra special and filled my Mom’s heart with tender comfort when Sam crossed the bridge. I’m convinced he saved her more than she saved him.
Mom thanks her lucky stars every single day for this wonderful dog who brightens up everyone’s mood and brings more smiles and chuckles than you can imagine. We couldn’t be more grateful for this boy and hope we can celebrate more birthdays and special times with this hunk of love. Happy Birthday, sweet Norman. We love ya to the moon and back, dude.
Here are a few of his most notable poses. Is there a sweeter dog around, I don’t think so.
The Dogtor is ready to make his rounds
This boy is beloved by young and old but especially by us. Happy birthday, sweet boy.
Happy Fri-Yay, uprights and welcome to the last day of March. Elsa and Norman here to share some scenes from daily walks this week. As always, we’re joining the fur-pups at Adventures of the LLB Gang.
Elsa: It was one of ‘those’ weeks where we had lots going on. Me chasing squirrels away from the trash bins, Mom and Norman hanging out with folks at hospital and miles and miles of combing the neighborhood for photo ops.
Norman: You’re so right, little sister, it WAS a busy week. I was completely swarmed at hospital and visited with lots of people. This is my new friend, Katharine, isn’t she beautiful? She wanted so much to take me home with her and Mum was almost afraid she might have to wrestle me away from her but we promised to visit her whenever we go back. And I even met a newborn baby going home with his parents though Mum didn’t capture that moment. She said something about patient privacy. Not sure about that but did enjoy my time with Katharine. Babies smell so different from grownups; Mum says they don’t always smell good but I like that little boy and gave him a very soft kiss on his nose. Don’t tell anyone, I’m not supposed to do that but I just couldn’t resist.
Elsa: Umm, brother….not to be a stickler about things but you do realize that pic has nothing to do with nature, right?
Norman: Of course I do, but you originally brought up the fact that I made new friends when I visited Lutheran. I’m just showing folks some of what I do.
Elsa: Whatever. Come on, let’s share some photos of nature, shall we?
Norman: {harumpf} Okay, happy to share. Mum went to her happy place-Sloan’s Lake as couple of days ago. She really enjoys checking out all the birds at the lake and was surprised all the ice has melted since it is still below freezing at night. The day was filled with swirly clouds and shimmering water.
Elsa: The clouds changed from puffy to swirly the whole day and provided nice views. It’s been windy most of the week and Mom says today is another red flag day with high winds forecasted today. You think the wind will bother all of our sinuses again?
Norman: No doubt. There has been some sneezing in all of us. It was interesting walking around the lake where every place Mum stopped to take a photo, had a different look in the sky. At times, it was barely cloudy, then the wind would pick up and then all sorts of different clouds would provide amazing beauty. Nature sure is ever changing, isn’t it?
Elsa: You can say that again. Makes me wonder how all those Canadian Geese and other birds deal with the wind. There sure were a lot of them at the lake but sadly no new goslings. Hopefully soon. They’re pretty cute as babies then they grow up to be aggressive toward us dogs.
Norman: No floofy babies, but loads of big geese, that’s for sure. And Mum was rather surprised they let her get as close as she did at times. Maybe they’re becoming more used to all the people who take advantage of the path around the lake.
Elsa: Close indeed…but they were not very happy about it judging by all the squawking they did whenever she tried to move in closer. I heard more than a few them yawp “yeah, we’re outta here.”
Norman: They are impressive birds for sure, especially when they take off. Mum also followed a couple of the Double-Crested Cormorants who hang out at Sloan’s Lake as well. She followed one guy from one side of the lake to the other and giggled as he ‘snorkeled’ his way across the lake.
Elsa: I thought he was a weirdo. He’d float along and then suddenly dive into the water and come up about 15-20 feet away. What’s with that whole submarining thing anyway? Why not just paddle their feet like the geese do?
Norman: Well I’m no bird expert but suspect they’re fishing for crayfish when they dive like that. Did you know that these Double-Crested Cormorants are the only Cormorant species to nest in the Western interior? There are a large flock of them nesting over in Denver’s City Park on Duck Island but it always makes Mum happy when they hang out at Sloan’s Lake. Maybe the fishing is better here and they’re trying to move into our neighborhood along with everyone else.
Elsa: I’m guessing there are enough of the really tall trees they like to nest in. But did you notice how the water was so rippled as you move toward the south side of the park? You can always tell when the wind starts whipping up by the way the waves move across the lake.
Norman: Mum took these all images between 4 and 5 PM and was mesmerized by the sun moving in and out of the clouds which made for beautiful sparkling reflections on the water.
Elsa: Well brother, looks like another pawsome walk around the lake this week. We always enjoy those ‘heart of the city’ adventures. There’s always something interesting to check out even though there are so many people around. Mom swears she’s going to go to a lake outside the neighborhood where there aren’t as many people so she doesn’t get run over by a bicycler or stroller.
Norman: We’ll see if she finds time to go outside the city limits. It’ll mean a car ride and that should prove interesting with both of us in her car. She says I take up a lot of real estate in the back seat.
Elsa: Hahaha, yeah, I think that’s a nice way of saying you ‘got a big butt’ dude. You know we both like riding in the car. So brother, got any big plans for the weekend or are you still rejuvenating after those busy hospital visits? The weather should be pleasant (the wind should move out by tonight) so maybe we’ll get to check out some new sights. I’ve got my paws crossed. Whatever you do, we hope you take in some of nature’s finer views and have a great time.
Norman: Right-o, little one. Oh, before we go, we want to thank everyone who left such nice comments about our blog-aversary this week. It really touched Mum’s heart. You guys are the best.
Greetings and welcome to Day 97 of Winter, Norman here. Before I share some of the sights around our Ranch, I wanted…{Elsa yelling from the other room} “Don’t forget, it was my idea!!”
Norman: Ahem…As I was about to say, before sharing what Nature has looked liked around the Ranch, I wanted to express my deepest gratitude to all the wonderful Gotcha Day wishes from all the readers. You made my day extra special and I appreciate it tremendously.
Norman: {continuing} Now, let’s get to the sharing part of this week’s episode of Nature Friday, shall we? As always, we’re joining the LLB Gang.
Elsa: Yeah, get on with it, Bucko. I got things to do to get ready for the weekend.
Norman: Oh dear, I’m afraid this might be harder than I had hoped with all these interruptions.
Elsa: You want interruptions…don’t get me started, pal. Why I oughta…
Norman: No need to get hostile, Ninja. As I mentioned earlier it seems like Winter has been around forever. After those hyacinths raised their heads up a tad recently (in case you missed it, click here), I was ever so hopeful we would be moving toward more temperate climes. Alas, that is not the case. All those “atmospheric rivers” plaguing the West Coast continue to move west and leave piles of the dreaded white stuff.
Elsa: What do you mean, dreaded? This stuff tastes great.
Norman: {Rolling his eyes} Oh for bloody sake…do I get to do this post or don’t I?
Elsa: Sheesh, lighten up, ya pile of fur!
Norman: So sorry, I don’t mean to sound so harsh. My bad. I just want to be able to deliver my post uninterrupted. {Clearing his throat…continues}. Well as you can see by Elsa’s pose, it snowed…again. I think that was maybe Day 92 of Winter. At any rate, our landscape remains monochromed. Not totally brown anymore but more like 99.99% white.
Elsa: Ooh, ooh {breathlessly interrupting}…did I tell you I saw some brown yesterday? I took a whiff of the afternoon breeze and caught the scent of bunny. Or maybe it was squirrel, I don’t know. Either way…something had definitely marched through my front garden and I had to check it out since I am the protector of the Ranch.
Norman: Ok, moving right along. You know that one downspout that tends to ice up the sidewalk and causes problems when we turn the corner heading back to the dog run? I noticed even you wiped out and your fleet feet are pretty stable.
Elsa: Yeah…once I recovered and got up on all my paws and looked around like “what the dog was that all about!”
Norman: Don’t feel badly. I biffed it there as well. Mum was quite concerned. Seniors like me don’t do well when we fall. She helped me up and slowly guided me so I wouldn’t fall again on the icy sidewalk. I mean, I had patients and staff to visit and being hurt wasn’t on the agenda that morning.
Elsa: I noticed she tried to remediate the situation by spreading some cat litter and it turned into a lovely, squishy, grey goop during the bit of melting that occurred between storms.
Norman: Don’t remind me. It was a bloody mess. Turns out cat litter is not much of a substitute for sand so she cleaned it up as best as she could and then picked some sand up last night in anticipation of the next round of weather expected to move into the area this weekend. She went on a walkabout yesterday afternoon and raved about a cholla cactus she saw. She said it was completely sparkly from its spines to the small icy chunks of snow on it. I looked at her picture and felt badly for her-seems as if winter has clearly pushed her over the edge. All I saw was something poking through the snow with sharp spines. It was hard to see where the spines ended and the clumps of ice began.
Norman: {Shivering} Some of you have admitted you haven’t taken down your Christmas decorations. Well fear not, you’re not alone. When it snowed the other day, Mum was going on and on about this house on her walk. Mum’s…the littlest things seem to amuse them, I just don’t get it. No tree, no decorations, no presents left at our house and she gets giddy about this fenceline.
Elsa: She was just captivated by the snow on the ribbon, that’s all. It’s just a human shortcoming to like stuff like that.
Norman: Well I don’t get it. Course I’m more focused on the flakes that keep making appearances and those slippery walkways.
Norman: There are much better ways to deal with this weather pattern during all these endless days of Winter. For instance, having a good time with a fun toy. And if I can’t play with a toy inside where I’m warm, I enjoy making friends with a policeman and a couple of EMT’s from Lakewood, CO. They were at the Emergency Department when I visited and they just couldn’t get enough of me. I did rather enjoy that.
Elsa: {clearing her throat} Well your pet therapy work is nice and all, but can I just remind you that it really isn’t “Nature-centric?”
Norman: Perhaps not, but how could I resist such a swell group of chaps on my Gotcha Day?
Elsa: Oh jeez. You are shameless, you know that, right?
Norman: I beg your pardon. I’m just trying to show everyone there’s more to life than just drab brown or crystal white in life. That’s all.
Elsa: W.h.a.t.e.v.e.r…let’s wrap it up, big guy.
Norman: Roger, dear sister. We both hope you have a pawsome weekend and are able to get outside and enjoy some of Nature.
Well…here’s a change of pace for you. Elsa here. It’s a Monday (FYI, that’s not the change, that comes whether we like it or not) but instead of a Monday Musings post, I’m here to tell you today is that big oaf Norman’s Gotcha Day. Three years ago as COVID was still kind of hiding in the background, and my pogo-stick of a brother Sam was still the Concierge of the Ranch, Mom brought home this enormous pile of fur. A huge new brother that turned us Knuckleheads into a terrific trio. Sadly it would only be for a short time since our precious brother Sam decided that Mom was left in Norman’s capable paws. Happy Gotcha day, dude. I may be a pill to you at times, but you’ve turned into a pretty special boy and I am glad that you enjoy the limelight since it allows me to continue refining my Ninja skills in the background without a lot of front stage scrutiny.. Us Ninja’s like being in the shadows.
From your first car ride, it was clear you were going to be a nice addition. So doggone polite, sheesh. Is that because you’re a British breed? Us poodles might learn a thing or two about getting along with everyone from you. Then again…why should we have to?
I will say, you were a fast learner which helped me out because that meant I didn’t have to teach you how to, for instance, walk nicely on a leash.
Mom was a bit surprised though by one of your traits as she specifically had asked the foster if you got up on the furniture. He said and I quote, “Never!” Erm…so ten minutes after you arrived…how do you explain this?
But no matter, that’s one of Mom’s favorite pics of you and whenever she sees you hogging up on the sofa, she laughs out loud. Thanks for making my Mom smile, big guy.
Right away Mom thought you’d be a welcome addition to the pet therapy program at Lutheran and that you’d manage to fill Sam’s paws quite nicely as soon as the hospital reopened and she was right. Too bad that just as you began the approval process, the hospital shut down for the next 18 months. But eventually they reopened (better late than never, right). But she had no clue how much the nurses and staff would be filled with joy whenever you make hospital rounds. They frequently shower you with treats, toys as well as loads of attention. So sorry you have to work on your Bark Day but I’m sure they’ll make it worth your while this week.
You continue to charm Mom by letting her dress you up (and ridiculously I might add…but hey, whatever floats your boat). Sure glad somebody enjoys it…count me out!
You’ve been a great sport every since you lumbered into the Ranch.
And for all that and so much more, you deserve a pawsome Gotcha Day. Happy Barkday, fuzzball.
It may be the last Friday of 2022, and even though we haven’t posted much lately, we could not let this week’s Nature sights not be shared. As always, we’re joining our pals from the LLB Gang.
We hope you had a lovely Christmas celebration. Returning home, I noticed what might have been a few bargain hunters lining up early at a local WalMart probably waiting to make returns.
Once back at home, Norman did his last visits for 2022. The big guy was quite grateful that the days he visited early in the week coincided with the top end of the extremes we encountered. This graphic taken from last night’s weather showing the high and low temps. Understand this turn-around happened in a mere 24-hour period. We’re still recovering from the whiplash.
Once again I headed down south to spend the Christmas holiday weekend with my Dad and other family members. It’s always a good excuse for all the good cooks in the family to showcase their skills. From brisket to lasagne and everything in between, we had quite the feast.
The sunrises this past week have been beyond incredible. Rising early to catch up on computer work before the others rose, I was blown away by the vibrant colors shining in the living room. Adjectives seem totally inadequate to describe them.
Then yesterday Winter tapped me on the shoulder and said thanks for holding my beer and promptly dumped over 8 inches of very wet, white stuff. It was more like a Spring storm than one that is typical right now. There were lots of fallen branches around town though my street was luckily unscathed.
It also took hours to plow the sidewalks. While this time of year often becomes reflective on all that’s happened throughout, the top question of my introspection continues to be: “remind me again why I bought a house on an oversized corner lot?”
Despite several hours of shoveling, it was a beautiful sight. Not sure if it was beautiful enough to warrant a repeat performance but the weather folks cautioned residents to not put the snow shovel away just yet. A fresh storm is forecasted to welcome the New Year.
While I’ve often shared how Norman isn’t a fan of cold or snow, no one can say this boy doesn’t know how to effectively deal with it…as in stay inside no matter what. Elsa may go bouncing outside in deep swirling snowflakes like a loon, Norman is more low keyed and prefers the warmth of the sofa. With blankets.
That’s it from us for 2022. We want to wish you all a safe and very Happy 2023. Stay warm, hug your loved ones and don’t forget to enjoy the amazing beauty Nature provides.
Hiya, remember us? Today is the first day I’ve actually felt well enough to post. Man, oh man…that COVID bug sure leveled me and once I got over it, I had no creative juices. Enter Dogtor Norman to provide relief to me as well as others.
We didn’t get a chance to visit at the hospital in November so when we were asked to provide a bit of stress relief, e.g. a spot of pet therapy for shoppers at our favorite store, Orvis, well we jumped at the chance. Since I’m über sensitive about all the assorted bugs/viruses floating around these days just waiting to muck up the holidays, I masked up like crazy, used plenty of hand sanitizer and brought a nice batch of treats for Dogtor Norman for our visit with customers and staff. The manager had specifically requested that Norman be one of the canine attendees and…well I mean, who are we to not want to make that happen, especially when we totally love the store? This lady was particularly taken with Norman and after she and her husband shopped, she returned multiple times to spend a few moments with the big guy. It’s always inspiring to see folks with physical limitations make special efforts to administer a few tender ear rubs particularly in jammed retail spaces. Making the effort to navigate around store’s that are filled with merchandise and customers, her attention was especially touching.
With COVID, RSV, flu cases and inflation putting a damper on holiday festivities, folks are beginning to realize there are less than three weeks until Santa makes his midnight run to houses all over the world. Shopping for the holidays can be stressful for some folks but ever the professional, Norman knows just how to fix holiday stress for young and old alike.
When taking pics of kids with Norman, I’m extra sensitive about posting them online without obscuring their faces. Alas, with the latest update to Apple’s OS, I’ve been experiencing some issues with the photo editing process. This was the best I could do for this sweet little girl’s face. She told me they had two mastiffs at home and totally loved big dogs. Norman was equally smitten with her-giving her a nice hug while she laid on the floor next to him while her Dad shopped. He kept checking on her to make sure she wasn’t a problem. I love it when parents are attentive to their children’s well being as well as Norman’s. We don’t mind being an unofficial ‘kid wrangler,’ but feel like too many folks are more than happy to simply dump their kids on complete strangers. This kind of thoughtful parent ranks right at the top of the “good’ list and I genuinely hope their holidays are very merry and bright.
What’s a Monday around the Ranch without a smile to start out a busy week during the holidays? I’ve always enjoyed the Marmaduke cartoons and hope this one makes you smile like it did me.
We may not have been to the North Pole lately, but finally feel well enough to get cracking with holiday preparations. With time being of the essence, it’s time to get cracking. While I no longer put up a tree, a few holiday embellishments will come out of storage to brighten things up. And I did manage to even knock out the Christmas cards. Yay.
Here’s hoping life has been treating you well and your stress levels are low as you head toward the big day. Make it a ‘pawsome’ week.
Greetings, mates. Norman here. Welcome to Monday of Thanksgiving week in the US. Remember us? We apologize for being absent for so long. Mum decided to get sick with COVID so I’ve been busy making lots of hospital rounds to make sure she gets well. She finally turned the corner under my and Elsa’s special care though she’s still very tired most of the time and it will likely take some time for her to get back to full strength. At least she no longer sounds like a barking seal coughing so there is that in the plus column.
Here I am this morning during one of my many daily rounds, taking her vital signs.
“Ah, let’s see, while your blood pressure looks good…just remember I haven’t released you for work yet, Mum. You need to go back to bed and continue to rest. Dogtor’s orders!”
May I just say, we’ve missed you all and hope to start visiting all of your blogs and hope you’ll be patient as we catch up. Any comments will likely be small, but our Thanksgiving week wishes will be huge as you celebrate the howl-iday with your friends and family. We’re so grateful for you all.
As you can see Mum finally opened her computer, and lo and behold, she found out I’m the Pet Therapy Dog of the Month at Lutheran. Too bad we won’t be able to visit my hospital friends this month until Mum is cleared to go back to work. I was so hoping I’d be able to hear all their congratulations but hopefully they’ll still be glad to see me the next time we go back to visit. As this is my first time being honored, I’m quite chuffed.
And lastly, in other news, we’re pausing for a moment of respect to honor Mexico’s beloved search and rescue dog, Frida, the Golden Lab, who recently passed away. Frida worked earthquakes and natural disasters in Mexico, Haiti and Ecuador. You may recall hearing about her brave rescue work during the Mexico City earthquake in 2017. You can read a bit about her amazing rescue work here. We’re sure our beloved Sam greeted her at the gates of the Rainbow Bridge with a furiously wagging tail, welcoming this amazing dog whose work brought respect to dogs throughout Mexico. Well done, Frida. Good girl.
With that, we wish you a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday week.
While it may be Monday, chasing a ball as a form of therapy won’t be necessary since Norman will be visiting the hospital this week. Assuming I can get him out of bed this morning, that is. We had the teensiest speck of snow last night and the big guy is taking his sweet time getting up from the smallest bed in the house. Let’s just say Elsa wasn’t amused he bogarted her bed. Luckily everyone just snuggled in their respective spots staying cozy and allowing the storm pass. Today will be crisp but sunny. Typical weather for Halloween week. Sorry kids.
Here’s hoping your Monday is full of joy and sunshine.
