THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER ... Um, FALL ... Um, IS IT WINTER YET? Yep.

Yes, I know I haven't blogged for quite a while.  But I'm still alive and well.  Grandma is, too, and so are the MEE-yows.


I had my birthday!  "Mr. Big Ugly" (my PR dad) wasn't there this year, but I thought of him.  He would have liked seeing me in this getup (see above).  At least he would have made some sort of smart-aleck remark about it.


I still have my job at the George Mark Children's House.  If you recall, it's a place for children who have life-limiting illnesses.  

Here I am with Baby George and his family.  He was precious.  This picture was taken at the summer picnic; Baby George is in heaven now.


On Independence Day, I celebrated very quietly - unusual for me.  But my vet had taken a lump off my foot, and he decided that, while I needed to enjoy the Fourth of July temperately, I also needed decoration no matter what.  (I'm fine!)



Here I am at one of my other jobs - Paws to Read.  Honestly, I don't know which of my jobs I like best - they're all fun.  You're seeing me at Walnut Creek, reading to - well, actually, letting kids read to me.  Sometimes children will read to dogs when they won't read to anyone else.



And here I am with a really special friend at Camp Arroyo.  That's a camp disabled kids get to go to for two weeks every year.  I love camp life!  It's nice to have so many friends.

I don't just work; I go to school, too!  Here I am with my friend Thelma, and our teacher Laura.  We're in the (ahem) advanced obedience class.



I also help puppy-sit, just the way other people used to puppy-sit me when I was a pup and my PRs had to leave home.  Here we are with Stanford.  He's quite a handful - er, I mean, quite an interesting character!




I'm back at Paws to Read in this one.  It was Halloween dress-up evening at the library.  

This is another favorite job:  Tony LaRussa's Animal Rescue Foundation.  This was their Halloween party.  Man, that hay was tickly.  (And speaking of Tony LaRussa, hooray for the World Series-winning St. Louis Cardinals!)


That brings me up to November.  One day Grandma took me out front, on leash.  She had me sit, and we watched a car pull in the driveway.  Then the people got out, and they were... my puppy raisers!  My dad said (this should be no surprise to you), "Hello, Big Ugly!"  I was so excited I could hardly stand it.  


Did I forget my good CCI manners?  Well, let's just say that what happens at home stays at home....


We had a great time!  I showed off games like "Which Hand Has the Treat?"  

My dad got really good with that one.

Here I am with my PR mom and dad...

...and my lovely Grandma who takes care of me and buys me such silly costumes.  Ahhh!


I introduced my puppy raisers to my MEE-yows.





This is Mocha.  She is 13 years old and has lived in this house since she was just a tiny kitten.  She sleeps with Grandma and me.  Mocha likes to "play the harp" on my torso - but her claws are sharp!  So I exert my authority... by getting up and moving to the other side of the bed.

Grandma rescued Muffin II when she (Muffin) was about a year old.  I grab her neck, and she licks my face.  Sometimes she even nips me, but it doesn't hurt.  Muffin is a foodie, so I have to eat my dinner all up before she has a chance to get in it.


Both MEE-yows have very weird eyes, as cats do (let's not say anything about dogs).  If Grandma ran short of cash for dog treats, she could rent Mocha and Muffin out as reflective markers for the neighbors' driveways.

...Be afraid... be very afraid.  This is what nightmares (and empty food bowls) are made of.

We had Thanksgiving at home, and I always have a lot to be thankful for.  Um, do I get my treat?











I wanted to dress up as a New England Thanksgiving Indian - but it turned out I dressed up as a Thanksgiving Mexican instead.  This dog looks good in any costume of any country!


Now it's close to Christmas time.  Christmas is great.  There will be more parties to attend - in costume, of course, I'm sure - and people to visit.  I think of my Creator at Christmas and how much He has done for this world and the dogs in it - and the cats, and the people.  And I have some special presents for Grandma.  I hope she has some for me, too.


Here's my Christmas photo.  May your days be merry and bright!