Monday, August 24, 2009

Sunday, August 23rd

Not much to tell today. We traveled to Amarillo, TX. We saw 3 picnic areas and 1 parking area on the way to Amarillo and not a single rest area. I guess humans in TX don't need to pee when they're on the road.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Saturday, August 22nd

Well Mom is a little bummed today because she didn't get to see her friend Aaron. I'm a lot bummed because I didn't get to play with the boxer dogs. Aaron called Mom this morning to tell her that his mother-in-law went into the hospital last night and things weren't going well so they were packing up to go to NJ. I sure hope things turn around for her. Mom invited Aaron to drop by anytime he's in FL since he travels so much with his job, but that still means I don't get to play with the boxer dogs.

So instead we had a lazy day. We did go out and get some lunch, but then Mom wanted to get out of her wheelchair so we came back and lazed around. Dad took a nap and Mom played around on her computer. She just now let me blog. Tomorrow we're off to Amarillo, TX.

Friday, August 21st.

Today was yet another travel day in the car. We went from AZ to NM today. The weather is much nicer here in AZ. Here are some pictures that Dad took.

This one is of Mom and I at a rest stop in AZ that had a scenic view.



I do have a complaint about this scenic view thing. Why aren't the telescopes low enough for me to use?



Later on the trip we stopped at a rest stop in NM. This place was amazing...go ahead guess why...give up? They actually had a fenced in area for us dogs to run around in. It was like going to a little dog park...I just wish there had been other dogs there to play with.

Mom made Dad take this picture of me in a tree...yeah I climbed up there in the trunk. Mom thinks it is one of my best pictures ever.



After that, Dad took a few pictures of the mountains which he thought were pretty.





Tomorrow we are going to see a friend of Mom's. I overheard her on the phone talking about his two boxer puppies that I get to play with!! Sounds like another good day to me!!

Friday, August 21, 2009

Thursday, August 20th

Well it was such a busy day that I'm a day behind in posting. I had so much fun that I was just too pooped to blog as you can see. So here is what all happened.



Aunt Alice picked up my cousin John in the morning, and they came to the hotel to meet me (well OK maybe Mom and Dad too). We all went to the mall and ate lunch...actually they ate lunch...once again I was left to lie on the floor and try to behave as Mom would say. Afterwards, Aunt Alice had to go home to get some sleep since she had to work that night. The rest of us hung out at the mall until Uncle Fred got off work, and then we all went to cousin John's house.

On the way there, I saw more famous people on the side of the road. First it was those CA cows on the commercials and now it was all those cactus' that are on the commercials for Taco Time!! Don't you think that all these famous people would make enough money to get a house or something so they didn't have to live on the side of the road?

So guess what? When we got to cousin John's house, there was Bruce waiting to meet me. I was so thrilled to see another dog and get to play.





Dad even took a video for me so that I wouldn't forget how much fun I was having.



Here is a picture of Uncle Fred and cousin John being silly. I just want to know why John gets to stand on the furniture, but Bruce and I weren't allowed? It just doesn't seem fair to me.



Later on we went back to the house where Uncle Fred and Aunt Alice are staying until they get their own house. They are living with Amy's parents (Mark and Lillian). They had what smelled to me like a wonderful meal. Mom did tell me how proud she was of me for behaving so well at Mark and Lillian's home.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Wednesday, August 19th

Another hot day in AZ, but it was a fun day! I don't think I've ever had so much water. I'm usually very picky about when and if I decide to drink, but not since we hit this heat. Mom, Dad, and I were sitting out on the lanai waiting for Uncle Fred and Aunt Alice to get there. I think the heat has affected Uncle Fred's mind because he was convinced that I had forgotten him since he left to move to AZ back in April. He was a little hurt that I was a bit more excited to see Aunt Alice though. Here are some pictures on the lanai.











After that reunion, we went back to our hotel room and waited for Uncle Fred to take a shower. Boy did he looked wiped out after working in that heat all day. Once we got back in the room, Aunt Alice gave me an apple that we had picked up in the lobby...it was yummy!!



Later we met Lillian (the mother of my cousin's wife) at the mall and walked around until the whole gang met at Red Robin to celebrate Uncle Fred's birthday. I loved walking around the mall, but I hate it when they make me go under the table at restaraunts. Here's two pictures of me trying to look like the poor little pitiful puppy dog that Aunt Alice keeps calling me.





Here is a picture of my cousin John.



This is a picture of his wife Amy.



Here is a picture of Amy's sister Melissa and her husband Tory.



This is a picture of Uncle Fred enjoying his birthday sundae compliments of Red Robin.



Here is the last picture which includes John, Amy, Melissa, Tory, Lillian, and Mark (Amy's dad).



By the time we came out of Red Robin it was dark and the temperature was still 106 degrees...amazing.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Tuesday, August 18th

Today was HOT!! Do not believe anyone who tells you that 115 degrees isn't hot whether it's dry or wet!!

I left the hotel with Mom and Dad this morning, and it was just beautiful outside. When we stopped in Blythe for lunch it was 109 degrees. Wow is that hot on my poor feet!! Mom says I was doing a prancy dance and said she might have to get me some of those dog booties. I don't know if I'd like that or not. And would someone tell me what happened to the grass? I am not fond of doing my business on rocks!!

Well not much else to say for today. I get to visit with all my peeps here in AZ tomorrow so I'll be sure to have Dad snap some pictures of me. Right now Mom and Dad are too busy watching Big Brother so I'm not allowed to bother them which is OK with me because that means I get to play on the computer.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Monday, August 17th

Well first let me wish a big 'ole HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my Uncle Fred!

Today was a lazy day in the hotel. Mom calls me a lazy boy. You know what? Dad took me outside earlier and took a few pictures from the hotel here and I've got a store named after me...I knew I was famous!!





Here's a picture of me waiting for Mom to stop playing Farmville so that I can blog. I tried putting my head on her hand so she couldn't move the mouse, but she just made me move and said I had to wait for my turn on the computer!



And here's two more pictures of me in front of the hotel here in Santa Clarita. I don't know why they keep on insisting on these silly pictures. I mean really, do I look like I'm having a good time?



Sunday, August 16, 2009

Sunday, August 16th

Wow...it was hot today!! I'm not sure I'm gonna like this FL thing, but somehow I don't think I have a vote here!! We drove from from Stockton to Santa Clarita today. I got to tell ya that the mountain views in CA don't hold a candle to WA. The hills are mostly brown with dead grass...very few trees. Well then again, there were a lot of trees in the places that Mom called orchards at the bottom of the mountains. Hey, maybe all the trees fell off the dead mountains and started growing in the orchards. I know I saw some orange trees and some grapes, but Mom said that place was called a vineyard. I also saw lots of corn fields both green and healthy and brown and dead. I saw lots of sheep and horses. I also saw a whole field of what Mom called sunflowers, but they were dead too. I don't get how those flowers can be sunflowers...I mean the sun is the sky and the flowers are down here? Oh and I saw those famous CA cows that are on TV and thought I'd ask Dad to stop so I could get their autographs, but then I thought, "Heck I'm cuter, and I have my own blog so forget those silly cows."

Mom plays this game on Facebook called Farmville. She said that seeing all these orchards, vineyards, and animals was like driving through the game as if it was real.

We have another magic bed at the hotel here so I get to sleep with Mom again. I wonder if Dad thinks I'm gloating when I just lay here and smile? No pictures today, but we'll be here for two days so I'll be sure I get a few Kodak moments out of Dad tomorrow.

Saturday, August 15th

Today we traveled from Medford, OR to Stockton, CA. Mom and Dad were tired so they didn't get out of the hotel until a little after noon. It was a LONG day in the car...boring...so there isn't much to write for today. We stopped a few times for more of this resting thing (thanks Grandma Ruth for explaining that to me), and we stopped for a late lunch and to put gas in the car. We didn't get to the hotel until 8:00 so Dad unloaded the car, and we all went to bed. I tried to sneak onto the computer to blog, but Mom was watching me too close. Here is a picture of me at one of those rest stop places.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Friday, August 14th

Finally, I think that ya'll will be totally caught up after this. Today Dad went and got them breakfast in the lobby again. Then he packed up the van and off we went towards our next hotel.

Along the way, we stopped at this place that Mom called a rest stop. I didn't see much resting going on. Mom walked me around so that I could go potty, but otherwise it looked to me like people were just walking around in and out of their cars to this building. How exactly does that constitute resting? I sure wasn't resting. There were so many smells it was like sensory overload. I think Mom said my eyes glazed over from shear happiness to get out of the van.

Later on we stopped at McDonald's for lunch. At least they let me go in this time even though I still didn't get anything to eat. Oh but when we finally did get to the hotel in some place called Medford, OR, I got to have one of the apples that Aunt Liz and Grandma Blanche had brought to me back in Portland.

Mom and Dad are kind of tired so they haven't taken any pictures today, but they are happy that the beds are good here. We have a magic bed, but we don't have to use it. I'll bet they take one before we leave the hotel tomorrow. If so, I'll put it up here for ya'll to see. Mom says it's sleepy time so goodnight to all of you following my blog. I must say though that for a puppy who has so many people reading about his adventure, there is a strong lack of comments for all my effort to blog this. Do you even realize how hard it is to type with paws?

This is the picture that Dad took before we left the hotel in Medford. The flowers were pretty, but boy was that pavement hot!! Dad had to take that picture quick, and I was distracted as you can tell.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Thursday, August 13th

OK so on Thursday, Dad woke up early and went to the lobby to get him and Mom some breakfast again. I fail to understand why he never brings anything back for me, but they said I had to eat the food they brought for me...oh well. After eating, Mom fell back asleep. I think Dad did too. Anyway we were a little late getting over to see Dad's family, but we finally made it around 1:30ish.

Mom had Dad take my ball machine out of the car, and I got to play. That was so much fun. I really haven't been able to play much lately with all that packing that was going on. I had a great time and then my cousins walked me up the street to the park and ran around with me...more fun!!

Later on they all went to dinner and left me in the car this time. They couldn't leave me at Aunt Liz's place because their kitties didn't seem to like me very much. Can you believe that? Why doesn't everyone love me? I fail to understand it.

So later on, Aunt Liz showed me the pictures she took at dinner. Goodness there was enough food there to feed me and all my friends!! Why didn't they bring me any?



This is only part of what was on Uncle Darryn's plate. They told me that the biscuit weighed like a pound and was six inches tall. When Uncle Darryn got finished there was nothing left on the plate. Dad says Uncle Darryn cleaned his plate as well as I clean my bowl every night.



This picture shows Uncle Darryn, Asleigh, Courtney (Michael's girlfriend), Michael, and Grandma Blanche.



This is a picture of Dad with one of his favorite meals...country fried steak! I want to try it too so I can see why Dad thinks it is so good, but he won't let me.

After dinner we went back to Aunt Liz's house to watch Big Brother. Humans are weird enough without locking a bunch of strangers up in a house together. Grandma Blanche gave me a few plastic bottles to chew up while they watched TV so I was happy, and we all know that's all that matters. Then it was off to the hotel to get some sleep.

Wednesday, August 12th

Like I was saying...Mom got dressed on the floor...that was funny!! Of course that was after Dad got up earlier and went to the lobby and got them something to eat for breakfast. Mom and Dad said that this was the day we were officially starting on our trip to FL, but we had a few errands to run before hitting the road. Guess where we went?? One of my favorite places in the whole world!! We went to the bank. Mom says we won't get to go to this bank anymore but that we'll find a new bank in FL, and she's sure they will love me as much as the peeps at this bank do. Here is a picture of my final trip to the bank.



So then we were on our way to Portland, OR. I was going to get a chance to see Aunt Liz, Uncle Darryn, my two cousins Ashleigh and Michael, and my Grandma Blanche!! As it turns out, I only got to see Aunt Liz and Grandma Blanche tonight, but they promised I'd get to play with everyone else tomorrow!! Then again they left me in the hotel while they went out to have dinner. I'm really not fond of this being left behind thing!!

Here is a silly picture of me in front of the hotel that Mom made me sit still for while Dad snapped away with the camera.



Oh I almost forgot...this bed thing must be pretty common in hotels. Once again, the bed had a box under it, but it was OK because there was this couch, and when you took the cushions off, this bed magically appeared from inside it. It was amazing!! Mom and Dad seemed happier than the night before because it was easy to get her into the magic bed. Only thing Dad didn't like was that it was two small for the both of them to sleep in so he slept in the regular bed. I didn't mind though because there was plenty of room for me to sleep with Mom. And you know what else? The lady I met at the front desk of the hotel, she brought me a cookie and some hazelnuts and a bottle of sparkling cider. She was very sorry that we had to use the magic bed. My mean Momma wouldn't let me have any of the snacks though!!

Tuesday, August 11th

Well here I am again. Mom finally said it was OK for me to blog tonight since it isn't too late yet so maybe I can get all my peeps caught up on my travels so far.

On Tuesday I think hell must of froze over or there were pigs flying or some such thing because Mom and Dad were awake and getting up at 5:00 am!! It's a good thing my bed sits close to the floor because otherwise I might have fallen out and got a concussion. So then they left me at home when they went out around 6:45 am...the nerve!! I didn't know where they were going at such an hour, but oh did I figure it out when they got home. Those little woofers went out to breakfast without me!! I know the smell of Family Pancake House when it wafts off their breath while saying hi to me and acting all innocent!!

Later on these two guys I had never met came to our house. Mom says they were there to help pack all our stuff into that big white box in the driveway. I never realized how much stuff Mom and Dad have. It sure wasn't my stuff because Mom threw out all my old toys that I had ripped apart. I don't know why...I'm sure there was still plenty of good chewabale hours left in those toys!! But, you know what? She bought me my very own cow to take on our trip. He's kind of flat for a cow and squeaks instead of mooing, but I like him anyway.

Here is a picture of the big white box with just a little of Mom and Dad's stuff in it.



After those guys left, I had a special visitor...my puppy raiser Lisa came to say goodbye. I was so excited!! She brought my mom a card and a small calendar for next year with black lab puppies in it. That has got to be the best calendar ever except they forgot to put me in there! Here's a picture of me with Lisa.



When Uncle David came home he helped Dad finish packing stuff in the big white box. We were all so tired after that. Dad said he had muscles that hurt that he didn't even now he had. After that we went to the Hampton Inn up in Lynnwood to spend the night because those guys had packed the beds. I mean really...what were they thinking? Don't they know we need beds to sleep on? So then you know what? They did it again!! They left me in the hotel and went to have dinner with Uncle David.

That's OK though because I got a real good laugh watching Dad try to get Mom into bed later on that night. There was this box thing under the bed and Dad was fussing up a storm, but he managed through it all to get Mom in the bed. It was funny the next morning too because Dad helped Mom get dressed on the floor. They said it was easier than trying to get on the bed again. I've never seen Mom down on my level before. Oh well on to Wednesday...

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Monday, August 10th

On Monday there were more goodbyes to be said so I took Mom and Dad up to the Summit office so that I could say goodbye to all my friends there. I had a great time because I got to play with another puppy named Gizzly. He's younger than me, but my trainer Wendy says he's my Uncle. Something about his father is my grandfather. All these relations just get me so confused. What do I care...he was full of energy and it was fun playing tug-of-war with him. Just look at what a good time I'm having!!



Mom insisted on Dad taking a picture of her with the Summit girls even though a few of them weren't there. Personally I don't get why anyone would want a picture that didn't include me but who am I to judge?



Before leaving I had to have a picture with my trainer Wendy. She's such a goofball because she actually thought I was going to sit still for this. Really I'm just trying to pay her back for dressing me up in strange costumes at Halloween while I was in training.



After we left Summit, I went to say goodbye to Dad's foot doctor and all the nurses. I love going there because they give me treats and spoil me rotten...at least that's what Dad says, but I just think he's jealous because they care more about seeing me than him!!! Here are some pictures...



This is Fran...she always calls me "blessed one"...she's smart huh?



This is Dr. Cocheba and Pam. She refused to sit still so he hog tied her long enough for Dad to snap this picture.



This is Nina. She's a sweetie too! I never got to see her much, but she was always saying hi to me when we did see her.



This is Patricia. She's my little Spanish girlfriend. I love her!!



This is Brian. He took good care of my Dad when he had his original foot surgery at the hospital, but then moved over to Dr. Cocheba's office at the Wound Care Clinic. He's such a nice guy too!



This is Lisa and Patricia. Lisa wishes she was my girlfriend, but Patricia would never let that happen. See how she's holding her down?

After all that, I got home to see this big white box in the driveway. Uncle David took some pictures for me to see how they delivered it since I couldn't be there. Mom says that all my stuff (and some of their's too I guess) was going in this box to be shipped to FL so we could put it in the new house.







I have more to tell you still to catch you up, but Mom is insisting that it is late, and she is tired so I have to get off the computer now. I'll write more later.

Sunday, August 9th

Well finally I'm on the road to FL. I guess I should backtrack a few days to tell you about all the things that happened before we went on this little adventure. Let's see...

On Sunday my Mom's friend Michelle and her partner Jeaneen were nice enough to bring my bestest buddy in the whole world to say goodbye to me. Oh boy did we have a rough and tumble good time in the living room. But then it was time for Michelle to say goodbye to my Mom. Here are some pictures my Dad took.



This is Hayden's Mom and my Mom being silly and waving goodbye to the camera.



This is Hayden's "other mama" Jeaneen.



No matter how many times Mom told Michelle not to cry, Hayden and I knew it was hopeless so we both brought her some Kleenex. You know us service dogs go through special training to be this smart!!



I really tried to convince Mom that I wanted to stay with Hayden, but she made me get out of his car before they left.