My New Year's Adventures

Life has been so busy and exciting that Grandma Wendy hasn't had time to help me get this post online! The first weekend of 2009 we went to a United Kennel Club (UKC) Conformation Show in New Kent, VA with Brother Tank and Grandma Kathy. I earned more points and came home with lots of blue ribbons and 2 Reserve Best Male/Female ribbons. I am hot stuff!

Grandma Wendy's been under the weather since New Year's so I brought her a present in bed. She thanked me -- but only after squealing and dragging me out of her room. You see, I found one of the younger Guinea Fowl in MY dog yard, so I picked it up and ran it in to Grandma to cheer her up -- right through the doggie door with half-bro Miller right behind me. Lots of feathers fluttered into bed when I plopped the bird in front of her. Then the bird flew around the room and crash landed in the big sunken bath tub behind the bed. I got a doggie treat in the kitchen while Grandma chased the bird around the room a few times and finally caught it behind the cabinet. It would have been faster if she let me help.... Oh, the Guinea's fine. I have such a soft mouth! What a good retriever am I!

The next day I got a bloody scrape right by my eye and Grandmas Kathy and Wendy made me wear an e-collar (CONE) and meds for 2 days. How embarrassing! I couldn't even pee for the first 8 hours because every time I sniffed a good spot, it disappeared when I lifted my leg! Grandpa Wayne even tried to get me started with a little demo but I just couldn't get the hang of peeing if I couldn't see my target. Anyway, after an 8-hour dry spell, I couldn't wait any longer so I peed blind -- not very satisfying but it provided the necessary relief. Butt-sniffing, drinking, and eating were also challenging with the e-collar. My people kept making fun on me and calling me "Conehead". Grandma Wendy took the cone off yesterday afternoon but says I still have a pink scar. Doesn't bother me!

Christmas Eve

Waiting for Santa is SOOOOOOOOOOO hard! Gramma Wendy gave me a nice big beef bone yesterday. Auntie Molson and Brother Miller got bones, too. We've worked on them a lot and that has helped us wait. Cousin Ralphie, the Welsh Corgi, is still in his new house in Ohio with JeremyDaddy. We miss him a lot. Things are very quiet here without him.

We Labs dressed up in our Christmas Sweaters for family photographs this week. That's me in my favorite armchair. Poor Miller couldn't walk very well in his. He's a lot bigger than Mo and Me. Molson didn't like putting hers on or taking it off because she's got arthritis and it hurt her achy bones. Anyway, Gramma Wendy told Miss Mo and Mr. Miller they didn't have to put their sweaters on again. I think that might mean I'll be dressing up when I go to Massanutten for my Winter Break this week!

I don't know what's going on with the roosters today but one is in the big bird cage outside the window by my favorite armchair. He is very excited about something. Maybe Santa? Two other roosters are inside the Henspa porch with the laying hens (they give me EGGS for Christmas!) and the big Guinea. The two little Guineas are inside the Henspa but they have a special little door on the side so they can go in to eat and sleep and come out to play or get a drink. All those birds are very excited and keep making fun noises and running around. The only chickens running loose today are Frankie and Nancy Sumatra and Frankie's son. Something different is going on...I just can't figure it out.