Momsmom is Gone

Momsmom passed over the Bridge yesterday. She was 89 years old. I will miss her. Mom is missing her so much.

I'm Dogster's Dog Of The Day !!!

What a surprise!!! Never thought I would be chosen Dog Of The Day! Thank you, HQ!

Thank you William & Family; River; Billie Joseph & Family; Sally; Toulouse; Gio & Romeo; Bea, Arthur & Ben for the Special Gifts; Ziggy; Bella; Cruiser & Family; MooMoo; Gypsy & Family for the Rosettes; Sassy; Murphy Aries/Pepper Aries & Family; Gray Dawntreader and Zoe for the Stars.

Thank you to Sandy, Rascal & Whisky; Bizkit, Sluggo, Sneakers & Emilio; Bonnie; Rowdy & Keeper; Bear, Goose & Amber; Gypsy, Butterball, Pixie & Sitka; River & Clover; Star & Shadow; Tanko, Lobo, Jack & The Whole Crew; Belle Joseph, Punkin & Teddy; Cruiser, Ciano, Aten & Maddie; Bravo; Avalanche Chaser; Daisy & Ella; Scotch B., Chriscairns T.T., Rob Roy, Cassie & Cheyenne; Percy; Scarlett; Dozer & Micky for their friend requests. A dog can never have too many friends!

Collie cuddles to all of you!
Amber

I've Been Tagged!!

I've been tagged by Sylvie. I have to list 7 facts about myself and then tag 7 of my friends.

The 7 Facts:

1. I'm trying to catch that old opossum that keeps coming in our yard at night. I don't know what I'm going to do when I catch him, but I'll worry about that when it happens.

2. After everyone goes to sleep, I jump up on the couch and sleep there for the night. No one knows I do this, hee hee.

3. I play with our cat, Apollo. He has a good sense of humor and is a good egg.

4. When I was little I would get car sick, but I don't anymore. I can't wait to go for a ride!

5. My Collie group -- Holy Collies -- say I'm the old-fashioned, English type Collie.

6. I like to wrestle with Mom

7. I love my rope (toy) and will carry it all around the yard.

My 7 friends who I tagged are:

Rusty #795060
Mrs. Dolly Parton #801758
Skye Bella #915586
Reggie #633966
Emma #658660
Dart #853720
Aries #813782

Collie cuddles to all !!!
Amber

My friend, B'Elanna, is gone . . .

She went to the Bridge the other night.
She was my second mom. . . my big sister. . . my friend.
What am I going to do without her?

She wasn't afraid of anything — standing in the front yard barking her defiance to the world. Ever watchful, she stood while behind her I played and cavorted with my rope or ball or stick.

I arrived here a dumb pup and she taught me the ropes; how to track rabbits, how to chase squirrels, how to race along the fence line, how to use all my senses in distinguishing what visitors were allowed on the property and which needed to be kept on the outside of the fence until Mom told us it was OK.

B'Elanna was so wise. She knew when I had to go outside and would come to Mom to let her know. She taught me the joys of riding in the truck, sticking your head out the window and letting the wind blow through your fur, delicious scents up the nostrils, the sun on your face. When Mom called us, I looked to B'Elanna first, waiting for her to come, then following her.

But I think I will miss most of all the little things: barking and growling as we went outside, jousting and making enough noise to make it sound like a pack of a dozen were exploding out the door . . . leaning and bouncing off her as we ran, just knowing she was there to protect me . . . racing around the dining room table — I did all the racing, B'Elanna stood in one spot, butt up in the air and barking encouragingly at me as I raced ‘round and ‘round the table . . . fang wrestling as we laid face to face, growling and pretending to be aggressive to each other over a toy that she would always let me have . . . howling together — well, B'Elanna and Mom howled, I barked . . . eating our special treat of ice cream cones together — B'Elanna would always wolf hers down, then watch as I slowly licked mine . . . playing tug-of-war — never try to out-tug an Airedale, you will lose!

It's been a long time since I had a diary entry but this one will be my most special one, for my friend, B'Elanna was so special to me. Love you forever, B'Elanna!!!

‘Til we meet again . . .
Your loving friend . . . .
~Amber~

A Toy In Every Room

OK. I have plenty of toys. Well, OK . . . . most of them are B'Elanna's toys. But she lets me play with them. And, since this past Christmas was my first Christmas here, I really DO have my own toys: the plush wolf pup, the plush octopus, the tug, the plush football.

Anyway. So I don't have to carry my toys from room to room, I just make sure that there is a toy in every room. That way, when I come into a room -- instant toy!!! Sometimes I even keep two toys in a room. I know . . . . they're B'Elanna's toys, but hey, we have so many toys now they all don't fit in the toy box anymore. So I really don't understand why Mom keeps picking them up and putting them in that overstuffed toy box.

And I try to color-coordinate. The pink pig in the bathroom; the moose in the living room; the reindeer and the snowman's head in the den; and, of course, the neutral-colored tug in the middle of the dining room where Mom steps on it and gets scared she's stepping on something, hehehehe!

Then there are the toys that I have to carry to the back door when we go outside. Sometimes I just drop them on the stairs (Mom says that's a no no) but I usually have them in my mouth when she opens the door. She tells me to drop them and most of the time I do, but sometimes I run real fast outside, shaking the plush toy and Mom has to chase and catch me so I don't leave my cushy toy outside.

He he . . . . last week, on our last trip outside for the night, B'Elanna comes walking towards Mom with this thing in her mouth. Mom thought B'Elanna had a dead puppy in her mouth. Mom's heart skipped a beat until she realized it was only my plush pink pig that I had slipped outside with. B'Elanna found it and knowing it wasn't supposed to be outside, brought it to Mom. That B'Elanna . . . . she really is smart like Mom brags she is!

Hey Mom, Look . . . . I'm Bleeding!!!

Yesterday I came in the house with blood all over my front paws and blood splattered on my back legs. At first Mom thought I killed a squirrel but then saw, no, it was me bleeding. I had ripped one of the nails on my left front paw half off, and when Mom pulled it off it really started bleeding! She used up gauze and gauze and it wasn't stopping. So Mom called the vet and the assistant said bring her in.

Mom wrapped the foot and away we went, driving through a blizzard. But I didn't like the bandage so I tore it off and by the time we arrived at the vet the back seat of the car looked like the bathroom in Pyscho. I had been licking it and the bleeding had almost stopped. Dr. Steve took me in the back room and washed all the blood off all my legs, then cauterized the nail. He said it wasn't as bad as all the blood seemed because I didn't rip the nail back to the nail bed; there was still nail stub there.

Mom asked for some wet paper towels and wiped down the back seat before we came home. Fortunately the back seats are leather, so the blood wiped right off. When she got home she had to clean the car's floor rug, the seat belts and throw the throw blankets into the washer, while I was outside, bouncing around, playing in the new snow.

DON'T CRY, MOM . . . . DON'T CRY!

Oh, Mom is crying so hard! What happened? Did something hurt her?

I come to her, "Don't cry, Mom, don't cry! Oh, so sad! What's wrong?"

I must make her happy. I bring my teddy bear to her, "Don't cry, Mom," I lay it at her feet. It doesn't help. I bring her my chewman and place it in her lap. Her tears fall on my fur. I bring her my fluffy rabbit, the one that squeaks funny. It always makes her smile. Her thoughts are far away as I climb into her lap, making myself small, and putting my head on her shoulder. Her arms encircle me, "Don't cry, Mom, don't cry."

We go out into the night, Mom, B'Elanna and I. Time to close the barn and give The Senator his night time hay. B'Elanna and I push through the door. First one to the stall may catch a mouse! Darn, no mouse tonight. Mom goes to close the back doors. "OK, Mom, I'll go lead in The Senator." I race through the pasture. He's not where he usually is. Under the fence and race to the front, he's probably eating the tall grass. He's not in the front. Where can he be? Racing back around the barn I avoid the large patch of newly turned earth that guy with the big machine left behind. The Senator isn't in the pasture. He must be lost! Oh, that's why Mom is crying! What can we do?

I walk quietly in the barn. Mom's sitting in the corner of the stall, B'Elanna, understanding, by her side. Gently I come to her, paws on her shoulder, a collie cuddle to try to take away her pain. I kiss away her falling tears, "Don't cry, Mom, don't cry."

Want To Go For A Ride?

I know what those words mean. I bark and jump around now as much as B'Elanna. The three of us pile into the truck, B'Elanna with her head out the window. We just get out of the driveway when there is a clanking, dragging something under the truck. We're in the middle of the road and Mom gets out and looks under the truck. "Blankety-blank tail pipe"!

Oooooo, Mom — I didn't think you talked like that. So we backed up, back into the garage. We couldn't go anywhere.

But Mom had it fixed by the weekend and we again piled into the truck and off we drove to Mt. Olive. We stopped on Main Street where a little girl, her brother and mom were collecting for Katrina victims — children or pet stuff. After taking our dog and cat food contribution the little girl said I was pretty. Mom answered the usual dog questions while I made a fool of myself, woofing and trying to kiss everyone.

Then we headed home and I squeezed between B'Elanna and the seat to stick my head out of the window. Wooooo, I love the wind in my face! "B'Elanna, you're blocking my wind!"

The Wind In My Hair !

Mom asked if we wanted to go for a ride. B'Elanna starts jumping and barking, so I bark, too. Down to the garage and Mom opens the door and B'Elanna jumps right in the truck. I follow her without Mom having to help me in.
We drive in to Mount Olive and I'm really enjoying the ride while sitting next to Mom. B'Elanna is sticking her head out the window. When we stopped I stuck my head out the window. Then, we were on our way again. Driving through town with my head out the window! WOW, is this fun! The wind in my face, I soak up all the sights and smells! Now I know why B'Elanna thinks going for a ride is so much fun!

A Ride In The Truck

I did it! Twice! Yesterday Mom took B'Elanna and me for a ride in the truck. We went two miles and I DIDN'T THROW UP! Then, today, we drove to the compost area where Mom dropped off some tree branches. And I wasn't sick, again!

I think I like riding in the truck better. I sit next to Mom and look out of the front window. Mom thinks that when I sit in the back seat of the car and look out of the side window — that's what makes me sick to my stomach. Mom said I did real good. B'Elanna didn't care. She was sticking her head out of the window all the way there and back.

But I'm so happy. I think this car sickness is past me! I'm keeping my paws crossed.