Better news!

I almost forgot to share the even better news.

My uncle Glenn has come to live with us, and I get to cuddle up to him whenever I want.  I play it sly and mostly just lay on his comfortable bed, pretending I couldn't care less if he was around, but the truth is I dig the company.  (I couldn't contain my excitement when he first walked in the door a few months ago -- I sniffed and then squeaked and squeaked because I recognized him and my grandmama, but don't tell him -- I'm really trying to play it cool.)

Bad News & Good News

So, I've been quite depressed of late. 

Recently my best-walking-friends have not been around.  Faith says they just aren't walking dogs in our area anymore but they'll come visit someday soon.  I'm not so sure.  You see, I'm a living-in-the-moment kind of girl, so it's hard to imagine much into the future.  I just want them to walk me!

That's the bad news.

The good news is that Faith promises, promises, promises me I get to see George in October.  She's going to somewhere called the Poconos, and I'll get to have a sleepover with George!  (I was going to see Lesley in September, but some schedule change stopped that from happening.) 

I'm going to keep taking it as it comes, but Faith assures me that I'll be sniffing George soon enough and jumping around in excitement when he comes to pick me up.

New Friends!

Remember last post, when I told you how I am becoming more sociable the more my dog walkers visit?  WELL!  Exciting news.  Faith came home the other day and got to meet my new friend, Pun.  He has brindle hair like mine but is a little more squat and wide. Also...we both have extraordinary faces...

See?   The best thing is, we get to sniff around the neighborhood together with George!  We are both super lucky dogs.  

My Walkers

Throughout this last year, after moving from Denver to New York City, Faith has looked at me and said, "I'm so sorry, Madge," many times.  The first time she said this was when she realized how much less green there was in this new place.  I was having a hard time finding places to potty and looking at her for direction.  The next flow of apologies came during this past harsh winter when I shivered through the icy Sunnyside streets, followed by more I'm sorry moments as the rain fell and I pleaded with her not to make me go out in it.

Faith tells me she wants me to have a good dog life. The thing is, I do.  I still refuse to go out in the rain (although yesterday when it began to rain while we were already out there, I managed), and I can't help but shiver through the northeastern winter winds; however, I have made garbage bags my new "trees" -- I love it when rows of them are lined up, and I just pee, pee, pee all the way down the street  (It's okay, garbage handlers wear really thick gloves...).

Also, there has been a new development here on the homefront.  Faith's brother, Glenn, has moved in.  I'm beginning to understand that I can be thrilled when he comes home from the gym or running errands, and that I get to cuddle up to him during the days when Faith is at work.

Also, I have a good dog life because I have great dog walkers.  For the past five months or so, they've come to visit me regularly, and we have had some wonderful times together.  They have helped me meet other dogs in my neighborhood, who I now recognize when Faith takes me out for our long evening walks.  I used to growl about 50% of the time I met new dogs; now I might give a growl if there's an impolite puppy who greets me rudely or if the other dog's energy is just too high for me, and I feel threatened, but mostly I know the right way to greet and sniff and socialize -- as best I can being tethered to the leash!

The other day, it was very hot here, and George let me cool down in the rainbow fountain in the park --
I couldn't figure out how Faith knew about it, since it's my own private time with my walker, and then I remembered that the walkers write little notes for Faith every day before they leave me...

From George:  Wow.  So hot!  Still had a great walk.  Rinsed off in the rainbow fountain.  Madge was happy.  Sat on a bench together under a tree. Sniffed in the dirt.  And watched TV in the cool house.

I hear that later today, I get a dog walker visit.  I will be so happy to walk with them and get their loving pats on my head after...maybe even a tummy rub!

Sunnyside Saturday

I don't know if you heard, but we just had a heat wave here in New York City.  Actually, I hear it was all over the Eastern Seaboard.  I wouldn't know.  I just know that whether I was in our apartment or outside, I was pant, pant, panting.  Faith says she's trying to get some of those boxes people put in their windows to cool things down, but they won't arrive for a couple more weeks. Thankfully, the heat ended on Thursday, and now we go out walking and there's a nice cool breeze!

This morning, we're just waiting for Danny Kang to wake up (he's four years old and spent the night last night, so his Mama could get a little rest -- she's got a bad spring cold -- and his Apa could go dancing) and then we're heading out to the opening day of Sunnyside Greenmarket.  Last year we did this every Saturday morning.  I really enjoyed it, because there are lots of other dogs to sniff, some to growl at, and Faith seems to just love picking out giant bouquets of leafy greens.

Happy Saturday to you!  I hope you can spend it like I do -- living in the moment.

I have no response to this...

She promised she'd NEVER make me wear clothes.  We were walking down the street just yesterday and saw another dog, much smaller than me, dressed in a frilly skirt -- Faith called it a tutu -- and she promised once again, "Madge I won't ever dress you up."  Aside from forcing me into coats for the bitter cold weather these past two winters (I just look so embarrassed when she walks me that eventually she takes it off of me), she has never made me wear clothes.  And today, she puts one of her crochet creations on me?!

I have no response to this situation.

Mother's Day at the Park

It has been way too long since I put down some thoughts on my recent experiences.  I'm sure you understand I'm reliant upon Faith for my computer use, and this past month she seems distracted with other things...but more from Faith another time.  As for ME, yesterday was a spectacular day!  We went to Socrates Sculpture Park where I got to sniff around the East river, meet other dogs, and relax in the grass.

Here's something new!  Are you aware that people keep these

as PETS?!  I am shocked.  When Faith and I walked around the park for the second time, I got a whiff of...something...it was musky...I wanted at it, and fast.    I'm pretty good with smells, and I could tell this was some animal I needed to warn others about.

Then, I got a good look at it when it came out of its little cage and ran across the grass.   There was a man and woman who seemed be caring for this animal - they kept picking it up and bringing it back to their spot when it would wander too far. Faith led me back to our picnic blanket, but it didn't stop me.  I just had to get everyone's attention and warn them that this menace was only yards away.  So, I barked.  I'm not much of a barker at the park, but I had to do something.  When the barking didn't seem to make enough of an impact, I decided to try a little howl.

I at least got Faith's attention.  She has never heard me howl.  That is how big of a deal this was to me.  Although Faith tried repeatedly to quiet me, I had to keep doing my job -- warning the crowd of the danger of...the FERRET!  No one really seemed to care.  Eventually, I settled back down in the grass, only occasionally putting my nose in the air and giving a tiny bark.  All in all, it was a good day.