phones and naps

hi all,

Mom and I had quite the day. We got up, and waited for the phone guy to come and hook up the Land-Line to the house. When the guy knocked on the door, I barked, but I was a good boy and remembered that Mom doesn't like me to bark anymore at the door, so I only barked once.

I was really good when the guy was setting up the phone because when I went over to see what he was doing, Mom called me back to her and I went back right away. While he was setting up the phone, I started to whine, and Mom didn't know what I wanted. She's a silly person because she thought I wanted to go outside, even though I'd already been out there earlier. She took me out and I didn't need to go potty, but I really liked sniffing the Comcast guy's truck. I went all around it and just sniffed and sniffed. Mom was wondering what I smelled, and I'm not even sure what it was I smelled, but it sure smelled interesting.

After the phone guy left Mom talked to her Dad, Eric, and they determined that the Comcast guy didn't put the phone in the way he was supposed to, so Mom had to schedule another appointment for the guys to come out again on Thursday and redo the entire thing. She was upset about this, but not much cause she and Auntie Julia still have a phone.

After she was done talking to her dad, and after Auntie Julia went to the store to get fresh milk and some other stuff, she finally figured out what I wanted. I began whimpering again, and staring at Mom and wagging my tail. She looked at me and asked what I wanted.

Wag Wag Wag, Whine Whine Whine!

I finally went and grabbed my three-sided tug ring, which Mom and everyone else calls Woobie, and I pranced out in front of her and was getting really excited. I finally got so excited that I began to bark. Mom laughed a little, and so I barked again. I think she figured, if she ignored me, I'd stop barking with the toy in my mouth, and she's usually right about that. Whenever I stop barking with a toy in my mouth Mom rewards me by playing with me once I'm quiet. Well, this time I dropped Woobie and Mom was just about to pick it up, when I barked again. Mom got mad at me, and she put Woobie away so I couldn't play, but seriously, what does she expect? I'm a dog, and I'm excited, and it's my favorite toy ever!

After that, Mom forgave me and let me have a beefy chewy stick, which I just loved. I ate the whole thing while Mom fixed lunch for herself and Auntie Julia. Once lunch was over, Mom and I went upstairs, and while I curled up on the bed, Mom played around on the computer. She is listening to XM radio right now as I type to all of you. We were listening to the baseball game, but the Twins are losing again and so she switched to Jazz. Plus, she was having trouble paying attention to the computer and to the game all at once. Also, she finds Jazz very relaxing.

Anyhoo, after she'd played around on the computer, she and I took a nap. There's nothing like naps with Mom. I get to be on the bed, for one, and two, I get to snuggle with Mom. I love to snuggle, and Mom says that I'm like a big stuffed animal. Apparently I smell good too. I don't know how I smell. To me, I smell normal, like a dog should, and the stinkyer I am, the more I like it. Mom and I napped and were woken up by a very loud plane which flew right over the house, but that was okay. Mom and I needed to get up anyway after a while.

When Mom had gotten up, I really... really needed to pee so Mom took me out. There was a squirrel sitting on the garbage bins in the alley where I relieve, and I stared at it, hoping I could chase it, but it saw me and scrambled off the trash can and up into the yard next door. I was on a leash too so I couldn't get it. I'm not really interested in chasing squirrels or bunnies, and Mom says that it's because I have a low prey-drive, what ever that is. My brother Marlin loves to chase little animals and he stares at them all of the time.

When we came in, I began to bug Mom for dinner. I do this by sitting in front of her and beginning to stare at her face. After a while of this, I put my paw on her lap, then the next paw, then I drop them back onto the floor and start again. Eventually she gets the idea and feeds me.

Yum, I love my food! Mom feeds me a food called, Natural Balance, and the formula is called Potato and Duck. I love it, and Mom tells me that it's good for me. I guess it is, cause I love it, and people always tell me how beautiful I am, and that I have a shiney coat. I think I look nice, but who cares anyway, I love my food.

After I got dinner, Mom and Auntie Julia left. Mom wanted to take me with, and I knew she did, and because I hadn't worked in my harness all day, I made sad eyes at her so she'd take me. I could tell she really wanted to bring me along, but she and Auntie Julia decided it would be too crowded where they were going. She said she was sorry, and I saw her take out her long white stick, or what she calls a cane. I don't like canes.

One time, Mom and I were at this big hotel with tons of people, and there were lots of other guide dogs like me there, but there were lots of canes there too, and they were swinging back and forth. I got scared and kept glancing at them because I thought they would hit me. Mom was nervous too because she didn't want me hit. I wasn't ever hit hard, but once, a guy poked me with his cane and I moved closer to Mom. I really don't like canes.

I stayed home with the television on while Mom and Auntie Julia went out. When they got back, they smelled like they'd been to a restaurant, and they smelled like they'd been with other people. I sniffed them, and then Auntie Julia took me outside to relieve. After I came in, I went upstairs with Mom and now I'm almost done with this entry.

Tomorrow, Mom and I have to get up early so we can go to training, at least that's what Mom calls training. Trust me Mom, I've been to training, and it's nothing like what you do. At my training, my trainers showed me all of the things I'd need to know so I could guide you places, and it was hard. All I do at this kind of training is sleep under a desk. Mom sits at a computer with another person who teaches her things on the computer. I guess it's training for Mom, and not me, but there is a fun part. My Mom's computer trainer is also blind and she has a guide dog too. He doesn't look like me though, he's big and black, and I'm smallish and yellow. He's very nice though and we have fun sniffing each other and following each other around to sniff butts. We settle down under the desks when our moms are working though, and only nudge them when we have to relieve. My friend's name is Kelton, and I'm excited to see him tomorrow.

I'm going to be done for now though. I'll tell you all about training tomorrow though, and I'll tell you about the other stuff we have to do this week too. For now, here's a tail wag and a little labby kiss from me to you.

Torpedo