Stuff I forgot last night

Hi Guys,
I forgot to tell you about where we're going next week. We're going to this great place called the cabin. It's Mom's Grandma's cabin. It's far from our house and is by a lake. I love it up there. I get to smell all the new smells and there are lots of smells I don't usually get to sniff around the house. Mom loves it up there, but here's the weird thing that she likes to do. She likes to swim. I hate swimming. I don't like water at all, as most of you know. Mom says I'm a weird dog because I'm a lab and I'm supposed to like water, but I just don't. She tries to take me into the lake when we're up there, but I always fight her... I hate it. She's persistant though and usually gets me in. She doesn't take me above my head though and I feel ok with that, but guess why she wants to take me in the water? She wants to give me a bath... BOOO! I hate baths so it's twice the insult. First the water, then the bath.
One time, I was getting a bath and I got all soapy. Mom didn't know how to best get me into the lake, so auntie Julia picked me up as best as she could and threw me in!
I was so scared and I splashed around for a few minutes, but then I calmed down. that was the day Marlin taught me how to swim. I just watched him and saw how he swam and then I copied him. I wish he was here to teach me again... I miss my big brother and so does Mom.
I hope she doesn't take me into the water this time, but if she does, I'll be a good boy and not try to run away... I mean I'll try to try.
Other than the water, I love being with Mom at the cabin. She says she's gonna get me some special treats so I can have good things to eat up there. I love car rides and we get to go on one when we leave next Monday yay yay yay!
I'll tell you all about the cabin when we get back. For now, it's almost time for dinner... even bigger yay!
bye for now,
T-force

the day so far

Hi everyone,
The day so far hasn't been anything special. Mom got me up late after talking on the phone to her friend Dena and then she took me out and gave me breakfast. I think we're supposed to go out later today. Mom told her friend that she has a hair cut appointment later this afternoon, and I think we're supposed to go to the store. Later tonight though, we're supposed to go over to see friends of Mom and Auntie Julia. I like these friends a lot. The man is named Tim and the woman is named Val and Tim plays with me a lot. He has these towels that I get to tug on and I love playing with him.
I hope we can do something soon because I'm bored and I want to work. I think that's it for now. Maybe Mom will let me write later on today. Thanks for reading everybody.
Torpedo

lots of stuff

Hi everyone,
I'm sorry it has been so long since I updated, but lots has been going on with Mom lately. She still looking for a job, and we go see her job coach guy a lot, and we still get to have computer training with Debbie and Kelton, but about two weeks ago Mom's knee started to hurt. She had sprained it last winter and it all of a sudden started hurting again. She went to see a special doctor and he had to do a special test to see what was wrong. She called the test an MRI, what ever that is, and I couldn't come with her to take the test. I stayed home with Auntie Julia and watched her clean the house. I got scared of the vacume and I hid in my crate. I hate that loud vacume, it's loud and it chases me! WOOF WOOF!
Anyway, after this special test Mom and I went to down town St. Paul this past Monday and she talked to the doctor. I did a great job of finding the elivators while we were out and Mom told me what a great boy I was. Anyway, the doctor said that she needed to have some physical therapy to help her knee, and so we'll have to go to that, and she has to keep her knee wrapped up in this thinggie he gave her. So, that's what we've been doing all month long.
Tonight, Mom gave me a bath, BOOOOOO! I hate baths, but I was good Mom said, and I climbed right into the tub and let Mom wash me. She says it's for a day called Thanks Giving which we're going to tomorrow at her parents' house. We were over there this afternoon, and while Mom did lots of chopping of stuff, Marlin and I had to stay tied because someone I didn't know was cleaning the carpets. Anyway, Mom says I'll smell good for tomorrow and I'll feel very soft. I know she'll brush me tomorrow and make sure I look pretty. I love getting brushed. Well, I'm glad to update and I'll be sure to tell all of you guys how the day goes tomorrow. Just after Mom and I came home from Guide Dog school, it was Thanks Giving, and I had to stay on leash with Mom all of the time. Well, anyway, she was walking by the dining room table and I jumped up onto it and just stood there. Hey... it was clear and I thought it was a grooming bench... wouldn't everybody?
I'll write more soon everybody,
Torpedo

A Bran-spanking New Computer!

Hi you guys!
I'm back and I know it's been a really long time, but Mom finally got a new computer. Let me tell you all about what happened to the last one. Mom tried to work on it one night and it started shaking and making terrible grinding noises, and then, the scarriest thing of all happened, it began to get hot on the left side of the keyboard. I mean it was so hot Mom thought she'd eventually burn her fingers off. When she told Debby about this, Debby said that she shouldn't use the computer anymore, that it was not safe to use. So that's why we've been gone a lot cause Mom won't let me post. Now I can post again, and so here I am.
I've been having lots of fun without the computer though. On Saturday, Mom and I went to the Farmer's market in St. Paul We walked around and I could smell all of the awesome stuff they had there. I didn't mean to, but Auntie Julia said I was drooling when we walked passed the sausage stand. Mom bought lots of herbs and veggies and stuff like that. She says she's going to make stuff with them. She already did tonight when she made chicken with bazle and potatoes.
On Sunday, I got to see all of my doggy buddies at Dena's wedding. I got to see Kaylor and lots of other dogs I didn't know well, but we all got along and things were great. I sat still like a good boy for Mom while she enjoyed herself at the reception, and I didn't even whine during the wedding like some other dogs did. Auntie Julia said I was the good one.
Today I went to training with Mom again, and I was good under the desk again and just hung out with Kelton while our moms did work. On Friday I'm supposed to go in for another training visit, and I'm excited. I always like to go and work. Mom is still looking for a job, and I hope she finds one soon, so we can go somewhere everyday.
Mom got a card in the mail last week saying that I needed another shot, I think she said it was for Kennel cough... eww. I hate that shot cause they spray up your nose and it makes me sneeze. Mom's probably going to take me in tomorrow to get it, but she says it'll be quick and that it won't hurt. I know it won't hurt, but I still hate things being sprayed up my nose.
Bosco, I've missed reading your blog, and so has Mom. We both wanted to be on the computer very badly and so I'm glad we're posting again. I'll post more, now that we have a new computer back and it actually works... yay!
bye for now,
orpedo

Lots of Work

Hi all,
this is going to be a shorter entry than they usually are because I'm tired and I wanna go to bed soon. Anyway, on Wensday night, Mom and I found out that I can't digest turkey necks very well. Mom was sleeping and I began to feel sick. I started making throw-up sounds, and Mom jumped out of bed and ran to where I was. She tried to get me to the bathroom floor, but it was too late, and I gagged. We looked down, expecting to see my supper all over the floor, but it wasn't there. Mom couldn't find any mess. I made the barfing sounds three more times that night, and felt sick on top of it,, so I don't think Mom got much sleep, but I didn't throw anything up. Mom has decided that I can't have turkey anymore, and that I can have chicken legs if I want to eat raw bird parts. On Thursday afternoon, Mom gave me some venison pieces, and I ate those up, and they didn't make me sick. She told me that I can eat those from now on... yay, I get to eat Bambi!
Mom and I had to get up early today so we could be ready for the phone guys I told you about. I know I wasn't supposed to, but I forgot and barked at the door when they knocked. Mom told me to be quiet, and after one big bark, and a little woof, I was good. The phone guys were very nice to Mom and Auntie Julia. They tried to do all they could to fix their phone problems, and when they couldn't help anymore, they fixed some outlet in Mom's room. I think the best part though about them was that they played with me! They played tug with me and they liked to pet me. I loved the play time, and Mom said I'd made instant friends. I tend to do that.
After they'd left, Mom, Auntie Julia and I went out to lunch, and then to Mom's parents' house. I hung out with Marlin for a while and then Mom and I took a much needed nap upstairs.
Mom worked at her computer for a while, and I think later she told Auntie Julia that she'd applied for a job. I hope she gets a job. I love to work and if we can go somewhere every day, it'll be awesome. Tomorrow we're doing something. I get to see Kelton and Debby again for Mom's training, and then after that I don't know what we're doing. Mom told me she doesn't know if we're going to her grandmother's house tomorrow, or on Saturday morning. Whenever we go, I know it'll be fun. There's lots of interesting smells up there.
Well, I'm really tired and so I think I'm going to snuggle up in my crate. Mom and I have to wake up kind of early tomorrow.
Night all!

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