Fall is in the Air - Holidays are around the corner !

It is Sunday morning and Mom and Dad are doing their usual thing.  Coffee, Sunday paper and reading in the office.  I have been bugging Dad with my paw trying to hurry things along so we can go for our weekend family walk.   Weekends are the only time that Mom, Dad, Ruthie and I get to walk together.   I have to wear that stupid gentle lead thing I can't seem to find and hide for half of the walk then we get to run free on the dike before going back on the leashes.  I get to finish our walk with just the lease and NO gentle lead.  Mom has lost the gentle lead when we are on the dike but she always seems to find it. 

Mom and me went out for several training sessions.  Mom was camera happy at Walmart and took pictures of me along with my sister Aunna.  Mom said we were going to have a training moment and go to lunch at the NEW Chick-fil-A but when we got there the line to eat was outside and down the side walk.  I was glad we didn't go in because I knew I would have to stay in a down/stay and with my car sickness I was not sure if everything would stay where it should ??  My tummy was still feeling icky !!

Mom has been  limiting my training sessions lately since I get sooooooooo car sick and after I get sick I don't feel like walking around the stores and I "protest" as Mom says.  Then on top of that the car stinks and for someone who loves to sniff just about everything this smell I don't like !!  Mom sprays air freshener in the car and rolls the windows down but the smell is still there.   I sure hope I out grow this soon - it is no FUN !!


Mom had a very nice guy here last week working on the kitchen removing a wall.  Ruthie and I tried to help him more than once and ended up in the mud room with the gate closed.  I don't understand why since he brought someone here to help him ??  Ruthie and I would have done it for a doggie treat.   We still don't have lights in the kitchen or a phone but everything should be back to normal on Monday.   Mom said the rest of the work will happen after Christmas.  That means the BIG RED guy will be back again :)

 

My favorite package arrived again from UPS !!  My SCIENCE DIET dog food.  Mom and me were getting a little concerned since my bin in the mud room was getting low.  I tried to sneak and open it but Mom made me wait till Daddy came home from work to open the box.   THANK YOU SCIENCE DIET.  For all of you SCIENCE DIET provides to KSDS - the organization I am getting trained by to be a Guide/Service Dog - the dog food for FREE !!  Way to go Science Diet !!


 Mom and Dad went to the HUSKER Game again this weekend.  Ruthie and I did not get to go along but they took LITTLE RED with them however when they got back home they said they will not do that again.   Before the game they stopped and had some Bloody Mary drinks and Little Red had one to many. Seems like he can not hold his liquor - what ever that means ??   He embarrassed Mom and Dad at the game.  From here on out he will only get to stay in our front yard for games.  Maybe Ruthie and I will get to go next time ??

It was a SAD day in HUSKER LAND even though I heard Mom and Dad say the HUSKERS won the game.  A person named Tom Osborne retired.  Dad has known him for a long, long time !!

 

Tribute to Tom Osborne - YouTube#at=27#!

 

Watch the show - Mom and Dad were there holding up one of the red signs.

Spooky Things

Mom stayed to her promise that swimming in the lake would stop.  We went out for our weekend walk about two weeks ago - a beautiful fall day - and went swimming but have not been swimming since. I tried to get in the lake once since then and I thought Mom was going to blow a gasket.   Ruthie and I had gone to the beauty shop and Mom did not want smelly dogs in the house anymore.

I am proud that my report card from the groomer said I was well behaved and did not whine when I had my toes done.  I am kind of liking this beauty shop thing - it feels relaxing to soak in the tub and have someone cut and comb my hair.    Mom wanted my tail cut a little shorter when she came to pick me up.  I was a little nervous that they would trim it too short and I might look like a lab.  Nothing against labs but I want everyone to know I am a Golden.   GOLDENS Rule !!

 

My Grandma Schense had her 560 birthday.  That is in dogie years so not sure what that is in human years ??  Mom and Dad along with my sister Aunna visited the Care Center on Family soup night but I did not get to go along.   With my car sickness still going strong I was happy to stay home.  Where Grandma lives is a long drive away.  I remember driving there as a puppy. 

Ruthie and I had a first - We got to watch BIG RED FOOTBALL with Mom and Dad and some nice people who came over - Mr. Dave and Mrs. Phyllis.  They are dog lovers and Ruthie and I sometimes stop and play with their dog Sadie.   I thought it would be more exciting since all Ruthie and I would hear when we had to stay upstairs was whooping and yelling but both of us fell asleep during the game.   There was a game this Saturday and Mom and Dad went to Mr. Dave and Mrs. Phyllis's house but I think Ruthie and I could vaguley hear them whooping and yelling.  When they got home Dad told me how the HUSKERS scored in the last seconds of the game to win.

Halloween activities were all around the lake this last week.  First Mom and me went to a Halloween party for the people who live on the lake.  There were sure some funny looking people and some scary looking people there.  I didn't get to wear my HUSKER costume because it was too warm and Mom didn't want me to get over heated.  Mom and me visited for a while then went on a hay rack ride.  I am pround to report I do not get hay rack ride sick. 

While waiting for Halloween night Mom had some people from a company called
Breaking Ground
 www.breakinggroundomaha.com
working in the yard.  They were here for several days.  It was nice outside so Ruthie and I watched them sometimes from the deck.  Several times Mom let us out to snoop since they were messing with our "Hurry up area"   I heard Mom say that they are done having people work out in the yard and will start having people work inside. 

Mom was sooooo excited to get all of her special decorations up for Halloween.  Ruthie and I watched and we were not even scared.   First Mom blew them up to made sure they worked then spent the afternoon outside setting everything up.  Ruthie and I were excited to watch since Mom and Dad didn't do Halloween decorating when they lived out on the farmstead.  Mom said there were no neighborhood kids to come over like here at the lake.

 Finally it was dark and the FUN began.  Someone would ring the doorbell and we would give the smaller people
candy if the said "trick or treat"  and the grown up adult kids special things call "Jell-O shots"  Mom even had scary music playing and a thing that made it look like clouds from the sky had fallen down.  We had lots and lots of FUN with lots and lots of funny and scary campers coming to the house.  Some even came in special cars.   Wonder if they got car sick ??

Mom and I have run some errands together after my beauty shop appointment.  Mom says I smell OK to go out in more public places now.  Car sick just about every time.  I am thinking maybe all of the air freshener that Mom sprays in the car so the car smells better is making me sick.  Mom said she will air out the car and no air freshener for the next car ride. 

I am still protesting when getting in the car and Mom has to lift me up.  When Dad weighed me for my monthly report to KSDS I weighed 65 pounds which is why it makes it hard for Mom to lift me up.  I keep hoping that I will out grow this car sickness thing so I will be able to go to KSDS college for Guide/Service dogs and get to graduate.

Last Halloween  - I was just a baby

Fall colors

Lots of things have been going on around our house but nothing really exciting.  We had a service guy come to the house to check out our furnace so we could turn it on.  It was getting cold in the house in the morning and now it is sooooo toasty warm !  Another guy was here working out on the lower deck.  It was nice outside so Mom let us stay outside and watch him work.  He made a lot of noise.  No napping !!

 Mom and Dad have been spending time outside doing what they called "fall cleaning".  I have never seen the vacuum outside or the dust pan so not sure what Mom means by cleaning ??   The garden is gone but there are all of these green balls on a table in the basement.  I hope Mom is saving them for throwing in the lake ?? for Ruthie and I but I  heard her say something about making green salsa.  Hope it doesn't smell as bad as that green relish she made this summer.

Last weekend Mom and I went out for an official "teaching moment"  not just out running errands.  We first stopped at a Golden Retriever Rescue gathering and we saw sooooooo many puppies and doggies that looked just like me.  It was FUN to watch the "doggie dancing" up on the stage, play musical cake walk and I even saw that BIG Red Guy from last year.  He had treats  !!  We also visited with a lady who was in a wheel chair and she was soooo nice to me.  She had treats too.  Right before we left though Mom made me get my toes done.   The puppy before me was not a happy camper about getting her toes done but Mom said I was a good girl.  However, kind of a scary thing happened when we were leaving.  A BIG Golden decided he didn't like Mom and me in his space and tried to bite me.  Mom was soooo brave and jumped in front of me and protected me.  The dog bit into her pants but thankfully only put teeth marks in her pants and not in her skin.  I love my Mommy !!

Next we were off to "Junk Fest". I am sad to report that my car sickness is still going strong and my breakfast ended up in the back of the Ford. Mom didn't have to get out the pink bags and clean it up since we parked out in a field and she just flicked it out - kind of like when Dad poo flicked out on the farmstead. There was lots of cool JUNK to look at, music to listen to and people to pet me. We even had a nice guy stop and take some pictures of me for a documentary he is doing. 

Mom did some more fall decorating.  Each week she adds more but next week she said she will get the spooky things out for something called Halloween.  Mom is sooo excited to be back at the lake and have spooky guest come to the house and say "Trick or Treat".  Mom said I even have an outfit to wear for Halloween but I don't get to see it till the big day.   It has something to do with Little Red - the blow up guy Mom and Dad put out in the yard when Dad watches Nebraska football.

It has been so pretty out here with all of the trees turning color that I just have to share a few -

 

One day the clouds in the sky fell to the ground and it looked sooo cool outside !

 

 

I had to go to the doctors this week.  Something called a check up.  Just like most of my car trips I again left a deposit in the back of the Ford.  Mom gets frustrated with me that I won't get in the Ford without major protest and I am getting too big to have Mom lift me up in there.  My Vet is sooo nice that when I got my shots he gave me a vest to wear that he thought might help me in the car.  It was called a "Thunder Vest"  however, I am sad to report that I again left a deposit in the back of the Ford on the way home.  Mom is getting really nervous that I will not out grow my car sickness and will not get to go to KSDS college and become a Guide/Service Dog. 

Last night Mom and Dad had another HUSKER football party.  Ruthie and I had to stay upstairs so we didn't actually get to watch the game but we could hear them whooping it up in the basement.  We went out with Dad during halftime when he was grilling steaks - they smelled so good and Ruthie and I were hoping he would drop something.  During the second half of the game it must have been tense -instead of whooping it up there was a lot of yelling and screaming.  When everyone came upstairs Dad told us that we pulled it off by the " hair of our chinny chin chin" - whatever that means ??

Mom said I need to get off the computer.  We are going for our Sunday walk around the lake.  This will be the last time Ruthie and I get to swim in the lake.  Both of us have beauty shop appointments next week and Mom said that this is the end to us smelling like lake water.   Mom said I have three "training outings" next week and have to look and smell nice.

GO BIG RED - HUSKER POWER !!!

Mom is into Fall

Along with all of the RED that is here now there is ORANGE showing up.  Mom and I went to a store and bought these BIG flowers called Mums along with a whole bunch of these round orange things.  Mom bought three potted Mums and they filled up the back of the Ford.  There was hardly room for me.  I am proud to say I was able to keep my car sickness in check till we got home.  I was proud of myself but Mom still had to clean it up on the garage floor.  It was just a little bit though.   We went out two more times and once everything was fine but the other I left a deposit in the back of the Ford and this one was not so little.  Everyone keeps saying it will go away but so far it is still hanging on. 

Last weekend Mom, Ruthie and I put out decorations in the yard, then the house. She said we will have more to put our later this month for something called Halloween.   I think the flowers must be getting chilled with the temps getting low at night because I saw Dad putting blankets over them.  He is soooooo thoughtful  :)

Before it turned cool here in Nebraska Mom, Ruthie and I spent time down on the beach while Mom was cleaning the beach up for the winter.  Ruthie and I basically got to play because Mom said in a week or so we will be going to the hair stylist to get a GOOD wash down and hair trim.  After that no more swimming in the lake till next spring.   Mom said I will also start spending more time on those "Training Moments" since I won't have that wonderful lake smell anymore ?? 

After swimming Ruthie and I had to dry out on the deck so we got to have a picnic.  Dad fired up what he calls the Web and cooked steaks.  They sure smelled more appetizing then our Science Diet but it was still nice to have a picnic with Mom and Dad.   Mom said a thing called snow will be coming soon so we should enjoy our time outside.  I don't really remember snow but Mom said it is white and COLD. 

There has been more BIG RED FOOTBALL here at the house.   Lots and Lots of RED !!  Dad was really excited about one of the games and everything was good in Husker Land but this weekend Dad was a SAD camper.   Ruthie and I try to be supportive and stay at his feet but sometimes it is really hard because he is up and jumping and yelling at the TV.  After the game this weekend I had to comfort Dad :(  Dad will get a break this weekend since our Huskers don't play.

My grandpa Keuter had a Birthday so we had company over.  Ruthie and I got to see our cousins who live in Kansas City.  They have grown sooooo much but then they said I have grown.  We played with them out on the deck.  There were birthday balloons in the house and we played with them.  One of them is still up in the ceiling.   It is red so it goes with Husker Red. 

Mom has been kind of feeling under the weather the last couple of days.  She said something about having a cold/flu ??   It started on Friday and we all took long afternoon naps but Mom didn't feel a whole lot better on Game Day this Saturday.  Dad did talk Mom into walking around the lake but kept saying to her "hurry up" ??  I thought that was funny since I have never seen Mom "hurry up" outside before ??  I  thought Dad was talking to me and I did as he asked.   It was a private moment and Mom caught me in the act.

Mom and Dad watched the HUSKERS play on Saturday night but Mom started out watching the game in the bedroom with what she called her drink of choice.  Something called Ther-a flu.  I felt sorry for Mom so I spent time with her in the bedroom.   Dad kept coming in and out of the bedroom and finally talked Mom into coming in the living room.  There was HOT soup cooking in the crock pot for Mom - Dad said something like "feed a cold starve the flu" so I guess Mom had a cold.   It was also cold in the house.  Mom is waiting for the service guy to come and inspect the furnace before it is turned on. 

My sister Aunna hit a milestone this Sunday.  She turned what I heard was 210 years.  Now that is in doggie years so not sure what it is in human years.  Ruthie and I had to stay at home since they met my sister for brunch at a very fancy restaurant and Mom said it wasn't one of those "teaching moments" 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY our sweet LITTLE GIRL !!

Little Girl - Big Girl

 

Great Food

Birthday Wish

 

Having a Birthday Cigar