Today is check in day!!!! and another month rolls around.... we all met in the morning and drove down to NEADS.... first stop (well after Mom uses the restroom!!!) is the scales. I'm not a very big dog, but I am growing and Dave needs to know how much we weigh each month.
On this trip, Bernice and Zuzu joined in on the fun. Some one had left a big bucket of balls in the lobby and didn't we have fun with them (while we waited for Dave)... I had a ball, but watching Zuzu, her's seemed so much better than mine!!!! Mom said I had to be happy with the one I had - but I sure would have loved to take Zuzu's ball....
When Dave arrived we went in for the "chat time"... (it's so boring...) but I know that the humans need to do this... seems important to them that they talk about us.....
Rayvan found it as boring as I did.....
Afterwards, we went out to the van to play on the lift... that was way more fun.... we got to hop on and off, and then got lots of good treats for doing that. I could hop on and off all day long!!! I like to jump and I love the treats. The humans seem to think this is such an amazing thing... (I think we have them fooled)....
Rayvan wanted to "show off" and even showed the humans that not only is she NOT afraid, and likes to hop on and off... but she will even lay down..... I'll have to remember to do that the next time!!!!!
Course we always have to go into the city. And it's pretty much the same there too... the humans stop to eat (while we get to "under" the table) and we walk around the hospital.. and then over to the bus station. Today the station was busy, I enjoyed watching the crowd.....
Yup, there were a lot of people... but Mom said that it was time to be "serious".. so she kept me "working" and didn't allow me to run and greet everyone. I notice that she doesn't allow that so much anymore....
Zuzu on the other hand, got to meet anyone she wanted. And the people loved meeting her.... Mom says that Zuzu isn't practicing to be a service dog, and that's why she can go up to anyone.. but for me, she says that it's "different".... (I say that it's not fair!!!)
The same goes for Rayvan as well. So, we just hung out together, watched the buses, and the people go by. We were able to get onto one of the buses and check it out, that was kind of neat.... but I can sense there are changes in my training now... Mom says it's because I am getting bigger and the time has come to look at this a bit more serious....
However, she doesn't forget that I am still a puppy and so after a long day of being "serious" both she and Linda let us have a bit of play time!!!! I think I am beginning to sort it out.. sometimes you have to 'work and pay attention" and then other times, it's OK to "be a dog and silly"... it seems like a good balance....
and that's another ...day with Debbie!!!!
Today, I went with Mom to a pumpkin festival... Dad didn't got with us, because he is at a NASCAR race... (Mom said she doesn't really care to go to the race, so she said I wouldn't either!!!). But the pumpkin festival was quite interesting... there were a lot of people, but even more... these big orange things.. called pumpkins. And it seems like all the humans are looking to pick just the right one.
It was a pretty day too... quite warm. There was music playing, tractors pulling big wagons and people eating all sorts of different foods...
I love these adventures.....
Baby Reagan came with us as well (so did his Mom and Dad).. my Mom told me that this is Reagan's first pumpkin festival too... it seems like he and I have a lot of first together.. Mom said that's because he was born in March, and I was born in April... so we'll see many things together for the first time...
At first, Reagan seemed unsure of those big orange pumpkin things... I didn't mind them at all...
But when it came time for our pictures to be taken, we were both distracted. Reagan wanted to play with the pumpkins and I wanted to watch the people. Actually, there were a lot of people watching us!!! Guess they didn't think it was easy to get a picture of a puppy and a baby together....
Maybe it isn't.....
We certainly did have other things to look at.....
As you can see I was getting pretty bored with the whole thing... Mom had to just settle for the photos she could get.....
Then she wanted some pictures of me with the pumpkins... "ya know Mom"... "I think you have taken enough... let's get moving onto other things..."....
I do have to report one thing, though.. I noticed this time out, when people wanted to pet me, my Mom has begun to politely tell them "no"... she says that I am old enough now to begin to understand that when we are out in public.. it's time to start thinking about it more as a "job" and less as a "social outing"... I don't know if I like the sound of that.. I like greeting people.. but I have a feeling that as I get a bit older, things will change on all sorts of levels...
however, ...it was a good " day with Debbie"!!!!
We were up, bright and early this morning. Another beautiful day, it seems like Mom and Dad just have to be out on days that are so pretty. I love going with them, even if it does mean we are on the road early....
But, as you can see, we were hardly the only ones up... Today we went to an event called "New Hampshire Run for the Fallen".. a road "race" in honor of the men and women of New Hampshire that gave their lives for our country. It's a long race... 12 miles... some people run it, others walk, but it's all to remember these special people.
And, part of my family was doing the race!!! Nate and Kass.... Lauren and John.... (Reagan isn't "racing"... we're going to watch him while his Mom and Dad do the course).....
And... they're off... with a lot of other people as well.....
While the course was being done, I hung out with Mom, Dad and Reagan.... we had a little time for breakfast and to enjoy the beautiful park where the race began. Mom talked with a lot of people about me and NEADS (she always seems to do that when we are out and about).....
A memorial area was put together ... it showed the names and pictures of the fallen soldiers.... set up near the sea, it was a beautiful spot. Mom, Dad and I walked threw and read all the names.....
I don't exactly understand it all, but I felt very happy that I could be there.....
A special photo that Mom took....
There were great walking paths around the park, so we took Reagan out on them. More stroller practice Mom said....
And even threw some tight spots... she said I was very good working with her....
A bit before the runners were due back, some gentlemen came to play the bagpipes. My Mom and Dad love hearing the bagpipes, I had never heard them before, so Mom said this was going to be another good "experience for me"...
When they began to play, I hardly noticed... Reagan (on the other hand) noticed right away... I think you can tell from the look on his face... he wasn't too impressed.
I sat and listened. I can't say that I love the music as much as Mom and Dad does, but it was alright.
Then I heard everyone clapping and cheering, and when I looked, here came the runners.... many carried small flags with them.
And then went to certain places - where pictures of their loved ones were - to place their little flags on their memorials. This made my Mom cry - along with other people, and the surprising thing... it was so quiet when this was being done. No one spoke, the music stopped, and everyone just watched and quietly paid attention.
Afterwards, people starting talking again, hugging each other and sharing a special time together. A lady came around with small pins and she gave one to my Mom to place on my vest.
Another lady came around and talked to Mom a long time about me. I could tell that she was a little upset, and when she asked if she could hug me... Mom said, absolutely. She gave me a long hug and I cuddled right in and gave her as much comfort as I could. She seemed to feel much afterwards, and said to Mom "thank you for the information, I'll be passing that along"....
It was a nice day, but tiring and I was happy when it was time to head for home. Mom said that we had to make one stop... at Kass and Nate's house, to "pick up the beetle" and bring it back home. I know the "beetle" is a car... and Mom said I would be riding with her....
With the top down!!!. Fine with me, the sun was out, it was warm... and I really enjoyed the ride. Mom said I can add that to "my list of things to know"...
riding in the car without a roof....
and that's just another "day with Debbie!!!"
Looks like we're off on another adventure!!! Today - Mom, Dad and I went to a model jet show... it was a beautiful day, but very windy... which I guess isn't good when it comes to model planes.... however, there were many planes to see and many people there to see them.
There were also model cars, that were racing on this track. I thought those were pretty neat, and if I could have... I would have run and chased them. But, Mom said "no" that would be a very bad idea.
So much to look at and see.... I think it's all so interesting, and Mom liked that I was curious...
Despite the windy conditions, some of the smaller planes could fly. They did all sorts of different patterns in the sky, and the crowd clapped and laughed watching them.
Me... well, I just took a little snooze in the warm sunshine and on the warm pavement. People all around us kept commenting to Mom how "calm and well behaved" I was.
Dad was especially sad to see the big planes being "put away"... it was just too windy to fly them, and from what I understand, they are expensive to build, so no one wanted to chance them crashing to the ground...
We spent most of the day there, walking around and seeing all the different things. As we were leaving though, this caught my eye.... a ribbon flying in the wind. I just had to check this out.....
It flapped around in so many directions, I was fascinated....
And then I just had to catch it.... which I did several times....
Mom let me play with it for awhile.. she said that one day I may be taught to tug on things like this, so she didn't mind me being silly with this ribbon....
And there was one more stop before we got in the car and headed home.... seems like I am always waiting on Mom, one way or another....
and that's another "day with Debbie".....
