It's the holiday season....

Holiday Pups

What's your name?

Oh, hey!  In my book I talk about all the names I have.  I have lots of names and I know that every one of them is for ME!  That's because I'm a pretty smart pup.

Now Mom has a brand NEW name for me.  Want to know what it is?  Mr. Sunbeam!

Haha.  That's because every day the sun shines in the window and lands right on the bed where I like to take my naps!  I love sitting in a sunbeam.  It makes me feel all nice and warm.  And my magical Spotter spots get really warm. 

I guess I'm pretty lucky to have so many names!

Yes, Harry loves his sunbeams. And his two perfect spots get extra warm since they are black.  Sometimes he falls asleep with his face in the sun....I don't know how he can sleep like that, with the sun in his eyes!  Happy dreams, Mr. Sunbeam!

We'll have fun, fun, fun

Hey!  I'm not scared of this place anymore.  You know why?  Because it has so much nice grass and lots of trees and I even met some of my neighbors!  I love going for walks now!  Even better than before.  Lots of good, smelly things, too.

I met Leo, he's very playful.  And Duke, he's a puppy, but a really, really BIG puppy.  And somebody else...not sure of his name.  Bindi or Bippy or something, haha!

And then we went for a ride to a park!  I love parks.  This was a HUGE park and there was water, too!  Oh, boy!  We walked way, way out over the water.  I could see it down there and smell it, but we were high up.

There was a little beach, too.  It was really pretty.

And there was lots of grass, too and some kind of funny buildings.  This park was so big I got to run all by myself.  I still had my leash on, but I got to run and run.  I always make sure Mom and Dad nearby, though.  I don't want to lose them!

I forgot the most important part - it was warm out!  It was such a nice day, but there was hardly anyone at the park but us.  

I sure hope we get to go there again!

It was an unusually warm day for this time of year, so we decided to go exploring.

The park is an old fort from the late 1800s where bunkers were built to protect the Delaware from invasion.  They had electricity, though and the soldiers were able to communicate with one another via telephone.

Harry had a blast, especially when he was allowed to wander on his own.  There were only 4 other people in the whole place, so off he went.  But I could see him checking behind him from time to time to make sure we were well within his sight.

So happy that he is calming down.  Good boy!

Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore?

Mrrrrrrrr.  We drove and drove and drove again.  Then we came into this place, and all kinds of people were here, moving stuff and going in and out.  I didn't like it, so I went in my kennel to feel safe.  All those people finally went away.

This is not a hotel. I'm not sure what it is.  But there is no egg breakfast everyday.  I liked that.

And there is a whole room with a bed, like it was at home.  And a whole room with a little TV monster.  So, now my kennel is in the room with the bed and my bed is in the TV monster room.  Mom and Dad got another pad for under my bed, like at home, so I can be warmer.  And I still have my snuggly blankets.

There is a separate kitchen, too, not like at the hotel.  So, my bowls are in there.

It's kind of nice walking around here.  There's lots of trees and leaves and good smells.  I have seen some other dogs, but I only met one.  He was a puppy, but a REALLY BIG puppy, bigger than I am!  He's big and brown and he got in my face.  I guess he wanted to play, but I was not in the mood so I barked at him.  Mom gave him some pets and bopped my nose.  I will try to be nicer to him if I see him again.

I just wonder why we keep moving around.  I wish we would just stay put, like we did before.

We have found a short term rental apartment that takes dogs of Harry's size.  It beats being in a hotel and is not as financially draining.  Harry is having a bit of a hard time.  Clearly, he is stressed and cannot be left alone here yet.  He met a puppy - albeit a LARGE puppy, but Duke was a real sweetheart and Harry was giving him a sharp, loud "get out of my face" bark.  Very out of character for this boy.

Hopefully, with time, he will calm down.  The grounds are nice, very verdant and huge, old, gnarly trees.  

It is getting quite cold.  Animals can't fly internationally in cold weather, so I am afraid that even it our visas are granted, we are here for the duration of the winter, regardless.

We persevere.

On the road again....

Errrr.  Why?  Why do I keep missing my morning nap?  It makes me soooo tired.  I have been missing lots of naps lately.  We keep going places.  Mom gets out and comes back with lots of stuff.  Then I hardly have enough room for me in the back!  All kinds of boxes!  Then Dad gets out and comes back.  I don't understand that at all.  Very strange.  

Oh, and one day we drove and drove and drove.  We  got somewhere where a man gave me water.  And they had treats.  They had a whole bunch of treats in a big bowl, but it had a top on it.  Mmmm.  I wanted to put my whole head in that bowl and eat every single one!  But I did get some of the treats!

We were there for a long, long time and we walked around and in and out and back again.  There were lots of people coming in and going, too.

After a long, long, long time we got back in the car.  Good thing my old bed is in the car.  I was REALLY tired!  

I don't really know what's going on, but something is.  All this stuff.  It sure does make a pup sleepy!

We have found a temporary apartment where Harry is allowed.  Since it is temporary, we bought a few items we need for a working kitchen, a couple of lamps, a toaster, a small TV.  Harry doesn't know it yet, but soon we will leave the hotel and settle down for a few months in a garden apartment.  It has nice grounds and lovely trees and lots of dogs.

I want to go home, where I belong.....

We went to the giant dog park the other day.  I always like that.  Mom gives the giant dogs carrots and I get some, too!  So many fun things to sniff!

Things are so different here.  Not like they were before, and I don't know why, but they just are.  Used to be, when my pack had to go out and do lots of things, I got to stay home by myself.  I always got a special treat!  Then I could nap on my couch, or on the big bed....take a little snooze in a sunbeam....ahhh.  Now I have to go with my pack every time they go out!  EVERY time! 

And there is always one really BIG day when we go out for a long, long time and ride in the car.  Mom usually gets out of the car and comes back with bunches of stuff.....hmmm, smells like food!  Sometimes we drive to other places and Dad gets out and comes back.  He doesn't have any food, though.  And when we get back, our new house is all clean!  That's when I FINALLY get to take my nap!  

I just don't understand why we are here.  I wonder how long we have to stay here?  Why can't we go home?

Our room in our temporary quarters gets cleaned once a week.  On that day we get up early and have our errands to run.  To stay out of the room as long as possible, we try to arrange to have several places to go, like the bank, the supermarket, the pharmacy.  Harry can't stand missing his morning nap.  (Neither can I)  

I try to select things that are healthy.  It isn't so easy without a proper stove (just 2 burners) and no oven. Also, I refuse to leave Harry alone in the car, so only one of us can pop out at a time.  Since the one time my husband did the supermarket run by himself, he came back with a giant tub of guacamole (I love it, but...gee...)  I make sure that I am the one doing the foraging down the aisles now.

Harry has adjusted better than we have, although I think he may be a bit confused.  I, for one, have had quite enough.  I just want to go home, too, Harry.  I really do.

Go away, leave me alone, don't bother me....

Monsters follow me.  I don't know why and I don't like it. I do not like it at all.  Most of the time I'm ok.  I've learned not to be scared of little monsters....like the toaster monster, or the microwave...they are little monsters that make food...and I DO like food.

I even learned to put up with some bigger monsters, like the ones out in the street.  Big noisy ones that screech and hiss and spit.  And those silly flags don't bother me at all anymore.

But whenever my pack goes to a hotel, the monsters follow me.  Why?  What did I do?  Is it my magical powers?  Just because the doors open for me, does that make the monsters mad?  

When we went to see my hooman sister far away, the monsters came.  And we are in a hotel now and guess what?  TODAY the monsters came again!  LOUD and scary beeps, way way screechy beeps.  Mom and Dad didn't seem upset, but I sure was.  I went to my safe spot in my kennel.  They've been quiet for a while now, but I am afraid they will come back.

Why are they after me?  I really want them to go away and leave me alone!

Fire alarm testing.

They seem to haunt us at every hotel.

The desk called this morning to warn us.  Poor Harry, he still cannot and probably never will tolerate loud, obnoxious sounds such as sirens and alarms.  It was the whole building, not just our room, so it isn't like we could escape...and it was rather early in the day.  *Sigh*   

It's all over now, and the sun is shining, the windows are open to a lovely breeze and Harry has stopped trembling.....for now.