25 Dec 2009

Today was one of those days when dad was supposed to get up, but he didn't,  Some days are like that - and they are always exciting days.  Whenever dad stays home, something fun happens.  Some of those days dad just spends more time with me.  And sometimes we get to do special things.  This day wasn't any different.  No one seemed to be in a hurry to get up early.  It used to be that Grandma Quiver would start asking to go out.  But Grandma Quiver isn't with us anymore.  That made me sad, so I tried to sneak on the bed and schnuggle up with dad.  At first dad didn't make any room for me.  So I tried pushing a little harder.  The trick is to make dad move over without waking him up.  I didn't do so good today, because dad did wake up.  No matter - dad made room for me and I got to schnuggle for a while.  I got all comfortable on the bed, then dad put my nice blue blankie over me.  Soon I was all warmie and schnoring.

After a while dad got up and made that coffee stuff for mom.  It smells pretty good when they take the brown powder and put it in the machine.  But it sure doesn't taste very good once it is finished.  I really prefer dad's milk.  When dad gets cereal for breakfast he always saves me a bit of cereal and milk in the dish.  So when the coffee was done, mom got up and made breakfast.  Today wasn't cereal.  Today was bacon and eggs with toast.  I like that too.  Dad always leaves some of the yellow egg juice and he cuts some bacon bits on the plate for me.  YUM!

Dad spent most of the day just doing things around the house.  Dad checked some things on the Toyota.  He does that some times, he calls it checking the fluids.  I got to go outside with dad.  Our neighbor Matt was out, and he and dad talked for a while too.  Matt is a soldier, and dad likes him a lot.  Everybody was saying Merry Christmas.  Hey - that's right....  today is Christmas Day!  I forgot.  That means lots of presents - and some presents for us dogs too.  I remember last year - I had a great time playing with the paper.  It was as much fun as getting presents.  When dad went back inside I followed him inside too.  I knew I better stick close to dad today.  I knew that nobody will get presents unless dad is there, so if I stick close to dad I won't miss anything.

Mom made dad clean up his mess on the dining room table.  Sometimes dad's projects get bigger than his work bench - so he expands them out to the dinning room.  Dad's workbench is a BIG mess.  Dad complains that he has too many projects and not enough time to clean up between them.  The work bench was so full stuff is falling on the floor.  Sometimes I sniff at it and dad scolds me to leave it.  This time dad has been working on something called a BUG-OUT BAG.  I don't know what that is, but dad has all kinds of stuff on the dining room table.  So dad tried to put it up in an orderly way, but that wasn't working well.  Then dad sighed and said he would just have to start over after the holidays.  So he just dumped everything in a big bag and put it on a chair in his room.  I could tell dad wasn't happy when he did that.  It means more work for dad, and he is so busy all the time anyway.

A little later James woke up.  After James got something to eat, we started opening presents in front of the tree.  Daisy and I got to watch.  Mom and dad opened some big presents first, and they were full of dog toys.  Oh-goodie!  I'm a lucky dog - a lucky lucky dog.... I get presents for Christmas.  I got first pick, because I was right there with dad.  I checked out all the toys, and picked a green stuffed Santa Claus.  Daisy was with mom, and she got to pick a toy too.  Then my dog-mom Sammy got to pick a present.  She grabbed a squeaky toy and ran for her bed.  Then Uncle Justin got to pick a toy.  He picked a red stuffed animal, and mom told him to go in his bed.  Uncle Justin tried to sneak outside with the toy, but mom chased him and made him go to bed.  Then Daisy and I got more presents.  They were in really really big boxes, so big that dad had to help open the boxes.  Dogs have trouble sometimes, because we don't have thumbs.  What was inside was really nice.  Daisy and I got special new dog-beds.  Mom says they are travel-beds, special just for going to dog shows.  And they are green - my favorite color.  James put one together, and I got to try it out.  It was SO COOL!  It has sides with screen windows, it has covers that go over the screen windows, and it has a door with a screen window and a cover too.  Then I got the big surprise - the new bed has a SUN ROOF!  When I got in the bed, dad closed the door, then opened the sun roof.  I could stand up, stick my head out and look around.

Mom put Daisy back to bed, and dad made me a cream cheese and peanut butter bone.  I was happy to sit quietly in my new bed with the yummy bone.  Mom and dad and James started opening their presents.  Dad got some kind of really long green pole for putting up portable radio antennas, a new computer monitor, and a special jacket.  James got some books and a part for his battle rifle.  Mom got 2 pairs of shoes, a food processor, a spice rack, and a jacket like dad's.  James said the jackets were very expensive, they are military extreme cold weather Gore-Tex jackets.  While dad and James were putting all the paper stuff in the trash I was getting sleepy.  I remembered the paper-chase game I played with dad last year.  But I was too tired now, and I am a lot bigger too.  Last year I was just a small puppy, only a Good Dane.  It was fun, but it was a puppy game.  Now I am just too big to run in the house.  So I just took a nap in my new travel-bed.  It sure was comfortable.  Mom got to start cooking something - and it sure smelled good.  It was called a HAM.  Hmmmm - sometimes dad is called a ham too, and dad plays with ham radio.  Sometimes human words are so confusing.  Like BARK.  I bark, that is how I talk.  Trees have barks too, but I never hear the trees.  They must only bark when dogs are not around to hear.  I well asleep pondering strange human words.  Soon I was having some really good doggie-dreams that smelled just like the ham mom was making.  

Some time later I heard the door-bell.  I opened my eyes and I was startled.  I forgot I was in my new travel-bed.  But dad let me out, and coming in the door was Keith, Heidi and Bobby the skin puppy.  I like it when Bobby visits, he shares his food.  I got sent out in the yard while everyone made the table ready for dinner.  I could smell that ham-thing and it was really good.  Dad let me in, but told me to behave.  So I got on my doggie-bed and waited.  I am learning patience.  It is so hard.  I wanted to go to the table, but I knew I would get scolded.  So I waited, and I was rewarded.  When the humans were finished, I got to lick the plates.  Oh-yummy!  Everyone exchanged gifts, then Keith, Heidi and Bobby packed up to go home.

Mom made us a really really good doggie-dinner, all us dogs got bits of ham and ham juices with our food.  Dad took my bowl to the little table where I eat.  He knelt down and wanted to wish me a Merry Christmas.  Just gimme the food dad, I will do Merry Christmas after I eat.  Oh - it was Sooo Gooood!  I wish we could do Christmas every day.  When I finished I went to sit with dad.  Dad was watching TV with James, so I went to sleep on the floor right next to them.  It was another fine doggie Christmas.

Until next time.....