Christmas

All the Christmas chaos has finally drawn to a close. All the new things in the house are driving me and my nose nuts. The worse was this big metal thing that Santa brought the biped puppies call a teeter-totter. I am getting used it, but for several days I would keep my distance from it. From the looks of it, this seems to be the best approach, as it looks to be some kind of biped puppy powered Max squashing device.

The family did have fun seeing everyone, and some very neat gifts were given. One of my favorites was a large box of hand made butter that mom and dad gave grandpa. I could have done some serious damage to that box, but they kept in the deepfreeze.

Dad has uploaded a lot of the pictures to the photo website that you will see under links to the right of this post, so I am not going to repost them here. But I am glad that this crazy season is over and we can get back to concentrating on the important things… the family pet.

Fa la la laaaaa

The big night was last night, Josh had his 3rd grade Christmas play. Mom and Dad’s parents came for the event so Josh was being supported by his family as well as grandparents. Everyone went out to dinner before hand, with the exception of Kim’s parents; they just came straight to the play, because Johnny was working late.

The play was very cute, and talked about how Christmas is about love and caring. Every thing was going well till about half way through, when Josh started getting hot. He did not pass out, or get sick. So when it was dad went up to pull him off the stage, and take him outside to cool off. However, even before Dad could get him his teacher that he had in first grade was beside him, making sure he was ok. It turns out Josh was just a little warm, and a little nervous, but every thing ended up fine.

Dad snapped a bunch of pictures, but said I had to blur out the other kids, because you never know with the Internet!

My seasonal job.

The Christmas tree is up, so my seasonal job has started. My seasonal duties are two fold.

First is to protect the presents. For the most part this entails keeping guard against the biped puppies, and making sure they do not peek. While mom and dad are around most of the time to help me keep them in check, my job becomes a little more tiresome on Saturday. This is the only day Mom and Dad get to sleep in, and leaves the biped puppies an ample opportunity to go snooping for loose corners.

My second duty, and the most challenging, is to protect the tree from the next door neighbor’s cats. I sit by the tree, on my bed that dad made me a few years back, just watching out the window. I know they are there, my doggie senses just tingling, keeping me ever so vigilant. If I see one stroll by, I emit one of my low growls. This is the kind of growl that I do without showing my teeth, or moving my lips at all. This is the kind that comes from deep inside. I know they can hear it, those smug cats, thinking they are so better than everyone else.

Capitol Fiasco.

Meagan has been looking forward to this for weeks. Her and the rest of the first graders playing hand bells at the state capitol. The morning of, she was so excited before school. The time to leave the school comes and goes, and no bus driver. They were supposed to get to the state capitol at nine. The bus driver arrives to pick up the kids from school at 9:30. They arrived at the capitol and were told they missed it. The bus drivers only comment: “Oops my bad”

Meagan was crushed and her and others burst into tears. The teachers thought on their feet, and had the kids play one song on the capitol steps. But Meagan's day was ruined. All because a few adults could not plan, or communicate. Not the first time at this school I might add.

Dad however thought on his feet and picked up some roses on the way home. He snapped a picture of her holding one in front of the Christmas tree. While dad wasn't looking I took the memory card out of the camera and uploaded it. Not easy to do either with paws...

What I want for Christmas...

During dinner the other night, the family was eating at the table, while I strolled around the table. I spend my time between dad and the messy biped puppies, hoping for a morsel of food to be dropped, and licking an exposed knee every once in a while just to see them jump.

Dad derailed the regular conversation by asking if they could have anything for Christmas what it would be. Josh kicked it off by rattling of the modern equivalent of Ralphie’s Red Ryder carbine action two model air rifle. Dad then asked them to pick something that was not a toy. Meagan chimed in with Candy, and dad then asked them to pick something that was immaterial. Both puppies grew quiet as they contemplated the new rule.

Josh was the first out of the gate with, “I would wish that people would get along better.” Meagan followed with “I wish people would learn to share”. Josh then followed with “I wish they would end all the wars”. Meagan then summed it all up with “I just wish people would get along better”.

Mom and Dad furthered the conversation that night with things with stories the kids had from their day at a school, and what was plastered on the news that night. Dad wondered what some of the kids at school would say, and if each story had a child, what they would want for Christmas. Here are a few of his ideas…

I wish my dad would come back home.
I wish I had a mom and dad to hug.
I wish I didn’t have a sister.
I wish my real mom loved me.
I wish my mom was home from fighting the bad guys.
I wish my brother did not do drugs.
I wish I had a sister.
I wish my dad wouldn’t hit us.
I wish I could play with my mom and dad more.
I wish I had a child to hug.

I know that is depressing stuff, dad had his dark moments no doubt. But something to think about this Christmas, take it from someone who sits back and just watches as you humans run around all the time. Sit down and look into every child’s eyes you see this Holiday season, and wonder what it is they really want for Christmas. I am willing to bet my chew toy, that it is not the hottest toy this season, who you are visiting and when, what people are wearing at church, or who is or is not there. Take a look deeper in their eyes, and start to think what are you really doing to help them?

Now I have to pee, where is mom? I need to go out!

Tooth Fairy

The biped puppy lost her first tooth last weekend. When it came time to place it in her tooth pillow for the tooth fairy, she started to have her doubts. Through her tears, mom and dad started to pull out the details. She did not want to give her first tooth to the tooth fairy without knowing what was going to happen to it. Dad looked it up on the Internet, and found that the fairy grinds the teeth and turns the dust into fairy dust that she uses to collect other children's teeth. Meagan was happy with the answer but still did not want to forgo her first tooth.

Mom suggested that she leave a note telling the tooth fairy about her dilemma. Meagan did and then had a reply waiting for her in the morning. The note written on what looked like very old paper, and smelled a bit like Tea to me, said “Meagan, We have plenty of fairy dust, because kids do not brush their teeth like they should.” Much to her surprise she was left a dollar.