Oh No! It's getting cold again!

My big brother Togo is much better now. He runs very fast and I can hardly remember when he was hurting, he's so happy now! Jim came up for 10 days so we had an all family vacation. I got to go to Deer Lake Charlie's lots. I tried to get a drink, all I really wanted was water, but someone stuck a beer in front of my face, yucky! There was no water for dogs siting at the bar, the water bowl is under the sink! Silly me! We went back to the cities for a couple of weeks. Because my mom is in 2 plays up north, we headed back there. It was really pretty, all the trees were changing colors. Then it snowed and got cold again! The ducks and geese are pretty much gone. The loons are gone too. One day the trumpeter swans fell right over head. We still take walks every day and we get lots of pictures. The squirrels keep us pretty busy. They can't get in the cabin after my mom put metal and aluminum screening up. They are angry and make that awful noise. We caught lots of mice, they really want in! It's night more now, so I have to wear a blinking red light in the dark. At least I don't have to wear those silly dog sweaters yet! But I have learned from Quincy that burrowing under blankets is warm and cozy, so I am busy growing fur for the upcoming winter. It's rough life but somebody has to live it!

My Big Brother Togo

On Monday August 31 my big brother Togo almost died of bloat. This is a thing that attacks mostly big dogs. it's when their stomach and intestines twist around, constrict the blood and then they die. It's very painful. But if it's caught in time, now trained vets can operate and that's what happened to Togo. We were in the city, that helped I guess because there are lots of emergency vet clinics just like we watched on TV in the winter on the Animal Planet. Poor Togo, he has a great big incision on his belly and 25 staples. My mom and dad were really upset. Togo was gone over the night. Mom looked so sad and worried, she hardly paid attention to me so we all went over to our neighbor's house to play with Buddy, Blue and the cute little mini dachshund, Dottie who Pam is fostering. We romped and played. Mom and Pam talked alot. The next day Togo came home, but he slept most of the day. The next day we drove up to the lake and it's wonderful, full of smells and things to roll in. Togo likes it here the best. We ghot up early one morning to let Togo go out when the sun was just coming up, we hardly ever get to see that. It was really pretty, the foggy mist was just lifting and the loons were calling to each other.

Togo is getting much better now. We went for some walks, a little longer each day. Today was the longest so far and Togo was having great time, acting just about like his old self except that he is not running too much. He went swimming though. Dad is here on vacation and we are having a great time. Last night we went to Deer Lake Charlies, it was going to the dogs! Besides me, Togo and Quincy, Mary Lou was there and so was Morrie, one of my favorites from the summer. His people showed up from Bemidji to surprise everyone. We went for a boat ride the other day too. So I think Togo is getting better all the time! i sure am glad!

Boat Rides, Walks and other Stuff

Every day we go for walks and my favorite place is up north in the woods. There is so much stuff to smell and chase, I always find things to roll in and/or eat. Mom likes it, it's ok and she doesn't have to watch out for cops like in the city. Mary Lou and Charlie go with us lots of times too. I learn lots from Mary Lou, she taught me how to catch things. When I was in my own back yard in the city I caught this big whopping gray squirrel that had been teasing us for a long time. The neighbors were happier than my mom and dad because those rodents kept getting in their attic. They wanted to give me a prize. Dad threw it away before mom could get a picture of my greatest catch yet. Sometimes I get so hot from running and chasing stuff that I have to cool off in mud puddles or, in the picture, Poppel Lake. Quincy, Togo and I get to go home and take naps afterwards but not until mom rinses us off in the lake. My first boat ride was on the 4th of July and I was scared! Then one night I got to ride on a pontoon boat, that was better. Today my mom made me go in Charlie's boat, it was windy and whitecapping, the waves rocked the boat. At first I was scared, after a while it smelled so good, I got up to lean out over the edge, mom freaked and made me sit down. The waves crashed over the gunnels and splashed me in the face. It was kind of cool! Later we went down to the corner, Deer Lake Charlie's. There is this old building out back, used to be the old original bar. I checked it out, there is lots of stuff living underneath and hiding out inside. Maybe some day I will catch something in there if it doesn't fall down first. Quincy found this bowl, carried it out and dropped it at mom's feet to let her know that we were real thirsty. Mary Lou hangs out there too as her mom is one of the owners. Then I came home, found a few dead fish to roll in , got another bath and now I'm pooped. It's a dog's life!

Summer Daze, Lots of Adventures

The ducks continue to multiply and my people keep giving them cracked corn! I like it too, so whatever falls on the dock, Quincy and I get to clean up! I actually caught one of those ducks, but my mom made me let it go. It was alright, but that one has more respect for me now! But the others, no such luck. Early one morning I heard something walking in the water towards our cabin. It was a deer in the lake at the end of our dock!! We were under attack, not just ducks but now the deer just walk right up here! Then on a ride I saw my first bear and a skunk. Mom was glad we were in the car or I might have caught that skunk. I have been busy rolling in things, but I get a bath nearly everyday now.

Mary Lou caught a chipmunk and I got to play with it. My mom was grossed out big time. Take lots of walks in the woods and I chase things with Togo. Quincy sticks pretty close to mom. I am pretty tired out by the end of the day, good thing I have lots of beds to choose from, but I usually end up with my mom. We have to go back to the city for a few days, I wonder what's happening there?

Ducks, Ducks, Parades and the Weird Things People do!

There never seems to be and end to the crazy stuff my people do! They continue to feed the ducks and they are multiplying! And there are three who hang out under the dock and get fed several times a day, what are they thinking??? Then that wily muskrat swims right under my nose. My people seem to think I am going to jump in the water, but I don't know about that! They also got dressed up in funny clothes and rode around the town with hundreds of other folks and wanted me to be a part of it. Well I just rode in the car with Charlie the driver, I fell asleep on the seat so I missed some more of the weird things people were doing. There were horses and tractors, noisy vehicles and people playing music. It was crazy, I was glad to get back to the cabin and stand guard duty to the ducks!

Then they did another crazy thing, they got dressed up again and rode around in a boat while dozens of other people did the same thing. I was scared in the boat, not too sure about this whole boat thing. But after we got out of the boats we were at a party and there were lots of dogs, it was like an up north dog park. There were people and kids everywhere, and one kid dropped her ice cream, but Quincy got to it first! He doesn't seem to care too much about those ducks either, he doesn't like to swim. Togo and I nearly caught some, but my mom yelled at us and we let them go. Flags were everywhere, and at night, fireworks. Were they after the ducks finally? Mary Lou has hunted lots of squirrels and chipmunks and I found one and rolled in it. I got another bath. I have been getting a lot of them lately, in the lake. At least the water is warm! Well gotta go watch for more ducks, this is better than Animal Planet!

Summer time and the living is, well fun!

Hot weather is great! Everything smells, there is something to roll in everywhere! And there is so much hunting to do. I have to patrol the cabin grounds and that includes the lake. My work is never done. From early in the morning when the birds start singing and tweeting while the ducks quack and splash, to the muskrat swimming under the dock, chipmunks and squirrels. Then I have to dodge the giant, hairy mosquitos, huge horseflies and deer flies too! There are other big bugs with great big eyes, long bodies and two sets of wings. They eat the other ones. My people have taken up a curious thing, they get in the lake and throw things to each other. Togo loves to swim out and grab the ball. They also throw perfectly good food out to the enemies, the ducks! Work with me here guys! Then they got me to jump in off the dock, the water isn't co cold any more. I thought I smelled great, I found a slimy fish on the beach and I thought my people would want to know about it. Next thing I know they are pouring shampoo on me washing it all off. I went to a lot of work to smell that way, they just don't appreciate the right things in life. They also put me in a little thing called a rowboat and I could look into the water and see fish! Yikes, no wonder I need to power lounge on the dock and bask in the hot sun! I can see far, far away, sitting on the dock feels like doggie heaven now!