Bright Paper Packages Tied Up With .....

Bright satin ribbons!!! Omigosh I've never seen so many ribbons and bows, lights and twinkly everything! Next thing you know out come the stockings!!!

Stockings ... my absolute favorite part of Christmas. Well, almost my favorite. It's my favorite selfish part of Christmas. But what I really love about all the holidays this time of year is the magic in the air. I can almost smell it.

On our street lots of people add lights and wreaths in front of their houses and sometimes you can see Christmas trees through the front doors. It's fun to ride around and look at all the decorations. Heck, it's fun to ride around anywhere, anytime.

This year Hanukkah comes just before Christmas so soon the Menorahs will be lit, too. All of these holiday traditions are so important and all should be recognized and celebrated. We think it's too bad when they all have to be lumped together in one big Happy Holiday when each one is so important all by itself.

At this special time of year, our family hopes the spirit of the holidays is with all of you. People are just a little bit nicer, a little bit friendlier, people seem to feel the warmth of the holidays and want to share it. I know that I get a few more treats, a few more pets than usual.

We celebrate Christmas. For Meme it's very special as she remembers a Christmas long ago in a little town in Connecticut where she grew up with her parents and two brothers. She tells this story all the time and she said I could tell it here.

One Christmas after everyone had gone to sleep, she lay awake so excited she couldn't sleep. She suddenly heard her big brother get up and walk to the window. He called to her saying "Listen!...... Listen!"

"What?" she said. He wondered "Can't you hear them? The bells?" She lay very still trying to hear, but couldn't. So she got up and went to the window, standing by her brother. He pointed toward the dark distant sky saying "Look! See the lights?" "Yes I do" said Meme. Almost breathless he said "That's Santa and his reindeer!".

"Yes, I see it ... I see it!" Meme was so excited. Her brother whispered "And do you hear the bells???"

Yes, she heard the bells ... Santa's sleigh bells.

And every Christmas Eve, she hears them still.

From my family to your family, may you have a Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas .... and for everyone peace, prosperity and better times in the new year.

Til next time.
Molly

Thanksgiving and Spilt Milk

Meme says it all the time ... "don't cry over spilt milk"... and "what's done is done". She has a ton of these sayings and none of them really make a whole lot of sense. But I do know something about "It is what it is". That's her favorite right now.

I love routine and I especially love mornings. They're the best because they're almost always the same. I'm up before everyone else, I jump off the bed and when they still don't wake up I let out a tiny whimper and it's just enough to wake up Meme. And so my day begins with a walk around the neighborhood just to make sure everything is the way I left it the night before.

Then it's back to the house where I run as fast as my little legs will take me into the bedroom where Poppy always has a biscuit for me. Then back to the kitchen where always, always, always my dish is filled with my breakfast. Then I go back to the bedroom, get lifted up on the bed and have my medicine treat that keeps my joints working as best they can. They drink coffee, watch TV, I sleep ... it's just a super time for all of us.

Another favorite I can depend on is weekend breakfasts. On the weekends Meme and Poppy have a special breakfast at the glass top table on the patio. When that refrigerator door opens I know the fruit is on its way to the counter and it will be no time at all before they have their breakfast.

You might not think this would be a special time for a dog, but over the years I have taught my people well and they can't resist sharing their fruit with me. I sit between them at the table and gaze longingly up at them. There's a trick to this. I have to look needy, but loving. As soon as I hear the knife on the plate I know Poppy is cutting the fruit and in a minute a juicy piece of melon will be coming my way. Yup! Got it!

So then I turn to Meme with the same drill. If nothing happens, I make the tiniest soulful sound and it works every time. I just love things I can depend on.

We dogs will wait for treats. I must be patient because for some reason all the yummies in the world were not put in a place I can get my paws on them. And when I don't get my treat immediately, I bide my time because sooner or later the good stuff always comes. If nothing else works, I stare them down and they eventually give in.

This is life's order for me. But sometimes I'm disappointed and things don't go my way. Some days all the good things I depend on just aren't there.

There's no point in looking back at that imperfect day and moping about it, no reason to "cry over the spilt milk" because we can't go back and change anything. So we plunge on with hope for the next day ... hope that it will be better than the day before.

But sometimes, when life just knocks the you know what out of us, it takes more than usual to build up our confidence in tomorrow. We have to dig deep in our souls reaching for our faith that things will get better, that our treat is on its way.

And that brings me to today. We rode so high on our Cape Cod trip, but when we came home I just knew all was not well in our house. I sort of figured out that Meme and Poppy's order was out of whack and things just weren't happening right for us. There have been sad days all over the world recently.

But we just can't let this get us down. We can't go our whole lives with a great treat every single day. There are always going to be days with no treats.

We're hopeful again. We're getting a little confidence back because it doesn't do any good to be sad all day wondering where our treat is ... doesn't do any good at all. The important thing is to hold on tight to the things we can count on.

For me that's the sun coming up every day, it's the walk down our street that promises familiar smells, it's knowing my Meme and Poppy love me more than anything, it's sleeping between them on our bed. These are the important things that I can always count on and if one day I don't have all the treats I want, I just remember all the good stuff I do have.

Meme calls that "counting our blessings", something we especially must do in times of stress and hardship and certainly this Thanksgiving Day before we get any turkey. When we do that, it gives us the strength to deal with whatever is tossed at us no matter how scary.

And from that strength we begin to feel hope. With that hope eventually comes confidence. Once we've built that confidence inside us again, all things are possible.

'Til Next Time ...

Molly

A Perfect Dog for the White House ... and other thoughts

Well, I didn't win. You probably heard but just in case you didn't, I didn't. I'm not disappointed because I think it would have been tough and even though I have some really good ideas, I'm just not sure I was up to the task.

So Mr. Obama is going to be our President and I wish him the very best. Our country is in a bit of a mess right now (and that's an understatement if ever I heard one) and we need someone strong to take the reigns and drag us out of the muck. I hope he can do that, but I have a few good ideas I thought I'd pass along for him. I have to be honest ... I only get 15 or 16 years on this earth and I don't think it's quite fair that I had to land here now!!!

About the puppy for their girls. I know he said he needed a hypo-allergenic dog. Well guess what!!! Have I got a dog for you! Get one of my cousins because Bichons are one of the greatest of all and we're allergy free. I should know because that's one reason Meme picked me. Some will say Poodle and they're a good second choice if he can't find a Bichon. But Bichons are just the best. We're great with kids, we're really cute and we strut around a lot. We have that regal look if you know what I mean. I think one of us would be a great choice. We are high maintenance, but something tells me that won't be a problem.

Now on to more important things. I've been thinking a lot about this economic mess. You all know that Meme watches a heck of a lot of television so I think I have a pretty good take on what's been going on the last few months. It's pretty ugly, that's for darned sure. But I think some good old common sense might be just the ticket.

So first I suggest everyone get hold of themselves and get in a more positive mood. There's nothing worse at times like this than being dragged down by fear, worry and depression. Our country has been through some terribly rough times before, worse than this really, and we always come out of it. So we Americans have to show that we have just as good a backbone as those who came before us and get working on this.

Right now no one is really getting the right handle on exactly what to do so they're all sort of floundering around down there in the muck and the mire of the trenches. It's just a mess and nothing is getting done. So here goes ....

Let's just stop right now talking about raising anyone's taxes. I know there's all kinds of good stuff Mr. Obama wants to give out and he needs the rich people's money, but it just has to wait. It's called budgeting in tough times; families do it all the time. The government can't ask for a raise in times like these. We have to first get the economy rolling again. So wait on the taxes. Plenty of time to do that when the money is flowing again.

And people have to stop being afraid. Fear is the worst and I oughta know because when something scares me I jump in the air and then I'm embarrassed I was frightened to begin with because nothing is that scary.

Especially people under 50 should take advantage of this garage sale we have going on here with some of the best stocks out there. If Meme and Poppy were younger, they'd be buying right now. Younger people will do very well for themselves if they get in there and take advantage .... I mean these are like major closeout sales! Buy 'em up!

Next the people who are in mortgage trouble have to get themselves talking to their lenders and get those mortgages refinanced. The bank doesn't want their house. I think we're at a point now where they'll be willing to work something out. And the banks have to realize that, too, and work out something with people. We all have to work together to get out of this.

And the homes were way too expensive anyway. It was just stupid to think that a little tiny house that even I could barely fit in would be worth the kind of money they were selling for. Sure it made people feel good that their home went up in value hundreds of thousands of dollars in just a few years, but let's get real!!! If it sounds too good to be true, it is. So people wanting to sell have to get realistic and sell lower. They'll get the difference on the other end when they buy anyway so what's the problem???

It was that stupid housing bubble and those evil mortgage lenders and a whole lot of other greedy guys that started this whole mess in the first place. So that has to get fixed. And while we're at it, how about we go after those guys, reel 'em in and try them for high crimes and misdemeanors.

So positive thinking, getting rid of the fear, biting the bullet and holding tight and not selling off what's left of your funds and stocks is the way to go. Remember that when the market was up and your money was worth so much more, it really wasn't worth anything unless you sold it. And you weren't selling it because it was up and you thought it would go up more. Well, it didn't!! It's the same thing as Poppy with all this stuff in the garage that he tells Meme are "collectibles" and worth a lot of money. She always tells him they're not worth a penny sitting in the garage.

So just use common sense. If your stock is worth only $50 today and you sell it, all you've got is $50. But if it's worth $50 today and you keep it, and it goes down $5 tomorrow, but up $10 the next day you're ahead of the game. The trick we all really need to remember is don't sell low. You sell when you're up, not down. I know how hard it is to hang on. Meme and Poppy some days look like they have their teeth wrapped around a trapeze bar, but they're hanging in. It will get better ... it always does.

So that's my view of how this mess starts getting fixed. Once we get the companies feeling strong again, they can hire people and then we've got jobs ..... and so it goes.

'Til next time.

Molly

There Ought To Be A Law ....

I'm running for President. It's not too late and you still have time to vote for me ... just write me in.

Yup! Election Day is Tuesday and all I can say is ..... FINALLY!!!!!

When I'm elected (and I do think I have a fighting chance), there are going to be some changes made in the White House ... that's for darn sure.

Here's the thing. As you all know, I'm at the mercy of my humans. What they have on TV is what I get to see. This is a great learning process for me so in a way it's a good thing. It's made me an incredibly smart dog.

Still, I have to tell you that what's been on that TV over the past I don't know how long is enough to make my head spin. I can't make head or tail of it and that's going some because as you can imagine, I'm usually pretty good telling heads from tails.

As far as I know there's no law saying a dog can't be President. As a matter of fact, Meme even told me we've had some dogs in the White House so there you go.

The way I see it everything is completely out of whack and no one gets a pass for the mess we're in and I mean no-bo-dy!!! I mean, speaking for myself ... I'm okay. I heard Meme say she'd let her own hair go before she'd give up on me getting groomed so we're okay there. But we're in a mess, no question about it. And Meme switches channels a lot because she says it's important to hear all sides so I've been hearing all sides, too.

I don't have a dog in this race so to speak. I could care less who gets elected as long as I have a bed to sleep on, walks in the sunshine, snuggles in the nighttime and food in the bowl. That's all I need. Still, I do think I could make some changes that will make everyone a lot happier and everything will go along more smoothly than it does now.

Speaking as a dog, I have to say I think everyone has gotten a little carried away spending too much money they sometimes don't even have. Everyone has too much "stuff". Half of the stuff people have really isn't necessary. Look at me! Like I said, I have food, love, a roof over my head and lots of happy time. That's really all any of us really "need". The rest is just icing on the cake and sometimes we have to do without the icing ... now and then maybe even the cake.

So here's what I think .....

First, no one can announce they want to be President until one year before the election. That way we don't have to start hearing all this stuff before we're even half way through the last President.

And once we announce we're running, we need to come up with a clear concise list of exactly what our plan is. It can't use any trick words that people don't understand. And once we're elected, we don't get to say ..... well, sorry, no can do.

There will be a limit set on how much money a person can spend to get elected and everyone running uses the same exact amount. All the rest of the money that people donate goes into a big trunk for charity and gets distributed the day after the election with nothing held out for "administrative" costs.

When the debates are held, regular ordinary everyday people get to ask the questions. And the candidate has to answer the question. They can't change the subject or repeat the same stuff they're already said a thousand times.

No robots making phone calls and bothering people at all hours of the day messing up answering machines and leaving messages that go on forever and nobody listens to them anyway.

No cutting down trees to print up reams of fliers jamming up mailboxes and being tossed in the recycle bin. You can't even make a decent airplane out of those things.

We have to be willing to take a lie detector test to make sure we're always telling the truth before the election.

Nobody can run for any office if they can't keep their own budget in their own house. Here in our house, we have a certain amount of money coming in. We don't get to force someone to give us more. So we can't spend more than we have. So once you get into the congress, you will not be allowed to budget more dollars than are coming in. No exceptions.

Which brings me to credit. No more printing money and handing it out to people who seem to have somehow blown their own budgets.

And finally, no one can vote in an election who doesn't know the names of the people running. There may even be cause for a test of people's thinking ability, but I'll take a look at that down the road.

So that's just a start. I have a lot of other ideas, but Meme tells me I'm dreaming and none of this will ever happen. I guess she's right, but a girl can dream, right? I mean, why not? There really are more of us than there are of them and I think most of the country is pretty sick of all the debating and the bickering.

We live together in this great country of ours and who cares really who gets it right and fixes everything as long as somebody does. So everyone should just stop blaming each other, start all getting along together and do the job we're paying them to do. Or get out.

That's why I'm running for President. I think I'll make a pretty good one. I can't do it all myself, but if I get some good old common sense in there with me we can get past this mess we've created and get back on track again.

As for me, I have faith in this nation's future. But we're better united than divided and I'm working on uniting.

'Til next time.
Molly

The Open Door I Just Couldn't Resist ...

Do you know the feeling of seeing an open door? You want to see what's on the other side; you just have to?

Now imagine being me. I'm always on a leash ... always. Well, not quite true really. When we were travelling to Cape Cod some people had fenced in yards and I was able to run free. And some people just lived in a great place with no traffic and I just ran and ran in their yards.

But mostly all my life I've been on a leash. So picture what it was like for me one day in our cottage on Cape Cod when suddenly .... the door was open. Meme and Poppy were sitting out on the deck and they'd let me come inside because the sun was so hot on my white fur. I was fine with that ... but then I saw the open door.

I walked ever so slowly over to it, turned around to see if they were looking. They weren't. So I walked closer. Suddenly there I am right at the front door with the grass and flowers and all kinds of wonderful smells just waiting out there for me.

And I thought ... why not? I know my way back; time for an adventure. So out I went. I stepped onto that soft grass and started sniffing. I had thought I would go right back inside, but this was just too good. I couldn't stop myself.



I made my way around the house and past the BBQ grill, one of my favorite places. Still, so much ground to cover I couldn't waste too much time there. I made my way over to our neighbor's. There was no one home so I was able to take my time sniffing and exploring.

Now all this time I can hear them talking so I know everything is perfectly fine and I'll definitely be back for dinner. But this is fun! I'm free! So I just kept sniffing and snooping.

Suddenly I hear a screech! It's Meme yelling "The door's open!!! Oh my God the doors open" and then "Where's Molly????!!!!" and "She's gone, she's not in the house, oh my God oh my God!!!". She's just gone bonkers.

And I'm thinking "Oh for heaven's sake calm down ... all this fuss and I'm perfectly fine". I knew right then I should go back, but I just couldn't. It was just too wonderful a moment and who knows if I'll ever have this again.

And then I hear our other neighbor calling me! Oh good Lord they're calling in the troops!!! Suddenly I hear my name being called out all over the place. Poppy's calling me, Ron is calling me, and Meme .... well, you don't even want to know.

I sort of understand why they went so crazy. A few years ago my sister-cat took off through an open door and didn't come back for days. We were all pretty scared that time.

So I should have gone back right then. A good dog would have, but I have to be honest and tell you that I'm very, very cute but not always as good as they might want me to be And you know what? It was the principal of the thing. I'm a grown up dog after all. And I'm perfectly fine. I'll go back when I'm done and not a second sooner.

Well, almost. Suddenly I hear Ron behind me and sheepishly I cowered beneath him and let him scoop me up and carry me home. How embarrassing. What an awful way to end a perfectly wonderful afternoon, being scooped up like a dumb cat and carted back home.

Oh well. I'll say this. With all the fussing and the treats and the loving I got after that adventure, I wouldn't have given up those couple of hours for anything.

But something tells me I won't be seeing another open door any time soon. But if you do? Walk through it. It's all good.

'Til next time ...

Molly

Our Journey's Done ... But Oh What A Ride!

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

That's what Meme said and I'm having a heck of a hard time following along, but something's not good, that's for sure. But I want to go back and talk about before the journey ended because it was the absolute best of times for me and I think it's safe to say that it was the best of times for Meme and Poppy, too.

We were together; that was the best part ... riding along the highway, stopping to eat french fries and "bad" food (at least that's what Meme calls it). I think their favorite was Wendy's ... Meme called it Wendy's With a View. She swears she's going to ride up and down 95 trying out all the Wendy's and finding the ones with the prettiest places to park and eat. Wendy's definitely has the view over McDonalds, but Mikey D's has the fries over Wendy's. I can attest to that big time! I love love love the fries!


So you already know we went to Cape Cod. No one ever told me what a magical place it is and Meme says I shouldn't tell you either because we're going to keep it our secret. But I gotta tell you, I just can't hold it in!!!









Hardly a box store in sight, lots of little shops and twisting roads along the sea, beaches I could run on and feel the softest sand ever between my paws, and that huge ocean to drink from. And always, always I was with them whether we were indoors or out, in the car or walking down the road, I was always by their side.



And the people! We stayed in different houses all the way up and back and in our cottage by the water tons of people came and went and they all loved me. There were wonderful people next door on both sides of us who stopped to visit and pet me and they had the most wonderful dogs who came and lay down next to me on our deck.









And there were stairs everywhere! I loved the stairs! At first I wasn't sure what to make of them ... never saw them before in my life, but before you know it I was running up and down and it didn't hurt at all. Not sure if I told you but about a year ago I started having a lot of pain and couldn't jump up on the bed anymore. So my Meme got me the greatest tasting treats to take every morning and since then I've been feeling so much better. I think the stairs helped because ever since we got home I can jump up sometimes which makes me very proud.


So back to our trip. I just gloried in the joy of it everyday and I thought it would go on forever. There were more smells than I've ever had here. And the grass ... can I tell you about the grass? It's so soft under my paws and nothing bit me the way they do here in Florida. I would just run and run forever in the grass. My favorite of all was my cousin's grass on Cape Cod. It was just heaven, like running in velvet; no other way to describe it.



But it didn't go on forever the way I hoped it would. Meme said nothing so wonderfully perfect lasts forever. Life just isn't like that.



Suddenly we were home and that was okay because I love home. I know every nook and cranny, every smell along my special path that Poppy walks me. So it was okay to get home, but what I couldn't understand was that suddenly the happiness was gone, the TV was on all day long and it was so boring with all this financial news and red arrows showing down, down, down. The suitcases were still out and somehow everything just seemed to slow down and almost stop.


It was just so different. I don't know if you know this, but dogs are very sensitive to every change so you really can't put anything over on us. I still got my food and my pets and my walks, but it just seemed sad in the house.



I've already told you my people aren't all that young, downright old some might say. And they've worked hard and saved and been so careful. They don't spend money on stupid things and they don't owe anybody anything. But all of a sudden they're worried. Something happened and now they're just not so sure about our future. And from what I've heard them say, this isn't just a bad time for us in our house, but it could be a bad time for an awful lot of people everywhere.



It's too bad because from what I'm hearing, this didn't have to happen. As smart as I am for a dog, I can't explain everything I've heard, but what I'm understanding is that there are a lot of people who either were protecting their own greed and others who were protecting their power.



And eventually the roof just fell in. And when it fell, it was the people underneath who got hurt the most ... not the people on top. I'll tell you one thing, though ... Meme is hoping pictures of all the people on top of the roof end up on a post office wall somewhere. I have no idea what she means by that, but she says you would.



So it's a sad end to an amazing journey, but that doesn't take away from how fantastic it was for all of us. And Meme is one of the most optimistic people I know. When she's down and out, I know we're in trouble. But she tells me it will all be fine because this is America.



We're a great country and when times get tough, the tough get going. Other countries are working on getting the world out of this mess, too. So down the road this great country and the world will rise again and be stronger than ever. That's just the way it works.



For now, we just have to think about all the good stuff. Meme says that good always comes from bad and she's confident that will happen this time, too. Maybe we all got a little to comfy with too many "things" and it's time to give up some of the "stuff" and focus on what's really important.



All I know is, we're pretty sure that if we're lucky we're headed back up to heaven on earth next year and that's good enough for me.


'Til next time.


Molly

It's a Wonderful Life!!!

My heart sings!

I'm guessing you're all wondering where the heck I've been and I don't wonder. It sure has been awhile since Meme has had the time to type for me!!!

A couple of weeks ago I saw more suitcases than usual in the house; practically in every room!! I was getting really upset. Next thing you know our patio doesn't look anything like it did because everything was put away like a hurricane was coming. But I hadn't heard a peep about one being even close! So they were preparing for something further away ... something's up; this time they're going away for a really long time!

One morning we got up and all the suitcases started being taken to the garage. I thought .... "Uh Oh!!! They're off again and I'm going to be all alone at night and spending my days with my friends down the street!!" When I'm alone at night, they leave the radio on like they think this fools me into thinking someone's with me. What do they think, I'm stupid??? There's one thing I know ... if it's dark and no one's in the bed, I'm alone. I got so woebegone as you can well imagine.

But no!!! They took me in the car, too! Oh sweet bliss I'm going too!!! From there it's a story that will unfold in the coming weeks, but I can tell you this. We are on the journey of a lifetime (at least for me). We spent days riding in the car and I had this amazing bed perched up high so I could look out ...... just me, the open road and my Meme and Poppy. We even stopped at McDonald's and I got to share their fries with them ... oh! oh! oh!, if that isn't the greatest! Can it get any better than that? I don't think so; no I don't.

We stopped every night and stayed with different people with wonderful backyards where I could run with the wind, free and unleashed. Imagine my joy!!!

So I don't know what's ahead for us down the road, but we've settled for quite a while now here on Cape Cod, people coming and going, dogs here and there, water and boats, babies and lots going on. It's amazing!

So here are a few photos just to let you know I'm still alive and kicking! As our journey moves on, I promise to write more about it. But right now I'm just having the time of my life.

'Til next time!
Molly

Just me, the open road, and some new friends I met along the way .....

Running free as the wind.....................

And finally Cape Cod...

Out of the Mouths of "Babes"

Of course, I know nothing. You all know that. But I do a lot of listening and Meme has the TV on so much that I can't help but be informed. Everyone knows we have a world energy crisis, not just here in the U.S., but everywhere. People are just using too darned much energy and from what I understand, only the bad people have the oil and the oil makes the energy. So we pay bad people good money for oil. That about sums up the problem quick and simple.

Sometimes the answer is simpler than we think if people would just quit arguing and taking the side they think they should because it's "their side". Sometimes we toss stuff around and keep saying the other guy has it wrong when really all along the answer is simply everyone working together and exchanging a combination of ideas.

Yup! Paris Hilton got it right ... do it all.

It took John McCain to bring this babe out of the woodwork and tell us her energy plan. I say it's a great plan and I'm for it. Take her plan and let's run with it.

In case anyone missed her TV documentary .... well, not exactly a documentary ... more like an ad, or more like a "gotcha", but in case you missed it, here's her plan:

"Barack wants to focus on new technologies to cut foreign oil dependency and McCain wants offshore drilling. Well why don't we do a hybrid of both candidates' ideas. We can do limited off shore drilling with strict environmental oversight while creating tax incentives to get Detroit making hybrid and electric cars. That way the offshore drilling carries us until the new technologies kick in which would then create new jobs and energy independence. Energy crisis solved!"

Sounds good to me!

'Til next time ...

Molly

Wolves in Sheep's Clothing ~ Images

I haven't had a lot to talk about lately and I was trying to get Meme to give me some ideas. Well, careful what you wish for! She started off using words I don't know and I'm just going to have to try to decipher as best I can given my limited brain. And when I can't, I'll just use her words and hope you can figure it out.

First, it's about being careful about a 'wolf in sheep's clothing'. Now, I have a coat a little like a sheep so I can relate to this. I've never seen a wolf in dog (person), but I've seen them on TV and they don't look anything at all like sheep (or me)!!!!

I found out what it means is things just aren't always what they seem or what we would hope they can be. Sometimes things turn out to be too good to be true. And I can understand this part because if I saw a sheep or dog walking toward me who looked like me, I would want to be friendly and welcome him in my life. But what if his coat was a fake? What if he wasn't what he appears to be? That could end up being very bad news for me!

From what Meme tells me it takes awhile to find this out and you have to be careful. And this can happen anywhere. I think, for the most part, dogs are who they are. I don't think I've ever met a phony dog, but I've sure seen phony people. There are people who fuss over me and I know darned good and well they don't like me one little bit. And I have to be honest, I'm not all that nice to them because I want to let them know I see right through them ... no pulling the wool over my eyes.

But sometimes it's not all that easy and Meme has seen a lot of it in her life .... people she's met along the way she thought were her friends and they weren't. And she says it's really hard these days because there are so many people on this internet thing (don't even ask!).

According to Meme a lot of people sit down at their computers and create a personality to put "out there", one that may not be who they are at all. But they go out on the internet and make friends with people they have never met. Meme has been lucky because she met one group of people who she likes a whole lot (she says you know who you are), but at the same time she met people who have really hurt her and not been who they seemed to be at all.

There are people who have the "gift of gab". They are people who "talk a good game". Does any of this make any sense to you? Because, believe me, this isn't me talking ... I'm lost again!

Our country is sort of hurting right now. People are upset about the war and the economy and are desperately seeking a different direction. We're going to elect a President this year and it's so hard to choose between the two men who are running. One is older, has a ton of experience in Washington, and has really "been through the mill a time or two" (there she goes again). He seems a very good man and Meme likes him. But some worry a better time for him would have been several years ago. They worry about his age, his health. But no one questions his patriotism or love of country.

The other man is also very smart. He is good looking and has the "gift of gab". He makes really terrific speeches and promises things a lot of people desperately want. He's also a likeable guy. He "looks good". And we want to believe him because he may be President and we want what's best for our country no matter who leads. But he hasn't got much experience, everyone pretty much started hearing about him four years ago when he made a speech. So there are some who worry if he's ready for such an important job.

Meme says the President of the United States is considered the leader of the free world so those are pretty big shoes to fill.

Most people are unhappy with the way the country is going and have been for a while now. So it's natural to reach out for a promised hope, a desired change. It's natural to want to run from what we know and aren't happy with toward something that looks more promising. Meme says lots of people think the "grass is always greener" next door, but sometimes when you actually walk over there, it isn't.

But every one of us, even me, needs to be really smart this time. We need to pay attention. This is a very important time for this country and in this world. We don't want to get it wrong. We need to move forward with the very best man. It really doesn't matter what party he's in.

But it does matter that he stands for what we believe in. So no matter what that may be for each of us, when we decide in November who we want to take us into the future, let's look for the man who holds the values we do ... because usually that's the person who will do things the way we want them done. Listen to your soul; it will not steer you wrong. Meme says we have to dig under the surface and make sure the fruit is good all the way through.

I know ... lots to think about. And if you think it's a lot for you, just imagine how hard it is for me. I need a nap!

'til next time.
Molly

Well this isn't good ... not good at all!

I knew something was up last night ... and I had a feeling it wasn't going to be good. I can just smell these things. Everything was hunky dory until around 10:00 when Meme took me out for a walk. As usual, when we got back I got my favorite treat of the day, a stick of rawhide that is just the best thing to chew in the whole world and I have one every night. Meme throws it up on the bed, then I get ready and she lifts me up as I jump and I enjoy my treat.

Well last night, after my "bone", Meme came in with my food bowl and a nightcap dinner! Well, call me gleeful! I chowed down, but at the same time I thought something is definitely not quite right.

Still, we slept as usual through the night and everything seemed okay when we went out this morning. You may not know it, but when we return from our walk I always get a big chunky treat and then my breakfast.

Not this morning. Nothing, zero, zilch. I ran in the house and waited for Meme to throw it. Nothing. I went to my placemat ... no water, no food. Something was definitely up and it couldn't be good. I waited there for the longest time and Meme was talking nice to me and all so I knew she wasn't mad.

SO WHERE WAS MY FOOD????!!!! I don't know how to explain this, but in the end it's all about food really. I love the hugs, the kisses and the wonderful walks, but life is really all about the food. And on this awful morning, there is none.

It gets worse. Meme got ready earlier than usual and next thing you know I hear "let's go for a ride in the car!". This can be either good or bad, there's no way of knowing. But this morning, with no food, I knew it had to be bad. I started to shake as Meme put on my leash. I was scared.

And rightfully so!!! Sure enough .... guess where we end up? THE VET!!!!! This place is very deceptive. It's fun too arrive. Tons of great smells in the parking area, grass with all kinds of good stuff. Even in the waiting room, it's really nice with so much to investigate. And this morning the most amazing, biggest, most beautiful white poodle I've ever seen in all my life. What a pair we made!!! Still, even with all the good stuff, it always means trouble and this morning was no exception ... only it was worse than usual.

Have you guessed what's up yet? Well, turns out I'm having my teeth cleaned today!!!! So then, I ask, what's with the rawhide to keep my teeth clean? And what's with the tartar control treats that really aren't the best but I take what I can get? I thought that let me off the hook for this teeth cleaning stuff.

But it turns out I smiled once too often and Meme and Poppy noticed my yellow teeth. So here I am at the Vet's for the whole darned day. They took me in early so they could test my blood to make sure I'm up for this invasive procedure. What I say is, if I have to be in perfect shape to have anesthesia, then maybe we should forget the whole thing. And besides, if they have to put me to sleep, it has to be pretty awful, right???


But they must have decided I'm up for it because Meme is gone, I'm still in a crate and I'm waiting and I'm miserable. They'll put me to sleep and since I'll be "out", Meme decided to stick some sort of ID chip in me. There's just no end to the humiliation. So free no more! No matter where I go they'll be able to tell where I came from.


How silly is that? Like I'm going anywhere? And believe you me, first thing I get out I'm getting some glue and plastering myself to their sides. Even though they are putting me through this horrendous day, I still know how lucky I am to live in my beautiful house with all my beds, my treats and two people who love me. I appreciate it all the more lying in this ugly crate in the back of the Vet's office.

I'm thinking is there any way I can be an even better Bichon so I don't have to come here again? Because I have to tell you .... I'm not a happy dog right now, not by a long shot.

(Evening Update: Bad, bad news. It was worse than I thought! I had to have 3 front teeth extracted and I overheard Meme telling Poppy my rawhide stick days are over. What a bummer! I guess every dog has her day and this sure wasn't mine).

I think my next report will be a lot happier.

'til next time!
Molly









Copyright HBS 2008

It's 4th of July Weekend!!!

"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America"

The Preamble to the Contitution of the United States of America

It's the 4th of July ... Independence Day. Even if we didn't know that, we sure found out last night didn't we? Wow! With all the booming and the cracking and the snapping, you had to be glad there was a celebration going on, right?

This nation is 232 years old. Meme was trying to explain to me how this country was born, how it all began. Of course for me it only began about 7 years ago, but when she starts talking I really do try to listen (which is more than Poppy does ;) ).

From what she told me, I'm pretty amazed at all that has been accomplished in a really short amount of time when you think about it.

Did you know that dinosaurs roamed the earth something like 65 million years ago? And humans appeared something like 100,000 years ago? Meme heard that somewhere the other day and she's still shaking her head. She had the dinosaurs and the people mixed up or something. History really isn't her thing. Anyway ..... I can't even think about that many years.

At our house, we just love our country no matter what. Some people say you shouldn't love your country right or wrong, but we just do. We feel so fortunate to have been born here. It's just dumb luck that we were ... we didn't do anything special. We could just as easily have been born in a place where we might not be able to find food ... or shelter, where we wouldn't be free to write what we want like I do here, or say what we really feel, or vote for the people we think can best run our towns, our cities, our states and our country.

Men who were alive long before Meme was born (and certainly waaaaaay before I was born) fought long and hard for liberty. And they have fought to keep it. They've even fought to help others achieve it. These men and women who defend our country have to love it more than they do themselves. They put their lives on the line, ready to pay the ultimate sacrifice, in order to fight for liberty, for freedom, for independence.

No one should ever make the mistake of misreading our disagreements with each other in this country. We fought for the right to disagree. We are and must forever be "one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all".

In honor of this great country's Birthday, here is Meme's favorite patriotic song, America the Beautiful:

(If you really want a very special experience today, click here: America The Beautiful )

O beautiful, for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
Forpurple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.

O beautiful, for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw;
Confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law!

O beautiful, for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine,
'Til all success be nobleness, and ev'ry gain divine!

O beautiful, for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years,
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!

'Til next time ...
Molly

She Wants to be ALONE!!

I'm bummed.

First off, only Meme wants to be alone .... NOT ME! Not by a long shot, not my thing. I am a big time social animal so I don't get any of this.

But this week Poppy went on a big trip. He's gone the whole week and Meme is dancing as fast as she can! After Poppy left on Sunday she came home and started planning "her week". All of a sudden she had endless days in front of her with no responsibility whatsoever.

WAIT JUST A SECOND HERE! No responsibility? She'd better darned well not forget to walk me!

Anyway, here's the thing. Way back when, or 'back in the day', as they say, Meme lived in New York all by herself. There was a time when she was alone and desperately lonely. There's nothing worse than that as I well know. I get lonely every time my people leave the house. Like I say I'm a social animal.

But she says there's a big difference between being "alone" and being "lonely". Loneliness is believing there's no one there for you and you're all alone in the world. Being alone means you're not all alone in the world; there's just no one there.

It's quiet, there are no voices, no static, no criticism, and best of all no guilt. Meme says that for just this week it's okay to laze in bed just a little too long, get in the shower late, take all the clothes out of the closet, try them on and decide whether to keep them ... take all the spices out of the cabinet and toss the stale ones, pull junk out of everywhere and toss it before Poppy comes home because he would say if it isn't broken we keep it and anyway it might be a "collector's item". Those two words are like chalk on a blackboard for Meme!

This is a time she can blast her Bose, throw on her favorite CDs and play them as loud as she wants, dance around like a crazy woman and no one will laugh. She can read as long as she wants in the morning without worrying that she's ignoring Poppy and he'll get sad.

And she can eat whatever she wants whenever she wants ... no planning menus, hardly any dishes. Do you know she actually bought a Hershey's King Size Almond Bar, opened it, left it out on the counter, breaking it away from time to time to let the delicious chocolate melt in her mouth with no guilt whatsoever?

Because if a tree falls in the forest and no one's there, it doesn't make a sound. And if you cheat on your diet, and no one is there, you don't gain anything. Bet you didn't know that!

So we're alone. We're having a great week. Every day around 5:00 Meme and I pop in the car and drive to get the mail. This is my favorite place in the world to walk. We walk all over up there where there's tons of walkways, bushes, and grass ... more sniffs than a dog could possibly ever hope for. I've been sticking pretty close to her side because it's just us and I have to watch out for her.

And at night, when we go to bed, Meme lay out a T-shirt of Poppy's she pulled from the laundry. I sleep on it and it smells just so good! I have no idea why in the world they keep washing all this stuff ... spoils all the fun.

So being alone is good ... I'm getting to like it because somehow deep in my little brain I know this is temporary. The great thing about being alone is knowing you're not. It's knowing that in a few days we'll drive to the airport and I'll look out the window and see Poppy walking toward me with those awful suitcases I saw in his Den just before he left.

He'll get in the car and I'll squeal and kiss him all over his face. I will be so excited to see him because he really is my absolute favorite human in the whole world (don't tell Meme).

Coming apart is fun for awhile, but coming together is the best part of all.

'Til next time ...
Molly