You Make the Call....

Hi there!! Dory here reporting from the sports capital of the world. We have the Patriots who have a perfect season record so far, starring our hero TOM BRADY!And we are oh so serious about baseball here - or is that spelled "series-ous". Yep, our very own Red Sox have won the WORLD SERIES!!!! We are very proud and happy that our hometown ball players brought home the World Series trophy today. You guys ROCK!!

SO one fun thing about sports telecast when they used to do a segment called "YOU MAKE THE CALL" - the TV guys would show a football clip and asked the viewers what call the referees made.

Our objective here is I'm going to show you some photos I took around our house yesterday and you my dear readers will have to "MAKE THE CALL".... So here we go:

The back story is this, my mom has been making about 100 handmade cards each year for friends and family since college. This year mom decided not only to hand make her cards, but the cards we are sending to our DWB friends!! EGADS!!!!! Yesterday was the official start of card making season in our house.

There were "in process" Christmas cards and craft equipment on the the couch and coffee table in the den. There were cards drying on the book case in the living room...
On the occasional table in the living room...
On the living room couch (and I'm not even allowed on this)...
On the hutch...
and oh DEAR DOG!! There they are dozens and dozens of "in process" Christmas cards strewn all over MY CRATE!!! Is nothing sacred?

So readers - YOU MAKE THE CALL. Is my human a creative and ambitious Christmas Card making MVP??? OR is she just simply lost her mind???

You make the call, but my vote is going in the lost her mind category!!

Never Fear...

Never fear, Dory here!! I must apologize for my over scheduled human, I have been begging her to help me post since we got home from Gramma’s house!!! Needless to say it took Peanut leaving a comment wondering where I was to motivate her!!

*SIGH* Mom tells me that her job is busy at this time of year, that we have lots of things scheduled like dog school and it’s hard finding time being a single dog mom!! You know humans, excuses, excuses, excuses!!

Well on to more important subjects... We had a great time at Gramma’s!!

There was good food, lots of playing with Zach, Mollie and Mac and LOADS of loving from everyone...

especially Uncle Harvey!!! :)

The humans spent time getting apples,

pumpkins and
CIDER DONUTS!! YUMMO!!!
My human also spend time with Uncle Harvey making stained glass things – I am not allowed to say more because the things Mom made were for Christmas presents, so no photos of that!!

Sadly we had to come home, but on the plus side Mom says we are going out in November TWICE, once to celebrate Uncle Harvey turning 80 and then for Thanksgiving!! It sounds like both upcoming trips will involve lots of good food and family!! More real soon – I PROMISE!

Love, Dory

WOOO HOOOO

Well, we went to obedience class tonight and boy am I tired! Whew! Who knew walking, sitting and staying could take so much out of a girl!!

I was very excited to hear Mom say we are headed to Gramma's tomorrow morning!! YIPPPEEEEE!

Here is the little song I put together for the occasion - you sing it to the tune - OKLAHOMA!

"AAAAHHH Gramma's where the treats and petting never end!

And our Uncle Harvey, he sure is marvy, with the scratches all around your ears!!

AAAAHHH Gramma's - we are on our way there to - morrow!

The ride is long, and mom sings off key as we head out in our Cherokee!

We love our Gramma she is grand and my Gramma she is the finest in the land.

That's why I sing YO, you are the best Gramma aaaa, You are so fine Grammaaaah, Gramma Yiipee Wooo Weee Yee Haaa!"

Okay so I am no Rodgers or Hammerstein - but you get the point! Mom also said she emailed Sparky and Patches mom to see if we can meet them for a play date when we are out at Gramma's house - this is going to be the bestest Columbus Day ever!!

More news soon - Love, Dory

Teaching the teacher...

I don’t care what anyone says – you can truly learn a great deal from your dog and last week I learned a valuable lesson from Dory.

Dory is probably the best dog I have ever had the pleasure of living with in the mornings, sure she loves to stick he large wet nose in my face and yes she likes to dawdle in the yard every so often but she is good about keeping out from underfoot as I race around trying to figure out what to wear and she never puts up a fuss when it is time to get in her crate.

As a matter of fact a several months ago I noticed that Dory was so in tune with our morning routine that often when I would go to call her to put her in the crate she would already be there curled up and sleeping.

After I realized this phenomenon, being the educator and researcher that I am, I decided to see what was it about our morning routine that trigger Dory to get up and go into her crate. Being the geek that I am I started logging our routine and when Dory went to her crate – yes, I know I need to get a life!

Anyhow, through observations and data collection I discovered Dory would go into her crate on her own 100% of the time if I put on my perfume and then brush my teeth. If I skip the perfume and just brush my teeth she goes into the crate 67% of the time AND if I put on my sneakers instead of dress shoes before brushing my teeth she only goes to her crate 10% of the time. Over our time together it is pretty clear to her that perfume means work and sneakers mean there is a good chance we are staying home or going somewhere together.

Okay, so now my readers know I am not only a nerd, but that I have way too much free time on my hands. Well the purpose of telling you all this is because on rare occasions Dory is so good and so quiet about getting in her crate that I forget to latch it before I leave, giving Dory free reign in the house while I am at work.

Well, while I was spending so much time researching why Dory goes in her crate I realized last week that what I should have been doing it teaching myself to always latch the crate when I go off to work.

I had purchased two bags of treats for Dory after obedience class last week and left them on the kitchen table when we got home. We spent the rest of the evening watching TV and then toddling off to bed. The next morning I got ready for work, Dory went to her crate and yes, being in a hurry, I rushed out without latching the crate.
I arrived home midday to Dory sheepishly looking at me while standing in the middle of the kitchen. At first glance there was nothing amiss in the house – then I started seeing bits of plastic and low and behold – Dory had eaten over 30 ounces of dog treats and proceeded to throw up the partially digested food in every corner in every room.
I couldn’t get mad at her – it was my fault for not paying attention. So while I was spending time analyzing Dory’s behavior what I should have been doing is modifying my own. As I began cleaning the floors Dory took to her bed with the mother of all tummy aches and now in an effort to train myself I now have posted a sign by the backdoor “Latch the Crate”!!

LESSON LEARNED! Well done Professor Dory!