New Year's Eve day 2021

Mom and Dad told me it's New Year's Eve, but they didn't mention steak so I'm not too impressed. I haven't had steak in soooooo long. But I did spy something interesting wrapped in blue foil-like stuff in the fridge. I think it's a HAM! I wonder when the parents are putting that in the oven? 

I'm a good dog and I listen when Mom and Dad talk. I learned today is special but neither one seems very enthusiastic about it. What's an old fogey? Dad said something about seeing the ball drop over seventy times so if he falls asleep, it'll be ok. 

Ball? What ball? Is there a ball here I do not know about? Are the parents holding out on me? I need to investigate this. 

Mom thought it was a good idea for us to take a last walk of 2021. I'm up for a walk any day, so I led the way with Mom following. I know I'm supposed to walk beside Mom, but she doesn't enforce that rule unless I need to be on the leash. I'm Deuce. I know the difference. 

I had fun running through the creeks even though the water was cold on my paws. It was a good day to be out in the woods. 

Tomorrow will be a new year. I'll be six years old in two weeks. Mom says the time is just flying by and she wishes we'd be together forever. I don't worry about those things. I just live every day as it comes and I'll be with Mom and Dad for however long I am. Mom says that's why dogs are so special. 

Whatever the new year brings, we'll get through it. We're a pack and as long as the pack looks out for each other, even the cats like Loki in the pack, life will be fine. So take care of your pack, every day, and remember to be generous with praise and snackies, and share the bed equally. If you do that, it will be okay.

I've been right at her side...mostly

I need a loooong nap! Seriously!  Christmas is past and while it was pretty quiet, Mom and Dad made it hard for me to do my job every day. I'm supposed to keep track of them and watch over them, but they just didn't stay in the same room. Dad watched TV in the living room while Mom was in her office doing bookish stuff. I think maybe the giblets made up for it, though. They were soooooo good. 

Mom told me we got a new "badge" from Fitbit. No wonder my paws are tired!! 4,132 miles is a long way! (Mom told me that and I believe her.) I've been by her side for almost every step, so it's my badge, too. Mom says an award is a good way to close out this year and get ready for the New Year. 

We get our next badge at five thousand miles. I'm not very good with math other than counting how many snackies I get to be sure I'm not being cheated, and I do know when the cuckoo sings out it's bedtime, but I thought mileage had to do with my truck...er, Dad's truck. Whatever. I'm a dog. I only know what I'm told or I figure out, ok? 

Mom says we'll probably get the next badge sometime around August or September. That seems a long way off, but we know it's good to have goals. 

I have a goal for today, Mom. It's called napping. How about it? Can we please nap today? Think about it. We've walked a long way and we deserve a nap. 

Christmas Eve -I'm going for a ride!

They can't fool me. I heard Mom say it yesterday. They're going to wait until dark and then ride around and look at all the Christmas lights. 

I hope they know I'm NOT staying home alone. I'm going to ride along tonight. Now all I have to do is convince my parents it's the best idea ever to take me along. 

Riding in Mom's car is fun. I can stretch out in the backseat and get really comfy. And when I'm comfy, I'm quiet. Heck, I might even be able to snap a nap. I'm going along.

They might try to sneak out on me, but I'm watching them. Call me Hawkeye because I won't miss a single move they make. When Mom has a purse, it's time to block the door. Better yet, since I always go out to peepee before they go anywhere, I'll refuse to come back inside. I'll go sit beside the Charger and wait on them. 

You just watch me. I'm a good dog. I deserve to go on a little ride. 

I. Am. Going. Along. 

Please, Mom?

_*_*_*_*_*_

UPDATE!  I TOLD YOU I WAS GOING FOR A RIDE!!!

I was only trying to help!

It seems that occasionally, I can get myself into trouble without really trying very hard. It happened today. I wasn't sure at first because Mom LAUGHED at me and grabbed her phone to take my picture. I don't think Dad was very amused, but I didn't get fussed for it so I guess that's a good thing. 

Dad punched a hole in one of the tires on his fancy power chair. This could be bad if his tire goes flat and he's not at home. He'd be stuck. Anyway, he asked Mom to bring home a tire patch kit so she did. Then it was kinda cold today and Dad thought he'd better check his innertubes inside where it was warm. I thought I'd help.

Bad idea, Deucie. Bad idea. 

But here's the thing. I only wanted to help. Dad asks me to pick stuff up off the floor all the time. And this tube thingee looked like it would bounce and be fun so I snatched it up. I didn't have a chance to chew it! I didn't chew it! And I got laughed at! 

Of course, I was bad because I did not put it down when both Mom and Dad told me to. I held on to it, hoping they'd change their minds. But noooo.... 

Mom took it away from me and put it in the spare bedroom and closed the door so I couldn't get to it. Some days I just don't know about my parents. I almost never have bad ideas so, you know, I deserved the pass. 

The next time Dad asks for help, I think I'll just stare at him like I don't know what he's saying. It's better than Mom laughing at me. 

But remember - I did NOT chew it up. Don't I deserve an atta-boy for that? 

Let's hurry this thing along!

I know it's there, resting in the freezer. I SAW it when Mom brought it home. I'm not just any dog. I'm DEUCE!!! I can read and the label said TURKEY!!!!!

And I know from experience that inside that ball of ice are GIBLETS!!!

Who does Mom think she's dealing with here? If I had thumbs, I'd get the turkey out of the freezer and go for the giblets now. 

Mom and Dad are planning a Thanksgiving dinner next week, but why do we have to wait? You know what they say, right? A bird in the mouth is worth two in the freezer. 

This waiting is just awful. 

Sunny day walkabout

 

Yesterday was a really busy day! We went out to pick up sticks...I love sticks! Sticks are fun! Not after Mom tosses them on a fire, but before. Anyway, we went out to do a bit of clean-up so Dad doesn't get his chair stuck when he's down at the shooting range. 

It was perfect weather to be outside, but the ground was a wee bit damp. I felt it in my legs by bedtime, but it didn't stop me from hopping up onto the bed with Mom.

While we were out, Mom and I took a walkabout around the yard, and of course, Mom did that video thing as we went. So here's my video story of yesterday!

I'm Deuce, and I'm a star!

Black on black, that was me

The pack has been enjoying the fall weather. There are deer everywhere! And squirrels! Mom says they're here munching on all the acorns. That makes no sense. I tasted an acorn. Yuk. Who would want to eat an acorn? Make mine steak! 

I chase the deer out of the backyard almost every day. It's great exercise. Mom and Dad are winding down the outdoor projects. Mom's cleaned out her garden corral and Dad got the old Craftsman mower stored for the winter. He spread some gravel out and got all the attachments for the John Deere lined up for the winter. Mom moved some pots into the little greenhouse. It's been sort of slow and lazy work, but we needed the break. 

The other day, it was good weather to burn the brush pile again. Our yard is ringed by a lot of trees and we gather up the branches when they break off, and put them on a pile. It's a never-ending job but that's okay. When it's time to burn, we can sit back and watch the fire. This time, we all piled into the Colorado, except for Loki, and watched the burn. 

The backseat of the Colorado is pretty comfy for a dog my size. Mom put down a special seat cover just for me. I bet I could really snooze there if they'd let me, but noooo. I can only get in Mom's truck when she's in it, too. 

So we all watched the fire. It's always great when the pack is together. 

I bet you're wondering why there's not a picture of me. Well, it's a simple answer. Black dog on a black seat cover in a black truck on a cloudy day. The camera made me vanish! Poof! It was... wait for it... black magic! 

It's not nice to tease me, Dad

 

Dad is really good at putzing around in his shed. Putzing is like puttering. Or "working on a project" only he knows about. We did that today. 

I'm not sure what he's working on but it involves 2x4 lumber and a lot of noise. I usually don't pay much attention, but then the magic happened! Dad opened the doors on MY truck! So of course I jumped right in! 

And that's as far as I got. 

Dad had no intention of taking me for a ride. He just messed around with the running board and left me sitting there like the good dog I am. Then he took my picture and sent it to Mom and now it's on a blog post. 

That's the way things work around here. 

One weekend, two walks

 It's fall! Okay, I'm a dog and I'm not sure what that means, but Mom and Dad sure like it. If they like it, I love it. 

I think fall means it gets cooler at night, and that's okay. I'm a pampered pup and get to sleep on a king-sized bed with Mom and Dad. I get the middle and I like it there. I need to keep an eye on my parents. Plus, they're good props for when I need to cool down my belly and stretch out with my paws in the air. 

Yesterday, me and Mom took an early morning walk around our big loop. Are seven thousand steps a lot of steps? Mom talks like it is. I was tuckered when we got back but it was great fun to be out in the woods without all the gnats and mosquitoes flying around my head. Mom agrees. 

This morning, we went for a walk past the old reservoir and Dad went with us. He can't take his chair across the creek because he doesn't want to short out his wheel motors, so he waits for me and Mom to finish our walk and come back. We're glad he does that. 

Mom took some pictures but they weren't many of me. What gives, Mom? I thought I was your favorite photography subject? Should I be worried? AND Mom forgot to take snackies along on the walk today. Mom? Don't you love me anymore? 

Boy, am I getting the look... Of course, Mom loves me. I know that. Just teasing ya, Mom. 

Mom's pictures are pretty woodsy photos and she made a collage so we would remember the weekend. I'm not going to forget. I'm smarter than that. 

On the way home today we ran into Cousin Dave and Cousin Sadie just beginning their walk. Sadie is a nutter. She always tries to jump on me! Mom tells me to chill out but it's not fun getting whacked on the nose so I keep my distance so Sadie can't reach my nose. Problem handled whether Mom and Cousin Dave like it or not. It's MY nose. 

We might go for a walk again tomorrow, we don't know yet. We'll have to see what the weather is, and Mom needs to check the hunting season schedule. I might have to start wearing my orange vest again soon. I wonder if Sadie will get one to match? 

Our walks were fun but it's almost time for Mom and Dad to start dinner. I wonder what we'll have? Maybe I'll get another slice of Fresh Pet for a before-dinner snack! That would be wonderful! I'm really looking forward to anything but dry dog food. 

I'm Deuce, and I deserve a people plate of my own! 

How could she forget?

 Mom forgot she had a video of ME to post. Can you believe it? She took it the last time we had a brush pile to burn. I always go along to help so Mom has a lot - I mean A LOT - of opportunities to get a video of me. 

Next time, don't forget to show everyone my video, okay?