Tuesday, April 24

Holy smokes! I just heard you were coming home soon and I still have another entry to post to my blog! I have a nice new picture or two of myself, and I think you would like to see them.

Sharon finally got her act together and figured out the harness (took long enough).Yesterday she wanted to go to some garden shop near Brentwood and I got to go too. So I rode there and back in my new car seat and I had an excellent view. I love the van because there is a really good view all around - especially from my basket. Here's the picture!

She took this one at a stoplight

Nice pics eh?

So we get to this place and pull into the parking lot. The sun would be shining on me if we parked where we originally went in, so Sharon was backing the van up so she could change positions, and we heard a man calling "Gracie, Gracie". The we heard him saying (frantically) "there's a dog behind you". He's running up behind the van and scoops up the little dog (it's smaller than me). 

Well that was pretty exciting! So Sharon was eating a sandwich on the way there, and she saved some of the ham for me. She comes around and opens the side door to give me the ham, and here comes Gracie. She was right outside the door of the van! I got soooooooooo excited I did not even want the ham if you can believe that! Sharon draped it over the side of my basket for me and shut the door. That part was a bit disappointing because I really wanted to play with Gracie. Anyway, there was nothing to do but eat the ham.

Sharon and Gracie went inside and I just had to watch from the van. It's just amazing that you  can set off to do a simple thing like go off to a garden shop and end up having such and exciting time.

After all this, she didn't even buy anything! We ended up getting what she wanted at Gardenworks, five minutes away from home.

So you will be home in a couple of days. That's good, I will be glad to see you. But I have been having a good time as you probably can tell by my blog.  So, come when you want, I am fine (and I'll tell you that my intuition is telling me that Sharon has had a pretty good time too). 

So be careful coming home and I will see you soon.

Woof!

Sunday, April 22

So you two and Aunt Marilyn are on the move again. The tulips are sure colourful - and I think I would have really enjoyed the ferry ride. As soon as I saw all the trees around there I knew there would be lots of squirrels.

Yesterday was good and bad. The good part was that Julie and Sue, a stranger, (you know how I love strangers) came for dinner. But I was looking forward to meeting Bijoux, Sue's dog, and they didn't bring her with them. That was the bad part. Sue thought we might play too much and trip her or something (she just had a hip replacement). It was nice they came though and of course they commented quite a few times about how cute I am. I do like that.

Today we went next door to see Carol and Nick and the other Abby. Sharon had some gossip for them so of course we had to go right over and tell them about it. The other Abby was a little calmer this time. I guess she knows me a little bit now and I suppose we are soon moving into the 'old friends' category. Here's a picture of Nick and I.

Funniest thing. Sharon always jokes around with Nick and sometimes she even calls him 'Mr. Wilson' (of Dennis the Menace). So when we went into their front yard when we were leaving Nick was with us, and Sharon said 'Abby just do your business here on Nick's lawn'. So I did. Boom. Right then! I was just doing what I was told. I even did it in three places! Ha ha ha ha ha. So funny. So they put flower pots beside each one so Sharon could find them when she came back with the bag.  That's a good one, eh?

Oops gotta go. Sharon is calling me because we have to go outside now.

Thursday, April 19

It was a pretty lazy day today. it was cloudy all day, then it started to rain. Good thing I can lock up my bladder when I want to. I went out this morning, then later this afternoon Sharon carried me across the deck and put me on the grass so I could do what I needed to. I spent most of the day sleeping.

Every evening after dinner, we go out to the front and I have a really good sniff around and deposit my treasures (that's what Sharon calls them) - usually 2 or 3 times. Well, it is really raining out there but I have the feeling she is go to drag me out there anyway.

Yesterday we went out to do a couple of errands. It's the first time we've been out in the car since Sunday. After we were finished, we drove down to the lagoon but it was raining so we didn't get out of the car, but we did look at the water for a bit. Here's a picture of me before we left.

Ya, I wasn't in my new car bed (come closer - I'm whispering - Sharon is not too swift at doing up the harness. Hopefully she'll try again). Anyway, the seats in the van are nice and I can put me feet up when I want to see out.

So hey - we're having some company on Saturday with a dog! Her name is Bijoux and she looks like Corbett. Her mom is a friend of Julie's and Julie is coming to visit her. Cool, eh?

I saw your new pictures. Nice. I love the Oregon Coast. But Langford is pretty good too.

Tuesday, April 17

Yahoo!

At exactly 9:07 this morning I had my first cat sighting. Finally! OK, here's the story. I'm sitting on my perch on the couch, and the orange cat came walking along. There he was. Just walking along. Well I'm telling you that was so exciting. I ran to the back door woofing, then back to the couch. It's really hard to know what to do when I'm in and the cat's out. 

Sharon was just too slow with the camera (though she HAD seen the cat walk through the back yard before me but did not bother to tell me), so anyway I got her to find a picture of a cat just like the one I saw. I even had her label it, 'Not the Actual Cat' just so you'd know.

You likely remember the orange cat - he and his mother were under the deck three or four years ago and I am still sniffing at that spot.

So anyway, that's all I have to report today.

Oh - I nearly forgot. The other Abby came to the fence a few minutes ago and we got a snap of that. I was barking at her, then she ran to the house to tell Nick.

Can you see her at the fence?

Just finished my blog entry

So it's been quite a day. It has been worth all the hours of being on watch.

Monday, April 16

Hi down there in OREGON (just reminding you that I KNOW where you are),

It's a good thing I didn't go with you as it turns out. I've been having to look after Sharon. She got a bad cold and she kept choking when she would go to sleep. She stayed in her chair until 4 AM and I dutifully slept in my living room bed, almost at her feet. I did keep an eye on her until she went off to bed. I refrained from knocking on her door after that because I didn't want to disturb her. I think you would be very proud of me. It's kind of like giving back a bit after eating her keyboard cord and their book. Anyway, she is not quite as bad today but I am being vigilant. We just had quite a nice nap.

Yesterday morning, before the cold escalated, Nick called and invited us over. It was really fun. I'm going to put some pictures down below of the other Abby and I playing. She is much bigger than I am, and she can be  bit rough, but she doesn't mean to be. You know, she's young. And she's a bit silly. I know I used to be young, but really, I don't think I was ever too silly. Was I?

So they have this 2 seater chair thing and I could get on that where I had a little more control. Or - I could be under it or under the other chairs. One thing that worked really well, was to come out from under the chair and go out about 10 feet. When she would come bounding, I could made a mad dash back under the chair. Wow, it sure was fun. 

So maybe now, by looking at the pictures, you can see how much fun I had!

Since then, life has been a bit slow, like I said with Sharon being under the weather and all. But - I still have the window to look out of. Darndest thing though, I still have not had a cat sighting. Oh well, I always say if you just stay on the job it will happen. 

I hope you're having a good time (I GUESS - ya ya I do).

Woops, gotta go. I hear a dog barking somewhere.

Saturday, April 14

To: Marg, Sandy and Aunt Marilyn

From Abby

Hey there. I figured since you and others are making blogs for their holidays these days, why can't I? And I figured you may want to keep up with my adventures. So Sharon fired up the laptop and here I am! By the way, I am beating you to the first post. You don't even have anything on yours yet. Ha ha ha. That's a good one.

Let's see. I've just been here a day and a half. Where will I start?

Well - as usual I LOVE looking out the window. No cat sightings yet, but I do see the other Abby running around next door quite a bit (imagine  - there is another Abby. I was always led to believe there was only ONE Abby). But I know that if I JUST KEEP WATCHING I will eventually see a cat - or maybe a squirrel. 

 I really AM very photogenic

So yesterday I had quite a bit of fun. I'm on the back deck with the handle of my leash under the table leg. It's nice to go our there and look around. Anyway, along comes that other Abby to the fence. Woooooo. I go running to the end of the deck, dragging the table. Sharon comes out, takes the leash and we go over to the fence. Honest to God, it was really exciting. But that's not the end of it!

Her dad, Nick, comes along and starts talking to Sharon, then he picks up his Abby, and Sharon picks me up and we get to sniff and kiss each other. It gets better. 

Next thing you know, the other Abby goes down the fence and jumps into OUR yard! She REALLY wanted to come and see me! Nick's freaking a bit, and starts on his way over here via the street. Abby and I were playing - I was still on the leash - and sometimes I would just roll over and let her sniff me. She's much bigger than I am and she gets pretty excited. 

So Sharon says "Abby SIT". And we both sat. Then she said "Abby STAY". And we both stayed. I tell you we were poster dogs for obedience. Nick arrives and Sharon is going on and on about how amazing it was that they did what they were told - and she only had to say one name. I don't know what the big deal was. I mean she said to sit and stay - so why wouldn't we. DUH! 

Then the fun was over. Nick took Abby home, and we went inside. But - with the love seat and the big window, I can always watch.

So what else. Well, I sleep around a lot, here and there. Sometimes on the couch, sometimes in my living room bed, but seldom to never in my kennel. First night Sharon told me to go in and I did, but soon after I came out again. I think I'm past the kennel phase. 

First night I knocked on her bedroom door a few times, but she said, "Uh Uh, Abby kennel". Ya well - I quit knocking but I didn't bother with the kennel. Like a said, I'm pretty much through with that.

Sleeping is good

So when I need to go out Sharon takes me on the leash. In the morning and at night she's going, "hurry up, hurry up". Jeez. Cats walk through here and I need to sniff them down. What does she expect?

Oh - the evening snacks. If I had remembered that part, I would have been back here a long time ago. I LOVE that. She sits and eats her cheese and crackers and I sit at her feet and she gives me some. I mean this is about 10:15 at night. A lot of dogs have already gone to bed by then, but I am up eating cheese and crackers! Love it! 

Love the cheese

I wasn't too fussed on eating yesterday until after dinner. Of course, I get little tidbits of hers, then she put scraps on my food in my bowl and I ate most of it. So  - I think I will just end the hunger strike for good, and get on with it. She did the chicken in the new NuWave oven, and it was darn good.

Well, that's about all we have been up to here. It's pretty sad when your dog (is that really what I am?) beats you to posting on the blog. 

I hope you have a good time, even though you did not take me (yes, I noticed and I KNEW you were going to the Oregon Coast. I have ears you  know). But this is pretty good and I get to do a blog as an independent dog. Bye for now.