Dog Walk?

I found this picture on the internet. If my leg were broken, I'd hire someone to walk the dog. I'd be too embarrassed to do it like this picture. Besides, I wouldn't want to risk running over the dog with the car. Lazy, lazy, lazy.

A Merry Trip to Maryland

We packed up our suitcases, grabbed the dog and jumped into our SUV for a trip to Maryland over this past weekend. Spending Friday night in Herndon, VA was exciting for Frodo, our beagle. He loves hotel rooms so long as we physically stay in the room with him. Otherwise, he makes lots of noise unless in his crate. We spent the night there so we could pick up our son, daughter-in-law and grandson, Michael, very early the next morning from Dulles airport.

We drove to Maryland where we stayed the next two nights in a wonderful cottage right on the Patuxent River. The weather was beautiful even when a ferocious, but wonderful storm passed through. It was all so refreshing spiritually and mentally.

I have to say Don out-fished his son. It was, after all, Father's Day. The fish were all cleaned for us by the gracious owners of the cottage. How wonderful! We packed the fish on ice and took it home. It's in our freezer waiting to be devoured. The best part of the trip (besides seeing family) was sleeping next to open windows. The breeze from the river served as the best fan ever, and the waves lapping against the rocks lulled me to sleep.

It was the first time Don and I went crab-picking. It's certainly not like ordering them in a restaurant. There's a lot of work to eating a crab! By the time I was done, I don't know how many I ate, but they sure tasted good.

After about 10 or 15 minutes into traveling back home, we received a phone call to check our luggage. Apparently, Don had packed the diaper bag in with our suitcase, fish and doggie bowls. A diaper bag is certainly not something we will be using, but they needed it in a great way. So we returned it to them, and it was a good thing too because we noticed we had forgotten Frodo's bear. Oh my! We couldn't leave that behind. It's a toy black bear that used to be stuffed with cotton. Frodo sleeps with it every night. Before going to bed, he fetches it from wherever it is and brings it to bed with him. It's adorable. But we would have had to buy him another one if we left it.

Life is back to normal now, and Don is out walking the dog. It's good to be alive and able to enjoy the life God has given us - even, or especially, all the small things.

Old Dogs

Who says you can't teach old dogs new tricks? I've decided to go back to school and get my BS degree in Computer Science. I will be doing it through on-line studies at DeVry. I have been boning up on my math, since I have to take a math, reading and essay placement test. It is truly amazing how much your brain can retain. I have not taken any math courses since high school and it amazed me how much I have retained! Knock on wood! I am hoping that with credit for classes I took while in the air force It will only take about a year and a half to get my degree. I am looking forward to as well as dreading this. Its been a long time since I have had to regiment myself to a study schedule.

On a happier note, I am looking forward to this weekend as we will be spending it with my son and his family from Vegas. They are going to Maryland and we will be meeting them there for some fishing, crabing and all around good eating (within weight watchers constraints, naturally). I am looking forward to seeing my grandson, who will be two in August. That trip will be followed up in two weeks with a trip to Tennessee. So look for new adventures for Frodo and family in the near future.

It's My Birthday!!!

Hello. My name is Frodo. I'm a pure bred beagle and TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY! Usually I don't write on this blog, but today is a special day. You see, I'm five years old today. What makes it more special is that I was rescued from a hunter in Tennessee when I was just a puppy. I don't think I remember it though. I came from a litter of eight to ten other puppies. All of them males.

What makes this day every year (and actually, every day of the year) so special is knowing that I survived. Out of all those cute little puppies, I was the only one who lived. My present Mommy and Daddy got me out of that hunter's care just in time. Right after I arrived in New Jersey, parvo, a deadly disease, struck the young pups. The hunter tried to "doctor" the sick puppies, but each one of them died a horrible death. When my vet technician was asked about it, he said that there was no sense in it. Had they been taken care of correctly and seen by a veterinarian from birth, they would have lived. So you see, I am very fortunate and blessed.

I love where I am living now, and I live life to the fullest. I love long walks in the park, wading through water, smelling flowers, playing "belly belly" with Daddy, snuggling on cool evenings and sunning on the deck. What a life!

I do encourage people, though, to rescue a dog if you can open your home and your heart to others like me. We all appreciate it and need someone to love and love us back.

I'm posting a few pictures of me. I know pictures of me have been posted before, so I'll just post a few. One of my favorites is the picture of me on a boat. I call it, "King of the World." Well, I'm off. Gotta live that life I was telling you about. There's just not enough time to curl up and sleep on the bed!

Hiking

We went to Bushkill Falls in PA this weekend. They call it the Niagra of PA. Having seen Niagra Falls it's not close in comparison. Having said that it was still worth the trip! They have a number of trails that you can walk and most are on wood with rails similar to a deck. They do have some very steep stairs though.
We decided to take the longest trail first while we still had our energy. We got to the end of the wood walkway and there was a warning that the remainder of the trail was for hikers only. We said what the heck, we have lost weight, how hard can it be! Famous last words. For the most part it was a gentle up hill walk over boulders and tree roots next to the stream that helped to create the falls, but then it got serious. There was a section of the hill that was very steep, we made it with a few stops.

We had our beagle with us and he had a ball. The hill didn't even phase him. After that hill, it got a little flat again and then came the stairs! It was almost like climbing a ladder in spots! Again we made it with numerous rest stops. We made it all the way around and enjoyed the views and scenery. We even continued on some of the other trails. Doggy loved walking by the stream and went wading every chance he got.

We hiked around for 3 hours. The amazing part is 2 months ago before we started our diets we would never have made it. It's amazing what losing 20 pounds can do for you.

On the way home, doggy slept like a rock. We never heard one peep from him. He came home, ate and slept the rest of the night.