All's well that ends well

Really and truly, this is my last blog entry.  

Happy Valentine's Day!  I would invite you to be my Valentine, but I am already taken.  I was supposed to go up for adoption this weekend, maybe even Sunday, but my family just CANNOT BEAR the thought of life without me, so in the NICK of time they decided to adopt me.  Wouldn't you?  Eli finally had to admit that he is, after all, a dog person.  All the drama has made me so tired that I've had to sleep all morning in my comfy bed. 

And now, my journey of puppyhood is truly over.  My new life's chapter starts today.  I am a pet, in my permanent home.  Hurray for me!

There's no place like home.

Day 365

Please note that I have been with my puppy raiser family for a year today!  By pure coincidence, today was the second most important day of my life.  The first, of course, was the day I was born. Today, I went to Guiding Eyes for a BEC test.  Most dogs, when they go back, take an IFT test, but since I have had consistent issues with stairs, the folks at GEB called me in for a pre-test.  The normal IFT does not include stairs.  I did everything spectacularly, except for the stairs.  I can't help it.  I hate them.  Guide dogs must be consistently brave and adventurous, and that's just not me.  I have finally chosen my career.  I am going to be an awesome pet!  Unfortunately, I do not think my puppy raiser family can adopt me.  Eli just turned 13, and when he no longer has an au pair, who will keep me company during the day?  Mom and Peter spend way too much time at work, which makes me happy to be a dog!  I love the cats and all, but I really need to have people around.  There is a really long list of people waiting to adopt GEB dogs, and I know that I will soon join a loving family and live a happy dog life.  

Thanks for reading my blog.  I hope you've had fun following my adventures!

To

Day 364

Rhythm:  Hey Hemi, I am going for a walk.  Want to come?

Hemi:  Sure, sounds like fun!

Hemi:  Rhythm, let's go!  Don't keep me waiting!

Day 363

Now that all orthodontia has been removed from my mouth, I can brush my teeth like a normal dog, and get that nice, fresh, clean poultry toothpaste feeling.  

Here I am, flashing my pearly whites.

Day 362

Eli never likes doing his homework, especially on weekends, and I like to lend a paw when I can.  Don't believe all that "girls can't do math" nonsense, because math is my best subject!

C'mon, Eli, you can do it.  Just a few more problems.

Day 361

Dogs hate going to the dentist too.  Lucky for me, this is my LAST appointment.  The dentist removed the last spacers that were in my mouth.  Hopefully, this will improve my breath!  My teeth look beautiful!

Day 360

I like to keep Mario company during dinner.  Eli and Mom are at the table too, but there's nothing better than having a warm, fuzzy doggy at your feet.  

Day 359

Darn stairs.  They may look benign, but they are lethal.

Day 358

Me and Mario, footprints in the snow.  Can you tell which are mine?

Day 357

Teenage girls are so annoying, with their social media and texting obsession.  I completely agree, yet I cannot escape myself.  After all, I am one.  I have a really hard time navigating the smart phone keypad, as you know, so here Mario is helping me text.  He is so nice to me!

Day 356

I am a very helpful dog.  Here I am, helping Mario was the dinner dishes.  I did not even dirty any of the dishes, but I help clean them anyway.  I am just that kind of dog.

Day 355

I am a very giving dog and don't mind at all sharing Mario's lap with Hemi.

Day 354

Nicole and Julia, are you reading this?  I really think that I should have been chosen as the cover dog for the 2014 Guiding Eyes calendar.  The dog chosen is cute and all, but a little portly, don't you think?  My ears are floppier, my body more svelte, and my fur more golden.  Please do not overlook me next year.  I'll settle for being the 2015 cover dog.

Day353

I am not quite sure what I'm looking for, but I really hope I find it.

Day 352

There is simply no cuter face on the planet.

Day 351

Here are some photos from this past Sunday's weekend walk.  First, Eli snapped a shot of me, Mom, and Peter.

Then, Mom took a photo of me and Eli.  I wanted to take a photo of Eli, Mom, and Peter, but my paws can't navigate the cell phone camera.  From a dog's perspective, those cell phones are not user friendly.  Well, anyway, the photos are so much better when I'm in them!

Day 350

We took a road trip to Target to buy dog food, new dog toys since the one Santa gave me self destructed, cat food, and cat litter (in order of importance).

After Eli gave me a nuggie, he helped me pick out a new toy.

It was love a first sight!  Mom is glad I picked out a cute toy.  I love my new duck-platypus.

Day 349

According to my people, being in heat made me smell really bad.  Before you believe it, consider the source.  We dogs have a far superior sense of smell, and I have a delightful natural scent. 

I guess it's good to get clean once in a while, but I can't wait until this soap smell wears off.

Day 348

Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.  C'mon, Hemi, humor me.  Don't you want to nap with me?

Day 347

Doesn't Eli's robe look comfy?

Aw, shucks, thanks Eli.  You're the best!

Day 346

If I could just figure out how to open this paint can, I could make beautiful paw prints across the boring oak wood floors and liven the place up a bit.  

Day 345

Wow, sand.  How did it all get here?

Day 344

I wonder what glacier dropped these rocks here.

Maybe, if I get a closer look, I can find evidence of The Ice Age.

Day 343

Goodbye Christmas!  Goodbye tree!  And lights, and stockings, and decorations!  And Hemi and Muffin sleeping snugly on the tree skirt.  Thank you, Santa, for my much appreciated gifts.  See you next year!

Day 342

Yesterday, I went to Costco with Peter and Mom.  I am curious about those Sun Chips behind me.  If I eat a pack (yum), will the weather be sunny?  It amazes me to think about how powerful I can be.

We are in the check-out line.  I met so many nice people.  Everyone always wants to pet me, and I love feeling like a star.  There's a winding ramp that leads to the parking garage, and I was very scared walking up and down it.  Mom was surprised, since there were no steps.  Commotion and noise do not usually bother me.  I slunk my way through it, though. 

Day 341

Here I am, riding in the car with Peter and Mom, stealing the sunshine that streams through the windshield.

Day 340

I think it's called a blizzard.

Day 339

Bliss.

Day 338

We stayed up really late last night.  Poor Eli passed out at 11:45.  He could not make it to midnight!  Late to bed, late to rise.  Here we are, having brunch at Maggie's with Mom's friend Sue and her husband Steve (not pictured).

Day 337

Happy New Year!  I am going to stay home New Year's Eve.  It's too wild out there.  Mom and I are cooking dinner for friends.

Day 336

I know that I look really cute in my underwear, but I HATE WEARING UNDERWEAR.  It's way overrated, and I cannot figure out how my people can stand the confinement.  I relish my nakedness.  If you've got it, flaunt it.  And so, in an act of pure wizardry, I remove my underwear when no one is looking and pretend that nothing happened.  Unfortunately, without underwear, I am unable to leave the kitchen for fear of destroying the house.

Day 335

Mom went grocery shopping, and I am helping unload the groceries.  

Day 334

Making friends, as usual.

One small kiss, through the fence.  How romantic.

Day 333

Moo-fin, PLEASE come downstairs and play!  We can play hide-and-seek in the contractor's curtain.  Be brave, Mister Moof.

Day 332

I am too afraid to ascend the full staircase, but I did muster the courage to strike a pose.  We are at Orchard Beach, and did not stay long because Christoper and Eli were freezing.