It's Been A Year...

Brynwood's Taggart • 04/03/2011 - 03/04/2024

Can you believe it's been a year already? AND the anniversary of saying goodbye to my boy is on a Tuesday, no less? I'd planned to pull all manner of photos of him to share today, but truthfully, it's too hard to look at them through the tears that still fall so readily. In my heart, it still feels like yesterday.

I miss his antics (good and bad) every day. I miss that he always found a way to make us laugh. I miss white fur on the furniture amidst the black Labrador hairs. I miss snuggling into his neck fur and having him curl up next to me for an afternoon nap. I miss rubbing those beautiful, big ears and his handsome face. I miss the smell of his Frito feet. I miss everything about him.

The one thing that makes his absence bearable is my deep faith that Heaven will include all the dogs (all pets) we've loved before, and that all of them will greet me at The Bridge when it's my time. I know that Tag will be at the front of the pack, leading the rest of the dogs I've loved and still miss. What a wonderful day that will be.

I hope you're having fun with the rest of the pack, Bubby. Mom misses you, but I know you already know that. I know you're close and watching over us. I know time is different there, so just know that while it's going to be a while for me, for you it will seem like the blink of your beautiful eyes.

Mom loves you.

Happy Birthday, Tag...

If you were here, we'd be celebrating your 13th in fine style, buddy boy. As it is, I'm sure you're celebrating your Birthday with all your friends at The Bridge. Instead, I'll share some of my favorite photographs of you with your friends here, and tell you that I miss you every day. 

 

Happy Birthday, Tag.

Finality and Time For Something Fun...

 

Tag's remains came home late yesterday. The clinic and crematorium sent along wonderful memories for us, too. In addition to the beautiful box containing his ashes, we received a certificate, his paw print in ink and in plaster, a lock of his fur, and a bone of handmade paper embedded with wildflower seeds to plant in the spring. I was sad for a minute when I first saw everything, but these are the building blocks of the memorial to my beautiful boy and all our great memories of him. 

I'll start concentrating on all the fun things we did, the times he made us laugh, the times he scared the pants off me when he ran off, watching him swim or retrieve, and all the times he just sat and looked in my eyes as I spoke to him. There's too much good to sit around crying for what was. Instead I'll celebrate my boy and try to be happy. I'm sharing this with you so you can see how much care our vet clinic and the crematorium took with him - and with us.

I'm leaving first thing this morning for Portage for this month's craft day at Adrienne's. It's earlier than usual this month, because our friend who is teaching this time couldn't make it later in the month. My understanding is that we're doing something Easter-themed. You just know I'll have photos for your on Monday!

I'm going to run. It's an hour and fifteen minutes to Adrienne's from here and I don't want to be late. We had rain all evening yesterday, which has turned into winds for the rest of the weekend. I don't want to feel rushed in traffic, so I'm taking extra time for the drive. I'll see you with more after the weekend.

Sweet Gifts...

Actually, dear friends, I'm doing better than I expected to by now. It's only been a few days, but thinking about Tag, reading and responding to your comments here - and the hundreds on Facebook - have really been a great help.

Knowing that others share my grief and sadness, and that many are praying for my healing has helped more than you know. Also having unshakable faith that I'll be reunited, not only with my Taggart, but with all our loved ones when we're called home is very comforting.

I really don't want anyone to feel more sadness with this post. That's not my intent at all. I have my boy tucked away in my heart, knowing that he isn't suffering any longer.

For those who wonder what happened, our vet believes that he suffered from IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease), with probably a Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) component as well. If you don't know about IVDD and would like to understand what it is, HERE is a link. I also have a DM link HERE if you aren't familiar with this devastating disease. It's the canine version of ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease and it's insidious, striking many corgis. Once there is a cure for one, there will be a cure for the other (DM/ALS). 

Tag's breeder lied to me when I first inquired about her litters, telling me that she didn't have DM in her bloodlines. I learned differently months later, so I sent for a test kid from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). I returned the swab as directed, and the results came back that Tag carried both genes for DM, making him an "at risk" dog. Symptoms don't usually show until dogs pass their tenth birthday. He showed no symptoms until last week, although Tag had pain, and there is no pain associated with DM. The dogs feel nothing at all.

We are not aware that Tag did anything to hasten an injury in the past few weeks. He was getting slower coming up the porch stairs, and I frequently carried him down to get out, and back up to go into the house. He'd quit coming to the second floor months ago, choosing to lie at the bottom of the stairs to wait for me to come back down. Other than that, we hadn't seen him falter, fall or yip in the course of his day, so we can't attribute his rapid decline to a specific event.

We can only surmise that this condition just got worse as he grew older, and there was nothing to be done at his age. Surgery would have been a painful process with a long recuperation that would have held no guarantees he would ever walk again. It would have been selfish to put him through that. So, the tearful decision was made to hold him close, give him treats (ginger snaps from the vet), and set him free.

From my friend, Sandy M.

This is an AI image that my friend, Sandy generate to share with me. I haven't played around with any of those programs, but I've seen other images Sandy has done through this medium and they're pretty impressive. I love that she did this for me. It's not an actual photograph of Tag, but it's a close likeness, for sure.

Shared by my friend, Laura J.

My friend, Laura sent this one to me. This is where I truly believe he is...in our Savior's arms...and with all the much-loved pets, family and friends who have gone before him. I know they'll be waiting for us in due time.

Thanks again for all your wonderful comments. I wish my blog posts had just a "like" button, as with Facebook, so you could acknowledge, but not feel compelled to comment to these posts. I suppose I could just turn off comments for this one, but I'll leave the settings as they are. I only hope that this post will bring a smile to your face, and you, too, might feel less sad over Tag's passing. He lived his entire life making people happy. I don't think he'd want that to change now. 

We love you all, friends.

Tuesdays With Tag - It's Been A Blast...

Hi, Everybody!

I'm here on special dispensation to write my last blog post to you today. I'm checkin' in from the most beautiful spot at The Rainbow Bridge. I got here yesterday after Mom and Dad took me to the vet to see why my back legs quit workin'.

The vet was real nice to me. He and his wife, my other vet (who was out of town) have Corgi's too, so they know a lot about our breed. He was real gentle and talked nice to me as he did my exam, and then he told Mom and Dad that he didn't think I was ever gonna be able to walk again. (Somethin' was broken and couldn't be fixed at my age.) You all know me well enough to know that's unacceptable for me. I mean, who ever heard of "goin' on dragabout"? 

It's been pretty inconvenient for me these past few days as I've had multiple accidents in the house, and had to be carried everywhere. As hard as Mom and Dad tried - and I know they would have done this forever for me - I wasn't gonna get better. I'm a Corgi! I'm meant to run around the yard, chasin' after Bella and Carly and the stoopid barn cats. Draggin' my hind end around is just somethin' I didn't want.

When I got to The Bridge, I could still hear Mom whisperin' to me, "I love you, Bubby. Tell the rest of our dogs we'll be along soon enough." Kes was waitin' for me, and my legs are workin' again! We ran around each other and were so happy to see each other. 

Then, Kessie took me to meet our other dogs...Bryn, Bannor, Kyra, Duffer, Bee, Samantha Rose, Old Morgan, Morgan II, Fezzik, Kirby, and even the boys' dogs, Duncan, Friday, Conner and Bags. Man, we're partyin' like rock stars now!

Time is different here, too. What takes years back there only takes minutes here. I know Mom and Dad will be here soon by our timeline, but it's gonna seem like forever to them. So, I'm gonna get the gang together and we're gonna take turns visitin' them in their sleep, and we'll all watch over them until it's time for them to meet up with us again.

I'm a little sad right now, 'cuz I can see that Mom's havin' a really hard time. She hasn't stopped cryin' since I left her behind. I'm gonna have to give her extra snuggles when she sleeps. Did you know that's when your loved ones always visit you? When you sleep, your mind opens to all the possibilities. That's where I'll see her again and try to make her laugh. I'll try to make it hurt less for her. She's talkin' to me all the time, too. That's nice.

I know that right now, you're probably cryin', too. I get it. For the last thirteen years I've tried to tell you stories to make you laugh. I've shared my jokes, antics, and adventures with you almost every week. Try to be happy for me. I'm a real puppersnapper again with lots of friends up here...and I can run again. That's the best.

I'm hopin' that Mom will let Bella - or even Carly - check in with you once in a while. Maybe she'll just share an old photo of me from time to time. I know she's gonna work on somethin' special that she's gonna offer in her shop once she gets her feet under her again.

What? Oh...the gang is callin' me now. They tell me that I'm gonna get to meet The Big Guy now. They say He's the best. He loves animals and little children - just like Corgis do! They say He checks on us a lot to make sure we're taken care of. Speakin' of children...there are lots of them, and they all love havin' us around to play with. 

So, I guess it's time for me to leave you. I really had a wonderful life spendin' time with Mom, Dad and all of you. I wish I could give all of you just one in-person smooch. You've been the best, and I love you all very much. I have to go now.

Until we meet again...

Smooches, 

Your Best Boy.

Tag Update...

Pardon me for the tardiness and brevity of today's post. I'm more than a little frazzled today. I slept in the living room last night with Tag, and although he had me up a couple times (and our nice, comfy sectional is not my bed) I do have mixed good news for everyone. 

I took this picture of Tag this morning on our front lawn as he just sat looking at me. He'd only moved a bit from where I placed him because he came to the spoonful of peanut butter and meds I was offering him. TMI, perhaps...he pooped, but no urine since Thursday night. I've been concerned about that. 

So here's today's update as of about 10:30 this morning that I posted on "FaceBark"...

"What a Corgi won't do for food!! He doesn't have any use of his back legs right now, but we're managing his pain with rimadyl and a combo of Robaxin & methocarbamol. He's had bowel movements, but no urine since Thursday night. I took him out this morning and...nothin'. Came time for his breakfast. I had him on a rug in the living room, but his mealtime task as "supervisor for adequate portions" could not be conducted from there. He dragged himself to the kitchen and then tried to kennel himself to eat (usual routine. Meals in crates.). I put down a waterproof rug and put him on it so he could eat. Must have hit the spot, because he hosed down the rug while he wolfed down his breakfast. Now, we're both feeling better. He has another vet appointment on Monday. X-rays on the agenda to see if we can determine if there's anything else going on with him. Thanks for all your comments and prayers. Please keep 'em coming for my beautiful boy."

We'll be hanging out with the critters today. Both Bella and Carly are paying extra attention to Tag, and Bella keeps licking his face. They're concerned, too. I want to stay close to him in case he needs me/us. I'll keep posting updates on my personal Facebook page through the weekend, and will let him give you the vet updates on Tuesday. 

I hope everyone has a great weekend. The weather is going to be perfect for Tag (and all of us) to catch some warm sunshine. As I said above, thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts. We know they're heard. xoxo

My Day Went Sideways...

This is a quilt I created when we still lived in Florida. I made it for a guild challenge after Fezzik passed and I called it "For The Love of a Corgi". This piece hangs in my studio.

I told you yesterday that I planned to bake first part of the day, and then I'd finish the brooch I'm working on in the afternoon. So much for plans, I guess.

I did manage to bake four loaves of bread and a half dozen rolls. No stitching though, and definitely no dancing. Handsome had an appointment this morning, so it was my job to take care of the dogs. 

Tag has had trouble coming up and down the porch steps lately, so I carried him out, as well as back in. As the day progressed, he was having trouble walking. I chalked it up to our hard floors because his back feet kept slipping out from under him. When Handsome got home, we discussed it, and he turned around and went back out to buy a few larger area rugs to make for a more "grippy" surface for my Corgi.

By midday, Tag couldn't walk at all, so I called the vet's office and we got him in to be seen as their last appointment of the day. Long story short, it seems he's got something going on with his back. Perhaps a pulled muscle or a trauma we don't know about, but when the vet manipulated and gently pushed his back, Tag yipped. He was also shaking (like he was shivering), and the vet thinks that's from pain, too, as Tag doesn't have "issues" with visiting his doctors. Never has. We discussed xrays, but as this has only been going on today, we decided to wait on that. If he has another cause for his back end not working properly, I don't want to know it yet.

We were in their office nearly an hour. Tag got two different meds - one for pain and inflammation, and another for muscle spasms. He also got a laser treatment, and instructions for confinement for two weeks. No running around - although I doubt he could. He got a pill for the muscle spasms before we left their office, so he slept most of the evening after we got back home.

We're not concerned that it's degenerative myelopethy (DM) as their is no pain involved with that. (It's the same disease as ALS in humans.) If this were the case, his muscles would deteriorate from his back end to his front until everything just shut down. He does have pain, so we can rule out dreaded DM. Realizing that was a huge relief to me.

I'll be carrying him in and out for the foreseeable future, and pampering his frowsy, little butt for as long as he needs the extra TLC. Two different meds every day, and meals en suite. Heck, I'll probably be sleeping downstairs if he needs me, too. Whatever he needs. He's my best boy, and if I can will him better, he'll be up and back to his old self in no time. 

Now that I can keep him comfortable, knowing what he needs, I'll keep him close as I stitch today. I work my usual Friday late day shift, but in the meantime, I plan to complete the brooch. Fingers crossed for my project, and prayers for my little man would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Great way to start a new month, don't you think? sheesh. Happy March, y'all!

Tuesdays With Tag - Joke Time!!...

Hi, Everybody!

Mom was too busy to take a new photo of me this week, so you'll just have to look at this killer shot of me again. It's okay. It's not about me this week anyway! It's JOKE TIME!!! Let's not beat around the bush and get right to the giggles for this week...

This one just slays me. hee hee

It's easy playin' cards with the Labradors around here, because of this!

Yeah, well. Some people might find this funnier than others. (Like people with tails!)

That's it for this week. I can't put them all out at once, you know. I'll have more for you next month!

I'll see you again in seven. 'til then... "Always make time for dog snuggles."

Tuesdays With Tag - Time To Celebrate...

Hi, Everybody!

Mom and I hit the road for a few special errands yesterday. Our WMBBD is havin' a Birthday this week, so we went checkin' out ideas for presents. 

I wanted to drive, but Mom said there's the not-so-small matter of my short legs. In the end, I moved over and let her take the wheel. I must say it was a good day to travel. The sunshine shone through the windows on our Explorer, and it was great for catchin' a few winks while Mom ran into the grocery store!

I'm only sharin' a couple photos today. Boo's actual Birthdate is on Thursday, so Mom is gonna share new photographs of her on her big day. Our WMBBD is nine this year. Wasn't she a cute puppy? I remember pickin' her out of the litter just like it was yesterday. (You're cryin'. I'm not cryin'!)

Here she is with her kid (in front). Mama's a little greyer and her eyes have a blue cast now, but she's still our best girl and we love her loads. 

I hope you'll be back to visit on Thursday and leave a Birthday message for Bella that Mom and I can read to her in between Birthday treats.

We're lookin' forward to a week of mild and sunny weather. Could it be more perfect to celebrate our Birthday girl? We don't think so. I'm gonna leave you to enjoy our pictures this week. 

PS. I know you might have been expectin' my monthly dog jokes this week. I'm gonna share some giggles with you next week instead.

I'll see you again in seven. 'til then... "Always make time for dog snuggles."

Tuesdays With Tag - Hangin' Around...

Hi, Everybody!

It was almost 50º (F) yesterday, so Mom took us for a little jaunt around the property. We got quite a bit of snufflin' and runnin' accomplished, but mostly we soaked in the sunshine. As you can see from this picture, most of the snow has melted, so I didn't have to drag anythin' important through the white stuff. That's just dandy as far as I'm concerned!

With the weather gettin' warmer, Mom thought we should give the gardens a little checkup. She said we're gonna need peat, sand, and worm castin's (poop) to mix into the soil before anythin' gets planted, but that won't be for a while yet anyway. 

Mom and Dad took down all the fencin' last fall, so they'll be buildin' somethin' a little more sturdy this spring to keep the critters out. The girls and I can't wait to see what kind of structure we'll have to try to defeat once it's installed. That's always fun.

Of course, Boo and The Kid were outside with us. They really get the mileage from those long legs. Carly was runnin' around the barns, while Bella found somethin' good to smell. Mom was afraid she'd roll in it, but we lucked out. No rollin' (this time).

Mom's keepin' herself busy. She only has to work Friday night this week, so she'll be keepin' us company and gettin' us outside more. We might even go for a ride! She's goin' to Portage on Saturday, so I'm guaranteed a spot in her Explorer, for sure! I'll remind her to take lots of pictures this time!

Before I close, I just want to wish all of you - my friends, near and far - a Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow. I hope you know I love you very much. I'm so glad you stopped in to visit today and every week. You're just the cat's pajamas in my book! (I'll share pictures of lazy butt Claudette soon. You won't believe it.)

I'll see you again in seven. 'til then... "Always make time for dog snuggles."

Tuesdays With Tag - It's About Time!...

Hi, Everybody!

Well, I don't know about you, but I was sure missin' our weekly visits. Chattin' it up with all of you beat the heck out of listenin' to coughin', wheezin', and lots of complainin'! I'm glad Mom and Dad are feelin' better because all the girls and I were bored out of our skulls. 

I mean, there was hardly any food bein' made so we could mooch...I mean, share. We spent most of our time in our crates (whoopie), and our daily jaunts around the yard were non-existent. It's nice to finally be gettin' back to normal around here. Just yesterday, I managed to ghost out to the north yard to get some serious scent trackin' in. I was so intent on my task that I didn't even hear Dad barkin' for me. I finally came up for air and heard him, so I sauntered back to the driveway so we could all go back in the house.

Mom baked yesterday, so that meant I got to supervise most of the day in the kitchen, and then she even made a real dinner for her and Dad, which means leftovers for a few canines! We always know when mashed potatoes and peas are on the menu, and we are pretty relentless about gettin' our fair shares after dinner is done. Truthfully, Mom and Dad always save a little so that we can have some when they're doin' kitchen cleanup.

Well, I know this isn't all interestin' news for you this week, but believe me, Bella, Carly and I are so thrilled to be sprung out of our daily confinement that we're fairly barkin' for joy. And now that Mom's feelin' much better, I might even get to go somewhere or do somethin' really fun in the next week. Valentine's Day is comin' up, so maybe we'll be doin' somethin' fun to get ready for Heart Day?

I'm glad you all hung around while we were all "offline" these past couple weeks. Truthfully, I was a bit worried that I'd come back and find that nobody was even missin' me. I could understand that you wouldn't care if the cats, or maybe even Boo and The Kid didn't pop in, but I was gettin' real anxious that you wouldn't miss me either. I'm gonna check all your messages this week to see just who was really sad that I wasn't postin'. (Shameless plea incomin') I hope you'll make my day and leave a note.

I'll see you again in seven. 'til then... "Always make time for dog snuggles."

Tuesdays With Tag - Not Again...

Our view on Friday mornin' 03/12/24

Hi, Everybody! 

This is what we woke up to on Saturday mornin' last weekend. I was not impressed. It's hard enough bein' a little guy around here without havin' to deal with feet of the white wet stuff in our yard. It gives "dashin' through the snow" a whole new meanin', if you get my drift. (Pun intended)

I heard the plow truck long before anyone could see him. That's not fog in this picture. It's all the snow, comin' down so heavy in the wind that we had almost no visibility. Talk about ridiculous! This kept on and off for most of the weekend!

Of course, two fat cats managed to wiggle their way into the house. I don't mind because any time I was outside, I can tell you it was so cold my paws almost stuck to the pavement! The couple times we saw Claudette out of the barn, she kept holdin' her paws up. Crystal wouldn't leave the barn until Mom went out there to tell them they could come in the house. Then, she sprinted her big booty up to the house and fairly bounced in the front door!

I'm so tickled (not really) with our current weather situation that I decided to write a poem about it. Enjoy!

Deep Snow

by Brynwood's Taggart

 

I went to bed when it got dark. The grass was cold but green. 

When daybreak came I went outside to quite a difference scene.

 

 Instead of sun and room to run, the snow was fallin' down,

When I saw how deep it already was, all I could do was frown.

I had to go out in the yard to tend to my affairs, but 

there was so much snow on them, I got stuck on the stairs.

Mom came down and picked me up, she carried me to the door

and once I shook off all that snow, white sparkled on the floor.

It looks like Winter's in full force, but I just want to say

from this ol' Corgi with four short legs, it can buzz off any day.

The End.

I'll see you again in seven. 'til then... "Always make time for dog snuggles."(Especially when it's cold!)

Tuesdays With Tag - Time To Lighten Up...

 

Hi, Everybody!!! 

I was thinkin' about somethin' I wanted to start this year, so here goes. I always try to bring a smile to your faces each week, so I thought, "What better way to make 'em smile, than to share a joke or two each month?" A dog joke, that is. Nothin' off-color. Just cute stuff...like me!

So, startin' this week, I'm gonna share a couple jokes one week each month. That's assumin' Mom doesn't forget to let me use her computer as she has recently. So, if you're ready, let's begin with a double header...

Okay. I know those two cracked you up, so let's try one more for this week, and then you'll have to wait until next month for another knee-slapper. Are you ready? Here goes...

That one gets me every time! snort Feel free to share these with someone this month...even if it's a "little". I'm keepin' them clean so they're "kidlet friendly"! Kinda like Dad jokes. lol

 

Well, that's enough jocularity for one month, so I'm gonna go. Even though there won't be jokes, I'll be back next week with your weekly dose of ME!

 I'll see you again in seven. 'til then... "Always make time for dog snuggles."

Tuesdays With Tag - Starting A New Year...

Hi, Everybody!

Well, here we are startin' a new year together. I hope you had great holiday celebrations, and didn't eat too much food. Mom was careful to ration our treats so we don't pack on the pounds over the holidays.

There was a flurry of activity around here yesterday 'cuz our second son and daughter-in-law showed up with their (our girls). Both granddaughters helped Mom in the kitchen all day, and there might have been a little chucklin' at me when they saw that I was hangin' around Granddaughter #2 all the time. 

She and I have always had a lot in common, so I guess she might be my favorite, although I love 'em both. Granddaughter #2 has strawberry blonde hair just like mine, and she's just a little shorter than the rest of her family so she gets me. Plus, she always gives great cuddles - and I love her cuddles.

There were presents exchanged which is always a favorite pasttime for us dogs. We even get to help open them sometimes. We aren't even gonna mention all the great food smells. Unless schnibbles accidentally landed on the floor durin' prep, we didn't see much of the people food, though. All three of us hung out under the dinin' room table, though, just in case there was a drop emergency. We're always ready to serve.

All in all it was a really great day, and we had so much fun, we didn't even think about takin' any pictures! (That's how you know it was fun.) The wind kept comin' up all day, too, so it was pretty chilly outside by dark. It was too icky to hang around in the yard when we aired out, so we got our outside jobs done quickly, and all just bundled into our favorite sleepin' spots and took a late day practice nap...includin' Mom and Dad. I can tell you that I had some pretty sweet dreams, thinking about my red-haired granddaughter. It was the best day so far this year!

This week is gonna be pretty excitin'. We're gettin' started on a pantry remodel, so today, I'm gonna supervise while Mom and Dad empty the walls and cupboards on the sink side of the room. I heard Mom say she doesn't even know where to start puttin' stuff to get it out of the way while the room under construction.

I know one thing's for sure, Carly will have lots of strangers to bark at, Bella will spend most of her days sleepin' on the bed upstairs to just stay out of the way, and I'm gonna be on the lookout for workers takin' lunch breaks. Nobody can mooch a piece of sandwich like a Corgi, and I'm more talented at it than the average pup. I'll let you know how it's goin' next week. I'm gonna run for now.

I'll see you again in seven. 'til then...

"Always make time for dog snuggles."

Tuesdays (ahem) Thursday With Tag - Yes. I'm Still Here...

 

 

Well, there you are!

 

Terribly sorry I wasn't here on Tuesday. Take it up with the "boss of the blog" when you get a chance. She forgot to turn on the computer so I could put up my post on my day. She actually startled the dickens out of me when she came runnin' into the livin' room all apologetic and all for just plum forgetin' me. Nice. Real nice.

 

She goes about her daily business, occasionally stoppin' to pet me or some tiny show of affection, but when it comes to rememberin' the big stuff - well, a guy has to wonder where she keeps her head sometimes. Don't worry. I'm not gonna make you guess.

 

She did tell me that she's gonna make another appointment for me to see Miss Joy for a heavy groomin'. This weather has my coat all screwed up. I mean, just look how blurry I am in these pictures. That's not camera movement. That's the lens havin' a hard time knowin' where to focus! Mom's no fan of Corgi shavin', but she said I look like a sheep overdue for a shearin'. Yikes! Bald is definitely on my agenda.

 

We all had a nice Christmas together, and Mom even gave us my favorite Kitty Litter Bites again. She's gonna have to make another batch for our other dogs, (Grandson's dog) Hudson and (Granddaughters' dog) Lulu. The three of us here are enjoyin' the heck out of 'em. 

Mom was gone for quite a while yesterday, 'cuz she spent the day paintin', but the nice part was that when she got back home, we all piled into Dad's truck and went for dinner. The paintin' pooped her out, so she didn't even want to think about cookin'.

We didn't mind either, I mean - truck ride! There are usually a few leftover schnibbles for snacks for us, too, which is bonus.

So anyway, I don't have any news or anythin', but I really just wanted to say goodbye before the end of the year. Next time we see each other, it will be a new year! 2024 is just around the corner. Are ya ready for it? We are!!!

I'll see you again next Tuesday. 'til then... 

Smooches!