Mourning a Student

Teaching is a wonderful profession - you get an opportunity to touch lives and make a difference every day. It can also be challenging and difficult, but I loved being a teacher and cherished those years I spent with kiddos.

A teacher's heart can be broken, though, and mine was broken yesterday when I saw this news article. 

The crash happened near Hershey, the elementary school where I had taught, and so I knew there was a good chance that the teens who were killed were kids that I knew or had had in my classroom.

I was right.

Last spring I was asked to come out of retirement and take over SOAR, a classroom for teens who had been expelled from school. The class was for kids that were working to be able to return to school the following August. One of the students, KR, was familiar to me as he had attended the elementary school where I had taught. 

It was the most difficult teaching position I'd ever had and I went home in tears more than once. But we had our successes, too, one of them the day that KR presented me with a drawing of a seal he had made me and then asked to hang on the wall beside my desk where we could all enjoy it.

In this post, he is the boy in the photo with headphones. (That's my friend and fellow teacher, Kathy Nimmer and Nacho. She had agreed to come visit my class and talk to them about guide dogs. KR and the other kids were fascinated!)

On the the last day of school I wrote that I had gotten ten of the original thirteen students through the program and that I hoped they would find success in the coming school year. KR was one of those students and he did indeed return to his school last August. And now he is gone. Way too soon.

I am absolutely heartsick.

(Two other blog posts about the class can be found here and here.)

My Penpal Pepper: Daily Life

Dear Mom,

I hear that you and Ursula have returned home and that things are going pretty well! I'm so glad. Please remind her to reread page 937 in the notes I left for her. There is some pretty important information there that will help her adjust. (Honestly, I recommend that she refer to that page a couple of times a week if not daily.) 

I am doing great! We've got a routine going (breakfast, treats, walking, napping, brushing, treats, napping, walking, playing, playing some more, kong time, Cocoa Puff/bird granola time, dinner, playing, walking, napping, bedtime.) Lynn and Craig do take me out to do my business, but Lynn said you probably would not want to know that detail. But rest assured, I do get my business done!

Did you know that I am really fond of donuts? I have a bunch to play with. (Lynn would like to say that I HAD a bunch but that I have destroyed three. Not sure why she needed to point THAT out.)

This is me with my blue frosted squeaky donut. I am wearing it like a bracelet while I get the peanut butter out of my kong.

Here I am with my chocolate frosted donut. I am wearing this one on my muzzle. Lynn says that she wonders how I can see anything because it is flipped over my eyes. Her friend took a look at that picture and summed it up by saying, "Never underestimate the ability of a guide dog." Okay, then! I like that!

Lynn also wonders how I can sleep on the princess and the pea bed when I am sprawled with my head on the floor and my body up on the bed. I replied that she should give it a try, but for some reason, she said she'd pass. Something about a bad back.

 Of course, I still sprawl on my back in the legs akimbo pose all the time, but now I try to do it so I am on Lynn's or Craig's feet. Lynn says that I make a nice foot warmer now but when summer comes, lying on her feet will not be happening.

 Can you tell where I am in this next photo?

You can see Lynn's arm on the left cuddling my head, and a big fluffy orange blanket. I think I look pretty cute in this picture. Lynn says I am using puppy eyes on her (and that they worked.)

Here's a bigger photo and you can tell that I am in Lynn's recliner with her. She is covered in the orange blanket and is reading. I hopped up and got comfy, flipping over into the legs akimbo pose. Lynn says that that is the only time I will be allowed in that chair. Hmmm. I've heard that before!

Usually she gets down on the floor with me like she is in this photo. I flop next to her with my front half in her lap and she gives me the best ear rubs!

Craig gets down on the floor and gives me ear rubs, too. I just go back and forth between them to get the rubs. I have to be fair, right? And make sure they both get a turn to do my ears?

Millie and Molly are here, so I'd better go downstairs and see if they want to play. We all just had our afternoon kongs so I think they may be feeling a kong coma and are napping on their beds. I think I can get one of them to play, though, so toodles!

Much love,

Peppermint Patty

My Penpal Pepper: We Have Snow!

Dear Mom, Dad, Ursula, and Kitties,

Ho! Ho! Ho! I know it's not Christmas, but we finally have snow on the ground and I feel very merry. I like to run around in it, slipping and sliding as my lean and lithe body bends into those turns. (Lynn says to tell you that, with all the walking, playing, and running that I do, I am maintaining my weight and not getting floofy. Whatever that means.)

Craig and I went out for a walk this morning and the snow was really coming down hard! I ended up looking sort of like a reverse Dalmatian - kind of funny. Lynn and Craig keep a big fluffy towel right by the door and rub me down whenever I am wet with snow or rain. I've had a lot of rub downs today, but I don't mind! I wriggle with happiness when they wrap me up and dry me off! (And they wonder why I go out more frequently when it's rainy or snowy! Hahaha!)

Do you know what "winsome" means? It means "sweetly or innocently charming, winning, engaging" according to Lynn's dictionary. She says this picture of me is winsome.

I had been playing with my favorite donut squeaky toy and decided to chew on my kong for a while. (Yes, there is a tennis ball in the picture but Lynn says that I am doing a better job of not having them all over the floor.) Somehow the donut got onto my leg like a bracelet. Lynn snapped a photo of me just as I looked up at her. I will admit (modestly), my eyes look awfully big, brown, and beautiful. I'm going to ask Lynn to send this photo to my Nacho. Maybe Kathy will put it in a locket on his collar.

Anyway! Enough about me - I wanted to tell you how Molly just about made Lynn cry yesterday. Millie and Molly spend Wednesdays and Fridays with us while their mom, Lisa, is at work. I LOVE having them here (although Millie chews MY bones, antlers, and toys without asking. She needs to learn some manners.)

Well, Molly, as you know, is a rescue who came from a terrible place and has many fears and anxieties. She has been with Lisa, Lynn, and Craig for two years but still gets very frightened sometimes. Recently she has been letting Lynn rub her belly, and even invites her to do so by rolling onto her side when she sees Lynn and lifting up her hind leg so that Lynn can get to her favorite spot.

Yesterday Molly invited her to rub her belly, and when Lynn reached down to do so, Molly lifted her head and touched her nose to Lynn's nose! She has never, ever done that, although she will occasionally touch Lynn's leg (my family calls that "booping.") If Molly boops you on the leg or backside, it is a time for celebration. To be booped on the nose is absolutely unheard of!  Lynn is still smiling about that and says she is so glad that Molly felt comfortable enough to boop her nose.

Lynn just reminded me that I should ask you how you are and how things with Ursula are going. She has let me listen in to all her phone calls (Lynn corrects me and says that there is no "letting" me. Since I am always by her side, there is no privacy in this house with me around so, of course I heard those phone calls! But she smiled when she said that, so I think she likes having me tag along wherever she or Craig are.)

Please tell Ursula, "Ralph! Ralph! Ralph! woofiytywoof, BARK!" I just told her where I hid a few things. Nothing big, just a nylabone or two. She is welcome to them!

YAWN. I think it is time for another nap so I am going to say goodbye. Love to everybody!

xoxoxoxoxox
Pep

My Penpal Pepper: Walking the Tippecanoe Battlefield

Howdy There, Mom!

(Lynn is a horsey girl, so I am giving you a real, live, cowgirl greeting!)

How are things at The Seeing Eye in New Jersey? Lynn was telling me a little about what you and Ursula are doing in your training together, and boy did it bring back memories. Please tell Ursula that I am rooting for her and want her to be your best guide ever - after all, I love you and want you well taken care of!

Lynn was saying earlier this week that I have "settled in." I am not quite sure what she means by that, but I think she means that I am totally comfortable here. It's true -  I know the daily routines, I have been everywhere that she and Craig go, and I am comfortable in everything we do. Please know that I am happy.

One of the things I love best (second only to eating) is all the walks that we take. I get out at least twice a day (and often three times) for a jaunt around the park or the neighborhood. And once in a while, we get in the car and go some place to walk. That's always fun!

 One of my favorite places to go is the Tippecanoe Battlefield, site of the Battle of Tippecanoe. (Click that for more information.) It's a huge park along Burnett Creek and there are immense old trees in it, some that were here at the time of the Battle in 1811. (They know that because, during a recent ice storm, limbs from some of the oldest trees came down. When the groundspeople tried to put those through the wood chipper, they had to stop because there were so many musket balls embedded in the wood!)

 Photo of Craig and me walking through the grounds of the battlefield.

Lynn's mother was an author and wrote seven books on the history of Tippecanoe county, including the Battle of Tippecanoe. She also was a founder of The Feast of the Hunters' Moon, a huge festival held here to celebrate 18th century life at Fort Ouiatenon. (You can click on "The Feast of the Hunters' Moon" and "Fort Ouiatenon" in the previous sentence and that will take you to links about them.)

As a result of her mom's contributions to preserving the local history, she was honored after she died with a tree planted on the battlefield in 2017. It's a burr oak and Lynn goes out every December and hangs a Christmas ornament on it in memory of her mother.

Lynn and me standing in front of the burr oak. There are two ornaments on the tree, a bird one from Lynn and a red striped ball from Lynn's sister, Leslie.

Me sniffing under one of the ginormous old trees as we walk. Craig is holding my leash.

There is a mass grave on the grounds that very few people know about. It is where the dead from both sides were buried together. Lynn showed me where it is and she got very quiet. She says she feels that she is standing on holy ground and always prays for those who are buried there.

Photo of me striding along the top of the ridge above Burnett Creek. 

So many good smells! (And Cocoa Puffs, too!) I will admit that I got a bit distracted by all those yummy smells (and tastes.)

Craig petting me as we figure out who is going to go in which direction and sort out the leash. I wasn't watching where I was going and got it wrapped around a tree. Oops! Lynn thought that that was funny.

Brrr! It's chilly today! But I am still ready to go walk, and Lynn and Craig have told me about other places that they want to take me - I can hardly wait! (I hope they have Cocoa Puffs!)

Sending big hugs, kisses, and wiggles!
Love,

Peppermint Patty

My Penpal Pepper: Meet Nacho's Family

Dear Mumzie,

How do you like that spelling of your name? It's British! One of Lynn's all-time favorite books is The One Hundred and One Dalmatians and it takes place in England. That's what the British call their mothers with "Mumzie" being the affectionate form. And since I DO love you, I'm using the affectionate form!

Did you know that there are black Labradors in that book? Well, actually, they are really Dalmatians, 99 of them, disguised as Labradors by rolling in soot to hide themselves from Cruella DeVille. I think that was a pretty smart thing for them to do. But why did only 99 disguise themselves when the book is about 101 of them? When I asked Lynn, she told me to read the book and find out because the answer is a spoiler. (Boy, you can sure tell that she was a teacher!)

Anyway, I know you are busy learning to work with Ursula but I wanted to drop you a quick note. Please tell her that I am so happy that she is stepping in to be your guide and how lucky she is to have you. I am sad that I am no longer able to be there for you, but at the same time, I am relieved to hear that she is loving you and doing a good job.  Having said that, will you please pass this on to her? "Woofwoofwoof! Arfarooo! Pantpantpantpant. Bark! Bark! Bark!" While that is a personal message from me to her, the gist of it is that I am telling her to do her very best and take care of you for me. Sort of a passing of the dog bone on to her, you know?

I wanted to introduce you to Nacho's grandparents. This is Bill and Mary Ann Hiller, Kathy's folks.

Paparazzi Lynn snapped this photo just before Christmas of me with them at their home. They're sitting on the couch and both are petting me with big smiles on their faces. They love me!

Here they are with Kathy sitting on the floor in front of them. Nacho and I are next to her, and that Mr. Romance is sneaking a kiss to me! I am bowing my head and acting appropriately modest, of course.

And this is a photo of me sitting with Kathy, her arms wrapped around me and both of us smiling. Mumzie, I sure am a lucky girl to have so many wonderful people in my life who love me!

Going along with that British theme, I remain,

Mistress Lady Pepper

My Penpal Pepper: Retirement is Awesome!

Happy New Year, Mom!

Lynn tells me the you are in New Jersey and have a new guide named Ursala. Congratulations! I have been worried about you and am glad you have a new dog to not only help you get around to all your commitments, but to snuggle and be friends with, too. Welcome, Ursula!

I am doing great  and love retirement. My days are very full with visits with Mille and Molly several times a week, several walks a day, extended naps on the princess and the pea bed, and lots of belly rubs. Please do not worry about me and just concentrate on Ursula and getting to know her. 

Me cuddled up on top of the princess and the pea bed. See that rolled up blanket on the windowsill? Lynn was concerned that there might be a cold draft blowing on me, so she stuffed it in there to block the chill.

Remember I told you about the neighbors who gave me twenty-six tennis balls? (Lynn would like me to insert here that at least five of them are on the living room floor and do I really need that many out all at once? Silly Lynn! Of course I do!)

Me, lying on the floor in the living room with my head pillowed on a fabric frisbee and a nylabone between my paws. The biggest of my two antlers is next to me, and there is another nylabone and ONE, let me say that again, ONE tennis ball on the floor by my tail. Lynn exaggerates about the number of tennis balls I get out. (Yes, there are six on the floor behind the couch but they don't count.)

Anyway! Lynn and Craig decided that it might be a good idea to keep a couple of the tennis balls outside on the back patio. Oh, how I love to go out in our yard - lots of bunnies hop through it and I love to follow their trails. (Lynn and Craig frown on me eating bunny poop. I don't know why - they look just like Kelloggs Cocoa Puffs and are just as good in my opinion.)

Craig is especially good at throwing the tennis balls for me. The yard is very large and I can stretch my legs out and RUN. I get really low to the ground and twist and turn, chasing the balls he launches. Do I get a workout! (Which helps me keep my body sleek and svelte for Nacho! Swoon!!)

I also help Lynn keep her two bird feeders full of seeds, and I am especially good at vacuuming up any seeds that she spills. Lynn tells me to leave that for the birds and simply will not budge about that, even when I tell her that seeds are healthy and I am just getting a birdie version of granola.

You know that we guide dogs are very smart (and I say that in all modesty) but I figured out how to have a ball handy as I help Lynn work in the yard.

I just drop it right underneath the bird feeder! That way, I know just where to find it when we come outside to play. (And sometimes it has bird granola on it - I can lick that off when I pick up the ball and neither Lynn nor Craig are the wiser! (Lynn would like to insert that phrase, "Five little monkeys jumping on the bed" here. I'm not sure what she means.)

Speaking of beds, you will NEVER guess what! Craig has repeatedly said that he really does not want me to get on their furniture or on their bed. Well, to her surprise, Lynn, who was up very early, walked into the bedroom this morning to get something and found Craig cuddling me! Yep, I was up on the bed and he had not told me that I had to get down. He'd let me stay! After she got over her surprise, she said to Craig, "You old softy!" and went back upstairs to work. Meanwhile, he and I went back to sleep snuggled together. (It was awfully early, after all!)

Oh, my, I just heard the frying pan! Craig must be making eggs, and most days he scrambles one just for me! Gotta go! Say "hi" to Ursala from me!

Happy bounces,

Pepper

My Penpal Pepper: Tennis Balls!

Hey, there, Mom!

I tell you, Lynn and Craig have the nicest neighbors. On one of these warm sunny days we've been having, Lynn put me on the leash and we went out the front door to take a walk to the park. The neighbors across the street saw me and asked to meet me, so we crossed the street (Lynn proudly tells people that I am so smart, I know how to look both ways and cross the street safely!) to say hello.

Pepper on leash and sniffing the outside of the bag of tennis balls.

These neighbors play a LOT of tennis. Every day we see them load up their car with baskets full to the brim of tennis balls and head out to the courts. The parents play for fun while their kids are on club teams and play in tournaments.

Pepper with her nose down inside the bag, sniffing that beautiful tennis ball smell!

Peter, the dad, asked Lynn if I would like to have some tennis balls. She replied that I loved tennis balls and that one or two would be nice. Oh, my goodness, Peter gave us a bag of twenty-six balls! And all of them were for me!

Well, we decided to skip our walk then and there and took my new balls into the house to show Craig.

Pepper off leash and inside, making her choice with her face in the bag and a tennis ball in her mouth.

So many balls to play with! Lynn says she was tempted to just dump the bag and see how I reacted.

 Pepper lying on the carpet with three balls on the floor around her. I am looking up and smiling.

Lisa dropped by to say hello (sadly, without Mille or Molly), and she got down on the floor to play with me.

Pepper and Lisa head to head. Lisa is on her belly with her arms stretched out to the side and a tennis ball in each hand.

 There is a third ball in my  mouth - you can see from this photo that my mouth is full.

Oh, she got it away from me! Which ball to choose?? We are still head to head but Lisa has two balls in one hand and one in the other.

I have been having so much fun with these tennis balls, although Lynn has asked me to stop getting them all out and leaving them all over the living room floor. I don't know why she is complaining - after all, we are down to twenty-three as I gave two to Ian, Mila, and Lukie to play with at their home, and one is over at Millie and Molly's home. What's the big deal about twenty-three tennis balls on the living room floor?

Well, I need to go wake up Craig as it is past time for him to play with me and my rope tug. We do that every morning after he gets up. One of my favorite times of day. I'll write again soon!

Wags,
Pepper

P.S. If the kitties want to have some tennis balls, Lynn says that she will send some to you.

My Penpal Pepper: Being Helpful

Dear Mom,

Well, I was a bit surprised today - Lynn slept in until almost 7:00! Our usual routine is to get up at 5:00, head upstairs where she writes for a few hours, then go downstairs for breakfast and getting dressed and ready for the day. But I think I know why.

Yesterday she seemed off all day. She would smile and play with me, but later I could sense she was sad. I did my best to cheer her up, often flipping over and into my legs akimbo pose (always guaranteed to make her smile!)

 Pepper stretched out on her back, legs every which way, antler and pull toy at the ready.

Then, I wormed my way under her desk while she was working and took up all the space where her feet needed to go.

 Pepper under the desk, head on paws, taking up all the space.

That made her smile, too, and say, "Oh, Pepper! You big goofball!" (She says that a lot.)

I stayed with her all day and gave her some extra licks when I thought she seemed sad.

There were a couple of phone calls that came during the day and she always seemed teary after hanging up the phone. She got some texts, too. They were from her Illinois friend Ron, and his son, Randy, about their wife and mom, Pam. 

Pam is Lynn's very best friend and has been for thirty years. Sadly, Pam's breast cancer returned a few months ago, and Pam was in the hospital. I overheard Ron tell Lynn that Pam had been so excited to meet me and had really been hoping to see me later this week. Then he added that we would meet in heaven someday instead instead of in this life.

Not only were Lynn and Pam dearest friends, but Pam loved Lynn's black Lab, Zeus. After Lynn and Craig moved back home to Indiana after twenty-seven years at the University of Illinois, Pam would drive over and visit him. (Well, she visited Lynn, too, but she spent a lot of the time with Zeus while here.)

Pam on the floor and patting Zeus in Lynn's dining room. He, too, was a service dog, just like me, only his job was to sniff out drugs and narcotics.

Lynn and Pam in September, their last visit together.

Last night after dinner Lynn got another text from Ron. It simply stated, "Pam's gone." Lynn was so sad even though she knows where Pam is now and that she is in a better place. (Maybe she's throwing balls to Zeus!) I gave her some extra licks and sat with her while she cried.

Lynn thanked me as she dried her tears and assured me that she was okay. I think she was, but I still kept an eye on her. Then she went to bed and she slept well past our usual rising time. She apologized to me this morning, saying that it was because she hadn't slept well the previous night, knowing that Pam's time was short.

I have been told repeatedly by Lynn and Craig that they are glad I have come to live with them. They say it every single day, sometimes multiple times. I love them and am very happy here. But this is the first time that I have been needed and I am so glad that my licks, cuddles, and sticking close helped Lynn through a tough time. 

Lynn says you would be proud of me and would want to know how much of a comfort I was to her, so I am sharing this story with you.

Always your girl,
Pepper

My Penpal Pepper: Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, Mom!

What is this white Christmas everyone talks about? Lynn said that she was sad that we didn't have one, and I heard a song about it on the radio, too. I can't imagine why one would dream about something so silly when there are walks and stuffies and treats and friends to dream about! (Oh, and Nacho, too, of course! I dream about him a lot!))

Lisa, Millie, and Molly spent the whole of Christmas day with us, and it was so fun to have them to play with. Lynn laughs because I get so happy when she says, "Millie's here!" or "Molly's here!" but they are like sisters to me and I love them very much.

Christmas is a time to be helpful, and I had a wonderful time helping everyone open their gifts, especially those that smelled food-ish. 

Photo of Lisa sitting crossed legged under the tree and unwrapping a gift while Millie and I observe. This was one of those food-ish packages.

One gift had a huge red bow on top, and I laid down next to it to check it out.

 Millie, also on food-ish watch, helped me by smelling it thoroughly as I lay on my back next to it.

Craig really liked the ornament that I gave him. It is flat and round, and has a picture of a black Lab wearing antlers on it. The text reads, "He sees you when you're eating." They thought that that was really funny.

Santa even brought me my own stocking and hung it by the fireplace. It is pretty big and made of green fabric with white paw prints on it and trimmed in red piping.

Inside was a variety of dog treats. In this photo, Lynn is holding them up for me to see while Millie looks on hoping that I will share. (I did, and with Molly, too, who was too shy to come over.)

Photo of me lying on the carpet, head up, with that big red bow between my front paws.

Some extended family came for dinner and more gifts. They played a game after dinner called "Dirty Santa." Everyone brings a wrapped gift worth about $20 and the gifts are placed on a table in the middle of a circle. Names are drawn and that person gets to choose a gift and keep it, or, if they see a gift that someone else has unwrapped already, they can steal it, and then that person has to either steal someone else's or pick another from the table and unwrap it.

It's pretty fun (and they were kind of loud while they played, just saying.) At one point everyone broke into laughter. The gift Lynn had wrapped and set on the table for the game was full of dog toys and was actually for me! By mistake she had grabbed the wrong package for the game! Quickly she ran upstairs, got the right Dirty Santa gift, and hurried downstairs so that it could be opened. Everyone thought that that was pretty funny, and I was thrilled to have even more toys to play with.

Later in the afternoon, we three dogs took the humans for a walk through the park and around the neighborhood. It was nice and warm with lots of people outside, walking, riding bikes, and playing in the park. I met a couple new dogs and people, and just had the best time. I love my daily walks!

I hope you, too, had a nice Christmas. Lynn says that you and Dad have been sick. I hope you are feeling better. And please tell the kitties "hello" from me. 

Ho! Ho! Ho!
Peppermint Patty

My Penpal, Pepper: Playing with Nacho

Hello, Mom!

Brrrr! It's chilly here in our part of Indiana - 9 degrees this morning. Lynn tells me that she is REALLY grateful that I do my business on command as it means less shivering for her.

Lynn likes to take me for a walk in the late afternoon just as the sun is setting. We go down to the park, walk around the lake, and I get to check out which neighborhood dogs have visited the park earlier during the day. (I'd like to check out all the goose poop, too, but for some reason Lynn will not let me.)

A few days ago, there was a big German Shepherd and his dad in the park. He kept barking at me and telling me that it was HIS park, not mine. Mom decided that maybe we should go a different route, and so she took me around the block past Nacho's grandparents' home. Mary Anne and Bill (Nacho's grandparents) check in on me Tuesday nights while Lynn and Craig are in Indianapolis serving in the temple. I love them, and Bill gives terrific belly rubs.

Anyway, we decided to ring the doorbell and say hello. To my great joy and surprise, Nacho and his mom, Kathy, were there, too!

Kathy kneeling on the ground on the left, with me lying in the center of the floor (legs akimbo pose) holding Nacho's moose stuffy between my front paws and in my mouth. Nacho is on the right with a hedgehog stuffy in his mouth and looking at me.

Oh, my, what a joyful reunion we had! Kathy and Lynn decided that, since we knew each other already, they'd take off our leashes and let us play. Kathy told Lynn that her only concern was that Nacho might "overwhelm" me.

Hah!! Overwhelm me? Not on your life! We raced around the living room in circles, with stuffies in our mouths. Nacho couldn't keep up with me! I was quick and nimble, and he was rather surprised that I could elude him so well. Everyone was laughing and exclaiming at how cute I was.

 He and I played for quite a while, and Kathy marveled that I was so quick and fast. She said she'd never dreamed that I could hold my own with Nacho like that!

We had quite a romp, and when we finally took a break, Lynn took our picture together. We are lying side by side with Nacho on the left. He has his hedgehog between his front paws and I have his moose between mine. (Well, it's my moose now. He told me I could have it since I like it so much.)

Lynn and Kathy plan to let us get together and play again. Next time we hope to go out into Bill and Mary Ann's fenced back yard where we can really turn it loose and run and play. I can't wait!

Love,
Peppermint Patty

My Penpal, Pepper: Pepper the Model

Dear Mom,

Some days you do what ya gotta do, right? But seriously, asking me to model is bad enough; when it's MENSWEAR that I am modeling, that goes beyond the pale. But don't worry, Mom. I didn't let you down and did as I was asked. (Albeit grudgingly.)

Pepper wearing a blue coat with a snowmen/Christmas tree print and red trim.

Beside being menswear, the coat is way too big for me. I'll just stand here looking pitiful and hope that Lynn takes it off of me as soon as possible.

Wait! What did she said?? This coat is for Nacho? And she needs me to try it on because she is sewing it for him and wants to check how it is going to look?  Well, that changes things! Anything for my sweetie, Nacho!

(I even got a dog biscuit for my efforts!)

As ever,

Your Peppermint

My Penpal, Pepper - Our Thanksgiving

 Hey, Mom!

Lynn says that Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday and I can sure see why. Food, food, FOOD!! She laughed and said, "You're such a Lab!" at my reaction, and then told me she liked the holiday because it was a day of being thankful and full of family and friends (although she did admit that she likes the food, too.)

I found that I really enjoyed the family part of the day, too. Some of her grandchildren were with us, and they were so much fun to play with.

Me in my goofy legs akimbo pose with Julie (age 5) on the left and Kate (age 3) on the right. They are rubbing my belly. More, please, girls!

Kids also are a great source of food. They drop things on the floor and carpet from the table, and I did my duty and helped with clean up. In fact, as you can see from this photo, I decided it would be best if I just sat wherever the kids were eating - can't have our floors get dirty, you know!

Pepper under the table while Ian (age 5) eats a marshmallow that was supposed to go on the gingerbread house he was making. Julie is repurposing a KitKat bar by eating it, too.

No need to lick your fingers, girls! I volunteer! Yep, hanging out under the table near the kids really has its perks.

Molly and I are becoming better and better friends. She even let me nap with her in the kitchen Thanksgiving afternoon. (Shy as she is, she also hangs around the vicinity of the kitchen when the kids are eating.) I have my antler right next to me in case she decides she'd like to play with me.

Lynn caught a snap of Craig giving me one of his famous ear rubs. Oh, how I love those!

Julie is a real animal lover and very gentle with me. I even let her hold my paw and inspect it. She doesn't have a dog so she'd never seen a paw up close. I just stretched out and let her look. Later, I offered her my rope tug, hoping that she would play with me. I was very careful to not pull too hard since she was so small. Lynn and Craig told me that I was a good girl and that they were very proud of me.

There was one family member that I especially loved - Lynn and Craig's youngest son, Cole. Whatever the reason, we had an instant connection, enough so that at the end of their visit, Lynn laughingly told him, "Remember, she's my dog and you can't take her home!"

Cole would lie on the floor and I considered that an invitation.

 I'd lay across him, lean my head on his chest, and he would put his arms around me in a hug.

 Or, I'd tuck my nose into his elbow 

 and drift off to sleep, all warm and cuddly.

I'd even mimic him and roll over onto my back, just like him, still snuggled in his elbow and against his side, and we'd nap together. (Lynn says, "That's another goofy pose, Pepper!")

I'd stretch out by his head and put my head across his shoulder and down onto his chest. (I think my ear tickled his face when I did that.)

I tell you, that Cole sure is great. I wish he would move in with us, but Lynn says that he is all grown up and has his own life and family to care for. Oh well, he said he would be back for a visit.

Thanksgiving turned out to be a terrific day with lots of food and family fun. I got a lot of attention, and not as much turkey as I might have liked, but that's okay - there were leftovers and I had some of those the next day.

As Lynn told me, Thanksgiving is a day for being thankful. I hope you know that I am thankful for the year I spent with you as your guide, and that I love you very much.

Kisses across the miles,
Pepper