FASHION DOGS
Fall is here and winter is approaching fast. I love the cold, the wind, and the snow. I can remember last winter and can hardly wait for the first snowfall. I hope it is light and powdery so I can kick up white dust as I trudge along. At the moment I must be content with rustling the dried brown leaves; I love that crunching sound.
This winter I am a year older and a little slower physically. My constitution is worn a bit from my traumatic experience with my bleeding ulcer and my blood transfusion. I think that is why I do get a bit chilly now. A few weeks ago it was really cold and windy and I found myself shivering a little. Daddy Thom bought me a winter sweater. It is knit and of course, the color is fire engine red. It has a turtle neck and is actually quite stylish. What could be more striking that a perfectly spotted black and white Dalmatian in a flashy red sweater. I do like it, but I don't care for the fuss of putting it on and taking it off.
We read on Grani Frani's blog that my cousin, Bailey, is also sporting winter togs this year. She has a coat and it looks to me like she has a lot less trouble getting it off and on. I think she looks quite stylish too - kind of like a long-distance hiking dog. I used to be a long-distance walker myself, back in the day. I still get around well enough and my staff provides me with lots of stimulating adventures.

A SOUTHERN LADY.
This is my good friend and neighbor, Lady Emma Mullins. She lives down the drive from me and retains a lovely and competent staff of two, Bill and April. We get along so well having so much in common. We both try to cut down on household expenses by retaining small but effective full time staff. We both are pampered and well treated in the style to which we are accustomed. Emma is 15 and I am pushing 12, so we both are proud members of the doggie senior division. Emma has a touch of arthritis as do I. Some days mobility is slow and tiring, but the staff responds with love, attention, medication and human stair escalation.
On these beautiful summer days here in Eastport we each occasionally get a burst of puppy fever and frolic wildly till the exertion catches up with us.
Emma wanders freely around the property as do I. I think we each get a bit befuddled at times and have to be gentle reoriented - that's what staff is for. Sometimes when we are both out and about our estates, Emma will start up the drive and I will descend the deck steps and proceed down the drive to met her half way. We chat a bit Eastport style and catch up on things. We complaint about our little aches and pains and console each other. April and Bill, Thom and david understand this exchange as they are so well doggie attuned.
Emma left with her staff last Thursday for her Southern estates in Tennessee. I will miss her, but her smiling face will be returning for Thanksgiving and I am counting the days.
Oh yes, Eastport is the "way life should be" even for us doggies!

A GIRL AFTER MY OWN HEART.
This past may I got a visit from my Aunt JoAnne from Las Vegas. It is always a joy to see Jo. She smells so good and she treats me like the royalty I am. She also brings me expensive stuffed toys even though she knows I can totally eviscerate them in about 20 minutes if I am so inclined. Daddy Thom buys me inexpensive stuffed animals at thrift shop as he understands their life expectancy around me; But Aunt JoAnne has class and spares no expense. My gift this trip was a white polar bear from the endangered species list. I took a little pity on him and he did not become endangered with me for about 4 days. Eventually he met his doom and became just an empty pelt of road kill with all stuffing removed through a tiny nose perforation. I guess this evisceration complex just one of my inherited genetic memories.
Aunt Jo and I can also can quality time together without fuzzing and getting all goo-goo over eaxh other. Here we are just lounging about,on the deck in the sun. In my old age I have begun to fully enjoy the art of lounging in the sun. Hum-m-m-m!

JOB DOG.
A few days ago I meet a new friend. I think his name is Mo and his person is Don. Dog comes everyday now to make us a new dooryard with the paving tiles we had stacked in the back yard like some kind of war memorial. Since Mo is Don's "job dog" he goes to work everyday with his daddy and sits in the back of the truck or wanders about keeping tabs on the situation, like I do.
I think Mo looks like a small bear and he has intelligent loving eyes. Once in a while he comes up on "my" deck and watches the workers. Now, I was not thrilled about that and had to voice my objection quite loudly. Daddy Thom took me outside on my leash to meet Mo face to face thinking that would rectify the situation. I liked Mo and I think Mo liked me. We both are older dogs and probably have much in common - I know we both have a devoted and well trained staff as Don dotes on Mo. Mo and I did a little sensory greeting and things were cool, but then I guess I startled him by being too anxious; He snapped a little and growled at me. Naturally I growled back - had to get my two cents in and have the last word. We now have an understanding and cordially tolerate each other like proper Older Maine gentlemen. Seems we have worked it out.
The influx of people has decreased now as the dooryard is complete except for the finishing touches which will be down by my staff. Brent still comes almost everyday - I like Brent. He works mostly in the house and treats me well. He lets me observe all the work as I keep tabs of the indoor improvements.
Besides - Brent is building me my own storage cabinet for my personal things. I say, "It's about time."

THE GOOD LIFE CONTINUES.
Yes, life continues to be good. My general health is consistently improving, although the weekly trips to my Vet, Dr. Teer, in Machais remain on my social schedule. I love the short road trip; I love my Vet and all her assistants; but I am getting tired of the frequent needle sticks for my blood work. My doggie H&H is now normal and the more complicated tests show I am regenerating. This is a very good thing.
My new pain pills, Tramadol, are successfully controlling the annoying discomfort in my hips from my arthritis and so far have displayed no horrid side effects. Thank goodness for that as I do not relish the idea of another trip to Portland for a blood transfusion.
Living in Eastport has wonderful benefits for dogs as well as people. I have my own little circle of doggie pals and we occasionally get to visit and chat. Mikey hardly ever passes by the house without stopping to say "Hi". Emma down the driveway comes up into the yard to greet me once in a while too. Emma and I are both older and have learned the concept of gentleness. We seem to respect each others conditions.
People are good to dogs here too. When David and Thom go to The Blue Iris for breakfast I almost always get a treat upon their return. Usually it is Hilda's delicious ham slices. On one occasion there was no ham on the menu and I was treated to some sausages. Sid was cooking that day and when he found out the sausage was a take-out order for me he most kindly gift wrapped it. I love opening packages; and to discover sausage inside was an added delight. There is nothing more satisfying that a gift that can be eaten. Oh yes, " Laissez Le Bon Temps Rollez."
Life is good for doggies in Eastport.

LIFE IS GOOD - REALLY GOOD.
Yes. life is good. My health is slowly and steadily improving and I am getting my strength and personality back. I have discovered since my crisis that I can manipulate my environment a little easier. Things tend to always go my way unless I overdo it and get a bit too pushy. My diet comes to mind. The Vet stresses my need to eat and gain my normal weight back and my Daddies were instructed to give me "anything" I would eat since eating was the goal. As you can see by the photo I can now demand my own lobster by boycotting a meal or two. My staff knows I will always eat lobster. Since I don't have thumbs, I must still rely on David to remove the meat from that spiny, nasty shell.
Another new freedom enters the picture. I had been accustomed to two or three walks a day to check out the neighborhood, meet people and exercise my sniffer. There are a lot of good scents up here. After my mobility decreased and my energy level dropped the walks also decreased as I just had no endurance or sense of distance. The door to the deck is always open now and I spend much time in my outdoor living room. I have strengthened and every once in a while I realize I do have the energy for a walk. So - I just go. I don't bother with the leash or alerting anyone; I just go down the deck steps and amble up Water Street. Of course I am always observed by the staff and one of them will just drop what they are doing and amble along behind me. I must admit though sometimes one of the Daddies has to signal the time for the return trip to the house. I seem to forget I have to walk the same distance to return to the beginning. Ah yes, life IS good!

NEW FAMILY ADDITION
This is Bailey, the newest addition to our extended family. Aunt Frani rescued her a few weeks ago from a holding facility where she was scheduled to go home in a matter of hours. Ta-dah, My Auntie Frani to the rescue and now Bailey has a loving, caring, safe home for all her life. She also has a great new feline companion , Cujo. We will introduce him a little later. Apparently Cujo wasn't too thrilled with Bailey at first - you understand, a doggie in the house and it wasn't Zoe. Now they have become friends and in fact Cujo likes to play chase with Bailey.
You can see by the photos that little Bailey is an eviscerater just like me. Oh how we love to pull all the stuffing and squeakers out of our toys and leave only the limp pelt dangling. I guess we are both tuned into out primal instincts.