Revenge is sweet!

Remember I talked about how exhausted and overworked I was this weekend?  Well, last night, after I sang everybody to sleep (they do so love to hear my nightly lullaby - I bet they won't be able to sleep when I go to my new home - I'll have to call them on the phone every night at bedtime!) Desmond the Duck and I hatched a plan!  About an hour later, just as the FM was settling in to sleep, secure in the knowledge that all of us kids were contentedly snoring away, I decided to let out a big WOOF WOOF WOOF followed by a screech (just for dramatic affect).   She leaped out of bed and tore through the house and down the spiral stairs in a panic, thinking I had a nightmare, or an upset stomach or something.  I could hardly suppress my glee when I got to get out of bed and have a big snuggle on the loveseat.  I think maybe she knew what I'd done, but she couldn't be mad because I was so cute and snuggly and I was squished into her lap with my head buried (hiding my big grin).  I guess she felt bad that she left me alone with the FD (AKA Leafman) all weekend.  It was great, and I didn't get in trouble or anything, even though she didn't get back to sleep for hours, just in case I wasn't feeling well.....  I felt a little bad, but mostly I was giggling because I got back at her for leaving me alone for the second weekend in a row!

We stopped at the Post Office today so I could say goodbye to my friend Jimmy, but he was already gone for the day - I promised that I'd be back again tomorrow!   I have so much to do to get ready for my big adoption day on Friday.  I'm busy packing and sorting through what to bring and what to leave behind.  I'm a little scared to, because I've gotten very comfortable here and everybody knows me and my routine, but the FM said she'll have lots of lists and directions to go along with me and my stuff and that I'll do just fine.  I'm worried that they might not like me enough to take me home with them, but the FM said that everybody who meets me loves me, so that's reassuring.  

When I first got here, I'd never been inside before, but I liked it so much that then I didn't want to go outside, and I didn't want to leave my crate because it was so comfortable and clean in there.  And I wouldn't go outside by myself, ever, at all - NO CHANCE that I'd go out and find myself alone out there, with no way to get back in.   And I used to have my little path down the driveway.  Not any more - I race around all over the place, and I even go outside at night by myself now and come back right away when the FM calls me to come in, even if I'm doing something really cool like exploring.

I eat all of my meals now, and I play with my toys and bones, and keep my crate nice and clean and behave nicely in the house and don't do bad stuff.  I enjoy having a bath, and I love to go for walks and rides, and I am so happy at the prospect that I will actually have a real family to call my own and I won't  have to be the "extra kid" in the house (or worse, the forgotten smelly old dog outside in the snow starving to death).

I think I'll do OK in my new house because I've learned so much about how to be a good son while I've been in foster care.  I'm smart and I try really hard to do the right thing.   I'm so grateful to have a second chance at life!

Love, Magoober

Get Me Outta Here!

I've learned the ugly truth.  I thought I was in a wonderful foster home, but discovered this weekend that I'm actually in a forced labor camp.  Until now there have always been other kids around, but yesterday and today, it was just me and the FD.  Let me tell you, those other kids must work like demons because I am half dead from exhaustion after the weekend.

I thought the FM was obsessive about stuff.  Well, the FD has a violent grudge against leaves of any sort.  All day, every day, he is out there fighting with the leaves.  You'd think they were poisonous or something!  And there are lots of fields here, and gardens, and landscaping and walkways and decks and patios - everywhere you look, there's some surface that needs to be de-leafed.  Now honestly - does he really think that he can get every single leaf?  Today I think he was catching them before they hit the ground!!!  And, because I was the only kid home, I had to stay outside and work ALL day (well, except when I was inside having lunch and a nap).

I refused to have my picture taken because I think I look like a Corgi - my legs are worn down to nubs from racing around all day on leaf patrol.  I''m going to bed early, and all I can say is Thank God It's Monday!!!!!!  I might just refuse to get up in the morning.  I think I'm gonna skip breakfast and stay in bed under my covers until noon. 

Crash (that was me hitting my bed). 

Rally for Rescues

Hi Gabe - Thanks for writing to me again!!!!  Maybe we can be friends on Facebook or something when I go to my new home.  That would be really cool!  This whole adoption thing is great, isn't it? 

The FM took ALL the kids to a rally trial today.  Only one of them was competing, but they all went so that the FD and I could spend the whole day together without being interrupted.   I had the best day of my whole life.....all the gates were open and I got to go into every field, and into the yard, and the gazebo garden, and up on both decks.  Of course, there was work to be done too - you know I don't just hang around being useless.  I helped the FD in the barn today.  There was this big blue thing covering one of the tractors in there, and I was afraid there might be dangerous critters lurking under it, so I grabbed the end and pulled with all my strength to uncover the tractor .  It was HUGE but I managed to get it completely off and out of the barn so that I could check out the tractor thoroughly and give it an "all clear".  Then I checked carefully in each of the stalls where there's lots of stuff stored, and then I went into the tack room and investigated everything in there.  I also carefully checked out all the nooks and crannies in the garage.  I think I must have run about 4 thousand miles, and by lunch time I was so tired that I went and stood by my door so I could go in.  I had a quick snack and then settled in for a nice nap, but not a long one because I wanted to be out helping again.  I finally came in for the day around 4:30.  The FM had to wake me up for dinner, so she promised that I could have my last walk in just a few minutes because I really need to go to bed now.  I'm exhausted.

I did want to mention that our friend and trainer Pam Dennison always lets the FM raffle stuff to benefit Bullie Rescue when she has competitions at Positive Motivation Dog Training in NJ.  Today we made $333 to help pay for some of our vet bills.  The FM told everybody about me and showed my pictures to all the people there, and she had baskets in memory of special dogs who passed in the last few months,  so we got lots and lots of contributions.  Pam is the greatest.  If anybody ever needs a really cool dog trainer,  she even does on-line training and phone consultations.  I'm going to take her number with me when I move to MA in case my new parents have any questions. 

And, I want to personally thank Pam and all of her friends for always supporting Bullmastiff Rescue.  Without good friends like that, they might not be able to keep saving lives.   Could you imagine if they weren't here to help me and my children get out of that horrible place in VA?

(if I look short it's because I ran my legs off today racing around the farm!)

Thanks Everybody! 
Magoo

Turkey Countdown

First off, thanks "Anonymous" for the comment!  As you know, I adore getting comments, and it's great when my friends notice how hairy I'm getting to be!  I love it.

So, the big day is less than a week away, and (drum roll, please) - I will have the MOST to be thankful for (even beyond the turkey and stuffing).  I have a family!  Well, at least I hope I do!

I have parents coming to meet me next Friday and I can't imagine that they'll leave for home without me.  My FM has been dropping little hints for the last few days so I could get used to the idea.  I've had so many things to face in the last few weeks that she was afraid another move might push me over the edge.  But, I'm a very resilient character and the prospect of having my own house and my own family to take care of is more than I could ever have hoped for.

The FM said I can take whatever I want along with me so that I have familiar things, so I'm starting to compile my list.   She said we might need a U-Haul by the time I'm finished! And she also said that I can't take the couch - she promised that they actually have couches in other houses too. I'd never seen one before, so I thought this might be the only one.  What a relief!

So next Thursday, when everybody is having turkey and being all thankful and stuff, just remember that the very next day might be the biggest day of my whole life!  Say a prayer, light candles, howl at the moon (that's my favorite) - whatever it takes to help me get to my new home on Friday.

I promise, promise, promise to be the very best boy.   I'm going to take a bath and comb my hair and be all sparkly when they come to meet me.   I'm going to share my toys and, if they want, my new parents can even have some of my lunch.

Off to start making up my list.  I don't want to forget anything.....

Love,
Magoo

Maybe I really AM an Alien!

I thought NJ and VA were in the same country, but maybe I'm wrong.  I think the FM must be speaking a different language, since today she told me that I'm "carried away with myself"!   What's that supposed to mean????  Like, I could possibly be carried away WITHOUT myself?  First "ahead of myself", now I'm with myself, and being carried on top of it all!  Hard to imagine, especially now that I've gained so much weight.  I think I'd probably need to be fork-lifted away with myself (as opposed to without myself - duh), so clearly she is confused.   Sometimes I watch Jersey Shore on TV, and I sure hope my FM isn't related to Snookie - it's scary - she's starting to make about as much sense. 

So how did this discussion come about?  Well, everybody knows that I am obsessed with doors and cubbyholes and the like.  I love my toys, but they're a thousand times more interesting if I can pluck them from the bin with the door that's inside the closet.  I just about lose my mind when I'm allowed to get new, clean toys out of there.  Today, I discovered another closet!  I didn't know it was there - and inside is a big plastic bin, and some cabinets, and then a HUGE pile of blankets and beds and stuff.  Naturally, I felt that they all needed some further examination, so I dragged a few to my lair (that would be my crate) and then I put some on the couch.  I wasn't sure what to do with them all after that, so I just snuffled around, and pawed at them a little bit, and draped them artistically around the room.  Who knew that she'd be back before I had a chance to fold them up and put them away?  Not me!  And that's when she said I was carried away with myself. 

"Magoo, what are you doing?"  "Magoo, did you have to drag everything around?"  "Magoo,  you drooled on everything!"  Well, what did she think - that I could just carry them delicately in my little hands? Maybe I was supposed to levitate them or something.  Geez - I was just looking.   Maybe there was something in there that I wanted for my room, right? 

Anyway, we were supposed to go to the Post Office today, and that didn't happen. I hope it wasn't because I took stuff out of the closet - maybe it's just that the FM got busy and we'll be able to go tomorrow.   She said something about getting things ready for a rescue fundraiser on Saturday so maybe that's what kept her so busy all day.  I hope we can go tomorrow so I can see my friends. 

Here are some photos of me on my couch, with some of my favorite toys.  This was just before I had my two pieces of American cheese and said good night to everyone.

Blowin' in the wind.....

Today was interesting, to say the least.  First we had a HUGE thunderstorm with lots of rain and wind and boomers at 4 AM.  Then the sun came out and we had wind, wind, wind.  I thought for a minute that we might be heading for Oz, but when I went for my walk, it was just the same old street.  It did, however, look quite different, with lots of big limbs down, and some people down the road had part of their fence blow over, and one of their trees too.   

There were some trucks from the town out there, cleaning stuff up, and I got to meet all the municipal employees.   Everyone loved me and admired my new hair (I forgot to mention that I was out in public, naked - that's how good I'm looking these days!).  Good thing I had some weekend experience with outdoor labor, because I was able to help the workmen.  I did an especially good job of holding them steady when the wind blew.  The FM thought perhaps I was just doing the Bullie lean, but I set her straight.  I am, after all, quite selfless, and civic minded as well.  It might have resembled a lean, but was in reality a difficult maneuver cleverly crafted to keep the work crew from blowing over like the trees. One of the guys was so grateful for my help that he shared his lunch with me! 

I also decided today that I really like my chicken flavored Nylabone healthy edible super-sized bone.  I've had it since I got here, but didn't find it all that interesting until this morning.  It's mostly gone now - I've been gnawing on it all day.  I do like to try new things, and give all of my toys an equal opportunity to be appreciated and loved....

The FM noted today that my eyes are clear and sparkly and she hasn't had to put any meds in them for over a week.  I feel and look better every day.  Pretty soon I'll be on the cover of Dog News or maybe I'll be modeling coats in a catalog.  I'm getting to be so handsome! 

Whoa is me!

So she's back.  And this morning, she told me that I'm "getting ahead of myself".  Just how EXACTLY am I doing that, since I am clearly a self-contained entity and all of my parts move together, just like they should?  How could I get ahead of myself, I ask you???

I think the FM thinks my weekend spent with the FD somehow led me astray.  How silly is that?  We spent the whole weekend working outside, doing mechanical stuff and driving the tractors around.  Then we went inside to watch some football and then we went outside again to PLAY some football!  I am an excellent tackle, and the FD and I spent lots of time rolling around in the grass and leaves.  I was slithering around on my back with my legs up in the air, and he was tickling my belly.  We had so much fun! 

I think maybe it has something to do with my little teeny tiny mistake this morning.   I was a very good boy and kept my coat on when I was outside.  After all, I'm not stupid, and it was drizzling.  So the mom was very pleased when she came to get me.  I was so happy that she was happy that I decided to show her my new athletic moves.  I gave her a couple of good pushes and a feint or two, then ran off in a zigzag pattern so she couldn't catch me.  Just before I got to the door I scored a touchdown.  It was awesome.  That was when she crashed into me and fell down in the wet grass.  But I really wasn't ahead of myself - I was mostly ahead of her, until I was on top of her, but that was only to check and make sure she was OK.  I think maybe she's just confused.

Just in case, though, I was very well behaved when we went on our long walk this afternoon and I showed the FM what beautiful leash-walking manners I have.  I never pulled even once, and I marched right along at whatever pace she set.  I was perfect.   I never got ahead of her, so I never got ahead of myself, so I think everything must be OK now.

Just in case, I plan to work some on the deportment aspect of things.  By the way, did you know that "deportes" is Spanish for "sports" - so maybe she's just got a semantics issue and she's really planning for me to be a professional athlete.  I hope so - that sounds like fun!

Maybe my new dad will be young and will like to play with me.  Now that I'm feeling better and can see, I really enjoy zooming around!

Hasta manana!
Magoo (who is now considering taking Spanish lessons)