Break Out Your Best Sweatpants Folks It's Thanksgiving!

Ah Thanksgiving.  We’ll all be busting out our best pair of sweat pants and stuffing our faces.  We have dinner with Grammy and there is always some turkey (this year ground turkey burgers) for the four legged kids.  It’s also a tradition for us to watch the National Kennel Club Dog Show.  We hope you enjoy the day doing the things you like best with the people and furry kids you like best.

Since it’s also a time of year to reflect and be thankful for the many good things in our lives, here are some of the things I am most thankful for:

I am thankful to wake up each morning with Bettina’s head on the pillow next to mine and her nose firmly wedged under my neck.

I am thankful that the strange bump on Blue’s inner thigh did not turn out to be what I feared it might be.

I am thankful that my soon to be 10 year old boy is in good health.

I am thankful that my washing machine works so I can wash all the house coats that Blue has accidentally peed on this fall when he was aiming for something else.

I am thankful that Bettina has only managed to put 1 hole in the LL Bean bed in the office despite her constant assault on it with teeth and nails.

I am thankful that Blue has started letting me sleep in an extra 30 minutes on the weekends.

I am thankful that we have not added too many scars to Bettina’s paper thin skin this year.

I am thankful that it has been so long since someone peed inside I can’t even remember when that was.

I am thankful that I can give the kids a good quality food, treats, marrow bones and other goodies.

I am thankful that Bettina is sassy and full of it.

I am thankful that Blue never met a stranger and charms everyone who ever meets him.

I am thankful for a job that is so incredibly pet friendly.

We are all thankful for Camp Grammy’s!

I am thankful that I had Girly Girl in my life, even if for a short while.

We are all thankful for finding a wonderful vet (Yay Dr. Amy) at the Topsham Veterinary Wellness Center (so close to home!).

We are also all thankful for the fact that you guys take the time to read our stories and are so wonderful, amusing and supportive with your comments.

So Happy Thanksgiving from Mumma, Blue and Bettina!

Thanks for Marrow Bones and Visits to Petco

We wanted to take a quick moment this morning to say thanks for the many great things in our lives.  Mumma is thankful for Blue and Bettina and that Girly Girl came into her life, if only for such a short period of time.  Teachers come in many forms.  We are thankful for our family and friends.  Thankful that in these tough times we have a great job and work for wonderful people.  We're thankful we have the perfect place to live.  Thankful that we're all healthy and happy.  We're thankful that we have enough to eat (and in Mumma's case, more than enough...).  Blue and Bettina are thankful for weekly marrow bones and visits to Petco.  

We're also thankful for the people who read our thoughts on this blog.  When it started, it was a way for family and friends to more easily read the "stories" of our daily adventures that Mumma was originally sharing via email.  We didn't imagine that the stories would be interesting to other people.  But some other people do read them.  We are super thankful for that.  And even more thankful for all the great comments.  Though Mumma doesn't always get a chance to respond, she reads every one (usually multiple times because they are so funny, or kind, or both).  

We've been blessed to stumble upon an amazing community of dog blogging people who not only love their four legged family members, but are amazingly witty, urbane and talented.  We learn something every time we read another post!  For that we are most thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving friends.

For This I Give Thanks….?

OK, yes. Everyone does one of these lists at this time of year. So who am I to buck the popular trend? I fold to peer pressure.



I am thankful for Blue’s horrific dragon breath, which can melt plastic and bend metal.

I am thankful for the 30 plus pounds of greyhound hair that I ingest annually.

I am thankful for two very gassy, smelly, greyhound behinds.

I am thankful for the dog drool stains that grace my couch cushions and all the dog beds.

I am thankful for the chewed woodwork and countertop in the bathroom, a remnant from an early experiment with greyhound separation anxiety.

I am thankful for all the times Blue pees on his own feet (front and back, sometimes at the same time, figure that one out).

I am thankful for the times Blue has peed on Girly Girl’s head.

I am thankful for two cold, wet, drippy noses, which unerringly find their way to the important documents or photos newly set on the coffee table and soak them down with dog snooshies.

I am thankful for the front storm door and all my windows now coated in greyhound nose prints.

I am thankful for a car backseat that is no longer fit for human habitation. 

I am thankful for a greyhound that delights in sidling up to me after dinner on the pretext of a cuddle, only to stretch her graceful snout as close to my face as possible to let out a long, loud, juicy pirate burp.

I am thankful for the many bruises and scratches suffered whilst being kicked on my couch by a stretching, dreaming or roaching greyhound.

I am thankful for the complete drenching received while waiting in the rain for a fussy greyhound to find the absolutely perfect spot to entrust his precious urine to.

I am thankful for the miles and miles of paper towels used in my house cleaning up various oopsies and illnesses for four legged inhabitants.

I am thankful for the nasty sopping wet spot, complete with crumbs left on the carpet for me to step in (barefoot most frequently) after Blue eats a treat.

I am thankful for the loss of ½ the square footage of my house to the numerous and ever accumulating dog beds (how can you ever throw out a good dog bed, right?).

Thankful for all this stuff you ask? You bet. And here’s why: every one of these things means I’m lucky enough to be living with two fabulous greyhounds. Every one of these things has ended up making me laugh (a number of them took some time, but eventually….). These are the worst things I’ve come across in my life with Blue and Girly Girl. I know many people who can’t say the same with their families. And frankly, having humans in the back seat of your car is highly over rated.