Oof! Oof!! Oof!!! (translation: "He's Home! He's Home!" )

I'd just love to know what all that barking means when I pull into the driveway and Luke sees me. Barking! tail wagging, running to the garage door to meet me ... I like to think that all that ruckus means he's glad I'm home. He should be! No matter how long a day I've had, I know I'm sure glad to see him!

I often wonder...

Luke was given to our family when he was full grown, so we never experienced his younger years. I often find myself wondering what Luke must have been like as a puppy.

Luke was born California, and I was told that he "grew up" in Baton Rouge, LA at a home near a lake. He doesn't seem at all afraid of the water, and I remember the first time we went for a walk near a river. He waded right in up to his chest, and stood there with the water rushing under him. I recall being surprised at how comfortable he was in the water.

Occasionally, I get a glimpse at the "kid" in him ... like when we're chasing each other outside, or when he's chewing on a toy. When I reflect on my life over the last decade, I think about what age he would have been, and what he might have been experiencing. I wonder if he still has memories of his former life.

I'd give anything to have had Luke since he was a puppy. Maybe the fact that Luke came into my life late, is the reason I cherish the time we have together.

Sometimes when we're alone, I pull him up close to me and ask him to promise that he'll live just one day longer than I do.

We're Jammin'

We're Jammin'!

Time to get the rag top out and take Luke for a ride with his ears flapping in the wind. It doesn't get any better than riding around on a sunny summer day with the top down, listening to tunes, and running errands with Luke. Our typical day together includes:

• Heading off to Walmart to pickup a bag of chicken jerky treats,
• A walk around the hood, to visit Luke's canine homeys,
• Working on a project in the garage listening to some tunes,
• A stop by the bank drive-thru to make a deposit and get a doggy bone,
• A fast food lunch for some chicken nuggets (Luke's favorite),
• A stop by the car wash for some tail waggin' and to meet some new friends.

Simple pleasure are the best....just ask Luke.

Best Friends

I have to believe that animals can sense the level of aggression in other animals. Our cat, who is cautious about everything , is completely at ease around Luke and he adores her.

She plays with him. She rubs against him. She sleeps beside him. If he goes outside, she follows him.

Our cat will step in front of Luke while he's eating, and eat from his bowl. He just steps back and waits patiently until she's finished eating.

I've always heard that you should get between a dog and his food. I guess our cat has never heard that before.

Dog Tired

Dog Tired

Havin' a Ball!

Havin' a Ball!

Wednesdays are our day to have a ball. We only have a few responsibilities on Wednesdays (take out the trash, get the mail, run an errand or two.)

Well today we just laid around. It rained hard most of the day, so we practiced being lazy. We slept late, hung out, watched some TV and just chilled. Then we both had some left over pizza for lunch.

About 2 pm, we rode over to Wal-Mart because they have the best price on real meat chicken jerky. Chicken jerky is good for a dogs teeth and they make for good chewing fun. Luke loves them and we practice our tricks so he can get rewarded for doing them correctly. This dog lives to please his master, so he always responds promptly to my voice and hand commands, and does his tricks just perfectly.

Spring is nearing, and once this bad weather deminishes a little, we'll be taking long walks again. We took a nice walk last week and Luke nearly gave me a heart attack! Evidentally, he got distracted by some other dogs and we got seperated on our mountain trail. It took me 30 minutes to locate him.

This is a dog that never runs off, in fact he never leaves your sight. So when I found him, I had to really scold him by hugging and kissing him, telling him what a Good Boy he is, and then giving him some of his favorite treats. That should teach him never to do that again!

I'm not sure who, if anyone, reads this Blog but if anyone does, the one thing you should know is that if you ever want to experience true love, add tremendously to your quality of life, reduce your stress level, and have a loyal friend that will never forsake you - then get yourself a Golden Retriever.

A Golden is closer to an Angel, than they are a dog.

Happy Birthday Old Man

Happy Birthday Old Man!

* I've fallen down on my blog posting responsibilites for the last several months. My apologies to anyone following this blog.

We celebrated a birthday in our family earlier this month. My Lukey Boy turned 11 years old on March 8th. My daughters threw a party for Luke complete with party favors, streamers, presents, people food and doggy treats like cheese squares and chicken jerky. He was thrilled to be the center of our attention, and we were thrilled to be at his birthday celebration.

The photo above was not taken at the party, but was taken of Luke as he chewed away on one of his play toys (a toy squirrel, I think). He got plenty of toys at his party. His toy basket is overflowing. He loves to sling his furry critters from side to side, pounce on them, and chase after them when they're thrown. He's a Retriever, so he eventually brings them back to you. He's tough on toys, but wouldn't hurt a fly in real life. What a gentle loving giant he is.