Dogs on Thursday: Being Grateful on Thanksgiving

This is one thing I am grateful for: even on a bad weather day when the cats refused to go out, there were no fights. Sophie the dog even gave Buddy the cat a bath.

I am grateful for this bad weather because it is creating dense fog, which I love, all around the mountain.

I am grateful that even though Vermont Public Radio went all-(boring-political)-talk, which essentially cut me off from their classical music, I am now able (just today, in fact, for the first time) to listen to VPR Classical by streaming the music over the Internet. I plug the computer speakers into other speakers so that I can hear the music wherever I am in the house. But shame on VPR for stranding us in remote areas without our music. Marketing trumps goodwill again.

I am grateful for the phone calls, e-mails and computer chats that I had today. I have not been forgotten. Except by the church ladies. I will be resigning my seat on the parish council in two weeks because their meetings conflict with my new class schedule at the college this next semester. The church and I have grown apart, which breaks my heart. I am losing yet one more family.

I am grateful that as an instructor at the community college, I can audit classes for free. I will be taking a digital photography course in the spring.

I am grateful for four days off from work.

I am grateful that Buddy will now sleep in a cat bed next to me and my MacBook instead of on my MacBook.

I hope you all had a quiet and peaceful Thanksgiving with those you love, as I did.

Technorati tags: Thanksgiving VPR+programming
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Dogs on Thursday: Buddy's New Sleeping Buddy

Sophie the Dog isn't sure if she should trust Buddy the Cat. She knows how violent Buddy can be. But she needn't worry: when Buddy wants to sleep, all warm bodies are his friend. Amelia has told me that the dogs are afraid of Buddy and Charlie. The dogs won't break up the cat fights that are breaking out because of the cold weather and the cats' confinement to the house. It's gonna be a long winter.

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Dogs on Thursday: Haunted Hell: A Vermont Ghost Story from Joseph Citro

Haunted Hell by Joseph Citro

I found this sad, ghostly story of a boy and his dog from old Vermont, as told by Vermont author Joseph Citro on his blog.

One of the most gothic elements associated with Bristol is the belief that a murdered boy and his sidekick, a demonic hound, hold an eternal vigil in the lightless bowels of the mine shaft. They are preternaturally compelled to forever guard against would-be treasure hunters. Franklin S. Harvey wrote, "As these patient toilers hewed their way through the ledge and drew nearer to the object of their search, they could hear the boy sign and groan . . ."

To read the rest of the story, Haunted Hell, click here.

Dogs+on+Thursday Joseph+Citro Vermont+ghost+story

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Dogs on Thursday: Daisy Kisses

Anna and Daisy on the beach in New Haven

Photo by Aaron Kotowski

Technorati tags: Dogs+on+Thursday New+Haven+Harbor chihuahua

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Dogs on Thursday: Bruno the Corn Maze Dog

Bruno is owned by the Corn Maze farmer. He is a corn-cob loving chocolate lab. He rips cornstalks out of the maze, shakes the cobs free, and then runs like a crazed chocolate lab with his corn. He eats several ears of corn a day! I caught him in this photo looking guilty after ripping up some cornstalks.

Technorati tags: O'Donnell's+Corn+Maze Westfield Vermont Dogs+on+Thursday

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Dogs on Thursday: Meet Sophie

Sophie is Amelia's three and a half year old Vermont Beagle. Amy found Sophie at Frontier Animal Shelter in Orleans. Amy stopped by the shelter once a week for six weeks looking for a companion for Scout, her first Vermont Beagle. Finally Sophie showed up and Amy had her dog. She took me and Wingnut to meet her and we fell in love with her. We took her home that very day. Ever since, Sophie has given us a supreme test of tolerance of poor dog behavior. Sophie has at least one behavior disability but has not been behaviorally assessed. Ninety-five percent of other people would have had Sophie put down or given her away or abandoned her.

But Amy has taken her to obedience classes, fly ball class, agility class and tracking class. Sophie had a great time in all the classes but learned very little. Amy is determined: Sophie is continually under training to make her calmer, less anxious and more able to focus. This requires that Amy walk Sophie at least four miles a day to tire her, and to restrict stimulation from other animals (including my cats) and situations.

With proper and constant care, Sophie is a love. She runs up to bed before me every night. She begins under the bed, and within thirty minutes is under the covers. In another half hour, Sophie throws herself (throws for real) out of the covers and pants on top of the covers, where she sleeps until Amy goes to bed.

When I look back at Sophie's behavior two years ago, it is amazing what Amy's love and devotion have done for Sophie. Amy won't give up on Sophie and will care for this dog for the rest of her life. Sophie is a happier dog now. Sophie is my granddog.

Technorati tags: Dogs+on+Thursday Sophie beagle Frontier+Animal+Shelter
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